Screening of Molecular Virulence Markers in Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains Isolated from Clinical Infections

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Pseudomonas (Ps.) aeruginosa are two of the most frequently opportunistic pathogens isolated in nosocomial infections, responsible for severe infections in immunocompromised hosts. The frequent emergence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa strains has determined the development of new strategies in order to elucidate the different mechanisms used by these bacteria at different stages of the infectious process, providing the scientists with new procedures for preventing, or at least improving, the control of S. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa infections. The purpose of this study was to characterize the molecular markers of virulence in S. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa strains isolated from different clinical specimens. We used multiplex and uniplex PCR assays to detect the genes encoding different cell-wall associated and extracellular virulence factors, in order to evaluate potential associations between the presence of putative virulence genes and the outcome of infections caused by these bacteria. Our results demonstrate that all the studied S. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa strains synthesize the majority of the investigated virulence determinants, probably responsible for different types of infections

Efeito do comprimento do corpo-de-prova na velocidade ultra-sônica em madeiras Effect of the size of the specimen on ultrasonic velocity

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo sobre a variação da velocidade ultra-sônica longitudinal em função do comprimento da peça de madeira. As espécies utilizadas foram: pinus caribaea (Pinus caribaea var. caribaea) eucalipto citriodora (Eucalyptus citriodora), eucalipto grandis (Eucalyptus grandis) e jatobá (Hymenaea sp). Utilizou-se equipamento de ultra-som com transdutores exponenciais de 22 kHz. Foram feitas medições do tempo de propagação das ondas ultra-sônicas, com o comprimento variando de 300 cm a 10 cm e mantendo-se a seção transversal constante de 12 cm x 5 cm. Os resultados apontaram que ocorre variação da velocidade em função da distância percorrida e do comprimento de onda (lambda) utilizado. Conclui-se que adequar a freqüência do transdutor com o comprimento da peça é essencial para a determinação correta da velocidade ultra-sônica em madeiras.<br>This paper reports on a study of the variation of ultrasonic velocity with the length of the specimen of pinus caribaea (Pinus caribaea var. caribaea) eucalipto citriodora (Eucalyptus citriodora), eucalipto grandis (Eucalyptus grandis) and jatobá (Hymenaea sp). Ultrasonic measurements were taken with an experimental apparatus having 22 kHz transducers. Tests were carried out with length from 300 cm to 10 cm and constant cross-section (12 cm x 5 cm). The results showed that velocity of ultrasonic waves is sensitive to changes in the distance between transducers and wavelength (lambda). The adjustment between the frequency of transducer and the length of the specimen is essential in order to obtain correct measurements of ultrasonic velocity in wood

Drastic Attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenicity in a Holoxenic Mouse Experimental Model Induced by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Phenyllactic acid (PLA)

Abstract: The discovery of communication systems regulating bacterial virulence has afforded a novel opportunity to control infectious bacteria without interfering with growth. In this paper we describe the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of phenyllactic acid (PLA) on the pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice. The animals were inoculated by oral (p.o.), intranasal (i.n.), intravenous (i.v.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) routes with P. aeruginoasa wild and PLA-treated cultures. The mice were followed up during 16 days after infection and the body weight, mortality and morbidity rate were measured every day. The microbial charge was studied by viable cell counts in lungs, spleen, intestinal mucosa and blood. The mice batches infected with wild P. aeruginosa bacterial cultures exhibited high mortality rates (100 % after i.v. and i.p. route) and very high cell counts in blood, lungs, intestine and spleen. In contrast, the animal batches infected with PLA treated bacterial cultures exhibited good survival rates (0 % mortality) Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2007, 8 584 and the viable cell counts in the internal organs revealed with one exception the complet

Electron beam irradiation of Matricaria chamomilla L. for microbial decontamination

Wild chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is one of the most popular herbal materials with both internal and external use to cure different health disturbances. As a consequence of its origin, chamomile could carry various microbial contaminants which offer different hazards to the final consumer. Reduction of the microbial load to the in force regulation limits represents an important phase in the technological process of vegetal materials, and the electron beam treatment might be an efficient alternative to the classical methods of hygienic quality assurance. The purpose of the study was to analyze the potential application of the electron beam treatment in order to assure the microbial safety of the wild chamomile. Samples of chamomile dry inflorescences were treated in electron beam (e-beam) of 6 MeV mean energy, at room temperature and ambient pressure. Some loss of the chemical compounds with bioactive role could be noticed, but the number of microorganisms decreased as a function on the absorbed dose. Consequently, the microbial quality of studied vegetal material inflorescences was improved by e-beam. irradiation. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Drastic Attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenicity in a Holoxenic Mouse Experimental Model Induced by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Phenyllactic acid (PLA)

The discovery of communication systems regulating bacterial virulence hasafforded a novel opportunity to control infectious bacteria without interfering withgrowth. In this paper we describe the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of phenyl-lactic acid (PLA) on the pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice. The animalswere inoculated by oral (p.o.), intranasal (i.n.), intravenous (i.v.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.)routes with P. aeruginoasa wild and PLA-treated cultures. The mice were followed upduring 16 days after infection and the body weight, mortality and morbidity rate weremeasured every day. The microbial charge was studied by viable cell counts in lungs,spleen, intestinal mucosa and blood. The mice batches infected with wild P. aeruginosabacterial cultures exhibited high mortality rates (100 % after i.v. and i.p. route) and veryhigh cell counts in blood, lungs, intestine and spleen. In contrast, the animal batchesinfected with PLA treated bacterial cultures exhibited good survival rates (0 % mortality) and the viable cell counts in the internal organs revealed with one exception the complete abolition of the invasive capacity of the tested strains. In this study, using a mouse infection model we show that D-3-phenyllactic acid (PLA) can act as a potent antagonist of Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa pathogenicity, without interfering with the bacterial growth, as demonstrated by the improvement of the survival rates as well as the clearance of bacterial strains from the body