Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting 70,000 individuals worldwide. This disease is characterized by the buildup of mucus in the airways leading to chronic lung infections resulting in pulmonary failure and death in 95% of CF patients. Routine surveillance of CF pathogens using traditional microbiology culture guides management and treatment of CF patients. Molecular profiling studies have revealed emerging pathogens that may play a role in CF lung disease by either directly causing infection or upregulating the virulence factors of classic CF pathogens, such as P. aeruginosa; however, routine CF culture protocols have not been modified to detect these organisms. The goal of this study was to expand the data relevant to the use of microbiology cultures for the management and treatment of CF patients at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (VCUMC) by directly selecting for emerging CF pathogens in culture. This was accomplished by developing,optimizing, and implementing an agar to select for colistin-resistant non-fermenting Gram- negative rods (NF GNRS). In addition, McKay agar and anaerobic media were utilized to recover members of the Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) and anaerobes in CF respiratory samples. The prevalences of SAG, anaerobes, and colistin-resistant NF GNRs recovered on study media from 75 adult and pediatric CF patients at VCUMC were 17.33%, 41.33%, and 4% respectively. Approximately 62% of patients culture-positive for SAG were also infected with P. aeruginosa and 53.8% of SAG recovered in culture were from CF patients experiencing PE. These findings further support the claim that interspecies interactions among emerging and classic CF pathogens may result in periods of clinical instability or PE. Twenty-eight of the 75 patients were culture-positive for Veillonella species, with the majority of samples collected during a period of surveillance. Four colistin-resistant NF GNRs were isolated on the study media alone. The selective nature of the study media prevented the mixed respiratory flora and classic CF pathogens from overgrowing and obscuring the growth of these colistin-resistant NF GNRs. The presence and role of emerging pathogens in the CF patient population at VCUMC warrants further investigation; therefore, the routine culture protocol needs to be revised to recover and select for those organisms thought to play a role in PE and lung function decline.

<p>More than 20 million infants in the world (15.5 % of all births) are born with low birth weight. Ninety-five % of them are in developing countries. Oral colonization of Gramnegative anaerobes has&nbsp / been implicated as a risk factor for preterm delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal pathogens and pre-term&nbsp / delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The study sample included 200 randomly selected women admitted to the department of obstetrics-gynecology of the teaching hospital of Butare in&nbsp / Rwanda. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to identify factors which might pose a health risk to them and their infants. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from each quadrant of the mother&rsquo / s month (using paper points) within 24 hours of delivery. Ten ml of foetal cord serum samples were collected at delivery and 10 ml of maternal serum samples were&nbsp / collected within 48 of delivery. GCF was examined by PCR for the presence of 5 periodontopathogens and ELISA was used for the evaluation of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) and immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG) in foetal cord and maternal blood against the periodontopathogens. P. intermedia showed significant associations either on its own or in combinations with most indicators of&nbsp / periodontal disease used in this study, while Aa and members of the red complex were significantly associated with gum bleeding and reduced frequency of tooth brushing. A strong association&nbsp / between PLBW and maternal and foetal cord serum sample levels of IL-10 was observed. Also, a good association was observed between PLBW and FCB sample levels of IL-6. Significant&nbsp / associations were observed between PLBW and maternal IgG against the different peridontopathogens. The findings of this study may suggest that the levels of maternal IgG and foetal IgM&nbsp / against the different periodontopathogens are associated with dissemination of maternal periodontopathogens to the foetus thereby illiciting an inflammatory response which contributes to&nbsp / PLBW. </p>

<p>More than 20 million infants in the world (15.5 % of all births) are born with low birth weight. Ninety-five % of them are in developing countries. Oral colonization of Gramnegative anaerobes has&nbsp / been implicated as a risk factor for preterm delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal pathogens and pre-term&nbsp / delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The study sample included 200 randomly selected women admitted to the department of obstetrics-gynecology of the teaching hospital of Butare in&nbsp / Rwanda. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to identify factors which might pose a health risk to them and their infants. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from each quadrant of the mother&rsquo / s month (using paper points) within 24 hours of delivery. Ten ml of foetal cord serum samples were collected at delivery and 10 ml of maternal serum samples were&nbsp / collected within 48 of delivery. GCF was examined by PCR for the presence of 5 periodontopathogens and ELISA was used for the evaluation of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) and immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG) in foetal cord and maternal blood against the periodontopathogens. P. intermedia showed significant associations either on its own or in combinations with most indicators of&nbsp / periodontal disease used in this study, while Aa and members of the red complex were significantly associated with gum bleeding and reduced frequency of tooth brushing. A strong association&nbsp / between PLBW and maternal and foetal cord serum sample levels of IL-10 was observed. Also, a good association was observed between PLBW and FCB sample levels of IL-6. Significant&nbsp / associations were observed between PLBW and maternal IgG against the different peridontopathogens. The findings of this study may suggest that the levels of maternal IgG and foetal IgM&nbsp / against the different periodontopathogens are associated with dissemination of maternal periodontopathogens to the foetus thereby illiciting an inflammatory response which contributes to&nbsp / PLBW. </p>

Earthworm-microbial interactions with emphasis on the passage effects of Eisenia spp. on microbial community were investigated. The study was focused on earthworm potential to regulate functional microbiota in cattle-impacted soils. Microbial communities were studied through a combination of polar lipid analyses, molecular, and culturing methods.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / More than 20 million infants in the world (15.5 % of all births) are born with low birth weight. Ninety-five % of them are in developing countries. Oral colonization of Gramnegative anaerobes has been implicated as a risk factor for preterm delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal pathogens and pre-term delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The study sample included 200 randomly selected women admitted to the department of obstetrics-gynecology of the teaching hospital of Butare in Rwanda. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to identify factors which might pose a health risk to them and their infants. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from each quadrant of the mother’s month (using paper points) within 24 hours of delivery. Ten ml of foetal cord serum samples were collected at delivery and 10 ml of maternal serum samples were collected within 48 of delivery. GCF was examined by PCR for the presence of 5 periodontopathogens and ELISA was used for the evaluation of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) and immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG) in foetal cord and maternal blood against the periodontopathogens. P. intermedia showed significant associations either on its own or in combinations with most indicators of periodontal disease used in this study, while Aa and members of the red complex were significantly associated with gum bleeding and reduced frequency of tooth brushing. A strong association between PLBW and maternal and foetal cord serum sample levels of IL-10 was observed. Also, a good association was observed between PLBW and FCB sample levels of IL-6. Significant associations were observed between PLBW and maternal IgG against the different peridontopathogens. The findings of this study may suggest that the levels of maternal IgG and foetal IgM against the different periodontopathogens are associated with dissemination of maternal periodontopathogens to the foetus thereby illiciting an inflammatory response which contributes to PLBW. / South Africa

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / More than 20 million infants in the world (15.5 % of all births) are born with low birth weight. Ninety-five % of them are in developing countries. Oral colonization of Gramnegative anaerobes has been implicated as a risk factor for preterm delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal pathogens and pre-term delivery of low birth weight (PLBW) infants. The study sample included 200 randomly selected women admitted to the department of obstetrics-gynecology of the teaching hospital of Butare in Rwanda. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to identify factors which might pose a health risk to them and their infants. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from each quadrant of the mother’s month (using paper points) within 24 hours of delivery. Ten ml of foetal cord serum samples were collected at delivery and 10 ml of maternal serum samples were collected within 48 of delivery. GCF was examined by PCR for the presence of 5 periodontopathogens and ELISA was used for the evaluation of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) and immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG) in foetal cord and maternal blood against the periodontopathogens. P. intermedia showed significant associations either on its own or in combinations with most indicators of periodontal disease used in this study, while Aa and members of the red complex were significantly associated with gum bleeding and reduced frequency of tooth brushing. A strong association between PLBW and maternal and foetal cord serum sample levels of IL-10 was observed. Also, a good association was observed between PLBW and FCB sample levels of IL-6. Significant associations were observed between PLBW and maternal IgG against the different peridontopathogens. The findings of this study may suggest that the levels of maternal IgG and foetal IgM against the different periodontopathogens are associated with dissemination of maternal periodontopathogens to the foetus thereby illiciting an inflammatory response which contributes to PLBW.

<p>The objectives of this case-control study, investigating 51 in-patient women with acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and 50 healthy women attending for routine gynecological check-up, were to investigate the background and reproductive history of women, who are considered at low risk of sexually transmitted infection presenting with PID, to examine whether intrauterine device (IUD) use <i>per se</i> and long use affects the microbiology and clinical course of the disease, to identify risk factors for PID and to examine whether IUD use is an independent risk factor for PID.</p><p>The most striking difference regarding the background and reproductive history between women with PID and healthy women over age 25 were related to socio-demographic factors and not to common risk factors for PID.</p><p>There was little difference between healthy women and women with current PID with regard to single microbes. The finding of combinations of several anaerobic or aerobic/anaerobic microbes appeared to be associated with PID, particularly in women over 35. The pathogenesis of non-sexually transmitted PID appears to be associated with a synergistic effect between several pathogens, possibly facilitated by the presence of an IUD.</p><p>IUD use <i>per se</i> was associated with an increased risk of PID in women 35 and older. There was an association between IUD use and complicated PID in women over 35, which was possibly influenced by long-term IUD use. Age over 35 and IUD use, independently of each other, were associated with an increased risk of failed conservative treatment, necessitating surgery in patients with PID.</p><p>An observational study showed that Latvian obstetrician-gynecologists participate actively in contraceptive counseling and are very experienced with regard to IUD use. Physicians’ attitudes and perceptions towards IUD are generally positive and their clinical considerations are in good agreement with that of doctors in other countries. Antibiotics are widely used around IUD insertion by doctors, possibly driven by a liberal attitude towards IUD use in women with a potential risk of STI. The study could identify some possible gaps in the theoretical knowledge about the IUD and other methods.</p>

The objectives of this case-control study, investigating 51 in-patient women with acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and 50 healthy women attending for routine gynecological check-up, were to investigate the background and reproductive history of women, who are considered at low risk of sexually transmitted infection presenting with PID, to examine whether intrauterine device (IUD) use per se and long use affects the microbiology and clinical course of the disease, to identify risk factors for PID and to examine whether IUD use is an independent risk factor for PID. The most striking difference regarding the background and reproductive history between women with PID and healthy women over age 25 were related to socio-demographic factors and not to common risk factors for PID. There was little difference between healthy women and women with current PID with regard to single microbes. The finding of combinations of several anaerobic or aerobic/anaerobic microbes appeared to be associated with PID, particularly in women over 35. The pathogenesis of non-sexually transmitted PID appears to be associated with a synergistic effect between several pathogens, possibly facilitated by the presence of an IUD. IUD use per se was associated with an increased risk of PID in women 35 and older. There was an association between IUD use and complicated PID in women over 35, which was possibly influenced by long-term IUD use. Age over 35 and IUD use, independently of each other, were associated with an increased risk of failed conservative treatment, necessitating surgery in patients with PID. An observational study showed that Latvian obstetrician-gynecologists participate actively in contraceptive counseling and are very experienced with regard to IUD use. Physicians’ attitudes and perceptions towards IUD are generally positive and their clinical considerations are in good agreement with that of doctors in other countries. Antibiotics are widely used around IUD insertion by doctors, possibly driven by a liberal attitude towards IUD use in women with a potential risk of STI. The study could identify some possible gaps in the theoretical knowledge about the IUD and other methods.

L’hidrosadénite suppurée (HS) ou maladie de Verneuil, est une maladie cutanée orpheline fréquente qui touche 1 % de la population générale. Elle se manifeste par des lésions inflammatoires récidivantes ou chroniques des plis axillaires, inguinaux et périnéaux. La sévérité clinique de la maladie varie selon les patients. Les lésions les moins sévères (lésions de stade 1 dans la classification de sévérité clinique de Hurley) sont des nodules inflammatoire centimétriques pouvant évoluer vers l’abcédation. Les lésions les plus sévères (lésions de stade 2 et 3 de Hurley) sont des lésions suppurées étendues et chroniques. Sur le plan histologique, la lésion primitive de l’HS semble être une hyperplasie de l’épithélium du follicule pileux. La physiopathologie de la maladie est mal connue et probablement multifactorielle, incluant des facteurs génétiques, hormonaux, infectieux et dys-immunitaires. Il a été montré récemment qu’une antibiothérapie à large spectre pouvait permettre d’obtenir une rémission clinique prolongée des lésions inflammatoires de l’HS. Objectif du travail : L’objectif principal de ce travail était d’identifier par des techniques de culture classique et de métagénomique bactérienne les espèces ou les flores bactériennes spécifiquement associées aux lésions d’HS des trois stades de sévérité clinique. Résultats : Nous avons identifié par culture bactérienne deux profils bactériens lésionnels. Le premier était représenté par Staphylococcus lugdunensis, et plus rarement par d’autres espèces bactériennes de la flore cutanée commensale (Propionibacterium acnes, staphylocoques à coagulase négative et Staphylococcus aureus). Le second correspondait à une flore anaérobie composée de bactéries anaérobies stricts, d’Actinomycetes et de streptocoques du groupe milleri. L’approche métagénomique a permis d’identifier les germes anaérobies stricts associés aux lésions : des cocci à Gram positif de la flore cutanée (principalement Anaerococcus spp., Peptoniphilus spp., Finegoldia spp.) des bacilles à Gram négatif anaérobies n’appartenant pas à la flore cutanée (Prevotella spp., Porphyromonas spp., Fusobacterium spp), Veillonellaceae et Corynebacteriaceae. Ce profil était caractéristique des lésions suppurées chroniques de stade 2 et 3 et était également associé à certaines lésions de stade 1. Les lésions des stades 2 et 3 présentaient une diversité bactérienne supérieure à celle des lésions de stade 1, avec un nombre plus élevé de taxons très minoritaires dans la flore cutanée (Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Peptococcaceae, Erysipelotrichales). Conclusion : Cette étude démontre que certaines espèces bactériennes sont spécifiquement associées aux lésions d’HS. Ces espèces sont impliquées dans des infections cutanées, mais aussi dans des infections sévères, ce qui témoigne de leur pathogénicité. L’efficacité des antibiotiques chez les patients et les résultats de cette étude suggèrent qu’un processus infectieux participe à la présentation clinique de l’HS. Notre hypothèse est que ces infections surviennent en raison d’une anomalie primitive de la barrière cutanée folliculaire. / Hidradenitis suppuratiav (HS) is an orphan skin inflammatory disease disease characterized by chronic or recurrent inflammatory lesions localized in the armpits, the inguinal and perineal folds. With a 1% prevalence of a general population, HS is an public health issue. The clinical severity of the disease is heterogeneous among patients. Most patients present the mild form of the disease with inflammatory nodules and abscesses (Hurley stage 1 lesions). More severe patients show extended chronically suppurating lesions (Hurley stage 2 and Hurley stage 3 lesions). The primary histological lesion of HS is characterized by epidermal follicular hyperplasia and perifollicular inflammation. The physiopathology of HS remains unclear. HS is probably a multifactorial disease, involving genetical, immunological and infectious factors. Indeed, wide-spectrum antibiotic treatments can significantly improve or induce prolonged clinical remissions of HS inflammatory lesions. Objective: The main objective of this work was to identify the bacterial species or flora specifically associated with Hurley stage 1, 2 and 3, using prolonged aerobic and anaerobic culture and bacterial metagenomics (454 sequencing of 16Sr DNA libraries). Results. Using bacterial culture, we identified two bacterial profiles associated with HS lesions . The first one was represented by Staphylococcus lugdunensis and rarely by other skin commensals (Propionibacterium acnes, coagulase negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus). Results. The second one corresponded to a mixted anaerobic flora including strict anaerobes, Actinomycetes and milleri group streptococci. The metagenomic approach allowed to identify the anaerobic flora associated with lesions : Gram positive cocci from the cutaneous flora (mainly Anaerococcus spp., Peptoniphilus spp., Finegoldia spp.) and Gram negative rods which do not belong to the cutaneous microbiota (Prevotella spp., Porphyromonas spp., Fusobacterium spp), Veillonellaceae and Corynebacteriaceae. This profile was typically associated with Hurley stage 2 and 3 lesions but was also observed in Hurley stage 1 lesions. Hurley stage 2 and 3 lesions presented an increased bacterial diversity as compared to Hurley stage 1 lesions, with a higher number of taxa taxa rarely associated with normal skin microbiota (Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Peptococcaceae, Erysipelotrichales). Conclusion. This study demonstrate that particular bacterial species are specifically associated with HS lesions. These species are cause soft tissue and skin infections, but also in severe infections arguing for their pathogenicity. These data provide a rationale for antibiotic use in HS, and suggests that the disease may be due to a primitive immune defect of the follicular skin barrier.

No description available.