Prevalence Of Pathogens Research Articles

Isolation, Characterization and Molecular Identification of Multidrug Resistance from Candida Species from Various Clinical Samples.

Background and Purpose: The most prevalent fungus pathogens in humans are said to be Candida species. Candida pathogens have become more common in the last several years. But in the absence of any risk factors, these infections are uncommon. To that end, the current study set out to identify the species of Candida responsible for various clinical samples and establish the risk factors for candiduria. Materials and Methods: The 100 samples from patients who were suspected of having an aging, diabetes, prolonged hospital stays, organ transplantation, recurring bacterial infections, antibiotic use and catheter use were used in the current investigation. Of them, 100 instances involved candidiasis out of which 20 are MDR. Using the germ tube test, colony staining on CHROMagar medium, intracellular beta-glucosidase enzyme activity, and glucose absorption pattern, several species of Candida were identified. Afterwards, internal transcribed spacer region DNA sequencing verified the colonies with the same morphology. Results: Based on the findings, Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. krusei were identified as 40, 32, 18, and 10% of the isolates, respectively. Diabetes, bacterial infections, and urinary tract infections were the most common predisposing factors (23%); however, it was proven in all patients that one or more other predisposing variables existed. Patients with these serious infections can only be treated with a restricted number of antifungal agents from a small number of drug classes. Resistance can be intrinsic or acquired; as a result, acquired resistance either develops in response to antifungal selection pressure in the particular patient or, less frequently, results from the horizontal transmission of resistant strains between patients. Multidrug resistance is 20%, but more and more reports of it have been observed in several Candida species, most notably C. glabrata and more recently C. auris. The factors that contribute to multidrug resistance include overall antifungal use (fluconazole and amphotericin B), subtherapeutic drug levels at infection/colonization sites, drug sequestration in the biofilm matrix, and, in the event of outbreaks, suboptimal infection control. Conclusion: The most common fungal species, according to the results, was C. albicans. Furthermore, bacterial infections were more common. We go over the molecular causes of resistance, treatment and preventative methods.

Effective reduction of pathogenic Escherichia coli and long-term immunity in pigs through early parenteral vaccination

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to examine the ability of a parenteral vaccine of direct application in suckling pigs to generate adaptive immunity against pathogenic Escherichia coli under field conditions as well as the long-term immune response at the end of productive life and the influence on the prevalence of pathogens involved in the Porcine Enteric Disease Complex (PEDC). Pigs were divided into vaccinated (n = 1,893) and non-vaccinated (control, n = 1,869) groups. We collected fecal swabs from nursery pigs presenting diarrhea and intestinal tissue at slaughter to assess E. coli virulence factors genes, PEDC pathogens, histology, IgA-producing cells, and cytokines levels. Fecal swabs: vaccinated group 0% pathogenic E. coli vs. 94.1% in control (p < 0.0001). Intestinal samples: Vaccinated group 35% positivity for E. coli vs. 85% in control (p = 0.001). PEDC pathogens: Only Lawsonia intracellularis was identified (40% of ileum and 20% of colon samples in vaccinated vs. 100% of ileum and 70% of colon in the control). Vaccinated had more intestine cellular infiltrate (p < 0.028), IgA-producing cells (p < 0.01), and inflammatory cytokines. The parenteral vaccine against E. coli for suckling pigs may be a strategy to control E. coli infection throughout pigs’ lives and our results suggest a possible interaction with L. intracellularis.

Parasite Abundance‐Occupancy Relationships Across Biogeographic Regions: Joint Effects of Niche Breadth, Host Availability and Climate

ABSTRACTAimChanging biodiversity and environmental conditions may allow multi‐host pathogens to spread among host species and affect prevalence. There are several widely acknowledged theories about mechanisms that may influence variation in pathogen prevalence, including the controversially debated dilution effect and abundance‐occupancy relationship hypotheses. Here, we explore such abundance‐occupancy relationships for unique lineages of three vector‐borne avian blood parasite genera (the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium and the related haemosporidian parasites Parahaemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) across biogeographical regions.LocationNearctic‐Neotropical and Palearctic‐Afrotropical regions.MethodsWe compiled a cross‐continental dataset of 17,116 bird individuals surveyed from 46 bird assemblages across the Nearctic‐Neotropical and Palearctic‐Afrotropical regions and explored relationships between local parasite lineage prevalence and host assemblage metrics in a Bayesian random regression framework.ResultsMost lineages from these three genera infected ≥ 5 host species and exhibited clear phylogenetic or functional host specificity. Lineage prevalence from all three genera increased with host range, but also with higher degrees of specialisation to phylogenetically or functionally related host species. Local avian community features were also found to be important drivers of prevalence. For example, bird species richness was positively correlated with lineage prevalence for Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon, whereas higher relative abundances of the main host species were associated with lower prevalence for Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus but higher prevalence for Leucocytozoon.ConclusionsOur results broadly support several of the leading hypotheses about mechanisms that influence pathogen prevalence, including the niche breadth hypothesis in that higher avian host species diversity and broader host range amplify prevalence through increasing ecological opportunities and the trade‐off hypotheses in that specialisation among subsets of available host species may increase prevalence. Furthermore, the three studied avian haemosporidian genera exhibited different abundance‐occupancy relationships across the major global climate gradients and in relation to host availability, emphasising that these relationships do not strictly follow common rules for vector‐borne parasites with different life histories.

Severe acute respiratory infections: An epidemiological analysis of surveillance data in Bahrain, 2018-2022.

Severe acute respiratory tract infections (SARI) pose a health threat to children and adults worldwide. The SARI surveillance program was initiated in 2018 in Bahrain to monitor the activity of respiratory pathogens. Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was chosen as the sentinel site for the SARI surveillance program. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of SARI patients admitted to SMC from 2018 to 2022. Patients meeting the World Health Organization definition of SARI and presenting with cough and fever within the last 10 days and admitted to SMC from January 2018 until December 2022 were included in the study. Epidemiological data on SARI cases were collected from SARI surveillance data and analyzed using SPSS version 25 and Excel. A total of 1362 SARI cases were enrolled from January 2018 to the end of December 2022; the majority were males (57.7%, n = 786). The highest SARI incidence rates were recorded among individuals over 65 years old (155.5 per 100,000) in 2021 and among those under 5 years old (887 per 100,000) in 2020. About half of the patients had at least one comorbidity (54.0%, n = 735), with diabetes (23.0%, n = 313) and hypertension (17.2%, n = 234) being the most common. The highest number of cases was observed in 2021 (27%, n = 373), followed by 2018 (20%, n = 267). A viral pathogen was detected in 30.7% (n = 418) of the SARI patients. The most prevalent pathogen was influenza A (11.5%, n = 156), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (9.7%, n = 132), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (5.1%, n = 69), and influenza B (3.9%, n = 53). The highest percentage of SARI cases was recorded in the winter months, mainly January (17%, n = 236). The percentages of influenza A and RSV cases were highest in December, at 22% (n = 39) and 14% (n = 25), respectively. Influenza B cases were recorded predominantly in March (9%, n = 11). The incidence of SARI was highest among patients above 65 years old. The majority had comorbidities. Influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses were the most frequent causes of SARI, with influenza A being the most prevalent. December and January were the months with the highest SARI cases and viral detection rates. Promoting vaccination, timely testing, and prompt treatment, especially for the elderly and those with comorbidities, is key to reducing SARI-related morbidity and mortality, especially during peak seasons.

Infective Endocarditis-Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality, 17 Years, Single-Center Experience in Bulgaria.

Despite enormous developments in medicine, infective endocarditis (IE) remains an ongoing issue for physicians due to increased morbidity and persistently high mortality. Our goal was to assess clinical outcomes in patients with IE and identify determinants of in-hospital mortality. Material and methods: The analysis was retrospective, single-centered, and comprised 270 patients diagnosed with IE from 2005 to 2021 (median age 65 (51-74), male 177 (65.6%). Native IE (NVIE) was observed in 180 (66.7%), prosthetic IE (PVIE) in 88 (33.6%), and cardiac device-related IE (CDRIE) in 2 (0.7%), with non-survivors having much higher rates. Healthcare-associated IE (HAIE) was 72 (26.7%), Staphylococci were the most prevalent pathogen, and the proportion of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) non-HACEK was significantly greater in non-survivors than survivors (11 (15%) vs. 9 (4.5%), p = 0.004). Overall, 54 (20%) patients underwent early surgery, with a significant difference between dead and alive patients (3 (4.5%) vs. 51 (25.1%, p = 0.000). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 24.8% (67). Logistic regression was conducted on the total sample (n = 270) for the period 2005-2021, as well as the sub-periods 2005-2015 (n = 119) and 2016-2021 (n = 151), to identify any differences in the trend of IE. For the overall group, the presence of septic shock (OR-83.1; 95% CI (17.0-405.2), p = 0.000) and acute heart failure (OR-24.6; 95% CI (9.2-65.0), p = 0.000) increased the risk of mortality. Early surgery (OR-0.03, 95% CI (0.01-0.16), p = 0.000) and a low Charlson comorbidity index (OR-0.85, 95% CI (0.74-0.98, p = 0.026) also lower this risk. Between 2005 and 2015, the presence of septic shock (OR 76.5, 95% CI 7.11-823.4, p = 0.000), acute heart failure (OR-11.5, 95% CI 2.9-46.3, p = 0.001), and chronic heart failure (OR-1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.8, p = 0.022) enhanced the likelihood of a fatal outcome. Low Charlson index comorbidity (CCI) lowered the risk (OR-0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.95, p = 0.026). For the period 2016-2021, the variable with the major influence for the model is the failure to perform early surgery in indicated patients (OR-240, 95% CI 23.2-2483, p = 0.000) followed by a complication of acute heart failure (OR-72.2, 95% CI 7.5-693.6. p = 0.000), septic shock (OR-17.4, 95% CI 2.0-150.8, p = 0.010), previous stroke (OR-9.2, 95% CI 1.4-59.4, p = 0.020) and low ejection fraction (OR-1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2, p = 0.004). Conclusions: Knowing the predictors of mortality would change the therapeutic approach to be more aggressive, improving the short- and long-term prognosis of IE patients.

Impact of ESKAPE Pathogens on Bacteremia: A Three-Year Surveillance Study at a Major Hospital in Southern Italy.

ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) pose a serious public health threat as they are resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents. Bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by ESKAPE bacteria have high mortality rates due to the limited availability of effective antimicrobials. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and susceptibility of ESKAPE pathogens causing BSIs over three years in a large tertiary hospital in Salerno. Conducted at the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of San Giovanni di Dio e ''Ruggi D'Aragona'' Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022, blood culture samples from different departments were incubated in the BD BACTEC™ system for 5 days. Species identification was performed using MALDI-TOF MS, and antimicrobial resistance patterns were determined by the VITEK2 system. Out of 3197 species isolated from positive blood cultures, 38.7% were ESKAPE bacteria. Of these, 59.9% were found in blood culture samples taken from men, and the most affected age group was those aged >60 years. (70.6%). Staphylococcus aureus was the main BSI pathogen (26.3%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.8%). Significant resistance rates were found, including 35% of Staphylococcus aureus being resistant to oxacillin and over 90% of Acinetobacter baumannii being resistant to carbapenems. These results highlight the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship programs to prevent incurable infections.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Popular Recreational Areas in Tallinn, Estonia: The Underestimated Risk of Tick-Borne Diseases.

This study reveals a significant presence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in urban recreational areas of Tallinn, Estonia. During the period of May-June 2018, 815 Ixodes ticks were collected from an area of 11,200 m2 using the flagging method. Tick density reached up to 18.8 ticks per 100 m2, indicating a high concentration of ticks in these urban green spaces. Pathogen analysis demonstrated that 34% of the collected ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Specifically, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, was detected in 17.4% of the ticks; Rickettsia spp. was detected in 13.5%; Neoehrlichia mikurensis was detected in 5.5%; Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in 2.6%; and Anaplasma phagocytophilum and tick-borne encephalitis virus were detected in 0.5% each. These findings indicate that the prevalence and abundance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in these urban environments are comparable to or even exceed those observed in natural endemic areas. Given the increasing incidence of Lyme borreliosis in Central and Northern Europe, the risk of tick bites and subsequent infection in urban recreational sites should not be underestimated. Public health measures, including enhanced awareness and precautionary information, are essential to mitigate the risk of tick-borne diseases in these urban settings.

ANTIBIOGRAM ASSAY OF E.COLI ISOLATES IN PATIENTS WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Screening of prevalent bacterial pathogens for antibiotic susceptibility profiles in different regions is necessary. E. coli and other pathogens are so common in our environment that it is essential to monitor trends in antibiotic susceptibility regularly. Objective: The aim of the study was to find out the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of E.coli isolates in patients with urinary tract infection. Methods: This study was conducted at the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital Swat after taking permission from the ethical committee of the institute. We collected a total of 900 urine samples from males and females of all ages for culture and sensitivity. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was used to assess the antibiogram on Mueller-Hinton agar. The plates were kept in incubator at 37°C for the 48 hours, and the inhibition zone was measured. The antibiogram was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method applying various antibiotics. The bacterial strains were classified in to three majors groups on the basis of antibiotic susceptibility pattern resistant (R) sensitive (S), and intermediate (I). Data was statistically analyzed presented in the tables and figures. Results: For culture and sensitivity testing, a total of 900 urine samples from patients with suspected UTIs were obtained from the several departments' inpatient and outpatient to the microbiological lab. Substantial bacteriuria was noted in 250 (27.7%). The most prevalent bacteria isolated was E.coli (55%) and its antibiogram was carried out. Ampicillin had the highest proportion of resistance (96.1%), followed by Ceftriaxone (91%), Moxifloxacin (87.1%), and Ceftazidime (75.5%). Whereas it was sensitive to Fosfomycin (94.2%), followed by Sulzone ( 84.3%), Imepinem (84.3%) and Amikacin (78%). Conclusion: It was concluded from the current study that the most prevalent bacteria causing urinary tract infection was E.coli, and this bacteria showed remarkable resistance against Ampicillin Ceftriaxone, Moxifloxacin, and Ceftazidime. The most used bacterium antibiotics for therapy were Fosfomycin, Imepinem and Amikacin. Therefore, antibiotic susceptibility should be considered before therapy.

Protozoan intestinal invasions in military personnel of the Northern region of Ukraine

Objective — to study the prevalence and spectrum of intestinal parasitic infestations (IPI) agents in groups of military personnel of the Northern region of Ukraine, which differed according to the criteria of having symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders and passing the serving in a combat zone. Materials and methods. From February to November 2023, the study covered 302 servicemen during inpatient medical care at the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Northern Region of Ukraine. Detection and identification of intestinal parasites in samples of feces (SF) was carried out by classical methods of microscopy using the enrichment procedure (formalin‑ethyl acetate sedimentation) and the preparation (from each enriched sediment) of four smears: two thick wet with 50% aqueous solution of glycerol and D’ Anthony iodine solution; two thin, fixed, permanently stained with Whitley’s modified trichrome (mWT) or Heidenhain’s iron hematoxylin (HIH) and the modified Ziehl‑Neelsen acid method (mZN). Smear microscopy results were evaluated according to the criteria of the US Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results. It was established that the level of prevalence of IPI among the examined servicemen reached 10.6% with variation in the value of this indicator in different groups of soldiers from 2.2% to 12.6%. A specific share of protozoan monoinvasions in soldiers reached 65.6%, and mixed invasions (with two parasites at the same time) — 34.4%. Soldiers with symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases had significantly higher rates of IPI than did asymptomatic. In addition, the infestation rates among soldiers were higher in the cold season (October‑February) with a seasonality index of 1.9. All cases of IPI in servicemen (n=32) were caused by protozoan parasites (n=39), in the etiological spectrum of which the vast majority (84.6%) were pathogenic species (Blastocystis sp., Dientamoeba fragilis, Giardia lamblia), and a smaller proportion (15.4%) were commensal species (Chilomastix mesnili, Iodamoeba butschliі). Among pathogenic protozoa (n=33), Blastocystis sp. (51.5%) and D. fragilis had the highest proportion (42.4%), G. lamblia (6.1%) had significantly less one. Conclusions. Optimizing the management tactics of military medicine to reduce the negative impact of IPI on the health and combat capacity of servicemen requires knowledge about the prevalence and spectrum of pathogens of invasions among specific groups of soldiers. A necessary condition for increasing the efficiency of microscopic detection/identification of protozoan parasites (primarily D. fragilis) in the SF is the production of permanently stained (mWT or HIH) smears. Microscopic examination of such smears at high resolution (100ґ objective, oil immersion) provides an increased incidence of detection/identification of Blastocystis sp. by 47.1% and D. fragilis by 100%.

Historical pathogen prevalence, collectivism, and different forms of entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT This study draws on the parasite stress theory of values to investigate the epidemiological origins of entrepreneurship. By analysing a country-level dataset spanning 14 years, this study finds that historical pathogen prevalence positively affects the rate of entrepreneurship, but negatively affects the proportions of three forms of high-quality entrepreneurship, i.e. technology entrepreneurship, growth-aspiring entrepreneurship, and export-oriented entrepreneurship. Collectivism is found to mediate the effects of historical pathogen prevalence on entrepreneurship and technology entrepreneurship. We find partial support that collectivism mediates the effects of historical pathogen prevalence on export-oriented entrepreneurship. This study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between infectious diseases and entrepreneurship (and more broadly, economic activities), and demonstrates the enduring impact of infectious diseases through cultural factors.

ESKAPE pathogens in pediatric cardiac surgery patients: 5-year microbiological monitoring inatertiary hospital in Kazakhstan.

Hospital acquired infections greatly affect recovery and survival in pediatric surgical patients. We evaluated prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of ESKAPE pathogens in neonates and infants subjected to cardiac surgery in a tertiary hospital in Central Kazakhstan between 2019 and 2023 (2,278 patients) using routine methods of microbiological detection. ESKAPE pathogens were found in 1,899 out of 2,957 samples (Staphylococcus aureus - 35.3%, Klebsiella pneumoniae - 27.8%, Acinetobacter baumannii - 14.5%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa - 12.4%, Enterobacter sp. - 8.8%, Enterococcus faecium - 1.2%). The total prevalence of ESKAPE increased significantly from 45.1 to 76.9% (P = 0.005) during the study period. The resistance significantly increased in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, from13.7 to 41.9%, P = 0.041) but decreased in carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (from 64.3 to 37.7%, P = 0.037) and carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (from 48.5 to 19.1%, P = 0.039). Gradual but non-significant changes were shown in third-generation cephalosporin resistant K. pneumoniae (from 63.6 to 45.2%) and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (from 0 to 8.3%). The relative prevalence of ESKAPE pathogens steadily increased in our pediatric cardiac surgery patients in 2019-2023. The most frequent were S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and A. baumannii, with dramatically increasing tendencies for MRSA. Our results highlight the necessity for a well-designed infection control strategy and constant microbiological monitoring in pediatric cardiac surgery departments.

Host-pathogen associations inferred from bloodmeal analyses of Ixodes scapularis ticks in a low biodiversity setting.

Tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis, pose significant public health burdens. Tick bloodmeal analysis provides a noninvasive sampling method to evaluate tick-host associations and combined with a zoonotic pathogen assay, can generate crucial insights into the epidemiology and transmission of tick-borne diseases by identifying potential key maintenance hosts. We investigated the bloodmeals of questing Ixodes scapularis nymphs. We found that avian hosts, white-footed mice, and white-tailed deer fed the majority of larval ticks and differentially contributed to the prevalence of multiple tick-borne pathogens and pathogen genotypes in a low biodiversity island setting. Unraveling the intricate network of host-vector-pathogen interactions will contribute to improving wildlife management and conservation efforts, to developing targeted surveillance, and vector and host control efforts, ultimately reducing the incidence of tick-borne diseases and improving public health.

Pediatric calcaneal osteomyelitis: an analysis of literature-reported 128 cases

BackgroundCalcaneal osteomyelitis (CO) poses a formidable challenge in treatment due to the distinct anatomical structure and functional properties of the calcaneus. The present study endeavors to furnish a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the clinical manifestations, therapeutic strategies, and therapeutic outcomes pertaining to pediatric calcaneal osteomyelitis (PCO) by conducting a meticulous synthesis and analysis of cases reported in the literature.MethodsA systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify English-language studies analyzing PCO between 2000 and 2021. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) assessment scale. Effective data were extracted and analyzed.ResultsA total of 42 studies, encompassing 128 patients, fulfilled the established inclusion criteria. The gender distribution revealed a male-to-female ratio of 2:1 (81 boys and 40 girls). The median age at the time of diagnosis was 8 years, while the median duration of symptoms was 0.6 month. Trauma emerged as the primary etiology (41 cases, 54%), and limited activity was the most prevalent symptom (68 cases). The positive rate for pathogen culture was 75.4% (49/65), with Staphylococcus aureus being the most commonly isolated pathogen (28 cases, 57.1%). Surgical intervention was performed in 51% (64/126) of the patients, with debridement serving as the primary surgical strategy. The rate of infection recurrence was 6.8% (8/118), and the risk of below-knee amputation was 0.8% (1/124).ConclusionsPCO occurred more frequently in male patients, with trauma being the primary underlying cause and Staphylococcus aureus being the most prevalent bacterial pathogen isolated. Over half of the patients underwent surgical intervention. Nonetheless, it is imperative that treatment strategies undergo further refinement, as approximately 7% of patients experienced infection recurrence.

Multiplex detection of meningitis pathogens by a vertical flow paper microarray and signal enhancement suitable for low-resource settings: Proof of concept

ObjectivesMeningitis is a medical emergency, and it is crucial to diagnose it accurately and promptly in order to manage patients effectively. It would, therefore, be essential to introduce and have fast, accurate, and user-friendly methods to determine the cause of these infections. This study aimed to demonstrate a potentially cost-effective new approach for detecting meningitis using a paper-based vertical flow microarray, which could be useful in settings with limited resources. MethodsWe describe a multiplex paper microarray for detecting Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Salmonella spp. by the passive vertical flow of PCR-amplified clinical samples. A multibiotinylated amplicon was obtained as a product of PCR in the presence of both a biotinylated primer and biotin-11-dUTP. An enhancement step based on an enzyme-free gold enhancement protocol was also used to facilitate visual detection. ResultsThis study showed that the vertical flow microarray (previously evaluated for one pathogen) can discriminately detect the amplification results down to the 102 copies of DNA limit for four meningitis pathogens in a multiplexed set-up. The study further demonstrated the ability of this device and setup to detect three of the four pathogens from clinical biosamples. DiscussionThis study demonstrated the capacity of a vertical flow microarray device to detect amplification products for four prevalent meningitis pathogens in a multiplex format. The vertical flow microarray demonstrated consistent visualization of the expected gene amplification results; however, indicating limitations in the pre- and amplification steps. This study highlights the potential of this multiplexing method for diagnosing meningitis and other syndromic diseases caused by various pathogens, especially in resource-limited areas.

A drug repurposing screen identifies decitabine as an HSV-1 antiviral.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a prevalent human pathogen with a limited arsenal of antiviral agents, resistance to which can often develop during prolonged treatment, such as in the case of immunocompromised individuals. Development of novel antiviral agents is a costly and prolonged process, making new antivirals few and far between. Here, we employed an approach called drug repurposing to investigate the potential anti-HSV-1 activity of drugs that are known to be safe in humans, shortening the process of drug development considerably. We identified a nucleoside analog named decitabine as a potent anti-HSV-1 agent in cell culture and investigated its mechanism of action. Decitabine synergizes with the current anti herpetic acyclovir and increases the rate of mutations in the viral genome. Thus, decitabine is an attractive candidate for future studies in animal models to inform its possible application as a novel HSV-1 therapy.

Disease, death, morality, and politics: Pathogen prevalence, terror management, and conservatism as motivated social cognition

ABSTRACT We examined the effect of pathogen and mortality salience on moral values and political orientation, testing competing hypotheses derived from three relevant perspectives. While Terror Management Theory (TMT) predicts a delayed shift toward preexisting moral values and political orientation, Pathogen Prevalence Hypothesis (PPH) anticipates a shift toward binding moral foundations, and Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition (PCMSC) posits a shift toward political Principlism. This was an experimental study with salience type (mortality, pathogen, control) and delay (immediate, delayed) as independent variables. The effect of pathogen salience on moral foundations and political orientation was consistent with TMT. Also, there was a delayed PPH-directed effect of pathogen salience on moral foundations, and a PCMSC-consistent effect of pathogen salience on political orientation. Findings are discussed in light of possible differences in the timeline of effects and provided insight to reconcile contradictory predictions of the three perspectives.

Synthesis, Molecular Docking Studies and Biological Evaluation of N-(α-Benzamido Cinnamoyl) Piperonal Hydrazones

Background: Nowadays, inflammation is recognized as the underlying cause of a number of diseases, but NSAIDs are the first drug of choice, having several side effects. Additionally, excessive cellular oxidative stress is often considered a major contributor to pathophysiological conditions, the development of cancer, and other diseases. Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, hence, there is a critical need for the development of novel therapeutic agents to fight the emergence and increasing prevalence of resistant pathogens. This creates an initiation to introduce new molecules which act as efficient therapeutic agents with diminished side effects. Objective: As a part of our search for newer agents with enhanced activity profiles, it was planned to synthesize novel 2- (benzamido)-N-((benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-4-yl)methylene)-3-(substituted phenyl) acrylohydrazides and to investigate them for antiinflammatory, antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, in silico studies were performed for title compounds to predict molecular properties, bioavailability, drug-likeness, and bioactivity scores, molecular docking studies were also performed against biological targets. Methods: The title compounds 1-14 were synthesized by nucleophilic addition of piperonal in ethanol, few drops of acetic acid to the intermediate 2-(benzamido)-3-(aryl)acrylohydrazides. The title compounds were tested for their antiinflammatory activity by in vivo carrageenan-induced rat paw edema method, in vitro COX-2 inhibition assay; in vitro cytotoxic activity evaluation by MTT assay; antioxidant activity by Lipid peroxidation, DPPH assay, Nitric Oxide scavenging assay and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay; and antimicrobial activity by cup plate method. Physicochemical properties and bioactive scores of title compounds were evaluated by in silico studies. Molecular docking studies were carried out for the title compounds against COX-2 (PDB: 5F19) and EGFR (PDB:1XKK). Results: Among the series, 4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy derivative (5) displayed good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities; Vanillinyl derivative (4) displayed good cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity when compared to that of the respective standards. Compounds 5 &amp; 4 also exhibited good docking scores with COX-2 and EGFR, respectively. All title compounds obeyed Lipinski’s rule of five and also exhibited acceptable molecular properties, drug-likeness properties, and moderate to good bioactivity scores in in silico studies. Conclusion: The study suggested that the title compounds showed notable pharmacological properties, could emerge as lead compounds, and be further explored as promising therapeutic agents.

Evaluation of Totarol for Promoting Open Wound Healing in Dogs.

This study investigates the susceptibility of common pathogens to totarol and assesses its clinical effectiveness in promoting wound healing in client-owned dogs with open wounds. Twenty-three client-owned dogs with open wounds were divided into two groups: (1) the treatment group (T-group) and (2) the control group (C-group). Clinical samples were collected from the wounds for the bacterial identification and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of totarol. In the T-group, wounds were treated with standard wound care together with the application at a dosage of 0.3 mL (two sprays) of commercial totarol product per 25 cm2 of the wound area. The C-group received only standard wound care. This in vitro study found that totarol exhibited antimicrobial activity against both standard pathogens and clinical wound pathogens. The MIC values of totarol dissolved in absolute ethyl alcohol were 4 µg/mL for Gram-positive pathogens and ranged from 256 to 512 µg/mL for Gram-negative pathogens. However, the MIC values of the commercial totarol product ranged from 512 to 1024 for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Clinically, the use of a commercial totarol product as an adjunctive therapy significantly improved wound healing, as indicated by a greater percentage of wound area reduction (p < 0.05). From day 2 to day 7 of the treatment, the percentage of wound area reduction differed significantly between the T-group and the C-group. At the end of the study, the average percentage of wound area reduction was 69.18% ± 18.12 and 41.50% ± 20.23 in the T-group and C-group, respectively. The finding of this study illustrates the antimicrobial properties of totarol and its product against prevalent wound pathogens. These results suggest the potential of totarol as an adjunctive option for canine wound care.

Antimicrobial activity of edaphic microorganisms against clinically relevant bacteria

In recent decades, the emergence of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents has raised a significant challenge in the medical field. The search for new therapeutic alternatives has become a challenging task. With an estimated diversity ranging from 100 million to 1 billion different bacterial types with unique functions and roles, it is critical to find antimicrobial solutions Recent studies have focused on bacterial species in soil as a source of antimicrobial compounds that can be used as potential therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases. This study focused on isolating, culturing, and characterizing the bacteria present in the soil of the Universidad de Investigación de Tecnología Experimental Yachay campus. To assess their potential therapeutic impact, antagonistic tests were carried out between the bacterial isolates and three strains of the most prevalent pathogens: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that according to antimicrobial activity evaluations, the metabolites produced by two soil strains, UITEY-030 and UITEY-055, exhibited partially inhibitory effects on the growth of S. aureus and E. coli. These results highlight the capability of soil-derived compounds as candidates for developing novel antimicrobials. .Keywords: Antimicrobial metabolites; antimicrobial resistance, soil microorganisms.

Impact of human papillomavirus and coinfection with other sexually transmitted pathogens on male infertility.

This study primarily aimed to investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and other common pathogens of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in spermatozoa of infertile men and their effects on semen parameters. These pathogens included Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 1951 men of infertile couples were recruited between 23 March 2023, and 17 May 2023, at the Department of Reproductive Medicine of The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province (Kunming, China). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis were used for HPV genotyping. Polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis were also used to detect the presence of other STIs. The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 12.4%. The top five prevalent HPV subtypes were types 56, 52, 43, 16, and 53 among those tested positive for HPV. Other common infections with high prevalence rates were Ureaplasma urealyticum (28.3%), Ureaplasma parvum (20.4%), and Enterococcus faecalis (9.5%). The prevalence rates of HPV coinfection with Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Staphylococcus aureus were 24.8%, 25.4%, 10.6%, 6.4%, 2.4%, 7.9%, 5.9%, 0.9%, and 1.3%, respectively. The semen volume and total sperm count were greatly decreased by HPV infection alone. Coinfection with HPV and Ureaplasma urealyticum significantly reduced sperm motility and viability. Our study shows that coinfection with STIs is highly prevalent in the semen of infertile men and that coinfection with pathogens can seriously affect semen parameters, emphasizing the necessity of semen screening for STIs.