Gut Pathogens最新文献

{"title":"Gut microbiota profile in newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients: an exploratory pilot study in southern India.","authors":"Tejaswini Baral, Shaik Mohammad Abdul Fayaz, Mohan K Manu, Chandrashekar Udyavara Kudru, Jitendra Singh, Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay, Mahadev Rao, Kavitha Saravu, Sonal Sekhar Miraj","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00736-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00736-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emerging evidence suggests the link between pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and gut microbiota dysbiosis. This is the first study from the southern Indian population that characterized the gut microbiota of PTB patients using 16 S amplicon sequencing. The analysis revealed a significant reduction in gut microbial diversity among PTB patients, with particularly lower alpha diversity (Chao1 index, p ≤ 0.0001) than healthy controls (HC). This was further depleted during antitubercular therapy (ATT). Beta diversity indicated distinct clustering in all the groups (p < 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that supplementation of probiotics with ATT improved microbial richness and diversity. However, broader shifts in composition were not observed. At the genus level, specific taxa were upregulated or downregulated in PTB patients compared to HC. Functional analysis showed a depletion in biosynthesis pathways in PTB patients. Short-term probiotic supplementation had a partial effect on microbial recovery but did not fully restore gut microbial diversity. These findings highlight persistent dysbiosis in PTB patients, even after ATT. Large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the role of microbiome-targeted therapies to address this dysbiosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337371/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144821226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of immunological and hematological parameters in Blastocystis species-infected chronic leukemic patients.","authors":"Heba Elhadad, Bassam Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, Sally A M Saleh, Moustafa Abo El-Hoda, Hend El-Taweel","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00733-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00733-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Blastocystis spp. is a common intestinal protozoan with controversial pathogenicity. It is frequently associated with gastrointestinal (GIT) disturbances and is particularly prevalent among immunocompromised individuals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Blastocystis spp. infection and its association with immunological and hematological parameters among chronic leukemic patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Stool and blood samples were collected from 100 chronic leukemic patients. Microscopic examination and a coproantigen assay were performed for the detection of Blastocystis spp., along with assessment of anti-Blastocystis fecal IgA and serum IgG antibodies. CD4 T cells and the serum level of IL-8 were also measured.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall Blastocystis spp. infection rate was 60%, determined through combined microscopy and/or coproantigen detection. Among infected patients, anti-Blastocystis IgA was positive in only three patients and IgG in 18 patients, with no statistically significant association between Blastocystis spp. infection and detection of antibodies. Infection was significantly associated with elevated IL-8 levels and WBC count. There was no statistically significant association between the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms and the levels of anti-Blastocystis IgG or IgA, IL-8, or CD4 count in Blastocystis spp.-infected patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study reveals a high prevalence of Blastocystis spp. infection among chronic leukemic patients and identifies a significant association between infection and elevated IL-8 levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337449/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144821225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Positive selection at core genes may underlie niche adaptation in Fusobacterium animalis.","authors":"Diego Forni, Audun Sivertsen, Rachele Cagliani, Alessandra Mozzi, Cristian Molteni, Øyvind Kommedal, Manuela Sironi","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00740-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00740-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Fusobacterium animalis (Fa) was identified as the most enriched Fusobacterium species in colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a group of Fa core genes were found to be highly expressed intratumorally and to favor intracellular survival. We hypothesized that, because they promote bacterial fitness in the intracellular niche, these genes might be targets of positive selection, a process that often underlies adaptation to variable environments.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We performed an evolutionary analysis to identify selective events that occurred over different time frames, namely during the divergence of the Fusobacterium species and in the more recent separation of the Fa lineage from F. paranimalis. Results indicated that the coding sequences of these genes have been targeted by intense purifying selection, possibly as the result of their often-essential functions. However, localized signatures of positive selection were also detectable. During the divergence of Fusobacterium species, the major target of positive selection was represented by elongation factor-Tu, a finding that may be related to its moonlighting functions in adhesion and biofilm development. Additional targets were RpoC and the septum-determining protein MinD. We suggest that variations in the latter contribute to the observed differences in cell length and width between F. watanabei and Fa. We also searched for and detected beneficial changes that occurred specifically in the Fa lineage, suggesting that such variants promote intracellular growth or adaptation to the tumor microenvironment. The strongest target of selection was DnaK, which was shown to promote malignant transformation in other bacterial systems. Analysis of the selected sites in DnaK indicated that most of them are located in the C-terminal unstructured region and that they determine the appearance of eukaryotic linear motifs (ELMs). Specifically, one ELM is a casein kinase 2 phosphorylation site, whereas two additional ELMs are involved in SUMOylation and USP7-mediated deubiquitination. USP is a central modulator of the p53-MDM2 pathway and we propose that SUMOylation facilitates the nuclear import of Fa DnaK where USP7 promotes its stability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We identified specific proteins and amino acid changes that are expected to underlie phenotypic diversity in Fusobacteria. These data are relevant to inform future analyses of Fa oncogenic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12341114/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144821227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut microbiome in gastrointestinal neoplasms: from mechanisms to precision therapeutic strategies.","authors":"Jiaqian Song, Wei Zhang, Deqiang Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00734-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00734-z","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The incidence of Gastrointestinal Neoplasms (GI neoplasms) continues to increase globally. Colorectal cancer (CRC), in particular, has emerged as the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Now, Specific pathogenic bacteria, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), critically promote tumorigenesis through multiple mechanisms, including the induction of genotoxic damage, host metabolic reprogramming, and remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment. Notably, a dysbiotic Gut Microbiome (GM) state significantly compromises patient response rates to cancer therapeutics. This review aims to systematically analyze the core molecular mechanism of GM affecting tumor development and explore the precise intervention strategies guided by clinical translation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA-2020 guidelines. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed (2008-2025) using key terms including \"Gut Microbiome\", \"Gastrointestinal Neoplasms\", \"Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT)\", \"immunotherapy resistance\", \"precision-based interventions\", and \"emerging research frontiers\". Preclinical and clinical studies investigating the mechanisms, diagnostic applications, and therapeutic interventions of the GM in GI neoplasms were included.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;This review systematically elucidates the tripartite mechanisms by which the GM influences the initiation and progression of GI neoplasms. And we innovatively proposed the \"Proinflammation-metabolism-Immune framework (Dysbiosis of the GM jointly leads to the occurrence, development and metastasis of GI neoplasms by driving three interrelated processes: chronic inflammation (Proinflammation), reshaping the Metabolism of the host and TME(Metabolism), and inhibiting or altering the host Immune surveillance (Immune))\" To deepen the understanding of host-microbe interactions. Based on this framework, we focused on discussing the therapeutic strategy targeting GM and confirmed its significant impact on the efficacy of anti-cancer treatment. Although these strategies have demonstrated clinical potential, current research is still mainly confined to preclinical models and the early clinical trial stage. To address this, we outline future directions: Integrating emerging technologies like multi-omics and artificial intelligence will enable dynamic monitoring and real-time modulation of microbial activity. This integration aims to establish a novel paradigm for microbiome-based personalized precision medicine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discussion: &lt;/strong&gt;This review systematically clarifies that GM is a key target for optimizing the treatment of GI neoplasms. Future research should integrate multi-omics and AI technologies for dynamic microbial monitoring and modulation, paving the way for microbiome-based precision medicine. Overcoming challenges in standardization and ","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12309039/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144753209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut microbiome and gastric cancer: microbial interactions and therapeutic potential.","authors":"Maged Tharwat Elghannam, Moataz Hassan Hassanien, Yosry Abdelrahman Ameen, Emad Abdelwahab Turky, Gamal Mohammed ELattar, Ahmed Aly ELRay, Mohammed Darwish ELTalkawy","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00729-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00729-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of gastric cancer is significantly influenced by the intestinal microbiota, with H. pylori serving as a major risk factor. Through genotoxic effects, persistent inflammation, and metabolic changes, other microbes also play a role. It has been demonstrated that cancer patients and healthy people have different microbiome compositions. Cancer can be inhibited or promoted by the gut microbiota and its metabolites. The relationship between intestinal flora, bacterial extracellular vesicles, and the tumor microenvironment directly affects tumor progression and efficacy of anti-tumor medications, indicating the importance of the tumor microenvironment in tumor survival. Gastrointestinal malignancies may be brought on by the gut microbiome's dysregulation of non-coding RNA expression. Non-coding RNAs are intriguing avenues for future therapeutic and diagnostic research. The tumor microenvironment is altered by bacterial extracellular vesicles, which may have an effect on immunosuppression, treatment resistance, metastasis, and cancer progression. Further research is required to completely understand the involvement of non-coding RNAs in GI cancers. By modifying drug metabolism and absorption, which have a substantial impact on healing efficacy and serious impact profiles, the dynamic changes in gut microbiota also have a considerable impact on the results of anti-cancer treatment. Improved treatment approaches may arise from a better understanding of the role of the microbiome in gastric malignancies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"56"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12296733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144717824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacteroides- and Prevotella-enriched gut microbial clusters associate with metabolic risks.","authors":"Yi Rou Bah, Kairi Baba, Dayang Nurul Asyiqin Binte Mustafa, Satoshi Watanabe, Aya K Takeda, Tomoya Yamashita, Kazuyuki Kasahara","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00730-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00730-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The gut microbiome plays a critical role in human health through its influence on numerous physiological functions such as metabolism and immunity, with disruptions in microbial communities increasingly linked to metabolic disorders. In a large-scale cohort study in Japan, we investigated the association between gut microbiome profiles and metabolic health. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, four-enterotype clustering revealed that the Bacteroides 2 (B2) enterotype was associated with lower alpha-diversity and increased risk of metabolic diseases, particularly obesity (OR = 1.51) and hypertension (OR = 1.49). Refined seven-enterotype clustering further stratified the Ruminococcus, Prevotella, and Bacteroides enterotypes into distinct subtypes, uncovering a novel high-risk Prevotella 2 (P2) enterotype associated with nearly two-fold increased risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus. The B2 and P2 enterotypes were characterized by reduced abundance of beneficial short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers (Faecalibacterium, Anaerostipes) and enrichment of opportunistic pathogens (Fusobacterium and Veillonella for B2, Megamonas and Megasphaera for P2). Microbial metabolic influence network analysis revealed enterotype-specific interaction patterns, with R1, R2, and P1 enterotypes demonstrating cooperative production of SCFAs and other metabolites, while B enterotypes displayed synergy in the production of a range of sugar compounds. These findings underscore the utility of refined enterotype clustering as a powerful tool to reveal previously unrecognized gut microbial patterns linked to metabolic risk. By identifying B2 and the newly characterized P2 enterotypes as high-risk microbial profiles, this study opens new avenues for microbiome-based stratification and early intervention in metabolic disease management.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"55"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative study of liver injury protection by Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii interventions in live and cell-free supernatant forms via targeting the hepcidin - ferroportin axis in mice with CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis.","authors":"Sara Ahmadi Badi, Hananeh Tavakoli Aval, Hamid Reza Moradi, Amin Malek, Seyed Amirhesam Seyedi, Mehdi Davari, Ahmad Bereimipour, Soghra Khani, Shohreh Khatami, Seyed Davar Siadat","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00728-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00728-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>liver fibrosis is associated with dysregulated iron homeostasis regulated by the hepcidin-ferroportin axis, and dysbiotic gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and ameliorative effects of live and cell-free supernatant (CFS) forms of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, as important gut microbiota members, on liver fibrosis by targeting the hepcidin-ferroportin axis in both in vitro and in vivo models.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>At the in vitro level, the effects of A. muciniphila and F. prausnitzii on the expression of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) and ferroportin (SLC40A1) transcripts in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were evaluated in transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-activated LX-2 cells, a human hepatic stellate cell line. In vivo, male C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally (IP) injected with 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) twice weekly for 6 weeks to establish the liver fibrosis model. Administration of live and CFS forms of A. muciniphila and F. prausnitzii was initiated 10 days before CCl₄ injection and continued until the end of the experiment. Liver injury and fibrosis were assessed using serum markers, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and Masson's trichrome staining. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to evaluate the effects of the interventions on gene expression related to the hepcidin-ferroportin axis in liver, colon and brain samples. Additionally, qPCR was used to determine alterations in the relative abundance of key gut microbiota members in fecal samples.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both A. muciniphila and F. prausnitzii, as well as their CFS, significantly downregulated COL1A1 expression in TGFβ-activated LX-2 cells, accompanied by reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) protein expression in liver tissue. In vivo, intervention with F. prausnitzii, particularly its CFS, led to a greater induction of hepatic hepcidin and ferroportin expression compared to A. muciniphila and its CFS. Serum liver injury markers (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and iron levels were markedly improved following treatment with live F. prausnitzii and its CFS. Additionally, F. prausnitzii CFS significantly enhanced hepcidin gene expression in brain tissue, suggesting broader systemic benefits.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We demonstrated that F. prausnitzii and its CFS had greater beneficial potential than A. muciniphila and its CFS in the prevention and amelioration of liver fibrosis, likely through modulation of the hepcidin-ferroportin axis. These findings may support the development of next-generation probiotics and postbiotics for liver injury, which warrants further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12273000/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144659021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Profiling of the tumor-associated microbiome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Christian Schulz, Ramiro Vilchez-Vargas, Elif Öcal, Nadine Koch, Daniel Puhr-Westerheide, Lu Fornés Burnell, Heidrun Hirner-Eppeneder, Julia Benckert, Maciej Pech, Peter Reimer, Chris Verslype, Christiane Kuhl, Albert Tran, Jens Ricke, Peter Malfertheiner, Marianna Alunni-Fabbroni","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00727-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00727-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tumor tissues have been shown to host a diverse array of bacteria, suggesting a link between the intratumoral microbiota and the development and progression of cancer. The aim of this explorative study was to perform microbiome analysis in liver tumor and to evaluate its relationship with cancer stage and survival outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We conducted an exploratory study on a cohort of 20 hepatocellular cancer patients from the SORAMIC trial. Patients were divided into curative and palliative groups according to treatment type (local ablation, alone or combined with systemic therapy). The V1-V2 regions of 16 S rRNA were sequenced starting from archival tissues. Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were taxonomically assigned to the upper (UGI) or lower (LGI) gastrointestinal tract. Bacteria were identified in both tumoral and non-tumoral tissues, showing higher diversity and correlation between diversity and shorter survival in the palliative group (S. aureus p < 0.05; B. parvula p < 0.01; A. chinensis p < 0.01). Both therapy groups were enriched with the genus Bacilli, including Streptococcus spp., Gemella haemolysans and Helicobacter pylori, commonly found in UGI. The results suggested that among palliative patients and those with shorter survival, G. haemolysans was more prevalent, while H. pylori was more often found in curative patients with longer survival. However none of the results were significantly different (p > 0.05). A higher microbiome biodiversity was associated with an increased number of lesions (Hoylesella, Agathobacter, Sphingobium, Cardiobacterium, Photobacterium and Serratia, all with p < 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The presence of bacteria, predominantly from communities of the UGI, suggests their translocation into liver tissue due to impaired barrier function of the upper gut or the ascending pathway along the biliary duct system. The intratumoral prevalence of bacteria with proinflammatory and oncogenic potential suggests their potential role in HCC pathomechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"53"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12243435/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144600240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salmonella prevalence and serovar distribution in reptiles: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Claire Muslin, Paula Salas-Brito, Dayana Coello, Diana Morales-Jadán, Carolina Viteri-Dávila, Marco Coral-Almeida","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00699-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00699-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Reptiles are recognized as reservoirs of Salmonella bacteria, and the expansion of the global pet reptile trade has led to reptile-associated salmonellosis emerging as a significant public health concern. To characterize the risk posed by reptiles as a source of Salmonella transmission to humans, we conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis to estimate the worldwide prevalence of Salmonella in both wild and captive reptiles and identify the primary factors influencing this prevalence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We systematically reviewed publications reporting the prevalence of Salmonella spp. intestinal isolation in reptiles, published between 1986 and 2023, across the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. The 179 studies included examined a total of 23,411 reptiles from 56 countries across all continents, with 49.9% being free-ranging animals and 48.4% living in captivity, mainly from zoos, pet shops, or households. The overall pooled prevalence of Salmonella spp. in reptiles was estimated at 30.4% (95% confidence interval, CI: 27.4-33.6%). Notably, significant variations in Salmonella spp. colonization rates were observed across different reptile taxa, with snakes exhibiting the highest prevalence at 63.1% (95%CI: 57.4-68.4%), followed by lizards at 33.6% (95%CI: 28.6-39.0%), and turtles and crocodiles with similar rates of 11.2% (95%CI: 8.8-14.2%) and 10.5% (95%CI: 5.7-18.6%), respectively. Furthermore, significant differences in Salmonella spp. prevalence were observed across different reptile families within each taxon. The data suggest that captivity is a contributing factor to Salmonella spp. colonization, as captive reptiles showed significantly higher prevalence rates (37.8%, 95%CI: 34.3-41.4%) compared to their wild counterparts (14.8%, 95%CI: 11.0-19.6%). Additionally, we found that the inclusion of pre-enrichment and selective enrichment steps in culture broths significantly improved the sensitivity of both culture-based and PCR-based Salmonella detection methods. Importantly, the study revealed that reptiles primarily carried Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica, responsible for most human salmonellosis cases. Of particular concern, several human-pathogenic Salmonella serovars of public health relevance, such as Enteritidis, Typhimurium and Newport, were identified among the 10 most common serovars colonizing reptiles.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Collectively, these findings highlight the substantial health threat posed by reptiles as a source of human Salmonella infection and may inform the development of policies and strategies for prevention and public education to mitigate the risk of reptile-associated salmonellosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"52"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12243343/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144600241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of Campylobacter species diversity in infants and association with family members, livestock, and household environments in rural Eastern Ethiopia.","authors":"Amanda Ojeda, Loïc Deblais, Bahar Mummed, Mussie Brhane, Kedir A Hassen, Belisa Usmael Ahmedo, Yenenesh Demisie Weldesenbet, Dehao Chen, Xiaolong Li, Cyrus Saleem, Mark J Manary, Luiz F W Roesch, Sarah L McKune, Arie H Havelaar, Gireesh Rajashekara","doi":"10.1186/s13099-025-00725-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13099-025-00725-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Campylobacter infections pose a significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to child mortality. Campylobacter is linked to acute gastrointestinal illness and severe long-term consequences, including environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and stunting. In 2018, our cross-sectional study in Ethiopia detected Campylobacter in 88% of stools from children aged 12-15 months, with an average of 11 species per stool using meta-total RNA sequencing. Building on these findings, we conducted a longitudinal study (December 2020-June 2022) to investigate Campylobacter colonization of infants and identify reservoirs and risk factors in rural eastern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After a preliminary screening of 15 Campylobacter species using species-specific quantitative PCR, we analyzed four target species in 2045 samples from infants (first month to just one year of life) and biannual samples from mothers, siblings, and livestock (goats, cattle, sheep, and chickens). Candidatus C. infans (41%), C. jejuni (26%), and C. upsaliensis (13%) were identified as the predominant in the infant gut. Colonization of C. infans and C.jejuni increased (C. infans: 0.85%, C. jejuni-0.98% increase/ day in the odds of colonization) and abundance (P = 0.027, 0.024) with age. Enteric symptoms were strongly associated with C. infans (diarrhea: OR = 2.02 [95%CI: 35%,100%]; fever: OR = 1.62 [95%CI: 14%, 83%]) and C. jejuni (diarrhea: OR = 2.29 [95%CI: 46%,100%], fever: OR = 2.53 [95%CI: 56%,100%]). Based on linear mixed models, we found elevated cumulative loads of C. infans load in infants (especially females OR = 1.5 [95%CI: 10%, 67%]), consuming raw milk (OR = 2.3 [95%CI: 24%,100%]) or those exposed to areas contaminated with animal droppings (OR = 1.6 [95%CI: 7%,93%]), while C. jejuni cumulative loads were higher in infants ingesting soil or animal feces (OR = 2.2 [95%CI: 23%,100%]). C. infans was also prevalent in siblings (56%) and mothers (45%), whereas C. jejuni was common in chickens (38%) and small ruminants (goats 27%, sheep 21%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Campylobacter was highly prevalent in rural Ethiopian infants. C. infans was primarily associated with human hosts, and C. jejuni was mainly linked to zoonotic sources. Our findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions addressing environmental, dietary, and behavioral factors to reduce Campylobacter transmission in resource-limited settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12833,"journal":{"name":"Gut Pathogens","volume":"17 1","pages":"51"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12228300/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}