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PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jun 2024Campylobacteriosis disproportionately affects children under five in low-income countries. However, epidemiological and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) information at the...
Campylobacteriosis disproportionately affects children under five in low-income countries. However, epidemiological and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) information at the children-animal interface is lacking. We hypothesized that Campylobacter is a major cause of enteritis in children in Ethiopia, and contact with animals is a potential source of transmission. The objective of the study was to determine Campylobacter occurrence and its AMR in children under five with diarrhea, backyard farm animals, and companion pets. Stool from 303 children and feces from 711 animals were sampled. Campylobacter was isolated through membrane filtration on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar plates under microaerobic incubation, and the technique showed to be feasible for use in regions lacking organized laboratories. Typical isolates were characterized with MALDI-TOF MS and multiplex PCR. Of 303 children, 20% (n = 59) were infected, with a higher proportion in the 6 to 11-month age group. Campylobacter occurred in 64% (n = 14) of dogs and 44% (n = 112) of poultry. Campylobacter jejuni was present in both a child and animal species in 15% (n = 23) of 149 households positive for Campylobacter. MICs using the gradient strip diffusion test of 128 isolates displayed resistance rates of 20% to ciprofloxacin and 11% to doxycycline. MICs of ciprofloxacin and doxycycline varied between C. coli and C. jejuni, with higher resistance in C. coli and poultry isolates. Campylobacter infection in children and its prevalent excretion from backyard poultry and dogs is a understudied concern. The co-occurrence of C. jejuni in animals and children suggest household-level transmission As resistance to ciprofloxacin and doxycycline was observed, therapy of severe campylobacteriosis should consider susceptibility testing. Findings from this study can support evidence-based diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment, and further investigations on the spread of AMR mechanisms for informed One Health intervention.
Topics: Animals; Campylobacter Infections; Child, Preschool; Pets; Humans; Infant; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Diarrhea; Campylobacter; Male; Animals, Domestic; Female; Feces; Dogs; Ethiopia; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Poultry; Campylobacter jejuni; Infant, Newborn
PubMed: 38833441
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012241 -
MMWR. Recommendations and Reports :... Jun 2024No vaccines and few chemoprophylaxis options exist for the prevention of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (specifically syphilis, chlamydia, and...
No vaccines and few chemoprophylaxis options exist for the prevention of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (specifically syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea). These infections have increased in the United States and disproportionately affect gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). In three large randomized controlled trials, 200 mg of doxycycline taken within 72 hours after sex has been shown to reduce syphilis and chlamydia infections by >70% and gonococcal infections by approximately 50%. This report outlines CDC's recommendation for the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP), a novel, ongoing, patient-managed biomedical STI prevention strategy for a selected population. CDC recommends that MSM and TGW who have had a bacterial STI (specifically syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea) diagnosed in the past 12 months should receive counseling that doxy PEP can be used as postexposure prophylaxis to prevent these infections. Following shared decision-making with their provider, CDC recommends that providers offer persons in this group a prescription for doxy PEP to be self-administered within 72 hours after having oral, vaginal, or anal sex. The recommended dose of doxy PEP is 200 mg and should not exceed a maximum dose of 200 mg every 24 hours.Doxy PEP, when offered, should be implemented in the context of a comprehensive sexual health approach, including risk reduction counseling, STI screening and treatment, recommended vaccination and linkage to HIV PrEP, HIV care, or other services as appropriate. Persons who are prescribed doxy PEP should undergo bacterial STI testing at anatomic sites of exposure at baseline and every 3-6 months thereafter. Ongoing need for doxy PEP should be assessed every 3-6 months as well. HIV screening should be performed for HIV-negative MSM and TGW according to current recommendations.
Topics: Humans; Doxycycline; United States; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; Male; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; Female; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Sexual and Gender Minorities
PubMed: 38833414
DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7302a1 -
PloS One 2024Microbial degradation of tylosin (TYL) is a safe and environmentally friendly technology for remediating environmental pollution. Kurthia gibsonii (TYL-A1) and...
Microbial degradation of tylosin (TYL) is a safe and environmentally friendly technology for remediating environmental pollution. Kurthia gibsonii (TYL-A1) and Klebsiella pneumonia (TYL-B2) were isolated from wastewater; degradation efficiency of the two strains combined was significantly greater than either alone and resulted in degradation products that were less toxic than TYL. With Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-sodium alginate (SA)-activated carbon (AC) used to form a bacterial immobilization carrier, the immobilized bacterial alliance reached 95.9% degradation efficiency in 1 d and could be reused for four cycles, with > 93% degradation efficiency per cycle. In a wastewater application, the immobilized bacterial alliance degraded 67.0% TYL in 9 d. There were significant advantages for the immobilized bacterial alliance at pH 5 or 9, with 20 or 40 g/L NaCl, or with 10 or 50 mg/L doxycycline. In summary, in this study, a bacterial consortium with TYL degradation ability was constructed using PVA-SA-AC as an immobilized carrier, and the application effect was evaluated on farm wastewater with a view to providing application guidance in environmental remediation.
Topics: Tylosin; Wastewater; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Biodegradation, Environmental; Cells, Immobilized; Alginates; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Charcoal
PubMed: 38820335
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304113 -
Cureus Apr 2024Lyme disease progresses through three distinct clinical phases: early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated. Lyme arthritis is characterized by attacks of...
Lyme disease progresses through three distinct clinical phases: early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated. Lyme arthritis is characterized by attacks of joint swelling lasting for weeks to months, potentially causing permanent joint damage in late disseminated disease. Our case focuses on a 63-year-old, obese, type 2 diabetic, wheelchair-bound, Caucasian male with severe bilateral knee pain. Our patient had previously undergone bilateral knee arthroscopies for meniscal tears and also had knee injections performed previously without the desired level of pain alleviation. He indicated a recent cough that was treated with erythromycin and noted his knees felt better during the course of the antibiotic. The patient recreationally enjoyed hunting and mentioned that his dog had Lyme Disease. Laboratory confirmation of Lyme disease prompted our patient to be treated with doxycycline. Upon completion of doxycycline therapy, our patient noted significant improvement in his knee pain. The improvement was significant enough that the patient canceled a planned bilateral knee replacement with his orthopedic surgeon, and no longer required the use of a wheelchair as he was able to return to ambulating independently. The patient's quality of life improved significantly, and he could also return to work. Lyme disease should be a consideration in the differential diagnosis of patients in areas endemic to the disease, and patients who tend to have outdoor lifestyles.
PubMed: 38817479
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59318 -
Cureus Apr 2024Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne illness that has been recognized as a source of human infection with increased incidence in the United States over the last decade. The...
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne illness that has been recognized as a source of human infection with increased incidence in the United States over the last decade. The usual presentation is with acute febrile illness, myalgia, malaise with confusion, and central nervous system abnormalities, along with laboratory data concerning transaminitis and hematological abnormalities. Though many complications have been associated with Ehrlichiosis, very few cardiac complications have been reported. We report a rare presentation of Ehrlichiosis in a 63-year-old female who presented with acute fever, transaminitis, and renal failure followed by the development of myocarditis. As part of the diagnostic work-up, an examination of the peripheral smear revealed intracytoplasmic granules in monocytes, which were later confirmed through serology to have Ehrlichia chaffeensis (E. chaffeensis). Given the high degree of initial clinical suspicion, the patient was started on empiric doxycycline and fully recovered with no disease-associated sequelae.
PubMed: 38817458
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59369 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a Gram-negative coccus a facultative intracellular pathogen. Neurobrucellosis has an incidence rate of 3-7% among all... (Review)
Review
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a Gram-negative coccus a facultative intracellular pathogen. Neurobrucellosis has an incidence rate of 3-7% among all patients with brucellosis, while spinal cord involvement is rare and carries a significant mortality risk. This report describes a case of brucellosis myelitis in a 55-year-old male patient who presented with recurrent paralysis, incontinence, and damage to the visual and auditory nerves. The diagnosis of neurobrucellosis involves a serum tube agglutination test, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, a physical examination of the nervous system, and a comprehensive review of the patient's medical history. The presence of brucellosis was confirmed in cerebrospinal fluid using MetaCAP™ sequencing. Treatment with a combination of rifampicin, doxycycline, ceftriaxone sodium, amikacin, compound brain peptide ganglioside, and dexamethasone resulted in significant improvement of the patient's clinical symptoms and a decrease in the brucellosis sequence count in cerebrospinal fluid. For the first time, MetaCAP™ sequencing has been used to treat pathogenic microbial nucleic acids, which could be a valuable tool for early diagnosis and treatment of neurobrucellosis.
Topics: Humans; Male; Brucellosis; Middle Aged; Myelitis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Treatment Outcome; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 38817447
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1378331 -
Breast Cancer Research : BCR May 2024Despite progress understanding the mechanisms underlying tumor spread, metastasis remains a clinical challenge. We identified the choline-producing...
BACKGROUND
Despite progress understanding the mechanisms underlying tumor spread, metastasis remains a clinical challenge. We identified the choline-producing glycerophosphodiesterase, EDI3 and reported its association with metastasis-free survival in endometrial cancer. We also observed that silencing EDI3 slowed cell migration and other cancer-relevant phenotypes in vitro. Recent work demonstrated high EDI3 expression in ER-HER2+ breast cancer compared to the other molecular subtypes. Silencing EDI3 in ER-HER2+ cells significantly reduced cell survival in vitro and decreased tumor growth in vivo. However, a role for EDI3 in tumor metastasis in this breast cancer subtype was not explored. Therefore, in the present work we investigate whether silencing EDI3 in ER-HER2+ breast cancer cell lines alters phenotypes linked to metastasis in vitro, and metastasis formation in vivo using mouse models of experimental metastasis.
METHODS
To inducibly silence EDI3, luciferase-expressing HCC1954 cells were transduced with lentiviral particles containing shRNA oligos targeting EDI3 under the control of doxycycline. The effect on cell migration, adhesion, colony formation and anoikis was determined in vitro, and significant findings were confirmed in a second ER-HER2+ cell line, SUM190PT. Doxycycline-induced HCC1954-luc shEDI3 cells were injected into the tail vein or peritoneum of immunodeficient mice to generate lung and peritoneal metastases, respectively and monitored using non-invasive bioluminescence imaging. Metabolite levels in cells and tumor tissue were analyzed using targeted mass spectrometry and MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI), respectively.
RESULTS
Inducibly silencing EDI3 reduced cell adhesion and colony formation, as well as increased susceptibility to anoikis in HCC1954-luc cells, which was confirmed in SUM190PT cells. No influence on cell migration was observed. Reduced luminescence was seen in lungs and peritoneum of mice injected with cells expressing less EDI3 after tail vein and intraperitoneal injection, respectively, indicative of reduced metastasis. Importantly, mice injected with EDI3-silenced cells survived longer. Closer analysis of the peritoneal organs revealed that silencing EDI3 had no effect on metastatic organotropism but instead reduced metastatic burden. Finally, metabolic analyses revealed significant changes in choline and glycerophospholipid metabolites in cells and in pancreatic metastases in vivo.
CONCLUSIONS
Reduced metastasis upon silencing supports EDI3's potential as a treatment target in metastasizing ER-HER2+ breast cancer.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Mice; Cell Line, Tumor; Receptor, ErbB-2; Breast Neoplasms; Receptors, Estrogen; Disease Models, Animal; Cell Movement; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Tumor Burden; Neoplasm Metastasis; Lung Neoplasms; Cell Proliferation
PubMed: 38816770
DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01849-y -
Cureus Apr 2024Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that impacts multiple organ systems and can mimic various diseases and is an extremely rare cause of proctitis in men who...
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that impacts multiple organ systems and can mimic various diseases and is an extremely rare cause of proctitis in men who have sex with men and transgender females. We present a case of a 49-year-old transgender female with a medical history significant for diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia who presented to the emergency department with dull abdominal pain in the left upper and lower quadrants for two days. She had non-bloody, nonbilious emesis, 10-pound weight loss over 1 month, and constipation for 2 weeks. Laboratory results showed a cholestatic pattern. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed rectal wall thickening, multiple enlarged perirectal adenopathy, and mild inflammatory infiltration around the rectum suggesting superimposed proctitis. On colonoscopy, a possible rectal mass or severe proctitis with near complete obstruction was seen with initial pathology concerning for lymphoma or a rare type of colitis. The patient was empirically started on ceftriaxone and doxycycline leading to improvement in inflammation. Special stains requested were positive for Treponema pallidum confirming the diagnosis of syphilitic proctitis and highly suggestive syphilitic hepatitis. Few cases of syphilitic proctitis imitating rectal malignancy and syphilitic hepatitis have been reported. Syphilis requires exclusion as well as confirmation of spirochetes for high-risk populations with special staining. It is important to diagnose syphilis in special populations that are at high risk of contraction.
PubMed: 38807842
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59222 -
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and... May 2024Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 5.5% of the global population. Patients present heterogeneously with a mix of features in the...
INTRODUCTION
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 5.5% of the global population. Patients present heterogeneously with a mix of features in the central facial region, of which papules and pustules are considered to be a major feature. The identification of effective treatments for reducing inflammatory lesions in rosacea can alleviate the psychosocial burden that many rosacea patients experience, including reduced self-esteem, anxiety, and social withdrawal. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the effectiveness of topical and systemic therapies in reducing lesion count in rosacea patients.
METHODS/RESULTS
Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched, resulting in the inclusion of 43 clinical trials reporting on a total of 18,347 rosacea patients. The most well-studied treatments include ivermectin, metronidazole, azelaic acid, minocycline, and doxycycline. Oral isotretinoin was the most effective treatment in reducing inflammatory lesions and may be recommended for severe recalcitrant cases of rosacea.
CONCLUSIONS
Several topical and systemic therapies have demonstrated efficacy in reducing inflammatory lesion count in rosacea patients, with mechanisms of action centred around suppressing inflammation and killing mites. Additional research is required to determine effective combination therapies in rosacea.
PubMed: 38807451
DOI: 10.1177/12034754241253195 -
Cureus Apr 2024Background Pulp necrosis in incomplete root formation halts dentine development, resulting in larger canals with fragile walls and an open apex, complicating canal...
Histologic Assessment of a Fast-Set Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Two Novel Antibacterial-Enhanced Fast-Set MTAs for Apexification and Periapical Healing of Teeth With Incomplete Root Formation in a Rat Model: An In Vivo Animal Study.
Background Pulp necrosis in incomplete root formation halts dentine development, resulting in larger canals with fragile walls and an open apex, complicating canal instrumentation and apical stop formation. Bioactive endodontic cements such as mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) are crucial for creating artificial apical barriers or inducing apical foramen closure, but challenges remain regarding their antimicrobial efficacy and cytotoxicity. Modifications to MTA formulations aim to address these concerns. Methods This in vivo animal study involved 80 Wistar albino rats, with incomplete root formation induced by pulp exposure. Rats were divided into four groups receiving different MTA formulations for apexification: conventional MTA, modified MTA, and MTA enhanced with metronidazole or doxycycline. Histopathological evaluations were conducted at seven and 28 days post-treatment to assess calcific barrier formation, inflammatory reactions, and antimicrobial efficacy. Results By day 7, modified MTA formulations exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity compared to conventional MTA (p = 0.000), with fewer inflammatory reactions and microorganisms. By day 28, modified formulations showed superior calcific barrier formation, particularly in the metronidazole- and doxycycline-enhanced groups compared to conventional MTA (p = 0.000). These outcomes suggest that modifications to MTA formulations improve antimicrobial efficacy and calcific barrier formation in vivo. Conclusion Novel modified MTA formulations, particularly those enhanced with metronidazole or doxycycline, exhibit superior antibacterial efficacy and calcific barrier formation compared to conventional MTA. Further long-term studies are warranted to validate these findings for potential clinical translation.
PubMed: 38800318
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59064