Soils are important reservoirs of human pathogenic bacteria that can spread to humans through various path-ways.Metagenomics enables high-throughput pathogen identification by mapping sequencing reads to known pathoge...Soils are important reservoirs of human pathogenic bacteria that can spread to humans through various path-ways.Metagenomics enables high-throughput pathogen identification by mapping sequencing reads to known pathogen genomes.However,this approach has several limitations,e.g.,sequence assembly is time-consuming,and reliance on reference databases may overlook potential pathogens lacking close genomic matches.Here,we developed a novel,virulence factor(VF)based machine learning method using the K-Nearest Neighbors model(VF–KNN)for identifying human pathogenic bacteria from soil metagenomes.Through learning the VF features of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria,VF-KNN could achieve the desired performance in soil pathogen identification(AUC:0.95,Accuracy:0.85).Model prediction accuracy(0.95)was further validated using 61 pathogenic strains isolated from soil.For the top 15 most frequent soil pathogens,the prediction accuracy was>0.90 at 0.4X–1.0X genome coverage.VFs contributing significantly to pathogen identification were associated with regulation,effector delivery,motility,etc.By using VF-KNN,the averaged abundance of total potential pathogens in topsoils across China was 0.44%(n=336),predominantly concentrated in the eastern coastal provinces.Compared with the conventional method based on a predefined pathogen list,VF-KNN identified 28%more potential pathogenic species,including some newly reported but not in the predefined list(e.g.,Mycoli-cibacterium cosmeticum).Agricultural land exhibited significantly higher pathogen abundance and diversity than the other land types.This newly developed VF-KNN method is applicable for pathogen identification in broader environments.展开更多
Terrestrial invertebrates in urban ecosystems are extremely species-rich,have many important roles in material flow and energy circulation,and are host to many human pathogens that pose threats to human health.These i...Terrestrial invertebrates in urban ecosystems are extremely species-rich,have many important roles in material flow and energy circulation,and are host to many human pathogens that pose threats to human health.These invertebrates are widely distributed in urban areas,including both out-and in-door environments.Consequently,humans are frequently in contact with them,which provides many opportunities for them to pose human health risks.However,comprehensive knowledge on human pathogen transfer via invertebrates is lacking,with research to date primarily focused on dipterans(e.g.,mosquitoes,flies).Here,we take a broad taxonomic approach and review terrestrial invertebrate hosts(incl.mosquitoes,flies,termites,cockroaches,mites,ticks,earthworms,collembola,fleas,snails,and beetles)of human pathogens,with a focus on transmission pathways.We also discuss how urbanization and global warming are likely to influence the communities of invertebrate hosts and have flow-on risks to human health.Finally,we identify current research gaps and provide perspectives on future directions.展开更多
In the present study,copper oxide(CuO)nanoparticles were biosynthesized from an Aspergillus niger cell-free extract(CFE),and several optimal operating parameters that affected the formation and dimensions of the CuO n...In the present study,copper oxide(CuO)nanoparticles were biosynthesized from an Aspergillus niger cell-free extract(CFE),and several optimal operating parameters that affected the formation and dimensions of the CuO nanoparticles were determined,as follows:15 mmol/L metal salt and 90 mL of CFE at room temperature for 24 h,to achieve an average size of 77 nm.Spectroscopic studies revealed an association between alcohol,alkene,and amine functional groups and the grain-shaped CuO nanoparticles.The elemental composition of the nanoparticles was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX)data.Mycogenic CuO nanoparticles exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterial species compared with Gram-negative bacterial species,i.e.,Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC 2672,Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 737,Micrococcus luteus MTCC 11948,Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424,and Escherichia coli MTCC 443,at 200 mg/mL,with inhibition zones of 9.2,8.37.7,7.2,and 6.1 mm,respectively.Finally,myogenic CuO nanoparticles exhibited good antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus versicolor.展开更多
Burkholderia cepacia （Bc） and Pseudomonas aeruginosa （Pa） are both biocontrol agents in agriculture and opportunistic human pathogens in hospitals. Effective management and utilization practice is needed to unders...Burkholderia cepacia （Bc） and Pseudomonas aeruginosa （Pa） are both biocontrol agents in agriculture and opportunistic human pathogens in hospitals. Effective management and utilization practice is needed to understand their characteristics and distribution in rice. During the last decade, the two opportunistic human pathogens were detected in 631 samples of rice seed and 117 samples of rice plant in plain, highland and mountainous rice growing areas of China. Bc and Pa were primarily differentiated by common bacteriological characteristics and pathogenic tests and then identified into species by Biolog and FAME tests. However, the genotypes of Bc still could not be distinguished. It has been noted that the Bc and Pa mainly existed in rice root with the highest distribution frequency in plain areas （ 6.1% and 16.1%） and lowest in the mountainous areas （1.0% and 7.8%）.展开更多
The giant African snail(Achatina fulica)is an invasive species served as potential vectors for antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and potential human bacterial pathogens.Currently,urban green spaces receive extensive or...The giant African snail(Achatina fulica)is an invasive species served as potential vectors for antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and potential human bacterial pathogens.Currently,urban green spaces receive extensive organic manure additions as part of their management,may intensify the biological contamination potential of these snail vectors,thereby increasing the risk of biological pollution in green spaces.However,the specific impacts of this practice on the microbial ecology of these invasive species remain poorly understood.Here,we investigated the effects of organic manure application on the gut microbiome of giant African snails,focusing on ARGs,bacterial community structure,and potential human bacterial pathogens.Microcosm experiments compared snail gut microbiomes in different treatments(Soil:soil samples collected after manure amendment,before any snail exposure.Feces:fecal samples collected from snails that lived on manure-amended soil.Control:fecal samples collected from snails that lived on unamended soil)using 16S r RNA high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis.Our results show that manure application significantly altered gut bacterial community structure and increased ARG diversity by enriching specific high-risk ARGs(such as sul1 and sul2 in the Feces group increased by 2.89 and 2.43 times,respectively,compared to the Control group),and the introduction of eight novel ARG subtypes,despite decreasing overall ARG abundance.Moreover,the relative abundance of potential human pathogens,particularly Pseudomonadaceae,was greatly increased by manure application.These findings reveal that organic manure application in urban green spaces can potentially enhances their role as reservoirs and vectors of ARGs and human pathogens.展开更多
Dear Editor,Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is a small,enveloped DNA virus and a member of the Hepadnaviridae family(Zhao et al.,2020).It is a major human pathogen causing chronic liver disease,leading to significant morbidity ...Dear Editor,Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is a small,enveloped DNA virus and a member of the Hepadnaviridae family(Zhao et al.,2020).It is a major human pathogen causing chronic liver disease,leading to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide(Xia and Liang,2019).According to the World Health Organization(WHO),an estimated 296 million people live with chronic HBV infection,contributing to around 820,000 deaths annually due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)(Easterbrook et al.,2021).展开更多
When human immune function is compromised,infections caused by pathogenic fungi are often difficult to cure,with invasive fungal diseases frequently associated with high mortality rates.Presently,the types of antifung...When human immune function is compromised,infections caused by pathogenic fungi are often difficult to cure,with invasive fungal diseases frequently associated with high mortality rates.Presently,the types of antifungal drugs available for clinical use are limited,and their toxicity and safety issues can lead to adverse effects for patients.The emergence of drug-resistant strains and the“super fungus”Candida auris has further complicated treatment.Consequently,the identification of new antifungal medications and the formulation of effective combination therapy strategies have emerged as pivotal research priorities within this discipline.Natural products are specialized small molecules that are produced in nature and play pivotal roles in numerous cellular processes and are considered to be among the most significant pharmaceutical agents in the field of human healthcare.Accordingly,the objective of this paper is to review natural products and relevant compounds that exhibit antifungal activity by targeting key components of the fungal cell walls or cell membranes.We focused on the most recent research findings from 2022 to 2025 concerning antifungal natural products derived from plants,fungi,and bacteria,and conducted a comprehensive summary of the sources and types of natural products,along with their antifungal mechanisms of action.Furthermore,we analyzed the application prospects of combining novel natural products with existing antifungal drugs from the perspective of compensatory mechanisms of fungal cell structures,thus establishing new treatment strategies for fungal infections.展开更多
The microbial quality of urban recreational water is of great concern to public health.The monitoring of indicator organisms and several pathogens alone is not sufficient to accurately and comprehensively identify mic...The microbial quality of urban recreational water is of great concern to public health.The monitoring of indicator organisms and several pathogens alone is not sufficient to accurately and comprehensively identify microbial risks.To assess the levels of bacterial pathogens and health risks in urban recreational water,we analyzed pathogen diversity and quantified four pathogens in 46 water samples collected from waterbodies in Beijing Olympic Forest Park in one year.The pathogen diversity revealed by 16 S r RNA gene targeted next-generation sequencing（NGS） showed that 16 of 40 genera and 13 of 76 reference species were present.The most abundant species were Acinetobacter johnsonii,Mycobacterium avium and Aeromonas spp.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction（q PCR） of Escherichia coli（uid A）,Aeromonas（aer A）,M.avium（16S r RNA）,Pseudomonas aeruginosa（oaa） and Salmonella（inv A） showed that the aer A genes were the most abundant,occurring in all samples with concentrations of 10^（4–6） genome copies/100 m L,followed by oaa,inv A and M.avium.In total,34.8% of the samples harbored all genes,indicating the prevalence of these pathogens in this recreational waterbody.Based on the q PCR results,a quantitative microbial risk assessment（QMRA） showed that the annual infection risks of Salmonella,M.avium and P.aeruginosa in five activities were mostly greater than the U.S.EPA risk limit for recreational contacts,and children playing with water may be exposed to the greatest infection risk.Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of bacterial pathogen diversity and pathogen abundance in urban recreational water by applying both NGS and q PCR.展开更多
Escherichia coli,is a pathogenic bacterium that causes serious infections,whose therapeutic treatment is threatened by the emergence of multiple resistance to conventional antibiotics.In recent years,metal nanoparticl...Escherichia coli,is a pathogenic bacterium that causes serious infections,whose therapeutic treatment is threatened by the emergence of multiple resistance to conventional antibiotics.In recent years,metal nanoparticles(NPs)have been studied for their antimicrobial capacity and their possible applications as an alternative to antibiotics against different pathogens.NPs also vary in synthesis techniques;either by chemical,physical and biological methods.The objective of this work was to study the possible antimicrobial capacity of Cu-Ni nanoalloys obtained by a method called citrate-gel.The antimicrobial capacity of the NPs mentioned above was evaluated in vitro by the agar diffusion method.Most of the NPs evaluated showed antibacterial activity against the strain of E.coli studied.When combining chemical and biological NP,synergistic effects are observed with an increase in antibacterial activity in some cases.We can conclude that NPs derived from chemical and biological synthesis could be used as antimicrobials against E.coli and when these are combined,antibacterial effects increase.In the future,these applications of nanomaterials could be used as an alternative to the use of antibiotics against infections that have limited treatments.展开更多
The large-scale development in livestock feed industry has increased the chances of antibiotics and heavy metals contamination in the soil.The fate of antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and microbial community in heavy ...The large-scale development in livestock feed industry has increased the chances of antibiotics and heavy metals contamination in the soil.The fate of antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and microbial community in heavy metals and antibiotic contaminated soil is still unclear.In this study,we investigated the effect of cadmium(Cd)addition on the transport of ARGs,microbial community and human pathogenic bacteria in oxytetracycline(OTC)contaminated soil.Results showed that the addition of OTC significantly increased the abundance of ARGs and intI1 in the soil and lettuce tissues.The addition of Cd to OTC treated soil further increased the abundance and translocation of ARGs and intI1.Moreover,Cd promoted the transfer of potential human pathogenic bacteria(HPB)into lettuce tissues.Compared with O10 treatment,the addition of Cd decreased the concentration of OTC in soil and lettuce tissue,but slightly increased the fresh weight of lettuce tissues.Redundancy analysis indicated that bacterial community succession is a major factor in ARGs variation.Network analysis indicated that the main host bacteria of ARGs were mainly derived from Proteobacteria.Correlation analysis showed that intI1 was significantly correlated with tetG,tetC,sul1,sul2,erm X,and ermQ.Meanwhile,potential HPB(Clostridium,and Burkholderia)was significantly correlated with intI1 and eight ARGs(tetG,tetC,tetW,tetX,sul1,sul2,ermX,and ermQ.).The findings of this study suggest that the addition of heavy metals to agricultural fields must be considered in order to reduce the transfer of ARGs in the soil and crops.展开更多
New viral infections,due to their rapid spread,lack of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines,kill millions of people every year.The global pandemic SARS-CoV-2 in 2019-2021 has shown that new strains of viruses can wi...New viral infections,due to their rapid spread,lack of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines,kill millions of people every year.The global pandemic SARS-CoV-2 in 2019-2021 has shown that new strains of viruses can widespread very quickly,causing disease and death,with significant socio-economic consequences.Therefore,the search for new methods of combating different pathogenic viruses is an urgent task,and strategies based on nanoparticles are of significant interest.This work demonstrates the antiviral adsorption(virucidal)efficacy of nanoparticles of porous silicon(PSi NPs)against various enveloped and non-enveloped pathogenic human viruses,such as Influenza A virus,Poliovirus,Human immunodeficiency virus,West Nile virus,and Hepatitis virus.PSi NPs sized 60 nm with the average pore diameter of 2 nm and specific surface area of 200 m^(2)/g were obtained by ball-milling of electrochemically-etched microporous silicon films.After interaction with PSi NPs,a strong suppression of the infectious activity of the virus-contaminated fluid was observed,which was manifested in a decrease in the infectious titer of all studied types of viruses by approximately 104 times,and corresponded to an inactivation of 99.99%viruses in vitro.This sorption capacity of PSi NPs is possible due to their microporous structure and huge specific surface area,which ensures efficient capture of virions,as confirmed by ELISA analysis,dynamic light scattering measurements and transmission electron microscopy images.The results obtained indicate the great potential of using PSi NPs as universal viral sorbents and disinfectants for the detection and treatment of viral diseases.展开更多
Composting plants are regarded as one of the important sources of environmental bioaerosols.However,limitations in the size distribution of airborne bacteria have prevented our comprehensive understanding of their ris...Composting plants are regarded as one of the important sources of environmental bioaerosols.However,limitations in the size distribution of airborne bacteria have prevented our comprehensive understanding of their risk to human health and their dispersal behavior.In this study,different sizes of airborne bacteria were collected using an eight-stage impactor from a full-scale composting facility.Size-related abundance and communities of airborne bacteria as well as human pathogenic bacteria(HPB)were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing coupled with droplet digital PCR.Our results indicate that the bacterial concentrations from the eight stages were approximately 10^(4)-105copies/m^(3).Although no statistical correlation was detected between the particle size and the Shannon index,the influence of size on bacterial lineages was observed in both composting and packaging areas.For airborne bacteria from different stages,the dominant phyla were Firmicutes,Proteobacteria,and Actinobacteria,and the dominant genera was Bacillus.Seven out of eight HPB with a small geometric mean aerodynamic diameter had a high concentration in composting areas.Based on diameters of 2.42 to 5.09μm,most HPB in the composting areas were expected to be deposited on the bronchus and secondary bronchus.However,in the packaging areas,the deposition of HPB(diameters 3.70 to 8.96μm)occurred in the upper part of the respiratory tract.Our results on the size distribution,abundance,and diversity of these bacteria offer important information for the systematic evaluation of bacterial pathogenicity and the potential health impacts on workers in composting plants and the surrounding residents.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the antibacterial activity of six seaweeds against twelve human bacterial pathogens using seven different solvents.Methods:Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion techniq...Objective:To investigate the antibacterial activity of six seaweeds against twelve human bacterial pathogens using seven different solvents.Methods:Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion technique on Mueller Hinton agar.Broth dilution assays are standard method used to compare the inhibition efficiency of the antimicrobial agents.Results:Among the six seaweeds tested,the antibacterial activity was higher in the brown seaweeds when compared to red and green seaweeds.Padina gymnospora was found exerting a strong antibacterial activity with a high range inhibition[(6.00±0.82)to(22.67±1.25)mm].Broth dilution assay was conducted against Salmonella sp.with the chloroform extract of Padina gymnospora and the growth inhibition was found in the range of 74.26%to 82.56%.Conclusions:Further research studies are being carried out on other species of seaweeds of different habitats in order to provide complete data of the antimicrobial potential of these algae.It is also essential to study the principle compound present in the seaweeds which is responsible for antimicrobial activity.It can be achieved by using advanced separation techniques.展开更多
An account is provided of the world’s ten most feared fungi.Within areas of interest,we have organized the entries in the order of concern.We put four human pathogens first as this is of concern to most people.This i...An account is provided of the world’s ten most feared fungi.Within areas of interest,we have organized the entries in the order of concern.We put four human pathogens first as this is of concern to most people.This is followed by fungi producing mycotoxins that are highly harmful for humans;Aspergillus flavus,the main producer of aflatoxins,was used as an example.Problems due to indoor air fungi may also directly affect our health and we use Stachybotrys chartarum as an example.Not everyone collects and eats edible mushrooms.However,fatalities caused by mushroom intoxications often make news headlines and therefore we include one of the most poisonous of all mushrooms,Amanita phalloides,as an example.We then move on to the fungi that damage our dwellings causing serious anxiety by rotting our timber structures and flooring.Serpula lacrymans,which causes dry rot is an excellent example.The next example serves to represent all plant and forest pathogens.Here we chose Austropuccinia psidii as it is causing devastating effects in Australia and will probably do likewise in New Zealand.Finally,we chose an important amphibian pathogen which is causing serious declines in the numbers of frogs and other amphibians worldwide.Although we target the top ten most feared fungi,numerous others are causing serious concern to human health,plant production,forestry,other animals and our factories and dwellings.By highlighting ten feared fungi as an example,we aim to promote public awareness of the cost and importance of fungi.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp lethality activity of six different species of puffer fishes,includingCyclichthys orbicularis,Diodon holocanthus,Canthigaster solandri,Arthron hispidus...Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp lethality activity of six different species of puffer fishes,includingCyclichthys orbicularis,Diodon holocanthus,Canthigaster solandri,Arthron hispidus,A.inermis andLagocephalua inermis(L.inermis).Methodology:The puffer fishes were collected from Annangkovil Fish Landing Centre(Lattitude 11°30.47'N;Longitude 79°47.02'E),Parangipettai,Southeast Coast of India during summer season because of availability.Fresh tissue samples were collected from the clearly washed specimens,extracted with methanol at 37°C for 3 days and filtered through Whatman No.1 filter paper.The solvents such as methanol and ethanol were concentrated by using rotary evaporator under reduced pressure.The dark brown gummy mass was stored at 4°C for further analysis.Prepared crude samples were analysed with human pathogens to assess the antibacterial activity and this was carried out by using standard disc diffusion method.The brine shrimp lethality was calculated as the percentage of mortality which was firstly calculated by dividing the number of dead larvae by the total number and then multiplied to 100%.Results:The antibacterial activity of crude extract of puffer fishes were exhibited against 10 different human bacterial pathogens.Among the ten human pathogens,Arthron hispidus showed maximum zone of inhibition(8 mm)againstStaphylococcus aureus whileL.inermis showed minimum activity(1 mm)againstProteus mirabilis and no zone of inhibition was observed againstStaphylococcus aureus.Brine shrimp lethality was examined with six puffer fish extracts.Cyclichthys orbicularis showed maximum mortalities as 100%andL.inermis showed minimum mortalities as 70%at a concentration of 500μg/mL.Conclusion:In conclusion,the study showed the preliminary investigation of crude extracts of puffer fishes about the prominent activity against human bacterial pathogens.The extracts had a good cytotoxic potential against brine shrimpArtemina salina.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC3704700)National Natural Science Foundation of China(22276165)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LR23B070002).
文摘Soils are important reservoirs of human pathogenic bacteria that can spread to humans through various path-ways.Metagenomics enables high-throughput pathogen identification by mapping sequencing reads to known pathogen genomes.However,this approach has several limitations,e.g.,sequence assembly is time-consuming,and reliance on reference databases may overlook potential pathogens lacking close genomic matches.Here,we developed a novel,virulence factor(VF)based machine learning method using the K-Nearest Neighbors model(VF–KNN)for identifying human pathogenic bacteria from soil metagenomes.Through learning the VF features of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria,VF-KNN could achieve the desired performance in soil pathogen identification(AUC:0.95,Accuracy:0.85).Model prediction accuracy(0.95)was further validated using 61 pathogenic strains isolated from soil.For the top 15 most frequent soil pathogens,the prediction accuracy was>0.90 at 0.4X–1.0X genome coverage.VFs contributing significantly to pathogen identification were associated with regulation,effector delivery,motility,etc.By using VF-KNN,the averaged abundance of total potential pathogens in topsoils across China was 0.44%(n=336),predominantly concentrated in the eastern coastal provinces.Compared with the conventional method based on a predefined pathogen list,VF-KNN identified 28%more potential pathogenic species,including some newly reported but not in the predefined list(e.g.,Mycoli-cibacterium cosmeticum).Agricultural land exhibited significantly higher pathogen abundance and diversity than the other land types.This newly developed VF-KNN method is applicable for pathogen identification in broader environments.
基金supported by funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32361143523,42021005)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFF1304601)+2 种基金the Ningbo S&T project(2021-DST-004)International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.322GJHZ2022028FN)the fellowship of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2022 T150635).
文摘Terrestrial invertebrates in urban ecosystems are extremely species-rich,have many important roles in material flow and energy circulation,and are host to many human pathogens that pose threats to human health.These invertebrates are widely distributed in urban areas,including both out-and in-door environments.Consequently,humans are frequently in contact with them,which provides many opportunities for them to pose human health risks.However,comprehensive knowledge on human pathogen transfer via invertebrates is lacking,with research to date primarily focused on dipterans(e.g.,mosquitoes,flies).Here,we take a broad taxonomic approach and review terrestrial invertebrate hosts(incl.mosquitoes,flies,termites,cockroaches,mites,ticks,earthworms,collembola,fleas,snails,and beetles)of human pathogens,with a focus on transmission pathways.We also discuss how urbanization and global warming are likely to influence the communities of invertebrate hosts and have flow-on risks to human health.Finally,we identify current research gaps and provide perspectives on future directions.
文摘In the present study,copper oxide(CuO)nanoparticles were biosynthesized from an Aspergillus niger cell-free extract(CFE),and several optimal operating parameters that affected the formation and dimensions of the CuO nanoparticles were determined,as follows:15 mmol/L metal salt and 90 mL of CFE at room temperature for 24 h,to achieve an average size of 77 nm.Spectroscopic studies revealed an association between alcohol,alkene,and amine functional groups and the grain-shaped CuO nanoparticles.The elemental composition of the nanoparticles was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX)data.Mycogenic CuO nanoparticles exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterial species compared with Gram-negative bacterial species,i.e.,Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC 2672,Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 737,Micrococcus luteus MTCC 11948,Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424,and Escherichia coli MTCC 443,at 200 mg/mL,with inhibition zones of 9.2,8.37.7,7.2,and 6.1 mm,respectively.Finally,myogenic CuO nanoparticles exhibited good antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus versicolor.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 30370951, 30270891）.
文摘Burkholderia cepacia （Bc） and Pseudomonas aeruginosa （Pa） are both biocontrol agents in agriculture and opportunistic human pathogens in hospitals. Effective management and utilization practice is needed to understand their characteristics and distribution in rice. During the last decade, the two opportunistic human pathogens were detected in 631 samples of rice seed and 117 samples of rice plant in plain, highland and mountainous rice growing areas of China. Bc and Pa were primarily differentiated by common bacteriological characteristics and pathogenic tests and then identified into species by Biolog and FAME tests. However, the genotypes of Bc still could not be distinguished. It has been noted that the Bc and Pa mainly existed in rice root with the highest distribution frequency in plain areas （ 6.1% and 16.1%） and lowest in the mountainous areas （1.0% and 7.8%）.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32361143523 and 42407166)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFF1304600)+2 种基金Ningbo S&T project(No.2021-DST-004)the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.322GJHZ2022028FN)the fellowship of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022T150635)。
文摘The giant African snail(Achatina fulica)is an invasive species served as potential vectors for antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and potential human bacterial pathogens.Currently,urban green spaces receive extensive organic manure additions as part of their management,may intensify the biological contamination potential of these snail vectors,thereby increasing the risk of biological pollution in green spaces.However,the specific impacts of this practice on the microbial ecology of these invasive species remain poorly understood.Here,we investigated the effects of organic manure application on the gut microbiome of giant African snails,focusing on ARGs,bacterial community structure,and potential human bacterial pathogens.Microcosm experiments compared snail gut microbiomes in different treatments(Soil:soil samples collected after manure amendment,before any snail exposure.Feces:fecal samples collected from snails that lived on manure-amended soil.Control:fecal samples collected from snails that lived on unamended soil)using 16S r RNA high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis.Our results show that manure application significantly altered gut bacterial community structure and increased ARG diversity by enriching specific high-risk ARGs(such as sul1 and sul2 in the Feces group increased by 2.89 and 2.43 times,respectively,compared to the Control group),and the introduction of eight novel ARG subtypes,despite decreasing overall ARG abundance.Moreover,the relative abundance of potential human pathogens,particularly Pseudomonadaceae,was greatly increased by manure application.These findings reveal that organic manure application in urban green spaces can potentially enhances their role as reservoirs and vectors of ARGs and human pathogens.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFC2308500)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(project no.2042024kf0026),the Open Grant from the Pingyuan Laboratory(2023PY-OP-0101)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(project no.81971936,32100125 and 32300131)Hubei Province's Outstanding Medical Academic Leader Program,East Lake Hi-tech Development Zone Unveiling and Commanding Project(No.2023KJB219)Science and Technology Talent Service Enterprise Project(No.2024DJC064)Basic and Clinical Medical Research Joint Fund of Zhongnan Hospital,Wuhan University.
文摘Dear Editor,Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is a small,enveloped DNA virus and a member of the Hepadnaviridae family(Zhao et al.,2020).It is a major human pathogen causing chronic liver disease,leading to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide(Xia and Liang,2019).According to the World Health Organization(WHO),an estimated 296 million people live with chronic HBV infection,contributing to around 820,000 deaths annually due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)(Easterbrook et al.,2021).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82322075).
文摘When human immune function is compromised,infections caused by pathogenic fungi are often difficult to cure,with invasive fungal diseases frequently associated with high mortality rates.Presently,the types of antifungal drugs available for clinical use are limited,and their toxicity and safety issues can lead to adverse effects for patients.The emergence of drug-resistant strains and the“super fungus”Candida auris has further complicated treatment.Consequently,the identification of new antifungal medications and the formulation of effective combination therapy strategies have emerged as pivotal research priorities within this discipline.Natural products are specialized small molecules that are produced in nature and play pivotal roles in numerous cellular processes and are considered to be among the most significant pharmaceutical agents in the field of human healthcare.Accordingly,the objective of this paper is to review natural products and relevant compounds that exhibit antifungal activity by targeting key components of the fungal cell walls or cell membranes.We focused on the most recent research findings from 2022 to 2025 concerning antifungal natural products derived from plants,fungi,and bacteria,and conducted a comprehensive summary of the sources and types of natural products,along with their antifungal mechanisms of action.Furthermore,we analyzed the application prospects of combining novel natural products with existing antifungal drugs from the perspective of compensatory mechanisms of fungal cell structures,thus establishing new treatment strategies for fungal infections.
基金supported by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51138006)the National Key Research on Water Environment Pollution Control in China(No.2012ZX07301-001)
文摘The microbial quality of urban recreational water is of great concern to public health.The monitoring of indicator organisms and several pathogens alone is not sufficient to accurately and comprehensively identify microbial risks.To assess the levels of bacterial pathogens and health risks in urban recreational water,we analyzed pathogen diversity and quantified four pathogens in 46 water samples collected from waterbodies in Beijing Olympic Forest Park in one year.The pathogen diversity revealed by 16 S r RNA gene targeted next-generation sequencing（NGS） showed that 16 of 40 genera and 13 of 76 reference species were present.The most abundant species were Acinetobacter johnsonii,Mycobacterium avium and Aeromonas spp.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction（q PCR） of Escherichia coli（uid A）,Aeromonas（aer A）,M.avium（16S r RNA）,Pseudomonas aeruginosa（oaa） and Salmonella（inv A） showed that the aer A genes were the most abundant,occurring in all samples with concentrations of 10^（4–6） genome copies/100 m L,followed by oaa,inv A and M.avium.In total,34.8% of the samples harbored all genes,indicating the prevalence of these pathogens in this recreational waterbody.Based on the q PCR results,a quantitative microbial risk assessment（QMRA） showed that the annual infection risks of Salmonella,M.avium and P.aeruginosa in five activities were mostly greater than the U.S.EPA risk limit for recreational contacts,and children playing with water may be exposed to the greatest infection risk.Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of bacterial pathogen diversity and pathogen abundance in urban recreational water by applying both NGS and q PCR.
文摘Escherichia coli,is a pathogenic bacterium that causes serious infections,whose therapeutic treatment is threatened by the emergence of multiple resistance to conventional antibiotics.In recent years,metal nanoparticles(NPs)have been studied for their antimicrobial capacity and their possible applications as an alternative to antibiotics against different pathogens.NPs also vary in synthesis techniques;either by chemical,physical and biological methods.The objective of this work was to study the possible antimicrobial capacity of Cu-Ni nanoalloys obtained by a method called citrate-gel.The antimicrobial capacity of the NPs mentioned above was evaluated in vitro by the agar diffusion method.Most of the NPs evaluated showed antibacterial activity against the strain of E.coli studied.When combining chemical and biological NP,synergistic effects are observed with an increase in antibacterial activity in some cases.We can conclude that NPs derived from chemical and biological synthesis could be used as antimicrobials against E.coli and when these are combined,antibacterial effects increase.In the future,these applications of nanomaterials could be used as an alternative to the use of antibiotics against infections that have limited treatments.
基金the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2017YFD0200200)the Science and Technology Co-ordination Innovation Project of Shaanxi Province(No.2016KTZDNY03-01)the Water Science and Technology Project of Shaanxi Province(No.2016slkj-15)。
文摘The large-scale development in livestock feed industry has increased the chances of antibiotics and heavy metals contamination in the soil.The fate of antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)and microbial community in heavy metals and antibiotic contaminated soil is still unclear.In this study,we investigated the effect of cadmium(Cd)addition on the transport of ARGs,microbial community and human pathogenic bacteria in oxytetracycline(OTC)contaminated soil.Results showed that the addition of OTC significantly increased the abundance of ARGs and intI1 in the soil and lettuce tissues.The addition of Cd to OTC treated soil further increased the abundance and translocation of ARGs and intI1.Moreover,Cd promoted the transfer of potential human pathogenic bacteria(HPB)into lettuce tissues.Compared with O10 treatment,the addition of Cd decreased the concentration of OTC in soil and lettuce tissue,but slightly increased the fresh weight of lettuce tissues.Redundancy analysis indicated that bacterial community succession is a major factor in ARGs variation.Network analysis indicated that the main host bacteria of ARGs were mainly derived from Proteobacteria.Correlation analysis showed that intI1 was significantly correlated with tetG,tetC,sul1,sul2,erm X,and ermQ.Meanwhile,potential HPB(Clostridium,and Burkholderia)was significantly correlated with intI1 and eight ARGs(tetG,tetC,tetW,tetX,sul1,sul2,ermX,and ermQ.).The findings of this study suggest that the addition of heavy metals to agricultural fields must be considered in order to reduce the transfer of ARGs in the soil and crops.
基金The research was funded by the Russian Science Foundation(Grant number 20-12-00297).
文摘New viral infections,due to their rapid spread,lack of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines,kill millions of people every year.The global pandemic SARS-CoV-2 in 2019-2021 has shown that new strains of viruses can widespread very quickly,causing disease and death,with significant socio-economic consequences.Therefore,the search for new methods of combating different pathogenic viruses is an urgent task,and strategies based on nanoparticles are of significant interest.This work demonstrates the antiviral adsorption(virucidal)efficacy of nanoparticles of porous silicon(PSi NPs)against various enveloped and non-enveloped pathogenic human viruses,such as Influenza A virus,Poliovirus,Human immunodeficiency virus,West Nile virus,and Hepatitis virus.PSi NPs sized 60 nm with the average pore diameter of 2 nm and specific surface area of 200 m^(2)/g were obtained by ball-milling of electrochemically-etched microporous silicon films.After interaction with PSi NPs,a strong suppression of the infectious activity of the virus-contaminated fluid was observed,which was manifested in a decrease in the infectious titer of all studied types of viruses by approximately 104 times,and corresponded to an inactivation of 99.99%viruses in vitro.This sorption capacity of PSi NPs is possible due to their microporous structure and huge specific surface area,which ensures efficient capture of virions,as confirmed by ELISA analysis,dynamic light scattering measurements and transmission electron microscopy images.The results obtained indicate the great potential of using PSi NPs as universal viral sorbents and disinfectants for the detection and treatment of viral diseases.
基金the Beijing Agriculture Innovation Consortium(Grant No.BAIC04-2020)the Research Foundation of BAAFS(Grant No.KJCX20200402)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51878053,41961134033)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.6182019)the Key Research and Development Program of Ningxia Autonomous Region(Grant No.2019BFG02015)the National Key R&D Plan(Grant Nos.2016YFD0800205,2017YFD0801402).
文摘Composting plants are regarded as one of the important sources of environmental bioaerosols.However,limitations in the size distribution of airborne bacteria have prevented our comprehensive understanding of their risk to human health and their dispersal behavior.In this study,different sizes of airborne bacteria were collected using an eight-stage impactor from a full-scale composting facility.Size-related abundance and communities of airborne bacteria as well as human pathogenic bacteria(HPB)were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing coupled with droplet digital PCR.Our results indicate that the bacterial concentrations from the eight stages were approximately 10^(4)-105copies/m^(3).Although no statistical correlation was detected between the particle size and the Shannon index,the influence of size on bacterial lineages was observed in both composting and packaging areas.For airborne bacteria from different stages,the dominant phyla were Firmicutes,Proteobacteria,and Actinobacteria,and the dominant genera was Bacillus.Seven out of eight HPB with a small geometric mean aerodynamic diameter had a high concentration in composting areas.Based on diameters of 2.42 to 5.09μm,most HPB in the composting areas were expected to be deposited on the bronchus and secondary bronchus.However,in the packaging areas,the deposition of HPB(diameters 3.70 to 8.96μm)occurred in the upper part of the respiratory tract.Our results on the size distribution,abundance,and diversity of these bacteria offer important information for the systematic evaluation of bacterial pathogenicity and the potential health impacts on workers in composting plants and the surrounding residents.
文摘Objective:To investigate the antibacterial activity of six seaweeds against twelve human bacterial pathogens using seven different solvents.Methods:Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion technique on Mueller Hinton agar.Broth dilution assays are standard method used to compare the inhibition efficiency of the antimicrobial agents.Results:Among the six seaweeds tested,the antibacterial activity was higher in the brown seaweeds when compared to red and green seaweeds.Padina gymnospora was found exerting a strong antibacterial activity with a high range inhibition[(6.00±0.82)to(22.67±1.25)mm].Broth dilution assay was conducted against Salmonella sp.with the chloroform extract of Padina gymnospora and the growth inhibition was found in the range of 74.26%to 82.56%.Conclusions:Further research studies are being carried out on other species of seaweeds of different habitats in order to provide complete data of the antimicrobial potential of these algae.It is also essential to study the principle compound present in the seaweeds which is responsible for antimicrobial activity.It can be achieved by using advanced separation techniques.
文摘An account is provided of the world’s ten most feared fungi.Within areas of interest,we have organized the entries in the order of concern.We put four human pathogens first as this is of concern to most people.This is followed by fungi producing mycotoxins that are highly harmful for humans;Aspergillus flavus,the main producer of aflatoxins,was used as an example.Problems due to indoor air fungi may also directly affect our health and we use Stachybotrys chartarum as an example.Not everyone collects and eats edible mushrooms.However,fatalities caused by mushroom intoxications often make news headlines and therefore we include one of the most poisonous of all mushrooms,Amanita phalloides,as an example.We then move on to the fungi that damage our dwellings causing serious anxiety by rotting our timber structures and flooring.Serpula lacrymans,which causes dry rot is an excellent example.The next example serves to represent all plant and forest pathogens.Here we chose Austropuccinia psidii as it is causing devastating effects in Australia and will probably do likewise in New Zealand.Finally,we chose an important amphibian pathogen which is causing serious declines in the numbers of frogs and other amphibians worldwide.Although we target the top ten most feared fungi,numerous others are causing serious concern to human health,plant production,forestry,other animals and our factories and dwellings.By highlighting ten feared fungi as an example,we aim to promote public awareness of the cost and importance of fungi.
基金Supported by Ministry Human Resource and Development(Grant Number:G4(1)/1630/2013).
文摘Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp lethality activity of six different species of puffer fishes,includingCyclichthys orbicularis,Diodon holocanthus,Canthigaster solandri,Arthron hispidus,A.inermis andLagocephalua inermis(L.inermis).Methodology:The puffer fishes were collected from Annangkovil Fish Landing Centre(Lattitude 11°30.47'N;Longitude 79°47.02'E),Parangipettai,Southeast Coast of India during summer season because of availability.Fresh tissue samples were collected from the clearly washed specimens,extracted with methanol at 37°C for 3 days and filtered through Whatman No.1 filter paper.The solvents such as methanol and ethanol were concentrated by using rotary evaporator under reduced pressure.The dark brown gummy mass was stored at 4°C for further analysis.Prepared crude samples were analysed with human pathogens to assess the antibacterial activity and this was carried out by using standard disc diffusion method.The brine shrimp lethality was calculated as the percentage of mortality which was firstly calculated by dividing the number of dead larvae by the total number and then multiplied to 100%.Results:The antibacterial activity of crude extract of puffer fishes were exhibited against 10 different human bacterial pathogens.Among the ten human pathogens,Arthron hispidus showed maximum zone of inhibition(8 mm)againstStaphylococcus aureus whileL.inermis showed minimum activity(1 mm)againstProteus mirabilis and no zone of inhibition was observed againstStaphylococcus aureus.Brine shrimp lethality was examined with six puffer fish extracts.Cyclichthys orbicularis showed maximum mortalities as 100%andL.inermis showed minimum mortalities as 70%at a concentration of 500μg/mL.Conclusion:In conclusion,the study showed the preliminary investigation of crude extracts of puffer fishes about the prominent activity against human bacterial pathogens.The extracts had a good cytotoxic potential against brine shrimpArtemina salina.
