International Journal of Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"The Influence of Carbohydrates on the Virulence Potential of <i>Klebsiella variicola</i> Isolates.","authors":"Ana Paula Cardoso Almeida, Laura Fernandes Gonçalves, Rafaella Christina Rocha Moreira da Silva, Ana Flávia Alves Parente, Tatiana Amabile de Campos","doi":"10.1155/ijm/5403408","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/5403408","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Klebsiella variicola</i> is a Gram-negative bacillus belonging to Enterobacteriaceae recognized as an emerging human pathogen in the last years. The species is frequently misidentified as <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> by conventional microbiological tests, raising questions about its real prevalence and clinical impact. <i>K. variicola</i> virulence is mediated by traits that are expressed in human body niches containing different nutrients, including carbohydrates, that influence their expression. In this way, we analyzed the effect of different carbohydrates on the expression of virulence traits by <i>K. variicola</i> isolates. For this approach, three classical strains (cKv15, cKv35, and cKv57) and one hypermucoviscous (HMV) were submitted to growth curve characterization, biofilm production and serum survival assays, siderophores, and <i>mrk</i>A (encoding MRK adhesin) RNA quantification. The strains were cultivated in broth containing specific carbohydrates as the sole carbon source to perform the assays. Among all carbohydrates tested, sorbitol, galactose, and maltose were the most effective in promoting biomass production in biofilm for the <i>K. variicola</i> classical strains (cKv). Additionally, bacterial incubation in these carbohydrates resulted in the production of siderophores by all strains (cKv and HMV). Notably, cKvs cultivated in all carbohydrates tested survived and proliferated in human serum, while also producing high concentrations of siderophores and biofilm biomass. Except for siderophore production, HMV did not present any virulence trait tested (biofilm production, serum survival, and <i>mrk</i>A expression). However, its growth in media supplemented with galactose promoted serum survival. These observations indicate cKv isolates were able to use sorbitol, galactose, and maltose for rapid proliferation and to express determinants associated with bacterial colonization (as biofilm production, siderophores, and serum survival). The hypermucoviscosity of HMV did not promote biofilm and siderophore production. For this strain, galactose promoted survival in human serum. Altogether, the results highlight the role of galactose in promoting virulence in <i>K. variicola.</i></p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5403408"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12488308/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212628","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":"Virulence, Phylogenetic Grouping, and Antimicrobial Resistance Traits of Extraintestinal <i>Escherichia coli</i> in Clinical Isolates From Northwest Mexico.","authors":"Ana María Castañeda-Meléndrez, Patricia Catalina García-Cervantes, María Elena Báez-Flores, Aldo Francisco Clemente-Soto, Edwin Barrios-Villa, Rodolfo Bernal-Reynaga","doi":"10.1155/ijm/8881117","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/8881117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Escherichia coli</i> is a highly diverse bacterial species that is canonically commensal; however, its genomic characteristics have enabled its evolution into pathogens capable of causing extraintestinal infections (ExPEC), which pose significant clinical challenges because of the variety of sites that can infect (mainly the urinary tract) and the multidrug resistance associated with these strains. The present study is aimed at characterizing ExPEC isolates recovered from the wards of a hospital in Sinaloa, Mexico, to establish their virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles, as well as the phylogenetic group. Then, 200 <i>Escherichia coli</i> isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility were confirmed by the VITEK-2 automated system. Virulence factor genes and phylogenetic grouping were performed through endpoint and multiplex PCRs. Then, 59% of the strains produced extended-spectrum <i>β</i>-lactamases (ESBLs), and 71.5% were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR), exhibiting high resistance rates to antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and various cephalosporins. In this sense, 68.5% and 33% of the isolates were positive for the <i>blaCTX-M1-8</i> and <i>blaCTX-M9</i> genes, respectively, both associated with resistance to cefotaxime. Furthermore, 37% of the isolates harbored the <i>blaOXA48</i> gene, which is linked to resistance to oxacillin-type <i>β</i>-lactams. Moreover, 143 (71.5%) of them were classified as MDR. Regarding virulence, the distribution of toxin genes such as <i>hlyA</i> and <i>vat</i> was 16.5% and 24.5%, respectively. Adhesins <i>papC</i> and <i>fimA</i> were found in 62% and 34%, respectively. Additionally, the iron acquisition systems and outer membrane proteins such as <i>iutA</i> (74%), <i>fyuA</i> (63%), <i>iroN</i> (10%), <i>agn43</i> (82%), and <i>kpsmTII</i> (34.5%) were present in the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed a predominance of group B2 (46%), followed by groups A (13.5%) and E (10.5%). These findings highlight the complexity and challenges posed by ExPEC strains in terms of antimicrobial resistance and virulence relevant to public health in hospital settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"8881117"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12473729/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185874","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":"Detection and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms Isolated in the Center of Care and Protection of Orphan Children, Vietnam.","authors":"Nguyen Van Kim, Tran Dang Thang, Cao Thang Long, Katiya Ivanovitch, Stephen Baker, Pirom Noisumdaeng","doi":"10.1155/ijm/3147068","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/3147068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbapenems are critical for treating patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria; however, the use of carbapenems has also facilitated the selection and spreading of carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs), occasionally reported in healthcare settings. The study examined the CRO prevalence among healthcare workers (HCWs), orphan children patients, and the environment in an orphanage healthcare facility in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was performed by collecting rectal swabs in 20 HCWs and 67 orphan patients, as well as in 175 randomly selected environmental samples. Chromogenic CARBA agars, blood agars, and a BD Phoenix Automated Microbiology System were employed for bacterial isolation and for identification and testing of antimicrobial susceptibility. In a total of 262 samples, 36 CROs (i.e., six carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales [CRE] and 30 non-CRE) were detected. The CRO prevalence of 30.0% (6/20), 16.4% (11/67), and 10.86% (19/175) was shown in HCWs, orphan patients, and the environment, respectively. Most CROs detected in HCWs were CREs (66.7%, 4/6). Non-CRE cases, mainly <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>, were detected in orphan patients and in the orphanage healthcare environment. Out of 36 CRO isolates, 97.2% (35/36), 11.1% (4/36), and 13.9% (5/36) were identified as resistant to ertapenem, imipenem, and meropenem, respectively. This study was the first to show evidence-based CRO colonization with an epidemiological study in an orphanage healthcare facility in Vietnam. The finding of this study suggested that control and prevention programs, active surveillance, and routine monitoring for CROs should be implemented in healthcare establishments.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"3147068"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185906","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":"Sorption of Heavy Metals (Pb, Cd, Co, and Zn) by Bacteria of the Genus <i>Bacillus</i>: An Investigation of the Ability and Consequences of Bioaccumulation.","authors":"Sergey A Peshkov, Hike N Nikiyan, Aleksey N Sizentsov, Olga K Davydova","doi":"10.1155/ijm/4067880","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/4067880","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The concentrations of heavy metal salts (Pb, Cd, Co, and Zn), which have an inhibitory effect on the growth of <i>Bacillus</i> bacteria, were determined using the method of successive dilutions. The dynamics of changes in the pH of the nutrient medium during bacterial cultivation with metal salts were analyzed. Bacterial growth phases were identified before and after exposure to minimally suppressive concentrations of these heavy metals. Atomic adsorption analysis was used to measure the amount of Zn, Co, Cd, and Pb accumulated by the bacteria from the medium. Both the supernatant and the biomass were analyzed at the onset of the stationary phase of microorganism growth. The effect of these elements on the morphology of bacteria was investigated using atomic force microscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy revealed differences in the shape of metals accumulated by bacteria.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"4067880"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12463537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185903","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":"Trends in Prevalence of Yeast Species Associated With Urogenital Infection in Nsukka, Nigeria: An Overview of True <i>Candida</i> Species and Genotyping of <i>Candida albicans hwp1</i>-Heterozygous Isolates.","authors":"Eunice Ngozi Anaele, Josephine I Okafor, Lucilla Lo Re, Carla Lo Passo, Francesco Mediati, Grazia Galeano, Orazio Romeo, Roberta Galbo, Letterio Giuffrè","doi":"10.1155/ijm/3115363","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/3115363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pathogenic drug-resistant yeast species, associated with urogenital infections, are still not well-recognized in routine clinical laboratories. This study describes the prevalence and antifungal susceptibility profile of fungal species isolated from patients with urogenital infection in Nsukka, Nigeria. A total of 248 urogenital samples (voided urine, high vaginal swabs, urethral swabs, and semen) were cultured on specific mycological media for the isolation and presumptive identification of <i>Candida</i> and other yeast species. Further identification of fungal isolates was performed using conventional phenotypic techniques and molecular methods. Disk diffusion and broth dilution methods were used for the antifungal susceptibility study and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), respectively. A total of 129 <i>yeasts</i> were isolated from 117 patients with urogenital infection. <i>Candida albicans</i> (73.64%) was the most prevalent species followed by <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i> (<i>Candida krusei</i>) (9.30%) and <i>Candida parapsilosis</i> (6.20%), while <i>Nakaseomyces glabrata</i> (<i>Candida glabrata</i>) and <i>Candida tropicalis</i> exhibited the same frequency of occurrence (5.43% each). All <i>Candida</i> isolates were susceptible to voriconazole and nystatin, while reduced susceptibility to fluconazole was noted. All the germ tube-positive isolates were confirmed to be <i>C. albicans</i> by molecular methods although 15 of them were found to be heterozygous at <i>hwp</i>1 locus. This study describes the distribution of true <i>Candida</i> species causing urogenital infection in Nigeria and the level of susceptibility of these species to common antifungal drugs emphasizing the need for yeast culture and antifungal susceptibility testing as part of the routine test in medical diagnostic laboratories for the proper management of urogenital candidiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"3115363"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460009/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145149034","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":"Microbial Consortium-Mediated Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate in Orthodontic Aligners: A Comprehensive Review.","authors":"Sivakamavalli Jeyachandran, Mohammed Aman","doi":"10.1155/ijm/7509196","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/7509196","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this review, we critically assess microbial consortia-mediated biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in orthodontic aligners as a means to address the environmental problems arising from biomedical plastic waste. PET's chemical stability and high crystallinity provide sufficient durability for clinical efficacy; however, natural degradation is hindered in the resulting environmental accumulation. Currently, the conventional disposal methods can lead to toxic emissions, so they have to be kept in the dark in terms of innovations that reduce or eliminate them. These microbial consortia utilize hairy dynamics of synergistic enzymatic activities, that is, PETase and MHETase, to degrade PET into assimilable monomers, with the potential to be a bioremediation strategy. In this paper, we summarize current analytical methodologies to assess degradation, present molecular tools to elucidate microbial community dynamics, and discuss biotechnological strategies to enhance enzymatic efficiency and process scale-up potential. Slow degradation rates, material complexity, and environmental variability are identified as challenges. Advances in enzyme engineering, bioaugmentation, and bioreactor design associated with biodegradation performance are reviewed, and future research directions that will enhance the ecosystemic performance of microbial consortia for eco-friendly and effective management of PET waste from orthodontic aligners within the framework of a circular bioeconomy are pointed out.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7509196"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12453932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130722","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":"Flavonoids: A Review of Antibacterial Activity Against Gram-Negative Bacteria.","authors":"Joice Barbosa do Nascimento, José Galberto Martins da Costa","doi":"10.1155/ijm/9961121","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/9961121","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rise in bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics has led to the search for alternative antimicrobial agents, such as flavonoids, which are widely distributed in plants and known for their antibacterial properties. This review examines the antibacterial activity of flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria and identifies gaps in current knowledge. The analysis of available data revealed that several flavonoids, such as liricidin-7-<i>O</i>-hexoside, licoflavone C, and dorsmanins C and F, demonstrated remarkable antibacterial potential. It was also observed that flavonoids exhibit multifactorial antibacterial activity, interfering with various cellular bacterial processes such as maintaining cell membrane integrity, energy metabolism, and protein synthesis. However, despite the growing number of studies indicating the promising potential of these compounds against bacterial pathogens, many of these studies mainly focus on in vivo evaluations, limited to verifying the presence or absence of antibacterial activity, without an in-depth investigation of the mechanisms of action or clinical efficacy of flavonoids. Additionally, most research has been conducted on a limited number of bacterial species, such as <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>. Furthermore, few studies have explored the effects of pure flavonoids, as most investigations have centered on extracts or flavonoid-rich fractions. There is a significant gap in research regarding the antibacterial activity of isolated flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria. The review calls for further studies on pure flavonoids, focusing on understanding their mechanisms of action, interactions with other therapies, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and clinical effectiveness to develop more targeted treatments for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"9961121"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12453933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130738","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":"Resistance Profiles and Virulence Factors of Enteric <i>Escherichia coli</i> in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon.","authors":"Ballue Serges T Dadjo, Armelle T Mbaveng, Jean W Marbou Takougoum, Ornella D Tsobeng, Michael F Kengne, Victor Kuete","doi":"10.1155/ijm/5624252","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/5624252","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Escherichia coli</i> is commonly found in human feces and is the most prevalent resistant microorganism in patients with chronic kidney disease. Several studies demonstrated that virulence factors were a major cause of the emergence of pathogenic strains of <i>E. coli</i>. This study's objective was to determine the antibiotic resistance profile, detect virulence factors, and assess the prevalence of carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes in fecal <i>E. coli</i> isolates obtained from chronic kidney disease patients. This research was carried out in Laquintinie Hospital of Douala between January 2022 and December 2023. In total, 458 patients with (<i>n</i> = 197) or without (<i>n</i> = 261) chronic kidney disease and suffering from gastroenteritis constituted the total population. <i>E. coli</i> isolates were obtained by using eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar and identified by the API 20E gallery system. The Kirby-Bauer method was used to determine the isolates' antibiotic resistance profile. The simplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) served to detect virulence factors and resistance genes. It appeared that all antibiotics tested, except nalidixic acid, presented a significant resistance (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in chronic kidney disease patients contrasted to patients without chronic kidney disease. The antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high level of resistance to amoxicillin (94.5%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (79.5%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (69.9%), and ofloxacin (65.8%) in patients with chronic kidney disease. <i>E. coli</i> isolates showed (<i>p</i> < 0.001) a significantly high rate of multidrug resistance phenotype in chronic kidney disease patients (74.0%) as compared to patients without chronic kidney disease (35.7%). According to the virulence genes detected, the most prevalent pathotype of <i>E. coli</i> was the enteropathogenic <i>E. coli</i> (40.8%; <i>n</i> = 40), followed by enterotoxigenic <i>E. coli</i> (29.6%; <i>n</i> = 29) and shiga toxin-producing <i>E. coli</i> (29.6%; <i>n</i> = 29). The screening of resistance genes in pathotypes of <i>E. coli</i> has demonstrated that <i>bla</i> _TEM (76.5%; <i>n</i> = 75) and <i>bla</i> _CTX-M (75.5%; <i>n</i> = 74) were the more frequent ESBL resistance genes encountered. This study showed that a high rate of resistance, multidrug resistance, and a high frequency of enteropathogenic <i>E. coli</i> and ESBL resistance genes in <i>E. coli</i> were most often found in chronic kidney disease patients. This high level of enteric multidrug-resistant <i>E. coli</i> in chronic kidney disease patients exposes them to hazardous antibiotic treatment and serious public health issues.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5624252"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12449115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145112977","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":"Benefits of INSTI-Based Regimens in a Real-World Setting of People Living With HIV-1 in Colombia.","authors":"Juan C Alzate-Angel, John D Loaiza, Federico Perdomo-Celis, Juan C Hernandez, Ximena Galindo-Orrego, Mónica Mantilla-Suárez, Fanny Guzman, Juan Carlos Cataño, Francisco J Diaz, María T Rugeles, Natalia A Taborda","doi":"10.1155/ijm/9081023","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/9081023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> The objective is to compare the clinical, virological, and immunological characteristics of people living with HIV-1 who were treated with first-line integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) versus those treated with other antiretrovirals. <b>Methods:</b> This is a descriptive observational, retrospective, two-center study. We selected individuals who began antiretroviral therapy (ART) within the first year of diagnosis and who had received at least 1 year of treatment. Their therapy consisted of two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, along with a third medication (INSTI, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), or protease inhibitor). The primary comparison was between individuals who initiated ART containing INSTIs and those who initiated ART containing NNRTIs or protease inhibitors. We evaluated clinical outcomes, residual viral load, circulating proviral DNA, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk markers, T cell count and phenotype, and the frequency of HIV-specific T cells. <b>Results:</b> Individuals who received INSTI-based regimens started treatment at a more advanced disease stage and had a significantly shorter ART duration at study inclusion than individuals who did not receive INSTI-based ART. Individuals receiving INSTIs achieved CD4⁺ T cell counts at levels comparable to those within the non-INSTI group, as well as similar levels of virological, immunological, and cardiovascular markers. Nonetheless, those in the INSTI-based group had higher CD8⁺ T cell counts and lower CD4/CD8 ratios, as well as lower high-density lipoprotein levels. <b>Conclusions:</b> INSTI-based regimens offer benefits to Colombian people living with HIV-1, who are starting ART, including improved and faster virological and CD4⁺ T cell reconstitution. This occurs despite treatment initiation for advanced disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"9081023"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12443516/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086132","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":"Effect of <i>hfq</i> (Host Factor for RNA Phase Q _<i>β</i> Replicase) on Environmental Tolerance of <i>Escherichia coli</i> Under Simulated Microgravity.","authors":"Huaxian Li, Peijun Han, Ya Li, Xinxin Li, Yong Liu, Wenlan Wang","doi":"10.1155/ijm/9150440","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijm/9150440","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During space flights, opportunistic pathogens carried by astronauts may change their biological characteristics under weightless conditions, potentially affecting the health of astronauts. Simulated microgravity (SMG) has been reported to influence the environmental tolerance, which is related to <i>Escherichia coli</i>'s environmental tolerance. But the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Host factor for RNA phage Q _<i>β</i> replicase (<i>hfq</i>) is an RNA molecular chaperone protein found in bacteria. In this study, we discovered that <i>hfq</i> expression in <i>E. coli</i> increases under SMG through transcriptome sequencing analysis. We knocked out hfq in <i>E. coli</i> to establish a <i>Δhfq</i>-<i>E. coli</i> strain to investigate the effect of <i>hfq</i> on the environmental tolerance of <i>E. coli</i> under SMG, and observed changes in Coproporphyrinogen III dehydrogenase (<i>hemN</i>) and RNA polymerase sigma factor (<i>rpoS</i>), which are related to the environmental tolerance of <i>E. coli</i>. Results showed that the growth level of <i>Δhfq</i>-<i>E. coli</i> was significantly lower than that of the wild-type strain under SMG. <i>E. coli</i> enhances its tolerance to oxidative stress through the <i>hfq</i>-<i>hemN</i> pathway under SMG. After SMG exposure, <i>E. coli</i>'s tolerance to high temperatures and acidic environments changed, but these changes were not mediated by the <i>hfq</i>-<i>rpoS</i> pathway; instead, they may act synergistically. This study provides a foundation for preventing and controlling opportunistic pathogenic bacterial infections during aerospace missions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2025 ","pages":"9150440"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12443515/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086091","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}