Earthworm activity reduces bacterial pathogen loads in sewage sludge.

Wastewater processing plants (WWTPs) produce large amounts of sewage sludge that are mainly disposed of on the land. This represents a health hazard due to the high loads of human bacterial pathogens (HBPs) the sludge generally contains. Vermicomposting, a mesophilic process, can reduce HBPs in organic wastes. This raises the question as to how earthworms eliminate HBPs. We aimed to determine whether earthworms reduce the levels or eliminate HBPs from sewage sludge and to establish whether the reduction/elimination occur during active (earthworm casts) or maturation (vermicompost) stages of vermicomposting. To this end, we analyzed HBPs (Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and total E. coli) in sewage sludge samples from three WWTPs and the fresh earthworm casts and vermicomposts by using qPCR, to assess the impact of earthworms on reducing and/or eliminating HBPs. We did not detect either Salmonella spp. nor E. coli O157 in any of the samples. Earthworms removed or significantly reduced the amounts of E. coli and L. monocytogenes (mean relative abundances of 2.4 × 10-7 and 1.5 × 10-8 respectively) in the sewage sludge. Thus, the abundance of these HBPs was lower (or not present) in casts than in sewage sludge. This was also observed in vermicomposts (95% and 43% reduction in E. coli abundance in casts and vermicompost, respectively). Finally, our findings indicate that vermicompost derived from sewage sludge meets the requirements of organic fertilizers at least regarding the microbial pathogen content. Thus, vermicomposting seems to be a promising technique for managing municipal waste.

New, complete circularized genomes of Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae produced from short- and long-read co-assembly shed light on strains that emerged a decade ago on mango and cashew in Burkina Faso.

We report high-quality genomes of three strains of Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae (Xcm), the causal agent of mango bacterial canker disease, including the pathotype strain of this pathovar and two strains from Burkina Faso that emerged a decade ago. These strains hosted two to three plasmids of sizes ranging from 19 to 86 kb. Genome mining revealed the presence of several secretion systems (SS) and effectors involved in virulence of xanthomonads with (i) a T1SS of the hlyDB group, (ii) xps and xcs T2SSs, (iii) a T3SS with several type three effectors (T3E), including transcription activator-like effectors (TALE), (iv) several T4SSs associated with plasmid or integrative conjugative elements (ICE) mobility, (v) three T5SS subclasses (Va, Vb and Vc) and (vi) a single i3* T6SS. The two strains isolated in Burkina Faso from mango (Mangifera indica L.) and cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) differed by only 14 SNPs and shared identical secretion systems and T3E repertoire. Several TALEs were identified in each strain, some of which may target plant genes previously found implicated in disease development in other xanthomonad-associated pathosystems. These results support the emergence in Burkina Faso a decade ago of very closely related strains that became epidemic on mango and cashew, i.e., two distinct host genera of a same plant family. These new genomic resources will contribute to better understand the biology and evolution of this agriculturally major crop pathogen.

Campylobacter species, Salmonella serotypes and ribosomal RNA-based fecal source tracking in the Kokemäki River watershed.

Fecal contamination of surface water compromises the usability of surface water for drinking water production due to an increase in human health risks. In this study, we collected surface water samples for two years from the Kokemäki River (Finland). The downstream river stretch is used for feeding production of artificial ground water for a major drinking water treatment plant. The prevalence of Campylobacter species and Salmonella serotypes together with fecal source identifiers targeting general, human, gull, swine, and ruminant were evaluated at 16 sampling sites throughout the studied watershed. We detected Campylobacter spp. from all 16 sampling sites with Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter lari as the most detected species. Salmonella spp. was detected in 10 out of 16 sampling sites, with Salmonella Typhimurium being the most common serovar. Regarding spatial variation in the hygienic quality of surface water, the upstream area (urban proximity) and downstream area (agricultural proximity) had higher microbial loads than the middle section of the study area. Samples taken in fall and spring had higher microbial loads than summer and winter samples. The lower ratio of rRNA to rRNA-gene (rDNA) of studied microbes in the winter than in other seasons may indicate low metabolic activity of bacterial targets during winter. The number of gulls, swine, and cattle in the catchment area concorded with the number of fecal source identifiers in the surface water. Further, the prevalence of gull-specific source identifier agreed with the detection of C. coli, C. lari, and S. Typhimurim, whereas the prevalence of swine- and ruminant-specific source identifiers agreed with the detection of C. jejuni and C. coli. Thus, fecal source identifiers are shown to be important tools for monitoring zoonotic pathogens affecting microbial quality of surface water. Further, variation in fecal loads indicates such variation in health risks related to surface water use.

Frequently Touched Sites in the Intensive Care Unit Environment Returning 100 Colony-Forming Units per Surface Area Sampled Are Associated With Increased Risk of Major Bacterial Pathogen Detection.

BACKGROUND: A threshold for surface hygiene has not been defined for the healthcare arena. We aimed to identify the magnitude of bacterial contamination of frequently touched sites in the intensive care unit (ICU) environment that could be used to guide quality improvement initiatives. METHODS: Nineteen patients in a mixed ICU environment (providing care for medical and surgical patients) were followed from admission for 72 hours in 2010. Baseline cultures of frequently touched environmental sites were obtained at time zero following active decontamination and at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours without further disinfection. We tested for an association of environmental reservoirs returning ≥ 100 colony-forming units (CFU) per surface area sampled with major bacterial pathogen detection. RESULTS: There were 446 ICU room, day, and reservoir combinations sampled from 19 patients. There were pathogens detected in 40% (79/199) of samples with ≥ 100 CFU vs. 14% (35/247) of samples returning < 100 CFU. The relative risk was 2.80 (95% CI: 1.97-3.98, P <0.0001). The odds ratio adjusted for time in hours was 3.11 (95% CI: 1.84-5.34, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Frequently touched ICU environmental sites returning ≥ 100 CFU are associated with major bacterial pathogen detection. This threshold for surface hygiene can be used to ensure compliance with ICU environmental cleaning protocols and to guide quality improvement initiatives.

Canker and dieback of Alnus rubra is caused by Lonsdalea quercina.

Understanding the ecology of pathogens is important for disease management. Recently a devastating canker disease was found on red alder (Alnus rubra) planted as landscape trees. Bacteria were isolated from two groups of symptomatic trees located approximately 1 kilometer apart and one strain from each group was used to complete Koch's postulates. Results showed that these bacteria can not only cause disease on red alder but also on two other alder species. Unexpectedly, analyses of genome sequences of bacterial strains identified them as Lonsdalea quercina, a pathogenic species previously known to cause dieback of oak species, but not alder. Additionally, a core genome phylogeny clustered bacterial strains isolated from red alder within a subclade of L. quercina strains isolated from symptomatic oak trees. Consistent with the close phylogenetic relationship, there was no obvious evidence for divergence in genome composition of strains isolated from red alder and oak. Altogether, findings indicate that L. quercina is a potential threat to Alnus species.

Municipal-treated wastewater as a practical alternative to conventional rice irrigation: Effects on antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors and human bacterial pathogens in soil, and responses of rice grain quality.

Reuse of municipal-treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is becoming increasingly prevalent due to growing demand and decline in freshwater supplies. However, the microbial contamination profile, including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factors (VFs), and human bacterial pathogens (HBPs) in agricultural soil irrigated with municipal-treated wastewater for paddy cultivation, was unknown. Here, metagenomic analysis was applied to provide a systematic insight into the resistome, VFs and HBPs in paddy soils irrigated with municipal-treated wastewater. The obtained results revealed that the residual antibiotics in municipal-treated wastewater has an impact on the antibiotic resistome by increasing both the total number and abundance of ARGs. Furthermore, it was found that sul1 could serve as a potential risk indicator for assessing ARG contamination. VFs, core HBP abundance, and dangerous pathogens remain unaffected by municipal-treated wastewater irrigation for paddy. The good coexistence patterns of ARGs-HBPs and ARGs-VFs demonstrated the presence of resistant pathogenic bacteria. The network analysis revealed that ARGs-bearing Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium marinum, Bordetella pertussis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa might be ranked as high-risk HBPs. Additionally, our investigation also demonstrated that reuse of municipal-treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation had no detrimental effects on rice plant growth and grain quality. This study was the first to investigate the response of VFs and HBPs in paddy soil under long-term municipal-treated wastewater irrigation. The obtained results provide a scientific basis for the safe application of municipal-treated wastewater.

Isolation and preliminary characterization of a novel bacteriophage vB_KquU_φKuK6 that infects the multidrug-resistant pathogen Klebsiella quasipneumoniae.

Background: Klebsiella quasipneumoniae (previously known as K. pneumoniae K6) strains are among the multidrug-resistant hypervirulent bacterial pathogens. Phage therapy can help treat infections caused by such pathogens. Here we report some aspects of virology and therapeutic potentials of vB_KquU_φKuK6, a bacteriophage that infects Klebsiella quasipneumoniae. Methods: K. quasipneumoniae (ATCC 700603) was used to screen wastewater lytic phages. The isolate vB_KquU_φKuK6 that consistently created large clear plaques was characterized using standard virological and molecular methods. Results: vB_KquU_φKuK6 has a complex capsid with an icosahedral head (~60 nm) and a slender tail (~140 nm × 10 nm). The phage has a 51% AT-rich linear dsDNA genome (51,251 bp) containing 121 open reading frames. The genome contains genes encoding spanin, endolysin, and holin proteins necessary for lytic infection and a recombinase gene possibly involved in lysogenic infection. vB_KquU_φKuK6 is stable at -80 to +67°C, pH 4-9, and brief exposure to one volume percent of chloroform. vB_KquU_φKuK6 has a narrow host range. Its lytic infection cycle involves a latency of 20 min and a burst size of 435 plaque-forming units. The phage can cause lysogenic infection, and the resulting lysogens are resistant to lytic infection by vB_KquU_φKuK6. vB_KquU_φKuK6 reduces the host cells' ability to form biofilm but fails to eliminate that ability. vB_KquU_φKuK6 demonstrates phage-antibiotic synergy and reduces the minimum inhibitory concentration of chloramphenicol and neomycin sulfate by about 8 folds. Conclusion: vB_KquU_φKuK6 cannot be directly used for phage therapy because it is a temperate bacteriophage. However, genetically modified strains of vB_KquU_φKuK6 alone or combined with antibiotics or other lytic Klebsiella phages can have therapeutic utilities in treating K. quasipneumoniae infections.

Starvation increases susceptibility to bacterial infection and promotes systemic pathogen proliferation in Drosophila melanogaster females.

Defense against pathogens and parasites requires substantial investment of energy and resources on part of the host. This makes the host immune function dependent on availability and accessibility of resources. A resource deprived host is therefore expected to be more susceptible to infections, although empirical results do not always align with this prediction. Limiting host access to resources can additionally impact within-host pathogen numbers, either directly by altering the amount of resources available to the pathogens for proliferation or indirectly by altering the efficiency of the host immune system. We tested for the effects of host starvation (complete deprivation of resources) on susceptibility to bacterial pathogens, and within-host pathogen proliferation, in Drosophila melanogaster females. Our results show that starvation increases post-infection mortality of the host, but in a pathogen-specific manner. This increase in mortality is always accompanied by increased within-host pathogen proliferation. We therefore propose that starvation compromises host resistance to bacterial infections in Drosophila melanogaster females thereby increasing susceptibility to infections.

Spectrum of bacterial pathogens in inflammatory and noninflammatory cutaneous ulcers of American tegumentary leishmaniasis.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) ulcers exhibiting an inflammatory phenotype, characterized by purulent exudate, erythema, pain, and/or lymphatic involvement, are empirically treated with antibiotics. Objective: The spectrum of bacteria present in localized versus inflammatory phenotypes of CL is elucidated herein. Methods: Filter paper lesion impressions (FPLIs) from 39 patients with CL (19 inflammatory and 20 noninflammatory ulcers) were evaluated via real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and end-point PCR targeting: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter cloacae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus spp., Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 16S rDNA. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on six specimens. Results: In total, 30/39 (77%) patients' ulcers had ⩾1 bacterium detected, which included the following species: S. aureus (n = 16, 41%), C. freundii (n = 13, 33%), P. aeruginosa (n = 12, 31%), E. cloacae (n = 12, 31%), K. pneumoniae (n = 11, 28%), Enterococcus spp. (n = 7, 18%), E. coli (n = 6, 15%), and S. pyogenes (n = 4, 10). Prevalence of bacterial species did not differ by CL phenotype (p = 0.63). However, patients with inflammatory phenotypes were, on average, over a decade older than patients with noninflammatory phenotypes (42 years vs 27 years) (p = 0.01). The inflammatory phenotype was more prevalent among ulcers of Leishmania Viannia braziliensis (58%) and L. V. panamensis (83%) compared to those of L. V. guyanensis (20%) (p = 0.0369). Conclusion: The distribution of flora did not differ between inflammatory and noninflammatory CL phenotypes. Further prospective analysis, including additional WGS studies of all CL ulcers for nonbacterial organisms, is necessary to determine the role of empiric antibiotic therapy in inflammatory and purulent CL.

Risk level and removal performance of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial pathogens in static composting with different temperatures.

The effect of different levels of temperature on resistance genes is not clear in mesophilic static composting (<50 °C). This study conducted livestock manure composting with different temperature gradients from 20 to 50 °C, it was found that the reduction rates of risk rank-I antibiotic resistance genes (from 3 % to 66 %), metal resistance genes (from -50 % to 76 %) and bacterial pathogens (from 72 % to 91 %) all increased significantly with increasing temperature from 20 to 50°C. The vulnerability of bacterial communities increased significantly, and the assembly process of bacterial communities changed from deterministic to stochastic with the increase of composting temperature. Higher temperature could accelerate the removal of thermolabile resistance genes hosts or pathogenic hosts carrying mobile genetic elements by directly or indirectly affecting organic acids content. Therefore, for soil safety, the temperature of the manure recycling process should be increased as much as possible.

Defining the secondary metabolites in the Pseudomonas protegens PBL3 secretome with antagonistic activity against Burkholderia glumae.

Rice production worldwide is threatened by the disease Bacterial Panicle Blight (BPB) caused by Burkholderia glumae. Despite the threat, resources to control this disease such as completely resistant cultivars or effective chemical methods are still lacking. However, the need to control this disease has paved the way to explore biologically based approaches harnessing the antimicrobial activities of environmental bacteria. Previously, the bacterium Pseudomonas protegens PBL3 was identified as a potential biological control agent against B. glumae due to its antimicrobial activity against B. glumae. Such antimicrobial activity in vitro and in planta was associated with the P. protegens PBL3 bacteria-free secreted fraction (secretome), although the specific molecules responsible for this activity have remained elusive. In this work, we advance the characterization of the P. protegens PBL3 secretome, by evaluating the antimicrobial activity in vitro of selected secondary metabolites predicted by the P. protegens PBL3 genomic sequence against B. glumae. In addition, using Reversed Phase Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (RPLC-MS/MS), of the P. protegens PBL3 secretome, enabled us to successfully detect and quantify Pyoluteorin, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG) and Pyochelin. Among those, Pyoluteorin and 2,4-DAPG reduced the growth of B. glumae in vitro along with reducing the symptoms of BPB and bacterial growth in planta, suggesting that these compounds could be effective as biopesticides to mitigate BPB.

Innovative Strategies in Drug Repurposing to Tackle Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens.

Intracellular bacterial pathogens pose significant public health challenges due to their ability to evade immune defenses and conventional antibiotics. Drug repurposing has recently been explored as a strategy to discover new therapeutic uses for established drugs to combat these infections. Utilizing high-throughput screening, bioinformatics, and systems biology, several existing drugs have been identified with potential efficacy against intracellular bacteria. For instance, neuroleptic agents like thioridazine and antipsychotic drugs such as chlorpromazine have shown effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Furthermore, anticancer drugs including tamoxifen and imatinib have been repurposed to induce autophagy and inhibit bacterial growth within host cells. Statins and anti-inflammatory drugs have also demonstrated the ability to enhance host immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The review highlights the complex mechanisms these pathogens use to resist conventional treatments, showcases successful examples of drug repurposing, and discusses the methodologies used to identify and validate these drugs. Overall, drug repurposing offers a promising approach for developing new treatments for bacterial infections, addressing the urgent need for effective antimicrobial therapies.

Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance in Pediatric Infections: A Romanian Case Study on Pathogen Prevalence and Effective Treatments.

Antibiotic misuse in Romania has exacerbated the issue of antibiotic resistance, as patients often use antibiotics without proper medical consultation. This study aimed to assess the resistance of prevalent bacteria to different antibiotics. In this observational study conducted over six months, we analyzed 31 pediatric patients aged from 12 days to 13 years using the disk diffusion method. We identified 31 bacterial isolates, including 8 Gram-negative and 8 Gram-positive strains, with the most common being Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica. Our findings revealed that the most effective antibiotics were linezolid, ertapenem, and teicoplanin. In contrast, nearly all tested bacteria exhibited resistance to penicillin, followed by oxacillin and ampicillin. Resistance to cephalosporins varied with generation, showing higher resistance to lower-generation cephalosporins. The study highlights significant antibiotic resistance among common bacterial pathogens in Romanian pediatric patients, emphasizing the urgent need for controlled antibiotic use and alternative treatment strategies to combat this growing issue. Effective antibiotics such as linezolid and ertapenem offer potential solutions, whereas reliance on penicillin and lower-generation cephalosporins is increasingly futile.

Bacterial Communities of House Flies from Dairy Farms Highlight Their Role as Reservoirs, Disseminators, and Sentinels of Microbial Threats to Human and Animal Health.

Adult house flies (Musca domestica L.) inhabiting dairy farms not only are nuisance pests but also harbor and disseminate bacteria. We examined the bacterial community composition, diversity, environmental sources, and prevalence in individual adult female house flies and cattle manure samples collected monthly from Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee dairy farms between May and August 2021. Individual house flies carried diverse bacterial communities, encompassing all bacterial taxa (100%) identified across manure samples, and additional species likely acquired from the animals. Bacterial community assemblage in house flies and manure samples within farms varied by month. Some taxa were differentially associated with either house flies (Corynebacterium, Acinetobacter, and Staphylococcus) or manure samples (Treponema, Succinivibrio, and Clostridia). House fly bacterial communities mostly contained specialist species originating from manure, with several taxa (Escherichia, Corynebacterium, Turicibacter) being potential pathogens of livestock and humans. These findings further support the role of house flies as carriers of cattle-associated bacteria, including pathogens, and their potential for disseminating these microbes among cattle and to neighboring environments. Since their bacterial communities provide a snapshot of their surrounding environment, house flies also serve as effective sentinels in xenosurveillance strategies.

Immunity to Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Infections of the Female Genital Tract: Toward Effective Vaccines.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by bacterial pathogens Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidum present significant public health challenges. These infections profoundly impact reproductive health, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and increased susceptibility to other infections. Prevention measures, including antibiotic treatments, are limited by the often-asymptomatic nature of these infections, the need for repetitive and continual screening of sexually active persons, antibiotic resistance for gonorrhea, and shortages of penicillin for syphilis. While vaccines exist for viral STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), there are no vaccines available for bacterial STIs. This review examines the immune responses in the female genital tract to these bacterial pathogens and the implications for developing effective vaccines against bacterial STIs.

Experimental adaptation to pathogenic infection ameliorates negative effects of mating on host post-infection survival in Drosophila melanogaster.

Sexual activity (mating) negatively affects immune function in various insect species across both sexes. In Drosophila melanogaster females, mating increases susceptibility to pathogenic challenges and encourages within-host pathogen proliferation. This effect is pathogen and host genotype dependent. We tested if mating-induced increased susceptibility to infections is more, or less, severe in hosts experimentally adapted to pathogenic infection. We selected replicate D. melanogaster populations for increased post-infection survival following infection with a bacterial pathogen, Enterococcus faecalis. We found that females from the selected populations were better at surviving a pathogenic infection compared to the females from the control populations. This was true in the case of both the pathogen used for selection and other novel pathogens (i.e., pathogens the hosts have not encountered in recent history). Additionally, the negative effect of mating on post-infection survival was limited to only the females from control populations. Therefore, we have demonstrated that experimental selection for increased post-infection survival ameliorates negative effects of mating on host susceptibility to infections.

Diffusion behavior and transport risk of bioaerosol particles in a domestic waste landfill site in an arid and cold region of northwestern China.

Bioaerosols have attracted increasing attention as novel contaminants because of their potential role in the spread of disease. In this study, sampling sites were established in a landfill in northwestern China with the aim of investigating the emission and diffusion characteristics of bioaerosols. The results revealed that the counts of airborne bacteria released by landfill cover area (LCA) and waste dumping area (WDA) located in the landfill area reached 18 193 ± 30 CFU/m3 and 10 948 ± 105 CFU/m3, respectively. These two aeras were the main sources of bioaerosol generation. Meanwhile, Corynebacterium spp., Bacteroidetes spp., and Pseudomonas spp. were identified as potential pathogens. A Gaussian model was applied to simulate the diffusion of the bioaerosols; the influence distance was calculated as 12 km from the boundary of the landfill site. The potential health risks of bioaerosol exposure to on-site workers and nearby residents were calculated and evaluated in terms of aerosol concentration, particle size, and pathogenic bacteria. The present study promotes the recognition of the emission behavior of microorganisms in aerosol particles and provides a basis for controlling bioaerosol contamination from landfill sites, particularly those located in cold and arid northwestern regions of China.

Host-Driven Selection, Revealed by Comparative Analysis of Xanthomonas Type III Secretion Effectoromes, Unveils Novel Recognized Effectors.

Xanthomonas species are specialized plant pathogens, often exhibiting a narrow host range. They rely on the translocation of effector proteins through the type III secretion system to colonize their respective hosts. The effector arsenal varies among Xanthomonas spp., typically displaying species-specific compositions. This species-specific effector composition, collectively termed the effectorome, is thought to influence host specialization. We determined the plant host-derived effectoromes of more than 300 deposited genomes of Xanthomonas species associated with either Solanaceae or Brassicaceae hosts. Comparative analyses revealed clear species-specific effectorome signatures. However, Solanaceae or Brassicaceae host-associated effectorome signatures were not detected. Nevertheless, host biases in the presence or absence of specific effector classes were observed. To assess whether host-associated effector absence results from selective pressures, we introduced effectors unique to Solanaceae pathogens to X. campestris pv. campestris and effectors unique to Brassicaceae pathogens to X. euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria (Xeue) and evaluated if these introductions hindered virulence on their respective hosts. Introducing the effector XopI into X. campestris pv. campestris reduced virulence on white cabbage leaves without affecting localized or systemic colonization. Introducing the XopAC or XopJ5 effectors into Xeue reduced virulence and colonization on tomato but not on pepper. Additionally, XopAC and XopJ5 induced a hypersensitive response on tomato leaves when delivered by Xeue or through Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression, confirming recognition in tomato. This study demonstrates the role of host-derived selection in establishing species-specific effectoromes, identifying XopAC and XopJ5 as recognized effectors in tomato.

Discovery of a new volcanic soil material, "Akahoya," as an adsorbent for bacterial and viral pathogens and its application to environmental purification.

Akahoya is a volcanic soil rich in alumina, primarily deposited in Kyushu, Japan. We have found that Akahoya adsorbs bacteria in the water surrounding cattle grazing areas, suggesting a potential for environmental purification. This study investigated the spectrum of microorganisms adsorbed by Akahoya using a column filled with Akahoya through which a suspension of microorganisms was passed. Shirasu soil, another volcanic soil with a different chemical composition, was used as a control. Akahoya effectively adsorbed a diverse range of microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus anthracis, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), murine norovirus, and avian influenza virus (H3N2), whereas Shirasu soil did not adsorb any of the organisms examined. Moreover, bacteria naturally present in river water, such as aerobic bacteria, total coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae as indicators of river contamination, as well as E. coli added artificially to sterilized river water, were reduced to below the detection limit (<1 CFU/mL) after being passed through Akahoya. Additionally, the number of viable E. coli continued to decrease after contact with Akahoya for 1 month, suggesting bactericidal effects. Notably, the adsorption of E. coli to Akahoya was influenced by the concentration of phosphate and the pH of the suspension due to the interaction between the surface phosphorylation of organisms and Al2O3, the major chemical component of Akahoya. The present results demonstrate the remarkable ability of Akahoya to remove phosphate and microbes, suggesting that Akahoya could be used for water purification processes.IMPORTANCEAlthough a safe and sufficient water supply is essential for the maintenance of hygienic conditions, a major challenge is to develop a comprehensive effective, sustainable, and cost-effective technological approach for the treatment and purification of contaminated water. In this study, we demonstrated that a novel volcanic soil, Akahoya, which has unlimited availability, is a highly effective adsorbent for a wide range of bacterial and viral pathogens, suggesting its potential as a sustainable resource for this purpose. It was suggested that the adsorption of microorganisms on Akahoya was mediated by phosphate groups present on the surface structures of microorganisms, which bind to the alumina component of Akahoya according to the phosphate concentration and pH of the liquid phase. The present findings highlight the exceptional ability of Akahoya to eliminate or reduce phosphate and microorganisms effectively in water purification processes, thus contributing to the development of efficient and sustainable solutions for addressing water pollution challenges.

Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Viral and Bacterial Coinfections in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents Aged under 18 Years with COVID-19 during the Omicron Wave in Russia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered respiratory infection patterns in pediatric populations. The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and relaxation of public health measures have increased the likelihood of coinfections. Previous studies show conflicting results regarding the impact of viral and bacterial coinfections with SARS-CoV-2 on severity of pediatric disease. This study investigated the prevalence and clinical impact of coinfections among children hospitalized with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 574 hospitalized patients aged under 18 years in Russia, from January 2022 to March 2023. Samples from patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens using qRT-PCR, bacterial culture tests and mass spectrometry, and ELISA. Approximately one-third of COVID-19 cases had coinfections, with viral and bacterial coinfections occurring at similar rates. Adenovirus and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common viral and bacterial coinfections, respectively. Viral coinfections were associated with higher fevers and increased bronchitis, while bacterial coinfections correlated with longer duration of illness and higher pneumonia rates. Non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses were linked to more severe lower respiratory tract complications than SARS-CoV-2 monoinfection. These findings suggest that during the Omicron wave, seasonal respiratory viruses may have posed a greater threat to children's health than SARS-CoV-2.