Evaluation of mycobacteria infection prevalence and optimization of the identification process in North Sardinia, Italy.

Mycobacterial infection is a major threat to public health worldwide. Accurate identification of infected species and drug resistance detection are critical factors in treatment. We focused on shortening the turn-around time of identifying mycobacteria species and antibiotic resistance tests.

Drug resistance and the genotypic characteristics of rpoB and katG in rifampicin- and/or isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in central Vietnam.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) are national health burdens in Vietnam. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of rifampicin (RIF) and/or isoniazid (isonicotinic acid hydrazide, INH) resistance in patients with suspected TB, and applied appropriate techniques to help rapidly target DR-TB.

Methods: In total, 1,547 clinical specimens were collected and cultured using the BACTEC MGIT system (Becton Dickinson and Co.

A rare presentation of tubercular osteomyelitis of the foot.

Tuberculosis is a communicable disease that is a major cause of ill health. It is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Its most common clinical presentation is pulmonary involvement.

Use of bedaquiline in spinal osteomyelitis and soft tissue abscess caused by multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A case report.

Introduction: Spinal Tuberculosis (STB) represents between 1% and 2% of total tuberculosis cases. STB management remains challenging; the first-line approach consists of medical treatment, while surgery is reserved for patients with complications. No data regarding STB treatment with bedaquiline-containing regimens are available in the literature.

Quinoxaline-based efflux pump inhibitors restore drug susceptibility in drug-resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) comprise several ubiquitous, environmentally localized bacteria that may be responsible for serious human diseases. NTM-associated pulmonary infections largely affect individuals with underlying respiratory disease or chronic disease and immunosuppressed patients. Mycobacterium simiae and M.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles as Formulative Strategy to Increase Oral Permeation of a Molecule Active in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Management.

The role of mycobacterial efflux pumps in drug-resistant tuberculosis has been widely reported. Recently, a new compound, named SS13, has been synthesized, and its activity as a potential efflux inhibitor has been demonstrated. In this work, the chemical-physical properties of the SS13 were investigated; furthermore, a formulative study aimed to develop a formulation suitable for oral administration was performed.

Phytochemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Essential Oils from the Leaves, Rhizomes and Whole Plant of Škorničk.

The rapid emergence of drug-resistant strains and novel viruses have motivated the search for new anti-infectious agents. In this study, the chemical compositions and cytotoxicity, as well as the antibacterial, antifungal, antitrichomonas, and antiviral activities of essential oils from the leaves, rhizomes, and whole plant of were investigated. The GC/MS analysis showed that β-pinene, -β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene were found at high concentrations in the essential oils.

Levels of different cytokines in women and men with asymptomatic genital infection caused by Chlamydia.

Introduction: Immune response to genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is involved in both immunity and pathology. The cytokine profile during infection has been implicated in the disease outcome, either resolution or severe sequelae.

Methodology: In total, 3900 patients were analyzed for presence of genital infections caused by Chlamydia using molecular assays.

Enhancement of antimicrobial activity of pump inhibitors associating drugs.

Introduction: with the continuous emergence of pathogenic resistance to conventional drugs through efflux pumps, increasing efforts are directed toward discovering efflux inhibitory molecules.

Methodology: in this study three P-glycoprotein (P13CP, P22CP, P34CP) efflux-inhibitors (EIs), belonging to the series of phenoxymethylquinoxalines capable to restore/potentiate the antiproliferative activity of doxorubicin and vincristine against human tumor cell lines and different antibiotics against clinical isolates, were investigated on 10 clinical strains of Candida and 12 clinical and ATCC strains of Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Results: MFC values of FLC were reduced in all Candida strains by the P22CP and P34CP inhibitors, and in 5/10 fungal strains by the P13CP inhibitor.

The bifunctional protein GlmU is a key factor in biofilm formation induced by alkylating stress in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Living organisms have developed specific defence mechanisms to counteract hostile environmental conditions. Alkylation stress response mechanisms also occur in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis. The effect of alkylating agents on the cellular growth of MTB was investigated using methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) as methyl donor demonstrating that limited doses of alkylating agents might affect MTB cell viability.

activity of against mycobacterial species.

The increasing incidence of resistance in tuberculosis and in atypical mycobacterial infections has prompted the search for alternative agents. We explored the antimycobacterial activity of essential oil against tubercular and non tubercular mycobacterials isolates. The good activity observed towards indicated that this essential oil might represent a promising antimicrobial agents, particularly in the management of microbial resistance.

In vitro activity of essential oils against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from infected hip implants.

Introduction: Essential oils have been used since ancient times and are known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-depressive, antiseptic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

Methodology: in this study the antimicrobial activity of two essential oils from Melaleuca alternifolia and Thymus vulgaris-red thyme geraniol was tested against 16 multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains from infected hip implants as well as the "in vitro" cytotoxic activity on normal human Wong-Kilbourne derivative (WKD) cells.

Design, synthesis and antitubercular activity of 4-alkoxy-triazoloquinolones able to inhibit the M. tuberculosis DNA gyrase.

A number of new F-triazolequinolones (FTQs) and alkoxy-triazolequinolones (ATQs) were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Five out of 21 compounds exhibited interesting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (6.6-57.

Potential of Borojoa patinoi Cuatrecasas water extract to inhibit nosocomial antibiotic resistant bacteria and cancer cell proliferation in vitro.

Borojó (Borojoa patinoi Cuatrec.) is a fruit used in Colombian traditional medicine with supposed antihypertensive, antitumoral, diuretic, healing, immunological, anti-inflammatory and aphrodisiac effects. To explore the relative merits in terms of biological activities of borojó aqueous extract (BAE), we investigated in vitro its antimicrobial activity on nosocomial pathogenic and multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6), Staphylococcus aureus (1) and Candida species (6), as well as its cytotoxicity on human conjunctive Wong-Kilbourne derivative (WKD) cells and Caco-2 cells from heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma.

In vitro activity of hybrid lavender essential oils against multidrug resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Introduction: Lavender is an evergreen shrub native to Northern Africa and other mountainous Mediterranean regions. It grows throughout Southern Europe, the United States, and Australia. Lavender essential oil has been used since ancient times and is known for its anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antiseptic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

Beyond pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria disease: do extra-pulmonary forms represent an emerging clinical and public health threat?

http://ow.ly/87Dm30eMFd9.

Pediatric Tuberculosis in Northern Sardinia.

Background And Objectives: Migration flux is an increasing phenomenon in Italy, and it raises several public health issues and concerns in pediatric infectious diseases. This study investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of a pediatric population at high-risk for tuberculosis (TB) and the potential role of immigration as a risk factor.

Design: We performed an observational retrospective study of children referred to the only Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit for Northern Sardinia over a 6-year-period (2009-2014).

Tuberculosis in Sardinia: An investigation into the relationship between natives and immigrants.

Objective/background: Tuberculosis (TB) has had a recrudescence in the last few decades in Italy as a result of many factors, among which migration from countries where TB is endemic is one of them. In Sardinia, a major island of Italy, there was no knowledge of the mechanisms of transmission of TB in the immigrant subpopulation and the impact it may have on the native subpopulation and on the community as a whole. Therefore, a molecular epidemiological study was carried out to get a clearer picture of the number and genetic features of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from immigrants and from natives in Sardinia.

Effect of teriflunomide on QuantiFERON-TB Gold results.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system characterized by damage to myelin and axons, over time leading to progressive neuronal degeneration and microglial activation. There is still no curative treatment, but during the last 20 years eight different therapies have become available including interferon beta, glatiramer acetate, teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate, natalizumab, fingolimod, alemtuzumab, mitoxantrone and teriflunomide. Teriflunomide is an immunomodulatory drug that exerts an inhibitory effect on T cell activation in central nervous system of the patients with multiple sclerosis.

Bacterial agents as a cause of infertility in humans.

Infertility is a problem affecting almost 15% of couples. There are many causes for this condition, among which urogenital bacterial infections seem to play an important role. Many studies have explained the mechanisms by which bacteria cause infertility both in men and women.

QuantiFERON-TB Gold Assay on Plasma for Confirmation of Presumed Tuberculosis-Related Uveitis.

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay was used to measure interferon gamma levels in plasma from 4 patients with presumed tuberculosis-related uveitis before, during, and after antitubercular therapy. After treatment, all patients showed clinical improvement. The concentrations showed a reversion to an absence of interferon gamma in one case, decreased in two cases, and remained stable in one case.

Chemical composition, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and antifungal activity of several essential oils.

Essential oils (EOs) are known and used for their biological, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Numerous studies have shown that EOs exhibit a large spectrum of biological activities in vitro. The incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and the toxicity of antibiotics have drawn attention to the antimicrobial activity of natural products, encouraging the development of alternative treatments.

Essential oils in ocular pathology: an experimental study.

Introduction: The antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) has been known for ages; in particular, the EOs of Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, and Rosmarinus officinalis have been used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections.

Methodology: This study focused on the in vitro cytotoxicity to normal human conjunctiva cells and antimicrobial activity of 20 EOs.

Results: The oils tested showed no cytotoxic effect at very low concentrations.