Campylobacter fetus subspecies venerealis meningitis associated with a companion dog in a young adult: a case report.

Background: Campylobacter spp., common commensals in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, especially poultry, can cause acute gastrointestinal illness in humans through animal-to-human transmission. Although Campylobacter fetus, especially subspecies fetus, rarely leads to systemic infections such as bacteremia in immunocompromised patients, it is unclear whether Campylobacter fetus subspecies venerealis (Cfv) causes infectious diseases in humans.

Fluconazole-Resistant Candida glabrata Bloodstream Isolates, South Korea, 2008-2018.

We investigated the clinical outcomes and molecular mechanisms of fluconazole-resistant (FR) bloodstream infections. Among 1,158 isolates collected during multicenter studies in South Korea during 2008–2018, 5.7% were FR.

Nationwide External Quality Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Testing, South Korea.

External quality assessment (EQA) is essential for ensuring reliable test results, especially when laboratories are using assays authorized for emergency use for newly emerging pathogens. We developed an EQA panel to assess the quality of real-time reverse transcription PCR assays being used in South Korea to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). With the participation of 23 public health organization laboratories and 95 nongovernmental laboratories involved in SARS-CoV-2 testing, we conducted qualitative and semiquantitative performance assessments by using pooled respiratory samples containing different viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 or human coronavirus OC43.

Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) Genotypes of Bloodstream Isolates in Korea: Association With Antifungal Resistance, Mutations in Mismatch Repair Gene (Msh2), and Clinical Outcomes.

bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates from a particular geographic area have been reported to comprise a relatively small number of the major sequence types (STs) by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Yet little is known about the characteristics of major ST strains of . To address this question in Korea, we investigated antifungal resistance and non-synonymous mutations of the mismatch repair gene ( mutations) in BSI isolates, as well as associated clinical characteristics, and compared the results according to MLST genotype.

Effect of the Standardization of Diagnostic Tests on the Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Fasting Glucose.

Background: Without standardization of medical laboratory's testing practices, there is an increase in false diagnoses when relying on test results. However, the effect of test standardization is difficult to assess numerically. This study's purpose is to quantify the effect of the standardization level of a laboratory on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG).

Antifungal susceptibilities to amphotericin B, triazoles and echinocandins of 77 clinical isolates of cryptic Aspergillus species in multicenter surveillance in Korea.

We investigated the in vitro antifungal susceptibilities of cryptic Aspergillus species from nine Korean hospitals. Based on the CLSI epidemiological cutoff values, resistance rates to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and caspofungin were as follows: A. awamori (34 isolates; all 0%), A.

Resistance Mechanisms and Clinical Features of Fluconazole-Nonsusceptible Candida tropicalis Isolates Compared with Fluconazole-Less-Susceptible Isolates.

We investigated the azole resistance mechanisms and clinical features of fluconazole-nonsusceptible (FNS) isolates of Candida tropicalis recovered from Korean surveillance cultures in comparison with fluconazole-less-susceptible (FLS) isolates. Thirty-five clinical isolates of C. tropicalis, comprising 9 FNS (fluconazole MIC, 4 to 64 μg/ml), 12 FLS (MIC, 1 to 2 μg/ml), and 14 control (MIC, 0.

Antifungal susceptibilities of bloodstream isolates of Candida species from nine hospitals in Korea: application of new antifungal breakpoints and relationship to antifungal usage.

We applied the new clinical breakpoints (CBPs) of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) to a multicenter study to determine the antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates of Candida species in Korea, and determined the relationship between the frequency of antifungal-resistant Candida BSI isolates and antifungal use at hospitals. Four hundred and fifty BSI isolates of Candida species were collected over a 1-year period in 2011 from nine hospitals. The susceptibilities of the isolates to four antifungal agents were determined using the CLSI M27 broth microdilution method.

Increase in the Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter Isolates and Ampicillin-Resistant Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Species in Korea: A KONSAR Study Conducted in 2011.

Background: Antimicrobial surveillance is important for providing an up-to-date understanding of the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and for creating a forum for rational drug development. In this study, we analyzed antimicrobial test data generated in 2011 by hospitals and commercial laboratories participating in the Korean Nationwide Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance program (KONSAR).

Materials And Methods: Data on the results of susceptibility tests conducted in 32 hospitals and two commercial laboratories were analyzed.

Effects of platelet lysate preparations on the proliferation of HaCaT cells.

Background: Standard protocols are lacking for the preparation of platelet lysates (PL) as an alternative to using fetal bovine serum as a cell culture supplement. This study aimed to establish optimum conditions for preparing PL for use in cell cultures.

Methods: Cell density in three pooled platelet concentrates (PC) were adjusted to 1×10(12)/L and 2×10(12)/L.

Serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella spp.: nationwide multicenter study in Korea.

The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of various serotypes and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing features of Salmonella strains and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of 256 Salmonella strains other than Salmonella serotype Typhi, which were isolated at 12 university hospitals in Korea. We identified 46 serotypes of Salmonella spp. Serogroup D was the most common (39.

Hemophagocytosis by leukemic blasts in B lymphoblastic leukemia with t(12;21)(p13;q22); TEL-AML1 (ETV6-RUNX1): a case report.

Blasts showing hemophagocytosis have been very rarely reported in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We report a pediatric case of B lymphoblastic leukemia (BLL) with t(12;21)(p13;q22); TEL-AML1 (ETV6-RUNX1) showing erythrophagocytosis and thrombophagocytosis by leukemic blasts. About 4% of the leukemic blasts in marrow aspirate smears showed phagocytosis of erythrocytes, platelets, or nuclear remnants in a 3-year-old Korean boy with a diagnosis of BLL.

In vitro fluconazole and voriconazole susceptibilities of Candida bloodstream isolates in Korea: use of the CLSI and EUCAST epidemiological cutoff values.

Background: At present, the clinical breakpoints (CBPs) of both fluconazole and voriconazole are available only for 3 common Candida species in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) methods. Epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) were recently applied to both methods to detect the emergence of acquired resistance (i.e.

Antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, and flucytosine in Candida bloodstream isolates from 15 tertiary hospitals in Korea.

The in vitro antifungal susceptibility of 636 Candida bloodstream isolates collected from 15 tertiary hospitals in Korea was determined using the Vitek-2 yeast susceptibility system (bioMérieux, France). Overall susceptibility rates were 98.1%, 95.

Characterization of a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium outbreak caused by 2 genetically different clones at a neonatal intensive care unit.

In July 2010, we identified an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in our 26-bed neonatal intensive care unit. We performed an epidemiological investigation after clinical cultures of 2 neonates were positive for VRE. Identification, susceptibility testing, and molecular characterization were performed.

Change of antimicrobial susceptibility among Escherichia coli strains isolated from female patients with community-onset acute pyelonephritis.

Purpose: There is a concern on which antimicrobials are appropriate as empirical agents for community-onset acute pyelonephritis (APN) in regions where the fluoroquinolone resistance rate is high, such as in Korea.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred and two strains of E. coli in 2001-2002 and 349 strains in 2008-2009 were isolated from the urine cultures of female adult APN patients, and the antimicrobial susceptibility was compared according to each study period.

Prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance and mutations in the gyrase and topoisomerase IV genes in Salmonella isolated from 12 tertiary-care hospitals in Korea.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) and mutations in quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of Salmonella and their association with fluoroquinolone susceptibility in Korea.

Methods: A total of 284 nonduplicated clinical isolates of Salmonella were collected from various clinical specimens at 12 tertiary-care hospitals in Korea. The qnrA, qnrB, and qnrS genes were detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

First three reported cases of nosocomial fungemia caused by Candida auris.

Candida auris is a newly described species whose clinical significance is not clear. Here, we describe the first three cases of nosocomial fungemia caused by C. auris, which confirms that it is a causative agent of bloodstream infections.

IS6110-restriction fragment length polymorphism and spoligotyping analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates for investigating epidemiologic distribution in Korea.

The Beijing family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been emerging in the world. However, there are few nationwide data of genotypic distribution in Korea. This study aimed to identify the genotypic diversity of clinical isolates of M.

The usefulness of albumin-adjusted ischemia-modified albumin index as early detecting marker for ischemic stroke.

This study was conducted to investigate whether albumin-adjusted ischemia-modified albumin index (IMA index) is more sensitive and accurate than ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) as early detection marker of ischemic stroke, and to compare IMA and IMA index in progression and non-progression of ischemic stroke. This case-control study was done at an emergency medical center of a university hospital. 52 patients with neurological symptoms were enrolled (28 Ischemic Stroke Group and 24 Non-Stroke Group).

Fully integrated lab-on-a-disc for simultaneous analysis of biochemistry and immunoassay from whole blood.

We report a fully integrated device that can perform both multiple biochemical analysis and sandwich type immunoassay simultaneously on a disc. The whole blood is applied directly to the disposable "lab-on-a-disc" containing different kinds of freeze-dried reagents for the blood chemistry analysis as well as reagents required for the immunoassay. The concentrations of different kinds of analytes are reported within 22 min by simply inserting a disc to a portable device.