Publications by authors named "Steven L Taylor"
Article Synopsis
- - The study explores the role of different bacteria in chronic airway disease (CAD), focusing on how they might influence inflammation in the lungs, particularly looking for anti-inflammatory species.
- - Using microbiome samples and inflammatory data from patients with CAD, researchers found that the genus Aggregatibacter was more common in patients with lower inflammation levels, linked to reduced inflammatory markers IL-8 and IL-1β.
- - Laboratory tests indicate that Aggregatibacter species have the potential to reduce inflammation in lung cells without harming their viability, suggesting a possible therapeutic role for these bacteria in managing CAD symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- Measures to reduce airborne pathogen transmission in healthcare settings can be costly and disruptive, especially when not specifically targeted.
- The study identified areas in a hospital that have a high risk for virus transmission through carbon dioxide assessments of air exchange.
- This method is efficient and low-cost, allowing for focused improvements in air quality where they are most needed in the hospital.
Article Synopsis
- * A study compared the gut microbiomes of aged care residents with and without a UTI history and found that prior UTI history did not significantly impact microbiome composition, although prior UTIs were a predictor of future infections.
- * The research suggested that there is no clear link between gut microbiota and UTI incidence in older adults, potentially due to high exposure to antibiotics and age-related factors affecting gut health.
Article Synopsis
- High antibiotic prescriptions in aged care could lead to increased antibiotic-resistant pathogens in residents, raising concerns about treatment failures.
- A study analyzed stool samples from 164 residents in South Australia, linking antibiotic use over the past year to the presence and quantity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
- Findings revealed that over 1100 unique ARGs were identified, with doxycycline being a major risk factor for high ARG levels, particularly influencing resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins, highlighting the need for cautious antibiotic use in this population.
Article Synopsis
- Probiotics are being studied for their potential health benefits, but their effectiveness varies greatly among individuals.
- A study investigated whether a genetic variant influencing mucosal α(1,2)-fucosylated glycan production affects how different mice respond to probiotics, particularly Bifidobacterium strains.
- Results showed that mice with the genetic variant (Fut2WT) had better retention of B. infantis after antibiotics, while those without it (Fut2KO) had different persistence patterns, emphasizing the impact of genetics and gut conditions on probiotic effectiveness.
Article Synopsis
- Iron deficiency is the most widespread nutritional deficiency globally, especially impacting young children and women of reproductive age, leading to the investigation of its effects on gut microbiota.
- A double-blind, randomized control trial was conducted in South Australia, where nonpregnant females aged 18-45 were given either iron supplements or a placebo for 21 days to assess changes in their gut microbiome.
- Results showed no significant differences in the gut microbiome between the iron and placebo groups, indicating that iron supplementation did not alter the microbiota of these women.
Article Synopsis
- The GRACE study was initiated to understand antimicrobial resistance in residential aged care facilities, focusing on key risk factors and transmission methods.
- A total of 279 participants, primarily elderly (median age 88.6 years), were recruited from five South Australian facilities, with many having cognitive impairments and prior antibiotic exposure.
- The study's cohort closely mirrors the national aged care population in demographics and health conditions, highlighting differences in care needs and antibiotic use compared to historical data.
Article Synopsis
- Long-term low-dose macrolide therapy, used for chronic respiratory diseases, can alter gut microbiome composition, potentially impacting immune and metabolic regulation in the body.
- In a study with healthy adults, low-dose erythromycin and azithromycin led to changes in gut bacteria, reducing carbohydrate metabolism ability and affecting systemic biomarkers related to immune response and metabolism.
- The research suggests that using macrolides over a long period can significantly influence host physiology through effects on gut microbiota, emphasizing the need to understand these mechanisms to assess risks associated with prolonged therapy.
Article Synopsis
- Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) pose a significant global health challenge, especially in low and middle-income countries due to factors like poor antibiotic regulation and sanitation.
- The problem is often seen as a threat primarily to countries where MDROs are not common, while the real impact is felt by individuals moving from high MDRO areas to places where standard treatments still work.
- The article suggests implementing screening strategies based on future infection risks during critical healthcare moments, rather than focusing on patients' origins, to avoid stigmatization and improve treatment outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Article Synopsis
- COVID-19 highlighted the serious risks posed by airborne viruses in aged care facilities.
- The study utilized CO2 levels to identify areas in the facility that could be potential 'super-spreader' zones.
- It also evaluated the effectiveness of quick, cost-effective measures to reduce the spread of the virus.
Educators continue to experience stress and burnout, both of which have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and there continues to be a need to develop interventions that support not only educators' well-being, but a climate within school buildings that fosters psychological well-being for students and school staff alike. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one promising approach to interventions for both educator and student psychological well-being. The present study sought to evaluate the effect of a low-dosage, online, and remotely delivered ACT intervention for educators on self-reported burnout, psychological flexibility, ACT knowledge, and frequency of use of ACT-consistent language while teaching in an alternative educational setting.
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- Long-term macrolide therapy, such as azithromycin and erythromycin, is commonly used to prevent exacerbations in chronic respiratory diseases, but its effects on the oral microbiome and transmission of resistance are not well understood.
- A study with healthy adults and their close contacts showed that while macrolide use increased resistance in their oropharyngeal streptococci, the overall microbiota composition remained largely unchanged.
- No evidence was found for the transmission of macrolide resistance to close contacts, as their resistance gene levels did not show corresponding changes.
Background: Long-term macrolide therapy has been shown to provide benefit to those with a range of chronic respiratory conditions. However, concerns remain about the impact of macrolide exposure on the carriage and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes within the oropharynx. The potential for onward transmission of resistance from macrolide recipients to their close contacts also is poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Otitis media (OM) is a major disease burden in Australian Aboriginal children, contributing to serious long-term health outcomes. We report a pilot analysis of OM in children attending an outreach ear and hearing clinic in a remote south Australian community over a two-year period. Our study focuses on longitudinal relationships between ear canal microbiota characteristics with nasopharyngeal microbiota, and clinical and treatment variables.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Infection control is critical to safe hospital care. However, how bacteria within nosocomial environments relate to space utilisation and occupancy remains poorly understood. Our aim was to characterise the hospital microbiome in the context of the closure of a tertiary hospital and the opening of a new facility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Chronic airway inflammation is the main driver of pathogenesis in respiratory diseases such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis (CF) and bronchiectasis. While the role of common pathogens in airway inflammation is widely recognised, the influence of other microbiota members is still poorly understood.
Methods: We hypothesised that the lung microbiota contains bacteria with immunomodulatory activity which modulate net levels of immune activation by key respiratory pathogens.
Background: SARS-CoV-2 poses a considerable threat to those living in residential aged care facilities (RACF). RACF COVID-19 outbreaks have been characterised by the rapid spread of infection and high rates of severe disease and associated mortality. Despite a growing body of evidence supporting airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, current infection control measures in RACF including hand hygiene, social distancing, and sterilisation of surfaces, focus on contact and droplet transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A high fruit and vegetable (F&V) diet reduces asthma exacerbations in adults; this has not been examined in children to date.
Objective: To investigate the effect of a 6-month, high F&V diet on the time to first asthma exacerbation in children with asthma, in a parallel-group, randomized, controlled trial.
Methods: Children (aged 3-11 years) with asthma, history of exacerbations and usual low F&V intake (≤3 serves/day) were randomized to the intervention (high F&V diet) or control group (usual diet) for 6 months.
The influence of early-life microbial exposures on long-term respiratory health.
Paediatr Respir Rev
December 2021
Host-microbiome interactions exert a profound influence on human physiology and health outcomes. In particular, certain characteristics of commensal microbiota during a critical period in early life are essential for the establishment of immune tone and metabolic control. An increasing body of evidence suggests that early life exposures that disrupt these interactions can substantially influence life-long risks for respiratory disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The gut microbiota influences many aspects of host physiology, including immune regulation, and is predictive of outcomes in cancer patients. However, whether conventional myelosuppressive chemotherapy affects the gut microbiota in humans with non-haematological malignancy, independent of antibiotic exposure, is unknown.
Methods: Faecal samples from 19 participants with non-haematological malignancy, who were receiving conventional chemotherapy regimens but not antibiotics, were examined prior to chemotherapy, 7-12 days after chemotherapy, and at the end of the first cycle of treatment.
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a profound global health threat. Reducing AMR spread requires the identification of transmission pathways. The extent to which hospital wards represent a venue for substantial AMR transmission in low- and middle-income countries settings is poorly understood.
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