Original article PDF Jeonghyun Chang1, Sang-Hyun Hwang1,2, Mi-Na Kim1, Heungsup Sung1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Center for Diagnostic Oncology, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea Corresponding to Heungsup Sung, E-mail: sung@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2017;20(2):21-26. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2017.20.2.21Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a clinically important pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients and is typically monitored using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). International standards and certified reference materials were recently developed by the WHO, providing the opportunity to standardize viral load reporting. Clinical microbiologists who conduct quantitative CMV DNA testing should be aware of technical issues that can affect the analytical and clinical performance of the method used. These include specimen type, limits of detection and quantification, linear range, reproducibility, and wide variability in viral

Original article PDF Heungsup Sung1, Mi-Na Kim1, Dongeun Yong2, Miae Lee3, Jongwook Lee4,5, Mi-Kyung Lee6, Hiun Suk Chae7, Hae Kyung Lee8, Helicobacter Study Group 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konyang University Hospital, Daejeon, 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jincheon Sungmo Hospital, Jincheon, 6Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Departments of 7Internal Medicine and 8Laboratory Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu, Korea Corresponding to Hae Kyung Lee, E-mail: hkl@catholic.ac.kr; Mi-Na Kim, E-mail: mnkim@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2018;21(3):58-63. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2018.21.3.58Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Helicobacter pylori infection in children causes gastrointestinal symptoms and iron deficiency anemia. This study aimed to investigate trends in H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) positivity

PDF Original article Annals of Clinical Microbiology (Ann Clin Microbiol) 2020 December, Volume 23, Issue 4, pages 191-199. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2020.23.4.4 Aram Kim, Heerah Lee, Kyu Wha Hur, Heungsup Sung, Mi-Na Kim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Abstract Background: Inconclusive SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) test results, which are positive for one or more target genes but not all, are problematic in clinical laboratories. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cause and clinical relevance of such inconclusive results. Methods: rRT-PCR was performed using the Allplex 2019-nCoV assay kit (Seegene Inc., Korea) targeting the following three genes: E, RdRp, and N. For all inconclusive test results reported from March to June 2020, the frequency per kit, lot number, specimen type, cycle threshold (Ct) and peak values of the amplification curves, positive target genes, and results of repeated or consecutive tests were

Original article Seunghoo Lee, Kyu-Hwa Hur, Yunsil Chung, Heungsup Sung, Mi-Na Kim Departments of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Mi-Na Kim, E-mail: mnkim@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2021;24(2):45-53. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2021.24.2.3Received on 13 April 2021, Revised on 12 May 2021, Accepted on 13 May 2021, Published on 20 June 2021.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Rapid detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) is desirable to guide antimicrobial therapy and infection control. The NG-Test Carba5 (Carba5; NG Biotech, France) rapid multiplex lateral flow immunoassay and BD MAX Check-Points CPO Assay (CPO; BD Diagnostic Systems, USA) fully automated real-time PCR assay were evaluated for the detection of KPC, NDM, VIM, IMP, and OXA-48-like group in a culture colony compared to genotyping using conventional PCR.  Methods: Among the clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) collected from 2013 to 2019, up to 20 isolates for

Letter Kuenyoul Park, Heungsup Sung, Mi-Na Kim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Heungsup Sung, E-mail: sung@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2021;24(1):27-29. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2021.24.1.4Received on 8 October 2020, Revised on 4 November 2020, Accepted on 12 November 2020, Published on 20 March 2021.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. To the Editor, Since the first confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on January 20, 2020, the Korean government reported a total of 8,799 COVID-19 patients until March 21, 2020, which were mainly attributed to community outbreaks [1]. This novel respiratory viral infection is so feared that the number of individuals using public transport has dropped dramatically. Moreover, enhanced social distancing measures, including refraining from going out and following personal hygiene practices such as hand washing and wearing a mask, were announced on March 21. These strategies successfully attenuated COVID-19 transmission