Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Dig Dis 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Digestive Department, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Objective: Changes in microbiota structure in the distal esophagus may be associated with the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The composition of the distal esophageal microbiota between Chinese patients and healthy volunteers was compared through metagenomic high-throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses.

Methods: Healthy volunteers (HV) and patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) were enrolled. Read More

Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2018 1;2018:5406467. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, SP 14049-900, Brazil.

We sought to investigate the prevalence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in secretions and tonsillar tissues of children with chronic adenotonsillitis hypertrophy compared to controls. Prospective case-control study comparing patients between 2 and 12 years old who underwent adenotonsillectomy due to chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy to children without disease. We compared detection of , , , and by real-time PCR in palatine tonsils, adenoids, and nasopharyngeal washes obtained from 37 children with and 14 without adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Read More

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2018 8;13:3663-3667. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK,

Purpose: is implicated in the pathogenesis of some COPD exacerbations. We sought to investigate whether the strain is variable between COPD subjects; that an exacerbation is associated with acquisition of a new strain and that certain strains are more commonly associated with exacerbations.

Patients And Methods: Sputum samples were collected at stable and exacerbation visits from COPD subjects from a single center as part of the COPDMAP consortium. Read More

Drug Des Devel Ther 2018 8;12:3825-3845. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Department of Family Medicine, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan,

Purpose: Childhood reactive airway diseases (RADs) are concerning problems in children's airways and may be preceded by bronchiolitis and may progress to childhood asthma. The severity of the disease is indicated by deterioration in pulmonary functions, increased usage of rescue medications, and recurrent wheezing episodes. Macrolides have both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory functions and have been used as adjunctive therapy in childhood RADs. Read More

J Infect Dis 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.

Background: Persistence of bacterial pathogens in the airways has profound consequences on the course and pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients with COPD continuously acquire and clear strains of Moraxella catarrhalis, a major pathogen in COPD. Some strains are cleared quickly and some persist for months to years. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018 Nov 27:194599818815109. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

3 Division of Otolaryngology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Objective: The microbiology of pediatric complicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) has evolved, and our current understanding of pathogenic organisms is limited. The objectives of this study are to describe the incidence of pathogens causing complicated ARS requiring surgical intervention at our institution over a 10-year period as well as their associated treatment outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Read More

Metabolites 2018 Nov 21;8(4). Epub 2018 Nov 21.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Pkwy, Harrogate TN 37752, UK.

: Tear film fluid serves as a dynamic barrier that both lubricates the eye and protects against allergens and infectious agents. However, a detailed analysis of a bacteria-induced immune response on the tear film lipidome has not been undertaken. : We undertook a high-resolution mass spectrometry lipidomics analysis of endogenous anti-inflammatory and structural tear film lipids in bovine pink eye. Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2018 1;11:2137-2140. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan,

Background: High-level macrolide-resistant strains have been isolated; however, the underlying mechanism has not been well elucidated. We investigated the role of mutations in the 23S rRNA gene and the L4 and L22 ribosomal proteins using spontaneous erythromycin-resistant mutants and transformants.

Materials And Methods: The erythromycin-susceptible ATCC25238 and clinical isolate Mc19 were used as parental strains. Read More

Microb Pathog 2018 Nov 8;126:292-297. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

DNA Genotek Inc., 3000 - 500 Palladium Drive, Ottawa, ON, K2V 1C2, Canada.

Molecular detection of microorganisms requires releasing DNA from cells. However, since certain microbial organisms are refractory to lysis by chemical or enzymatic methods, mechanical lysis by bead-beating is typically employed to disrupt difficult-to-lyse microbes. A newly developed chemical lysis method called sporeLYSE enables release of DNA from difficult-to-lyse microbes without bead-beating. Read More

Multidiscip Respir Med 2018 2;13:40. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

2Preventive Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Parla, Madrid, Spain.

Fifteen years after its licensure, this revision assesses the role of cefditoren facing the current pharmacoepidemiology of resistances in respiratory human-adapted pathogens (, , and ). In the era of post- pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and in an environment of increasing diffusion of the I gene among isolates, published studies on the cefditoren in vitro microbiological activity, pharmacokinetic/pharmcodynamic (PK/PD) activity and clinical efficacy are reviewed. Based on published data, an overall analysis is performed for PK/PD susceptibility interpretation. Read More

Acta Crystallogr C Struct Chem 2018 Nov 24;74(Pt 11):1378-1383. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Universität Wien, Fakultät für Chemie, Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Althanstrasse 14, Wien 1090, Austria.

The single-side Al-centred tris-functionalized hybrid organic-inorganic Anderson polyoxomolybdates (CHN)[Al(OH)MoO(OCH)CNH(CHO)]·CHN·4CHOH·5HO (AlMo-NH-Cin; Cin is cinnamic acid, CHO) and (CHN)[Al(OH)MoO(OCH)CNH(CHClNO)]·9HO (AlMo-NH-Indo; Indo is indometacin, CHClNO) have been prepared in a mild three-step synthesis and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, H NMR and IR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. Both AlMo-NH-Cin and AlMo-NH-Indo crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pbca. The antibacterial activities of AlMo-NH-Cin and AlMo-NH-Indo against the Gram-negative human mucosal pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis were investigated by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration, which is 32 µg ml for AlMo-NH-Cin and 256 µg ml for AlMo-NH-Indo. Read More

Microbiome 2018 Nov 5;6(1):199. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Background: Otitis media (OM) imposes a great burden of disease in indigenous populations around the world, despite a variety of treatment and prevention programs. Improved understanding of the pathogenesis of OM in indigenous populations is required to advance treatment and reduce prevalence. We conducted a systematic review of the literature exploring the upper airway and middle ear microbiota in relation to OM in indigenous children. Read More

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2018 Oct 30. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Microbiology and Instituto Biosanitario, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2018 Dec 30;31(6):550-551. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Miguel Marcos Martín. Servicio de Medicina Interna. Paseo de San Vicente 58-182. 37007. Salamanca. Spain.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018 Oct 29. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

JMI Laboratories, North Liberty, Iowa, USA.

Ceftobiprole is an advanced cephalosporin with potent activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that is approved in many European and non-European countries to treat community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia (excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia). This study reports on the activity of ceftobiprole against a large set of clinical isolates from hospitalized patients in the United States in 2016 that caused serious infections including pneumonia, bacteremia, and skin and skin structure infections. To assess any potential temporal changes in ceftobiprole activity, the 2016 results were compared to corresponding MIC data from a 2006 U. Read More

J Vet Med Sci 2018 Oct 29. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University.

Although Moraxella lacunata causes conjunctivitis, keratitis, endocarditis, and otolaryngitis in humans, its infection is rare in animals. We report three cases of asymptomatic pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata in zoo herbivores, including two elks (Cervus canadensis) and a common eland (Taurotragus oryx). Read More

Microbiologyopen 2018 Oct 24:e745. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a high-grain (HG) diet on the microbial fermentation, the composition of the mucosa-associated bacterial microbiota, and the gene expression of tight junction proteins in the small intestine of goats. In the present study, we randomly assigned 10 male goats to either a hay diet (n = 5) or a HG diet (56.5% grain; n = 5) and then examined changes in the bacterial community using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and the expression of tight junction proteins using qRT-PCR in the mucosa of the small intestine. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Oct 23. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Laboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Groupement Hospitalier Nord des Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as responsible for severe respiratory illness in adults, especially in the elderly. While pneumonia is commonly observed during RSV infection, the burden and epidemiology of bacterial superinfection is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify microorganisms associated with RSV-positive pneumonia in adults. Read More

Genome Biol Evol 2018 Nov 1;10(11):2932-2946. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Moraxella catarrhalis is a human-adapted pathogen, and a major cause of otitis media (OM) and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The species is comprised of two main phylogenetic lineages, RB1 and RB2/3. Restriction-modification (R-M) systems are among the few lineage-associated genes identified in other bacterial genera and have multiple functions including defense against foreign invading DNA, maintenance of speciation, and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2018 Dec 10;77:82-86. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

JMI Laboratories, 345 Beaver Kreek Centre, Suite A, North Liberty, IA 52317, USA.

Objective: To evaluate the potency and spectrum of ceftaroline and comparator agents tested against contemporary bacteria isolated from patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) in Europe (EUR), Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Latin America (LATAM).

Methods: A total of 4321 bacterial isolates were collected consecutively by the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program in 2015-2017 from 65 medical centers located in Western Europe (W-EUR; 21 centers in 10 nations), Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region (E-EUR; 15 centers in 11 nations), APAC (18 centers in nine nations), and LATAM (11 centers in nine nations). Isolates were collected from lower respiratory tract specimens, and an isolate obtained from an outpatient or earlier than 48h after hospitalization was considered community-acquired. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2018 Oct 5. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common childhood infections, generally thought to be caused by ascension of bacteria from the nasopharynx (NP) to the middle ear. Using 16S rRNA-based sequencing, we evaluated the relationship between the NP and middle ear fluid (MEF) microbiota in children with acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes (AOMT) as a proxy for AOM, and explored whether microbiota profiling predicts natural disease course.

Methods: Microbiota profiles of paired NP and MEF samples of 94 children aged below five years with uncomplicated AOMT were determined. Read More

Microbiome 2018 Oct 4;6(1):179. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.

Background: Pediatric asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease in the USA, currently affecting ~ 7 million children. This heterogeneous syndrome is thought to encompass various disease phenotypes of clinically observable characteristics, which can be statistically identified by applying clustering approaches to patient clinical information. Extensive evidence has shown that the airway microbiome impacts both clinical heterogeneity and pathogenesis in pediatric asthma. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2018 11 27;1866(11):1131-1142. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India. Electronic address:

The fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS II) is a vital process in bacteria and regarded as an attractive pathway for the development of potential antimicrobial agents. In this study, we report 1,4-naphthoquinone (NPQ) as a dual inhibitor of two key enzymes of FAS II pathway, namely FabD (Malonyl-CoA:ACP transacylase) and FabZ (β-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase). Mode of inhibition of NPQ was found to be non-competitive for both enzymes with IC of 26. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2018 Sep 29. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan; Research Centre for Advanced Oral Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan. Electronic address:

Increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among pathogenic bacteria is a serious threat to public health. Surveillance studies to monitor shifting trends in resistance are important and guide the selection of appropriate antimicrobial agents for a particular organism. Furthermore, these studies help in dissemination of accurate information regarding AMR to the public. Read More

J Immunol 2018 Nov 28;201(9):2721-2730. Epub 2018 Sep 28.

Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Lund University, 21428 Malmö, Sweden;

The respiratory pathogen is a human-specific commensal that frequently causes acute otitis media in children and stimulates acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. The exact molecular mechanisms defining host-pathogen interactions promoting pathogenesis are not clearly understood. Limited knowledge hampers vaccine and immunotherapeutic development required to treat this emerging pathogen. Read More

Sci Pharm 2018 Sep 26;86(4). Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait.

Bacterial resistance towards the existing class of antibacterial drugs continues to increase, posing a significant threat to the clinical usefulness of these drugs. These increasing and alarming rates of antibacterial resistance development and the decline in the number of new antibacterial drugs' approval continue to serve as a major impetus for research into the discovery and development of new antibacterial agents. We synthesized a series of -/-alaninyl substituted triazolyl oxazolidinone derivatives and evaluated their antibacterial activity against selected standard Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018 Sep 18. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Background: A better understanding of bronchiolitis heterogeneity might help clarify its relationship with the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma.

Objectives: We sought to identify severe bronchiolitis profiles using a clustering approach and to investigate for the first time their association with allergy/inflammatory biomarkers, nasopharyngeal microbiota, and development of recurrent wheezing by age 3 years.

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective, 17-center US cohort study of 921 infants (age <1 year) hospitalized with bronchiolitis (2011-2014 winters) with posthospitalization follow-up. Read More

Cornea 2018 Dec;37(12):1555-1560

Cornea Department, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Purpose: Microbial keratitis (MK) is a major cause of corneal blindness worldwide. Variations in season and temperature can affect MK incidence due to specific causative organisms; however, few studies have examined these factors in the UK.

Methods: Retrospective review of all corneal scrapes from patients with MK presenting to Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK, between January 2004 and December 2015. Read More

Cornea 2018 Dec;37(12):1551-1554

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Purpose: Changing trends of infective keratitis have been identified worldwide. The aim of this study was to define the clinical associations, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with culture-proven Moraxella keratitis from a large tertiary corneal unit in the United Kingdom.

Methods: Patients with confirmed Moraxella isolates presenting between January 2004 and November 2016 were analyzed. Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2018 28;11:1309-1320. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd., Basel 4005, Switzerland,

Purpose: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) can cause significant morbidity and mortality and are becoming increasingly difficult to treat because of the growing prevalence of resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents. This study aimed to assess the current in vitro susceptibility of respiratory tract pathogens collected from the UK and Ireland to ceftobiprole, an advanced-generation cephalosporin, as compared with other antibiotics.

Methods: Pathogens isolated from patients with LRTIs were analyzed as part of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Programme during 2014-2015. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2018 Sep 12;12(1):258. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Department of Pediatrics and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. While the majority of infants display only mild upper respiratory tract infection or occasionally otitis media, around one-third will develop an infection of the lower respiratory tract, usually bronchiolitis. There is now convincing evidence from a number of cohorts that respiratory syncytial virus is a significant, independent risk factor for later wheezing, at least within the first decade of life. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2018 Sep 7. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Electronic address:

Purpose: To analyze the risk factors, clinical characteristics, management, and treatment outcomes of culture-proven cases of Moraxella keratitis at our center.

Design: Retrospective observational case series METHODS: 39 culture-proven cases of Moraxella keratitis (39 eyes) diagnosed and treated between January 2003 and April 2018 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center were identified and retrospectively reviewed for ocular and systemic risk factors, treatment modalities, outcomes, as well as antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance data.

Results: The mean age of 39 patients was 63. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 20;9:1920. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.

Rushan cheese, an essential part of the Bai culture, has been produced and consumed for centuries by the Bai people living mostly in Yunnan province of China, however, studies on the naturally occurring microbial communities of Rushan cheese are lacking. In this study, we applied high throughput sequencing technique to analyze the microbial compositions of Rushan cheese samples from three different geographical origins (i.e. Read More

Mediators Inflamm 2018 5;2018:4847205. Epub 2018 Aug 5.

Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland.

Neuropeptides such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) play both pro- and anti-inflammatory activities and are produced during infection and inflammation. is one of the leading infectious agents responsible for inflammatory exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Since the airway inflammation in COPD is connected with activation of both epithelial cells and accumulated neutrophils, in this study we determined the effects of neuropeptides on the inflammatory potential of these cells in response to outer membrane vesicle (OMV) stimulant. Read More

Vet Microbiol 2018 Sep 9;223:126-133. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Simpson Ranch Chair in Beef Cattle Health and Wellness, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Feedlot Health Management Services, Okotoks, AB, Canada. Electronic address:

The objective was to study effects of transportation to and co-mingling at an auction market on nasopharyngeal and tracheal bacterial communities of feedlot cattle. Two groups of 30 Angus-cross heifers were studied from weaning to 28 d after arrival at a feedlot. For each group, half the heifers were either transported directly to a feedlot after weaning (RANC) or transported to and co-mingled at an auction market for 24 h before being placed in a feedlot (AUCT). Read More

BMC Vet Res 2018 Aug 31;14(1):261. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wroclaw, Poland.

Background: Commensal bacterial and fungal flora of the conjunctival sac has been described in horses and other animals. The identification of commensal flora of the conjunctival sac may aid in the diagnosis of ocular inflammatory diseases, such as conjunctivitis or more severe ulcerative keratitis, common in horses. Moreover, damage of ocular protective barriers may lead to an opportunistic infection. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Aug 30;18(1):441. Epub 2018 Aug 30.

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, 6th floor, 601 N. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287-0910, USA.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory disorder in which the role of bacteria remains uncertain. While sinus outflow obstruction is often an initiating event, mucosal inflammation and dysbiosis may persist or develop in sinuses with widely patent surgical openings. Understanding of the relationship between dysbiosis and chronic sinus inflammation is obfuscated by inter-individual microbiota variability and likely intra-individual temporal variation that has yet to be defined. Read More

Front Chem 2018 14;6:336. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Universität Wien, Fakultät für Chemie, Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Wien, Austria.

The antibacterial activity of 29 different polyoxometalates (POMs) against was investigated by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The Preyssler type polyoxotungstate (POT) [NaPWO] demonstrates the highest activity against (MIC = 1 μg/ml) among all tested POMs. Moreover, we show that the Dawson type based anions, [PWO], [(PO)MoO], [AsMoO], [HPWVO], and [AsWO] are selective on (MIC range of 2-8 μg/ml). Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2018 Nov;37(11):1176-1183

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ann and Robert Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL.

Background: Nasopharyngeal colonization precedes infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. A more detailed understanding of interactions between S. pneumoniae and the nasopharyngeal microbiota of children could inform strategies to prevent pneumococcal infections. Read More

J Appl Microbiol 2018 Aug 24. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.

Aims: This study aimed to verify the formation of biofilms by Moraxella bovis, Moraxella ovis and Moraxella bovoculi isolates from ruminants. In addition, the lysozyme activity against the isolates of M. bovis, M. Read More

Antibiotics (Basel) 2018 Aug 22;7(3). Epub 2018 Aug 22.

Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Vavilov st., Moscow 119991, Russia.

In this article, a series of silver-containing dressings are prepared by metal-vapor synthesis (MVS), and their antibacterial properties are investigated. The antibacterial activity of the dressings containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against some Gram-positive, and Gram-negative microorganisms (, , , , , spp.) has been determined. Read More

Allergy Rhinol (Providence) 2018 Jan-Dec;9:2152656718789519. Epub 2018 Aug 2.

Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.

Introduction: A role for bacteria and other microbes has long been suspected in the chronic inflammatory sinonasal diseases. Recent studies utilizing culture-independent, sequence-based identification have demonstrated aberrant shifts in the sinus microbiota of chronic rhinosinusitis subjects, compared with ostensibly healthy controls. Examining how such microbiota shifts occur and the potential for physician-prescribed interventions to influence microbiota dynamics are the topics of the current article. Read More

JMM Case Rep 2018 Jun 20;5(6):e005150. Epub 2018 Apr 20.

Department of Microbiology and Instituto Biosanitario, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.

Br J Haematol 2018 Oct 20;183(2):289-297. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

ACS (ACS) is a serious complication of sickle cell anaemia (SCA). We set out to describe the burden, presentation and organisms associated with ACS amongst children with SCA attending Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. In a cross-sectional study, 256 children with SCA and fever attending Mulago Hospital were recruited. Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2018 6;11:1047-1053. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland,

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical strains isolated in Lublin, Poland.

Materials And Methods: A total of 150 non-duplicate clinical strains of were obtained from individuals with signs of upper respiratory tract infection. Bacterial identification was corroborated on the basis of phenotypic and biochemical characteristics as well as with the use of molecular tests. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 9;2018:9230234. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400037, China.

Neutrophilic asthma (NA) is an important asthma inflammatory phenotype associated with disease severity, airflow limitation, and steroid resistance, and its mechanism is still uncertain. Evidences suggest a potential role for bacteria in its pathogenesis, but, so far, this remains poorly understood. We sought to investigate airway bacterial burden, community composition, and inflammatory response in NA. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2018 Nov - Dec;11(6):878-883. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. Electronic address:

Background: Overcrowding during the annual Hajj pilgrimage has been known to increase the risk of infectious diseases transmission. Despite the high prevalence of respiratory illness among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims, knowledge about the etiologic pathogens is yet very limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine the spectrum of bacterial respiratory pathogens among the Hajj pilgrims returning to Malaysia in year 2016. Read More

Vet Ophthalmol 2018 Aug 10. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Objectives: To describe the bacterial and fungal microbiota of the conjunctiva and factors influencing these microbiota of healthy cats. To evaluate the antimicrobial resistance profile and discuss the use of appropriate antimicrobial drugs.

Animals Studied: One hundred and twenty healthy cats PROCEDURES: Conjunctival samples with dry or premoistened swabs were obtained from both eyes and cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi. Read More

PLoS One 2018 3;13(8):e0201799. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan.

Background: To elucidate the characteristics of pneumonia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to assess whether pneumonia in RA patients differs from that in non-RA patients.

Methods: We retrospectively divided pneumonia patients into two groups, those with RA and those without RA, and compared the two groups. We evaluated the risk factors for mortality with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Jul 30;8(1):11411. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

University of Virginia, School of Medicine, P.O. Box 800386, Barringer Building, Room 4441, Hospital Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.

The role of nasal and fecal microbiota in viral respiratory infections has not been established. We collected nasal swabs and washes, and fecal samples in a clinical study assessing the effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bl-04 on experimental rhinovirus infection. Read More