Urinary Tract Infections Amongst Adults With Intellectual Disabilities With Urinary Incontinence.

Background: Between 26% and 52% of adults with intellectual disability experience urinary incontinence (UI). Little is known about the implications of urinary tract infections (UTIs) for this group. The aim was to screen for UTIs in a sample of adults with intellectual disability and UI.

Plastic pollution as a novel reservoir for the environmental survival of the drug resistant fungal pathogen Candida auris.

The WHO recently classified Candida auris as a fungal pathogen of "critical concern". Evidence suggests that C. auris emerged from the natural environment, yet the ability of this pathogenic yeast to survive in the natural environment is still poorly understood.

An integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic approach to investigate the heterogeneous biofilm phenotype.

is the most prevalent and notorious of the species involved in bloodstream infections, which is characterised by its capacity to form robust biofilms. Biofilm formation is an important clinical entity shown to be highly variable among clinical isolates. There are various environmental and physiological factors, including nutrient availability which influence the phenotype of species.

Our current clinical understanding of Candida biofilms: where are we two decades on?

Clinically we have been aware of the concept of Candida biofilms for many decades, though perhaps without the formal designation. Just over 20 years ago the subject emerged on the back of progress made from the bacterial biofilms, and academic progress pace has continued to mirror the bacterial biofilm community, albeit at a decreased volume. It is apparent that Candida species have a considerable capacity to colonize surfaces and interfaces and form tenacious biofilm structures, either alone or in mixed species communities.

bacterial vaginosis biofilm community manipulation using endolysin therapy.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) affects approximately 26% of women of childbearing age globally, presenting with 3-5 times increased risk of miscarriage and two-fold risk of pre-term birth Antibiotics (metronidazole and clindamycin) are typically employed to treat BV; however the success rate is low due to the formation of recalcitrant polymicrobial biofilms. As a novel therapeutic, promising results have been obtained using endolysins, although to date their efficacy has only been demonstrated against simple biofilm models. In this study, a four-species biofilm was developed consisting of and .

Investigating Dual-Species and Staphylococcal Biofilm Antiseptic Challenge.

can persistently colonize human skin, alongside a diverse bacterial microbiome. In this study we aimed to investigate the efficacy of antiseptic activities on dual-species interkingdom biofilms containing staphylococci to determine if antiseptic tolerance was negatively impacted by dual-species biofilms. Chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, and hydrogen peroxide (HO), were able to significantly reduce biofilm viable cell counts following exposure at 2%, 10%, and 3%, respectively.

Screening the Tocriscreen™ bioactive compound library in search for inhibitors of Candida biofilm formation.

Biofilms formed by Candida species present a significant clinical problem due to the ineffectiveness of many conventional antifungal agents, in particular the azole class. We urgently require new and clinically approved antifungal agents quickly for treatment of critically ill patients. To improve efficiency in antifungal drug development, we utilized a library of 1280 biologically active molecules within the Tocriscreen 2.

Cell Viability Assays for Candida auris.

Cell viability assays are useful for assessing the efficacy of antifungal therapeutics and disinfection strategies in vitro. In recent years these assays have been fundamental for the testing of conventional and novel therapies against the nosocomial fungal pathogen Candida auris. Here we provide detailed descriptions of methods for assessing cellular viability of Candida auris in vitro, such as metabolic assays (XTT and resazurin), colony-forming unit counting, live/dead quantitative PCR, and fluorescent staining for microscopic analyses.

and biofilm frenemies: When the relationship sours.

The opportunistic yeast and lactic acid bacteria are frequently co-isolated from various infection sites on the human body, suggesting a common interkingdom interaction. While some reports suggest an antagonism, the reason for their co-isolation therefore remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to undertake a detailed characterisation of this dual-species interaction.

Investigating the Transcriptome of in a Dual-Species Biofilm Model.

is an opportunistic pathogen found throughout multiple body sites and is frequently co-isolated from infections of the respiratory tract and oral cavity with Herein we present the first report of the effects that elicits on the transcriptome. Dual-species biofilms containing and mutants defective in or were optimised and characterised, followed by transcriptional profiling of by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Altered phenotypes in mutants revealed specific interaction profiles between fungus and bacteria.

Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: a Dynamic Interkingdom Biofilm Disease of and .

Despite the strikingly high worldwide prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), treatment options for recurrent VVC (RVVC) remain limited, with many women experiencing failed clinical treatment with frontline azoles. Further, the cause of onset and recurrence of disease is largely unknown, with few studies identifying potential mechanisms of treatment failure. This study aimed to assess a panel of clinical samples from healthy women and those with RVVC to investigate the influence of , the vaginal microbiome, and how their interaction influences disease pathology.

as an Essential "Keystone" Component within Polymicrobial Oral Biofilm Models?

: Existing standardized biofilm assays focus on simple mono-species or bacterial-only models. Incorporating into complex biofilm models can offer a more appropriate and relevant polymicrobial biofilm for the development of oral health products. : This study aimed to assess the importance of interkingdom interactions in polymicrobial oral biofilm systems with or without , and test how these models respond to oral therapeutic challenges in vitro.

Filling the Void: An Optimized Polymicrobial Interkingdom Biofilm Model for Assessing Novel Antimicrobial Agents in Endodontic Infection.

There is a growing realization that endodontic infections are often polymicrobial, and may contain spp. Despite this understanding, the development of new endodontic irrigants and models of pathogenesis remains limited to mono-species biofilm models and is bacterially focused. The purpose of this study was to develop and optimize an interkingdom biofilm model of endodontic infection and use this to test suitable anti-biofilm actives.

Candida auris Phenotypic Heterogeneity Determines Pathogenicity .

is an enigmatic yeast that provides substantial global risk in health care facilities and intensive care units. A unique phenotype exhibited by certain isolates of is their ability to form small clusters of cells known as aggregates, which have been to a limited extent described in the context of pathogenic traits. In this study, we screened several nonaggregative and aggregative isolates for biofilm formation, where we observed a level of heterogeneity among the different phenotypes.

Chitosan Ameliorates Candida auris Virulence in a Galleria mellonella Infection Model.

has emerged as a multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen over the last decade. Outbreaks of the organism in health care facilities have resulted in life-threatening invasive candidiasis in over 40 countries worldwide. Resistance by to conventional antifungal drugs such as fluconazole and amphotericin B means that alternative therapeutics must be explored.

Development of a high throughput and low cost model for the study of semi-dry biofilms.

The persistence of microorganisms as biofilms on dry surfaces resistant to the usual terminal cleaning methods may pose an additional risk of transmission of infections. In this study, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) dry biofilm model (DBM) was adapted into a microtiter plate format (Model 1) and replicated to create a novel model that replicates conditions commonly encountered in the healthcare environment (Model 2). Biofilms of grown in the two models were comparable to the biofilms of the CDC DBM in terms of recovered log CFU well.

Modelling of pH-dependence to develop a strategy for stabilising mAbs at acidic steps in production.

Engineered proteins are increasingly being required to function or pass through environmental stresses for which the underlying protein has not evolved. A major example in health are antibody therapeutics, where a low pH step is used for purification and viral inactivation. In order to develop a computational model for analysis of pH-stability, predictions are compared with experimental data for the relative pH-sensitivities of antibody domains.

Interkingdom interactions on the denture surface: Implications for oral hygiene.

Background: Evidence to support the role of species in oral disease is limited. Often considered a commensal, this opportunistic yeast has been shown to play a role in denture related disease, though whether it is an active participant or innocent bystander remains to be determined. This study sought to understand the role of species alongside the bacterial microbiome in a denture patient cohort, exploring how the microbiology of the denture was affected by oral hygiene practices.

: A Decade of Understanding of an Enigmatic Pathogenic Yeast.

is an enigmatic yeast that continues to stimulate interest within the mycology community due its rapid and simultaneous emergence of distinct clades. In the last decade, almost 400 manuscripts have contributed to our understanding of this pathogenic yeast. With dynamic epidemiology, elevated resistance levels and an indication of conserved and unique pathogenic traits, it is unsurprising that it continues to cause clinical concern.

Combined Antifungal Resistance and Biofilm Tolerance: the Global Threat of Candida auris.

The enigmatic yeast has emerged over the last decade and rapidly penetrated our consciousness. The global threat from this multidrug-resistant yeast has generated a call to arms from within the medical mycology community. Over the past decade, our understanding of how this yeast has spread globally, its clinical importance, and how it tolerates and resists antifungal agents has expanded.

Transcriptome Assembly and Profiling of Reveals Novel Insights into Biofilm-Mediated Resistance.

has emerged as a significant global nosocomial pathogen. This is primarily due to its antifungal resistance profile but also its capacity to form adherent biofilm communities on a range of clinically important substrates. While we have a comprehensive understanding of how other species resist and respond to antifungal challenge within the sessile phenotype, our current understanding of biofilm-mediated resistance is lacking.

The comparative efficacy of antiseptics against Candida auris biofilms.

Candida auris has emerged as a significant clinical entity as it can cause outbreaks within the healthcare setting. A key feature of its nosocomial properties is that it can transfer between patients, yet little is known about the mechanisms behind this. A panel of C.

Gaining Insights from Candida Biofilm Heterogeneity: One Size Does Not Fit All.

Despite their clinical significance and substantial human health burden, fungal infections remain relatively under-appreciated. The widespread overuse of antibiotics and the increasing requirement for indwelling medical devices provides an opportunistic potential for the overgrowth and colonization of pathogenic species on both biological and inert substrates. Indeed, it is now widely recognized that biofilms are a highly important part of their virulence repertoire.