Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Retraction: <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> mucinous phenotypes and <i>algUmucABD</i> operon mutant characteristics obtained from inpatients with bronchiectasis and their correlation with acute aggravation.","authors":"","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1699040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1699040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1402348.].</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1699040"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12461224/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology, drug resistance, and clinical risk factors of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis: a five-year multicenter study.","authors":"Min Zhang, Xiang Li, Yun Zhang, Jingxian Wu, Jie Liu, Yajuan Li, Anyong Wang, Yuanhong Xu, Bo Wang, Jinxing Xia","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1654246","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1654246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) remains a major complication in long-term dialysis patients, leading to significant morbidity and healthcare burden. This study aimed to investigate the microbial spectrum, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and clinical risk factors associated with PDAP in hospitalized patients in Anhui, China, over the past five years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 438 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients from three PD centers in Anhui from 2020 to early 2025. Of these, 238 patients were diagnosed with PDAP and 200 served as controls without peritonitis. Peritoneal effluents were cultured and microbiologically identified using MALDI-TOF MS and VITEK 2 systems. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing followed CLSI M100 standards. Clinical and laboratory data were statistically analyzed using SPSS v26.0, and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine independent risk factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant differences were observed between the PDAP and control cohorts in sex, age, hospitalization time, PD duration, red blood cell count, total protein, albumin, blood glucose, and concomitant conditions (<i>e.g.</i>, hepatitis B, autoimmune diseases, and hyperthyroidism) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Laboratory infectious markers including peripheral blood white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil percentage, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein, peritoneal dialysate WBC and multinucleated cell counts, were significantly elevated in the PDAP population compared to controls, with serum PCT and dialysate WBCs presented as significant predictors after multivariate adjustment. <i>Staphylococcus</i> species showed predominant methicillin resistance (47.22% oxacillin-susceptible) with moxifloxacin outperforming other fluoroquinolones, while carbapenems demonstrated near-universal efficacy against Enterobacterales (<i>esp.</i>, for ertapenem). <i>Candida</i> species mounted variable antifungal responses, with optimal activities of amphotericin B/flucytosine except fluconazole, underscoring both therapeutic opportunities and emerging resistance threats across bacterial and fungal pathogens.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The multicenter study confirmed elevated serum PCT and peritoneal dialysate leukocytes as robust independent clinical predictors for PDAP, with other risk factors significantly increasing disease susceptibility. The diverse microbial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance features shed light on the importance of updated local microbial surveillance to guide empirical treatment and clinical management strategies on PDAP.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1654246"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of decision thresholds for Mycobacterium tuberculosis can effectively improve the performance of mNGS in tuberculosis diagnosis.","authors":"Yuecui Li, Lili Zhang, Guannan Ma, Chenghang Li, Weiyue Hu, Ruotong Ren, Yinghui Zang, Dandan Ying, Shuai Qiu, Shuyan Jin, Chunjie Qiu, Xuefang Cao","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1646194","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1646194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis remains challenging due to limitations in traditional methods. This study aimed to optimize the metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) threshold for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) detection and evaluate its efficacy compared to standard diagnostic approaches.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 264 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected from patients with suspected pulmonary TB at Yongkang First People's Hospital between January 2022 and June 2023. After excluding patients with incomplete data, 59 clinically confirmed TB patients and 111 with non-tuberculous conditions were enrolled. mNGS data were analyzed to calculate reads per million (RPM) for MTBC, and thresholds of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.10 RPM were evaluated for diagnostic efficacy using clinical diagnosis as the gold standard.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for mNGS in diagnosing TB at RPM thresholds of ≥0.02, ≥0.05, and ≥0.10 were 0.881, 0.873, and 0.814, respectively. The optimal detection threshold was found at RPM ≥ 0.05. Comparative analysis showed mNGS (AUC = 0.873) outperformed routine culture (0.718), PCR (0.741), and Xpert (0.763). Combining mNGS with these methods improved AUC values to 0.837, 0.868, and 0.873, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Optimizing the mNGS threshold to ≥0.05 significantly enhances MTBC detection in pulmonary TB. Combining mNGS with traditional methods further improves diagnostic efficacy, suggesting a potential role for mNGS in clinical TB management.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1646194"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12485630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BALB/c mice infection with hybrid <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>V.</i>) <i>guyanensis</i>/<i>L.</i> (<i>V.</i>) <i>shawi</i> showed an intermediate virulence profile compared to parental species infections.","authors":"Ana Carolina Stocco Lima, Thaise Yumie Tomokane, Gabriela Fernandes Rodrigues, Larissa Dos Santos Alcântara, Marliane Batista Campos, Maíra Pombo, Márcia Dalastra Laurenti, Vania Lucia Ribeiro da Matta, Lucile Maria Floeter-Winter, Carlos Eduardo Pereira Corbett, Fernando Tobias Silveira, Cláudia Maria de Castro Gomes","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1648268","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1648268","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Hybridization events within the genus <i>Leishmania</i> have been documented; however, their impact on the infection dynamics of hybrids remains poorly understood. In this study, we compared the infection dynamics caused by a hybrid parasite, <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Viannia</i>) <i>guyanensis</i>/<i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Viannia</i>) <i>shawi</i>, with those caused by its parental species, <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Viannia</i>) <i>guyanensis</i> and <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Viannia</i>) <i>shawi</i>, in BALB/c mice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Balb/c mice were inoculated with stationary-phase promastigote forms of each parasite. Lesion development and parasite load were monitored longitudinally, and cytokine production was assessed at 35 days post-infection (PI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The infection with the hybrid parasite induced a more rapid and evident progression, attaining its largest dimension between days 14 and 28 days PI, followed by regression. In contrast, infection with <i>L</i>. (<i>V</i>.) <i>guyanensis</i> resulted in a continuous increase in swelling, whereas <i>L</i>. (<i>V</i>.) <i>shawi</i> caused only mild swelling. Parasite loads in skin and lymph nodes were comparable across groups, though the hybrid parasite exhibited a significant increase in parasite burden from day 35 PI onwards.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The immunologic response of hybrid parasite infection was associated with reduced gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and elevated interleukin 4 (IL-4) production compared to parental species and controls (P < 0.05), with no significant differences observed in interleukin 12 (IL-12p40) or interleukin 10 (IL-10). Infection with <i>L</i>. (<i>V</i>.) <i>guyanensis</i> led to decreased IFN-γ in lymph nodes and increased IL-4 production in both skin and lymph nodes, whereas <i>L</i>. (<i>V</i>.) <i>shawi</i> infection did not significantly alter cytokine profiles.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Together, these findings provide important insights into the distinct biological behavior of the <i>Leishmania</i> hybrid parasite and its parental species, underscoring the relevance of hybridization in shaping host-parasite interactions and advancing our understanding of leishmaniasis within complex eco-epidemiological settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1648268"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460293/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of gut microbiota signatures in Indian preterm infants with necrotizing enterocolitis: a shotgun metagenomic approach.","authors":"Prabavathi Devarajalu, Savita Verma Attri, Jogender Kumar, Sourabh Dutta, Jayakanthan Kabeerdoss","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1649384","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1649384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that primarily affects preterm infants. Predisposing risk factors for NEC include prematurity, formula feeding, anemia, and sepsis. To date, no studies have investigated the gut microbiota of preterm infants with NEC in India.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In the current study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal samples from premature infants with NEC and healthy preterm infants (n = 24). Sequencing was conducted using the NovaSeq X Plus platform, generating 2 × 150 bp paired-end reads. The infants were matched based on gestational age and postnatal age.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The median time to NEC diagnosis was 9 days (range: 1-30 days). Taxonomic analysis revealed a high prevalence of <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> at the family level, with the genera <i>Klebsiella</i> and <i>Escherichia</i> particularly prominent in neonates with NEC. No statistically significant differences in alpha or beta diversity were observed between stool samples from infants with and without NEC. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> were significantly more abundant in stool samples from infants with NEC than without NEC (q < 0.05). Differential abundance analysis using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) identified <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i> as enriched in the gut microbiota of preterm infants with NEC. Functional analysis revealed an increase in genes associated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen, the type IV secretion system (T4SS), the L-rhamnose pathway, quorum sensing, and iron transporters, including ABC transporters, in stool samples from infants with NEC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The high prevalence of <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> and enrichment of LPS O-antigen and T4SS genes may be associated with NEC in Indian preterm infants.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1649384"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification, antifungal resistance, and genomic characterization of a single <i>Candida auris</i> isolate from urinary tract infection.","authors":"Jie Li, Ziheng Wang, Rui Zheng, Yangyan Wang, Xin Guo, Xiaoning Li, Peng Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1641542","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1641542","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze the identification, antifungal resistance, and genomic characteristics of a <i>Candida auris</i> (<i>C. auris</i>) strain isolated from a urine specimen of an ICU patient at Yijishan Hospital, Wannan Medical College, Anhui Province.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The isolate was identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The susceptibility of the isolates to fungi was determined by measuring the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values using the VITEK 2 COMPACT system. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed using high-throughput technology. Resistance and virulence genes were annotated using public databases, including NCBI (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/, version 2.2.28), DFVF (http://sysbio.unl.edu/DFVF/, version 1.0), PHI-base (http://www.phi-base.org, version 5.0) and KEGG (https://www.kegg.jp/, version 89.1). A phylogenetic tree was constructed through analysis of the 18S rRNA nucleotide sequence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The isolate named CAS20503 was identified as <i>C. auris</i>. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed resistance to fluconazole and amphotericin B. Genomic analysis identified resistance genes including <i>ERG11</i> (azole), <i>FKS1</i> (echinocandin), <i>ERG3</i> (polyene), and efflux pumps <i>CDR1</i>, <i>MDR1</i>. Resistance mutations were detected. The virulence genes analyzed based on the DFVF database included <i>CaNik1</i>, <i>CHS2</i>, <i>DUR1,2</i>, <i>HSP90</i>, <i>ICL1</i>, <i>PMT1</i>, <i>PMT2</i>, <i>PMT4</i>, <i>SSD1</i>, <i>TPS2</i>. The host pathogenic genes identified by comparison with the PHI-base database included <i>CaCHS1, ADE2, FAS2, PMR1, CaTPS2, Tfp1.</i> KEGG annotation showed enrichment in infectious disease pathways. The phylogenetic tree constncted based on the nudeotide sequence analysis of 18S rRNA indicated that this strain (Genome accession number: JBPYFS000000000) exhibited a high degree of genomic similarity to the <i>C. auris</i> strain (Genome accession number: CP157510.1), which was isolated in ltaly in 2024 and belonged to clade l (a subset of the South Asian clade).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Through an in-depth analysis of strain CAS20503, which was isolated from a urinary tract infection specimen at a tertiary public hospital in Anhui Province (Yijishan Hospital, Wannan Medical College), this study elucidated the drug resistance profiles and genomic characteristics of <i>C. auris</i>. The findings have provided critical evidence for the early identification, diagnosis, and optimization of antifungal therapeutic regimens for infections caused by this pathogen in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1641542"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457345/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of walnut leaves on oxidative stress caused by murine cerebral malaria.","authors":"Rewaida Abdel-Gaber, Afra Alharbi, Nada Almohawis, Saleh Al Quraishy, Esam Al-Shaebi","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1636404","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1636404","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Following the infection of mice by the &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium&lt;/i&gt; parasite, a significant increase in oxidative stress occurs within the brain. This oxidative stress is further intensified as the parasite proliferates, leading to an imbalance in the body's oxidant and antioxidant systems. As a result, the affected mice experience various health issues stemming from this disruption. Previous research has indicated that the leaves of &lt;i&gt;Juglans regia&lt;/i&gt;, commonly known as walnut, possess protective properties that can mitigate brain damage caused by the &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium&lt;/i&gt; parasite. These leaves inhibit the parasite's reproduction and restore normal brain functions in the affected mice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose: &lt;/strong&gt;In the current study, we investigated the impact of &lt;i&gt;J. regia&lt;/i&gt; leaves on oxidative stress and cellular damage associated with cerebral malaria infection in a murine model.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The extract of leaves from &lt;i&gt;Juglans regia&lt;/i&gt; was prepared using methanol as the solvent. Thirty female C57BL/6 mice, weighing 20 to 25 grams and aged 9 to 12 weeks, were organized into six distinct groups for the experiment (labeled G1 through G6). On day 9, following the initiation of the infection protocol, all mice were euthanized, and their brains were harvested for further analysis. The primary focus of this study was to assess the degree of oxidative stress present in the brain tissue and measure the activities of various antioxidant enzymes. To quantify levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique and immunohistochemistry assay were employed, providing a sensitive and specific means of detecting this enzyme's concentration in the brain tissue samples.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The study findings revealed that the heightened levels of free radicals in the brain, induced by the infection with &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium berghei&lt;/i&gt;, were effectively eliminated following a daily treatment regimen with JRLE. This treatment resulted in notable reductions in the concentration of key oxidative stress markers, including nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;), in the groups of mice that received JRLE compared to those that remained infected. Moreover, the administration of JRLE appeared to play a protective role against oxidative stress by enhancing the activities of several crucial antioxidant enzymes. Specifically, there was a marked increase in the activity levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the treated groups. Interestingly, although the treatment significantly increased the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the subsequent administration of JRLE effectively mitigated this increase.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;This comprehensive evaluation aimed to clarify the potential protective ","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1636404"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457371/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Providing a rest stop during transportation affects the respiratory bacterial microbiota of beef cattle.","authors":"Muhammed Salah Uddin, Emmanuel W Bumunang, Matthew Waldner, Karen S Schwartzkopf-Genswein, Daniela M Meléndez, Yan D Niu, Trevor W Alexander","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1622241","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1622241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a significant health concern in beef cattle production, leading to substantial economic losses. In North America, beef cattle are frequently transported over long distances for placement into feedlots. The respiratory microbiota of cattle, including pathogens, can change after feedlot entry. However, there is limited information on how bacteria are impacted when cattle are offloaded for a rest stop during transportation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study investigated the effects of a rest stop during transportation on the nasopharyngeal (NP) microbiota of beef cattle. Two separate trials (N = 80 calves per trial) were conducted with treatment groups assigned to rest stop durations of 12 h (Study 1) and 8 h (Study 2), being compared to control animals without a rest stop. In Study 1, cattle were acclimated to a feedlot prior to transportation while in Study 2, cattle were unacclimated. Following transportation and a rest interval, calves were placed into a feedlot and sampled by NP swab periodically for 28 days. Across treatments and time, the most abundant genera included <i>Mycoplasma</i>, <i>Histophilus</i>, <i>Mannheimia</i>, <i>Pasteurella, Moraxella</i>, and <i>Acinetobacter</i>. In both studies, microbial diversity and structure were not affected by providing a rest stop. However, NP swabs from more sampling time points had elevated levels of the BRD-associated genera <i>Mannheimia, Histophilus</i>, and <i>Mycoplasma</i> when the microbiota of calves provided rest were compared to animals given no rest.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based solely on the increased abundance of BRD-associated bacteria, providing a rest stop during transportation may be a risk factor for BRD. However, it was not possible to associate rest stop-induced changes in microbiota with disease outcome due to a low incidence of BRD. Further evaluation using large-scale studies will help define the impact of a rest stop during transportation, on BRD pathogens and incidence in feedlots.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1622241"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457343/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parasite-mediated alteration of behaviour and biomolecular dynamics in a mouse model.","authors":"Steven Santino Leonardi, Chin Wen Png, Aye Sandi Bo, Peiyan Wong, Vinaya Rajagopal Iyer, Kevin Shyong-Wei Tan","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1574660","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1574660","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Blastocystis is a highly prevalent gut parasite whose pathogenicity remains unclear. Both beneficial and detrimental effects have been observed as a result of Blastocystis infection, including altered gut microbiota, metabolism, and gastrointestinal health. The parasite expresses a modified tryptophanase enzyme known as BhTnaA, which has the unique ability to metabolize indole to tryptophan. Enterochromaffin cells in the gut produce serotonin from tryptophan. These cells are innervated by the vagus nerve, which serves an essential role in mediating bidirectional signaling between the gut and brain. Perturbed serotonin signaling has been associated with disorders linked to gut-brain axis dysfunction, such as IBS and some mood disorders. Our study shows that Blastocystis can use BhTnaA to influence serotonin synthesis by enterochromaffin cells <i>in vitro</i> and in a mouse model, and that these effects result in alterations in mouse behaviour.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used RIN14B cells as an enterochromaffin cell model to determine whether BhTnaA upregulates serotonin synthesis and associated gene expression. Murine models colonized with multiple Blastocystis ST7 isolates were used to study altered serotonin metabolite levels in the gut. Analysis of mouse behavioral changes was done through the Light Box, Tail Suspension, and Open Field tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We demonstrated that the tryptophan produced by BhTnaA upregulates serotonin synthesis in EC cell models. In mice colonized with Blastocystis, increased tryptophan and serotonin levels were observed in the colon, a region of the gut inhabited by the parasites. Behavioral tests showed heightened anxiety in these mice, and a statistical correlation was identified between increases in the metabolites and observed anxiety behaviour.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our study confirmed perturbation of gut tryptophan and serotonin levels by Blastocystis and showed a distinct correlation between this and increased anxiety in colonized mice. This provides a foundation for further investigation into the effects of these parasites on host physiology and the modulation of the gut-brain axis.</p><p><strong>Lsid identifiers: </strong><i>Blastocystis</i>: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EAED31FF-9880-4311-9E19-25257588FBB2.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1574660"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Plasmodium</i> telomere maintenance: uncovering the Achilles' heel for novel antimalarials.","authors":"Theophilus N Wakai, Dorathy O Anzaku, Israel S Afolabi","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1659175","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2025.1659175","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review examines the potential of disrupting telomere maintenance in <i>Plasmodium</i> as a novel antimalarial strategy. Telomeres are repetitive DNA-protein structures located at chromosome termini, where they preserve genome stability and protect against degradation. Telomere maintenance is crucial for rapid growth, genome integrity, and immune evasion in <i>Plasmodium</i> parasites. Unlike humans, <i>Plasmodium</i> maintains continuous telomerase activity and uses unique telomere-binding proteins across its lifecycle. These features drive parasite virulence and antigenic variation. Emerging evidence suggests that <i>Plasmodium</i> telomeres harbor G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures, which help stabilize telomeres during replication and may be good targets for small molecules to disrupt their function. Additionally, the parasite depends heavily on its telomerase catalytic subunit, PfTERT, for survival. Inhibiting PfTERT has shown promising results in blocking telomere elongation and impairing replication. Targeting this parasite-specific telomere-telomerase axis may offer a strategic means to destabilize chromosomes, weaken immune evasion, and limit parasite survival, making it a promising antimalarial approach. However, researchers must consider the risks of off-target effects in future drug designs. Though current studies are limited and remain inconclusive, we suggest that future research should investigate combining telomere-directed therapies with existing antimalarials to help overcome resistance and improve treatment outcomes. Herein, we review advances in understanding <i>Plasmodium</i> telomere biology, highlighting its distinct structures, critical telomere-associated proteins, and roles in pathogenesis. We further explore how selective targeting could exploit an Achilles' heel in parasite survival, offering fresh possibilities for next-generation, parasite-specific malaria therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"15 ","pages":"1659175"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457308/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}