Article
Microbiology
Nowrosh Islam, Misha Kazi, Katie N. Kang, Jacob Biboy, Joe Gray, Feroz Ahmed, Richard D. Schargel, Cara C. Boutte, Tobias Dorr, Waldemar Vollmer, Joseph M. Boll
Summary: Beta-lactam antibiotics disrupt the peptidoglycan layer of bacteria, leading to lysis and death. Many Gram-negative bacteria show tolerance to bactericidal antibiotics, which is associated with treatment failure and the development of true resistance. This study investigates the tolerance mechanisms of Acinetobacter baumannii, a multidrug-resistant pathogen. The findings suggest that outer membrane integrity and peptidoglycan recycling play significant roles in meropenem tolerance in A. baumannii.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Miguel Peixoto de Almeida, Carla Rodrigues, Angela Novais, Filipa Grosso, Nicolae Leopold, Luisa Peixe, Ricardo Franco, Eulalia Pereira
Summary: The development of a rapid, reliable, and low-cost method for discriminating clinically relevant bacteria, particularly the WHO Global Priority 1 Critical Pathogens, is crucial. In this study, the researchers developed and validated a protocol using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with silver nanostars to discriminate species and antibiotic resistant clones of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The SERS procedure, combined with multivariate data analysis, successfully differentiated between and within the species. This pilot study highlights the potential of SERS for rapid discrimination in point-of-care applications.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nalumon Thadtapong, Soraya Chaturongakul, Sunhapas Soodvilai, Padungsri Dubbs
Summary: This study focused on analyzing the whole genome data of Aci46, and found that it belongs to the Pasture ST2 cluster and is phylogenetically clustered with the international clone (IC) II, a predominant strain in Thailand. Interestingly, Aci46 is identical to Oxford ST1962, which has never been isolated in Thailand before. The presence of potential virulence-associated factors and antibiotic resistance phenotypes were explored in the study.
Article
Microbiology
Antoine G. Abou Fayad, Louis-Patrick Haraoui, Ahmad Sleiman, Mohamad Jaafar, Abdulaziz Zorgani, Ghassan M. Matar, Paul G. Higgins
Summary: The molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Libya was investigated, revealing interhospital transmission clusters associated with international clones IC1, IC2, and IC7. Carbapenem resistance was linked to specific genes, with some isolates showing a fitness advantage compared to a reference strain.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Masato Yamamoto, Satoru Arata, Kunihiko Fukuchi, Hidehiko Honda, Hirokazu Kobayashi, Masahiro Inagaki
Summary: Gas samples were collected from different laboratory cultures and human breath samples, and their infrared spectra were measured. By observing key infrared absorption bands, bacterial classification and discrimination can be achieved.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGICAL METHODS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ivana Goic-Barisic, Martina Seruga Music, Marina Drcelic, Semra Tuncbilek, Gulcin Akca, Sanja Jakovac, Marija Tonkic, Jasna Hrenovic
Summary: The aim of this study was to characterize 11 colistin- and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates recently emerging in hospital settings. A. baumannii isolates were collected from hospitalised patients under colistin treatment in Turkey, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The isolates were highly resistant to colistin and had point mutations in pmrCAB operon genes. The pattern of point mutations suggests a spread of specific colistin-resistant isolates within the hospital.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
So Hyun Jun, Da Eun Lee, Hye Ryeong Hwang, Nayeong Kim, Hyo Jeong Kim, Yoo Chul Lee, Yu Kyung Kim, Je Chul Lee
Summary: The study investigated 96 CRAB isolates from a Korean hospital between 2016 and 2018, identifying clonal complex 208 as predominant. ST208 isolates showed higher resistance rates to minocycline, while ST369 isolates exhibited lower resistance rates to aminoglycosides and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Additionally, the study revealed evolutionary changes in CRAB isolates related to the emergence of new sequence types and selection of resistant genes.
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Beata Maczynska, Agnieszka Jama-Kmiecik, Jolanta Sarowska, Krystyna Woronowicz, Irena Choroszy-Krol, Daniel Piatek, Magdalena Frej-Madrzak
Summary: In recent years, there has been an increasing drug resistance among bacteria due to the widespread and inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. This study analyzes changes in drug resistance of Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in a multi-profile hospital over a five-year period. The results will help determine changes in susceptibility to antibiotics used in the hospital and propose new therapeutic options, especially for severe infections. The analysis shows a correlation between increased resistance and the higher use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Ning Yang, Xiao Jin, Chenghua Zhu, Fenglin Gao, Zheqi Weng, Xingran Du, Ganzhu Feng
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium and an important opportunistic pathogen in hospitals. Its increasing multidrug-resistant strains and global prevalence have made A. baumannii infection a challenging problem in clinical practice. Vaccines, specifically subunit vaccines, are being researched as effective tools to prevent and control A. baumannii infection. However, the lack of clinical trials may be due to the degradation and weak immunogenicity of subunit vaccines. Using adjuvants or delivery vehicles to prepare subunit vaccines can improve their stability and efficacy. Selecting the appropriate adjuvant and immunization method is essential for subunit vaccine research. This review aims to guide current and future research on A. baumannii subunit vaccines.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hadas Kon, Elizabeth Temkin, Polet Elmalih, Alona Keren-Paz, Debby Ben-David, Ronza Najjar-Debbiny, Tamar Gottesman, Yehuda Carmeli
Summary: FTIR spectroscopy was used to analyze 4 outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. It was able to distinguish isolates from different hospitals and uncover the relatedness between isolates from acute-care hospitals and a post-acute-care hospital. The choice of cutoffs influenced the detection of distant or recent relationships.
INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Cozzolino
Summary: Phenolic compounds play a significant role in the quality of grapes and wine. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques have shown value in measuring these compounds, but their adoption is hindered by accessibility and price limitations.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Suhaila A. Al-Sheboul, Salam Z. Al-Moghrabi, Yasemin Shboul, Farah Atawneh, Ahmed H. Sharie, Laila F. Nimri
Summary: This study aimed to determine the presence and distribution of bla(OXA) genes among multidrug-resistant A. baumannii isolated from ICU patients in Jordanian hospitals. The results showed a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains with ESBL phenotype. Identification of ESBL genes is crucial for monitoring their transmission in hospitals.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Arian Amirvaresi, Nastaran Nikounezhad, Maryam Amirahmadi, Bahram Daraei, Hadi Parastar
Summary: The study found that NIR spectroscopy is more effective than MIR in predicting the origin of saffron samples, while PLS-DA shows high accuracy in detecting adulterants, with NIR demonstrating excellent performance in estimating the level of adulteration.
Review
Immunology
Sean Jeffreys, James P. Chambers, Jieh-Juen Yu, Chiung-Yu Hung, Thomas Forsthuber, Bernard P. Arulanandam
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii is a drug-resistant bacteria that causes hospital-acquired infections, which have contributed to increased costs and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immune-based therapy, including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, is a promising strategy to combat this pathogen.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Cinthia de Carvalho Couto, Otniel Freitas-Silva, Edna Maria Morais Oliveira, Clara Sousa, Susana Casal
Summary: In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics were successfully used to detect common adulterants in roasted ground arabica coffee. The technique could discriminate pure samples from adulterated ones, including single and multiple adulterations. Additionally, NIR spectroscopy showed potential for geographical discrimination of arabica coffees.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Cinthia de Carvalho Couto, Otniel Freitas-Silva, Edna Maria Morais Oliveira, Clara Sousa, Susana Casal
Summary: In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics were successfully used to detect common adulterants in roasted ground arabica coffee. The technique could discriminate pure samples from adulterated ones, including single and multiple adulterations. Additionally, NIR spectroscopy showed potential for geographical discrimination of arabica coffees.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Konstantinos Koutsoumanis, Avelino Alvarez-Ordonez, Declan Bolton, Sara Bover-Cid, Marianne Chemaly, Robert Davies, Alessandra De Cesare, Lieve Herman, Friederike Hilbert, Roland Lindqvist, Maarten Nauta, Luisa Peixe, Giuseppe Ru, Marion Simmons, Panagiotis Skandamis, Elisabetta Suffredini, Laurence Castle, Matteo Crotta, Konrad Grob, Maria Rosaria Milana, Annette Petersen, Artur Xavier Roig Sagues, Filipa Vinagre Silva, Eric Barthelemy, Anna Christodoulidou, Winy Messens, Ana Allende
Summary: High-pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal treatment method that uses isostatic pressures to inactivate microorganisms in food. The efficacy of HPP is influenced by various factors, including intrinsic properties of the food, external pressure and time applied, as well as the type and state of microorganisms. HPP does not pose additional safety concerns compared to other treatments like pasteurization. The effectiveness of HPP in reducing pathogens in milk is lower than the legal requirements for thermal pasteurization. Minimum HPP requirements can be identified to achieve specific reductions in pathogens in certain ready-to-eat cooked meat products.
Article
Microbiology
Marisa Ribeiro-Almeida, Joana Mourao, Angela Novais, Sofia Pereira, Joana Freitas-Silva, Sofia Ribeiro, Paulo Martins da Costa, Luisa Peixe, Patricia Antunes
Summary: The spread of MCR-carrying bacteria, particularly driven by the increasing population of gulls in coastal cities, is a recognized public health problem. This study found multidrug-resistant E. coli carrying mcr-1 in gull colonies on a Portuguese beach. These strains showed diversity in genetic environments and were enriched with antibiotic resistance, virulence, and metal tolerance genes.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ana P. Pereira, Patricia Antunes, Rob Willems, Jukka Corander, Teresa M. Coque, Luisa Peixe, Ana R. Freitas, Carla Novais
Summary: This study explores the activity of chlorhexidine (CHX) against Enterococcus faecalis and the variability of ChlR-EfrEF proteins in diverse populations. The findings suggest that CHX-tolerant isolates are more prevalent in the food chain and recent human infections. The study also provides insights into the genetic diversity of the efrEF operon and its correlation with CHX phenotypes.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Kostas Koutsoumanis, Ana Allende, Avelino Alvarez-Ordonez, Declan Bolton, Sara Bover-Cid, Marianne Chemaly, Robert Davies, Alessandra De Cesare, Friederike Hilbert, Roland Lindqvist, Maarten Nauta, Luisa Peixe, Giuseppe Ru, Marion Simmons, Panagiotis Skandamis, Elisabetta Suffredini, Pier Sandro Cocconcelli, Pablo Salvador Fernandez Escamez, Miguel Prieto Maradona, Amparo Querol, Lolke Sijtsma, Juan Evaristo Suarez, Ingvar Sundh, Just Vlak, Fulvio Barizzone, Michaela Hempen, Sandra Correia, Lieve Herman
Summary: The qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach provides a generic pre-evaluation of the safety of microorganisms in the food or feed chains. This assessment is regularly updated and supports the work of EFSA's Scientific Panels. The evaluation identified various microorganisms, but none of them were recommended for QPS status due to safety concerns or limited knowledge.
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Joao Pedro Rueda Furlan, Eliana Guedes Stehling, Eduardo Angelino Savazzi, Luisa Peixe, Angela Novais
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2022)
Letter
Genetics & Heredity
Carla Novais, Ana C. Almeida-Santos, Ana Paula Pereira, Andreia Rebelo, Ana R. Freitas, Luisa Peixe
Article
Food Science & Technology
Andreia Rebelo, Barbara Duarte, Carolina Ferreira, Joana Moura, Sofia Ribeiro, Ana R. Freitas, Teresa M. Coque, Rob Willems, Jukka Corander, Luisa Peixe, Patricia Antunes, Carla Novais
Summary: Poultry meat is a major carrier of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes, and the diversity of selective pressures associated with their persistence in the poultry-production chain remains understudied. We evaluated the susceptibility of Enterococcus spp. from chicken meat collected 20 years apart to antibiotics, metals, acidic pH, and peracetic acid. Our findings indicate that chicken meat is still an important vehicle for multidrug-resistant Enterococcus spp.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Elisabete Alves Cappelli, Magdalena Ksiezarek, Jacqueline Wolf, Meina Neumann-Schaal, Teresa Goncalves Ribeiro, Luisa Peixe
Summary: The genus Corynebacterium is frequently found in the female urinary microbiome, but species-level characterization of Corynebacterium has been underexplored. In this study, eight strains isolated from urine samples were characterized and identified as potentially new Corynebacterium species.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Miguel Peixoto de Almeida, Carla Rodrigues, Angela Novais, Filipa Grosso, Nicolae Leopold, Luisa Peixe, Ricardo Franco, Eulalia Pereira
Summary: The development of a rapid, reliable, and low-cost method for discriminating clinically relevant bacteria, particularly the WHO Global Priority 1 Critical Pathogens, is crucial. In this study, the researchers developed and validated a protocol using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with silver nanostars to discriminate species and antibiotic resistant clones of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The SERS procedure, combined with multivariate data analysis, successfully differentiated between and within the species. This pilot study highlights the potential of SERS for rapid discrimination in point-of-care applications.
Article
Microbiology
Joao Pedro Rueda Furlan, Teresa Gonsalves Ribeiro, Angela Novais, Hamilton Cabral, Luisa Peixe, Eliana Guedes Stehling
Summary: A Gram-stain-negative strain BR102T isolated from a soil sample in Brazil was identified as a novel species of the genus Citrobacter, named Citrobacter meridianamericanus sp. nov. Strain BR102T showed distinct genetic sequences from recognized species in the genus Citrobacter. It also exhibited unique abilities to metabolize compounds and carried novel variants of blaCMY-179 and qnrB97 genes. The findings suggest the significance of strain BR102T in expanding our understanding of the diversity of the genus Citrobacter.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Carla Rodrigues, Val F. F. Lanza, Luisa Peixe, Teresa M. Coque, Angela Novais
Summary: We clarified the evolution of Klebsiella pneumoniae clonal group 14 (CG14) and CG15 by analyzing the genomes and plasmids of public genomes and de novo sequences. CG14 and CG15 evolved independently within subclades based on the capsular locus (KL) and accessory genome. CG14 was mostly associated with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC, and/or carbapenemases genes, while CG15 was mostly associated with CTX-M-15. Plasmid analysis revealed 27 predominant plasmid groups.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Joana Mourao, Marisa Ribeiro-Almeida, Carla Novais, Mafalda Magalhaes, Andreia Rebelo, Sofia Ribeiro, Luisa Peixe, Angela Novais, Patricia Antunes
Summary: The study assessed the occurrence of colistin-resistant and copper-tolerant Klebsiella pneumoniae in chicken flocks raised with different copper formulas and after a long-term colistin ban. The findings revealed a high occurrence of multidrug-resistant and copper-tolerant isolates, suggesting poultry as a potential source of clinically relevant K. pneumoniae exposure. Despite the decrease in mcr spread due to the colistin ban, it was ineffective in controlling colistin-resistant/mcr-negative K. pneumoniae. This study emphasizes the need for continued surveillance and proactive food safety actions to mitigate the risks to public health.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Andreia Rebelo, Agostinho Almeida, Luisa Peixe, Patricia Antunes, Carla Novais
Summary: This review examines the spread and impact of antimicrobial resistance in the food chain. In addition to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, other antimicrobials, such as metals and organic acids, present in the food chain may also contribute to this problem. The study analyzes the antimicrobial mechanisms of metals and organic acids, as well as the adaptive tolerance strategies developed by bacteria, and explores the relationship between tolerance and resistance. The review emphasizes the importance of further molecular and epidemiological research.
