The Microbe最新文献

{"title":"Biofilms: A cause for the development of cancer: A review","authors":"Avi Gupta ,&nbsp;Debasmita Bhattacharya ,&nbsp;Sumitha Elayaperumal ,&nbsp;Yuvaraj Sivamani ,&nbsp;Dibyajit Lahiri ,&nbsp;Moupriya Nag","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100236","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100236","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cancer is one of the most complex, multifaceted diseases and continues to be the most potent challenge to human health in contemporary history. For centuries, genetic and environmental conditions have been recognized as major contributing factors to this disease, and increasing research has shown that microbial biofilms may play crucial roles in carcinogenesis. Biofilms have been associated with infectious diseases for several decades, but research currently in progress has proven that biofilms play a role in many forms of cancer and may, therefore, be a link between microbial colonization and tumorigenesis. Biofilms stimulate the immune system by releasing proinflammatory cytokines as well as reactive oxygen species. In addition, drug resistance and cancer have been widely attributed to the role of biofilm-forming bacteria. The presence of biofilms in the tumor reduces the degree of immunity and prevents the therapeutic effects of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, bacterial resistance to antibiotics can exacerbate issues related to treatment strategies. This need has led to the study of the role played by biofilms in constructing the tumor microenvironment so that novel therapies targeting cancer cells and microbial communities can be discovered. By elucidating the interlinkage between microbial communities and tumors, researchers may uncover new opportunities for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and intervention plans. This review explores the relationship between biofilms and cancer, outlines the mechanisms by which biofilms promote cancer, and discusses implications for cancer prevention and treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100236"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoding antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Embracing innovative therapies beyond conventional antibiotics","authors":"Nomita Gupta ,&nbsp;Kanchan Chauhan ,&nbsp;Garima Singh ,&nbsp;Shobhi Chaudhary,&nbsp;Jitendra Singh Rathore","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, an important Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, is accountable for numerous acute and chronic infections, resulting in mortality rates of up to 40 % and significant morbidity. This opportunistic bacterial pathogen targets individuals with conditions like cystic fibrosis, burn wounds, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), immunodeficiency, cancer, and those experiencing severe infections requiring ventilation, such as in the case of COVID-19. Treatment with antibiotics is currently the only means of preventing <em>P. aeruginosa</em> infections. The pathogens acquired and adaptive mechanisms have led to a rise in the prevalence of multidrug-resistance, which poses a significant challenge in healthcare environments. The bacterial pathogen uses many strategies such as the formation of biofilms, multidrug resistance, and antibiotic tolerance, to spread and maintain infection. The mechanisms of intrinsic and adaptive resistance utilized by this microbe to empower its pathogenesis are covered in great detail in this review. The different antibiotics that are employed in clinical settings to treat <em>P. aeruginosa</em> infections are also discussed. Furthermore, various therapeutic strategies to treat <em>P. aeruginosa</em> infections such as phage therapy and CRISPR-Cas9, antimicrobial peptides, immunomodulators, use of nanotechnology, vaccine development, and the revolutionary concept of drug repurposing are well discussed. Coherently, we draw attention to the research on alternative as well as innovative methods to control <em>P. aeruginosa</em> infections replacing the need of traditionally available antibiotics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100233"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integration of microwave assisted pretreatment for ameliorating anaerobic digestion for clean energy","authors":"Bikash Kumar ,&nbsp;Pradeep Verma","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7) aim towards the attainment of affordable and cleaner energy, underscoring the urgency to transition from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives. Waste biomass utilization is considered a highly effective strategy for developing a biowaste economy or circular economy. The circular economy holds immense promise to provide a sustainable and affordable alternative to renewable energy and chemicals. Among several promising alternatives, Anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as a key technology that utilizes anaerobic microbes through a series of steps i.e., hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis, for the conversion of complex biomass into biofuel and chemicals. However, the inherent recalcitrance properties of the waste biomass limit the efficient hydrolysis of biomass which in turn further limits the subsequent transformation stages of the AD. Thus, there is a need for a pretreatment stage before AD for ease of access to the biomass components. Microwave-assisted pretreatment (MAP) has demonstrated the ability to break down complex biomass structures, thus improving substrate availability for microbial action during different stages of AD. MAP has gained prominence due to several advantages such as high specificity for selective heating, rapid processing and lower energy requirement. The integration of MAP with AD offers promising solutions to achieve improved biodegradability, and higher energy yields at reduced operational costs, and lower power inputs. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an efficient MAP system with the ability to utilize a wide range of biomass in a greener and cheaper manner. Thus, this conceptual review aims to provide insight into the mechanism of MAP technology and key biomass properties to be considered for integration to MAP to AD. The review also provides insight into techno-economic, energy efficiency, and environmental impact assessment for the integration of MAP to AD. Furthermore, this review provides a roadmap for the development of a scalable, cost-effective MAP-mediated AD system for finding bioenergy solutions aligning with global sustainability goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100235"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation of composites based on herbicide-degrading bacteria and their effects on soil bacterial communities","authors":"Shengchen Zhao,&nbsp;Jihong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100234","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2025.100234","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The microbial degradation of atrazine and nicosulfuron residues in soil serves as an effective bioremediation method. In this experiment, three strains capable of degrading atrazine or nicosulfuron were chosen to create a compound microbial inoculant. Chitosan spheres were prepared through acid-base titration for encapsulation, ensuring that the strains can exert a consistent effect during the subsequent crop planting. The verification process confirmed that the encapsulated chitosan-microbial composite retained substantial degradation efficacy on the seventh day, with degradation rates of 82.62 % for atrazine and 65.28 % for nicosulfuron, respectively. Utilizing a neural network-based ANN (artificial neural network) model, it was revealed that the BC composite attained the highest degradation rates, reaching 88.18 % for atrazine and 69.90 % for nicosulfuron. The composite potentially possesses a more robust capability to enhance crop growth. The auxin (IAA) production of the chitosan-microbial composite was measured and found to reach 43.30 mg/L. The introduction of the composite led to an 11.02 % increase in the relative abundance of <em>Proteobacteria</em>. Additionally, the relative abundances of <em>Gemmatimonadota</em>, <em>Chloroflexi</em>, <em>Bacteroidota</em>, <em>Actinobacteriota</em>, and <em>Acidobacteriota</em> exhibited varying degrees of increase. Simultaneously, through the combined action of chitosan and inoculant, there is an enhancement in the microbial community's functions related to energy production and conversion, translation, ribosomal structure, and biogenesis in the soil. This enhancement effectively elevates soil fertility and stimulates crop growth. The findings imply that the chitosan-microbial composite holds promise as a resource for mitigating harmful substances in soil and enhancing soil quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100234"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative risk assessment of African Swine Fever (ASF) spread from North-Eastern states to other states of India through live pigs, pork or pork product transportation","authors":"Rotluangkimi ,&nbsp;D.K. Sinha ,&nbsp;Z.B. Dubal ,&nbsp;S. Nandi ,&nbsp;B.R. Singh ,&nbsp;Obli Rajendran Vinodh Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>African Swine Fever (ASF) causes severe economic loss to the pig industry and is mostly transmitted by infected pigs, pig carcasses, pork products and fomites. A preliminary work on probabilistic quantitative risk assessment model for the risk of ASF spread from North-Eastern (NE) states to other states of India during high-risk period of ASF through live pigs, pork or pork product transportation was carried out. For risk assessment, the data was collected using a questionnaire, expert opinion, surveillance data and internet searches. The mean monthly probability of ASFV introduction from NE states to other states of India during high-risk period of ASF through live pig transportation was estimated as 1.13x 10⁻⁸ (0.2–59.2 ×10⁻⁷, 95 % CI) and median of 5.19x10⁻⁹. The risk estimation for pork or pork products transportation was monthly mean of 3.08 x 10⁻⁶ (0–15.2 ×10⁻⁵, 95 % CI) and median of 1.61x10⁻⁶. Given this, the mean annual probability of ASFV introduction via live pig transportation and pork or pork products can be estimated as 1.36 × 10⁻⁷ and 3.69 x 10⁻⁵ respectively. The estimated combined (live pig and pork products) mean monthly and annual probability of ASF spread to other Indian states either by live pig or pork and pork products was 3.09 × 10⁻⁶ and 3.71x10⁻⁵ respectively. Further, the sensitivity analysis identified the influential parameters. The study estimated that the probability of ASF transmission from NE states to other parts of India during high-risk period of ASF by live pigs and pork products is quite low, which may be because of ban on pig and pig products transportation during ASF high-risk period. Generally, the demand for pigs and pork in NE states is high and that lead to lesser export of pigs and pork or pork products from NE states to other parts of the country. Although a more extensive study of different routes of ASF transmission needs to be conducted, the outcome of the present study can be utilized to form an outline for future implementation of prevention and control measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100231"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Violacein quantification using a smartphone coupled to an endoscopic camera: Quorum sensing inhibition in Chromobacterium violaceum","authors":"Camilla Casagrande ,&nbsp;Monica Voos ,&nbsp;Franciane Batista Nunes ,&nbsp;Camilla Filippi dos Santos Alves ,&nbsp;Camila Marina Verdi ,&nbsp;Juliano Barin ,&nbsp;Roberto Christ Vianna Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quorum sensing (QS) strongly regulates the biofilm formation mechanism in several microorganisms. The blockade of violacein production in <em>Chromobacterium violaceum</em> has been employed to indicate QS inhibition. Nevertheless, quantifying violacein is challenging due to the reliance on high-cost equipment and supplies. Consequently, this study compared the production and inhibition of violacein using a traditional spectrophotometric method and an alternative approach utilizing a Photometrix UVC Android application integrated with a USB endoscopic camera. The study standardized the growth of <em>C. violaceum</em> in several culture media and incubation times, then evaluated the pigment inhibition against salicylic acid. Results indicated that <em>C. violaceum</em> produced more violacein when cultivated in BHI broth for 24 h. Salicylic acid inhibited violacein production, even at sub-inhibitory concentrations, with a minimum inhibitory pigment concentration (125 µg/mL) and a minimum bactericidal concentration (2000 µg/mL). A comparison between application-based readings and the traditional method showed no significant differences, highlighting the potential of this technology as an essential tool in for QS inhibition and biofilm research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Degradation of dyes by fungi: An overview on recent updates","authors":"Nagraj ,&nbsp;Pankaj Kumar Chaurasia ,&nbsp;Shashi Lata Bharati ,&nbsp;Nagendra Sharma ,&nbsp;Jaynath Kumar ,&nbsp;Azhagu Madhavan Sivalingam","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100232","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100232","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dyes are colored organic compounds widely used in the field of painting, medicine, textiles, paper and plastic factories and many other industrial sectors. Tendency of dye molecules to firmly fix with fabric make them essentially important in textile sectors. Besides these useful roles of dyes, they are also considered as harmful organic pollutants. Unused dyes and their different byproducts released from industrial sectors are the serious concern for human health as well as aquatic lives. Different methods for the detoxification of dyes molecules have been studied like physical, chemical, and biological methods. Biological methods utilize the microbial sources (primarily fungi, bacteria, yeast, and microbial enzymes) and plants for the degradation and remediation of dyes pollutants. Biological methods are relatively inexpensive and ecofriendly in comparison with conventional physical and chemical methods due to their strong biosorption and dye mineralizing efficiency. Fungal assisted dyes removal involves the mechanism of biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biodegradation processes. Fungal lignolytic enzymes (Laccase, Manganese peroxidase, and Lignin peroxidase) have potential role in the effective degradation of various dye molecules, especially azo-dyes by attacking on their more vulnerable bonds. Such enzymes break the weaker bonds and convert the broken moieties in to lesser toxic or no-toxic forms. Although, fungal bioremediation of dyes molecules is an effective method of biodegradation due to their different enzyme secretion, however, there are many challenges in their industrial scale application like longer period requirement in the fungal treatment method, alkaline nature of textile effluents, and management of different factors like temperatures, pHs, concentration of dye molecules, time of stirring or agitation and many others in dye polluted water system. Thus, this review assesses the fungal role in depollution of dyes, its mechanism, factors affecting the rate of degradation, and effectiveness of various studies in field. Along with discussions on the fungal efficiency in dye removal; major challenges in the application of fungal technology for dyes degradation at industrial scale have also been be described and evaluated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: A medicinally important plant inhibits pathogenic biofilms","authors":"Firoz Ahmad Ansari ,&nbsp;Fohad Mabood Husain ,&nbsp;John Pichtel ,&nbsp;Ram Pratap Meena ,&nbsp;Mohd Hashim Khan ,&nbsp;Asma Sattar Khan ,&nbsp;Naushad Alam","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Overuse of synthetic antibiotics and the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) in ESKAPE bacteria are major clinical concerns on a global scale. ESKAPE bacteria are responsible for most hospital-acquired infections because of their capacity to create robust biofilms. One of the most important targets for medications is biofilm-regulated bacterial pathogenicity. In the Indian medical system, <em>Withania somnifera</em> (L.) Dunal (WS) is an important medicinal plant used to treat illnesses. However, no research has been conducted to assess its antibiofilm potential against MDR pathogens and anti-aging potential. The reported study assessed the potential of WS root aqueous extract against ESKAPE biofilms and linked traits including EPS and alginate production, CSH, swarming and swimming motilities, and production of matrix components (eDNA, eProtein, and eCarbohydrates) of such pathogens <em>in vitro</em>. Concurrently, the root extract was tested for its ability to inhibit enzymes such as tyrosinase, collagenase and elastase contributed to skin aging. The root extract's MIC value against all six ESKAPE pathogens was 2.0 mg/mL. Bacterial biofilms were quantified at a sub-MIC value of 1.0 mg/mL using a microtiter plate assay and matrix components were evaluated using Dispersin B (DspB) extractant. The sub-MIC concentration significantly reduced biofilm formation and associated characteristics; the utmost inhibition was 59.9 % in all six tested pathogens. A likewise pattern of inhibition in matrix components was recorded, and highest reduction was 53.4 % in the ESKAPE pathogens. Additionally, the root extract was tested for its anti-aging potential. The sub-MIC concentrations suppressed the three major aging enzymes up to 31.47 %. The present study reveals that WS root extract imparts a novel anti-biofilm effect against ESKAPE, as well as offering skin anti-aging potential, for the first time. Thus, WS root could be utilized as a potential herbal remedy against nosocomial infection and aging of skin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing the efficacy of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine","authors":"Lwandile Bukula ,&nbsp;Melissa D. Chengalroyen ,&nbsp;Charles Omollo ,&nbsp;Raymond M. Moseki","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The considerable scope of the worldwide tuberculosis (TB) crisis and the emergence of antibiotic-resistance have spurred efforts to develop new TB vaccines, albeit without success (Scriba, Netea et al., 2020). Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) remains the only licensed TB vaccine which protects against disseminated forms of TB in infants and young children (Rodrigues, Diwan et al., 1993, Trunz, Fine et al., 2006, Barreto, Pilger et al., 2014). However, the burden of TB is highest in adults in whom the efficacy of BCG is significantly variable (Colditz, Brewer et al., 1994). Recently, more resources have been channelled towards improving the efficacy of the century old BCG vaccine in adults and developing novel subunit vaccines for TB or developing vaccine strategies that incorporate BCG to retain its protective effect (Skeiky and Sadoff 2006, Hawkridge, Scriba et al., 2008, Lienhardt, Fruth et al., 2012, Monin, Griffiths et al., 2015). Distinct studies have identified several factors that are attributed to the variable protection conferred by BCG in different populations (Brosch, Gordon et al., 2007, Anderson, Webb et al., 2012). To improve the current efficacy of BCG requires thorough understanding of protective vaccine induced immune responses following immunization with BCG. Here we review the factors which contribute towards interindividual variability to the BCG vaccine in various demographics. These factors are heterogenous and understanding their cumulative effect on TB immunity has the potential to impact the implementation of TB vaccine programmes in endemic settings and result in more robust correlates of protection which could potentially curb the scourge of TB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ticks as a potential vector for spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR): An epidemiological study from Wayanad district, South India","authors":"M. Swathy Viswanath ,&nbsp;Rouchelle Charmaine Tellis ,&nbsp;Vipin Viswanath ,&nbsp;Sohanlal Thiruvoth","doi":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microb.2024.100225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are the known vectors of Spotted Fever Group <em>Rickettsia</em> (SFGR), a pathogen responsible for several tick-borne diseases. Wayanad, a hilly district in Kerala, India, has reported recurring cases of these diseases, prompting this epidemiological study. The study was conducted from October 2022 to December 2023, and aimed to find the geographical distribution of ticks in forest-adjacent areas and evaluate their role as potential SFGR vectors. A total of 520 ticks were collected from animals (Cows, Buffaloes, Goats and Dogs) in 23 locations in Wayanad district, with <em>Haemaphysalis bispinosa</em> emerging as the most abundant species, accounting for 79.2 % of the total ticks collected. <em>Haemaphysalis spinigera</em> and <em>Haemaphysalis turturis</em> represented 18.2 % and 2.3 % of the ticks, respectively. Using nested PCR to target the <em>gltA</em> and <em>ompA</em> genes, SFGR-DNA was detected exclusively in <em>H. bispinosa pools</em>. In total, 52.17 % of the sampled areas contained ticks positive for SFGR. Of the 516 ticks screened, 408 ticks from 40 pools of <em>H. bispinosa</em> were found positive for SFGR. The Minimum Infection Rate (MIR) was highest in Zone-1 (10.7 %), followed by Zone-2 (9.69 %) and Zone-3 (9.52 %). The current study is the first of its kind to report the presence of SFGR in South India which has significant public health concerns as it is a neglected tropical disease. Molecular characterization and sequencing are further recommended along with continuous surveillance of tick vectors and the implementation of preventive strategies in this region.<ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Minimum Infection Rate</div></span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae</div></span></li></ul><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Tick-borne pathogens</div></span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Arthropod vectors</div></span></li></ul><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Neglected tropical disease</div></span></li></ul></div></div>","PeriodicalId":101246,"journal":{"name":"The Microbe","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100225"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}