scholarly journals A forensic evaluation of plague – a re-emerging infectious disease with biowarfare potential

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-205
Author(s):  
Roger W. Byard

Plague is an acute infectious disease caused by the gram-negative cocco-bacillus Yersinia pestis. It has been responsible for 200 million deaths throughout history with three major pandemics. There are three forms: bubonic, septicaemic and pneumonic, each carrying a significant mortality rate. The usual transmission is from fleas carried by rodents. Recently, it has been listed as one of the reemerging infectious diseases globally, with a potential use in bioterrorism. At autopsy there may be lymphadenopathy, fulminant pneumonia or diffuse interstitial pneumonitis. However any organ may be affected with myocarditis, meningitis, pharyngitis and hepatic and splenic necrosis. The lethality of plague with the resurgence in numbers of cases, development of antibiotic resistance, recent occurrence in urban areas and the lack of a vaccine make it a disease not to be missed in the mortuary.

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 145 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHIARA MARCHETTI ◽  
DANIEL S. H. CHAN ◽  
ANTHONY G. COYNE ◽  
CHRIS ABELL

SUMMARYTuberculosis is an infectious disease associated with significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The rise of antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) urgently demands the development of new drug leads to tackle resistant strains. Fragment-based methods have recently emerged at the forefront of pharmaceutical development as a means to generate more effective lead structures, via the identification of fragment molecules that form weak but high quality interactions with the target biomolecule and subsequent fragment optimization. This review highlights a number of novel inhibitors of Mtb targets that have been developed through fragment-based approaches in recent years.


Author(s):  
Ganiyat Shitta ◽  
Olufunmilola Makanjuola ◽  
Olusolabomi Adefioye ◽  
Olugbenga Adekunle Olowe

Background: Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) production in gram negative bacteria confers multiple antibiotic resistance, adversely affecting antimicrobial therapy in infected individuals. ESBLs result from mutations in β-lactamases encoded mainly by the bla TEM,bla SHVand bla CTX-Mgenes. The prevalence of ESBL producing bacteria has been on the increase globally especially its upsurge among isolates from community-acquired infections. Aim: To determine ESBL prevalence and identify ESBL genes among clinical isolates in Osun State, Nigeria. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2016 –July 2017 in Osun State, Nigeria. Three hundred and sixty Gram negative bacteria recovered from clinical samples obtained from both community and healthcare associated infections were tested. They included147 Escherichia coli(40.8%), 116 Klebsiella spp(32.2%), 44 Pseudomo-nas aeruginosa(12.2%) and23 Proteus vulgaris (6.4%) isolates. Others were Acinetobacter baumannii, Serratia rubidae, Citrobacter spp, Enterobacter spp and Salmonella typhi. Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out, isolates were screened for ESBL production and confirmed using standard laboratory procedures. ESBLs resistance genes were identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results: All isolates demonstrated multiple antibiotic resistance. Resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin with clavulanate and erythromycin was 100%, whereas resistance to Imipenem was very low (5.0%). : Overall prevalence of ESBL producers was 41.4% with Klebsiellaspp as the highest ESBL producing Enterobacteriacaea. ESBL producers were more prevalent among the hospital pathogens than community pathogens, 58% vs 29.5% (p=0.003). ESBL genes were detected in all ESBL producers with the blaCTX-Mgene predominating (47.0%) followed by blaTEM(30.9%) and blaSHVgene was the least, 22.1%. The blaCTX-Mgene was also the most prevalent in the healthcare pathogens (62%) but it accounted for only 25% in those of community origin. Conclusion: A high prevalence of ESBL producing gram negative organisms occurs both in healthcare and in the community in our environment with the CTX-M variant predominating. Efforts to control spread of these pathogens should be addressed.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Salma M. Abdelaziz ◽  
Khaled M. Aboshanab ◽  
Ibrahim S. Yahia ◽  
Mahmoud A. Yassien ◽  
Nadia A. Hassouna

In this study, the correlation between the antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic susceptibility among the carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens (CRGNPs) recovered from patients diagnosed with acute pneumonia in Egypt was found. A total of 194 isolates including Klebsiella pneumoniae (89; 46%), Escherichia coli (47; 24%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (58; 30%) were recovered. Of these, 34 (18%) isolates were multiple drug resistant (MDR) and carbapenem resistant. For the K. pneumoniae MDR isolates (n = 22), blaNDM (14; 64%) was the most prevalent carbapenemase, followed by blaOXA-48 (11; 50%) and blaVIM (4; 18%). A significant association (p value < 0.05) was observed between the multidrug efflux pump (AcrA) and resistance to β-lactams and the aminoglycoside acetyl transferase gene (aac-6’-Ib) gene and resistance to ciprofloxacin, azithromycin and β-lactams (except for aztreonam). For P. aeruginosa, a significant association was noticed between the presence of the blaSHV gene and the multidrug efflux pump (MexA) and resistance to fluoroquinolones, amikacin, tobramycin, co-trimoxazole and β-lactams and between the aac-6’-Ib gene and resistance to aminoglycosides. All P. aeruginosa isolates (100%) harbored the MexAB-OprM multidrug efflux pump while 86% of the K. pneumoniae isolates harbored the AcrAB-TolC pump. Our results are of great medical importance for the guidance of healthcare practitioners for effective antibiotic prescription.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1410-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajnalka Tóth ◽  
Adina Fésűs ◽  
Orsolya Kungler-Gorácz ◽  
Bence Balázs ◽  
László Majoros ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Increasing antibiotic resistance may reciprocally affect consumption and lead to use of broader-spectrum alternatives; a vicious cycle that may gradually limit therapeutic options. Our aim in this study was to demonstrate this vicious cycle in gram-negative bacteria and show the utility of vector autoregressive (VAR) models for time-series analysis in explanatory and dependent roles simultaneously. Methods Monthly drug consumption data in defined daily doses per 100 bed-days and incidence densities of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii) resistant to cephalosporins or to carbapenems were analyzed using VAR models. These were compared to linear transfer models used earlier. Results In case of all gram-negative bacteria, cephalosporin consumption led to increasing cephalosporin resistance, which provoked carbapenem use and consequent carbapenem resistance and finally increased colistin consumption, exemplifying the vicious cycle. Different species were involved in different ways. For example, cephalosporin-resistant Klebsiella spp. provoked carbapenem use less than E. coli, and the association between carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa and colistin use was weaker than that of A. baumannii. Colistin use led to decreased carbapenem use and decreased carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa but not of A. baumannii. Conclusions VAR models allow analysis of consumption and resistance series in a bidirectional manner. The reconstructed resistance spiral involved cephalosporin use augmenting cephalosporin resistance primarily in E. coli. This led to increased carbapenem use, provoking spread of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and consequent colistin use. Emergence of panresistance is fueled by such antibiotic-resistance spirals.


Antibiotics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Günter Kampf

Biocidal agents used for disinfection are usually not suspected to enhance cross-resistance to antibiotics. The aim of this review was therefore to evaluate the effect of 13 biocidal agents at sublethal concentrations on antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative species. A medline search was performed for each biocidal agent on antibiotic tolerance, antibiotic resistance, horizontal gene transfer, and efflux pump. In cells adapted to benzalkonium chloride a new resistance was most frequently found to ampicillin (eight species), cefotaxime (six species), and sulfamethoxazole (three species), some of them with relevance for healthcare-associated infections such as Enterobacter cloacae or Escherichia coli. With chlorhexidine a new resistance was often found to ceftazidime, sulfamethoxazole and imipenem (eight species each) as well as cefotaxime and tetracycline (seven species each). Cross-resistance to antibiotics was also found with triclosan, octenidine, sodium hypochlorite, and didecyldimethylammonium chloride. No cross-resistance to antibiotics has been described after low level exposure to ethanol, propanol, peracetic acid, polyhexanide, povidone iodine, glutaraldehyde, and hydrogen peroxide. Taking into account that some biocidal agents used in disinfectants have no health benefit (e.g., in alcohol-based hand rubs) but may cause antibiotic resistance it is obvious to prefer products without them.


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