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Introduction: Over the past decade, numerous studies have described the types of pathogens and their antibiotic resistance patterns in patients with burn injuries in China; however, the findings have generally been inconsistent. We conducted a literature search and meta-analysis to summarize the infection spectra and antimicrobial resistance patterns in patients with burn injuries. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Literature, Wanfang, and Weipu databases for relevant articles published between January 2010 and December 2023. The DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model was used to estimate the proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of pathogens among Chinese patients with burn injuries. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore differences in the proportions of pathogens among different subgroups and their resistance patterns. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024514386). Results: The database searches yielded 2017 records; after removing duplicates and conducting initial screening, 219 articles underwent full-text screening. Ultimately, 60 studies comprising a total of 62,819 isolated strains reported the proportions of pathogens in patients with burn injuries and were included in this meta-analysis. Meta-analyses were conducted on 18 types of pathogens. The most common pathogens causing infections in Chinese patients with burn injuries were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Similar results were observed in the subgroup analysis focusing on wound infections. Since 2015, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (R2 = 4.89%) and a significant increase in the proportion of Klebsiella pneumoniae (R2 = 9.60%). In terms of antibiotic resistance, there has been a significant decrease in the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to multiple antibiotics and an increasing trend in the resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions: We systematically summarized the epidemiological characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of pathogens among individuals suffering from burns in China, thus providing guidance for controlling wound infections and promoting optimal empirical antimicrobial therapy. The observed high levels of antibiotic resistance underscore the need for ongoing monitoring of antibiotic usage trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious disease agents can influence each other's dynamics in shared host populations. We consider such influence for two mosquito-borne infections where one pathogen is endemic at the time that a second pathogen invades. We regard a setting where the vector has a bias towards biting host individuals infected with the endemic pathogen and where there is a cost to co-infected hosts. As a motivating case study, we regard Plasmodium spp., that cause avian malaria, as the endemic pathogen, and Usutu virus (USUV) as the invading pathogen. Hosts with malaria attract more mosquitoes compared to susceptible hosts, a phenomenon named vector bias. The possible trade-off between the vector-bias effect and the co-infection mortality is studied using a compartmental epidemic model. We focus first on the basic reproduction number R 0 for Usutu virus invading into a malaria-endemic population, and then explore the long-term dynamics of both pathogens once Usutu virus has become established. We find that the vector bias facilitates the introduction of malaria into a susceptible population, as well as the introduction of Usutu in a malaria-endemic population. In the long term, however, both a vector bias and co-infection mortality lead to a decrease in the number of individuals infected with either pathogen, suggesting that avian malaria is unlikely to be a promoter of Usutu invasion. This proposed approach is general and allows for new insights into other negative associations between endemic and invading vector-borne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lemon essential oil (LEOs) is used as a bioactive compound with unique health properties as a medicine or dietary supplement. Nevertheless, essential oils are chemical compounds sensitive to light, oxidation, and thermal processes. Therefore, encapsulation technique can be a good way to protect them from degradation and evaporation. In current study, biopolymeric nanocapsules containing lemon essential oils (LEOs) were prepared by the emulsion method. The nanocapsules were characterized by their particle size and Encapsulation efficiency (%) ranged from 339.3 to 553.3 nm and 68.09% to 85.43%, respectively. Long-term storage (30 days) under different temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C) conditions showed that nanocapsules stored at 4 °C were more stable than samples stored at higher temperatures. DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity were measured to evaluate the values of antioxidant activity of LEOs and nanocapsules. The free LEO and nanocapsules were investigated for its antibacterial activity against common Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) using disk diffusion followed by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Our results indicated that the encapsulated LEOs had a significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities, as compared to the free LEO. The LEOs nanocapsules in CS and Hicap can be suggested as an important natural alternative with suitable stability, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties to overcome the challenges associated with the direct application of these bioactive compounds in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral and bacterial infection diseases are the most common things caused by microbes. Infection diseases are serious issues because of the growth of COVID‐19. Because of the current living situation, clinical pathogens are difficult to identify. Therefore, biosensors have been widely utilized to sense the biomolecules relevant to viruses and bacteria. The biosensors observe the nanoparticles from the pathogens and help improve the infection analysis. The sensor information is processed using machine learning techniques because it consists of several learning patterns. However, the existing methods have multi‐objective optimization problems while analysing the changes in the nanoparticles. This work utilizes a mayfly optimized convoluted neural network (MOCNN) to overcome this research issue. The grid uses the fully convolution layer that processes the extracted biosensor features to determine the infections. The network performance is optimized by applying the exploitation and exploration properties of nuptial dance that help to escape from the local optima solutions. The effective utilization of the optimized training patterns improves the convergence speed and convergence rate compared to traditional methods. From the results, MOCNN ensures 98.97% accuracy, 0.388 error rate, and 0.322833 convergence rate on various iterations with different learning rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding significant arthropods that can harbour various microorganisms, including pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. Tick-symbiont microorganisms are believed to influence tick development, but the intricate interactions between these microbes and the relationships between different tick-borne microorganisms remain largely unexplored. Results: Based on 111 tick pool samples presenting questing and engorged statuses including 752 questing tick and 1083 engorged tick from cattle and goats, which were collected in two types of geographic landscape (semi-desert and alpine meadow). We observed significant variations in the composition of tick-borne microorganisms across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses, with a pronounced divergence in symbionts compared to environmental bacteria. Metabolic predictions revealed over 90 differential pathways for tick-borne microorganisms in distinct environments and more than 80 metabolic variations in response to varying blood engorgement statuses. Interestingly, nine pathways were identified, particularly related to chorismate synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, microbial network relationships within tick-borne microorganism groups were highly distinct across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses. The microbial network relationships of symbionts involve some pathogenic and environmental microorganisms. Regression modelling highlighted positive correlations between the Coxiella symbiont and related pathogens, while some environmental bacteria showed strong negative correlations with Coxiella abundance. We also identified commensal bacteria/pathogens in bacterial cooccurrence patterns. Furthermore, we tested pathogenic microorganisms of each tick sample analysis revealed that 86.36% (1601/1855) of the tick samples carried one or more pathogenic microorganisms, The total carrier rate of bacterial pathogens was 43.77% ((812/1855). Most blood samples carried at least one pathogenic microorganism. The pathogens carried by the ticks have both genus and species diversity, and Rickettsia species are the most abundant pathogens among all pathogens. Conclusion: Our findings underscore that the bacterial pattern of ticks is dynamic and unstable, which is influenced by the environment factors and tick developmental characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome triggered by infection and accompanied by high mortality, with antimicrobial resistances (AMRs) further escalating clinical challenges. The rapid and reliable detection of causative pathogens and AMRs are key factors for fast and appropriate treatment, in order to improve outcomes in septic patients. However, current sepsis diagnostics based on blood culture is limited by low sensitivity and specificity while current molecular approaches fail to enter clinical routine. Therefore, we developed a suppression PCR-based selective enrichment sequencing approach (SUPSETS), providing a molecular method combining multiplex suppression PCR with Nanopore sequencing to identify most common sepsis-causative pathogens and AMRs using plasma cell-free DNA. Applying only 1 mL of plasma, we targeted eight pathogens across three kingdoms and ten AMRs in a proof-of-concept study. SUPSETS was successfully tested in an experimental research study on the first ten clinical samples and revealed comparable results to clinical metagenomics while clearly outperforming blood culture. Several clinically relevant AMRs could be additionally detected. Furthermore, SUPSETS provided first pathogen and AMR-specific sequencing reads within minutes of starting sequencing, thereby potentially decreasing time-to-results to 11–13 h and suggesting diagnostic potential in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying pathogenic microorganisms as early as possible is critical for selecting the appropriate antimicrobial therapy in infected patients. We previously reported the development of the Tm mapping method for identifying a broad range of pathogenic bacteria within 3 h of blood collection. However, the Tm mapping identification requires an analytical instrument with a tube-to-tube variation of no more than 0.1 °C, so we can only use a few instruments that have such high thermal accuracy. To address the problem, we developed the improved Tm mapping method using imperfect-match linear long quenching probes (IMLL Q-probes). Using IMLL Q-probes, almost all commercially available analytical instruments can be used for the Tm mapping method. Some bacterial species cannot be narrowed down to one species, but they can at least be narrowed down to the genus level. The Tm mapping method using IMLL Q-probes is useful for deciding on antimicrobial therapy in infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Infection prevention (IP) measures are designed to mitigate the transmission of pathogens in healthcare. Using large-scale viral genomic and social network analyses, we determined if IP measures used during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic were adequate in protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients from acquiring SARS-CoV-2. Methods We performed retrospective cross-sectional analyses of viral genomics from all available SARS-CoV-2 viral samples collected at UC San Diego Health and social network analysis using the electronic medical record to derive temporospatial overlap of infections among related viromes and supplemented with contact tracing data. The outcome measure was any instance of healthcare transmission, defined as cases with closely related viral genomes and epidemiological connection within the healthcare setting during the infection window. Between November 2020 through January 2022, 12 933 viral genomes were obtained from 35 666 patients and HCWs. Results Among 5112 SARS-CoV-2 viral samples sequenced from the second and third waves of SARS-CoV-2 (pre-Omicron), 291 pairs were derived from persons with a plausible healthcare overlap. Of these, 34 pairs (12%) were phylogenetically linked: 19 attributable to household and 14 to healthcare transmission. During the Omicron wave, 2106 contact pairs among 7821 sequences resulted in 120 (6%) related pairs among 32 clusters, of which 10 were consistent with healthcare transmission. Transmission was more likely to occur in shared spaces in the older hospital compared with the newer hospital (2.54 vs 0.63 transmission events per 1000 admissions, P <.001). Conclusions IP strategies were effective at identifying and preventing healthcare SARS-CoV-2 transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections are a leading cause of death globally. The detection of DNA sequences correlated to the causative pathogen has become a vital tool in medical diagnostics. In practice, PCR-based assays for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens currently rely on probe-based quantitative strategies that require expensive equipment but have limited sensitivity or multiplexing capabilities. Hence, novel approaches to address the limitations of the current gold standard methods are still in high demand. In this study, we propose a simple multiplex PCR/SERS assay for the simultaneous detection of four bacterial pathogens, namely P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and M. smegmatis. Wherein, specific primers for amplifying each target gDNA were applied, followed by applying SERS nanotags functionalized with complementary DNA probes and Raman reporters for specific identification of the target bacterial pathogens. The PCR/SERS assay showed high specificity and sensitivity for genotyping bacterial pathogen gDNA, whereby as few as 100 copies of the target gDNA could be detected. With high sensitivity and the convenience of standard PCR amplification, the proposed assay shows great potential for the sensitive detection of multiple pathogen infections to aid clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural immunity is the first defense line of the host immune system, which plays a significant role in combating foreign pathogenic microorganisms. The IFN-β (interferon-beta) signaling pathway, being a typical example of innate immunity, plays a vital function. This study aimed to elucidate the function of pseudorabies virus (PRV) UL38 protein (unique long region 38) in suppressing the activation of the IFN-β signaling pathway. The findings from our study indicate that the PRV UL38 protein effectively hampers the activation of IFN-β by poly (dA: dT) (poly(deoxyadenylic-deoxythymidylic)) and 2'3'-cGAMP (2'-3'-cyclic GMP-AMP). Furthermore, UL38 exhibits spatial co-localization with STING (stimulator of interferon genes) and effectively hinders STING dimerization. Subsequently, STING was downgraded to suppress the production of IFN-β and ISGs (interferon stimulated genes). Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that the interaction between UL38 and STING, which subsequently initiated the degradation of STING via selective autophagy mediated by TOLLIP (toll interacting protein). To summarize, this research elucidates the function of UL38 in counteracting the cGAS (cGAMP synthase)-STING-induced IFN-β pathway. The PRV UL38 protein may attenuate the activation of IFN-β as a means of regulating the virus's persistence in the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian rhythms are intrinsic 24-hour oscillations found in nearly all life forms. They orchestrate key physiological and behavioral processes, allowing anticipation and response to daily environmental changes. These rhythms manifest across entire organisms, in various organs, and through intricate molecular feedback loops that govern cellular oscillations. Recent studies describe circadian regulation of pathogens, including parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, some of which have their own circadian rhythms while others are influenced by the rhythmic environment of hosts. Pathogens target specific tissues and organs within the host to optimize their replication. Diverse cellular compositions and the interplay among various cell types create unique microenvironments in different tissues, and distinctive organs have unique circadian biology. Hence, residing pathogens are exposed to cyclic conditions, which can profoundly impact host–pathogen interactions. This review explores the influence of circadian rhythms and mammalian tissue-specific interactions on the dynamics of pathogen–host relationships. Overall, this demonstrates the intricate interplay between the body's internal timekeeping system and its susceptibility to pathogens, which has implications for the future of infectious disease research and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize portable pathogen diagnostics with easier quantitation, digitization and integration, we develop a ready‐to‐use electrochemical sensing strategy (Iso‐E‐Codelock) for real‐time detection of isothermal nucleic acid amplification. Bridged by a branched DNA as codelock, the isothermal amplicon is transduced into increased current of an electrochemical probe, holding multiple advantages of high sensitivity, high selectivity, signal‐on response, "zero" background and one‐pot operation. Through a self‐designed portable instrument (BioAlex PHE−T), the detection can be implemented on a multichannel microchip and output real‐time amplification curves just like an expensive commercial PCR machine. The microchip is a rebuilding‐free and disposable component. The branch codelock probe can be customized for different targets and designs. Such high performance and flexibility have been demonstrated utilizing four virus (SARS‐CoV‐2, African swine fever, FluA and FluB) genes as targets, and two branch (3‐way and 4‐way) DNAs as codelock probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize portable pathogen diagnostics with easier quantitation, digitization and integration, we develop a ready‐to‐use electrochemical sensing strategy (Iso‐E‐Codelock) for real‐time detection of isothermal nucleic acid amplification. Bridged by a branched DNA as codelock, the isothermal amplicon is transduced into increased current of an electrochemical probe, holding multiple advantages of high sensitivity, high selectivity, signal‐on response, "zero" background and one‐pot operation. Through a self‐designed portable instrument (BioAlex PHE−T), the detection can be implemented on a multichannel microchip and output real‐time amplification curves just like an expensive commercial PCR machine. The microchip is a rebuilding‐free and disposable component. The branch codelock probe can be customized for different targets and designs. Such high performance and flexibility have been demonstrated utilizing four virus (SARS‐CoV‐2, African swine fever, FluA and FluB) genes as targets, and two branch (3‐way and 4‐way) DNAs as codelock probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bees are important pollinators that play a role in balancing ecosystems; however, their survival rates have decreased due to many factors, including pathogens and exposure to pesticides. Bees have native mechanisms to help them tackle such challenges, and yet, these may not be enough. To this end, gut symbionts are beneficial, as they can help stimulate bees' immune systems and detoxify ingested toxic chemicals. To enhance the efficiency of these mechanisms, genetic engineering is proposed in this work to further optimize the ability of bee gut symbionts, particularly in the dominant bacteria Snodgrassella alvi and Gilliamella apicola. Engineering strategies are discussed according to the gut symbiotic bacteria's main roles in digestion, essential nutrient provision, and pesticide detoxification. Bees play a crucial role as pollinators, contributing significantly to ecosystems. However, the honeybee population faces challenges such as global warming, pesticide use, and pathogenic microorganisms. Promoting bee growth using several approaches is therefore crucial for maintaining their roles. To this end, the bacterial microbiota is well-known for its native role in supporting bee growth in several respects. Maximizing the capabilities of these microorganisms holds the theoretical potential to promote the growth of bees. Recent advancements have made it feasible to achieve this enhancement through the application of genetic engineering. In this review, we present the roles of gut symbionts in promoting bee growth and collectively summarize the engineering approaches that would be needed for future applications. Particularly, as the engineering of bee gut symbionts has not been advanced, the dominant gut symbiotic bacteria Snodgrassella alvi and Gilliamella apicola are the main focus of the paper, along with other dominant species. Moreover, we propose engineering strategies that will allow for the improvement in bee growth with listed gene targets for modification to further encourage the use of engineered gut symbionts to promote bee growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinfections rank among the top ten leading causes of child mortality globally, even in high-income countries. The crucial determinants for successful treatment lie in the timing and swiftness of diagnosis. Although viruses constitute the majority of infectious neuropathologies, diagnosing and treating viral neuroinfections remains challenging. Despite technological advancements, the etiology of the disease remains undetermined in over half of cases. The identification of the pathogen becomes more difficult when the infection is caused by atypical pathogens or multiple pathogens simultaneously. Furthermore, the modern surge in global passenger traffic has led to an increase in cases of infections caused by pathogens not endemic to local areas. This review aims to systematize and summarize information on neuroinvasive viral pathogens, encompassing their geographic distribution and transmission routes. Emphasis is placed on rare pathogens and cases involving atypical pathogens, aiming to offer a comprehensive and structured catalog of viral agents with neurovirulence potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess Gram-positive bacterial (GPB) bloodstream infection (BSI) in neonates, covering incidence, morbidity, mortality, antimicrobial resistance patterns and biomarkers in Region Stockholm, Sweden between 2006 and 2016. Methods: A population-based retrospective epidemiological study including infants with GPB-BSI, admitted to the neonatal units at Karolinska University Hospital (KUH). Data were collected from patient records, the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register, the microbiological laboratory at KUH and the Swedish Public Health Agency. Results: We identified 357 infants with GPB-BSI, representing an incidence of 1.47/1000 live births (LB). Group B streptococcus (GBS) was the most common pathogen causing BSI in full-term infants and early-onset sepsis (EOS) (0.20/1000 LB), while coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were predominant in infants born very preterm and in late-onset sepsis (LOS) (0.79/1000 LB). There were no fatal GBS BSI cases, but 10.2% developed meningitis. The GPB case fatality rate was 9.5% and the sepsis fatality rate 2.8%. In GPB-BSI, 1/10 did not have an elevated C-reactive protein level. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) BSI increased during the study period, but no methicillin or vancomycin resistant strains were found. The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rate was highest in CoNS isolates. Conclusion: GPB-BSI was four times more common than Gram-negative BSI in neonates but resulted in lower mortality rate. GBS was the most common pathogen in full-term infants and in EOS. CoNS was the most common pathogen in LOS and infants born very preterm, and the AMR rate was high in these isolates. The increasing trend of S. aureus BSI indicates a need of further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of naturally available galactofuranose-specific lectin, we report herein the bioengineering of GalfNeoLect, from the first cloned wild-type galactofuranosidase (Streptomyces sp. strain JHA19), which recognises and binds a single monosaccharide that is only related to nonmammalian species, usually pathogenic microorganisms. We kinetically characterised the GalfNeoLect to confirm attenuation of hydrolytic activity and used competitive inhibition assay, with close structural analogues of Galf, to show that it conserved interaction with its original substrate. We synthetised the bovine serum albumin-based neoglycoprotein (GalfNGP), carrying the multivalent Galf units, as a suitable ligand and high-avidity system for the recognition of GalfNeoLect which we successfully tested directly with the galactomannan spores of Aspergillus brasiliensis (ATCC 16404). Altogether, our results indicate that GalfNeoLect has the necessary versatility and plasticity to be used in both research and diagnostic lectin-based applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diseases are a constant and serious threat to agriculture and ecological biodiversity. Plants possess a sophisticated innate immunity system capable of detecting and responding to pathogen infection to prevent disease. Our understanding of this system has grown enormously over the past century. Early genetic descriptions of plant disease resistance and pathogen virulence were embodied in the gene-for-gene hypothesis, while physiological studies identified pathogen-derived elicitors that could trigger defense responses in plant cells and tissues. Molecular studies of these phenomena have now coalesced into an integrated model of plant immunity involving cell surface and intracellular detection of specific pathogen-derived molecules and proteins culminating in the induction of various cellular responses. Extracellular and intracellular receptors engage distinct signaling processes but converge on many similar outputs with substantial evidence now for integration of these pathways into interdependent networks controlling disease outcomes. Many of the molecular details of pathogen recognition and signaling processes are now known, providing opportunities for bioengineering to enhance plant protection from disease. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of the main principles of plant immunity, with an emphasis on the key scientific milestones leading to these insights. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of the main principles of plant immunity, with an emphasis on the key scientific milestones leading to these insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the use of D‐amino acids as food preservatives has attracted considerable attention because these natural compounds do not have adverse effects on human health. In addition, D‐amino acids such as D‐tryptophan can reduce the harmful effects of other treatments. For instance, the use of D‐tryptophan in food reduces the requirement for high temperatures and their damaging effects on nutrients such as proteins and vitamins. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of D‐tryptophan on food‐borne pathogens in vitro and in food models. To identify related studies, scientific digital databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched from January 2000 to February 2023. The results of the studies showed that when D‐tryptophan was used with other stresses such as using different salt concentrations, refrigeration, or high temperatures, it showed significant antimicrobial effects on Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative food‐borne pathogens, and antibiofilm impacts were also observed with D‐tryptophan. Since studies have shown that the antimicrobial activity of D‐tryptophan depends on several factors, including the pathogen strain, the type of stress, and the concentration of D‐tryptophan, and every article has focused on one of these factors, there is a need for a systematic review that summarizes and concludes the effect of all these factors on the antimicrobial activity of D‐tryptophan against food‐borne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The gene variants ADH1B*2 (Arg48His, rs1229984) and ALDH2*2 (Glu504Lys, rs671) are common in East Asian populations but rare in other populations. We propose that selective pressures from pathogen exposure and dietary changes during the neolithic transition favored these variants. Thus, their current association with differences in alcohol sensitivity likely results from phenotypic plasticity rather than direct natural selection. Methods: Samples sourced from the Allele Frequency Database (ALFRED) were utilized to compute the average frequency of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2 across 88 and 61 countries, respectively. Following computation of the average national allele frequencies, we tested the significance of their correlations with ecological variables. Subsequently, we subjected them to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Elastic Net regularization. For comprehensive evaluation, we collected individual‐level phenotypic associations, compiling a Phenome‐Wide Association Study (PheWAS) spanning multiple ethnicities. Results: Following multiple testing correction, ADH1B*2 displayed significant correlations with Neolithic transition timing (r = 0.405, p.adj = 2.013e‐03, n = 57) and historical trypanosome burden (r = −0.418, p.adj = 0.013, n = 57). The first two components of PCA explained 47.7% of the total variability across countries, with the top three contributors being the historical indices of population density and trypanosome and leprosy burdens. Historical burdens of the Mycobacteria tuberculosis and leprosy were the sole predictive variables with positive coefficients that survived Elastic Net regularization. Conclusions: Our analyses suggest that Mycobacteria may have played a role in the joint selection of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2, expanding the "toxic aldehyde hypothesis" to include Mycobacterium leprae. Additionally, our hypothesis, linked to dietary shifts from rice domestication, emphasizes nutritional deficiencies as a key element in the selective pressure exerted by Mycobacteria. This offers a plausible explanation for the high frequency of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2 in Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidy, the state of having more than two full sets of chromosomes, has been hypothesized to provide several evolutionary advantages to flowering plants including increased ability to resist pathogens and parasites. However, studies comparing pathogen resistance in conspecific and congeneric diploids and polyploids have produced mixed results. While the supposed relationship between polyploidy and pathogen resistance has been commented on in several narrative reviews, it has never been subjected to a systematic meta‐analysis. We examined the effect of polyploidy on pathogen resistance by synthesizing 214 effect sizes from 128 studies. We find that, overall, there is no consistent effect of polyploidy on pathogen resistance. Subgroup analyses suggest that polyploids perform significantly better than diploids only in resisting hemibiotrophic pathogens, and autopolyploids tend show greater resistance than allopolyploids. This is surprising given the fact that polyploids possess extra allele copies of R‐gene alleles that provide resistance to biotrophic pathogens, and this pattern may indicate that signaling cascades needed to elicit hypersensitive responses are disrupted by polyploidy. Disruption is supported by the observation that, across all pathogens, autopolyploids show significantly greater resistance compared to diploids, whereas allopolyploids do not. This is corroborated by the observation that synthetic autopolyploids perform significantly better than their allopolyploid and established counterparts. Regarding pathogen type, diploids show greater resistance than polyploids to pathogens that are fungi or nematodes. Analyses of publication bias indicate little to no bias, and analyses of heterogeneity indicate that phylogeny explains almost none of the observed heterogeneity. These results underscore the importance of not only systematic review but also the strong degree to which the effects of polyploidy depend on ecological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracellular pathogens and host SNAREs. Intravacuolar bacteria exploit the host's SNARE proteins, which are pivotal for membrane fusion, enabling safe refuge in host cells and immune evasion. Conversely, host SNAREs also play a role in clearing the pathogen, thereby acting as a double-edged sword. Legionella sp. uses diverse effector proteins for intricate control over host SNAREs, ensuring survival and niche formation. Salmonella sp. demonstrates adaptability, toggling between vacuolar and cytosolic existence through SNARE manipulation. Chlamydia sp. adeptly mimics and manipulates host SNAREs to secure nutrients and proliferate within host cells. Coxiella burnetii also relies on host SNAREs for survival. Brucella sp. exploits SNARE proteins, such as VAMP3 and STX4, to orchestrate phagocytosis and survival in macrophages. Understanding these host–pathogen interactions offers potential for innovative therapies, prompting further exploration of mechanisms and diverse pathogen engagements. In the tug-of-war between host and pathogen, both evolve to combat each other's defence arsenals. Intracellular phagosomal bacteria have developed strategies to modify the vacuolar niche to suit their requirements best. Conversely, the host tries to target the pathogen-containing vacuoles towards the degradative pathways. The host cells use a robust system through intracellular trafficking to maintain homeostasis inside the cellular milieu. In parallel, intracellular bacterial pathogens have coevolved with the host to harbour strategies to manipulate cellular pathways, organelles, and cargoes, facilitating the conversion of the phagosome into a modified pathogen-containing vacuole (PCV). Key molecular regulators of intracellular traffic, such as changes in the organelle (phospholipid) composition, recruitment of small GTPases and associated effectors, soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-activating protein receptors (SNAREs), etc., are hijacked to evade lysosomal degradation. Legionella , Salmonella , Coxiella , Chlamydia , Mycobacterium , and Brucella are examples of pathogens which diverge from the endocytic pathway by using effector-mediated mechanisms to overcome the challenges and establish their intracellular niches. These pathogens extensively utilise and modulate the end processes of secretory pathways, particularly SNAREs, in repurposing the PCV into specialised compartments resembling the host organelles within the secretory network; at the same time, they avoid being degraded by the host's cellular mechanisms. Here, we discuss the recent research advances on the host–pathogen interaction/crosstalk that involves host SNAREs, conserved cellular processes, and the ongoing host–pathogen defence mechanisms in the molecular arms race against each other. The current knowledge of SNAREs, and intravacuolar bacterial pathogen interactions, enables us to understand host cellular innate immune pathways, maintenance of homeostasis, and potential therapeutic strategies to combat ever-growing antimicrobial resistance. In the tug-of-war between host and pathogen, both evolve to combat each other's defence arsenals. Intracellular phagosomal bacteria have developed strategies to modify the vacuolar niche to suit their requirements best. Conversely, the host tries to target the pathogen-containing vacuoles towards the degradative pathways. The host cells use a robust system through intracellular trafficking to maintain homeostasis inside the cellular milieu. In parallel, intracellular bacterial pathogens have coevolved with the host to harbour strategies to manipulate cellular pathways, organelles, and cargoes, facilitating the conversion of the phagosome into a modified pathogen-containing vacuole (PCV). Key molecular regulators of intracellular traffic, such as changes in the organelle (phospholipid) composition, recruitment of small GTPases and associated effectors, soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-activating protein receptors (SNAREs), etc., are hijacked to evade lysosomal degradation. Legionella , Salmonella , Coxiella , Chlamydia , Mycobacterium , and Brucella are examples of pathogens which diverge from the endocytic pathway by using effector-mediated mechanisms to overcome the challenges and establish their intracellular niches. These pathogens extensively utilise and modulate the end processes of secretory pathways, particularly SNAREs, in repurposing the PCV into specialised compartments resembling the host organelles within the secretory network; at the same time, they avoid being degraded by the host's cellular mechanisms. Here, we discuss the recent research advances on the host–pathogen interaction/crosstalk that involves host SNAREs, conserved cellular processes, and the ongoing host–pathogen defence mechanisms in the molecular arms race against each other. The current knowledge of SNAREs, and intravacuolar bacterial pathogen interactions, enables us to understand host cellular innate immune pathways, maintenance of homeostasis, and potential therapeutic strategies to combat ever-growing antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive fungal infections are a growing threat to human health. Secreted effector proteins are a ubiquitous strategy used by diverse microbial pathogens to manipulate host biology and enable pathogen replication. Recent work has revealed secreted protein effectors produced by human fungal pathogens. Secreted fungal effectors target apoptosis, myeloid cell polarization, Toll-like receptor signaling, and phagosome action. Despite lacking specialized secretion systems, fungi have evolved secreted effectors that subvert many host pathways targeted by highly host-adapted bacteria and parasites. Invasive fungal infections pose a major threat to human health. Bacterial and protozoan pathogens secrete protein effectors that overcome innate immune barriers to promote microbial colonization, yet few such molecules have been identified in human fungal pathogens. Recent studies have begun to reveal these long-sought effectors and have illuminated how they subvert key cellular pathways, including apoptosis, myeloid cell polarization, Toll-like receptor signaling, and phagosome action. Thus, despite lacking the specialized secretion systems of bacteria and parasites, it is increasingly clear that fungi independently evolved effectors targeting pathways often subverted by other classes of pathogens. These findings demonstrate the remarkable power of convergent evolution to enable diverse microbes to infect humans while also setting the stage for detailed dissection of fungal disease mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal infections are common in HIV-infected individuals and significantly contribute to mortality. However, a substantial number of cases are undiagnosed before death. To determine the frequency of fungal pathogens in autopsy studies of people who died with HIV in Africa. We conducted a scoping review of autopsy studies conducted in Africa. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, and African Journal Online. The review encompasses studies published from inception to September 2023, and no language restrictions were imposed during the search process. We included studies that reported histopathological or microbiological evidence for the diagnosis of fungal infections and other pathogens. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics and no meta-analysis was performed. We examined 30 articles reporting studies conducted between 1991 and 2019, encompassing a total of 13 066 HIV-infected decedents across ten African countries. In five studies, the autopsy type was not specified. Among those studies with specified autopsy types, 20 involved complete diagnostic autopsies, whereas 5 were categorized as partial or minimally invasive autopsies. There were 2333 pathogens identified, with 946 (40.5%) being mycobacteria, 856 (36.7%) fungal, 231 (3.8%) viral, 208 (8.9%) parasitic, and 92 (3.9%) bacterial. Of the 856 fungal pathogens identified, 654 (28.0%) were Cryptococcus species, 167 (7.2%) Pneumocystis jirovecii , 16 (0.69%) Histoplasma species, 15 (0.64%) Aspergillus species, and 4 (0.17%) Candida species. Other major non-fungal pathogens identified were cytomegalovirus 172 (7.37%) and Toxoplasma gondii 173 (7.42%). Invasive fungal infections occur in over one-third of people who succumb to HIV in Africa. In addition to cryptococcosis and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, integrating other priority fungal pathogen detection and management strategies into the broader framework of HIV care in Africa is recommended. This involves increasing awareness regarding the impact of fungal infections in advanced HIV disease and strengthening diagnostic and treatment capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis syndromes have been recognized since antiquity yet still pose significant challenges to modern medicine. One of the biggest challenges lies in the heterogeneity of triggers and its protean clinical manifestations, as well as its rapidly progressive and lethal nature. Thus, there is a critical need for biomarkers that can quickly and accurately detect sepsis onset and predict treatment response. In this review, we will briefly describe the current consensus definitions of sepsis and the ideal features of a biomarker. We will then delve into currently available and in-development markers of pathogens, hosts, and their interactions that together comprise the sepsis syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive peptides (BAPs) obtained from plants and microbes have been thoroughly explored and studied due to their prophylactic properties. The use of BAPs seems to be a promising substitute for several currently available antibiotics because of their antimicrobial properties against foodborne pathogens. BAPs have several other useful properties including antitumor, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antiobesity, and antidiabetic activities. Nowadays, scientists have attempted to recombinantly synthesize bioactive peptides to study their characteristics and potential uses, since BAPs are not found in large quantities in nature. Many pathogenic microorganisms including foodborne pathogens are becoming resistant to various antibiotics. To combat these pathogens, scientists are working to find novel, innovative, and safe antimicrobial agents. Plant- and microbe-based BAPs have demonstrated noteworthy antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens. BAPs can kill pathogenic microorganisms by disrupting membrane integrity, inhibiting DNA and RNA synthesis, preventing protein synthesis, blocking protein activity, or interacting with certain intracellular targets. In addition, the positive effect of BAP consumption extends to gut microbiota modulation and affects the equilibrium of reactive oxygen species in the gut. This article discusses recombinant BAPs, BAPs generated from plants and microbes, and their antimicrobial applications and modes of action for controlling foodborne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The germ theory states that pathogenic microorganisms are responsible for causing infectious diseases. The theory is inherently microbe-centric and does not account for variability in disease severity among individuals and asymptomatic carriership--two phenomena indicating an important role for host variability in infection outcome. The basic tenet of the germ theory was recently challenged, and a radically host-centric paradigm referred to as the "full-blown host theory" was proposed. According to this view, the pathogen is reduced to a passive environmental trigger, and the development of disease is instead due to pre-existing immunodeficiencies of the host. Here, we consider the factors that determine disease severity using established knowledge concerning evolutionary biology, microbial pathogenesis, and host-pathogen interactions. We note that the available data support a noncentric view that recognizes key roles for both the causative microbe and the host in dictating infection outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown blotch disease in Agaricus bisporus reduces its commercial value, resulting in significant economic losses. The pathogens of brown blotch disease are diverse. Current research on the biological characteristics and toxins has been limited to Pseudomonas tolaasii but lacks understanding of other pathogens. Understanding the biological characteristics of the pathogens and identifying their toxins are essential prerequisites for disease prevention and control. This study isolated two pathogens from brown discoloration in A. bisporus in Guangxi, China, and identified them as Pseudomonas tolaasii and Cedecea neteri. C. neteri exhibited stronger resistance to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and H2O2 and a broader pH adaptation range than P. tolaasii. P. tolaasii showed higher swimming motility than C. neteri. C. neteri produces two toxins identified as phenylacetic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, causing browning symptoms in A. bisporus at 20 μg and 10 μg, respectively. The present study compared various biological characteristics between P. tolaasii and C. neteri. The toxins produced by C. neteri were extracted and identified, and their toxicity to A. bisporus was evaluated, which is the first report on C. neteri toxins. These discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the biological characteristics and biotoxins of C. neteri. The research findings offer new insights for developing novel disease prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obacunone, a natural triterpenoid, is an active component of the herbs Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. and Phellodendron amurense Rupr, and an indicator of the herbs' quality. Owing to its multiple health benefits, several studies have investigated the multi-targeting potential action mechanisms of obacunone. To summarize recent developments on the pharmacological actions of obacunone and focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling networks, we searched PubMed, Europe PMC, Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Wanfang Medical Network, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for articles published prior to March 2024. Existing research indicates obacunone has great potential to become a promising therapeutic option against tumors, fibrotic diseases, bone and cholesterol metabolism diseases, and infections of pathogenic microorganisms, among others. The paper contributes to providing up-to-date references for further research and clinical applications of obacunone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The 2022 global outbreak of Monkeypox virus (MPXV) highlighted challenges with polymerase chain reaction detection as divergent strains emerged and atypical presentations limited the applicability of swab sampling. Recommended testing in the United States requires a swab of lesions, which arise late in infection and may be unrecognized. We present MPXV detections using plasma microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) sequencing. Methods Fifteen plasma samples from 12 case-patients were characterized through mcfDNA sequencing. Assay performance was confirmed through in silico inclusivity and exclusivity assessments. MPXV isolates were genotyped using mcfDNA, and phylodynamic information was imputed using publicly available sequences. Results MPXV mcfDNA was detected in 12 case-patients. Mpox was not suspected in 5, with 1 having documented resolution of mpox >6 months previously. Six had moderate to severe mpox, supported by high MPXV mcfDNA concentrations; 4 died. In 7 case-patients, mcfDNA sequencing detected coinfections. Genotyping by mcfDNA sequencing identified 22 MPXV mutations at 10 genomic loci in 9 case-patients. Consistent with variation observed in the 2022 outbreak, 21 of 22 variants were G > A/C > T. Phylogenetic analyses imputed isolates to sublineages arising at different time points and from different geographic locations. Conclusions We demonstrate the potential of plasma mcfDNA sequencing to detect, quantify, and, for acute infections with high sequencing coverage, subtype MPXV using a single noninvasive test. Sequencing plasma mcfDNA may augment existing mpox testing in vulnerable patient populations or in patients with atypical symptoms or unrecognized mpox. Strain type information may supplement disease surveillance and facilitate tracking emerging pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effect of pathogens on host diversity has attracted much attention in recent years, yet how the influence of pathogens on individual plants scales up to affect community‐level host diversity remains unclear.Here, we assessed the effects of foliar fungal pathogens on plant growth and species richness using allometric growth theory in population‐level and community‐level foliar fungal pathogen exclusion experiments. We calculated growth scaling exponents of 24 species to reveal the intraspecific size‐dependent effects of foliar fungal pathogens on plant growth. We also calculated the intercepts to infer the growth rates of relatively larger conspecific individuals.We found that foliar fungal pathogens inhibited the growth of small conspecific individuals more than large individuals, resulting in a positive allometric growth. After foliar fungal pathogen exclusion, species‐specific growth scaling exponents and intercepts decreased, but became positively related to species' relative abundance, providing a growth advantage for individuals of abundant species with a higher growth scaling exponent and intercept compared with rare species, and thus reduced species diversity.By adopting allometric growth theory, we elucidate the size‐dependent mechanisms through which pathogens regulate species diversity and provide a powerful framework to incorporate antagonistic size‐dependent processes in understanding species coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly contagious SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, which initiated the COVID‐19 pandemic, has resulted in a significant loss of life worldwide. While vaccines and therapeutics have helped mitigate the impact of SARS‐CoV‐2, worries still persist regarding the emergence of Variants of Concern (VOCs). Additionally, the immunosuppressive effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 and steroid treatments increase susceptibility to complex fungal co–infections (e. g., aspergillosis and candidiasis), complicating treatment and escalating mortality rates. These circumstances highlight the urgent need for novel therapeutics. Thus, this study explores gentisyl alcohol and its derivatives as inhibitors of SARS‐CoV‐2 and fungal pathogens (Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida auris) via in‐silico methodologies. Initial multi–targeted docking simulations revealed that Terrestrol A(10) exhibited highly promising results, displaying the most favourable MolDock‐scores against all targets of interest, particularly against PDB ID 4K90 and 7CR5. The subsequent assessment of Terrestrol A(10) for their druglikeness, ADME, toxicity profiling, bioactivity, and PASS prediction also yielded highly favourable results. Structural dynamics analysis revealed stable yet slightly unfolding complexes, affirming their integrity. DFT studies also demonstrated favourable reactivity of Terrestrol A(10). This investigation identifies Terrestrol A(10) as a highly promising inhibitor against SARS‐CoV‐2 and fungal pathogens, laying the groundwork for in vitro and in vivo validation of its efficacy and clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and reliable detection of pathogens is crucial to complement the growing industry of mass-reared insects, in order to safeguard the insect colonies from outbreak of diseases, which may cause significant economic loss. Current diagnostic methods are mainly based on conventional PCR and microscopic examination, requiring prior knowledge of disease symptoms and are limited to identifying known pathogens. Here, we present a rapid nanopore-based metagenomics approach for detecting entomopathogens from the European house cricket (Acheta domesticus). In this study, the Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDV) was detected from diseased individuals using solely Nanopore sequencing. Virus reads and genome assemblies were obtained within twenty-four hours after sequencing. Subsequently, due to the length of the Nanopore reads, it was possible to reconstruct significantly large parts or even the entire AdDV genome to conduct studies for genotype identification. Variant analysis indicated the presence of three AdDV genotypes within the same house cricket population, with association to the vital status of the diseased crickets. This contrast provided compelling evidence for the existence of non-lethal AdDV genotypes. These findings demonstrated nanopore-based metagenomics sequencing as a powerful addition to the diagnostic tool kit for routine pathogen surveillance and diagnosis in the insect rearing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying transmission intensity and heterogeneity is crucial to ascertain the threat posed by infectious diseases and inform the design of interventions. Methods that jointly estimate the reproduction number R and the dispersion parameter k have however mainly remained limited to the analysis of epidemiological clusters or contact tracing data, whose collection often proves difficult. Here, we show that clusters of identical sequences are imprinted by the pathogen offspring distribution, and we derive an analytical formula for the distribution of the size of these clusters. We develop and evaluate an inference framework to jointly estimate the reproduction number and the dispersion parameter from the size distribution of clusters of identical sequences. We then illustrate its application across a range of epidemiological situations. Finally, we develop a hypothesis testing framework relying on clusters of identical sequences to determine whether a given pathogen genetic subpopulation is associated with increased or reduced transmissibility. Our work provides tools to estimate the reproduction number and transmission heterogeneity from pathogen sequences without building a phylogenetic tree, thus making it easily scalable to large pathogen genome datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases are influenced by interactions between host and pathogen, and the number of infected hosts is rarely homogenous across the landscape. Areas with elevated pathogen prevalence can maintain a high force of infection and may indicate areas with disease impacts on host populations. However, isolating the ecological processes that result in increases in infection prevalence and intensity remains a challenge. Here we elucidate the contribution of pathogen clade and host species in disease hotspots caused by Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the pathogen responsible for snake fungal disease, in 21 species of snakes infected with multiple pathogen strains across 10 countries in Europe. We found isolated areas of disease hotspots in a landscape where infections were otherwise low. O. ophidiicola clade had important effects on transmission, and areas with multiple pathogen clades had higher host infection prevalence. Snake species further influenced infection, with most positive detections coming from species within the Natrix genus. Our results suggest that both host and pathogen identity are essential components contributing to increased pathogen prevalence. A large-scale study in Europe elucidating the contribution of pathogen clade and host species in disease hotspots caused by Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the pathogen responsible for snake fungal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) associated bacteria and to identify risk factors for pathogen group-specific IMI in water buffalo in Bangladesh. A California Mastitis Test (CMT) and bacteriological cultures were performed on 1,374 quarter milk samples collected from 763 water buffalo from 244 buffalo farms in nine districts in Bangladesh. Quarter, buffalo, and farm-related data were obtained through questionnaires and visual observations. A total of 618 quarter samples were found to be culture positive. Non-aureus staphylococci were the predominant IMI-associated bacterial species, and Staphylococcus (S.) chromogenes, S. hyicus, and S. epidermidis were the most common bacteria found. The proportion of non-aureus staphylococci or Mammaliicoccus sciuri (NASM), S. aureus, and other bacterial species identified in the buffalo quarter samples varied between buffalo farms. Therefore, different management practices, buffalo breeding factors, and nutrition were considered and further analyzed when estimating the IMI odds ratio (OR). The odds of IMI by any pathogen (OR: 1.8) or by NASM (OR: 2.2) was high in buffalo herds with poor milking hygiene. Poor cleanliness of the hind quarters had a high odds of IMI caused by any pathogen (OR: 2.0) or NASM (OR: 1.9). Twice daily milking (OR: 3.1) and farms with buffalo purchased from another herd (OR: 2.0) were associated with IMI by any pathogen. Asymmetrical udders were associated with IMI-caused by any bacteria (OR: 1.7). A poor body condition score showed higher odds of IMI by any pathogen (OR: 1.4) or by NASM (OR: 1.7). This study shows that the prevalence of IMI in water buffalo was high and varied between farms. In accordance with the literature, our data highlight that IMI can be partly controlled through better farm management, primarily by improving hygiene, milking management, breeding, and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse bacterial and fungal pathogens attack plants, causing biotic stress and severe yield losses globally. These losses are expected to become more serious as climate change improves conditions for many pathogens. Therefore, identifying genes conferring broad-spectrum disease resistance and elucidating their underlying mechanisms provides important resources for plant breeding. WRKY transcription factors affect plant growth and stress responses. However, the functions of many WRKY proteins remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated the role of rice (Oryza sativa) WRKY group III transcription factor OsWRKY65 in immunity. OsWRKY65 localized to the nucleus and acted as transcriptional repressor. Genetic and molecular functional analyses showed that OsWRKY65 increases resistance to the fungal pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi through downregulation of GA signaling and upregulation of JA signaling. Moreover, OsWRKY65 modulated the expression of the key genes that confer susceptibility or resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae to enhance immunity against the pathogen. In particular, OsWRKY65 directly bound to the promoter region of OsSWEET13 and repressed its expression. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the OsWRKY65 enhances resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological syndrome characterized by excessive fat deposition in hepatocytes caused by non‐alcoholic liver injury. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) is the main pathogen causing periodontitis, which can aggravate the progression of NAFLD in our previously study. The objective of this study was to further investigate the pathogenesis and moleculer michanisma of NAFLD aggravated by P.g. Methods: A mouse model of NAFLD was established, and the changes of inflammatory factors and NF‐κB signaling pathway in liver tissue and L‐02 cells were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing, Western blot, IHC and RT‐PCR. In addition, the NF‐κB signaling pathway inhibitor QNZ and ferroptosis inhibitor Fer‐1 were used to analyze the relationship between NF‐κB signaling pathway and ferroptosis in vitro. Results: In vivo and in vitro experiments, P.g can induce liver inflammation and activate NF‐κB signaling pathway. At the same time, P.g promotes ferroptosis and inflammation in L‐02 in vitro. QNZ alleviates ferroptosis and inflammatory activation in L‐02. Fer‐1 can relieve the L‐02 inflammation caused by P.g products. Conclusion: Porphyromonas gingivalis can induce ferroptosis and inflammation in hepatocytes and further worsen liver lesions. The mechanism of ferroptosis in hepatocytes depends on NF‐κB signaling pathway, which provides a new strategy for clinical treatment and prevention of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems is associated with an increased risk of pathogen infection via increased pathogen growth and host exposure via increased pathogen doses. Here, we studied the effect of nutrients on the virulence of an opportunistic bacterial pathogen of fish, Flavobacterium columnare , in challenge experiments with rainbow trout fingerlings. We hypothesized that removing all nutrients by washing the bacteria would reduce virulence as compared to unwashed bacteria, but adding nutrients to the tank water would increase the virulence of the bacterium. Nutrient addition and increase in bacterial dose increased virulence for both unwashed and washed bacteria. For unwashed bacteria, the addition of nutrients reduced the survival probability of fish challenged with low bacterial doses more than for fish challenged with higher bacterial doses, suggesting activation of bacterial virulence factors. Washing and centrifugation reduced viable bacterial counts, and the addition of washed bacteria alone did not lead to fish mortality. However, a small addition of nutrient medium, 0.05% of the total water volume, added separately to the fish container, restored the virulence of the washed bacteria. Our results show that human-induced eutrophication could trigger epidemics of aquatic pathogens at the limits of their survival and affect their ecology and evolution by altering the dynamics between strains that differ in their growth characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Currently there is a lack of efficient computational pipelines/tools for conducting simultaneous genome mapping of pathogen-derived and host reads from single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) output from pathogen-infected cells. Contemporary options include processes involving multiple steps and/or running multiple computational tools, increasing user operations time. Results To address the need for new tools to directly map and quantify pathogen and host sequence reads from within an infected cell from scRNAseq datasets in a single operation, we have built a python package, called scPathoQuant. scPathoQuant extracts sequences that were not aligned to the primary host genome, maps them to a pathogen genome of interest (here as demonstrated for viral pathogens), quantifies total reads mapping to the entire pathogen, quantifies reads mapping to individual pathogen genes, and finally integrates pathogen sequence counts into matrix files that are used by standard single cell pipelines for downstream analyses with only one command. We demonstrate that scPathoQuant provides a scRNAseq viral and host genome-wide sequence read abundance analysis that can differentiate and define multiple viruses in a single sample scRNAseq output. Availability and implementation The SPQ package is available software accessible at https://github.com/galelab/scPathoQuant (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.10463670) with test codes and datasets available https://github.com/galelab/Whitmore%5fscPathoQuant%5ftestSets (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.10463677) to serve as a resource for the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beauveria brongniartii is a fungal pathogen that infects the beetle Melolontha melolontha, a significant agricultural pest in Europe. While research has primarily focused on the use of B. brongniartii for controlling M. melolontha, the genomic structure of the B. brongniartii population remains unknown. This includes whether its structure is influenced by its interaction with M. melolontha, the timing of beetle‐swarming flights, geographical factors, or reproductive mode. To address this, we analysed genome‐wide SNPs to infer the population genomics of Beauveria spp., which were isolated from infected M. melolontha adults in an Alpine region. Surprisingly, only one‐third of the isolates were identified as B. brongniartii, while two‐thirds were distributed among cryptic taxa within B. pseudobassiana, a fungal species not previously recognized as a pathogen of M. melolontha. Given the prevalence of B. pseudobassiana, we conducted analyses on both species. We found no spatial or temporal genomic patterns within either species and no correlation with the population structure of M. melolontha, suggesting that the dispersal of the fungi is independent of the beetle. Both species exhibited clonal population structures, with B. brongniartii fixed for one mating type and B. pseudobassiana displaying both mating types. This implies that factors other than mating compatibility limit sexual reproduction. We conclude that the population genomic structure of Beauveria spp. is primarily influenced by predominant asexual reproduction and dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bat fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera: Ischnopsyllidae) are highly host-specific ectoparasites distributed worldwide (except Antarctica). The identification of flea species and the detection of flea-borne pathogens plays a significant role not only in veterinary and public health, but also in providing insights into the ecology, behaviour, and geographical distribution of fleas and flea-associated pathogens. The present study aimed to conduct a morphological and molecular identification of fleas collected from Lithuanian bats, as well as to screen for the presence of vector-borne pathogens. A total of 58 flea specimens were collected from bats in Lithuania. Based on morphological analysis, seven flea species were identified (Ischnopsyllus variabilis, I. octactenus, I. simplex, I. elongatus, I. hexactenus, Nycteridopsylla pentactena, and N. eusarca) and screened for the presence of Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Mycoplasma spp. Molecular analysis of fleas' COI and 18S rRNA genes showed that the flea species collected from bats are closely genetically related. Bartonella DNA was detected in bat fleas (41.4%). No DNA of Anaplasma, Borrelia, Babesia, Rickettsia, and Mycoplasma was amplified in the tested samples. The Wolbachia sp. was accidentally found in I. elongatus. The phylogenetic analysis of four Bartonella genes (16S-23S rRNA ITS, gltA, rpoB, and groEL) revealed specificity to bats or bats' ectoparasites. This is the first report about bat flea species and the pathogens in bat fleas in Lithuania. New host records for bat fleas were also reported. This study extends the knowledge about bat fleas and their role as vectors of different pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternaria leaf blight has recently been described as an emerging fungal disease of apple trees which is causing the significant damage in the apple-growing areas of Tianshui and Jingning, Gansu, China. In the present study, the pathogen species involved in apple leaf blight and its biological characteristics were identified, and the inhibitory activity of different botanical fungicides against the pathogen was evaluated in vitro. Four strains were isolated from the symptomatic areas of necrotic apple leaves, and initially healthy leaves showed similar symptoms to those observed in orchards after inoculation with the ABL2 isolate. The ABL2 isolate was identified as Alternaria tenuissima based on the morphological characteristics of its colonies, conidiophores, and conidia, and this was also confirmed by multi-gene sequence (ITS, OPA10-2, Alta-1, and endoPG) analysis and phylogenic analysis. The optimum temperature, pH, carbon source, and nitrogen source for the growth of A. tenuissima mycelia were 28 °C, 6–7, soluble starch, and soy flour, respectively. In addition, the botanical fungicide eugenol exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth and conidia germination of A. tenuissima, and the median effective concentration (EC50) values were 0.826 and 0.755 μg/mL, respectively. The protective and curative efficacy of eugenol were 86.85% and 76.94% after inoculation in detached apple leaves at a concentration of 4 μg/mL. Our research provides new insights into the control of apple leaf blight disease by applying botanical fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2022, a leaf spot and blight disease was observed in Eucalyptus plantations in northern India. Morphological features coupled with phylogenetic analysis of combined internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1‐alpha (tef1) and β‐tubulin (tub2) regions confirmed the association of Pseudoplagiostoma eucalypti with the disease symptoms. The pathogenicity of P. eucalypti was first proved on detached leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and reconfirmed in glasshouse inoculation experiments. Finally, Koch's postulates were fulfilled by re‐isolating the pathogen from the inoculated leaves. This pathogen was first described in 1995 from the leaves of Eucalyptus spp. collected from southern India, and this study confirms its first serious occurrence after more than two decades in northern India. In addition, this is the first report on the polyphasic characterization of P. eucalypti from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE Respiratory (R) Panel is a novel, in vitro diagnostic PCR assay with 15 pathogen targets. The runtime is about 15 min which is the shortest among similar panels in the market. We evaluated the performance of the SPOTFIRE R Panel with 151 specimens, including 133 collected from the upper respiratory tract (URT), 13 from the lower respiratory tract (LRT) and 5 external quality assessment program (EQAP) samples. The respiratory specimens were enrolled throughout the first two post-COVID-19 influenza seasons in Hong Kong (March to December 2023). For URT specimens, full concordance was observed between the SPOTFIRE R Panel and the standard-of-care FilmArray Respiratory 2.1 plus Panel (RP2.1plus) for 109 specimens (109/133, 81.95%). After discrepant analysis, the SPOTFIRE R Panel identified more pathogens than the RP2.1plus in 15 specimens and vice versa in 3 specimens. The per-target negative and positive percentage agreement (NPA and PPA) were 92.86–100% except the PPA of adenovirus (88.24%). For LRT and EQAP samples, all results were fully concordant. To conclude, the performance of the SPOTFIRE R Panel was comparable to the RP2.1plus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Antiseptic agents used in periodontics as anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis agents are primarily chemical substances such as Bis-biguanide derivatives (chlorhexidine) or essential oils. Herbal derivatives have gained prominence in the recent past due to their activity against putative periodontal pathogens; however, only a few have achieved commercialisation. This study focusses on determining the efficacy of an extract from a widely available herb, Indian mint-Plectranthus Amboinicus Methanolic extract (PAM), which has known anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties against periodontal pathogens in-vitro. Aim: To assess the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and anti-biofilm property of PAM solvent extract against pure strains of putative periodontal pathogens, namely Porphyromonas gingivalis (American Type Culture Collection-ATCC 33277), Fusobacterium nucleatum (ATCC 25586), and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 43718). Materials and Methods: The extract of PA was prepared using methanol and a Soxhlet extractor. An in-vitro analysis of the MIC and anti-biofilm efficacy of the extract was performed against standard strains of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum using the broth dilution method and microtitre-crystal violet assay, respectively. The MIC activity of the PAM extracts was compared with Chlorhexidine as a standard. Results: The MIC value of P. amboinicus extract was nearly similar to Chlorhexidine as assessed by the broth dilution method. The MIC of P. amboinicus extract for A.a and P.g was 0.4 ug/mL, F.n was 0.8 ug/mL, and the Chlorhexidine values against all three periodontal pathogens were 0.2 ug/mL. The anti-biofilm activity of The extract of PAMwas evaluated using the microtitrecrystal violet assay, and the Optical Density (OD) values were reduced after exposure to the extract, with a significant reduction (p<0.001) of the biofilm-forming bacteria observed. Conclusion: The methanol extract of PAM demonstrated a noteworthy MIC, exhibiting effectiveness at a low concentration of 0.4 µg/mL against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in three repeated trials. Moreover, this extract displayed significant inhibitory effects on the biofilm formation of periodontal pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Pg, Aa, Fn), suggesting its potential as an alternative to conventional chemical anti-microbials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is the xylem-dwelling bacterium associated with Pierce's disease (PD), which causes mortality in agriculturally important species, such as grapevine (Vitis vinifera). The development of PD symptoms in grapevines depends on the ability of Xf to produce cell-wall-degrading enzymes to break up intervessel pit membranes and systematically spread through the xylem vessel network. Our objective here was to investigate whether PD resistance could be mechanistically linked to xylem vessel network local connectivity. Methods We used high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) imaging to identify and describe the type, area and spatial distribution of intervessel connections for six different grapevine genotypes from three genetic backgrounds, with varying resistance to PD (four PD resistant and two PD susceptible). Key results Our results suggest that PD resistance is unlikely to derive from local xylem network connectivity. The intervessel pit area (A i) varied from 0.07 ± 0.01 mm2 mm−3 in Lenoir to 0.17 ± 0.03 mm2 mm−3 in Blanc do Bois, both PD resistant. Intervessel contact fraction (C p) was not statically significant, but the two PD-susceptible genotypes, Syrah (0.056 ± 0.015) and Chardonnay (0.041 ± 0.013), were among the most highly connected vessel networks. Neither A i nor C p explained differences in PD resistance among the six genotypes. Bayesian re-analysis of our data shows moderate evidence against the effects of the traits analysed: A i (BF01 = 4.88), mean vessel density (4.86), relay diameter (4.30), relay density (3.31) and solitary vessel proportion (3.19). Conclusions Our results show that radial and tangential xylem network connectivity is highly conserved within the six different Vitis genotypes we sampled. The way that Xf traverses the vessel network may limit the importance of local network properties to its spread and may confer greater importance on host biochemical responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-type lectin is a type of calcium-dependent sugar recognition protein, which plays an important role in recognizing invading microorganisms as non-self and assists in the clearance of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, a C-type lectin homolog was identified from Penaeus vannamei (PvCTL2) using RACE-PCR method and functionally characterized in detail. The open reading frame (ORF) of PvCTL2 was 1143 bp, encoding 380 amino acids, which contained a conservative carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) and a low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) domain A. The predicted molecular weight was 41.79 kDa and the theoretical isoelectric point was 6.27. PvCTL2 was relatively high expressed in muscle, intestine, heart, nerve, and hepatopancreas, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenge could significantly upregulate the expression level of PvCTL2 in muscle. Agglutination test of recombinant protein of PvCTL2 in vitro showed that rPvCTL2 was a Ca2+-dependent C-type lectin, which could agglutinate five types of bacteria, including Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, as well as bind different concentrations of monosaccharides. RNAi-based silencing of PvCTL2 gene resulted in significantly higher mortality rate when shrimp was challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and the median lethal time was significantly shorter than the control. These results suggested that PvCTL2 could be involved in the immune response against bacterial challenge and contributed to non-self recognition as a pattern recognition receptor in the innate immune system of shrimp P. vannamei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Up to 45% of febrile returning travellers remain undiagnosed after a thorough diagnostic work-up, even at referral centres. Although metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising tool, evidence of its usefulness in imported fever is very limited. Methods Travellers returning with fever were prospectively recruited in three referral clinics from November 2017 to November 2019. Unbiased mNGS optimised for virus detection was performed on serum samples of participants with acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI), and results were compared to those obtained by reference diagnostic methods (RDM). Results Among 507 returned febrile travellers, 433(85.4%) presented with AUFI. Dengue virus (n  = 86) and Plasmodium spp. (n  = 83) were the most common causes of fever. 103/433(23.8%) AUFI remained undiagnosed at the end of the follow-up. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing unveiled potentially pathogenic microorganisms in 196/433(38.7%) AUFI. mNGS identifications were more common in patients with a shorter duration of fever (42.3% in ≤5 days vs 28.7% in >5 days, P  = 0.005). Potential causes of fever were revealed in 25/103(24.2%) undiagnosed AUFI and 5/23(21.7%) travellers with severe undiagnosed AUFI. Missed severe aetiologies included eight bacterial identifications and one co-infection of B19 parvovirus and Aspergillus spp. Additional identifications indicating possible co-infections occurred in 29/316(9.2%) travellers with AUFI, and in 11/128(8.6%) travellers with severe AUFI, who had received a diagnosis through RDM. The most common co-infections detected in severe AUFI were caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Serum mNGS was unable to detect >50% of infectious diagnoses achieved by RDM and also yielded 607 non-pathogenic identifications. Discussion mNGS of serum can be a valuable diagnostic tool for selected travellers with undiagnosed AUFI or severe disease in addition to reference diagnostic techniques, especially during the first days of symptoms. Nevertheless, mNGS results interpretation presents a great challenge. Further studies evaluating the performance of mNGS using different sample types and protocols tailored to non-viral agents are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseases that occur in silkworms include soft rot, hardening disease, digestive diseases, and sepsis. However, research on the causes of bacterial diseases occurring in silkworms and the resulting changes in the microbial community is lacking. Therefore, we examined the morphological characteristics of sepsis and changes in the microbial community between silkworms that exhibit a unique odor and healthy silkworms; thus, we established a relationship between disease-causing microorganisms and sepsis. After producing a 16S rRNA amplicon library for samples showing sepsis, we obtained information on the microbial community present in silkworms using next-generation sequencing. Compared to that in healthy silkworms, in silkworms with sepsis, the abundance of the Firmicutes phylum was significantly reduced, while that of Proteobacteria was increased. Serratia sp. was dominant in silkworms with sepsis. After bacterial isolation, identification, and reinfection through the oral cavity, we confirmed this organism as the disease-causing agent; its mortality rate was 1.8 times higher than that caused by Serratia marcescens. In summary, we identified a new causative bacterium of silkworm sepsis through microbial community analysis and confirmed that the microbial community balance was disrupted by the aberrant proliferation of certain bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]