Optimal processing of tongue swab samples for Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection by the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay.

Unlabelled: Tongue swabs represent a potential alternative to sputum as a sample type for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) using molecular diagnostic tests. The methods used to process tongue swabs for testing in the WHO-recommended Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) assay vary greatly. We aimed to identify the optimal method for processing diagnostic tongue swabs for subsequent testing by Xpert Ultra.

Differential in vitro susceptibility to ampicillin/ceftriaxone combination therapy among Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis clinical isolates.

Objectives: To investigate the genomic diversity and β-lactam susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecalis collected from patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods: We collected 60 contemporary E. faecalis isolates from definite or probable IE cases identified between 2018 and 2021 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibition as a Target for Antibiotic Synergy in Enterococci.

Enterococcus faecalis is a hospital-associated opportunistic pathogen that can cause infections with high mortality, such as infective endocarditis. With an increasing occurrence of multidrug-resistant enterococci, there is a need for alternative strategies to treat enterococcal infections. We isolated a gentamicin-hypersusceptible E.

Genomic and phenotypic diversity of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from endophthalmitis.

Enterococcus faecalis are hospital-associated opportunistic pathogens and also causative agents of post-operative endophthalmitis. Patients with enterococcal endophthalmitis often have poor visual outcomes, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Here we investigated the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of E.

Adapts to Antimicrobial Conjugated Oligoelectrolytes by Lipid Rearrangement and Differential Expression of Membrane Stress Response Genes.

Conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) are emerging antimicrobials with broad spectrum activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria as well as fungi. Our previous evolution studies using grown in the presence of two related COEs (COE1-3C and COE1-3Py) led to the emergence of mutants (changes in and ) with a moderate 4- to16-fold increased resistance to COEs. The contribution of and mutations to COE resistance was confirmed by complementation of the mutants, which restored sensitivity to COEs.

Interactions of a paracyclophane-based conjugated oligoelectrolyte with biological membranes.

A three-dimensional conjugated oligoelectrolyte (COE) bearing a [2.2]paracyclophane unit (COE2-3-pCp) was synthesized. Its biological activity was determined both and within the context of membrane perturbation and biocompatibility.

Membrane adaptation limitations in underlie sensitivity and the inability to develop significant resistance to conjugated oligoelectrolytes.

The growing problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria, along with a dearth of new antibiotics, has redirected attention to the search for alternative antimicrobial agents. Conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) are an emerging class of antimicrobial agents which insert into bacterial cell membranes and are inhibitory against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, the extent of COE resistance that could achieve was studied.