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PloS One 2024The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is the number one bacterial complex associated with contaminated Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPPs). This has resulted in...
A culture-independent nucleic acid diagnostics method for use in the detection and quantification of Burkholderia cepacia complex contamination in aqueous finished pharmaceutical products.
The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is the number one bacterial complex associated with contaminated Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPPs). This has resulted in multiple healthcare related infection morbidity and mortality events in conjunction with significant FPP recalls globally. Current microbiological quality control of FPPs before release for distribution depends on lengthy, laborious, non-specific, traditional culture-dependent methods which lack sensitivity. Here, we present the development of a culture-independent Bcc Nucleic Acid Diagnostic (NAD) method for detecting Bcc contaminants associated with Over-The-Counter aqueous FPPs. The culture-independent Bcc NAD method was validated to be specific for detecting Bcc at different contamination levels from spiked aqueous FPPs. The accuracy in Bcc quantitative measurements was achieved by the high degree of Bcc recovery from aqueous FPPs. The low variation observed between several repeated Bcc quantitative measurements further demonstrated the precision of Bcc quantification in FPPs. The robustness of the culture-independent Bcc NAD method was determined when its accuracy and precision were not significantly affected during testing of numerous aqueous FPP types with different ingredient matrices, antimicrobial preservative components and routes of administration. The culture-independent Bcc NAD method showed an ability to detect Bcc in spiked aqueous FPPs at a concentration of 20 Bcc CFU/mL. The rapid (≤ 4 hours from sample in to result out), robust, culture-independent Bcc NAD method presented provides rigorous test specificity, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. This method, validated with equivalence to ISO standard ISO/TS 12869:2019, can be a valuable diagnostic tool in supporting microbiological quality control procedures to aid the pharmaceutical industry in preventing Bcc contamination of aqueous FPPs for consumer safety.
Topics: Burkholderia cepacia complex; Drug Contamination; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 38753829
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303773 -
Cell Reports May 2024Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication mechanism mediated by small diffusible signaling molecules. Previous studies showed that RpfR controls Burkholderia...
Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication mechanism mediated by small diffusible signaling molecules. Previous studies showed that RpfR controls Burkholderia cenocepacia virulence as a cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF) QS signal receptor. Here, we report that the fatty acyl-CoA ligase DsfR (BCAM2136), which efficiently catalyzes in vitro synthesis of lauryl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA from lauric acid and oleic acid, respectively, acts as a global transcriptional regulator to control B. cenocepacia virulence by sensing BDSF. We show that BDSF binds to DsfR with high affinity and enhances the binding of DsfR to the promoter DNA regions of target genes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the homolog of DsfR in B. lata, RS02960, binds to the target gene promoter, and perception of BDSF enhances the binding activity of RS02960. Together, these results provide insights into the evolved unusual functions of DsfR that control bacterial virulence as a response regulator of QS signal.
PubMed: 38748879
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114223 -
Journal of Inflammation Research 2024To analyze the associations of the gut and circulating microbiota with circulating vitamin D (VD3), type I interferon (IFNI), systemic inflammation, and clinical...
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the associations of the gut and circulating microbiota with circulating vitamin D (VD3), type I interferon (IFNI), systemic inflammation, and clinical profiles in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients.
METHODS
A total of 36 CSU patients with VD3 insufficiency (VDI; serum 25(OH)VD3 <30 ng/mL) and 36 sex-, age-, and body mass index-matched CSU patients with non-VDI were enrolled. Fecal and serum bacteria were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing, and serum 25(OH)VD3 and inflammation biomarkers were assessed using ELISA kits. IFNI response was determined by measuring the stimulatory activity of serum on IFNI-stimulated response element in HEK293 cells in vitro with luciferase assays.
RESULTS
Higher urticarial activity score over 7 days (UAS7), higher frequency of levocetirizine resistance, and more severe proinflammation but weaker IFNI response were observed in VDI than non-VDI patients (all <0.05). IFNI response was strongly positively associated with serum 25(OH)VD3 level in both groups (<0.001). Compared to non-VDI patients, abundance of the fecal genera 9, , and was significantly increased, while , , and were remarkably reduced in VDI patients (all <0.05). - (40.95%), (3.05%), and (2.37%) were the top three bacteria in sera from VDI patients. Both serum 25(OH)VD3 level and IFNI response were positively associated with fecal in the two groups (<0.05). In non-VDI patients, there were moderately positive associations between IFNI response and fecal , unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, and and between serum 25(OH)VD3 level and fecal (all <0.01). Circulating microbiota in VDI patients was closely related only to proinflammation and UAS7 (both <0.05).
CONCLUSION
Changes in gut but not circulating microbiota composition are associated with serum 25(OH)VD3 insufficiency and impaired IFNI homeostasis, which points to greater disease severity (UAS7) and systemic proinflammation in CSU patients.
PubMed: 38737112
DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S455489 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Rhamnolipids (RLs) are widely used biosurfactants produced mainly by and spp. in the form of mixtures of diverse congeners. The global transcriptional regulator gene...
Rhamnolipids (RLs) are widely used biosurfactants produced mainly by and spp. in the form of mixtures of diverse congeners. The global transcriptional regulator gene from radiation-tolerant extremophiles has been widely used as a stress-resistant element to construct robust producer strains and improve their production performance. A P- cassette was constructed to express genes in the YM4 of the rhamnolipids producer strain. We found that the expression of of in the YM4 strain not only enhanced rhamnolipid production and the strain's tolerance to environmental stresses, but also changed the composition of the rhamnolipid products. The synthesized rhamnolipids reached a maximum titer of 26 g/L, about 17.9% higher than the original, at 48 h. The rhamnolipid production of the recombinant strain was determined to be mono-rhamnolipids congener Rha-C-C, accounting for 94.1% of total products. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) value of the Rha-C-C products was 62.5 mg/L and the air-water surface tension decreased to 25.5 mN/m. The Rha-C-C products showed better emulsifying activity on diesel oil than the original products. This is the first report on the efficient production of the rare mono-rhamnolipids congener Rha-C-C and the first report that the global regulator can change the components of rhamnolipid products in .
Topics: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Glycolipids; Bacterial Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Deinococcus; Surface-Active Agents; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 38731483
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29091992 -
MicroPublication Biology 2024species belonging to the pseudomallei group include significant human and animal pathogens as well as the non-pathogenic species . These bacteria co-opt the host cell...
species belonging to the pseudomallei group include significant human and animal pathogens as well as the non-pathogenic species . These bacteria co-opt the host cell machinery for their replication and spread between host cells. Thus, it is of interest to understand the structural features of these cells that contribute to host cell colonization and virulence. This study provides high-resolution cryo-electron tomograms of stationary phase . It reveals the presence of compact nucleoids and storage granules, as well as examples of the type III secretion system and chemoreceptor arrays. The data can be used to investigate the near-atomic structure of stationary-phase bacterial macromolecules, such as ribosomes.
PubMed: 38725941
DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001178 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety May 2024The biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by microorganisms has been a subject of increasing attention. Despite extensive studies on this biosynthetic...
The biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by microorganisms has been a subject of increasing attention. Despite extensive studies on this biosynthetic pathway, the mechanisms underlying the involvement of proteins and enzymes in AgNPs production have not been fully explored. Herein, we reported that Burkholderia contaminans ZCC was able to reduce Ag to AgNPs with a diameter of (10±5) nm inside the cell. Exposure of B. contaminans ZCC to Ag ions led to significant changes in the functional groups of cellular proteins, with approximately 5.72% of the (C-OH) bonds being converted to (C-C/C-H) (3.61%) and CO (2.11%) bonds, and 4.52% of the CO (carbonyl) bonds being converted to (C-OH) bonds. Furthermore, the presence of Ag and AgNPs induced the ability of extracellular electron transfer for ZCC cells via specific membrane proteins, but this did not occur in the absence of Ag ions. Proteomic analysis of the proteins and enzymes involved in heavy metal efflux systems, protein secretion system, oxidative phosphorylation, intracellular electron transfer chain, and glutathione metabolism suggests that glutathione S-transferase and ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase iron-sulfur subunit play importance roles in the biosynthesis of AgNPs. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the functions exerted by glutathione S-transferase and ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase iron-sulfur subunits in the biogenesis of AgNPs, thereby hold immense potential for optimizing biotechnological techniques aimed at enhancing the yield and purity of biosynthetic AgNPs.
PubMed: 38723385
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116425 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Ramat. is a perennial herb in the Compositae family, often employed in traditional Chinese medicine due to its medicinal value. The planting of faces the challenges of...
INTRODUCTION
Ramat. is a perennial herb in the Compositae family, often employed in traditional Chinese medicine due to its medicinal value. The planting of faces the challenges of continuous cropping, and intercropping is able to somewhat overcome the obstacles of continuous cropping.
METHODS
In our study, we designed two different -maize intercropping patterns, including -maize narrow-wide row planting (IS) and -maize middle row planting (IM). Compared with monoculture, the agronomic traits, yield, active ingredients, soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activities, and rhizosphere soil microbial communities of and maize were measured under the two -maize intercropping patterns.
RESULTS
The findings indicated that (1) Intercropping elevated the agronomic traits, yield, and active ingredients of , especially in -maize narrow-wide row planting pattern, which indicating that interspecific distance played an important role in intercropping system; (2) Intercropping enhanced soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities of and maize; (3) Intercropping altered rhizosphere soil microbial communities of and maize, making microbial interrelationships more complex. (4) Intercropping could recruit a large number of beneficial microorganisms enrich in the soil, including , , , , and , which may increase the content of AN, NN, AvK, ExCa, AvCu, AvZn and other nutrients in soil and promoted the growth and quality of
DISCUSSION
In summary, intercropping with maize could promote the accumulation of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, thus improving the overall growing environment, and finally realizing the growth and improvement of .
PubMed: 38721338
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1383477 -
Heliyon May 2024Intra-abdominal abscesses are a frequent manifestations of melioidosis whereas pancreas is barely affected by this condition. Herein, by delving into the clinical...
BACKGROUND
Intra-abdominal abscesses are a frequent manifestations of melioidosis whereas pancreas is barely affected by this condition. Herein, by delving into the clinical manifestations, diagnostic processes, and the ultimate clinical outcome, we report a case of an unusual presentation of pancreatic melioidosis in a Chinese patient, aiming to shed light on a diagnosis that is not commonly associated with the pancreas.
CASE PRESENTATION
The patient, a 32-year-old male farmer, suffered from persistent burning pain in his upper abdomen, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever and other symptoms, presented to the clinic. His body temperature spiked to 38.5 °C without apparent reason for this fever. A thorough examination, including the blood culture and the imaging examination, led to a diagnosis of pancreatic melioidosis. The patient was promptly treated with intravenous meropenem and ceftazidime. As a consequence, his symptoms eased and discharged in stable condition. The patient continued his treatment with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) for three months to control the infection. Following 6 months of regular follow-up, the patient fully recovered.
CONCLUSIONS
In tropical regions such as Hainan, it is crucial to consider atypical infection like in the differential diagnosis, even when they present in atypical locations such as a pancreatic pseudocyst. Detecting pancreatic involvement in melioidosis relies heavily on sensitive bacterial culture and imaging examination. This retrospective study of patients' infection diagnosis aims to shed light on the clinical treatment, and prognosis associated with pancreatic melioidosis, thereby raising awareness about the risk of pancreatic affection in melioidosis cases.
PubMed: 38720702
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30299 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2024To compare the epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance of isolated from blood cultures, and to provide data support and a scientific basis for the clinical...
OBJECTIVE
To compare the epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance of isolated from blood cultures, and to provide data support and a scientific basis for the clinical treatment and detection of hospital infections.
METHODS
The Hebei Province Antimicrobial Surveillance Network received 349 strains isolated from blood cultures reported by 83 hospitals, from 2016 to 2021. These strains were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and, the antibiotic sensitivity tests were carried out using the VITEK 2 COMPACT system. The 2023 Institute of Clinical and Laboratory Standardization drug-susceptibility breakpoints were used for drug susceptibility testing and the data were analyzed using WHONET5.6 software.
RESULTS
A total of 349 strains were isolated from 2016 to 2021, including 68 strains from secondary hospitals and 281 strains from tertiary hospitals. The ratios of male: female patients with bloodstream infections in all hospitals, secondary hospitals, and tertiary hospitals were 1.49:1 (209/140), 2.09:1 (46/22), and 1.38:1 (163/118), respectively. Most strains were isolated in intensive care units (ICUs), followed by internal medicine departments, accounting for 49.57% (173/349) and 22.92% (80/349), respectively. Regarding the age distribution, most patients were elderly (>65 years, 57.59%, 201/349), with numbers of patients gradually declining with decreasing of age. The resistance rates for levofloxacin, ceftazidime, and sulfamethoxazole decreased over the 6-year period (P<0.05), while there were no significant changes in the resistance rates for meropenem, chloramphenicol, and minocycline (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in drug-resistance rates between secondary and tertiary hospitals (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION
Attention should be paid to bloodstream infections caused by , especially elderly patients and patients admitted to the ICU. The difficult treatment characteristics of bloodstream infections mean that laboratories and clinicians should pay careful attention to drug resistance to provide a basis for their prevention and empirical treatment.
PubMed: 38715964
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S457314 -
European Journal of Case Reports in... 2024Melioidosis is an infection caused by , a Gram-negative bacterium. It is a disease endemic to Southeast Asia and northern Australia although its global incidence has...
BACKGROUND
Melioidosis is an infection caused by , a Gram-negative bacterium. It is a disease endemic to Southeast Asia and northern Australia although its global incidence has been rising. It most commonly infects people with certain identified risk factors such as diabetes, alcoholism, thalassemia, and underlying chronic disease involving lungs, kidney and liver. This bacterium is capable of producing a wide array of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic disease to localised infections such as in the lung, bone or skin to disseminated infection.
CASE DESCRIPTION
This is a case, from United Arab Emirates, of a 40-year-old male recently diagnosed with diabetes who presented with multiple abscesses and was eventually diagnosed with disseminated melioidosis. He was treated successfully with antibiotics and drainage of abscesses.
CONCLUSION
In non-endemic regions, melioidosis can be easily missed in common diagnostic approaches. This gap of awareness could delay the diagnosis and allow further deterioration of the patient due to complications. Thus, case reports like this can enlighten internists about changing incidences and complexity of clinical presentations, thus preparing them to better handle such patients in the future.
LEARNING POINTS
Owing to its considerably rare incidence in non-endemic regions including the United Arab Emirates, melioidosis can easily be overlooked or misdiagnosed.Moreover, due to similarity with multiple other diseases and infections as well as significant absence from standard medical curricula, melioidosis is rarely on the differential list of an internist.This report aims to enhance awareness and alertness to aid earlier detection and avoid severe complications.
PubMed: 38715889
DOI: 10.12890/2024_004415