Achievements and challenges in the health of Mexican women, 1990 and 2019: ecological analysis based on the global burden of disease data.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the burden and causes of disease in Mexican women in 1990 and 2019, based on the data disaggregation by age groups and states. Also, to evaluate the relationship of years of healthy life lost with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and with the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index. STUDY DESIGN: This was an ecological descriptive study. METHODS: Based on the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study study, the age-standardized and age-specific rates for mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were reported. RESULTS: At the national level, the all-cause age-standardized rates for Mexican women decreased in mortality -28.8%; YLLs -39.8%; YLDs -1.3%; and DALYs -26.2%. For 2019, the indicators analyzed had the worst performances in Chiapas and Chihuahua, while women in Sinaloa had the lowest age-standardized rates. In 1990, it is worth noting that there was a remarkable presence of CDs, mainly in YLLs. In all age groups, diabetes mellitus was the leading cause of DALYs in Mexico's 32 states, followed by CKD (in 24 states), and ischemic heart disease (in 18 states). In both 1990 and 2019, a negative and statistically significant correlation between DALYs and the HAQ Index was evident. The correlation between DALYs and the SDI was only significant in 1990. CONCLUSION: In the last 30 years, the burden of disease on Mexican women has undergone substantial changes that reflect progress in the improvement of their health conditions. However, the current scenario is complex because the convergence of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injuries is evident, which implies important challenges that must be addressed as soon as possible.

A guide to classify tattoo motives in Mexico as a tool to identify unknown bodies.

JUSTIFICATION: In Mexico, the number of unidentified bodies has been steadily rising for years. By now, more than 50,000 bodies are considered unidentified. Forensic laboratories that could perform comparative molecular genetic investigation are often overburdened and examinations can take months. Therefore, pragmatic approaches that can help to identify more unknown bodies must be sought. The increased use of distinctive physical features might be one, and the high rate of tattooed people in Mexico points towards a great potential of tattoos as a tool for identification. The prerequisite for a comparison of antemortem (missing persons) and postmortem (unknown bodies) data is an objective description of the particularities, e.g., of the tattoos. The aim of this study was to establish an objective classification for tattoo motives, taking into consideration local preferences. METHODS: In the database of the medicolegal services of the Instituto Jaliscience de Ciencias Forenses (IJCF) in Guadalajara, postmortem data of 1000 tattooed bodies from 2019 were evaluated. According to sex and age, the tattooed body localization and the tattoo motives were categorized. RESULTS: The 1000 tattooed deceased showed tattoos on 2342 body localizations. The motives were grouped and linked to the following 11 keywords (with decreasing frequency): letters/numbers, human, symbol (other), plant, symbol (religious), animal, object, fantasy/demon/comic, tribal/ornament/geometry, other, unrecognizable. CONCLUSION: Using the proposed classification, tattoo motives can be described objectively and classified in a practical way. If used for antemortem (missing persons) and postmortem (unknown bodies) documentation, motives can be searched and compared efficiently-helping to identify unknown bodies.

Multiresistance to Nonazole Fungicides in Aspergillus fumigatus TR34/L98H Azole-Resistant Isolates.

Drug resistance is a worldwide problem affecting all pathogens. The human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus coexists in the environment with other fungi targeted by crop protection compounds, being unintentionally exposed to the selective pressure of multiple antifungal classes and leading to the selection of resistant strains. A. fumigatus azole-resistant isolates are emerging in both clinical and environmental settings. Since their approval, azole drugs have dominated clinical treatment for aspergillosis infections and the agriculture fungicide market. However, other antifungal classes are used for crop protection, including benzimidazoles (methyl benzimidazole carbamates [MBCs]), strobilurins (quinolone oxidation inhibitors [QoIs]), and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs). Mutations responsible for resistance to these fungicides have been widely researched in plant pathogens, but resistance has not been explored in A. fumigatus. In this work, the genetic basis underlying resistance to MBCs, QoIs, and SDHIs was studied in azole-susceptible and -resistant A. fumigatus strains. E198A/Q and F200Y mutations in ß-tubulin conferred resistance to MBCs, G143A and F129L substitutions in cytochrome b conferred resistance to QoIs, and H270R/Y mutations in SdhB conferred resistance to SDHIs. Characterization of susceptibility to azoles showed a correlation between strains resistant to these fungicides and the ones with tandem-repeat (TR)-based azole resistance mechanisms. Whole-genome sequencing analysis showed a genetic relationship among fungicide multiresistant strains, which grouped into subclusters that included only strains carrying the TR-based azole resistance mechanisms, indicating a common ancestor/evolution pattern and confirming the environmental origin of this type of azole-resistant A. fumigatus.

Umbilical cord clamping and skin-to-skin contact in deliveries from women positive for SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that delayed cord clamping (DCC) is safe in mothers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective observational study involving epidemiological information from 403 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 between 1 March and 31 May 2020. Data were collected from 70 centres that participate in the Spanish Registry of COVID-19. METHODS: Patients' information was collected from their medical chart. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The rate of perinatal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and development of the infection in neonates within 14 days postpartum. RESULTS: The early cord clamping (ECC) group consisted of 231 infants (57.3%) and the DCC group consisted of 172 infants (42.7%). Five positive newborns (1.7% of total tests performed) were identified with the nasopharyngeal PCR tests performed in the first 12 hours postpartum, two from the ECC group (1.7%) and three from the DCC group (3.6%). No significant differences between groups were found regarding neonatal tests for SARS-CoV-2. No confirmed cases of vertical transmission were detected. The percentage of mothers who made skin-to-skin contact within the first 24 hours after delivery was significantly higher in the DCC group (84.3% versus 45.9%). Breastfeeding in the immediate postpartum period was also significantly higher in the DCC group (77.3% versus 50.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show no differences in perinatal outcomes when performing ECC or DCC, and skin-to-skin contact, or breastfeeding. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: This study demonstrates that delayed cord clamping is safe in mothers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Life during the pandemic: an international photo-elicitation study with medical students.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global event with unprecedented impact on individuals and communities around the world. The purpose of this study is to use a modified photo-elicitation methodology to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of medical students and their communities around the world. METHODS: Participating medical students were asked to take photographs for 14 days. In lieu of an interview, which is customary for photo-elicitation projects, participants were asked to share a reflection (a paragraph or two) for each photograph they contributed to the study. RESULTS: Between April 27th, 2020 and May 11th, 2020 26 students from 19 medical schools across 13 countries shared photographs and reflections. Qualitative analysis of written reflections revealed that medical students felt the impact of the pandemic on several levels 1) individual, 2) interpersonal, 3) educational, and 4) societal. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of medical students on multiple levels. As individuals, students felt emotional distress but found resilience through physical activity and the establishment of new routines. Many students felt isolated as their interpersonal relationships were confined due to social distancing measures. These feelings could be combated with new educational initiatives focused on group collaboration. Lastly, students reflecting on the larger societal implications were concerned with the economic ramifications of the virus and its impact on their future. This study brought together students from several different countries to engage in an applied learning program as a model for equitable global health research.

Oviductal Proteins Effect in Rooster Spermatic Cryopreservation.

BACKGROUND: Cryopreservation induces spermatic cryo capacitation, which can decrease thawed sperm fertilizing capability. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of uterus-vaginal union protein factors to inhibit sperm cryo capacitation and maintain viability and fertilizing capability of rooster spermatozoa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rooster spermatozoa was cryopreserved using Lake extender supplemented with different hen's uterus-vaginal junction protein concentrations, to determine spermatic viability, sperm physiological condition and fertilizing capability in vivo. RESULTS: It was possible to induce spermatic decapacitation in vitro, inhibiting cryo capacitation and allowing fertility results comparable to those obtained with fresh semen. CONCLUSION: Uterus-vaginal protein extracts induce spermatic decapacitation in vitro.

Long-Term Safety of In Utero Exposure to Anti-TNFα Drugs for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results from the Multicenter European TEDDY Study.

OBJECTIVES: The long-term safety of exposure to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNFα) drugs during pregnancy has received little attention. We aimed to compare the relative risk of severe infections in children of mothers with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who were exposed to anti-TNFα drugs in utero with that of children who were not exposed to the drugs. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter cohort study. Exposed cohort: children from mothers with IBD receiving anti-TNFα medication (with or without thiopurines) at any time during pregnancy or during the 3 months before conception. Non-exposed cohort: children from mothers with IBD not treated with anti-TNFα agents or thiopurines at any time during pregnancy or the 3 months before conception. The cumulative incidence of severe infections after birth was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves, which were compared using the log-rank test. Cox-regression analysis was performed to identify potential predictive factors for severe infections in the offspring. RESULTS: The study population comprised 841 children, of whom 388 (46%) had been exposed to anti-TNFα agents. Median follow-up after delivery was 47 months in the exposed group and 68 months in the non-exposed group. Both univariate and multivariate analysis showed the incidence rate of severe infections to be similar in non-exposed and exposed children (1.6% vs. 2.8% per person-year, hazard ratio 1.2 (95% confidence interval 0.8-1.8)). In the multivariate analysis, preterm delivery was the only variable associated with a higher risk of severe infection (2.5% (1.5-4.3)). CONCLUSIONS: In utero exposure to anti-TNFα drugs does not seem to be associated with increased short-term or long-term risk of severe infections in children.

Myoblots: dystrophin quantification by in-cell western assay for a streamlined development of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) treatments.

AIMS: New therapies for neuromuscular disorders are often mutation specific and require to be studied in patient's cell cultures. In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) dystrophin restoration drugs are being developed but as muscle cell cultures from DMD patients are scarce and do not grow or differentiate well, only a limited number of candidate drugs are tested. Moreover, dystrophin quantification by western blotting requires a large number of cultured cells; so fewer compounds are as thoroughly screened as is desirable. We aimed to develop a quantitative assessment tool using fewer cells to contribute in the study of dystrophin and to identify better drug candidates. METHODS: An 'in-cell western' assay is a quantitative immunofluorescence assay performed in cell culture microplates that allows protein quantification directly in culture, allowing a higher number of experimental repeats and throughput. We have optimized the assay ('myoblot') to be applied to the study of differentiated myoblast cultures. RESULTS: After an exhaustive optimization of the technique to adapt it to the growth and differentiation rates of our cultures and the low intrinsic expression of our proteins of interests, our myoblot protocol allows the quantification of dystrophin and other muscle-associated proteins in muscle cell cultures. We are able to distinguish accurately between the different sets of patients based on their dystrophin expression and detect dystrophin restoration after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We expect that this new tool to quantify muscle proteins in DMD and other muscle disorders will aid in their diagnosis and in the development of new therapies.

Evolution After Anti-TNF Discontinuation in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicenter Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to identify the factors associated with relapse, and to evaluate the overcome after retreatment with the same anti-TNF in those who relapsed. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter study. IBD patients who had been treated with anti-TNFs and in whom these drugs were discontinued after clinical remission was achieved were included. RESULTS: A total of 1,055 patients were included. The incidence rate of relapse was 19% and 17% per patient-year in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively. In both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients in deep remission, the incidence rate of relapse was 19% per patient-year. The treatment with adalimumab vs. infliximab (hazard ratio (HR)=1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.01-1.66), elective discontinuation of anti-TNFs (HR=1.90; 95% CI=1.07-3.37) or discontinuation because of adverse events (HR=2.33; 95% CI=1.27-2.02) vs. a top-down strategy, colonic localization (HR=1.51; 95% CI=1.13-2.02) vs. ileal, and stricturing behavior (HR=1.5; 95% CI=1.09-2.05) vs. inflammatory were associated with a higher risk of relapse in Crohn's disease patients, whereas treatment with immunomodulators after discontinuation (HR=0.67; 95% CI=0.51-0.87) and age (HR=0.98; 95% CI=0.97-0.99) were protective factors. None of the factors were predictive in ulcerative colitis patients. Retreatment of relapse with the same anti-TNF was effective (80% responded) and safe. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of inflammatory bowel disease relapse after anti-TNF discontinuation is relevant. Some predictive factors of relapse after anti-TNF withdrawal have been identified. Retreatment with the same anti-TNF drug was effective and safe.

Retrospective multicentre observational study on clinical management and treatment of different types of status epilepticus in clinical practice. / Estudio observacional multicéntrico retrospectivo sobre el manejo clínico y terapéutico de los diferentes tipos de estatus epiléptico en la práctica clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency associated with significant mortality and morbidity. We analyse characteristics of this entity in our population. METHODS: Data from electronic medical records of adults diagnosed with SE were collected retrospectively from 5 hospitals over 4 years. RESULTS: Data reflected 84 episodes of SE in 77 patients with a mean age of 60.3 years. Of this sample, 52.4% had a previous history of epilepsy. Status classification: 47.6% tonic-clonic, 21.4% complex partial, 17.9% partial motor, 6% partial simple, 3.6% myoclonic, and 3.6% subtle SE. Based on the duration of the episode, SE was defined in this study as early stage (up to 30min) in 13.1%, established (30-120min) in 20.2%, refractory (more than 120min) in 41.7%, and super-refractory (episodes continuing or recurring after more than 24h of anaesthesia) in 13.1%. Ten patients (11.9%) died when treatment failed to control SE. The cumulative percentage of success achieved was 8.3% with the first treatment, 27.3% for the second, 48.7% for the third, 58.2% for the fourth, 70.1% for the fifth, 80.8% for the sixth, 83.2% for the seventh, and 84.4% for the eighth. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we found that SE did not respond to treatment within 2h in approximately half the cases and 11.9% of the patients died without achieving seizure control, regardless of the type of status. Half the patients responded by the third treatment but some patients needed as many as 8 treatments to resolve seizures. Using large registers permitting analysis of the different types and stages of SE is warranted.

Therapeutic approach to Crohn disease: possible parallels with hidradenitis suppurativa. / Abordaje terapéutico de la enfermedad de Crohn: posibles paralelismos con la hidradenitis supurativa.

The current controversy in the setting of dermatology surrounding the treatment of inflammatory diseases, and specifically hidradenitis suppurativa, bears strong similarities with the debate concerning inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that took place several years ago. That debate led to new perspectives on this disease and, in particular, its treatment after the development of biological agents.

Clinical experience of the use of adalimumab in the management of hidradenitis suppurativa. Comparison of response rates with Crohn disease. / Experiencia clínica del uso de adalimumab en el manejo de la hidradenitis supurativa. Comparando las tasas de respuesta con la enfermedad de Crohn.

The recent approval of adalimumab as the first treatment to be approved for the management of hidradenitis suppurativa has represented a before and after in the control of this chronic inflammatory disease. Given the inflammatory burden of this cutaneous disease, in the last few years hidradenitis suppurativa has been compared with inflammatory bowel disease, particularly with Crohn disease, to the point of considering hidradenitis suppurativa as "Crohn disease of the skin". These two chronic inflammatory diseases show sufficient similarities to consider whether treatment response based on the inflammatory load could also be similar. The present article aims to analyse the efficacy of adalimumab in hidradenitis suppurativa in comparison with a truly comparable disease, Crohn disease, with a view to evaluating therapeutic response rates and to drawing conclusions on the therapeutic success obtained in this disabling cutaneous disease.

Epidemiology of hidradenitis suppurativa and inflammatory bowel disease: are these two disease associated? / Epidemiología de la hidradenitis supurativa y de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: ¿son enfermedades que se asocian?

Hidradenitis suppurativa and inflammatory bowel disease are chronic inflammatory diseases mainly affecting young people. Their aetiology is complex and multifactorial and numerous case series have shown that the two diseases can manifest concurrently, although the strength of this association varies widely among distinct reports. An additional problem is the difficulty of distinguishing between cutaneous Crohn disease and hidradenitis. In the last few years, epidemiological cohort studies have revealed that 1.2%-23% of inflammatory bowel disease patients also have hidradenitis suppurativa. This wide variability is influenced by geographical variables and the biases inherent in the distinct data collection methods, among other factors. There is a clear predominance of Crohn disease over ulcerative colitis. When hidradenitis suppurativa and inflammatory bowel disease manifest concurrently, the bowel disease is more severe and shows a predominance of colon involvement.

Management of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. / Manejo del paciente con hidradenitis supurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease with a high prevalence in the population. Treatment options are both medical and surgical. Medical treatment is based on the use of antibiotics, retinoids, and anti-inflammatory drugs, in which anti-TNFα agents (infliximab y adalimumab) play a central role in the treatment of moderate-to-severe HS and enjoy the highest level of scientific support. Currently, adalimumab is the only drug approved in the summary of product characteristics for the treatment of this disease. Due to the scarcity of clinical trials in HS, there is still no therapeutic guideline backed by solid evidence and the evidence for most drugs is low. However, early treatment in patients with HS would probably reduce the complications of this disease. This review analyses the distinct treatments used in this dermatological disease and provides a therapeutic algorithm with different treatment options.

Fertilization capacity of cryopreserved Iberian ibex epididymal sperm in a heterologous in vitro fertilization assay.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) can be used to assess the fertilization capacity of sperm. Heterologous IVF may be useful when assessing that of wild animals as it is often difficult to obtain adequate numbers of naturally corresponding oocytes. The aim of the present study was to assess the fertilization capacity of frozen-thawed ibex epididymal spermatozoa via heterologous IVF involving the oocytes of prepubertal domestic goats. The effect on fertilization and embryo development of adding oestrous sheep serum (ESS) to the fertilization medium was also examined. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in TCM-199 for 24-27 h at 38.5°C in a 5% CO2 in air atmosphere. Frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa were selected by density gradient centrifugation. After maturation, the oocytes were co-incubated with spermatozoa in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) with different concentrations of ESS: SOF-C (0%), SOF-2 (2%) and SOF-20 (20%). At 17 h post-insemination (hpi), zygotes with one female and one male pronucleus (2PN) were categorised as normal; zygotes with 3PN were recorded as polyspermic, and oocytes with 1PN as asynchronous. Cleavage and blastocyst development were assessed at 48 and 168 hpi respectively. The percentage of zygotes with 2PN was higher in the SOF-2 than in the SOF-20 treatment group (27.7% versus 2.9% P < 0.05). The percentage of blastocysts formed with the SOF-C, SOF-2 and SOF-20 treatments were 1.1%, 7.5% and 0% respectively. These results show that the presence of 2% ESS achieves better results than the use of no serum or the standard 20% concentration. Heterologous IVF may be an effective method for predicting the fertilization capacity of ibex spermatozoa, and therefore perhaps that of other wild mountain ungulates.

[Urinary tract infections: Economical impact of water intake]. / Infections des voies urinaires : impact économique de la consommation d'eau.

BACKGROUNDS: This study aims to estimate the impact of preventing urinary tract infections (UTI), using a strategy of increased water intake, from the payer's perspective in the French health care system. METHODS: A Markov model enables a comparison of health care costs and outcomes for a virtual cohort of subjects with different levels of daily water intake. The analysis of the budgetary impact was based on a period of 5years. The analysis was based on a 25-year follow-up period to assess the effects of adequate water supply on long-term complications. RESULTS: The authors estimate annual primary incidence of UTI and annual risk of recurrence at 5.3% and 30%, respectively. Risk reduction associated with greater water intake reached 45% and 33% for the general and recurrent populations, respectively. The average total health care cost of a single UTI episode is €1074; for a population of 65 millions, UTI management represents a cost of €3.700 millions for payers. With adequate water intake, the model indicates a potential cost savings of €2.288 millions annually, by preventing 27 million UTI episodes. At the individual level, the potential cost savings is approximately €2915. CONCLUSIONS: Preventing urinary tract infections using a strategy of adequate water intake could lead to significant cost savings for a public health care system. Further studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of such an approach.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and other comorbidities in patients with psoriasis: baseline characteristics of patients in the AQUILES study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with psoriasis often have comorbidities, including other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), and cardiovascular risk factors. In this article we describe the baseline prevalence of comorbidities-including other IMIDs-in a cohort of patients with psoriasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: AQUILES was a prospective observational multicenter study of 3 patient cohorts (patients with psoriasis, spondyloarthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease) undertaken to investigate the prevalence of comorbidities, including other IMIDs, in these settings. The psoriasis cohort comprised patients aged at least 18 years who were seen in hospital dermatology clinics. A predefined protocol was used to collect demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: The study enrolled 528 patients with psoriasis (60.2% men and 39.8% women). Mean age was 46.7 years; 89.8% of the participants had plaque psoriasis, and the median Psoriasis Area Severity Index score (PASI) was 3.2 (1.5-7.4). Comorbid IMIDs were present in 82 (15.5%) of the patients (CI 95%, 12.7%-18.9%). Spondyloarthritis was observed in 14% of patients (95% CI, 11.3%-17.2%), mostly in the form of psoriatic arthritis, for which the overall prevalence was 13.1% (95% CI, 10.5%-16.2%). Inflammatory bowel disease was present in 1.3% (95% CI, 0.6%-2.7%) and uveitis in .2% (95% CI, 0.1%-1.4%). Psoriatic arthritis was associated with male sex (odds ratio, 1.75 [.98-2.98]) and a disease duration of over 8 years (OR, 4.17 [1.84-9.44] vs a duration of < 4 years). In 73.1%, at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor was identified: smoking (40.5%), obesity (26.0%), dyslipidemia (24.8%), hypertension (24.3%), and diabetes mellitus (12.3%). CONCLUSION: In patients with psoriasis the prevalence of other IMIDs was 15.5%, a level slightly higher than that found in the general population. Nearly three-quarters of these patients had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor.

Environmental stressor assessment of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria biofilms from a marine oil spill.

The environmental and economic impact of an oil spill can be significant. Biotechnologies applied during a marine oil spill involve bioaugmentation with immobilised or encapsulated indigenous hydrocarbonoclastic species selected under laboratory conditions to improve degradation rates. The environmental factors that act as stressors and impact the effectiveness of hydrocarbon removal are one of the challenges associated with these applications. Understanding how native microbes react to environmental stresses is necessary for effective bioaugmentation. Herein, Micrococcus luteus and M. yunnanensis isolated from a marine oil spill mooring system showed hydrocarbonoclastic activity on Maya crude oil in a short time by means of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) at 144 h: M. luteus up to 98.79 % and M. yunnanensis 97.77 % removal. The assessment of Micrococcus biofilms at different temperature (30 °C and 50 °C), pH (5, 6, 7, 8, 9), salinity (30, 50, 60, 70, 80 g/L), and crude oil concentration (1, 5, 15, 25, 35 %) showed different response to the stressors depending on the strain. According to response surface analysis, the main effect was temperature > salinity > hydrocarbon concentration. The hydrocarbonoclastic biofilm architecture was characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Subtle but significant differences were observed: pili in M. luteus by SEM and the topographical differences measured by AFM Power Spectral Density (PSD) analysis, roughness was higher in M. luteus than in M. yunnanensis. In all three domains of life, the Universal Stress Protein (Usp) is crucial for stress adaptation. Herein, the uspA gene expression was analysed in Micrococcus biofilm under environmental stressors. The uspA expression increased up to 2.5-fold in M. luteus biofilms at 30 °C, and 1.3-fold at 50 °C. The highest uspA expression was recorded in M. yunnanensis biofilms at 50 °C with 2.5 and 3-fold with salinities of 50, 60, and 80 g/L at hydrocarbon concentrations of 15, 25, and 35 %. M. yunnanensis biofilms showed greater resilience than M. luteus biofilms when exposed to harsh environmental stressors. M. yunnanensis biofilms were thicker than M. luteus biofilms. Both biofilm responses to environmental stressors through uspA gene expression were consistent with the behaviours observed in the response surface analyses. The uspA gene is a suitable biomarker for assessing environmental stressors of potential microorganisms for bioremediation of marine oil spills and for biosensing the ecophysiological status of native microbiota in a marine petroleum environment.