Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Emily E. Jackson, Nathalie Gnanou Besse, Rabeb Bennour Hennekinne, Timothy Ells, Michel Laurentie, Thomas Meheut, Stephen J. Forsythe
Summary: This study reports the sequence types of Cronobacter sakazakii strains and investigates the correlation between sequence type and growth rate. The results suggest that there is no strong correlation between the two factors.
Article
Immunology
Haiyan Zeng, Chengsi Li, Jumei Zhang, Bingshao Liang, Hanjie Mei, Qingping Wu
Summary: We report a case of fatal neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in China caused by a specific profile of Cronobacter sakazakii. Phylodynamic analysis revealed that the strain originated from a widespread and antimicrobial drug-sensitive sublineage of CRISPR. Enhanced surveillance and pathogenesis research on this organism are needed.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Margaret G. Taylor, Megan H. Amerson-Brown, Kristina Hulten, Lindsay H. Cameron, Galit Holzmann-Pazgal, Morven S. Edwards, Catherine E. Foster
Summary: This study reports two cases of infants hospitalized with Cronobacter sakazakii meningitis, both of whom had exposure to powdered infant formula at home. Early advanced brain imaging is recommended, and reporting to public health officials may help identify outbreaks.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ondrej Holy, Julio Parra-Flores, Sarah Lepuschitz, Maria Paula Alarcon-Lavin, Ariadnna Cruz-Cordova, Juan Xicohtencatl-Cortes, Jetsi Mancilla-Rojano, Werner Ruppitsch, Stephen Forsythe
Summary: This study investigated the putative virulence factors of six Cronobacter sakazakii strains isolated from powdered milk, identifying different sequence types and resistance genes. Some strains demonstrated high adherence and invasion abilities, while the cpa gene was not detected. Various virulence and resistance genes, as well as plasmids, were identified through whole-genome sequencing. Additionally, CRISPR matrices were observed in all strains, enhancing decision-making for health authorities to protect public health.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Xue Qin, Yitian Wang, Hongxuan Li, Xinyan Yang, Zhenghui Wang, Qing Chen, Chaoxin Man, Yujun Jiang
Summary: A visual detection strategy based on DNAzyme and asymmetry recombinase polymerase amplification (aRPA) was developed for monitoring Cronobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula (PIF). The method showed low limits of detection and good stability in on-site simulation evaluation.
Article
Virology
Yuan-Song Zhang, Lei Yuan, Fedrick C. Mgomi, Cao-Wei Chen, Yang Wang, Zhen-Quan Yang, Xin-an Jiao
Summary: In this study, four virulent phages that can infect C. sakazakii were isolated from sewage samples, and their biological and genomic characteristics were analyzed. The phages belonged to the Ackermannviridae family and showed high replication capacity and stability. They have great potential as additives in dairy products to counter C. sakazakii.
Article
Immunology
Katie Phair, Sonia Gonsalves Pereira, Carmel Kealey, Seamus Fanning, Damien B. Brady
Summary: Cronobacter species enhance their virulence through various mechanisms during survival in the environment, infection of hosts, and persistence inside hosts. Cronobacter sakazakii is associated with fatal infections in populations such as neonates and infants.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenbo Xu, Ziqi Liu, Thanapop Soteyome, Jingjing Hua, Liang Zhang, Lei Yuan, Yanrui Ye, Zhao Cai, Liang Yang, Ling Chen, Janette M. Harro, Birthe Veno Kjellerup, Junyan Liu, Yanyan Li
Summary: The study investigated the transcriptional regulation of the Cronobacter sakazakii pmrA mutant during biofilm formation, revealing important genes involved in different stages of biofilm formation.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lingli Luo, Lanhua Yi, Jiaxin Chen, Bianfang Liu, Xin Lu
Summary: Bacteriocin BM1157 inhibits Gram-negative bacteria by disrupting their metabolic processes, inhibiting biofilm formation, and ultimately causing cell death.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yufei Fan, Ping Li, Dongdong Zhu, Chumin Zhao, Jingbo Jiao, Xuemeng Ji, Xinjun Du
Summary: This study aims to elucidate the precise roles of the ESA_00986 gene in C. sakazakii by generating gene knockout mutants and complementary strains. The results showed that the ESA_00986 gene plays a positive role in biofilm formation, cell adhesion and invasion, and virulence, demonstrating it as a novel virulence factor and advancing our understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of C. sakazakii.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yan Ma, Yingying Zhang, Zhongguo Shan, Xin Wang, Xiaodong Xia
Summary: The study investigated the impact of PhoP/PhoQ two component system on biofilm formation in Cronobacter sakazakii BAA-894. Results showed that the system played crucial roles in regulating gene expression, cell viability, and extracellular polymeric substance content, suggesting it as a potential target for controlling biofilms.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Dongdong Zhu, Yufei Fan, Xiaoyi Wang, Ping Li, Yaping Huang, Jingbo Jiao, Chumin Zhao, Yue Li, Shuo Wang, Xinjun Du
Summary: The GroEL protein of C. sakazakii plays a crucial role in the bacterium's adaptation to dry and high-temperature environments, and can induce a strong immune response. It is found both inside and outside the bacterial cells and has virulent effects, including adhesion and invasion of host cells.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Haoran Wang, Yulu Li, Zhuo Li, Run Ma, Xiangyang Bai, Xiangjun Zhan, Kunyao Luo, Ruiying Su, Xuejiao Li, Xiaodong Xia, Chao Shi
Summary: This study found that Litsea cubeba essential oil (LC-EO) has antimicrobial activity against Cronobacter sakazakii strains, and its mechanism involves increasing reactive oxygen species production, compromising cell membrane integrity, and causing cellular damage. Additionally, LC-EO effectively inhibited C. sakazakii biofilms and showed potential as a natural antimicrobial agent in the dairy industry.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Rajni Chauhan, Savita Kumari, Gunjan Goel, Wamik Azmi
Summary: This study determined the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of six organic acids and various chemicals against C. sakazakii. The combination of malic acid with NaOCl showed the highest efficacy in inhibiting biofilm formation. The findings suggest that this combination has a synergistic effect and may be useful in eradicating C. sakazakii biofilms.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jae-Ik Lee, Sang-Soon Kim, Dong-Hyun Kang
Summary: In this study, the effect of desiccation stress on the transcriptomic and phenotypic changes of Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC 29544 was investigated. The addition of glucose or lactose to the growth medium induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and altered the membrane lipids, making C. sakazakii more susceptible to lipid oxidation. The transcriptome and phenotype of C. sakazakii were found to be influenced by the nutritional materials used to cultivate the pathogen.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Jing Yang, Haiyan Long, Ya Hu, Yu Feng, Alan McNally, Zhiyong Zong
Summary: Klebsiella oxytoca is a complex of nine species that can cause various infections and is increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics, posing a potential threat to human health.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Qingqing Fang, Yu Feng, Alan McNally, Zhiyong Zong
Summary: Fang et al. identified two previously unidentified phages that can inhibit the growth and decrease the virulence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). They also found that CRKP can develop phage resistance but can still be eliminated in a mouse intestinal colonization model, highlighting the potential of phage therapy as a treatment against drug-resistant pathogens.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Fiona Ashford, Angus Best, Steven J. Dunn, Zahra Ahmed, Henna Siddiqui, Jordan Melville, Samuel Wilkinson, Jeremy Mirza, Nicola Cumley, Joanne Stockton, Jack Ferguson, Lucy Wheatley, Elizabeth Ratcliffe, Anna Casey, Tim Plant, Joshua Quick, Alex Richter, Nicholas Loman, Alan McNally
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Laura Carrilero, Steven J. J. Dunn, Robert A. A. Moran, Alan McNally, Michael A. A. Brockhurst
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)
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
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.
Review
Microbiology
Jeroen Geurtsen, Mark de Been, Eveline Weerdenburg, Aldert Zomer, Alan McNally, Jan Poolman
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive analysis of Escherichia coli from historical, clinical, and genetic perspectives. It discusses the impact on human health, genome characteristics, as well as the acquisition and maintenance of antibiotic resistance and virulence traits. The article also summarizes the current state of vaccine development targeted at E. coli pathotypes and advocates for streamlining clinical reporting of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ya Hu, Robert A. Moran, Grace A. Blackwell, Alan McNally, Zhiyong Zong
Summary: We examined the evolution of FII-33 plasmids and provided resources for their classification. Plasmid cointegration events were found to be common and have effects on plasmid host range, stability, and horizontal transfer ability.