Antitubercular specific activity of ibuprofen and the other 2-arylpropanoic acids using the HT-SPOTi whole-cell phenotypic assay

Objectives: Lead antituberculosis (anti-TB) molecules with novel mechanisms of action are urgently required to fuel the anti-TB drug discovery pipeline. The aim of this study was to validate the use of the high-throughput spot culture growth inhibition (HT-SPOTi) assay for screening libraries of compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and to study the inhibitory effect of ibuprofen (IBP) and the other 2-arylpropanoic acids on the growth inhibition of M tuberculosis and other mycobacterial species. Methods: The HT-SPOTi method was validated not only with known drugs but also with a library of 47 confirmed anti-TB active compounds published in the ChEMBL database. Three over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were also included in the screening. The 2-arylpropanoic acids, including IBP, were comprehensively evaluated against phenotypically and physiologically different strains of mycobacteria, and their cytotoxicity was determined against murine RAW264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, a comparative bioinformatic analysis was employed to propose a potential mycobacterial target. Results: IBP showed antitubercular properties while carprofen was the most potent among the 2-arylpropanoic class. A 3,5-dinitro-IBP derivative was found to be more potent than IBP but equally selective. Other synthetic derivatives of IBP were less active, and the free carboxylic acid of IBP seems to be essential for its anti-TB activity. IBP, carprofen and the 3,5-dinitro-IBP derivative exhibited activity against multidrug-resistant isolates and stationary phase bacilli. On the basis of the human targets of the 2-arylpropanoic analgesics, the protein initiation factor infB (Rv2839c) of M tuberculosis was proposed as a potential molecular target. Conclusions: The HT-SPOTi method can be employed reliably and reproducibly to screen the antimicrobial potency of different compounds. IBP demonstrated specific antitubercular activity, while carprofen was the most selective agent among the 2-arylpropanoic class. Activity against stationary phase bacilli and multidrug-resistant isolates permits us to speculate a novel mechanism of antimycobacterial action. Further medicinal chemistry and target elucidation studies could potentially lead to new therapies against TB

Comparison of Overnight Pooled and Standard Sputum Collection Method for Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Northern Tanzania.

In Tanzania sputum culture for tuberculosis (TB) is resource intensive and available only at zonal facilities. In this study overnight pooled sputum collection technique was compared with standard spot morning collection among pulmonary TB suspects at Kibong'oto National TB Hospital in Tanzania. A spot sputum specimen performed at enrollment, an overnight pooled sputum, and single morning specimen were collected from 50 subjects and analyzed for quality, quantity, and time to detection in Bactec MGIT system. Forty-six (92%) subjects' overnight pooled specimens had a volume ≥5 mls compared to 37 (37%) for the combination of spot and single morning specimens (P < 0.001). Median time to detection was 96 hours (IQR 87-131) for the overnight pooled specimens compared to 110.5 hours (IQR is 137 right 137-180) for the combination of both spot and single morning specimens (P = 0.001). In our setting of limited TB culture capacity, we recommend a single pooled sputum to maximize yield and speed time to diagnosis

Identification of bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance directly from clinical urines by nanopore-based metagenomic sequencing

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy following peer review. The version of record K. Schmidt, S. Mwaigwisya, L. C. Crossman, M. Doumith, D. Munroe, C. Pires, A. M. Khan, N. Woodford, N. J. Saunders, J. Wain, J. O'Grady, D. M. Livermore, Identification of bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance directly from clinical urines by nanopore-based metagenomic sequencing, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Volume 72, Issue 1, January 2017, Pages 104–114, is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkw397University of East Anglia; Rosetrees Trust (A749); Norwich Research Park Translational Fund (REF1.5

MinION nanopore sequencing identifies the position and structure of a bacterial antibiotic resistance island

Short-read, high-throughput sequencing technology cannot identify the chromosomal position of repetitive insertion sequences that typically flank horizontally acquired genes such as bacterial virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes. The MinION nanopore sequencer can produce long sequencing reads on a device similar in size to a USB memory stick. Here we apply a MinION sequencer to resolve the structure and chromosomal insertion site of a composite antibiotic resistance island in Salmonella Typhi Haplotype 58. Nanopore sequencing data from a single 18-h run was used to create a scaffold for an assembly generated from short-read Illumina data. Our results demonstrate the potential of the MinION device in clinical laboratories to fully characterize the epidemic spread of bacterial pathogens

Plasma drug activity assay for treatment optimization in tuberculosis patients

Item does not contain fulltextLow antituberculosis (TB) drug levels are common, but their clinical significance remains unclear, and methods of measurement are resource intensive. Subjects initiating treatment for sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB were enrolled from Kibong'oto National TB Hospital, Tanzania, and levels of isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide were measured at the time of typical peak plasma concentration (C(2 h)). To evaluate the significance of the effect of observed drug levels on Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth, a plasma TB drug activity (TDA) assay was developed using the Bactec MGIT system. Time to detection of plasma-cocultured M. tuberculosis versus time to detection of control growth was defined as a TDA ratio. TDA assays were later performed using the subject's own M. tuberculosis isolate and C(2 h) plasma from the Tanzanian cohort and compared to drug levels and clinical outcomes. Sixteen subjects with a mean age of 37.8 years +/- 10.7 were enrolled. Fourteen (88%) had C(2 h) rifampin levels and 11 (69%) had isoniazid levels below 90% of the lower limit of the expected range. Plasma spiked with various concentrations of antituberculosis medications found TDA assay results to be unaffected by ethambutol or pyrazinamide. Yet with a range of isoniazid and rifampin concentrations, TDA exhibited a statistically significant correlation with drug level and drug MIC, and a TDA of approximately 1.0 indicated the presence of multidrug-resistant TB. In Tanzania, low (</=2.0) TDA was significantly associated with both lower isoniazid and rifampin C(2 h) levels, and very low (</=1.5) TDA corresponded to a trend toward lack of cure. Study of TDA compared to additional clinical outcomes and as a therapeutic management tool is warranted

Low rate of fluoroquinolone resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from northern Tanzania

Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: Fluoroquinolones are used in second-line treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and have a potential role in shortening TB treatment duration. The wide use of fluoroquinolones in the treatment of other infections, including respiratory tract infections in patients with (undiagnosed) active TB, could result in fluoroquinolone-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We determined the rate of fluoroquinolone resistance in M. tuberculosis isolates obtained from Tanzanian patients and linked this to previous fluoroquinolone exposure and mycobacterial resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid. METHODS: A total of 291 M. tuberculosis isolates were obtained between April 2009 and June 2010 from patients with smear-positive pulmonary TB and tested for susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, rifampicin and isoniazid. Information on previous fluoroquinolone use was obtained by interviewing patients and checking their medical files. RESULTS: Only 2 (0.7%) of the 291 M. tuberculosis isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin; 1 of which was intermediately resistant to moxifloxacin as well. These two isolates were susceptible to rifampicin and isoniazid. Twenty-two (8%) of the 291 patients had a history of fluoroquinolone use (median: 7 days; interquartile range: 5-10 days). The patients from whom the fluoroquinolone-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates were obtained had no known history of previous fluoroquinolone use. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the rate of fluoroquinolone-resistant M. tuberculosis in Tanzanian patients with TB is low and not related to previous, brief episodes of exposure to fluoroquinolones. The findings favour future application of fluoroquinolones in TB treatment regimens of shorter duration

Towards precision medicine in sepsis: a position paper from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Background Our current understanding of the pathophysiology and management of sepsis is associated with a lack of progress in clinical trials, which partly reflects insufficient appreciation of the heterogeneity of this syndrome. Consequently, more patient-specific approaches to treatment should be explored. Aims To summarize the current evidence on precision medicine in sepsis, with an emphasis on translation from theory to clinical practice. A secondary objective is to develop a framework enclosing recommendations on management and priorities for further research. Sources A global search strategy was performed in the MEDLINE database through the PubMed search engine (last search December 2017). No restrictions of study design, time, or language were imposed. Content The focus of this Position Paper is on the interplay between therapies, pathogens, and the host. Regarding the pathogen, microbiologic diagnostic approaches (such as blood cultures (BCs) and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs)) are discussed, as well as targeted antibiotic treatment. Other topics include the disruption of host immune system and the use of biomarkers in sepsis management, patient stratification, and future clinical trial design. Lastly, personalized antibiotic treatment and stewardship are addressed (Fig. 1). Implications A road map provides recommendations and future perspectives. RDTs and identifying drug-response phenotypes are clear challenges. The next step will be the implementation of precision medicine to sepsis management, based on theranostic methodology. This highly individualized approach will be essential for the design of novel clinical trials and improvement of care pathways