-
The Journal of Infectious Diseases Mar 2021Vaginal yeast is frequently found with Lactobacillus-dominant microbiota. The relationship between vaginal yeast and other bacteria has not been well characterized.
BACKGROUND
Vaginal yeast is frequently found with Lactobacillus-dominant microbiota. The relationship between vaginal yeast and other bacteria has not been well characterized.
METHODS
These analyses utilized data from the Preventing Vaginal Infections trial. Relative abundance of vaginal bacteria from 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene amplicon sequencing and quantities of 10 vaginal bacteria using taxon-directed polymerase chain reaction assays were compared at visits with and without detection of yeast on microscopy, culture, or both.
RESULTS
Higher relative abundances of Megasphaera species type 1 (risk ratio [RR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.95), Megasphaera species type 2 (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98), and Mageeibacillus indolicus (RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.83) were associated with lower risk of detecting yeast. In contrast, higher relative abundances of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Aerococcus christensenii, Lactobacillus mucosae, Streptococcus equinus/infantarius/lutentiensis, Prevotella bivia, Dialister propionicifaciens, and Lactobacillus crispatus/helveticus were associated with yeast detection. Taxon-directed assays confirmed that increasing quantities of both Megasphaera species and M indolicus were associated with lower risk of detecting yeast, whereas increasing quantities of L crispatus were associated with higher risk of detecting yeast.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite an analysis that examined associations between multiple vaginal bacteria and the presence of yeast, only a small number of vaginal bacteria were strongly and significantly associated with the presence or absence of yeast.
Topics: Bacteria; Female; Humans; Megasphaera; Microbiota; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Vagina; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Yeasts
PubMed: 32726445
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa459 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Dec 2019is a Gram-positive coccus that is increasingly recognized as a urinary pathogen since the introduction of mass spectrometry for identification of bacteria. We report a...
BACKGROUND
is a Gram-positive coccus that is increasingly recognized as a urinary pathogen since the introduction of mass spectrometry for identification of bacteria. We report a case of abdominal aortitis (with aneurysm) caused by in a male with recurrent urinary tract infections and recently treated bacteremia. A 63-year-old gentleman with a history of urosepsis 7 weeks prior, presented to the Emergency Department with thoracolumbar back pain radiating bilaterally into the groin. Radiological and surgical findings were consistent with infective infrarenal aortitis with aneurysm.
METHODS
The patient successfully underwent open surgical debridement and reconstruction of the infrarenal aorta with autologous vein graft.
RESULTS
was isolated from excised tissue. The patient completed a 4-week course of intravenous antimicrobial therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
is a urinary pathogen with the ability to cause severe invasive disease including endovascular infections.
PubMed: 31850388
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz453 -
Microbiology Resource Announcements Jun 2024Previously identified under the single designation of , three distinct taxonomic species have been distinguished as and . Here, we present the complete genome sequences...
Previously identified under the single designation of , three distinct taxonomic species have been distinguished as and . Here, we present the complete genome sequences of the type strains of these species assembled via a combination of short-read and long-read sequencing techniques.Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01166438).
PubMed: 38651909
DOI: 10.1128/mra.00156-24 -
Biology Open Aug 2021In recent years, the clinical significance of Aerococcus urinae has been increasingly recognized. A. urinae has been implicated in cases of urinary tract infection (UTI;...
In recent years, the clinical significance of Aerococcus urinae has been increasingly recognized. A. urinae has been implicated in cases of urinary tract infection (UTI; acute cystitis and pyelonephritis) in both male and female patients, ranging from children to older adults. Aerococcus urinae can also be invasive, causing urosepsis, endocarditis, and musculoskeletal infections. Mechanisms of pathogenesis in A. urinae infections are poorly understood, largely due to the lack of an animal model system. In response to this gap, we developed a model of A. urinae urinary tract infection in mice. We compared A. urinae UTI in female C3H/HeN and C57BL/6 mice and compared four clinical isolates of A. urinae isolated from patients with UTI, urgency urinary incontinence, and overactive bladder. Our data demonstrate that host genetic background modulates A. urinae UTI. Female C57BL/6 female mice rapidly cleared the infection. Female C3H/HeN mice, which have inherent vesicoureteral reflux that flushes urine from the bladder up into the kidneys, were susceptible to prolonged bacteriuria. This result is consistent with the fact that A. urinae infections most frequently occur in patients with underlying urinary tract abnormalities or disorders that make them susceptible to bacterial infection. Unlike uropathogens such as E. coli, which cause infection and inflammation both of the bladder and kidneys in C3H/HeN mice, A. urinae displayed tropism for the kidney, persisting in kidney tissue even after clearance of bacteria from the bladder. Aerococcus urinae strains from different genetic clades displayed varying propensities to cause persistent kidney infection. Aerococcus urinae infected kidneys displayed histological inflammation, neutrophil recruitment and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results set the stage for future research that interrogates host-pathogen interactions between A. urinae and the urinary tract.
Topics: Aerococcus; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Susceptibility; Genetic Background; Genome, Bacterial; Genomics; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Phylogeny; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 34387311
DOI: 10.1242/bio.058931 -
European Journal of Clinical... May 2022Our objective was to assess the incidence of bacteraemic Aerococcus urinae cases at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, from a 6-year study period (2013 to 2018) and to...
Our objective was to assess the incidence of bacteraemic Aerococcus urinae cases at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, from a 6-year study period (2013 to 2018) and to further characterize available cases. The study evaluates the outcome of commonly used cefuroxime treatment and determinate a set of A. urinae in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities for benzylpenicillin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone. Clinical records of A. urinae bacteraemic patients were reviewed retrospectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion, gradient test, and broth microdilution for 139-141 clinical A. urinae isolates. Clinical data of 72/77 patients were combined with the in vitro susceptibilities. We found an increasing number of bacteraemic A. urinae cases within 6-year study period (p = 0.01). The patients were mainly elderly males, and all suffered from underlying conditions. A total of 27.3% of cases (21/77) showed polymicrobial blood cultures. Thirty-day mortality was 22.1%. Cefuroxime was the initial empiric antimicrobial agent given for 66/76 of the patients and treatment outcome was favorable for 20/22 patients who received cefuroxime at least up to day 5. All isolates were susceptible to benzylpenicillin and cefuroxime interpreted by EUCAST breakpoints for Aerococci and PK-PD breakpoints, respectively. MIC determinations gave variable results for ceftriaxone, 2.1-2.9% of the isolates were resistant. To conclude, it seems that the number of bacteraemic Aerococcus urinae cases is increasing at Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, reflecting the growing blood culture sampling. Clinical A. urinae isolates were susceptible to cefuroxime in vitro. Treatment data indicate that empirical cefuroxime started for possibly urinary tract -derived community-acquired bacteraemia covers A. urinae.
Topics: Aerococcus; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteremia; Ceftriaxone; Cefuroxime; Disease Susceptibility; Finland; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35257275
DOI: 10.1007/s10096-022-04415-6 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The recognition of the complex (AUC) as an emerging uropathogen has led to growing concerns due to a limited understanding of its disease spectrum and antibiotic...
The recognition of the complex (AUC) as an emerging uropathogen has led to growing concerns due to a limited understanding of its disease spectrum and antibiotic resistance profiles. Here, we investigated the prevalence of macrolide resistance within urinary AUC isolates, shedding light on potential genetic mechanisms. Phenotypic testing revealed a high rate of macrolide resistance: 45%, among a total of 189 urinary AUC isolates. Genomic analysis identified integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) as carriers of the macrolide resistance gene , suggesting horizontal gene transfer as a mechanism of resistance. Furthermore, comparison with publicly available genomes of related pathogens revealed high ICE sequence homogeneity, highlighting the potential for cross-species dissemination of resistance determinants. Understanding mechanisms of resistance is crucial for developing effective surveillance strategies and improving antibiotic use. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of considering the broader ecological context of resistance dissemination, emphasizing the need for community-level surveillance to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance within the urinary microbiome.
PubMed: 38786161
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050433 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2020Intestinal flora plays an important role in inflammatory response to systemic or local organs of its host. High calorie diet has been shown to aggravate the condition of...
Intestinal flora plays an important role in inflammatory response to systemic or local organs of its host. High calorie diet has been shown to aggravate the condition of pneumonia and delay recovery, especially in children. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study placed SPF rats in a conventional environment, high calorie diet or LPS atomization was performed respectively or combined. Analysis of high-throughput sequencing of intestinal content combined with animal weight, organ index, serum inflammatory factors indicators and bioinformatics found that after pulmonary infection combined with a high-calorie diet, rats showed significant changes such as weight loss and increased lung weight index, and their lung and intestinal tissues showed more obvious inflammatory changes. And its gut flora structure suggests, the abundance of Leuconostocaceae in significantly reduced; abundance of Staphylococcus, Planococcaceae, Staphylococcus, Staphylococcaceae, Bacillales, Gemellales and Aerococcus significant increased. The study showed that high calorie diet and LPS atomization synergistically promoted pneumonia process in rat pups, which is related to changes in structure of intestinal flora. It is worth noting that pneumonia rats fed by convention diet also causing intestinal flora imbalance.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Body Weight; Diet; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Inflammation; Intestinal Mucosa; Lipopolysaccharides; Lung; Male; Pneumonia; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
PubMed: 32015367
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58632-0 -
The Journal of Infectious Diseases Sep 2022We determined how the vaginal and penile microbiomes contribute to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) serostatus within sexual partnerships.
BACKGROUND
We determined how the vaginal and penile microbiomes contribute to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) serostatus within sexual partnerships.
METHODS
Microbiomes were characterized in cervicovaginal lavage and penile meatal swab specimens through high-throughput 16s ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing. HSV-2 antibody was detected in serum specimens. We modeled vaginal and penile taxa and covariates contributing to HSV-2 status in women and men using bivariate probit analysis.
RESULTS
Among 231 couples, HSV-2 was detected in both partners in 78 couples (33.8%), in the woman only in 52 (22.5%),in the man only in 27 (11.7%), and in neither in 74 (32.0%). Among the women (median age, 22 years) 10.9% had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 21.4% had Bacterial vaginosis. Among men (median age, 26 years), 11.8% had HIV, and 55.0% circumcised. In an analysis with adjustment for sociodemographics and Bacterial vaginosis, enrichment of vaginal Gardnerella vaginalis and Lactobacillus iners was associated with increased likelihood of HSV-2 in both partners. Penile taxa (including Ureaplasma and Aerococcus) were associated with HSV-2 in women.
CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate that penile taxa are associated with HSV-2 in female partners, and vaginal taxa are associated with HSV-2 in male partners. Our findings suggest that couples-level joint consideration of genital microbiome and sexually transmitted infection or related outcomes could lead to new avenues for prevention.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Young Adult; Adult; Herpesvirus 2, Human; Herpes Genitalis; Vaginosis, Bacterial; Sexual Partners; HIV Infections; Microbiota
PubMed: 32822500
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa529 -
Polymers Mar 2023Polysaccharides are important biological macromolecules in all organisms, and have recently been studied as therapeutic agents for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the...
Polysaccharides are important biological macromolecules in all organisms, and have recently been studied as therapeutic agents for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the effects of pollen polysaccharides on ulcerative colitis remains unknown. In this study, dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used to induce the UC model to investigate the effects of pollen polysaccharides (PPM60) and sulfated polysaccharides (SPPM60) on UC. We evaluated the improvement of polysaccharides on UC by analyzing the levels of intestinal cytokines, serum metabolites and metabolic pathways, intestinal flora species diversity, and beneficial and harmful bacteria. The results show that purified PPM60 and its sulfated form SPPM60 effectively alleviated the disease progression of weight loss, colon shortening and intestinal injury in UC mice. On the intestinal immunity level, PPM60 and SPPM60 increased the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-10, and IL-13) and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). On the serum metabolism level, PPM60 and SPPM60 mainly regulated the abnormal serum metabolism of UC mice by regulating the energy-related and lipid-related metabolism pathways, respectively. On the intestinal flora level, PPM60 and SPPM60 reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria (such as and ) and induced the abundance of beneficial bacteria (such as ). In summary, this study is the first to evaluate the effects of PPM60 and SPPM60 on UC from the joint perspectives of intestinal immunity, serum metabolomics, and intestinal flora, which may provide an experimental basis for plant polysaccharides as an adjuvant clinical treatment of UC.
PubMed: 36987195
DOI: 10.3390/polym15061414 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2021The urinary tract has a microbial community (the urinary microbiota or urobiota) that has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria is a...
The urinary tract has a microbial community (the urinary microbiota or urobiota) that has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria is a powerful tool, allowing investigation of the genomic content of the urobiota, also called the urinary microbiome (urobiome). Bacterial plasmids are a significant component of the urobiome yet are understudied. Because plasmids can be vectors and reservoirs for clinically relevant traits, they are important for urobiota dynamics and thus may have relevance to urinary health. In this project, we sought plasmids in 11 clinically relevant urinary species: Aerococcus urinae, Corynebacterium amycolatum, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Gardnerella vaginalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus anginosus, and Streptococcus mitis. We found evidence of plasmids in E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. epidermidis, and S. anginosus but insufficient evidence in other species sequenced thus far. Some identified plasmidic assemblies were predicted to have putative virulence and/or antibiotic resistance genes, although the majority of their annotated coding regions were of unknown predicted function. In this study, we report on plasmids from urinary species as a first step to understanding the role of plasmids in the bacterial urobiota. The microbial community of the urinary tract (urobiota) has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria permits examination of urobiota genomes, including plasmids. Because plasmids are vectors and reservoirs for clinically relevant traits, they are important for urobiota dynamics and thus may have relevance to urinary health. Currently, urobiota plasmids are understudied. Here, we sought plasmids in 11 clinically relevant urinary species. We found evidence of plasmids in E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. epidermidis, and S. anginosus but insufficient evidence in the other 6 species. We identified putative virulence and/or antibiotic resistance genes in some of the plasmidic assemblies, but most of their annotated coding regions were of unknown function. This is a first step to understanding the role of plasmids in the bacterial urobiota.
Topics: Bacteria; Enterococcus faecalis; Escherichia coli; Genome, Bacterial; Genomics; Humans; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Microbiota; Plasmids; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Streptococcus anginosus; Urinary Tract; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 34937183
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00942-21