Monitoring the battleground: exploring antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors in wound bacterial isolates.

Antibiotic resistance poses a grave global public health threat, exacerbated by widespread and often inappropriate antibiotic usage. Vigilant surveillance of antibiotic utilization and emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is essential. Of particular concern in the era of AMR is the persistent issue of chronic wound infections. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of wound isolates from chronic wounds at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kenya, to identify relevant bacteria and assess their drug resistance patterns.Wound samples were collected and processed using standard microbiological methods. Bacterial isolates were identified and assessed for their susceptibility to a panel of antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. A total of 103 bacterial isolates were obtained from the wound samples, with a higher prevalence in male patients (59%). Staphylococcus aureus (20.7 %) emerged as the most predominant pathogen, followed by Klebsiella spp. (14.8 %), Pseudomonas aeruginosa spp. (14.8 %) and Escherichia coli (4.4 %) in wound samples. High levels of antibiotic resistance were observed among the isolates, with the highest resistance rates reported for cotrimoxazole (48.1 %), clindamycin (25.9 %) and erythromycin (25.9 %). Furthermore, among the isolates, 75 % produced haemolysin and protease, while 50 % produced lipase and phospholipase, factors that enhance virulence and survival. The findings of this study highlight the alarmingly high prevalence of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens isolated from chronic wounds in Kenya. This poses a major challenge to the effective management of chronic wound infections. There is an urgent need to implement effective antimicrobial stewardship programs and develop new antibiotics to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

Cholera outbreak: antibiofilm activity, profiling of antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence factors of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae isolates reveals concerning traits.

Vibrio cholerae is a biofilm-forming pathogen with various virulence phenotypes and antimicrobial resistance traits. Phenotypic characteristics play a critical role in disease transmission and pathogenesis. The current study elucidated antibiofilm formation activity, profiled antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence factors of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae isolates from the cholera outbreak in Kisumu County, Kenya. Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates collected during the 2017 cholera outbreak in Kisumu County, Kenya, were utilized. Biofilm and virulence factors were profiled using standard procedures. The study confirmed 100 isolates as Vibrio cholerae , with 81 of them possessing cholera toxin gene (ctxA). Additionally, 99 of the isolates harboured the toxR gene. The study further revealed that 81 and 94 of the isolates harboured the class I integron (encoded by inDS gene) and integrating conjugative element (ICE), respectively. Antibiotic resistance assays confirmed tetracycline resistance genes as the most abundant (97 isolates). Among them were seven isolates resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The study further screened the isolates for antibiofilm formation using various antibiotics. Unlike the four strains (03/17-16, 02/17-09, 04/17-13), three of the strains (04/17-07, 06/17-14 and 05/17-03) did not form biofilms. Further, all the seven isolates that exhibited extensive antibiotic resistance produced haemolysin while 71.42%, 85.71 and 71.42 % of them produced protease, phospholipases and lipase, respectively. This study provides and in-depth understanding of essential features that were possibly responsible for V. cholerae outbreak. Understanding of these features is critical in the development of strategies to combat future outbreaks.

Evaluation of the virucidal efficacy of Klaran UVC LEDs against surface-dried norovirus.

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is a highly contagious pathogenic virus that is transmitted through contaminated food, water, high-touch surfaces and aerosols. Globally, there are an estimated 685 million infections annually due to norovirus, including 200 million affecting children under the age of 5. HuNoV causes approximately 50, 000 child deaths per year and costs an estimated USD $60 billion annually in healthcare. This study sought to determine the inactivation profile of ultraviolet subtype C (UVC) against norovirus using a UVC light-emitting diode (LED) array, KL265-50V-SM-WD. The array emitted radiation at 269 nm peak wavelength and a measured fluence of 1.25 mW cm-2 at a 7 cm source-surface distance. Since the HuNoV is not cultivable, the study utilized feline calicivirus (FCV) ATCC VR-782, a recommended surrogate as challenge organism. The test followed modified ASTM E2197. Assessment of virus inactivation was performed using a plaque assay method. With irradiance at a UVC dose of 22.5 mJ cm-2, the study obtained 99.9 % virus reduction (3 log reduction). The results demonstrate that the UVC LED array can provide effective inactivation of HuNoV.

Shining light on multi-drug resistant Candida auris: Ultraviolet-C disinfection, wavelength sensitivity, and prevention of biofilm formation of an emerging yeast pathogen.

Candida auris is an emerging fungal superbug of worldwide interest. It is associated with high mortality rates and exhibits increased resistance to antifungals. Ultraviolet subtype C (UVC) light can be used to disinfect surfaces to mitigate its spread. The objectives of this study were (1) To investigate UVC disinfection performances and wavelength sensitivity of C. auris. (2) To evaluate the UVC dose required for the prevention of biofilm formation on stainless-steel, plastic (polystyrene), and poly-cotton fabric surfaces. C. auris was grown following standard procedures. The study utilized six different UVC LED arrays with wavelengths between 252 and 280 nm. Arrays were set at similar intensities, to obtain doses of 5-40 mJ cm-2 and similar irradiation time. Disinfection performance for each array was determined using log reduction value (LRV) and percentage reduction by comparing the controls against the irradiated treatments. Evaluation of the ability of 267 nm UVC LEDs to prevent C. auris biofilm formation was investigated using stainless-steel, plastic coupons, and poly-cotton fabric. Peak sensitivity to UVC disinfection was between 267 and 270 nm. With 20 mJ cm-2 , the study obtained ≥LRV3. On stainless-steel coupons, 30 mJ cm-2 was sufficient to prevent biofilm formation, while on plastic, this required 10 mJ cm-2 . A dose of 60 mJ cm-2 reduced biofilms on poly-cotton fabric significantly (R2 = 0.9750, p = 0.0002). The study may allow for the design and implementation of disinfection systems.

Illuminating Human Norovirus: A Perspective on Disinfection of Water and Surfaces Using UVC, Norovirus Model Organisms, and Radiation Safety Considerations.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a major cause of gastroenteritis and are associated with high morbidity because of their ability to survive in the environment and small inoculum size required for infection. Norovirus is transmitted through water, food, high touch-surfaces, and human-to-human contact. Ultraviolet Subtype C (UVC) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can disrupt the norovirus transmission chain for water, food, and surfaces. Here, we illuminate considerations to be adhered to when picking norovirus surrogates for disinfection studies and shine light on effective use of UVC for norovirus infection control in water and air and validation for such systems and explore the blind spot of radiation safety considerations when using UVC disinfection strategies. This perspective also discusses the promise of UVC for norovirus mitigation to save and ease life.

The Global South political economy of health financing and spending landscape - history and presence.

The Global South nations and their statehoods have presented a driving force of economic and social development through most of the written history of humankind. China and India have been traditionally accounted as the economic powerhouses of the past. In recent decades, we have witnessed reestablishment of the traditional world economic structure as per Agnus Maddison Project data. These profound changes have led to accelerated real GDP growth across many LMICs and emerging countries of the Global South. This evolution had a profound impact on an evolving health financing landscape. This review revealed hidden patterns and explained the driving forces behind the political economy of health spending in these vast world regions. The medical device and pharmaceutical industry play a crucial role in addressing the unmet medical needs of rising middle class citizens across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Domestic manufacturing has only been partially meeting this ever rising demand for medical services and medicines. The rest was complemented by the participation of multinational pharmaceutical industry, whose focus on investment into East Asia and ASEAN nations remains part of long-term market access strategies. Understanding of the past remains essential for the development of successful health strategies for the present. Political economy has been driving the evolution of health financing landscape since the establishment of early modern health systems in these countries. Fiscal gaps these governments face in diverse ways might be partially overcome with the spreading of cost-effectiveness based decision-making and health technology assessment capacities. The considerable remaining challenges ranging from insufficient reimbursement rates, large out-of-pocket spending, and lengthy lag in the introduction of cutting-edge technologies such as monoclonal antibodies, biosimilars, or targeted oncology agents, might be partially resolved only in the long run.

Hyperspectral Image Classification Using Deep Genome Graph-Based Approach.

Recently developed hybrid models that stack 3D with 2D CNN in their structure have enjoyed high popularity due to their appealing performance in hyperspectral image classification tasks. On the other hand, biological genome graphs have demonstrated their effectiveness in enhancing the scalability and accuracy of genomic analysis. We propose an innovative deep genome graph-based network (GGBN) for hyperspectral image classification to tap the potential of hybrid models and genome graphs. The GGBN model utilizes 3D-CNN at the bottom layers and 2D-CNNs at the top layers to process spectral-spatial features vital to enhancing the scalability and accuracy of hyperspectral image classification. To verify the effectiveness of the GGBN model, we conducted classification experiments on Indian Pines (IP), University of Pavia (UP), and Salinas Scene (SA) datasets. Using only 5% of the labeled data for training over the SA, IP, and UP datasets, the classification accuracy of GGBN is 99.97%, 96.85%, and 99.74%, respectively, which is better than the compared state-of-the-art methods.

Disinfection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Acinetobacter baumannii using Klaran WD array system.

Hospital-associated infections (HAIs) are a major burden in healthcare systems. In this study, UVC LEDs emitting radiation from 260 to 270 nm were evaluated for effectiveness in reducing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Acinetobacter baumannii . The array has four WD LEDs, each with 70 mW placed at 7 cm from test organisms. With 11.76 mJ cm-2, the study obtained 99.99% reduction (log10 reduction factor of 4) against MRSA and VRE. For A. baumannii , 9 mJ cm-2 obtained 99.999% reduction (log10 reduction factor of 5). These results present scientific evidence on how effective UVC LEDs can be used in the fight against HAIs.

Disinfection Performance of a Drinking Water Bottle System With a UV Subtype C LED Cap Against Waterborne Pathogens and Heterotrophic Contaminants.

The purgaty One systems (cap+bottle) are portable stainless-steel water bottles with UV subtype C (UVC) disinfection capability. This study examines the bottle design, verifies disinfection performance against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, and heterotrophic contaminants, and addresses the public health relevance of heterotrophic bacteria. Bottles were inoculated with deliberately contaminated potable water and disinfection efficacy examined using colony forming unit (CFU) assay for each bacterial strain. The heterotrophic plate count (HPC) method was used to determine the disinfection performance against environmental contaminants at day 0 and after 3days of water in stationary condition without prior UVC exposure. All UVC irradiation experiments were performed under stationary conditions to confirm that the preset application cycle of 55s offers the desired disinfection performance under-tested conditions. To determine effectiveness of purgaty One systems (cap+bottle) in disinfection, inactivation efficacy or log reduction value (LRV) was determined using bacteria concentration between UVC ON condition and controls (UVC OFF). The study utilized the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene for characterization of isolates by identifying HPC bacteria to confirm if they belong to groups that are of public health concern. Purgaty One systems fitted with Klaran UVC LEDs achieved 99.99% inactivation (LRV4) efficacy against E. coli and 99.9% inactivation (LRV3) against P. aeruginosa, V. cholerae, and heterotrophic contaminants. Based on the 16S rRNA gene analyses, the study determined that the identified HPC isolates from UVC irradiated water are of rare public health concern. The bottles satisfactorily inactivated the target pathogenic bacteria and HPC contaminants even after 3days of water in stationary condition.

Not all wavelengths are created equal: disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 using UVC radiation is wavelength-dependent.

SARS-CoV-2 is mostly transmitted through close contact with infected people by infected aerosols and fomites. Ultraviolet subtype C (UVC) lamps and light-emitting diodes can be used to disrupt the transmission chain by disinfecting fomites, thus managing the disease outbreak progression. Here, we assess the ultraviolet wavelengths that are most effective in inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on fomites. Variations in UVC wavelengths impact the dose required for disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and alter how rapidly and effectively disruption of the virus transmission chain can be achieved. This study reveals that shorter wavelengths (254-268 nm) take a maximum of 6.25 mJ/cm2 over 5 s to obtain a target SARS-CoV-2 reduction of 99.9%. Longer wavelengths, like 280 nm, take longer irradiation time and higher dose to inactivate SARS-CoV-2. These observations emphasize that SARS-CoV-2 inactivation is wavelength-dependent.

Complete Genome Sequence of Streptomyces sp. Strain CCM_MD2014, Isolated from Topsoil in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Here, we present the complete genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. strain CCM_MD2014 (phylum Actinobacteria), isolated from surface soil in Woods Hole, MA. Its single linear chromosome of 8,274,043 bp in length has a 72.13% G+C content and contains 6,948 coding sequences.

Complete Genome Sequence of Curtobacterium sp. Strain MR_MD2014, Isolated from Topsoil in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Here, we present the 3,443,800-bp complete genome sequence of Curtobacterium sp. strain MR_MD2014 (phylum Actinobacteria). This strain was isolated from soil in Woods Hole, MA, as part of the 2014 Microbial Diversity Summer Program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.

Methanolic extracts of Aloe secundiflora Engl. inhibits in vitro growth of tuberculosis and diarrhea-causing bacteria.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of resistance to antimicrobials by pathogens has reached crisis levels, calling for identification of alternative means to combat diseases. OBJECTIVE: To determine antimicrobial activity of crude methanolic extract of Aloe secundiflora Engl. from Lake Victoria region of Kenya. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extract was tested against four strains of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. kansasii, M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis), Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and a fungus Candida albicans. activity of the extract was determined using BACTEC(™) MGIT(™) 960 system. General antibacterial and antifungal activity was determined using standard procedures: zones of inhibition, Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentrations (MBCs/MFCs). RESULTS: The extract was potent against M. fortuitum, M. smegmatis and M. kansasii where it completely inhibited growth (Zero growth units (GUs)) in all the extract concentrations used. It gave strong antimycobacterial activity (157 GUs) against M. tuberculosis. It showed strong antimicrobial activity (P≤0.05), giving inhibition zones ≥9.00 mm against most microorganisms, such as P. aeruginosa (MIC 9.375 mg mL(-1) and MBC of 18.75 mg mL(-1)), E. coli (both MIC and MBC of 18.75 mg mL(-1)), S. aureus and S. typhi (both with MIC and MBC of 37.5 mg mL(-1)). Preliminary phytochemistry revealed presence of terpenoids, flavonoids and tannins. CONCLUSION: The data suggests that Aloe secundiflora could be a rich source of antimicrobial agents. The result gives scientific backing to its use by the local people of Lake Victoria region of Kenya, in the management of conditions associated with the tested microorganisms.

Antifungal, antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity of Entada abysinnica Steudel ex A. Rich (Fabaceae) methanol extract.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the antifungal, antibacterial and antimycobacterial properties of methanol extract of Entada abysinnica steudel ex. A. Rich (Fabaceae) leaves used by herbalists from the Lake Victoria region, Kenya. The extract was tested against four strains of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium fortuitum, and Mycobacterium smegmatis) using BACTEC Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) 960 system and the proportional method. Standard procedures were used to determine the zones of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations (MBCs/MFCs) for Candida albicans, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The extract showed activity against some mycobacteria strains, especially M. tuberculosis. It also showed strong antimicrobial activity (zones of inhibition were between 9.00 and 14.10 mm) against C. albicans, Sa. typhi, and St. aureus. The extract gave a better zone of inhibition against C. albicans than fluconazole whose zone of inhibition was 13.00 mm. The MICs and MBCs for C. albicans and Sa. typhi were good. The crude extracts were also analyzed for the presence of phytochemicals. Phytochemical screening indicated that the extract most abundantly contained tannins, saponins, and flavonoids. The data suggest that the methanolic leaves extract of E. abysinnica could be a rich source of antimicrobial agents, especially antifungals. The results further show that there is some merit in the use of the plant in alternative medical practices. However, bioassays of isolated compounds are underway and will be reported during subsequent communications.