Presence Of Bacterial Pathogens Research Articles

Bacteriological quality and physicochemical analysis of the Kalte River at Wolaita Sodo Town, southern Ethiopia

ObjectiveThe current research aimed to investigate the physicochemical and bacteriological quality status of the Kalte River in Wolaita Sodo Town, southern Ethiopia.MethodsA total of 42 water samples were collected using sterile glass bottles from three different river sites: Damota (upstream), Kera (midstream), and Gututo (downstream). All the water samples were examined for the presence of heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform and fecal coliform using direct plate count method and membrane filtration method. Standard methods suggested by American water works association were used to analysis the physicochemical parameters of the water samples.ResultsThe results revealed that the total heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform, and fecal coliform count ranged from 8.9 to 12.6 × 104 cfu/ml, 7.5–11.3 × 102 cfu/ml and 5.7–9.7 × 104 cfu/ml, respectively. The bacterial count results indicated that the river water crossed the WHO-recommended limit of potable water. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Shigella species were the common bacterial pathogens isolated from river water samples. The results of the physicochemical analysis revealed that some of the parameters Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and turbidity exceeded the maximum permissible limits of WHO and other parameters were below the WHO permissible limits.ConclusionTherefore, the presence of bacterial pathogens, fecal coliform indicators, and some physicochemical parameters of the Kalte River exceeding the recommended limits may expose users of the river water to the risk of infection.

Association of clinical respiratory disease signs and lower respiratory tract bacterial pathogens with systemic inflammatory response in preweaning dairy calves

This study investigated the potential associations between 3 acute phase proteins (APP)-haptoglobin, serum amyloid A-and fibrinogen, clinical signs of respiratory disease, and the presence of bacterial pathogens in the lower respiratory tract (LRT) of preweaning dairy calves. This cross-sectional study included 150 preweaning calves (2-86 d old) from 15 large dairy herds in Estonia. Tracheobronchial lavage, blood, and fecal samples were collected from 5 calves showing clinical signs indicative of LRT disease, and samples from 5 calves without clinical signs of LRT disease per herd. All samples collected from these calves were analyzed for concentrations of systemic APP, LRT bacteria, and intestinal pathogens. Heifer blood and bulk tank milk samples were collected for the detection of disease-specific antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 1, bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and Mycoplasma bovis. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to analyze the associations of clinical respiratory disease signs and LRT bacteria with APP. Increased plasma fibrinogen concentrations in calves were associated with higher rectal temperature (>39.5°C), increased respiratory rate (>50 breaths/min), and coughing. Increased serum amyloid A concentrations were associated with higher rectal temperature (>39.5°C) and respiratory rate between 40 and 50 breaths/min. Calves with the presence of fecal Cryptosporidium spp. and rectal temperature of 39°C and above had increased serum haptoglobin concentrations. Increased fibrinogen concentrations were associated with the presence of Pasteurella multocida in the calf LRT, whereas increased concentrations of fibrinogen and serum amyloid A were associated with the presence of Trueperella pyogenes. In conclusion, APP showed variable associations with clinical signs of respiratory disease and LRT bacteria. Plasma fibrinogen concentration could be used as a complementary calf-side test to assess systemic inflammation caused by LRT bacteria such as Pasteurella multocida and Trueperella pyogenes in preweaning dairy calves.

Prevalence of bacterial pathogens in bivalve shellfish harvested from the brackish waters of Niger Delta, Nigeria

The presence of bacterial pathogens in bivalve shellfish harvested from the marine ecosystem globally has continued to raise serious food safety concerns, thereby undermining the nutritional and health benefits derived from their consumption. Four species of bivalve shellfish: Bloody cockle (Anadara senilis), Donax clam (Donax rugosus), Knife clam (Tagelus adansonaii) and Mangrove oyster (Crassosstra gasar) harvested from the brackish waters of the Niger Delta were assessed for their bacterial pathogens. Standard methods of analysis were employed to assess microbiological hazards accumulated by shellfish species. The results of the microbiological analysis revealed that the total viable count (TVC) was lower than the recommended limit (5.7 log cfu/g) for fresh bivalve shellfish while Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonellaspp, Shigellaspp, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli were far above the stipulated FDA standard for molluscian shellfish. The loads of microbiological hazards in bivalve species indicated that in all the locations, Bloody cockle and Donax clam accumulated more bacterial pathogens while the samples harvested from Ibeno and Iko Town brackish waters were lower in pathogenic loads when compared to shellfish harvested from Andoni and Bonny location. The result obtained in this study is of public health importance since, it will serve as a guide towards improved processing techniques and stimulate actions towards the development of novel surveillance as well as, prevention and control strategies, that will help to reduce foodborne disease outbreaks associated with shellfish.

Exploring microbial diversity during the artisanal Salchichón production: Food safety in the consumer spotlight

A study was conducted to evaluate the microbiological quality, safety, and variability along the production chain of two artisanal salchichón factories in Andalusia. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), total coliforms, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. (CPS), lactic-acid bacteria, moulds and yeasts and the presence of bacterial pathogens were investigated in 3 batches of raw materials, finished products, food-contact surfaces (FCS) and indoor ambient air by using classical microbiological and PCR/PFGE techniques. Of the 171 samples analysed, high inter-batch variability in microbial loads was observed. The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in samples was 7.01% and 4.67%, respectively. Raw meat and FCS were identified as the potential sources of contamination of the finished products, with 16.67% testing positive for L. monocytogenes and 10% for S. aureus. Diverse sources of L. monocytogenes and a wide range of high pulsotypes were identified in the smaller producer. Although the largest producer showed better hygiene control, L. monocytogenes was detected in salchichón samples with growth-supporting physicochemical values. Therefore, the implementation of food safety management systems, hygiene measures for raw materials and monitoring of hazards are encouraged. Finally, the findings of this study offer valuable and current empirical data that can be used in risk assessments.

Prevalence, drivers and surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use in rural China: Interdisciplinary study.

This study aimed to characterise antibiotic prescribing and dispensing patterns in rural health facilities in China and determine the community prevalence of antibiotic resistance. We investigated patterns and drivers of antibiotic use for common respiratory and urinary tract infections (RTI/UTI) in community settings, examined relationships between presenting symptoms, clinical diagnosis and microbiological results in rural outpatient clinics, and assessed potential for using patient records to monitor antibiotic use. This interdisciplinary mixed methods study included: (i) Observations and exit interviews in eight village clinics and township health centres and 15 retail pharmacies; (ii) Urine, throat swab and sputum samples from patients to identify potential pathogens and test susceptibility; (iii) 103 semi-structured interviews with doctors, patients, pharmacy workers and antibiotic-purchasing customers; (iv) Assessment of completeness and accuracy of electronic patient records through comparison with observational data. 87.9% of 1123 recruited clinic patients were prescribed antibiotics (of which 35.5% contained antibiotic combinations and >40% were for intravenous administration), most of whom had RTIs. Antibiotic prescribing for RTIs was not associated with presence of bacterial pathogens but was correlated with longer duration of infection (OR = 3.33) and presence of sore throat (OR = 1.64). Fever strongly predicted prescription of intravenous antibiotics (OR = 2.87). Resistance rates in bacterial pathogens isolated were low compared with national data. 25.8% of patients reported antibiotics use prior to their clinic visit, but only 56.2% of clinic patients and 53% of pharmacy customers could confirm their prescription or purchase included antibiotics. Diagnostic uncertainty, financial incentives, understanding of antibiotics as anti-inflammatory and limited doctor-patient communication were identified as key drivers of antibiotic use. Completion and accuracy of electronic patient records were highly variable. Prevalence of antibiotic resistance in this rural population is relatively low despite high levels of antibiotic prescribing and self-medication. More systematic use of e-records and in-service training could improve antibiotic surveillance and stewardship in rural facilities. Combining qualitative and observational anthropological methods and concepts with microbiological and epidemiological investigation of antibiotic resistance at both research design and analytic synthesis stages substantially increases the validity of research findings and their utility in informing future intervention development.

Bacterial Communities Associated with Houseflies (Musca domestica L.) Inhabiting Hospices in South Africa.

Houseflies are alleged reservoirs as well as vectors of human and animal pathogens, including bacteria, because they frequently have contact with animal excreta and decaying organic substances. The rapid adaptation process of ingested microbes in the insect gut may involve gene transfer, including antibiotic resistance determinants among different bacterial strains. Six hundred and fifty-seven (n = 657) houseflies were collected from hospices and were identified morphologically and genetically using the 16S rRNA, CO1, and ITS2 barcoding genes. This study also characterized the bacterial communities harboured by the captured houseflies using 16S rRNA metabarcoding on the next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform and further sought to detect antibiotic resistance traits by using gene-specific PCR assays. Generated sequences for the targeted gene fragments matched with Musca domestica and all the sequences were deposited to the GenBank database. The 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis revealed that the most abundant phyla detected with variable abundance observed among all the houseflies were Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, the NGS data revealed the presence of multiple bacterial genera, including Providencia, Enterobacter, Dysgonomonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Streptococcus, which are known to harbour potentially pathogenic species of animals and humans. Antibiotic resistance genes detected from the housefly DNA in this study included ermB, tetA, blaSHV, and blaTEM. Moreover, these genes are associated with resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, and beta-lactams antibiotics, respectively. The presence of bacterial pathogens and the detection of antibiotic resistance genes from the houseflies collected from the hospices indicates the possible health risk to patients in hospices and the surrounding community. Therefore, it is imperative to keep high standards of hygiene, food preparation, safety, and control of houseflies in hospices.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Mammaliicoccus sciuri - A MDR Strain causing Clinical Mastitis in Cows of Odisha, India

Background: Mammaliicoccus sciuri is a multidrug resistant human pathogen. Literature on its role causing bovine mastitis is scarce. Detection of M. sciuri from a cow with clinical mastitis in Malkangiri district of Odisha stimulated to ascertain its status in a larger population and to study its characteristics in genotypic and phenotypic levels. Methods: 520 lactating cows from various herds of Malkangiri district of Odisha, India were screened for presence of clinical mastitis. Milk samples were collected aseptically from 15 cows with clinical mastitis. 16S rRNA amplification was performed to know presence of bacterial pathogen (s). Conventional PCR was carried out to detect resistance genes against β-lactam (blaZ), aminoglycoside (aacA-aphD) and tetracycline (tetK, tetM). In vitro sensitivity test was studied against M. sciuri isolates using nine antibiotic discs. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to compare its origin. Result: M. sciuri was isolated in 6 (40.0%) mastitis positive milk samples. In vitro antibiotic sensitivity test against M. sciuri isolates showed highest degree of resistant to penicillin (100%) followed by, cefoperazone (33.3%), streptomycin (33.3%), tetracycline (16.0%). One isolate of M. sciuri had tetK, tetM resistance gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed (75-100%) similarity with other isolates obtained from GeneBank. Present study highlights tetK gene in M. sciuri.

Prevalence of Vibrio coralliilyticus in stony coral Porites sp. in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan.

The purpose of this study was to assess the health of stony coral Porites sp. based on the presence of bacterial pathogens, specifically Vibrio coralliilyticus, in the Gulf of Aqaba, and to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on Porites sp. Porites sp. specimens were collected from the Marine Science Station (MSS) and a public beach (Yamanyeh) in Jordan. Mucus, water and sediment samples were collected throughout the year. The Vibrio-like population was higher in diseased samples than in healthy samples and was slightly higher in Yamanyeh than in MSS in all the samples. In samples from both sites, there was a seasonal variation in the Vibrio-like population, with a decline in population as the temperature reduced. All samples contained virulent isolates clustered with V. coralliilyticus strains. Inoculation of healthy Porites sp. fragments with virulent isolates and V. coralliilyticus strain caused bleaching of the coral after 48 h. Therefore, V. coralliilyticus represents a pathogenic agent which may contribute to bleaching in Porites sp. in the Gulf of Aqaba and may not be affected considerably by anthropogenic activities. This is the first report of a bacterial pathogen of corals in Jordan; future studies should identify other coral pathogens in this region.

Bioactive lipid screening during respiratory tract infections with bacterial and viral pathogens in mice

IntroductionRespiratory tract infections are a worldwide health problem for humans and animals. Different cell types produce lipid mediators in response to infections, which consist of eicosanoids like hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) or oxylipins like hydroxydocosahexaenoic acids (HDHAs). Both substance classes possess immunomodulatory functions. However, little is known about their role in respiratory infections.ObjectivesHere, we aimed to analyze the lipid mediator imprint of different organs of C57BL/6J mice after intranasal mono-infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Staphylococcus aureus or Influenza A virus (IAV) as wells as pneumococcal-IAV co-infection.MethodsC57BL/6J mice were infected with different pathogens and lungs, spleen, and plasma were collected. Lipid mediators were analyzed using HPLC-MS/MS. In addition, spatial-distribution of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide 1-phosphates (C1P) in tissue samples was examined using MALDI-MS-Imaging. The presence of bacterial pathogens in the lung was confirmed via immunofluorescence staining.ResultsWe found IAV specific changes for different HDHAs and HETEs in mouse lungs as well as enhanced levels of 20-HETE in severe S. aureus infection. Moreover, MALDI-MS-Imaging analysis showed an accumulation of C1P and a decrease of S1P during co-infection in lung and spleen. Long chain C1P was enriched in the red and not in the white pulp of the spleen.ConclusionsLipid mediator analysis showed that host synthesis of bioactive lipids is in part specific for a certain pathogen, in particular for IAV infection. Furthermore, MS-Imaging displayed great potential to study infections and revealed changes of S1P and C1P in lungs and spleen of co-infected animals, which was not described before.

Biomarkers to guide the use of antibiotics for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD): a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAntibiotics are frequently prescribed for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) even though most do not have a bacterial aetiology. Biomarkers may help clinicians target antibiotic use by identifying AECOPD caused by bacterial pathogens. We aimed to summarise current evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers for detecting bacterial versus non-bacterial AECOPD.MethodsWe searched Embase and Medline using a search strategy including terms for COPD, biomarkers and bacterial infection. Data regarding diagnostic accuracy for each biomarker in predicting bacterial cause of exacerbation were extracted and summarised. We used to QUADAS-2 tool to assess risk of bias.ResultsOf 509 papers identified, 39 papers evaluating 61 biomarkers were eligible for inclusion. Moderate quality evidence was found for associations between serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum procalcitonin (PCT), sputum interleukin (IL)-8 and sputum tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and the presence of bacterial pathogens in the sputum of patients with AECOPD. Having bacterial pathogens was associated with a mean difference (higher) CRP and PCT of 29.44 mg/L and 0.76 ng/mL respectively. There was inconsistent or weak evidence for associations between bacterial AECOPD and higher levels of sputum IL-1β, IL-6, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE). We did not find any consistent evidence of diagnostic value for other biomarkers.ConclusionsThere is moderate evidence from heterogeneous studies that serum CRP and PCT are of value in differentiating bacterial from non-bacterial AECOPD, and little evidence for other biomarkers. Further high-quality research on the role of biomarkers in identifying bacterial exacerbations is needed.

Interrelationship of milk acute-phase proteins and casein percentage in cows and buffaloes subclinical mastitis.

A total number of 62 clinically healthy dairy animals of three farms located in Kafr El Sheikh governorate, Egypt, were subjected to field screening surveys of subclinical mastitis (SCM) using California mastitis test (CMT). The obtained results revealed that 38.80% of quarter milk samples were positive to CMT. The most frequently major causative agents isolated from the positive CMT samples were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and environmental streptococcus spp. Acute-phase proteins (APPs), as immunological biomarkers for SCM, including milk serum amyloid A (mSAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) were measured using ELISA. A significant positive correlation was found between the severity of the mammary infection of cow's quarter milk samples represented in somatic cell count (SCC) and each of APPs and pH values. The correlation coefficient (R) between SCC and mSAA, Hp and pH were 0.54, 0.38 and 0.73, respectively. On the other hand, there was a significant negative correlation between casein percentage in milk of SCM cases, and each of APPs, pH and the presence of bacterial pathogens in the milk samples. The obtained results threw light on the inter-relationship between SCC, mSAA, pH value and casein percentage in milk of cows and buffalo suffered from SCM. The percentage of casein in milk is considered a significant accurate tool for diagnosis of SCM and this finding offers the farmers a cheap and fast selection for diagnosis of such disease. These results presented a specific structured view on the efficacy of different diagnostic tools of SCM in dairy herds.

Hygienic-health quality and microbiological hazard of clandestine Minas Frescal cheese commercialized in north Tocantins, Brazil

Cheese is a popular product that integrates the diet of the majority of the population, almost on a daily basis. It is rich in nutrients and, therefore, also an excellent substrate for the multiplication of microorganisms, including pathogens. The microbiological contamination of these products is highly relevant to the industry, resulting in an economic loss, and to public health, due to the risk of causing foodborne diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary quality and the presence of bacterial pathogens in the clandestine Minas Frescal cheeses sold in the street open markets of Araguaína, TO, Brazil. Twenty-one samples were collected to evaluate the presence of total (TC) and thermotolerant (TTC) coliforms, Escherichia coli, and the pathotypes enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. The results showed that 100% of the cheese samples were in disagreement with the maximum standards of TC and TTC defined in the Brazilian legislation that regulates food quality control. In addition, 85.71% of the samples had values above the standard Brazilian maximum limit. In the study of diarrheagenic E. coli, 52.38%, 66.6%, and 4.76% of the samples were positive for EPEC, STEC, and EHEC, respectively, indicating fecal origin contamination of the samples and a potential consumer risk. No Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes were detected in these cheese samples. The high count of total and thermotolerant coliforms found in the samples demonstrates unsatisfactory sanitary conditions in the production, storage, and/or commercialization of this food product. The presence of EPEC, STEC, EHEC, and coagulase-positive staphylococci at high concentrations shows the health risk of the imminent consumption of Minas Frescal cheese.

Prevalence Of Urinary Tract Infections (Utis) Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic At Ile –Ife, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract Introduction/Objective This is a prospective study that reports the prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and the bacteriological causative agents among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at a Secondary Care Hospital in Ile Ife, South western Nigeria. 335 mid-stream clean catch urine samples were collected from pregnant women between April -July 2017. Methods These were cultured for the presence of bacterial pathogens. All the isolates were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing on Mueller Hinton agar by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique using CLSI, guidelines. Data were analysed using SPSS for Windows version 16 and WHONET 5. Results A total of 190 showed significant bacterial growth while 145 showed no significant bacterial growth. Bacterial agents isolated included Klebsiella spp. showing the highest occurrence of [60(31.5%) followed by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with prevalences of [49(25.7%) and [32(16.8%) respectively. Other organisms implicated are Proteus mirabilis [20(10.5%), Coagulase Negative Staphylococci [24(12.3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the least prevalence of [5(2.6%). Resistant to antibiotics such as amoxycilin 64%, gentamicin 52.6%, erythromycin 62.5%, ceftazidime 69%, cefotaxime 74%, ceftriaxone 79.6% while a high sensitivity to tetracycline (88.5%), nitrofurantoin (96.3%), imipenem (100%) respectively. Conclusion This study indicated a high prevalence of UTIs (56.7%) in pregnant women though most of them showed no clinical manifestation.

Presence of Bacterial Pathogens and Levels of Indicator Bacteria Associated with Duck Carcasses in a Commercial Processing Facility

Little information has been published on the microbiological aspects of U.S. commercial duck processing. The objective of this study was to measure prevalence and/or levels of bacteria in duck samples representing the live bird and partially or fully processed oven-ready duck meat. At 12 monthly sampling times, samples were collected at six sites along the processing line in a commercial duck slaughter plant. Crop and cecum samples were collected at the point of evisceration. Whole carcass rinse samples were collected before and after carcass immersion chilling plus application of an antimicrobial spray. Leg quarters were collected from the cut-up line before and after application of an antimicrobial dip treatment. All samples (five from each site per monthly replication) were directly plated and/or enriched for Salmonella and Campylobacter. For the last 10 replications, carcass and leg quarter rinse samples were also evaluated for enumeration of total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and coliforms. Most cecum, crop, and prechill carcass rinse samples were positive for Campylobacter (80, 72, and 67%, respectively). Carcass chilling and chlorinated spray significantly lowered Campylobacter prevalence (P < 0.01), and even fewer leg quarters were positive for Campylobacter (P < 0.01). Passage through a chlorinated dip did not further reduce Campylobacter prevalence on leg quarters. Salmonella was infrequently found in any of the samples examined (≤10%). Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and E. coli levels were reduced (P < 0.01) on whole carcasses by chilling but were not different after cut-up or leg quarter dip treatment. Overall, current commercial duck processing techniques as applied in the tested plant were effective for reducing the prevalence and levels of Campylobacter on duck meat products.

Profiling Bacterial Diversity and Potential Pathogens in Wastewater Treatment Plants Using High-Throughput Sequencing Analysis.

Next-generation sequencing provides new insights into the diversity and structure of bacterial communities, as well as the fate of pathogens in wastewater treatment systems. In this study, the bacterial community structure and the presence of pathogenic bacteria in three wastewater treatment plants across Gauteng province in South Africa were studied. The physicochemical results indicated that the quality of wastewater varies considerably from one plant to the others. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Chloroflexi were the dominant phyla across the three wastewater treatment plants, while Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacilli, and Clostridia were the dominant classes. The dominant bacterial functions were highly associated with carbohydrate, energy, and amino acid metabolism. In addition, potential pathogenic bacterial members identified from the influent/effluent samples included Roseomonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Mycobacterium, Methylobacterium, and Aeromonas. The results of linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size analysis also confirmed that these bacterial pathogens were significantly abundant in the wastewater treatment systems. Further, the results of this study highlighted that the presence of bacterial pathogens in treated effluent pose a potential contamination risk, transmitted through soil, agriculture, water, or sediments. There is thus a need for continuous monitoring of potential pathogens in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in order to minimize public health risk.

Electroosmotic flow driven microfluidic device for bacteria isolation using magnetic microbeads

The presence of bacterial pathogens in water can lead to severe complications such as infection and food poisoning. This research proposes a point-of-care electroosmotic flow driven microfluidic device for rapid isolation and detection of E. coli in buffered solution (phosphate buffered saline solution). Fluorescent E. coli bound to magnetic microbeads were driven through the microfluidic device using both constant forward flow and periodic flow switching at concentrations ranging from 2 × 105 to 4 × 107 bacteria/mL. A calibration curve of fluorescent intensity as a function of bacteria concentration was created using both constant and switching flow, showing an increase in captured fluorescent pixel count as concentration increases. In addition, the use of the flow switching resulted in a significant increase in the capture efficiency of E. coli, with capture efficiencies up to 83% ± 8% as compared to the constant flow capture efficiencies (up to 39% ± 11%), with a sample size of 3 µL. These results demonstrate the improved performance associated with the use of the electroosmotic flow switching system in a point-of-care bacterial detection assay.

The Prevalence of Bartonella Bacteria in Cattle Lice Collected from Three Provinces of Thailand.

Cattle lice are obligatory blood-sucking parasites, which is the cause of animal health problems worldwide. Recently, several studies have revealed that pathogenic bacteria could be found in cattle lice, and it can act as a potential vector for transmitting louse-borne diseases. However, the cattle lice and their pathogenic bacteria in Thailand have never been evaluated. In the present study, we aim to determine the presence of bacterial pathogens in cattle lice collected from three localities of Thailand. Total genomic DNA was extracted from 109 cattle louse samples and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of 18S rRNA was developed to identify the cattle louse. Moreover, PCR was used for screening Bartonella spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Rickettsia spp. in cattle louse samples. The positive PCR products were cloned and sequenced. The phylogenetic tree based on the partial 18S rRNA sequences demonstrated that cattle lice species in this study are classified into two groups according to reference sequences; Haematopinus quadripertusus and Haematopinus spp. closely related to H. tuberculatus. The pathogen detection revealed that Bartonella spp. DNA of gltA and rpoB were detected in 25 of 109 samples (22.93%) both egg and adult stages, whereas Acinetobacter spp. and Rickettsia spp. were not detected in all cattle lice DNA samples. The gltA and rpoB sequences showed that the Bartonella spp. DNA was found in both H. quadripertusus and Haematopinus spp. closely related to H. tuberculatus. This study is the first report of the Bartonella spp. detected in cattle lice from Thailand. The finding obtained from this study could be used to determine whether the cattle lice can serve as a potential vector to transmit these pathogenic bacteria among cattle and may affect animal to human health.

First report of enteropathogenic and enteroinvasive &lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli&lt;/i&gt; with multiple antibiotic resistance indices from African catfish (&lt;i&gt;Clarias glariepinus&lt;/i&gt;) in Nigeria

Background: There are increasing reports of food safety issues associated with intensive production of fish which increase the chances of disease outbreaks from stressful growth conditions accompanying mass production and presence of bacterial pathogens. Methodology: Two hundred gastrointestinal tract (GIT) samples from two hundred African Cat Fish ( Clarias glariepinus ) were assessed for the presence of enteric Escherichia coli species including E. coli 0157, Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) which are traditionally associated with infantile gastroenteritis. The antibiotic resistance profile and Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) for these isolates were determined. The serogrouping of the E. coli isolates was done using E. coli agglutinating sera (Oxoid) and E. coli 0157 latex reagent (Oxoid). Antibiotic susceptibility was determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: A total of 35 (17.5%) E. coli isolates were recovered from the fish intestines among which 9 (25.7%) were EPEC and 2 (5.7%) were EIEC. No E. coli 0157 strain was recovered. Thirty-three (94.0%) isolates had a MARI greater than 0.2. Antibiotic resistance to cefoxitin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were 77.1% and 74.3% respectively. All isolates were susceptible to meropenem and amikacin but all EPEC and EIEC isolates were AmpC (resistance to all penicillins, cephalosporins and beta lactamase inhibitors) positive. Conclusion: The isolation of EPEC and EIEC which can cause fatal gastroenteritis coupled with high MARI among isolates in this study represents a public health concern. Strict monitoring of administration of antibiotics in aquaculture is recommended. Keywords: EPEC; EIEC; Multiple antibiotic resistance; Aquaculture

Assessment of thin-film photocatalysis inactivation of different bacterial indicators and effect on their antibiotic resistance profile

The presence of bacterial pathogens in water bodies, alongside their growing antibiotic resistance, endanger access to freshwater sources and necessitate their successful inactivation with a proper disinfection technology. In the present study, a parallel plate reactor (PPL) with immobilized photocatalyst was used as a disinfection system for the inactivation of two bacterial indicators (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis) in aqueous samples. Experiments were carried out at parallel plate reactor configuration (PPL) operated in recycling batch mode. Titanium Tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) based thin-film coated photocatalyst surfaces were used and assessed operations parameters were; pH, initial bacteria concentration, source and type of bacteria. The effect of the photocatalytic process on antibiotic resistance profile of target bacteria was also investigated as it may serve as a pioneering step in the field of well-established and modern disinfection method development, without causing proliferation of antibiotic resistance. The observed courses of bacterial inactivation and the final disinfection rates point out diversity in the level of interaction between different type/source of bacteria and photocatalyst of concern. According to the results, a stationary phase of bacteria inactivation proceeded with a rapid and efficient one for the case of E. faecalis (99% removal after 180 min and 99.9% removal after 240 min), while the trend for E. coli is more likely to be described as extended along the process time. Among the tested antibiotics, E. coli Minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values for beta-lactam, macrolide and aminoglycoside groups were considerably altered (namely Ampicillin, Cefaclor, Clarithromycin - Erythromycin and Amikacin, respectively). PC oxidation was approved to be efficient on bacterial inactivation and trigger alterations on resistance behaviour of E.coli and Enterococcus sp. strains.

Bronchoalveolar pH and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to directly measure pH in the lungs, determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), and glucose levels in serum and bronchoalveolar aspirate, and identify bacterial pathogens from bronchoalveolar fluid during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).MethodsWe performed an observational, analytical case–control study from February 2015 to March 2017. We included 84 patients with AECOPD and 42 with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All participants underwent detailed medical anamnesis, a clinical examination, chest radiography, spirometry, an arterial blood gas test, bronchoscopy, bacterial culture, and serum/bronchiolar aspirate laboratory testing.ResultsThe mean pH of bronchoalveolar fluid was significantly higher in patients with AECOPD than in patients with stable COPD. The mean lung pH value, bronchoalveolar and serum LDH levels, and serum CRP levels in patients with isolated bacteria were higher than those in patients without isolated bacteria in the AECOPD patient group. Lung pH values in patients with AECOPD were significantly correlated with bronchoalveolar LDH and glucose levels.ConclusionsAECOPD is associated with local cell and tissue injury in the lungs, especially in the presence of bacterial pathogens, which is accompanied by a low systemic inflammatory response.