Farming Practice Influences Antimicrobial Resistance Burden of Non-Aureus Staphylococci in Pig Husbandries.

Non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) are ubiquitous bacteria in livestock-associated environments where they may act as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes for pathogens such as . Here, we tested whether housing conditions in pig farms could influence the overall AMR-NAS burden. Two hundred and forty porcine commensal and environmental NAS isolates from three different farm types (conventional, alternative, and organic) were tested for phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility and subjected to whole genome sequencing.

Diagnosis and therapy of Mycobacterium marinum: a single-center 21-year retrospective analysis.

Background And Objectives: In Europe, infections with Mycobacterium (M.) marinum are rare. We conducted a retrospective single-center study to assess the clinical spectrum of M.

A streamlined method for the fast and cost-effective detection of bacterial pathogens from positive blood cultures for the BacT/ALERT blood culture system using the Vitek MS mass spectrometer.

Background And Objective: Prompt pathogen identification of blood stream infections is essential to provide appropriate antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the objective of this prospective single centre study was to establish an inexpensive, fast and accurate protocol for bacterial species identification with SDS protein-extraction directly from BacT/Alert® blood culture (BC) bottles by VitekMS®.

Results: Correct species identification was obtained for 198/266 (74.

Periprosthetic joint infection: Comparison of automated multiplex-PCR Unyvero i60 ITI cartridge system with bacterial culture and real-time PCR.

Background: In the past, various efforts have been made to investigate diagnostic tools for periprosthetic-joint-infection (PJI). It is little-known about the diagnostic utility of polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) in this context, especially concerning the role of multiplex-PCR assays comparing with conventional tissue culture.

Objective: Evaluation of an automated-multiplex-PCR cartridge system for patients with suspicion of PJI in comparison with conventional microbiological culture and 16S-rDNA-PCR.

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci in Community-Based Healthy Individuals in Germany.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are common opportunistic pathogens, but also ubiquitous human and animal commensals. Infection-associated CoNS from healthcare environments are typically characterized by pronounced antimicrobial resistance (AMR) including both methicillin- and multidrug-resistant isolates. Less is known about AMR patterns of CoNS colonizing the general population.

Performance of Three SARS-CoV-2 Immunoassays, Three Rapid Lateral Flow Tests, and a Novel Bead-Based Affinity Surrogate Test for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Human Serum.

For the control of immunity in COVID-19 survivors and vaccinated subjects, there is an urgent need for reliable and rapid serological assays. Based on samples from 63 COVID-19 survivors up to 7 months after symptom onset, and on 50 serum samples taken before the beginning of the pandemic, we compared the performances of three commercial immunoassays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgG antibodies (Euroimmun SARS-COV-2 IgA/IgG, Mikrogen Well SARS-CoV-2 IgA/IgG, and Serion ELISA SARS-CoV-2 IgA/IgG) and three rapid lateral flow (immunochromatographic) tests (Abbott PanBio COVID-19 IgG/IgM, Nadal COVID-19 IgG/IgM, and Cleartest Corona 2019-nCOV IgG/IgM) with a 50% plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT50) representing the gold standard. Fifty-seven out of 63 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients (90%) showed neutralizing antibodies.

Noncanonical crRNAs derived from host transcripts enable multiplexable RNA detection by Cas9.

CRISPR-Cas systems recognize foreign genetic material using CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs). In type II systems, a trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA) hybridizes to crRNAs to drive their processing and utilization by Cas9. While analyzing Cas9-RNA complexes from , we discovered tracrRNA hybridizing to cellular RNAs, leading to formation of "noncanonical" crRNAs capable of guiding DNA targeting by Cas9.

Effect of Prehospital Antibiotic Therapy on Clinical Outcome and Pathogen Detection in Children With Parapneumonic Pleural Effusion/Pleural Empyema.

Background: Parapneumonic pleural effusion and pleural empyema (PPE/PE) are complications of community-acquired pneumonia. The objective of this study was to analyze prehospital antibiotic therapy (PH-ABT) of children with PPE/PE and investigate its effects on clinical outcome and pathogen detection.

Methods: Prospective nationwide active surveillance in Germany between October 2010 and June 2018.

The minimal meningococcal ProQ protein has an intrinsic capacity for structure-based global RNA recognition.

FinO-domain proteins are a widespread family of bacterial RNA-binding proteins with regulatory functions. Their target spectrum ranges from a single RNA pair, in the case of plasmid-encoded FinO, to global RNA regulons, as with enterobacterial ProQ. To assess whether the FinO domain itself is intrinsically selective or promiscuous, we determine in vivo targets of Neisseria meningitidis, which consists of solely a FinO domain.

Investigating RNA-Protein Interactions in Neisseria meningitidis by RIP-Seq Analysis.

Deep sequencing technology has revolutionized transcriptome analyses of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), which is based on massively parallel sequencing of cDNAs, has been used to annotate transcript boundaries and has revealed widespread antisense transcription as well as a wealth of novel noncoding transcripts in many bacterial pathogens. Moreover, RNA-seq is nowadays also widely used to comprehensively explore the interaction between RNA-binding proteins and their RNA targets on a genome-wide level in many human-pathogenic bacteria.

The CRISPR/Cas system in Neisseria meningitidis affects bacterial adhesion to human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

Neisseria meningitidis, a commensal β-proteobacterium of the human nasopharynx, constitutes a worldwide leading cause of sepsis and epidemic meningitis. A recent genome-wide association study suggested an association of its type II-C CRISPR/Cas system with carriage and thus less invasive lineages. Here, we show that knock-out strains lacking the Cas9 protein are impaired in the adhesion to human nasopharyngeal cells which constitutes a central step in the pathogenesis of invasive meningococcal disease.

Postoperative endophthalmitis - a case report highlighting the additive value of molecular testing.

is the causative agent of Whipple's disease. Gastrointestinal and lymphatic tissues are affected in the majority of cases, resulting in diarrhoea, malabsorption and fever. Here, we report a rare case of ocular manifestation in a patient lacking the typical Whipple symptoms.

Improved performance of the artus Mycobacterium tuberculosis RG PCR kit in a low incidence setting: a retrospective monocentric study.

Tuberculosis (TB) and the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strains resistant against rifampin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) pose a serious threat to global health. However, rapid and reliable MTBC detection along with RIF/INH susceptibility testing are challenging in low prevalence countries due to the higher rate of false positives. Here, we provide the first performance data for the artus MTBC PCR assay in a low prevalence setting.

Neisseria genomics: current status and future perspectives.

High-throughput whole genome sequencing has unlocked a multitude of possibilities enabling members of the Neisseria genus to be examined with unprecedented detail, including the human pathogens Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. To maximise the potential benefit of this for public health, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that this plethora of data are adequately stored, disseminated and made readily accessible. Investigations facilitating cross-species comparisons as well as the analysis of global datasets will allow differences among and within species and across geographic locations and different times to be identified, improving our understanding of the distinct phenotypes observed.

Transcriptomic buffering of cryptic genetic variation contributes to meningococcal virulence.

Background: Commensal bacteria like Neisseria meningitidis sometimes cause serious disease. However, genomic comparison of hyperinvasive and apathogenic lineages did not reveal unambiguous hints towards indispensable virulence factors. Here, in a systems biological approach we compared gene expression of the invasive strain MC58 and the carriage strain α522 under different ex vivo conditions mimicking commensal and virulence compartments to assess the strain-specific impact of gene regulation on meningococcal virulence.

The primary transcriptome of Neisseria meningitidis and its interaction with the RNA chaperone Hfq.

Neisseria meningitidis is a human commensal that can also cause life-threatening meningitis and septicemia. Despite growing evidence for RNA-based regulation in meningococci, their transcriptome structure and output of regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) are incompletely understood. Using dRNA-seq, we have mapped at single-nucleotide resolution the primary transcriptome of N.

Comparative Genome Sequencing Reveals Within-Host Genetic Changes in Neisseria meningitidis during Invasive Disease.

Some members of the physiological human microbiome occasionally cause life-threatening disease even in immunocompetent individuals. A prime example of such a commensal pathogen is Neisseria meningitidis, which normally resides in the human nasopharynx but is also a leading cause of sepsis and epidemic meningitis. Using N.

Therapy of 645 children with parapneumonic effusion and empyema-A German nationwide surveillance study.

Objective: To evaluate the initial management of pediatric parapneumonic effusion or pleural empyema (PPE/PE) with regard to length of hospital stay (LOS).

Methods: Collection of pediatric PPE/PE cases using a nationwide surveillance system (ESPED) from 10/2010 to 06/2013, in all German pediatric hospitals. Inclusion of PPE/PE patients <18 years of age requiring drainage or with a PPE/PE persistence >7 days.

Co-infections in Visceral Pentastomiasis, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Snakeborne Armillifer pentastomiasis is an emerging human parasitic infection in rural tropical areas where snake meat is eaten. After a series of severe ocular A. grandis larval infections and anecdotal abdominal infection in Sankuru District, Democratic Republic of the Congo, during 2014-2015, we systematically investigated possible pentastomid etiology in patients who underwent surgery in the region.

Antibiotic resistance profiles of coagulase-negative staphylococci in livestock environments.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) have globally emerged in animal husbandry. In addition to methicillin resistance, LA-MRSA may carry a variety of novel and uncommon antimicrobial resistance genes. Occurrence of the same resistance genes in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and S.

Searching for success: Development of a combined patient-reported-outcome ("PRO") criterion for operationalizing success in multi-modal pain therapy.

Background: There is a need for a way to measure success in multi-modal pain therapy that researchers and clinicians can agree upon. According to developments in health services research, operationalizing success should take patient-reported outcomes into account. We will present a success criterion for pain therapy that combines different patient-reported variables and includes validity measures.