Aerobic Cocci Research Articles

EVALUATING THE CHANGING TRENDS IN EMERGENCE OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE AMONG GRAM POSITIVE ORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE INFECTIONS FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, JHARKHAND

Drug resistance among gram positive aerobic cocci poses a significant problem in management of patients with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI's). S. aureus is the most common organism that causes mild skin and soft tissue infections to serious infections such as sepsis and toxic shock syndrome. Enterococcus and Streptococcus species have also emerged as a cause of skin and soft tissue infections and health care associated infections (HAI's). SSTI's is an inflammatory microbial invasion of epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. It is classified according to the layer of infection, severity of infection and microbiologic etiology. The practice guidelines of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft tissue infection classifies SSTI's into five categories comprising superficial and complicated infections which include impetigo, erysipelas, cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, surgical site infection. Risk factors associated with development of SSTI's include poor hygiene, overcrowding, co- morbidities like diabetes, immunocompromised state, overuse of antibiotics, prolonged hospital stay, burn patients etc. Prompt recognition, timely surgical debridement or drainage with appropriate antibiotic therapy is the mainstay treatment for SSTI's. Empirical therapy includes penicillin, cephalosporins, clindamycin and cotrimoxazole. Multi-Drug resistance is of major concern commonly caused by MRSA (Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) which includes CA-MRSA (Community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), HA-MRSA (hospital acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRSA (vancomycin resistant staphylococcus aureus) & VRE (vancomycin resistant Enterococci). HA-MRSA is generally susceptible to clindamycin, vancomycin, Linezolid & trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole. In contrast, CA-MRSA is usually sensitive to these former antibiotics as well as broader range of oral antimicrobial agents like clindamycin, linezolid, quinolones, daptomycin, tigecycline etc. These empirical therapeutic agents provide coverage for both S. aureus, Streptococcus species and Enterococcus species. Therefore, demographic knowledge of antimicrobial agents and their resistance pattern plays a significant role in management of SSTI's.

Abstract 32: Acute suppurative thyroiditis in HIV – Non typhoidal salmonella: Case report and review of the literature

Background: Acute suppurative thyroiditis is a rare disease of thyroid gland. Incidence is less than 1% in immunocompromised hosts. Most common pathogens isolated are Gram positive aerobic cocci. Infections with Gram negative facultative aerobes such as Salmonella are rare.Case Presentation: A 39-year-old retropositive female presented with rapid enlargement of swelling in front of neck, fever and weight loss x 2 weeks. Examination revealed symmetric diffuse swelling that moved with degglutition with overlying erythema and tenderness. Relevent investigations done and CT neck revealed thyroid abscess, covid -19 RAT positive status, microcytic hypochromic anemia. A needle aspiration for symptomatic and diagnostic purposes was performed. Cultures grew Nontyphoidal salmonella. She was treated with 4-week course of oral antibiotics.Conclusion: A thyroid abscess is rare, potentially life threatening disease. However, a high index of suspicion is required to make diagnosis and differentiate from subacute thyroiditis a relatively benign condition. Management is directed at minimizing morbidity. The mainstay treatment is medical, but surgery is sometimes necessary to achieve adequate source control, particularly when complications arise.Keywords: Acute suppurative thyroiditis, COVID 19 infection, retrovirus, Salmonella sp., thyroid abscess

Microbiology and Outcomes of Institutionalized Patients With Stroke-Associated Pneumonia: An Observational Cohort Study.

Background: The attributable mortality and microbial etiology of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) vary among different studies and were inconsistent.Purpose: To determine the microbiology and outcomes of SAP in the lower respiratory tract (LRT) for patients with invasive mechanical ventilation (MV).Methods: In this observational study, included patients were divided into SAP and non-SAP based on a comprehensive analysis of symptom, imaging, and laboratory results. Baseline characteristics, clinical characteristics, microbiology, and outcomes were recorded and evaluated.Results: Of 200 patients, 42.5% developed SAP after the onset of stroke, and they had a lower proportion of non-smokers (p = 0.002), lower GCS score (p < 0.001), higher serum CRP (p < 0.001) at ICU admission, and a higher proportion of males (p < 0.001) and hypertension (p = 0.039) than patients with non-SAP. Gram-negative aerobic bacilli were the predominant organisms isolated (78.8%), followed by Gram-positive aerobic cocci (29.4%). The main pathogens included K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, H. influenzae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. aerogenes, Serratia marcescens, and Burkholderia cepacia. SAP prolonged length of MV (p < 0.001), duration of ICU stay (p < 0.001) and hospital stay (p = 0.027), shortened MV-free days by 28 (p < 0.001), and caused elevated vasopressor application (p = 0.001) and 60-day mortality (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis suggested that patients with coma (p < 0.001) have a higher risk of developing SAP.Conclusion: The microbiology of SAP is similar to early phase of HAP and VAP. SAP prolongs the duration of MV and length of ICU and hospital stays, but also markedly increases 60-day mortality.

Antibiotic Modulation of Capsular Exopolysaccharide in Pelagicoccus enzymogenes sp. nov. Isolated From Marine Sediment

Although Verrucomicrobia is widely distributed in the marine environment, their physiological or cellular properties are poorly characterized because of the lack of cultured representatives. Under the selective pressure of two antibiotics, ofloxacin and norfloxacin, a Gram-stain-negative, aerobic coccus with exopolysaccharide (EPS) production ability was isolated from the coastal sediment of Xiaoshi Island, Weihai, China. These antibiotics inhibited bacterial growth, giving rise to the relatively slow-growing Verrucomicrobia that formed colonies on the isolation plates. It may be an effective method for the isolation of Puniceicoccaceae. From the taxonomic data obtained in this study, the new marine isolate NFK12T (=KCTC 72940T = MCCC 1H00424T) is proposed to be placed into a novel species within the genus Pelagicoccus for which the name Pelagicoccus enzymogenes sp. nov. is proposed. The EPS production of the strain NFK12T and the related strains were investigated and the effect of EPS produced by the strain NFK12T on the growth of other strains was examined. Besides, the effect of EPS on tolerance to ofloxacin and norfloxacin of the strain NFK12T was studied by measuring the biomass of the strain NFK12T. It was deduced that those strains that produced EPS tentatively protected themselves against the inhibitory effects of ofloxacin and norfloxacin.

Oceanipulchritudo coccoides gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment within the family Puniceicoccaceae.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic coccus, designated CK1056T, was isolated from coastal sediment of Xiaoshi Island, Weihai, PR China. Strain CK1056T was found to grow at 15-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), with 0.5-6.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.5 %) and displayed alkaliphilic growth within the pH range of pH 6.5-10.0 (optimum, pH 8.0). The major fatty acids identified were iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c). The main polar lipids consisted of aminophosphoglycolipid and phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 54.0 mol%. The result of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed the affiliation of this micro-organism to the family Puniceicoccaceae, with Coraliomargarita akajimensis KCTC 12865T as its closest relative with only 88.0 % sequence similarity. From the taxonomic data obtained in this study, we propose that the new marine isolate be placed into a novel species within a novel genus in the family Puniceicoccaceae, phylum Verrucomicrobia, for which the name Oceanipulchritudo coccoides gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CK1056T (=KCTC 72798T=MCCC 1H00425T).

A pain in the neck: Salmonella spp. as an unusual cause of a thyroid abscess. A case report and review of the literature

BackgroundThyroid gland infections are rare. Their incidence is estimated to be less than 1% in immunocompromised hosts. Most common pathogens isolated are Gram positive aerobic cocci. Infections with Gram negative facultative aerobes such as Salmonella are rare.Case presentationA 55-year-old female with type II diabetes mellitus and a history of a colloid right thyroid lobe nodule presented with neck pain and fever. She was found to have a thyroid abscess 2 weeks following a non-specific diarrheal illness. A needle aspiration for symptomatic and diagnostic purposes was performed. Cultures grew Salmonella enterica serotype Heidelberg. She was treated with a 12-week course of oral antibiotics and serial aspiration.ConclusionA thyroid abscess is a rare occurrence; however, a high index of suspicion is required to make the diagnosis. The management is directed at minimizing morbidity. The mainstay treatment is medical, but surgery is sometimes necessary to achieve adequate source control, particularly when complications arise.

Planococcus lenghuensis sp. nov., an oil-degrading bacterium isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil.

A Gram-staining-positive and aerobic coccus with the ability to degrade petroleum bacterium, designated Y42T, was isolated from the Lenghu oil field located in the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin. Phylogenetic and signature nucleotides analyses revealed that strain Y42T belongs to the genus Planococcus. The multiple sequence alignments of 16S rRNA and housekeeping genes showed that strain Y42T formed a distinct lineage with the other Planococcus clade. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and DNA-DNA hybridization values (DDH) between strain Y42T and the reference strains were 69.5-70.1 and 19.4-21.7%, respectively, which values were below the threshold for species delineation. The major fatty acids of strain Y42T were anteiso-C15:0. The respiratory quinone was MK-7 (71.8%) as the predominant menaquinone followed the MK-6 (28.2%) and the cell-wall hydrolysates contained LL-diaminopimelic acid. The polar lipid was composed of diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphoglycolipid, aminophospholipid and four unidentified lipids. The peptidoglycan type was A4α (L-Lys-D-Glu). The strain Y42T possessed larger genome (approximately 4MB) and revealed obvious differences for the abundance of the COG categories compared with the other Planococcus bacteria. Also, the strain Y42T also possessed more unique orthologous proteins. The structural characteristics of the strain Y42T genome provided a competitive advantage for better survival in petroleum-polluted environments. Combined with the 16S rRNA gene and genome sequence, phenotypic as well as chemotaxonomic characterisations, strain Y42T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Planococcus, for which the name Planococcus lenghuensis sp. nov. be proposed. The type strain is Y42T (= CGMCC 1.15921T = JCM 32719T).

The bacteriological research in case of acute respiratory infections: actual, informative and effective

The most common nosology in the routine work of family doctors is acute respiratory infections. The etiological composition of the acute respiratory viral infections is changing from year to year, which causes difficulties with the use of treatments. Purpose - improvement of tactics of a family doctor for antibiotic therapy of acute respiratory infections. Clinical manifestations of all etiological forms of ARI are similar, which complicates their differentiation. One of the leading - respiratory syndrome, is determined by the local defeat of certain parts of the respiratory tract. The pathogens of these diseases are mainly viruses, but the role of bacteria is also indisputable. According to the results of bacteriological studies with ARI, pathogens often include opportunistic bacteria of the staphylococcus group, streptococci, other aerobic and anaerobic cocci, representatives of the intestinal group and Candida, which can cause antibiotic-resistant forms. The family doctor should establish the diagnosis of respiratory infections, solve the problem of symptomatic therapy and agree on a strategy for the appointment of antibiotics. Most acute respiratory infections even in the absence of antibiotic therapy are recovering. Therefore, the tactics for the appointment of antibiotics should be determined depending on the severity of the disease, the belonging of the patient to certain risk groups. It would be advisable to include the collection of information on previous bacteriological studies and the preliminary history of the use of antibacterial agents, which would allow a family doctor to be better targeted when prescribing antibiotic therapy. The algorithm of the physician's action in the case of acute respiratory infections should be expanded at the point of coordination of the strategy of antibiotic therapy, adding to it the purpose of bacteriological examination in each case of diagnosis of ARI.

Seawater drowning-associated pneumonia: a 10-year descriptive cohort in intensive care unit

Background Pneumonia is one of the major complications of drowning, but the optimal empirical antibiotic treatment is not clearly defined. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and fungi have been identified in a recent series of freshwater drowning-associated pneumonia. However, microbial data in seawater drowning are scarce. The objective of the study is to describe the microorganisms isolated in early respiratory specimens obtained from seawater drowning-associated pneumonia and to provide their antibiotic susceptibility pattern.MethodsAll patients admitted for seawater drowning between 2003 and 2013 to two intensive care units, from the region in France with the highest drowning rate, were retrospectively included. Demographics, antimicrobial therapy and microbiological data from respiratory samples collected within the first 48 h after admittance were analyzed.ResultsSeventy-four drowned patients were included, of which 36 (49%) were diagnosed by the clinician as having early pneumonia. Concerning the overall population, the median simplified acute physiology score (version 2) was 45 (30–65), and the mortality was 26%. Twenty-four respiratory samples from different patients were obtained within the first 48 h. Sixteen were positive. The main microorganisms found were Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive aerobic cocci (Streptococcus pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus) with a low rate of antimicrobial resistance. No MDR bacteria or fungi were identified. However, among the positive respiratory samples collected, 5/16 (31%) grew bacteria with natural resistance to amoxicillin–clavulanate, the first-line antibiotic commonly used in our cohort. Resistance was only found among Gram-negative bacteria and from respiratory samples of patients with a higher drowning grade at admission (p = 0.01).ConclusionsThis 10-year descriptive study, the largest cohort to date, provides early respiratory samples from seawater drowning patients. The microorganisms retrieved were either mostly part of the human oro-pharyngeal flora or Enterobacteriaceae and displayed low rates of antimicrobial resistance. Respiratory samples should nonetheless be collected at admittance to the ICU to avoid inappropriate treatment. Empiric use of cephalosporin could be restricted to severe patients or if Gram-negative bacilli are found after direct examination.

Ruficoccus amylovorans gen. nov., sp. nov., an amylolytic and nitrate-reducing diazotroph of the family Puniceicoccaceae.

A novel amylolytic, nitrate-reducing and diazotrophic bacterium, designated strain CC-MHH0563T, isolated from a fermenter was assessed for its taxonomic status using a polyphasic approach. Cells of strain CC-MHH0563T were Gram-staining-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, mesophilic and aerobic cocci, which produced reddish nondiffusible pigments. Growth was observed at 15-37 °C (optimal 25 °C), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimal pH 7.0) and salinity of 0-3 % (w/v). Strain CC-MHH0563T showed highest pairwise 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to members of the genera Cerasicoccus(89.3-89.5 %), Coraliomargarita (87.8 %), Pelagicoccus(85.8-86.4 %) and Puniceicoccus (87.9 %), and established a discrete taxonomic lineage during phylogenetic analysis. The major fatty acids found in strain CC-MHH0563T were C14 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, C17 : 0, C18 : 0 and C18 : 1ω9c. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, two unknown aminolipids and two unknown aminophospholipids. The polyamine pattern showed a predominance of spermidine and a minor amount of cadaverine. The DNA G+C content was 57.4 mol% and the predominant quinone system was menaquinone-7. The low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values (<90.0 %) and a distinct phylogenetic clustering clearly distinguished strain CC-MHH0563T from other representatives of the family Puniceicoccaceae. Based on the discrete phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic traits together with the results of comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain CC-MHH0563T is considered to represent a novel genus and species of the family Puniceicoccaceae, for which the name Ruficoccus amylovorans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is CC-MHH0563T (=BCRC 80918T=JCM 31066T).

Espermocultivo: crecimiento bacteriano del eyaculado y su relación con los parámetros seminales

SUMMARY Background: Microorganisms can find the optimal conditions for survival in semen, causing damage to the spermatozoa and triggering processes of infertility or reproductive tract infections. Therefore, understanding the role of the microorganisms present in semen can help to improve the diagnosis of infertility cases where the only apparent cause is infectious processes. Objective: To describe and correlate semen parameters and bacterial growth in ejaculate. Methods: Identification of microorganisms isolated in 43 clinical spermocultures and 28 research spermocultures. We assessed colony-forming unit counts and sperm characteristics of research spermocultures. In addition, semen parameters were evaluated in each ejaculate. Results: Bacterial growth was obtained in 14 (32.6%) of the 43 clinical spermocultures and 15 (53.6%) of the 28 research spermocultures. The isolated microorganisms were Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Morganella morganii, Staphylococcus coagulase negative, Klebsiella pneumoniae and mixed microbiota. Finally, in this study a large growth of aerobic cocci was observed. We did not find association between the decline in the quality of semen parameters and microorganisms. Conclusion: The presence of bacteria in semen does not affect semen quality.

Spatial variations in the microbial community structure and diversity of the human foot is associated with the production of odorous volatiles.

The human foot provides an ideal environment for the colonization and growth of bacteria and subsequently is a body site associated with the liberation of odour. This study aimed to enumerate and spatially map bacterial populations' resident across the foot to understand any association with odour production. Culture-based analysis confirmed that Staphylococci were present in higher numbers than aerobic corynebacteria and Gram-positive aerobic cocci, with all species being present at much higher levels on the plantar sites compared to dorsal sites. Microbiomic analysis supported these findings demonstrating that Staphylococcus spp. were dominant across different foot sites and comprised almost the entire bacterial population on the plantar surface. The levels of volatile fatty acids, including the key foot odour compound isovaleric acid, that contribute to foot odour were significantly increased at the plantar skin site compared to the dorsal surface. The fact that isovaleric acid was not detected on the dorsal surface but was present on the plantar surface is probably attributable to the high numbers of Staphylococcus spp. residing at this site. Variations in the spatial distribution of these microbes appear to be responsible for the localized production of odour across the foot.

Genome sequence and description of Neterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov.

Nesterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov., strain NP1 T , is the type strain of Nesterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov., a new species within the genus Nesterenkonia . This strain, whose genome is described here, was isolated from the feces of a 32-year-old French woman suffering from AIDS and living in Marseille. Nesterenkonia massiliensis is a Gram-positive aerobic coccus. Here, we describe the features of this bacterium, together with the complete genome sequencing and annotation. The 2,726,371 bp long genome (one chromosome but no plasmid) contains 2,663 protein-coding and 51 RNA genes, including 1 rRNA operon.

Rapid identification of microorganisms from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry subsequent to very short-term incubation on solid medium

Rapid identification of the causative microorganism is important for appropriate antimicrobial therapy of bloodstream infections. Bacteria from positive blood culture (BC) bottles are not readily available for identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization—time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lysis and centrifugation procedures suggested for direct MALDI-TOF MS from positive BCs without previous culture are associated with additional hands-on processing time and costs. Here, we describe an alternative approach applying MALDI-TOF MS from bacterial cultures incubated very briefly on solid medium. After plating of positive BC broth on Columbia blood agar (n = 165), MALDI-TOF MS was performed after 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and (for control) 24 h of incubation until reliable identification to the species level was achieved (score ≥2.0). Mean incubation time needed to achieve species-level identification was 5.9 and 2.0 h for Gram-positive aerobic cocci (GPC, n = 86) and Gram-negative aerobic rods (GNR, n = 42), respectively. Short agar cultures with incubation times ≤2, ≤4, ≤6, ≤8 and ≤12 h yielded species identification in 1.2%, 18.6%, 64.0%, 96.5%, 98.8% of GPC, and in 76.2%, 95.2%, 97.6%, 97.6%, 97.6% of GNR, respectively. Control species identification at 24 h was achieved in 100% of GPC and 97.6% of GNR. Ethanol/formic acid protein extraction performed for an additional 34 GPC isolates cultivated from positive BCs showed further reduction in time to species identification (3.1 h). MALDI-TOF MS using biomass subsequent to very short-term incubation on solid medium allows very early and reliable bacterial identification from positive BCs without additional time and cost expenditure.

Genome sequence and description of Nesterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov. strain NP1T

Nesterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov., strain NP1T, is the type strain of Nesterenkonia massiliensis sp. nov., a new species within the genus Nesterenkonia. This strain, whose genome is described here, was isolated from the feces of a 32-year-old French woman suffering from AIDS and living in Marseille. Nesterenkonia massiliensis is a Gram-positive aerobic coccus. Here, we describe the features of this bacterium, together with the complete genome sequencing and annotation. The 2,726,371 bp long genome (one chromosome but no plasmid) contains 2,663 protein-coding and 51 RNA genes, including 1 rRNA operon.

Non-contiguous finished genome sequence and description of Nosocomiicoccus massiliensis sp. nov.

Nosocomiicoccus massiliensis strain NP2T sp. nov. is the type strain of a new species within the genus Nosocomiicoccus. This strain, whose genome is described here, was isolated from the fecal flora of an AIDS-infected patient living in Marseille, France. N. massiliensis is a Gram-positive aerobic coccus. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 1,645,244 bp long genome (one chromosome but no plasmid) contains 1,738 protein-coding and 45 RNA genes, including 3 rRNA genes.

ComparativeIn VitroActivities of SMT19969, a New Antimicrobial Agent, against Clostridium difficile and 350 Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Aerobic and Anaerobic Intestinal Flora Isolates

The comparative in vitro activity of SMT19969, a novel, narrow-spectrum, nonabsorbable agent, was studied against 50 ribotype-defined Clostridium difficile strains, 174 Gram-positive and 136 Gram-negative intestinal anaerobes, and 40 Gram-positive aerobes. SMT19969 was one dilution more active against C. difficile isolates (MIC range, 0.125 to 0.5 μg/ml; MIC90, 0.25 μg/ml), including ribotype 027 strains, than fidaxomicin (range, 0.06 to 1 μg/ml; MIC90, 0.5 μg/ml) and two to six dilutions lower than either vancomycin or metronidazole. SMT19969 and fidaxomicin were generally less active against Gram-negative anaerobes, especially the Bacteroides fragilis group species, than vancomycin and metronidazole, suggesting that SMT19969 has a lesser impact on the normal intestinal microbiota that maintain colonization resistance. SMT19969 showed limited activity against other Gram-positive anaerobes, including Bifidobacteria species, Eggerthella lenta, Finegoldia magna, and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, with MIC90s of >512, >512, 64, and 64 μg/ml, respectively. Clostridium species showed various levels of susceptibility, with C. innocuum being susceptible (MIC90, 1 μg/ml) and C. ramosum and C. perfringens being nonsusceptible (MIC90, >512 μg/ml). Activity against Lactobacillus spp. (range, 0.06 to >512 μg/ml; MIC90, >512 μg/ml) was comparable to that of fidaxomicin and varied by species and strain. Gram-positive aerobic cocci (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, and streptococci) showed high SMT19969 MIC90 values (128 to >512 μg/ml).

Characterization of Deinococcus sahariens sp. nov., a radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from a Saharan hot spring

An ultraviolet-radiation-resistant, Gram-positive, orange-pigmented, thermophilic and strictly aerobic cocci was isolated from Saharan water hot spring in Tunisia. The newly isolated bacterium, designated HAN-23(T), was identified based on polyphasic taxonomy including genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterization. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed this strain within Deinococcus genus. However, strain HAN-23(T) is different from recognized species of the genus Deinococcus, showing less than 94.0% similarity values to its closest relatives. The predominant cellular fatty acids determined by gas chromatography were iso-C(15:0), iso-C(17:0) and iso C(17:1) ω9c. The major respiratory quinone was MK-8. The DNA G+C content was 66.9mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization measurements revealed low DNA relatedness (6%) between the novel isolate and its closest neighbor, the type strain Deinococcus geothermalis DSM 11300. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain HAN-23(T) represents a novel species of the genus Deinococcus, for which the name Deinococcus sahariens sp. nov. is proposed, the type strain being HAN-23(T) (=DSM 18496(T); LMG 23756(T)).

Salinicoccus qingdaonensis sp. nov., isolated from coastal seawater during a bloom of green algae

A novel Gram-stain-positive, white-pigmented, non-motile, non-sporulating, catalase- and oxidase-positive, strictly aerobic coccus, designated strain ZXM223(T), was isolated from a seawater sample collected from the coast of Qingdao, PR China, during a green algal bloom. It grew at pH 6.0-10.5 and 0-25.0% (w/v) NaCl, with optimum growth at pH 8.5 and 3.0% (w/v) NaCl. Growth occurred at 16-42 °C (optimum at 28 °C). The major fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0) and iso-C(15:0). Menaquinone 6 (MK-6) was the major respiratory quinone. The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids and two unknown glycolipids. The peptidoglycan type was L-Lys-Gly(5-6.) The genomic DNA G+C content was 43.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain ZXM223(T) within the genus Salinicoccus, with sequence similarity of 92.2-97.1% between ZXM223(T) and the type strains of this genus. The closest relatives were Salinicoccus kunmingensis YIM Y15(T), 'S. salitudinis' YIM-C678 and S. alkaliphilus T8(T). The DNA-DNA relatedness between strain ZXM223(T) and S. kunmingensis CGMCC 1.6302(T) and 'S. salitudinis' CGMCC 1.6299 (=YIM-C678) was 37±3 and 30±2%, respectively. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics and low DNA-DNA relatedness support the proposal of a novel species of the genus Salinicoccus, Salinicoccus qingdaonensis sp. nov., with the type strain ZXM223(T) (=LMG 24855(T) =CGMCC 1.8895(T)).

Bacterial diversity in surgical site infections: not just aerobic cocci any more

To evaluate the microbial diversity in chronic surgical site infections (SSIs). Bacterial populations in 23 chronic SSIs were identified using bacterial tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP),which is an universal bacterial identification method.These results were then validated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). bTEFAP identified two previously uncharacterised Bacteroidales in all of the SSIs and showed that it was the predominant population in the majority of these chronic wounds. Other bacteria identified included Corynebacterium spp., Peptoniphilus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, Prevotella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Rarefaction analysis of the data indicated that, on average, six genera occurred in any given SSI, suggesting that such infections are multispecies. On average, over 60% of the bacteria evaluated in the SSIs were anaerobic bacilli. The previous literature indicates that aerobic cocci predominate in such wounds. This modern molecular survey indicates that our previous understanding of which bacteria cause SSIs may be faulty. The high prevalence of anaerobic bacilli and the overwhelming predominance of two previously uncharacterised Bacteroidales suggest that such bacteria may be a leading contributor to such infections. Further research on the identification and treatment of such bacteria are warranted.