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Scientific Reports Nov 2021Adequate water supply is one of the public health issues among the population living in low-income settings. Vibriosis remain a significant health challenge drawing the...
Adequate water supply is one of the public health issues among the population living in low-income settings. Vibriosis remain a significant health challenge drawing the attention of both healthcare planners and researchers in South West districts of Uganda. Intending to clamp down the disease cases in the safest water deprive locality, we investigated the virulent toxins as contaminants and epidemiologic potentials of Vibrio species recovered from surface waters in greater Bushenyi districts, Uganda. Surface water sources within 46 villages located in the study districts were obtained between June and October 2018. Standard microbiological and molecular methods were used to analyse samples. Our results showed that 981 presumptive isolates retrieved cell counts of 10-100 CFU/g, with, with (640) 65% confirmed as Vibrio genus using polymerase chain reaction, which is distributed as follows; V. vulnificus 46/640 (7.2%), V. fluvialis 30/594 (5.1), V. parahaemolyticus 21/564 (3.7), V. cholera 5/543 (0.9), V. alginolyticus 62/538 (11.5) and V. mimicus 20/476 (4.2). The virulence toxins observed were heat-stable enterotoxin (stn) 46 (82.10%), V. vulnificus virulence gene (vcgCPI) 40 (87.00%), extracellular haemolysin gene {vfh 21 (70.00)} and Heme utilization protein gene {hupO 5 (16.70)}. The cluster analysis depicts hupO (4.46% n = 112); vfh (18.75%, n = 112); vcgCPI and stn (35.71%, & 41.07%, n = 112). The principal component analysis revealed the toxins (hupO, vfh) were correlated with the isolate recovered from Bohole water (BW) source, while (vcgCPI, stn) toxins are correlated with natural raw water (NRW) and open springs (OS) water sources isolates. Such observation indicates that surface waters sources are highly contaminated with an odds ratio of 1.00, 95% CI (70.48-90.5), attributed risk of (aR = 64.29) and relative risk of (RR = 73.91). In addition, it also implies that the surface waters sources have > 1 risk of contamination with vfh and > six times of contamination with hupO (aR = 40, - 66). This is a call of utmost importance to the population, which depends on these water sources to undertake appropriate sanitation, personal hygienic practices and potential measures that ensure water quality.
Topics: Bacterial Toxins; DNA, Bacterial; Genes, Bacterial; Hemolysin Proteins; Natural Springs; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Uganda; Vibrio; Vibrio Infections; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 34789791
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01375-3 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2021The study investigated the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence determinants in species recovered from different freshwater sheds in rustic...
The study investigated the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence determinants in species recovered from different freshwater sheds in rustic milieu. A total of 118 isolates comprising (n=41), (n=40) and (n=37) was identified by amplification of , and genes. The amplification of virulence genes indicated that . (, , , , and ) genes were detected in 12.5%, 32.5%, 45%, 37.5% and 10% respectively. . genes (, and ) were harboured in 48.8%, 14.6% and 19.5% isolates congruently. The other virulence genes that include and were observed in 63.1% and 29% of isolates belonging to . . With the exceptions of imipenem, meropenem and ciprofloxacin, most isolates exhibited more than 50% resistance to antibiotics. The antimicrobial resistance was more prevalent for polymyxin B (100%), azithromycin (100%) and least in ciprofloxacin (16.1%). Multiple antibiotic resistance index range was 0.3 and 0.8 with most isolates showing MARI of 0.8. The TEM, AmpC, GES, IMP, OXA-48 and KPC genes were detected in 53.3%, 42%, 29.6%, 16.6%, 15%, 11.3% and 5.6% of the isolates. Non-beta lactamases such as streptomycin resistance ( and ), gentamicin resistance () and quinolone resistance gene () were found in 5.2%, 44.3%, 26% and 2.8%. Chloramphenicol resistance genes ( and ) were found in 5.2% and 44.3% among the isolates. Our findings reveal the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulent species in aquatic environment which can have potential risk to human and animal's health.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Fresh Water; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Vibrio; Virulence
PubMed: 34490150
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.732001 -
MSphere Aug 2021Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine Gram-negative bacterium that is a leading cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis. Pandemic strains of V. parahaemolyticus rely on a...
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine Gram-negative bacterium that is a leading cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis. Pandemic strains of V. parahaemolyticus rely on a specialized protein secretion machinery known as the type III secretion system 2 (T3SS2) to cause disease. The T3SS2 mediates the delivery of effector proteins into the cytosol of infected cells, where they subvert multiple cellular pathways. Here, we identify a new T3SS2 effector protein encoded by VPA1328 (VP_RS21530) in V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that VPA1328 is part of a larger family of uncharacterized T3SS effector proteins with homology to the VopG effector protein in Vibrio cholerae AM-19226. These VopG-like proteins are found in many but not all T3SS2 gene clusters and are distributed among diverse species, including V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae, V. mimicus, and V. diabolicus and also in Shewanella baltica. Structure-based prediction analyses uncovered the presence of a conserved C-terminal kinase domain in VopG orthologs, similar to the serine/threonine kinase domain found in the NleH family of T3SS effector proteins. However, in contrast to NleH effector proteins, in tissue culture-based infections, VopG did not impede host cell death or suppress interleukin 8 (IL-8) secretion, suggesting a yet undefined role for VopG during V. parahaemolyticus infection. Collectively, our work reveals that VopG effector proteins, a new family of likely serine/threonine kinases, is widely distributed in the T3SS2 effector armamentarium among marine bacteria. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the leading bacterial cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis worldwide. The pathogen relies on a type III secretion system to deliver a variety of effector proteins into the cytosol of infected cells to subvert cellular function. In this study, we identified a novel Vibrio parahaemolyticus effector protein that is similar to the VopG effector of Vibrio cholerae. VopG-like effectors were found in diverse species and contain a conserved serine/threonine kinase domain that bears similarity to the kinase domain in the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and NleH effectors that manipulate host cell survival pathways and host immune responses. Together our findings identify a new family of effector proteins and highlight the role of horizontal gene transfer events among marine bacteria in shaping T3SS gene clusters.
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Caco-2 Cells; Computational Biology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Humans; Interleukin-8; Multigene Family; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Protein Transport; Serine; Type III Secretion Systems; Vibrio parahaemolyticus
PubMed: 34346702
DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00599-21 -
Marine Environmental Research Jul 2021Bacteria from the Vibrio genus are a ubiquitous component of coastal and estuarine ecosystems with several pathogenic Vibrio species displaying preferences for warm...
Bacteria from the Vibrio genus are a ubiquitous component of coastal and estuarine ecosystems with several pathogenic Vibrio species displaying preferences for warm tropical waters. We studied the spatial and temporal abundance of three key human potential pathogens V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae and V. vulnificus in northern tropical Australia, over the wet and dry seasons, to identify environmental parameters influencing their abundance. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis revealed that V. parahaemolyticus occurred more frequently and in higher abundance than V. cholerae and V. vulnificus across all locations examined. All three species were more abundant during the wet season, with V. parahaemolyticus abundance correlated to temperature and conductivity, whereas nutrient concentrations and turbidity best explained V. vulnificus abundance. In addition to these targeted qPCR analyses, we assessed the composition and dynamics of the entire Vibrio community using hsp60 amplicon sequencing. Using this approach, 42 Vibrio species were identified, including a number of other pathogenic species such as V. alginolyticus, V. mimicus and V. fluvialis. The Vibrio community was more diverse in the wet season, with temperature and dissolved oxygen as the key factors governing community composition. Seasonal differences were primarily driven by a greater abundance of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus during the wet season, while spatial differences were driven by different abundances of V. harveyi, V. campbellii, V. cholerae and V. navarrensis. When we related the abundance of Vibrio to other bacterial taxa, defined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, V. parahaemolyticus was negatively correlated to several taxa, including members of the Rickettsiales and Saccharimonadales, while V. vulnificus was negatively correlated to Rhobacteriaceae and Cyanobiaceae. In contrast, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi and V. mediterranei were all positively correlated to Cyanobacteria. These observations highlight the dynamic nature of Vibrio communities and expands current understanding of the processes governing the occurrence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. in tropical coastal ecosystems.
Topics: Australia; Ecosystem; Humans; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Vibrio cholerae; Vibrio parahaemolyticus
PubMed: 34242991
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105405 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Water resources contaminated with pathogenic species are usually a source of devastating infection outbreaks that have been a public health concern in both developed...
Water resources contaminated with pathogenic species are usually a source of devastating infection outbreaks that have been a public health concern in both developed and developing countries over the decades. The present study assessed the prevalence of six medically significant species in some water resources in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa for 12 months. We detected vibrios in all the 194 water samples analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The prevalence of , , , , , and in freshwater samples was 34, 19, 9, 2, 3, and 2%, and that in brackish water samples was 44, 28, 10, 7, 46, and 51%, respectively. The population of the presumptive spp. isolated from freshwater (628) and brackish water (342) samples that were confirmed by PCR was 79% (497/628) and 85% (291/342), respectively. Twenty-two percent of the PCR-confirmed isolates from freshwater ( = 497) samples and 41% of the PCR-confirmed isolates from brackish water samples ( = 291) fall among the species of interest. The incidences of , , , , , and amidst these spp. of interest that were recovered from freshwater samples were 75, 14, 4, 6, 1, and 1%, whereas those from brackish water samples were 24, 7, 3, 3, 47, and 18%, respectively. Our observation during the study suggests pollution as the reason for the unusual isolation of medically important vibrios in winter. Correlation analysis revealed that temperature drives the frequency of isolation, whereas salinity drives the composition of the targeted species at our sampling sites. The finding of the study is of public health importance going by the usefulness of the water resources investigated. Although controlling and preventing most of the factors that contribute to the prevalence of medically important bacteria, such as species, at the sampling points might be difficult, regular monitoring for creating health risk awareness will go a long way to prevent possible -related infection outbreaks at the sampling sites and their immediate environment.
PubMed: 34149632
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.617703 -
Molecular Vision 2021Collagen is a key player contributing to vitreoelasticity and vitreoretinal adhesions. Molecular reorganization causes spontaneous weakening of these adhesions with age,...
PURPOSE
Collagen is a key player contributing to vitreoelasticity and vitreoretinal adhesions. Molecular reorganization causes spontaneous weakening of these adhesions with age, resulting in the separation of the posterior hyaloid membrane (PHM) from the retina in what is called complete posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Incomplete separation of the posterior hyaloid or tight adherence or both can lead to retinal detachment, vitreomacular traction syndrome, or epiretinal membrane formation, which requires surgical intervention. Pharmacological vitrectomy has the potential of avoiding surgical vitrectomy; it is also useful as an adjunct during retinal surgery to induce PVD. Previously studied enzymatic reagents, such as collagenase derived from are nonspecific and potentially toxic. We studied a novel collagenase from (VMC) which remains active (VMA), even after deletion of 51 C-terminal amino acids. To limit the activity of VMA to the vitreous cavity, a fusion construct (inhibitor of hyaluronic acid-VMA [iHA-VMA]) was made in which a 12-mer peptide (iHA, which binds to HA) was fused to the N-terminus of VMA. The construct was evaluated in the context of PVD.
METHODS
VMA and iHA-VMA were expressed in purified, and characterized with gelatin zymography, collagen degradation assay, fluorescamine-based assay, and cell-based assays. Two sets of experiments were performed in New Zealand albino rabbits. Group A (n = 10) received iHA-VMA, while group B (n = 5) received the equivalent dose of VMA. In both groups, saline was injected as a control in the contralateral eyes. Animals were monitored with indirect ophthalmoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and B-scan ultrasonography. Retinal toxicity was assessed with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of retinal tissue.
RESULTS
The activity of iHA-VMA and VMA was comparable and 65-fold lower than that of collagenase Type IV. In the iHA-VMA group, all the rabbits (n = 10) developed PVD, with complete PVD seen in six animals. No statistically significant histomorphological changes were seen. In the VMA group, four of the five rabbits developed complete PVD; however, retinal morphological changes were seen in two animals.
CONCLUSIONS
iHA-VMA displays targeted action confined to the vitreous and shows potential for safe pharmacologic vitreolysis.
Topics: Animals; Cell Survival; Collagenases; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Flow Cytometry; Goats; Hyaluronic Acid; Intravitreal Injections; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Ophthalmoscopy; Rabbits; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Retina; Vibrio mimicus; Vitrectomy; Vitreous Body; Vitreous Detachment
PubMed: 33907368
DOI: No ID Found -
Radiology Case Reports Jun 2021Burns are one of the most common and devastating forms of trauma. Burns are a significant problem with high associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Burn wound...
Burns are one of the most common and devastating forms of trauma. Burns are a significant problem with high associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Burn wound infection is a serious complication, which plays an important role in increasing the overall fatality rate in burn patients. In this study, we report a case of the polymicrobial burn wound infection involving in a 56-year-old male, who was transferred from an outside hospital to the inpatient burn unit after sustaining traumatic and burn injuries in a firework explosion accident. The patient underwent surgical treatment and antibiotics with good improvement. Although rare, our case study will help to underscore the important role of as a human pathogen.
PubMed: 33897927
DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2021.03.021 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2021Antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria are a major problem worldwide and, consequently, the surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and assessment of the...
Antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria are a major problem worldwide and, consequently, the surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and assessment of the dissemination routes are essential. We hypothesized that migratory birds, coming from various environments, would carry more numerous strains than sedentary species, with increased risk to be passed to their contacts or environment in habitats they transit or nest in. Similarly, we presumed that strains from migratory birds will show multidrug resistance. A total of 170 oral and rectal swabs were collected from wild birds captured in different locations of the Danube Delta (Malic, Sfantu-Gheorghe, Letea Forest) and processed using standardized selective media. strains were confirmed by serology and molecular methods and, subsequently, their susceptibility was evaluated. The prevalence of species by host species, habitat type, and location was interpreted. The isolated species were identified as 14.33%, 13.33% 12% 17.33%, 10.88% with and (16%) also being prevalent. Of the 76 spp. isolates, 18.42% were resistant towards at least three antimicrobials, and 81.57% demonstrated a multidrug resistance phenotype, including mainly penicillins, aminoglycosides, and macrolides. The results of the present study indicate higher numbers of strains in migratory (74.66%) than in sedentary birds (25.33%), confirming our hypothesis. Furthermore, the increased pathogenicity of spp. strains, isolated from wild migratory and sedentary birds, was confirmed by their increased multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index (0.09-0.81).
PubMed: 33809945
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030333 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Apr 2021By characterizing the trajectories of antibiotic resistance gene transfer in bacterial communities such as the gut microbiome, we will better understand the factors that...
By characterizing the trajectories of antibiotic resistance gene transfer in bacterial communities such as the gut microbiome, we will better understand the factors that influence this spread of resistance. Our aim was to investigate the host network of a multidrug resistance broad-host-range plasmid in the culturable gut microbiome of zebrafish. This was done through and conjugation experiments with as the donor of the plasmid pB10:: When this donor was mixed with the extracted gut microbiome, only transconjugants of were detected. In separate matings between the same donor and four prominent isolates from the gut microbiome, the plasmid transferred to two of these four isolates, and , but not to and When these and transconjugants were the donors in matings with the same four isolates, the plasmid now also transferred from to was unable to donate the plasmid, and was unable to acquire it. Finally, when the donor was added to zebrafish through their food, plasmid transfer was observed in the gut, but only to , a rare member of the gut microbiome. This work shows that the success of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance spread in a gut microbiome depends on the donor-recipient species combinations and therefore their spatial arrangement. It also suggests that rare gut microbiome members should not be ignored as potential reservoirs of multidrug resistance plasmids from food. To understand how antibiotic resistance plasmids end up in human pathogens, it is crucial to learn how, where, and when they are transferred and maintained in members of bacterial communities such as the gut microbiome. To gain insight into the network of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance sharing in the gut microbiome, we investigated the transferability and maintenance of a multidrug resistance plasmid among the culturable bacteria of the zebrafish gut. We show that the success of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance spread in a gut microbiome can depend on which species are involved, as some are important nodes in the plasmid-host network and others are dead ends. Our findings also suggest that rare gut microbiome members should not be ignored as potential reservoirs of multidrug resistance plasmids from food.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Male; Plasmids; Zebrafish
PubMed: 33637574
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02735-20 -
International Journal of Microbiology 2021is a Gram-negative bacterium that is closely related to and causes gastroenteritis in humans due to contaminated fish consumption and seafood. This bacterium was...
is a Gram-negative bacterium that is closely related to and causes gastroenteritis in humans due to contaminated fish consumption and seafood. This bacterium was isolated and identified from 238 analyzed samples of sea water, oysters, and fish. Twenty strains were identified as according to amplification of the gene, which is useful as a marker of identification of the species. The production of lipases, proteases, and nucleases was detected; 45% of the strains were able to produce thermonucleases and 40% were capable of producing hydroxamate-type siderophores, and the fragment of the gene was amplified in all of the strains. Seventy-five percent of strains showed cytopathic effect on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and destruction of the monolayer, and 100% of the strains were adherent on the HEp-2 cell line with an aggregative adherence pattern. The presence of virulence factors in strains obtained from fishery products suggests that another member of the genus could represent a risk to the consumer due to production of different metabolites that allows it to subsist in the host.
PubMed: 33628259
DOI: 10.1155/2021/8397930