Original article PDF Wonkeun Song, M.D., Jin Tae Suh, M.D.1, Jung-Oak Kang, M.D.2, Sun-E Kim, M.D.2, Myung Jae Park, M.D.3, Hee Chul Park, M.D.4, Yong Kyun Roh, M.D.5, and Dong Hun Shin, M.D. Department of Clinical Pathology, Internal Medicine1, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery2, and Family Medicine3, Hallym University College of Medicine; Department of Clinical Pathology, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine4; Department of Clinical Pathology, Hanyang University College of Medicine5, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Wonkeun Song, E-mail: swonkeun@netsgo.com Ann Clin Microbiol 1999;2(2):167-171.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Diagnosis of tuberculosis is more complicated because of low sensitivity and time-consuming procedures of the conventional diagnostic methods as well as nonspecific clinical features. Recently the serologic diagnosis of tuberculosis has been reported as one of rapid sensitive and specific methods. We evaluated the ability of a rapid ICT Tuberculosis assay (AMRAD/ICT Diagnostics, Sydney, Australia) to detect pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods:

Original article PDF Kyung Suk Kim1, Jung Oak Kang2, Dong Soo Han3, Song-ja Chin4, and Tae Yeal Choi2 Bioengineering Institute, CoreStem Inc.1, Department of Laboratory Medicine2, and Internal Medicine3, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seosan Hospital, Korea4 Corresponding to Jung Oak Kang, E-mail: jokang@hanyang.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2004;7(1):77-83.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background : For the treatment of peptic ulcer diseases infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole are most commonly used. Recently the resistant rates against these antibiotics have been increased and this has become one of the major causes of treatment failure. It was recently demonstrated that metronidazole resistance is associated with mutation in rdxA gene that encodes an oxygen-insensitive NADPH nitroreductase. The aim of this study was to investigate the mutations of the rdxA gene for the metronidazoleresistant H. pylori isolates from Guri City, Korea. Methods : H. pylori strains were isolated from gastric biopsy

Original article PDF Song-Mee Bae1, Mi-Jung Jang1, Hyun-Jae Song2, Doo-Young Jeon3, Sun-Seog Kweon4, Yeon-Ho Kang1 1Division of Bacterial Respiratory Infections, Center for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Seoul; 2Department of Clinical Pathology, Gwangju Health College, Gwangju, 3Micobiology Division, Jeollanam-do Institute of Health and Environment, Gwangju; 4Department of Preventive Medicine, Seonam University College of Medicine, Namwon, Korea Corresponding to Yeon-Ho Kang, E-mail: slowpc@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2007;10(2):109-113.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the most frequent cause of respiratory tract infections in school- aged children and adolescents. For appropriate use of antibiotics, diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection in routine clinical practice has been based on serology using a single serum sample. We evaluated the seroprevalence of anti-M. pneumoniae-specific antibodies in 500 asymptomatic, healthy persons in Jeonnam Province. Methods: Sera were collected from 500 healthy persons in Jeonnam Province. Anti-M. pneumoniae antibody titer was measured using a microparticle agglutination

Original article PDF Han-Sung Kim, Jae-Seok Kim, Wonkeun Song, Hee Jung Kang, Kyu Man Lee Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea Corresponding to Han-Sung Kim, E-mail: kimhan@hallym.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2007;10(1):14-18.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology. Abstract Background: TT virus (TTV) infection is highly prevalent in the general population and in the patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aim of the present study was to assess the positive rates of TTV DNA using different PCR primer sets in healthy and HBV or HCV-infected individuals in Korea.  Methods: TTV DNA was investigated in serum samples of 69 healthy individuals and 59 HBV-infected and 34 HCV-infected individuals by nested PCR assays using primers from N22 region, 5′-untranslated region (UTR), and 3′ UTR of viral genome.  Results: TTV DNA was detected in 43% of total study populations using N22 primers,