Article
Microbiology
Akuzike Kalizang'oma, Brenda Kwambana-Adams, Jia Mun Chan, Aishwarya Viswanath, Andrea Gori, Damien Richard, Keith A. Jolley, John Lees, David Goldblatt, Sandra Beleza, Stephen D. Bentley, Robert S. Heyderman, Chrispin Chaguza
Summary: Researchers developed a MLST scheme and defined sequence clusters of S. mitis using global genome data. The schemes captured extensive diversity and potential transmission events among healthy individuals. These tools offer a standardized approach for understanding the population structure of S. mitis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mingzhu Li, Haiyan Xu, Yuqi Tian, Youkun Zhang, Xinan Jiao, Dan Gu
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence and characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in freshwater food and found that it was more common in freshwater food than in seafood. The isolates from freshwater food showed higher motility and lower biofilm-forming capacity compared to seafood isolates. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that the same sequence type was found in freshwater food and clinical samples, indicating a potential link between V. parahaemolyticus-contaminated freshwater food and clinical cases.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Cassandra Eibl, Martina Baumgartner, Verena Urbantke, Michael Sigmund, Katharina Lichtmannsperger, Thomas Wittek, Joachim Spergser
Summary: This report identifies a farmyard cat as the main source of Streptococcus canis infection leading to mastitis in dairy cows. Simultaneous treatment and improvements in management and hygiene practices resulted in positive outcomes.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Chuncai Liang, Huan Cui, Ligong Chen, Hailong Zhang, Cheng Zhang, Juxiang Liu
Summary: This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance and prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in broiler chickens in Hebei Province. The results showed that ampicillin resistance was the highest, while meropenem resistance was the lowest. There was a serious problem of multidrug resistance in both types of broiler farms.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yury Ilinsky, Mary Demenkova, Roman Bykov, Alexander Bugrov
Summary: The study investigated Wolbachia in Acrididae insects collected in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and Japan, finding a high incidence and low genetic diversity of Wolbachia in these hosts. The majority of infections belonged to supergroups B and F, with only a single case of an inter-supergroup recombinant haplotype involving supergroup A. Overall, the genetic diversity of Wolbachia within supergroups B and F in Acrididae hosts was found to be extremely low.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jifeng Zeng, Yu Wang, Lixia Fan, Nuo Yang, Jiwen Pan, Yu Han, Xin Wang, Qian Li, Guiying Guo, Jiping Zheng, Weixin Zeng
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology, genotypes, and phenotypes of Streptococcus associated with bovine subclinical mastitis in Hainan, China. Results showed that environmental S. uberis plays a significant role in causing subclinical mastitis in Hainan, with distinct MLST, virulence, and antibiotic resistance characteristics.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Antonella Migliaccio, James Bray, Michele Intoccia, Maria Stabile, Giovanni Scala, Keith A. Jolley, Sylvain Brisse, Raffaele Zarrilli
Summary: This study evaluated the classification consistency and discriminatory power of different typing methods using a large database of non-baumannii Acinetobacter genomes.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Pao-Yu Chen, Yu-Chung Chuang, Jann-Tay Wang, Wang-Huei Sheng, Yee-Chun Chen, Shan-Chwen Chang
Summary: The study revealed the increasing prevalence of ST8/USA300 MRSA bacteremia in Asia, primarily in community settings. Patients with ST8/USA300 bacteremia had higher rates of diabetes, were more likely to come from long-term care facilities, and often had skin and soft tissue infections as their primary focus. Long-term surveillance is recommended to monitor the dissemination and pathogenicity of ST8/USA300 MRSA.
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhendong Zhang, Yun Dong, Fanshu Xiang, Yurong Wang, Qiangchuan Hou, Hui Ni, Wenchao Cai, Wenhui Liu, Shaoyong Yang, Zhuang Guo
Summary: This study evaluates the genetic diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from fermentation pit mud (FPM) and identifies Lacticaseibacillus paracasei as the dominant species in FPM, with high ethanol tolerance and intraspecific diversity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Alicia C. Bertolotti, Eva Forsgren, Marc O. Schaefer, Fabrice Sircoulomb, Nicolas Gaiani, Magali Ribiere-Chabert, Laurianne Paris, Pierrick Lucas, Claire de Boisseson, Joakim Skarin, Marie-Pierre Riviere
Summary: This study introduces a standardized and robust cgMLST scheme for typing P. larvae, which allows for high-resolution differentiation and successful outbreak tracking. Compared to traditional MLST methods, cgMLST can provide finer differentiation of samples and maintains high stability and standardization for sharing results and methods across different laboratories.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Polly Soo Xi Yap, Noorfatin Jihan Zulkefli, Prasanna Subramaniam, Pik San Sit, Zhi Xian Kong, Chun Wie Chong, Kumutha Malar Vellasamy, Vanitha Mariappan, Sasheela Ponnampalavanar, Jamuna Vadivelu
Summary: The study conducted MLST analysis on B. pseudomallei strains in Malaysia, revealing a high diversity of sequence types and indicating localized evolution giving rise to new STs, with host and environmental factors playing a crucial role in the evolutionary changes of B. pseudomallei.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lixia Yuan, Xueling Zhang, Baolong Luo, Xu Li, Fengwei Tian, Wenli Yan, Yongqing Ni
Summary: The maternal gut is the main source of potential probiotic bacteria in the infant gut. The composition and number of Lactobacillus species vary between ethnic groups, with strict vertical transmission of Lactobacillus strains observed. Strains from the same ethnic group are more likely to have similar metabolic profiles, supporting the hypothesis of ethnic specificity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ichiro Yoneda, Ulya Nur Rozanah, Masateru Nishiyama, Hasika Mith, Toru Watanabe
Summary: The presence of Escherichia coli contamination, including diarrheagenic and antimicrobial-resistant strains, was investigated in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia. The floating villages were found to have significantly higher E. coli concentrations compared to other lake sites and rivers, especially during the low-water season. The study highlighted the considerable infection risk in the floating villages, particularly during the low-water season.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jiang Cao, Wenyin Liu, Ruolan Liliu, Jianxin Zhao, Hao Zhang, Wei Chen, Qixiao Zhai
Summary: Bacillus coagulans isolates showed high diversity and weak clonal population structure, with indications of intraspecies recombination. B. coagulans-39 exhibited significant constipation relief by regulating intestinal flora, increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids, and restoring the level of gastrointestinal regulatory peptides.
FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN WELLNESS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kiyoharu Fukushima, Yuki Matsumoto, Takanori Matsuki, Haruko Saito, Daisuke Motooka, Sho Komukai, Eriko Fukui, June Yamuchi, Tadayoshi Nitta, Takayuki Niitsu, Yuko Abe, Hiroshi Nabeshima, Yasuharu Nagahama, Takuro Nii, Kazuyuki Tsujino, Keisuke Miki, Seigo Kitada, Atsushi Kumanogoh, Shizuo Akira, Shota Nakamura, Hiroshi Kida
Summary: To determine the treatment strategy for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease, a simplified workflow involving direct sequencing of mycobacterial cultures was developed. The direct MGIT-seq method achieved accurate identification of species and subspecies as well as detection of drug resistance, making it a valuable tool for clinical practice.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
John A. Crump, Kate M. Thomas, Jackie Benschop, Matthew A. Knox, David A. Wilkinson, Anne C. Midwinter, Peninah Munyua, John B. Ochieng, Godfrey M. Bigogo, Jennifer R. Verani, Marc-Alain Widdowson, Gerard Prinsen, Sarah Cleaveland, Esron D. Karimuribo, Rudovick R. Kazwala, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Emanuel S. Swai, Nigel P. French, Ruth N. Zadoks
Summary: The study found that some clades of Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 in East Africa may be an important source of human infection through the meat pathway, while human infection by Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 does not occur through the meat pathway. Further research on other sources of nontyphoidal Salmonella disease in East Africa is needed.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anastasia N. Tellis, Sam M. Rowe, Ronald Coilparampil, Cheryl Jenkins, Andrew Dart, Ruth N. Zadoks, Corey D. Regnerus, Katrina L. Bosward
Summary: This study evaluated three testing methods for detecting C. burnetii infection in alpacas, with results showing that immunofluorescence assay (IFA) may be the most appropriate method for use in alpacas. Different testing methods had varying specificity and sensitivity, with low positive predictive values.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gianluigi Rossi, Joseph Crispell, Tanis Brough, Samantha J. Lycett, Piran C. L. White, Adrian Allen, Richard J. Ellis, Stephen Gordon, Roland Harwood, Eleftheria Palkopoulou, Eleanor L. Presho, Robin Skuce, Graham C. Smith, Rowland R. Kao
Summary: Understanding how emergent pathogens establish and persist in new populations is crucial for disease ecology. This study analyzed the outbreak dynamics of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle and badgers in a low-risk area, using mathematical modeling, evolutionary analyses, and machine learning. The findings not only supported initial outbreak control decisions based on whole-genome sequencing but also provided insights for future outbreaks control and rapid decision-making based on evidence. The methods developed are valuable for other slowly transmitting pathogens as well.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ruth N. Zadoks, Gary C. Barker, Jackie Benschop, Kathryn J. Allan, Gemma Chaters, Sarah Cleaveland, John A. Crump, Margaret A. Davis, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Gerard Prinsen, Kate M. Thomas, Linda Waldman, Nigel P. French
Summary: East Africa, particularly Moshi, Tanzania, is a hotspot for foodborne diseases such as NTS along the beef supply chain. The study's mathematical model identified environmental contamination as the primary source of NTS in meat for human consumption. The model provides a framework for evaluating the origin and propagation of NTS, aiding in decision-making for interventions to reduce risks to consumers.
Review
Ecology
Dennis N. Makau, Samantha Lycett, Matthew Michalska-Smith, Igor A. D. Paploski, Maxim C-J Cheeran, Meggan E. Craft, Rowland R. Kao, Declan C. Schroeder, Andrea Doeschl-Wilson, Kimberly VanderWaal
Summary: Interactions among co-circulating viral strains in host populations have significant implications for virus transmission dynamics and can be influenced by host immune responses and strain fitness. This review highlights the importance of studying multi-strain dynamics from ecological and evolutionary perspectives and provides an overview of the scales at which these dynamics occur. The review also summarizes various approaches, including immunological, phylogenetic, and mathematical modeling, used to quantify interactions among strains and explores the influence of host-pathogen interactions on pathogen coexistence. Outstanding questions and knowledge gaps in the field of multi-strain virus dynamics are discussed, with a focus on opportunities for future work.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Chiara Crestani, Dinah Seligsohn, Taya L. Forde, Ruth N. Zadoks
Summary: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is not only found in humans and neonates, but also affects animals, with significant impacts on health and productivity. In this study, GBS from one-humped camels in East Africa were analyzed, revealing a monophyletic Glade sublineage (SL)609. Capsular types IV and VI were over-represented in camel GBS compared to other host species. Genomic islands containing camel-associated genes, including those involved in metal and carbohydrate utilization, were identified. Lactose fermentation genes were found to be associated with milk isolates, although less prevalent in camel GBS compared to bovine GBS. The presence of a phage with high identity to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus suis suggests lateral gene transfer between GBS and bacterial species not previously described in camels. The evolution of camel GBS combines host restriction with the sharing of accessory genome content across different pathogen and host species.
Review
Veterinary Sciences
R. N. Zadoks, E. Scholz, S. M. Rowe, J. M. Norris, H. B. Pooley, J. House
Summary: There are many culture-based diagnostics available for on-farm detection of bacterial pathogens in milk, which may help improve antimicrobial use in udder health management. However, farms have limited diagnostic microbiology capacity. The World Health Organisation has established criteria called ASSURED for evaluating diagnostic tests in low-resource settings, and this article reviews how these criteria can be applied to the diagnosis of mastitis pathogens and the performance of on-farm diagnostics in Australia. The evaluation reveals trade-offs and highlights the importance of considering the specific needs and characteristics of each farm.
AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Derek T. Elsby, Ruth N. Zadoks, Kenneth Boyd, Nuno Silva, Margo Chase-Topping, Mairi C. Mitchel, Carol Currie, Mark A. Taggart
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a recognized threat to global health. This study examined the prevalence of AMR Escherichia coli in fecal samples from deer in Scotland and investigated potential risk factors associated with AMR occurrence. The results showed that resistant E. coli strains were present in wild deer populations, with different risk factors influencing resistance phenotypes and deer species. However, overall, resistance to critically important antimicrobials was found to be low, suggesting no immediate cause for concern regarding human health. Therefore, wild deer in Scotland could serve as a sentinel species for AMR surveillance in the Scottish environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Patricia B. A. Simoes, Lorenzo Viora, Pieter T. T. Pepler, Timothy Geraghty, Dominic J. J. McCafferty, Ruth N. N. Zadoks
Summary: Mastitis, which is a common disease among dairy cattle, can be overlooked in heifers. A study found that measuring udder surface temperature can help detect mastitis early. The research showed that a single thermal image can be used to scan the entire udder of primigravid heifers in a simple and safe way.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shazia Bashir, Nguyen Ngoc N. Phuoc, Tharangani Herath, Abdul Basit, Ruth Zadoks, Sudaxshina Murdan
Summary: Intensive tilapia farming has led to the emergence of novel pathogens, including Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) which caused the first outbreak of foodborne GBS illness in humans. A proof-of-concept study developed an oral vaccine that provided significant protection from GBS in tilapia, showing promise for future use against other bacterial pathogens and fish species.
Review
Fisheries
Olga L. M. Haenen, Ha Thanh Dong, Truong Dinh Hoai, Margaret Crumlish, Iddya Karunasagar, Timothy Barkham, Swaine L. Chen, Ruth Zadoks, Andreas Kiermeier, Bing Wang, Esther Garrido Gamarro, Masami Takeuchi, Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai, Belen Fouz, Rolando Pakingking, Zeng Wei Wei, Melba G. Bondad-Reantaso
Summary: Tilapia culture is a significant source of income and nutrition for rural families. However, intensification and global warming have led to bacterial disease outbreaks in tilapia farms, threatening sustainable production. This review provides an overview of common and emerging bacterial pathogens, diseases, diagnostics, and the risks of antimicrobial resistance in tilapia.
REVIEWS IN AQUACULTURE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wanna Sirimanapong, Nguyen Ngoc Phuoc, Chiara Crestani, Swaine Chen, Ruth N. Zadoks
Summary: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major pathogen in humans and aquatic species, and the ST283 sequence type has been identified as the cause of severe foodborne GBS disease in healthy adults in Southeast Asia. The distribution of potentially human-pathogenic GBS in aquaculture species is poorly known, and further research is needed.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
S. Rowe, C. Cunningham, L. Ingenhoff, J. M. Norris, R. N. Zadoks
Summary: This study aimed to determine the presence of MRSA, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and VRE in bulk tank milk in NSW, Australia. No samples tested positive for these antimicrobial resistant organisms, indicating a low prevalence in dairy herds in NSW.
AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anthony J. Wood, Rowland R. Kao
Summary: A critical factor in infectious disease control is the risk of overwhelming local healthcare capacity. The timing and size of peak demand depend on the interval between infection and development of severe disease. Modelling interval distributions is important for understanding hospital admissions and healthcare demand. Evaluating the risk of severe outcomes following COVID-19 infection can help in retrospective modeling. The article proposes interval distributions for COVID-19 cases and severe outcomes, providing valuable information for healthcare planning. Overall, this research is important for healthcare preparedness and response. Rating: 8/10.