To investigate the inhibition effect on pathogenic microbes and the antimicrobial resistance of probiotics, a total of 140 probiotics were isolated from 35 kinds of Korean commercially available Kimchi. Of those, L. plantarum was identified from 53 strains (37.9%), E. faecium from 27 strains (19.3%), and L. rhamnosus from 7 strains (5.0%) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sixty nine strains (49.3%) showed overall antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microbes, namely S. Typhi, S. Enteritidis, E. coli O157:H7, S. flexneri, NAG Vibrio, Listeria monocytogenesis, Y. enterocolitica, S. aureus, S. pyogenes, G. vaginalis, C. albicans, and P. acne. The proportions of L. plantarum, E. faecium, and L. rhamnosus strains to pathogenic microbes were 75.5%, 40.7%, and 28.6%, respectively. In addition, a resistance test with 18 antimicrobial agents using a disk diffusion assay revealed a resistance incidence of 98.6% for nalidixic acid, 83.6% for streptomycin, 75.7% for gentamicin 73.6% for vancomycin, 72.1% for norfloxacin, and 67.9% for ciprofloxacin. In conclusion, L. plantarum, L. sakei, and E. faecium strains with various antimicrobial activities and broad antibiotic resistance are useful for treating diarrhea in long-term inpatients and for the alternative use for treating Candida species female vaginitis.

Background The increasing use of the standard triple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has led to an increase in the prevalence of strains resistant to existing drugs, thereby lowering the success rate of eradication therapies. Aims This study aimed at promoting effective eradication therapy by investigating the H. pylori infection rate, incidence of clarithromycin resistance, and types of mutations. Methods Using a PCR kit that amplifies a gene site known to be resistant to antibiotics in H. pylori, the resistance gene retention rate is determined and analyzed using various methods. The rapid urease test (RUT) was performed on patients undergoing routine health exams in Cheonan, and residual specimens were analyzed through DPO-based multiplex PCR to examine point mutations of the 23S rRNA gene, a gene responsible for clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori. Results The statistical program R was used for data analysis. Data are presented as medians and ranges. A chi-square test was used to analyze the categorical data. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RUT and DPO-based multiplex PCR were 95.9 per cent in agreement with regard to the H. pylori infection rate, and the prevalence of the A2142G and A2143G mutations-point mutations for clarithromycin resistance-was 3.9 per cent and 22.8 per cent, respectively. Conclusion This data will serve as a basis for research on drug resistance in H. pylori, reflecting regional differences in Korea.

Background and Objectives: Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans are the most common causative agents of bac- terial vaginosis, and infections with these pathogens lead to inflammation, endometritis, and pruritus. The aim of this retro- spective study was to determine the trends of G. vaginalis infections based on real-time PCR data according to age and sex in patients with sexually transmitted diseases. Materials and Methods: A total of 59,381 specimens isolated at a clinical laboratory from September 2018 to December 2020 were subjected to real-time PCR for the detection of G. vaginalis DNA. Sample types included catheter, pus, tissue, swab, and urine samples. Results: Among 59,381 samples, 20,718 (34.8%) were positive for G. vaginalis. Of the positive samples, 13,186 (63.7%) were from male patients and 7,532 (36.3%) were from female patients. Average patient age was 39.1 years (the average age of male and female patients was 38.34 and 40.43 years, respectively). Female patients younger than 19 years exhibited the highest incidence of G. vaginalis, at 71.57%, followed by 68.46% incidence in those aged 20-29 years; the lowest incidence was in women aged 40-49 years. Further, among specimen types, the highest number of G. vaginalis-positive specimens was obtained by the swab sampling method. Conclusion: From 2018 to 2020 in Korea, the number of tests conducted for bacterial vaginosis has increased, while the incidence of G. vaginalis infections appears to have decreased. the finding that female adolescents have a high tendency to carry the pathogen is important. and for effective surveillance of BV, sampling by cotton swabs and detection by multiplex PCR might be a good approach.

Background: Candida albicans is an yeast species that colonizes the vaginal and oral mucosa of healthy women. However, it exhibits pathogenicity when the balance between yeast and mucous membranes and host defense mechanisms is disrupted. Objectives: To develop an auxiliary treatment for vaginitis, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of a probiotic bacterial strain isolated from kimchi on C. albicans. Methods: Lactobacillus plantarum, which exhibits potent inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria and is resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics, was isolated from commercially kimchi in Korea, and its antagonistic effects on C. albicans were examined in a mixed culture with ME-180 cervical carcinoma cells. Results: Candida albicans caused extensive damage in ME-180 cells. In ME-180 cells inoculated with L. plantarum and then with C. albicans, the extent of cell damage increased as the concentration of the C. albicans culture increased. However, in ME-180 cells inoculated with L. plantarum at 106 CFU/mL or at a higher concentration, the extent of cell damage increased substantially with the concentration of C. albicans, indicating that L. plantarum inhibited the growth of C. albicans. Conclusions: Lactobacillus plantarum did not directly inhibit the growth of C. albicans but may have inhibited biofilm development at an early stage, thereby preventing the growth and mucosal adhesion of C. albicans. Further investigation of the safety, side effects, and metabolism of L. plantarum and its potential infectivity in animals is required before the L. plantarum isolate can be used to treat vaginitis.