Isolation and Identification of Dominant Bacteria from Raw Donkey Milk Produced in a Region of Morocco by QIIME 2 and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activity.

Recently, the interest in donkey milk has increased considerably because it proved high nutritive and functional values of their ingredients. Its chemical composition is widely studied, but its microbiota, especially lactic acid bacteria, remains less studied. This study focuses on analyzing, isolating, and identifying lactic acid bacteria and evaluating their capacity to produce biomolecules with antibacterial activity. Among 44 strains identified, 43 are Gram-positive, and most are catalase-negative and cocci-shaped. Five strains were selected to evaluate their antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Different induction methods allowed to amplify the antibacterial effects against these pathogenic strains.

Background of patients with Aerococcus spp. detected in blood cultures, and drug sensitivity of Aerococcus spp.

This study aimed to review the clinical characteristics of patients with Aerococcus spp. detected by blood culture, and drug susceptibility of Aerococcus spp. All cases of Aerococcus spp. determined using blood culture between June 2013 and May 2020 in a single institution were included; patient information (age, sex, comorbidities, outcome, diagnosis, antimicrobial agents) was analyzed. The cohort comprised 25 patients (18 [72%] men and 7 [28%] women; median age, 84.5 [range, 75-87] years). Thirteen (52%) patients had urinary tract infections(UTI) caused by Aerococcus spp. All patients had a favorable prognosis, except 1 who died owing to infective endocarditis. Drug susceptibility testing showed that most isolates were susceptible to ß-lactams except 1. However, 24 (96%) cases were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 10 (40%) to quinolones. Aerococcus spp. are important causative agents of bacteremia and UTI. The increasing reports of Aerococcus spp. infections could lead to better treatment schemes and facilitate diagnosis.

A novel plasmid from Aerococcus urinaeequi of porcine origin co-harboring the tetracycline resistance genes tet(58) and tet(61).

Tetracyclines are the broad-spectrum agents used in veterinary medicine and food animal production. Known mechanisms of tetracycline resistance include ribosome protection, active efflux and enzymatic inactivation. However, the presence of two different tet genes conferring different resistance mechanisms on the same plasmid has rarely been reported. In this study, we identified the tandem tetracycline resistance genes tet(61)-tet(58) on the novel plasmid pT4303. These tet genes were identified for the first time in Aerococcus urinaeequi. Reduced susceptibility to doxycycline was observed in S. aureus RN4220 harboring tet(61) when an extra tet(58) was expressed. Plasmid pT4303 was electrotransformed into S. aureus RN4220, E. faecalis JH2-2, S. suis BAA and E. coli DH5α and conferred tetracycline resistance (MIC ≥ 16) in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, assuming that it might serve as a vehicle for the dissemination of the tetracycline resistance genes tet(61) and tet(58).

Aerococcus spp infective endocarditis following a prostate biopsy: a case report.

We report a rare case of an infective endocarditis by Aerococcus spp in a bioprosthetic aortic valve following a prostate biopsy, in an asymptomatic adult with no additional risk factor for prostate cancer, excepting for age. The diagnosis was based on the presence of vegetations on the bioprosthesis seen on the echocardiogram, positive blood cultures and fever, and a favorable clinical outcome following the treatment with ceftriaxone and gentamicin.

Characteristics of Aerococcus viridans isolated from porcine fetuses in Korean farms.

Swine abortion caused by viruses as well as bacteria has caused many economic losses in domestic farms over the years; however, bacterial abortion has not yet been studied in Korea. Several bacterial species were isolated from aborted fetuses (n = 103) for which the cause of death was not viral abortion. Among them, we focused on Aerococcus viridans, which had the highest positive rate within three provinces (Gangwon, Jeonnam and Gyeongnam). A total of 16 isolates were identified as A. viridans by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and 13 were characterized by both antibiotic resistance and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Based on antibiotic susceptibility testing result, eight antimicrobials could not effectively eliminate the present isolation (more than 40% of isolates can resist these antibiotics), while all except two strains were susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Molecular analysis indicated genetic variation among these strains. This study is the first report detecting A. viridans from aborted fetuses in Korean domestic farms.

Management and treatment of Aerococcus bacteremia and endocarditis.

OBJECTIVES: We describe our multicenter experience on diagnosis and management of Aerococcus bacteremia including the susceptibility profile of Aerococcus species and a suggested algorithm for clinicians. METHODS: Retrospective study of all patients with positive blood cultures for Aerococcus species from January 2005 to July 2020 in our institution with clinical data and susceptibility profile. Data were collected from both electronic health record and clinical microbiology laboratory database. RESULTS: There were 219 unique isolates with only the susceptibility profiles available, while 81 patients had clinical information available. Forty-nine of those cases were deemed as true bloodstream infection and the rest were of unclear clinical significance. Cases of endocarditis (n = 7) were high-grade, monomicrobial bacteremia caused by Aerococcus urinae. Patients with endocarditis were younger (66 vs 80 p < 0.05). The risk for endocarditis was higher if duration of symptoms was longer than 7 days (OR 105, 95% CI: 5-2271), or if there were septic emboli (OR 71, 95% CI: 3-1612). A DENOVA score cutoff of ≥ 3 was 100% sensitive and 89% specific in detecting endocarditis. The 30-day and 3-month all-cause mortality for bacteremia was 17% and 24%, respectively. Six out of seven patients with endocarditis survived. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic regimen for aerococcal bloodstream infections and endocarditis should be guided by species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. DENOVA scoring system's performance in this study is more congruent to other studies. Hence, it can be used as an adjunctive tool in assessing the need for echocardiogram to rule out endocarditis. In our experience, two and four weeks of treatment for bloodstream infections and endocarditis, respectively, had good outcomes.

Endocarditis infecciosa por Aerococcus urinae / Aerococcus urinae infective endocarditis

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Aerococcus Urinae Aortic Valve Endocarditis with Kissing Aortic Wall Ulcer: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND Initially presumed as nonpathogenic, the bacterial genus aerococcus now includes 7 distinct virulent and avirulent species. Aerococcus urinae first isolated in 1992 is an uncommon cause of urinary tract infection (UTI) and is seen in only 0.15% to 0.8% of cases. A. urinae associated invasive bacteremia and systemic infection are extremely rare entities. Less than 50 cases of A. urinae associated with infective endocarditis (IE) have been reported in the literature, with the prevalence being 3 per 1 million. CASE REPORT A 59-year-old male presented to our hospital with exertional dyspnea and new-onset atrial flutter. Prior to his current admission patient was treated for A. urinae associated UTI with levofloxacin for 10 days. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed severe aortic regurgitation with aortic valve endocarditis, which was subsequently confirmed on transesophageal echocardiogram. Blood cultures displayed gram-positive cocci in clusters, ultimately identified as A. urinae. The patient was treated with intravenous vancomycin and underwent surgical aortic valve replacement along with patch repair for underlying aortic wall ulcer. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever reported case of A. urinae associated IE complicated by an aortic wall ulcer. Male gender, age >65 years, and preexisting urinary tract pathology have all been implicated as risk factors for aerococcus infection. A. urinae is almost always sensitive to penicillin, carbapenem, and aminoglycosides.

Bladder bacterial diversity differs in continent and incontinent women: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Since the discovery of the bladder microbiome (urobiome), interest has grown in learning whether urobiome characteristics have a role in clinical phenotyping and provide opportunities for novel therapeutic approaches for women with common forms of urinary incontinence. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the bladder urobiome differs among women in the control cohort and women affected by urinary incontinence by assessing associations between urinary incontinence status and the cultured urobiome. STUDY DESIGN: With institutional review board oversight, urine specimens from 309 adult women were collected through transurethral catheterization. These women were categorized into 3 cohorts (continent control, stress urinary incontinence [SUI], and urgency urinary incontinence [UUI]) based on their responses to the validated Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) questionnaire. Among 309 women, 150 were in the continent control cohort, 50 were in the SUI cohort, and 109 were in the UUI cohort. Symptom severity was assessed by subscale scoring with the Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI), subscale of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory. Microbes were assessed by expanded quantitative urine culture protocol, which detects the most common bladder microbes (bacteria and yeast). Microbes were identified to the species level by matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Alpha diversity indices were calculated for culture-positive samples and compared across the 3 cohorts. The correlations of UDI scores, alpha diversity indices, and species abundance were estimated. RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 53 years (range 22-90); most were whites (65%). Women with urinary incontinence were slightly older (control, 47; SUI, 54; UUI, 61). By design, UDI symptom scores differed (control, 8.43 [10.1]; SUI, 97.95 [55.36]; UUI, 93.71 [49.12]; P<.001). Among 309 participants, 216 (70%) had expanded quantitative urine culture-detected bacteria; furthermore, the urinary incontinence cohorts had a higher detection frequency than the control cohort (control, 57%; SUI, 86%; UUI, 81%; P<.001). In addition, the most frequently detected species among the cohorts were as follows: continent control, Lactobacillus iners (12.7%), Streptococcus anginosus (12.7%), L crispatus (10.7%), and L gasseri (10%); SUI, S anginosus (26%), L iners (18%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (18%), and L jensenii (16%); and UUI, S anginosus (30.3%), L gasseri (22%), Aerococcus urinae (18.3%), and Gardnerella vaginalis (17.4%). However, only Actinotignum schaalii (formerly Actinobaculum schaalii), A urinae, A sanguinicola, and Corynebacterium lipophile group were found at significantly higher mean abundances in 1 of the urinary incontinence cohorts when compared with the control cohort (Wilcoxon rank sum test; P<.02), and no individual genus differed significantly between the 2 urinary incontinence cohorts. Both urinary incontinence cohorts had increased alpha diversity similar to continent control cohort with indices of species richness, but not evenness, strongly associated with urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION: In adult women, the composition of the culturable bladder urobiome is associated with urinary incontinence, regardless of common incontinence subtype. Detection of more unique living microbes was associated with worsening incontinence symptom severity. Culturable species richness was significantly greater in the urinary incontinence cohorts than in the continent control cohort.

Aerococcus urinae - A potent biofilm builder in endocarditis.

The diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) remains a challenge. One of the rare bacterial species recently associated with biofilms and negative cultures in infective endocarditis is Aerococcus urinae. Whether the low number of reported cases might be due to lack of awareness and misidentification, mainly as streptococci, is currently being discussed. To verify the relevance and biofilm potential of Aerococcus in endocarditis, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization to visualize the microorganisms within the heart valve tissue. We designed and optimized a specific FISH probe (AURI) for in situ visualization and identification of A. urinae in sections of heart valves from two IE patients whose 16S rRNA gene sequencing had deteced A. urinae. Both patients had a history of urinary tract infections. FISH visualized impressive in vivo grown biofilms in IE, thus confirming the potential of A. urinae as a biofilm pathogen. In both cases, FISH/PCR was the only method to unequivocally identify A. urinae as the only causative pathogen for IE. The specific FISH assay for A. urinae is now available for further application in research and diagnostics. A. urinae should be considered in endocarditis patients with a history of urinary tract infections. These findings support the biofilm potential of A. urinae as a virulence factor and are meant to raise the awareness of this pathogen.

Rational engineering of Aerococcus viridansl-lactate oxidase for the mediator modification to achieve quasi-direct electron transfer type lactate sensor.

The l-lactate oxidase (LOx) based lactate sensors are widely used for clinical diagnostics, sports medicine, and food quality control. However, dissolved oxygen interference and electroactive interferent effects are inherent issues of current lactate sensors. In this paper, a quasi-direct electron transfer (quasi-DET) type lactate sensor was developed using rationally engineered Aerococcus viridans LOx (AvLOx) modified with amine-reactive phenazine ethosulfate (PES). Since the modification of wild type AvLOx by PES did not result quasi-DET, engineered AvLOx with additional Lys residue was designed. The additional Lys residue was introduced by substituting residue locating on the surface of AvLOx, and within 20 Šof the isoalloxazine ring of FMN. Among several constructed mutants, Ala96Leu/Asn212Lys double mutant showed the highest dye-mediated dehydrogenase activity with negligible oxidase activity, showing quasi-DET properties after PES modification, when the enzyme was immobilized on screen printed carbon electrode. The constructed electrode did not show oxygen interference in cyclic voltammetric analysis and distinct catalytic current with 20 mM l-lactate. The sensor performance of a chronoamperometric l-lactate sensor employing PES modified Ala96Leu/Asn212Lys AvLOx, marked with linear range between 0 and 1 mM, with sensitivity of 13 µA/mM∙cm2, and a limit of detection of 25 µM for l-lactate. By applying -200 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, l-lactate could be monitored with negligible interference from 170 µM ascorbic acid, 1.3 mM acetaminophen, 1.4 mM uric acid or 20 mM glucose. These results indicated that a quasi-DET type lactate sensor was developed that did not suffer from the interference of oxygen and representative electroactive ingredient compounds.

Clinical Significance of Isolates Known to Be Blood Culture Contaminants in Pediatric Patients.

Background and objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of isolates from blood stream infection known to be blood culture contaminants in pediatric patients. Materials and Methods: Microbiological reports and medical records of all blood culture tests issued from 2002 to 2012 (n = 76,331) were retrospectively reviewed. Evaluation for potential contaminants were done by reviewing medical records of patients with the following isolates: coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, viridans group Streptococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Aerococcus, and Proprionibacterium species. Repeated cultures with same isolates were considered as a single case. Cases were evaluated for their status as a pathogen. Results: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus had clinical significance in 23.8% of all cases. Its rate of being a true pathogen was particularly high in patients with malignancy (43.7%). Viridans group Streptococcus showed clinical significance in 46.2% of all cases. Its rate of being a true pathogen was similar regardless of the underlying morbidity of the patient. The rate of being a true pathogens for remaining isolates was 27.7% for Bacillus and 19.0% for Corynebacterium species. Conclusions: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and viridans group Streptococcus isolates showed high probability of being true pathogens in the pediatric population, especially in patients with underlying malignancy.

Aerococcus Viridans: Case Report, Microbiology, and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND Aerococcus viridans are Gram-positive, catalase and oxidase-negative, microaerophilic, and non-motile bacteria species that are rarely associated with human infections such as arthritis, bacteremia, endocarditis, and meningitis. The bacteria are also fastidious (i.e., have complex nutritional requirements) and often confused with Streptococci species or treated as a contaminant. CASE REPORT We report a case of Aerococcus septicemia in an 85-year-old female patient, who transferred from a nursing home to an acute care hospital in Washington DC, USA. She had a 2-day history of worsening mental status, fever of 38.9°C (102°F), and tachycardia. Urinalysis revealed numerous white blood cells and bacteria. Laboratory tests revealed a white blood cell count of 14 000 cells/mL (85% neutrophils, 8% lymphocytes, 5% bands, and 2% monocytes), hemoglobin of 12.6 g/dL, and serum creatinine of 0.8 mg/dL. Blood and urine cultures obtained during admission grew penicillin-resistant A. viridans, identified via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) on day 3 of admission. The patient received empiric vancomycin with piperacillin-tazobactam, and we deescalated to vancomycin monotherapy to complete a 14-day treatment course. CONCLUSIONS This case report highlights the role of MALDI-TOF for identifying fastidious organisms, and we were able to form a better clinical correlation between patient symptoms and causative organisms. We believe that antimicrobial therapy (in accordance with susceptibility results) should be initiated in symptomatic patients who have A. viridans isolated in significant amounts in urine or from a sterile site.

Subacute Aerococcus urinae Infective Endocarditis With Mycotic Aneurysms in a Pediatric Patient: Case Report and Literature Review.

Aerococcus urinae has been found to cause urinary tract infection in elderly patients and has been reported as a rare cause of infective endocarditis associated with significant morbidity and death in adults. However, information regarding its occurrence in children is lacking. We report here the case of a pediatric patient with subacute A urinae infective endocarditis with mycotic aneurysms.

A rare case of Aerococcus urinae infective endocarditis in an atypically young male: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Aerococcus urinae is a gram-positive, alpha-hemolytic coccus bacterium primarily implicated in less than 1 % of all symptomatic urinary tract infections. Risk factors for disease include male gender, advanced age, and comorbid genitourinary tract pathology. Infections beyond the genitourinary tract are rare, though spondylodiscitis, perineal abscesses, lymphadenitis, bacteremia, meningitis, and endocarditis have been reported. Less than fifty cases of A. urinae infective endocarditis (IE) have been described in the literature. The rare occurrence of A. urinae in human infections and resultant lack of randomized controlled trials have resulted in a significant degree of clinical uncertainty in the management of A. urinae IE. CASE PRESENTATION: We present an unusual case of a forty-three year-old male with A. urinae infective endocarditis (IE) who was successfully treated with mitral valve replacement and six weeks of penicillin/gentamicin therapy. In addition, we include a comprehensive review of all reported cases of IE due to A. urinae with specific attention to therapeutic regimens and treatment durations. CONCLUSION: Recent advances in diagnostic technology have led to an increase in the frequency A. urinae is diagnosed. Reviewing cases of Aerococcus urinae infections, their clinical courses and subsequent management can assist future healthcare providers and their patients.

Infección urinaria por Aerococcus sanguinicola. Patógeno emergente oportunista / Urinary tract infection by aerococcus sanguinicola. An emerging opportunistic pathogen

Los pacientes ancianos con enfermedad urológica de base tienen mayor riesgo de infecciones del trato urinario por patógenos infrecuentes. Previamente se ha infraestimado la enfermedad causada por Aerococcus, pero la espectrometría de masas podría ser un método sencillo para su identificación. En este trabajo se describen 2 casos de infección urinaria por Aerococcus sanguinicola (A. sanguinicola). Se realizó un estudio descriptivo clínico-microbiológico de la presencia de A. sanguinicola produciendo infecciones urinarias. La presencia de A. sanguinicola ocurrió en pacientes ancianos con enfermedad urológica previa y con un recuento significativo en orinas obtenidas mediante sondaje vesical. La identificación fue correcta mediante espectrometría de masas. La evolución clínica fue satisfactoria mediante el uso de amoxicilina y cefuroxima. En este trabajo informamos de la capacidad patógena de A. sanguinicola. En el urocultivo, ante un recuento significativo de microorganismos alfa-hemolíticos, deberíamos descartar que se trate de A. sanguinicola antes de informar un resultado como microbiota urogenital

Elderly patients with underlying urological disease have a greater risk of urinary tract infections due to uncommon pathogens. The disease caused by Aerococcus has been underestimated, but mass spectrometry could be a simple method for identifying this pathogen. In this study, we report 2 cases of urinary tract infection by Aerococcus sanguinicola. A descriptive clinical-microbiological study was conducted on the presence of A. sanguinicola causing urinary tract infections. The presence of A. sanguinicola occurred in elderly patients with previous urological disease and a significant count in urine obtained through bladder catheterisation. Correct identification was achieved through mass spectrometry, and the clinical outcome of administering amoxicillin and cefuroxime was satisfactory. In this study, we also report the pathogenic capacity of A. sanguinicola. When there is a significant number of alpha-haemolytic microorganisms in the urine cultures, A. sanguinicola should be ruled out before reporting a result as urogenital microbiota

Musculoskeletal infections caused by Aerococcus urinae: a case-based review.

Aerococcus are Gram-positive bacteria that have been historically misidentified using standard techniques. We report a case of a 63-year-old man with septic oligoarthritis caused by Aerococcus urinae (isolated in two ankle synovial fluid cultures and in two blood cultures). Due to the lack of evidence found in a search performed to identify similar cases, a systematic review was conducted with the objective to identify and analyze all documented cases of musculoskeletal infections caused by Aerococcus urinae. A total of 8 cases were selected: 6 spondylodiscitis, 1 periarticular hip abscess, and 1 prosthetic hip infection. Similarly, as in other Aerococcus urinae invasive infections, these were presented predominantly in older males with history of urinary tract disease, being identified mostly by sequencing of the 16S rRNA or by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), with an increasing incidence in the last years and generally with good sensitivity to beta-lactams (aminoglycosides were associated in some cases due to its synergistic effect). Additionally, 4 cases of musculoskeletal infections caused by Aerococcus viridans and 4 cases of Aerococcus urinae with ammoniacal and pervasive malodorous urine were identified; the last was a symptom also present in our case. In this review, we identify a recent increase of musculoskeletal infections caused by Aerococcus urinae, which as well as in series of other invasive infections could be well correlated with an increasing use of more sensible diagnosis methods in clinical laboratories. Therefore, we suggest that these probably will be more frequently diagnosed in the future.

Spondylodiscitis due to Aerococcus urinae and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Aerococccus urinae (AU) is a pathogen mainly identified in male urinary tract infections and responsible for bacteremia and endocarditis. To the best of our knowledge, there are only five patients with osteomyelitis due to AU described in the literature. All of them had urinary tract disease or systemic conditions such as diabetes, and two were associated with an endocarditis. CASE REPORT: We described the first case of isolated spondylodiscitis without general or local predisposing condition, excepted age > 65 years.