Overview of Ecology and Aspects of Antibiotic Resistance in Campylobacter spp. Isolated from Free-Grazing Chicken Tissues in Rural Households.

Rural households all over the world rear backyard chicken mainly for their own consumption and, to a lesser extent, for barter trade. These chickens represent a staple dish with numerous culinary variations and a cheap source of protein. Although some Campylobacter species, and particularly Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, have been associated with industrial poultry carcasses, studies concerning the ecology of this genus in rural households do not exist. To assess the prevalence of Campylobacter species in the tissues of backyard chickens, samples were collected from birds Gallus domesticus bred in households in the rural area of Epirus (Greece), and Campylobacter strains were isolated by quantitative methods at 37 °C and 42 °C. In total, 256 strains were identified, belonging to 17 Campylobacter species, with C. jejuni and C. coli being the most prevalent. From the four ecological parameters studied (size of the flock, presence of small ruminants in the same household, presence of other poultry species in the same household, and feeding leftovers of the household), the size of the flock and the presence of small ruminants and/or pigs in the same household mostly affected the distribution of these strains. To study the phenotypical resistance against 14 antibiotics, 215 strains were selected. The results showed a high prevalence of multidrug-resistance (MDR) strains extending to all classes of antibiotics. Further genome analysis revealed the presence of genes coding resistance (blaOxA-61, tet(O), tet(A) cmeA, cmeB, cmeC, and gyrA (Thr-86-Ile mutation)), with the efflux pump CmeABC being the most prevalent. All antimicrobial resistance-encoded genes co-circulated, except for blaOXA-61, which moved independently. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of two out of three antibiotics (representing different classes) were reduced when the strains tested were exposed to carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), a known efflux pump inhibitor. The same result was obtained with the addition of CCCP to the MIC values of bile salts. These results lead to the conclusion that Campylobacter species are present in an impressive diversity in backyard chicken tissues and that they exert a significant resistance to antibiotics, raising a potential danger for public health.

The Networked Interaction between Probiotics and Intestine in Health and Disease: A Promising Success Story.

Probiotics are known to promote human health either precautionary in healthy individuals or therapeutically in patients suffering from certain ailments. Although this knowledge was empirical in past tomes, modern science has already verified it and expanded it to new limits. These microorganisms can be found in nature in various foods such as dairy products or in supplements formulated for clinical or preventive use. The current review examines the different mechanisms of action of the probiotic strains and how they interact with the organism of the host. Emphasis is put on the clinical therapeutic use of these beneficial microorganisms in various clinical conditions of the human gastrointestinal tract. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and particularly any malfunction and inflammation of the intestines seriously compromise the health of the whole organism. The interaction between the probiotic strains and the host's microbiota can alleviate the clinical signs and symptoms while in some cases, in due course, it can intervene in the underlying pathology. Various safety issues of the use of probiotics are also discussed.

COVID-19 on the spectrum: a scoping review of hygienic standards.

The emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, rapidly escalated into a worldwide public health crisis. Despite numerous clinical treatment endeavors, initial defenses against the virus primarily relied on hygiene practices like mask-wearing, meticulous hand hygiene (using soap or antiseptic solutions), and maintaining social distancing. Even with the subsequent advent of vaccines and the commencement of mass vaccination campaigns, these hygiene measures persistently remain in effect, aiming to curb virus transmission until the achievement of herd immunity. In this scoping review, we delve into the effectiveness of these measures and the diverse transmission pathways, focusing on the intricate interplay within the food network. Furthermore, we explore the virus's pathophysiology, considering its survival on droplets of varying sizes, each endowed with distinct aerodynamic attributes that influence disease dispersion dynamics. While respiratory transmission remains the predominant route, the potential for oral-fecal transmission should not be disregarded, given the protracted presence of viral RNA in patients' feces after the infection period. Addressing concerns about food as a potential viral vector, uncertainties shroud the virus's survivability and potential to contaminate consumers indirectly. Hence, a meticulous and comprehensive hygienic strategy remains paramount in our collective efforts to combat this pandemic.

Orange juice containing Pediococcus acidilactici CE51 modulates the intestinal microbiota and reduces induced inflammation in a murine model of colitis.

The management of inflammatory bowel diseases has been widely investigated, especially ulcerative colitis. Thus, studies with the application of new probiotic products are needed in the prevention/treatment of these clinical conditions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of probiotic orange juice containing Pediococcus acidilactici CE51 in a murine model of colitis. 45 male Swiss lineage mice were used, divided into five groups (n = 9): control, colitis, colitis + probiotic (probiotic orange juice containing CE51), colitis + placebo (orange juice) and colitis + sulfasalazine (10 mg/kg/Weight). The induction of colitis was performed with dextran sodium sulfate (3%). The treatment time was 5 and 15 days after induction. Histopathological analysis, serum measurements of TNF-α and C-reactive protein and metagenomic analysis of feces were performed after euthanasia. Probiotic treatment reduced inflammation in the small intestine, large intestine and spleen. The probiotic did not alter the serum dosages of TNF-α and C-reactive protein. Their use maintained the quantitative ratio of the phylum Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and increased Lactobacillus helveticus with 15 days of treatment (p < 0.05). The probiotic orange juice containing P. acidilactici CE51 positively modulated the gut microbiota composition and attenuated the inflammation induced in colitis.

Sentiment analysis of epidemiological surveillance reports on COVID-19 in Greece using machine learning models.

The present research deals with sentiment analysis performed with Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio to classify Facebook posts on the Greek National Public Health Organization (EODY) from November 2021 to January 2022 during the pandemic. Positive, negative and neutral sentiments were included after processing 300 reviews. This approach involved analyzing the words appearing in the comments and exploring the sentiments related to daily surveillance reports of COVID-19 published on the EODY Facebook page. Moreover, machine learning algorithms were implemented to predict the classification of sentiments. This research assesses the efficiency of a few popular machine learning models, which is one of the initial efforts in Greece in this domain. People have negative sentiments toward COVID surveillance reports. Words with the highest frequency of occurrence include government, vaccinated people, unvaccinated, telephone communication, health measures, virus, COVID-19 rapid/molecular tests, and of course, COVID-19. The experimental results disclose additionally that two classifiers, namely two class Neural Network and two class Bayes Point Machine, achieved high sentiment analysis accuracy and F1 score, particularly 87% and over 35%. A significant limitation of this study may be the need for more comparison with other research attempts that identified the sentiments of the EODY surveillance reports of COVID in Greece. Machine learning models can provide critical information combating public health hazards and enrich communication strategies and proactive actions in public health issues and opinion management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coastal Water Quality Modelling Using E. coli, Meteorological Parameters and Machine Learning Algorithms.

In this study, machine learning models were implemented to predict the classification of coastal waters in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT) concerning Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration and weather variables in the framework of the Directive 2006/7/EC. Six sampling stations of EMT, located on beaches of the regional units of Kavala, Xanthi, Rhodopi, Evros, Thasos and Samothraki, were selected. All 1039 samples were collected from May to September within a 14-year follow-up period (2009-2021). The weather parameters were acquired from nearby meteorological stations. The samples were analysed according to the ISO 9308-1 for the detection and the enumeration of E. coli. The vast majority of the samples fall into category 1 (Excellent), which is a mark of the high quality of the coastal waters of EMT. The experimental results disclose, additionally, that two-class classifiers, namely Decision Forest, Decision Jungle and Boosted Decision Tree, achieved high Accuracy scores over 99%. In addition, comparing our performance metrics with those of other researchers, diversity is observed in using algorithms for water quality prediction, with algorithms such as Decision Tree, Artificial Neural Networks and Bayesian Belief Networks demonstrating satisfactory results. Machine learning approaches can provide critical information about the dynamic of E. coli contamination and, concurrently, consider the meteorological parameters for coastal waters classification.

Insights into Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Applications of Plant Bioactive Compounds.

Plants have long been thought to contribute to health promotion due to their fiber and phenolic content, as well as their inherent biological potential. The bioactive derivatives of medicinal plants are a valuable resource in the fight against serious diseases all around the world. The present review focuses on the current state of knowledge on the usage and medicinal applications of plant bioactives. Issues concerning the effect of aromatic plant derivatives on human gut microbiota and their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potentials are discussed and worth further exploring.

Alterations of gut microbiome following gastrointestinal surgical procedures and their potential complications.

Intestinal microorganisms play a crucial role in shaping the host immunity and maintaining homeostasis. Nevertheless, alterations in gut bacterial composition may occur and these alterations have been linked with the pathogenesis of several diseases. In surgical practice, studies revealed that the microbiome of patients undergoing surgery changes and several post-operative complications seem to be associated with the gut microbiota composition. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of gut microbiota (GM) in surgical disease. We refer to several studies which describe alterations of GM in patients undergoing different types of surgery, we focus on the impacts of peri-operative interventions on GM and the role of GM in development of post-operative complications, such as anastomotic leak. The review aims to enhance comprehension regarding the correlation between GM and surgical procedures based in the current knowledge. However, preoperative and postoperative synthesis of GM needs to be further examined in future studies, so that GM-targeted measures could be assessed and the different surgery complications could be reduced.

Corinthian Currants Supplementation Restores Serum Polar Phenolic Compounds, Reduces IL-1beta, and Exerts Beneficial Effects on Gut Microbiota in the Streptozotocin-Induced Type-1 Diabetic Rat.

The present study aimed at investigating the possible benefits of a dietary intervention with Corinthian currants, a rich source of phenolic compounds, on type 1 diabetes (T1D) using the animal model of the streptozotocin-(STZ)-induced diabetic rat. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: control animals, which received a control diet (CD) or a diet supplemented with 10% w/w Corinthian currants (CCD), and diabetic animals, which received a control diet (DCD) or a currant diet (DCCD) for 4 weeks. Plasma biochemical parameters, insulin, polar phenolic compounds, and inflammatory factors were determined. Microbiota populations in tissue and intestinal fluid of the caecum, as well as fecal microbiota populations and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were measured. Fecal microbiota was further analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results of the study showed that a Corinthian currant-supplemented diet restored serum polar phenolic compounds and decreased interleukin-1b (IL-1b) (p < 0.05) both in control and diabetic animals. Increased caecal lactobacilli counts (p < 0.05) and maintenance of enterococci levels within normal range were observed in the intestinal fluid of the DCCD group (p < 0.05 compared to DCD). Higher acetic acid levels were detected in the feces of diabetic rats that received the currant diet compared to the animals that received the control diet (p < 0.05). Corinthian currant could serve as a beneficial dietary component in the condition of T1D based on the results coming from the animal model of the STZ-induced T1D rat.

The Role of Probiotics in Inducing and Maintaining Remission in Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract affecting millions of patients worldwide. The gut microbiome partly determines the pathogenesis of both diseases. Even though probiotics have been widely used as a potential treatment, their efficacy in inducing and maintaining remission is still controversial. Our study aims to review the present-day literature about the possible role of probiotics in treating inflammatory bowel diseases in adults. This research was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We included studies concerning adult patients who compared probiotics with placebo or non-probiotic intervention. We identified thirty-three studies, including 2713 patients from fourteen countries. The role of probiotics in Crohn's disease was examined in eleven studies. Only four studies presented statistically significant results in the remission of disease, primarily when used for three to six months. On the other hand, in twenty-one out of twenty-five studies, probiotics proved effective in achieving or maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis. Supplementation with Bifidobacterium sp. or a combination of probiotics is the most effective intervention, especially when compared with a placebo. There is strong evidence supporting the usage of probiotic supplementation in patients with ulcerative colitis, yet more research is needed to justify their efficacy in Crohn's disease.

Use of Edible, Medicinal, and Aromatic Plants in Various Health Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation among Inhabitants in the Area of Thrace, North-Eastern Greece.

BACKGROUND: Medicinal and aromatical plants (MAPs) have been historically used as traditional remedies in many cultures in Europe and globally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of MAPs in various health disorders in association to dietary habits and other lifestyle factors among residents in Thrace, NE Greece. METHODS: Data were collected through anonymous and voluntary responses to a structured online questionnaire, via convenience (snowball) sampling. RESULTS: The 561 responders (age: 39.7 ± 11.6 y) were mostly female (59.7%), with higher education (69.8%), working as state or private employees (55.4%), and having low/medium income (77.1%). Overall, more than 70% were using MAPs in various symptoms and common health disorders, such as chamomile against common cold and the flu. More than 20 different MAPs were being used in smaller frequencies against various conditions. Key contributing factors to the consumption of MAPs were sex (female over male), employment (employed vs. unemployed), education (higher education vs. lower) and higher Body Mass Index (overweight and obese vs. normal), while consumption of fruit, fish, and vegetables was mainly associated with the use of MAPs as common items of diet and in health disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The use of MAPs as part of the diet and as traditional remedy is present in the examined population, while particular choices seem to be affected by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

Interactions between Medical Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Focus on Antimicrobial Combination Effects.

It is accepted that the medicinal use of complex mixtures of plant-derived bioactive compounds is more effective than purified bioactive compounds due to beneficial combination interactions. However, synergy and antagonism are very difficult to study in a meticulous fashion since most established methods were designed to reduce the complexity of mixtures and identify single bioactive compounds. This study represents a critical review of the current scientific literature on the combined effects of plant-derived extracts/bioactive compounds. A particular emphasis is provided on the identification of antimicrobial synergistic or antagonistic combinations using recent metabolomics methods and elucidation of approaches identifying potential mechanisms that underlie their interactions. Proven examples of synergistic/antagonistic antimicrobial activity of bioactive compounds are also discussed. The focus is also put on the current challenges, difficulties, and problems that need to be overcome and future perspectives surrounding combination effects. The utilization of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant extracts as appropriate antimicrobials is important and needs to be facilitated by means of new metabolomics technologies to discover the most effective combinations among them. Understanding the nature of the interactions between medicinal plant-derived bioactive compounds will result in the development of new combination antimicrobial therapies.

Views and Attitudes of Blood Donors toward Blood Donation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thrace Region, Greece.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for the last two years and it has affected our society and, amongst other things, has had a negative impact on blood donation, which has led to a significant reduction in blood supplies worldwide. The imposed restrictions in terms of physical presence and transportation, and the fear of the unknown, have aggravated the situation. In Greece, after the first cases of COVID-19 were reported, the blood supplies at the blood transfusion units (BTUs) were dramatically reduced. Although the blood transfusions were lessened during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the blood stocks at all the BTUs of the country were also reduced.

The Emerging Role of the Gut Microbiome in Cardiovascular Disease: Current Knowledge and Perspectives.

The collection of normally non-pathogenic microorganisms that mainly inhabit our gut lumen shapes our health in many ways. Structural and functional perturbations in the gut microbial pool, known as "dysbiosis", have been proven to play a vital role in the pathophysiology of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although therapeutic regimes are available to treat this group of diseases, they have long been the main cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. While age, sex, genetics, diet, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption are major contributors (World Health Organization, 2018), they cannot explain all of the consequences of CVD. In addition to the abovementioned traditional risk factors, the constant search for novel preventative and curative tools has shed light on the involvement of gut bacteria and their metabolites in the pathogenesis of CVD. In this narrative review, we will discuss the established interconnections between the gut microbiota and CVD, as well as the plausible therapeutic perspectives.

Towards Advances in Medicinal Plant Antimicrobial Activity: A Review Study on Challenges and Future Perspectives.

The increasing incidence of drug- resistant pathogens raises an urgent need to identify and isolate new bioactive compounds from medicinal plants using standardized modern analytical procedures. Medicinal plant-derived compounds could provide novel straightforward approaches against pathogenic bacteria. This review explores the antimicrobial activity of plant-derived components, their possible mechanisms of action, as well as their chemical potential. The focus is put on the current challenges and future perspectives surrounding medicinal plants antimicrobial activity. There are some inherent challenges regarding medicinal plant extracts and their antimicrobial efficacy. Appropriate and optimized extraction methodology plant species dependent leads to upgraded and selective extracted compounds. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests for the determination of the antimicrobial activity of plant extracts may show variations in obtained results. Moreover, there are several difficulties and problems that need to be overcome for the development of new antimicrobials from plant extracts, while efforts have been made to enhance the antimicrobial activity of chemical compounds. Research on the mechanisms of action, interplay with other substances, and the pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic profile of the medicinal plant extracts should be given high priority to characterize them as potential antimicrobial agents.

In Vitro Screening Potential Antibacterial Properties of the Greek Oregano Honey against Clinical Isolates of Helicobacter pylori.

Oregano honey is an exceedingly rare and distinct product, not commercially available, produced by bees bred in oregano fields of alpine altitudes at the mountainous area of Epirus, Greece. In ethnic popular medicine, this product is used as a therapeutic in various gastric diseases. To test this hypothesis, 14 strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), 6 isolated from gastric ulcers and 8 from cases of clinical gastritis, were employed in the present study. The above bacterial strains were exposed to various concentrations (75% v/v, 50% v/v, 25% v/v, 12.5% v/v, and 6% v/v) of 50 oregano honey samples by using the agar well method and the inhibition zones observed around each well were recorded. Although the inhibitory zones of the H. pylori isolated from the gastric ulcers were wide enough (0-34 mm), those strains, in general, appeared more resistant than the other eight (0-58 mm). The same result was observed when the same strains were tested against six antibiotics used in clinical practice. Extracts of oregano honey were prepared by extraction with four different organic solvents. N-hexane and chloroform extracts had the most potent antibacterial action. Finally, pure oregano honey and diethyl ether extracts of honey showed significant inhibitory activity against urease secreted by the pathogen. These results strongly indicate the susceptibility of H. pylori strains to the oregano honey by more than one mode of action. Consequently, this variety of honey seems to have potential therapeutic properties against gastric ulcers and gastritis, thus explaining the preference of the locals towards this traditional remedy.

Microbiome, Immunosenescence, and Chronic Kidney Disease.

The gut microbiome is known as an important predictive tool for perceiving characteristic shifts in disease states. Multiple renal diseases and pathologies seem to be associated with gut dysbiosis which directly affects host homeostasis. The gastrointestinal-kidney dialogue confers interesting information about the pathogenesis of multiple kidney diseases. Moreover, aging is followed by specific shifts in the human microbiome, and gradual elimination of physiological functions predisposes the microbiome to inflammaging, sarcopenia, and disease. Aging is characterized by a microbiota with an abundance of disease-associated pathobionts. Multiple factors such as the immune system, environment, medication, diet, and genetic endowment are involved in determining the age of the microbiome in health and disease. Our present review promotes recently acquired knowledge and is expected to inspire researchers to advance studies and investigations on the involved pathways of the gut microbiota and kidney axis.

The Role of Natural Products in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Knowledge of Basic In Vitro and In Vivo Research.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder affecting a vast variety of the population. The onset of RA as well as the development of systematic immunization is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors. This review aims to point out the role of natural products in the management of RA, focusing on the reports of basic research (in vitro and animal studies) emphasizing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties considered in the field of RA. A systematic screening of the relevant literature was carried out on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus with the following criteria: publication date, 2015-2020; language, English; study design, in vitro or animal models; and the investigation of one or several natural products in the context of RA, including, when available, the molecular mechanisms implicated. A total of 211 papers were initially obtained and screened. In vitro and animal studies referring to 20 natural products and 15 pure compounds were ultimately included in this review. The outcomes of this work provide an overview of the methods employed in basic research over the past five years, with emphasis on the limitations presented, while demonstrating the potential benefits of utilizing natural products in the management of RA as supported by in vitro and animal studies.

Maintaining Digestive Health in Diabetes: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and the Challenge of Functional Foods.

Over the last decades, the incidence of diabetes has increased in developed countries and beyond the genetic impact, environmental factors, which can trigger the activation of the gut immune system, seem to affect the induction of the disease process. Since the composition of the gut microbiome might disturb the normal interaction with the immune system and contribute to altered immune responses, the restoration of normal microbiota composition constitutes a new target for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Thus, the interaction of gut microbiome and diabetes, focusing on mechanisms connecting gut microbiota with the occurrence of the disorder, is discussed in the present review. Finally, the challenge of functional food diet on maintaining intestinal health and microbial flora diversity and functionality, as a potential tool for the onset inhibition and management of the disease, is highlighted by reporting key animal studies and clinical trials. Early onset of the disease in the oral cavity is an important factor for the incorporation of a functional food diet in daily routine.