Region Of Ribosomal RNA Research Articles

First Report of Bacterial Dry Rot of Mango Caused by Sphingomonas sanguinis in China

First Report of Bacterial Dry Rot of Mango Caused by <i>Sphingomonas sanguinis</i> in China

Molecular characterization of Trichuris species isolated from humans, dogs and cats in a rural community in Peninsular Malaysia

Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) are soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) that causing trichuriasis in human. Trichuris vulpis, a canine whipworm has also been reported occasionally in humans. However, an overlapping dimension in the morphology and due to limited external characters between both species may lead to the potential for misidentification. Although there has been an extensive study on the distribution of whipworm in both human and animal hosts, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of Trichuris species in both hosts. To investigate to characterize the whipworm species and to determine the genetic relationship between species infecting both humans and animals, we sequenced the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) regions of Trichuris egg isolated from humans, dogs and cats in a rural community in Malaysia. A total of 524 fresh fecal samples were collected from humans and animals. The overall prevalence of Trichuris was 59.9% as determined by microscopy examination. The molecular analysis showed that 98.7% were identified as T. trichiura in the human fecal sample. Interestingly, 1.3% were identified as T. vulpis. As for animal fecal sample, 56.8% and 43.2% were identified as T. trichiura and T. vulpis, respectively. Phylogenetic and sequence analysis demonstrated that T. trichiura isolates were genetically distinct from T. vulpis isolates from both hosts. This finding implies that companion animals can be a reservoir and mechanical transmitter for T. trichiura infection in human and also highlighting the possible zoonotic potential of T. vulpis. This finding may also suggest that cross-transmission between humans and animal hosts in sympatric setting may be a source of infection in both hosts. More studies are needed to better understand the transmission dynamic and public health significance of Trichuris infection in both hosts.

Escherichia coli O101-induced diarrhea develops gut microbial dysbiosis in rats.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-induced diarrhea is a devastating disease and one of the third leading causes of infectious disease-associated mortalities worldwide. Despite recent advances in the identification of the association between gut microbiota and diarrhea, a lack of understanding exists on the status of gut microbiota in rats treated with ETEC. In the present study, a rat model of Escherichia (E.) coli O101-induced diarrhea was established. The diarrhea incidence and index, as well as histological changes, were assessed. In addition, Illumina MiSeq sequencing of V3-V4 hypervariable regions of 16S ribosomal RNA was employed to investigate the changes in the gut microbiota profiles in the feces of the diarrhea rats. The results indicated that E. coli O101 increased the diarrhea index and injury in the intestinal tissues, whereas it decreased the bacterial richness and shifted the distribution pattern of the bacterial communities in the phylum, order and genus levels in the fecal samples. Notably, the proportion of bacteria Prevotella, Enterococcus and Akkermansia was significantly decreased, while the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia/Shigella were significantly increased in diarrhea rats. Taken together, the gut microbiota is closely associated with E. coli O101-induced diarrhea in lower microbial diversity and dysbiosis of gut microbiota at different taxonomical levels.

Chemical probing for examining the structure of modified RNAs and ligand binding to RNA.

Among different RNA modifications, the helix 69 (H69) region of the bacterial ribosomal RNA (rRNA) contains three pseudouridines (Ψs). H69 is functionally important due to its location in the heart of the ribosome. Several structural and functional studies have shown the importance of Ψ modifications in influencing the H69 conformation as well as maintaining key interactions in the ribosome during protein synthesis. Therefore, a need exists to understand the influence of modified nucleosides on conformational dynamics of the ribosome under solution conditions that mimic the cellular environment. In this review on chemical probing, we provide detailed protocols for the use of dimethyl sulfate (DMS) to examine H69 conformational states and the influence of Ψ modifications under varying solution conditions in the context of both ribosomal subunits and full ribosomes. The use of DMS footprinting to study the binding of aminoglycosides to the H69 region of bacterial rRNA as a potential antibiotic target will also be discussed. As highlighted in this work, DMS probing and footprinting are versatile techniques that can be used to gain important insight into RNA local structure and RNA-ligand interactions, respectively.

Influence of midgut microbiota in Anopheles stephensi on Plasmodium berghei infections

BackgroundThe native gut microbiota of Anopheles mosquitoes is known to play a key role in the physiological function of its host. Interestingly, this microbiota can also influence the development of Plasmodium in its host mosquitoes. In recent years, much interest has been shown in the employment of gut symbionts derived from vectors in the control of vector-borne disease transmission. In this study, the midgut microbial diversity has been characterized among laboratory-reared adult Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, from the colony created by rearing progeny of wild-caught mosquitoes (obtained from three different locations in southern India) for multiple generations, using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing approach. Further, the influence of native midgut microbiota of mosquitoes on the development of rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in its host has been studied.MethodsThe microbial diversity associated with the midgut of An. stephensi mosquitoes was studied by sequencing V3 region of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. The influence of native midgut microbiota of An. stephensi mosquitoes on the susceptibility of the mosquitoes to rodent malaria parasite P. berghei was studied by comparing the intensity and prevalence of P. berghei infection among the antibiotic treated and untreated cohorts of mosquitoes.ResultsThe analysis of bacterial diversity from the midguts of An. stephensi showed Proteobacteria as the most dominant population among the three laboratory-reared strains of An. stephensi studied. Major genera identified among these mosquito strains were Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Prevotella, Corynebacterium, Veillonella, and Bacillus. The mosquito infectivity studies carried out to determine the implication of total midgut microbiota on P. berghei infection showed that mosquitoes whose native microbiota cleared with antibiotics had increased susceptibility to P. berghei infection compared to the antibiotic untreated mosquitoes with its natural native microbiota.ConclusionsThe use of microbial symbiont to reduce the competence of vectors involved in disease transmission has gained much importance in recent years as an emerging alternative approach towards disease control. In this context, the present study was aimed to identify the midgut microbiota composition of An. stephensi, and its effect on the development of P. berghei. Interestingly, the analysis of midgut microbiota from An. stephensi revealed the presence of genus Veillonella in Anopheles species for the first time. Importantly, the study also revealed the negative influence of total midgut microbiota on the development of P. berghei in three laboratory strains of An. stephensi, emphasizing the importance of understanding the gut microbiota in malaria vectors, and its relationship with parasite development in designing strategies to control malaria transmission.

Utility of broad-range 16S rRNA PCR assay versus conventional methods for laboratory diagnosis of bacterial endophthalmitis in a tertiary care hospital

BackgroundEndophthalmitis, a sight-threatening intraocular infection, can be of postsurgical, post-traumatic or endogenous origin. Laboratory diagnosis-based appropriate therapy can be vision-saving. Conventional culture-based laboratory diagnosis takes time and lacks sensitivity. In...

Metataxonomic comparison between internal transcribed spacer and 26S ribosomal large subunit (LSU) rDNA gene

Next-generation sequencing has been used to strengthen knowledge about taxonomic diversity and ecology of fungi within food ecosystems. However, primer amplification and identification bias could edge our understanding into the fungal ecology. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of two primer pairs over two nuclear ribosomal RNA (rRNA) regions of the fungal kingdom, namely the ITS2 and 26S regions. Fermented cocoa beans were employed as biological material and the fungal ecology during fermentation was studied using amplicon-based sequencing tools, making use of a manually curated 26S database constructed in this study, and validated with SILVA's database. To explore potential biases introduced by PCR amplification of fungal communities, a mock community of known composition was prepared and tested. The relative abundances observed for ITS2 suggest that species with longer amplification fragments are underestimated and concurrently species that render shorter amplification fragments are overestimated. However, this correlation between amplicon length and estimation is not valid for all the species analysed. Variability in the amplification lengths contributed to the preferential amplification phenomenon. DNA extracted from twenty fermented cocoa bean samples were used to assess the performance of the two target regions. Overall, the metataxonomic data set recovered similar taxonomic composition and provided consistent results in OTU richness among biological samples. However, 26S region provided higher alpha diversity index and greater fungal rRNA taxonomic depth and robustness results compared with ITS2. Based on the results of this study we suggest the use of the 26S region for targeting fungi. Furthermore, this study showed the efficacy of the manually curated reference database optimized for annotation of mycobiota by using the 26S as a gene target.

Mycoplasmosis of House Finches ( Haemorhous mexicanus) and California Scrub-Jays ( Aphelocoma californica) in a Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility with Probable Nosocomial Transmission.

We describe an investigation of an outbreak of conjunctivitis in juvenile House Finches ( Haemorhous mexicanus) and California Scrub-jays ( Aphelocoma californica) at a central California, US wildlife rehabilitation facility. In late May 2015, the facility began admitting juvenile finches, the majority with normal eyes at intake. In June, with juvenile finches already present, the facility admitted juvenile scrub-jays, all with normal eyes at intake. In July, after conjunctivitis was observed in increasing numbers of juvenile finches and scrub-jays, carcasses were submitted for postmortem examination. Histopathology of five finches and three scrub-jays identified lymphocytic infiltrates in the ocular tissues. Conjunctival swabs from 87% (13/15) finches and 33% (4/12) scrub-jays were PCR-positive for Mycoplasma gallisepticum. One finch and two scrub-jays were PCR-positive for Mycoplasma synoviae. Additionally, gene sequencing (16S ribosomal RNA and 16S-23S intergenic spacer region) identified Mycoplasma sturni from 33% (3/9) scrub-jays. This outbreak of conjunctivitis suggested that M. gallisepticum-infected juvenile finches admitted to and maintained in a multispecies nursery likely resulted in transmission within the facility to healthy juvenile finches and scrub-jays. Evidence of other Mycoplasma spp. in finches and scrub-jays indicates that these species are susceptible to infection and may act as carriers. This outbreak highlighted the need for effective triage and biosecurity measures within wildlife rehabilitation facilities.

Urinary microbes and postoperative urinary tract infection risk in urogynecologic surgical patients.

Women have a 20% risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI) following urogynecologic surgery. This study assessed the association of postoperative UTI with bacteria in preoperative samples of catheterized urine. Immediately before surgery, vaginal swabs, perineal swabs, and catheterized urine samples were collected, and the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was sequenced. The cohort was dichotomized in two ways: (1) standard day-of-surgery urine culture result (positive/negative), and (2) occurrence of postoperative UTI (positive/negative). Characteristics of bladder, vaginal, and perineal microbiomes were assessed to identify factors associated with postoperative UTI. Eighty-seven percent of the 104 surgical patients with pelvic organ prolapse/urinary incontinence (POP/UI) were white; mean age was 57years. The most common genus was Lactobacillus, with a mean relative abundance of 39.91% in catheterized urine, 53.88% in vaginal swabs, and 30.28% in perineal swabs. Two distinct clusters, based on dispersion of catheterized urine (i.e., bladder) microbiomes, had highly significant (p < 2.2-16) differences in age, microbes, and postoperative UTI risk. Postoperative UTI was most frequently associated with the bladder microbiome; microbes in adjacent pelvic floor niches also contributed to UTI risk. UTI risk was associated with depletion of Lactobacillus iners and enrichment of a diverse mixture of uropathogens. Postoperative UTI risk appears to be associated with preoperative bladder microbiome composition, where an abundance of L. iners appears to protect against postoperative UTI.

Spencerozyma siamensis sp. nov., a novel anamorphic basidiomycetous yeast species in Puccinomycotina isolated from coral in Thailand

Strain DMKU13-2T, representing a novel anamorphic yeast species in the class Microbotryomycetes, subphylum Puccinomycotina, phylum Basidiomycota, was isolated from a soft coral collected in the sea off Ko Mu island, Thailand. The phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 region of the large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) gene indicated that this strain was a novel species in the genus Spencerozyma and distant from Spencerozyma crocea, the only species of the genus. The novel species differed from the type of S. crocea (CBS 2029T) by 5.2 % nucleotides (31 nucleotide substitutions out of 594 bp) in the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and 9.0 % nucleotides (66 nucleotide substitutions out of 735 bp) in the ITS region. The name Spencerozyma siamensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type is DMKU13-2T (=CBS 14683=TBRC 7039). The MycoBank number is MB 824889.

Description and molecular phylogeny of Axinella nayaritensis n. sp. (Porifera: Axinellida) from East Pacific and remarks about the polyphyly of the genus Axinella.

Axinella nayaritensis n. sp. is a typical species of the genus Axinella in spiculation (oxeas and styles), skeletal arrangement (axial condensation from which radiate an extra-axial plumoreticulated skeleton), and external form (arborescent). The new species is orange, branching, up to 25 cm in height, and which usually live in soft bottoms. One of the most conspicuous characteristic of the new species is its aquiferous system, which is formed by a system of superficial canals and meandering ridges which run around the entire length of the branches. The species is compared with Axinella polycapella from Gulf of Mexico, which is very close in morphology, and which it shares a high similarity in the 18S ribosomal RNA region. It was also compared with Axinella aruensis, a very different species from a morphological point of view, which is distributed throughout the northern Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea as both species share a high similarity in the COI mitochondrial gene region. The new species was included in the clade named Axinella by Gazave et al. (2010) for 18S and COI, where also are included eight Axinella-species. Species in this clade are typically arborescent with a choanosomal skeleton differentiated between axial and extra-axial regions. Axinella nayaritensis n. sp. constitute the first record of an Axinella for the east Pacific coast.

Microbiology of high-sugar must fermentation by novel yeasts from the chihuahuan desert.

This work reports important results of aromatic profiles produced by native yeasts isolated from desert-grown wine grapes from the south of Chihuahua, México. These grapes stand very high temperatures during the ripening season, developing high sugar concentration and high pH. Yeast species found in grapes were identified by polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis of the 5.8S internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA region. Aureobasidium namibiae, Sporobolomyces johnsonii, Candida apicola, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Candida thaimueangensis, Hanseniaspora opuntiae were identified. All of them can grow at glucose concentration of 35% (w/v) and 100 ppm of SO2, and produce low volatile acidity (0.2-1.0 g acetic acid/L). Volatile organic compounds analysis showed that C. thaimueangensis and one strain of C. apicola produce high levels of esters, and Hanseniaspora species produces high levels of higher alcohols and carbonyl compounds. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge about yeast communities associated with desert-grown winegrape yeasts.

16S ribosomal RNA sequencing reveals a modulation of intestinal microbiome and immune response by dietary L-theanine supplementation in broiler chickens.

ABSTRACTDespite the availability of abundant literature on green tea, studies on the use of L-theanine (an amino acid found only in green tea) as a feed additive in poultry especially broiler are limited. So, this study was conducted to explore the effects of L-theanine on the intestinal microbiome and immune response in a broiler. A total of 400-d-old chicks were randomly divided into four treatment groups (A, B, C, and D) using a complete randomized design. Treatments were as follows: A, control (basal diet); B, basal diet + 100 mg L-theanine/kg diet; C, basal diet + 200 mg L-theanine/kg diet; and D, basal diet + 300 mg L-theanine/kg diet. Mucosal samples from ileum and jejunum of broiler chicken were extracted at 21 and 42 d of age. Extraction of genomic DNA was followed by amplification of V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of 16S ribosomal RNA. After Illumina sequencing, results revealed that treatment with L-theanine significantly increased the population of Lactobacillus in ileum and jejunum as compared to a control group, but the higher population was observed in jejunum at both 21 and 42 d of age. The overall diversity of the jejunum microbiome in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the ileum and control group (P < 0.05). Results of this study revealed that mRNA expression of TLRs (TLR-2 and TLR-4) and cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2) was decreased in response to treatment with L-theanine. Moreover, the negative correlation of abundance of Lactobacillus was observed with expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the intestine and these effects were highly significant (P < 0.01). In summary, our finding revealed that dietary supplementation of L-theanine exhibited a positive influence on intestinal bacteria by supporting beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus while decreasing harmful microbes like Clostridium.

Blastocystis subtype 5: Predominant subtype on pig farms, Thailand

Blastocystis is a unicellular protist most commonly detected in humans and a variety of animals. The predominant mode of its transmission is the fecal–oral route, but its zoonotic potential is not completely understood. The objective of this study was to determine the presence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis on pig farms in Nakhon Pathom Province, Central Thailand. A total of 154 human and 90 pig stool samples were collected and analyzed. Nested PCR detected Blastocystis in 35.55% of the pig samples and 6.49% of the human samples. Subtyping based on regions of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene identified three Blastocystis subtypes in pigs and humans: ST1, ST3, and ST5. Blastocystis ST5 was the predominant subtype, followed by ST1 and then ST3. All the sequences from the Blastocystis-positive samples from both pigs and humans were closely related. This study reveals a possibility of low host specificity of Blastocystis STs (ST1, ST3 and ST5) on pig farms in Thailand. We tentatively suggest that close contact with or exposure to pig stools may be a significant source of Blastocystis detected in pig handlers. Further studies are required to confirm the zoonotic transmission of this organism in Thailand, because pigs may play an important role in the transmission of Blastocystis.

High diversity of Blastocystis subtypes isolated from asymptomatic adults living in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Blastocystis is a common and broadly distributed microbial eukaryote inhabiting the gut of humans and other animals. The genetic diversity of Blastocystis is extremely high comprising no less than 17 subtypes in mammals and birds. Nonetheless, little is known about the prevalence and distribution of Blastocystis subtypes colonising humans in Thailand. Molecular surveys of Blastocystis remain extremely limited and usually focus on the central, urban part of the country. To address this knowledge gap, we collected stool samples from a population of Thai adults (n = 178) residing in Chiang Rai Province. The barcoding region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA was employed to screen for Blastocystis and identify the subtype. Forty-one stool samples (23%) were identified as Blastocystis positive. Six of the nine subtypes that colonise humans were detected with subtype (ST) three being the most common (68%), followed by ST1 (17%) and ST7 (7%). Comparison of subtype prevalence across Thailand using all publicly available sequences showed that subtype distribution differs among geographic regions in the country. ST1 was most commonly encountered in the central region of Thailand, while ST3 dominated in the more rural north and northeast regions. ST2 was absent in the northeast, while ST7 was not found in the center. Thus, this study shows that ST prevalence and distribution differs not only among countries, but also among geographic regions within a country. Potential explanations for these observations are discussed herewith.

Diagnosis of Superficial Mycoses by a Rapid and Effective PCR Method from Samples of Scales, Nails and Hair

Superficial mycoses are the most frequently diagnosed affections of the stratum corneum of the skin, nails and hair. It is generally caused by the presence of yeasts and dermatophytes. Onychomycosis is the most common infection with an incidence of 80-90% in Europe generally produced by Trichophyton rubrum. The aim of this study is to compare the traditional diagnostic techniques of superficial mycoses with a homemade and wide-spectrum fungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique that amplifies a specific region of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) directly from samples of scales, nails and hair. A total of 626 clinical samples (obtained in the Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain) were analysed by traditional culture, microscopy and PCR. DNA extraction was carried out by using an extraction buffer and bovine serum, and amplification of samples and performance of the PCR were checked by conventional agarose gel electrophoresis with subsequent sequencing of amplified samples. A total of 211 samples (34%) resulted in positive diagnosis with at least one of the two applied methods: culture (21%) and PCR (22%). Despite the low percentage of identification achieved by the sequencing technique (40%), the value contributed by the amplification of the 18S region of the rRNA was considered important in the identification as it showed a high predictive values for both positive and negative diagnoses (90.9% and 94.6%, respectively). The proposed PCR method has been confirmed as a complementary, rapid, and effective method in the diagnosis of superficial mycoses. Additionally, it reduces the time to obtain satisfactory results from 4weeks to 7h.

Abstract 3267: Cervical microbiota and the urinary metabolome in patients with high-risk and low-risk HPV infections

Abstract Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the world's most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection, and high-risk HPV types are strongly linked to cervical dysplasia and carcinoma. The microbiota of the human cervico-vaginal tract is the interface between the host and environment, and its constituents may act as determinants of susceptibility for HPV infection. There exists the potential for reliable diagnostic biomarkers for cervical cancer in the cervical microbiome as well as in urine, which would be an important biospecimen due to its abundance and non-invasive collection strategy. In this study, we performed comprehensive metabolomic analysis on urine samples from 65 women (54 HPV+, 38 of whom have cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and 11 HPV-) and discuss the potential diagnostic implication and metabolic description of high-risk and low-risk HPV infected patients. The experimental procedure employed gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) on the urine-derived products and HPV genotyping was determined by reverse hybridization with the HPV SPF10-LiPA25 kit. We further characterized resident cervical bacteria in these patients using Illumina sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA with a high-resolution bioinformatics methodology (Resphera Insight v2.2) for species-level taxonomic assignment. The hybridization assay detected 11 low-risk and 10 high-risk HPV types many of them co-occurring in the cervical samples. Lactobacillus iners OTUs were shared by all samples but were significantly more dominant in women with low-risk HPV strains (p-value=0.05), while G. vaginalis, S. sanguinegens and L. jensenii were associated with high-risk strains. CIN1 and CIN3 dysplasic biopsies, detected significant enrichments of Gardnerella vaginalis, L.crispatus and Prevotella amnii (p-values &amp;lt;0.05). Preliminary GC-MS analysis identified elevated levels of palmitic (C16:0) and stearic fatty acids (C18:0) as well as lactic acid, abundant in the HPV+ samples while 5-oxo-proline and Neu5Ac (N-Acetylneuraminic acid) were abundant in the HPV- samples. Our preliminary data identifies possible microbial and metabolic biomarkers associated with oncogenic HPV and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women living in Puerto Rico. Citation Format: Gilmary Ortiz, Natalyia Chorna, Josefina Romaguera-Agrait, Magaly Martinez-Ferrer, Maria Sanchez, Ana P. Ortiz, Rafael Guerrero-Preston, James R. White, Filipa Godoy-Vitorino. Cervical microbiota and the urinary metabolome in patients with high-risk and low-risk HPV infections [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3267.

Detection and Identification of Phytoplasmas from the Apple Proliferation Group on Fruit Crops

Phytoplasmas from the apple proliferation (AP) group collected and isolated from the territory of the Russian Federation and some European countries have been studied, including their detection and identification. Analysis of 67 samples of fruit crops by nested PCR using universal primers for 16–23S ribosomal RNA regions has shown the presence of the AP group phytoplasmas in some samples. Candidatus Phytoplasma mali, a causal agent of the apple proliferation disease, has been revealed in samples from Spain; Ca. Phytoplasma pyri (pear decline disease) was found in samples from Italy, Spain, and the Republic of Dagestan; and Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum (European stone fruit yellows disease) was found in samples from the Czech Republic. Data on the DNA sequencing of the identified pathogens have been deposited into the database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

Vaginal microbiome in early pregnancy and subsequent risk of spontaneous preterm birth: a case-control study.

To explore differences in the vaginal microbiome between preterm and term deliveries. Nested case-control study in 3D cohort (design, develop, discover). Quebec, Canada. Ninety-four women with spontaneous preterm birth as cases [17 early (<34 weeks) and 77 late (34-36 weeks) preterm birth] and 356 women as controls with term delivery (≥37 weeks). To assess the vaginal microbiome by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene in swabs self-collected during early pregnancy. Comparison of relative abundance of bacterial operational taxonomic units and oligotypes and identifying vaginal community state types (CSTs) in early or late spontaneous preterm and term deliveries. Lactobacillus gasseri/ Lactobacillus johnsonii (coefficient -5.36, 95% CI -8.07 to -2.65), Lactobacillus crispatus (99%)/ Lactobacillus acidophilus (99%) (-4.58, 95% CI -6.20 to -2.96), Lactobacillus iners (99%)/ Ralstonia solanacearum (99%) (-3.98, 95% CI -6.48 to -1.47) and Bifidobacterium longum/ Bifidobacterium breve (-8.84, 95% CI -12.96 to -4.73) were associated with decreased risk of early but not late preterm birth. Six vaginal CSTs were identified: four dominated by Lactobacillus; one with presence of bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria (Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae and Veillonellaceae bacterium) (CST IV); and one with nondominance of Lactobacillus (CST VI). CST IV was associated with increased risk of early (4.22, 95% CI 1.24-24.85) but not late (1.63, 95% CI 0.68-5.04) preterm birth, compared with CST VI. Lactobacillus gasseri/L. johnsonii, L. crispatus/L. acidophilus, L. iners/R. solanacearum and B. longum/B. breve may be associated with decreased risk of early preterm birth. A bacterial vaginosis-related vaginal CST versus a CST nondominated by Lactobacillus may be associated with increased risk of early preterm birth. Largest study of its kind finds certain species of vaginal Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium may relate to lower risk of preterm birth.

Blastomyces helicus, a New Dimorphic Fungus Causing Fatal Pulmonary and Systemic Disease in Humans and Animals in Western Canada and the United States

Blastomyces helicus (formerly Emmonsia helica) is a dimorphic fungus first isolated from a man with fungal encephalitis in Alberta, Canada. The geographic range, epidemiology, and clinical features of disease are unknown. We reviewed human and veterinary isolates of B. helicus identified among Blastomyces and Emmonsia isolates at the University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium, University of Texas Health San Antonio's Fungus Testing Laboratory, and Associated Regional and University Pathologists Laboratories. Isolates were selected based on low Blastomyces dermatitidis DNA probe values and/or atypical morphology. Species identification was confirmed for most isolates by DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer with or without D1/D2 ribosomal RNA regions. Epidemiological and clinical data were analyzed. We identified isolates from 10 human and 5 veterinary cases of B. helicus infection; all were referred from western regions of Canada and the United States. Isolates remained sterile in culture, producing neither conidia nor sexual spores in the mycelial phase, but often producing coiled hyphae. Isolates were most frequently cultured from blood and bronchoalveolar lavage in humans and lungs in animals. Most infected persons were immunocompromised. Histopathological findings included pleomorphic, small or variably sized yeast-like cells, with single or multiple budding, sometimes proliferating to form short, branching, hyphal-like elements. Disease carried a high case-fatality rate. Blastomyces helicus causes fatal pulmonary and systemic disease in humans and companion animals. It differs from B. dermatitidis in morphological presentation in culture and in histopathology, by primarily affecting immunocompromised persons, and in a geographic range that includes western regions of North America.