StM171, a Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Bacteriophage That Affects Sensitivity to Antibiotics in Host Bacteria and Their Biofilm Formation

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia mainly causes respiratory infections that are associated with a high mortality rate among immunocompromised patients. S. maltophilia exhibits a high level of antibiotic resistance and can form biofilms, which complicates the treatment of patients infected with this bacterium. Phages combined with antibiotics could be a promising treatment option. Currently, ~60 S. maltophilia phages are known, and their effects on biofilm formation and antibiotic sensitivity require further examination. Bacteriophage StM171, which was isolated from hospital wastewater, showed a medium host range, low burst size, and low lytic activity. StM171 has a 44kbp dsDNA genome that encodes 59 open-reading frames. A comparative genomic analysis indicated that StM171, along with the Stenotrophomonas phage Suso (MZ326866) and Xanthomonas phage HXX_Dennis (ON711490), are members of a new putative Nordvirus genus. S. maltophilia strains that developed resistance to StM171 (bacterial-insensitive mutants) showed a changed sensitivity to antibiotics compared to the originally susceptible strains. Some bacterial-insensitive mutants restored sensitivity to cephalosporin and penicillin-like antibiotics and became resistant to erythromycin. StM171 shows strain- and antibiotic-dependent effects on the biofilm formation of S. maltophilia strains.

Isolation, Characterization and Genomic Analysis of a Novel Jumbo Phage, AerS_266, That Infects Aeromonas salmonicida

Aeromonas salmonicida is the causative agent of septicemia in fish, and it is associated with significant economic losses in the aquaculture industry. While piscine Aeromonas infections are mainly treated with antibiotics, the emergence of resistance in bacterial populations requires the development of alternative methods of treatment. The use of phages can be one of them. A novel A. salmonicida jumbo phage, AerS_266, was isolated and characterized. This phage infects only mesophilic A. salmonicida strains and demonstrates a slow lytic life cycle. Its genome contains 243,674 bp and 253 putative genes: 84 encode proteins with predicted functions, and 3 correspond to tRNAs. Genes encoding two multisubunit RNA polymerases, chimallin and PhuZ, were identified, and AerS_266 was thus defined as a phiKZ-like phage. While similar phages with genomes >200 kb specific to Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas veronii have been previously described, AerS_266 is the first phiKZ-like phage found to infect A. salmonicida.

Identification, Characterization, and Genome Analysis of Two Novel Temperate Pseudomonas protegens Phages PseuP_222 and PseuP_224

Two novel P. protegens bacteriophages PseuP_222 and Pseu_224 and their host P. protegens CEMTC 4060 were isolated from the same sample (Inya river, Siberia). Both phages have siphovirus morphology and belong to lambdoid phages. Comparative genome analysis revealed a low nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity of PseuP_222 and PseuP_224 between themselves, and between them and other lambdoid phages. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that PseuP_222 and PseuP_224 are members of a genetically diverse group of phages of environmental Pseudomonas spp.; this group is distant from a large group of P. aeruginosa phages. In phylogenetic trees, the positioning of the terminase large subunits, major capsid proteins, tail tape measure proteins, and CI-like repressors of PseuP_222 and PseuP_224 were remote and changed relative to those of the Escherichia lambda phage and lambdoid phages of Pseudomonas spp. However, the nucleoid-associated protein NdpA/YejK and P5-like structural protein from both phages showed high similarity and were not found in lambda phage and other lambdoid phages of Pseudomonas spp. Substantial divergences of the PseuP_222 and PseuP_224 genomes and proteomes indicated that the evolutionary history of these phages was mostly independent and they probably began to use one host only recently.

Evaluation of the Microbiological Effect of Colloidal Nanosilver Solution for Root Canal Treatment

Background: The goal of endodontic treatment, along with the preparation of the root canal and giving it a shape corresponding to the obturation technique, is the drug treatment of the canal. The aim of this study was to determine the antibacterial effect of a colloidal solution of nanosilver at its various dilutions on root canal microorganism. Materials and methods: A solution of silver nanoparticles at a concentration of 10,000 ppm (1.0%) was diluted in various concentrations (10 solutions from 1% to 0.0025%). Cultures used for research: Str. agalacticae ATCC 3984, E. faecalis ATCC 323, St. aureus ATCC 4785, C. albicans ATCC 10231. After thawing, cultures of microorganisms were introduced into a liquid nutrient medium: cerebral heart broth for bacterial cultures and Sabouraud broth for C. albicans. The cultivation was carried out at a temperature of 37 °C for 24 h. A bacterial suspension for inoculation was prepared from a microbial sediment according to a turbidity standard of 0.5 McFarland in saline. Then, 100 μL of the obtained suspension of microorganisms was inoculated by the “lawn” method using a spatula on the Muller–Hinton medium. Solutions of silver nanoparticles were introduced into wells prepared in agar with a sterile metal punch. Further incubation was carried out for 24 h at 37 °C. Results: colloidal solution of silver nanoparticles at concentrations of 1%, 0.75%, 0.5% inhibited the growth of Str. agalacticae ATCC 3984 with a growth retardation zone of 6–7 mm. The E. faecalis ATCC 29212 strain was sensitive to solutions of silver nanoparticles at concentrations of 1%, 0.75%, 0.5% with a growth inhibition zone of 6–7 mm. Strain St. aureus 4785 demonstrated sensitivity to solutions of silver nanoparticles at concentrations of 1%, 0.75%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05% with a growth retardation zone of 6-8 mm. Conclusion: colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles have antimicrobial action against gram-positive bacteria (Str.agalacticae ATCC 3984, St. aureus ATCC 4785, E. faecalis ATCC 29212) and yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida (C. albicans ATCC 10231, C. albicans 672 and C. albicans D-225M), but this action is strain-specific and depends on the concentration of the solution.

Evaluation the relationship between mandibular molar root apices and mandibular canal among residents of the moscow population using cone-beam computed tomography technique

Background:

The relationship between the inferior alveolar nerve and the root apices of the mandibular molars and premolars is of clinical importance. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the mandibular canal (MC) and the mandibular molar root apices using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning among residents of the Moscow population.

Materials and Methods:

Three hundred CBCT scans for patients aged 20–70 years were analyzed. Patients were divided into three age groups: young group (20–44 years), middle-age group (45–59 years), and elderly group (60–70). The distance from the MC and the mandibular molar root apices was measured in each group in the coronal view of CBCT scans. Statistical analysis was set on P < 0.05.

Results:

The mean distance from the mesial root apices of the first, second, and third molars to the MC was 4.92, 2.85, and 2.24 mm, respectively. The distal root showed to be the closest root to the MC in multirooted teeth. The young age group showed smaller distances to MC than other age groups (P < 0.05). Females showed smaller distances to MC in mandibular molars than males (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The distance between the root apices and the MC has to be taken into consideration when performing surgical or endodontic procedures.

Influence of Caudovirales Phages on Humoral Immunity in Mice

Bacteriophages are promising antibacterial agents. Although they have been recognized as bacterial viruses and are considered to be non-interacting with eukaryotic cells, there is growing evidence that phages may have a significant impact on the immune system via interactions with macrophages, neutrophils, and T-cell polarization. In this study, the influence of phages of podovirus, siphovirus, and myovirus morphotypes on humoral immunity of CD-1 mice was investigated. In addition, tissue distribution of the phages was tested in these mice. No common patterns were found either in the distribution of phages in mice or in changes in the levels of cytokines in the sera of mice once injected with phages. Importantly, pre-existing IgM-class antibodies directed against capsid proteins of phages with myovirus and siphovirus morphotypes were identified in mice before immunization. After triple immunization of CD1-mice with phages without any adjuvant, levels of anti-phage serum polyclonal IgG antibodies increased. Immunogenic phage proteins recognized by IgM and/or IgG antibodies were identified using Western blot analysis and mass spectrometry. In addition, mice serum collected after immunization demonstrated neutralizing properties, leading to a substantial decrease in infectivity of investigated phages with myovirus and siphovirus morphotypes. Moreover, serum samples collected before administration of these phages exhibited some ability to reduce the phage infectivity. Furthermore, Proteus phage PM16 with podovirus morphotype did not elicit IgM or IgG antibodies in immunized mice, and no neutralizing activities against PM16 were revealed in mouse serum samples before and after immunization.

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Klebsiella pneumoniae N4-like Bacteriophage KP8

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common pathogen, associated with a wide spectrum of infections, and clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae often possess multiple antibiotic resistances. Here, we describe a novel lytic N4-like bacteriophage KP8, specific to K. pneumoniae, including its genome, partial structural proteome, biological properties, and proposed taxonomy. Electron microscopy revealed that KP8 belongs to the Podoviridae family. The size of the KP8 genome was 73,679 bp, and it comprised 97 putative open reading frames. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the KP8 genome possessed the highest similarity to the genomes of Enquatrovirus and Gamaleyavirus phages, which are N4-like podoviruses. In addition, the KP8 genome showed gene synteny typical of the N4-like podoviruses and contained the gene encoding a large virion-encapsulated RNA polymerase. Phylogenetic analysis of the KP8 genome revealed that the KP8 genome formed a distinct branch within the clade, which included the members of Enquatrovirus and Gamaleyavirus genera besides KP8. The average evolutionary divergences KP8/Enquatrovirus and KP8/Gamaleyavirus were 0.466 and 0.447 substitutions per site (substitutes/site), respectively, similar to that between Enquatrovirus and Gamaleyavirus genera (0.468 substitutes/site). The obtained data suggested that Klebsiella phage KP8 differs from other similar phages and may represent a new genus within the N4-like phages.

The burden of serious fungal diseases in Russia

The incidence and prevalence of fungal infections in Russia is unknown. We estimated the burden of fungal infections in Russia according to the methodology of the LIFE program (www.LIFE-worldwide.org). The total number of patients with serious and chronic mycoses in Russia in 2011 was three million. Most of these patients (2,607,494) had superficial fungal infections (recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, oral and oesophageal candidiasis with HIV infection and tinea capitis). Invasive and chronic fungal infections (invasive candidiasis, invasive and chronic aspergillosis, cryptococcal meningitis, mucormycosis and Pneumocystis pneumonia) affected 69,331 patients. The total number of adults with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and severe asthma with fungal sensitisation was 406,082.