Journal of medical microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Impact of obesity on the perinatal vaginal environment and bacterial microbiome: effects on birth outcomes.","authors":"Kelly Ingram, Embelle Ngalame Eko, Jaclyn Nunziato, Monica Ahrens, Brittany Howell","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001874","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001874","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> <i>Lactobacillus</i> species predominate the human vagina and are associated with positive vaginal health, including an acidic pH (<4.5). The prevalence of vaginal <i>Lactobacilli</i> increases with increased oestrogen due to increased glycogen production within the vagina. <i>Lactobacilli</i> produce lactic acid, thereby lowering vaginal pH, preventing growth of other bacteria, and lowering microbial diversity. Lower placental oestrogen levels in obese pregnant women could dampen the mechanism to initiate this process, which may be associated with vaginal dysbiosis and unfavourable pregnancy outcomes.<b>Hypothesis.</b> We hypothesize that oestrogen and glycogen levels will be lower, vaginal pH will be higher, and vaginal microbiome diversity will be greater during pregnancy in obese and overweight women compared to healthy weight women.<b>Aim.</b> Pregnancy complications (e.g. preterm birth) are more common in overweight and obese women. If vaginal dysbiosis plays a role, and quantifiable predictors of this increased risk can be determined, these measures could be used to prospectively identify women at risk for pregnancy complications early in pregnancy.<b>Methodology.</b> Vaginal samples were collected at 10-14, 18-24, 26-30, and 34-37 weeks gestation and at delivery from 67 pregnant participants (23 healthy weight, 22 overweight, 22 obese). A blood sample to quantify serum oestrogen was collected at 10-14 weeks. Vaginal samples were collected to test vaginal pH using pH paper, glycogen abundance using fluorometry, and the vaginal microbiome using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.<b>Results.</b> Vaginal pH was higher in obese participants compared to healthy weight participants (<i>P</i>=<0.001). Vaginal glycogen levels increased over time in obese participants (<i>P</i>=0.033). The vaginal bacterial alpha diversity was higher in obese participants compared to healthy weight participants (<i>P</i>=0.033). The relative abundances of <i>Peptoniphilus</i> and <i>Anaerococcus</i> were increased in overweight and obese participants, as well as in complicated pregnancies, at 10-14 weeks gestation.<b>Conclusion</b>. The relative abundance of specific vaginal bacteria, like <i>Peptoniphilus</i> and <i>Anaerococcus</i>, in early pregnancy could predict pregnancy outcomes. Our goal is to use the information gathered in this pilot study to further determine the feasibility of assessing the vaginal environment during pregnancy to identify women at risk for negative pregnancy and birth outcomes in the context of a larger study.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142019971","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":"Mapping the oral resistome: a systematic review.","authors":"Smitha Sukumar, Zalmay Rahmanyar, Hagaar Q El Jurf, William S Akil, Jafar Hussain, F Elizabeth Martin, Kanchana Ekanayake, Elena Martinez","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001866","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studying individual ecological niches within the oral cavity is a logical first step to understanding the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs); however, it is not representative of the whole oral resistome. The aim of our systematic review was to provide a map of the oral resistome by reviewing the composition of individual niches. A total of 580 papers were retrieved from a search of all English language publications investigating the presence of oral ARGs in five electronic databases between January 2015 and August 2023. Fifteen studies [10 PCR and 5 next-generation sequencing (NGS)] were included in this review. The heterogeneity of methods precluded meta-analysis. ARGs are present throughout the oral cavity with 158 unique ARGs identified across 6 locations - supra and sub-gingival biofilm, mucosa, oropharynx, root canal system (RCS) and saliva. The supragingival biofilm had the highest resistome richness, while the RCS had the least. Tetracycline was the dominant antimicrobial resistance (AMR) class found. Three core genes were identified - <i>tet(M</i>), <i>tet(O</i>) and <i>ermB</i>.This review highlights the necessity of NGS studies to comprehensively characterize the oral resistome in its entirety. This is the logical foundation for future 'omics studies to truly understand the scope of the resistome and its contribution to AMR.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11318793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141918411","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":"Molecular typing of reduced susceptibility of <i>Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii</i> complex to Chlorhexidine in Turkey by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.","authors":"Abdullah Tozluyurt","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001882","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction</b>. The global spread of <i>Acinetobacter</i> spp., particularly the <i>Acinetobacter calcoaceticusbaumannii</i> (ACB) complex, has led to its recognition as a significant pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). The increasing resistance of the ACB complex to multiple antibiotics presents a challenge for treatment, necessitating accurate antibiotic susceptibility profiling after isolation.<b>Hypothesis or gap statement</b>. There is limited understanding of the antimicrobial resistance and chlorhexidine, a biocide, susceptibility profiles of ACB complex strains, especially in clinical settings in Turkey.<b>Aim</b>. This study aimed to identify ACB complex strains recovered from various clinical specimens at Hacettepe University Hospitals in Ankara, Turkey, in 2019, and to assess identification, their antibiotic and chlorhexidine susceptibility profiles, and genomic relatedness.<b>Methodology</b>. Eighty-two ACB complex strains were identified using MALDI-TOF MS. Susceptibility testing to 12 antibiotics was conducted using the disc diffusion method, and colistin, chlorhexidine susceptibility was assessed using the broth microdilution technique, following the latest EUCAST and CLSI guidelines. ACB complex members with reduced chlorhexidine sensitivity were further analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for bacterial typing.<b>Results</b>. Among the isolates, 1.2% were multidrug-resistant (MDR), 73.2% were extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and 12.2% were pandrug-resistant (PDR). Carbapenem resistance was found in 86.7% of MDR, PDR, and XDR strains. Colistin resistance was observed in 15.8% of isolates, and 18.2% exhibited decreased susceptibility to chlorhexidine. PFGE revealed seven different clones among strains with reduced chlorhexidine sensitivity, indicating vertical transmission within the hospital.<b>Conclusion</b>. This study highlights the reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine in ACB complex members and provides epidemiological insights into their spread. The findings underscore the importance of screening for antimicrobial resistance and biocide susceptibility profiles to effectively manage healthcare-associated infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142116597","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":"Unique intestinal microflora and metabolic profile in different stages of hypertension reveal potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis.","authors":"Yaren Yu, Jiayi Zhu, Ruixue Fu, Lina Guo, Tao Chen, Zhaoyan Xu, Jianyu Zhang, Wensheng Chen, Lushi Chen, Xili Yang","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001839","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001839","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease and a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.<b>Gap statement.</b> However, there has been no substantial breakthrough in aetiology, new drug targets, and drug development of hypertension in recent 50 years.<b>Research aim.</b> Therefore, this study was to screen unique intestinal microbiome and serum metabolic biomarkers which can early diagnose and track the prognosis of hypertension patients in different periods, and analyse its underlying mechanisms and functions.<b>Methods.</b> Four groups of stool and serum samples, including healthy controls (HCs), prehypertension (PHT), hypertension (HT), and hypertension-related complications (HTC), were collected. Microbial diversity assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing. The metabolites in serum samples were detected through LC-MS/MS analysis.<b>Results.</b> The composition of gut microbiota in patients exhibited dissimilarities compared to that in healthy subjects, which was distinguished by <i>Prevotella, Slackia</i>, <i>Enterococcus</i>, <i>Bifidobacterium,</i> and <i>Lactobacillales</i> may be potential markers for tracking the progression of hypertension, and <i>Bifidobacterium</i>, <i>Butyricimonas</i>, <i>Adlercreutzia</i>, <i>Faecalibacterium</i>, <i>Lactobacillus</i>, <i>Ruminococcus</i>, <i>Clostridium</i>, and <i>Acidaminococcus</i> demonstrated diagnostic value. Meanwhile, tracking the dynamic changes of deoxycholic acid, 4-oxododecanedioic acid, and l-arginine can serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis, and investigation into the mechanism by which the intestinal microbiome influences the onset and progression of hypertension. In terms of pathogenesis, the findings revealed that <i>Bifidobacterium</i> may caused the changes of AST, indirect bilirubin, ALT, triglyceride and uric acid by affecting metabolites cis-7-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester and N1-acetylspermidine. Additionally, <i>Coprococcus</i> may cause changes in albumin through the influence of androsterone enanthate.<b>Conclusions.</b> These findings highlight that the unique intestinal microbiome and serum metabolic profile in different periods of hypertension will provide valuable insight for timely diagnosis and prognosis tracking in hypertension patients with promising clinical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142116598","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":"The diversity of clinical <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> isolates in morphology, glycopeptidolipids and infection rates in a macrophage model.","authors":"Virginia Pichler, Lara Dalkilic, Ghazaleh Shoaib, Tirosh Shapira, Leah Rankine-Wilson, Yves-Marie Boudehen, Joseph D Chao, Danielle Sexton, Miguel Prieto, Bradley S Quon, Elitza I Tocheva, Laurent Kremer, William Hsiao, Yossef Av-Gay","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> (MABS) is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause severe lung infections, particularly in individuals with cystic fibrosis. MABS colonies can exhibit either a smooth (S) or rough (R) morphotype, influenced by the presence or absence of glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) on their surface, respectively. Despite the clinical significance of these morphotypes, the relationship between GPL levels, morphotype and the pathogenesis of MABS infections remains poorly understood.<b>Gap statement.</b> The mechanisms and implications of GPL production and morphotypes in clinical MABS infections are unclear. There is a gap in understanding their correlation with infectivity and pathogenicity, particularly in patients with underlying lung disease.<b>Aim.</b> This study aimed to investigate the correlation between MABS morphology, GPL and infectivity by analysing strains from cystic fibrosis patients' sputum samples.<b>Methodology.</b> MABS was isolated from patient sputum samples and categorized by morphotype, GPL profile and replication rate in macrophages. A high-content ex vivo infection model using THP-1 cells assessed the infectivity of both clinical and laboratory strains.<b>Results.</b> Our findings revealed that around 50 % of isolates displayed mixed morphologies. GPL analysis confirmed a consistent relationship between GPL content and morphotype that was only found in smooth isolates. Across morphotype groups, no differences were observed <i>in vitro</i>, yet clinical R strains were observed to replicate at higher levels in the THP-1 infection model. Moreover, the proportion of infected macrophages was notably higher among clinical R strains compared to their S counterparts at 72 h post-infection. Clinical variants also infected THP-1 cells at significantly higher rates compared to laboratory strains, highlighting the limited translatability of lab strain infection data to clinical contexts.<b>Conclusion.</b> Our study confirmed the general correlation between morphotype and GPL levels in smooth strains yet unveiled more variability within morphotype groups than previously recognized, particularly during intracellular infection. As the R morphotype is the highest clinical concern, these findings contribute to the expanding knowledge base surrounding MABS infections, offering insights that can steer diagnostic methodologies and treatment approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142001620","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":"Antimicrobial resistance profiles and genome characteristics of <i>Klebsiella</i> isolated from the faeces of neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit.","authors":"Jinghua Cui, Yanan Zhang, Xiaoran Li, Zanbo Ding, Yiming Kong, Zihui Yu, Zhaona Li, Jingjing Tong, Zunjie Liu, Jing Yuan","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001862","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001862","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. are important bacteria that colonize the human intestine, especially in preterm infants; they can induce local and systemic disease under specific circumstances, including inflammatory bowel disease, necrotizing enterocolitis and colorectal cancer.<b>Hypothesis.</b> <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. colonized in the intestine of the neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may be associated with disease and antibiotic resistance, which will be hazardous to the children.<b>Aim.</b> Our aim was to know about the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genome characteristics of <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. in neonate carriers.<b>Methodology.</b> Genome sequencing and analysis, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were mainly performed in this study.<b>Results.</b> The isolation rates of <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. strains were 3.7% (16/436) in 2014 and 4.3% (18/420) in 2021. Cases with intestinal-colonized <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. were mainly infants with low birth weights or those with pneumonia or hyperbilirubinemia. According to the core-pan genomic analysis, 34 stains showed gene polymorphism and a sequence type (ST) of an emerging high-risk clone (ST11). Eight strains (23.5%) were found to be resistant to 2 or more antibiotics, and 46 genes/gene families along with nine plasmids were identified that conferred resistance to antibiotics. In particular, the two strains were multidrug-resistant. Strain A1256 that is related to <i>Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae</i> was uncommon, carrying two plasmids similar to IncFII and IncX3 that included five antibiotic resistance genes.<b>Conclusion.</b> The prevention and control of neonatal <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. colonization in the NICU should be strengthened by paying increased attention to preventing antimicrobial resistance in neonates.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11329266/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141989845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of proton pump inhibitors on susceptibility and melanogenesis of <i>Sporothrix</i> species.","authors":"Augusto Feynman Dias Nobre, Alanna Mayara Soares de Sousa, Anderson da Cunha Costa, Mirele Rodrigues Fernandes, Rajender Kumar, Saravanaraman Ponne, Maria Gleiciane Rocha, Anderson Messias Rodrigues, Zoilo Pires de Camargo, Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira Brilhante","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001870","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous infection caused by dimorphic <i>Sporothrix</i> species embedded in the clinical clade. Fungi have virulence factors, such as biofilm and melanin production, which contribute to their survival and are related to the increase in the number of cases of therapeutic failure, making it necessary to search for new options.<b>Gap statement.</b> Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have already been shown to inhibit the growth and melanogenesis of other fungi.<b>Aim.</b> Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the PPIs omeprazole (OMP), rabeprazole (RBP), esomeprazole, pantoprazole and lansoprazole on the susceptibility and melanogenesis of <i>Sporothrix</i> species, and their interactions with itraconazole, terbinafine and amphotericin B.<b>Methodology.</b> The antifungal activity of PPIs was evaluated using the microdilution method, and the combination of PPIs with itraconazole, terbinafine and amphotericin B was assessed using the checkerboard method. The assessment of melanogenesis inhibition was assessed using grey scale.<b>Results.</b> The OMP and RBP showed significant MIC results ranging from 32 to 256 µg ml^-1 and 32 to 128 µg ml^-1, respectively. Biofilms were sensitive, with a significant reduction (<i>P</i><0.05) in metabolic activity of 52% for OMP and 50% for RBP at a concentration of 512 µg ml^-1 and of biomass by 53% for OMP and 51% for RBP at concentrations of 512 µg ml^-1. As for the inhibition of melanogenesis, only OMP showed inhibition, with a 54% reduction.<b>Conclusion.</b> It concludes that the PPIs OMP and RBP have antifungal activity <i>in vitro</i> against planktonic cells and biofilms of <i>Sporothrix</i> species and that, in addition, OMP can inhibit the melanization process in <i>Sporothrix</i> species.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141984246","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":"Genomic oropharyngeal <i>Neisseria</i> surveillance detects MALDI-TOF MS species misidentifications and reveals a novel <i>Neisseria cinerea</i> clade.","authors":"Tessa de Block, Irith De Baetselier, Dorien Van den Bossche, Saïd Abdellati, Zina Gestels, Jolein Gyonne Elise Laumen, Christophe Van Dijck, Thibaut Vanbaelen, Nathalie Claes, Koen Vandelannoote, Chris Kenyon, Odile Harrison, Sheeba Santhini Manoharan-Basil","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Commensal <i>Neisseria</i> spp. are highly prevalent in the oropharynx as part of the healthy microbiome. <i>N. meningitidis</i> can colonise the oropharynx too from where it can cause invasive meningococcal disease. To identify <i>N. meningitidis</i>, clinical microbiology laboratories often rely on Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).<b>Hypothesis/Gap statement.</b> <i>N. meningitidis</i> may be misidentified by MALDI-TOF MS.<b>Aim.</b> To conduct genomic surveillance of oropharyngeal <i>Neisseria</i> spp. in order to: (i) verify MALDI-TOF MS species identification, and (ii) characterize commensal <i>Neisseria</i> spp. genomes.<b>Methodology.</b> We analysed whole genome sequence (WGS) data from 119 <i>Neisseria</i> spp. isolates from a surveillance programme for oropharyngeal <i>Neisseria</i> spp. in Belgium. Different species identification methods were compared: (i) MALDI-TOF MS, (ii) Ribosomal Multilocus Sequence Typing (rMLST) and (iii) <i>rplF</i> gene species identification. WGS data were used to further characterize <i>Neisseria</i> species found with supplementary analyses of <i>Neisseria cinerea</i> genomes.<b>Results.</b> Based on genomic species identification, isolates from the oropharyngeal <i>Neisseria</i> surveilence study were composed of the following species: <i>N. meningitidis</i> (<i>n</i>=23)<i>, N. subflava</i> (<i>n</i>=61), <i>N. mucosa</i> (<i>n</i>=15), <i>N. oralis</i> (<i>n</i>=8), <i>N. cinerea</i> (<i>n</i>=5), <i>N. elongata</i> (<i>n</i>=3), <i>N. lactamica</i> (<i>n</i>=2), <i>N. bacilliformis</i> (<i>n</i>=1) and <i>N. polysaccharea</i> (<i>n</i>=1). Of these 119 isolates, four isolates identified as <i>N. meningitidis</i> (<i>n</i>=3) and <i>N. subflava</i> (<i>n</i>=1) by MALDI-TOF MS<i>,</i> were determined to be <i>N. polysaccharea</i> (<i>n</i>=1)<i>, N. cinerea</i> (<i>n</i>=2) and <i>N. mucosa</i> (<i>n</i>=1) by rMLST. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that <i>N. cinerea</i> isolates from the general population (<i>n</i>=3, cluster one) were distinct from those obtained from men who have sex with men (MSM, <i>n</i>=2, cluster two). The latter contained genomes misidentified as <i>N. meningitidis</i> using MALDI-TOF MS. These two <i>N. cinerea</i> clusters persisted after the inclusion of published <i>N. cinerea</i> WGS (<i>n</i>=42). Both <i>N. cinerea</i> clusters were further defined through pangenome and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) analyses.<b>Conclusion.</b> This study provides insights into the importance of genomic genus-wide <i>Neisseria</i> surveillance studies to improve the characterization and identification of the <i>Neisseria</i> genus.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142116595","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":"A study of antigen selection by extracellular vesicles as vaccine candidates against <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> infection.","authors":"Lin Ji, Hang Ruan, Yuxuan Fu, Sidong Xiong","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001865","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001865","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease caused by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (<i>M. tb</i>), remains a significant global public health concern. It is crucial to develop more effective vaccines for TB in order to achieve global control of the disease. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are spherical membrane-bound structures released by pathogens and host cells. During the course of an infection, both pathogen- and host-derived EVs are produced and play important roles in determining the course of the infection. EVs offer intriguing tools as potential vaccines due to their ability to deliver multiple pathogen or host antigens.<b>Hypothesis /Gap Statement.</b> We hypothesized that EVs derived from <i>M. tb</i> and EVs from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages may serve as potential vaccine candidates against <i>M. tb</i> infection.<b>Aim</b>. This study aims to compare the immunogenicity and immune protection between <i>M. tb</i> EVs and <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophage-derived EVs.<b>Methodology.</b> In this study, EVs were extracted from culture supernatants of <i>M. tb</i> and <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages, respectively. Mass spectrometry was employed to explore the antigen composition of H37Rv-Mφ-EVs and H37Rv-EVs. Cytokine profiling and antibody response assays were used to analyse the immunogenicity offered by EVs. Additionally, we used histological examination to evaluate and protective efficacy of the EVs.<b>Results.</b> Our results demonstrated that mice immunized by EVs released from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages induced stronger inflammatory cytokine response than <i>M. tb</i>. Moreover, EVs from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages reinforced T-cell activation and antibody response compared to <i>M. tb</i> EVs. Proteomic analysis revealed that EVs from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages containing immunodominant cargos have stronger binding ability with major histocompatibility complex molecules, which may contribute to the protection from <i>M. tb</i> infection. Indeed, immunization of EVs released from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages significantly reduced the bacterial load and better protection against <i>M. tb</i> infection than EVs from <i>M. tb</i>. Importantly, the selected antigens (Ag85B, ESAT-6 and the Rv0580c) from EVs of <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages exhibited effective immunogenicity.<b>Conclusion.</b> Our results suggested that EVs derived from <i>M. tb</i>-infected macrophages might serve as a proper antigenic library for vaccine candidates against <i>M. tb</i> challenge.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141918410","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":"Building an antimicrobial stewardship model for a public-sector hospital: a pre-implementation study.","authors":"Jowhara Cassim, Sabiha Yusuf Essack, Sarentha Chetty","doi":"10.1099/jmm.0.001853","DOIUrl":"10.1099/jmm.0.001853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as an important global health risk, associated with increased mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) involves a coherent set of processes that promote the rational use of antimicrobials.<b>Gap statement.</b> An AMS programme should be adapted and developed according to the available resources of a facility. This requires an analysis of the core AMS elements that are already in place and the resources available.<b>Aim.</b> This study aimed to assess the readiness of a tertiary healthcare facility and staff towards implementing an antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP).<b>Methodology.</b> This study focused on two aspects during an AMS pre-implementation phase. A situational or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis was conducted based on (1) a questionnaire on attitudes and perceptions of pharmacists, clinicians and nurses towards AMR and AMS and (2) a situational analysis on the readiness of the facility.<b>Results.</b> The questionnaire, which was available for completion between September 2021 and December 2021, was sent to a total of 3100 healthcare professionals (HCPs). Thirty-two (1.0 %) HCPs comprising 2 pharmacists, 16 clinicians and 14 nurses completed the questionnaire. Of the total participants, 31 (96.9 %) viewed AMR as a problem in South African hospitals and 29 (90.6 %) perceived AMR as a problem at their facility. The majority (<i>n</i> = 29, 90.6 %) of the participants were familiar with the term AMS, and 26 (81.3 %) participants agreed to willingly participate in any initiatives involving antimicrobial use at the facility. The situational analysis depicted existing strengths in terms of AMS structures such as the formation of an AMS committee and information and technology systems at the HCP's disposal. Weaknesses included the limited number of AMS activities being carried out and poor participation from HCPs within the AMS team.<b>Conclusion.</b> A pre-implementation phase in the building of an ASP can greatly assist in finding gaps for improvement, which can then be addressed in the implementation phase. Furthermore, the pre-implementation phase provides a baseline to measure improvements once the implementation phase has been instituted.</p>","PeriodicalId":94093,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical microbiology","volume":"73 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141629569","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}