Bovine mastitis remains the main cause of economic losses for dairy farmers. Mammary pathogenic Escherichia coli (MPEC) is related to an acute mastitis and its treatment is still based on the use of ...antibiotics. In the era of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) present as an efficient treatment or prophylactic option. However, this makes it essential that its genetic structure, stability and interaction with the host immune system be thoroughly characterized. The present study analyzed a novel, broad host-range anti-mastitis agent, the T4virus vB_EcoM-UFV13 in genomic terms, and its activity against a MPEC strain in an experimental E. coli-induced mastitis mouse model. 4,975 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were assigned between vB_EcoM-UFV13 and E. coli phage T4 genomes with high impact on coding sequences (CDS) (37.60%) for virion proteins. Phylogenetic trees and genome analysis supported a recent infection mix between vB_EcoM-UFV13 and Shigella phage Shfl2. After a viral stability evaluation (e.g pH and temperature), intramammary administration (MOI 10) resulted in a 10-fold reduction in bacterial load. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, were observed after viral treatment. This work brings the whole characterization and immune response to vB_EcoM-UFV13, a biocontrol candidate for bovine mastitis.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen associated with a wide variety of infections in humans. The ability of MRSA to infect companion animals has gained ...increasing attention in the scientific literature. In this study, 334 dogs were screened for MRSA in two cities located in Rio de Janeiro State. The prevalence of MRSA in dogs was 2.7%. Genotyping revealed isolates from sequence types (ST) 1, 5, 30, and 239 either colonizing or infecting dogs. The genome of the canine ST5 MRSA (strain SA112) was compared with ST5 MRSA from humans-the main lineage found in Rio de Janeiro hospitals-to gain insights in the origin of this dog isolate. Phylogenetic analysis situated the canine genome and human strain CR14-035 in the same clade. Comparative genomics revealed similar virulence profiles for SA112 and CR14-035. Both genomes carry S. aureus genomic islands νSAα, νSAβ, and νSAγ. The virulence potential of the canine and human strains was similar in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Together, these results suggest a potential of canine MRSA to infect humans and vice versa. The circulation in community settings of a MRSA lineage commonly found in hospitals is an additional challenge for public health surveillance authorities.
Staphylococcus
pseudintermedius
is the main coagulase-positive staphylococci associated with canine skin/soft tissue infections (SSTI), otitis externa, and surgical site infections. The international ...spread of an epidemic and multiresistant lineage of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
(MRSP), the so-called European clone—displaying sequence type (ST) 71—requires attention. The first isolation of an MRSP ST71 isolate in South America was reported in Rio de Janeiro city, in 2010; however, a limited number of canine isolates were analyzed. Thus, to have a better panel of the MRSP spread in this city, we were stimulated to continue this study and search for the presence of MRSP in 282 colonized or infected dogs in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Among the MRSP isolates collected (
N
= 17; 6.1%), the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were similar to those of European clone. All 17 isolates were classified as ST71 by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). In order to assess whether isolates of MRSP ST71 may have also spread to the Rio de Janeiro state countryside, we collected samples from 124 infected dogs in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes (232 km away from Rio de Janeiro city). Our data showed the presence of ST71 lineage in one isolate among three MRSP detected.
S. pseudintermedius
was isolated from 40.6% of the clinical samples (
N
= 165/406). A relatively high incidence of methicillin resistance, detected by a PCR-based method, was found in 12.1% of the
S. pseudintermedius
recovered from animals (
N
= 20/165). The resistance profile of these isolates was similar to that described for the international ST71 strains whose genomes are publicly available in the GenBank. The prospect of ST71 isolates being resistant to virtually all antimicrobials used in veterinary medicine is alarming and should be considered a central issue considering that MRSP ST71 spreads over large geographic distances and its transmission from animals to humans.
Brazil has the second-largest dairy cattle herd in the world, and bovine mastitis still can cause significant losses for dairy farmers. Despite this fact, little information is available about milk ...microbial composition of Brazilian dairy cows, as well as the potential use of bacteriophages in the control of S. aureus. Here, we investigated milk bacterial composition of 28 Holstein Fresian cows (109 teats), selected in the dry-off period, using 16S rRNA analysis. Furthermore, a representative S. aureus strain (UFV2030RH1) was obtained at drying-off for isolation of a bacteriophage (vB_SauM-UFV_DC4, UFV_DC4) and bacterial genomic comparison purposes. Our outcomes revealed that Staphylococcus was the third most prevalent genus and positively correlated with subclinical mastitis events. As a major finding, genomic analyses showed the presence of adhesive matrix molecules that recognize microbial surface components (MSCRAMM) in UFV2030RH1 and might indicate great biofilm formation capability. A minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay showed that resistance to ampicillin was the highest among the antibiotic tested in S. aureus 3059 and UFV2030RH1, displaying values four and sixteen times greater than MIC resistance breakpoint, respectively. Together, our results suggest that Staphylococcus is highly prevalent in dairy cows at drying-off and the use of the phage UFV_DC4 as a biocontrol agent must be investigated in future studies.
Green propolis produced by
bees, having
D.C. (Asteraceae) as the primary botanical source, has been used in traditional medicine to treat numerous disorders. However, studies evaluating propolis' ...potential in treating cardiovascular diseases
its effects on cholesterol metabolism are lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of green propolis extracts on lipid metabolism in hypercholesterolemic guinea pigs. Chemical characterization of ethanolic extracts of green propolis samples was undertaken using HPLC. The
characterization included an evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of the hydroalcoholic extract of green propolis (DPPH and FRAP assays) and its ability to act as an inhibitor of the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme.
, we investigated the effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of green propolis on lipid metabolism in hypercholesterolemic guinea pigs. Results obtained validated previous reports of significant antioxidant activity. HPLC analysis confirmed that coumaric acid, artepillin C, and baccharin were the most common and abundant compounds in green propolis samples among the studied compounds. Furthermore, the compounds in these extracts acted as effective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
.
assays demonstrated that a hypercholesterolemic diet significantly reduced serum levels of the HDL cholesterol fraction. Simvastatin and propolis hydroalcoholic extracts promoted a significant increase in HDL cholesterol, suggesting that these extracts can improve the serum lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic guinea pigs. Results obtained in this study provide a perspective on the possible hypocholesterolemic effect of green propolis, suggesting that it can improve the serum lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic guinea pigs.
This study aims to identify the contextual relationships between the impact factors on Sustainability 4.0, through the principles of I4.0 in the textile industry, using interpretive structural ...modeling (ISM), a qualitative technique that makes it possible to understand the relationship between different factors, classifying them hierarchically based on their interdependencies. The hierarchy of the 16 (sixteen) factors proposed at different levels helps to identify critical areas to focus efforts and investments, providing data to guide strategic business planning. From the result of the Level Partition Chart, four levels were observed for the ISM diagram. The Corporate Social Responsibility factor (FIS7) was considered a dependent variable of all others. The identification of FIS4, FIS10 and FIS14 as factors with high dependence suggests key areas for strategic interventions. Thus, this study provides a solid theoretical basis and practical recommendations that help textile companies adopt sustainable and technologically advanced strategies, promoting an effective transition to Sustainability 4.0.
Staphylococcus
aureus
is one of the most relevant mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle, and the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes presents a significant health issue in both veterinary and ...human fields. Among the different strategies to tackle
S
.
aureus
infection in livestock, bacteriophages have been thoroughly investigated in the last decades; however, few specimens of the so-called jumbo phages capable of infecting
S
.
aureus
have been described. Herein, we report the biological, genomic, and structural proteomic features of the jumbo phage vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 (DC4). DC4 exhibited a remarkable killing activity against
S
.
aureus
isolated from the veterinary environment and stability at alkaline conditions (pH 4 to 12). The complete genome of DC4 is 263,185 bp (GC content: 25%), encodes 263 predicted CDSs (80% without an assigned function), 1 tRNA (Phe-tRNA), multisubunit RNA polymerase, and an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. Moreover, comparative analysis revealed that DC4 can be considered a new viral species belonging to a new genus DC4 and showed a similar set of lytic proteins and depolymerase activity with closely related jumbo phages. The characterization of a new
S
.
aureus
jumbo phage increases our understanding of the diversity of this group and provides insights into the biotechnological potential of these viruses.
Key points
•
vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 is a new viral species belonging to a new genus within the class Caudoviricetes.
•
vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 carries a set of RNA polymerase subunits and an RNA-directed DNA polymerase.
•
vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 and closely related jumbo phages showed a similar set of lytic proteins.
Plant viral diseases constitute a major contributor to agricultural production losses, significantly impacting the economies of exporting countries by more than USD 30 billion annually. Understanding ...and researching the biology and genomics of viruses is crucial for developing virus-resistant genetically edited or genetically modified plants. Genetic modifications can be targeted to specific regions within genes of target plants which are important or essential for the virus to establish a systemic infection, thus fostering resistance or enabling plants to effectively respond to invading agents while preserving their yield. This review provides an overview of viral incidence and diversity in tropical fruit crops and aims to examine the current state of the knowledge on recent research efforts aimed at reducing or eliminating the damage caused by viral diseases, with emphasis on genetically edited products that have reached the market in recent years.
Due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, bacteriophages have become a viable alternative in controlling bacterial growth or biofilm formation. Biofilm is formed by extracellular ...polymeric substances (EPS) and is one of the factors responsible for increasing bacterial resistance. Bacteriophages have been studied as a bacterial control agent by use of phage enzymes or due to their bactericidal activities. A specific phage against Serratia marcescens was isolated in this work and was evaluated its biological and genomic aspects. The object of this study was UFV01, a bacteriophage belonging to the Podoviridae family, genus Teseptimavirus (group of lytic viruses), specific to the species S. marcescens, which may be related to several amino acid substitutions in the virus tail fibers. Despite this high specificity, the phage reduced the biofilm formation of several Escherichia coli strains without infecting them. UFV01 presents a relationship with phages of the genus Teseptimavirus, although it does not infect any of the E. coli strains evaluated, as these others do. All the characteristics make the phage an interesting alternative in biofilm control in hospital environments since small breaks in the biofilm matrix can lead to a complete collapse.
Objetivo: avaliar a presença de biofilme nas películas de smartphones de profissionais da saúde, investigar o padrão de uso e de descontaminação dos smartphones no ambiente de assistência à saúde em ...um hospital de médio porte. Métodos: estudo analítico e transversal, realizado com profissionais de saúde que possuíam smartphone. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas e a presença de biofilme nas películas de vidro dos smartphones foi avaliada pela microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Resultados: todas as amostras de películas foram positivas para presença de biofilme, mesmo após descontaminação com álcool a 70%. Dos participantes, 96,4% utilizavam smartphone no ambiente de trabalho, a maioria utilizava o aparelho para fins pessoais e descontaminavam com álcool a 70% com frequência irregular. Conclusões: o smartphone pode servir como fômite, visto que biofilmes foram detectados na superfície das películas. Esses achados apontam para a necessidade de políticas de controle de infecção relacionadas ao uso dos smartphones.
PDF
