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Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 2015
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Infections; Communicable Disease Control; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Female; Global Health; Humans; Male; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 25866008
DOI: 10.4103/0255-0857.154904 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) 2012Many bacteria are known to regulate their cooperative activities and physiological processes through a mechanism called quorum sensing (QS), in which bacterial cells... (Review)
Review
Many bacteria are known to regulate their cooperative activities and physiological processes through a mechanism called quorum sensing (QS), in which bacterial cells communicate with each other by releasing, sensing and responding to small diffusible signal molecules. The ability of bacteria to communicate and behave as a group for social interactions like a multi-cellular organism has provided significant benefits to bacteria in host colonization, formation of biofilms, defense against competitors, and adaptation to changing environments. Importantly, many QS-controlled activities have been involved in the virulence and pathogenic potential of bacteria. Therefore, understanding the molecular details of quorum sensing mechanisms and their controlled social activities may open a new avenue for controlling bacterial infections.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Biofilms; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Quorum Sensing
PubMed: 22736963
DOI: 10.3390/s120302519 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2019Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease, and most patients remain asymptomatic until the disease enters advanced stages. There is lack of knowledge in the... (Review)
Review
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease, and most patients remain asymptomatic until the disease enters advanced stages. There is lack of knowledge in the pathogenesis, effective prevention and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Recently, bacteria were found in pancreatic tissue that has been considered sterile before. The distribution of flora in pancreatic cancer tissue was reported to be different from normal pancreatic tissue. These abnormally distributed bacteria may be the risk factors for inducing pancreatic cancer. Therefore, studies on combined effect of multi-bacterial and multi-virulence factors may add to the knowledge of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and aid in designing new preventive and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we outlined three oral bacteria associated with pancreatic cancer and their virulence factors linked with cancer.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Digestive System; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Mouth; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 31867287
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00412 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Jun 2014Despite major advances in the knowledge and management of liver diseases achieved in recent decades, decompensation of cirrhosis still carries a high burden of morbidity... (Review)
Review
Despite major advances in the knowledge and management of liver diseases achieved in recent decades, decompensation of cirrhosis still carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality. Bacterial infections are one of the main causes of decompensation. It is very important for clinical management to be aware of the population with the highest risk of poor outcome. This review deals with the new determinants of prognosis in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections reported recently. Emergence of multiresistant bacteria has led to an increasing failure rate of the standard empirical antibiotic therapy recommended by international guidelines. Moreover, it has been recently reported that endothelial dysfunction is associated with the degree of liver dysfunction and, in infected patients, with the degree of sepsis. It has also been reported that relative adrenal insufficiency is frequent in the non-critically ill cirrhotic population and it is associated with a higher risk of developing infection, severe sepsis, hepatorenal syndrome and death. We advise a change in the standard empirical antibiotic therapy in patients with high risk for multiresistant infections and also to take into account endothelial and adrenal dysfunction in prognostic models in hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis.
Topics: Adrenal Glands; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Endothelium, Vascular; Hospitalization; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 24966596
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i23.7252 -
PloS One May 2010Several studies have reported improved survival in severe bacterial infections among statin treated patients. In addition, statins have been ascribed beneficial... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Several studies have reported improved survival in severe bacterial infections among statin treated patients. In addition, statins have been ascribed beneficial anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of statin-treatment on mortality in patients with bacterial infections, by means of a systematic review and a meta-analysis.
METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Studies investigating the association between statin use and mortality in patients with bacterial disease were identified in a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the overall odds ratio of mortality in statin users. The literature search identified 947 citations from which 40 relevant studies were extracted. In all, 15 studies comprising 113,910 patients were included in the final analysis. Statin use was associated with a significantly (p<0.0001) reduced mortality in patients suffering from bacterial infections (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.42-0.66). However, all studies included were of observational design and funnel plot analyses indicated influence by a possible publication bias (Egger's bias test p<0.05). When a precision estimate test was used to adjust for publication bias the effect of statin treatment was no longer significant, with an OR of 0.79 (95% CI 0.58-1.07).
CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE
According to the meta-analysis of observational studies presented here, patients on statin therapy seem to have a better outcome in bacterial infections. However, the association did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for apparent publication bias. Thus, there is a great need for randomised controlled trials investigating the possible beneficial effect of statins in bacterial infections.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Models, Biological; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 20502712
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010702 -
Brazilian Journal of Microbiology :... Dec 2021Historically, clinical microbiological laboratories have often relied on isolation of pure cultures and phenotypic testing to identify microorganisms. These clinical... (Review)
Review
Historically, clinical microbiological laboratories have often relied on isolation of pure cultures and phenotypic testing to identify microorganisms. These clinical tests are often based on specific biochemical reactions, growth characteristics, colony morphology, and other physiological aspects. The features used for identification in clinical laboratories are highly conserved and specific for a given group of microbes. We speculate that these features might be the result of evolutionary selection and thus may reflect aspects of the life cycle of the organism and pathogenesis. Indeed, several of the metabolic pathways targeted by diagnostic tests in some cases may represent mechanisms for host colonization or pathogenesis. Examples include, but are not restricted to, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, Shigella spp., and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC). Here, we provide an overview of how some common tests reflect molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Dysentery, Bacillary; Host Adaptation; Humans; Laboratories, Clinical
PubMed: 34251610
DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00571-7 -
Cells Oct 2020Modeling human infectious diseases using the early life stages of zebrafish provides unprecedented opportunities for visualizing and studying the interaction between... (Review)
Review
Modeling human infectious diseases using the early life stages of zebrafish provides unprecedented opportunities for visualizing and studying the interaction between pathogens and phagocytic cells of the innate immune system. Intracellular pathogens use phagocytes or other host cells, like gut epithelial cells, as a replication niche. The intracellular growth of these pathogens can be counteracted by host defense mechanisms that rely on the autophagy machinery. In recent years, zebrafish embryo infection models have provided in vivo evidence for the significance of the autophagic defenses and these models are now being used to explore autophagy as a therapeutic target. In line with studies in mammalian models, research in zebrafish has shown that selective autophagy mediated by ubiquitin receptors, such as p62, is important for host resistance against several bacterial pathogens, including , , and . Furthermore, an autophagy related process, Lc3-associated phagocytosis (LAP), proved host beneficial in the case of Typhimurium infection but host detrimental in the case of infection, where LAP delivers the pathogen to a replication niche. These studies provide valuable information for developing novel therapeutic strategies aimed at directing the autophagy machinery towards bacterial degradation.
Topics: Animals; Autophagy; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Phagocytosis; Zebrafish Proteins
PubMed: 33138004
DOI: 10.3390/cells9112372 -
Cellular & Molecular Immunology Apr 2021Bacteriophages (hence termed phages) are viruses that target bacteria and have long been considered as potential future treatments against antibiotic-resistant bacterial... (Review)
Review
Bacteriophages (hence termed phages) are viruses that target bacteria and have long been considered as potential future treatments against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection. However, the molecular nature of phage interactions with bacteria and the human host has remained elusive for decades, limiting their therapeutic application. While many phages and their functional repertoires remain unknown, the advent of next-generation sequencing has increasingly enabled researchers to decode new lytic and lysogenic mechanisms by which they attack and destroy bacteria. Furthermore, the last decade has witnessed a renewed interest in the utilization of phages as therapeutic vectors and as a means of targeting pathogenic or commensal bacteria or inducing immunomodulation. Importantly, the narrow host range, immense antibacterial repertoire, and ease of manipulating phages may potentially allow for their use as targeted modulators of pathogenic, commensal and pathobiont members of the microbiome, thereby impacting mammalian physiology and immunity along mucosal surfaces in health and in microbiome-associated diseases. In this review, we aim to highlight recent advances in phage biology and how a mechanistic understanding of phage-bacteria-host interactions may facilitate the development of novel phage-based therapeutics. We provide an overview of the challenges of the therapeutic use of phages and how these could be addressed for future use of phages as specific modulators of the human microbiome in a variety of infectious and noncommunicable human diseases.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacteriophages; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Humans; Phage Therapy
PubMed: 32901128
DOI: 10.1038/s41423-020-00532-4 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2020
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Humans; Latin America; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 32425940
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00749 -
Annali Di Igiene : Medicina Preventiva... 2019Multidrug resistance is an established and growing worldwide public health problem, since few therapeutic options remain available. MRSA is the leading Gram-positive... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Multidrug resistance is an established and growing worldwide public health problem, since few therapeutic options remain available. MRSA is the leading Gram-positive organism which has spread both in the community and healthcare environment. Gram-negative bacteria, either fermenter (enterobacteriaceae) or nonfermenter, pose a major challenge to the healthcare providers because they can express a wide multidrug resistance.
METHODS
Specific keywords combinations were analitically searched in PubMed and Scopus databases. Publications concerning contact precaution procedures were reviewed.
RESULTS
The review on infection control and isolation precautions was carried out focusing on bundles that could help healthcare personnel to improve their action.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper clearly refers to measures in order to control the spread of infectious disease. We provided some synthetic tables that could improve healthcare workers knowledge and help them to apply all fundamental concepts in infection control.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Health Personnel; Humans; Infection Control; Public Health
PubMed: 31304525
DOI: 10.7416/ai.2019.2306