In vitro efficacy of high-dose tobramycin against Burkholderia cepacia complex and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from cystic fibrosis patients.

Burkholderia cepacia complex and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections are associated with poor clinical outcomes in persons with cystic fibrosis (CF). The MIC50 based on planktonic growth and the biofilm concentration at which 50% of the isolates tested are inhibited (BIC50) of tobramycin were measured for 180 B. cepacia complex and 101 S. maltophilia CF isolates and were 100 µg/ml for both species. New inhalation devices that deliver high tobramycin levels to the lung may be able to exceed these MICs.

Behavioral dominance interactions between Nicrophorus orbicollis and N. tomentosus burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae).

Asymmetric interference competition, where one species is behaviorally dominant over another, appears widespread in nature with the potential to structure ecological communities through trade-offs between competitive dominance and environmental tolerance. The details of how species interact and the factors that contribute to behavioral dominance, however, are poorly known for most species, yet such details are important for understanding when and why trade-offs occur. Here, we examine behavioral interactions between two species of burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) that compete for limited breeding resources (i.e., small vertebrate carcasses) in nature, to identify behaviors involved in interference competition and to test if large body size, species identity, or time of arrival best predict behavioral dominance among species. To test these ideas, we placed same-sex individuals of Nicrophorus orbicollis (early to mid-summer breeder) and N. tomentosus (late summer to fall breeder) into an enclosure together with a 25-30 g mouse carcass (Mus musculus). We then video-recorded all behaviors, including neutral and aggressive interactions, for 13 h per trial (N = 14 trials). For each interaction, we assigned a winner based on which beetle retained its position instead of fleeing or retained possession of the carcass; the overall behavioral dominant was determined as the individual that won the most interactions over the length of the trial. We found that large body size was the best predictor of behavioral dominance. In most interactions, N. orbicollis was larger and dominant over N. tomentosus; however, when N. tomentosus was larger they outcompeted smaller N. orbicollis, illustrating the importance of body size in aggressive contests. The order of arrival to the carcass (priority effects) did not predict behavioral dominance. The larger size and abundance of N. orbicollis in nature suggest a competitive asymmetry between the species, supporting the idea that N. orbicollis constrains the ability of N. tomentosus to breed earlier in the summer.

Ecological divergence of burying beetles into the forest canopy.

Closely related species with overlapping geographic ranges encounter a significant challenge: they share many ecological traits and preferences but must partition resources to coexist. In Ontario, potentially eleven species of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) live together and require vertebrate carrion for reproduction. Their reliance on an ephemeral and uncommon resource that is unpredictable in space and time is thought to create intense intra- and interspecific competition. Evidence suggests that burying beetle species reduce competition by partitioning carrion for breeding across different habitats, temperatures, and seasons. Here, we test predictions of an alternative axis for partitioning carrion: vertical partitioning between the ground and forest canopy. We conducted a survey of carrion beetles from May to July 2016 at the Queen's University Biological Station across 50 randomly generated points using baited lethal traps at zero and six metres. Ground traps yielded more species and individuals compared to those in the canopy, and the number of individuals and species caught increased through the season in both trap types. Ground and canopy traps were accurately distinguished by the presence or absence of three species: ground traps contained more Nicrophorus orbicollis and Necrophila americana, while canopy traps contained more Nicrophorus pustulatus. We trapped 253 N. pustulatus in the canopy, but only 60 on the ground. N. pustulatus is thought to be rare across its geographic range, but our results suggest it is uniquely common in canopy habitats, demonstrating a vertical partitioning of habitat and resources. Our results are consistent with N. pustulatus having diverged into canopy habitats as a strategy to coexist with closely related sympatric species when competing for similar resources. We still, however, do not know the traits that allow N. pustulatus to flourish in the canopy, exactly how N. pustulatus uses canopy resources for breeding, or the factors that restrict the expansion of other burying beetles into this habitat.

Longitudinal study of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia antibody levels and outcomes in cystic fibrosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown an association between higher Stenotrophomonas maltophilia antibody levels and decreased lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The purpose of this study was to assess the serologic response to S. maltophilia over time and to determine whether changes in antibody levels could predict clinical outcomes. METHODS: Changes in S. maltophilia antibody levels in adult and pediatric patients with CF from 2008 to 2014 were assessed between groups of infection patterns. Regression models accounting for repeated measures were used to assess whether antibody levels could predict subsequent S. maltophilia microbiological status, and whether they are associated with lung function and subsequent pulmonary exacerbation. RESULTS: A total of 409 S. maltophilia antibody samples from 135 CF patients showed that antibody levels did not change significantly between study visits, regardless of infection group. Higher antibody levels were independently associated with future culture positivity (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.09, 2.41; p=0.02). While higher antibody levels were not independently associated with decreases in FEV1% predicted, they were associated with an increased hazard ratio for subsequent pulmonary exacerbation (HR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1, 1.6; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: S. maltophilia antibody levels may be helpful to identify individuals at risk of exacerbation who may benefit from earlier antimicrobial treatment.

Pilot trial of tobramycin inhalation powder in cystic fibrosis patients with chronic Burkholderia cepacia complex infection.

There is no effective chronic suppressive therapy Burkholderia cepacia complex infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This was a pilot, open-label clinical trial of tobramycin inhalation powder (TIP) delivered via Podhaler twice daily for 28days in adults and children with CF and chronic B. cepacia complex infection in Toronto, Canada. A total of 10 subjects (4 pediatric, 6 adult patients) were treated. There was a mean drop of 1.4 log (CFU/ml) in sputum bacterial density (p=0.01) and sputum IL-8 levels decreased significantly after 28days of TIP (p=0.04). The mean relative change in FEV1 (L) from Day 0 to Day 28 of TIP administration was a 4.6% increase but this was not statistically significant. The majority of patients (70%) had no or mild adverse events.