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Campylobacter fetus is a Gram-negative, zoonotic pathogen and a member of the class Epsilonproteobacteria . We report the draft genome sequence of C. fetus subsp. fetus CITCf01, isolated from a patient with subacute bacterial endocarditis.

In this study, we evaluated the use of EntericBio real-time Gastro Panel I (Serosep, Limerick, Ireland) for routine use in a clinical microbiology laboratory for simultaneous detection of Campylobacter jejuni , coli , and lari , Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp. in feces. This system differs from its predecessor (the EntericBio Panel II system, Serosep) in that it allows real-time detection of pathogens directly from feces, without pre-enrichment. It also specifically detects Campylobacter jejuni , coli , and lari rather than all Campylobacter species, as is the case with the previous system. A total of 528 samples from patients presenting with acute gastroenteritis were screened prospectively with this assay, and results were compared with those of the current method, which combines screening the samples with a molecular assay (the EntericBio Panel II assay) and retrospective culture of the specimens in which the target was detected. Discrepancy analysis was conducted using culture and molecular methods. The real-time assay produced 84 positive results, specifically, Campylobacter spp. ( n = 44); Stx1 and/or Stx2 ( n = 35); Shigella spp. ( n = 3); and Salmonella spp. ( n = 6). Of these, 4 samples represented coinfections with Campylobacter spp. and STEC. The real-time assay showed an increased detection rate for pathogens, apart from Salmonella spp. Four Campylobacter -positive and 6 Stx-positive results remained unconfirmed by any other method used. The isolation rates for PCR-positive samples were as follows: Campylobacter spp., 80%; STEC, 45.7%; Salmonella spp., 100%; and Shigella spp., 66.7%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and efficiency were 100%, 97.8%, 88.1%, 100%, and 98.1%, respectively.

Herein, we report the draft genome sequences of six individual Staphylococcus epidermidis clones, cultivated from blood taken from different preterm neonatal sepsis patients at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

A characteristic feature of the intracellular food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is its ability to survive and even proliferate under a variety of hostile environmental conditions, particularly elevated osmolarity (10% NaCl) ([47][1]) and reduced temperature (−0.1°C) ([75][2]). Early

Herein, we report the draft genome sequence of Pantoea sp . ED-NGS-1003, cultivated from a blood sample taken from a neonatal sepsis patient at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Campylobacter corcagiensis CIT045 T (=CCUG 64942 T , LMG 27932 T ), a new member of the Campylobacter genus, has recently been isolated from lion-tailed macaques in Cork, Ireland. To further characterize this new species and its potential pathogenicity, the genome sequence of C. corcagiensis was determined and is presented here.

Herein, we present the draft genome sequence of Campylobacter ureolyticus . Strain CIT007 was isolated from a stool sample from an elderly female presenting with diarrheal illness and end-stage chronic renal disease.

The observed sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes to the toxic proline analogue l -azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZ) suggested that proline synthesis in Listeria may be regulated by feedback inhibition of γ-glutamyl kinase (GK), the first enzyme of the proline biosynthesis pathway, encoded by the proB gene. Taking advantage of the Epicurian coli mutator strain XL1-Red, we performed random mutagenesis of the recently described proBA operon and generated three independent mutations in the listerial proB homologue, leading to proline overproduction and salt tolerance when expressed in an E. coli (Δ proBA ) background. While each of the mutations (located within a conserved 26-amino-acid region of GK) was shown to confer AZ resistance (AZ r ) on an L. monocytogenes proBA mutant, listerial transformants failed to exhibit the salt-tolerant phenotype observed in E. coli . Since proline accumulation has previously been linked to the virulence potential of a number of pathogenic bacteria, we analyzed the effect of proline overproduction on Listeria pathogenesis. However, our results suggest that as previously described for proline auxotrophy, proline hyperproduction has no apparent impact on the virulence potential of Listeria .

The success of Listeria monocytogenes as a food-borne pathogen owes much to its ability to survive a variety of stresses, both in the external environment prior to ingestion and subsequently within the animal host. Growth at high salt concentrations and low temperatures is attributed mainly to the accumulation of organic solutes such as glycine betaine and carnitine. We utilized a novel system for generating chromosomal mutations (based on a lactococcal pWVO1-derived Ori + RepA − vector, pORI19) to identify a listerial OpuC homologue. Mutating the operon in two strains of L. monocytogenes revealed significant strain variation in the observed activity of OpuC. Radiolabeled osmolyte uptake studies, together with growth experiments in defined media, linked OpuC to carnitine and glycine betaine uptake in Listeria . We also investigated the role of OpuC in contributing to the growth and survival of Listeria in an animal (murine) model of infection. Altering OpuC resulted in a significant reduction in the ability of Listeria to colonize the upper small intestine and cause subsequent systemic infection following peroral inoculation.

Increased listerial barotolerance at elevated osmolarity is attributed, in part, to the presence of accumulated betaine and l -carnitine. The percentage of listerial survival following exposure to 400 MPa for 5 min increased from 0.008 to 0.02% with added l -carnitine (5 mM) and to 0.05% with added betaine (5 mM). Furthermore, listerial cells incapable of transporting compatible solutes fail to adapt to high pressure at elevated osmolarity.