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Sample records for acute shigella infection

  1. Shigella Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Shigella Infections KidsHealth / For Parents / Shigella Infections What's in ... Doctor Print en español Infecciones por Shigella About Shigella Shigella are bacteria that can infect the digestive ...

  2. Use of zebrafish to study Shigella infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggan, Gina M.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Shigella is a leading cause of dysentery worldwide, responsible for up to 165 million cases of shigellosis each year. Shigella is also recognised as an exceptional model pathogen to study key issues in cell biology and innate immunity. Several infection models have been useful to explore Shigella biology; however, we still lack information regarding the events taking place during the Shigella infection process in vivo. Here, we discuss a selection of mechanistic insights recently gained from studying Shigella infection of zebrafish (Danio rerio), with a focus on cytoskeleton rearrangements and cellular immunity. We also discuss how infection of zebrafish can be used to investigate new concepts underlying infection control, including emergency granulopoiesis and the use of predatory bacteria to combat antimicrobial resistance. Collectively, these insights illustrate how Shigella infection of zebrafish can provide fundamental advances in our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and vertebrate host defence. This information should also provide vital clues for the discovery of new therapeutic strategies against infectious disease in humans. PMID:29590642

  3. Use of zebrafish to study Shigella infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gina M. Duggan

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Shigella is a leading cause of dysentery worldwide, responsible for up to 165 million cases of shigellosis each year. Shigella is also recognised as an exceptional model pathogen to study key issues in cell biology and innate immunity. Several infection models have been useful to explore Shigella biology; however, we still lack information regarding the events taking place during the Shigella infection process in vivo. Here, we discuss a selection of mechanistic insights recently gained from studying Shigella infection of zebrafish (Danio rerio, with a focus on cytoskeleton rearrangements and cellular immunity. We also discuss how infection of zebrafish can be used to investigate new concepts underlying infection control, including emergency granulopoiesis and the use of predatory bacteria to combat antimicrobial resistance. Collectively, these insights illustrate how Shigella infection of zebrafish can provide fundamental advances in our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and vertebrate host defence. This information should also provide vital clues for the discovery of new therapeutic strategies against infectious disease in humans.

  4. Investigating Shigella sonnei Infections

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2011-11-17

    Dr. Nancy Strockbine, Chief of the Escherichia and Shigella Reference Unit at CDC, discusses Shigella sonnei infections.  Created: 11/17/2011 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 11/21/2011.

  5. Failure of Syndrome-Based Diarrhea Management Guidelines to Detect Shigella Infections in Kenyan Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlinac, P B; Denno, D M; John-Stewart, G C; Onchiri, F M; Naulikha, J M; Odundo, E A; Hulseberg, C E; Singa, B O; Manhart, L E; Walson, J L

    2016-12-01

    Shigella is a leading cause of childhood diarrhea mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Current World Health Organization guidelines recommend antibiotics for children in non cholera-endemic areas only in the presence of dysentery, a proxy for suspected Shigella infection. To assess the sensitivity and specificity of the syndromic diagnosis of Shigella-associated diarrhea, we enrolled children aged 6 months to 5 years presenting to 1 of 3 Western Kenya hospitals between November 2011 and July 2014 with acute diarrhea. Stool samples were tested using standard methods for bacterial culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction for pathogenic Escherichia coli. Stepwise multivariable logit models identified factors to increase the sensitivity of syndromic diagnosis. Among 1360 enrolled children, median age was 21 months (interquartile range, 11-37), 3.4% were infected with human immunodeficiency virus, and 16.5% were stunted (height-for-age z-score less than -2). Shigella was identified in 63 children (4.6%), with the most common species being Shigella sonnei (53.8%) and Shigella flexneri (40.4%). Dysentery correctly classified 7 of 63 Shigella cases (sensitivity, 11.1%). Seventy-eight of 1297 children without Shigella had dysentery (specificity, 94.0%). The combination of fecal mucous, age over 23 months, and absence of excessive vomiting identified more children with Shigella-infection (sensitivity, 39.7%) but also indicated antibiotics in more children without microbiologically confirmed Shigella (specificity, 82.7%). Reliance on dysentery as a proxy for Shigella results in the majority of Shigella-infected children not being identified for antibiotics. Field-ready rapid diagnostics or updated evidence-based algorithms are urgently needed to identify children with diarrhea most likely to benefit from antibiotic therapy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions

  6. Development of recombinant vaccine candidate molecule against Shigella infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chitradevi, S T S; Kaur, G; Sivaramakrishna, U; Singh, D; Bansal, A

    2016-10-17

    Shigellosis is an acute bacillary diarrheal disease caused by the gram negative bacillus Shigella. The existence of multiple Shigella serotypes and their growing resistance to antibiotics stress the urgent need for the development of vaccine that is protective across all serotypes. Shigella's IpaB antigen is involved in translocon pore formation, promotes bacterial invasion and induces apoptosis in macrophages. S. Typhi GroEL (Hsp 60) is the immunodominant antigen inducing both arms of immunity and has been explored as adjuvant in this study. The present study evaluates the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant IpaB domain-GroEL fusion protein in mice against lethal Shigella infection. The IpaB domain and GroEL genes were fused using overlap extension PCR and cloned in pRSETA expression vector. Fused gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL-21 cells and the resulting 90 KDa fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography. Intranasal (i.n.) immunization of mice with fusion protein increased the IgG and IgA antibody titers as compared to the group immunized with IpaB and GroEL and control PBS immunized group. Also IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies induced in fusion protein immunized mice were higher than co-immunized group. Significant increase in lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine levels (IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10), indicates induction of both Th1 and Th2 immune responses in both immunized groups. Immunization with fusion protein protected 90-95% of mice whereas 80-85% survivability was observed in co-immunized group against lethal challenge with S. flexneri, S. boydii and S. sonnei. Passive immunization conferred 60-70% protection in mice against all these Shigella species. Organ burden and histopathology studies also revealed significant decrease in lung infection as compared to the co-immunized group. Since IpaB is the conserved dominant molecule in all Shigella species, this study will lead to an ideal platform for the development of safe

  7. The infectious hypoxia: occurrence and causes during Shigella infection.

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    Arena, Ellen T; Tinevez, Jean-Yves; Nigro, Giulia; Sansonetti, Philippe J; Marteyn, Benoit S

    2017-03-01

    Hypoxia is defined as a tissue oxygenation status below physiological needs. During Shigella infection, an infectious hypoxia is induced within foci of infection. In this review, we discuss how Shigella physiology and virulence are modulated and how the main recruited immune cells, the neutrophils, adapt to this environment. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Shigella Infections in Household Contacts of Pediatric Shigellosis Patients in Rural Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Christine Marie; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Talukder, Kaisar A; Azmi, Ishrat J; Perin, Jamie; Sack, R Bradley; Sack, David A; Stine, O Colin; Oldja, Lauren; Shahnaij, Mohammad; Chakraborty, Subhra; Parvin, Tahmina; Bhuyian, Sazzadul Islam; Bouwer, Edward; Zhang, Xiaotong; Hasan, Trisheeta N; Luna, Sharmin J; Akter, Fatema; Faruque, Abu S G

    2015-11-01

    To examine rates of Shigella infections in household contacts of pediatric shigellosis patients, we followed contacts and controls prospectively for 1 week after the index patient obtained care. Household contacts of patients were 44 times more likely to develop a Shigella infection than were control contacts (odds ratio 44.7, 95% CI 5.5-361.6); 29 (94%) household contacts of shigellosis patients were infected with the same species and serotype as the index patient's. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that 14 (88%) of 16 with infected contacts had strains that were indistinguishable from or closely related to the index patient's strain. Latrine area fly counts were higher in patient households compared with control households, and 2 patient household water samples were positive for Shigella. We show high susceptibility of household contacts of shigellosis patients to Shigella infections and found environmental risk factors to be targeted in future interventions.

  9. Identification and management of Shigella infection in children with diarrhoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tickell, Kirkby D; Brander, Rebecca L; Atlas, Hannah E; Pernica, Jeffrey M; Walson, Judd L; Pavlinac, Patricia B

    2017-12-01

    treatment. Shigella infection was associated with mortality (pooled OR 2·8, 95% CI 1·6-4·8; p=0·000) whereas dysentery was not associated with mortality (1·3, 0·7-2·3; p=0·37). Between 1977 and 2016, dysentery identified 1·9-85·9% of confirmed Shigella infections, with sensitivity decreasing over time (p=0·04). Ten (50%) of 20 included antibiotic trials were among children with dysentery, none were placebo-controlled, and two (10%) evaluated antibiotics no longer recommended for acute infectious diarrhoea. Ciprofloxacin showed superior microbiological, but not clinical, effectiveness compared with pivmecillinam, and no superior microbiological and clinical effectiveness compared with gatifloxacin. Substantial heterogeneity was reported for meta-analyses of the Shigella-associated mortality studies (I 2 =78·3%) and dysentery-associated mortality studies (I 2 =73·2%). Too few mortality studies were identified to meaningfully test for publication bias. No evidence of publication bias was found in this analysis of studies of diagnostic value. Current WHO guidelines appear to manage dysentery effectively, but might miss opportunities to reduce mortality among children infected with Shigella who present without bloody stool. Further studies should quantify potential decreases in mortality and morbidity associated with antibiotic therapy for children with non-dysenteric Shigella infection. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Center for AIDS Research International Core. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  10. Symptomatic Shigella sonnei urinary tract infection in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baka, S; Spathi, A; Tsouma, I; Kouskouni, E

    2013-01-01

    This report describes a case of urinary tract infection (UTI) due to Shigella sonnei during pregnancy. A 31-year-old pregnant woman was admitted complaining of left-flank tenderness, dysuria, and fever. Following examination, significant laboratory data were collected including increased leukocyte count (10,800/ul with 86% neutrophils) and C-reactive protein (9.6 mg/dl). Urinalysis revealed 30 to 50 leukocytes per high power field while from the quantitative urine culture Shigella sonnei was recovered after 24 h incubation at 37 degrees C. After a two-week course with 750 mg cefuroxime every 8 h, the patient experienced gradual resolution of all symptoms and urinary cultures were negative two weeks and one month, respectively, after completing the therapy. The gestational course was uneventful and the patient delivered a healthy baby girl at term. Shigella sonnei can be responsible for UTI during pregnancy even when no predisposing factors or an apparent source of infection can be identified.

  11. Shigella infection of intestinal epithelium and circumvention of the host innate defense system.

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    Ashida, Hiroshi; Ogawa, Michinaga; Mimuro, Hitomi; Sasakawa, Chihiro

    2009-01-01

    Shigella, Gram-negative bacteria closely related to Escherichia coli, are highly adapted human pathogens that cause bacillary dysentery. Although Shigella have neither adherence factors nor flagella required for attaching or accessing the intestinal epithelium, Shigella are capable of colonizing the intestinal epithelium by exploiting epithelial-cell functions and circumventing the host innate immune response. During Shigella infection, they deliver many numbers of effectors through the type III secretion system into the surrounding space and directly into the host-cell cytoplasm. The effectors play pivotal roles from the onset of bacterial infection through to the establishment of the colonization of the intestinal epithelium, such as bacterial invasion, intracellular survival, subversion of the host immune defense response, and maintenance of the infectious foothold. These examples suggest that Shigella have evolved highly sophisticated infectious and intracellular strategies to establish replicative niches in the intestinal epithelium.

  12. Pathogenicity of Shigella in chickens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Run; Yang, Xia; Chen, Lu; Chang, Hong-tao; Liu, Hong-ying; Zhao, Jun; Wang, Xin-wei; Wang, Chuan-qing

    2014-01-01

    Shigellosis in chickens was first reported in 2004. This study aimed to determine the pathogenicity of Shigella in chickens and the possibility of cross-infection between humans and chickens. The pathogenicity of Shigella in chickens was examined via infection of three-day-old SPF chickens with Shigella strain ZD02 isolated from a human patient. The virulence and invasiveness were examined by infection of the chicken intestines and primary chicken intestinal epithelial cells. The results showed Shigella can cause death via intraperitoneal injection in SPF chickens, but only induce depression via crop injection. Immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy revealed the Shigella can invade the intestinal epithelia. Immunohistochemistry of the primary chicken intestinal epithelial cells infected with Shigella showed the bacteria were internalized into the epithelial cells. Electron microscopy also confirmed that Shigella invaded primary chicken intestinal epithelia and was encapsulated by phagosome-like membranes. Our data demonstrate that Shigella can invade primary chicken intestinal epithelial cells in vitro and chicken intestinal mucosa in vivo, resulting in pathogenicity and even death. The findings suggest Shigella isolated from human or chicken share similar pathogenicity as well as the possibility of human-poultry cross-infection, which is of public health significance.

  13. Differential regulation of caspase-1 activation, pyroptosis, and autophagy via Ipaf and ASC in Shigella-infected macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshihiko Suzuki

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Shigella infection, the cause of bacillary dysentery, induces caspase-1 activation and cell death in macrophages, but the precise mechanisms of this activation remain poorly understood. We demonstrate here that caspase-1 activation and IL-1beta processing induced by Shigella are mediated through Ipaf, a cytosolic pattern-recognition receptor of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD-like receptor (NLR family, and the adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC. We also show that Ipaf was critical for pyroptosis, a specialized form of caspase-1-dependent cell death induced in macrophages by bacterial infection, whereas ASC was dispensable. Unlike that observed in Salmonella and Legionella, caspase-1 activation induced by Shigella infection was independent of flagellin. Notably, infection of macrophages with Shigella induced autophagy, which was dramatically increased by the absence of caspase-1 or Ipaf, but not ASC. Autophagy induced by Shigella required an intact bacterial type III secretion system but not VirG protein, a bacterial factor required for autophagy in epithelial-infected cells. Treatment of macrophages with 3-methyladenine, an inhibitor of autophagy, enhanced pyroptosis induced by Shigella infection, suggesting that autophagy protects infected macrophages from pyroptosis. Thus, Ipaf plays a critical role in caspase-1 activation induced by Shigella independently of flagellin. Furthermore, the absence of Ipaf or caspase-1, but not ASC, regulates pyroptosis and the induction of autophagy in Shigella-infected macrophages, providing a novel function for NLR proteins in bacterial-host interactions.

  14. Global burden of Shigella infections : implications for vaccine development and implementation of control strategies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kotloff, KL; Winickoff, JP; Ivanoff, B; Clemens, JD; Swerdlow, DL; Sansonetti, PJ; Adak, GK; Levine, MM

    1999-01-01

    Few studies provide data on the global morbidity and mortality caused by infection with Shigella spp.; such estimates are needed, however, to plan strategies of prevention and treatment. Here we report the results of a review of the literature published between 1966 and 1997 on Shigella infection.

  15. Shigella outer membrane protein PSSP-1 is broadly protective against Shigella infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jae-Ouk; Rho, Semi; Kim, Su Hee; Kim, Heejoo; Song, Hyo Jin; Kim, Eun Jin; Kim, Ryang Yeo; Kim, Eun Hye; Sinha, Anuradha; Dey, Ayan; Yang, Jae Seung; Song, Man Ki; Nandy, Ranjan Kumar; Czerkinsky, Cecil; Kim, Dong Wook

    2015-04-01

    In developing countries, Shigella is a primary cause of diarrhea in infants and young children. Although antibiotic therapy is an effective treatment for shigellosis, therapeutic options are narrowing due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Thus, preventive vaccination could become the most efficacious approach for controlling shigellosis. We have identified several conserved protein antigens that are shared by multiple Shigella serotypes and species. Among these, one antigen induced cross-protection against experimental shigellosis, and we have named it pan-Shigella surface protein 1 (PSSP-1). PSSP-1-induced protection requires a mucosal administration route and coadministration of an adjuvant. When PSSP-1 was administered intranasally, it induced cross-protection against Shigella flexneri serotypes 2a, 5a, and 6, Shigella boydii, Shigella sonnei, and Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1. Intradermally administered PSSP-1 induced strong serum antibody responses but failed to induce protection in the mouse lung pneumonia model. In contrast, intranasal administration elicited efficient local and systemic antibody responses and production of interleukin 17A and gamma interferon. Interestingly, blood samples from patients with recent-onset shigellosis showed variable but significant mucosal antibody responses to other conserved Shigella protein antigens but not to PSSP-1. We suggest that PSSP-1 is a promising antigen for a broadly protective vaccine against Shigella. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Increasing Antibiotic Resistance in Shigella spp. from Infected New York City Residents, New York, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Kenya; Reddy, Vasudha; Kornblum, John S; Waechter, HaeNa; Chicaiza, Ludwin F; Rubinstein, Inessa; Balter, Sharon; Greene, Sharon K; Braunstein, Sarah L; Rakeman, Jennifer L; Dentinger, Catherine M

    2017-02-01

    Approximately 20% of Shigella isolates tested in New York City, New York, USA, during 2013-2015 displayed decreased azithromycin susceptibility. Case-patients were older and more frequently male and HIV infected than those with azithromycin-susceptible Shigella infection; 90% identified as men who have sex with men. Clinical interpretation guidelines for azithromycin resistance and outcome studies are needed.

  17. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella among acute diarrheal outpatients in Mekelle hospital, Northern Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebrekidan, Atsebaha; Dejene, Tsehaye Asmelash; Kahsay, Getahun; Wasihun, Araya Gebreysus

    2015-10-28

    Emergence of increased antimicrobial resistance of Shigella species is a global challenge, particularly in developing countries where increased misuse of antimicrobial agents occurs. There is no published data in the study area on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella among acute diarrheal patients. This study was therefore, under taken to fill this gap. Using cross sectional study method, stool specimens were collected from 216 patients with acute diarrhea at Mekelle Hospital from August to November 2014. Standard bacteriological methods were used to isolate and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Out of the total 216 participants, Shigella was isolated from 15 (6.9 %) of the participants. Ten (66.7 %) of the positive isolates were from children Shigella showed 100, 86.7 and 66.7 % resistance to amoxicillin, amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole respectively. Low levels of resistance were observed for norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin (6.7 % each). Overall, 80 % of the isolates showed multidrug resistance. Shigella isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin, amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole. However, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were effective. Antibiotic surveillance is needed to prevent further emergence of drug resistant Shigella strains. More has to be done in the availability of latrine, supply of safe drinking water to the community to reduce the disease burden.

  18. Shigella infection in children under 5 years old in western French Guiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parisot, M; Parez, N; Boukhari, R; Breurec, S; Jolivet, A

    2018-04-15

    French Guiana, a tropical country, is characterised by a young and multi-ethnic population. Difficulties in accessing safe water sources lead to outbreaks of gastroenteritis. The objectives of this study were (1) to describe the microbiological profile of shigella strains isolated in western French Guiana, including antimicrobial susceptibility and the distribution of strains in terms of species and serotypes and (2) to estimate the incidence of shigellosis in children under 5 years old. A retrospective observational study was conducted of 213 cases of shigellosis diagnosed in the biology department of the hospital centre for western French Guiana between 2000 and 2012 in children under 5 years old. The serogroups (formerly known as species) that predominates in French Guiana was Shigella flexneri. No resistance was observed to fluoroquinolones or to third-generation cephalosporins. The average incidence of shigellosis in children under 5 years old in western French Guiana was estimated at 189.6 cases per 100 000 inhabitants per year. Shigellosis is a public health problem in western French Guiana. These infections suggest the difficulties in accessing safe water sources and the lack of public sanitation. A quadrivalent vaccine containing Shigella sonnei and three serotypes of S. flexneri (S. flexneri 2a, 3a and 6) could provide broad coverage against shigella infections.

  19. Antimicrobial-resistant Shigella infections from Iran

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tajbakhsh, Mercedeh; García Migura, Lourdes; Rahbar, Mohammad

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: In this study, we wanted to assess the level of antimicrobial resistance, the presence of genes encoding resistance to cephalosporins and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR), and genetic relatedness among Shigella isolates obtained from Iranian patients. ; Methods: A total...... of 44 Shigella isolates were collected from Iranian patients admitted to Milad Hospital, Tehran, Iran, during 2008–10. Of these, 37 were serotyped and characterized by MIC determination. A subset of eight suspected extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers (six Shigella sonnei phase II and two...... Shigella flexneri type 1b) were examined for the presence of genes encoding cephalosporin resistance. The presence of PMQR was assessed in one S. flexneri isolate exhibiting low-level resistance to ciprofloxacin and susceptibility to nalidixic acid. PFGE was performed on 25 S. sonnei phase II isolates...

  20. Serogroup prevalence of Shigellae in Bombay.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonawala M

    1995-10-01

    Full Text Available Prevalence of Shigellae serotypes in Bombay was studied from June 1988 to May 1991. A total of 2758 faecal specimens were collected from paediatric patients (< 12 yrs with acute gastroenteritis. A total of 90 Shigella were isolated giving the isolation rate of 3.2%. Shigella flexneri was the predominant serogroup (73.3% followed by Shigella dysenteriae (16.6%. All the isolates were sensitive to nalidixic acid. Eighty percent of the Shigellae were multidrug resistant. Present data were compared with the study carried out during the period of 1983-87 from the same institute. A change in the serogroup prevalence was noted wherein Shigella flexneri dominated over Shigella dysenteriae since 1985. Increase in resistance to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole was seen in Shigella flexneri strains as compared to previous years.

  1. Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Shigella spp. of food origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Ashraf M; Shimamoto, Tadashi

    2015-02-02

    Shigella spp. are the causative agents of food-borne shigellosis, an acute enteric infection. The emergence of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Shigella presents an increasing challenge for clinicians in the treatment of shigellosis. Several studies worldwide have characterized the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in clinical Shigella isolates of human origin, however, to date, no such characterization has been reported for Shigella spp. of food origin. In this study, we characterized the genetic basis of multidrug resistance in Shigella spp. isolated from 1600 food samples (800 meat products and 800 dairy products) collected from different street venders, butchers, retail markets, and slaughterhouses in Egypt. Twenty-four out of 27 Shigella isolates (88.9%) showed multidrug resistance phenotypes to at least three classes of antimicrobials. The multidrug-resistant Shigella spp. were as follows: Shigella flexneri (66.7%), Shigella sonnei (18.5%), and Shigella dysenteriae (3.7%). The highest resistance was to streptomycin (100.0%), then to kanamycin (95.8%), nalidixic acid (95.8%), tetracycline (95.8%), spectinomycin (93.6%), ampicillin (87.5%), and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (87.5%). PCR and DNA sequencing were used to screen and characterize integrons and antibiotic resistance genes. Our results indicated that 11.1% and 74.1% of isolates were positive for class 1 and class 2 integrons, respectively. Beta-lactamase-encoding genes were identified in 77.8% of isolates, and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes were identified in 44.4% of isolates. These data provide useful information to better understand the molecular basis of antimicrobial resistance in Shigella spp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance in Shigella spp. isolated from food. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Abortive Intestinal Infection With an Escherichia coli-Shigella flexneri Hybrid Strain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Formal, Samuel B.; LaBrec, E. H.; Kent, T. H.; Falkow, S.

    1965-01-01

    Formal, Samuel B., (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.), E. H. LaBrec, T. H. Kent, and S. Falkow. Abortive intestinal infection with an Escherichia coli-Shigella flexneri hybrid strain. J. Bacteriol. 89:1374–1382. 1965.—The mechanism of the apparent loss of virulence of an Escherichia coli-Shigella flexneri hybrid strain was studied. The parent Shigella strain caused a fatal enteric infection when fed to starved guinea pigs, and signs of dysentery followed its oral administration to monkeys. The hybrid strain failed to produce any apparent symptoms when fed to either of these species. The parent strain was shown to invade the intestinal mucosa of starved guinea pigs. This caused a severe inflammatory reaction in the lamina propria, which progressed to ulceration of the intestinal epithelium and resulted in death of the animal. The hybrid strain also invaded the intestinal mucosa and produced an inflammatory reaction. In this case, the inflammatory reaction subsided, the intestine returned to normal within 4 days after challenge, and the animal survived. Both fluorescent-antibody techniques and in vivo growth studies have shown that the hybrid strain can not maintain itself in the intestinal mucosa. Preliminary studies have indicated that a similar situation also exists in the monkey. It is concluded that the virulence of dysentery bacilli rests not only in the capacity to reach the lamina propria, but also in the ability to multiply in this region. Images PMID:14293011

  3. Bacteriophage-based Probiotic Preparation for Managing Shigella Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-16

    The preparation (designated “ShigActive”) is a bacteriophage cocktail that specifically targets Shigella spp. (significant diarrhea-causing pathogens...phages lytic for Shigella , and we have developed a murine model in which the in vivo efficacy of our 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND...10-Apr-2013 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: Bacteriophage-based Probiotic Preparation for Managing Shigella

  4. Multidrug resistant shigella flexneri infection simulating intestinal intussusception

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srirangaraj Sreenivasan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigella enteritis remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity in all age groups, in developing as well as developed countries. Owing to the emerging resistance to multiple antibiotics among Shigella spp., it has been recognized as a major global public health concern and warrants constant monitoring of its resistance pattern. We report a case of segmental ileitis caused by non.-ESBL producing multidrug resistant Shigella flexneri in an infant clinically mimicking intussusception, which was effectively treated by ceftriaxone.

  5. PI5P Triggers ICAM-1 Degradation in Shigella Infected Cells, Thus Dampening Immune Cell Recruitment

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    Frédéric Boal

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Shigella flexneri, the pathogen responsible for bacillary dysentery, has evolved multiple strategies to control the inflammatory response. Here, we show that Shigella subverts the subcellular trafficking of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, a key molecule in immune cell recruitment, in a mechanism dependent on the injected bacterial enzyme IpgD and its product, the lipid mediator PI5P. Overexpression of IpgD, but not a phosphatase dead mutant, induced the internalization and the degradation of ICAM-1 in intestinal epithelial cells. Remarkably, addition of permeant PI5P reproduced IpgD effects and led to the inhibition of neutrophil recruitment. Finally, these results were confirmed in an in vivo model of Shigella infection where IpgD-dependent ICAM-1 internalization reduced neutrophil adhesion. In conclusion, we describe here an immune evasion mechanism used by the pathogen Shigella to divert the host cell trafficking machinery in order to reduce immune cell recruitment.

  6. Modulation of Caenorhabditis elegans immune response and modification of Shigella endotoxin upon interaction.

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    Kesika, Periyanaina; Prasanth, Mani Iyer; Balamurugan, Krishnaswamy

    2015-04-01

    To analyze the pathogenesis at both physiological and molecular level using the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans at different developmental stages in response to Shigella spp. and its pathogen associated molecular patterns such as lipopolysaccharide. The solid plate and liquid culture-based infection assays revealed that Shigella spp. infects C. elegans and had an impact on the brood size and pharyngeal pumping rate. LPS of Shigella spp. was toxic to C. elegans. qPCR analysis revealed that host innate immune genes have been modulated upon Shigella spp. infections and its LPS challenges. Non-destructive analysis was performed to kinetically assess the alterations in LPS during interaction of Shigella spp. with C. elegans. The modulation of innate immune genes attributed the surrendering of host immune system to Shigella spp. by favoring the infection. LPS appeared to have a major role in Shigella-mediated pathogenesis and Shigella employs a tactic behavior of modifying its LPS content to escape from the recognition of host immune system. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. [INCIDENCE, PREDISPOSING RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SPREADING OF ACUTE INTESTINAL INFECTIONS IN THE NORTH-EASTERN REGION OF UKRAINE].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malysh, N G; Chemych, N D; Zaritsky, A M

    2016-01-01

    Using data of the branch statistical reporting of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service in Sumy region and Sumy Regional State Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine, the incidence rate, modern risk factors for the development and spreading of acute infectious diarrheas were determined in the North-Eastern region of Ukraine. Under the current conditions incidence rate indices of acute intestinal infections and food toxicoinfections are within the range of 159.8-193.6 per 100 thousands. pop. Seasonal and epidemical rises are associated with a species of the agent. In the etiological structure of acute diarrheal infections there are dominated viruses, of food toxicoinfections--Klebsiellae pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter cloacae (p < 0.05). Predictors of the complication of epidemiological situation of Shigella infections are the gain in the detection of bacterially contaminated samples of milk and dairy products (r = 0.75), for food toxicoinfections caused by Klebsiellae pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae--pastry with cream and cooking meat products (r = 0.64; r = 0.75). Epizootic situation in the region affects on the salmonellosis incidence rate of the population (r = 0.89). There were revealed correlations between the selection of E. coli bacteria from swabs taken from the enterprises of catering, in child care centers and the levels of incidence rates of salmonellosis, acute intestinal infections of unknown etiology (r = 0.59; r = 0.60). Timely detection and sanitation of Shigella carriers are a powerful instrument to reduce the incidence rate of shigellosis (r = 0.83).

  8. Outer membrane proteins analysis of Shigella sonnei and evaluation of their antigenicity in Shigella infected individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hemavathy Harikrishnan

    Full Text Available Bacillary dysentery caused by infection with Shigella spp. remains as serious and common health problem throughout the world. It is a highly multi drug resistant organism and rarely identified from the patient at the early stage of infection. S. sonnei is the most frequently isolated species causing shigellosis in industrialized countries. The antigenicity of outer membrane protein of this pathogen expressed during human infection has not been identified to date. We have studied the antigenic outer membrane proteins expressed by S. sonnei, with the aim of identifying presence of specific IgA and IgG in human serum against the candidate protein biomarkers. Three antigenic OMPs sized 33.3, 43.8 and 100.3 kDa were uniquely recognized by IgA and IgG from patients with S. sonnei infection, and did not cross-react with sera from patients with other types of infection. The antigenic proteome data generated in this study are a first for OMPs of S. sonnei, and they provide important insights of human immune responses. Furthermore, numerous prime candidate proteins were identified which will aid the development of new diagnostic tools for the detection of S. sonnei.

  9. Shigella

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marteyn, Benoit; Gazi, Anastasia; Sansonetti, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    Much is known about the molecular effectors of pathogenicity of gram-negative enteric pathogens, among which Shigella can be considered a model. This is due to its capacity to recapitulate the multiple steps required for a pathogenic microbe to survive close to its mucosal target, colonize and then invade its epithelial surface, cause its inflammatory destruction and simultaneously regulate the extent of the elicited innate response to likely survive the encounter and achieve successful subsequent transmission. These various steps of the infectious process represent an array of successive environmental conditions to which the bacteria need to successfully adapt. These conditions represent the selective pressure that triggered the “arms race” in which Shigella acquired the genetic and molecular effectors of its pathogenic armory, including the regulatory hierarchies that regulate the expression and function of these effectors. They also represent cues through which Shigella achieves the temporo-spatial expression and regulation of its virulence effectors. The role of such environmental cues has recently become obvious in the case of the major virulence effector of Shigella, the type three secretion system (T3SS) and its dedicated secreted virulence effectors. It needs to be better defined for other major virulence components such as the LPS and peptidoglycan which are used as examples here, in addition to the T3SS as models of regulation as it relates to the assembly and functional regulation of complex macromolecular systems of the bacterial surface. This review also stresses the need to better define what the true and relevant environmental conditions can be at the various steps of the progression of infection. The “identity” of the pathogen differs depending whether it is cultivated under in vitro or in vivo conditions. Moreover, this “identity” may quickly change during its progression into the infected tissue. Novel concepts and relevant tools are

  10. How Do the Virulence Factors of Shigella Work Together to Cause Disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattock, Emily; Blocker, Ariel J

    2017-01-01

    Shigella is the major cause of bacillary dysentery world-wide. It is divided into four species, named S. flexneri, S. sonnei, S. dysenteriae , and S. boydii , which are distinct genomically and in their ability to cause disease. Shigellosis, the clinical presentation of Shigella infection, is characterized by watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Shigella 's ability to cause disease has been attributed to virulence factors, which are encoded on chromosomal pathogenicity islands and the virulence plasmid. However, information on these virulence factors is not often brought together to create a detailed picture of infection, and how this translates into shigellosis symptoms. Firstly, Shigella secretes virulence factors that induce severe inflammation and mediate enterotoxic effects on the colon, producing the classic watery diarrhea seen early in infection. Secondly, Shigella injects virulence effectors into epithelial cells via its Type III Secretion System to subvert the host cell structure and function. This allows invasion of epithelial cells, establishing a replicative niche, and causes erratic destruction of the colonic epithelium. Thirdly, Shigella produces effectors to down-regulate inflammation and the innate immune response. This promotes infection and limits the adaptive immune response, causing the host to remain partially susceptible to re-infection. Combinations of these virulence factors may contribute to the different symptoms and infection capabilities of the diverse Shigella species, in addition to distinct transmission patterns. Further investigation of the dominant species causing disease, using whole-genome sequencing and genotyping, will allow comparison and identification of crucial virulence factors and may contribute to the production of a pan- Shigella vaccine.

  11. Export of the Virulence Factors from Shigella Flexneri and Characterization of the mxi loci

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-07-20

    studied in a monkey model for Shigella infection. The in vitro assays just described have been routinely used to closely examine each of the steps in...to Shigella protein antigens in Rhesus monkeys and humans infected with Shigella spp. Infect. Immun_ 53:57-63. Oaks, E. V. , and K. R. Turbyfill...thesis manuscript ent itled: ~Export of Virulence Faclors from Shigella f/exneri and characterization of the mxi loci. ~ beyond brief excerpts is

  12. Antigen-Specific lgA B Memory Cell Responses to Shigella Antigens Elicited in Volunteers Immunized with Live Attenuated Shigella flexneri 2a Oral Vaccine Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    167. [10] E.V. Oaks, T.L. Hale, S.B. Formal, Serum immune response to Shigella protein antigens in rhesus monkeys and humans infected with Shigella ...cell responses to Shigella antigens elicited in volunteers immunized with live attenuated Shigella flexneri 2a oral vaccine candidates J.K. Simona,b... Shigella ;. B cell memory; Immunoglobulin lgA; Mucosal immunity Abstract We studied the induction of antigen-specific lgA memory B cells (BM) in

  13. Risk factors for secondary transmission of Shigella infection within households: implications for current prevention policy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boveé, Lian; Whelan, Jane; Sonder, Gerard J. B.; van Dam, Alje P.; van den Hoek, Anneke

    2012-01-01

    Background: Internationally, guidelines to prevent secondary transmission of Shigella infection vary widely. Cases, their contacts with diarrhoea, and those in certain occupational groups are frequently excluded from work, school, or daycare. In the Netherlands, all contacts attending pre-school

  14. How Shigella Utilizes Ca(2+) Jagged Edge Signals during Invasion of Epithelial Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnet, Mariette; Tran Van Nhieu, Guy

    2016-01-01

    Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery invades intestinal epithelial cells using a type III secretion system (T3SS). Through the injection of type III effectors, Shigella manipulates the actin cytoskeleton to induce its internalization in epithelial cells. At early invasion stages, Shigella induces atypical Ca(2+) responses confined at entry sites allowing local cytoskeletal remodeling for bacteria engulfment. Global Ca(2+) increase in the cell triggers the opening of connexin hemichannels at the plasma membrane that releases ATP in the extracellular milieu, favoring Shigella invasion and spreading through purinergic receptor signaling. During intracellular replication, Shigella regulates inflammatory and death pathways to disseminate within the epithelium. At later stages of infection, Shigella downregulates hemichannel opening and the release of extracellular ATP to dampen inflammatory signals. To avoid premature cell death, Shigella activates cell survival by upregulating the PI3K/Akt pathway and downregulating the levels of p53. Furthermore, Shigella interferes with pro-apoptotic caspases, and orients infected cells toward a slow necrotic cell death linked to mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload. In this review, we will focus on the role of Ca(2+) responses and their regulation by Shigella during the different stages of bacterial infection.

  15. Shigella from Humans in Thailand During 1993 to 2006

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bangtrakulnonth, A.; Wong, Danilo Lo Fo; Vieira, Antonio

    2008-01-01

    In Thailand during 1993-2006, a total of 9063 Shigella isolates from different medical centers were serotyped and trends over time and. spatial clustering analyzed. Of 3583 cases with age information, 1315 (37%) cases were from children between 0 and 4 years and 684 (1.9%) from children between 5...... and 8 years. Most infections were recorded during 1993-1994 (> 1500 per year), decreasing to Shigella flexneri accounted for 2241 (65%) of 3474 isolations. This proportion decreased to 64 (36%) of 176 infections in 2006....... Most infections occurred during July and August, and fewest in December. S. flexneri clustered around Bangkok, and Shigella sonnei in southern Thailand. Most S. flexneri infections were caused by serotype 2a (1590 of 4035) followed by serotype var X (1249). For both serotypes, a pronounced decrease...

  16. Shigella Diversity and Changing Landscape: Insights for the Twenty-First Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Mark; Sansonetti, Philippe J.; Marteyn, Benoit S.

    2016-01-01

    Shigella is a pathovar of Escherichia coli comprising four groups, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysenteriae, and Shigella boydii, each of them, with the exception of S.sonnei, comprising several serotypes. Shigella accounts for the majority of dysentery causing infections occurring world-wide each year. Recent advancements in the Shigella field have led to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host epithelial cell invasion and immune cell function manipulation, mainly using S. flexneri as a model. Host-cell invasion is the final step of the infection process, as Shigella's virulence strategy relies also on its ability to survive hostile conditions during its journey through the gastro-intestinal tract, to compete with the host microbiota and to cross the intestinal mucus layer. Hence, the diversity of the virulence strategies among the different Shigella species has not yet been deeply investigated, which might be an important step to understand the epidemiological spreading of Shigella species worldwide and a key aspect for the validation of novel vaccine candidates. The recent development of high-throughput screening and sequencing methods will facilitate these complex comparison studies. In this review we discuss several of the major avenues that the Shigella research field has taken over the past few years and hopefully gain some insights into the questions that remain surrounding this important human pathogen. PMID:27148494

  17. How Shigella Utilizes Ca2+ Jagged Edge Signals during Invasion of Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnet, Mariette; Tran Van Nhieu, Guy

    2016-01-01

    Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery invades intestinal epithelial cells using a type III secretion system (T3SS). Through the injection of type III effectors, Shigella manipulates the actin cytoskeleton to induce its internalization in epithelial cells. At early invasion stages, Shigella induces atypical Ca2+ responses confined at entry sites allowing local cytoskeletal remodeling for bacteria engulfment. Global Ca2+ increase in the cell triggers the opening of connexin hemichannels at the plasma membrane that releases ATP in the extracellular milieu, favoring Shigella invasion and spreading through purinergic receptor signaling. During intracellular replication, Shigella regulates inflammatory and death pathways to disseminate within the epithelium. At later stages of infection, Shigella downregulates hemichannel opening and the release of extracellular ATP to dampen inflammatory signals. To avoid premature cell death, Shigella activates cell survival by upregulating the PI3K/Akt pathway and downregulating the levels of p53. Furthermore, Shigella interferes with pro-apoptotic caspases, and orients infected cells toward a slow necrotic cell death linked to mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. In this review, we will focus on the role of Ca2+ responses and their regulation by Shigella during the different stages of bacterial infection. PMID:26904514

  18. How Shigella utilizes Ca2+ jagged edge signals during invasion of epithelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariette eBonnet

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery invades intestinal epithelial cells using a type III secretion system (T3SS. Through the injection of type III effectors, Shigella manipulates the actin cytoskeleton to induce its internalization in epithelial cells. At early invasion stages, Shigella induces atypical Ca2+ responses confined at entry sites allowing local cytoskeletal remodeling for bacteria engulfment. Global Ca2+ increase in the cell triggers the opening of connexin hemichannels at the plasma membrane that releases ATP in the extracellular milieu, favoring Shigella invasion and spreading through purinergic receptor signaling. During intracellular replication, Shigella regulates inflammatory and death pathways to disseminate within the epithelium. At later stages of infection, Shigella downregulates hemichannel opening and the release of extracellular ATP to dampen inflammatory signals. To avoid premature cell death, Shigella activates cell survival by upregulating the PI3K/Akt pathway and downregulating the levels of p53. Furthermore, Shigella interferes with pro-apoptotic caspases, and orients infected cells towards a slow necrotic cell death linked to mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. In this review, we will focus on the role of Ca2+ responses and their regulation by Shigella during the different stages of bacterial infection.

  19. Status of vaccine research and development for Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mani, Sachin; Wierzba, Thomas; Walker, Richard I

    2016-06-03

    Shigella are gram-negative bacteria that cause severe diarrhea and dysentery. In 2013, Shigella infections caused an estimated 34,400 deaths in children less than five years old and, in 2010, an estimated 40,000 deaths in persons older than five years globally. New disease burden estimates from newly deployed molecular diagnostic assays with increased sensitivity suggest that Shigella-associated morbidity may be much greater than previous disease estimates from culture-based methods. Primary prevention of this disease should be based on universal provision of potable water and sanitation methods and improved personal and food hygiene. However, an efficacious and low-cost vaccine would complement and accelerate disease reduction while waiting for universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene improvements. This review article provides a landscape of Shigella vaccine development efforts. No vaccine is yet available, but human and animal challenge-rechallenge trials with virulent Shigella as well as observational studies in Shigella-endemic areas have shown that the incidence of disease decreases following Shigella infection, pointing to biological feasibility of a vaccine. Immunity to Shigella appears to be strain-specific, so a vaccine that covers the most commonly detected strains (i.e., S. flexneri 2a, 3a, 6, and S. sonnei) or a vaccine using cross-species conserved antigens would likely be most effective. Vaccine development and testing may be accelerated by use of animal models, such as the guinea pig keratoconjunctivitis or murine pneumonia models. Because there is no correlate of protection, however, human studies will be necessary to evaluate vaccine efficacy prior to deployment. A diversity of Shigella vaccine constructs are under development, including live attenuated, formalin-killed whole-cell, glycoconjugate, subunit, and novel antigen vaccines (e.g., Type III secretion system and outer membrane proteins). Copyright © 2016 World Health Organization

  20. International foodborne outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection in airline passengers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaynor, K; Park, S Y; Kanenaka, R; Colindres, R; Mintz, E; Ram, P K; Kitsutani, P; Nakata, M; Wedel, S; Boxrud, D; Jennings, D; Yoshida, H; Tosaka, N; He, H; Ching-Lee, M; Effler, P V

    2009-03-01

    During 22-24 August 2004, an outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection affected air travellers who departed from Hawaii. Forty-seven passengers with culture-confirmed shigellosis and 116 probable cases who travelled on 12 flights dispersed to Japan, Australia, 22 US states, and American Samoa. All flights were served by one caterer. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of all 29 S. sonnei isolates yielded patterns that matched within one band. Food histories and menu reviews identified raw carrot served onboard as the likely vehicle of infection. Attack rates for diarrhoea on three surveyed flights with confirmed cases were 54% (110/204), 32% (20/63), and 12% (8/67). A total of 2700 meals were served on flights with confirmed cases; using attack rates observed on surveyed flights, we estimated that 300-1500 passengers were infected. This outbreak illustrates the risk of rapid, global spread of illness from a point-source at a major airline hub.

  1. Effect of wild-type Shigella species and attenuated Shigella vaccine candidates on small intestinal barrier function, antigen trafficking, and cytokine release.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Fiorentino

    Full Text Available Bacterial dysentery due to Shigella species is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The pathogenesis of Shigella is based on the bacteria's ability to invade and replicate within the colonic epithelium, resulting in severe intestinal inflammatory response and epithelial destruction. Although the mechanisms of pathogenesis of Shigella in the colon have been extensively studied, little is known on the effect of wild-type Shigella on the small intestine and the role of the host response in the development of the disease. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge no studies have described the effects of apically administered Shigella flexneri 2a and S. dysenteriae 1 vaccine strains on human small intestinal enterocytes. The aim of this study was to assess the coordinated functional and immunological human epithelial responses evoked by strains of Shigella and candidate vaccines on small intestinal enterocytes. To model the interactions of Shigella with the intestinal mucosa, we apically exposed monolayers of human intestinal Caco2 cells to increasing bacterial inocula. We monitored changes in paracellular permeability, examined the organization of tight-junctions and the pro-inflammatory response of epithelial cells. Shigella infection of Caco2 monolayers caused severe mucosal damage, apparent as a drastic increase in paracellular permeability and disruption of tight junctions at the cell-cell boundary. Secretion of pro-inflammatory IL-8 was independent of epithelial barrier dysfunction. Shigella vaccine strains elicited a pro-inflammatory response without affecting the intestinal barrier integrity. Our data show that wild-type Shigella infection causes a severe alteration of the barrier function of a small intestinal cell monolayer (a proxy for mucosa and might contribute (along with enterotoxins to the induction of watery diarrhea. Diarrhea may be a mechanism by which the host attempts to eliminate harmful bacteria and transport them

  2. Risk factors for secondary transmission of Shigella infection within households: implications for current prevention policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boveé Lian

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Internationally, guidelines to prevent secondary transmission of Shigella infection vary widely. Cases, their contacts with diarrhoea, and those in certain occupational groups are frequently excluded from work, school, or daycare. In the Netherlands, all contacts attending pre-school (age 0–3 and junior classes in primary school (age 4–5, irrespective of symptoms, are also excluded pending microbiological clearance. We identified risk factors for secondary Shigella infection (SSI within households and evaluated infection control policy in this regard. Methods This retrospective cohort study of households where a laboratory confirmed Shigella case was reported in Amsterdam (2002–2009 included all households at high risk for SSI (i.e. any household member under 16 years. Cases were classified as primary, co-primary or SSIs. Using univariable and multivariable binomial regression with clustered robust standard errors to account for household clustering, we examined case and contact factors (Shigella serotype, ethnicity, age, sex, household size, symptoms associated with SSI in contacts within households. Results SSI occurred in 25/ 337 contacts (7.4%: 20% were asymptomatic, 68% were female, and median age was 14 years (IQR: 4–38. In a multivariable model adjusted for case and household factors, only diarrhoea in contacts was associated with SSI (IRR 8.0, 95% CI:2.7-23.8. In a second model, factors predictive of SSI in contacts were the age of case (0–3 years (IRRcase≥6 years:2.5, 95% CI:1.1-5.5 and 4–5 years (IRRcase≥6 years:2.2, 95% CI:1.1-4.3 and household size (>6 persons (IRR2-4 persons 3.4, 95% CI:1.2-9.5. Conclusions To identify symptomatic and asymptomatic SSI, faecal screening should be targeted at all household contacts of preschool cases (0–3 years and cases attending junior class in primary school (4–5 years and any household contact with diarrhoea. If screening was limited to these groups, only

  3. Rupture, Invasion and Inflammatory Destruction of the Intestinal Barrier by Shigella: The Yin and Yang of Innate Immunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe J Sansonetti

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterial species of the family Enterobacteriaceae that causes bacillary dysentery in humans. This acute colitis reflects the capacity of the microorganism to disrupt, invade and cause the inflammatory destruction of the intestinal epithelium. The pathogenesis of the Shigella infection can be seen as a disruption of the homeostatic balance that protects the gut against inflammation in the presence of its commensal flora. This provides the unified view that enteroinvasive pathogens allow for the identification of key signalling molecules and pathways involved in the regulation of intestinal inflammation, and more generally, in the regulation of the innate and adaptive immune response.

  4. Laboratory based surveillance of travel-related Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri in Alberta from 2002 to 2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferrato Christina

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Between 2002 and 2007, travel related cases of Shigella sonnei and S. flexneri in Alberta, Canada were acquired from Central America, the Indian subcontinent and North America. Of this group, resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid was identified in isolates from patients who had travelled to the Indian subcontinent. This study provides a Canadian perspective to a growing body of literature linking ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid resistance to travel to the Indian subcontinent. Shigella is a common cause of diarrheal illness in North America with a rate of 2.0 per 100,000 in Canada 1 and a rate of 3.2 per 100,000 in the United States 23. Imported cases of Shigella infections have been reported in developed countries following travel to a foreign or developing country 45 and may be impacted by factors including socio-economic factors 6, food distribution networks 5 and microbiologic factors 7. Across multiple geographic regions, high rates of antimicrobial resistance to multiple agents (e.g. sulfonamides, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole have limited the choices for empiric antimicrobial therapy required to manage Shigella infections and reduce fecal excretion of the bacteria 8910 with descriptions of shifting species dominance and changes in antimicrobial susceptibility 1011. Generally, Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei are the dominant species and are heavily impacted by changes in antimicrobial susceptibility 1213. This study identifies the global regions associated with travel-related cases of S. flexneri and S. sonnei in Alberta, Canada and compares antibiotic resistance patterns of these isolates for 2002 to 2007 inclusive. Specimens collected 2002-2007 (inclusive from S. flexneri and S. sonnei infections in Alberta, Canada were included for study. Data collected at time of specimen submission included: date of specimen collection, outbreak association if present, travel

  5. Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance in Shigella flexneri Isolated From Macaques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony J. Mannion

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Non-human primates (NHPs for biomedical research are commonly infected with Shigella spp. that can cause acute dysentery or chronic episodic diarrhea. These animals are often prophylactically and clinically treated with quinolone antibiotics to eradicate these possible infections. However, chromosomally- and plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance has become an emerging concern for species in the family Enterobacteriaceae. In this study, five individual isolates of multi-drug resistant Shigella flexneri were isolated from the feces of three macaques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing confirmed resistance or decreased susceptibility to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cephalosporins, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, and nalidixic acid. S. flexneri isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and this drug was used to eradicate infection in two of the macaques. Plasmid DNA from all isolates was positive for the plasmid-encoded quinolone resistance gene qnrS, but not qnrA and qnrB. Conjugation and transformation of plasmid DNA from several S. flexneri isolates into antibiotic-susceptible Escherichia coli strains conferred the recipients with resistance or decreased susceptibility to quinolones and beta-lactams. Genome sequencing of two representative S. flexneri isolates identified the qnrS gene on a plasmid-like contig. These contigs showed >99% homology to plasmid sequences previously characterized from quinolone-resistant Shigella flexneri 2a and Salmonella enterica strains. Other antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes were also identified in chromosome and plasmid sequences in these genomes. The findings from this study indicate macaques harbor pathogenic S. flexneri strains with chromosomally- and plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in S. flexneri isolated from NHPs and warrants

  6. Cellular Aspects of Shigella Pathogenesis: Focus on the Manipulation of Host Cell Processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killackey, Samuel A; Sorbara, Matthew T; Girardin, Stephen E

    2016-01-01

    Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterium that is responsible for shigellosis. Over the years, the study of Shigella has provided a greater understanding of how the host responds to bacterial infection, and how bacteria have evolved to effectively counter the host defenses. In this review, we provide an update on some of the most recent advances in our understanding of pivotal processes associated with Shigella infection, including the invasion into host cells, the metabolic changes that occur within the bacterium and the infected cell, cell-to-cell spread mechanisms, autophagy and membrane trafficking, inflammatory signaling and cell death. This recent progress sheds a new light into the mechanisms underlying Shigella pathogenesis, and also more generally provides deeper understanding of the complex interplay between host cells and bacterial pathogens in general.

  7. Safety and Immunogenicity of a Shigella flexneri 2a Invaplex 50 Intranasal Vaccine in Adult Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-01

    Scandjlnfect Dis 1993;25(5):569-77. [11] Oaks EV, Hale TL. Formal SB. Serum immune response to Shigella protein ami- gens in rhesus monkeys and humans...infection with virulent Shigellaflexneri 2a on the resistance of monkeys to subsequent infection with Shigella sonnei. J Infect Dis 1991; 164(September...july 2010 Keywords: Shigella jlexneri lnvaplex Nasal vaccine Shigellosis is a leading cause of diarrhea worldwide prompting vaccine development

  8. Surveillance for Travel and Domestically Acquired Multidrug-Resistant Human Shigella Infections-Pennsylvania, 2006-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yu Lung; Tewari, Deepanker; Yealy, Courtney C; Fardig, David; M'ikanatha, Nkuchia M

    2016-01-01

    Shigellosis is a leading cause of enteric infections in the United States. We compared antimicrobial resistance in Shigella infections related to overseas travel (travel-associated) and in those acquired domestically by analyzing antimicrobial resistance patterns, geographic distributions, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. We tested samples (n = 204) from a collection of isolates recovered from patients in Pennsylvania between 2006 and 2014. Isolates were grouped into travel- and non-travel-associated categories. Eighty-one (79.4%) of the Shigella isolates acquired during international travel were resistant to multiple antibiotics compared to 53 (52.1%) of the infections transmitted in domestic settings. A majority (79.4%) of isolates associated with international travel demonstrated resistance to aminoglycosides and tetracyclines, whereas 47 (46.1%) of the infections acquired domestically were resistant to tetracycline. Almost all isolates (92.2%) transmitted in domestic settings were resistant to aminoglycosides, and 5 isolates from adult male patients were resistant to azithromycin, a drug often used for empiric treatment of severe shigellosis. Twenty (19.6%) isolates associated with illnesses acquired during overseas travel in 4 countries were resistant to quinolones. One S. sonnei PFGE pattern was traced to a multidrug-resistant isolate acquired overseas that had caused a multistate outbreak of shigellosis, suggesting global dissemination of a drug-resistant species. Resistance to certain drugs-for example, tetracycline-increased in both overseas- and domestic-acquired infections during the study period. The prevalence of resistance to macrolides (azithromycin) and third-generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone) was less than 1%; however, efforts to better monitor changes in drug resistance over time combined with increased antimicrobial stewardship are essential at the local, national, and global levels.

  9. Host and bacterial proteins that repress recruitment of LC3 to Shigella early during infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leigh A Baxt

    Full Text Available Shigella spp. are intracytosolic gram-negative pathogens that cause disease by invasion and spread through the colonic mucosa, utilizing host cytoskeletal components to form propulsive actin tails. We have previously identified the host factor Toca-1 as being recruited to intracellular S. flexneri and being required for efficient bacterial actin tail formation. We show that at early times during infection (40 min., the type three-secreted effector protein IcsB recruits Toca-1 to intracellular bacteria and that recruitment of Toca-1 is associated with repression of recruitment of LC3, as well as with repression of recruitment of the autophagy marker NDP52, around these intracellular bacteria. LC3 is best characterized as a marker of autophagosomes, but also marks phagosomal membranes in the process LC3-associated phagocytosis. IcsB has previously been demonstrated to be required for S. flexneri evasion of autophagy at late times during infection (4-6 hr by inhibiting binding of the autophagy protein Atg5 to the Shigella surface protein IcsA (VirG. Our results suggest that IcsB and Toca-1 modulation of LC3 recruitment restricts LC3-associated phagocytosis and/or LC3 recruitment to vacuolar membrane remnants. Together with published results, our findings suggest that IcsB inhibits innate immune responses in two distinct ways, first, by inhibiting LC3-associated phagocytosis and/or LC3 recruitment to vacuolar membrane remnants early during infection, and second, by inhibiting autophagy late during infection.

  10. Shigella reroutes host cell central metabolism to obtain high-flux nutrient supply for vigorous intracellular growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kentner, David; Martano, Giuseppe; Callon, Morgane; Chiquet, Petra; Brodmann, Maj; Burton, Olga; Wahlander, Asa; Nanni, Paolo; Delmotte, Nathanaël; Grossmann, Jonas; Limenitakis, Julien; Schlapbach, Ralph; Kiefer, Patrick; Vorholt, Julia A; Hiller, Sebastian; Bumann, Dirk

    2014-07-08

    Shigella flexneri proliferate in infected human epithelial cells at exceptionally high rates. This vigorous growth has important consequences for rapid progression to life-threatening bloody diarrhea, but the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we used metabolomics, proteomics, and genetic experiments to determine host and Shigella metabolism during infection in a cell culture model. The data suggest that infected host cells maintain largely normal fluxes through glycolytic pathways, but the entire output of these pathways is captured by Shigella, most likely in the form of pyruvate. This striking strategy provides Shigella with an abundant favorable energy source, while preserving host cell ATP generation, energy charge maintenance, and survival, despite ongoing vigorous exploitation. Shigella uses a simple three-step pathway to metabolize pyruvate at high rates with acetate as an excreted waste product. The crucial role of this pathway for Shigella intracellular growth suggests targets for antimicrobial chemotherapy of this devastating disease.

  11. Co-administration of rIpaB domain of Shigella with rGroEL of S. Typhi enhances the immune responses and protective efficacy against Shigella infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chitradevi, Sekar Tamil Selvi; Kaur, Gurpreet; Uppalapati, Sivaramakrishna; Yadav, Anandprakash; Singh, Dependrapratap; Bansal, Anju

    2015-11-01

    Shigella species cause severe bacillary dysentery in humans and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The Invasion plasmid antigen (IpaB) protein, which is conserved across all Shigella spp., induces macrophage cell death and is required to invade host cells. The present study evaluates the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the recombinant (r) domain region of IpaB (rIpaB) of S. flexneri. rIpaB was administered either alone or was co-administered with the rGroEL (heat shock protein 60) protein from S. Typhi as an adjuvant in a mouse model of intranasal immunization. The IpaB domain region (37 kDa) of S. flexneri was amplified from an invasion plasmid, cloned, expressed in BL21 Escherichia coli cells and purified. Immunization with the rIpaB domain alone stimulated both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Furthermore, robust antibody (IgG, IgA) and T-cell responses were induced when the rIpaB domain was co-administered with rGroEL. Antibody isotyping revealed higher IgG1 and IgG2a antibody titers and increased interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion in the co-administered group. Immunization of mice with the rIpaB domain alone protected 60%-70% of the mice from lethal infection by S. flexneri, S. boydii and S. sonnei, whereas co-administration with rGroEL increased the protective efficacy to 80%-85%. Organ burden and histopathological studies also revealed a significant reduction in lung infection in the co-immunized mice compared with mice immunized with the rIpaB domain alone. This study emphasizes that the co-administration of the rIpaB domain and rGroEL protein improves immune responses in mice and increases protective efficacy against Shigella infection. This is also the first report to evaluate the potential of the GroEL (Hsp 60) protein of S. Typhi as an adjuvant molecule, thereby overcoming the need for commercial adjuvants.

  12. Riboregulators: Fine-Tuning Virulence in Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fris, Megan E; Murphy, Erin R

    2016-01-01

    Within the past several years, RNA-mediated regulation (ribo-regulation) has become increasingly recognized for its importance in controlling critical bacterial processes. Regulatory RNA molecules, or riboregulators, are perpetually responsive to changes within the micro-environment of a bacterium. Notably, several characterized riboregulators control virulence in pathogenic bacteria, as is the case for each riboregulator characterized to date in Shigella. The timing of virulence gene expression and the ability of the pathogen to adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions is critical to the establishment and progression of infection by Shigella species; ribo-regulators mediate each of these important processes. This mini review will present the current state of knowledge regarding RNA-mediated regulation in Shigella by detailing the characterization and function of each identified riboregulator in these pathogens.

  13. Laboratory monitoring of bacterial gastroenteric pathogens Salmonella and Shigella in Shanghai, China 2006-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, J; Wang, F; Jin, H; Hu, J; Yuan, Z; Shi, W; Yang, X; Meng, J; Xu, X

    2015-02-01

    In 2006 we initiated an enhanced laboratory-based surveillance of Salmonella and Shigella infections in Shanghai, China. A total of 4483 Salmonella and 2226 Shigella isolates were recovered from stool specimens by 2012. In 80 identified Salmonella serovars, Enteritidis (34·5%) and Typhimurium (26·2%) were the most common. Shigella (S.) sonnei accounted for 63·9% of human Shigella infections over the same time period, and replaced S. flexneri to become the primary cause of shigellosis since 2010. Overall, a high level of antimicrobial resistance was observed in Salmonella and Shigella, particularly to nalidixic acid, ampicillin, and tetracycline. Ciprofloxacin resistance was common in Salmonella Typhimurium (21·0%) and S. flexneri (37·6%). The cephalosporin resistance in both pathogens also increased over the years, ranging from 3·4% to 7·0% in Salmonella, and from 10·4% to 28·6% in Shigella. Resistance to multiple antimicrobials was also identified in a large number of the isolates. This study provides insight into the distribution of Salmonella and Shigella in diarrhoeal diseases.

  14. Temperature Regulation of Shigella Virulence: Identification of Temperature-Regulated Shigella Invasion Genes by the Isolation of inv::lacZ Operon Fusions and the Characterization of the Virulence Gene Regulator virR

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-04-10

    conserved in virulent strains of Shigella and EIEC. Evaluation of the serum Immune response to Shigella proteins in Rhesus monkeys and humans revealed...sera from both humans and monkeys following a Shigella infection (Hale et al. , 1985; Oaks et al., 1986). Moreover, Tn5 insertions In various...Microbiology, Washington, D.C. 108. Oaks, E, V,, T, L. Hale, and S. B. Formal. 1986. Serum Immune response to Shigella protein antigens In Rhesus monkeys

  15. Molecular Mechanisms of Host Cytoskeletal Rearrangements by Shigella Invasins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Hyuck Lee

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Pathogen-induced reorganization of the host cell cytoskeleton is a common strategy utilized in host cell invasion by many facultative intracellular bacteria, such as Shigella, Listeria, enteroinvasive E. coli and Salmonella. Shigella is an enteroinvasive intracellular pathogen that preferentially infects human epithelial cells and causes bacillary dysentery. Invasion of Shigella into intestinal epithelial cells requires extensive remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton with the aid of pathogenic effector proteins injected into the host cell by the activity of the type III secretion system. These so-called Shigella invasins, including IpaA, IpaC, IpgB1, IpgB2 and IpgD, modulate the actin-regulatory system in a concerted manner to guarantee efficient entry of the bacteria into host cells.

  16. Treatment of shigella infections: why sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... and one (1.3%) were Yersinia enterocolitica. Shigella isolates had high resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (97%), tetracycline (83.6%) ampicillin (58.2%) and chloramphenicol (20.9%). The isolates showed low resistance to nalidixic (4.5%) and ciprofloxacin (3.0%) while there was no resistance to ceftriaxone.

  17. Prevalence of intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species among diarrheal children in Jimma health center, Jimma southwest Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beyene, Getenet; Tasew, Haimanot

    2014-02-05

    Diarrheal disease continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in developing countries including Ethiopia. Globally, intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species remain major contributors to acute enteric infections. The study was aimed at determining the frequency of intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species identified from diarrheic children at Jimma Health Centre, Jimma south west Ethiopia. A health institution based cross sectional study was conducted from March to November 2012. A structured questionnaire was used for collection of data on socio- demographic characteristics. Parasite and bacteria identification as well as susceptibility testing was done using standard parasitological and bacteriological procedures. A total of 260 diarrheal children were included in the study. A total of 129 (49.6%) samples were positive for intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species. Of these, 107 (41.1%), 6 (2.3%) and 16 (6.2%) samples were positive for intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species respectively. The dominant isolated parasite was G. lamblia with prevalence of 13.5% followed by A. lumbricoides (11.5%). The least identified parasites were Schistosoma mansoni and Taenia species accounting 0.4% each. Multiple parasitic infections were observed in 19 (7.3%) patients. Shigella species showed hundred percent resistances to ampicillin, amoxacillin, and cotrimoxazole. All Salmonella isolates were resistant against amoxicillin. All Shigella and Salmonella species were susceptible to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and gentamycin. The presence of reasonably high amount of intestinal parasite and Salmonella and Shigella species that are drug resistance to the commonly prescribed drugs is a treat to the children and community at large. Therefore, measures including health education, improvement of safe water supply, sanitation facilities and continuous monitoring of microbiological and antimicrobial

  18. Socioeconomic Determinants of Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Shigella Infections in Bangladeshi Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randon J. Gruninger

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Shigella species (spp. are a leading cause of moderate to severe diarrhea in children worldwide. The recent emergence of quinolone-resistant Shigella spp. gives cause for concern, and South Asia has been identified as a reservoir for global spread. The influence of socioeconomic status on antimicrobial resistance in developing countries, such as those in South Asia, remains unknown. Methods: We used data collected from 2009 to 2014 from a hospital specializing in the treatment of diarrhea in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to determine the relationship between ciprofloxacin-resistant Shigella spp. isolates and measures of socioeconomic status in Bangladeshi children less than 5 years of age. Results: We found 2.7% (230/8, 672 of children who presented with diarrhea had Shigella spp. isolated from their stool, and 50% (115/230 had resistance to ciprofloxacin. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that children from families where the father’s income was in the highest quintile had significantly higher odds of having ciprofloxacin-resistant Shigella spp. compared to children in the lowest quintile (OR = 6.1, CI 1.9-19. Factors protective against the development of resistance included access to improved sanitation (OR = 0.27, CI 0.11-0.7, and improved water sources (OR = 0.48, CI 0.25-0.92. We did not find a relationship between ciprofloxacin resistance and other proxies for socioeconomic status, including the presence of animals in the home, nutritional status, paternal education level, and the number of family members in the home. Conclusions: Although the associations between wealth and antimicrobial resistance are not fully understood, possible explanations include increased access and use of antibiotics, greater access to healthcare facilities and thus resistant pathogens, or greater consumption of commercially produced foods prepared with antibiotics.

  19. A clinically parameterized mathematical model of Shigella immunity to inform vaccine design.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Courtney L Davis

    Full Text Available We refine and clinically parameterize a mathematical model of the humoral immune response against Shigella, a diarrheal bacteria that infects 80-165 million people and kills an estimated 600,000 people worldwide each year. Using Latin hypercube sampling and Monte Carlo simulations for parameter estimation, we fit our model to human immune data from two Shigella EcSf2a-2 vaccine trials and a rechallenge study in which antibody and B-cell responses against Shigella's lipopolysaccharide (LPS and O-membrane proteins (OMP were recorded. The clinically grounded model is used to mathematically investigate which key immune mechanisms and bacterial targets confer immunity against Shigella and to predict which humoral immune components should be elicited to create a protective vaccine against Shigella. The model offers insight into why the EcSf2a-2 vaccine had low efficacy and demonstrates that at a group level a humoral immune response induced by EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge against Shigella's LPS or OMP does not appear sufficient for protection. That is, the model predicts an uncontrolled infection of gut epithelial cells that is present across all best-fit model parameterizations when fit to EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge data. Using sensitivity analysis, we explore which model parameter values must be altered to prevent the destructive epithelial invasion by Shigella bacteria and identify four key parameter groups as potential vaccine targets or immune correlates: 1 the rate that Shigella migrates into the lamina propria or epithelium, 2 the rate that memory B cells (BM differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (ASC, 3 the rate at which antibodies are produced by activated ASC, and 4 the Shigella-specific BM carrying capacity. This paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach in ongoing efforts to design an effective Shigella vaccine.

  20. A clinically parameterized mathematical model of Shigella immunity to inform vaccine design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Courtney L; Wahid, Rezwanul; Toapanta, Franklin R; Simon, Jakub K; Sztein, Marcelo B

    2018-01-01

    We refine and clinically parameterize a mathematical model of the humoral immune response against Shigella, a diarrheal bacteria that infects 80-165 million people and kills an estimated 600,000 people worldwide each year. Using Latin hypercube sampling and Monte Carlo simulations for parameter estimation, we fit our model to human immune data from two Shigella EcSf2a-2 vaccine trials and a rechallenge study in which antibody and B-cell responses against Shigella's lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and O-membrane proteins (OMP) were recorded. The clinically grounded model is used to mathematically investigate which key immune mechanisms and bacterial targets confer immunity against Shigella and to predict which humoral immune components should be elicited to create a protective vaccine against Shigella. The model offers insight into why the EcSf2a-2 vaccine had low efficacy and demonstrates that at a group level a humoral immune response induced by EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge against Shigella's LPS or OMP does not appear sufficient for protection. That is, the model predicts an uncontrolled infection of gut epithelial cells that is present across all best-fit model parameterizations when fit to EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge data. Using sensitivity analysis, we explore which model parameter values must be altered to prevent the destructive epithelial invasion by Shigella bacteria and identify four key parameter groups as potential vaccine targets or immune correlates: 1) the rate that Shigella migrates into the lamina propria or epithelium, 2) the rate that memory B cells (BM) differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (ASC), 3) the rate at which antibodies are produced by activated ASC, and 4) the Shigella-specific BM carrying capacity. This paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach in ongoing efforts to design an effective Shigella vaccine.

  1. Evaluation of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella and Shigella isolates in the University Hospital "St. George," Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrov, Michael M; Petrova, Atanaska; Stanimirova, Irina; Mircheva-Topalova, Marina; Koycheva, Lalka; Velcheva, Rayna; Stoycheva-Vartigova, Mariana; Raycheva, Ralitsa; Asseva, Galina; Petrov, Petar; Kardjeva, Velichka; Murdjeva, Marianna

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this work is to study the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of acute gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella and Shigella at the largest Bulgarian hospital-University Hospital "St. George," Plovdiv-for the period 2009-2013. Two hundred ninety strains were in vitro tested for resistance to 15 antimicrobial agents. The presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) was demonstrated by a variety of specialized tests. For comparison, a collection of 28 strains submitted by the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) "Enteric Infections" at the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD), Sofia, was also tested for the production of ESBLs. In isolates, phenotypically demonstrated as ESBL producers, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the genes bla-CTX-M, bla-SHV, and bla-TEM was performed. Among the 290 tested isolates, only two- Salmonella serotype Livingstone and Shigella flexneri-were phenotypically proven to be ESBL producers. Only 4 strains from the collection of 28, submitted from the NRL "Intestinal Infections" in NCIPD, Sofia, were phenotypically confirmed as ESBL producers. The presence of the bla-CTX-M gene was detected in all of the tested strains (4 from NRL, NCIPD, Sofia, and 2 from the University Hospital St. George, Plovdiv), the bla-SHV gene only in strain S. Livingstone from Plovdiv, and the bla-TEM gene in two from Sofia and one (again S. Livingstone) from Plovdiv. In conclusion, Salmonella and Shigella isolates from patients hospitalized at the University Hospital St. George, Plovdiv, with acute gastroenteritis demonstrate good susceptibility to the most commonly used antibiotic agents, including azithromycin.

  2. Shigella IpaH Family Effectors as a Versatile Model for Studying Pathogenic Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashida, Hiroshi; Sasakawa, Chihiro

    2015-01-01

    Shigella spp. are highly adapted human pathogens that cause bacillary dysentery (shigellosis). Via the type III secretion system (T3SS), Shigella deliver a subset of virulence proteins (effectors) that are responsible for pathogenesis, with functions including pyroptosis, invasion of the epithelial cells, intracellular survival, and evasion of host immune responses. Intriguingly, T3SS effector activity and strategies are not unique to Shigella, but are shared by many other bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella, Yersinia, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). Therefore, studying Shigella T3SS effectors will not only improve our understanding of bacterial infection systems, but also provide a molecular basis for developing live bacterial vaccines and antibacterial drugs. One of Shigella T3SS effectors, IpaH family proteins, which have E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and are widely conserved among other bacterial pathogens, are very relevant because they promote bacterial survival by triggering cell death and modulating the host immune responses. Here, we describe selected examples of Shigella pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on the roles of IpaH family effectors, which shed new light on bacterial survival strategies and provide clues about how to overcome bacterial infections.

  3. Shigella IpaH family effectors as a versatile model for studying pathogenic bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroshi eAshida

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigella spp. are highly adapted human pathogens that cause bacillary dysentery (shigellosis. Via the type III secretion system (T3SS, Shigella deliver a subset of virulence proteins (effectors that are responsible for pathogenesis, with functions including pyroptosis, invasion of the epithelial cells, intracellular survival, and evasion of host immune responses. Intriguingly, T3SS effector activity and strategies are not unique to Shigella, but are shared by many other bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella, Yersinia, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC. Therefore, studying Shigella T3SS effectors will not only improve our understanding of bacterial infection systems, but also provide a molecular basis for developing live bacterial vaccines and antibacterial drugs. One of Shigella T3SS effectors, IpaH family proteins, which have E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and are widely conserved among other bacterial pathogens, are very relevant because they promote bacterial survival by triggering cell death and modulating the host immune responses. Here, we describe selected examples of Shigella pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on the roles of IpaH family effectors, which shed new light on bacterial survival strategies and provide clues about how to overcome bacterial infections.

  4. Cytosolic Access of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens: The Shigella Paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellouk, Nora; Enninga, Jost

    2016-01-01

    Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen, which causes bacillary dysentery in humans. A crucial step of Shigella infection is its invasion of epithelial cells. Using a type III secretion system, Shigella injects several bacterial effectors ultimately leading to bacterial internalization within a vacuole. Then, Shigella escapes rapidly from the vacuole, it replicates within the cytosol and spreads from cell-to-cell. The molecular mechanism of vacuolar rupture used by Shigella has been studied in some detail during the recent years and new paradigms are emerging about the underlying molecular events. For decades, bacterial effector proteins were portrayed as main actors inducing vacuolar rupture. This includes the effector/translocators IpaB and IpaC. More recently, this has been challenged and an implication of the host cell in the process of vacuolar rupture has been put forward. This includes the bacterial subversion of host trafficking regulators, such as the Rab GTPase Rab11. The involvement of the host in determining bacterial vacuolar integrity has also been found for other bacterial pathogens, particularly for Salmonella. Here, we will discuss our current view of host factor and pathogen effector implications during Shigella vacuolar rupture and the steps leading to it.

  5. Phenylbutyrate counteracts Shigella mediated downregulation of cathelicidin in rabbit lung and intestinal epithelia: a potential therapeutic strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarker, Protim; Ahmed, Sultan; Tiash, Snigdha; Rekha, Rokeya Sultana; Stromberg, Roger; Andersson, Jan; Bergman, Peter; Gudmundsson, Gudmundur H; Agerberth, Birgitta; Raqib, Rubhana

    2011-01-01

    Cathelicidins and defensins are endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are downregulated in the mucosal epithelia of the large intestine in shigellosis. Oral treatment of Shigella infected rabbits with sodium butyrate (NaB) reduces clinical severity and counteracts the downregulation of cathelicidin (CAP-18) in the large intestinal epithelia. To develop novel regimen for treating infectious diseases by inducing innate immunity, we selected sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PB), a registered drug for a metabolic disorder as a potential therapeutic candidate in a rabbit model of shigellosis. Since acute respiratory infections often cause secondary complications during shigellosis, the systemic effect of PB and NaB on CAP-18 expression in respiratory epithelia was also evaluated. The readouts were clinical outcomes, CAP-18 expression in mucosa of colon, rectum, lung and trachea (immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR) and release of the CAP-18 peptide/protein in stool (Western blot). Significant downregulation of CAP-18 expression in the epithelia of rectum and colon, the site of Shigella infection was confirmed. Interestingly, reduced expression of CAP-18 was also noticed in the epithelia of lung and trachea, indicating a systemic effect of the infection. This suggests a causative link to acute respiratory infections during shigellosis. Oral treatment with PB resulted in reduced clinical illness and upregulation of CAP-18 in the epithelium of rectum. Both PB and NaB counteracted the downregulation of CAP-18 in lung epithelium. The drug effect is suggested to be systemic as intravenous administration of NaB could also upregulate CAP-18 in the epithelia of lung, rectum and colon. Our results suggest that PB has treatment potential in human shigellosis. Enhancement of CAP-18 in the mucosal epithelia of the respiratory tract by PB or NaB is a novel discovery. This could mediate protection from secondary respiratory infections that frequently are the lethal causes in

  6. Cytosolic access of intracellular bacterial pathogens: the Shigella paradigm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nora eMellouk

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen, which causes bacillary dysentery in humans. A crucial step of Shigella infection is its invasion of epithelial cells. Using a type III secretion system, Shigella injects several bacterial effectors ultimately leading to bacterial internalization within a vacuole. Then, Shigella escapes rapidly from the vacuole, it replicates within the cytosol and spreads from cell-to-cell. The molecular mechanism of vacuolar rupture used by Shigella has been studied in some detail during the recent years and new paradigms are emerging about the underlying molecular events. For decades, bacterial effector proteins were portrayed as main actors inducing vacuolar rupture. This includes the effector/translocators IpaB and IpaC. More recently, this has been challenged and an implication of the host cell in the process of vacuolar rupture has been put forward. This includes the bacterial subversion of host trafficking regulators, such as the Rab GTPase Rab11. The involvement of the host in determining bacterial vacuolar integrity has also been found for other bacterial pathogens, particularly for Salmonella. Here, we will discuss our current view of host factor and pathogen effector implications during Shigella vacuolar rupture and the steps leading to it.

  7. Prevalence and characterization of human Shigella infections in Henan Province, China, in 2006

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xia, S.; Xu, B.; Huang, L.

    2011-01-01

    In 2006, 3531 fecal samples were collected from patients with diarrhea in Henan Province, China. A total of 467 (13.2%) Shigella strains were isolated and serotyped. Seventy-one Shigella flexneri strains were characterized by MIC determination, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and detection...

  8. Shigella dysenteriae infection activates proinflammatory response through β-catenin/NF-κB signaling pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashidha Gopal

    Full Text Available Shigella dysenteriae (S.dysenteriae the causative agent of bacillary dysentery invades the human colonic epithelium resulting in severe intestinal inflammatory response and epithelial destruction. However, the mechanism by which S.dysenteriae infection regulates proinflammatory cytokines during intestinal inflammation is still obscure. In this study, we evaluated whether the interaction of β-catenin and NF-κB regulates proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-8 by modulating GSK-3β activity during S.dysenteriae infection in rat ileal loop model. Here we demonstrated that S.dysenteriae infection stimulate β-catenin degradation which in turn decreased the association between NF-κB and β-catenin. Also, we showed that S.dysenteriae infection increased GSK-3β kinase activity which in turn phosphorylates β-catenin for its degradation by ubiquitination and upregulates IL-8 through NF-κB activation thereby leading to inflammation. Thus these findings revealed the role of β-catenin/ NF-κB and GSK-3β in modulating the inflammatory response during bacterial infection and also showed that β-catenin acts as a critical regulator of inflammation.

  9. Two Cases of Vulvovaginitis Caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei: a Case Report

    OpenAIRE

    Bayramoğlu, Gülçin; Aydın, Faruk; Karagüzel, Gülay; İmamoğlu, Mustafa; Ökten, Ayşenur

    2014-01-01

    Vulvovaginitis caused by Shigella species (Shigella spp.) has rarely been reported. This paper describes two cases of prepubertal vulvovaginitis, presenting with a bloody and purulent vaginal discharge, separately caused by ampicillin-resistant Shigella flexneri and trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazoleresistant Shigella sonnei. Our conclusions are that Shigella spp. is the potential cause of vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls in developing countries where these pathogens are endemic, and identifica...

  10. Two Cases of Vulvovaginitis Caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei: a Case Report

    OpenAIRE

    Bayramoğlu, Gülçin; Aydın, Faruk; Karagüzel, Gülay; İmamoğlu, Mustafa; Ökten, Ayşenur

    2012-01-01

    Vulvovaginitis caused by Shigella species (Shigella spp.) has rarely been reported. This paper describes two cases of prepubertal vulvovaginitis, presenting with a bloody and purulent vaginal discharge, separately caused by ampicillin-resistant Shigella flexneri and trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazoleresistant Shigella sonnei. Our conclusions are that Shigella spp. is the potential cause of vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls in developing countries where these pathogens are endemic, and identifica...

  11. Shigella sonnei and hemolytic uremic syndrome: A case report and literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Casey Adams

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS is a well-described process that is known to cause severe renal dysfunction, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. HUS is typically associated with toxins (shiga-like and shigella toxin found in strains of E. coli and Shigella spp [1–3]. We present a case of a 27 year-old man with jaundice, thrombocytopenia, and renal dysfunction who was found to have HUS in the setting of Shigella sonnei infection. Outside of developing countries, cases of HUS related to S. sonnei are largely unreported.

  12. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella and Shigella spp. among children with gastroenteritis in an Iranian referral hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoudi, Shima; Pourakbari, Babak; Moradzadeh, Mina; Eshaghi, Hamid; Ramezani, Amitis; Haghi Ashtiani, Mohammad Taghi; Keshavarz Valian, Sepideh; Mamishi, Setareh

    2017-08-01

    Gastroenteritis is one of the leading cause of illnesses through the world, especially in developing countries.Salmonella and Shigella infections are considered as the main public health problems in children. The aim of this study was to detect the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella and Shigella spp. among children with gastroenteritis in an Iranian referral hospital. During April 2013 to April 2014, all medical records of children with gastroenteritis admitted to a pediatric medical center were evaluated. Positive stool cultures of children were evaluated and frequency of Salmonella and Shigella spp. and their antimicrobial susceptibility were detected. In this study, 676 patients with the mean age of 24.94 months were enrolled. Eighty-eight (42%) Salmonella spp., 85 (40%) Shigella spp., 33 (16%) E. coli and 5(2%) candida albicans were isolated from 211 positive stool cultures. Among 85 Shigella spp. isolates, S. sonnei, S. flexneri and other Shigella spp. were isolated from 39 (46%) isolates, 36(42%) and 10(12%), respectively. Among 88 isolated Salmonella spp., 36 (41%) isolates were Salmonella Serogroup D, 26 (30%) were Salmonella Serogroup B, 20 (23%) isolates were Salmonella Serogroup C and 6 (7%) were other Salmonella spp. isolates. Thirty-eight percent of Salmonella serogroup B were resistant to nalidixic acid, while higher frequency of nalidixic acid resistant was found in Salmonella serogroup C and Salmonella serogroup D. The higher frequency of ampicillin resistant was found in Shigella spp. than Salmonella spp. High frequency of cefotaxime resistant was seen in S. sonei and S. flexneri (77% and 56%, respectively), whereas more than 90% of Salmonella serogroup B, C and D were susceptible to this antibiotic. In conclusion, Shigella and Salmonella serogroups can be considered as important etiological agents of acute diarrhea in children. Since the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is increasing in recent years in Iran, further

  13. Association Between Shigella Infection and Diarrhea Varies Based on Location and Age of Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsay, Brianna; Saha, Debasish; Sanogo, Doh; Das, Sumon Kumar; Omore, Richard; Farag, Tamer H; Nasrin, Dilruba; Li, Shan; Panchalingam, Sandra; Levine, Myron M; Kotloff, Karen; Nataro, James P; Magder, Laurence; Hungerford, Laura; Faruque, A S G; Oundo, Joseph; Hossain, M Anowar; Adeyemi, Mitchell; Stine, Oscar Colin

    2015-11-01

    Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a useful detection mechanism for Shigella spp. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) identified the etiology and burden of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia using a case-control study and traditional culture techniques. Here, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify Shigella spp. in 2,611 stool specimens from GEMS and compared these results to those using culture. Demographic and nutritional characteristics were assessed as possible risk factors. The qPCR identified more cases of shigellosis than culture; however, the distribution of demographic characteristics was similar by both methods. In regression models adjusting for Shigella quantity, age, and site, children who were exclusively breast-fed had significantly lower odds of MSD compared with children who were not breast-fed (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28-0.81). The association between Shigella quantity and MSD increased with age, with a peak in children of 24-35 months of age (OR = 8.2, 95% CI = 4.3-15.7) and the relationship between Shigella quantity and disease was greatest in Bangladesh (OR = 13.2, 95% CI = 7.3-23.8). This study found that qPCR identified more cases of Shigella and age, site, and breast-feeding status were significant risk factors for MSD. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  14. Two Cases of Vulvovaginitis Caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei: a Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gülçin Bayramoğlu

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Vulvovaginitis caused by Shigella species (Shigella spp. has rarely been reported. This paper describes two cases of prepubertal vulvovaginitis, presenting with a bloody and purulent vaginal discharge, separately caused by ampicillin-resistant Shigella flexneri and trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazole-resistant Shigella sonnei. Our conclusions are that Shigella spp. is the potential cause of vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls in developing countries where these pathogens are endemic, and identification of the bacteria and making antibiotic susceptibility testing in these cases should not be overlooked.

  15. Update on: Shigella new serogroups/serotypes and their antimicrobial resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthuirulandi Sethuvel, D P; Devanga Ragupathi, N K; Anandan, S; Veeraraghavan, B

    2017-01-01

    Shigellosis represents a major burden of disease in developing countries. A low infectious dose allows the disease to be spread effectively. Although shigellosis is mostly a self-limiting disease, antibiotics are recommended to reduce deaths, disease symptoms and organism-shedding time. However, in India, antimicrobial resistance among the genus Shigella is more common than among any other enteric bacteria. Notably, new serotypes or subserotypes in Shigella are reported from various parts of the world. Identification of new subserotypes of Shigella spp. is becoming a major issue as these strains are nontypeable by conventional serotyping. The commercially available antisera may not cover all possible epitopes of the O lipopolysaccharide antigen of Shigella serotypes. Therefore, molecular methods which most closely approach the resolution of full serotyping are necessary to identify such strains. In addition, the knowledge of a prevalent serotype in various geographic regions may assist in formulating strategies such as the development of a vaccine to prevent infection especially when the immunity to disease is serotype specific, and to understand the disease burden caused by new Shigella serotypes. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. The Inside Story of Shigella Invasion of Intestinal Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carayol, Nathalie; Tran Van Nhieu, Guy

    2013-01-01

    As opposed to other invasive pathogens that reside into host cells in a parasitic mode, Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, invades the colonic mucosa but does not penetrate further to survive into deeper tissues. Instead, Shigella invades, replicates, and disseminates within the colonic mucosa. Bacterial invasion and spreading in intestinal epithelium lead to the elicitation of inflammatory responses responsible for the tissue destruction and shedding in the environment for further infection of other hosts. In this article, we highlight specific features of the Shigella arsenal of virulence determinants injected by a type III secretion apparatus (T3SA) that point to the targeting of intestinal epithelial cells as a discrete route of invasion during the initial event of the infectious process. PMID:24086068

  17. Circulating Gut-Homing (α4β7+) Plasmablast Responses against Shigella Surface Protein Antigens among Hospitalized Patients with Diarrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Anuradha; Dey, Ayan; Saletti, Giulietta; Samanta, Pradip; Chakraborty, Partha Sarathi; Bhattacharya, M K; Ghosh, Santanu; Ramamurthy, T; Kim, Jae-Ouk; Yang, Jae Seung; Kim, Dong Wook; Czerkinsky, Cecil; Nandy, Ranjan K

    2016-07-01

    Developing countries are burdened with Shigella diarrhea. Understanding mucosal immune responses associated with natural Shigella infection is important to identify potential correlates of protection and, as such, to design effective vaccines. We performed a comparative analysis of circulating mucosal plasmablasts producing specific antibodies against highly conserved invasive plasmid antigens (IpaC, IpaD20, and IpaD120) and two recently identified surface protein antigens, pan-Shigella surface protein antigen 1 (PSSP1) and PSSP2, common to all virulent Shigella strains. We examined blood and stool specimens from 37 diarrheal patients admitted to the Infectious Diseases & Beliaghata General Hospital, Kolkata, India. The etiological agent of diarrhea was investigated in stool specimens by microbiological methods and real-time PCR. Gut-homing (α4β7 (+)) antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) were isolated from patient blood by means of combined magnetic cell sorting and two-color enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay. Overall, 57% (21 of 37) and 65% (24 of 37) of the patients were positive for Shigella infection by microbiological and real-time PCR assays, respectively. The frequency of α4β7 (+) IgG ASC responders against Ipas was higher than that observed against PSSP1 or PSSP2, regardless of the Shigella serotype isolated from these patients. Thus, α4β7 (+) ASC responses to Ipas may be considered an indirect marker of Shigella infection. The apparent weakness of ASC responses to PSSP1 is consistent with the lack of cross-protection induced by natural Shigella infection. The finding that ASC responses to IpaD develop in patients with recent-onset shigellosis indicates that such responses may not be protective or may wane too rapidly and/or be of insufficient magnitude. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Phenylbutyrate counteracts Shigella mediated downregulation of cathelicidin in rabbit lung and intestinal epithelia: a potential therapeutic strategy.

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    Protim Sarker

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cathelicidins and defensins are endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs that are downregulated in the mucosal epithelia of the large intestine in shigellosis. Oral treatment of Shigella infected rabbits with sodium butyrate (NaB reduces clinical severity and counteracts the downregulation of cathelicidin (CAP-18 in the large intestinal epithelia. AIMS: To develop novel regimen for treating infectious diseases by inducing innate immunity, we selected sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PB, a registered drug for a metabolic disorder as a potential therapeutic candidate in a rabbit model of shigellosis. Since acute respiratory infections often cause secondary complications during shigellosis, the systemic effect of PB and NaB on CAP-18 expression in respiratory epithelia was also evaluated. METHODS: The readouts were clinical outcomes, CAP-18 expression in mucosa of colon, rectum, lung and trachea (immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR and release of the CAP-18 peptide/protein in stool (Western blot. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Significant downregulation of CAP-18 expression in the epithelia of rectum and colon, the site of Shigella infection was confirmed. Interestingly, reduced expression of CAP-18 was also noticed in the epithelia of lung and trachea, indicating a systemic effect of the infection. This suggests a causative link to acute respiratory infections during shigellosis. Oral treatment with PB resulted in reduced clinical illness and upregulation of CAP-18 in the epithelium of rectum. Both PB and NaB counteracted the downregulation of CAP-18 in lung epithelium. The drug effect is suggested to be systemic as intravenous administration of NaB could also upregulate CAP-18 in the epithelia of lung, rectum and colon. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that PB has treatment potential in human shigellosis. Enhancement of CAP-18 in the mucosal epithelia of the respiratory tract by PB or NaB is a novel discovery. This could mediate protection from

  19. Applying Mathematical Tools to Accelerate Vaccine Development: Modeling Shigella Immune Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Courtney L.; Wahid, Rezwanul; Toapanta, Franklin R.; Simon, Jakub K.

    2013-01-01

    We establish a mathematical framework for studying immune interactions with Shigella, a bacteria that kills over one million people worldwide every year. The long-term goal of this novel approach is to inform Shigella vaccine design by elucidating which immune components and bacterial targets are crucial for establishing Shigella immunity. Our delay differential equation model focuses on antibody and B cell responses directed against antigens like lipopolysaccharide in Shigella’s outer membrane. We find that antibody-based vaccines targeting only surface antigens cannot elicit sufficient immunity for protection. Additional boosting prior to infection would require a four-orders-of-magnitude increase in antibodies to sufficiently prevent epithelial invasion. However, boosting anti-LPS B memory can confer protection, which suggests these cells may correlate with immunity. We see that IgA antibodies are slightly more effective per molecule than IgG, but more total IgA is required due to spatial functionality. An extension of the model reveals that targeting both LPS and epithelial entry proteins is a promising avenue to advance vaccine development. This paper underscores the importance of multifaceted immune targeting in creating an effective Shigella vaccine. It introduces mathematical models to the Shigella vaccine development effort and lays a foundation for joint theoretical/experimental/clinical approaches to Shigella vaccine design. PMID:23589755

  20. Study of Shigella Vaccines in Man.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1974-08-15

    and invasive Escherichia coli diarrheal disease, acute non-bacterial gastro- enteritis of adults ( parvovirus ) and choler;-j-For all the above-mentioned...with: 1) Enterotoxigenic E. coli. 2) Invasive E. coli. 3) Parvoviruses . 4) Giardia intestinalis. C. To investigate both the non-specific and specific... attenuated .trains of shigell:i for kise as oral vaccines. Presently we are involved ir, evalua. ion of the ’third gene: ioi " of oral shigella

  1. Characterization and complete genome sequence of a novel N4-like bacteriophage, pSb-1 infecting Shigella boydii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Jin Woo; Yun, Sae Kil; Kim, Hyoun Joong; Chai, Ji Young; Park, Se Chang

    2014-10-01

    Shigellosis is one of major foodborne pathogens in both developed and developing countries. Although antibiotic therapy is considered an effective treatment for shigellosis, the imprudent use of antibiotics has led to the increase of multiple-antibiotic-resistant Shigella species globally. In this study, we isolated a virulent Podoviridae bacteriophage (phage), pSb-1, that infects Shigella boydii. One-step growth analysis revealed that this phage has a short latent period (15 min) and a large burst size (152.63 PFU/cell), indicating that pSb-1 has good host infectivity and effective lytic activity. The double-stranded DNA genome of pSb-1 is composed of 71,629 bp with a G + C content of 42.74%. The genome encodes 103 putative ORFs, 9 putative promoters, 21 transcriptional terminators, and one tRNA region. Genome sequence analysis of pSb-1 and comparative analysis with the homologous phage EC1-UPM, N4-like phage revealed that there is a high degree of similarity (94%, nucleotide sequence identity) between pSb-1 and EC1-UPM in 73 of the 103 ORFs of pSb-1. The results of this investigation indicate that pSb-1 is a novel virulent N4-like phage infecting S. boydii and that this phage might have potential uses against shigellosis. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Analysis of host microRNA function uncovers a role for miR-29b-2-5p in Shigella capture by filopodia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunkavalli, Ushasree; Aguilar, Carmen; Silva, Ricardo Jorge; Sharan, Malvika; Cruz, Ana Rita; Tawk, Caroline; Maudet, Claire; Mano, Miguel; Eulalio, Ana

    2017-04-01

    MicroRNAs play an important role in the interplay between bacterial pathogens and host cells, participating as host defense mechanisms, as well as exploited by bacteria to subvert host cellular functions. Here, we show that microRNAs modulate infection by Shigella flexneri, a major causative agent of bacillary dysentery in humans. Specifically, we characterize the dual regulatory role of miR-29b-2-5p during infection, showing that this microRNA strongly favors Shigella infection by promoting both bacterial binding to host cells and intracellular replication. Using a combination of transcriptome analysis and targeted high-content RNAi screening, we identify UNC5C as a direct target of miR-29b-2-5p and show its pivotal role in the modulation of Shigella binding to host cells. MiR-29b-2-5p, through repression of UNC5C, strongly enhances filopodia formation thus increasing Shigella capture and promoting bacterial invasion. The increase of filopodia formation mediated by miR-29b-2-5p is dependent on RhoF and Cdc42 Rho-GTPases. Interestingly, the levels of miR-29b-2-5p, but not of other mature microRNAs from the same precursor, are decreased upon Shigella replication at late times post-infection, through degradation of the mature microRNA by the exonuclease PNPT1. While the relatively high basal levels of miR-29b-2-5p at the start of infection ensure efficient Shigella capture by host cell filopodia, dampening of miR-29b-2-5p levels later during infection may constitute a bacterial strategy to favor a balanced intracellular replication to avoid premature cell death and favor dissemination to neighboring cells, or alternatively, part of the host response to counteract Shigella infection. Overall, these findings reveal a previously unappreciated role of microRNAs, and in particular miR-29b-2-5p, in the interaction of Shigella with host cells.

  3. Analysis of host microRNA function uncovers a role for miR-29b-2-5p in Shigella capture by filopodia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ushasree Sunkavalli

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available MicroRNAs play an important role in the interplay between bacterial pathogens and host cells, participating as host defense mechanisms, as well as exploited by bacteria to subvert host cellular functions. Here, we show that microRNAs modulate infection by Shigella flexneri, a major causative agent of bacillary dysentery in humans. Specifically, we characterize the dual regulatory role of miR-29b-2-5p during infection, showing that this microRNA strongly favors Shigella infection by promoting both bacterial binding to host cells and intracellular replication. Using a combination of transcriptome analysis and targeted high-content RNAi screening, we identify UNC5C as a direct target of miR-29b-2-5p and show its pivotal role in the modulation of Shigella binding to host cells. MiR-29b-2-5p, through repression of UNC5C, strongly enhances filopodia formation thus increasing Shigella capture and promoting bacterial invasion. The increase of filopodia formation mediated by miR-29b-2-5p is dependent on RhoF and Cdc42 Rho-GTPases. Interestingly, the levels of miR-29b-2-5p, but not of other mature microRNAs from the same precursor, are decreased upon Shigella replication at late times post-infection, through degradation of the mature microRNA by the exonuclease PNPT1. While the relatively high basal levels of miR-29b-2-5p at the start of infection ensure efficient Shigella capture by host cell filopodia, dampening of miR-29b-2-5p levels later during infection may constitute a bacterial strategy to favor a balanced intracellular replication to avoid premature cell death and favor dissemination to neighboring cells, or alternatively, part of the host response to counteract Shigella infection. Overall, these findings reveal a previously unappreciated role of microRNAs, and in particular miR-29b-2-5p, in the interaction of Shigella with host cells.

  4. Prevalence of Stx-producing Shigella species isolated from French Travelers Returning from the Caribbean: An Emerging Pathogen with International Implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Miranda D.; Lacher, David W.; Leonard, Susan R.; Abbott, Jason; Zhao, Shaohua; Lampel, Keith A.; Prothery, Estelle; Gouali, Malika; Weill, François-Xavier; Maurelli, Anthony T.

    2015-01-01

    Shiga toxins are potent cytotoxins that inhibit host cell protein synthesis, leading to cell death. Classically, these toxins are associated with intestinal infections due to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli or Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 and infections with these strains can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome. Over the past decade there is increasing recognition that Shiga toxin is produced by additional Shigella species. We recently reported the presence and expression of stx genes in Shigella flexneri 2a clinical isolates. The toxin genes were carried by a new stx-encoding bacteriophage and infection with these strains correlated with recent travel to Haiti or the Dominican Republic. In this study we further explored the epidemiological link to this region by utilizing the French National Reference Center for Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella collection to survey the frequency of Stx-producing Shigella species isolated from French travelers returning from the Caribbean. About 21% of the isolates tested were found to encode and produce Stx. These isolates included strains of S. flexneri 2a, S. flexneri Y, and S. dysenteriae 4. All of the travelers whom were infected with Stx-producing Shigella had recently traveled to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, or French Guiana. Furthermore, whole genome sequencing found that the toxin genes were encoded by a prophage that was highly identical to the phage we identified in our previous study. These findings demonstrate that this new stx-encoding prophage is circulating within that geographical area, has spread to other continents, and is capable of spreading to multiple Shigella serogroups. PMID:25980352

  5. Expression of bacterial virulence factors and cytokines during in vitro macrophage infection by enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri: a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Y Bando

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC and Shigellaspp cause bacillary dysentery in humans by invading and multiplying within epithelial cells of the colonic mucosa. Although EIEC and Shigellashare many genetic and biochemical similarities, the illness caused by Shigellais more severe. Thus, genomic and structure-function molecular studies on the biological interactions of these invasive enterobacteria with eukaryotic cells have focused on Shigella rather than EIEC. Here we comparatively studied the interactions of EIEC and of Shigella flexneriwith cultured J774 macrophage-like cells. We evaluated several phenotypes: (i bacterial escape from macrophages after phagocytosis, (ii macrophage death induced by EIEC and S. flexneri, (iii macrophage cytokine expression in response to infection and (iv expression of plasmidial (pINV virulence genes. The results showed thatS. flexneri caused macrophage killing earlier and more intensely than EIEC. Both pathogens induced significant macrophage production of TNF, IL-1 and IL-10 after 7 h of infection. Transcription levels of the gene invasion plasmid antigen-C were lower in EIEC than in S. flexneri throughout the course of the infection; this could explain the diminished virulence of EIEC compared to S. flexneri.

  6. Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction for Identification of Shigellae and Four Shigella Species Using Novel Genetic Markers Screened by Comparative Genomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyun-Joong; Ryu, Ji-Oh; Song, Ji-Yeon; Kim, Hae-Yeong

    2017-07-01

    In the detection of Shigella species using molecular biological methods, previously known genetic markers for Shigella species were not sufficient to discriminate between Shigella species and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. The purposes of this study were to screen for genetic markers of the Shigella genus and four Shigella species through comparative genomics and develop a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of shigellae and Shigella species. A total of seven genomic DNA sequences from Shigella species were subjected to comparative genomics for the screening of genetic markers of shigellae and each Shigella species. The primer sets were designed from the screened genetic markers and evaluated using PCR with genomic DNAs from Shigella and other bacterial strains in Enterobacteriaceae. A novel Shigella quintuplex PCR, designed for the detection of Shigella genus, S. dysenteriae, S. boydii, S. flexneri, and S. sonnei, was developed from the evaluated primer sets, and its performance was demonstrated with specifically amplified results from each Shigella species. This Shigella multiplex PCR is the first to be reported with novel genetic markers developed through comparative genomics and may be a useful tool for the accurate detection of the Shigella genus and species from closely related bacteria in clinical microbiology and food safety.

  7. Cytotoxicity of leukocytes from normal and Shigella-susceptible (opium-treated) guinea pigs against virulent Shigella sonnei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, D R; DuPont, H L; Wood, L V; Kohl, S

    1984-01-01

    Intraepithelial lymphocytes were collected from the ileum of adult Hartley strain guinea pigs and used as effector cells in a 60-min bactericidal assay with virulent Shigella sonnei as target cells. Natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) were measured and correlated with the resistance of the animals to infection by S. sonnei. Normal guinea pig intraepithelial lymphocytes exhibited mean NKC and ADCC values of 22.8 +/- 5.0 and 34.1 +/- 13.6, respectively. These animals were resistant to oral challenge with virulent S. sonnei. Intraepithelial lymphocytes from guinea pigs which were fasted for 4 days demonstrated NKC and ADCC values similar to those of normal animals (31.0 +/- 8.1 and 41.7 +/- 6.7, respectively). These animals also were resistant to oral challenge. Intraepithelial lymphocytes from guinea pigs which were given 1 ml of deodorized tincture of opium 2 h before cell collection demonstrated deficient NKC (4.7 +/- 4.2) and ADCC (5.3 +/- 4.9) values but remained resistant to infection by S. sonnei. When guinea pigs were fasted for 4 days and given opium, deficient NKC (2.0 +/- 2.0) and ADCC (1.3 +/- 1.3) values were demonstrated; this group of animals was susceptible to infection by S. sonnei (P less than 0.04). These experiments demonstrated that opium treatment depresses one form of gut immunity. When combined with starvation, opium treatment may increase susceptibility to infection by shigellae by modulation of immunity in addition to the effects on gut motility and bacterial flora. PMID:6384044

  8. The Galleria mellonella larvae as an in vivo model for evaluation of Shigella virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnoy, Shoshana; Gancz, Hanan; Zhu, Yuewei; Honnold, Cary L; Zurawski, Daniel V; Venkatesan, Malabi M

    2017-07-04

    Shigella spp. causing bacterial diarrhea and dysentery are human enteroinvasive bacterial pathogens that are orally transmitted through contaminated food and water and cause bacillary dysentery. Although natural Shigella infections are restricted to humans and primates, several smaller animal models are used to analyze individual steps in pathogenesis. No animal model fully duplicates the human response and sustaining the models requires expensive animals, costly maintenance of animal facilities, veterinary services and approved animal protocols. This study proposes the development of the caterpillar larvae of Galleria mellonella as a simple, inexpensive, informative, and rapid in-vivo model for evaluating virulence and the interaction of Shigella with cells of the insect innate immunity. Virulent Shigella injected through the forelegs causes larvae death. The mortality rates were dependent on the Shigella strain, the infectious dose, and the presence of the virulence plasmid. Wild-type S. flexneri 2a, persisted and replicated within the larvae, resulting in haemocyte cell death, whereas plasmid-cured mutants were rapidly cleared. Histology of the infected larvae in conjunction with fluorescence, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy indicate that S. flexneri reside within a vacuole of the insect haemocytes that ultrastructurally resembles vacuoles described in studies with mouse and human macrophage cell lines. Some of these bacteria-laden vacuoles had double-membranes characteristic of autophagosomes. These results suggest that G. mellonella larvae can be used as an easy-to-use animal model to understand Shigella pathogenesis that requires none of the time and labor-consuming procedures typical of other systems.

  9. Shigellosis Caused by CTX-M Type ESBL Producing Shigella flexneri in Two Siblings of Rural Nepal: First Case Report from the Country

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    Narayan Prasad Parajuli

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigellosis is an acute infectious disease characterized as severe bloody diarrhea (dysentery and is accountable for a significant burden of morbidity and mortality especially in children under the age of 5 years. Antimicrobial therapy is required in the cases of severe dysentery associated with Shigella. However, emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR strains of Shigella spp. over the last two decades has restricted the use of common therapeutic antimicrobials. In MDR strains, the third-generation cephalosporins have been used for the treatment, but, unfortunately, emerging reports of enzyme mediated β-lactam resistance among Shigella isolates from various parts of the world have greatly compromised the therapy of pediatric dysentery. In Nepal, drug resistant strains of Shigella spp. have been reported, but MDR and extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL producing strains were previously unknown. Here, we report two Shigella flexneri isolates harboring ESBL genotype-CTX-M associated with acute dysentery in two siblings which were presented and treated in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Kathmandu, Nepal.

  10. Shigella flexneri infection in Caenorhabditis elegans: cytopathological examination and identification of host responses.

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    Divya T George

    Full Text Available The Gram-negative bacterium Shigella flexneri is the causative agent of shigellosis, a diarrhoeal disease also known as bacillary dysentery. S. flexneri infects the colonic and rectal epithelia of its primate host and induces a cascade of inflammatory responses that culminates in the destruction of the host intestinal lining. Molecular characterization of host-pathogen interactions in this infection has been challenging due to the host specificity of S. flexneri strains, as it strictly infects humans and non-human primates. Recent studies have shown that S. flexneri infects the soil dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, however, the interactions between S. flexneri and C. elegans at the cellular level and the cause of nematode death are unknown. Here we attempt to gain insight into the complex host-pathogen interactions between S. flexneri and C. elegans. Using transmission electron microscopy, we show that live S. flexneri cells accumulate in the nematode intestinal lumen, produce outer membrane vesicles and invade nematode intestinal cells. Using two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis we identified host proteins that are differentially expressed in response to S. flexneri infection. Four of the identified genes, aco-1, cct-2, daf-19 and hsp-60, were knocked down using RNAi and ACO-1, CCT-2 and DAF-19, which were identified as up-regulated in response to S. flexneri infection, were found to be involved in the infection process. aco-1 RNAi worms were more resistant to S. flexneri infection, suggesting S. flexneri-mediated disruption of host iron homeostasis. cct-2 and daf-19 RNAi worms were more susceptible to infection, suggesting that these genes are induced as a protective mechanism by C. elegans. These observations further our understanding of the processes involved in S. flexneri infection of C. elegans, which is immensely beneficial to the routine use of this new in vivo model to study S. flexneri pathogenesis.

  11. Shigella IpaH0722 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Effector Targets TRAF2 to Inhibit PKC–NF-κB Activity in Invaded Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashida, Hiroshi; Nakano, Hiroyasu; Sasakawa, Chihiro

    2013-01-01

    NF-κB plays a central role in modulating innate immune responses to bacterial infections. Therefore, many bacterial pathogens deploy multiple mechanisms to counteract NF-κB activation. The invasion of and subsequent replication of Shigella within epithelial cells is recognized by various pathogen recognition receptors as pathogen-associated molecular patterns. These receptors trigger innate defense mechanisms via the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Here, we show the inhibition of the NF-κB activation by the delivery of the IpaH E3 ubiquitin ligase family member IpaH0722 using Shigella's type III secretion system. IpaH0722 dampens the acute inflammatory response by preferentially inhibiting the PKC-mediated activation of NF-κB by ubiquitinating TRAF2, a molecule downstream of PKC, and by promoting its proteasome-dependent degradation. PMID:23754945

  12. Molecular characterization of Shigella spp. from patients in Gabon 2011-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaumburg, Frieder; Alabi, Abraham S; Kaba, Harry; Lell, Bertrand; Becker, Karsten; Grobusch, Martin P; Kremsner, Peter G; Mellmann, Alexander

    2015-04-01

    Shigella spp. dysentery is widespread in developing countries; the incidence is particularly high in children between 1-2 years of age. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a paucity of epidemiological data on Shigella spp., with possible negative consequences for recognition and correct treatment choice for this life-threatening bacterial infection. We therefore characterized Shigella spp. isolates from Gabon. The antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, genotypes and mobile genetic elements of Shigella isolates (29 S. flexneri; 5 S. boydii; 3 S. sonnei) from a retrospective strain collection were analyzed. High resistance rates were found for gentamicin and tetracycline (100%, 37/37), cotrimoxazole (92%, 34/37) and ampicillin (84%, 31/37). All isolate harbored ial and ipaH; no isolate produced Shiga toxins (stx1/2); enterotoxins (set1A/B) were only found in S. flexneri (n=19). Multilocus sequence types (MLST) clustered with global clones. A high prevalence of atypical class 1 integrons harboring blaOXA30 and aadA1 were detected in S. flexneri, while all S. sonnei carried class 2 integrons. There is a strong link of Gabonese Shigella spp. isolates with pandemic lineages as they cluster with major global clones and frequently carry atypical class 1 integrons which are frequently reported in Shigella spp. from Asia. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Characterization of a novel fusion protein from IpaB and IpaD of Shigella spp. and its potential as a pan-Shigella vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Becerra, Francisco J; Chen, Xiaotong; Dickenson, Nicholas E; Choudhari, Shyamal P; Harrison, Kelly; Clements, John D; Picking, William D; Van De Verg, Lillian L; Walker, Richard I; Picking, Wendy L

    2013-12-01

    Shigellosis is an important disease in the developing world, where about 90 million people become infected with Shigella spp. each year. We previously demonstrated that the type three secretion apparatus (T3SA) proteins IpaB and IpaD are protective antigens in the mouse lethal pulmonary model. In order to simplify vaccine formulation and process development, we have evaluated a vaccine design that incorporates both of these previously tested Shigella antigens into a single polypeptide chain. To determine if this fusion protein (DB fusion) retains the antigenic and protective capacities of IpaB and IpaD, we immunized mice with the DB fusion and compared the immune response to that elicited by the IpaB/IpaD combination vaccine. Purification of the DB fusion required coexpression with IpgC, the IpaB chaperone, and after purification it maintained the highly α-helical characteristics of IpaB and IpaD. The DB fusion also induced comparable immune responses and retained the ability to protect mice against Shigella flexneri and S. sonnei in the lethal pulmonary challenge. It also offered limited protection against S. dysenteriae challenge. Our results show the feasibility of generating a protective Shigella vaccine comprised of the DB fusion.

  14. Characterization of a Novel Fusion Protein from IpaB and IpaD of Shigella spp. and Its Potential as a Pan-Shigella Vaccine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Becerra, Francisco J.; Chen, Xiaotong; Dickenson, Nicholas E.; Choudhari, Shyamal P.; Harrison, Kelly; Clements, John D.; Picking, William D.; Van De Verg, Lillian L.; Walker, Richard I.

    2013-01-01

    Shigellosis is an important disease in the developing world, where about 90 million people become infected with Shigella spp. each year. We previously demonstrated that the type three secretion apparatus (T3SA) proteins IpaB and IpaD are protective antigens in the mouse lethal pulmonary model. In order to simplify vaccine formulation and process development, we have evaluated a vaccine design that incorporates both of these previously tested Shigella antigens into a single polypeptide chain. To determine if this fusion protein (DB fusion) retains the antigenic and protective capacities of IpaB and IpaD, we immunized mice with the DB fusion and compared the immune response to that elicited by the IpaB/IpaD combination vaccine. Purification of the DB fusion required coexpression with IpgC, the IpaB chaperone, and after purification it maintained the highly α-helical characteristics of IpaB and IpaD. The DB fusion also induced comparable immune responses and retained the ability to protect mice against Shigella flexneri and S. sonnei in the lethal pulmonary challenge. It also offered limited protection against S. dysenteriae challenge. Our results show the feasibility of generating a protective Shigella vaccine comprised of the DB fusion. PMID:24060976

  15. Serum immune response to Shigella protein antigens in rhesus monkeys and humans infected with Shigella spp.

    OpenAIRE

    Oaks, E V; Hale, T L; Formal, S B

    1986-01-01

    The serum antibody response to proteins encoded by the virulence-associated plasmid of Shigella flexneri was determined in monkeys challenged with virulent S. flexneri serotype 2a. With water-extractable antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a significant increase in antibody titer against proteins from a plasmid-carrying, virulent strain of S. flexneri serotype 5 could be demonstrated in convalescent sera. There were minimal antibody titers against proteins from an avirulent (plas...

  16. Shigella vaccine development: prospective animal models and current status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yeon-Jeong; Yeo, Sang-Gu; Park, Jae-Hak; Ko, Hyun-Jeong

    2013-01-01

    Shigella was first discovered in 1897 and is a major causative agent of dysenteric diarrhea. The number of affected patients has decreased globally because of improved sanitary conditions; however, Shigella still causes serious problems in many subjects, including young children and the elderly, especially in developing countries. Although antibiotics may be effective, a vaccine would be the most powerful solution to combat shigellosis because of the emergence of drug-resistant strains. However, the development of a vaccine is hampered by several problems. First, there is no suitable animal model that can replace human-based studies for the investigation of the in vivo mechanisms of Shigella vaccines. Mouse, guinea pig, rat, rabbit, and nonhuman primates could be used as models for shigellosis, but they do not represent human shigellosis and each has its own weaknesses. However, a recent murine model based on peritoneal infection with virulent S. flexneri 2a is promising. Moreover, although the inflammatory responses and mechanisms such as pathogenassociated molecular patterns and danger-associated molecular patterns have been studied, the pathology and immunology of Shigella are still not clearly defined. Despite these obstacles, many vaccine candidates have been developed, including live attenuated, killed whole cells, conjugated, and subunit vaccines. The development of Shigella vaccines also demands considerations of the cost, routes of administration, ease of storage (stability), cross-reactivity, safety, and immunogenicity. The main aim of this review is to provide a detailed introduction to the many promising vaccine candidates and animal models currently available, including the newly developed mouse model.

  17. Shigella entry unveils a calcium/calpain-dependent mechanism for inhibiting sumoylation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lhocine, Nouara; Andrieux, Alexandra; Nigro, Giulia; Mounier, Joëlle

    2017-01-01

    Disruption of the sumoylation/desumoylation equilibrium is associated with several disease states such as cancer and infections, however the mechanisms regulating the global SUMO balance remain poorly defined. Here, we show that infection by Shigella flexneri, the causative agent of human bacillary dysentery, switches off host sumoylation during epithelial cell infection in vitro and in vivo and that this effect is mainly mediated by a calcium/calpain-induced cleavage of the SUMO E1 enzyme SAE2, thus leading to sumoylation inhibition. Furthermore, we describe a mechanism by which Shigella promotes its own invasion by altering the sumoylation state of RhoGDIα, a master negative regulator of RhoGTPase activity and actin polymerization. Together, our data suggest that SUMO modification is essential to restrain pathogenic bacterial entry by limiting cytoskeletal rearrangement induced by bacterial effectors. Moreover, these findings identify calcium-activated calpains as powerful modulators of cellular sumoylation levels with potentially broad implications in several physiological and pathological situations. PMID:29231810

  18. Multifactor Regulation of the MdtJI Polyamine Transporter in Shigella.

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    Adriano Leuzzi

    Full Text Available The polyamine profile of Shigella, the etiological agent of bacillary dysentery in humans, differs markedly from that of E. coli, its innocuous commensal ancestor. Pathoadaptive mutations such as the loss of cadaverine and the increase of spermidine favour the full expression of the virulent phenotype of Shigella. Spermidine levels affect the expression of the MdtJI complex, a recently identified efflux pump belonging to the small multi-drug resistance family of transporters. In the present study, we have addressed the regulation of the mdtJI operon in Shigella by asking which factors influence its expression as compared to E. coli. In particular, after identifying the mdtJI promoter by primer extension analysis, in vivo transcription assays and gel-retardation experiments were carried out to get insight on the silencing of mdtJI in E. coli. The results indicate that H-NS, a major nucleoid protein, plays a key role in repressing the mdtJI operon by direct binding to the regulatory region. In the Shigella background mdtJI expression is increased by the high levels of spermidine typically found in this microorganism and by VirF, the plasmid-encoded regulator of the Shigella virulence regulatory cascade. We also show that the expression of mdtJI is stimulated by bile components. Functional analyses reveal that MdtJI is able to promote the excretion of putrescine, the spermidine precursor. This leads us to consider the MdtJI complex as a possible safety valve allowing Shigella to maintain spermidine to a level optimally suited to survival within infected macrophages and, at the same time, prevent toxicity due to spermidine over-accumulation.

  19. Mitochondria mediate septin cage assembly to promote autophagy of Shigella.

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    Sirianni, Andrea; Krokowski, Sina; Lobato-Márquez, Damián; Buranyi, Stephen; Pfanzelter, Julia; Galea, Dieter; Willis, Alexandra; Culley, Siân; Henriques, Ricardo; Larrouy-Maumus, Gerald; Hollinshead, Michael; Sancho-Shimizu, Vanessa; Way, Michael; Mostowy, Serge

    2016-07-01

    Septins, cytoskeletal proteins with well-characterised roles in cytokinesis, form cage-like structures around cytosolic Shigella flexneri and promote their targeting to autophagosomes. However, the processes underlying septin cage assembly, and whether they influence S. flexneri proliferation, remain to be established. Using single-cell analysis, we show that the septin cages inhibit S. flexneri proliferation. To study mechanisms of septin cage assembly, we used proteomics and found mitochondrial proteins associate with septins in S. flexneri-infected cells. Strikingly, mitochondria associated with S. flexneri promote septin assembly into cages that entrap bacteria for autophagy. We demonstrate that the cytosolic GTPase dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) interacts with septins to enhance mitochondrial fission. To avoid autophagy, actin-polymerising Shigella fragment mitochondria to escape from septin caging. Our results demonstrate a role for mitochondria in anti-Shigella autophagy and uncover a fundamental link between septin assembly and mitochondria. © 2016 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

  20. Serogrupos y susceptibilidad antimicrobiana en cepas de Shigella Serogroups and antimicrobial susceptibility in Shigella strains

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    Leonor Díaz Rigau

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN. Shigella spp. es uno de los agentes causales más importantes de diarrea aguda en los niños. La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo conocer la frecuencia de serogrupos y la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana a los fármacos de elección y a los alternativos. MÉTODOS. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo entre enero de 2004 y diciembre de 2006 a partir de 34 cepas de Shigella spp. aisladas en heces de niños menores de 5 años ingresados en el Hospital «Aleida Fernández Chardiet» (Municipio Güines a causa de enfermedad diarreica aguda. RESULTADOS. Los serogrupos encontrados fueron S. sonnei (70,5 % y S. flexneri (29,5 %. Ambos serogrupos mostraron altos niveles de resistencia al trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol y a la ampicilina, además en las cepas de S. sonnei se encontró resistencia al ácido nalidíxico y en las de S. flexneri al cloranfenicol. Todas las cepas mostraron altos porcentajes de sensibilidad a la ceftriaxona, norfloxacina y ciprofloxacina. El 70 % de las cepas de S. sonnei fueron multirresistentes. El patrón de multirresistencia (ampicilina, trimetoprim-sulfamtetoxazol y ácido nalidíxico se encontró en ambos serogrupos. CONCLUSIONES. La determinación y vigilancia de los patrones de resistencia facilita el control de la política de uso de antibióticos en la región estudiada y previene el surgimiento de cepas resistentes a fármacos de nueva generación.INTRODUCTION: Shigella ssp. is one of the more important causal agents of acute diarrhea in children. Present research has as aim to know serogroups frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility to choice drugs, and to its alternatives. METHODS: A descriptive retrospective study was carried out between January 2004 and December 2006 of 34 strains of Shigella isolated from children lower than 5 years admitted in "Aleida Fernández Chardiet" Hospital in Güines Municipality by acute diarrheic disease. RESULTS: Serogroups included S. sonnei (70

  1. Intracellular and membrane-damaging activities of methyl gallate isolated from Terminalia chebula against multidrug-resistant Shigella spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharyya, Saurabh; Sarkar, Prodipta; Saha, Dhira R; Patra, Amarendra; Ramamurthy, T; Bag, Prasanta K

    2015-08-01

    Shigella spp. (Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii and Shigella sonnei) cause bacillary dysentery (shigellosis), which is characterized by bloody mucous diarrhoea. Although a variety of antibiotics have been effective for treatment of shigellosis, options are becoming limited due to globally emerging drug resistance. In the present study, in vitro antibacterial activity of methyl gallate (MG) isolated from Terminalia chebula was determined by performing MIC, minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill kinetic studies. Bacterial membrane-damaging activity of MG was determined by membrane perturbation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cellular drug accumulation, cell infection and assessment of intracellular activities of MG and reference antibiotics were performed using HeLa cell cultures. The bactericidal activity of MG against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Shigella spp. in comparison with other commonly used drugs including fluoroquinolone was demonstrated here. TEM findings in the present study revealed that MG caused the total disintegration of inner and outer membranes, and leakage of the cytoplasmic contents of S. dysenteriae. The level of accumulation of MG and tetracycline in HeLa cells incubated for 24  h was relatively higher than that of ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid (ratio of intracellular concentration/extracellular concentration of antibiotic for MG and tetracycline>ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid). The viable number of intracellular S. dysenteriae was decreased in a time-dependent manner in the presence of MG (4 × MBC) and reduced to zero within 20  h. The significant intracellular activities of MG suggested that it could potentially be used as an effective antibacterial agent for the treatment of severe infections caused by MDR Shigella spp.

  2. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) supplemented probiotic lassi prevents Shigella infiltration from epithelial barrier into systemic blood flow in mice model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Shaik Abdul; Patil, Girdhari Ramdas; Reddi, Srinu; Yadav, Vidhu; Pothuraju, Ramesh; Singh, Ram Ran Bijoy; Kapila, Suman

    2017-01-01

    The aim of present work was to investigate preventive role of orally administered Aloe vera supplemented probiotic lassi (APL) on Shigella dysenteriae infection in mice. At the end of experimental period (2, 5 and 7 days of challenging), different organs such as spleen, liver, small intestine, large intestine, and peritoneal fluid were collected and assessed for Shigella colonization. Secretary IgA was estimated in intestinal fluid. Blood was collected in heparinized tubes for various haematological studies. Oral administration of APL showed a significant (p Shigella counts (log cfu/mL) in all organs as compared to other treatment groups at different intervals after post feeding. Similarly, secretary IgA antibody levels (μg/mL) in intestinal fluid were significantly (p Shigella dysenteriae induced infection in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Shigella-specific IgA in saliva of children with bacillary dysentery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schultsz, C.; Qadri, F.; Hossain, S. A.; Ahmed, F.; Ciznar, I.

    1992-01-01

    To study the secretory immune response after Shigella infection, the anti-lipopolysaccharide and anti-Shiga-toxin response in saliva, obtained from children with confirmed shigellosis and healthy children, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by Western blot. Children with

  4. Prevalence of Shigella among diarrheic children under-5 years of age attending at Mekelle health center, north Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahsay, Atsebaha Gebrekidan; Teklemariam, Zelalem

    2015-12-15

    Shigellosis is recognized as a major global public health problem especially in developing countries particularly in children under-5 years of age. Therefore; the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Shigella among diarrheic children under-5 years of age attending at Mekelle health center, north Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among diarrheic children under-5 years of age from March to May, 2012. Structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Study participants were recruited by convenience sampling technique. Shigella was isolated and identified using standard bacteriological techniques. A total of 241 study participants were included in the study. The overall prevalence of Shigella in this study was 13.3% (32/241). High prevalence of Shigella (22.6%) was revealed from the age group of 12-23 months. No Shigella was isolated from the age group of 0-5 months. Majority of the isolates of Shigella were from bloody and mucoid diarrhea. There was high prevalence of Shigella infection in this study. Children among the age group of 12-23 months were highly affected. Therefore; responsible bodies should work hard on preventive measures to reduce or eradicate the problem occurred due to shigellosis.

  5. Shigella mediated depletion of macrophages in a murine breast cancer model is associated with tumor regression.

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    Katharina Galmbacher

    Full Text Available A tumor promoting role of macrophages has been described for a transgenic murine breast cancer model. In this model tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs represent a major component of the leukocytic infiltrate and are associated with tumor progression. Shigella flexneri is a bacterial pathogen known to specificly induce apotosis in macrophages. To evaluate whether Shigella-induced removal of macrophages may be sufficient for achieving tumor regression we have developed an attenuated strain of S. flexneri (M90TDeltaaroA and infected tumor bearing mice. Two mouse models were employed, xenotransplantation of a murine breast cancer cell line and spontanous breast cancer development in MMTV-HER2 transgenic mice. Quantitative analysis of bacterial tumor targeting demonstrated that attenuated, invasive Shigella flexneri primarily infected TAMs after systemic administration. A single i.v. injection of invasive M90TDeltaaroA resulted in caspase-1 dependent apoptosis of TAMs followed by a 74% reduction in tumors of transgenic MMTV-HER-2 mice 7 days post infection. TAM depletion was sustained and associated with complete tumor regression.These data support TAMs as useful targets for antitumor therapy and highlight attenuated bacterial pathogens as potential tools.

  6. A novel multiplex PCR for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica and Shigella species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radhika, M; Saugata, Majumder; Murali, H S; Batra, H V

    2014-01-01

    Salmonella enterica and Shigella species are commonly associated with food and water borne infections leading to gastrointestinal diseases. The present work was undertaken to develop a sensitive and reliable PCR based detection system for simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica and Shigella at species level. For this the conserved regions of specific genes namely ipaH1, ipaH, wbgZ, wzy and invA were targeted for detection of Shigella genus, S. flexneri, S. sonnei, S. boydii and Salmonella enterica respectively along with an internal amplification control (IAC). The results showed that twenty Salmonella and eleven Shigella spp., were accurately identified by the assay without showing non-specificity against closely related other Enterobacteriaceae organisms and also against other pathogens. Further evaluation of multiplex PCR was undertaken on 50 natural samples of chicken, eggs and poultry litter and results compared with conventional culture isolation and identification procedure. The multiplex PCR identified the presence of Salmonella and Shigella strains with a short pre-enrichment step of 5 h in peptone water and the same samples were processed by conventional procedures for comparison. Therefore, this reported multiplex PCR can serve as an alternative to the tedious time-consuming procedure of culture and identification in food safety laboratories.

  7. Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri Activate the NLRP1B Inflammasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neiman-Zenevich, Jana; Stuart, Sarah; Abdel-Nour, Mena; Girardin, Stephen E; Mogridge, Jeremy

    2017-11-01

    Activation of the innate immune receptor NLRP1B leads to the formation of an inflammasome, which induces autoproteolytic processing of pro-caspase-1, and ultimately to the release of inflammatory cytokines and to the execution of pyroptosis. One of the signals to which NLRP1B responds is metabolic stress that occurs in cells deprived of glucose or treated with metabolic inhibitors. NLRP1B might therefore sense microbial infection, as intracellular pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri cause metabolic stress as a result of nutrient scavenging and host cell damage. Here we addressed whether these pathogens activate the NLRP1B inflammasome. We found that Listeria infection activated the NLRP1B inflammasome in a reconstituted fibroblast model. Activation of NLRP1B by Listeria was diminished in an NLRP1B mutant shown previously to be defective at detecting energy stress and was dependent on the expression of listeriolysin O (LLO), a protein required for vacuolar escape. Infections of either Listeria or Shigella activated NLRP1B in the RAW264.7 murine macrophage line, which expresses endogenous NLRP1B. We conclude that NLRP1B senses cellular infection by distinct invasive pathogens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  8. A single-tube screen for Salmonella and Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Procop, Gary W; Wallace, Jacqueline D; Tuohy, Marion J; Lasalvia, Margret M; Addison, Rachel M; Reller, L Barth

    2008-08-01

    Salmonella and Shigella species are routinely sought in stool specimens submitted for culture. It is a common practice to screen lactose-negative colonies by using triple sugar iron agar, lysine iron agar, and Christensen urea agar to determine if further identification is necessary. We designed and evaluated a novel combination of media, which are layered in a single tube, for screening isolates suspected to possibly represent Salmonella or Shigella. We tested this media combination with 106 Salmonella, 56 Shigella, and 56 other gram-negative bacilli. All Salmonella and Shigella isolates tested were appropriately characterized as possible Salmonella or Shigella by using an algorithm developed for use with this media combination. Similarly, 53 (95%) of 56 other gram-negative bacilli were appropriately screened as non -Salmonella and non -Shigella isolates. This unique media combination provides the most important biochemical reactions needed to screen for Salmonella and Shigella in a single-tube format, which decreases labor by two thirds (ie, 1 tube is inoculated vs 3).

  9. Self-Reported Mental Health Predicts Acute Respiratory Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Lizzie; Barrett, Bruce; Chase, Joseph; Brown, Roger; Ewers, Tola

    2015-06-01

    Poor mental health conditions, including stress and depression, have been recognized as a risk factor for the development of acute respiratory infection. Very few studies have considered the role of general mental health in acute respiratory infection occurrence. The aim of this analysis is to determine if overall mental health, as assessed by the mental component of the Short Form 12 Health Survey, predicts incidence, duration, or severity of acute respiratory infection. Data utilized for this analysis came from the National Institute of Health-funded Meditation or Exercise for Preventing Acute Respiratory Infection (MEPARI) and MEPARI-2 randomized controlled trials examining the effects of meditation or exercise on acute respiratory infection among adults aged > 30 years in Madison, Wisconsin. A Kendall tau rank correlation compared the Short Form 12 mental component, completed by participants at baseline, with acute respiratory infection incidence, duration, and area-under-the-curve (global) severity, as assessed by the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey. Participants were recruited from Madison, Wis, using advertisements in local media. Short Form 12 mental health scores significantly predicted incidence (P = 0.037) of acute respiratory infection, but not duration (P = 0.077) or severity (P = 0.073). The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) negative emotion measure significantly predicted global severity (P = 0.036), but not incidence (P = 0.081) or duration (P = 0.125). Mindful Attention Awareness Scale scores significantly predicted incidence of acute respiratory infection (P = 0.040), but not duration (P = 0.053) or severity (P = 0.70). The PHQ-9, PSS-10, and PANAS positive measures did not show significant predictive associations with any of the acute respiratory infection outcomes. Self-reported overall mental health, as measured by the mental component of Short Form 12, predicts acute respiratory infection incidence.

  10. An attenuated Shigella mutant lacking the RNA-binding protein Hfq provides cross-protection against Shigella strains of broad serotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitobe, Jiro; Sinha, Ritam; Mitra, Soma; Nag, Dhrubajyoti; Saito, Noriko; Shimuta, Ken; Koizumi, Nobuo; Koley, Hemanta

    2017-07-01

    Few live attenuated vaccines protect against multiple serotypes of bacterial pathogen because host serotype-specific immune responses are limited to the serotype present in the vaccine strain. Here, immunization with a mutant of Shigella flexneri 2a protected guinea pigs against subsequent infection by S. dysenteriae type 1 and S. sonnei strains. This deletion mutant lacked the RNA-binding protein Hfq leading to increased expression of the type III secretion system via loss of regulation, resulting in attenuation of cell viability through repression of stress response sigma factors. Such increased antigen production and simultaneous attenuation were expected to elicit protective immunity against Shigella strains of heterologous serotypes. Thus, the vaccine potential of this mutant was tested in two guinea pig models of shigellosis. Animals vaccinated in the left eye showed fewer symptoms upon subsequent challenge via the right eye, and even survived subsequent intestinal challenge. In addition, oral vaccination effectively induced production of immunoglobulins without severe side effects, again protecting all animals against subsequent intestinal challenge with S. dysenteriae type 1 or S. sonnei strains. Antibodies against common virulence proteins and the O-antigen of S. flexneri 2a were detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. Reaction of antibodies with various strains, including enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, suggested that common virulence proteins induced protective immunity against a range of serotypes. Therefore, vaccination is expected to cover not only the most prevalent serotypes of S. sonnei and S. flexneri 2a, but also various Shigella strains, including S. dysenteriae type 1, which produces Shiga toxin.

  11. An attenuated Shigella mutant lacking the RNA-binding protein Hfq provides cross-protection against Shigella strains of broad serotype.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiro Mitobe

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Few live attenuated vaccines protect against multiple serotypes of bacterial pathogen because host serotype-specific immune responses are limited to the serotype present in the vaccine strain. Here, immunization with a mutant of Shigella flexneri 2a protected guinea pigs against subsequent infection by S. dysenteriae type 1 and S. sonnei strains. This deletion mutant lacked the RNA-binding protein Hfq leading to increased expression of the type III secretion system via loss of regulation, resulting in attenuation of cell viability through repression of stress response sigma factors. Such increased antigen production and simultaneous attenuation were expected to elicit protective immunity against Shigella strains of heterologous serotypes. Thus, the vaccine potential of this mutant was tested in two guinea pig models of shigellosis. Animals vaccinated in the left eye showed fewer symptoms upon subsequent challenge via the right eye, and even survived subsequent intestinal challenge. In addition, oral vaccination effectively induced production of immunoglobulins without severe side effects, again protecting all animals against subsequent intestinal challenge with S. dysenteriae type 1 or S. sonnei strains. Antibodies against common virulence proteins and the O-antigen of S. flexneri 2a were detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. Reaction of antibodies with various strains, including enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, suggested that common virulence proteins induced protective immunity against a range of serotypes. Therefore, vaccination is expected to cover not only the most prevalent serotypes of S. sonnei and S. flexneri 2a, but also various Shigella strains, including S. dysenteriae type 1, which produces Shiga toxin.

  12. Defining the phylogenomics of Shigella species: a pathway to diagnostics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahl, Jason W; Morris, Carolyn R; Emberger, Jennifer; Fraser, Claire M; Ochieng, John Benjamin; Juma, Jane; Fields, Barry; Breiman, Robert F; Gilmour, Matthew; Nataro, James P; Rasko, David A

    2015-03-01

    Shigellae cause significant diarrheal disease and mortality in humans, as there are approximately 163 million episodes of shigellosis and 1.1 million deaths annually. While significant strides have been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis, few studies on the genomic content of the Shigella species have been completed. The goal of this study was to characterize the genomic diversity of Shigella species through sequencing of 55 isolates representing members of each of the four Shigella species: S. flexneri, S. sonnei, S. boydii, and S. dysenteriae. Phylogeny inferred from 336 available Shigella and Escherichia coli genomes defined exclusive clades of Shigella; conserved genomic markers that can identify each clade were then identified. PCR assays were developed for each clade-specific marker, which was combined with an amplicon for the conserved Shigella invasion antigen, IpaH3, into a multiplex PCR assay. This assay demonstrated high specificity, correctly identifying 218 of 221 presumptive Shigella isolates, and sensitivity, by not identifying any of 151 diverse E. coli isolates incorrectly as Shigella. This new phylogenomics-based PCR assay represents a valuable tool for rapid typing of uncharacterized Shigella isolates and provides a framework that can be utilized for the identification of novel genomic markers from genomic data. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Dipstick for rapid diagnosis of Shigella flexneri 2a in stool.

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    Faridabano Nato

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Shigellosis or bacillary dysentery, an acute bloody diarrhoea, is a major public health burden in developing countries. In the absence of prompt and appropriate treatment, the infection is often fatal, particularly in young malnourished children. Here, we describe a new diagnostic test for rapid detection, in stool, at the bedside of patients, of Shigella flexneri 2a, the most predominant agent of the endemic form of the disease.The test is based on the detection of S.flexneri 2a lipopolysaccharide (LPS using serotype 2a-specific monoclonal antibodies coupled to gold particles and displayed on one-step immunochromatographic dipstick. A concentration as low as 20 ng/ml of LPS is detected in distilled water and in reconstituted stools in under 15 minutes. The threshold of detection corresponds to a concentration of 5x10(7 CFU/ml of S. flexneri 2a, which provides an unequivocal positive reaction in three minutes in distilled water and reconstituted stools. The specificity is 100% when tested with a battery of Shigella and unrelated strains, in culture. When tested in Vietnam, on clinical samples, the specificity and sensitivity were 99.2 and 91.5%, respectively. A decrease of the sensitivity during the evaluation on stool samples was observed after five weeks at room temperature and was due to moistening of the dipsticks caused by the humidity of the air during the fifth week of the evaluation. This drawback is now overcome by improving the packaging and providing dipsticks individually wrapped in waterproof bags.This simple dipstick-bases test represents a powerful tool for case management and epidemiological surveys.

  14. Salmonella serotypeTyphi, Shigella, and intestinal parasites among food handlers at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abera, Bayeh; Yitayew, Gashaw; Amare, Hiwot

    2016-02-28

    Food handlers play a major role in the transmission of Salmonella serotype Typhi (S. Typhi), Shigella, and intestinal parasites. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of S. Typhi, Shigella, and intestinal parasites among food handlers at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2014. Stool samples from 410 food handlers were examined for bacterial pathogens and parasites. Pearson's Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used where appropriate. The prevalence of S. Typhi, Shigella, and intestinal parasites among food handlers was 11 (2.7%), 5 (1.2%), and 53 (12.9%), respectively. Among eight intestinal parasites identified, the two most prevalent intestinal parasites were hookworm 26 (6.3%) and G. lamblia 13 (3.1%). Male food handlers were more likely to be positive than were female food handlers for S. Typhi and intestinal parasites. Furthermore, food handlers who had a history of regular medical checkups were less infected with intestinal parasites. Being male (AOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.4) and not attending medical checkups (AOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.4, 6.1) were independent predictors of intestinal parasitic infection in food handlers. Male food handlers were reluctant to have regular parasitological examinations. There was a high proportion of food handlers with S. Typhi, Shigella, and intestinal parasites in their faces. Special emphasis should be placed on S. Typhicarriers and male food handlers. Education and periodical medical checkups for intestinal parasites and S. Typhi should be considered as intervention measures.

  15. A Brief History of Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampel, Keith A; Formal, Samuel B; Maurelli, Anthony T

    2018-01-01

    The history of Shigella , the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, is a long and fascinating one. This brief historical account starts with descriptions of the disease and its impact on human health from ancient time to the present. Our story of the bacterium starts just before the identification of the dysentery bacillus by Kiyoshi Shiga in 1898 and follows the scientific discoveries and principal scientists who contributed to the elucidation of Shigella pathogenesis in the first 100 years. Over the past century, Shigella has proved to be an outstanding model of an invasive bacterial pathogen and has served as a paradigm for the study of other bacterial pathogens. In addition to invasion of epithelial cells, some of those shared virulence traits include toxin production, multiple-antibiotic resistance, virulence genes encoded on plasmids and bacteriophages, global regulation of virulence genes, pathogenicity islands, intracellular motility, remodeling of host cytoskeleton, inflammation/polymorphonuclear leukocyte signaling, apoptosis induction/inhibition, and "black holes" and antivirulence genes. While there is still much to learn from studying Shigella pathogenesis, what we have learned so far has also contributed greatly to our broader understanding of bacterial pathogenesis.

  16. Epidemic and virulence characteristic of Shigella spp. with extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Shigellae have become increasingly resistant to the extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC) worldwide and pose a great challenge to anti-infection treatment options. The purpose of this study was to determine the resistance, cephalosporin resistance mechanisms, virulence characteristic and genotype of ESC-resistant Shigella. Methods From 2008 to 2012, Shigella isolates collected from diarrhea patients were detected for antibiotics sensitivity by disk diffusion, cephalosporin resistance determinants and virulence genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyping through enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence PCR (ERIC-PCR). Results A total of 356 Shigella isolates were gathered, and 198 (55.6%, 58 S. flexneri and 140 S. sonnei) were resistant to ESC. All ESC-resistant isolates were susceptible to imipenem, and only 0.5% isolate was resistant to piperacillin/tazobactam. ESC-resistant S. flexneri showed high degrees of resistance to ampicillin (100%), ampicillin/sulbactam (96.6%), piperacillin (100%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (74.1%), ciprofloxacin (74.1%), levofloxacin (53.4%), ceftazidime (58.6%) and cefepime (58.6%). ESC-resistant S. sonnei exhibited high resistance rates to ampicillin (100%), piperacillin (100%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (96.4%). Cephalosporin resistance genes were confirmed in 184 ESC-resistant isolates. blaCTX-M types (91.8%, mainly blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-15 and blaCTX-M-57) were most prevalent, followed by blaOXA-30 (26.3%). Over 99.0% ESC-resistant isolates harbored virulence genes ial, ipaH, virA and sen. However, set1 were more prevalent in ESC-resistant S. flexneri isolates than in S. sonnei isolates. ERIC-PCR results showed that 2 and 3 main genotypes were detected in ESC-resistant S. flexneri and S. sonnei, respectively. Conclusion Our findings indicated that a high prevalence of ESC-resistant Shigella mediated mainly by blaCTX-M with stronger resistance and virulence, and the existence

  17. Spatio-temporal trends and risk factors for Shigella from 2001 to 2011 in Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Fenyang; Cheng, Yuejia; Bao, Changjun; Hu, Jianli; Liu, Wendong; Liang, Qi; Wu, Ying; Norris, Jessie; Peng, Zhihang; Yu, Rongbin; Shen, Hongbing; Chen, Feng

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to describe the spatial and temporal trends of Shigella incidence rates in Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. It also intended to explore complex risk modes facilitating Shigella transmission. County-level incidence rates were obtained for analysis using geographic information system (GIS) tools. Trend surface and incidence maps were established to describe geographic distributions. Spatio-temporal cluster analysis and autocorrelation analysis were used for detecting clusters. Based on the number of monthly Shigella cases, an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model successfully established a time series model. A spatial correlation analysis and a case-control study were conducted to identify risk factors contributing to Shigella transmissions. The far southwestern and northwestern areas of Jiangsu were the most infected. A cluster was detected in southwestern Jiangsu (LLR = 11674.74, PHighways and water sources potentially caused spatial variation in Shigella development in Jiangsu. The case-control study confirmed not washing hands before dinner (OR = 3.64) and not having access to a safe water source (OR = 2.04) as the main causes of Shigella in Jiangsu Province. Improvement of sanitation and hygiene should be strengthened in economically developed counties, while access to a safe water supply in impoverished areas should be increased at the same time.

  18. ACUTE INTESTINAL INFECTIONS: THERAPEUTICAL TACTICS IN CHILDREN

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    A.N. Surkov

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute intestinal infections are quite common among children. Their clinical presentations include intoxication syndrome (drowsiness, low appetite, fever etc, infectious toxic syndrome (toxicosis with exicosis, neurotoxicosi, hypovolemic or infectious-toxic shockand diarrhea syndrome. Sometimes intestinal infections can be quite severe and even lethal. However disease duration and outcome depend on timelines and adequacy of prescribed treatment. Main guidelines of intestinal infections treatment include probiotics. That is why the right choice of probiotics is important for a pediatrician. The article contains basic information upon etiopathogenesis, classification, diagnostic criteria and acute pediatric intestinal infections treatment guidelines.Key words: acute intestinal infections, etiopathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, treatment, probiotics, children. (Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. — 2011; 10 (6: 141–147

  19. Detection and analysis of CRISPRs of Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xiangjiao; Wang, Yingfang; Duan, Guangcai; Xue, Zerun; Wang, Linlin; Wang, Pengfei; Qiu, Shaofu; Xi, Yuanlin; Yang, Haiyan

    2015-01-01

    The recently discovered CRISPRs (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) and Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins are a novel genetic barrier that limits horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes and the CRISPR loci provide a historical view of the exposure of prokaryotes to a variety of foreign genetic elements. The aim of study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of the CRISPRs in Shigella. A collection of 61 strains of Shigella were screened for the existence of CRISPRs. Three CRISPR loci were identified among 61 shigella strains. CRISPR1/cas loci are detected in 49 strains of shigella. Yet, IS elements were detected in cas gene in some strains. In the remaining 12 Shigella flexneri strains, the CRISPR1/cas locus is deleted and only a cas3' pseudo gene and a repeat sequence are present. The presence of CRISPR2 is frequently accompanied by the emergence of CRISPR1. CRISPR3 loci were present in almost all strains (52/61). The length of CRISPR arrays varied from 1 to 9 spacers. Sequence analysis of the CRISPR arrays revealed that few spacers had matches in the GenBank databases. However, one spacer in CRISPR3 loci matches the cognate cas3 genes and no cas gene was present around CRISPR3 region. Analysis of CRISPR sequences show that CRISPR have little change which makes CRISPR poor genotyping markers. The present study is the first attempt to determine and analyze CRISPRs of shigella isolated from clinical patients.

  20. [Role of CRISPR/Cas systems in drugresistance and virulence and the effect of IS600 on the expression of cse2 in Shigella].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Lijuan; Zhang, Bing; Duan, Guangcai; Liang, Wenjuan; Wang, Yingfang; Chen, Shuaiyin; Yang, Haiyan; Xi, Yuanlin

    2016-12-04

    To analyze the relationship between CRISPR/Cas system and drug-resistance, virulence. To investigate the effect of IS600 on the expression of CRISPR associated gene cse2 in Shigella. CRISPR loci, CRISPR associated gene cse2, drug-resistant genes and virulent genes were detected by PCR in 33 Shigella strains; Trypan Blue counting test was used to detect bacterial virulence; Real-time PCR was used to detect relative mRNA expression of cse2; susceptibilities of Shigella strains were tested by agar diffusion method. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between CRISPR loci and drug-resistant genes, virulent genes. The effect of the IS600 on the expression of CRISPR associated gene cse2 was investigated. The mortality of Hela cells infected by Shigella with CRISPR1 loci was significantly lower (PShigella without CRISPR1. The mRNA expression level of cse2 in group with IS600 was significantly (PShigella. Shigella without CRISPR1 has a higher pathogenicity. Due to the insertion of IS600, the mRNA expression level of cse2 was decreased in Shigella.

  1. Progress and pitfalls in Shigella vaccine research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Eileen M.; Pasetti, Marcela F.; Sztein, Marcelo B.; Fasano, Alessio; Kotloff, Karen L.; Levine, Myron M.

    2013-01-01

    Renewed awareness of the significant morbidity and mortality that Shigella causes among young children in developing countries combined with technological innovations in vaccinology has led to the development of novel vaccine strategies in the past five years. Along with advancement of classical vaccines in clinical trials and new sophisticated measurements of immunological responses, much new data has been produced lending promise to the potential for production of safe and effective Shigella vaccines. Herein we review the recent progress in Shigella vaccine development within the framework of persistent obstacles. PMID:23419287

  2. Detergent Isolation Stabilizes and Activates the Shigella Type III Secretion System Translocator Protein IpaC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Abram R; Duarte, Shari M; Kumar, Prashant; Dickenson, Nicholas E

    2016-07-01

    Shigella rely on a type III secretion system as the primary virulence factor for invasion and colonization of human hosts. Although there are an estimated 90 million Shigella infections, annually responsible for more than 100,000 deaths worldwide, challenges isolating and stabilizing many type III secretion system proteins have prevented a full understanding of the Shigella invasion mechanism and additionally slowed progress toward a much needed Shigella vaccine. Here, we show that the non-denaturing zwitterionic detergent N, N-dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide (LDAO) and non-ionic detergent n-octyl-oligo-oxyethylene efficiently isolated the hydrophobic Shigella translocator protein IpaC from the co-purified IpaC/IpgC chaperone-bound complex. Both detergents resulted in monomeric IpaC that exhibits strong membrane binding and lysis characteristics while the chaperone-bound complex does not, suggesting that the stabilizing detergents provide a means of following IpaC "activation" in vitro. Additionally, biophysical characterization found that LDAO provides significant thermal and temporal stability to IpaC, protecting it for several days at room temperature and brief exposure to temperatures reaching 90°C. In summary, this work identified and characterized conditions that provide stable, membrane active IpaC, providing insight into key interactions with membranes and laying a strong foundation for future vaccine formulation studies taking advantage of the native immunogenicity of IpaC and the stability provided by LDAO. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A new piece of the Shigella Pathogenicity puzzle: spermidine accumulation by silencing of the speG gene [corrected].

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    Marialuisa Barbagallo

    Full Text Available The genome of Shigella, a gram negative bacterium which is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, shares strong homologies with that of its commensal ancestor, Escherichia coli. The acquisition, by lateral gene transfer, of a large plasmid carrying virulence determinants has been a crucial event in the evolution towards the pathogenic lifestyle and has been paralleled by the occurrence of mutations affecting genes, which negatively interfere with the expression of virulence factors. In this context, we have analysed to what extent the presence of the plasmid-encoded virF gene, the major activator of the Shigella regulon for invasive phenotype, has modified the transcriptional profile of E. coli. Combining results from transcriptome assays and comparative genome analyses we show that in E. coli VirF, besides being able to up-regulate several chromosomal genes, which potentially influence bacterial fitness within the host, also activates genes which have been lost by Shigella. We have focused our attention on the speG gene, which encodes spermidine acetyltransferase, an enzyme catalysing the conversion of spermidine into the physiologically inert acetylspermidine, since recent evidence stresses the involvement of polyamines in microbial pathogenesis. Through identification of diverse mutations, which prevent expression of a functional SpeG protein, we show that the speG gene has been silenced by convergent evolution and that its inactivation causes the marked increase of intracellular spermidine in all Shigella spp. This enhances the survival of Shigella under oxidative stress and allows it to better face the adverse conditions it encounters inside macrophage. This is supported by the outcome of infection assays performed in mouse peritoneal macrophages and of a competitive-infection assay on J774 macrophage cell culture. Our observations fully support the pathoadaptive nature of speG inactivation in Shigella and reveal that the accumulation

  4. Acute focal infections of dental origin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Olsen, Ingar; van Winkelhoff, Arie J.

    This article describes the most important pus-producing acute oral infections (dental infections) that can spread extra-orally. Most of these infections are spread by bacteria entering the bloodstream. However, dental infections have a number of other pathways for dissemination. By forming abscesses

  5. Characterization of Small Molecule Scaffolds that Bind to the Shigella Type III Secretion System Protein IpaD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, Supratim; Anbanandam, Asokan; Mumford, Ben E.; De Guzman, Roberto N.

    2017-01-01

    Many pathogens such as Shigella and other bacteria assemble the type III secretion system (T3SS) nanoinjector to inject virulence proteins into their target cells to cause infectious diseases in humans. The rise of drug resistance among pathogens that rely on the T3SS for infectivity, plus the dearth of new antibiotics require alternative strategies in developing new antibiotics. The Shigella T3SS tip protein IpaD is an attractive target for developing anti-infectives because of its essential role in virulence and its exposure on the bacterial surface. Currently, the only known small molecules that bind to IpaD are bile salts sterols. Here, we identified four new small molecule scaffolds that bind to IpaD based on the methylquinoline, pyrrolidin-aniline, hydroxyindole, and morpholinoaniline scaffolds. NMR mapping revealed potential hotspots in IpaD for binding small molecules. These scaffolds can be used as building blocks in developing small molecule inhibitors of IpaD that could lead to new anti-infectives. PMID:28750143

  6. Relationship among Shigella spp. and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) and their differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ud-Din, Abu; Wahid, Syeda

    2014-01-01

    Shigellosis produces inflammatory reactions and ulceration on the intestinal epithelium followed by bloody or mucoid diarrhea. It is caused by enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) as well as any species of the genus Shigella, namely, S. dysenteriae, S. flexneri, S. boydii, and S. sonnei. This current species designation of Shigella does not specify genetic similarity. Shigella spp. could be easily differentiated from E. coli, but difficulties observed for the EIEC-Shigella differentiation as both show similar biochemical traits and can cause dysentery using the same mode of invasion. Sequencing of multiple housekeeping genes indicates that Shigella has derived on several different occasions via acquisition of the transferable forms of ancestral virulence plasmids within commensal E. coli and form a Shigella-EIEC pathovar. EIEC showed lower expression of virulence genes compared to Shigella, hence EIEC produce less severe disease than Shigella spp. Conventional microbiological techniques often lead to confusing results concerning the discrimination between EIEC and Shigella spp. The lactose permease gene (lacY) is present in all E. coli strains but absent in Shigella spp., whereas β-glucuronidase gene (uidA) is present in both E. coli and Shigella spp. Thus uidA gene and lacY gene based duplex real-time PCR assay could be used for easy identification and differentiation of Shigella spp. from E. coli and in particular EIEC.

  7. Sentinel surveillance of HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance, acute infection and recent infection.

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    Hong-Ha M Truong

    Full Text Available HIV-1 acute infection, recent infection and transmitted drug resistance screening was integrated into voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT services to enhance the existing surveillance program in San Francisco. This study describes newly-diagnosed HIV cases and characterizes correlates associated with infection.A consecutive sample of persons presenting for HIV VCT at the municipal sexually transmitted infections (STI clinic from 2004 to 2006 (N = 9,868 were evaluated by standard enzyme-linked immunoassays (EIA. HIV antibody-positive specimens were characterized as recent infections using a less-sensitive EIA. HIV-RNA pooled testing was performed on HIV antibody-negative specimens to identify acute infections. HIV antibody-positive and acute infection specimens were evaluated for drug resistance by sequence analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate associations. The 380 newly-diagnosed HIV cases included 29 acute infections, 128 recent infections, and 47 drug-resistant cases, with no significant increases or decreases in prevalence over the three years studied. HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance prevalence was 11.0% in 2004, 13.4% in 2005 and 14.9% in 2006 (p = 0.36. Resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI was the most common pattern detected, present in 28 cases of resistance (59.6%. Among MSM, recent infection was associated with amphetamine use (AOR = 2.67; p<0.001, unprotected anal intercourse (AOR = 2.27; p<0.001, sex with a known HIV-infected partner (AOR = 1.64; p = 0.02, and history of gonorrhea (AOR = 1.62; p = 0.03.New HIV diagnoses, recent infections, acute infections and transmitted drug resistance prevalence remained stable between 2004 and 2006. Resistance to NNRTI comprised more than half of the drug-resistant cases, a worrisome finding given its role as the backbone of first-line antiretroviral therapy in San Francisco as well as worldwide. The integration of HIV-1 drug

  8. 21 CFR 866.3660 - Shigella spp. serological reagents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Serological Reagents § 866.3660 Shigella spp...), used in serological tests to identify Shigella spp. from cultured isolates. The identification aids in...

  9. Shigella Vulvovaginitis in Childhood: A Case Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajkumar, Solomon; Narayanaswamy, Geetha; Laude, Teresita Awa

    1979-01-01

    Vulvovaginitis due to Shigella sonnei is reported in a four-year-old child. Shigella sonnei as a rare primary pathogen causing vulvovaginitis, the prolonged nature of the clinical course, and the therapeutic implications of increasing resistance to ampicillin by the organism are discussed. PMID:395325

  10. Meditation or Exercise May Help Acute Respiratory Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Legislation Advisory Council Job Opportunities All About NCCIH Health Topics A-Z ... to a recent study, exercising or practicing meditation may be effective in reducing acute respiratory infections. Acute respiratory infections, ...

  11. Epidemiological trends and patterns of antimicrobial resistance of Shigella spp. isolated from stool cultures in two different populations in Southern Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peleg, Itai; Givon-Lavi, Noga; Leibovitz, Eugene; Broides, Arnon

    2014-03-01

    Southern Israel is inhabited by Bedouins, living in conditions similar to developing countries and Jews, living in conditions similar to developed countries. We determined the epidemiology of Shigella spp. in these populations. We retrospectively reviewed Shigella spp. stool isolations between 2005-2009. Overall, 3295 isolates were analyzed. S. sonnei was isolated in 2057/3295 (62.4%) and S. flexneri in 1058 (32.1%). S. sonnei was isolated in 1567/1707 (91.8%) from Jewish patients and S. flexneri in 931/1542 (60.4%) from Bedouin patients. Ampicillin resistance increased linearly from 217/373 (58.2%) in 2005 to 186/256 (72.7%) in 2009, (P Shigella spp. to ampicilin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were found in Jewish patients: 1527/1706 (89.5%) versus 977/1542 (63.4%) (P Shigella spp. infections can differ in populations residing in the same geographical area. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Acute respiratory tract infections: a potential trigger for the acute coronary syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Harskamp, Ralf E.; van Ginkel, Margreet W.

    2008-01-01

    Clinical studies suggest that acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) may be a risk factor for the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ARTI is associated with an increased risk for ACS up to 2 weeks prior to a cardiac event. The mechanism that may underlie this association is unclear. Infections are

  13. Sepsis por shigella flexneri

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    César Cabrera C

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta un caso raro de sepsis por Shigella flexneri en una paciente de 45 años de edad quien estando hospitalizada para el estudio de un tumor cerebral, requirió el uso de manitol y dosis altas de corticoides; luego de ello presenta deposiciones líquidas con moco y sangre, desarrolla síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica, luego se aísla Shigella flexneri en el hemocultivo; recibió tratamiento antibiótico con ciprofloxacina. Se describen las características del caso y se comenta de acuerdo con la revisión de literatura.

  14. Aetiology of acute paediatric gastroenteritis in Bulgaria during summer months: prevalence of viral infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mladenova, Zornitsa; Steyer, Andrej; Steyer, Adela Fratnik; Ganesh, Balasubramanian; Petrov, Petar; Tchervenjakova, Tanja; Iturriza-Gomara, Miren

    2015-03-01

    Paediatric acute gastroenteritis is a global public health problem. Comprehensive laboratory investigation for viral, bacterial and parasitic agents is helpful for improving management of acute gastroenteritis in health care settings and for monitoring and controlling the spread of these infections. Our study aimed to investigate the role of various pathogens in infantile diarrhoea in Bulgaria outside the classical winter epidemics of rotavirus and norovirus. Stool samples from 115 hospitalized children aged 0-3 years collected during summer months were tested for presence of 14 infectious agents - group A rotavirus, astrovirus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba using ELISAs; norovirus by real-time RT-PCR; picobirnavirus and sapovirus by RT-PCR; adenovirus using PCR, and Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia and Campylobacter using standard bacterial cultures. Infectious origin was established in a total of 92 cases and 23 samples remained negative. A single pathogen was found in 67 stools, of which rotaviruses were the most prevalent (56.7 %), followed by noroviruses (19.4 %), enteric adenoviruses (7.5 %), astroviruses (6.0 %), bacteria and parasites (4.5 % each) and sapoviruses (1.4 %). Rotavirus predominant genotypes were G4P[8] (46.3 %) and G2P[4] (21.4 %); for astroviruses, type 1a was the most common, while the GII.4/2006b variant was the most prevalent among noroviruses. Bacteria were observed in five cases, with Salmonella sp. as the most prevalent, while parasites were found in ten stool samples, with Giardia intestinalis in five cases. The results demonstrated high morbidity associated with viral infections and that rotavirus and norovirus remain the most common pathogens associated with severe gastroenteritis during summer months in Bulgaria, a country with a temperate climate, and significant molecular diversity among circulating virus strains. © 2015 The Authors.

  15. The survey of shigellosis frequency and determination of antibiotic resistance profile of isolated strains from infected children in Tehran

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    Shahla Abbaspour

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Shigellosis is endemic throughout the world and it is among the most common causes of bacterial diarrheal diseases. Antibiotic resistance of Shigella is becoming a progressive problem in world. The aim of this study was the survey of shigellosis frequency and determination of antibiotic resistance profile of isolated strains from infected children in Tehran. Material and Methods: This study conducted on 9131 patients with acute diarrheal disease. For isolation of Shigella spp. from stool samples, culture performed on different selective and differential media. After confirmation of bacteria by biochemical tests, susceptibility testing was done by disc diffusion method according to clinical and laboratory standards (CLSI recomendations. Results: Among 9131 stool samples, Shigella spp. was isolated from 90 cases. Shigella sonnei was the most common isolated species. 92/2 % of isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole. In contrast, most of the Shigella spp. was founded to be sensitive to ciprofloxacin, imipenem and third-generation cephalosporins. Conclusion: Surveillance programs on antimicrobial resistance not only identify pathogenic bacterial species, by reporting data like serotyping, microorganisms incidence rates, and susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents currently used for treatment, but also contribute to monitoring the intervention strategies including removing organism from reservoirs.

  16. PERSEPSI MASYARAKAT TERHADAP PENYAKIT SHIGELLA (DISENTRI DI JAKARTA UTARA

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    Siti Sapardiyah Santoso

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian telah dilakukan di Kecamatan Tanjung Priok dan Kecamatan Koja, Jakarta Utara, mengenai perilaku dan sosial budaya dalam penanggulangan penyakit shigella (disentri. Tulisan ini merupakan bagian dari penelitian tersebut. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui persepsi masyarakat Jakarta Utara mengenai penyakit shigella (disentri. Rancangan penelitian cross sectional. Responden berumur diatas 22 tahun laki-laki dan perempuan dipilih secara acak. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara menggunakan koesioner terstruktur kepada 500 responden (250 laki-laki dan 250 wanita. Analisis data menggunakan SPSS. Hasil, menurut responden laki-laki dan perempuan. Masyarakat menganggap serius penyakit shigella (disentri berkisar antara 72,4% - 77,6%. Masyarakat cukup peduli terhadap penyakit tersebut berkisar antara 59,6% - 63,2%. Masyarakat menganggap sakit shigella (disentri lebih berat dari penyakit diare lainnya berkisar antara 67,2% - 71,2%. Kelompok mudah terserang penyakit tersebut adalah balita berkisar antara 85,2% - 86,6%, anak 6 -14 tahun berkisar antara 79,2% -80,8%, bayi 0-1 tahun berkisar antara 79,6% - 86,4%. Lama waktu sembuh yang mengatakan seminggu berkisar antara 54,0% - 55,6%. Penyakit tersebut berpengaruh terhadap sosial ekonomi keluarga dan dianggap serius berkisar antara 52,4% - 53,6%. Biaya bila sakit shigella (disentri ringan maupun berat dianggap mahal berkisar antara 33, 6% - 39,2%. Dari penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa masyarakat menganggap peduli dan serius terhadap penyakit shigella (disentri karena dianggap lebih parah dari diare lainnya dan pengobatannya dianggap mahal baik shigella (disentri ringan maupun berat.

  17. Spatio-temporal trends and risk factors for Shigella from 2001 to 2011 in Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.

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    Fenyang Tang

    Full Text Available This study aimed to describe the spatial and temporal trends of Shigella incidence rates in Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. It also intended to explore complex risk modes facilitating Shigella transmission.County-level incidence rates were obtained for analysis using geographic information system (GIS tools. Trend surface and incidence maps were established to describe geographic distributions. Spatio-temporal cluster analysis and autocorrelation analysis were used for detecting clusters. Based on the number of monthly Shigella cases, an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA model successfully established a time series model. A spatial correlation analysis and a case-control study were conducted to identify risk factors contributing to Shigella transmissions.The far southwestern and northwestern areas of Jiangsu were the most infected. A cluster was detected in southwestern Jiangsu (LLR = 11674.74, P<0.001. The time series model was established as ARIMA (1, 12, 0, which predicted well for cases from August to December, 2011. Highways and water sources potentially caused spatial variation in Shigella development in Jiangsu. The case-control study confirmed not washing hands before dinner (OR = 3.64 and not having access to a safe water source (OR = 2.04 as the main causes of Shigella in Jiangsu Province.Improvement of sanitation and hygiene should be strengthened in economically developed counties, while access to a safe water supply in impoverished areas should be increased at the same time.

  18. The Zebrafish as a New Model for the In Vivo Study of Shigella flexneri Interaction with Phagocytes and Bacterial Autophagy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostowy, Serge; Boucontet, Laurent; Mazon Moya, Maria J.; Sirianni, Andrea; Boudinot, Pierre; Hollinshead, Michael; Cossart, Pascale; Herbomel, Philippe; Levraud, Jean-Pierre; Colucci-Guyon, Emma

    2013-01-01

    Autophagy, an ancient and highly conserved intracellular degradation process, is viewed as a critical component of innate immunity because of its ability to deliver cytosolic bacteria to the lysosome. However, the role of bacterial autophagy in vivo remains poorly understood. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a vertebrate model for the study of infections because it is optically accessible at the larval stages when the innate immune system is already functional. Here, we have characterized the susceptibility of zebrafish larvae to Shigella flexneri, a paradigm for bacterial autophagy, and have used this model to study Shigella-phagocyte interactions in vivo. Depending on the dose, S. flexneri injected in zebrafish larvae were either cleared in a few days or resulted in a progressive and ultimately fatal infection. Using high resolution live imaging, we found that S. flexneri were rapidly engulfed by macrophages and neutrophils; moreover we discovered a scavenger role for neutrophils in eliminating infected dead macrophages and non-immune cell types that failed to control Shigella infection. We observed that intracellular S. flexneri could escape to the cytosol, induce septin caging and be targeted to autophagy in vivo. Depletion of p62 (sequestosome 1 or SQSTM1), an adaptor protein critical for bacterial autophagy in vitro, significantly increased bacterial burden and host susceptibility to infection. These results show the zebrafish larva as a new model for the study of S. flexneri interaction with phagocytes, and the manipulation of autophagy for anti-bacterial therapy in vivo. PMID:24039575

  19. Genesis of a novel Shigella flexneri serotype by sequential infection of serotype-converting bacteriophages SfX and SfI

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    Sun Qiangzheng

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Shigella flexneri is the major pathogen causing bacillary dysentery. Fifteen serotypes have been recognized up to now. The genesis of new S. flexneri serotypes is commonly mediated by serotype-converting bacteriophages. Untypeable or novel serotypes from natural infections had been reported worldwide but have not been generated in laboratory. Results A new S. flexneri serotype-serotype 1 d was generated when a S. flexneri serotype Y strain (native LPS was sequentially infected with 2 serotype-converting bacteriophages, SfX first and then SfI. The new serotype 1 d strain agglutinated with both serotype X-specific anti-7;8 grouping serum and serotype 1a-specific anti- I typing serum, and differed from subserotypes 1a, 1b and 1c. Twenty four S. flexneri clinical isolates of serotype X were all converted to serotype 1 d by infection with phage SfI. PCR and sequencing revealed that SfI and SfX were integrated in tandem into the proA-yaiC region of the host chromosome. Conclusions These findings suggest a new S. flexneri serotype could be created in nature. Such a conversion may be constrained by susceptibility of a strain to infection by a given serotype-converting bacteriophage. This finding has significant implications in the emergence of new S. flexneri serotypes in nature.

  20. Comparing the bacterial diversity of acute and chronic dental root canal infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana L Santos

    Full Text Available This study performed barcoded multiplex pyrosequencing with a 454 FLX instrument to compare the microbiota of dental root canal infections associated with acute (symptomatic or chronic (asymptomatic apical periodontitis. Analysis of samples from 9 acute abscesses and 8 chronic infections yielded partial 16S rRNA gene sequences that were taxonomically classified into 916 bacterial species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs (at 3% divergence belonging to 67 genera and 13 phyla. The most abundant phyla in acute infections were Firmicutes (52%, Fusobacteria (17% and Bacteroidetes (13%, while in chronic infections the dominant were Firmicutes (59%, Bacteroidetes (14% and Actinobacteria (10%. Members of Fusobacteria were much more prevalent in acute (89% than in chronic cases (50%. The most abundant/prevalent genera in acute infections were Fusobacterium and Parvimonas. Twenty genera were exclusively detected in acute infections and 18 in chronic infections. Only 18% (n = 165 of the OTUs at 3% divergence were shared by acute and chronic infections. Diversity and richness estimators revealed that acute infections were significantly more diverse than chronic infections. Although a high interindividual variation in bacterial communities was observed, many samples tended to group together according to the type of infection (acute or chronic. This study is one of the most comprehensive in-deep comparisons of the microbiota associated with acute and chronic dental root canal infections and highlights the role of diverse polymicrobial communities as the unit of pathogenicity in acute infections. The overall diversity of endodontic infections as revealed by the pyrosequencing technique was much higher than previously reported for endodontic infections.

  1. The genomic signatures of Shigella evolution, adaptation and geographical spread.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The, Hao Chung; Thanh, Duy Pham; Holt, Kathryn E; Thomson, Nicholas R; Baker, Stephen

    2016-04-01

    Shigella spp. are some of the key pathogens responsible for the global burden of diarrhoeal disease. These facultative intracellular bacteria belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae, together with other intestinal pathogens, such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. The genus Shigella comprises four different species, each consisting of several serogroups, all of which show phenotypic similarity, including invasive pathogenicity. DNA sequencing suggests that this similarity results from the convergent evolution of different Shigella spp. founders. Here, we review the evolutionary relationships between Shigella spp. and E . coli, and we highlight how the genomic plasticity of these bacteria and their acquisition of a distinctive virulence plasmid have enabled the development of such highly specialized pathogens. Furthermore, we discuss the insights that genotyping and whole-genome sequencing have provided into the phylogenetics and intercontinental spread of Shigella spp.

  2. Changing patterns of drug-resistant Shigella isolates in egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd-Elmeged, Ghada M; Khairy, Rasha M; Abo-Eloyoon, Sahar M; Abdelwahab, Sayed F

    2015-06-01

    The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious problem in treating shigellosis. There are limited existing data examining the change in the antimicrobial resistance profile of Shigella in Egypt. We previously reported that 58% of the Shigella isolates in Egypt were resistant to at least one member of the three different antimicrobial groups. This study was performed to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile of Shigella, determine their possible mechanisms of resistance, and compare their resistance profile to those reported 20 years ago. Stool samples were collected from 500 subjects and processed for the isolation and identification of Shigella. The susceptibility of the isolates to 11 different antimicrobials was determined using the disc diffusion method. Of 500 stool cultures, 24 (4.8%) samples were positive for Shigella. There was a high percentage of resistance to ampicillin (88%), tetracycline (83%), and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (75%). Also, there was a moderate percentage of resistance to chloramphenicol (46%), streptomycin (42%), ceftazidime (33%), and cefotaxime (25%). A lower percentage of resistance was recorded for amikacin, nalidixic acid (17% each), and ofloxacin (7%), while no resistance was found to ciprofloxacin (0%). Twenty-one of the isolates (88%) were resistant to at least three different antimicrobial groups (indicating MDR). The average number of antimicrobial agents to which the Shigella isolates were resistant was 4.3±1.4, while it was 3.4±1.5 in the same locality in 1994. These data demonstrate that there is a marked increase in MDR and change in the resistance patterns of Shigella over the past 20 years.

  3. Characterization of Small-Molecule Scaffolds That Bind to the Shigella Type III Secretion System Protein IpaD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, Supratim; Anbanandam, Asokan; Mumford, Ben E; De Guzman, Roberto N

    2017-09-21

    Many pathogens such as Shigella and other bacteria assemble the type III secretion system (T3SS) nanoinjector to inject virulence proteins into their target cells to cause infectious diseases in humans. The rise of drug resistance among pathogens that rely on the T3SS for infectivity, plus the dearth of new antibiotics require alternative strategies in developing new antibiotics. The Shigella T3SS tip protein IpaD is an attractive target for developing anti-infectives because of its essential role in virulence and its exposure on the bacterial surface. Currently, the only known small molecules that bind to IpaD are bile salt sterols. In this study we identified four new small-molecule scaffolds that bind to IpaD, based on the methylquinoline, pyrrolidine-aniline, hydroxyindole, and morpholinoaniline scaffolds. NMR mapping revealed potential hotspots in IpaD for binding small molecules. These scaffolds can be used as building blocks in developing small-molecule inhibitors of IpaD that could lead to new anti-infectives. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. VirF-Independent Regulation of Shigella virB Transcription is Mediated by the Small RNA RyhB

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broach, William H.; Egan, Nicholas; Wing, Helen J.; Payne, Shelley M.; Murphy, Erin R.

    2012-01-01

    Infection of the human host by Shigella species requires the coordinated production of specific Shigella virulence factors, a process mediated largely by the VirF/VirB regulatory cascade. VirF promotes the transcription of virB, a gene encoding the transcriptional activator of several virulence-associated genes. This study reveals that transcription of virB is also regulated by the small RNA RyhB, and importantly, that this regulation is not achieved indirectly via modulation of VirF activity. These data are the first to demonstrate that the regulation of virB transcription can be uncoupled from the master regulator VirF. It is also established that efficient RyhB-dependent regulation of transcription is facilitated by specific nucleic acid sequences within virB. This study not only reveals RyhB-dependent regulation of virB transcription as a novel point of control in the central regulatory circuit modulating Shigella virulence, but also highlights the versatility of RyhB in controlling bacterial gene expression. PMID:22701677

  5. ACUTE ENTERIC INFECTIONS POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY IN PEDIATRIC PRACTICE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. D. Sokolova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study is estimate the opportunities of local multi-prime PCR reagents kits in children enteric infections etiological diagnostics amongst the patients with diarrhoea vs traditional bacteriological methods. We used 4 kits of reagents that provide multiple pathogens simultaneous indication in one sample: 1 Rotavirus, Norovirus, Astrovirus; 2 Shigella spp./EIEC, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp.; 3 Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; 4 E. coli: EIEC (enteroinvasive, EPEC (enteropathogenic, ETEC (enterotoxigenic, EHEC (enterohaemorrhagic, EAgEC (enteroaggregative. It has been shown that the viral intestinal infections is increased by 14%, bacterial — in 2,5 times. PCR diagnostics identified in 62% of patients the viral gastroenteritis: Rotavirus (52%, Norovirus (9%, Astrovirus (1%. Detected bacterial pathogens PCR markers number proved up to 2.5 times high than according to bacteriological examination. The spectrum of bacterial agents increased due to E. coli and Y. enterocolitica. PCR diagnostics increased detection of Campylobacter up to 2 times. Detected E. coli DNA prevalence: EPEC — 66%, EAgEC, ETEC and EHEC were 31%, 9% and 4%, respectively. DNA Campylobacter spp. and E. coli constituted 2/3 of all findings: Campylobacter spp. (41%, E. coli (24%, Salmonella spp. (19%, Yersinia spp. (11%, Shigella spp./EIEC (5%. The positive results of bacteriological and serological methods duplicate the positive results of PCR diagnostics. In general, the positive results of PCR diagnosis of bacterial pathogens were detected in 46.35% of the examined patients. In 48.4% of patients identified PCR markers viral — bacterial infection, in 5.25% — of bacterial associations, in 11% of them were found the DNA 2–3 bacterial pathogens. The study was shown in children in St. Petersburg in 2012–2014 dominated rotavirus infection, campylobacteriosis and escherichiosis. The prevalence of viral-bacterial confections is more

  6. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of invasive Shigella flexneri in food.

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    Lampel, K A; Jagow, J A; Trucksess, M; Hill, W E

    1990-01-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 760-base-pair (bp) fragment with the 220-kbp invasive plasmids of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii, and Shigella sonnei as templates. This PCR product was easily detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. A 210-bp AccI-PstI fragment lying within the amplified region was used as a probe in Southern hybridization blots and showed that the PCR-generated product was derived from the in...

  7. Evaluation of an intragastric challenge model for Shigella dysenteriae 1 in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) for the pre-clinical assessment of Shigella vaccine formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Dilara; Ruamsap, Nattaya; Khantapura, Patchariya; Aksomboon, Ajchara; Srijan, Apichai; Wongstitwilairoong, Boonchai; Bodhidatta, Ladaporn; Gettayacamin, Montip; Venkatesan, Malabi M; Mason, Carl J

    2014-06-01

    Shigellosis is a worldwide disease, characterized by abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and the passage of blood- and mucus-streaked stools. Rhesus monkeys and other primates are the only animals that are naturally susceptible to shigellosis. A suitable animal model is required for the pre-clinical evaluation of vaccines candidates. In this study, the minimal dose of Shigella dysenteriae1 1617 strain required to produce dysentery in four of five (80% attack rate) monkeys using an escalating dose range for three groups [2 × 10(8) , 2 × 10(9) and 2 × 10(10) colony forming unit (CFU)] was determined. In addition, the monkeys were re-infected. The identified optimal challenge dose was 2 × 10(9) CFU; this dose elicited 60% protection in monkeys when they were re-challenged with a one log higher dose (2 × 10(10) CFU). The challenge dose, 2 × 10(10) CFU, produced severe dysentery in all monkeys, with one monkey dying within 24 h, elicited 100% protection when re-challenged with the same dose. All monkeys exhibited immune responses. This study concludes that the rhesus monkey model closely mimics the disease and immune response seen in humans and is a suitable animal model for the pre-clinical evaluation of Shigella vaccine candidates. Prior infection with the 1617 strain can protect monkeys against subsequent re-challenges with homologous strains. © 2013 The Authors. APMIS published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Shift in serotype distribution of Shigella species in China, 2003-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, S; Xu, X; Yang, C; Wang, J; Liang, B; Li, P; Li, H; Yi, S; Liu, H; Cui, X; Wu, Z; Xie, J; Jia, L; Wang, L; Hao, R; Jin, H; Wang, Y; Sun, Y; Song, H

    2015-03-01

    We identified 2912 Shigella isolates from diarrhoeal patients in China during 2003-2013. The most common species was Shigella flexneri (55.3%), followed by Shigella sonnei (44.1%); however, S. sonnei is becoming increasingly prevalent. Among the S. flexneri isolates, serotypes 2a and X variant (-:7,8, E1037) were the two most prevalent serotypes, and serologically atypical isolates were also commonly identified. Overall, S. sonnei, S. flexneri 2a and S. flexneri X variant (-:7,8, E1037) accounted for 76.1% of all Shigella isolates, and their prevalence increased from 54.0% during 2003-2004 to 84.1% during 2011-2013. A change was observed in the serotype distribution of Shigella in China during this period, and we propose an ideal strategy to inform the development of a broadly effective Shigella vaccine candidate. Copyright © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Tyrosine kinases, drugs, and Shigella flexneri dissemination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dragoi, Ana-Maria; Agaisse, Hervé

    2014-01-01

    Shigella flexneri is an enteropathogenic bacterium responsible for approximately 100 million cases of severe dysentery each year. S. flexneri colonization of the human colonic epithelium is supported by direct spread from cell to cell, which relies on actin-based motility. We have recently uncovered that, in intestinal epithelial cells, S. flexneri actin-based motility is regulated by the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). Consequently, treatment with Ibrutinib, a specific Btk inhibitor currently used in the treatment of B-cell malignancies, effectively impaired S. flexneri spread from cell to cell. Thus, therapeutic intervention capitalizing on drugs interfering with host factors supporting the infection process may represent an effective alternative to treatments with antimicrobial compounds.

  10. Molecular diagnosis of non-serotypeable Shigella spp.: problems and prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthuirulandi Sethuvel, Dhiviya Prabaa; Devanga Ragupathi, Naveen Kumar; Anandan, Shalini; Walia, Kamini; Veeraraghavan, Balaji

    2017-02-01

    It is not always possible to identify Shigella serogroups/serotypes by biochemical properties alone. Specific identification requires serotyping. Occasionally, isolates that resemble Shigella spp. biochemically, but are non-agglutinable with available antisera, have been observed. Several mechanisms have been reported to limit the efficiency of the serotyping assay. Serotype conversion is a major mechanism in Shigella spp. to escape protective host immune responses. This easy conversion through significant modification of the O-antigen backbone results in different serotypes, which makes laboratory identification difficult. Furthermore, members of the family Enterobacteriaceae are closely related and there is antigenic cross-over (intra- and inter-specific cross-reaction) which affects the agglutination reaction. The performance of the available methods for identification of non-serotypeable Shigella is discussed here, and reveals them to be non-reliable. This shows a need for an alternative method for identification and typing of Shigella spp.

  11. MxiN Differentially Regulates Monomeric and Oligomeric Species of the Shigella Type Three Secretion System ATPase Spa47.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Case, Heather B; Dickenson, Nicholas E

    2018-04-17

    Shigella rely entirely on the action of a single type three secretion system (T3SS) to support cellular invasion of colonic epithelial cells and to circumvent host immune responses. The ATPase Spa47 resides at the base of the Shigella needle-like type three secretion apparatus (T3SA), supporting protein secretion through the apparatus and providing a likely means for native virulence regulation by Shigella and a much needed target for non-antibiotic therapeutics to treat Shigella infections. Here, we show that MxiN is a differential regulator of Spa47 and that its regulatory impact is determined by the oligomeric state of the Spa47 ATPase, with which it interacts. In vitro and in vivo characterization shows that interaction of MxiN with Spa47 requires the six N-terminal residues of Spa47 that are also necessary for stable Spa47 oligomer formation and activation. This interaction with MxiN negatively influences the activity of Spa47 oligomers while upregulating the ATPase activity of monomeric Spa47. Detailed kinetic analyses of monomeric and oligomeric Spa47 in the presence and absence of MxiN uncover additional mechanistic insights into the regulation of Spa47 by MxiN, suggesting that the MxiN/Spa47 species resulting from interaction with monomeric and oligomeric Spa47 are functionally distinct and that both could be involved in Shigella T3SS regulation. Uncovering regulation of Spa47 by MxiN addresses an important gap in the current understanding of how Shigella controls T3SA activity and provides the first description of differential T3SS ATPase regulation by a native T3SS protein.

  12. Decontamination of tomato, red cabbage, carrot, fresh parsley and fresh green onion inoculated with Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri by some Essential oils (in vitro condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farhang Aliakbari

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Essential oils and their major constituents are useful sources of antimicrobial compounds. There are a few reports on the decontamination and antimicrobial activity of essential oils towards Shigella spp.Materials and Methods: In this study, the antimicrobial and decontamination potentials of essential oils at different concentrations, belonging to plants such as Thymus vulgaris, Saturiea hortensis, Mentha polegium, Cuminum cyminum, Lavandula officinalis and Mentha viridis L. (spearmint, towards Shigella sonnei and Shigella  flexneri were investigated. The disk diffusion method demonstrated the antimicrobial potential of the essential oils.Results: The ability of essential oils to decontaminate vegetables such as, tomato, red cabbage, carrot, fresh parsley and fresh green onion that were previously inoculated with Shigella spp. was determined. Inhibitory effects of essential oils towards Shigella spp. were noted in the disk diffusion method. There was a reduction in Shigella population following inoculation of cultures with 0.5% and 0.1% (v/v essential oils.Conclusion: This study confirmed that essential oils have the potential to be used for decontamination of vegetables.

  13. Virulotyping of Shigella spp. isolated from pediatric patients in Tehran, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranjbar, Reza; Bolandian, Masomeh; Behzadi, Payam

    2017-03-01

    Shigellosis is a considerable infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. In this survey the prevalence of four important virulence genes including ial, ipaH, set1A, and set1B were investigated among Shigella strains and the related gene profiles identified in the present investigation, stool specimens were collected from children who were referred to two hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The samples were collected during 3 years (2008-2010) from children who were suspected to shigellosis. Shigella spp. were identified throughout microbiological and serological tests and then subjected to PCR for virulotyping. Shigella sonnei was ranking first (65.5%) followed by Shigella flexneri (25.9%), Shigella boydii (6.9%), and Shigella dysenteriae (1.7%). The ial gene was the most frequent virulence gene among isolated bacterial strains and was followed by ipaH, set1B, and set1A. S. flexneri possessed all of the studied virulence genes (ial 65.51%, ipaH 58.62%, set1A 12.07%, and set1B 22.41%). Moreover, the pattern of virulence gene profiles including ial, ial-ipaH, ial-ipaH-set1B, and ial-ipaH-set1B-set1A was identified for isolated Shigella spp. strains. The pattern of virulence genes is changed in isolated strains of Shigella in this study. So, the ial gene is placed first and the ipaH in second.

  14. Shigella sonnei Vaccine Candidates WRSs2 and WRSs3 Are as Immunogenic as WRSS1, a Clinically Tested Vaccine Candidate, in a Primate Model of Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Experiments in rabbit ileal loops and in rhesus monkeys have shown that shigellae are initially taken up by antigen sampling microfold (M) cells that are...2011) – Table 1 Shigella antigen-specific immune responses and colonization in rhesus monkeys after nasogastric administration of WRSS1, WRSs2...the respective antigens. 3.3. Mucosal responses in rhesus monkeys The mucosal immune response to Shigella LPS, and Invaplex- 50 antigens are summarized

  15. Application of DNA hybridization techniques in the assessment of diarrheal disease among refugess in Thailand. [Shigella; Escherichia coli; Campylobacter; Cryptosporidium

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    Taylor, D.N.; Echeverria, P.; Pitarangsi, C.; Seriwatana, J.; Sethabutr, O.; Bodhidatta, L.; Brown, C.; Herrmann, J.E.; Blacklow, N.R.

    1988-01-01

    The epidemiology and etiology of acute diarrheal disease were determined in a Hmong refugee camp on the Thai-Laotian border from April 11 to May 14, 1985. DNA hybridization techniques were used to detect Shigella species, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, and enterotoxigenic E. coli. A monoclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect rotavirus, and standard microbiology was used to detect other enteropathogens. The age-specific diarrheal disease rates were 47 episodes per month per 1000 children less than five years old and 113 episodes per month per 1000 children less than one year old. Rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E. coli, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium were the predominant pathogens in children less than two years old. The DNA probe hybridized with 94% of 31 specimens identified as enterotoxigenic E. coli by the standard assays and with none of the specimens in which the standard assays were negative. The probe for Shigella and enteroinvasive E. coli hybridized in eight of 10 stools that contained Shigella and four of 314 stools from which Shigella and enteroinvasive E. coli were not isolated. The use of DNA probes allows specimens to be collected in remote areas with a minimum amount of equipment and technical expertise so that they can be easily transported to a central laboratory for further processing.

  16. Deoxycholate-Enhanced Shigella Virulence Is Regulated by a Rare π-Helix in the Type Three Secretion System Tip Protein IpaD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Abram R; Jessop, T Carson; Kumar, Prashant; Dickenson, Nicholas E

    2017-12-12

    Type three secretion systems (T3SS) are specialized nanomachines that support infection by injecting bacterial proteins directly into host cells. The Shigella T3SS has uniquely evolved to sense environmental levels of the bile salt deoxycholate (DOC) and upregulate virulence in response to DOC. In this study, we describe a rare i + 5 hydrogen bonding secondary structure element (π-helix) within the type three secretion system tip protein IpaD that plays a critical role in DOC-enhanced virulence. Specifically, engineered mutations within the π-helix altered the pathogen's response to DOC, with one mutant construct in particular exhibiting an unprecedented reduction in virulence following DOC exposure. Fluorescence polarization binding assays showed that these altered DOC responses are not the result of differences in affinity between IpaD and DOC, but rather differences in the DOC-dependent T3SS tip maturation resulting from binding of IpaD to translocator/effector protein IpaB. Together, these findings begin to uncover the complex mechanism of DOC-enhanced Shigella virulence while identifying an uncommon structural element that may provide a much needed target for non-antibiotic treatment of Shigella infection.

  17. Manipulation of host membranes by the bacterial pathogens Listeria, Francisella, Shigella and Yersinia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier; Charbit, Alain; Enninga, Jost; Lafont, Frank; Cossart, Pascale

    2016-12-01

    Bacterial pathogens display an impressive arsenal of molecular mechanisms that allow survival in diverse host niches. Subversion of plasma membrane and cytoskeletal functions are common themes associated to infection by both extracellular and intracellular pathogens. Moreover, intracellular pathogens modify the structure/stability of their membrane-bound compartments and escape degradation from phagocytic or autophagic pathways. Here, we review the manipulation of host membranes by Listeria monocytogenes, Francisella tularensis, Shigella flexneri and Yersinia spp. These four bacterial model pathogens exemplify generalized strategies as well as specific features observed during bacterial infection processes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  18. Distribution of genes encoding virulence factors and molecular analysis of Shigella spp. isolated from patients with diarrhea in Kerman, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini Nave, Hossein; Mansouri, Shahla; Emaneini, Mohammad; Moradi, Mohammad

    2016-03-01

    Shigella is one of the important causes of diarrhea worldwide. Shigella has several virulence factors contributing in colonization and invasion of epithelial cells and eventually death of host cells. The present study was performed in order to investigate the distribution of virulence factors genes in Shigella spp. isolated from patients with acute diarrhea in Kerman, Iran as well as the genetic relationship of these isolates. A total of 56 isolates including 31 S. flexneri, 18 S. sonnei and 7 S. boydii were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of 11 virulence genes (ipaH, ial, set1A, set1B, sen, virF, invE, sat, sigA, pic and sepA). Then, the clonal relationship of these strains was analyzed by multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) method. All isolates were positive for ipaH gene. The other genes include ial, invE and virF were found in 80.4%, 60.7% and 67.9% of the isolates, respectively. Both set1A and set1B were detected in 32.3% of S. flexneri isolates, whereas 66.1% of the isolates belonging to different serogroup carried sen gene. The sat gene was present in all S. flexneri isolates, but not in the S. sonnei and S. boydii isolates. The result showed, 30.4% of isolates were simultaneously positive and the rest of the isolates were negative for sepA and pic genes. The Shigella isolates were divided into 29 MLVA types. This study, for the first time, investigated distribution of 11 virulence genes in Shigella spp. Our results revealed heterogeneity of virulence genes in different Shigella serogroups. Furthermore, the strains belonging to the same species had little diversity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Risk factors and outcome of Shigella encephalopathy in Bangladeshi children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farzana Afroze

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Although, Shigella encephalopathy, a serious extra-intestinal complication of shigellosis, significantly increases the risks of death, data are very limited on predicting factors particularly related to electrolyte profiles in children below five years of age with Shigella encephalopathy. Our objective was to determine the clinical as well as laboratory predicting factors and outcome of children with Shigella encephalopathy.In this unmatched case-control design, children aged 2-59 months having a positive stool culture for Shigella and who had their serum electrolytes been done from July 2012 to June 2015 were studied. Children with Shigella encephalopathy, defined as having abnormal mentation, constituted the cases, and those without encephalopathy constituted the controls. During the study period, we identified a total of 541 children less than five years of age, who had Shigella in their stool culture. Only 139 children fulfilled the study criteria and among them 69 were cases and 70 were controls. The cases more often had fatal outcome compared to the controls (7% vs. 0%, P = 0.02. In logistic regression analysis, the cases were independently associated with shorter duration (1.2 ± 0.4 days of diarrhea prior to admission, dehydrating diarrhea, sepsis and hyponatremia (p<0.05 for all. Among 139 Shigella isolates, S. flexneri (88/139, 63% and S. sonnei(34/139, 24% were the dominant species. S. dysenteriae was not isolated throughout the study period. S.sonnei was more frequently isolated from the cases (24/69, 35% than the controls (10/70, 14%, whereas the isolation of S. flexneri was comparable between the groups (40/69, 58% vs 48/70, 69%. A total of 94 (67.6% isolates were resistant to trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, 84 (60.4% to ciprofloxacin, 66/138 (48% to ampicillin, 5 (3.5% to ceftriaxone, 17 (12.2% to mecillinum and 35 (25% to azithromycin.The case-fatality-rate was significantly higher among the children with Shigella encephalopathy

  20. Shigella sonnei bacteremia in an elderly diabetic patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dronda, F; Parras, F; Martínez, J L; Baquero, F

    1988-06-01

    A case of Shigella sonnei bacteremia in a 65-year-old patient suffering from diabetes mellitus is discussed. The isolated strain had plasmid-mediated serum resistance and excreted aerobactin. The presence of diabetes mellitus as an underlying disease and the production by the Shigella sonnei isolate of factors related to bacterial invasion may have contributed to the bacteremic episode.

  1. Bioinformatics analyses of Shigella CRISPR structure and spacer classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Pengfei; Zhang, Bing; Duan, Guangcai; Wang, Yingfang; Hong, Lijuan; Wang, Linlin; Guo, Xiangjiao; Xi, Yuanlin; Yang, Haiyan

    2016-03-01

    Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are inheritable genetic elements of a variety of archaea and bacteria and indicative of the bacterial ecological adaptation, conferring acquired immunity against invading foreign nucleic acids. Shigella is an important pathogen for anthroponosis. This study aimed to analyze the features of Shigella CRISPR structure and classify the spacers through bioinformatics approach. Among 107 Shigella, 434 CRISPR structure loci were identified with two to seven loci in different strains. CRISPR-Q1, CRISPR-Q4 and CRISPR-Q5 were widely distributed in Shigella strains. Comparison of the first and last repeats of CRISPR1, CRISPR2 and CRISPR3 revealed several base variants and different stem-loop structures. A total of 259 cas genes were found among these 107 Shigella strains. The cas gene deletions were discovered in 88 strains. However, there is one strain that does not contain cas gene. Intact clusters of cas genes were found in 19 strains. From comprehensive analysis of sequence signature and BLAST and CRISPRTarget score, the 708 spacers were classified into three subtypes: Type I, Type II and Type III. Of them, Type I spacer referred to those linked with one gene segment, Type II spacer linked with two or more different gene segments, and Type III spacer undefined. This study examined the diversity of CRISPR/cas system in Shigella strains, demonstrated the main features of CRISPR structure and spacer classification, which provided critical information for elucidation of the mechanisms of spacer formation and exploration of the role the spacers play in the function of the CRISPR/cas system.

  2. Virulence variations in Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli using the Caenorhabditis elegans model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Crystal Ching; Octavia, Sophie; Mooney, Anne-Marie; Lan, Ruiting

    2015-01-01

    Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) belong to the same species genetically, with remarkable phenotypic and genomic similarities. Shigella is the main cause of bacillary dysentery with around 160 million annual cases, while EIEC generally induces a milder disease compared to Shigella. This study aimed to determine virulence variations between Shigella and EIEC using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host. Caenorhabditis elegans killing- and bacterial colonization assays were performed to examine the potential difference in virulence between Shigella and EIEC strains. Statistically significant difference in the survival rates of nematodes was demonstrated, with Shigella causing death at 88.24 ± 1.20% and EIEC at 94.37 ± 0.70%. The intestinal load of bacteria in the nematodes was found to be 7.65 × 10(4) ± 8.83 × 10(3) and 2.92 × 10(4) ± 6.26 × 10(3) CFU ml(-1) per nematode for Shigella and EIEC, respectively. Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 which carries the Shiga toxin showed the lowest nematode survival rate at 82.6 ± 3.97% and highest bacterial colonization of 1.75 × 10(5) ± 8.17 × 10(4) CFU ml(-1), whereas a virulence plasmid-negative Shigella strain demonstrated 100 ± 0% nematode survival and lowest bacterial accumulation of 1.02 × 10(4) ± 7.23 × 10(2) CFU ml(-1). This study demonstrates C. elegans as an effective model for examining and comparing Shigella and EIEC virulence variation. © FEMS 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Infection and cross-infection in a Paediatric Gastro-enteritis unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Bowen Jones

    1989-09-01

    Full Text Available A two month study to investigate the incidence o f nosocomial infection was conducted in a paediatric gastroenteritis ward o f a black academic hospital. Enteric pathogens were identified on admission in 61 (47,2% o f 129 patients; 56 bacterial and 25 viral. Six per cent o f patients had a combination o f bacterial and viral pathogens. Enteric pathogens most frequently identified on admission were Campylobacter jejuni in 22%, Rotavirus in 19,3%, EPEC in 10,8% and Shigella spp. in 6,9% patients. Twenty six (20% patients had more than 1 enteric pathogen. The nosocomial infection rate was recorded at 17,1%. EPEC occurred most commonly in 5,3% patients, Salmonella typhimurium in 4,6% and Shigella spp. in 2,3%. Nosocomial infections increased the mean length o f hospital stay from 7,2- 20,2 days. Contributory factors to the spread o f nosocomial infection were the unsatisfactory methods o f bathing patients and giving naso-gastric feeds.

  4. Antimicrobial Resistance Percentages of Salmonella and Shigella in Seafood Imported to Jordan: Higher Percentages and More Diverse Profiles in Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obaidat, Mohammad M; Bani Salman, Alaa E

    2017-03-01

    This study determined the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of human-specific ( Shigella spp.) and zoonotic ( Salmonella enterica ) foodborne pathogens in internationally traded seafood. Sixty-four Salmonella and 61 Shigella isolates were obtained from 330 imported fresh fish samples from Egypt, Yemen, and India. The pathogens were isolated on selective media, confirmed by PCR, and tested for antimicrobial resistance. Approximately 79 and 98% of the Salmonella and Shigella isolates, respectively, exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial, and 8 and 49% exhibited multidrug resistance (resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes). Generally, Salmonella exhibited high resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cephalothin, streptomycin, and ampicillin; very low resistance to kanamycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and ciprofloxacin; and no resistance to ceftriaxone. Meanwhile, Shigella spp. exhibited high resistance to tetracycline, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cephalothin, streptomycin, and ampicillin; low resistance to kanamycin, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and ceftriaxone; and very low resistance to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. Salmonella isolates exhibited 14 resistance profiles, Shigella isolates 42. This study is novel in showing that a human-specific pathogen has higher antimicrobial resistance percentages and more diverse profiles than a zoonotic pathogen. Thus, the impact of antimicrobial use in humans is as significant as, if not more significant than, it is in animals in spreading antibiotic resistance through food. This study also demonstrates that locally derived antimicrobial resistance can spread and pose a public health risk worldwide through seafood trade and that high resistance would make a possible outbreak difficult to control. So, capacity building and monitoring harvest water areas are encouraged in fish producing countries.

  5. Shigella isolates from the global enteric multicenter study inform vaccine development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livio, Sofie; Strockbine, Nancy A; Panchalingam, Sandra; Tennant, Sharon M; Barry, Eileen M; Marohn, Mark E; Antonio, Martin; Hossain, Anowar; Mandomando, Inacio; Ochieng, John B; Oundo, Joseph O; Qureshi, Shahida; Ramamurthy, Thandavarayan; Tamboura, Boubou; Adegbola, Richard A; Hossain, Mohammed Jahangir; Saha, Debasish; Sen, Sunil; Faruque, Abu Syed Golam; Alonso, Pedro L; Breiman, Robert F; Zaidi, Anita K M; Sur, Dipika; Sow, Samba O; Berkeley, Lynette Y; O'Reilly, Ciara E; Mintz, Eric D; Biswas, Kousick; Cohen, Dani; Farag, Tamer H; Nasrin, Dilruba; Wu, Yukun; Blackwelder, William C; Kotloff, Karen L; Nataro, James P; Levine, Myron M

    2014-10-01

    Shigella, a major diarrheal disease pathogen worldwide, is the target of vaccine development. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) investigated burden and etiology of moderate-to-severe diarrheal disease in children aged Shigella was 1 of the 4 most common pathogens across sites and age strata. GEMS Shigella serotypes are reviewed to guide vaccine development. Subjects' stool specimens/rectal swabs were transported to site laboratories in transport media and plated onto xylose lysine desoxycholate and MacConkey agar. Suspect Shigella colonies were identified by biochemical tests and agglutination with antisera. Shigella isolates were shipped to the GEMS Reference Laboratory (Baltimore, MD) for confirmation and serotyping of S. flexneri; one-third of isolates were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for quality control. Shigella dysenteriae and S. boydii accounted for 5.0% and 5.4%, respectively, of 1130 Shigella case isolates; S. flexneri comprised 65.9% and S. sonnei 23.7%. Five serotypes/subserotypes comprised 89.4% of S. flexneri, including S. flexneri 2a, S. flexneri 6, S. flexneri 3a, S. flexneri 2b, and S. flexneri 1b. A broad-spectrum Shigella vaccine must protect against S. sonnei and 15 S. flexneri serotypes/subserotypes. A quadrivalent vaccine with O antigens from S. sonnei, S. flexneri 2a, S. flexneri 3a, and S. flexneri 6 can provide broad direct coverage against these most common serotypes and indirect coverage against all but 1 (rare) remaining subserotype through shared S. flexneri group antigens. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

  6. Early infection and prognosis after acute stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kammersgaard, L P; Jørgensen, H S; Reith, J

    2001-01-01

    Infection is a frequent complication in the early course of acute stroke and may adversely affect stroke outcome. In the present study, we investigate early infection developing in patients within 3 days of admission to the hospital and its independent relation to recovery and stroke outcome....... In addition, we identify predictors for early infections, infection subtypes, and their relation to initial stroke severity....

  7. The common structural architecture of Shigella flexneri and Salmonella typhimurium type three secretion needles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Philippe Demers

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The Type Three Secretion System (T3SS, or injectisome, is a macromolecular infection machinery present in many pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. It consists of a basal body, anchored in both bacterial membranes, and a hollow needle through which effector proteins are delivered into the target host cell. Two different architectures of the T3SS needle have been previously proposed. First, an atomic model of the Salmonella typhimurium needle was generated from solid-state NMR data. The needle subunit protein, PrgI, comprises a rigid-extended N-terminal segment and a helix-loop-helix motif with the N-terminus located on the outside face of the needle. Second, a model of the Shigella flexneri needle was generated from a high-resolution 7.7-Å cryo-electron microscopy density map. The subunit protein, MxiH, contains an N-terminal α-helix, a loop, another α-helix, a 14-residue-long β-hairpin (Q51-Q64 and a C-terminal α-helix, with the N-terminus facing inward to the lumen of the needle. In the current study, we carried out solid-state NMR measurements of wild-type Shigella flexneri needles polymerized in vitro and identified the following secondary structure elements for MxiH: a rigid-extended N-terminal segment (S2-T11, an α-helix (L12-A38, a loop (E39-P44 and a C-terminal α-helix (Q45-R83. Using immunogold labeling in vitro and in vivo on functional needles, we located the N-terminus of MxiH subunits on the exterior of the assembly, consistent with evolutionary sequence conservation patterns and mutagenesis data. We generated a homology model of Shigella flexneri needles compatible with both experimental data: the MxiH solid-state NMR chemical shifts and the state-of-the-art cryoEM density map. These results corroborate the solid-state NMR structure previously solved for Salmonella typhimurium PrgI needles and establish that Shigella flexneri and Salmonella typhimurium subunit proteins adopt a conserved structure and orientation in their

  8. Gene decay in Shigella as an incipient stage of host-adaptation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye Feng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many facultative bacterial pathogens have undergone extensive gene decay processes, possibly due to lack of selection pressure during evolutionary conversion from free-living to intracellular lifestyle. Shigella, the causative agents of human shigellosis, have arisen from different E. coli-like ancestors independently by convergent paths. As these bacteria all have lost large numbers of genes by mutation or deletion, they can be used as ideal models for systematically studying the process of gene function loss in different bacteria living under similar selection pressures. METHODOLOGIES/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We compared the sequenced Shigella genomes and re-defined decayed genes (pseudogenes plus deleted genes in these bacteria. Altogether, 85 genes are commonly decayed in the five analyzed Shigella strains and 1456 genes are decayed in at least one Shigella strain. Genes coding for carbon utilization, cell motility, transporter or membrane proteins are prone to be inactivated. Decayed genes tend to concentrate in certain operons rather than distribute averagely across the whole genome. Genes in the decayed operon accumulated more non-synonymous mutations than the rest genes and meanwhile have lower expression levels. CONCLUSIONS: Different Shigella lineages underwent convergent gene decay processes, and inactivation of one gene would lead to a lesser selection pressure for the other genes in the same operon. The pool of superfluous genes for Shigella may contain at least two thousand genes and the gene decay processes may still continue in Shigella until a minimum genome harboring only essential genes is reached.

  9. The burden of acute respiratory infections in Ecuador 2011-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chicaiza-Ayala, Wilson; Henríquez-Trujillo, Aquiles R; Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Douce, Richard W; Coral-Almeida, Marco

    2018-01-01

    Burden of disease studies intend to improve public health decision-making and to measure social and economic impact in population. The objective of this study was to describe the burden of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Ecuador between 2011 and 2015. Five-year period morbidity and mortality data available from national agencies of statistics was analyzed to estimate the burden of disease attributable to acute respiratory infections. Cases and deaths registered were grouped according to their ICD-10 code into three diagnostic groups: Acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06), Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18), and Bronchitis and other acute lower respiratory infections (J20-J22, J85, J86). Disability-adjusted life years stratified by diagnostic and age group were calculated using the "DALY" package for R. The productivity loss in monetary terms was estimated using the human capital method. Over the 5-year period studied there were a total of 14.84 million cases of acute respiratory infections, with 17 757 deaths reported (0.12%). The yearly burden of disease ranged between 98 944 to 118 651 disability-adjusted life years, with an estimated average loss of productivity of US$152.16 million (±19.6) per year. Approximately 99% of the burden can be attributed to years life lost due to premature mortality in population under 5 years old and over 60 years-old. The burden of acute respiratory infections remained steady during the analyzed period. Evidence-based prevention and control policies to tackle acute respiratory infections in Ecuador should focus on the population at extreme ages of life.

  10. Rapid and reliable discrimination between Shigella species and Escherichia coli using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paauw, Armand; Jonker, Debby; Roeselers, Guus; Heng, Jonathan M E; Mars-Groenendijk, Roos H; Trip, Hein; Molhoek, E Margo; Jansen, Hugo-Jan; van der Plas, Jan; de Jong, Ad L; Majchrzykiewicz-Koehorst, Joanna A; Speksnijder, Arjen G C L

    2015-01-01

    E. coli-Shigella species are a cryptic group of bacteria in which the Shigella species are distributed within the phylogenetic tree of E. coli. The nomenclature is historically based and the discrimination of these genera developed as a result of the epidemiological need to identify the cause of shigellosis, a severe disease caused by Shigella species. For these reasons, this incorrect classification of shigellae persists to date, and the ability to rapidly characterize E. coli and Shigella species remains highly desirable. Until recently, existing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) assays used to identify bacteria could not discriminate between E. coli and Shigella species. Here we present a rapid classification method for the E. coli-Shigella phylogroup based on MALDI-TOF MS which is supported by genetic analysis. E. coli and Shigella isolates were collected and genetically characterized by MLVA. A custom reference library for MALDI-TOF MS that represents the genetic diversity of E. coli and Shigella strains was developed. Characterization of E. coli and Shigella species is based on an approach with Biotyper software. Using this reference library it was possible to distinguish between Shigella species and E. coli. Of the 180 isolates tested, 94.4% were correctly classified as E. coli or shigellae. The results of four (2.2%) isolates could not be interpreted and six (3.3%) isolates were classified incorrectly. The custom library extends the existing MALDI-TOF MS method for species determination by enabling rapid and accurate discrimination between Shigella species and E. coli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. Antagonistic activity expressed by Shigella sonnei: identification of a putative new bacteriocin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mireille Angela Bernardes Sousa

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Bacteriocins are antibacterial, proteinaceous substances that mediate microbial dynamics. Bacteriocin production is a highly disseminated property among all major lineages of bacteria, including Shigella. In this paper, we addressed the purification and characterisation of a bacteriocin produced by a Shigella sonnei strain (SS9 isolated from a child with acute diarrhoea. The substance was purified through ammonium-sulphate precipitation and sequential steps of chromatography. The intracellular fraction obtained at 75% ammonium sulphate maintained activity following exposure to pH values from 1-11 and storage at -80ºC for more than two years and was inactivated by high temperatures and proteases. The molecular mass of the purified bacteriocin was determined by mass spectrometry to be 18.56 kDa. The N-terminal sequence of the bacteriocin did not match any other antibacterial proteins described. A putative new bacteriocin produced by S. sonnei has been detected. This bacteriocin may represent a newly described protein or a previously described protein with a newly detected function. Considering that SS9 expresses antagonism against other diarrhoeagenic bacteria, the bacteriocin may contribute to S. sonnei virulence and is potentially applicable to either preventing or controlling diarrhoeal disease.

  12. Travel Destinations and Sexual Behavior as Indicators of Antibiotic Resistant Shigella Strains--Victoria, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Courtney R; Sutton, Brett; Valcanis, Mary; Kirk, Martyn; Walker, Cathryn; Lalor, Karin; Stephens, Nicola

    2016-03-15

    Knowledge of relationships between antibiotic susceptibility of Shigella isolates and travel destination or other risk factors can assist clinicians in determining appropriate antibiotic therapy prior to susceptibility testing. We describe relationships between resistance patterns and risk factors for acquisition in Shigella isolates using routinely collected data for notified cases of shigellosis between 2008 and 2012 in Victoria, Australia. We included all shigellosis patients notified during the study period, where Shigella isolates were tested for antimicrobial sensitivity using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute breakpoints. Cases were interviewed to collect data on risk factors, including recent travel. Data were analyzed using Stata 13.1 to examine associations between risk factors and resistant strains. Of the 500 cases of shigellosis, 249 were associated with overseas travel and 210 were locally acquired. Forty-six of 51 isolates of Indian origin displayed decreased susceptibility or resistance to ciprofloxacin. All isolates of Indonesian origin were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Twenty-six travel-related isolates were resistant to all tested oral antimicrobials. Male-to-male sexual contact was the primary risk factor for 80% (120/150) of locally acquired infections among adult males, characterized by distinct periodic Shigella sonnei outbreaks. Clinicians should consider travel destination as a marker for resistance to common antimicrobials in returning travelers, where severe disease requires empirical treatment prior to receipt of individual sensitivity testing results. Repeated outbreaks of locally acquired shigellosis among men who have sex with men highlight the importance of prevention and control measures in this high-risk group. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Effect of guinea pig or monkey colonic mucus on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cells by Shigella flexneri 1b and 2a.

    OpenAIRE

    Dinari, G; Hale, T L; Washington, O; Formal, S B

    1986-01-01

    The effects of guinea pig and rhesus monkey colonic mucus preparations on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cell monolayers by Shigella flexneri serotype 1b, 2a, and 5 strains were investigated. Guinea pig mucus caused agglutination of S. flexneri serotype 1b but not of S. flexneri serotype 2a or 5. Guinea pig mucus also inhibited HeLa cell invasion by S. flexneri serotypes 1b and 2a. Monkey mucus neither agglutinated any Shigella strain nor inhibited HeLa cell invasion.

  14. Kocuria kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Edmond S K; Wong, Chris L P; Lai, Kristi T W; Chan, Edmond C H; Yam, W C; Chan, Angus C W

    2005-07-19

    Kocuria, previously classified into the genus of Micrococcus, is commonly found on human skin. Two species, K. rosea and K. kristinae, are etiologically associated with catheter-related bacteremia. We describe the first case of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis. The microorganism was isolated from the bile of a 56-year old Chinese man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He developed post-operative fever that resolved readily after levofloxacin treatment. Our report of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis expands the clinical spectrum of infections caused by this group of bacteria. With increasing number of recent reports describing the association between Kocuria spp. and infectious diseases, the significance of their isolation from clinical specimens cannot be underestimated. A complete picture of infections related to Kocuria spp. will have to await the documentation of more clinical cases.

  15. Estimating Acute Viral Hepatitis Infections From Nationally Reported Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Stephen; Roberts, Henry; Jiles, Ruth B.; Holmberg, Scott D.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. Because only a fraction of patients with acute viral hepatitis A, B, and C are reported through national surveillance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we estimated the true numbers. Methods. We applied a simple probabilistic model to estimate the fraction of patients with acute hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C who would have been symptomatic, would have sought health care tests, and would have been reported to health officials in 2011. Results. For hepatitis A, the frequencies of symptoms (85%), care seeking (88%), and reporting (69%) yielded an estimate of 2730 infections (2.0 infections per reported case). For hepatitis B, the frequencies of symptoms (39%), care seeking (88%), and reporting (45%) indicated 18 730 infections (6.5 infections per reported case). For hepatitis C, the frequency of symptoms among injection drug users (13%) and those infected otherwise (48%), proportion seeking care (88%), and percentage reported (53%) indicated 17 100 infections (12.3 infections per reported case). Conclusions. These adjustment factors will allow state and local health authorities to estimate acute hepatitis infections locally and plan prevention activities accordingly. PMID:24432918

  16. Shigella Iron Acquisition Systems and their Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yahan; Murphy, Erin R

    2016-01-01

    Survival of Shigella within the host is strictly dependent on the ability of the pathogen to acquire essential nutrients, such as iron. As an innate immune defense against invading pathogens, the level of bio-available iron within the human host is maintained at exceeding low levels, by sequestration of the element within heme and other host iron-binding compounds. In response to sequestration mediated iron limitation, Shigella produce multiple iron-uptake systems that each function to facilitate the utilization of a specific host-associated source of nutrient iron. As a mechanism to balance the essential need for iron and the toxicity of the element when in excess, the production of bacterial iron acquisition systems is tightly regulated by a variety of molecular mechanisms. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the iron-uptake systems produced by Shigella species, their distribution within the genus, and the molecular mechanisms that regulate their production.

  17. Isolation of Salmonella and Shigella species from house flies ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Salmonella and Shigella species were isolated from House flies (Musca domestica L.) from various sampling sites using selective media. Out of 34 pooled samples Shigella species were isolated in all (100%) of the samples while Salmonella species were isolated in 21 (61.7%) of the samples. The flies pooled from the ...

  18. Antimicrobial resistence of Shigella species isolated during 2004 and 2005 from selected sites in Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndlovu, N; Tarupiwa, A; Mudzori, J T

    2006-01-01

    To determine the predominant serotype and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Shigella isolates during 2004 and 2005 in Zimbabwe. Cross sectional study. National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL), Harare, Zimbabwe. 259 clinical isolates of Shigella species isolated during 2004 and 2005 in Zimbabwe were studied. These samples had been referred to the NMRL for further testing. Serotype and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Shigella species. Of the 259 clinical isolates of Shigella tested the following species were serotyped; 141 (54.4%) were S. flexneri; 70 (27%) S. sonnei; 38 (14.7%) S. dysenteriae and 10 (3.9%) S. boydii. About 4% of all Shigella isolates tested showed full sensitivity to commonly used antibiotics, 20.8% were resistant to one antibiotic only while 75.3% were resistant to at least two antibiotics. The most common resistance among Shigella species was to cotrimoxazole (89%), tetracycline (73%), ampicillin (49%) and chloramphenicol (41%). High susceptibility among Shigella species was observed to nalidixic acid (86%), ciprofloxacin (99%) and ceftazidine (99%). There was a low drug resistance of Shigella species to nalidixic acid, a drug of choice in Zimbabwe, except among Shigella dysenteriae type 1 strains. Continuous monitoring of the susceptibility patterns of Shigella species is important in order to detect the emergence of drug resistance and to update guidelines for antibiotic treatment in shigellosis.

  19. Kocuria kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan Edmond CH

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Kocuria, previously classified into the genus of Micrococcus, is commonly found on human skin. Two species, K. rosea and K. kristinae, are etiologically associated with catheter-related bacteremia. Case presentation We describe the first case of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis. The microorganism was isolated from the bile of a 56-year old Chinese man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He developed post-operative fever that resolved readily after levofloxacin treatment. Conclusion Our report of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis expands the clinical spectrum of infections caused by this group of bacteria. With increasing number of recent reports describing the association between Kocuria spp. and infectious diseases, the significance of their isolation from clinical specimens cannot be underestimated. A complete picture of infections related to Kocuria spp. will have to await the documentation of more clinical cases.

  20. Acute Sleep Deprivation Enhances Post-Infection Sleep and Promotes Survival during Bacterial Infection in Drosophila

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Tzu-Hsing; Williams, Julie A.

    2014-01-01

    Study Objectives: Sleep is known to increase as an acute response to infection. However, the function of this behavioral response in host defense is not well understood. To address this problem, we evaluated the effect of acute sleep deprivation on post-infection sleep and immune function in Drosophila. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: Drosophila melanogaster. Methods and Results: Flies were subjected to sleep deprivation before (early DEP) or after (late DEP) bacterial infection. Relative to a non-deprived control, flies subjected to early DEP had enhanced sleep after infection as well as increased bacterial clearance and survival outcome. Flies subjected to late DEP experienced enhanced sleep following the deprivation period, and showed a modest improvement in survival outcome. Continuous DEP (early and late DEP) throughout infection also enhanced sleep later during infection and improved survival. However, improved survival in flies subjected to late or continuous DEP did not occur until after flies had experienced sleep. During infection, both early and late DEP enhanced NFκB transcriptional activity as measured by a luciferase reporter (κB-luc) in living flies. Early DEP also increased NFκB activity prior to infection. Flies that were deficient in expression of either the Relish or Dif NFκB transcription factors showed normal responses to early DEP. However, the effect of early DEP on post-infection sleep and survival was abolished in double mutants, which indicates that Relish and Dif have redundant roles in this process. Conclusions: Acute sleep deprivation elevated NFκB-dependent activity, increased post-infection sleep, and improved survival during bacterial infection. Citation: Kuo TH, Williams JA. Acute sleep deprivation enhances post-infection sleep and promotes survival during bacterial infection in Drosophila. SLEEP 2014;37(5):859-869. PMID:24790264

  1. Risk factors for acute surgical site infections after lumbar surgery: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Qi; Song, Quanwei; Guo, Runsheng; Bi, Haidi; Liu, Xuqiang; Yu, Xiaolong; Zhu, Jianghao; Dai, Min; Zhang, Bin

    2017-07-19

    Currently, many scholars are concerned about the treatment of postoperative infection; however, few have completed multivariate analyses to determine factors that contribute to the risk of infection. Therefore, we conducted a multivariate analysis of a retrospectively collected database to analyze the risk factors for acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery, including fracture fixation, lumbar fusion, and minimally invasive lumbar surgery. We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who underwent lumbar surgery between 2014 and 2016, including lumbar fusion, internal fracture fixation, and minimally invasive surgery in our hospital's spinal surgery unit. Patient demographics, procedures, and wound infection rates were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. Twenty-six patients (2.81%) experienced acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery in our study. The patients' mean body mass index, smoking history, operative time, blood loss, draining time, and drainage volume in the acute surgical site infection group were significantly different from those in the non-acute surgical site infection group (p operative type in the acute surgical site infection group were significantly different than those in the non-acute surgical site infection group (p operative type, operative time, blood loss, and drainage time were independent predictors of acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery. In order to reduce the risk of infection following lumbar surgery, patients should be evaluated for the risk factors noted above.

  2. [Antibiotic prescribing in acute respiratory tract infections in general practice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malo, S; Bjerrum, L; Feja, C; Lallana, M J; Poncel, A; Rabanaque, M J

    2015-06-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide threat to public health. Acute respiratory tract infections are the main reason for antibiotic prescribing in the Spanish paediatric population. The aim of the study was to describe the frequency of antibiotic prescription and their pattern of use in acute respiratory tract infections diagnosed in children in Primary Care in Aragón (Spain). A study was conducted over a 1-year period on children between 0 and 14 years-old, recording all episodes of acute otitis, acute pharyngotonsillitis, non-specific upper respiratory infection, and acute bronchitis. The proportion of episodes within each diagnosis receiving an antibiotic prescription was calculated, and the prescribing pattern was determined. Half (50%) of the children in Aragón were diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection during the study period. Non-specific upper respiratory infection was the most frequent diagnosis. An antibiotic was prescribed in 75% of pharyngotonsillitis episodes, 72% of otitis, 27% of bronchitis, and 16% of non-specific upper respiratory infections. Broad spectrum antibiotics, mainly amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic, were predominantly prescribed. Antibiotic prescribing in respiratory tract infections in children was generally high, and the choice of antibiotics was probably inappropriate in a high percentage of cases. Therefore an improvement in antibiotic prescribing in children appears to be needed. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Identification of novel substrates of Shigella T3SA through analysis of its virulence plasmid-encoded secretome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinaud, Laurie; Ferrari, Mariana L.; Friedman, Robin; Jehmlich, Nico; von Bergen, Martin; Phalipon, Armelle; Sansonetti, Philippe J.

    2017-01-01

    Many human Gram-negative bacterial pathogens express a Type Three Secretion Apparatus (T3SA), including among the most notorious Shigella spp., Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). These bacteria express on their surface multiple copies of the T3SA that mediate the delivery into host cells of specific protein substrates critical to pathogenesis. Shigella spp. are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens responsible for human bacillary dysentery. The effector function of several Shigella T3SA substrates has largely been studied but their potential cellular targets are far from having been comprehensively delineated. In addition, it is likely that some T3SA substrates have escaped scrutiny as yet. Indeed, sequencing of the virulence plasmid of Shigella flexneri has revealed numerous open reading frames with unknown functions that could encode additional T3SA substrates. Taking advantage of label-free mass spectrometry detection of proteins secreted by a constitutively secreting strain of S. flexneri, we identified five novel substrates of the T3SA. We further confirmed their secretion through the T3SA and translocation into host cells using β-lactamase assays. The coding sequences of two of these novel T3SA substrates (Orf13 and Orf131a) have a guanine-cytosine content comparable to those of T3SA components and effectors. The three other T3SA substrates identified (Orf48, Orf86 and Orf176) have significant homology with antitoxin moieties of type II Toxin-Antitoxin systems usually implicated in the maintenance of low copy plasmids. While Orf13 and Orf131a might constitute new virulence effectors contributing to S. flexneri pathogenicity, potential roles for the translocation into host cells of antitoxins or antitoxin-like proteins during Shigella infection are discussed. PMID:29073283

  4. Identification of novel substrates of Shigella T3SA through analysis of its virulence plasmid-encoded secretome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurie Pinaud

    Full Text Available Many human Gram-negative bacterial pathogens express a Type Three Secretion Apparatus (T3SA, including among the most notorious Shigella spp., Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC. These bacteria express on their surface multiple copies of the T3SA that mediate the delivery into host cells of specific protein substrates critical to pathogenesis. Shigella spp. are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens responsible for human bacillary dysentery. The effector function of several Shigella T3SA substrates has largely been studied but their potential cellular targets are far from having been comprehensively delineated. In addition, it is likely that some T3SA substrates have escaped scrutiny as yet. Indeed, sequencing of the virulence plasmid of Shigella flexneri has revealed numerous open reading frames with unknown functions that could encode additional T3SA substrates. Taking advantage of label-free mass spectrometry detection of proteins secreted by a constitutively secreting strain of S. flexneri, we identified five novel substrates of the T3SA. We further confirmed their secretion through the T3SA and translocation into host cells using β-lactamase assays. The coding sequences of two of these novel T3SA substrates (Orf13 and Orf131a have a guanine-cytosine content comparable to those of T3SA components and effectors. The three other T3SA substrates identified (Orf48, Orf86 and Orf176 have significant homology with antitoxin moieties of type II Toxin-Antitoxin systems usually implicated in the maintenance of low copy plasmids. While Orf13 and Orf131a might constitute new virulence effectors contributing to S. flexneri pathogenicity, potential roles for the translocation into host cells of antitoxins or antitoxin-like proteins during Shigella infection are discussed.

  5. [Molecular characteristics of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat in Shigella].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Zerun; Wang, Yingfang; Duan, Guangcai; Yang, Haiyan; Xi, Yuanlin; Wang, Pengfei; Wang, Linlin; Guo, Xiangjiao

    2015-08-01

    To detect the molecular characteristics of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) in Shigella and to analyze the distribution of CRISPR related to the time of isolation. Of the 52 Shigella strains, 41 were isolated from Henan, 6 from Jiangxi and 5 isolated from Beijing. Both CRISPR locus of S1, S2, S3 and S4 in Shigella were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were sequenced and compared. The positive rates of CRISPR locus in Shigella were 33.69% (S1), 50.00% (S2), 82.69% (S3) and 73.08% (S4), respectively. Two subtypes were discovered in S1 and S3 locus. Three subtypes were discovered in S2 locus. Four different subtypes were discovered in S4 locus. The isolates from Henan strains were divided into two groups by the time of isolation. Distributions of S1 were different, before or after 2004, on Shigella. S1 could not be detected after 2004. There were no statistical differences of S2, S3 and S4 in two groups. Different CRISPR subtypes or Shigella were discovered. A significant correlation was noticed between the CRISPR S1 related to the time of isolation but not between S2, S3 or S4 on the time of isolation.

  6. Susceptibility of bacteria isolated from acute gastrointestinal infections to rifaximin and other antimicrobial agents in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novoa-Farías, O; Frati-Munari, A C; Peredo, M A; Flores-Juárez, S; Novoa-García, O; Galicia-Tapia, J; Romero-Carpio, C E

    2016-01-01

    Bacterial resistance may hamper the antimicrobial management of acute gastroenteritis. Bacterial susceptibility to rifaximin, an antibiotic that achieves high fecal concentrations (up to 8,000μg/g), has not been evaluated in Mexico. To determine the susceptibility to rifaximin and other antimicrobial agents of enteropathogenic bacteria isolated from patients with acute gastroenteritis in Mexico. Bacterial strains were analyzed in stool samples from 1,000 patients with diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis. The susceptibility to rifaximin (RIF) was tested by microdilution (<100, <200, <400 and <800μg/ml) and susceptibility to chloramphenicol (CHL), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (T-S), neomycin (NEO), furazolidone (FUR), fosfomycin (FOS), ampicillin (AMP) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) was tested by agar diffusion at the concentrations recommended by the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute and the American Society for Microbiology. Isolated bacteria were: enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) (EPEC) 531, Shigella 120, non-Typhi Salmonella 117, Aeromonas spp. 80, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) 54, Yersinia enterocolitica 20, Campylobacter jejuni 20, Vibrio spp. 20, Plesiomonas shigelloides 20, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC 0:157) 18. The overall cumulative susceptibility to RIF at <100, <200, <400, and <800μg/ml was 70.6, 90.8, 99.3, and 100%, respectively. The overall susceptibility to each antibiotic was: AMP 32.2%, T-S 53.6%, NEO 54.1%, FUR 64.7%, CIP 67.3%, CLO 73%, and FOS 81.3%. The susceptibility to RIF <400 and RIF <800μg/ml was significantly greater than with the other antibiotics (p<0.001). Resistance of enteropathogenic bacteria to various antibiotics used in gastrointestinal infections is high. Rifaximin was active against 99-100% of these enteropathogens at reachable concentrations in the intestine with the recommended dose. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  7. Acute pulmonary infections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juhl, J.H.

    1987-01-01

    Acute pulmonary infection may be caused by a variety of organisms. In some instances they produce a reasonably characteristic, gross pathologic pattern and, therefore, a recognizable roentgenographic pattern. In the subsequent discussions the most common gross anatomic findings in the pneumonias of various causes as reflected in chest roentgenograms will be described. The roentgenographic manifestations of pulmonary infections are so varied that the pattern observed often gives us little information regarding the causative organism. Therefore, in each instance it should be remembered that roentgenographic findings must be correlated with clinical, bacteriological, and laboratory data to ascertain the correct etiologic diagnosis upon which treatment is based. The role of the radiologist is to locate and define the extent of the disease and any complicating findings such as lung abscess and pleural effusion or empyema

  8. Complete genome sequence of Shigella flexneri 5b and comparison with Shigella flexneri 2a

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue Ying

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Shigella bacteria cause dysentery, which remains a significant threat to public health. Shigella flexneri is the most common species in both developing and developed countries. Five Shigella genomes have been sequenced, revealing dynamic and diverse features. To investigate the intra-species diversity of S. flexneri genomes further, we have sequenced the complete genome of S. flexneri 5b strain 8401 (abbreviated Sf8401 and compared it with S. flexneri 2a (Sf301. Results The Sf8401 chromosome is 4.5-Mb in size, a little smaller than that of Sf301, mainly because the former lacks the SHI-1 pathogenicity island (PAI. Compared with Sf301, there are 6 inversions and one translocation in Sf8401, which are probably mediated by insertion sequences (IS. There are clear differences in the known PAIs between these two genomes. The bacteriophage SfV segment remaining in SHI-O of Sf8401 is clearly larger than the remnants of bacteriophage SfII in Sf301. SHI-1 is absent from Sf8401 but a specific related protein is found next to the pheV locus. SHI-2 is involved in one intra-replichore inversion near the origin of replication, which may change the expression of iut/iuc genes. Moreover, genes related to the glycine-betaine biosynthesis pathway are present only in Sf8401 among the known Shigella genomes. Conclusion Our data show that the two S. flexneri genomes are very similar, which suggests a high level of structural and functional conservation between the two serotypes. The differences reflect different selection pressures during evolution. The ancestor of S. flexneri probably acquired SHI-1 and SHI-2 before SHI-O was integrated and the serotypes diverged. SHI-1 was subsequently deleted from the S. flexneri 5b genome by recombination, but stabilized in the S. flexneri 2a genome. These events may have contributed to the differences in pathogenicity and epidemicity between the two serotypes of S. flexneri.

  9. Detection of human-infective trypanosomes in acutely-infected Jack ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A diagnosis of acute canine African trypanosomosis was made by microscopic examination of blood smear. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) analysis, using primers specifically targeting the human serum resistanceassociated (SRA) gene, revealed a monolytic infection with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense ...

  10. Clustering of acute respiratory infection hospitalizations in childcare facilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Benn, Christine Stabell; Simonsen, Jacob

    2010-01-01

    To estimate how risk of acute respiratory infection (ARI) hospitalization in children attending childcare facilities with a recently (within 1 month) hospitalized child is affected by gender, age and other characteristics.......To estimate how risk of acute respiratory infection (ARI) hospitalization in children attending childcare facilities with a recently (within 1 month) hospitalized child is affected by gender, age and other characteristics....

  11. Severe acute malnutrition and infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Kelsey D J; Berkley, James A

    2014-01-01

    Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is associated with increased severity of common infectious diseases, and death amongst children with SAM is almost always as a result of infection. The diagnosis and management of infection are often different in malnourished versus well-nourished children. The objectives of this brief are to outline the evidence underpinning important practical questions relating to the management of infectious diseases in children with SAM and to highlight research gaps. Overall, the evidence base for many aspects covered in this brief is very poor. The brief addresses antimicrobials; antipyretics; tuberculosis; HIV; malaria; pneumonia; diarrhoea; sepsis; measles; urinary tract infection; nosocomial Infections; soil transmitted helminths; skin infections and pharmacology in the context of SAM. The brief is structured into sets of clinical questions, which we hope will maximise the relevance to contemporary practice. PMID:25475887

  12. Protective immunity by oral immunization with heat-killed Shigella strains in a guinea pig colitis model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barman, Soumik; Koley, Hemanta; Ramamurthy, Thandavarayan; Chakrabarti, Manoj Kumar; Shinoda, Sumio; Nair, Gopinath Balakrish; Takeda, Yoshifumi

    2013-11-01

    The protective efficacy of and immune response to heat-killed cells of monovalent and hexavalent mixtures of six serogroups/serotypes of Shigella strains (Shigella dysenteriae 1, Shigella flexneri 2a, S. flexneri 3a, S. flexneri 6, Shigella boydii 4, and Shigella sonnei) were examined in a guinea pig colitis model. A monovalent or hexavalent mixture containing 1 × 10(7) of each serogroup/serotype of heat-killed Shigella cells was administered orally on Days 0, 7, 14 and 21. On Day 28, the immunized animals were challenged rectally with 1 × 10(9) live virulent cells of each of the six Shigella serogroups/serotypes. In all immunized groups, significant levels of protection were observed after these challenges. The serum titers of IgG and IgA against the lipopolysaccharide of each of the six Shigella serogroups/serotypes increased exponential during the course of immunization. High IgA titers against the lipopolysaccharide of each of the six Shigella serogroups/serotypes were also observed in intestinal lavage fluid from all immunized animals. These data indicate that a hexavalent mixture of heat-killed cells of the six Shigella serogroups/serotypes studied would be a possible broad-spectrum candidate vaccine against shigellosis. © 2013 The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  13. Evaluation of immunogenicity and protective efficacy of orally delivered Shigella type III secretion system proteins IpaB and IpaD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heine, Shannon J; Diaz-McNair, Jovita; Martinez-Becerra, Francisco J; Choudhari, Shyamal P; Clements, John D; Picking, Wendy L; Pasetti, Marcela F

    2013-06-19

    Shigella spp. are food- and water-borne pathogens that cause shigellosis, a severe diarrheal and dysenteric disease that is associated with a high morbidity and mortality in resource-poor countries. No licensed vaccine is available to prevent shigellosis. We have recently demonstrated that Shigella invasion plasmid antigens (Ipas), IpaB and IpaD, which are components of the bacterial type III secretion system (TTSS), can prevent infection in a mouse model of intranasal immunization and lethal pulmonary challenge. Because they are conserved across Shigella spp. and highly immunogenic, these proteins are excellent candidates for a cross-protective vaccine. Ideally, such a vaccine could be administered to humans orally to induce mucosal and systemic immunity. In this study, we investigated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of Shigella IpaB and IpaD administered orally with a double mutant of the Escherichia coli heat labile toxin (dmLT) as a mucosal adjuvant. We characterized the immune responses induced by oral vs. intranasal immunization and the protective efficacy using a mouse pulmonary infection model. Serum IgG and fecal IgA against IpaB were induced after oral immunization. These responses, however, were lower than those obtained after intranasal immunization despite a 100-fold dosage increase. The level of protection induced by oral immunization with IpaB and IpaD was 40%, while intranasal immunization resulted in 90% protective efficacy. IpaB- and IpaD-specific IgA antibody-secreting cells in the lungs and spleen and T-cell-derived IL-2, IL-5, IL-17 and IL-10 were associated with protection. These results demonstrate the immunogenicity of orally administered IpaB and IpaD and support further studies in humans. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Molecular evolution of the nicotinic acid requirement within the Shigella/EIEC pathotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Martino, Maria Letizia; Fioravanti, Rosa; Barbabella, Giada; Prosseda, Gianni; Colonna, Bianca; Casalino, Mariassunta

    2013-12-01

    Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a crucial cofactor in several anabolic and catabolic reactions. NAD derives from quinolinic acid (QUIN) which in Escherichia coli is obtained through a pyridine salvage pathway or a de novo synthesis pathway. In the latter case, two enzymes, L-aspartate oxidase (NadB) and quinolinate synthase (NadA), are required for the synthesis of QUIN. In contrast to its E. coli ancestor, Shigella spp., the causative agent of bacillary dissentery, lacks the de novo pathway and strictly requires nicotinic acid for growth (Nic⁻ phenotype). This phenotype depends on the silencing of the nadB and nadA genes and its pathoadaptive nature is suggested by the observation that QUIN attenuates the Shigella invasive process. Shigella shares the pathogenicity mechanism with enteronvasive E. coli (EIEC), a group of pathogenic E. coli. On the basis of this similarity EIEC and Shigella have been grouped into a single E. coli pathotype. However EIEC strains do not constitute a homogeneous group and do not possess the complete set of characters that define Shigella strains. In this work we have analysed thirteen EIEC strains belonging to different serotypes and originating from different geographic areas. We show that, in contrast to Shigella, only some EIEC strains require nicotinic acid for growth in minimal medium. Moreover, by studying the emergence of the Nic⁻ phenotype in all serotypes of S. flexneri, as well as in S. sonnei and S. dysenteriae, we describe which molecular rearrangements occurred and which mutations are responsible for the inactivation of the nadA and nadB genes. Our data confirm that the genome of Shigella is extremely dynamic and support the hypothesis that EIEC might reflect an earlier stage of the pathoadaptation process undergone by Shigella. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  15. Genetic characterization of Shigella spp. isolated from diarrhoeal and asymptomatic children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Santanu; Pazhani, Gururaja P; Niyogi, Swapan Kumar; Nataro, James P; Ramamurthy, Thandavarayan

    2014-07-01

    Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Shigella spp. isolated from diarrhoeal and asymptomatic children aged up to 5 years were analysed in this study. In total, 91 and 17 isolates were identified from diarrhoeal (case) and asymptomatic (control) children, respectively. All the isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance, the presence of integrons, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR), virulence-associated genes and Shigella pathogenicity island (SH-PAI). The majority of the Shigella spp. from cases (68.1%) and controls (82.3%) were found to be resistant to fluoroquinolones. Integron carriage was detected more in cases (76.9%) than in controls (35.5%). Atypical class 1 integron was detected exclusively in Shigella flexneri from cases but not from the controls. PMQR genes such as aac(6')-Ib-cr and qnrS1 were detected in 82.4 and 14.3% of the isolates from cases and in 53 and 17.6% in controls, respectively. Shigella isolates from cases as well as from controls were positive for the invasive plasmid antigen H-encoding gene ipaH. The other virulence genes such as virF, sat, setA, setB, sen and ial were detected in Shigella isolates in 80.2, 49.4, 27.4, 27.4, 80.2 and 79.1% of cases and in 64.7, 52.9, 17.6, 17.6, 64.7 and 64.7% of controls, respectively. The entire SH-PAI was detected in S. flexneri serotype 2a from cases and controls. In an isolate from a control child, the SH-PAI was truncated. Integrons, PMQR and virulence-encoding genes were detected more frequently in cases than in controls. In diarrhoea endemic areas, asymptomatic carriers may play a crucial role in the transmission of multidrug-resistant Shigella spp. with all the putative virulence genes. © 2014 The Authors.

  16. Antibiotics for the treatment of Cholera, Shigella and Cryptosporidium in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Jai K; Ali, Anum; Salam, Rehana A; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

    2013-01-01

    Diarrhea is a major contributor to the burden of morbidity and mortality in children; it accounts for a median of 11% of all deaths among children aged less than 5 years, amounting to approximately 0.8 million deaths per year. Currently there is a dearth of literature exploring the effectiveness of antibiotics for diarrhea due to Cholera, Shigella and cryptosporidiosis in children. We reviewed the literature reporting the effect of antibiotics for the treatment of diarrhea due to Cholera, Shigella and Cryptosporidium in children under five years. We used a standardized abstraction and grading format and performed meta-analyses to determine the effect of the treatment with various antibiotics on mortality and rates of clinical and bacteriological/parasitological failure. The CHERG Standard Rules were applied to determine the final effect of treatment with antibiotics on diarrhea morbidity and mortality. For Cholera; the evidence was weak to recommend any effect on mortality. For Shigella; there was no data on mortality; either all-cause or cause specific, hence we used clinical failure rates as a proxy for Shigella deaths and propose that treatment of Shigella dysentery with antibiotics can result in a 82% reduction in diarrhea mortality due to Shigella. For cryptosporidiosis; there was data on all-cause mortality but the evidence was weak hence we used clinical failure rates as a proxy for mortality to estimate that antimicrobial treatment of diarrhea due to cryptosporidiosis can result in a 54% reduction in mortality. There is evidence to recommend antibiotic use for reduction of morbidity and mortality due to Cholera, Shigella and Cryptosporidium. We recommend that more clinical trials should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of first- and second- line drugs currently in use for treatment for diarrhea and dysentery in both developing and developed countries.

  17. Frequency of serovars and antimicrobial resistance in Shigella spp. from Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gisele Peirano

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available A total of 296 Shigella spp. were received from State Public Health Laboratories, during the period from 1999 to 2004, by National Reference Laboratory for Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NRLCED - IOC/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The frequency of Shigella spp. was: S. flexneri (52.7%, S. sonnei (44.2%, S. boydii (2.3%, and S. dysenteriae (0.6%. The most frequent S. flexneri serovars were 2a and 1b. The highest incidence rates of Shigella isolation were observed in the Southeast (39% and Northeast (34% regions and the lowest rate in the South (3% of Brazil. Strains were further analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility by disk diffusion method as part of a surveillance program on antimicrobial resistance. The highest rates of antimicrobial resistance were to trimethoprim-sulfamethozaxole (90%, tetracycline (88%, ampicillin (56%, and chloramphenicol (35%. The patterns of antimicrobial resistance among Shigella isolates pose a major difficulty in the determination of an appropriate drug for shigellosis treatment. Continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibilities of Shigella spp. through a surveillance system is thus essential for effective therapy and control measures against shigellosis.

  18. Acute retroviral syndrome in Slovenian patients infected with HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mateja Pirš

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Two to six weeks after primary infection with HIV 50 to 90 percent of patients develop an acute retroviral syndrome which usually presents with mononucleosis or flu-like illness. Due to nonspecific symptoms ARS is frequently misdiagnosed.Patients and methods: Data of Slovenian patients with acute retroviral syndrome is shown, as well as their symptoms, approaches to management and diagnostic particularities of primary HIV infection.Conclusions: The combination of particular symptoms and epidemiological data should lead us to consider the possibility of an early HIV infection.

  19. Characterisation of antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections in Danish general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aabenhus, Rune; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Saust, Laura Trolle

    2017-01-01

    Inappropriate use of antibiotics is contributing to the increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Several Danish guidelines on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in general practice have been issued to promote rational prescribing of antibiotics, however it is unclear...... if these recommendations are followed. We aimed to characterise the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions for patients diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections, by means of electronic prescriptions, labeled with clinical indications, from Danish general practice. Acute respiratory tract infections accounted for 456...... prescription patterns for acute respiratory tract infections by data linkage of clinical indications. The findings confirm that penicillin V is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic agent for treatment of patients with an acute respiratory tract infection in Danish general practice. However, second...

  20. Human bocavirus in children with acute respiratory infections in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Dinh Nguyen; Nguyen, Tran Quynh Nhu; Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Hayakawa, Satoshi; Mizuguchi, Masashi; Ushijima, Hiroshi

    2014-06-01

    Acute respiratory infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Human bocavirus (HBoV), a novel virus, is recognized to increasingly associate with previously unknown etiology respiratory infections in young children. In this study, the epidemiological, clinical, and molecular characteristics of HBoV infections were described in hospitalized Vietnamese pediatric patients. From April 2010 to May 2011, 1,082 nasopharyngeal swab samples were obtained from patients with acute respiratory infections at the Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Samples were screened for HBoV by PCR and further molecularly characterized by sequencing. HBoV was found in 78 (7.2%) children. Co-infection with other viruses was observed in 66.7% of patients infected with HBoV. Children 12-24 months old were the most affected age group. Infections with HBoV were found year-round, though most cases occurred in the dry season (December-April). HBoV was possible to cause severe diseases as determined by higher rates of hypoxia, pneumonia, and longer hospitalization duration in patients with HBoV infection than in those without (P-value infection with HBoV did not affect the disease severity. The phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 gene showed minor variations and all HBoV sequences belonged to species 1 (HBoV1). In conclusion, HBoV1 was circulating in Vietnam and detected frequently in young children during dry season. Acute respiratory infections caused by HBoV1 were severe enough for hospitalization, which implied that HBoV1 may have an important role in acute respiratory infections among children. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. The Comparison of Effect of Human Milk and Powdered Milk on the Shigella dysenteriae Invasion in Cell Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahdeye Azadi Aghdam

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Shigella species are the common etiologic agents of bacterial dysentery. Many epidemiological studies have shown that breastfeeding may protect infants against intestinal infections. Among the components of milk, glycosylated proteins inhibit the adhesion of enteric pathogens in the laboratory. Immunoglobulins mainly secretory immunoglobulin A, glycosylated compounds, and oligosaccharides of breast milk are associated with protection against different intestinal pathogens. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different proteins of breast milk and powdered milk on the invasion of Shigella colonies. Materials and Methods: To accomplish this goal, breast milk samples were provided from two donors in the first 6 months of breastfeeding and powdered milk with different brands were obtained from the market. Then the proteins were extracted by precipitation using ammonium sulfate and dialysis using dialysis bag and protein bands were separated through SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Finally, the obtained milk proteins through Hela cells culture were tested and evaluated for the adhesion and invasion of the Shigella. Results: Our results revealed that the adhesion and invasion of Shigella stains were more inhibited by low concentrations of breast milk proteins in comparison with powdered milk. This concentration was about 2.75 mg/mL for the proteins of breast milk and 0.5 mg/mL for the proteins of powdered milk and this inhibition in different dilutions of breast milk was 71.21% and those of powdered milk was 27.19% in average. There was a significant difference between breast milk and powdered milk (P < 0.5 considering their inhibitory behavior. Conclusion: The results revealed that the components of breast milk inhibit the adhesion and consequently invasion of Shigella and inhibit bacterial dysentery.

  2. UV-C Adaptation of Shigella: Morphological, Outer Membrane Proteins, Secreted Proteins, and Lipopolysaccharides Effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chourabi, Kalthoum; Campoy, Susana; Rodriguez, Jesus A; Kloula, Salma; Landoulsi, Ahmed; Chatti, Abdelwaheb

    2017-11-01

    Water UV disinfection remains extremely important, particularly in developing countries where drinking and reclaimed crop irrigation water may spread devastating infectious diseases. Enteric bacterial pathogens, among which Shigella, are possible contaminants of drinking and bathing water and foods. To study the effect of UV light on Shigella, four strains were exposed to different doses in a laboratory-made irradiation device, given that the ultraviolet radiation degree of inactivation is directly related to the UV dose applied to water. Our results showed that the UV-C rays are effective against all the tested Shigella strains. However, UV-C doses appeared as determinant factors for Shigella eradication. On the other hand, Shigella-survived strains changed their outer membrane protein profiles, secreted proteins, and lipopolysaccharides. Also, as shown by electron microscopy transmission, morphological alterations were manifested by an internal cytoplasm disorganized and membrane envelope breaks. Taken together, the focus of interest of our study is to know the adaptive mechanism of UV-C resistance of Shigella strains.

  3. Intrinsic JNK-MAPK pathway involvement requires daf-16-mediated immune response during Shigella flexneri infection in C. elegans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marudhupandiyan, Shanmugam; Balamurugan, Krishnaswamy

    2017-06-01

    The c-Jun N-terminal kinase-mitogen-activated protein kinase (JNK-MAPK) pathway assists in modulating signals for growth, survival, and metabolism, thereby coordinating many cellular events during normal and stress conditions. To understand the role of the JNK-MAPK pathway during bacterial infection, an in vivo model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was used. In order to check the involvement of the JNK-MAPK pathway, the survival rate of C. elegans wild type (WT), and JNK-MAPK pathway mutant worms' upon exposure to selective Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, was studied. Among the pathogens, Shigella flexneri M9OT was found to efficiently colonize inside the WT and JNK-MAPK pathway mutant worms. qPCR studies had suggested that the above pathway-specific genes kgb-2 and jnk-1 were prominently responsible for the immune response elicited by the host during the M9OT infection. In addition, daf-16, which is a major transcription factor of the insulin/insulin growth factor-1 signaling (IIS) pathway, was also found to be involved during the host response. Crosstalk between IIS and JNK-MAPK pathways has probably been involved in the activation of the host immune system, which consequently leads to lifespan extension. Furthermore, it is also observed that daf-16 activation by JNK-MAPK pathway leads to antimicrobial response, by activating lys-7 expression. These findings suggest that JNK-MAPK is not the sole pathway that enhances the immunity of the host. Nonetheless, the IIS pathway bridges the JNK-MAPK pathway that influences in protecting the host in counter to the M9OT infection.

  4. Acute Appendicitis as the Initial Clinical Presentation of Primary HIV-1 Infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schleimann, Mariane H; Leth, Steffen; Krarup, Astrid R

    2018-01-01

    We report a case of an adolescent who presented at our emergency department with acute abdominal pain. While the initial diagnosis was acute appendicitis, a secondary and coincidental diagnosis of primary HIV-1 infection was made. Concurrent and subsequent clinical and molecular biology findings ...... form the basis of our argument that primary HIV-1 infection was the cause of acute appendicitis in this individual.......We report a case of an adolescent who presented at our emergency department with acute abdominal pain. While the initial diagnosis was acute appendicitis, a secondary and coincidental diagnosis of primary HIV-1 infection was made. Concurrent and subsequent clinical and molecular biology findings...

  5. Acute respiratory infections in elderly people: the role of micronutrients and lifestyle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graat, J.M.

    2003-01-01

    Acute respiratory infections are the most frequent of all infectious diseases. In popular speech common cold, flu (influenza), and pneumonia all denote acute respiratory infections. Elderly people show an increased risk of these infections and their complications. In The Netherlands about 2.000

  6. Sensitive seminested PCR method for the detection of Shigella in spiked environmental water samples

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Theron, J

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available to shigellae and EIEC and implicated in virulent functions, is present in multiple copies on the invasion plasmid and the chromosome (Venkatesan et al., 1989, 1991; Hartman et al., 1990; Hale, 1991). The standard procedure for Shigella spp. detection is based... on isolation of Shigella by selective culture media followed by identi?cation by biochemical tests and agglutination assays (Frankel et al., 1989; June et al., 1993). This process may take 48?72 h or even longer to obtain results. Since shigellae are very...

  7. An assessment of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Shigella vaccine candidates for infants and children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Richard I

    2015-02-18

    Despite improvements to water quality, sanitation, and the implementation of current prevention and treatment interventions, diarrhea remains a major cause of illness and death, especially among children less than five years of age in the developing world. Rotavirus vaccines have already begun making a real impact on diarrhea, but several more enteric vaccines will be necessary to achieve broader reductions of illness and death. Among the many causes of diarrheal disease, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shigella are the two most important bacterial pathogens for which there are no currently licensed vaccines. Vaccines against these two pathogens could greatly reduce the impact of disease caused by these infections. This review describes the approaches to ETEC and Shigella vaccines that are currently under development, including a range of both cellular and subunit approaches for each pathogen. In addition, the review discusses strategies for maximizing the potential benefit of these vaccines, which includes the feasibility of co-administration, consolidation, and combination of vaccine candidates, as well as issues related to effective administration of enteric vaccines to infants. Recent impact studies indicate that ETEC and Shigella vaccines could significantly benefit global public health. Either vaccine, particularly if they could be combined together or with another enteric vaccine, would be an extremely valuable tool for saving lives and promoting the health of infants and children in the developing world, as well as potentially providing protection to travelers and military personnel visiting endemic areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Shigella Sonnei and Shiga Toxin

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2016-07-28

    Katherine Lamba, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the California Department of Public Health, discusses Shiga Toxin producing Shigella sonnei.  Created: 7/28/2016 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 7/28/2016.

  9. Molecular characterization of Shigella spp. from patients in Gabon 2011-2013

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaumburg, Frieder; Alabi, Abraham S.; Kaba, Harry; Lell, Bertrand; Becker, Karsten; Grobusch, Martin P.; Kremsner, Peter G.; Mellmann, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Shigella spp. dysentery is widespread in developing countries; the incidence is particularly high in children between 1-2 years of age. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a paucity of epidemiological data on Shigella spp., with possible negative consequences for recognition and correct treatment choice

  10. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of invasive Shigella flexneri in food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampel, K A; Jagow, J A; Trucksess, M; Hill, W E

    1990-06-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 760-base-pair (bp) fragment with the 220-kbp invasive plasmids of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii, and Shigella sonnei as templates. This PCR product was easily detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. A 210-bp AccI-PstI fragment lying within the amplified region was used as a probe in Southern hybridization blots and showed that the PCR-generated product was derived from the invasive plasmid. The application of PCR as a rapid method to detect enteroinvasive bacteria in foods was tested by inoculating lettuce with 10(4) S. flexneri cells per g in shigella broth base. Plasmid DNA was isolated from cultures of inoculated and uninoculated lettuce in broth after 0, 4, and 24 h of incubation. With the PCR, the 760-bp fragment was generated only from lettuce inoculated with S. flexneri, as shown by gel electrophoresis and confirmed both by Southern blotting and by nucleotide sequencing of the amplified region. Because the isolation of plasmid DNA, the performance of PCR, and gel electrophoresis all can be completed in 6 to 7 h, invasive enteric bacteria can be detected in less than 1 day.

  11. Acute sleep deprivation enhances post-infection sleep and promotes survival during bacterial infection in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Tzu-Hsing; Williams, Julie A

    2014-05-01

    Sleep is known to increase as an acute response to infection. However, the function of this behavioral response in host defense is not well understood. To address this problem, we evaluated the effect of acute sleep deprivation on post-infection sleep and immune function in Drosophila. Laboratory. Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were subjected to sleep deprivation before (early DEP) or after (late DEP) bacterial infection. Relative to a non-deprived control, flies subjected to early DEP had enhanced sleep after infection as well as increased bacterial clearance and survival outcome. Flies subjected to late DEP experienced enhanced sleep following the deprivation period, and showed a modest improvement in survival outcome. Continuous DEP (early and late DEP) throughout infection also enhanced sleep later during infection and improved survival. However, improved survival in flies subjected to late or continuous DEP did not occur until after flies had experienced sleep. During infection, both early and late DEP enhanced NFκB transcriptional activity as measured by a luciferase reporter (κB-luc) in living flies. Early DEP also increased NFκB activity prior to infection. Flies that were deficient in expression of either the Relish or Dif NFκB transcription factors showed normal responses to early DEP. However, the effect of early DEP on post-infection sleep and survival was abolished in double mutants, which indicates that Relish and Dif have redundant roles in this process. Acute sleep deprivation elevated NFκB-dependent activity, increased post-infection sleep, and improved survival during bacterial infection.

  12. Identification of Escherichia coli and Shigella Species from Whole-Genome Sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattaway, Marie A; Schaefer, Ulf; Tewolde, Rediat; Dallman, Timothy J; Jenkins, Claire

    2017-02-01

    Escherichia coli and Shigella species are closely related and genetically constitute the same species. Differentiating between these two pathogens and accurately identifying the four species of Shigella are therefore challenging. The organism-specific bioinformatics whole-genome sequencing (WGS) typing pipelines at Public Health England are dependent on the initial identification of the bacterial species by use of a kmer-based approach. Of the 1,982 Escherichia coli and Shigella sp. isolates analyzed in this study, 1,957 (98.4%) had concordant results by both traditional biochemistry and serology (TB&S) and the kmer identification (ID) derived from the WGS data. Of the 25 mismatches identified, 10 were enteroinvasive E. coli isolates that were misidentified as Shigella flexneri or S. boydii by the kmer ID, and 8 were S. flexneri isolates misidentified by TB&S as S. boydii due to nonfunctional S. flexneri O antigen biosynthesis genes. Analysis of the population structure based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data derived from the WGS data showed that the remaining discrepant results belonged to clonal complex 288 (CC288), comprising both S. boydii and S. dysenteriae strains. Mismatches between the TB&S and kmer ID results were explained by the close phylogenetic relationship between the two species and were resolved with reference to the MLST data. Shigella can be differentiated from E. coli and accurately identified to the species level by use of kmer comparisons and MLST. Analysis of the WGS data provided explanations for the discordant results between TB&S and WGS data, revealed the true phylogenetic relationships between different species of Shigella, and identified emerging pathoadapted lineages. © Crown copyright 2017.

  13. Acute viral infections of the central nervous system, 2014-2016, Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papa, Anna; Papadopoulou, Elpida

    2018-04-01

    In order to investigate the viral etiology of acute infections of central nervous system (CNS), multiplex and single PCRs combined with serology for arboviruses were applied on samples from 132 hospitalized patients in Greece during May 2014-December 2016. A viral pathogen was detected in 52 of 132 (39.4%) cases with acute CNS infection. Enteroviruses predominated (15/52, 28.8%), followed by West Nile virus (9/52, 17.3%). Phleboviruses, varicella-zoster virus, and Epstein-Barr virus accounted for 15.4%, 13.5%, and 11.5% of the cases, respectively. The study gives an insight into the etiology of viral CNS infections in a Mediterranean country, where arboviruses should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute CNS infections. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. USE OF IMMUNOMODULATORS IN ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION TREATMENT IN FREQUENTLY ILL CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.I. Ivardava

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Respiratory infections, relapses of ear, nose, throat infections, acute and chronic bronchial infections — these are the most common infantile infections. Regardless the wide range of medications, treatment of recurrent ENT and respiratory infections is not always effective especially in the group of frequently ill children. This article contains analysis of the necessity of immunomodulation therapy of recurrent respiratory infections as a part of complex prophylaxis and treatment of infants.Key words: children, acute respiratory infection, polyoxidonium, treatment.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2011; 10 (3: 103–107

  15. FENSPIRID FOR CURING ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION OF INFANTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.A. Samsygina

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is about fenspirid (Erespal medication to combat acute respiratory infections (ARI of infants. 94 children aged 1–3 suffering from ARI were observed: of them 64 took fenspirid, 30 children didn't take it (the control group. The research has revealed that fenspirid reduces ARI manifestation even if ARI proceeds along with ordinary or obstructive bronchitis — accordingly, fenspirid can be recommended for a wider usage to cure ARI of infants up to 3 years of age.Key words: fenspirid, infants up to 3 years of age, acute respiratory infection.

  16. Acute hepatitis e viral infection in pregnancy and maternal morbidity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khaskheli, M.N.; Baloch, S.

    2015-01-01

    To determine the maternal morbidity in pregnant women with acute hepatitis E viral infection. Study Design: Observational, cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Red Crescent General Hospital and Saint Elizabeth Hospital, Hyderabad, from January 2011 to December 2013. Methodology: The study population was pregnant women with acute hepatitis E infection confirmed by ELIZA technique. Pregnant women with other hepatic viral infections were excluded. All medical and obstetric conditions, and mortality were noted on the predesigned proforma. Results: Out of the total 45 admitted pregnant women with hepatitis E viral infection, 22 women (48.9%) had severe morbidity. The most common were hepatic coma in 8 (36.36%) cases and disseminated intravascular coagulation in 14 (63.63%) cases. Highest mortality rate was seen in women with hepatic coma (100%), while in those with disseminated intravascular coagulation, one out of the 14 cases (7.14%) died. Conclusion: The acute viral hepatitis E infection in pregnant women is associated with maternal morbidities and high mortality rate. (author)

  17. [Detection of CRISPR and its relationship to drug resistance in Shigella].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Linlin; Wang, Yingfang; Duan, Guangcai; Xue, Zerun; Guo, Xiangjiao; Wang, Pengfei; Xi, Yuanlin; Yang, Haiyan

    2015-04-04

    To detect clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) in Shigella, and to analyze its relationship to drug resistance. Four pairs of primers were used for the detection of convincing CRISPR structures CRISPR-S2 and CRISPR-S4, questionable CRISPR structures CRISPR-S1 and CRISPR-S3 in 60 Shigella strains. All primers were designed using sequences in CRISPR database. CRISPR Finder was used to analyze CRISPR and susceptibilities of Shigella strains were tested by agar diffusion method. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between drug resistance and CRISPR-S4. The positive rate of convincing CRISPR structures was 95%. The four CRISPR loci formed 12 spectral patterns (A-L), all of which contained convincing CRISPR structures except type K. We found one new repeat and 12 new spacers. The multi-drug resistance rate was 53. 33% . We found no significant difference between CRISPR-S4 and drug resistant. However, the repeat sequence of CRISPR-S4 in multi- or TE-resistance strains was mainly R4.1 with AC deletions in the 3' end, and the spacer sequences of CRISPR-S4 in multi-drug resistance strains were mainly Sp5.1, Sp6.1 and Sp7. CRISPR was common in Shigella. Variations df repeat sequences and diversities of spacer sequences might be related to drug resistance in Shigella.

  18. Occurrence of integrons and resistance genes among sulphonamide-resistant Shigella spp. from Brazil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peirano, G.; Agersø, Yvonne; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

    2005-01-01

    Objectives: To determine the occurrence of class 1 and 2 integrons and antimicrobial resistance genes among sulphonamide-resistant Shigella strains isolated in Brazil during 1999-2003. Methods: Sixty-two Shigella (Shigella flexneri, n = 47 and Shigella sonnei, n = 15) were tested against 21...... antimicrobial agents. The presence of integrons classes 1 and 2 and antimicrobial resistance genes was investigated by PCR using specific primers. Results: A total of eight antimicrobial resistance profiles were identified, with the profile of resistance to sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, spectinomycin...... of 2214 bp harbouring a gene cassette array conferring resistance to trimethoprim, streptothricin and spectinomycin/streptomycin. The genes coding for resistance to chloramphenicol (catA1), tetracycline [tet(A) and tet(B)] and ampicillin (bla(OXA) and bla(TEM)), were detected in resistant strains...

  19. Bacterial pathogen spectrum of acute diarrheal outpatients in an urbanized rural district in Southwest China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongming Zhou

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To conduct a one-year pathogen surveillance of acute diarrheal disease based on outpatient clinics in township hospitals in rural Hongta District of Yunnan Province, China. Methods: Fecal specimens of acute diarrhea cases and relevant epidemiological information were collected. Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas shigelloides and diarrheogenic Escherichia coli (DEC were examined. Results: Among the 797 stool specimens sampled, 198 samples (24.8% were positive in pathogen isolation, and 223 strains were isolated. The order of isolation rates from high to low were DEC, Aeromonas, P. shigelloides, Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio. The overall positive rate in middle school students and preschool children was relatively high; while the overall positive rate of less than 1-year-old infants and above 55 years olds was relatively low. The isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. Some cases had the same or very close onset time, and the isolates had similar PFGE patterns, suggesting a possible outbreak once occurred but was not detected by the current infectious disease reporting system. Conclusions: Pathogen infection and transmission in rapidly urbanized rural areas is a serious issue. There is a great need for a more sensitive and accurate mode of monitoring, reporting and outbreak identification of diarrheal disease. Keywords: Diarrheal disease, Diarrheogenic pathogen, Molecular typing, Surveillance, Bacterial pathogen

  20. Nasopharyngeal Protein Biomarkers of Acute Respiratory Virus Infection

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    Thomas W. Burke

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Infection of respiratory mucosa with viral pathogens triggers complex immunologic events in the affected host. We sought to characterize this response through proteomic analysis of nasopharyngeal lavage in human subjects experimentally challenged with influenza A/H3N2 or human rhinovirus, and to develop targeted assays measuring peptides involved in this host response allowing classification of acute respiratory virus infection. Unbiased proteomic discovery analysis identified 3285 peptides corresponding to 438 unique proteins, and revealed that infection with H3N2 induces significant alterations in protein expression. These include proteins involved in acute inflammatory response, innate immune response, and the complement cascade. These data provide insights into the nature of the biological response to viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, and the proteins that are dysregulated by viral infection form the basis of signature that accurately classifies the infected state. Verification of this signature using targeted mass spectrometry in independent cohorts of subjects challenged with influenza or rhinovirus demonstrates that it performs with high accuracy (0.8623 AUROC, 75% TPR, 97.46% TNR. With further development as a clinical diagnostic, this signature may have utility in rapid screening for emerging infections, avoidance of inappropriate antibacterial therapy, and more rapid implementation of appropriate therapeutic and public health strategies.

  1. Preliminary evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction associated with post-infective fatigue after acute infection with Epstein Barr Virus

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    Hickie Ian B

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acute infectious diseases are typically accompanied by non-specific symptoms including fever, malaise, irritability and somnolence that usually resolve on recovery. However, in some individuals these symptoms persist in what is commonly termed post-infective fatigue. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the gene expression correlates of post-infective fatigue following acute Epstein Barr virus (EBV infection. Methods We followed 5 people with acute mononucleosis who developed post-infective fatigue of more than 6 months duration and 5 HLA-matched control subjects who recovered within 3 months. Subjects had peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC samples collected at varying time points including at diagnosis, then every 2 weeks for 3 months, then every 3 months for a year. Total RNA was extracted from the PBMC samples and hybridized to microarrays spotted with 3,800 oligonucleotides. Results Those who developed post-infective fatigue had gene expression profiles indicative of an altered host response during acute mononucleosis compared to those who recovered uneventfully. Several genes including ISG20 (interferon stimulated gene, DNAJB2 (DnaJ [Hsp40] homolog and CD99, CDK8 (cyclin-dependent kinase 8, E2F2 (E2F transcription factor 2, CDK8 (cyclin-dependent kinase 8, and ACTN2 (actinin, alpha 2, known to be regulated during EBV infection, were differentially expressed in post-infective fatigue cases. Several of the differentially expressed genes affect mitochondrial functions including fatty acid metabolism and the cell cycle. Conclusion These preliminary data provide insights into alterations in gene transcripts associated with the varied clinical outcomes from acute infectious mononucleosis.

  2. Acute Kidney Injury Complicated Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in Infancy

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    Gamze Ozgurhan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Infectious mononucleosis is an acute lymphoproliferative disorder caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV and seen most commonly in children and young adults. Clinical presentation of the disease is characterized by fever, tonsillopharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly, whereas serological findings of this benign disorder include positive heterophilic antibody formation (transient increase in heterophilic antibodies and prominence of hematological lymphocytosis of more than 10% of atypical lymphocytes. An EBV infection is usually asymptomatic in childhood, but acute kidney injury can be a rare complication during its course. Most cases recover from the disease completely. Early recognition of EBV infection and estimation of its complication are important for its prognosis. In light of previous literature, we discuss the case evaluated as an EBV infection complicated by acute kidney injury in early childhood and results of tubulointerstitial nephritis shown on a renal biopsy that was later diagnosed as an EBV infection by serological examination.

  3. Transcriptome analysis on Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis during WSSV acute infection.

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    Shihao Li

    Full Text Available Previous studies have discovered a lot of immune-related genes responding to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV infection in crustacean. However, little information is available in relation to underlying mechanisms of host responses during the WSSV acute infection stage in naturally infected shrimp. In this study, we employed next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic techniques to observe the transcriptome differences of the shrimp between latent infection stage and acute infection stage. A total of 64,188,426 Illumina reads, including 31,685,758 reads from the latent infection group and 32,502,668 reads from the acute infection group, were generated and assembled into 46,676 unigenes (mean length: 676 bp; range: 200-15,094 bp. Approximately 24,000 peptides were predicted and classified based on homology searches, gene ontology, clusters of orthologous groups of proteins, and biological pathway mapping. Among which, 805 differentially expressed genes were identified and categorized into 11 groups based on their possible function. Genes in the Toll and IMD pathways, the Ras-activated endocytosis process, the RNA interference pathway, anti-lipopolysaccharide factors and many other genes, were found to be activated in shrimp from latent infection stage to acute infection stage. The anti-bacterially proPO-activating cascade was firstly uncovered to be probably participated in antiviral process. These genes contain not only members playing function in host defense against WSSV, but also genes utilized by WSSV for its rapid proliferation. In addition, the transcriptome data provides detail information for identifying novel genes in absence of the genome database of shrimp.

  4. Household Air Pollution and Acute Lower Respiratory Infections in Adults: A Systematic Review.

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    Hannah Jary

    Full Text Available Household air pollution from solid fuel burning kills over 4 million people every year including half a million children from acute lower respiratory infections. Although biologically plausible, it is not clear whether household air pollution is also associated with acute lower respiratory infections in adults. We systematically reviewed the literature on household air pollution and acute lower respiratory infection in adults to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities.Ten bibliographic databases were searched to identify studies of household air pollution and adult acute lower respiratory infection. Data were extracted from eligible studies using standardised forms.From 4617 titles, 513 abstracts and 72 full-text articles were reviewed. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria of which 2 found a significant adjusted increased risk of acute lower respiratory infection, 2 identified a univariate association whilst 4 found no significant association. Study quality was generally limited. Heterogeneity in methods and findings precluded meta-analysis.A systematic review of the literature found limited evidence for an association between household air pollution and risk of acute lower respiratory infection in adults. Additional research, with carefully defined exposure and outcome measures, is required to complete the risk profile caused by household air pollution in adults.CRD42015028042.

  5. Household Air Pollution and Acute Lower Respiratory Infections in Adults: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jary, Hannah; Simpson, Hope; Havens, Deborah; Manda, Geoffrey; Pope, Daniel; Bruce, Nigel; Mortimer, Kevin

    2016-01-01

    Household air pollution from solid fuel burning kills over 4 million people every year including half a million children from acute lower respiratory infections. Although biologically plausible, it is not clear whether household air pollution is also associated with acute lower respiratory infections in adults. We systematically reviewed the literature on household air pollution and acute lower respiratory infection in adults to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities. Ten bibliographic databases were searched to identify studies of household air pollution and adult acute lower respiratory infection. Data were extracted from eligible studies using standardised forms. From 4617 titles, 513 abstracts and 72 full-text articles were reviewed. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria of which 2 found a significant adjusted increased risk of acute lower respiratory infection, 2 identified a univariate association whilst 4 found no significant association. Study quality was generally limited. Heterogeneity in methods and findings precluded meta-analysis. A systematic review of the literature found limited evidence for an association between household air pollution and risk of acute lower respiratory infection in adults. Additional research, with carefully defined exposure and outcome measures, is required to complete the risk profile caused by household air pollution in adults. CRD42015028042.

  6. Respiratory syncytial virus infection facilitates acute colonization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Vrankrijker, Angélica M M; Wolfs, Tom F W; Ciofu, Oana

    2009-01-01

    virus infections in facilitating colonization and infection with P. aeruginosa. A study was undertaken to determine whether respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection could facilitate the initiation of an acute infection with P. aeruginosa in vivo. Balb/c mice were infected intranasally with P......Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals and patients ventilated mechanically and is the major pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis, in which it causes chronic infections. Epidemiological, in vitro and animal data suggest a role for respiratory....... These results suggest that RSV can facilitate the initiation of acute P. aeruginosa infection without the RSV infection being clinically apparent. This could have implications for treatment strategies to prevent opportunistic P. aeruginosa lung infection....

  7. Development of an Aotus nancymaae Model for Shigella Vaccine Immunogenicity and Efficacy Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregory, Michael; Lugo-Roman, Luis A.; Galvez Carrillo, Hugo; Tilley, Drake Hamilton; Baldeviano, Christian; Simons, Mark P.; Reynolds, Nathanael D.; Ranallo, Ryan T.; Suvarnapunya, Akamol E.; Venkatesan, Malabi M.; Oaks, Edwin V.

    2014-01-01

    Several animal models exist to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of candidate Shigella vaccines. The two most widely used nonprimate models for vaccine development include a murine pulmonary challenge model and a guinea pig keratoconjunctivitis model. Nonhuman primate models exhibit clinical features and gross and microscopic colonic lesions that mimic those induced in human shigellosis. Challenge models for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Campylobacter spp. have been successfully developed with Aotus nancymaae, and the addition of a Shigella-Aotus challenge model would facilitate the testing of combination vaccines. A series of experiments were designed to identify the dose of Shigella flexneri 2a strain 2457T that induces an attack rate of 75% in the Aotus monkey. After primary challenge, the dose required to induce an attack rate of 75% was calculated to be 1 × 1011 CFU. Shigella-specific immune responses were low after primary challenge and subsequently boosted upon rechallenge. However, preexisting immunity derived from the primary challenge was insufficient to protect against the homologous Shigella serotype. A successive study in A. nancymaae evaluated the ability of multiple oral immunizations with live-attenuated Shigella vaccine strain SC602 to protect against challenge. After three oral immunizations, animals were challenged with S. flexneri 2a 2457T. A 70% attack rate was demonstrated in control animals, whereas animals immunized with vaccine strain SC602 were protected from challenge (efficacy of 80%; P = 0.05). The overall study results indicate that the Shigella-Aotus nancymaae challenge model may be a valuable tool for evaluating vaccine efficacy and investigating immune correlates of protection. PMID:24595138

  8. Coxsackievirus A21, Enterovirus 68, and Acute Respiratory Tract Infection, China

    OpenAIRE

    Xiang, Zichun; Gonzalez, Richard; Wang, Zhong; Ren, Lili; Xiao, Yan; Li, Jianguo; Li, Yongjun; Vernet, Guy; Paranhos-Baccalà, Gláucia; Jin, Qi; Wang, Jianwei

    2012-01-01

    During August 2006–April 2010, in Beijing, China, 2 rare human enterovirus serotypes, coxsackievirus A21 and enterovirus 68, were detected most frequently in human enterovirus–positive adults with acute respiratory tract infections. Thus, during some years, these 2 viruses cause a substantial proportion of enterovirus-associated adult acute respiratory tract infections.

  9. Severe asthma exacerbation: role of acute Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosentini, Roberto; Tarsia, Paolo; Canetta, Ciro; Graziadei, Giovanna; Brambilla, Anna Maria; Aliberti, Stefano; Pappalettera, Maria; Tantardini, Francesca; Blasi, Francesco

    2008-05-30

    Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are associated with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma (AEBA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between these acute bacterial infections and the severity of AEBA. We prospectively analysed consecutive patients admitted to the Emergency Department with acute asthma exacerbation. In every patient peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurement was performed on admission, and spirometry during follow-up. Serology for Chlamydophila and Mycoplasma pneumoniae was performed on admission and after 4-8 weeks. Fifty-eight patients completed the study. Acute atypical infections (AAI) was observed in 22/58 cases; we found single acute C. pneumoniae in 19 cases, single acute M. pneumoniae in 2 cases, and double acute infection in one case. Functional impairment on admission was greater in patients with AAI than in patients without AAI (PEF 205 +/- 104 L/min vs 276 +/- 117 p = 0.02) and persisted until visit 2 (FEV1% 76.30 +/- 24.54 vs FEV1% 92.91 +/- 13.89, p = 0.002). Moreover, the proportion of patients who presented with severe AEBA was significantly greater in the group with AAI than in the group without AAI (15/22 vs 12/36, p = 0.01; OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.38-13.32). Our data suggest an association between acute atypical infection and a more severe AEBA.

  10. A course of acute respiratory infections in children with hyperplasia of lymphopharyngeal ring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tkachenko V.Yu.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To study the peculiarities of acute respiratory disease in children, depending on the presence of hyperplasia of lymphopharyngeal ring (HLR. Materials and methods. A total of 100 children 3–6 years old (the average age of 4 years and 10 months with clinical manifestations of acute respiratory infections. Formed two groups of observations: Group 1 — the children who suffering acute respiratory infections in the background HLR (n=50; Group 2 — the children who suffering acute respiratory infections without HLR (n=50. Results. Have HLR is accompanied by an increase in the duration and severity of acute respiratory infections in children of preschool age. In children HLR doubles the risk of complications from acute respiratory infections, and the possibility of various degrees of conductive hearing loss is three times higher than their peers without HLR. In nasal mucous in children with HLR show a more pronounced inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract with the direct participation of bacteria in the pathological process. Conclusions. For children of preschool age the presence of HLR is accompanied by an increase in the duration and severity of acute respiratory disease with the development of bacterial complications.

  11. Cytokine responses in acute and persistent human parvovirus B19 infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isa, A; Lundqvist, A; Lindblom, A

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize the proinflammatory and T helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokine responses during acute parvovirus B19 (B19) infection and determine whether an imbalance of the Th1/Th2 cytokine pattern is related to persistent B19 infection. Cytokines were quantified by multiplex beads...... immunoassay in serum from B19-infected patients and controls. The cytokine responses were correlated with B19 serology, quantitative B19 DNA levels and clinical symptoms. In addition to a proinflammatory response, elevated levels of the Th1 type of cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12 and IL-15 were evident...... at time of the initial peak of B19 viral load in a few patients during acute infection. This pattern was seen in the absence of an interferon (IFN)-gamma response. During follow-up (20-130 weeks post-acute infection) some of these patients had a sustained Th1 cytokine response. The Th1 cytokine response...

  12. The Diagnosis, Evaluation and Treatment of Acute and Recurrent Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becknell, Brian; Schober, Megan; Korbel, Lindsey; Spencer, John David

    2015-01-01

    Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections encountered by pediatricians. Currently, the diagnosis and management of acute urinary tract infection and recurrent urinary tract infection in children remains controversial. Recently published guidelines and large clinical trials have attempted to clarify UTI diagnostic and management strategies. In this manuscript, we review the diagnosis and management of acute and recurrent urinary tract infection in the pediatric population. PMID:25421102

  13. Features associated with underlying HIV infection in severe acute ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    NRUs) in Malawi with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are infected with HIV. There are many similarities in the clinical presentation of SAM and HIV. It is important to identify HIV infected children, in order to improve case management.

  14. Protective effects of simvastatin on coronary artery function in swine with acute infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liuba, Petru; Pesonen, Erkki; Forslid, Anders

    2006-01-01

    cholesterol) between the groups (p>0.2). CONCLUSION:: Acute infection is associated with impairment of the muscarinic and kinin-related reactivity of coronary circulation. These functional abnormalities are in part prevented by simvastatin through mechanisms unrelated to lipid lowering......BACKGROUND:: The risk for coronary events may rise during acute infection. Perturbation in coronary endothelial function emerges as one important link. We investigated whether simvastatin could protect the coronary arterial function from the adverse effects of acute infection in swine. METHODS......:: Coronary endothelium-dependent and -independent vasomotor responses were assessed by Doppler velocimetry in 12 Chlamydia pneumoniae-infected and 6 sham-infected swine 2 weeks after intratracheal inoculation. Half of animals from the infection group were pre-treated with simvastatin (80mg daily), while...

  15. Genomic Circuitry Underlying Immunological Response to Pediatric Acute Respiratory Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henrickson, Sarah E; Manne, Sasikanth; Dolfi, Douglas V; Mansfield, Kathleen D; Parkhouse, Kaela; Mistry, Rakesh D; Alpern, Elizabeth R; Hensley, Scott E; Sullivan, Kathleen E; Coffin, Susan E; Wherry, E John

    2018-01-09

    Acute respiratory tract viral infections (ARTIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality. CD8 T cells are fundamental to host responses, but transcriptional alterations underlying anti-viral mechanisms and links to clinical characteristics remain unclear. CD8 T cell transcriptional circuitry in acutely ill pediatric patients with influenza-like illness was distinct for different viral pathogens. Although changes included expected upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), transcriptional downregulation was prominent upon exposure to innate immune signals in early IFV infection. Network analysis linked changes to severity of infection, asthma, sex, and age. An influenza pediatric signature (IPS) distinguished acute influenza from other ARTIs and outperformed other influenza prediction gene lists. The IPS allowed a deeper investigation of the connection between transcriptional alterations and clinical characteristics of acute illness, including age-based differences in circuits connecting the STAT1/2 pathway to ISGs. A CD8 T cell-focused systems immunology approach in pediatrics identified age-based alterations in ARTI host response pathways. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Interferon therapy of acute respiratory viral infections in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.E. Abaturov

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of nasal spray Laferobionum® (100,000 IU/ml in children with acute respiratory viral infections. Materials and methods. The study included 84 children aged 12 to 18 years. Children of the main group (42 persons received Laferobionum® spray in addition to the standard treatment for acute respiratory viral infections. The drug was administered to children of 12–14 years for 2 spray doses in each nasal passage 4–5 times a day at regular intervals (with the exception of sleep time, children aged 14–18 years received 3 spray-doses per each nasal passage 5–6 times a day at regular intervals (excluding sleep time. The course of treatment for all subjects was 5 days. Children of the control group received standard treatment for acute respiratory viral infections without Laferobionum®. Objective research included: auscultation of the heart and lungs, examination of the skin and mucous membranes, measurement of heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. All patients underwent a general blood test, a general urinalysis, identification of the pathogen using the method of direct immunofluorescence (in smears taken from the nasal passages in the laboratory “Medical Diagnostic Center of Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy”. Results. In the non-epidemic period, the respiratory syncytial virus and adenoviruses were the leading viral pathogens of acute respiratory viral infections. The main clinical manifestations of acute respiratory viral infection in the observed patients were signs of general inflammatory and catarrhal syndromes. All patients had not severe course of the disease. The data of the physical examination performed before the beginning of treatment indicated the absence of clinically significant deviations from the cardiovascular system in the children of the main and control groups. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate in the subjects of both groups were

  17. An integrated approach for finding overlooked genes in Shigella.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junping Peng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The completion of numerous genome sequences introduced an era of whole-genome study. However, many genes are missed during genome annotation, including small RNAs (sRNAs and small open reading frames (sORFs. In order to improve genome annotation, we aimed to identify novel sRNAs and sORFs in Shigella, the principal etiologic agents of bacillary dysentery. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 64 sRNAs in Shigella, which were experimentally validated in other bacteria based on sequence conservation. We employed computer-based and tiling array-based methods to search for sRNAs, followed by RT-PCR and northern blots, to identify nine sRNAs in Shigella flexneri strain 301 (Sf301 and 256 regions containing possible sRNA genes. We found 29 candidate sORFs using bioinformatic prediction, array hybridization and RT-PCR verification. We experimentally validated 557 (57.9% DOOR operon predictions in the chromosomes of Sf301 and 46 (76.7% in virulence plasmid.We found 40 additional co-expressed gene pairs that were not predicted by DOOR. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We provide an updated and comprehensive annotation of the Shigella genome. Our study increased the expected numbers of sORFs and sRNAs, which will impact on future functional genomics and proteomics studies. Our method can be used for large scale reannotation of sRNAs and sORFs in any microbe with a known genome sequence.

  18. Severe asthma exacerbation: role of acute Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

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    Pappalettera Maria

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are associated with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma (AEBA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between these acute bacterial infections and the severity of AEBA. Methods We prospectively analysed consecutive patients admitted to the Emergency Department with acute asthma exacerbation. In every patient peak expiratory flow (PEF measurement was performed on admission, and spirometry during follow-up. Serology for Chlamydophila and Mycoplasma pneumoniae was performed on admission and after 4–8 weeks. Results Fifty-eight patients completed the study. Acute atypical infections (AAI was observed in 22/58 cases; we found single acute C. pneumoniae in 19 cases, single acute M. pneumoniae in 2 cases, and double acute infection in one case. Functional impairment on admission was greater in patients with AAI than in patients without AAI (PEF 205 ± 104 L/min vs 276 ± 117 p = 0.02 and persisted until visit 2 (FEV1% 76.30 ± 24.54 vs FEV1% 92.91 ± 13.89, p = 0.002. Moreover, the proportion of patients who presented with severe AEBA was significantly greater in the group with AAI than in the group without AAI (15/22 vs 12/36, p = 0.01; OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.38–13.32. Conclusion Our data suggest an association between acute atypical infection and a more severe AEBA.

  19. Role of the SRRz/Rz1 lambdoid lysis cassette in the pathoadaptive evolution of Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leuzzi, Adriano; Grossi, Milena; Di Martino, Maria Letizia; Pasqua, Martina; Micheli, Gioacchino; Colonna, Bianca; Prosseda, Gianni

    2017-06-01

    Shigella, the etiological agent of bacillary dysentery (shigellosis), is a highly adapted human pathogen. It evolved from an innocuous ancestor resembling the Escherichia coli strain by gain and loss of genes and functions. While the gain process concerns the acquisition of the genetic determinants of virulence, the loss is related to the adaptation of the genome to the new pathogenic status and occurs by pathoadaptive mutation of antivirulence genes. In this study, we highlight that the SRRz/Rz 1 lambdoid lysis cassette, even though stably adopted in E. coli K12 by virtue of its beneficial effect on cell physiology, has undergone a significant decay in Shigella. Moreover, we show the antivirulence nature of the SRRz/Rz 1 lysis cassette in Shigella. In fact, by restoring the SRRz/Rz 1 expression in this pathogen, we observe an increased release of peptidoglycan fragments, causing an unbalance in the fine control exerted by Shigella on host innate immunity and a mitigation of its virulence. This strongly affects the virulence of Shigella and allows to consider the loss of SRRz/Rz 1 lysis cassette as another pathoadaptive event in the life of Shigella. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Antimicrobial Resistance of Shigella spp. isolated in the State of Pará, Brazil Resistência Antimicrobiana de Shigella spp. isoladas no Estado do Pará

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    Flávia Corrêa Bastos

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Shigella spp. are Gram-negative, nonsporulating, rod-shaped bacteria that belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae and are responsible for shigellosis or bacillary dysentery, an important cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We studied the antibiotic resistance profiles of 122 Shigella spp. strains (81 S. flexneri, 41 S. sonnei, 1 S. boydii isolated from patients (female and male from 0 to 80 years of age presenting diarrhea in different districts of the State of Pará, in the North of Brazil. The antibiotic resistance of the strains, isolated from human fecal samples, was determined by the diffusion disk method and by using the VITEK-2 system. RESULTS: The highest resistance rate found was the resistance rate to tetracycline (93.8%, followed by the resistance rate to chloramphenicol (63.9% and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (63.1%. Resistance to at least three drugs was more common among S. flexneri than S. sonnei (39.5% vs. 10%. Six (4.9% strains were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested. All strains were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of multidrug resistance in Shigella spp. are a serious public health concern in Brazil. It is extremely important to continuously monitor the antimicrobial resistances of Shigella spp. for effective therapy and control measures against shigellosis.INTRODUÇÃO: Shigella spp. são bactérias Gram-negativas, não esporuladas, em forma de bastonete, pertencentes a família Enterobacteriaceae responsáveis pela shigelose ou disenteria bacilar, uma importante causa de mortalidade e morbidade mundial. MÉTODOS: Foi estudado o perfil de resistência a antimicrobianos de 122 amostras de Shigella spp. (81 S. flexneri, 41 sonnei, 1 S. boydii isoladas de pacientes (sexo feminino e masculino com faixa etária de 0 a 80 anos com distúrbios gastrointestinais em diferentes municípios no Estado do Par

  1. Particularly acute intestinal infections in children with atopic dermatitis. Case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. V. Khaliullina

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim — determine the clinical and laboratory features of acute intestinal infection in children, occurring in conjunction with atopic dermatitis (AD.Material and methods. We conducted a study of «case-control», which included observation of 144 children hospitalized in the infectious hospital with a clinic of acute infectious diarrhea in the period from January to December 2012. In the study group were selected 72 children with atopic dermatitis clinic and acute infectious diarrhea in a couple of which, from the group of patients without burdened premorbid background were selected 72 «controls» matched by sex, age and etiology developed acute intestinal infection. The observation time was 5±2 days, which corresponds to the average length of stay of the child, patients with moderate forms of acute intestinal infection in the hospital.Results and discussion. About 2 times more often than in the control, acute intestinal infections in children with atopic dermatitis lesions were characterized by clinic middle and lower gastrointestinal — 31.9% (CI 21,1–42,7 vs. 15.3% (CI 7–23 6, p=0.03. A number of bowel movements 6 or more times per day significantly more frequently observed in children with a combination of acute intestinal infections and atopic dermatitis — 54.1% (CI 42,6–65,6 vs. 33.3% (CI 22,4–43.9 in the control, p=0.011. The duration of diarrhea was higher in the study group (Med 6 IQR 4–7 days and Med 5 IQR 3–6 days, respectively, p=0.046. The proportion of patients with high fever was also higher in the study group than in the controls –15.3% (CI 7–23,6 vs. 2,8% (CI 1–6,6, p=0.016.Conclusion. Acute intestinal infections in children with atopic dermatitis have a more pronounced clinical symptoms, which is characterized by clinic enterocolitis, severity and duration of diarrhea syndrome, usually accompanied by a high fever. 

  2. Social buffering and contact transmission: network connections have beneficial and detrimental effects on Shigella infection risk among captive rhesus macaques

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    Krishna Balasubramaniam

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In social animals, group living may impact the risk of infectious disease acquisition in two ways. On the one hand, social connectedness puts individuals at greater risk or susceptibility for acquiring enteric pathogens via contact-mediated transmission. Yet conversely, in strongly bonded societies like humans and some nonhuman primates, having close connections and strong social ties of support can also socially buffer individuals against susceptibility or transmissibility of infectious agents. Using social network analyses, we assessed the potentially competing roles of contact-mediated transmission and social buffering on the risk of infection from an enteric bacterial pathogen (Shigella flexneri among captive groups of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta. Our results indicate that, within two macaque groups, individuals possessing more direct and especially indirect connections in their grooming and huddling social networks were less susceptible to infection. These results are in sharp contrast to several previous studies that indicate that increased (direct contact-mediated transmission facilitates infectious disease transmission, including our own findings in a third macaque group in which individuals central in their huddling network and/or which initiated more fights were more likely to be infected. In summary, our findings reveal that an individual’s social connections may increase or decrease its chances of acquiring infectious agents. They extend the applicability of the social buffering hypothesis, beyond just stress and immune-function-related health benefits, to the additional health outcome of infectious disease resistance. Finally, we speculate that the circumstances under which social buffering versus contact-mediated transmission may occur could depend on multiple factors, such as living condition, pathogen-specific transmission routes, and/or an overall social context such as a group’s social stability.

  3. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in dengue viral infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan Sulaiman, Wan Aliaa; Inche Mat, Liyana Najwa; Hashim, Hasnur Zaman; Hoo, Fan Kee; Ching, Siew Mooi; Vasudevan, Ramachandran; Mohamed, Mohd Hazmi; Basri, Hamidon

    2017-09-01

    Dengue is the most common arboviral disease affecting many countries worldwide. An RNA virus from the flaviviridae family, dengue has four antigenically distinct serotypes (DEN-1-DEN-4). Neurological involvement in dengue can be classified into dengue encephalopathy immune-mediated syndromes, encephalitis, neuromuscular or dengue muscle dysfunction and neuro-ophthalmic involvement. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an immune mediated acute demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system following recent infection or vaccination. This monophasic illness is characterised by multifocal white matter involvement. Many dengue studies and case reports have linked ADEM with dengue virus infection but the association is still not clear. Therefore, this article is to review and discuss concerning ADEM in dengue as an immune-medicated neurological complication; and the management strategy required based on recent literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Characterisation of Shigella species isolated from river catchments in the North West province of South Africa

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    Constance Wose Kinge

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence and distribution of Shigella species in water from the five river catchments in the North West province of South Africa were investigated. Shigella is a Gram-negative, non-motile, facultative anaerobic bacillus that causes shigellosis, an important cause of morbidity and mortality in high-risk populations (such as children, the elderly and immuno-compromised individuals that depend on river water. A total of 54 water samples collected in winter (April 2007 to July 2007 and summer (December 2007 to March 2008 were cultured on Salmonella-Shigella agar by the spread-plate method. Suspected Shigella isolates obtained were characterised by primary biochemical (Triple Sugar Iron agar and agglutination and molecular (polymerase chain reactions, PCR tests. Amplification of the invasion plasmid gene (ipaH by PCR was done to confirm the presence of Shigella spp. in water. In total, 214 Shigella boydii, 15 Shigella dysenteriae, 11 Shigella flexneri and 2 Shigella sonnei were confirmed by serotyping in both winter and summer samples. The ipaH gene (606 bp was present in 176 and 49 of the winter and summer isolates, respectively. The presence of Shigella spp. in water was confirmed with over 90% specificity. The need for more effective management of these river catchments and the provision of potable water and sanitation facilities is needed to minimise the occurrence and transmission of water-borne diseases caused by these and other pathogenic bacteria.

  5. Herpes zoster infection: a rare cause of acute urinary retention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Jonathan E; Kapoor, Anil

    2003-06-01

    Herpes zoster (HZ) infection has been reported as a rare cause of acute urinary retention. HZ infection involving sacral, thoracolumbar, and rarely high thoracic dermatomes is believed to occasionally cause motor and sensory neuropathy of the bladder. This is specifically achieved by the interruption of the detrusor reflex causing subsequent bladder atonia. As the course and management of this entity is quite benign, HZ should remain a diagnostic consideration in the management of urinary retention. We report a case of acute urinary retention of approximately 2.5 liters associated with HZ infection and review the proposed pathogenesis and therapeutic considerations in the management of this entity.

  6. Pathogenesis of Shigella diarrhea: rabbit intestinal cell microvillus membrane binding site for Shigella toxin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchs, G.; Mobassaleh, M.; Donohue-Rolfe, A.; Montgomery, R.K.; Grand, R.J.; Keusch, G.T.

    1986-01-01

    This study examined the binding of purified 125 I-labeled shigella toxin to rabbit jejunal microvillus membranes (MVMs). Toxin binding was concentration dependent, saturable, reversible, and specifically inhibited by unlabeled toxin. The calculated number of toxin molecules bound at 4 0 C was 7.9 X 10(10) (3 X 10(10) to 2 X 10(11))/micrograms of MVM protein or 1.2 X 10(6) per enterocyte. Scatchard analysis showed the binding site to be of a single class with an equilibrium association constant, K, of 4.7 X 10(9) M-1 at 4 0 C. Binding was inversely related to the temperature of incubation. A total of 80% of the labeled toxin binding at 4 0 C dissociated from MVM when the temperature was raised to 37 0 C, but reassociated when the temperature was again brought to 4 0 C. There was no structural or functional change of MVM due to toxin as monitored by electron microscopy or assay of MVM sucrase activity. These studies demonstrate a specific binding site for shigella toxin on rabbit MVMs. The physiological relevance of this receptor remains to be determined

  7. Fractionation and purification of DNA methylases of Shigella sonnei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suchkov, S.V.; Nikol'skaya, I.I.; Debov, S.S.

    1986-01-01

    A comparative study was made of the possibilities of various types of column chromatography and isoelectrofocusing for the analysis of the set of DNA methylases of the strains Shigella sonnei 47. On the basic of cation-exchange chromatography, a simple, rapid, and convenient method has been developed for the production of a highly active summary preparations of DNA methylases. It has been shown that affinity chromatography on heparin-Sepharose provides for the separation of methylases according to the characteristic of specificity for the nitrogen base. The presence of six individuals enzymes of DNA methylation, differing in value of the isoelectric point, was demonstrated in Shigella sonnei 47 cells by the IEF* method. Increased ability of the DNA methylases of Shigella sonnei 47 for nonspecific aggregation during the process of fractionation was demonstrated, which makes the use of column chromatography unsuitable for the isolation and purification of individual methylating enzymes of the investigated strain. The advantages of the IEF method, as well as its potentialities from the standpoint of studying various molecular forms of site-specific enzymes, are discussed

  8. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Samonella, Shigella and Yersinia: cellular aspects of host-bacteria interactions in enteric diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reis Roberta

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A successful infection of the human intestine by enteropathogenic bacteria depends on the ability of bacteria to attach and colonize the intestinal epithelium and, in some cases, to invade the host cell, survive intracellularly and disseminate from cell to cell. To accomplish these processes bacteria have evolved an arsenal of molecules that are mostly secreted by dedicated type III secretion systems, and that interact with the host, subverting normal cellular functions. Here we overview the most important molecular strategies developed by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Shigella flexneri, and Yersinia enterocolitica to cause enteric infections. Despite having evolved different effectors, these four microorganisms share common host cellular targets.

  9. Preoperative Anemia Is Associated With Failure of Open Debridement Polyethylene Exchange in Acute and Acute Hematogenous Prosthetic Joint Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swenson, Richard D; Butterfield, James A; Irwin, Timothy J; Zurlo, John J; Davis, Charles M

    2018-06-01

    Acute and acute hematogenous prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are often treated with open debridement and polyethylene exchange (ODPE) in an effort to save the prosthesis, decrease morbidity, and reduce costs. However, failure of ODPE may compromise a subsequent 2-stage treatment. The purpose of this study is to identify patient factors that impact the success of ODPE for acute and acute hematogenous PJIs. A retrospective review examined comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, and patient history for patients with successful and failed ODPE treatment for acute perioperative or acute hematogenous periprosthetic hip or knee joint infections. Successful treatment was defined as retaining a well-fixed implant without the need for additional surgery for a minimum of 6-month follow-up with or without lifelong oral maintenance antibiotics. Fifty-three of 72 patients (73.6%) underwent successful ODPE. Of the 19 failures, 14 completed 2-stage revision with one subsequent known failure for recurrent infection. Patients with a Staphylococcus aureus infection were more likely to fail ODPE (48.3% vs 11.6%, P = .0012, odds ratio 7.1, 95% confidence interval 2.3-25.3). Patients with a preoperative hematocrit ≤32.1 were also more likely to fail ODPE (55% vs 16%, P = .0013, odds ratio 6.7, 95% confidence interval 2.2-22.4). When neither risk factor was present, 97.1% of PJIs were successfully treated with ODPE. S aureus infection and preoperative hematocrit ≤32.1 are independent risk factors for ODPE failure. ODPE is a safe alternative to 2-stage revision in patients without preoperative anemia and without S aureus infection. Two-thirds of patients with a failed ODPE were successfully treated with a 2-stage reimplantation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The Shigella flexneri OspB effector: an early immunomodulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosi, Cecilia; Pompili, Monica; Scribano, Daniela; Limongi, Dolores; Petrucca, Andrea; Cannavacciuolo, Sonia; Schippa, Serena; Zagaglia, Carlo; Grossi, Milena; Nicoletti, Mauro

    2015-01-01

    Through the action of the type three secretion system (T3SS) Shigella flexneri delivers several effectors into host cells to promote cellular invasion, multiplication and to exploit host-cell signaling pathways to modulate the host innate immune response. Although much progress has been made in the understanding of many type III effectors, the molecular and cellular mechanism of the OspB effector is still poorly characterized. In this study we present new evidence that better elucidates the role of OspB as pro-inflammatory factor at very early stages of infection. Indeed, we demonstrate that, during the first hour of infection, OspB is required for full activation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPKs and the cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)). Activation of cPLA(2) ultimately leads to the production and secretion of PMN chemoattractant metabolite(s) uncoupled with release of IL-8. Moreover, we also present evidence that OspB is required for the development of the full and promptly inflammatory reaction characteristic of S. flexneri wild-type infection in vivo. Based on OspB and OspF similarity (both effectors share similar transcription regulation, temporal secretion into host cells and nuclear localization) we hypothesized that OspB and OspF effectors may form a pair aimed at modulating the host cell response throughout the infection process, with opposite effects. A model is presented to illustrate how OspB activity would promote S. flexneri invasion and bacterial dissemination at early critical phases of infection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. ACUTE INTESTINAL INFECTION AS A DISGUISE OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Y. Dyakonova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The issue of differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis and acute intestinal infections in contemporary medicine remains relevant for clinical practice of surgeons and pediatricians. Late diagnosis of appendicitis results in development of complicated forms of vermiform appendix inflammation. This prolongs operative intervention, duration of antibacterial therapy and duration of a child’s inpatient stay. The article presents clinical observation of three children treated for perforated appendix and generalized purulent peritonitis. The described cases demonstrate the need in multidisciplinary approach and complex diagnosis of patients with such complaints as abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea.

  12. Infection prevention and control measures for acute respiratory infections in healthcare settings: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seto, W H; Conly, J M; Pessoa-Silva, C L; Malik, M; Eremin, S

    2013-01-01

    Viruses account for the majority of the acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) globally with a mortality exceeding 4 million deaths per year. The most commonly encountered viruses, in order of frequency, include influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza and adenovirus. Current evidence suggests that the major mode of transmission of ARls is through large droplets, but transmission through contact (including hand contamination with subsequent self-inoculation) and infectious respiratory aerosols of various sizes and at short range (coined as "opportunistic" airborne transmission) may also occur for some pathogens. Opportunistic airborne transmission may occur when conducting highrisk aerosol generating procedures and airborne precautions will be required in this setting. General infection control measures effective for all respiratory viral infections are reviewed and followed by discussion on some of the common viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and the recently discovered novel coronavirus.

  13. The absence of exanthema is related with death and illness severity in acute enterovirus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-Tao Zhou

    2014-11-01

    Conclusions: A considerable proportion of children with an acute enterovirus infection in Guangdong Province, China during 2009–2012 presented no exanthema, and the absence of exanthema was found to be related to death and illness severity for these acute enterovirus infections. Clinicians in China should consider enterovirus as the possible pathogen when treating children with an acute pathogen infection without exanthema.

  14. Saccharomyces boulardii interferes with Shigella pathogenesis by postinvasion signaling events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mumy, Karen L.; Chen, Xinhua; Kelly, Ciarán P.; McCormick, Beth A.

    2011-01-01

    Saccharomyces boulardii is gaining in popularity as a treatment for a variety of diarrheal diseases as well as inflammatory bowel disease. This study was designed to examine the effect of this yeast on infection by Shigella flexneri, a highly infectious and human host-adapted enteric pathogen. We investigated key interactions between the bacteria and host cells in the presence of the yeast in addition to a number of host responses including proinflammatory events and markers. Although the presence of the yeast during infection did not alter the number of bacteria that was able to attach or invade human colon cancer-derived T-84 cells, it did positively impact the tight junction protein zonula occluden-2 and significantly increase the barrier integrity of model epithelia. The yeast also decreased ERK, JNK, and NF-κB activation in response to S. flexneri, events likely responsible for the observed reductions in IL-8 secretion and the transepithelial migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes across T-84 monolayers. These results, suggesting that the yeast allowed for a dampened inflammatory response, were confirmed in vivo utilizing a highly relevant model of human fetal colonic tissue transplanted into scid mice. Furthermore, a cell-free S. boulardii culture supernatant was also capable of reducing IL-8 secretion by infected T-84 cells. These data suggest that although the use of S. boulardii during infection with S. flexneri may alleviate symptoms associated with the inflammatory response of the host, it would not prevent infection. PMID:18032477

  15. Anti-infection treatment of iatrogenic acute radiation sickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shulan; Ke Xiaoyan; Jia Tengzhen

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To occumulatle experience of anti-infection treatment in acute radiation sickness (ARS) induced by medical treatment in order to provide beneficial help for victims of accidental of acute radiation sickness. Methods: The changes of peripheral blood indices, body temperature and clinical symptoms of 17 cases who were clinically irradiated with 6.0-7.2 Gy X-rays were observed both before peripheral blood stem cell transplantation(PBSCT) and after anti-infection treatment. Results: WBC count began to decrease to below 1 x 10 9 /L from the 8th to 10th days after irradiation and maintained at row level for 4 days or for 13.3 days if the patients had not received rhG-CSF treatment. In 29.4% of patients the body temperature was higher than 38.5 degree C. After comprehensive enviromental protection and anti-infection treatment, all patients could successfully tide over the period of bone marrow depression without appearance of the typical critical phase of ARS. Conclusion: PBSCT and rhG-CSF treatment can reduce the time span for reconstruction of bone marrow. Comprehensive enviromental protection and combined anti-infection treatment are key points fm successful treatment. (authors)

  16. Polymorphism of CRISPR shows separated natural groupings of Shigella subtypes and evidence of horizontal transfer of CRISPR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chaojie; Li, Peng; Su, Wenli; Li, Hao; Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Guang; Xie, Jing; Yi, Shengjie; Wang, Jian; Cui, Xianyan; Wu, Zhihao; Wang, Ligui; Hao, Rongzhang; Jia, Leili; Qiu, Shaofu; Song, Hongbin

    2015-01-01

    Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) act as an adaptive RNA-mediated immune mechanism in bacteria. They can also be used for identification and evolutionary studies based on polymorphisms within the CRISPR locus. We amplified and analyzed 6 CRISPR loci from 237 Shigella strains belonging to the 4 species groups, as well as 13 Escherichia coli strains. The CRISPR-associated (cas) gene sequence arrays of these strains were screened and compared. The CRISPR sequences from Shigella were conserved among subtypes, suggesting that CRISPR may represent a new identification tool for the detection and discrimination of Shigella species. Secondary structure analysis showed a different stem-loop structure at the terminal repeat, suggesting a distinct recognition mechanism in the formation of crRNA. In addition, the presence of “self-target” spacers and polymorphisms within CRISPR in Shigella indicated a selective pressure for inhibition of this system, which has the potential to damage “self DNA.” Homology analysis of spacers showed that CRISPR might be involved in the regulation of virulence transmission. Phylogenetic analysis based on CRISPR sequences from Shigella and E. coli indicated that although phenotypic properties maintain convergent evolution, the 4 Shigella species do not represent natural groupings. Surprisingly, comparative analysis of Shigella repeats with other species provided new evidence for CRISPR horizontal transfer. Our results suggested that CRISPR analysis is applicable for the detection of Shigella species and for investigation of evolutionary relationships. PMID:26327282

  17. Polymorphism of CRISPR shows separated natural groupings of Shigella subtypes and evidence of horizontal transfer of CRISPR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chaojie; Li, Peng; Su, Wenli; Li, Hao; Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Guang; Xie, Jing; Yi, Shengjie; Wang, Jian; Cui, Xianyan; Wu, Zhihao; Wang, Ligui; Hao, Rongzhang; Jia, Leili; Qiu, Shaofu; Song, Hongbin

    2015-01-01

    Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) act as an adaptive RNA-mediated immune mechanism in bacteria. They can also be used for identification and evolutionary studies based on polymorphisms within the CRISPR locus. We amplified and analyzed 6 CRISPR loci from 237 Shigella strains belonging to the 4 species groups, as well as 13 Escherichia coli strains. The CRISPR-associated (cas) gene sequence arrays of these strains were screened and compared. The CRISPR sequences from Shigella were conserved among subtypes, suggesting that CRISPR may represent a new identification tool for the detection and discrimination of Shigella species. Secondary structure analysis showed a different stem-loop structure at the terminal repeat, suggesting a distinct recognition mechanism in the formation of crRNA. In addition, the presence of "self-target" spacers and polymorphisms within CRISPR in Shigella indicated a selective pressure for inhibition of this system, which has the potential to damage "self DNA." Homology analysis of spacers showed that CRISPR might be involved in the regulation of virulence transmission. Phylogenetic analysis based on CRISPR sequences from Shigella and E. coli indicated that although phenotypic properties maintain convergent evolution, the 4 Shigella species do not represent natural groupings. Surprisingly, comparative analysis of Shigella repeats with other species provided new evidence for CRISPR horizontal transfer. Our results suggested that CRISPR analysis is applicable for the detection of Shigella species and for investigation of evolutionary relationships.

  18. Acute parvovirus B19 infection in adults: a retrospective study of 49 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez Bandera, A I; Mayor Arenal, M; Vorlicka, K; Ruiz Bravo-Burguilllos, E; Montero Vega, D; Vidaurrázaga Díaz-Arcaya, C

    2015-01-01

    Our aim was to describe the epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of acute parvovirus B19 infection in adults. This study describes all cases of acute parvovirus B19 infection in patients older than 18 years of age who were treated at Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, Spain, in 2012. Forty-nine adults were treated for acute parvovirus B19 infection. Most were young women who were infected in the spring or early summer. In over half the cases skin lesions were key diagnostic signs.We saw the full range of types of rash of purplish exanthems that were fairly generalized; vasculitis was relatively common (in >18%). Mild or moderate abnormalities in blood counts and indicators of liver dysfunction resolved spontaneously in all but 2 immunocompromised patients, who developed chronic anemia. This is the largest case series of acute parvovirus B19 infection published to date. This infection should be suspected on observing signs of purplish skin rashes, no matter the location or pattern of distribution, or vasculitis, especially if accompanied by fever and joint pain in young women in the spring. Measures to avoid infection should be recommended to individuals at risk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

  19. The porcine acute phase response to infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, major acute phase protein and serum amyloid a protein are sensitive indicators of infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heegaard, Peter M. H.; Klausen, Joan; Nielsen, J.P.

    1998-01-01

    response peaking at around 2 days after infection. Haptoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and major acute phase protein (MAP) responded with large increases in serum levels, preceding the development of specific antibodies by 4-5 days. Serum amyloid A protein (SAA) was also strongly induced. The increase......, kinetics of induction and normalization were different between these proteins. It is concluded that experimental Ap-infection by the aerosol route induces a typical acute phase reaction in the pig, and that pig Hp, CRP, MAP, and SAA are major acute phase reactants. These findings indicate the possibility...

  20. Procalcitonin to initiate or discontinue antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schuetz, Philipp; Wirz, Yannick; Sager, Ramon; Christ-Crain, Mirjam; Stolz, Daiana; Tamm, Michael; Bouadma, Lila; Luyt, Charles E; Wolff, Michel; Chastre, Jean; Tubach, Florence; Kristoffersen, Kristina B; Burkhardt, Olaf; Welte, Tobias; Schroeder, Stefan; Nobre, Vandack; Wei, Long; Bucher, Heiner C; Bhatnagar, Neera; Annane, Djillali; Reinhart, Konrad; Branche, Angela; Damas, Pierre; Nijsten, Maarten W N; de Lange, Dylan W; Deliberato, Rodrigo O; Lima, Stella Ss; Maravić-Stojković, Vera; Verduri, Alessia; Cao, Bin; Shehabi, Yahya; Beishuizen, Albertus; Jensen, Jens-Ulrik S; Corti, Caspar; van Oers, Jos A; Falsey, Ann R; de Jong, Evelien; Oliveira, Carolina F; Beghe, Bianca; Briel, Matthias; Mueller, Beat

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) comprise of a large and heterogeneous group of infections including bacterial, viral, and other aetiologies. In recent years, procalcitonin (PCT), a blood marker for bacterial infections, has emerged as a promising tool to improve decisions about

  1. Vaccines for viral and bacterial pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis: Part II: Vaccines for Shigella, Salmonella, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) enterohemorragic E. coli (EHEC) and Campylobacter jejuni

    Science.gov (United States)

    O’Ryan, Miguel; Vidal, Roberto; del Canto, Felipe; Carlos Salazar, Juan; Montero, David

    2015-01-01

    In Part II we discuss the following bacterial pathogens: Shigella, Salmonella (non-typhoidal), diarrheogenic E. coli (enterotoxigenic and enterohemorragic) and Campylobacter jejuni. In contrast to the enteric viruses and Vibrio cholerae discussed in Part I of this series, for the bacterial pathogens described here there is only one licensed vaccine, developed primarily for Vibrio cholerae and which provides moderate protection against enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (Dukoral®), as well as a few additional candidates in advanced stages of development for ETEC and one candidate for Shigella spp. Numerous vaccine candidates in earlier stages of development are discussed. PMID:25715096

  2. Whole-genome phylogeny of Escherichia coli/Shigella group by feature frequency profiles (FFPs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, Gregory E.; Kim, Sung-Hou

    2011-01-01

    A whole-genome phylogeny of the Escherichia coli/Shigella group was constructed by using the feature frequency profile (FFP) method. This alignment-free approach uses the frequencies of l-mer features of whole genomes to infer phylogenic distances. We present two phylogenies that accentuate different aspects of E. coli/Shigella genomic evolution: (i) one based on the compositions of all possible features of length l = 24 (∼8.4 million features), which are likely to reveal the phenetic grouping and relationship among the organisms and (ii) the other based on the compositions of core features with low frequency and low variability (∼0.56 million features), which account for ∼69% of all commonly shared features among 38 taxa examined and are likely to have genome-wide lineal evolutionary signal. Shigella appears as a single clade when all possible features are used without filtering of noncore features. However, results using core features show that Shigella consists of at least two distantly related subclades, implying that the subclades evolved into a single clade because of a high degree of convergence influenced by mobile genetic elements and niche adaptation. In both FFP trees, the basal group of the E. coli/Shigella phylogeny is the B2 phylogroup, which contains primarily uropathogenic strains, suggesting that the E. coli/Shigella ancestor was likely a facultative or opportunistic pathogen. The extant commensal strains diverged relatively late and appear to be the result of reductive evolution of genomes. We also identify clade distinguishing features and their associated genomic regions within each phylogroup. Such features may provide useful information for understanding evolution of the groups and for quick diagnostic identification of each phylogroup. PMID:21536867

  3. Antitussive pharmaceutical drugs administration in complex therapy of acute respiratory infections in children

    OpenAIRE

    Lokshina, E.; Zajtseva, O.

    2009-01-01

    There is considered the problem of treatment of cough in children with acute respiratory infections in article. In particular, the data on an effective administration of the domestic combined medication framed on basis of medicinal grasses with codeine in complex therapy of acute respiratory infections is presented.

  4. Antimicrobial resistance in Shigella spp. causing traveller's diarrhoea (1995-2010): a retrospective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pons, M J; Gomes, C; Martínez-Puchol, S; Ruiz, L; Mensa, L; Vila, J; Gascón, J; Ruiz, J

    2013-01-01

    Shigellosis is a global human health problem causing an important morbidity among travellers returning from tropical areas. This study was aimed to describe the evolution of antimicrobial resistance profile in Shigella spp. isolated between the years 1995-2010 in patients with traveller's diarrhoea (TD) returning from tropical areas. The levels of antimicrobial resistance were tested in a total of 191 Shigella spp. isolated during the period from 1995 to 2010. A decrease of cases of diarrhoea caused by Shigella has been observed in recent years. A wide spectrum of antibiotic resistance was observed among Shigella spp. These isolates showed high levels of resistance to tetracycline (84%), co-trimoxazole (75.5%), and ampicillin (45.5%). The resistance was low to ciprofloxacin (2.1%), azithromycin (3.9%) and furazolidone (8.4%). According to the period, in the case of ampicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, chloramphenicol, values of resistance were significantly decreasing from 1995-2000 to 2001-2010, (62.5% vs. 28.4%, 19.8% vs. 6.6%, 23.4 vs. 10.4%, respectively). Meanwhile in nalidixic acid and tetracycline the evolution of resistance has increased over time. A decrease in the isolation number of Shigella spp. causing TD has been observed. Differential trends in the evolution of the levels of resistance to the tested antibacterial agents have been observed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Viral Co-Infections in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Lower Tract Acute Respiratory Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cebey-López, Miriam; Herberg, Jethro; Pardo-Seco, Jacobo; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Martinón-Torres, Nazareth; Salas, Antonio; Martinón-Sánchez, José María; Gormley, Stuart; Sumner, Edward; Fink, Colin; Martinón-Torres, Federico

    2015-01-01

    Molecular techniques can often reveal a broader range of pathogens in respiratory infections. We aim to investigate the prevalence and age pattern of viral co-infection in children hospitalized with lower tract acute respiratory infection (LT-ARI), using molecular techniques. A nested polymerase chain reaction approach was used to detect Influenza (A, B), metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza (1-4), rhinovirus, adenovirus (A-F), bocavirus and coronaviruses (NL63, 229E, OC43) in respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory infection prospectively admitted to any of the GENDRES network hospitals between 2011-2013. The results were corroborated in an independent cohort collected in the UK. A total of 204 and 97 nasopharyngeal samples were collected in the GENDRES and UK cohorts, respectively. In both cohorts, RSV was the most frequent pathogen (52.9% and 36.1% of the cohorts, respectively). Co-infection with multiple viruses was found in 92 samples (45.1%) and 29 samples (29.9%), respectively; this was most frequent in the 12-24 months age group. The most frequently observed co-infection patterns were RSV-Rhinovirus (23 patients, 11.3%, GENDRES cohort) and RSV-bocavirus / bocavirus-influenza (5 patients, 5.2%, UK cohort). The presence of more than one virus in pediatric patients admitted to hospital with LT-ARI is very frequent and seems to peak at 12-24 months of age. The clinical significance of these findings is unclear but should warrant further analysis.

  6. Molecular and functional profiling of the polyamine content in enteroinvasive E. coli : looking into the gap between commensal E. coli and harmful Shigella.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosaria Campilongo

    Full Text Available Polyamines are small molecules associated with a wide variety of physiological functions. Bacterial pathogens have developed subtle strategies to exploit polyamines or manipulate polyamine-related processes to optimize fitness within the host. During the transition from its innocuous E. coli ancestor, Shigella, the aetiological agent of bacillary dysentery, has undergone drastic genomic rearrangements affecting the polyamine profile. A pathoadaptation process involving the speG gene and the cad operon has led to spermidine accumulation and loss of cadaverine. While a higher spermidine content promotes the survival of Shigella within infected macrophages, the lack of cadaverine boosts the pathogenic potential of the bacterium in host tissues. Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC display the same pathogenicity process as Shigella, but have a higher infectious dose and a higher metabolic activity. Pathoadaption events affecting the cad locus have occurred also in EIEC, silencing cadaverine production. Since EIEC are commonly regarded as evolutionary intermediates between E. coli and Shigella, we investigated on their polyamine profile in order to better understand which changes have occurred along the path to pathogenicity. By functional and molecular analyses carried out in EIEC strains belonging to different serotypes, we show that speG has been silenced in one strain only, favouring resistance to oxidative stress conditions and survival within macrophages. At the same time, we observe that the content of spermidine and putrescine, a relevant intermediate in the synthesis of spermidine, is higher in all strains as compared to E. coli. This may represent an evolutionary response to the lack of cadaverine. Indeed, restoring cadaverine synthesis decreases the expression of the speC gene, whose product affects putrescine production. In the light of these results, we discuss the possible impact of pathoadaptation events on the evolutionary emergence of a

  7. Shigella flexneri-induced vaginitis in a prepubertal children: description of a case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonella Restelli

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In prepuberal girls vulvo-vaginitis are caused by germs of intestinal origin,mycetes, Gardnerella vaginalis, protozoa. Shigella is an uncommon agent able to induce valvovaginitis in children. We report the case of a 7-year-old girl with chronic vulvo-vaginitis caused by S. flexneri. Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing revealed that S. flexnery was sensible to cefotaxime, amoxicillin, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, but resistant to amikacin, cefazolin, gentamycin, ampicillin and tetracycline. A treatment with ciprofloxacin brought to a rapid resolution of all symptoms. At the follows up at 3 and 6 months the patient did not report symptoms of infection or articular cartilage abnormality; microbiological evaluations were also negative. Even if it is a single case report and other clinical trial may be performed in order to validate this hypothesis,we speculate that in patient with vulvo-vaginal infection living in environment with low hygiene care, a carefully microbiological evaluation of uncommon agents may be performed.

  8. Vaccination with Shigella flexneri 2a conjugate induces type 2a and cross-reactive type 6 antibodies in humans but not in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farzam, Nahid; Ramon-Saraf, Reut; Banet-Levi, Yonit; Lerner-Geva, Liat; Ashkenazi, Shai; Kubler-Kielb, Joanna; Vinogradov, Evgeny; Robbins, John B; Schneerson, Rachel

    2017-09-05

    Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) 6 has emerged as an important cause of shigellosis. Our efficacy study of Shigella sonnei and S. flexneri 2a O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) conjugates in 1-4year-olds had too few S. flexneri 2a cases for efficacy evaluation but surprisingly showed protection of 3-4year-olds, S. flexneri 2a-recipients, from S. flexneri 6 infection. To investigate this cross-protection antibodies to both Shigella types were investigated in all sera remaining from previous studies. Twenty to 30% of 3-44year-old humans injected with S. flexneri 2a conjugate responded with ≥4-fold increases of IgG anti type 6, p<0.00001. The specificity of these antibodies was shown by inhibition studies. S. flexneri 6 infection of 2 children induced besides S. flexneri 6, also S. flexneri 2a antibodies, at levels of S. flexneri 2a vaccinees. S. flexneri 2a antibodies induced by S. flexneri 6 conjugates could not be studied since no such conjugate was assessed in humans and mice responded almost exclusively to the O-SP of the injected conjugate, with no cross-reactive antibodies. Our results indicate induction of cross-reactive protective antibodies. The O-acetylated disaccharide shared by S. flexneri 6 and 2a O-SPs, is the likely basis for their cross-reactivity. S. flexneri 6 O-SP conjugates, alone and in combination with S. flexneri 2a, merit further investigation for broad S. flexneri protection. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Accurate differentiation of Escherichia coli and Shigella serogroups: challenges and strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.K. Devanga Ragupathi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigella spp. and Escherichia coli are closely related; both belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae. Phenotypically, Shigella spp. and E. coli share many common characteristics, yet they have separate entities in epidemiology and clinical disease, which poses a diagnostic challenge. We collated information for the best possible approach to differentiate clinically relevant E. coli from Shigella spp. We found that a molecular approach is required for confirmation. High discriminatory potential is seen with whole genome sequencing analysed for k-mers and single nucleotide polymorphism. Among these, identification using single nucleotide polymorphism is easy to perform and analyse, and it thus appears more promising. Among the nonmolecular methods, matrix-assisted desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry may be applicable when data analysis is assisted with advanced analytic tools. Keywords: 16S rRNA, k-mer, MALDI-TOF MS, single nucleotide polymorphism, whole genome sequencing

  10. Rapid and widely disseminated acute phase protein response after experimental bacterial infection of pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Kerstin; Mortensen, Shila; Boye, Mette

    2009-01-01

    The acute phase protein response is a well-described generalized early host response to tissue injury, inflammation and infection, observed as pronounced changes in the concentrations of a number of circulating serum proteins. The biological function of this response and its interplay with other...... parts of innate host defence reactions remain somewhat elusive. In order to gain new insight into this early host defence response in the context of bacterial infection we studied gene expression changes in peripheral lymphoid tissues as compared to hepatic expression changes, 14-18 h after lung...... with measurements of interleukin-6 and selected acute phase proteins in serum. C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A were clearly induced 14-18 h after infection. Extrahepatic expression of acute phase proteins was found to be dramatically altered as a result of the lung infection with an extrahepatic acute phase...

  11. Study of the Association between H. pylori Infection and Acute Coronary Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Fouladi

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Coronary artery disease is the main cause of mortality in developing and industrial countries. Recently the involvement of infectious agents as a risk factor for Acute Coronary syndrome is drafted. So this study was designed to investigate the probable association between Acute Coronary syndrome and Helicobacter pylori infection.   Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 300 hospitalized patients with the diagnosis of Acute Coronary syndrome (UA and MI and 300 hospitalized patients without the history of coronary heart disease. Anti Helicobacter pylori Antibody level was determined by as an indicator of infection history. Using chi-square and t- test the results were analyzed in SPSS software.   Results: Results showed that 79 patients (26.3% in control group and 122 patients (40.6% in case group were seropositive and the difference was significant. Relationship between cronory diseases risk factors and levels of IgG was not significant. Also the results showed that the rate of hypertension in seropositive patients in case group was significantly upper than control group.   Conclusion: Regarding the findings of this study we can conclude that Helicobacter pylori infection probably is a risk factor for Acute Coronary Syndrome. Thus, further studies are needed to elucidate the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and Acute Coronary Syndrome.

  12. Change in brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy after treatment during acute HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sailasuta, Napapon; Ross, William; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Chalermchai, Thep; DeGruttola, Victor; Lerdlum, Sukalaya; Pothisri, Mantana; Busovaca, Edgar; Ratto-Kim, Silvia; Jagodzinski, Linda; Spudich, Serena; Michael, Nelson; Kim, Jerome H; Valcour, Victor

    2012-01-01

    Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to monitor changes in brain inflammation and neuronal integrity associated with HIV infection and its treatments. We used MRS to measure brain changes during the first weeks following HIV infection and in response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Brain metabolite levels of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline (tCHO), creatine (CR), myoinositol (MI), and glutamate and glutamine (GLX) were measured in acute HIV subjects (n = 31) and compared to chronic HIV+individuals (n = 26) and HIV negative control subjects (n = 10) from Bangkok, Thailand. Metabolites were measured in frontal gray matter (FGM), frontal white matter (FWM), occipital gray matter (OGM), and basal ganglia (BG). Repeat measures were obtained in 17 acute subjects 1, 3 and 6 months following initiation of ART. After adjustment for age we identified elevated BG tCHO/CR in acute HIV cases at baseline (median 14 days after HIV infection) compared to control (p = 0.0014), as well as chronic subjects (p = 0.0023). A similar tCHO/CR elevation was noted in OGM; no other metabolite abnormalities were seen between acute and control subjects. Mixed longitudinal models revealed resolution of BG tCHO/CR elevation after ART (p = 0.022) with tCHO/CR similar to control subjects at 6 months. We detected cellular inflammation in the absence of measurable neuronal injury within the first month of HIV infection, and normalization of this inflammation following acutely administered ART. Our findings suggest that early ART may be neuroprotective in HIV infection by mitigating processes leading to CNS injury.

  13. Phylogenetic reconstruction of transmission events from individuals with acute HIV infection: toward more-rigorous epidemiological definitions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brown, Alison E.; Gifford, Robert J.; Clewley, Jonathan P.; Kucherer, Claudia; Masquelier, Bernard; Porter, Kholoud; Balotta, Claudia; Back, Nicole K. T.; Jorgensen, Louise Bruun; de Mendoza, Carmen; Bhaskaran, Krishnan; Gill, O. Noel; Johnson, Anne M.; Pillay, Deenan; del Amo, Julia; Meyer, Laurence; Bucher, Heiner; Chene, Genevieve; Prins, Maria; Rosinska, Magda; Sabin, Caroline; Touloumi, Giota; Lodi, Sara; Walker, Sarah; Babiker, Abdel; Darbyshire, Janet; de Luca, Andrea; Fisher, Martin; Muga, Roberto; Kaldor, John; Kelleher, Tony; Ramacciotti, Tim; Gelgor, Linda; Cooper, David; Smith, Don; Gill, John; Nielsen, Claus; Pedersen, Court; Lutsar, Irja; Dabis, Francois; Thiebaut, Rodolphe; Costagliola, Dominique; Guiguet, Marguerite; Vanhems, Philippe; Boufassa, Faroudy; Hamouda, Osamah; Pantazis, Nikos; Hatzakis, Angelos; Geskus, Ronald; Coutinho, Roel

    2009-01-01

    Phylogenetic reconstructions of transmission events from individuals with acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are conducted to illustrate this group's heightened infectivity. Varied definitions of acute infection and assumptions about observed phylogenetic clusters may produce

  14. Vaccination against acute respiratory virus infections and measles in man.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); P. de Vries (Petra)

    1992-01-01

    textabstractSeveral viruses may cause more or less severe acute respiratory infections in man, some of which are followed by systemic infection. Only for influenza and measles are licensed vaccines available at present. The protection induced by influenza vaccines, which are based on inactivated

  15. Incidence of respiratory viruses in Peruvian children with acute respiratory infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Valle Mendoza, Juana; Cornejo-Tapia, Angela; Weilg, Pablo; Verne, Eduardo; Nazario-Fuertes, Ronald; Ugarte, Claudia; del Valle, Luis J; Pumarola, Tomás

    2015-06-01

    Acute respiratory infections are responsible for high morbi-mortality in Peruvian children. However, the etiological agents are poorly identified. This study, conducted during the pandemic outbreak of H1N1 influenza in 2009, aims to determine the main etiological agents responsible for acute respiratory infections in children from Lima, Peru. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from 717 children with acute respiratory infections between January 2009 and December 2010 were analyzed by multiplex RT-PCR for 13 respiratory viruses: influenza A, B, and C virus; parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1, 2, 3, and 4; and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, among others. Samples were also tested with direct fluorescent-antibodies (DFA) for six respiratory viruses. RT-PCR and DFA detected respiratory viruses in 240 (33.5%) and 85 (11.9%) cases, respectively. The most common etiological agents were RSV-A (15.3%), followed by influenza A (4.6%), PIV-1 (3.6%), and PIV-2 (1.8%). The viruses identified by DFA corresponded to RSV (5.9%) and influenza A (1.8%). Therefore, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) were found to be the most common etiology of acute respiratory infections. The authors suggest that active surveillance be conducted to identify the causative agents and improve clinical management, especially in the context of possible circulation of pandemic viruses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Sustained CD8+ T-cell responses induced after acute parvovirus B19 infection in humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norbeck, Oscar; Isa, Adiba; Pöhlmann, Christoph

    2005-01-01

    Murine models have suggested that CD8+ T-cell responses peak early in acute viral infections and are not sustained, but no evidence for humans has been available. To address this, we longitudinally analyzed the CD8+ T-cell response to human parvovirus B19 in acutely infected individuals. We...... observed striking CD8+ T-cell responses, which were sustained or even increased over many months after the resolution of acute disease, indicating that CD8+ T cells may play a prominent role in the control of parvovirus B19 and other acute viral infections of humans, including potentially those generated...

  17. Respiratory viruses in children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwofie, Theophilus B; Anane, Yaw A; Nkrumah, Bernard; Annan, Augustina; Nguah, Samuel B; Owusu, Michael

    2012-04-10

    Acute respiratory tract infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among young children in developing countries. Information on the viral aetiology of acute respiratory infections in developing countries is very limited. The study was done to identify viruses associated with acute lower respiratory tract infection among children less than 5 years. Nasopharyngeal samples and blood cultures were collected from children less than 5 years who have been hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection. Viruses and bacteria were identified using Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and conventional biochemical techniques. Out of 128 patients recruited, 33(25.88%%, 95%CI: 18.5% to 34.2%) were positive for one or more viruses. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was detected in 18(14.1%, 95%CI: 8.5% to 21.3%) patients followed by Adenoviruses (AdV) in 13(10.2%, 95%CI: 5.5% to 16.7%), Parainfluenza (PIV type: 1, 2, 3) in 4(3.1%, 95%CI: 0.9% to 7.8%) and influenza B viruses in 1(0.8%, 95%CI: 0.0 to 4.3). Concomitant viral and bacterial co-infection occurred in two patients. There were no detectable significant differences in the clinical signs, symptoms and severity for the various pathogens isolated. A total of 61.1% (22/36) of positive viruses were detected during the rainy season and Respiratory Syncytial Virus was the most predominant. The study has demonstrated an important burden of respiratory viruses as major causes of childhood acute respiratory infection in a tertiary health institution in Ghana. The data addresses a need for more studies on viral associated respiratory tract infection.

  18. Immunization of Mice with a Live Transconjugant Shigella Hybrid Strain Induced Th1 and Th17 Cell-Mediated Immune Responses and Confirmed Passive Protection Against Heterologous Shigellae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nag, D; Koley, H; Sinha, R; Mukherjee, P; Sarkar, C; Withey, J H; Gachhui, R

    2016-02-01

    An avirulent, live transconjugant Shigella hybrid (LTSHΔstx) strain was constructed in our earlier study by introducing a plasmid vector, pPR1347, into a Shiga toxin gene deleted Shigella dysenteriae 1. Three successive oral administrations of LTSHΔstx to female adult mice produced comprehensive passive heterologous protection in their offspring against challenge with wild-type shigellae. Production of NO and different cytokines such asIL-12p70, IL-1β and IL-23 in peritoneal mice macrophages indicated that LTSHΔstx induced innate and adaptive immunity in mice. Furthermore, production of IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-17 in LTSH-primed splenic CD4+ T cell suggested that LTSHΔstx may induce Th1 and Th17 cell-mediated immune responses. Exponential increase of the serum IgG and IgA titre against whole shigellae was observed in immunized adult mice during and after the immunization with the highest peak on day 35. Antigen-specific sIgA was also determined from intestinal lavage of immunized mice. The stomach extracts of neonates from immunized mice, mainly containing mother's milk, contained significant levels of anti-LTSHΔstx immunoglobulin. These studies suggest that the LTSHΔstx could be a new live oral vaccine candidate against shigellosis in the near future. © 2015 The Foundation for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.

  19. Acute Respiratory Viral Infection in Children: Modern Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander A. Baranov

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI in children. ARVI take one of the leading places in a childhood morbidity structure. The article provides an overview of the clinical guidelines developed and approved by the professional association «Union of Pediatricians of Russia» for acute respiratory infections in children. These guidelines summarize the experience of the leading world and domestic specialists, contain scientific and practical data that correspond to the most relevant trends in the management of children with this pathology. The authors present modern information on the etiology, pathogenesis, classification, clinical findings and differential diagnosis of various nosological forms of acute respiratory tract infections in the pediatric population. The general (strategic principles of drug-free and drug treatment are discussed in detail.

  20. Antibodies against Shigella flexneri adhesion molecule outer ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    OMP) as an adhesion factor and examine its ability to cross-react with the OMPs of other Shigella species. Methods: OMP was isolated from the bacterium S. flexneri after shaving the pili using a pili bacterial cutter in a solution of 0.5 ...

  1. Intradermal delivery of Shigella IpaB and IpaD type III secretion proteins: kinetics of cell recruitment and antigen uptake, mucosal and systemic immunity, and protection across serotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heine, Shannon J; Diaz-McNair, Jovita; Andar, Abhay U; Drachenberg, Cinthia B; van de Verg, Lillian; Walker, Richard; Picking, Wendy L; Pasetti, Marcela F

    2014-02-15

    Shigella is one of the leading pathogens contributing to the vast pediatric diarrheal disease burden in low-income countries. No licensed vaccine is available, and the existing candidates are only partially effective and serotype specific. Shigella type III secretion system proteins IpaB and IpaD, which are conserved across Shigella spp., are candidates for a broadly protective, subunit-based vaccine. In this study, we investigated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of IpaB and IpaD administered intradermally (i.d.) with a double-mutant of the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (dmLT) adjuvant using microneedles. Different dosage levels of IpaB and IpaD, with or without dmLT, were tested in mice. Vaccine delivery into the dermis, recruitment of neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, and Langerhans cells, and colocalization of vaccine Ag within skin-activated APC were demonstrated through histology and immunofluorescence microscopy. Ag-loaded neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, and Langerhans cells remained in the tissue at least 1 wk. IpaB, IpaD, and dmLT-specific serum IgG- and IgG-secreting cells were produced following i.d. immunization. The protective efficacy was 70% against Shigella flexneri and 50% against Shigella sonnei. Similar results were obtained when the vaccine was administered intranasally, with the i.d. route requiring 25-40 times lower doses. Distinctively, IgG was detected in mucosal secretions; secretory IgA, as well as mucosal and systemic IgA Ab-secreting cells, were seemingly absent. Vaccine-induced T cells produced IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10. These results demonstrate the potential of i.d. vaccination with IpaB and IpaD to prevent Shigella infection and support further studies in humans.

  2. Antibiotic therapy for preventing infections in people with acute stroke

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeij, Jan-Dirk; Westendorp, Willeke F.; Dippel, Diederik Wj; van de Beek, Diederik; Nederkoorn, Paul J.

    2018-01-01

    Stroke is the main cause of disability in high-income countries and ranks second as a cause of death worldwide. Infections occur frequently after stroke and may adversely affect outcome. Preventive antibiotic therapy in the acute phase of stroke may reduce the incidence of infections and improve

  3. Antibiotic therapy for preventing infections in patients with acute stroke

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westendorp, Willeke F.; Vermeij, Jan-Dirk; Vermeij, Frederique; den Hertog, Heleen M.; Dippel, Diederik W. J.; van de Beek, Diederik; Nederkoorn, Paul J.

    2012-01-01

    Background Stroke is the main cause of disability in high income countries and ranks second as a cause of death worldwide. Infections occur frequently after stroke and may adversely affect outcome. Preventive antibiotic therapy in the acute phase of stroke may reduce infections and improve outcome.

  4. Encephalitis, acute renal failure, and acute hepatitis triggered by a viral infection in an immunocompetent young adult: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khattab Mahmoud

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Cytomegalovirus generally causes self-limited, mild and asymptomatic infections in immunocompetent patients. An aggressive course in immunocompetent healthy patients is unusual. Case presentation We report the case of an immunocompetent 16-year-old Egyptian boy with encephalitis, acute renal failure, and acute hepatitis triggered by viral infection with a complete recovery following antiviral treatment. Conclusion We believe that this case adds to the understanding of the molecular biology, clinical presentation and increasing index of suspicion of many viral infections.

  5. Rapid detection of Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in produce enrichments by a conventional multiplex PCR assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binet, Rachel; Deer, Deanne M; Uhlfelder, Samantha J

    2014-06-01

    Faster detection of contaminated foods can prevent adulterated foods from being consumed and minimize the risk of an outbreak of foodborne illness. A sensitive molecular detection method is especially important for Shigella because ingestion of as few as 10 of these bacterial pathogens can cause disease. The objectives of this study were to compare the ability of four DNA extraction methods to detect Shigella in six types of produce, post-enrichment, and to evaluate a new and rapid conventional multiplex assay that targets the Shigella ipaH, virB and mxiC virulence genes. This assay can detect less than two Shigella cells in pure culture, even when the pathogen is mixed with background microflora, and it can also differentiate natural Shigella strains from a control strain and eliminate false positive results due to accidental laboratory contamination. The four DNA extraction methods (boiling, PrepMan Ultra [Applied Biosystems], InstaGene Matrix [Bio-Rad], DNeasy Tissue kit [Qiagen]) detected 1.6 × 10(3)Shigella CFU/ml post-enrichment, requiring ∼18 doublings to one cell in 25 g of produce pre-enrichment. Lower sensitivity was obtained, depending on produce type and extraction method. The InstaGene Matrix was the most consistent and sensitive and the multiplex assay accurately detected Shigella in less than 90 min, outperforming, to the best of our knowledge, molecular assays currently in place for this pathogen. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Etiology of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children: current state of the issue (review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Bogdanova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality in children under five years. Verification of the etiology of acute lower respiratory tract infections is necessary for definition of treatment and direction of prevention. Respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3 and adenovirus are considered the main reasons of acute lower respiratory tract infections. The importance of different viruses depends on countries, district, seasons and ages of children. Analysis of the results of studies from different regions of the world showed fluctuations in frequency of etiology definition of respiratory viruses from 25 to 90%. Respiratory syncytial virus is the main reason of acute lower respiratory tract infections, especially in the group of children up to 1 year.

  7. Pre-Clinical Testing of Real-Time PCR Assays for Diarrheal Disease Agents of Genera Escherichia and Shigella

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-05-16

    FOR DIARRHEAL DISEASE AGENTS OF GENERA ESCHERICHIA AND SHIGELLA May 16, 2014 Reporting Period: October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2013...10-2010 - 30-09-2013 PRE-CLINICAL TESTING OF REAL-TIME PCR ASSAYS FOR DIARRHEAL DISEASE AGENTS OF GENERA ESCHERICHIA AND SHIGELLA ...Texas (MOA 2007 - 2013. Agreement No.: DODI 4000.19; AFI 25-201). Pre-clinical test results qualify ETEC and Shigella real-time PCR assays as lead

  8. Impact of Infection Prevention and Control Initiatives on Acute Respiratory Infections in a Pediatric Long-Term Care Facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Meghan T; Jackson, Olivia; Cohen, Bevin; Hutcheon, Gordon; Saiman, Lisa; Larson, Elaine; Neu, Natalie

    2016-07-01

    We evaluated the collective impact of several infection prevention and control initiatives aimed at reducing acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in a pediatric long-term care facility. ARIs did not decrease overall, though the proportion of infections associated with outbreaks and average number of cases per outbreak decreased. Influenza rates decreased significantly. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:859-862.

  9. Respiratory viruses in children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection in Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwofie Theophilus B

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acute respiratory tract infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among young children in developing countries. Information on the viral aetiology of acute respiratory infections in developing countries is very limited. The study was done to identify viruses associated with acute lower respiratory tract infection among children less than 5 years. Method Nasopharyngeal samples and blood cultures were collected from children less than 5 years who have been hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection. Viruses and bacteria were identified using Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and conventional biochemical techniques. Results Out of 128 patients recruited, 33(25.88%%, 95%CI: 18.5% to 34.2% were positive for one or more viruses. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV was detected in 18(14.1%, 95%CI: 8.5% to 21.3% patients followed by Adenoviruses (AdV in 13(10.2%, 95%CI: 5.5% to 16.7%, Parainfluenza (PIV type: 1, 2, 3 in 4(3.1%, 95%CI: 0.9% to 7.8% and influenza B viruses in 1(0.8%, 95%CI: 0.0 to 4.3. Concomitant viral and bacterial co-infection occurred in two patients. There were no detectable significant differences in the clinical signs, symptoms and severity for the various pathogens isolated. A total of 61.1% (22/36 of positive viruses were detected during the rainy season and Respiratory Syncytial Virus was the most predominant. Conclusion The study has demonstrated an important burden of respiratory viruses as major causes of childhood acute respiratory infection in a tertiary health institution in Ghana. The data addresses a need for more studies on viral associated respiratory tract infection.

  10. [Changes of resistant phenotype and CRISPR/Cas system of four Shigella strains passaged for 90 times without antibiotics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, B; Hong, L J; Duan, G C; Liang, W J; Yang, H Y; Xi, Y L

    2017-02-10

    Objective: To explore the stability of resistant phenotypes and changes of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) gene system on four Shigella strains in the absence of antibiotics. Methods: Four clinical isolated Shigella strains that resistant to different antibiotics were consecutive passaged for 90 times without antibiotics. Agar dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of Shigella strains. After sequence analysis with PCR, CRISPR Finder and Clustal X 2.1 were applied to identify the changes of CRISPR loci in the Shigella strains. Results: After the consecutive transfer of 90 generations, sensitivity to certain antibiotics of four Shigella strains with different drug resistant spectrums increased. Mel-sf1998024/zz resistance to ampicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol decreased, mel-s2014026/sx resistance to norfloxacin, trimethoprim decreased, mel-sf2004004/sx drug resistance to ampicillin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim decreased and mel-sf2013004/bj resistance to chloramphenicol decreased. The spacer of which matched gene codes Cas and its upstream repeat in 3'end of CRISPR3 got lost in mel-sf1998024/zz and mel-sf2013004/bj. Conclusions: Shigella strains could reduce or lose their resistance to some antibiotics after consecutive transfers, without the interference of antibiotics. CRISPR3 locus had dynamic spacers in Shigella strains while CRISPR3 locus and cas genes might have been co-evolved.

  11. Incidence of acute postoperative infections requiring reoperation after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeranosian, Michael G; Arshi, Armin; Terrell, Rodney D; Wang, Jeffrey C; McAllister, David R; Petrigliano, Frank A

    2014-02-01

    An acute infection after arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a rare but serious complication. Previous studies estimating the incidence of infections after arthroscopic surgery have been conducted, but the majority of these had either relatively small study groups or were not specific to shoulder arthroscopic surgery. To investigate the incidence of acute infections after arthroscopic shoulder surgery and compare infection rates by age group, sex, geographic region, and specific procedures. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review of a large insurance company database was performed for all shoulder arthroscopic surgeries performed in the United States between 2004 and 2009 that required additional surgery for infections within 30 days. The data were stratified by sex, age group, and region. Data were also stratified for specific procedures (capsulorrhaphy, treatment for superior labrum anterior-posterior tears, claviculectomy, decompression, and rotator cuff repair) and used to assess the variation in the incidence of infections across different arthroscopic shoulder procedures. Linear regression was used to determine the significance of differences in the data from year to year. χ(2) analysis was used to assess the statistical significance of variations among all groups. Poisson regression analysis with exposure was used to determine significant differences in a pairwise comparison between 2 groups. The total number of arthroscopic shoulder surgeries performed was 165,820, and the number of infections requiring additional surgery was 450, resulting in an overall infection rate of 0.27%. The incidence of infections varied significantly across age groups (P shoulder procedures was 0.27%. The incidence was highest in elderly patients, in the South, and for rotator cuff repair. The incidence was lowest in young patients, in the Midwest, and for capsulorrhaphy. In general, shoulder arthroscopic surgery in this study population had a low rate of

  12. Factors associated with hospitalization of children with acute odontogenic infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klačar Jelena

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare the sociodemographic and clinical features of odontogenic infections between hospitalized and nonhospitalized children and to show what were the risk factors in children that could predict the course of odontogenic infection and indicate the need for hospital treatment. The design of our study was of the case-control type. The two study groups consisted of 70 inpatients and 35 outpatients with odontogenic infections who were treated at Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Department of Maxillofacial Surgery at Clinical Center in Kragujevac, Serbia. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected retrospectively from patients' hospital records. The following characteristics were significantly associated with hospital treatment of children with acute odontogenic infection: living in a village (OR =7.26,[1.43-36.96], multi-spatial infection (OR =0.04, [0.00-0.91], and affection of upper face (OR = 0.01, [0.00-0.86]. Tooth extraction was important intervention in the treatment regimen and reduced frequency of hospitalization (OR=0.07, [0.01-0.70]. The differences between hospitalized and non-hospitalized children were not significant in regard to: ethnicity, employment of parents, anatomical region of infection, side of the facial infection, source of infection (posterior or anterior deciduous or permanent teeth, and treatment (drainage and incision, oral or parenteral antibiotics. In children with acute odontogenic infection it is necessary to do tooth extraction in timely manner, especially if the source of infection is tooth from upper jaw and if it is multi-spatial infection.

  13. [Different species of human rhinovirus infection in children with acute respiratory tract infections in Beijing].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Ming-hui; Zhao, Lin-qing; Qian, Yuan; Zhu, Ru-nan; Deng, Jie; Wang, Fang; Sun, Yu; Tian, Run

    2013-12-01

    To understand the clinical characteristics of different groups human rhinovirus (HRV)-A, B and C infection in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) in Beijing. Respiratory tract specimens (n = 1412) collected from children with ARI during Jan. 2011 to Dec. 2012 were tested for HRV by using semi-nested PCR. Gene fragments of VP4/VP2 capsid protein amplified from HRV positive specimens were sequenced for HRV genotype confirmation. Then epidemiological characteristics of these HRV-positive cases were analyzed. Among these 1412 specimens tested, 103 (7.3%) were HRV positive, including 54 (52.4%) positive for HRV-A, 14 (13.6%) for HRV-B, 35 (34.0%) for HRV-C determined by sequence analysis. The positive rates of HRV-A, B and C (2.5%, 16/638; 0.3%, 2/638 and 1.3%, 8/638) in children with acute upper respiratory tract infections (URI) were lower than those (5.8%, 36/623; 1.8%, 11/623 and 3.9%, 24/623) in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRI) (P = 0.003, 0.011, 0.003). In children with LRI, the positive rates of HRV-A, C were similar to each other (P = 0.112), and both were higher than that of HRV-B (P = 0.000, P = 0.026). The severity of ARI among children positive for different groups HRV showed no significant difference evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis H test (Hc = 0.044, P > 0.05), as well as that between children co-infected with HRV and other viruses and those infected with HRV only evaluated by Wilcoxon rank sum test (Zc = 0.872, P > 0.05). HRV is one of important pathogens for children with ARI, especially LRI in Beijing. The positive rates of HRV-A and HRV-C are similar to each other, and both are higher than that of HRV-B. No significant difference was shown among children with different HRV genotypes by evaluation of the severity of ARI, and co-infections of HRV with other viruses do not significantly increase the severity of ARI.

  14. MAIT cells are activated in acute Dengue virus infection and after in vitro Zika virus infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominic Paquin-Proulx

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV and Zika virus (ZIKV are members of the Flaviviridae and are predominantly transmitted via mosquito bites. Both viruses are responsible for a growing number of infections in tropical and subtropical regions. DENV infection can cause lethargy with severe morbidity and dengue shock syndrome leading to death in some cases. ZIKV is now linked with Guillain-Barré syndrome and fetal malformations including microcephaly and developmental disorders (congenital Zika syndrome. The protective and pathogenic roles played by the immune response in these infections is unknown. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT cells are a population of innate T cells with potent anti-bacterial activity. MAIT cells have also been postulated to play a role in the immune response to viral infections. In this study, we evaluated MAIT cell frequency, phenotype, and function in samples from subjects with acute and convalescent DENV infection. We found that in acute DENV infection, MAIT cells had elevated co-expression of the activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR and had a poor IFNγ response following bacterial stimulation. Furthermore, we found that MAIT cells can produce IFNγ in response to in vitro infection with ZIKV. This MAIT cell response was independent of MR1, but dependent on IL-12 and IL-18. Our results suggest that MAIT cells may play an important role in the immune response to Flavivirus infections.

  15. Effect of HIV infection on time to recovery from an acute manic episode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Nakimuli-Mpungu

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available E Nakimuli-Mpungu1,2,3, B Mutamba2,3, S Nshemerirwe2,3, MS Kiwuwa4, S Musisi21Mental Health Department, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; 2Department of Psychiatry, Makerere College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kampala; 3Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kampala; 4Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Makerere College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kampala, UgandaIntroduction: Understanding factors affecting the time to recovery from acute mania is critical in the management of manic syndromes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of HIV infection on time to recovery from acute mania.Methods: We performed a retrospective study in which medical charts of individuals who were treated for acute mania were reviewed. Survival analysis with Cox regression models were used to compare time to recovery from an acute manic episode between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-positive individuals and HIV-negative individuals.Results: Median survival time was one week for HIV-positive individuals and more than four weeks for HIV-negative individuals (Χ2 = 18.4, P value = 0.000. HIV infection was the only marginally significant independent predictor of survival probability on the acute admission ward (hazards ratio 2.87, P = 0.06.Conclusion: Acute mania in HIV-infected persons responds faster to psychotropic drugs compared with that in HIV-negative persons.Keywords: HIV-related mania, bipolar disorder, HIV infection, Uganda, immunodeficiency virus

  16. Isolation and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Shigella and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-03-01

    Mar 1, 2018 ... species, Vibrio cholera, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Aeromonas species), enteroparasites (Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium species and Entamoeba histolytica), and viruses (adenovirus, Norwalk virus, and rotavirus) (5). Among the bacterial causative agents,. Salmonella and Shigella remain the major.

  17. Pericardial Tamponade in an Adult Suffering from Acute Mumps Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sascha Kahlfuss

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Here, we report a case of a 51-year-old man with acute pericardial tamponade requiring emergency pericardiocentesis after he suffered from sore throat, headache, malaise, and sweats for two weeks. Serological analyses revealed increased mumps IgM and IgG indicating an acute mumps infection whereas other bacterial and viral infections were excluded. In addition, MRI revealed atypical swelling of the left submandibular gland. Whereas mumps has become a rare entity in children due to comprehensive vaccination regimens in western civilizations, our case highlights mumps as an important differential diagnosis also in adults, where the virus can induce life-threatening complications such as pericardial tamponade.

  18. An overview of the microbiology of acute ear, nose and throat infections requiring hospitalisation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rusan, M; Klug, T E; Ovesen, T

    2009-01-01

    This study is the first to provide an extensive overview of the microbiology of acute ear, nose and throat infections requiring hospitalisation. All 2,028 cases of acute infections admitted between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2006 were reviewed to assess the use of pre-admission antibiotics, m...

  19. Acute Parasitic Infections as a Cause of Fever of Unknown Origin in Egypt

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-10-01

    series and included 10 with acute and biliary system (Bassily et al., 1989). fascioliasis , 9 with schistosomiasis and I Diagnosing these patients...Farid et al., 1989). Acute Ilosp., Postal Code 11517, Cairo. Egpt. fascioliasis is treated with bithionol, 88 Table: Diagnostic categories of fcver of...diagnosis Infections 80 57 Tuberculosis (32), Salmonellosis (10), Fascioliasis (10), Schistosomiasis (9). Infective Endocarditis (5), Brucellosis (4

  20. Attenuated Shigella as a DNA Delivery Vehicle for DNA-Mediated Immunization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sizemore, Donata R.; Branstrom, Arthur A.; Sadoff, Jerald C.

    1995-10-01

    Direct inoculation of DNA, in the form of purified bacterial plasmids that are unable to replicate in mammalian cells but are able to direct cell synthesis of foreign proteins, is being explored as an approach to vaccine development. Here, a highly attenuated Shigella vector invaded mammalian cells and delivered such plasmids into the cytoplasm of cells, and subsequent production of functional foreign protein was measured. Because this Shigella vector was designed to deliver DNA to colonic mucosa, the method is a potential basis for oral and other mucosal DNA immunization and gene therapy strategies.

  1. A real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of Shigella species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liew, P S; Teh, C S J; Lau, Y L; Thong, K L

    2014-12-01

    Shigellosis is a foodborne illness caused by the genus Shigella and is an important global health issue. The development of effective techniques for rapid detection of this pathogen is essential for breaking the chain of transmission. Therefore, we have developed a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the invasion plasmid antigen H (ipaH) gene to rapidly detect Shigella species. This assay could be performed in 90 min at an optimal temperature of 64ºC, with endpoint results visualized directly. Notably, the method was found to be more sensitive than conventional PCR. Indeed, the detection limit for the LAMP assay on pure bacterial cultures was 5.9 x 10(5) CFU/ml, while PCR displayed a limit of 5.9 x 10(7) CFU/ml. In spiked lettuce samples, the sensitivity of the LAMP assay was 3.6 x 10(4) CFU/g, whereas PCR was 3.6 x 10(5) CFU/g. Overall, the assay accurately identified 32 Shigella spp. with one enteroinvasive Escherichia coli displaying positive reaction while the remaining 32 non-Shigella strains tested were negative.

  2. Shigella subverts the host recycling compartment to rupture its vacuole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellouk, Nora; Weiner, Allon; Aulner, Nathalie; Schmitt, Christine; Elbaum, Michael; Shorte, Spencer L; Danckaert, Anne; Enninga, Jost

    2014-10-08

    Shigella enters epithlial cells via internalization into a vacuole. Subsequent vacuolar membrane rupture allows bacterial escape into the cytosol for replication and cell-to-cell spread. Bacterial effectors such as IpgD, a PI(4,5)P2 phosphatase that generates PI(5)P and alters host actin, facilitate this internalization. Here, we identify host proteins involved in Shigella uptake and vacuolar membrane rupture by high-content siRNA screening and subsequently focus on Rab11, a constituent of the recycling compartment. Rab11-positive vesicles are recruited to the invasion site before vacuolar rupture, and Rab11 knockdown dramatically decreases vacuolar membrane rupture. Additionally, Rab11 recruitment is absent and vacuolar rupture is delayed in the ipgD mutant that does not dephosphorylate PI(4,5)P₂ into PI(5)P. Ultrastructural analyses of Rab11-positive vesicles further reveal that ipgD mutant-containing vacuoles become confined in actin structures that likely contribute to delayed vacular rupture. These findings provide insight into the underlying molecular mechanism of vacuole progression and rupture during Shigella invasion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. BID-dependent release of mitochondrial SMAC dampens XIAP-mediated immunity against Shigella

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andree, Maria; Seeger, Jens M; Schüll, Stephan; Coutelle, Oliver; Wagner-Stippich, Diana; Wiegmann, Katja; Wunderlich, Claudia M; Brinkmann, Kerstin; Broxtermann, Pia; Witt, Axel; Fritsch, Melanie; Martinelli, Paola; Bielig, Harald; Lamkemeyer, Tobias; Rugarli, Elena I; Kaufmann, Thomas; Sterner-Kock, Anja; Wunderlich, F Thomas; Villunger, Andreas; Martins, L Miguel; Krönke, Martin; Kufer, Thomas A; Utermöhlen, Olaf; Kashkar, Hamid

    2014-01-01

    The X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is a potent caspase inhibitor, best known for its anti-apoptotic function in cancer. During apoptosis, XIAP is antagonized by SMAC, which is released from the mitochondria upon caspase-mediated activation of BID. Recent studies suggest that XIAP is involved in immune signaling. Here, we explore XIAP as an important mediator of an immune response against the enteroinvasive bacterium Shigella flexneri, both in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrate for the first time that Shigella evades the XIAP-mediated immune response by inducing the BID-dependent release of SMAC from the mitochondria. Unlike apoptotic stimuli, Shigella activates the calpain-dependent cleavage of BID to trigger the release of SMAC, which antagonizes the inflammatory action of XIAP without inducing apoptosis. Our results demonstrate how the cellular death machinery can be subverted by an invasive pathogen to ensure bacterial colonization. PMID:25056906

  4. Reassessment of HIV-1 acute phase infectivity: accounting for heterogeneity and study design with simulated cohorts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve E Bellan

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The infectivity of the HIV-1 acute phase has been directly measured only once, from a retrospectively identified cohort of serodiscordant heterosexual couples in Rakai, Uganda. Analyses of this cohort underlie the widespread view that the acute phase is highly infectious, even more so than would be predicted from its elevated viral load, and that transmission occurring shortly after infection may therefore compromise interventions that rely on diagnosis and treatment, such as antiretroviral treatment as prevention (TasP. Here, we re-estimate the duration and relative infectivity of the acute phase, while accounting for several possible sources of bias in published estimates, including the retrospective cohort exclusion criteria and unmeasured heterogeneity in risk.We estimated acute phase infectivity using two approaches. First, we combined viral load trajectories and viral load-infectivity relationships to estimate infectivity trajectories over the course of infection, under the assumption that elevated acute phase infectivity is caused by elevated viral load alone. Second, we estimated the relative hazard of transmission during the acute phase versus the chronic phase (RHacute and the acute phase duration (dacute by fitting a couples transmission model to the Rakai retrospective cohort using approximate Bayesian computation. Our model fit the data well and accounted for characteristics overlooked by previous analyses, including individual heterogeneity in infectiousness and susceptibility and the retrospective cohort's exclusion of couples that were recorded as serodiscordant only once before being censored by loss to follow-up, couple dissolution, or study termination. Finally, we replicated two highly cited analyses of the Rakai data on simulated data to identify biases underlying the discrepancies between previous estimates and our own. From the Rakai data, we estimated RHacute = 5.3 (95% credibility interval [95% CrI]: 0.79-57 and dacute

  5. Small-Molecule Inhibitor of the Shigella flexneri Master Virulence Regulator VirF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koppolu, Veerendra; Osaka, Ichie; Skredenske, Jeff M.; Kettle, Bria; Hefty, P. Scott; Li, Jiaqin

    2013-01-01

    VirF is an AraC family transcriptional activator that is required for the expression of virulence genes associated with invasion and cell-to-cell spread by Shigella flexneri, including multiple components of the type three secretion system (T3SS) machinery and effectors. We tested a small-molecule compound, SE-1 (formerly designated OSSL_051168), which we had identified as an effective inhibitor of the AraC family proteins RhaS and RhaR, for its ability to inhibit VirF. Cell-based reporter gene assays with Escherichia coli and Shigella, as well as in vitro DNA binding assays with purified VirF, demonstrated that SE-1 inhibited DNA binding and transcription activation (likely by blocking DNA binding) by VirF. Analysis of mRNA levels using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) further demonstrated that SE-1 reduced the expression of the VirF-dependent virulence genes icsA, virB, icsB, and ipaB in Shigella. We also performed eukaryotic cell invasion assays and found that SE-1 reduced invasion by Shigella. The effect of SE-1 on invasion required preincubation of Shigella with SE-1, in agreement with the hypothesis that SE-1 inhibited the expression of VirF-activated genes required for the formation of the T3SS apparatus and invasion. We found that the same concentrations of SE-1 had no detectable effects on the growth or metabolism of the bacterial cells or the eukaryotic host cells, respectively, indicating that the inhibition of invasion was not due to general toxicity. Overall, SE-1 appears to inhibit transcription activation by VirF, exhibits selectivity toward AraC family proteins, and has the potential to be developed into a novel antibacterial agent. PMID:24002059

  6. Reassessment of HIV-1 Acute Phase Infectivity: Accounting for Heterogeneity and Study Design with Simulated Cohorts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellan, Steve E.; Dushoff, Jonathan; Galvani, Alison P.; Meyers, Lauren Ancel

    2015-01-01

    Background The infectivity of the HIV-1 acute phase has been directly measured only once, from a retrospectively identified cohort of serodiscordant heterosexual couples in Rakai, Uganda. Analyses of this cohort underlie the widespread view that the acute phase is highly infectious, even more so than would be predicted from its elevated viral load, and that transmission occurring shortly after infection may therefore compromise interventions that rely on diagnosis and treatment, such as antiretroviral treatment as prevention (TasP). Here, we re-estimate the duration and relative infectivity of the acute phase, while accounting for several possible sources of bias in published estimates, including the retrospective cohort exclusion criteria and unmeasured heterogeneity in risk. Methods and Findings We estimated acute phase infectivity using two approaches. First, we combined viral load trajectories and viral load-infectivity relationships to estimate infectivity trajectories over the course of infection, under the assumption that elevated acute phase infectivity is caused by elevated viral load alone. Second, we estimated the relative hazard of transmission during the acute phase versus the chronic phase (RHacute) and the acute phase duration (d acute) by fitting a couples transmission model to the Rakai retrospective cohort using approximate Bayesian computation. Our model fit the data well and accounted for characteristics overlooked by previous analyses, including individual heterogeneity in infectiousness and susceptibility and the retrospective cohort's exclusion of couples that were recorded as serodiscordant only once before being censored by loss to follow-up, couple dissolution, or study termination. Finally, we replicated two highly cited analyses of the Rakai data on simulated data to identify biases underlying the discrepancies between previous estimates and our own. From the Rakai data, we estimated RHacute = 5.3 (95% credibility interval [95% CrI]: 0

  7. Radioprotective activity of shigella antigens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klemparskaya, N.N.; Gorbunova, E.S.; Dobronravova, N.N.

    1981-01-01

    The possibility of using experimental microbe antigenous preparation out of Flexner and Zonne shigellas as a protector and a remedy in the case of gamma irradiation, is investigated. The experiments are carried out on mice of both sexes immunized before or after irradiation by two methods: subcutaneously and enerally. It is found that in most cases investigated, the introduction of the experimental preparation 3, 5, 7 and 10 days before irradiation increases the survivability of animals [ru

  8. Local and disseminated acute phase response during bacterial respiratory infection in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Kerstin; Mortensen, Shila; Heegaard, Peter M. H.

    2010-01-01

    The acute phase response is playing an important role, aiming to restore the healthy state after tissue injury, inflammation and infection. The biological function of this response and its interplay with other parts of innate defense reactions remain somewhat elusive. Expression of acute phase...... locations of the infected lung (necrotic areas, areas bordering on necrotic areas, and from visually unaffected areas). Expression differences was also studied in the liver and in peripheral lymphoid tissue (tracheobronchial lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils) of infected (n=10) and non-infected (n=5) pigs using......-phase proteins was found 14-18h after experimental infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. This firmly establishes that expression of APPs is widely disseminated, involving changes in the expression of APPs at a dynamic scale comparable to the hepatic response. These results suggest that many different cell...

  9. Association of interleukin-8 and neutrophils with nasal symptom severity during acute respiratory infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henriquez, Kelsey M; Hayney, Mary S; Xie, Yaoguo; Zhang, Zhengjun; Barrett, Bruce

    2015-02-01

    Using a large data set (n = 811), the relationship between acute respiratory infection illness severity and inflammatory biomarkers was investigated to determine whether certain symptoms are correlated more closely than others with the inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and nasal neutrophils. Participants with community acquired acute respiratory infection underwent nasal lavage for IL-8 and neutrophil testing, in addition to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for the detection and identification of respiratory viruses. Information about symptoms was obtained throughout the duration of the illness episode using the well-validated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21). Global symptom severity was calculated by the area under the curve (AUC) plotting duration versus WURSS total. Of the specimens tested, 56% were positively identified for one or more of nine different respiratory viruses. During acute respiratory infection illness, both IL-8 and neutrophils positively correlate with AUC (r(s) = 0.082, P = 0.022; r(s)  = 0.080, P = 0.030). IL-8 and neutrophils correlate with nasal symptom severity: runny nose (r = 0.13, P = acute respiratory infection. Further research is necessary to determine if the concentration of these or other biomarkers can predict the overall duration and severity of acute respiratory infection illness. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. The porcine acute phase protein response to acute clinical and subclinical experimental infection with Streptococcus suis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Nanna Skall; Tegtmeier, C.; Andresen, Lars Ole

    2006-01-01

    The pig acute phase protein (APP) response to experimental Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infection was mapped by the measurement of the positive APPs C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and major acute phase protein (pig-MAP) and the negative APPs albumin...... and apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I. The aim was to elucidate the differences in the acute phase behaviour of the individual APPs during a typical bacterial septicaemic, infection. Pigs were inoculated subcutaneously with live S. suis serotype 2 and blood was sampled before and on various days post inoculation (p...... the experiment with maximum levels around 10 times the day 0-levels, and pig-MAP was elevated on days 1-12 p.i. with peak levels of around seven times the day 0-levels. Apo A-I was decreased from days 1 to 8 and showed minimum levels of about 40% of day 0-levels around 1-2 days p.i. No clear pattern of changes...

  11. Alcohol during pregnancy worsens acute respiratory infections in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Libster, Romina; Ferolla, Fausto M; Hijano, Diego R; Acosta, Patricio L; Erviti, Anabella; Polack, Fernando P

    2015-11-01

    This study explored whether alcohol consumption during pregnancy increased the risk of life-threatening respiratory infections in children. We prospectively evaluated children under the age of two years admitted to hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with severe acute respiratory infections during the winters of 2011 and 2012. Information on maternal alcohol consumption during the third trimester of pregnancy was collected using standardised questionnaires and categorised as never, low if it was once a week and high if it was equal or more than once a week. Of the 3423 children hospitalised with acute respiratory infection, 2089 (63.7%) had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Alcohol consumption during the last trimester was reported by 398 mothers (12.4%) and categorised as low (n = 210, 6.5%) or high (n = 188, 5.9%). A greater effect on life-threatening respiratory infection, defined as oxygen saturation of or up to 87%, was observed with higher alcohol intake due to all viruses and specifically RSV in the logistic regression analyses. Alcohol consumption was strongly associated with life-threatening disease, particularly in boys whose adjusted odds ratio rose from 3.67 to 13.52 when their mothers drank alcohol. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy was associated with life-threatening respiratory infections in boys. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Resistencia antimicrobiana de Salmonella, Shigella y Vibrio cholerae: Perú 1997-2002

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    Isabel Arias B

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available La resistencia a los antimicrobianos es un problema de salud pública, en este caso se presentan los resultados de la resistencia antimicrobiana de Salmonella, Shigella y Vibrio cholerae entre los años 1997 y 2002 de las cepas confirmadas por el Instituto Nacional de Salud, procedentes de los laboratorios referenciales regionales de las diferentes direcciones de salud del Perú. La confirmación se realizó mediante bioquímica y serotipificación; para las pruebas de sensibilidad se utilizó el método de disco difusión. Se evaluaron un total de 542 cepas de Salmonella, 1034 de Shigella y 603 de Vibrio cholerae. La resistencia de Shigella frente a ampicilina muestra un promedio de 74,4% durante los 6 años; cloramfenicol con 65,9 %, cotrimoxazol con 72,2 %. En Salmonella se observa un promedio de 3,46 % para ampicilina; 2,83 % para cloranfenicol; en gentamicina 3,9 % y cotrimoxazol 1,1. V. Cholerae entre 1997 y 1999 mostraron promedios de resistencia de 19 % a cotrimoxazol, 12,1 % a tetraciclina y 10,2 % a ampicilina. A partir del año 2000, no se reportaron casos, por lo que se recibieron pocas cepas de esta especie. Se evidencia el problema de resistencia de Shigella frente a ampicilina, cloramfenicol y cotrimoxazol.

  13. Acute Viral Respiratory Infection Rapidly Induces a CD8+ T Cell Exhaustion-like Phenotype.

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    Erickson, John J; Lu, Pengcheng; Wen, Sherry; Hastings, Andrew K; Gilchuk, Pavlo; Joyce, Sebastian; Shyr, Yu; Williams, John V

    2015-11-01

    Acute viral infections typically generate functional effector CD8(+) T cells (TCD8) that aid in pathogen clearance. However, during acute viral lower respiratory infection, lung TCD8 are functionally impaired and do not optimally control viral replication. T cells also become unresponsive to Ag during chronic infections and cancer via signaling by inhibitory receptors such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). PD-1 also contributes to TCD8 impairment during viral lower respiratory infection, but how it regulates TCD8 impairment and the connection between this state and T cell exhaustion during chronic infections are unknown. In this study, we show that PD-1 operates in a cell-intrinsic manner to impair lung TCD8. In light of this, we compared global gene expression profiles of impaired epitope-specific lung TCD8 to functional spleen TCD8 in the same human metapneumovirus-infected mice. These two populations differentially regulate hundreds of genes, including the upregulation of numerous inhibitory receptors by lung TCD8. We then compared the gene expression of TCD8 during human metapneumovirus infection to those in acute or chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. We find that the immunophenotype of lung TCD8 more closely resembles T cell exhaustion late into chronic infection than do functional effector T cells arising early in acute infection. Finally, we demonstrate that trafficking to the infected lung alone is insufficient for TCD8 impairment or inhibitory receptor upregulation, but that viral Ag-induced TCR signaling is also required. Our results indicate that viral Ag in infected lungs rapidly induces an exhaustion-like state in lung TCD8 characterized by progressive functional impairment and upregulation of numerous inhibitory receptors. Copyright © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  14. Rapid and reliable discrimination between Shigella species and Escherichia coli using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paauw, A.; Jonker, D.; Roeselers, G.; Heng, J.M.E.; Mars-Groenendijk, R.H.; Trip, H.; Molhoek, E.M.; Jansen, H.J.; Plas, J. van der; Jong, A.L. de; Majchrzykiewicz-Koehorst, J.A.; Speksnijder, A.G.C.L.

    2015-01-01

    E. coli-. Shigella species are a cryptic group of bacteria in which the Shigella species are distributed within the phylogenetic tree of E. coli. The nomenclature is historically based and the discrimination of these genera developed as a result of the epidemiological need to identify the cause of

  15. Portable evanescent wave fiber biosensor for highly sensitive detection of Shigella

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Rui; Rong, Zhen; Long, Feng; Liu, Qiqi

    2014-11-01

    A portable evanescent wave fiber biosensor was developed to achieve the rapid and highly sensitive detection of Shigella. In this study, a DNA probe was covalently immobilized onto fiber-optic biosensors that can hybridize with a fluorescently labeled complementary DNA. The sensitivity of detection for synthesized oligonucleotides can reach 10-10 M. The surface of the sensor can be regenerated with 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate solution (pH 1.9) for over 30 times without significant deterioration of performance. The total analysis time for a single sample, including the time for measurement and surface regeneration, was less than 6 min. We employed real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compared the results of both methods to investigate the actual Shigella DNA detection capability of the fiber-optic biosensor. The fiber-optic biosensor could detect as low as 102 colony-forming unit/mL Shigella. This finding was comparable with that by real-time PCR, which suggests that this method is a potential alternative to existing detection methods.

  16. The use of comparative genomic hybridization to characterize genome dynamics and diversity among the serotypes of Shigella

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    Sun Meisheng

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Compelling evidence indicates that Shigella species, the etiologic agents of bacillary dysentery, as well as enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, are derived from multiple origins of Escherichia coli and form a single pathovar. To further understand the genome diversity and virulence evolution of Shigella, comparative genomic hybridization microarray analysis was employed to compare the gene content of E. coli K-12 with those of 43 Shigella strains from all lineages. Results For the 43 strains subjected to CGH microarray analyses, the common backbone of the Shigella genome was estimated to contain more than 1,900 open reading frames (ORFs, with a mean number of 726 undetectable ORFs. The mosaic distribution of absent regions indicated that insertions and/or deletions have led to the highly diversified genomes of pathogenic strains. Conclusion These results support the hypothesis that by gain and loss of functions, Shigella species became successful human pathogens through convergent evolution from diverse genomic backgrounds. Moreover, we also found many specific differences between different lineages, providing a window into understanding bacterial speciation and taxonomic relationships.

  17. Does virus-bacteria coinfection increase the clinical severity of acute respiratory infection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damasio, Guilherme A C; Pereira, Luciane A; Moreira, Suzana D R; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N; Dalla-Costa, Libera M; Raboni, Sonia M

    2015-09-01

    This retrospective cohort study investigated the presence of bacteria in respiratory secretions of patients hospitalized with acute respiratory infections and analyzed the impact of viral and bacterial coinfection on severity and the mortality rate. A total of 169 patients with acute respiratory infections were included, viruses and bacteria in respiratory samples were detected using molecular methods. Among all samples, 73.3% and 59.7% were positive for viruses and bacteria, respectively; 45% contained both virus and bacteria. Bacterial coinfection was more frequent in patients infected by community respiratory viruses than influenza A H1N1pdm (83.3% vs. 40.6%). The most frequently bacteria detected were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Both species were co-detected in 54 patients and identified alone in 22 and 21 patients, respectively. Overall, there were no significant differences in the period of hospitalization, severity, or mortality rate between patients infected with respiratory viruses alone and those coinfected by viruses and bacteria. The detection of mixed respiratory pathogens is frequent in hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infections, but its impact on the clinical outcome does not appear substantial. However, it should be noted that most of the patients received broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, which may have contributed to this favorable outcome. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Single amino acid substitutions on the needle tip protein IpaD increased Shigella virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meghraoui, Alaeddine; Schiavolin, Lionel; Allaoui, Abdelmounaaïm

    2014-07-01

    Infection of colonic epithelial cells by Shigella is associated with the type III secretion system, which serves as a molecular syringe to inject effectors into host cells. This system includes an extracellular needle used as a conduit for secreted proteins. Two of these proteins, IpaB and IpaD, dock at the needle tip to control secretion and are also involved in the insertion of a translocation pore into host cell membrane allowing effector delivery. To better understand the function of IpaD, we substituted thirteen residues conserved among homologous proteins in other bacterial species. Generated variants were tested for their ability to surface expose IpaB and IpaD, to control secretion, to insert the translocation pore, and to invade host cells. In addition to a first group of seven ipaD variants that behaved similarly to the wild-type strain, we identified a second group with mutations V314D and I319D that deregulated secretion of all effectors, but remained fully invasive. Moreover, we identified a third group with mutations Y153A, T161D, Q165L and Y276A, that exhibited increased levels of translocators secretion, pore formation, and cell entry. Altogether, our results offer a better understanding of the role of IpaD in the control of Shigella virulence. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. The effect of quorum sensing system for growth competitiveness on Shigella flexneri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ping; Yang, Jing; Lu, Li-lan; Feng, Er-ling; Wang, Heng-liang; Lu, Ying; Zhu, Li

    2015-05-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) regulates the onset of bacterial social responses related to cell density. Comparison between the gene sequences of all components of QS system of Escherichia coli and Shigella strains, shows that the QS system is generally lost or mutated in Shigella. Since AI-2 is produced and processed by the lsr operon, we analyzed the potential function of the lsr operon. We first detected AI-2 in Shigella flexneri 2a strain 301 through the reporter bacteria Vibrio harveyi BB170, indicating that S. flexneri can produce AI-2. Then, the lsr operon of E. coli MG1655 was cloned into S. flexneri using the Golden Gate method. Colony counting experiments showed that the QS system recovery strain had growth advantage over the wild-type strain when they were mixed and cultured. The preliminary comparative proteomics analysis showed that the lsr operon could be expressed and the abundance of stress response proteins also changed when the QS system was introduced into S. flexneri.

  20. Tetracycline and Azithromycin Resistance Investigation on Shigella spp. Isolated from the Stool of Children with Diarrhea in Tehran, Iran

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    Shadi Shahsavan

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Shigella spp. are gram negative bacteria that can cause shigellosis in human. It is important in young children as well as elderly and immunocompromised people. Threatening complications can occur in severe cases with multidrug resistance species. It has been observed that Shigella spp. have become resistant to antibiotics like other bacteria. Investigation of resistance to azithromycin, tetracycline and pattern of resistance are the objectives of this study. Methods: Fifty isolates of Shigella spp. which have been collected from three hospitals in Tehran were studied. Isolates identified and confirmed as Shigella spp. by biochemical, serological and molecular methods (ipaH, wbgz, rfc genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for ampicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, levofloxacin, minocycline, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline by disc agar diffusion method. Minimal inhibition concentrations were performed for azithromycin and tetracycline. Results: From a total of 50 Shigella spp. isolates, 16% of them were Shigella flexneri and 84% Shigella sonnei. The majority of isolates were multidrug resistant. The most resistance was seen to doxycycline, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. Resistance to azithromycin was 6%  and all of the isolates were susceptible to norfloxacin and levofloxacin. Nine patterns of resistance were revealed to these isolates. Conclusion: High resistance to tetracycline was observed and resistance to azithromycin as an alternative treatment choice was also considerable.

  1. Acute Phase Proteins in Response to Dictyocaulus viviparus Infection in Calves

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    Waller K Persson

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Three experiments were carried out to examine the acute phase response, as measured by the acute phase proteins (APP haptoglobin, serum amyloid A (SAA and fibrinogen, in calves infected with lungworm, Dictyocaulus vivparus. In addition, eosinophil counts were analysed. Three different dose models were used in 3 separate experiments: I 250 D. viviparus infective third stage larvae (L3 once daily for 2 consecutive days, II 100 D. viviparus L3 once daily for 5 consecutive days, and III 2000 L3 once. All 3 dose regimes induced elevated levels of haptoglobin, SAA and fibrinogen, although there was considerable variation both between and within experiments. A significant increase was observed in all 3 APP at one or several time points in experiment I and III, whereas in experiment II, the only significant elevation was observed for fibrinogen at one occasion. The eosinophil numbers were significantly elevated in all 3 experiments. The results show that lungworm infection can induce an acute phase response, which can be monitored by the selected APP. Elevated APP levels in combination with high numbers of eosinophils in an animal with respiratory disease may be used as an indicator of lung worm infection, and help the clinician to decide on treatment. However, high numbers of eosinophils and low levels of APP do not exclude a diagnosis of lungworm. Thus, lungworm infection may not be detected if measurements of APP are used to assess calf health in herds or individual animals.

  2. Shigella Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Mechanisms, 2004-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nüesch-Inderbinen, Magdalena; Heini, Nicole; Zurfluh, Katrin; Althaus, Denise; Hächler, Herbert; Stephan, Roger

    2016-06-01

    To determine antimicrobial drug resistance mechanisms of Shigella spp., we analyzed 344 isolates collected in Switzerland during 2004-2014. Overall, 78.5% of isolates were multidrug resistant; 10.5% were ciprofloxacin resistant; and 2% harbored mph(A), a plasmid-mediated gene that confers reduced susceptibility to azithromycin, a last-resort antimicrobial agent for shigellosis.

  3. Tokyo Guidelines 2018: initial management of acute biliary infection and flowchart for acute cholangitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miura, Fumihiko; Okamoto, Kohji; Takada, Tadahiro; Strasberg, Steven M.; Asbun, Horacio J.; Pitt, Henry A.; Gomi, Harumi; Solomkin, Joseph S.; Schlossberg, David; Han, Ho-Seong; Kim, Myung-Hwan; Hwang, Tsann-Long; Chen, Miin-Fu; Huang, Wayne Shih-Wei; Kiriyama, Seiki; Itoi, Takao; Garden, O. James; Liau, Kui-Hin; Horiguchi, Akihiko; Liu, Keng-Hao; Su, Cheng-Hsi; Gouma, Dirk J.; Belli, Giulio; Dervenis, Christos; Jagannath, Palepu; Chan, Angus C. W.; Lau, Wan Yee; Endo, Itaru; Suzuki, Kenji; Yoon, Yoo-Seok; de Santibañes, Eduardo; Giménez, Mariano Eduardo; Jonas, Eduard; Singh, Harjit; Honda, Goro; Asai, Koji; Mori, Yasuhisa; Wada, Keita; Higuchi, Ryota; Watanabe, Manabu; Rikiyama, Toshiki; Sata, Naohiro; Kano, Nobuyasu; Umezawa, Akiko; Mukai, Shuntaro; Tokumura, Hiromi; Hata, Jiro; Kozaka, Kazuto; Iwashita, Yukio; Hibi, Taizo; Yokoe, Masamichi; Kimura, Taizo; Kitano, Seigo; Inomata, Masafumi; Hirata, Koichi; Sumiyama, Yoshinobu; Inui, Kazuo; Yamamoto, Masakazu

    2018-01-01

    The initial management of patients with suspected acute biliary infection starts with the measurement of vital signs to assess whether or not the situation is urgent. If the case is judged to be urgent, initial medical treatment should be started immediately including respiratory/circulatory

  4. The immunogenic SigA enterotoxin of Shigella flexneri 2a binds to HEp-2 cells and induces fodrin redistribution in intoxicated epithelial cells.

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    Keith Al-Hasani

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that the enterotoxin SigA which resides on the she pathogenicity island (PAI of S. flexneri 2a is an autonomously secreted serine protease capable of degrading casein. We have also demonstrated that SigA is cytopathic for HEp-2 cells and plays a role in the intestinal fluid accumulation associated with S. flexneri infections. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this work we show that SigA binds specifically to HEp-2 cells and degrades recombinant human alphaII spectrin (alpha-fodrin in vitro, suggesting that the cytotoxic and enterotoxic effects mediated by SigA are likely associated with the degradation of epithelial fodrin. Consistent with our data, this study also demonstrates that SigA cleaves intracellular fodrin in situ, causing its redistribution within cells. These results strongly implicate SigA in altering the cytoskeleton during the pathogenesis of shigellosis. On the basis of these findings, cleavage of fodrin is a novel mechanism of cellular intoxication for a Shigella toxin. Furthermore, information regarding immunogenicity to SigA in infected patients is lacking. We studied the immune response of SigA from day 28 post-challenge serum of one volunteer from S. flexneri 2a challenge studies. Our results demonstrate that SigA is immunogenic following infection with S. flexneri 2a. CONCLUSIONS: This work shows that SigA binds to epithelial HEp-2 cells as well as being able to induce fodrin degradation in vitro and in situ, further extending its documented role in the pathogenesis of Shigella infections.

  5. Parvovirus B19 infection as a cause of acute myositis in an adult.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakirca, Mustafa; Karatoprak, Cumali; Ugurlu, Serdal; Zorlu, Mehmet; Kıskaç, Muharrem; Çetin, Güven

    2015-01-01

    Parvovirus B19 infection is often asymptomatic, but clinical expressions may include transient aplastic crisis, erythema infectiosum, non-immune hydrops fetalis, and chronic red cell aplasia. This virus has also been associated with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune connective tissue diseases; however, we could not identify any acute adult myositis case developed after a Parvovirus B19 infection in the literature. For this reason, we would like to present a rare case of acute myositis developed after Parvovirus B19 infection. In patients presenting with symptoms of fever, rash on the legs and myositis, viral infections such as Parvovirus B19 should be kept in mind. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  6. Acute and regressive scleroderma concomitant to an acute CMV primary infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goulabchand, Radjiv; Khellaf, Lakhdar; Forestier, Amandine; Costes, Valerie; Foulongne, Vincent; le Quellec, Alain; Guilpain, Philippe

    2014-12-01

    To describe the pathophysiological mechanisms involving cytomegalovirus (CMV) primary infection and natural killer (NK) cell expansion in the development of localized scleroderma. A 43-year-old woman presented acute erythematous discoloration and skin thickening concerning face, neck, trunk, abdomen, and the four limbs, predominantly in proximal areas. Our case did not respond to systemic sclerosis criteria diagnosis. However, skin and muscle biopsy revealed early scleroderma associated with capillary thrombi, and tissue infiltration with NK cells (CD56+/Granzyme B). Scleroderma was attributed to CMV primary infection responsible for cytolytic hepatitis (7-fold over the limit) and circulating NK cell excess. After 6 months of prednisone and a 2-year follow-up, a complete resolution of symptoms was observed. Our observation suggests a potential triggering role of CMV primary infection in the development of scleroderma. Histological features from our observation addresses the role of CMV and NK cells in the development of endothelial damage and fibrotic process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Genome sequence of Shigella flexneri strain SP1, a diarrheal isolate that encodes an extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Ping; Fan, Jianzhong; Guo, Lihua; Li, Jiahua; Li, Ang; Zhang, Jing; Ying, Chaoqun; Ji, Jinru; Xu, Hao; Zheng, Beiwen; Xiao, Yonghong

    2017-05-12

    Shigellosis is the most common cause of gastrointestinal infections in developing countries. In China, the species most frequently responsible for shigellosis is Shigella flexneri. S. flexneri remains largely unexplored from a genomic standpoint and is still described using a vocabulary based on biochemical and serological properties. Moreover, increasing numbers of ESBL-producing Shigella strains have been isolated from clinical samples. Despite this, only a few cases of ESBL-producing Shigella have been described in China. Therefore, a better understanding of ESBL-producing Shigella from a genomic standpoint is required. In this study, a S. flexneri type 1a isolate SP1 harboring bla CTX-M-14 , which was recovered from the patient with diarrhea, was subjected to whole genome sequencing. The draft genome assembly of S. flexneri strain SP1 consisted of 4,592,345 bp with a G+C content of 50.46%. RAST analysis revealed the genome contained 4798 coding sequences (CDSs) and 100 RNA-encoding genes. We detected one incomplete prophage and six candidate CRISPR loci in the genome. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that strain SP1 is resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefazolin, ceftriaxone and trimethoprim. In silico analysis detected genes mediating resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, phenicol, tetracycline, sulphonamides, and trimethoprim. The bla CTX-M-14 gene was located on an IncFII2 plasmid. A series of virulence factors were identified in the genome. In this study, we report the whole genome sequence of a bla CTX-M-14 -encoding S. flexneri strain SP1. Dozens of resistance determinants were detected in the genome and may be responsible for the multidrug-resistance of this strain, although further confirmation studies are warranted. Numerous virulence factors identified in the strain suggest that isolate SP1 is potential pathogenic. The availability of the genome sequence and comparative analysis with other S

  8. [Susceptibility to azithromycin and other antibiotics in recent isolates of Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Pozo, Angeles; Arana, David M; Fuentes, Miriam; Alós, Juan-Ignacio

    2014-01-01

    Azithromycin represents an alternative option to treat bacterial diarrhea when the antibiotic therapy is indicated. Little is known regarding the susceptibility to azithromycin in enteropathogens in Spain. The MICs of azithromycin were determined by E-test against Salmonella non-typhi (SNT), Shigella and Yersinia isolates collected over the last three years (2010-2012). In addition, the susceptibility to other antibiotics usually used to treat gastrointestinal diseases was determined in these isolates by using a microdilution method. A total of 139 strains of SNT, Shigella and Yersinia were studied. All of them, except one strain, had a MIC≤16mg/L of azithromycin. In the adult population, 14.7% and 40.6% of SNT and Shigella isolates, respectively, were resistant to at least 2 of following antibiotics: amoxicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. In the pediatric population, 10% of SNT clinical isolates and 28.6% (2/7) of Shigella isolates were resistant to amoxicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In our experience, azithromycin would be a useful antibiotic alternative to treat bacterial diarrhea. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  9. Genital Infection as a First Sign of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

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    Naoki Oiso

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Fournier’s gangrene is a life-threatening disorder caused by aerobic and anaerobic bacterial infection. We report a case of genital infection as the initial warning sign of acute myeloid leukemia. We were able to prevent progression to Fournier’s gangrene in our patient by immediate intensive therapy with incision, blood transfusions and intravenous administration of antibiotics. This case suggests that hematologists and dermatologists should keep in mind that genital infection can be a first sign of hematologic malignancy.

  10. Parents' Expectations and Experiences of Antibiotics for Acute Respiratory Infections in Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coxeter, Peter D; Mar, Chris Del; Hoffmann, Tammy C

    2017-03-01

    Primary care visits for children with acute respiratory infections frequently result in antibiotic prescriptions, although antibiotics have limited benefits for common acute respiratory infections and can cause harms, including antibiotic resistance. Parental demands are often blamed for antibiotic prescription. We aimed to explore parents' beliefs about antibiotic necessity, quantify their expectations of antibiotic benefit, and report experiences of other management options and exposure to and preferences for shared decision making. We conducted computer-assisted telephone interviews in an Australia-wide community sample of primary caregivers, hereafter referred to as parents, of children aged 1 to 12 years, using random digit dialing of household landline telephones. Of the 14,505 telephone numbers called, 10,340 were eligible numbers; 589 potentially eligible parents were reached, of whom 401 were interviewed. Most believed antibiotics provide benefits for common acute respiratory infections, especially for acute otitis media (92%), although not using them, particularly for acute cough and sore throat, was sometimes acceptable. Parents grossly overestimated the mean benefit of antibiotics on illness symptom duration by 5 to 10 times, and believed they reduce the likelihood of complications. The majority, 78%, recognized antibiotics may cause harm. Recalling the most recent relevant doctor visit, 44% of parents reported at least some discussion about why antibiotics might be used; shared decision making about antibiotic use was inconsistent, while 75% wanted more involvement in future decisions. Some parents have misperceptions about antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections, highlighting the need for improved communication during visits, including shared decision making to address overoptimistic expectations of antibiotics. Such communication should be one of several strategies that is used to reduce antibiotic use. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

  11. Procalcitonin Testing to Guide Antibiotic Therapy in Acute Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuetz, Philipp; Wirz, Yannick; Mueller, Beat

    2018-03-06

    Is the use of procalcitonin for guiding antibiotic decisions in patients with acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with usual care? Among patients with varying types and severity of acute respiratory infection, using procalcitonin to guide decisions about antibiotics is associated with lower rates of antibiotic exposure, antibiotic-related adverse effects, and mortality.

  12. Presentation and antimicrobial treatment of acute orofacial infections in general dental practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, M A; Meechan, C; MacFarlane, T W; Lamey, P J; Kay, E

    1989-01-21

    Information on the presentation of orofacial infections and the use of antimicrobial agents in general dental practice in the United Kingdom was obtained using a postal questionnaire. Six hundred dentists were randomly selected and a total of 340 replies were received, giving a response rate of 57%. The dental practitioners estimated that acute infection was present in only a minority (approximately 5%) of patients. A total of seven different antibiotics were prescribed, in a variety of regimens, for the treatment of bacterial infection. However, the majority of dentists (46-62%) preferred a 5-day course of penicillin (250 mg, qid) for bacterial conditions other than acute ulcerative gingivitis, for which most practitioners (89%) prescribed 3 days of metronidazole (200 mg, tid). Nystatin was the most frequently selected anticandidal agent and topical acyclovir the most popular therapy for Herpes simplex infection.

  13. An improvement of the child acute respiratory infection treatment program

    OpenAIRE

    E. N. Simovan'yan; E. E. Badalyants; L. P. Sizyakina; A. A. Lebedenko; V. B. Denisenko; M. A. Kim

    2013-01-01

    High morbidity rate, frequent development of severe complication forms, unfavorable remote effects for children’s health, insufficient efficacy of the used acute respiratory infection therapy schemes necessitate a treatment program improvement for this group of diseases. A complex clinical-laboratory examination of 72 3-6-year-old children with acute nasopharyngites and bronchites was conducted. Dependence of the disease’s clinical form and course peculiarities from the premorbid setting stat...

  14. Successful Treatment of Disseminated Cryptococcal Infection in a Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patient During Induction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, Jessica L.; Yin, Dwight E.; Wechsler, Daniel S.; Turner, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Disseminated cryptococcal infection is rarely reported in the setting of pediatric acute leukemia, despite the immunocompromised state of these patients. However, when present, disseminated cryptococcal infection poses treatment challenges and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment of invasive fungal disease in a child with acute leukemia requires a delicate balance between anti-fungal and anti-neoplastic therapy. This balance is particularly important early in the course of leukemia, since both the underlying disease and overwhelming infection can be life threatening. We describe the successful management of life-threatening disseminated cryptococcosis in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during induction therapy. PMID:22258349

  15. Chromosomal and plasmid-encoded factors of Shigella flexneri induce secretogenic activity ex vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina S Faherty

    Full Text Available Shigella flexneri is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen that causes millions of cases of watery or bloody diarrhea annually, resulting in significant global mortality. Watery diarrhea is thought to arise in the jejunum, and subsequent bloody diarrhea occurs as a result of invasion of the colonic epithelium. Previous literature has demonstrated that Shigella encodes enterotoxins, both chromosomally and on the 220 kilobase virulence plasmid. The ShigellaEnterotoxins 1 and 2 (ShET1 and ShET2 have been shown to increase water accumulation in the rabbit ileal loop model. In addition, these toxins increase the short circuit current in rabbit tissue mounted in Ussing chambers, which is a model for the ion exchange that occurs during watery diarrhea. In this study, we sought to validate the use of mouse jejunum in Ussing chamber as an alternative, more versatile model to study bacterial pathogenesis. In the process, we also identified enterotoxins in addition to ShET1 and ShET2 encoded by S. flexneri. Through analysis of proteins secreted from wildtype bacteria and various deletion mutants, we have identified four factors responsible for enterotoxin activity: ShET1 and Pic, which are encoded on the chromosome; ShET2 (encoded by sen or ospD3, which requires the type-III secretion system for secretion; and SepA, an additional factor encoded on the virulence plasmid. The use of mouse jejunum serves as a reliable and reproducible model to identify the enterotoxins elaborated by enteric bacteria. Moreover, the identification of all Shigella proteins responsible for enterotoxin activity is vital to our understanding of Shigella pathogenicity and to our success in developing safe and effective vaccine candidates.

  16. Urinary tract infections in children and adolescents with acute psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carson, Chelsea M; Phillip, Niju; Miller, Brian J

    2017-05-01

    Schizophrenia is associated with increased infections. We previously found an association between urinary tract infection (UTI) and acute psychosis in adults. The aims of this study were to 1) evaluate the prevalence of UTI at the time of admission in children and adolescents with non-affective psychosis and psychotic depression versus those with non-psychotic major depressive disorder, and 2) compare demographic and clinical features between children and adolescents with acute psychosis with and without comorbid UTI. We performed a retrospective chart review of 227 subjects ages 10-18 who were hospitalized between 2005 and 2014 for an acute episode of DSM-IV non-affective psychosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, psychosis NOS, or delusional disorder; n=80), major depressive disorder (MDD) with psychotic features (n=47); or MDD without psychotic features (n=100). The prevalence of UTI was 20% in non-affective psychosis, 9% in MDD with psychotic features, and 13% in non-psychotic MDD. After controlling for potential confounders, UTI was 3.5 times more likely in subjects with non-affective psychosis than non-psychotic MDD (OR=3.5, 95% CI 1.3-9.2, p=0.01). Subjects with UTI had a higher prevalence of manic symptoms, but otherwise there were no associations between clinical characteristics and UTI in acute psychosis. We found an association between UTIs and children and adolescents with acute non-affective psychosis. The results highlight the potential importance of screening for comorbid UTI in patients with acute psychosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Parvovirus B19 Infection in a Fatal Case of Acute Liver Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leon, Luciane Almeida Amado; Alves, Arthur Daniel Rocha; Garcia, Rita de Cássia Nasser Cubel; Melgaço, Juliana Gil; de Paula, Vanessa Salete; Pinto, Marcelo Alves

    2017-12-01

    B19V has been proposed as an etiologic agent for hepatitis, mainly in children, but this is a rare clinical occurrence. In this article, we report a case of non-A-E acute liver failure in an immunocompetent child with B19 infection. The clinical findings of severe anemia and pancytopenia combined with the detection of anti-B19 Immunoglobulin G (IgG), B19 DNA and B19 mRNA in liver indicate a persistent infection and suggest a diagnosis of parvovirus B19-associated acute liver failure.

  18. Primary pneumocystis infection in infants hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Hans Henrik; von Linstow, Marie-Louise; Lundgren, Bettina

    2007-01-01

    with 431 episodes of acute respiratory tract infection (RTI) by using a real-time PCR assay. In 68 episodes in 67 infants, P. jirovecii was identified. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of a positive signal compared with the first quartile of age (7-49 days) was 47.4 (11.0-203), 8.7 (1......Acquisition of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection early in life has been confirmed by serologic studies. However, no evidence of clinical illness correlated with the primary infection has been found in immunocompetent children. We analyzed 458 nasopharyngeal aspirates from 422 patients hospitalized.......9-39.7), and 0.6 (0.1-6.7) for infants in the second (50-112 days), third (113-265 days), and fourth (268-4,430 days) age quartiles, respectively. Infants with an episode of upper RTI (URTI) were 2.0 (1.05-3.82) times more likely to harbor P. jirovecii than infants with a lower RTI. P. jirovecii may manifest...

  19. Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekker, John; Frank, Karen

    2015-01-01

    Synopsis Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia cause a well-characterized spectrum of disease in humans, ranging from asymptomatic carriage to hemorrhagic colitis and fatal typhoidal fever. These pathogens are responsible for millions of cases of food-borne illness in the U.S. each year, with substantial costs measured in hospitalizations and lost productivity. In the developing world, illness caused by these pathogens is not only more prevalent, but is also associated with a greater case-fatality rate. Classical methods for identification rely on selective media and serology, but newer methods based on mass spectrometry and PCR show great promise for routine clinical testing. PMID:26004640

  20. CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFICACY OF INOSINE PRANOBEX FOR ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH ATOPIC ASTHMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.A. Bulgakova

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence rate of atopic asthma in children remains high. One of the reasons for lack of control over asthma symptoms is repeated infection. The article describes results from the study of immunomodulating medication inosine pranobex used in treatment of acute respiratory infections in children with atopic asthma. The results obtained prove the efficacy and safety of this medication. The use of this immunomodifier with antiviral activity during the period of acute respiratory infection in children with atopic asthma contributes to shortening of intoxication and catarrhal signs duration, elimination of viral agents. Key words: asthma, acute respiratory infections, immunomodifiers, inosine pranobex, children. (Pediatric Pharmacology. – 2010; 7(3:98-105

  1. Antimicrobial Resistance of Shigella spp. isolated in the State of Pará, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávia Corrêa Bastos

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Shigella spp. are Gram-negative, nonsporulating, rod-shaped bacteria that belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae and are responsible for shigellosis or bacillary dysentery, an important cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We studied the antibiotic resistance profiles of 122 Shigella spp. strains (81 S. flexneri, 41 S. sonnei, 1 S. boydii isolated from patients (female and male from 0 to 80 years of age presenting diarrhea in different districts of the State of Pará, in the North of Brazil. The antibiotic resistance of the strains, isolated from human fecal samples, was determined by the diffusion disk method and by using the VITEK-2 system. RESULTS: The highest resistance rate found was the resistance rate to tetracycline (93.8%, followed by the resistance rate to chloramphenicol (63.9% and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (63.1%. Resistance to at least three drugs was more common among S. flexneri than S. sonnei (39.5% vs. 10%. Six (4.9% strains were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested. All strains were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of multidrug resistance in Shigella spp. are a serious public health concern in Brazil. It is extremely important to continuously monitor the antimicrobial resistances of Shigella spp. for effective therapy and control measures against shigellosis.

  2. Constrained pattern of viral evolution in acute and early HCV infection limits viral plasticity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Pfafferott

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Cellular immune responses during acute Hepatitis C virus (HCV and HIV infection are a known correlate of infection outcome. Viral adaptation to these responses via mutation(s within CD8+ T-cell epitopes allows these viruses to subvert host immune control. This study examined HCV evolution in 21 HCV genotype 1-infected subjects to characterise the level of viral adaptation during acute and early HCV infection. Of the total mutations observed 25% were within described CD8+ T-cell epitopes or at viral adaptation sites. Most mutations were maintained into the chronic phase of HCV infection (75%. The lack of reversion of adaptations and high proportion of silent substitutions suggests that HCV has structural and functional limitations that constrain evolution. These results were compared to the pattern of viral evolution observed in 98 subjects during a similar phase in HIV infection from a previous study. In contrast to HCV, evolution during acute HIV infection is marked by high levels of amino acid change relative to silent substitutions, including a higher proportion of adaptations, likely reflecting strong and continued CD8+ T-cell pressure combined with greater plasticity of the virus. Understanding viral escape dynamics for these two viruses is important for effective T cell vaccine design.

  3. A comparison of self-reported joint symptoms following infection with different enteric pathogens: effect of HLA-B27

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schiellerup, P.; Krogfelt, K.A.; Locht, H.

    2008-01-01

    with positive fecal culture for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Shigella, and E. coli were addressed by questionnaires inquiring about gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and the occurrence of joint pain in a previously healthy joint within 4 weeks after onset of infection. A blood sample was requested for HLA......-B27 typing. RESULTS: Of 3146 patients invited, 2105 (67%) responded to the survey questionnaire. The triggering infections were Campylobacter, 1003; Salmonella, 619; E. coli, 290; Shigella, 102; and Yersinia, 91. JPrea was reported by 294 subjects: Campylobacter, 131 (13.1%); Salmonella, 104 (16.......8%); Yersinia, 21 (23.1%); Shigella, 10 (9.8%); and E. coli, 28 (9.7%). There was a significant association between severity of gastroenteritis and development of arthralgia (p = 0.001). The odds ratio (OR) for JPrea in an HLA-B27-positive individual was 2.62 (95% CI 1.67-3.93) for the entire group...

  4. Kocuria kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis

    OpenAIRE

    Wong, CLP; Yam, WC; Ma, ESK; Chan, ACW; Chan, ECH; Lai, KTW

    2005-01-01

    Abstract Background Kocuria, previously classified into the genus of Micrococcus, is commonly found on human skin. Two species, K. rosea and K. kristinae, are etiologically associated with catheter-related bacteremia. Case presentation We describe the first case of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis. The microorganism was isolated from the bile of a 56-year old Chinese man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He developed post-operative fever that resolved readi...

  5. Antibiotic therapy for preventing infections in people with acute stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermeij, Jan-Dirk; Westendorp, Willeke F; Dippel, Diederik Wj; van de Beek, Diederik; Nederkoorn, Paul J

    2018-01-22

    Stroke is the main cause of disability in high-income countries and ranks second as a cause of death worldwide. Infections occur frequently after stroke and may adversely affect outcome. Preventive antibiotic therapy in the acute phase of stroke may reduce the incidence of infections and improve outcome. In the previous version of this Cochrane Review, published in 2012, we found that antibiotics did reduce the risk of infection but did not reduce the number of dependent or deceased patients. However, included studies were small and heterogeneous. In 2015, two large clinical trials were published, warranting an update of this Review. To assess the effectiveness and safety of preventive antibiotic therapy in people with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke. We wished to determine whether preventive antibiotic therapy in people with acute stroke:• reduces the risk of a poor functional outcome (dependency and/or death) at follow-up;• reduces the occurrence of infections in the acute phase of stroke;• reduces the occurrence of elevated body temperature (temperature ≥ 38° C) in the acute phase of stroke;• reduces length of hospital stay; or• leads to an increased rate of serious adverse events, such as anaphylactic shock, skin rash, or colonisation with antibiotic-resistant micro-organisms. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (25 June 2017); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2017, Issue 5; 25 June 2017) in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE Ovid (1950 to 11 May 2017), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 11 May 2017). In an effort to identify further published, unpublished, and ongoing trials, we searched trials and research registers, scanned reference lists, and contacted trial authors, colleagues, and researchers in the field. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of preventive antibiotic therapy versus control (placebo or open control) in people with acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke. Two review authors independently selected

  6. An 11-year study of shigellosis and Shigella species in Taiyuan, China: Active surveillance, epidemic characteristics, and molecular serotyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lifeng Zhao

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available A hospital-based surveillance of shigellosis was conducted in Taiyuan from 2005 to 2015. A total of 2655 stool cultures were collected from patients with diarrhea, 115 were identified as S. flexneri and 107 were S. sonnei. The highest infection rates were found among children under 5 years of age (34.2 %, and during the summer (61.0 %. ​Six serotypes were identified among S. flexneriisolates:1a, 2a, 2b, Xv, X and Y. Serotype 2a and Xv were the dominant serotypes in two periods, 2012–2015 and 2005–2008, respectively. High shigellosis rates over the past decade highlight shigellosis is still a major public health problem in Taiyuan. Keywords: Shigellosis, Shigella, Infection rate, Serotypes, Molecular serotyping

  7. Effect of procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment on mortality in acute respiratory infections

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schuetz, Philipp; Wirz, Yannick; Sager, Ramon

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In February, 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the blood infection marker procalcitonin for guiding antibiotic therapy in patients with acute respiratory infections. This meta-analysis of patient data from 26 randomised controlled trials was designed to assess safety ...

  8. [Evaluation of association between an acute attack of childhood bronchial asthma and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yi; Liu, Xing-Lian; Xing, Fu-Qiang; Yang, Ju-Sheng; Tu, Hong

    2006-04-01

    To identify whether there is an association between an acute attack of childhood bronchial asthma and Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection. Serum specific antibodies IgM and IgG to CP were detected by ELISA in 120 asthmatic children with an acute attack and 82 healthy children. Anti-CP IgM was demonstrated in 22 cases (18.3%) and anti-CP IgG was demonstrated in 32 cases (26.7%) out of the 120 asthmatic patients. The incidence of CP infection in asthmatic children was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (3.7%) (P attack of asthma in 15 cases out of the 32 cases with CP infection, but 17 cases required glucocorticoid inhalation treatment together with anti-CP infection treatment (macrolide antibiotics, eg. azithromycin) for remission of asthma attack. There may be a link between an acute attack of childhood asthma and CP infection. It is thus necessary to detect the CP-specific antibodies in asthmatic children for proper treatment.

  9. Anti-virus effect of traditional Chinese medicine Yi-Fu-Qing granule on acute respiratory tract infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Anyuan; Xie, Yanying; Qi, Fanghua; Li, Jie; Wang, Peng; Xu, Shulan; Zhao, Lin

    2009-08-01

    Yi-Fu-Qing granule is a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections. The present study sought to investigate the anti-virus effects of Yi-Fu-Qing granule on acute respiratory infections with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human adenoviruses type 3 (Ad3). The cytotoxicity of Yi-Fu-Qing granule was evaluated by the neutral red assay on HeLa cells. The antiviral effect of Yi-Fu-Qing granule was tested by observing the cytopathogenic effect (CPE) with a compound mixture of Isatis leaf as the positive control drug. The results indicated that the highest non-toxicity concentration of Yi-Fu-Qing granule on Hela cells was 1:100. The CPE reduction assay showed that Yi-Fu-Qing granule inhibited RSV and Ad3 replication at a concentration of 1:100. Thus, Yi-Fu-Qing granule may have a significant antivirus effect on acute respiratory tract infections with RSV and Ad3 infections and this could prove useful for further antivirus research on acute respiratory tract infections.

  10. Neurologic signs and symptoms frequently manifest in acute HIV infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, James L.K.; Valcour, Victor; Kroon, Eugène; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Intasan, Jintana; Lerdlum, Sukalaya; Narvid, Jared; Pothisri, Mantana; Allen, Isabel; Krebs, Shelly J.; Slike, Bonnie; Prueksakaew, Peeriya; Jagodzinski, Linda L.; Puttamaswin, Suwanna; Phanuphak, Nittaya; Spudich, Serena

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the incidence, timing, and severity of neurologic findings in acute HIV infection (pre–antibody seroconversion), as well as persistence with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods: Participants identified with acute HIV were enrolled, underwent structured neurologic evaluations, immediately initiated cART, and were followed with neurologic evaluations at 4 and 12 weeks. Concurrent brain MRIs and both viral and inflammatory markers in plasma and CSF were obtained. Results: Median estimated HIV infection duration was 19 days (range 3–56) at study entry for the 139 participants evaluated. Seventy-three participants (53%) experienced one or more neurologic findings in the 12 weeks after diagnosis, with one developing a fulminant neurologic manifestation (Guillain-Barré syndrome). A total of 245 neurologic findings were noted, reflecting cognitive symptoms (33%), motor findings (34%), and neuropathy (11%). Nearly half of the neurologic findings (n = 121, 49%) occurred at diagnosis, prior to cART initiation, and most of these (n = 110, 90%) remitted concurrent with 1 month on treatment. Only 9% of neurologic findings (n = 22) persisted at 24 weeks on cART. Nearly all neurologic findings (n = 236, 96%) were categorized as mild in severity. No structural neuroimaging abnormalities were observed. Participants with neurologic findings had a higher mean plasma log10 HIV RNA at diagnosis compared to those without neurologic findings (5.9 vs 5.4; p = 0.006). Conclusions: Acute HIV infection is commonly associated with mild neurologic findings that largely remit while on treatment, and may be mediated by direct viral factors. Severe neurologic manifestations are infrequent in treated acute HIV. PMID:27287217

  11. Acute sacroiliac joint infection in a rugby player with atopic dermatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Tadashi; Nisimatsu, Hidekazu

    2012-11-01

    In athletes, acute bacterial infection is an unusual cause of pain in the sacroiliac joint. Although an entry site for infection is not always evident, the present case of a 15-year-old rugby player suggests the association between right sacroiliac joint infection and skin lesion of atopic dermatitis (AD) infected with group A streptococcus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed inflammation around the sacroiliac joint with abscess formation. The infection resolved after a course of antibiotics. Because atopic skin lesion is a potential portal of bacteria, treatment for AD is essential for the prevention of pyogenic arthritis in athletes.

  12. Arginine-dependent acid-resistance pathway in Shigella boydii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ability to survive the low pH of the human stomach is considered be an important virulent determinant. Acid tolerance of Shigella boydii 18 CDPH, the strain implicated in an outbreak may have played an important role in surviving the acidic food (bean salad). The strain was capable of inducing arg...

  13. The role of imaging in adult acute urinary tract infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webb, J.A.W.

    1997-01-01

    Imaging is required in only a minority of patients with urinary tract infection. Some patients who present with severe loin pain are imaged because ureteric colic is suspected. If urinary tract infection does not respond normally to antibiotics, imaging is undertaken to check for evidence of renal obstuction or sepsis. Finally, after the acute infection has been treated, imaging is required in some patients to check for factors pre-disposing to renal damage or to relapsing or recurrent infection. This review discusses the appropriate choice of imaging technique to use in each clinical situation and summarises the expected findings. (orig.). With 15 figs., 1 tab

  14. [Cefazolin efficacy and antibiotic sensitivity against pathogenic bacteria in pediatric with acute upper urinary tract infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuke, Toshiya; Abe, Yoshifusa; Hoshino, Akihiro; Oto, Hideyasu; Sakai, Naho; Murayama, Junichiro; Yoshida, Koichiro; Itabashi, Kazuo

    2010-05-01

    Acute upper urinary tract infection may cause sepsis, especially in neonates and infants, mandating the choice of appropriate, effective antibacterials minimizing increasing bacterial resistance. Frequently prescribing broad-spectrum cephalosporinin is one such example. Different antibacterial therapies are initiated clinically due to treatment protocol differences among institutions, disease severity, etc. We studied the efficacy of cefazolin (CEZ), a first-generation cephalosporin, as first-line parenteral treatment in acute upper urinary tract infection. We found that 88.9% of microbial infections have indications for CEZ. CEZ efficacy is 91.3%, and 97.2% of urine cultures show negative results. Escherichia coli sensitivity to antibacterial agents is 90.9% of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) pediatric therapy in acute upper urinary tract infection.

  15. Acute respiratory infections in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakim, Hana; Dallas, Ronald; Zhou, Yinmei; Pei, Dequing; Cheng, Cheng; Flynn, Patricia M; Pui, Ching-Hon; Jeha, Sima

    2016-03-01

    Knowledge regarding the incidence, clinical course, and impact of respiratory viral infections in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is limited. A retrospective cohort of patients with newly diagnosed ALL who were treated on the Total Therapy XVI protocol at St Jude Children's Research Hospital between 2007 and 2011 was evaluated. Of 223 children, 95 (43%) developed 133 episodes of viral acute respiratory illness (ARI) (incidence, 1.1 per 1000 patient-days). ARI without viral etiology was identified in 65 patients (29%) and no ARI was detected in 63 patients (28%). There were no significant associations noted between race, sex, age, or ALL risk group and the development of ARI. Children receiving induction chemotherapy were found to be at the highest risk of viral ARI (incidence, 2.3 per 1000 patient-days). Influenza virus was the most common virus (38%) followed by respiratory syncytial virus (33%). Of 133 episodes of viral ARI, 61% of patients were hospitalized, 26% experienced a complicated course, 80% had their chemotherapy delayed, and 0.7% of patients died. Twenty-four patients (18%) developed viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), 5 of whom (21%) had complications. Patients with viral LRTI had a significantly lower nadir absolute lymphocyte count; were sicker at the time of presentation; and were more likely to have respiratory syncytial virus, to be hospitalized, and to have their chemotherapy delayed for longer compared with those with viral upper respiratory tract infections. Despite the low incidence of viral ARI in children with ALL, the associated morbidity, mortality, and delay in chemotherapy remain clinically significant. Viral LRTI was especially associated with high morbidity requiring intensive care-level support. Cancer 2016;122:798-805. © 2015 American Cancer Society. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  16. Evaluation of the ability of four ESBL-screening media to detect ESBL-producing Salmonella and Shigella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sturød, Kjersti; Dahle, Ulf R; Berg, Einar Sverre; Steinbakk, Martin; Wester, Astrid L

    2014-09-04

    The aim of this study was to compare the ability of four commercially available media for screening extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) to detect and identify ESBL-producing Salmonella and Shigella in fecal samples. A total of 71 Salmonella- and 21 Shigella-isolates producing ESBL(A) and/or AmpC, were received at Norwegian Institute of Public Health between 2005 and 2012. The 92 isolates were mixed with fecal specimens and tested on four ESBL screening media; ChromID ESBL (BioMèrieux), Brilliance ESBL (Oxoid), BLSE agar (AES Chemunex) and CHROMagar ESBL (CHROMagar). The BLSE agar is a biplate consisting of two different agars. Brilliance and CHROMagar are supposed to suppress growth of AmpC-producing bacteria while ChromID and BLSE agar are intended to detect both ESBL(A) and AmpC. The total sensitivity (ESBL(A)+AmpC) with 95% confidence intervals after 24 hours of incubation were as follows: ChromID: 95% (90.4-99.6), Brilliance: 93% (87.6-98.4), BLSE agar (Drigalski): 99% (96.9-100), BLSE agar (MacConkey): 99% (96.9-100) and CHROMagar: 85% (77.5-92.5). The BLSE agar identified Salmonella and Shigella isolates as lactose-negative. The other agars based on chromogenic technology displayed Salmonella and Shigella flexneri isolates with colorless colonies (as expected). Shigella sonnei produced pink colonies, similar to the morphology described for E. coli. All four agar media were reliable in screening fecal samples for ESBL(A)-producing Salmonella and Shigella. However, only ChromID and BLSE agar gave reliable detection of AmpC-producing isolates. Identification of different bacterial species based on colony colour alone was not accurate for any of the four agars.

  17. CERTAIN ASPECTS OF COUGH PATHOGENETIC THERAPY OF ACUTE CHILD RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.I. Bardenikova

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available An open controlled comparative research was conducted on 263 children with acute respiratory infection (ARI in order to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, acceptability and safety of plant based preparation that contains ivy leaf extract. It was established that prescribing the preparation during the first days of disease reduced the duration of dry and inefficient cough, improved sputum rheology and bronchial tree drainage function, reduced bronchial obstruction intensity, reduced the need for prescribing bronchial spasmolitics less necessary and decreased Staybin term. Compared to other antibcough medicines, plant based preparation with ivy leaf extract has quicker effect (effective on the 1st–3rd day.Key words: children, acute respiratory infections, cough, treatment.

  18. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome triggered by varicella infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pauline Condom

    2017-01-01

    The current case describes an aHUS associated to varicella infection as demonstrated by the simultaneous occurrence of the viral infection and aHUS manifestations. Apart from typical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome which is triggered by bacteria mostly Shiga toxin producing Echerichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae or Shigella, aHUS may be linked to viral infections such as HIV, EBV and enteroviruses, but very rarely by varicella. This case highlights a possible even rare complication of varicella infection a very common childhood disease. This complication could be avoided by to anti-VZV vaccination.

  19. Detection of viable toxigenic Vibrio cholerae and virulent Shigella ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . cholerae and the invasion plasmid antigen gene (ipaH) of virulent Shigella spp., was performed and the PCR products were visualised by agarose gel electrophoresis. The assay allowed the detection of as few as 1 cfu/100 ml of V. cholerae ...

  20. An eight-year study of Shigella species in Beijing, China: serodiversity, virulence genes, and antimicrobial resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Mei; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Guirong; Huang, Ying; Jia, Lei; Liang, Weili; Li, Xitai; Wu, Xiaona; Li, Jie; Yan, Hanqiu; Kan, Biao; Wang, Quanyi

    2014-07-14

    This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of serotypes, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. in Beijing, China, from 2004 to 2011. Real-time PCR assays were used to detect virulent genes, and the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to evaluate antimicrobial resistance. Among the total of 1,652 Shigella isolates, S. sonnei (57.1%) was the predominant species, followed by S. flexneri (42.3%), S. dysenteriae (0.4%), and S. boydii (0.2%). Nineteen serotypes were discovered among S. flexneri strains. The virulence gene ipaH was the most frequent, followed by sen and set. The presence of set showed significant difference in two dominant serogroups, S. flexneri and S. sonnei. Over 90% of Shigella isolates showed resistance to at least three drugs with widened spectrum. High-level antimicrobial resistance to single and multiple antibiotics was more common among S. sonnei than S. flexneri. There was an obvious serotype change and a dramatic increase of antibiotic resistance in Shigella prevalence in Beijing.

  1. Antimicrobial resistance and PCR-ribotyping of Shigella responsible for foodborne outbreaks occurred in southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheila Minéia Daniel de Paula

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Little information about Shigella responsible for foodborne shigellosis is available in Brazil. The present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance and PCR-ribotyping patterns of Shigella isolates responsible for foodborne outbreaks occurred in Rio Grande do Sul State (RS, Southern Brazil in the period between 2003 and 2007. Shigella strains (n=152 were isolated from foods and fecal samples of victims of shigellosis outbreaks investigated by the Surveillance Service. Identification of the strains at specie level indicated that 71.1% of them were S. flexneri, 21.5% S. sonnei, and 0.7% S. dysenteriae. Ten strains (6.7% were identified only as Shigella spp. An increasing occurrence of S. sonnei was observed after 2004. Most of the strains were resistant to streptomycin (88.6%, followed by ampicillin (84.6%, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (80.5 %. Resistant strains belonged to 73 patterns, and pattern A (resistance to ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tetracycline, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and intermediate resistance to kanamycin grouped the largest number of isolates (n=36. PCR-ribotyping identified three banding patterns (SH1, SH2, and SH3. SH1 grouped all S. flexneri and SH2 grouped all S. sonnei. The S. dysenteriae strain belonged to group SH3. According to the results, several Shigella isolates shared the same PCR-rybotyping banding pattern and the same resistance profile, suggesting that closely related strains were responsible for the outbreaks. However, other molecular typing methods need to be applied to confirm the clonal relationship of these isolates.

  2. Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Deverick J.; Podgorny, Kelly; Berríos-Torres, Sandra I.; Bratzler, Dale W.; Dellinger, E. Patchen; Greene, Linda; Nyquist, Ann-Christine; Saiman, Lisa; Yokoe, Deborah S.; Maragakis, Lisa L.; Kaye, Keith S.

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE Previously published guidelines are available that provide comprehensive recommendations for detecting and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The intent of this document is to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format designed to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing their surgical site infection (SSI) prevention efforts. This document updates “Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Acute Care Hospitals,”1 published in 2008. This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise. The list of endorsing and supporting organizations is presented in the introduction to the 2014 updates.2 PMID:24799638

  3. Antimicrobial Resistance of Shigella flexneri Serotype 1b Isolates in China.

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    Xianyan Cui

    Full Text Available Shigella flexneri serotype 1b is among the most prominent serotypes in developing countries, followed by serotype 2a. However, only limited data is available on the global phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of S. flexneri 1b. In the present study, 40 S. flexneri 1b isolates from different regions of China were confirmed by serotyping and biochemical characterization. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 85% of these isolates were multidrug-resistant strains and antibiotic susceptibility profiles varied between geographical locations. Strains from Yunnan were far more resistant than those from Xinjiang, while only one strain from Shanghai was resistant to ceftazidime and aztreonam. Fifteen cephalosporin resistant isolates were identified in this study. ESBL genes (blaSHV, blaTEM, blaOXA, and blaCTX-M and ampC genes (blaMOX, blaFOX, blaMIR(ACT-1, blaDHA, blaCIT and blaACC were subsequently detected among the 15 isolates. The results showed that these strains were positive only for blaTEM, blaOXA, blaCTX-M, intI1, and intI2. Furthermore, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE analysis showed that the 40 isolates formed different profiles, and the PFGE patterns of Xinjiang isolates were distinct from Yunnan and Shanghai isolates by one obvious, large, missing band. In summary, similarities in resistance patterns were observed in strains with the same PFGE pattern. Overall, the results supported the need for more prudent selection and use of antibiotics in China. We suggest that antibiotic susceptibility testing should be performed at the start of an outbreak, and antibiotic use should be restricted to severe Shigella cases, based on resistance pattern variations observed in different regions. The data obtained in the current study might help to develop a strategy for the treatment of infections caused by S. flexneri 1b in China.

  4. Acute seronegative polyarthritis associated with lymphogranuloma venereum infection in a patient with prevalent HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kober, C; Richardson, D; Bell, C; Walker-Bone, K

    2011-01-01

    A 44-year-old man who has sex with men presented with a three-month asymmetrical polyarthropathy. He had a positive HIV-1 antibody test consistent with infection acquired more than six months previously. Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)-associated DNA was detected from a rectal swab. Following successful treatment for LGV his arthritis resolved completely. Infection with HIV-1 has been hypothesized to cause reactive arthritis but this has been disputed. The most likely diagnosis in this patient was sexually acquired reactive arthritis secondary to LGV infection. As LGV can be asymptomatic and treatment differs from that of the other serovars, screening should be considered in all men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting with acute arthritis, particularly if they are HIV infected.

  5. T-cell-dependent control of acute Giardia lamblia infections in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, S M; Nash, T E

    2000-01-01

    We have studied immune mechanisms responsible for control of acute Giardia lamblia and Giardia muris infections in adult mice. Association of chronic G. lamblia infection with hypogammaglobulinemia and experimental infections of mice with G. muris have led to the hypothesis that antibodies are required to control these infections. We directly tested this hypothesis by infecting B-cell-deficient mice with either G. lamblia or G. muris. Both wild-type mice and B-cell-deficient mice eliminated the vast majority of parasites between 1 and 2 weeks postinfection with G. lamblia. G. muris was also eliminated in both wild-type and B-cell-deficient mice. In contrast, T-cell-deficient and scid mice failed to control G. lamblia infections, as has been shown previously for G. muris. Treatment of wild-type or B-cell-deficient mice with antibodies to CD4 also prevented elimination of G. lamblia, confirming a role for T cells in controlling infections. By infecting mice deficient in either alphabeta- or gammadelta-T-cell receptor (TCR)-expressing T cells, we show that the alphabeta-TCR-expressing T cells are required to control parasites but that the gammadelta-TCR-expressing T cells are not. Finally, infections in mice deficient in production of gamma interferon or interleukin 4 (IL-4) and mice deficient in responding to IL-4 and IL-13 revealed that neither the Th1 nor the Th2 subset is absolutely required for protection from G. lamblia. We conclude that a T-cell-dependent mechanism is essential for controlling acute Giardia infections and that this mechanism is independent of antibody and B cells.

  6. Hypothalamic pituitary dysfunction in acute nonmycobacterial infections of central nervous system

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    Dinesh K Dhanwal

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Acute and chronic central nervous system (CNS infections are not uncommon in tropical countries and are associated with high morbidity and mortality if specific targeted therapy is not instituted in time. Effects of tubercular meningitis, a form of chronic meningitis on hypothalamic pituitary axis, are well known both at the time of diagnosis and after few months to years of illness. However, there are few reports of pituitary dysfunction in subjects with acute CNS infections. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the pituitary hormonal profile in patients with nonmycobacterial acute meningitis at the time of presentation. Materials and Methods: This prospective case series study included 30 untreated adult patients with acute meningitis, meningoencephalitis, or encephalitis, due to various nonmycobacterial agents, admitted and registered with Lok Nayak Hospital, Maulana Aazd Medical College, New Delhi, between September 2007 and March 2009. Patients with preexisting endocrine diseases, tubercular meningitis and patients on steroids were carefully excluded from the study. The basal pituitary hormonal profile was measured by the electrochemilumniscence technique for serum cortisol, luetinizing hormone (LH, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH, prolactin (PRL, thyrotropin (TSH, free tri-iodothyronine (fT3, and free thyroxine (fT4. Results: The cases (n = 30 comprised of patients with acute pyogenic meningitis (n = 23, viral meningoencephalitis (n = 4, brain abscess (n = 2, and cryptococcal meningitis (n = 1. The mean age of patients was 28.97 ± 11.306 years. Out of 30 patients, 14 (46.7% were males and 16 (58.1% were females. Adrenal insufficiency both absolute and relative was seen in seven (23.3% and hyperprolactinemia was seen in nine (30.0% of the patients. One study subject had central hypothyroidism and seven (23.3 showed low levels of LH and/or FSH. None of patients showed clinical features suggestive of

  7. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Qiukui; Dong, Bi Rong; Wu, Taixiang

    2015-02-03

    Probiotics may improve a person's health by regulating their immune function. Some trials have shown that probiotic strains can prevent respiratory infections. Even though the previous version of our review showed benefits of probiotics for acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), several new studies have been published. To assess the effectiveness and safety of probiotics (any specified strain or dose), compared with placebo, in the prevention of acute URTIs in people of all ages, at risk of acute URTIs. We searched CENTRAL (2014, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1950 to July week 3, 2014), EMBASE (1974 to July 2014), Web of Science (1900 to July 2014), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, which includes the China Biological Medicine Database (from 1978 to July 2014), the Chinese Medicine Popular Science Literature Database (from 2000 to July 2014) and the Masters Degree Dissertation of Beijing Union Medical College Database (from 1981 to July 2014). We also searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for completed and ongoing trials on 31 July 2014. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo to prevent acute URTIs. Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility and quality of trials, and extracted data using the standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. We included 13 RCTs, although we could only extract data to meta-analyse 12 trials, which involved 3720 participants including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people. We found that probiotics were better than placebo when measuring the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI (at least one episode: odds ratio (OR) 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.76, P value school absence (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.47, very low quality evidence). Probiotics and placebo were similar when measuring the rate ratio of episodes of acute

  8. UJI DAYA HAMBAT PERASAN BUAH JERUK SIAM BANJAR (Citrus reticulata TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN Shigella dysenteriae

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    Eka Kumalasari

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Siam orange (Citrus reticulata is kind of orange which a lot in Sout Borneo and a national top variety called banjar siam orange. Orange contains secondary metabolites flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids which cause damage bacteria cell wall permeability. Objective of this study is to find out inhibition siam orange fruit squeeze to Shigella dysenteriae growth. This study is an experimental research laboratory. Inhibition test of siam banjar orange (Citrus reticulata fruit squeeze to Shigella dysenteriae growthwas conducted with diffusion methodwhich performed at Bacteriology Laboratory of Banjarbaru Center Veterinary. Result of phytochemicals screening showedthat banjar siam orange fruit squeeze contain alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids. Result of the study showed banjar siam orange fruit squeeze has the ability to inhibite Shigella dysenteriae growth with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% concentrations. The higher concentration of banjar siam orange squeeze, the greater diameter of inhibition zone result.

  9. The IpaC carboxyterminal effector domain mediates Src-dependent actin polymerization during Shigella invasion of epithelial cells.

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    Joëlle Mounier

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, invades epithelial cells by locally reorganizing the actin cytoskeleton. Shigella invasion requires actin polymerization dependent on the Src tyrosine kinase and a functional bacterial type III secretion (T3S apparatus. Using dynamic as well as immunofluorescence microscopy, we show that the T3S translocon component IpaC allows the recruitment of the Src kinase required for actin polymerization at bacterial entry sites during the initial stages of Shigella entry. Src recruitment occurred at bacterial-cell contact sites independent of actin polymerization at the onset of the invasive process and was still observed in Shigella strains mutated for translocated T3S effectors of invasion. A Shigella strain with a polar mutation that expressed low levels of the translocator components IpaB and IpaC was fully proficient for Src recruitment and bacterial invasion. In contrast, a Shigella strain mutated in the IpaC carboxyterminal effector domain that was proficient for T3S effector translocation did not induce Src recruitment. Consistent with a direct role for IpaC in Src activation, cell incubation with the IpaC last 72 carboxyterminal residues fused to the Iota toxin Ia (IaC component that translocates into the cell cytosol upon binding to the Ib component led to Src-dependent ruffle formation. Strikingly, IaC also induced actin structures resembling bacterial entry foci that were enriched in activated Src and were inhibited by the Src inhibitor PP2. These results indicate that the IpaC effector domain determines Src-dependent actin polymerization and ruffle formation during bacterial invasion.

  10. Antimicrobial resistance of fecal isolates of salmonella and shigella ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Salmonellosis and Shigellosis coupled with increased levels of multidrug resistances are public health problems, especially in developing countries. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of fecal Salmonella and Shigella spp and its antimicrobial resistance patterns. A retrospective study was conducted on ...

  11. Osmoregulated periplasmic glucans synthesis gene family of Shigella flexneri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osmoregulated periplasmic glucans (OPGs) of foodborne enteropathogen Shigella flexneri were characterized. OPGs were composed of 100 percent glucose with 2-linked glucose as the most abundant residue with terminal glucose, 2-linked and 2,6-linked glucose also present in high quantities. Most dominan...

  12. Association of biomass fuel use with acute respiratory infections among under- five children in a slum urban of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanbata, Habtamu; Asfaw, Araya; Kumie, Abera

    2014-10-31

    Indoor air pollution from biomass fuel is responsible for 50,320 annual deaths of children under-five year, accounting for 4.9% of the national burden of disease in Ethiopia. Acute respiratory infections are the leading cause of mortality among children in Ethiopia. There is limited research that has examined the association between the use of biomass fuel and acute respiratory infections among children. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted during January to February 2012 among 422 households in the slum of Addis Ababa. Data were collected by using structured and pretested questionnaire. Odds ratio was done to determine association between independent variables and acute respiratory infections by using logistic regression analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the presence of an association between biomass fuel use and acute respiratory infections after controlling for other confounding variables. Nearly 253 (60%) of children live in households that predominately used biomass fuel. The two weeks prevalence of acute respiratory infection was 23.9%. The odds ratios of acute respiratory infection were 2.97 (95% CI: 1.38-3.87) and 1.96 (95% CI: 0.78-4.89) in households using biomass fuel and kerosene, respectively, relative to cleaner fuels. There is an association between biomass fuel usage and acute respiratory infection in children. The relationship needs investigation which measure indoor air pollution and clinical measures of acute respiratory infection.

  13. Non-oncogenic Acute Viral Infections Disrupt Anti-cancer Responses and Lead to Accelerated Cancer-Specific Host Death

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    Frederick J. Kohlhapp

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In light of increased cancer prevalence and cancer-specific deaths in patients with infections, we investigated whether infections alter anti-tumor immune responses. We report that acute influenza infection of the lung promotes distal melanoma growth in the dermis and leads to accelerated cancer-specific host death. Furthermore, we show that during influenza infection, anti-melanoma CD8+ T cells are shunted from the tumor to the infection site, where they express high levels of the inhibitory receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1. Immunotherapy to block PD-1 reverses this loss of anti-tumor CD8+ T cells from the tumor and decreases infection-induced tumor growth. Our findings show that acute non-oncogenic infection can promote cancer growth, raising concerns regarding acute viral illness sequelae. They also suggest an unexpected role for PD-1 blockade in cancer immunotherapy and provide insight into the immune response when faced with concomitant challenges.

  14. Acute neuromuscular weakness associated with dengue infection

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    Harmanjit Singh Hira

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Dengue infections may present with neurological complications. Whether these are due to neuromuscular disease or electrolyte imbalance is unclear. Materials and Methods: Eighty-eight patients of dengue fever required hospitalization during epidemic in year 2010. Twelve of them presented with acute neuromuscular weakness. We enrolled them for study. Diagnosis of dengue infection based on clinical profile of patients, positive serum IgM ELISA, NS1 antigen, and sero-typing. Complete hemogram, kidney and liver functions, serum electrolytes, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK were tested. In addition, two patients underwent nerve conduction velocity (NCV test and electromyography. Results: Twelve patients were included in the present study. Their age was between 18 and 34 years. Fever, myalgia, and motor weakness of limbs were most common presenting symptoms. Motor weakness developed on 2 nd to 4 th day of illness in 11 of 12 patients. In one patient, it developed on 10 th day of illness. Ten of 12 showed hypokalemia. One was of Guillain-Barré syndrome and other suffered from myositis; they underwent NCV and electromyography. Serum CPK and SGOT raised in 8 out of 12 patients. CPK of patient of myositis was 5098 IU. All of 12 patients had thrombocytopenia. WBC was in normal range. Dengue virus was isolated in three patients, and it was of serotype 1. CSF was normal in all. Within 24 hours, those with hypokalemia recovered by potassium correction. Conclusions: It was concluded that the dengue virus infection led to acute neuromuscular weakness because of hypokalemia, myositis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. It was suggested to look for presence of hypokalemia in such patients.

  15. Varicella Zoster Infection: A Rare Cause of Abdominal Pain Mimicking Acute Abdomen

    OpenAIRE

    Olmez, Deniz; Boz, Alper; Erkan, Nazif

    2009-01-01

    Varicella zoster is an acute viral infection that results from reactivation of a latent varicella zoster virus. It usually occurs in adult population and immune compromised patients. It rarely occurs in healthy children. Here we present a 14 years old male with varicella zoster that had abdominal pain mimicking acute abdomen to alert others who are consulted for the differentiation of acute abdomen and others who may be consulted for pain management. Keywords Varicella zoster; Abdominal pain

  16. Successful treatment of acute renal failure secondary to complicated infective endocarditis by peritoneal dialysis: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Osail, Aisha M; Al-Zahrani, Ibrahim M; Al-Abdulwahab, Abdullah A; Alhajri, Sarah M; Al-Osail, Emad M; Al-Hwiesh, Abdullah K; Al-Muhanna, Fahad A

    2017-09-07

    Infective endocarditis is one of the most common infections among intravenous drug addicts. Its complications can affect many systems, and these can include acute renal failure. There is a scarcity of cases in the literature related to acute renal failure secondary to infective endocarditis treated with peritoneal dialysis. In this paper, the case of a 48-year-old Saudi male is reported, who presented with features suggestive of infective endocarditis and who developed acute kidney injury that was treated successfully with high tidal volume automated peritoneal dialysis. To our knowledge, this is the second report of such an association in the literature. A 48-year-old Saudi gentleman diagnosed to have a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and hepatitis C infection for the last 9 years, presented to the emergency department with a history of fever of 2 days' duration. On examination: his temperature = 41 °C, there was clubbing of the fingers bilaterally and a pansystolic murmur in the left parasternal area. The results of the blood cultures and echocardiogram were supportive of the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, and the patient subsequently developed acute kidney injury, and his creatinine reached 5.2 mg/dl, a level for which dialysis is essential for the patient to survive. High tidal volume automated peritoneal dialysis is highly effective as a renal replacement therapy in acute renal failure secondary to infective endocarditis if no contraindication is present.

  17. Hand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren‐Gash, Charlotte; Fragaszy, Ellen; Hayward, Andrew C.

    2012-01-01

    Please cite this paper as: Warren‐Gash et al. (2012) Hand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12015. Hand hygiene may be associated with modest protection against some acute respiratory tract infections, but its specific role in influenza transmission in different settings is unclear. We aimed to review evidence that improving hand hygiene reduces primary and secondary transmission of (i) influenza and (ii) acute respiratory tract infections in community settings. We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane databases up to 13 February 2012 for reports in any language of original research investigating the effect of hand hygiene on influenza or acute respiratory tract infection where aetiology was unspecified in community settings including institutions such as schools, and domestic residences. Data were presented and quality rated across outcomes according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. Sixteen articles met inclusion criteria. There was moderate to low‐quality evidence of a reduction in both influenza and respiratory tract infection with hand hygiene interventions in schools, greatest in a lower–middle‐income setting. There was high‐quality evidence of a small reduction in respiratory infection in childcare settings. There was high‐quality evidence for a large reduction in respiratory infection with a hand hygiene intervention in squatter settlements in a low‐income setting. There was moderate‐ to high‐quality evidence of no effect on secondary transmission of influenza in households that had already experienced an index case. While hand hygiene interventions have potential to reduce transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infections, their effectiveness varies depending on setting, context and compliance. PMID:23043518

  18. Risk Factors for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Under-five ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hanumantp

    [3] They contributed 67 million disability adjusted life years in the ... health sector resources and long-term empiric treatment of ..... women of child bearing ages in order to limit the risks of .... Acute respiratory infection and pneumonia in India:.

  19. Investigating the Relatedness of Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli to Other E. coli and Shigella Isolates by Using Comparative Genomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazen, Tracy H; Leonard, Susan R; Lampel, Keith A; Lacher, David W; Maurelli, Anthony T; Rasko, David A

    2016-08-01

    Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) is a unique pathovar that has a pathogenic mechanism nearly indistinguishable from that of Shigella species. In contrast to isolates of the four Shigella species, which are widespread and can be frequent causes of human illness, EIEC causes far fewer reported illnesses each year. In this study, we analyzed the genome sequences of 20 EIEC isolates, including 14 first described in this study. Phylogenomic analysis of the EIEC genomes demonstrated that 17 of the isolates are present in three distinct lineages that contained only EIEC genomes, compared to reference genomes from each of the E. coli pathovars and Shigella species. Comparative genomic analysis identified genes that were unique to each of the three identified EIEC lineages. While many of the EIEC lineage-specific genes have unknown functions, those with predicted functions included a colicin and putative proteins involved in transcriptional regulation or carbohydrate metabolism. In silico detection of the Shigella virulence plasmid (pINV), which is essential for the invasion of host cells, demonstrated that a form of pINV was present in nearly all EIEC genomes, but the Mxi-Spa-Ipa region of the plasmid that encodes the invasion-associated proteins was absent from several of the EIEC isolates. The comparative genomic findings in this study support the hypothesis that multiple EIEC lineages have evolved independently from multiple distinct lineages of E. coli via the acquisition of the Shigella virulence plasmid and, in some cases, the Shigella pathogenicity islands. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  20. Acute respiratory viral infections in pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

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    Eliana C.A. Benites

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of infection by respiratory viruses in pediatric patients with cancer and acute respiratory infection (ARI and/or fever. METHODS: cross-sectional study, from January 2011 to December 2012. The secretions of nasopharyngeal aspirates were analyzed in children younger than 21 years with acute respiratory infections. Patients were treated at the Grupo em Defesa da Criança Com Câncer (Grendacc and University Hospital (HU, Jundiaí, SP. The rapid test was used for detection of influenza virus (Kit Biotrin, Inc. Ireland, and real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction (FTD, Respiratory pathogens, multiplex Fast Trade Kit, Malta for detection of influenza virus (H1N1, B, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, human parechovirus, bocavirus, metapneumovirus, and human coronavirus. The prevalence of viral infection was estimated and association tests were used (χ2 or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: 104 samples of nasopharyngeal aspirate and blood were analyzed. The median age was 12 ± 5.2 years, 51% males, 68% whites, 32% had repeated ARIs, 32% prior antibiotic use, 19.8% cough, and 8% contact with ARIs. A total of 94.3% were in good general status. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (42.3% was the most prevalent neoplasia. Respiratory viruses were detected in 50 samples: rhinoviruses (23.1%, respiratory syncytial virus AB (8.7%, and coronavirus (6.8%. Co-detection occurred in 19% of cases with 2 viruses and in 3% of those with 3 viruses, and was more frequent between rhinovirus and coronavirus 43. Fever in neutropenic patients was observed in 13%, of which four (30.7 were positive for viruses. There were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: the prevalence of respiratory viruses was relevant in the infectious episode, with no increase in morbidity and mortality. Viral co-detection was frequent in patients with cancer and ARIs.

  1. Infections in British clinical laboratories, 1986-87.

    OpenAIRE

    Grist, N R; Emslie, J A

    1989-01-01

    During 1986-87 this continuing survey showed 15 specific infections in the staff of 235 laboratories, representing 28,524 person years of exposure. The community was the probable source of four of the five cases of tuberculosis and one of the five cases of salmonellosis. Occupational exposure was the probable cause of four infections by Shigella flexneri, three by Salmonella typhimurium, and one by S typhi, all affecting medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs) in microbiology. Occupati...

  2. Changing patterns and widening of antibiotic resistance in Shigella spp. over a decade (2000-2011), Andaman Islands, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, D; Bhattacharya, H; Sayi, D S; Bharadwaj, A P; Singhania, M; Sugunan, A P; Roy, S

    2015-02-01

    This study is a part of the surveillance study on childhood diarrhoea in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; here we report the drug resistance pattern of recent isolates of Shigella spp. (2006-2011) obtained as part of that study and compare it with that of Shigella isolates obtained earlier during 2000-2005. During 2006-2011, stool samples from paediatric diarrhoea patients were collected and processed for isolation and identification of Shigella spp. Susceptibility to 22 antimicrobial drugs was tested and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined for third-generation cephalosporins, quinolones, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combinations and gentamicin. A wide spectrum of antibiotic resistance was observed in the Shigella strains obtained during 2006-2011. The proportions of resistant strains showed an increase from 2000-2005 to 2006-2011 in 20/22 antibiotics tested. The number of drug resistance patterns increased from 13 in 2000-2005 to 43 in 2006-2011. Resistance to newer generation fluoroquinolones, third-generation cephalosporins and augmentin, which was not observed during 2000-2005, appeared during 2006-2011. The frequency of resistance in Shigella isolates has increased substantially between 2000-2006 and 2006-2011, with a wide spectrum of resistance. At present, the option for antimicrobial therapy in shigellosis in Andaman is limited to a small number of drugs.

  3. Antimicrobial properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional yogurt and milk against Shigella strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zare Mirzaei, Elnaze; Lashani, Elahe; Davoodabadi, Abolfazl

    2018-01-01

    Background: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are normal flora of the mouth, intestines and the female genital tract. They are also frequently found in meat, vegetables, and dairy products. Most of probiotic bacteria belong to the LAB group. Some probiotic LAB are useful in prevention and treatment of diarrheal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial properties of LAB isolated from traditional yogurt and milk against Shigella strains. Materials and methods: Forty LAB strains were isolated from traditional yogurt and milk. The antimicrobial activity of LAB against Shigella strains (eight S. flexneri , four S. sonnei ) was examined using the agar-well diffusion assay. LAB strains with antimicrobial effect against all Shigella strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Six LAB strains inhibited the growth of all 12 Shigella strains. Lb. paracasei Y1-3, Lb. paracasei Y8-1 and Lb. fermentum Y2-2 were isolated from yogurt. Lb. paracasei M18-1, Lb. parelimentarius M4-3 and Lb. plantarum M19-1 were isolated from milk. Conclusion: This study showed that Lactobacillus strains with good inhibitory activity against S. flexneri and S. sonnei could be isolated from traditional yogurt and milk.

  4. Respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses, and mixed acute lower respiratory infections in children in a developing country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Martínez, Carlos E; Rodríguez, Diego Andrés; Nino, Gustavo

    2015-05-01

    There is growing evidence suggesting greater severity and worse outcomes in children with mixed as compared to single respiratory virus infections. However, studies that assess the risk factors that may predispose a child to a mixture of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenoviral infections, are scarce. In a retrospective cohort study, the study investigated the epidemiology of RSV and adenovirus infections and predictors of mixed RSV-adenoviral infections in young children hospitalized with acute lower respiratory infection in Bogota, Colombia, South America, over a 2-year period 2009-2011. Of a total of 5,539 children admitted with a diagnosis of acute lower respiratory infection, 2,267 (40.9%) who were positive for RSV and/or adenovirus were selected. Out the total number of cases, 1,416 (62.5%) infections occurred during the 3-month period from March to May, the first rainy season of Bogota, Colombia. After controlling for gender, month when the nasopharyngeal sample was taken, and other pre-existing conditions, it was found that an age greater than 6 months (OR:1.74; CI 95%:1.05-2.89; P = 0.030) and malnutrition as a comorbidity (OR:9.92; CI 95%:1.01-100.9; P = 0.049) were independent predictors of mixed RSV-adenoviral infections in the sample of patients. In conclusion, RSV and adenovirus are significant causes of acute lower respiratory infection in infants and young children in Bogota, Colombia, especially during the first rainy season. The identified predictors of mixed RSV-adenoviral infections should be taken into account when planning intervention, in order to reduce the burden of acute lower respiratory infection in young children living in the country. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. The changing epidemiology of bacillary dysentery and characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of Shigella isolated in China from 2004-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Zhaorui; Zhang, Jing; Ran, Lu; Sun, Junling; Liu, Fengfeng; Luo, Li; Zeng, Lingjia; Wang, Liping; Li, Zhongjie; Yu, Hongjie; Liao, Qiaohong

    2016-11-18

    Bacillary dysentery caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella is a significant public health problem in developing countries such as China. The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological pattern of bacillary dysentery, the diversity of the causative agent, and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. for the purpose of determining the most effective allocation of resources and prioritization of interventions. Surveillance data were acquired from the National Infectious Disease Information Reporting System (2004-2014) and from the sentinel hospital-based surveillance system (2005-2014). We analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of bacillary dysentery, age and sex distribution, species diversity, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. The surveillance registry included over 3 million probable cases of bacillary dysentery during the period 2004-2014. The annual incidence rate of bacillary dysentery decreased from 38.03 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2004 to 11.24 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2014. The case-fatality rate decreased from 0.028% in 2004 to 0.003% in 2014. Children aged Shigella flexneri was the most prevalent species that caused bacillary dysentery in China (63.86%), followed by Shigella sonnei (34.89%). Shigella isolates were highly resistant to nalidixic acid (89.13%), ampicillin (88.90%), tetracycline (88.43%), and sulfamethoxazole (82.92%). During the study period, isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime increased from 8.53 and 7.87% in 2005 to 44.65 and 29.94% in 2014, respectively. The incidence rate of bacillary dysentery has undergone an obvious decrease from 2004 to 2014. Priority interventions should be delivered to populations in northwest China and to individuals aged Shigella is a serious public health problem and it is important to consider the susceptibility profile of isolates before determining treatment.

  6. [Bioinformatics Analysis of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats in the Genomes of Shigella].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Pengfei; Wang, Yingfang; Duan, Guangcai; Xue, Zerun; Wang, Linlin; Guo, Xiangjiao; Yang, Haiyan; Xi, Yuanlin

    2015-04-01

    This study was aimed to explore the features of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) structures in Shigella by using bioinformatics. We used bioinformatics methods, including BLAST, alignment and RNA structure prediction, to analyze the CRISPR structures of Shigella genomes. The results showed that the CRISPRs existed in the four groups of Shigella, and the flanking sequences of upstream CRISPRs could be classified into the same group with those of the downstream. We also found some relatively conserved palindromic motifs in the leader sequences. Repeat sequences had the same group with corresponding flanking sequences, and could be classified into two different types by their RNA secondary structures, which contain "stem" and "ring". Some spacers were found to homologize with part sequences of plasmids or phages. The study indicated that there were correlations between repeat sequences and flanking sequences, and the repeats might act as a kind of recognition mechanism to mediate the interaction between foreign genetic elements and Cas proteins.

  7. Sibling sRNA RyfA1 Influences Shigella dysenteriae Pathogenesis

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    Megan E. Fris

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs of Shigella dysenteriae and other pathogens are vital for the regulation of virulence-associated genes and processes. Here, we characterize RyfA1, one member of a sibling pair of sRNAs produced by S. dysenteriae. Unlike its nearly identical sibling molecule, RyfA2, predicted to be encoded almost exclusively by non-pathogenic species, the presence of a gene encoding RyfA1, or a RyfA1-like molecule, is strongly correlated with virulence in a variety of enteropathogens. In S. dysenteriae, the overproduction of RyfA1 negatively impacts the virulence-associated process of cell-to-cell spread as well as the expression of ompC, a gene encoding a major outer membrane protein important for the pathogenesis of Shigella. Interestingly, the production of RyfA1 is controlled by a second sRNA, here termed RyfB1, the first incidence of one regulatory small RNA controlling another in S. dysenteriae or any Shigella species.

  8. [Prevalence and clinical characteristics of coronavirus NL63 infection in children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infections in Changsha].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fei; Zhang, Bing; Xie, Zhi-Ping; Gao, Han-Chun; Zhao, Xin; Zhong, Li-Li; Zhou, Qiong-Hua; Hou, Yun-De; Duan, Zhao-Jun

    2012-04-01

    The main objective of this study was to explore the prevalence and clinical characteristics of human coronavirus NL63 infection in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in Changsha. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) samples were collected from 1185 hospitalized children with ALRTI at the People's Hospital of Hunan province, between September 2008 and October 2010. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to screen for coronavirus NL63, which is a 255 bp fragment of a part of N gene. All positive amplification products were confirmed by sequencing and compared with those in GenBank. The overall frequency of coronavirus NL63 infection was 0.8%, 6 (60%) out of the coronavirus NL63 positive patients were detected in summer, 2 in autumn, 1 in spring and winter, respectively. The patients were from 2 months to two and a half years old. The clinical diagnosis was bronchopneumonia (60%), bronchiolitis (30%), and acute laryngotracheal bronchitis (10%). Four of the 10 cases had critical illness, 4 cases had underlying diseases, and 7 cases had mixed infection with other viruses. The homogeneity of coronavirus NL63 with those published in the GenBank at nucleotide levels was 97%-100%. Coronavirus NL63 infection exists in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection in Changsha. Coronavirus NL63 infections are common in children under 3 years of age. There is significant difference in the infection rate between the boys and the girls: the boys had higher rate than the girls. The peak of prevalence of the coronavirus NL63 was in summer. A single genetic lineage of coronavirus NL63 was revealed in human subjects in Changsha. Coronavirus NL63 may also be one of the lower respiratory pathogen in China.

  9. Resistencia a antibióticos y epidemiología molecular de Shigella spp. en el nordeste argentino Antibiotic resistance and molecular epidemiology of Shigella spp. in northeastern Argentina

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    Luis A. Merino

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la resistencia a antibióticos de cepas de Shigella spp. aisladas de muestras de heces en el nordeste argentino y caracterizarlas desde el punto de vista de su epidemiología molecular. MÉTODOS: Se estudiaron 132 aislamientos de Shigella spp. obtenidos de las heces de igual número de pacientes con diarrea que asistieron a diferentes laboratorios privados y estatales de las provincias del Chaco y Corrientes, Argentina, durante el período de 1998 a 2002. Cada cepa se caracterizó según su serotipo, su resistencia a 13 antibióticos individuales o combinados y su sensibilidad a las piocinas. A 52 cepas seleccionadas en función de sus perfiles de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana se les determinaron la dotación plasmídica mediante lisis alcalina y las secuencias repetitivas palindrómicas extragénicas mediante la amplificación de segmentos repetitivos de ADN con la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (REP-RCP. Se aplicó la prueba de ji al cuadrado para comparar proporciones. El nivel de significación estadística fue de 0,05. RESULTADOS: Shigella flexneri fue la especie más frecuente (78%, seguida de S. sonnei (22%. En general, la resistencia de S. flexneri a los antibióticos estudiados fue mayor que la de S. sonnei y esta diferencia fue estadísticamente significativa (P OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the antibiotic resistance of strains of Shigella spp. isolated from feces samples from northeastern Argentina and to characterize the strains in terms of their molecular epidemiology. METHODS: We studied 132 isolates of Shigella spp. obtained from feces samples from 132 patients with diarrhea who were seen at various private and public laboratories in the Argentine provinces of Chaco and Corrientes during the period of 1998 to 2002. Each strain was characterized according to its serotype, its resistance to 13 individual or combination antibiotics, and its sensitivity to pyocins. With 52 strains selected in relation to their

  10. Horizontal antimicrobial resistance transfer drives epidemics of multiple Shigella species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Kate S; Dallman, Timothy J; Field, Nigel; Childs, Tristan; Mitchell, Holly; Day, Martin; Weill, François-Xavier; Lefèvre, Sophie; Tourdjman, Mathieu; Hughes, Gwenda; Jenkins, Claire; Thomson, Nicholas

    2018-04-13

    Horizontal gene transfer has played a role in developing the global public health crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, the dynamics of AMR transfer through bacterial populations and its direct impact on human disease is poorly elucidated. Here, we study parallel epidemic emergences of multiple Shigella species, a priority AMR organism, in men who have sex with men to gain insight into AMR emergence and spread. Using genomic epidemiology, we show that repeated horizontal transfer of a single AMR plasmid among Shigella enhanced existing and facilitated new epidemics. These epidemic patterns contrasted with slighter, slower increases in disease caused by organisms with vertically inherited (chromosomally encoded) AMR. This demonstrates that horizontal transfer of AMR directly affects epidemiological outcomes of globally important AMR pathogens and highlights the need for integration of genomic analyses into all areas of AMR research, surveillance and management.

  11. The importance of integrons for development and propagation of resistance in Shigella: the case of Latin America

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    Kenia Barrantes

    Full Text Available Abstract In Latin America, the disease burden of shigellosis is found to coexist with the rapid and rampant spread of resistance to commonly used antibiotics. The molecular basis of antibiotic resistance lies within genetic elements such as plasmids, transposons, integrons, genomic islands, etc., which are found in the bacterial genome. Integrons are known to acquire, exchange, and express genes within gene cassettes and it is hypothesized that they play a significant role in the transmission of multidrug resistance genes in several Gram-negative bacteria including Shigella. A few studies have described antibiotic resistance genes and integrons among multidrug resistant Shigella isolates found in Latin America. For example, in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, class 1 and class 2 integrons have been detected among multidrug resistant strains of Shigella; this phenomenon is more frequently observed in S. flexneri isolates that are resistant to trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline. The gene cassette sul2, which is frequently detected in Shigella strains resistant to the sulfonamides, suggests that the sulfonamide-resistant phenotype can be explained by the presence of the sul2 genes independent of the integron class detected. It is to be noted that sul3 was negative in all isolates analyzed in these studies.The high frequency of sulfonamide (as encoded by sul2 and trimethoprim resistance is likely to be a result of the recurrent use of trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole as a popular regimen for the treatment of shigellosis. The observed resistance profiles of Shigella strains confirm that ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are ineffective as therapeutic options. In-depth information regarding antibiotic resistance mechanism in this pathogen is needed in order to develop suitable intervention strategies. There is a pressing need for regional and local antimicrobial resistance

  12. Infected Congenital Epicardial Cyst Presenting as Acute Abdomen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dribin, Timothy; Files, Matthew D; Rudzinski, Erin R; Kaplan, Ron; Stone, Kimberly P

    2016-12-01

    A previously healthy 3-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain, fever, and emesis. Laboratory and radiologic evaluation for causes of acute abdomen were negative; however, review of the abdominal x-ray demonstrated cardiomegaly with the subsequent diagnosis of pericardial cyst by echocardiogram and computed tomography. The patient underwent surgical decompression and attempted removal of the cystic structure revealing that the cyst originated from the epicardium. His abdominal pain and fever resolved postoperatively and he completed a 3-week course of ceftriaxone for treatment of Propionibacterium acnes infected congenital epicardial cyst. Emergency department physicians must maintain a broad differential in patients with symptoms of acute abdomen to prevent complications from serious cardiac or pulmonary diseases that present with symptoms of referred abdominal pain.

  13. MODERN MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN. RECOURSES OF SYSTEM ANTI INFLAMMATORY TREATMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.V. Zaitseva

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A problem of etiology and pathogenesis of acute respiratory infections in children are observed in this article. Modern approach to management of its treatment in pediatric patients, including often ailing children, is described. Authors give characteristics to main directions of treatment of obstructive syndrome. An experience of anti-inflammatory therapy with fenspiride (eurespal in children of different age is summa ized in this article.Key words: often ailing children, acute respiratory infections, bronchoobstructive syndrome, anti-inflammatory treatment, fenspiride.

  14. Cefotaximase and AmpC-producing Shigella flexneri in case of dysentery from southern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Oommen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Diarrhoea and dysentery caused by Shigella spp. are major public health concerns. Emerging multidrug resistance (MDR in this pathogen further complicates this disease. Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs have been described in this pathogen, which significantly compromises the treatment options for shigellosis. The usual ESBLs seen are sulfhydryl variable (SHV-type; cefotaximases (CTX-M are very uncommonly detected. Here, we report a CTX-M type and AmpC-producing Shigella flexneri from a three-year-old boy residing in Central Kerala, South India.

  15. Managing an Acute and Chronic Periprosthetic Infection

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    Cristian Barrientos

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A case report of a 65-year-old female with a history of right total hip arthroplasty (THA in 2007 and left THA in 2009 was presented. She consulted with our institution for the first time, on December 2013, for right hip pain and fistula on the THA incision. It was managed as a chronic infection, so a two-stage revision was performed. First-time intraoperative cultures were positive for Staphylococcus aureus (3/5 and Proteus mirabilis (2/5. Three weeks after the second half of the review, it evolved with acute fever and pain in relation to right hip. No antibiotics were used, arthrocentesis was performed, and a coagulase-negative staphylococci multisensible was isolated at the 5th day. Since the germ was different from the first revision, it was decided to perform a one-stage revision. One year after the first review, the patient has no local signs of infection and presents ESV and RPC in normal limits. The indication and management of periprosthetic infections are discussed.

  16. Use of IgG avidity ELISA to differentiate acute from persistent infection with Salmonella Dublin in cattle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, K.R.; Nielsen, L.R.; Lind, Peter

    2006-01-01

    Aims: To investigate whether an immunoglobulin (Ig)G avidity ELISA can be used to differentiate between acute and persistent infection with Salmonella (S.) Dublin in cattle. To determine whether the IgG isotype, IgG(1) and IgG(2) responses in acute and persistent infections differ. Methods...

  17. Use of alcohol hand sanitizer as an infection control strategy in an acute care facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilburn, Jessica; Hammond, Brian S; Fendler, Eleanor J; Groziak, Patricia A

    2003-04-01

    Nosocomial infections are a major problem in health care facilities, resulting in extended durations of care, substantial morbidity and mortality, and excess costs. Since alcohol gel hand sanitizers combine high immediate antimicrobial efficacy with ease of use, this study was carried out to determine the effect of the use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer by caregivers on infection types and rates in an acute care facility. Patients were educated about the study through a poster on the unit, and teachable patients were given portable bottles of the alcohol hand gel for bedside use, along with an educational brochure explaining how and why to practice good hand hygiene. Infection rate and type data were collected in 1 unit of a 498-bed acute care facility for 16 months (February 2000 to May 2001). An alcohol gel hand sanitizer was provided and used by caregivers in the orthopedic surgical unit of the facility during this period. The primary infection types (more than 80%) found were urinary tract (UTI) and surgical site (SSI) infections. Infection types and rates for the unit during the period the alcohol hand sanitizer (intervention) was used were compared with the infection types and rates for the same unit when the alcohol hand sanitizer was not used (baseline); the results demonstrated a 36.1% decrease in infection rates for the 10-month period that the hand sanitizer was used. This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control program in acute care facilities.

  18. Relationship between drug resistance and the clustered, regularly interspaced, short, palindromic repeat-associated protein genes cas1 and cas2 in Shigella from giant panda dung.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Lu; Deng, Lin-Hua; Zhang, Ri-Peng; Wang, Cheng-Dong; Li, De-Sheng; Xi, Li-Xin; Chen, Zhen-Rong; Yang, Rui; Huang, Jie; Zeng, Yang-Ru; Wu, Hong-Lin; Cao, San-Jie; Wu, Rui; Huang, Yong; Yan, Qi-Gui

    2017-02-01

    To detect drug resistance in Shigella obtained from the dung of the giant panda, explore the factors leading to drug resistance in Shigella, understand the characteristics of clustered, regularly interspaced, short, palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and assess the relationship between CRISPR and drug resistance. We collected fresh feces from 27 healthy giant pandas in the Giant Panda Conservation base (Wolong, China). We identified the strains of Shigella in the samples by using nucleotide sequence analysis. Further, the Kirby-Bauer paper method was used to determine drug sensitivity of the Shigella strains. CRISPR-associated protein genes cas1 and cas2 in Shigella were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PCR products were sequenced and compared. We isolated and identified 17 strains of Shigella from 27 samples, including 14 strains of Shigella flexneri, 2 strains of Shigella sonnei, and 1 strain of Shigella dysenteriae. Further, drug resistance to cefazolin, imipenem, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was identified as a serious problem, as multidrug-resistant strains were detected. Further, cas1 and cas2 showed different degrees of point mutations. The CRISPR system widely exists in Shigella and shares homology with that in Escherichia coli. The cas1 and cas 2 mutations contribute to the different levels of resistance. Point mutations at sites 3176455, 3176590, and 3176465 in cas1 (a); sites 3176989, 3176992, and 3176995 in cas1 (b); sites 3176156 and 3176236 in cas2 may affect the resistance of bacteria, cause emergence of multidrug resistance, and increase the types of drug resistance.

  19. Molecular epidemiology of WU polyomavirus in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Teng; Lu, Qing-Bin; Zhang, Shu-Yan; Wo, Ying; Zhuang, Lu; Zhang, Pan-He; Zhang, Xiao-Ai; Wei, Wei; Liu, Wei

    2017-05-01

    To explore the molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV) infection in pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections in China. A laboratory surveillance was performed to recruit pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections. WUPyV was detected using real-time PCR and complete genome was sequenced for randomly selected positive nasopharyngeal aspirate. Altogether 122 (7.5%) of 1617 children found to be infected with WUPyV and 88 (72.1%) were coinfected with other viruses during 2012-2015. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 14 strains from our study formed two new clusters (Id and IIIc) within the Branch I and Branch III, respectively. WUPyV is persistently circulating in China. Surveillance on WUPyV infection in wider areas and long persistence is warranted.

  20. Utilidad del modelo animal ratón-pulmón para evaluar la virulencia de posibles cepas vacunales de Shigella spp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga M. Martínez

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Shigella flexneri y Shigella sonnei, como cualquier otra especie del género Shigella, se sitúan entre los principales agentes etiológicos de las enfermedades diarreicas agudas, sobre todo aquellas que ocurren en los países en vías de desarrollo, aunque por la baja dosis infectante de este enteropatógeno no se excluyen los países desarrollados. Esta situación conlleva a la elaboración de vacunas para prevenir esta enfermedad y la necesidad de un modelo animal que pruebe la eficacia protectora e inmunogénica de posibles candidatos vacunales contra la shigellosis, situación que ha motivado numerosos estudios por la dificultad de demostrar la enteropatía intestinal en los monos y humanos. Lo anteriormente expuesto, más la capacidad de Shigella spp para mostrar resistencia a los antimicrobianos, motivó la realización de este trabajo. En el mismo se constató la utilidad del modelo animal ratón-pulmón para evaluar la virulencia de candidatos vacunales a partir de este microorganismo. Se utilizó la técnica de inoculación intranasal con una concentración entre 107 y 109 UFC de cepas de Shigella flexneri y Shigella sonnei. Por todos los resultados obtenidos con el modelo animal ratón-pulmón se concluyó que este modelo puede ser eficiente para los estudios preclínicos de cualquier candidato vacunal a partir de Shigella spp.

  1. Partial regulatory T cell depletion prior to acute feline immunodeficiency virus infection does not alter disease pathogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Rochelle Mikkelsen

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV infection in cats follows a disease course similar to HIV-1, including a short acute phase characterized by high viremia, and a prolonged asymptomatic phase characterized by low viremia and generalized immune dysfunction. CD4(+CD25(hiFoxP3(+ immunosuppressive regulatory T (Treg cells have been implicated as a possible cause of immune dysfunction during FIV and HIV-1 infection, as they are capable of modulating virus-specific and inflammatory immune responses. Additionally, the immunosuppressive capacity of feline Treg cells has been shown to be increased during FIV infection. We have previously shown that transient in vivo Treg cell depletion during asymptomatic FIV infection reveals FIV-specific immune responses suppressed by Treg cells. In this study, we sought to determine the immunological influence of Treg cells during acute FIV infection. We asked whether Treg cell depletion prior to infection with the highly pathogenic molecular clone FIV-C36 in cats could alter FIV pathogenesis. We report here that partial Treg cell depletion prior to FIV infection does not significantly change provirus, viremia, or CD4(+ T cell levels in blood and lymphoid tissues during the acute phase of disease. The effects of anti-CD25 mAb treatment are truncated in cats acutely infected with FIV-C36 as compared to chronically infected cats or FIV-naïve cats, as Treg cell levels were heightened in all treatment groups included in the study within two weeks post-FIV infection. Our findings suggest that the influence of Treg cell suppression during FIV pathogenesis is most prominent after Treg cells are activated in the environment of established FIV infection.

  2. Partial regulatory T cell depletion prior to acute feline immunodeficiency virus infection does not alter disease pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikkelsen, S Rochelle; Long, Julie M; Zhang, Lin; Galemore, Erin R; VandeWoude, Sue; Dean, Gregg A

    2011-02-25

    Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in cats follows a disease course similar to HIV-1, including a short acute phase characterized by high viremia, and a prolonged asymptomatic phase characterized by low viremia and generalized immune dysfunction. CD4(+)CD25(hi)FoxP3(+) immunosuppressive regulatory T (Treg) cells have been implicated as a possible cause of immune dysfunction during FIV and HIV-1 infection, as they are capable of modulating virus-specific and inflammatory immune responses. Additionally, the immunosuppressive capacity of feline Treg cells has been shown to be increased during FIV infection. We have previously shown that transient in vivo Treg cell depletion during asymptomatic FIV infection reveals FIV-specific immune responses suppressed by Treg cells. In this study, we sought to determine the immunological influence of Treg cells during acute FIV infection. We asked whether Treg cell depletion prior to infection with the highly pathogenic molecular clone FIV-C36 in cats could alter FIV pathogenesis. We report here that partial Treg cell depletion prior to FIV infection does not significantly change provirus, viremia, or CD4(+) T cell levels in blood and lymphoid tissues during the acute phase of disease. The effects of anti-CD25 mAb treatment are truncated in cats acutely infected with FIV-C36 as compared to chronically infected cats or FIV-naïve cats, as Treg cell levels were heightened in all treatment groups included in the study within two weeks post-FIV infection. Our findings suggest that the influence of Treg cell suppression during FIV pathogenesis is most prominent after Treg cells are activated in the environment of established FIV infection.

  3. Infection pattern of neutropenic patients in post-chemotherapy phase of acute leukemia treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Ahmadzadeh

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Neutropenia following chemotherapy regimens in leukemia patients is of major concern since it makes these patients vulnerable to infections. If we can identify which germs are causing these infections, they can be annihilated or, at least, the most appropriate antibiotic therapy can be started immediately, even before we have the results of the culture. This retrospective multi-center study took place in 2012 and included patients with acute leukemia who had already undergone chemotherapy and who had been febrile for at least 16 hours. In order to assess the type of infection, different environments were chosen and the results were compared by t-test and x2 tests. This study took place in four hospitals in Tehran and Ahwaz, Iran. The study population was made up of 89 patients: 37 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 52 with acute myeloid leukemia. The results revealed that blood was the most common site of infection. From all our positive cultures, it was seen that 85.4% of them had gram-negative bacteria with a dominance of E. coli of 25.8% over the other colonies. Also, antibiograms revealed the sensitivity of almost all the gram-negatives to amino glycosides. In contrast with most of the literature, in our patients, gram-negatives are the most common cause of infection and, therefore, administering amino glycosides would be the safest antibiotic therapy to prescribe before culture results are available.

  4. Optic neuritis and acute anterior uveitis associated with influenza A infection: a case report

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    Nakagawa H

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Hayate Nakagawa, Hidetaka Noma, Osamu Kotake, Ryosuke Motohashi, Kanako Yasuda, Masahiko Shimura Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan Background: A few reports have described ocular complications of influenza A infection, such as impaired ocular movement, parasympathetic ocular nerve, keratitis, macular lesion, and frosted branch angiitis. We encountered a rare case of acute anterior uveitis and optic neuritis associated with influenza A infection. Case presentation: A 70-year-old man presented with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. A rapid diagnostic test showed a positive result for influenza A. At the same time, he developed ocular symptoms including blurred vision with optic disk edema and hemorrhage in the left eye, and bilateral red eyes. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction performed on aqueous humor sample detected no viral infection. Visual field testing with a Goldmann perimeter showed central and paracentral scotomas in the left eye. In addition to antiviral agent (oseltamivir phosphate 75 mg, the patient was prescribed topical prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension eye drops every 5 hours and high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone 1,000 mg daily for 3 days. Two months later, his best-corrected visual acuity improved to 20/50 with regression of visual field defects in his left eye. Conclusion: We report a case of bilateral acute anterior uveitis and unilateral optic neuritis concomitant with influenza A infection. Topical and systemic corticosteroids were effective to resolve acute anterior uveitis and neuritis. Analysis of aqueous humor sample suggested that acute anterior uveitis and optic neuritis in this case were not caused by influenza A virus infection per se but by autoimmune mechanism. Keywords: optic neuritis, anterior uveitis, influenza virus, multiplex polymerase chain reaction

  5. Characterisation of antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections in Danish general practice: a retrospective registry based cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aabenhus, Rune; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Saust, Laura Trolle; Bjerrum, Lars

    2017-05-19

    Inappropriate use of antibiotics is contributing to the increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Several Danish guidelines on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in general practice have been issued to promote rational prescribing of antibiotics, however it is unclear if these recommendations are followed. We aimed to characterise the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions for patients diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections, by means of electronic prescriptions, labeled with clinical indications, from Danish general practice. Acute respiratory tract infections accounted for 456,532 antibiotic prescriptions issued between July 2012 and June 2013. Pneumonia was the most common indication with 178,354 prescriptions (39%), followed by acute tonsillitis (21%) and acute otitis media (19%). In total, penicillin V accounted for 58% of all prescriptions, followed by macrolides (18%) and amoxicillin (15%). The use of second-line agents increased with age for all indications, and comprised more than 40% of the prescriptions in patients aged >75 years. Women were more often prescribed antibiotics regardless of clinical indication. This is the first Danish study to characterise antibiotic prescription patterns for acute respiratory tract infections by data linkage of clinical indications. The findings confirm that penicillin V is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic agent for treatment of patients with an acute respiratory tract infection in Danish general practice. However, second-line agents like macrolides and amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid are overused. Strategies to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing especially for pneumonia, acute otitis media and acute rhinosinusitis are warranted. TRACKING THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS: Better adherence to guidelines for prescribing antibiotics for different respiratory tract infections are warranted in Danish general practice. The over-use of antibiotics, particularly so

  6. RIBOSOMAL COMPLEX IN PROPHYLAXIS AND TREATMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN

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    A.A. Alekseeva

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute respiratory infections (ARI are widespread in children regardless of age and region of living; they are characterized with big amount of infectious agents and absence of a trend to morbidity decrease. Drugs for nonspecific prophylaxis (immunostimulators and immunomodulatory agents are frequently used for prevention of ARI. There are plenty of immunomodulating agents; the wellstudied medication with systemic action with good efficacy and safety in pediatric practice is ribosomal-proteoglycan complex. The article presents the description of clinical experience of treatment with this complex in pediatric practice.Key words: children, acute respiratory infections, prophylaxis, treatment, ribosomal complex.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2010;9(6:127-130

  7. Acute respiratory infection case definitions for young children: a systematic review of community-based epidemiologic studies in South Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Daniel E; Gaffey, Michelle F; Smith-Romero, Evelyn; Fitzpatrick, Tiffany; Morris, Shaun K

    2015-12-01

    To explore the variability in childhood acute respiratory infection case definitions for research in low-income settings where there is limited access to laboratory or radiologic investigations. We conducted a systematic review of community-based, longitudinal studies in South Asia published from January 1990 to August 2013, in which childhood acute respiratory infection outcomes were reported. Case definitions were classified by their label (e.g. pneumonia, acute lower respiratory infection) and clinical content 'signatures' (array of clinical features that would be always present, conditionally present or always absent among cases). Case definition heterogeneity was primarily assessed by the number of unique case definitions overall and by label. We also compared case definition-specific acute respiratory infection incidence rates for studies reporting incidence rates for multiple case definitions. In 56 eligible studies, we found 124 acute respiratory infection case definitions. Of 90 case definitions for which clinical content was explicitly defined, 66 (73%) were unique. There was a high degree of content heterogeneity among case definitions with the same label, and some content signatures were assigned multiple labels. Within studies for which incidence rates were reported for multiple case definitions, variation in content was always associated with a change in incidence rate, even when the content differed by a single clinical feature. There has been a wide variability in case definition label and content combinations to define acute upper and lower respiratory infections in children in community-based studies in South Asia over the past two decades. These inconsistencies have important implications for the synthesis and translation of knowledge regarding the prevention and treatment of childhood acute respiratory infection. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Assessment of the Duration of Protection in Campylobacter jejuni Experimental Infection in Humans

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    of inoculum delivery was based on evidence obtained with a human Shigella infection model, which showed that 11/12 (92%) nai’ve subjects developed...M. Reyes, M. Salazar, R. Mezn, C. K. l’orter, and S. E. Walz. 2006. Ncw World monkey Aotus nmrc:ymat: as a model for Campyloba,·ter jejuni infection

  9. Epidemic shigella dysentery in children in northern KwaZulu-Natal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    sex, clinical features, complications and outcome. Results. Between February and December 1995, 158 cases of bloody diarrhoea were admitted, compared with. 6 the previous year. Shigella dysenteriae type I, resistant to ampicillin, tetraCYCline, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole, but susceptible to ...

  10. [Relationship between viral load of human bocavirus and clinical characteristics in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xiao-Fang; Zhang, Bing; Zhong, Li-Li; Xie, Le-Yun; Xiao, Ni-Guang

    2017-03-01

    To investigate the prevalence of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection and to explore the relationship between the viral load of HBoV and the clinical characteristics of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children. A total of 1 554 nasopharyngeal aspirates from children who were hospitalized due to acute lower respiratory tract infection between March 2011 and March 2014 were collected. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect 12 RNA and 2 DNA viruses, adenovirus (ADV) and HBoV, and to measure the viral load of HBoV in HBoV-positive children. A comprehensive analysis was performed with reference to clinical symptoms and indicators. In the 1 554 specimens, 1 212 (77.99%) were positive for viruses, and 275 (17.70%) were HBoV-positive. In HBoV-positive cases, 94.9% were aged infection, and 230 (83.64%) had mixed infection. There was no significant difference in viral load between children with single infection and mixed infection (P>0.05). The patients with fever had a significantly higher viral load than those without fever (Pacute lower respiratory tract infection (P>0.05). HBoV is one of the important pathogens of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children. Children with a higher viral load of HBoV are more likely to experience symptoms such as fever and wheezing. However, the severity of disease and mixed infection are not significantly related to viral load.

  11. Biopsychosocial risk factors of persistent fatigue after acute infection: A systematic review to inform interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulme, Katrin; Hudson, Joanna L; Rojczyk, Philine; Little, Paul; Moss-Morris, Rona

    2017-08-01

    Fatigue is a prevalent and debilitating symptom, preceded by an acute infectious episode in some patients. This systematic review aimed to identify risk factors for the development of persistent fatigue after an acute infection, to develop an evidence-based working model of post-infectious fatigue. Electronic databases (Medline, PsycINFO and EMBASE) were searched, from inception to March 2016, for studies which investigated biopsychosocial risk factors of on-going fatigue after an acute infection. Inclusion criteria were: prospective design; biological, psychological or social risk factors; standardised measure of post-infectious fatigue (self-report scales or clinical diagnosis). Studies were excluded if the sample had a pre-existing medical condition, infection was conceptualised as 'vaccination' or they were intervention trials. A narrative synthesis was performed. Eighty-one full texts were screened, of which seventeen were included in the review. Over half included glandular fever populations. Other infections included dengue fever, 'general'/'viral' and Q-fever. Risk factors were summarised under biological, social, behavioural, cognitive and emotional subthemes. Patients' cognitive and behavioural responses to the acute illness, and pre-infection or baseline distress and fatigue were the most consistent risk factors for post-infectious fatigue. An empirical summary model is provided, highlighting the risk factors most consistently associated with persistent fatigue. The components of the model, the possible interaction of risk factors and implications for understanding the fatigue trajectory and informing preventative treatments are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. Hand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren-Gash, Charlotte; Fragaszy, Ellen; Hayward, Andrew C

    2013-09-01

    Hand hygiene may be associated with modest protection against some acute respiratory tract infections, but its specific role in influenza transmission in different settings is unclear. We aimed to review evidence that improving hand hygiene reduces primary and secondary transmission of (i) influenza and (ii) acute respiratory tract infections in community settings. We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane databases up to 13 February 2012 for reports in any language of original research investigating the effect of hand hygiene on influenza or acute respiratory tract infection where aetiology was unspecified in community settings including institutions such as schools, and domestic residences. Data were presented and quality rated across outcomes according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. Sixteen articles met inclusion criteria. There was moderate to low-quality evidence of a reduction in both influenza and respiratory tract infection with hand hygiene interventions in schools, greatest in a lower-middle-income setting. There was high-quality evidence of a small reduction in respiratory infection in childcare settings. There was high-quality evidence for a large reduction in respiratory infection with a hand hygiene intervention in squatter settlements in a low-income setting. There was moderate- to high-quality evidence of no effect on secondary transmission of influenza in households that had already experienced an index case. While hand hygiene interventions have potential to reduce transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infections, their effectiveness varies depending on setting, context and compliance. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Decrease in shigellosis-related deaths without Shigella spp.-specific interventions, Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardhan, Pradip; Faruque, A S G; Naheed, Aliya; Sack, David A

    2010-11-01

    In 1999, a review of the literature for 1966-1997 suggested that ≈1.1 million persons die annually of shigellosis, including ≈880,000 in Asia. Our recent review of the literature for 1990-2009 indicates that ≈125 million shigellosis cases occur annually in Asia, of which ≈14,000 are fatal. This estimate for illnesses is similar to the earlier estimate, but the number of deaths is 98% lower; that is, the lower estimate of deaths is associated with markedly reduced case-fatality rates rather than fewer cases. Shigella spp.-related deaths decreased substantially during a period without Shigella spp.-specific interventions. We speculate that nonspecific interventions, e.g., measles vaccination, vitamin A supplementation, and improved nutrition, may have led to the reduced number of shigellosis-related deaths.

  14. Septic Shock due to Cytomegalovirus Infection in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome after Falciparum Malaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harbarth; Meyer; Grau; Loutan; Ricou

    1997-09-01

    Incidence of falciparum malaria in developed countries has increased in recent years due to tourism to tropical countries and immigration from Asia and Africa. In Switzerland, about 250 cases of malaria were reported in 1994 to the Federal Office of Health, including three cases with fatal outcome.1 The most commonly described complications of plasmodia infection are cerebral malaria, acute renal failure, and severe anemia with disseminated intravascular coagulation. However, pulmonary involvement occurs in 3 to 10% of cases and represents the most serious complication of this infection, with a lethality of 70%.2,3 Furthermore, a pronounced general immunosuppression has been reported in malaria patients, which may predispose them to opportunistic infections.4 We report a case of Plasmodium falciparum infection complicated by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with development of systemic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection leading to death. This evolution implies a severe immune deficiency associated with malaria, as previously suggested in the literature.

  15. An overview of the microbiology of acute ear, nose and throat infections requiring hospitalisation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rusan, Maria; Klug, Tejs Ehlers; Ovesen, Therese

    2009-01-01

    This study is the first to provide an extensive overview of the microbiology of acute ear, nose and throat infections requiring hospitalisation. All 2,028 cases of acute infections admitted between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2006 were reviewed to assess the use of pre-admission antibiotics......, microbiological results, antibiotic and surgical management and length of hospitalisation. Infections of the oropharynx accounted for the vast majority of admissions, followed by ear infections, and cutaneous neck abscesses. Peritonsillar abscess was the most frequent diagnosis, accounting for over one third...... of admissions (39.8%, 808 out of 2,028). Complete microbiological data were available for 1,430 cultures, and were analysed for trends with respect to diagnosis, age, gender and use of pre-admission antibiotics. Forty-six percent (657 out of 1,430) of cultures yielded no growth or normal flora. This value...

  16. Contemporary management of infected necrosis complicating severe acute pancreatitis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamdar, Saurabh; Siriwardena, Ajith K

    2006-01-01

    Pancreatic necrosis complicating severe acute pancreatitis is a challenging scenario in contemporary critical care practice; it requires multidisciplinary care in a setting where there is a relatively limited evidence base to support decision making. This commentary provides a concise overview of current management of patients with infected necrosis, focusing on detection, the role of pharmacologic intervention, and the timing and nature of surgical interventions. Fine-needle aspiration of necrosis remains the mainstay for establishment of infection. Pharmacological intervention includes antibiotic therapy as an adjunct to surgical debridement/drainage and, more recently, drotrecogin alfa. Specific concerns remain regarding the suitability of drotrecogin alfa in this setting. Early surgical intervention is unhelpful; surgery is indicated when there is strong evidence for infection of necrotic tissue, with the current trend being toward 'less drastic' surgical interventions. PMID:16356213

  17. The Acute Phase of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Is Attenuated in 5-Lipoxygenase-Deficient Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana M. C. Canavaci

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the present work we examine the contribution of 5-lipoxygenase- (5-LO- derived lipid mediators to immune responses during the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 5-LO gene knockout (5-LO−/− mice and wild-type (WT mice. Compared with WT mice, the 5-LO−/− mice developed less parasitemia/tissue parasitism, less inflammatory cell infiltrates, and a lower mortality. This resistance of 5-LO−/− mice correlated with several differences in the immune response to infection, including reduced PGE2 synthesis; sustained capacity of splenocytes to produce high levels of interleukin (IL-12 early in the infection; enhanced splenocyte production of IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ; rapid T-cell polarization to secrete high quantities of IFN-γ and low quantities of IL-10; and greater numbers of CD8+CD44highCD62Llow memory effector T cells at the end of the acute phase of infection. The high mortality in WT mice was associated with increased production of LTB4/LTC4, T cell bias to produce IFN-γ, high levels of serum nitrite, and marked protein extravasation into the peritoneal cavity, although survival was improved by treatment with a cys-LT receptor 1 antagonist. These data also provide evidence that 5-LO-derived mediators negatively affect host survival during the acute phase of T. cruzi infection.

  18. The impact of infection on mortality in octogenarians who were admitted due to acute coronary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keskin, Kudret; Çetinkal, Gökhan; Sığırcı, Serhat; Yıldız, Süleyman Sezai; Çetin, Şükrü; Gürdal, Ahmet; Kocaş, Betül Balaban; Kılıçkesmez, Kadriye Orta

    The prevalence of coronary artery disease is on the rise as the life expectancy of the population increases. However, treatment of acute coronary syndrome in the elderly patients has its own problems that have not been thoroughly addressed in the clinical trials. Since these patients are generally fragile and have multiple co-morbidities, the course of acute coronary syndrome can frequently be complicated. Infection, which co-exists either at the initial presentation or is acquired during the hospital stay, is a condition about which there is little published data. Therefore, in our study, we wanted to assess the impact of infection on mortality in octogenarians who have acute coronary syndrome METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 174 octogenarians who had been admitted to the coronary care unit with acute coronary syndrome. All-cause mortality was defined as the primary endpoint of the study. Overall 53 octogenarian patients (30.5%) had an infection along with acute coronary syndrome. The mean duration of follow-up was 10 months (1-25 months). Both in-hospital and long-term mortality were higher in these patients (18.9% vs 6.6%, p = 0.01; 52.8% vs 27.5%, p < 0.01; respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis also showed lower cumulative survival. (p [log-rank] = 0.002). In multivariate Cox regression analysis; undergoing coronary angiography, infection (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.15-3.34, p = 0.01), left ventricular ejection fraction and maximum C reactive protein levels were found as independent predictors of long-term survival. Infection in octogenarians who were admitted due to acute coronary syndrome was frequent and increased their mortality substantially. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Effectiveness of Thrombolytic Therapy in Acute Embolic Stroke due to Infective Endocarditis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siva P. Sontineni

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To identify the role of thrombolytic therapy in acute embolic stroke due to infective endocarditis. Design. Case report. Setting. University hospital. Patient. A 70-year-old male presented with acute onset aphasia and hemiparesis due to infective endocarditis. His head computerized tomographic scan revealed left parietal sulcal effacement. He was given intravenous tissue plasminogen activator with significant resolution of the neurologic deficits without complications. Main Outcome Measures. Physical examination, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, radiologic examination results. Conclusions. Thrombolytic therapy in selected cases of stroke due to infective endocarditis manifesting as major neurologic deficits can be considered as an option after careful consideration of risks and benefits. The basis for such favorable response rests in the presence of fibrin as a major constituent of the vegetation. The risk of precipitating hemorrhage with thrombolytic therapy especially with large infarcts and mycotic aneurysms should be weighed against the benefits of averting a major neurologic deficit.

  20. Infection related renal impairment: a major cause of acute allograft dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nampoory, Mangalathillam R N; Johny, Kaivilayil V; Costandy, Jamal N; Nair, Madhavan P; Said, Tarek; Homoud, Hani; Al-Muzairai, Ibrahim; Samhan, Mohmoud; Al-Moussawi, Mustafa

    2003-06-01

    We prospectively analyzed the impact of post-transplant infections on the renal function in 532 stable renal transplant recipients (M=340; F=192) over a period of 5 years. Their age ranged from 3-75 years (40+14 years). During the follow-up period, 52 patients expired and 64 lost on followup. We defined renal impairment (RI) as a persistent rise in serum creatinine above 20% from baseline value. 495 episodes of RI occurred in 269 recipients. This included 180-36% episodes of acute rejection, 53-10.7% Cyclosporine toxicity, 236-47.7% infection related renal impairment [IRRI] and 26-5.3% others. The severity of renal failure is less in IRRI (100+90.2) than that of acute rejection (166+127.1), but was more than that in cyclosporine toxicity (50+42.2). Sites of infection in IRRI were urinary (33%), respiratory (26.3%), septicemia (15.7%) and others (25.4%). Episode of IRRI occurred more frequently in LURD (159-67.4%) compared to LRD-RTR (50-21.2%). Occurrence of IRRI is more significantly higher in patients on triple drug immunosuppression (IS) (34.3%) than those on two drug IS (13.2%) (P=orEcoli (23.1%), Pseudomonas (11.1%), Salmonella (8.8%), Klebsiella (8.8%) and Staphylococai (8.3%) were the major organisms producing IRRI. IRRI is frequent (27.8%) during the first six months. Present study denotes that IRRI is a major cause of acute failure in RTR.

  1. Procalcitonin Identifies Cell Injury, Not Bacterial Infection, in Acute Liver Failure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jody A Rule

    Full Text Available Because acute liver failure (ALF patients share many clinical features with severe sepsis and septic shock, identifying bacterial infection clinically in ALF patients is challenging. Procalcitonin (PCT has proven to be a useful marker in detecting bacterial infection. We sought to determine whether PCT discriminated between presence and absence of infection in patients with ALF.Retrospective analysis of data and samples of 115 ALF patients from the United States Acute Liver Failure Study Group randomly selected from 1863 patients were classified for disease severity and ALF etiology. Twenty uninfected chronic liver disease (CLD subjects served as controls.Procalcitonin concentrations in most samples were elevated, with median values for all ALF groups near or above a 2.0 ng/mL cut-off that generally indicates severe sepsis. While PCT concentrations increased somewhat with apparent liver injury severity, there were no differences in PCT levels between the pre-defined severity groups-non-SIRS and SIRS groups with no documented infections and Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock groups with documented infections, (p = 0.169. PCT values from CLD patients differed from all ALF groups (median CLD PCT value 0.104 ng/mL, (p ≤0.001. Subjects with acetaminophen (APAP toxicity, many without evidence of infection, demonstrated median PCT >2.0 ng/mL, regardless of SIRS features, while some culture positive subjects had PCT values <2.0 ng/mL.While PCT appears to be a robust assay for detecting bacterial infection in the general population, there was poor discrimination between ALF patients with or without bacterial infection presumably because of the massive inflammation observed. Severe hepatocyte necrosis with inflammation results in elevated PCT levels, rendering this biomarker unreliable in the ALF setting.

  2. Angiographic Features and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients With First-Time Acute Coronary Syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Andreas; Mathiasen, Anders B; Worck, R.H.

    2013-01-01

    A matched cohort study was conducted comparing patients with first-time acute coronary syndromes infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to non-HIV-infected patients with and without diabetes matched for smoking, gender, and type of acute coronary syndrome who underwent first-time coronary...... angiography. A total of 48 HIV-infected patients were identified from a national database. Coronary angiography showed that the HIV-infected patients had significantly fewer lesions with classification B2/C than the 2 control groups (p...

  3. Performance of the BioPlex 2200 HIV Ag-Ab assay for identifying acute HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eshleman, Susan H; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Sivay, Mariya V; Debevec, Barbara; Veater, Stephanie; McKinstry, Laura; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Mannheimer, Sharon; Grant, Robert M; Chesney, Margaret A; Coates, Thomas J; Koblin, Beryl A; Fogel, Jessica M

    Assays that detect HIV antigen (Ag) and antibody (Ab) can be used to screen for HIV infection. To compare the performance of the BioPlex 2200 HIV Ag-Ab assay and two other Ag/Ab combination assays for detection of acute HIV infection. Samples were obtained from 24 individuals (18 from the US, 6 from South Africa); these individuals were classified as having acute infection based on the following criteria: positive qualitative RNA assay; two negative rapid tests; negative discriminatory test. The samples were tested with the BioPlex assay, the ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo test, the Bio-Rad GS HIV Combo Ag-Ab EIA test, and a viral load assay. Twelve (50.0%) of 24 samples had RNA detected only ( > 40 to 13,476 copies/mL). Ten (43.5%) samples had reactive results with all three Ag/Ab assays, one sample was reactive with the ARCHITECT and Bio-Rad assays, and one sample was reactive with the Bio-Rad and BioPlex assays. The 11 samples that were reactive with the BioPlex assay had viral loads from 83,010 to >750,000 copies/mL; 9/11 samples were classified as Ag positive/Ab negative by the BioPlex assay. Detection of acute HIV infection was similar for the BioPlex assay and two other Ag/Ab assays. All three tests were less sensitive than a qualitative RNA assay and only detected HIV Ag when the viral load was high. The BioPlex assay detected acute infection in about half of the cases, and identified most of those infections as Ag positive/Ab negative. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Spa47 Provides Mechanistic Insight into Type III Secretion System ATPase Activation and Shigella Virulence Regulation*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, Jamie L.; Burgess, R. Alan; Morales, Yalemi; Bouvang, Jenna M.; Johnson, Sean J.; Dickenson, Nicholas E.

    2016-01-01

    Like many Gram-negative pathogens, Shigella rely on a complex type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into host cells, take over host functions, and ultimately establish infection. Despite these critical roles, the energetics and regulatory mechanisms controlling the T3SS and pathogen virulence remain largely unclear. In this study, we present a series of high resolution crystal structures of Spa47 and use the structures to model an activated Spa47 oligomer, finding that ATP hydrolysis may be supported by specific side chain contributions from adjacent protomers within the complex. Follow-up mutagenesis experiments targeting the predicted active site residues validate the oligomeric model and determined that each of the tested residues are essential for Spa47 ATPase activity, although they are not directly responsible for stable oligomer formation. Although N-terminal domain truncation was necessary for crystal formation, it resulted in strictly monomeric Spa47 that is unable to hydrolyze ATP, despite maintaining the canonical ATPase core structure and active site residues. Coupled with studies of ATPase inactive full-length Spa47 point mutants, we find that Spa47 oligomerization and ATP hydrolysis are needed for complete T3SS apparatus formation, a proper translocator secretion profile, and Shigella virulence. This work represents the first structure-function characterization of Spa47, uniquely complementing the multitude of included Shigella T3SS phenotype assays and providing a more complete understanding of T3SS ATPase-mediated pathogen virulence. Additionally, these findings provide a strong platform for follow-up studies evaluating regulation of Spa47 oligomerization in vivo as a much needed means of treating and perhaps preventing shigellosis. PMID:27770024

  5. Genetic variation of hepatitis B surface antigen among acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infections in The Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cremer, Jeroen; Hofstraat, Sanne H I; van Heiningen, Francoise; Veldhuijzen, Irene K; van Benthem, Birgit H B; Benschop, Kimberley S M

    2018-05-24

    Genetic variation within hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), in particular within the major hydrophobic region (MHR), is related to immune/vaccine and test failures and can have a significant impact on the vaccination and diagnosis of acute infection. This study shows, for the first time, variation among acute cases and compares the amino acid variation within the HBsAg between acute and chronic infections. We analyzed the virus isolated from 1231 acute and 585 chronic cases reported to an anonymized public health surveillance database between 2004 and 2014 in The Netherlands. HBsAg analysis revealed the circulation of 6 genotypes (Gt); GtA was the dominant genotype followed by GtD among both acute (68.2% and 17.4%, respectively) and chronic (34.9% and 34.2%, respectively) cases. Variation was the highest among chronic strains compared to that among acute strains. Both acute and chronic GtD showed the highest variation compared to that of other genotypes (P < .01). Substitutions within the MHR were found in 8.5% of the acute strains and 18.6% of the chronic strains. Specific MHR substitutions described to have an impact on vaccine/immune escape and/or HBsAg test failure were found among 4.1% of the acute strains and 7.0% of the chronic strains. In conclusion, we show a high variation of HBsAg among acute and chronic hepatitis B virus-infected cases in The Netherlands, in particular among those infected with GtD, and compare, for the first time, variation in frequencies between acute and chronic cases. Additional studies on the impact of these variations on vaccination and test failure need to be conducted, as well as whether HBsAg false-negative variants have been missed. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Medical Virology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. A case report: a dog with acute onset of Hepatozoon canis infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakuma, Masato; Nakahara, Yoshitaka; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Uchimura, Masato; Sekiya, Zin; Setoguchi, Asuka; Endo, Yasuyuki

    2009-06-01

    We present a clinical overview of a dog with acute onset of Hepatozoon canis infection. A stray female beagle dog of unknown age was referred to Kagoshima University showing anemia. Blood tests revealed the presence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, hyperproteinemia, polyclonal gammopathy, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated creatine kinase and alkaline phosphatase activities. In addition, capsule-like organisms were detected in the cytoplasm of approximately 50% of neutrophils in blood smears. H. canis infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing analyses. Amplified DNA fragments revealed 100% identity to the 18S ribosomal RNA gene of H. canis. The clinical symptoms improved after the administration of antibiotics. Hepatozoonosis in dogs is rare, but veterinarians should be alert to its possible acute onset.

  7. The importance of integrons for development and propagation of resistance in Shigella: the case of Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrantes, Kenia; Achí, Rosario

    In Latin America, the disease burden of shigellosis is found to coexist with the rapid and rampant spread of resistance to commonly used antibiotics. The molecular basis of antibiotic resistance lies within genetic elements such as plasmids, transposons, integrons, genomic islands, etc., which are found in the bacterial genome. Integrons are known to acquire, exchange, and express genes within gene cassettes and it is hypothesized that they play a significant role in the transmission of multidrug resistance genes in several Gram-negative bacteria including Shigella. A few studies have described antibiotic resistance genes and integrons among multidrug resistant Shigella isolates found in Latin America. For example, in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, class 1 and class 2 integrons have been detected among multidrug resistant strains of Shigella; this phenomenon is more frequently observed in S. flexneri isolates that are resistant to trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline. The gene cassette sul2, which is frequently detected in Shigella strains resistant to the sulfonamides, suggests that the sulfonamide-resistant phenotype can be explained by the presence of the sul2 genes independent of the integron class detected. It is to be noted that sul3 was negative in all isolates analyzed in these studies. The high frequency of sulfonamide (as encoded by sul2) and trimethoprim resistance is likely to be a result of the recurrent use of trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole as a popular regimen for the treatment of shigellosis. The observed resistance profiles of Shigella strains confirm that ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are ineffective as therapeutic options. In-depth information regarding antibiotic resistance mechanism in this pathogen is needed in order to develop suitable intervention strategies. There is a pressing need for regional and local antimicrobial resistance profiling of Shigella to be

  8. Screening Yield of HIV Antigen/Antibody Combination and Pooled HIV RNA Testing for Acute HIV Infection in a High-Prevalence Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Philip J; Westheimer, Emily; Cohen, Stephanie; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Moss, Nicholas; Tsoi, Benjamin; Hall, Laura; Fann, Charles; Daskalakis, Demetre C; Beagle, Steve; Patel, Pragna; Radix, Asa; Foust, Evelyn; Kohn, Robert P; Marmorino, Jenni; Pandori, Mark; Fu, Jie; Samandari, Taraz; Gay, Cynthia L

    2016-02-16

    Although acute HIV infection contributes disproportionately to onward HIV transmission, HIV testing has not routinely included screening for acute HIV infection. To evaluate the performance of an HIV antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) combination assay to detect acute HIV infection compared with pooled HIV RNA testing. Multisite, prospective, within-individual comparison study conducted between September 2011 and October 2013 in 7 sexually transmitted infection clinics and 5 community-based programs in New York, California, and North Carolina. Participants were 12 years or older and seeking HIV testing, without known HIV infection. All participants with a negative rapid HIV test result were screened for acute HIV infection with an HIV Ag/Ab combination assay (index test) and pooled human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) RNA testing. HIV RNA testing was the reference standard, with positive reference standard result defined as detectable HIV-1 RNA on an individual RNA test. Number and proportion with acute HIV infections detected. Among 86,836 participants with complete test results (median age, 29 years; 75.0% men; 51.8% men who have sex with men), established HIV infection was diagnosed in 1158 participants (1.33%) and acute HIV infection was diagnosed in 168 participants (0.19%). Acute HIV infection was detected in 134 participants with HIV Ag/Ab combination testing (0.15% [95% CI, 0.13%-0.18%]; sensitivity, 79.8% [95% CI, 72.9%-85.6%]; specificity, 99.9% [95% CI, 99.9%-99.9%]; positive predictive value, 59.0% [95% CI, 52.3%-65.5%]) and in 164 participants with pooled HIV RNA testing (0.19% [95% CI, 0.16%-0.22%]; sensitivity, 97.6% [95% CI, 94.0%-99.4%]; specificity, 100% [95% CI, 100%-100%]; positive predictive value, 96.5% [95% CI, 92.5%-98.7%]; sensitivity comparison, P testing detected 82% of acute HIV infections detectable by pooled HIV RNA testing. Compared with rapid HIV testing alone, HIV Ag/Ab combination testing increased the relative HIV diagnostic yield (both

  9. Characterization of Shigella Strains by Plasmid Profile Analysis and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns in a Pediatric Hospital in Ahvaz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin Sakhaei

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: High incidences of dysentery and diarrhea were reported in a pediatric hospital in Ahvaz, Iran during March to April, 2013. Objectives: A cross-sectional study was therefore undertaken to identify the causative agents. Patients and Methods: A total of 230 diarrhea samples were collected from the patients and analyzed by routine bacteriological methods. Bacterial identification, serological assay, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs screening and plasmid profile analysis were performed according to the standard guidelines. Results: A total of 70 Shigella strains including %70 (n = 49 S. sonnei and 30% (n = 21 S. flexneri were isolated from diarrhea samples. Most of the Shigella isolates showed high degrees of resistance to ampicillin, ulafamethoxazole- trimethoprime and cefexim. Concurrent resistance to sulafametoxazole- trimethoprime and ampicillin was the most common resistance pattern. Overall, 11.4% of Shigella isolates showed the ESBL producer criteria. The plasmid profile patterns of all the strains were determined by a modified alkaline lysis method. By plasmid profile analysis 23 genotypes were identified among all the isolates, 14 and 9 genotypes among the S. sonnei and S. Flexneri respectively. S. sonnei and S. flexneri isolates demonstrated unique plasmid profiles. Conclusions: These data demonstrated that S. sonnei strains are the main cause of shigellosis as the prevalent Shigella serotype in Iran. We also found that the antibiotic resistance rates are increasing among Shigella strains. Plasmid profile analysis is more reliable than antibiotic susceptibility patterns in epidemiologic studies.

  10. Antigen-specific H1N1 influenza antibody responses in acute respiratory tract infections and their relation to influenza infection and disease course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haran, John Patrick; Hoaglin, David C; Chen, Huaiqing; Boyer, Edward W; Lu, Shan

    2014-08-01

    Early antibody responses to influenza infection are important in both clearance of virus and fighting the disease. Acute influenza antibody titers directed toward H1-antigens and their relation to infection type and patient outcomes have not been well investigated. Using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays, we aimed to characterize the H1-specific antibody titers in patients with influenza infection or another respiratory infection before and after the H1N1-pandemic influenza outbreak. Among patients with acute influenza infection we related duration of illness, severity of symptoms, and need for hospitalization to antibody titers. There were 134 adult patients (average age 34.7) who presented to an urban academic emergency department (ED) from October through March during the 2008-2011 influenza seasons with symptoms of fever and a cough. Nasal aspirates were tested by viral culture, and peripheral blood serum was run in seven H1-subtype HI assays. Acutely infected influenza patients had markedly lower antibody titers for six of the seven pseudotype viruses. For the average over the seven titers (log units, base 2) their mean was 7.24 (95% CI 6.88, 7.61) compared with 8.60 (95% CI 8.27, 8.92) among patients who had a non-influenza respiratory illness, pinfection, titers of some antibodies correlated with severity of symptoms and with total duration of illness (pacute respiratory infections, lower concentrations of H1-influenza-specific antibodies were associated with influenza infection. Among influenza-infected patients, higher antibody titers were present in patients with a longer duration of illness and with higher severity-of-symptom scores. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Decreasing Shigellosis-related Deaths without Shigella spp.–specific Interventions, Asia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardhan, Pradip; Faruque, A.S.G.; Naheed, Aliya

    2010-01-01

    In 1999, a review of the literature for 1966–1997 suggested that ≈1.1 million persons die annually of shigellosis, including ≈880,000 in Asia. Our recent review of the literature for 1990–2009 indicates that ≈125 million shigellosis cases occur annually in Asia, of which ≈14,000 are fatal. This estimate for illnesses is similar to the earlier estimate, but the number of deaths is 98% lower; that is, the lower estimate of deaths is associated with markedly reduced case-fatality rates rather than fewer cases. Shigella spp.–related deaths decreased substantially during a period without Shigella spp.–specific interventions. We speculate that nonspecific interventions, e.g., measles vaccination, vitamin A supplementation, and improved nutrition, may have led to the reduced number of shigellosis-related deaths. PMID:21029529

  12. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adiba Isa

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Human parvovirus B19 (B19 is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously.The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function and intact proliferative capacity. Individuals tested many years after infection exhibited lower frequencies of B19-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, typically 0.05%-0.5% of CD8+ T cells, which were perforin, CD38, and CCR7 low.This is the first example to our knowledge of an "acute" human viral infection inducing a persistent activated CD8+ T cell response. The likely explanation--analogous to that for cytomegalovirus infection--is that this persistent response is due to low-level antigen exposure. CD8+ T cells may contribute to the long-term control of this significant pathogen and should be considered during vaccine development.

  13. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (B19 is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function and intact proliferative capacity. Individuals tested many years after infection exhibited lower frequencies of B19-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, typically 0.05%-0.5% of CD8+ T cells, which were perforin, CD38, and CCR7 low. CONCLUSION: This is the first example to our knowledge of an "acute" human viral infection inducing a persistent activated CD8+ T cell response. The likely explanation--analogous to that for cytomegalovirus infection--is that this persistent response is due to low-level antigen exposure. CD8+ T cells may contribute to the long-term control of this significant pathogen and should be considered during vaccine development.

  14. Expansion of highly activated invariant natural killer T cells with altered phenotype in acute dengue infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamaladasa, A.; Wickramasinghe, N.; Adikari, T. N.; Gomes, L.; Shyamali, N. L. A.; Salio, M.; Cerundolo, V.; Ogg, G. S.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are capable of rapid activation and production of cytokines upon recognition of antigenic lipids presented by CD1d molecules. They have been shown to play a significant role in many viral infections and were observed to be highly activated in patients with acute dengue infection. In order to characterize further their role in dengue infection, we investigated the proportion of iNKT cells and their phenotype in adult patients with acute dengue infection. The functionality of iNKT cells in patients was investigated by both interferon (IFN)‐γ and interleukin (IL)−4 ex‐vivo enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays following stimulation with alpha‐galactosyl‐ceramide (αGalCer). We found that circulating iNKT cell proportions were significantly higher (P = 0·03) in patients with acute dengue when compared to healthy individuals and were predominantly of the CD4+ subset. iNKT cells of patients with acute dengue had reduced proportions expressing CD8α and CD161 when compared to healthy individuals. The iNKT cells of patients were highly activated and iNKT activation correlated significantly with dengue virus‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibody levels. iNKT cells expressing Bcl‐6 (P = 0·0003) and both Bcl‐6 and inducible T cell co‐stimulator (ICOS) (P = 0·006) were increased significantly in patients when compared to healthy individuals. Therefore, our data suggest that in acute dengue infection there is an expansion of highly activated CD4+ iNKT cells, with reduced expression of CD161 markers. PMID:26874822

  15. Anemia and mechanism of erythrocyte destruction in ducks with acute Leucocytozoon infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocan, R.M.

    1968-01-01

    In the anemia which accompanies infection by Leucocytozoon simondi in Pekin ducks there was a far greater loss of erythrocytes than could be accounted for as a result of direct physical rupture by the parasite. Erythrocyte loss began at the same time the 1st parasites appeared in the blood and was severest just prior to maximum parasitemia. Blood replacement and parasite loss occurred simultaneously. Examination of the spleen and bone marrow revealed that erythrophagocytosis was not the cause of anemia as reported for infections of Plasmodium, Babesia and Anaplasma. An anti-erythrocyte (A-E) factor was found in the serum of acutely infected ducks which agglutinated and hemolyzed normal untreated duck erythrocytes as well as infected cells. This A-E factor appeared when the 1st red cell loss was detected and reached its maximum titer just prior to the greatest red cell loss. Titers of the A-E factor were determined using normal uninfected erythrocytes at temperatures between 4 and 42 C. Cells agglutinated below 25 C and hemolyzed at 37 and 42 C. These results indicated that the A-E factor could be responsible for loss of cells other than those which were infected and could thus produce an excess loss of red cells. Attempts to implicate the A-E factor as an autoantibody were all negative. The A-E factor was present in the gamma fraction of acute serum but no anamnestic response could be detected when recovered ducks were reinfected. Anemia was never as severe in reinfections as in primary infections. The A-E factor also never reached as high a titer and was removed from the circulation very rapidly in reinfected ducks. It is concluded that red cell loss in ducks with acute Leucocytozoon disease results from intravascular hemolysis rather than erythrophagocytosis. The A-E factor responsible for hemolysis is more likely a parasite product rather than autoantibody.

  16. Slow clearance of human parvovirus B19 viremia following acute infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindblom, Anna; Isa, Adiba; Norbeck, Oscar

    2005-01-01

    Parvovirus B19 is a common, clinically significant pathogen. Reassessment of the viral kinetics after acute infection showed that the virus is not rapidly cleared from healthy hosts, despite early resolution of symptoms. These findings challenge our current conception of the virus' pathogenesis...

  17. The multifaceted activity of the VirF regulatory protein in the Shigella lifestyle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Letizia Di Martino

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Shigella is a highly adapted human pathogen, mainly found in the developing world and causing a severe enteric syndrome. The highly sophisticated infectious strategy of Shigella banks on the capacity to invade the intestinal epithelial barrier and cause its inflammatory destruction. The cellular pathogenesis and clinical presentation of shigellosis are the sum of the complex action of a large number of bacterial virulence factors mainly located on a large virulence plasmid (pINV. The expression of pINV genes is controlled by multiple environmental stimuli through a regulatory cascade involving proteins and sRNAs encoded by both the pINV and the chromosome. The primary regulator of the virulence phenotype is VirF, a DNA-binding protein belonging to the AraC family of transcriptional regulators. The virF gene, located on the pINV, is expressed only within the host, mainly in response to the temperature transition occurring when the bacterium transits from the outer environment to the intestinal milieu. VirF then acts as anti-H-NS protein and directly activates the icsA and virB genes, triggering the full expression of the invasion program of Shigella. In this review we will focus on the structure of VirF, on its sophisticated regulation, and on its role as major player in the path leading from the non invasive to the invasive phenotype of Shigella. We will address also the involvement of VirF in mechanisms aimed at withstanding adverse conditions inside the host, indicating that this protein is emerging as a global regulator whose action is not limited to virulence systems. Finally, we will discuss recent observations conferring VirF the potential of a novel antibacterial target for shigellosis.

  18. Saving the limb in diabetic patients with ischemic foot lesions complicated by acute infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clerici, Giacomo; Faglia, Ezio

    2014-12-01

    Ischemia and infection are the most important factors affecting the prognosis of foot ulcerations in diabetic patients. To improve the outcome of these patients, it is necessary to aggressively treat 2 important pathologies--namely, occlusive arterial disease affecting the tibial and femoral arteries and infection of the ischemic diabetic foot. Each of these 2 conditions may lead to major limb amputation, and the presence of both critical limb ischemia (CLI) and acute deep infection is a major risk factor for lower-extremity amputation. Thus, the management of diabetic foot ulcers requires specific therapeutic approaches that vary significantly depending on whether foot lesions are complicated by infection and/or ischemia. A multidisciplinary team approach is the key to successful treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer: ischemic diabetic foot ulcers complicated by acute deep infection pose serious treatment challenges because high levels of skill, organization, accuracy, and timing of intervention are required to maximize the chances of limb salvage: these complex issues are better managed by a multidisciplinary clinical group. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Hand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review.

    OpenAIRE

    Warren-Gash, C; Fragaszy, E; Hayward, AC

    2012-01-01

    : Please cite this paper as: Warren-Gash et al. (2012) Hand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12015. Hand hygiene may be associated with modest protection against some acute respiratory tract infections, but its specific role in influenza transmission in different settings is unclear. We aimed to review evidence that improving hand hygiene reduces primary an...

  20. Scrub typhus infection presenting as acute heart failure: A case report and systematic review of literature of cardiopulmonary involvement in scrub typhus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Animesh Ray

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We describe a middle aged previoulsy healthy female patient who presented with clinical features suggestive of acute heart failure. Investigations revealed very high NT pro-BNP, right heart enlargement, bilateral pulmonary alveolar edema and bilateral pleural effusion. In view of falling platelet counts and exudative pleural effusion inflammatory/infective causes were considered. Her Weil Felix test was strongly positive and IgM for scrub typhus also returned positive. She was started on doxycycline to which there was dramatic improvement. Thus in this case scrub typhus infection presented as acute right heart failure and the cause seemed elusive at the outset.We also systematically reviewed the existing literature on cardio-pulmonary manifestations of scrub typhus infection.

  1. [The influence of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection on acute coronary syndromes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajek, Jacek; Choroszy-Król, Irena; Zyśko, Dorota; Teryks-Wołyniec, Dorota; Halawa, Bogumił

    2003-07-01

    Chlamydia pneumoniae is one of the infectious factors the role of which is considered in the process of atherosclerosis and its complications. Of the study was to assess the incidence of Ch. pneumoniae infection in the patients with acute coronary events. The study was carried out in 36 patients, mean age 61.2 +/- 13.4 years, 27 men and 9 women hospitalised in our Department with the diagnosis of previous or recent acute myocardial infarction. The control group consisted of 19 subjects, aged 61.1 +/- 14.3 years, 10 men and 9 women hospitalised due to other reasons. In all studied patients during the first 24 hours venous blood was taken for the assessment of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and titres of IgA and IgG anti-Ch. pneumoniae antibodies, and pharyngeal swabs were done for Ch. pneumoniae assessment. Positive swab tests were found in 19% of the patients, positive IgG titres in 80% and IgA in 64% of the patients. In the control group the corresponding values were 11, 79, 42%, respectively. In the patients with positive IgG titres, negative IgA titre result was observed in 21% and in the control group in 53% (p < 0.05). The CRP level was significantly higher in the studied patients than in the control group (24.2 vs 4.2 mg/l; p < 0.05). 1. The high percentage of positive serologic tests and rare positive results of pharyngeal swabs indicate a frequent contact with Ch. pneumoniae in human population. 2. Ch. pneumoniae infection exerts no significant influence on the unspecific markers of inflammation. 3. The higher frequency of seroconversion-positive IgG and negative IgA titres--in the control group indicates the role of prolonged or acute Ch. pneumoniae infection in the development or progression of coronary atherosclerosis and its complications.

  2. Defective proviruses rapidly accumulate during acute HIV-1 infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruner, Katherine M.; Murray, Alexandra J.; Pollack, Ross A.; Soliman, Mary G.; Laskey, Sarah B.; Capoferri, Adam A.; Lai, Jun; Strain, Matthew C.; Lada, Steven M.; Hoh, Rebecca; Ho, Ya-Chi; Richman, Douglas D.; Deeks, Steven G.; Siliciano, Janet D.; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2016-01-01

    Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses viral replication to clinically undetectable levels, HIV-1 persists in CD4+ T cells in a latent form not targeted by the immune system or ART1–5. This latent reservoir is a major barrier to cure. Many individuals initiate ART during chronic infection, and in this setting, most proviruses are defective6. However, the dynamics of the accumulation and persistence of defective proviruses during acute HIV-1 infection are largely unknown. Here we show that defective proviruses accumulate rapidly within the first few weeks of infection to make up over 93% of all proviruses, regardless of how early ART is initiated. Using an unbiased method to amplify near full-length proviral genomes from HIV-1 infected adults treated at different stages of infection, we demonstrate that early ART initiation limits the size of the reservoir but does not profoundly impact the proviral landscape. This analysis allows us to revise our understanding of the composition of proviral populations and estimate the true reservoir size in individuals treated early vs. late in infection. Additionally, we demonstrate that common assays for measuring the reservoir do not correlate with reservoir size. These findings reveal hurdles that must be overcome to successfully analyze future HIV-1 cure strategies. PMID:27500724

  3. Tracking of peptide-specific CD4+ T-cell responses after an acute resolving viral infection: a study of parvovirus B19

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kasprowicz, Victoria; Isa, Adiba; Tolfvenstam, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    The evolution of peptide-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses to acute viral infections of humans is poorly understood. We analyzed the response to parvovirus B19 (B19), a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen with a compact and conserved genome. The magnitude and breadth of the CD4(+) T......-cell response to the two B19 capsid proteins were investigated using a set of overlapping peptides and gamma interferon-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assays of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a cohort of acutely infected individuals who presented with acute arthropathy. These were compared...... to those for a cohort of B19-specific immunoglobulin M-negative (IgM(-)), IgG(+) remotely infected individuals. Both cohorts of individuals were found to make broad CD4(+) responses. However, while the responses following acute infection were detectable ex vivo, responses in remotely infected individuals...

  4. Multicenter evaluation of molecular and culture-dependent diagnostics for Shigella species and Entero-invasive Escherichia coli in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Beld, Maaike J C; Friedrich, Alexander W; van Zanten, Evert; Reubsaet, Frans A G; Kooistra-Smid, Mirjam A M D; Rossen, John W A

    2016-12-01

    An inter-laboratory collaborative trial for the evaluation of diagnostics for detection and identification of Shigella species and Entero-invasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) was performed. Sixteen Medical Microbiological Laboratories (MMLs) participated. MMLs were interviewed about their diagnostic methods and a sample panel, consisting of DNA-extracts and spiked stool samples with different concentrations of Shigella flexneri, was provided to each MML. The results of the trial showed an enormous variety in culture-dependent and molecular diagnostic techniques currently used among MMLs. Despite the various molecular procedures, 15 out of 16 MMLs were able to detect Shigella species or EIEC in all the samples provided, showing that the diversity of methods has no effect on the qualitative detection of Shigella flexneri. In contrast to semi quantitative analysis, the minimum and maximum values per sample differed by approximately five threshold cycles (Ct-value) between the MMLs included in the study. This indicates that defining a uniform Ct-value cut-off for notification to health authorities is not advisable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. FENSPIRID FOR CURING ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION OF INFANTS

    OpenAIRE

    G.A. Samsygina

    2007-01-01

    The article is about fenspirid (Erespal) medication to combat acute respiratory infections (ARI) of infants. 94 children aged 1–3 suffering from ARI were observed: of them 64 took fenspirid, 30 children didn't take it (the control group). The research has revealed that fenspirid reduces ARI manifestation even if ARI proceeds along with ordinary or obstructive bronchitis — accordingly, fenspirid can be recommended for a wider usage to cure ARI of infants up to 3 years of age.Key words: fenspir...

  6. Routes of infection of acute suppurative thyroiditis diagnosed by barium examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueda, J.; Kobayashi, Y.; Hara, K.; Kishino, B.; Fushimi, H.; Sawada, S.; Sumitomo Hospital, Osaka; Osaka National Hospital; Kansai Medical Univ.

    1986-01-01

    A fistula between the left pyriform sinus and the left thyroid gland region has been reported to be the route of infection in several cases of acute suppurative thyroiditis. Another four patients with acute suppurative thyroiditis have been encountered in whom a fistula from the hypopharynx was demonstrated radiographically. In three patients the fistulous tract was situated on the right side, and in one of these cases the fistula originated from the epiglottic vallecula rather than the pyriform sinus. These locations have not been reported earlier. Endoscopic examination was valuable for confirming the diagnosis. (orig.)

  7. Immune profile and Epstein-Barr virus infection in acute interstitial nephritis: an immunohistochemical study in 78 patients.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Mansur, Abdurrezagh

    2011-01-01

    Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is a common cause of acute kidney injury and is characterised by a dense interstitial cellular infiltrate, which has not been well defined. Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and AIN. The purpose of our study was to define the nature of the interstitial immune infiltrate and to investigate the possibility of renal infection with EBV.

  8. Influenza hospitalization epidemiology from a severe acute respiratory infection surveillance system in Jordan, January 2008?February 2014

    OpenAIRE

    Al?Abdallat, Mohammad; Dawson, Patrick; Haddadin, Aktham Jeries; El?Shoubary, Waleed; Dueger, Erica; Al?Sanouri, Tarek; Said, Mayar M.; Talaat, Maha

    2016-01-01

    Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Influenza typically contributes substantially to the burden of ARI, but only limited data are available on influenza activity and seasonality in Jordan. Methods Syndromic case definitions were used to identify individuals with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) admitted to four sentinel hospitals in Jordan. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngea...

  9. Hypercytotoxicity and rapid loss of NKp44+ innate lymphoid cells during acute SIV infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiying Li

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available HIV/SIV infections break down the integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosa and lead to chronic immune activation and associated disease progression. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs, distinguishable by high expression of NKp44 and RORγt, play key roles in mucosal defense and homeostasis, but are depleted from gastrointestinal (GI tract large bowel during chronic SIV infection. However, less is known about the kinetics of ILC loss, or if it occurs systemically. In acute SIV infection, we found a massive, up to 8-fold, loss of NKp44+ILCs in all mucosae as early as day 6 post-infection, which was sustained through chronic disease. Interestingly, no loss of ILCs was observed in mucosa-draining lymph nodes. In contrast, classical NK cells were not depleted either from gut or draining lymph nodes. Both ILCs and NK cells exhibited significantly increased levels of apoptosis as measured by increased Annexin-V expression, but while classical NK cells also showed increased proliferation, ILCs did not. Interestingly, ILCs, which are normally noncytolytic, dramatically upregulated cytotoxic functions in acute and chronic infection and acquired a polyfunctional phenotype secreting IFN-γ, MIP1-β, and TNF-α, but decreased production of the prototypical cytokine, IL-17. Classical NK cells had less dramatic functional change, but upregulated perforin expression and increased cytotoxic potential. Finally, we show that numerical and functional loss of ILCs was due to increased apoptosis and ROR γt suppression induced by inflammatory cytokines in the gut milieu. Herein we demonstrate the first evidence for acute, systemic, and permanent loss of mucosal ILCs during SIV infection associated with reduction of IL-17. The massive reduction of ILCs involves apoptosis without compensatory de novo development/proliferation, but the full mechanism of depletion and the impact of functional change so early in infection remain unclear.

  10. Acute Glomerulonephritis in a Child with Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanna Vitaliti

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Infectious diseases seem to be an important and independent risk factor for renal failure, but the underlying mechanism of renal involvement during some kinds of infectious diseases is still unclear, even if the literature data report immunomediated and/or autoimmune mechanisms to explain the pathogenic relationship between the two diseases. In paediatric patients, Chlamydia pneumoniae is a rare cause of renal complications and it may manifest in several ways, mainly involving the respiratory system, even if also renal and glomerulalr complications, have been described. Case Diagnosis/Treatment. Herein we report a case of a 3-year-old child who developed an acute glomerulonephritis that was chronologically, clinically, and biologically related to a previous Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. On our knowledge, in the literature it is the youngest patient with renal involvement during course of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection ever reported. Conclusions. The present case supports the hypothesis of a rather close causal relationship between this infective agent and renal and glomerular symptoms occurred in this child, during an acute episode of respiratory disease.

  11. The development and validation of a multidimensional sum-scaling questionnaire to measure patient-reported outcomes in acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: the Acute Respiratory Tract Infection Questionnaire: ARTIQ

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aabenhus, R.; Thorsen, H.; Siersma, V.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Patient-reported outcomes are seldom validated measures in clinical trials of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in primary care. We developed and validated a patient-reported outcome sum-scaling measure to assess the severity and functional impacts of ARTIs. METHODS: Qualitative...... interviews and field testing among adults with an ARTI were conducted to ascertain a high degree of face and content validity of the questionnaire. Subsequently, a draft version of the Acute Respiratory Tract Infection Questionnaire (ARTIQ) was statistically validated by using the partial credit Rasch model......, sum-scaling questionnaire with high face and content validity and adequate psychometric properties for assessing severity and functional impacts from ARTIs in adults is available to clinical trials and audits in primary care....

  12. Molecular characterization of the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Shigella spp. in Shanghai.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, J; Li, B; Ni, Y; Sun, J

    2015-03-01

    Shigellosis is a public health concern in China. We tested 216 Shigella isolates collected in Shanghai in 2007 for the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). ESBL-producing isolates were characterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping, conjugation, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and DNA sequence analysis of regions adjacent to bla genes. Plasmids containing genes encoding ESBLs were analyzed using plasmid replicon typing. ESBLs were produced by 18.1 % (39/216) of Shigella isolates, and all 39 ESBL-producing strains harbored bla CTX-M genes. CTX-M-14 was the most frequent variant (69.2 %, 27/39), followed by CTX-M-15 (15.4 %, 6/39). All bla CTX-M genes were transferable by conjugation, and the insertion sequence ISEcp1 was detected upstream of all bla CTX-M genes. The CTX-M-producing Shigella isolates showed high clonal diversity. IncI1, IncFII, IncN, and IncB/O replicons were respectively detected in 23 (58.9 %), 9 (23.1 %), 1 (2.6 %), and 1 (2.6 %) of the 39 transconjugants carrying bla CTX-M. The bla CTX-M-14 genes were most frequently carried by IncI1 (n = 13, 48.1 %) or IncFII (n = 9, 33.3 %) plasmids, and the bla CTX-M-15 genes were closely associated with IncI1 (n = 5, 83.3 %). Our findings demonstrate the high prevalence of ESBL-producing Shigella in Shanghai, the importance of plasmids and ISEcp1 as carriers of bla CTX-M genes, and the close association between certain bla CTX-M genes with a specific plasmid.

  13. Acute hepatitis A virus infection is associated with a limited type I interferon response and persistence of intrahepatic viral RNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanford, Robert E; Feng, Zongdi; Chavez, Deborah; Guerra, Bernadette; Brasky, Kathleen M; Zhou, Yan; Yamane, Daisuke; Perelson, Alan S; Walker, Christopher M; Lemon, Stanley M

    2011-07-05

    Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is an hepatotropic human picornavirus that is associated only with acute infection. Its pathogenesis is not well understood because there are few studies in animal models using modern methodologies. We characterized HAV infections in three chimpanzees, quantifying viral RNA by quantitative RT-PCR and examining critical aspects of the innate immune response including intrahepatic IFN-stimulated gene expression. We compared these infection profiles with similar studies of chimpanzees infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), an hepatotropic flavivirus that frequently causes persistent infection. Surprisingly, HAV-infected animals exhibited very limited induction of type I IFN-stimulated genes in the liver compared with chimpanzees with acute resolving HCV infection, despite similar levels of viremia and 100-fold greater quantities of viral RNA in the liver. Minimal IFN-stimulated gene 15 and IFIT1 responses peaked 1-2 wk after HAV challenge and then subsided despite continuing high hepatic viral RNA. An acute inflammatory response at 3-4 wk correlated with the appearance of virus-specific antibodies and apoptosis and proliferation of hepatocytes. Despite this, HAV RNA persisted in the liver for months, remaining present long after clearance from serum and feces and revealing dramatic differences in the kinetics of clearance in the three compartments. Viral RNA was detected in the liver for significantly longer (35 to >48 wk) than HCV RNA in animals with acute resolving HCV infection (10-20 wk). Collectively, these findings indicate that HAV is far stealthier than HCV early in the course of acute resolving infection. HAV infections represent a distinctly different paradigm in virus-host interactions within the liver.

  14. Air pollution and hospital visits for acute upper and lower respiratory infections among children in Ningbo, China: A time-series analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Pei-Wen; Wang, Jian-Bing; Zhang, Zhen-Yu; Shen, Peng; Chai, Peng-Fei; Li, Die; Jin, Ming-Juan; Tang, Meng-Ling; Lu, Huai-Chu; Lin, Hong-Bo; Chen, Kun

    2017-08-01

    Acute upper and lower respiratory infections are main causes of mortality and morbidity in children. Air pollution has been recognized as an important contributor to development and exacerbation of respiratory infections. However, few studies are available in China. In this study, we investigated the short-term effect of air pollution on hospital visits for acute upper and lower respiratory infections among children under 15 years in Ningbo, China. Poisson generalized models were used to estimate the associations between air pollution and hospital visits for acute upper and lower respiratory infections adjusted for temporal, seasonal, and meteorological effects. We found that four pollutants (PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and SO 2 ) were significantly associated with hospital visits for acute upper and lower respiratory infections. The effect estimates for acute upper respiratory infections tended to be higher (PM 2.5 ER = 3.46, 95% CI 2.18, 4.76; PM 10 ER = 2.81, 95% CI 1.93, 3.69; NO 2 ER = 11.27, 95% CI 8.70, 13.89; SO 2 ER = 15.17, 95% CI 11.29, 19.19). Significant associations for gaseous pollutants (NO 2 and SO 2 ) were observed after adjustment for particular matter. Stronger associations were observed among older children and in the cold period. Our study suggested that short-term exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with hospital visits for acute upper and lower respiratory infections in Ningbo.

  15. Mycoplasma pneumonia-associated Acute Hepatitis in an Adult Patient without Lung Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shou-Wu Lee

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Mycoplasma pneumonia is a major cause of respiratory infections in school-aged children. Most M. pneumonia infections in adults involve the respiratory tract. Extrapulmonary manifestations of M. pneumonia infection may be found in the skin, cardiovascular, neurologic and hematologic systems. Concomitant liver disease is rare in adults. Here, we report an unusual case of a patient who presented with fever and abdominal pain, but without pulmonary manifestations. The laboratory work-up demonstrated a hepatocellular pattern of acute hepatitis caused by M. pneumonia infection. Symptoms subsided and laboratory parameters improved with antibiotics treatment. Thus, this case can help raise clinicians' awareness of the possibility of M. pneumonia infection, with or without lung involvement, as a part of the evaluation of undetermined hepatitis.

  16. Post-infective transverse myelitis following Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis with radiological features of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Williams Thomas

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Post-infectious autoimmune demyelination of the central nervous system is a rare neurological disorder typically associated with exanthematous viral infections. We report an unusual presentation of the condition and a previously undocumented association with Streptococcus pneumonia meningitis. Case presentation A 50-year-old Caucasian woman presented to our facility with an acute myelopathy three days after discharge following acute Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. Imaging studies of the spine ruled out an infective focus and no other lesions were seen within the cord. Diffuse, bilateral white matter lesions were seen within the cerebral hemispheres, and our patient was diagnosed as having a post-infective demyelination syndrome that met the diagnostic criteria for an acute transverse myelitis. Our patient clinically and radiologically improved following treatment with steroids. Conclusions The novel association of a Streptococcus pneumoniae infection with post-infectious autoimmune central nervous system demyelination should alert the reader to the potentially causative role of this common organism, and gives insights into the pathogenesis. The unusual dissociation between the clinical presentation and the location of the radiological lesions should also highlight the potential for the condition to mimic the presentation of others, and stimulates debate on the definitions of acute transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and their potential overlap.

  17. Persistent spiking fever in a child with acute myeloid leukemia and disseminated infection with enterovirus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Murk, J. L.; de Vries, A. C.; GeurtsvanKessel, C. H.; Aron, G.; Osterhaus, A. D.; Wolthers, K. C.; Fraaij, P. L.

    2014-01-01

    We here report a 7 year old acute myeloid leukemia patient with persistent spiking fever likely caused by chronic echovirus 20 infection. After immunoglobulin substitution fevers subsided and the virus was cleared. Enterovirus infection should be considered in immunocompromised patients with

  18. Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Spa47 Provides Mechanistic Insight into Type III Secretion System ATPase Activation and Shigella Virulence Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, Jamie L; Burgess, R Alan; Morales, Yalemi; Bouvang, Jenna M; Johnson, Sean J; Dickenson, Nicholas E

    2016-12-09

    Like many Gram-negative pathogens, Shigella rely on a complex type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into host cells, take over host functions, and ultimately establish infection. Despite these critical roles, the energetics and regulatory mechanisms controlling the T3SS and pathogen virulence remain largely unclear. In this study, we present a series of high resolution crystal structures of Spa47 and use the structures to model an activated Spa47 oligomer, finding that ATP hydrolysis may be supported by specific side chain contributions from adjacent protomers within the complex. Follow-up mutagenesis experiments targeting the predicted active site residues validate the oligomeric model and determined that each of the tested residues are essential for Spa47 ATPase activity, although they are not directly responsible for stable oligomer formation. Although N-terminal domain truncation was necessary for crystal formation, it resulted in strictly monomeric Spa47 that is unable to hydrolyze ATP, despite maintaining the canonical ATPase core structure and active site residues. Coupled with studies of ATPase inactive full-length Spa47 point mutants, we find that Spa47 oligomerization and ATP hydrolysis are needed for complete T3SS apparatus formation, a proper translocator secretion profile, and Shigella virulence. This work represents the first structure-function characterization of Spa47, uniquely complementing the multitude of included Shigella T3SS phenotype assays and providing a more complete understanding of T3SS ATPase-mediated pathogen virulence. Additionally, these findings provide a strong platform for follow-up studies evaluating regulation of Spa47 oligomerization in vivo as a much needed means of treating and perhaps preventing shigellosis. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  19. [Efficacy and tolerance of fenspiride in adult patients with acute respiratory tract infections].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Płusa, T; Nawacka, D

    1998-12-01

    Fenspiride is an antiinflammatory drug targeted for the respiratory tract. In our study clinical efficacy and tolerance of drug were evaluated in 392 adult patients with acute respiratory tract infections. According to clinical criteria all observed symptoms were classified as mild, moderate and severe. The most of observed patients were included into moderate symptom score. Cough and nose obturation were dominant symptoms. All noticed changes in the upper respiratory tract were decreased after fenspiride therapy in 7 days trial. In 168 observed patients systemic and in 60 local acting antibiotics were successfully applied. Excellent tolerance of fenspiride was documented in 59% and good tolerance --in 34% of patients. Observed adverse reactions were classified as mild and in 20 patients fenspiride was rejected. Authors suggest that fenspiride therapy is save and successful in patient with acute respiratory tract infection. Good results in patients with bronchitis in decreasing of bronchospasm indicate fenspiride as a good tool in bronchial infection.

  20. PIDOTIMOD IN TREATMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION IN FREQUENTLY AILING CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.S. Kharlamova

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available This trial studied effectiveness and safety of pidotimoid (Imunorix in complex treatment of children with acute respiratory infection (ARI. Treatment with pidotimoid during 2 weeks (n = 30 resulted in lesser duration of fever and intoxication symptoms, and symptoms of laryngo-tracheitis, compared to control group (n = 30. Besides, children from pidotimoid group showed more rapid transformation of dry cough to hydrated cough, and decrease of its intensity. This beneficial change was accompanied by improvement of microbiocenosis. Effectiveness of pidotimoid was estimated by 73% of doctors as «good» (67% in control group. There was no any complication, related to treatment with this medication. The rate of repeated cases of ARI was three times lower then in control group in 6 months. All patients with ARI had no recurrent laryngeal stenosis.Key words: frequently ailing children, acute respiratory infection, treatment, prophylaxis, pidotimoid.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2009;8(2:27-33

  1. Genetic diversity of human metapneumovirus in hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections in Croatia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagušić, Maja; Slović, Anamarija; Ljubin-Sternak, Sunčanica; Mlinarić-Galinović, Gordana; Forčić, Dubravko

    2017-11-01

    Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is recognized as a global and frequent cause of acute respiratory tract infections among people of all ages. The objectives of this study were molecular epidemiology and evolutionary analysis of HMPV strains which produced moderate and severe acute respiratory tract infections in children in Croatia during four consecutive seasons (2011-2014). A total of 117 HMPV-positive samples collected from hospitalized pediatric patients presenting with acute respiratory tract infections and tested by direct immunofluorescence assay were first analyzed by amplifying a part of the F gene. Sixteen samples were further analyzed based on complete F, G, and SH gene sequences. HMPV genome was identified in 92 of 117 samples (78%) and the circulation of multiple lineages of HMPV was confirmed. In 2011, 2012, and 2014, subgroups A2 and B2 co-circulated, while B1 gained prevalence in 2013 and 2014. The study established the presence of a novel subcluster A2c in Croatia. This subcluster has only recently been detected in East and Southeast Asia. This study provides new insights into epidemiology and genetic diversity of HMPV in this part of Europe. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug without Antibiotics for Acute Viral Infection Increases the Empyema Risk in Children: A Matched Case-Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Bourgeois, Muriel; Ferroni, Agnès; Leruez-Ville, Marianne; Varon, Emmanuelle; Thumerelle, Caroline; Brémont, François; Fayon, Michael J; Delacourt, Christophe; Ligier, Caroline; Watier, Laurence; Guillemot, Didier

    2016-08-01

    To investigate the risk factors of empyema after acute viral infection and to clarify the hypothesized association(s) between empyema and some viruses and/or the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). A case-control study was conducted in 15 centers. Cases and controls were enrolled for a source population of children 3-15 years of age with acute viral infections between 2006 and 2009. Among 215 empyemas, 83 cases (children with empyema and acute viral infection within the 15 preceding days) were included, and 83 controls (children with acute viral infection) were matched to cases. Considering the intake of any drug within 72 hours after acute viral infection onset and at least 6 consecutive days of antibiotic use and at least 1 day of NSAIDs exposure, the multivariable analysis retained an increased risk of empyema associated with NSAIDs exposure (aOR 2.79, 95% CI 1.4-5.58, P = .004), and a decreased risk associated with antibiotic use (aOR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11-0.97, P = .04). The risk of empyema associated with NSAIDs exposure was greater for children not prescribed an antibiotic and antibiotic intake diminished that risk for children given NSAIDs. NSAIDs use during acute viral infection is associated with an increased risk of empyema in children, and antibiotics are associated with a decreased risk. The presence of antibiotic-NSAIDs interaction with this risk is suggested. These findings suggest that NSAIDs should not be recommended as a first-line antipyretic treatment during acute viral infections in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Changes of Treg and Th17 cells balance in the development of acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-Song Liang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many studies suggest that in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV infection regulate T (Treg cells and interlukin-17-producing T help cells (Th17 are mutually antagonistic in the immune response. This study is aimed to reveal the cell differentiation environment and the significance of Treg and Th17 balance in the development of acute and chronic HBV infection. Methods Ten patients with acute HBV infection (AHB and forty-eight patients with chronic HBV infection, including 12 asymptomatic HBV carriers (HBV carriers, 18 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB and 18 acute-on-chronic HBV-related liver failure (ACHBLF were enrolled. Treg and Th17 cells differentiation related cytokine levels were detected by using ELISA. Flow cytometry was employed to count the Treg and Th17 frequency in peripheral blood. Results Compared to health controls both AHB and ACHBLF patients favoured Th17 cell differentiation, accompanied by a higher proportion of peripheral Th17 cells (P  Conclusions Th17 cells are involved in acute and chronic HBV infection, especially in AHB and ACHBLF. CHB and ACHBLF patients manifested obvious Treg/Th17 ratio imbalance, which might be linked to disease progression and the continuous HBV infection.

  4. Development of Chronic and Acute Golden Syrian Hamster Infection Models with Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo

    Science.gov (United States)

    The golden Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is frequently used as a model to study virulence for several species of Leptospira. Onset of an acute, lethal infection following infection with several pathogenic Leptospira species has been widely adopted for vaccine testing. An important exceptio...

  5. Mouse model for acute Epstein-Barr virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wirtz, Tristan; Weber, Timm; Kracker, Sven; Sommermann, Thomas; Rajewsky, Klaus; Yasuda, Tomoharu

    2016-11-29

    Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infects human B cells and drives them into continuous proliferation. Two key viral factors in this process are the latent membrane proteins LMP1 and LMP2A, which mimic constitutively activated CD40 receptor and B-cell receptor signaling, respectively. EBV-infected B cells elicit a powerful T-cell response that clears the infected B cells and leads to life-long immunity. Insufficient immune surveillance of EBV-infected B cells causes life-threatening lymphoproliferative disorders, including mostly germinal center (GC)-derived B-cell lymphomas. We have modeled acute EBV infection of naive and GC B cells in mice through timed expression of LMP1 and LMP2A. Although lethal when induced in all B cells, induction of LMP1 and LMP2A in just a small fraction of naive B cells initiated a phase of rapid B-cell expansion followed by a proliferative T-cell response, clearing the LMP-expressing B cells. Interfering with T-cell activity prevented clearance of LMP-expressing B cells. This was also true for perforin deficiency, which in the human causes a life-threatening EBV-related immunoproliferative syndrome. LMP expression in GC B cells impeded the GC reaction but, upon loss of T-cell surveillance, led to fatal B-cell expansion. Thus, timed expression of LMP1 together with LMP2A in subsets of mouse B cells allows one to study major clinically relevant features of human EBV infection in vivo, opening the way to new therapeutic approaches.

  6. Atypical forms of acute Epstein-Barr virus infection in children

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    T.V. Sorokman

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background. Today, there is a tendency to increase in Epstein-Barr virus infection (EBVI morbidity. The purpose of the study was to identify the incidence and features of atypical forms of acute EBVI in children. Material and methods. We have examined 28 children aged 6 months to 18 years with EBVI who were monitored in pediatric polyclinic. The activity of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, markers of viral hepatitis were evaluated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed with determination of blood markers of EBV (immunoglobulin (Ig M viral capsid antigen (VCA, IgG early antigen, IgG VCA, avidity and cytomegalovirus (CMV (IgM, IgG, avidity, EBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA, CMV DNA; polymerase chain reaction was used for serological diagnosis. The data were processed by statistical analysis using Statistica 6 program. Results. In 71.4 % of cases, EBVI had usual course and moderate severity. The atypical forms of acute EBVI were observed in 28.5 % of cases. Clinically atypical forms began mainly from signs of acute respiratory infections followed by lesions of the internal organs (liver and heart, in particular, in children under 1 year of age, and changes in liver functional tests. Conclusions. The incidence of atypical forms of EBVI is 28.5 %. Atypical forms of EBVI are more common in infants and adolescents and associated with the damage to the internal organs (liver and heart.

  7. Gene expression patterns in blood leukocytes discriminate patients with acute infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allman, Windy; Chung, Wendy; Mejias, Asuncion; Ardura, Monica; Glaser, Casey; Wittkowski, Knut M.; Piqueras, Bernard; Banchereau, Jacques; Palucka, A. Karolina; Chaussabel, Damien

    2007-01-01

    Each infectious agent represents a unique combination of pathogen-associated molecular patterns that interact with specific pattern-recognition receptors expressed on immune cells. Therefore, we surmised that the blood immune cells of individuals with different infections might bear discriminative transcriptional signatures. Gene expression profiles were obtained for 131 peripheral blood samples from pediatric patients with acute infections caused by influenza A virus, Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) or Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae) bacteria. Thirty-five genes were identified that best discriminate patients with influenza A virus infection from patients with either E coli or S pneumoniae infection. These genes classified with 95% accuracy (35 of 37 samples) an independent set of patients with either influenza A, E coli, or S pneumoniae infection. A different signature discriminated patients with E coli versus S aureus infections with 85% accuracy (34 of 40). Furthermore, distinctive gene expression patterns were observed in patients presenting with respiratory infections of different etiologies. Thus, microarray analyses of patient peripheral blood leukocytes might assist in the differential diagnosis of infectious diseases. PMID:17105821

  8. Viruses as Sole Causative Agents of Severe Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moesker, Fleur M; van Kampen, Jeroen J A; van Rossum, Annemarie M C; de Hoog, Matthijs; Koopmans, Marion P G; Osterhaus, Albert D M E; Fraaij, Pieter L A

    2016-01-01

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A viruses are known to cause severe acute respiratory tract infections (SARIs) in children. For other viruses like human rhinoviruses (HRVs) this is less well established. Viral or bacterial co-infections are often considered essential for severe manifestations of these virus infections. The study aims at identifying viruses that may cause SARI in children in the absence of viral and bacterial co-infections, at identifying disease characteristics associated with these single virus infections, and at identifying a possible correlation between viral loads and disease severities. Between April 2007 and March 2012, we identified children (acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) (controls). Data were extracted from the clinical and laboratory databases of our tertiary care paediatric hospital. Patient specimens were tested for fifteen respiratory viruses with real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays and we selected patients with a single virus infection only. Typical bacterial co-infections were considered unlikely to have contributed to the PICU or MC admission based on C-reactive protein-levels or bacteriological test results if performed. We identified 44 patients admitted to PICU with SARI and 40 patients admitted to MC with ARTI. Twelve viruses were associated with SARI, ten of which were also associated with ARTI in the absence of typical bacterial and viral co-infections, with RSV and HRV being the most frequent causes. Viral loads were not different between PICU-SARI patients and MC-ARTI patients. Both SARI and ARTI may be caused by single viral pathogens in previously healthy children as well as in children with a medical history. No relationship between viral load and disease severity was identified.

  9. An Epstein-Barr virus encoded inhibitor of Colony Stimulating Factor-1 signaling is an important determinant for acute and persistent EBV infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makoto Ohashi

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV infection is the most common cause of Infectious Mononucleosis. Nearly all adult humans harbor life-long, persistent EBV infection which can lead to development of cancers including Hodgkin Lymphoma, Burkitt Lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, and lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients. BARF1 is an EBV replication-associated, secreted protein that blocks Colony Stimulating Factor 1 (CSF-1 signaling, an innate immunity pathway not targeted by any other virus species. To evaluate effects of BARF1 in acute and persistent infection, we mutated the BARF1 homologue in the EBV-related herpesvirus, or lymphocryptovirus (LCV, naturally infecting rhesus macaques to create a recombinant rhLCV incapable of blocking CSF-1 (ΔrhBARF1. Rhesus macaques orally challenged with ΔrhBARF1 had decreased viral load indicating that CSF-1 is important for acute virus infection. Surprisingly, ΔrhBARF1 was also associated with dramatically lower virus setpoints during persistent infection. Normal acute viral load and normal viral setpoints during persistent rhLCV infection could be restored by Simian/Human Immunodeficiency Virus-induced immunosuppression prior to oral inoculation with ΔrhBARF1 or infection of immunocompetent animals with a recombinant rhLCV where the rhBARF1 was repaired. These results indicate that BARF1 blockade of CSF-1 signaling is an important immune evasion strategy for efficient acute EBV infection and a significant determinant for virus setpoint during persistent EBV infection.

  10. RESULTS OF MULTICENTER STUDY OF PIDOTIMOD FOR THE PROPHYLAXIS OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN FREQUENTLY AILING CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.S. Namazova-Baranova

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The article describes actual pediatric problem — frequent development of respiratory infections in children. Authors present the results of Russian multicenter study of effectiveness and safety of pidotimod (Imunorix in frequently ailing children. It was shown that treatment with pidotimod during 30 days resulted in decreased rate of acute respiratory infections and their complications including ones with necessity of antibacterial therapy compared to children from control group. The dynamics of immunological rates in blood serum was studied.Key words: frequently ailing children, acute respiratory infections, prophylaxis, pidotimod.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2010;9(2:40-44

  11. The role of genital chlamydial infection in acute pelvic inflammatory ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The result showed that 11.1 per cent of women with acute PID were infected with Chlamydia trachomatis as compared to 4.3 per cent in the control group (odds ratio 2.75: 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-11.7). Neiserria gonorrhoeae was not detected in either of the two groups. Trichomoniasis (10% in PID cases and no ...

  12. Plasma carotenoid concentrations in relation to acute respiratory infections in elderly people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graat, J.M.; Kok, F.J.; Schouten, E.G.

    2004-01-01

    A high plasma carotenoid concentration could improve the immune response and result in decreased risk of infectious diseases. However, data on the relationship of plasma carotenoid concentration with acute respiratory infections, which occur frequently in elderly people, are scarce. We investigated,

  13. Cochrane Commentary: Probiotics For Prevention of Acute Upper Respiratory Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quick, Melissa

    2015-01-01

    Probiotics may improve a person's health by regulating their immune function. Some trials have shown that probiotic strains can prevent respiratory infections. Even though the previous version of our review showed benefits of probiotics for acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), several new studies have been published. To assess the effectiveness and safety of probiotics (any specified strain or dose), compared with placebo, in the prevention of acute URTIs in people of all ages, who are at risk of acute URTIs. We searched CENTRAL (2014, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1950 to July week 3, 2014), EMBASE (1974 to July 2014), Web of Science (1900 to July 2014), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, which includes the China Biological Medicine Database (from 1978 to July 2014), the Chinese Medicine Popular Science Literature Database (from 2000 to July 2014) and the Masters Degree Dissertation of Beijing Union Medical College Database (from 1981 to July 2014). We also searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for completed and ongoing trials on 31 July 2014. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo to prevent acute URTIs. Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility and quality of trials, and extracted data using the standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. We included 13 RCTs, although we could only extract data to meta-analyze 12 trials, which involved 3720 participants including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people. We found that probiotics were better than placebo when measuring the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI [at least one episode: odds ratio (OR): 0.53; 95% CI = 0.37-0.76, P school absence (OR: 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02-0.47, very low quality evidence). Probiotics and placebo were similar when measuring the rate ratio of episodes of acute URTI (rate ratio: 0

  14. Wound infection prophylaxis in pediatric acute appendicitis: a 26-year prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ein, Sigmund H; Sandler, Anthony

    2006-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the best wound infection prophylaxis in pediatric acute appendicitis. From 1969 to 1995 inclusive, 453 consecutive pediatric patients at the same children's hospital had an appendix with acute inflammation (acute appendicitis) removed by the same staff surgeon and his resident. The stump was not inverted, and chromic catgut was used throughout. No intraperitoneal antibiotics, irrigation, or drains were used, and the skin closure was with silk sutures initially and then with staples since 1986. The infants and children were divided into 6 consecutive groups of 52 to 96 patients, with each group lasting 2 to 5 years. The wound treatment groups were as follows: no treatment, drain or pack, drain or pack plus antibiotic powder, antibiotic powder, preoperative intravenous antibiotic plus antibiotic powder, and preoperative intravenous antibiotic. The wound Penrose drain, one half-inch gauze pack, and/or antibiotic powder (ampicillin, 1977-1981; cefoxitin, 1982-1995) were all placed in the subcutaneous space. There were a total of 50 (11%) wound infections (pus) that occurred between 4 and 40 days when no antibiotic powder was used and 2 to 14 days with antibiotic powder. In all 6 groups of patients, no organism was grown in most (80%) infections and Escherichia coli was the second commonest (12%). The serous ooze, which occurred only with the use of antibiotic powder (8%), was seen between 6 and 18 days, and no organism was ever cultured. The patients with preoperative (or intraoperative) intravenous antibiotics (cefoxitin) plus wound antibiotic powder (cefoxitin) had the lowest infection rate (2.5%). When this group was compared with the baseline group 1 (no treatment), it was the only group in which wound treatment made a significant difference (P = .003).

  15. Help-Seeking Behavior for Children with Acute Respiratory Infection in Ethiopia: Results from 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astale, Tigist; Chenault, Michelene

    2015-01-01

    Acute respiratory infection is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among children under five years of age in Ethiopia. While facilities have been implemented to address this problem they are underused due to a lack in help-seeking behavior. This study investigates factors related to the help-seeking behavior of mothers for children with acute respiratory infection using data from the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. Data on 11,030 children aged 0-59 months obtained through interviewing women aged 15-49 years throughout Ethiopia was available. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine which factors are related to help-seeking behavior for acute respiratory infection. In the two weeks prior to the survey, 773(7%) of the children were reported to have symptoms of acute respiratory infection while treatment was sought for only 209 (27.2%). The odds ratio for acute respiratory infection was 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2-2.0) for rural residence with only 25.2% of these mothers seeking help compared to 46.4% for mothers with an urban residence. Smaller family size, younger mothers' age and having had prenatal care had a statistically significant odds ratio greater than 1 for both urban and rural residences. Highest wealth index had a statistically significant odds ratio greater than 1 for rural residence only, whereas primary education or higher had a statistically significant odds ratio greater than 1 for urban residence. Children from rural areas are more at risk for acute respiratory infection while their mothers are less likely to seek help. Nevertheless, there is also underuse of available services in urban areas. Interventions should target mothers with less education and wealth and older mothers. Expanding prenatal care among these groups would encourage a better use of available facilities and subsequently better care for their children.

  16. Quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saust, Laura Trolle; Bjerrum, Lars; Arpi, Magnus

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To develop quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections, tailored to the Danish general practice setting. Design: A RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method was used. Setting: General practice. Subjects: A panel of nine experts, mainly...... general practitioners, was asked to rate the relevance of 64 quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections based on guidelines. Subsequently, a face-to-face meeting was held to resolve misinterpretations and to achieve consensus. Main outcome measures...

  17. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Shigella spp. isolated from children under 5 years of age attending tertiary care hospitals, Nepal along with first finding of ESBL-production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhital, Subhash; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Pokharel, Bharat Mani; Parajuli, Keshab; Mishra, Shyam Kumar; Sharma, Sangita; Kattel, Hari Prasad; Khadka, Sundar; Khatiwada, Sulochana; Rijal, Basista

    2017-06-05

    Shigella is an important cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in resource-poor countries. The treatment of shigellosis mostly requires antibiotics. However, the increase of multidrug resistance along with emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase and ciprofloxacin resistance among Shigella spp. has challenged the situation. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of species and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Shigella species isolated from stool specimen among children less than 5 years of age in Nepal. Out of total 717 stool samples collected, 15 cases of Shigella spp. was isolated which includes 12 S. flexneri and 3 S. sonnei. Multidrug resistance was found among 13(86%) of the isolates. One of the isolates of S. flexneri was found to be ESBL-producer with MIC >256 mg/L for cefixime. The high occurrence of multidrug resistance among Shigella spp. along with a case of ESBL-production for the first time in Nepal alarms the concerns about dissemination of the resistant isolates. So, systemic monitoring of the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Shigella spp. is becoming crucial to guide therapy.

  18. The changing epidemiology of bacillary dysentery and characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of Shigella isolated in China from 2004–2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaorui Chang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacillary dysentery caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella is a significant public health problem in developing countries such as China. The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological pattern of bacillary dysentery, the diversity of the causative agent, and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. for the purpose of determining the most effective allocation of resources and prioritization of interventions. Methods Surveillance data were acquired from the National Infectious Disease Information Reporting System (2004–2014 and from the sentinel hospital-based surveillance system (2005–2014. We analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of bacillary dysentery, age and sex distribution, species diversity, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. Results The surveillance registry included over 3 million probable cases of bacillary dysentery during the period 2004–2014. The annual incidence rate of bacillary dysentery decreased from 38.03 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2004 to 11.24 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2014. The case-fatality rate decreased from 0.028% in 2004 to 0.003% in 2014. Children aged <1 year and 1–4 years were most affected, with higher incidence rates (228.59 cases per 100,000 person-years and 92.58 cases per 100,000 person-years respectively. The annual epidemic season occurred between June and September. A higher incidence rate of bacillary dysentery was found in the Northwest region, Beijing and Tianjin during the study period. Shigella flexneri was the most prevalent species that caused bacillary dysentery in China (63.86%, followed by Shigella sonnei (34.89%. Shigella isolates were highly resistant to nalidixic acid (89.13%, ampicillin (88.90%, tetracycline (88.43%, and sulfamethoxazole (82.92%. During the study period, isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime increased from 8.53 and 7.87% in 2005 to 44.65 and 29.94% in 2014

  19. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isa, Adiba; Kasprowicz, Victoria; Norbeck, Oscar

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (B19) is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously. METHODS AND FINDINGS......: The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia......, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function...

  20. Combining Shigella Tn-seq data with gold-standard E. coli gene deletion data suggests rare transitions between essential and non-essential gene functionality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freed, Nikki E; Bumann, Dirk; Silander, Olin K

    2016-09-06

    Gene essentiality - whether or not a gene is necessary for cell growth - is a fundamental component of gene function. It is not well established how quickly gene essentiality can change, as few studies have compared empirical measures of essentiality between closely related organisms. Here we present the results of a Tn-seq experiment designed to detect essential protein coding genes in the bacterial pathogen Shigella flexneri 2a 2457T on a genome-wide scale. Superficial analysis of this data suggested that 481 protein-coding genes in this Shigella strain are critical for robust cellular growth on rich media. Comparison of this set of genes with a gold-standard data set of essential genes in the closely related Escherichia coli K12 BW25113 revealed that an excessive number of genes appeared essential in Shigella but non-essential in E. coli. Importantly, and in converse to this comparison, we found no genes that were essential in E. coli and non-essential in Shigella, implying that many genes were artefactually inferred as essential in Shigella. Controlling for such artefacts resulted in a much smaller set of discrepant genes. Among these, we identified three sets of functionally related genes, two of which have previously been implicated as critical for Shigella growth, but which are dispensable for E. coli growth. The data presented here highlight the small number of protein coding genes for which we have strong evidence that their essentiality status differs between the closely related bacterial taxa E. coli and Shigella. A set of genes involved in acetate utilization provides a canonical example. These results leave open the possibility of developing strain-specific antibiotic treatments targeting such differentially essential genes, but suggest that such opportunities may be rare in closely related bacteria.

  1. A compendium of strategies to prevent healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals: 2014 updates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoe, Deborah S; Anderson, Deverick J; Berenholtz, Sean M; Calfee, David P; Dubberke, Erik R; Ellingson, Katherine D; Gerding, Dale N; Haas, Janet P; Kaye, Keith S; Klompas, Michael; Lo, Evelyn; Marschall, Jonas; Mermel, Leonard A; Nicolle, Lindsay E; Salgado, Cassandra D; Bryant, Kristina; Classen, David; Crist, Katrina; Deloney, Valerie M; Fishman, Neil O; Foster, Nancy; Goldmann, Donald A; Humphreys, Eve; Jernigan, John A; Padberg, Jennifer; Perl, Trish M; Podgorny, Kelly; Septimus, Edward J; VanAmringe, Margaret; Weaver, Tom; Weinstein, Robert A; Wise, Robert; Maragakis, Lisa L

    2014-08-01

    Since the publication of "A Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals" in 2008, prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) has become a national priority. Despite improvements, preventable HAIs continue to occur. The 2014 updates to the Compendium were created to provide acute care hospitals with up-to-date, practical, expert guidance to assist in prioritizing and implementing their HAI prevention efforts. They are the product of a highly collaborative effort led by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), the Society for Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), the Society for Hospital Medicine (SHM), and the Surgical Infection Society (SIS).

  2. Irrigation and Debridement with Component Retention for Acute Infection After Hip Arthroplasty: Improved Results with Contemporary Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryan, Andrew J; Abdel, Matthew P; Sanders, Thomas L; Fitzgerald, Steven F; Hanssen, Arlen D; Berry, Daniel J

    2017-12-06

    There are conflicting data on the results of irrigation and debridement with component retention in patients with acute periprosthetic hip infections. The goals of this study were to examine contemporary results of irrigation and debridement with component retention for acute infection after primary hip arthroplasty and to identify host, organism, antibiotic, or implant factors that predict success or failure. Ninety hips (57 total hip arthroplasties and 33 hemiarthroplasties) were diagnosed with acute periprosthetic hip infection (using strict criteria) and were treated with irrigation and debridement and component retention between 2000 and 2012. The mean follow-up was 6 years. Patients were stratified on the basis of McPherson criteria. Hips were managed with irrigation and debridement and retention of well-fixed implants with modular head and liner exchange (70%) or irrigation and debridement alone (30%). Seventy-seven percent of patients were treated with chronic antibiotic suppression. Failure was defined as failure to eradicate infection, characterized by a wound fistula, drainage, intolerable pain, or infection recurrence caused by the same organism strain; subsequent removal of any component for infection; unplanned second wound debridement for ongoing deep infection; and/or occurrence of periprosthetic joint infection-related mortality. Treatment failure occurred in 17% (15 of 90 hips), with component removal secondary to recurrent infection in 10% (9 of 90 hips). Treatment failure occurred in 15% (10 of 66 hips) after early postoperative infection and 21% (5 of 24 hips) after acute hematogenous infection (p = 0.7). Patients with McPherson host grade A had a treatment failure rate of 8%, compared with 16% (p = 0.04) in host grade B and 44% in host grade C (p = 0.006). Most treatment failures (12 of 15 failures) occurred within the initial 6 weeks of treatment; failures subsequent to 6 weeks occurred in 3% of those treated with chronic antibiotic

  3. Changing emergence of Shigella sero-groups in Bangladesh: observation from four different diarrheal disease hospitals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumon Kumar Das

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Shigellosis continues to be a public health challenge for developing countries, including Bangladesh. The aim of the study is to demonstrate recent changes in Shigella sero-groups and their geographical diversity. METHODS: Data were extracted from data archive of four diarrheal disease surveillance systems. A 2% sub sample from urban Dhaka Hospital (2008-2011; n = 10,650, and 10% from urban Mirpur Treatment Centre (2009-2011; n = 3,585, were enrolled systematically; whereas, all patients coming from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System area in rural Matlab (2008-2011; n = 6,399 and rural Mirzapur (2010-2011; n = 2,812 were included irrespective of age, sex, and disease severity. A fresh stool specimen was collected for identification of Shigella spp. Of them, 315 (3% were positive for Shigella in Dhaka, 490 (8% from Matlab, 109 (3% from Mirpur and 369 (13% from Mirzapur and considered as analyzable sample size. RESULTS: Among all Shigella isolates regardless of age, significant decreases in percentage of S. flexneri over time was observed in Mirpur (55→29%; p value of χ(2-for trend = 0.019 and Mirzapur (59→47%; p = 0.025. A non-significant decrease was also seen in Dhaka (58→48%, while in Matlab there was a non-significant increase (73→81%. Similar patterns were observed among under-5 children at all sites. Emergence of S. sonnei was found in Dhaka (8→25%; p<0.001 and Mirpur (10→33%; p = 0.015, whereas it decreased in Mirzapur (32→23%; p = 0.056. The emergence of S. boydii was seen in all ages in Mirzapur [(3→28%; p<0.001; (3→27%; p<0.001]. On the other hand, we saw non-significant percent reductions in S. boydii in Dhaka [overall (25→16%; under-5 (16→9%]. Decreasing rates of Shigella dysenteriae were observed in Matlab, Mirpur and Mirzapur; whereas, in Dhaka it remained unchanged. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Emergence of S. sonnei and S. boydii as important infectious

  4. Changing Emergence of Shigella Sero-Groups in Bangladesh: Observation from Four Different Diarrheal Disease Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Sumon Kumar; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Ferdous, Farzana; Farzana, Fahmida Dil; Chisti, Mohammod Jobayer; Leung, Daniel T.; Malek, Mohammad Abdul; Talukder, Kaisar Ali; Bardhan, Pradip Kumar; Salam, Mohammed Abdus; Faruque, Abu Syed Golam; Raqib, Rubhana

    2013-01-01

    Background Shigellosis continues to be a public health challenge for developing countries, including Bangladesh. The aim of the study is to demonstrate recent changes in Shigella sero-groups and their geographical diversity. Methods Data were extracted from data archive of four diarrheal disease surveillance systems. A 2% sub sample from urban Dhaka Hospital (2008–2011; n = 10,650), and 10% from urban Mirpur Treatment Centre (2009–2011; n = 3,585), were enrolled systematically; whereas, all patients coming from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System area in rural Matlab (2008–2011; n = 6,399) and rural Mirzapur (2010–2011; n = 2,812) were included irrespective of age, sex, and disease severity. A fresh stool specimen was collected for identification of Shigella spp. Of them, 315 (3%) were positive for Shigella in Dhaka, 490 (8%) from Matlab, 109 (3%) from Mirpur and 369 (13%) from Mirzapur and considered as analyzable sample size. Results Among all Shigella isolates regardless of age, significant decreases in percentage of S. flexneri over time was observed in Mirpur (55→29%; p value of χ2-for trend = 0.019) and Mirzapur (59→47%; p = 0.025). A non-significant decrease was also seen in Dhaka (58→48%), while in Matlab there was a non-significant increase (73→81%). Similar patterns were observed among under-5 children at all sites. Emergence of S. sonnei was found in Dhaka (8→25%; pp = 0.015), whereas it decreased in Mirzapur (32→23%; p = 0.056). The emergence of S. boydii was seen in all ages in Mirzapur [(3→28%; pp<0.001)]. On the other hand, we saw non-significant percent reductions in S. boydii in Dhaka [overall (25→16%); under-5 (16→9%)]. Decreasing rates of Shigella dysenteriae were observed in Matlab, Mirpur and Mirzapur; whereas, in Dhaka it remained unchanged. Conclusion and Significance Emergence of S. sonnei and S. boydii as important infectious diarrhea etiologies and variations in

  5. Social, economic and environmental risk factors for acute lower respiratory infections among children under five years of age in Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harerimana, Jean-Modeste; Nyirazinyoye, Leatitia; Thomson, Dana R; Ntaganira, Joseph

    2016-01-01

    In low and middle-income countries, acute lower respiratory illness is responsible for roughly 1 in every 5 child deaths. Rwanda has made major health system improvements including its community health worker systems, and it is one of the few countries in Africa to meet the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, although prevalence of acute lower respiratory infections (4 %) is similar to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to assess social, economic, and environmental factors associated with acute lower respiratory infections among children under five to inform potential further improvements in the health system. This is a cross-sectional study using data collected from women interviewed in the 2010 DHS about 8,484 surviving children under five. Based on a literature review, we defined 19 health, social, economic, and environmental potential risk factors, tested bivariate associations with acute lower respiratory infections, and advanced variables significant at the 0.1 confidence level to logistic regression modelling. We used manual backward stepwise regression to arrive at a final model. All analyses were performed in Stata v13 and adjusted for complex sample design. The following factors were independently associated with acute lower respiratory infections: child's age, anemia level, and receipt of Vitamin A; household toilet type and residence, and season of interview. In multivariate regression, being in the bottom ten percent of households (OR: 1.27, 95 % CI: 0.85-1.87) or being interviewed during the rainy season (OR: 1.61, 95 % CI: 1.24-2.09) was positively associated with acute lower respiratory infections, while urban residence (OR: 0.58, 95 % CI: 0.38-0.88) and being age 24-59 months versus 0-11 months (OR: 0.53, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.69) was negatively associated with acute lower respiratory infections. Potential areas for intervention including community campaigns about acute lower respiratory infections symptoms and treatment, and

  6. Detection of viruses and atypical bacteria associated with acute respiratory infection of children in Hubei, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zegang; Li, Yan; Gu, Jian; Zheng, Hongyun; Tong, Yongqing; Wu, Qing

    2014-02-01

    Acute respiratory infection is the major cause of disease and death in children, particularly in developing countries. However, the spectrum of pathogenic viruses and atypical bacteria that exist in many of these countries remains incompletely characterized. The aim of this study was to examine the spectrum of pathogenic viruses and atypical bacteria associated with acute respiratory infection in children under the age of 16. A total of 10 435 serum sera specimens were collected from hospitalized children presenting with acute respiratory infection symptoms. Indirect immunofluorescence assays were performed to detect immunoglobulin M antibodies against nine common pathogens: mycoplasma pneumonia, influenza virus B, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, influenza virus A, legionella pneumophila, coxiella burnetii and chamydophila pneumonia. Of the 10 435 specimens examined, 7046 tested positive for at least one pathogen. Among all of the tested pathogens, mycoplasma pneumonia had the highest detection rate (56.9%). Influenza virus A and influenza virus B epidemics occurred during both winter and summer. The detection rate of respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus was higher in spring. Cases of mixed infection were more complex: 4136 specimens (39.6%) tested positive for ≥2 pathogens. There were statistically significant difference in detection rates of mycoplasma pneumonia, influenza virus B, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, influenza virus A, legionella pneumophila and chamydophila pneumonia among different age groups (P acute respiratory infection among children in Hubei of China were mycoplasma pneumonia, influenza virus B and respiratory syncytial virus. The detection rates for each pathogen displayed specific seasonal and age group variations. © 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  7. Analysis of risk factors for acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) of Toddlers in Ingin Jaya community health centre of Aceh Besar district

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safitri, Faradilla; Hayati, Risna; Marniati

    2017-09-01

    Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) is a disease in developing countries 25% that caused the death of children under five. In Aceh province disease is always on the list of 10 biggest disease each year which amounted to 47.258 cases. In Ingin Jaya Community Health Centre cases of acute respiratory tract infections in infants in 2014 were 112 cases, while in 2015 an increase of as many as 123 cases. Objective: To analyze the risk factors of acute respiratory diseases in health centers of Toddlers Ingin Jaya, Aceh Besar district. Analytical research the design of case control, case-control comparison of 1: 1 ie the sample of 60 cases and 60 control, retrieval of data taken from the register space IMCI Health Center. The study was conducted in 2016. Results: Factor toddler age (OR=11.811), gender (OR=3.512), birth weight (OR=8.805), immunization status (OR=4.846), exclusive breastfeeding (OR=2.529). Conclusions and Recommendations: Toddlers aged>2 years has the opportunity 11.811 times of acute respiratory tract infections. Male Toddler has a chance 3.512 times of acute respiratory tract infections. Toddlers are born with a normal weight does not have a chance of 8.805 times of acute respiratory tract infections. Toddlers who do not get complete immunization has the opportunity 4.846 times of acute respiratory tract infections. Toddlers who did not receive exclusive breastfeeding has 2,529 times greater chance of respiratory tract infections. Health workers and the Aceh Provincial Health Office can provide information through health education each month for each work area of health centers, or create a billboard on the causes of the ispa in infants.

  8. Human bocavirus isolated from children with acute respiratory tract infections in Korea, 2010-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Jong Gyun; Choi, Seong Yeol; Kim, Dong Soo; Kim, Ki Hwan

    2014-12-01

    Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first recognized in respiratory samples in 2005. The clinical importance of HBoV infection remains unclear. This report describes the clinical features and molecular phylogeny of HBoV isolates in children with acute respiratory infections. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from 1,528 children with acute respiratory infections between 2010 and 2011. Respiratory samples were screened for HBoV by multiplex PCR. A phylogenetic analysis of the HBoV VP1/VP2 gene was also undertaken. HBoV was detected in 187 (12.2%) of the 1,528 patients with a peak incidence of infection observed in patients aged 12-24 months. Coinfection with other respiratory viruses was observed in 107 (57.2%) of the HBoV-positive children. The peak of HBoV activity occurred during the month of June in both 2010 and 2011. A higher previous history of wheezing (P = 0.016), a higher frequency of chest retraction (P respiratory symptom score (P = 0.002), and a longer duration of hospital stay (P = 0.021) were observed in HBoV-positive children compared with the HBoV-negative group. Phylogenetic analysis showed all 187 HBoV-positive isolates were identified as HBoV 1, indicating minimal sequence variations among the isolates. A single lineage of HBoV 1 was found to have circulated in children with acute respiratory infections between 2010 and 2011 and was associated with several clinical characteristics including age, seasonality, and clinical severity with retraction, wheezing, and longer hospitalization. The clinical relevance of the minimal sequence variations of HBoV remains to be determined. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Acute acalculous cholecystitis by Epstein-Barr virus infection: a rare association

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Branco

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC is a rare complication of Epstein Barr virus (EBV infection, with only a few cases reported among pediatric population. This clinical condition is frequently associated with a favorable outcome and, usually, a surgical intervention is not required. We report a 16-year-old girl who presented with AAC following primary EBV infection. The diagnosis of AAC was documented by clinical and ultrasonographic examination, whereas EBV infection was confirmed serologically. A conservative treatment was performed, with a careful monitoring and serial ultrasonographic examinations, which led to the clinical improvement of the patient. Pediatricians should be aware of the possible association between EBV and AAC, in order to offer the patients an appropriate management strategy.

  10. ADCC-Mediated CD56DIM NK Cell Responses Are Associated with Early HBsAg Clearance in Acute HBV Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Wen-Han; Cosgrove, Cormac; Berger, Christoph T; Cheney, Patrick C; Krykbaeva, Marina; Kim, Arthur Y; Lewis-Ximenez, Lia; Lauer, Georg M; Alter, Galit

    2018-01-01

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects up to 400 million people worldwide and accounts for approximately one million deaths per year from liver pathologies. Current treatment regimens are effective in suppressing viremia but usually have to be taken indefinitely, warranting research into new therapeutic approaches. Acute HBV infection in adults almost universally results in resolution of viremia, with the exception of immunocompromised persons, suggesting that the immune response can functionally cure or even eradicate HBV infection. Because immunophenotypic and functional studies have implicated a role for Natural Killer (NK) cells in HBV clearance during acute infection, we hypothesized that a distinct NK-cell profile exists in acute HBV infection that could provide information for the mechanism of HBV clearance. Using multivariate flow cytometry, we evaluated the expression of key activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells, and their ability to respond to classic target cell lines. Multivariate analysis revealed selective perturbation of the CD56 dim NK-cell subset during acute infection, displaying low levels of NKp46+, NKp30+, CD160+ and CD161+ cells. Intriguingly, the CD56 dim NK-cell profile predicted time to HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance from the blood, and distinct NK-cell profiles predicted early (NKp30, CD94, CD161) and late clearance (KIR3DL1, CD158a, perforin, NKp46). Finally, functional analysis demonstrated that early and late clearance tracked with elevated degranulation (CD107a) or IFNγ production, respectively, in response to ADCC-mediated activation. The cytolytic CD56 dim NK-cell subset is selectively activated in acute HBV infection and displays distinct phenotypic and functional profiles associated with efficient and early control of HBV, implicating antibody-mediated cytolytic NK-cell responses in the early control and functional cure of HBV infection.

  11. Viral respiratory tract infections among patients with acute undifferentiated fever in Vietnam

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Phuong, Hoang Lan; Nga, Tran T. T.; van Doornum, Gerard J.; Groen, Jan; Binh, Tran Q.; Giao, Phan T.; Hung, Le Q.; Nams, Nguyen V.; Kager, P. A.; de Vries, Peter J.

    2010-01-01

    To investigate the proportion of viral respiratory tract infections among acute undifferentiated fevers (AUFs) at primary health facilities in southern Vietnam during 2001-2005, patients with AUF not caused by malaria were enrolled at twelve primary health facilities and a clinic for malaria control

  12. Ultrastructural Histopathology of Vervet Monkey Colonic Epithelium After In Vitro Exposure to Cell-free Supernatants of Shigella Cultures

    OpenAIRE

    Hill, R. R.; Collins, N. E.; Cowley, H. M.

    2011-01-01

    The full dysentery syndrome of human shigellosis is often preceded by a transient diarrhoea that may be induced by bacterial extracellular products before invasion of the colonic mucosa and development of subsequent pathology. To examine this hypothesis, we studied the effects of cell-free cultures of Shigella sp. on the ultrastructure of monkey colonic epithelium in vitro. Clinical isolates of shigella strains were grown in a niche-simulating medium. Sheets of colon wall collected from verve...

  13. The detection and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Shigella isolates from meat and swab samples at butchers' shops in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garedew, Legesse; Hagos, Zenabu; Zegeye, Bidir; Addis, Zelalem

    2016-01-01

    Food borne pathogens are major causes of deaths, illnesses and billions of dollars of expenses. The burden of food borne illness is worsened by the ever increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance microbes. Shigella, a bacterial pathogen associated with food, is reported to account for higher prevalence rates of food borne illness in different settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 10 to June 30, 2013, at the butcher houses of Gondar town in the Northwest of Ethiopia to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Shigella. Cattle raw meat and swab samples from selected critical control points, including knives, chopping boards, and the hands and noses of butchers, were collected and analyzed. The identification of Shigella was carried out using colony characteristics, the Gram reaction, and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The overall hygienic status of the butcher shops was also assessed using a checklist. An observational analysis revealed that the sanitary condition of the butcher shops and their premises was poor. Of 306 samples screened, 10.5% were positive for Shigella. Approximately 7.4% of meat samples and 10.2% of swab samples were contaminated with Shigella. Out of the total Shigella isolates, 90.6%, 46.9%, 18.8% and 9.4% were resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone and tetracycline, respectively. A multidrug resistance pattern was recorded in 27.8% of the isolates. In conclusion, the safety of meat sold at Gondar butchers houses was poor. The identified Shigella isolates showed high levels of drug resistance and multidrug resistance patterns for commonly used antimicrobials in veterinary and human medicine. Practicing wise use of antimicrobials and strict sanitary interventions at different critical control points is strongly recommended, in addition to further in-depth studies to prevent unprecedented consequences from

  14. ASSESSMENT OF EFFICACY IN APPLICATION OF TOPICAL IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSE MODIFIER FOR PREVENTION OF INFLUENZA AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.N. Lytkina

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to assess the efficacy of bacterial lysate for prevention of acute respiratory infections. The article provides results of monitoring children in the orphanage who were administered the medication of this group as a prophylactic drug against acute respiratory infections. Children also from orphanages who were not administered the medication were selected as a control group. It was found that out of 80 children who underwent preventive treatment, only 26 children fell ill, while out of 80 children in the control group so did 78 orphans. The results achieved allowed the topical immunologic response modifier to be recommended as a general preventive medication for wide use in children in the period of seasonal respiratory infection incidence rate pickup.Key words: influenza, acute respiratory infections, preventive treatment, children.

  15. Human rhinovirus infection in young African children with acute wheezing

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    Zar Heather J

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Infections caused by human rhinoviruses (HRVs are important triggers of wheezing in young children. Wheezy illness has increasingly been recognised as an important cause of morbidity in African children, but there is little information on the contribution of HRV to this. The aim of this study was to determine the role of HRV as a cause of acute wheezing in South African children. Methods Two hundred and twenty children presenting consecutively at a tertiary children's hospital with a wheezing illness from May 2004 to November 2005 were prospectively enrolled. A nasal swab was taken and reverse transcription PCR used to screen the samples for HRV. The presence of human metapneumovirus, human bocavirus and human coronavirus-NL63 was assessed in all samples using PCR-based assays. A general shell vial culture using a pool of monoclonal antibodies was used to detect other common respiratory viruses on 26% of samples. Phylogenetic analysis to determine circulating HRV species was performed on a portion of HRV-positive samples. Categorical characteristics were analysed using Fisher's Exact test. Results HRV was detected in 128 (58.2% of children, most (72% of whom were under 2 years of age. Presenting symptoms between the HRV-positive and negative groups were similar. Most illness was managed with ambulatory therapy, but 45 (35% were hospitalized for treatment and 3 (2% were admitted to intensive care. There were no in-hospital deaths. All 3 species of HRV were detected with HRV-C being the most common (52% followed by HRV-A (37% and HRV-B (11%. Infection with other respiratory viruses occurred in 20/128 (16% of HRV-positive children and in 26/92 (28% of HRV-negative samples. Conclusion HRV may be the commonest viral infection in young South African children with acute wheezing. Infection is associated with mild or moderate clinical disease.

  16. Evolutionary Dynamics of Small RNAs in 27 Escherichia coli and Shigella Genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skippington, Elizabeth; Ragan, Mark A.

    2012-01-01

    Small RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread in bacteria and play critical roles in regulating physiological processes. They are best characterized in Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655, where 83 sRNAs constitute nearly 2% of the gene complement. Most sRNAs act by base pairing with a target mRNA, modulating its translation and/or stability; many of these RNAs share only limited complementarity to their mRNA target, and require the chaperone Hfq to facilitate base pairing. Little is known about the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial sRNAs. Here, we apply phylogenetic and network analyses to investigate the evolutionary processes and principles that govern sRNA gene distribution in 27 E. coli and Shigella genomes. We identify core (encoded in all 27 genomes) and variable sRNAs; more than two-thirds of the E. coli K-12 MG1655 sRNAs are core, whereas the others show patterns of presence and absence that are principally due to genetic loss, not duplication or lateral genetic transfer. We present evidence that variable sRNAs are less tightly integrated into cellular genetic regulatory networks than are the core sRNAs, and that Hfq facilitates posttranscriptional cross talk between the E. coli–Shigella core and variable genomes. Finally, we present evidence that more than 80% of genes targeted by Hfq-associated core sRNAs have been transferred within the E. coli–Shigella clade, and that most of these genes have been transferred intact. These results suggest that Hfq and sRNAs help integrate laterally acquired genes into established regulatory networks. PMID:22223756

  17. Parvovirus B19 infection in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during induction therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNall, R Y; Head, D R; Pui, C H; Razzouk, B I

    2001-01-01

    Immunocompromised children, including those undergoing chemotherapy treatment of malignant disease, are at particular risk for infection with parvovirus B19. However, these patients' attenuated immune responses may obscure the serologic and clinical manifestations of the infection. The authors describe a patient undergoing induction therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia whose parvovirus B19 infection was identified by the incidental detection of giant pronormoblasts and absence of normal mature erythroid precursors, characteristic of parvovirus infection, on a routine bone marrow examination. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered and the patient's aplastic anemia resolved completely within 3 weeks. This highlights the importance of alertness to the possibility of parvovirus infection in children with cancer.

  18. Spa47 is an oligomerization-activated type three secretion system (T3SS) ATPase from Shigella flexneri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, Jamie L; Jones, Heather B; Kumar, Prashant; Toth, Ronald T; Middaugh, C Russell; Antony, Edwin; Dickenson, Nicholas E

    2016-05-01

    Gram-negative pathogens often use conserved type three secretion systems (T3SS) for virulence. The Shigella type three secretion apparatus (T3SA) penetrates the host cell membrane and provides a unidirectional conduit for injection of effectors into host cells. The protein Spa47 localizes to the base of the apparatus and is speculated to be an ATPase that provides the energy for T3SA formation and secretion. Here, we developed an expression and purification protocol, producing active Spa47 and providing the first direct evidence that Spa47 is a bona fide ATPase. Additionally, size exclusion chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation identified multiple oligomeric species of Spa47 with the largest greater than 8 fold more active for ATP hydrolysis than the monomer. An ATPase inactive Spa47 point mutant was then engineered by targeting a conserved Lysine within the predicted Walker A motif of Spa47. Interestingly, the mutant maintained a similar oligomerization pattern as active Spa47, but was unable to restore invasion phenotype when used to complement a spa47 null S. flexneri strain. Together, these results identify Spa47 as a Shigella T3SS ATPase and suggest that its activity is linked to oligomerization, perhaps as a regulatory mechanism as seen in some related pathogens. Additionally, Spa47 catalyzed ATP hydrolysis appears to be essential for host cell invasion, providing a strong platform for additional studies dissecting its role in virulence and providing an attractive target for anti-infective agents. © 2016 The Protein Society.

  19. ENTERIC ADENOVIRUS INFECTION IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN WITH ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN TEHRAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Jam-Afzon S. Modarres

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Adenoviruses are one of the most important etiological agents of serious gastroenteritis among infants and young children. Fecal specimens from patients with an acute gastroenteritis were evaluated for the presence of adenovirus (Ad40, 41 from April 2002 to February 2004. During the study, 1052 samples were collected from children under the age of 5 years in six educational and therapeutic pediatric centers. The specimens were tested for adenovirus (Ad40, 41 by EIA technique in the Virology Department of Pasteur Institute of Iran. Adenoviruses (Ad40, 41 were detected from 27(2.6% samples, but were not detected in 150 samples of healthy control group. In this study the highest rate of adenovirus was found in children aged 6 to 12 months (40.7%, but the male to female ratio inpatients was approximately equal. Adenovirus (Ad40, 41 infections peaked in the winter as 48.1% was detected from December to March. There were a statistically significant difference between age and infection (P < 0.001, also between season with adenovirus (Ad40, 41 infection (P = 0.005. Breast-feeding had a protective action against adenovirus (Ad40, 41 infection. This study revealed that enteric adenovirus (Ad40, 41 is an etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis among children in Tehran.

  20. Current Issues of Antipyretic Therapy in Children with Acute Respiratory Infections

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    E. I. Novikova

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the current issues in the pediatric practice of seasonal incidence of children with acute respiratory infections. The basic etiological aspects of this pathology, specific clinical symptoms typical for different pathogens, causes of bursts of disease in certain periods are described. Special attention is paid to the tactics of antipyretic therapy in different groups of children with fever and acute respiratory diseases, understand the typical errors in its appointment. The author discusses the domestic and foreign results of using ibuprofen to relieve fever in children with this pathology, comparative efficacy and safety data of ibuprofen with other analgesics-antipyretics.