Aerobic spore-forming bacteria associated with ropy bread: Identification, characterization and spoilage potential assessment.

Aerobic spore-forming (ASF) bacteria have been reported to cause ropiness in bread. Sticky and stringy degradation, discoloration, and an odor reminiscent of rotting fruit are typical characteristics of ropy bread spoilage. In addition to economic losses, ropy bread spoilage may lead to health risks, as virulent strains of ASF bacteria are not uncommon. However, the lack of systematic approaches to quantify physicochemical spoilage characteristics makes it extremely difficult to assess rope formation in bread. To address this problem, the aim of this study was to identify, characterize and objectively assess the spoilage potential of ASF bacteria associated with ropy bread. Hence, a set of 82 ASF bacteria, including isolates from raw materials and bakery environments as well as strains from international culture collections, were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and their species identity confirmed by 16S rRNA and gyrA or panC gene sequencing. A standardized approach supported by objective colorimetric measurements was developed to assess the rope-inducing potential (RIP) of a strain by inoculating autoclaved bread slices with bacterial spores. In addition, the presence of potential virulence factors such as swarming motility or hemolysis was investigated. This study adds B. velezensis, B. inaquosorum and B. spizizenii to the species potentially implicated of causing ropy bread spoilage. Most importantly, this study introduces a standardized classification protocol for assessing the RIP of a bacterial strain. Colorimetric measurements are used to objectively quantify the degree of breadcrumb discoloration. Furthermore, our results indicate that strains capable of inducing rope spoilage in bread often exhibit swarming motility and virulence factors such as hemolysis, raising important food quality considerations.

Comparison of PetrifilmTM AC and pour plate techniques used for the heterotrophic aerobic bacterial count in water.

Heterotrophic bacteria are commonly found in water samples. While these Heterotrophic Bacterial/Plate Counts (HPC) do not necessarily indicate a health hazard, high counts provide a good indication of the efficiency of water disinfection and integrity of distribution systems. The aim of this study was to compare the PetrifimTM AC method to the pour plate technique for the testing of HPC in water samples. Artificially contaminated (192 samples) and natural water samples (25) were processed using two methods. Both methods accurately detected high, medium and low counts of HPC, producing average Z scores between -2 and +2. Paired-wise student t-test and correlation coefficient showed nonsignificant differences between the results of two methods. Acceptable repeatability and reproducibility was obtained using both the methods. Uncertainty of measurement for PetrifilmTM AC and pour plate method was found to be 2.9% and 5.4%, respectively. PetrifilmTM AC proved to be robust at 33°C and 37°C. In conclusion, PetrifimTM AC, which is easy to process, read, and less time consuming, proved to be comparable to the conventional pour plate method in establishing HPC in water. In addition, PetrifimTM AC requires less space for the processing and incubation, generate small volume of waste for disposal, and requires no equipment, except for the incubator.

Aerobic vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, and vaginal candidiasis among women of reproductive age in Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia.

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are a persistent public health threat worldwide, particularly among women in low-income countries of Africa, including Ethiopia, where drug resistance is also a growing problem. It is crucial to address this problem to ensure women's health and well-being. A cross-sectional study was carried out among a cohort of 398 women of reproductive age who sought medical attention at the Gynecology Department of the Arba Minch General Hospital, southern Ethiopia, from January to June 2020. They were chosen through systematic random sampling, and a pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The collection of vaginal and/or cervical swabs were done to diagnose bacterial vaginosis (BV) and aerobic vaginitis (AV) using Nugent and AV score analyses, respectively. The swabs were subjected to standard microbiological culture techniques to detect the isolates causing AV and vaginal candidiasis (VC). The susceptibility profiles of the causative agents of AV were checked by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were also done. Aerobic vaginitis was the predominantly diagnosed RTI (n = 122, 30.7%), followed by BV (n = 117, 29.4%) and VC (n = 111, 27.9%). The prominent bacteria of AV were Escherichia coli (n = 36, 34.2%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 30, 28.5%). The overall rate of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria was 65.71% (n = 69). History of abortion (p = 0.01; AOR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.1, 7.7) and the habit of using vaginal pH-altering contraceptives (p = 0.01; AOR = 4.7, 95% CI = 2.5, 8.8) have the greatest odds of RTI. The high prevalence of RTIs in our study warrants an urgent intervention to minimize the associated morbidities and complications. The overall rate of MDR bacterial isolates necessitates the implementation of an effective surveillance program in the study setting.

Commonly associated aerobic microbial pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility profile in diabetic foot ulcers in tertiary care centre in Western Maharashtra.

PURPOSE: Diabetes mellitus (DM-II) is a metabolic disorder either due to reduced insulin production or reduced insulin sensitivity. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most devastating complications of DM-II. This study was performed to assess commonly isolated micro-organisms and their anti-microbial sensitivity pattern in diabetic foot ulcers in a tertiary care centre in Western Maharashtra. METHODS: Adult patients with a known case of DM-II with foot lesions, suspected to be a Diabetic Foot Infections (DFIs) at the tertiary care hospital from Aug 2022 to Sept 2022 were included in the study. After obtaining informed written consent, pus sample was collected with sterile swab from lesion's base and submitted to Microbiology Laboratory for aerobic culture and sensitivity. RESULTS: Out of 56 enrolled patients, 47 (83.9%) patients tested positive for bacteriological growth and there was 'no growth' in 9 (16.07%) patients at the end of 48 h of aerobic incubation. There was male preponderance and patients were in age group of 35-85 years. The most commonly isolated micro-organisms were P. aeruginosa (17.8%), followed by S. aureus (14.2%), K. pneumonia and P. mirabilis (12.5% each). The resistance markers observed was ESBL producer, AmpC producer, MBL producer, Methicillin resistance and Inducible Clindamycin Resistance (ICR). CONCLUSION: Due to the injudicious use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance has been increased in all types of soft tissue infections. The empirical formula for the treatment of DFIs should be decided for given geographical reasons according to antimicrobial susceptibility profile from particular geographical area or health care institute.

Bacterial colonization at caesarean section defects in women of secondary infertility: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Delayed childbearing has been noted in a high percentage of women with a previous Caesarean section (CS). Many women with CS scar defects (CSDs) present with clinical symptoms of irregular vaginal bleeding. The present study aimed to investigate bacterial colonies at CSDs in women suffering from secondary infertility. METHODS: This observational study included 363 women with secondary infertility who visited the Assisted Reproduction Unit between 2008 and 2013. Among them, 172 women with a previous CS and 191 women with no previous CS were approached. The women with a previous CS had their CS operations in the past 1 to 14 years, with a mean of 3.5 years. The presence of CSDs was detected by vaginal ultrasonography. Bacteriology cultures of specimens taken from the uterine niches in those with CSDs were collected during Day 7 to Day 10 of the follicular phase. Specimens were obtained from the endocervical canal for bacterial culture in those without CSDs. The main outcome measure was the detection of the growth of bacterial colonies. RESULTS: CSDs were found in 60.4% (96 of 159) of women with a previous CS. In women with a previous CS, bacterial colonies were identified in 89.6% (86 of 96) and 69.8% (44 of 63) of women with and without CSDs, respectively. In women with no previous CS, 49.7% (88 out of 177) of bacterial cultures of endocervical samples showed bacterial colony growth. Gram-positive cocci (P = 0.0017, odds ratio (OR) = 1.576, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -22.5 to - 5.4) and Gram-negative rods (P = 0.0016, OR = 1.74, CI - 20.8 to - 5.0) were the most commonly isolated bacteria and contributed to approximately 90% of all microorganisms found in those with a previous CS. In women with a previous CS, more Gram-negative rods were isolated (P = 0.01, OR = 1.765, CI - 27.2 to - 3.8), especially Pseudomonas species (P = 0.02, OR = 1.97, CI - 16.7 to - 1.0), in those with visible CSDs than in those without CSDs. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial colonization at CSDs was found in a high percentage of women with secondary infertility.

Effect of Antibiotic Exposure on Upper Respiratory Tract Bacterial Flora.

BACKGROUND The human microbiota modulates the immune system and forms the surface flora. Antibiotic administration causes dysbiosis in the intestinal flora. It is not clear if antibiotic administration in the community effects the upper airway flora in the mid-term or long-term. This study aims to define long-term influence of antibiotics on upper airway flora. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this prospective study, aerobic microbiological analysis of nasal and nasopharyngeal surfaces was performed. Antibiotic administration history of the last 6 months was retrieved using the social insurance database. Culture results of antibiotic-treated and antibiotic-naïve subjects were compared by Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS A total of 210 subjects were included in the study. Normal flora were documented in 86 nasal swabs and 99 nasopharyngeal swabs. Most of the remaining cases demonstrated gram-positive bacterial overgrowth. There were 113 subjects who did not receive any antibiotic, and 93% of the remaining 97 patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics. Statistical analysis showed that nasal and nasopharyngeal flora did not change upon antibiotic administration, but antibiotic administration during the last month caused increased methicillin resistance development of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms. CONCLUSIONS Antibiotic exposure did not lead to perturbations in general composition of upper airway flora within 6 months, although the incidence of methicillin resistance in coagulase-positive and -negative Staphylococci demonstrated significant increases when patients received antibiotic during the last month. This should be considered in case of broad-spectrum antibiotic administration, since methicillin resistance increases the morbidity and mortality of nosocomial Staphylococcus infections.

Rapid detection and enumeration of aerobic mesophiles in raw foods using dielectrophoresis.

The concept of dielectrophoresis (DEP), which involves the movement of neutral particles by induced polarization in nonuniform electric fields, has been exploited in various biological applications. However, only a few studies have investigated the use of DEP for detecting and enumerating microorganisms in foodstuffs. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of a DEP-based method for enumerating viable bacteria in three raw foods: freshly cut lettuce, chicken breast, and minced pork. The DEP separation of bacterial cells was conducted at 20 V of output voltage and 6000 to 9000 kHZ of frequency with sample conductivity of 30-70 µS/cm. The accuracy and validity of the DEP method for enumerating viable bacteria were compared with those of the conventional culture method; no significant variation was observed. We found a high correlation between the data obtained using DEP and the conventional aerobic plate count culture method, with a high coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.90) regardless of the food product; the difference in cell count data between both methods was within 1.0 log CFU/mL. Moreover, we evaluated the efficiency of the DEP method for enumerating bacterial cells in chicken breasts subjected to either freezing or heat treatment. After thermal treatment at 55 °C and 60 °C, the viable cell counts determined via the DEP method were found to be lower than those obtained using the conventional culture method, which implies that the DEP method may not be suitable for the direct detection of injured cells. In addition to its high accuracy and efficiency, the DEP method enables the determination of viable cell counts within 30 min, compared to 48 h required for the conventional culture method. In conclusion, the DEP method may be a potential alternative tool for rapid determination of viable bacteria in a variety of foodstuffs.

Isolation and characterization of the aerobic bacterial microbiota of the esophagus and its probable association with obstructive caseous lesions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) / Isolamento e caracterização da microbiota bacteriana aeróbia do esôfago e sua provável associação com lesões caseosas obstrutivas em tartarugas-verdes (Chelonia mydas)

Caseous lesions in the esophagus of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from the coast of Brazil have been described as obstructive lesions and can lead to the death of these animals. However, their etiology remains unclear. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the aerobic bacterial microbiota of the esophagus of green turtles (C. mydas) from the Brazilian coast and to verify its possible participation in the etiology of caseous lesions. For this, 42 animals were used, 33 alive and healthy and 9 naturally dead that had esophageal lesions confirmed by necropsy, from Anchieta and Piúma beaches, Espírito Santo. Microbiological tests and morphological evaluation of the esophagus were performed. We isolated 14 different bacterial agents from healthy animal samples, with the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa being (36.36%), Staphylococcus aureus (33.33%), Aeromonas hydrophila (27.27%), and Vibrio alginolyticus (24.24%). In dead animals, only three distinct agents were isolated: S. aureus (50.00%), A. hydrophila (25.00%), and V. alginolyticus (25.00%). Morphological evaluation revealed a predominance of the lesions at the gastroesophageal junction, with multifocal-to-coalescent distribution, discrete intensity, and absence of obstruction. Ulcerations and caseous exudates, inflammatory infiltrates, parasitic eggs, and giant foreign body cells were also observed as well as bacterial lumps and glandular alterations, such as necrosis, adenitis, and fragments of adult parasites. There was a positive correlation between bacterial lumps and microbiological culture and a negative correlation between bacterial lumps and microbiological culture with parasites. Thus, it was noted that the esophageal aerobic microbiota of C. mydas was predominantly composed of Gram-negative bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, A. hydrophila, and V. alginolyticus, in addition to several enterobacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, such as S. aureus. These agents are opportunists and may be involved in the etiology of caseous esophagitis in association with other pathogens as co-factors working in association or, even in a secondary way.(AU)

A ocorrência de lesão caseosa no esôfago de tartarugas-verdes (Chelonia mydas) da costa do Brasil tem sido descrita como de caráter obstrutivo e pode causar a morte dos animais. No entanto, sua etiologia permanece pouco esclarecida. Objetivou-se isolar e caracterizar a microbiota aeróbica esofágica das tartarugas-verdes (C. mydas) da costa brasileira e verificar sua possível participação na etiologia das lesões caseosas. Foram utilizados 42 animais, 33 vivos e hígidos e nove mortos naturalmente que apresentavam lesão esofágica confirmada pela necropsia, provenientes de Anchieta e Piúma, Espírito Santo, nos quais foram feitos testes microbiológicos e avaliação morfológica do esôfago. Foram isolados 14 agentes bacterianos diferentes nas amostras de animais saudáveis, com prevalência de Pseudomonas aeruginosa (36,36%), Staphylococcus aureus (33,33%), Aeromonas hydrophila (27,27%) e Vibrio alginolyticus (24,24%). Nos animais mortos, foram isolados apenas três agentes distintos: S. aureus (50,00%), A. hydrophila (25,00%) e V. alginolyticus (25,00%). A avaliação morfológica revelou predominância da lesão em junção gastroesofágica, com distribuição multifocal a coalescente, intensidade discreta e ausência de obstrução. Observou-se ainda ulceração e exsudato caseoso, infiltrado inflamatório, ovos de parasitos e células gigantes do tipo corpo estranho, além de grumos bacterianos e de alterações glandulares, como necrose, adenite e fragmentos de parasitos adultos. Houve correlação positiva dos grumos bacterianos com cultivo microbiológico e negativa dos grumos bacterianos e cultivo microbiológico com parasitos. Assim, nota-se que a microbiota esofágica aeróbica de C. mydas é constituída predominantemente por bactérias Gram-negativas como P. aeruginosa, A. hydrophila e V. alginolyticus, além de diversas enterobatérias e por Gram-positivas, como S. aureus. Esses agentes são oportunistas e podem estar envolvidos na etiologia da esofagite caseosa em associação a outros patógenos como co-fatores agindo em associação, ou mesmo, por via de infecção secundária.(AU)

Molecular Characterization of Culturable Aerobic Bacteria in the Midgut of Field-Caught Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex gelidus, and Mansonia annulifera Mosquitoes in the Gampaha District of Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: Larval and adult mosquito stages harbor different extracellular microbes exhibiting various functions in their digestive tract including host-parasite interactions. Midgut symbiotic bacteria can be genetically exploited to express molecules within the vectors, altering vector competency and potential for disease transmission. Therefore, identification of mosquito gut inhabiting microbiota is of ample importance before developing novel vector control strategies that involve modification of vectors. METHOD: Adult mosquitoes of Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex gelidus, and Mansonia annulifera were collected from selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in the Gampaha district of Sri Lanka. Midgut lysates of the field-caught non-blood-fed female mosquitoes were cultured in Plate Count Agar medium, and Prokaryotic 16S ribosomal RNA partial genes of the isolated bacteria colonies were amplified followed by DNA sequencing. Diversity indices were used to assess the diversity and richness of the bacterial isolates in three mosquito species. The distribution pattern of bacterial isolates between different mosquito species was assessed by Distance-Based Redundancy Analysis (dbRDA). RESULTS: A total of 20 bacterial species (Staphylococcus pasteuri, Bacillus megaterium, Staphylococcus cohnii, Pantoea dispersa, Staphylococcus chromogenes, Bacillus aquimaris, Staphylococcus arlettae, Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus warneri, Moraxella osloensis, Enterobacter sp., Klebsiella michiganensis, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Streptomyces sp., Bacillus niacin, Cedecea neteri, Micrococcus luteus, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, and Bacillus licheniformis) were identified. All of these species belonged to three phyla, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria, out of which phylum Firmicutes (71.1%) was the most prominent. The least number of species was recorded from Actinobacteria. The relative distribution of midgut microbes in different mosquito species differed significantly among mosquito species (Chi-square, χ 2 = 486.091; df = 36; P ≤ 0.001). Midgut microbiota of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. gelidus indicated a similarity of 21.51%, while Ma. annulifera shared a similarity of 6.92% with the cluster of above two species. The gut microbiota of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was also significantly more diverse and more evenly distributed compared to Ma. annulifera. Simpson's diversity, Margalef's diversity, and Menhinick's diversity indices were higher in Cx. gelidus. Of the recorded species, P. dispersa and strains of nonpathogenic species in Bacillaceae family (B. megaterium, B. niacini, B. licheniformis, and L. sphaericus) can be recommended as potential candidates for paratransgenesis. CONCLUSION: The relative distribution of midgut microbes in different mosquito species differed significantly among the three studied adult mosquito species. The present data strongly encourage further investigations to explore the potential usage of these microbes through paratransgenic approach for novel eco-friendly vector control strategies.

Challenges in microbiological identification of aerobic bacteria isolated from the skin of reptiles.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial pathogens are often involved in dermatitis in reptiles. Exact identification of reptile-specific but otherwise uncommon bacterial species may be challenging. However, identification is crucial to evaluate the importance of the detected bacterial species. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the number of aerobic bacterial isolates cultured from skin-derived samples of reptiles which were not reliably identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and to determine their identity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Routine bacterial diagnostics were performed on 235 skin samples, and 417 bacterial isolates were analysed by MALDI-TOF MS. The isolates were grouped into categories based on their first score: category I (≥ 2.00), category II (≥ 1.70 and < 2.00), and category III (< 1.70). Isolates from category III were further investigated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the following criteria were applied: query cover 100%, e-value rounded to 0.0 and sequence identity (%) > 98.00% for genus identification, and > 99.00% for species identification. RESULTS: The majority of bacterial isolates were in category I (85.1%) or category II (8.4%). In category III (6.5%) results achieved at first by MALDI-TOF MS corresponded to the results of the molecular analysis in 8.0% of isolates at the species level and in 24.0% at the genus level. Bacterial isolates classified as category III were heterogenic in genus (e.g. Chryseobacterium, Devriesea, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Uruburuella), and some have only been described in reptiles so far. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the aerobic bacterial isolates cultured from reptile skin achieved high scores by MALDI-TOF MS. However, in the majority of category III isolates MALDI-TOF MS results were different from those of the molecular analysis. This strengthens the need to carefully examine low-scored results for plausibility and to be familiar with the occurrence and morphology of relevant reptile-specific bacterial species (e.g. Devriesea agamarum) as well as with the limits of the database used.

Intramammary antibiotics with complementary acupuncture decreases milk serum N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase concentrations in dairy cattle with subclinical mastitis.

The objective of this research is to determine whether intramammary antibiotics with complementary acupuncture can reduce bovine mammary inflammation due to subclinical mastitis. Lactating cows were selected based on milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) greater than 500,000 cells/ml. Pre- and post-treatment milk samples were collected to determine SCC, aerobic bacterial content, milk ion conductivity, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) concentrations. Milk serum was prepared from milk samples by double centrifugation. Concentrations of LDH and NAGase were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Cows being treated with intramammary antibiotics were separated by random assignment to the acupuncture group (n = 10) and a no-acupuncture (control) group (n = 9). Both the acupuncture and control group were restrained for 30 min in a head catch 12 hr apart for a total of four times. For front quarters affected by subclinical mastitis, the acupuncture points used were spleen (SP) 12, SP 17, SP 18, SP 21, stomach (ST) 18 and conception vessel (CV) 12. For rear quarters affected by subclinical mastitis, the acupuncture points used were bladder (BL) 30, BL 30-1, BL 49, kidney (KI) 10, conception vessel (CV) 2 and CV 3. All parameters were compared using a Student t test. Significance was defined as p < .05. Compared to control cows, complementary acupuncture treatment reduced NAGase enzymatic activity in quarters of cows with subclinical mastitis. The reduction in NAGase suggests that complementary acupuncture treatment may be associated with healing of the damaged mammary epithelial cells, which are the primary source of NAGase activity in milk serum.

Aerobic vaginitis - An underdiagnosed cause of vaginal discharge - Narrative review.

The concept of vaginal dysbiosis was for long considered synonymous with bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is characterized by a homogenous non-inflammatory vaginal discharge. The inflammatory variant of vaginal dysbiosis, called aerobic vaginitis (AV), has remained unknown to a large part of the global dermatology and venereology community, gynaecologists and reproductive tract infection specialists with consequential under diagnosis. AV significantly differs from BV, in clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria and management. The deleterious impact of untreated AV on pregnancy merits discussion. Understanding AV is also crucial for better comprehension of desquamative inflammatory vaginitis (DIV), the most severe form of the same entity. We review the condition's epidemiology, risk factors and suspected aetiology, symptoms and signs, and the latest evidence-backed approach to diagnosis and treatment. The ideal diagnostic approach and treatment for AV/DIV are yet to be established. The currently recommended diagnostic approach for AV/DIV merits an overhaul by incorporating changes to render it feasible for resource-constraint countries. The diagnostic criteria lack a uniform applicability in different physiological groups of women and cannot be used in postpartum or postmenopausal states at the same cut-off levels. Similarly, treatment guidelines merit a relook, and customization, given the equivocality of options suggested by different investigators.

Characteristics of aerobic vaginitis among women in Xi'an district: a hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND: Aerobic vaginitis (AV) is a reproductive tract infection that affects health of women. The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of simple and mixed AV patients in Xi'an district and provide reference data for the clinical treatment of AV. METHODS: Patients were recruited from the outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from September 2014 to April 2019 in strict accordance with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study principally examined the vaginal ecosystem, age distribution, levels of functional enzymes, and changes in pH levels in these women. Differences within groups were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 284 AV patients were enrolled to investigate the distribution of simple and mixed AV infection. AV infection was found to be mainly simple infection. Simple AV patients were generally aged 50-60 years, while mixed AV patients were mostly aged 30-40 years. In the present study, the density of vaginal bacteria (OR = 13.294, 95% CI = 5.869-30.115, P < 0.01), the type of predominant bacteria (OR = 3.962, 95% CI = 1.785-7.984, P < 0.01) and positive expression of coagulase (OR = 3.789, 95% CI = 1.798-7.984, P < 0.01) were considered risk factors for mixed AV infection. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of simple and mixed AV infection were found to be different, with density of vaginal bacteria (I or IV), species that are predominant and levels of coagulase being risk factors for mixed AV infection.

Aerobic microbial life persists in oxic marine sediment as old as 101.5 million years.

Sparse microbial populations persist from seafloor to basement in the slowly accumulating oxic sediment of the oligotrophic South Pacific Gyre (SPG). The physiological status of these communities, including their substrate metabolism, is previously unconstrained. Here we show that diverse aerobic members of communities in SPG sediments (4.3‒101.5 Ma) are capable of readily incorporating carbon and nitrogen substrates and dividing. Most of the 6986 individual cells analyzed with nanometer-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) actively incorporated isotope-labeled substrates. Many cells responded rapidly to incubation conditions, increasing total numbers by 4 orders of magnitude and taking up labeled carbon and nitrogen within 68 days after incubation. The response was generally faster (on average, 3.09 times) for nitrogen incorporation than for carbon incorporation. In contrast, anaerobic microbes were only minimally revived from this oxic sediment. Our results suggest that microbial communities widely distributed in organic-poor abyssal sediment consist mainly of aerobes that retain their metabolic potential under extremely low-energy conditions for up to 101.5 Ma.

Characterization of aerobic vaginitis in late pregnancy in a Chinese population: A STROBE-compliant study.

This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, responsible pathogens, and antibiotic sensitivity of aerobic vaginitis (AV) infection in women in late pregnancy in western China.We enrolled 246 pregnancy with AV (≥35 weeks gestation) and 204 reproductive non-pregnancy with AV from West China between January 2019 and December 2019. Then, bacterial culture, identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing were performed. Subsequently, we retrospectively analyzed the vaginal microbiota of 250 healthy pregnant women with no AV and compared the maternal features and pregnancy outcomes.Regarding bacterial diversity, Streptococcus and Lactobacillus were highly abundant in women with AV in late pregnancy, whereas Staphylococcus spp. and other bacteria were significantly more abundant in reproductive non-pregnant women with AV. In addition, 82.5% (343/416) of the single isolate comprised Escherichia coli, group B Streptococcus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Among the top 4 isolates, 13.4% (46/343) were multidrug-resistant, but all isolates were highly susceptible to nitrofurantoin. Escherichia coli was 100% susceptible to amikacin, meropenem, ertapenem, and imipenem (100%, 157/157), and gram-positive cocci were 100% (186/186) susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. Finally, we found that pregnant women with AV had high rates of histories of vaginitis, premature rupture of membranes and neonatal infection.Our study reveals new insights into AV infection during pregnancy and highlights the different vaginal bacterial microbiome compositions between pregnant and reproductive non pregnant women with AV, these results may translate to treatments that are more cost-effective than current standard treatments.

Composition and Diversity of Gut Bacteria Associated with the Eri Silk Moth, Samia ricini, (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) as Revealed by Culture-Dependent and Metagenomics Analysis.

The polyphagous eri silk moth, Samia ricini, is associated with various symbiotic gut bacteria believed to provide several benefits to the host. The larvae of S. ricini were subjected to isolation of gut bacteria using culture-dependent 16S rRNA generic characterization, metagenomics analysis and qualitative enzymatic assays. Sixty culturable aerobic gut bacterial isolates comprising Firmicutes (54%) and Proteobacteria (46%); and twelve culturable facultative anaerobic bacteria comprising Proteobacteria (92%) and Firmicutes (8%) were identified inhabiting the gut of S. ricini. The results of metagenomics analysis revealed the presence of a diverse community of both culturable and un-culturable gut bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria (60%) and Firmicutes (20%) associated with seven orders. An analysis of the results of culturable isolation indicates that these bacterial isolates inhabited all the three compartments of the gut. Investigation on persistence of bacteria coupled with metagenomics analysis of the fifth instar suggested that bacteria persist in the gut across the different instar stages. In addition, enzymatic assays indicated that 48 and 75% of culturable aerobic, and 75% of anaerobic gut bacterial isolates had cellulolytic, lipolytic and nitrate reductase activities, thus suggesting that they may be involved in food digestion and nutritional provision to the host. These bacterial isolates may be good sources for profiling novel genes and biomolecules for biotechnological application.

Composition of semen and foreskin mucosa aerobic microbiota and its impact on sperm parameters of captive collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu).

AIM: To evaluate the bacterial composition of collared peccary semen and foreskin mucosa, and to verify the sensitivity of isolates to antimicrobials used in semen conservation and to Aloe vera gel, which is an alternative external cryoprotectant. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine foreskin mucosa and ejaculate samples from adult animals were used. Sperm characteristics and bacterial load were evaluated in fresh semen. The preputial mucosa and semen bacterial isolates were identified and tested against five concentrations of each antimicrobial (streptomycin-penicillin and gentamicin) and A. vera gel. Corynebacterium sp. and Staphylococcus sp. were isolated in greater numbers than others in both semen (64·10 and 20·51%, respectively) and the foreskin mucosa (60·60 and 24·25%, respectively), and ranged from 0·4 to 21 × 105 colony-forming units (CFU) per ml. The average load of Corynebacterium sp. was negatively correlated (P < 0·05) with the sperm membrane integrity (r = -0·73055) and curvilinear velocity (r = -0·69048). Streptomycin-penicillin and gentamicin inhibited most micro-organisms, and A. vera showed lower antimicrobial activity. CONCLUSION: Several Gram-positive bacteria are present in semen and foreskin mucosa of collared peccary, and the benefits of using primarily penicillin-streptomycin and gentamicin antimicrobials in the bacterial control of diluted semen of these animals are strongly indicated. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides insight into the reproductive microbiota of captive male-collared peccary. This work provides a theoretical basis to assist reproductive biotechnologies for ex situ conservation of the species.

[Aerobic bacteria from skin lesions in reptiles and their antimicrobial susceptibility]. / Aerobes Keimspektrum und Resistenzlage bei Hautläsionen von Reptilien.

OBJECTIVE: Bacterial skin infections are common in reptiles. Although many such infections are influenced by multifactorial problems, specific treatment of bacterial infections is an important consideration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the range of aerobic bacteria in skin lesions of reptiles and to determine their antimicrobial susceptibility. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Swabs of skin lesions from 219 reptiles were cultured for aerobic bacteria between January 2017 and June 2018. Isolates were identified based on growth on selective agar plates, biochemical parameters, as well as MALDI-TOF MS. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using the microdilution method. RESULTS: A total of 306 isolates were identified, mostly gram-negative, including Pseudomonas spp. (n = 48), Citrobacter spp. (n = 31, only in chelonians), aerobic spore-forming bacteria (n = 30), Aeromonas spp. (n = 20), Acinetobacter spp. (n = 20), Proteus spp. (n = 15), Staphylococcus spp. (n = 15), Klebsiella spp. (n = 13), Enterococcus spp. (n = 13), Morganella spp. (n = 11) as well as 78 other gram-negative and 12 other gram-positive bacteria. Colonization with 2 (n = 80) or more (n = 16) bacterial isolates was seen in 96 animals. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out with 208 of the 306 isolated bacteria. Many isolates were sensitive (minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] in µg/ml ≤ breakpoint) to enro- (E) and marbofloxacin (M): 86.4 % MIC ≤ 0.5 (E) and 95.5 % MIC ≤ 1 (M) for Pseudomonas spp., 86.4 % MIC ≤ 0.5 (E) and 90.9 % MIC ≤ 1 (M) for Citrobacter spp., 75.0 % MIC ≤ 0.5 (E) and 100 % MIC ≤ 1 (M) for Aeromonas spp. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazol proved to be effective against most of the Citrobacter spp. (90.9 % MIC ≤ 2/38) and Aeromonas spp. (75.0 % MIC ≤ 2/38). Amikacin was effective against nearly all Pseudomonas spp. (97.7 % MIC ≤ 16), Citrobacter spp. (95.5 % MIC ≤ 16) and Aeromonas spp. (93.8 % MIC ≤ 16). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The majority of isolates were gram-negative; the clinical relevance of individual isolates must, however, be evaluated on a case by case basis. Many of the isolated bacteria were sensitive to fluoroquinolones as well as aminoglycosides. Susceptibility testing is recommended since use of these antibiotics should be limited and for every tested group of antibiotics resistant isolates were found.

Fecal cultivable aerobic microbiota of dairy cows and calves acting as reservoir of clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes.

Antimicrobial resistance has become a global threat to public health since multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have been reported worldwide carrying different antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and animals have been described as a reservoir of ARGs. The presence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and ARGs in the food matrix is a risk to public health. This study aimed to research the presence of clinically relevant ARGs for important antimicrobials and genetic elements in fecal samples from dairy cows and calves on a Brazilian farm. In this study, a total of 21 fecal samples were collected, and then, the DNA of cultivable aerobic bacteria was extracted. Fifty-seven ARGs and twenty-three genetic elements were researched by PCR and confirmed by sequencing. Several ARGs that confer resistance to ß-lactams, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, phenicols, aminoglycoside, glycopeptides, and macrolides were detected. A total of 200 amplicons from 23 ARGs (blaCTX-M-Gp2, blaCMY, blaSHV, tetA, tetB, tetC, qepA, qnrB, qnrS, oqxA, oqxB, vanC1, vanC2/3, aadA, sul1, sul2, sul3, ermB, mefAE, floR, cmlA, aadA, aph(3')-Ia, aac(3')-Ia), and 145 amplicons from 12 genetic elements (IncF, IncFIA, IncFIB, IncI1, IncY, IncU, IncK, IncP, IncR, IncHI1, ColE-like, intI1) were detected. The results presented in this study call attention to the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in dairy farms worldwide. MDR bacteria and ARGs can spread to different sources, including milk products, which are one of the most consumed products worldwide, representing a potential risk to human health.