Article
Microbiology
Roua Almatrafi, Saeed Banawas, Mahfuzur R. Sarker
Summary: Spore germination is crucial in the development of Clostridium perfringens-associated food poisoning. A previous study found that dipicolinic acid (DPA) chelated with calcium (Ca-DPA) stimulates spore germination. This study aimed to explore the roles of Ca2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ in spore germination. The results showed that Ca-DPA, but not DPA alone, induced C. perfringens spore germination. Additionally, spore-specific divalent cations Mn2+ and Mg2+, but not Zn2+, were found to induce spore germination.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Dong Liang, Shengnan Liu, Miaoyun Li, Yaodi Zhu, Lijun Zhao, Lingxia Sun, Yangyang Ma, Gaiming Zhao
Summary: In this study, nine commonly used food additives and four detergents were investigated for their effects on the growth of Clostridium perfringens spores. The results showed that ethylenediaminetetraacetate had a good inhibitory effect on spore growth, while tea polyphenols, D-isoascorbic acid, and potassium sorbate promoted leakage of contents during spore germination. Among the detergents, glutaraldehyde solution presented the best inhibitory effect on spore growth. Further analysis revealed that the bacteriostats could inactivate the spores by inhibiting germination or damaging the spore structure, preventing the formation of bacterial vegetative bodies.
Article
Microbiology
Marc Liggins, Norma Ramirez Ramirez, Ernesto Abel-Santos
Summary: Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium that forms spores to survive in harsh environments. It can germinate through two distinct pathways, the amino acid-only pathway and the bile salt/amino acid pathway. Different strains of C. perfringens have strain-specific spore formation requirements, but the germination responses are consistent among all strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hailee N. Nerber, Joseph A. Sorg
Summary: Clostridioides difficile spores are resilient and can survive extreme conditions, making their elimination from the environment difficult. Small acid-soluble proteins (SASPs) play a role in spore resistance in model spore-forming organism Bacillus subtilis, with SspA and SspB found to be essential for UV resistance and spore formation regulation in C. difficile.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Pei-Wen Wang, Wei-Ting Lee, Ya-Na Wu, Dar-Bin Shieh
Summary: Clostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium, poses a serious health problem as a nosocomial infectious pathogen. Its spores have complex structures and dormant characteristics, contributing to their resistance to harsh environments. The vegetative cells produce endospores, and the mature spores are released from the hosts for dissemination of the pathogen.
Review
Immunology
Jessica E. Buddle, Robert P. Fagan
Summary: Clostridioides difficile is a common cause of hospital-associated diarrhea, with high recurrence, morbidity, and mortality rates. Antibiotics are both the main treatment and a major risk factor for infection. The increasing multidrug resistance of C. difficile poses an urgent threat to global health. This review focuses on the virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance, and genome plasticity that enable the pathogenesis and persistence of this important pathogen.
Article
Microbiology
Jacqueline R. Phan, Dung M. Do, Minh Chau Truong, Connie Ngo, Julian H. Phan, Shiv K. Sharma, Angel Schilke, Chrisabelle C. Mefferd, Jacob V. Villarama, Dengxun Lai, Amber Consul, Brian P. Hedlund, Steven M. Firestine, Ernesto Abel-Santos
Summary: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Hypervirulent strains have led to increased CDI rates, and standard treatments are becoming less effective. The bile salt analog CaPA was found to be a better antigerminant than CamSA against different C. difficile strains, and it showed efficacy in preventing CDI in mice and hamsters.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Giovanny Herrera, Laura Vega, Anny Camargo, Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo, Juan David Ramirez, Marina Munoz
Summary: This study found that the coexistence of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile can lead to minor differences in the composition and diversity of gut bacterial communities, particularly in patients with hospital-acquired diarrhea. These alterations suggest a need for a comprehensive understanding of gut microbiota.
COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mahmoud Fayez, Waleed R. El-Ghareeb, Ahmed Elmoslemany, Saleem J. Alsunaini, Mohamed Alkafafy, Othman M. Alzahrani, Samy F. Mahmoud, Ibrahim Elsohaby
Summary: The study investigated the presence of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile in camel minced meat samples collected from small butcher shops and supermarkets in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Saudi Arabia. It was found that most isolates exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial, with some showing multidrug resistance. This highlights the importance of enforcing food safety standards and conducting regular inspections in abattoirs, small butcher shops, and supermarkets.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Derongs Lorine, Druilhe Celine, Le Marechal Caroline, Barbut Frederic, Heurtevent Lorette, Buffet Julie, Martin Laure, Ziebal Christine, Poezevara Typhaine, Rouxel Sandra, Houard Emmanuelle, Syed Zaidi Rabab, Couturier Jeanne, Pourcher Anne-Marie
Summary: This study found that anaerobic digestion effectively removed E. coli, enterococci, C. perfringens, and C. difficile, but the chemical parameters did not reach concentrations capable of inactivating these bacteria. Increasing hydraulic retention time only reduced the concentration of E. coli in the digestate, while increasing organic loading rate reduced the removal of enterococci and C. difficile.
Article
Microbiology
Rusha Pal, Mohamed N. Seleem
Summary: Clostridioides difficile has become a major enteric pathogen, causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. The current therapies fail to address the recurrence of infection after antibiotic treatment. This study reports a novel PNA that targets the rpoA gene in C. difficile, effectively inhibiting clinical isolates and suppressing the expression of virulence factors. The PNA remained effective against the pathogen under different conditions and did not inhibit beneficial gut microflora. The findings suggest that targeting the rpoA gene could be a promising therapeutic approach for C. difficile infection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pieter de Jager, Oliver Smith, Stefan Bolon, Juno Thomas, Guy A. Richards
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the burden of Clostridioides difficile infection in the South African public sector. The incidence of CD in South Africa was found to be comparable to European countries but lower than that in the United States, with a relatively lower CD recurrence rate compared to high-income countries.
Article
Microbiology
Rusha Pal, Mohamed N. Seleem
Summary: Clostridioides difficile has emerged as a major enteric pathogen and antibiotic treatment perturbs the gut microbiome, facilitating its colonization. This study reports a novel peptide nucleic acid that targets the RNA polymerase alpha subunit in C. difficile, exhibiting bactericidal activity and inhibiting virulence factor expression without affecting beneficial gut microflora.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Sebastien C. Ortiz, Mingwei Huang, Christina M. Hull
Summary: There is a critical need for new antifungal drugs, and the lack of fungus-specific targets is a major hurdle in their development. Spore germination, a process absent in humans, could harbor fungus-specific targets. Through novel assays, 191 inhibitors of spore germination of Cryptococcus were identified and characterized, showing high potency against spore germination while maintaining low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Lihua Fan, Yanru Zhang, Balarabe Bilyaminu Ismail, Aliyu Idris Muhammad, Guoliang Li, Donghong Liu
Summary: Bacterial spores are resistant to harsh environmental conditions, but can be induced to germinate using specific germinants. The germination-inactivation strategy has been validated in food and has sparked interest in maximizing spore germination. However, there are still uncertainties and unknown signal transduction mechanisms involved in germination. Sensitive detection of germination biomarkers and optimal timing for subsequent inactivation are crucial for the successful implementation of the strategy.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2023)