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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Propolis has numerous biological properties and technological potential, but its low solubility in water makes its use quite difficult. With the advent of... (Review)
Review
Propolis has numerous biological properties and technological potential, but its low solubility in water makes its use quite difficult. With the advent of nanotechnology, better formulations with propolis, such as nanopropolis, can be achieved to improve its properties. Nanopropolis is a natural nanomaterial with several applications, including in the maintenance of food quality. Food safety is a global public health concern since food matrices are highly susceptible to contamination of various natures, leading to food loss and transmission of harmful foodborne illness. Due to their smaller size, propolis nanoparticles are more readily absorbed by the body and have higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than common propolis. This review aims to understand whether using propolis with nanotechnology can help preserve food and prevent foodborne illness. Nanotechnology applied to propolis formulations proved to be effective against pathogenic microorganisms of industrial interest, making it possible to solve problems of outbreaks that can occur through food.
Topics: Humans; Propolis; Foodborne Diseases; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Food Microbiology
PubMed: 37836629
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196785 -
FEMS Microbiology Ecology Apr 2024While the One Health framework has emphasized the importance of soil microbiomes for plant and human health, one of the most diverse and abundant groups-bacterial... (Review)
Review
While the One Health framework has emphasized the importance of soil microbiomes for plant and human health, one of the most diverse and abundant groups-bacterial viruses, i.e. phages-has been mostly neglected. This perspective reviews the significance of phages for plant health in rhizosphere and explores their ecological and evolutionary impacts on soil ecosystems. We first summarize our current understanding of the diversity and ecological roles of phages in soil microbiomes in terms of nutrient cycling, top-down density regulation, and pathogen suppression. We then consider how phages drive bacterial evolution in soils by promoting horizontal gene transfer, encoding auxiliary metabolic genes that increase host bacterial fitness, and selecting for phage-resistant mutants with altered ecology due to trade-offs with pathogen competitiveness and virulence. Finally, we consider challenges and avenues for phage research in soil ecosystems and how to elucidate the significance of phages for microbial ecology and evolution and soil ecosystem functioning in the future. We conclude that similar to bacteria, phages likely play important roles in connecting different One Health compartments, affecting microbiome diversity and functions in soils. From the applied perspective, phages could offer novel approaches to modulate and optimize microbial and microbe-plant interactions to enhance soil health.
Topics: Soil Microbiology; Rhizosphere; Bacteriophages; Microbiota; Bacteria; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Plants; Ecosystem
PubMed: 38678007
DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae052 -
International Journal of Food... Sep 2023Biofilms are highly resistant to antimicrobials and are a common problem in many industries, including pharmaceutical, food and beverage. Yeast biofilms can be formed by... (Review)
Review
Biofilms are highly resistant to antimicrobials and are a common problem in many industries, including pharmaceutical, food and beverage. Yeast biofilms can be formed by various yeast species, including Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Yeast biofilm formation is a complex process that involves several stages, including reversible adhesion, followed by irreversible adhesion, colonization, exopolysaccharide matrix formation, maturation and dispersion. Intercellular communication in yeast biofilms (quorum-sensing mechanism), environmental factors (pH, temperature, composition of the culture medium), and physicochemical factors (hydrophobicity, Lifshitz-van der Waals and Lewis acid-base properties, and electrostatic interactions) are essential to the adhesion process. Studies on the adhesion of yeast to abiotic surfaces such as stainless steel, wood, plastic polymers, and glass are still scarce, representing a gap in the field. The biofilm control formation can be a challenging task for food industry. However, some strategies can help to reduce biofilm formation, such as good hygiene practices, including regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces. The use of antimicrobials and alternative methods to remove the yeast biofilms may also be helpful to ensure food safety. Furthermore, physical control measures such as biosensors and advanced identification techniques are promising for yeast biofilms control. However, there is a gap in understanding why some yeast strains are more tolerant or resistant to sanitization methods. A better understanding of tolerance and resistance mechanisms can help researchers and industry professionals to develop more effective and targeted sanitization strategies to prevent bacterial contamination and ensure product quality. This review aimed to identify the most important information about yeast biofilms in the food industry, followed by the removal of these biofilms by antimicrobial agents. In addition, the review summarizes the alternative sanitizing methods and future perspectives for controlling yeast biofilm formation by biosensors.
Topics: Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Bacterial Adhesion; Food Microbiology; Biofilms; Food-Processing Industry
PubMed: 37267839
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110265 -
Biosensors Feb 2024Bioaerosols are small airborne particles composed of microbiological fragments, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollens, and/or by-products of cells, which may be... (Review)
Review
Bioaerosols are small airborne particles composed of microbiological fragments, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollens, and/or by-products of cells, which may be viable or non-viable wherever applicable. Exposure to these agents can cause a variety of health issues, such as allergic and infectious diseases, neurological disorders, and cancer. Therefore, detecting and identifying bioaerosols is crucial, and bioaerosol sampling is a key step in any bioaerosol investigation. This review provides an overview of the current bioaerosol sampling methods, both passive and active, as well as their applications and limitations for rapid on-site monitoring. The challenges and trends for detecting airborne microorganisms using molecular and immunological methods are also discussed, along with a summary and outlook for the development of prompt monitoring technologies.
Topics: Aerosols; Air Microbiology; Bacteria; Fungi; Viruses; Environmental Monitoring
PubMed: 38534229
DOI: 10.3390/bios14030122 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Jun 2024Diego Rivera, an acclaimed Mexican painter active during the first half of the 20th century, painted multiple frescoes in Mexico and the United States. Some include...
Diego Rivera, an acclaimed Mexican painter active during the first half of the 20th century, painted multiple frescoes in Mexico and the United States. Some include depictions of bacteria, their interactions with human hosts, and processes related to microbiology and public health, including the microbial origin of life, diagnosis of infection, vaccine production, and immunization. Microbiological subjects in Rivera's murals at the Mexican Ministry of Health in Mexico City; the Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit; Rockefeller Center, New York/Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City; Chapultepec Park, Mexico City; and the Institute of Social Security, Mexico City, span almost 25 years, from 1929 to 1953. Illustrating the successes of the application of microbiological discoveries and methods to public health and the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, they benefited from Rivera's creativity in melding microbiology's unique technological and scientific aspects and public health elements with industrial and political components.
Topics: Humans; Public Health; Mexico; History, 20th Century; Microbiology; United States
PubMed: 37991416
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad715 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Jan 2024
Topics: Mycology; Periodicals as Topic
PubMed: 37678508
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.08.033 -
Ecology Letters Jan 2024Plant-soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism determining plant community dynamics and structure. Understanding the geographic patterns and drivers of PSF is... (Review)
Review
Plant-soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism determining plant community dynamics and structure. Understanding the geographic patterns and drivers of PSF is essential for understanding the mechanisms underlying geographic plant diversity patterns. We compiled a large dataset containing 5969 observations of PSF from 202 studies to demonstrate the global patterns and drivers of PSF for woody and non-woody species. Overall, PSF was negative on average and was influenced by plant attributes and environmental settings. Woody species PSFs did not vary with latitude, but non-woody PSFs were more negative at higher latitudes. PSF was consistently more positive with increasing aridity for both woody and non-woody species, likely due to increased mutualistic microbes relative to soil-borne pathogens. These findings were consistent between field and greenhouse experiments, suggesting that PSF variation can be driven by soil legacies from climates. Our findings call for caution to use PSF as an explanation of the latitudinal diversity gradient and highlight that aridity can influence plant community dynamics and structure across broad scales through mediating plant-soil microbe interactions.
Topics: Soil; Plants; Soil Microbiology; Symbiosis; Feedback
PubMed: 38225803
DOI: 10.1111/ele.14364 -
Journal of Medical Microbiology Feb 2024The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated developments in biotechnology that underpin infection science. These advances present an opportunity to refresh the...
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated developments in biotechnology that underpin infection science. These advances present an opportunity to refresh the microbial forensic toolkit. Integration of novel analytical techniques with established forensic methods will speed up acquisition of evidence and better support lines of enquiry. A critical part of any such investigation is demonstration of a robust causal relationship and attribution of responsibility for an incident. In the wider context of a formal investigation into agency, motivation and intent, the quick and efficient assembly of microbiological evidence sets the tone and tempo of the entire investigation. Integration of established and novel analytical techniques from infection science into a systematic approach to microbial forensics will therefore ensure that major perspectives are correctly used to frame and shape the evidence into a clear narrative, while recognizing that forensic hypothesis generation, testing and refinement comprise an iterative process. Development of multidisciplinary training exercises that use this approach will enable translation into practice and efficient implementation when the need arises.
Topics: Forensic Microbiology; Bioterrorism; Microbiological Techniques
PubMed: 38305344
DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001802 -
Medical Mycology Jan 2024Fungal flora in coastal/inland beach sand and recreational water is a neglected field of study, despite its potential impact on human health. A joint International... (Review)
Review
Fungal flora in coastal/inland beach sand and recreational water is a neglected field of study, despite its potential impact on human health. A joint International Society for Human and Animal Mycology/European Confederation for Medical Mycology (ISHAM/ECMM) working group was formed in 2019 with the task to set up a vast international initiative aimed at studying the fungal contamination of beaches and bathing waters. Here we review the importance of the topic, and list the main results and achievements from 12 scientific publications. Fungal contamination exists at different levels, and the genera most frequently found were Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., Fusarium spp., and Cryptococcus spp., both in sand and in water. A site-blind median was found to be 89 colony-forming units of fungi per gram of sand in coastal/inland freshwaters. This threshold has been used for the sand quality criterion of the blue flag in Portugal. Additionally, our data were considered pivotal and therefore used for the first inclusion of fungi as a biological taxon of interest in water quality and sand monitoring recommendations of the World Health Organization's new guidelines on recreational water quality (Vol.1-Chap7). The findings of the consortium also suggest how environmental conditions (climate, salinity, soil pH, nitrogen, etc.) influence microbial communities in different regions, and that yeast species like Candida glabrata, Clavispora lusitaniae, and Meyerozyma guilliermondii have been identified as potential fungal indicators of fecal contamination. Climate change and natural disasters may affect fungal populations in different environments, and because this is still a field of study under exploration, we also propose to depict the future challenges of research and unmet needs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Sand; Environmental Monitoring; Research Report; Water Microbiology; Yeasts; Feces
PubMed: 38196143
DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myad137 -
Critical Reviews in Microbiology Sep 2023Since its development in the 1960s, flow cytometry (FCM) was quickly revealed a powerful tool to analyse cell populations in medical studies, yet, for many years, was... (Review)
Review
Since its development in the 1960s, flow cytometry (FCM) was quickly revealed a powerful tool to analyse cell populations in medical studies, yet, for many years, was almost exclusively used to analyse eukaryotic cells. Instrument and methodological limitations to distinguish genuine bacterial signals from the background, among other limitations, have hampered FCM applications in bacteriology. In recent years, thanks to the continuous development of FCM instruments and methods with a higher discriminatory capacity to detect low-size particles, FCM has emerged as an appealing technique to advance the study of microbes, with important applications in research, clinical and industrial settings. The capacity to rapidly enumerate and classify individual bacterial cells based on viability facilitates the monitoring of bacterial presence in foodstuffs or clinical samples, reducing the time needed to detect contamination or infectious processes. Besides, FCM has stood out as a valuable tool to advance the study of complex microbial communities, or microbiomes, that are very relevant in the context of human health, as well as to understand the interaction of bacterial and host cells. This review highlights current developments in, and future applications of, FCM in bacteriology, with a focus on those related to food and clinical microbiology.
Topics: Humans; Bacteriology; Flow Cytometry; Bacteria; Food Microbiology
PubMed: 35749433
DOI: 10.1080/1040841X.2022.2086035