Staphylococcus species are one of prevalent pathogens found in hospitals. Microbes that are a primary cause of nosocomial infection were isolated from a dental and medical environment it may assist the reader to explain what this is and how it differs from the ‘dental health care providers and ward health care providers’. To investigate the distribution of staphylococcus species in this environment, we used vitek II to measure drug sensitivity, and further performed biochemical testing. The isolation rate of staphylococcus species from the dental and medical environment was 100% but from dental health care providers and ward health care providers were 44.4% and 33.3%, respectively. In the analyses, staphylococcus species showed resistance to diffusion of cefoxitin and oxacillin discs. These staphylococci may be sufficiently positive for the mecA gene. Our results suggest that staphylococci might be an important cause of nosocomial infection in the dental clinic.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in hospitals. To investigate cross contamination by this bacterium in both dental and medical settings, the pathogens that cause acute pyogenic infection and one of the major microbes responsible for nosocomial infection were isolated from health care providers, nurses and patients. We used VITEK II to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing, coagulase serotype testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for isolated MRSA colonies. The isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal swabs was 75.0% from dental health care providers and 18.8% from the medical health care providers. A total of 10 MRSA strains were isolated from 40 health care providers and 2 patients and the prevalent coagulase serotype from patients and health care providers was VII. The antimicrobial drug resistance and partial PFGE types of the isolated MRSA strains showed a similar pattern. These results suggest that MRSA may be one of the principal causes of nosocomial infection in dental and medical hospitals.

The aims of this study were to investigate the nosocomial infection route of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and explore preventative methods for this pathogen that involve blocking its dispersion. We cultured MRSA from nasal cavity swabs collected between June and July 2008 that we obtained from eight dental healthcare providers, 32 nurses and the sputum specimens of two patients from our hospital. In addition, we used VITEK 2 equipment to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to isolate MRSA colonies. The incidence of these bacteria on the nasal swabs was 25.0% from dental clinic healthcare providers, 13.6% from the internal medicine ward nurses and 30.0% from intensive care unit nurses. Moreover, MRSA was detectable in sputum specimens of ward patients. The antimicrobial agents resistance and partial PFGE types of MRSA showed a similar pattern. We suggest from these analyses that nasal cavity infection by MRSA could occur by cross contamination between healthcare providers and patients which underscores the importance of stringent MRSA management practices.

A new Rehmannia glutinosa cultivar ‘Tokang’ was derived from ‘Jihwang 1’ seedlings by medicinal crop breeding team of National Institute of Horticulture and Herbal Science, RDA in 2009. It has pink flower, dark brown seed coat, light yellow root cortex. The plant type was some rising from the ground. The content of catalpol and extract were higher than the ‘Jihwang 1’(check variety). The content of catalpol was 4.55% and the extract was 71.2%. It showed stronger resistance to root rot compare with the ‘Jihwang 1’. The regional yield trials were conducted at three different locations from 2007 to 2009. The average yield of ‘Tokang’ was 21.1ton/ha, which was 12% more than the ‘Jihwang 1’. This cultivar is adaptable to the whole of Korea except for mountain areas. (Registration No. 4725)