International Journal of Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Detection of Pathogenic Serogroups and Virulence Genes in <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains Isolated from Beef and Beef Products Retailed in Gauteng Province, South Africa, Using Phenotypic and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-Based Methods.","authors":"James Gana, Nomakorinte Gcebe, Rebone Moerane, Yusuf B Ngoshe, Khomotso Moabelo, Abiodun A Adesiyun","doi":"10.1155/2024/8891963","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2024/8891963","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>South Africa recently (2017-18) experienced the largest outbreak of human listeriosis in the world caused by <i>L. monocytogenes</i> following the consumption of \"polony,\" a ready-to-eat meat product. Most (59%) cases originated from Gauteng province, South Africa. As a follow-up study to the outbreak, we used standard bacteriological and molecular methods to determine the prevalence of pathogenic and virulent serogroups of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> in various beef and beef products retailed in Gauteng province, South Africa. The overall prevalence of <i>Listeria</i> spp. was 28% (112/400), comprising <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> (9.3%), <i>Listeria innocua</i> (16.3%), and <i>Listeria welshimeri</i> (2.5%) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). It is crucial to have detected that the region (<i>p</i>=0.036), type of product (<i>p</i>=0.032), and temperature at storage (<i>p</i>=0.011) significantly affected the occurrence of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> in beef products. It is alarming that pathogenic serogroups 4b-4d-4e (51.4%) and 1/2a-3a (43.2%) were detected among the isolates of <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. Importantly, they were all carriers of seven virulence-associated genes (<i>hlyA, inlB, plcA, iap, inlA, inlC, and inlJ</i>). Our study also demonstrated that 16.7% of \"polony\" samples investigated were contaminated with <i>L. monocytogenes.</i> Considering that pathogenic and virulent <i>L. monocytogenes</i> contaminated beef and beef products retailed in South Africa, the food safety risk posed to consumers remains and cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is imperative to reduce the contamination of these products with <i>L. monocytogenes</i> during beef production, processing, and retailing to avoid future outbreaks of human listeriosis in the country.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2024 ","pages":"8891963"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10954364/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140174606","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":"Development and Optimization of a Multiplex Real-Time RT-PCR to Detect SARS-CoV-2 in Human Samples.","authors":"Camilo Castellar-Mendoza, María-Angélica Calderón-Peláez, Jaime E Castellanos, Myriam L Velandia-Romero, Carolina Coronel-Ruiz, Sigrid Camacho-Ortega, Lilia J Bernal-Cepeda, Lady López-Ibarra, Jhann A Arturo, Félix G Delgado, Hernando Gutierrez-Barbosa, Sonia Bohorquez-Avila, Johanna Madroñero, Zayda L Corredor-Rozo, Sandra J Perdomo-Lara, Angela Fonseca-Benitez, Eliana Calvo","doi":"10.1155/2024/4894004","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2024/4894004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PCR and its variants (RT-PCR and qRT-PCR) are valuable and innovative molecular techniques for studying nucleic acids. qPCR has proven to be highly sensitive, efficient, and reproducible, generating reliable results that are easy to analyze. During the COVID-19 pandemic, qPCR became the gold standard technique for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus that allowed to confirm the infection event, and those asymptomatic ones, and thus save millions of lives. In-house multiplex qPCR tests were developed worldwide to detect different viral targets and ensure results, follow the infections, and favor the containment of a pandemic. Here, we present the detailed fundamentals of the qPCR technique based on fluorogenic probes and processes to develop and optimize a successful multiplex RT-qPCR test for detecting SARS-CoV-2 that could be used to diagnose COVID-19 accurately.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2024 ","pages":"4894004"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10948217/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140158109","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":"Biofilm Formation, Pyocyanin Production, and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> Isolates from Wounds.","authors":"Larissa Yetendje Chimi, Michel Noubom, Borel Ndezo Bisso, Guy Sedar Singor Njateng, Jean Paul Dzoyem","doi":"10.1155/2024/1207536","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2024/1207536","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is one of the most frequently resistant and dangerous bacteria isolated from infected wounds of patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> from infected wounds of patients in the Dschang District Hospital to evaluate their antibiotic susceptibility profiles and their ability to swarm and swim and correlate pyocyanin production with biofilm formation. Wound swab samples were collected and the identification of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> was performed using microbiological and biochemical tests. Their antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the broth microdilution method. Swarming and swimming were determined by measuring the diameters of motility in semisolid/low-viscosity media. Furthermore, pyocyanin production and biofilm formation were evaluated spectrophotometrically using a microtiter plate. The prevalence of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> from infected wounds in our study population was 26%. All <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates were resistant to streptomycin and paromomycin, and the frequency of multidrug resistance (MDR) was 65.8%. All <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates showed the ability to produce biofilm and pyocyanin. Out of the 37 isolates screened, 19 including the reference strains (51.4%) were strong biofilm producers. A significant positive correlation was observed among biofilm formation, pyocyanin production, and the antibiotic resistance profile of the isolates. Findings from this study suggest that infected wounds could act as a reservoir for MDR and virulent <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. The presence of strong biofilm producers of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> in infected wounds is a serious public health concern. Therefore, surveillance programs to monitor and control MDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> in these patients are required to prevent their dissemination in hospital settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2024 ","pages":"1207536"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10898945/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139982842","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":"Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Clinical Isolates of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> in Two Kenyan Facilities: A National Referral and a Level Five Hospital.","authors":"Sylvia M Maveke, Gabriel O Aboge, Laetitia W Kanja, Alfred O Mainga, Naftaly Gachau, Beatrice W Muchira, Gervason A Moriasi","doi":"10.1155/2024/7463899","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2024/7463899","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) among &lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Klebsiella pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt;, especially through the production of extended spectrum &lt;i&gt;β&lt;/i&gt;-lactamases (ESBLs), limits therapeutic options and poses a significant public health threat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;The aim of this study was to assess the phenotypic and genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance of ESBL-producing &lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Klebsiella pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates from patient samples in two Kenyan Hospitals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We collected 138 &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; and 127 &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates from various clinical specimens at the two health facilities from January 2020 to February 2021. The isolates' ESBL production and antibiotic susceptibility were phenotypically confirmed using a standard procedure. Molecular analysis was done through conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with appropriate primers for &lt;i&gt;gad&lt;/i&gt;A, &lt;i&gt;rpo&lt;/i&gt;B, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;TEM&lt;/sub&gt;, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;SHV&lt;/sub&gt;, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;OXA&lt;/sub&gt;, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;CTX-M-group-1&lt;/sub&gt;, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;CTX-M-group-2&lt;/sub&gt;, &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;CTX-M-group-9&lt;/sub&gt;, and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;CTX-M-group-8/25&lt;/sub&gt; genes, sequencing and BLASTn analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Most &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; (82.6%) and &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; (92.9%) isolates were ESBL producers, with the highest resistance was against ceftriaxone (69.6% among &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; and 91.3% among &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt;) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (70.9% among &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt;). The frequency of MDR was 39.9% among &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; and 13.4% among &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates. The commonest MDR phenotypes among the &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; isolates were CRO-FEP-AZM-LVX and CRO-AZM-LVX, while the FOX-CRO-AMC-MI-TGC-FM, FOX-CRO-FEP-AMC-TZP-AZM-LVX-MI and CRO-AMC-TZP-AZM-MI were the most frequent among &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates. Notably, the FOX-CRO-FEP-AMC-TZP-AZM-LVX-MI phenotype was observed in ESBL-positive and ESBL-negative &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates. The most frequent ESBL genes were &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;TEM&lt;/sub&gt; (42%), &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;SHV&lt;/sub&gt; (40.6%), and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;OXA&lt;/sub&gt; (36.2%) among &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt;, and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;TEM&lt;/sub&gt; (89%), &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;SHV&lt;/sub&gt; (82.7%), &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;OXA&lt;/sub&gt; (76.4%), and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;CTX-M-group-1&lt;/sub&gt; (72.5%) were most frequent ESBL genes among &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates. The &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;SHV&lt;/sub&gt; and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;OXA&lt;/sub&gt; and &lt;i&gt;bla&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;TEM&lt;/sub&gt; genotypes were predominantly associated with FOX-CRO-FEP-MEM and CRO-FEP multidrug resistance (MDR) and CRO antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes, among &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; isolates from Embu Level V (16.7%) and Kenyatta National Hospital (7.0%), respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The high proportion of ESBL-producing &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;K. pneumoniae&lt;/i&gt; isolates increases the utilization of last-resort ant","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2024 ","pages":"7463899"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10881238/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139931093","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":"Metagenomic Characterization of Poultry Cloacal and Oropharyngeal Swabs in Kenya Reveals Bacterial Pathogens and Their Antimicrobial Resistance Genes.","authors":"Philip M Panyako, Sheila C Ommeh, Stephen N Kuria, Jacqueline K Lichoti, Johns Musina, Venugopal Nair, Vish Nene, Muhammad Munir, Samuel O Oyola","doi":"10.1155/2024/8054338","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2024/8054338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poultry enteric bacterial diseases are of significant economic importance because they are responsible for production losses due to weight loss, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased cost of production arising from poor feed conversion and treatment. This cross-sectional purposive study characterized enteric bacterial pathogens in poultry from selected agroclimatic regions in Kenya and investigated their antimicrobial resistance gene profiles. Cloacal (<i>n</i> = 563) and oropharyngeal (<i>n</i> = 394) swabs were collected and pooled into 16 and 14 samples, respectively, to characterize bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance gene profiles. We report that <i>Proteobacteria</i>, <i>Chlamydiae</i>, and <i>Firmicutes</i> are the most dominant phyla present in both cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs of the six poultry species studied, indicating the colonization of the poultry gut by many pathogenic bacteria. Using KEGG and COG databases, some pathways related to metabolism, genetic information, and cellular processing were detected. We also report the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes that confer resistance to <i>β</i>-lactamases, aminoglycosides, and tetracycline in most of the poultry analyzed, raising concern about the dangers associated with continuous and inappropriate use of these antibiotics in poultry production. The antimicrobial resistance gene data generated in this study provides a valuable indicator of the use of antimicrobials in poultry in Kenya. The information generated is essential for managing bacterial diseases, especially in backyard poultry raised under scavenging conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"2024 ","pages":"8054338"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10876313/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139905620","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":"Occurrence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Virulence Profiles of Salmonella Serovars Isolated from Wild Reptiles in South Africa","authors":"Lungile N. Mlangeni, TA Ramatla, K. Lekota, Cormac Price, O. Thekisoe, Che Weldon","doi":"10.1155/2024/5213895","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5213895","url":null,"abstract":"Reptiles are carriers of an array of microorganisms, including significant zoonotic bacteria of the genus Salmonella, which cause a disease referred to as salmonellosis that affects both animals and humans. This study investigated the occurrence of Salmonella serovars in wild reptiles at Timbavati Private Game Reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and examined their virulence and antimicrobial resistance gene profiles. A total of 19 wild reptiles were sampled, which resulted in 30 presumptive Salmonella isolates. The isolates were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by amplifying the invA gene and were further confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Salmonella serovars were detected in chameleons (36.8%), lizards (31.6%), snakes (15.8%), and tortoises (15.8%). The use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Salamae (30%), S. enterica subsp. enterica (16.7%), S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (13.3%), and S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Indiana (13.3%) were the four most common subspecies among the investigated 30 isolates. Detected virulence genes included pagN (100%), hilA (96.7%), ssrB (96.7%), prgH (86.7%), and marT (86.7%). The isolates exhibited resistance to nalidixic acid (43.3%) and kanamycin (43.3%), followed by streptomycin (16.7%) and ciprofloxacin (3.3%). Antibiotic-resistant genes were detected as follows: strA, strB, qnrA, qnrS, parC, aadA, aac(6′)-Ib, and aac(6′)-Ib-cr at 33.3%, 6.7%, 16.7, 13.3%, 10%, 23.3%, 6.7%, and 10%, respectively. The findings highlight the necessity of educational initiatives aimed at reducing reptile-related infections. Effective antibiotic treatment appears promising for infection, given the minimal drug resistance observed in reptile Salmonella serovars in the current study.","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"43 47","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139382403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GC-MS Analysis and Study of the Antimicrobial Activity of Citrus paradisi, Citrus aurantifolia, and Citrus sinensis Peel Essential Oils as Hand Sanitizer","authors":"Isra Osman Mohammed, Ayat Ahmed Alrasheid, Saad Mohammed Hussein Ayoub","doi":"10.1155/2024/4957712","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/4957712","url":null,"abstract":"In the setting of healthcare, the use of hand sanitizers and antiseptics for hand hygiene is of paramount importance to avoid transfer of pathogenic microorganism through hand and skin contact. There is an increasing interest in the incorporation of essential oils in hand sanitizer’s formula to avoid the adverse effect of conventional hand sanitizers on health. This study aimed to detect the chemical constituents of citrus peel essential oils and study their antimicrobial activity compared with commercial hand sanitizers. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the hydrodistillated essential oils of peels of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), and orange (Citrus sinensis) were carried out using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. The disc diffusion method was used to screen the antibacterial activity of the essential oils against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans compared with a 78% alcohol-based commercial hand sanitizer. The antimicrobial testing results were statistically analyzed. The highest yield percentage of the obtained essential oils was 1.09% obtained by orange oil. The GC-MS analysis indicated that monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons occupied the largest portion of the chemical composition of the three essential oils with D-limonene as the most predominant component. All essential oils showed activity against all tested organisms. Lime essential oil showed comparable antimicrobial activity relative to the commercial 78% alcohol hand sanitizer. In conclusion, essential oils obtained from citrus fruit peel represent a rich source of compounds possessing antimicrobial properties and could be an alternative to synthetic antimicrobial agents.","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"111 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139391372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) with Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein-3 (IFITM-3) Genetic Variants and Interleukin-6 as Severity and Risk Predictors among COVID-19 Egyptian Population","authors":"Amal F. Makled, Sahar A. M. Ali, S. S. Eldahdouh, Asmaa S. Sleem, Maha M. Eldahshan, Yara Elsaadawy, Samar S. Salman, Asmaa Mohammed Elbrolosy","doi":"10.1155/2023/6384208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6384208","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction. The host genetic background is a crucial factor that underlies the interindividual variability of COVID-19 fatality and outcomes. Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) and interferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 (IFITM-3) have a key role in viral cell entrance and priming. The evoked immune response will also provide a predictive prognosis for COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to explore the association between ACE-2 and IFITM-3 genotypes and their corresponding allele frequencies with disease severity indices in the Egyptian COVID-19 population. The serum level of interleukin-6, as a biomarker of hyperinflammatory response, and cytokine storm, was correlated with disease progression, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the selected receptors, and treatment response. Methodology. We enrolled 900 COVID-19-confirmed cases and 100 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from 200 subjects (160 patients selected based on clinical and laboratory data and 40 healthy controls). The ACE-2 rs2285666 and IFITM-3 rs12252 SNPs were genotyped using the TaqMan probe allelic discrimination assay, and the serum IL-6 level was determined by ELISA. Logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the association between ACE-2 and IFITM-3 genetic variants, IL-6 profile, and COVID-19 severity. Results. The identified genotypes and their alleles were significantly correlated with COVID-19 clinical deterioration as follows: ACE2 rs2285666 CT + TT, odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 12.136 (2.784–52.896) and IFITM-3 rs12252 AG + GG: 17.276 (3.673–81.249), both p<0.001. Compared to the controls, the heterozygous and mutant genotypes for both SNPs were considerable risk factors for increased susceptibility to COVID-19. IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with disease progression (p<0.001). Conclusion. ACE-2 and IFITM-3 genetic variants are potential predictors of COVID-19 severity, critical outcomes, and post-COVID-19 complications. Together, these SNPs and serum IL-6 levels explain a large proportion of the variability in the severity of COVID-19 infection and its consequences among Egyptian subjects.","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"19 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138952074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic Potential of Punica granatum and Isolated Compounds: Evidence-Based Advances to Treat Bacterial Infections","authors":"P. M. Mendes, Guilherme Martins Gomes Fontoura, Liliane dos Santos Rodrigues, Aloiso Sampaio Souza, Jesse Pereira Machado Viana, Ana Lúcia Fernandes Pereira, Richard Pereira Dutra, Adriana Gomes Nogueira Ferreira, Marcelino Santos Neto, A. S. Reis, A. Berretta, V. Monteiro-Neto, Márcia Cristina Gonçalves Maciel","doi":"10.1155/2023/4026440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4026440","url":null,"abstract":"Punica granatum Linn has been known for its nutritional and medicinal value since ancient times and is used in the treatment of various pathologies owing to its antibacterial properties. This review reports the results of the most recent studies on the antibacterial effects of P. granatum and its isolated compounds on bacteria of clinical interest. A search in the PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science) databases was performed, which included articles that evaluated the antibacterial activity of P. granatum extracts and excluded articles that analyzed other microorganisms or nonpathogenic bacteria, as well as theses, dissertations, duplicate articles, and those not fully available. The literature suggests that P. granatum extracts can act on bacteria, such as methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus mutans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In addition, fruit peel was the most commonly used pharmacogen and methanol, ethanol, and water were the most common solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds. The antibacterial potential of the methanolic extract of pomegranate peel could be attributed to the presence of active compounds, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, punicic acid, gallic acid, and punicalagin. Thus, there is evidence that these plant extracts, having high polyphenol content, can disrupt the bacterial plasma membrane and inhibit the action of proteins related to antimicrobial resistance. P. granatum shows antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with great potential against multidrug-resistant strains. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism of action related to this biological activity and investigate the isolated substances that may be responsible for the antibacterial effects.","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"71 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138998877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implications and Mechanisms of Antiviral Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Systematic Review","authors":"Fargol Farahmnandi, P. Parhizgar, Parya Mozafari Komesh Tape, Fahimeh Bizhannia, Fateme Sadat Rohani, Marzieh Bizhanzadeh, Zeinab Sadat Mostafavi Alhosseini, Maede Hosseinzade, Yeganeh Farsi, M. Nasiri","doi":"10.1155/2023/9298363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9298363","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are among the most important strains of probiotics. Some are normal flora of human mucous membranes in the gastrointestinal system, skin, urinary tract, and genitalia. There is evidence suggesting that LAB has an antiviral effect on viral infections. However, these studies are still controversial; a systematic review was conducted to evaluate the antiviral effects of LAB on viral infections. Methods. The systematic search was conducted until the end of December 17, 2022, using international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline (via PubMed). The keywords of our search were lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillales, Lactobacillus (as well as its species), probiotics, antiviral, inhibitory effect, and virus. Results. Of 15.408 potentially relevant articles obtained, 45 eligible in-vivo human studies were selected for inclusion in the study from databases, registers, and citation searching. We conducted a systematic review of the antiviral effects of the LAB based on the included articles. The most commonly investigated lactobacillus specie were Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactobacillus casei. Conclusion. Our study indicates that 40 of the selected 45 of the included articles support the positive effect of LAB on viral infections, although some studies showed no significant positive effect of LABs on some viral infections.","PeriodicalId":14098,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Microbiology","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139007518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}