The 20-kHz ultrasonic irradiation was applied to investigate bacterial inactivation and antibiotic susceptibility changes over time. Applied intensities of ultrasound power were varied at 27.7 W and 39.1 W by changing the amplitude 20 to 40 to three bacteria species (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus). By 15-min irradiation, E. coli, a gram-negative bacterium, showed 1.2- to 1.6-log removals, while the gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, showed below 0.5-log removal efficiencies. Antibiotic susceptibility of penicillin-family showed a dramatic increase at E. coli, but for other antibiotic families showed no significant changes in susceptibility. Gram-positive bacteria showed no significant differences in their antibiotic susceptibilities after ultrasound irradiation. Bacterial re-survival and antibiotic susceptibility changes were measured by incubating the ultrasound-irradiated samples. After 24-hour incubation, it was found that all of three bacteria were repropagated to the 2- to 3-log greater than the initial points, and antibiotic inhibition zones were reduced compared to ones of the initial points, meaning that antibiotic resistances were also recovered. Pearson correlations between bacterial inactivation and antibiotic susceptibility showed negative relation for gram-negative bacteria, E. coli., and no significant relations between bacterial re-survival and its inhibition zone. As a preliminary study, further researches are necessary to find practical and effective conditions to achieve bacteria inactivation.

목 적: 콘택트렌즈 케이스에서 분리한 균주들을 동정하고, Serratia marcescens 균주들에 대해 항생 제 감수성 검사를 시행하였다. 방 법: 총 65개의 콘택트렌즈 케이스를 수거하여 분리한 균주들을 16s rRNA gene 염기서열을 분석하여 동정하였고, Serratia marcescens 균주들을 Nalidixic acid(30㎍), Ciprofloxacin(5㎍), Ofloxacin(5㎍), Levofloxacin(5㎍) 항생제를 이용하여 디스크 확산법으로 항생제 감수성 검사를 실시하였다. 결 과: 30개의 콘택트렌즈 케이스에서 세균이 검출되었으며, 균주로는 Achromobacter sp. 8균주, Achromobacter xylosoxidans 3균주, Achromobacter spanius 1균주, Pandoraea pnomenusa 1균주, Serratia marcescens 17균주가 동정되었다. Serratia marcescens 균주에 대한 항생제 감수성 검사에서는 Nalidixic acid, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin 모두 감수성으로 나타났다. 결 론: 콘택트렌즈 케이스에서 분리한 균주들을 16S rRNA gene 염기서열을 분석하여 동정한 결과 모두 30 균주가 동정되었으며, 콘택트렌즈 케이스에서 많이 분리 동정된 Serratia marcescens 균주에 대한 Quinolone 계 항생제 감수성 검사에서 모두 감수성으로 나타났다. 그러나 항생제의 지속적인 사용으로 내성 균주들이 나타날 것으로 예측되며 Quinolone 항생제의 내성 발생률에 대한 체계적인 연구와 관리가 필요한 것으로 사료된다.