Development and application of a multiplex PCR assay for detection of the Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin-encoding genes cpe and becAB.

Clostridium perfringens causes food-borne gastroenteritis following the consumption of contaminated food by producing C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) in the intestines. Recently, we reported a novel enterotoxin, binary enterotoxin of C.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) Isolates from Japan Reveals Emergence of CTX-M-14-Producing EAEC O25:H4 Clones Related to Sequence Type 131.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) causes acute or persistent diarrhea. The aggR gene is widely used as a marker for typical EAEC. The heterogeneity of EAEC is well known; however, there are few reports on the phylogenetic relationships of EAEC.

Evaluation of sensitivity of TaqMan RT-PCR for rubella virus detection in clinical specimens.

Background: An easy and reliable assay for detection of the rubella virus is required to strengthen rubella surveillance. Although a TaqMan RT-PCR assay for detection of the rubella virus has been established in Japan, its utility for diagnostic purposes has not been tested.

Objectives: To allow introduction of the TaqMan RT-PCR into the rubella surveillance system in Japan, the sensitivity of the assay was determined using representative strains for all genotypes and clinical specimens.

Six Novel O Genotypes from Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli.

Serotyping is one of the typing techniques used to classify strains within the same species. O-serogroup diversification shows a strong association with the genetic diversity of O-antigen biosynthesis genes. In a previous study, based on the O-antigen biosynthesis gene cluster (O-AGC) sequences of 184 known Escherichia coli O serogroups (from O1 to O187), we developed a comprehensive and practical molecular O serogrouping (O genotyping) platform using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, named E.

Monitoring of Antibiotic Residues in Aquatic Products in Urban and Rural Areas of Vietnam.

Antibiotic residues in aquatic products in Vietnam were investigated. A total of 511 fish and shrimp samples were collected from markets in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Thai Binh (TB), and Nha Trang (NT) from July 2013 to October 2015. The samples were extracted with 2% formic acid in acetonitrile and washed with dispersive C18 sorbent.

Structure-Function Studies of Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, Biphenyl, and Their Derivatives in Interaction with and Oxidation by Cytochromes P450 2A13 and 2A6.

Naphthalene, phenanthrene, biphenyl, and their derivatives having different ethynyl, propynyl, butynyl, and propargyl ether substitutions were examined for their interaction with and oxidation by cytochromes P450 (P450) 2A13 and 2A6. Spectral interaction studies suggested that most of these chemicals interacted with P450 2A13 to induce Type I binding spectra more readily than with P450 2A6. Among the various substituted derivatives examined, 2-ethynylnaphthalene, 2-naphthalene propargyl ether, 3-ethynylphenanthrene, and 4-biphenyl propargyl ether had larger ΔAmax/Ks values in inducing Type I binding spectra with P450 2A13 than their parent compounds.

Laboratory-based surveillance of pertussis using multitarget real-time PCR in Japan: evidence for Bordetella pertussis infection in preteens and teens.

Between January 2013 and December 2014, we conducted laboratory-based surveillance of pertussis using multitarget real-time PCR, which discriminates among Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, Bordetella holmesii and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Of 355 patients clinically diagnosed with pertussis in Japan, B. pertussis, B.

Genetic analysis of human rotavirus C: The appearance of Indian-Bangladeshi strain in Far East Asian countries.

Rotaviruses C (RVCs) circulate worldwide as an enteric pathogen in both humans and animals. Most studies of their genetic diversity focus on the VP7 and VP4 genes, but the complete genomes of 18 human RVCs have been described in independent studies. The genetic background of the Far East Asian RVCs is different than other human RVCs that were found in India and Bangladesh.

New Ceftriaxone- and Multidrug-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strain with a Novel Mosaic penA Gene Isolated in Japan.

We have characterized in detail a new ceftriaxone- and multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain (FC428) isolated in Japan in 2015. FC428 differed from previous ceftriaxone-resistant strains and contained a novel mosaic penA allele encoding a new mosaic penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP 2). However, the resistance-determining 3'-terminal region of penA was almost identical to the regions of two previously reported ceftriaxone-resistant strains from Australia and Japan, indicating that both ceftriaxone-resistant strains and conserved ceftriaxone resistance-determining PBP 2 regions might spread.

Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans isolated from a wild bird (ural owl) and its feed (shrew-moles): comparison of molecular types with human isolates.

Background: Corynebacterium ulcerans is a pathogen causing diphtheria-like illness to humans. In contrast to diphtheria by Corynebacterium diphtheriae circulating mostly among humans, C. ulcerans infection is zoonotic.

Dissemination of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase- and AmpC β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli within the Food Distribution System of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

To investigate the dissemination of ESBL/pAmpC-producing E. coli within the food distribution system of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, the prevalence of ESBL/pAmpC-producing E. coli strains in chicken meat, pork, beef, and fish/shrimp samples obtained from slaughterhouses, a wholesale market, and supermarkets was examined.

[Validation Study for Analytical Method of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisons in 9 Kinds of Shellfish].

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination of okadaic acid, dinophysistoxin-1 and dinophysistoxin-2 in shellfish using ultra performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Shellfish poisons in spiked samples were extracted with methanol and 90% methanol, and were hydrolyzed with 2.5 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution.

Toll-like receptor 9 ligand D-type oligodeoxynucleotide D35 as a broad inhibitor for influenza A virus replication that is associated with suppression of neuraminidase activity.

The most effective drugs available to treat influenza are neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, which provide important additional measures for the control of influenza virus infections. However, since the emergence of NA inhibitor-resistant viruses may compromise the clinical utility of this class of anti-influenza agents, it is very important to develop new anti-influenza agents which target a different region in NA responsible for its sensitivity from that for NA inhibitors and could be used to treat NA inhibitors-resistant isolates. The oligodeoxynucleotide D35, multimerized and aggregated, suppressed replication of influenza A viruses except A/WSN/33 (WSN).

Current status of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis in Okinawa prefecture, Japan.

Enterobacteriaceae producing extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) are distributed worldwide. In this study, 114 ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were isolated by analyzing 1672 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae collected from an Okinawa prefectural hospital in Japan between June 2013 and July 2014. The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae was 6.

Successful control of an outbreak of GES-5 extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a long-term care facility in Japan.

Background: Little is known about multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP) outbreaks in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Aim: To describe an MDRP outbreak in an LTCF and to clarify risk factors for MDRP acquisition.

Methods: Patients who were positive for MDRP at an LTCF from January 2013 to January 2014 were analysed.

Legionella thermalis sp. nov., isolated from hot spring water in Tokyo, Japan.

Strain L-47(T) of a novel bacterial species belonging to the genus Legionella was isolated from a sample of hot spring water from Tokyo, Japan. The 16S rRNA gene sequences (1477 bp) of this strain (accession number AB899895) had less than 95.0% identity with other Legionella species.

Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans isolated from a hunting dog and its diphtheria toxin antibody titer.

Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans is a zoonotic pathogen that produces diphtheria toxin and causes a diphtheria-like illness in humans. The organism is known to infect and circulate among dogs, which can then transmit it to humans. Furthermore, previous studies have found that C.

Subtilase cytotoxin produced by locus of enterocyte effacement-negative Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli induces stress granule formation.

Subtilase cytotoxin (SubAB) is mainly produced by locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-negative strains of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC). SubAB cleaves an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone, BiP/Grp78, leading to induction of ER stress. This stress causes activation of ER stress sensor proteins and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis.

A New Screen for Tuberculosis Drug Candidates Utilizing a Luciferase-Expressing Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guéren.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease caused by a bacterial pathogen. Mortality from tuberculosis was estimated at 1.5 million deaths worldwide in 2013.

Defining the Genome Features of Escherichia albertii, an Emerging Enteropathogen Closely Related to Escherichia coli.

Escherichia albertii is a recently recognized close relative of Escherichia coli. This emerging enteropathogen possesses a type III secretion system (T3SS) encoded by the locus of enterocyte effacement, similar to enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EPEC and EHEC).

Seasonal variations of respiratory viruses and etiology of human rhinovirus infection in children.

Background: Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method it is possible to detect uncultivable viruses and discover multiple viral infections. However, the clinical importance of these findings in relation to symptoms is not known.

Objectives: The seasonal fluctuations of respiratory viruses and the clinical outcomes of single infections and dual infections were investigated.

Investigation of Legionella Contamination in Bath Water Samples by Culture, Amoebic Co-Culture, and Real-Time Quantitative PCR Methods.

We investigated Legionella contamination in bath water samples, collected from 68 bathing facilities in Japan, by culture, culture with amoebic co-culture, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and real-time qPCR with amoebic co-culture. Using the conventional culture method, Legionella pneumophila was detected in 11 samples (11/68, 16.2%).

Evaluation of an immunochromatographic assay for direct identification of thermostable direct hemolysin-producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus colonies on selective agar plates.

We evaluated the utility of an immunochromatographic assay (NH IC TDH) in identifying thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH)-producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus colonies on selective agar plates. The sensitivity of the NH IC TDH assay was 100% (189 samples) and its specificity was 100% (41 samples) compared with the presence of tdh.