Maternal gut and breast milk microbiota affect infant gut antibiotic resistome and mobile genetic elements

The infant gut microbiota has a high abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) compared to adults, even in the absence of antibiotic exposure. Here we study potential sources of infant gut ARGs by performing metagenomic sequencing of breast milk, as well as infant and maternal gut microbiomes. We find that fecal ARG and mobile genetic element (MGE) profiles of infants are more similar to those of their own mothers than to those of unrelated mothers. MGEs in mothers' breast milk are also shared with their own infants. Termination of breastfeeding and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis of mothers, which have the potential to affect microbial community composition, are associated with higher abundances of specific ARGs, the composition of which is largely shaped by bacterial phylogeny in the infant gut. Our results suggest that infants inherit the legacy of past antibiotic consumption of their mothers via transmission of genes, but microbiota composition still strongly impacts the overall resistance load

Susceptibility and virulent attributes of Candida from Hong Kong and Finland

Session OC3-2: Abstract no. 0127Objectives: Candida is a commensal fungus that resides in at least 50% of human oral cavities. Oral and systemic infection caused by Candida has dramatically increased in the last decade due to growing number of compromised populations. In the present study, we evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulent attributes of Candida oral and blood stream isolates derived from Hong Kong and Finland, information which are vital for devising empirical clinical strategies. Methods: Susceptibility testing of Candida isolates was performed against a wide range of antifungals including fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, ketoconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin-B and caspofungin according to the CLSI M-44A disc diffusion assay and CLSI M-27A broth microdilution assay. Secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAPs) levels of Candida isolates were determined by bovine serum albumin assay and haemolytic activity was evaluated using Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with 3% glucose and fresh sheep blood. Results: All blood stream isolates derived from Hong Kong were susceptible to all the antifungals tested whilst some isolates from Finland were resistant to azoles and caspofungin. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis showed higher haemolytic activity whereas C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii were non-haemolytic in general. Proteinase activity of the Finland C. albicans isolates was significantly higher than the Hong Kong isolates. Conclusion: Our data provide a glimpse of the possible evolutionary changes in pathogenic potential of Candida that may be occurring in different regions of the world. Therefore, continuous surveillance and availability of local data should be taken into consideration when treating Candida infections (RGC-Grant HKU-7624/06M).The 24th IADR-SEA Division Annual Scientific Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, 19-21 September 2010

Antifungal Susceptibility and Virulence Attributes of Bloodstream Isolates of Candida from Hong Kong and Finland

Candida bloodstream infection has dramatically increased in the last decade due to the growing number of immunocompromised populations worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulence attributes of Candida bloodstream isolates (CBIs) derived from Hong Kong and Finland, information which are vital for devising empirical clinical strategies. Susceptibility testing of a wide range of antifungals including fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, ketoconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin B and caspofungin was performed. Haemolytic activity and secretion of proteinase of CBIs were also examined. All CBIs derived from Hong Kong were susceptible to all the antifungals tested whilst some CBIs from Finland were resistant to azoles and caspofungin. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis showed higher haemolytic activity whereas C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii were non-haemolytic in general. Proteinase activity of the Finland C. albicans isolates was significantly higher than the Hong Kong isolates. Our data provide a glimpse of the possible evolutionary changes in pathogenic potential of Candida that may be occurring in different regions of the world. Therefore, continuous surveillance and availability of local data should be taken into consideration when treating candidemia patients

Prevalence and breed distribution of chronic pancreatitis at post-mortem examination in first-opinion dogs

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of canine chronic pancreatitis in first-opinion practice and identify breed associations or other risk factors. METHODS: Three sections of pancreas were taken from 200 unselected canine post-mortem examinations from first-opinion practices. Sections were graded for inflammation, fibrosis and other lesions. Prevalence and relative risks of chronic pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic pancreatitis was 34 per cent omitting the autolysed cases. Cavalier King Charles spaniels, collies and boxers had increased relative risks of chronic pancreatitis; cocker spaniels had an increased relative risks of acute and chronic pancreatitis combined. Fifty-seven per cent of cases of chronic pancreatitis were classified histologically as moderate or marked. Forty-one per cent of cases involved all three sections. Dogs with chronic pancreatitis were more commonly female and overweight, but neither factor increased the relative risk of chronic pancreatitis. There were breed differences in histological appearances and 24.5 per cent of cases were too autolysed to interpret with an increased relative risk of autolysis in a number of large breeds. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Chronic pancreatitis Is a common, underestimated disease in the first-opinion dog population with distinctive breed risks and histological appearance