Emerging Pathogens and a Current-Use Pesticide: Potential Impacts on Eastern Hellbenders.

Populations of the eastern hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis have been declining for decades, and emerging pathogens and pesticides are hypothesized to be contributing factors. However, few empirical studies have attempted to test the potential effects of these factors on hellbenders. We simultaneously exposed subadult hellbenders to environmentally relevant concentrations of either Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) or a frog virus 3-like ranavirus (RV), a combination of the pathogens, or each pathogen following exposure to a glyphosate herbicide (Roundup).

sp. nov., a new member of the ' group' isolated from healthy black bears.

Six strains were isolated from healthy black bears () in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete genome, 16S rRNA, , , and genes, and MALDI-TOF-MS main spectral profiles revealed that the strains belonged to one species and showed the closest relatedness to members of the ' group' (SIG), which include , and . The strains were positive in SIG-specific and negative in individual species-specific PCR assays for the gene.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius 5'-nucleotidase suppresses canine phagocytic activity.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a major opportunistic bacterial pathogen and the leading cause of pyoderma in dogs. In canines it is also often associated with infections of the urinary system and wounds and occasionally infects people. Widespread antimicrobial resistance has made the development of alternative treatments a high priority.

Antibacterial effect of N-acetylcysteine in combination with antimicrobials on common canine otitis externa bacterial isolates.

Background: Approved treatments for canine otitis externa are limited in variety and may contain ototoxic ingredients. With bacterial resistance an ongoing concern, it would be ideal if non-ototoxic agents combined with antibiotics resulted in a synergistic effect, requiring lower antibiotic concentrations to treat infections. Evidence of synergism and antagonism between N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and various antibiotic classes has been reported; the present research group was interested in examining these interactions.

The effect of enterococci on feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection in vitro.

Tritrichomonas foetus is a common cause of large bowel diarrhea in cats. Probiotics have been suggested to be effective for many intestinal pathogens; however, there are a lack of studies evaluating the effect of probiotics in T. foetus infection.

Performance of Five Commercial Identification Platforms for Identification of Staphylococcus delphini.

The group (SIG) is a collection of coagulase-positive staphylococci consisting of four distinct species, namely, , , , and SIG members are animal pathogens and rare causes of human infection. Accurate identification of has important implications for interpretation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing data and may be important for other members of the group. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the performance of five commercially available identification platforms with 21 isolates obtained from a variety of animal and geographic sources.

Identification, cloning and characterization of SpEX exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Staphylococci have evolved numerous strategies to evade their hosts' immune systems. Some staphylococcal toxins target essential components of host innate immunity, one of the two main branches of the immune system. Analysis of the Staphylococcus pseudintermedius secretome using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry guided by genomic data, was used to identify an S.

Characterization of Fungal Colonization of Indwelling Esophagostomy Tubes.

Fungal colonization of feeding tubes occurs rapidly in people, resulting in decreased structural integrity and complications such as luminal obstruction and tube failure. Esophagostomy tubes (E-tubes) are commonly used in dogs and cats for enteral support, but data are lacking regarding colonizing fungi and the impact of colonization on tube integrity. In this study, esophagostomy tubes were collected in lieu of disposal from dogs and cats undergoing feeding tube exchange.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Sbi paralogs inhibit complement and bind IgM, IgG Fc and Fab.

The success of staphylococci as pathogens has been attributed, in part, to their ability to evade their hosts' immune systems. Although the proteins involved in evasion have been extensively studied in staphylococci affecting humans little characterization has been done with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, an important cause of pyoderma in dogs. Staphylococcus aureus binder of immunoglobulin (Sbi) interferes with innate immune recognition by interacting with multiple host proteins.

First reported human isolation of Staphylococcus delphini.

The Staphylococcus intermedius group is a collection of coagulase-positive staphylococci composed of 5 members, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, a zoonotic pathogen often associated with exposure to dogs, and Staphylococcus delphini, which has not previously been recovered from humans. Here, we describe the first human case of S. delphini infection.

Complete Genome Sequences of Four Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398 Isolates from Four Goats with Osteomyelitis.

Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of multiple infections, including bacteremia, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and prosthetic device infections. We report here the first whole-genome sequence for four S. aureus sequence type 398 isolates from clinical cases of osteomyelitis in four goats with a history of orthopedic surgery.

Long-Term Treatment and Survival in Three Apparently Immunocompetent Dogs with Disseminated Fungal Infection Caused by Phialosimplex caninus.

Disseminated fungal infections cause morbidity and mortality in dogs. The prognosis varies depending on the infecting agent. Phialosimplex caninus is a recently recognized type of hyalohyphomyces.

Characterization of a leukocidin identified in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Bacterial infections from Staphylococcus pseudintermedius are the most common cause of skin infections (pyoderma) affecting dogs. Two component pore-forming leukocidins are a family of potent toxins secreted by staphylococci and consist of S (slow) and F (fast) components. They impair the innate immune system, the first line of defense against these pathogens.

Characterization of recombinant wild-type and nontoxigenic protein A from Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Background: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen that is the major cause of pyoderma affecting dogs. Conventional antimicrobial treatment for infections caused by this organism have failed in recent years due to widespread resistance and alternative treatment strategies are a high priority. Protein A encoded in Staphylococcus aureus by spa protects the bacterium by binding IgG and acts as a superantigen.

Identification, Cloning, and Characterization of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Coagulase.

Coagulase activation of prothrombin by staphylococcus induces the formation of fibrin deposition that facilitates the establishment of infection by species. Coagulase activity is a key characteristic of ; however, no coagulase gene or associated protein has been studied to characterize this activity. We report a recombinant protein sharing 40% similarity to coagulase produced from a putative coagulase gene.

Temporal dynamics of gut microbiota in triclocarban-exposed weaned rats.

Widely used as an antimicrobial in antibacterial bar soaps, triclocarban (3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide; TCC) is effective against Gram-positive bacteria but shows little efficacy against Gram-negative strains, potentially altering the composition of indigenous microflora within and on the human body. To date, the consequence of continuous or previous nonprescription antimicrobial exposure from compounds in personal care products on commensal microflora is still elusive. Previous research has shown that TCC exposure during gestation and lactation induced dysbiosis of gut microbial communities among exposed dams and neonates.

Complete Genome Sequences of Three Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Strains Isolated from Botswana.

We report here the first whole-genome sequences for 3 strains of (112N, 113N, and 114N) isolated in Africa. Samples of this opportunistic pathogen were collected from nasal swabs obtained from healthy carrier dogs in Botswana. The sequence information will facilitate spatial phylogenetic comparisons of staphylococcal species and other bacteria at the genome level.

Expression and function of protein A in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen in dogs and the most frequent cause of canine pyoderma. Protein A, a potent virulence factor in S. aureus is encoded by the spa gene.

Molecular basis of surface anchored protein A deficiency in the Staphylococcus aureus strain Wood 46.

Protein A in Staphylococcus aureus is encoded by the spa (staphylococcal protein A) gene and binds to immunoglobulin (Ig). The S. aureus strain Wood 46 has been variously reported as protein A-deficient and/or spa negative and used as a control in animal models of staphylococcal infections.

Taurolidine susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates.

Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) can be challenging to treat because they are often resistant to many other antimicrobial agents. We assessed the susceptibility of 29 MRSP isolates from dogs to taurolidine in vitro. There was no growth at 0.

Clonal Complexes and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Isolates from Dogs in the United States.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the primary cause of canine pyoderma and has been associated with diseases in other animals, including human beings. A high prevalence of methicillin and multidrug resistance has been reported in this bacterium in some geographic regions of the United States. Multilocus sequence type (MLST) 68 was implicated, initially, as the major clonal genotype based on a limited number of samples.

New Macrolide-Lincosamide-Streptogramin B Resistance Gene (48) on the Novel Plasmid pJW2311 in Staphylococcus xylosus.

Whole-genome sequencing of strain JW2311 from bovine mastitis milk identified the novel 49.3-kb macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS) resistance plasmid pJW2311. It contained the macrolide resistance gene (C), the macrolide-streptogramin B resistance gene (A), and the new MLS resistance gene (48) and could be transformed into by electroporation.

Complete Genome Sequence of Strain Wood 46.

Here, we report the first complete genome sequence of the strain Wood 46. Wood 46 has played an important role in understanding the virulence and pathogenesis of infections. This report will assist efforts in vaccine development against methicillin-resistant (MRSA) infections.

Complete Genome Sequence of Type Strain LMG 22219.

We report the first complete genome sequence of LMG 22219 (=ON 86 = CCUG 49543), the type strain isolated from feline lung tissue. This sequence information will facilitate phylogenetic comparisons of staphylococcal species and other bacteria at the genome level.