Decreased incidence of febrile neutropenia in Michigan following masking and social distancing orders for the COVID-19 pandemic: A population based cohort study.

Background: It has been theorized that 75%-80% of febrile neutropenia (FN) is caused by endogenous pathogens, while up to 20% of cases are thought to be caused by a viral infection. It is unknown if precautions such as masking and social distancing reduce the risk of FN in susceptible populations.

Aim: To determine whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection mitigation efforts, namely masking and social distancing, were associated with a reduction in the incidence of FN.

Two multistate outbreaks of a reoccurring Shiga toxin-producing strain associated with romaine lettuce: USA, 2018-2019.

Leafy green vegetables are a common source of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157) foodborne illness outbreaks. Ruminant animals, primarily cattle, are the major reservoir of STEC O157. Epidemiological, traceback and field investigations were conducted to identify potential outbreak sources.

Protracted, Intermittent Outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka Linked to a Restaurant - Michigan, 2008-2019.

In 2018, Michigan public health officials determined that a single restaurant in southwest Michigan was the source for a protracted, intermittent outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Mbandaka infections occurring since 2008. Isolates from 36 infected persons shared two highly related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns and highly related whole genome sequencing (WGS) subtypes. The initial focus of the local public health investigation on food items rather than food sources (i.

Evidence for Limited Early Spread of COVID-19 Within the United States, January-February 2020.

From January 21 through February 23, 2020, public health agencies detected 14 U.S. cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), all related to travel from China (1,2).

VirB8-like protein TraH is crucial for DNA transfer in Enterococcus faecalis.

Untreatable bacterial infections caused by a perpetual increase of antibiotic resistant strains represent a serious threat to human healthcare in the 21(st) century. Conjugative DNA transfer is the most important mechanism for antibiotic resistance and virulence gene dissemination among bacteria and is mediated by a protein complex, known as type IV secretion system (T4SS). The core of the T4SS is a multiprotein complex that spans the bacterial envelope as a channel for macromolecular secretion.

Conjugation in Gram-Positive Bacteria.

Conjugative transfer is the most important means of spreading antibiotic resistance and virulence factors among bacteria. The key vehicles of this horizontal gene transfer are a group of mobile genetic elements, termed conjugative plasmids. Conjugative plasmids contain as minimum instrumentation an origin of transfer (oriT), DNA-processing factors (a relaxase and accessory proteins), as well as proteins that constitute the trans-envelope transport channel, the so-called mating pair formation (Mpf) proteins.

Nationwide outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg infections associated with ground turkey: United States, 2011.

On 23 May 2011, CDC identified a multistate cluster of Salmonella Heidelberg infections and two multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates from ground turkey retail samples with indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. We defined cases as isolation of outbreak strains in persons with illness onset between 27 February 2011 and 10 November 2011. Investigators collected hypothesis-generating questionnaires and shopper-card information.

Structure of the double-stranded DNA-binding type IV secretion protein TraN from Enterococcus.

Conjugative transfer through type IV secretion multiprotein complexes is the most important means of spreading antimicrobial resistance. Plasmid pIP501, frequently found in clinical Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates, is the first Gram-positive (G+) conjugative plasmid for which self-transfer to Gram-negative (G-) bacteria has been demonstrated. The pIP501-encoded type IV secretion system (T4SS) protein TraN localizes to the cytoplasm and shows specific DNA binding.

The type IV secretion protein TraK from the Enterococcus conjugative plasmid pIP501 exhibits a novel fold.

Conjugative plasmid transfer presents a serious threat to human health as the most important means of spreading antibiotic resistance and virulence genes among bacteria. The required direct cell-cell contact is established by a multi-protein complex, the conjugative type IV secretion system (T4SS). The conjugative core complex spans the cellular envelope and serves as a channel for macromolecular secretion.

Outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis infection in humans linked to dry dog food in the United States and Canada, 2012.

CASE DESCRIPTION--In April 2012, Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis was detected in an unopened bag of dry dog food collected during routine retail surveillance. PulseNet, a national bacterial subtyping network, identified humans with Salmonella Infantis infection with the same genetic fingerprint as the dog food sample. CLINICAL FINDINGS--An outbreak investigation identified 53 ill humans infected with the outbreak strain during January 1 to July 5, 2012, in 21 states and 2 provinces in Canada; 20 (38%) were children ≤ 2 years old, and 12 of 37 (32%) were hospitalized.

Conjugative type IV secretion systems in Gram-positive bacteria.

Bacterial conjugation presents the most important means to spread antibiotic resistance and virulence factors among closely and distantly related bacteria. Conjugative plasmids are the mobile genetic elements mainly responsible for this task. All the genetic information required for the horizontal transmission is encoded on the conjugative plasmids themselves.

TraG encoded by the pIP501 type IV secretion system is a two-domain peptidoglycan-degrading enzyme essential for conjugative transfer.

pIP501 is a conjugative broad-host-range plasmid frequently present in nosocomial Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates. We focus here on the functional analysis of the type IV secretion gene traG, which was found to be essential for pIP501 conjugative transfer between Gram-positive bacteria. The TraG protein, which localizes to the cell envelope of E.

Multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O145 infections associated with romaine lettuce consumption, 2010.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) can cause severe illness, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). STEC O145 is the sixth most commonly reported non-O157 STEC in the United States, although outbreaks have been infrequent. In April and May 2010, we investigated a multistate outbreak of STEC O145 infection.

Comparison of antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and conjugative transfer of Staphylococcus and Enterococcus isolates from International Space Station and Antarctic Research Station Concordia.

The International Space Station (ISS) and the Antarctic Research Station Concordia are confined and isolated habitats in extreme and hostile environments. The human and habitat microflora can alter due to the special environmental conditions resulting in microbial contamination and health risk for the crew. In this study, 29 isolates from the ISS and 55 from the Antarctic Research Station Concordia belonging to the genera Staphylococcus and Enterococcus were investigated.

The 2.5 Å structure of the enterococcus conjugation protein TraM resembles VirB8 type IV secretion proteins.

Conjugative plasmid transfer is the most important means of spreading antibiotic resistance and virulence genes among bacteria and therefore presents a serious threat to human health. The process requires direct cell-cell contact made possible by a multiprotein complex that spans cellular membranes and serves as a channel for macromolecular secretion. Thus far, well studied conjugative type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are of Gram-negative (G-) origin.

Use of traceback methods to confirm the source of a multistate Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak due to in-shell hazelnuts.

Traceback methods by state regulatory agencies were used to complement traditional epidemiological cluster investigation methods and confirmed hazelnuts (also referred to as filberts) as the vehicle in a multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections. Bulk in-shell hazelnut and mixed-nut purchase locations were identified during the initial epidemiological interviews. Based on purchase dates and case onset dates, regulators in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin traced product back through the supply chain.

Green fluorescent protein-labeled monitoring tool to quantify conjugative plasmid transfer between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

On the basis of pIP501, a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged monitoring tool was constructed for quantifying plasmid mobilization among Gram-positive bacteria and between Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Furthermore, retromobilization of the GFP-tagged monitoring tool was shown from E. faecalis OG1X into the clinical isolate E.

Evaluation of plasmid content and tetracycline resistance conjugative transfer in Enterococcus italicus strains of dairy origin.

Five Enterococcus italicus strains harbouring tet genes responsible for the tetracycline resistance were subjected to plasmid profile determination studies. For four strains tested the profiles showed between three and six plasmid bands, the size of which ranged between 1.6 and 18.

A survey on biotechnological potential and safety of the novel Enterococcus species of dairy origin, E. italicus.

The biotechnological and safety properties of the novel enterococcal species of dairy origin, Enterococcus italicus, were investigated. The strains of the species showed technological characteristics related to their use as adjunct cultures in the production of artisanal cheeses. They were susceptible or poorly resistant to several clinical relevant antibiotics.