Medical Microbiology and Immunology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Paracoccidioides species present distinct fungal adherence to epithelial lung cells and promote different IL-8 secretion levels
AbstractFungi that belong to the genusParacoccidioides are the etiologic agents of paracoccidioidomycosis, a human systemic mycosis, which occurs in Latin America. Epithelial cell is one of the first cells that interact with these fungi and responds by secreting inflammatory mediators such as cytokines. In the present study, we demonstrate that yeasts of different isolates ofParacoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb18 and Pb03) andParacoccidioides lutzii (Pb01) distinctly promoted interleukin (IL)-8 secretion by the lung epithelial cell line A549. Depending on the isolate, this cytokine release may rely on the epithelial cell inte...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - October 30, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

HTLV-1-infected asymptomatic carriers compared to HAM/TSP patients over-express the apoptosis- and cytotoxicity-related molecules
AbstractHTLV-1 infection causes a chronic progressive debilitating neuroinflammatory disease which is called, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). One of the host defense mechanisms against viral infection is apoptosis which may control HTLV-1 infection. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this process and its interaction with viral factors in HTLV-1-infected asymptomatic carriers (ACs) compared to HAM/TSP patients. Fas, FasL, TRAIL, perforin, granzyme A, granzyme B, and granulysin gene expression and serum levels of Fas, FasL, TRAIL, and granulysin in the peripheral blood of 21 sex- and age-...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - October 28, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Comparative in vitro activity of bacteriophage endolysin HY-133 against Staphylococcus aureus attached to vascular graft surface
AbstractNovel strategies are needed for combatingStaphylococcus aureus biofilm in vascular graft infections. We investigated the in vitro activity of bacteriophage endolysin HY-133, daptomycin and rifampin againstS. aureus attached to vascular graft surface. Daptomycin showed rapid bactericidal effect on surface-associatedS. aureus, while the activity of HY-133 on graft surface-adherent cells was moderate and rifampin did not achieve bactericidal effect. Even in the highest concentrations, all antimicrobials used failed in a complete eradication of the surface-adherent bacteria. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - October 16, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Association of NF κB and related-cytokines with the viral load and development of antibodies against HHV-8 in people living with HIV/AIDS
AbstractHuman gammaherpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) replication is influenced by a complex interaction between viral and host elements. Here, we evaluated the expression of NF κB and TNF-α in B (CD19 +) and T (CD3 +) lymphocytes, and the serum concentration of IL-1β and IL-12 cytokines in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), negative for HHV-8-related diseases, and who presented antibodies to latent or lytic antigens from HHV-8. In addition, we also evaluated the co rrelation of HHV-8 viral load with NFκB, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-12 levels. The expression of NFκB (p <  0.0001) or TNF-α (p <  0.0001) in B lymphocy...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - October 3, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Caenorhabditis elegans as a model animal for investigating fungal pathogenesis
AbstractThe morbidity and mortality associated with systemic fungal infections in humans cannot be underestimated. The nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans has become popular for the in vivo study of the pathogenesis of human fungal pathogens and as an antifungal drug-screening tool.C. elegans offers many advantages as a model organism for the study of human fungal diseases, including lack of ethics requirements, easy maintenance in the laboratory, fully sequenced genome, availability of genetic mutants, and the possibility of liquid assays for high-throughput antifungal screening. Its major drawbacks include the inability to gr...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - September 24, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Characterization of a novel Helicobacter pylori East Asian-type CagA ELISA for detecting patients infected with various cagA genotypes
AbstractCurrently, Western-type CagA is used in most commercialHelicobacter pylori CagA ELISA kits for CagA detection rather than East Asian-type CagA. We evaluated the ability of the East Asian-type CagA ELISA developed by our group to detect anti-CagA antibody in patients infected with differentcagA genotypes ofH. pylori from four different countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The recombinant CagA protein was expressed and later purified using GST-tag affinity chromatography. The East Asian-type CagA-immobilized ELISA was used to measure the levels of anti-CagA antibody in 750 serum samples from Bhutan, Indonesia,...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - September 22, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Differential interferon gene expression in bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus-A genotype ON1
AbstractBronchiolitis severity is determined by a complex interaction among viral replication and antiviral immunity. The current respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-A, genotype ON1 demonstrated a high replicative capacity but seemed to be clinically less severe than the previously circulating RSV-A, NA1. To learn insights about ON1 innate immune response, we analyzed expression levels of type I/III interferon (IFN)-related genes in the respiratory mucosa of infants with RSV bronchiolitis. We enrolled RSV-positive bronchiolitis patients over 12 epidemic seasons at a university hospital in Rome. From nasopharyngeal washings â...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - September 3, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

An investigation of the utility of plasma Cytomegalovirus (CMV) microRNA detection to predict CMV DNAemia in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
AbstractPrecise identification of patients at highest risk for developingCytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia may improve CMV infection management in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) setting. Here, we studied the potential use of detecting free CMV micro(mi)RNAs circulating in plasma for predicting CMV DNAemia in this clinical scenario. A total of 62 adult allo-HSCT recipients were included in this prospective observational multicenter study. Plasma CMV DNA load was monitored using the CMV RealTime CMV PCR (Abbott Molecular, Des Plaines, IL, USA). Detection of mature CMV miRNAs in plasma drawn by...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - September 2, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule N -(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)- l -homoserine lactone triggers mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in neutrophils through calcium signaling
AbstractPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that utilizes the quorum-sensing (QS) process to regulate the production of different virulence factors and biofilm.N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C12) is a key QS molecule ofP. aeruginosa which interacts with the mammalian immune cells and modulates their function. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of C12-induced apoptosis in neutrophils. Our data show that C12 causes apoptosis in neutrophils through an elevation in cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels. Besides, C12 induces phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure,  mitochondrial membrane potent...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - August 2, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Polyomaviruses shedding in stool of patients with hematological disorders: detection analysis and study of the non-coding control region ’s genetic variability
Abstract Fragmented data are available on the human polyomaviruses (HPyVs) prevalence in the gastrointestinal tract. Rearrangements in the non-coding control region (NCCR) of JCPyV and BKPyV have been extensively studied and correlated to clinical outcome; instead, little information is available for KIPyV, WUPyV and MCPyV NCCRs. To get insights into the role of HPyVs in the gastrointestinal tract, we investigated JCPyV, BKPyV, KIPyV, WUPyV and MCPyV distribution among hematological patients in concomitance with gastrointestinal symptoms. In addition, NCCRs and VP1 sequences were examined to characterize the strains cir...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - August 1, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Clinical utility of measuring Epstein –Barr virus-specific cell-mediated immunity after HSCT in addition to virological monitoring: results from a prospective study
AbstractLack of virus-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is associated with worse viral infection outcome in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We aimed to evaluate the role of immunological monitoring of Epstein –Barr virus (EBV) infection in addition to virological one in 33 adult and 18 pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients. Virological monitoring of infection was performed on whole blood samples by a quantitative real-time PCR assay. Immunological monitoring was performed by Enzyme-linked ImmunoSPOT ass ay, evaluating EBV-specific CMI, at fixed time-points and when EBV DNAemia was ≥ 10,000 copies...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 8, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Interplay between IDO1 and iNOS in human retinal pigment epithelial cells
In conclusion, iNOS mediates anti-inflammatory effects in hRPE cells stimulated with high amounts of IFN- γ together with tumor necrosis factor alpha and Interleukin-1 beta and prevents potential IDO1-dependent tissue damage. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 1, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Role of coaggregation in the pathogenicity and prolonged colonisation of Vibrio cholerae
AbstractCholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by the Gram-negative bacteriumVibrio cholerae. The pathogen is known for its ability to form biofilm that confers protection against harsh environmental condition and as part of the colonisation process during infection. Coaggregation is a process that facilitates the formation of biofilm. In a preliminary in vitro study, high coaggregation index and biofilm production were found betweenV. cholerae with human commensals namelyEscherichia coli andEnterobacter cloacae. Building upon these results, the effects of coaggregation were further evaluated using adult BALB/c mouse...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 30, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Correction to: Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in a general adult population in Northern Norway: the Troms ø study
Unfortunately, the supplement tables are missing in the original article. The missing files have been included here. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 21, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

In vitro activity of Protegrin-1, alone and in combination with clinically useful antibiotics, against Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from surgical wounds
This study examines the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of protegrin 1 (PG-1), an antimicrobial peptide from porcine leukocytes, againstA. baumannii strains isolated from surgical wounds. PG-1 was tested both alone and combined with the antibiotics commonly used in clinical settings. Its antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), checkerboard assays, and time-kill experiments. Its effects on biofilm inhibition/eradication were tested with crystal violet staining. The strains were grown in subinhibitory or increasing PG...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 17, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research