Future microbiology最新文献

Aim: To compare the microbial communities inside hemodialysis catheters from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to determine their differences.Materials & methods: Catheters (n = 41) were removed from patients in the Saskatchewan Health Authority over an 18-month period. The catheter section inside the body was flushed and the contents were evaluated using culture-dependent and culture-independent analysis.Results: All catheters were colonized by bacteria, with considerable overlap between groups based on microbial communities and the individual species detected. More Gram-negative species were detected by sequencing, whereas predominantly Gram-positive strains were cultured. Antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation was widespread and not correlated with either catheter group.Conclusion: Common pathogens were detected in each set of catheters, therefore predicting infections based on the microbiology is difficult.

Infectious diseases lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Often, resolution of the acute stage of the disease leads to microbial persistence, resulting in chronic debilitating disease. Management of persistent infections frequently requires lifelong therapy with antimicrobial agents. These infections could be chronic viral infections like HIV, hepatitis B or chronic bacterial persistent infections like prosthetic joint infections caused by multi-drug resistant organisms. Bacteriophages have been designed specifically to target recalcitrant bacterial infections, such as prosthetic joint infections with varying success. In this review, we describe the historic evolution of scenarios and risks associated with innovative therapy using infectious agents to treat other persistent infections.

Conventional itraconazole (c-ITZ) can be used for a variety of fungal infections although variable absorption has been a significant limitation. Super-bioavailable itraconazole (SUBA-ITZ) is a novel formulation that overcomes absorption concerns by utilizing a polymer-matrix to disperse active drug and facilitate dissolution. The pH-driven matrix allows concurrent proton pump inhibitor administration without significant effects on drug concentrations. The enhanced bioavailability of SUBA-ITZ allows for lower dosing, while achieving similar serum concentrations as c-ITZ and SUBA-ITZ is now US FDA approved in the treatment of blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and aspergillosis. Common side effects of SUBA-ITZ include gastrointestinal disorders, peripheral edema and drug-induced hypertension. Given the significant differences in pharmacokinetics between the formulations, c-ITZ and SUBA-ITZ capsules are not considered interchangeable. It is important to note that drug errors may occur when transitioning a patient from one formulation to another.

Aim: Understanding molecular mechanisms of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced inflammation is important for developing new therapeutic strategies for gastrointestinal diseases.Materials & methods: We designed an H. pylori-neutrophil infection model and explored the effects of H. pylori infection on neutrophils.Results: H. pylori infected neutrophils showed a low level of apoptosis. H. pylori stimulation activated the NACHT/LRR/PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3)-gasdermin-D (GSDMD) pathway for interleukin (IL)-1β secretion. However, IL-1β secretion was not completely dependent on GSDMD, as inhibition of autophagy significantly reduced IL-1β release, and autophagy-related molecules were significantly upregulated in H. pylori-infected neutrophils.Conclusion: Therefore, H. pylori infection inhibits neutrophils apoptosis and induces IL-1β secretion through autophagy. These findings may be utilized to formulate therapeutic strategies against H. pylori mediated chronic gastritis.

Aim: The aim was to highlight the incidence and epidemiology of C. difficile infections (CDI) in a tertiary Greek hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A single-center prospective observational cohort study was conducted (October 2021 until April 2022). 125 C. difficile isolates were cultured from hospitalized patients stool samples and screened by PCR for toxin A (tcdA), toxin B (tcdB), binary toxin (cdtA and cdtB) genes and the regulating gene of tcdC.Results: The incidence of CDI increased to 13.1 infections per 10,000 bed days. The most common PCR ribotypes identified included hypervirulent RT027-related RT181 (73.6%), presumably hypervirulent RT126 (8.0%) and toxin A negative RT017 (7.2%).Conclusion: Although the incidence of CDI increased significantly, the CDI epidemiology remained stable.

Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) is a 'star strain' that has attracted much attention in recent years. A. muciniphila can effectively regulate host metabolism, significantly affect host immune function, and play an important role in balancing host health and disease. As one of the organs most closely related to the gut (the two can communicate through the hepatic portal vein and bile duct system), liver is widely affected by intestinal microorganisms. A growing body of evidence suggests that A. muciniphila may alleviate liver-related diseases by improving the intestinal barrier, energy metabolism and regulating inflammation through its protein components and metabolites. This paper systematically reviews the key roles of A. muciniphila and its derivatives in maintaining liver health and improving liver disease.

We report a case of Vandammella animalimorsus in an adult female patient following a cat scratch/bite. Animal bite/scratches may lead to zoonotic transmission of bacteria that subsequently lead to infection. Wound management and antimicrobial therapy is often necessary. The organism was initially misidentified as Neisseria animaloris/zoodegmatis and highlights the difficulty of correctly identifying some bacteria in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Sporotrichosis, a mycosis resulting from cutaneous or subcutaneous infection with the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix, has been reported in China, particularly in the northeast region. In this review, we conducted a thorough examination of the recent advancements in sporotrichosis in China, encompassing aspects such as etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment strategies. Within the Chinese context, fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis represents the prevailing clinical manifestation. Fungal culture stands as the gold standard for diagnosing sporotrichosis, while polymerase chain reaction techniques can enhance both the specificity and sensitivity of diagnosis. Besides conventional systemic antifungal agents, alternative modalities such as Chinese herbal medicines, photodynamic therapy and laser therapy show potential efficacy against sporotrichosis.