Comparative microbial analysis of paired amniotic fluid and cord blood from pregnancies complicated by preterm birth and early-onset neonatal sepsis.

Background: 16S rRNA-based genomic analyses have revolutionized our understanding of infectious diseases. Many cases which were recognized as "idiopathic" are now known to have an infectious etiology. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study to examine the microbial link between intra-amniotic infection (IAI) and early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS).

Polyphasic characterization and genetic relatedness of low-virulence and virulent Listeria monocytogenes isolates.

Background: Currently, food regulatory authorities consider all Listeria monocytogenes isolates as equally virulent. However, an increasing number of studies demonstrate extensive variations in virulence and pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes strains.

Identification of oral bacterial DNA in synovial fluid of patients with arthritis with native and failed prosthetic joints.

Objective: We examined the presence of bacterial DNA in synovial fluids of native or clinically aseptically failed prosthetic joints from patients having periodontal disease and arthritis to determine whether there is bacterial spread from the oral cavity to the joints.

Methods: A total of 36 subjects were enrolled in the study. Among these, 11 were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 25 were diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA).

Signal peptide of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum plays a novel structural role by modulating the filament's length and width.

FadA, a novel adhesin of periodontal pathogen Fusobacterium nucleatum is composed of two forms, pre-FadA and mature FadA (mFadA), constituting the functional FadA complex (FadAc). By electron microscopy, we observed that mFadA formed uniformly long and thin filaments, while FadAc formed heterogeneous filaments of varying lengths and widths, as well as "knots". Mutants in signal peptide or in the non-alpha-helical loop retaining heterogeneous structures had binding activity while those forming aggregates or long filaments lost activity.

Fusobacterium nucleatum adhesin FadA binds vascular endothelial cadherin and alters endothelial integrity.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a Gram-negative oral anaerobe, capable of systemic dissemination causing infections and abscesses, often in mixed-species, at different body sites. We have shown previously that F. nucleatum adheres to and invades host epithelial and endothelial cells via a novel FadA adhesin.

Significance of pretreatment analysis of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b hypervariable region 1 sequences to predict antiviral outcome.

The heterogeneity of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1), located at the amino terminus of the E2 envelope, may be involved in resistance to alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) treatment. We investigated whether peculiar HVR1 domain profiles before treatment were associated with the maintenance of sensitivity or the appearance of resistance to treatment. Fifteen patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1b and treated with IFN with or without ribavirin were selected.