Plasma Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor in Children with Urinary Tract Infection

Objective In this prospective study we investigated the role of plasma levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in children with urinary tract infection. Material and Methods We measured the levels of plasma suPAR during admission in 42 children with suspected acute pyelonephritis and compared the results to acute DMSA scintigraphy. Results The mean level of plasma suPAR at admission was significantly elevated in children with renal involvement (7.3 ng/ml) assessed by the DMSA scintigraphy compared to children without renal involvement (4.4 ng/ml, P = 0.010). The positive predictive value of suPAR seems high, since all patients without renal involvement had low suPAR values. During treatment the mean level of plasma suPAR decreased. Conclusion We conclude that plasma suPAR could be of clinical use for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis and that high levels of plasma suPAR might reflect the level of renal involvement and could therefore be a new indicator for renal scarring

Pruning wound protection products induce alterations in the wood mycobiome profile of Grapevines

Fungal pathogens involved in grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) may infect grapevines throughout their lifetime, from nursery to vineyard, via open wounds in stems, canes or roots. In vineyards, pruning wound protection products (PWPPs) offer the best means to reduce the chance of infection by GTD fungi. However, PWPPs may affect non-target microorganisms that comprise the natural endophytic mycobiome residing in treated canes, disrupting microbial homeostasis and indirectly influencing grapevine health. Using DNA metabarcoding, we characterized the endophytic mycobiome of one-year-old canes of cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in two vineyards in Portugal and Italy and assessed the impact of established and novel PWPPs on the fungal communities of treated canes. Our results reveal a large fungal diversity (176 taxa), and we report multiple genera never detected before in grapevine wood (e.g., Symmetrospora and Akenomyces). We found differences in mycobiome beta diversity when comparing vineyards (p = 0.01) but not cultivars (p > 0.05). When examining PWPP-treated canes, we detected cultivar- and vineyard-dependent alterations in both alpha and beta diversity. In addition, numerous fungal taxa were over- or under-represented when compared to control canes. Among them, Epicoccum sp., a beneficial genus with biological control potential, was negatively affected by selected PWPPs. This study demonstrates that PWPPs induce alterations in the fungal communities of grapevines, requiring an urgent evaluation of their direct and indirect effects on plants health with consideration of factors such as climatic conditions and yearly variations, in order to better advise viticulturists and policy makers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Complete Genome Sequence of the Cystic Fibrosis Pathogen Achromobacter xylosoxidans NH44784-1996 Complies with Important Pathogenic Phenotypes

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an environmental opportunistic pathogen, which infects an increasing number of immunocompromised patients. In this study we combined genomic analysis of a clinical isolated A. xylosoxidans strain with phenotypic investigations of its important pathogenic features. We present a complete assembly of the genome of A. xylosoxidans NH44784-1996, an isolate from a cystic fibrosis patient obtained in 1996. The genome of A. xylosoxidans NH44784-1996 contains approximately 7 million base pairs with 6390 potential protein-coding sequences. We identified several features that render it an opportunistic human pathogen, We found genes involved in anaerobic growth and the pgaABCD operon encoding the biofilm adhesin poly-?-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamin. Furthermore, the genome contains a range of antibiotic resistance genes coding efflux pump systems and antibiotic modifying enzymes. In vitro studies of A. xylosoxidans NH44784-1996 confirmed the genomic evidence for its ability to form biofilms, anaerobic growth via denitrification, and resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. Our investigation enables further studies of the functionality of important identified genes contributing to the pathogenicity of A. xylosoxidans and thereby improves our understanding and ability to treat this emerging pathogen

Comparing the harmful effects of nontuberculous mycobacteria and Gram negative bacteria on lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: To better understand the relative effects of infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria and Gram negative bacteria on lung function decline in cystic fibrosis, we assessed the impact of each infection in a Danish setting. METHODS: Longitudinal registry study of 432 patients with cystic fibrosis contributing 53,771 lung function measures between 1974 and 2014. We used a mixed effects model with longitudinally structured correlation, while adjusting for clinically important covariates. RESULTS: Infections with a significant impact on rate of decline in %FEV1 were Mycobacterium abscessus complex with -2.22% points per year (95% CI -3.21 to -1.23), Burkholderia cepacia complex -1.95% (95% CI -2.51 to -1.39), Achromobacterxylosoxidans -1.55% (95% CI -2.21 to -0.90), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa -0.95% (95% CI -1.24 to -0.66). Clearing M. abscessus complex was associated with a change to a slower decline, similar in magnitude to the pre-infection slope. CONCLUSIONS: In a national population we have demonstrated the impact on lung function of each chronic CF pathogen. M. abscessus complex was associated with the worst impact on lung function. Eradication of M. abscessus complex may significantly improve lung function