Article
Immunology
Neamati Foroogh, Moniri Rezvan, Khorshidi Ahmad, Saffari Mahmood
Summary: This study is the first brief and effective review of issues related to the fimH adhesin, focusing on its structure, conformational changes, and potential applications in novel treatments for urinary tract infections.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher J. Day, Alvin W. Lo, Lauren E. Hartley-Tassell, M. Pilar Argente, Jessica Poole, Nathan P. King, Joe Tiralongo, Michael P. Jennings, Mark A. Schembri
Summary: This study focused on dissecting the receptor specificity of different CU fimbriae in Escherichia coli using a glycan array analysis approach with whole-bacterial-cell surface plasmon resonance. The research revealed new information on fimbrial specificity and provided a rapid and scalable system to define novel adhesin-glycan interactions underlying bacterial colonization and disease. The findings contribute to a better understanding of bacterial adhesion mechanisms and offer a promising strategy to combat antibiotic resistance through blocking adhesion.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Leila Mousavifar, Meysam Sarshar, Clarisse Bridot, Daniela Scribano, Cecilia Ambrosi, Anna Teresa Palamara, Gerard Vergoten, Benoit Roubinet, Ludovic Landemarre, Julie Bouckaert, Rene Roy
Summary: A small library of FimH antagonists based on previously described C-linked allyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside was synthesized. Two new members with sub nanomolar affinity were identified and shown to have improved binding compared to previously published analogs. The crystal structure of FimH co-crystallized with one of the antagonists revealed its binding mode, and the antagonists were effective in decreasing bacterial adhesion to human bladder epithelial cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun-Young Park, Cheorl-Ho Kim, Seung-Hak Cho
Summary: In this study, we developed a FimH inhibitor to prevent adhesion of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli on human intestinal epithelium during the early stage of infection. By investigating the ligand binding domain of FimH and analyzing its evolutionary characteristics, we identified a potential drug target and found that glycan-like peptides can serve as initial infection inhibitors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Elizabeth A. McMillan, Ly-Huong T. Nguyen, Lari M. Hiott, Poonam Sharma, Charlene R. Jackson, Jonathan G. Frye, Chin-Yi Chen
Summary: Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli, important human pathogens carrying antibiotic resistance genes on plasmids, were found to mobilize different types of kanamycin resistance Col plasmids with varying efficiencies. The study highlighted the complexities and specificities of individual small plasmid mobilization, showing that not all conjugative plasmid types were capable of mobilizing all of the KanR plasmids.
Article
Microbiology
Steven Dunn, Laura Carrilero, Michael Brockhurst, Alan McNally
Summary: The study found that different E. coli strains vary in their ability to acquire and maintain MDR plasmids, with highly strain-specific transcriptional responses observed following plasmid acquisition. However, the subtle transcriptional responses consistent across all strains suggest that fitness costs arising from transcriptional disruption are unlikely to act as a barrier to dissemination of this MDR plasmid in E. coli.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jianxin Hu, Lin Chen, Guihua Li, Yu Pan, Yixing Lu, Jin Chen, Wenguang Xiong, Zhenling Zeng
Summary: This study investigated the epidemiology of fosB-positive Staphylococcus aureus in waterfowl farms in the Pearl River tributaries in Guangdong Province, China in 2020. The results showed that duck farm environment-derived strains contained the oxazolidinone drug resistance gene optrA, and fosB-positive S. aureus from humans and ducks could be clustered into the same clade. The study indicated that duck farms in Guangdong could be an important reservoir of fosB-positive S. aureus, and further monitoring of drug-resistant bacteria in waterfowl farms is needed.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wendy E. Thomas, Laura Carlucci, Olga Yakovenko, Gianluca Interlandi, Isolde Le Trong, Pavel Aprikian, Pearl Magala, Lydia Larson, Yulia Sledneva, Veronika Tchesnokova, Ronald E. Stenkamp, Evgeni Sokurenko
Summary: This study reveals that the FimH protein of Escherichia coli can undergo fast and sustained allosteric activation under static, non-shear conditions, expanding the understanding of the catch bond mechanism. The activation of the lectin domain conformation occurs intrinsically at a constant rate, independent of its interaction with the pilin domain or mannose. The findings suggest that the allosteric catch bond mechanism may play a broader role in cell-pathogen attachments under various hydrodynamic conditions.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Katharina Juraschek, Janina Malekzadah, Burkhard Malorny, Annemarie Kaesbohrer, Stefan Schwarz, Diana Meemken, Jens Andre Hammerl
Summary: This study investigated the occurrence and genetic basis of the fluoroquinolone resistance enhancing determinant qnrB in ESBL-/non-ESBL-producing E. coli. The qnrB-carrying E. coli were found to be highly heterogenic in their multilocus sequence types (STs) and their phenotypic resistance profiles.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuel Ares-Arroyo, Charles Coluzzi, Eduardo P.C. Rocha
Summary: Plasmids can be transferred between cells by conjugation, driving bacterial evolution. By studying plasmids in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, we have solved the mystery of plasmid transfer mechanisms and revealed the functional dependencies between plasmids. These findings are important for understanding the evolutionary relationships of plasmids and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yujie Hu, Seamus Fanning, Scott Nguyen, Wei Wang, Chang Liu, Xinnan Cui, Yinping Dong, Xin Gan, Jin Xu, Fengqin Li
Summary: CFSA629, a MDR S. Typhimurium ST34 isolate from China, carries a novel mcr-1.19 variant on an IncHI2 plasmid, highlighting the importance of surveillance to prevent the spread of mcr genes among foodborne Salmonella. Improved surveillance is crucial in controlling the dissemination of mcr genes worldwide.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Fengzhi Liu, Ang Tian, Jingyu Wang, Yanli Zhu, Zhijing Xie, Ruihua Zhang, Shijin Jiang
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence and molecular characteristics of fosA3-harboring E. coli from ducks in Shandong province, China. The results highlighted the importance of ducks as a reservoir for multidrug-resistant fosA3-carrying E. coli.
Article
Biology
Abdulaziz Alqasim, Ahmad Abu Jaffal, Naif Almutairi, Abdullah A. Alyousef
Summary: This study found similar metabolic profiles between ST131 and non-ST131 isolates, suggesting that ST131 is not a metabolically unique clone of ExPEC. There was no association between antimicrobial resistance and metabolic capacity of ST131 isolates. Although higher metabolic activity was observed in H30 subclone compared to non -H30 isolates, there were few significant differences between these subclones. Conducting whole-genome studies on ST131 and its main subclones is essential to understand the genetic factors contributing to the success of specific ST131 subclones.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Yan Li, Panpan Wang, Xia Xiao, Ruichao Li, Zhiqiang Wang
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of tet(X4) in slaughterhouses and found that it was widespread and dominated by E. coli. Genome analysis revealed the transmission of tet(X4) was mainly mediated by plasmids, and an IncX1 plasmid carrying more resistance genes was identified. The findings suggest that slaughterhouses are important sources and transmission hotspots of tet(X4), highlighting the need for large-scale surveillance and interventions to prevent its transmission.
VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Julian A. Paganini, Nienke L. Plantinga, Sergio Arredondo-Alonso, Rob J. L. Willems, Anita C. Schurch
Summary: Infections caused by multidrug-resistant E. coli strains have increased in recent years. A study of 25 available plasmid prediction tools found that MOB-suite was the most effective in correctly reconstructing the majority of plasmids.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Raquel Garcia-Fierro, Antoine Drapeau, Melody Dazas, Estelle Saras, Carla Rodrigues, Sylvain Brisse, Jean-Yves Madec, Marisa Haenni
Summary: This study performed comparative phylogenomics on a large collection of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae recovered from companion animals in France. The results showed the transmission of K. pneumoniae clones between animals and humans, suggesting the circulation of clones at the country level.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Dimitri Loureiro, Issam Tout, Stephanie Narguet, Cheikh Mohamed Bed, Morgane Roinard, Ahmad Sleiman, Nathalie Boyer, Nathalie Pons-Kerjean, Corinne Castelnau, Nathalie Giuly, Dorothy Tonui, Vassili Soumelis, Jamel El Benna, Patrick Soussan, Richard Moreau, Valerie Paradis, Abdellah Mansouri, Tarik Asselah
Summary: This study found that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can alter liver mitochondria and lead to changes in mitochondrial function and DNA damage associated with cirrhosis and fibrosis. In vitro experiments showed that HBV replication or expression of HBV X protein can induce the production of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, as well as mitochondrial DNA damage and impairment of mitochondrial function. These findings suggest that mitochondria may be a new target for drug development to prevent fibrosis progression.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alberto Queiroz Farias, Anna Curto Vilalta, Patricia Momoyo Zitelli, Gustavo Pereira, Luciana L. Goncalves, Aldo Torre, Juan Manuel Diaz, Adrian C. Gadano, Angelo Z. Mattos, Liliana S. C. Mendes, Mario R. Alvares-da-Silva, Paulo L. Bittencourt, Carlos Benitez, Claudia Alves Couto, Manuel Mendizabal, Claudio L. Toledo, Daniel F. C. Mazo, Mauricio Castillo Barradas, Eva M. Uson Raposo, P. Martin Padilla-Machaca, Adelina Zarela Lozano Miranda, Rene Male-Velazquez, Andre Castro Lyra, Milagros B. Davalos-Moscol, Jose L. Perez Hernandez, Rafael O. Ximenes, Giovanni Faria Silva, Oscar A. Beltran-Galvis, Maria S. Gonzalez Huezo, Fernando Bessone, Tarciso D. S. Rocha, Eduardo Fassio, Carlos Terra, Juan I. Marin, Patricia Sierra Casas, Carlos de la Pena-Ramirez, Ferran Aguilar Parera, Flavia Fernandes, Maria da Penha Zago-Gomes, Osvely Mendez-Guerrero, Sebastian Marciano, Angelo A. Mattos, Joao C. Oliveira, Gabriel T. S. Guerreiro, Liana Codes, Marco Arrese, Mateus J. Nardelli, Marcelo O. Silva, Renato Palma-Fernandez, Camila Alcantara, Cristina Sanchez Garrido, Jonel Trebicka, Thierry Gustot, Javier Fernandez, Joan Claria, Rajiv Jalan, Paolo Angeli, Vicente Arroyo, Richard Moreau, ACLARA Study Collaborators
Summary: This study investigated the association of genetic ancestry and race with acute-on chronic liver failure (ACLF). The results showed that Latin American patients with higher Native American genetic ancestry and Native American race were more likely to develop ACLF. This suggests that genetic ancestry and race may be associated with the risk of ACLF.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Emmanuel Weiss, Carlos de la Pena-Ramirez, Ferran Aguilar, Juan-Jose Lozano, Cristina Sanchez-Garrido, Patricia Sierra, Pedro Izquierdo-Bueno Martin, Juan Manuel Diaz, Francois Fenaille, Florence A. Castelli, Thierry Gustot, Wim Laleman, Agustin Albillos, Carlo Alessandria, Marco Domenicali, Paolo Caraceni, Salvatore Piano, Faouzi Saliba, Stefan Zeuzem, Alexander L. Gerbes, Julia A. Wendon, Christian Jansen, Wenyi Gu, Maria Papp, Raj Mookerjee, Carmine Gabriele Gambino, Cesar Jimenez, Ilaria Giovo, Giacomo Zaccherini, Manuela Merli, Antonella Putignano, Frank Erhard Uschner, Thomas Berg, Tony Bruns, Christian Trautwein, Alexander Zipprich, Rafael Banares, Jose Presa, Joan Genesca, Victor Vargas, Javier Fernandez, Mauro Bernardi, Paolo Angeli, Rajiv Jalan, Joan Claria, Christophe Junot, Richard Moreau, Jonel Trebicka, Vicente Arroyo
Summary: This study aimed to identify metabolites associated with short-term death in patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis and design metabolomic prognostic models. Three prognostic metabolites strongly associated with death were selected and two models were built, which were found to be more accurate in predicting death within 7, 14, and 28 days compared to traditional scoring systems.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
European Assoc Study Liver, Richard Moreau, Marta Tonon, Aleksander Krag, Paolo Angeli, Marina Berenguer, Annalisa Berzigotti, Javier Fernandez, Claire Francoz, Thierry Gustot, Rajiv Jalan, Maria Papp, Jonel Trebicka
Summary: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe form of acutely decompensated cirrhosis characterized by organ system failure(s) and high short-term mortality. Patients with ACLF may benefit from liver transplantation and should be promptly stabilized for transplantation by treating identified precipitants and providing intensive care support. These guidelines aim to help clinicians recognize ACLF, make triage decisions, manage acute precipitants, support organ systems, determine futility of intensive care, and identify potential indications for liver transplantation.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Paarthiphan Elankumuran, Glenn F. Browning, Marc S. Marenda, Amanda Kidsley, Marwan Osman, Marisa Haenni, James R. Johnson, Darren J. Trott, Cameron J. Reid, Steven P. Djordjevic
Summary: ST372 is the major Escherichia coli sequence type in dogs globally and is sporadically responsible for extraintestinal infections in humans. However, it is unclear whether ST372 strains from dogs and humans represent shared or distinct populations. In this study, the authors conducted bioinformatics analyses on 407 ST372 E. coli whole-genome sequences to characterize their epidemiological features, population structure, and associated accessory genomes. The results confirm that dogs are the dominant host of ST372, with distinct clusters within the population structure exhibiting different O:H types. Evidence of transmission between dogs and humans within different clusters was also found.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Joan Claria, Vicente Arroyo, Richard Moreau
Summary: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is the most severe form of acutely decompensated cirrhosis and is characterized by intense systemic inflammation and various mechanisms that lead to organ failures, including vasodilation, neutrophil migration, microthrombi formation, hepatic encephalopathy, and energy competition.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ruben Hernaez, Hai Li, Richard Moreau, Minneke J. Coenraad
Summary: This narrative review discusses the definition of acute-on-chronic liver failure, its association with high short-term mortality in patients with chronic liver disease and/or cirrhosis, and the differences in definitions between the East and the West. Despite the variations, all definitions have clinical utility and serve different purposes. The review also provides epidemiological data to illustrate how these definitions apply in different regions.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sandra Martinez-Alvarez, Pierre Chatre, Teresa Cardona-Cabrera, Pauline Francois, Alberto Sanchez-Cano, Ursula Hofle, Myriam Zarazaga, Jean-Yves Madec, Marisa Haenni, Carmen Torres
Summary: This study aimed to characterize Escherichia coli isolates from cloacal samples of white stork nestlings, with a special focus on extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing E. coli isolates and their plasmid content. Various methods were used, including disc diffusion method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Pulsed-Field-Gel-Electrophoresis (PFGE), Southern blotting, and whole-genome sequencing, to screen for antimicrobial susceptibility, genotypic characterization, and plasmid sequencing. The study identified the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli and their plasmid characteristics.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Sana Azaiez, Marisa Haenni, Asma Ben Cheikh, Mohamed Sahbi Chalbi, Aziza Messaoudi, Lamia Tilouch, Sana Bahri, Antoine Drapeau, Estelle Saras, Mariem Mtibaa, Rania Zouaoui, Houyem Said, Jean-Yves Madec, Agnese Lupo, Wejdene Mansour
Summary: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) strains spread rapidly in hospitals, causing severe and difficult-to-treat infections. A study found a high occurrence of CRAB in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Sahloul University hospital in Tunisia. Surfaces of items and medical personnel in the ICUs were found to be potential reservoirs for CRAB strains. Patients in the ICUs were infected with CRAB strains closely related to those found in the hospital environment. Urgent hygiene measures are needed to prevent further spread of CRAB and protect the health of patients and personnel in the ICUs.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marisa Haenni, Laetitia Du Fraysseix, Pauline Francois, Antoine Drapeau, Tristan Bralet, Jean-Yves Madec, Thierry Boulinier, Olivier Duriez
Summary: This study investigated whether griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) from two populations in the French Alps carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Results showed that 11.8% of the bacteria exhibited resistance to extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), with transmission primarily occurring within the same vulture population. These findings highlight the need for measures to mitigate the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria through commensal species.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nada Elgriw, Veronique Metayer, Antoine Drapeau, Pauline Francois, Sana Azaiez, Maha Mastouri, Hajer Rhim, Adam Elzagheid, Najeeb Soufiyah, Jean-Yves Madec, Cherifa Chaouch, Wejdene Mansour, Marisa Haenni
Summary: Resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) and carbapenems is a major issue in Libyan hospitals, with the spread of high-risk clones contributing to the resistance. Different plasmids carrying corresponding genes are responsible for the resistance.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Gautam Mehta, Antonio Riva, Maria Pilar Ballester, Eva Uson, Montserrat Pujadas, Angela Carvalho-Gomes, Ivan Sahuco, Ariadna Bono, Federico D'Amico, Raffaela Vigano, Elena Diago, Beatriz Tormo Lanseros, Elvira Inglese, Dani Martinez Vazquez, Rajni Sharma, Hio Lam Phoebe Tsou, Nicola Harris, Annelotte Broekhoven, Marjolein Kikkert, Shessy P. Torres Morales, Sebenzile K. Myeni, Mar Riveiro-Barciela, Adriana Palom, Nicola Zeni, Alessandra Brocca, Annarosa Cussigh, Sara Cmet, Desamparados Escudero-Garcia, Matteo Stocco, Leonardo Antonio Natola, Donatella Ieluzzi, Veronica Paon, Angelo Sangiovanni, Elisa Farina, Clara di Benedetto, Yolanda Sanchez-Torrijos, Ana Lucena-Varela, Eva Roman, Elisabet Sanchez, Ruben Sanchez-Aldehuelo, Julia Lopez-Cardona, Itzel Canas-Perez, Christine Eastgate, Dhaarica Jeyanesan, Alejandro Esquivel Morocho, Simone Di Cola, Lucia Lapenna, Giacomo Zaccherini, Deborah Bongiovanni, Paola Zanaga, Katia Sayaf, Sabir Hossain, Javier Crespo, Mercedes Robles-Diaz, Antonio Madejon, Helena Degroote, Javier Fernandez, Marko Korenjak, Xavier Verhelst, Javier Garcia-Samaniego, Raul J. Andrade, Paula Iruzubieta, Gavin Wright, Paolo Caraceni, Manuela Merli, Vishal C. Patel, Amir Gander, Agustin Albillos, German Soriano, Maria Francesca Donato, David Sacerdoti, Pierluigi Toniutto, Maria Buti, Christophe Duvoux, Paolo Antonio Grossi, Thomas Berg, Wojciech G. Polak, Massimo Puoti, Anna Bosch-Comas, Luca Belli, Patrizia Burra, Francesco Paolo Russo, Minneke Coenraad, Jose Luis Calleja, Giovanni Perricone, Marina Berenguer, Joan Claria, Richard Moreau, Vicente Arroyo, Paolo Angeli, Cristina Sanchez, Javier Ampuero, Salvatore Piano, Shilpa Chokshi, Rajiv Jalan
Summary: This study aimed to measure humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccine among liver patients and determine the factors predicting breakthrough infection. The results showed that liver transplant patients had the lowest response to the vaccine, while reduced response in cirrhosis patients was associated with age, stage of liver disease, and systemic inflammation.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Critical Care Medicine
Jinjin Luo, Jiaqi Li, Peng Li, Xi Liang, Hozeifa Mohamed Hassan, Richard Moreau, Jun Li
Summary: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe clinical syndrome characterized by acute deterioration of chronic liver disease, organ failure, and high short-term mortality. Different definitions and diagnostic criteria have been proposed in different geographic regions due to varied causes and trigger events. Predictive and prognostic scores have been developed and validated to guide clinical management. The specific pathophysiology of ACLF is uncertain but is believed to be associated with intense systemic inflammation and immune-metabolism disorder.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Alice Ferreira, Daniela Silva, Carina Almeida, Maria Elisa Rodrigues, Sonia Silva, Joana Castro, Dalila Mil-Homens, Isidro Garcia-Menino, Azucena Mora, Mariana Henriques, Ana Oliveira
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of phage vB_EcoM_FJ1 (FJ1) in reducing the load of pathogenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and found that encapsulated FJ1 in microparticles significantly reduced the quantity of ETEC. Bacteriophage-insensitive mutants (BIMs) displayed weaker adaptability in the pig model.
VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2023)
