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Access Microbiology open research platform logo - Volume 2, Issue 12, 2020

Volume 2, Issue 12

Volume 2, Issue 12, 2020

    • Biofilm formation by is altered in the presence of pesticides

      https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000175

      uses swarming motility and biofilm formation to colonize plant roots and form a symbiotic relationship with the plant. Swarming motility and biofilm formation are group behaviours made possible through the use of chemical messengers. We investigated whether chemicals applied to plants would interfere with the swarming motility and biofilm-forming capabilities of . We hypothesized that pesticides could act as chemical signals that influence bacterial behaviour; this research investigates whether swarming motility and biofilm formation of is affected by the application of the commercial pesticides with the active ingredients of neem oil, pyrethrin, or malathion. The results indicate that all three pesticides inhibit biofilm formation. Swarming motility is not affected by the application of pyrethrin or malathion, but swarm expansion and pattern is altered in the presence of neem oil. Future studies to investigate the mechanism by which pesticides alter biofilm formation are warranted.

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  • Research Article

      • High levels of toxigenic contamination of hospital environments: a hidden threat in hospital-acquired infections in Kenya

        https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000171

        The contribution of (formerly ) to the burden of hospital-associated infections (HAIs) remains undetermined in many African countries.

        This study aimed to identify a sensitive and readily adaptable detection assay and to evaluate the HAI risk in Kenya.

        Sterile swabs in neutralizing buffer were used to sample equipment or surfaces that patients and clinical staff touched frequently. These swabs were either plated directly on chromogenic agar or cultured in an enrichment broth before plating. The swab suspensions, enrichment broth and plate cultures were screened by quantitative PCR (qPCR) to determine the most efficient detection method. The HAI risk was evaluated by testing the -positive samples by qPCR for the A, B and binary toxins.

        was detected on 4/57 (7.0 %) equipment and surfaces by direct culture. The additional enrichment step increased the detection rate 10-fold to 43/57 (75.4 %). In total, 51/57 (89.5 %) environmental samples were positive for detected through either culture or qPCR. The genes encoding the primary toxins, and , were detected on six surfaces, while the genes encoding the binary toxins, and , were detected on 2/57 (3.5 %) and 3/57 (5.3 %) surfaces, respectively. Different toxin gene profiles were detected: the − gene profile on 4/10 (40 %) high-touch surfaces, + on 3/10 (30 %) surfaces, on 2/10 (20 %) surfaces and on one high-touch surface.

        The widespread contamination of hospital environments by toxigenic gives a strong indication of the high risk of infections (CDIs). The two-step culture process described can easily be adapted for monitoring hospital environment contamination by .

    • Prevalence of target anaerobes associated with chronic periodontitis

      https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000177

      Periodontal diseases are a group of chronic infections that destroy tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. Data on the anaerobes associated with periodontal infections in Kuwait is lacking.

      To investigate the target anaerobes associated with chronic periodontitis (CP) in patients admitted to Dental Clinics in Kuwait University Health Sciences Center, Kuwait.

      Patients with CP (severe and moderate) were recruited into this study during a period of 15 months. Samples were collected directly from inside the gingival pockets and subjected to semi-quantitative PCR assays.

      A total of 30 patients, stratified into moderate and severe CP and 31 healthy individuals, used as controls, were studied. Nine (30 %) of the 30 patients were in the 50–59-year age group. The detection rate of between the patients (9 : 30 %) versus the controls (5 : 16.1 %) was non-significant (0.05). spp., were detected in all patients versus 29 (93.1 %) controls, (0.05). However, four target anaerobes were significantly associated with CP patients; was detected in ten (33.3 %) patients versus two (6.4 %) controls ( <0.0001); 25 (83.3 %) versus 16 (51.6 %) controls ( <0.0001); 27 (90 %) versus 16 (51.6 %) controls ( <0.0001) and 18 (60 %) versus nine (29 %) controls ( <0.0001), respectively. spp. were detected in 27 (90 %) patients and 30 (96.7 %) controls (>0.5). There was no significant difference in the burden of spp. between patients and controls determined by semi-quantitative PCR assays.

      Some (4/7) of the target anaerobes were significantly associated with CP in our study. was the most strongly associated anaerobe with CP, although not the keystone bacteria, while spp. was similar to the healthy controls.

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