Microbiology spectrum最新文献

{"title":"Synergistic impact of macrolide resistance and H3N2 infection on <i>M. pneumoniae</i> outbreak in children.","authors":"Jiali Chen, Yingdan Wang, Juan Cheng, Yunping Ma, Xin Zhang, Xuezhou Bai, Palizhati Rehati, Huashun Cui, Fan Wu, Qiuhui Pan, Jinghe Huang","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01844-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01844-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In November 2023, there was a substantial increase in the incidence of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> infections in China following waves of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and influenza outbreaks. This study aimed to elucidate the epidemiological features and clinical implications of <i>M. pneumoniae</i> infections in children and explore the potential influence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants and influenza A infections on the <i>M. pneumoniae</i> outbreak. Among 38,668 children with lower respiratory tract infections from January to December 2023, 11,919 tested positive for <i>M. pneumoniae</i>, predominantly between October and December. The majority of the children with <i>M. pneumoniae</i> were aged 5-10 years, with type 1 strains and macrolide-resistant <i>M. pneumoniae</i> strains having the highest prevalence rates. Statistical analysis revealed elevated C-reactive protein, neutrophil, and monocyte levels and decreased lymphocyte, basophil, and eosinophil counts in <i>M. pneumoniae</i>-positive children. <i>M. pneumoniae</i>-positive children also presented significantly increased neutralizing antibody levels against preceding influenza A (H3N2) but not against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants. A parallel trend was observed between <i>M. pneumoniae</i> and H3N2 prevalence from June to December 2023. The emergence of macrolide-resistant strains and prior influenza A (H3N2) epidemics notably contributed to the <i>M. pneumoniae</i> outbreak. These findings suggested that H3N2 infection facilitates <i>M. pneumoniae</i> infection through various mechanisms. This study underscores the complex interactions between respiratory pathogens and highlights the need for comprehensive surveillance and response strategies.IMPORTANCEThis study identified key factors contributing to an outbreak of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> that affected 11,919 children. The influencing factors included a high prevalence of macrolide-resistant epidemic strains (94.2%) and significantly higher H3N2 neutralizing antibody levels (<i>P</i> < 0.0001) stimulated by the preceding H3N2 influenza epidemic. These findings highlight the complex relationship between the prevalence of <i>M. pneumoniae</i> and H3N2 infection in children, indicating that it is necessary to consider pathogen interactions in respiratory disease management by continuously monitoring respiratory pathogens. The emergence of macrolide-resistant strains in China and the previous H3N2 influenza epidemic significantly exacerbated the severity of the <i>M. pneumoniae</i> outbreak. H3N2 infection potentially amplifies Mycoplasma transmission. This study elucidates the epidemiological and clinical aspects of <i>M. pneumoniae</i> infections in children, yields insights regarding the cause of the outbreak, and provides guidance for improving respiratory infection management.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0184424"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hyperpiliation, not loss of pilus retraction, reduces <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> pathogenicity.","authors":"Sara L N Kilmury, Katherine J Graham, Ryan P Lamers, Lesley T MacNeil, Lori L Burrows","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02558-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02558-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Type IVa pili (T4aP) are important virulence factors for many bacterial pathogens. Previous studies suggested that the retraction ATPase, PilT, modulates pathogenicity due to its critical role in pilus dynamics and twitching motility. Here we use a <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> slow-killing model to show that hyperpiliation, not loss of pilus retraction, reduces virulence of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> strains PAK and PA14. Hyperactivating point mutations in the <i>P. aeruginosa</i> PilSR two-component system that controls transcription of the major pilin gene, <i>pilA</i>, increased levels of surface pili to the same extent as deleting <i>pilT</i>, without impairing twitching motility. These functionally hyperpiliated PilSR mutants had significant defects in pathogenicity that were rescued by deleting <i>pilA</i> or through disruption of hyperpiliation via deletion of the type III secretion system needle-length regulator, PscP. Hyperpiliated <i>pilT</i> deletion or <i>pilO</i> point mutants showed similar PilA-dependent impairments in virulence, validating the phenotype. Together, our data support a model where a surfeit of pili reduces virulence, potentially through the prevention of effective engagement of contact-dependent virulence factors. These findings suggest that the role of T4aP retraction in virulence should be revised.IMPORTANCE<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a major contributor to hospital-acquired infections and particularly problematic due to its intrinsic resistance to many front-line antibiotics. Strategies to combat this and other important pathogens include the development of anti-virulence therapeutics. We show that the pathogenicity of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> is impaired when the amount of T4aP expressed on the cell surface increases, independent of the bacteria's ability to twitch. We propose that having excess T4aP on the cell surface may physically interfere with productive engagement of the contact-dependent type III secretion toxin delivery system. A better understanding of how T4aP modulate interaction of bacteria with target cells will improve the design of therapeutics targeting components involved in the regulation of T4aP expression and function to reduce the clinical burden of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> and other T4aP-expressing bacteria.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0255824"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> isolates occurring in optochin-susceptible and optochin-resistant variants by analyzing whole-genome sequencing data.","authors":"Sandra Vohrnová, Jana Kozáková, Michal Honskus","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01939-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01939-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The paper presents the study of a set of isolates of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>, which comprised two heterogeneous subpopulations, one of which was susceptible and the other resistant to optochin. The aim of the study was to compare the results of serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), ribosomal multilocus sequence typing (rMLST), and variation analysis of these subpopulations and to investigate the genetic probable causes of optochin resistance. The strains studied were cultured from samples taken from patients with invasive pneumococcal disease in the Czech Republic in 2019 and 2020. A total of 10 studied pairs of isolates were subject to serotyping and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). None of the typing methods (serotyping, MLST, or rMLST) applied to pairs of optochin-susceptible and optochin-resistant isolates revealed differences in serotype, sequence type, or ribosomal sequence type. The WGS data analysis identified point mutations in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) synthase genes in 8 of the 10 optochin-resistant isolates. In seven optochin-resistant isolates, the mutation was found in the <i>atp</i>C gene and in one isolate in the <i>atp</i>A gene. One of the mutations in the <i>atp</i>C gene has not yet been published in the literature; it is a mutation at position 143T > C with an amino acid change of Val48Ala. In 8 out of the 10 optochin-resistant isolates, the possible genetic basis for resistance was identified, involving point mutations in the <i>atp</i>A and <i>atp</i>C genes. In the remaining two isolates, no clear genetic explanation for the optochin resistance in <i>S. pneumoniae</i> was found, based on current knowledge.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Globally, among the most fundamental tests used for the identification of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> isolates is determining susceptibility to optochin. In the last 2 decades, optochin-resistant strains have been frequently reported in the literature, which can lead to the misidentification of <i>S. pneumoniae</i>. This study compares whole-genome sequencing data of optochin-susceptible and optochin-resistant subpopulations of <i>S. pneumoniae</i> isolates and investigates the genetic probable causes of resistance in the genomes of optochin-resistant subpopulations.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0193924"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A streamlined procedure for advancing the detection and isolation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> from artificially contaminated ground beef in a single working day.","authors":"Min Lin, Hanhong Dan, Jiewen Guan","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01577-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01577-24","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Listeria monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt;, a rod-shaped Gram-positive bacterium widely distributed in nature, can contaminate foods and represents a foodborne pathogen of public health significance causing a high mortality rate of 20%-30%. Rapid and reliable identification of foods and food-processing environments contaminated with &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; is a crucial step in implementing effective intervention strategies to ensure food safety and limit the transmission of bacteria to humans. This study designed and refined a practical workflow to streamline and accelerate the detection of a low level of &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; present in ground beef. The workflow coupled an abbreviated 5 h culture enrichment in PALCAM liquid medium with physical separation (filtration and centrifugation) to preprocess enrichment samples. Specific capture was achieved using magnetic separation with a bacteriophage endolysin-derived cell wall-binding domain in a Hyglos &lt;i&gt;Listeria&lt;/i&gt; capture kit. Molecular detection was performed using a MicroSEQ &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; RTi-PCR detection kit combined with a nested PCR strategy. Preprocessing of enrichment culture samples using a multi-stage filtration system constructed for the study or commercially available BagFilter Pull-up filter bags, in conjunction with centrifugation, enabled the recovery of ~30 colony-forming units (CFUs) from the enrichment culture of a 25 g ground beef sample artificially contaminated with 1 CFU of &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt;. Integration of magnetic separation into the workflow for capturing &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; cells specifically from preprocessed samples and further cleaning up the samples yielded bacterial counts similar to those obtained by direct plating of preprocessed samples. The RTi-PCR-based molecular detection method integrated into the workflow was capable of detecting pure cultures of &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; as low as 12.5 CFUs. Evaluation of the workflow using artificially ground beef demonstrated the consistent detection of &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; within an 8 h workday in a 25 g sample unit containing the cell count as low as 2 CFU following a 5 h culture enrichment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Importance: &lt;/strong&gt;Consuming foods contaminated with the bacterial pathogen &lt;i&gt;Listeria monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; can lead to the development of human listeriosis, a severe and life-threatening foodborne illness. Timely detection of &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; present at a low level in foods and food processing environments is a necessary measure to prevent the spread of the &lt;i&gt;Listeria&lt;/i&gt;-associated illness. This study designed and evaluated a multi-step workflow for testing &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; in artificially contaminated food samples. The workflow was composed of a short 5 h culture enrichment, filtration-based sample preprocessing, magnetic separation, a single-tube nested RTi-PCR, and culture plating. It allowed &lt;i&gt;L. monocytogenes&lt;/i&gt; to be detected within 8 h from a 25 g ground beef sample containin","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0157724"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing antibiotic use in MSSA bacteremia: a stewardship-focused approach.","authors":"Victoria L Campodónico","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.03163-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03163-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antimicrobial stewardship is essential for optimizing therapy in bloodstream infections. Methicillin-susceptible <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MSSA) bacteremia requires prompt beta-lactam treatment, and delays in transitioning from empirical anti-MRSA therapy can result in adverse outcomes. Rapid diagnostics like the BioFire Blood Culture Identification (BCID) PCR panel, combined with stewardship interventions, significantly improve care by reducing unnecessary broad-spectrum antimicrobial use. A study by Yetukuri et al. demonstrated that integrating BCID with stewardship efforts reduced time to optimal therapy by 20 h (49 vs 29.1 h, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and shortened both bacteremia duration and anti-MRSA therapy without affecting mortality or hospital stay. These findings emphasize that stewardship programs, including real-time reviews and prescriptive guidance, are critical for translating rapid diagnostic results into timely, targeted treatment. Leveraging stewardship with advanced diagnostics offers a strategic approach to enhancing outcomes and combating antimicrobial resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0316324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Performance of ddPCR-GNB for microbial diagnosis of suspected bloodstream infection due to the four most common gram-negative bacteria: a prospective, multicenter study.","authors":"Shan-Shan Weng, Ling Lin, Jian-Feng Xie, Bang-Chuan Hu, Xue-Qing Ma, Jiang Xia, Yan Jiang, Hua Zhou, Xiao-Yan Wu, Yu-Hong Jin, Guo-Qiu Wu, Yi Yang, Ren-Hua Sun, Yun-Song Yu, Dong-Dong Zhao","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01015-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01015-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We aimed to validate the performance of ddPCR-GNB, a plasma droplet digital PCR panel targeting the four most common gram-negative bacteria, for patients with suspected bloodstream infection (BSI). Patients suspected of having BSIs were prospectively enrolled. The results of blood culture and ddPCR-GNB were compared, and cases with discordant results were arbitrated on the basis of additional microbiological results and clinical evidence. A total of 1,041 patients were enrolled. Blood culture and ddPCR-GNB results were positive for targeted bacteria in 6.3% and 31.7% of patients, respectively. The overall per-patient sensitivity and specificity of ddPCR-GNB for proven BSIs were 98.5% (95% CI, 91.9% to 99.9%) and 72.8% (95% CI, 69.9% to 75.5%), respectively; the negative predictive value was 99.9% (95% CI, 99.2% to 100%). The discordant results included 265 cases (25.5%) with negative companion blood culture results but positive ddPCR-GNB results and one case vice versa. A total of 23.7% of the cases were attributed to probable (<i>n</i> = 126) or possible (<i>n</i> = 121) BSIs. If both probable and possible BSIs were assumed to be true positives, the per-patient specificity of ddPCR-GNB would be 97.5%. The ddPCR-GNB panel demonstrated excellent microbial diagnostic performance in identifying targeted bacteria for patients with suspected BSI.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>This is the first multicentral study to validate the clinical performance of ddPCR in etiological diagnosis of bloodstream infection. The results showed that ddPCR has high sensitivity and increased detection rate compared with blood culture. The study proved the potential of the ddPCR method in microbial diagnoses.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0101524"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prospective evaluation of real-world performance and clinical impact of the Biofire FilmArray joint infection panel.","authors":"Benjamin Berinson, Konstantin Tanida, Laura Spenke, Lukas Krivec, Johannes Keller, Tim Rolvien, Martin Christner, Marc Lütgehetmann, Martin Aepfelbacher, Till Orla Klatte, Holger Rohde","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02239-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02239-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Limitations of culture-based diagnostic approaches in pathogen detection in joint infections (JI) can be overcome by amplification-based, molecular assays. Recently, a syndromic panel PCR (spPCR) assay (Biofire JI panel; BJA) was approved for pathogen identification from synovial fluid (SF). Here, the performance and the clinical impact of the BJA were assessed in comparison to standard of care diagnostics in a prospective cohort of patients presenting with symptoms consistent with JI. One hundred sixty-five synovial fluids underwent analysis using the BJA. The results were compared with culture-based diagnostics. Discrepant results were re-analyzed using species-specific PCRs or 16S-rDNA sequencing. Clinical data from patients were collected to evaluate the impact on patient management. Twenty-seven of 165 (16.3%) synovial fluid cultures grew bacterial pathogens. In 24/27 cases, the BJA results were concordant. In one case, the cultured pathogen was missed, but three additional pathogens were identified. In 11 culture-negative cases, BJA identified a pathogen. Mean turnaround time in culture-positive samples was 14:11 h and 35:17 h in BJA and culture, respectively. In 11 cases, antibiotic therapy was optimized, based on BJA results. This study demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity (96.3% and 97.8%, respectively) of BJA, as well as a shorter turnaround time than culture-based techniques (21 h faster). Based on analysis of clinical data, antibiotic therapy was optimized due to BJA results in 11 cases. Care must be taken, as important pathogens in prosthetic JI are not included in the panel, restricting its value here.IMPORTANCEPathogen detection is critical for targeted management of joint infections; however, cultural detection of pathogens can be challenging. The Biofire Joint Infection Assay (BJA) is a syndromic panel PCR test that allows culture-independent detection of 31 pathogens. The diagnostic performance and clinical impact were evaluated in a cohort of 160 patients with native and prosthetic joint infections. BJA detected concordant pathogens in 24 of 27 culture-positive cases and enabled the detection of additional pathogens in 11 patients. The time to result was significantly shorter than with standard culture-based diagnostics (14 vs 35 h), and BJA allowed optimization of therapy in 11 patients. The data show that BJA is a relevant addition to the diagnostic options for joint infections. Limitations result from incomplete detection of relevant pathogens, especially in prosthetic joint infections. The use of BJA in daily practice must therefore be accompanied by diagnostic stewardship measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0223924"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reevaluation of the gastrointestinal methanogenic archaeome in multiple sclerosis and its association with treatment.","authors":"Pei Yee Woh, Yehao Chen, Christina Kumpitsch, Rokhsareh Mohammadzadeh, Laura Schmidt, Christine Moissl-Eichinger","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02183-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02183-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The role of the gut archaeal microbiome (archaeome) in health and disease remains poorly understood. Methanogenic archaea have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), but prior studies were limited by small cohorts and inconsistent methodologies. To address this, we re-evaluated the association between methanogenic archaea and MS using metagenomic data from the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study. We analyzed gut microbiome profiles from 115 MS patients and 115 healthy household controls across Buenos Aires (27.8%), Edinburgh (33.9%), New York (10.4%), and San Francisco (27.8%). Metagenomic sequences were taxonomically classified using kraken2/bracken and a curated profiling database to detect archaea, specifically <i>Methanobrevibacter</i> species. Most MS patients were female (80/115), aged 25-72 years (median: 44.5), and 70% were undergoing treatment, including dimethyl fumarate (<i>n</i> = 21), fingolimod (<i>n</i> = 20), glatiramer acetate (<i>n</i> = 14), interferon (<i>n</i> = 18), natalizumab (<i>n</i> = 6), or ocrelizumab/rituximab (<i>n</i> = 1). We found no significant differences in overall archaeome profiles between MS patients and controls. However, treated MS patients exhibited higher abundances of <i>Methanobrevibacter smithii</i> and <i>M.</i> sp900766745 compared to untreated patients. Notably, <i>M.</i> sp900766745 abundance correlated with lower disease severity scores in treated patients. Our results suggest that gut methanogens are not directly associated with MS onset or progression but may reflect microbiome health during treatment. These findings highlight potential roles for <i>M. smithii</i> and <i>M.</i> sp900766745 in modulating treatment outcomes, warranting further investigation into their relevance to gut microbiome function and MS management.IMPORTANCEMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system, with approximately 2.8 million people diagnosed worldwide, mainly young adults aged 20-30 years. While recent studies have focused on bacterial changes in the MS microbiome, the role of gut archaea has been less explored. Previous research suggested a potential link between methanogenic archaea and MS disease status, but these findings remained inconclusive. Our study addresses this gap by investigating the gut archaeal composition in MS patients and examining how it changes in response to treatment. By focusing on methanogens, we aim to uncover novel insights into their role in MS, potentially revealing new biomarkers or therapeutic targets. This research is crucial for enhancing our understanding of the gut microbiome's impact on MS and improving patient management.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0218324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of infection-induced antibody levels with risk of subsequent SARS-COV-2 reinfection among healthcare professionals, Rhode Island, 1 March 2020-17 February 2021.","authors":"Jianrong Shi, M Gayle Gabriel, Monica Epperson, Phil A Chan, Jefferson M Jones, Lyle R Petersen, Melissa Briggs Hagen, Natalie J Thornburg, Sharon Saydah, Claire M Midgley","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02086-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02086-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Numerous studies have investigated vaccine-induced correlates of protection (CoP) against severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but data on infection-induced CoP are limited. Given differences between vaccine- and infection-induced immune responses, in conjunction with low vaccination in many US populations, a better understanding of infection-induced CoP is needed. We used residual sera from a mid-2020 Rhode Island serosurvey of healthcare professionals (HCP) and corresponding state-collected SARS-CoV-2 testing data through February 2021 to generate an analytic cohort of HCP with a first SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to serosurvey blood collection and multiple viral tests after blood collection to assess for reinfection (defined as a positive viral test ≥90 days after their first positive). We tested sera for levels of IgG and IgA targeting ancestral spike (S), receptor-binding domain (RBD), or nucleocapsid (N). We used adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios to assess the association between categorical antibody level and the risk of subsequent reinfection. Among 170 HCP included in this analysis (median age = 47 years; interquartile range: 35-55 years), 30 were reinfected during the analytic period. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios indicated that higher levels of anti-S or anti-RBD IgG were significantly associated with a lower risk of reinfection. These findings support the use of anti-S or anti-RBD IgG levels as markers of immunologic protection, such as in population serosurveys, or immune-bridging studies in settings of high prevalence of prior infection.  IMPORTANCEThe measurement of antibodies in blood is a relatively simple process and commonly used to estimate overall levels of past infection in populations. But, if someone has antibodies, does this mean that they are protected from being infected again? And are people with higher levels of antibody better protected? There are good data in the literature exploring how antibodies from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination are associated with protection. But, there is still a lot to learn about protection conferred by antibodies that develop after a severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In our study, we measure the levels of six different antibody types developed after infection and compare levels to the risk of subsequent infection to better understand which antibody types are best associated with protection. Our data are important for improving studies that use antibodies as proxies for protection, such as population immunity estimates, or those assessing new prevention products.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0208624"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simplifying SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based surveillance using an automated FDA EUA assay.","authors":"Shivaprasad H Sathyanarayana, Ashlee A Robins, Diana M Toledo, Torrey L Gallagher, Gregory J Tsongalis, Jacqueline A Hubbard, Joel A Lefferts, Isabella W Martin","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.02490-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02490-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) can track the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in communities. Laboratory methods for this testing involve labor-intensive, multi-step processes. This study assessed the feasibility of performing WBS with an off-label use of an automated commercial SARS-CoV-2 assay that had received Emergency Use Authorization for human diagnostic testing from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA EUA). Twenty-four-hour composite samples of primary influent wastewater from seven municipalities in New Hampshire and Vermont were collected between September 2020 and February 2021, and were centrifuged upon receipt. An aliquot of fresh supernatant was immediately tested with the Abbott <i>m</i>2000 RealTi<i>m</i>e SARS-CoV-2 assay (Abbott Molecular, Des Plaines, IL, USA). Corresponding aliquots were then stored at -80°C until they were thawed, polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrated, and tested by two PCR-based laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Wastewater samples (103) were tested with successful detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA by all three methods. Bland-Altman analysis showed overall concordant results with a bias of -0.13 and -0.42 log copies/mL detected by the FDA EUA assay compared to the LDTs. Specimen stability assessment demonstrated a decrease of 33.9% measurable viral RNA after three freeze-thaw cycles. SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater using an FDA EUA assay on an automated commercial testing platform performed comparably but with more efficient workflow when compared to two LDTs. This sample-to-answer automated method could save time and labor for surveillance testing, but further validation of its ability to quantitate SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA is necessary.IMPORTANCEThis proof-of-principle study evaluates an off-label use of an automated United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) human diagnostic assay for wastewater surveillance. Compared to standard, labor-intensive, multi-step methods currently in use for wastewater surveillance testing, an off-label use of an FDA EUA assay on an automated platform offers a sample-to-answer testing requiring less labor and a faster turnaround time.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":" ","pages":"e0249024"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}