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a preliminary study of pneumonia etiology among hospitalized children in kenya.pneumonia is the leading cause of childhood death in the developing world. higher-quality etiological data are required to reduce this mortality burden.201222403235
antibacterial and antifungal activities of new acylated derivatives of epigallocatechin gallate.(-)-epigallocatechin-3-o-gallate (egcg) has useful antiviral, antimicrobial, antitoxin, and antitumor properties. previously, mori et al. (2008) found that addition of long acyl chains (c16-18) to egcg enhanced its anti-influenza virus activity up to 44-fold. the chemical stability of egcg against oxidative degradation was also enhanced by acylation. we further evaluated the in vitro activity spectrum of the egcg derivatives against a wide range of bacteria and fungi. a series of egcg o-acyl der ...201222355295
performances of the vitek ms matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry system for rapid identification of bacteria in routine clinical microbiology.rapid and cost-effective matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms)-based systems will replace conventional phenotypic methods for routine identification of bacteria. we report here the first evaluation of the new maldi-tof ms-based vitek ms system in a large clinical microbiology laboratory. this system uses an original spectrum classifier algorithm and a specific database designed for the identification of clinically relevant species. we have te ...201222593596
comparison of the microflex lt and vitek ms systems for routine identification of bacteria by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.this study compared the performance of three matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry systems: microflex lt (bruker daltonics, bremen, germany), vitek ms ruo (axima assurance-saramis database; biomérieux, marcy l'etoile, france), and vitek ms ivd (biomérieux). a total of 1,129 isolates, including 1,003 routine isolates, 73 anaerobes, and 53 bacterial enteropathogens, were tested on the microflex lt and axima assurance devices. the spectra were analyzed using t ...201222322345
current concepts in laboratory testing to guide antimicrobial therapy.antimicrobial susceptibility testing (ast) is indicated for pathogens contributing to an infectious process that warrants antimicrobial therapy if susceptibility to antimicrobials cannot be predicted reliably based on knowledge of their identity. such tests are most frequently used when the etiologic agents are members of species capable of demonstrating resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics. some organisms have predictable susceptibility to antimicrobial agents (ie, streptococcus pyogen ...201222386185
epigenetics and bacterial infections.epigenetic mechanisms regulate expression of the genome to generate various cell types during development or orchestrate cellular responses to external stimuli. recent studies highlight that bacteria can affect the chromatin structure and transcriptional program of host cells by influencing diverse epigenetic factors (i.e., histone modifications, dna methylation, chromatin-associated complexes, noncoding rnas, and rna splicing factors). in this article, we first review the molecular bases of the ...201223209181
type iv pilin proteins: versatile molecular modules.type iv pili (t4p) are multifunctional protein fibers produced on the surfaces of a wide variety of bacteria and archaea. the major subunit of t4p is the type iv pilin, and structurally related proteins are found as components of the type ii secretion (t2s) system, where they are called pseudopilins; of dna uptake/competence systems in both gram-negative and gram-positive species; and of flagella, pili, and sugar-binding systems in the archaea. this broad distribution of a single protein family ...201223204365
origin of the diversity in dna recognition domains in phasevarion associated moda genes of pathogenic neisseria and haemophilus influenzae.phase variable restriction-modification (r-m) systems have been identified in a range of pathogenic bacteria. in some it has been demonstrated that the random switching of the mod (dna methyltransferase) gene mediates the coordinated expression of multiple genes and constitutes a phasevarion (phase variable regulon). moda of neisseria and haemophilus influenzae contain a highly variable, dna recognition domain (drd) that defines the target sequence that is modified by methylation and is used to ...201222457715
outer membrane vesicles from brucella abortus promote bacterial internalization by human monocytes and modulate their innate immune response.outer membrane vesicles (omvs) released by some gram-negative bacteria have been shown to exert immunomodulatory effects that favor the establishment of the infection. the aim of the present study was to assess the interaction of omvs from brucella abortus with human epithelial cells (hela) and monocytes (thp-1), and the potential immunomodulatory effects they may exert. using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, fitc-labeled omvs were shown to be internalized by both cell types. internalizat ...201223189190
in vitro activity of tp-271 against mycobacterium abscessus, mycobacterium fortuitum, and nocardia species.the in vitro activities of tp-271, a novel fluorocycline antimicrobial, against 22 isolates of mycobacterium abscessus, 22 isolates of mycobacterium fortuitum, and 19 isolates of nocardia spp. were studied by a microtiter broth dilution method. the mic(90)s for m. abscessus, m. fortuitum, and nocardia spp. were 0.5 μg/ml, 0.03 μg/ml, and 8 μg/ml, respectively. tp-271 was significantly more active than the respective control drug in virtually all tests.201222585214
infectious etiologies of acute febrile illness among patients seeking health care in south-central cambodia.the agents of human febrile illness can vary by region and country suggesting that diagnosis, treatment, and control programs need to be based on a methodical evaluation of area-specific etiologies. from december 2006 to december 2009, 9,997 individuals presenting with acute febrile illness at nine health care clinics in south-central cambodia were enrolled in a study to elucidate the etiologies. upon enrollment, respiratory specimens, whole blood, and serum were collected. testing was performed ...201222302857
nitrous oxide production and consumption: regulation of gene expression by gas-sensitive transcription factors.several biochemical mechanisms contribute to the biological generation of nitrous oxide (n(2)o). n(2)o generating enzymes include the respiratory nitric oxide (no) reductase, an enzyme from the flavo-diiron family, and flavohaemoglobin. on the other hand, there is only one enzyme that is known to use n(2)o as a substrate, which is the respiratory n(2)o reductase typically found in bacteria capable of denitrification (the respiratory reduction of nitrate and nitrite to dinitrogen). this article w ...201222451107
Murine Model of Chronic Respiratory Inflammation.The respiratory mucosa is exposed to the external environment each time we breathe and therefore requires a robust and sophisticated immune defense system. As with other mucosal sites, the respiratory mucosal immune system must balance its response to pathogens while also regulating inflammatory immune cell-mediated tissue damage. In the airways, a failure to tightly control immune responses to a pathogen can result in chronic inflammation and tissue destruction with an overzealous response bein ...201221842370
eurocin, a new fungal defensin: structure, lipid binding, and its mode of action.antimicrobial peptides are a new class of antibiotics that are promising for pharmaceutical applications because they have retained efficacy throughout evolution. one class of antimicrobial peptides are the defensins, which have been found in different species. here we describe a new fungal defensin, eurocin. eurocin acts against a range of gram-positive human pathogens but not against gram-negative bacteria. eurocin consists of 42 amino acids, forming a cysteine-stabilized α/β-fold. the thermal ...201223093408
nontypeable haemophilus influenzae genetic islands associated with chronic pulmonary infection.haemophilus influenzae (hi) colonizes the human respiratory tract and is an important pathogen associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). bacterial factors that interact with the human host may be important in the pathogenesis of copd. these factors, however, have not been well defined. the overall goal of this study was to identify bacterial genetic elements with increased prevalence among h. influenzae strains isolated from patients with copd compared to those isolated from ...201222970300
microbial carriage state of peripheral blood dendritic cells (dcs) in chronic periodontitis influences dc differentiation, atherogenic potential.the low-grade oral infection chronic periodontitis (cp) has been implicated in coronary artery disease risk, but the mechanisms are unclear. in this study, a pathophysiological role for blood dendritic cells (dcs) in systemic dissemination of oral mucosal pathogens to atherosclerotic plaques was investigated in humans. the frequency and microbiome of cd19(-)bdca-1(+)dc-sign(+) blood myeloid dcs (mdcs) were analyzed in cp subjects with or without existing acute coronary syndrome and in healthy co ...201222891282
a bcam0223 mutant of burkholderia cenocepacia is deficient in hemagglutination, serum resistance, adhesion to epithelial cells and virulence.burkholderia cepacia complex (bcc) bacteria are a problematic group of microorganisms causing severe infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. in early stages of infection, bcc bacteria must be able to adhere to and colonize the respiratory epithelium. although this is not fully understood, this primary stage of infection is believed to be in part mediated by a specific type of adhesins, named trimeric autotransporter adhesins (taas). these homotrimeric proteins exist on the surface of many g ...201222848588
comparison of dna extraction methods for microbial community profiling with an application to pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage samples.barcoded amplicon sequencing is rapidly becoming a standard method for profiling microbial communities, including the human respiratory microbiome. while this approach has less bias than standard cultivation, several steps can introduce variation including the type of dna extraction method used. here we assessed five different extraction methods on pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage (bal) samples and a mock community comprised of nine bacterial genera to determine method reproducibility and detect ...201222514642
significance of the microbiome in obstructive lung disease.the composition of the lung microbiome contributes to both health and disease, including obstructive lung disease. because it has been estimated that over 70% of the bacterial species on body surfaces cannot be cultured by currently available techniques, traditional culture techniques are no longer the gold standard for microbial investigation. advanced techniques that identify bacterial sequences, including the 16s ribosomal rna gene, have provided new insights into the depth and breadth of mic ...201222318161
pulmonary bacterial communities in surgically resected noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis lungs are similar to those in cystic fibrosis.background. recurrent bacterial infections play a key role in the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis, but conventional microbiologic methods may fail to identify pathogens in many cases. we characterized and compared the pulmonary bacterial communities of cystic fibrosis (cf) and non-cf bronchiectasis patients using a culture-independent molecular approach. methods. bacterial 16s rrna gene libraries were constructed from lung tissue of 10 non-cf bronchiectasis and 21 cf patients, followed by dna seq ...201222448327
coagulase-negative staphylococcus, catheter-related, bloodstream infections and their association with acute phase markers of inflammation in the intensive care unit: an observational study.to examine the relationship between the isolation of coagulase-negative staphylococcus in blood cultures and acute phase markers of inflammation.201224294276
the chemical composition of endotoxin isolated from intestinal strain of desulfovibrio desulfuricans.desulfovibrio desulfuricans anaerobes are constituents of human alimentary tract microflora. there are suggestions that they take part in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and some gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders, such as ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease. endotoxin is one of gram-negative bacteria cellular components that influence these microorganisms pathogenicity. endotoxin is a lipid-polisaccharide heteropolymer consisting of three elements: lipid a, core oligosaccharide, and o- ...201222629175
duplex quantitative real-time pcr assay for the detection and discrimination of the eggs of toxocara canis and toxocara cati (nematoda, ascaridoidea) in soil and fecal samples.toxocarosis is a zoonotic disease caused by toxocara canis (t. canis) and/or toxocara cati (t. cati), two worldwide distributed roundworms which are parasites of canids and felids, respectively. infections of humans occur through ingestion of embryonated eggs of t. canis or t. cati, when playing with soils contaminated with dogs or cats feces. accordingly, the assessment of potential contamination of these areas with these roundworms eggs is paramount.201223216873
bloodstream infections in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension treated with intravenous prostanoids: insights from the reveal registry®.to evaluate the rate of and potential risk factors for bloodstream infections (bsis) using data from the reveal (registry to evaluate early and long-term pulmonary arterial hypertension [pah] disease management) registry(®), which provides current information about patients with pah.201222883740
identification of the genes involved in riemerella anatipestifer biofilm formation by random transposon mutagenesis.riemerella anatipestifer causes epizootics of infectious disease in poultry that result in serious economic losses to the duck industry. our previous studies have shown that some strains of r. anatipestifer can form a biofilm, and this may explain the intriguing persistence of r. anatipestifer on duck farms post infection. in this study we used strain ch3, a strong producer of biofilm, to construct a library of random tn4351 transposon mutants in order to investigate the genetic basis of biofilm ...201222768127
characterization of the viral microbiome in patients with severe lower respiratory tract infections, using metagenomic sequencing.the human respiratory tract is heavily exposed to microorganisms. viral respiratory tract pathogens, like rsv, influenza and rhinoviruses cause major morbidity and mortality from respiratory tract disease. furthermore, as viruses have limited means of transmission, viruses that cause pathogenicity in other tissues may be transmitted through the respiratory tract. it is therefore important to chart the human virome in this compartment. we have studied nasopharyngeal aspirate samples submitted to ...201222355331
characterization of esterase a, a pseudomonas stutzeri a15 autotransporter.autotransporters are a widespread family of proteins, generally known as virulence factors produced by gram-negative bacteria. in this study, the esterase a (esta) autotransporter of the rice root-colonizing beneficial bacterium pseudomonas stutzeri a15 was characterized. a multiple sequence alignment identified esta as belonging to clade ii of the gdsl esterase family. autologous overexpression allowed the investigation of several features of both autotransporter proteins and gdsl esterases. fi ...201222307303
molecular characterization of plasmid pmbo4.6 of moraxella bovis atcc 10900.we report the characterization of a small cryptic plasmid unlike any previously described from moraxella bovis atcc 10900, a gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family moraxellaceae. the complete nucleotide sequence of the plasmid pmbo4.6 was determined. the plasmid was analyzed and found to be 4658 in size with a g+c content of 38.6 mol %. computer analysis of the sequence data revealed four major open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 10.1 (orf1), 64.2 (orf2), 45.7 (orf3), and ...201223129346
molecular characterization of plasmid pmbo4.6 of moraxella bovis atcc 10900.we report the characterization of a small cryptic plasmid unlike any previously described from moraxella bovis atcc 10900, a gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family moraxellaceae. the complete nucleotide sequence of the plasmid pmbo4.6 was determined. the plasmid was analyzed and found to be 4658 in size with a g+c content of 38.6 mol %. computer analysis of the sequence data revealed four major open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 10.1 (orf1), 64.2 (orf2), 45.7 (orf3), and ...201223129346
newer antibacterials in therapy and clinical trials.in order to deal with the rising problem of antibiotic resistance, newer antibacterials are being discovered and added to existing pool. since the year 2000, however, only four new classes of antibacterials have been discovered. these include the oxazolidinones, glycolipopeptides, glycolipodepepsipeptide and pleuromutilins. newer drugs were added to existing classes of antibiotics, such as streptogramins, quinolones, beta-lactam antibiotics, and macrolide-, tetracycline- and trimethoprim-related ...201223181224
global fluoroquinolone resistance epidemiology and implictions for clinical use.this paper on the fluoroquinolone resistance epidemiology stratifies the data according to the different prescription patterns by either primary or tertiary caregivers and by indication. global surveillance studies demonstrate that fluoroquinolone resistance rates increased in the past years in almost all bacterial species except s. pneumoniae and h. influenzae, causing community-acquired respiratory tract infections. however, 10 to 30% of these isolates harbored first-step mutations conferring ...201223097666
the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (nlcr) has been identified as a predictor of bacteremia in medical emergencies. the aim of this study was to investigate the value of the nlcr in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (cap).201223049706
comparison of plasma, epithelial lining fluid, and alveolar macrophage concentrations of solithromycin (cem-101) in healthy adult subjects.the steady-state concentrations of solithromycin in plasma were compared with concomitant concentrations in epithelial lining fluid (elf) and alveolar macrophages (am) obtained from intrapulmonary samples during bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (bal) in 30 healthy adult subjects. subjects received oral solithromycin at 400 mg once daily for five consecutive days. bronchoscopy and bal were carried out once in each subject at either 3, 6, 9, 12, or 24 h after the last administered dose of s ...201222802254
etiology and incidence of viral and bacterial acute respiratory illness among older children and adults in rural western kenya, 2007-2010.few comprehensive data exist on disease incidence for specific etiologies of acute respiratory illness (ari) in older children and adults in africa.201222937071
does the adoption of eucast susceptibility breakpoints affect the selection of antimicrobials to treat acute community-acquired respiratory tract infections?in several european countries, by the end of 2012, clsi guidelines will be replaced by eucast. we compared antimicrobial susceptibility results of a large number of respiratory pathogens using both eucast and previously adopted clsi criteria to evaluate the impact on susceptibility patterns and the possible consequences that could occur in clinical practice due to this replacement.for s. pyogenes and s. aureus, the interpretation of susceptibility data using the eucast criteria did not produce r ...201222866984
blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin ratio independently predicts mortality and severity of community-acquired pneumonia.early studies of community-acquired pneumonia showed that nonsurvivors had higher blood urea nitrogen levels and lower serum albumin levels than survivors. therefore, elevation of the blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin (b/a) ratio may identify patients with community-acquired pneumonia who are becoming critically ill. this study investigated the correlation between commonly used laboratory markers, in particular the b/a ratio, and clinical outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia.201222866010
efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin for the empirical treatment of pneumonia.respiratory tract infections (rti) are common causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. initial antibiotic therapy in upper and lower respiratory tract infections is usually empirical. the increasing evidence of antibacterial resistance in the pathogens commonly associated with pneumonia has raised concerns about the efficacy of currently available therapies and poses a challenge to clinicians. gemifloxacin is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent exhibiting potent activity against ...201222919164
cethromycin versus clarithromycin for community-acquired pneumonia: comparative efficacy and safety outcomes from two double-blinded, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter, multinational noninferiority studies.community-acquired pneumonia (cap) continues to be a major health challenge in the united states and globally. factors such as overprescribing of antibiotics and noncompliance with dosing regimens have added to the growing antibacterial resistance problem. in addition, several agents available for the treatment of cap have been associated with serious side effects. cethromycin is a new ketolide antibiotic that may provide prescribing physicians with an additional agent to supplement a continuall ...201222290969
structure of an essential type iv pilus biogenesis protein provides insights into pilus and type ii secretion systems.type iv pili (t4ps) are long cell surface filaments, essential for microcolony formation, tissue adherence, motility, transformation, and virulence by human pathogens. the enteropathogenic escherichia coli bundle-forming pilus is a prototypic t4p assembled and powered by bfpd, a conserved gspe secretion superfamily atpase held by inner-membrane proteins bfpc and bfpe, a gspf-family membrane protein. although the t4p assembly machinery shares similarity with type ii secretion (t2s) systems, the s ...201222387466
strategies of exploitation of mammalian reservoirs by bartonella species.numerous mammal species, including domestic and wild animals such as ruminants, dogs, cats and rodents, as well as humans, serve as reservoir hosts for various bartonella species. some of those species that exploit non-human mammals as reservoir hosts have zoonotic potential. our understanding of interactions between bartonellae and reservoir hosts has been greatly improved by the development of animal models for infection and the use of molecular tools allowing large scale mutagenesis of barton ...201222369683
diagnosis and treatment of hiv-associated manifestations in otolaryngology.almost 30 years after its first description, hiv still remains a global pandemic. the present paper aims to review the current knowledge on the ear, nose and throat (ent) manifestations of hiv infection, and present the available diagnostic and treatment options. a literature review was conducted in medline and other available database sources. information from related books was also included in the data analysis. it is well acknowledged that up to 80% of hiv-infected patients eventually develop ...201224470939
activity of the thiopeptide antibiotic nosiheptide against contemporary strains of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.the rapid rise in antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has generated an increased demand for the development of novel therapies to treat contemporary infections, especially those caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa). however, antimicrobial development has been largely abandoned by the pharmaceutical industry. we recently isolated the previously described thiopeptide antibiotic nosiheptide from a marine actinomycete strain and evaluated its activity against contemporary cl ...201223047246
repeating blood cultures in neutropenic children with persistent fevers when the initial blood culture is negative.febrile neutropenia is a common reason for the hospitalization of pediatric oncology patients. the initiation of antibiotics and the overall decline in rates of bacteremia, would predict a low yield of detection of bacteremia in repeated blood cultures. despite little evidence supporting the utility of serial cultures, repeat culturing with fever persists.201223047811
repeating blood cultures in neutropenic children with persistent fevers when the initial blood culture is negative.febrile neutropenia is a common reason for the hospitalization of pediatric oncology patients. the initiation of antibiotics and the overall decline in rates of bacteremia, would predict a low yield of detection of bacteremia in repeated blood cultures. despite little evidence supporting the utility of serial cultures, repeat culturing with fever persists.201223047811
the human milk protein-lipid complex hamlet sensitizes bacterial pathogens to traditional antimicrobial agents.the fight against antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant challenges to public health of our time. the inevitable development of resistance following the introduction of novel antibiotics has led to an urgent need for the development of new antibacterial drugs with new mechanisms of action that are not susceptible to existing resistance mechanisms. one such compound is hamlet, a natural complex from human milk that kills streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) using a mechanism ...201222905269
identification of ata, a multifunctional trimeric autotransporter of acinetobacter baumannii.acinetobacter baumannii has recently emerged as a highly troublesome nosocomial pathogen, especially in patients in intensive care units and in those undergoing mechanical ventilation. we have identified a surface protein adhesin of a. baumannii, designated the acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter (ata), that contains all of the typical features of trimeric autotransporters (ta), including a long signal peptide followed by an n-terminal, surface-exposed passenger domain and a c-terminal domain ...201222609912
proteomic analysis of neisseria gonorrhoeae biofilms shows shift to anaerobic respiration and changes in nutrient transport and outermembrane proteins.neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea, can form biofilms in vitro and in vivo. in biofilms, the organism is more resistant to antibiotic treatment and can serve as a reservoir for chronic infection. we have used stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (silac) to compare protein expression in biofilm and planktonic organisms. two parallel populations of n. gonorrhoeae strain 1291, which is an arginine auxotroph, were grown for 48 h in continuous-flow chambers over ...201222701624
current epidemiology and growing resistance of gram-negative pathogens.in the 1980s, gram-negative pathogens appeared to have been beaten by oxyimino-cephalosporins, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones. yet these pathogens have fought back, aided by their membrane organization, which promotes the exclusion and efflux of antibiotics, and by a remarkable propensity to recruit, transfer, and modify the expression of resistance genes, including those for extended-spectrum β-lactamases (esbls), carbapenemases, aminoglycoside-blocking 16s rrna methylases, and even a quinol ...201222707882
quantitative real-time pcr for detection of acinetobacter baumannii colonization in the hospital environment.a real-time pcr assay was developed for detecting the presence of acinetobacter baumannii on hospital equipment and compared to conventional bacterial culture using 100 hospital environmental samples. the real-time pcr detected contaminated surfaces in 4 h with high sensitivity (100%) compared to conventional culture. thirty-eight percent of samples were positive by real-time pcr and negative by bacterial culture (false positives), possibly indicating the widespread presence of bacterial dna tha ...201222301021
a new pharmacological agent (akb-4924) stabilizes hypoxia inducible factor-1 (hif-1) and increases skin innate defenses against bacterial infection.hypoxia inducible factor-1 (hif-1) is a transcription factor that is a major regulator of energy homeostasis and cellular adaptation to low oxygen stress. hif-1 is also activated in response to bacterial pathogens and supports the innate immune response of both phagocytes and keratinocytes. in this work, we show that a new pharmacological compound akb-4924 increases hif-1 levels and enhances the antibacterial activity of phagocytes and keratinocytes against both methicillin-sensitive and methici ...201222371073
yersinia infection tools-characterization of structure and function of adhesins.among the seventeen species of the gram-negative genus yersinia, three have been shown to be virulent and pathogenic to humans and animals-y. enterocolitica, y. pseudotuberculosis, and y. pestis. in order to be so, they are armoured with various factors that help them adhere to tissues and organelles, cross the cellular barrier and escape the immune system during host invasion. the group of proteins that mediate pathogen-host interactions constitute adhesins. invasin, ail, yada, yadb, yadc, pla, ...201223316485
yersinia infection tools-characterization of structure and function of adhesins.among the seventeen species of the gram-negative genus yersinia, three have been shown to be virulent and pathogenic to humans and animals-y. enterocolitica, y. pseudotuberculosis, and y. pestis. in order to be so, they are armoured with various factors that help them adhere to tissues and organelles, cross the cellular barrier and escape the immune system during host invasion. the group of proteins that mediate pathogen-host interactions constitute adhesins. invasin, ail, yada, yadb, yadc, pla, ...201223316485
influence of bacterial interactions on pneumococcal colonization of the nasopharynx.streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a common commensal inhabitant of the nasopharynx and a frequent etiologic agent in serious diseases such as pneumonia, otitis media, bacteremia, and meningitis. multiple pneumococcal strains can colonize the nasopharynx, which is also home to many other bacterial species. intraspecies and interspecies interactions influence pneumococcal carriage in important ways. co-colonization by two or more pneumococcal strains has implications for vaccine serot ...201223273566
influence of bacterial interactions on pneumococcal colonization of the nasopharynx.streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a common commensal inhabitant of the nasopharynx and a frequent etiologic agent in serious diseases such as pneumonia, otitis media, bacteremia, and meningitis. multiple pneumococcal strains can colonize the nasopharynx, which is also home to many other bacterial species. intraspecies and interspecies interactions influence pneumococcal carriage in important ways. co-colonization by two or more pneumococcal strains has implications for vaccine serot ...201223273566
asthma-associated differences in microbial composition of induced sputum.it is increasingly evident that microbial colonization of the respiratory tract might have a role in the pathogenesis of asthma.201223265859
asthma-associated differences in microbial composition of induced sputum.it is increasingly evident that microbial colonization of the respiratory tract might have a role in the pathogenesis of asthma.201223265859
association between early bacterial carriage and otitis media in aboriginal and non-aboriginal children in a semi-arid area of western australia: a cohort study.streptococcus pneumoniae (pnc), nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) and moraxella catarrhalis (mcat) are the most important bacterial pathogens associated with otitis media (om). previous studies have suggested that early upper respiratory tract (urt) bacterial carriage may increase risk of subsequent om. we investigated associations between early onset of urt bacterial carriage and subsequent diagnosis of om in aboriginal and non-aboriginal children living in the kalgoorlie-boulder region ...201223256870
16s rrna terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for the characterization of the nasopharyngeal microbiota.a novel non-culture based 16s rrna terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (t-rflp) method using the restriction enzymes tsp509i and hpy166ii was developed for the characterization of the nasopharyngeal microbiota and validated using recently published 454 pyrosequencing data. 16s rrna gene t-rflp for 153 clinical nasopharyngeal samples from infants with acute otitis media (aom) revealed 5 tsp509i and 6 hpy166ii terminal fragments (tfs) with a prevalence of >10%. cloning and sequencing ...201223284951
post-transfusion purpura in an african-american man due to human platelet antigen-5b alloantibody: a case report. 201223234542
rhinosinusitis in children.rhinosinusitis is the inflammation of the mucous membranes of nose and paranasal sinus(es). 5-13% of upper respiratory tract infections in children complicate into acute rhinosinusitis. though not life threatening, it profoundly affects child's school performance and sleep pattern. if untreated, it could progress to chronic rhinosinusitis (crs). the pathogens involved in perpetuation of crs consist of multidrug-resistant mixed microflora. crs is challenging to manage and could further extend to ...201223762621
development of a lacz-based transcriptional reporter system for use with moraxella catarrhalis.the lack of a transcriptional reporter system for use in moraxella catarrhalis has hindered studies of gene regulation in this pathogen. pcr and recombinant dna methods were used to insert a multicloning site (mcs) and promoterless full-length escherichia coli lacz gene, flanked by transcriptional terminators both immediately upstream and downstream, into the m. catarrhalis recombinant plasmid pww115. insertion into the mcs in the newly constructed plasmid pase222 of m. catarrhalis promoter regi ...201223219721
development of a lacz-based transcriptional reporter system for use with moraxella catarrhalis.the lack of a transcriptional reporter system for use in moraxella catarrhalis has hindered studies of gene regulation in this pathogen. pcr and recombinant dna methods were used to insert a multicloning site (mcs) and promoterless full-length escherichia coli lacz gene, flanked by transcriptional terminators both immediately upstream and downstream, into the m. catarrhalis recombinant plasmid pww115. insertion into the mcs in the newly constructed plasmid pase222 of m. catarrhalis promoter regi ...201223219721
complete fiber structures of complex trimeric autotransporter adhesins conserved in enterobacteria.trimeric autotransporter adhesins (taas) are modular, highly repetitive surface proteins that mediate adhesion to host cells in a broad range of gram-negative pathogens. although their sizes may differ by more than one order of magnitude, they all follow the same basic head-stalk-anchor architecture, where the head mediates adhesion and autoagglutination, the stalk projects the head from the bacterial surface, and the anchor provides the export function and attaches the adhesin to the bacterial ...201223213248
thin-section ct findings in pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infection.the aim of this study was to assess clinical and pulmonary thin-section ct findings in patients with acute pseudomonas aeruginosa (pa) pulmonary infection.201222844034
direct and indirect antimicrobial activities of neuropeptides and their therapeutic potential.as global resistance to conventional antibiotics rises we need to develop new strategies to develop future novel therapeutics. in our quest to design novel anti-infectives and antimicrobials it is of interest to investigate host-pathogen interactions and learn from the complexity of host defense strategies that have evolved over millennia. a myriad of host defense molecules are now known to play a role in protection against human infection. however, the interaction between host and pathogen is r ...201223305360
rhinovirus infection induces degradation of antimicrobial peptides and secondary bacterial infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) exacerbations are associated with virus (mostly rhinovirus) and bacterial infections, but it is not known whether rhinovirus infections precipitate secondary bacterial infections.201223024024
carriage of neisseria lactamica in 1- to 29-year-old people in burkina faso: epidemiology and molecular characterization.neisseria lactamica is a true commensal bacterium occupying the same ecological niche as the pathogenic neisseria meningitidis, which is responsible for outbreaks and large epidemics, especially in sub-saharan africa. to better understand the epidemiology of n. lactamica in africa and its relationship to n. meningitidis, we studied n. lactamica carriage in 1- to 29-year-old people living in three districts of burkina faso from 2009 to 2011. n. lactamica was detected in 18.2% of 45,847 oropharyng ...201223035186
alternative sampling methods for detecting bacterial pathogens in children with upper respiratory tract infections.nasopharyngeal sampling is used for detecting bacteria commonly involved in upper respiratory tract infections, but it requires training and may not always be well tolerated. we sampled children (n = 66) of ages 0 to 4 years, with rhinorrhea, by using a nasopharyngeal swab, a nasal swab, and nose blowing/wiping into a paper tissue. streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae, moraxella catarrhalis, and staphylococcus aureus were cultured at similar rates across methods with high concordance ...201223052306
pneumococci can persistently colonize adult patients with chronic respiratory disease.streptococcus pneumoniae plays an important role in causing acute exacerbations in patients with chronic respiratory disease. however, few data are available regarding pneumococcal persistence in adult patients with chronic respiratory diseases. fifty pneumococci recovered from sputum samples (1995 to 2010) from 13 adult patients with ≥ 3 episodes of acute exacerbation or pneumonia, with the same serotype and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) pattern, were studied. multilocus sequence typi ...201223052300
coinfection with staphylococcus aureus increases risk of severe coagulopathy in critically ill children with influenza a (h1n1) virus infection.h1n1 influenza with coinfections has been implicated to have high morbidity and mortality. we hypothesized that critically ill children with 2009 h1n1 and coinfections are at a higher risk of developing disseminated intravascular coagulation.201222971587
viral-bacterial interactions in acute otitis media.acute otitis media (aom) is a polymicrobial disease, which usually occurs as a complication of viral upper respiratory tract infection (uri). while respiratory viruses alone may cause viral aom, they increase the risk of bacterial middle ear infection and worsen clinical outcomes of bacterial aom. uri viruses alter eustachian tube (et) function via decreased mucociliary action, altered mucus secretion and increased expression of inflammatory mediators among other mechanisms. transient reduction ...201222968233
regulation of frontline antibody responses by innate immune signals.mature b cells generate protective immunity by undergoing immunoglobulin (ig) class switching and somatic hypermutation, two ig gene-diversifying processes that usually require cognate interactions with t cells that express cd40 ligand. this t-cell-dependent pathway provides immunological memory but is relatively slow to occur. thus, it must be integrated with a faster, t-cell-independent pathway for b-cell activation through cd40 ligand-like molecules that are released by innate immune cells in ...201222477522
macrophage/epithelial cell ccl2 contributes to rhinovirus-induced hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airways disease.human rhinovirus (hrv) infections lead to exacerbations of lower airways disease in asthmatic patients but not in healthy individuals. however, underlying mechanisms remain to be completely elucidated. we hypothesized that the th2-driven allergic environment enhances hrv-induced cc chemokine production, leading to asthma exacerbations. ovalbumin (ova)-sensitized and -challenged mice inoculated with hrv showed significant increases in the expression of lung cc chemokine ligand (ccl)-2/monocyte ch ...201223204071
macrophage/epithelial cell ccl2 contributes to rhinovirus-induced hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airways disease.human rhinovirus (hrv) infections lead to exacerbations of lower airways disease in asthmatic patients but not in healthy individuals. however, underlying mechanisms remain to be completely elucidated. we hypothesized that the th2-driven allergic environment enhances hrv-induced cc chemokine production, leading to asthma exacerbations. ovalbumin (ova)-sensitized and -challenged mice inoculated with hrv showed significant increases in the expression of lung cc chemokine ligand (ccl)-2/monocyte ch ...201223204071
preliminary pediatric clinical evaluation of the oral probiotic streptococcus salivarius k12 in preventing recurrent pharyngitis and/or tonsillitis caused by streptococcus pyogenes and recurrent acute otitis media.the oral probiotic streptococcus salivarius k12 has been shown clearly to antagonize the growth of streptococcus pyogenes, the most important bacterial cause of pharyngeal infections in humans, by releasing two bacteriocins named salivaricin a2 and salivaricin b. unpublished observations indicate that it can also antagonize the growth of other bacteria involved in acute otitis media. because of its ability to colonize the oral cavity and its safety profile, we have tested its efficacy in reducin ...201223233809
multiple facets of camp signalling and physiological impact: camp compartmentalization in the lung.therapies involving elevation of the endogenous suppressor cyclic amp (camp) are currently used in the treatment of several chronic inflammatory disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). characteristics of copd are airway obstruction, airway inflammation and airway remodelling, processes encompassed by increased airway smooth muscle mass, epithelial changes, goblet cell and submucosal gland hyperplasia. in addition to inflammatory cells, airway smooth muscle cells and (m ...201224281338
innate immune dysfunction is associated with enhanced disease severity in infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.most patients with respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) bronchiolitis requiring admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (picu) have no risk factors for severe disease. we sought to investigate the relationship between serum cytokine concentrations, innate immune responsiveness, and rsv disease severity.201223204162
innate immune dysfunction is associated with enhanced disease severity in infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.most patients with respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) bronchiolitis requiring admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (picu) have no risk factors for severe disease. we sought to investigate the relationship between serum cytokine concentrations, innate immune responsiveness, and rsv disease severity.201223204162
pathogen diversity and hidden regimes of apparent competition.competition through cross-reacting host immune responses, a form of apparent competition, is a major driver of pathogen evolution and diversity. most models of pathogens have focused on intraspecific interactions to explain observed patterns. two recent experiments suggested that haemophilus influenzae, a common nasopharyngeal colonizer of humans, might alter the immune environment in a way that favors otherwise less fit serotypes of another common pathogen, pneumococcus. using a computational m ...201223234842
pathogen diversity and hidden regimes of apparent competition.competition through cross-reacting host immune responses, a form of apparent competition, is a major driver of pathogen evolution and diversity. most models of pathogens have focused on intraspecific interactions to explain observed patterns. two recent experiments suggested that haemophilus influenzae, a common nasopharyngeal colonizer of humans, might alter the immune environment in a way that favors otherwise less fit serotypes of another common pathogen, pneumococcus. using a computational m ...201223234842
is 'gold' standard for the management of copd in clinical practice? 201224432032
identification and characterization of the bacterial etiology of clinically problematic acute otitis media after tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea in german children.acute otitis media (aom) is an important and common disease of childhood. bacteria isolated from cases of clinically problematic aom in german children were identified and characterized.201223167692
ataa, a new member of the trimeric autotransporter adhesins from acinetobacter sp. tol 5 mediating high adhesiveness to various abiotic surfaces.acinetobacter sp. tol 5 exhibits an autoagglutinating nature and noteworthy adhesiveness to various abiotic surfaces from hydrophobic plastics to hydrophilic glass and stainless steel. although previous studies have suggested that bacterionanofibers on tol 5 cells are involved in the adhesive phenotype of tol 5, the fiber that directly mediates tol 5 adhesion has remained unknown. here, we present a new member of trimeric autotransporter adhesins designated ataa, which we discovered by analyzing ...201223155410
antibacterial activity of the human host defence peptide ll-37 and selected synthetic cationic lipids against bacteria associated with oral and upper respiratory tract infections.we aim to develop antibacterial peptide mimics resistant to protease degradation, with broad-spectrum activity at sites of infection.201223134677
antibacterial activity of the human host defence peptide ll-37 and selected synthetic cationic lipids against bacteria associated with oral and upper respiratory tract infections.we aim to develop antibacterial peptide mimics resistant to protease degradation, with broad-spectrum activity at sites of infection.201223134677
pneumonia after earthquake, japan, 2011. 201223092559
nasopharyngeal bacterial interactions in children.antimicrobial treatments and vaccines can alter bacterial interactions in the nasopharynx, thereby altering disease processes. to better understand these interactions, we examined colonization rates of 3 respiratory bacterial pathogens among 320 children when healthy and at onset of acute otitis media (aom). bacterial interactions were analyzed with a repeated measures logistic regression model. among healthy children, streptococcus pneumoniae and moraxella catarrhalis were synergistically (posi ...201223092680
effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization in young children: a randomized controlled trial.this study evaluated the effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine (phid-cv) on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization compared with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vcrm) in young children.201223118268
effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization in young children: a randomized controlled trial.this study evaluated the effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine (phid-cv) on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization compared with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vcrm) in young children.201223118268
pge2 induces interleukin-8 derepression in human astrocytoma through coordinated dna demethylation and histone hyperacetylation.we have recently reported that in astrocytoma cells the expression of interleukin-8 (il-8) is upregulated by prostaglandin e2 (pge2). unfortunately, the exact mechanism by which this happens has not been clarified yet. here, we have investigated whether il-8 activation by pge2 involves changes in dna methylation and/or histone modifications in 46 astrocytoma specimens, two astrocytoma cell lines and normal astrocytic cells. the dna methylation status of the il-8 promoter was analyzed by bisulphi ...201223051921
microbiome diversity in the bronchial tracts of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.culture of bacteria from bronchial secretions in respiratory patients has low sensitivity and does not allow for complete assessment of microbial diversity across different bronchial compartments. in addition, a significant number of clinical studies are based on sputum samples, and it is not known to what extent they describe the real diversity of the mucosa. in order to identify previously unrecognized lower airway bacteria and to investigate the complexity and distribution of microbiota in pa ...201222915614
deciphering the importance of host and environmental factors that influence the genesis of asthma during childhood. 201223014673
comparison of the etiology of viral respiratory illnesses in inner-city and suburban infants.the risk of developing childhood asthma has been linked to the severity and etiology of viral respiratory illnesses in early childhood. since inner-city infants have unique environmental exposures, we hypothesized that patterns of respiratory viral infections would also be distinct.201223014674
infections and foreign bodies in ent.infections play a major role in the practice of ent. microbial penetration into tissues of the head and neck can initiate a focal reaction causing superficial self-resolving infections. however, some of these have the potential to develop into life-threatening disease. we provide an overview of the most common ent infections with focus on the presentation, diagnosis and management. foreign bodies of the ear, nose and throat are a common presentation to primary and emergency care. most commonly t ...201227057069
the microbiology of tonsils in khamis civil hospital, saudi arabia.objectives. tonsillitis is a common infection in all age groups, especially under the age of five. organisms causing this condition vary from place to place. our aim is to find out the main causative agents of this condition in our hospital. patients and methods. fifty-two consenting patients who needed tonsillectomy in khamis civil hospital, kingdom of saudi arabia, between september 2006 and april 2007, were enrolled for the study. swabs were taken from their inner surfaces and cultured for an ...201223762620
moraxella osloensis: an unusual cause of central venous catheter infection in a cancer patient.moraxella osloensis is a rare causative organism of infections in humans, with most cases reported in cancer patients. we report the case of a 67-year-old japanese man with advanced cancer of the pancreatic head and multiple liver metastases who developed fever with chills. blood culture was found to be positive for gram-negative bacilli that were aerobic, oxidase-positive, and catalase-positive. m. osloensis was identified by 16 rrna gene sequencing. prompt control of the infection was achieved ...201223109812
associations between pathogens in the upper respiratory tract of young children: interplay between viruses and bacteria.high rates of potentially pathogenic bacteria and respiratory viruses can be detected in the upper respiratory tract of healthy children. investigating presence of and associations between these pathogens in healthy individuals is still a rather unexplored field of research, but may have implications for interpreting findings during disease.201223082199
the lung microbiome in moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by incompletely reversible airflow obstruction. bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract contributes to approximately 50% of copd exacerbations. even during periods of stable lung function, the lung harbors a community of bacteria, termed the microbiome. the role of the lung microbiome in the pathogenesis of copd remains unknown. the copd lung microbiome, like the healthy lung microbiome, appears to ...201223071781
the clinical relevance of microbiology specimens in orofacial abscesses of dental origin.it is common surgical practice to take a specimen for microbial culture and susceptibility (mc&s) when draining an orofacial abscess. the aim of this study was to determine if routine mc&s has any therapeutic value in the care of these patients.201223031767
nlpi facilitates deposition of c4bp on escherichia coli by blocking classical complement-mediated killing, which results in high-level bacteremia.neonatal meningitis escherichia coli (nmec) is the most common gram-negative organism that is associated with neonatal meningitis, which usually develops as a result of hematogenous spread of the bacteria. there are two key pathogenesis processes for nmec to penetrate into the brain, the essential step for the development of e. coli meningitis: a high-level bacteremia and traversal of the blood-brain barrier (bbb). our previous study has shown that the bacterial outer membrane protein nlpi contr ...201222802341
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