Prediction and causal inference of hyperuricemia using gut microbiota.

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a symptom of high blood uric acid (UA) levels, which causes disorders such as gout and renal urinary calculus. Prolonged HUA is often associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Studies have shown that gut microbiota (GM) affect these chronic diseases. This study aimed to determine the relationship between HUA and GM. The microbiome of 224 men and 254 women aged 40 years was analyzed through next-generation sequencing and machine learning. We obtained GM data through 16S rRNA-based sequencing of the fecal samples, finding that alpha-diversity by Shannon index was significantly low in the HUA group. Linear discriminant effect size analysis detected a high abundance of the genera Collinsella and Faecalibacterium in the HUA and non-HUA groups. Based on light gradient boosting machine learning, we propose that HUA can be predicted with high AUC using four clinical characteristics and the relative abundance of nine bacterial genera, including Collinsella and Dorea. In addition, analysis of causal relationships using a direct linear non-Gaussian acyclic model indicated a positive effect of the relative abundance of the genus Collinsella on blood UA levels. Our results suggest abundant Collinsella in the gut can increase blood UA levels.

Association between animal protein intake, oral frailty and calf circumference in middle-aged and older adults: a cross-sectional analysis from the Shika study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between oral frailty (OF), nutrient intake and calf circumference (CC) in middle-aged and older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Residents of four model districts of Shika town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, using data from November 2017 to February 2018. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and ninety-four residents aged ≥50 years in four model districts of Shika town. The OF total score ≥3 was defined as OF. Participants were divided into OF and non-OF groups and divided into the low-CC/kg and the high-CC/kg groups. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome is to use a two-way analysis of covariance to analyse the interaction between the two CC/kg groups and the two OF groups on nutrition intake. The secondary outcome is to use multiple regression analysis to investigate the nutrients significantly related to CC/kg when stratified by OF, with age, sex, body mass index, drinking status, smoking status and regular exercise as input covariates. RESULTS: A two-way analysis of covariance revealed a significant interaction between the two CC/kg groups and the two OF groups on animal protein intake (p=0.039). Multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni analysis revealed a significantly lower animal protein intake in the OF group than in the non-OF group with a low CC/kg (p=0.033) but not in the group with a high CC/kg. The multiple regression analysis stratified by OF revealed a positive correlation between animal protein intake and CC/kg (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The present results revealed a significantly lower animal protein intake in the OF group than in the non-OF group in the low-CC/kg group, but no such difference was observed in the high-CC/kg group. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate this relationship.

Skin microbiome profile in people living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon.

The presence of pathogens and the state of diseases, particularly skin diseases, may alter the composition of human skin microbiome. HIV infection has been reported to impair gut microbiome that leads to severe consequences. However, with cutaneous manifestations, that can be life-threatening, due to the opportunistic pathogens, little is known whether HIV infection might influence the skin microbiome and affect the skin homeostasis. This study catalogued the profile of skin microbiome of healthy Cameroonians, at three different skin sites, and compared them to the HIV-infected individuals. Taking advantage on the use of molecular assay coupled with next-generation sequencing, this study revealed that alpha-diversity of the skin microbiome was higher and beta-diversity was altered significantly in the HIV-infected Cameroonians than in the healthy ones. The relative abundance of skin microbes such as Micrococcus and Kocuria species was higher and Cutibacterium species was significantly lower in HIV-infected people, indicating an early change in the human skin microbiome in response to the HIV infection. This phenotypical shift was not related to the number of CD4 T cell count thus the cause remains to be identified. Overall, these data may offer an important lead on the role of skin microbiome in the determination of cutaneous disease state and the discovery of safe pharmacological preparations to treat microbial-related skin disorders.

Impact of gut microbiome on serum IgG4 levels in the general population: Shika-machi super preventive health examination results.

Introduction: Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) is a member of the human immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass, a protein involved in immunity to pathogens and the body's resistance system. IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD) are intractable diseases in which IgG4 levels in the blood are elevated, causing inflammation in organs such as the liver, pancreas, and salivary glands. IgG4-RD are known to be more prevalent in males than in females, but the etiology remains to be elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and serum IgG4 levels in the general population. Methods: In this study, the relationship between IgG4 levels and GM evaluated in male and female groups of the general population using causal inference. The study included 191 men and 207 women aged 40 years or older from Shika-machi, Ishikawa. GM DNA was analyzed for the 16S rRNA gene sequence using next-generation sequencing. Participants were bifurcated into high and low IgG4 groups, depending on median serum IgG4 levels. Results: ANCOVA, Tukey's HSD, linear discriminant analysis effect size, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression model, and correlation analysis revealed that Anaerostipes, Lachnospiraceae, Megasphaera, and [Eubacterium] hallii group were associated with IgG4 levels in women, while Megasphaera, [Eubacterium] hallii group, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus.1, and Romboutsia were associated with IgG4 levels in men. Linear non-Gaussian acyclic model indicated three genera, Megasphaera, [Eubacterium] hallii group, and Anaerostipes, and showed a presumed causal association with IgG4 levels in women. Discussion: This differential impact of the GM on IgG4 levels based on sex is a novel and intriguing finding.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility to 27 Drugs and the Molecular Mechanisms of Macrolide, Tetracycline, and Quinolone Resistance in Gemella sp.

Gemella is a catalase-negative, facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive coccus that is commensal in humans but can become opportunistic and cause severe infectious diseases, such as infective endocarditis. Few studies have tested the antimicrobial susceptibility of Gemella. We tested its antimicrobial susceptibility to 27 drugs and defined the resistant genes using PCR in 58 Gemella strains, including 52 clinical isolates and six type strains. The type strains and clinical isolates included 22 G. morbillorum, 18 G. haemolysans (GH) group (genetically indistinguishable from G. haemolysans and G. parahaemolysans), 13 G. taiwanensis, three G. sanguinis, and two G. bergeri. No strain was resistant to beta-lactams and vancomycin. In total, 6/22 (27.3%) G. morbillorum strains were erythromycin- and clindamycin-resistant ermB-positive, whereas 4/18 (22.2%) in the GH group, 7/13 (53.8%) G. taiwanensis, and 1/3 (33.3%) of the G. sanguinis strains were erythromycin-non-susceptible mefE- or mefA-positive and clindamycin-susceptible. The MIC90 of minocycline and the ratios of tetM-positive strains varied across the different species-G. morbillorum: 2 µg/mL and 27.3% (6/22); GH group: 8 µg/mL and 27.8% (5/18); G. taiwanensis: 8 µg/mL and 46.2% (6/13), respectively. Levofloxacin resistance was significantly higher in G. taiwanensis (9/13 69.2%) than in G. morbillorum (2/22 9.1%). Levofloxacin resistance was associated with a substitution at serine 83 for leucine, phenylalanine, or tyrosine in GyrA. The mechanisms of resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin differed across Gemella species. In addition, the rate of susceptibility to levofloxacin differed across Gemella sp., and the quinolone resistance mechanism was caused by mutations in GyrA alone.

Soluble biomarkers of HIV-1-related systemic immune activation are associated with high plasma levels of growth factors implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi sarcoma in adults.

Background: Human Herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a multicentric angio-proliferative cancer commonly associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. KS pathogenesis is a multifactorial condition hinged on immune dysfunction yet the mechanisms underlying the risk of developing KS in HHV-8 seropositive adults remains unclear. Here we explored whether soluble markers of HIV-1-related systemic immune activation (SIA) and angiogenesis (VEGF and FGF acidic) are involved in the pathogenesis of KS in adults with HHV8. Methodology: Blood samples from 99 HIV-1 infected and 60 HIV-1 uninfected adults were collected in Yaoundé, Cameroon. CD3+/CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 plasma viral load were determined using the Pima Analyzer and the RT-PCR technique, respectively. Plasma levels of SIA biomarkers (sCD163, sCD25/IL-2Rα, and sCD40/TNFRSF5) and biomarkers of progression to KS (VEGF and FGF acidic) were measured using the Luminex assay. Seropositivity (IgG) for HHV-8 was determined using the ELISA method. Results: Overall, 20.2% (20/99) of HIV-1 infected and 20% (12/60) of HIV-1 uninfected participants were seropositive for HHV8. Levels of sCD163, sCD25/IL-2Rα, sCD40/TNFRSF5, and FGF acidic were higher in the HIV-1 and HHV8 co-infection groups compared to the HIV-1 and HHV8 uninfected groups (all P <0.05). In addition, Higher plasma levels of VEGF correlated with sCD163 (rs = 0.58, P =0.0067) and sCD40/TNFRSF5 (rs = 0.59, P = 0.0064), while FGF acidic levels correlated with sCD40/TNFRSF5 (rs = 0.51, P = 0.022) in co-infected. In HIV-1 mono-infected donors, VEGF and FGF acidic levels correlated with sCD163 (rs =0.25, P = 0.03 and rs = 0.30, P = 0.006 respectively), sCD25/IL-2Rα (rs = 0.5, P <0.0001 and rs = 0.55, P <0.0001 respectively) and sCD40/TNFRSF5 (rs = 0.7, P <0.0001 and rs = 0.59, P <0.0001 respectively) and even in patients that were virally suppressed sCD25/IL-2Rα (rs = 0.39, P = 0.012 and rs = 0.53, P = 0.0004 respectively) and sCD40/TNFRSF5 (rs = 0.81, P <0.0001 and rs = 0.44, P = 0.0045 respectively). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that although the development of KS in PLWH is multifactorial, HIV-associated SIA might be among the key drivers in coinfections with HHV8 and is independent of the patients' viremic status.

A multilocus sequence typing method of Staphylococcus aureus DNAs in a sample from human skin.

The skin and mucous membranes are the primary sites of Staphylococcus aureus colonization, particularly those of health care personnel and patients in long-term care centers. We found that S. aureus colonized with a higher abundance ratio on skins which had recovered from pressure injury (PI) than on normal skins in our earlier research on the skin microbiota of bedridden patients. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is a useful tool for typing S. aureus isolated from clinical specimens. However, the MLST approach cannot be used in microbiota DNA owing to the contamination from other bacteria species. In this study, we developed a multiplex-nested PCR method to determine S. aureus MLST in samples collected from human skins. The seven pairs of forward and reverse primers were designed in the upstream and downstream regions, which were conserved specifically in S. aureus. The first amplifications of the seven pairs were conducted in a multiplex assay. The samples were diluted and applied to conventional PCR for MLST. We confirmed that the method amplified the seven allele sequences of S. aureus specifically in the presence of untargeted DNAs from human and other skin commensal bacteria. Using this assay, we succeeded in typing sequence types (STs) of S. aureus in the DNA samples derived from the skins healed from PI. Peaks obtained by Sanger sequencing showed that each sample contained one ST, which were mainly categorized into clonal complex 1 (CC1) or CC5. We propose that this culture-free approach may be used in detecting S. aureus in clinical specimens without isolation.

Impact of gut microbiome on the renin-aldosterone system: Shika-machi Super Preventive Health Examination results.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is a regulatory mechanism of the endocrine system and is associated with various diseases, including hypertension and renal and cardiovascular diseases. The gut microbiota (GM) have been associated with various diseases, mainly in animal models. However, to our knowledge, no studies have examined the relationship between the RAAS and GM in humans. The present study aimed to assess the association between the systemic RAAS and GM genera and their causal relationships. The study participants were 377 members of the general population aged 40 years or older in Shika-machi, Japan. Plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR), and GM composition were analyzed using the 16S rRNA method. The participants were divided into high and low groups according to the PRA, PAC, and ARR values. U-tests, one-way analysis of covariance, and linear discriminant analysis of effect size were used to identify the important bacterial genera between the two groups, and binary classification modeling using Random Forest was used to calculate the importance of the features. The results showed that Blautia, Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium were associated with the RAAS parameters. Causal inference analysis using the linear non-Gaussian acyclic model revealed a causal effect of Blautia on PAC via SBP. These results strengthen the association between the systemic RAAS and GM in humans, and interventions targeting the GM may provide new preventive measures and treatments for hypertension and renal disease.

Oral microbiome changes associated with the menstrual cycle in healthy young adult females.

The relationship between the menstrual cycle and the oral microbiome has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to assess potential changes in the oral microbiome of healthy young adults using 16S rRNA-based sequencing. Eleven females (aged 23-36 years) with stable menstrual cycles and without any oral problems were recruited. Saliva samples were collected before brushing every morning during the menstrual period. Based on basal body temperatures, menstrual cycles were divided into four phases, namely the menstrual, follicular, early luteal, and late luteal phases. Our results showed that the follicular phase had a significantly higher abundance ratio of the Streptococcus genus than the early and late luteal phases, whereas the abundance ratios of the Prevotella 7 and Prevotella 6 genera were significantly lower in the follicular phase than those in the early and late luteal phases and that in the early luteal phase, respectively. Alpha diversity by the Simpson index was significantly lower in the follicular phase than that in the early luteal phase, and beta diversity showed significant differences among the four phases. Using the relative abundance data and copy numbers of the 16S rRNA genes in the samples, the bacterial amounts in the four phases were compared, and we observed that the follicular phase had significantly lower amounts of the Prevotella 7 and Prevotella 6 genera than the menstrual and early luteal phase, respectively. These results indicate reciprocal changes with the Streptococcus genus and Prevotella genera, particularly in the follicular phase. In the present study, we showed that the oral microbiome profiles are affected by the menstrual cycles of healthy young adult females.

Potential biomarker proteins for aspiration pneumonia detected by shotgun proteomics using buccal mucosa samples: a cross-sectional case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Aspiration pneumonia (AP), which is a major cause of death in the elderly, does present with typical symptoms in the early stages of onset, thus it is difficult to detect and treat at an early stage. In this study, we identified biomarkers that are useful for the detection of AP and focused on salivary proteins, which may be collected non-invasively. Because expectorating saliva is often difficult for elderly people, we collected salivary proteins from the buccal mucosa. METHODS: We collected samples from the buccal mucosa of six patients with AP and six control patients (no AP) in an acute-care hospital. Following protein precipitation using trichloroacetic acid and washing with acetone, the samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We also determined the levels of cytokines and chemokines in non-precipitated samples from buccal mucosa. RESULTS: Comparative quantitative analysis of LC-MS/MS spectra revealed 55 highly (P values < 0.10) abundant proteins with high FDR confidence (q values < 0.01) and high coverage (> 50%) in the AP group compared with the control group. Among the 55 proteins, the protein abundances of four proteins (protein S100-A7A, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1, Serpin B4, and peptidoglycan recognition protein 1) in the AP group showed a negative correlation with the time post-onset; these proteins are promising AP biomarker candidates. In addition, the abundance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in oral samples was highly correlated with serum CRP levels, suggesting that oral CRP levels may be used as a surrogate to predict serum CRP in AP patients. A multiplex cytokine/chemokine assay revealed that MCP-1 tended to be low, indicating unresponsiveness of MCP-1 and its downstream immune pathways in AP. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that oral salivary proteins, which are obtained non-invasively, can be utilized for the detection of AP.

Evaluation of L-Alanine Metabolism in Bacteria and Whole-Body Distribution with Bacterial Infection Model Mice.

The World Health Organization has cautioned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will be responsible for an estimated 10 million deaths annually by 2050. To facilitate prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease, we investigated the potential of amino acids for use as indicators of bacterial growth activity by clarifying which amino acids are taken up by bacteria during the various growth phases. In addition, we examined the amino acid transport mechanisms that are employed by bacteria based on the accumulation of labeled amino acids, Na+ dependence, and inhibitory effects using a specific inhibitor of system A. We found that 3H-L-Ala accurately reflects the proliferative activity of Escherichia coli K-12 and pathogenic EC-14 in vitro. This accumulation in E. coli could be attributed to the amino acid transport systems being different from those found in human tumor cells. Moreover, biological distribution assessed in infection model mice with EC-14 using 3H-L-Ala showed that the ratio of 3H-L-Ala accumulated in infected muscle to that in control muscle was 1.20. By detecting the growth activity of bacteria in the body that occurs during the early stages of infection by nuclear imaging, such detection methods may result in expeditious diagnostic treatments for infectious diseases.

Association between Bone Mineral Density and Oral Frailty on Renal Function: Findings from the Shika Study.

The association between oral frailty (OFr) and body action has been investigated, but its association with systemic function remains unclear. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the association between OFr with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and renal function in residents of Shika town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan aged ≥40 years. This study included 400 inhabitants. The OFr total score was assessed using three oral domains in the Kihon Checklist (a self-reported comprehensive health checklist), the number of teeth, and brushing frequency per day. Measurements were the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the osteo-sono assessment index (OSI). Using a two-way analysis of covariance (p = 0.002), significantly lower OSI was indicated in the eGFR < 60 and OFr group than in the eGFR of < 60 and non-OFr group after adjusting for age, body mass index, and drinking and smoking status as confounding factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed this relationship (p = 0.006). Therefore, lower BMD seems to be associated with lower renal function only when accompanied by OFr. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these results.

Gut bacterial aromatic amine production: aromatic amino acid decarboxylase and its effects on peripheral serotonin production.

Colonic luminal aromatic amines have been historically considered to be derived from dietary source, especially fermented foods; however, recent studies indicate that the gut microbiota serves as an alternative source of these amines. Herein, we show that five prominent genera of Firmicutes (Blautia, Clostridium, Enterococcus, Ruminococcus, and Tyzzerella) have the ability to abundantly produce aromatic amines through the action of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). In vitro cultivation of human fecal samples revealed that a significant positive correlation between aadc copy number of Ruminococcus gnavus and phenylethylamine (PEA) production. Furthermore, using genetically engineered Enterococcus faecalis-colonized BALB/cCrSlc mouse model, we showed that the gut bacterial aadc stimulates the production of colonic serotonin, which is reportedly involved in osteoporosis and irritable bowel syndrome. Finally, we showed that human AADC inhibitors carbidopa and benserazide inhibit PEA production in En. faecalis.

Impact of gut microbiome on dyslipidemia in japanese adults: Assessment of the Shika-machi super preventive health examination results for causal inference.

Dyslipidemia (DL) is one of the most common lifestyle-related diseases. There are few reports showing the causal relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and DL. In the present study, we used a linear non-Gaussian acyclic model (LiNGAM) to evaluate the causal relationship between GM and DL. A total of 79 men and 82 women aged 40 years or older living in Shika-machi, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan were included in the analysis, and their clinical information was investigated. DNA extracted from the GM was processed to sequence the 16S rRNA gene using next-generation sequencing. Participants were divided into four groups based on sex and lipid profile information. The results of one-way analysis of covariance, linear discriminant analysis effect size, and least absolute value reduction and selection operator logistic regression model indicated that several bacteria between men and women may be associated with DL. The LiNGAM showed a presumed causal relationship between different bacteria and lipid profiles in men and women. In men, Prevotella 9 and Bacteroides were shown to be potentially associated with changes in low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In women, the LiNGAM results showed two bacteria, Akkermansia and Escherichia/Shigella, had a presumptive causal relationship with lipid profiles. These results may provide a new sex-based strategy to reduce the risk of developing DL and to treat DL through the regulation of the intestinal environment using specific GM.

123I-BMIPP, a Radiopharmaceutical for Myocardial Fatty Acid Metabolism Scintigraphy, Could Be Utilized in Bacterial Infection Imaging.

In this study, we evaluated the use of 15-(4-123I-iodophenyl)-3(R,S)-methylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) to visualize fatty acid metabolism in bacteria for bacterial infection imaging. We found that 123I-BMIPP, which is used for fatty acid metabolism scintigraphy in Japan, accumulated markedly in Escherichia coli EC-14 similar to 18F-FDG, which has previously been studied for bacterial imaging. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we evaluated changes in 123I-BMIPP accumulation under low-temperature conditions and in the presence of a CD36 inhibitor. The uptake of 123I-BMIPP by EC-14 was mediated via the CD36-like fatty-acid-transporting membrane protein and accumulated by fatty acid metabolism. In model mice infected with EC-14, the biological distribution and whole-body imaging were assessed using 123I-BMIPP and 18F-FDG. The 123I-BMIPP biodistribution study showed that, 8 h after infection, the ratio of 123I-BMIPP accumulated in infected muscle to that in control muscle was 1.31 at 60 min after 123I-BMIPP injection. In whole-body imaging 1.5 h after 123I-BMIPP administration and 9.5 h after infection, infected muscle exhibited a 1.33-times higher contrast than non-infected muscle. Thus, 123I-BMIPP shows potential for visualizing fatty acid metabolism of bacteria for imaging bacterial infections.

Interspecies Regulation Between Staphylococcus caprae and Staphylococcus aureus Colonized on Healed Skin After Injury.

Staphylococcus spp. colonize commensally on the human skin. Some commensal coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus are also involved in nosocomial infections. Bacteria were collected from skin healed from pressure injury (PI). After the collection time points, some patients suffered from recurrent PI (RPI). This study analyzed the characteristics of Staphylococcus spp. on healed skin before recurrence between healed skin that suffered from RPI within 6 weeks (RPI group) and healed skin that did not suffer within the duration (non-RPI group) by Staphylococcus spp.-specific sequencing. Of the seven patients in the RPI group, two were dominated by S. aureus and four by Staphylococcus caprae, coagulase-negative human commensal staphylococci in the RPI group. Using mouse models, both S. caprae and S. aureus, but not Staphylococcus epidermidis, colonized on skin healed from injury at significantly higher rates than normal skin. Although subcutaneous injection of S. caprae did not induce lesion formation, the bacterium exhibited high hemolytic activity on human red blood cells. Lesion formation by subcutaneous injection of S. aureus was significantly suppressed in the presence of S. caprae. The hemolytic activity of rabbit blood cells of S. aureus was suppressed by S. caprae, whereas the hemolytic activity of S. caprae was dramatically suppressed by S. aureus. Data indicated that each of the two Staphylococcus spp. suppresses the pathogenicity of the other and that the imbalance between the two is associated with RPI.

Comparison of L- and D-Amino Acids for Bacterial Imaging in Lung Infection Mouse Model.

The effectiveness of L- and D-amino acids for detecting the early stage of infection in bacterial imaging was compared. We evaluated the accumulation of 3H-L-methionine (Met), 3H-D-Met, 3H-L-alanine (Ala), and 3H-D-Ala in E. coli EC-14 and HaCaT cells. Biological distribution was assessed in control and lung-infection-model mice with EC-14 using 3H-L- and D-Met, and 18F-FDG. A maximum accumulation of 3H-L- and D-Met, and 3H-L- and D-Ala occurred in the growth phase of EC-14 in vitro. The accumulation of 3H-L-Met and L-Ala was greater than that of 3H-D-Met and D-Ala in both EC-14 and HaCaT cells. For all radiotracers, the accumulation was greater in EC-14 than in HaCaT cells at early time points. The accumulation was identified at 5 min after injection in EC-14, whereas the accumulation gradually increased in HaCaT cells over time. There was little difference in biodistribution between 3H-L-and D-Met except in the brain. 3H-L- and D-Met were sensitive for detecting areas of infection after the spread of bacteria throughout the body, whereas 18F-FDG mainly detected primary infection areas. Therefore, 11C-L- and D-Met, radioisotopes that differ only in terms of 3H labeling, could be superior to 18F-FDG for detecting bacterial infection in lung-infection-model mice.

Skin microbiome profile of healthy Cameroonians and Japanese.

The commensal microbes of the skin have a significant impact on dermal physiology and pathophysiology. Racial and geographical differences in the skin microbiome are suggested and may play a role in the sensitivity to dermatological disorders, including infectious diseases. However, little is known about the skin microbiome profiles of people living in Central Africa, where severe tropical infectious diseases impose a burden on the inhabitants. This study provided the skin profiles of healthy Cameroonians in different body sites and compared them to healthy Japanese participants. The skin microbiome of Cameroonians was distinguishable from that of Japanese in all skin sites examined in this study. For example, Micrococcus was predominantly found in skin samples of Cameroonians but mostly absent in Japanese skin samples. Instead, the relative abundance of Cutibacterium species was significantly higher in healthy Japanese. Principal coordinate analysis of beta diversity showed that the skin microbiome of Cameroonians formed different clusters from Japanese, suggesting a substantial difference in the microbiome profiles between participants of both countries. In addition, the alpha diversity in skin microbes was higher in Cameroonians than Japanese participants. These data may offer insights into the determinant factors responsible for the distinctness of the skin microbiome of people living in Central Africa and Asia.

Association of Skin Microbiome with the Onset and Recurrence of Pressure Injury in Bedridden Elderly People.

Pressure injuries have been identified as one of the main health hazards among bedridden elderly people. Bedridden elderly people often stay in the same position for a long time, because they cannot switch positions; thus, the blood flow in the part of the body that is being compressed between the bed and their own weight is continuously blocked. As a result, redness and ulcers occur due to lacking oxygen and nutrients in the skin tissues, and these sites are often infected with microorganisms and, thus, become suppurative wounds, a condition commonly determined as pressure injuries. If left untreated, the pressure injury will recur with microbial infections, often resulting in cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and sepsis. The skin microbiome, in which many types of bacteria coexist, is formed on the skin surface. However, it remains unclear what characteristic of the skin microbiome among the bedridden elderly constitutes the development and severity of pressure injuries and the development of post-pressure injury infections. Thus, in this review article, we outlined the changes in the skin microbiome among the bedridden elderly people and their potential involvement in the onset and recurrence of pressure injuries.