Antimicrobial resistance of Yersinia enterocolitica and presence of plasmid pYV virulence genes in human and animal isolates

Interactions between bacterial virulence and antimicrobial resistance are of increasing interest in clinical microbiology. On this account, antimicrobial resistance of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 strains isolated from humans (n = 55), food-chain animals (n = 58) and companion animals (n = 13) was determined in relation to the absence or presence of the pYV plasmid-encoded virulence genes yadA and virF. There were no statistically significant associations between the rate of antimicrobial resistance and the presence or absence of the plasmid, in either human-derived or animal-derived strains. Therefore, it can be concluded that response to conventionally used antimicrobials in Y. enterocolitica O:3 strains is not dependent on pYV-encoded virulence determinants. © 2019 The Author

Acute Q fever infection in Thuringia, Germany, after burial of roe deer fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus): a case report

We report on a case of a 48-year-old man who presented with acute Q fever infection after burying two fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus). Recent outbreaks of Q fever in Europe have been traced back to intensive goat breeding units, sheep flocks in the proximity of highly populated urban areas or to farmed deer. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing Q fever infection in a human linked to roe deer as a source of infection

First Draft Genome Sequence of a Human Coxiella burnetii Isolate, Originating from the Largest Q Fever Outbreak Ever Reported, the Netherlands, 2007 to 2010

In 2009, Coxiella burnetii caused a large regional outbreak of Q fever in South Limburg, the Netherlands. Here, we announce the genome draft sequence of a human C. burnetii isolate, strain NL-Limburg, originating from this outbreak, including a brief summary of the genome’s general features

PAI-1 levels predict response to fractionated irradiation in 10 human squamous cell carcinoma lines of the head and neck.

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships between hypoxia, VEGF and components of the plasminogen activation system (PAS) and to determine their influence on local tumour control after fractionated radiotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten cell lines derived from human squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) were investigated in vitro and used to generate xenograft tumours. The pimonidazole hypoxic fraction in the total tumour area (pHF(tot)) was used to measure hypoxia in pre-treatment tumours and the local tumour control (TCD(50)) was used as the functional endpoint in vivo. For in vitro experiments, cells were cultured for 24h under either normoxic or mild hypoxic ( approximately 0.66% O(2)) conditions. VEGF, PAI-1 and uPA antigen levels were determined by ELISA and uPA activity by an activity assay kit. RESULTS: Of all the factors investigated, only PAI-1 expression correlated with TCD(50) (r=0.80, p=0.010) and was significantly higher (p=0.001) in more hypoxic than in less hypoxic tumours. Accordingly, PAI-1 secretion was significantly induced (2.4x) by in vitro hypoxia. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pre-treatment PAI-1 levels are higher in more hypoxic tumours and can predict the response to fractionated irradiation in SCCHN