Complete Genome Assembly of an Auritidibacter ignavus Isolate Obtained from an Ear Infection in Switzerland and a Comparison to Global Isolates.

We present the whole-genome sequence of an isolate of , associated with ear infections. This complete assembly was compared to genomes of four global isolates, which revealed a high diversity within the species.

Lactoferrin Adsorbed onto Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals Controlling - In Vivo - the Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Background: The resistance of Helicobacter pylori to the antibiotic therapy poses the problem to discover new therapeutic approaches. Recently it has been stated that antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties of lactoferrin are increased when this protein is surface-linked to biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanocrystals.

Objective: Based on these knowledge, the aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of lactoferrin delivered by biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with cell free supernatant from probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei as an alternative therapy against Helicobacter pylori infection.

High occurrence of Blastocystis sp. subtypes 1-3 and Giardia intestinalis assemblage B among patients in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Background: Blastocystis is a common intestinal parasite with worldwide distribution but the distribution of Blastocystis and its subtypes in East Africa is largely unknown. In this study, we investigate the distribution of Blastocystis subtypes in Zanzibar, Tanzania and report the prevalence of intestinal parasites using both molecular methods and microscopy.

Methods: Stool samples were collected from both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic outpatients in Zanzibar.

Analysis of molecular epidemiologic characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli colonizing feces in hospital patients and community dwellers in a Japanese city.

Infectious diseases caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are prevalent because of nosocomial infection. In addition, colonization of ESBL-producing E. coli in the intestinal tract of community dwellers due to the contamination of meat or environmental water is assumed to be one of the sources, but the causes have not been clarified.

Outbreak of a beta-lactam resistant non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae sequence type 14 associated with severe clinical outcomes.

Background: During October 2011 several residents and staff members at a long-term care facility (LTCF) for elderly fell ill with respiratory symptoms. Several of the residents required hospitalization and one died. Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) was identified as the causative pathogen.

Rapid detection of B2-ST131 clonal group of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry: discovery of a peculiar amino acid substitution in B2-ST131 clonal group.

One reason for the spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli worldwide is the global pandemic of the B2-ST131 clonal group. We searched for the specific biomarker peaks to distinguish between the B2-ST131 clonal group and other sequence type (ST) clonal groups isolated from clinical specimens obtained in our hospital. Biomarker peaks at m/z 7650 in the B2-ST131 group (sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 89.

Evaluation of factors affecting real-time PCR performance for diagnosis of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar in clinical stool samples.

Although PCR offers the potential for sensitive detection of parasites there are several pitfalls for optimal performance, especially when DNA is extracted from a complex sample material such as stool. With the aid of a sensitive inhibitor control in a duplex real-time PCR (qPCR) for identification of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar we have evaluated factors that influenced the performance of the qPCR and have suggested a rationale to be used in the analysis of clinical samples. Pre-PCR processing was found to be of outmost importance for an optimal amplification since inhibitors caused false-negative results when higher amounts of sample were used.

Reviving old antibiotics.

In the face of increasing antimicrobial resistance and the paucity of new antimicrobial agents it has become clear that new antimicrobial strategies are urgently needed. One of these is to revisit old antibiotics to ensure that they are used correctly and to their full potential, as well as to determine whether one or several of them can help alleviate the pressure on more recent agents. Strategies are urgently needed to 're-develop' these drugs using modern standards, integrating new knowledge into regulatory frameworks and communicating the knowledge from the research bench to the bedside.

Within-population distribution of trimethoprim resistance in Escherichia coli before and after a community-wide intervention on trimethoprim use.

A 2-year prospective intervention on the prescription of trimethoprim reduced the use by 85% in a health care region with 178,000 inhabitants. Here, we performed before-and-after analyses of the within-population distribution of trimethoprim resistance in Escherichia coli. Phylogenetic and population genetic methods were applied to multilocus sequence typing data of 548 consecutively collected E.

Challenges in microarray class discovery: a comprehensive examination of normalization, gene selection and clustering.

Background: Cluster analysis, and in particular hierarchical clustering, is widely used to extract information from gene expression data. The aim is to discover new classes, or sub-classes, of either individuals or genes. Performing a cluster analysis commonly involve decisions on how to; handle missing values, standardize the data and select genes.

Human complement activation by smooth and rough Proteus mirabilis lipopolysaccharides.

Introduction: Proteus mirabilis bacilli play an important role in human urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and rheumatoid arthritis. The authors previously studied human complement C3 conversion by smooth-form P. mirabilis O10, O23, O30, and O43 lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) and showed that smooth Proteus LPSs fragmented C3 in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

Rapid genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii by pyrosequencing.

Most human infections with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii are asymptomatic, but severe symptoms can occur in immunocompromised patients, in developing foetuses, and in ocular infections in immunocompetent individuals. The majority of T. gondii strains can be divided into three main lineages, denoted types I, II and III, which are known to cause different clinical presentations.

Vibrio cholerae O1 strains are facultative intracellular bacteria, able to survive and multiply symbiotically inside the aquatic free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Vibrio cholerae species are extracellular, waterborne, gram-negative bacteria that are overwhelmed by predators in aquatic environments. The unencapsulated serogroup V. cholerae O1 and encapsulated V.

Structural determination of the O-antigenic polysaccharide from Escherichia coli O166.

Unlabelled: The O-antigen of the lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O166 has been determined by component analysis together with 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy techniques. The polysaccharide has pentasaccharide repeating units consisting of D-glucose (1), D-galactose (2) and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (2) with the following structure: [

Structure: SEE TEXT]. In the 1H NMR, spectrum resonances of low intensity were observed.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli: epidemiology, virulence and detection.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is a subgroup of diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) that during the past decade has received increasing attention as a cause of watery diarrhoea, which is often persistent. EAEC have been isolated from children and adults worldwide.

Effect of tigecycline on normal oropharyngeal and intestinal microflora.

Antibacterial agents disrupt the ecological balance of the normal human microflora. Tigecycline, a member of a new class of antibiotics (glycylcyclines), has been shown to have a potent broad-spectrum activity against most gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the ecological effects of tigecycline on the normal oropharyngeal and intestinal microflora of healthy subjects.

Transformation of ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae gyrA, parE and porB1b genes.

In several transformation experiments, we have shown that introduction of an alteration in GyrA at position 95 of a ciprofloxacin-susceptible Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.008 mg/L) increases the MIC to 0.064 mg/L.

Molecular detection and identification of Candida and Aspergillus spp. from clinical samples using real-time PCR.

This report describes the development of a real-time LightCycler assay for the detection and identification of Candida and Aspergillus spp., using the MagNa Pure LC Instrument for automated extraction of fungal DNA. The assay takes 5-6 h to perform.

Evaluation of microarray data normalization procedures using spike-in experiments.

Background: Recently, a large number of methods for the analysis of microarray data have been proposed but there are few comparisons of their relative performances. By using so-called spike-in experiments, it is possible to characterize the analyzed data and thereby enable comparisons of different analysis methods.

Results: A spike-in experiment using eight in-house produced arrays was used to evaluate established and novel methods for filtration, background adjustment, scanning, channel adjustment, and censoring.

Reduced levels of oestrogen receptor beta mRNA in Swedish patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness with unknown aetiology and pathophysiology. The difference in incidence by sex observed for CFS indicates a role for oestrogen and oestrogen receptors in disease development. Furthermore, an immunomediated pathogenesis has been suggested for CFS, providing an additional connection to oestrogen, which displays immunomodular functions.

Probiotic lactobacilli and bacteraemia in Stockholm.

The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of lactobacilli-induced bacteraemia in Stockholm, Sweden, between January 1998 and March 2004, and to identify the possible presence of probiotic strains. Isolated strains were checked for growth on selective lactobacilli-agar and the biochemical profiles were determined. The lactobacilli strains were further analysed with molecular methodologies to ascertain eventual similarities with the probiotic strains Lactobacillus paracasei subsp.

Genetic basis of resistance in Propionibacterium acnes strains isolated from diverse types of infection in different European countries.

The purpose of the study was to characterize the resistance mechanism of 36 clindamycin (CL) and erythromycin (EM) resistant Propionibacterium acnes strains and 27 tetracycline (TET) resistant P. acnes isolates, collected from nine European countries, both from acne patients and from patients with different infections. PCR and sequencing of the genes encoding domain V of 23S rRNA for CL and EM resistant strains and 16S rRNA for TET resistant strains were performed.