Publications by authors named "Hotzel H"

Leukocidins of (.) are bicomponent toxins that form polymeric pores in host leukocyte membranes, leading to cell death and/or triggering apoptosis. Some of these toxin genes are located on prophages and are associated with specific hosts.

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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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Contagious bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BGC), also known as bovine venereal campylobacteriosis, is a disease relevant to international trade listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). It is caused by subsp. (), one of three subspecies of .

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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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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focused on the zoonotic bacterium's epidemiology and genetic variation from turkey farms in Germany, utilizing whole-genome sequencing to analyze 66 isolates collected from meat turkey flocks between 2010 and 2011.
  • - Researchers identified 28 different genetic types and found significant genetic diversity among the isolates, with various resistance and virulence genes associated with diseases and antibiotic resistance being characterized through advanced bioinformatics tools.
  • - Key findings included the detection of multiple resistance genes, including those linked to ampicillin and tetracycline, as well as a mutation associated with fluoroquinolone resistance, highlighting public health implications due to the observed genetic resistance patterns.
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  • - The text discusses bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BGC), a disease causing major reproductive issues in cattle and recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health, leading to economic challenges and strict control measures in various countries.
  • - A study conducted in Germany analyzed 63 BGC strains collected over 30 years using whole-genome sequencing, revealing a genetically conserved population with geographical clusters.
  • - Results indicate that BGC control efforts in Germany have been effective, with no reported outbreaks since 2015, and suggest that the German strains share a common lineage that likely originated in the 19th century.
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is a widespread and common opportunistic bacterium that can colonise or infect humans as well as a wide range of animals. There are a few studies of both methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) isolated from monkeys, apes, and lemurs, indicating a presence of a number of poorly or unknown lineages of the pathogen. In order to obtain insight into staphylococcal diversity, we sequenced strains from wild and captive individuals of three macaque species (, , and ) using Nanopore and Illumina technologies.

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  • - Poultry, especially turkeys, are significant sources of multidrug-resistant pathogens, primarily due to widespread antibiotic use in farming practices in regions like the Nile delta in Egypt.
  • - In a study, 250 cloacal swabs from healthy turkey flocks were analyzed, revealing that all 26 isolates identified were multidrug-resistant, with some showing different strains even within the same sample.
  • - Although the isolates were generally susceptible to imipenem, they exhibited resistance to several other antibiotics, with specific resistance genes for beta-lactam and chloramphenicol identified in most samples, highlighting the problem of antibiotic resistance in poultry.
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The phylogenetic tree of the complex consists of several distinct clades and the majority of human and veterinary isolates form one large clade. In addition, two divergent clades have recently been described as separate species. One was named , due to the lack of the "golden" pigment staphyloxanthin.

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Goats and other small ruminants are frequently used as contact animals in petting zoo settings of zoological gardens. However, they are capable to carry a broad spectrum of zoonotic pathogens without clinical signs. In this study, we analysed the presence of different zoonotic pathogens in 300 clinically healthy goats from 14 zoological gardens in Germany.

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Background: We benchmarked sequencing technology and assembly strategies for short-read, long-read, and hybrid assemblers in respect to correctness, contiguity, and completeness of assemblies in genomes of Francisella tularensis. Benchmarking allowed in-depth analyses of genomic structures of the Francisella pathogenicity islands and insertion sequences. Five major high-throughput sequencing technologies were applied, including next-generation "short-read" and third-generation "long-read" sequencing methods.

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is a commensal resident of the skin and nasal cavities of humans and can cause various infections. Some toxigenic strains can contaminate food matrices and cause foodborne intoxications. The present study aimed to provide relevant information (clonal complex lineages, types, virulence and antimicrobial resistance-associated genes) based on DNA microarray analyses as well as the origins and dissemination of several circulating clones of 60 isolated from food matrices ( = 24), clinical samples ( = 20), and nasal carriers ( = 16) in northern Algeria.

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Aims: Molecular characterization of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) among Salmonella Kentucky and Typhimurium isolates: partial sequence analysis of the types of β-lactamases found in these isolates, clonality, resistance and supposed emergence of ESBL-producing strains.

Methods And Results: A retrospective study surveyed the ESBLs occurring in a total of 1404 Salmonella Kentucky and Typhimurium isolates collected over a 5-year period in Tunisia. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests, ESBL phenotype determination (double-disc synergy) were performed.

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Foodborne campylobacteriosis is the most common cause of human bacterial enteritis in Germany. and are the main causative agents for enteric disease, but a number of other species are involved, including rare ones. These rare spp.

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subspecies serovar Derby (. Derby) is one of the most frequent causes for salmonellosis in humans and animals. Understanding the genetic diversity of .

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While many data on molecular epidemiology of MRSA are available for North America, Western Europe and Australia, much less is known on the distribution of MRSA clones elsewhere. Here, we describe a poorly known lineage from the Middle East, CC1153, to which several strains from humans and livestock belong. Isolates were characterised using DNA microarrays and one isolate from the United Arab Emirates was sequenced using Nanopore technology.

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and are two rarely detected species. In the study, we analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibility and provide detailed insights into the genotype and phylogeny of both species using whole-genome sequencing. Thermophilic species are the most common bacterial foodborne pathogens causing gastroenteritis in humans worldwide.

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is a newly identified animal pathogen of forest animals such as roe deer and wild boars. The species is closely related to the emerging human pathogen and the widely distributed animal pathogen . In this study, strain W25 was characterized with respect to its interaction with human cell lines.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Out of 50 milk samples collected, a total of 17 enterococci and 8 coliform isolates were successfully grown, revealing a high rate of vancomycin resistance and confirming that all isolates were ESBL-producing using the VITEK 2 system.
  • * Genetic testing identified multiple resistance-associated genes, with the presence of various virulence genes and specific serotypes, indicating significant antimicrobial resistance and potential health risks related to dairy products.
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  • An emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen is being studied for its transmission through contaminated food and water, with a focus on assessing its resistance and virulence profiles.
  • Researchers analyzed 45 strains from poultry farms in Thuringia, Germany, discovering high genetic diversity and notable resistance to various antibiotics such as erythromycin and streptomycin.
  • The study found specific gene mutations linked to antibiotic resistance and identified a range of potential virulence factors present in all strains, including a complete lipid A cluster.
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Subspecies of the species are associated with specific host niches including mammals and reptiles. subsp. is a zoonotic pathogen infecting humans.

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A PVL-positive, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from pus from cervical lymphadenitis of a patient of East-African origin. Microarray hybridisation assigned the isolate to clonal complex (CC) 80 but revealed unusual features, including the presence of the ORF-CM14 enterotoxin homologue and of an ACME-III element as well as the absence of etD and edinB. The isolate was subjected to both, Illumina and Nanopore sequencing allowing characterisation of deviating regions within the strain´s genome.

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By combining a reference-independent SNP analysis and average nucleotide identity (ANI) with affinity propagation clustering (APC), we developed a significantly improved methodology allowing resolving phylogenetic relationships, based on objective criteria. These bioinformatics tools can be used as a general ruler to determine phylogenetic relationships and clustering of bacteria, exemplary done with Francisella (F.) tularensis.

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is the most prevalent species and has been isolated from a wide variety of sources. This species is an emerging foodborne and zoonotic pathogen because the bacteria can be transmitted by contaminated food or water and can cause acute enteritis in humans. Currently, there is no database to identify antimicrobial/heavy metal resistance and virulence-associated genes specific for .

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