Salmonella enterica: Latency

Infection caused by more than 1500 serotypes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica is one of the most common food-borne diseases, prevalent worldwide. Concerning public health, Salmonella latent carrier animals represent an important source of transmission of the disease. They are responsible for silent introduction of the bacteria into the food chain and the environment. Most pathogenesis studies of salmonellosis are focused on events that lead to clinical disease. Researchers have been unable to clearly discern the interaction between intracellular microorganisms and their resistant hosts in latency. However, understanding this interaction is essential for the proper employment of the control and eradication strategies. Thus, the objective of this article is to present an overview of some important events that occur during the infection cycle of S. enterica in latent carriers

A Fermentação do cacau e o uso de inóculos leveduriformes / Cocoa fermentation and the use of yeast inoculum

O interesse no cultivo do cacau está relacionado ao aproveitamento de suas sementes para produção de manteiga de cacau e de chocolate. Dentre as etapas do seu pré-processamento, a fermentação é crucial para a qualidade do produto final, por ser o período responsável pelo desenvolvimento dos precursores de inúmeros compostos de sabor, um importante passo para a diminuição da adstringência, acidez e amargor da amêndoa de cacau. As leveduras apresentam papel fundamental como iniciadoras desse processo; desde os primeiros relatos a respeito dos microrganismos serem iniciadores da fermentação espontânea do cacau, esforços têm sido feitos para o desenvolvimento de uma cultura starter, na tentativa de melhor controlar o processo e, consequentemente, obter um produto final com maior qualidade. Diante do exposto, a presente revisão de literatura visou reunir trabalhos que utilizaram inóculo de leveduras combinadas ou não com outros microrganismos como iniciadoras da fermentação do cacau. De modo geral, notou-se uma falta de padronização na execução desse processo, especialmente no que tange a parâmetros como a quantidade de inóculo e o veículo de inoculação, bem como o tamanho do cocho. Além disso, observou-se também uma variação da eficiência do inóculo frente ao cultivar estudado. Por não se mostrar viável a criação um inóculo padrão para a fermentação do cacau, a tendência é que esses inóculos sejam regionais e potencialmente associados a uma variedade específica da planta, além de possivelmente apresentar resultados melhores de acordo com a época da colheita (safra principal ou safra temporã). É possível ainda que sejam desenvolvidas estratégias para inoculação em mix de varietais, como por exemplo utilizando uma combinação de inóculos de leveduras (múltiplas espécies) ao invés de uma única linhagem

Screening of Bacillus sp. isolated from coral Siderastrea stellata for antimicrobial activity against enteropathogenic strains of Salmonella and Escherichia coli / Screening de Bacillus sp. isolados do coral Siderastrea stellata para atividade antimicrobiana contra linhagens enteropatogênicas de Salmonella e Escherichia coli

Siderastrea stellata is a coral endemic to Brazilian waters and is widely distributed throughout the coast of Bahia state. Exposure of the coral to pathogens stimulates the production of important enzymes by associated symbiont microorganisms. Besides being natural sources of bioactive compounds, these microorganisms possess characteristics that help them survive under extreme conditions. Sixty-eight bacterial strains isolated from the S. stellata coral were analyzed for antimicrobial activity against ten pathogenic bacteria. The cultivation of marine isolates was carried out in liquid or solid seawater. Eight isolates produced antimicrobial compounds against at least two of the ten pathogenic bacteria tested. When isolates were grown in Mueller-Hinton broth, a distinct biocidal spectrum was observed, indicating that the culture medium directly influences the production of antimicrobial compounds. Through molecular characterization of activity-positive isolates, they were identified as belonging to the genus Bacillus. The bioactive compounds produced by the Bacillus stratosphericus SS85 and SS69 strains were stable after storage time for three months. This is the first paper reporting on the antimicrobial activity of microorganisms isolated from coral Siderastrea stellata

Marine biotechnology in Brazil : recent developments and its potential for innovation

Marine biotechnology is an emerging field in Brazil and includes the exploration of marine microbial products, aquaculture, omics, isolation of biologically active compounds, identification of biosynthetic gene clusters from symbiotic microorganisms, investigation of invertebrate diseases caused by potentially pathogenic marine microbes, and development of antifouling compounds. Furthermore, the field also encompasses description of new biological niches, current threats, preservation strategies as well as its biotechnological potential. Finally, it is important to depict some of the major approaches and tools being employed to such end. To address the challenges of marine biotechnology, the Brazilian government, through the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communication, has established the National Research Network in Marine Biotechnology (BiotecMar) (www.biotecmar.sage.coppe.ufrj.br). Its main objective is to harness marine biodiversity and develop the marine bioeconomy through innovative research

Relationship between clinical-epidemiological parameters and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit: a report from a Brazilian hospital

BackgroundPeople in low-income countries, especially those with low socio-economic conditions, are likelier to test positive for SARS-CoV-2. The unequal conditions of public health systems also increase the infection rate and make early identification and treatment of at-risk patients difficult. Here, we aimed to characterize the epidemiological profile of COVID-19 patients in intensive care and identify laboratory and clinical markers associated with death.Materials and methodsWe conducted an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study in a reference hospital for COVID-19 treatment in the Southern Region of Bahia State, in Brazil, to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Additionally, we used the area under the curve (AUC) to classify survivors and non-survivors and a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess factors associated with death. Data was collected from the hospital databases between April 2020 and July 2021.ResultsThe use of bladder catheters (OR 79.30; p < 0.0001) and central venous catheters (OR, 45.12; p < 0.0001) were the main factors associated with death in ICU COVID-19 patients. Additionally, the number of non-survivors increased with age (p < 0.0001) and prolonged ICU stay (p < 0.0001). Besides, SAPS3 presents a higher sensibility (77.9%) and specificity (63.1%) to discriminate between survivors and non-survivor with an AUC of 0.79 (p < 0.0001).ConclusionWe suggest that multi-laboratory parameters can predict patient prognosis and guide healthcare teams toward more assertive clinical management, better resource allocation, and improved survival of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030