Chronic infection with Mycobacterium lepraemurium induces alterations in the hippocampus associated with memory loss

Murine leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium lepraemurium (MLM), is a chronic disease that closely resembles human leprosy. Even though this disease does not directly involve the nervous system, we investigated a possible effect on working memory during this chronic infection in Balb/c mice. We evaluated alterations in the dorsal region of the hippocampus and measured peripheral levels of cytokines at 40, 80, and 120 days post-infection. To evaluate working memory, we used the T-maze while a morphometric analysis was conducted in the hippocampus regions CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) to measure morphological changes. In addition, a neurochemical analysis was performed by HPLC. Our results show that, at 40 days post-infection, there was an increase in the bacillary load in the liver and spleen associated to increased levels of IL-4, working memory deterioration, and changes in hippocampal morphology, including degeneration in the four subregions analyzed. Also, we found a decrease in neurotransmitter levels at the same time of infection. Although MLM does not directly infect the nervous system, these findings suggest a possible functional link between the immune system and the central nervous system.

[Post-operative infections after cosmetic tourism]

Cosmetic tourism is defined as patient mobility across borders, typically constituted by patients seeking cosmetic surgery at lower costs abroad. The most common procedures are abdominoplasty, fat grafting and breast augmentation. Very little is known about the complication rates after cosmetic tourism, and there is a paucity of evidence in all aspects of cosmetic tourism. In this review, we focus on post-operative complications i.e. post-operative infections, in particular with rare microorganisms such as mycobacteria.

MonoMac syndrome with associated neurological deficits and longitudinally extensive cord lesion

We present a case of monocytopaenia and mycobacteria-related infection (MonoMac) syndrome in a 30-year-old man of Indian origin. The clinical diagnosis of GATA2 haploinsufficiency was suspected after an unusual neurological presentation on a background of myelodysplastic syndrome and childhood pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient had a longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesion and a lesion in the medulla. No obvious infective cause for the spinal cord MRI abnormality was found, and the lesions were presumed to be inflammatory in nature. The family history consisted of autosomal dominant clinical features suggestive of GATA2 haploinsufficiency. Genetic testing in peripheral leucocytes revealed a pathogenic mutation in GATA2 This is the first-ever published case of possible MonoMac syndrome with a neurological presentation. The case highlights the rarity and complexity of the diagnosis and the clinical sequelae that ensued with the patient dying of gram-negative septicaemia while receiving intravenous steroid therapy for the spinal cord lesion.

High prevalence of Mycobacterium genavense within flocks of pet birds

Mycobacterium genavense is regarded as the primary cause of mycobacteriosis in psittaciform and passeriform birds, which are commonly kept as pets. In humans, Mycobacterium genavense is especially pathogenic for young, old, pregnant and immunocompromised people (YOPIs). In birds, only few studies, mainly case reports, exist and there is still little e information about occurrence and relevance of this zoonotic pathogen. In this first pilot study concerning the prevalence of Mycobacterium genavense within flocks of naturally infected pet birds, real-time PCR examinations of 170 individual passeriform and psittaciform birds, including commonly kept budgerigars, lovebirds and zebra finches as well as gold finches and weaver finches, were conducted to determine the infection rate in six different aviaries. Antemortem examinations of faeces and cloacal swabs were compared with postmortem examinations of tissue samples to evaluate the reliability of antemortem diagnostics. Additional ophthalmologic examinations were performed to evaluate their diagnostic potential. Molecular examinations for viral co-infections, including circovirus, polyomavirus and adenovirus, were conducted to identify potential risk factors. PCR results revealed a detection prevalence of Mycobacterium genavense in the flocks varying from 3% to 91% based on postmortem testing, while antemortem diagnostics of faecal samples and swabs showed 64% discrepant (false negative) results. Ophthalmologic examinations were not useful in identifying infected birds within the flocks. Viral co-infections, especially with polyomavirus, were common. It has to be assumed that Mycobacterium genavense infections are widespread and underdiagnosed in companion birds. Viral infections might be an important risk factor. There is urgent need to improve antemortem diagnostics.

Reemergence of Mycobacterium chimaera in Heater-Cooler Units despite Intensified Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol

Invasive Mycobacterium chimaera infections after open-heart surgery have been reported internationally. These devastating infections result from aerosols generated by contaminated heater–cooler units used with extracorporeal circulation during surgery. Despite intensified cleaning and disinfection, surveillance samples from factory-new units acquired during 2014 grew nontuberculous mycobacteria after a median of 174 days.

Enhanced Methodologies for Detecting Phenotypic Resistance in Mycobacteria

Lipid droplets found in algae and other microscopic organisms have become of interest to many researchers partially because they carry the capacity to produce bio-oil for the mass market. They are of importance in biology and clinical practice because their presence can be a phenotypic marker of an altered metabolism, including reversible resistance to antibiotics, prompting intense research.A useful stain for detecting lipid bodies in the lab is Nile red. It is a dye that exhibits solvatochromism; its absorption band varies in spectral position, shape and intensity with the nature of its solvent environment, it will fluoresce intensely red in polar environment and blue shift with the changing polarity of its solvent. This makes it ideal for the detection of lipid bodies within Mycobacterium spp. This is because mycobacterial lipid bodies' primary constituents are nonpolar lipids such as triacylglycerols but bacterial cell membranes are primarily polar lipid species. In this chapter we describe an optimal method for using Nile red to distinguish lipid containing (Lipid rich or LR cells) from those without lipid bodies (Lipid Poor or LP). As part of the process we have optimized a method for separating LP and LR cells that does not require the use of an ultracentrifuge or complex separation media. We believe that these methods will facilitate further research in these enigmatic, transient and important cell states.

Detecting Phenotypically Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using Wavelength Modulated Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive and label-free technique. Wavelength modulated Raman (WMR) spectroscopy was applied to investigate Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell state, lipid rich (LR) and lipid poor (LP). Compared to LP cells, LR cells can be up to 40 times more resistant to key antibiotic regimens. Using this methodology single lipid rich (LR) from lipid poor (LP) bacteria can be differentiated with both high sensitivity and specificity. It can also be used to investigate experimentally infected frozen tissue sections where both cell types can be differentiated. This methodology could be utilized to study the phenotype of mycobacterial cells in other tissues.

Pathology of the Emerging Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi, in the Banded Mongoose ( Mungos mungo)

Wild banded mongooses ( Mungos mungo) in northeastern Botswana and northwest Zimbabwe are infected with a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi. We evaluated gross and histologic lesions in 62 infected mongooses (1999-2017). Many tissues contained multifocal irregular, lymphohistiocytic to granulomatous infiltrates and/or multifocal or coalescing noncaseating to caseating granulomas with variable numbers of intralesional acid-fast bacilli. Over one-third of nasal turbinates examined had submucosal lymphohistiocytic to granulomatous infiltrates, erosion and ulceration of the nasal mucosa, bony remodeling, and nasal distortion. Similar inflammatory cell infiltrates expanded the dermis of the nasal planum with frequent ulceration. However, even in cases with intact epidermis, acid-fast bacilli were present in variable numbers among dermal infiltrates and on the epidermal surface among desquamated cells and debris, most commonly in small crevices or folds. In general, tissue involvement varied among cases but was highest in lymph nodes (50/54, 93%), liver (39/53, 74%), spleen (37/51, 73%), and anal glands/sacs (6/8, 75%). Pulmonary lesions were present in 67% of sampled mongooses (35/52) but only in advanced disseminated disease. The pathological presentation of M. mungi in the banded mongoose is consistent with pathogen shedding occurring through scent-marking behaviors (urine and anal gland secretions) with new infections arising from contact with these contaminated olfactory secretions and percutaneous movement of the pathogen through breaks in the skin, nasal planum, and/or skin of the snout. Given the character and distribution of lesions and the presence of intracellular acid-fast bacilli, we hypothesize that pathogen spread occurs within the body through a hematogenous and/or lymphatic route. Features of prototypical granulomas such as multinucleated giant cells and peripheral fibrosis were rarely present in affected mongooses. Acid-fast bacilli were consistently found intracellularly, even in regions of necrosis. The mongoose genome has a unique deletion (RD1^mon) that includes part of the encoding region for PPE68 (Rv3873), a gene co-operonic with PE35. These proteins can influence the host's cellular immune response to mycobacterial infections, and it remains uncertain how this deletion might contribute to observed patterns of pathology. M. mungi infection in banded mongooses is characterized by both a unique transmission and exposure route, as well as accompanying pathological features, providing an opportunity to increase our understanding of MTC pathogenesis across host-pathogen systems.

Pathologic features of mycobacteriosis in naturally infected Syngnathidae and novel transcriptome assembly in association with disease

Syngnathidae (seahorses, seadragons and pipefish) suffer significant losses from non-tuberculous mycobacteria. However, they produce markedly different lesions in response to the disease compared to other teleost species, notably infrequent granuloma formation. This study evaluated 270 syngnathid fish, from which 92 were diagnosed with mycobacteriosis by histopathology, culture or both. Microscopic lesions variably consisted of random foci of coagulative necrosis in multiple organs, containing high numbers of free bacteria and large aggregates or sheets of macrophages with cytoplasm laden with acid-fast bacilli. Mycobacterial associated granulomas were identified in only six seahorses. Five fish had positive cultures with no observed microscopic changes. RNA-seq of the head kidney was performed to investigate the transcriptome of two infected and six non-infected lined seahorses Hippocampus erectus. Assembled and annotated putative transcripts serve to enrich the database for this species, as well as provide baseline data for understanding the pathogenesis of mycobacteriosis in seahorses. Putative components of the innate immune system (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, NOS, Toll-like receptor 1, MHC Class I, NF-κβ, transforming growth factor beta, MyD88) were identified in the RNA-seq data set. However, a homolog for a key component in the TH1 adaptive immune response, interferon-gamma, was not identified and may underlie the unique pathologic presentation.

Cutaneous infection due to Mycobacterium immunogenum: an European case report and review of the literature

(no more than 200 words): In the last few years, the incidence of cutaneous infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria is increasing. Since Mycobacterium immunogenum was first described in 2001, few case reports have been described, all of them in the American continent. We report a case with cutaneous infection caused by this newly discovered NTB in Europe.A 65-year-old woman presented with a 3-months history of pruritic lesions on abdomen. Examination revealed erythematous inflammatory papules, pustules, and crusts. Three weeks later, mycobacteria were cultured from the biopsy specimen. Mycobacterium immunogenum was identified based on susceptibility test results and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction enzyme analysis. Treatment with clarithromycin was started. M. immunogenum is a nontuberculous mycobacterium that was first described by Wilson et al. in 2001 as a rapidly growing variety and new species in the Mycobacterium chelonae-Mycobacterium abscessus group. PCR-restriction analysis of a 439-bp segment of the hsp65 gene and/or sequencing the species-specific region of the 16S rDNA can confirm this new species. Since the description of M. immunogenum, 8 clinical case reports have been published, most involving cutaneous infections and all of them in the American continent. We present a case of cutaneous infection caused by M. immunogenum in a Spanish woman.

Impact of disease on the survival of three commercially fished species

Recent increases in emergent infectious diseases have raised concerns about the sustainability of some marine species. The complexity and expense of studying diseases in marine systems often dictate that conservation and management decisions are made without quantitative data on population-level impacts of disease. Mark-recapture is a powerful, underutilized, tool for calculating impacts of disease on population size and structure, even in the absence of etiological information. We applied logistic regression models to mark-recapture data to obtain estimates of disease-associated mortality rates in three commercially important marine species: snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) in Newfoundland, Canada, that experience sporadic epizootics of bitter crab disease; striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Chesapeake Bay, USA, that experience chronic dermal and visceral mycobacteriosis; and American lobster (Homarus americanus) in the Southern New England stock, that experience chronic epizootic shell disease. All three diseases decreased survival of diseased hosts. Survival of diseased adult male crabs was 1% (0.003-0.022, 95% CI) that of uninfected crabs indicating nearly complete mortality of infected crabs in this life stage. Survival of moderately and severely diseased striped bass (which comprised 15% and 11% of the population, respectively) was 84% (70-100%, 95% CI), and 54% (42-68%, 95% CI) that of healthy striped bass. The disease-adjusted yearly natural mortality rate for striped bass was 0.29, nearly double the previously accepted value, which did not include disease. Survival of moderately and severely diseased lobsters was 30% (15-60%, 95% CI) that of healthy lobsters and survival of mildly diseased lobsters was 45% (27-75%, 95% CI) that of healthy lobsters. High disease mortality in ovigerous females may explain the poor recruitment and rapid declines observed in this population. Stock assessments should account for disease-related mortality when resource management options are evaluated.

Antibiotic treatment of zebrafish mycobacteriosis: tolerance and efficacy of treatments with tigecycline and clarithromycin

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a popular model organism used in a growing number of research fields. Maintaining healthy, disease-free laboratory fish is important for the integrity of many of these studies. Mycobacteriosis is a chronic bacterial infection caused by several Mycobacterium spp. and is the second most common disease found in laboratory zebrafish. Current mycobacteriosis control measures recommend the removal of infected fish and in severe outbreaks, depopulation. These measures can be effective, but less disruptive measures should be assessed for controlling mycobacteriosis, particularly when valuable and rare lines of fish are affected. Here, the in vivo efficacy of two drug candidates, tigecycline (1 μg g^-1 ) and clarithromycin (4 μg g^-1 ), was tested in adult zebrafish experimentally infected with Mycobacterium chelonae. We assessed both short (14 day)- and long-term (30 day) treatments and evaluated fecundity and pathological endpoints. Fecundity and histology results show that zebrafish tolerated antibiotics. Antibiotic treatments did not significantly impact the prevalence of acid-fast granulomas; however, the severity of infections (acid-fast granuloma intensity) was significantly decreased following treatments.

IFN-γR1 defects: Mutation update and description of the IFNGR1 variation database

IFN-γ signaling is essential for the innate immune defense against mycobacterial infections. IFN-γ signals through the IFN-γ receptor, which consists of a tetramer of two IFN-γR1 chains in complex with two IFN-γR2 chains, where IFN-γR1 is the ligand-binding chain of the interferon-γ receptor and IFN-γR2 is the signal-transducing chain of the IFN-γ receptor. Germline mutations in the gene IFNGR1 encoding the IFN-γR1 cause a primary immunodeficiency that mainly leads to mycobacterial infections. Here, we review the molecular basis of this immunodeficiency in the 130 individuals described to date, and report mutations in five new individuals, bringing the total number to 135 individuals from 98 kindreds. Forty unique IFNGR1 mutations have been reported and they exert either an autosomal dominant or an autosomal recessive effect. Mutations resulting in premature stopcodons represent the majority of IFNGR1 mutations (60%; 24 out of 40), followed by amino acid substitutions (28%, 11 out of 40). All known mutations, as well as 287 other variations, have been deposited in the online IFNGR1 variation database (www.LOVD.nl/IFNGR1). In this article, we review the function of IFN-γR1 and molecular genetics of human IFNGR1.

Mycobacterium haemophilum infection in a renal transplant patient with inflammatory bowel disease

A 61-year-old immunosuppressed renal transplant patient with inflammatory bowel disease presented with tender pink nodules on the trunk and extremities. An initial biopsy was suggestive of metastatic Crohn disease, but after disease persistence, a second biopsy revealed disseminated Mycobacterium haemophilum. Atypical mycobacterial infections should be considered in immunosuppressed patients. This case highlights the complexities of diagnosing such infections in patients with an underlying granulomatous condition and the particular growth requirements of M. haemophilum.

Differences in pathogenicity of three animal isolates of Mycobacterium species in a mouse model

Animal mycobacterioses are among the most important zoonoses worldwide. These are generally caused by either Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), M. bovis (MBO) or M. avium (MAV). To test the hypothesis that different species of pathogenic mycobacteria isolated from varied anatomic locations or animal species differ in virulence and pathogenicity, we performed experiments with three mycobacteria strains (NTSE-3(MTB), NTSE-4(MBO) and NTSE-5 (MAV)) obtained from animal species. Spoligotyping analysis was used to confirm both MTB and MBO strains while the MAV strain was confirmed by 16s rDNA sequencing. BALB/c mice were intranasally infected with the three strains at low and high CFU doses to evaluate variations in pathogenicity. Clinical and pathological parameters were assessed. Infected mice were euthanized at 80 days post-inoculation (dpi). Measures of lung and body weights indicated that the MBO infected group had higher mortality, more weight loss, higher bacterial burden and more severe lesions in lungs than the other two groups. Cytokine profiles showed higher levels of TNF-α for MBO versus MTB, while MAV had the highest amounts of IFN-β in vitro and in vivo. In vitro levels of other cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, and IFN-β showed that Th1 cells had the strongest response in MBO infected mice and that Th2 cells were inhibited. We found that the level of virulence among the three isolates decreased in the following order MBO>MTB>MAV.

Mycobacterium talmoniae sp. nov., a slowly growing mycobacterium isolated from human respiratory samples

A novel slowly growing, non-chromogenic species of the class Actinobacteria was isolated from a human respiratory sample in Nebraska, USA, in 2012. Analysis of the internal transcribed spacer sequence supported placement into the genus Mycobacterium with high sequence similarity to a previously undescribed strain isolated from a patient respiratory sample from Oregon, USA, held in a collection in Colorado, USA, in 2000. The two isolates were subjected to phenotypic testing and whole genome sequencing and found to be indistinguishable. The bacteria were acid-fast stain-positive, rod-shaped and exhibited growth after 7-10 days on solid media at temperatures ranging from 25 to 42°C. Colonies were non-pigmented, rough and slightly raised. Analyses of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight profiles showed no matches against a reference library of 130 mycobacterial species. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were identical for the two isolates, the average nucleotide identity (ANI) between their genomes was 99.7 % and phylogenetic comparisons classified the novel mycobacteria as the basal most species in the slowly growing Mycobacterium clade. Mycobacterium avium is the most closely related species based on rpoB gene sequence similarity (92 %), but the ANI between the genomes was 81.5 %, below the suggested cut-off for differentiating two species (95 %). Mycolic acid profiles were more similar to M. avium than to Mycobacterium simiae or Mycobacterium abscessus. The phenotypic and genomic data support the conclusion that the two related isolates represent a novel Mycobacterium species for which the name Mycobacterium talmoniae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NE-TNMC-100812T (=ATCC BAA-2683T=DSM 46873T).

First Report in China on the Identification and Drug Sensitivity of Mycobacterium elephantis Isolated from the Milk of a Cow with Mastitis

OBJECTIVE

In this study, milk from a cow with mastitis was analyzed to determine the presence of mycobacterial infection. Milk quality and security problems pertaining to the safe consumption of dairy products were also discussed in this study.

METHODS

Milk was preprocessed with 4% NaOH. Then, mycobacteria were isolated from the milk sample on L-J medium. The isolate was identified using multiple loci Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and multi-locus sequence analysis with 16S rRNA, sodA, hsp65, and ITS genes. The drug sensitivity of the isolate to 27 antibiotics was tested through alamar blue assay.

RESULTS

Smooth, moist, pale yellow colonies appeared on the L-J medium within a week after inoculation. Based on the results of multiple loci PCR analysis, the isolate was preliminarily identified as non-tuberculous mycobacteria. The 16S rRNA, SodA, hsp65, and ITS gene sequences of the isolate exhibited 99%, 99%, 99%, and 100% similarities, respectively, with those of the published reference strains of Mycobacterium elephantis (M. elephantis). The drug sensitivity results showed that the strain is resistant to isoniazid, p-aminosalicylic acid, and trimesulf but is sensitive to ofloxacin, rifampicin, amikacin, capreomycin, moxifloxacin, kanamycin, levofloxacin, cycloserine, ethambutol, streptomycin, tobramycin, rifabutin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid, cefoxitin, clarithromycin, and minocycline.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this study is initially to report the isolation of M. elephantis from the milk of a cow with mastitis in China.

Isolation and identification of multiple drug resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria from organs of cattle produced typical granuloma lesions

Nontuberculosis mycobacteria are widespread in the environment and some are zoonotic. 320 tissue samples with visible lesions were obtained from dairy cows and examined by histopathology. Eleven samples showed typical granulomatous lesions and a total of 8 strains were cultured. Three genes (16S rRNA, hsp65 and rpoB) were sequenced for species identification. All mycobacterial isolates were tested for rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin, capreomycin, kanamycin, para-aminosalicylic acid susceptibility. Six strains were identified as M. fortuitum, 1 was M. avium, 1 was M. conceptionense, isolated from cattle for the first time. Seven of the 8 isolated strains showed multiple drug resistance.

Investigation and management of an outbreak of multispecies mycobacteriosis in Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus fosteri) including the use of triple antibiotic treatment

Disease due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is common in fish. Current recommendations focus on outbreak management by depopulating entire fish stocks and disinfecting tanks. Treatment is not advocated. Treatment may be appropriate, however, where individual, valuable fish are concerned. ZSL London Zoo managed an outbreak of mycobacteriosis in a valuable group of imported F1 captive-bred Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus fosteri) by depopulation, isolation, extensive testing and daily oral antibiotic treatment. Four species of Mycobacterium (M. marinum, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae and M. peregrinum) were involved in this outbreak, each with unique antibiotic sensitivities. Triple therapy with rifampicin, doxycycline and enrofloxacin for 8 months was the most effective antibiotic combination, resulting in full disease resolution. No side effects were noted and, more than 18 months post-treatment, no recurrence had occurred. This is the first report of mycobacterial disease in lungfish and the first report of a polymycobacterial outbreak in fish involving these four species of Mycobacterium. This report demonstrates the value of extensive isolation and identification. Also, as therapies currently advised in standard texts did not reflect the antibiotic sensitivity of the NTM found in the fish reported here, we recommend that antibiotic treatment should always be based on sensitivity testing.

Development of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assays for Postmortem Detection of Mycobacterium spp. Common in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Research Colonies

Mycobacterium spp. infections are common in zebrafish kept in research facilities. These comorbidities can substantially modulate the responses of these fish to external and internal stimuli. Therefore, diagnostic tests to detect Mycobacterium spp. infections in zebrafish colonies prove essential. Here, we outline the development of quantitative simplex real-time PCR assays to detect the 3 Mycobacterium species most commonly identified in laboratory zebrafish. The assays targeted the heatshock protein 65 gene of M. marinum, M. chelonae, and M. haemophilum. The assays are both highly specific and sensitive for fresh-frozen samples and highly specific and moderately sensitive for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. Two sampling techniques for FFPE samples of sagittally sectioned zebrafish were evaluated. Both paraffin cores targeting granulomas containing bacteria and scrolls from the entire fish yielded DNA of equivalent quantity and purity. The diagnostic sensitivity of cores was superior to that of scrolls for M. chelonae and M. haemophilum but not M. marinum. The assays are cost-effective and ideally suited to diagnosing common Mycobacterium spp. infections in zebrafish.

Rapid One-step Enzymatic Synthesis and All-aqueous Purification of Trehalose Analogues

Chemically modified versions of trehalose, or trehalose analogues, have applications in biology, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical science, among other fields. For instance, trehalose analogues bearing detectable tags have been used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis and may have applications as tuberculosis diagnostic imaging agents. Hydrolytically stable versions of trehalose are also being pursued due to their potential for use as non-caloric sweeteners and bioprotective agents. Despite the appeal of this class of compounds for various applications, their potential remains unfulfilled due to the lack of a robust route for their production. Here, we report a detailed protocol for the rapid and efficient one-step biocatalytic synthesis of trehalose analogues that bypasses the problems associated with chemical synthesis. By utilizing the thermostable trehalose synthase (TreT) enzyme from Thermoproteus tenax, trehalose analogues can be generated in a single step from glucose analogues and uridine diphosphate glucose in high yield (up to quantitative conversion) in 15-60 min. A simple and rapid non-chromatographic purification protocol, which consists of spin dialysis and ion exchange, can deliver many trehalose analogues of known concentration in aqueous solution in as little as 45 min. In cases where unreacted glucose analogue still remains, chromatographic purification of the trehalose analogue product can be performed. Overall, this method provides a "green" biocatalytic platform for the expedited synthesis and purification of trehalose analogues that is efficient and accessible to non-chemists. To exemplify the applicability of this method, we describe a protocol for the synthesis, all-aqueous purification, and administration of a trehalose-based click chemistry probe to mycobacteria, all of which took less than 1 hour and enabled fluorescence detection of mycobacteria. In the future, we envision that, among other applications, this protocol may be applied to the rapid synthesis of trehalose-based probes for tuberculosis diagnostics. For instance, short-lived radionuclide-modified trehalose analogues (e.g., 18F-modified trehalose) could be used for advanced clinical imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT).

Study suggests hidden epidemic in CF patients

Dangerous Mycobacterium strains appear to be spreading.

Mycobacterium riyadhense infections

Mycobacterium riyadhense is a newly described slowly growing, non-tuberculous mycobacterium species. We describe 2 new cases of Mycobacterium riyadhense infections presenting with extra-pulmonary involvement, and reviewed all previously reported cases in the literature. We also describe the spectrum of the disease and explore treatment options based on the experience with the current and previously reported cases.