Publications by authors named "Ehricht R"

In the field of cattle medicine in Austria, to date, few studies have investigated the presence of methicillin-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing in Austria. For this reason, milk and nasal samples were examined for the presence of methicillin-resistant as well as fecal samples for extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant . The nasal and fecal swabs were collected during the veterinary treatment of calf pneumonia and calf diarrhea.

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Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Enterobacterales constitutes a significant threat to the health of both humans and animals and a socioeconomic problem. Enterobacterales, mainly Escherichia coli, carrying β-lactamases has become one of the main indicators to estimate the burden of AMR in animals within "One Health" approach.

Objectives: To assess the presence of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales associated with ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) habituated in all five provinces of Rwanda and to perform in depth characterization of isolates.

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Our study investigates the effectiveness of Oxford Nanopore Technologies for accurate outbreak tracing by resequencing 33 isolates of a 3-year-long outbreak with Illumina short-read sequencing data as the point of reference. We detect considerable base errors through cgMLST and phylogenetic analysis of genomes sequenced with Oxford Nanopore Technologies, leading to the false exclusion of some outbreak-related strains from the outbreak cluster. Nearby methylation sites cause these errors and can also be found in other species besides Based on these data, we explore PCR-based sequencing and a masking strategy, which both successfully address these inaccuracies and ensure accurate outbreak tracing.

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Today, there is a continuous worldwide battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and that includes vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Methods that can adequately and quickly detect transmission chains in outbreaks are needed to trace and manage this problem fast and cost-effectively. In this study, DNA-microarray-based technology was developed for this purpose.

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Vancomycin-functionalized micro- or nanoparticles are frequently used for isolation and enrichment of bacteria from various samples. Theoretically, only Gram-positive organisms should adhere to the functionalized surfaces as vancomycin is an antibiotic targeting a peptidoglycan precursor in the cell wall, which in Gram-negative bacteria is shielded by the outer cell membrane. In the literature, however, it is often reported that Gram-negative bacteria also bind efficiently to the vancomycin-modified particles.

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The accurate determination of the post-dilution concentration of biological buffers is essential for retaining the necessary properties and effectiveness of the buffer to maintain stable cellular environments and optimal conditions for biochemical reactions. In this work, we introduce a silicon-based impedance chip, which offers a rapid and reagent-free approach for monitoring the buffer concentrations after dilution with deionized (DI) water. The impedance of the impedance chip is measured, and the impedance data are modeled using a multiparameter equivalent circuit model.

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Biosensors are used for the specific and sensitive detection of biomolecules. In conventional approaches, the suspected target molecules are bound to selected capture molecules and successful binding is indicated by additional labelling to enable optical readout. This labelling requires additional processing steps tailored to the application.

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Staphylococcus aureus CC239-MRSA-III is an ancient pandemic strain of hospital-associated, methicillin-resistant S. aureus that spread globally for decades and that still can be found in some parts of the world. In Kuwait, microarray-based surveillance identified from 2019 to 2022 a series of isolates of a hitherto unknown variant of this strain that carried a second set of recombinase genes, ccrA/B-2.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the complex interactions between two bacterial species commonly found together in severe, difficult-to-treat infections.
  • Researchers used both laboratory experiments and modeling to reveal how one species can partially inhibit the other and how they engage in a cross-feeding relationship, where one provides nutrients to support the other's growth.
  • The findings enhance understanding of how these bacteria coexist and interact in polymicrobial infections, which could lead to new treatment strategies.
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, a bacterium causing foodborne illnesses like salmonellosis, is prevalent in Europe and globally. It is found in food, water, and soil, leading to symptoms like diarrhea and fever. Annually, it results in about 95 million cases worldwide, with increasing antibiotic resistance posing a public health challenge.

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is a recently described staphylococcal species that is related to but lacks the staphyloxanthin operon. It is able to acquire both resistance markers such as the SCC elements and mobile genetic elements carrying virulence-associated genes from . This includes those encoding the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), which is associated mainly with severe and/or recurrent staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections.

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Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a multifactorial infection of the nasal cavity and sinuses. In this study, nasal swabs from control donors (N = 128) and patients with CRS (N = 246) were analysed. Culture methods and metagenomics revealed no obvious differences in the composition of the bacterial communities between the two groups.

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One of the greatest challenges to the use of molecular methods for diagnostic purposes is the detection of target DNA that is present only in low concentrations. One major factor that negatively impacts accuracy, diagnostic sensitivity, and specificity is the sample matrix, which hinders the attainment of the required detection limit due to the presence of residual background DNA. To address this issue, various methods have been developed to enhance sensitivity through targeted pre-amplification of marker sequences.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to analyze the diversity of Staphylococcus aureus in cow mastitis milk samples across Rwanda, collecting 1080 samples from 279 dairy cows on 80 farms.
  • - Researchers identified 135 S. aureus isolates using advanced techniques like genotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, revealing significant resistance to penicillin and tetracycline, along with diverse genetic profiles among the bacteria.
  • - Findings indicated the presence of specific clonal complexes (CCs) associated with mastitis, highlighting their potential impact on cattle health and the need for enhanced surveillance to monitor the connection between animal and human health.
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is a versatile pathogen that does not only occur in humans but also in various wild and domestic animals, including several avian species. When characterizing isolates from waterfowl, isolates were identified as atypical CC133 by DNA microarray analysis. They differed from previously sequenced CC133 strains in the presence of the collagen adhesin gene ; some also showed a different capsule type and a deviant type.

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Aims: To examine the diversity of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from nasal swabs of ruminants in Rwanda.

Methods And Results: A total of 454 nasal swabs from 203 cows, 170 goats, and 81 sheep were examined for the presence of S. aureus, and 30 S.

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We present a novel and easy approach using a silicon-based impedance chip to determine the concentration of the given aqueous buffer solution. An accurate determination of the post-dilution concentration of the buffers is necessary for ensuring optimal buffer capacity, pH stability, and to assess solution reproducibility. In this study, we focused on phosphate buffer as the test liquid to achieve precise post-dilution concentration determinations.

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The aim of this study was to comprehensively characterise from the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. A total of 101 / isolates were collected in 2020, mainly from patients with skin and soft tissue infections. They were characterised by DNA microarray allowing the detection of ca.

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We introduce a magnetic bead-based sample preparation scheme for enabling the Raman spectroscopic differentiation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive and -negative samples. The beads were functionalized with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor protein, which is used as a recognition element to selectively enrich SARS-CoV-2 on the surface of the magnetic beads. The subsequent Raman measurements directly enable discriminating SARS-CoV-2-positive and -negative samples.

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() colonizes up to 30% of all humans and can occasionally cause serious infections. It is not restricted to humans as it can also often be found in livestock and wildlife. Recent studies have shown that wildlife strains of usually belong to other clonal complexes than human strains and that they might differ significantly with regard to the prevalence of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance properties and virulence factors.

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Next-generation whole-genome sequencing is essential for high-resolution surveillance of bacterial pathogens, for example, during outbreak investigations or for source tracking and escape variant analysis. However, current global sequencing and bioinformatic bottlenecks and a long time to result with standard technologies demand new approaches. In this study, we investigated whether novel nanopore Q20+ long-read chemistry enables standardized and easily accessible high-resolution typing combined with core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST).

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Purpose: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant strains (CA-MRSA) are spread worldwide and often cause recurring and persistent infections in humans. CA-MRSA strains frequently carry Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) as a distinctive virulence factor. This study investigates the molecular epidemiology, antibiotic resistance and clinical characteristics of PVL-positive MRSA strains in Northern Bavaria, Germany, isolated over an eight-year period.

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The present study aims to characterise clinical MRSA isolates from a tertiary care centre in Egypt's second-largest city, Alexandria. Thirty isolates collected in 2020 were genotypically characterised by microarray to detect their resistance and virulence genes and assign them to clonal complexes (CC) and strains. Isolates belonged to 11 different CCs and 14 different strains.

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