Selected Papers and Presentations Presented at MODSIM World 2010 Conference and Expo. Part 1

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, Thomas E. (Editor)

2011-01-01

MODSIM World 2010 was held in Hampton, Virginia, October 13-15, 2010. The theme of the 2010 conference & expo was "21st Century Decision-Making: The Art of Modeling& Simulation". The conference program consisted of seven technical tracks - Defense, Engineering and Science, Health & Medicine, Homeland Security & First Responders, The Human Dimension, K-20 STEM Education, and Serious Games & Virtual Worlds. Selected papers and presentations from MODSIM World 2010 Conference & Expo are contained in this NASA Conference Publication (CP). Section 8.0 of this CP contains papers from MODSIM World 2009 Conference & Expo that were unavailable at the time of publication of NASA/CP-2010-216205 Selected Papers Presented at MODSIM World 2009 Conference and Expo, March 2010.

Antibiotic-mediated selection of quorum-sensing-negative Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paulander, Wilhelm Erik Axel; Varming, Anders Nissen; Bæk, Kristoffer Torbjørn

2012-01-01

of glycopeptide resistance greater than those of other strains. We show here that agr-negative strains have a fitness advantage over agr-positive strains in the presence of sublethal concentrations of some antibiotics and that the fitness defect of agr-positive cells is caused by antibiotic-mediated expression...... expression. We demonstrate that the presence of the agr locus imposes a fitness cost on S. aureus that is mediated by the expression of RNAIII. Further, we show that exposure to sublethal levels of the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, mupirocin, and rifampin, each targeting separate cellular functions, markedly...... increases the agr-mediated fitness cost by inducing the expression of RNAIII. Thus, the extensive use of antibiotics in hospitals may explain why agr-negative variants are frequently isolated from hospital-acquired S. aureus infections but rarely found among community-acquired S. aureus strains. Importantly...

XI Scientific Conference Selected Issues of Electrical Engineering and Electronics (WZEE)

CERN Document Server

Mazur, Damian; Analysis and Simulation of Electrical and Computer Systems

2015-01-01

This book presents the selected results of the XI Scientific Conference Selected Issues of Electrical Engineering and Electronics (WZEE) which was held in Rzeszów and Czarna, Poland on September 27-30, 2013. The main aim of the Conference was to provide academia and industry to discuss and present the latest technological advantages and research results and to integrate the new interdisciplinary scientific circle in the field of electrical engineering, electronics and mechatronics. The Conference was organized by the Rzeszów Division of Polish Association of Theoretical and Applied Electrical Engineering (PTETiS) in cooperation with Rzeszów University of Technology, the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Rzeszów University, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.  

Science and Information Conference 2015 : Extended and Selected Results

CERN Document Server

Kapoor, Supriya; Bhatia, Rahul

2016-01-01

This book is a collection of extended chapters from the selected papers that were published in the proceedings of Science and Information (SAI) Conference 2015. It contains twenty-one chapters in the field of Computational Intelligence, which received highly recommended feedback during SAI Conference 2015 review process. During the three-day event 260 scientists, technology developers, young researcher including PhD students, and industrial practitioners from 56 countries have engaged intensively in presentations, demonstrations, open panel sessions and informal discussions. .

Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers against Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin C1.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yukun; Chen, Xiujuan; Duan, Nuo; Wu, Shijia; Wang, Zhouping; Wei, Xinlin; Wang, Yuanfeng

2015-01-01

Enterotoxins from pathogenic bacteria are known as the main reason that can cause the bacterial foodborne diseases. In this study, aptamers that bound to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin C1 (SEC1) with high affinity and selectivity were generated in vitro by twelve rounds of selection based on magnetic separation technology, with a low-level dissociation constant (Kd) value of 65.14 ± 11.64 nmol/L of aptamer C10. Aptamer-based quantification of SEC1 in the food sample by a graphene oxide (GO)-based method was implemented to investigate the potential of the aptamer against SEC1 with a limit of detection of 6 ng/mL. On the basis of this work, biosensors using the selected SEC1 aptamers as new molecular recognition elements could be applied for innovative determinations of SEC1. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiplex Real-Time PCR for Detection of Staphylococcus aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) Genes from Selective Enrichments from Animals and Retail Meat

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Valeria; Sherwood, Julie S.; Rojas-García, Pedro P.; Logue, Catherine M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare a real-time PCR assay, with a conventional culture/PCR method, to detect S. aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) genes in animals and retail meat, using a two-step selective enrichment protocol. A total of 234 samples were examined (77 animal nasal swabs, 112 retail raw meat, and 45 deli meat). The multiplex real-time PCR targeted the genes: nuc (identification of S. aureus), mecA (associated with methicillin resistance) and PVL (virulence factor), and the primary and secondary enrichment samples were assessed. The conventional culture/PCR method included the two-step selective enrichment, selective plating, biochemical testing, and multiplex PCR for confirmation. The conventional culture/PCR method recovered 95/234 positive S. aureus samples. Application of real-time PCR on samples following primary and secondary enrichment detected S. aureus in 111/234 and 120/234 samples respectively. For detection of S. aureus, the kappa statistic was 0.68–0.88 (from substantial to almost perfect agreement) and 0.29–0.77 (from fair to substantial agreement) for primary and secondary enrichments, using real-time PCR. For detection of mecA gene, the kappa statistic was 0–0.49 (from no agreement beyond that expected by chance to moderate agreement) for primary and secondary enrichment samples. Two pork samples were mecA gene positive by all methods. The real-time PCR assay detected the mecA gene in samples that were negative for S. aureus, but positive for Staphylococcus spp. The PVL gene was not detected in any sample by the conventional culture/PCR method or the real-time PCR assay. Among S. aureus isolated by conventional culture/PCR method, the sequence type ST398, and multi-drug resistant strains were found in animals and raw meat samples. The real-time PCR assay may be recommended as a rapid method for detection of S. aureus and the mecA gene, with further confirmation of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) using

Multiplex real-time PCR for detection of Staphylococcus aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL genes from selective enrichments from animals and retail meat.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeria Velasco

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare a real-time PCR assay, with a conventional culture/PCR method, to detect S. aureus, mecA and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL genes in animals and retail meat, using a two-step selective enrichment protocol. A total of 234 samples were examined (77 animal nasal swabs, 112 retail raw meat, and 45 deli meat. The multiplex real-time PCR targeted the genes: nuc (identification of S. aureus, mecA (associated with methicillin resistance and PVL (virulence factor, and the primary and secondary enrichment samples were assessed. The conventional culture/PCR method included the two-step selective enrichment, selective plating, biochemical testing, and multiplex PCR for confirmation. The conventional culture/PCR method recovered 95/234 positive S. aureus samples. Application of real-time PCR on samples following primary and secondary enrichment detected S. aureus in 111/234 and 120/234 samples respectively. For detection of S. aureus, the kappa statistic was 0.68-0.88 (from substantial to almost perfect agreement and 0.29-0.77 (from fair to substantial agreement for primary and secondary enrichments, using real-time PCR. For detection of mecA gene, the kappa statistic was 0-0.49 (from no agreement beyond that expected by chance to moderate agreement for primary and secondary enrichment samples. Two pork samples were mecA gene positive by all methods. The real-time PCR assay detected the mecA gene in samples that were negative for S. aureus, but positive for Staphylococcus spp. The PVL gene was not detected in any sample by the conventional culture/PCR method or the real-time PCR assay. Among S. aureus isolated by conventional culture/PCR method, the sequence type ST398, and multi-drug resistant strains were found in animals and raw meat samples. The real-time PCR assay may be recommended as a rapid method for detection of S. aureus and the mecA gene, with further confirmation of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA

IV international conference on computational methods in marine engineering : selected papers

CERN Document Server

Oñate, Eugenio; García-Espinosa, Julio; Kvamsdal, Trond; Bergan, Pål; MARINE 2011

2013-01-01

This book contains selected papers from the Fourth International Conference on Computational Methods in Marine Engineering, held at Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal in September 2011.  Nowadays, computational methods are an essential tool of engineering, which includes a major field of interest in marine applications, such as the maritime and offshore industries and engineering challenges related to the marine environment and renewable energies. The 2011 Conference included 8 invited plenary lectures and 86 presentations distributed through 10 thematic sessions that covered many of the most relevant topics of marine engineering today. This book contains 16 selected papers from the Conference that cover “CFD for Offshore Applications”, “Fluid-Structure Interaction”, “Isogeometric Methods for Marine Engineering”, “Marine/Offshore Renewable Energy”, “Maneuvering and Seakeeping”, “Propulsion and Cavitation” and “Ship Hydrodynamics”.  The papers we...

Selected papers from the 2nd IEEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference (NorCAS), 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sparsø, Jens

2018-01-01

This special issue includes selected papers from the 2nd IEEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference (NorCAS), held in Linköping, Sweden, October 24-25, 2016. The IEEE NorCAS conference is the main circuits and systems event of the Nordic and Baltic countries representing both academia and the e......This special issue includes selected papers from the 2nd IEEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference (NorCAS), held in Linköping, Sweden, October 24-25, 2016. The IEEE NorCAS conference is the main circuits and systems event of the Nordic and Baltic countries representing both academia...

Fitness Cost of Daptomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Obtained from in Vitro Daptomycin Selection Pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuguang Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Daptomycin-resistant (DAP-R Staphylococcus aureus strains are well documented, but have not been reported in China. To elucidate the evolution adaptability and fitness cost of DAP-R S. aureus, three DAP susceptible strains, Pre3 (MRSA, ST239-t037, Pre5 (MRSA, ST239-t037, and Pre14b (MSSA, ST188-t189, were isolated from patients with bloodstream infections, and serially passaged in Mueller–Hinton broth with a gradient of DAP concentration to select for resistance. Highly DAP-R mutants were obtained after screening for 34 passages. The DAP minimum inhibitory concentrations increased from 0.5 μg/ml in the parent strains to 16 μg/ml in the mutants, which remained tolerant to 4 μg/ml of DAP for more than 160 generations. The growth of the three mutant strains was slower than that of the parent strains, with relative fitness cost of 34.8%, 19.2%, and 15.0%, respectively. The in vitro serum tolerance of the mutants was decreased, and the lethality and pathogenicity in mice were weakened (P < 0.01. Transmission electron microscopy found that the cell walls of the mutants were significantly thicker (from 38.6% to 75.4% than those of the parent cells. Mutation L826F of mprF was found in Post14b, G299V, and L473I of mprF and Y225N of walK were found in Post3, while T345A of mprF, S52N of graS, and F473I of walK were found in Post5. Thus, stable DAP-R mutants could be obtained from a middle-short term of in vitro DAP selection, and according to their fitness cost, some prevention and control work may be done to cope with DAP-R S. aureus that may appear in China in the future.

5. All-Russian (international) scientific conference. Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules. Program of the conference and summary of reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

The materials of the 5. All-Russian (international) scientific conference: Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules, are presented. The conference took place in Zvenigorod, 2-6 October, 2000. A wide range of items connected with uranium enrichment, selection of atoms and molecules by isotopic composition: laser methods, ion cyclotron-resonance method, are discussed. The paper contains the reports about harnessing radionuclides and stable isotopes in medicine and as a means of diagnostics. The results of investigation into modern and advanced technology for isotope separation are outlined. The selection of molecules by means of rectification methods and chemical isotope exchange are discussed [ru

Induced resistance to the antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin B in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Samuelsen, Orjan; Haukland, Hanne H; Jenssen, Håvard; Krämer, Manuela; Sandvik, Kjersti; Ulvatne, Hilde; Vorland, Lars H

2005-06-20

This study was designed to investigate inducible intrinsic resistance against lactoferricin B in Staphylococcus aureus. Serial passage of seven S. aureus strains in medium with increasing concentrations of peptide resulted in an induced resistance at various levels in all strains. The induced resistance was unstable and decreased relatively rapidly during passages in peptide free medium but the minimum inhibitory concentration remained elevated after thirty passages. Cross-resistance to penicillin G and low-level cross-resistance to the antimicrobial peptides indolicidin and Ala(8,13,18)-magainin-II amide [corrected] was observed. No cross-resistance was observed to the human cathelicidin LL-37. In conclusion, this study shows that S. aureus has intrinsic resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial peptides that can be induced upon exposure, and that this may confer low-level cross-resistance to other antimicrobial peptides.

Immunisation With Immunodominant Linear B Cell Epitopes Vaccine of Manganese Transport Protein C Confers Protection against Staphylococcus aureus Infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Jie Yang

Full Text Available Vaccination strategies for Staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA infections have attracted much research attention. Recent efforts have been made to select manganese transport protein C, or manganese binding surface lipoprotein C (MntC, which is a metal ion associated with pathogen nutrition uptake, as potential candidates for an S. aureus vaccine. Although protective humoral immune responses to MntC are well-characterised, much less is known about detailed MntC-specific B cell epitope mapping and particularly epitope vaccines, which are less-time consuming and more convenient. In this study, we generated a recombinant protein rMntC which induced strong antibody response when used for immunisation with CFA/IFA adjuvant. On the basis of the results, linear B cell epitopes within MntC were finely mapped using a series of overlapping synthetic peptides. Further studies indicate that MntC113-136, MntC209-232, and MntC263-286 might be the original linear B-cell immune dominant epitope of MntC, furthermore, three-dimensional (3-d crystal structure results indicate that the three immunodominant epitopes were displayed on the surface of the MntC antigen. On the basis of immunodominant MntC113-136, MntC209-232, and MntC263-286 peptides, the epitope vaccine for S. aureus induces a high antibody level which is biased to TH2 and provides effective immune protection and strong opsonophagocytic killing activity in vitro against MRSA infection. In summary, the study provides strong proof of the optimisation of MRSA B cell epitope vaccine designs and their use, which was based on the MntC antigen in the development of an MRSA vaccine.

Fluoroquinolone resistance protein NorA of Staphylococcus aureus is a multidrug efflux transporter.

OpenAIRE

Neyfakh, A A; Borsch, C M; Kaatz, G W

1993-01-01

The gene of the Staphylococcus aureus fluoroquinolone efflux transporter protein NorA confers resistance to a number of structurally dissimilar drugs, not just to fluoroquinolones, when it is expressed in Bacillus subtilis. NorA provides B. subtilis with resistance to the same drugs and to a similar extent as the B. subtilis multidrug transporter protein Bmr does. NorA and Bmr share 44% sequence similarity. Both the NorA- and Bmr-conferred resistances can be completely reversed by reserpine.

Staphylococcus aureus MnhF mediates cholate efflux and facilitates survival under human colonic conditions

OpenAIRE

Sannasiddappa, Thippeswamy; Hood, Graham; Hanson, Kevan; Costabile, Adele; Gibson, Glenn; Clarke, Simon

2015-01-01

Resistance to the innate defenses of the intestine is crucial for the survival and carriage of Staphylococcus aureus, a common colonizer of the human gut. Bile salts produced by the liver and secreted into the intestines are one such group of molecules with potent antimicrobial activity. The mechanisms by which S. aureus is able to resist such defenses in order to colonize and survive in the human gut are unknown. Here we show that mnhF confers resistance to bile salts, which can be abrogated...

Evaluation of genetically inactivated alpha toxin for protection in multiple mouse models of Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca A Brady

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen and a leading cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Development of a vaccine against this pathogen is an important goal. While S. aureus protective antigens have been identified in the literature, the majority have only been tested in a single animal model of disease. We wished to evaluate the ability of one S. aureus vaccine antigen to protect in multiple mouse models, thus assessing whether protection in one model translates to protection in other models encompassing the full breadth of infections the pathogen can cause. We chose to focus on genetically inactivated alpha toxin mutant HlaH35L. We evaluated the protection afforded by this antigen in three models of infection using the same vaccine dose, regimen, route of immunization, adjuvant, and challenge strain. When mice were immunized with HlaH35L and challenged via a skin and soft tissue infection model, HlaH35L immunization led to a less severe infection and decreased S. aureus levels at the challenge site when compared to controls. Challenge of HlaH35L-immunized mice using a systemic infection model resulted in a limited, but statistically significant decrease in bacterial colonization as compared to that observed with control mice. In contrast, in a prosthetic implant model of chronic biofilm infection, there was no significant difference in bacterial levels when compared to controls. These results demonstrate that vaccines may confer protection against one form of S. aureus disease without conferring protection against other disease presentations and thus underscore a significant challenge in S. aureus vaccine development.

5. All-Russian (international) scientific conference. Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules. Collection of reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baranov, V.Yu.; Kolesnikov, Yu.A.

2000-01-01

The materials of the 5. All-Russian (international) scientific conference: Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules, are presented. The conference took place in Zvenigorod, 2-6 October, 2000. A wide range of items connected with uranium enrichment, selection of atoms and molecules by isotopic composition: laser methods, ion cyclotron-resonance method, are discussed. The selection of molecules and atoms by rectification and chemical isotopic exchange methods, the selection in the field of centrifugal forces are treated. The questions of search for the new advanced methods for selection of atoms and molecules were discussed at the conference, the problems of radioisotope production were represented. The subject matter of the use of stable isotopes and radionuclides is demonstrated widely. The subjects connected with experimental and engineering equipment for selection of atoms and molecules are embodied in the paper [ru

Proteases in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus confer reduced susceptibility to lactoferricin B.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulvatne, Hilde; Haukland, Hanne Husom; Samuelsen, Ørjan; Krämer, Manuela; Vorland, Lars H

2002-10-01

Lactoferricin B is a cationic antimicrobial peptide derived from the N-terminal part of bovine lactoferrin. The effect of bacterial proteases on the antibacterial activity of lactoferricin B towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was investigated using various protease inhibitors and protease-deficient E. coli mutants. Sodium-EDTA, a metalloprotease inhibitor, was the most efficient inhibitors in both species, but combinations of sodium-EDTA with other types of protease inhibitor gave a synergic effect. The results indicate that several groups of proteases are involved in resistance to lactoferricin B in both E. coli and S. aureus. We also report that genetic inactivation of the heat shock-induced serine protease DegP increased the susceptibility to lactoferricin B in E. coli, suggesting that this protease, at least, is involved in reduced susceptibility to lactoferricin B.

68Ga-labeled phage-display selected peptides as tracers for positron emission tomography imaging of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-associated infections: Selection, radiolabelling and preliminary biological evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Karin M.; Kyneb, Majbritt H.; Alstrup, Aage K.O.; Jensen, Jakob J.; Bender, Dirk; Schønheyder, Henrik C.; Afzelius, Pia; Nielsen, Ole L.; Jensen, Svend B.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and deep-sited infections, often associated with the formation of biofilms. Early diagnosis and initiated therapy is essential to prevent disease progression and to reduce complications that can be serious. Imaging techniques are helpful combining anatomical with functional data in order to describe and characterize site, extent and activity of the disease. The purpose of the study was to identify and 68 Ga-label peptides with affinity for S. aureus biofilm and evaluate their potential as bacteria-specific positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents. Methods: Phage-displayed dodecapeptides were selected using an in vitro grown S. aureus biofilm as target. One cyclic (A8) and two linear (A9, A11) dodecapeptides were custom synthesized with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) conjugated via a lysine linker (K), and for A11 also a glycine–serine–glycine spacer (GSG). The 68 Ga-labeling of A8-K-DOTA, A9-K-DOTA, and A11-GSGK-DOTA were optimized and in vitro bacterial binding was evaluated for 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA and 68 Ga-A11-GSGK-DOTA. Stability of 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA was studied in vitro in human serum, while the in vivo plasma stability was analyzed in mice and pigs. Additionally, the whole-body distribution kinetics of 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA was measured in vivo by PET imaging of pigs and ex vivo in excised mice tissues. Results: The 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA and 68 Ga-A11-GSGK-DOTA remained stable in product formulation, whereas 68 Ga-A8-K-DOTA was unstable. The S. aureus binding of 68 Ga-A11-GSGK-DOTA and 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA was observed in vitro, though blocking of the binding was not possible by excess of cold peptide. The 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA was degraded slowly in vitro, while the combined in vivo evaluation in pigs and mice showed a rapid blood clearance and renal excretion of the 68 Ga-A9-K-DOTA. Conclusion: The preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies of the phage-display S. aureus

Mutations of the Transporter Proteins GlpT and UhpT Confer Fosfomycin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Xu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available With the increasing spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus worldwide, fosfomycin has begun to be used more often, either alone or in combination with other antibiotics, for treating methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections, resulting in the emergence of fosfomycin-resistant strains. Fosfomycin resistance is reported to be mediated by fosfomycin-modifying enzymes (FosA, FosB, FosC, and FosX and mutations of the target enzyme MurA or the membrane transporter proteins UhpT and GlpT. Our previous studies indicated that the fos genes might not the major fosfomycin resistance mechanism in S. aureus, whereas mutations of glpT and uhpT seemed to be more related to fosfomycin resistance. However, the precise role of these two genes in S. aureus fosfomycin resistance remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of glpT and uhpT in S. aureus fosfomycin resistance. Homologous recombination was used to knockout the uhpT and glpT genes in S. aureus Newman. Gene complementation was generated by the plasmid pRB473 carrying these two genes. The fosfomycin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC of the strains was measured by the E-test to observe the influence of gene deletion on antibiotic susceptibility. In addition, growth curves were constructed to determine whether the mutations have a significant influence on bacterial growth. Deletion of uhpT, glpT, and both of them led to increased fosfomycin MIC 0.5 μg/ml to 32 μg/ml, 4 μg/ml, and >1024 μg/ml, respectively. By complementing uhpT and glpT into the deletion mutants, the fosfomycin MIC decreased from 32 to 0.5 μg/ml and from 4 to 0.25 μg/ml, respectively. Moreover, the transporter gene-deleted strains showed no obvious difference in growth curves compared to the parental strain. In summary, our study strongly suggests that mutations of uhpT and glpT lead to fosfomycin resistance in S. aureus, and that uhpT mutation may play a more important role. The high

Analysis of mutational resistance to trimethoprim in Staphylococcus aureus by genetic and structural modelling techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Vickers, Anna A; Potter, Nicola J; Fishwick, Colin W G; Chopra, Ian; O'Neill, Alex J

2009-06-01

This study sought to expand knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of mutational resistance to trimethoprim in Staphylococcus aureus, and the fitness costs associated with resistance. Spontaneous trimethoprim-resistant mutants of S. aureus SH1000 were recovered in vitro, resistance genotypes characterized by DNA sequencing of the gene encoding the drug target (dfrA) and the fitness of mutants determined by pair-wise growth competition assays with SH1000. Novel resistance genotypes were confirmed by ectopic expression of dfrA alleles in a trimethoprim-sensitive S. aureus strain. Molecular models of S. aureus dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) were constructed to explore the structural basis of trimethoprim resistance, and to rationalize the observed in vitro fitness of trimethoprim-resistant mutants. In addition to known amino acid substitutions in DHFR mediating trimethoprim resistance (F(99)Y and H(150)R), two novel resistance polymorphisms (L(41)F and F(99)S) were identified among the trimethoprim-resistant mutants selected in vitro. Molecular modelling of mutated DHFR enzymes provided insight into the structural basis of trimethoprim resistance. Calculated binding energies of the substrate (dihydrofolate) for the mutant and wild-type enzymes were similar, consistent with apparent lack of fitness costs for the resistance mutations in vitro. Reduced susceptibility to trimethoprim of DHFR enzymes carrying substitutions L(41)F, F(99)S, F(99)Y and H(150)R appears to result from structural changes that reduce trimethoprim binding to the enzyme. However, the mutations conferring trimethoprim resistance are not associated with fitness costs in vitro, suggesting that the survival of trimethoprim-resistant strains emerging in the clinic may not be subject to a fitness disadvantage.

Selected Areas in Cryptography - SAC 2013 : 20th International Conference, Burnaby BC, Canada, August 14-16, 2013 : Revised Selected Papers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lange, T.; Lauter, K.; Lisonek, P.

2014-01-01

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Selected Areas in Cryptography, SAC 2013, held in Burnaby, Canada, in August 2013. The 26 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 98 submissions. They are organized in topical sections

Peer-review for selection of oral presentations for conferences: Are we reliable?

Science.gov (United States)

Deveugele, Myriam; Silverman, Jonathan

2017-11-01

Although peer-review for journal submission, grant-applications and conference submissions has been called 'a counter- stone of science', and even 'the gold standard for evaluating scientific merit', publications on this topic remain scares. Research that has investigated peer-review reveals several issues and criticisms concerning bias, poor quality review, unreliability and inefficiency. The most important weakness of the peer review process is the inconsistency between reviewers leading to inadequate inter-rater reliability. To report the reliability of ratings for a large international conference and to suggest possible solutions to overcome the problem. In 2016 during the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, organized by EACH: International Association for Communication in Healthcare, a calibration exercise was proposed and feedback was reported back to the participants of the exercise. Most abstracts, as well as most peer-reviewers, receive and give scores around the median. Contrary to the general assumption that there are high and low scorers, in this group only 3 peer-reviewers could be identified with a high mean, while 7 has a low mean score. Only 2 reviewers gave only high ratings (4 and 5). Of the eight abstracts included in this exercise, only one abstract received a high mean score and one a low mean score. Nevertheless, both these abstracts received both low and high scores; all other abstracts received all possible scores. Peer-review of submissions for conferences are, in accordance with the literature, unreliable. New and creative methods will be needed to give the participants of a conference what they really deserve: a more reliable selection of the best abstracts. More raters per abstract improves the inter-rater reliability; training of reviewers could be helpful; providing feedback to reviewers can lead to less inter-rater disagreement; fostering negative peer-review (rejecting the inappropriate submissions) rather than a

Genome-Wide Identification of Antimicrobial Intrinsic Resistance Determinants in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Martin; Leng, Bingfeng; Haaber, Jakob

2016-01-01

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance severely threatens our ability to treat bacterial infections. While acquired resistance has received considerable attention, relatively little is known of intrinsic resistance that allows bacteria to naturally withstand antimicrobials. Gene products...... that confer intrinsic resistance to antimicrobial agents may be explored for alternative antimicrobial therapies, by potentiating the efficacy of existing antimicrobials. In this study, we identified the intrinsic resistome to a broad spectrum of antimicrobials in the human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus. We...... with the atpA mutant compared to wild type cells with gentamicin at a clinically relevant concentration. Our results demonstrate that many gene products contribute to the intrinsic antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus. Knowledge of these intrinsic resistance determinants provides alternative targets...

Identification of Genes Involved in Polysaccharide-Independent Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Boles, Blaise R.; Thoendel, Matthew; Roth, Aleeza J.; Horswill, Alexander R.

2010-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a potent biofilm former on host tissue and medical implants, and biofilm growth is a critical virulence determinant for chronic infections. Recent studies suggest that many clinical isolates form polysaccharide-independent biofilms. However, a systematic screen for defective mutants has not been performed to identify factors important for biofilm formation in these strains. We created a library of 14,880 mariner transposon mutants in a S. aureus strain that generates a proteinaceous and extracellular DNA based biofilm matrix. The library was screened for biofilm defects and 31 transposon mutants conferred a reproducible phenotype. In the pool, 16 mutants overproduced extracellular proteases and the protease inhibitor α2-macroglobulin restored biofilm capacity to 13 of these mutants. The other 15 mutants in the pool displayed normal protease levels and had defects in genes involved in autolysis, osmoregulation, or uncharacterized membrane proteins. Two transposon mutants of interest in the GraRS two-component system and a putative inositol monophosphatase were confirmed in a flow cell biofilm model, genetically complemented, and further verified in a community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) isolate. Collectively, our screen for biofilm defective mutants identified novel loci involved in S. aureus biofilm formation and underscored the importance of extracellular protease activity and autolysis in biofilm development. PMID:20418950

Linezolid and tiamulin cross-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus mediated by point mutations in the peptidyl transferase center.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Keith; Dunsmore, Colin J; Fishwick, Colin W G; Chopra, Ian

2008-05-01

Oxazolidinone and pleuromutilin antibiotics are currently used in the treatment of staphylococcal infections. Although both antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis and have overlapping binding regions on 23S rRNA, the potential for cross-resistance between the two classes through target site mutations has not been thoroughly examined. Mutants of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to linezolid were selected and found to exhibit cross-resistance to tiamulin, a member of the pleuromutilin class of antibiotics. However, resistance was unidirectional because mutants of S. aureus selected for resistance to tiamulin did not exhibit cross-resistance to linezolid. This contrasts with the recently described PhLOPS(A) phenotype, which confers resistance to both oxazolidinones and pleuromutilins. The genotypes responsible for the phenotypes we observed were examined. Selection with tiamulin resulted in recovery of mutants with changes in the single-copy rplC gene (Gly155Arg, Ser158Leu, or Arg149Ser), whereas selection with linezolid led to recovery of mutants with changes (G2576U in 23S rRNA) in all five copies of the multicopy operon rrn. In contrast, cross-resistance to linezolid was exhibited by tiamulin-resistant mutants generated in a single-copy rrn knockout strains of Escherichia coli, illustrating that the copy number of 23S rRNA is the limiting factor in the selection of 23S rRNA tiamulin-resistant mutants. The interactions of linezolid and tiamulin with the ribosome were modeled to seek explanations for resistance to both classes in the 23S rRNA mutants and the lack of cross-resistance between tiamulin and linezolid following mutation in rplC.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Alters Staphylococcus aureus Sensitivity to Vancomycin in a Biofilm Model of Cystic Fibrosis Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giulia Orazi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The airways of cystic fibrosis (CF patients have thick mucus, which fosters chronic, polymicrobial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most prevalent respiratory pathogens in CF patients. In this study, we tested whether P. aeruginosa influences the susceptibility of S. aureus to frontline antibiotics used to treat CF lung infections. Using our in vitro coculture model, we observed that addition of P. aeruginosa supernatants to S. aureus biofilms grown either on epithelial cells or on plastic significantly decreased the susceptibility of S. aureus to vancomycin. Mutant analyses showed that 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide (HQNO, a component of the P. aeruginosa Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS system, protects S. aureus from the antimicrobial activity of vancomycin. Similarly, the siderophores pyoverdine and pyochelin also contribute to the ability of P. aeruginosa to protect S. aureus from vancomycin, as did growth under anoxia. Under our experimental conditions, HQNO, P. aeruginosa supernatant, and growth under anoxia decreased S. aureus growth, likely explaining why this cell wall-targeting antibiotic is less effective. P. aeruginosa supernatant did not confer additional protection to slow-growing S. aureus small colony variants. Importantly, P. aeruginosa supernatant protects S. aureus from other inhibitors of cell wall synthesis as well as protein synthesis-targeting antibiotics in an HQNO- and siderophore-dependent manner. We propose a model whereby P. aeruginosa causes S. aureus to shift to fermentative growth when these organisms are grown in coculture, leading to reduction in S. aureus growth and decreased susceptibility to antibiotics targeting cell wall and protein synthesis.

Linezolid and Tiamulin Cross-Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Mediated by Point Mutations in the Peptidyl Transferase Center ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Keith; Dunsmore, Colin J.; Fishwick, Colin W. G.; Chopra, Ian

2008-01-01

Oxazolidinone and pleuromutilin antibiotics are currently used in the treatment of staphylococcal infections. Although both antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis and have overlapping binding regions on 23S rRNA, the potential for cross-resistance between the two classes through target site mutations has not been thoroughly examined. Mutants of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to linezolid were selected and found to exhibit cross-resistance to tiamulin, a member of the pleuromutilin class of antibiotics. However, resistance was unidirectional because mutants of S. aureus selected for resistance to tiamulin did not exhibit cross-resistance to linezolid. This contrasts with the recently described PhLOPSA phenotype, which confers resistance to both oxazolidinones and pleuromutilins. The genotypes responsible for the phenotypes we observed were examined. Selection with tiamulin resulted in recovery of mutants with changes in the single-copy rplC gene (Gly155Arg, Ser158Leu, or Arg149Ser), whereas selection with linezolid led to recovery of mutants with changes (G2576U in 23S rRNA) in all five copies of the multicopy operon rrn. In contrast, cross-resistance to linezolid was exhibited by tiamulin-resistant mutants generated in a single-copy rrn knockout strains of Escherichia coli, illustrating that the copy number of 23S rRNA is the limiting factor in the selection of 23S rRNA tiamulin-resistant mutants. The interactions of linezolid and tiamulin with the ribosome were modeled to seek explanations for resistance to both classes in the 23S rRNA mutants and the lack of cross-resistance between tiamulin and linezolid following mutation in rplC. PMID:18180348

Software Technologies - 8th International Joint Conference, ICSOFT 2013 : Revised Selected Papers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cordeiro, José; van Sinderen, Marten J.

2014-01-01

The present book includes extended and revised versions of a set of selected papers from the 8th International Joint Conference on Software Technologies (ICSOFT 2013), which was co-organized by the Reykjavik University (RU) and sponsored by the Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information,

Selected contributions from the 9th International Conference on Tidal Sedimentology, November 2015, Puerto Madryn, Patagonia, Argentina: an introduction

Science.gov (United States)

Scasso, Roberto A.; Cuitiño, José I.

2017-08-01

This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters presents selected contributions from the 9th International Conference on Tidal Sedimentology held on 17-19 November 2015 in Puerto Madryn, Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The guest editors are the conference organizers Roberto A. Scasso and José I. Cuitiño. Gerardo M. Perillo was the head of the Scientific Committee. The conferences on tidal sedimentology have been traditionally held every 4 years. However, only 3 years separated the last conference held in Caen (France, 2012) from this conference. Increasing numbers of contributions and the growing interest in tidal sedimentation have been the reasons for shortening the inter-conference period. The 2015 conference served as a discussion forum focusing on advances in modern and ancient tidal sedimentation at different locations worldwide. The papers presented in this Special Issue provide a selective view of the latest research results, the main topics dealing with tidal hydrodynamics and sediment transport, tidal coastal morphodynamics, modern and ancient tidal sedimentation, geotechnical processes in tidal environments, and tidal basins, facies and reservoirs.

Methicillin resistant S. aureus in human and bovine mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Mark A; Zadoks, Ruth N

2011-12-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous organism that causes a variety of diseases including mastitis in cattle and humans. High-level resistance of S. aureus to β-lactams conferred by a mecA gene encoding a modified penicillin binding protein (PBP2a) was first observed in the early 1960's. These methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have been responsible for both hospital acquired infections (HA-MRSA) and, more recently, community acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA). A small number of human MRSA mastitis cases and outbreaks in maternity or neonatal units have been reported which are generally the result of CA-MRSA. The establishment of the sequence type 398 (ST398) in farm animals, primarily pigs, in the early 2000's has provided a reservoir of infection for humans and dairy cattle, particularly in continental Europe, described as livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA). Prior to the emergence of ST398 there were sporadic reports of MRSA in bovine milk and cases of mastitis, often caused by strains from human associated lineages. Subsequently, there have been several reports describing bovine udder infections caused by ST-398 MRSA. Recently, another group of LA-MRSA strains was discovered in humans and dairy cattle in Europe. This group carries a divergent mecA gene and includes a number of S. aureus lineages (CC130, ST425, and CC1943) that were hitherto thought to be bovine-specific but are now also found as carriage or clinical isolates in humans. The emergence of MRSA in dairy cattle may be associated with contact with other host species, as in the case of ST398, or with the exchange of genetic material between S. aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus species, which are the most common species associated with bovine intramammary infections and commonly carry antimicrobial resistance determinants.

Index to conference titles; selected conferences cited in the ERDA data base 1972--1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardin, N.E.; McGinnis, D.H.

1977-08-01

This publication cites energy-related conferences, meetings, symposia, and congresses within the programmatic interests of the Energy Research and Development Administration. It supplements and overlaps Index to Conferences Assigned CONF-Numbers by the Technical Information Center, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (TID-4045), citing conferences held since January 1, 1972, and assigned a number in the CONF report number series. The Index contains two computer-produced listings, a KWIC (Key-Word-In-Context) index of the conference location and title and a listing numerically arranged by CONF number and providing location, date, and title information for each conference

Novel types of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec elements identified in clonal complex 398 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, S.; Skov, R.L.; Han, X.; Larsen, A.R.; Larsen, J.; Sorum, M.; Wulf, M.; Voss, A.; Hiramatsu, K.; Ito, T.

2011-01-01

The structures of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements carried by 31 clonal complex 398 (CC398) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from the participants at a conference were analyzed. The SCCmecs were classified into novel types, namely, IX, X,

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Ethiopia: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eshetie, Setegn; Tarekegn, Fentahun; Moges, Feleke; Amsalu, Anteneh; Birhan, Wubet; Huruy, Kahsay

2016-11-21

The burden of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major public health concern worldwide; however the overall epidemiology of multidrug resistant strains is neither coordinated nor harmonized, particularly in developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the burden of methicillin resistant Staphylococcos aureus and its antibiotic resistance pattern in Ethiopia at large. PubMed, Google Scholar, and lancet databases were searched and a total of 20 studies have been selected for meta-analysis. Six authors have independently extracts data on the prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Statistical analysis was achieved by using Open meta-analyst (version 3.13) and Comprehensive meta-analysis (version 3.3) softwares. The overall prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its antibiotic resistance pattern were pooled by using the forest plot, table and figure with 95% CI. The pooled prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 32.5% (95% CI, 24.1 to 40.9%). Moreover, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were found to be highly resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and amoxicillin, with a pooled resistance ratio of 99.1, 98.1, 97.2 and 97.1%, respectively. On the other hand, comparably low levels of resistance ratio were noted to vancomycin, 5.3%. The overall burden of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is considerably high, besides these strains showed extreme resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin and amoxicillin. In principle, appropriate use of antibiotics, applying safety precautions are the key to reduce the spread of multidrug resistant strains, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in particular.

Identification of genes involved in polysaccharide-independent Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blaise R Boles

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a potent biofilm former on host tissue and medical implants, and biofilm growth is a critical virulence determinant for chronic infections. Recent studies suggest that many clinical isolates form polysaccharide-independent biofilms. However, a systematic screen for defective mutants has not been performed to identify factors important for biofilm formation in these strains. We created a library of 14,880 mariner transposon mutants in a S. aureus strain that generates a proteinaceous and extracellular DNA based biofilm matrix. The library was screened for biofilm defects and 31 transposon mutants conferred a reproducible phenotype. In the pool, 16 mutants overproduced extracellular proteases and the protease inhibitor alpha(2-macroglobulin restored biofilm capacity to 13 of these mutants. The other 15 mutants in the pool displayed normal protease levels and had defects in genes involved in autolysis, osmoregulation, or uncharacterized membrane proteins. Two transposon mutants of interest in the GraRS two-component system and a putative inositol monophosphatase were confirmed in a flow cell biofilm model, genetically complemented, and further verified in a community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA isolate. Collectively, our screen for biofilm defective mutants identified novel loci involved in S. aureus biofilm formation and underscored the importance of extracellular protease activity and autolysis in biofilm development.

Whole animal automated platform for drug discovery against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajmohan Rajamuthiah

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States, is also pathogenic to the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The C. elegans-S. aureus infection model was previously carried out on solid agar plates where the bacteriovorous C. elegans feeds on a lawn of S. aureus. However, agar-based assays are not amenable to large scale screens for antibacterial compounds. We have developed a high throughput liquid screening assay that uses robotic instrumentation to dispense a precise amount of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA and worms in 384-well assay plates, followed by automated microscopy and image analysis. In validation of the liquid assay, an MRSA cell wall defective mutant, MW2ΔtarO, which is attenuated for killing in the agar-based assay, was found to be less virulent in the liquid assay. This robust assay with a Z'-factor consistently greater than 0.5 was utilized to screen the Biomol 4 compound library consisting of 640 small molecules with well characterized bioactivities. As proof of principle, 27 of the 30 clinically used antibiotics present in the library conferred increased C. elegans survival and were identified as hits in the screen. Surprisingly, the antihelminthic drug closantel was also identified as a hit in the screen. In further studies, we confirmed the anti-staphylococcal activity of closantel against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates and other Gram-positive bacteria. The liquid C. elegans-S. aureus assay described here allows screening for anti-staphylococcal compounds that are not toxic to the host.

Whole animal automated platform for drug discovery against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamuthiah, Rajmohan; Fuchs, Beth Burgwyn; Jayamani, Elamparithi; Kim, Younghoon; Larkins-Ford, Jonah; Conery, Annie; Ausubel, Frederick M; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States, is also pathogenic to the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The C. elegans-S. aureus infection model was previously carried out on solid agar plates where the bacteriovorous C. elegans feeds on a lawn of S. aureus. However, agar-based assays are not amenable to large scale screens for antibacterial compounds. We have developed a high throughput liquid screening assay that uses robotic instrumentation to dispense a precise amount of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and worms in 384-well assay plates, followed by automated microscopy and image analysis. In validation of the liquid assay, an MRSA cell wall defective mutant, MW2ΔtarO, which is attenuated for killing in the agar-based assay, was found to be less virulent in the liquid assay. This robust assay with a Z'-factor consistently greater than 0.5 was utilized to screen the Biomol 4 compound library consisting of 640 small molecules with well characterized bioactivities. As proof of principle, 27 of the 30 clinically used antibiotics present in the library conferred increased C. elegans survival and were identified as hits in the screen. Surprisingly, the antihelminthic drug closantel was also identified as a hit in the screen. In further studies, we confirmed the anti-staphylococcal activity of closantel against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates and other Gram-positive bacteria. The liquid C. elegans-S. aureus assay described here allows screening for anti-staphylococcal compounds that are not toxic to the host.

Vaccination against Staphylococcus aureus experimental endocarditis using recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing ClfA or FnbpA.

Science.gov (United States)

Veloso, Tiago Rafael; Mancini, Stefano; Giddey, Marlyse; Vouillamoz, Jacques; Que, Yok-Ai; Moreillon, Philippe; Entenza, José Manuel

2015-07-09

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of serious infections in humans and animals and a vaccine is becoming a necessity. Lactococcus lactis is a non-pathogenic bacterium that can be used as a vector for the delivery of antigens. We investigated the ability of non-living L. lactis heterologously expressing S. aureus clumping factor A (ClfA) and fibronectin-binding protein A (FnbpA), alone or together, to elicit an immune response in rats and protect them from S. aureus experimental infective endocarditis (IE). L. lactis ClfA was used for immunization against S. aureus Newman (expressing ClfA but not FnbpA), while L. lactis ClfA, L. lactis FnbpA, as well as L. lactis ClfA/FnbpA, were used against S. aureus P8 (expressing ClfA and FnbpA). Vaccination of rats with L. lactis ClfA elicited antibodies that inhibited binding of S. aureus Newman to fibrinogen, triggered the production of IL-17A and conferred protection to 13/19 (68%) of the animals from IE (Plactis ClfA, L. lactis FnbpA or L. lactis ClfA/FnbpA also produced antibodies against the target proteins, but these did not prevent binding of S. aureus P8 to fibrinogen or fibronectin and did not protect animals against S. aureus P8 IE. Moreover, immunization with constructs containing FnbpA did not increase IL-17A production. These results indicate that L. lactis is a valuable antigen delivery system able to elicit efficient humoral and cellular responses. However, the most appropriate antigens affording protection against S. aureus IE are yet to be elucidated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combining use of a panel of ssDNA aptamers in the detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xiaoxiao; Li, Shaohua; Chen, Liucun; Ding, Hongmei; Xu, Hua; Huang, Yanping; Li, Jie; Liu, Nongle; Cao, Weihong; Zhu, Yanjun; Shen, Beifen; Shao, Ningsheng

2009-08-01

In this article, a panel of ssDNA aptamers specific to Staphylococcus aureus was obtained by a whole bacterium-based SELEX procedure and applied to probing S. aureus. After several rounds of selection with S. aureus as the target and Streptococcus and S. epidermidis as counter targets, the highly enriched oligonucleic acid pool was sequenced and then grouped under different families on the basis of the homology of the primary sequence and the similarity of the secondary structure. Eleven sequences from different families were selected for further characterization by confocal imaging and flow cytometry analysis. Results showed that five aptamers demonstrated high specificity and affinity to S. aureus individually. The five aptamers recognize different molecular targets by competitive experiment. Combining these five aptamers had a much better effect than the individual aptamer in the recognition of different S. aureus strains. In addition, the combined aptamers can probe single S. aureus in pyogenic fluids. Our work demonstrates that a set of aptamers specific to one bacterium can be used in combination for the identification of the bacterium instead of a single aptamer.

Effect of Promoter Region Mutations and mgrA Overexpression on Transcription of norA, Which Encodes a Staphylococcus aureus Multidrug Efflux Transporter

OpenAIRE

Kaatz, Glenn W.; Thyagarajan, Rama V.; Seo, Susan M.

2005-01-01

NorA is a Staphylococcus aureus multidrug transporter that confers resistance to structurally distinct compounds. The MgrA global regulatory protein is reported to augment norA expression when mgrA is overexpressed from an undefined plasmid-based promoter. Further details about norA regulatory mechanisms are scant. A chromosomal norA::lacZ transcriptional fusion was constructed in different S. aureus strains, and allele replacement was used to define the relevance of promoter region sequences...

Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantosti, Annalisa; Sanchini, Andrea; Monaco, Monica

2007-06-01

Staphylococcus aureus can exemplify better than any other human pathogen the adaptive evolution of bacteria in the antibiotic era, as it has demonstrated a unique ability to quickly respond to each new antibiotic with the development of a resistance mechanism, starting with penicillin and methicillin, until the most recent, linezolid and daptomycin. Resistance mechanisms include enzymatic inactivation of the antibiotic (penicillinase and aminoglycoside-modification enzymes), alteration of the target with decreased affinity for the antibiotic (notable examples being penicillin-binding protein 2a of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and D-Ala-D-Lac of peptidoglycan precursors of vancomycin-resistant strains), trapping of the antibiotic (for vancomycin and possibly daptomycin) and efflux pumps (fluoroquinolones and tetracycline). Complex genetic arrays (staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec elements or the vanA operon) have been acquired by S. aureus through horizontal gene transfer, while resistance to other antibiotics, including some of the most recent ones (e.g., fluoroquinolones, linezolid and daptomycin) have developed through spontaneous mutations and positive selection. Detection of the resistance mechanisms and their genetic basis is an important support to antibiotic susceptibility surveillance in S. aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus in the community: colonization versus infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maureen Miller

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections have increased dramatically in the community, yet S. aureus nasal colonization has remained stable. The objectives of this study were to determine if S. aureus colonization is a useful proxy measure to study disease transmission and infection in community settings, and to identify potential community reservoirs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Randomly selected households in Northern Manhattan, completed a structured social network questionnaire and provided nasal swabs that were typed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis to identify S. aureus colonizing strains. The main outcome measures were: 1 colonization with S. aureus; and 2 recent serious skin infection. Risk factor analyses were conducted at both the individual and the household levels; logistic regression models identified independent risks for household colonization and infection. RESULTS: 321 surveyed households contained 914 members. The S. aureus prevalence was 25% and MRSA was 0.4%. More than 40% of households were colonized. Recent antibiotic use was the only significant correlate for household colonization (p = .002. Seventy-eight (24% households reported serious skin infection. In contrast with colonization, five of the six risk factors that increased the risk of skin infection in the household at the univariate level remained independently significant in multivariable analysis: international travel, sports participation, surgery, antibiotic use and towel sharing. S. aureus colonization was not significantly associated with serious skin infection in any analysis. Among multiperson households with more than one person colonized, 50% carried the same strain. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The lack of association between S. aureus nasal colonization and serious skin infection underscores the need to explore alternative venues or body sites that may be crucial to transmission. Moreover, the magnitude of colonization and

[Using new media for online consensus conferences and open external review of guidelines - results of two pilot studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Nast, Alexander; Rosumeck, Stefanie; Sporbeck, Birte; Rzany, Berthold

2012-01-01

The development of guidelines almost always requires considerable time and financial resources. An important task is therefore to identify and evaluate online methods that facilitate guideline work. ONLINE CONSENSUS CONFERENCE: During the development of the S2k guideline for the management of staphylococcus aureus infections an online consensus conference was held using an online tool provided by the Deutsche Forschungsnetz in combination with a telephone conference. During the 2-hour meeting, no technical difficulties occurred. A survey among the participants showed that this format had a high rate of acceptance. ONLINE REVIEW: During the development of the update of the German S3-Guidelines for the therapy of psoriasis an external open review was performed. An online platform allowing direct visible commenting was chosen. During the five week period of commenting, 26 users added 160 comments. After the review process, the comments were assessed by the editors and the original authors. The selected instrument provides a suitable means for online commenting of guidelines and facilitates the revision of the text. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Metastatic Spreading of Community Acquired Staphylococcus aureus Bacteraemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanna Fabio

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A 29-year-old woman presented to the Fondazione IRCCS “Cà Granda” Ospedale Maggiore, a tertiary care university hospital in Milan (Italy, with skin lesions, fever, myalgia, joint pain and swelling, and a one-week history of low back pain. The diagnosis was Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus bacteraemia spreading to skin, bones, and joints and a lumbosacral epidural abscess L5-S2. Neither initial focus nor predisposing conditions were apparent. The antibiotic therapy was prolonged for six-weeks with the resolution of fever, skin lesions, articular inflammation, and the epidural abscess. Community-acquired S. aureus infections can affect patients without traditional healthcare-associated risk factors, and community acquisition is a risk-factor for the development of complications. Raised awareness of S. aureus bacteraemia, also in patients without healthcare-associated risk factors, is important in the diagnosis, management, and control of this infection, because failure to recognise patients with serious infection and lack of understanding of empirical antimicrobial selection are associated with a high mortality rate in otherwise healthy people.

4. All-Russian (international) scientific conference. Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules. Collection of reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baranov, V.Yu.; Kolesnikov, Yu.A.

1999-01-01

The reports of the 4. All-Russian (international) scientific conference: Physicochemical processes during selection of atoms and molecules, are presented. The conference took place in Zvenigorod, 4-8 October, 1999. Contents of the reports are the following: laser isotope separation of molecules and atoms; isotopic selection of molecules and atoms in the field of centrifugal forces; selection of molecules by means of rectification and isotopic exchange methods; separation of isotopes by ion cyclotron-resonance method, in electric discharge and electromagnetic field; change in physical properties of substances which variation of their natural isotopic composition; use of isotopes in pharmacy preparation; status of experimental and diagnostic technique; certain promising methods of selection of atoms and molecules. The problems of laser separation of uranium isotopes, separation of carbon isotopes by multi-photon selective dissociation are discussed. The procedures permitting production of isotopes with high concentration and efficiency are developed [ru

FabH Mutations Confer Resistance to FabF-Directed Antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Parsons, Joshua B.; Yao, Jiangwei; Frank, Matthew W.; Rock, Charles O.

2014-01-01

Delineating the mechanisms for genetically acquired antibiotic resistance is a robust approach to target validation and anticipates the evolution of clinical drug resistance. This study defines a spectrum of mutations in fabH that render Staphylococcus aureus resistant to multiple natural products known to inhibit the elongation condensing enzyme (FabF) of bacterial type II fatty acid synthesis. Twenty independently isolated clones resistant to platensimycin, platencin, or thiolactomycin were...

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in Shrimps in Tehran during 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mehdi Soltan Dallal

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background During fishing and transport, preservation and quality of fish products are importantas well as storage to prevent the growth of pathogenic and toxin producing bacteria.Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of sea food-borne diseases worldwidedue to contamination of food by preformed enterotoxins. The aim of this study was to compare theprevalence and contamination of S. aureus in marine and farmed shrimps in Tehran fishery center.Methods: A total of 300 samples, including 150 marine, 150 farmed shrimps were selected duringSeptember 2013 to December 2013. Isolation and identification of S. aureus from isolated sampleswere carried out according to conventional methods, and antibiotic susceptibility test wasperformed by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion methodResults: The results of this study showed that 30% of marine and 20% off armed shrimps werecontaminated with S. aureus. The highest resistance was observed with penicillin and ampicillin,whereas 100% were sensitive to vancomycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, and rifampin.Conclusions: Due to relatively high contamination of shrimp by S. aureus more attention shouldbe given during processing and manufacturing.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in Shrimps in Tehran during 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mehdi Soltan Dallal

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background During fishing and transport, preservation and quality of fish products are importantas well as storage to prevent the growth of pathogenic and toxin producing bacteria.Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of sea food-borne diseases worldwidedue to contamination of food by preformed enterotoxins. The aim of this study was to compare theprevalence and contamination of S. aureus in marine and farmed shrimps in Tehran fishery center.Methods: A total of 300 samples, including 150 marine, 150 farmed shrimps were selected duringSeptember 2013 to December 2014. Isolation and identification of S. aureus from isolated sampleswere carried out according to conventional methods, and antibiotic susceptibility test wasperformed by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.Results: The results of this study showed that 30% of marine and 20% off armed shrimps werecontaminated with S. aureus. The highest resistance was observed with penicillin and ampicillin,whereas 100% were sensitive to vancomycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, and rifampin.Conclusions: Due to relatively high contamination of shrimp by S. aureus more attention shouldbe given during processing and manufacturing.

Computational Intelligence : International Joint Conference

CERN Document Server

Rosa, Agostinho; Cadenas, José; Dourado, António; Madani, Kurosh; Filipe, Joaquim

2016-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the sixth International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2014), held in Rome, Italy, from 22 to 24 October 2014. The conference was composed by three co-located conferences:  The International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications (ECTA), the International Conference on Fuzzy Computation Theory and Applications (FCTA), and the International Conference on Neural Computation Theory and Applications (NCTA). Recent progresses in scientific developments and applications in these three areas are reported in this book. IJCCI received 210 submissions, from 51 countries, in all continents. After a double blind paper review performed by the Program Committee, 15% were accepted as full papers and thus selected for oral presentation. Additional papers were accepted as short papers and posters. A further selection was made after the Conference, based also on the assessment of presentation quality and audience in...

A single-stranded DNA aptamer that selectively binds to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B.

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrasse, Jeffrey A

2012-01-01

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is a common foodborne pathogen capable of secreting a cocktail of small, stable, and strain-specific, staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) results when improperly handled food contaminated with SEs is consumed. Gastrointestinal symptoms of SFP include emesis, diarrhea and severe abdominal pain, which manifest within hours of ingesting contaminated food. Immuno-affinity based methods directly detect, identify, and quantify several SEs within a food or clinical sample. However, the success of these assays depends upon the availability of a monoclonal antibody, the development of which is non-trivial and costly. The current scope of the available immuno-affinity based methods is limited to the classical SEs and does not encompass all of the known or emergent SEs. In contrast to antibodies, aptamers are short nucleic acids that exhibit high affinity and specificity for their targets without the high-costs and ethical concerns of animal husbandry. Further, researchers may choose to freely distribute aptamers and develop assays without the proprietary issues that increase the per-sample cost of immuno-affinity assays. This study describes a novel aptamer, selected in vitro, with affinity to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) that may be used in lieu of antibodies in SE detection assays. The aptamer, designated APT(SEB1), successfully isolates SEB from a complex mixture of SEs with extremely high discrimination. This work sets the foundation for future aptamer and assay development towards the entire family of SEs. The rapid, robust, and low-cost identification and quantification of all of the SEs in S. aureus contaminated food is essential for food safety and epidemiological efforts. An in vitro generated library of SE aptamers could potentially allow for the comprehensive and cost-effective analysis of food samples that immuno-affinity assays currently cannot provide.

A single-stranded DNA aptamer that selectively binds to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey A DeGrasse

Full Text Available The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is a common foodborne pathogen capable of secreting a cocktail of small, stable, and strain-specific, staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs. Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP results when improperly handled food contaminated with SEs is consumed. Gastrointestinal symptoms of SFP include emesis, diarrhea and severe abdominal pain, which manifest within hours of ingesting contaminated food. Immuno-affinity based methods directly detect, identify, and quantify several SEs within a food or clinical sample. However, the success of these assays depends upon the availability of a monoclonal antibody, the development of which is non-trivial and costly. The current scope of the available immuno-affinity based methods is limited to the classical SEs and does not encompass all of the known or emergent SEs. In contrast to antibodies, aptamers are short nucleic acids that exhibit high affinity and specificity for their targets without the high-costs and ethical concerns of animal husbandry. Further, researchers may choose to freely distribute aptamers and develop assays without the proprietary issues that increase the per-sample cost of immuno-affinity assays. This study describes a novel aptamer, selected in vitro, with affinity to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB that may be used in lieu of antibodies in SE detection assays. The aptamer, designated APT(SEB1, successfully isolates SEB from a complex mixture of SEs with extremely high discrimination. This work sets the foundation for future aptamer and assay development towards the entire family of SEs. The rapid, robust, and low-cost identification and quantification of all of the SEs in S. aureus contaminated food is essential for food safety and epidemiological efforts. An in vitro generated library of SE aptamers could potentially allow for the comprehensive and cost-effective analysis of food samples that immuno-affinity assays currently cannot provide.

Discovery of a 1,2-bis(3-indolyl)ethane that selectively inhibits the pyruvate kinase of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus over human isoforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoraghi, Roya; Campbell, Sara; Kim, Catrina; Dullaghan, Edie M; Blair, Lachlan M; Gillard, Rachel M; Reiner, Neil E; Sperry, Jonathan

2014-11-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pyruvate kinase (MRSA PK) has recently been identified as a target for development of novel antibacterial agents. Testing a series of 1,2-bis(3-indolyl)ethanes against MRSA PK has led to the discovery of a potent inhibitor that is selective over human isoforms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shedding of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from adult and pediatric bathers in marine waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinigalliano Christopher D

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus, MRSA, are human colonizing bacteria that commonly cause opportunistic infections primarily involving the skin in otherwise healthy individuals. These infections have been linked to close contact and sharing of common facilities such as locker rooms, schools and prisons Waterborne exposure and transmission routes have not been traditionally associated with S. aureus infections. Coastal marine waters and beaches used for recreation are potential locations for the combination of high numbers of people with close contact and therefore could contribute to the exposure to and infection by these organisms. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and characteristics of the shedding of methicillin sensitive S. aureus, MSSA and MRSA by human bathers in marine waters. Results Nasal cultures were collected from bathers, and water samples were collected from two sets of pools designed to isolate and quantify MSSA and MRSA shed by adults and toddlers during exposure to marine water. A combination of selective growth media and biochemical and polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to identify and perform limited characterization of the S. aureus isolated from the water and the participants. Twelve of 15 MRSA isolates collected from the water had identical genetic characteristics as the organisms isolated from the participants exposed to that water while the remaining 3 MRSA were without matching nasal isolates from participants. The amount of S. aureus shed per person corresponded to 105 to 106 CFU per person per 15-minute bathing period, with 15 to 20% of this quantity testing positive for MRSA. Conclusions This is the first report of a comparison of human colonizing organisms with bacteria from human exposed marine water attempting to confirm that participants shed their own colonizing MSSA and MRSA into their bathing milieu. These findings clearly

Cyclic peptide inhibitors of the β-sliding clamp in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjelstrup, Susanne; Hansen, Paula Melo Paulon; Thomsen, Line Elnif

2013-01-01

Interaction between pairs of Staphylococcus aureus replication proteins was detected in an Escherichia coli based two-hybrid analysis. A reverse two-hybrid system was constructed for selection of compounds that hindered interaction between interacting protein pairs. A number of cyclic peptides, f....... The minimum inhibitory concentration was ∼50 μg/ml for S. aureus cells. These compounds may serve as lead candidates for future development into novel classes of antibiotics as well as provide information on the function of the S. aureus replication process....

Relationship and susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus infection diabetic foot ulcers with Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage.

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Aza Bahadeen

2013-03-01

Staphylococcus aureus is the main cause of diabetic foot infection with the patient's endogenous flora as the principal source. Nasal carriage of S. aureus has been identified as an important risk factor for the acquisition of diabetic foot infections. The study assessment the associations of S. aureus with methicillin resistant S. aureus were isolation from diabetic foot infection and nasal carriage of the same patients and their antibiotic susceptibility profile. Diagnosis of S. aureus and methicillin resistant S. aureus were carried out by using standard procedures. Antibiotic sensitivity profiles were determent by breakpoint dilution method. Out of 222 S. aureus isolation, 139 (62.61%) were isolated from the diabetic foot and 83 (37.39%) from the nasal carriage. Seventy one (30.87%) of the patients were S. aureus infection diabetic foot with nasal carriage. Among diabetic foot infection and nasal carriage patients, 40.85% of S. aureus were considered as methicillin resistant S. aureus. Rifampicin (96.40%) and Levofloxacin (91.44%) were active against S. aureus. Patients at strong risk for methicillin resistant S. aureus nasal carriage and subsequent diabetic foot infection with high resistance to antibiotics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dehydrosqualene Desaturase as a Novel Target for Anti-Virulence Therapy against Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Peng; Davies, Julian; Kao, Richard Yi Tsun

2017-09-05

Staphylococcus aureus , especially methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a life-threatening pathogen in hospital- and community-acquired infections. The golden-colored carotenoid pigment of S. aureus , staphyloxanthin, contributes to the resistance to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and host neutrophil-based killing. Here, we describe a novel inhibitor (NP16) of S. aureus pigment production that reduces the survival of S. aureus under oxidative stress conditions. Carotenoid components analysis, enzyme inhibition, and crtN mutational studies indicated that the molecular target of NP16 is dehydrosqualene desaturase (CrtN). S. aureus treated with NP16 showed increased susceptibility to human neutrophil killing and to innate immune clearance in a mouse infection model. Our study validates CrtN as a novel druggable target in S. aureus and presents a potent and effective lead compound for the development of virulence factor-based therapy against S. aureus IMPORTANCE S. aureus staphyloxanthin contributes substantially to pathogenesis by interfering with host immune clearance mechanisms, but it has little impact on ex vivo survival of the bacterium. Agents blocking staphyloxanthin production may discourage the establishment and maintenance of bacterial infection without exerting selective pressure for antimicrobial resistance. Our newly discovered CrtN inhibitor, NP16, may offer an effective strategy for combating S. aureus infections. Copyright © 2017 Gao et al.

Poly-N-acetylglucosamine production in Staphylococcus aureus is essential for virulence in murine models of systemic infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kropec, Andrea; Maira-Litran, Tomas; Jefferson, Kimberly K; Grout, Martha; Cramton, Sarah E; Götz, Friedrich; Goldmann, Donald A; Pier, Gerald B

2005-10-01

The contribution of the Staphylococcus aureus surface polysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) to virulence was evaluated in three mouse models of systemic infection: bacteremia, renal abscess formation, and lethality following high-dose intraperitoneal (i.p.) infection. Deletion of the intercellular adhesin (ica) locus that encodes the biosynthetic enzymes for PNAG production in S. aureus strains Mn8, Newman, and NCTC 10833 resulted in mutant strains with significantly reduced abilities to maintain bacterial levels in blood following intravenous or i.p. injection, to spread systemically to the kidneys following i.p. injection, or to induce a moribund/lethal state following i.p. infection. In the bacteremia model, neither growth phase nor growth medium used to prepare the S. aureus inoculum affected the conclusion that PNAG production was needed for full virulence. As the SarA regulatory protein has been shown to affect ica transcription, PNAG synthesis, and biofilm formation, we also evaluated S. aureus strains Mn8 and 10833 deleted for the sarA gene in the renal infection model. A decrease in PNAG production was seen in sarA mutants using immunoblots of cell surface extracts but was insufficient to reduce the virulence of sarA-deleted strains in this model. S. aureus strains deleted for the ica genes were much more susceptible to antibody-independent opsonic killing involving human peripheral blood leukocytes and rabbit complement. Thus, PNAG confers on S. aureus resistance to killing mediated by these innate host immune mediators. Overall, PNAG production by S. aureus appears to be a critical virulence factor as assessed in murine models of systemic infection.

Computational Intelligence : International Joint Conference

CERN Document Server

Dourado, António; Rosa, Agostinho; Filipe, Joaquim; Kacprzyk, Janusz

2016-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the fifth International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2013), held in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, from 20 to 22 September 2013. The conference was composed by three co-located conferences:  The International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications (ECTA), the International Conference on Fuzzy Computation Theory and Applications (FCTA), and the International Conference on Neural Computation Theory and Applications (NCTA). Recent progresses in scientific developments and applications in these three areas are reported in this book. IJCCI received 111 submissions, from 30 countries, in all continents. After a double blind paper review performed by the Program Committee, only 24 submissions were accepted as full papers and thus selected for oral presentation, leading to a full paper acceptance ratio of 22%. Additional papers were accepted as short papers and posters. A further selection was made after ...

The ability of S.aureus to form biofilm on the Ti-6Al-7Nb scaffolds produced by Selective Laser Melting and subjected to the different types of surface modifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Szymczyk, Patrycja; Junka, Adam; Ziółkowski, Grzegorz; Smutnicka, Danuta; Bartoszewicz, Marzenna; Chlebus, Edward

2013-01-01

The Gram-positive coccus, Staphylococcus aureus, is the leading etiologic agent of limb and life-threatening biofilm-related infections in the patients following the orthopaedic implantations. The aim of the present paper is to estimate the ability of S. aureus to form biofilm on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-7Nb) scaffolds produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and subjected to the different types of surface modifications, including ultrasonic cleaning and chemical polishing. The results obtained indicate significantly the decreased ability of S.aureus to form biofilm on the surface of scaffolds subjected to the chemical polishing in comparison to the scaffolds cleaned ultrasonically. The data provided can be useful for future applications of the SLM technology in production of Ti-6Al-7Nb medical implants.

Computational Biology Support: RECOMB Conference Series (Conference Support)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Waterman

2006-06-15

This funding was support for student and postdoctoral attendance at the Annual Recomb Conference from 2001 to 2005. The RECOMB Conference series was founded in 1997 to provide a scientific forum for theoretical advances in computational biology and their applications in molecular biology and medicine. The conference series aims at attracting research contributions in all areas of computational molecular biology. Typical, but not exclusive, the topics of interest are: Genomics, Molecular sequence analysis, Recognition of genes and regulatory elements, Molecular evolution, Protein structure, Structural genomics, Gene Expression, Gene Networks, Drug Design, Combinatorial libraries, Computational proteomics, and Structural and functional genomics. The origins of the conference came from the mathematical and computational side of the field, and there remains to be a certain focus on computational advances. However, the effective use of computational techniques to biological innovation is also an important aspect of the conference. The conference had a growing number of attendees, topping 300 in recent years and often exceeding 500. The conference program includes between 30 and 40 contributed papers, that are selected by a international program committee with around 30 experts during a rigorous review process rivaling the editorial procedure for top-rate scientific journals. In previous years papers selection has been made from up to 130--200 submissions from well over a dozen countries. 10-page extended abstracts of the contributed papers are collected in a volume published by ACM Press and Springer, and are available at the conference. Full versions of a selection of the papers are published annually in a special issue of the Journal of Computational Biology devoted to the RECOMB Conference. A further point in the program is a lively poster session. From 120-300 posters have been presented each year at RECOMB 2000. One of the highlights of each RECOMB conference is a

Antimicrobial Mechanisms of Macrophages and the Immune Evasion Strategies of Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Flannagan, Ronald S.; Heit, Bryan; Heinrichs, David E.

2015-01-01

Habitually professional phagocytes, including macrophages, eradicate microbial invaders from the human body without overt signs of infection. Despite this, there exist select bacteria that are professional pathogens, causing significant morbidity and mortality across the globe and Staphylococcus aureus is no exception. S. aureus is a highly successful pathogen that can infect virtually every tissue that comprises the human body causing a broad spectrum of diseases. The profound pathogenic capacity of S. aureus can be attributed, in part, to its ability to elaborate a profusion of bacterial effectors that circumvent host immunity. Macrophages are important professional phagocytes that contribute to both the innate and adaptive immune response, however from in vitro and in vivo studies, it is evident that they fail to eradicate S. aureus. This review provides an overview of the antimicrobial mechanisms employed by macrophages to combat bacteria and describes the immune evasion strategies and some representative effectors that enable S. aureus to evade macrophage-mediated killing. PMID:26633519

Genetic characterization of plasmid pRJ5 of Staphylococcus aureus compared to plasmid pE194

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, S.S. de; Freire Bastos, M.C. de

1993-01-01

The pRJ5, a naturally occurring constitutive macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin B (MLS) resistance plasmid of Staphylococcus aureus, was compared to pE194, a plasmid that confers the inducible phenotype. pRJ5 was stable in all strains of S. aureus tested, even under growth at 43 O C, which distinguished it from pE194 which was shown to be thermo-sensitive for replication. pRJ5, like pE194, was highly unstable in Bacillus subtilis when the cells were grown in nonselective conditions. Multimeric forms of pRJ5 DNA were detected in the few cells of B. subtilis that retained this plasmid. pE194 was transduced by phages φ 11 and φ 443 at frequencies 400 and 20-fold higher, respectively, than pRJ5. Both plasmids were co-transduced with the plasmid pRJ4. pRJ5 was shown to be compatible with pE194. Therefore they belong to distinct Inc groups. Hybridization studies revealed that pRJ5 shares a 1.35 kb region of homology to pE194, which is limited to the erm gene, conferring MLS resistance. (author)

Humanized Mouse Models of Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dane Parker

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a successful human pathogen that has adapted itself in response to selection pressure by the human immune system. A commensal of the human skin and nose, it is a leading cause of several conditions: skin and soft tissue infection, pneumonia, septicemia, peritonitis, bacteremia, and endocarditis. Mice have been used extensively in all these conditions to identify virulence factors and host components important for pathogenesis. Although significant effort has gone toward development of an anti-staphylococcal vaccine, antibodies have proven ineffective in preventing infection in humans after successful studies in mice. These results have raised questions as to the utility of mice to predict patient outcome and suggest that humanized mice might prove useful in modeling infection. The development of humanized mouse models of S. aureus infection will allow us to assess the contribution of several human-specific virulence factors, in addition to exploring components of the human immune system in protection against S. aureus infection. Their use is discussed in light of several recently reported studies.

First identification of boronic species as novel potential inhibitors of the Staphylococcus aureus NorA efflux pump.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, Fanny; Hequet, Arnaud; Voisin-Chiret, Anne-Sophie; Bouillon, Alexandre; Lesnard, Aurélien; Cresteil, Thierry; Jolivalt, Claude; Rault, Sylvain

2014-03-27

Overexpression of efflux pumps is an important mechanism of bacterial resistance that results in the extrusion of antimicrobial agents outside the bacterial cell. Inhibition of such pumps appears to be a promising strategy that could restore the potency of existing antibiotics. The NorA efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus confers resistance to a wide range of unrelated substrates, such as hydrophilic fluoroquinolones, leading to a multidrug-resistance phenotype. In this work, approximately 150 heterocyclic boronic species were evaluated for their activity against susceptible and resistant strains of S. aureus. Twenty-four hit compounds, although inactive when tested alone, were found to potentiate ciprofloxacin activity by a 4-fold increase at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 8 μg/mL against S. aureus 1199B, which overexpresses NorA. Boron-free analogues showed no biological activity, thus revealing that the boron atom is crucial for biological activity. This work describes the first reported efflux pump inhibitory activity of boronic acid derivatives.

Mild Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infection Improves the Course of Subsequent Endogenous S. aureus Bacteremia in Mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanne van den Berg

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus carriers with S. aureus bacteremia may have a reduced mortality risk compared to non-carriers. A role for the immune system is suggested. Here, we study in mice the effect of mild S. aureus skin infection prior to endogenous or exogenous S. aureus bacteremia, and evaluate protection in relation to anti-staphylococcal antibody levels. Skin infections once or twice by a clinical S. aureus isolate (isolate P or S. aureus strain 8325-4 were induced in mice free of S. aureus and anti-staphylococcal antibodies. Five weeks later, immunoglobulin G (IgG levels in blood against 25 S. aureus antigens were determined, and LD50 or LD100 bacteremia caused by S. aureus isolate P was induced. S. aureus skin infections led to elevated levels of anti-staphylococcal IgG in blood. One skin infection improved the course of subsequent severe endogenous bacteremia only. A second skin infection further improved animal survival rate, which was associated with increased pre-bacteremia IgG levels against Efb, IsaA, LukD, LukE, Nuc, PrsA and WTA. In conclusion, S. aureus isolate P skin infection in mice reduces the severity of subsequent endogenous S. aureus bacteremia only. Although cellular immune effects cannot be rules out, anti-staphylococcal IgG against specified antigens may contribute to this effect.

Genome-wide association study reveals a locus for nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in Danish crossbred pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skallerup, Per; Gongora, Carmen Espinosa; Jørgensen, Claus Bøttcher

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is an important human opportunistic pathogen residing on skin and mucosae of healthy people. Pigs have been identified as a source of human colonization and infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and novel measures are needed to control......-pathogen interaction seems to be independent of S. aureus genotype. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest it may be possible to select pigs genetically resistant to S. aureus nasal colonization as a tool to control transmission of livestock-associated MRSA to humans....

Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Suo, Yujuan; Zhang, Daofeng; Jin, Fangning; Zhao, Hang; Shi, Chunlei

2018-01-01

Staphyloxanthin (STX), a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus , is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to clarify the genetic and virulent differences between the two groups. Here, 132 S. aureus isolates were divided into two phenotype groups depending on the absorbance (OD 450 ) of the extracted carotenoids. Then, all isolates were subjected to spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and then the detection of presence of 30 virulence factors and the gene integrity of crtN and crtM . Furthermore, 24 typical S. aureus isolates and 4 S. argenteus strains were selected for the murine infection assay of in vivo virulence, in which the histological observation and enumeration of CFUs were carried out. These isolates were distributed in 26 sequence types (STs) and 49 spa types. The pigmented isolates were scattered in 25 STs, while the non-pigmented isolates were more centralized, which mainly belonged to ST20 (59%) and ST25 (13%). Among the 54 non-pigmented isolates, about 20% carried intact crtN and crtM genes. The in vivo assay suggested that comparing with pigmented S. aureus , non-pigmented S. aureus and S. argenteus strains did not show a reduced virulence in murine sepsis models. Therefore, it suggested that there were no significant genetic and virulent differences between pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus .

Communications of Staphylococcus aureus and non-aureus Staphylococcus species from bovine intramammary infections and teat apex colonization.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmmod, Yasser S; Klaas, Ilka Christine; Svennesen, Line; Pedersen, Karl; Ingmer, Hanne

2018-05-16

The role of non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) in the risk of acquisition of intramammary infections with Staphylococcus aureus is vague and still under debate. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the distribution patterns of NAS species from milk and teat skin in dairy herds with automatic milking systems, and (2) examine if the isolated NAS influences the expression of S. aureus virulence factors controlled by the accessory gene regulator (agr) quorum sensing system. In 8 herds, 14 to 20 cows with elevated somatic cell count were randomly selected for teat skin swabbing and aseptic quarter foremilk samples from right hind and left front quarters. Teat skin swabs were collected using the modified wet-dry method and milk samples were taken aseptically for bacterial culture. Colonies from quarters with suspicion of having NAS in milk or teat skin samples (or both) were subjected to MALDI-TOF assay for species identification. To investigate the interaction between S. aureus and NAS, 81 isolates NAS were subjected to a qualitative β-galactosidase reporter plate assay. In total, 373 NAS isolates were identified representing 105 from milk and 268 from teat skin of 284 quarters (= 142 cows). Sixteen different NAS species were identified, 15 species from teat skin and 10 species from milk. The most prevalent NAS species identified from milk were Staphylococcus epidermidis (50%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (15%), and Staphylococcus chromogenes (11%), accounting for 76%. Meanwhile, the most prevalent NAS species from teat skin were Staphylococcus equorum (43%), S. haemolyticus (16%), and Staphylococcus cohnii (14%), accounting for 73%. Using reporter gene fusions monitoring transcriptional activity of key virulence factors and regulators, we found that out of 81 supernatants of NAS isolates, 77% reduced expression of hla, encoding a-hemolysin, 70% reduced expression of RNAIII, the key effector molecule of agr, and 61% reduced expression of spa encoding

Relationship between Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycin-Intermediate S. aureus, High Vancomycin MIC, and Outcome in Serious S. aureus Infections

OpenAIRE

Holmes, Natasha E.; Johnson, Paul D. R.; Howden, Benjamin P.

2012-01-01

Vancomycin has been used successfully for over 50 years for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections, particularly those involving methicillin-resistant S. aureus. It has proven remarkably reliable, but its efficacy is now being questioned with the emergence of strains of S. aureus that display heteroresistance, intermediate resistance, and, occasionally, complete vancomycin resistance. More recently, an association has been established between poor outcome and infections with strain...

Omics Approaches for the Study of Adaptive Immunity to Staphylococcus aureus and the Selection of Vaccine Candidates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Holtfreter

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a dangerous pathogen both in hospitals and in the community. Due to the crisis of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for new strategies to combat S. aureus infections, such as vaccination. Increasing our knowledge about the mechanisms of protection will be key for the successful prevention or treatment of S. aureus invasion. Omics technologies generate a comprehensive picture of the physiological and pathophysiological processes within cells, tissues, organs, organisms and even populations. This review provides an overview of the contribution of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and immunoproteomics to the current understanding of S. aureus‑host interaction, with a focus on the adaptive immune response to the microorganism. While antibody responses during colonization and infection have been analyzed in detail using immunoproteomics, the full potential of omics technologies has not been tapped yet in terms of T-cells. Omics technologies promise to speed up vaccine development by enabling reverse vaccinology approaches. In consequence, omics technologies are powerful tools for deepening our understanding of the “superbug” S. aureus and for improving its control.

Omics Approaches for the Study of Adaptive Immunity to Staphylococcus aureus and the Selection of Vaccine Candidates

Science.gov (United States)

Holtfreter, Silva; Kolata, Julia; Stentzel, Sebastian; Bauerfeind, Stephanie; Schmidt, Frank; Sundaramoorthy, Nandakumar; Bröker, Barbara M.

2016-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a dangerous pathogen both in hospitals and in the community. Due to the crisis of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for new strategies to combat S. aureus infections, such as vaccination. Increasing our knowledge about the mechanisms of protection will be key for the successful prevention or treatment of S. aureus invasion. Omics technologies generate a comprehensive picture of the physiological and pathophysiological processes within cells, tissues, organs, organisms and even populations. This review provides an overview of the contribution of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and immunoproteomics to the current understanding of S. aureus‑host interaction, with a focus on the adaptive immune response to the microorganism. While antibody responses during colonization and infection have been analyzed in detail using immunoproteomics, the full potential of omics technologies has not been tapped yet in terms of T-cells. Omics technologies promise to speed up vaccine development by enabling reverse vaccinology approaches. In consequence, omics technologies are powerful tools for deepening our understanding of the “superbug” S. aureus and for improving its control. PMID:28248221

GAMMA Radiation Effect On Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 19095) in Cheese MINAS FRESCALIRRADIATED

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amaral Gurgel, M.S.C.C. DO; Spoto, M.H.F.; Domarco, R.E.

1999-01-01

Milk is an excellent medium of culture for development of Staphylococcus aureus. Gamma radiation can be an alternative method to guarantee the safety of the contaminated cheeses. The objective of this research was determine the effects of the gamma radiation on the resistance of S.aureus (ATCC 19095) in cheese M inas Frescal i rradiated. The cheeses elaborated in the Laboratory of Food Irradiation of CENA/USP, were contaminated during their production with 10 6 CFU/mL of culture of S.aureus (ATCC 19095). The cheeses were irradiated with 0; 1; 2; 3 and 4 kGy, maintained under refrigeration condition (5 0C ) and analyzed at 1, 7 and 14 days of storage. The evaluation microbiology was made through the S.aureus survival analysis using Baird Parker selective medium and confirmative test of coagulase, catalase and fermentation aerobics of the manitol. The capacity of enterotoxins production by irradiated S.aureus was detected by the method of Passive Reverse Agglutination Latex. Results showed that 3 kGy is enough to destroy the S.aureus and 2 kGy to inhibited its toxins production

In Vitro Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Elements against S. aureus Alpha Toxin and Sensitive Detection in Human Serum

OpenAIRE

Hong, Ka L.; Battistella, Luisa; Salva, Alysia D.; Williams, Ryan M.; Sooter, Letha J.

2015-01-01

Alpha toxin is one of the major virulence factors secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is responsible for a wide variety of infections in both community and hospital settings. Due to the prevalence of S. aureus related infections and the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, rapid and accurate diagnosis of S. aureus infections is crucial in benefiting patient health outcomes. In this study, a rigorous Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) var...

Genome-wide identification of antimicrobial intrinsic resistance determinants in Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Vestergaard

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The emergence of antimicrobial resistance severely threatens our ability to treat bacterial infections. While acquired resistance has received considerable attention, relatively little is known of intrinsic resistance that allows bacteria to naturally withstand antimicrobials. Gene products that confer intrinsic resistance to antimicrobial agents may be explored for alternative antimicrobial therapies, by potentiating the efficacy of existing antimicrobials. In this study, we identified the intrinsic resistome to a broad spectrum of antimicrobials in the human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus. We screened the Nebraska Transposon Mutant Library of 1920 single-gene inactivations in S. aureus strain JE2, for increased susceptibility to the anti-staphylococcal antimicrobials (ciprofloxacin, oxacillin, linezolid, fosfomycin, daptomycin, mupirocin, vancomycin and gentamicin. 68 mutants were confirmed by E-test to display at least two-fold increased susceptibility to one or more antimicrobial agents. The majority of the identified genes have not previously been associated with antimicrobial susceptibility in S. aureus. For example, inactivation of genes encoding for subunits of the ATP synthase, atpA, atpB, atpG and atpH, reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of gentamicin 16-fold. To elucidate the potential of the screen, we examined treatment efficacy in the Galleria mellonella infection model. Gentamicin efficacy was significantly improved, when treating larvae infected with the atpA mutant compared to wild type cells with gentamicin at a clinically relevant concentration. Our results demonstrate that many gene products contribute to the intrinsic antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus. Knowledge of these intrinsic resistance determinants provides alternative targets for compounds that may potentiate the efficacy of existing antimicrobial agents against this important pathogen.

New epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infection in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, C-J; Huang, Y-C

2014-07-01

Not only is Asia the most populous region in the world, but inappropriate therapy, including self-medication with over-the-counter antimicrobial agents, is a common response to infectious diseases. The high antibiotic selective pressure among the overcrowded inhabitants creates an environment that is suitable for the rapid development and efficient spread of numerous multidrug-resistant pathogens. Indeed, Asia is among the regions with the highest prevalence rates of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) and community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) in the world. Most hospitals in Asia are endemic for multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), with an estimated proportion from 28% (in Hong Kong and Indonesia) to >70% (in Korea) among all clinical S. aureus isolates in the early 2010s. Isolates with reduced susceptibility or a high level of resistance to glycopeptides have also been increasingly identified in the past few years. In contrast, the proportion of MRSA among community-associated S. aureus infections in Asian countries varies markedly, from 35%. Two pandemic HA-MRSA clones, namely multilocus sequence type (ST) 239 and ST5, are disseminated internationally in Asia, whereas the molecular epidemiology of CA-MRSA in Asia is characterized by clonal heterogeneity, similar to that in Europe. In this review, the epidemiology of S. aureus in both healthcare facilities and communities in Asia is addressed, with an emphasis on the prevalence, clonal structure and antibiotic resistant profiles of the MRSA strains. The novel MRSA strains from livestock animals have been considered to constitute a public health threat in western countries. The emerging livestock-associated MRSA strains in Asia are also included in this review. © 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Combining use of a panel of ssDNA aptamers in the detection of Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Cao, Xiaoxiao; Li, Shaohua; Chen, Liucun; Ding, Hongmei; Xu, Hua; Huang, Yanping; Li, Jie; Liu, Nongle; Cao, Weihong; Zhu, Yanjun; Shen, Beifen; Shao, Ningsheng

2009-01-01

In this article, a panel of ssDNA aptamers specific to Staphylococcus aureus was obtained by a whole bacterium-based SELEX procedure and applied to probing S. aureus. After several rounds of selection with S. aureus as the target and Streptococcus and S. epidermidis as counter targets, the highly enriched oligonucleic acid pool was sequenced and then grouped under different families on the basis of the homology of the primary sequence and the similarity of the secondary structure. Eleven sequ...

Selection of egg attachment sites by the Indian Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus (Beddome, 1870 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae in Andhra Pradesh, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Sreekar

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Some geckos lay eggs at communal egg deposition sites with as many as 300 eggs per site. Selection of egg deposition sites is important to avoid egg damage and predation. We investigated survival rates of communal egg clutches of the Indian Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae. Our results show that communal clutches have a higher survival rate in sites with water bodies and without anthropogenic activities, in comparison to sites having the opposite combination. These findings are discussed in the context of the status of this gecko.

Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Staphyloxanthin (STX, a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to clarify the genetic and virulent differences between the two groups. Here, 132 S. aureus isolates were divided into two phenotype groups depending on the absorbance (OD450 of the extracted carotenoids. Then, all isolates were subjected to spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST, and then the detection of presence of 30 virulence factors and the gene integrity of crtN and crtM. Furthermore, 24 typical S. aureus isolates and 4 S. argenteus strains were selected for the murine infection assay of in vivo virulence, in which the histological observation and enumeration of CFUs were carried out. These isolates were distributed in 26 sequence types (STs and 49 spa types. The pigmented isolates were scattered in 25 STs, while the non-pigmented isolates were more centralized, which mainly belonged to ST20 (59% and ST25 (13%. Among the 54 non-pigmented isolates, about 20% carried intact crtN and crtM genes. The in vivo assay suggested that comparing with pigmented S. aureus, non-pigmented S. aureus and S. argenteus strains did not show a reduced virulence in murine sepsis models. Therefore, it suggested that there were no significant genetic and virulent differences between pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus.

Molecular characterization of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from livestock (bovine and swine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asima Zehra

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to figure the prevalence, phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistance (AR pattern of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine and swine nares. Materials and Methods: Colonies with typical morphology on Baird-Parker agar supplemented with egg-yolk tellurite emulsion were selected and biochemically/genotypically identified as S. aureus. These strains were further subjected to epsilometer test for their sensitivity to various clinically important antibiotics and antibiotic susceptibility testing for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and double-disk diffusion testing was performed by the standard disc diffusion method following CLSI guidelines. S. aureus strains were also tested for the presence of AR genes, viz., blaZ, mecA, aacA-aphD, erm (ermA, ermB, ermC, tet (efflux genes tetK and tetL, tetM and tetO of the ribosomal protection family, and vanA. Results: The nasal cavities of 17 out of 47 randomly selected bovine and 20 out of 28 randomly selected swine were positive for S. aureus, representing the prevalence of 36.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22.5-49.9 and 71.4% (95% CI: 54.7-88.1, respectively. Most of the S. aureus strains showed higher resistance to penicillin (94.6%, minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] =1.5 μg/ml followed by ciprofloxacin (56.7%, MIC =32 μg/ml and tetracycline (18.9%, MIC =32 μg/ml. About 10-15% of the strains were resistant to gentamicin (MIC 16 μg/ml and oxacillin (MIC 6-8 μg/ml. None of the strains were resistant to vancomycin (MIC 0.25-1.5 μg/ml. In this study, 32.4% strains were resistant to three or more than three antibiotics and prevalence of this multi-drug resistant S. aureus was 45% (95% CI: 26.6-63.4 and 17.6% (95% CI: 6.7- 28.5 in swine and bovine nasal samples, respectively. Four strains from pigs were borderline oxacillin-resistant S. aureus MIC 6-8 μg/ml, but none were mecA positive. Two of these strains were β-lactamase hyperproducers. Among the resistance

Comparative Efficacy of Ceftaroline with Linezolid against Staphylococcus Aureus and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafeez, A.; Munir, T.; Rehman, S.; Najeeb, S.; Gilani, M.; Latif, M.; Ansari, M.; Saad, N.

2015-01-01

Objective:To compare the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of ceftaroline with linezolid against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Microbiology Department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from January to December 2013. Methodology: Clinical samples from respiratory tract, blood, pus and various catheter tips routinely received in the Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi were innoculated on blood and MacConkey agar. Staphylococcus aureus was identified by colony morphology, Gram reaction, catalase test and coagulase test. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus detection was done by modified Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method using cefoxitin disc (30g) and the isolates were considered methicillin resistant if the zone of inhibition around cefoxitin disc was /sup 2/ 21 mm. Bacterial suspensions of 56 Staphylococcus aureus isolates and 50 MRSA isolates were prepared, which were standardized equal to 0.5 McFarland's turbidity standard and inoculated on Mueller-Hinton agar plates followed by application of ceftaroline and linezolid disc (Oxoid, UK), according to manufacturer's instructions. The plates were then incubated at 37 Degree C aerobically for 18 - 24 hours. Diameters of inhibition zone were measured and interpretated as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Out of 106 isolates all of the 56 Staphylococcus aureus (100%) were sensitive to ceftaroline and linezolid. However, out of 50 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 48 (96%) were sensitive to ceftaroline whereas, 49 (98%) were sensitive to linezolid. Conclusion: Ceftaroline is equally effective as linezolid against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. (author)

On the challenges of detecting whole Staphylococcus aureus cells with biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Templier, V; Roupioz, Y

2017-11-01

Due to the increasing number of nosocomial infections and multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, Staphylococcus aureus is now a major worldwide concern. Rapid detection and characterization of this bacterium has become an important issue for biomedical applications. Biosensors are increasingly appearing as low-cost, easy-to-operate and fast alternatives for rapid detection. In this review, we will introduce the main characteristics of S. aureus and will focus on the interest of biosensors for a faster detection of whole S. aureus cells. In particular, we will review the most promising strategies in the choice of ligand for the design of selective and efficient biosensors. Their specific characteristics as well as their advantages and/or disadvantages will also be commented. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Fate of Staphylococcus aureus in radiation sterilized model food systems simulating dairy products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sulebele, G.A.; Kamat, M.Y.

1976-01-01

Gamma irradiation was successfully employed for the development of sterile model food systems simulating dairy products such as pedha and cottage cheese which were inoculated with enterotoxigenic S.aureus S-6 and FR1-100 either individually or in association with S.epidermids and other mixed flora comprising of gram-positive, gram-negative and lactic bacteria and stored at 4 and 35 degC for 6-8 weeks. Pedha failed to support growth of S.aureus while cottage cheese favoured profuse growth of the pathogen. S.epidermidis exhibited a synergistic effect on the growth of S.aureus in cottage cheese. Baired-Parker's medium showed very poor recovery of S.aureus which necessitated the development of a new selective medium for the enumeration of staphylococci in processed foods. (author)

Novel bacterial metabolite merochlorin A demonstrates in vitro activity against multi-drug resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Sakoulas

Full Text Available We evaluated the in vitro activity of a merochlorin A, a novel compound with a unique carbon skeleton, against a spectrum of clinically relevant bacterial pathogens and against previously characterized clinical and laboratory Staphylococcus aureus isolates with resistance to numerous antibiotics.Merochlorin A was isolated and purified from a marine-derived actinomycete strain CNH189. Susceptibility testing for merochlorin A was performed against previously characterized human pathogens using broth microdilution and agar dilution methods. Cytotoxicity was assayed in tissue culture assays at 24 and 72 hours against human HeLa and mouse sarcoma L929 cell lines.The structure of as new antibiotic, merochlorin A, was assigned by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis. Merochlorin A demonstrated in vitro activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridium dificile, but not against Gram negative bacteria. In S. aureus, susceptibility was not affected by ribosomal mutations conferring linezolid resistance, mutations in dlt or mprF conferring resistance to daptomycin, accessory gene regulator knockout mutations, or the development of the vancomycin-intermediate resistant phenotype. Merochlorin A demonstrated rapid bactericidal activity against MRSA. Activity was lost in the presence of 20% serum.The unique meroterpenoid, merochlorin A demonstrated excellent in vitro activity against S. aureus and C. dificile and did not show cross-resistance to contemporary antibiotics against Gram positive organisms. The activity was, however, markedly reduced in 20% human serum. Future directions for this compound may include evaluation for topical use, coating biomedical devices, or the pursuit of chemically modified derivatives of this compound that retain activity in the presence of serum.

Novel Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Device-Related Infections Using Fibrinolytic Agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, S; O'Gara, J P; O'Neill, E

2018-02-01

Staphylococcal infections involving biofilms represent a significant challenge in the treatment of patients with device-related infections. Staphylococcus aureus biofilms have been shown to be SaeRS regulated and dependent on the coagulase-catalyzed conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin on surfaces coated with human plasma. Here we investigated the treatment of staphylococcal biofilm device-related infections by digesting the fibrin biofilm matrix with and without existing antimicrobials. The fibrinolytic agents plasmin, streptokinase, and nattokinase, and TrypLE, a recombinant trypsin-like protease, were used to digest and treat S. aureus biofilms grown in vitro using in vivo -like static biofilm assays with and without antimicrobials. Cytotoxicity, the potential to induce a cytokine response in whole human blood, and the risk of induction of tolerance to fibrinolytic agents were investigated. A rat model of intravascular catheter infection was established to investigate the efficacy of selected fibrinolytic agents in vivo Under biomimetic conditions, the fibrinolytic agents effectively dispersed established S. aureus biofilms and, in combination with common antistaphylococcal antimicrobials, effectively killed bacterial cells being released from the biofilm. These fibrinolytic agents were not cytotoxic and did not affect the host immune response. The rat model of infection successfully demonstrated the activity of the selected fibrinolytic agents alone and in combination with antimicrobials on established biofilms in vivo TrypLE and nattokinase most successfully removed adherent cells from plasma-coated surfaces and significantly improved the efficacy of existing antimicrobials against S. aureus biofilms in vitro and in vivo These biofilm dispersal agents represent a viable future treatment option for S. aureus device-related infections. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Proceedings of the international conference on selected topics in quantum field theory and mathematical physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niederle, J; Bednar, M; Bicak, J

1987-01-01

The conference, the fourth in the series of conferences on this subject, was held at the Bechyne castle (Czechoslovakia) on June 23-27, 1986, and was attended by about 100 theoreticians from 15 countries. The conference was organized by the Institute of Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Prague together with the Faculties of Mathematics and Physics of the Charles University, Prague, and of the Comenius University, Bratislava, the Faculty of Nuclear Science and Physical Engineering of the Czech Techical University, Prague, with the Institute of Physics of the Electro-Physical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Rez. It was sponsored by the International Union for Pure and Applied Physics, the International Association of Mathematical Physics and the Physical Scientific Section of the Union of Czechoslovak Mathematicians and Physicists. The main subjects discussed at the conference were: supersymmetries, supergravity and superstring theories; quantum field theory and in particular gauge theories, theories on lattices, renormalization; selected topics in non-linear equations, scattering theory and quantization. Details are given in the attached program. The proceedings include invited talks and contributions presented respectively at the morning and afternoon sessions of the conference. The main part of the proceedings will be published in the Czechoslovak Journal of Physics v. 37(1987), nos. 3,4 and 9.

Proceedings of the international conference on selected topics in quantum field theory and mathematical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niederle, J.; Bednar, M.; Bicak, J.

1987-01-01

The conference, the fourth in the series of conferences on this subject, was held at the Bechyne castle (Czechoslovakia) on June 23-27, 1986, and was attended by about 100 theoreticians from 15 countries. The conference was organized by the Institute of Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Prague together with the Faculties of Mathematics and Physics of the Charles University, Prague, and of the Comenius University, Bratislava, the Faculty of Nuclear Science and Physical Engineering of the Czech Techical University, Prague, with the Institute of Physics of the Electro-Physical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Rez. It was sponsored by the International Union for Pure and Applied Physics, the International Association of Mathematical Physics and the Physical Scientific Section of the Union of Czechoslovak Mathematicians and Physicists. The main subjects discussed at the conference were: supersymmetries, supergravity and superstring theories; quantum field theory and in particular gauge theories, theories on lattices, renormalization; selected topics in non-linear equations, scattering theory and quantization. Details are given in the attached program. The proceedings include invited talks and contributions presented respectively at the morning and afternoon sessions of the conference. The main part of the proceedings will be published in the Czechoslovak Journal of Physics v. 37(1987), nos. 3,4 and 9. (author)

Virulence Factor Genes in Staphylococcus aureus Isolated From Diabetic Foot Soft Tissue and Bone Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Víquez-Molina, Gerardo; Aragón-Sánchez, Javier; Pérez-Corrales, Cristian; Murillo-Vargas, Christian; López-Valverde, María Eugenia; Lipsky, Benjamin A

2018-03-01

The aim of this study is to describe the presence of genes encoding for 4 virulence factors (pvl, eta, etb, and tsst), as well as the mecA gene conferring resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, in patients with diabetes and a staphylococcal foot infection. We have also analyzed whether isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bone infections have a different profile for these genes compared with those from exclusively soft tissue infections. In this cross-sectional study of a prospectively recruited series of patients admitted to the Diabetic Foot Unit, San Juan de Dios Hospital, San José, Costa Rica with a moderate or severe diabetic foot infection (DFI), we collected samples from infected soft tissue and from bone during debridement. During the study period (June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2016), we treated 379 patients for a DFI. S aureus was isolated from 101 wound samples, of which 43 were polymicrobial infections; we only included the 58 infections that were monomicrobial S aureus for this study. Infections were exclusively soft tissue in 17 patients (29.3%) while 41 (70.7%) had bone involvement (osteomyelitis). The mecA gene was detected in 35 cases (60.3%), pvl gene in 4 cases (6.9%), and tsst gene in 3 (5.2%). We did not detect etA and etB in any of the cases. There were no differences in the profile of S aureus genes encoding for virulence factors (pvl, etA, etB, and tsst) recovered from DFIs between those with just soft tissue compared to those with osteomyelitis. However, we found a significantly higher prevalence of pvl+ strains of S aureus associated with soft tissue compared with bone infections. Furthermore, we observed a significantly longer time to healing among patients infected with mecA+ (methicillin-resistant) S aureus (MRSA).

Enterotoxicity of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from beans pudding

African Journals Online (AJOL)

36 samples of beans pudding from selected sources were analysed for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus using standard protocols aimed at assessing its bacteriological quality. Samples obtained from restaurant showed slightly lower value for total plate count (1.3 x 104 - 1.6 x 106 cfu/gm) compared to samples ...

Characterization of the modular design of the autolysin/adhesin Aaa from Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschhausen, Nina; Schlesier, Tim; Peters, Georg; Heilmann, Christine

2012-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of serious and life-threatening infections, such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, and sepsis. Its adherence to various host structures is crucial for the establishment of diseases. Adherence may be mediated by a variety of adhesins, among them the autolysin/adhesins Atl and Aaa. Aaa is composed of three N-terminal repeated sequences homologous to a lysin motif (LysM) that can confer cell wall attachment and a C-terminally located cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase (CHAP) domain having bacteriolytic activity in many proteins. Here, we show by surface plasmon resonance that the LysM domain binds to fibrinogen, fibronectin, and vitronectin respresenting a novel adhesive function for this domain. Moreover, we demonstrated that the CHAP domain not only mediates the bacteriolytic activity, but also adherence to fibrinogen, fibronectin, and vitronectin, thus demonstrating for the first time an adhesive function for this domain. Adherence of an S. aureus aaa mutant and the complemented aaa mutant is slightly decreased and increased, respectively, to vitronectin, but not to fibrinogen and fibronectin, which might at least in part result from an increased expression of atl in the aaa mutant. Furthermore, an S. aureus atl mutant that showed enhanced adherence to fibrinogen, fibronectin, and endothelial cells also demonstrated increased aaa expression and production of Aaa. Thus, the redundant functions of Aaa and Atl might at least in part be interchangeable. Lastly, RT-PCR and zymographic analysis revealed that aaa is negatively regulated by the global virulence gene regulators agr and SarA. We identified novel functions for two widely distributed protein domains, LysM and CHAP, i.e. the adherence to the extracellular matrix proteins fibrinogen, fibronectin, and vitronectin. The adhesive properties of Aaa might promote S. aureus colonization of host extracellular matrix and tissue, suggesting a role for

Risk factors associated with the antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine mastitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele C. Beuron

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate herd management practices and mastitis treatment procedures as risk factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial resistance. For this study, 13 herds were selected to participate in the study to evaluate the association between their management practices and mastitis treatment procedures and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 1069 composite milk samples were collected aseptically from the selected cows in four different periods over two years. The samples were used for microbiological culturing of S. aureus isolates and evaluation of their antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 756 samples (70.7% were culture-positive, and S. aureus comprised 27.77% (n=210 of the isolates. The S. aureus isolates were tested using the disk-diffusion susceptibility assay with the following antimicrobials: ampicillin 10mg; clindamycin 2μg; penicillin 1mg; ceftiofur 30μg; gentamicin 10mg; sulfa-trimethoprim 25μg; enrofloxacin 5μg; sulfonamide 300μg; tetracycline 30μg; oxacillin 1mg; cephalothin 30μg and erythromycin 5μg. The variables that were significantly associated with S. aureus resistance were as follows: the treatment of clinical mastitis for ampicillin (OR=2.18, dry cow treatment for enrofloxacin (OR=2.11 and not sending milk samples for microbiological culture and susceptibility tests, for ampicillin (OR=2.57 and penicillin (OR=4.69. In conclusion, the identification of risk factors for S. aureus resistance against various mastitis antimicrobials is an important information that may help in practical recommendations for prudent use of antimicrobial in milk production.

Characterization of the type 2 NADH:menaquinone oxidoreductases from Staphylococcus aureus and the bactericidal action of phenothiazines.

Science.gov (United States)

Schurig-Briccio, Lici A; Yano, Takahiro; Rubin, Harvey; Gennis, Robert B

2014-07-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is currently one of the principal multiple drug resistant bacterial pathogens causing serious infections, many of which are life-threatening. Consequently, new therapeutic targets are required to combat such infections. In the current work, we explore the type 2 Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced form (NADH) dehydrogenases (NDH-2s) as possible drug targets and look at the effects of phenothiazines, known to inhibit NDH-2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. NDH-2s are monotopic membrane proteins that catalyze the transfer of electrons from NADH via flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) to the quinone pool. They are required for maintaining the NADH/Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) redox balance and contribute indirectly to the generation of proton motive force. NDH-2s are not present in mammals, but are the only form of respiratory NADH dehydrogenase in several pathogens, including S. aureus. In this work, the two putative ndh genes present in the S. aureus genome were identified, cloned and expressed, and the proteins were purified and characterized. Phenothiazines were shown to inhibit both of the S. aureus NDH-2s with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values as low as 8μM. However, evaluating the effects of phenothiazines on whole cells of S. aureus was complicated by the fact that they are also acting as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 18th European Bioenergetic Conference. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteriuria as a prognosticator for outcome of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weinstein Robert A

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When Staphylococcus aureus is isolated in urine, it is thought to usually represent hematogenous spread. Because such spread might have special clinical significance, we evaluated predictors and outcomes of S. aureus bacteriuria among patients with S. aureus bacteremia. Methods A case-control study was performed at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County among adult inpatients during January 2002-December 2006. Cases and controls had positive and negative urine cultures, respectively, for S. aureus, within 72 hours of positive blood culture for S. aureus. Controls were sampled randomly in a 1:4 ratio. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. Results Overall, 59% of patients were African-American, 12% died, 56% of infections had community-onset infections, and 58% were infected with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA. Among 61 cases and 247 controls, predictors of S. aureus bacteriuria on multivariate analysis were urological surgery (OR = 3.4, p = 0.06 and genitourinary infection (OR = 9.2, p = 0.002. Among patients who died, there were significantly more patients with bacteriuria than among patients who survived (39% vs. 17%; p = 0.002. In multiple Cox regression analysis, death risks in bacteremic patients were bacteriuria (hazard ratio 2.9, CI 1.4-5.9, p = 0.004, bladder catheter use (2.0, 1.0-4.0, p = 0.06, and Charlson score (1.1, 1.1-1.3, p = 0.02. Neither length of stay nor methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA infection was a predictor of S. aureus bacteriuria or death. Conclusions Among patients with S. aureus bacteremia, those with S. aureus bacteriuria had 3-fold higher mortality than those without bacteriuria, even after adjustment for comorbidities. Bacteriuria may identify patients with more severe bacteremia, who are at risk of worse outcomes.

Protection from Staphylococcus aureus mastitis associated with poly-N-acetyl β-1,6 glucosamine specific antibody production using biofilm-embedded bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, M. M.; Prenafeta, A.; Valle, J.; Penadés, J.; Rota, C.; Solano, C.; Marco, J.; Grilló, M.J.; Lasa, I.; Irache, J.M.; Maira-Litran, T.; Jiménez-Barbero, J.; Costa, L.; Pier, G.B.; de Andrés, D.; Amorena, B.

2010-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus vaccines based on bacterins surrounded by slime, surface polysaccharides coupled to protein carriers and polysaccharides embedded in liposomes administered together with non-biofilm bacterins confer protection against mastitis. However, it remains unknown whether protective antibodies are directed to slime-associated known exopolysaccharides and could be produced in the absence of bacterin immunizations. Here, a sheep mastitis vaccination study was carried out using bacterins, crude bacterial extracts or a purified exopolysaccharide from biofilm bacteria delivered in different vehicles. This polysaccharide reacted specifically with antibodies to poly-N-acetyl-β-1,6-glucosamine (PNAG) and not with antibodies to other capsular antigens or bacterial components. Following intra-mammary challenge with biofilm-producing bacteria, antibody production against the polysaccharide, milk bacterial counts and mastitis lesions were determined. Bacterins from strong biofilm-producing bacteria triggered the highest production of antibodies to PNAG and conferred the highest protection against infection and mastitis, compared with weak biofilm-producing bacteria and non-cellular inocula. Thus, bacterins from strong biofilm bacteria, rather than purified polysaccharide, are proposed as a cost-efficient vaccination against S. aureus ruminant mastitis. PMID:19428854

Comparison of whole-cell SELEX methods for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus-specific DNA aptamers.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Jihea; Kim, Giyoung; Park, Saet Byeol; Lim, Jongguk; Mo, Changyeun

2015-04-15

Whole-cell Systemic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) is the process by which aptamers specific to target cells are developed. Aptamers selected by whole-cell SELEX have high affinity and specificity for bacterial surface molecules and live bacterial targets. To identify DNA aptamers specific to Staphylococcus aureus, we applied our rapid whole-cell SELEX method to a single-stranded ssDNA library. To improve the specificity and selectivity of the aptamers, we designed, selected, and developed two categories of aptamers that were selected by two kinds of whole-cell SELEX, by mixing and combining FACS analysis and a counter-SELEX process. Using this approach, we have developed a biosensor system that employs a high affinity aptamer for detection of target bacteria. FAM-labeled aptamer sequences with high binding to S. aureus, as determined by fluorescence spectroscopic analysis, were identified, and aptamer A14, selected by the basic whole-cell SELEX using a once-off FACS analysis, and which had a high binding affinity and specificity, was chosen. The binding assay was evaluated using FACS analysis. Our study demonstrated the development of a set of whole-cell SELEX derived aptamers specific to S. aureus; this approach can be used in the identification of other bacteria.

Comparison of Whole-Cell SELEX Methods for the Identification of Staphylococcus Aureus-Specific DNA Aptamers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jihea Moon

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Whole-cell Systemic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX is the process by which aptamers specific to target cells are developed. Aptamers selected by whole-cell SELEX have high affinity and specificity for bacterial surface molecules and live bacterial targets. To identify DNA aptamers specific to Staphylococcus aureus, we applied our rapid whole-cell SELEX method to a single-stranded ssDNA library. To improve the specificity and selectivity of the aptamers, we designed, selected, and developed two categories of aptamers that were selected by two kinds of whole-cell SELEX, by mixing and combining FACS analysis and a counter-SELEX process. Using this approach, we have developed a biosensor system that employs a high affinity aptamer for detection of target bacteria. FAM-labeled aptamer sequences with high binding to S. aureus, as determined by fluorescence spectroscopic analysis, were identified, and aptamer A14, selected by the basic whole-cell SELEX using a once-off FACS analysis, and which had a high binding affinity and specificity, was chosen. The binding assay was evaluated using FACS analysis. Our study demonstrated the development of a set of whole-cell SELEX derived aptamers specific to S. aureus; this approach can be used in the identification of other bacteria.

From phenothiazine to 3-phenyl-1,4-benzothiazine derivatives as inhibitors of the Staphylococcus aureus NorA multidrug efflux pump.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatini, Stefano; Kaatz, Glenn W; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Brandini, David; Fravolini, Arnaldo

2008-07-24

Overexpression of efflux pumps is an important mechanism by which bacteria evade effects of substrate antimicrobial agents and inhibition of such pumps is a promising strategy to circumvent this resistance mechanism. NorA is a Staphylococcus aureus multidrug efflux pump, the activity of which confers decreased susceptibility to many structurally unrelated agents, including fluoroquinolones, resulting in a multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotype. In this work, a series of 1,4-benzothiazine derivatives were designed and synthesized as a minimized structural template of phenothiazine MDR efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) in an effort to identify more potent S. aureus NorA EPIs. Almost all derivatives evaluated showed good activity in combination with ciprofloxacin against S. aureus ATCC 25923; some were capable of completely restoring ciprofloxacin activity in a norA-overexpressing strain (SA-K2378). Compounds 6k and 7j displayed good activity against SA-1199B, a strain that also overexpresses norA, in an ethidium bromide (EtBr) efflux inhibition assay.

Beyond conventional antibiotics for the future treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections: two novel alternatives.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Fitzgerald-Hughes, Deirdre

2012-08-01

The majority of antibiotics currently used to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureus (MRSA) infections target bacterial cell wall synthesis or protein synthesis. Only daptomycin has a novel mode of action. Reliance on limited targets for MRSA chemotherapy, has contributed to antimicrobial resistance. Two alternative approaches to the treatment of S. aureus infection, particularly those caused by MRSA, that have alternative mechanisms of action and that address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance are cationic host defence peptides and agents that target S. aureus virulence. Cationic host defence peptides have multiple mechanisms of action and are less likely than conventional agents to select resistant mutants. They are amenable to modifications that improve their stability, effectiveness and selectivity. Some cationic defence peptides such as bactenecin, mucroporin and imcroporin have potent in vitro bactericidal activity against MRSA. Antipathogenic agents also have potential to limit the pathogenesis of S aureus. These are generally small molecules that inhibit virulence targets in S. aureus without killing the bacterium and therefore have limited capacity to promote resistance development. Potential antipathogenic targets include the sortase enzyme system, the accessory gene regulator (agr) and the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. Inhibitors of these targets have been identified and these may have potential for further development.

Staphylococcus aureus entrance into the dairy chain: Tracking S. aureus from dairy cow to cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith Kümmel

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important contagious mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle. Due to its zoonotic potential, control of S. aureus is not only of great economic importance in the dairy industry but also a significant public health concern. The aim of this study was to decipher the potential of bovine udder associated S. aureus as reservoir for S. aureus contamination in dairy production and processing. From 18 farms, delivering their milk to an alpine dairy plant for the production of smeared semi-hard and hard cheese. 1176 quarter milk (QM samples of all cows in lactation (n = 294 and representative samples form bulk tank milk (BTM of all farms were surveyed for coagulase positive (CPS and coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS. Furthermore, samples from different steps of the cheese manufacturing process were tested for CPS and CNS. As revealed by chemometric-assisted FTIR spectroscopy and molecular subtyping (spa typing and multi locus sequence typing, dairy cattle represent indeed an important, yet underreported, entrance point of S. aureus into the dairy chain. Our data clearly show that certain S. aureus subtypes are present in primary production as well as in the cheese processing at the dairy plant. However, although a considerable diversity of S. aureus subtypes was observed in QM and BTM at the farms, only certain S. aureus subtypes were able to enter and persist in the cheese manufacturing at the dairy plant and could be isolated from cheese until day fourteen of ripening. Farm strains belonging to the FTIR cluster B1 and B3, which show genetic characteristics (t2953, ST8, enterotoxin profile: sea/sed/sej of the recently described S. aureus genotype B, most successfully contaminated the cheese production at the dairy plant. Thus our study fosters the hypothesis that genotype B S. aureus represent a specific challenge in control of S. aureus in the dairy chain that requires effective clearance strategies and hygienic

The δ subunit of RNA polymerase guides promoter selectivity and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Andy; Ibarra, J Antonio; Paoletti, Jessica; Carroll, Ronan K; Shaw, Lindsey N

2014-04-01

In Gram-positive bacteria, and particularly the Firmicutes, the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNAP) complex contains an additional subunit, termed the δ factor, or RpoE. This enigmatic protein has been studied for more than 30 years for various organisms, but its function is still not well understood. In this study, we investigated its role in the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. We showed conservation of important structural regions of RpoE in S. aureus and other species and demonstrated binding to core RNAP that is mediated by the β and/or β' subunits. To identify the impact of the δ subunit on transcription, we performed transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and observed 191 differentially expressed genes in the rpoE mutant. Ontological analysis revealed, quite strikingly, that many of the downregulated genes were known virulence factors, while several mobile genetic elements (SaPI5 and prophage SA3usa) were strongly upregulated. Phenotypically, the rpoE mutant had decreased accumulation and/or activity of a number of key virulence factors, including alpha toxin, secreted proteases, and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). We further observed significantly decreased survival of the mutant in whole human blood, increased phagocytosis by human leukocytes, and impaired virulence in a murine model of infection. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the δ subunit of RNAP is a critical component of the S. aureus transcription machinery and plays an important role during infection.

Performance of culture media for the isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista-Trujillo, G U; Solorio-Rivera, J L; Rentería-Solórzano, I; Carranza-Germán, S I; Bustos-Martínez, J A; Arteaga-Garibay, R I; Baizabal-Aguirre, V M; Cajero-Juárez, M; Bravo-Patiño, A; Valdez-Alarcón, J J

2013-03-01

Rapid isolation and identification of pathogens is a major goal of diagnostic microbiology. In order to isolate and identify Staphylococcus aureus, a number of authors have used a variety of selective and/or differential culture media. However, to date, there are no reports comparing the efficacy of selective and differential culture media for S. aureus isolation from bovine mastitis cases using the 16S rRNA (rrs) gene sequence as a gold standard test. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of four selective and/or differential culture media for the isolation of S. aureus from milk samples collected from cows suffering from bovine mastitis. Four hundred and forty isolates were obtained using salt-mannitol agar (SMA, Bioxon), Staphylococcus-110 agar (S110, Bioxon), CHROMAgar Staph aureus (CSA, BD-BBL) and sheep's blood agar (SBA, BD-BBL). All bacterial isolates were identified by their typical colony morphology in the respective media, by secondary tests (for coagulase and β-haemolysis) and by partial 16S rRNA (rrs) gene sequencing as a gold standard test. Sensitivity, positive predictive and negative predictive values were higher for SMA (86.96, 52.63 and 95.95%, respectively) compared with S110 (70.00, 23.73 and 90.91%, respectively), CSA (69.23, 28.13 and 95.74%, respectively) and SBA (68.75, 37.93 and 89.58%, respectively) while specificity values were similar for all media. Data indicated that the use of culture media for S. aureus isolation combined with determination of coagulase activity and haemolysis as secondary tests improved accuracy of the identification and was in accordance with rrs gene sequence-analysis compared with the use of the culture media alone.

Increased Susceptibility of Humanized NSG Mice to Panton-Valentine Leukocidin and Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching Wen Tseng

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections worldwide. Mice are the most commonly used animals for modeling human staphylococcal infections. However a supra-physiologic S. aureus inoculum is required to establish gross murine skin pathology. Moreover, many staphylococcal factors, including Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL elaborated by community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA, exhibit selective human tropism and cannot be adequately studied in mice. To overcome these deficiencies, we investigated S. aureus infection in non-obese diabetic (NOD/severe combined immune deficiency (SCID/IL2rγnull (NSG mice engrafted with human CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells. These "humanized" NSG mice require one to two log lower inoculum to induce consistent skin lesions compared with control mice, and exhibit larger cutaneous lesions upon infection with PVL+ versus isogenic PVL- S. aureus. Neutrophils appear important for PVL pathology as adoptive transfer of human neutrophils alone to NSG mice was sufficient to induce dermonecrosis following challenge with PVL+ S. aureus but not PVL- S. aureus. PMX53, a human C5aR inhibitor, blocked PVL-induced cellular cytotoxicity in vitro and reduced the size difference of lesions induced by the PVL+ and PVL- S. aureus, but PMX53 also reduced recruitment of neutrophils and exacerbated the infection. Overall, our findings establish humanized mice as an important translational tool for the study of S. aureus infection and provide strong evidence that PVL is a human virulence factor.

In vitro mecA gene transfer among Staphylococcus aureus in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... Staphylococcus aureus, Malaysian clinical isolates, to methicillin-sensitive one. PCR-based method was used in combination with the selective antibiotic screening method to study the transfer of resistance among clinical isolates carrying different genetic markers. After performing the mixed liquid culture experiments, two ...

Staphylococcus aureus adherence to Candida albicans hyphae is mediated by the hyphal adhesin Als3p.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Brian M; Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina S; Krom, Bastiaan P; Schlecht, Lisa Marie; Zhou, Han; Hoyer, Lois L; Busscher, Henk J; van der Mei, Henny C; Jabra-Rizk, Mary Ann; Shirtliff, Mark E

2012-12-01

The bacterium Staphylococcus (St.) aureus and the opportunistic fungus Candida albicans are currently among the leading nosocomial pathogens, often co-infecting critically ill patients, with high morbidity and mortality. Previous investigations have demonstrated preferential adherence of St. aureus to C. albicans hyphae during mixed biofilm growth. In this study, we aimed to characterize the mechanism behind this observed interaction. C. albicans adhesin-deficient mutant strains were screened by microscopy to identify the specific receptor on C. albicans hyphae recognized by St. aureus. Furthermore, an immunoassay was developed to validate and quantify staphylococcal binding to fungal biofilms. The findings from these experiments implicated the C. albicans adhesin agglutinin-like sequence 3 (Als3p) in playing a major role in the adherence process. This association was quantitatively established using atomic force microscopy, in which the adhesion force between single cells of the two species was significantly reduced for a C. albicans mutant strain lacking als3. Confocal microscopy further confirmed these observations, as St. aureus overlaid with a purified recombinant Als3 N-terminal domain fragment (rAls3p) exhibited robust binding. Importantly, a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae heterologously expressing Als3p was utilized to further confirm this adhesin as a receptor for St. aureus. Although the parental strain does not bind bacteria, expression of Als3p on the cell surface conferred upon the yeast the ability to strongly bind St. aureus. To elucidate the implications of these in vitro findings in a clinically relevant setting, an ex vivo murine model of co-infection was designed using murine tongue explants. Fluorescent microscopic images revealed extensive hyphal penetration of the epithelium typical of C. albicans mucosal infection. Interestingly, St. aureus bacterial cells were only seen within the epithelial tissue when associated with the invasive

The clinical and molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infections in Fiji.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenney, Adam; Holt, Deborah; Ritika, Roselyn; Southwell, Paul; Pravin, Shalini; Buadromo, Eka; Carapetis, Jonathan; Tong, Steven; Steer, Andrew

2014-03-24

There are few data describing the microbiology and genetic typing of Staphylococcus aureus that cause infections in developing countries. In this study we observed S. aureus infections in Pacific Island nation of Fiji in both the community and hospital setting with an emphasis on clonal complex (CC) genotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility. S. aureus was commonly found in impetigo lesions of school children and was recovered from 57% of impetigo lesions frequently in conjunction with group A streptococcal infection. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) comprised 7% (20/299) of isolates and were all non-multi-resistant and all genotyped as CC1. In contrast, there was a diverse selection of 17 CCs among the 105 genotyped methicillin-susceptible S.aureus (MSSA) strains. Isolates of the rare, phylogenetically divergent and non-pigmented CC75 lineage (also called S. argenteus) were found in Fiji.From hospitalized patients the available 36 MRSA isolates from a 9-month period were represented by five CCs. The most common CCs were CC1 and CC239. CC1 is likely to be a community-acquired strain, reflecting what was found in the school children, whereas the CC239 is the very successful multi-drug resistant MRSA nosocomial lineage. Of 17 MSSA isolates, 59% carried genes for Panton-Valentine leukocidin. The S. aureus bacteraemia incidence rate of 50 per 100,000 population is among the highest reported in the literature and likely reflects the high overall burden of staphylococcal infections in this population. S. aureus is an important cause of disease in Fiji and there is considerable genotypic diversity in community skin infections in Fijian schoolchildren. Community acquired- (CA)- MRSA is present at a relatively low prevalence (6.7%) and was solely to CC1 (CA-MRSA). The globally successful CC239 is also a significant pathogen in Fiji.

The Plasmin-Sensitive Protein Pls in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA Is a Glycoprotein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabelle Bleiziffer

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Most bacterial glycoproteins identified to date are virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria, i.e. adhesins and invasins. However, the impact of protein glycosylation on the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus remains incompletely understood. To study protein glycosylation in staphylococci, we analyzed lysostaphin lysates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA strains by SDS-PAGE and subsequent periodic acid-Schiff's staining. We detected four (>300, ∼250, ∼165, and ∼120 kDa and two (>300 and ∼175 kDa glycosylated surface proteins with strain COL and strain 1061, respectively. The ∼250, ∼165, and ∼175 kDa proteins were identified as plasmin-sensitive protein (Pls by mass spectrometry. Previously, Pls has been demonstrated to be a virulence factor in a mouse septic arthritis model. The pls gene is encoded by the staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec type I in MRSA that also encodes the methicillin resistance-conferring mecA and further genes. In a search for glycosyltransferases, we identified two open reading frames encoded downstream of pls on the SCCmec element, which we termed gtfC and gtfD. Expression and deletion analysis revealed that both gtfC and gtfD mediate glycosylation of Pls. Additionally, the recently reported glycosyltransferases SdgA and SdgB are involved in Pls glycosylation. Glycosylation occurs at serine residues in the Pls SD-repeat region and modifying carbohydrates are N-acetylhexosaminyl residues. Functional characterization revealed that Pls can confer increased biofilm formation, which seems to involve two distinct mechanisms. The first mechanism depends on glycosylation of the SD-repeat region by GtfC/GtfD and probably also involves eDNA, while the second seems to be independent of glycosylation as well as eDNA and may involve the centrally located G5 domains. Other previously known Pls properties are not related to the sugar modifications. In conclusion, Pls is a glycoprotein and

UJI KEBERADAAN Staphylococcus aureus PADA SOSIS TRADISIONAL (URUTAN YANG BEREDAR DI PASAR TRADISIONAL DI DENPASAR, BALI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Putu Niti Rahayu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine the total amount of Staphylococcus aureus in atraditional sausage (urutan sold in Denpasar traditional market in Bali. Sausage samples aretaken from four areas in Denpasar (North Denpasar, East Denpasar, West Denpasar, and SouthDenpasar. From each area, three traditional markets are selected and from each market 2merchants are chosen. The calculation of the number of Staphylococcus aureus is done byplatting method and by pour plate method. The results show that the highest number ofStaphylococcus aureus belongs to the North Denpasar region in the mount of 241,067 CFU/gwhile the lowest belongs to the region of West Denpasar with 71,233 CFU/g. These two resultsare significantly different with one another (P<0,05. The maximum limit of microbialcontamination in processed meats (sausages for Staphylococcus aureus based on IndonesianNational Standard (SNI is equal to 102 CFU / g. Based on the testing that has been done, allurutan contamination by the Staphylococcus aureus in Denpasar traditional market, hasexceeded the threshold amount of SNI.Keywords : Traditional Sausages (urutan, Staphylococcus aureus

Association between phage types and antimicrobial resistance among bovine Staphylococcus aureus from 10 countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vintov, J.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Zinn, C. E.

2003-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the diversity of phage types and associations between penicillin resistance and phage types among 815 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis in nine European countries and USA. All isolates were examined for susceptibility to antimicrobial agents...... associated with penicillin resistance in contrast to phage group I (P = 0.0023) and phage complex-80 (P = 0.0066). This study confirms that a large number of phage types of S. aureus cause bovine mastitis, but that some types predominate. In addition, these findings could indicate that the use of penicillin...... in the bovine environment has selected for specific types of S. aureus in countries with a high frequency of resistance....

Screening agars for MRSA: evaluation of a stepwise diagnostic approach with two different selective agars for the screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Science.gov (United States)

Micheel, Volker; Hogan, Benedikt; Köller, Thomas; Warnke, Philipp; Crusius, Sabine; Hinz, Rebecca; Hagen, Ralf Matthias; Schwarz, Norbert Georg; Frickmann, Hagen

2015-01-01

Colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a hygiene risk that does not spare field hospitals or military medical field camps during military deployments. Diagnostic options for unambiguously identifying MRSA isolates are usually scarce in military environments. In this study, we assessed the stepwise application of two different selective agars for the specific identification of MRSA in screening analyses. Nasal swabs from 1541 volunteers were subjected to thioglycollate broth enrichment and subsequently screened on CHROMagar MRSA selective agar for the identification of MRSA. The MRSA identity of suspicious-looking colonies was confirmed afterwards or excluded by another selective agar, chromID MRSA. All isolates from the selective agars with MRSA-specific colony morphology were identified by biochemical methods and mass spectrometry. The initial CHROMagar MRSA screening identified suspicious colonies in 36 out of 1541 samples. A total of 25 of these 36 isolates showed MRSA-like growth on chromID agar. Out of these 25 isolates, 24 were confirmed as MRSA, while one isolate was identified as Staphylococcus kloosii. From the 11 strains that did not show suspicious growth on chromID agar, 3 were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA, with one instance of co-colonization with Corynebacterium spp.), 2 were confirmed as MRSA (with 1 instance of co-colonization with MSSA), 2 were lost during passaging and could not be re-cultured, one could not be identified by the applied approaches, and the remaining 3 strains were identified as Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus hominis (co-colonized with Macrococcus caseolyticus) and Staphylococcus cohnii, respectively. The application of the selective agar CHROMagar MRSA alone proved to be too non-specific to allow for a reliable diagnosis of the presence of MRSA. The combined use of two selective agars in a stepwise approach reduced this non-specificity with an acceptably low

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among secondary school students at Duhok City-Iraq

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ary Habeeb

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA widely distributed in hospitals around the world. There is strong relationship between disease development and S. aureus nasal carriage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and epidemiology of nasal colonization with S. aureus and MRSA in the community of Duhok city, Iraq. Methods: 489 students aged 16 to18 years were included. Nasal swab samples were collected followed by antimicrobial susceptibility test. MRSA isolates were selected and investigated for the mecA gene. Also the prevalence of PantonValentine Leukocidin (PVL gene was also studied. Results: A total of 90 (18.4% out of 489 (18.4% of the students were found to be colonized by S. aureus . Only 10 (2.04% of the students were found to be MRSA carrier. All MRSA isolates were sensitive to Vancomycin. PLV gene was detected in one MRSA strain. Conclusion: This is the first study investigating S. aureus colonization in students in the Duhok city. Nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA is comparable with reports from elsewhere. Fortunately, all trains included in our study were sensitive to vancomycin. Further research is needed to examine the SCCmec elements and the evolution of MRSA over the time. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2014;4(2: 59-63

Atomic force microscopy recognition of protein A on Staphylococcus aureus cell surfaces by labelling with IgG-Au conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatlybaeva, Elena B; Nikiyan, Hike N; Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Deryabin, Dmitri G

2013-01-01

The labelling of functional molecules on the surface of bacterial cells is one way to recognize the bacteria. In this work, we have developed a method for the selective labelling of protein A on the cell surfaces of Staphylococcus aureus by using nanosized immunogold conjugates as cell-surface markers for atomic force microscopy (AFM). The use of 30-nm size Au nanoparticles conjugated with immunoglobulin G (IgG) allowed the visualization, localization and distribution of protein A-IgG complexes on the surface of S. aureus. The selectivity of the labelling method was confirmed in mixtures of S. aureus with Bacillus licheniformis cells, which differed by size and shape and had no IgG receptors on the surface. A preferential binding of the IgG-Au conjugates to S. aureus was obtained. Thus, this novel approach allows the identification of protein A and other IgG receptor-bearing bacteria, which is useful for AFM indication of pathogenic microorganisms in poly-component associations.

Atomic force microscopy recognition of protein A on Staphylococcus aureus cell surfaces by labelling with IgG–Au conjugates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena B. Tatlybaeva

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The labelling of functional molecules on the surface of bacterial cells is one way to recognize the bacteria. In this work, we have developed a method for the selective labelling of protein A on the cell surfaces of Staphylococcus aureus by using nanosized immunogold conjugates as cell-surface markers for atomic force microscopy (AFM. The use of 30-nm size Au nanoparticles conjugated with immunoglobulin G (IgG allowed the visualization, localization and distribution of protein A–IgG complexes on the surface of S. aureus. The selectivity of the labelling method was confirmed in mixtures of S. aureus with Bacillus licheniformis cells, which differed by size and shape and had no IgG receptors on the surface. A preferential binding of the IgG–Au conjugates to S. aureus was obtained. Thus, this novel approach allows the identification of protein A and other IgG receptor-bearing bacteria, which is useful for AFM indication of pathogenic microorganisms in poly-component associations.

Atomic force microscopy recognition of protein A on Staphylococcus aureus cell surfaces by labelling with IgG–Au conjugates

Science.gov (United States)

Tatlybaeva, Elena B; Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Deryabin, Dmitri G

2013-01-01

Summary The labelling of functional molecules on the surface of bacterial cells is one way to recognize the bacteria. In this work, we have developed a method for the selective labelling of protein A on the cell surfaces of Staphylococcus aureus by using nanosized immunogold conjugates as cell-surface markers for atomic force microscopy (AFM). The use of 30-nm size Au nanoparticles conjugated with immunoglobulin G (IgG) allowed the visualization, localization and distribution of protein A–IgG complexes on the surface of S. aureus. The selectivity of the labelling method was confirmed in mixtures of S. aureus with Bacillus licheniformis cells, which differed by size and shape and had no IgG receptors on the surface. A preferential binding of the IgG–Au conjugates to S. aureus was obtained. Thus, this novel approach allows the identification of protein A and other IgG receptor-bearing bacteria, which is useful for AFM indication of pathogenic microorganisms in poly-component associations. PMID:24367742

Third International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2011)

CERN Document Server

Dourado, António; Rosa, Agostinho; Filipe, Joaquim; Computational Intelligence

2013-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the third International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2011), held in Paris, France, from 24 to 26 October 2011. The conference was composed of three co-located conferences:  The International Conference on Fuzzy Computation (ICFC), the International Conference on Evolutionary Computation (ICEC), and the International Conference on Neural Computation (ICNC). Recent progresses in scientific developments and applications in these three areas are reported in this book. IJCCI received 283 submissions, from 59 countries, in all continents. This book includes the revised and extended versions of a strict selection of the best papers presented at the conference.

Second International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2010)

CERN Document Server

Correia, António; Rosa, Agostinho; Filipe, Joaquim; Computational Intelligence

2012-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the second International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2010), held in Valencia, Spain, from 24 to 26 October 2010. The conference was composed by three co-located conferences:  The International Conference on Fuzzy Computation (ICFC), the International Conference on Evolutionary Computation (ICEC), and the International Conference on Neural Computation (ICNC). Recent progresses in scientific developments and applications in these three areas are reported in this book. IJCCI received 236 submissions, from 49 countries, in all continents. After a double blind paper review performed by the Program Committee, only 30 submissions were accepted as full papers and thus selected for oral presentation, leading to a full paper acceptance ratio of 13%. Additional papers were accepted as short papers and posters. A further selection was made after the Conference, based also on the assessment of presentation quality and audience inte...

In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Mentha Essential Oils Against Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Horváth P.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Plant extracts and essential oils (EOs are characterized by their antibacterial properties against various bacterial pathogens, including staphylococci. Some strains of these bacteria are resistant against the adverse effects of the environment including antibiotics, e. g. methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. EOs alone cannot substitute for antibiotics but their treatment may be useful to intensify and strengthen the effects of antibiotics on pathogenic staphylococci. In this work, we tested the antibacterial effects of the essential oils of Mentha species with menthol as one of the effective substances against different strains of S. aureus. Two in vitro methods were used, the qualitative disc diffusion assay and the quantitative minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC of selected essential oils. Peppermint oil from Mentha piperita, spearmint oil from Mentha spicata var. crispa and cornmint oil from Mentha arvensis were tested in this study against the various strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. The oils were dissolved in DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide and diluted at the following ratios: 1 : 1, 1 : 2, 1 : 5, and 1 : 10. Based on the results determined by the agar disc diffusion test, the highest antibacterial properties were observed in spearmint oil against S. aureus CCM 4223 at 1 : 2 ratio where the inhibition zone varied at a range of 35.67 ± 6.81 mm. We determined also the MIC of all the oils where concentrations of the oils were as follows: 1 %; 0.5 %; 0.25 %; 0.125 % and 0.0625 %. The lowest concentrations of essential oils that possessed inhibitory effects on the growth of S. aureus varied between 0.125 % and 0.25 %.

Investigational drugs to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Vuong, Cuong; Yeh, Anthony J; Cheung, Gordon YC; Otto, Michael

2016-01-01

Introduction Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This is to a large extent due to antibiotic-resistant strains, in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). While the toll of invasive MRSA infections appears to decrease in U.S. hospitals, the rate of community-associated MRSA infections remains constant and there is a surge of MRSA in many other countries. This situation calls for continuing if not increased efforts to find novel strategies to combat MRSA infections. Areas covered This review will provide an overview of current investigational antibiotics in clinical development (up to phase II), and of therapeutic antibodies and alternative drugs against S. aureus in preclinical and clinical development, including a short description of the mechanism of action and a presentation of microbiological and clinical data. Expert opinion Increased recent antibiotic development efforts and results from pathogenesis research have led to several new antibiotics and alternative drugs, as well as a more informed selection of targets for vaccination efforts against MRSA. This developing portfolio of novel anti-staphylococcal drugs will hopefully provide us with additional and more efficient ways to combat MRSA infections in the near future and prevent us from running out of treatment options, even if new resistances arise. PMID:26536498

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Science.gov (United States)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA); Staph - MRSA; Staphylococcal - MRSA ... Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). www.cdc.gov/mrsa/index.html . Updated ...

Genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus in Buruli ulcer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nana Ama Amissah

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Buruli ulcer (BU is a necrotizing skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Previous studies have shown that wounds of BU patients are colonized with M. ulcerans and several other microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, which may interfere with wound healing. The present study was therefore aimed at investigating the diversity and topography of S. aureus colonizing BU patients during treatment.We investigated the presence, diversity, and spatio-temporal distribution of S. aureus in 30 confirmed BU patients from Ghana during treatment. S. aureus was isolated from nose and wound swabs, and by replica plating of wound dressings collected bi-weekly from patients. S. aureus isolates were characterized by multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat fingerprinting (MLVF and spa-typing, and antibiotic susceptibility was tested.Nineteen (63% of the 30 BU patients tested positive for S. aureus at least once during the sampling period, yielding 407 S. aureus isolates. Detailed analysis of 91 isolates grouped these isolates into 13 MLVF clusters and 13 spa-types. Five (26% S. aureus-positive BU patients carried the same S. aureus genotype in their anterior nares and wounds. S. aureus isolates from the wounds of seven (37% patients were distributed over two different MLVF clusters. Wounds of three (16% patients were colonized with isolates belonging to two different genotypes at the same time, and five (26% patients were colonized with different S. aureus types over time. Five (17% of the 30 included BU patients tested positive for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA.The present study showed that the wounds of many BU patients were contaminated with S. aureus, and that many BU patients from the different communities carried the same S. aureus genotype during treatment. This calls for improved wound care and hygiene.

Genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus in Buruli ulcer.

Science.gov (United States)

Amissah, Nana Ama; Glasner, Corinna; Ablordey, Anthony; Tetteh, Caitlin S; Kotey, Nana Konama; Prah, Isaac; van der Werf, Tjip S; Rossen, John W; van Dijl, Jan Maarten; Stienstra, Ymkje

2015-02-01

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a necrotizing skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Previous studies have shown that wounds of BU patients are colonized with M. ulcerans and several other microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, which may interfere with wound healing. The present study was therefore aimed at investigating the diversity and topography of S. aureus colonizing BU patients during treatment. We investigated the presence, diversity, and spatio-temporal distribution of S. aureus in 30 confirmed BU patients from Ghana during treatment. S. aureus was isolated from nose and wound swabs, and by replica plating of wound dressings collected bi-weekly from patients. S. aureus isolates were characterized by multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat fingerprinting (MLVF) and spa-typing, and antibiotic susceptibility was tested. Nineteen (63%) of the 30 BU patients tested positive for S. aureus at least once during the sampling period, yielding 407 S. aureus isolates. Detailed analysis of 91 isolates grouped these isolates into 13 MLVF clusters and 13 spa-types. Five (26%) S. aureus-positive BU patients carried the same S. aureus genotype in their anterior nares and wounds. S. aureus isolates from the wounds of seven (37%) patients were distributed over two different MLVF clusters. Wounds of three (16%) patients were colonized with isolates belonging to two different genotypes at the same time, and five (26%) patients were colonized with different S. aureus types over time. Five (17%) of the 30 included BU patients tested positive for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The present study showed that the wounds of many BU patients were contaminated with S. aureus, and that many BU patients from the different communities carried the same S. aureus genotype during treatment. This calls for improved wound care and hygiene.

In vitro profiling of antimethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus activity of thymoquinone against selected type and clinical strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Hariharan, P; Paul-Satyaseela, M; Gnanamani, A

2016-03-01

This study explores antimethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity of a bioactive phytochemical constituent, thymoquinone obtained from the medicinal herb, Nigella sativa Linn. Based on initial assessment on crude extract of seeds of Nigella sativa Linn, the pure active constituent was employed in the study. A total of 99 MRSA strains which comprised of 40 types and 59 clinical strains were selected for the study. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), bactericidal activity, postantibiotic effect (PAE) and propensity to select resistant mutants were determined using standard protocols. Results revealed that thymoquinone exhibited MIC in the range of 8-16 μg ml(-1) and MIC90 of 16 μg ml(-1) against MRSA strains. It was bactericidal to MRSA by demonstrating >3 log kill. It showed a longer PAE of 3·2 ± 0·2 h. Upon exposure to high-density inoculum of MRSA, it did not select resistant mutants. Transmission electron microscopy of thymoquinone-treated MRSA showed no lysis but damage to cell wall and cell membrane which corroborated well with the salt tolerance and bacteriolysis assays. In conclusion, MIC90 , bactericidal property, longer PAE, absence of resistant mutant selection and damages in cell membrane and cell wall imply a promising anti-MRSA activity of thymoquinone. This is the first detailed report on anti-MRSA activity of thymoquinone. The assessment was made with both type and clinical strains. Thymoquinone may be a potential lead compound which can be further optimized to discover novel anti-MRSA agents. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A Case of Childhood Lichen Aureus

OpenAIRE

Kim, Min Ji; Kim, Byung Yoon; Park, Kyung Chan; Youn, Sang Woong

2009-01-01

Lichen aureus is a rare type of chronic pigmented purpuric dermatosis. The eruptions consist of discrete or confluent golden to brownish lichenoid macules and papules, and are usually asymptomatic. Lichen aureus commonly occurs in young adults, but less frequently in children. We report the first case of multiple lichen aureus occurring in a Korean child.

A Single-Stranded DNA Aptamer That Selectively Binds to Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin B

OpenAIRE

DeGrasse, Jeffrey A.

2012-01-01

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is a common foodborne pathogen capable of secreting a cocktail of small, stable, and strain-specific, staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) results when improperly handled food contaminated with SEs is consumed. Gastrointestinal symptoms of SFP include emesis, diarrhea and severe abdominal pain, which manifest within hours of ingesting contaminated food. Immuno-affinity based methods directly detect, identify, and quantify s...

Neutrophil depletion causes a fatal defect in murine pulmonary Staphylococcus aureus clearance.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Charles M; Perrone, Erin E; McConnell, Kevin W; Dunne, W Michael; Boody, Barrett; Brahmbhatt, Tejal; Diacovo, M Julia; Van Rooijen, Nico; Hogue, Lisa A; Cannon, Carolyn L; Buchman, Timothy G; Hotchkiss, Richard S; Coopersmith, Craig M

2008-12-01

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of healthcare-associated pneumonia. Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with the disease, animal models of S. aureus pneumonia are rare. We examined the pathogenicity of four different strains of S. aureus (both methicillin-sensitive and -resistant as well as Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive and -negative) in four strains of immunocompetent inbred and outbred mice (FVB/N, C57Bl/6, BALB/c, ND4; n = 148). The immunological basis for the development of murine S. aureus pneumonia was then determined by selectively depleting neutrophils, lymphocytes, or pulmonary macrophages prior to the onset of infection. An additional cohort of animals was rendered immunosuppressed by induction of abdominal sepsis via cecal ligation and puncture 2, 4, or 7 d prior to the onset of pneumonia. Nearly all immunocompetent mice survived, regardless of which strain of S. aureus was used or which strain of mouse was infected. Among animals with immune depletion or prior immunosuppression, survival was decreased only following neutrophil depletion (26% versus 90% alive at 7 d, P < 0.0001). Compared to immunocompetent animals, neutrophil-depleted mice with S. aureus pneumonia had delayed pulmonary bacterial clearance at 16 and 40 h but had no difference in levels of bacteremia. Neutrophil-depleted mice also had elevated levels of pulmonary monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (822 pg/mL versus 150 pg/mL, P < 0.05). In contrast, pulmonary histological appearance was similar in both groups as was dry/wet lung weight. These results suggest that neutrophils play a critical role in the host response to S. aureus pneumonia, and the survival differences observed in neutrophil-depleted mice are associated with alterations in bacterial clearance and pulmonary cytokine response.

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in a tertiary care hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CP Bhatt

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureushas emerged as one of the most important nosocomial pathogens. It invokes a tremendous financial burden and enhanced morbidity and mortality due to difficult to treat systemic infections.Aim of this study was to determine antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Materials and Methods: Different clinical specimens were collected and processed for routine culture and antibiotic sensitivity test by standard microbiology techniques. Results: Out of 1173 samples received for microbiological examination, 100 were found to be S. aureus with 19% cases were Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. Fourteen MRSA were found from inpatient and 5 were from outpatient. MRSA was found higher in female than male and maximum number (31.5% was found in age group 0-10 years. Staphylococcus aureus was 100% sensitive to Vancomycin followed by Amikacin (90%, Gentamycin (83%, and tetracycline (81%. On urine isolates Nitrofurantoin(91.6% was drug of choice. All the isolates were resistant to Penicillin G. In case of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% sensitive to Vancomycin followed by Amikacin (84.2%, Tetracycline (63.1%, Ciprofloxacin (42% and Gentamycin (36.8%. Among urine isolates Nitrofutantoin showed 87.5% sensitive followed by Norfloxacin (75%. Conclusion: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found 19% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates. It was most common in females, hospitalized patients and young age group. Vancomycin seems to be drug of choice followed by Amikacin. It would be helpful to formulating and monitoring the antibiotic policy and ensure proper empiric treatment. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpn.v4i7.10297 Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2014 Vol. 4, 548-551   

Prevalence and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Strains in the Pork Chain Supply in Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Valeria; Vergara, José L; Bonilla, Ana M; Muñoz, Javier; Mallea, Alejandra; Vallejos, Diego; Quezada-Aguiluz, Mario; Campos, Jorge; Rojas-García, Pedro

2018-05-01

The detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other emerging strains in meat-producing animals and retail meat has increased the risk of contamination of food. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characterize S. aureus strains isolated from the pork chain supply in Chile. A total of 487 samples were collected: 332 samples from pigs at farms and slaughterhouses (nasal, n = 155; skin, n = 177); 85 samples from carcasses at slaughterhouses; and 70 meat samples at supermarkets and retail stores. The isolation of S. aureus was carried out by selective enrichment and culture media. Biochemical testing (API ® Staph) and PCR (detection of the nuc and mecA genes) were used to confirm S. aureus and MRSA strains. The agglutination test was used to determine the protein PBP2'. Enterotoxins (SEA, SEB, SEC, SED) were determined by agglutination test and the se genes by PCR method. Oxacillin and cefoxitin susceptibility testing were carried out using the diffusion method. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in the pork meat supply was 33.9%. A higher prevalence was detected on carcasses (56.5%), in pigs sampled at farms (40.6%) than in pigs sampled at slaughterhouses (23.3%) and in nonpackaged retail meat (43.1%) than packaged retail meat (5.3%) (p ≤ 0.05). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the prevalence in pigs (28.3%) and pork meat (32.9%) and between natural pig farming (33.3%) and conventional production (52.8%). The mecA gene and the protein PBP2' were not detected in S. aureus strains. Two S. aureus strains exhibited oxacillin and cefoxitin resistance, and one S. aureus strain was resistant to cefoxitin. One S. aureus strain isolated from a meat sample was positive for enterotoxin SEB. Although the mecA gene was not detected, oxacillin-resistant and seb-producing S. aureus strains were detected, which represent a risk in the pork chain supply.

Staphylococcus aureus and hand eczema severity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haslund, P; Bangsgaard, N; Jarløv, J O

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: The role of bacterial infections in hand eczema (HE) remains to be assessed. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in patients with HE compared with controls, and to relate presence of S. aureus, subtypes and toxin production to severity of HE. METHODS......: Bacterial swabs were taken at three different visits from the hand and nose in 50 patients with HE and 50 controls. Staphylococcus aureus was subtyped by spa typing and assigned to clonal complexes (CCs), and isolates were tested for exotoxin-producing S. aureus strains. The Hand Eczema Severity Index...... and in the nose in all cases, and between visits in 90% of cases. Ten different CC types were identified, no association with severity was found, and toxin-producing strains were not found more frequently in patients with HE than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcus aureus was present on hands in almost half...

2nd International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology

CERN Document Server

Raposo, Maria

2016-01-01

This collection of the selected papers presented to the Second International Conference on Photonics, Optics and laser technology PHOTOPTICS 2014 covers the three main conference scientific areas of “Optics”, “Photonics” and “Lasers”. The selected papers, in two classes full and short, result from a double blind review carried out by conference Program Committee members who are highly qualified experts in the conference topic areas.

Aptamer-conjugated silver nanoparticles for electrochemical dual-aptamer-based sandwich detection of staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbaspour, Abdolkarim; Norouz-Sarvestani, Fatemeh; Noori, Abolhassan; Soltani, Noushin

2015-06-15

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important human pathogens and causes numerous illnesses. In this study, we report a sensitive and highly selective dual-aptamer-based sandwich immunosensor for the detection of S. aureus. In this bioassay system, a biotinylated primary anti-S.aureus aptamer was immobilized on streptavidin coated magnetic beads (MB), which serves as a capture probe. A secondary anti-S.aureus aptamer was conjugated to silver nanoparticles (Apt-AgNP) that sensitively reports the detection of the target. In the presence of target bacterium, an Apt/S.aureus/apt-AgNP sandwich complex is formed on the MB surface and the electrochemical signal of AgNPs followed through anodic stripping voltammetry. The proposed sandwich assay benefits from advantageous of a sandwich assay for increased specificity, MB as carriers of affinity ligands for solution-phase recognition and fast magnetic separation, AgNPs for signal amplification, and an electrochemical stripping voltammetry read-out as a simple and sensitive detection. The electrochemical immunosensor shows an extended dynamic range from 10 to 1×10(6) cfu/mL with a low detection limit of 1.0 cfu/mL (S/N=3). Furthermore, the possible interference of other analog bacteria was studied. To assess the general applicability of this sensor, we investigated the quantification of S. aureus in real water samples. The results were compared to the experimental results obtained from a plate counting method, which demonstrated an acceptable consistency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Livestock-Associated Methicillin and Multidrug Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Is Present among Industrial, Not Antibiotic-Free Livestock Operation Workers in North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Wing, Steve; Hall, Devon; Baron, Dothula; Price, Lance B.; Larsen, Jesper; Stegger, Marc; Stewart, Jill; Heaney, Christopher D.

2013-01-01

Objectives Administration of antibiotics to food animals may select for drug-resistant pathogens of clinical significance, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In the United States, studies have examined prevalence of MRSA carriage among individuals exposed to livestock, but prevalence of multidrug-resistant S. aureus (MDRSA) carriage and the association with livestock raised with versus without antibiotic selective pressure remains unclear. We aimed to examine prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and molecular characteristics of S. aureus among industrial livestock operation (ILO) and antibiotic-free livestock operation (AFLO) workers and household members in North Carolina. Methods Participants in this cross-sectional study were interviewed and provided a nasal swab for S. aureus analysis. Resulting S. aureus isolates were assessed for antibiotic susceptibility, multi-locus sequence type, and absence of the scn gene (a marker of livestock association). Results Among 99 ILO and 105 AFLO participants, S. aureus nasal carriage prevalence was 41% and 40%, respectively. Among ILO and AFLO S. aureus carriers, MRSA was detected in 7% (3/41) and 7% (3/42), respectively. Thirty seven percent of 41 ILO versus 19% of 42 AFLO S. aureus-positive participants carried MDRSA. S. aureus clonal complex (CC) 398 was observed only among workers and predominated among ILO (13/34) compared with AFLO (1/35) S. aureus-positive workers. Only ILO workers carried scn-negative MRSA CC398 (2/34) and scn-negative MDRSA CC398 (6/34), and all of these isolates were tetracycline resistant. Conclusions Despite similar S. aureus and MRSA prevalence among ILO and AFLO-exposed individuals, livestock-associated MRSA and MDRSA (tetracycline-resistant, CC398, scn-negative) were only present among ILO-exposed individuals. These findings support growing concern about antibiotics use and confinement in livestock production, raising questions about the potential for occupational

Livestock-associated methicillin and multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus is present among industrial, not antibiotic-free livestock operation workers in North Carolina.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L Rinsky

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Administration of antibiotics to food animals may select for drug-resistant pathogens of clinical significance, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. In the United States, studies have examined prevalence of MRSA carriage among individuals exposed to livestock, but prevalence of multidrug-resistant S. aureus (MDRSA carriage and the association with livestock raised with versus without antibiotic selective pressure remains unclear. We aimed to examine prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and molecular characteristics of S. aureus among industrial livestock operation (ILO and antibiotic-free livestock operation (AFLO workers and household members in North Carolina. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were interviewed and provided a nasal swab for S. aureus analysis. Resulting S. aureus isolates were assessed for antibiotic susceptibility, multi-locus sequence type, and absence of the scn gene (a marker of livestock association. RESULTS: Among 99 ILO and 105 AFLO participants, S. aureus nasal carriage prevalence was 41% and 40%, respectively. Among ILO and AFLO S. aureus carriers, MRSA was detected in 7% (3/41 and 7% (3/42, respectively. Thirty seven percent of 41 ILO versus 19% of 42 AFLO S. aureus-positive participants carried MDRSA. S. aureus clonal complex (CC 398 was observed only among workers and predominated among ILO (13/34 compared with AFLO (1/35 S. aureus-positive workers. Only ILO workers carried scn-negative MRSA CC398 (2/34 and scn-negative MDRSA CC398 (6/34, and all of these isolates were tetracycline resistant. CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar S. aureus and MRSA prevalence among ILO and AFLO-exposed individuals, livestock-associated MRSA and MDRSA (tetracycline-resistant, CC398, scn-negative were only present among ILO-exposed individuals. These findings support growing concern about antibiotics use and confinement in livestock production, raising questions about the potential for

Evolution from a natural flavones nucleus to obtain 2-(4-Propoxyphenyl)quinoline derivatives as potent inhibitors of the S. aureus NorA efflux pump.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatini, Stefano; Gosetto, Francesca; Manfroni, Giuseppe; Tabarrini, Oriana; Kaatz, Glenn W; Patel, Diixa; Cecchetti, Violetta

2011-08-25

Overexpression of efflux pumps is an important mechanism by which bacteria evade the effects of substrate antimicrobial agents. Inhibition of such pumps is a promising strategy to circumvent this resistance mechanism. NorA is a Staphylococcus aureus efflux pump that confers reduced susceptibility to many structurally unrelated agents, including fluoroquinolones, resulting in a multidrug resistant phenotype. In this work, a series of 2-phenyl-4(1H)-quinolone and 2-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives, obtained by modifying the flavone nucleus of known efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), were synthesized in an effort to identify more potent S. aureus NorA EPIs. The 2-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives 28f and 29f display potent EPI activity against SA-1199B, a strain that overexpresses norA, in an ethidium bromide efflux inhibition assay. The same compounds, in combination with ciprofloxacin, were able to completely restore its antibacterial activity against both S. aureus SA-K2378 and SA-1199B, norA-overexpressing strains. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Capture and detection of Staphylococcus aureus with dual labeled aptamers to cell surface components.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramlal, Shylaja; Mondal, Bhairab; Lavu, Padma Sudharani; N, Bhavanashri; Kingston, Joseph

2018-01-16

In the present study, a high throughput whole cell SELEX method has been applied successfully in selecting specific aptamers against whole cells of Staphylococcus aureus, a potent food poisoning bacterium. A total ten rounds of SELEX and three rounds of intermittent counter SELEX, was performed to obtain specific aptamers. Obtained oligonucleotide pool were cloned, sequenced and then grouped into different families based on their primary sequence homology and secondary structure similarity. FITC labeled sequences from different families were selected for further characterization via flow cytometry analysis. The dissociation constant (K d ) values of specific and higher binders ranged from 34 to 128nM. Binding assays to assess the selectivity of aptamer RAB10, RAB 20, RAB 28 and RAB 35 demonstrated high affinity against S. aureus and low binding affinity for other bacteria. To demonstrate the potential use of the aptamer a sensitive dual labeled sandwich detection system was developed using aptamer RAB10 and RAB 35 with a detection limit of 10 2 CFU/mL. Furthermore detection from mixed cell population and spiked sample emphasized the robustness as well as applicability of the developed method. Altogether, the established assay could be a reliable detection tool for the routine investigation of Staphylococcus aureus in samples from food and clinical sources. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

3rd International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology

CERN Document Server

Raposo, Maria

2016-01-01

The book provides a collection of selected papers presented to the third International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology PHOTOPTICS 2015, covering the three main conference scientific areas of “Optics”, “Photonics” and “Lasers”. The selected papers, in two classes full and short, result from a double blind review carried out by the conference program committee members which are highly qualified experts in conference topic areas.

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in cattle, sheep, goat, and pig rearing in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Klimešová

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The study focused on the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and resistant strains in livestock. In this study, 114 different samples from three cattle farms (84 from two farms of dairy cows and 30 from one farm of suckler cows, 132 samples from one sheep farm, 120 samples from one goat farm, and 82 samples from three pig farms were examined. Strains identified as Staphylococcus aureus were further analysed by the polymerase chain reaction method for detection of the mecA gene and for confirmation of the sequence type 398. Positive incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed in farms of suckler cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The incidence of methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed at a goat farm, with all strains belonging to the sequence type 398. Repetitive element palindromic-polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to compare the relatedness of selected human and animal S. aureus strains at the goat and sheep farms. The obtained data from repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed significant clonal similarity among the tested isolates and indicated the possibility of mutual transmission between animals or animal and human and possible transfer in the food chain.

Identification of Staphylococus aureus genes expressed during growth in milk : a useful model for selection of genes important in bovine mastitis?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lammers, A.; Kruijt, E.; Kuijt, van de C.; Nuijten, P.J.M.; Smith, H.E.

2000-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of bovine mastitis. Since gene expression of many bacteria is known to be regulated by the environment, milk may play an important role in the regulation of the early steps in the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis by S. aureus. To get insight into the response of

Infectious caused by community-acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA: three-years experience of an universitary hospital in Rome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Altieri

2010-06-01

Full Text Available To date methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is one of the most common pathogens causing nosocomial infections(1. In Europe the proportion of MRSA is increasing sharply and the distribution varies from country to country. In recent years there has, in various parts of the world, the emergence of infection with strains of S. aureus methicillin-resistant community-acquired (CA-MRSA than those circulating in hospitals(2. These strains contain a gene that confers resistance to methicillin (mec A SSC mec IV which is usually associated with the gene for Leukocidin Panton Valentine (PVL toxin responsible for necrosis of skin and soft tissue (3. In 2006-2008, at the Laboratory of Bacteriology PolyclinicTor Vergata,were isolated a total of 738 strains of S. aureus from biological samples of different nature (oral, vaginal secretions, wound swab, secreted headset, etc ... of patients related to our surgeries.The identification and study of drug sensitivity of strains were performed with the automatic VITEK2 (bioMérieux. Of the 738 strains of S. aureus identified 212 (28.7% were resistant to methicillin (MRSA, with an increasing trend over the years: 46 isolates, respectively, in 2006, 76 in 2007 and 90 in 2008. The highest frequency of MRSA (varying between 85% and 95% was detected in wound swabs from the dispensary and diabetes (diabetic foot.

Copper-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles with Peroxidase-Like Activity for Sensitive Colorimetric Detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuqin; Deng, Wenfang; Yang, Lu; Tan, Yueming; Xie, Qingji; Yao, Shouzhuo

2017-07-26

Cu-MOF nanoparticles with an average diameter of 550 nm were synthesized from 2-aminoterephthalic acid and Cu(NO 3 ) 2 by a mixed solvothermal method. The Cu-MOF nanoparticles can show peroxidase-like activity that can catalyze 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine to produce a yellow chromogenic reaction in the presence of H 2 O 2 . The presence of abundant amine groups on the surfaces of Cu-MOF nanoparticles enables facile modification of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) aptamer on Cu-MOF nanoparticles. By combining Cu-MOF-catalyzed chromogenic reaction with aptamer recognition and magnetic separation, a simple, sensitive, and selective colorimetric method for the detection of S. aureus was developed.

METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nosocomial infections caused by methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus often pose therapeutic dilemma to the clinicians because of the multi resistant nature of these strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Outbreaks of both nosocomial and community acquired infections are also frequent and difficult to control.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Quality Control Strain Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923.

Science.gov (United States)

Treangen, Todd J; Maybank, Rosslyn A; Enke, Sana; Friss, Mary Beth; Diviak, Lynn F; Karaolis, David K R; Koren, Sergey; Ondov, Brian; Phillippy, Adam M; Bergman, Nicholas H; Rosovitz, M J

2014-11-06

Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923 is commonly used as a control strain for susceptibility testing to antibiotics and as a quality control strain for commercial products. We present the completed genome sequence for the strain, consisting of the chromosome and a 27.5-kb plasmid. Copyright © 2014 Treangen et al.

Selected papers from the 7th International Conference on Microtechnologies in Medicine and Biology (MMB 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Ellis; Takayama, Shuichi

2014-03-01

grateful to the many authors who contributed their research achievements to this exciting issue and to the anonymous reviewers for their invaluable insights and suggestions. We would also like to express our thanks to our colleagues on the international steering committee for their dedicated review of the selected presentations that appears at the conference. Finally, we appreciate the support of the editorial staff of Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering for this inaugural MMB special issue. We look forward to continued collaboration in future MMB conferences.

Detection of enterotoxins and genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from Isfahan Educational Hospital, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Asghar Havaei

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background and aims: Staphylococcus aureus is known as one of the most important nosocomial pathogens, which may lead to several infections. The aim of this study was determining the enterotoxins A, C, and TSST-1 and molecular characterization of S. aureus strains with PFGE and MLST typing methods. Materials and methods: In the present study during the sixmonths sampling, fifty S. aureus strains were isolated from patients admitted to Al-Zahra university hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, Multiplex PCR for detection of enterotoxin A, C and TSST-1, pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST were used for molecular typing. Results: In antibiogram the highest and lowest percentage of resistance was belonged to tetracycline and rifampin respectively. Multiplex PCR indicated that 30% of the strains harbored sea and 34% harbored sec genes. However, only 4% of our collected isolates had tsst gene. In PFGE method analysis on all S. aureus strains, a total of 19 different patterns were identified. Nine various sequence types in 27 selected S. aureus isolates were identified by MLST. Conclusions: Present study indicates a possible higher variability among our S. aureus strains by two different molecular typing methods; nevertheless four main common types (CT1, CT7, CT9, and CT11 with at least one toxin genes were determined.

Tracing and inhibiting growth of Staphylococcus aureus in barbecue cheese production after product recall.

Science.gov (United States)

Johler, S; Zurfluh, K; Stephan, R

2016-05-01

Staphylococcal food poisoning is one of the most prevalent causes of foodborne intoxication worldwide. It is caused by ingestion of enterotoxins formed by Staphylococcus aureus during growth in the food matrix. Following a recall of barbecue cheese due to the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in Switzerland in July 2015, we analyzed the production process of the respective dairy. Although most cheese-making processes involve acidification to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, barbecue cheese has to maintain a pH >6.0 to prevent undesired melting of the cheese. In addition, the dairy decided to retain the traditional manual production process of the barbecue cheese. In this study, therefore, we aimed to (1) trace Staph. aureus along the barbecue cheese production process, and (2) develop a sustainable strategy to inhibit growth of Staph. aureus and decrease the risk of staphylococcal food poisoning without changing the traditional production process. To this end, we traced Staph. aureus in a step-wise blinded process analysis on 4 different production days using spa (Staphylococcus protein A gene) typing, DNA microarray profiling, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis. We subsequently selected a new starter culture and used a model cheese production including a challenge test assay to assess its antagonistic effect on Staph. aureus growth, as well as its sensory and technological implications. We detected Staph. aureus in 30% (37/124) of the collected samples taken from the barbecue cheese production at the dairy. This included detection of Staph. aureus in the final product on all 4 production days, either after enrichment or using quantitative detection. We traced 2 enterotoxigenic Staph. aureus strains (t073/CC45 and t282/CC45) colonizing the nasal cavity and the forearms of the cheesemakers to the final product. In the challenge test assay, we were able to show that the new starter culture inhibited growth of Staph. aureus while meeting

Joint US/German Conference

CERN Document Server

Gulledge, Thomas; Jones, Albert

1993-01-01

This proceedings volume contains selected and refereed contributions that were presented at the conference on "Recent Developments and New Perspectives of Operations Research in the Area of Production Planning and Control" in Hagen/Germany, 25. - 26. June 1992. This conference was organized with the cooperation of the FernuniversiHit Hagen and was jointly hosted by the "Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Operations Research (DGOR)" and the "Manufacturing Special Interest Group of the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA-SIGMA)". For the organization of the conference we received generous financial support from the sponsors listed at the end of this volume. We wish to express our appreciation to all supporters for their contributions. This conference was the successor of the JOInt ORSA/DGOR-conference in Gaithersburg/Maryland, USA, on the 30. and 31. July 1991. Both OR-societies committed themselves in 1989 to host joint conferences on special topics of interest from the field of operations research. This goal ...

Antimicrobial resistant coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADEYEYE

S. aureus is associated with many clinical syndromes including tenosynovitis, omphalitis, femoral head necrosis, .... Markey, 2008) where occurrence of multidrug ... Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis in. Denmark. Veterinary.

Screening method for Staphylococcus aureus identification in subclinical bovine mastitis from dairy farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natapol Pumipuntu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important contagious bacteria causing subclinical bovine mastitis. This bacterial infection is commonly identified by determine the pathogen in bovine milk samples through conventional technique including coagulase test. However, this test has several disadvantages as low sensitivity, risk of biohazard, cost expensive, and limited preparation especially in local area. Aim: Aim of this study was to compare and assess the screening method, Mannitol fermentation test (Mannitol salt agar [MSA], and deoxyribonuclease (DNase test, for S. aureus identification in milk samples. Materials and Methods: A total of 224 subclinical bovine mastitis milk samples were collected from four provinces of Thailand and determined S. aureus using conventional method and also subjected to the screening test, MSA and DNase test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV, and negative predictive value (NPV among both tests were analyzed and compared to the tube coagulase test (TCT, as reference method. Immunological test by latex agglutination and molecular assay by determined spa gene were also used to identify and differentiate S. aureus. Results: A total of 130 staphylococci were isolated by selective media, Gram-stain, and catalase test. The number of S. aureus which identified using TCT, MSA and DNase test were 32, 102, and 74 isolates, respectively. All TCT results were correlated to results of latex agglutination and spa gene which were 32 S. aureus. MSA showed 100% sensitivity, 28.57% specificity, 31.37% PPV, and 100% NPV, whereas DNase showed 53.13% sensitivity, 41.84% specificity, 22.97% PPV, and 73.21% NPV. DNase test showed higher specificity value than MSA but the test presented 26.79% false negative results whereas no false-negative result from MSA when comparing to TCT. Conclusion: MSA had a tendency to be a good preference for screening S. aureus because of its high sensitivity and

Immunoglobulin Fc receptors in clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus do not confer resistance to Phagocytosis in an in vitro assay Los receptores Fc para inmunoglobulinas en cepas clínicas de Staphylococcus aureus no confieren resistencia a la fagocitosis in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benito VEGA

1999-05-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus binds Immunoglobulin G (IgG on its external surface due to the presence of specific receptors for the Fc domain of this immunoglobulin. This mechanism represents a kind of camouflage against phagocytic cells. In order to confirm that possibility an in vitro evaluation of the phagocytic activity of leukocytes polymorpho-nuclear (PMN against strains of Staphylococcus aureus was done, comparing 18 strains isolated from clinical samples and 16 from healthy individuals. The presence of Fc receptors was evaluated by haemagglutination (HA with erythrocytes group A after incubation of the strains with IgG anti blood group A. Phagocytosis of S. aureus was carried out by mixing live bacteria with a suspension of human PMN and incubating at 37 °C for 1 h; survivors were counted as colony forming units by plating. The strains from clinical specimens showed higher HA than those from healthy individuals (p = 0.01; but the former were killed more efficiently than the latter (80-90% and 40%, respectively. It is may be possible that S. aureus showed different behavior in vivo, where could express other virulence factors to prevent the action of phagocytes.Staphylococcus aureus liga inmunoglobulinas G (IgG a su superficie externa debido a la presencia de receptores para el dominio Fc de esas inmunoglobulinas. Este mecanismo representa una clase de camuflage contra células fagocíticas. Para confirmar tal posibilidad se realizó una evaluación in vitro de la actividad fagocítica de leucocitos polimorfonucleares (PMN contra cepas de Staphylococcus aureus, comparando 18 cepas aisladas de casos clínicos y 16 de individuos sanos. La presencia de receptores fue evaluada por hemaglutinación (HA con eritrocitos grupo A luego que las cepas fueron incubadas con IgG anti grupo sanguíneo A. La fagocitosis de S. aureus fue realizada mezclando células vivas con una suspensión de PMN e incubada a 37 °C por una hora; las bacterias sobrevivientes

Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haaber, Jakob; Penadés, José R; Ingmer, Hanne

2017-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a serious human pathogen with remarkable adaptive powers. Antibiotic-resistant clones rapidly emerge mainly by acquisition of antibiotic-resistance genes from other S. aureus strains or even from other genera. Transfer is mediated by a diverse complement of mobile genetic...... of plasmids that can be transferred by conjugation and the efficiency with which transduction occurs. Here, we review the main routes of antibiotic resistance gene transfer in S. aureus in the context of its biology as a human commensal and a life-threatening pathogen. Staphylococcus aureus cells...... are effective in exchanging mobile genetic elements, including antibiotic-resistance genes.During colonization or infection of host organisms, the exchange appears to be particularly effective.Bacteriophage-mediated transfer involves both transduction and autotransduction, which may enable lysogenic S. aureus...

Methicillin-Susceptible, Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Panesso , Diana; Planet , Paul J.; Diaz , Lorena; Hugonnet , Jean-Emannuel; Tran , Truc T.; Narechania , Apurva; Munita , José M.; Rincon , Sandra; Carvajal , Lina P.; Reyes , Jinnethe; Londono , Alejandra; Smith , Hannah; Sebra , Robert; Deikus , Gintaras; Weinstock , George M

2015-01-01

International audience; We report characterization of a methicillin-susceptible, vancomycin-resistant bloodstream isolate of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from a patient in Brazil. Emergence of vancomycin resistance in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus would indicate that this resistance trait might be poised to disseminate more rapidly among S. aureus and represents a major public health threat.

The Cell Wall Polymer Lipoteichoic Acid Becomes Nonessential in Staphylococcus aureus Cells Lacking the ClpX Chaperone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baek, Kristoffer T.; Bowman, Lisa; Millership, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is an important cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria and a promising target for the development of vaccines and antimicrobial compounds against Staphylococcus aureus. Here we demonstrate that mutations in the conditionally essential ltaS (LTA synthase) gene arise...... not produce LTA, and genetic analyses confirmed that LTA becomes nonessential in the absence of the ClpX chaperone. In fact, inactivation of ltaS alleviated the severe growth defect conferred by the clpX deletion. Microscopic analyses showed that the absence of ClpX partly alleviates the septum placement...

Synthetic peptide inhibitors of DNA replication in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løbner-Olesen, Anders; Kjelstrup, Susanne

F counterselection was developed to directly select for compounds able to disrupt selected interactions. We have subsequently constructed a cyclic peptide library for intracellular synthesis of cyclic peptides using known technology. Several cyclic peptides were able to interfere with oligomerization of Dna......N (), DnaB and DnaX (). Three peptides identified as inhibitors of DnaN have been purified. Two of these peptides inhibited growth as well as DNA replication in S. aureus. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the peptides was approximately 50 g/ml. Overexpression of DnaN reduced the inhibitory...

Structural Basis for Linezolid Binding Site Rearrangement in the Staphylococcus aureus Ribosome.

Science.gov (United States)

Belousoff, Matthew J; Eyal, Zohar; Radjainia, Mazdak; Ahmed, Tofayel; Bamert, Rebecca S; Matzov, Donna; Bashan, Anat; Zimmerman, Ella; Mishra, Satabdi; Cameron, David; Elmlund, Hans; Peleg, Anton Y; Bhushan, Shashi; Lithgow, Trevor; Yonath, Ada

2017-05-09

An unorthodox, surprising mechanism of resistance to the antibiotic linezolid was revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in the 70S ribosomes from a clinical isolate of Staphylococcus aureus This high-resolution structural information demonstrated that a single amino acid deletion in ribosomal protein uL3 confers linezolid resistance despite being located 24 Å away from the linezolid binding pocket in the peptidyl-transferase center. The mutation induces a cascade of allosteric structural rearrangements of the rRNA that ultimately results in the alteration of the antibiotic binding site. IMPORTANCE The growing burden on human health caused by various antibiotic resistance mutations now includes prevalent Staphylococcus aureus resistance to last-line antimicrobial drugs such as linezolid and daptomycin. Structure-informed drug modification represents a frontier with respect to designing advanced clinical therapies, but success in this strategy requires rapid, facile means to shed light on the structural basis for drug resistance (D. Brown, Nat Rev Drug Discov 14:821-832, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4675). Here, detailed structural information demonstrates that a common mechanism is at play in linezolid resistance and provides a step toward the redesign of oxazolidinone antibiotics, a strategy that could thwart known mechanisms of linezolid resistance. Copyright © 2017 Belousoff et al.

Staphylococcus aureus CC30 Lineage and Absence of sed,j,r-Harboring Plasmid Predict Embolism in Infective Endocarditis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Philippe Rasigade

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus induces severe infective endocarditis (IE where embolic complications are a major cause of death. Risk factors for embolism have been reported such as a younger age or larger IE vegetations, while methicillin resistance conferred by the mecA gene appeared as a protective factor. It is unclear, however, whether embolism is influenced by other S. aureus characteristics such as clonal complex (CC or virulence pattern. We examined clinical and microbiological predictors of embolism in a prospective multicentric cohort of 98 French patients with monomicrobial S. aureus IE. The genomic contents of causative isolates were characterized using DNA array. To preserve statistical power, genotypic predictors were restricted to CC, secreted virulence factors and virulence regulators. Multivariate regularized logistic regression identified three independent predictors of embolism. Patients at higher risk were younger than the cohort median age of 62.5 y (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05–0.36. S. aureus characteristics predicting embolism were a CC30 genetic background (adjusted OR 9.734; 95% CI 1.53–192.8 and the absence of pIB485-like plasmid-borne enterotoxin-encoding genes sed, sej, and ser (sedjr; adjusted OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.004–0.457. CC30 S. aureus has been repeatedly reported to exhibit enhanced fitness in bloodstream infections, which might impact its ability to cause embolism. sedjr-encoded enterotoxins, whose superantigenic activity is unlikely to protect against embolism, possibly acted as a proxy to others genes of the pIB485-like plasmid found in genetically unrelated isolates from mostly embolism-free patients. mecA did not independently predict embolism but was strongly associated with sedjr. This mecA-sedjr association might have driven previous reports of a negative association of mecA and embolism. Collectively, our results suggest that the influence of S. aureus genotypic features

CHRONIC OSTEOMYELITIS: A BACTERIOLOGICAL STUDY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjoy Chakravarty

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Advances in the identification of infections and early diagnosis of Osteomyelitis have led to the improved management of Osteomyelitis. This study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological profile of Osteomyelitis and the antibiotic resistance pattern of various isolates obtained as it is an important cause of morbidity. A total of 50 patients of Osteomyelitis either attending the outpatient department or admitted in the wards of a teaching and tertiary care hospita l in Sikkim from October 2013 to October, 2014 were included in the study. All those patients who were clinically and/ or radiologically suspected of having Osteomyelitis were enrolled as cases. Pus/ pus swabs or sequestrum samples taken aseptically were c ultured aerobically at 37 0 C for 18 - 24 hours in Blood and Mac Conkey agar plates. Culture isolates were identified by a series of standard biochemical reactions. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested on Mueller Hinton agar by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion met hod. Betalactamase production of S. aureus strains were verified by iodometric filter paper and acidometric agar plate methods. S. aureus strains were screened for methicillin resistance by using conventional microbiological methods. S. aureus turned out t o be the most common organism isolated. Other organism isolated were P. Aeruginosa, Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., E. coli, Enterobacter spp., S. epidermitis, Streptococcus pyogens and Enterococcus spp. Beta - lactamase production and methicillin resistance was seen in S. aureus strains respectively. Multidrug resistance was observed in other strains. Infection caused by Methicillin resistant S. aureus and multidrug resistant organisms are posing a major challenge in the treatment of Osteomyelitis. So, appropriate drug selected by antibiotic sensitivity testing should be used to treat Osteomyelitis

Association between phage types and antimicrobial resistance among bovine isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in 10 countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vintov, J.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Zinn, C. E.

2003-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the diversity of phage types and associations between penicillin resistance and phage types among 815 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis in nine European countries and USA. All isolates were examined for susceptibility to antimicrobial agents...... associated with penicillin resistance in contrast to phage group I (P = 0.0023) and phage complex-80 (P = 0.0066). This study confirms that a large number of phage types of S. aureus cause bovine mastitis, but that some types predominate. In addition, these findings could indicate that the use of penicillin...... in the bovine environment has selected for specific types of S. aureus in countries with a high frequency of resistance. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Mendel conference

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

This book is a collection of selected accepted papers of Mendel conference that has been held in Brno, Czech Republic in June 2015. The book contents three chapters which represent recent advances in soft computing including intelligent image processing and bio-inspired robotics.: Chapter 1: Evolutionary Computing, and Swarm intelligence, Chapter 2: Neural Networks, Self-organization, and Machine Learning, and Chapter3: Intelligent Image Processing, and Bio-inspired Robotics. The Mendel conference was established in 1995, and it carries the name of the scientist and Augustinian priest Gregor J. Mendel who discovered the famous Laws of Heredity. In 2015 we are commemorating 150 years since Mendel's lectures, which he presented in Brno on February and March 1865. The main aim of the conference was to create a periodical possibility for students, academics and researchers to exchange their ideas and novel research methods.  .

[Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among food service workers].

Science.gov (United States)

Alarcón-Lavín, María Paula; Oyarzo, Carolina; Escudero, Carlos; Cerda-Leal, Fabiola; Valenzuela, Francisco J

2017-12-01

Background Staphylococcus aureus produces 11 serotypes of endotoxins that may cause food poisoning. Aim To determine the prevalence of type A enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus carriage among food service workers in Chillan, Chile. Material and Methods Pharyngeal swabs were obtained from 100 food service workers and were cultured in Agar plates. After identifying the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, DNA was extracted to identify type A toxin by conventional PCR. Results Thirty eight percent of samples were colonized with Staphylococcus aureus. Among these, 26% were toxin A producers. Conclusions Half of the sampled workers carried Staphylococcus aureus and a quarter of these produced type A enterotoxin.

Insertional inactivation of Eap in Staphylococcus aureus strain Newman confers reduced staphylococcal binding to fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Muzaffar; Haggar, Axana; Heilmann, Christine; Peters, Georg; Flock, Jan-Ingmar; Herrmann, Mathias

2002-06-01

To initiate invasive infection, Staphylococcus aureus must adhere to host substrates, such as the extracellular matrix or eukaryotic cells, by virtue of different surface proteins (adhesins). Recently, we identified a 60-kDa cell-secreted extracellular adherence protein (Eap) of S. aureus strain Newman with broad-spectrum binding characteristics (M. Palma, A. Haggar, and J. I. Flock, J. Bacteriol. 181:2840-2845, 1999), and we have molecularly confirmed Eap to be an analogue of the previously identified major histocompatibility complex class II analog protein (Map) (M. Hussain, K. Becker, C. von Eiff, G. Peter, and M. Herrmann, Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol. 8:1281-1286, 2001). Previous analyses of the Eap/Map function performed with purified protein did not allow dissection of its precise role in the complex situation of the staphylococcal whole cell presenting several secreted and wall-bound adhesins. Therefore, the role of Eap was investigated by constructing a stable eap::ermB deletion in strain Newman and by complementation of the mutant. Patterns of extracted cell surface proteins analyzed both by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by Western ligand assays with various adhesive matrix molecules clearly confirmed the absence of Eap in the mutant. However, binding and adhesion tests using whole staphylococcal cells demonstrated that both the parent and mutant strains bound equally well to fibronectin- and fibrinogen-coated surfaces, possibly due to their recognition by other staphylococcal adhesins. Furthermore, Eap mediated staphylococcal agglutination of both wild-type and mutant cells. In contrast, the mutant adhered to a significantly lesser extent to cultured fibroblasts (P Eap, whereas preimmune serum was not active. In conclusion, Eap may contribute to pathogenicity by promoting adhesion of whole staphylococcal cells to complex eukaryotic substrates.

Genetic Screen Reveals the Role of Purine Metabolism in Staphylococcus aureus Persistence to Rifampicin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Yee

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Chronic infections with Staphylococcus aureus such as septicemia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, and biofilm infections are difficult to treat because of persisters. Despite many efforts in understanding bacterial persistence, the mechanisms of persister formation in S. aureus remain elusive. Here, we performed a genome-wide screen of a transposon mutant library to study the molecular mechanisms involved in persistence of community-acquired S. aureus. Screening of the library for mutants defective in persistence or tolerance to rifampicin revealed many genes involved in metabolic pathways that are important for antibiotic persistence. In particular, the identified mutants belonged to metabolic pathways involved in carbohydrate, amino acid, lipid, vitamin and purine biosynthesis. Five mutants played a role in purine biosynthesis and two mutants, purB, an adenylosuccinate lyase, and purM, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazole synthetase, were selected for further confirmation. Mutants purB and purM showed defective persistence compared to the parental strain USA300 in multiple stress conditions including various antibiotics, low pH, and heat stress. The defect in persistence was restored by complementation with the wildtype purB and purM gene in the respective mutants. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of persistence in S. aureus and provide novel therapeutic targets for developing more effective treatment for persistent infections due to S. aureus.

Structurally designed attenuated subunit vaccines for S. aureus LukS-PV and LukF-PV confer protection in a mouse bacteremia model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Karauzum

Full Text Available Previous efforts towards S. aureus vaccine development have largely focused on cell surface antigens to induce opsonophagocytic killing aimed at providing sterile immunity, a concept successfully applied to other Gram-positive pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, these approaches have largely failed, possibly in part due to the remarkable diversity of the staphylococcal virulence factors such as secreted immunosuppressive and tissue destructive toxins. S. aureus produces several pore-forming toxins including the single subunit alpha hemolysin as well as bicomponent leukotoxins such as Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL, gamma hemolysins (Hlg, and LukED. Here we report the generation of highly attenuated mutants of PVL subunits LukS-PV and LukF-PV that were rationally designed, based on an octameric structural model of the toxin, to be deficient in oligomerization. The attenuated subunit vaccines were highly immunogenic and showed significant protection in a mouse model of S. aureus USA300 sepsis. Protection against sepsis was also demonstrated by passive transfer of rabbit immunoglobulin raised against LukS-PV. Antibodies to LukS-PV inhibited the homologous oligomerization of LukS-PV with LukF-PV as well heterologous oligomerization with HlgB. Importantly, immune sera from mice vaccinated with the LukS mutant not only inhibited the PMN lytic activity produced by the PVL-positive USA300 but also blocked PMN lysis induced by supernatants of PVL-negative strains suggesting a broad protective activity towards other bicomponent toxins. These findings strongly support the novel concept of an anti-virulence, toxin-based vaccine intended for prevention of clinical S. aureus invasive disease, rather than achieving sterile immunity. Such a multivalent vaccine may include attenuated leukotoxins, alpha hemolysin, and superantigens.

Molecular Characterization of Endocarditis-Associated Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Nethercott, Cara; Mabbett, Amanda N.; Totsika, Makrina; Peters, Paul; Ortiz, Juan C.; Nimmo, Graeme R.; Coombs, Geoffrey W.

2013-01-01

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the heart endothelium and valves. Staphylococcus aureus is a predominant cause of severe IE and is frequently associated with infections in health care settings and device-related infections. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, and virulence gene microarrays are frequently used to classify S. aureus clinical isolates. This study examined the utility of these typing tools to investigate S. aureus epidemiology associated with IE. Ninety-seven S. aureus isolates were collected from patients diagnosed with (i) IE, (ii) bloodstream infection related to medical devices, (iii) bloodstream infection not related to medical devices, and (iv) skin or soft-tissue infections. The MLST clonal complex (CC) for each isolate was determined and compared to the CCs of members of the S. aureus population by eBURST analysis. The spa type of all isolates was also determined. A null model was used to determine correlations of IE with CC and spa type. DNA microarray analysis was performed, and a permutational analysis of multivariate variance (PERMANOVA) and principal coordinates analysis were conducted to identify genotypic differences between IE and non-IE strains. CC12, CC20, and spa type t160 were significantly associated with IE S. aureus. A subset of virulence-associated genes and alleles, including genes encoding staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins, fibrinogen-binding protein, and a leukocidin subunit, also significantly correlated with IE isolates. MLST, spa typing, and microarray analysis are promising tools for monitoring S. aureus epidemiology associated with IE. Further research to determine a role for the S. aureus IE-associated virulence genes identified in this study is warranted. PMID:23616460

Molecular characterization of endocarditis-associated Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nethercott, Cara; Mabbett, Amanda N; Totsika, Makrina; Peters, Paul; Ortiz, Juan C; Nimmo, Graeme R; Coombs, Geoffrey W; Walker, Mark J; Schembri, Mark A

2013-07-01

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the heart endothelium and valves. Staphylococcus aureus is a predominant cause of severe IE and is frequently associated with infections in health care settings and device-related infections. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, and virulence gene microarrays are frequently used to classify S. aureus clinical isolates. This study examined the utility of these typing tools to investigate S. aureus epidemiology associated with IE. Ninety-seven S. aureus isolates were collected from patients diagnosed with (i) IE, (ii) bloodstream infection related to medical devices, (iii) bloodstream infection not related to medical devices, and (iv) skin or soft-tissue infections. The MLST clonal complex (CC) for each isolate was determined and compared to the CCs of members of the S. aureus population by eBURST analysis. The spa type of all isolates was also determined. A null model was used to determine correlations of IE with CC and spa type. DNA microarray analysis was performed, and a permutational analysis of multivariate variance (PERMANOVA) and principal coordinates analysis were conducted to identify genotypic differences between IE and non-IE strains. CC12, CC20, and spa type t160 were significantly associated with IE S. aureus. A subset of virulence-associated genes and alleles, including genes encoding staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins, fibrinogen-binding protein, and a leukocidin subunit, also significantly correlated with IE isolates. MLST, spa typing, and microarray analysis are promising tools for monitoring S. aureus epidemiology associated with IE. Further research to determine a role for the S. aureus IE-associated virulence genes identified in this study is warranted.

Nasal carriage of mecA-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pigs exhibits dose-response to zinc supplementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Amachawadi, Raghavendra G; Scott, Harvey M; Nitikanchana, Sureemas; Vinasco, Javier; Tokach, Mike D; Dritz, Steve S; Nelssen, Jim L; Goodband, Robert D; Nagaraja, Tiruvoor G

2015-02-01

Zinc (Zn) is often supplemented at elevated concentrations in swine diets, particularly in piglets, to prevent enteric infections and promote growth. Previous studies from Denmark have suggested a genetic linkage and a phenotypic association between Zn resistance, encoded by czrC, and methicillin-resistance conferred by mecA in Staphylococcus aureus. Such an association has not been reported in the U.S. swine population. We conducted an analysis of the effects of Zn, supplemented as zinc oxide (ZnO), on the nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nursery (n=40) and finisher pigs (n=40) enrolled in a nutritional study. Nasal swabs, collected from nursery and finisher pigs, were inoculated onto MRSA CHROMagar and presumptive MRSA colonies were tested for the presence of mecA and czrC genes by polymerase chain reaction. Zinc susceptibility was determined by the agar dilution method. The prevalence of mecA-positive MRSA was 10% (4/40) and 20% (8/40) among nursery and finisher pigs, respectively. Of the 12 mecA-positive S. aureus isolates, 7 had the czrC gene (58.3%) compared to none among the 68 mecA-negative isolates. The presence of both mecA (p=0.002) and czrC (p=0.006) genes were positively associated with higher levels of Zn supplementation. The median minimum inhibitory concentrations of Zn for czrC-positive and czrC-negative isolates were 12 and 2 mM, respectively (presistance among S. aureus in pigs.

European ST80 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus orbital cellulitis in a neonate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsironi Evangelia E

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in hospital environment, but also, lately, in the community. This case report is, to our knowledge, the first detailed description of a community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus ST80 orbital cellulitis in a previously healthy neonate. Possible predisposing factors of microbial acquisition and treatment selection are also discussed. Case presentation A 28-day-old Caucasian boy was referred to our hospital with the diagnosis of right orbital cellulitis. His symptoms included right eye proptosis, periocular edema and redness. Empirical therapy of intravenous daptomycin, rifampin and ceftriaxone was initiated. The culture of pus yielded a methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolate and the molecular analysis revealed that it was a Panton-Valentine leukocidine-positive ST80 strain. The combination antimicrobial therapy was continued for 42days and the infection was successfully controlled. Conclusions Clinicians should be aware that young infants, even without any predisposing condition, are susceptible to orbital cellulitis caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Prompt initiation of the appropriate empirical therapy, according to the local epidemiology, should successfully address the infection, preventing ocular and systemic complications.

Subinhibitory quinupristin/dalfopristin attenuates virulence of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Koszczol, Carmen; Bernardo, Katussevani; Krönke, Martin; Krut, Oleg

2006-09-01

The semi-synthetic streptogramin quinupristin/dalfopristin antibiotic exerts potent bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus. We investigated whether, like other bactericidal antibiotics used at subinhibitory concentrations, quinupristin/dalfopristin enhances release of toxins by Gram-positive cocci. The activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin on exotoxin release by S. aureus was investigated by 2D SDS-PAGE combined with MALDI-TOF/MS analysis and by western blotting. We show that quinupristin/dalfopristin at subinhibitory concentrations reduces the release of S. aureus factors that induce tumour necrosis factor secretion in macrophages. Furthermore, quinupristin/dalfopristin but not linezolid attenuated S. aureus-mediated killing of infected host cells. When added to S. aureus cultures at different stages of bacterial growth, quinupristin/dalfopristin reduced in a dose-dependent manner the release of specific virulence factors (e.g. autolysin, protein A, alpha- and beta-haemolysins, lipases). In contrast, other presumably non-toxic exoproteins remained unchanged. The results of the present study suggest that subinhibitory quinupristin/dalfopristin inhibits virulence factor release by S. aureus, which might be especially helpful for the treatment of S. aureus infections, where both bactericidal as well as anti-toxin activity may be advantageous.

A new real-time PCR assay for rapid identification of the S. aureus/MRSA strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Manga

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA with the livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA are of great interest to scientists and general public. The aim of our study was to present a new more rapid and reliable diagnostic method working on the RT-PCR platform applicable for monitoring of MRSA/S. aureus. The parallel testing of the S. aureus specific nuc gene sequence and the mecA gene sequence was utilised for this purpose. A collection of ten S. aureus/MRSA reference strains, fifteen genetically related non S. aureus reference strains and fifty-six environmental samples was employed for estimation of the assay performance and parameters. The environmental samples acquired in the Czech livestock farms were represented with the livestock and human nasal mucosae or skin swabs, the slaughter meat swabs and were chosen preferentially from individuals with previously confi rmed or suspected positive MRSA/S. aureus cases. The classic selective cultivation approach with the biochemical test and agar disk diffusion test was accepted as reference diagnostic method. As there were no culture positive samples that were negative using RT-PCR, our method featured with 100% sensitivity in comparison to reference method. The limit of detection allowed to identify from tens to hundreds copies of S. aureus/MRSA genome. Further, the RT-PCR assay featured with 100% inclusivity and 95% exclusivity at Cq value below 30. These parameters suggested on powerful and reliable diagnostic method with real potential of practical utilisation. We consider our method as ideal for testing of individual suspected colonies, when the results can be acquired in less than 1.5 hour.

Editorial European conference on integrated optics (ECIO'10)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Williams, K.A.

2011-01-01

This Special Issue contains a selection of extended papers from the Fifteenth European Conference on Integrated Optics held on 7-9 April 2010. The First European Conference on Integrated Optics in the series was held in London, UK thirty years ago, and the conference has been held biannually across

Thioridazine potentiates the effect of a beta-lactam antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus independently of mecA expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Marianne Østergaard; Jacobsen, Kirstine; Bonde, Mette

2013-01-01

The neuroleptic antipsychotic derivate thioridazine has been shown to increase the susceptibility of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolate towards dicloxacillin. The aim of this study was to investigate the combinatorial effect of the two drugs on a broad selection of staph......The neuroleptic antipsychotic derivate thioridazine has been shown to increase the susceptibility of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolate towards dicloxacillin. The aim of this study was to investigate the combinatorial effect of the two drugs on a broad selection...... of staphylococcal strains by analyzing a large collection of MRSA strains carrying different types of SCCmec, as well as MSSA strains. Transcription and translation of the resistance marker PBP2a encoded by mecA within the SCCmec cassette were analyzed by primer extension and western blotting. We observed increased...... susceptibility to dicloxacillin in the presence of thioridazine in all tested MRSA isolates. In contrast to previously published results, the synergistic effect was also applicable to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). We conclude that the combination of dicloxacillin and thioridazine potentiates...

Staphylococcus aureus and healthcare-associated infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ekkelenkamp, M.B.

2011-01-01

Many medical procedures breach or suppress patients’ natural defences, leaving them vulnerable to infections which would not occur in healthy humans: “healthcare-associated infections”. Healthcare-associated infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are probably the most

Bactericidal activites of selected macrofungi extracts against Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolovska-Nedelkoska Daniela A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The increasing of the antibiotic resistance exhibited by pathogenic microorganisms has resulted in research directed toward evaluation of novel sources of antimicrobial compounds. Previous studies have indicated that macrofungi, as a specific response to the natural hostile environment, produce secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties. In this study, antimicrobial activities of the extracts from six wild mushrooms: Amanita echinocephala, Russula medulata, Cerena unicolor, Hericium erinaceus, Ishnoderma benzoinum and Laetiporus sulphureus were evaluated against Grampositive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial potential of the methanolic mushroom extracts was investigated by the microdilution method. Antimicrobial activity was observed in all species included in the study. All the extracts that demonstrated inhibitory activities were further tested for bactericidal activity and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC values were determined. The tested microorganism was most sensitive to the examined extracts from the polypore fungi C. unicolor and H. erinaceus. The highest bactericidal activity was obtained in the extracts from the species C. unicolor (MBC=1.563 mg/mL. The experimental results revealed that the methanolic extract of C. unicolor possessed significant bactericidal activity. The findings suggest the potential use of this wild mushroom as antimicrobial agent.

The sensitivity status of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Community acquired Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from various infectious sites in two private laboratories in Kano-city, Nigeria. A total of 247 (11%) Staphylococcu aureus isolates were recovered from all infectious sites except cerebro-spinal fluid. The least Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found in urine ...

2011 GASEOUS IONS GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott Anderson

2011-03-04

The Gaseous Ions: Structures, Energetics and Reactions Gordon Research Conference will focus on ions and their interactions with molecules, surfaces, electrons, and light. The conference will cover theory and experiments, and systems ranging from molecular to biological to clusters to materials. The meeting goal continues to be bringing together scientists interested in fundamentals, with those applying fundamental phenomena to a wide range of practical problems. Each of the ten conference sessions will focus on a topic within this spectrum, and there will also be poster sessions for contributed papers, with sufficient space and time to allow all participants to present their latest results. To encourage active participation by young investigators, about ten of the poster abstracts will be selected for 15 minute 'hot topic' talks during the conference sessions. Hot topic selection will be done about a month before the meeting. Funds should be available to offset the participation cost for young investigators.

Molecular Characterization of Endocarditis-Associated Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Nethercott, Cara; Mabbett, Amanda N.; Totsika, Makrina; Peters, Paul; Ortiz, Juan C.; Nimmo, Graeme R.; Coombs, Geoffrey W.; Walker, Mark J.; Schembri, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the heart endothelium and valves. Staphylococcus aureus is a predominant cause of severe IE and is frequently associated with infections in health care settings and device-related infections. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, and virulence gene microarrays are frequently used to classify S. aureus clinical isolates. This study examined the utility of these typing tools to investigate S. aureus epidemiology associated ...

Staphylococcus aureus Central Nervous System Infections in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallejo, Jesus G; Cain, Alexandra N; Mason, Edward O; Kaplan, Sheldon L; Hultén, Kristina G

2017-10-01

Central nervous system (CNS) infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are uncommon in pediatric patients. We review the epidemiology, clinical features and treatment in 68 patients with a S. aureus CNS infection evaluated at Texas Children's Hospital. Cases of CNS infection in children with positive cerebrospinal fluid cultures or spinal epidural abscess (SEA) for S. aureus at Texas Children's Hospital from 2001 to 2013 were reviewed. Seventy cases of S. aureus CNS infection occurred in 68 patients. Forty-nine cases (70%) were secondary to a CNS device, 5 (7.1%) were postoperative meningitis, 9 (12.8%) were hematogenous meningitis and 7 (10%) were SEAs. Forty-seven (67.2%) were caused by methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and 23 (32.8%) by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Community-acquired infections were more often caused by MRSA that was clone USA300/pvl. Most patients were treated with nafcillin (MSSA) or vancomycin (MRSA) with or without rifampin. Among patients with MRSA infection, 50% had a serum vancomycin trough obtained with the median level being 10.6 μg/mL (range: 5.4-15.7 μg/mL). Only 1 death was associated with S. aureus infection. The epidemiology of invasive of S. aureus infections continues to evolve with MSSA accounting for most of the infections in this series. The majority of cases were associated with neurosurgical procedures; however, hematogenous S. aureus meningitis and SEA occurred as community-acquired infections in patients without predisposing factors. Patients with MRSA CNS infections had a favorable response to vancomycin, but the beneficial effect of combination therapy or targeting vancomycin trough concentrations of 15-20 μg/mL remains unclear.

The human nasal microbiota and Staphylococcus aureus carriage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel N Frank

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Colonization of humans with Staphylococcus aureus is a critical prerequisite of subsequent clinical infection of the skin, blood, lung, heart and other deep tissues. S. aureus persistently or intermittently colonizes the nares of approximately 50% of healthy adults, whereas approximately 50% of the general population is rarely or never colonized by this pathogen. Because microbial consortia within the nasal cavity may be an important determinant of S. aureus colonization we determined the composition and dynamics of the nasal microbiota and correlated specific microorganisms with S. aureus colonization. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Nasal specimens were collected longitudinally from five healthy adults and a cross-section of hospitalized patients (26 S. aureus carriers and 16 non-carriers. Culture-independent analysis of 16S rRNA sequences revealed that the nasal microbiota of healthy subjects consists primarily of members of the phylum Actinobacteria (e.g., Propionibacterium spp. and Corynebacterium spp., with proportionally less representation of other phyla, including Firmicutes (e.g., Staphylococcus spp. and Proteobacteria (e.g. Enterobacter spp. In contrast, inpatient nasal microbiotas were enriched in S. aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis and diminished in several actinobacterial groups, most notably Propionibacterium acnes. Moreover, within the inpatient population S. aureus colonization was negatively correlated with the abundances of several microbial groups, including S. epidermidis (p = 0.004. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The nares environment is colonized by a temporally stable microbiota that is distinct from other regions of the integument. Negative association between S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and other groups suggests microbial competition during colonization of the nares, a finding that could be exploited to limit S. aureus colonization.

Staphylococcus aureus shifts towards commensalism in response to Corynebacterium species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew M Ramsey

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus–human interactions result in a continuum of outcomes from commensalism to pathogenesis. S. aureus is a clinically important pathogen that asymptomatically colonizes ~25% of humans as a member of the nostril and skin microbiota, where it resides with other bacteria including commensal Corynebacterium species. Commensal Corynebacterium spp. are also positively correlated with S. aureus in chronic polymicrobial diabetic foot infections, distinct from acute monomicrobial S. aureus infections. Recent work by our lab and others indicates that microbe-microbe interactions between S. aureus and human skin/nasal commensals, including Corynebacterium species, affect S. aureus behavior and fitness. Thus, we hypothesized that S. aureus interactions with Corynebacterium spp. diminish S. aureus virulence. We tested this by assaying for changes in S. aureus gene expression during in vitro mono- versus coculture with Corynebacterium striatum, a common skin and nasal commensal. We observed a broad shift in S. aureus gene transcription during in vitro growth with C. striatum, including increased transcription of genes known to exhibit increased expression during human nasal colonization and decreased transcription of virulence genes. S. aureus uses several regulatory pathways to transition between commensal and pathogenic states. One of these, the quorum signal accessory gene regulator (agr system, was strongly inhibited in response to Corynebacterium spp. Phenotypically, S. aureus exposed to C. striatum exhibited increased adhesion to epithelial cells, reflecting a commensal state, and decreased hemolysin activity, reflecting an attenuation of virulence. Consistent with this, S. aureus displayed diminished fitness in experimental in vivo coinfection with C. striatum when compared to monoinfection. These data support a model in which S. aureus shifts from virulence towards a commensal state when exposed to commensal Corynebacterium species.

Dermoscopy of lichen aureus Dermatoscopia do liquen aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poliana Santin Portela

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Lichen aureus (also called "lichen purpuricus" is an uncommon subtype of pigmented purpuric dermatosis. Clinically characterized by rust macules, papules or plaques, it is a chronic disease which more often affects young adults and is localized mainly on the lower extremities. The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical and histopathological features. Dermoscopy findings are useful to confirm clinical diagnosis.O líquen aureus (também denominado "liquen purpuricus" é um subtipo pouco comum entre as dermatoses purpúricas pigmentadas. Clinicamente caracterizado por máculas, pápulas ou placas de coloração ferruginosa, é doença crônica, que acomete mais frequentemente adultos jovens e localiza-se principalmente nos membros inferiores. O diagnóstico pode ser feito a partir das características clínicas e histopatológicas, sendo os achados dermatoscópicos úteis para corroborar o diagnóstico clínico.

Population structure of Staphylococcus aureus in China

OpenAIRE

Yan, Xiaomei

2015-01-01

The present PhD research was aimed at analysing the population structure of Staphylococcus aureus in China. Between 2000 and 2005 we found that patients from a single Chinese hospital showed increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance. Among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), resistance against rifampicin doubled to 68%. Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is frequent in China. Two predominant S. aureus lineages, ST6 and ST943, were identified causing outbreaks of SFP in Southern China...

Infinity in Logic and Computation: International Conference, ILC 2007, Cape Town, South Africa, November 3-5, 2007: Revised selected papers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Archibald, M.; Brattka, V.; Goranko, V.; Löwe, B.

2009-01-01

Edited in collaboration with FoLLI, the Association of Logic, Language and Information, this volume constitutes a selection of papers presented at the Internatonal Conference on Infinity in Logic and Computation, ILC 2007, held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2007. The 7 revised papers

Rifampin Resistance rpoB Alleles or Multicopy Thioredoxin/Thioredoxin Reductase Suppresses the Lethality of Disruption of the Global Stress Regulator spx in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villanueva, Maite; Jousselin, Ambre; Baek, Kristoffer T

2016-01-01

is a thiol/oxidative stress sensor that interacts with the C-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase RpoA subunit, leading to changes in gene expression that help sustain viability under various conditions. Using genetic and deep-sequencing methods, we show that spx is essential in S. aureus...... discovered that Spx, an RNA polymerase-interacting stress regulator implicated in many stress responses in S. aureus, including responses to oxidative and cell wall antibiotics, is essential. We describe two mechanisms that suppress the lethality of spx disruption. One mechanism highlights how only certain...... rifampin resistance-encoding alleles of RpoB confer new properties on RNA polymerase, with important mechanistic implications. We describe additional stress conditions where the loss of spx is deleterious, thereby highlighting Spx as a multifaceted regulator and attractive drug discovery target....

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates in a hospital of shanghai.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoguang; Ouyang, Lin; Luo, Lingfei; Liu, Jiqian; Song, Chiping; Li, Cuizhen; Yan, Hongjing; Wang, Ping

2017-01-24

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are now common both in the health care setting and in the community. Active surveillance is critical for MRSA control and prevention. Specimens of patients (200 patients with 1119 specimens) as well as medical staff and hospital setting (1000 specimens) were randomly sampled in a level 2 hospital in Shanghai from September 2011 to August 2012. Isolation, cultivation and identification of S. aureus were performed. Totally, 67 S. aureus strains were isolated. 32 S. aureus strains were isolated from patient samples; 13 (13/32, 40.6%) of the 32 S. aureus isolates were MRSA; sputum sample and patients in the department of general internal medicine were the most frequent specimen and patient group for S. aureus strains isolation. Remaining 35 S. aureus strains were isolated from the medical staff and hospital setting; 20 (20/35, 57.1%) of the 35 S. aureus isolates were MRSA; specimens sampled from doctors and nurses' hands and nose and hospital facilities were the most frequent samples to isolate S. aureus. Resistant and virulent genes detection showed that, all 33 MRSA strains were mecA positive which accounts for 49.3% of the 67 S. aureus strains; 38 isolates were Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene positive which accounts for 56.7% of the 67 S. aureus strains; and 17 (17/67, 25.4%) isolates are mecA and PVL genes dual positive. Multidrug-resistant strains of MRSA and PVL positive S. aureus are common in patients, medical staff and hospital setting, the potential health threat is worthy of our attention.

Antimicrobials from human skin commensal bacteria protect against Staphylococcus aureus and are deficient in atopic dermatitis

Science.gov (United States)

Nakatsuji, Teruaki; Chen, Tiffany H.; Narala, Saisindhu; Chun, Kimberly A.; Two, Aimee M.; Yun, Tong; Shafiq, Faiza; Kotol, Paul F.; Bouslimani, Amina; Melnik, Alexey V.; Latif, Haythem; Kim, Ji-Nu; Lockhart, Alexandre; Artis, Keli; David, Gloria; Taylor, Patricia; Streib, Joanne; Dorrestein, Pieter C.; Grier, Alex; Gill, Steven R.; Zengler, Karsten; Hata, Tissa R.; Leung, Donald Y. M.; Gallo, Richard L.

2017-01-01

The microbiome can promote or disrupt human health by influencing both adaptive and innate immune functions. We tested whether bacteria that normally reside on human skin participate in host defense by killing Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogen commonly found in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and an important factor that exacerbates this disease. High-throughput screening for antimicrobial activity against S.aureus was performed on isolates of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) collected from the skin of healthy and AD subjects. CoNS strains with antimicrobial activity were common on the normal population but rare on AD subjects. A low frequency of strains with antimicrobial activity correlated with colonization by S.aureus. The antimicrobial activity was identified as previously unknown antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by CoNS species including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hominis. These AMPs were strain-specific, highly potent, selectively killed S.aureus, and synergized with the human AMP LL-37. Application of these CoNS strains to mice confirmed their defense function in vivo relative to application of nonactive strains. Strikingly, reintroduction of antimicrobial CoNS strains to human subjects with AD decreased colonization by S.aureus. These findings show how commensal skin bacteria protect against pathogens and demonstrate how dysbiosis of the skin microbiome can lead to disease. PMID:28228596

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus emerged long before the introduction of methicillin into clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Harkins, Catriona P; Pichon, Bruno; Doumith, Michel; Parkhill, Julian; Westh, Henrik; Tomasz, Alexander; de Lencastre, Herminia; Bentley, Stephen D; Kearns, Angela M; Holden, Matthew T G

2017-07-20

The spread of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens poses a major threat to global health. It is widely recognised that the widespread use of antibiotics has generated selective pressures that have driven the emergence of resistant strains. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first observed in 1960, less than one year after the introduction of this second generation beta-lactam antibiotic into clinical practice. Epidemiological evidence has always suggested that resistance arose around this period, when the mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance carried on an SCCmec element, was horizontally transferred to an intrinsically sensitive strain of S. aureus. Whole genome sequencing a collection of the first MRSA isolates allows us to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the archetypal MRSA. We apply Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction to infer the time point at which this early MRSA lineage arose and when SCCmec was acquired. MRSA emerged in the mid-1940s, following the acquisition of an ancestral type I SCCmec element, some 14 years before the first therapeutic use of methicillin. Methicillin use was not the original driving factor in the evolution of MRSA as previously thought. Rather it was the widespread use of first generation beta-lactams such as penicillin in the years prior to the introduction of methicillin, which selected for S. aureus strains carrying the mecA determinant. Crucially this highlights how new drugs, introduced to circumvent known resistance mechanisms, can be rendered ineffective by unrecognised adaptations in the bacterial population due to the historic selective landscape created by the widespread use of other antibiotics.

Prevalence and characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among a community-based diabetes population in Foshan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jialing; Xu, Ping; Peng, Yang; Lin, Dongxin; Ou, Qianting; Zhang, Ting; Bai, Chan; Ye, Xiaohua; Zhou, Junli; Yao, Zhenjiang

2017-05-01

Evidence suggests that diabetes might cause an increase in colonization of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in community settings. We carried out a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and influencing factors of S. aureus and MRSA nasal colonization among a community-based diabetes population, and to identify the characteristics of the isolated strains. A total of 956 participants from 11 community settings were included in the study. Of the 529 diabetes participants, 46 were colonized with S. aureus and 22 were colonized with MRSA. Of the 427 non-diabetes participants, 25 were colonized with S. aureus and 12 were colonized with MRSA. Men (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.99, P = 0.047) were less likely to have S. aureus nasal colonization, and those with well-controlled blood glucose (odds ratio 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.01-4.13, P = 0.047) among the diabetes population were more likely to have S. aureus nasal colonization. The proportion of multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains in the diabetes population (52.17%) was higher than that in the non-diabetes population (28.00%; χ 2 = 3.848, P = 0.050). The most common clonal complex type and Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec type of MRSA in diabetes population was clonal complex 5 (40.91%) and type IV (27.27%), respectively. The proportion of Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene in MRSA strains was 17.65%. There was great sequence type diversity in MRSA strains. The prevalence of MRSA in the community-based diabetes population was moderate, and the high proportions of multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains and diverse molecular characteristics in the diabetes population should be noticed. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Antimicrobial resistance and mecA characterization of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and non-S. aureus of beef meat origin in Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamelia Mahmoud Osman

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA have been found in various farm animal species throughout the world. Yet, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA, methicillin-susceptible non-S. aureus (MS-NSA and methicillin-resistant non-S. aureus (MR-NSA were not investigated. Therefore, we persued to determine the diversity in theirphenotypic virulence assay, phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profile and molecular characterisation in one of the food chains in Egypt. Samples were collected during 2013 from beef meat at retail. Twenty seven isolates comprising five species (S. hyicus, S. aureus, S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans, S. intermedius and S. lentus were characterized for their antibiotic resistance phenotypic profile and antibiotic resistance genes (mecA, cfr, gyrA, gyrB and grlA. Out of the 27 Staphylococcus isolates only one isolate was resistant to the 12 antibiotics representing nine classes. Raw beef meat sold across the Great Cairo zone, contains 66.7% of MRS, with highest prevalence was reported in S. aureus (66.7%, while the MRS non-S. aureus strains constituted 66.7% from which S. hyicus (60%, S. intermedius (33.3%, S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans (100% and S. lentus (100% were MRS. Seven S. aureus, six S. hyicus, four S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans, three S. intermedius and one S. lentus isolates although being resistant to oxacillin yet, 11/27 (40.7% carried the mecA gene. At the same time, the cfr gene was present in 2 of the nine S. aureus isolates, and totally undetectable in S. hyicus, S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans, S. intermedius and S. lentus. Although global researches largely focused into MRSA and MR-NSA in animals on pigs, the analysis of our results stipulates that buffaloes and cattle could be MRSA dispersers and that this theme is not specific to pigs. Detection of MSSA virulence determinants is a must, as although oxacillin resistance may be absent yet, the MSSA may carry the virulence determinants which could

Contribution of the nos-pdt operon to virulence phenotypes in methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

April M Sapp

Full Text Available Nitric oxide (NO is emerging as an important regulator of bacterial stress resistance, biofilm development, and virulence. One potential source of endogenous NO production in the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is its NO-synthase (saNOS enzyme, encoded by the nos gene. Although a role for saNOS in oxidative stress resistance, antibiotic resistance, and virulence has been recently-described, insights into the regulation of nos expression and saNOS enzyme activity remain elusive. To this end, transcriptional analysis of the nos gene in S. aureus strain UAMS-1 was performed, which revealed that nos expression increases during low-oxygen growth and is growth-phase dependent. Furthermore, nos is co-transcribed with a downstream gene, designated pdt, which encodes a prephenate dehydratase (PDT enzyme involved in phenylalanine biosynthesis. Deletion of pdt significantly impaired the ability of UAMS-1 to grow in chemically-defined media lacking phenylalanine, confirming the function of this enzyme. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the operon organization of nos-pdt appears to be unique to the staphylococci. As described for other S. aureus nos mutants, inactivation of nos in UAMS-1 conferred sensitivity to oxidative stress, while deletion of pdt did not affect this phenotype. The nos mutant also displayed reduced virulence in a murine sepsis infection model, and increased carotenoid pigmentation when cultured on agar plates, both previously-undescribed nos mutant phenotypes. Utilizing the fluorescent stain 4-Amino-5-Methylamino-2',7'-Difluorofluorescein (DAF-FM diacetate, decreased levels of intracellular NO/reactive nitrogen species (RNS were detected in the nos mutant on agar plates. These results reinforce the important role of saNOS in S. aureus physiology and virulence, and have identified an in vitro growth condition under which saNOS activity appears to be upregulated. However, the significance of the operon organization of nos-pdt and

Issues in Public Examinations: A Selection of the Proceedings of the 1990 IAEA Conference (16th, Maastricht, Netherlands, June 1990).

Science.gov (United States)

Luijten, Anton J. M., Ed.

This collection of 18 papers (selected from a total of 57 presented at a conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment) represents efforts by examining bodies and institutes to: improve the examination system and testing techniques; develop reliable instruments; and establish standards for public examinations. The papers…

Colonization of nursing professionals by Staphylococcus aureus La colonización de los profesionales de enfermería por Staphylococcus aureus A colonização dos profissionais de enfermagem por Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josely Pinto de Moura

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in the saliva of the nursing team of a teaching hospital in the interior of São Paulo State. Three saliva samples were collected from 351 individuals with an interval of two months between each collection. All ethical aspects were considered. In 867 (82.3% cultures there was no identification of Staphylococcus aureus in the saliva, in 88 (17.7% cultures Staphylococcus aureus was isolated, 26 (2.5% of which were resistant to methicillin. The prevalence of professionals colonized by Staphylococcus aureus was 41.0% (144/351, of which 7.1% (25/351 were characterized as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Transient carriers represented 81.2% and persistent carriers 18.8%. Resistance to mupirocin was 73.1% of MRSA and 9.3% of MSSA. The results demonstrate that it is the nurse and nursing technician that are the professional categories most susceptible to MRSA. Broader discussion on the thematic and interventions are needed.Se trata de un estudio transversal que tuvo como objetivo investigar la presencia de Staphylococcus aureus en la saliva del equipo de enfermería de un hospital escuela del interior del estado de Sao Paulo. Fueron recolectadas tres muestras de saliva de 351 individuos con intervalo de dos meses. Todos los aspectos éticos fueron contemplados. En 867 (82,3% culturas no hubo identificación de Staphylococcus aureus en la saliva, en 88 (17,7% culturas fue aislado Staphylococcus aureus, siendo 26 (2,5% resistentes a la meticilina. La prevalencia de profesionales colonizados por Staphylococcus aureus fue de 41,0% (144/351, de los cuales 7,1% (25/351 fueron caracterizados como Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a la meticilina. Los portadores transitorios representaron 81,2% y los persistentes 18,8%. La resistencia a la mupirocina fue de 73,1% entre los resistentes a la meticilina y 9,3% en los sensibles a la meticilina. Los resultados

Lysionotin attenuates Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity by inhibiting α-toxin expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Zihao; Shi, Dongxue; Liu, Huanyu; Shen, Ziying; Zha, Yonghong; Li, Wenhua; Deng, Xuming; Wang, Jianfeng

2017-09-01

α-Toxin, one of the best known pore-forming proteins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), is a critical virulence factor in multiple infections. The necessity of α-toxin for S. aureus pathogenicity suggests that this toxin is an important target for the development of a potential treatment strategy. In this study, we showed that lysionotin, a natural compound, can inhibit the hemolytic activity of culture supernatants by S. aureus by reducing α-toxin expression. Using real-time PCR analysis, we showed that transcription of hla (the gene encoding α-toxin) and agr (the locus regulating hla) was significantly inhibited by lysionotin. Lactate dehydrogenase and live/dead assays indicated that lysionotin effectively protected human alveolar epithelial cells against S. aureus, and in vivo studies also demonstrated that lysionotin can protect mice from pneumonia caused by S. aureus. These findings suggest that lysionotin is an efficient inhibitor of α-toxin expression and shows significant protection against S. aureus in vitro and in vivo. This study supports a potential strategy for the treatment of S. aureus infection by inhibiting the expression of virulence factors and indicates that lysionotin may be a potential treatment for S. aureus pneumonia.

Selected papers from the Fourth Annual q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemenman, Ilya; Faeder, James R; Hlavacek, William S; Jiang, Yi; Wall, Michael E; Zilman, Anton

2011-10-01

This special issue consists of 11 original papers that elaborate on work presented at the Fourth Annual q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing, which was held on the campus of St John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, 11-14 August 2010. Now in its fourth year, the q-bio conference has changed considerably over time. It is now well established and a major event in systems biology. The 2010 conference saw attendees from all continents (except Antarctica!) sharing novel results and participating in lively discussions at both the oral and poster sessions. The conference was oversubscribed and grew to 27 contributed talks, 16 poster spotlights and 137 contributed posters. We deliberately decreased the number of invited speakers to 21 to leave more space for contributed presentations, and the attendee feedback confirmed that the choice was a success. Although the q-bio conference has grown and matured, it has remained true to the original goal of being an intimate and dynamic event that brings together modeling, theory and quantitative experimentation for the study of cell regulation and information processing. Funded in part by a grant from NIGMS and by DOE funds through the Los Alamos National Laboratory Directed Research and Development program, the conference has continued to exhibit youth and vigor by attracting (and partially supporting) over 100 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers. The associated q-bio summer school, which precedes the conference each year, further emphasizes the development of junior scientists and makes q-bio a singular event in its impact on the future of quantitative biology. In addition to an increased international presence, the conference has notably diversified its demographic representation within the USA, including increased participation from the southeastern corner of the country. One big change in the conference this year is our new publication partner, Physical Biology. Although we are very

Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces pigment production and enhances virulence in a white phenotypic variant of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonic, Vlado; Stojadinovic, Alexander; Zhang, Binxue; Izadjoo, Mina J; Alavi, Mohammad

2013-01-01

Staphyloxanthin is a virulence factor which protects Staphylococcus aureus in stress conditions. We isolated two pigment variants of S. aureus and one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a single wound infection. S. aureus variants displayed white and yellow colony phenotypes. The sequence of the operons for staphyloxanthin synthesis indicated that coding and promoter regions were identical between the two pigment variants. Quorum sensing controls pigment synthesis in some bacteria. It is also shown that P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecules affect S. aureus transcription. We explored whether the co-infecting P. aeruginosa can affect pigment production in the white S. aureus variant. In co-culture experiments between the white variants and a selected number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, only P. aeruginosa induced pigment production in the white variant. Gene expression analysis of the white variant did not indicate upregulation of the crtM and other genes known to be involved in pigment production (sigB, sarA, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase gene [FPP-synthase], hfq). In contrast, transcription of the catalase gene was significantly upregulated after co-culture. P. aeruginosa-induced pigment synthesis and catalase upregulation correlated with increased resistance to polymyxin B, hydrogen peroxide, and the intracellular environment of macrophages. Our data indicate the presence of silent but functional staphyloxanthin synthesis machinery in a white phenotypic variant of S. aureus which is activated by a co-infecting P. aeruginosa via inter-species communication. Another S. aureus virulence factor, catalase is also induced by this co-infecting bacterium. The resulting phenotypic changes are directly correlated with resistance of the white variant to stressful conditions.

Human Memory B Cells Targeting Staphylococcus aureus Exotoxins Are Prevalent with Skin and Soft Tissue Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam J. Pelzek

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that causes superficial and invasive infections in the hospital and community. High mortality from infection emphasizes the need for improved methods for prevention and treatment. Although S. aureus possesses an arsenal of virulence factors that contribute to evasion of host defenses, few studies have examined long-term humoral and B-cell responses. Adults with acute-phase skin and soft tissue infections were recruited; blood samples were obtained; and S. aureus isolates, including methicillin-resistant strains, were subjected to genomic sequence analysis. In comparisons of acute-phase sera with convalescent-phase sera, a minority (37.5% of patients displayed 2-fold or greater increases in antibody titers against three or more S. aureus antigens, whereas nearly half exhibited no changes, despite the presence of toxin genes in most infecting strains. Moreover, enhanced antibody responses waned over time, which could reflect a defect in B-cell memory or long-lived plasma cells. However, memory B cells reactive with a range of S. aureus antigens were prevalent at both acute-phase and convalescent-phase time points. While some memory B cells exhibited toxin-specific binding, those cross-reactive with structurally related leucocidin subunits were dominant across patients, suggesting the targeting of conserved epitopes. Memory B-cell reactivity correlated with serum antibody levels for selected S. aureus exotoxins, suggesting a relationship between the cellular and humoral compartments. Overall, although there was no global defect in the representation of anti-S. aureus memory B cells, there was evidence of restrictions in the range of epitopes recognized, which may suggest potential therapeutic approaches for augmenting host defenses.

Evolution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus towards increasing resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strommenger, Birgit; Bartels, Mette Damkjær; Kurt, Kevin

2014-01-01

To elucidate the evolutionary history of Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex (CC) 8, which encompasses several globally distributed epidemic lineages, including hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and the highly prevalent community-associated MRSA clone USA300.......To elucidate the evolutionary history of Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex (CC) 8, which encompasses several globally distributed epidemic lineages, including hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and the highly prevalent community-associated MRSA clone USA300....

Nasal Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage among college student athletes in northern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Kai Wang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Of 259 college students in northern Taiwan surveyed, nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA was 22.4% and 1.54%, respectively and no significant difference was found between athlete students and non-athlete students. Three of four MRSA isolates belonged to sequence type 59, the endemic community clone.

Silver nanoparticles for the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ángel Ortiz-Gila

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Existe un gran ecosistema microbiano en la cavidad oral donde Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus se puede encontrar, causando patologías orales tales como quelitis angular, las paperas y la mucositis estafilocócica. Estas enfermedades producidas por S. aureus en la cavidad oral son consecuencia de los factores de virulencia, toxinas y multiresistencia a los antibióticos, lo que contribuye a la infección. La colonización en la cavidad oral por S. aureus en pacientes sanos es de 24% a 36%. Sin embargo, la incidencia aumenta a 48% en pacientes con prótesis debido a la formación de biofilms en la superficie de las dentaduras postizas. Actualmente, no existe ningún tratamiento para infecciones orales sin el uso de antibióticos. Investigaciones recientes indican que las nanopartículas de plata (AgNPs son un material o estrategia para eliminar S. aureus debido a su efecto antibacteriano. Sin embargo, el mecanismo del efecto inhibidor de los iones de Ag sobre S. aureus es sólo parcialmente conocida y muy poco se ha informado. Por lo tanto, el propósito de la presente revisión sistemática es determinar las estrategias y retos de la utilización de biomateriales antimicrobianos con AgNPs frente a las infecciones orales de S. aureus.

Diverse modulation of spa transcription by cell wall active antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lene Nørby; Roggenbuck, Michael; Haaber, Jakob Krause

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various classes of clinically relevant antibiotics at sub-lethal concentrations on virulence gene expression and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus. FINDINGS: LacZ promoter fusions of genes related to staphylococ......ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various classes of clinically relevant antibiotics at sub-lethal concentrations on virulence gene expression and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus. FINDINGS: LacZ promoter fusions of genes related...... to staphylococcal virulence were used to monitor the effects of antibiotics on gene expression in a disc diffusion assay. The selected genes were hla and spa encoding alpha-hemolysin and Protein A, respectively and RNAIII, the effector molecule of the agr quorum sensing system. The results were confirmed...... by quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, we monitored the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics on the ability of S. aureus to form biofilm in a microtiter plate assay. The results show that sub-lethal antibiotic concentrations diversely modulate expression of RNAIII, hla and spa. Consistently...

Communications of Staphylococcus aureus and non-aureus Staphylococcus species from bovine intramammary infections and teat apex colonization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mahmmod, Yasser S.; Klaas, Ilka Christine; Svennesen, Line

2018-01-01

The role of non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) in the risk of acquisition of intramammary infections with Staphylococcus aureus is vague and still under debate. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the distribution patterns of NAS species from milk and teat skin in dairy herds with au...

Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and mutant prevention concentration (MPC of selected antimicrobials in bovine and swine Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus isolates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kateřina Nedbalcová

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We compared the values of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and mutant prevention concentration (MPC values ​​of three antimicrobial agents for 72 bovine isolates of Pasteurella multocida, 80 swine isolates of P. multocida, 80 bovine isolates of Escherichia coli, 80 swine isolates of E. coli, and 80 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis. The ratio of MIC90​​/MPC90 which limited mutant selection window (MSW was ≤ 0.12/4 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 0.5/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in bovine P. multocida isolates, ≤ 0.12/2 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 0.5/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in swine P. multocida isolates, 1/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 8/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 8/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in bovine E. coli isolates, 0.5/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, ≥ 64/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 8/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in swine E. coli isolates, and 0.25/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 4/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in S. aureus isolates. These findings indicate that the dosage of antimicrobial agents to achieve serum concentration equal to or higher than MPC could reduce selection of resistant bacterial subpopulation.

DNA aptamers as a novel approach to neutralize Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivekananda, Jeevalatha; Salgado, Christi; Millenbaugh, Nancy J

2014-02-14

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen capable of causing a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from superficial skin infections to life threatening conditions such as endocarditis, septicemia, pneumonia and toxic shock syndrome. In vitro and in vivo studies identified an exotoxin, α-toxin, as a major cause of S. aureus toxicity. Because S. aureus has rapidly evolved resistance to a number of antibiotics, including methicillin, it is important to identify new therapeutic strategies, other than antibiotics, for inhibiting the harmful effects of this pathogen. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides with three-dimensional folded conformations that bind with high affinity and selectivity to targets and modulate their biological functions. The goal of this study was to isolate DNA aptamers that specifically inhibit the cytotoxic activity of α-toxin. After 10 rounds of Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment (SELEX), 49 potential anti-α-toxin aptamers were identified. In vitro neutralization assays demonstrated that 4 of these 49 aptamers, AT-27, AT-33, AT-36, and AT-49, significantly inhibited α-toxin-mediated cell death in Jurkat T cells. Furthermore, RT-PCR analysis revealed that α-toxin increased the transcription of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-17 and that anti-α-toxin aptamers AT-33 and AT-36 inhibited the upregulation of these genes. Collectively, the data suggest the feasibility of generating functionally effective aptamers against α-toxin for treatment of S. aureus infections. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus in suppurative ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1299, p<0.05) and Methicillin resistance was confirmed by PCR. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus is highly prevalent and more resistant in inpatients. There is a higher risk of acquiring drug resistant staphylococcus aureus infection in ...

A prospective cohort study of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage in neonates: the role of maternal carriage and phenotypic and molecular characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jialing; Wu, Chuanan; Yan, Chunrong; Ou, Qianting; Lin, Dongxin; Zhou, Junli; Ye, Xiaohua; Yao, Zhenjiang

2018-01-01

Background Staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), in mothers can cause serious outcomes in neonates. We aimed to elucidate the associations of S. aureus and MRSA carriage between mothers and neonates. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted between August and November 2015 in two hospitals in Shenzhen, China. Chinese pregnant women and their neonates who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study; samples and relevant information were collected. We assessed maternal–neonatal associations by using Poisson regression models. Results Overall, 1834 mothers and their neonates were included in this study. The prevalence of isolate carriage among the mothers was as follows: S. aureus (nasal, 25.8%; vaginal, 7.3%; and nasal and vaginal, 3.3%) and MRSA (nasal, 5.7%; vaginal, 1.7%; and nasal and vaginal, 0.5%). The incidences of S. aureus and MRSA carriage among neonates were 3.3% and 0.8%, respectively. Of the 21 maternal–neonatal pairs with S. aureus carriage, 14 were concordant pairs with the same phenotypic and molecular characteristics. After adjustment, the relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between the S. aureus carriage of neonates and nasal S. aureus carriage, vaginal S. aureus carriage, and both nasal and vaginal S. aureus carriage of mothers were 2.8 (95% CI, 1.6–4.8), 7.1 (95% CI, 4.1–12.4), and 9.6 (95% CI, 4.2–22.4), respectively. Conclusion S. aureus carriage in mothers increases the risk for neonates. PMID:29731644

Staphylococcus aureus detection in the mouth of housekeepers Detección de Staphylococcus aureus en la boca de trabajadores de la limpieza hospitalaria Detecção de Staphylococcus aureus na boca de trabalhadores da limpeza hospitalar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Drehmer de Almeida Cruz

2011-02-01

Full Text Available This study assessed the prevalence of colonization by Staphylococcus aureus in hospital housekeepers, and their knowledge and beliefs regarding this problem. Three saliva samples were collected and a questionnaire regarding knowledge and beliefs was applied. Of the 92 workers, 63 (68.5% participated in the study; 20 were not and 43 were colonized; 13 by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 30 by methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Persistent carrier status of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 15.4% of cases. Low knowledge and perception of occupational risk were observed. The mouth was identified as an important reservoir of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Analyzing knowledge and beliefs, as well as the state of carrier, is an important strategy to be added to educational actions for the prevention of workers' colonization.Este estudio evaluó la prevalencia de la colonización por Staphylococcus aureus en trabajadores de limpieza hospitalaria, y su conocimiento y creencias acerca de la problemática. Fueron recolectadas tres muestras de saliva y aplicado un cuestionario referente al conocimiento y creencias. De 92 trabajadores, 63 (68,5% participaron del estudio; 20 se presentaron no colonizados y 43 colonizados; 13 para Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina y 30 para Staphylococcus aureus sensibles a la meticilina. El estado de portador persistente por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina fue detectado en 15,4% de los casos. Bajo conocimiento y percepción del riesgo ocupacional fueron observados. La boca fue identificada como importante reservatorio de Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina. Analizar el conocimiento y creencias juntamente con la investigación del estado de portador es una importante estrategia a ser agregada a las acciones educativas para la prevención de la colonización de trabajadores.Este estudo avaliou a prevalência da coloniza

Preconditioning with Lipopolysaccharide or Lipoteichoic Acid Protects against Staphylococcus aureus Mammary Infection in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koen Breyne

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most causative agents of mastitis and is associated with chronic udder infections. The persistency of the pathogen is believed to be the result of an insufficient triggering of local inflammatory signaling. In this study, the preclinical mastitis model was used, aiming to evaluate if lipopolysaccharide (LPS or lipoteichoic acid (LTA preconditioning could aid the host in more effectively clearing or at least limiting a subsequent S. aureus infection. A prototypic Gram-negative virulence factor, i.e., LPS and Gram-positive virulence factor, i.e., LTA were screened whether they were able to boost the local immune compartment. Compared to S. aureus-induced inflammation, both toxins had a remarkable high potency to efficiently induce two novel selected innate immunity biomarkers i.e., lipocalin 2 (LCN2 and chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1. When combining mammary inoculation of LPS or LTA prior to a local S. aureus infection, we were able to modulate the innate immune response, reduce local bacterial loads, and induce either LCN2 or CHI3L1 at 24 h post-infection. Clodronate depletion of mammary macrophages also identified that macrophages contribute only to a limited extend to the LPS/LTA-induced immunomodulation upon S. aureus infection. Based on histological neutrophil influx evaluation, concomitant local cytokine profiles and LCN2/CHI3L1 patterns, the macrophage-independent signaling plays a major role in the LPS- or LTA-pretreated S. aureus-infected mouse mammary gland. Our results highlight the importance of a vigilant microenvironment during the innate immune response of the mammary gland and offer novel insights for new approaches concerning effective immunomodulation against a local bacterial infection.

Impact of Health Care Exposure on Genotypic Antiseptic Tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus Infections in a Pediatric Population.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeil, J Chase; Hultén, Kristina G; Mason, Edward O; Kaplan, Sheldon L

2017-07-01

Staphylococcus aureus possessing either the smr gene or the qacA/B genes is associated with decreased susceptibility to chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and other antiseptics. Previous studies of antiseptic-tolerant staphylococci have focused largely on high-risk populations, and the exact role of health care exposure in the acquisition of these organisms is unclear. We sought to describe the risk factors and features of infection caused by antiseptic-tolerant S. aureus in a general pediatric population. Isolates were selected from an ongoing S. aureus surveillance study. Every third sequential isolate in the year 2014 was selected for inclusion. All isolates underwent PCR for the genes qacA/B and smr Medical records were reviewed. Five hundred six isolates were included in the study, with 377 (74.3%) being community acquired. One hundred (19.8%) isolates were smr positive and 79 (15.6%) qacA/B positive. In univariable analyses, the presence of either gene was associated with underlying medical conditions, nosocomial acquisition, recent hospitalization, central venous lines, and CHG exposure. In multivariable analyses, only differences between patients with chronic medical conditions (odds ratio [OR] = 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 2.64) and nosocomial acquisition (OR = 2.48; 95% CI, 1.16 to 8.17) remained statistically significant. Among patients without risk factors, 27.9% had infection with an antiseptic-tolerant isolate. smr - or qacA/B -positive S. aureus isolates are common in children and are independently associated with nosocomial acquisition and underlying medical conditions. These findings imply a role for the health care environment in acquisition of these organisms. However, genotypic antiseptic tolerance was seen in >25% of healthy children with an S. aureus infection, indicating that these organism are prevalent in the community as well. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Staphylococcus aureus and community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in and around therapeutic whirlpools in college athletic training rooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahanov, Leamor; Kim, Young Kyun; Eberman, Lindsey; Dannelly, Kathleen; Kaur, Haninder; Ramalinga, A

2015-04-01

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has become a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infection in the nonhospitalized community. Care of the athletes in athletic training rooms is specifically designed with equipment tailored to the health care needs of the athletes, yet recent studies indicate that CA-MRSA is still prevalent in athletic facilities and that cleaning methods may not be optimal. To investigate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and CA-MRSA in and around whirlpools in the athletic training room. Cross-sectional study. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university. Student-athletes (n = 109) consisting of 46 men (42%) and 63 women (58%) representing 6 sports. Presence of MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus in and around the whirlpool structures relative to sport and number of athletes using the whirlpools. We identified Staphylococcus aureus in 22% (n = 52/240) of the samples and MRSA in 0.8% (n = 2/240). A statistically significant difference existed between the number of athletes using the whirlpool and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in and around the whirlpools (F(2,238) = 2.445, P = .007). However, Staphylococcus aureus was identified regardless of whether multiple athletes used a whirlpool or no athletes used a whirlpool. We did not identify a relationship between the number of athletes who used a whirlpool and Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA density (P = .134). Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA were identified in and around the whirlpools. Transmission of the bacteria can be reduced by following the cleaning and disinfecting protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Athletic trainers should use disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency to sanitize all whirlpools between uses.

International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts. Summary of an International Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts was organized by the IAEA and held in Vienna on 1-5 July 2013. The conference was organized in cooperation with the following organizations and initiatives: the European Union; the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT); the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL); the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM); the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI); the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE); the Partnership for Global Security; the Police Community of the Americas (AMERIPOL); the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI); the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS); the World Nuclear Association (WNA); and the World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI). A total of 34 ministers participated in the ministerial session of the conference. Altogether, the conference attracted more than 1300 registered participants from 125 IAEA Member States and 21 organizations. The aim of the conference was to review the international community's experience and achievements to date in strengthening nuclear security, to enhance the understanding of current approaches to nuclear security worldwide and identify trends, and to provide a global forum for ministers, policymakers and senior officials to formulate views on future directions and priorities for nuclear security. This book contains the President's Summary of the conference and a summary of the ministerial session, the full text of the ministerial declaration adopted by the conference and summaries of the main conference sessions. The attached CD-ROM contains the full conference programme, the list of conference participants, the national statements from the ministerial session and a selection of papers

PARAMETER KINETIKA INAKTIVASI TERMAL DAN ISOLASI Staphylococcus aureus PADA MINUMAN DARI GEL CINCAU HIJAU DAN ROSELA [Thermal Inactivation Kinetics Parameter and Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus on Drink from Green Grass Jelly and Roselle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eko Hari Purnomo

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Information about heat resistance (D and z values of target bacteria is needed for the thermal process design on drink from Green Grass Jelly (Premna oblongifolia Merr. and Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L., so it can guarantee quality and safety of the product. The objectives of this research were to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from commercial green grass jelly and to determine the D and z values of Staphylococcus aureus (from commercial product and standard clinical isolate ATCC 25923 on heating menstruum of green grass jelly and roselle. Isolation of S. aureus was done by inoculation in selective medium, D and z values of Staphylococcus aureus were assessed by heating at constant temperatures of 57, 53, 49, and 45°C during the time interval 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 minutes. The results showed that one isolate (Isolate A gave positive response of Staphylococcus aureus in isolation tests and had similar percentage with the reference culture of 41.8% using the API Staph Kit. Heat resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (represented as D value isolated from green grass jelly at constant heating temperature of D45, D49, D53 and D57 were 32.3, 17.9, 4.6, and 1.5 minutes. On the other hand, D value of isolates ATCC 25923 (standard clinical isolate at constant heating temperature of D45, D49, D53 and D57 were 18.5, 6.8, 2.9, and 1.4 minutes. The z value of isolates A and ATCC 25923 were 8.8°C and 10.8°C. Smaller z value of isolate A showed that pasteurization process can be accelerated and optimized with increasing the temperature slightly but has the same lethality effect.

Human factor in Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.L. Nouwen (Jan); H.A.M. Boelens (Hélène); A.F. van Belkum (Alex); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri)

2004-01-01

textabstractPersistent nasal carriers and noncarriers of Staphylococcus aureus were inoculated with a mixture of different S. aureus strains. The majority of noncarriers and nearly all persistent carriers returned to their original carrier state after artificial inoculation. Furthermore, the

7th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence

CERN Document Server

Rosa, Agostinho; Cadenas, José; Correia, António; Madani, Kurosh; Ruano, António; Filipe, Joaquim

2017-01-01

This book includes a selection of revised and extended versions of the best papers from the seventh International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2015), held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 12 to 14 November 2015, which was composed of three co-located conferences: The International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications (ECTA), the International Conference on Fuzzy Computation Theory and Applications (FCTA), and the International Conference on Neural Computation Theory and Applications (NCTA). The book presents recent advances in scientific developments and applications in these three areas, reflecting the IJCCI’s commitment to high quality standards.

Enterotoxigenicity of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from traditional and commercial dairy products marketed in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebrahim Rahimi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate, enterotoxigenecity, and antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolated from dairy products in Iran. From September 2010 to July 2011, a total of 347 samples from various dairy products, traditional and commercial, were collected from randomly selected retail stores. Overall, 20 samples (5.8% were found to be contaminated with S. aureus. The highest prevalence of S. aureus was found in traditional cheese (11.1%, followed by traditional ice-cream (5.9%, cream (5.6%, and butter (5.3%. The ability to synthesize classical staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEA-E was determined in 7 of 20 (35% isolates by using ELISA. SE type C was the most common enterotoxin found in the isolated S. aureus (42.9%, followed by SE type A (28.6%, SEA+SEC and SE type D (14.3%. Of the 20 isolates, 16 (80.0% were positive for one or more entrotoxin genes and 8 different genotypes were observed. Susceptibilities of the isolates were determined for 14 antimicrobial drugs using the disk diffusion assay. Most of the isolates (95.0% were resistant to one or more two antimicrobial agent and 45.0% of the isolates were resistant to three or more of drugs. Resistance to ampicillin was the most common finding (55.0%, followed by tetracycline (40.0% and penicillin G (30.0%. The results of this study showed the wide spread of enterotoxigenic and multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains in traditional dairy products in Iran and highlighted their public health hazards.

Tomatidine Is a Lead Antibiotic Molecule That Targets Staphylococcus aureus ATP Synthase Subunit C.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamontagne Boulet, Maxime; Isabelle, Charles; Guay, Isabelle; Brouillette, Eric; Langlois, Jean-Philippe; Jacques, Pierre-Étienne; Rodrigue, Sébastien; Brzezinski, Ryszard; Beauregard, Pascale B; Bouarab, Kamal; Boyapelly, Kumaraswamy; Boudreault, Pierre-Luc; Marsault, Éric; Malouin, François

2018-06-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a leading cause of deadly hospital-acquired infections. The discovery of anti- Staphylococcus antibiotics and new classes of drugs not susceptible to the mechanisms of resistance shared among bacteria is imperative. We recently showed that tomatidine (TO), a steroidal alkaloid from solanaceous plants, possesses potent antibacterial activity against S. aureus small-colony variants (SCVs), the notoriously persistent form of this bacterium that has been associated with recurrence of infections. Here, using genomic analysis of in vitro -generated TO-resistant S. aureus strains to identify mutations in genes involved in resistance, we identified the bacterial ATP synthase as the cellular target. Sequence alignments were performed to highlight the modified sequences, and the structural consequences of the mutations were evaluated in structural models. Overexpression of the atpE gene in S. aureus SCVs or introducing the mutation found in the atpE gene of one of the high-level TO-resistant S. aureus mutants into the Bacillus subtilis atpE gene provided resistance to TO and further validated the identity of the cellular target. FC04-100, a TO derivative which also possesses activity against non-SCV strains, prevents high-level resistance development in prototypic strains and limits the level of resistance observed in SCVs. An ATP synthesis assay allowed the observation of a correlation between antibiotic potency and ATP synthase inhibition. The selectivity index (inhibition of ATP production by mitochondria versus that of bacterial ATP synthase) is estimated to be >10 5 -fold for FC04-100. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Determinants of carriage of resistant Staphylococcus aureus among S. aureus carriers in the Indonesian population inside and outside hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.S. Lestari (Endang Sri); D.O. Duerink (Offra); U. Hadi (Usman); J.A. Severin (Juliëtte); N.J.D. Nagelkerke (Nico); K. Kuntaman (Kuntaman); H. Wahjono (Hendro); W. Gardjito (Widjoseno); A. Soejoenoes (Ariawan); P. van den Broek (Peterhans); M. Keuter (Monique); I.C. Gyssens (Inge); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri)

2010-01-01

textabstractOBJECTIVES: To identify determinants of carriage of resistant Staphylococcus aureus in both hospitalized patients and individuals from the community in two urban centres in Indonesia. METHODS: Staphylococcus aureus cultures and data on recent antibiotic use, demographic, socioeconomic,

eap Gene as novel target for specific identification of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Muzaffar; von Eiff, Christof; Sinha, Bhanu; Joost, Insa; Herrmann, Mathias; Peters, Georg; Becker, Karsten

2008-02-01

The cell surface-associated extracellular adherence protein (Eap) mediates adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to host extracellular matrix components and inhibits inflammation, wound healing, and angiogenesis. A well-characterized collection of S. aureus and non-S. aureus staphylococcal isolates (n = 813) was tested for the presence of the Eap-encoding gene (eap) by PCR to investigate the use of the eap gene as a specific diagnostic tool for identification of S. aureus. Whereas all 597 S. aureus isolates were eap positive, this gene was not detectable in 216 non-S. aureus staphylococcal isolates comprising 47 different species and subspecies of coagulase-negative staphylococci and non-S. aureus coagulase-positive or coagulase-variable staphylococci. Furthermore, non-S. aureus isolates did not express Eap homologs, as verified on the transcriptional and protein levels. Based on these data, the sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed PCR targeting the eap gene were both 100%. Thus, the unique occurrence of Eap in S. aureus offers a promising tool particularly suitable for molecular diagnostics of this pathogen.

Duplex Identification of Staphylococcus aureus by Aptamer and Gold Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Tianjun; Wang, Libo; Zhao, Kexu; Ge, Yu; He, Meng; Li, Gang

2016-06-01

Staphylococcus aureus is the top common pathogen causing infections and food poisoning. Identification of S. aureus is crucial for the disease diagnosis and regulation of food hygiene. Herein, we report an aptamer-AuNPs based method for duplex identification of S. aureus. Using AuNPs as an indicator, SA23, an aptamer against S. aureus, can well identify its target from Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, we find citrate-coated AuNPs can strongly bind to S. aureus, but not bind to Salmonella enterica and Proteus mirabilis, which leads to different color changes in salt solution. This colorimetric response is capable of distinguishing S. aureus from S. enteritidis and P. mirabilis. Thus, using the aptasensor and AuNPs together, S. aureus can be accurately identified from the common pathogens. This duplex identification system is a promising platform for simple visual identification of S. aureus. Additionally, in the aptasensing process, bacteria are incubated with aptamers and then be removed before the aptamers adding to AuNPs, which may avoid the interactions between bacteria and AuNPs. This strategy can be potentially applied in principle to detect other cells by AuNPs-based aptasensors.

2017 Gordon Conference on Superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chubukov, Andrey [Univ. of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN (United States)

2017-11-14

The DOE award was for a 2017 Gordon Research conference on Superconductivity (GRC). The objective of GRC is to interchange the information about the latest theoretical and experimental developments in the area of superconductivity and to select most perspective directions for future research in this area.The goal of the Gordon Conference on Superconductivity is to present and discuss the latest results in the field of modern superconductivity, discuss new ideas and new directions of research in the area. It is a long-standing tradition of the Gordon conference on Superconductivity that the vast majority of participants are junior scientists. Funding for the conference would primarily be used to support junior researchers, particularly from under-represented groups. We had more 10 female speakers, some of them junior researchers, and some funding was used to support these speakers. The conference was held together with Gordon Research Seminar on Superconductivity, where almost all speakers and participants were junior scientists.

Staphylococcus aureus biofilm removal by targeting biofilm-associated extracellular proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudhir K Shukla

2017-01-01

Methods: Biofilm assay was done in 96-well microtitre plate to evaluate the effect of proteinase K on biofilms of bovine mastitis S. Aureus isolates. Extracellular polymeric substances were extracted and evaluated for their composition (protein, polysaccharides and extracellular DNA, before and after the proteinase K treatment. Results: Biofilm assay showed that 2 μg/ml proteinase K significantly inhibited biofilm development in bap-positive S. aureus V329 as well as other S. aureus isolates (SA7, SA10, SA33, SA352, but not in bap-mutant M556 and SA392 (a weak biofilm-producing strain. Proteinase K treatment on S. aureus planktonic cells showed that there was no inhibition of planktonic growth up to 32 μg/ml of proteinase K. Proteinase K treatment on 24 h old preformed biofilms showed an enhanced dispersion of bap-positive V329 and SA7, SA10, SA33 and SA352 biofilms; however, proteinase K did not affect the bap-mutant S. aureus M556 and SA392 biofilms. Biofilm compositions study before and after proteinase K treatment indicated that Bap might also be involved in eDNA retention in the biofilm matrix that aids in biofilm stability. When proteinase K was used in combination with antibiotics, a synergistic effect in antibiotic efficacy was observed against all biofilm-forming S. aureus isolates. Interpretation & conclusions: Proteinase K inhibited biofilms growth in S. aureus bovine mastitis isolates but did not affect their planktonic growth. An enhanced dispersion of preformed S. aureus biofilms was observed on proteinase K treatment. Proteinase K treatment with antibiotics showed a synergistic effect against S. aureus biofilms. The study suggests that dispersing S. aureus by protease can be of use while devising strategies againstS. aureus biofilms.

Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Mette Theilgaard

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes the nares and skin surfaces of several animal species, including man. S. aureus can cause a wide variety of infections ranging from superficial soft tissue and skin infections to severe and deadly systemic infections. Traditionally S....... aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been associated with hospitals, but during the past decades MRSA has emerged in the community and now a new branch of MRSA has been found in association with livestock (LA-MRSA). A specific lineage (multilocus sequence type 398 (ST398...

Research advance in rapid detection of foodborne Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xihong Zhao

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive, coccus-shaped facultative anaerobe and a member of the Staphylococcaceae family. In recent years, alimentary toxicosis caused by S. aureus is a very serious problem worldwide, which constitutes a great threat to public health. In this review, we tried to summarize the conventional methods and newly developed rapid detection techniques of S. aureus (traditional detection method, biochemical detection, immunology method, molecular biology, and biosensor method for their principles, advantages, disadvantages, and applications. Furthermore, the future perspectives of S. aureus detection methods were forecasted at last.

Isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus from milk and milk products and their drug resistance patterns in Anand, Gujarat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. N. Brahmbhatt

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Aim: The study was carried out with aim to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from milk and milk products (pedha and curd and determine antibiogram pattern of S. aureus isolates. Materials and Methods: During 9 months duration of study a total of 160 milk and milk product samples (pedha and curd were collected from different places in and around Anand city such as milk collection centre of Co-operative milk dairies, cattle farms, individual household, milk vendors and sweet shops. The samples were collected under aseptic precautions and were enriched in Peptone Water (PW followed by direct plating on selective media viz. Baird-Parker Agar. The presumptive S. aureus isolates were identified by biochemical tests. Antibiogram pattern of S. aureus to antimicrobial agents were evaluated by disk diffusion method. Results: Analysis of result revealed that out of total 160 samples of milk (100 and milk products i.e. curd (30 and pedha (30 resulted in the isolation of 10 isolates (6.25 % of S. aureus. In the present study S. aureus isolates were found variably resistant to the antibiotics tested. The S. aureus isolates showed highest sensitivity towards cephalothin (100.00 %, co-trimoxazole (100.00 %, cephalexin (100.00 % and methicillin (100.00 % followed by gentamicin (90.00 %, ciprofloxacin (80.00 %, oxacillin (70.00 %, streptomycin (60.00 % and ampicillin (60.00 %. The pattern clearly indicated that the overall high percent of S. aureus isolates were resistant to Penicillin-G (100.00 % followed by ampicillin (40.00 %, oxytetracycline and oxacillin (20.00 % and streptomycin and gentamicin (10.00 % Conclusions: Results clearly suggested a possibility of potential public health threat of S. aureus resulting from contamination of milk and milk products with pathogenic bacteria is mainly due to unhygienic processing, handling and unhygienic environment. [Vet World 2013; 6(1.000: 10-13

Prevalence and characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying mecA or mecC and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in dairy sheep farms in central Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacinti, G; Carfora, V; Caprioli, A; Sagrafoli, D; Marri, N; Giangolini, G; Amoruso, R; Iurescia, M; Stravino, F; Dottarelli, S; Feltrin, F; Franco, A; Amatiste, S; Battisti, A

2017-10-01

Between January and May 2012, a total of 286 bulk tank milk samples from dairy sheep farms located in central Italy were tested for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. One hundred fifty-three samples were positive for S. aureus (53.5%), with an average count of 2.53 log cfu/mL. A total of 679 S. aureus colonies were screened for methicillin resistance by the cefoxitin disk diffusion test, and 104 selected cefoxitin-susceptible isolates were also tested for their susceptibility to other antimicrobials representative of the most relevant classes active against Staphylococcus spp. by using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Two methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates, carrying respectively the mecA and the mecC genes, were detected in 2 samples from 2 different farms (prevalence 0.7%). The mecA-positive MRSA isolate was blaZ positive, belonged to spa type t127, sequence type (ST)1, clonal complex (CC)1, carried a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IVa, and was phenotypically resistant to all the β-lactams tested and to erythromycin, streptomycin, kanamycin, and tetracycline. The mecC-positive MRSA isolate was negative for the chromosomally or plasmid-associated blaZ gene but positive for the blaZ allotype associated with SCCmec XI (blaZ-SCCmecXI), belonged to spa type 843, ST(CC)130, carried a SCCmec type XI, and was resistant only to β-lactams. Both MRSA were negative for the presence of specific immune-evasion and virulence genes such as those coding for the Panton-Valentine leucocidin, the toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, and the immune evasion cluster genes. Regarding the presence of the major S. aureus enterotoxin genes, the mecC-positive MRSA tested negative, whereas the ST (CC)1 mecA-positive MRSA harbored the seh gene. Among the 104 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates examined for antimicrobial susceptibility, 63 (60.58%) were susceptible to all the antimicrobials tested, and 41 (39.42%) were resistant to at

Population structure of Staphylococcus aureus in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yan, Xiaomei

2015-01-01

The present PhD research was aimed at analysing the population structure of Staphylococcus aureus in China. Between 2000 and 2005 we found that patients from a single Chinese hospital showed increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance. Among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), resistance

Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in apparently healthy ... treatment failures is vital. Keywords: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Nasal swabs, Multidrug resistance, Rational .... defined as resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics other than the ...

Staphylococcus aureus and Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in and Around Therapeutic Whirlpools in College Athletic Training Rooms

Science.gov (United States)

Kahanov, Leamor; Kim, Young Kyun; Eberman, Lindsey; Dannelly, Kathleen; Kaur, Haninder; Ramalinga, A.

2015-01-01

Context: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has become a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infection in the nonhospitalized community. Care of the athletes in athletic training rooms is specifically designed with equipment tailored to the health care needs of the athletes, yet recent studies indicate that CA-MRSA is still prevalent in athletic facilities and that cleaning methods may not be optimal. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and CA-MRSA in and around whirlpools in the athletic training room. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university. Patients or Other Participants: Student-athletes (n = 109) consisting of 46 men (42%) and 63 women (58%) representing 6 sports. Main Outcome Measure(s): Presence of MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus in and around the whirlpool structures relative to sport and number of athletes using the whirlpools. Results: We identified Staphylococcus aureus in 22% (n = 52/240) of the samples and MRSA in 0.8% (n = 2/240). A statistically significant difference existed between the number of athletes using the whirlpool and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in and around the whirlpools (F2,238 = 2.445, P = .007). However, Staphylococcus aureus was identified regardless of whether multiple athletes used a whirlpool or no athletes used a whirlpool. We did not identify a relationship between the number of athletes who used a whirlpool and Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA density (P = .134). Conclusions: Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA were identified in and around the whirlpools. Transmission of the bacteria can be reduced by following the cleaning and disinfecting protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Athletic trainers should use disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency to sanitize all whirlpools between uses. PMID:25710853

In silico analysis for identifying potential vaccine candidates against Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Delfani, Somayeh; Imani Fooladi, Abbas Ali; Mobarez, Ashraf Mohabati; Emaneini, Mohammad; Amani, Jafar; Sedighian, Hamid

2015-01-01

Purpose Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important causes of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The increasing incidence of multiple antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains and the emergence of vancomycin resistant S. aureus strains have placed renewed interest on alternative means of prevention and control of infection. S. aureus produces a variety of virulence factors, so a multi-subunit vaccine will be more successful for preventing S. aureus infections than a mono-subuni...

Use of a primary isolation medium for recovery of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

OpenAIRE

Van Enk, R A; Thompson, K D

1992-01-01

Clinical specimens frequently contain methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates in low numbers or mixed with methicillin-susceptible staphylococci, which can obscure MRSA on nonselective media. By using an oxacillin-containing mannitol-salt-based selective and differential medium on 936 respiratory specimens, we recovered 45% more MRSA isolates (29 versus 20) than on nonselective media alone.

G-quadruplex aptamer targeting Protein A and its capability to detect Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated by ELONA

OpenAIRE

Stoltenburg, Regina; Kraf?ikov?, Petra; V?glask?, Viktor; Strehlitz, Beate

2016-01-01

Aptamers for whole cell detection are selected mostly by the Cell-SELEX procedure. Alternatively, the use of specific cell surface epitopes as target during aptamer selections allows the development of aptamers with ability to bind whole cells. In this study, we integrated a formerly selected Protein A-binding aptamer PA#2/8 in an assay format called ELONA (Enzyme-Linked OligoNucleotide Assay) and evaluated the ability of the aptamer to recognise and bind to Staphylococcus aureus presenting P...

Evaluation: Processes and Practices. Selected Papers from the Conference for the Evaluation of Instructional Materials (Washington, D.C., April 5-6, 1968).

Science.gov (United States)

Swisher, Ginny, Ed.; And Others

Selected papers from the Conference for the Evaluation of Instructional Materials treat the area of evaluation by describing Richard Dershimer's three-part evaluative schema, the Educational Products Information Exchange approach to evaluating instructional materials, the evaluation procedures in Montgomery county (Maryland), the Consumers Union…

PREFACE: Selected papers from the Fourth Annual q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing Selected papers from the Fourth Annual q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing

Science.gov (United States)

Nemenman, Ilya; Faeder, James R.; Hlavacek, William S.; Jiang, Yi; Wall, Michael E.; Zilman, Anton

2011-10-01

Summary This special issue consists of 11 original papers that elaborate on work presented at the Fourth Annual q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing, which was held on the campus of St John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, 11-14 August 2010. Now in its fourth year, the q-bio conference has changed considerably over time. It is now well established and a major event in systems biology. The 2010 conference saw attendees from all continents (except Antarctica!) sharing novel results and participating in lively discussions at both the oral and poster sessions. The conference was oversubscribed and grew to 27 contributed talks, 16 poster spotlights and 137 contributed posters. We deliberately decreased the number of invited speakers to 21 to leave more space for contributed presentations, and the attendee feedback confirmed that the choice was a success. Although the q-bio conference has grown and matured, it has remained true to the original goal of being an intimate and dynamic event that brings together modeling, theory and quantitative experimentation for the study of cell regulation and information processing. Funded in part by a grant from NIGMS and by DOE funds through the Los Alamos National Laboratory Directed Research and Development program, the conference has continued to exhibit youth and vigor by attracting (and partially supporting) over 100 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers. The associated q-bio summer school, which precedes the conference each year, further emphasizes the development of junior scientists and makes q-bio a singular event in its impact on the future of quantitative biology. In addition to an increased international presence, the conference has notably diversified its demographic representation within the USA, including increased participation from the southeastern corner of the country. One big change in the conference this year is our new publication partner, Physical Biology. Although we are very

13thInternational Conference on Computer and Information Science

CERN Document Server

Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing 2012

2013-01-01

The purpose of the 13th  International Conference on Computer and Information Science (SNPD 2012) held on August 8-10, 2012 in Kyoto, Japan was to bring together researchers and scientists, businessmen and entrepreneurs, teachers and students to discuss the numerous fields of computer science, and to share ideas and information in a meaningful way.  Our conference officers selected the best 17 papers from those papers accepted for presentation at the conference in order to publish them in this volume.  The papers were chosen based on review scores submitted by members of the program committee, and underwent further rounds of rigorous review.   The  conference organizers selected 17 outstanding papers from SNPD 2012, all of which you will find in this volume of Springer’s Studies in Computational Intelligence.

Associations between resistance phenotype and gene expression in response to serial exposure to oxacillin and ciprofloxacin in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, M J; Ahn, J

2017-12-01

This study was designed to delineate the relationship between resistance phenotypes and gene expression in wild-type (SA WT ), oxacillin-induced (SA OXA ), ciprofloxacin-induced (SA CIP ) and clinically acquired antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SA CA ) exposed to oxacillin (β-lactam) and ciprofloxacin (fluoroquinolone). The phenotypic response and gene expression were varied with the antibiotic exposure. SA WT was highly resistant to oxacillin (MIC = 8 μg ml -1 ) after serial exposure to oxacillin, while the oxacillin susceptibility was not changed in SA WT when exposed to ciprofloxacin (MIC = 0·25 μg ml -1 ). The clinical isolate, SA CA , was highly resistant to all classes of antibiotics used in this study. The increased resistance of SA OXA and SA CIP to penicillinase-labile penicillins was attributed to the production of β-lactamase, which is in good agreement with the overexpression of blaZ (>2-fold). The overexpression of efflux pump-related genes (norA, norB, norC, mdeA, mepR, mgrA and lmrS) was associated with the increased resistance of SA CIP and SA CA to aminoglycosides and quinolones. This study confirmed that the linkage between resistance phenotypes and molecular genotypes highly varied depending on intrinsic resistance profile, response to antibiotic exposure and genes conferring resistance. This study provides useful information for understanding the mechanisms of methicillin resistance in S. aureus in association with phenotypic and genotypic resistance determinants. The improvement in current standards is essential to accurately detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in consideration of various resistance phenotypes and genotypes. The varied and distinctive expression patterns of antibiotic resistance-related genes were observed in S. aureus exposed to oxacillin and ciprofloxacin. It is worth noting the relationship between resistance phenotype and resistance genotype in terms of MIC values and expression of

International conference, ICPRAM 2012

CERN Document Server

Sánchez, J; Fred, Ana; Pattern recognition : applications and methods : revised selected papers

2013-01-01

This edited book includes extended and revised versions of a set of selected papers from the First International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPRAM 2012), held in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, from 6 to 8 February, 2012, sponsored by the Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information Control and Communication (INSTICC) and held in cooperation with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and Pattern Analysis, Statistical Modelling and Computational Learning (PASCAL2). The conference brought together researchers, engineers and practitioners interested on the areas of Pattern Recognition, both from theoretical and application perspectives.

Dissemination of antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant S aureus strains isolated from hospital effluents.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Santi M; Ghosh, Ananta K; Pati, Bikas R

2015-12-01

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) strains were examined in hospital effluents. Most S aureus strains are resistant to methicillin (MRSA), followed by tetracycline. Approximately 15% of MRSA strains are also resistant to vancomycin (VRSA). All VRSA strains developed a VanR/VanS-regulated 2-component system of VanA-type resistance in their genome. Results indicate that there is a possibility of developing resistance to aminoglycosides by VRSA strains in the near future. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bactericidal antibiotic-phytochemical combinations against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhone Myint Kyaw

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA infection is a global concern nowadays. Due to its multi-drug resistant nature, treatment with conventional antibiotics does not assure desired clinical outcomes. Therefore, there is a need to find new compounds and/or alternative methods to get arsenal against the pathogen. Combination therapies using conventional antibiotics and phytochemicals fulfill both requirements. In this study, the efficacy of different phytochemicals in combination with selected antibiotics was tested against 12 strains of S. aureus (ATCC MRSA 43300, ATCC methicillin sensitive S. aureus or MSSA 29213 and 10 MRSA clinical strains collected from National University Hospital, Singapore. Out of the six phytochemicals used, tannic acid was synergistic with fusidic acid, minocycline, cefotaxime and rifampicin against most of strains tested and additive with ofloxacin and vancomycin. Quercetin showed synergism with minocycline, fusidic acid and rifampicin against most of the strains. Gallic acid ethyl ester showed additivity against all strains in combination with all antibiotics under investigation except with vancomycin where it showed indifference effect. Eugenol, menthone and caffeic acid showed indifference results against all strains in combination with all antibiotics. Interestingly, no antagonism was observed within these interactions. Based on the fractional inhibitory concentration indices, synergistic pairs were further examined by time-kill assays to confirm the accuracy and killing rate of the combinations over time. The two methods concurred with each other with 92% accuracy and the combinatory pairs were effective throughout the 24 hours of assay. The study suggests a possible incorporation of effective phytochemicals in combination therapies for MRSA infections.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in palliative care: A prospective study of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevalence in a hospital-based palliative care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalz, Oliver; Strapatsas, Tobias; Alefelder, Christof; Grebe, Scott Oliver

2016-07-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a common organism in hospitals worldwide and is associated with morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the prevalence in palliative care patients. Furthermore, there is no standardized screening protocol or treatment for patients for whom therapy concentrates on symptom control. Examining the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in palliative care patients as well as the level of morbidity and mortality. We performed a prospective study where methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening was undertaken in 296 consecutive patients within 48 h after admission to our palliative care unit. Medical history was taken, clinical examination was performed, and the Karnofsky Performance Scale and Palliative Prognostic Score were determined. Prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was compared to data of general hospital patients. In total, 281 patients were included in the study having a mean age of 69.7 years (standard deviation = 12.9 years) and an average Karnofsky Performance Scale between 30% and 40%. The mean length of stay was 9.7 days (standard deviation = 7.6 days). A total of 24 patients were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus positive on the first swab. Median number of swabs was 2. All patients with a negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus swab upon admission remained Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus negative in all subsequent swabs. Our study suggests that the prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among patients in an in-hospital palliative care unit is much higher than in other patient populations. © The Author(s) 2016.

Bovine origin Staphylococcus aureus: A new zoonotic agent?

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Relangi Tulasi; Jayakumar, Kannan; Kumar, Pavitra

2017-10-01

The study aimed to assess the nature of animal origin Staphylococcus aureus strains. The study has zoonotic importance and aimed to compare virulence between two different hosts, i.e., bovine and ovine origin. Conventional polymerase chain reaction-based methods used for the characterization of S. aureus strains and chick embryo model employed for the assessment of virulence capacity of strains. All statistical tests carried on R program, version 3.0.4. After initial screening and molecular characterization of the prevalence of S. aureus found to be 42.62% in bovine origin samples and 28.35% among ovine origin samples. Meanwhile, the methicillin-resistant S. aureus prevalence is found to be meager in both the hosts. Among the samples, only 6.8% isolates tested positive for methicillin resistance. The biofilm formation quantified and the variation compared among the host. A Welch two-sample t -test found to be statistically significant, t=2.3179, df=28.103, and p=0.02795. Chicken embryo model found effective to test the pathogenicity of the strains. The study helped to conclude healthy bovines can act as S. aureus reservoirs. Bovine origin S. aureus strains are more virulent than ovine origin strains. Bovine origin strains have high probability to become zoonotic pathogen. Further, gene knock out studies may be conducted to conclude zoonocity of the bovine origin strains.

Variation among Staphylococcus aureus membrane vesicle proteomes affects cytotoxicity of host cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Hyejin; Oh, Man Hwan; Jun, So Hyun; Kim, Seung Il; Choi, Chi Won; Kwon, Hyo Il; Na, Seok Hyeon; Kim, Yoo Jeong; Nicholas, Asiimwe; Selasi, Gati Noble; Lee, Je Chul

2016-04-01

Staphylococcus aureus secretes membrane-derived vesicles (MVs), which can deliver virulence factors to host cells and induce cytopathology. However, the cytopathology of host cells induced by MVs derived from different S. aureus strains has not yet been characterized. In the present study, the cytotoxic activity of MVs from different S. aureus isolates on host cells was compared and the proteomes of S. aureus MVs were analyzed. The MVs purified from S. aureus M060 isolated from a patient with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome showed higher cytotoxic activity toward host cells than that shown by MVs from three other clinical S. aureus isolates. S. aureus M060 MVs induced HEp-2 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, but the cytotoxic activity of MVs was completely abolished by treatment with proteinase K. In a proteomic analysis, the MVs from three S. aureus isolates not only carry 25 common proteins, but also carry ≥60 strain-specific proteins. All S. aureus MVs contained δ-hemolysin (Hld), γ-hemolysin, leukocidin D, and exfoliative toxin C, but exfoliative toxin A (ETA) was specifically identified in S. aureus M060 MVs. ETA was delivered to HEp-2 cells via S. aureus MVs. Both rETA and rHld induced cytotoxicity in HEp-2 cells. In conclusion, MVs from clinical S. aureus isolates differ with respect to cytotoxic activity in host cells, and these differences may result from differences in the MV proteomes. Further proteogenomic analysis or mutagenesis of specific genes is necessary to identify cytotoxic factors in S. aureus MVs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular typing of Staphylococcus aureus based on coagulase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Javid, Faizan; Taku, Anil; Bhat, Mohd Altaf; Badroo, Gulzar Ahmad; Mudasir, Mir; Sofi, Tanveer Ahmad

2018-04-01

This study was conducted to study the coagulase gene-based genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus , isolated from different samples of cattle using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and their sequence-based phylogenetic analysis. A total of 192 different samples from mastitic milk, nasal cavity, and pus from skin wounds of cattle from Military Dairy Farm, Jammu, India, were screened for the presence of S. aureus . The presumptive isolates were confirmed by nuc gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The confirmed S. aureus isolates were subjected to coagulase ( coa ) gene PCR. Different coa genotypes observed were subjected to RFLP using restriction enzymes Hae111 and Alu1 , to obtain the different restriction patterns. One isolate from each restriction pattern was sequenced. These sequences were aligned for maximum homology using the Bioedit softwareandsimilarity in the sequences was inferred with the help of sequence identity matrix. Of 192 different samples,39 (20.31%) isolates of S. aureus were confirmed by targeting nuc gene using PCR. Of 39 S. aureus isolates, 25 (64.10%) isolates carried coa gene. Four different genotypes of coa gene, i.e., 514 bp, 595 bp, 757 bp, and 802 bp were obtained. Two coa genotypes, 595 bp (15 isolates) and 802 bp (4 isolates), were observed in mastitic milk. 514 bp (2 isolates) and 757 bp (4 isolates) coa genotypes were observed from nasal cavity and pus from skin wounds, respectively. On RFLP using both restriction enzymes, four different restriction patterns P1, P2, P3, and P4 were observed. On sequencing, four different sequences having unique restriction patterns were obtained. The most identical sequences with the value of 0.810 were found between isolate S. aureus 514 (nasal cavity) and S. aureus 595 (mastitic milk), and thus, they are most closely related. While as the most distant sequences with the value of 0.483 were found between S. aureus 514 and S. aureus 802 isolates. The study, being localized

A pig model of acute Staphylococcus aureus induced pyemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, O. L.; Iburg, T.; Aalbæk, B.

2009-01-01

Background: Sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus constitutes an important cause of morbidity and mortality in humans, and the incidence of this disease-entity is increasing. In this paper we describe the initial microbial dynamics and lesions in pigs experimentally infected with S. aureus....... aureus isolated from man and an extension of the timeframe aiming at inducing sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock....

Selected papers from the 11th European Conference on Applied Superconductivity (EUCAS 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Ferdeghini, Carlo; Putti, Marina

2014-04-01

The 11th edition of the European Conference on Applied Superconductivity (EUCAS) was held in Genoa (15-19 September 2013) and registered the participation of more than one thousand attendants from over 40 countries. During the conference seven plenary lectures, 23 invited, and 203 oral contributions and 550 posters have been presented, all focused on recent developments in the field of superconductivity applications. This issue of Superconductor Science Technology is a collection of some of the plenary and invited contributions. Moreover, the winners of the EUCAS prizes (the electronics prize dedicated to the memory of Antonio Barone), and the most significant oral contributions selected by the 125 chairs involved in the organization, have been invited to submit their papers. The remaining papers presented at the conference will be published in the Journal Physics Conference Series, edited by S Farinon, G Lamura, A Malagoli and I Pallecchi. The papers have been organized into the four traditional topics of interest of EUCAS, namely materials, wires and tapes, large scale applications, and electronics. The plenary lectures on these four topics have been collected: Potential of iron-based superconductors for practical materials in the future (J Shimoyama), Coated conductors for power applications: materials challenges (J Obradors), Challenges and status of ITER conductor production (A Devred), and the Impact of superconducting devices in imaging in neuroscience (G L Romani). We hope that this issue will let you taste the flavours, hear the sounds and see the colours of this exciting EUCAS edition. The very large participation in EUCAS 2013 has allowed debates on a wide range of topics, starting from the most basic studies on emergent materials up to the new developments in electronics and large scale applications. A round table on HTS Conductors was experimented for the first time gathering material scientists, wire manufacturers and device builders in a stimulating

Factors determining Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to photoantimicrobial chemotherapy: RsbU activity, staphyloxanthin level and membrane fluidity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kossakowska-Zwierucho

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Photoantimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT constitutes a particular type of stress condition, in which bacterial cells induce a pleiotropic and as yet unexplored effect. In light of this, the key master regulators are of putative significance to the overall phototoxic outcome. In Staphylococcus aureus, the alternative sigma factor σB controls the expression of genes involved in the response to environmental stress. We show that aberration of any sigB operon genes in S. aureus USA300 isogenic mutants causes a pronounced sensitization (>5 log10 reduction in CFU drop to PACT with selected photosensitizers, namely protoporphyrin diarginate, zinc phthalocyanine and rose bengal. This effect is partly due to aberration-coupled staphyloxanthin synthesis inhibition. We identified frequent mutations in RsbU, a σB activator, in PACT-vulnerable clinical isolates of S. aureus, resulting in σB activity impairment. Locations of significant changes in protein structure (IS256 insertion, early STOP codon occurrence, substitutions A230T and A276D were shown in a theoretical model of S. aureus RsbU. As a phenotypic hallmark of PACT-vulnerable S. aureus strains, we observed an increased fluidity of bacterial cell membrane, which is a result of staphyloxanthin content and other yet unidentified factors. Our research indicates σB as a promising target of adjunctive antimicrobial therapy and suggests that enhanced cell membrane fluidity may be an adjuvant strategy in photoantimicrobial chemotherapy.

Effectiveness of alcohol gelin stethoscopes disinfection contaminated with methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Alves Teixeira

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Although widely used, little attention has been given to basic-care in handling and disinfection of stethoscopes. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found and a major risk for hospitalized patients. Alcohol gel contains properties admittedly effective to exterminate germs that are frequently involved in infections. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of alcohol gel in stethoscopes disinfection contaminated with MRSA used by healthcare professionals of a University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro State. Methods: Health care professionals were selected randomly from August to November 2012, and collected samples with sterile swab of 105 stethoscopes before and after cleaning with alcohol gel 70% and performed cultures and bacterial identification. Results: Bacterial contamination was present in 87 (82.85% of the analyzed stethoscopes. Gram positive bacteria were identified in 76 (72.38%. S. aureus was present in 7.61% of stethoscopes and MRSA in 87.5% of them. After using the alcohol gel, there was a reduction of 71,44% of the general bacterial contamination and MRSA elimination of 100% of the analyzed stethoscopes. Conclusion: One should improve care in cleaning of stethoscopes due to the risk of carrying pathogenic bacteria involved in hospital infections. The alcohol gel showed to be adequate for disinfection of stethoscopes contaminated with MRSA. KEYWORDS: Stethoscopes. Contamination. Ethanol. Disinfection. Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus.

5th National Conference on Processing and Characterization of Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This volume contains selected full length technical papers from the oral presentations made during the 5 th National Conference on Processing and Characterization of Materials (NCPCM) 2015 organized by Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NIT Rourkela, India on 12 th - 13 th December, 2015. The first conference of the NCPCM series was held in December 2011. NCPCM 2015 has successfully carried the tradition of previous conferences. About 100 participants from various organizations across India have participated in the conference. The conference has attracted researchers, scientists and engineers from various R and D organizations, academic institutions and industries at a single forum. The interdisciplinary approach of the conference allowed the participants to look beyond their areas of activities. Besides oral presentations the conference also had poster and metallography sessions. The conference had four technical sessions. The themes of the sessions were: Materials Processing, Characterization, Materials Deformation and Materials Modelling and Simulation. In all, during the two day conference about fifty contributory talks along with four keynote lectures were presented. Out of these, forty peer-reviewed papers have been selected for publication in this volume of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. We would like to thank all the contributors, members of the organizing committee, session chairs as well as colleagues and students who helped us with the preparation of the conference and particularly, with the preparation of this volume. We would also like to convey our heartiest gratitude to all the sponsors of NCPCM 2015. (paper)

4th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence

CERN Document Server

Correia, António; Rosa, Agostinho; Filipe, Joaquim

2015-01-01

The present book includes extended and revised versions of a set of selected papers from the Fourth International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence (IJCCI 2012)., held in Barcelona, Spain, from 5 to 7 October, 2012. The conference was sponsored by the Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication (INSTICC) and was organized in cooperation with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). The conference brought together researchers, engineers and practitioners in computational technologies, especially those related to the areas of fuzzy computation, evolutionary computation and neural computation. It is composed of three co-located conferences, each one specialized in one of the aforementioned -knowledge areas. Namely: - International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications (ECTA) - International Conference on Fuzzy Computation Theory and Applications (FCTA) - International Conference on Neural Computation Theory a...

1st National Conference on Sensors

CERN Document Server

D’Amico, Arnaldo; Natale, Corrado; Siciliano, Pietro; Seeber, Renato; Stefano, Luca; Bizzarri, Ranieri; Andò, Bruno

2014-01-01

This book contains a selection of papers presented at the First National Conference on Sensors held in Rome 15-17 February 2011. The conference highlighted state-of-the-art results from both theoretical and applied research in the field of sensors and related technologies. This book presents material in an interdisciplinary approach, covering many aspects of the disciplines related to sensors, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications.   ·         Provides a selection of the best papers from the First Italian National Conference on Sensors; ·         Covers a broad range of topics relating to sensors and microsystems, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications;       ·        Offers interdisciplinary coverage, aimed at defining a common ground for sensors beyond the specific differences among the different particular implementation of sensors.

2nd National Conference on Sensors

CERN Document Server

Baldini, Francesco; Natale, Corrado; Betta, Giovanni; Siciliano, Pietro

2015-01-01

This book contains a selection of papers presented at the Second National Conference on Sensors held in Rome 19-21 February 2014. The conference highlighted state-of-the-art results from both theoretical and applied research in the field of sensors and related technologies. This book presents material in an interdisciplinary approach, covering many aspects of the disciplines related to sensors, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications. ·         Provides a selection of the best papers from the Second Italian National Conference on Sensors; ·         Covers a broad range of topics relating to sensors and microsystems, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications; ·         Offers interdisciplinary coverage, aimed at defining a common ground for sensors beyond the specific differences among the different particular implementation of sensors.

Detection of Staphylococcus aureus by functional gold nanoparticle-based affinity surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Hong-Zheng; Wang, Sin-Ge; Wu, Ching-Yi; Chen, Yu-Chie

2015-02-17

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the common pathogenic bacteria responsible for bacterial infectious diseases and food poisoning. This study presents an analytical method based on the affinity nanoprobe-based mass spectrometry that enables detection of S. aureus in aqueous samples. A peptide aptamer DVFLGDVFLGDEC (DD) that can recognize S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was used as the reducing agent and protective group to generate DD-immobilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@DD) from one-pot reactions. The thiol group from cysteine in the peptide aptamer, i.e., DD, can interact with gold ions to generate DD-immobilized AuNPs in an alkaline solution. The generated AuNPs@DD has an absorption maximum at ∼518 nm. The average particle size is 7.6 ± 1.2 nm. Furthermore, the generated AuNPs@DD can selectively bind with S. aureus and MRSA. The conjugates of the target bacteria with AuNPs were directly analyzed by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS). The gold ions generated from the AuNPs@DD anchored on the target bacteria were monitored. Gold ions (m/z 197 and 394) were only generated from the conjugates of the target bacterium-AuNP@DD in the SALDI process. Thus, the gold ions could be used as the indicators for the presence of the target bacteria. The detection limit of S. aureus using this method is in the order of a few tens of cells. The low detection limit is due to the ease of generation of gold cluster ion derived from AuNPs under irradiation with a 355 nm laser beam. Apple juice mixed with S. aureus was used as the sample to demonstrate the suitability of the method for real-world application. Because of its low detection limit, this approach can potentially be used to screen the presence of S. aureus in complex samples.

Prevalence and resistance of commensal Staphylococcus aureus, including meticillin-resistant S aureus, in nine European countries: a cross-sectional study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijer, C.D.J. den; Bijnen, E.M.E. van; Paget, W.J.; Pringle, M.; Goossen, H.; Bruggeman, C.A.; Schellevis, F.G.; Stobberingh, E.E.

2013-01-01

Background: Information about the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to antimicrobial drugs has mainly been obtained from invasive strains, although the commensal microbiota is thought to be an important reservoir of resistance. We aimed to compare the prevalence of nasal S aureus

Protective effects of tenuigenin on Staphylococcus aureus-induced pneumonia in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bin; Qiao, Jiutao; Shen, Yongbin; Li, Lianyong

2017-09-01

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in infants and young children. Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) is one of the most important bacteria that leads to pneumonia. Tenuigenin (TGN), a major active component isolated from the root of the Chinese herb Polygala tenuifolia, has been known to have anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of TGN on S.aureus-induced pneumonia in mice. The results showed that TGN significantly attenuated S.aureus-induced lung histopathological changes. TGN also inhibited lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β production. Furthermore, S.aureus-induced NF-κB activation was significantly inhibited by the treatment of TGN. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that TGN protected against S.aureus-induced pneumonia by inhibiting NF-κB activation. TGN might be a potential agent in the treatment of pneumonia induced by S.aureus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey and properties of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from Japanese-style desserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimamura, Yuko; Kidokoro, Shiho; Murata, Masatsune

2006-07-01

We surveyed the contamination of 315 Japanese- and western-style desserts and 247 human hands by Staphylococcus aureus and other staphylococcal bacteria. The most frequently isolated staphylococcal bacterium was S. warneri, followed by S. aureus. Only 1.9% of western-style desserts were contaminated by S. aureus strains, while 19.4% and 13.0% of Japanese-style desserts and human hands respectively were contaminated. Ninety-four isolates of S. aureus were characterized as to their biological properties and enterotoxigenicity. Although staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the cultured broth of all S. aureus isolates, the reversed passive latex agglutination method and the polymerase chain reaction showed only 39 (41.5%) and 40 (42.6%) samples respectively as SE-positive. The predominant type of SE was SEB (67.5%), and eight strains produced SEA. None of the S. aureus strains had penicillin-binding protein 2', showing that methicillin-resistant S. aureus was not present in the samples.

(68)Ga-labeled phage-display selected peptides as tracers for positron emission tomography imaging of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-associated infections: Selection, radiolabelling and preliminary biological evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Karin M; Kyneb, Majbritt H; Alstrup, Aage K O

2016-01-01

, while the in vivo plasma stability was analyzed in mice and pigs. Additionally, the whole-body distribution kinetics of (68)Ga-A9-K-DOTA was measured in vivo by PET imaging of pigs and ex vivo in excised mice tissues. RESULTS: The (68)Ga-A9-K-DOTA and (68)Ga-A11-GSGK-DOTA remained stable in product......INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and deep-sited infections, often associated with the formation of biofilms. Early diagnosis and initiated therapy is essential to prevent disease progression and to reduce complications that can be serious. Imaging techniques are helpful...... combining anatomical with functional data in order to describe and characterize site, extent and activity of the disease. The purpose of the study was to identify and (68)Ga-label peptides with affinity for S. aureus biofilm and evaluate their potential as bacteria-specific positron emission tomography (PET...

PREFACE: Selected invited contributions from the International Conference on Magnetism (Karlsruhe, Germany, 26-31 July 2009) Selected invited contributions from the International Conference on Magnetism (Karlsruhe, Germany, 26-31 July 2009)

Science.gov (United States)

Goll, Gernot; Löhneysen, Hilbert v.; Loidl, Alois; Pruschke, Thomas; Richter, Manuel; Schultz, Ludwig; Sürgers, Christoph; Wosnitza, Jochen

2010-04-01

The International Conference on Magnetism 2009 (ICM 2009) was held in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 26 to 31 July 2009. Previous conferences in this series were organized in Edinburgh, UK (1991), Warsaw, Poland (1994), Cairns, Australia (1997), Recife, Brazil (2000), Rome, Italy (2003), and Kyoto, Japan (2006). As with previous ICM conferences, the annual Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems (SCES) was integrated into ICM 2009. The topics presented at ICM 2009 were strongly correlated electron systems, quantum and classical spin systems, magnetic structures and interactions, magnetization dynamics and micromagnetics, spin-dependent transport, spin electronics, magnetic thin films, particles and nanostructures, soft and hard magnetic materials and their applications, novel materials and device applications, magnetic recording and memories, measuring techniques and instrumentation, as well as interdisciplinary topics. We are grateful to the International Advisory Committee for their help in coordinating an attractive program encompassing practically all aspects of magnetism, both experimentally and theoretically. The Program Committee comprised A Loidl, Germany (Chair), M A Continentino, Brazil, D E Dahlberg, USA, D Givord, France, G Güntherodt, Germany, H Mikeska, Germany, D Kaczorowski, Poland, Ching-Ray Chang, South Korea, I Mertig, Germany, D Vollhardt, Germany, and E F Wassermann, Germany. E F Wassermann was also head of the National Organizing Committee. His help is gratefully acknowledged. The scientific program started on Monday 27 July 2009 with opening addresses by the Conference Chairman, the Deputy Mayor of Karlsruhe, Ms M Mergen and the Chairman of the Executive Board of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, E Umbach. ICM 2009 was attended by the Nobel Laureates P W Anderson, A Fert and P Grünberg who gave plenary talks. A special highlight was the presentation of the Magnetism Award and Néel Medal to S S P Parkin who also presented his newest results

Root cause analysis of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Nadia; Mehdi, Naima; Izhar, Mateen

2015-10-01

To find the important risk factors and sources of bacteraemia in patients suffering from methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. The descriptive study was carried out at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, from October 2010 to August 2011. Blood cultures were processed to isolate methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. A questionnaire was completed by the participating patients suffering from bacteraemia. Information about risk factors present at the time and risk factors that served as the source of bacteraemia were noted. Total 4058 blood cultures were processed and 669(16.5%) were positive. Of them, 194(29%) cultures were found to be positive for staphylococci. Out of these 194 blood cultures, coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from 117(60%), and 77(40%) were positive for S. aureus. Out of these 77 samples, 26(34%) were found to be methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus and 51(66%) were methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. The overall frequency of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus was 1.25%; 7.62% out of positive blood culture; 26.28% out of total staphylococci; and 66% out of total S. aureus. As for the source of infection, central venous pressure line 11(21.6%), post-influenza pneumonia 9(17.6%), peripheral intravenous line 8(15.7%) and dialysis line 7(13.7%) were major reasons. Taking care of aseptic measures while insertion, frequent change and early removal of the central venous and dialysis lines is of critical significance.

Targeting Staphylococcus aureus Toxins: A Potential form of Anti-Virulence Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cin Kong

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen and the leading cause of a wide range of severe clinical infections. The range of diseases reflects the diversity of virulence factors produced by this pathogen. To establish an infection in the host, S. aureus expresses an inclusive set of virulence factors such as toxins, enzymes, adhesins, and other surface proteins that allow the pathogen to survive under extreme conditions and are essential for the bacteria’s ability to spread through tissues. Expression and secretion of this array of toxins and enzymes are tightly controlled by a number of regulatory systems. S. aureus is also notorious for its ability to resist the arsenal of currently available antibiotics and dissemination of various multidrug-resistant S. aureus clones limits therapeutic options for a S. aureus infection. Recently, the development of anti-virulence therapeutics that neutralize S. aureus toxins or block the pathways that regulate toxin production has shown potential in thwarting the bacteria’s acquisition of antibiotic resistance. In this review, we provide insights into the regulation of S. aureus toxin production and potential anti-virulence strategies that target S. aureus toxins.

Novel Inhibitors of Staphyloxanthin Virulence Factor in Comparison with Linezolid and Vancomycin versus Methicillin-Resistant, Linezolid-Resistant, and Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Shuaishuai; Wei, Hanwen; Li, Baoli; Chen, Feifei; Liu, Yifu; Chen, Wenhua; Xu, Yixiang; Qiu, Xiaoxia; Li, Xiaokang; Lu, Yanli; Liu, Wenwen; Hu, Linhao; Lin, Dazheng; Wang, Manjiong; Zheng, Xinyu; Mao, Fei; Zhu, Jin; Lan, Lefu; Li, Jian

2017-10-12

Our previous work ( Wang et al. J. Med. Chem. 2016 , 59 , 4831 - 4848 ) revealed that effective benzocycloalkane-derived staphyloxanthin inhibitors against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections were accompanied by poor water solubility and high hERG inhibition and dosages (preadministration). In this study, 92 chroman and coumaran derivatives as novel inhibitors have been addressed for overcoming deficiencies above. Derivatives 69 and 105 displayed excellent pigment inhibitory activities and low hERG inhibition, along with improvement of solubility by salt type selection. The broad and significantly potent antibacterial spectra of 69 and 105 were displayed first with normal administration in the livers and hearts in mice against pigmented S. aureus Newman, Mu50 (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus), and NRS271 (linezolid-resistant S. aureus), compared with linezolid and vancomycin. In summary, both 69 and 105 have the potential to be developed as good antibacterial candidates targeting virulence factors.

Photoreactivation of ultraviolet-irradiation damage in Staphylococcus aureus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adkins, B. Jr.; Allen, W.E.

1982-01-01

This study reports the capacity of Staphylococcus aureus strain 7 - 8 to undergo photoenzymatic repair of UV-irradiation induced damage and compares it to the photoreactivation (PR) response of Escherichia coli strain B. Staphylococcus aureaus showed greater inhibition by UV irradiation than E. coli, consistent with its higher adenine and thymine content of DNA. Staphylococcus aureus showed an enhanced rate of photoreactivation with no lag in initiation of the PR response at low PR doses compared to E. coli. Maximum PR capacity of both cultures was about equal and occurred in cultures incubated at 23 - 25 0 . The PR responses at 11 - 12 and 35 - 37 0 for S. aureus and E. coli differed although both were capable of PR at each of these temperatures. The PR response of E. coli was directly related to the dosage of PR light (J/m 2 ); however, the photoenzymatic capacity of S. aureus was not directly responsive to continued decrease in light intensity. The capacity of S. aureus to undergo liquid holding recovery (LHR) occurred at 23 - 25 0 (not at 11 - 12 0 or 35 - 37 0 ), whereas E. coli underwent LHR at 11 - 12 0 and 23 - 25 0 but not at 35 - 37 0 . The LHR response of S. aureus was somewhat more effective than E. coli and did not show the direct response to increased liquid-holding period as did E. coli. (author)

Antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from fresh ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from fresh cow milk in settled ... produced alpha haemolysin, 45.5% (n=25) produced beta haemolysin and ... resistant strains of S. aureus of animal and human biotypes and can serve as ...

Beatlestudies 3, Proceedings of the Beatles 2000 Conference

OpenAIRE

Beatles 2000; Beatles 2000 Conference

2001-01-01

This book contains a selection of papers presented at the BEATLES 2000 Conference, held at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, from 15 to 18 June, 2000. The conference was organized by the Department of Music at the University of Jyvaskyla, the BEATLES 2000 research project, and Confennia Ltd.

PREFACE: Quark Matter 2006 Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yu-Gang; Wang, En-Ke; Cai, Xu; Huang, Huan-Zhong; Wang, Xin-Nian; Zhu, Zhi-Yuan

2007-07-01

scientific program of the conference began with an overview of high energy nuclear physics in China by Professor Wenqing Shen, vice president of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Professor Shen highlighted many contributions made by the Chinese scientists in both theory and experiment. Dr Nick Samios, former director of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), gave a vivid account of the early years of RHIC and recent accomplishments. Highlights of the conference include new results from RHIC at BNL and SPS (Super Proton Synchrotron) at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). Many experimental results reported at the conference support the notion that the quark-gluon matter at RHIC behaves like a perfect liquid with minimum viscosity to entropy ratio. There were 15 plenary sessions which covered 54 plenary talks, 12 parallel sessions and 1 poster session. A total of 320 abstracts were submitted to the conference out of which 124 were selected for oral presentation and the rest were assigned to the poster session. Talks and posters in the conference covered a broad range of experimental and theoretical progress in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions, which includes new evidence of sQGP, jet quenching and heavy quark energy loss, heavy-ion collision phenomenology, quantum field theory at finite temperature and/or density, and relevant areas of astrophysics and plasma physics. The Quark Matter 2006 conference coincided with the 80th birthday of Professor T D Lee. A special reception was held in the banquet hall of the Shanghai Grand Theatre to celebrate Professor Lee's birthday and to honor his great contributions to physics, in particular, to the development of high energy nuclear physics research in China. We would like to thank the members of the International Advisory Committee for providing valuable advice on a variety of matters, from the general structure of the conference to the selection of the plenary speakers and selection of abstracts for

News Teaching Support: New schools network launched Competition: Observatory throws open doors to a select few Festival: Granada to host 10th Ciencia en Acción Centenary: Science Museum celebrates 100 years Award: Queen's birthday honour for science communicator Teacher Training: Training goes where it's needed Conference: Physics gets creative in Christchurch Conference: Conference is packed with ideas Poster Campaign: Bus passengers learn about universe Forthcoming events

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

Teaching Support: New schools network launched Competition: Observatory throws open doors to a select few Festival: Granada to host 10th Ciencia en Acción Centenary: Science Museum celebrates 100 years Award: Queen's birthday honour for science communicator Teacher Training: Training goes where it's needed Conference: Physics gets creative in Christchurch Conference: Conference is packed with ideas Poster Campaign: Bus passengers learn about universe Forthcoming events

Simple method for correct enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haaber, J.; Cohn, M. T.; Petersen, A.

2016-01-01

culture. When grown in such liquid cultures, the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is characterized by its aggregation of single cells into clusters of variable size. Here, we show that aggregation during growth in the laboratory standard medium tryptic soy broth (TSB) is common among clinical...... and laboratory S. aureus isolates and that aggregation may introduce significant bias when applying standard enumeration methods on S. aureus growing in laboratory batch cultures. We provide a simple and efficient sonication procedure, which can be applied prior to optical density measurements to give...

Research advance in rapid detection of foodborne Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Xihong Zhao; Caijiao Wei; Junliang Zhong; Shiwei Jin

2016-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive, coccus-shaped facultative anaerobe and a member of the Staphylococcaceae family. In recent years, alimentary toxicosis caused by S. aureus is a very serious problem worldwide, which constitutes a great threat to public health. In this review, we tried to summarize the conventional methods and newly developed rapid detection techniques of S. aureus (traditional detection method, biochemical detection, immunology method, molecular biology, and biosensor...

22nd International Conference on Soft Computing

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This proceeding book contains a collection of selected accepted papers of the Mendel conference held in Brno, Czech Republic in June 2016. The proceedings book contains three chapters which present recent advances in soft computing including intelligent image processing. The Mendel conference was established in 1995 and is named after the scientist and Augustinian priest Gregor J. Mendel who discovered the famous Laws of Heredity. The main aim of the conference is to create a regular possibility for students, academics and researchers to exchange ideas and novel research methods on a yearly basis.

Active immunization with an octa-valent Staphylococcus aureus antigen mixture in models of S. aureus bacteremia and skin infection in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanne van den Berg

Full Text Available Proteomic studies with different Staphylococcus aureus isolates have shown that the cell surface-exposed and secreted proteins IsaA, LytM, Nuc, the propeptide of Atl (pro-Atl and four phenol-soluble modulins α (PSMα are invariantly produced by this pathogen. Therefore the present study was aimed at investigating whether these proteins can be used for active immunization against S. aureus infection in mouse models of bacteremia and skin infection. To this end, recombinant His-tagged fusions of IsaA, LytM, Nuc and pro-Atl were isolated from Lactococcus lactis or Escherichia coli, while the PSMα1-4 peptides were chemically synthesized. Importantly, patients colonized by S. aureus showed significant immunoglobulin G (IgG responses against all eight antigens. BALB/cBYJ mice were immunized subcutaneously with a mixture of the antigens at day one (5 μg each, and boosted twice (25 μg of each antigen with 28 days interval. This resulted in high IgG responses against all antigens although the response against pro-Atl was around one log lower compared to the other antigens. Compared to placebo-immunized mice, immunization with the octa-valent antigen mixture did not reduce the S. aureus isolate P load in blood, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys in a bacteremia model in which the animals were challenged for 14 days with a primary load of 3 × 10(5 CFU. Discomfort scores and animal survival rates over 14 days did not differ between immunized mice and placebo-immunized mice upon bacteremia with S. aureus USA300 (6 × 10(5 CFU. In addition, this immunization did not reduce the S. aureus isolate P load in mice with skin infection. These results show that the target antigens are immunogenic in both humans and mice, but in the used animal models do not result in protection against S. aureus infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces pigment production and enhances virulence in a white phenotypic variant of Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonic V

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Vlado Antonic,1–3 Alexander Stojadinovic,3–5 Binxue Zhang,1–3 Mina J Izadjoo,1–3,5 Mohammad Alavi1–3 1Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Diagnostic and Translational Research Center, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 3Combat Wound Initiative Program, Bethesda, MD, USA; 4Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA; 5Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA Abstract: Staphyloxanthin is a virulence factor which protects Staphylococcus aureus in stress conditions. We isolated two pigment variants of S. aureus and one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a single wound infection. S. aureus variants displayed white and yellow colony phenotypes. The sequence of the operons for staphyloxanthin synthesis indicated that coding and promoter regions were identical between the two pigment variants. Quorum sensing controls pigment synthesis in some bacteria. It is also shown that P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecules affect S. aureus transcription. We explored whether the co-infecting P. aeruginosa can affect pigment production in the white S. aureus variant. In co-culture experiments between the white variants and a selected number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, only P. aeruginosa induced pigment production in the white variant. Gene expression analysis of the white variant did not indicate upregulation of the crtM and other genes known to be involved in pigment production (sigB, sarA, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase gene [FPP-synthase], hfq. In contrast, transcription of the catalase gene was significantly upregulated after co-culture. P. aeruginosa-induced pigment synthesis and catalase upregulation correlated with increased resistance to polymyxin B, hydrogen peroxide, and the intracellular environment of macrophages. Our data indicate the presence of silent but functional staphyloxanthin synthesis machinery in a white phenotypic variant

Comparison of Whole-Cell SELEX Methods for the Identification of Staphylococcus Aureus-Specific DNA Aptamers

OpenAIRE

Moon, Jihea; Kim, Giyoung; Park, Saet Byeol; Lim, Jongguk; Mo, Changyeun

2015-01-01

Whole-cell Systemic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) is the process by which aptamers specific to target cells are developed. Aptamers selected by whole-cell SELEX have high affinity and specificity for bacterial surface molecules and live bacterial targets. To identify DNA aptamers specific to Staphylococcus aureus, we applied our rapid whole-cell SELEX method to a single-stranded ssDNA library. To improve the specificity and selectivity of the aptamers, we designed, s...

Assessing the potential for raw meat to influence human colonization with Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Carrel, Margaret; Zhao, Chang; Thapaliya, Dipendra; Bitterman, Patrick; Kates, Ashley E.; Hanson, Blake M.; Smith, Tara C.

2017-01-01

The role of household meat handling and consumption in the transfer of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from livestock to consumers is not well understood. Examining the similarity of S. aureus colonizing humans and S. aureus in meat from the stores in which those individuals shop can provide insight into the role of meat in human S. aureus colonization. S. aureus isolates were collected from individuals in rural and urban communities in Iowa (n?=?3347) and contemporaneously from meat produc...

PREFACE: MRS International Materials Research Conference (IMRC-2008)

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhanguo; Qiu, Yong; Li, Yongxiang

2009-03-01

This volume contains selected papers presented at the MRS International Materials Research Conference (IMRC-2008) held in Chongqing, China, 9-12 June 2008. IMRC-2008 included 9 symposia of A. Eco/Environmental Materials, B. Sustainable Energy Materials, C. Electronic Packaging Materials, D. Electronic Materials, E. Materials and Processes for Flat-panel Displays, F. Functional Ceramics, G. Transportation Materials, H. Magnesium and I. Biomaterials for Medical Applications. Nearly 1200 participants from 33 countries attended the conference, and the conference organizers received more than 700 papers. After the peer review processes, 555 papers were selected to be published in 9 Journals or proceedings, including J. of Materials Research (JMR), Rare Metal Materials and Engineering, J. of Univ. Science and Technology Beijing, Biomedical Materials: Materials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Materials Science Forum, and Journal of Physics: Conference Series. Among the 555 selected papers, 91 papers are published in this volume, and the topics mainly cover electronic matrials, processes for flat-panel displays and functional ceramics. The editors would like to give special thanks to the graduate students Liwu Jiang, Ming Li and Di He from Beihang University for their hard work compiling and typesetting each paper in this volume. Zhanguo Wang, Yong Qiu and Yongxiang Li Editors

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonisation amongst healthcare workers in Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussein, Nawfal R; Assafi, Mahde S; Ijaz, Tayyaba

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among healthcare workers (HCWs) compared with non-HCWs at Duhok city, Kurdistan Region, northern Iraq. A total of 182 HCWs with different occupations and working in different hospital units as well as 198 non-HCWs were recruited. Nasal swab samples were collected and were inoculated on mannitol salt agar and incubated at 35°C for 48h. Isolates identified as S. aureus underwent antimicrobial sensitivity testing to oxacillin. MRSA isolates were selected and investigated for presence of the mecA gene. Among the HCWs, 41/182 (22.5%) were carriers of S. aureus compared with 37/198 (18.7%) non-HCWs (P=0.4). Amongst the S. aureus carriers, 25/41 strains (61.0%) isolated from HCWs were MRSA compared with 8/37 strains (21.6%) isolated from non-HCWs (P=0.039). The mean age of MRSA carriers was 35.6±6.7years compared with 30±5.8years for MRSA non-carriers (P=0.0177). The mean working years of MRSA carriers was significantly higher than that of MRSA non-carriers (7.8±5.5years vs. 3.9±5.3years; P=0.04). The prevalence of MRSA was very high amongst HCWs. Regular screening of carriers is required for prevention of nosocomial infections. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

4. International reservoir characterization technical conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

This volume contains the Proceedings of the Fourth International Reservoir Characterization Technical Conference held March 2-4, 1997 in Houston, Texas. The theme for the conference was Advances in Reservoir Characterization for Effective Reservoir Management. On March 2, 1997, the DOE Class Workshop kicked off with tutorials by Dr. Steve Begg (BP Exploration) and Dr. Ganesh Thakur (Chevron). Tutorial presentations are not included in these Proceedings but may be available from the authors. The conference consisted of the following topics: data acquisition; reservoir modeling; scaling reservoir properties; and managing uncertainty. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database.

Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Copper Alloys on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Different Simulations of Environmental Conditions: With vs. without Organic Contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Różańska, Anna; Chmielarczyk, Agnieszka; Romaniszyn, Dorota; Sroka-Oleksiak, Agnieszka; Bulanda, Małgorzata; Walkowicz, Monika; Osuch, Piotr; Knych, Tadeusz

2017-07-20

Background: Hospital equipment made from copper alloys can play an important role in complementing traditional methods of disinfection. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the antimicrobial properties of selected copper alloys in different simulations of environmental conditions (with organic contamination vs. without organic contamination), and to test alternatives to the currently used testing methods. Materials and Methods: A modification of Japanese standard JIS Z 2801 as well as Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) suspended in NaCl vs. tryptic soy broth (TSB) were used in tests performed on seven commonly used copper alloys, copper, and stainless steel. Results: A much faster reduction of the bacterial suspension was observed for the inoculum prepared in NaCl than in TSB. A faster reduction for EC than for SA was observed in the inoculum prepared in NaCl. The opposite results were found for the inoculum based on TSB. A significant correlation between the copper concentration in the copper alloys and the time and degree of bacterial suspension reduction was only observed in the case of EC. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. However, even for SA, a total reduction of the bacterial inoculum's density took no longer than 2 h. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.

Setting the pace: the 2011 Australasian Podiatry Council conference

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The 2011 Australasian Podiatry Council conference was held from April 26 to 29 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This commentary provides a brief overview of the conference, including the speakers and topic areas covered, selected original research highlights, and award winning presentations. PMID:21762520

Intercenter reproducibility of binary typing for Staphylococcus aureus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwen, Willem B.; Snoeijers, Sandor; van der Werken-Libregts, Christel; Tuip, Anita; van der Zee, Anneke; Egberink, Diane; de Proost, Monique; Bik, Elisabeth; Lunter, Bjorn; Kluytmans, Jan; Gits, Etty; van Duyn, Inge; Heck, Max; van der Zwaluw, Kim; Wannet, Wim; Noordhoek, Gerda T.; Mulder, Sije; Renders, Nicole; Boers, Miranda; Zaat, Sebastiaan; van der Riet, Daniëlle; Kooistra, Mirjam; Talens, Adriaan; Dijkshoorn, Lenie; van der Reyden, Tanny; Veenendaal, Dick; Bakker, Nancy; Cookson, Barry; Lynch, Alisson; Witte, Wolfgang; Cuny, Christa; Blanc, Dominique; Vernez, Isabelle; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Fiett, Janusz; Struelens, Marc; Deplano, Ariane; Landegent, Jim; Verbrugh, Henri A.; van Belkum, Alex

2002-01-01

The reproducibility of the binary typing (BT) protocol developed for epidemiological typing of Staphylococcus aureus was analyzed in a biphasic multicenter study. In a Dutch multicenter pilot study, 10 genetically unique isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were characterized by the BT

The changing epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laupland, K.B.; Lyytikäinen, O.; Søgaard, Mette

2013-01-01

Clin Microbiol Infect ABSTRACT: Although the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (BSI) has been changing, international comparisons are lacking. We sought to determine the incidence of S. aureus BSI and assess trends over time and by region. Population-based surveillance w...

Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants in diabetic foot infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estrella Cervantes-García

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus is one of the major pathogens causing chronic infections. The ability of S. aureus to acquire resistance to a diverse range of antimicrobial compounds results in limited treatment options, particularly in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA. A mechanism by which S. aureus develops reduced susceptibility to antimicrobials is through the formation of small colony variants (SCVs. Infections by SCVs of S. aureus are an upcoming problem due to difficulties in laboratory diagnosis and resistance to antimicrobial therapy. Methods: A prospective study was performed on 120 patients diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes mellitus and infected diabetic foot ulcers. The study was carried out from July 2012 to December 2013 in Hospital General de Mexico. The samples were cultured in blood agar, mannitol salt agar, and MacConkey agar media, and incubated at 37°C in aerobic conditions. Results: We describe the first known cases of diabetic foot infections caused by MRSA-SCVs in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and infected diabetic foot ulcers. In all of our cases, the patients had not received any form of gentamicin therapy. Conclusions: The antibiotic therapy commonly used in diabetic patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers fails in the case of MRSA-SCVs because the intracellular location protects S. aureus-SCVs from the host's defenses and also helps them resist antibiotics. The cases studied in this article add to the spectrum of persistent and relapsing infections attributed to MRSA-SCVs and emphasizes that these variants may also play a relevant role in diabetic foot infections.

Efficacy of (+-Lariciresinol to Control Bacterial Growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivek K. Bajpai

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken to assess the antibacterial potential of a polyphenolic compound (+-lariciresinol isolated from Rubia philippinensis against selected foodborne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1621 and Escherichia coli O157:H7. (+-Lariciresinol at the tested concentrations (250 μg/disk evoked a significant antibacterial effect as a diameter of inhibition zones (12.1–14.9 mm with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 125–250 and 125–250 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, (+-lariciresinol at MIC showed reduction in bacterial cell viabilities, efflux of potassium (K+ ions and release of 260 nm materials against E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus KCTC1621. Moreover, deteriorated cell wall morphology of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus KCTC1621 cells treated with (+-lariciresinol at MIC further confirmed its inhibitory effect against the tested pathogens, suggesting it to be an alternative means of antimicrobials.

Modeling the kinetics of survival of Staphylococcus aureus in regional yogurt from goat's milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Bednarko-Młynarczyk, E; Szteyn, J; Białobrzewski, I; Wiszniewska-Łaszczych, A; Liedtke, K

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the kinetics of the survival of the test strain of Staphylococcus aureus in the product investigated. Yogurt samples were contaminated with S. aure to an initial level of 10(3)-10(4) cfu/g. The samples were then stored at four temperatures: 4, 6, 20, 22°C. During storage, the number of S. aureus forming colonies in a gram of yogurt was determined every two hours. Based on the results of the analysis culture the curves of survival were plotted. Three primary models were selected to describe the kinetics of changes in the count of bacteria: Cole's model, a modified model of Gompertz and the model of Baranyi and Roberts. Analysis of the model fit carried out based on the average values of Pearson's correlation coefficient, between the modeled and measured values, showed that the Cole's model had the worst fit. The modified Gompertz model showed the count of S. aureus as a negative value. These drawbacks were not observed in the model of Baranyi and Roberts. For this reason, this model best reflects the kinetics of changes in the number of staphylococci in yogurt.

Morphology-Independent Virulence of Candida Species during Polymicrobial Intra-abdominal Infections with Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nash, Evelyn E; Peters, Brian M; Fidel, Paul L; Noverr, Mairi C

2016-01-01

Intra-abdominal polymicrobial infections cause significant morbidity and mortality. An experimental mouse model of Candida albicans-Staphylococcus aureus intra-abdominal infection (IAI) results in 100% mortality by 48 to 72 h postinoculation, while monomicrobial infections are avirulent. Mortality is associated with robust local and systemic inflammation without a requirement for C. albicans morphogenesis. However, the contribution of virulence factors coregulated during the yeast-to-hypha transition is unknown. This also raised the question of whether other Candida species that are unable to form hyphae are as virulent as C. albicans during polymicrobial IAI. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of non-albicans Candida (NAC) species with various morphologies and C. albicans transcription factor mutants (efg1/efg1 and cph1/cph1) to induce synergistic mortality and the accompanying inflammation. Results showed that S. aureus coinoculated with C. krusei or C. tropicalis was highly lethal, similar to C. albicans, while S. aureus-C. dubliniensis, S. aureus-C. parapsilosis, and S. aureus-C. glabrata coinoculations resulted in little to no mortality. Local and systemic interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were significantly elevated during symptomatic and/or lethal coinfections, and hypothermia strongly correlated with mortality. Coinoculation with C. albicans strains deficient in the transcription factor Efg1 but not Cph1 reversed the lethal outcome. These results support previous findings and demonstrate that select Candida species, without reference to any morphological requirement, induce synergistic mortality, with IL-6 and PGE2 acting as key inflammatory factors. Mechanistically, signaling pathways controlled by Efg1 are critical for the ability of C. albicans to induce mortality from an intra-abdominal polymicrobial infection. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A meta-analysis of the rates of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus contamination on the surfaces of environmental objects that health care workers frequently touch.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Dongxin; Ou, Qianting; Lin, Jialing; Peng, Yang; Yao, Zhenjiang

2017-04-01

Health care workers may potentially spread Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) to patients by contaminated high-touch items. We aimed to determine the pooled rates of S aureus and MRSA contamination and influencing factors. A literature search of the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Ovid, and Scopus databases was performed. Pooled contamination rates were determined using random effect models. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were conducted to identify factors potentially influencing the rates of S aureus and MRSA contamination. Sensitivity and publication bias analyses were performed. Thirty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled contamination rates were 15.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.8%-21.1%) for S aureus and 5.0% (95% CI, 2.7%-7.7%) for MRSA. The subgroup analyses indicated that the pooled rate of S aureus contamination was significantly higher for studies conducted in South America, in developing countries, and during 2010-2015. The pooled rate of MRSA contamination was significantly higher for studies conducted in Africa. The meta-regression analysis suggested that the pooled rate of S aureus contamination was lower for studies conducted in developed countries (odds ratio, 0.664; 95% CI, 0.509-0.867; P = .004). No bias was found in the publication of the rates of S aureus and MRSA contamination. S aureus and MRSA contamination statuses of high-touch items are worrisome and should be paid greater attention. Developing country status was a risk factor for S aureus contamination. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in a burn unit of a tertiary care center in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Amissah, Nana Ama; van Dam, Lieke; Ablordey, Anthony; Ampomah, Opoku-Ware; Prah, Isaac; Tetteh, Caitlin S; van der Werf, Tjip S; Friedrich, Alexander W; Rossen, John W; van Dijl, Jan Maarten; Stienstra, Ymkje

2017-01-01

In developing countries, hospitalized burn victims are at high risk of nosocomial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors include poor infection control practices, prolonged hospitalisation and limited capacity for laboratory microbiological analyses. These problems are compounded by widespread use of antibiotics that drives the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria. During the study period (November 2014-June 2015), nasal and invasive S. aureus isolates were collected consecutively from patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) within the burn unit of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burn Center of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Antibiotic prescription, antibiotic susceptibility and bacterial typing were used to assess antibiotic pressure, antibiotic resistance, and possible transmission events among patients and HCWs. Eighty S. aureus isolates were obtained from 37 of the 62 included burn patients and 13 of the 29 HCWs. At admission, 50% of patients carried or were infected with S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Antibiotic use per 100 days of hospitalization was high (91.2 days), indicating high selective pressure for resistant pathogens. MRSA isolates obtained from 11 patients and one HCW belonged to the same spa-type t928 and multi-locus sequence type 250, implying possible transmission events. A mortality rate of 24% was recorded over the time of admission in the burn unit. This study revealed a high potential for MRSA outbreaks and emergence of resistant pathogens amongst burn patients due to lack of patient screening and extended empirical use of antibiotics. Our observations underscore the need to implement a system of antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention where microbiological diagnostics results are made available to physicians for timely and appropriate patient treatment.

Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in a burn unit of a tertiary care center in Ghana.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nana Ama Amissah

Full Text Available In developing countries, hospitalized burn victims are at high risk of nosocomial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors include poor infection control practices, prolonged hospitalisation and limited capacity for laboratory microbiological analyses. These problems are compounded by widespread use of antibiotics that drives the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria.During the study period (November 2014-June 2015, nasal and invasive S. aureus isolates were collected consecutively from patients and healthcare workers (HCWs within the burn unit of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burn Center of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Antibiotic prescription, antibiotic susceptibility and bacterial typing were used to assess antibiotic pressure, antibiotic resistance, and possible transmission events among patients and HCWs.Eighty S. aureus isolates were obtained from 37 of the 62 included burn patients and 13 of the 29 HCWs. At admission, 50% of patients carried or were infected with S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA. Antibiotic use per 100 days of hospitalization was high (91.2 days, indicating high selective pressure for resistant pathogens. MRSA isolates obtained from 11 patients and one HCW belonged to the same spa-type t928 and multi-locus sequence type 250, implying possible transmission events. A mortality rate of 24% was recorded over the time of admission in the burn unit.This study revealed a high potential for MRSA outbreaks and emergence of resistant pathogens amongst burn patients due to lack of patient screening and extended empirical use of antibiotics. Our observations underscore the need to implement a system of antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention where microbiological diagnostics results are made available to physicians for timely and appropriate patient treatment.

Nasal carriage of methicilli-resistant staphylococcus aureus with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected from anterior nares of fifty healthy adults in Zaria and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns determined. Seventy-two percent (72%) of the isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus, while 20% were methicillin-susceptible. The isolates were generally resistant to multiple ...

3. International conference on catalysis in membrane reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-09-01

The 3. International Conference on Catalysis in Membrane Reactors, Copenhagen, Denmark, is a continuation of the previous conferences held in Villeurbanne 1994 and Moscow 1996 and will deal with the rapid developments taking place within membranes with emphasis on membrane catalysis. The approx. 80 contributions in form of plenary lectures and posters discuss hydrogen production, methane reforming into syngas, selectivity and specificity of various membranes etc. The conference is organised by the Danish Catalytic Society under the Danish Society for Chemical Engineering. (EG)

Breast Milk Is a Potential Reservoir for Livestock-Associated Staphylococcus aureus and Community-Associated Staphylococcus aureus in Shanghai, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoliang Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Breast milk is the first choice in feeding newborn infants and provides multiple benefits for their growth and development. Staphylococcus aureus usually exists in breast milk and is considered one of the most important causative infective agents. To be effective in preventing and controlling S. aureus infections among infants, the aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and molecular characteristics of S. aureus isolated from 1102 samples of breast milk between 2015 and 2016 in Shanghai, China. Out of 71 S. aureus strains isolated, 15 (21.1%, 15/71 were MRSA and all the strains were characterized by spa typing, Multi-Locus Sequence Typing, SCCmec typing, antibiotic resistance testing and virulence-associated genes. A total of 18 distinct sequence types (STs and 36 spa types were identified within the 71 isolates, among which the most frequently represented was ST398 (19.7%, 14/71, followed by ST7 (18.3%, 13/71, ST59 (16.9%, 12/71. The three predominant STs accounted for more than one half of all S. aureus isolates. The most prevalent spa types were t091 (12.7%, 9/71, followed by t571 (8.5%, 6/71, t189 (7.0%, 5/71, t034 (5.6%, 4/71, t437 (5.6%, 4/71, and t701 (4.2%, 3/71. All MRSA isolates belonged to SCCmec IV and V, accounting for 66.7 and 33.3% respectively. Notably, 23 (32.4% S. aureus strains were multidrug resistance (MDR, including 4 (5.6% MRSA and 19 (26.8% MSSA strains, and MDR isolates were mostly resistant to penicillin, erythromycin and clindamycin. All isolates exhibited simultaneous carriage of at least 5 of 33 possible virulence genes and the most prevalent genes detected were icaA (100%, clfA (100%, hla (100%, sdrC (94.4%, hlg2 (88.7%, lukE (57.8%. 39 (54.9%, 39/71 isolates, including 9 (12.7% of MRSA isolates, harbored ≥10 tested virulence genes evaluated in this study. The pvl gene was detected in 8 strains, which represented 5 different STs, with ST59 being the most one. Overall, our findings showed that S. aureus

Setting the pace: the 2011 Australasian Podiatry Council conference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firth Julia

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract The 2011 Australasian Podiatry Council conference was held from April 26 to 29 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This commentary provides a brief overview of the conference, including the speakers and topic areas covered, selected original research highlights, and award winning presentations.

The use of machine learning methodologies to analyse antibiotic and biocide susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joana Rosado Coelho

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The rise of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a significant problem for the treatment of infectious diseases. Resistance is usually selected by the antibiotic itself; however, biocides might also co-select for resistance to antibiotics. Although resistance to biocides is poorly defined, different in vitro studies have shown that mutants presenting low susceptibility to biocides also have reduced susceptibility to antibiotics. However, studies with natural bacterial isolates are more limited and there are no clear conclusions as to whether the use of biocides results in the development of multidrug resistant bacteria. METHODS: The main goal is to perform an unbiased blind-based evaluation of the relationship between antibiotic and biocide reduced susceptibility in natural isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. One of the largest data sets ever studied comprising 1632 human clinical isolates of S. aureus originated worldwide was analysed. The phenotypic characterization of 13 antibiotics and 4 biocides was performed for all the strains. Complex links between reduced susceptibility to biocides and antibiotics are difficult to elucidate using the standard statistical approaches in phenotypic data. Therefore, machine learning techniques were applied to explore the data. RESULTS: In this pioneer study, we demonstrated that reduced susceptibility to two common biocides, chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride, which belong to different structural families, is associated to multidrug resistance. We have consistently found that a minimum inhibitory concentration greater than 2 mg/L for both biocides is related to antibiotic non-susceptibility in S. aureus. CONCLUSIONS: Two important results emerged from our work, one methodological and one other with relevance in the field of antibiotic resistance. We could not conclude on whether the use of antibiotics selects for biocide resistance or vice versa. However, the observation of

9th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

CERN Document Server

Bernard, Alain; Gusikhin, Oleg; Madani, Kurosh

2014-01-01

This book includes extended and revised versions of a set of selected papers from the Ninth International Conference on Informatics in Control Automation and Robotics (ICINCO 2012), held in Rome, Italy, from 28 to 31 July 2012. The conference was organized in four simultaneous tracks: Intelligent Control Systems and Optimization, Robotics and Automation, Systems Modeling, Signal Processing and Control and Industrial Engineering, Production and Management.   ICINCO 2012 received 360 paper submissions, from 58 countries in all continents. From these, after a blind review process, only 40 were accepted as full papers, of which 20 were selected for inclusion in this book, based on the classifications provided by the Program Committee. The selected papers reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the conference as well as the logic equilibrium between the four abovementioned tracks. The diversity of topics is an important feature of this conference, enabling an overall perception of several important scientific and...

Topic models for conference session assignment: organising PRASA 2014(5)

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Burke, Michael G

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Conference scheduling and organising is a particularly laborious task and can be exteremely time consuming. While many online conference platforms allow manual topic selection, these can be expensive and typically still require that individual...

Environmental contamination with Staphylococcus aureus at a large, Midwestern university campus.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapaliya, Dipendra; Taha, Mohammed; Dalman, Mark R; Kadariya, Jhalka; Smith, Tara C

2017-12-01

Staphylococcus aureus can cause minor to severe life-threatening infections. The changing epidemiology of S. aureus is of public health concern due to the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains. Environmental surfaces play a crucial role in the transmission of S. aureus. The objective of this study was to examine environmental contamination and molecular characteristics of S. aureus in health professional-associated (HPA) and non-health professional-associated (NHPA) buildings at a large university. A total of 152 environmental surface samples were collected from two HPA and two NHPA campus buildings. Bacterial culture and diagnostics were done using standard microbiology methods. Polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect mecA and PVL genes. All isolates were spa typed. A subset of isolates was characterized via multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). All S. aureus isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility. The overall contamination of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 22.4% (34/152) and 5.9% (9/152) respectively. Similar prevalence of contamination was found in HPA and NHPA buildings. A total of 17 different spa types were detected among 34 S. aureus isolates. The majority of the MRSA isolates belonged to clonal complex (CC) 8. One isolate was positive for PVL. Eleven different sequence types (STs) were detected from 17 tested isolates. ST8 was the most common. Twelve isolates (35.3%) were MDR. Almost 27% (9/34) of the isolates were MRSA. The highest contamination of S. aureus was found in high hand-touch areas such as door knobs, suggesting that human interaction in crowded environments such as academic institutions plays a crucial role in S. aureus/MRSA transmission via inanimate objects. Additionally, more than one-third of the isolates were MDR. These data reinforce the need to implement effective prevention strategies outside the healthcare setting to decrease the incidence of drug-resistant S. aureus infections

Longitudinal study of Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection in a cohort of swine veterinarians in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jisun Sun

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background People working with pigs are at elevated risk of harboring methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA in their nose, which is attributable to occupational exposure to animals harboring livestock adapted S. aureus. To obtain insight into the biological nature of occupationally related nasal culture positivity, we conducted a longitudinal study of 66 swine veterinarians in the USA. Methods The study cohort resided in 15 US states and worked predominantly with swine. Monthly for 18 months, participants self-collected nasal swabs and completed a survey to report recent exposure to pigs and other animals; the occurrence of work related injuries; and any relevant health events such as skin and soft tissue infections or confirmed staphylococcal infections. Nasal swabs were cultured using selective methods to determine the presence of MRSA and methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA, and isolates were characterized by spa typing and MLST. Results Prevalences of S. aureus (64%, monthly range from 58 to 82% and MRSA (9.5%; monthly range from 6 to15% were higher than reported for the US population (30% and 1.5% respectively. Predominant spa types were t034 (ST398, 37%, t002 (ST5, 17% and t337 (ST9/ST398 13%, a distribution similar to that found in a concurrent study in pigs in the USA. Veterinarians were classified into three groups: Persistent carriers (PC, 52%, Intermittent carriers (IC, 47% and Non-carriers (NC, 1%. Persistent carriage of a single spa type was observed in 14 (21% of participants, and paired (first and last isolates from PC subjects had minor genetic differences. Swabs from PC veterinarians carried higher numbers of S. aureus. Among IC veterinarians, culture positivity was significantly associated with recent contact with pigs. Conclusions Exposure to pigs did not lead to prolonged colonization in most subjects, and the higher numbers of S. aureus in PC subjects suggests that unknown host factors may determine the

Meeting America's Security Challenges Beyond Iraq. A Conference Report

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Harting, Sarah

2008-01-01

...." The conference included approximately 70 senior analysts from selected think tanks and academic institutions, high-ranking officers from the military services, selected government officials, and several journalists...

Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Jing Zhang; Yujuan Suo; Daofeng Zhang; Fangning Jin; Hang Zhao; Chunlei Shi

2018-01-01

Staphyloxanthin (STX), a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to...

Epithelial Cell Gene Expression Induced by Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianglu Li

2009-01-01

Full Text Available HEp-2 cell monolayers were cocultured with intracellular Staphylococcus aureus, and changes in gene expression were profiled using DNA microarrays. Intracellular S. aureus affected genes involved in cellular stress responses, signal transduction, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis, and cholesterol biosynthesis. Transcription of stress response and signal transduction-related genes including atf3, sgk, map2k1, map2k3, arhb, and arhe was increased. In addition, elevated transcription of proinflammatory genes was observed for tnfa, il1b, il6, il8, cxcl1, ccl20, cox2, and pai1. Genes involved in proapoptosis and fibrosis were also affected at transcriptional level by intracellular S. aureus. Notably, intracellular S. aureus induced strong transcriptional down-regulation of several cholesterol biosynthesis genes. These results suggest that epithelial cells respond to intracellular S. aureus by inducing genes affecting immunity and in repairing damage caused by the organism, and are consistent with the possibility that the organism exploits an intracellular environment to subvert host immunity and promote colonization.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in children: a formidable foe ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the most common causes of bacteraemia in children. In order to evade and overcome the immune responses of its host and any antimicrobial therapies aimed at destroying it, this organism, through various mechanisms, continues to evolve. Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is a ...

Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from clinical

African Journals Online (AJOL)

raoul

2011-01-26

Jan 26, 2011 ... Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, antibiotic sensitivity, Nigeria, Kano ... infection have an increased colonization risks [8]. ... confirmed Staphylococcus aureus isolates was prepared in peptone water to ... 5 g methicillin discs (oxoid, USA) were aseptically placed on the surface of the inoculated plates and ...

Detection of some virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-06-21

Jun 21, 2010 ... Mastitis is one of the common diseases of dairy cattle and an inflammatory ... Key words: Bovine mastitis, Staphylococcus aureus, virulence factors, ... frequent cause of subclinical intramammary infections in ... genotypes has not been investigated. ... genes in S. aureus, we were particularly interested in the.

Development of An Impedimetric Aptasensor for the Detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Reich, Peggy; Stoltenburg, Regina; Strehlitz, Beate; Frense, Dieter; Beckmann, Dieter

2017-11-21

In combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, aptamer-based biosensors are a powerful tool for fast analytical devices. Herein, we present an impedimetric aptasensor for the detection of the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus . The used aptamer targets protein A, a surface bound virulence factor of S. aureus . The thiol-modified protein A-binding aptamer was co-immobilized with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol onto gold electrodes by self-assembly. Optimization of the ratio of aptamer to 6-mercapto-1-hexanol resulted in an average density of 1.01 ± 0.44 × 10 13 aptamer molecules per cm². As shown with quartz crystal microbalance experiments, the immobilized aptamer retained its functionality to bind recombinant protein A. Our impedimetric biosensor is based on the principle that binding of target molecules to the immobilized aptamer decreases the electron transfer between electrode and ferri-/ferrocyanide in solution, which is measured as an increase of impedance. Microscale thermophoresis measurements showed that addition of the redox probe ferri-/ferrocyanide has no influence on the binding of aptamer and its target. We demonstrated that upon incubation with various concentrations of S. aureus , the charge-transfer resistance increased proportionally. The developed biosensor showed a limit of detection of 10 CFU·mL -1 and results were available within 10 minutes. The biosensor is highly selective, distinguishing non-target bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis . This work highlights the immense potential of impedimetric aptasensors for future biosensing applications.

Development of An Impedimetric Aptasensor for the Detection of Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peggy Reich

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, aptamer-based biosensors are a powerful tool for fast analytical devices. Herein, we present an impedimetric aptasensor for the detection of the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. The used aptamer targets protein A, a surface bound virulence factor of S. aureus. The thiol-modified protein A-binding aptamer was co-immobilized with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol onto gold electrodes by self-assembly. Optimization of the ratio of aptamer to 6-mercapto-1-hexanol resulted in an average density of 1.01 ± 0.44 × 1013 aptamer molecules per cm2. As shown with quartz crystal microbalance experiments, the immobilized aptamer retained its functionality to bind recombinant protein A. Our impedimetric biosensor is based on the principle that binding of target molecules to the immobilized aptamer decreases the electron transfer between electrode and ferri-/ferrocyanide in solution, which is measured as an increase of impedance. Microscale thermophoresis measurements showed that addition of the redox probe ferri-/ferrocyanide has no influence on the binding of aptamer and its target. We demonstrated that upon incubation with various concentrations of S. aureus, the charge-transfer resistance increased proportionally. The developed biosensor showed a limit of detection of 10 CFU·mL−1 and results were available within 10 minutes. The biosensor is highly selective, distinguishing non-target bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. This work highlights the immense potential of impedimetric aptasensors for future biosensing applications.

International Containment Technology Conference: Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This document contains the manuscripts of the papers and posters presented at the 1997 International Containment Technology Conference and Exhibition. These manuscripts represent a valuable compilation of information and data on the environmental challenges and technology-based solutions associated with containment technologies. The purpose of the conference was to promote the advancement of containment technologies by providing a forum from which participants from related disciplines could meet to exchange ideas and information on recent developments. Selected papers were indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database

International Conference SES 2006. Secure Energy Supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The International Conference SES 2006 (Secure Energy Supply, Bezpecna dodavka energie) was realised in Bratislava, during September 26 - 29, 2006 in the hotel Crowne Plaza and deals with most important problems of world and Slovak energetics. In work of Conference took part 108 slovak and 33 foreign participant from 11 countries of the world. Negotiations were realised in five sessions. First two days were devoted to lectures and second two days were visits of selected slovak energetic equipment. On the Conference has resounded matter of fact, that secure energy supply is extremely important subject for economy, but also for population

Staphylococcus aureus CC398

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Price, Lance B.; Stegger, Marc; Hasman, Henrik

2012-01-01

Since its discovery in the early 2000s, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clonal complex 398 (CC398) has become a rapidly emerging cause of human infections, most often associated with livestock exposure. We applied whole-genome sequence typing to characterize a diverse collection...... of CC398 isolates (n = 89), including MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) from animals and humans spanning 19 countries and four continents. We identified 4,238 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among the 89 core genomes. Minimal homoplasy (consistency index = 0.9591) was detected...... among parsimony-informative SNPs, allowing for the generation of a highly accurate phylogenetic reconstruction of the CC398 clonal lineage. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that MSSA from humans formed the most ancestral clades. The most derived lineages were composed predominantly of livestock...

7th ICT Innovations 2015 Conference

CERN Document Server

Koceski, Saso

2016-01-01

This book offers a collection of selected papers presented at the Seventh International Conference on ICT Innovations held in October 2015, in Ohrid, Macedonia, with main topic Emerging Technologies for Better Living. The conference gathered academics, professionals and industrial practitioners that work on developing the emerging technologies, systems, applications in the industrial and business arena especially innovative commercial implementations, novel application of technology, and experience in applying recent ICT research advances to practical solutions.

Population structure analyses of Staphylococcus aureus at Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa, reveals a diverse population, a high prevalence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes, and unique local methicillin-resistant S. aureus clones

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oosthuysen, W. F.; Orth, H.; Lombard, C. J.; Sinha, B.; Wasserman, E.

Studies reporting on the population structure of Staphylococcus aureus in South Africa have focused only on methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). This study describes the population structure of S. aureus, including methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolated from patients at Tygerberg

Invasive Staphylococcus aureus infection in an African adolescent ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Staphylococcus aureus remains an important cause of mortality, in the community and health care set-ups. S. aureus strains with genes encoding lethal toxins and culture negative sepsis augment the diagnostic challenge in resource limited settings. With a growing rate of resistance to the causative bacteria and atypical ...

Prevalence and risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence and risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage inpatients in a tertiary care hospital's chest clinic in Turkey. ... of the participants and risk factors for carriage. Fisher's exact test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used. A P < 0.05 ...

Dehydrosqualene Desaturase as a Novel Target for Anti-Virulence Therapy against Staphylococcus aureus

OpenAIRE

Gao, Peng; Davies, Julian; Kao, Richard Yi Tsun

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus, especially methicillin-resistant S.?aureus (MRSA), is a life-threatening pathogen in hospital- and community-acquired infections. The golden-colored carotenoid pigment of S.?aureus, staphyloxanthin, contributes to the resistance to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and host neutrophil-based killing. Here, we describe a novel inhibitor (NP16) of S.?aureus pigment production that reduces the survival of S.?aureus under oxidative stress conditions. Carotenoid componen...

International Conference GIREP EPEC 2015

CERN Document Server

Dębowska, Ewa

2017-01-01

This book presents a selection of the best contributions to GIREP EPEC 2015, the Conference of the International Research Group on Physics Teaching (GIREP) and the European Physical Society’s Physics Education Division (EPS PED). It introduces readers interested in the field to the problem of identifying strategies and tools to improve physics teaching and learning so as to convey Key Competences and help students acquire them. The main topic of the conference was Key Competences (KC) in physics teaching and learning in the form of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are fundamental for every member of society. Given the role of physics as a field strongly connected not only to digital competence but also to several other Key Competences, this conference provided a forum for in-depth discussions of related issues.

VisionQuest: Journeys toward Visual Literacy. Selected Readings from the Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (28th, Cheyenne, Wyoming, October, 1996).

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Robert E., Ed.; And Others

This document contains 59 selected papers from the 1996 International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA) conference. Topics include: learning to think visually; information design via the Internet; a program for inner-city at-risk children; dubbing versus subtitling television programs; connecting advertisements and classroom reading through…

Portación y caracterización de Staphylococcus aureus en manipuladores de alimentos Carriage and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in food handlers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graciela B Jordá

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus es una causa de intoxicaciones alimentarias por su capacidad de producir enterotoxinas. Los manipuladores de alimentos que portan S. aureus productores de enterotoxinas pueden provocar intoxicaciones alimentarias. Se estudiaron muestras tomadas de fosas nasales de 88 manipuladores de alimentos en la provincia de Misiones. El 37,5 % de los individuos analizados eran portadores de S. aureus. Mediante técnicas de amplificación (PCR, se detectaron genes que codifican la producción de enterotoxinas en 13 de los 33 aislamientos obtenidos (39,4 % y en el 14,7 % de los manipuladores. De estos aislamientos, 10 portaban el gen sea y 3 el gen sec. El estudio de sensibilidad a los antibióticos mostró un 100 % de sensibilidad a teicoplanina, gentamiclna y rifampicina; 2 aislamientos fueron resistentes a clindamicina y a eritromicina y 4 resultaron resistentes a la meticilina. Estos resultados son un alerta e indicarían la necesidad de desarrollar medidas racionales para reducir el riesgo potencial de intoxicaciones alimentarias.Staphylococcus aureus causes food poisoning due to its ability to produce enterotoxins. Food handlers carrying enterotoxin-producing S. aureus can contaminate food, thus leading to food poisoning. Samples were obtained from 88 food handlers in the Province of Misiones, Argentina. S. aureus was isolated from nasal swaps and PCR amplification was performed for genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins. A total of 37.5 % food handlers were positive for S. aureus. Expression of enterotoxin genes was found in 13 of the 33 (39.4 % S. aureus isolates studied, accounting for 14.7 % of food handlers. Gene sea was detected in 10 isolates followed by gene sec in 3 isolates. All isolates were susceptible to teicoplanin, gentamicin and rifampicin. Four isolates were resistant to methicillin whereas 2 isolates were resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin. These results constitute a critical alert and indicate the need

Identification of Staphylococcus aureus infection by aptamers directly radiolabeled with technetium-99m

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Sara Roberta dos; Rodrigues Corrêa, Cristiane; Branco de Barros, André Luís; Serakides, Rogéria; Fernandes, Simone Odília

2015-01-01

Introduction: Aptamers are oligonucleotides that have high affinity and specificity for their molecular targets which are emerging as a new class of molecules for radiopharmaceuticals development. In this study, aptamers selected to Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated for bacterial infection identification. Methods: Anti S. aureus aptamers were labeled with 99m Tc by the direct method. The radiolabel yield and complex stability were assessed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Three groups of Swiss mice containing 6 animals each were used. The first group was infected intramuscularly in the right thigh with S. aureus. The second group was infected in the same way with C. albicans and the third group was injected with zymosan to induce aseptic inflammation. After 24 h, radiolabeled aptamers (22.2 MBq) were injected by the tail vein. The mice were euthanized 4 h post injection and tissue sample activities measured in a gamma counter. Results: The 99m Tc labeled aptamers were stable in saline, plasma and cystein excess. Radiolabeled aptamers showed increased uptake in the kidneys for all groups indicating a main renal excretion, which is consistent with the hydrophilic nature and small size of aptamers. The radiopharmaceutical showed rapid blood clearance indicated by a reduced dose (% ID/g) in the blood. The biodistribution showed that aptamers were able to identify the infection foci caused by S. aureus displaying a target/non-target ratio of 4.0 ± 0.5. This ratio for mice infected with C. albicans was 2.0 ± 0.4 while for mice with aseptic inflammation was 1.2 ± 0.2. Histology confirmed the presence of infection in groups 1 and 2, and inflammation in group 3. Conclusions: The biodistibution study demonstrated a statistically higher uptake in the S. aureus foci relative to inflammation and C. albicans infected areas. These results highlight the potential of aptamers labeled directly with 99m Tc for bacterial infection diagnosis by scintigraphy

Indian Academy of Sciences Conference Series | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Aim and Scope. The scope of the Indian Academy of Sciences Conference Series is to publish invited and peer reviewed original research, review, perspective, and commentary articles arising from presentations at select and topical Scientific Conferences. Upto four issues are published a year, each edited in consultation ...

Gene expression-based classifiers identify Staphylococcus aureus infection in mice and humans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun Hee Ahn

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus causes a spectrum of human infection. Diagnostic delays and uncertainty lead to treatment delays and inappropriate antibiotic use. A growing literature suggests the host's inflammatory response to the pathogen represents a potential tool to improve upon current diagnostics. The hypothesis of this study is that the host responds differently to S. aureus than to E. coli infection in a quantifiable way, providing a new diagnostic avenue. This study uses Bayesian sparse factor modeling and penalized binary regression to define peripheral blood gene-expression classifiers of murine and human S. aureus infection. The murine-derived classifier distinguished S. aureus infection from healthy controls and Escherichia coli-infected mice across a range of conditions (mouse and bacterial strain, time post infection and was validated in outbred mice (AUC>0.97. A S. aureus classifier derived from a cohort of 94 human subjects distinguished S. aureus blood stream infection (BSI from healthy subjects (AUC 0.99 and E. coli BSI (AUC 0.84. Murine and human responses to S. aureus infection share common biological pathways, allowing the murine model to classify S. aureus BSI in humans (AUC 0.84. Both murine and human S. aureus classifiers were validated in an independent human cohort (AUC 0.95 and 0.92, respectively. The approach described here lends insight into the conserved and disparate pathways utilized by mice and humans in response to these infections. Furthermore, this study advances our understanding of S. aureus infection; the host response to it; and identifies new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues.

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta are natural hosts of specific Staphylococcus aureus lineages.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanne van den Berg

Full Text Available Currently, there is no animal model known that mimics natural nasal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus in humans. We investigated whether rhesus macaques are natural nasal carriers of S. aureus. Nasal swabs were taken from 731 macaques. S. aureus isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, spa repeat sequencing and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST, and compared with human strains. Furthermore, the isolates were characterized by several PCRs. Thirty-nine percent of 731 macaques were positive for S. aureus. In general, the macaque S. aureus isolates differed from human strains as they formed separate PFGE clusters, 50% of the isolates were untypeable by agr genotyping, 17 new spa types were identified, which all belonged to new sequence types (STs. Furthermore, 66% of macaque isolates were negative for all superantigen genes. To determine S. aureus nasal colonization, three nasal swabs from 48 duo-housed macaques were taken during a 5 month period. In addition, sera were analyzed for immunoglobulin G and A levels directed against 40 staphylococcal proteins using a bead-based flow cytometry technique. Nineteen percent of the animals were negative for S. aureus, and 17% were three times positive. S. aureus strains were easily exchanged between macaques. The antibody response was less pronounced in macaques compared to humans, and nasal carrier status was not associated with differences in serum anti-staphylococcal antibody levels. In conclusion, rhesus macaques are natural hosts of S. aureus, carrying host-specific lineages. Our data indicate that rhesus macaques are useful as an autologous model for studying S. aureus nasal colonization and infection prevention.

Identification of the ClpX Regulon in Staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jelsbak, Lotte; Thomsen, Line Elnif; Ingmer, Hanne

Staphyloccous aureus is a major human pathogen capable of causing a wide spectrum of infections ranging from superficial wound infections to life-threatening endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. Essential for S. aureus virulence is a large number of cell-surface-associated proteins and secreted...... we show here that almost 400 genes (15%) are influenced by the clpX deletion. Furthermore, ClpX not only regulates many virulence factors, but rather serves as a global regulator of central functions for S. aureus lifestyle and pathogenicity....

Dehydrosqualene Desaturase as a Novel Target for Anti-Virulence Therapy against Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Gao

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus, especially methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, is a life-threatening pathogen in hospital- and community-acquired infections. The golden-colored carotenoid pigment of S. aureus, staphyloxanthin, contributes to the resistance to reactive oxygen species (ROS and host neutrophil-based killing. Here, we describe a novel inhibitor (NP16 of S. aureus pigment production that reduces the survival of S. aureus under oxidative stress conditions. Carotenoid components analysis, enzyme inhibition, and crtN mutational studies indicated that the molecular target of NP16 is dehydrosqualene desaturase (CrtN. S. aureus treated with NP16 showed increased susceptibility to human neutrophil killing and to innate immune clearance in a mouse infection model. Our study validates CrtN as a novel druggable target in S. aureus and presents a potent and effective lead compound for the development of virulence factor-based therapy against S. aureus.

BCES: A Fifteen-Year Conference Tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolay Popov

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This volume contains selected papers submitted to the XV Annual International Conference of the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society (BCES, held in June 2017 in Borovets, Bulgaria, and papers submitted to the V International Partner Conference of the International Research Centre (IRC ‘Scientific cooperation’, Rostov-on-Don, Russia, organized as part of the BCES Conference. The XV BCES Conference theme is Current Business and Economics Driven Discourse and Education: Perspectives from Around the World. The V International Partner Conference theme is Science and Education in Modern Social, Economic and Humanitarian Discourse. The book consists of 38 papers written by 69 authors. The volume starts with an introductory paper by Johannes L van der Walt. The other 37 papers are divided into 8 parts: 1 Comparative Education & History of Education; 2 Teacher Education; 3 Education Policy, Reforms & School Leadership; 4 Higher Education, Lifelong Learning & Social Inclusion; 5 Law and Education; 6 Research Education; 7 Educational Development Strategies in Different Countries and Regions of the World; 8 Key Directions and Characteristics of Research Organization in the Contemporary World.

Molecular Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Patients with Autosomal Dominant Hyper IgE Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inka Sastalla

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Autosomal dominant hyper IgE syndrome (AD-HIES is a primary immunodeficiency caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3. This immune disorder is clinically characterized by increased susceptibility to cutaneous and sinopulmonary infections, in particular with Candida and Staphylococcus aureus. It has recently been recognized that the skin microbiome of patients with AD-HIES is altered with an overrepresentation of certain Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive staphylococci. However, these alterations have not been characterized at the species- and strain-level. Since S. aureus infections are influenced by strain-specific expression of virulence factors, information on colonizing strain characteristics may provide insights into host-pathogen interactions and help guide management strategies for treatment and prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the immunodeficiency of AD-HIES selects for unique strains of colonizing S. aureus. Using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST, protein A (spa typing, and PCR-based detection of toxin genes, we performed a detailed analysis of the S. aureus isolates (n = 13 found on the skin of twenty-one patients with AD-HIES. We found a low diversity of sequence types, and an abundance of strains that expressed methicillin resistance, Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL, and staphylococcal enterotoxins K and Q (SEK, SEQ. Our results indicate that patients with AD-HIES may often carry antibiotic-resistant strains that harbor key virulence factors.

Colonization and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus on endothelial cell layers under flow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønnemose, Rasmus Birkholm; Antoinette Asferg, Cecilie; Kolmos, Hans Jørn

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen and known for causing vascular infections such as sepsis and infective endocarditis. It has previously been proposed that S. aureus succeed in colonization of the endothelial wall by specific surface attachment likely followed by biofilm formation....... Furthermore, S. aureus is known to invade human cells, which has been proposed to promote persistence through immune and antibiotic evasion. In the current study, we sought to investigate endothelial colonization, invasion, and biofilm formation by S. aureus using a newly developed in vitro flow chamber model....... We show that under physiological shear rates, S. aureus utilizes cellular invasion to enable the following surface colonization and biofilm formation. These observations might help explain the success of S. aureus as a bloodstream pathogen and guide further studies in S. aureus pathogenesis...

A generic approach for the design of whole-genome oligoarrays, validated for genomotyping, deletion mapping and gene expression analysis on Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renzoni Adriana

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA microarray technology is widely used to determine the expression levels of thousands of genes in a single experiment, for a broad range of organisms. Optimal design of immobilized nucleic acids has a direct impact on the reliability of microarray results. However, despite small genome size and complexity, prokaryotic organisms are not frequently studied to validate selected bioinformatics approaches. Relying on parameters shown to affect the hybridization of nucleic acids, we designed freely available software and validated experimentally its performance on the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Results We describe an efficient procedure for selecting 40–60 mer oligonucleotide probes combining optimal thermodynamic properties with high target specificity, suitable for genomic studies of microbial species. The algorithm for filtering probes from extensive oligonucleotides libraries fitting standard thermodynamic criteria includes positional information of predicted target-probe binding regions. This algorithm efficiently selected probes recognizing homologous gene targets across three different sequenced genomes of Staphylococcus aureus. BLAST analysis of the final selection of 5,427 probes yielded >97%, 93%, and 81% of Staphylococcus aureus genome coverage in strains N315, Mu50, and COL, respectively. A manufactured oligoarray including a subset of control Escherichia coli probes was validated for applications in the fields of comparative genomics and molecular epidemiology, mapping of deletion mutations and transcription profiling. Conclusion This generic chip-design process merging sequence information from several related genomes improves genome coverage even in conserved regions.

Antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus fermentum against Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Mi-Sun; Lim, Hae-Soon; Oh, Jong-Suk; Lim, You-Jin; Wuertz-Kozak, Karin; Harro, Janette M; Shirtliff, Mark E; Achermann, Yvonne

2017-03-01

The increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has become a major public health threat. While lactobacilli were recently found useful in combating various pathogens, limited data exist on their therapeutic potential for S. aureus infections. The aim of this study was to determine whether Lactobacillus salivarius was able to produce bactericidal activities against S. aureus and to determine whether the inhibition was due to a generalized reduction in pH or due to secreted Lactobacillus product(s). We found an 8.6-log10 reduction of planktonic and a 6.3-log10 reduction of biofilm S. aureus. In contrast, the previously described anti-staphylococcal effects of L. fermentum only caused a 4.0-log10 reduction in planktonic S. aureus cells, with no effect on biofilm S. aureus cells. Killing of S. aureus was partially pH dependent, but independent of nutrient depletion. Cell-free supernatant that was pH neutralized and heat inactivated or proteinase K treated had significantly reduced killing of L. salivarius than with pH-neutralized supernatant alone. Proteomic analysis of the L. salivarius secretome identified a total of five secreted proteins including a LysM-containing peptidoglycan binding protein and a protein peptidase M23B. These proteins may represent potential novel anti-staphylococcal agents that could be effective against S. aureus biofilms. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of five tests for identification of Staphylococcus aureus from clinical samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Luijendijk (Ad); A.F. van Belkum (Alex); J.A.J.W. Kluytmans (Jan); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri)

1996-01-01

textabstractFive different laboratory tests for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus were compared. Analyses of 271 presumptive S. aureus strains, supplemented with 59 well-defined methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates, were performed. Only the

Antibiotic tolerance and the alternative lifestyles of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Long M G; Conlon, Brian P; Kidd, Stephen P

2017-02-28

Staphylococcus aureus has an incredible ability to survive, either by adapting to environmental conditions or defending against exogenous stress. Although there are certainly important genetic traits, in part this ability is provided by the breadth of modes of growth S. aureus can adopt. It has been proposed that while within their host, S. aureus survives host-generated and therapeutic antimicrobial stress via alternative lifestyles: a persister sub-population, through biofilm growth on host tissue or by growing as small colony variants (SCVs). Key to an understanding of chronic and relapsing S. aureus infections is determining the molecular basis for its switch to these quasi-dormant lifestyles. In a multicellular biofilm, the metabolically quiescent bacterial community additionally produces a highly protective extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Furthermore, there are bacteria within a biofilm community that have an altered physiology potentially equivalent to persister cells. Recent studies have directly linked the cellular ATP production by persister cells as their key feature and the basis for their tolerance of a range of antibiotics. In clinical settings, SCVs of S. aureus have been observed for many years; when cultured, these cells form non-pigmented colonies and are approximately ten times smaller than their counterparts. Various genotypic factors have been identified in attempts to characterize S. aureus SCVs and different environmental stresses have been implicated as important inducers. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

International Conference on Nano-electronics, Circuits & Communication Systems

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This volume comprises select papers from the International Conference on Nano-electronics, Circuits & Communication Systems(NCCS). The conference focused on the frontier issues and their applications in business, academia, industry, and other allied areas. This international conference aimed to bring together scientists, researchers, engineers from academia and industry. The book covers technological developments and current trends in key areas such as VLSI design, IC manufacturing, and applications such as communications, ICT, and hybrid electronics. The contents of this volume will prove useful to researchers, professionals, and students alike.

Computational Intelligence in Information Systems Conference

CERN Document Server

Au, Thien-Wan; Omar, Saiful

2017-01-01

This book constitutes the Proceedings of the Computational Intelligence in Information Systems conference (CIIS 2016), held in Brunei, November 18–20, 2016. The CIIS conference provides a platform for researchers to exchange the latest ideas and to present new research advances in general areas related to computational intelligence and its applications. The 26 revised full papers presented in this book have been carefully selected from 62 submissions. They cover a wide range of topics and application areas in computational intelligence and informatics.

A porcine model of haematogenous brain infectionwith staphylococcus aureus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Lærke Boye; Agerholm, Jørgen Steen; Nielsen, Ole Lerberg

2012-01-01

A PORCINE MODEL OF HAEMATOGENOUS BRAIN INFECTION WITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS Astrup Lærke1, Agerholm Jørgen1, Nielsen Ole1, Jensen Henrik1, Leifsson Páll1, Iburg Tine2. 1: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark boye@life.ku.dk 2: National Veterinary Institute......, Uppsala, Sweden Introduction Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) is a common cause of sepsis and brain abscesses in man and a frequent cause of porcine pyaemia. Here we present a porcine model of haematogenous S. aureus-induced brain infection. Materials and Methods Four pigs had two intravenous catheters...... thromboemboli (two pigs). The venous catheter was used for blood sampling before, during and after inoculation. The pigs were euthanized either 24 or 48 hours after inoculation. The brains were collected and examined histologically. Results We describe unifocal suppurative encephalitis 48 hours after...

Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Copper Alloys on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Different Simulations of Environmental Conditions: With vs. without Organic Contamination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Różańska

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Hospital equipment made from copper alloys can play an important role in complementing traditional methods of disinfection. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the antimicrobial properties of selected copper alloys in different simulations of environmental conditions (with organic contamination vs. without organic contamination, and to test alternatives to the currently used testing methods. Materials and Methods: A modification of Japanese standard JIS Z 2801 as well as Staphylococcus aureus (SA and Escherichia coli (EC suspended in NaCl vs. tryptic soy broth (TSB were used in tests performed on seven commonly used copper alloys, copper, and stainless steel. Results: A much faster reduction of the bacterial suspension was observed for the inoculum prepared in NaCl than in TSB. A faster reduction for EC than for SA was observed in the inoculum prepared in NaCl. The opposite results were found for the inoculum based on TSB. A significant correlation between the copper concentration in the copper alloys and the time and degree of bacterial suspension reduction was only observed in the case of EC. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. However, even for SA, a total reduction of the bacterial inoculum’s density took no longer than 2 h. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.

Staphylococcus aureus produces membrane-derived vesicles that induce host cell death.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamata Gurung

Full Text Available Gram-negative bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles that play a role in the delivery of virulence factors to host cells. However, little is known about the membrane-derived vesicles (MVs produced by gram-positive bacteria. The present study examined the production of MVs from Staphylococcus aureus and investigated the delivery of MVs to host cells and subsequent cytotoxicity. Four S. aureus strains tested, two type strains and two clinical isolates, produced spherical nanovesicles during in vitro culture. MVs were also produced during in vivo infection of a clinical S. aureus isolate in a mouse pneumonia model. Proteomic analysis showed that 143 different proteins were identified in the S. aureus-derived MVs. S. aureus MVs were interacted with the plasma membrane of host cells via a cholesterol-rich membrane microdomain and then delivered their component protein A to host cells within 30 min. Intact S. aureus MVs induced apoptosis of HEp-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas lysed MVs neither delivered their component into the cytosol of host cells nor induced cytotoxicity. In conclusion, this study is the first report that S. aureus MVs are an important vehicle for delivery of bacterial effector molecules to host cells.

Specificity determinants for lysine incorporation in Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan as revealed by the structure of a MurE enzyme ternary complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruane, Karen M; Lloyd, Adrian J; Fülöp, Vilmos; Dowson, Christopher G; Barreteau, Hélène; Boniface, Audrey; Dementin, Sébastien; Blanot, Didier; Mengin-Lecreulx, Dominique; Gobec, Stanislav; Dessen, Andréa; Roper, David I

2013-11-15

Formation of the peptidoglycan stem pentapeptide requires the insertion of both L and D amino acids by the ATP-dependent ligase enzymes MurC, -D, -E, and -F. The stereochemical control of the third position amino acid in the pentapeptide is crucial to maintain the fidelity of later biosynthetic steps contributing to cell morphology, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenesis. Here we determined the x-ray crystal structure of Staphylococcus aureus MurE UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate:meso-2,6-diaminopimelate ligase (MurE) (E.C. 6.3.2.7) at 1.8 Å resolution in the presence of ADP and the reaction product, UDP-MurNAc-L-Ala-γ-D-Glu-L-Lys. This structure provides for the first time a molecular understanding of how this Gram-positive enzyme discriminates between L-lysine and D,L-diaminopimelic acid, the predominant amino acid that replaces L-lysine in Gram-negative peptidoglycan. Despite the presence of a consensus sequence previously implicated in the selection of the third position residue in the stem pentapeptide in S. aureus MurE, the structure shows that only part of this sequence is involved in the selection of L-lysine. Instead, other parts of the protein contribute substrate-selecting residues, resulting in a lysine-binding pocket based on charge characteristics. Despite the absolute specificity for L-lysine, S. aureus MurE binds this substrate relatively poorly. In vivo analysis and metabolomic data reveal that this is compensated for by high cytoplasmic L-lysine concentrations. Therefore, both metabolic and structural constraints maintain the structural integrity of the staphylococcal peptidoglycan. This study provides a novel focus for S. aureus-directed antimicrobials based on dual targeting of essential amino acid biogenesis and its linkage to cell wall assembly.

Molecular basis of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus mastitis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Le Maréchal

Full Text Available S. aureus is one of the main pathogens involved in ruminant mastitis worldwide. The severity of staphylococcal infection is highly variable, ranging from subclinical to gangrenous mastitis. This work represents an in-depth characterization of S. aureus mastitis isolates to identify bacterial factors involved in severity of mastitis infection.We employed genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to comprehensively compare two clonally related S. aureus strains that reproducibly induce severe (strain O11 and milder (strain O46 mastitis in ewes. Variation in the content of mobile genetic elements, iron acquisition and metabolism, transcriptional regulation and exoprotein production was observed. In particular, O11 produced relatively high levels of exoproteins, including toxins and proteases known to be important in virulence. A characteristic we observed in other S. aureus strains isolated from clinical mastitis cases.Our data are consistent with a dose-dependant role of some staphylococcal factors in the hypervirulence of strains isolated from severe mastitis. Mobile genetic elements, transcriptional regulators, exoproteins and iron acquisition pathways constitute good targets for further research to define the underlying mechanisms of mastitis severity.

Formação de biofilme em aço inoxidável por Aeromonas hydrophila e Staphylococcus aureus usando leite e diferentes condições de cultivo Biofilm formation by Aeromonas hydrophila and Staphylococcus aureus on stainless steel using milk and different conditions of cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cleube Andrade Boari

2009-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em avaliar a formação de biofilme em aço inoxidável por Aeromonas hydrophila e Staphylococcus aureus usando leite e diferentes condições de cultivo. As variáveis em estudo consistem no cultivo monoespécie e combinado, dos referidos microrganismos e nas temperaturas de 4, 7 e 18 °C. Recipientes contendo 1000 mL de leite, densidade populacional de 10(5 UFC.mL-1 de cada microrganismo e 10 cupons de aço inoxidável (10 × 20 mm foram lacrados e armazenados, sob agitação de 60 rpm, por um período de 10 dias. As análises ocorreram a cada 48 horas. Células sésseis de A.hydrophila e S. aureus foram enumeradas através do plaqueamento seletivo em ágar m-Aeromonas selective e Baird-Parker, respectivamente. Estudos sobre o tempo de geração, enumeração de células planctônicas e observação dos cupons através da microscopia eletrônica de varredura foram conduzidos. S. aureus, em monocultivo, formou biofilme a 18 °C e a 7 °C. Para 4 °C, foi observado um processo de adesão. A presença de A. hydrophila reduziu o desempenho de S. aureus. Nesta condição de cultivo multiespécie houve formação de biofilme a 18 °C. A. hydrophila, tanto em monocultivo quanto em presença de S. aureus, formou biofilme em todas as condições pesquisadas.The aim of this research was to verify the capability of biofilm formation on stainless steel by Aeromonas hydrophila and Staphylococcus aureus using milk and different conditions of cultivation. The variables consisted in mono and multi-species cultivation of these microorganisms and in the temperatures of 4, 7 and 18 °C. Containers containing 1000 mL of milk, population density of 10(5 CFU.mL-1 of each microorganism, and ten suspended chips of stainless steel AISI 304 (10 × 20 mm were used to seal up and storage, under 60 rpm of agitation for 10 days. The analyses were conducted every 48 hours. Sessile cells of A. hydrophila and S. aureus and were enumerated

Beyond the chromosome: the prevalence of unique extra-chromosomal bacteriophages with integrated virulence genes in pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryan Utter

Full Text Available In Staphylococcus aureus, the disease impact of chromosomally integrated prophages on virulence is well described. However, the existence of extra-chromosomal prophages, both plasmidial and episomal, remains obscure. Despite the recent explosion in bacterial and bacteriophage genomic sequencing, studies have failed to specifically focus on extra-chromosomal elements. We selectively enriched and sequenced extra-chromosomal DNA from S. aureus isolates using Roche-454 technology and uncovered evidence for the widespread distribution of multiple extra-chromosomal prophages (ExPΦs throughout both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains. We completely sequenced one such element comprised of a 43.8 kbp, circular ExPΦ (designated ФBU01 from a vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA strain. Assembly and annotation of ФBU01 revealed a number of putative virulence determinants encoded within a bacteriophage immune evasion cluster (IEC. Our identification of several potential ExPΦs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs also revealed numerous putative virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes. We describe here a previously unidentified level of genetic diversity of stealth extra-chromosomal elements in S. aureus, including phages with a larger presence outside the chromosome that likely play a prominent role in pathogenesis and strain diversity driven by horizontal gene transfer (HGT.

SpxB is a suicide gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae and confers a selective advantage in an in vivo competitive colonization model.

Science.gov (United States)

Regev-Yochay, Gili; Trzcinski, Krzysztof; Thompson, Claudette M; Lipsitch, Marc; Malley, Richard

2007-09-01

The human bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae dies spontaneously upon reaching stationary phase. The extent of S. pneumoniae death at stationary phase is unusual in bacteria and has been conventionally attributed to autolysis by the LytA amidase. In this study, we show that spontaneous pneumococcal death is due to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), not LytA, and that the gene responsible for H(2)O(2) production (spxB) also confers a survival advantage in colonization. Survival of S. pneumoniae in stationary phase was significantly prolonged by eliminating H(2)O(2) in any of three ways: chemically by supplementing the media with catalase, metabolically by growing the bacteria under anaerobic conditions, or genetically by constructing DeltaspxB mutants that do not produce H(2)O(2). Likewise, addition of H(2)O(2) to exponentially growing S. pneumoniae resulted in a death rate similar to that of cells in stationary phase. While DeltalytA mutants did not lyse at stationary phase, they died at a rate similar to that of the wild-type strain. Furthermore, we show that the death process induced by H(2)O(2) has features of apoptosis, as evidenced by increased annexin V staining, decreased DNA content, and appearance as assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Finally, in an in vivo rat model of competitive colonization, the presence of spxB conferred a selective advantage over the DeltaspxB mutant, suggesting an explanation for the persistence of this gene. We conclude that a suicide gene of pneumococcus is spxB, which induces an apoptosis-like death in pneumococci and confers a selective advantage in nasopharyngeal cocolonization.

A.A.G. Annual Conference Participation: The Spatial Dimension.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairweather, Malcolm

This paper analyzes the spatial patterning of participants attending four annual conferences of the Association of American Geographers (AAG). The four most recent conventions were selected for the study: Los Angeles in 1981, Louisville in 1980, Philadelphia in 1979, and New Orleans in 1980. A conference participant is defined as a person whose…

2nd International Conference on Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics

CERN Document Server

Fülöp, Zsolt; Somorjai, Endre; The European Physical Journal A : Volume 27, Supplement 1, 2006

2006-01-01

Launched in 2004, "Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics" has established itself in a successful topical conference series addressing the forefront of research in the field. This volume contains the selected and refereed papers of the 2nd conference, held in Debrecen in 2005 and reprinted from "The European Physical Journal A - Hadrons and Nuclei".

Significant Differences Characterise the Correlation Coefficients between Biocide and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profiles in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Oggioni, Marco R; Coelho, Joana Rosado; Furi, Leonardo; Knight, Daniel R; Viti, Carlo; Orefici, Graziella; Martinez, Jose-Luis; Freitas, Ana Teresa; Coque, Teresa M; Morrissey, Ian

2015-01-01

There is a growing concern by regulatory authorities for the selection of antibiotic resistance caused by the use of biocidal products. We aimed to complete the detailed information on large surveys by investigating the relationship between biocide and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of a large number of Staphylococcus aureus isolates using four biocides and antibiotics commonly used in clinical practice. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for most clinically-relevant antibiotics was determined according to the standardized methodology for over 1600 clinical S. aureus isolates and compared to susceptibility profiles of benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine, triclosan, and sodium hypochlorite. The relationship between antibiotic and biocide susceptibility profiles was evaluated using non-linear correlations. The main outcome evidenced was an absence of any strong or moderate statistically significant correlation when susceptibilities of either triclosan or sodium hypochlorite were compared for any of the tested antibiotics. On the other hand, correlation coefficients for MICs of benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine were calculated above 0.4 for susceptibility to quinolones, beta-lactams, and also macrolides. Our data do not support any selective pressure for association between biocides and antibiotics resistance and furthermore do not allow for a defined risk evaluation for some of the compounds. Importantly, our data clearly indicate that there does not involve any risk of selection for antibiotic resistance for the compounds triclosan and sodium hypochlorite. These data hence infer that biocide selection for antibiotic resistance has had so far a less significant impact than feared.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and of methicillin-resistant S. aureus clonal complexes in bulk tank milk from dairy cattle herds in Lombardy Region (Northern Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Cortimiglia, C; Luini, M; Bianchini, V; Marzagalli, L; Vezzoli, F; Avisani, D; Bertoletti, M; Ianzano, A; Franco, A; Battisti, A

2016-10-01

Staphylococcus aureus is the most important causative agent of subclinical mastitis in cattle resulting in reduced milk production and quality. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains has a clear zoonotic relevance, especially in the case of occupational exposure. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA in bulk tank milk (BTM) from dairy cattle herds in the Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) and to identify the main MRSA circulating genotypes. MRSA strains were characterized by susceptibility testing, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing and SCCmec typing. A total 844 BTM samples were analysed and S. aureus and MRSA were detected in 47·2% and 3·8% of dairy herds, respectively. MLST showed that the majority (28/32) of isolates belonged to the typical livestock-associated lineages: ST398, ST97 and ST1. Interestingly, in this study we report for the first time the new ST3211, a single locus variant of ST(CC)22, with the newly described 462 aroE allele. Our study indicates high diffusion of S. aureus mastitis and low, but not negligible, prevalence of MRSA in the considered area, suggesting the need for planning specific control programmes for bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus, especially when MRSA is implicated.

Lucky number seven: RNase 7 can prevent Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, John S; Xuan, Caiyun; Miller, Lloyd S

2010-12-01

Staphylococcus aureus colonization is a major risk factor for infection. In this issue, Simanski et al. demonstrate that the antimicrobial peptide RNase 7 is essential for preventing S. aureus colonization in human skin. These findings suggest that therapeutic interventions aimed at targeting RNase 7 production in the skin may be a novel strategy to protect against S. aureus infections.

Nasal carriage of multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Nasal Staphylococcus aureus is a major source of community and hospital associated staphylococcal infections. This study determined the prevalence of nasal S. aureus isolates and investigated their antimicrobial resistance profile in healthy volunteers. Methods: Nasal specimens of healthy volunteers in ...

Housefly (Musca domestica as Carrier of Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus in Broiler Farms in Iran: Is it Important for Public Health?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Rashki Ghalehnoo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: During the last decade, the prevalence of insect borne diseases due to contaminated food as well as the outbreaks of diseases due to enterotoxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus (ETSA strains has increased. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate, enterotoxigenecity, and antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolated from M. domestica collected from the residential areas of nine districts broiler farms in Zabol, Iran. Materials and Methods: The flies were captured with a sterile nylon net and washed twice with distilled water. The contents were streaked onto selective media and S. aureus was identified using the conventional biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using CLSI guideline. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs, SEA, SEB, SEC and SED, was detected by the reverse passive latex agglutination (PRLA method. Coagulase typing was performed with coagulase typing kit. Results: A total of 87 (17% S. aureus was isolated from 450 samples. The ability to synthesize staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs was determined in 62 of 87 (71% isolates. SE type B was the most common enterotoxin found in the isolated S. aureus (45%, followed by SE type A (26%, SE type C (5%, SE type D (8%, SEA + SEC (7% and SEA + SEB (7%. Among the antibiotic tested, Penicillin was the most resistant antibiotic tested. Sixty seven percent of isolates belonged to coagulase type III, VI, VII, VIII, IV, and V. Conclusions: Our results suggest that S. aureus, including ETSA, is being carried by house flies such as M. domestica and may contribute to the spread of pathogenic isolates, with an impact on public health.

Functionalized ZnO Nanoparticles with Gallic Acid for Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joomin Lee

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, we report a new multifunctional nanoparticle with antioxidative and antibacterial activities in vitro. ZnO@GA nanoparticles were fabricated by coordinated covalent bonding of the antioxidant gallic acid (GA on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. This addition imparts both antioxidant activity and high affinity for the bacterial cell membrane. Antioxidative activities at various concentrations were evaluated using a 2,2′-azino-bis(ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS radical scavenging method. Antibacterial activities were evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus: S. aureus, including several strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli. The functionalized ZnO@GA nanoparticles showed good antioxidative activity (69.71%, and the bactericidal activity of these nanoparticles was also increased compared to that of non-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles, with particularly effective inhibition and high selectivity for MRSA strains. The results indicate that multifunctional ZnO nanoparticles conjugated to GA molecules via a simple surface modification process displaying both antioxidant and antibacterial activity, suggesting a possibility to use it as an antibacterial agent for removing MRSA.

Staphylococcus aureus colonization in atopic eczema and its association with filaggrin gene mutations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, M. L.; Edslev, S. M.; Andersen, P. S.

2017-01-01

was to assess differences in S. aureus colonization in patients with AD with and without filaggrin gene mutations. The secondary aim was to assess disease severity in relation to S. aureus colonization. Exploratory analyses were performed to investigate S. aureus genetic lineages in relation to filaggrin gene...... were characterized with respect to disease severity (Scoring Atopic Dermatitis) and FLG mutations (n = 88). Fisher's exact test was used to analyse differences in S. aureus colonization in relation to FLG mutations. Results: Of the 101 patients included, 74 (73%) were colonized with S. aureus....... Of the colonized patients, 70 (95%) carried only one CC type in all three different sampling sites. In lesional skin, S. aureus was found in 24 of 31 patients with FLG mutations vs. 24 of 54 wild-type patients (P = 0·0004). Staphylococcus aureusCC1 clonal lineage was more prevalent in patients with FLG mutations...

The molecular changing mechanism of Ampicillin-Sulbactam resistant Staphylococcus aureus towards Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mieke Hemiawati Satari

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the molecular changing of S.aureus, which is resistant to Ampicillin-Sulbactam and then become resistant to Methicillin as a result of improper dosage. The study was conducted by isolating Ampicillin-Sulbactam resistant and Methicillin Resistant S.aureus (MRSA, afterwards an amplification process was performed by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction. to isolate the betalactamase enzyme regulator and PBP 2a genes. The result of this research showed that there were a deletion of few amino acids from the regulator gene, and a suspicion that the DNA sequence had been substituted from PBP 2 gene into PBP 2a (gen mec. This process had formed MRSA.

G-quadruplex aptamer targeting Protein A and its capability to detect Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated by ELONA.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoltenburg, Regina; Krafčiková, Petra; Víglaský, Viktor; Strehlitz, Beate

2016-09-21

Aptamers for whole cell detection are selected mostly by the Cell-SELEX procedure. Alternatively, the use of specific cell surface epitopes as target during aptamer selections allows the development of aptamers with ability to bind whole cells. In this study, we integrated a formerly selected Protein A-binding aptamer PA#2/8 in an assay format called ELONA (Enzyme-Linked OligoNucleotide Assay) and evaluated the ability of the aptamer to recognise and bind to Staphylococcus aureus presenting Protein A on the cell surface. The full-length aptamer and one of its truncated variants could be demonstrated to specifically bind to Protein A-expressing intact cells of S. aureus, and thus have the potential to expand the portfolio of aptamers that can act as an analytical agent for the specific recognition and rapid detection of the bacterial pathogen. The functionality of the aptamer was found to be based on a very complex, but also highly variable structure. Two structural key elements were identified. The aptamer sequence contains several G-clusters allowing folding into a G-quadruplex structure with the potential of dimeric and multimeric assembly. An inverted repeat able to form an imperfect stem-loop at the 5'-end also contributes essentially to the aptameric function.

Low Efficacy of Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus aureus Airway Colonization in Ventilated Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Stulik, Lukas; Hudcova, Jana; Craven, Donald E; Nagy, Gabor; Nagy, Eszter

2017-04-15

Airway-colonization by Staphylococcus aureus predisposes to the development of ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Despite extensive antibiotic treatment of intensive care unit patients, limited data are available on the efficacy of antibiotics on bacterial airway colonization and/or prevention of infections. Therefore, microbiologic responses to antibiotic treatment were evaluated in ventilated patients. Results of semiquantitative analyses of S. aureus burden in serial endotracheal-aspirate (ETA) samples and VAT/VAP diagnosis were correlated to antibiotic treatment. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of relevant antibiotics using serially collected isolates were evaluated. Forty-eight mechanically ventilated patients who were S. aureus positive by ETA samples and treated with relevant antibiotics for at least 2 consecutive days were included in the study. Vancomycin failed to reduce methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) burden in the airways. Oxacillin was ineffective for MSSA colonization in approximately 30% of the patients, and responders were typically coadministered additional antibiotics. Despite antibiotic exposure, 15 of the 39 patients (approximately 38%) colonized only by S. aureus and treated with appropriate antibiotic for at least 2 days still progressed to VAP. Importantly, no change in antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus isolates was observed during treatment. Staphylococcus aureus colonization levels inversely correlated with the presence of normal respiratory flora. Antibiotic treatment is ineffective in reducing S. aureus colonization in the lower airways and preventing VAT or VAP. Staphylococcus aureus is in competition for colonization with the normal respiratory flora. To improve patient outcomes, alternatives to antibiotics are urgently needed. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of

Persistent environmental contamination with USA300 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other pathogenic strain types in households with S. aureus skin infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Eells, Samantha J; David, Michael Z; Taylor, Alexis; Ortiz, Nancy; Kumar, Neha; Sieth, Julia; Boyle-Vavra, Susan; Daum, Robert S; Miller, Loren G

2014-11-01

To understand the genotypic spectrum of environmental contamination of Staphylococcus aureus in households and its persistence. Prospective longitudinal cohort investigation. Index participants identified at 2 academic medical centers. Adults and children with S. aureus skin infections and their household contacts in Los Angeles and Chicago. Household fomites were surveyed for contamination at baseline and 3 months. All isolates underwent genetic typing. We enrolled 346 households, 88% of which completed the 3-month follow-up visit. S. aureus environmental contamination was 49% at baseline and 51% at 3 months. Among households with a USA300 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) body infection isolate, environmental contamination with an indistinguishable MRSA strain was 58% at baseline and 63% at 3 months. Baseline factors associated with environmental contamination by the index subject's infection isolate were body colonization by any household member with the index subject's infection isolate at baseline (odds ratio [OR], 10.93 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.75-20.79]), higher housing density (OR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.10-1.96]), and more frequent household fomite cleaning (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.16-2.27]). Household environmental contamination with the index subject's infection strain at 3 months was associated with USA300 MRSA and a synergistic interaction between baseline environmental contamination and body colonization by any household member with the index subject's infection strain. We found that infecting S. aureus isolates frequently persisted environmentally in households 3 months after skin infection. Presence of pathogenic S. aureus strain type in the environment in a household may represent a persistent reservoir that places household members at risk of future infection.

Antimicrobial activity of some sulfonamide derivatives on clinical isolates of Staphylococus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bekdemir Yunus

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus is a non-motile, gram positive, non-sporforming, facultative anaerobic microorganism. It is one of the important bacteria as a potential pathogen specifically for nosocomial infections. The sulfonamide derivative medicines are preferred to cure infection caused by S. aureus due to methicillin resistance. Methods Antimicrobial activity of four sulfonamide derivatives have been investigated against 50 clinical isolates of S. aureus and tested by using MIC and disc diffusion methods. 50 clinical isolate which collected from specimens of patients who are given medical treatment in Ondokuz Mayis University Medical School Hospital. A control strain of S. aureus ATCC 29213 was also tested. Results The strongest inhibition was observed in the cases of I [N-(2-hydroxy-4-nitro-phenyl-4-methyl-benzensulfonamid], and II [N-(2-hydroxy-5-nitro-phenyl-4-methyl-benzensulfonamid] against S. aureus. Compound I [N-(2-hydroxy-4-nitro-phenyl-4-methyl-benzensulfonamid] showed higher effect on 21 S. aureus MRSAisolates than oxacillin antibiotic. Introducing an electron withdrawing on the ring increased the antimicrobial activity remarkably. Conclusion This study may help to suggest an alternative possible leading compound for development of new antimicrobial agents against MRSA and MSSA resistant S. aureus. It was also shown here that that clinical isolates of 50 S. aureus have various resistance patterns against to four sulfonamide derivatives. It may also be emphasized here that in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing results for S. aureus need standardization with further studies and it should also have a correlation with in vivo therapeutic response experiments.

Recombinant Endolysins as Potential Therapeutics against Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Current Status of Research and Novel Delivery Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad Kashani, Hamed; Schmelcher, Mathias; Sabzalipoor, Hamed; Seyed Hosseini, Elahe; Moniri, Rezvan

2018-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens of humans and animals, where it frequently colonizes skin and mucosal membranes. It is of major clinical importance as a nosocomial pathogen and causative agent of a wide array of diseases. Multidrug-resistant strains have become increasingly prevalent and represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. For this reason, novel strategies to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens are urgently needed. Bacteriophage-derived enzymes, so-called endolysins, and other peptidoglycan hydrolases with the ability to disrupt cell walls represent possible alternatives to conventional antibiotics. These lytic enzymes confer a high degree of host specificity and could potentially replace or be utilized in combination with antibiotics, with the aim to specifically treat infections caused by Gram-positive drug-resistant bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus . LysK is one of the best-characterized endolysins with activity against multiple staphylococcal species. Various approaches to further enhance the antibacterial efficacy and applicability of endolysins have been demonstrated. These approaches include the construction of recombinant endolysin derivatives and the development of novel delivery strategies for various applications, such as the production of endolysins in lactic acid bacteria and their conjugation to nanoparticles. These novel strategies are a major focus of this review. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

EGC Conferences

CERN Document Server

Ritschard, Gilbert; Pinaud, Bruno; Venturini, Gilles; Zighed, Djamel; Advances in Knowledge Discovery and Management

This book is a collection of representative and novel works done in Data Mining, Knowledge Discovery, Clustering and Classification that were originally presented in French at the EGC'2012 Conference held in Bordeaux, France, on January 2012. This conference was the 12th edition of this event, which takes place each year and which is now successful and well-known in the French-speaking community. This community was structured in 2003 by the foundation of the French-speaking EGC society (EGC in French stands for ``Extraction et Gestion des Connaissances'' and means ``Knowledge Discovery and Management'', or KDM). This book is intended to be read by all researchers interested in these fields, including PhD or MSc students, and researchers from public or private laboratories. It concerns both theoretical and practical aspects of KDM. The book is structured in two parts called ``Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining'' and ``Classification and Feature Extraction or Selection''. The first part (6 chapters) deals with...

NATO Conference

CERN Document Server

Lynn, W

1975-01-01

The contents of this volume involve selection, emendation and up-dating of papers presented at the NATO Conference "Mathe­ matical Analysis of Decision problems in Ecology" in Istanbul, Turkey, July 9-13, 1973. It was sponsored by the System Sciences Division of NATO directed by Dr. B. Bayraktar with local arrange­ ments administered by Dr. Ilhami Karayalcin, professor of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul. It was organized by A. Charnes, University professor across the University of Texas System, and Walter R.Lynn, Di­ rector of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell Unjversity. The objective of the conference was to bring together a group of leading researchers from the major sciences involved in eco­ logical problems and to present the current state of progress in research of a mathematical nature which might assist in the solu­ tion of these problems. Although their presentations are not herein recorded, the key­ note address of Dr....

SIGEF Conference

CERN Document Server

Terceño-Gómez, Antonio; Ferrer-Comalat, Joan; Merigó-Lindahl, José; Linares-Mustarós, Salvador

2015-01-01

This book is a collection of selected papers presented at the SIGEF conference, held at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Girona (Spain), 06-08 July, 2015. This edition of the conference has been presented with the slogan “Scientific methods for the treatment of uncertainty in social sciences”. There are different ways for dealing with uncertainty in management. The book focuses on soft computing theories and their role in assessing uncertainty in a complex world. It gives a comprehensive overview of quantitative management topics and discusses some of the most recent developments in all the areas of business and management in soft computing including Decision Making, Expert Systems and Forgotten Effects Theory, Forecasting Models, Fuzzy Logic and Fuzzy Sets, Modelling and Simulation Techniques, Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms and Optimization and Control. The book might be of great interest for anyone working in the area of management and business economics and might be es...

Staphylococcus aureus and the ecology of the nasal microbiome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Cindy M; Price, Lance B; Hungate, Bruce A

2015-01-01

The human microbiome can play a key role in host susceptibility to pathogens, including in the nasal cavity, a site favored by Staphylococcus aureus. However, what determines our resident nasal microbiota-the host or the environment-and can interactions among nasal bacteria determine S. aureus...

Effect of temperature on antibacterial activity of lidocaine to Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Taki, Y; Seki, K; Ikigai, H; Nishihara, S; Ueno, H; Murota, K; Masuda, S

1988-01-01

The effect of temperature on the antibacterial activity of lidocaine to Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated in vitro. At 10 C at which S. aureus organisms do not grow and might be metabolically inactive, the antibacterial activity of lidocaine to S. aureus was not observed in a concentration of 1%, which was quite antibacterial to S. aureus at 37 C. On the other hand, at 40 C a conspicuously increased antibacterial activity to S. aureus of lidocaine was observed in a concentration of 0.25% which was not antibacterial to S. aureus organisms at 37 C. Similar results were obtained when P. aeruginosa organisms were examined in place of S. aureus, although P. aeruginosa was found to be less susceptible to lidocaine than S. aureus. The clinical significance of the thermal effect on the antibacterial activity of lidocaine was discussed in brief.

Risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in Danish middle-aged and elderly twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, P S; Larsen, Lisbeth Aagaard; Fowler, V G

2013-01-01

on S. aureus carriage in Danish middle-aged and elderly twins, which indicated no significant heritability that could account for the observed S. aureus carriage. In the present study, we performed a questionnaire-based study of S. aureus colonization on the same cohort of 2,196 Danish middle......-aged and elderly twins to identify specific risk factors for S. aureus nasal colonization, including analyzing the paired twins (n = 478) that were discordant for S. aureus colonization. We found associations between risk factors and S. aureus nasal colonization among middle-aged and elderly twins, including age......, male gender, psoriasis, and atopic diseases. Also, present living on a farm is clearly associated with S. aureus colonization, while smoking had a borderline statistically significant protective effect....

Antibacterial Action of Curcumin against Staphylococcus aureus: A Brief Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sin-Yeang Teow

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Curcumin, the major constituent of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae family or turmeric, commonly used for cooking in Asian cuisine, is known to possess a broad range of pharmacological properties at relatively nontoxic doses. Curcumin is found to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus. As demonstrated by in vitro experiment, curcumin exerts even more potent effects when used in combination with various other antibacterial agents. Hence, curcumin which is a natural product derived from plant is believed to have profound medicinal benefits and could be potentially developed into a naturally derived antibiotic in the future. However, there are several noteworthy challenges in the development of curcumin as a medicine. S. aureus infections, particularly those caused by the multidrug-resistant strains, have emerged as a global health issue and urgent action is needed. This review focuses on the antibacterial activities of curcumin against both methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA. We also attempt to highlight the potential challenges in the effort of developing curcumin into a therapeutic antibacterial agent.

A sensitive gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor for Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Jinglei; Wu, Shijia; Duan, Nuo; Ma, Xiaoyuan; Xia, Yu; Chen, Jie; Ding, Zhansheng; Wang, Zhouping

2014-09-01

In this study, a gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) using tyramine signal amplification (TSA) technology has been developed. First, the biotinylated aptamer specific for S. aureus was immobilized on the surface of the wells of the microtiter plate via biotin-avidin binding. Then, the target bacteria (S. aureus), biotinylated-aptamer-streptavidin-HRP conjugates, biotinylated tyramine, hydrogen peroxide and avidin-catalase were successively introduced into the wells of the microtiter plate. After that, the existing catalase consumed the hydrogen peroxide. Finally, the freshly prepared gold (III) chloride trihydrate was added, the color of the reaction production would be changed and the absorbance at 550 nm could be measured with a plate reader. Under optimized conditions, there was a linear relationship between the absorbance at 550 nm and the concentration of S. aureus over the range from 10 to 10(6) cfu mL(-1) (with an R² of 0.9947). The limit of the developed method was determined to be 9 cfu mL(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-Talk between Staphylococcus aureus and Other Staphylococcal Species via the agr Quorum Sensing System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Canovas

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Staphylococci are associated with both humans and animals. While most are non-pathogenic colonizers, Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing severe infections. S. aureus virulence is controlled by the agr quorum sensing system responding to secreted auto-inducing peptides (AIPs sensed by AgrC, a two component histidine kinase. agr loci are found also in other staphylococcal species and for Staphylococcus epidermidis, the encoded AIP represses expression of agr regulated virulence genes in S. aureus. In this study we aimed to better understand the interaction between staphylococci and S. aureus, and show that this interaction may eventually lead to the identification of new anti-virulence candidates to target S. aureus infections. Here we show that culture supernatants of 37 out of 52 staphylococcal isolates representing 17 different species inhibit S. aureus agr. The dog pathogen, Staphylococcus schleiferi, expressed the most potent inhibitory activity and was active against all four agr classes found in S. aureus. By employing a S. aureus strain encoding a constitutively active AIP receptor we show that the activity is mediated via agr. Subsequent cloning and heterologous expression of the S. schleiferi AIP in S. aureus demonstrated that this molecule was likely responsible for the inhibitory activity, and further proof was provided when pure synthetic S. schleiferi AIP was able to completely abolish agr induction of an S. aureus reporter strain. To assess impact on S. aureus virulence, we co-inoculated S. aureus and S. schleiferi in vivo in the Galleria mellonella wax moth larva, and found that expression of key S. aureus virulence factors was abrogated. Our data show that the S. aureus agr locus is highly responsive to other staphylococcal species suggesting that agr is an inter-species communication system. Based on these results we speculate that interactions between S. aureus and other colonizing staphylococci

Staphylococcus aureus spa type t437

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glasner, C; Pluister, G; Westh, H

2015-01-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) belonging to the multilocus sequence type clonal complex 59 (MLST CC59) is the predominant community-associated MRSA clone in Asia. This clone, which is primarily linked with the spa type t437, has so far only been reported in low numbers among...... included. Most isolates were shown to be monophyletic with 98% of the isolates belonging to the single MLVA complex 621, to which nearly all included isolates from China also belonged. More importantly, all MLST-typed isolates belonged to CC59. Our study implies that the European S. aureus t437 population...

Incidence, trends and demographics of Staphylococcus aureus infections in Auckland, New Zealand, 2001-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Deborah A; Lim, Alwin; Thomas, Mark G; Baker, Michael G; Roberts, Sally A; Fraser, John D; Ritchie, Stephen R

2013-12-03

New Zealand has a higher incidence of Staphylococcus aureus disease than other developed countries, with significant sociodemographic variation in incidence rates. In contrast to North America, the majority of disease is due to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), although relatively little is known about the comparative demographics of MSSA and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections in New Zealand. Our objectives were to describe the trends, incidence and patient demographics of all S. aureus infections in patients presenting to our institution between 2001 and 2011, and compare the epidemiology of MSSA and MRSA infections. We identified all patients with S. aureus infections over the study period. A unique S. aureus infection was defined as the first positive S. aureus culture taken from the same patient within a thirty-day period. Standard definitions were used to classify episodes into community- or healthcare-associated S. aureus infection. There were 16,249 S. aureus infections over the study period. The incidence increased significantly over the study period from 360 to 412 per 100,000 population (P New Zealand. The significant increase in community-associated S. aureus infections is of public health importance. Future studies should investigate the reasons underlying this concerning trend.

Molecular characterization of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus isolates from Tehran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin Najar-Peerayeh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the prevalence and some genetic characteristics of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. Methods: A total of 414 isolates of S. aureus were collected from clinical specimens from hospitals in Tehran. Vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA was determined by brain heart infusion agar containing 4 μg/mL vancomycin screening plate and confirmed via E-test. VISA isolates were analysed for vanA, vanB, mecA, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec types, surface protein A (Spa types and agr specific groups. Results: Brain heart infusion agar containing 4 μg/mL vancomycin screening tests revealed that 17.14% (n = 71 of S. aureus isolates were VISA phenotype. Ten of the 71 isolates were confirmed by E-test method (minimal inhibitory concentration was 4 to 8 μg/mL. All VISA isolates were susceptible to linezolid and 6 isolates (60% were methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Five isolates belonged to agr Group II, 4 belonged to agr Group I and 1 belonged to agr Group III. Spa type t030, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec Type III were dominant among VISA isolates. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence of the global dissemination of VISA isolates and emphasizes to vancomycin susceptibility testing prior to antibiotic therapy.

Brain infection following experimental Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Lærke Boye; Iburg, Tine Moesgaard; Nielsen, Ole Lerberg

2010-01-01

Introduction: Sepsis is a major problem in humans and both the incidence and mortality is increasing. Multiple microabcesses can be found in the brain of septic patients. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of sepsis and brain abscesses. S. aureus is also a frequent cause...... of spontaneous porcine pyemia including endocarditis and associated brain lesions. We present a porcine model of haematogenous S. aureus induced brain infection. Materials and Methods: Twelve pigs received an intravenous injection of S. aureus of 108 CFU/kg body weight once at 0h or twice at 0h and 12h. Four...... pigs were kept as controls. The pigs were euthanized in groups of four at either 6, 12, 24 or 48 h post infection. The brain was collected from all the animals and examined histologically. Results: All the inoculated pigs developed sepsis and 7 out of 12 animals had microabscesses in the prosencephalon...

High incidence of oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus (OS-MRSA associated with bovine mastitis in China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WanXia Pu

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a main cause of bovine mastitis and a major pathogen affecting human health. The emergence and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA has become a significant concern for both animal health and public health. This study investigated the incidence of MRSA in milk samples collected from dairy cows with clinical mastitis and characterized the MRSA isolates using antimicrobial susceptibility tests and genetic typing methods. In total, 103 S. aureus isolates were obtained from dairy farms in 4 different provinces in China, including Gansu, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of these isolates revealed that the resistance rates to penicillin and sulfamethoxazole were high, while the resistance rates to ciprofloxacin and vancomycin were low. Among the 103 isolates, 49 (47.6% were found to be mecA-positive, indicating the high incidence of MRSA. However, 37 of the 49 mecA-positive isolates were susceptible to oxacillin as determined by antimicrobial susceptibility assays and were thus classified as oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive S. aureus (OS-MRSA. These isolates could be misclassified as methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA if genetic detection of mecA was not performed. Molecular characterization of selected mecA-positive isolates showed that they were all negative with Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL, but belonged to different spa types and SCCmec types. These results indicate that OS-MRSA is common in bovine mastitis in China and underscore the need for genetic methods (in addition to phenotypic tests to accurately identify MRSA.

Resistência à mupirocina entre isolados de Staphylococcus aureus de profissionais de enfermagem Resistencia al mupirocin en cepas aisladas de Staphylococcus aureus de profesionales de enfermería Mupirocin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in samples belonging to professional nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josely Pinto de Moura

2010-06-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a colonização por Staphylococcus aureus sensíveis e resistentes à meticilina na saliva de profissionais de enfermagem e o perfil de resistência à mupirocina. MÉTODOS: Foram coletadas três amostras da saliva de 356 (94,2% profissionais participantes da pesquisa, totalizando 1.068 amostras processadas. Todos os aspectos éticos foram contemplados. A análise microbiológica compreendeu a identificação fenotípica, segundo normas do Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. RESULTADOS: Foram obtidos 73 indivíduos colonizados por Staphylococcus aureus na primeira coleta, 48 na segunda e 37 na terceira, somando 158 isolados de Staphylococcus aureus. Desses, 24 (15,2% eram resistentes à oxacilina e 30 resistentes à mupirocina (18,9%. A resistência à mupirocina foi observada de forma pronunciada nos Staphylococcus aureus metacilina resistente (MRSA; dos 24 MRSA, 17 (70,8% apresentaram-se resistentes a este antimicrobiano. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados indicaram que a resistência à mupirocina é um importante problema, pois esse antibiótico é um excelente aliado nas medidas de controle das infecções de serviços de saúde.OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la colonización por Staphylococcus aureus sensibles y resistentes al meticilín en la saliva de profesionales de enfermería y, reconocer el perfil de resistencia a la mupirocina. MÉTODOS: Fueron recolectadas tres muestras de saliva de 356 (94,2% profesionales participantes de la investigación, totalizando 1.068 muestras procesadas. Todos los aspectos éticos fueron contemplados. El análisis microbiológico comprendió la identificación fenotípica, según normas del Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. RESULTADOS: Fueron obtenidos 73 individuos colonizados por Staphylococcus aureus en la primera recolección, 48 en la segunda y 37 en la tercera, sumando 158 muestras aisladas de Staphylococcus aureus. De esas, 24 (15,2% eran resistentes a la oxacilina y 30

Bacteriocins of Non-aureus Staphylococci Isolated from Bovine Milk

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Domonique A.; Barkema, Herman W.; Naushad, Sohail

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Non-aureus staphylococci (NAS), the bacteria most commonly isolated from the bovine udder, potentially protect the udder against infection by major mastitis pathogens due to bacteriocin production. In this study, we determined the inhibitory capability of 441 bovine NAS isolates (comprising 26 species) against bovine Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, inhibiting isolates were tested against a human methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolate using a cross-streaking method. We determined the presence of bacteriocin clusters in NAS whole genomes using genome mining tools, BLAST, and comparison of genomes of closely related inhibiting and noninhibiting isolates and determined the genetic organization of any identified bacteriocin biosynthetic gene clusters. Forty isolates from 9 species (S. capitis, S. chromogenes, S. epidermidis, S. pasteuri, S. saprophyticus, S. sciuri, S. simulans, S. warneri, and S. xylosus) inhibited growth of S. aureus in vitro, 23 isolates of which, from S. capitis, S. chromogenes, S. epidermidis, S. pasteuri, S. simulans, and S. xylosus, also inhibited MRSA. One hundred five putative bacteriocin gene clusters encompassing 6 different classes (lanthipeptides, sactipeptides, lasso peptides, class IIa, class IIc, and class IId) in 95 whole genomes from 16 species were identified. A total of 25 novel bacteriocin precursors were described. In conclusion, NAS from bovine mammary glands are a source of potential bacteriocins, with >21% being possible producers, representing potential for future characterization and prospective clinical applications. IMPORTANCE Mastitis (particularly infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus) costs Canadian dairy producers $400 million/year and is the leading cause of antibiotic use on dairy farms. With increasing antibiotic resistance and regulations regarding use, there is impetus to explore bacteriocins (bacterially produced antimicrobial peptides) for treatment and prevention of bacterial infections

Decrease of Staphylococcus aureus Virulence by Helcococcus kunzii in a Caenorhabditis elegans Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngba Essebe, Christelle; Visvikis, Orane; Fines-Guyon, Marguerite; Vergne, Anne; Cattoir, Vincent; Lecoustumier, Alain; Lemichez, Emmanuel; Sotto, Albert; Lavigne, Jean-Philippe; Dunyach-Remy, Catherine

2017-01-01

Social bacterial interactions are considered essential in numerous infectious diseases, particularly in wounds. Foot ulcers are a common complication in diabetic patients and these ulcers become frequently infected. This infection is usually polymicrobial promoting cell-to-cell communications. Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen isolated. Its association with Helcococcus kunzii , commensal Gram-positive cocci, is frequently described. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of co-infection on virulence of both H. kunzii and S. aureus strains in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. To study the host response, qRT-PCRs targeting host defense genes were performed. We observed that H. kunzii strains harbored a very low (LT50: 5.7 days ± 0.4) or an absence of virulence (LT50: 6.9 days ± 0.5). In contrast, S. aureus strains (LT50: 2.9 days ± 0.4) were significantly more virulent than all H. kunzii ( P aureus strains were associated, H. kunzii significantly reduced the virulence of the S. aureus strain in nematodes (LT50 between 4.4 and 5.2 days; P aureus led to a strong induction of defense genes ( lys-5, sodh-1 , and cyp-37B1 ) while H. kunzii did not. No statistical difference of host response genes expression was observed when C. elegans were infected with either S. aureus alone or with S. aureus + H. kunzii . Moreover, two well-characterized virulence factors ( hla and agr ) present in S. aureus were down-regulated when S. aureus were co-infected with H. kunzii . This study showed that H. kunzii decreased the virulence of S. aureus without modifying directly the host defense response. Factor(s) produced by this bacterium modulating the staphylococci virulence must be investigated.

Staphylococcus aureus Transcriptome Architecture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mäder, Ulrike; Nicolas, Pierre; Depke, Maren

2016-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen that colonizes about 20% of the human population. Intriguingly, this Gram-positive bacterium can survive and thrive under a wide range of different conditions, both inside and outside the human body. Here, we investigated the transcriptional adaptation of...

Construction of Stable Fluorescent Reporter Plasmids for Use in Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle D. Rodriguez

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Here, the genes encoding three different fluorescent proteins were cloned into the stably maintained Staphylococcus aureus shuttle vector pKK30. The resulting plasmids were transformed into two S. aureus strains; SH1000 and RN4220. Stability assays illustrated that the three recombinant plasmids retained near 100% maintenance in vitro for 160 generations. S. aureus strain SH1000 expressing green fluorescent protein was then inoculated in an ovine model and in vivo stability for 6 days was demonstrated. In essence, these reporter plasmids represent a useful set of tools for dynamic imaging studies in S. aureus. These three reporter plasmids are available through BEI Resources.

Construction of Stable Fluorescent Reporter Plasmids for Use in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Michelle D; Paul, Zubin; Wood, Charles E; Rice, Kelly C; Triplett, Eric W

2017-01-01

Here, the genes encoding three different fluorescent proteins were cloned into the stably maintained Staphylococcus aureus shuttle vector pKK30. The resulting plasmids were transformed into two S. aureus strains; SH1000 and RN4220. Stability assays illustrated that the three recombinant plasmids retained near 100% maintenance in vitro for 160 generations. S. aureus strain SH1000 expressing green fluorescent protein was then inoculated in an ovine model and in vivo stability for 6 days was demonstrated. In essence, these reporter plasmids represent a useful set of tools for dynamic imaging studies in S. aureus . These three reporter plasmids are available through BEI Resources.

International Conference on Extreme Learning Machines 2014

CERN Document Server

Mao, Kezhi; Cambria, Erik; Man, Zhihong; Toh, Kar-Ann

2015-01-01

This book contains some selected papers from the International Conference on Extreme Learning Machine 2014, which was held in Singapore, December 8-10, 2014. This conference brought together the researchers and practitioners of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) from a variety of fields to promote research and development of “learning without iterative tuning”.  The book covers theories, algorithms and applications of ELM. It gives the readers a glance of the most recent advances of ELM.  

International Conference on Extreme Learning Machine 2015

CERN Document Server

Mao, Kezhi; Wu, Jonathan; Lendasse, Amaury; ELM 2015; Theory, Algorithms and Applications (I); Theory, Algorithms and Applications (II)

2016-01-01

This book contains some selected papers from the International Conference on Extreme Learning Machine 2015, which was held in Hangzhou, China, December 15-17, 2015. This conference brought together researchers and engineers to share and exchange R&D experience on both theoretical studies and practical applications of the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) technique and brain learning. This book covers theories, algorithms ad applications of ELM. It gives readers a glance of the most recent advances of ELM. .

17th National Conference on Sensors and Microsystems

CERN Document Server

Ferrari, Vittorio; Ponzoni, Andrea; Sberveglieri, Giorgio; Ferrari, Marco

2014-01-01

This book contains a selection of papers presented at the 17th AISEM (“Associazione Italiana Sensori e Microsistemi”) National Conference on Sensors and Microsystems, held in Brescia, 5-7 February, 2013. The conference highlighted state-of-the-art results from both theoretical and applied research in the field of sensors and related technologies. This book presents material in an interdisciplinary approach, covering many aspects of the disciplines related to sensors, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications.  ·         Provides a selection of the best papers from the 17th National Conference on Sensors and Microsystems; ·         Covers a broad range of topics relating to sensors and microsystems, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and applications; ·         Offers interdisciplinary coverage, aimed at defining a common ground for sensors beyond the specific differences among the different particular implementation of senso...

One-year mortality in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Rasmus V; Snygg-Martin, Ulrika; Olaison, Lars

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate in-hospital mortality and 12-month mortality in patients with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) compared to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infective endocarditis (IE). We used a prospective cohort study of 66 consecutive CoNS and 170 S. aureus IE...

Probiotic Lactobacilli Modulate Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Activation of Conventional and Unconventional T cells and NK cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria A Johansson

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Lactobacilli are probiotic commensal bacteria and potent modulators of immunity. When present in the gut or supplemented as probiotics, they beneficially modulate ex vivo immune responsiveness. Further, factors derived from several lactobacilli strains act immune regulato-ry in vitro. In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus is known to induce excessive T cell activation. In this study we aimed to investigate S. aureus-induced activation of human muco-sal associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells, γδ T cells, NK cells, as well as of conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro. Further, we investigated if lactobacilli-derived factors could modulate their activation.PBMC were cultured with S. aureus 161:2 cell free supernatant (CFS, staphylococcal en-terotoxin A or CD3/CD28-beads alone or in combination with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus GG-CFS or Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri DSM 17938-CFS, and activation of T and NK cells was evaluated. S. aureus-CFS induced IFN-γ and CD107a expression as well as proliferation. Co-stimulation with lactobacilli-CFS dampened lymphocyte activation in all cell types analysed. Pre-incubation with lactobacilli-CFS was enough to reduce subsequent activation and the ab-sence of APC or APC-derived IL-10 did not prevent lactobacilli-mediated dampening. Final-ly, lactate selectively dampened activation of unconventional T cells and NK cells. In summary, we show that molecules present in the lactobacilli-CFS are able to directly dampen in vitro activation of conventional and unconventional T cells and of NK cells. This study provides novel insights on the immune modulatory nature of probiotic lactobacilli and suggests a role for lactobacilli in modulation of induced T and NK cell activation.

Antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Abia State of Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The S. aureus. isolates varied in their antibiotic susceptibility pattern when tested for their sensitivity to 16 antibiotics. Eighty percent of the isolates were resistant to more than one antimicrobial agent. All the isolates showed resistance to nalidixic acid and 100% sensitivity to rifampicin. Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, ...

Adhesive polypeptides of Staphylococcus aureus identified using a novel secretion library technique in Escherichia coli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holm Liisa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacterial adhesive proteins, called adhesins, are frequently the decisive factor in initiation of a bacterial infection. Characterization of such molecules is crucial for the understanding of bacterial pathogenesis, design of vaccines and development of antibacterial drugs. Because adhesins are frequently difficult to express, their characterization has often been hampered. Alternative expression methods developed for the analysis of adhesins, e.g. surface display techniques, suffer from various drawbacks and reports on high-level extracellular secretion of heterologous proteins in Gram-negative bacteria are scarce. These expression techniques are currently a field of active research. The purpose of the current study was to construct a convenient, new technique for identification of unknown bacterial adhesive polypeptides directly from the growth medium of the Escherichia coli host and to identify novel proteinaceous adhesins of the model organism Staphylococcus aureus. Results Randomly fragmented chromosomal DNA of S. aureus was cloned into a unique restriction site of our expression vector, which facilitates secretion of foreign FLAG-tagged polypeptides into the growth medium of E. coli ΔfliCΔfliD, to generate a library of 1663 clones expressing FLAG-tagged polypeptides. Sequence and bioinformatics analyses showed that in our example, the library covered approximately 32% of the S. aureus proteome. Polypeptides from the growth medium of the library clones were screened for binding to a selection of S. aureus target molecules and adhesive fragments of known staphylococcal adhesins (e.g coagulase and fibronectin-binding protein A as well as polypeptides of novel function (e.g. a universal stress protein and phosphoribosylamino-imidazole carboxylase ATPase subunit were detected. The results were further validated using purified His-tagged recombinant proteins of the corresponding fragments in enzyme-linked immunoassay and

Antibacterial Activity of Protocatechuic Acid Ethyl Ester on Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Strains Alone and in Combination with Antistaphylococcal Drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Miklasińska

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the presented study was to examine in vitro the antibacterial activity of protocatechuic acid ethyl ester (ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, EDHB against Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates alone and in the combination with four selected antibiotics. The EDHB antimicrobial activity was tested against twenty S. aureus strains isolated from the clinical samples, and three reference strains. The phenotypes and genotypes of resistance to methicillin for the tested strains were defined as well as the phenotypic resistance to macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramin B (MLSB. EDHB displayed diverse activity against examined S. aureus strains with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC within the range from 64 to 1024 µg/mL. Addition of ¼ MIC of EDHB into the Mueller-Hinton Agar (MHA resulted in augmented antibacterial effect in the presence of clindamycin. In the case of cefoxitin no synergistic effect with EDHB was noted. For erythromycin and vancomycin the decrease of mean MICs in the presence of EDHB was observed but did not reach statistical significance. The results of the present study showed that in vitro EDHB possesses antibacterial activity against S. aureus clinical strains and triggers a synergistic antimicrobial effect with clindamycin and to the lesser extent with erythromycin and vancomycin.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus causing bovine mastitis in Argentine dairy herds Sensibilidad a los antimicrobianos de Staphylococcus aureus causantes de mastitis bovina en rodeos lecheros de Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.B. Russi

2008-06-01

Full Text Available We assessed the in vitro activity of selected antimicrobial agents against 95 Staphylococcus aureus strains causing both clinical and subclinical bovine mastitis belonging to 61 dairy farms from the Central dairy area of Argentina. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs of penicillin, oxacillin, gentamicin, erythromycin, enrofloxacin and florfenicol were estimated. In addition, the agar diffusion test was performed. MIC50 and MIC90 were as follows: penicillin, 0.05 and 4 µg/ml; oxacillin, 0.25 and 0.25 µg/ml; gentamicin, 0.25 and 0.5 µg/ml; erythromycin 0.125 and 0.25 µg/ml; enrofloxacin 0.25 and 0.5 µg/ml, and florfenicol 4 and 8 µg/ml. b-lactamase activity was detected in 89% of 46 penicillin- resistant strains. Apart from penicillin, antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus causing bovine mastitis remains rare in Argentine dairy farms.Se evaluó la actividad in vitro de un grupo seleccionado de antimicrobianos contra 95 aislamientos de Staphylococcus aureus obtenidos de casos de mastitis bovina clínica y subclínica, en 61 rodeos lecheros de la cuenca central de Argentina. Fueron estimadas las concentraciones inhibitorias mínimas (CIM de penicilina, oxacilina, gentamicina, eritromicina, enrofloxacina y florfenicol. Además se realizó la prueba de difusión en agar. Las CIM50 y CIM90 obtenidas fueron: penicilina 0,05 y 4 µg/ml; oxacilina 0,25 y 0,25 µg/ml; gentamicina 0,25 y 0,5 µg/ml; eritromicina 0,125 y 0,25 µg/ml; enrofloxacina 0,25 y 0,5 µg/ml y florfenicol 4 y 8 µg/ml. Se detectó actividad de b-lactamasa en el 89% de las cepas resistentes a la penicilina. A excepción de lo observado para penicilina, la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en S. aureus causantes de mastitis bovina en Argentina parece ser un fenómeno poco frecuente.

Expression of multidrug resistance efflux pump gene norA is iron responsive in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Xin; Sun, Fei; Ji, Quanjiang; Liang, Haihua; Missiakas, Dominique; Lan, Lefu; He, Chuan

2012-04-01

Staphylococcus aureus utilizes efflux transporter NorA to pump out a wide range of structurally dissimilar drugs, conferring low-level multidrug resistance. The regulation of norA expression has yet to be fully understood although past studies have revealed that this gene is under the control of the global transcriptional regulator MgrA and the two-component system ArlRS. To identify additional regulators of norA, we screened a transposon library in strain Newman expressing the transcriptional fusion norA-lacZ for altered β-galactosidase activity. We identify a transposon insertion in fhuB, a gene that encodes a ferric hydroxamate uptake system permease, and propose that the norA transcription is iron responsive. In agreement with this observation, addition of FeCl(3) repressed the induction of norA-lacZ, suggesting that bacterial iron uptake plays an important role in regulating norA transcription. In addition, a fur (ferric uptake regulator) deletion exhibited compromised norA transcription and reduced resistance to quinolone compared to the wild-type strain, indicating that fur functions as a positive regulator of norA. A putative Fur box identified in the promoter region of norA was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift and DNase I footprint assays. Finally, by employing a siderophore secretion assay, we reveal that NorA may contribute to the export of siderophores. Collectively, our experiments uncover some novel interactions between cellular iron level and norA regulation in S. aureus.

Multifaceted antibiotic treatment analysis of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Zhanni; Ariano, Robert; Lagacé-Wiens, Philippe; Zelenitsky, Sheryl

2016-12-01

Given the overall prevalence and poor prognosis of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (BSIs), the study of treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes is important. The aim of this study was to conduct a multifaceted antibiotic treatment analysis of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) BSI and to characterise optimal early antibiotic therapy (within the first 7 days of drawing the index blood culture) for this serious infection. Antibiotic selection was categorised as optimal targeted (intravenous cloxacillin or cefazolin), optimal broad (piperacillin/tazobactam or meropenem), adequate (vancomycin) or inadequate (other antibiotics or oral therapy). A TSE (timing, selection, exposure) score was developed to comprehensively characterise early antibiotic therapy, where higher points corresponded to prompt initiation, optimal antibiotic selection and longer exposure (duration). Amongst 71 cases of complicated MSSA-BSI, end-of-treatment (EOT) response (i.e. clinical cure) was improved when at least adequate antibiotic therapy was initiated within 24 h [71.7% (33/46) vs. 48.0% (12/25); P = 0.047]. Clinical cure was also more likely when therapy included ≥4 days of optimal targeted antibiotics within the first 7 days [74.4% (29/39) vs. 50.0% (16/32); P = 0.03]. The TSE score was an informative index of early antibiotic therapy, with EOT cure documented in 72.0% (36/50) compared with 42.9% (9/21) of cases with scores above and below 15.2, respectively (P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, lower Charlson comorbidity index, presence of BSI on admission, and optimising early antibiotic therapy, as described above, were associated with clinical cure in patients with MSSA-BSI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Mini-conference and Related Sessions on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hantao Ji

2004-01-01

This paper provides a summary of some major physics issues and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics. This Mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics 2003 Annual Meeting (October 27-31, 2003). Also included are brief summaries of selected talks on the same topic presented at two invited paper sessions (including a tutorial) and two contributed focus oral sessions, which were organized in coordination with the Mini-Conference by the same organizers

Mini-conference and Related Sessions on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hantao Ji

2004-02-27

This paper provides a summary of some major physics issues and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics. This Mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics 2003 Annual Meeting (October 27-31, 2003). Also included are brief summaries of selected talks on the same topic presented at two invited paper sessions (including a tutorial) and two contributed focus oral sessions, which were organized in coordination with the Mini-Conference by the same organizers.

2010 Plant Molecular Biology Gordon Research Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Sussman

2010-07-23

The Plant Molecular Biology Conference has traditionally covered a breadth of exciting topics and the 2010 conference will continue in that tradition. Emerging concerns about food security have inspired a program with three main themes: (1) genomics, natural variation and breeding to understand adaptation and crop improvement, (2) hormonal cross talk, and (3) plant/microbe interactions. There are also sessions on epigenetics and proteomics/metabolomics. Thus this conference will bring together a range of disciplines, will foster the exchange of ideas and enable participants to learn of the latest developments and ideas in diverse areas of plant biology. The conference provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to discuss their research because additional speakers in each session will be selected from submitted abstracts. There will also be a poster session each day for a two-hour period prior to dinner. In particular, this conference plays a key role in enabling students and postdocs (the next generation of research leaders) to mingle with pioneers in multiple areas of plant science.

Chicago particle accelerator conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Southworth, Brian

1989-01-01

Naturally, emphasis at the Particle Accelerator Conference in Chicago in March was on work in the US, just as the newly instituted European Particle Accelerator Conference places emphasis on work in the 'old continent'. All will come together at the international conference in Japan in August. The proposed US Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) was highlighted in the opening talk at Chicago. Progress on this inchoate project to explore the TeV (1000 GeV) energy region by colliding 20 TeV proton beams was reported by the recently-appointed Director of the SSC Laboratory, Roy Schwitters. He reviewed the physics challenges and described progress and plans towards full authorization of construction.This year, the SSC conceptual design will be transformed into a 'site specific' report, now that the location at Waxahachie in Ellis County, Texas, has been selected. The Central Design Group, based in Berkeley for the past few years, will soon move to the Waxahachie region. The top management structure is taking shape and an International Advisory Committee is being formed

Chicago particle accelerator conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Southworth, Brian

1989-06-15

Naturally, emphasis at the Particle Accelerator Conference in Chicago in March was on work in the US, just as the newly instituted European Particle Accelerator Conference places emphasis on work in the 'old continent'. All will come together at the international conference in Japan in August. The proposed US Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) was highlighted in the opening talk at Chicago. Progress on this inchoate project to explore the TeV (1000 GeV) energy region by colliding 20 TeV proton beams was reported by the recently-appointed Director of the SSC Laboratory, Roy Schwitters. He reviewed the physics challenges and described progress and plans towards full authorization of construction.This year, the SSC conceptual design will be transformed into a 'site specific' report, now that the location at Waxahachie in Ellis County, Texas, has been selected. The Central Design Group, based in Berkeley for the past few years, will soon move to the Waxahachie region. The top management structure is taking shape and an International Advisory Committee is being formed.

Concomitant genotyping revealed diverse spreading between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in central Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Cheng-Mao; Lin, Chien-Yu; Ho, Mao-Wang; Lin, Hsiao-Chuan; Peng, Ching-Tien; Lu, Jang-Jih

2016-06-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile bacterium, which can lead to various infectious diseases. Various molecular typing methods are applied to the evolution and epidemiology surveys of S. aureus, mostly for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). However, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) is still an important pathogen, but their molecular typing is evaluated infrequently. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, and detection of five virulent genes for 95 MRSA and 56 MSSA isolates (July-December 2008 and July 2008-December 2009, respectively) during an overlapping period were performed. More diversity was found in MSSA isolates (23 pulsotypes and 25 spa types, excluding 4 new-type and 1 nontypable isolates for spa typing) than in MRSA isolates (19 pulsotypes and 16 spa types, excluding 1 new-type and 1 nontypable isolates for spa typing). By spa typing, t002 (n = 30), t037 (n = 23), t437 (n = 21), t234 (n = 3), t1081 (n = 3), and t1094 (n = 3) were the six major MRSA clones. For MSSA isolates, t189 (n = 13), t437 (n = 4), t084 (n = 3), t213 (n = 3), t701 (n = 3), and t7200 (n = 3) were the six major types. Combining PFGE and spa typing, there were five combinations (pulsotype + spa type) that contained both MRSA and MSSA isolates (pulsotype 9-t437, pulsotype 15-t037, pulsotype 19-t002, pulsotype 21-t002, and pulsotype 28-t1081). For all 151 S. aureus or 95 MRSA isolates, the PFGE typing had more discrimination power, but spa typing had larger discrimination index for 56 MSSA isolates. In conclusion, there were different predominant MRSA and MSSA clones clinically. Continuing longitudinal tracking of molecular typing is necessary for elucidating the evolution of this important clinical pathogen. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Asthma & COPD--IQPC's Second Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Catley, Matthew C

2010-09-01

The International Quality & Productivity Center's (IQPC) Second Asthma & COPD conference, held in Philadelphia, included topics covering new therapeutic developments in the field of asthma and COPD. This conference report highlights selected presentations on mAb treatments for asthma, including targeting IL-5, IL-13, IL-9 and TNFa, CCR3 inhibitors, histamine H4 receptor inhibition, novel mouse models of COPD and inhaled antisense asthma therapies. Investigational drugs discussed include mepolizumab (GlaxoSmithKline plc), benralizumab (BioWa Inc/Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co Ltd/MedImmune LLC), AMG-317 (Amgen Inc/Takeda Bio Development Center Ltd), TPI-ASM-8 (Pharmaxis Ltd) and AIR-645 (Altair Therapeutics Inc).

12th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

CERN Document Server

Gusikhin, Oleg; Madani, Kurosh; Sasiadek, Jurek

2016-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the 11th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics (ICINCO 2014), held in Vienna, Austria, from 1 to 3 September 2014. The conference brought together researchers, engineers and practitioners interested in the application of informatics to Control, Automation and Robotics. Four simultaneous tracks will be held, covering Intelligent Control Systems, Optimization, Robotics, Automation, Signal Processing, Sensors, Systems Modelling and Control, and Industrial Engineering, Production and Management. Informatics applications are pervasive in many areas of Control, Automation and Robotics. ICINCO 2014 received 301 submissions, from 49 countries, in all continents. After a double blind paper review performed by the Program Committee, 20% were accepted as full papers and thus selected for oral presentation. Additional papers were accepted as short papers and posters. A further selection was made after the Conference, ba...

12th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

CERN Document Server

Madani, Kurosh; Gusikhin, Oleg; Sasiadek, Jurek

2016-01-01

The present book includes a set of selected extended papers from the 12th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics (ICINCO 2015), held in Colmar, France, from 21 to 23 July 2015. The conference brought together researchers, engineers and practitioners interested in the application of informatics to Control, Automation and Robotics. Four simultaneous tracks will be held, covering Intelligent Control Systems, Optimization, Robotics, Automation, Signal Processing, Sensors, Systems Modelling and Control, and Industrial Engineering, Production and Management. Informatics applications are pervasive in many areas of Control, Automation and Robotics. ICINCO 2015 received 214 submissions, from 42 countries, in all continents. After a double blind paper review performed by the Program Committee, 14% were accepted as full papers and thus selected for oral presentation. Additional papers were accepted as short papers and posters. A further selection was made after the Conference, based ...

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of fluoroquinolone- and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Flores, Antonio; Potel-Alvarellos, Carmen; Otero-Fernández, Susana; Álvarez-Fernández, Maximiliano

2017-07-20

Fluoroquinolone resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has increased in recent years. The objective of this study was to characterise two MRSA populations, one susceptible to fluoroquinolones and other resistant identifying the clonal types and the differential characteristics of both MRSA populations. Molecular typing using PFGE, MLST, spa and SSCmec was performed on 192 MRSA strains isolated from 2009 to 2011, 49 only oxacillin-resistant (OX-R) and 143 oxacillin and levofloxacin-resistant (OX-R-LEV-R). Mutations that conferred resistance to fluoroquinolones, hypermutable phenotypes and the presence of eight microbial surface components recognising adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) were also studied. A statistically significant increase in the OX-R-LEV-R phenotype was observed (p<0.05). The most common clone of the OX-R isolates was sequence type (ST) 8 (32.6%), followed by ST72 (26.5%) and ST5 (26.5%). In the OX-R-LEV-R phenotype, the ST5 clone was the most common (65.7%), followed by ST72 (15.4%), and ST125 (12.6%). All isolates except the ST398 clone carried the SCCmecIVc. Clones ST5, ST72, ST125, and ST30 had hypermutable phenotypes. The ST72 clone and the ST30 clone in the OX-R phenotype harboured the highest number of MSCRAMMs. ST5 and ST72 clones were the most frequent clones identified in OX-R-LEV-R phenotype. Both clones showed a hypermutable phenotype that favours their selection as the fluoroquinolone resistant clones. The genetic relationships identified indicate that OX-R-LEV-R clones have evolved from OX-R MRSA clones. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical samples at Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilnessa, Tebelay; Bitew, Adane

2016-08-09

Staphylococcus aureus particularly MRSA strains are one of the major causes of community and hospital acquired bacterial infections. They are also becoming increasingly multi-drug resistant and have recently developed resistance to vancomycin, which has been used successfully to treat MRSA for many years. In-vitro determination of drug resistance patterns of S. aureus is critical for the selection of effective drugs for the treatment of staphylococci infections. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of methicillin resistant S. aureus strains from different clinical specimens from patients referred for routine culture and sensitivity testing. A cross sectional study was conducted among 1360 participants at Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College in Ethiopia from September 2013 to April 2014. Clinical samples from various anatomical sites of study participants were cultured on blood agar and mannitol salt agar and identified to be S. aureus by using catalase, coagulase and DNAse tests. S. aureus isolates then were screened for MRSA using 30 μg cefoxitin disc and other 11 antimicrobial drugs by disc diffusion procedure, and agar dilution and E tests for vancomycin. All S. aureus isolates examined for beta-lactamase production by employing nitrocefin. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software and logistic regressions were applied to assess any association between dependent and independent variables. Of 1360 clinical specimens analyzed S. aureus was recovered from (194, 14.3 %). Rate of isolation of S. aureus with regard to clinical specimens was the highest in pus (118, 55.4 %).No S. aureus was isolated from CSF and urethral discharge. Out of 194 S. aureus isolates, (34, 17.5 %) were found out to be MRSA and the remaining (160, 82.5 %) were MSSA. Ninety eight (50.5 %) S. aureus were multi drug resistant and the highest isolates were resistant to penicillin (187, 96.4 %) and least resistant for clindamycin (23, 11.9 %) and vancomycin

Immunological role of nasal staphylococcus aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Yousif Atia

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus exerts immunomodulatory effect in patients with atopic dermatitis and it may contribute to airway inflammation and allergic response in patients with allergic rhinitis. We Aim to investigate the frequency of nasal S.aureus carriage in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis and its possible influence on their symptoms and immune markers. We chosed 20 non smoker patients with house dust mite (HDM allergy causing allergic rhinitis and 20 non smoker healthy subjects matched for age and sex. For all subjects rhinoscopy was done, skin prick test, nasal culture for S.aureus, nasal interleukin 4,nasal total IgE, serum total IgE and serum specific IgE(SSIgE for HDM. Nasal S.aureus was detected in 16/20 patients (80% and 5/20 (25% in healthy subjects with highly significant statistical difference plt0.01. Correlation of nasal staph.aureus count and different systemic and local immune markers revealed highly significant positive correlation between nasal S.aureus count and serum total IgE (r = 0.78, plt0.01 and significant positive correlation with SSIgE (HDM (r = 0.53, plt0.05, nasal total IgE (r = 0.39, plt0.05 and nasal IL-4 (r = 0.55, plt0.05. Nasal staph.aureus actively modulated the immune reaction in persistent allergic rhinitis patients by promoting local IgE production, so we recommend early detection and treatment of S.aureus carriage in patients

EDITORIAL: Selected articles from `The 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves (Amaldi 8)', Columbia University, New York, 22-26 June 2009 Selected articles from `The 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves (Amaldi 8)', Columbia University, New York, 22-26 June 2009

Science.gov (United States)

Marka, Zsuzsa; Marka, Szabolcs

2010-04-01

received special attention at the meeting. For the first time in the history of Amaldi conferences, plenary and contributed sessions were held to transfer ideas and experience gained with gravitational-wave science inspired education and outreach projects. Additionally, Columbia University faculties working in frontier fields, which currently may not have a direct connection to the field of gravitational-wave science, gave enthralling presentations in the form of a `wake-up' lecture series. The meeting also facilitated the exchange of scientific results and new ideas among all members of gravitational-wave experiment collaborations and the gravitational-wave theory community. Additionally, future directions in gravitational-wave detection were discussed in a special session dedicated to the Gravitational Wave International Committee Roadmap. A highly entertaining and inspiring public talk entitled `Songs from space: black holes and the Big Bang in audio' was given by Janna Levin and it attracted over 300 young and old science enthusiasts from and around New York City. This special issue of Classical and Quantum Gravity (Volume 27, Number 8, 2010) is published as the proceedings of Amaldi8. It contains the overview articles by invited plenary speakers, and some of the highlights of the conference as selected by session chairs and organizers. Other Amaldi8 talks and posters appear in the refereed issue of the electronic Journal of Physics: Conference Series. This issue of Classical and Quantum Gravity and the Journal of Physics: Conference Series issue will be electronically linked. The conference organizers gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Columbia University in the City of New York, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and the United States National Science Foundation. We would like to thank the Gravitational Wave International Committee for their scientific oversight, the Local Organizing Committee for program selection, and the session

Frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Somayeh Rahimi-Alang

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is one of the most important pathogen in hospitals. Healthcare personnel are the main source of nosocomial infections and identification and control of MRSA carriers can reduce incidence of infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MRSA and their antibiotic susceptibility profile among healthcare workers in Gorgan.Materials and Method: 333 healthcare workers were participated in this cross-sectional study in 2009. Samples were taken with sterile cotton swabs from both anterior nares and hands. Swabs were plated immediately on to the mannitol salt agar. Suspected colonies were confirmed as S. aureus by Gram staining, catalase, coagulase and DNase tests. Minimum inhibition concentration by micro dilution broth method was used to determine methicillin resistant strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility to other antibiotics was performed according to NCCLS guidelines by disc diffusion method.Result: Frequency of S.aureus and MRSA carriers among healthcare workers was 24% and 3% respectively. The highest rate of S. aureus and MRSA carriers were observed in operating room staff. Resistance to penicillin was seen in 97.5% of isolates and all strains were sensitive to vancomycin.Conclusions: Frequency of S. aureus and MRSA in healthcare workers was median and rather low respectively. Continual monitoring and control of carriers can reduce distribution of this organism and their infections

Global Conference on Applied Physics and Mathematics

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

The Global Conference on Applied Physics and Mathematics is organized by academics and researchers belonging to different scientific areas of the C3i/Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre (Portugal) and the University of Extremadura (Spain) with the technical support of ScienceKnow Conferences. The event has the objective of creating an international forum for academics, researchers and scientists from worldwide to discuss worldwide results and proposals regarding to the soundest issues related to Applied Physics and Mathematics. This event will include the participation of renowned keynote speakers, oral presentations, posters sessions and technical conferences related to the topics dealt with in the Scientific Program as well as an attractive social and cultural program. The papers will be published in the Proceedings e-books. The proceedings of the conference will be sent to possible indexing on Thomson Reuters (selective by Thomson Reuters, not all-inclusive) and Google Scholar. Those communications con...

Prevalence of nasal portal of Staphylococcus aureus in disabled children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clotilde Molin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Colonization of the nasal mucosa by Staphylococcus aureus set a carrier state. Which is recognized as a potential source of infection and a high risk factor for subsequent invasive infections. The prevalence of nasal carriage of this germ in disabled children in Paraguay is not known, thus contributing to the knowledge of their frequency and evaluate the profile of sensitivity to common antimicrobials was conducted this study, from May to July 2015.  Objective: to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage and profile of antimicrobial resistance in disabled children. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study in which 80 nasal swabs of children, who attended the service laboratory of SENADIS (Secretaria Nacional por los Derechos Humanos de las Personas con Discapacidad. The identification and sensitivity of germ was accomplished by conventional testing.  Results: 80 pediatric patients, 46 boys and 34 girls. 18 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were obtained, corresponding to a prevalence of 22,5%. Susceptibility testing indicated that 14 strains were MSSA (Methicillin – Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and 4 RMSA ( Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in a population with its own characteristics provides valuable data for the epidemiology, reflecting the need for continued vigilance and take steps to reduce associated infections. The detection of RMAR evidences their progress; it is important to evaluate the empirical treatment to primary care.

Mode of action of Buddleja cordata verbascoside against Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Avila, J G; de Liverant, J G; Martínez, A; Martínez, G; Muñoz, J L; Arciniegas, A; Romo de Vivar, A

1999-07-01

We evaluate the mode of action of verbascoside obtained from Buddleja cordata against Staphylococcus aureus by killing kinetics and incorporation of precursors methods. Verbascoside induced lethal effect on S. aureus, by affecting protein synthesis and inhibiting leucine incorporation.

Virulence potential of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from Buruli ulcer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Amissah, Nana Ama; Chlebowicz, Monika A; Ablordey, Anthony; Tetteh, Caitlin S; Prah, Isaac; van der Werf, Tjip S; Friedrich, Alex W; van Dijl, Jan Maarten; Stienstra, Ymkje; Rossen, John W

2017-06-01

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a necrotizing infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. BU wounds may also be colonized with other microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus. This study aimed to characterize the virulence factors of S. aureus isolated from BU patients. Previously sequenced genomes of 21 S. aureus isolates from BU patients were screened for the presence of virulence genes. The results show that all S. aureus isolates harbored on their core genomes genes for known virulence factors like α-hemolysin, and the α- and β-phenol soluble modulins. Besides the core genome virulence genes, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), i.e. prophages, genomic islands, pathogenicity islands and a Staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) were found to carry different combinations of virulence factors, among them genes that are known to encode factors that promote immune evasion, superantigens and Panton-Valentine Leucocidin. The present observations imply that the S. aureus isolates from BU patients harbor a diverse repertoire of virulence genes that may enhance bacterial survival and persistence in the wound environment and potentially contribute to delayed wound healing. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

8th International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management

CERN Document Server

Cruz-Machado, Virgílio; Lev, Benjamin; Nickel, Stefan

2014-01-01

This is the Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management (ICMSEM) held from July 25 to 27, 2014 at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal and organized by International Society of Management Science and Engineering Management (ISMSEM), Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) and Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal). The goals of the conference are to foster international research collaborations in Management Science and Engineering Management as well as to provide a forum to present current findings. A total number of 138 papers from 14 countries are selected for the proceedings by the conference scientific committee through rigorous referee review. The selected papers in the first volume are focused on Intelligent System and Management Science covering areas of Intelligent Systems, Decision Support Systems, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.

8th International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management

CERN Document Server

Cruz-Machado, Virgílio; Lev, Benjamin; Nickel, Stefan

2014-01-01

This is the Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management (ICMSEM) held from July 25 to 27, 2014 at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal and organized by International Society of Management Science and Engineering Management (ISMSEM), Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) and Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal). The goals of the conference are to foster international research collaborations in Management Science and Engineering Management as well as to provide a forum to present current findings. A total number of 138 papers from 14 countries are selected for the proceedings by the conference scientific committee through rigorous referee review. The selected papers in the second volume are focused on Computing and Engineering Management covering areas of Computing Methodology, Project Management, Industrial Engineering and Information Technology.

Occurrence and distribution of Staphylococcus aureus lineages among zoo animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gongora, Carmen Espinosa; Chrobak, Dorota; Moodley, Arshnee

2012-01-01

The current knowledge of the occurrence and diversity of Staphylococcus aureus in animals is largely biased in favour MRSA and domestic animals. In order to generate novel information on the ecology and population structure of this bacterial species in the animal kingdom, we investigated...... the occurrence and genotypic diversity of S. aureus in a range of animal species kept at the Copenhagen Zoo. We sampled 146 animals belonging to 25 mammalian species and 21 reptiles belonging to six species. A total of 59 S. aureus isolates were found in 10 of the 25 mammalian species tested. All isolates were...... MSSA belonging to fourteen spa types, including three novel spa types. MLST revealed the occurrence of seven STs. The study of the ecology of commensal S. aureus in captive wild animals revealed that ST133 has a broader host range than previously thought....

Evaluation of Approaches to Monitor Staphylococcus aureus Virulence Factor Expression during Human Disease

OpenAIRE

Rozemeijer, Wouter; Fink, Pamela; Rojas, Eduardo; Jones, C. Hal; Pavliakova, Danka; Giardina, Peter; Murphy, Ellen; Liberator, Paul; Jiang, Qin; Girgenti, Douglas; Peters, Remco P. H.; Savelkoul, Paul H. M.; Jansen, Kathrin U.; Anderson, Annaliesa S.; Kluytmans, Jan

2015-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen of medical significance, using multiple virulence factors to cause disease. A prophylactic S. aureus 4-antigen (SA4Ag) vaccine comprising capsular polysaccharide (types 5 and 8) conjugates, clumping factor A (ClfA) and manganese transporter C (MntC) is under development. This study was designed to characterize S. aureus isolates recovered from infected patients and also to investigate approaches for examining expression of S. aureus vaccine candid...

Multidrug Efflux Pumps in Staphylococcus aureus: an Update

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Sofia Santos; Viveiros, Miguel; Amaral, Leonard; Couto, Isabel

2013-01-01

The emergence of infections caused by multi- or pan-resistant bacteria in the hospital or in the community settings is an increasing health concern. Albeit there is no single resistance mechanism behind multiresistance, multidrug efflux pumps, proteins that cells use to detoxify from noxious compounds, seem to play a key role in the emergence of these multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. During the last decades, experimental data has established their contribution to low level resistance to antimicrobials in bacteria and their potential role in the appearance of MDR phenotypes, by the extrusion of multiple, unrelated compounds. Recent studies suggest that efflux pumps may be used by the cell as a first-line defense mechanism, avoiding the drug to reach lethal concentrations, until a stable, more efficient alteration occurs, that allows survival in the presence of that agent. In this paper we review the current knowledge on MDR efflux pumps and their intricate regulatory network in Staphylococcus aureus, a major pathogen, responsible from mild to life-threatening infections. Particular emphasis will be given to the potential role that S. aureus MDR efflux pumps, either chromosomal or plasmid-encoded, have on resistance towards different antimicrobial agents and on the selection of drug - resistant strains. We will also discuss the many questions that still remain on the role of each specific efflux pump and the need to establish appropriate methodological approaches to address all these questions. PMID:23569469

Multidrug Efflux Pumps in Staphylococcus aureus: an Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Sofia Santos; Viveiros, Miguel; Amaral, Leonard; Couto, Isabel

2013-01-01

The emergence of infections caused by multi- or pan-resistant bacteria in the hospital or in the community settings is an increasing health concern. Albeit there is no single resistance mechanism behind multiresistance, multidrug efflux pumps, proteins that cells use to detoxify from noxious compounds, seem to play a key role in the emergence of these multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. During the last decades, experimental data has established their contribution to low level resistance to antimicrobials in bacteria and their potential role in the appearance of MDR phenotypes, by the extrusion of multiple, unrelated compounds. Recent studies suggest that efflux pumps may be used by the cell as a first-line defense mechanism, avoiding the drug to reach lethal concentrations, until a stable, more efficient alteration occurs, that allows survival in the presence of that agent. In this paper we review the current knowledge on MDR efflux pumps and their intricate regulatory network in Staphylococcus aureus, a major pathogen, responsible from mild to life-threatening infections. Particular emphasis will be given to the potential role that S. aureus MDR efflux pumps, either chromosomal or plasmid-encoded, have on resistance towards different antimicrobial agents and on the selection of drug - resistant strains. We will also discuss the many questions that still remain on the role of each specific efflux pump and the need to establish appropriate methodological approaches to address all these questions.

2014 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2014)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-01

The 2014 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2014) sponsored by Ningbo Adhesives and Products Industry Association, Shanghai Bonding Technology Association, Zhejiang Bonding Technology Association, Wuhan Bonding Technology Association, Hebei Bonding and Coatings Association and Polyurethane Industry Association was held from May 27 to May 29 2014 in Ningbo, China. The technical program consisted of 8 international keynote speakers, oral presentations, and a poster session. The conference also included an industrial exhibition where more than 50 companies displayed in their booths their most recent advanced products and services. The present issue of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) records the proceedings of PCM 2014 and contains 37 specially selected manuscripts submitted to PCM2014 conference. The electronic submission and handling of manuscripts via the conference website, including the selection of reviewers and evaluation of manuscripts, were identical to the procedures applied to manuscripts submitted as regular contributions for publication. The organization of this conference and the preparation of proceedings volumes would have been impossible without the tremendous efforts and dedication of many individuals, especially from Ms. Yin Pan, who oversaw the organization of the conference and the program; and a large team of reviewers with their timely submission of quality reports. We express our sincere thanks to all authors and presenters for their contributions. We also thank very much our sponsors for their generous support. The 2015 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM2015) will be held in Beijing, China on May 16-18, 2015. Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, will welcome to all participants for a renewed and vibrant conference. Prof. Dr. Esteban Broitman Linköping University, Sweden Editor in Chief — PCM2014

2014 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2014)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The 2014 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2014) sponsored by Ningbo Adhesives and Products Industry Association, Shanghai Bonding Technology Association, Zhejiang Bonding Technology Association, Wuhan Bonding Technology Association, Hebei Bonding and Coatings Association and Polyurethane Industry Association was held from May 27 to May 29 2014 in Ningbo, China. The technical program consisted of 8 international keynote speakers, oral presentations, and a poster session. The conference also included an industrial exhibition where more than 50 companies displayed in their booths their most recent advanced products and services. The present issue of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) records the proceedings of PCM 2014 and contains 37 specially selected manuscripts submitted to PCM2014 conference. The electronic submission and handling of manuscripts via the conference website, including the selection of reviewers and evaluation of manuscripts, were identical to the procedures applied to manuscripts submitted as regular contributions for publication. The organization of this conference and the preparation of proceedings volumes would have been impossible without the tremendous efforts and dedication of many individuals, especially from Ms. Yin Pan, who oversaw the organization of the conference and the program; and a large team of reviewers with their timely submission of quality reports. We express our sincere thanks to all authors and presenters for their contributions. We also thank very much our sponsors for their generous support. The 2015 Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM2015) will be held in Beijing, China on May 16–18, 2015. Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, will welcome to all participants for a renewed and vibrant conference. Prof. Dr. Esteban Broitman Linköping University, Sweden Editor in Chief — PCM

Study of nosocomial isolates of Staphylococcus aureus with special reference to methicillin resistant S. aureus in a tertiary care hospital in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, B; Pokhrel, B; Mohapatra, T

2009-06-01

To find out the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial infection and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), clinical samples from nosocomially infected patients were processed by following standard methodology in microbiology laboratory, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Of 149 S. aureus isolates, skin infection isolates contributed a major part 72.5% making nosocomial infection by S. aureus most prevalent in skin infection followed by lower respiratory tract infection 11.41% and urinary tract infection 8.7%. Overall MRSA prevalence was 45.0%. MRSA prevalence was 42.6% in skin infection, 82.3% in lower respiratory tract infection and 30.8% in urinary tract infection. MRSA infection was found associated with lower respiratory tract infection only. Highest occurrence of nosocomial infection was observed in female surgical ward, surgical out patient department, orthopedic ward, male surgical ward and maternity ward. MRSA isolation was high from lower respiratory tract of patients admitted in intensive care unit, coronary care unit, Sub-acute intensive care unit, intermediate coronary care unit, neurology ward and post-operative ward. Whereas methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) occurrence was higher in patients admitted in orthopedic, Surgical out patient department, and female surgical ward. The occurrence of MRSA did not differ with age but MRSA was found associated with male patients and MSSA was associated with female patients. Since MRSA prevalence was high, regular surveillance of MRSA and nosocomial infections should be done and universal precautions to control nosocomial infections should be followed.

UJI ZONA HAMBAT EKSTRAK DAUN PUTRI MALU (Mimosa pudica TERHADAP BAKTERI Staphylococcus aureus DAN Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA SECARA IN VITRO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nyoman Ririn Chandrika Sari

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Resistensi Staphylococcus aureus dan MRSA terhadap antibiotika spektrum luas mendorong berbagai penelitian untuk menemukan senyawa aktif yang sensitif dan efektif dalam menghambat pertumbuhan bakteri.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efek penghambatan ekstrak daun putri malu (Mimosa pudica terhadap pertumbuhan bakteri Staphylococcus aureus dan MRSA.Penelitian terhadap aktivitas antimikrobial ekstrak daun putri malu dilakukan dengan metode agar difusi cakram dengan menggunakan metode Kirby-Bauer.Suspensi bakteri disesuaikan dengan standar kekeruhan Mc Farland 0.5. Biakan bakteri dalam cawan petri masing-masing diberikan 6 perlakuan, yaitu kontrol positif (amoxicillin atau vancomycin, kontrol negatif (alkohol, serta ekstrak daun putri malu dengan konsentrasi 25 mcg/ml, 50 mcg/ml, 75 mcg/ml dan 100 mcg/ml. Pertumbuhan Staphylococcus aureus dihambat secara signifikan oleh ekstrak daun putri malu, dengan efek inhibisi pada semua konsentrasi secara signifikan lebih baik dibandingkan dengan kontrol positif (p<0.05. Zona inhibisi Staphylococcus aureus pada konsentrasi 25 mcg/ml adalah 28.86 mm dan telah memenuhi kriteria sebagai antimikrobial sensitif berdasarkan Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI. Inhibisi pertumbuhan MRSA secara signifikan terjadi pada semua konsentrasi ekstrak daun putri malu dibandingkan dengan kontrol negatif (p=0.00. Zona inhibisi terbesar ditemukan pada konsentrasi 100 mcg/ml dengan diameter sebesar 14.16 mm dan memiliki efek antimikrobial sebanding dengan vancomycin dalam menghambat pertumbuhan MRSA (p=0.186. Hasil uji agar difusi cakram menunjukkan bahwa senyawa aktif dalam ekstrak daun putri malu memiliki aktivitas antimikrobial yang tinggi terhadap Staphylococcus aureus dan MRSA secara in vitro.

Methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in a random sample of non-hospitalized adult population in northern Germany.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaishri Mehraj

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The findings from truly randomized community-based studies on Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization are scarce. Therefore we have examined point prevalence and risk factors of S. aureus nasal carriage in a non-hospitalized population of Braunschweig, northern Germany. METHODS: A total of 2026 potential participants were randomly selected through the resident's registration office and invited by mail. They were requested to collect a nasal swab at home and return it by mail. S. aureus was identified by culture and PCR. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors of S. aureus carriage. RESULTS: Among the invitees, 405 individuals agreed to participate and 389 provided complete data which was included in the analysis. The median age of the participants was 49 years (IQR: 39-61 and 61% were females. S. aureus was isolated in 85 (21.9%; 95% CI: 18.0-26.2% of the samples, five of which were MRSA (1.29%; 95% CI: 0.55-2.98%. In multiple logistic regression, male sex (OR = 3.50; 95% CI: 2.01-6.11 and presence of allergies (OR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.39-4.24 were found to be associated with S. aureus nasal carriage. Fifty five different spa types were found, that clustered into nine distinct groups. MRSA belonged to the hospital-associated spa types t032 and t025 (corresponds to MLST CC 22, whereas MSSA spa types varied and mostly belonged to spa-CC 012 (corresponds to MLST CC 30, and spa-CC 084 (corresponds to MLST CC 15. CONCLUSION: This first point prevalence study of S. aureus in a non-hospitalized population of Germany revealed prevalence, consistent with other European countries and supports previous findings on male sex and allergies as risk factors of S. aureus carriage. The detection of hospital-associated MRSA spa types in the community indicates possible spread of these strains from hospitals into the community.

The anchorless adhesin Eap (extracellular adherence protein) from Staphylococcus aureus selectively recognizes extracellular matrix aggregates but binds promiscuously to monomeric matrix macromolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Uwe; Hussain, Muzaffar; Villone, Daniela; Herrmann, Mathias; Robenek, Horst; Peters, Georg; Sinha, Bhanu; Bruckner, Peter

2006-05-01

Besides a number of cell wall-anchored adhesins, the majority of Staphylococcus aureus strains produce anchorless, cell wall-associated proteins, such as Eap (extracellular adherence protein). Eap contains four to six tandem repeat (EAP)-domains. Eap mediates diverse biological functions, including adherence and immunomodulation, thus contributing to S. aureus pathogenesis. Eap binding to host macromolecules is unusually promiscuous and includes matrix or matricellular proteins as well as plasma proteins. The structural basis of this promiscuity is poorly understood. Here, we show that in spite of the preferential location of the binding epitopes within triple helical regions in some collagens there is a striking specificity of Eap binding to different collagen types. Collagen I, but not collagen II, is a binding substrate in monomolecular form. However, collagen I is virtually unrecognized by Eap when incorporated into banded fibrils. By contrast, microfibrils containing collagen VI as well as basement membrane-associated networks containing collagen IV, or aggregates containing fibronectin bound Eap as effectively as the monomeric proteins. Therefore, Eap-binding to extracellular matrix ligands is promiscuous at the molecular level but not indiscriminate with respect to supramolecular structures containing the same macromolecules. In addition, Eap bound to banded fibrils after their partial disintegration by matrix-degrading proteinases, including matrix metalloproteinase 1. Therefore, adherence to matrix suprastructures by S. aureus can be supported by inflammatory reactions.

Prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus and associated risk factors on admission to a specialist care eye hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Islam, Sara I.; Moore, C.

2002-01-01

Staphyloccocus aureus is known to be a frequent pathogen in hospital settings, with its well-known and resistant forms to the anti-staphylococcal penicillins. Reports on community carriage outside hospital settings have been feared to be on the increase due to the due to the frequency of reported cases on admission to hospitals. We undertook this study to determine the prevalence of and to establish predictors for, nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant S.aureus (MRSA) at the time of admission to a specialist care eye hospital. A prospective survey was conducted at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH), Riyadh during the three differing weeks randomly selected from the year 1999. The first 100 patients admitted during those three weeks were selected according to inclusion criteria. The hospital is a 220-bed tertiary ophthalmic care facility, with an average 7,500admission per year. Nasal bacterial swabs were taken within 48 hours of admission and tested for all strains of S.aureus and sensitivity to methicillin. Detailed interviews were conducted about medical history and habitual environment. Of 306 nasal cultures tested, none was isolated for MRSA and 102 (33%) were sensitive to methicillin (MSSA).We found 0% nasal carriage rate for MRSA. Respondents have difficulty with questions related to antibiotic administration. No identifiable medical or environmental risk factors could be found. Nasal swabs of patients admitted to KKESH did not reveal MRSA colonization, indicating that MRSA may not be prevalent in the community at present. (author)

International Joint Conference CISIS’15 and ICEUTE’15

CERN Document Server

Baruque, Bruno; Sedano, Javier; Quintián, Héctor; Corchado, Emilio

2015-01-01

This volume of Advances in Intelligent and Soft Computing contains accepted papers presented at the 8th International Conference on Computational Intelligence in Security for Information Systems (CISIS 2015) and the 6th International Conference on EUropean Transnational Education (ICEUTE 2015). These conferences were held in the beautiful and historic city of Burgos (Spain), in June 2015. The aim of the 8th CISIS conference is to offer a meeting opportunity for academic and industry-related researchers belonging to the various, vast communities of Computational Intelligence, Information Security, and Data Mining. The need for intelligent, flexible behaviour by large, complex systems, especially in mission-critical domains, is intended to be the catalyst and the aggregation stimulus for the overall event. After a through peer-review process, the CISIS 2015 International Program Committee selected 43 papers, written by authors from 16 different countries. In the case of 6th ICEUTE conference, the International ...

PRODUKSI IGY SPESIFIK STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS DARI ISOLAT ASAL KASUS STAPHYLOCOCCOSIS PADA KELINCI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Triwardhani Cahyaningsih

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This experiment aims to produce immunoglobulin Y (Ig-Y Staphylococcus aureus isolates origin staphylococcosis case in rabbits. Vaccination is done several times using Staphylococcus aureus active in 109 cfu/ml. Injecting the chicken is done four weeks in a row, the first week is done by intravenous injection of S. aureus antigens, the second week of the injection sub cutan S. aureus emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant, followed by the third and fourth week of the injection of S. aureus antigen emulsified with incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Egg samples were taken after four weeks of the last injection for identification, purification, and determination of specific IgY against S. aureus in egg yolk. IgY specificity qualitatively tests performed by the AGP test (To Gel Precipitation. IgY extraction is done using PEG - Ammonium sulfate, purified IgY concentration calculated by the method of Bradford. The results showed that IgY began to be detected in egg yolk at week six after immunization, with the average levels of IgY is 1.7 mg/ml.

Study on biofilm-forming properties of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Taj, Yasmeen; Essa, Farhan; Aziz, Faisal; Kazmi, Shahana Urooj

2012-05-14

The purpose of this study was to observe the formation of biofilm, an important virulence factor, by isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in Pakistan by different conventional methods and through electron microscopy. We screened 115 strains of S. aureus isolated from different clinical specimens by tube method (TM), air-liquid interface coverslip assay method, Congo red agar (CRA) method, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Out of 115 S. aureus isolates, 63 (54.78%) showed biofilm formation by tube method. Biofilm forming bacteria were further categorized as high producers (n = 23, 20%) and moderate producers (n = 40, 34.78%). TM coordinated well with the coverslip assay for strong biofilm-producing strains in 19 (16.5%) isolates. By coverslip method, weak producers were difficult to differentiate from biofilm negative isolates. Screening on CRA showed biofilm formation only in four (3.47%) strains. Scanning electron micrographs showed the biofilm-forming strains of S. aureus arranged in a matrix on the propylene surface and correlated well with the TM. Biofilm production is a marker of virulence for clinically relevant staphylococcal infections. It can be studied by various methods but screening on CRA is not recommended for investigation of biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus. Electron micrograph images correlate well with the biofilm production as observed by TM.

Occurrence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in bulk tank milk and milk filters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kateřina Bogdanovičová

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This work is focused on the monitoring of Staphylococcus aureus prevalence in raw milk and milk filters, its antibiotic resistance and detection of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. Samples of raw cow´s milk and milk filters were collected in the period from 2012 till 2014, from 50 dairy farms in the Czech Republic. The total of 261 samples (164 samples of raw milk and 97 milk filters were cultivated on Baird-Parker agar. Both the typical and atypical colonies were examined by plasmacoagulase test and PCR method was used for detection of species specific fragment SA442 and mecA gene. Standard disk diffusion method was used to determinate resistance to antimicrobial agents. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus was detected on 25 farms (50%. The antimicrobial resistance showed differences between the farms. Total of 58 samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus, of which were 37 (14.2% isolated from raw milk samples and 21 (8.1% from milk filters. From these samples we isolated 62 Staphylococcus aureus strains, 41 isolates bacteria S. aureus from raw milk (66.1% and 21 isolates S. aureus from milk filters (33.9%. The presence of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolates was low, most of them were resistant to amoxicilin. According to the results obtained by the PCR method for the methicillin - resistant S. aureus (MRSA, the mecA gene was present in 6 strains (9.7%, 4 isolates obtained from milk samples (6.5% and 2 isolates from milk filters (3.2%.  These isolates can be considered as a possible source of resistance genes, which can be spread through the food chain. Nowadays, a globally unfavourable increasing trend of prevalence of methicillin resistant staphylococci strains especially Staphylococcus aureus is being observed worldwide. The improper hygiene and poor farm management practices contributed to the presence of S. aureus in the milk. This may have contributed to the high level of S. aureus isolated

Staphylococcus aureus ST398 from slaughter pigs in northeast China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yan, Xiaomei; Yu, Xiaojie; Tao, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Jianfeng; Zhang, Binghua; Dong, Rui; Xue, Chengyu; Grundmann, Hajo; Zhang, Jianzhong

To describe the prevalence and population structure of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that colonize pigs at slaughterhouses in northeastern China, nose swabs were collected from pigs in two slaughterhouses in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China in 2009.S. aureus isolates were characterized by

The Role of Antibiotics in Modulating Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodille, Elisabeth; Rose, Warren; Diep, Binh An; Goutelle, Sylvain; Lina, Gerard; Dumitrescu, Oana

2017-10-01

Staphylococcus aureus is often involved in severe infections, in which the effects of bacterial virulence factors have great importance. Antistaphylococcal regimens should take into account the different effects of antibacterial agents on the expression of virulence factors and on the host's immune response. A PubMed literature search was performed to select relevant articles on the effects of antibiotics on staphylococcal toxin production and on the host immune response. Information was sorted according to the methods used for data acquisition (bacterial strains, growth models, and antibiotic concentrations) and the assays used for readout generation. The reported mechanisms underlying S. aureus virulence modulation by antibiotics were reviewed. The relevance of in vitro observations is discussed in relation to animal model data and to clinical evidence extracted from case reports and recommendations on the management of toxin-related staphylococcal diseases. Most in vitro data point to a decreased level of virulence expression upon treatment with ribosomally active antibiotics (linezolid and clindamycin), while cell wall-active antibiotics (beta-lactams) mainly increase exotoxin production. In vivo studies confirmed the suppressive effect of clindamycin and linezolid on virulence expression, supporting their utilization as a valuable management strategy to improve patient outcomes in cases of toxin-associated staphylococcal disease. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Calcium and Magnesium Ions Are Membrane-Active against Stationary-Phase Staphylococcus aureus with High Specificity

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Yuntao; Yang, Lihua

2016-02-01

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is notorious for its ability to acquire antibiotic-resistance, and antibiotic-resistant S. aureus has become a wide-spread cause of high mortality rate. Novel antimicrobials capable of eradicating S. aureus cells including antibiotic-resistant ones are thus highly desired. Membrane-active bactericides and species-specific antimicrobials are two promising sources of novel anti-infective agents for fighting against bacterial antibiotic-resistance. We herein show that Ca2+ and Mg2+, two alkaline-earth-metal ions physiologically essential for diverse living organisms, both disrupt model S. aureus membranes and kill stationary-phase S. aureus cells, indicative of membrane-activity. In contrast to S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis exhibit unaffected survival after similar treatment with these two cations, indicative of species-specific activity against S. aureus. Moreover, neither Ca2+ nor Mg2+ lyses mouse red blood cells, indicative of hemo-compatibility. This works suggests that Ca2+ and Mg2+ may have implications in targeted eradication of S. aureus pathogen including the antibiotic-resistant ones.

Sepse por Staphylococus aureus resistente à meticilina adquirida na comunidade no sul do Brasil Sepsis due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciane Cristina Gelatti

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina foi inicialmente descrito como um típico microrganismo adquirido em infecções nosocomiais. No entanto, nos últimos anos Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina adquirido na comunidade é causa de infecções de pele e tecidos moles, mas infecções graves como pneumonia e sepse podem ocorrer. Este relato descreve um caso de sepse em criança, complicado com pneumonia secundária a lesão em partes moles por Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina adquirido na comunidade no Sul do Brasil. O paciente foi atendido em Unidade de Emergência com história de ferimento provocado por trauma em membro inferior que evoluiu para celulite, pneumonia e sepse.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was initially described as a typical microorganism acquired in nosocomial infections. However, over recent years, community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been a cause of skin and soft-tissue infections. Serious infections such as pneumonia and sepsis can also occur. This report describes a case of sepsis in a child that was complicated by pneumonia secondary to soft tissue lesions that were due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in southern Brazil. The patient was attended at the Emergency Unit with a history of injury caused by lower-limb trauma that evolved to cellulitis, pneumonia and sepsis.

Health and economic burden of post-partum Staphylococcus aureus breast abscess.

Science.gov (United States)

Branch-Elliman, Westyn; Lee, Grace M; Golen, Toni H; Gold, Howard S; Baldini, Linda M; Wright, Sharon B

2013-01-01

To determine the health and economic burdens of post-partum Staphylococcus aureus breast abscess. We conducted a matched cohort study (N = 216) in a population of pregnant women (N = 32,770) who delivered at our center during the study period from 10/1/03-9/30/10. Data were extracted from hospital databases, or via chart review if unavailable electronically. We compared cases of S. aureus breast abscess to controls matched by delivery date to compare health services utilization and mean attributable medical costs in 2012 United States dollars using Medicare and hospital-based estimates. We also evaluated whether resource utilization and health care costs differed between cases with methicillin-resistant and -susceptible S. aureus isolates. Fifty-four cases of culture-confirmed post-partum S. aureus breast abscess were identified. Breastfeeding cessation (41%), milk fistula (11.1%) and hospital readmission (50%) occurred frequently among case patients. Breast abscess case patients had high rates of health services utilization compared to controls, including high rates of imaging and drainage procedures. The mean attributable cost of post-partum S. aureus breast abscess ranged from $2,340-$4,012, depending on the methods and data sources used. Mean attributable costs were not significantly higher among methicillin-resistant vs. -susceptible S. aureus cases. Post-partum S. aureus breast abscess is associated with worse health and economic outcomes for women and their infants, including high rates of breastfeeding cessation. Future study is needed to determine the optimal treatment and prevention of these infections.

Health and economic burden of post-partum Staphylococcus aureus breast abscess.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Westyn Branch-Elliman

Full Text Available To determine the health and economic burdens of post-partum Staphylococcus aureus breast abscess.We conducted a matched cohort study (N = 216 in a population of pregnant women (N = 32,770 who delivered at our center during the study period from 10/1/03-9/30/10. Data were extracted from hospital databases, or via chart review if unavailable electronically. We compared cases of S. aureus breast abscess to controls matched by delivery date to compare health services utilization and mean attributable medical costs in 2012 United States dollars using Medicare and hospital-based estimates. We also evaluated whether resource utilization and health care costs differed between cases with methicillin-resistant and -susceptible S. aureus isolates.Fifty-four cases of culture-confirmed post-partum S. aureus breast abscess were identified. Breastfeeding cessation (41%, milk fistula (11.1% and hospital readmission (50% occurred frequently among case patients. Breast abscess case patients had high rates of health services utilization compared to controls, including high rates of imaging and drainage procedures. The mean attributable cost of post-partum S. aureus breast abscess ranged from $2,340-$4,012, depending on the methods and data sources used. Mean attributable costs were not significantly higher among methicillin-resistant vs. -susceptible S. aureus cases.Post-partum S. aureus breast abscess is associated with worse health and economic outcomes for women and their infants, including high rates of breastfeeding cessation. Future study is needed to determine the optimal treatment and prevention of these infections.

Fresh garlic extract inhibits Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation under chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panan Ratthawongjirakul

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA are the leading aetiological pathogens of nosocomial infections worldwide. These bacteria form biofilms on both biotic and abiotic surfaces causing biofilm-associated infections. Within the biofilm, these bacteria might develop persistent and antimicrobial resistant characteristics resulting in chronic infections and treatment failures. Garlic exhibits broad pharmaceutical properties and inhibitory activities against S. aureus. We investigated the effects of aqueous fresh garlic extract on biofilm formation in S. aureus ATCC25923 and MRSA strains under chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic conditions. The viable bacteria and biofilm levels were quantified through colony count and crystal violet staining, respectively. The use of fresh garlic extract under both conditions significantly inhibited biofilm formation in S. aureus strains ATCC25923 and MRSA. Garlic could be developed as either a prophylactic or therapeutic agent to manage S. aureus biofilm-associated infections.

Evaluation of approaches to monitor Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor expression during human disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wouter Rozemeijer

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen of medical significance, using multiple virulence factors to cause disease. A prophylactic S. aureus 4-antigen (SA4Ag vaccine comprising capsular polysaccharide (types 5 and 8 conjugates, clumping factor A (ClfA and manganese transporter C (MntC is under development. This study was designed to characterize S. aureus isolates recovered from infected patients and also to investigate approaches for examining expression of S. aureus vaccine candidates and the host response during human infection. Confirmation of antigen expression in different disease states is important to support the inclusion of these antigens in a prophylactic vaccine. Hospitalized patients with diagnosed S. aureus wound (27 or bloodstream (24 infections were enrolled. Invasive and nasal carriage S. aureus isolates were recovered and characterized for genotypic diversity. S. aureus antigen expression was evaluated directly by real-time, quantitative, reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR analysis and indirectly by serology using a competitive Luminex immunoassay. Study isolates were genotypically diverse and all had the genes encoding the antigens present in the SA4Ag vaccine. S. aureus nasal carriage was detected in 55% of patients, and in those subjects 64% of the carriage isolates matched the invasive strain. In swab samples with detectable S. aureus triosephosphate isomerase housekeeping gene expression, RNA transcripts encoding the S. aureus virulence factors ClfA, MntC, and capsule polysaccharide were detected by qRT-PCR. Antigen expression was indirectly confirmed by increases in antibody titer during the course of infection from acute to convalescent phase. Demonstration of bacterial transcript expression together with immunological response to the SA4Ag antigens in a clinically relevant patient population provides support for inclusion of these antigens in a prophylactic vaccine.

Evaluation of approaches to monitor Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor expression during human disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozemeijer, Wouter; Fink, Pamela; Rojas, Eduardo; Jones, C Hal; Pavliakova, Danka; Giardina, Peter; Murphy, Ellen; Liberator, Paul; Jiang, Qin; Girgenti, Douglas; Peters, Remco P H; Savelkoul, Paul H M; Jansen, Kathrin U; Anderson, Annaliesa S; Kluytmans, Jan

2015-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen of medical significance, using multiple virulence factors to cause disease. A prophylactic S. aureus 4-antigen (SA4Ag) vaccine comprising capsular polysaccharide (types 5 and 8) conjugates, clumping factor A (ClfA) and manganese transporter C (MntC) is under development. This study was designed to characterize S. aureus isolates recovered from infected patients and also to investigate approaches for examining expression of S. aureus vaccine candidates and the host response during human infection. Confirmation of antigen expression in different disease states is important to support the inclusion of these antigens in a prophylactic vaccine. Hospitalized patients with diagnosed S. aureus wound (27) or bloodstream (24) infections were enrolled. Invasive and nasal carriage S. aureus isolates were recovered and characterized for genotypic diversity. S. aureus antigen expression was evaluated directly by real-time, quantitative, reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis and indirectly by serology using a competitive Luminex immunoassay. Study isolates were genotypically diverse and all had the genes encoding the antigens present in the SA4Ag vaccine. S. aureus nasal carriage was detected in 55% of patients, and in those subjects 64% of the carriage isolates matched the invasive strain. In swab samples with detectable S. aureus triosephosphate isomerase housekeeping gene expression, RNA transcripts encoding the S. aureus virulence factors ClfA, MntC, and capsule polysaccharide were detected by qRT-PCR. Antigen expression was indirectly confirmed by increases in antibody titer during the course of infection from acute to convalescent phase. Demonstration of bacterial transcript expression together with immunological response to the SA4Ag antigens in a clinically relevant patient population provides support for inclusion of these antigens in a prophylactic vaccine.

Staphylococcus aureus in Some Brazilian Dairy Industries: Changes of Contamination and Diversity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dittmann, Karen Kiesbye; Chaul, Luiza T.; Lee, Sarah H. I.

2017-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus, a major food-poisoning pathogen, is a common contaminant in dairy industries worldwide, including in Brazil. We determined the occurrence of S. aureus in five dairies in Brazil over 8 months. Of 421 samples, 31 (7.4%) were positive for S. aureus and prevalence varied from 0.......8% of strains being sensitive to all antibiotic classes and no Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were found. The enterotoxin-encoding genes involved in food-poisoning, e.g., sea, sed, see, and seg were targeted by PCR. The two toxin-encoding genes, sed and see, were not detected. Only three strains...... contamination....

Heme Recognition By a Staphylococcus Aureus IsdE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grigg, J.C.; Vermeiren, C.L.; Heinrichs, D.E.; Murphy, M.E.P.

2009-06-03

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen and a leading cause of hospital acquired infections. Because the free iron concentration in the human body is too low to support growth, S. aureus must acquire iron from host sources. Heme iron is the most prevalent iron reservoir in the human body and a predominant source of iron for S. aureus. The iron-regulated surface determinant (Isd) system removes heme from host heme proteins and transfers it to IsdE, the cognate substrate-binding lipoprotein of an ATP-binding cassette transporter, for import and subsequent degradation. Herein, we report the crystal structure of the soluble portion of the IsdE lipoprotein in complex with heme. The structure reveals a bi-lobed topology formed by an N- and C-terminal domain bridged by a single {alpha}-helix. The structure places IsdE as a member of the helical backbone metal receptor superfamily. A six-coordinate heme molecule is bound in the groove established at the domain interface, and the heme iron is coordinated in a novel fashion for heme transporters by Met{sup 78} and His{sup 229}. Both heme propionate groups are secured by H-bonds to IsdE main chain and side chain groups. Of these residues, His{sup 299} is essential for IsdE-mediated heme uptake by S. aureus when growth on heme as a sole iron source is measured. Multiple sequence alignments of homologues from several other Gram-positive bacteria, including the human pathogens pyogenes, Bacillus anthracis, and Listeria monocytogenes, suggest that these other systems function equivalently to S. aureus IsdE with respect to heme binding and transport.

Characterization of a mouse-adapted Staphylococcus aureus strain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Holtfreter

Full Text Available More effective antibiotics and a protective vaccine are desperately needed to combat the 'superbug' Staphylococcus aureus. While in vivo pathogenicity studies routinely involve infection of mice with human S. aureus isolates, recent genetic studies have demonstrated that S. aureus lineages are largely host-specific. The use of such animal-adapted S. aureus strains may therefore be a promising approach for developing more clinically relevant animal infection models. We have isolated a mouse-adapted S. aureus strain (JSNZ which caused a severe outbreak of preputial gland abscesses among male C57BL/6J mice. We aimed to extensively characterize this strain on a genomic level and determine its virulence potential in murine colonization and infection models. JSNZ belongs to the MLST type ST88, rare among human isolates, and lacks an hlb-converting phage encoding human-specific immune evasion factors. Naive mice were found to be more susceptible to nasal and gastrointestinal colonization with JSNZ than with the human-derived Newman strain. Furthermore, naïve mice required antibiotic pre-treatment to become colonized with Newman. In contrast, JSNZ was able to colonize mice in the absence of antibiotic treatment suggesting that this strain can compete with the natural flora for space and nutrients. In a renal abscess model, JSNZ caused more severe disease than Newman with greater weight loss and bacterial burden. In contrast to most other clinical isolates, JSNZ can also be readily genetically modified by phage transduction and electroporation. In conclusion, the mouse-adapted strain JSNZ may represent a valuable tool for studying aspects of mucosal colonization and for screening novel vaccines and therapies directed at preventing colonization.

Evaluation of aptamers labelled with {sup 99m}Tc for identification of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria; Avaliacao de aptameros marcados com {sup 99m}Tc para identificacao de focos infecciosos de Staphylococcus aureus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

dos Santos, Sara Roberta

2014-06-01

Staphylococcus aureus is specie of great medical importance because it is often associated with many infections in humans. This bacterium can cause diseases ranging from simple infections to life-threatening infections such as endocarditis, pneumonia, meningitis, toxic shock syndrome, septicemia, osteomyelitis, among others. S. aureus is the most commonly agent found in infections of the skin and soft tissues, bone infections and bone prostheses. The difficulty in early detection of specific foci caused by bacteria has raised the need to search for new techniques for this purpose. Diagnosis by scintigraphy has advantages over other methods because it is able to identify damage tissues without the need of invasive procedures and is able to perform an early diagnosis even before anatomic changes. Thus, nuclear medicine could contribute to an accurate diagnosis of bacterial infections, since specific radiopharmaceuticals were developed. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that have high affinity and specificity for their molecular targets and are emerging as a new class of molecules for radiopharmaceuticals development. Radiolabeled aptamers specific to the infectious agents, could give a significant contribution to the infection diagnosis by scintigraphy. In this study, aptamers selected to S. aureus were labeled with {sup 99m}Tc and used for the bacteria identification in vitro and in vivo. The aptamers labeled with {sup 32}P and incubated in vitro with S. aureus cells showed high affinity for the bacterial cells when compared with the library of oligonucleotides with random sequences used as control. The aptamers labeled with {sup 99m}Tc also showed affinity for S. aureus cells when compared with the library, but unspecific binding was also verified. The {sup 99m}Tc labelled aptamers were stable in 0.9% saline, plasma of Swiss mice and in excess of cysteine. The in vivo biodistribution studies using Swiss mice with intramuscular infection in the right thigh showed that