Open Microbiology Journal最新文献

Background: Developing countries have a high burden of Tuberculosis (TB); although it is considered as a disease of the past in most developed countries. The end TB strategy was predicted to stabilize or drop the incidence of TB. However, the rising of the prevalence of immune-related diseases like Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are challenging the TB control strategy in high TB burden region. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of pulmonary tuberculosis in DM patients attending Adare Hospital, south Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 207 randomly selected diabetic patients at the Adare hospital. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was used during the data collection from participants. Sputum concentration technique followed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining method was used to examine pulmonary tuberculosis. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between various variables and pulmonary tuberculosis. Odds ratios and 95% CI were computed to determine the strength and presence of the association.

Results: The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among diabetics was 5.3% [95% CI: (2.2, 8.4)]. Diabetic patients who were underweight [AOR = 9.94, 95% CI: (1.51-80.89)], had more than 10 years duration with DM [AOR = 7.03 95% CI: (1.357, 73.6)], Alcohol drinking habit [AOR = 12.49, 95% CI: (3.28, 77.94)], and history of contact with TB [AOR = 5.35, 95% CI: (1.1-39.12)] were the factors positively associated with pulmonary TB infection while being HIV seronegative had a negative association with pulmonary TB infection [AOR =0.074, 95% CI: (0.001-0.29)].

Conclusion: High proportion of pulmonary TB was observed in diabetic patients as compared to the national estimated prevalence of TB in the total population. Duration of patient with DM, being underweight, alcohol consumption habit, and contact history with TB were positively associated with pulmonary TB infection while being HIV seronegative had a negative association with the infection in diabetic patients.

Background: Chronic asymptomatic chlamydial genital infection caused by the wild-type of Chlamydia trachomatis (wtCT) is the most common bacterial infection causing human infertility. The novel 'Swedish' variant of С.trachomatis (nvCT) which contains a 377 bp deletion in a region that is specifically targeted in some nucleic acid amplification tests may impede diagnosis.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate whether nvCT may be a possible cause of infertility in a couple undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Method: Clinical specimens from both genital (urethra and cervix) and extra-genital sites (pharynx, conjunctive, blood) of a couple who experienced multiple unsuccessful attempts at pregnancy by natural fertilization and IVF procedures were analyzed before and after antibiotic therapy. Both partners had neither somatic nor endocrinal abnormality nor any clinically apparent genital manifestations of Chlamydia or other STIs.

Results: Before antibiotic therapy all the samples of the Female Partner (FP) contained DNA of only the nvCT. After antibiotic therapy, additionally, DNA of wtCT of genovars E and D was detected in specimens from her conjunctiva and oropharynx. All samples of the Male Partner (MP) revealed co-infection of nvCT and wtCT. Identical SNP within the variable region 4 (VD4) of the ompA gene confirmed the identity of the wtCT strains found in both partners. The FP had a positive anti-chlamydial IgG titer. The sperm characteristics of the MP, motility (immotile spermatozoa was 51.1% versus 21.6%) and vitality (46% versus 68%) declined progressively, and the MP anti-chlamydial IgG titer was negative.

Conclusion: Infertility in this couple may have been caused by chronic asymptomatic and persistent nvCT-associated infection that was complicated by re-infection later with wtCT. This study illustrates the importance of including detection methods for nvCT strains in the investigation of infertility cases.

Background: Marine sponges are associated with numerically vast and phylogenetically diverse microbial communities at different geographical locations. However, little is known about the archaeal diversity of sponges in the Persian Gulf. The present study was aimed to identify the symbiotic archaea with a sponge species gathered from the Persian Gulf, Iran.

Methods: Sponge sample was collected from a depth of 3 m offshore Bushehr, Persian Gulf, Iran. Metagenomic DNA was extracted using a hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) method. The COI mtDNA marker was used for molecular taxonomy identification of sponge sample. Also, symbiotic archaea were identified using the culture-independent analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and PCR- cloning.

Results: In this study, analysis of multilocus DNA marker and morphological characteristics revealed that the sponge species belonged to Chondrilla australiensis isolate PG_BU4. PCR cloning and sequencing showed that all of the sequences of archaeal 16S rRNA gene libraries clustered into the uncultured archaeal group.

Conclusion: The present study is the first report of the presence of the genus of Chondrilla in the Persian Gulf. Traditional taxonomy methods, when used along with molecular techniques, could play a significant role in the accurate taxonomy of sponges. Also, the uncultured archaea may promise a potential source for bioactive compounds. Further functional studies are needed to explore the role of the sponge-associated uncultured archaea as a part of the marine symbiosis.