Imported PER-1 producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PER-1 producing Acinetobacter baumanii and VIM-2-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in Hungary

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The relationship between atherosclerosis and gut microbiome in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and gut dysbiosis are known risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, only very few studies have been focused on the relationship between OSA, atherosclerosis, and the intestinal microbiome, all in animal models. Methods: Twenty-two patients with OSA, 16 with and 6 without carotid atherosclerosis were involved in the study. After a diagnostic sleep examination, the intima media thickness (IMT) was measured and plaques were found using carotid ultrasound. Blood was also drawn for metabolic profile, and a stool sample was provided for 16S ribosomal RNA microbiome investigation. Results: An increased maximal common carotid artery (CCA) IMT was significantly associated with decreased phylum-level diversity. The level of Peptostreptococcaceae was significantly lower in atherosclerotic subjects. Some other candidate microbes appeared in the two groups at the genus level as well: Bilophila, Romboutsia, Slackia, and Veillonella in the non-atherosclerotic group; and Escherichia-Shigella, Prevotella, and Ruminococcaceae in the atherosclerotic group. Conclusions: This is the first pilot research to analyze the association between the gut microbiome and atherosclerosis in adult patients with OSA with and without carotid atherosclerosis. Dysbiosis and individual bacteria may contribute to the development of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with OSA. Further investigations are necessary to reveal a more precise background in a larger sample

COVID-19 Infection Alters the Microbiome: Elite Athletes and Sedentary Patients Have Similar Bacterial Flora

Regular exercise can upgrade the efficiency of the immune system and beneficially alter the composition of the gastro-intestinal microbiome. We tested the hypothesis that active athletes have a more diverse microbiome than sedentary subjects, which could provide better protection against COVID-19 during infection. Twenty active competing athletes (CA) (16 male and 4 females of the national first and second leagues), aged 24.15 ± 4.7 years, and 20 sedentary subjects (SED) (15 male and 5 females), aged 27.75 ± 7.5 years, who had been diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 by a PCR test, served as subjects for the study. Fecal samples collected five to eight days after diagnosis and three weeks after a negative COVID-19 PCR test were used for microbiome analysis. Except for two individuals, all subjects reported very mild and/or mild symptoms of COVID-19 and stayed at home under quarantine. Significant differences were not found in the bacterial flora of trained and untrained subjects. On the other hand, during COVID-19 infection, at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was elevated during COVID-19 compared to the level measured three weeks after a negative PCR test (p < 0.05) when all subjects were included in the statistical analysis. Since it is known that Bacteroidetes can suppress toll-like receptor 4 and ACE2-dependent signaling, thus enhancing resistance against pro-inflammatory cytokines, it is suggested that Bacteroidetes provide protection against severe COVID-19 infection. There is no difference in the microbiome bacterial flora of trained and untrained subjects during and after a mild level of COVID-19 infection

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide Has Inhibitory Effects on Melanoma Cell Proliferation and Migration In Vitro

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is an endogenous neuropeptide which is distributed throughout the body. PACAP influences development of various tissues and exerts protective function during cellular stress and in some tumour formation. No evidence is available on its role in neural crest derived melanocytes and its malignant transformation into melanoma. Expression of PACAP receptors was examined in human skin samples, melanoma lesions and in a primary melanocyte cell culture. A2058 and WM35 melanoma cell lines, representing two different stages of melanoma progression, were used to investigate the effects of PACAP. PAC1 receptor was identified in melanocytes in vivo and in vitro and in melanoma cell lines as well as in melanoma lesions. PACAP administration did not alter viability but decreased proliferation of melanoma cells. With live imaging random motility, average speed, vectorial distance and maximum distance of migration of cells were reduced upon PACAP treatment. PACAP administration did not alter viability but decreased proliferation capacity of melanoma cells. On the other hand, PACAP administration decreased the migration of melanoma cell lines towards fibronectin chemoattractant in the Boyden chamber. Furthermore, the presence of the neuropeptide inhibited the invasion capability of melanoma cell lines in Matrigel chambers. In summary, we provide evidence that PACAP receptors are expressed in melanocytes and in melanoma cells. Our results also prove that various aspects of the cellular motility were inhibited by this neuropeptide. On the basis of these results, we propose PACAP signalling as a possible target in melanoma progression

Pseudomonas aeruginosaPseudomonas\ aeruginosa antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, resistance mechanisms and international clonal lineages: update from ESGARS-ESCMID/ISARPAE Group

International audienceScopePseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen considered one of the paradigms of antimicrobial resistance, is among the main causes of hospital-acquired and chronic infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This growing threat results from the extraordinary capacity of P. aeruginosa to develop antimicrobial resistance through chromosomal mutations, the increasing prevalence of transferable resistance determinants (such as the carbapenemases and the extended spectrum β-lactamases), and the global expansion of epidemic lineages. The general objective of this initiative is to provide a comprehensive update of P. aeruginosa resistance mechanisms, especially for the extensively drug-resistant (XDR)/difficult to treat resistance (DTR) international high-risk epidemic lineages, and how the recently approved β-lactams and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations may affect resistance mechanisms and the definition of susceptibility profiles.MethodsTo address this challenge, the European Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (ESGARS) from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) launched the “Improving Surveillance of Antibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Europe” (ISARPAE) initiative in 2022, supported by the Joint programming initiative on antimicrobial resistance (JPIAMR) network call and included a panel of over 40 researchers from 18 European Countries. Thus, an ESGARS-ISARPAE position paper was designed and the final version agreed after four rounds of revision and discussion by all panel members.Questions addressed in the position paperTo provide an update on (i) the emerging resistance mechanisms to classical and novel antipseudomonal agents, with a particular focus on β-lactams, (ii) the susceptibility profiles associated with the most relevant β-lactam resistance mechanisms, (iii) the impact of the novel agents and resistance mechanisms on the definitions of resistance profiles and (iv) the globally expanding XDR/DTR high-risk lineages and their association with transferable resistance mechanisms.ImplicationThe evidence presented herein can be used for coordinated epidemiological surveillance and decision-making at the European and global level

Pseudomonas aeruginosa antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, resistance mechanisms and international clonal lineages: update from ESGARS-ESCMID/ISARPAE Group

Scope: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen considered one of the paradigms of antimicrobial resistance, is among the main causes of hospital-acquired and chronic infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This growing threat results from the extraordinary capacity of P. aeruginosa to develop antimicrobial resistance through chromosomal mutations, the increasing prevalence of transferable resistance determinants (such as the carbapenemases and the extended spectrum β-lactamases), and the global expansion of epidemic lineages. The general objective of this initiative is to provide a comprehensive update of P. aeruginosa resistance mechanisms, especially for the extensively drug-resistant (XDR)/difficult to treat resistance (DTR) international high-risk epidemic lineages, and how the recently approved β-lactams and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations may affect resistance mechanisms and the definition of susceptibility profiles. Methods: To address this challenge, the European Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (ESGARS) from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) launched the "Improving Surveillance of Antibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Europe" (ISARPAE) initiative in 2022, supported by the Joint programming initiative on antimicrobial resistance (JPIAMR) network call and included a panel of over 40 researchers from 18 European Countries. Thus, an ESGARS-ISARPAE position paper was designed and the final version agreed after four rounds of revision and discussion by all panel members. Questions addressed in the position paper: To provide an update on (i) the emerging resistance mechanisms to classical and novel antipseudomonal agents, with a particular focus on β-lactams, (ii) the susceptibility profiles associated with the most relevant β-lactam resistance mechanisms, (iii) the impact of the novel agents and resistance mechanisms on the definitions of resistance profiles and (iv) the globally expanding XDR/DTR high-risk lineages and their association with transferable resistance mechanisms. Implication: The evidence presented herein can be used for coordinated epidemiological surveillance and decision-making at the European and global level