Penicillin Antibiotics Research Articles

Medical Fungi, Their Importance and Harms in Our Lives

The Fungi play an important role in human life, both positively and negatively. Among the most important fungi are Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida. These fungi have a great impact on human health, whether as pathogens or as sources of medicines. For example, Aspergillus fungi, which causes serious diseases such as aspergillosis, especially in people with weak immunity. While some for it are used in the pharmaceutical industry to produce some important enzymes, as for Penicillium fungus is considered the most important in the history of medicine for the discovery of the antibiotic penicillin, which is used as an antibacterial. In addition, it helps in the production of cheese and some industrial enzymes. Also, Candida fungus lives naturally in the human body, but it causes fungal infections such as candidiasis when there is an imbalance in the bacterial balance or weak immunity, and it can cause skin infections There are also cryptococcosis, dermatophytes and many other fungi that are highlighted in this review to identify the most aggressive fungi that cause diseases in human In return, identifying other fungi that are beneficial for it in the creation of antibiotics and other applications used in the medical area, such as Tolypocladium and Trichoderma fungus, and used in the food industry, such as the Saccharomyces fungi. Knowing the function of these fungi aids in the development of novel approaches to the treatment and prevention of fungal illnesses as well as strategies for utilizing and profiting from them in industrial settings.

Maxillofacial Injuries Due to Firearms (Ballistics)

Introduction: Maxillofacial injuries caused by firearms can vary in severity and tissue damage, with the severity determined by the characteristics and nature of the bullet and the anatomical structures involved. The extent of tissue damage is also influenced by the distance from the shot. Injuries from low-velocity firearms result in less extensive damage compared to those caused by high-velocity firearms, where tissue damage may involve extensive hard and soft tissues, marked by a zone surrounding the damaged tissue vulnerable to progressive necrosis due to disrupted blood supply and wound sepsis. Review: For a physician, basic knowledge about firearms, ammunition composition, and the mechanism of firearm discharge is essential for proper understanding and interpretation of the resultant injuries or trauma. Firearms can be grouped based on barrel length, such as short-barreled firearms like revolvers and pistols, and long-barreled firearms like shotguns and rifles. Firearms can also be categorized based on their rifling, with rifled and non-rifled barrel firearms. Furthermore, firearms can be classified based on their bullet velocity, categorized as low-velocity firearms and high-velocity firearms. Conclusion: Maxillofacial injuries can vary in severity and tissue damage caused by firearms. Injuries caused by high-velocity firearms exhibit a greater degree of severity and tissue damage compared to those caused by low-velocity firearms. Infection prevention should involve early administration of penicillin antibiotics and early wound control by sealing the mucosa with waterproof materials.

Preliminary Analysis of Drug-Induced Ototoxicity in South Korea: Trends From a National Sample Dataset.

Certain medications are associated with ototoxicity. This study assesses drug-induced ototoxicity in South Korea by analyzing the Korean national health data. Hospital records of National Health Insurance members from 2009 to 2016 were reviewed. Data were compared between patients with and without hearing loss (HL). Individuals with HL were identified as having a primary diagnosis code for sensorineural HL or another type of HL in at least one outpatient or inpatient record according to the International Classification of Diseases-10. The members in the HL group increased slightly from 0.8% to 1.0% relative to the total sample, compared with 99.2% to 99.0% among the controls. The proportion of males in the HL group ranged from 45.6% to 47.6%, compared with 48.4% to 48.8% among the controls. The proportion of those aged ≥65 years in the HL group increased from 34.1% to 41.4%, compared with 10.6% to 13.3% among the controls. Hypertension prevalence (24.7%-25.7%) in the HL group was higher than that in the control group (12%-12.6%). Diabetes prevalence in the HL group was 10.6%-12.3%, compared with 4.4%-5.9% among the controls. The use of proton pump inhibitor components increased, particularly esomeprazole magnesium trihydrate and rabeprazole sodium, whereas the usage of pantoprazole sodium sesquihydrate and revaprazan was high initially but declined subsequently. The usage of painkillers such as acetaminophen, loxoprofen sodium, and ibuprofen remained high, and antibiotics such as cephalosporins indicated the highest usage. However, the use of penicillin antibiotics such as amoxicillin decreased significantly. Anticancer agents showed relatively low usage compared with other drug categories, whereas antihistamines showed extremely high usage across all years, with a continual increase. These correlations and the underlying mechanisms necessitate further investigation, as several medicines have been linked to an increased risk of HL.

A Literature Review for Injection Technique during Treatment and Risk for Needle Stick Injury

Literature review on injection history and safe practices Drugs made the syringe handy. French pharmacist Stanislau Limousin devised the glass "ampoule" for safe, convenient injections in 1886. Handcrafted late 1800s glass and metal syringes cost $50. The 20th century saw the rise of the syringe for injecting insulin, penicillin, and other antibiotics. 2. Poor nations treated kala azar and yaws with the injection in the 1920s. After WWII, penicillin was popular. Between 1920 and 1930, the production of 100,000 to 2 million syringes doubled. Increased demand. The 1950s and 1960s saw disposable syringes replace sterilizable glass ones due to advancements in manufacturing technology. Nepal has disposable syringes since 1980. 15. The latest safe injection innovations include retractable, decreased dead space, auto-disable (AD), and needleless jet injectors. 2. Safe Injection Practice Literature Syringes made parenteral medicine feasible, changing medical history. It's harmful because it spreads illnesses. In the late 1800s, syringe-transmitted viruses caused jaundice and syphilis epidemics; in the 1900s, HBV, HIV, and HCV were detected. 10.22 The first syringe-transferred pathogen may have happened in a Swedish workplace in 1883 after smallpox vaccines. 22 and 23. In the early 1900s, syphilis injection jaundice was attributed to arsenic. 9 In 1945, jaundice-causing microorganisms were introduced into non-sterile injections, triggering safe injection programs in developed nations. 25 Industrialized nations supplied sterilized injectable drugs, needles, and syringes. Developing and transitional nations had more vaccines and treatments. Disease may have spread in these nations due to improper injection equipment cleaning. 3. Injection Lore in Medical Practice Reusing injectable devices without sterilizing (unsafe injection) occurred internationally, although rates varied. Nepal and India, part of SEAR D, reused 75% of injectable devices without sterilizing, compared to 1.2% in American B and European B. Ten locations' annual non-sterilized injectable device reuse frequency

Current Trends in Antibiotic Therapy and Resistance: A Comparative Study of Various Spectrums.

Background The global public health concern posed by antibiotic resistance is threatening the usefulness of existing therapies. This calls for an urgent reconsideration of the contemporary trends in antibiotic usage. This study compares narrow-, broad-, and extended-spectrum antibiotics to elucidate resistance patterns, evaluate the therapeutic outcomes, and suggest new ways for combating resistance. Methods The research was analyzed based on 1,050 observations of demographic, clinical, diagnostic, laboratory, and therapeutic parameters. The analysis of effectiveness, safety, and resistance rates was statistically evaluated across different antibiotic spectra and healthcare settings. Results According to reviews of recorded patient entries encompassing 1,050 files, broad-spectrum antibiotics distributed by pharmacies, particularly ceftriaxone (27.9%), were mostly medically prescribed. A history of previous infections was reported in 67.5% of the patients. The antibiotics ceftriaxone and penicillin were the most widely used. The patient care was equally divided into standalone, community based, and hospital based. High-dose drugs were administered to 36.5% of patients; on average, treatment effectiveness is 77.43% with safety rates of 84.77%. The average diagnosis delay was four days. Most of the identified agents were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. The overall resistance rate was 27.95%. The highest resistance was noted against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae. Resistance varied widely across classes of antibiotics, with penicillins and cephalosporins showing the highest rates. The burden of comorbidities in terms of diabetes, heart diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases has been of particular concern, as seen in patients. Conclusions The results stress the urgent need to promote antibiotic stewardship programs and establish precise methods in medicine. This comparison of antibiotic spectra offers actionable insights to inform treatment and policy considerations, especially in areas where resistance rates are considerably high.

Antimicrobial Peptides in Human Seminal Fluid and Their Action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important part of the innate immune defense not only of hu¬mans. The worldwide increased resistance to currently used antimicrobials resulted in growing interest in alternative antimicrobial agents such as AMPs, both synthetic and isolated from natural sources. Being rich in many antimicrobial peptides and proteins, the human seminal fluid has recently become an object of extensive research. In this case study human seminal fluid samples delivered by a healthy volunteer were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. One-week-old and one-month-old seminal fluid were examined to study the stability of antimicrobial substances in it. The spermatozoa’s concentration, progression, progression type, velocity, and morphology match the WHO Standards and were earlier published. Antibacterial activity was assessed against Escherichia coli and Ba¬cillus subtilis type strains using the Disc Diffusion Susceptibility Test Protocol. As referent antibacterial substances were used the antibiotics Ampicillin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline, and Penicillin. Our results showed that both seminal fluid samples - 1 and 2 were both active against Gram-positive and Gram-nega¬tive bacteria but double to quadruple weaker compared to antibiotics. The seminal fluid has shown a com¬mensurable effect on E. coli as this one played by Penicillin. Among Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria seminal fluid was more active against Gram-negative ones. Our experiments demonstrated no difference in the activity of one-week and one-month-old seminal fluid, hence the antimicrobial peptides and proteins stayed preserved from degradation, inactivation or were protected from proteases’ activity at least for a month.

Repurposing a Serotonin Receptor Antagonist as a Potential Novel Antibiotic

With the surge of multidrug-resistant bacteria and increasing antibiotic resistance, there is a critical need for the development of new drug therapies. A new antimicrobial technique revolves around targeting virulence factors, which enable the bacterial pathogen to evade host immune defenses. Inhibitors that target pathogenicity hinder the capacity of the bacterium to cause an infection, thus allowing the host immune system to better clear the infection. In this study, we aim to inhibit the ClpXP protease, a highly conserved intracellular protease involved in the virulence in different bacterial pathogens. Previous studies have shown that loss of ClpX completely attenuates virulence in Bacillus anthracis, rendering the pathogen more susceptible to cell envelope targeting antibiotics, such as penicillin, daptomycin, and LL-37. Computational modeling was performed, and ten commercially available inhibitors with predicted activity against the ClpXP protease were identified, with ritanserin showing the most promise. In this study, we explore the antimicrobial effects of ritanserin, a previously identified serotonin 2A receptor antagonist that underwent clinical trials as a potential treatment for depression, schizophrenia, and substance dependence. We hypothesized that if ritanserin inhibits ClpXP formation in B. anthracis Sterne, it should mimic the phenotype of the knockout clpX mutant, ΔclpX. We found that ritanserin increased WT Bacillus anthracis susceptibility to the cell envelope targeting antibiotics penicillin and daptomycin. Future studies showed increased susceptibility to host defenses, such as antimicrobial peptides, including LL-37. This demonstrates that ritanserin could be potentially repurposed as an antibacterial drug with the potential to be used by itself or in combination with antibiotics.

392 Adjuvants for the potentiation of the activity of β-lactam antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Objectives/Goals: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a human bacterial pathogen and is classified as a serious threat. MRSA has become resistant to most B-lactam antibiotics (penicillins and cephalosporins). The goal of this study is to identify an antibiotic adjuvant capable of resurrecting B-lactams for the treatment of MRSA infections. Methods/Study Population: A fluorescence-reporter assay was used to screen a compound library. Minimum-inhibitory concentrations were assessed for the compounds against various MSSA and MRSA strains. A common resistance mechanism to B-lactams by MRSA is by the function of the bla operon. One gene in this operon encodes for a B-lactam sensor/signal transducer protein BlaR, the primary target of this study. Inhibition of BlaR by compound 1 (best potentiator of oxacillin) was studied by nano-differential scanning fluorimetry (nanoDSF), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and time-kill assays. Results/Anticipated Results: We identified 80 compound hits from a 1,974-compound NCI library. Twenty-four compounds showed potentiating ability (2- to 4,096-fold decrease in MIC for oxacillin). Seven compounds exhibited melting temperature shifts by nanoDSF of BlaR, indicating binding. SPR determined compound 1 has a binding affinity of 31 micromolar to BlaR-SD. SEM images showed disruption in the S. aureus cell wall on exposure to compound 1 and oxacillin. S. aureus N315 showed 3-log reduction in bacterial count treated with a mixture of compound 1 and oxacillin. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Compound 1 targets BlaR-SD, which restores S. aureus susceptibility to treatment by oxacillin. There are currently few antibiotics available in the clinic capable of treating MRSA infections. The combination hold promise of a treatment option for MRSA.

An acyl-homoserine lactone acylase found in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia exhibits both quorum quenching activity and the ability to degrade penicillin antibiotics

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia are opportunistic, multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens increasingly prevalent in clinical settings. Quorum sensing (QS) systems play a crucial role in their pathogenesis, coordinating bacterial populations and enabling interactions within polymicrobial communities. While not the primary QS mechanism in S. maltophilia, these bacteria can respond to acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-type autoinducers. Some isolates exhibit AHL-quorum quenching activity, though the responsible components remain unidentified. Homology searches in S. maltophilia K279a revealed a protein with the locus tag SMLT_RS07305 (old locus tag Smlt1522), annotated as a putative penicillin acylase 2 precursor. Sequence and structural analyses classify this protein within the bacterial AHL-acylase group B, characterized by a heterodimeric structure consisting of α- and β-subunits connected by a spacer polypeptide. We experimentally confirmed the dual activity of Smlt1522 as an AHL-acylase and a penicillin acylase. This protein degrades AHLs with varying acyl chains and hydrolyses penicillin antibiotics in vitro, in vivo, and as an heterologously expressed product. Its physiological role includes the modulation of beta-lactam resistance, biofilm formation and bacterial fitness under specific conditions. Evolutionary analysis suggests structural and functional conservation, pointing to its potential role in the adaptation of S. maltophilia to diverse and competitive environments.

HIV Exposure and Neonatal Sepsis: A Descriptive Etiological Study.

Low- and middle-income countries lack data on culture-confirmed sepsis in HIV-exposed infants, despite the reported heightened risk of infectious morbidity. This study describes culture-confirmed sepsis and antibiotic resistance patterns among HIV-exposed children in a large etiological cohort study in Kampala, Uganda. This was a prospective birth cohort study based at 2 Ugandan sites, as part of the Progressing Group B Streptococcal Vaccines (PROGRESS) study. Any infant with risk factors, signs, or symptoms of infection presenting before 3 months of age had a blood culture and nasopharyngeal swab taken to determine the etiology of neonatal and young infant sepsis. Among 4492 blood cultures, 460 were obtained from HIV-exposed infants. Nine infants (1.9%) had positive blood cultures. The most frequently isolated organisms were Escherichia coli, group B Streptococcus, and Streptococcus viridans, and these organisms demonstrated resistance to the common antibiotics (aminoglycosides, penicillins, and cephalosporins) used for management of suspected sepsis. A higher proportion of the exposed babies died vs HIV-unexposed (15.8 vs 11.2; P = .005). Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 114 infants, with 7.9% positive for at least one virus or bacterium. Future work is needed to investigate why mortality among HIV-exposed infants persists despite maternal antiretroviral treatment. Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing concern in this setting.

‘Miracle Drugs’ versus State Bureaucracy and Regulations: The Introduction of Sulpha Drugs and Antibiotics in Chile, 1930s–1950s

Summary This article deals with the impact of the early introduction of sulpha drugs and antibiotics in Chile before mass production. Sulphonamides were swiftly introduced in the late 1930s since they were cheap and widely available. Mortality rates for infectious diseases that could be treated with sulpha drugs declined quickly. However, the equivalent impact of penicillin and other antibiotics on reducing mortality for other infectious diseases took longer to develop. There were many barriers to the widespread provision of antibiotics in Chile: antibiotics remained expensive; international supply was insufficient; the country did not have any significant level of own production; imports were further limited given the country’s prohibition of some imports, the lack of foreign currency to finance imports, and strong regulation of internal commercialisation. Only the construction of a WHO plant for penicillin solved the shortage of antibiotics and markedly reduced mortality rates.

Protective immunity induced by a novel P1 adhesin C-terminal anchored mRNA vaccine against Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in BALB/c mice.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp), a unique pathogen devoid of a cell wall, is naturally impervious to penicillin antibiotics. This bacterium is the causative agent of M. pneumoniae pneumonia, an acute pulmonary affliction marked by interstitial lung damage. Non-macrolide medications may have potential adverse effects on the developmental trajectory of children, thereby establishing macrolides as the preferred treatment for M. pneumoniae in pediatric patients. However, the emergence of macrolide-resistant and multidrug-resistant strains of M. pneumoniae presents significant challenges to clinical management and public health. Vaccines, particularly those based on mRNA technology, are regarded as a promising avenue for preventing and controlling M. pneumoniae infections due to their inherent safety, immunogenicity, and adaptability. Our research delves into the P1 adhesin of M. pneumoniae, a protein that binds to host cell receptors with its immunodominant epitopes located at the carboxyl terminus, known to provoke robust immune responses and pulmonary inflammation. We have developed an mRNA vaccine harnessing this dominant antigenic epitope and assessed its protective immunity in BALB/c mice against M. pneumoniae infection. The vaccine elicited potent humoral and cellular immune responses, effectively diminishing inflammation. It notably decreased IL-6 levels in the lungs of infected mice and concurrently elevated IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ levels post-immunization. The vaccine also reduced pathological changes in the lungs and the M. pneumoniae DNA copy numbers in the infected animals. Collectively, these findings underscore the mRNA vaccine's remarkable immunogenicity and protective potential against M. pneumoniae infections, offering valuable insights for the development of mRNA vaccines targeting mycoplasma infections.IMPORTANCEM. pneumoniae, a bacteria without a cell wall, is known for causing pneumonia and is resistant to penicillin. The increasing prevalence of macrolide-resistant strains has complicated treatment options, emphasizing the need for new strategies. Our research explores an mRNA vaccine candidate that targets the P1 adhesin of M. pneumoniae, a protein critical for the bacteria's interaction with host cells. In a mouse model, this vaccine has shown potential by inducing immune responses and suggesting a possible reduction in inflammation, as indicated by changes in cytokine levels and lung pathology. While further research is required, the vaccine's preliminary results hint at a potential new direction in managing mycoplasma infections, offering a promising avenue for future therapeutic development. This study contributes to the ongoing search for effective preventive measures against M. pneumoniae.

Pasteurella multocida infection: a differential retrospective study of 482 cases of P. multocida infection in patient of different ages

BackgroundThere is limited data regarding the sources of human Pasteurella multocida infection, characteristics of infected populations, and the antibiotic resistance patterns of human strains.MethodsThrough the multi-database platforms, we conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of 482 reported cases of Pasteurella multocida from the world since from 1964 to 2023, including the sources of infection, sex and age distribution of infected individuals, and the clinical manifestations of infection in different age groups. Additionally, we evaluated the antibiotic susceptibility of different strains of the bacterium.ResultsP. multocida infection is mainly involved in infants and the elderly population, and it is closely related to animal exposure (cats 54.1%, dogs 29%), especially cat-related infections in adults and older are significantly more common than in children (P = 0.005, P < 0.001). Infection with P. multocida can cause local redness of the skin and soft tissue (11.6%), and also progress to systemic infection, like central nervous system (14.5%), especially in children, Cardiovascular system (29.3%), respiratory system (21.4%), digestive system (12.9%), urogenital system (2.9%) and bone and joint infections (5%). In terms of treatment, first-line treatment is priority to with penicillin. However there are also resistance to Penicillins and β-lactam antibiotics (18 cases were reported), and strains derived from wounds, blood and respiratory tract are resistant to multiple antibiotics.ConclusionP. multocida primarily causes infections through cats and dogs in different age groups, leading to various clinical manifestations and outcomes. It is generally sensitive to penicillin antibiotics but exhibits varying resistance among strains of different clinical origins. Studying these aspects is crucial to raise awareness about preventing P. multocida infections and to standardize clinical treatment approaches.

Clinical characteristics and serogroup analysis of 16 pediatric cases of meningococcal meningitis

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and serogroup distribution of meningococcal meningitis. Methods: This study was a case series summary of the demographic data, laboratory results, vaccination history, clinical diagnoses,treatment and prognosis of 16 children with meningococcal meningitis who were hospitalized in Department of Infectious Diseases, Hunan Children's Hospital from April 2014 to March 2024. According to ages, these patients were divided into infants and toddlers (≤3 years) and school-aged children (6-15 years) groups. Between-group comparison was performed using Independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A total of 16 hospitalized patients were included, of whom 8 were male and 8 female. The age of these patients at visit was 4.25 (0.33, 12.30) years. The cases presented a sporadic distribution. There were 11 cases from rural regions, 6 patients were unvaccinated due to age restriction.All patients presented with acute onset, with neurological symptoms manifesting within 0.6 (0.5, 1.0) days, and the duration of hospitalization was 20 (12, 28) days. There were 10 typical cases and 6 fulminant cases, with fever duration ≤7 days in 7 cases. Clinical manifestations included petechiae and purpura in 8 cases, shock in 3 cases, respiratory failure in 3 cases, and disseminated intravascular coagulation in 4 cases. There were 8 cases in both the infant and toddlers group and the school-aged childrengroup, 5 cases in the infant and toddler group manifested seizures. In contrast, in the school-aged children group, 6 individuals exhibited headache, nausea, and vomiting, while 4 cases demonstrated signs of altered consciousness. The C-reactive protein level in the 16 patients was 124.5 (71.3, 212.3) mg/L, and the procalcitonin level was 26.8 (11.0, 92.8) μg/L, the normal values are 0-8.0 mg/L for C-reactive protein and 0-0.5 μg/L for procalcitonin. Compared to the school-aged children group, the infants and toddlers group showed lower white blood cell counts ((7±4)×109 vs. (17±10)×109/L, t=-2.36, P=0.034). All patients tested positive for pathogens, serogroup identification revealed a diverse distribution, including 1 case each of serogroups C, W135, and X; 4 cases of serogroup B; 3 cases of serogroup Y; and 6 cases that remained ungrouped. A total of 10 strains of Neisseria meningitidis were cultured, 7 strains were resistant to sulfonamides, 5 strains to penicillin, and 3 strains to levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. A total of 9 patients treated with meropenem, and all cases showed improvement and were discharged without any fatalities. At discharge, 1 case had profound sensorineural hearing loss, and 5 patients required rehabilitation treatment due to sequelae. Conclusions: Meningococcal meningitis predominantly affected children aged ≤3 years and 6-15 years. The white blood cell count in meningococcal meningitis patients aged ≤3 years was lower. The serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis were highly diverse, with cases of serogroups X and Y identified. Since isolated Neisseria meningitidis has shown resistance to penicillin and other antibiotics, it is crucial to be vigilant about potential antimicrobial susceptibility when clinical efficacy is poor.

Treatments for Syphilis: Penicillin G and Linezolid

Syphilis is a common sexual disease that is transported by body fluid and caused by a spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. With the development of antibiotics that are applied to treating syphilis, the number of patients suffering from syphilis has decreased rapidly since 1943, when penicillin antibiotics were started to be introduced as clinical pharmaceuticals to treat syphilis. However, in recent years, the number of patients of syphilis has increased again, 95% of the patients are infected by sexual intercourse. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2022, nearly 8 million adults who are between 15 and 49 years old acquired syphilis. Because most infections are asymptomatic and unrecognizable during the long incubation period, many people are unconscious of syphilis infection, and they do thus not go to hospitals to check whether they are infected. Penicillin G is a traditional and commonly used antibiotic to treat syphilis by inhibition of production of the complete peptidoglycan cell wall, T.pallidum cells thus burst and die due to osmotic pressure in a hypotonic environment. But penicillin G has been approved for nearly one hundred years to treat syphilis and other diseases bacteria, including T.pallidum has developed the antibiotic-resistance to penicillin G by producing β-lactamase to inactivate penicillin G by opening its β-lactam ring irreversibly. As a result, it is quite urgent and necessary to introduce a new antibiotic to confront syphilis. In 2021, scientific experiments revealed that linezolid, which has been used to treat other Gram-positive bacterial infections for a long time, has impressive effects on treatment for syphilis, indicating that this artificially developed antibiotic could be used clinically to control syphilis by blocking bacterial protein synthesis. In this paper, the symptoms of syphilis and the treatment for syphilis, including penicillin G and linezolid, will be briefly introduced.

Penicillin allergy as an instrumental variable for estimating antibiotic effects on resistance

Antibiotic resistance is influenced by prior antibiotic use, but precise causal estimates are limited. This study uses penicillin allergy as an instrumental variable (IV) to estimate the causal effect of antibiotics on resistance. A retrospective cohort of 36,351 individuals with E. coli positive urine cultures and prior outpatient antibiotic use, with outcomes assessed up to one year post-exposure, was analyzed using data from Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), the second-largest non-profit health fund in Israel. IV methods estimated risk differences (RD) and numbers needed to harm (NNH) for penicillin versus other antibiotics. The RD for resistance was 11.4% (95% CI: 7.6%, 15.4%) for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 14.1% (95% CI: 9.0%, 19.4%) for ampicillin, and 0.8% (95% CI: 0.2%, 1.4%) for piperacillin/tazobactam, with NNHs of 8.8, 7.1, and 122.0, respectively. Risks declined over time since exposure. Gentamicin, used as a negative control, showed no effect (95% CI: −2.4%, 1.8%). When directly comparing penicillin and quinolone effects on their respective AMR, penicillin use within 180 days increased resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid by an RD of 17.8% (95% CI: 2.1%, 35.2%; NNH: 5.6), while quinolones raised ciprofloxacin resistance by 43.9% (95% CI: 29.9%, 59.4%; NNH: 2.3). These findings provide quantitative evidence of the impact of prior penicillin use on resistance, with implications for clinical practice and prescription policies.

Pathogenic characterization and drug resistance of neonatal sepsis in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Neonatal sepsis is one of the causes of neonatal mortality and bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of the challenges facing NICU. The aim of this study was to provide a basis for empirical antibiotic selection by comprehensively searching Chinese and non-Chinese databases for studies related to neonatal sepsis pathogenesis conducted in China and synthesizing all the results of the studies conducted in hospitals in China during the period under study METHODS: In this study, we conducted extensive searches of Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane, China Biology Medicine disc (SinoMed), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data. We screened studies published from 2014 to 2023 that were conducted in hospitals in mainland China and involved bacterial blood cultures and susceptibility tests in neonates with neonatal sepsis and extracted the data, which were summarized using Stata 18.0 software to determine the bacterial characteristics of NS and its antimicrobial resistance in China. A total of 97 articles were finally included in the study, involving 27 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, and a total of 18,796 bacterial strains were isolated. Among them, Gram-positive bacteria (G+) accounted for 63.4% (95% CI 59.6%~67.3% ), and Gram-negative bacteria (G-) accounted for 36.6% (95% CI 32.7%~40.4%). The most common bacteria were, in order, Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (43.6%, 95% CI 37.9-49.3%), Enterobacter (16.4%, 95% CI 14.8-18.1%), and Klebsiella (12.4%, 95% CI 10.8-14.0%). More than 80% of G + were resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, and benzathine, and no strains resistant to minocycline or daptomycin were found. More than 80% of G- were resistant to benzoxicillin, ampicillin, and cefotaxime, and no strains resistant to vancomycin, clindamycin, tigecycline, teicoplanin, and linezolid were identified. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus is still the main causative agent for children with neonatal sepsis in China, followed by Enterobacter and Klebsiella. In addition, Group B Streptococcus is no longer in the top three common causative agents. Resistance to penicillin antibiotics is evident among the causative organisms of neonatal sepsis in China.

Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA.

Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in retail meat poses a public health threat requiring continuous surveillance. This study investigated the frequency of isolation, toxin genes, and antibiotic resistance profile of S. aureus recovered from retail poultry meat samples and presented results beneficial to public health interventions. Of 200 samples collected, 16% (32/200) tested positive for S. aureus, and these were recovered from thigh 37.5% (12/32), wing 34.4% (11/32), gizzard (15.6% (5/32), and liver 12.5% (4/32) samples. Findings of spa typing analysis revealed that 68.8% (22/32), 18.8% (6/32), 9.4% (3/32), and 3.0% (1/32) of the isolates belonged to the spa types t267, t160, t548, and t008, respectively. For antibiotic susceptibility testing, 12.5% (4/32) of the isolates were resistant to only penicillin, but one isolate (1/32; 3%) showed resistance to the antibiotics penicillin, erythromycin, ampicillin, and oxacillin. PCR analysis revealed that 9.4% (3/32) of the isolates carried the mecA gene associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates. One MRSA isolate was identified as a t008 spa type, and harbored a 26,974 bp-sized plasmid, which was the source of its resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and oxacillin. The staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes seg, sei, sek, seb, selm, and seln were also identified among the isolates, and mostly the antimicrobial and enterotoxin genes were carried on plasmids of the isolates. This study raises awareness on the continuous circulation of pathogenic microbes like S. aureus in retail poultry meat.

Determination of bacteriocin genes and antimicrobial activity of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from feta cheese samples.

In this study designed to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with bacteriocin production potential, white cheese samples were collected from different provinces of Turkey and isolation was carried out. A series of experiments were carried out for the main purpose and the actual bacteriocin producers were identified by detecting the genes encoding this bacteriocin. The experiments carried out in this direction were initially carried out with 20 isolates and as a result of various experiments, the number of isolates was reduced to 8 and the study was continued with 8 isolates. In order to determine that the eight isolates identified as a result of a phenotypic and biochemical characterization study were true bacteriocin-producing strains, their antibacterial activity was investigated and then the presence of bacteriocin genes was examined by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using gene-specific primers. As a result, MS16 coded Lactiplantibacillus plantarum OR922652 was found to have strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus; the isolate was susceptible to clinically important antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, penicillin G, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and vancomycin) and resistant to erythromycin, had no hemolytic activity and possessed plnA and plnD genes encoding bacteriocin production. In conclusion, the MS16 coded L. plantarum isolate has emerged as a promising strain that can be used especially in the health field and in the food industry related to LAB.

Unraveling the resurgence of syphilis: a deep dive into the epidemic sweeping across the United States; a mini review.

Syphilis, a resurging public health concern in the United States, has witnessed a staggering rise in cases over the past decade. This highly contagious sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum presents significant challenges due to its infectious nature and potential for severe complications. Despite the successful syphilis elimination plan launched in the early 2000s, which showed a decline in syphilis cases in highly funded states, syphilis has rapidly reemerged, with incidence rates steadily climbing across many states. Transmitted through sexual contact and vertically from infected mothers to babies, syphilis progresses through distinct stages, each with varying symptoms and complications. Despite modern treatment availability such as the antibiotic benzathine penicillin G, cases often go undiagnosed until severe complications arise. Neurovascular and cardiovascular issues can result from untreated syphilis. The resurgence of syphilis is evident across demographics, with men, particularly men who have sex with men, and certain racial groups being disproportionately affected. Additionally, congenital syphilis cases have surged, leading to serious adverse outcomes for newborns. Public health initiatives must prioritize education, outreach, and preventive services tailored to high-risk populations. Partner notification, aided by technological advancements, is crucial for controlling transmission. Laboratories play a vital role in surveillance and disease monitoring. In conclusion, tackling syphilis resurgence demands a multifaceted approach addressing social, economic, and health care disparities. By implementing comprehensive public health strategies including enhanced screening and public awareness campaigns, the burden of syphilis and its associated adverse outcomes can be mitigated, safeguarding public health in the United States.