Journal of medical microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Multidrug resistance in group B <i>Streptococcus</i> causing urinary tract infection exposes an erythromycin-driven protective effect against oxidative stress.","authors":"Devika Desai, Kelvin G K Goh, Sandon Ranadeera, Ellen Copeman, Matthew J Sullivan, Glen C Ulett","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001975","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001975","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multidrug resistance has been reported in group B <i>Streptococcus</i> (GBS) from various origins, but rates among urinary tract infection (UTI) isolates are largely unknown. Erythromycin, a second-line antibiotic for GBS for which high rates of resistance have been reported, was recently shown to support the resistance of <i>Staphylococcu</i>s to oxidative stress. To survey multidrug-resistant (MDR) GBS from UTI and to investigate the effect of erythromycin exposure on the bacteria's ability to resist oxidative stress, we determined the antibacterial activity of 18 antibiotics against 292 GBS UTI isolates by disc diffusion and used i<i>n vitro</i> growth assays of MDR GBS exposed to erythromycin to examine relative resistance to oxidative stress in the form of H₂O₂. A high proportion of all 292 GBS isolates (33.6%) were MDR, reflecting high rates of resistance to four antibiotics: azithromycin (44.5%), clindamycin (26%), erythromycin (36.3%) and tetracycline (81.5%); however, no resistance was detected for any other antibiotics tested. Rates of resistance were not significantly different when analysed according to clinical origins (acute and recurrent UTI, asymptomatic bacteriuria). The growth of MDR GBS was attenuated and severely inhibited by exposure to erythromycin and H₂O₂, respectively. Surprisingly, exposure of MDR GBS to erythromycin significantly relieved the severe growth inhibitory effect of H₂O₂, signifying a partial rescue effect of the antibiotic. The GBS isolates in this study exhibit high levels of multidrug resistance without an association between resistance and clinical origin. Exposure of MDR GBS to erythromycin can partially counteract the severe growth inhibitory effect from H₂O₂.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11923109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660223","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":"Cases of high-consequence infectious diseases identified in the UK, 1962-2023.","authors":"Barry Atkinson, Mike Beadsworth, Jake Dunning","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001982","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001982","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The management of patients with acute infectious diseases can present significant challenges, especially if the causative agent has a propensity for person-to-person transmission. In such cases, effective patient management is dependent on both rapid identification of disease and the provision of necessary medical care while adhering to suitable infection prevention and control measures to reduce the potential for onwards transmission. The UK has operated a defined system for managing patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) since the 1970s, when protocols were first implemented following the first descriptions of several viral haemorrhagic fever diseases, including Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever and Ebola virus disease (EVD). While more than 200 people with HCIDs have been treated in UK hospitals since the 1970s, most of these patients had COVID-19 or mpox during the early phases of new public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs), prior to their removal from the UK HCID list in March 2020 and June 2022, respectively. Excluding PHEICs, 26 patients have been treated in HCID treatment centres between 1962 and 2023: 10 patients with Lassa fever, 7 with mpox prior to the 2022 PHEIC, 4 with Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), 4 with EVD and 1 with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). In total, 15 additional HCID patients were identified where treatment in a specialist centre did not occur due to retrospective diagnosis (4 patients with Lassa fever), mild or moderate illness [5 patients with avian influenza A(H5N1), 1 with MERS and 1 with CCHF] or death prior to transfer (2 patients with Lassa fever, 1 with CCHF and 1 with pneumonic plague). Here we summarize the UK HCID experience, including details about their detection, patient management and outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11903645/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143607487","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":"Differential expression of genes associated with lipid import, β-oxidation and lactate oxidation induced by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> curli pili in broth culture compared to intracellular bacilli within THP-1 macrophages.","authors":"Shinese Ashokcoomar, Manormoney Pillay","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001994","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001994","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> The adhesin, <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> curli pili (MTP), assists the pathogen in attachment, invasion and disease progression. Previously, this adhesin was demonstrated to contribute to the pathogen's cell wall functions and fatty acid metabolism and affects total metabolite abundance in central carbon metabolism and fatty acid metabolism of the host. The accumulation/depletion of metabolites is reliant on the gene expression of proteins involved in the import, transport and breakdown of substrates.<b>Gap statement.</b> MTP has not been investigated in relation to genes involved in import/transport/breakdown of substrates.<b>Aim.</b> This study aimed to investigate the possible regulatory role of MTP in modulating metabolic changes of the pathogen in different microenvironments.<b>Methods.</b> Ribonucleic acid was harvested from bacterial broth cultures of adhesin-proficient and adhesin-deficient <i>M. tuberculosis</i>. These strains were also used to infect differentiated THP-1 macrophages for 4 h prior to isolation of intracellular bacteria, RNA extraction and reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR. The expression levels of selected genes involved in fatty acid transport (<i>lucA</i>, <i>mce1D</i>, <i>mceG</i>, <i>Rv2799</i>, <i>Rv0966c</i> and <i>omamB</i>), β-oxidation (<i>fadA5</i> and <i>fadB</i>), lactate oxidation (<i>lldD1</i> and <i>lldD2</i>) and gluconeogenic carbon flow (<i>pckA</i>) were analysed by absolute quantification.<b>Results.</b> The gene expression levels of <i>lucA</i>, <i>mce1D</i> and <i>pckA</i> were significantly lower, and those of <i>Rv2799</i>, <i>Rv0966c</i>, <i>mceG</i>, <i>fadA5</i> and <i>lldD2</i> were significantly higher in the adhesin-proficient cultured bacterial strains relative to the Δ<i>mtp</i> strain. The intracellular adhesin-proficient bacteria displayed significantly higher gene expression levels of <i>Rv2799</i> and significantly lower gene expression levels of <i>Rv0966c</i>, <i>fadA5</i>, <i>lldD1</i> and <i>pckA</i> relative to the Δ<i>mtp</i> strain. Interestingly, during early infection, the intracellular Δ<i>mtp</i> displayed significantly increased expression of <i>omamB</i>, <i>mceG</i>, <i>fadB</i>, <i>lldD1</i> and <i>lldD2</i> relative to the broth culture. This trend was inverted in the WT models.<b>Conclusion.</b> MTP are significantly associated with the regulation of genes involved in lipid transport, β-oxidation and lactate oxidation.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11956070/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143756905","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":"Impact of cyclosporine A on the progression of ocular surface diseases: treatment efficacy and potential complications.","authors":"Gulnara Begimbayeva, Tursunkul Botabekova, Assel Yelikbayeva, Ekaterina Voronkova, Kamilla Kenzhebayeva","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001978","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001978","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Eye diseases are widespread all over the world and, if left untreated, can lead to blindness.<b>Hypothesis.</b> The use of 0.05% cyclosporine A (CsA) solution for the treatment of dry eye causes a decrease in discomfort and pain and improves objective measures such as tear film breakdown time, Schirmer test results and Oxford scale scores due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that contribute to improved tear film stability and tear production.<b>Aim.</b> This study aimed to investigate the impact of CsA on the progression of ocular surface diseases.<b>Methodology.</b> An experiment was conducted on the basis of the FOCUS ophthalmology centre, Kazakhstan. A group of 100 individuals diagnosed with mild to severe dry eye illness were administered 0.05% CsA eye drops as part of the treatment protocol.<b>Results.</b> The positive effect is explained by the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of CsA. The study showed that the use of 0.05% CsA solution for the treatment of ocular surface disease led to a decrease in discomfort and pain, as well as an improvement in objective measures, including tear film breakdown time, Schirmer test results and Oxford scale scores. The visual analogue scale showed a significant reduction in symptoms, from 6.8 points at baseline to 3.7 points at day 60. In total, 20% of patients reported moderate side effects, such as pain during instillation and redness of the eye surface.<b>Conclusion.</b> It is concluded that the use of these drops reduced pain, improved patient condition and enhanced indicators such as the visual analogue scale, tear film breakup time, Schirmer test and Oxford scale of corneal and conjunctival staining. This study differs from the previous ones in that it focuses on the efficacy of 0.05% CsA solution in the treatment of dry eye and also examines the spectrum and frequency of side effects, which is not sufficiently covered in previous studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11903643/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143607423","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":"Evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of combination therapy with 1% ivermectin solution in moderate to severe rosacea: a cohort study.","authors":"Kyzzhibek Keneshbek Kyzy, Aisuluu Omurzakova, Venera Azhikulova, Bukatcha Zainalieva, Dinara Abdulkasymova","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001974","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001974","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Rosacea is a common chronic dermatological disease that negatively affects the quality of life of patients.<b>Hypothesis.</b> Combination therapy with 1% ivermectin solution alongside systemic treatment methods is more effective in reducing the severity of moderate to severe papulopustular rosacea symptoms compared with traditional treatment methods alone.<b>Aim.</b> This study is aimed at finding new approaches to the treatment of moderate and severe forms of rosacea.<b>Methodology.</b> This research compared the main group receiving ivermectin with a control group getting conventional treatment to assess the safety and efficacy of 1% ivermectin combination therapy in 70 individuals with moderate to severe rosacea. At weeks 2, 4 and 8, the dynamics of clinical symptoms were evaluated using a 4-point scale.<b>Results.</b> The use of combination therapy with ivermectin led to a more pronounced improvement in the clinical picture. Already at week 4, a 48-54% decrease in symptoms was recorded in the main group, while in the control group, it was only by 25-30%. By week 8, an almost complete reduction of the main manifestations was observed in the main group (78-88% decrease). Regression analysis confirmed that combination therapy with ivermectin was a key factor determining a more substantial clinical improvement, regardless of age, gender and the initial severity of the patient's condition. In addition, a much more pronounced decrease in the number of Demodex ticks was recorded in the main group. The effectiveness of combination therapy with ivermectin did not depend on the demographic or clinical characteristics of patients, which makes it a universal method of treating rosacea. No serious side effects have been reported in any patient receiving combination therapy, which indicates its safety.<b>Conclusion.</b> This approach can be a valuable addition to existing strategies for the treatment of this chronic dermatological disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11936346/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574932","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":"Influence of menstrual cycle and oral contraception on taxonomic composition and gas production in the gut microbiome.","authors":"Fernanda Terrazas, Scott T Kelley, Taylor DeMasi, Kristine Giltvedt, Michelle Tsang, Kaelyn Nannini, Mark Kern, Shirin Hooshmand","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001987","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001987","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Oral contraceptives (OCs) are widely used for birth control and offer benefits such as menstrual cycle regulation and reduced menstrual pain. However, they have also been associated with an increased risk of cancer and reduced bone mass density.<b>Gap Statement.</b> While the gut microbiome is known to interact with endocrine factors, the impact of hormonal OCs on its composition and function remains underexplored. Additionally, we explore the relationship of OC use and the microbiome to gas production, which can cause symptoms and be indicative of poor health.<b>Aim.</b> This study investigates the effects of OCs on the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome and its association with breath hydrogen (H₂) and methane (CH₄) levels.<b>Methodology.</b> We utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyse faecal samples from 65 women, comparing OC users with non-users at two menstrual cycle time points. Breath tests measured hydrogen and CH₄ production. Data were analysed for microbial diversity, community composition and correlation with gas production.<b>Results.</b> There were no differences in overall microbial diversity between OC users and non-users in samples collected on day 2 of the menstrual cycle. However, on day 21, we found a significant difference in microbial richness, suggesting a cycle-dependent effect of OCs on gut microbiota species richness but not composition. We found a strong correlation between H₂ and CH₄ concentrations and an interaction between OC use and the menstrual cycle on H₂ and CH₄ production. We also identified several taxa associated with both high levels of H₂ and CH₄ production and OC use.<b>Conclusion.</b> Our study highlights the intricate relationships among hormonal contraceptives, the gut microbiota and gas production and connects shifts in the microbiome composition to gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. gas production) that can impact overall health. This underscores the need for further research on the long-term effects of OCs and for the development of precise therapeutic strategies to address potential adverse effects. Our findings offer new perspectives on the microbiome-hormone-gas production nexus, potentially broadening our understanding of the systemic implications of OCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11952661/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143736321","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":"Genotypic diversity of the <i>Helicobacter pylori vacA</i> c region and its correlation with gastric disease outcomes.","authors":"Mounia El Khadir, Souad Oirdi Zahir, Samia Alaoui Boukhris, Dafr-Allah Benajah, Sidi Adil Ibrahimi, Laila Chbani, Mohamed El Abkari, Bahia Bennani","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001969","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001969","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction</b> <i>. Helicobacter pylori</i> infection is a major cause of peptic ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma. The infection progression to severe diseases depends on several factors, including bacterial ones. CagA and VacA are two major virulence factors widely studied and implicated in <i>H. pylori</i> diseases.<b>Gap statement.</b> Although the allelic prevalence of the s, m, i and d regions of the <i>H. pylori vacA</i> gene and their relation with gastric disease outcomes have been largely studied, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the prevalence and the association of the <i>vacA</i> c region with those pathologies. This polymorphic region could exhibit a large variability which might impact the virulence of the bacterium and the severity of gastric damage.<b>Aim.</b> The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of <i>H. pylori vacA</i> c alleles and to assess the association of <i>vacA</i> mosaicism with gastric damage in a large Moroccan population.<b>Methodology.</b> <i>H. pylori</i> positive gastric biopsies, obtained in 709 consenting patients who consulted the gastroenterology department of the Hassan II University Hospital of Fez (Morocco) for clinical endoscopy, between 2009 and 2019, were used in this study. DNA extracted from the biopsy samples was used to determine the <i>vacA</i> c genotype using specific PCRs. <i>H. pylori cagA</i>, <i>vacA</i> s, <i>vacA</i> m, <i>vacA</i> d and <i>vacA</i> i genotypes of these samples were previously determined.<b>Results.</b> The <i>vacA</i> c2 genotype was detected in 44.7% of samples and the <i>vacA</i> c1 genotype in 16.5% of cases. Multiple infections (detection of the two <i>vacA</i> c allelic forms) were obtained in 9% of samples. Correlation of <i>H. pylori vacA</i> c genotype with pathologies showed that the <i>vacA</i> c1 allele was strongly associated with the risk of gastric cancer (GC) [odds ratio=3.14, confidence intervals 95% (1.08-9.09)].<b>Conclusion.</b> The results of this study confirm that despite the large <i>H. pylori</i> genetic diversity, the genotypic distribution is marked by a predominance of the less virulent strains in Morocco. Also, even if <i>vacA</i> allelic combinations seem to impact the toxicity of this bacterium, patients infected with <i>H. pylori vacA</i> c1 genotype are more likely to develop GC than those infected by <i>H. pylori vacA</i> c2 genotype.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11936344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574988","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":"Geographical and temporal variations of serogroups and clonal types of <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> involved in culture-confirmed invasive meningococcal disease in Canada, 2015-2023.","authors":"Courtney Meilleur, Jianwei Zhou, Linda Hoang, Gregory Tyrrell, Jessica Minion, Paul Van Caeseele, Julianne Kus, Brigitte Lefebvre, David Haldane, Richard Garceau, George Zahariadis, Xiaofeng Ding, Kami Kandola, Sudit Ranade, Raymond S W Tsang","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001979","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001979","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a nationally notifiable illness in Canada due to its potential severity and transmissibility. Vaccination strategies differ by province/territory and are informed by changes in the antigenic characteristics of circulating strains.<b>Gap Statement.</b> Though IMD statistics are tracked at a provincial/territorial level, there is a lack of published data characterizing trends in the epidemiology of this disease at a national level.<b>Aim.</b> To examine the epidemiology of culture-confirmed IMD in Canada during the period of 2015-2023.<b>Methodology.</b> Meningococcal isolates sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory Branch between 2015 and 2023 as part of routine national surveillance were characterized for serogroup by bacterial agglutination and genetic methods. Clonal analysis was done by MLST. Demographic information was derived from requisition forms accompanying the samples.<b>Results.</b> The proportion of IMD caused by serogroup W meningococci (MenW) in 2015-2023 was 30.0% with more (62.9%) MenW cases detected in western provinces. Serogroup B meningococci (MenB) IMD was more common (53.4%) in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Clonal analysis reveals 168 distinct sequence types between 2015 and 2023, with 103 belonging to MenB. The average age of MenB cases during this time was 29.1 years, significantly younger than serogroup C (MenC) (45.3 years), serogroup Y (MenY) (48.3 years) and MenW (43.0 years) patients. Additionally, 31.5% of MenB and 21.7% of MenC IMD isolates were collected from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or brain samples, which were significantly higher than that for MenY (12.2%) and MenW (7.3%) isolates.<b>Conclusions.</b> Results from this and previous studies showed temporal and geographical variations in the serogroups causing IMD in Canada. MenB also showed the most genetic diversity, caused IMD in a significantly younger population and was more often isolated from CSF and brain samples than other serogroups.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143607416","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":"Intratype variants and high genotypic diversity of human papillomavirus with polymorphisms in the antigenic hypervariable loops of the L1 protein from women living with human immunodeficiency virus in Northeastern Brazil.","authors":"Melina Vieira Alves, Guilherme Oliveira Pereira, Letícia Alves Dos Santos Silva, Edilaine Dória Araújo, Brenda Evenlin Barreto da Silva, Lígia Mara Dolce de Lemos, Marcus Vinicius de Aragão Batista","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001981","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001981","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the main oncogenic viruses. High-risk HPV types are associated with the development of cervical cancers. In addition, it is known that some mutations in HPV genes, or variant viral lineages, have been associated with greater oncogenic risk.<b>Gap statement.</b> The L1 protein is the major component of the viral capsid and is therefore used in currently available vaccines. However, the characterization of mutations in the L1 gene, which is relevant to increasing the knowledge of the immune escape mechanisms used by the virus, is still incipient.<b>Aim.</b> This study aimed to characterize mutations associated with antigenic domains in the L1 protein of HPVs isolated from cervical samples of women living with HIV in Northeastern Brazil.<b>Methodology.</b> L1 gene sequences were obtained from the samples, and the mutations and the viral variants were characterized. Phylogenetic and functional analyses of the structure of the L1 protein were carried out.<b>Results.</b> A total of 41 HPV variant isolates were obtained, distributed among 16 different viral types. Of this, 25 non-synonymous mutations were evaluated regarding the stability of the L1 protein. It was observed that 10 of these mutations were predicted to increase, and 14 to decrease, the stability of the L1 protein and that most of them occurred in the FG hypervariable antigenic loop.<b>Conclusion.</b> These results add useful knowledge to understanding the biological and immunological aspects of HPV variants and the impact of these mutations on the development of vaccine strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11923093/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660222","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":"Comprehensive toolkit integrating lifestyle and clinical questionnaires with gut microbiota profiling via rectal swabs: application in intensive care cirrhotic patients.","authors":"Julie Marin, Mohamed Ghalayini, Younes Kaoudji, Samira Dziri, Cecile Zylberfajn, Lorraine Blaise, Astrid Hoogvorst, Stephane Charpentier, Virginie Chaillou, Sylvie Beauchamp, Séverine Donneger, Nathalie Barget, Mathilde Touvier, Pierre Nahon, Roland Amathieu, Mathilde Lescat","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001964","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001964","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> The study of gut microbiota is now an essential dimension in many clinical studies. For instance, microbiota diversity investigation can help us to better manage cirrhotic patients by the identification of markers of severity and the identification of possible sources of pathogens.<b>Hypothesis/Gap Statement.</b> Conducting clinical research on gut microbiota for fragile patients in intensive care units, such as cirrhotic patients, poses significant challenges.<b>Aim.</b> In this study, we developed a comprehensive toolkit for investigating gut microbiota in fragile patients using rectal swabbing combined with straightforward lifestyle and clinical questionnaires.<b>Methodology</b> <i>.</i> We applied this prospective approach to 49 well-phenotyped cirrhotic patients as a function of their compensation status (compensated patients with outpatients' recruitment vs decompensated patients in intensive care units).<b>Results</b> <i>.</i> Our results, consistent with the literature, showed that liver function impairment is associated with lower microbiota diversity. Additionally, we monitored aerobic microbiota in decompensated cirrhotic patients, observing the invasion of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> in the gut's aerobic microbiota prior to severe infection caused by these pathogens.<b>Conclusion.</b> We propose this pragmatic methodology for larger cohort studies, aiming to enhance the monitoring of immunocompromised patients by using microbiota analysis as a predictive tool for the severity of associated pathologies and the identification of agents responsible for severe infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"74 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11936375/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143569145","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}