Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment

Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). In this study, we describe a lethal case of L. monocytogenes infection in a loggerhead sea turtle. The turtle was found alive, stranded on a beach in North-eastern Italy, but perished soon after being rescued. The autoptic examination revealed that heart, lung, liver, spleen, and urinary bladder were disseminated with multiple, firm, 0.1–0.5 mm sized, nodular, white-green lesions. Microscopically, these lesions corresponded with heterophilic granulomas with Gram+ bacteria within the necrotic center. Furthermore, the Ziehl–Neelsen stain was negative for acid-fast organisms. Colonies isolated from heart and liver were tested through MALDI-TOF for species identification, revealing the presence of L. monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing on L. monocytogenes isolates was performed and the subsequent in silico genotyping revealed the belonging to Sequence Type 6 (ST 6); the virulence profile was evaluated, showing the presence of pathogenicity islands commonly observed in ST 6. Our results further confirm that L. monocytogenes should be posed in differential diagnosis in case of nodular lesions of loggerhead sea turtles; thus, given the zoonotic potential of the microorganism, animals should be treated with particular caution. In addition, wildlife animals can play an active role as carriers of possibly pathogenetic and virulent strains and contribute to the distribution of L. monocytogenes in the environment

Prevalencia de genes qnr en bacterias gramnegativas provenientes de fuentes humana, animal y aguas residuales, en Cumaná, estado Sucre, Venezuela

La presencia de bacterias resistentes a las fluoroquinolonas en la comunidad, sugiere una fuerte presión selectiva de estos antibióticos fuera de los centros de salud. El objetivo de este trabajo fue detectar los marcadores moleculares qnr en cepas de diferentes ambientes para determinar el impacto del abuso de las fluoroquinolonas en Cumaná. En el año 2014, se aislaron bacterias de diferentes orígenes (aguas residuales, tracto intestinal de animales y humanos) siendo Escherichia coli la principal especie en todas las fuentes. Se determinó la CMI a ciprofloxacina y se buscaron los genes de resistencia qnr en las 42 cepas aisladas. Las cepas presentaron un amplio rango en las CMI a ciprofloxacina (0,25 – ≥128 mg/L). El principal determinante de resistencia a fluoroquinolonas fue qnrA (64%) en cepas de todas las fuentes. Este es el primer trabajo en Venezuela que detecta dos genes qnr diferentes en la misma cepa (nueve cepas en total), así como es el primer reporte mundial de cepas de Citrobacter farmeri que albergan el gen qnrA

CRASSICAUDOSIS IN FIN WHALES (BALAENOPTERA PHYSALUS) STRANDED ALONG ITALIAN COASTS

Of several known crassicaudid infections, those caused by Crassicauda boopis (Nematoda, Spirurida) in whale are especially pathogenic. The giant adult nematode grows in the vascular and ureteral system of the kidney; it can cause complete vascular occlusion and kidney failure as described in Atlantic fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus; no data are still available in literature for this host species in Mediterranean basin. Six fin whales, stranded dead along Italian coastline in the period 2006-2013, were analyzed for Crassicauda infection. The parasites were morphologically identified according to Lambertsen (1985); molecular analyses by amplification and sequencing of a portion of the 18S of the small subunit ribosomal and internal transcribed spacers 2 (ITS2) of the rRNA were carried out. Formalin-fixed tissues were routinely processed for histology. Crassicaudosis was observed in four out six examined animals. Adult C. boopis were found in three fin whales, one of which had also nematode larvae in intestinal nodules and mesenteric vessels\u2019 wall. Another animal showed vascular lesions with ruined fragments of the nematode inside. The sequences obtained from the parasitic elements (adults, larvae and lesions) showed a high identity with each other for ITS2 region; the 18S sequences had high identity with the unique Crassicauda sequence (C. magna) registered in GenBank (Accession number: KM233410.1). Chronic vasculitis and/or thrombosis were observed in renal vessels, vena cava and mesenteric arteries, leading to almost complete occlusion of vessels lumen in three cases. Histology showed renal fibrosis, perirenal granulomas and disseminated Crassicauda eggs in renal vessels, renal pelvis and adrenal glands. This study provides data on the presence, pathology and biomolecular characterization of C. boopis in fin whale of the Mediterranean Sea.\ua

The immune modulatory effects of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may result in a life-threatening condition due to a hyperactive immune reaction to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection, for which no effective treatment is available. Based on the potent immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), a growing number of trials are ongoing. This prompted us to carry out a thorough immunological study in a patient treated with umbilical cord-derived MSCs and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit for COVID-19-related pneumonia. The exploratory analyses were assessed on both peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar fluid lavage samples at baseline and after cellular infusion by means of single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, ELISA, and functional assays. Remarkably, a normalization of circulating T lymphocytes count paralleled by a reduction of inflammatory myeloid cells, and a decrease in serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, mostly of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-\u3b1, were observed. In addition, a drop of plasma levels of those chemokines essential for neutrophil recruitment became evident that paralleled the decrease of lung-infiltrating inflammatory neutrophils. Finally, circulating monocytes and low-density gradient neutrophils acquired immunosuppressive function. This scenario was accompanied by an amelioration of respiratory, renal, inflammatory, and pro-thrombotic indexes. Our results provide the first immunological data possibly related to the use of umbilical cord-derived MSCs in severe COVID-19 context

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli from extraintestinal infections in humans and from food-producing animals in Italy: a 'One Health' study

Recently, Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) have become a serious public-health problem, and food-producing animals (FPAs) have been suggested as a potential reservoir/source. This study aimed to compare ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from different sources. ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were collected from humans (n = 480) and FPAs (n = 445) in Italy (2016-2017). Isolates were screened for the presence of ESBL and carbapenemase genes and were classified according to phylogenetic group and MLST genotyping. The genes mcr-1 to -5 were searched for in colistin-resistant isolates. CTX-M was the most frequent ESBL type both in human and animal isolates. CTX-M-15 prevailed in humans (75.0%) and cattle (51.1%) but not in poultry (36.6%). CTX-M-1 was common (58.3%) in pigs. SHV-type and CMY-2-like were found in FPAs, especially in poultry (17.0% and 29.9%, respectively). Additionally, 29 isolates were mcr-1 carriers (3 from humans and 26 from FPAs). No carbapenemase genes were detected. Human isolates mostly belonged to phylogroup B2 (76.5%). Animal isolates were distributed among groups A (35.7%), B1 (26.1%) and C (12.4%). Few animal isolates (almost all from poultry) were classified into group B2 (4.3%). Most human isolates (83.4%) belonged to the pandemic ST131 clone and frequently carried CTX-M-15 (75.9%). ST131 was rarely detected in FPAs (three isolates from poultry). Nineteen STs were shared in both sources, with ST10, ST410 and ST69 being more frequently detected. Potential exchange of ESBL genes from animals to humans is feasible, underlying the need for strict monitoring based on a 'One Health' approach

Childhood-onset Erdheim-Chester disease in the molecular era: clinical phenotypes and long-term outcomes of 21 patients

International audienc

Detection of mcr-1 carrying ESBL resistant E. coli isolates from humans with extraintestinal infections and food producing animals, in Italy (2016 - 2017)

The proportions of mcr-1-carrying isolates detected in ESBL-producing E. coli from FPAs represents a serious public health threat that requires strict surveillance. Although no evidence of transmission of mcr-1-carrying isolates from animals to humans has been herein demonstrated, the occurrence of a mcr -1 ST131 isolate from poultry is of concer