1
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Wolf C, Clifton J, Sheng X. Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in Youth Correctional Facilities, Utah, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:S62-S67. [PMID: 38561843 PMCID: PMC10986834 DOI: 10.3201/eid3013.230712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
We reviewed data obtained in October 2021-May 2023 from youth who reported a history of sexual activity upon admission to 1 of 12 juvenile justice facilities in Utah, USA, that offered screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Urinalysis revealed C. trachomatis positivity of 10.77%, N. gonorrhoeae positivity of 1.08%, and coinfection C. trachomatis N. gonorrhoeae) of 0.90%. Prevalence of infection was similar for youths in rural and urban facilities. A total of 12.01% of those identifying as male and 14.01% of those identifying as female tested positive for C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, or coinfection. Of young adults who tested positive, 74.65% received their results while incarcerated, all of whom accepted treatment. Our research underscores the feasibility of providing prompt C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae screening and treatment in juvenile correctional facilities. The pervasiveness of infection emphasizes the urgent need for early identification and treatment for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in incarcerated youth nationwide.
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2
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Ha SM, Lin EY, Klausner JD, Adamson PC. Machine learning to predict ceftriaxone resistance using single nucleotide polymorphisms within a global database of Neisseria gonorrhoeae genomes. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0170323. [PMID: 37905924 PMCID: PMC10714741 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01703-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an urgent global health issue. The objectives of the study were to use a global collection of 12,936 N. gonorrhoeae genomes from the PathogenWatch database to evaluate different machine learning models to predict ceftriaxone susceptibility/decreased susceptibility using 97 mutations known to be associated with ceftriaxone resistance. We found the random forest classifier model had the highest performance. The analysis also reported the relative contributions of different mutations within the ML model predictions, allowing for the identification of the mutations with the highest importance for ceftriaxone resistance. A machine learning model retrained with the top five mutations performed similarly to the model using all 97 mutations. These results could aid in the development of molecular tests to detect resistance to ceftriaxone in N. gonorrhoeae. Moreover, this approach could be applied to building and evaluating machine learning models for predicting antimicrobial resistance in other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Min Ha
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Eric Y. Lin
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Klausner
- Departments of Population and Public Health Sciences and Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Paul C. Adamson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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3
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Page B, Adiunegiya S. Antimicrobial Resistance in Papua New Guinea: A Narrative Scoping Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1679. [PMID: 38136713 PMCID: PMC10741211 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12121679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections are a known threat to the public health of low-income countries and are undercharacterized in Papua New Guinea. A scoping literature review of scientific peer-reviewed publications on antimicrobial resistance in Papua New Guinea was conducted, and their results were summarized. Many of the available data on resistant bacteria in Papua New Guinea have come from Port Moresby and Goroka and have been focused on Staphylococcus aureus, as well as important pediatric pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Progressive resistance to the commonly used antibiotics penicillin and chloramphenicol among most clinically important bacterial pathogens has prompted healthcare workers to adopt expensive broad-spectrum antibiotics. There is already evidence of resistance to newly adopted antibiotics among several Gram-negative organisms. Drivers of antimicrobial resistance in Papua New Guinea include a high burden of infectious diseases, inappropriate antibiotic prescription practices, poor regulation of antibiotics, incomplete adherence, substandard drug quality, and overcrowding of healthcare facilities. There is a lack of information on antimicrobial resistance among priority pathogens and from several important regions of Papua New Guinea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brady Page
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA 92103, USA
- Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Simeon Adiunegiya
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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4
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Noman AA, Islam MK, Feroz T, Hossain MM, Shakil MSK. A Systems Biology Approach for Investigating Significant Biomarkers and Drug Targets Common Among Patients with Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Study. Bioinform Biol Insights 2023; 17:11779322231214445. [PMID: 38033384 PMCID: PMC10683397 DOI: 10.1177/11779322231214445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Having a previous history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea and chlamydia increases the chance of developing prostate cancer, the second most frequent malignant cancer among men. However, the molecular functions that cause the development of prostate cancer in persons with gonorrhea and chlamydia are yet unknown. In this study, we studied RNA-seq gene expression profiles using computational biology methods to find out potential biomarkers that could help us in understanding the patho-biological mechanisms of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and prostate cancer. Using statistical methods on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets, it was found that a total of 22 distinct differentially expressed genes were shared among these 3 diseases of which 14 were up-regulated (PGRMC1, TSC22D1, SH3BGRL, NNT, CTSC, FRMD3, CCR2, FAM210B, VCL, PTGS1, SLFN11, SLC40A1, PROS1, and DSE) and the remaining 8 genes were down-regulated (PRNP, HINT3, MARCKSL1, TMED10, SH3KBP1, ENSA, DERL1, and KMT2B). Investigation on these 22 unique dysregulated genes using Gene Ontology, BioCarta, KEGG, and Reactome revealed multiple altered molecular pathways, including regulation of amyloid precursor protein catabolic process, ferroptosis, effects on gene expression of Homo sapiens PPAR pathway, and innate immune system R-HSA-168249. Four significant hub proteins namely VCL, SH3KBP1, PRNP, and PGRMC1 were revealed by protein-protein interaction network analysis. By analyzing gene-transcription factors and gene-miRNAs interactions, significant transcription factors (POU2F2, POU2F1, GATA6, and HIVEP1) and posttranscriptional regulator microRNAs (hsa-miR-7-5p) were also identified. Three potential therapeutic compounds namely INCB3284, CCX915, and MLN-1202 were found to interact with up-regulated protein C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) in protein-drug interaction analysis. The proposed biomarkers and therapeutic potential molecules could be investigated for potential pharmacological targets and activity in the fight against in patients with gonorrhea, chlamydia, and prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulla Al Noman
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Kobirul Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Tasmiah Feroz
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Monir Hossain
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Shahariar Kabir Shakil
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
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5
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Humayun S, Bali A, Avula S, Naik R. Disseminated Gonococcal Infection With Dermatitis-Arthritis Syndrome. Cureus 2023; 15:e44991. [PMID: 37822430 PMCID: PMC10564561 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by gram-negative diplococci, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Disseminated gonorrhea is diagnosed infrequently, partly due to low suspicion at the time of presentation, and at times, due to overlapping symptoms associated with non-infectious conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this article, we present a 42-year-old sexually active female with knee pain and swelling, fever, and rash. Knee aspirate showed the presence of monosodium urate crystals, and the synovial culture grew gram-negative diplococci, requiring multiple joint washouts. The urine nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) was indeterminate. She was treated with high-dose intravenous ceftriaxone for one week post-joint washout with rapid improvement in her condition and resolution of the rash.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Humayun
- Internal Medicine, Geisinger Health System, Wilkes-Barre, USA
| | - Atul Bali
- Internal Medicine / Nephrology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, USA
- Internal Medicine / Nephrology, Geisinger Health System, Wilkes-Barre, USA
- Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
| | - Sreekant Avula
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Rochester, USA
| | - Roopa Naik
- Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
- Internal Medicine / Hospital Medicine, Geisinger Health System, Wilkes-Barre, USA
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6
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Manoharan-Basil SS, Balduck M, Abdellati S, Gestels Z, de Block T, Kenyon C. Enolase Is Implicated in the Emergence of Gonococcal Tolerance to Ceftriaxone. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12030534. [PMID: 36978401 PMCID: PMC10044683 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance is associated with antibiotic treatment failure, and molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance are poorly understood. We recently succeeded in inducing tolerance to ceftriaxone (CRO) in an N. gonorrhoeae reference isolate. In a prior in vitro study, six biological replicates of WHO P strains were exposed to CRO (10× the MIC) followed by overnight growth, and tolerance was assessed using a modified Tolerance Disc (T.D.) test. In the current study, we characterized the mutation profile of these CRO-tolerant phenotypes. The whole genome was sequenced from isolates from different replicates and time points. We identified mutations in four genes that may contribute to ceftriaxone tolerance in N. gonorrhoeae, including a mutation in the enolase (eno) gene that arose independently in three lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margaux Balduck
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Saïd Abdellati
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zina Gestels
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tessa de Block
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
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7
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Liblik K, Lam J, Pham A, Byun J, Farina JM, Baranchuk A. Sexually Transmitted Infections & the Heart. Curr Probl Cardiol 2023; 48:101629. [PMID: 36740205 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide, with over 1 million new infections occurring daily. Similarly, cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading global cause of death and has tremendous impact on disability as well as quality of life. Several STIs have potential CV consequences and may precipitate reoccurrence of underlying CV comorbidity. Notably, untreated STIs and associated CV complications have an increased impact on marginalized individuals and those with limited access to health resources and care. Syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis have been identified as having CV implications. Yet, the data linking compromised CV health and STIs have not previously been summarized. The present review encapsulates the current knowledge surrounding the impacts of STIs on CV health as well as diagnostic and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera Liblik
- Department of Medicine, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Lam
- Department of Medicine, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Alex Pham
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Jin Byun
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Juan M Farina
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Adrian Baranchuk
- Division of Cardiology, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
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8
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Balduck M, Laumen JGE, Abdellati S, De Baetselier I, de Block T, Manoharan-Basil SS, Kenyon C. Tolerance to Ceftriaxone in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Rapid Induction in WHO P Reference Strain and Detection in Clinical Isolates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:1480. [PMID: 36358135 PMCID: PMC9686967 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to antimicrobial resistance, bacteria contain other mechanisms to survive antibiotic exposure such as tolerance, defined as the ability to slow metabolism by the extension of the lag phase without altering antimicrobial susceptibility. In a number of bacterial species, tolerance has been associated with treatment failure and infection chronicity and is found to precede and facilitate antimicrobial resistance. It is unknown if tolerance can be induced in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In this study, we determined if tolerance to ceftriaxone (CRO) can be induced in N. gonorrhoeae and detected in clinical isolates. To induce tolerance, WHO P N. gonorrhoeae reference strain samples were grown under daily 3 h intermittent CRO exposure (10× the MIC), partitioned by overnight growth in GC broth. This cyclic exposure was performed for 7 consecutive days in sextuplicate, with two control cultures to which GC medium without antibiotics was added. To detect tolerance and assess CRO susceptibility, modified Tolerance Disc (TD) and Epsilometer tests were performed on isolates after each CRO exposure cycle. Additionally, this experiment was carried out on 18 clinical N. gonorrhoeae isolates. Tolerance was first detected after two CRO exposure cycles in five out of six samples. The phenotype differed per cycle with no clear pattern. No tolerance was found in control samples but was detected in 10 out of 18 clinical isolates. The present study is the first to demonstrate the induction of tolerance to CRO in N. gonorrhoeae through antibiotic exposure. In addition, tolerance to CRO was found in clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Balduck
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jolein Gyonne Elise Laumen
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Saïd Abdellati
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Irith De Baetselier
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tessa de Block
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Chris Kenyon
- HIV/STI Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7700, South Africa
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9
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Fatima F, Kumar S, Das A. Vaccines against sexually transmitted infections: an update. Clin Exp Dermatol 2022; 47:1454-1463. [DOI: 10.1111/ced.15223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Farhat Fatima
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy; Medical College & Hospital Kolkata India
| | - Satarupa Kumar
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy; Medical College & Hospital Kolkata India
| | - Anupam Das
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy; KPC Medical College & Hospital Kolkata India
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10
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In Silico and In Vitro Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Potential of Bacillus cereus Isolated from Apis dorsata Gut against Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10111401. [PMID: 34827339 PMCID: PMC8614935 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10111401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health and development concern on a global scale. The increasing resistance of the pathogenic bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics necessitates efforts to identify potential alternative antibiotics from nature, including insects, which are already recognized as a source of natural antibiotics by the scientific community. This study aimed to determine the potential of components of gut-associated bacteria isolated from Apis dorsata, an Asian giant honeybee, as an antibacterial against N. gonorrhoeae by in vitro and in silico methods as an initial process in the stage of new drug discovery. The identified gut-associated bacteria of A. dorsata included Acinetobacter indicus and Bacillus cereus with 100% identity to referenced bacteria from GenBank. Cell-free culture supernatants (CFCS) of B. cereus had a very strong antibacterial activity against N. gonorrhoeae in an in vitro antibacterial testing. Meanwhile, molecular docking revealed that antimicrobial lipopeptides from B. cereus (surfactin, fengycin, and iturin A) had a comparable value of binding-free energy (BFE) with the target protein receptor for N. gonorrhoeae, namely penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1 and PBP2 when compared with the ceftriaxone, cefixime, and doxycycline. The molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) study revealed that the surfactin remains stable at the active site of PBP2 despite the alteration of the H-bond and hydrophobic interactions. According to this finding, surfactin has the greatest antibacterial potential against PBP2 of N. gonorrhoeae.
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11
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Mathew R, Chahin M, Isache C. Neisseria gonorrhoeae: An Unexpected Cause of Polyarthritis and Meningitis. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep 2021; 9:23247096211012194. [PMID: 33928799 PMCID: PMC8114289 DOI: 10.1177/23247096211012194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a gram-negative coccus, is a major cause of morbidity among sexually active individuals. Hematogenous spread of N gonorrhoeae from the initial site of infection is thought to occur in only 0.5% to 3% of infected patients. Disseminated gonococcal infections can rarely lead to serious sequelae, such as endocarditis or meningitis. In this article, we present a case that demonstrates a rare finding of disseminated gonococcal infection leading to N gonorrhoeae meningitis, complicated by hydrocephalus. The patient in this case initially presented with intermittent polyarthralgias for two years and later developed a rash. Cultures from blood and joint aspirate were negative. Urine nucleic acid amplification test for N gonorrhoeae was also negative. He was initially started on steroids for what was believed at first to be an autoimmune polyarthritis. The patient later developed acute encephalopathy. Head imaging revealed hydrocephalus. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was consistent with bacterial meningitis. Blood, joint, and mucosal membrane studies failed to isolate the causative organism, but his cerebrospinal fluid grew N gonorrhoeae. He was treated with high-dose intravenous ceftriaxone for two weeks with rapid improvement in his mental status and resolution of his joint pains and rash.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reshmi Mathew
- University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Chahin
- University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Carmen Isache
- University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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12
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Vică ML, Glevitzky I, Glevitzky M, Siserman CV, Matei HV, Teodoru CA. Antibacterial Activity of Propolis Extracts from the Central Region of Romania against Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10060689. [PMID: 34201299 PMCID: PMC8226552 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most common infections worldwide, many of these being caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Increased antimicrobial NG resistance has been reported in recent decades, highlighting the need for new sources of natural compounds with valuable antimicrobial activity. This study aims to determine the effect of propolis extracts on NG strains, including antibiotic-resistant strains. (2) Methods: First void urine samples from presumed positive STI subjects were harvested. DNA was extracted, purified, and amplified via PCR for the simultaneous detection of 6 STIs. The presence of the dcmH, gyrA, and parC genes was checked in the DNA samples from NG-positive patients. The antimicrobial activity of 5 aqueous propolis extracts from central Romania was investigated in vitro against some isolated NG strains. ANOVA tests were employed to assess differences and interactions between the inhibition zone for NG strains and propolis extracts. (3) Results: 7.07% of the patients presented NG infections, some strains being resistant or intermediate-resistant to ciprofloxacin. All propolis samples exhibited an antibacterial effect, including on resistant strains. (4) Conclusions: Statistical analysis demonstrated that the diameter of the inhibition zone was influenced both by the NG strain type and the source of the propolis extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Laura Vică
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Ioana Glevitzky
- Doctoral School, Faculty of Engineering, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, 550025 Sibiu, Romania;
| | - Mirel Glevitzky
- Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, “1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania;
| | - Costel Vasile Siserman
- Department of Legal Medicine, ‘Iuliu Haţieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Horea Vladi Matei
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-741-155-487
| | - Cosmin Adrian Teodoru
- Clinical Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Lucian Blaga” University, 550002 Sibiu, Romania;
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13
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Rajamanikandan S, Soundarya S, Paramasivam A, Prabhu D, Jeyakanthan J, Ramasamy V. Computational identification of potential lead molecules targeting rho receptor of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:6415-6425. [PMID: 33590810 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1885491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Gonorrhea, one of the sexually transmitted disease caused by a gram negative diplococcus bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Rho protein is indispensable for bacterial viability due to its versatile functions in physiology apart from RNA dependent transcription termination. Based on conserved function and wider role in several cellular processes, inhibitors specifically targeting Rho proteins are largely in use these days to treat various bacterial infections. In this study, three dimensional structure of Rho protein was modeled using the template protein from E. coli and further the optimized model was simulated for 100 ns to understand the structural stability and compactness. Owing to the therapeutic potential of Rho, traditional structure-based virtual screening was applied to identify potential inhibitors for the selected target. Based on empirical glide scoring functions two potent lead molecules (ChemBridge_6121956 and ChemBridge_5232688) were selected from ChemBridge database. The pharmacokinetic properties of these lead molecules are within the permissible range. DFT descriptor revealed that the lead molecules are more reactive, which also supports the molecular docking studies. The stability of Rho and Rho-inhibitor complexes was studied using molecular dynamics simulation. Parameters include binding free energy calculation, RMSD, RMSF and hydrogen bond analysis depicts the stability of Rho and Rho-inhibitors throughout the simulation. Altogether, the identified lead molecules require further optimization towards the design and development of new antibiotics against N. gonorrhoeae.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anandhi Paramasivam
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Bishop Herber College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dhamodharan Prabhu
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
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14
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Turner JM, Connolly KL, Aberman KE, Fonseca JC, Singh A, Jerse AE, Nicholas RA, Davies C. Molecular Features of Cephalosporins Important for Activity against Antimicrobial-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:293-308. [PMID: 33533239 PMCID: PMC9847585 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains exhibiting decreased susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) presents a challenge for the successful treatment of gonorrhea infections. To address this challenge, we evaluated a panel of 23 cephalosporins against penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) from the ESC-resistant (ESCR) N. gonorrhoeae strain H041 to determine which molecular features are important for antimicrobial activity. Structure-activity relationships (SARs) developed from acylation rate constants against PBP2 and antimicrobial susceptibilities against the H041 strain of N. gonorrhoeae, and interpreted against docking models, reveal that cephalosporins possessing large, lipophilic R1 side chains and electronegative R2 side chains with planar groups are associated with higher acylation rates against PBP2, but also that these same amphipathic features can lower antimicrobial activity. Based on these studies, we tested cefoperazone, one of the most effective ESCs for targeting PBP2, in the female mouse model infected with H041 and showed that it was equally or more effective than ceftriaxone or gentamicin for clearing infections. Taken together, our results reveal that two U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved agents (cefoperazone, ceftaroline) and one FDA-qualified infectious disease product (ceftobiprole) have potential as first-line treatments for gonorrhea and provide a framework for the future design of cephalosporins with improved activity against ESC-resistant N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Turner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425
| | - Kristie L. Connolly
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Kate E. Aberman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Joseph C. Fonseca
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Avinash Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425
| | - Ann E. Jerse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Robert A. Nicholas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Christopher Davies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425,Corresponding author: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, 5795 USA Drive North, Mobile, AL 36688. Tel +1 (651) 460-6659;
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15
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Chindamo G, Sapino S, Peira E, Chirio D, Gallarate M. Recent Advances in Nanosystems and Strategies for Vaginal Delivery of Antimicrobials. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11020311. [PMID: 33530510 PMCID: PMC7912580 DOI: 10.3390/nano11020311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis affect millions of women each year. They are caused by an overgrowth of microorganisms, generally sexually transmitted, which in turn can be favored by alterations in the vaginal flora. Conventional treatments of these infections consist in systemic or local antimicrobial therapies. However, in the attempt to reduce adverse effects and to contrast microbial resistance and infection recurrences, many efforts have been devoted to the development of vaginal systems for the local delivery of antimicrobials. Several topical dosage forms such as aerosols, lotions, suppositories, tablets, gels, and creams have been proposed, although they are sometimes ineffective due to their poor penetration and rapid removal from the vaginal canal. For these reasons, the development of innovative drug delivery systems, able to remain in situ and release active agents for a prolonged period, is becoming more and more important. Among all, nanosystems such as liposomes, nanoparticles (NPs), and micelles with tunable surface properties, but also thermogelling nanocomposites, could be exploited to improve local drug delivery, biodistribution, retention, and uptake in vulvovaginal tissues. The aim of this review is to provide a survey of the variety of nanoplatforms developed for the vaginal delivery of antimicrobial agents. A concise summary of the most common vaginal infections and of the conventional therapies is also provided.
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16
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Burns PA, Mena LA, Crosby RL. Foretelling the Future: Predicting STI Diagnosis and Its Implications for Ending the HIV Epidemic among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men. J Urban Health 2020; 97:642-652. [PMID: 31898202 PMCID: PMC7560633 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-019-00413-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite evidence of the link between STI and HIV transmission, STI rates remain alarmingly high, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities. This study examined the relationship between earlier STI diagnoses (gonorrhea and chlamydia) and future STI acquisition and its implications for HIV prevention among a sample of urban Black men who have sex with men (Black MSM). Data from a cohort of 600 Black MSM (15-29 years of age) residing in a medium-size Southern city enrolled in a HIV prevention intervention were analyzed. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between STI diagnosis (baseline: Time 1) and subsequent STI diagnosis (90-day post-diagnosis: Time 2). Repeated measures analyzed at Time 1 and Time 2 included condomless sex, insertive and receptive sex, concurrent sexual partnerships, multiple partners, and age of partner. Independent of socio-demographic factors, we found having a prior GC/CT increased the likelihood of a future GC/CT by a factor of 15 (OR = 15.2, p = 0.01). Participants were statistically more likely to have been diagnosed with an extragenital STI (OR = 2.3, p = 0.05). Present findings suggest that time of initial STI diagnosis is a critical period in which to intervene to reduce future STI/HIV acquisition. Screening guidelines should be expanded to include testing for extragenital infection. STI screening and treatment and counseling programs should be culturally appropriate to account for the unique needs and the social and environmental context of the population. Additional research is needed to design STI prevention interventions that address social and environmental factors to reduce sexual risk behaviors that increase HIV vulnerability for Black MSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Burns
- Department of Population Health Science, John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
| | - Leandro A Mena
- Department of Population Health Science, John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Richard L Crosby
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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17
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Okereafor K, Ekong I, Okon Markson I, Enwere K. Fingerprint Biometric System Hygiene and the Risk of COVID-19 Transmission. JMIR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.2196/19623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biometric systems use scanners to verify the identity of human beings by measuring the patterns of their behavioral or physiological characteristics. Some biometric systems are contactless and do not require direct touch to perform these measurements; others, such as fingerprint verification systems, require the user to make direct physical contact with the scanner for a specified duration for the biometric pattern of the user to be properly read and measured. This may increase the possibility of contamination with harmful microbial pathogens or of cross-contamination of food and water by subsequent users. Physical contact also increases the likelihood of inoculation of harmful microbial pathogens into the respiratory tract, thereby triggering infectious diseases. In this viewpoint, we establish the likelihood of infectious disease transmission through touch-based fingerprint biometric devices and discuss control measures to curb the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
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18
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Douedi S, Dattadeen J, Akoluk A, Liu E. Disseminated Neisseria gonorrhea of the wrist. IDCases 2020; 20:e00763. [PMID: 32395427 PMCID: PMC7210423 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) is seen in about 0.5–3% of patients with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Patients with DGI present with mucosal involvement, septic arthritis and sometimes bacteremia. We present a case of a 62-year-old female with a history of HIV and rheumatoid arthritis admitted with DGI and septic arthritis of the wrist without mucosal involvement or systemic symptoms. The patient underwent incision and drainage with arthrotomy of the right wrist by hand surgery and received a 2-week course of intravenous ceftriaxone. After surgery and initiation of antibiotic treatment, there was marked improvement of her symptoms and she remains asymptomatic at follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Douedi
- Department of Medicine, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, Neptune, NJ 07753, United States
| | - Jaraad Dattadeen
- Department of Medicine, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, Neptune, NJ 07753, United States
| | - Arda Akoluk
- Department of Medicine, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, Neptune, NJ 07753, United States
| | - Edward Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, Neptune, NJ 07753, United States
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19
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Raza A, Arif MS, Rafiq M. A reliable numerical analysis for stochastic gonorrhea epidemic model with treatment effect. INT J BIOMATH 2019. [DOI: 10.1142/s1793524519500724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The phenomena of disease spread are unpredictable in nature due to random mixing of individuals in a population. It is of more significance to include this randomness while modeling infectious diseases. Modeling epidemics including their stochastic behavior could be a more realistic approach in many situations. In this paper, a stochastic gonorrhea epidemic model with treatment effect has been analyzed numerically. Numerical solution of stochastic model is presented in comparison with its deterministic part. The dynamics of the gonorrhea disease is governed by a threshold quantity [Formula: see text] called basic reproductive number. If [Formula: see text], then disease eventually dies out while [Formula: see text] shows the persistence of disease in population. The standard numerical schemes like Euler Maruyama, stochastic Euler and stochastic Runge–Kutta are highly dependent on step size and do not behave well in certain scenarios. A competitive non-standard finite difference numerical scheme in stochastic setting is proposed, which is independent of step size and remains consistent with the corresponding deterministic model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Raza
- Department of Mathematics, Stochastic Analysis and Optimization Research Group, Air University, PAF Complex E-9, Islamabad 44000, Fedral, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shoaib Arif
- Department of Mathematics, Stochastic Analysis and Optimization Research Group, Air University, PAF Complex E-9, Islamabad 44000, Fedral, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan
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20
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Young BF, Roth BM, Davies C. 1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase (AmiC) N-terminal domain (NTD) from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2019; 13:63-66. [PMID: 30276628 PMCID: PMC6440844 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-018-9852-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Gonorrhea infections are becoming more difficult to treat due to the prevalence of strains exhibiting resistance to antibiotics and new therapeutic approaches are needed. N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase (AmiC) from Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a hydrolase that functions during cell division by cleaving the bond between the N-acetylmuramyl and L-alanine moieties of peptidoglycan. Inhibiting this enzyme offers the prospect of restoring the efficacy of existing antibiotics as treatments against N. gonorrhoeae. Of its two domains, the C-terminal domain catalyses the hydrolysis reaction and the N-terminal domain (NTD) is believed to target AmiC to its peptidoglycan substrate. Here, we report the 1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments of a 131 amino acid NTD construct of AmiC by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The assignments represent the first for N. gonorrhoeae AmiC-NTD, laying the groundwork for detailed examination of its structure and dynamics, and providing a platform for new drug discovery efforts to address antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon F Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Braden M Roth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Christopher Davies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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