Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Sa'ed H. Zyoud
Summary: This study provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive data on the trends in publications related to C.difficile infection. The number of published papers on this topic has significantly increased in the past decade. The United States is one of the countries with the highest publication rate. The study identifies three clusters of research areas, including illness spectrum and severity, laboratory diagnosis and characterization, and risk factors for C.difficile infection.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Vered Schechner, Noga Fallach, Tali Braun, Elizabeth Temkin, Yehuda Carmeli
Summary: Hospital-acquired diarrhoea and Clostridioides difficile infection may be triggered by antibiotic use. The study found that any antibiotic treatment increased the risk of diarrhoea and infection, and efforts should focus on reducing overall antibiotic use and shortening exposure duration.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Ibrahim A. Al-Zahrani
Summary: Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection is a global threat to many healthcare settings. Excessive use of antimicrobials, lack of optimal antibiotic policies, and suboptimal infection control practices have fueled the development of this health issue. Prudent use of antimicrobials and simple infection control measures can significantly reduce infection rates.
SAUDI MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Vanessa Lang, Katrin Gunka, Jan Rudolf Ortlepp, Ortrud Zimmermann, Uwe Gross
Summary: Nosocomial infections with Clostridioides difficile have emerged as a serious health threat. This study aimed to identify risk factors for C. difficile infection beyond the well-known factors. It found that regular consumption of proton pump inhibitors, low vegetable intake, and the use of the diuretic agent torasemid were additional risk factors for CDI.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jeffrey Scott Weese, Nathan Slovis, Joyce Rousseau
Summary: This study longitudinally evaluated Clostridium difficile shedding in neonatal foals and mares in a referral hospital neonatal intensive care unit. The results showed Clostridium difficile was isolated from 25% of samples, with at least one positive sample in 40% of foals and 31% of mares. Various ribotypes were identified, with ribotype 078 predominating.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Peng An Khun, Long Duc Phi, Phuong Thi Pham, Ha Thi Thu Nguyen, Quyen Thi Huyen Vu, Deirdre A. Collins, Thomas V. Riley
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence, molecular epidemiology, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridioides difficile in children with diarrhea in Vietnam. The results showed a high prevalence of C. difficile, but a comparatively low proportion of toxigenic strains.
Article
Microbiology
Peng An Khun, Long Duc Phi, Huong Thi Thu Bui, Deirdre A. Collins, Thomas V. Riley
Summary: This study evaluated the epidemiology, molecular characteristics, and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. difficile isolated from adults with diarrhoea in Vietnam. The overall prevalence of C. difficile was 15.1%, with 9.8% being toxigenic strains and 6.3% being non-toxigenic strains. The prevalence of multidrug resistance was 27.3%. Rating: 8 out of 10.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Enrico Bentivegna, Giuliano Alessio, Valerio Spuntarelli, Michelangelo Luciani, Iolanda Santino, Maurizio Simmaco, Paolo Martelletti
Summary: The study found a significant decrease in healthcare-associated C. difficile infection incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that measures to prevent microorganism transmission can effectively reduce such infections and related costs.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jody Lawrence, Nicholas Kitchin, Annaliesa S. Anderson, Michael W. Pride, Kathrin U. Jansen, William C. Gruber, Yahong Peng, Kevin Yi, Charles Knirsch, Chris Webber
Summary: Two phase 1/phase 2 studies assessed the investigational bivalent Clostridioides difficile vaccine in healthy adults 50-85 years of age, with both formulations demonstrating robust immunogenicity. However, both studies were stopped early due to grade 3 injection site redness postdose 2 of the day regimen. Instead, an aluminum hydroxide-containing formulation of the vaccine candidate that was safe and immunogenic in phase 1 and 2 studies advanced to phase 3 studies.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Robert J. Brown, Michelle Raabe, Louise D. McCullough, Liang Zhu, Reena Chokshi
Summary: This study found a low incidence of CDI in stroke patients, with the highest rate in SAH patients. Male sex and steroid use were associated with a positive CDI result, and leukocytosis and fever occurred in less than half of infected patients. CDI did not impact outcome measures.
Article
Agronomy
Amanda Nadia Diniz, Diogo Soares Goncalves Cruz, Carolina Pantuzza Ramos, Carlos Augusto Oliveira Junior, Isabella Caixeta Winter, Jorge Tiburcio Barbosa de Lima, Armando de Mattos Carvalho, Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato, Rodrigo Otavio Silveira Silva
Summary: Clostridioides difficile is a major pathogen causing antibiotic-related diarrhea in humans and horses, with potential transmission from animals to humans. This study in Brazil described six cases of equine CDI, with most cases developing after antimicrobial therapy and some cases co-infected with Salmonella. All animals recovered after metronidazole treatment, and the isolates showed susceptibility to metronidazole and vancomycin.
Article
Microbiology
Carolina Pantuzza Ramos, Amanda Nadia Diniz, Suzana Martins Leite, Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato, Silvia Trindade Pereira, Mario Cesar Renno, Eliane de Oliveira Ferreira, Rodrigo Otavio Silveira Silva
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of an immunochromatographic test for detecting GDH in diagnosing Clostridium difficile infection in dogs. The GDH detection showed high sensitivity and negative predictive value, suggesting it could serve as an effective diagnostic method.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sujani Yadlapati, Simone A. Jarrett, Kevin B. Lo, Jamie Sweet, Thomas A. Judge
Summary: The study investigated the incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that CDI rates were higher during the peak periods of COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 time periods. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the overall rates of CDI across years or time periods.
CUREUS JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Fabio S. Mendonca, Mauricio A. Navarro, Francisco A. Uzal
Summary: Retrospective study on 90 cases of equine enterocolitis caused by 5 prevalent agents showed differences in gross and microscopic pathology, with more severe lesions in cases of Clostridioides difficile and Clostridium perfringens. Pseudomembranes were commonly observed in affected intestines, while thrombosis was more prevalent in Paeniclostridium sordellii cases. Overall, the specificity of gross and microscopic lesions for distinguishing these etiologies was limited.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sunita Mangesh Bhatawadekar, Lata Satish Yadav, Aishwarya Babu, Meera Sujeet Modak
Summary: This study aims to understand the prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidities associated with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in a tertiary care hospital in Western India. The study found that patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, systemic hypertension, autoimmune diseases, or malignancy were more likely to have CDI. Avoiding antibiotics prone to causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program, following proper infection control practices, and conducting epidemiological surveillance of CDI are important for reducing the burden of CDI in the country.
JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amel Sami, Imad Elimairi, C. Anthony Ryan, R. Paul Ross, Catherine Stanton
Summary: This study investigates the impact of the smokeless tobacco product Toombak on the body's cortisol response and analyzes the psycho-dependency level of Toombak users. The results show that Toombak users have significantly lower hair cortisol levels compared to non-users, and they exhibit high levels of psycho-dependency and nicotine tolerance.
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
Medicine, General & Internal
Claire Magner, Dominic Jenkins, Fatma Koc, Mong Hoi Tan, Molly O'Toole, Jordan Boyle, Niamh Maguire, Sophie Duignan, Kiera Murphy, Paul Ross, Catherine Stanton, Colin J. McMahon
Summary: This study aims to investigate the gut microbiota and urine metabolome of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery. Stool and urine samples, as well as demographic and clinical data, will be collected and analyzed using shotgun metagenome sequencing and urine metabolomic analysis. The impact of various factors on the gut microbiota and metabolome will be explored by comparing the data with a control group of healthy infants. This study is of great importance for understanding the effects of early surgery on the gut microbiota in infants.
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Aoibhin Ryan, Pratikkumar Patel, Poonam Ratrey, Paula M. O'Connor, Julie O'Sullivan, R. Paul Ross, Colin Hill, Sarah P. Hudson
Summary: Chronic wounds have a global impact and their healing is being hindered by antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections like MRSA. A study proposes the use of a lacticin 3147 solid lipid nanoparticle gel as a topical treatment for S. aureus and MRSA wound infections. Encapsulation of lacticin 3147 into solid lipid nanoparticles improved its physicochemical properties and resulted in a long-lasting gel with increased activity against S. aureus.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Colin Buttimer, Ekaterina V. Khokhlova, Lisa Stein, Cara M. Hueston, Bianca Govi, Lorraine A. Draper, R. Paul Ross, Andrey N. Shkoporov, Colin Hill
Summary: This study isolates and characterizes six bacteriophages that can infect Ruminococcus gnavus, a gut microbe associated with inflammatory bowel disease. The phages have a temperate lifestyle and can coexist with the host bacterium without causing a significant reduction in its abundance. Analysis of gut virome data reveals a high abundance of these phages in individuals with IBD. This work provides insight into the interaction between phages and R. gnavus in the human gut microbiome.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Susan Mills, Bo Yang, Graeme J. Smith, Catherine Stanton, R. Paul Ross
Summary: The colonization of Bifidobacterium in the neonatal gut highlights its significance to human health. Bifidobacterium longum is the most abundant species during early stages, but its levels decrease with age and in certain diseases. Research has revealed that B. longum produces bioactive molecules and can impact immune responses in various parts of the body. This review emphasizes the biological and clinical impacts of B. longum throughout different stages of human life, suggesting the need for further research and clinical trials to explore its potential in treating and preventing diseases.
Article
Microbiology
Ivan Sugrue, Daragh Hill, Paula M. O'Connor, Li Day, Catherine Stanton, Colin Hill, R. Paul Ross
Summary: This study describes a new variant of nisin, nisin E, produced by Streptococcus equinus strains isolated from sheep milk. The genome sequencing and analysis revealed similarities to nisin U, but with a unique rearrangement of the core peptide encoding gene. Nisin E showed antimicrobial activity against Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Clostridiodes, and was immune to nisin U. The discovery of nisin E suggests its central role in the competitive nature of S. equinus.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Eleni Kamilari, Catherine Stanton, F. Jerry Reen, R. Paul Ross
Summary: This review highlights the biotechnological importance of the filamentous yeast-like fungus Geotrichum candidum, which is widely used as a starter in the dairy industry. The study found that aside from its role in the dairy and brewing industries, G. candidum has potential as a probiotic nutritional supplement in fish. Additionally, this species produces various biotechnologically important enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, and has bioremediation capabilities.
Article
Pediatrics
David B. Healy, Benjamin Campbell-Green, Vicki Livingstone, C. Anthony Ryan, R. Paul Ross, Catherine Stanton, Eugene M. Dempsey
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined outcome of death and/or severe grade necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in very preterm infants before and after the introduction of routine supplementation with Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotics. The results showed a reduction in the composite outcome of severe grade NEC and/or death after the introduction of routine administration of probiotics.
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
Medicine, General & Internal
David Healy, Shuo Wang, Ghjuvan Grimaud, Alicja Katarzyna Warda, Paul Ross, Catherine Stanton, Eugene M. Dempsey
Summary: This study aims to investigate the changes in microbiome during the admission of preterm infants and examine the relationship between these changes and different management practices, such as the use of antibiotics, advancement of feeds, and administration of probiotics.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Lauren Walsh, Colin Hill, R. Paul Ross
Summary: This review focuses on the potential effect of glyphosate exposure on the composition and functionality of the gut microbiome, highlighting the significance of gut microbiota to health.
Review
Microbiology
Des Field, Miguel Fernandez de Ullivarri, R. Paul Ross, Colin Hill
Summary: Nisin, a highly post-translationally modified peptide, has been extensively studied over the past 100 years. While it has been used successfully as a food preservative, its potent activity against multidrug resistant microbes and potential for therapeutic use in treating bacterial infections has shifted the focus of research towards its biomedical applications. Recent developments have shed light on the biosynthesis, cellular location, and genetic regulation of nisin, and there is growing interest in its potential role in influencing the microbiome and in bioengineering novel variants for biomedical applications.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Xinqi Chen, Yang Chen, Catherine Stanton, Reynolds Paul Ross, Jianxin Zhao, Wei Chen, Bo Yang
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the dose-response effect of Bifidobacterium breve CCFM683 on relieving psoriasis and its underlying patterns. Specifically, the expression of keratin 16, keratin 17, and involucrin were substantially decreased by specific doses of the probiotic. Moreover, the gut microbiota in mice treated with the probiotic was rebalanced and the concentrations of colonic bile acids were positively correlated with the effectiveness of the strain in relieving psoriasis.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Kexue Chen, Xingya Zhou, Jianxin Zhao, R. Paul Ross, Catherine Stanton, Wei Chen, Bo Yang
Summary: This study explores the genetic diversity and functional gene features of L. johnsonii through comparative genomic analysis. The results show that L. johnsonii can be classified into two phylogenetic clusters, with differences in carbohydrate utilization genes, bacteriocin operon, extracellular polysaccharide gene cluster, and bile salt hydrolase encoding genes between the clusters.
