New Microbiologica最新文献

Antibiotics are designed to effectively treat bacterial infections while minimizing harm to the human body. They work by targeting specific components of bacteria or by disrupting essential processes such as cell wall synthesis, membrane function, protein production, and metabolic pathways. However, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics have led to the emergence of drug resistance in humans, animals, and agriculture, contributing to the global spread of this problem. Drug resistance can be either innate or acquired, with acquired resistance involving changes in the bacterial chromosomes or transferable elements. Bacterial species employ various mechanisms of drug resistance, including modifying the antibiotic targets, inactivating the drug, reducing uptake or increasing efflux, overexpressing the target, utilizing alternative pathways, and forming biofilms. One significant concern in the realm of drug resistance revolves around the emergence and proliferation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), a gene that is found in most gram-negative bacteria, primarily carried by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in healthcare settings. ESBL-mediated resistance poses challenges for diagnosis, treatment, infection control, and antibiotic stewardship. Accurate detection of ESBL genes is crucial, and phenotypic methods are commonly used for initial screening. However, these methods have limitations, and confirmatory molecular techniques such as PCR and DNA sequencing are employed to accurately identify ESBL genes. Despite the significant global concerns surrounding ESBLs, they have spread worldwide, mainly facilitated by healthcare settings, inappropriate antimicrobial use, and host susceptibility. Addressing this issue requires implementing comprehensive measures, including enhanced surveillance, strict infection control practices, antibiotic stewardship programs, rapid diagnostic methods, alternative therapies, public education initiatives, and research focused on developing new drugs. Furthermore, collaboration among the healthcare, public health, and research sectors is pivotal in effectively combating the escalating threat posed by ESBL-mediated resistance. Antibiotics have revolutionized medical care by effectively treating bacterial infections. However, the emergence of ESBL gene resistance poses a global challenge that requires an integrated approach to prevent a threatening future.

We aimed to investigate the role of Synbiotic preparations on the interaction of gut microbiota with AD development. APP/PS1 mice were randomized into APP/PS1 and Synbiotics groups, and C57BL/6J mice were used as wild type (WT) control group. The mice in the Synbiotics group and the APP/PS1 group were given Synbiotics and xylo-oligosaccharides for 3 months, respectively. The mice in the WT group were given the same amount of normal saline. Cognitive function was measured. Positron emission computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) was used to detect fasting blood glucose level. Immunohistochemical assay, ELISA, western blot and qRT-PCR were carried out to detect inflammatory factors. DNA extraction of fecal sample was performed to carry out sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis, metabolites sample preparation and Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS) analysis were also performed. Synbiotics treatment can significantly ameliorate learning and memory competence by inhibiting Aβ protein deposition. Different bacteria in the intestine were significantly improved and changes in gut microbiota can affect the intestinal metabolism to affect multiple potential pathways after Synbiotics treatment. Synbiotics treatment can activate peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPARs) signaling pathway and significantly reduce neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 mice brains. Synbiotics treatment can effectively reduce neuro-inflammatory response through the regulation of intestinal microflora to delay AD development.

Among 14 patients with C. psittaci pneumonia, there were 9 critical and 5 non-critical cases. Ten patients improved clinically and were discharged to home; however, four patients died. Seven patients had a history of contact with birds or poultry. All 14 patients had a high fever as the presenting symptom, but most had a normal white blood cell count. Most of the patients had a significant increase in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels. The lymphocyte count in the critical group was considerably lower than in the non-critical group. Patients in the critical group were more advanced in age than in the non-critical group. In addition, serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, procalcitonin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly higher in the critical group than in the non-critical group (P<0.05). The 4 patients who died had significantly increased procalcitonin levels compared to the 10 patients who survived (P<0.05). In summary, a high fever is usually the presenting complaint of patients with C. psittaci pneumonia. Such patients often progress to severe disease; however, early diagnostic confirmation by mNGS and appropriate treatment dramatically improve the prognosis. Age, lymphocyte count, procalcitonin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were shown to predict disease severity.

Gram-negative bacteria are increasingly recognized as the sauce of severe infections. In recent years, epidemiological data has indicated that the drug resistance rate of Gram-negative bacteria has significantly increased. We analyzed the epidemiological surveillance data of gram-negative bacteria in Shaoxing City in 2021 by retrospectively collecting drug susceptibility data of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Burkholderia cepacian from thirteen tertiary hospitals. A total of 24,142 strains were collected from thirteen hospitals. The isolation rates of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, P. mirabilis, E. cloacae, and B. cepacian were 29.25%, 18.83%, 11.03%, 8.43%, 3.80%, 3.12%, and 0.75%, respectively. Among them, 2.86% were carbapenem-resistant E. coli, 12.98% were CRKP, 31.27% were CRPA, and 34.77% were CRAB. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales were more sensitive to ceftazidime-avibactam and polymyxin. The drug resistance rates of P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii to polymyxin were 0 and 1.3%, but the resistance rates to ceftazidime-avibactam were 10.5% and 26.0%, respectively. Based on results from epidemiological data, CRKP had a high isolation rate and non-fermenting bacteria had a high resistance rate to ceftazidime-avibactam. All hospitals should strengthen monitoring and enact continuous intervention to reduce the generation and spread of drug-resistant bacteria.

This meta-analysis aims to investigate demographic disparities in monkeypox (mpox) infections among various groups based on ethnicity, sexual partners, and gender. The study includes data from 2,646 to 4,002 patients across various outcomes. Among racial demographics, black populations show a lower odds ratio for mpox compared to white populations (OR=0.08 [0.01, 0.45], 95% CI, p=0.004). However, no statistically significant difference is found when comparing black populations with Hispanic or Asian populations (OR=0.72 [0.46, 1.11], p=0.13). There was a substantial disparity between gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM) and heterosexual populations, with significantly higher odds of mpox among the former (OR=393.80, 95% CI: [82.45, 180.85], p<0.00001). Analysis of sexual partners indicates a significant difference in infection risk between individuals with zero to one sexual partner and those with more than two partners (OR=0.06 [0.01, 0.28], p=0.0005). Additionally, there is a substantial difference in infection risk between male and female populations (OR=3868.02, p<0.00001). These findings emphasize the importance of considering demographic factors in understanding mpox transmission and risk profiles. Targeted research and intervention strategies are required to address the identified disparities and mitigate the spread of mpox.

In this age of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), improving treatment using existing antibiotics is desirable. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are high priority AMR pathogens according to the World Health Organization. Cephamycin-class beta- lactams are tolerant to hydrolysis by ESBL activity and have bactericidal effects on ESBL-E. The aim of the present study was to compare the in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cefmetazole (CMZ) and flomoxef (FMOX) among ESBL-E strains. This was a retrospective study using microbiology laboratory data from Okayama University Hospital (Japan) from January 2014 to June 2022. The MIC was determined by broth microdilution method and the ESBL phenotypes were determined by double-disk method. Antimicrobial use density (AUD) data for CMZ and FMOX were also gathered. Annual proportions of ESBL-producing organisms in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae complex were 20.4-30.6%, 3.5-13.7%, and 0-3.1%, respectively. The ESBL-producing bacteria with MIC levels ≤1 μg/mL for CMZ and FMOX ranged from 57 to 84% and 97 to 100%, respectively, for E. coli, and from 50 to 92% and 80 to 100%, respectively, for K. pneumoniae. E. cloacae strains showed MIC levels ≥32 μg/mL for both agents. The AUD ratio for CMZ to FMOX ranged from 5.31 to 12.27, with no apparent upward or downward trend. Proportions of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains with MIC ≤1 μg/mL were greater in FMOX than in CMZ. To corroborate the clinical superiority of FMOX in treating ESBL-E infections, a randomized controlled study, as well as pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis, is required.

The 2022 outbreak of the human mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, raised global health concerns with widespread transmission across multiple countries. Sexual transmission emerged as a significant mode of spread, particularly among high-risk groups like MSM and PLWH. This manuscript focuses on the implications of seminal fluids in the transmission of mpox. The virus has been detected in various bodily fluids, including semen, indicating the potential for sexual transmission. Studies have reported high positivity rates of mpox DNA in seminal fluids. Despite some concern about possible contamination due to genital lesions, the presence of replication-competent virus in seminal fluids has been confirmed and mpox virus was also detected in this specimen among people who engaged only in receptive sexual intercourse. Antiviral treatment with tecovirimat showed efficacy in reducing viral presence in semen with detection of the antiviral in this specimen. Virus clearance from semen is relatively rapid and parallels healing from infection, with no reported cases of seminal fluid relapses. The WHO recommendation to avoid condomless intercourse for 12 weeks after clinical healing still appears prudent. Continued research and surveillance are essential to understand viral dynamics and develop effective prevention measures to combat the spread of mpox through sexual transmission and protect key-populations.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) causes severe infectious disease with a high mortality rate in dogs. CPV is still a major health issue of dogs in the clinic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective drugs to treat the disease. In this study, we fused the transactivating transcriptional activator peptide (TAT) with scFv. TAT-scFv was identified by Western blot. CCK8 kit was used to detect the toxicity of TAT-scFv to cells. The binding activity of TAT-scFv to CPV-2-VP2 was detected by DAS ELISA. The cell uptake rate of TAT-scFv was assessed by IFA. After infection with CPV-2, F81 cells were incubated by TAT-scFv. The replication of virus was measured to determine the neutralization effect of TAT-scFv on intracellular and extracellular viruses. Protein docking was used to predict the amino acid (AA) sites of VP2 binding to TAT-scFv. TAT-scFv was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The DAS ELISA showed that TAT-scFv could bind with CPV-2-VP2. We demonstrated that TAT-scFv entered cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner and effectively inhibited the replication of CPV-2. Using protein docking, we determined the interaction pattern and found that the N-terminal region (AA 41-49) and the C-terminal region (AA 558) of VP2 interacted with the TAT-scFv. Taken together, these results suggest that, TAT-scFv may be a potential antiviral drug for inhibiting CPV-2 replication and controlling disease caused by CPV-2.

To confirm the antagonistic activity characterization of the strain Pseudoalteromonas SW-1 (P. SW-1), its cell-free supernatant (CFS) was studied against a clam pathogenic strain of Vibrio Alginolyticu MP-1 (V.MP-1). The CFS of P. SW-1 exhibited evident antagonistic activities against the pathogens, and the absorbance value (600 nm) of V. MP-1 remained at a lower level at 24 h when compared with the control. The results showed that the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS showed differences after treatment with heat, acid and alkali, and proteinase K. The CFS of P. SW-1 inhibitory activities decreased after treatment with heat, but the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS were still effective after treatment with proteinase K for 24 h. The acid and alkali treatments could increase the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS. Therefore, the ammonium sulfate precipitation test also indicated that P. SW-1 could produce some active protein compounds to antagonize pathogenic V. MP-1.

Chryseobacterium spp. belongs to the Flavobacteriaceae family and is a rod-shaped gram-negative, glucose non-fermenting, non-motile bacterium ubiquitous in the environment. In humans, Chryseobacterium may be responsible for infections such as urinary tract infections (UTI) and ventriculitis with a pathogenic burden increasing in recent years. Chryseobacterium gallinarum was isolated for the first time in 2014 in a pharyngeal scrape sample of chicken and, until now, only one case of human UTI has been described in a pregnant 20-year-old Indian patient. Herein, we report the first case of bloodstream infection caused by C. gallinarum in a 67-year-old female burn patient, correctly identified by 16S-rRNA sequencing and successfully treated with cefepime and fosfomycin.