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Frontiers in Medicine 2024Infection with is associated with high rates of amputation and mortality. Alterations in the global climate have heightened the risk of atypical infections caused by...
BACKGROUND
Infection with is associated with high rates of amputation and mortality. Alterations in the global climate have heightened the risk of atypical infections caused by this pathogen.
CASE PRESENTATION
In the case report we describe, a 75-year-old man residing in a coastal city contracted secondary to an insect bite.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
This case underscores the importance for clinicians of recognizing that early administration of appropriate antibiotics in patients with non-traditional routes of infection can significantly reduce rates of amputation and mortality.
PubMed: 38933117
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1419074 -
Italian Journal of Food Safety May 2024In this study, two Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Lesina and Varano) of southern Italy, located in the north of the Apulia region, were investigated for the presence of...
In this study, two Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Lesina and Varano) of southern Italy, located in the north of the Apulia region, were investigated for the presence of Shiga toxin (STEC) and potentially enteropathogenic species in parallel with norovirus (NoV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aimed to evaluate the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and viruses in the water and sediments of these ecosystems. From March 2022 to February 2023, a total of 98 samples were collected: 49 water samples and 49 sediment samples. STEC strains were isolated in three samples (3.1%), of which one (2%) was water ( and positive) and two (4.1%) were sediment (both positive) samples. spp. were detected in twenty samples (20.4%), of which nine were water (18.4%) and eleven were sediment (22.4%) samples. The species detected included , , and . NoV was detected in 25 (25.5%) samples, while none of the water or sediment samples were positive for HAV, HEV, and SARS-CoV-2. The results of this study provide an overview of the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in areas influenced by anthropogenic pressure. Monitoring the circulation of these pathogens could be useful to evaluate the water flowing into the lagoons, in particular discharge waters (, urban, agricultural, and livestock runoff), considering the presence of fish and shellfish farms in these sites.
PubMed: 38887590
DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2024.12218 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jun 2024causes life-threatening wound and gastrointestinal infections, mediated primarily by the production of a Multifunctional-Autoprocessing Repeats-In-Toxin (MARTX) toxin....
causes life-threatening wound and gastrointestinal infections, mediated primarily by the production of a Multifunctional-Autoprocessing Repeats-In-Toxin (MARTX) toxin. The most commonly present MARTX effector domain, the Makes Caterpillars Floppy-like (MCF) toxin, is a cysteine protease stimulated by host adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribosylation factors (ARFs) to autoprocess. Here, we show processed MCF then binds and cleaves host s-related proteins in rain (Rab) guanosine triphosphatases within their C-terminal tails resulting in Rab degradation. We demonstrate MCF binds Rabs at the same interface occupied by ARFs. Moreover, we show MCF preferentially binds to ARF1 prior to autoprocessing and is active to cleave Rabs only subsequent to autoprocessing. We then use structure prediction algorithms to demonstrate that structural composition, rather than sequence, determines Rab target specificity. We further determine a crystal structure of aMCF as a swapped dimer, revealing an alternative conformation we suggest represents the open, activated state of MCF with reorganized active site residues. The cleavage of Rabs results in Rab1B dispersal within cells and loss of Rab1B density in the intestinal tissue of infected mice. Collectively, our work describes an extracellular bacterial mechanism whereby MCF is activated by ARFs and subsequently induces the degradation of another small host guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase), Rabs, to drive organelle damage, cell death, and promote pathogenesis of these rapidly fatal infections.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Mice; ADP-Ribosylation Factors; Bacterial Toxins; HEK293 Cells; Mice, Inbred ICR; Proteolysis; rab GTP-Binding Proteins; Vibrio Infections; Vibrio vulnificus
PubMed: 38861595
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316143121 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2024The incidence of infections, with high mortality rates in humans and aquatic animals, has escalated, highlighting a significant public health challenge. Currently,...
The incidence of infections, with high mortality rates in humans and aquatic animals, has escalated, highlighting a significant public health challenge. Currently, reliable markers to identify strains with high virulence potential are lacking, and the understanding of evolutionary drivers behind the emergence of pathogenic strains is limited. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of virulent genotypes and phenotypes to discern the infectious potential of strains isolated from three distinct sources. Most isolates, traditionally classified as biotype 1, possessed the virulence-correlated gene-C type. Environmental isolates predominantly exhibited YJ-like alleles, while clinical and diseased fish isolates were significantly associated with the gene and pathogenicity region XII. Hemolytic activity was primarily observed in the culture supernatants of clinical and diseased fish isolates. Genetic relationships, as determined by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis, suggested that strains originating from the same source tended to cluster together. However, multilocus sequence typing revealed considerable genetic diversity across clusters and sources. A phylogenetic analysis using single nucleotide polymorphisms of diseased fish strains alongside publicly available genomes demonstrated a high degree of evolutionary relatedness within and across different isolation sources. Notably, our findings reveal no direct correlation between phylogenetic patterns, isolation sources, and virulence capabilities. This underscores the necessity for proactive risk management strategies to address pathogenic strains emerging from environmental reservoirs.IMPORTANCEAs the global incidence of infections rises, impacting human health and marine aquacultures, understanding the pathogenicity of environmental strains remains critical yet underexplored. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the virulence potential and genetic relatedness of strains, focusing on environmental origins. We conduct an extensive genotypic analysis and phenotypic assessment, including virulence testing in a wax moth model. Our findings aim to uncover genetic and evolutionary factors that drive pathogenic strain emergence in the environment. This research advances our ability to identify reliable virulence markers and understand the distribution of pathogenic strains, offering significant insights for public health and environmental risk management.
PubMed: 38860819
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00079-24 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Jun 2024
PubMed: 38839495
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.05.177 -
Food Chemistry May 2024Impact of high-pressure processing (HP-P) on microbial inactivation, protein oxidation, collagen fiber, and muscle structure of the edible portion (EP) of blood clams...
Impact of high-pressure processing (HP-P) on microbial inactivation, protein oxidation, collagen fiber, and muscle structure of the edible portion (EP) of blood clams (BC) was investigated. Aerobic plate count, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, other Vibrio spp. and Shewanella algae counts were not detectable when HP-P pressure of ≥300 MPa was applied. Carbonyl, disulphide bond content, and surface hydrophobicity upsurged as HP-P with augmenting pressure was employed. Protein with ∼53 kDa appeared when HP-P at 100 and 200 MPa was implemented. Increased pressure enhanced gap formation and abnormal muscle cell structure arrangements. HP-P also affected connective tissue, causing size reduction and disruption of the collagen filament fibers. However, firmness and toughness of BC-EP with HP-P ≤ 300 MPa were comparable to those of the control. HP-P at 300 MPa was therefore appropriate for treatment of BC with maintained textural properties, while less protein oxidation, collagen fiber and muscle structure disruption occurred.
PubMed: 38838621
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139840 -
Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the... 2024Iron is necessary for all living organisms, and bacteria that cause infections in human hosts also need ferrous ions for their growth and proliferation. In the human... (Review)
Review
Iron is necessary for all living organisms, and bacteria that cause infections in human hosts also need ferrous ions for their growth and proliferation. In the human body, most ferric ions (Fe) are tightly bound to iron-binding proteins such as hemoglobin, transferrin, lactoferrin, and ferritin. Pathogenic bacteria express highly specific iron uptake systems, including siderophores and specific receptors. Most bacteria secrete siderophores, which are low-molecular weight metal-chelating agents, to capture Fe outside cell. Siderophores are mainly classified as either catecholate or hydroxamate. Vibrio vulnificus, a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium, is responsible for serious infections in humans and requires iron for growth. A clinical isolate, V. vulnificus M2799, secretes a catecholate siderophore, vulnibactin, that captures ferric ions from the environment. In our study, we generated deletion mutants of the genes encoding proteins involved in the vulnibactin mediated iron-utilization system, such as ferric-vulnibactin receptor protein (VuuA), periplasmic ferric-vulnibactin binding protein (FatB), ferric-vulnibactin reductase (VuuB), and isochorismate synthase (ICS). ICS and VuuA are required under low-iron conditions for ferric-utilization in M2799, but the alternative proteins FatB and VuuB can function as a periplasmic binding protein and a ferric-chelate reductase, respectively. VatD, which functions as ferric-hydroxamate siderophores periplasmic binding protein, was shown to participate in the ferric-vulnibactin uptake system in the absence of FatB. Furthermore, the ferric-hydroxamate siderophore reductase IutB was observed to participate in ferric-vulnibactin reduction in the absence of VuuB. We propose that ferric-siderophore periplasmic binding proteins and ferric-chelate reductases represent potential targets for drug discovery in the context of infectious diseases.
Topics: Iron; Siderophores; Humans; Drug Discovery; Bacterial Infections; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Hydroxamic Acids; Iron-Binding Proteins
PubMed: 38825472
DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.23-00197-2 -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Jul 2024Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus are bacteria with a significant public health impact. Identifying factors impacting their presence and concentrations in...
Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus are bacteria with a significant public health impact. Identifying factors impacting their presence and concentrations in food sources could enable the identification of significant risk factors and prevent incidences of foodborne illness. In recent years, machine learning has shown promise in modeling microbial presence based on prevalent external and internal variables, such as environmental variables and gene presence/absence, respectively, particularly with the generation and availability of large amounts and diverse sources of data. Such analyses can prove useful in predicting microbial behavior in food systems, particularly under the influence of the constant changes in environmental variables. In this study, we tested the efficacy of six machine learning regression models (random forest, support vector machine, elastic net, neural network, k-nearest neighbors, and extreme gradient boosting) in predicting the relationship between environmental variables and total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus concentrations in seawater and oysters. In general, environmental variables were found to be reliable predictors of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus concentrations in seawater, and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in oysters (Acceptable Prediction Zone >70 %) when analyzed using our machine learning models. SHapley Additive exPlanations, which was used to identify variables influencing Vibrio concentrations, identified chlorophyll a content, seawater salinity, seawater temperature, and turbidity as influential variables. It is important to note that different strains were differentially impacted by the same environmental variable, indicating the need for further research to study the causes and potential mechanisms of these variations. In conclusion, environmental variables could be important predictors of Vibrio growth and behavior in seafood. Moreover, the models developed in this study could prove invaluable in assessing and managing the risks associated with V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, particularly in the face of a changing environment.
Topics: Ostreidae; Machine Learning; Seawater; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Animals; Vibrio vulnificus; Food Microbiology; Food Contamination; Shellfish; Seafood; Temperature; Vibrio
PubMed: 38823834
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114464 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Jun 2024Antibiotics are often used to treat severe infections, with third-generation cephalosporins and tetracyclines combined or fluoroquinolones alone being recommended by...
Antibiotics are often used to treat severe infections, with third-generation cephalosporins and tetracyclines combined or fluoroquinolones alone being recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increases in antibiotic resistance of both environmental and clinical vibrios are of concern; however, limited longitudinal data have been generated among environmental isolates to inform how resistance patterns may be changing over time. Hence, we evaluated long-term trends in antibiotic resistance of vibrios isolated from Chesapeake Bay waters (Maryland) across two 3-year sampling periods (2009-2012 and 2019-2022). ( = 134) and ( = 94) tR-confirmed isolates were randomly selected from both sampling periods and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility against eight antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. A high percentage (94%-96%) of isolates from both sampling periods were resistant to ampicillin and only 2%-6% of these isolates expressed intermediate resistance or resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, amikacin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Even lower percentages of resistant isolates were observed and those were mostly recovered from 2009 to 2012, however, the presence of multiple virulence factors was observed. The frequency of multi-drug resistance was relatively low (6%-8%) but included resistance against antibiotics used to treat severe vibriosis in adults and children. All isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, indicating its sustained efficacy as a first-line agent in the treatment of severe vibriosis. Overall, our data indicate that antibiotic resistance patterns among and recovered from the lower Chesapeake Bay have remained relatively stable since 2009.IMPORTANCE spp. have historically been susceptible to most clinically relevant antibiotics; however, resistance and intermediate-resistance have been increasingly recorded in both environmental and clinical isolates. Our data showed that while the percentage of multi-drug resistance and resistance to antibiotics was relatively low and stable across time, some isolates displayed resistance and intermediate resistance to antibiotics typically used to treat severe vibriosis (e.g., third-generation cephalosporins, tetracyclines, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and aminoglycosides). Also, given the high case fatality rates observed with infections, the presence of multiple virulence factors in the tested isolates is concerning. Nevertheless, the continued susceptibility of all tested isolates against ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, is indicative of its use as an effective first-line treatment of severe spp. infections stemming from exposure to Chesapeake Bay waters or contaminated seafood ingestion.
Topics: Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Vibrio vulnificus; Bays; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Longitudinal Studies; Maryland; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Vibrio Infections; Humans
PubMed: 38809043
DOI: 10.1128/aem.00539-24 -
Food Chemistry Oct 2024Vibrio vulnificus infection caused by contaminated aquatic products and seawater can lead to severe disease and high mortality. The development of a rapid and sensitive...
Vibrio vulnificus infection caused by contaminated aquatic products and seawater can lead to severe disease and high mortality. The development of a rapid and sensitive detection method for Vibrio vulnificus is vital to effectively prevent infection in advance. In this study, CeO@PtRu with high peroxidase activity was used to construct a colorimetric immunoassay for Vibrio vulnificus detection by conjugating polyclonal antibodies via the biotin-streptavidin system. The developed colorimetric biosensor for Vibrio vulnificus demonstrated rapid operability and good sensitivity with a detection range from 10 CFU/mL to 10 CFU/mL, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 193 CFU/mL. Moreover, the colorimetric biosensor showed excellent specificity and good recoveries from 98.70% to 102.10% with RSD < 7.45% for spiked real samples. This novel CeO@PtRu-based colorimetric biosensor has great application potential for the sensitive detection of Vibrio vulnificus in seafood.
Topics: Vibrio vulnificus; Colorimetry; Biosensing Techniques; Seafood; Cerium; Peroxidase; Limit of Detection; Food Contamination; Animals
PubMed: 38805924
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139757