Applied genomics for identification of virulent biothreats and for disease outbreak surveillance

Fortifying our preparedness to cope with biological threats by identifying and targeting virulence factors may be a preventative strategy for curtailing infectious disease outbreak. Virulence factors evoke successful pathogenic invasion, and the science and technology of genomics offers a way of identifying them, their agents and evolutionary ancestor. Genomics offers the possibility of deciphering if the release of a pathogen was intentional or natural by observing sequence and annotated data of the causative agent, and evidence of genetic engineering such as cloned vectors at restriction sites. However, to leverage and maximise the application of genomics to strengthen global interception system for real-time biothreat diagnostics, a complete genomic library of pathogenic and non-pathogenic agents will create a robust reference assembly that can be used to screen, characterise, track and trace new and existing strains. Encouraging ethical research sequencing pathogens found in animals and the environment, as well as creating a global space for collaboration will lead to effective global regulation and biosurveillance.

UltraViolet SANitizing System for Sterilization of Ambulances Fleets and for Real-Time Monitoring of Their Sterilization Level

Background: The contamination of ambulances with pathogenic agents represents a potential threat for the public health, not only for common pathogens but also for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The aim of this project was to exploits the germicidal effect of the UVC radiation at 254 nm to sanitize the patient’s compartment of ambulances with an advanced UltraViolet SANitizing System (UV-SAN) and assess its relevance for avoiding the spread of COVID-19 and other drug resistant pathogens. Methods: The system is equipped with UVC lamps that are activated when the ambulance compartment is empty and sanitize the environment in less than 15 min. An Ozone sensor continuously monitors the gas concentration, ensuring it does not exceed threshold value harmful for patients and operators’ health. The system is relying on GNSS data and a satellite communication link, which allow to monitor and record traceability (when, where and what) of all the sanitation operations performed. This information is real-time monitored from a dedicated web-application. Results: UVC irradiation efficiently reduced SARS-CoV-2 virus titer (>99.99%), on inanimate surfaces such as plastic, stainless steel or rubber, with doses ranging from 5.5 to 24.8 mJ/cm2 and the UV-SAN system is effective against multi drug resistant (MDR) bacteria up to >99.99%, after 10 to 30 min of irradiation. Conclusions: UV-SAN can provide rapid, efficient and sustainable sanitization procedures of ambulances.

Anatomical features of conductive tissues of soybeans that prevent the penetration of pathogenic agents of bacterial blight into seeds

The ways of penetration of pathogenic bacteria from the infected vegetative parts of plants into soybean seeds remain practically unexplored. It is widely believed that soybean seeds are infected through the vascular system from already infected areas of the vegetative parts. The aim of the present research was to study the possibility of penetration of pathogens of bacterial blight into soybean seeds through the conductive tissues of plants. The studies were carried out in 2019–2021 in V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops on plants and seeds of soybean variety Vilana. It was found that the size of stomatal slots in soybean leaves is 8–12 µm. This ensures free penetration of bacteria with a diameter of 1.3–1.7 µm into the leaf mesophyll. The pore sizes of the sieve plates of the phloem range from 0.4–0.7 to 0.8–1.6 µm, depending on the age of the plants. The largest pores of the phloem sieve plates are comparable to the diameters of pathogenic bacteria. However, a large number of transverse sieve plates located in the vessels of the phloem every 0.05–0.1 mm will filter and partially retain bacteria in each sieve tube along the path of cell sap in the phloem. Therefore, the pathogenic bacteria passing through the entire phloem from leaves infected with bacteriosis up to pods is physically unlikely. In pods, the vascular system ends in the area of attachment of the placenta to the seed hilum. In the hilum, there are no conductive tissues, and the further flow of water and nutrients into the seed is carried out diffusely through the plasmodesma of cell walls. It was found that the anatomical structure of the soybean phloem prevents the free movement of pathogenic bacteria along the conductive system directly into the inner tissues of the seeds. Therefore, the hypothesis of infection of soybean seeds with pathogens of bacterial blight through the conducting system of the plant should be considered untenable

The place of African belief and germ theory on the causes of human diseases

This study looks into the African belief about the mystical causes of diseases and the tenets of Western germ theory. Despite widespread Western medical practices, African people still strongly believe in the mystical causes of diseases. This reveals that as far as the African traditional belief is concerned, Western germ theory cannot satisfy the African belief in the causes of diseases. This is as a result of some of the diseases defying Western healing. The study adopts a qualitative phenomenological research design and descriptive method for data analysis. Personal interview forms a primary source of data collection while the secondary source includes library resources. The study observes that some mystical agents in African cosmology, such as witches and sorcerers, ogbanje, and breaking of taboos are responsible for untimely deaths, infliction of diseases to humankind and other related ailments which are believed to be traditional in nature.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The study recommends that hospitals and healthcare centres, within and outside Africa, should take into consideration the mystical agents as well as the pathogenic agents for good and efficient healing.

Increased Use of Antibiotics in the Intensive Care Unit During Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic in a Brazilian Hospital

Background: Microbial drug resistance is one of the biggest public health problems. Antibiotic consumption is an essential factor for the emergence and spread of multiresistant bacteria. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the antibiotics consumption in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), identifying trends in the antibiotics use profile and microbiological isolates throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: We performed this retrospective observational study in intensive care units of a Brazilian tertiary hospital from January 2019 to December 2020. The primary outcome was antimicrobial consumption in the ICU, measured by defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 bed-days. As a secondary outcome, bacterial infections (microbiological isolates) were calculated in the same fashion. Outcomes trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression models, considering constant variance (homoscedasticity) and first-order autocorrelation assumptions. A monthly percent change (MPC) was estimated for each analyzed segment.Results: Seven thousand and nine hundred fifty-three patients had data available on prescribed and received medications and were included in the analyses. Overall, the use of antibiotics increased over time in the ICU. The reserve group (World Health Organization Classification) had an increasing trend (MPC = 7.24) from February to April 2020. The azithromycin consumption (J01FA) increased rapidly, with a MPC of 5.21 from January to April 2020. Polymyxin B showed a relevant increase from March to June 2020 (MPC = 6.93). The peak of the antibiotic consumption of Reserve group did not overlap with the peak of the pathogenic agents they are intended to treat.Conclusion: Overall antimicrobial consumption in ICU has increased in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The peaks in the antimicrobial’s use were not associated with the rise of the pathogenic agents they intended to treat, indicating an empirical use, which is especially concerning in the context of treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. This fact may contribute to the depletion of the therapeutic arsenal for MDR treatment.

Survey of Antagonistic Action and the Mechanism of these Actions that Terpens, Phenols and their Derivatives Possess Against Different Pathogenic Agents

Folk medicine or herbal treatment has been used for centuries by different ancient civilizations against various ailment agents, herbal medicine has been dragged attention by researchers in different medical branches focusing on therapeutically characteristic features of each plant against different pathogenic agents responsible for most devastating and terrifying diseases, in addition to thorough investigation for the phytochemical compounds in each plant responsible for its potent against pathogens. Thus, this study highlights on two major groups of secondary metabolic compounds: terpens, phenols and their derivatives as antimicrobial agents against different bacterial and fungal strains especially drug resistant bacteria which responsible for the infectivity of treatments of most infectious diseases. Furthermore, mechanisms of actions of these secondary metabolites are reviewed as the causative factors responsible for the antimicrobial activity of plants and the promising results which have been achieved in multiply these activities by making combination between these natural products and chemical drugs.

Bacteriological Profile and Antibiogram of Blood Culture Isolates from Clinically Suspected Septicemic Cases in A Tertiary Care Hospital Shahjahanpur, UP, India

Blood stream infections mainly by Bacteremia leading to septicemia were the major cause of life threatening sepsis in hospitalized patients. There should be required rapid diagnosis of pathogenic agents and immediate appropriate therapy. These help to decrease of multidrug resistance cases and also morbidity and mortality. During one year period, total 192 blood samples were processed in microbiology laboratory according to standard protocols. Out of 192 samples, 21 were isolated positive and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were performed according to standard CLSI guidelines. The total 10.94% (21/192) were identified as culture positive of these 66.67% were Gram negative and 28.57% Gram positive and 04.76% Candida species. The gram negative bacteria were predominant isolates. The Klebsiella pneumoniae was 100% sensitivity to Ceftazidime, Cefepime, Amikacin, Gentamycin and Aztreonam. All non-fermenter isolates were 100% sensitivity to Ceftazidime, Cefepime, Amikacin, Colistin and Polymyxin-B. Vancomycin sensitivity was seen 100% to all grams positive isolates. Bacteremia was most common causes of septicemia; the most predominant pathogenic agent was Klebsiella pneumoniae in our study. Surveillance of pathogenic agents and their antibiotics sensitivity pattern should be required to reduce drug resistance and for selection of appropriate therapy.

Secretory Proteases of the Human Skin Microbiome

The human skin is our outermost layer and serves as a protective barrier against external insults. Advances in next generation sequencing have enabled the discoveries of a rich and diverse community of microbes - bacteria, fungi and viruses that are residents of this surface. The genomes of these microbes also revealed the presence of many secretory enzymes. In particular, proteases which are hydrolytic enzymes capable of protein cleavage and degradation are of special interest in the skin environment which is enriched in proteins and lipids. In this minireview, we will focus on the roles of these skin-relevant microbial secreted proteases, both in terms of their widely studied roles as pathogenic agents in tissue invasion and host immune inactivation, and their recently discovered roles in inter-microbial interactions and modulation of virulence factors. From these studies, it has become apparent that while microbial proteases are capable of a wide range of functions, their expression is tightly regulated and highly responsive to the environments the microbes are in. With the introduction of new biochemical and bioinformatics tools to study protease functions, it will be important to understand the roles played by skin microbial secretory proteases in cutaneous health, especially the less studied commensal microbes with an emphasis on contextual relevance.

Negative-sense RNA viruses: An underexplored platform for examining virus–host lipid interactions

Viruses are pathogenic agents that can infect all varieties of organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. These microscopic particles are genetically simple as they encode a limited number of proteins that undertake a wide range of functions. While structurally distinct, viruses often share common characteristics that have evolved to aid in their infectious life cycles. A commonly underappreciated characteristic of many deadly viruses is a lipid envelope that surrounds their protein and genetic contents. Notably, the lipid envelope is formed from the host cell the virus infects. Lipid-enveloped viruses comprise a diverse range of pathogenic viruses, which often lead to high fatality rates and many lack effective therapeutics and/or vaccines. This perspective primarily focuses on the negative-sense RNA viruses from the order Mononegavirales, which obtain their lipid envelope from the host plasma membrane. Specifically, the perspective highlights the common themes of host cell lipid and membrane biology necessary for virus replication, assembly, and budding.

Epidemiological aspects, haematological and biochemical alterations in some gastrointestinal parasitic diseases of carnivores

Gastrointestinal parasites are widespread pathogenic agents and one of the main causes for mortality in young dogs and cats. Many of these zoonotic parasites are relevant in terms of public health. The presence of parasites in the animal organism causes local and general modifications in the various organs they parasitize or transit throughout their life cycle. The present study aimed to identify the most frequent gastrointestinal parasites of dogs and cats and to monitor the alterations that occur in terms of haematological and biochemical parameters. The studied animals, 25 dogs and three cats from Timiș and Caraș Severin counties, were brought to the On-call room of the University Clinics of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Timișoara. The laboratory methods that were used were the Willis flotation method, the Baerman larvoscopic method and the Lugol method. The haematological methods, namely flow cytometry, cytochemistry and spectrophotometry, were performed at Bioclinica Laboratories, on whole blood samples that were collected in EDTA or simple tubes. The studied animals were positive for Giardia, Cystoisospora, Dipylidium, Ancylostoma, Toxocara and Trichocephalus. The positivity rate was 57.14%, with prevalence rates according to the parasitic species ranging from 3.57% to 21.42%, with multiparasitism in 32.14%, and monoparasitism in 17.85%. The values recorded for red blood cells, haemoglobin and hematocrit followed the same trendmost of the animals being situated within physiological values, except for three dogs, that recorded values below the minimal level. In the case of MCH (mean corpuscular haemoglobin) and MCHC (mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) the values recorded for most dogs were within physiological limits, except for three dogs which overpassed the maximum level. Eosinophils were high in all dogs, which is a characteristic feature of parasitism. The serum urea concentrations revealed the fact that all for dogs that were taken into study had values above the maximum limit.