Background: Antifungal resistance is gradually becoming a much more frequent problem. The limited number of available drugs and growing resistance especially as it is a common infection with pregnant women mostly caused by Candida albicans has become a serious issue worldwide. Previous studies have shown that approximately 70-75% of women will have at least one episode of vulvovaginal candidiasis with half of that percentage having recurrent infection. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the antifungal resistance profile of yeast involved in vulvovaginal candidiasis infections in pregnant women in the Buea Regional Hospital. Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out from the 20th of May to the 30th of June. The volunteers were given questionnaires in order to obtain their socio-demographic data and vaginal swab samples. The samples were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, gram stain microscopy was done and susceptibility tests carried out to identify Candida strains. The data was recorded in Microsoft Excel 2010 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total number of 92 participants took part in this research of varying ages with the highest percentage of 48(52.2%) being women within the age range 26-36 years. The prevalence was 51(55.4%) for positive cases and 41(44.6%) for negative cases. The prevalence of the species determined from the positive cases were 40(78.4%) for C. albicans and 11(21.6%) were non-albicans candida species. The sensitivity differed with the species that is, C. albicans: KCA-10 21(52.5%), and FLC-25 12(30%). None of the drugs were sensitive for non-albicans candida species (NAC). Conclusion: The limited antifungal drugs are growing highly resistant to yeast infections especially for NAC and the rate of infection amongst pregnant women remain quite high.

Introduction:

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREf) has become a major public health concern worldwide. Although hospital-based transmission is generally associated with outbreaks, contaminated water may play a role in the spread of VREf. This study determined the prevalence of VREf and identified associated risk factors in domestic wells in the study area.

Methods:

We assessed 350 wells for VREf, and questionnaires were administered to obtain information about well characteristics and owners' biodemographic data. Isolates were identified using biochemical and molecular methods. The isolates were tested against eight antibiotics using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method, and the vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the agar dilution method. The resistance (vanA, vanB, msrA/B, mefA, mph (ABC)) and virulence (esp, gelE, and hla) genes of VREf were detected by polymerase chain reaction. Data analysis was conducted with R statistical software.

Results:

Thirty-eight (10.9%) wells were contaminated by VREf, with counts ranging from 100 to 5000 CFU/mL. Wells sited near dumpsites, with ponding within three meters and split water collection, significantly harbored VREf (p < 0.05). All isolates (100%) exhibited resistance to tetracycline, linezolid, penicillin, erythromycin, and vancomycin. The vancomycin MIC of the isolates varied from 64 to 512 ug/ml. Twenty-seven of the thirty-eight isolates harbored only the vanA gene, while one harbored both the vanA and vanB genes. Five isolates harbored the msrA/B gene, three isolates harbored only the mph(ABC) gene, one harbored the mph(ABC) and mefA genes, and four harbored only the mefA gene. The virulence determinants esp, gelE, and hla were found in 2.6%, 29%, and 28.9% of the isolates, respectively.

Conclusion:

The presence of VREf in well water highlights the risk to human health associated with the use of untreated water. There is a need for periodic sanitation and inspection of wells to prevent ponding, split water collection, and possible outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

Introduction: The accumulation of antibiotic residues in natural environments poses critical risks to public health and ecosystem stability due to their biochemical and physiological impacts. Ensuring water safety by preventing antibiotic contamination necessitates the development of rapid and reliable detection methods. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offers high sensitivity and specificity in identifying small molecules but faces challenges in distinguishing individual antibiotics within complex mixtures.

Methods: This study introduces a deep-learning-based model to analyze SERS spectra for the efficient identification of antibiotics in mixtures and precise determination of their concentrations. A simulated water environment with residues of ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and levofloxacin was prepared. A computational framework combining a convolutional neural network (CNN) for classification and a non-negative elastic network (NN-EN) for quantification was applied to the SERS spectra data.

Results: The CNN model achieved 98.68% accuracy in identifying individual antibiotics in mixtures. Additionally, the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis highlighted the model's capacity to target specific spectral peaks, while the NN-EN model accurately quantified each antibiotic’s concentration within the mixtures.

Conclusion: The combined use of SERS with CNN and NN-EN models presents a promising solution for the rapid and accurate detection and quantification of antibiotic residues in water, potentially enhancing efforts to monitor and control aquatic contamination.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a sophisticated bacterial communication system that regulates behaviors critical to pathogenicity, including biofilm formation, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. This review explores QS's pivotal role in polymicrobial infections, where interspecies interactions significantly enhance antibiotic resistance. It delves into the mechanisms of QS, focusing on acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) in Gram-negative bacteria and autoinducing peptides (AIPs) in Gram-positive bacteria, highlighting their contributions to biofilm-associated antibiotic resistance. The challenges presented by polymicrobial infections, such as those in cystic fibrosis lung infections, chronic wound infections, and medical device-associated infections, are analyzed in detail. Laboratory models, including flow cells, static biofilm systems, and mammalian models, are discussed as tools to study the interplay between QS and antibiotic resistance in controlled environments. Promising therapeutic approaches, particularly quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) like furanones, AHL analogs, and natural compounds such as flavonoids, are emphasized for their potential to disrupt bacterial communication, reduce virulence, and enhance antibiotic efficacy. Case studies demonstrating the efficacy of QSIs in both laboratory and clinical contexts are presented, underscoring their potential to combat recalcitrant infections. This review also considers the economic and healthcare burden posed by biofilm-induced antibiotic resistance, advocating for innovative strategies to mitigate this global challenge. By reviewing the complex interplay between QS and polymicrobial antibiotic resistance, this paper aims to advance therapeutic strategies and foster a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underpinning bacterial communication.

Streptomyces sp. bear antibiotics, antifungal and antitumor compounds. Anthracyclines and angucyclines are antitumor drugs with cytotoxic effects. During an artichoke cover cropping experiment at Rodale Organic Institute in Camarillo, actinomycetes were quantified and isolated. The purpose was to identify microbes with antibiotic qualities land unusual spore pigmentation in soil. Two Streptomyces sp. isolates, 37-AD-D4 and 42-E-JU, were from plots treated with polyethylene covers. The 16S rRNAs from the cultures were Sanger sequenced and analyzed on the DNA Subway Blue Line; there was low % similarity of partial 16S sequences. Strains were sent to Innomics for Whole genome sequencing (WGS) on BGI DNBseq. WGS reads were analyzed for quality and taxonomic classification using MiGA. WGS reads were assembled using SPAdes. Putative secondary metabolite gene clusters were identified with antiSMASH. Ketosynthase gene predictions were generated with NaPDoS2. The percentage of actinomycetes in the plots was between 6.2 and 6.45% in PLFA analysis; the Total Living Microbial Biomass was 2134.66-2258.31 ng/g. 16S microbial metabarcoding analysis was performed on soil. MiGA classification results from WGS indicated the closest relative to 37-AD-D4 was Streptomyces viridodiastaticus (88.68% AAI, p=0.39); 42-E-JU was most closely related to Streptomyces nigrum (84.16% AAI, p=0.549). Streptomyces sp. 37-AD-D4 contained an anthracycline domain 87% similar to mithramicin, an aromatic spore pigment domain 80% similar to the Streptomyces collinus reference, and a PK spore pigment gene cluster 83% ID to the known Streptomyces avermitilis cluster. WGS of 42-E-JU contained a spore pigment polyketide 75% similar to S. avermitilis and kinamycin, an angucycline (73% ID). The 16S Illumina metabarcoding output from soil sample 42-JU contained 256 rarified reads of Streptomyces that were unassigned to a species. The output from sample 37-AD contained 34 rarified reads assigned to unclassified species of Streptomyces. The secondary metabolite biochemical analysis should be explored. Volatiles should be analyzed and potential antitumor effects tested.

Background: Poultry meat constitutes a global food supply. Salmonella spp., a major foodborne disease, poses economic and public health risks. Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella spp. have consistently posed a challenge to antibiotic therapy. There is a dearth of information on the prevalence of ESBL Salmonella in poultry processing plants in Ibadan, Nigeria. This study investigated the prevalence of ESBL-producing Salmonella spp. in poultry processing plants in Ibadan, Nigeria, and determined its antibiotic resistance pattern.

Methods: A total of 153 chicken swab samples were collected from processed birds at packaging points in five processing plants with high processing capacity (2000-6000) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Isolation of Salmonella spp. was performed using standard procedures. Antibiotic sensitivity testing, ESBL isolates, and data analysis were conducted using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method, the double disc diffusion test, and descriptive statistics, respectively.

Results: Overall, the prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 56 (36.6%). The antibiotic susceptibility profile revealed a high prevalence of multidrug resistance, MDR (64.3%; 36/56), and extensive drug resistance, XDR (20/56; 35.7%), among all Salmonella spp. isolates. The prevalence of ESBL Salmonella spp. and non-ESBL Salmonella spp. was 2.6% (4/153) and 34% (52/153), respectively. Furthermore, all ESBL Salmonella (100.0% 4/4) isolates were MDR and XDR, while 57.7% (30/52) and 28.8% (15/52) of non-ESBL Salmonella spp. were MDR and XDR, respectively. Five different antibiotypes of non-ESBL Salmonella were found, with MEM-TE-SXT-PEF (54%; 28/52) being predominant. However, ESBL Salmonella spp. presented one antibiotype (MEM-CAZ-CTX-SXT-TE-PEF) (100%; 4/4) resistance to all antibiotics tested.

Conclusion: The high rate of MDR and XDR ESBL Salmonella isolates highlights the need for control over antibiotic use. A 50% reduction in antimicrobial use in food by 2030 and the development of new therapies like bacteriophages, peptides, and probiotics are crucial. Enforcing rational antibiotic use, strict hygiene, and national surveillance systems are essential to combating antimicrobial resistance.

Introduction: Nowadays, molecular testing is the gold standard for laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhea due to its superior sensitivity compared to culture. However, unlike culture, specimens collected for molecular testing cannot have susceptibility testing performed. The current study aimed to show the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates identified by culture in British Columbia (BC) communities. The data helps answering whether the Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections empiric preferred treatment (ceftriaxone monotherapy) or alternative treatment (cefixime plus doxycycline or cefixime plus azithromycin) require amendment.

Methods: An audit was conducted on the susceptibility profiles of all culture-positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates identified by LifeLabs BC regional microbiology laboratories, connected with 129 community collection centres, the largest network in the province of British Columbia, Canada. In 2023, 98 culture-positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the provincial laboratory. Their results were interpreted using the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) M100 guidance.

Results: The susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were as follows: azithromycin 97%, cefixime 100%, ceftriaxone 100%, ciprofloxacin 27%, penicillin 7%, and tetracycline 39%. As per CLSI, organisms that are susceptible to tetracycline are also considered susceptible to doxycycline and minocycline.

Conclusion: The preferred treatment of ceftriaxone with monotherapy is likely effective against Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the BC communities as 100% sensitivity was observed. Combination therapy with cefixime and azithromycin are also likely effective as 100% and 97% sensitivities were observed, respectively. Doxycycline should not be recommended as a monotherapy treatment or post-exposure prophylaxis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, as its sensitivity was only 39%. Penicillin and ciprofloxacin did not appear to be effective treatment options in most cases.

Introduction: Amoxicillin and Ampicillin are among the most widely used antibiotics for treating bacterial infections. While traditional drug monitoring methods often face challenges relative to accuracy and analysis speed, optical-based techniques offer a promising alternative. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a well-established tool, is particularly suited for this purpose. This study introduces a novel approach to the standard methods of antibiotic detection and monitoring, leveraging the capabilities of vibrational spectroscopy and helping in antimicrobial stewardship. Methods: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used in the fingerprint region to detect differences between the studied antibiotics. Additionally, absorbance intensity in the fingerprint region was monitored to assess the degradation of each antibiotic over time. To achieve this, the area under the curve was calculated and subjected to inferential statistical tests for both intragroup (degradation of the same antibiotic) and intergroup (degradation within the same time interval, comparing the two antibiotics) comparisons. All analyses were performed in OriginLab and using Python in the Google Colab and Orange environment. For the calculations of the limit of detection (LoD), the method based on the calibration curve was used. Results: Through the experiments, it was possible to identify the fingerprints of each antibiotic and statistically separate them, despite both belonging to the same class of antibiotics, where the spectral peaks appear in the same region. For degradation, all tests were conducted with a significance level of α = 5%. In this investigation, our results show several quantification characteristics with a detection limit of 186.40 mM for Ampicillin (using peak ratio) and 81.40 mM for Amoxicillin (using peak intensity). Conclusions: This research demonstrates that FTIR spectroscopy is effective for antibiotic detection and has the potential to be further developed into a monitoring protocol.

Gut dysbiosis, exacerbated by excessive antimicrobial use, is a significant concern in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome, often persisting beyond the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Dysbiosis contributes to microbiota imbalance and antimicrobial resistance, necessitating alternative approaches for rehabilitating post-COVID-19 patients.

A pilot study included 24 post-COVID-19 patients with gut dysbiosis (men: 45%). The ages of patients ranged from 46 to 80 years, with a median of 58 (51; 71) years. Intestinal content samples were obtained on the first day of admission from the 24 patients, who had recovered from the disease and received outpatient or inpatient treatment for periods of two to six months by the time of the study. Antibacterial therapy was administered in most patients during the stage of acute illness (third-generation cephalosporins or amoxicillin in combination with beta-lactamase inhibitors). The composition of the gut microbiota was analyzed using Colonoflor-16 (biocenosis) kits (AlphaLab, St. Petersburg, Russia), and real-time PCR detection (CFX 96, BioRad, Hercules, CA, USA) was performed on patients on the day of admission.

The levels of the Bacteroides fragilis group, Klebsiella oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Candida spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris / Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus spp., Enterobacter spp., and Citrobacter spp. exceeded the reference values by 1.5–2 times in the stool samples of patients. Additionally, the presence of Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Parvimonas micra, microorganisms that are absent in the gut microbiota of healthy subjects, was detected. A high ratio of the Bacteroides fragilis/Faecalibacterium prausnitzii group was also found, which is a sign of anaerobic imbalance and inflammation.

These results support the need for further studies aimed at identifying and correcting intestinal microbiota dysbiosis in patients who have recovered from COVID-19.

Chlorination is widely used as a tertiary treatment in water treatment plants to ensure the microbiological safety of drinking water (DW). However, this process inevitably leads to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In addition to microbial challenges, DW quality is also affected by emerging contaminants like parabens, which can react with chlorine to form parabens transformation products (PTPs). This study is the first to investigate the impact of PTPs derived from methylparaben (MP): mono-chlorinated MP (3-Cl-MP) and di-chlorinated MP (3,5-diCl-MP), on bacterial characteristics and tolerance to disinfection in 7-day-old dual-species biofilms of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Exposure to 3-Cl-MP and 3,5-diCl-MP increased the number of viable but not culturable cells (VBNC) of A. calcoaceticus presented in dual-species biofilms by 3-fold and 5-fold, respectively. Exposure to 3-Cl-MP also resulted in a significant increase in the VBNC levels of the overall dual-species biofilms and a10 µm increase in biofilm thickness. The polysaccharide content was higher for both 3-Cl-MP and 3,5-diCl-MP exposed biofilms in comparison to non-exposed ones. Interestingly, biofilms exposed to 3-Cl-MP showed increased susceptibility to chlorination, with higher log CFU reductions for A. calcoaceticus (1.26 ± 0.07), S. maltophilia (1.21 ± 0.14), and overall dual-species biofilms (1.17 ± 0.11). Similarly, increased reductions in total cells were obtained for 3-Cl-MP- exposed A. calcoaceticus, and for the overall dual-species biofilms after 3,5-diCl-MP exposure. A greater % of bacterial cells with damaged membranes was also obtained for both 3-Cl-MP and 3,5-diCl-MP-exposed biofilms. Although MP-derived PTPs did not increase bacterial tolerance to disinfection, 3,5-diCl-MP exposure increased the antibiotic tolerance of S. maltophilia to minocycline (MINO) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). These findings underscore the complex interactions between PTPs and biofilms, highlighting the potential implications for water treatment strategies, antimicrobial resistance and public health.