Infant Pneumococcal Carriage in Belgium Not Affected by COVID-19 Containment Measures

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important and frequently carried respiratory pathogen that has the potential to cause serious invasive diseases, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. Young children and older adults are among the most vulnerable to developing serious disease. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant restrictive measures, invasive disease cases caused by respiratory bacterial species, including pneumococci, decreased substantially. Notably, the stringency of the containment measures as well as the visible reduction in the movement of people appeared to coincide with the drop in invasive disease cases. One could argue that wearing protective masks and adhering to social distancing guidelines to halt the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also led to a reduction in the person-to-person transmission of respiratory bacterial species. Although plausible, this conjecture is challenged by novel data obtained from our nasopharyngeal carriage study which is performed yearly in healthy daycare center attending children. A sustained and high pneumococcal carriage rate was observed amid periods of stringent restrictive measures. This finding prompts us to revisit the connection between nasopharyngeal colonization and invasion and invites us to look closer at the nasopharyngeal microbiome as a whole.

A Plant Disease Recognition Method Based on Fusion of Images and Graph Structure Text

The disease image recognition models based on deep learning have achieved relative success under limited and restricted conditions, but such models are generally subjected to the shortcoming of weak robustness. The model accuracy would decrease obviously when recognizing disease images with complex backgrounds under field conditions. Moreover, most of the models based on deep learning only involve characterization learning on visual information in the image form, while the expression of other modal information rather than the image form is often ignored. The present study targeted the main invasive diseases in tomato and cucumber as the research object. Firstly, in response to the problem of weak robustness, a feature decomposition and recombination method was proposed to allow the model to learn image features at different granularities so as to accurately recognize different test images. Secondly, by extracting the disease feature words from the disease text description information composed of continuous vectors and recombining them into the disease graph structure text, the graph convolutional neural network (GCN) was then applied for feature learning. Finally, a vegetable disease recognition model based on the fusion of images and graph structure text was constructed. The results show that the recognition accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity of the proposed model were 97.62, 92.81, 98.54, and 93.57%, respectively. This study improved the model robustness to a certain extent, and provides ideas and references for the research on the fusion method of image information and graph structure information in disease recognition.

Insecticidal Efficacy of Medicines During Cat Flea Infestations in Tyumen

From time immemorial people began to domesticate wild animals and throughout many generations, they are kept by people genetically isolated from external pathogens. In the prevailing era, every pet owner is trying to breed and protect his animal from contagious and noncontagious diseases. Having said that, lack and inadequacy of knowledge and mass media on simple preventive measures results in the widespread occurrence of infectious and invasive diseases, including flea, Ctenocephalides felis infestation among dogs as well as cats. The present paper primarily attempts to present the results of therapeutic efficiency of Komfortis, Foresto, and Fitoelita medical agents used during flea infestation among domestic cats. In order to meet the purpose of the study, research was carried out within the framework of study and analysis of the epizootic state of invasive diseases of agricultural and unproductive animals, bees, and birds. Studies of changes in the species composition, and bioecological patterns of the development cycle of parasites under shifting boundaries of their ranges were also done. For the study, the animals were divided into three groups of 10 animals each. Standard clinical and hematological research methods were used during the study. Blood sampling included three stages: before insecticide treatment, the intermediate interval of 15 days, and the final stage. Based on the results obtained, it was found that Komfortis and Foresto have 100% therapeutic efficacy at all stages of flea development and possess a long-lasting action duringa flea infestation. The morphological blood analysisshowed that the proposed medical agents have no toxic orsideeffects.

Early neonatal respiratory distress revealing meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 17F: a case report

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is the first leading cause of invasive diseases such as meningitis, bacteremia and pneumoniae in children. In this case we report an early neonatal respiratory distress revealing meningitis caused byS. pneumoniae Serotype 17F through vertical transmission, in the newborn of 3 hours of live. Case description: A male late preterm newborn was born by vaginal delivery at a gestational age of 34 weeks. At 3 hours of life, he was admitted for early moderate neonatal respiratory distress in the Neonatal Medicine and Resuscitation Service.Cerebrospinal fluid culture yielded S. pneumoniae belonging to serotype 17F while the blood culture was negative. The same pneumococcal serotype was recovered from the high vaginal swab of the mother. Both isolates were found susceptible to all tested antibiotics except tetracycline and chloramphenicol to which the strain was resistant. Antibiotherapy management of the child included ceftriaxone at 150mg/kg/day for 21 days, in combination with gentamycin at 5 mg/kg/day for 5 days. ciprofloxacin was added at 40mg/kg/day in two doses for a period of three weeks as the baby presented a hydrocephalus. Conclusion: This finding shows that clinical manifestations of neonatal pneumococcal meningitis may be atypical and/or misleading. Keywords: Streptococcus pneumoniae; neonatal meningitis; respiratory distress.

Haemophilus Influenzae Type B-Diseases

Haemophilus influenzae is a small Gram negative coccobacillus colonizing the respiratory tract of humans. The bacterium may cause direct local infections like otitis media, as well as severe invasive diseases like meningitis. In the prevaccine era, of the 6 capsular serotypes (a–f), type b caused the majority of invasive disease cases, whereas “nontypeable H. influenzae” (NTHi) and other capsular types predominate today. H. influenzae infections affect mainly children <5 years as well as persons >60 years with underlying diseases like COPD. Diagnosis of Hib disease is performed by classical microbiological culture techniques, antigen detection tests and polymerase chain reaction from blood samples, CSF or puncture samples. If untreated or if treatment is delayed, invasive Hib diseases may result in severe consequences such as hearing loss, chronic seizures, learning disabilities, and even death. Safe and effective polysaccharide-conjugate vaccines have been available for children for almost 30 years, reducing invasive Hib-incidences from about 60 to <1 / 105. Today, largely DTP-based Hib-combinations are used. After the primary series with 2 or 3 doses depending on the product and local recommendations, a booster dose in the second year of life is needed to ensure long-term protection.

Epizootic situation with infectious and invasive diseases in fishery of LLC “Nikolaev RMS”

Most fish farms in their economic activities for the reproduction and cultivation of fish rely on the use of a set of intensification measures, but, despite them, the spread of infectious and invasive diseases and the deterioration of the epizootic condition does not stop. Fish farms are most exposed to pathogenic effects, as they specialize in raising young fish, which is more susceptible to this type of disease. During the growing season, we conducted hydrobiological and hydrochemical studies, analyzed the epizootic state of the farm, and identified the intensity of the spread of invasive fish diseases in summer and autumn. Because invasive diseases complicate the process of reproduction and rearing of fish, which primarily leads to refusal of food, reducing the intensity of its growth, the death of a large number of aquatic organisms, which causes significant economic losses in the production process. The main purpose of the work was: identifying pathogens of infectious and parasitic diseases to identify them; establishing the intensity of infection; selection of methods of fish treatment and disease prevention in the carp farm of Mykolayivska RMS LLC and Babin-Ryba fish farm. Studies have shown that a significant proportion of fish was affected by pathogens of the class Sestoidea (cestodes): Khawia sinensis (caviosis), Caryophyllosis (karyophilosis) in all age groups, Dyplostomums pathaceum (diplostomosis), Trichodina domerguei forma acdose and three others. (ligulosis), Lernaeosis (Lerniosis), Bothriocephalus acheloignati (botryocephalus). To control the incidence of fish used cestozol, which contains 70 % niclosamide and 30 % levamisole, which helped to overcome the source of infection and curb the incidence. To prevent the occurrence of such phenomena in the future economy, it is recommended to strictly follow the veterinary and sanitary rules and regulations provided by the technological processes of reproduction and cultivation of fish.

JMM Profile: Streptococcus pneumoniae: sugar-coated captain of the men of death

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a highly adept human pathogen. A frequent asymptomatic member of the respiratory microbiota, the pneumococcus has a remarkable capacity to cause mucosal (pneumonia and otitis media) and invasive diseases (bacteremia, meningitis). In addition, the organism utilizes a vast battery of virulence factors for tissue and immune evasion. Though recognized as a significant cause of pneumonia for over a century, efforts to develop more effective vaccines remain ongoing. The pathogen’s inherent capacity to exchange genetic material is critical to the pneumococcus’ success. This feature historically facilitated essential discoveries in genetics and is vital for disseminating antibiotic resistance and vaccine evasion.

Dissecting the Human Response to Staphylococcus aureus Systemic Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a common human commensal and the leading cause of diverse infections. To identify distinctive parameters associated with infection and colonization, we compared the immune and inflammatory responses of patients with a diagnosis of invasive S. aureus disease to healthy donors. We analyzed the inflammatory responses founding a pattern of distinctive cytokines significantly higher in the patients with invasive disease. The measure of antibody levels revealed a wide antibody responsiveness from all subjects to most of the antigens, with significantly higher response for some antigens in the invasive patients compared to control. Moreover, functional antibodies against toxins distinctively associated with the invasive disease. Finally, we examined the genomic variability of isolates, showing no major differences in genetic distribution compared to a panel of representative strains. Overall, our study shows specific signatures of cytokines and functional antibodies in patients with different primary invasive diseases caused by S. aureus. These data provide insight into human responses towards invasive staphylococcal infections and are important for guiding the identification of novel preventive and therapeutic interventions against S. aureus.

The serotype distribution of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) carriage isolates among pregnant women having risk factors for early-onset GBS disease: a comparative study with GBS causing invasive infections during the same period in Denmark

Background We describe the serotype distribution of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) carriage isolates from women in labor and among GBS isolates causing invasive infections during the same period to see if the distribution of carriage serotypes reflects the GBS serotypes causing invasive diseases including early-onset disease (EOGBS). Methods Data on invasive isolates from 2019 including serotype, erythromycin and clindamycin susceptibility was retrieved from the Danish national reference laboratory, Statens Serum Institut. Carriage isolates were collected from women with risk factors for EOGBS enrolled at delivery at the maternity ward at a Danish University Hospital, first half of 2019. Results Among carriage isolates, the dominant serotype was IX (21 %) followed by serotype III (19 %). The resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was 21 and 26 %, respectively. Among invasive GBS isolates, no case of EOGBS with serotype IX was detected but the distribution of serotypes were otherwise similar to the GBS carrier strains. The corresponding resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was 23 and 15 %, respectively. Penicillin resistance was not detected among carriage nor invasive isolates. Conclusions The distribution of serotypes among carriage and invasive GBS reflects the assumption that EOGBS occur following transmission of GBS from mother to newborn, with the exception of serotype IX.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat Analysis of Clonal Complex 17 Serotype III Group B Streptococcus Strains Causing Neonatal Invasive Diseases

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an important pathogen of neonatal infections, and the clonal complex (CC)-17/serotype III GBS strain has emerged as the dominant strain. The clinical manifestations of CC17/III GBS sepsis may vary greatly but have not been well-investigated. A total of 103 CC17/III GBS isolates that caused neonatal invasive diseases were studied using a new approach based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loci and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. All spacers of CRISPR loci were sequenced and analyzed with the clinical presentations. After CRISPR-RFLP analyses, a total of 11 different patterns were observed among the 103 CRISPR-positive GBS isolates. GBS isolates with the same RFLP patterns were found to have highly comparable spacer contents. Comparative sequence analysis of the CRISPR1 spacer content revealed that it is highly diverse and consistent with the dynamics of this system. A total of 29 of 43 (67.4%) spacers displayed homology to reported phage and plasmid DNA sequences. In addition, all CC17/III GBS isolates could be categorized into three subgroups based on the CRISPR-RFLP patterns and eBURST analysis. The CC17/III GBS isolates with a specific CRISPR-RFLP pattern were more significantly associated with occurrences of severe sepsis (57.1% vs. 29.3%, p = 0.012) and meningitis (50.0% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.009) than GBS isolates with RFLP lengths between 1000 and 1300 bp. Whole-genome sequencing was also performed to verify the differences between CC17/III GBS isolates with different CRISPR-RFLP patterns. We concluded that the CRISPR-RFLP analysis is potentially applicable to categorizing CC17/III GBS isolates, and a specific CRISPR-RFLP pattern could be used as a new biomarker to predict meningitis and illness severity after further verification.