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Frontiers in Immunology 2022Many species of bacteria produce toxins such as cholesterol-dependent cytolysins that form pores in cell membranes. Membrane pores facilitate infection by releasing...
Many species of bacteria produce toxins such as cholesterol-dependent cytolysins that form pores in cell membranes. Membrane pores facilitate infection by releasing nutrients, delivering virulence factors, and causing lytic cell damage - cytolysis. Oxysterols are oxidized forms of cholesterol that regulate cellular cholesterol and alter immune responses to bacteria. Whether oxysterols also influence the protection of cells against pore-forming toxins is unresolved. Here we tested the hypothesis that oxysterols stimulate the intrinsic protection of epithelial cells against damage caused by cholesterol-dependent cytolysins. We treated epithelial cells with oxysterols and then challenged them with the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin, pyolysin. Treating HeLa cells with 27-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, or 7β-hydroxycholesterol reduced pyolysin-induced leakage of lactate dehydrogenase and reduced pyolysin-induced cytolysis. Specifically, treatment with 10 ng/ml 27-hydroxycholesterol for 24 h reduced pyolysin-induced lactate dehydrogenase leakage by 88%, and reduced cytolysis from 74% to 1%. Treating HeLa cells with 27-hydroxycholesterol also reduced pyolysin-induced leakage of potassium ions, prevented mitogen-activated protein kinase cell stress responses, and limited alterations in the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, 27-hydroxycholesterol reduced pyolysin-induced damage in lung and liver epithelial cells, and protected against the cytolysins streptolysin O and α-hemolysin. Although oxysterols regulate cellular cholesterol by activating liver X receptors, cytoprotection did not depend on liver X receptors or changes in total cellular cholesterol. However, oxysterol cytoprotection was partially dependent on acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) reducing accessible cholesterol in cell membranes. Collectively, these findings imply that oxysterols stimulate the intrinsic protection of epithelial cells against pore-forming toxins and may help protect tissues against pathogenic bacteria.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Toxins; Epithelial Cells; HeLa Cells; Hemolysin Proteins; Humans; Oxysterols; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 35154132
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.815775 -
Future Science OA Dec 2019is known to affect cattle, but was never isolated as a cause of human urinary tract infections.
AIM
is known to affect cattle, but was never isolated as a cause of human urinary tract infections.
CLINICAL CASE
A 69-year-old male presented for recurring low urinary tract symptoms after a 20-day ciprofloxacin regimen for prostatitis. He previously underwent open right nephrolithotomy and left ureterovesical junction reimplantation for an iatrogenic distal ureteral stricture. Computed tomography showed spontaneous cortical calcifications; renoscopy was performed and deep cultures from the pelvis were taken; culture on chocolate agar revealed . Intravenous teicoplanin for 3 weeks resulted in resolution of low urinary tract symptoms with regression of bladder and ureteral thickening.
CONCLUSION
can cause encrusted pyelitis in humans especially evoked in a context of persisting or recurring urinary tract infections.
PubMed: 31915531
DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2019-0021 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021For the last 13 years, the fur industry in Europe has suffered from epidemic spouts of a severe necrotizing pyoderma. It affects all species currently farmed for fur and...
For the last 13 years, the fur industry in Europe has suffered from epidemic spouts of a severe necrotizing pyoderma. It affects all species currently farmed for fur and causes animal welfare problems and significant losses to the farmers. The causative agent of this disease was identified as . Previously, this bacterium has been isolated from seals and other marine mammals, apparently causing wound and lung infections. Attempts at antibiotic treatment have been unsuccessful and the current advice on preventing the disease is to cull all animals with clinical signs. This poses an urgent question regarding possible vaccine development, as well as the need for further understanding of the pathogenicity of this organism. This study compared the whole genomes of 42 strains isolated from seals, blue foxes, finnraccoons, mink and otter. The sequences were created using the Illumina technology and annotations were done using the RAST pipeline. A phylogenetic analysis identified a clear separation between the seal strains and the fur-animal-derived isolates, but also indicated that the bacterium readily adapts to new environments and host species with reasonable diversity. A pan- and core-genome was created and analyzed for proteins. A further analysis identified several virulence factors as well as multiple putative and secreted proteins of special interest for vaccine development.
PubMed: 34207365
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060740 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2017There is currently only limited information on the antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance of spp., spp., and from animals. The comparability of the data is...
There is currently only limited information on the antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance of spp., spp., and from animals. The comparability of the data is hampered by the use of different antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and interpretive criteria. To date, standard broth microdilution methods and clinical breakpoints that are approved by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and are applicable to spp., spp., and are available. The lack of species-specific clinical breakpoints for the different animal species reduces the explanatory power of the data. Among the isolates of the three genera, elevated MICs for different classes of antimicrobial agents (e.g., β-lactams, macrolides, lincosamides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, phenicols, sulfonamides/diaminopyrimidines, and fluoroquinolones) have been described. The most comprehensive data set is available for , which also includes information about genes and mutations involved in antimicrobial resistance. In isolates, the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance genes (B) and (X) were identified. Tetracycline resistance in was based on the resistance genes (W), (Z), and (33), whereas the aminoglycoside resistance genes , , , , , and have been described in . So far, only single genes conferring either phenicol resistance (), trimethoprim resistance (), or β-lactam resistance () are known to occur in isolates. Various 23S rRNA mutations, including A2058T, A2058G, and G2137C, were identified in macrolide/lincosamide-resistant .
Topics: Actinomycetaceae; Animal Diseases; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arcanobacterium; Corynebacterium; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Genes, MDR; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mutation; RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; Species Specificity
PubMed: 29219109
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.ARBA-0021-2017 -
Microbes and Environments 2023The umbilicus accumulates more dirt than other body surfaces and is difficult to clean. Hygiene in this area is vital, particularly for surgery, because of its proximity...
The umbilicus accumulates more dirt than other body surfaces and is difficult to clean. Hygiene in this area is vital, particularly for surgery, because of its proximity to the laparotomy site. Although microorganisms in the umbilicus have been extensively examined, those in umbilical dirt have not due to the lack of an efficient method of collection. We previously established a technique to extract umbilical dirt using the anchor effect of polymers, which are injected into the umbilicus. In the present study, we applied this technique for the first time to investigate umbilical dirt. The results obtained revealed an abundance of Corynebacterium among various bacteria, whereas Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus, which are abundant at other skin sites, were rare. The relationships between the microbiota and issues related to the umbilicus were investigated and some covariates, including the odor score and several bacteria, were identified. A detailed ana-lysis of the genera associated with odor revealed no correlation with Corynebacterium; however, some minor anaerobic bacteria, such as Mobiluncus, Arcanobacterium, and Peptoniphilus, were more abundant in the high odor score group. Therefore, this technique to collect umbilical dirt provided insights into the microbiota in umbilical dirt and suggested functions for minor anaerobes. Furthermore, since various pathogenic microorganisms were detected, their control may contribute to the prevention of both odor production and infectious diseases caused by these microorganisms.
Topics: Umbilicus; Odorants; Microbiota; Bacteria; Bacteria, Anaerobic; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 37407492
DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.ME23007 -
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades... Dec 2020We report the case of a 90-year-old female who was admitted to our hospital due to a three-day history of right abdominal pain and fever of 39 °C (102 °F). The...
We report the case of a 90-year-old female who was admitted to our hospital due to a three-day history of right abdominal pain and fever of 39 °C (102 °F). The patient's blood pressure was low, with good blood perfusion and no jaundice, and her abdomen was soft and tender in the right hypochondriac and lateral region, with no guarding. Laboratory tests showed: blood glucose level of 201 mg/dl, 362 U/l AST, 237 U/l ALT, 2.5 mg/dl bilirubin, 237 U/l alkaline phosphatase and leukocytosis associated with a left shift. An abdominal ultrasound scan showed a collection of echogenic material and a shadow suggestive of air in hepatic segment 3. Meropenem and metronidazole treatment was started after taking blood cultures, which were negative. A computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed the presence of a liver abscess in segment 3, containing a high-density linear image.
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Arcanobacterium; Female; Humans; Liver Abscess; Metronidazole; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 33054279
DOI: 10.17235/reed.2020.7029/2020 -
Reproduction, Fertility, and Development Dec 2014Microbes commonly infect the female reproductive tract of cattle, causing infertility, abortion and post partum uterine diseases. When organisms reach the uterus, the... (Review)
Review
Microbes commonly infect the female reproductive tract of cattle, causing infertility, abortion and post partum uterine diseases. When organisms reach the uterus, the resistance to disease depends on the balance between the classic triad of the virulence of the microbes, the host defence systems and the environment. The present review considers each aspect of this triad, using postpartum uterine disease as an exemplar for understanding disease resistance. The bacteria that cause postpartum uterine disease are adapted to the endometrium, and their microbial toxins cause tissue damage and inflammation. However, non-specific defence systems counter ascending infections of the female reproductive tract, and inflammatory responses in the endometrium are driven by innate immunity. Disease resistance to bacterial infection involves many genes involved in the maintenance or restoration of tissue homeostasis in the endometrium, including antimicrobial peptides, complement, cytokines, chemokines and Toll-like receptors. The most important environmental factors facilitating the development of postpartum uterine disease are related to trauma of the reproductive tract and to the metabolic stress of lactation in dairy cows. Long-term solutions for uterine disease will include genetic selection for disease resistance and optimising the care of the animal before, during and after parturition.
Topics: Animal Welfare; Animals; Arcanobacterium; Breeding; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dairying; Disease Resistance; Endometrium; Escherichia coli; Female; Homeostasis; Reproductive Tract Infections
PubMed: 25472046
DOI: 10.1071/RD14305 -
IDCases 2023to describe a case of severe sepsis and complicated bacteremia caused by cases in the literature.
OBJECTIVE
to describe a case of severe sepsis and complicated bacteremia caused by cases in the literature.
CASE SUMMARY
A 26-year-old gentleman with a history of epilepsy presented with symptoms of sore throat, productive cough, periumbilical abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, subjective fevers along with progressive jaundice for seven days. The patient had acute fulminant liver failure, septic shock, and Multi-organ failure. He required vasopressors, underwent intubation, and had grown in the blood and Bronchoalveolar lavage samples. He developed a peritonsillar abscess and cavitary pneumonia and required chest tube drainage followed by thoracotomy for hemothorax. The patient improved on Ampicillin-Sulbactam treatment and was treated with a total antibiotic duration of 6 weeks. He fully improved on post-discharge follow-up.
DISCUSSION
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is a Gram-positive (sometimes Gram variable), catalase-negative facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, and variably β-hemolytic and is known to be a cause of pharyngitis and skin and soft tissue infections. Rarely A. Haemolyticum can be associated with severe systemic infections such as infective endocarditis, systemic abscesses, osteomyelitis, and septicemia. In previous literature reviews, the source of A. haemolyticum depended on the host, and pharyngeal and upper respiratory sources were likely to be associated with immunocompetent hosts.
CONCLUSION
A. haemolyticum should be included in the differential diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis complicated by severe systemic illness. Penicillins are the most commonly used antibiotics for treating A. haemolyticum bacteremia, and macrolides can be used for Penicillin's treatment failure.
PubMed: 36579145
DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01645 -
PloS One 2016The objectives of this study were to estimate the herd prevalence of major mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) in China dairy herds, to determine the relationship...
The objectives of this study were to estimate the herd prevalence of major mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) in China dairy herds, to determine the relationship between the presence of mastitis pathogens and bulk tank milk somatic cell counts (BTSCC), and to investigate the impact of different dairy cattle farming modes and region on bacterial species. BTM samples collected from 894 dairy herds in China were examined for the presence of mastitis pathogens. The Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards were used for BTM sample collection, storage, and transportation and bacterial DNA amplification by real-time PCR. Among contagious pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae were detected in 50.1, 92.2, and 72.3% of the 894 BTM samples, respectively. Among environmental pathogens, E. coli, Streptococcus uberis, Enterococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Serratia marcescens, Corynebacterium bovis, and Arcanobacterium pyogenes were detected in 28.6, 8.9, 35.7, 20.0, 1.3, 17.0, and 67.2% of the BTM samples, respectively. Staphylococcal β-lactamase gene was detected in 61.7% of the BTM samples. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Arcanobacterium pyogenes were significantly associated with high BTSCC, respectively. Significant differences were found in presence of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae in BTM sampled from the small household farms, dairy-farming communities, and large-scaled dairy farms. There were significant differences in the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, staphylococcal β-lactamase gene, Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Enterococcus spp., and Streptococcus uberis in BTM among Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and Hebei province. In conclusion, contagious mammary pathogens are predominated among pathogens in BTM samples in China.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; China; Dairying; Female; Mastitis, Bovine; Milk; Prevalence; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 27187065
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155621