Influence of microbiome species in hard-to-heal wounds on disease severity and treatment duration

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Infections, mostly those associated with colonization of wound by different pathogenic microorganisms, are one of the most serious health complications during a medical treatment. Therefore, this study is focused on the isolation, characterization, and identification of microorganisms prevalent in superficial wounds of patients (n = 50) presenting with bacterial infection. METHODS: After successful cultivation, bacteria were processed and analyzed. Initially the identification of the strains was performed through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry based on comparison of protein profiles (2-30 kDa) with database. Subsequently, bacterial strains from infected wounds were identified by both matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene 108. RESULTS: The most prevalent species was Staphylococcus aureus (70%), and out of those 11% turned out to be methicillin-resistant (mecA positive). Identified strains were compared with patients' diagnoses using the method of artificial neuronal network to assess the association between severity of infection and wound microbiome species composition. Artificial neuronal network was subsequently used to predict patients' prognosis (n = 9) with 85% success. CONCLUSIONS: In all of 50 patients tested bacterial infections were identified. Based on the proposed artificial neuronal network we were able to predict the severity of the infection and length of the treatment.

Characterization of diesel degrading bacterial species from contaminated tropical ecosystem

The bacterial diversity in a diesel contaminated tropical soil was investigated using diesel oxidation in gradient cultures dynamics (pH and OD) of the pure cultures. The diesel dependent growths of these isolates were assessed for 15 days by monitoring the gradient fluxes in the pH and Optical density OD of the media. Results showed an increase in OD as well as fluctuations in pH values. The mean OD data obtained was 0.515- 1.187 with pH of 6.95-7.2. From the morphological and biochemical characterization and comparison with respect to the standard references, the isolates S1P1, S3P3, S2P2, S2P1,and S3P2 were presumably the members of the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium species. From the study, it was apparent that the tropical ecosystems contained unique organisms with the ability to deal with diesel contamination.

Efecto de dos probióticos que contienen cepas de Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus y lactobacillus johnsonii sobre el crecimiento in vitro de Streptococcus mutans / Effect of two probiotics containing lactobacillus casei rhamnosus and lactobacillus johnsonii variety on the in vitro growth of treptococcus mutans

La caries dental es una de las enfermedades mas prevalentes en la población mundial y más aún en los países en desarrollo, por lo que se necesitan nuevas medidas para su prevención. Estudios previos señalan que el efecto de cepas probióticas inhibe la colonización de los patógenos responsables de la caries dental como el Streptococcus mutans, previniendo la aparición de la caries dental. El objetivo fue medir el efecto de las cepas probióticas Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus (LCR32) y Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) sobre le crecimiento in vitro de Streptococcus mutans. Se midió el efecto in vitro de las cepas de dos probióticos comercializados en Chile; Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus (LCR32) contenidas en Lactil® y Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) contenidas en Chamyto, sobre el crecimiento in vitro de Streptococcus mutans. Se realizaron medios de cultivo selectivos para Streptococcus mutans a los cuales se les adicionaron cuatro diluciones diferentes de cada probiótico y se midió el halo de inhibición de los Streptococcus mutans con un pie de metro. Los probióticos con las cepas Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus (LCR32) y Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) inhiben el crecimiento sobre Streptococcus mutans. Ambos probióticos en las dos concentraciones más altas no obtuvieron diferencias significativas en relación a los halos de inhibición. Sin embargo, el probiótico con la cepa Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus (LCR35), mostró halos de inhibición más significativos en comparación a la cepa Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1). Las cepas probióticas Lactobacillus casei variedad rhamnosus (LCR35) y Lactobacillus Johnosonii (LA1) disminuyen la colonización de las principales bacterias productoras de caries dental, de tal forma estos probióticos podrían ser utilizados como apoyo en la prevención y profilaxis de la enfermedad en pacientes de alto riesgo cariogénico, en forma adicional a otros medios de prevención.

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world and even more in the population of developing countries, so it is necessary to use new measures for prevention. Previous studies indicate that the effect of probiotic strains inhibit colonization of pathogens responsible for dental caries such as Streptococcus mutans, preventing the onset of dental caries. The aim was to measure the effect of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus casei variety rhamnosus (LCR32) and Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) on in vitro growth will Streptococcus mutans. We measured the effect in vitro of two probiotic strains marketed in Chile; Lactobacillus casei variety rhamnosus (LCR32) contained in Lactyl ® and Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) contained in Chamyto on in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans. Culture media were made selective for Streptococcus mutans to which were added four different dilutions of each probiotic and measured the zone of inhibition of Streptococcus mutans with a foot tube. The probiotic strains Lactobacillus casei variety rhamnosus (LCR32) and Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1) inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans. Both probiotics in the two higher concentrations no significant differences in relation to the zones of inhibition. However, the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus variety (LCR35) showed the most significant zones of inhibition compared to the strain Lactobacillus johnsonii (LA1). The probiotic strains Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus variety (LCR35) and Lactobacillus Johnosonii (LA1) decreased the colonization of the main dental caries producing bacteria, so these probiotic could be used as support in the prevention and prophylaxis of the disease in high-risk cariogenic patients, additionally in other means of prevention.

Sewage treatment plant serves as a hot-spot reservoir of integrons and gene cassettes.

This study investigated the occurrence and abundance of class 1 integrons and related antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a sewage treatment plant (STP) of China. Totally, 189 bacterial strains were isolated from influent, activated sludge and effluent, and 40 isolates contained the integons with a complete structure. The intI1-carrying isolates were found to harbor two types of gene cassettes: dfr17-aadA5 and aadA2, conferring resistances to trimethoprim and streptomycin, which were further confirmed by antimicrobial susceptibility analysis. Many other gene cassettes were carried on integron, including qnrVC1, catB-8-blaoxa-10-aadA1-aac(6'), aadB-aacA29b, aadA2, aac(6')-1b, aadA6 and aadA12, which were detected using DNA cloning. Quantitative real time PCR showed that over 99% of the integrons was eliminated in activated sludge process, but average copy number of integrons in given bacterial cells was increased by 56% in treated sewage. Besides integrons, other mobile gene elements (MGEs) were present in the STP with high abundance. MGEs and the associated ARGs may be wide-spread in STPs, which constitute a potential hot spot for selection of antibiotic resistant bacteria and horizontal transfer of ARGs.

Quantification of polyphenols during retting and characterization of bacteria from the Kadinamkulam Backwaters, Kerala.

The retting environment which provides a competitive niche for specialized microbes is speculated to harbour a variety of microbes with high biodegradation potential. In this context, an effort has been made to isolate and identify bacterial species having high tolerance to phenol In vitro. Maximum polyphenol (1.897 mg l-1 ) as observed during the initial period of retting, which decreased as retting proceeded. Based on biochemical characterization, the isolated bacterial strains were identified as Micrococcus sp., Moraxella sp. strain MP1, Moraxella sp. strain MP2 and Moraxella sp. strain MP3, Pseudomonas sp. strain PP1 and Pseudomonas sp. strain PP2, Amphibacillus sp., Brucella sp. strain BP1 and Brucella sp. strain BP2, Aquaspirillum sp., Escherichia coli strain EP1 and Escherichia coli strain EP2, Campylobacter sp., Aeromonas sp., Neisseria sp., Vibrio sp., Erwinia sp. and Mesophilobacter sp. These strains were found to tolerate maximum concentration of phenol viz. 200 to 1000 mg l-1. Plasmid analysis of phenol resistant bacterial isolates showed that almost all the cultures had at least one plasmid of size >1Kb. Studies on the protein profile of isolated bacterial cultures showed the presence of proteins with molecular sizes ranging from 10 to 85 KDa with exception of Mesophilobacter and Neisseria having still high molecular weight protein (95 KDa). Bacterial strains isolated from coir-ret-liquor showed tolerance to high phenol concentration.

Biodegradation of phenol by native microorganisms isolated from coke processing wastewater.

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the biodegradation of phenol by native bacteria strains isolated from coke oven processing wastewater. The strains were designated ESDSPB1, ESDSPB2 and ESDSPB3 and examined for colony morphology Gram stain characters and biochemical tests. Phenol degrading performance of all the strains was evaluated initially. One of the strains namely ESDSPB2 was found to be highly effective for the removal of phenol, which was used as sole carbon and energy source. From an initial concentration of 200 mg l-1 it degraded to 79.84 ± 1.23 mg l-1. In turn the effect of temperature (20 to 450C), pH (5 – 10) and glucose concentration (0, 0.25 and 0.5%) on the rate of phenol degradation by that particular strain was investigated. Observations revealed that the rate of phenol biodegradation was significantly affected by pH, temperature of incubation and glucose concentration. The optimal conditions for phenol removal were found to be pH of 7 (84.63% removal), temperature, 300C (76.69% removal) and 0.25% supplemented glucose level (97.88% removal). The main significance of the study is the utilization of native bacterial strains from the waste water itself having potential of bioremediation.

Growth and biosurfactant synthesis by Nigerian hydrocarbon-degrading estuarine bacteria

The ability of microorganisms to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons is important for finding an environmentally-friendly method to restoring contaminated environmental matrices. Screening of hydrocarbon-utilizing and biosurfactant-producing abilities of organisms from an estuarine ecosystem in Nigeria, Africa, resulted in the isolation of five microbial strains identified as Corynebacterium sp. DDv1, Flavobacterium sp. DDv2, Micrococcus roseus DDv3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DDv4 and Saccharomyces cerevisae DDv5. These isolates grew readily on several hydrocarbons including hexadecane, dodecane, crude oil and petroleum fractions. Axenic cultures of the organisms utilized diesel oil (1.0 % v/v) with generation times that ranged significantly (t-test, P < 0.05) between 3.25 and 3.88 day, with concomitant production of biosurfactants. Kinetics of growth indicates that biosurfactant synthesis occurred predominantly during exponential growth phase, suggesting that the bioactive molecules are primary metabolites. Strains DDv1 and DDv4 were evidently the most metabolically active in terms of substrate utilization and biosurfactant synthesis compared to other strains with respective emulsification index of 63 and 78 %. Preliminary biochemical characterization indicates that the biosurfactants are heteropolymers consisting of lipid, protein and carbohydrate moieties. The hydrocarbon catabolic properties coupled with biosurfactant-producing capabilities is an asset that could be exploited for cleanup of oil-contaminated matrices and also in food and cosmetic industries. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (4): 16031611. Epub 2008 December 30.

La capacidad de los microorganismos para degradar hidrocarburos del petróleo es de gran importancia para hallar un método aceptable y ambientalmente amigable para la restauración de terrenos ambientalmente contaminados. Al investigar las capacidades de los organismos de un ecosistema de estuario que utilizan hidrocarburos y producen biosurfactantes, se produjo como resultado el aislamiento de cinco cepas microbianas identificadas como Corynebacterium sp. DDv1, Flavobacterium sp. DDv2, Micrococcus roseus DDv3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa y DDv4 Saccharomyces cerevisiae DDv5. Estas cepas crecieron fácilmente en varios hidrocarburos incluyendo hexadecanos, dodecanos, petróleo crudo y fracciones de petróleo. Los cultivos axénicos de organismos utilizaron diesel (1.0% v/v) con períodos por generación con ámbitos significativos (t-test, P <0.05) de entre 3.25 y 3.88 días, con la consiguiente producción de bio-surfactantes. La cinética del crecimiento indica que la síntesis de bio-surfactante se produjo principalmente durante la fase de crecimiento exponencial, lo que sugiere que las moléculas bioactivas son metabolitos primarios. Las cepas DDv1 y DDv4 fueron evidentemente las más metabólicamente activas en términos de utilización del sustrato y la síntesis de bio-surfactantes en comparación con otras cepas con índices respectivos de emulsificación de 63 y 78%. La caracterización bioquímica preliminar indica que los bio-surfactantes son heteropolímeros constituidos de fracciones de lípidos, proteínas y carbohidratos. Las propiedades catabólicas de los hidrocarburos, junto con las capacidades de producción de bio-surfactantes, es una ventaja que puede ser aprovechada para la limpieza de terrenos contaminados con petróleo y también en la industria alimentaria y cosmética.