Spread Of Pathogens Research Articles

Propagation of pathologic α-synuclein from kidney to brain may contribute to Parkinson's disease.

The pathogenesis of Lewy body diseases (LBDs), including Parkinson's disease (PD), involves α-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation that originates in peripheral organs and spreads to the brain. PD incidence is increased in individuals with chronic renal failure, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we observed α-Syn deposits in the kidneys of patients with LBDs and in the kidney and central nervous system of individuals with end-stage renal disease without documented LBDs. In male mice, we found that the kidney removes α-Syn from the blood, which is reduced in renal failure, causing α-Syn deposition in the kidney and subsequent spread into the brain. Intrarenal injection of α-Syn fibrils induces the propagation of α-Syn pathology from the kidney to the brain, which is blocked by renal denervation. Deletion of α-Syn in blood cells alleviates pathology in α-Syn A53T transgenic mice. Thus, the kidney may act as an initiation site for pathogenic α-Syn spread, and compromised renal function may contribute to the onset of LBDs.

Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university

BackgroundTechnological development has led to the wide use of mobile phones. However, the role of the hand-held device in the possible spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens considering gender variation, especially among Nigerian undergraduates is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess bacterial isolates recovered from male and female mobile phones for antibiotic resistance and determine possible factors that could facilitate their spread.MethodsForty (40) undergraduates were included in the study with gender parity. Swabs of the undergraduates’ mobile phones were cultured and bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiology methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of the isolates was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay and the results were interpreted by the Clinical Standards and Laboratory Institute (CLSI) guideline. Bacterial isolates (n = 6/21) that resisted antibiotics belonging to ≥ 3 different classes regarded as multidrug resistant (MDR) were subjected to 16 S rRNA sequencing and identified using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) algorithm.ResultsThe total bacterial count of male (11.1 × 106 ± 4.0) CFU/mL and female (11.7 × 106 ± 6.4) CFU/mL were high though comparable. Of the 25 isolates recovered, 10 and 15 were respectively from male and female mobile phones. Staphylococcus aureus (n = 11) was the most occurring isolate followed by Escherichia coli (n = 5), and Salmonella sp. (n = 3); the rest occurred less frequently. Staphylococcus aureus obtained from male phones (n = 7) is higher than in females (n = 4) but the species diversity is greater in females (n = 7) than in males (n = 3) phones. Isolates were resistant to ampiclox and zinnacef (85.71%), erythromycin (78.57%), amoxil and augmentin (72.73%), septrim (72%), rifampicin (71.43%) while > 80% were MDR. Low levels of handwashing and non-use of hand sanitizer could be linked with phone bacterial contamination.ConclusionFrequent handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers should be prioritized among undergraduates to curtail the spread of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections.

Intelligent Bayesian Neural Networks for Stochastic SVIS Epidemic Dynamics: Vaccination Strategies and Prevalence Fractions with Wiener Process

Real-time forecasting of infectious diseases is crucial for effective public health management, particularly during outbreaks. When infectious disease predictions are based on mechanistic models, they can guide resource allocation and help evaluate the potential effects of different interventions. However, accurately parametrizing these models in real time presents a challenge, as timely information on behavioral shifts, interventions and transmission pathways is often lacking. This investigation leverages the artificial neural networks with the Bayesian regularization (BR-ANN) backpropagation approach to examine the dynamical pathogen spread with Wiener process incorporation. The stochastic differential model is structured into susceptible, vaccinated, infectious and susceptible (SVIS) compartments. The Kloeden–Platen–Schurz (KPS) computing paradigm for the stochastic differential system is utilized to generate synthetic datasets by applying transformations to key factors, including the population recruitment ratio, transmission ratio of vulnerable individuals, natural death rate of the population, vaccination rate of vulnerable individuals, total population size, immune loss ratio of susceptible individuals, recovery rate and mortality rate from the disease among infected individuals. Random selection from the generated datasets is exploited for the training and testing procedures for constructing the BR-ANN networks. The significance of the proposed scheme for various stochastic SVIS system scenarios is endorsed by the comprehensive assessments of the BR-ANN approach that are conducted by means of extensive experimentations and comparison with the reference KPS solutions of the SVIS system in terms of MSE optimal performance plots, absolute errors, autocorrelation analysis, regression indices and error histograms.

Temporal dynamics of airborne fungi in Swedish forest nurseries.

In Sweden, reforestation of managed forests relies predominantly on planting nursery-produced tree seedlings. However, the intense production using containerized cultivation systems (e.g., high seedling density, irrigation from above, regular fertilization) creates favorable conditions for fungal infections. Despite the harmful role of diseases in forest nurseries, the origin and dispersal factors of fungal pathogens remain largely unknown. A better understanding of the airborne spread of pathogens could improve the prediction of fungal infection, ultimately optimizing preventative methods and decreasing the use of fungicides. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of airborne fungi in forest nurseries, with a focus on fungal pathogens. Airborne fungi were monitored in four Swedish forest nurseries over two growing seasons using spore traps and high-throughput sequencing. Fungal pathogens were identified using bioinformatics and quantified with quantitative PCR. Results showed strong temporal shifts of airborne fungal diversity and community composition following the growing seasons. The airborne spread included high abundances of important fungal pathogens (e.g., Cladosporium sp., Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria sp., Sydowia polyspora, and Melampsora populnea) with individual temporal and spatial variations. In general, the deposited spore loads of nursery pathogens correlated positively with increased temperature and negatively with higher precipitation. This was expressed the strongest for Cladosporium sp., Alternaria sp., and M. populnea, which suggests a higher availability of fungal inoculum in warm and dry periods. This study highlights the influence of seasonality on the temporal dynamics of economically important fungal pathogens in Swedish forest nurseries, which should be considered in the development of a local decision support system.IMPORTANCEFungal diseases in forest nurseries have significant environmental and economic impacts on the tree seedling production. This study highlights the role of seasonality in the airborne spread of fungal pathogens in Swedish forest nurseries. By analyzing airborne fungal spores using advanced sequencing and monitoring techniques, key fungal pathogens and their dispersal patterns over two growing seasons were identified. The findings indicate that warmer, drier periods may increase the spread of fungal pathogens, emphasizing the need for targeted preventative measures. Understanding these temporal dynamics can help optimize the use of fungicides in forest nurseries, thereby promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly management practices. This research provides valuable insights for improving disease management in forest nurseries, ultimately supporting sustainable tree seedling production.

Consequences of insecticide overuse in Hungary: assessment of pyrethroid resistance in Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes

BackgroundMosquitoes, as vectors of various pathogens, have been a public health risk for centuries. Human activities such as international travel and trade, along with climate change, have facilitated the spread of invasive mosquitoes and novel pathogens across Europe, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne disease introduction and their spread. Despite this threat, mosquito control in Hungary still relies predominantly on chemical treatments, which poses the risk of developing insecticide resistance in local populations. While pyrethroid resistance has been documented in several countries, there is no information on this issue from Hungary. This study aims to investigate the presence of resistance in Hungarian mosquito populations by analyzing a native, already known disease vector and a recently established invasive species with public health significance.MethodsWe assessed the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations L1014F in Culex pipiens and V1016G and F1534C in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are responsible for pyrethroid resistance. Mosquito specimens were investigated retrospectively, collected from previous years within the framework of local monitoring programs run in urban areas representing five regions of Hungary. The mutations in mosquitoes were detected individually by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis, following generally used protocols.ResultsIn Cx. pipiens, the kdr mutation was detected across all five collection sites, with resistance allele frequencies ranging from 18.1% to 36.3%. Resistance alleles were identified in homozygosity and heterozygosity with the susceptible allele, resulting in 53% of the investigated mosquitoes showing resistance to pyrethroids in the Hungarian populations. In contrast, for Ae. albopictus, the analyzed individuals were found to carry only the susceptible alleles, indicating a homozygous susceptible genotype across the investigated populations on the basis of V1016G and F1534C genes.ConclusionsOur work highlights the consequences of the unilateral and long-term use of chemical treatments on mosquitoes. This indicates an urgent need for a change of concept in mosquito control strategy in Hungary, as well as in countries where mosquito control still relies dominantly on insecticides. The restricted use of chemical treatment is highly recommended to prevent the development of pyrethroid resistance in recently established populations of the invasive Ae. albopictus, and to decrease the public health risk of vector-borne diseases.Graphical

Natural language processing to evaluate texting conversations between patients and healthcare providers during COVID-19 Home-Based Care in Rwanda at scale.

Community isolation of patients with communicable infectious diseases limits spread of pathogens but our understanding of isolated patients' needs and challenges is incomplete. Rwanda deployed a digital health service nationally to assist public health clinicians to remotely monitor and support SARS-CoV-2 cases via their mobile phones using daily interactive short message service (SMS) check-ins. We aimed to assess the texting patterns and communicated topics to better understand patient experiences. We extracted data on all COVID-19 cases and exposed contacts who were enrolled in the WelTel text messaging program between March 18, 2020, and March 31, 2022, and linked demographic and clinical data from the national COVID-19 registry. A sample of the text conversation corpus was English-translated and labeled with topics of interest defined by medical experts. Multiple natural language processing (NLP) topic classification models were trained and compared using F1 scores. Best performing models were applied to classify unlabeled conversations. Total 33,081 isolated patients (mean age 33·9, range 0-100), 44% female, including 30,398 cases and 2,683 contacts) were registered in WelTel. Registered patients generated 12,119 interactive text conversations in Kinyarwanda (n = 8,183, 67%), English (n = 3,069, 25%) and other languages. Sufficiently trained large language models (LLMs) were unavailable for Kinyarwanda. Traditional machine learning (ML) models outperformed fine-tuned transformer architecture language models on the native untranslated language corpus, however, the reverse was observed of models trained on English-only data. The most frequently identified topics discussed included symptoms (69%), diagnostics (38%), social issues (19%), prevention (18%), healthcare logistics (16%), and treatment (8·5%). Education, advice, and triage on these topics were provided to patients. Interactive text messaging can be used to remotely support isolated patients in pandemics at scale. NLP can help evaluate the medical and social factors that affect isolated patients which could ultimately inform precision public health responses to future pandemics.

Quantitative Assessment of Microbial Transmission onto Environmental Surfaces Using Thermoresponsive Gelatin Hydrogels as a Finger Mimetic under In Situ-Mimicking Conditions.

Surface-mediated transmission of pathogens plays a key role in healthcare-associated infections. However, proper techniques for its quantitative analysis are lacking, making it challenging to develop novel antimicrobial and anti-fouling surfaces to reduce pathogen spread via environmental surfaces. This study demonstrates a gelatin hydrogel-based touch transfer test, the HydroTouch test, to evaluate pathogen transmission on high-touch surfaces under semi-dry conditions. The HydroTouch test employs gelatin as a finger mimetic, facilitating testing with pathogenic bacteria under controlled conditions. The thermoresponsive sol-gel transition of gelatin allows easy recovery and quantification of bacteria before and after testing. The HydroTouch test demonstrates that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has a high transmission efficiency of ≈16% onto stainless steel, compared to <3% for Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Polyurethane surfaces exhibit strong resistance to bacterial contamination with a transmission efficiency of ≈0.6%, while polytetrafluoroethylene shows a transmission efficiency approximately four times higher than polyurethane. Additionally, quaternary ammonium-based antimicrobial coatings reduce the transmission efficiency of live bacteria on stainless steel to ≈4% of the original level. The HydroTouch test provides a reliable method for assessing pathogen transmission on various surfaces under semi-dry settings, supporting the development of effective antimicrobial, anti-transmission coatings to reduce healthcare-associated infections.

Pathogenic potential of ornithogenic &lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli&lt;/i&gt; strains detected in the Earth's polar regions

Introduction. Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli are an important object of surveillance within the One Health concept in the wild, agriculture and human society. Migratory bird colonies and high latitude avian colonies may be points of active intraspecies and interspecies contact between different animal species, accompanied by the spread of pathogens. At the same time, the phylogeography of E. coli in relation to the presence of natural foci of colibacillosis in polar regions remains virtually unstudied. The aim of this study was to assess the pathogenic potential of E. coli strains from the polar regions of the Earth, based on the analysis of the genomes of these bacteria from typical ornithogenic ecosystems of the Arctic and Antarctic. Materials and methods. The study used collections of E. coli isolated from ornithogenic biological material during expeditions to high latitude areas of the Arctic (archipelagos of Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land, Svalbard) and Antarctic (Haswell Archipelago). 16 cultures associated with avian E. coli (12 polar and 4 temperate strains) were selected for genome-wide sequencing using BGI technology. The annotation of the genomes focused on the identification of genes for pathogenicity factors and antimicrobial resistance, as well as the identification of strains belonging to individual genetic lineages using the cgMLST method. Results. The annotation of the genomes allowed their assignment to different sequence types in the multilocus sequencing typing and genome-wide sequencing typing schemes. The analysis of the geographical distribution of the sequence types of polar E. coli strains determined by the cgMLST method showed their global representation in geographically distant regions of the planet. For example, cgST 133718 was observed in Antarctica (strain 17_1myr) and in the UK, and sequence 11903, to which strain 32-1 from the northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya belonged, was previously identified in the USA. All strains studied were characterized by the presence of extensive virulence. Among the pathogenicity factors identified were haemolysins A, E, F, siderophores, including the yersiniabactin gene cluster, a number of adhesion, colonization and invasion factors, as well as the thermostable enterotoxin EAST-1 and genes that characterize enteroaggregative strains of E. coli (the virulence regulator gene eilA and enteroaggregative protein (air)). One of the Arctic strains (33-1) had determinants of antibiotic resistance, in particular the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase gene TEM-1b and the Tn1721 transposon, including tetracycline resistance genes (tetA-TetR), were detected in its genome. Conclusion. The results of the study indicate the circulation of E. coli strains with strong pathogenic potential in high-latitude Arctic and Antarctic ornithogenic ecosystems. The analysis of genomic data indicates the presence of geographically widespread genetic lineages in these regions, which justifies the importance of monitoring epidemic clones of E. coli, along with monitoring for other pathogens, in bird colonies in high-latitude areas.

Future touchscreen disinfection by integrated UVC LEDs?

AbstractThe application of touchscreens in the public and healthcare sectors is increasing worldwide. Their use by different people allows the unintentional spread of pathogens. The combination of UVC LEDs and a quartz plate appears to make it possible to rapidly and automatically disinfect touchscreens between different users without harming the human operator.

Wheat Stripe Rust Inoculum from the Southwest Dispersed to the East Huang-Huai-Hai Region Through Southern Anhui in China.

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is a continuous threat to global wheat production. In 2021, the epidemic of wheat stripe rust in China affected approximately 4.5 million hectares, resulting in severe yield losses. When confronted with the epidemic, tracing the sources of the pathogen can offer valuable insights for disease prevention and control. This study was conducted to analyze the genetic structure, aerodynamics, geographical features, and cultivation practices of the pathogen population in various wheat-producing regions and to further reveal the spread patterns of the stripe rust pathogens in China. The findings indicated an overall trend of the pathogen dissemination from the west to the east. The pathogen was primarily spread from the northwestern region to the Huang-Huai-Hai region through the Guanzhong Plain and the NanXiang Plain. Meanwhile, the pathogen also spread eastward from the southwestern region to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, using the Jianghan Plain as a bridge and the Yangtze River Valley in southwestern Anhui as the main pathway. Furthermore, the pathogen spread northward into Shandong under the driving force of the southeast winds. The findings of this study may provide valuable insights for the integrated management of wheat stripe rust in China.

Emerging biofilm formation and disinfectant susceptibility of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for various infections in humans and animals. It is known for its resistance to multiple antibiotics, particularly through the production of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs), and its ability to form biofilms that further complicate treatment. This study aimed to isolate and identify K. pneumoniae from animal and environmental samples and assess commercial disinfectants’ effectiveness against K. pneumoniae isolates exhibiting ESBL-mediated resistance and biofilm-forming ability in poultry and equine farms in Giza Governorate, Egypt. A total of 320 samples, including nasal swabs from equine (n = 60) and broiler chickens (n = 90), environmental samples (n = 140), and human hand swabs (n = 30), were collected. K. pneumoniae was isolated using lactose broth enrichment and MacConkey agar, with molecular confirmation via PCR targeting the gyrA and magA genes. PCR also identified ESBL genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, blaOXA-1) and biofilm genes (luxS, Uge, mrkD). Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed, and the efficacy of five commercial disinfectants was evaluated by measuring inhibition zones. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from poultry (13.3%), equine (8.3%), wild birds (15%), water (10%), feed (2%), and human hand swabs (6.6%). ESBL and biofilm genes were detected in the majority of the isolates, with significant phenotypic resistance to multiple antibiotics. The disinfectants containing peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide were the most effective, producing the largest inhibition zones, while disinfectants based on sodium hypochlorite and isopropanol showed lower efficacy. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the effectiveness of disinfectants against K. pneumoniae isolates across various sample origins (P < 0.05). The presence of K. pneumoniae in animal and environmental sources, along with the high prevalence of ESBL-mediated resistance and biofilm-associated virulence genes, underscores the zoonotic potential of this pathogen. The study demonstrated that disinfectants containing peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide are highly effective against ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae. Implementing appropriate biosecurity measures, including the use of effective disinfectants, is essential for controlling the spread of resistant pathogens in farm environments.

Škody ohryzem a loupáním ve smrkových porostech: potvrzení posunu do mladších porostů

The increase in wild ungulate population density harms the dynamics of forest ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the initial degree of damage, as a key factor in the secondary spread of fungal pathogens, and other parameters as a result of bark stripping caused by red deer (Cervus elaphus L.). The research focused on young Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) stands (7–26 years) in a total of 20 permanent research plots at four locations in the Klášterec nad Ohří and Rumburk Forest Service, each with an area of 100 m2 (10 m × 10 m). From the assessment of 783 spruce individuals, it follows that damage by bark stripping in particular stands amounted to 23.4–58.3%. Average circumferential damage ranged between 20.2–32.1% with a trunk wound length of 38.5–77.0 cm. Overall, a significant (p &lt; 0.05) difference in dendrometric parameters (DBH and tree height) was found between undamaged “healthy” trees, and individuals with new and old damage in terms of attractiveness to game. The average DBH of undamaged trees varies between 2.0 and 3.7 cm, which is the size that wildlife prefers for initial damage. The lowest dimension of newly damaged trees starts from a DBH of 1.5 cm, and trees with a DBH &gt; approx. 9 cm were no longer searched for wildlife. Effective hunting management and regulation of the abundance of ungulates to ecologically acceptable levels are the key to the protection of forest stands.

The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival

The unsustainable use of wildlife is a primary driver of global biodiversity loss. No comprehensive global dataset exists on what species are in trade, their geographic origins, and trade's ultimate impacts, which limits our ability to sustainably manage trade. The United States is one of the world's largest importers of wildlife, with trade data compiled in the US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS). The LEMIS provides the most comprehensive publicly accessible wildlife trade database of non-the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) listed species. In total, 21,097 species and over 2.85 billion individuals were traded over the past 22 y (2000-2022). When LEMIS data are combined with CITES records, the United States imported over 29,445 wild species, including over 50% of all globally described species in some taxonomic groups. For most taxa, around half of the individuals are declared as sourced from the wild. Although the LEMIS provides the only means to assess trade volumes for many taxa, without any associated data on most wild populations, it is impossible to assess the impact on biodiversity, sustainability of trade, or any potential risk of pest or pathogen spread. These insights underscore the considerable underestimation of trade and the urgent need for other countries to adopt similar mechanisms to accurately record trade.

Human and Veterinary Medicine Collaboration: Synergistic Approach to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Through the Lens of Planetary Health.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a critical threat to human, animal, and environmental health, challenging global efforts to maintain sustainable ecosystems and public health systems. In this review, the complex, cross-disciplinary issues of AMR are explored within the framework of planetary health, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human and veterinary medicine with broader environmental and social systems. Specifically, it addresses the social, economic, environmental, and health dimensions of AMR under the planetary health framework. The social aspects consider how public awareness, education, and healthcare practices shape antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance patterns. The economic impact evaluates the cost burdens of AMR, including healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and the implications for the livestock and food production industries. The environmental dimension highlights the role of pharmaceutical waste, agricultural runoff, and industrial pollution in contributing to the spread of antimicrobials and resistant pathogens in ecosystems. To illustrate these challenges, a comprehensive literature review using the PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted, identifying 91 relevant articles on planetary health and AMR. In this review, the knowledge from these studies and additional references is integrated to provide a holistic overview of the AMR crisis. By applying the four pillars of planetary health-social, economic, environmental, and health knowledge-in this manuscript, the necessity is underscored of collaborative strategies across human and veterinary medicine to combat AMR. Ultimately, this synergistic approach aims to shape the policies and practices that safeguard public health, protect ecosystems, and promote a sustainable future by implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs and encouraging prudent AMU.

Predicting the effect of landscape structure on epidemic invasion using an analytical estimate for infection rate.

The influence of landscape structure on epidemic invasion of agricultural crops is often underestimated in the construction and analysis of epidemiological models. Computer simulations of individual-based models (IBMs) are widely used to characterize disease spread under different management scenarios but can be slow in exploring large numbers of different landscape configurations. Here, we address the problem of finding an analytical measure of the impact of the spatial structure of a crop landscape on the invasion and spread of plant pathogens. We explore the potential of using an analytical approximation for the rate, , at which susceptible crop fields become infected at the start of an epidemic to predict the effect that the spatial structure of a host landscape will have on an epidemic. We demonstrate the validity of this approach using two models: (i) a general IBM of the invasion and spread of a pathogen through an abstract host landscape; and (ii) an IBM of a real-life example for a virus disease spreading through a cassava landscape. Finally, we demonstrate that the analytical approach based on an estimate of the rate, , can be used to identify spatial structures that effect deceleration of an invading pathogen.

Alternaria radicina; unveiling the cause, spread, and molecular basis of a novel coriander leaf blight disease in Egypt.

Coriandrum sativum L. faced a new and previously undocumented leaf blight disease for the first time. This disease manifests initially as small, circular, or irregular brown spots on older leaves, which gradually expand and merge into dark brownish blotches over time. This disease's impact is detrimental to plant health and seed quality. Through comprehensive morphological characteristics, and molecular identification (GenBank OL823169), the pathogen was conclusively identified as Alternaria radicina. Further confirmation was obtained by analyzing target sequences for the Alt-a-1 gene (GenBank OR492259). Koch's postulates were strictly adhered to, leading to the successful re-isolation of A. radicina from artificially infected 8-week-old coriander plants (local variety; Balady), providing unequivocal evidence that the fungus is responsible for leaf blight disease, marking the first such confirmation worldwide. The significant activity of fungal enzymes may be associated with pathogenicity. The seed-health test supported the hypothesis that seeds play a central role in the transmission of A. radicina, as it was detected in 40% of seed lots, alongside other common pathogenic and saprophytic genera. This study underscores the urgency of implementing seed treatments to curtail the pathogen's spread. The emergence of coriander leaf blight disease documented here (Egypt; 30° 57' 25″ N and 31° 35 ' 54″E) for the first time, necessitates heightened awareness and proactive measures to protect coriander plants all over the world.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of the Essential Oil from the Inflorescence of Etlingera elatior (Zingiberaceae) and Its Main Constituents (Dodecanal and 1-Dodecanol)

The spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens had motivated the search for plant-derived antimicrobial agents, such as essential oils. This work investigated the antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm properties of the essential oil from the inflorescence of Etlingera elatior and its major compounds. Dodecanal (42.46%) and 1-dodecanol (25.84%) were the major compounds. The oil, dodecanal and 1-dodecanol were active against Staphylococcus aureus, with minimum bactericidal concentrations of 124, 31 and 62 µg mL-1, respectively. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the essential oil had an inhibitory effect against a multidrug resistant isolate (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): 4,000 µg mL-1). Dodecanal had an MIC of 60,000 µg mL-1 for all Candida species, but fungicidal activity was only detected for Candida albicans (minimum fungicidal concentration: 60,000 µg mL-1). 1-Dodecanol (60,000 µg mL-1) exhibited fungistatic activity for C. albicans. Biofilm inhibition linked to an anti-adhesive effect of the oil and dodecanal was only detected for the standard S. aureus isolate and C. albicans, respectively. In conclusion, the essential oil from the inflorescence of E. elatior and its major components were more active against nonresistant strains S. aureus. Essential oil, dodecanol and dodecanal showed excellent activity against S. aureus, however, these same materials showed low activity against P. aeruginosa.

Wastewater monitoring - passive sampling for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater.

As a lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based epidemiology was recognised and used as an important method for surveillance and early detection of SARS-CoV-2. As a result, consideration of wastewater as a source of public health information has gained new prominence, and there is consensus that similar approaches can be used to detect the spread of other viral pathogens or antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in populations. However, the implementation of wastewater monitoring poses challenges in terms of obtaining representative and meaningful samples. In particular, it is difficult to sample small catchments, critical facilities (e.g. hospitals) or low-income countries where the use of automatic water samplers is not possible or the samplers are not available. To overcome these problems, this study developed a low-cost and easy-to-use passive sampler based on activated carbon as an adsorbent with a corresponding elution/extraction protocol that allows the detection of viruses and antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater. Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 with these passive samplers at the influent of a wastewater treatment plant over a period of 1.5months showed a positive correlation with monitoring with 24-h composite samples in the catchment area. Analysis of the nucleic acid extracts for antibiotic resistance genes showed the presence of clinically relevant carbapenemase genes such as blaKPC-3 and blaNDM-1 in the wastewater samples, with these genes being detected more reliably by the passive samplers than in the 24-h composite samples. This study therefore demonstrated that passive samplers provide reproducible SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibiotic resistance gene signals from wastewater and a time-integrated measurement of the sampled matrix with high sensitivity.

Pesquisa de anticorpos anti-Leptospira spp. em répteis de vida livre de áreas urbanas e periurbanas do extremo sul do Brasil

ABSTRACT: The state of Rio Grande do Sul has a great diversity of reptile species distributed throughout its territory. Due to human actions, such as habitat fragmentation, these animals have been frequently observed in urban and peri-urban environments. This facilitates the spread of pathogens between animals and humans, posing a unique health risk, as many diseases are considered zoonoses. Leptospirosis is among the most common zoonoses in the world and is caused by pathogenic species of bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The role of reptiles in the cycle of this disease is yet unknown. However, serological studies have demonstrated positivity for antibodies against Leptospira spp. in tortoises and snakes, which may indicate that these animals act in maintaining the pathogen in the environment. This observed the presence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in rescued reptiles taken to the Center for Rehabilitation of Wild Fauna and Screening Center for Wild Animals at the Universidade Federal de Pelotas (NURFS-CETAS/UFPEL). Samples were collected from 55 animals (39 Trachemys dorbigni; 3 Philodryas patagoniensis; 3 Caiman latirostris; 3 Salvator merianae; 2 Acanthochelys spixii; 2 Phrynops hilarii; 2 Hydromedusa tectifera; 1 Philodryas aestiva) from August 2022 to December 2023 and tested for 12 reference serovars. Two animals demonstrated positivity, one for the pathogenic serovar Pyrogenes and the other for the pathogenic serovar Canicola. This result reflected the importance of different species besides mammals as potential reservoirs and responsible for maintaining leptospirosis in the environment.

Population-Based Study of Emergence and Spread of Escherichia coli Producing OXA-48-Like Carbapenemases, Israel, 2007-2023.

Escherichia coli producing OXA-48-like carbapenemases (OXA-EC) is considered a high-risk pathogen spread primarily in the community in low- and middle-income countries and nosocomially in high-income countries. We investigated the emergence and spread of OXA-EC in Israel, a high-income country with strong carbapenemase-directed infection control in healthcare institutions, by conducting a population-based study using data and isolates from the national surveillance system. A total of 3,510 incident cases of OXA-EC occurred during 2007-2023. During 2016-2023, annual cases rose from 41 to 1,524 and nonnosocomial cases rose from 39% to 57%. Sixty-three sequenced isolates belonged to 20 sequence types (STs) and had 3 blaOXA alleles (blaOXA-244, blaOXA-48, and blaOXA-181); 71% were chromosomally encoded, and 29% were plasmid-encoded. Nosocomially and non-nosocomially acquired isolates belonged to the same STs and alleles. Most outbreaks involved multiple STs and could only partially be explained by plasmid dissemination. Measures for confronting OXA-EC might need reconsideration.