Health care of sexual partners of adolescents with gestational syphilis and their children: an integrative review. / Atenção à saúde dos parceiros sexuais de adolescentes com sífilis gestacional e seus filhos: uma revisão integrativa.

Gestational syphilis (GS) in adolescents is a challenge for Brazilian public health, with high incidence rates. Testing, diagnosis and treatment of sexual partners is essential to interrupt the chain of transmission, but since 2017 it is no longer a criterion for the proper treatment of pregnant women. We sought to analyze and synthesize the knowledge produced about the health care of sexual partners of adolescents with GS in Brazil. We carried out a systematic review in the BVS, SciELO and PubMed databases, selecting articles that addressed GS and/or congenital syphilis (CS) in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years and that included information about sexual partners. Forty-one articles were comprehensively analyzed using the WebQDA software and classified into two categories: a) Approach to sexual partners during prenatal care, and b) The role of sexual partners in the transmission cycle of GS and CS. The studies show that the partner's approach is deficient, with a lack of data on the sociodemographic profile and information on testing and treatment. In the context of Primary Health Care, there are no studies that address factors inherent to the context of vulnerability of sexual partners in relation to coping with syphilis.

A sífilis gestacional (SG) em adolescentes é um desafio para a saúde pública brasileira, com elevadas taxas de incidência. A testagem, diagnóstico e tratamento dos parceiros sexuais é indispensável para interromper a cadeia de transmissão, mas desde 2017 deixou de ser critério para o tratamento adequado da gestante. Buscamos analisar e sintetizar o conhecimento produzido sobre a atenção à saúde de parceiros sexuais de adolescentes com SG no Brasil. Realizamos uma revisão integrativa nas bases de dados BVS, SciELO e PubMed, selecionando artigos que abordavam SG e/ou sífilis congênita (SC) em adolescentes de 15 a 19 anos e que incluíam informações sobre os parceiros sexuais. Quarenta e um artigos foram analisados compreensivamente com auxílio do software WebQDA e classificados em duas categorias: (a) Abordagem dos parceiros sexuais no pré-natal, e (b) Papel dos parceiros sexuais no ciclo de transmissão da SG e da SC. Os estudos evidenciam que a abordagem do parceiro é deficitária, com ausência de dados sobre o perfil sociodemográfico e informações sobre testagem e tratamento. No âmbito da atenção primária à saúde não se encontram estudos que abordem fatores inerentes ao contexto de vulnerabilidade dos parceiros sexuais em relação ao enfrentamento da sífilis.

Genomic epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus from the Iberian Peninsula highlights the expansion of livestock associated-CC398 towards wildlife.

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathobiont, exhibiting a broad host range, including humans, other mammals, and avian species. Host specificity determinants, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance genes are often shared by strains circulating at the animal-human interface. While transmission dynamics studies have shown strain exchange between humans and livestock, knowledge of the source, genetic diversification, and transmission drivers of S. aureus in wildlife lag behind. In this work, we explore a wide array of S. aureus genomes from different sources in the Iberian Peninsula to understand population structure, gene content and niche adaptation at the human-livestock-wildlife nexus. Through Bayesian inference, we address the hypothesis that S. aureus strains in wildlife originate from humanized landscapes, either from contact with humans or through interactions with livestock. Phylogenetic reconstruction applied to whole genome sequence data was completed with a dataset of 450 isolates featuring multiple clones from the 1990-2022 period and a subset of CC398 strains representing the 2008-2022 period. Phylodynamic signatures of S. aureus from the Iberian Peninsula suggest widespread circulation of most clones among humans before jumping to other hosts. The number of transitions of CC398 strains within each host category (human, livestock, wildlife) was high (88.26 %), while the posterior probability of transitions from livestock to wildlife was remarkably high (0.99). Microbial genome-wide association analysis did not evidence genome rearrangements nor biomarkers suggesting S. aureus niche adaptation to wildlife, thus supporting recent spill overs. Altogether, our findings indicate that S. aureus isolates collected in the past years from wildlife most likely represent multiple introduction events from livestock. The clonal origin of CC398 and its potential to disseminate and evolve through different animal host species are highlighted, calling for management practices at the livestock-wildlife axis to improve biosecurity and thus restrict S. aureus transmission and niche expansion along gradients of human influence.

Ecophysiological and genomic approaches to cyanobacterial hardening for restoration.

Cyanobacteria inhabit extreme environments, including drylands, providing multiple benefits to the ecosystem. Soil degradation in warm drylands is increasing due to land use intensification. Restoration methods adapted to the extreme stress in drylands are being developed, such as cyanobacteria inoculation to recover biocrusts. For this type of restoration method to be a success, it is crucial to optimize the survival of inoculated cyanobacteria in the field. One strategy is to harden them to be acclimated to stressful conditions after laboratory culturing. Here, we analyzed the genome and ecophysiological response to osmotic desiccation and UVR stresses of an Antarctic cyanobacterium, Stenomitos frigidus ULC029, which is closely related to other cyanobacteria from warm and cold dryland soils. Chlorophyll a concentrations showed that preculturing ULC029 under moderate osmotic stress improved its survival during an assay of desiccation plus rehydration under UVR. Additionally, its sequential exposure to these stress factors increased the production of exopolysaccharides, carotenoids, and scytonemin. Desiccation, but not osmotic stress, increased the concentrations of the osmoprotectants trehalose and sucrose. However, osmotic stress might induce the production of other osmoprotectants, for which the complete pathways were observed in the ULC029 genome. In total, 140 genes known to be involved in stress resistance were annotated. Here, we confirm that the sequential application of moderate osmotic stress and dehydration could improve cyanobacterial hardening for soil restoration by inducing several resistance mechanisms. We provide a high-quality genome of ULC029 and a description of the main resistance mechanisms (i.e., production of exopolysaccharides, osmoprotectants, chlorophyll, and carotenoids; DNA repair; and oxidative stress protection).

Brown spiders (Loxosceles) are taking hold in Pernambuco, Brazil: a case series, 2018-2022.

OBJECTIVE: To describe accidents involving brown spider (genus Loxosceles) bites notified by the Pernambuco Poison Information and Care Center (CIATox-PE), Brazil, from January 2018 to December 2022. METHODS: This was a case series study of brown spider bites notified by the CIATox-PE. RESULTS: The study included 22 cases with median age of 35 years, the majority being female (13); the cases occurred in rural and urban areas (12 versus 10), at night (10); Petrolina was the municipality with the highest number of notifications (6); spider bites occurred mainly in the lower (11) and upper (9) limbs, almost exclusively inside households (21); specific serum therapy was not indicated for 8 cases because the time for its effectiveness had already elapsed. CONCLUSION: Loxoscelism cases occurred more frequently in females, in both rural and urban areas and mainly at home, with delays in seeking medical care. MAIN RESULTS: The 22 cases described represent an alert for the presence of a venomous species not reported in previous studies in Pernambuco. The severity of cases may be associated with delays in seeking medical care, especially due to the population's lack of information. IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES: Identify the presence of brown spiders in households in the region and the potential severity of poisonings. Alert health professionals to recognize the clinical picture with a view to appropriate early treatment. PERSPECTIVES: Develop research on poisoning by venomous animals and educational actions alerting the population to prevent these accidents and updating health professionals on care.

AGE-RELATED TRAJECTORY AND AGE AT PEAK COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE IN WHEELCHAIR RUGBY PLAYERS AT THE PARALYMPIC GAMES.

OBJECTIVE: The first objective to examine the age-related trajectory of competitive performance and the age at peak competitive performance in wheelchair rugby (WR) players at the Paralympic Games. Another objective is to verify age correlations with performance over the years for each class. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: Data were collected from the official results books of the Paralympic games. The mean age (standard deviation) of the 267 players and 448 analyzed data from all Paralympic games (from Sidney 2004 to Tokyo 2020) across all classes was 32.8 (6.4) years, and the age at peak competitive performance was 30.6 (7.4) years. Each class had no statistical difference in age at peak competitive performance. Additionally, there was no significant correlation between age and performance within classes or across all Paralympic games. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that WR players' age at peak competitive performance is 30.6 years, which remains consistent across all classes. There is no statistical correlation between age and performance in WR. These findings significantly affect effective talent identification and athlete development programs. This impact ensures that athletes receive the necessary support to reach their maximum potential while avoiding the pitfalls of underestimating or overestimating their stages of development.

Brown spiders (Loxosceles) are taking hold in Pernambuco, Brazil: a case series, 2018-2022 / Las arañas marrones (Loxosceles) están instalándose en Pernambuco, Brasil: serie de casos, 2018-2022 / As aranhas-marrons (Loxosceles) estão se estabelecendo em Pernambuco: série de casos, 2018-2022

ABSTRACT Objective To describe accidents involving brown spider (genus Loxosceles) bites notified by the Pernambuco Poison Information and Care Center (CIATox-PE), Brazil, from January 2018 to December 2022. Methods This was a case series study of brown spider bites notified by the CIATox-PE. Results The study included 22 cases with median age of 35 years, the majority being female (13); the cases occurred in rural and urban areas (12 versus 10), at night (10); Petrolina was the municipality with the highest number of notifications (6); spider bites occurred mainly in the lower (11) and upper (9) limbs, almost exclusively inside households (21); specific serum therapy was not indicated for 8 cases because the time for its effectiveness had already elapsed. Conclusion Loxoscelism cases occurred more frequently in females, in both rural and urban areas and mainly at home, with delays in seeking medical care.

RESUMEN Objetivo Describir accidentes causados ​​por arañas pardas (género Loxosceles) notificados por el Centro de Información de Asistencia Toxicológica de Pernambuco (CIATox-PE), Brasil, de enero de 2018 a diciembre de 2022. Métodos Reporte de 22 casos notificados de CIATox-PE. Resultados Casos con media de idade de 35 años, predominio femenino (13); los casos ocurrieron en área rural/urbana (12 versus 10), por la noche (10); Petrolina fue el municipio con más notificaciones (6); las picaduras fueron principalmente en los miembros inferiores (11) y superiores (9), casi exclusivamente en el interior de las viviendas (21); en 8 de los casos no se indicó sueroterapia específica por haber superado el tiempo de efecto. Conclusión Los casos de loxoscelismo ocurrieron con mayor frecuencia en el sexo femenino, en áreas rurales y urbanas, y principalmente en el hogar, con demoras en la búsqueda de atención médica.

RESUMO Objetivo Descrever os acidentes por picada de aranhas-marrons (gênero Loxosceles), notificados no Centro de Informação de Assistência Toxicológica de Pernambuco (CIATox-PE), Brasil, no período de 2018 a 2022. Métodos Estudo de série, sobre casos notificados no CIATox-PE. Resultados Foram incluídos 22 casos com mediana de idade de 35 anos e houve predomínio do sexo feminino (13); os casos ocorreram nas zonas rural e urbana (12 versus 10), durante a noite (10), e Petrolina foi o município com mais notificações (6); as picadas ocorreram, principalmente, nos membros inferiores (11) e superiores (9), quase exclusivamente dentro das residências (21); para 8 acidentados, não se prescreveu soroterapia específica por terem ultrapassado o tempo de efetividade. Conclusão Os casos de loxoscelismo ocorreram com maior frequência no sexo feminino, nas zonas rural e urbana indiferentemente, quase todos foram intradomiciliares e houve demora na procura por atendimento médico.

Novel diversity of polar Cyanobacteria revealed by genome-resolved metagenomics.

Benthic microbial mats dominated by Cyanobacteria are important features of polar lakes. Although culture-independent studies have provided important insights into the diversity of polar Cyanobacteria, only a handful of genomes have been sequenced to date. Here, we applied a genome-resolved metagenomics approach to data obtained from Arctic, sub-Antarctic and Antarctic microbial mats. We recovered 37 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Cyanobacteria representing 17 distinct species, most of which are only distantly related to genomes that have been sequenced so far. These include (i) lineages that are common in polar microbial mats such as the filamentous taxa Pseudanabaena, Leptolyngbya, Microcoleus/Tychonema and Phormidium; (ii) the less common taxa Crinalium and Chamaesiphon; (iii) an enigmatic Chroococcales lineage only distantly related to Microcystis; and (iv) an early branching lineage in the order Gloeobacterales that is distributed across the cold biosphere, for which we propose the name Candidatus Sivonenia alaskensis. Our results show that genome-resolved metagenomics is a powerful tool for expanding our understanding of the diversity of Cyanobacteria, especially in understudied remote and extreme environments.

Towards large scale biocrust restoration: Producing an efficient and low-cost inoculum of N-fixing cyanobacteria.

Dryland soil degradation is increasing due to global change and traditional restoration methods are not successful due to water scarcity. Thus, an alternative technology based on inoculating biocrust-forming cyanobacteria on degraded soils has emerged. Biocrusts are communities of mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria or fungi that colonize soil surface forming a stable and fertile layer. Previous studies have shown the benefits of inoculating cyanobacteria to restore soils at a small scale. However, to face field restoration projects, it is necessary to produce high quantities of biomass at an affordable cost. In this work, we analyze if the previously tested cyanobacteria Scytonema hyalinum, Tolypothrix distorta (heterocystous strains) and Trichocoleus desertorum (a bundle-forming one) can be produced with agricultural fertilizers. Different culture media were used: two containing pure chemicals (BG11 and BG110, this N-free medium was used just for heterocystous strains) and two containing fertilizers (BG11-F and MM-F). The performance of the cultures was monitored by measuring the biomass concentration and photosynthetic stress. Afterwards, we analyzed their capacity to induce biocrusts and improve soil properties by inoculating the biomass on a mine substrate indoors and measuring, three months later, the albedo, chlorophyll a and organic carbon content. Results show that the bundle-forming cyanobacterium was unable to grow in the media tested, whereas both heterocystous cyanobacteria grew in all of them and induced the formation of biocrusts improving the organic carbon substrate content. The best results for S. hyalinum were found using the MM-F medium, and for T. distorta using a medium containing pure chemicals (BG11). However, results were also positive when using a medium containing fertilizers (BG11-F). Thus, agricultural fertilizers can be used to undertake the production of heterocystous cyanobacteria for large scale restoration in drylands. On the other hand, more research is needed to find sustainable techniques to produce biomass of bundle-forming cyanobacteria.

Experiences of miscarriage: the voice of parents and health professionals.

The death of a child in the intrauterine stage has legal, psychological, spiritual, and health-related connotations that condition the woman's experience. To understand better the processes set in motion around early pregnancy loss, this ethnographic study explores the experiences of miscarriage in a group of 15 women. The following themes are analyzed: Experience of losing the child, spirituality, health care, and the need to physically recognize the child. The study shows that the need women have to honor the child who did not live may be conditioned by the perception of an uncertain loss and by the absence of a place to honor him/her. Attitudes among professionals are revealed that could be perceived as gender-related abuse. The care of women places emphasis on physical aspects, underlining the lack of comprehensive care during the grieving process.

Antimicrobial resistance in commensal Staphylococcus aureus from wild ungulates is driven by agricultural land cover and livestock farming.

Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathobiont (i.e., a commensal microorganism that is potentially pathogenic under certain conditions), a nosocomial pathogen and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in humans. S. aureus is also a commensal and pathogen of companion animals and livestock. The dissemination of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) S. aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant (MRSA), has been associated to its ability for establishing new reservoirs, but limited attention has been devoted to the role of the environment. To fill this gap, we aimed to characterize animal carrier status, AMR phenotypes, predominant clonal lineages and their relationship with clinical and food-chain settings, as well as to find predictors of AMR occurrence. Nasal swabs (n = 254) from wild boar (n = 177), red deer (n = 54) and fallow deer (n = 23) hunted in Portugal, during the season 2019/2020, yielded an overall carrier proportion of 35.8%, ranging from 53.7% for red deer and 32.2% for wild boar to 21.7% for fallow deer. MRSA from wild boar and phenotypically linezolid-resistant S. aureus from wild boar and red deer were isolated, indicating that resistance to antimicrobials restricted to clinical practice also occurs in wildlife. The most prevalent genotypes were t11502/ST2678 (29.6%) and t12939/ST2678 (9.4%), previously reported in wild boar from Spain. Clonal lineages reported in humans and livestock, like CC1, CC5 or CC8 (19.1%) and ST425, CC133 or CC398 (23.5%), respectively, were also found. The sequence type ST544, previously restricted to humans, is described in wildlife for the first time. We also identified that land use (agricultural land cover), human driven disturbance (swine abundance) and host-related factors (sex) determine resistance occurrence. These findings suggest that antibiotics used in clinical settings, agriculture and livestock farming, spill over to wildlife, leading to AMR emergence, with potential biological, ecological, and human health effects. This work is one of the most comprehensive surveys in Europe of S. aureus occurrence and determinants among widely distributed wild ungulates.

Global trends of epidemiological research in livestock tuberculosis for the last four decades.

Animal tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) bacteria remains as one of the most significant infectious diseases of livestock, despite decades of eradication programmes and research efforts, in an era where the livestock sector is among the most important and rapidly expanding commercial agricultural segments worldwide. This work provides a global overview of the spatial and temporal trends of reported scientific knowledge of TB in livestock, aiming to gain insights into research subtopics within the animal TB epidemiology domain and to highlight territorial inequalities regarding data reporting and research outputs over the years. To deliver such information, peer-reviewed reports of TB studies in livestock were retrieved from the Web of Science and Google Scholar, systematized and dissected. The validated data set contained 443 occurrence observations, covering the 1981-2020 period (39 years). We highlight a clear move towards transdisciplinary areas and the One Health approach, with a global temporal increase in publications combining livestock with wildlife and/or human components, which reflect the importance of non-prototypical hosts as key to understanding animal TB. It becomes evident that cattle is the main host across works from all continents; however, many regions remain poorly surveyed. TB research in livestock in low-/middle-income countries is markedly growing, reflecting changes in animal husbandry, but also mirroring the globalization era, with a marked increase in international collaboration and capacitation programmes for scientific and technological development. This review gives an overview of the most prolific continents, countries and research fields in animal TB epidemiology, clearly outlining knowledge gaps and key priority topics. The estimated growth trend of livestock production until 2050, particularly in Asia and Africa, in response to human population growth and animal-protein demand, will require further investment in early surveillance and adaptive research to accommodate the higher diversity of livestock species and MTC members and raising the possibility to fine-tune funding schemes.

The hard numbers of tuberculosis epidemiology in wildlife: A meta-regression and systematic review.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a widespread disease that crosses the human and animal health boundaries, with infection being reported in wildlife, from temperate and subtropical to arctic regions. Often, TB in wild species is closely associated with disease occurrence in livestock but the TB burden in wildlife remains poorly quantified on a global level. Through meta-regression and systematic review, this study aimed to summarize global information on TB prevalence in commonly infected wildlife species and to draw a global picture of the scientific knowledge accumulated in wildlife TB. For these purposes, a literature search was conducted through the Web of Science and Google Scholar. The 223 articles retrieved, concerning a 39-year period, were submitted to bibliometric analysis and 54 publications regarding three wildlife hosts fulfilled the criteria for meta-regression. Using a random-effects model, the worldwide pooled TB prevalence in wild boar is higher than for any other species and estimated as 21.98%, peaking in Spain (31.68%), Italy (23.84%) and Hungary (18.12%). The pooled prevalence of TB in red deer is estimated at 13.71%, with Austria (31.58%), Portugal (27.75%), New Zealand (19.26%) and Spain (12.08%) positioning on the top, while for European badger it was computed 11.75%, peaking in the UK (16.43%) and Ireland (22.87%). Despite these hard numbers, a declining trend in wildlife TB prevalence is apparent over the last decades. The overall heterogeneity calculated by multivariable regression ranged from 28.61% (wild boar) to 60.92% (red deer), indicating that other unexplored moderators could explain disease burden. The systematic review shows that the most prolific countries contributing to knowledge related with wildlife TB are settled in Europe and Mycobacterium bovis is the most reported pathogen (89.5%). This study provides insight into the global epidemiology of wildlife TB, ascertaining research gaps that need to be explored and informing how should surveillance be refined.

Estimates of the global and continental burden of animal tuberculosis in key livestock species worldwide: A meta-analysis study.

Zoonotic animal tuberculosis (TB) is a One Health paradigm infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria, that affects different host species with varying levels of management. In most developed countries, official surveillance and control strategies support the longitudinal reporting of herd and/or animal prevalence. However, for under resourced countries without surveillance plans, this information may be obtained from cross-sectional studies only. The objective of this meta-analysis was to perform a worldwide estimate of the overall prevalence of animal TB in different livestock species whose importance in production systems varies according to the region of the world. The ISI's Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched combining keywords and related database-specific subject terms to identify relevant cohort or cross-sectional work published in this topic. A total of 443 articles were retrieved, screened, and a final set of 182 references included. Potential sources of variation were investigated using subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Prevalence estimates in five mammalian host groups were stratified according to host species, host characteristics, anatomical localization of lesions, sample size, geographical location, and diagnostic tests. The multivariable meta-regression analysis accounted for a range between 0% (farmed wild boar) and 68.71% (camelids) of the overall observed heterogeneity, indicating that the pondered predictors partially explain the observed variability. Differences in the overall prevalence of TB across hosts were small, with most groups showing values around 10%, except farmed wild boar (41%). The sample size emerged as an important moderator, with small size studies leading to the overestimation of prevalence. TB prevalence rates were very heterogeneous across continents and depended on the host, with lower values (below 10%) in Africa and Asia, while North America (33.6%, cattle), Europe (51%, goats), and South America (85.7%, pigs) exhibited higher rates, possibly related to greater densities of specific host groups managed on more intensive production systems. Stratification by diagnostic tests evidenced heterogeneous prevalence rates depending on the host group, possibly reflecting differences in test performance across different hosts. Results from this study highlight different TB burden scenarios, pinpointing host groups and diagnostics that should be prioritized in surveillance systems in different regions, thus providing policy-relevant information to catalyse TB control in settings with lower installed capacity and better resource allocation at the human-animal-environment interface.

Lo psicosomático en lo infantil / Psychosomatic disorders of childhood

El concepto de lo psicosomático no es psicoanalítico, sin embargo, es claro que desde sus inicios la relación entre el cuerpo y el psiquismo es fundamental en la construcción de la teoría psicoanalítica y a travesará todos sus desarrollos. El psicoanálisis es el primero en proponer un modelo etiológico para explicar los síntomas corporales en donde lo psíquico tiene un lugar preponderante. El presente texto constituye un recorrido por este concepto, como Lacan, quien, a pesar de haberse referido en muy pocas ocasiones al respecto, nos permite, a través de otras conceptualizaciones, diferenciar el proceso de conversión histérica y el fenómeno psicosomático, en el que de lo que se trata es de una respuesta corporal que queda por fuera de cualquier orden, inclusive el simbólico. De esta manera podemos encontrar como somera conclusión que cuando el dolor no encuentra salida en las lágrimas son otros órganos los que lo expresan

Even though the concept of psychosomatic phenomenon is not a psychoanalytical one, the study of the relationship between body and psychism has been of paramount importance in the development of each aspect of psychoanalytical theory, Psychoanalysis is the first discipline to propose an etiological model to explain bodily symptoms while attibuting psychic dimension a preponderant role. The pesent paper focuses on thet concept, taking into consideration perspectives such a Lacan's, whose work allow us to distinguish between hysterical conversion and psychosomatic phenomenon, a body's response which doesn't conform to any order, not even the symbolical one. Given this, we can conclude that when pain is not expressed through tears, it is expressed through other organs

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria: Molecular and Physiological Bases of Virulence and Adaptation to Ecological Niches.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are paradigmatic colonizers of the total environment, circulating at the interfaces of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and anthroposphere. Their striking adaptive ecology on the interconnection of multiple spheres results from the combination of several biological features related to their exclusive hydrophobic and lipid-rich impermeable cell wall, transcriptional regulation signatures, biofilm phenotype, and symbiosis with protozoa. This unique blend of traits is reviewed in this work, with highlights to the prodigious plasticity and persistence hallmarks of NTM in a wide diversity of environments, from extreme natural milieus to microniches in the human body. Knowledge on the taxonomy, evolution, and functional diversity of NTM is updated, as well as the molecular and physiological bases for environmental adaptation, tolerance to xenobiotics, and infection biology in the human and non-human host. The complex interplay between individual, species-specific and ecological niche traits contributing to NTM resilience across ecosystems are also explored. This work hinges current understandings of NTM, approaching their biology and heterogeneity from several angles and reinforcing the complexity of these microorganisms often associated with a multiplicity of diseases, including pulmonary, soft-tissue, or milliary. In addition to emphasizing the cornerstones of knowledge involving these bacteria, we identify research gaps that need to be addressed, stressing out the need for decision-makers to recognize NTM infection as a public health issue that has to be tackled, especially when considering an increasingly susceptible elderly and immunocompromised population in developed countries, as well as in low- or middle-income countries, where NTM infections are still highly misdiagnosed and neglected.

Correction to: HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptance among European adolescents and their parents: a systematic literature review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s40985-020-00126-5.].

HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptance among European adolescents and their parents: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of HPV vaccines, several studies have been conducted in different countries to assess HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptance. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic literature review to summarize results and identify factors associated with HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptance in adolescents and their parents and to compile the measurement tools used in the published research studies performed in European countries where HPV is licensed. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted for studies published between January 1st 2006 and December 31st 2017. RESULTS: Seventy non-interventional studies performed in 16 European countries met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-eight of them reported data on HPV knowledge and 40 reported data on HPV vaccine acceptance. Further, 51.8% of adolescents (range 0% to 98.6%) and 64.4% of parents (range 1.7% to 99.3%) knew about HPV infection. Insufficient information and safety concerns were the main barriers to vaccination acceptance. CONCLUSION: HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptance are still modest and vary widely between studies across EU countries. Coordinated efforts should be made to provide the relevant population with information for informed decision-making about HPV vaccination.

Revisiting the expression signature of pks15/1 unveils regulatory patterns controlling phenolphtiocerol and phenolglycolipid production in pathogenic mycobacteria.

One of the most important and exclusive characteristics of mycobacteria is their cell wall. Amongst its constituent components are two related families of glycosylated lipids, diphthioceranates and phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) and its variant phenolic glycolipids (PGL). PGL have been associated with cell wall impermeability, phagocytosis, defence against nitrosative and oxidative stress and, intriguingly, biofilm formation. In bacteria from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), the biosynthetic pathway of the phenolphthiocerol moiety of PGL depends upon the expression of several genes encoding type I polyketide synthases (PKS), namely ppsA-E and pks15/1 which constitute the PDIM + PGL locus, and that are highly conserved in PDIM/PGL-producing strains. Consensus has not been achieved regarding the genetic organization of pks15/1 locus and knowledge is lacking on its transcriptional signature. Here we explore publicly available datasets of transcriptome data (RNA-seq) from more than 100 MTBC experiments in 40 growth conditions to outline the transcriptional structure and signature of pks15/1, using a differential expression approach to infer the regulatory patterns involving these and related genes. We show that pks1 expression is highly correlated with fadD22, Rv2949c, lppX, fadD29 and, also, pks6 and pks12, with the first three putatively integrating into a polycistronic structure. We evidence dynamic transcriptional heterogeneity within the genes involved in phenolphtiocerol and phenolic glycolipid production, most exhibiting up-regulation upon acidic pH and antibiotic exposure and down-regulation under hypoxia, dormancy, and low/high iron concentration. We finally propose a model based on transcriptome data in which σD positively regulates pks1, pks15 and fadD22, while σB and σE factors exert negative regulation at an upper level.

Animal tuberculosis: Impact of disease heterogeneity in transmission, diagnosis and control.

Animal tuberculosis (TB) in terrestrial mammals is mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis. This pathogen is adapted to a wide range of host species, representing a threat to livestock, wildlife and human health. Disease heterogeneity is a hallmark of multi-host TB and a challenge for control. Drivers of animal TB heterogeneity are very diverse and may act at the level of the causative agent, the host species, the interface between mycobacteria and the host, community of hosts, the environment and even policy behind control programmes. In this paper, we examine the drivers that seem to contribute to this phenomenon. We begin by reviewing evidence accumulated to date supporting the consensus that a complex range of genetic, biological and socio-environmental factors contribute to the establishment and maintenance of animal TB, setting the grounds for heterogeneity. We then highlight the complex interplay between individual, species-specific and community protective factors with risk/maintenance variables that include animal movements and densities, co-infection and super-shedders. We finally consider how current interventions should seek to consider and explore heterogeneity in order to tackle potential limitations for diagnosis and control programmes, simultaneously increasing their efficacy.

Polyphasic evaluation of key cyanobacteria in biocrusts from the most arid region in Europe.

Cyanobacteria are key microbes in topsoil communities that have important roles in preventing soil erosion, carbon and nitrogen fixation, and influencing soil hydrology. However, little is known regarding the identity and distribution of the microbial components in the photosynthetic assemblages that form a cohesive biological soil crust (biocrust) in drylands of Europe. In this study, we investigated the cyanobacterial species colonizing biocrusts in three representative dryland ecosystems from the most arid region in Europe (SE Spain) that are characterized by different soil conditions. Isolated cyanobacterial cultures were identified by a polyphasic approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic relationship determination, and morphological and ecological habitat assessments. Three well-differentiated groups were identified: heterocystous-cyanobacteria (Nostoc commune, Nostoc calcicola, Tolypothrix distorta and Scytonema hyalinum), which play an important role in N and C cycling in soil; nonheterocystous bundle-forming cyanobacteria (Microcoleus steenstrupii, Trichocoleus desertorum, and Schizothrix cf. calcicola); and narrow filamentous cyanobacteria (Leptolyngbya frigida and Oculatella kazantipica), all of which are essential genera for initial biocrust formation. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of cyanobacterial species composition in biocrusts from important and understudied European habitats, such as the Mediterranean Basin, a hotspot of biodiversity, where these species are keystone pioneer organisms.