Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaofang Wu, Lei Ji, Yuehua Shen, Liping Chen, Deshun Xu, Fenfen Dong
Summary: Thirteen pathogenic Campylobacter strains were isolated from diarrhea cases and raw poultry meat products in Huzhou, including 11 Campylobacter jejuni and 2 Campylobacter coli strains. These strains contain multiple virulence-related genes and show high resistance to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline. Genomic sequencing revealed the presence of tet(O) and blaOXA resistance genes in all C. jejuni strains and multiple drug resistance genes in 2 C. coli strains.
Article
Microbiology
Cecilia Johansson, Christian Kampmann, Anna Nilsson, Johan Dicksved, Lars Engstrand, Hilpi Rautelin
Summary: This study characterized Campylobacter jejuni fecal isolates from international travelers and analyzed the relationship between bacterial traits and clinical symptoms. It found that isolates from Bangladesh had higher pathogenic potential but led to milder symptoms compared to isolates from other regions with lower pathogenic potential but more severe symptoms. The study also examined the fecal microbiota composition prior to travel and found individual variation but no direct association with symptom development. Further research is needed to confirm the potential relationship between gut microbiota characteristics and the severity of Campylobacter infections.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gaia Casalino, Francesco D'Amico, Francesca Rita Dinardo, Giancarlo Bozzo, Valeria Napoletano, Antonio Camarda, Antonella Bove, Roberto Lombardi, Francesco Paolo D'Onghia, Elena Circella
Summary: This study investigated the presence of Campylobacter (C. jejuni and C. coli) in wild birds housed at a wildlife rescue centre. It was found that 24.88% of the birds carried Campylobacter, with higher rates of infection in omnivorous species and indoor aviaries. Interestingly, Campylobacter was not detected in species with body temperatures below 40°C or above 42.2°C. Antibiotic resistance, including multi-drug resistance, was also identified. These findings underscore the importance of increasing biosecurity measures at wildlife rescue centres to reduce health risks to staff involved in wildlife management.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Fuat Aydin, Tuba Kayman, Secil Abay, Harun Hizlisoy, Izzet Burcin Saticioglu, Emre Karakaya, Orhan Sahin
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity, prevalence, and mechanisms of resistance to quinolone antibiotics in 178 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from humans, cattle, dogs, and chickens in Turkey. The results showed that there were 21 clonal complexes (CCs) and 78 different sequence types (STs) among the isolates, with CC21, CC353, CC206, and CC257 being the predominant clones. Quinolone resistance was detected in 41% of the isolates, and all resistant isolates had a specific mutation in the gyrA gene. The study provided important insights into the transmission pathways of C. jejuni in Turkey, suggesting that broiler meat and dogs may be the most important sources of human campylobacteriosis in the country.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mehmet Cemal Adiguzel, Debora Brito Goulart, Zuowei Wu, Jinji Pang, Seyda Cengiz, Qijing Zhang, Orhan Sahin
Summary: The study found that FQ-resistant Campylobacter strains mostly carry mutations in the gyrA gene and contain various spacer sequences within the CRISPR system, with many showing high nucleotide homology to known Campylobacter phages. While most spacer sequences matched known phages, there were also some unidentified spacer sequences present.
Article
Microbiology
Lauren K. Hudson, William E. Andershock, Runan Yan, Mugdha Golwalkar, Nkuchia M. M'ikanatha, Irving Nachamkin, Linda S. Thomas, Christina Moore, Xiaorong Qian, Richard Steece, Katie N. Garman, John R. Dunn, Jasna Kovac, Thomas G. Denes
Summary: Campylobacteriosis is the most common bacterial foodborne illness in the United States and this study compared clinical and non-clinical Campylobacter populations from Tennessee and Pennsylvania, identified source attribution patterns through phylogenetic analyses, and identified potential outbreak clusters based on genomic similarity.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jose Manuel Silvan, Esperanza Guerrero-Hurtado, Alba Gutierrez-Docio, Marin Prodanov, Adolfo J. Martinez-Rodriguez
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of olive leaf extracts against antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter strains. The results showed that the extracts exhibited strong inhibitory effects on both C. jejuni and C. coli, especially the extract rich in hydroxytyrosol and hydroxytyrosol glucosides. These findings suggest that optimizing the composition of olive leaf extracts can lead to improved treatment against Campylobacter strains.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jessica K. Calland, Ben Pascoe, Sion C. Bayliss, Evangelos Mourkas, Elvire Berthenet, Harry A. Thorpe, Matthew D. Hitchings, Edward J. Feil, Jukka Corander, Martin J. Blaser, Daniel Falush, Samuel K. Sheppard
Summary: This study presents a new approach to estimate the molecular clock rate in Campylobacter, drawing on the 'birthday problem'. By analyzing large genomic datasets, the synonymous rates of nucleotide change for the common pathogenic bacteria Campylobacter colt and Campylobacter jejuni were estimated. The study also inferred the number of effective lineages within the sample time frame and assessed the rate of turnover of lineages over short evolutionary timescales.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Xiang Wang, Qiyun Zhuo, Yi Hong, Yufan Wu, Qiang Gu, Dawei Yuan, Qingli Dong, Jingdong Shao
Summary: This study investigated the antibiotic resistance and virulence potential of 100 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from poultry meat. It found a correlation between the multilocus sequence types (MLST) of the isolates and their antibiotic resistance or virulence. The results provide critical information for the risk assessment of campylobacteriosis infection.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yezhi Fu, Nkuchia M. M'ikanatha, Jeffrey M. Lorch, David S. Blehert, Brenda Berlowski-Zier, Chris A. Whitehouse, Shaoting Li, Xiangyu Deng, Jared C. Smith, Nikki W. Shariat, Erin M. Nawrocki, Edward G. Dudley
Summary: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates from wild birds in the United States exhibit distinct lineages and virulence gene signatures, indicating host adaptation. These isolates are genetically different from those originating from domestic animal sources and can be attributed to wild birds with improved accuracy using genomic data and machine learning classifiers. The findings highlight the importance of wild birds as reservoirs of S. Typhimurium and provide valuable information for source attribution and epidemiological surveillance.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Malgorzata Emanowicz, Joseph Meade, Catherine Burgess, Declan Bolton, John Egan, Helen Lynch, Lisa O'Connor, Aidan Coffey, Brigid Lucey, Montserrat Gutierrez, William Byrne, Rosemarie Slowey, Paul Whyte
Summary: Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance testing was conducted on 160 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from broiler samples to determine prevalence and distribution of resistance profiles. Whole genome sequencing of 132 isolates revealed a high correlation between resistant phenotypes and genotypes, with identified resistance determinants including tet(O) genes and gyrA p. T86I mutation. Multiple sequence types (ST) were identified, with ST-257 being prevalent, and virulence genes associated with human infection and broiler colonization were detected.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuanpan Khemnu, Oralak Serichantalergs, Sirigade Ruekit, Paphavee Lertsethtakarn, Frederic Poly, Brett E. Swierczewski, John M. Crawford
Summary: Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide and is linked to various complications including Guillain-Barre Syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, reactive arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome. C. jejuni possesses the ability to form a polysaccharide capsule on its surface, which is atypical for an intestinal pathogen. The hypervariable region of the C. jejuni genome contains the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of the phase-variable capsule, which has been classified using multiplex PCR based on Penner serotypes. However, there are still C. jejuni strains with untypeable capsules using the current multiplex PCR method. This study used next generation sequencing and whole genome analysis software to identify novel capsule biosynthesis loci in C. jejuni isolates. Unique PCR primers were designed for the identification of these new loci, and a new multiplex mix called epsilon was developed. The addition of these unique sequences complements the current C. jejuni multiplex capsule typing system and enables the identification of previously untypeable capsule loci in C. jejuni isolates.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jorge Rivera-Gomis, Pedro Marin, Cristina Martinez-Conesa, Julio Otal, Maria Jose Jordan, Elisa Escudero, Maria Jose Cubero
Summary: The study evaluated antimicrobial susceptibility of commensal bacteria in Spanish laying hens, finding varying levels of resistance, with some strains showing resistance to key drugs used in human medicine. This highlights the potential public health risk posed by laying hens as a source of antimicrobial resistance for humans.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
A. Carbonero, A. Maldonado-Iniesta, Y. Trujillo, J. Perea, M. Riofrio, I Garcia-Bocanegra, C. Borge
Summary: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of three genes (htrA, htrB, and ppk1) related to environmental persistence in C. jejuni and C. coli isolates obtained from abattoir samples at different stages. The overall prevalence of these genes was 40.3%, 93.3%, and 68.9%, respectively. Significant differences were found between the prevalence in C. jejuni and C. coli, with higher prevalence of htrA and htrB in C. coli, and higher prevalence of ppk1 in C. jejuni. Furthermore, a significant increase in the frequency of htrA and htrB genes in the final meat products compared to initial broiler samples was observed in C. jejuni. These results suggest the involvement of htrA and htrB genes in the environmental persistence of Campylobacter jejuni.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Pjotr S. Middendorf, Wilma F. Jacobs-Reitsma, Aldert L. Zomer, Heidy M. W. den Besten, Tjakko Abee
Summary: Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli possess specific saccharide metabolization pathways, including L-fucose. The L-fucose utilization cluster affects the growth, survival, and metabolism of these bacteria. Comparative analysis showed that L-fucose enhances the survival and morphology of the bacteria and is linked to the production of acetate, lactate, pyruvate, and succinate. The L-fucose clusters of different isolates vary, and further studies are needed to understand the phenotypic traits associated with L-fucose metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tatum Updegraff, Grayson Schiff-Clark, Hunter Gossett, Sheila Parsi, Rebecca Peterson, Robert Whittaker, Clare Dennison, Madison Davis, James Bray, Rich Boden, Kathleen Scott
Summary: Two novel chemolithoautotrophic aerobes belonging to the genus Thiomicrorhabdus were isolated from a chemocline in an anchialine sinkhole in Florida. They exhibited motile and chemotactic behavior, and were capable of growth using elemental sulphur, sulphide, tetrathionate, and thiosulphate, with strain HH1(T) also utilizing molecular hydrogen. The strains showed adaptability to different pH, temperature, and salinity conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Thomas Rawson, Frances M. Colles, J. Christopher D. Terry, Michael B. Bonsall
Summary: This study reveals that in commercial poultry flocks, different Campylobacter sequence types compete within a hierarchical framework and occupy different positions in the trade-off between transmission and mortality. Additionally, it suggests that factors such as host-bird health and seasonality play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of Campylobacter sequence types, as the demographic capabilities of Campylobacter alone cannot explain the observed diversity.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lisa Labbe Sandelin, Jenny Olofsson, Conny Tolf, Louise Rohlen, Lars Brudin, Ivar Tjernberg, Per-Eric Lindgren, Bjorn Olsen, Jonas Waldenstrom
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in blood donors and traced the recipients of blood components from positive donors. The results showed a 0.7% infection rate in blood donors, but no transfusion-mediated infection was detected, despite some recipients being at high risk for severe neoehrlichiosis.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Frances M. Colles, Daniela Karasova, Magdalena Crhanova, Stephen G. Preston, Adrian L. Smith, Marian S. Dawkins, Ivan Rychlik, Sabine G. Gebhardt-Henrich
Summary: This study used parallel sequencing to detect Campylobacter DNA in contaminated chicken meat. It suggests that conventional testing methods may not accurately detect Campylobacter and identifies the proliferation of a single Campylobacter variant in broiler flocks.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
James E. Bray, Annapaula Correia, Margaret Varga, Keith A. Jolley, Martin C. J. Maiden, Charlene M. C. Rodrigues
Summary: Bacterial genomics plays a crucial role in medicine and public health microbiology. Accurate species identification of bacterial genomes is important due to the rapidly increasing number of genomes stored in databases and the frequent discovery of new species. Researchers have developed an automated method for bacterial species identification using ribosomal multilocus sequence typing (rMLST). This method, called rMLST nucleotide identity (rMLST- NI), was faster and more efficient than other methods and allowed for the validation and update of species annotations in a large dataset of bacterial genomes.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Massimo Cavallaro, Juliana Coelho, Derren Ready, Valerie Decraene, Theresa Lamagni, Noel D. McCarthy, Dan Todkill, Matt J. Keeling
Summary: The rapid detection of outbreaks and identification of epidemiologically linked cases are crucial for effective control and containment of infectious diseases. In this study, the authors developed a numerical approach called random neighbourhood covering (RaNCover) to complement the investigations conducted by public health teams. RaNCover achieved excellent predictive performances by summarising the statistical properties of event neighbourhoods. The approach was applied to invasive group A Streptococcus infection events and showed potential for detecting outbreaks across wide geographic areas.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kayzad Nilgiriwala, Marie-Sylvianne Rabodoarivelo, Michael B. Hall, Grishma Patel, Ayan Mandal, Shefali Mishra, Fanantenana Randria Andrianomanana, Kate Dingle, Gillian Rodger, Sophie George, Derrick W. Crook, Sarah Hoosdally, Nerges Mistry, Niaina Rakotosamimanana, Zamin Iqbal, Simon Grandjean Lapierre, Timothy M. Walker
Summary: Universal access to drug susceptibility testing is recommended for newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients. Improved protocols for direct-from-sample sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are needed to accelerate drug susceptibility testing and molecular typing. Analysis of sputum samples using Illumina and MinION technologies showed variability in sequencing performance based on smear positivity level.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kate E. Dingle, Jane Freeman, Xavier Didelot, T. Phuong Quan, David W. Eyre, Jeremy Swann, William D. Spittal, Emma V. Clark, Keith A. Jolley, A. Sarah Walker, Mark H. Wilcox, Derrick W. Crook
Summary: Clostridioides difficile is a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections, with multidrug-resistant strains causing high-mortality outbreaks. Cephalosporin treatment is a known risk factor, and antimicrobial stewardship is important for control. This study investigated the correlation between cephalosporin MICs, amino acid substitutions in penicillin binding proteins, and fluoroquinolone resistance in C. difficile.
Article
Microbiology
Elinor Jax, Elena Werner, Inge Mueller, Beatrice Schaerer, Marina Kohn, Jenny Olofsson, Jonas Waldenstroem, Robert H. S. Kraus, Sonja Haertle
Summary: Ducks are important natural reservoirs of avian influenza virus (AIV) and there is a lack of tools to determine their immune status. This study developed a fast and accurate method to analyze the white blood cells (WBC) of mallard ducks and used it to investigate the impact of sex, age, and AIV infection on WBC counts. The results showed that age and sex have an effect on WBC counts in mallards, and males infected with AIV exhibited a reduction in lymphocytes and thrombocytes.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gunnar Gunnarsson, Elsie Kjeller, Sari Holopainen, Henric Djerf, Johan Elmberg, Hannu Poeysae, Paer Soderquist, Jonas Waldenstrom
Summary: Goose and swan populations have increased alongside the degradation of wetlands, but they do not negatively affect other trophic levels. The abundance of geese and swans is positively related to other waterbird guilds, specific macrophytes, and invertebrate richness and abundance. Productive wetlands support higher abundance of waterbirds, indicating that geese and swans benefit from the environmental changes.
Article
Ecology
Hanna M. Bensch, Daniel Lundin, Conny Tolf, Jonas Waldenstrom, Markus Zottl
Summary: In social species, gut microbiome similarity among group members is mainly explained by shared environmental effects rather than host relatedness. This was shown through a cross-foster experiment conducted on Damaraland mole-rats under controlled laboratory conditions, using 16S amplicon sequencing to analyze gut microbiome composition. These findings, in conjunction with studies in wild animal populations, suggest that environmental factors have a stronger influence on gut microbiome composition similarity than host genetics among conspecifics.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mahmoud M. Naguib, Per Eriksson, Elinor Jax, Michelle Wille, Cecilia Lindskog, Caroline Brojer, Janina Krambrich, Jonas Waldenstrom, Robert H. S. Kraus, Goran Larson, Ake Lundkvist, Bjorn Olsen, Josef D. Jarhult, Patrik Ellstrom
Summary: This study investigates the infection outcomes and immune responses in two avian hosts, tufted ducks and chickens, following infection with different mallard-origin influenza A virus (IAV) subtypes. The results show that the infection and shedding patterns, as well as the innate immune responses, are highly dependent on viral subtypes, host species, and inoculation routes. These findings provide new insights into the interspecies transmission of IAV and are important for understanding its zoonotic ecology.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Harriet Risby, Guy Robinson, Nastassya Chandra, Grace King, Roberto Vivancos, Robert Smith, Daniel Thomas, Andrew Fox, Noel McCarthy, Rachel M. Chalmers
Summary: This study describes the development and application of a seven-locus multi-locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis (MLVA) scheme for genetic typing of Cryptosporidium parvum. The scheme has high typability and discriminatory power, can identify mixed infections, and provides an important tool for outbreak investigations and public health action.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hanna M. M. Bensch, Conny Tolf, Jonas Waldenstrom, Daniel Lundin, Markus Zottl
Summary: In mammals, the gut microbiota plays a vital role in their health. Recent research has shown that captive animal populations often have different gut microbiota diversity and composition compared to wild populations. This study compares the gut bacterial microbiota of wild and captive Damaraland mole-rats and reveals significant changes in the gut microbiota composition between the two groups.
Article
Virology
Michelle Wille, Conny Tolf, Neus Latorre-Margalef, Ron A. M. Fouchier, Rebecca A. Halpin, David E. Wentworth, Jayna Ragwani, Oliver G. Pybus, Bjorn Olsen, Jonas Waldenstrom
Summary: The genetic features of the H4 subtype avian influenza virus in Swedish mallards change over time, possibly resulting in antigenic differences, and different genome constellations are formed through reassortment.