Microbial pathogenesis最新文献

{"title":"Isolation and application of novel biocontrol agents in the continuous cropping area of garlic (Allium sativum L.)","authors":"Chunxue Wang ,&nbsp;Jizhen Kan ,&nbsp;Kang Chen ,&nbsp;Yayu Liu ,&nbsp;Jiahui Gong ,&nbsp;Xiang Li ,&nbsp;Ningyang Li ,&nbsp;Chuandong Jiang ,&nbsp;Bingyin Peng ,&nbsp;Kai Liu ,&nbsp;Binghai Du ,&nbsp;Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Chengqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The traditional cultivation practices of garlic have led to the frequent occurrence of soil-borne diseases and other cropping obstacles. In recent years, shifts in the spectrum of garlic diseases have reduced the effectiveness of conventional control measures, creating an urgent need to identify novel phytopathogens and develop efficient biocontrol strategies. In this study, we systematically screened for novel pathogenic and multifunctional plant-growth-promoting bacteria from garlic seedling tissues and the rhizosphere microbiota. A total of seven <em>Fusarium</em> strains and one novel pathogenic bacterium, <em>Erwinia persicina</em>, were isolated from diseased tissues, thereby expanding the known diversity of garlic phytopathogens. Additionally, sixteen multifunctional plant-growth-promoting strains were identified, among which <em>Paenibacillus polymyxa</em> C2 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with inhibition rates ranging from 70.17 % to 85.77 %. Pot experiments demonstrated that strain C2 increased garlic seedling height by 109.9 %, and enhanced the activities of soil catalase, neutral phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase. Meanwhile, <em>P</em>. <em>polymyxa</em> C2 can optimize the rhizosphere microbiota of garlic. Furthermore, through self-selection by garlic seedlings, two synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) were constructed, comprising <em>P</em>. <em>hunanensis</em> Y9, <em>Stenotrophomonas geniculata</em> V4, <em>Pseudomonas moraviensis</em> C3, and <em>P. polymyxa</em> C2. These SynComs significantly promoted garlic growth and reduced the incidence of garlic root rot. This study proposes a novel biocontrol approach using garlic-selected SynComs to suppress phytopathogens while optimizing the rhizosphere microbiota, offering a promising foundation for developing effective microbial inoculants aimed at sustainable agricultural production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108231"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145724594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep transfer learning for comprehensive diagnosis of cotton leaf pathologies","authors":"Abdul Ghafar ,&nbsp;Caikou Chen ,&nbsp;Irshad Ahmad ,&nbsp;Muhammad Qasim ,&nbsp;Shoaib Ahmed ,&nbsp;Faheem Ahmed Rajput ,&nbsp;Usman Zulfiqar ,&nbsp;Tabarak Malik","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cotton sector has recently encountered various obstacles, and traditional methods persist in the identification of cotton leaf diseases. This study has established an automated approach for diagnosing cotton leaf blast disease via deep learning methodologies and image processing. The research included deep learning architectures like Convolutional Neural Network, InceptionV3, ResNet50, VGG16, VGG19, and Xception. The extensive collection consists of over 4200 images, including around 3000 depicting cotton leaf blight and 1200 representing healthy leaves. The results demonstrated that the Convolutional Neural Network models InceptionV3, ResNet50, VGG16, and VGG19 attained final validation accuracies of 92.92 %, 64.1 %, 96.81 %, 95.42 %, and 95.97 %, respectively. The ResNet50 approach has exhibited greater accuracy than previous models, whereas the VGG19 model has achieved the second-highest accuracy. This research enhances precision agriculture by delivering a reliable and precise automated approach for predicting cotton diseases. Subsequent inquiries have been undertaken to enhance the precision and efficacy of deep learning models by the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, including ResNet50, RegNet, EfficientNetB, and Vision Transformers. This study has resulted in a significant enhancement of cotton leaf diseases through identification with the model of surpassing existing leading methodologies in accuracy, complexity, and inference speed. Thus, the creation of these reliable and precise automated diagnostic tools for cotton leaf diseases markedly enhances precision agriculture. The current investigation could equip farmers with a dependable and effective method to detect and mitigate cotton leaf diseases prior to inflicting significant harm on cotton crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108257"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145805112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and characterization of dual-functional polymeric hydrogels: A Sustainable approach for drug delivery and antimicrobial applications","authors":"Muhammad Bilal Habib ,&nbsp;Maryam Aftab ,&nbsp;Afreenish Amir ,&nbsp;Faheem Ullah ,&nbsp;Naseer Ali Shah ,&nbsp;Fatima Javed ,&nbsp;Nadhirah Mohamad Zain ,&nbsp;Aamer Ikram ,&nbsp;Muhammad Kamran ,&nbsp;Mamoon Ur Rasheed","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background/objectives</h3><div>Treatment failure and increased death rates may arise from the presence of drug-resistant microorganisms in the hospital environment. The purpose of this study was to devise new therapeutic hydrogel formulations to target drug resistant bacteria.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>In this study injectable hydrogel was developed containing Chitosan (CH) Methacrylic acid (MAA) and Glutaraldehyde, via polymerization technique, with subsequent loading of Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and Colistin (CT). Physicochemical characterization was performed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, zeta sizer, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and drug release assays were conducted to predict the hydrogel's injectable therapeutic applications. Molecular Docking, simulation analysis was performed to evaluate the binding affinities of hydrogel components to their respective target. A broth microdilution method was employed to assess the antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The CH-MAA hydrogel showed remarkable swelling, excellent biodegradability, and cytocompatibility. The hydrogels followed non-Fickian drug release indicated by the computed \"n\" values of 0.45–0.89. The CH-MAA hydrogel showed excellent antibacterial effects with a significant decrease in MIC values (5 μg/mL). The IONPs loaded hydrogels showed significant decrease in MIC value (0.78 μg/mL) as compared to IONP standalone (50 μg/mL). CT resistant <em>A. baumannii</em> was successfully targeted by CT loaded hydrogel which showed a remarkable MIC (1.25 μg/mL).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Current findings suggest that the newly designed CH-MAA injectable hydrogel could be a novel therapeutic agent with antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against these highly resistant bacteria to combat AMR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108242"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145763505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Assessment of inflammatory biomarkers and their correlation with wound healing status following application of chitosan hydrogel with PRP” [Microb. Pathog. 210 (2026) 108146]","authors":"Junwei Du ,&nbsp;Hailang Shi ,&nbsp;Zahid Manzoor ,&nbsp;Adnan Hassan Tahir ,&nbsp;Amber Fatima ,&nbsp;Tehreem Fayyaz ,&nbsp;Muhammad Abu Bakr Shabbir ,&nbsp;Muhammad Kashif Maan","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108219","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108219"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145701483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Charge-dependent effects of nanoplastics on Helicobacter pylori virulence and gastric pathogenesis","authors":"Wenke Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoying Chen ,&nbsp;Shang Shi ,&nbsp;Dina Johar ,&nbsp;Fangshu Li ,&nbsp;Boqing Li ,&nbsp;Chunlei Ma ,&nbsp;Yingzi Cui ,&nbsp;Zhiqin Li ,&nbsp;Ying Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging environmental contaminants whose surface charge governs their biological interactions. This study investigated how differentially charged NPs modulate <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> virulence and gastric pathogenesis. A chronic infection mouse model was used to evaluate co-exposure to <em>H. pylori</em> and positive (PS-NH₂), negative (PS-COOH), or neutral (PS) NPs. Gastric NPs accumulation and tissue injury were assessed by TEM and H&amp;E staining. Oxidative stress markers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), and cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and the neutrophil enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO), were quantified. The expression of virulence and adhesion genes, including cytotoxin-associated gene A (<em>cagA</em>), vacuolating cytotoxin A gene (<em>vacA</em>), blood group antigen-binding adhesin A gene (<em>babA</em>), and outer inflammatory protein A gene (<em>oipA</em>), was analyzed. Bacterial motility and biofilm formation were also evaluated. All NPs accumulated in gastric tissue and exacerbated injury, with severity following PS-NH₂ &gt; PS-COOH &gt; PS. Co-exposure elevated oxidative stress and inflammation while reducing antioxidant capacity. Virulence and adhesion genes were upregulated across NPs groups, with PS-NH₂ inducing early activation and PS-COOH causing sustained increases. PS-NH₂ NPs showed no significant effect on early bacterial motility but suppressed late-stage swimming. Biofilm formation was markedly increased, particularly with PS-NH₂ exposure. NPs exacerbate <em>H. pylori</em>–induced gastric injury in a surface charge–dependent manner by promoting bacterial virulence, oxidative stress, and inflammation. These findings provide new insights into host–pathogen interactions relevant to gastric disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108260"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and risk factors of Cryptosporidium in humans in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Rui Shi ,&nbsp;Wei Wei ,&nbsp;Di Jiao ,&nbsp;Rigai Sa ,&nbsp;Guoshuai Li ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Hua Bai ,&nbsp;Risu Na ,&nbsp;Rui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptosporidium</em> is a globally distributed protozoan parasite and a major cause of diarrheal disease, particularly among immunocompromised individuals. Despite its growing recognition as an important zoonotic pathogen, large-scale epidemiological data specific to the Chinese population remain scarce. We systematically retrieved articles on the occurrence of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> in humans in China through searches of PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and VIP Chinese Journal Database, with the literature search current through May 15, 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 193 studies were included, covering data from 27 provinces. A total of 193 studies were included, covering data from 27 provinces, with a total sample size of 249,142 individuals, of whom 11,339 tested positive. Pooled prevalence and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using a random-effects model. Funnel-plot inspection and Egger's test indicated small-study effects/publication bias (<em>p</em> = 0.0082); trim-and-fill adjustment suggested some missing studies but produced broadly consistent adjusted estimates, so findings are reported with appropriate caution. The pooled prevalence of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> infection in humans in China was estimated at 5.0 %. Higher infection rates were observed in Northwestern China (6.61 %, 95 % CI: 3.20–11.13) and among individuals aged 17–30 years (8.43 %, 95 % CI: 3.55–14.61), and a significant decline in prevalence was noted in studies conducted after 2015. <em>C. parvum</em> and <em>C. hominis</em> were identified as the main infecting species, while other <em>Cryptosporidium</em> species (<em>C. meleagridis</em>, <em>C. canis</em>, <em>C. felis</em>, <em>C. viatorum</em>, <em>C. baileyi</em>, <em>C. andersoni</em>, <em>C. bovis</em> and <em>C. suis</em>) were only sporadically detected. In addition, higher infection rates occurred in HIV-positive individuals (7.63 %, 95 % CI: 5.34–10.28) and rural populations (5.18 %, 95 % CI: 3.46–7.23). These findings highlight the need for improved surveillance, accurate diagnostics, and targeted prevention strategies in high-risk regions and populations, with attention not only to young children but also to adults, who may face overlooked exposure risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108255"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of chitosan-functionalized PLGA/alginate polymeric nanoparticles for controlled doxycycline release in pediatric Streptococcus pneumoniae infections","authors":"Haiqin Wang,&nbsp;Yan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Streptococcus pneumoniae</em> continues to be a leading pathogen responsible for severe respiratory related diseases among children, often demanding prolonged treatment with antibiotics. In this study, we developed a chitosan-modified PLGA/alginate nanoparticles for controlled doxycycline delivery (CS-PLGA/Alginate@Doxy NPs) with the goal of improving therapeutic effect while reducing dosing frequency and treatment-related difficulties. The fabricated NPs demonstrated a well-defined spherical structure with an average diameter close to 50–70 nm, a stable negative surface charge, and a notably high drug encapsulation capability, confirming their suitability for inhalation-based antimicrobial therapy. <em>In vitro</em> drug release studies confirmed sustained Doxy release over 72 h under different pH conditions. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against of <em>S. pneumoniae</em>, showing significantly improved bactericidal activity compared to free Doxy and other combinations. Further, the crystal violet assay and fluorescent microscopy analysis reveals that, the <em>S. pneumoniae</em> biofilm thickness was significantly reduced with visible disintegration of EPS matrix when exposed to CS-PLGA/Alginate@Doxy NPs. Cytocompatibility assays on fibroblast (L929) and human lung epithelial cells (L-132) confirmed the safety profile of the CS-PLGA/Alginate@Doxy NPs for pediatric use. The results proposed that the fabricated CS-PLGA/Alginate@Doxy NPs signifies a promising targeted delivery platform for the effective management of pediatric pneumococcal infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108240"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145794352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intestinal parasitic infections associated with nutritional status and inflammatory markers among young children in Huye district, Rwanda","authors":"Wellars Twahirwa ,&nbsp;Patrick Nemeyimana ,&nbsp;Xavier Nyandwi ,&nbsp;Jean D'Amour Iradukunda ,&nbsp;Jean Felix Muneza ,&nbsp;Philbert Kanimba ,&nbsp;Khadijat O. Adefaye ,&nbsp;Noel Gahamanyi ,&nbsp;Nadine Rujeni","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are a public health issue affecting young children in low and middle income countries (LMICs). These factors may induce malnutrition, as well as systemic and/or intestinal inflammation, depending on the species, intensity of infection, and host response. This study aimed at determining the effect of intestinal parasites on nutritional status and inflammatory responses in pre- and school-aged children in rural areas of the southern province of Rwanda.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study involving 127 children under 12 years of age was conducted at two health centers in Huye District, Southern Province, Rwanda, from January to February 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, feeding habits, anthropometric measurements, and information on infection/malnutrition risk factors. Stool samples were collected to test for intestinal parasites by using microscope, while serum was collected to measure (anti)inflammatory markers [interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), total protein, and C-reactive protein (CRP)].</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall prevalence of IPIs was 38.6 %, with <em>Entamoeba coli</em> being the most prevalent (21.3 %), Q1: Although <em>E. coli</em> is non-pathogenic, its high prevalence serves as an indicator of fecal–oral contamination and poor environmental sanitation. Thus, it reflects the same exposure pathways responsible for pathogenic intestinal parasites. Its detection therefore signals ongoing transmission risks and inadequate hygiene conditions that contribute to the overall public health burden. followed by <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> (18.1 %), <em>Entamoeba histolytica</em> (11.8 %), and <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (1.6 %). Coinfections accounted for 12.6 % of the infections. Moreover, 48.0 %, 25.2 %, and 9.4 % of the children were stunted, underweight, and stunted, respectively. Underweight, IL-10, and total protein levels were significantly associated with IPIs. Our findings also indicated that food supplements had a significant positive effect on stunting.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div><em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em>, <em>Entamoeba histolytica</em>, and <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> were the predominant parasites. Intestinal parasitic infections in preschool children and schoolchildren affect the nutritional status, possibly through chronic inflammation. Further mechanistic investigations will shed more light on the regulation of the inflammatory response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108237"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Telomycin nanoparticles from Streptomyces abietis: Effects on hepatorenal function, antioxidant activity, immune responses, and histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) challenged with Staphylococcus aureus","authors":"Rewan Abdelaziz ,&nbsp;Alshimaa A. Khalil ,&nbsp;Rania Ali ,&nbsp;Mohamed Taha Yassin ,&nbsp;Fatimah Olyan Al-Otibi ,&nbsp;Mohamed Ragab AbdelGawwad ,&nbsp;Shaimaa A.A. Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study investigated the antibacterial efficacy of telomycin nanoparticles (TNPs). Telomycin, a bioactive metabolite of <em>Streptomyces abietis</em> PP752347, was loaded onto chitosan nanoparticles. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) of telomycin against pathogenic strains of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> was determined to be 1.0 ± 1.00 μg/mL and 2.0 ± 1.00 μg/mL, respectively, against different strains. Meanwhile, the (MIC₅₀) of TNPS against the same strains was .125 ± 1.00 μg/mL and 1.0 ± 1.00 μg/mL, respectively. Morphological changes in <em>S. aureus</em> treated with TNPS were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the bioactive metabolite extracts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while SEM was employed to characterize the nanoparticles. For the <em>in vivo</em> experiment, 120 African catfish (<em>Clarias gariepinus</em>) were divided into four groups: the first group served as the negative control (neither challenged nor treated); the second group (TNPS) received TNPS treatment (100 μg/L); the third group (SA) represented the positive control, infected with <em>S. aureus</em>; and the fourth group (SA + TNPS) was infected with <em>S. aureus</em> and treated with TNPS. Infected fish (SA and SA + TNPS groups) received an intraperitoneal injection of <em>S. aureus</em> (1.6 × 10⁶ CFU/mL). The findings demonstrated that all infected groups exhibited noticeable clinical signs resulting from <em>S. aureus</em> infection. TNPS administration via immersion significantly reduced the negative impacts of infection on liver and kidney biomarkers, innate immune responses, antioxidant levels, serum gonadotropic hormones, and hepatic expression levels of both Caspase-3 and TNF-α. TNPS treatment significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) alleviated <em>S. aureus</em>–induced clinical symptoms and hepatorenal dysfunction. It enhanced innate immunity (lysozyme, nitric oxide, MPO, and IL-1β expression), antioxidant capacity, and sex hormone levels, while reversing histopathological alterations in the liver, kidney, spleen, and ovaries. Furthermore, TNPs reduced hepatic expression of both Caspase-3 and TNF-α. These findings indicate that TNPs (100 μg/L) is safe for African catfish and exhibits potent antibacterial activity, supporting its potential as a promising and eco-friendly therapeutic agent for aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108241"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring bacteriophages as potential tools for combating multi drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: Isolation, characterization, genomic insights, and in vitro evaluation","authors":"Rahma E. Ali ,&nbsp;Amal S.M. Abo-Senna ,&nbsp;Rasha A.S. El-Safty ,&nbsp;Aliaa Aboulela","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.108274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacteriophages are promising alternatives to antibiotics for combating multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens such as <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. In this study, two <em>K. pneumoniae</em>-specific phages, vB_Kpn_RAH1 and vB_Kpn_RAH2, were isolated from sewage using an MDR clinical isolate (KP26) as the host. Their morphological, physicochemical, and genomic characteristics were analyzed. Both phages exhibited <em>Siphovirus</em>-like morphology, and the genome sizes of RAH1 and RAH2 were 46,784 bp and 59,380 bp, respectively. The phages were stable at 25–37 °C and pH 7–9 but were sensitive to high temperatures (80–90 °C), extreme pH, and prolonged UV exposure. Killing-curve assays confirmed strong bactericidal activity, with MOI 0.1 producing the most sustained bacterial reduction (90–97 %), while higher MOIs showed reduced long-term efficacy. The phage cocktail exhibited superior and prolonged inhibition of <em>K. pneumoniae</em>, outperforming RAH1 and RAH2 individually. One-step growth analysis revealed burst sizes of approximately 400 virions for RAH1 and 250 for RAH2. Host-range analysis indicated narrow specificity for both phages, whereas their cocktail displayed a broader lytic spectrum, lysing 9 of 15 clinical isolates. The absence of lysis in non-<em>Klebsiella</em> species emphasizes the high specificity of the phages, supporting a targeted therapeutic approach while minimizing unintended effects on the host microbiota. Genomic analysis confirmed that RAH1 and RAH2 are novel species lacking antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes. RAH2 is strictly lytic, whereas RAH1 is temperate. The strictly lytic nature and favorable genomic features of RAH2 support its potential as a candidate for therapeutic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 108274"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}