Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are high-priority pathogens; however, most healthcare providers in resource-limited settings do not consider enterococci in the differential diagnosis of clinical bacterial infections. This cross-sectional surveillance study determined the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile of Enterococcus and factors associated with their presence in patients attending the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria. Non-repetitive clinical samples from 180 patients were processed for the isolation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of enterococci in Slanetz-Bartley agar and the Vitek® 2 Compact system. Structured questionnaires were used to collect participants’ sociodemographic and risk factor data. The prevalence of enterococcal infection was 23.3% (42/180), comprising 57.1% Enterococcus faecalis and 42.9% Enterococcus faecium. Subgroup analysis showed no significant association between the isolation rates and sample type (p=0.379). The frequency of enterococcal infection was significantly highest among patients aged 31–40 years (p<0.05), with a higher frequency among older patients. Moreover, unemployed patients (OR=1.8, p=0.0195) and those using pit latrines (OR=2.1, p=0.034) had significantly increased the odds of enterococcal infection. Enterococci resistance was highest against ampicillin (100%), tetracycline (90.5%), and ciprofloxacin (69%), with 83.3% exhibiting a multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype. Remarkably, 7.1% of all isolates were VR-E. faecium. Moreover, enterococci with a multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) index of 0.3 (45.2%) were predominant. A high level of MDR enterococci (including VRE) was identified in the clinical samples from patients initially managed for non-enterococcal infections, underscoring the need to use a selective bacteriological medium to minimize microbiological misdiagnosis in resource-limited healthcare settings. This study provides valuable local surveillance data indicating gaps in the integration of appropriate diagnostic bacteriology into clinical infectious disease practice.
Moniliophthora roreri has significantly impacted cacao production in Latin America, including Mexico. Extracts of Capsicum annuum can inhibit its growth, although their effectiveness depends on fruit maturity and environmental conditions. In this study, the in vitro efficacy of methanolic extracts of immature and mature fruits of C. annuum var. glabriusculum from plants grown under 0, 35, and 70% shade was evaluated for its ability to inhibit mycelial growth (MG) and sporulation of M. roreri. The most effective treatment was selected and used in a field trial involving young fruits of three cacao genotypes in Tabasco, Mexico. Extracts of immature fruits of this chili pepper contain phenolic compounds that inhibit MG and sporulation of M. roreri both in vitro and in vivo, independently of shading during fruit growth. All treatments at a concentration of 2.5g/l delayed the onset of fungal growth and were highly effective in inhibiting MG and sporulation. In cacao fruit slices, the concentrated extract reduced fungal sporulation by more than 50%, with a second application on the third day. In the field, the antifungal efficacy of the extracts was greater than 50% when applied three days before fruit inoculation. The in vitro and in vivo efficacy of extracts from immature C. annuum var. glabriusculum fruits against M. roreri, regardless of shading, highlights its potential as a sustainable alternative for managing moniliasis in cacao plantations.
Jatropha dioica has shown promising pharmacological properties in dentistry. This plant has shown antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens. Therefore, antibacterial activity combined with cytotoxicity needs to be further investigated. The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of J. dioica extract against periodontal pathogens such as Tannerella forsythia and Filifactor alocis, as well as its cytotoxic effects on human primary fibroblasts (HGF). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using 5, 15, 30, and 300μg/ml extract concentrations. For the cytotoxicity assays, HGF were incubated with the same extract concentrations for 1, 3, 5, and 7 days, and cell viability was assessed using the resazurin assay. The MIC for T. forsythia was found to be 5μg/ml, with the highest inhibition at 80% (p<0.01), compared to the positive control. And at the concentrations 15 and 30μg/ml, bacterial viability decreased higher than 60%. For F. alocis, the highest inhibition was also recorded at the lowest dosage (5μg/ml), resulting in 58% microbial inhibition. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that cell viability was not significantly affected after 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of culture. The effects were observed to be dose-dependent, with a slight increase in viability at 5μg/ml (9.29%) and a decrease at the highest dosage of 300μg/ml (11.7%) compared to the control after 7 days of culture. J. dioica extract exhibited antibacterial activity against the evaluated periodontal pathogens with minimal cytotoxic effects on gingival fibroblasts, suggesting its potential application in periodontal therapy.
Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) increase antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate resistance patterns and antibiotic therapy in patients with UTIs and AB in Peru. Cross-sectional study based on 164 urine cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A total of 62 cases of AB and 102 of UTI were identified. Women (116, 70.7%) and older adults (60, 36.6%) predominated. A total of 4582 antibiotic prescriptions were recorded, with a therapeutic pattern in both UTI and AB centered on the use of meropenem (540, 21.3%) and (333, 16.3%), vancomycin (221, 8.7%) and (454, 22.2%), ceftriaxone (369, 14.5%) and (176, 8.6%) and ceftazidime (227, 8.9%) and (274, 3.4%), respectively. In general, antibiotic therapy was bactericidal in (87, 53.0%) cases, from the surveillance group in (98, 59.8%) cases, monotherapy in (112, 68.3%) cases, and in cycles of ≤7 days. UTI was associated with a higher burden of comorbidities, including chronic renal failure, hypertension, and diabetes. Fifteen bacterial species were isolated in both clinical entities, with a predominance of Gram-negative bacilli, mainly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, both of which exhibited high resistance to cephalosporins, sulfonamides, and ampicillin/sulbactam. Among Gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium showed resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, and quinolones. The widespread use of antibiotics from the surveillance group and similar antibiotic therapy in AB and UTI, revealed a critical gap in the implementation of clinical guidelines and the urgent need to accurately differentiate between the two diagnoses to avoid overprescribing and help contain bacterial resistance.
To describe the classical and molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Health Region VIII (HRVIII, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina), we analyzed 120421 respiratory samples from patients with acute respiratory infection during the first two pandemic years. Complete genome or partial spike gene sequences were obtained for phylogenetic analyses to investigate viral introductions, transmission dynamics, and genetic diversity. Substitution rates were estimated for predominant lineages. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was significantly higher in 2020 (37.4%) than in 2021 (31.9%, p<0.001). In 2020, positivity was higher among travelers (41.7%) than residents (36.4%), a trend that reversed in 2021 (33.4% vs. 28.0%), reflecting the region's socioeconomic and touristic characteristics. The first wave peaked at epidemiological week (EW) 37 of 2020 and was dominated by lineages B.1.1.33, N.3, and B.1.499. A resurgence in early 2021 involved lineage N.5 and emerging Alpha and Lambda variants. The second wave peaked at EW 20 and featured cocirculation of Gamma and Lambda, which were later displaced by Delta after EW 31. Estimated substitution rates ranged from 2.4×10−4 to 6.8×10−4substitutions/site/year across different clades. This study provides a detailed overview of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in HRVIII and underscores the importance of integrating genomic surveillance into public health systems to monitor emerging variants and support timely response strategies.
