Bacterial Illness Research Articles

Abstract PO-081: Patterns of immune susceptibility in young, non-smoking, oral cancer patients

Abstract Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is peculiarly increasing in non-smokers, many of whom are younger than traditional, smoking related OSCC. The cause of this trend is unknown, and it is unclear whether these cancers represent a distinct disease, as compared to smoking-related OSCC. We hypothesize that young non-smokers with OSCC have immunological differences that increase susceptibility to infectious and immunological disease (including cancer) as compared to smokers with OSCC. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of bacterial, viral, and autoimmune illness in young OSCC patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary care institution of patients under age 55 diagnosed with OSCC from 2003-2021. Multiple encounters for the same ICD-10 code in the same year were counted as one. Bacterial infections included bacterial pneumonia (ICD-10 J13-J15), cellulitis and lymphangitis (L03), urinary tract infection (N39.0), and post-surgical infection (T81.4). Viral infections included viral pneumonia (J10-J12), skin herpesvirus (A60, A63, B00, B07), infectious mononucleosis (B27), herpes zoster-related infections (B02), HIV (B20), viral hepatitis (B15-19), CMV disease (B25), viral conjunctivitis (B30), and other unclassified viral diseases (B33-34). Autoimmune disease included rheumatoid arthritis (M05), systemic Lupus (M32, L93), psoriasis (L40), inflammatory bowel disease (K50-52), Sjogren disease (M35.0), type 1 diabetes (E10), multiple sclerosis (G35), myasthenia gravis (G70), and autoimmune thyroiditis (E06.3). When patients were known to be deceased, but date of death was unavailable, they were presumed deceased at date of last encounter. Kaplan Meier analysis was used to analyze survival. Poisson regression was used to model the incidence of illness. Results: In total, 749 patients were analyzed; 467 were never smokers (NS) and 282 were current or former smokers (S). In NS, median age (interquartile range) was 47.9 (40.4-51.9) and 267 (57.2%) were male. In S, median age was 49.3 (44.6-52.7) and 208 (73.8%) were male. Five-year OS was 89% (95% confidence interval 86-93%) in NS vs. 89% (85%-93%) in S (p=0.66). The incidence of bacterial infection was 25.9 per 1000 person-years (py) in NS vs. 37.0/1000py in S (p<0.01). The incidence of viral infection was 37.8/1000py in NS vs. 31.4/1000py in S (p=0.14). The incidence of autoimmune disease was 26.7/1000py in NS and 36.0/1000py in S (p=0.02). Conclusions: NS were more likely to be female vs. S. OS was similar between NS and S. The incidence of bacterial infections and autoimmune diseases were significantly higher in S vs. NS, in line with pre-existing evidence that smoking is associated with increased susceptibility to bacterial infection and increased incidence and severity of autoimmune disease. Interestingly, there was a trend towards increased viral infections in NS vs. S, although not statistically significant. In the context of pre-existing evidence showing that smoking increases risk of viral infection, this finding warrants further study. Citation Format: Maxwell Y. Lee, Fred M. Baik, John B. Sunwoo. Patterns of immune susceptibility in young, non-smoking, oral cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Innovating through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2023 Jul 7-8; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2023;29(18_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-081.

Detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli genes isolated from cat rectal swabs at Surabaya Veterinary Hospital, Indonesia.

Escherichia coli causes a bacterial illness that frequently affects cats. Diseases caused by E. coli are treated using antibiotics. Because of their proximity to humans, cats possess an extremely high risk of contracting antibiotic resistance genes when their owners touch cat feces containing E. coli that harbor resistance genes. This study was conducted to identify multidrug-resistant E. coli and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing genes from cat rectal swabs collected at Surabaya City Veterinary Hospital to determine antibiotic sensitivity. Samples of cat rectal swabs were cultured in Brilliant Green Bile Lactose Broth medium and then streaked on eosin methylene blue agar medium for bacterial isolation, whereas Gram-staining and IMViC tests were conducted to confirm the identification results. The Kirby-Bauer diffusion test was used to determine antibiotic sensitivity, and the double-disk synergy test was used to determine ESBL-producing bacteria. Molecular detection of the genes TEM and CTX-M was performed using a polymerase chain reaction. Based on morphological culture, Gram-staining, and biochemical testing, the results of sample inspection showed that of the 100 cat rectal swab samples isolated, 71 (71%) were positive for E. coli. Furthermore, 23 E. coli isolates (32.39%) demonstrated the highest resistance to ampicillin. Four isolates were confirmed to be multidurg-resistant and ESBL-producing strains. Molecular examination revealed that three E. coli isolates harbored TEM and CTX-M. In conclusion, pet owners must be educated on the use of antibiotics to improve their knowledge about the risks of antibiotic resistance.

Green synthesis of nano-silver and its antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Superbugs resistant to antimicrobials are swiftly expanding worldwide. One of these superbugs for which effective antibiotics are urgently needed is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Thus, the creation of novel antimicrobial substances is necessary, one of the appealing antibacterial inorganic materials is silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for application of treating bacterial infectious illnesses. In order to investigate novel, potent, and economically feasible therapeutic approaches, the current study presents a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for synthesizing AgNPs using Citrus maxima peel (CMP) extract as a reducing agent. UV–Vis Spectroscopy confirmed the formation of AgNPs in the 400–––500 nm wavelength range. The Powder X-ray diffr action (PXRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results at the optimized synthesis conditions revealed highly crystalline AgNPs (face-centered cubic structure) with particles the size of 10–––20 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, and glycosides in the phytochemical compositions of the CMP extract, which can serve as reducing agents for the formation of the spherical AgNPs. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 8.27 µg/mL, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 16.54 µg/mL, and an inhibition zone of 11.7 mm were indicative of the potent antibacterial activity of as-prepared AgNPs against MRSA. The findings suggest biogenic silver nanoparticles could be an effective antimicrobial agent against nosocomial infections.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by aqueous extract of Zingiber officinale and their antibacterial activities against selected species

Abstract Silver nanoparticles have special plasmonic and antibacterial characteristics that make them efficient in a variety of commercial medical applications. According to recent research, chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles are harmful even in low concentrations. It was crucial to identify appropriate synthesis methods that may have low costs and be nontoxic to the environment. Zingiber officinale (ginger) extracts used to prepare silver nanoparticles were inexpensive and environmentally friendly, and the best physicochemical characteristics were analyzed. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by using UV-visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface Plasmon resonance peak at 425 nm was observed using UV-Visible spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy observed that the nanoparticles were spherical and ranged in size from 5 to 35 nm. The XRD pattern values of 2θ: 38.2o, 46.3o, and 64.58o are used to determine the planes (111), (200), and (220). The silver nanoparticle’s existence was verified by the face-centered cubic (FCC). Silver nanoparticles were found to have antibacterial efficacy against gram-positive Staphylococcus and gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella Aerogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles was observed using the agar well diffusion (AWD) method at three different concentrations (100 μg/ml, 75 μg/ml, and 50 μg/ml). The zone of inhibition measured against the bacterial strains pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Klebsiella aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus which were (18.4±1.25 mm, 16.9±0.74 mm, 14.8±1.25 mm), (16.8±0.96 mm, 14.6±0.76 mm, 14.0±1.15 mm), (19.7±0.76 mm, 18.2±0.66 mm, 15.4±1.15 mm), (16.6±0.67 mm, 14.2±0.23 mm, 12.8±0.78 mm) and (12±0.68 mm, 10±0.20 mm, 08±0.15 mm). These nanoparticles’ potent antibacterial properties may enable them to be employed as nanomedicines for a variety of gram-negative bacterial illness treatments.

Identifying serious bacterial illness in children: is it time to show the red card to NICE's red flags?

Identifying serious bacterial illness in children: is it time to show the red card to NICE's red flags?

Antimicrobial Activity of Acacia Nilotica and Ziziphus Mauritiana against Clinical Isolates of Escherichia Coli and Klebsiella Aerogenes

Klebsiella aerogenes is an opportunistic pathogen linked to several nosocomial illnesses, including pneumonia, sepsis, and infection of the urinary tract. Escherichia coli is frequently the source of numerous common bacterial illnesses, including bacteraemia, cholecystitis, cholangitis, urinary tract infections (UTI), traveler's diarrhoea, and other medical conditions such as meningitis in babies and pneumonia. This study aimed at determining the antimicrobial activity of Acacia nilotica and Ziziphus mauritania on clinical isolate of E. coli and K. aerogenes. The phytochemical constituents of Z. mauritiana and A. nilotica were determined. E. coli and K. aerogenes isolates were obtained from the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna and reconfirmed using standard microbiological techniques. The antibacterial activity of Z. mauritiana and A. nilotica extracts against the isolates was determined using Agar well diffusion assay, the MIC and MBC was also determined and recorded. The findings of this study revealed that tannins, quinone, phenols, terpenoids, and steroids are present in Z. mauritiana extract while tannins, saponin, quinones, and terpenoids in A. nilotica extract. There was no activity of Z. mauritiana against any of the test isolates at all concentrations used in this study. Whereas A. nilotica exhibited an antibacterial activity against both E. coli and K. aerogenes recording respectively a zone of inhibition of 24 mm and 25 mm with MIC and MBC value of 600 mg/ml. This research displayed an antibacterial activity of A. nilotica and no activity of Z. mauritiana against E. coli and K. aerogenes.

Animal models for COVID-19 and tuberculosis.

Respiratory infections cause tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. Amongst these diseases, tuberculosis (TB), a bacterial illness caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which often affects the lung, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), stand out as major drivers of epidemics of global concern. Despite their unrelated etiology and distinct pathology, these infections affect the same vital organ and share immunopathogenesis traits and an imperative demand to model the diseases at their various progression stages and localizations. Due to the clinical spectrum and heterogeneity of both diseases experimental infections were pursued in a variety of animal models. We summarize mammalian models employed in TB and COVID-19 experimental investigations, highlighting the diversity of rodent models and species peculiarities for each infection. We discuss the utility of non-human primates for translational research and emphasize on the benefits of non-conventional experimental models such as livestock. We epitomize advances facilitated by animal models with regard to understanding disease pathophysiology and immune responses. Finally, we highlight research areas necessitating optimized models and advocate that research of pulmonary infectious diseases could benefit from cross-fertilization between studies of apparently unrelated diseases, such as TB and COVID-19.

Detection of resistance and virulence plasmids in Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni isolated from North Carolina food animal production, 2018–2019

Campylobacter remains the leading cause of bacterial foodborne illness in the U.S. and worldwide. Campylobacter plasmids may play a significant role in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence factor distribution, and potentially drive rapid adaptation. C. coli (n = 345) and C. jejuni (n = 199) isolates collected from live cattle, swine, turkey, and chickens, poultry carcasses at production, and retail meat in N.C. were analyzed to determine plasmid prevalence, extrachromosomal virulence and AMR genes, and the phylogeny of assembled plasmids. Putative plasmids ranging from <2 kb to 237kb were identified with virulence factors present in 66.1% (228/345) C. coli and 88.4% (176/199) C. jejuni plasmids (promoting adherence, invasion, exotoxin production, immune modulation, chemotaxis, mobility, and the type IV secretion system). AMR genes were identified in 21.2% (73/345) C. coli and 28.1% C. jejuni plasmids (conferring resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, nucleosides, and lincosamides). Megaplasmids (>100 kb) were present in 25.7% (140/544) of the isolates and carried genes previously recognized to be involved with interspecies recombination. Our study highlights the extensive distribution and diversity of Campylobacter plasmids in food animal production and their role in the dissemination of biomedically important genes. Characterizing Campylobacter plasmids within the food animal production niche is important to understanding the epidemiology of potential emerging strains.

Documented Penicillin Allergies on Antibiotic Selection at Pediatric Emergency Department Visits.

Penicillin or amoxicillin are the recommended treatments for the most common pediatric bacterial illnesses. Allergies to penicillin are commonly reported among children but rarely true. We evaluated the impact of reported penicillin allergies on broad-spectrum antibiotic use overall and for the treatment of common respiratory infections among treat-and-release pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients receiving antibiotics during a treat-and-release visit at a large, pediatric ED in the northeast from 2014 to 2016. Study exposure was a reported allergy to penicillin in the electronic medical record. Study outcomes were the selection of broad-spectrum antibiotics and alternative (second-line) antibiotic therapy for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) and group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis. We used unadjusted and adjusted generalized estimating equation models to analyze the impact of reported penicillin allergies on the selection of broad-spectrum antibiotics. We used unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models to determine the probability of children with a documented penicillin allergy receiving alternative antibiotic treatments for AOM and GAS. Among 12,987 pediatric patients, 810 (6.2%) had a documented penicillin allergy. Penicillin allergies increased the odds of children receiving a broad spectrum versus narrow spectrum antibiotic (adjusted odds ratio, 13.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 11.34-16.18). In our adjusted logistic regression model, the probability of children with a documented penicillin allergy receiving alternative antibiotic treatment for AOM was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94-0.99) and for GAS was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.92-0.99). Antibiotic stewardship efforts in pediatric EDs may consider the delabeling of penicillin allergies particularly among children receiving antibiotics for an acute respiratory infection as a target for intervention.

Bacteriophages Concept and Applications: A Review on Phage Therapy.

The nature of phages was a matter of dispute, which was resolved in 1940, and it was continued to develop their activity and application in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Bacteriophages were first employed in 1919 to treat bacterial illnesses caused by Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Pseudomonas. Bacteriophages range in complexity from simple spherical viruses with genome sizes of less than 5 kbp to complicated viruses with genome sizes surpassing 280 kbp. They have two significant parts, head and tail, and are made up of numerous copies of more than 40 distinct proteins. Bacteriophages have been demonstrated to bind with receptors in the walls of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, ranging from peptide sequences to polysaccharide moieties. Depending on the type of phage and the physiological state of the bacterium, the life cycle may diverge into the lytic cycle or lysogenic cycle. Lytic-lysogenic switch depends on a variety of inducing factors. Bacteriophage therapy can be administered via several routes, but parenteral routes are the most effective. Auto-dosing, single-dose potential, lack of cross-resistance with antibiotics, etc., are several advantages of phage therapy over antibiotic treatment. Bacteriophages are attracting much attention because of their potential advantages and wide applications as antibacterial agents, diagnostic technologies, phage-based products, and biocontrol agents. They also have several applications in the food industry, agriculture/crop, farm animal and bee protection, environmental, and biosensor development.

VAP Causative Agents During COVID-19 Pandemic Era: Narrative Review

Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2) is very susceptible to transmission, and caused Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19), by spreading throughout the globe in early 2020 after starting in Wuhan, China in late 2019. Intensive care unit (ICU) COVID-19 patients ex-perienced elevated fatality rates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also anticipated that, the bacterial co-infection will cause a wave of subsequent bacterial illnesses. A significant infection causes morbidity in critically ill patients with COVID-19, is known as ventilator-associated pneu-monia (VAP). A public health emergency has been proclaimed for COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). As per WHO, more than 113 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, and there have been about 2.5 million fatalities. Early research has shown that nosocomial pneumo-nia, particularly VAP, is significantly more common in people with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. ICU patients frequently experience Acinetobacter baumannii (AbB) infections, while Aspergillus species are the fungi most frequently responsible for VAP. The review emphasizes the most preva-lent microorganisms that caused infections to arise among hospitalized patients throughout the COVID-19 era. The literature identified AbB, Klebsiella pneumonia (KP), Aspergillus, Enterobac-ter cloacae (EC), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Spm), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), Streptococcus pneumonia (SP), Haemophilus influenza (HI), Enterococcus faecalis (EF), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Candida albicans (CA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), Serratia marcescens (SM), Burkholderia gladioli (BG), Mucor spp. (MS), Rhizopus spp. (RS), Cryptococcus neoformans (CN), Paracoccus yeei (PY). This review may help the health sectors to identify and focus on VAP causa-tive organisms during COVID-19 pandemic period, for the early initiation of prompt therapeutic management.

Variation in Care of Well-Appearing Hypothermic Young Infants: A Multisite Study.

Numerous decision tools have emerged to guide management of febrile infants, but limited data exist to guide the care of young infants presenting with hypothermia. We evaluated the variation in care for well-appearing hypothermic young infants in the hospital and/or emergency department setting between participating sites. This is a retrospective cohort study of well-appearing infants ≤90 days old across 9 academic medical centers from September 1, 2016 to May 5, 2021. Infants were identified via billing codes for hypothermia or an initial temperature ≤36.0°C with manual chart review performed. Primary outcomes included assessment of variation in diagnostic evaluation, disposition, empirical antimicrobial therapy, and length of stay. Of 14 278 infants originally identified, 739 met inclusion criteria. Significant interhospital variation occurred across all primary outcomes. Across sites, a full serious bacterial illness evaluation was done in 12% to 76% of hypothermic infants. Empirical antibiotics were administered 20% to 87% of the time. Performance of herpes simplex viral testing ranged from 7% to 84%, and acyclovir was empirically started 8% to 82% of the time. Hospital admission rates ranged from 45% to 100% of patients. Considerable variation across multiple aspects of care exists for well-appearing young infants presenting with hypothermia. An improved understanding of hypothermic young infants and their risk of infection can lead to the development of clinical decision tools to guide appropriate evaluation and management.

A Review of Diagnostic Modalities of Four Common Bacterial Tickborne Illnesses in the United States

Tickborne illnesses are constantly evolving, requiring proficiency to guide diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Diagnosing tickborne illnesses can be challenging due to the wide range of potential symptoms and their overlap with those of other conditions. Various diagnostic modalities can be used to identify the etiology of a tickborne illness accurately; however, not all tests have the same diagnostic value, particularly as a patient's disease progresses. This review investigates the diagnostic modalities for four tickborne illnesses to determine their clinical utility. These four illnesses (Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis, and ehrlichiosis) are the most reported tickborne illnesses nationwide. This article aims to provide an updated summative review to guide practitioners in diagnosing these infections.

Immunity as key factors that influence cognitive development on children

Immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of the fetus are essential for normal neurodevelopment. Innate immunity-related molecules, including cytokines, toll-like receptors and complement family, are known to be expressed in the brain. Microglia, macrophage-like immune cells that reside in the brain and spinal cord, constitute 80% of all immune cells in the brain, making them the most abundant immune cell type. Acquired immunity-related molecules, such as major histocompatibility complex and antibody receptor, are also known to be expressed in the brain. In addition to this, research has demonstrated that they play important functions in the development of the brain. Neurodevelopmental diseases, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, autism-like obsessive-compulsive behaviours and social impairment, are characterized by a disruption of a wide variety of processes in the developing brain that depend on the normal function of microglia. Enteric infections and malnutrition in the first two years of life are linked to later cognitive impairment. Multiple studies have shown that bacterial and viral illnesses have direct or indirect impacts on cognitive performance in children. The immune system is in constant communication with the central nervous system and participates in the control of behaviour and a range of other essential neurological activities throughout the lifespan.

Metabolomic profiling of bacterial biofilm: trends, challenges, and an emerging antibiofilm target.

Biofilm-related infections substantially contribute to bacterial illnesses, with estimates indicating that at least 80% of such diseases are linked to biofilms. Biofilms exhibit unique metabolic patterns that set them apart from their planktonic counterparts, resulting in significant metabolic reprogramming during biofilm formation. Differential glycolytic enzymes suggest that central metabolic processes are markedly different in biofilms and planktonic cells. The glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is highly expressed in Staphylococcus aureus biofilm progenitors, indicating that changes in glycolysis activity play a role in biofilm development. Notably, an important consideration is a correlation between elevated cyclic di-guanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) activity and biofilm formation in various bacteria. C-di-GMP plays a critical role in maintaining the persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by regulating alginate production, a significant biofilm matrix component. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that S. aureus biofilm development is initiated by several tricarboxylic acid (TCA) intermediates in a FnbA-dependent manner. Finally, Glucose 6-phosphatase (G6P) boosts the phosphorylation of histidine-containing protein (HPr) by increasing the activity of HPr kinase, enhancing its interaction with CcpA, and resulting in biofilm development through polysaccharide intercellular adhesion (PIA) accumulation and icaADBC transcription. Therefore, studying the metabolic changes associated with biofilm development is crucial for understanding the complex mechanisms involved in biofilm formation and identifying potential targets for intervention. Accordingly, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in metabolomic profiling of biofilms, including emerging trends, prevailing challenges, and the identification of potential targets for anti-biofilm strategies.

Acute Myocarditis Mimicking ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in 19 Years Old Male with Pneumonia

Background: Acute myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart muscle that manifests clinically with a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from mild chest pain to myocardial infarction. It can also be linked to viral or bacterial illnesses like pneumonia. Case summary: A 19-year-old male with no notable medical history reported to the Emergency Department with substernal chest pain radiating to the left arm, accompanied by nausea and profuse perspiration. His vital signs were stable and his physical examination was normal, with the exception of left lower chest crackles. The electrocardiogram revealed ST segment increase in inferior and lateral leads, along with ST depression in leads V1 through V3. A portable chest x-ray revealed a patchy opacity in the lower lobe of the left lung. Invasive coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries. Further evaluation with echocardiography and cardiac MRI revealed characteristics of acute myocarditis, including a minimally dilated LV and subtle hypokinesia in the midventricular inferior and lateral segments, as well as mild global hypokinesia in the LV and RV. Perimyocarditis was detected in the patient, and antiplatelet medication were terminated. Due to a low ejection fraction, Bisoprolol, Ramipril, and spironolactone were administered, and he was hospitalised until his intravenous treatments for pneumonia were completed. Further laboratory tests revealed a decrease in troponin T, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein. He was discharged with medications including spironolactone, metoprolol, Ramipril, and colchicine. Unfortunately, he failed to comply with the directive. On the eighth day of hospitalisation, a discharge ECG revealed sinus rhythm with no ST-T alterations. Conclusion: When evaluating an acute cardiac event, healthcare practitioners should examine the possibility of uncommon bacterial myocarditis and keep in mind that Streptococcus pneumoniae infection might imitate acute MI in otherwise healthy young males. The timely diagnosis and administration of appropriate antibiotics are critical in the treatment of such conditions.

Nanotechnology in the diagnosis of bacterial infection: current trends, challenges and future prospects

By delivering quick, sensitive, and targeted detection methods that have dramatically improved the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial illnesses, nanotechnology has revolutionized the field of bacterial diagnosis. This abstract seeks to provide a concise overview of the present trends, difficulties, and potential applications of nanotechnology in bacterial detection. The creation of nanoparticles that can find bacteria at incredibly low concentrations is one of the most recent developments in bacterial diagnosis. Nanoparticles can detect bacteria with great sensitivity and selectivity by utilizing the unique surface characteristics of bacterial cells and their interactions with different nanomaterials. These nanosensors offer significant promise for point-of-care diagnostics since they can successfully identify bacteria in clinical samples like urine blood and saliva. However, bacterial diagnostics based on nanotechnology also faces substantial obstacles. The absence of regulatory standards and guidelines for nanosensors is a significant problem. In order to verify the safety and effectiveness of these devices for clinical application, regulatory guidelines are required because the lack of standardization makes it impossible to compare the results acquired from various nanosensor platforms. Further research is necessary since the possible toxicity of the nanomaterials utilized in nanosensors is a serious concern. Despite these difficulties, nanotechnology has bright future potential for bacterial diagnostics. The creation of nanotherapeutics that can specifically target and kill bacterial cells without endangering host cells is one possible application. In addition to providing an alternate method of treating bacterial illnesses, these nanotherapeutics can break the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Additionally, the creation of cutting-edge nanosensors and imaging methods can advance our comprehension of bacterial pathogenesis and aid in realtime monitoring of treatment efficacy. In conclusion, nanotechnology has had a substantial impact on bacterial diagnosis and has enormous potential to enhance both bacterial infection detection and therapy. The difficulties of bacterial diagnosis using nanotechnology must be overcome, and further study is required to create and improve nanosensors, nanobiotechnology chips and nanotherapeutics for clinical usage. Keywords: Nanotechnology, diagnosis, bacterial infection, current trends, challenges, future prospects

Evaluation of core genome and whole genome multilocus sequence typing schemes for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli outbreak detection in the USA.

Campylobacter is a leading causing of bacterial foodborne and zoonotic illnesses in the USA. Pulsed-field gene electrophoresis (PFGE) and 7-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) have been historically used to differentiate sporadic from outbreak Campylobacter isolates. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has been shown to provide superior resolution and concordance with epidemiological data when compared with PFGE and 7-gene MLST during outbreak investigations. In this study, we evaluated epidemiological concordance for high-quality SNP (hqSNP), core genome (cg)MLST and whole genome (wg)MLST to cluster or differentiate outbreak-associated and sporadic Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates. Phylogenetic hqSNP, cgMLST and wgMLST analyses were also compared using Baker's gamma index (BGI) and cophenetic correlation coefficients. Pairwise distances comparing all three analysis methods were compared using linear regression models. Our results showed that 68/73 sporadic C. jejuni and C. coli isolates were differentiated from outbreak-associated isolates using all three methods. There was a high correlation between cgMLST and wgMLST analyses of the isolates; the BGI, cophenetic correlation coefficient, linear regression model R 2 and Pearson correlation coefficients were >0.90. The correlation was sometimes lower comparing hqSNP analysis to the MLST-based methods; the linear regression model R 2 and Pearson correlation coefficients were between 0.60 and 0.86, and the BGI and cophenetic correlation coefficient were between 0.63 and 0.86 for some outbreak isolates. We demonstrated that C. jejuni and C. coli isolates clustered in concordance with epidemiological data using WGS-based analysis methods. Discrepancies between allele and SNP-based approaches may reflect the differences between how genomic variation (SNPs and indels) are captured between the two methods. Since cgMLST examines allele differences in genes that are common in most isolates being compared, it is well suited to surveillance: searching large genomic databases for similar isolates is easily and efficiently done using allelic profiles. On the other hand, use of an hqSNP approach is much more computer intensive and not scalable to large sets of genomes. If further resolution between potential outbreak isolates is needed, wgMLST or hqSNP analysis can be used.

Activity of Garlic (Allium Sativum L.) Extract Against Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Bacteria

Vibriosis is the primary bacterial illness shrimp farmers face due to mass death in young shrimp, called Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS). The etiology of this disease is Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacterium. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the natural compounds that can suppress the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria. This study aims to assess the effect of garlic extract on the growth of Vibrio parahemolyticus bacteria in 96 percent ethanol solvent at garlic extract concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method is utilized, which estimates the diameter of the inhibitory zone surrounding the disc. Making garlic extract by maceration using 96% ethanol solvent and evaporated with a rotary vacuum evaporator. The results showed that a ethanol 96% extract of garlic with concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% had antibacterial activity on V. parahaemolyticus bacteria with an average inhibition zone diameter of 4.9 mm, 8.4 mm, 9.4 mm, 11.9 mm, respectively. This study concluded that garlic extracts have antibacterial activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Serotype distribution, trend of multidrug resistance and prevalence of β-lactamase resistance genes in human Salmonella isolates from clinical specimens in Guizhou, China.

Salmonella, one of the major causes of foodborne infections, can cause bacterial foodborne illness. We investigated the serotype distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR), and β-lactamase resistance genes of human Salmonella isolates collected from clinical specimens in Guizhou, China, between 2013 and 2018. A total of 363 Salmonella isolates were collected from clinical specimens at 17 surveillance hospitals. Twenty-four serotypes were identified by sliding agglutination test. S. Enteritidis (33.9%), Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- (24.0%), S. Typhimurium (16.3%), S. London (6.3%), and S. Derby (3.9%) were the top five serotypes. In 2018, the most common serotype changed from S. Enteritidis to S. Typhimurium. Among the 363 Salmonella isolates, 97.5% of isolates were resistant to at least one class of antimicrobial agents. For cephalosporins, ceftriaxone had the highest resistance rate of 10.5%, and cefepime and cefoxitin were 8.0% and 2.2%, respectively. Three hundred and one (82.9%) Salmonella isolates showed MDR. Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- had the highest MDR rate with 94.2%, followed by S. London (91.3%) and S. Typhimurium (88.1%). Multidrug resistance rates of Salmonella isolates in Guizhou from 2013 to 2017 increased from 75.8% to 86.7%. Sixteen isolates (4.4%) showed extensive drug resistance. One hundred thirty-four antimicrobial resistance patterns were found. Two hundred and forty-one (66.4%) isolates carried at least one β-lactamase resistance gene. The blaTEM gene (61.2%) was the most prevalent resistant gene in all Salmonella isolates, followed by the blaCTX-M gene (6.1%) and blaOXA-1 gene (4.1%). Our findings showed that the MDR rate of Salmonella isolates from Guizhou province increased year by year. Therefore, systematic and long-term surveillance on MDR Salmonella isolates from clinical patients should be further strengthened.