Case report: Cutaneous anthrax diagnosed using mNGS of a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sample

The metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) method is preferred for genotyping useful for the identification of organisms, illumination of metabolic pathways, and determination of microbiota. It can accurately obtain all the nucleic acid information in the test sample. Anthrax is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, infecting mainly herbivores and occasionally humans. The disease has four typical clinical forms, cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalation, and injection, all of which may result in sepsis or meningitis, with cutaneous being the most common form. Here, we report a case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS in a butcher. Histopathology of a skin biopsy revealed PAS-positive bacilli. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample was confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax by mNGS. He was cured with intravenous penicillin. To our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS using FFPE tissue. mNGS is useful for identifying pathogens that are difficult to diagnose with conventional methods, and FFPE samples are simple to manage. Compared with traditional bacterial culture, which is difficult to cultivate and takes a long time, mNGS can quickly and accurately help us diagnose anthrax, so that anthrax can be controlled in a timely manner and prevent the outbreak of epidemic events.

Case Report: Borderline Lepromatous Leprosy Therapy Complicated by Type 1 Leprosy Reaction and Adverse Reactions with Dapsone and Clofazimine

Leprosy is a global health issue, causing long-term functional morbidity and stigma. Rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important; however, early diagnosis is often challenging, especially in nonendemic areas. Here, we report a case of borderline lepromatous leprosy accompanied by dapsone-induced (neutropenia, anemia, and methemoglobinemia) and clofazimine-induced (skin discoloration and ichthyosis) side effects and type 1 leprosy reactions during administration of the multidrug therapy. The patient completely recovered without developing any deformities or visual impairment. To ensure early diagnosis and a favorable outcome, clinicians should be aware of the diminished sensation of skin lesions as a key physical finding and manage the drug toxicities and leprosy reactions appropriately in patients on multidrug therapy.

Construction and genetic characterization of an interspecific raspberry hybrids panel aiming resistance to late leaf rust and adaptation to tropical regions

Raspberries (Rubus spp) are temperate climate fruits with profitable high returns and have the potential for diversification of fruit growing in mid to low-latitude regions. However, there are still no cultivars adapted to climatic conditions and high pressure of diseases that occurs in tropical areas. In this context, our objective was to evaluate the genetic diversity from a 116 raspberry genotypes panel obtained from interspecific crosses in a testcross scheme with four cultivars already introduced in Brazil. The panel was genotyped via genotyping-by-sequencing. 28,373 and 27,281 SNPs were obtained, using the species R. occidentalis and R. idaeus genomes as references, respectively. A third marker dataset was constructed consisting of 41,292 non-coincident markers. Overall, there were no differences in the results when using the different marker sets for the subsequent analyses. The mean heterozygosity was 0.54. The average effective population size was 174, indicating great genetic variability. The other analyses revealed that the half-sibling families were structured in three groups. It is concluded that the studied panel has great potential for breeding and further genetic studies. Moreover, only one of the three marker matrices is sufficient for diversity studies.

Experimental and in silico evaluation of Carthamus tinctorius L. oil emulgel: a promising treatment for bacterial skin infections

Purpose

The current study aimed to develop a topical herbal emulgel containing Carthamus tinctorius L. (CT) oil extract, which has been scientifically proven for its antibacterial and antioxidant activities for the ailment of bacterial skin infections.

Method

The CT emulgel was formulated by response surface methodology (RSM) and was evaluated by various parameters like extrudability, spreadability, pH, viscosity, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Molecular docking was also performed using AutoDock.

Results

Among all formulated CT emulgels, F9 and F8 were optimized. Optimized formulations had shown good spreadability and extrudability characteristics. Sample F8 had % inhibition of 42.131 ± 0.335, 56.720 ± 0.222, and 72.440 ± 0.335 at different concentrations. Sample F9 had % inhibition of 26.312 ± 0.280, 32.461 ± 0.328, and 42.762 ± 0.398 at concentrations of 250 µg/ml, 500 µg/ml, and 1,000 µg/ml, respectively, which shows that both samples F8 and F9 have significant antioxidant potential. Optimized CT emulgels F8 and F9 had significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at p-value = 0.00, the Emulgel-F8 shows zone of inhibition of 24 mm for E-coli and 19 mm for S-aureus. Emulgel-F9 shows zone of inhibition of 22 mm for E-coli and 15 mm for S-aureus while pure CT- Oil extract shows zone of inhibition of 25 mm for E-coli and 20 mm for S-aureus and ciprofloxacin used as standard shows 36mm zone of inhibition against both E-coli and S-aureus. The comparative investigation through molecular docking binding affinities and interactions of ligands with various target proteins provides insights into the molecular processes behind ligand binding and may have significance for drug discovery and design for the current study.

Conclusion

The current study suggests that C. tinctorius L.-based emulgel has good antioxidant and antibacterial activities against E. coli for the treatment of bacterial skin infections.

Sphagnum increases soil's sequestration capacity of mineral-associated organic carbon via activating metal oxides

Sphagnum wetlands are global hotspots for carbon storage, conventionally attributed to the accumulation of decay-resistant litter. However, the buildup of mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) with relatively slow turnover has rarely been examined therein. Here, employing both large-scale comparisons across major terrestrial ecosystems and soil survey along Sphagnum gradients in distinct wetlands, we show that Sphagnum fosters a notable accumulation of metal-bound organic carbon (OC) via activating iron and aluminum (hydr)oxides in the soil. The unique phenolic and acidic metabolites of Sphagnum further strengthen metal-organic associations, leading to the dominance of metal-bound OC in soil MAOC. Importantly, in contrast with limited MAOC sequestration potentials elsewhere, MAOC increases linearly with soil OC accrual without signs of saturation in Sphagnum wetlands. These findings collectively demonstrate that Sphagnum acts as an efficient 'rust engineer' that largely boosts the rusty carbon sink in wetlands, potentially increasing long-term soil carbon sequestration.

Case Report: Upper Thoracic Esophageal Paralysis Accompanying a Type 1 Leprosy Reaction

Type 1 leprosy reactions (T1LRs) occur mainly in patients with borderline leprosy and an unstable immune status. The main symptoms of T1LRs include aggravated skin lesions and nerve damage. Nerve damage involving the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves causes dysfunction of the nose, pharynx, larynx, and even the esophagus, which are innervated by these nerves. Here, we report a case of upper thoracic esophageal paralysis caused by vagus nerve involvement in a patient with T1LRs. Although infrequent, this serious emergency merits attention.

Turpentine Ointment in Bacterial Skin Infections: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Turpentine-containing substances are considered effective in treating cutaneous bacterial infections, but reliable clinical data are scant.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the efficacy and safety of an ointment containing larch turpentine (from Larix decidua), eucalyptus oil (from Eucalyptus globulus), and turpentine oil (from Pinus pinaster) in outpatients with painful skin abscesses in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

INTERVENTION

116 outpatients with skin abscesses used verum or placebo for 10 days. Sum score of the patient's discomforts, changes in abscess size, rate of therapeutic success, and complete healing served as outcome parameters.

RESULTS

Fifty-four patients were treated with verum and 56 with placebo. According to the patient's discomfort sum score, patients in the verum group showed a better improvement compared to the placebo group (7.3 vs. 4.7; p = 0.024), and subjective assessment by the investigators revealed a higher treatment success rate after verum (70% vs. 48%; p = 0.021). Complete healing was documented in 67% of the patients receiving verum versus 46% in the placebo group (p = 0.037). There was a positive trend toward a larger decrease in the abscess sizes in the verum group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

The ointment studied is an effective and safe option for the treatment of bacterial skin diseases.

'A remedy for this dread disease': Achille Sclavo, anthrax and serum therapy in early twentieth-century Britain

In the years around 1900 one of the most significant practical consequences of new styles of bacteriological thought and practice was the development of preventive vaccines and therapeutic sera. Historical scholarship has highlighted how approaches rooted in the laboratory methods of Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur and their collaborators were transformed in local contexts and applied in diverse ways to enable more effective disease identification, prevention and treatment. Amongst these, the anti-anthrax serum developed by the Italian physician Achille Sclavo (1861-1930) has received little to no attention from historians. This article positions Sclavo's serum as a neglected but significant presence in British microbiology, which achieved widespread uptake amidst a wave of optimism, despite prolonged uncertainty about its mechanism of action and dosage. After being introduced to Britain in 1904 by the enterprising first medical inspector of factories Thomas Morison Legge, within a matter of months the serum became regarded by medical practitioners as an effective treatment of cutaneous anthrax, though access to 'fresh' serum and the necessary speedy diagnosis remained problematic. Like the disease anthrax itself, discussion of 'Sclavo's serum' was out of all proportion to the relatively low number of cases, reflecting a deep-seated fascination with the wider possibilities afforded by effective serum therapy.

[Analysis of epidemic characteristics of anthrax in China from 2017 to 2019 and molecular typing of Bacillus anthracis]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of anthrax in China from 2017 to 2019 and molecular typing of Bacillus anthracis isolated from some provinces (autonomous regions). Methods: Surveillance data of anthrax cases reported from 2017 to 2019 in the Infectious Disease Surveillance information System of China Disease Prevention and Control and the Public Health Emergency Reporting and Management Information System were collected, and descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the epidemic characteristics, including the temporal, geographic and demographic distribution of this disease. A total of 47 strains of Bacillus anthracis isolated from 2017 to 2019 were analyzed by canSNP and MLVA15. Results: A total of 951 cases of anthrax were reported from 2017 to 2019, of which 938 were cutaneous anthrax, representing 98.63% of the total number reported. It was mainly distributed in the west and northeast of China, and the three provinces with the highest number of cases were Gansu (215), Sichuan (202) and Qinghai (191). Cases had been reported throughout the year, more cases occurred in the summer and autumn, and August was the month with the most cases,66.35% (211/318), 72.32% (243/336) and 68.01% (202/297) of cases were reported during June to September. The age distribution was mainly between 20 and 59 years old, accounting for more than 80% of all cases. The number of male cases was significantly higher than that of female cases, the ratio of male to female was about 3∶1. The occupations were mainly herdsmen and farmers, accounting for 49.70% to 58.18% and 31.45% to 36.70%, respectively. Public health events occurred every year, and 29 events had been reported from 2017 to 2019. canSNP analysis showed that 37 of the 47 strains belonged to the A.Br.001/002 subgroup and 10 belonged to the A.Br.Ames subgroup. MLVA15 analysis showed that there were 17 genotypes, of which 10 genotypes contained only one strain. Conclusion: Cutaneous anthrax was the predominant clinical type in China from 2017 to 2019.The seasonal, geographic and demographic distribution characteristics were evident.Molecular typing methods such as canSNP and MLVA15 can be used to trace the source of infectious diseases and provide technical support for anthrax prevention and control.

Multifunctional Parachute-like Nanomotors for Enhanced Skin Penetration and Synergistic Antifungal Therapy

Fungal infections in skin are extremely stubborn and seriously threaten human health. In the process of antifungal treatment, it is a huge challenge that the stratum corneum of the skin and fungal biofilms form the drug transport barrier. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR) laser-propelled parachute-like nanomotor loaded with miconazole nitrate (PNM-MN) is fabricated to enhance transdermal drug delivery for synergistic antifungal therapy. Due to asymmetrically spatial distribution, PNM can generate a thermal gradient under NIR laser irradiation, thereby forming effective self-thermophoretic propulsion. The self-propulsion and photothermal effect of PNM play a major role in promoting fungal uptake and biofilm adhesion. Moreover, under laser irradiation, PNM-MN can obliterate plankton Candida albicans and mature biofilms by combining pharmacological therapy and photothermal therapy. More importantly, the drug effectively penetrated the skin to reach the infected site using the nanomotor with NIR laser irradiation. Moreover, PNM-MN with a NIR laser can eradicate fungal infections caused by C. albicans and facilitate the abscess ablation, showing a therapeutic effect in vivo better than that of PNM with a NIR laser or free MN groups, with negligible histological toxicity. Taken together, NIR laser-propelled PNM-MN, as an antifungal nanoagent, provides a promising strategy for transdermal delivery and antifungal therapy.

Severe bacterial skin infections

The severe bacterial diseases discussed herein are those that present dermatological lesions as their initial manifestations, for which the dermatologist is often called upon to give an opinion or is even the first to examine the patient. This review focuses on those that evolve with skin necrosis during their natural history, that is, necrotizing fasciitis, Fournier gangrene, and ecthyma gangrenosum. Notice that the more descriptive terminology was adopted; each disease was individualized, rather than being referred by the generic term "necrotizing soft tissue infections". Due to their relevance and increasing frequency, infections by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were also included, more specifically abscesses, furuncle, and carbuncle, and their potential etiologies by MRSA. This article focuses on the epidemiology, clinical dermatological manifestations, methods of diagnosis, and treatment of each of the diseases mentioned.

Disseminated Nocardia Infection in an Old Male Patient with Nephrotic Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Nocardia infection is a very rare bacterial infection caused by Gram-positive, aerobic nocardia species. However, in recent years, it has become a serious infection in immunocompromised patients. Earlier diagnosis plays a pivotal in the effective treatment of nocardia infection.

METHODS

In this study, we reported a 65-year-old male patient with nephrotic syndrome who had disseminated abscesses in the lungs, right lower limb, and right cheek.

RESULTS

Bacterial culture from these lesions confirmed the presence of nocardia. Timely administration of sensitive antibiotics resulted in a quick recovery for this patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Nocardia infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infectious lesions, especially when a patient has multiple abscesses and an underlying disorder in which the immune function of the patient may be compromised.

Antimicrobial activity of southern African medicinal plants with dermatological relevance: From an ethnopharmacological screening approach, to combination studies and the isolation of a bioactive compound

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ethnobotanical reports on more than 100 southern African medicinal plants with dermatological relevance have been highlighted, yet there is still limited scientific data to support claims for their antimicrobial effectiveness against skin pathogens. Guided by ethnobotanical data, this paper explores the antimicrobial efficacies of southern African medicinal plants used to treat skin ailments.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the antimicrobial properties of southern African medicinal plants against dermatologically relevant pathogens. The study also aimed at providing a scientific rationale for the traditional use of plant combinations to treat skin diseases and the isolation of the bio-active compound from the most active species, Aristea ecklonii (Iridaceae).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Organic and aqueous extracts (132) were prepared from 47 plant species and screened for antimicrobial properties against dermatologically relevant pathogens using the micro-titre plate dilution method. Four different plant combinations were investigated for interactive properties and the sum of the fractional inhibitory concentration (ƩFIC) calculated. Isobolograms were used to further investigate the antimicrobial interactive properties of Pentanisia prunelloides combined with Elephantorrhiza elephantina at varied ratios. A bioactivity-guided fractionation process was adopted to fractionate the organic leaf extract of Aristea ecklonii.

RESULTS

Plants demonstrating notable broad-spectrum activities (MIC values ≤1.00mg/ml) against the tested pathogens included extracts from Aristea ecklonii, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Diospyros mespiliformis, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Gunnera perpensa, Harpephyllum caffrum, Hypericum perforatum, Melianthus comosus, Terminalia sericea and Warburgia salutaris. The organic extract of Elephantorrhiza elephantina, a plant reportedly used to treat acne vulgaris, demonstrated noteworthy antimicrobial activity (MIC value of 0.05mg/ml) against Propionibacterium acnes. Similarly, Diospyros mespiliformis reported for its traditional use to treat ringworm, also displayed noteworthy antimicrobial activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (MIC 0.10mg/ml) and Microsporum canis (MIC 0.50mg/ml). The aqueous root extracts of Pentanisia prunelloides combined (1:1) with Elephantorrhiza elephantina displayed synergistic interactions (ƩFIC values 0.31-0.38) against Staphylococcus aureus, gentamycin-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans. Fractionation of Aristea ecklonii resulted in the isolation of the known bio-active compound, plumbagin, displaying noteworthy antimicrobial activity (MIC range between 2.00μg/ml and 16.00μg/ml).

CONCLUSION

Most of the plant extracts demonstrated pathogen specific antimicrobial effects with a few exhibiting broad-spectrum activities. Positive antimicrobial effects noted for plants such as Elephantorrhiza elephantina and Diospyros mespiliformis used for acne vulgaris and ringworm infections, respectively, give some validation to their reported traditiona l uses. Synergistic interactions noted for Pentanisia prunelloides combined with Elephantorrhiza elephantina validate an enhanced antimicrobial effect when used in combination. Noteworthy antimicrobial activities (MIC range between 2.00μg/ml and 16.00μg/ml) were observed for plumbagin isolated from Aristea ecklonii.

Increased membrane turnover in the brain in cutaneous anthrax without central nervous system disorder: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

Cutaneous anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis contacting the skin, is the most common form of human anthrax. Recent studies implicate the presence of additional, possibly toxin-related subtle changes, even in patients without neurological or radiological findings. In this study, the presence of subtle changes in cutaneous anthrax was investigated at the metabolite level using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Study subjects were consisted of 10 patients with cutaneous anthrax without co-morbid disease and/or neurological findings, and 13 healthy controls. There were no statistical differences in age and gender between two groups. The diagnosis of cutaneous anthrax was based on medical history, presence of a typical cutaneous lesion, large gram positive bacilli on gram staining and/or positive culture for B. anthracis from cutaneous samples. Brain magnetic resonance imaging examination consisted of conventional imaging and single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed by using point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (TR: 2000ms, TE: 136ms, 128 averages). Voxels of 20mm×20mm×20mm were placed in normal-appearing parietal white matter to detect metabolite levels. Cerebral metabolite peaks were measured in normal appearing parietal white matter. N-acetyl aspartate/creatine and choline/creatine ratios were calculated using standard analytical procedures. Patients and controls were not statistically different regarding parietal white matter N-acetyl aspartate/creatine ratios (p=0.902), a finding that implicates the conservation of neuronal and axonal integrity and neuronal functions. However, choline/creatine ratios were significantly higher in patient groups (p=0.001), a finding implicating an increased membrane turnover. In conclusion, these two findings point to a possibly anthrax toxins-related subtle inflammatory reaction of the central nervous system at the cellular level.

[Necrotic lesion of the lip and cough with fever: cutaneous and pulmonary anthrax]

Anthrax disease is an anthropozoonosis caused by Bacillus anthracis. It appears in three clinical forms: pulmonary, intestinal, and cutaneous. We report a case of pulmonary and cutaneous anthrax in a one-year-old Moroccan infant.

Two cases of infection with Bacillus anthracis, Romania, October 2011

A cluster of two confirmed cases of anthrax were reported in October 2011 from a small village with a population of 3,400 people, in south-eastern Romania.One was a fatal case of cutaneous and anthrax meningoencephalitis, while the other had cutaneous anthrax. Both cases had been exposed to one Bacillus anthracis-infected cow via consumption of its meat or being involved in its slaughter.

Investigation and analysis of a human orf outbreak among people living on the same farm

Human orf is a viral zoonotic infection caused by Parapoxvirus. The skin lesions of human orf can be misdiagnosed as cutaneous anthrax leading to overtreatment and also fear. This study was conducted to analyze an outbreak which led to deaths among kids and lambs in the same flock, and skin lesions in some persons who were living on the same farm that were initially diagnosed as cutaneous anthrax by a practitioner. Eight patients with skin lesions and eleven persons who had no skin lesion were considered as patients and control groups, respectively. The cultures obtained from the lesions of all patients were negative for Bacillus anthracis. The diagnosis of skin lesions was done by clinical findings, histopathological examination and PCR as human orf. To be under 20 years of age, direct contact with the animals, and contact with flayed skin of sick animals were the risk factors for human orf (Odds Ratio 7.5; 95% Confidence Interval 1.02-54.54, OR 12.25; 95% CI:1.3-100.9, OR 16.67; 95% CI:1.65-148.20, respectively). Orf should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions resembling anthrax. For control and prevention of orf, transmission routes should be known; good hand hygiene and other personal protective measures have to be implemented.