Article
Microbiology
Christa Ewers, Anno de Jong, Ellen Prenger-Berninghoff, Farid El Garch, Ursula Leidner, Sumeet K. Tiwari, Torsten Semmler
Summary: Livestock animals may serve as a significant source of ESBL/pAmpC E. coli contamination for humans. Analysis of Escherichia spp. isolates from healthy livestock fecal samples revealed a variety of ESBL/pAmpC types, with the majority of genes located on plasmids, indicating the potential dissemination of cephalosporin resistance genes through globally successful plasmid lineages in livestock.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Zheng Fan, Tongtong Fu, Zhoufei Li, Bing Du, Xiaohu Cui, Rui Zhang, Yanling Feng, Hanqing Zhao, Guanhua Xue, Jinghua Cui, Chao Yan, Lin Gan, Junxia Feng, Ziying Xu, Zihui Yu, Ziyan Tian, Zanbo Ding, Jinfeng Chen, Yujie Chen, Jing Yuan
Summary: In this study, IHF was found to be an important regulator of biofilm formation, various virulence factors, and alcohol production in HiAlc Kpn.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Zheng Fan, Tongtong Fu, Zhoufei Li, Bing Du, Xiaohu Cui, Rui Zhang, Yanling Feng, Hanqing Zhao, Guanhua Xue, Jinghua Cui, Chao Yan, Lin Gan, Junxia Feng, Ziying Xu, Zihui Yu, Ziyan Tian, Zanbo Ding, Jinfeng Chen, Yujie Chen, Jing Yuan
Summary: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a human pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. This study reveals that alcohol acts as an essential virulence factor for high-alcohol-producing K. pneumoniae. The study also identifies the role of Integration host factor (IHF) in regulating bacterial growth, biofilm formation, cytotoxicity, and alcohol production in K. pneumoniae. IHF affects the expression of various virulence factor genes, including those related to capsule polysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides, fimbriae, and cellulose.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kristina Nesporova, Ethan R. Wyrsch, Adam Valcek, Ibrahim Bitar, Khin Chaw, Patrick Harris, Jaroslav Hrabak, Ivan Literak, Steven P. Djordjevic, Monika Dolejska
Summary: The study identified that silver gulls carry phylogenetically diverse Escherichia coli, with ST457 being the most prevalent type. ST457 is a broad host range E. coli lineage that shows considerable phylogenetic diversity, with closely related subclades suggesting potential zoonotic transmission. The strains also displayed a remarkable ability to capture and transmit genes encoding resistance to critically important antibiotics.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaoyu Lu, Xia Xiao, Yuan Liu, Ruichao Li, Zhiqiang Wang
Summary: The study reveals the emergence opportunities and fate in E. coli of plasmids carrying mcr-1 and tet(X4), indicating the risk of forming novel hybrid plasmids positive for both critical resistance genes that should be constantly monitored globally. This highlights the importance of antimicrobials in the evolution and diversity of plasmids coharboring mcr-1 and tet(X4) and emphasizes the need to strengthen the surveillance of the occurrence of multidrug-resistant plasmids carrying mcr-1 and tet(X4) in order to prevent the emergence of plasmids coharboring both genes.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ermioni Avgere, Christos Zafeiridis, Kassandra A. Procter, Apostolos Beloukas, Panagiota Giakkoupi
Summary: The first prospective surveillance of ESBL and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli recovered from sick pigs in Central Greece was conducted to investigate the spread of relevant genetic elements. The study found a 40% prevalence of ESBLs and an 80% prevalence of MCR-1, with a co-occurrence rate of 32%. The identified ESBL types were CTX-M-3 and SHV-12. Resistance to colistin, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole, and ciprofloxacin was detected in varying degrees among the isolates. The presence of diverse E. coli isolates carrying resistance genes on stable plasmids suggests that horizontal plasmid transfer may facilitate the dissemination of resistance genes.
Article
Immunology
Dakang Hu, Yuming Li, Ping Ren, Dongxing Tian, Wenjie Chen, Pan Fu, Weiwen Wang, Xiaobin Li, Xiaofei Jiang
Summary: The positive rates of virulence genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae vary significantly, with iucA, p-rmpA2, and p-rmpA being the primary genes leading to Hv-bla (KPC)(+)-KP. The formation of Hv-bla (KPC)(+)-KP is mostly due to bla (KPC)(+)-KP acquiring another plasmid carrying virulence genes.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beata Furmanek-Blaszk, Marian Sektas, Bartosz Rybak
Summary: This study investigated the occurrence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) in ESBL and/or AmpC-type beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales isolates from free-living birds in Poland. The prevalence of the qnrB19 gene was 63%, with Escherichia coli being the most common bacterial species. The plasmid pAM1 carrying the qnrB19 gene was completely sequenced and had extensive homology with other qnrB19-harboring plasmids.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Lei Lei, Chunfu Yang, Michael John Patton, Margery Smelkinson, David Dorward, Li Ma, Una Karanovic, Saba Firdous, Grant McClarty, Harlan D. Caldwell
Summary: "A novel plasmid-dependent secretion system has been identified that transports proteins regulated by Pgp4 from the chlamydial inclusion to the host cytosol. This system consists of globular structures that form independently of known chlamydial secretion systems."
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andrea Laconi, Roberta Tolosi, Ilias Apostolakos, Alessandra Piccirillo
Summary: Escherichia coli that produce ESBLs and pAmpCs pose a serious threat to public health as these genes confer resistance to critically important antibiotics and can be transferred to non-resistant bacteria through plasmids. In this study, 102 ESBL/pAmpC-producing E. coli isolated from broiler production were found to have the ability to form biofilms, with certain genetic factors and virulence genes associated with increased biofilm capability. Efforts should be made to reduce the presence of ESBL/pAmpC-producing E. coli and biofilms in the broiler production pyramid to minimize the risk of dissemination of resistant bacteria and genes.
Article
Microbiology
Margaux Allain, Anne Claire Maherault, Benoit Gachet, Caroline Martinez, Benedicte Condamine, Melanie Magnan, Isabelle Kempf, Erick Denamur, Luce Landraud
Summary: Multiresistance plasmids belonging to the IncI incompatibility group have become one of the most pervasive plasmid types in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli of animal origin. The burden imposed on the bacteria by these plasmids seems to modulate the emergence of epidemic plasmids, but in vivo data in the natural environment are scarce. In this study, the cost of a blaCTX-M-1-IncI1 epidemic plasmid in a commensal E. coli animal strain was investigated before and after oral inoculation of specific-pathogen-free pigs.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Diana Dias, Savio Costa, Carlos Fonseca, Rafael Barauna, Tania Caetano, Sonia Mendo
Summary: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from wildlife were characterized in this study, revealing their potential to carry deadly toxins and mostly comprising non-O157 strains, with some showing antibiotic resistance.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Valeria Michelacci, Margherita Montalbano Di Filippo, Federica Gigliucci, Silvia Arancia, Paola Chiani, Fabio Minelli, Nancy H. C. Roosens, Sigrid C. J. De Keersmaecker, Bert Bogaerts, Kevin Vanneste, Stefano Morabito
Summary: O26 serogroup of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a significant cause of Hemolitic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) in children worldwide. The genomic characterization and population structure of O26 STEC strains in Italy reveal differences among different clones and suggest the influence of selective pressure and ecological niches on their evolution.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Kushal Grakh, Dinesh Mittal, Anand Prakash, Naresh Jindal
Summary: Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a constant problem in the poultry industry due to its ability to form biofilms and resistance to multiple drugs. This study reveals the presence of APEC with biofilm formation ability in poultry farms, highlighting the need for further research on the role of biofilms in APEC pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Danny Fuentes-Castillo, Pedro Enrique Navas-Suarez, Maria Fernanda Gondim, Fernanda Esposito, Carlos Sacristan, Herrison Fontana, Bruna Fuga, Camila Piovani, Robert Kooij, Nilton Lincopan, Jose Luiz Catao-Dias
Summary: Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria have been found in wildlife, with little understanding of their impact on wildlife health. This study reports the first fatal colibacillosis caused by a multidrug-resistant ESBL-producing E. coli in critically endangered Brazilian merganser, highlighting the threat of priority pathogens to wildlife. The identified E. coli ST58 clone has been previously found in humans, food-producing animals, wildlife, and the environment, indicating broad adaptation and persistence at the human-animal-environment interface.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, Anne Kaman, Michael Erhart, Christiane Otto, Janine Devine, Constanze Loeffler, Klaus Hurrelmann, Monika Bullinger, Claus Barkmann, Nico A. Siegel, Anja M. Simon, Lothar H. Wieler, Robert Schlack, Heike Hoelling
Summary: The German COPSY study is a longitudinal study that examines the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents. The study found that during the pandemic, the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents decreased, and there was an increase in emotional problems, peer-related mental health problems, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychosomatic complaints. Socially disadvantaged children and children of mentally burdened parents were more at risk of impaired mental health, while female gender and older age were associated with fewer mental health problems. A positive family climate and social support supported the mental health of children and adolescents during the pandemic.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andre Hajek, Freia De Bock, Christina Merkel, Sarah Eitze, Cornelia Betsch, Michael Bosnjak, Lothar H. Wieler, Hans-Helmut Koenig
Summary: This study aimed to shed light on attitudes towards influenza vaccination in Germany in 2021/2022 based on the COSMO survey. The results showed that about one-third of respondents and healthcare workers plan to get a flu shot this year. Among the at-risk group of people aged 60 and older, more than half plan to get vaccinated. Correlates, such as gender, were identified, with women having a lower likelihood of planning to get a flu shot. The study concludes that physicians should inform women, especially during the pandemic, about the advantages of influenza vaccination and communicate the proven protective effect convincingly.
Article
Microbiology
Manonmani Soundararajan, Gabriella Marincola, Olivia Liong, Tessa Marciniak, Freya D. R. Wencker, Franka Hofmann, Hannah Schollenbruch, Iris Kobusch, Sabrina Linnemann, Silver A. Wolf, Mustafa Helal, Torsten Semmler, Birgit Walther, Christoph Schoen, Justin Nyasinga, Gunturu Revathi, Marc Boelhauve, Wilma Ziebuhr
Summary: This study investigated the impact of different housing conditions in pig farms on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of non-aureus staphylococci (NAS). It was found that NAS in organic farms had no detectable AMR genes towards methicillin, aminoglycosides, and phenicols, while conventional farms showed presence of these AMR genes. The results suggest that husbandry conditions influence the occurrence of resistant bacteria in livestock and changing husbandry practices may help limit the spread of AMR bacteria on farms.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anne-Kathrin Schink, Dennis Hanke, Torsten Semmler, Nicole Roschanski, Stefan Schwarz
Summary: The genetic organization of acquired resistance genes in a G. anatis isolate from a German calf with a respiratory tract infection was analyzed. The isolate showed elevated MIC values for various antimicrobial agents and contained multiple resistance genes associated with IS elements. Nucleotide exchanges in gyrA and parC resulting in amino acid exchanges were also identified. The identification of such isolates with reduced susceptibility to commonly used antimicrobial agents is concerning and highlights the potential role as reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance genes.
Article
Biology
Sumeet K. Tiwari, Boas C. L. van der Putten, Thilo M. Fuchs, Trung N. Vinh, Martin Bootsma, Rik Oldenkamp, Roberto La Ragione, Sebastien Matamoros, Ngo T. Hoa, Christian Berens, Joy Leng, Julio Alvarez, Marta Ferrandis-Vila, Jenny M. Ritchie, Angelika Fruth, Stefan Schwarz, Lucas Dominguez, Maria Ugarte-Ruiz, Astrid Bethe, Charlotte Huber, Vanessa Johanns, Ivonne Stamm, Lothar H. Wieler, Christa Ewers, Amanda Fivian-Hughes, Herbert Schmidt, Christian Menge, Torsten Semmler, Constance Schultsz
Summary: This study analyzes the genetic determinants of host specificity in E. coli and identifies specific genes associated with different hosts. The nan-9 gene cluster shows a strong association with the human host, while previously known sialic acid regulon genes show no significant association with any host.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Simone Scheithauer, Alexander Dilthey, Anna Bludau, Sandra Ciesek, Victor Corman, Tjibbe Donker, Tim Eckmanns, Richard Egelkamp, Hajo Grundmann, Georg Haecker, Martin Kaase, Berit Lange, Alexander Mellmann, Martin Mielke, Mathias Pletz, Bernd Salzberger, Andrea Thuermer, Andreas Widmer, Lothar H. Wieler, Thorsten Wolff, Soeren Gatermann, Torsten Semmler
Summary: The deficit of genomic pathogen surveillance infrastructure in Germany has been revealed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Establishing an efficient and adaptable genomic pathogen surveillance network is urgently needed to prepare for future pandemics. This paper proposes measures based on global and country-specific best practices to achieve integrated genomic pathogen surveillance, which includes linking epidemiological data with pathogen genomic data, sharing and coordinating resources, making surveillance data available to decision-makers, public health service, and the scientific community, and engaging all stakeholders.
BUNDESGESUNDHEITSBLATT-GESUNDHEITSFORSCHUNG-GESUNDHEITSSCHUTZ
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Christopher Irrgang, Tim Eckmanns, Max von Kleist, Esther-Maria Antao, Katharina Ladewig, Lothar Wieler, Nils Koerber
Summary: Societal health is facing new challenges due to climate change, demographic ageing, and globalization. The One Health approach aims to understand health holistically by linking human, animal, and environmental sectors. Artificial intelligence techniques offer opportunities for cross-sectoral assessment of health threats. This article discusses the applications and challenges of AI techniques in the context of One Health, using antimicrobial resistance as an example.
BUNDESGESUNDHEITSBLATT-GESUNDHEITSFORSCHUNG-GESUNDHEITSSCHUTZ
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Bernd Salzberger, Alexander Mellmann, Anna Bludau, Sandra Ciesek, Victor Corman, Alexander Dilthey, Tjibbe Donker, Tim Eckmanns, Richard Egelkamp, Soeren G. Gatermann, Hajo Grundmann, Georg Haecker, Martin Kaase, Berit Lange, Martin Mielke, Mathias W. Pletz, Torsten Semmler, Andrea Thuermer, Lothar H. Wieler, Thorsten Wolff, Andreas F. Widmer, Simone Scheithauer
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of effective infection surveillance and infrastructure. Germany's genomic pathogen sequencing infrastructure was inadequate due to a lack of equipment, resources, data management, and coordination. The authors propose the establishment of comprehensive genomic pathogen surveillance in Germany, including sequencing, data collection, data linkage, and target pathogens, to better address future epidemics and pandemics and learn from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article
Microbiology
Johanna Ruehl-Teichner, Lisa Jacobmeyer, Ursula Leidner, Torsten Semmler, Christa Ewers
Summary: This study investigated 78 isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from horses and found that they displayed high genetic diversity, the ability to form biofilms, and resistance to multiple antimicrobial drugs. The presence of globally distributed dominant clones was also identified. These findings are important for understanding treatment failures and limited availability of licensed drugs in equine medicine.
Article
Microbiology
David Buchmann, Michael Schwabe, Romano Weiss, Andreas W. Kuss, Katharina Schaufler, Rabea Schlueter, Stefan Roediger, Sebastian Guenther, Nadin Schultze
Summary: This study demonstrates the inhibitory effect of phenolic natural compounds on curli and cellulose formation in Escherichia coli. By using a comparative RNA-sequencing approach, it is found that structurally different compounds mainly influence similar biological processes, including bacterial motility, chemotaxis, biofilm formation, as well as metabolic processes such as arginine biosynthesis and tricarboxylic acid cycle.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Immunology
Katharina Schaufler, Thaddaeus Echelmeyer, Michael Schwabe, Sebastian Guenther, Juergen A. Bohnert, Karsten Becker, Helmut Fickenscher, Aike Bueter, Gregor Maschkowitz, Andi Krumbholz, Dennis Nurjadi, Stefan E. Heiden, Elias Eger
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benjamin F. Maier, Annika H. Rose, Angelique Burdinski, Pascal Klamser, Hannelore Neuhauser, Ole Wichmann, Lars Schaade, Lothar H. Wieler, Dirk Brockmann
Summary: After the winter of 2021/2022, a considerable number of people in Germany have been infected with or vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 variant. However, due to under-reporting and unknown overlap between the vaccinated and recovered populations, the exact extent is difficult to estimate. This study provides estimates of the share of immunologically naive individuals in each age group for the German population by integrating infectious-disease modeling and vaccine uptake data. The study shows that a significant proportion of the population in Germany remains immunologically naive, highlighting the impact of the Omicron waves.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Dordia Anindita Rotinsulu, Christa Ewers, Katharina Kerner, Amrozi Amrozi, Retno Damayanti Soejoedono, Torsten Semmler, Rolf Bauerfeind
Summary: This study aimed to characterize S. equi equi isolates obtained from suspected strangles cases in Indonesia in 2018. The results showed that all isolates belonged to ST179 and carried seM allele 166. The isolates differed from each other by only 2 to 14 cgSNPs and formed an exclusive sub-cluster within the BAPS-2 of S. equi equi cgMLST scheme. Furthermore, all isolates were susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics penicillin G, ampicillin, and ceftiofur.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Isabel Barwisch, Wolfgang Mewes, Angela Schmitz Ornes, Sebastian Guenther
Summary: Urbanization and industrialization have resulted in high levels of heavy metal pollution around the world, posing a threat to ecosystems. In this study, the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, and lead were analyzed in eggshells of Common Cranes nesting in north-eastern Germany. The results showed that only copper and lead were present in the eggshell samples, and their concentrations were not considered toxic to birds. The study also found a significant decrease in trace element concentrations over the study period. While the ban of leaded gasoline and restrictions on heavy metal-based biocontrol products have contributed to this decrease, increasing agricultural areas have led to a gradual increase in copper levels. Additionally, the study revealed that heavy metals do not accumulate in the circulatory systems of adult cranes over time. This study is the first to assess heavy metal contamination in Common Cranes and highlights the potential of crane's eggshells as a bioindicator for monitoring environmental pollution.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
