Publications by authors named "Pablo Zunino"

Article Synopsis
  • Uropathogenic bacteria use various techniques, like forming biofilms and producing toxins, to colonize the urinary tract and cause urinary tract infections (UTIs).
  • This study isolated and analyzed outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from clinical strains under different growth conditions, revealing significant differences in protein composition related to the bacteria's adaptation to the urinary environment.
  • The findings suggest that OMVs play a crucial role in bacterial survival and virulence in UTIs, highlighting potential targets for future therapeutic strategies.
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Paenibacillus larvae is the causative agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), the most severe bacterial disease affecting honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae. It was first reported in Uruguay in 1999. Here, we summarize the monitoring strategy carried out from 2001 to date, based on nationwide surveys sampling honey from colonies (2001/2002, 2011, 2021) or from honey storage tanks (2014-2019).

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Article Synopsis
  • Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a significant ocular disease in cattle caused mainly by the bacteria Moraxella bovis and Moraxella bovoculi, leading to economic and health impacts.
  • The study focused on analyzing the genomes of Uruguayan clinical isolates of these bacteria, revealing a high degree of genomic similarity to reference strains and identifying key virulence factors.
  • Notably, the research found differences in fimbrial gene phase variation between the two bacterial species and highlighted the potential of specific virulence factors for further exploration as vaccine components against IBK.
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In Uruguay, the mortality of dairy calves due to infectious diseases is high. is a natural inhabitant of the intestinal microbiota, but can cause several infections. The aim of the work was to characterize isolates from intestinal and extraintestinal origin of dead newborn calves.

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Proteus mirabilis(P. mirabilis) is a common etiological agent of urinary tract infections, particularly those associated with catheterization. P.

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Insect pollinators are threatened worldwide, being the exposure to multiple pesticides one of the most important stressor. The herbicide Glyphosate and the insecticide Imidacloprid are among the most used pesticides worldwide, although different studies evidenced their detrimental effects on non-target organisms. The emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds and the recent ban of imidacloprid in Europe due to safety concerns, has prompted their replacement by new molecules, such as glufosinate-ammonium (GA) and sulfoxaflor (S).

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Aims: In this study, we sought to identify and characterize a collection of 101 lactobacilli strains isolated from natural whey starters used in Uruguayan artisan cheese production, based on their capacity to produce gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and their probiotic potential.

Methods And Results: The probiotic potential was assessed using low pH and bile salt resistance assays; bacterial adhesion to intestinal mucus was also evaluated. Selected strains were then identified by 16S sequencing, and their GABA-producing potential was confirmed and quantified using a UHPLC-MS system.

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Introduction: Bovine mastitis is the most common disease affecting the dairy industry, with staphylococci being considered as one of the most significant and prevalent causes. This study aimed to assess the presence of staphylococcal subclinical mastitis (SCM) in Uruguayan dairy farms and to identify Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) in milking cows. In addition, the antibiotic susceptibility of isolated staphylococci was evaluated.

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Large-scale honey bee colony losses reported around the world have been associated with intoxication with pesticides, as with the presence of pests and pathogens. Among pesticides, neonicotinoid insecticides are the biggest threat. Due to their extensive use, they can be found in all agricultural environments, including soil, water, and air, are persistent in the environment, and are highly toxic for honey bees.

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We present a resource for instructors that contains results and data sets from the Ames test. Our aim is to share the results we have collected in previous semesters with other instructors, so they will be able to "conduct" the Ames test without the need to set foot in a laboratory classroom. Instructors will be able to use our online resource to perform the test remotely, as a supplement to their laboratory classroom, or even under hybrid circumstances.

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Early microbial colonization is a determinant factor in animal health, and probiotic administration has been demonstrated to modulate intestinal microbiota and promote health in dairy calves. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in calves' fecal microbiota after the administration of two probiotic lactobacilli strains that had previously exhibited beneficial effects in calves' health in relation to neonatal calf diarrhea. An in vivo assay was performed with 30 newborn male Holstein calves that were divided into three groups.

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Article Synopsis
  • Honey bees play a critical role in pollination, contributing to food production and biodiversity, and exhibit various survival strategies in cold climates, like storing honey and undergoing physiological changes in winter.
  • In subtropical climates, honey bees have a year-round reproductive cycle, which leads to constant emergence of new bees, with a study focused on the gut microbiota of nurse bees conducted throughout the year using advanced sequencing techniques.
  • The research found that while the quantity of gut bacteria remains stable year-round, diversity peaks in spring and dips in summer and winter, with specific bacterial species dominating in different seasons; environmental factors, particularly precipitation, also influence gut microbiota composition.
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Glyphosate is the most used pesticide around the world. Although different studies have evidenced its negative effect on honey bees, including detrimental impacts on behavior, cognitive, sensory and developmental abilities, its use continues to grow. Recent studies have shown that it also alters the composition of the honey bee gut microbiota.

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The aim of this work was to detect isolates displaying resistance to oxyimino-cephalosporins, quinolones, and colistin in feces from livestock in Uruguay. During 2016-2019, fecal samples from 132 broiler and layer chicken flocks, 100 calves, and 50 pigs, were studied in Uruguay. Samples were cultured on MacConkey Agar plates supplemented with ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, or colistin.

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Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most frequent bacterial infections in humans, being Uropathogenic (UPEC), the most common etiological agent. The ability of UPEC to invade urothelial cells and to form intracellular bacterial communities (IBC) has been described. Therefore, UPEC can persist in the urinary tract producing recurrent infections, resisting antibiotic activity.

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Escherichia coli ETEC, EPEC, NTEC and STEC/EHEC pathotypes are often isolated from bovine feces. The objective of this study was to detect 21 E. coli virulence genes in feces from 252 dairy calves in Uruguay (149 with neonatal diarrhea - NCD - and 103 asymptomatic).

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is a relevant opportunistic pathogen, and one of the main microorganisms responsible for outbreaks in nosocomial infections worldwide. Its pathogenicity is mainly due to its resistance to multiple antibiotics and to its ability to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces. The objective of this study was to characterize the biofilm formation cycle of isolated from a patient in a hospital and compare its antibiotic resistance with the planktonic cells.

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Bacterial adherence to eukaryotic cells is mediated by different adhesins that can act at different stages in bacteria-host interaction. Abundant evidence has suggested that adherence is critical for infection by bacterial pathogens. Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic pathogen which frequently infects the human urinary tract, particularly in patients with indwelling urinary catheters.

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Flagella are effective organelles of locomotion and one of several virulence factors in Proteus mirabilis. To study their properties and role in virulence, we describe a protocol to extract and purify the native flagellin of P. mirabilis.

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biofilms colonize medical devices, and their role in microbial pathogenesis is well established. Magnesium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO:MgO NPs) have potential antimicrobial properties; thus, we aimed at evaluating the antibiofilm activity of ZnO:MgO NPs against biofilm. After synthesis and characterization of ZnO:MgO NPs and their addition to a polymer film, we evaluated the stages of biofilm development over glass coverslip covered by different concentrations of ZnO:MgO NPs.

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Fosfomycin tromethamine (FT), an old antibiotic revived as a new strategy to overcome antibiotic resistance, is an excellent option for the treatment of lower urinary tract infection (UTI). During UTI, Escherichia coli produces biofilms and could invade the bladder epithelial cells, developing intracellular bacterial communities (IBC). The present work aimed to evaluate the activity of FT on biofilms and IBC from clinical isolates of E.

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Trypanosomatids affecting honey bees, Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim, have been poorly studied in South America. We therefore analyzed their presence in Africanized and European honeybees from Uruguay, Argentina and Chile collected between 1990 and 2011 and assessed their association with other bee parasites and pathogens. Crithidia mellificae was not detected while L.

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In the Southern Hemisphere, ruminants are mostly raised in grazing systems where animals consume forage and are supplemented with low amounts of concentrates. Concentrates are usually given separately and are rapidly ingested. This practice leads to changing rumen environment conditions during the day, may alter the rumen microbial metabolism and could affect host performance.

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Information about motile aeromonads from aquaculture systems of the Neotropical region is scarce. The aim of this study was to characterize motile Aeromonas isolated from ornamental and consumable fishes cultured in Uruguay. Biochemical and molecular methods were used for species identification.

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A role of the gut microbiota in influencing brain function and emotional disorders has been suggested. However, only a few studies have investigated the gut microbiota in the context of drug addiction.Cocaine can be smoked (i.

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