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Semmler F, Regis Belisário-Ferrari M, Kulosa M, Kaysser L. The Metabolic Potential of the Human Lung Microbiome. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1448. [PMID: 39065215 PMCID: PMC11278768 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The human lung microbiome remains largely underexplored, despite its potential implications in the pharmacokinetics of inhaled drugs and its involvement in lung diseases. Interactions within these bacterial communities and with the host are complex processes which often involve microbial small molecules. In this study, we employed a computational approach to describe the metabolic potential of the human lung microbiome. By utilizing antiSMASH and BiG-SCAPE software, we identified 1831 biosynthetic gene clusters for the production of specialized metabolites in a carefully compiled genome database of lung-associated bacteria and fungi. It was shown that RiPPs represent the largest class of natural products within the bacteriome, while NRPs constitute the largest class of natural products in the lung mycobiome. All predicted BGCs were further categorized into 767 gene cluster families, and a subsequent network analysis highlighted that these families are widely distributed and contain many uncharacterized members. Moreover, in-depth annotation allowed the assignment of certain gene clusters to putative lung-specific functions within the microbiome, such as osmoadaptation or surfactant synthesis. This study establishes the lung microbiome as a prolific source for secondary metabolites and lays the groundwork for detailed investigation of this unique environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Leonard Kaysser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Leipzig, 04317 Leipzig, Germany; (F.S.); (M.R.B.-F.); (M.K.)
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Kimemia BB, Musila L, Langat S, Odoyo E, Cinkovich S, Abuom D, Yalwala S, Khamadi S, Johnson J, Garges E, Ojwang E, Eyase F. Detection of pathogenic bacteria in ticks from Isiolo and Kwale counties of Kenya using metagenomics. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296597. [PMID: 38687700 PMCID: PMC11060535 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are arachnid ectoparasites that rank second only to mosquitoes in the transmission of human diseases including bacteria responsible for anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, spotted fevers, and Lyme disease among other febrile illnesses. Due to the paucity of data on bacteria transmitted by ticks in Kenya, this study undertook a bacterial metagenomic-based characterization of ticks collected from Isiolo, a semi-arid pastoralist County in Eastern Kenya, and Kwale, a coastal County with a monsoon climate in the southern Kenyan border with Tanzania. A total of 2,918 ticks belonging to 3 genera and 10 species were pooled and screened in this study. Tick identification was confirmed through the sequencing of the Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) gene. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons obtained from the above samples were sequenced using the MinION (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) platform. The resulting reads were demultiplexed in Porechop, followed by trimming and filtering in Trimmomatic before clustering using Qiime2-VSearch. A SILVA database pretrained naïve Bayes classifier was used to classify the Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) taxonomically. The bacteria of clinical interest detected in pooled tick assays were as follows: Rickettsia spp. 59.43% of pools, Coxiella burnetii 37.88%, Proteus mirabilis 5.08%, Cutibacterium acnes 6.08%, and Corynebacterium ulcerans 2.43%. These bacteria are responsible for spotted fevers, query fever (Q-fever), urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, eye infections, and diphtheria-like infections in humans, respectively. P. mirabilis, C. acnes, and C. ulcerans were detected only in Isiolo. Additionally, COI sequences allowed for the identification of Rickettsia and Coxiella species to strain levels in some of the pools. Diversity analysis revealed that the tick genera had high levels of Alpha diversity but the differences between the microbiomes of the three tick genera studied were not significant. The detection of C. acnes, commonly associated with human skin flora suggests that the ticks may have contact with humans potentially exposing them to bacterial infections. The findings in this study highlight the need for further investigation into the viability of these bacteria and the competency of ticks to transmit them. Clinicians in these high-risk areas also need to be appraised for them to include Rickettsial diseases and Q-fever as part of their differential diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryson Brian Kimemia
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Lillian Musila
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Microbiology Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Solomon Langat
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Virus Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Erick Odoyo
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Stephanie Cinkovich
- United States Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David Abuom
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Santos Yalwala
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Samoel Khamadi
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Virus Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jaree Johnson
- United States Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric Garges
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Elly Ojwang
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Fredrick Eyase
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa (USAMRD-A), Nairobi, Kenya
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Virus Research, Nairobi, Kenya
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Ishii H, Kushima H, Koide Y, Kinoshita Y. Pseudomonas fluorescens pneumonia. Int J Infect Dis 2024; 140:92-94. [PMID: 38218379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens) is not generally considered a bacterial pathogen in humans; however, multiple culture-based and culture-independent studies have identified it in the indigenous microbiota of multiple body sites. We herein report a rare case of pneumonia caused by P. fluorescens. A man in his 80 s with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus was diagnosed with stage II rectal cancer. He underwent laparoscopic surgery, and on the 6th postoperative day, he developed a high fever. Chest computed tomography revealed infiltration in the left lower lung. Gram staining of the sputum showed Gram-negative rods phagocytosed by neutrophils, suggesting postoperative nosocomial pneumonia. The patient was started on tazobactam/piperacillin, and his pneumonia quickly improved. Later, only P. fluorescens was detected in a sputum culture. It was susceptible to common antipseudomonal agents. Gram staining of P. fluorescens appears to show a slightly thicker and larger morphology in comparison to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although there have been reports of opportunistic infections caused by P. fluorescens in immunosuppressed patients, including those with advanced cancer, most have been bloodstream infections, with very few reports of pneumonia alone. Clinicians should be aware that patients, who are not necessarily immunosuppressed, may develop pneumonia caused by P. fluorescens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ishii
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Hisako Kushima
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yohei Koide
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Kinoshita
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan
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Jarrah A, Sweidan HB, Alratroot A, Esber Z. Rapidly progressive empyema in the setting of vaping in an otherwise healthy patient. BMJ Case Rep 2023; 16:e255876. [PMID: 38129087 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-255876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaping is defined as inhaling and exhaling vapour that is a product of heating a liquid or wax-like material. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have become a popular method of smoking in the last decade and are advertised as an alternative to conventional smoking. Since the increase in e-cigarette use, various lung injury patterns have started to appear among users. Recent studies have shown an increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections among e-cigarette/vaping product users. We present a case of pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas fluorescens complicated by rapidly developing empyema in an otherwise healthy patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Jarrah
- Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Internal Medicine, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Hisham Botrus Sweidan
- Internal Medicine, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Internal Medicine, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, Farmington, Michigan, USA
| | - Ahmad Alratroot
- Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Zahia Esber
- Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Dinev T, Velichkova K, Stoyanova A, Sirakov I. Microbial Pathogens in Aquaponics Potentially Hazardous for Human Health. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2824. [PMID: 38137969 PMCID: PMC10745371 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The union of aquaculture and hydroponics is named aquaponics-a system where microorganisms, fish and plants coexist in a water environment. Bacteria are essential in processes which are fundamental for the functioning and equilibrium of aquaponic systems. Such processes are nitrification, extraction of various macro- and micronutrients from the feed leftovers and feces, etc. However, in aquaponics there are not only beneficial, but also potentially hazardous microorganisms of fish, human, and plant origin. It is important to establish the presence of human pathogens, their way of entering the aforementioned systems, and their control in order to assess the risk to human health when consuming plants and fish grown in aquaponics. Literature analysis shows that aquaponic bacteria and yeasts are mainly pathogenic to fish and humans but rarely to plants, while most of the molds are pathogenic to humans, plants, and fish. Since the various human pathogenic bacteria and fungi found in aquaponics enter the water when proper hygiene practices are not applied and followed, if these requirements are met, aquaponic systems are a good choice for growing healthy fish and plants safe for human consumption. However, many of the aquaponic pathogens are listed in the WHO list of drug-resistant bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed, making disease control by antibiotics a real challenge. Because pathogen control by conventional physical methods, chemical methods, and antibiotic treatment is potentially harmful to humans, fish, plants, and beneficial microorganisms, a biological control with antagonistic microorganisms, phytotherapy, bacteriophage therapy, and nanomedicine are potential alternatives to these methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toncho Dinev
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria;
| | - Katya Velichkova
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria;
| | - Antoniya Stoyanova
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria;
| | - Ivaylo Sirakov
- Department of Animal Husbandry–Non-Ruminant Animals and Special Branches, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria;
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Edwards MK, Bhattacharya MB, Clark S, Archibald LK, Kalyatanda GS. Polymicrobial Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis Due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Pseudomonas fluorescens in a Patient With Tetralogy of Fallot: A Case Report. Cureus 2022; 14:e27677. [PMID: 36072211 PMCID: PMC9440310 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Disseminated gonococcal infections are rare clinical entities and a few progress to endocarditis. Endocarditis caused by Pseudomonasis even more infrequent, with the few reported cases associated with either intravenous drug use, prosthetic heart valves, or pacemakers. We report a case of a 25-year-old male patient with Tetralogy of Fallot presenting with anasarca and diagnosed with endocarditis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Pseudomonas fluorescens. To our knowledge, this is the first case of tissue-proven infective endocarditis due to P. fluorescens with concomitant N. gonorrhoeae bacteremia. Clinical management of polymicrobial endocarditis in young adults includes obtaining a detailed sexual history, using multiple diagnostic methods to confirm endocarditis, and promptly initiating broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.
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The Two-Component System RstA/RstB Regulates Expression of Multiple Efflux Pumps and Influences Anaerobic Nitrate Respiration in Pseudomonas fluorescens. mSystems 2021; 6:e0091121. [PMID: 34726491 PMCID: PMC8562477 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00911-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pumps are involved in bacterial intrinsic resistance to multiple antimicrobials. Expression of MDR efflux pumps can be either constitutive or transiently induced by various environmental signals, which are typically perceived by bacterial two-component systems (TCSs) and relayed to the bacterial nucleoid, where gene expression is modulated for niche adaptation. Here, we demonstrate that RstA/RstB, a TCS previously shown to control acid-induced and biofilm-related genes in Escherichiacoli, confers resistance to multiple antibiotics in Pseudomonas fluorescens by directly regulating the MDR efflux pumps EmhABC and MexCD-OprJ. Moreover, we show that phosphorylation of the conserved Asp52 residue in RstA greatly enhances RstA-DNA interaction, and regulation of the multidrug resistance by RstA/RstB is dependent on the phosphorylation of the RstA Asp52 residue by RstB. Proteome analysis reveals RstA/RstB also positively regulates the efflux pump MexEF-OprN and enzymes involved in anaerobic nitrate respiration and pyoverdine biosynthesis. Our results suggest that, by coupling the expression of multiple efflux pumps and anaerobic nitrate respiration, RstA/RstB could play a role in defense against nitrosative stress caused by anaerobic nitrate respiration. IMPORTANCE Microenvironmental hypoxia typically increases bacterial multidrug resistance by elevating expression of multidrug efflux pumps, but the precise mechanism is currently not well understood. Here, we showed that the two-component system RstA/RstB not only positively regulated expression of several efflux pumps involved in multidrug resistance, but also promoted expression of enzymes involved in anaerobic nitrate respiration and pyoverdine biosynthesis. These results suggested that, by upregulating expression of efflux pumps and pyoverdine biosynthesis-related enzymes, RstA/RstB could play a role in promoting bacterial tolerance to hypoxia by providing protection against nitrosative stress.
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Meade E, Savage M, Garvey M. Effective Antimicrobial Solutions for Eradicating Multi-Resistant and β-Lactamase-Producing Nosocomial Gram-Negative Pathogens. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1283. [PMID: 34827221 PMCID: PMC8614872 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10111283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the greatest public health-perturbing crises of the 21st century, where species have evolved a myriad of defence strategies to resist conventional therapy. The production of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC and carbapenemases in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) is one such mechanism that currently poses a significant threat to the continuity of first-line and last-line β-lactam agents, where multi-drug-resistant GNB currently warrant a pandemic on their own merit. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long recognised the need for an improved and coordinated global effort to contain these pathogens, where two factors in particular, international travel and exposure to antimicrobials, play an important role in the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant genes. Studies described herein assess the resistance patterns of isolated nosocomial pathogens, where levels of resistance were detected using recognised in vitro methods. Additionally, studies conducted extensively investigated alternative biocide (namely peracetic acid, triameen and benzalkonium chloride) and therapeutic options (specifically 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione), where the levels of induced endotoxin from E. coli were also studied for the latter. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed there was a significant association between multi-drug resistance and ESBL production, where the WHO critical-priority pathogens, namely E. coli, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, exhibited among the greatest levels of multi-drug resistance. Novel compound 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione) shows promising antimicrobial activity, with MICs determined for all bacterial species, where levels of induced endotoxin varied depending on the concentration used. Tested biocide agents show potential to act as intermediate-level disinfectants in hospital settings, where all tested clinical isolates were susceptible to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Meade
- Department of Life Science, Sligo Institute of Technology, Ash Lane, Sligo, Ireland;
| | - Micheal Savage
- Lir Analytical Ltd., Century Business Park, Unit 2, Athlone Rd, Longford, Ireland;
| | - Mary Garvey
- Department of Life Science, Sligo Institute of Technology, Ash Lane, Sligo, Ireland;
- Lir Analytical Ltd., Century Business Park, Unit 2, Athlone Rd, Longford, Ireland;
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