The importance of environments and surfaces hygienization in pandemic times (Covid-19): a microbiological analysis in places for physical activity practice

The objective of this study was to analyse microbiological organisms in different locations and regions for physical activity in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. Samples were collected on various objects used, such as: mattresses, drinking fountains, gloves, cell phones and others. The samples were collected in João Pessoa-PB, following the Standard Operating Procedure-SOP/ Microbiology of a specialized laboratory. The collection took place in the five macro-regions: North, South, East, West and Center. Foreach region samples were collected in one public place (square), a private one (gym) and one school (public or private), totaling fifteen collected sites and 450 samples. The following microorganisms were studied in all analyzed surfaces: Bacillus sp, Escherichia Coli, Klebsiella sppor Enterobacter sppand Coag. Neg. Staphylococcus.All regions had a high contamination level by some microorganism. The highest rates were found in the western, central and northern regions -96, 94 and 93% respectively. The Coag. Neg.Staphylococcus presented the highest and lowest incidence rates in the South and East regions, with 43.33 and 6.67%, respectively, as well as Klebsiella sppor Enterobacter spp, which presented high levels. It is concluded that there is a microorganisms' contamination in the most varied places and regions where physical activity practices are developed, with a predominance of Coag. Neg.Staphylococcusand Klebsiella sppor Enterobacter spp. These results lead to a warning about the hygiene importance in places for physical activity practice, especially in pandemic times (COVID-19), since almost all the evaluated surfaces were contaminated.

Enterotype-based Analysis of Gut Microbiota along the Conventional Adenoma-Carcinoma Colorectal Cancer Pathway.

The dysbiosis of human gut microbiota is strongly associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The dysbiotic features of the transition from advanced polyp to early-stage CRC are largely unknown. We performed a 16S rRNA gene sequencing and enterotype-based gut microbiota analysis study. In addition to Bacteroides- and Prevotella-dominated enterotypes, we identified an Escherichia-dominated enterotype. We found that the dysbiotic features of CRC were dissimilar in overall samples and especially Escherichia-dominated enterotype. Besides a higher abundance of Fusobacterium, Enterococcus, and Aeromonas in all CRC faecal microbiota, we found that the most notable characteristic of CRC faecal microbiota was a decreased abundance of potential beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria. Notably, Oscillospira was depleted in the transition from advanced adenoma to stage 0 CRC, whereas Haemophilus was depleted in the transition from stage 0 to early-stage CRC. We further identified 7 different CAGs by analysing bacterial clusters. The abundance of microbiota in cluster 3 significantly increased in the CRC group, whereas that of cluster 5 decreased. The abundance of both cluster 5 and cluster 7 decreased in the Escherichia-dominated enterotype of the CRC group. We present the first enterotype-based faecal microbiota analysis. The gut microbiota of colorectal neoplasms can be influenced by its enterotype.

Nod2 Deficiency in mice is Associated with Microbiota Variation Favouring the Expansion of mucosal CD4+ LAP+ Regulatory Cells.

Nucleotide-binding Oligomerization Domain-2 (NOD2) mutations are associated with an increased risk to develop Crohn's Disease. In previous studies, we have shown that Nod2-/- mice manifest increased proportion of Lamina Propria (LP) CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- regulatory cells, when compared with Nod2+/+ mice, while CD4+ Foxp3 + regulatory cells were not affected. Here, we investigated the Nod2 gut microbiota, by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing, at steady state and after TNBS-colitis induction in mice reared separately or in cohousing, correlating the microbial profiles with LP regulatory T cells proportion and tissue cytokines content. We found that enrichment of Rikenella and Alistipes (Rikenellaceae) in Nod2-/- mice at 8 weeks of age reared separately was associated with increased proportion of CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- cells and less severe TNBS-colitis. In co-housed mice the acquisition of Rickenellaceae by Nod2+/+ mice was associated with increased CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- proportion and less severe colitis. Severe colitis was associated with enrichment of gram-negative pathobionts (Escherichia and Enterococcus), while less severe colitis with protective bacteria (Barnesiella, Odoribacter and Clostridium IV). Environmental factors acting on genetic background with different outcomes according to their impact on microbiota, predispose in different ways to inflammation. These results open a new scenario for therapeutic attempt to re-establish eubiosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients with NOD2 polymorphisms.

Proteomics Goes to Court: A Statistical Foundation for Forensic Toxin/Organism Identification Using Bottom-Up Proteomics.

Bottom-up proteomics is increasingly being used to characterize unknown environmental, clinical, and forensic samples. Proteomics-based bacterial identification typically proceeds by tabulating peptide "hits" (i.e., confidently identified peptides) associated with the organisms in a database; those organisms with enough hits are declared present in the sample. This approach has proven to be successful in laboratory studies; however, important research gaps remain. First, the common-practice reliance on unique peptides for identification is susceptible to a phenomenon known as signal erosion. Second, no general guidelines are available for determining how many hits are needed to make a confident identification. These gaps inhibit the transition of this approach to real-world forensic samples where conditions vary and large databases may be needed. In this work, we propose statistical criteria that overcome the problem of signal erosion and can be applied regardless of the sample quality or data analysis pipeline. These criteria are straightforward, producing a p-value on the result of an organism or toxin identification. We test the proposed criteria on 919 LC-MS/MS data sets originating from 2 toxins and 32 bacterial strains acquired using multiple data collection platforms. Results reveal a > 95% correct species-level identification rate, demonstrating the effectiveness and robustness of proteomics-based organism/toxin identification.

[Escherichia vulneris etiologic agent of septic arthritis in a child]. / Escherichia vulneris como agente etiológico de artritis séptica en una niña.

Escherichia vulneris is a gram-negative bacillus that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, with a questioned pathogenic role. However, it has been confirmed as the cause of wound infections. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl, previously healthy, with a diagnosis of septic arthritis of the right knee, secondary to a spinal lesion. Escherichia vulneris, an unusual etiology of septic arthritis in children, was isolated in the joint fluid. This case is one of the first cases of septic arthritis due to E. vulneris, secondary to a plant-derived foreign body in a child, described in the medical literature. The importance of performing the microbiological study of joint fluid in patients with septic arthritis caused by a foreign body of plant-derived origin is emphasized.

Escherichia vulneris como agente etiológico de artritis séptica en una niña / Escherichia vulneris etiologic agent of septic arthritis in a child

Resumen Escherichia vulneris es un bacilo gramnegativo, perteneciente a la familia Enterobacteriaceae, cuyo rol patógeno ha sido cuestionado. Sin embargo, se ha confirmado principalmente como causante de infecciones de heridas. Presentamos el caso de una niña de 12 años, previamente sana, con diagnóstico de una artritis séptica de rodilla derecha secundaria a una lesión con espina vegetal. En el estudio del líquido articular se aisló E. vulneris, una etiología poco habitual de artritis séptica en niños. Es uno de los primeros casos de artritis séptica por E. vulneris, secundaria a un cuerpo extraño vegetal en un niño, descritos en la literatura médica. Se enfatiza la importancia de realizar el estudio microbiológico del líquido articular en pacientes con artritis séptica originada por un cuerpo extraño de origen vegetal.

Escherichia vulneris is a gram-negative bacillus that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, with a questioned pathogenic role. However, it has been confirmed as the cause of wound infections. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl, previously healthy, with a diagnosis of septic arthritis of the right knee, secondary to a spinal lesion. Escherichia vulneris, an unusual etiology of septic arthritis in children, was isolated in the joint fluid. This case is one of the first cases of septic arthritis due to E. vulneris, secondary to a plant-derived foreign body in a child, described in the medical literature. The importance of performing the microbiological study of joint fluid in patients with septic arthritis caused by a foreign body of plant-derived origin is emphasized.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by Enterobacter species versus Escherichia coli: a matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Enterobacter species are important nosocomial pathogens, and there is growing concern about their ability to develop resistance during antimicrobial therapy. However, few data are available on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of Enterobacter spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients with SBP caused by Enterobacter species admitted to a tertiary care hospital between January 1997 and December 2013. Each case was age- and sex-matched with four patients with Escherichia coli SBP. RESULTS: A total of 32 cases with Enterobacter SBP and 128 controls with E. coli SBP were included. Twenty-one (65.6 %) cases and 111 (86.7 %) controls had Child-Pugh class C (P = 0.006). Cases were significantly more likely to have hepatocellular carcinoma (65.6 % vs. 37.5 %, P = 0.004) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (28.1 % vs. 9.4 %, P = 0.005). The initial response to empirical therapy (81.3 % vs. 81.2 %, P = 0.995) and the 30-day mortality (37.5 % vs. 28.9 %, P = 0.35) were not significantly different between the groups. Drug resistance emerged in one case and in no controls (4.3 % [1/23] vs. 0 % [0/98], P = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with E. coli SBP, patients with Enterobacter SBP more frequently had hepatocellular carcinoma and upper gastrointestinal bleeding, yet clinical outcomes were comparable. Development of resistance during third-generation cephalosporin therapy was infrequent in patients with Enterobacter SBP.

Perilla Oil Has Similar Protective Effects of Fish Oil on High-Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Gut Dysbiosis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease in developed countries. Recent studies indicated that the modification of gut microbiota plays an important role in the progression from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated consumption of fish oil or perilla oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) protects against NAFLD. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we adopted 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing technique to investigate the impacts of fish oil and perilla oil on gut microbiomes modification in rats with high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced NAFLD. Both fish oil and perilla oil ameliorated HFD-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation. In comparison with the low-fat control diet, HFD feeding significantly reduced the relative abundance of Gram-positive bacteria in the gut, which was slightly reversed by either fish oil or perilla oil. Additionally, fish oil and perilla oil consumption abrogated the elevated abundance of Prevotella and Escherichia in the gut from HFD fed animals. Interestingly, the relative abundance of antiobese Akkermansia was remarkably increased only in animals fed fish oil compared with HFD group. In conclusion, compared with fish oil, perilla oil has similar but slightly weaker potency against HFD-induced NAFLD and gut dysbiosis.

The WNT signaling pathway contributes to dectin-1-dependent inhibition of Toll-like receptor-induced inflammatory signature.

Macrophages regulate cell fate decisions during microbial challenges by carefully titrating signaling events activated by innate receptors such as dectin-1 or Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Here, we demonstrate that dectin-1 activation robustly dampens TLR-induced proinflammatory signature in macrophages. Dectin-1 induced the stabilization of ß-catenin via spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk)-reactive oxygen species (ROS) signals, contributing to the expression of WNT5A. Subsequently, WNT5A-responsive protein inhibitors of activated STAT (PIAS-1) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS-1) mediate the downregulation of IRAK-1, IRAK-4, and MyD88, resulting in decreased expression of interleukin 12 (IL-12), IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). In vivo activation of dectin-1 with pathogenic fungi or ligand resulted in an increased bacterial burden of Mycobacteria, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, or Escherichia, with a concomitant decrease in TLR-triggered proinflammatory cytokines. All together, our study establishes a new role for dectin-1-responsive inhibitory mechanisms employed by virulent fungi to limit the proinflammatory environment of the host.

Escherichia albertii and Hafnia alvei are candidate enteric pathogens with divergent effects on intercellular tight junctions.

Attaching-effacing lesion-inducing Escherichia albertii and the related, but non-attaching-effacing organism, Hafnia alvei, are both implicated as enteric pathogens in humans. However, effects of these bacteria on epithelial cells are not well-characterized. Related enteropathogens, including enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, decrease epithelial barrier function by disrupting intercellular tight junctions in polarized epithelia. Therefore, this study assessed epithelial barrier function and tight junction protein distribution in polarized epithelia following bacterial infections. Polarized epithelial (MDCK-I and T84) cells grown on filter supports were infected apically with E. coli O157:H7, E. albertii, and H. alvei for 16h at 37 degrees C. All strains decreased transepithelial electrical resistance and increased permeability to a dextran probe in a host cell-dependent manner. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that both E. coli O157:H7 and E. albertii, but not H. alvei, caused a redistribution of the tight junction protein zona occludens-1. In contrast to E. coli O157:H7, E. albertii and H. alvei did not redistribute claudin-1. Western blotting of whole cell protein extracts demonstrated that each bacterium caused differential changes in tight junction protein expression, dependent on the host cell. These findings demonstrate that E. albertii and H. alvei are candidate enteric pathogens that have both strain-specific and host epithelial cell-dependent effects.

Escherichia vulneris osteomyelitis of the tibia caused by a wooden foreign body.

A new species in the family Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia vulneris, was characterized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1982. It has been shown to have a predilection for human wounds, and several case reports have described superficial wound infections with this rare organism. Until now, however, there have been no reports of osteomyelitis occurring secondary to E vulneris infection. The authors present the case of a 13-year-old boy who fell on a stick and sustained a penetrating injury to his right knee. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lytic lesion with a foreign body in the tibial epiphysis. On culture, only E vulneris was found, and histologic examination showed the foreign body to be surrounded by acute and chronic inflammation, abscess formation, and foreign-body giant-cell reaction. Although a recent study questioned the pathogenicity of this organism after reviewing the cases of 12 patients in whom there was concurrent heavy growth of Staphylococcus aureus, the present case supports the finding that E vulneris is a human pathogen that should be treated when obtained from human wound cultures.

Colonization of human wounds by Escherichia vulneris and Escherichia hermannii.

In this report we present clinical descriptions of 12 Hawaiian patients from whom Escherichia vulneris or E. hermannii strains were isolated. All but two patients had soft-tissue infections with multiple bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus. The other two had purulent conjunctivitis associated with S. aureus and infected malignant peritonitis with multiple organisms, respectively. In none of the cases were the Escherichia spp. found in abundant quantities or considered pathogenic. In preliminary animal pathogenicity studies, 12 strains each of E. vulneris and E. hermannii failed to cause serious symptoms in 4-week-old mice when 10(7) cells were injected intraperitoneally. When 10(6) cells were used, none of these bacterial strains injected into mouse soft tissue was capable of producing persistent wound infections. Susceptibility studies of 40 strains of these bacteria to 20 different antimicrobial agents showed that they were susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins as well as to most other cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim; these strains were only marginally susceptible or resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and nitrofurantoin.