Article
Microbiology
Younjung Kim, Maura Carrai, Marcus H. Y. Leung, Jaime Chin, Jun Li, Patrick K. H. Lee, Julia A. Beatty, Dirk U. Pfeiffer, Vanessa R. Barrs
Summary: The study found that the feline bladder microbiome is typically sparse, with various phyla, families, and genera identified. Different urotypes were associated with disease status, with the Escherichia-Shigella-predominant urotype being common in CKD cases. The microbial composition of CKD cases was more similar to that of E. coli PUC cases than to controls, indicating potential implications for the development of clinical infections.
Article
Immunology
Thijs ten Doesschate, Sander Kuiper, Cees van Nieuwkoop, Robert-Jan Hassing, Tom Ketels, Suzan P. van Mens, Wouter van den Bijllaardt, Akke K. van der Bij, Suzanne E. Geerlings, Ad Koster, Evert L. Koldewijn, Judith Branger, Andy I. M. Hoepelman, Cornelis H. van Werkhoven, Marc J. M. Bonten
Summary: Fosfomycin is noninferior to ciprofloxacin as oral step-down treatment for febrile urinary tract infections (fUTIs) caused by E. coli in women, but its use is associated with more gastrointestinal events.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Amanda Brumwell, Granger Sutton, Paul M. M. Lantos, Kate Hoffman, Felicia Ruffin, Lauren Brinkac, Thomas H. H. Clarke, Mark D. D. Adams, Vance G. G. Fowler Jr, Derrick E. E. Fouts, Joshua T. T. Thaden
Summary: This study aims to further understand the risk factors, clinical outcomes, and bacterial genetics associated with ST131 bloodstream infections. A cohort study was conducted in which 88 out of 227 patients with E. coli bloodstream infection were infected with ST131. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients with ST131 and non-ST131 infections overall, but ST131 was associated with higher mortality in patients with urinary tract infections.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Katarzyna Werbel, Dorota Jankowska, Anna Wasilewska, Katarzyna Taranta-Janusz
Summary: The study analyzed the increasing resistance of bacteria in children with UTI over the years, identified parameters related to antibiotic sensitivity using the CART method, and provided guidance for antibiotic therapy to inhibit increasing antibiotic resistance.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Guadalupe Miranda-Novales, Karen Flores-Moreno, Yolanda Lopez-Vidal, Samuel Ponce de Leon-Rosales
Summary: This study evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and found that multidrug-resistant bacteria represented 61% of all isolates.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Reeta Ala-Jaakkola, Arja Laitila, Arthur C. Ouwehand, Liisa Lehtoranta
Summary: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common bacterial disease worldwide, and antibiotic resistance is a major concern. D-mannose, a dietary supplement, shows promise as an alternative treatment for UTIs, reducing the risk and recurrence.
Article
Immunology
Rongmei Yao, Xin Mao, Yingli Xu, Xue Qiu, Lirun Zhou, Yaxin Wang, Bo Pang, Mengping Chen, Shan Cao, Lei Bao, Yanyan Bao, Shanshan Guo, Limin Hu, Haijiang Zhang, Xiaolan Cui
Summary: This study reveals the potential mechanism by which Vaccaria segetalis polysaccharides (VSP) interfere with the adhesion and invasion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). VSP inhibits the expression of bacterial adhesion genes and regulates specific molecules in host epithelial cells, reducing the ability of bacteria to invade the host.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Mohamed Kettani Halabi, Fatima Azzahra Lahlou, Idrissa Diawara, Younes El Adouzi, Rabiaa Marnaoui, Rachid Benmessaoud, Imane Smyej
Summary: ESBL-EC infections pose challenges due to limited treatment options, increased hospital costs, reduced microbiological and clinical responses, and a threat to patient's life. Majority of ESBL-EC isolates were from female adult patients over 50, resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones, but sensitive to carbapenems and fosfomycin.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sandra J. Aedo, Juechun Tang, Mark P. Brynildsen
Summary: The study showed that stationary-phase Escherichia coli are not susceptible to nitrofurantoin (NIT), but supplementation with glucose under conditions where essential nutrients were absent can increase susceptibility. This insensitivity is mainly due to a low abundance of reducing equivalents, while metabolites can resensitize the bacteria.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xi Lu, Dingyan Wu, Xin Zhao, Mingxin Zhang, Ke Ren, Ningning Zhou, Yanni Zhao, Weisheng Qian
Summary: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a diarrheal pathogen, can utilize ethanolamine (EA) as a nitrogen source, which enhances its virulence phenotype and causes damage to host intestinal cells. The concentration of EA in the intestine also impacts the metabolic profile and pathogenicity of ETEC.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Adriana Belas, Catia Marques, Juliana Menezes, Luis Telo da Gama, Patricia Cavaco-Silva, Constanca Pomba
Summary: This study aimed to compare ESBL/pAmpC-producing E. coli strains causing community-acquired UTI in companion animals and humans. The study found that companion animals and humans shared two multidrug-resistant high-risk clonal lineages: ST131 and ST648. The study also reported two newly discovered clonal lineages in humans with community-acquired UTI in Portugal.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nabi Jomehzadeh, Morteza Saki, Khadijeh Ahmadi, Golshan Zandi
Summary: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of quinolone resistance and the presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes among extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli isolates. The results showed a high resistance rate to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin among ESBL-producing isolates. The most frequent PMQR gene was aac(6')-Ib-cr variant. The coexistence of aac(6')-Ib-cr variant and qnrB was the most widely distributed genotype among quinolone resistance isolates.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michaela Tutone, Truls E. Bjerklund Johansen, Tommaso Cai, Shazad Mushtaq, David M. Livermore
Summary: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common worldwide, especially among women. A study investigated the susceptibility of current urinary isolates to fosfomycin and other antibiotics, and found that Escherichia coli was the most common uropathogen isolated and highly susceptible to fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, and mecillinam.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lotte Jakobsen, Carina Vingsbro Lundberg, Niels Frimodt-Moller
Summary: Ciprofloxacin is highly effective in clearing urine and kidney tissue for fully susceptible E. coli, but not for low-level resistant strains. PKPD correlations show a higher correlation between AUC/MIC and effect in urine and kidneys, while %T->MIC shows a lower correlation.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jiazhen Guo, Ran Duan, Dan Zhang, Peng Zhang, Shuai Qin, Yajuan Fang, Yingna Sun, Lianhe Lu, Huaiqi Jing, Xin Wang, Rongmeng Jiang, Biao Kan
Summary: This study reports a unique case of community-acquired NDM-5 Escherichia coli urinary tract infection (UTI) following COVID-19. The UTI persisted for at least 45 days. Genomic analyses revealed the presence of two NDM-5 strains, with identical chromosomal background but distinct plasmids. This case suggests the presence of diverse resistance genes in the human body, and the continuous evolution of drug-resistant strains during infection, possibly originating from the intestinal tract.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
M. Fennelly, S. Hellebust, J. Wenger, D. O'Connor, G. W. Griffith, B. J. Plant, M. B. Prentice
Summary: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, ventilation is recognized as an important tool for infection control. Many hospitals in Ireland and the UK rely on natural ventilation, but this study shows that portable air filtration significantly improves air quality compared to natural ventilation alone. The combination of natural ventilation and portable air filtration is the most effective method for removing pollutants.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Markus Wiedemair, Christoph Kieninger, Klaus Wurst, Maren Podewitz, Evelyne Deery, Michael D. Paxhia, Martin J. Warren, Bernhard Kraeutler
Summary: In this study, we synthesized a new B-12 derivative, AcRhbl, by replacing the cobalt-center of AcCbl with its rhodium homologue. The structures of AcCbl and AcRhbl were analyzed in various conditions, revealing extensive structural similarity. AcRhbl, classified as an 'antivitamin B-12', joins the small group of B-12 mimics and shows potential as a selective inhibitor of key cellular processes in biological and biomedical applications.
HELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Laura Carrilero, Steven J. J. Dunn, Robert A. A. Moran, Alan McNally, Michael A. A. Brockhurst
Letter
Critical Care Medicine
Chris Ward, Hafez Al Momani, Melissa J. McDonnell, Desmond M. Murphy, Laura Walsh, John Mac Sharry, Mike Griffin, Ian A. Forrest, Rhys Jones, Amaran Krishnan, Jeffrey Pearson, Robert M. Rutherford
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ping Zhang, Huangdu Hu, Qiucheng Shi, Long Sun, Xueqing Wu, Xiaoting Hua, Alan McNally, Yan Jiang, Yunsong Yu, Xiaoxing Du
Summary: This study aimed to clarify the evolutionary trajectory of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae population during beta-lactam antibiotic therapy. Five highly homologous KPC-Kp isolates were collected from a single patient, and whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics analysis were performed. Experimental evolution assays revealed that multi-copy bla(KPC-2) cells increased under antibiotic selection, generating low-level and high-level resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam. Both gene amplification and mutation played important roles in KPC-Kp evolution under antibiotic selection.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hannah L. Pugh, Christopher Connor, Pauline Siasat, Alan McNally, Jessica M. A. Blair
Summary: Escherichia coli is a facultative anaerobe commonly found in various environments. This study shows that the presence of resistance-nodulation-division (RND) efflux pumps in laboratory bacterial strains may not reflect the situation in virulent strains of bacterial pathogens, using E. coli ST11 as an example. The absence of acrF and the conserved insertion in its gene were observed in 97.59% of ST11 genome assemblies, and the non-functionality of AcrF in ST11 was confirmed in laboratory experiments.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sergio Arredondo-Alonso, George Blundell-Hunter, Zuyi Fu, Rebecca A. Gladstone, Alfred Fillol-Salom, Jessica Loraine, Elaine Cloutman-Green, Pal J. Johnsen, Orjan Samuelsen, Anna K. Poentinen, Francois Cleon, Susana Chavez-Bueno, Miguel A. De la Cruz, Miguel A. Ares, Manivanh Vongsouvath, Agnieszka Chmielarczyk, Carolyne Horner, Nigel Klein, Alan McNally, Joice N. Reis, Jose R. Penades, Nicholas R. Thomson, Jukka Corander, Peter W. Taylor, Alex J. McCarthy
Summary: Escherichia coli is a leading cause of invasive bacterial infections in humans. The study reveals the distribution, evolution, and functions of the K1 capsule, a potent capsule type, in E. coli. The findings emphasize the importance of assessing virulence factors in population levels to predict and control bacterial infections.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Ya Hu, Yongqiang Yang, Yu Feng, Qingqing Fang, Chengcheng Wang, Feifei Zhao, Alan McNally, Zhiyong Zong
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the global epidemiology and clinical characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections in neonates. The study found a pooled prevalence of 0.3% and a pooled mortality rate of 22.9% for CRKP infections in hospitalized neonates. While the clonal background of neonatal CRKP strains is diverse and intercountry dissemination is minimal, certain lineages and specific carbapenemase types exhibit wide distribution across continents. These findings underscore the urgent need for research and strategies to address the threat of neonatal CRKP infections globally.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ann E. Snaith, Steven J. Dunn, Robert A. Moran, Paul N. Newton, David A. B. Dance, Viengmon Davong, Esther Kuenzli, Anu Kantele, Jukka Corander, Alan McNally
Summary: Increased colonization by antimicrobial-resistant organisms is closely associated with international travel. This study used long-read sequencing to reconstruct plasmid sequences from ESBL-producing E. coli isolates obtained from travellers to Laos. The results revealed a diverse collection of plasmids, many of which carried AMR genes. Fine-scale analysis identified various AMR gene contexts and highlighted the importance of IS elements in multidrug resistance. Convergence of ESBL and colistin resistance determinants was also observed. The extensive diversity seen here emphasizes the worrisome potential for stable new vehicles for AMR dissemination through international travel networks.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Robert A. Moran, Baomo Liu, Emma L. Doughty, Yingyi Guo, Xiaoliang Ba, Willem van Schaik, Chao Zhuo, Alan McNally
Summary: ESBL resistance has a significant impact on the clinical management of E. coli infections in hospitals worldwide. This study aimed to understand the structures and dynamics of ESBL-EC populations in a Guangzhou ICU. The results revealed distinct populations of ESBL-EC strains in patients, staff, and clinical environments, with bla(CTX-M) genes playing a major role in conferring ESBL resistance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Emma L. Doughty, Haiyang Liu, Robert A. Moran, Xiaoting Hua, Xiaoliang Ba, Feng Guo, Xiangping Chen, Linghong Zhang, Mark Holmes, Willem van Schaik, Alan Mcnally, Yunsong Yu
Summary: This study conducted a three-month observational study in a 28-bed intensive care unit (ICU) in Hangzhou, China, to explore the persistence and evolutionary dynamics of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). The study found that the ICU population of CRAB was dominated by OXA-23-producing global clone 2 isolates, which could be divided into 20 distinct clusters through genome sequencing. The study emphasized the importance of environmental CRAB reservoirs in the epidemiology of ICUs and the unique challenges in containing the spread of CRAB.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrew P. Sayer, Marcel Llavero-Pasquina, Katrin Geisler, Andre Holzer, Freddy Bunbury, Gonzalo Mendoza-Ochoa, Andrew D. Lawrence, Martin J. Warren, Payam Mehrshahi, Alison G. Smith
Summary: Microalgae are important in global ecosystems and require vitamin B-12 for growth. This study identifies a protein, CBA1, that is essential for B-12 uptake in microalgae. Through targeted knockouts and mutagenesis, the researchers demonstrate that CBA1 is necessary for B-12 uptake in two different microalgae species. The study also shows that CBA1 is present in other eukaryotes, indicating its conserved role in the biological kingdom.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Kaniz F. Chowdhury, Rebecca J. Hall, Alan McNally, Laura J. Carter
Summary: Antimicrobials, heavy metals, and biocides are common contaminants in water bodies worldwide, driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Aquatic phytoremediation, utilizing the ability of macrophytes to remove and degrade pollutants, is a promising green solution. This review highlights the presence of AMR drivers in aquatic environments, evaluates phytoremediation mechanisms, identifies potential hyper-accumulators, and suggests a configuration for optimum removal of AMR drivers. Knowledge gaps regarding co-exposure effects and the fate of antibiotic-resistant genes and bacteria during phytoremediation are also addressed.
REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carmina Angelica Perez-Romero, Lucero Mendoza-Maldonado, Alberto Tonda, Etienne Coz, Patrick Tabeling, Jessica Vanhomwegen, John MacSharry, Joanna Szafran, Lucina Bobadilla-Morales, Alfredo Corona-Rivera, Eric Claassen, Johan Garssen, Aletta D. Kraneveld, Alejandro Lopez-Rincon
Summary: As the COVID-19 pandemic calms down, there is growing concern about the possibility of future pandemics. The ability to quickly and accurately detect virus variants is crucial in mitigating the spread. Using an automated pipeline based on evolutionary algorithms, researchers have developed highly specific molecular tests for the main SARS-CoV-2 lineage and its variants. Preliminary validation shows promising results.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher H. Connor, Amanda Z. Zucoloto, John T. Munnoch, Ian-Ling Yu, Jukka Corander, Paul A. Hoskisson, Braedon McDonald, Alan Mcnally
Summary: This study demonstrates that MDR E. coli ST131 can compete and displace non-MDR E. coli in vivo, even without antibiotic treatment. The study also reveals that carriage of AMR genes is associated with increased diversity in carbohydrate metabolism genes.