Vaccines against extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC): progress and challenges.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a principal global health crisis projected to cause 10 million deaths annually worldwide by 2050. While the Gram-negative bacteria is commonly found as a commensal microbe in the human gut, some strains are dangerously pathogenic, contributing to the highest AMR-associated mortality. Strains of that can translocate from the gastrointestinal tract to distal sites, called extraintestinal (ExPEC), are particularly problematic and predominantly afflict women, the elderly, and immunocompromised populations.

Progress toward a vaccine for extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) II: efficacy of a toxin-autotransporter dual antigen approach.

Extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) is a leading cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality, the top cause of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, and the most frequent cause of life-threatening sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTI) in adults. The development of an effective and universal vaccine is complicated by this pathogen's pan-genome, its ability to mix and match virulence factors and AMR genes via horizontal gene transfer, an inability to decipher commensal from pathogens, and its intimate association and co-evolution with mammals. Using a pan virulome analysis of >20,000 sequenced strains, we identified the secreted cytolysin α-hemolysin (HlyA) as a high priority target for vaccine exploration studies.

Discovery of the First Lytic / Polyvalent Bacteriophages.

Background: There are no verified lytic phages in the literature and few temperate phage genomes in databases. is an opportunistic zoonotic pathogen of great importance in veterinary and human medicine.

Materials And Methods: We discovered phages against canine-derived isolates by screening dog feces, hair, and skin swabs.

Phage Therapy Related Microbial Succession Associated with Successful Clinical Outcome for a Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection.

We rationally designed a bacteriophage cocktail to treat a 56-year-old male liver transplant patient with complex, recurrent prostate and urinary tract infections caused by an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing () (UCS1). We screened our library for phages that killed UCS1, with four promising candidates chosen for their virulence, mucolytic properties, and ability to reduce bacterial resistance. The patient received 2 weeks of intravenous phage cocktail with concomitant ertapenem for 6 weeks.

Evaluating recovery, cost, and throughput of different concentration methods for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect communities across the globe, the need to contain the spread of the outbreaks is of paramount importance. Wastewater monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent responsible for COVID-19, has emerged as a promising tool for health officials to anticipate outbreaks. As interest in wastewater monitoring continues to grow and municipalities begin to implement this approach, there is a need to further identify and evaluate methods used to concentrate SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA from wastewater samples.

Tailored Antibacterials and Innovative Laboratories for Phage (Φ) Research: Personalized Infectious Disease Medicine for the Most Vulnerable At-Risk Patients.

Mutation is the most powerful driver of change for life on Earth. Pathogenic bacteria utilize mutation as a means to survive strong live-die selective pressures generated by chemical antibiotics. As such, the traditional drug-making pipeline, characterized by significant financial and time investment, is insufficient to keep pace with the rapid evolution of bacterial resistance to structurally fixed and chemically unmalleable antibacterial compounds.