Original article PDF Soo Jin Park*, Sunjoo Kim Korean Red Cross Gyoungnam Blood Center, Medical Quality Management Office, Changwon*; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2003;6(1):7-11.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Group A streptococci (GAS) is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis. Recently, a high frequency of resistance to erythromycin (EM), the drug of choice for penicillinallergic patients, has been reported, especially in countries where antibiotics are overused. Resistance is classified as constitutive, inducible, or M according to the sensitivity results with EM and clindamycin (CC). These EM resistance phenotype is attributable to the ermB, ermTR, and mefA genes, respectively. Although EM resistance of GAS is a serious problem in our country, there are very few reports regarding to its mechanism.  Methods: GAS were isolated from elementary school children of Jinju in 2002. Antibiotic

Original article PDF Hee-Young Yang, Hee-Joo Lee, Jin-Tae Suh Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Hee-Joo Lee, E-mail: leehejo@khmc.or.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2008;11(1):49-55.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Fungemia has increased over the past decade and is an important cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Since 1980, there has been an increase in the worldwide studies of nosocomial bloodstream fungal infections. We analyzed the distribution and the clinical characteristics of fungemia at a tertiary care hospital, Kyung Hee University hospital. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and laboratory findings of 139 patients who had fungemia from January 2000 to December 2006. We investigated the incidence of each fungal species, yearly occurrence, underlying diseases, hospitalized units, predisposing factors, use of the antifungal agents, mortality, and the characteristics of the expired group. Results: The most common species isolated was C. albicans (40.3%), followed

Original article PDF Joon Kim1, Kyung Ho Choi2, Young Sun Kim2, Wee Gyo Lee2 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ajou University College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea Corresponding to Wee Gyo Lee, E-mail: weegyo@ajou.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2015;18(3):76-81. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2015.18.3.76Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) infections are caused by Enterococcus faecium in about 90% of the cases but can also be caused by Enterococcus faecalis. Thus, this study investigates factors that cause a low isolation rate of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis (VREfs). To this end, the authors study the clinical traits, resistant gene structure, genomic classification, and molecular characteristics of the virulent factor. Methods: From January 2001 through September 2011, 17 vanA-containing E. faecalis isolates were collected from hospitalized patients at Ajou University Hospital in Korea. Identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PCR of van and esp genes were performed.

Erratum PDF Joon Kim1, Young Ihn Kwon2, Wee Gyo Lee3 1Department of Medical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea, 2Undergraduate Statistics, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ajou University College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea Corresponding to Wee Gyo Lee, E-mail: weegyo@ajou.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2017;20(4):109. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2017.20.4.109Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. To the Editor, There was an error in the article, ‘Comparison of Multilocus Sequence Typing Change Patterns of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium from 2015 to 2017.’ The period of study in title should have been listed as ‘in the Past Nine Years’. Therefore, we ask to correct ‘from 2015 to 2017’ with ‘from 2007 to 2015’. We apologize for any inconvenience that it may have caused. Yours sincerely, Wee Gyo Lee, M.D.

Original article PDF Joon Kim1, Young Ihn Kwon2, Wee Gyo Lee3 1Department of Medical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea, 2Undergraduate Statistics, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ajou University College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea Corresponding to Wee Gyo Lee, E-mail: weegyo@ajou.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2017;20(3):67-73. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2017.20.3.67Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is useful in determining the long-term evolutionary process and minimizes differences in experimental results across individuals and laboratories. It is also useful in determining evolutionary origins and backgrounds of bacterial species. This study carries out MLST analysis on VanA-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from patient specimens in a single university hospital over nine years in order to observe changes in genetic evolution over time. Methods: During the years from 2007 to 2015, 44 clinical isolates of vanA-containing E. faecium were collected from Ajou University Hospital in Korea. Species were identified by the VitekII

Review article Eun-Jung Cho1, Eun Jin Lee1, Younggil Cha2,3 Nuri Lee1, Ki Ho Hong4, Hee Jin Huh5, Young Joo Cha6, Hyun Soo Kim1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, 2Molecular Diagnostic Division, Bioneer Corp., Seoul, 3College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, 6Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Hyun Soo Kim, E-mail: hskim0901@empas.com Ann Clin Microbiol 2020;23(2):57-66. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2020.23.2.2Received on 1 November 2019, Revised on 24 December 2019, Accepted on 24 December 2019, Published on 20 June 2020.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Molecular diagnostic techniques are used for the diagnosis and monitoring of viral infections. The performance of the in vitro diagnostic assays is important for an accurate and prompt diagnosis. Positive clinical samples or reference materials (RMs) are essential

Editorial Hae-Sun Chung Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Correspondence to Hae-Sun Chung, E-mail: sunny0521.chung@ewha.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(4):27. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.4.8Received on 16 December 2025, Revised on 18 December 2025, Accepted on 18 December 2025, Published on 20 December 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). The expanding role of whole-genome sequencing in clinical microbiology: A specially invited review Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to erode the effectiveness of standard treatment pathways. Against this backdrop, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has shifted from being a specialized research capability to a practical engine for clinical decision support, outbreak investigation, and pathogen surveillance. The review by the distinguished Japanese scholar Professor Takashi Takahashi [1], “Whole-genome sequencing applications for

Original article Teddy Namirimu1, Sunjoo Kim2,3,4 1Marine Biotechnology & Bioresource Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 3Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Korea Corresponding to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2024;27(3):197-204. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2024.27.3.1Received on 30 June 2024, Revised on 12 July 2024, Accepted on 30 July 2024, Published on 28 August 2024.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Background: Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted by mosquitoes and is becoming a global threat owing to an increase in the number of cases and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income tropical countries. Rapid and easy-to-use diagnostic tests are required to differentiate dengue fever

Case report Yeo-Jin Song1*, Bongyoung Kim1*, Young-eun Kim2, Yangsoon Lee2, Hyunjoo Pai1 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Corresponding to Hyunjoo Pai, E-mail: paihj@hanyang.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2020;23(4):211-216. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2020.23.4.6Received on 19 February 2020, Revised on 10 April 2020, Accepted on 10 April 2020, Published on 20 December 2020.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Rothia spp. are aerobic, gram-positive cocci belonging to the family Micrococcaceae, and are a part of the normal microbial flora of the human oropharynx and upper respiratory tract. We present the first case of the prosthetic valve endocarditis with cerebral hemorrhage caused by Rothia mucilaginosa in South Korea. A 65-year-old man with a prosthetic aortic valve visited the outpatient clinic with a complaint of fever. R. mucilaginosa was identified in one among four sets of blood culture bottles obtained