Bioinformatic survey of CRISPR loci across 15 Serratia species.

The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) system of prokaryotes is an adaptative immune defense mechanism to protect themselves from invading genetic elements (e.g., phages and plasmids).

Editorial for the Special Issue "Antimicrobial Resistance and Genetic Elements in Bacteria".

Throughout human history, bacterial infections have been an omnipresent threat, which have, on occasion, resulted in devastating pandemics affecting humanity [...

"Ectomosphere": Insects and Microorganism Interactions.

This study focuses on interacting with insects and their ectosymbiont () microorganisms for environmentally safe plant production and protection. Some cases help compare ectosymbiont microorganisms that are insect-borne, -driven, or -spread relevant to endosymbionts' behaviour. Ectosymbiotic bacteria can interact with insects by allowing them to improve the value of their In addition, some bacteria are essential for creating ecological niches that can host the development of pests.

Identification and Characterisation of pST1023 A Mosaic, Multidrug-Resistant and Mobilisable IncR Plasmid.

We report the identification and characterisation of a mosaic, multidrug-resistant and mobilisable IncR plasmid (pST1023) detected in ST1023, a monophasic variant 4,[5],12:i: strain of widespread pandemic lineage, reported as a Southern European clone. pST1023 contains exogenous DNA regions, principally gained from pSLT-derivatives and IncI1 plasmids. Acquisition from IncI1 included and and these conferred the ability to be mobilisable in the presence of a helper plasmid, as we demonstrated with the conjugative plasmids pST1007-1D (IncFII) or pVC1035 (IncC).

Characterization of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Isolated from (Olivier, 1790) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system has been attracting increasing scientific interest for biological functions and biotechnological applications. Data on the system are scarce. Here, we report a comprehensive characterisation of CRISPR-Cas systems identified in strains isolated as secondary symbionts of , also known as Red Palm Weevil (RPW), one of the most invasive pests of major cultivated palms.

Human health risk assessment for the occurrence of enteric viruses in drinking water from wells: Role of flood runoff injections.

We demonstrated that floods can induce severe microbiological contamination of drinking water from wells and suggest strategies to better address water safety plans for groundwater drinking supplies. Since 2002, the Italian Water Research Institute (IRSA) has detected hepatitis A virus, adenovirus, rotavirus, norovirus, and enterovirus in water samples from wells in the Salento peninsula, southern Italy. Perturbations in the ionic strength in water flow can initiate strong virus detachments from terra rossa sediments in karst fractures.

Occurrence of Legionella in groundwater used for sprinkler irrigation in Southern Italy.

Legionellae are opportunistic bacteria that cause various conditions after exposure to contaminated aerosols, ranging from a serious type of pneumonia to a mild case of an influenza-like illness. Despite the risks of exposure, little is known about the occurrence of Legionella in natural environments and, even though studies have shown that there is a potential risk of transmission via inhalation, it does not have to be detected in groundwater that is used for irrigation. The culture methods traditionally used to detect Legionella have several limits that can be partly solved by applying molecular techniques.

Carbapenemases-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in hospitals of two regions of Southern Italy.

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections are reported with increasing frequency elsewhere in the world, representing a worrying phenomenon for global health. In Italy, there are hotspot data on the diffusion and type of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and K. pneumoniae in particular, with very few data coming from Apulia and Basilicata, two regions of Southern Italy.

Identification of pigmented Serratia marcescens symbiotically associated with Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

To characterize red pigment-producing bacteria (RPPB) regularly released during oviposition by red palm weevil (RPW), RPPB were recovered from eggs deposited in apples supplied as substrate for oviposition. The presence of RPPB was also detected from gut, the reproductive apparatus of dissected adult and virgin insects and from pupal cases collected within infested palms. RPPB were also identified all along the tissue of these palms.

Cholera in Ethiopia in the 1990 s: epidemiologic patterns, clonal analysis, and antimicrobial resistance.

In 1993, after 6 years of absence, cholera re-emerged in the Horn of Africa. Following its introduction to Djibouti, the disease spread to the central and southern areas of Ethiopia reaching Somalia in 1994. Cholera outbreaks persisted in Ethiopia with a recrudescence of cases in 1998.

Clonal relationship among Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains isolated in Somalia.

One hundred and three Vibrio cholerae O1 strains, selected to represent the cholera outbreaks which occurred in Somalia in 1998-1999, were characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA patterns, ribotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility. All strains showed a unique amplified DNA pattern and 2 closely related ribotypes (B5a and B8a), among which B5a was the more frequently identified. Ninety-one strains were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, spectinomycin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim, conferred, except for spectinomycin, by a conjugative plasmid IncC.

Molecular epidemiology and origin of cholera reemergence in Italy and Albania in the 1990s.

In 1994 a cholera epidemic occurred in Italy and Albania after more than a decade of case absence. To investigate genotypic characteristics and the origin of the epidemic strains, 110 Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor isolates from Italy and Albania were studied by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis (RAPD), BglI ribotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of genomic DNA. The Italian and Albanian strains were all ribotype 6 and their RAPD and PFGE patterns were identical as well.

Susceptibility to rifaximin of Vibrio cholerae strains from different geographical areas.

Four hundred and eight clinical strains of Vibrio cholerae isolated from different geographical areas and with different antimicrobial resistance patterns were tested for susceptibility to rifaximin, a non-absorbable antibiotic active in vitro against Gram-negative bacteria. The MICs ranged from 0.5 to 4 mg/l for all strains.