Risk factors, management, and clinical outcomes of invasive Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma infections after lung transplantation.

Mollicute infections, caused by Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species, are serious complications after lung transplantation; however, understanding of the epidemiology and outcomes of these infections remains limited. We conducted a single-center retrospective study of 1156 consecutive lung transplants performed from 2010-2019. We used log-binomial regression to identify risk factors for infection and analyzed clinical management and outcomes. In total, 27 (2.3%) recipients developed mollicute infection. Donor characteristics independently associated with recipient infection were age ≤40 years (prevalence rate ratio [PRR] 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-6.9), White race (PRR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1-8.8), and purulent secretions on donor bronchoscopy (PRR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-5.0). Median time to diagnosis was 16 days posttransplant (IQR: 11-26 days). Mollicute-infected recipients were significantly more likely to require prolonged ventilatory support (66.7% vs 21.4%), undergo dialysis (44.4% vs 6.3%), and remain hospitalized ≥30 days (70.4% vs 27.4%) after transplant. One-year posttransplant mortality in mollicute-infected recipients was 12/27 (44%), compared to 148/1129 (13%) in those without infection (P <.0001). Hyperammonemia syndrome occurred in 5/27 (19%) mollicute-infected recipients, of whom 3 (60%) died within 10 weeks posttransplant. This study highlights the morbidity and mortality associated with mollicute infection after lung transplantation and the need for better screening and management protocols.

Cryptococcal endophthalmitis complicated by immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in a renal transplant recipient: A case report and review of the literature.

A 59 year old male renal transplant recipient developed endogenous cryptococcal endophthalmitis which was complicated by immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Herein we report a novel diagnostic test using lateral flow assay, the management of cryptococcal endophthalmitis and the novel complication of intraocular IRIS in a solid organ transplant recipient.

Intra-abdominal infection with Campylobacter curvus: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Campylobacter curvus is a Gram-negative bacteria associated with periodontal disease in humans. Cases of extra-oral manifestations of infection are rare with only six reported cases of extra-oral infection including this report that have been identified in the current literature. Molecular methods are generally used to identify C. curvus while optimal antibiotic choice and duration to treat extra-oral infections for this pathogen is unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old male with a background history of alcoholic pancreatitis presented with fever and malaise who was found to have radiological intra-abdominal collections. Drainage of these collections identified C. curvus via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry with high probability and identification further confirmed by whole-genome sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility testing to erythromycin and ciprofloxacin of C. curvus was performed using E-test diffusion methods along with investigation for the presence of resistance genes. The patient was treated with intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam followed by ciprofloxacin for 4 weeks total with good clinical recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Extra-oral manifestations with the pathogen C. curvus are rare with few cases described in the literature. There is minimal data on susceptibility patterns, optimal antibiotic treatment and duration. Treatment of extraintestinal C. curvus infections in humans should encompass both adequate source control and antibiotic therapy.

Detectable Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Human Breast Milk of a Mildly Symptomatic Patient With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus and causative pathogen to the pandemic illness COVID-19. Although RNA has been detected in various clinical samples, no reports to date have documented SARS-CoV-2 in human milk. This case report describes an actively breastfeeding patient with COVID-19 infection with detectable viral RNA in human milk.

Investigating the SecY plug movement at the SecYEG translocation channel.

Protein translocation occurs across the energy-conserving bacterial membrane at the SecYEG channel. The crystal structure of the channel has revealed a possible mechanism for gating and opening. This study evaluates the plug hypothesis using cysteine crosslink experiments in combination with various allelic forms of the Sec complex. The results demonstrate that the SecY plug domain moves away from the center of the channel toward SecE during polypeptide translocation, and further show that the translocation-enhancing prlA3 mutation and SecG subunit change the properties of channel gating. Locking the plug in the open state preactivates the Sec complex, and a super-active translocase can be created when combined with the prlA4 mutation located in the pore of the channel. Dimerization of the Sec complex, which is essential for translocase activity, relocates the plug toward the open position. We propose that oligomerization may result in SecYEG cooperative interactions important to prime the translocon function.