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Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024We assessed the anti-chlamydial activity of fresh vaginal secretions, deciphering the microbial and metabolic components able to counteract viability.
INTRODUCTION
We assessed the anti-chlamydial activity of fresh vaginal secretions, deciphering the microbial and metabolic components able to counteract viability.
METHODS
Forty vaginal samples were collected from a group of reproductive-aged women and their anti-chlamydial activity was evaluated by inhibition experiments. Each sample underwent 16S rRNA metabarcoding sequencing to determine the bacterial composition, as well as H-NMR spectroscopy to detect and quantify the presence of vaginal metabolites.
RESULTS
Samples characterized by a high anti-chlamydial activity were enriched in , especially and , while not-active samples exhibited a significant reduction of lactobacilli, along with higher relative abundances of and . showed an opposite behavior compared to , being more prevalent in not-active vaginal samples. Higher concentrations of several amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, and aspartate; positively correlated to the abundance of and ) lactate, and 4-aminobutyrate were the most significant metabolic fingerprints of highly active samples. Acetate and formate concentrations, on the other hand, were related to the abundances of a group of anaerobic opportunistic bacteria (including and ). Finally, glucose, correlated to and genera, emerged as a key molecule of the vaginal environment: indeed, the anti-chlamydial effect of vaginal fluids decreased as glucose concentrations increased.
DISCUSSION
These findings could pave the way for novel strategies in the prevention and treatment of chlamydial urogenital infections, such as lactobacilli probiotic formulations or lactobacilli-derived postbiotics.
Topics: Female; Humans; Vagina; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Lactobacillus; Chlamydia trachomatis; Adult; Streptococcus; Young Adult; Lactobacillus crispatus; Chlamydia Infections
PubMed: 38912205
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1403782 -
Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Jun 2024Unexpected positive cultures (UPCs) are frequently observed in primary shoulder arthroplasty and its clinical significance has not yet been well defined. The aim is to...
BACKGROUND
Unexpected positive cultures (UPCs) are frequently observed in primary shoulder arthroplasty and its clinical significance has not yet been well defined. The aim is to evaluate the UPCs in humeral head in primary shoulder replacement and to understand if UPCs increase in patients with risk factors for contamination (previous surgery or infiltrations).
METHODS
Patients undergoing total shoulder replacement were enrolled in this prospective observational study. To reduce the risk of humeral head contamination, all known procedures to reduce C. acnes burden of the skin were implemented. Patients were divided into 2 groups, namely patients who had undergone previous rotator cuff repair or infiltration and patients with no risk factors for contamination. All the humeral heads harvested were treated with Dithiothreitol, in a specific device (MicroDTTect), to increase the sensitivity of the cultures for bacterial identification. The cultures were analyzed for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria for up to 14 days.
RESULTS
The UPCs positivity rate of the 80 patients in the study was 19 % (15 patients). The positivity rates for UPCs in the group with and without risk factors were 30 % (12 patients) and 7.5% (3 patients), respectively. The rate of positive culture was higher in men (87%) than in women (13%). The observed positivity was due to Cutibacterium acnes and peptoniphilus asaccarolyticus, both slow-growing anaerobes.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with previous surgery or infiltrations had a 4-fold higher rate of positivity for UPCs compared with patients without previous risk factors. The higher percentage of positivity in patients with risk factors could be related to changes in the joint microenvironment after shoulder procedures. We do not know whether the presence of UPCs could be associated with the development of periprosthetic infections at longer follow-up.
PubMed: 38844158
DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2024.04.010 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews May 2024Diabetic foot infections (DFI) are a public health problem worldwide. DFI are polymicrobial, biofilm-associated infections involving complex bacterial communities... (Review)
Review
Diabetic foot infections (DFI) are a public health problem worldwide. DFI are polymicrobial, biofilm-associated infections involving complex bacterial communities organized in functional equivalent pathogroups, all including anaerobes. Indeed, multiple pathophysiological factors favor the growth of anaerobes in this context. However, the prevalence, role, and contribution of anaerobes in wound evolution remain poorly characterized due to their challenging detection. Studies based on culture reviewed herein showed a weighted average of 17% of patients with anaerobes. Comparatively, the weighted average of patients with anaerobes identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing was 83.8%. Culture largely underestimated not only the presence but also the diversity of anaerobes compared with cultivation-independent approaches but both methods showed that anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci were the most commonly identified in DFI. Anaerobes were more present in deeper lesions, and their detection was associated with fever, malodorous lesions, and ulcer depth and duration. More specifically, initial abundance of spp. was associated with ulcer-impaired healing, spp. detection was significantly correlated with the duration of DFI, and the presence of spp. was significantly associated with amputation. Antimicrobial resistance of anaerobes in DFI remains slightly studied and warrants more consideration in the context of increasing resistance of the most frequently identified anaerobes in DFI. The high rate of patients with DFI-involving anaerobes, the increased knowledge on the species identified, their virulence factors, and their potential role in wound evolution support recommendations combining debridement and antibiotic therapy effective on anaerobes in moderate and severe DFI.
PubMed: 38819166
DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00143-23 -
New Microbes and New Infections Jun 2024
PubMed: 38799976
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101376 -
New Microbes and New Infections Jun 2024
PubMed: 38799910
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101377 -
New Microbes and New Infections Jun 2024
PubMed: 38799824
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101375 -
The Science of the Total Environment Aug 2024Inevitably, aerobic biological treatment processes generate emissions of ammonia (NH) and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, especially nitrous oxide (NO). The rapid...
Inevitably, aerobic biological treatment processes generate emissions of ammonia (NH) and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, especially nitrous oxide (NO). The rapid bio-drying process (RBD) for food waste (FW) alleviates issues arising from its substantial growth. However, its emissions of NH and NO remain unknown, and the correlation with nitrogen components in the substrate remains unclear, significantly impeding its widespread adoption. Here, the nitrogen loss and its mechanisms in RBD were investigated, and the results are as follows: The total emission of NH and NO were1.42 and 1.16 mg/kg FW (fresh weight), respectively, achieving a 98 % reduction compared to prior studies. Structural equation modeling demonstrates that acid ammonium nitrogen (AN) decomposition chiefly generates NH in compost (p < 0.001). Strong correlation (p < 0.001) exists between amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and AN. In-depth analysis of microbial succession during the process reveals that the enrichment of Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Dietzia, Fastidiosipila, Lactobacillus, Mycobacterium, Peptoniphilus, and Truepera, are conducive to reducing the accumulation of AN and AAN in the substrate, minimizing NH emissions (p < 0.05). While Pseudomonas, Denitrobacterium, Nitrospira, and Bacillus are identified as key species contributing to NO emissions during the process. Correlation analysis between physicochemical conditions and microbial succession in the system indicates that the moisture content and NO levels during the composting process provide suitable conditions for the growth of bacteria that contribute to NH and NO emissions reduction, these enrichment in RBD process minimizing NH and NO emissions. This study can offer crucial theoretical and data support for the resource utilization process of perishable organic solid waste, mitigating NH and GHGs emissions.
Topics: Nitrous Oxide; Ammonia; Nitrogen; Refuse Disposal; Air Pollutants; Garbage; Greenhouse Gases; Food Loss and Waste
PubMed: 38795999
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173353 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine with superficial mucosal inflammation. A dysbiotic...
BACKGROUND
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine with superficial mucosal inflammation. A dysbiotic gut microbial profile has been associated with UC. Our study aimed to characterize the UC gut bacterial, fungal, and metabolic fingerprints by omic approaches.
METHODS
The 16S rRNA- and ITS2-based metataxonomics and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/solid phase microextraction (GC-MS/SPME) metabolomic analysis were performed on stool samples of 53 UC patients and 37 healthy subjects (CTRL). Univariate and multivariate approaches were applied to separated and integrated omic data, to define microbiota, mycobiota, and metabolic signatures in UC. The interaction between gut bacteria and fungi was investigated by network analysis.
RESULTS
In the UC cohort, we reported the increase of , , Enterobacteriaceae, TM7-3, , , , , , , Gemellaceae, and phenylethyl alcohol; and we also reported the decrease of ; Ruminococcaceae; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; hexadecane; cyclopentadecane; 5-hepten-2-ol, 6 methyl; 3-carene; caryophyllene; p-Cresol; 2-butenal; indole, 3-methyl-; 6-methyl-3,5-heptadiene-2-one; 5-octadecene; and 5-hepten-2-one, 6 methyl. The integration of the multi-omic data confirmed the presence of a distinctive bacterial, fungal, and metabolic fingerprint in UC gut microbiota. Moreover, the network analysis highlighted bacterial and fungal synergistic and/or divergent interkingdom interactions.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we identified intestinal bacterial, fungal, and metabolic UC-associated biomarkers. Furthermore, evidence on the relationships between bacterial and fungal ecosystems provides a comprehensive perspective on intestinal dysbiosis and ecological interactions between microorganisms in the framework of UC.
Topics: Humans; Colitis, Ulcerative; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Male; Adult; Female; Bacteria; Middle Aged; Metabolomics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Feces; Fungi; Dysbiosis; Metabolome; Aged; Young Adult; Solid Phase Microextraction; Mycobiome; Multiomics
PubMed: 38779566
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1366192 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Alterations in the vaginal microbiota, including both species composition and functional pathways, have been associated with HPV infection and progression of dysplasia...
Alterations in the vaginal microbiota, including both species composition and functional pathways, have been associated with HPV infection and progression of dysplasia to cervical cancer. To further explore this, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to taxonomically and functionally characterize the vaginal microbiota of women with and without cervical dysplasia. Women with histologically verified dysplasia (n = 177; low grade dysplasia (LSIL) n = 81, high-grade dysplasia (HSIL) n = 94, cancer n = 2) were compared with healthy controls recruited from the cervical screening programme (n = 177). Women with dysplasia had a higher vaginal microbial diversity, and higher abundances of Gardnerella vaginalis, Aerococcus christensenii, Peptoniphilus lacrimalis and Fannyhessea vaginae, while healthy controls had higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus. Genes involved in e.g. nucleotide biosynthesis and peptidoglycan biosynthesis were more abundant in women with dysplasia. Healthy controls showed higher abundance of genes important for e.g. amino acid biosynthesis, (especially L-lysine) and sugar degradation. These findings suggest that the microbiota may have a role in creating a pro-oncogenic environment in women with dysplasia. Its role and potential interactions with other components in the microenvironment deserve further exploration.
Topics: Humans; Female; Vagina; Microbiota; Adult; Uterine Cervical Dysplasia; Middle Aged; Case-Control Studies; Metagenomics; Bacteria
PubMed: 38755259
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61942-2 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2024It is important to study the bacteria that cause endometritis to identify effective therapeutic drugs for dairy cows. In this study, 20% oxytetracycline was used to...
It is important to study the bacteria that cause endometritis to identify effective therapeutic drugs for dairy cows. In this study, 20% oxytetracycline was used to treat Holstein cows (n = 6) with severe endometritis. Additional 10 Holstein cows (5 for healthy cows, 5 for cows with mild endometritis) were also selected. At the same time, changes in bacterial communities were monitored by high-throughput sequencing. The results show that Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other common pathogenic bacteria could be detected by traditional methods in cows both with and without endometritis. However, 16S sequencing results show that changes in the abundance of these bacteria were not significant. Endometritis is often caused by mixed infections in the uterus. Oxytetracycline did not completely remove existing bacteria. However, oxytetracycline could effectively inhibit endometritis and had a significant inhibitory effect on the genera Bacteroides, Trueperella, Peptoniphilus, Parvimonas, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium but had no significant inhibitory effect on the bacterial genera Marinospirillum, Erysipelothrix, and Enteractinococcus. During oxytetracycline treatment, the cell motility, endocrine system, exogenous system, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, metabolism of terpenoids, polyketides, cofactors and vitamins, signal transduction, and transport and catabolism pathways were affected.
Topics: Oxytetracycline; Animals; Female; Cattle; Endometritis; Uterus; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Cattle Diseases; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Microbiota
PubMed: 38664449
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59674-4