Cardiobacterium Valvarum Research Articles

Association Between Healthy Eating Index-2020 and Oral Microbiome Among Postmenopausal Women

BackgroundDietary intake has been suggested to be associated with the oral microbiome, but no study has examined the association between overall diet quality and the oral microbiome. ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) and the diversity and composition of the oral microbiome among participants in the Buffalo Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease (OsteoPerio) Study. MethodsIn 1175 postmenopausal women (mean age: 67 ± 7.0 y), we estimated the HEI-2020 scores for each woman from a food frequency questionnaire administered from 1997 to 2000. Bacterial DNA was extracted from subgingival plaque samples and analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The alpha-diversity (within-sample diversity) and β-diversity (between-sample diversity) across HEI-2020 quartiles were examined using analysis of covariance and permutational multivariate analysis of variance, respectively. The associations between the HEI-2020 score and the relative abundance of microbial taxa were examined by linear regression models. The analyses were further conducted for individual components of the HEI-2020. ResultsNo statistically significant associations were observed between the HEI-2020 scores and alpha- or beta-diversity. However, greater consumption of seafood, plant proteins, and total protein and lower consumption of added sugars were positively associated with alpha-diversity. After we applied a false detection rate (FDR) correction, higher HEI-2020 scores were significantly associated with decreased abundance of Lautropia, Streptococcus gordonii, Cardiobacterium valvarum, and Cardiobacterium hominis, and increased abundance of Selenomonas sp. oral taxon 133 and Selenomonas dianae (FDR-adjusted P values < 0.10). Additionally, 28 other taxa were identified as being associated with HEI-2020 components. ConclusionsAlthough the HEI-2020 was associated with the composition, but not the diversity, of the oral microbiome, individual HEI-2020 components were associated with both its diversity and composition. Specific dietary components may have more impact on the diversity and composition of oral microbiome than overall diet quality assessed by the HEI-2020.

Association of Root Biofilm Bacteriome with Root Caries Lesion Severity and Activity

Introduction: This research aimed to assess the association of root biofilm bacteriome with root caries lesion severity and activity in institutionalised Colombian elderlies and was conducted to gather data on the root caries bacteriome in this population. Methods: A bacteriome evaluation of biofilm samples from sound and carious root surfaces was performed. Root caries was categorised (ICDAS Root criteria) based on severity (sound surfaces, initial: non-cavitated, moderate/extensive combined: cavitated) and activity status (active and inactive). DNA was extracted and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced; afterwards the classification of features was conducted employing amplicon sequence variants and taxonomic assignment via the Human Oral Microbiome Database (HOMD). Bacterial richness, diversity (Simpson’s and Shannon’s indices), and relative abundance estimation were assessed and compared based on root caries severity and activity status (including Sound surfaces). Results: A total of 130 biofilm samples were examined: sound (n = 45) and with root caries lesions (n = 85; by severity: initial: n = 41; moderate/extensive: n = 44; by activity: active: n = 60; inactive: n = 25). Species richness was significantly lower in biofilms from moderate/extensive and active groups compared to sound sites. There was a higher relative abundance of species like Lechtotricia wadei, Capnocytophaga granulosa, Cardiobacterium valvarum, Porphyromonas pasteri – in sound sites; Dialister invisus, Streptococcus mutans, Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus and Bacteroidetes (G-5) bacterium 511 – in moderate/extensive lesions, and Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis, Prevotella denticola, Lactobacillus fermentum, Saccharibacteria (TM7) (G-5)bacterium HMT 356 – in active lesions. Conclusion: Root caries bacteriome exhibited differences in species proportions between the compared groups. Specifically, cavitated caries lesions and active caries lesions showed higher relative abundance of acidogenic bacteria.

Development of a Novel Vaccine Candidates against Cardiobacterium valvarum through Reverse Vaccinology and Computational Approaches.

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that has resulted in high healthcare costs, increased mortality, and the emergence of novel bacterial diseases. Cardiobacterium valvarum, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, is one of the leading causes of heart disease. Currently, there is no licensed vaccination against C. valvarum. In this research, an in silico-based vaccine was designed against C. valvarum using reverse vaccinology, bioinformatics, and immunoinformatics techniques. 4206 core proteins, 2027 nonredundant proteins, and 2179 redundant proteins were predicted. Among nonredundant proteins, 23 proteins were predicted in an extracellular membrane, 30 in the outer membrane, and 62 in the periplasmic membrane region. After applying several subtractive proteomics filters, two proteins, TonB-dependent siderophore receptor and hypothetical protein, were chosen for epitope prediction. In the epitope selection phase, B and T-cellepitopes were analyzed and shortlisted for vaccine design. The vaccine model was designed by linking selected epitopes with GPGPG linkers to avoid flexibility. Furthermore, the vaccine model was linked to cholera toxin B adjuvant to induce a proper immune response. The docking approach was utilized to analyze binding affinity to immune cell receptors. Molecular docking results predicted 12.75 kcal/mol for a Vaccine with MHC-I, 6.89 for a vaccine with MHC-II, and 19.51 vaccine with TLR-4. The MMGBSA estimated -94, -78, and -76 kcal/mol for TLR-4 and vaccine, MHC-I and vaccine, and MHC-II and vaccine, while the MMPBSA analysis estimated -97, -61, and -72 kcal/mol for TLR-4 with the vaccine, MHC-I with vaccine, and MHC-II with a vaccine. Molecular dynamic simulation analysis revealed that the designed vaccine construct has proper stability with immune cell receptors as it is essential for inducing an immune response. In conclusion, we observed that the model vaccine candidate has the potency to induce an immune response in the host. However, the study is designed purely on a computational basis; hence, experimental validation is strongly recommended.

Abstract C078: The association between the oral microbiome and body mass index among Black women

Abstract Background. The prevalence of obesity (defined as ≥30 kg/m2) has increased by 40% over the past two decades. Black women have the highest prevalence of obesity of any US population group, with 57% of Black women classified as obese. The adverse health consequences of obesity include increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature mortality. Evidence has mounted from animal and human studies that the gut microbiota, in particular bacteria, is associated with obesity. Few studies have examined the association between the oral microbiota and obesity. Methods. In the current study, we included Black Women’s Health Study participants who donated a saliva sample using an oral wash kit and whose oral microbiome was sequenced in prior nested case-control studies of pancreatic and lung cancer. Participants were cancer-free at the time of oral wash collection. A total of 624 participants with whole metagenome shotgun sequencing data were available for this research. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated and classified according to the World Health Organization: normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2, n=132), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2, n=228), and obesity (≥30.0 kg/m2, n=264). Raw sequencing reads were processed using PathoScope (v 2.0). Data were filtered based on total read counts for individual operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and average relative genus abundance. Thus, 3,629 OTUs representing 103 genera were retained. We corrected for batch effects using ComBat-Seq. We conducted differential abundance analyses, adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, and tooth loss. For detecting differentially abundant microbes, we used DESeq2, Limma, and ANCOM-BC, both separately and in combination, at the genus and species levels. Results. Fifty-two genera were differentially abundant by BMI category in at least one of our analyses. Of these, three genera—Corynebacterium, Haemophilus, and Solobacterium—were commonly differentially abundant across all analyses. Notably, Solobacterium was more abundant in individuals with obesity, compared to individuals with normal or overweight, whereas Corynebacterium and Haemophilus were less abundant in individuals with overweight but not normal weight or obesity. On the species level, 98 species were differentially abundant by BMI category in at least one of our analyses. Three species were differentially abundant across all analyses: Cardiobacterium valvarum, Neisseria bacilliformis, and S. moorei (the only known species of Solobacterium). Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that multiple oral microbial taxa are significantly differentially abundant by BMI category in Black women, who have a higher prevalence of obesity than any other race-gender group and suffer greatly from the adverse health effects of obesity. In particular, women with obesity had a higher abundance of S. moorei. This bacterium was also recently identified as more abundant in the gut microbiome of Chinese men and women with obesity and the abundance decreased with a weight loss intervention. Citation Format: Jessica L. Petrick, Howard J. Fan, Lynn Rosenberg, Julie R. Palmer, W. Evan Johnson. The association between the oral microbiome and body mass index among Black women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr C078.

Cardiobacterium Valvarum Bacteremia in a Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipient: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Introduction Cardiobacterium valvarum is a HACEK organism known for causing infective endocarditis (IE); there are no reported cases implicating this bacterium in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) infections in the English literature. Case Report A 59 year old gentleman with sarcoidosis, systolic heart failure (EF 15%), BiV-ICD (implanted 11/2015) and LVAD (Heartware implanted 10/2017) presented with fever and cough. He experienced worsening lower extremity edema and abdominal girth one week prior to admission. In the emergency room his temperature was 39.5°C and had mild erythema without drainage at his drive line exit site (DLES). Labs were notable for WBC of 15.5 × 103/μL and lactic acid of 2.2 mmol/L. Blood cultures were obtained and the patient received piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin. TTE and CT imaging of chest and abdomen demonstrated no significant findings. The initial blood culture became positive with gram-negative bacilli after 3.5 days and were identified as C. valvarum 28 days after initial presentation. He completed a two-week course of ertapenem and transitioned to cephalexin 500 mg BID as secondary prophylaxis. Erythema at the DLES improved and heart failure symptoms resolved. The patient remained on this regimen until transplant, 348 days from positive culture. The organisms classified in the HACEK (Haemophilus spp., Aggregatibacter spp., Cardiobacterium spp., Eikenella spp., and Kingella spp.) group are known for being fastidious causes of IE; they are not traditionally associated with pump, line, or pocket infections in VAD patients. The most common gram-negative bacterial infections associated with VADs and their components are P. aeruginosa and enteric organisms. This patient's case was treated as a VAD-related blood stream infection. Because Cardiobacterium spp. are oral commensals, DLES as the source was less likely. As noted in the IE guidelines, the presence of a HACEK organism without an identifiable source should be considered IE unless proven otherwise, even if there are no other stigmata of IE. Thus, despite only one culture growing C. valvarum, there was a high suspicion for the components of the VAD being seeded, resulting in antibiotic suppression until transplantation. Summary In the presence of a VAD, HACEK organism found in the bloodstream should be treated as a pump infection unless proven otherwise.

An unusual case of Cardiobacterium valvarum causing aortic endograft infection and osteomyelitis

BackgroundHACEK (Haemophilus spp., Aggregatibacter spp., Cardiobacterium spp., Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella spp.) group organisms are responsible for 0.8% to 6% of all infective endocarditis cases, with Cardiobacterium spp. being the third most commonly implicated HACEK microorganism. Within this genus is Cardiobacterium valvarum (C. valvarum), a novel organism described in 2004. To date, only 15 cases of C. valvarum infection have been reported in the English-language literature, and have primarily been cases of infective endocarditis in patients with valvular disease. C. valvarum has not been reported to cause infections spreading to the surrounding bone.Case presentationWe present a case of a 57-year-old man with a history of aortic dissection followed by aortic endograft replacement who presented with back pain. He was found to have radiographic evidence of an infected aortic endograft, along with vertebral osteomyelitis, discitis, and epidural phlegmon. Blood cultures identified C. valvarum as the causative organism. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone and surgical intervention was deferred due to the patient’s complex anatomy. His course was complicated by septic cerebral emboli resulting in cerebrovascular accident.ConclusionsThis case report highlights C. valvarum, a rare and emerging HACEK group microorganism that warrants consideration in high-risk patients with evidence of subacute infection and disseminated disease. While C. valvarum classically presents as infective endocarditis, extra-cardiac manifestations have also been described. As demonstrated in this case, endograft involvement and osteomyelitis may occur in rare circumstances.

Subgingival microbiome of experimental gingivitis: shifts associated with the use of chlorhexidine and N-acetyl cysteine mouthwashes

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to demonstrate subgingival microbial changes associated with development, prevention, and treatment of experimental gingivitis using chlorhexidine (CHX) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) mouthwashes. This randomized clinical trial comprised two parts: a 3-week prevention sub-study in which 30 study subjects were equally assigned to either mouthwash or placebo while developing experimental gingivitis; followed by a 2-week treatment sub-study in which 20 subjects with experimental gingivitis were assigned to either mouthwash. Subgingival samples were collected at the beginning and end of each sub-study for microbial profiling with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. As expected, CHX was effective in both preventing and reversing experimental gingivitis; NAC had a modest effect. Gingivitis was associated with enrichment of TM7 HOT-346/349, Tannerella HOT-286, Cardiobacterium valvarum, Campylobacter gracilis, Porphyromonas catoniae, Leptotrichia HOT-219, and Selenomonas spp. At the phylum/genus level, TM7 showed the strongest association. Gingival health was associated with increased abundance of Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Lautropia mirabilis, Rothia spp., Streptococcus spp., and Kingella oralis. CHX demonstrated largely indiscriminate antimicrobial action, resulting in significant drop in biomass and diversity. Our results substantiate the role of specific oral bacterial species in the development of gingivitis. They also indicate that NAC is not a promising mouthwash at the concentration tested.

A case of Cardiobacterium valvarum endocarditis with cerebral hemorrhage after MVR, TVP and vegetation removal operation

BackgroundCardiobacterium is a fastidious Gram-negative bacillus, and is a rare human pathogen in clinical settings. Herein, we describe a case of Cardiobacterium valvarum (C. valvarum) endocarditis with a rare complication of cerebral hemorrhage after mitral valve replacement (MVR), tricuspid valve prosthesis (TVP) and vegetation removal operation.Case presentationA 41-year-old woman who had a history of gingivitis developed into infective endocarditis due to the infection of C. valvarum. Then, she was hospitalized to receive MVR, TVP and vegetation removal operation. The indicators of patient tended to be normal until the abrupt cerebral hemorrhage occurred on day 15 after operation. This is the first well-described case of C. valvarum infection in China, and the first report of C. valvarum endocarditis with cerebral hemorrhage after MVR, TVP and vegetation removal operation worldwide.ConclusionsWe reported the first case of C. valvarum infection in China clinically, with a rare complication of cerebral hemorrhage after MVR, TVP and vegetation removal operation.

Cardiobacterium hominis and Cardiobacterium valvarum: Two Case Stories with Infective Episodes in Pacemaker Treated Patients.

Introduction: Cardiobacterium hominis and Cardiobacterium valvarum are well known, though rare, etiologic agents of infective endocarditis. Cardiac devices are increasingly implanted.Case Reports:Two cases of infective episodes in pacemaker (PM) treated patients with respectively C. hominis and C. valvarum are presented. In one case blood-culture bottles yielded growth of C. hominis at two episodes with two years apart. At the second episode a vegetation was recognized at the PM lead and the PM device and lead was removed. In the C. valvarum case, echocardiography revealed a bicuspid aortic valve with severe regurgitation and a more than 1 cm sized vegetation.Conclusion:The cases illustrate the diversity in disease severity by Cardiobacterium species. Careful follow up has to be performed in order not to overlook a relatively silent relapsing infection.

Cardiobacterium valvarum, an Emerging New HACEK Organism, as the Causative Agent of Infective Endocarditis: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Cardiobacterium valvarum is a newly described HACEK (Haemophilus spp., Aggregatibacter spp., Cardiobacterium spp., Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella spp.) organism causing endocarditis. We report the second case of bioprosthetic aortic valve infective endocarditis, review the current literature, and investigate the phylogenetic relationships among clinical isolates of C. valvarum.

Infectious endocarditis caused by Cardiobacterium valvarum

Introduction: Cardiobacterium valvarum is a new member of the HACEK group (Haemophilus, Aggregatibacter, Cardiobacterium and Eikenella) of Gram‐negative bacteria. Case presentation: We report a case of bicuspid aortic valve subacute bacterial endocarditis in a 36‐year‐old man presenting as an acute myocardial infarction, and review the clinical features of C. valvarum endocarditis. Conclusion: Although rare, C. valvarum endocarditis appears to affect adult men with bicuspid aortic valves, and may be characterized by a high propensity for profound valvular destruction and embolic phenomena, necessitating prompt surgical intervention.

Update on the HACEK Group of Fastidious Gram-Negative Bacilli, Part II

The HACEK group of bacteria—Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Aggregatibacter species (Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Aggregatibacter segnis), Cardiobacterium species (Cardiobacterium hominis and Cardiobacterium valvarum), Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella species—are fastidious gram-negative bacilli that are found in the human upper respiratory and genitourinary tracts. The HACEK bacteria are particularly associated with bacteremia and endocarditis, along with a variety of other infectious processes. This article describes the taxonomic status of the HACEK group, the types of infections and clinical specimens that may yield such organisms on culture, the phenotypic characteristics that are useful for species identification, and the susceptibility of these organisms to antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of HACEK group infections. Part I of this article addressed the clinical significance of the HACEK group and specifically addressed Haemophilus, Aggregatibacter, and Cardiobacterium. In Part II of this article, Eikenella, Suttonella, and Kingella are discussed as will the susceptibility patterns for all of these organisms.

Update on the HACEK group of fastidious gram-negative bacilli, Part I

The HACEK group of bacteria—Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Aggregatibacter species (Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Aggregatibacter segnis), Cardiobacterium species (Cardiobacterium hominis and Cardiobacterium valvarum), Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella species—are fastidious gram-negative bacilli that are found in the human upper respiratory and genitourinary tracts. The HACEK bacteria are particularly associated with bacteremia and endocarditis, along with a variety of other infectious processes. This article describes the taxonomic status of the HACEK group, the types of infections and clinical specimens that may yield such organisms on culture, the phenotypic characteristics that are useful for species identification, and the susceptibility of these organisms to antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of HACEK group infections. Part I of this article will addresses the clinical significance of the HACEK group and specifically addresses Haemophilus, Aggregatibacter, and Cardiobacterium.

Nonsurgical Management of Mitral Valve Endocarditis Due to Cardiobacterium valvarum in a Patient with a Ventricular Septal Defect

Cardiobacterium valvarum is a relatively novel agent of infective endocarditis. We describe the first case of infective endocarditis due to this pathogen in the Asian Pacific. This case is unique in its involvement of the mitral valve as well as its clinical resolution exclusively resulting from treatment with antibiotics without resorting to valve replacement/explantation.

Cerebral vasculitis and Cardiobacterium valvarum endocarditis

We present a case of aortic and tricuspid native valve endocarditis in which Cardiobacterium valvarum was isolated from the blood culture of a 65-year-old man. Cardiobacterium valvarum is a fastidious, Gram-negative bacillus. The genus Cardiobacterium encompasses two species - Cardiobacterium valvarum and Cardiobacterium hominis. Although both species rarely feature as the aetiological agent of endocarditis, Cardiobacterium hominis has a higher incidence than Cardiobacterium valvarum. For this causative organism, we believe this is the first report of fatality prior to surgical intervention and the first clinical course to be complicated by cerebral vasculitis. Native valve endocarditis caused by Gram-negative bacilli is extremely rare and identification of isolates may require the use of reference laboratories with molecular identification techniques.

Cardiobacterium valvarum infective endocarditis and phenotypic/molecular characterization of 11 Cardiobacterium species strains

Cardiobacterium valvarum is a newly recognized human pathogen related to infective endocarditis. Cardiobacterium species are, however, only rarely the aetiology of infective endocarditis. An infective endocarditis case is presented and, additionally, phenotypic and phylogenetic comparison of a further 10 collection strains, representing the two species within the genus, was performed. C. valvarum was isolated from the blood and DNA was present in valvular tissue (partial 16S rRNA gene analysis) from a 64-year-old man with infective endocarditis of the mitral valve, rupture of chordae and prolapse of pulmonary valves in addition to a fluttering excrescence. A mechanical mitral valve and neochordae were inserted successfully. Phenotypically, the two species within the genus Cardiobacterium resemble each other greatly. When using the Vitek 2 Neisseria-Haemophilus identification card, the reaction for phenylphosphonate was positive for all Cardiobacterium hominis strains, but negative for all C. valvarum strains, thereby separating the two species. The two species made up two separate clusters by phylogenetic examination using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.

Prosthetic valve/conduit infection caused by Cardiobacterium valvarum

Prosthetic valve/conduit infection caused by Cardiobacterium valvarum

Detection of Cardiobacterium valvarum in a patient with aortic valve infective endocarditis by broad-range PCR

Cardiobacterium valvarum, a fastidious Gram-negative bacterium, was detected in the aortic valve of a previously healthy 63-year-old man by broad-range PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In contrast to the patients in five previously published cases, our patient had neither a congenital bicuspid nor a prosthetic aortic valve. Here, we present a case of C. valvarum native tricuspid aortic valve infective endocarditis and a review of the literature.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve Endocarditis Due to Cardiobacterium valvarum

We report a case of endocarditis on a bicuspid aortic valve and a review of the 3 other case reports in the medical literature because of a newly described species of Cardiobacterium, Cardiobacterium valvarum. Significant findings include the propensity for infecting bicuspid aortic valves along with an aggressive clinical course manifested by valvular destruction requiring surgical replacement and embolic phenomena.

Endocarditis Caused by Cardiobacterium valvarum

A fastidious, gram-negative bacterium was isolated from the blood of a 51-year-old man who had acute infectious endocarditis (IE). Characterization of the organism through phenotypic and genotypic analyses revealed the causative role of Cardiobacterium valvarum. This is the third reported case of IE caused by C. valvarum.