rss_2.0Sciendo RSS Feed for Advancements of Microbiologyhttps://sciendo.com/journal/AMhttps://www.sciendo.comhttps://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/647092eb71e4585e08aa03b8/cover-image.jpghttps://sciendo.com/journal/AM140216https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0006<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Transplantology is a branch of medicine that is developing rapidly. Transplanted whole organs or segments of organs may be recovered from either living or deceased donors. New methods of preserving transplanted solid organs, including the kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas, as well as tissues, such as the cornea and skin, are being developed. Preservation fluid, which is used to perfuse and store the donated organ or tissue, should reduce biological deterioration of organs and tissue, attenuate ischemia/reperfusion-induced cell/tissue injury, and protect against damage. Lowering the storage temperature of organs significantly reduces the risk of damage. Efforts are also made to shorten the time between collecting the organ or tissue from the donor and transplanting it in the recipient. However, during transplantation, the recipient may become infected, primarily with bacteria and fungi. Infections of organ recipients occur most often due to unhygienic organ collection, improper handling and transport, and inappropriate preservation conditions, especially contamination of preservation fluid. The literature on contamination of organ preservation fluid and infections in graft recipients is very diverse, both in terms of the isolated bacterial and fungal species and the number of incidents. A large percentage of contaminating microorganisms belong to the generally non-pathogenic skin microbiota, but there are also cases of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Besides, the transplanted organs themselves may pose a danger. They may contain latent microorganisms, mainly viruses and parasites, that could be activated in a patient who has been subjected to immunosuppression to reduce the risk of organ rejection.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00062024-07-03T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0007<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The uricase enzyme yields allantoin, hydrogen peroxide, and carbon dioxide by catalyzing the oxidative opening of the purine ring in the urate pathway. This enzyme is important for biochemical diagnosis and reduces toxic urate accumulation during various diseases (hyperuricemia, gout, and bedwetting). Direct urate oxidase injection is recommended in renal complications-associated gout and to prevent chemotherapy-linked hyperuricemia disorders. Thus, uricase is a promising enzyme with diverse applications in medicine. Microbial production of uricase is featured by high growth rates, cost-effective bioprocessing, and easy optimization of the medium. Microbes produce the enzyme extracellular or intracellular. Extracellular uricase is preferred for biotechnological applications as it minimizes time, effort, and purification processes. This review provides insights into uricase-producing microbes, bacterial uric acid degradation pathways, degrading enzymes, and uricase-encoding genes.</p> <p>Furthermore, aspects influencing the microorganisms’ production of the uricase enzyme, its activity, and its purification procedure are also emphasized. Cell disruption is mandatory for intercellular uricase production, which elevates production costs. Therefore, extracellular uricase-producing microbial strains should be investigated, and production factors should be optimized. Future techniques for obtaining extracellular enzymes should feature reduced time and effort, as well as a simple purification methodology. Furthermore, uricase gene-carrying recombinant probiotic microorganisms could become an effective tool for gout treatment.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00072024-07-03T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0008<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Genetic, endocrine and immunological disorders, anatomical defects in the reproductive tract, certain chronic diseases, toxic substances, or advanced age of the mother are most cited among the main causes of pregnancy loss at various stages. However, the cause of miscarriage or preterm labor in some cases remains unclear. Determination of the etiology about these clinical conditions may reduce the rate of reproductive failure. Similarly, the etiology of other obstetric disorders, such as preeclampsia or postpartum hemorrhage, has not been fully explained. One of the postulated and still under-researched causes of these disorders may be dysbiosis within the reproductive tract. A disturbed microbial balance is not always associated with the presence of an acute infection with clear clinical symptoms. Dysbiosis in conjunction with other pathophysiological factors may increase the risk of the mentioned clinical conditions. The aim of this paper is to show the information indicating the existence of a correlation between dysbiosis and an increase in the risk of obstetric disorders. Further analysis is also required to clarify the mechanism of the effect of dysbiosis on the disruption of metabolic and biochemical processes within the reproductive system during pregnancy.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00082024-07-03T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0009<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Skin, the largest organ in the human body, presents the largest possible area for colonization by microorganisms. The aspects of the interaction between microbiota and the host cannot be omitted during procedures in a beauty studio. Professional cosmetologists should consider their work’s impact on skin biodiversity and know the probable consequences. This review reviewed the current state of the art on skin microbiota with a focus on the connection between body area, microbiological biodiversity and the outcome of cooperation between the host and microorganisms. The role of the skin microbiota in maintaining the host’s homeostasis was also summarized.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00092024-07-03T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0010<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</italic> (gonococcus) is a human pathogen, the aetiological agent of gonorrhoea, which is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the world. The structure of <italic>N. gonorrhoeae</italic> cell wall is typical of Gram-negative bacteria, poses variable antigens porin B (PorB), and opacity-associated proteins (Opa proteins), lipooligosaccharide (LOS) and type IV pili (TFP) playing an essential role in pathogenesis. In addition to adhesins, gonococcus presents other virulence factors such as reducing modifiable protein (Rmp), iron transporters, membrane pumps, and IgA peptidase. The pathogen produces outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), releases peptidoglycan (PG) fragments and is well adapted to develop infection in diverse niches of the female and male reproductive tracts. The characteristic genotypic trait of <italic>N. gonorrhoeae</italic> is the state of natural competence, which allows DNA uptake from the environment. The antigenic and phase variability is essential to gonococcal defence against the human immune system. Because of the increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of <italic>N. gonorrhoeae</italic> and the high incidence rate of gonococcal infections, developing an antigonococcal vaccine has become an urgent need. Vaccine development difficulties are mainly due to the gonococcal ability of immune evasion, the lack of an animal model, and the limited understanding of protective immune response mechanisms.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00102024-07-03T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0004<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Obesity is a disease which is currently one of the most serious problems affecting approximately 650 million people worldwide. Improper lifestyle is considered the primary cause of the disease; however, many other factors contribute to the problem. In recent years, attention has been drawn to the role of gut microbiota in developing and controlling obesity and overweight. Microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract are responsible for the fermentation of certain nutrients, causing efficient digestion, stimulation of intestinal transit, vitamin production, and modulation of the host’s immune system. Numerous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota composition differs between obese individuals and those with a normal body mass index (BMI). It has also been shown that altering gut microbiota can influence the phenotype of the host organism, promoting metabolic changes, including BMI reduction. Recent studies aimed at using probiotics to modify gut microbiota composition to reduce body weight are still inconclusive.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00042024-03-25T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0003<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Fungal pathogenicity to plants, animals, and humans leads to several detrimental effects in our society by causing diseases that impact livelihood and food security. While the recent pandemic shifted focus to viral pathogens, fungal pathogens are still impacting the world that we live in. It is important to study fungal pathogenicity with the latest scientific advancement. One way to do that is to understand the conservation of pathogenicity in the fungus kingdom which will further elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind fungal pathogenicity across all species of fungi. This review provides an outlook on the various bioinformatics and genomics approaches and currently available resources in understanding fungal pathogenicity. It also discusses the current state of affairs and emerging trends in the study of fungal pathogenicity. Finally, this review also provide suggestions different approaches for the study of fungal pathogenicity to see further improve our understanding in this field.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00032024-03-25T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0002<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are examples of yet not entirely understood etiology. They are linked to immune system dysfunction, which becomes immunologically overactive, damaging the body’s tissues and organs. At least three major factors underlie the development of autoimmune disorders: environmental factors, including the oral and intestinal microbiomes, genetic predisposition, and aberrant autoimmune response. The dysbiosis of the oral microbiota, in particular, exerts a significant effect on RA, clinically manifested by damage of the joints. RA is significantly associated with periodontitis, which is caused by an increased abundance of <italic>Porphyromonas gingivalis</italic> in the subgingival niche, which disturbs the homeostasis of the oral microbial community. <italic>P. gingivalis</italic> is considered to contribute to the development and progression of RA. Although this bacterium may escape detection by the host immune system, it still induces an immune imbalance. RA and periodontitis also share similar pathological and clinical features. The progression of both chronic periodontitis and RA is linked to the dysregulation of the immune system and the damage caused by the immune response. Previous detailed studies have indicated that a specific enzyme of <italic>P. gingivalis</italic>, peptidyl-arginine deiminase, which catalyzes the citrullination of proteins, may trigger the autoimmune response resulting in the development of RA.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00022024-03-25T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0001<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</italic> is an aetiological agent of gonorrhoea, which is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), a public health challenge worldwide. Gonorrhoea is undoubtedly a serious health risk, especially for women, due to its often asymptomatic course and the possibility of upper genital tract complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in infertility. The data show that the diagnostic method for <italic>N. gonorrhoeae</italic> should be specific, simple, sensitive, rapid and inexpensive. Currently, phenotypic identification methods have been dominated by NAAT methods, which allow detection and identification of gonococcus directly in the clinical specimen. However, up today molecular methods do not allow full determination of drug susceptibility.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00012024-03-25T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-0005<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Listeria monocytogenes</italic> bacilli are a known cause of non-invasive gastrointestinal listeriosis with diarrhea, less frequently they cause invasive infections: meningitis and encephalitis, bacteremia and its complications: endocarditis, intraocular inflammation of the eye and others. The risk of human infection is mainly associated with consuming food contaminated with these bacteria. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), infections with <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> etiology caused the highest hospitalizations and deaths among zoonotic diseases reported in 2022. A report by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported 0.44 cases of listeriosis per 100,000 population in 2021, with the highest incidence rate for people over 64 years old at 1.7.</p> <p>The study aimed to review and describe cases of invasive listeriosis diagnosed in adult patients in Europe between 2010 and 2023. Fifty-two cases of the disease were included, of which 19 were meningitis, 13 showed bacteremia, nine were associated with endocarditis and 10 with intraocular inflammation. One case had a clinical form of hepatitis. Only seven cases of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> infection were related to consuming contaminated food. Eleven cases ended in the death of patients.</p> <p>Invasive listeriosis is a difficult-to-treat infection with a significant mortality rate. It requires decisive action by monitoring the prevalence and extent of food contamination with these microorganisms and preventing epidemic outbreaks. Research on listeriosis should focus on improving the clinical treatment of severe cases of infection and studying the complex mechanisms of their pathogenesis.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2024-00052024-03-25T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0015<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The larvae of the insect <italic>Galleria mellonella</italic> have gained wide acceptance as an <italic>in vivo</italic> model for the study of virulence in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Importantly, <italic>G. mellonella</italic> offers an alternative, low-cost, and ethically acceptable method of assessing pathogens. These insects have a number of advantages, including ease of breeding, a rapid developmental cycle, low maintenance costs, and ease of experimental manipulation. Most importantly, <italic>G. mellonella</italic> larvae have a complete immune system and a nonspecific immune response similar to that of humans, making them a valuable model for studying pathogen-host interactions. Furthermore, using this model, it is possible to test the efficacy of various chemical compounds or natural substances that show antimicrobial activity. In this literature review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent studies of the use of <italic>G. mellonella</italic> in virulence analyses and as a platform for testing the efficacy of new drugs.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00152023-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0013<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Biosurfactants are a group of surface-active agents mainly produced by microorganisms and have a wide range of applications in industries as well as agriculture. Global usage of such biologically active compounds as detergents, bioremediation agents, cosmetic products is hugely dependent on their high production. New avenues of research have opened up due to this increased interest, most of which are focused on identifying specialized microorganisms capable of biosurfactant production. Screening methods for selection of biosurfactant producing bacteria are, therefore, of utmost importance in this endeavor. The aim of this review was to discuss various conventional and novel methods that can overcome the hurdles encountered in time effective, economical microbial biosurfactant screening. This review lists several important biosurfactant screening methods based on supernatant, biomass as well as culture media. New methods devised for biosurfactant screening in the last half decade such as surfactant dependent dye solubilization, metagenomic studies etc. are also explained in detail. A thorough grasp of both contemporary and anachronistic screening methodologies will not only lead to discoveries of novel native strains capable of biosurfactant production but also form the basis on which new screening methods can be devised.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00132023-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0011<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Many methods have been developed for studying and comparing bacterial diversity. These methods suffer from a number of drawbacks. Culture-dependent methods have a drawback that only a small number of bacteria can be cultured. Although many modifications in the traditional cultivation approach have been made, such as the use of gellan instead of agar and high throughput dilution to extinction culturing, but a large fraction of microbes still remain uncultured. Culture-independent methods were developed to explore uncultured bacterial diversity but they have their own drawbacks. PCR-based methods have biases during DNA extraction and the removal of substances that may inhibit polymerase activity during PCR and digestion with restriction enzymes. “Omics” approach, i.e., metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics, aim to link bacterial community structure with function. Different combinations of methods can be used to know more precisely about the bacterial diversity. To date, no known method can reveal the exact bacterial diversity of different environments. This lacuna needs to be filled and newer methods must be developed that can help in exploring the immense bacterial diversity created by nature.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00112023-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0012<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</italic> is an important etiological factor of infections in patients with compromised immune systems, undergoing invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as well as in those suffering from cancer or cystic fibrosis. It poses a threat primarily to hospitalized patients. Due to its broad natural resistance and increasing acquired resistance, the therapy of infections caused by this pathogen is a challenge for modern medicine. The paper presents the current knowledge about the general characteristics, clinical significance and the most important pathogenicity factors of <italic>S. maltophilia</italic>. It also discusses therapeutic possibilities, including alternative ones, in infections caused by these microorganisms.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00122023-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0014<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. are a component of the microbiota of humans and animals and are commonly found in the natural environment. They are opportunistic pathogens that can cause infections of various locations. These bacteria rarely cause community-acquired infections. Although they were considered microorganisms with low pathogenic potential, they have become one of the important hospital pathogens recently. Their common occurrence and ability to survive in the hospital environment contribute to the recorded and still increasing frequency of their isolation, also from invasive infections. The species most frequently isolated from infection cases are <italic>E. faecalis</italic> and <italic>E. faecium</italic>, which pose therapeutic problems due to their increasing multidrug resistance. Due to the growing clinical importance, mechanisms of natural and acquired resistance to antibiotics, and potential virulence factors, <italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. have become the subject of many studies. The aim of the study is to present the current knowledge on the most important virulence factors that may occur in bacteria of the genus <italic>Enterococcus</italic>, which include: SagA secretory antigen, EfaA protein, Esp surface protein, Ace collagen binding protein, cytolysin, hyaluronidase, hemagglutinin, lipase, serine protease, aggregating substance, extracellular peroxides and gelatinase.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00142023-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0006<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Microorganisms are ubiquitous and have far-reaching effects on human life. Since their discovery in the 19th century, microorganisms have fascinated biologists. Microbes play a crucial role in the material and elemental cycles of the natural world. Growing own microbes for research purposes requires a significant time and financial investment. On the other hand, high-throughput sequencing technology cannot advance at the same clip as the culture method. The area of microbiology has made substantial use of machine learning (ML) methods to tackle this problem.</p> <p>Classification and prediction have emerged as key avenues for advancing microbial community research in computational biology. This research compares the advantages and disadvantages of using different algorithmic approaches in four subfields of microbiology (pathogen and epidemiology; microbial ecology; drug development; microbiome and taxonomy).</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00062023-06-26T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0010<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p><italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> is a Gram-positive bacterium, which can cause serious bacterial infections in humans. It constitutes an important etiological factor of many diseases, for instance, soft tissue and skin infections (including skin boils and abscesses), as well as life-threatening necrotizing pneumonia or toxic shock syndrome. It is estimated that about 25–30% of people are carriers of <italic>S. aureus</italic> mainly in the anterior nostrils. A smaller percentage of people are carriers of methicillin-resistant <italic>S. aureus</italic> (MRSA). In accordance with its definition, methicillin-resistant <italic>S. aureus</italic> is resistant to almost all β-lactam antibiotics. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the presence of penicillin-binding protein in the cell wall – PBP2a, which is the product of the <italic>mecA</italic> gene, which is part of the complex called SCCmec (staphylococcal cassette chromosome <italic>mec</italic>). Methicillin-resistant <italic>S. aureus</italic> (MRSA) results in endemic in hospitals around the world and are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in society. Infections initiated by hospital strains of MRSA (health care-associated MRSA, HA-MRSA) concern mainly immunocompromised patients after surgery. In addition, there are populations of acommunity-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains and populations of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) strains. The treatment of infections with MRSA etiology, after exhausting the possibilities of standard antibiotic therapy with the use of i.e. vancomycin, is based on treatment with new-generation antibiotics, such as dalbavacin.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00102023-06-26T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0009<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Viral pathogens are major concern nowadays. Bacterial CRISPR/Cas systems help in defending the host body against different pathogens including viruses too. This system contains restriction enzymes that introduce dsDNA breaks on target site to make the virus non-functional by damaging its genes. Coronavirus, HIV and Herpes viruses are causing mortality all around the world. To control the spread of disease, early detection and treatment is required. CRISPR system due to its high efficiency provides a platform to restrict the viral entry into host cell, viral genome editing and eliminate the latent infections. In this review, the CRISPR strategies against three major viral diseases are put under consideration: Coronavirus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and Herpesvirus associated diseases. Three CRISPR/Cas systems have been discussed including CRISPR/Cas12, CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas13 that are used against the above listed viruses.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00092023-06-26T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0007<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice is considered as a turning point in medicine resulting in saving millions of lives and allowing for the development of new fields of medicine such as transplantology, neonatology, hematology and many others. From the very beginning, this success was accompanied by the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains with its continuous rise. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine, veterinary practice and animal and plant production are the main reasons the resistance has emerged. Presently, an increase in isolation of multidrug resistant (MDR), excessively resistant (XDR) and pandrug resistant (PDR) bacteria is being observed worldwide in the most common human etiologic bacterial agents . As examples of rapid evolution of resistance, <italic>S. aureus</italic> and Enterobacterales producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases are presented. Some initiatives of WHO and EU aiming to tackle antibiotic resistance are also discussed.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00072023-06-26T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-0008<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The objective of this review to summarize the current status of information about the Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever caused by Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus an Arboviral infection. This virus was identified in Alkhumra district of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1995 from a butcher patient. The infected individual develops symptoms febrile flu-like illness, hemorrhagic manifestations and less like encephalitis. Several cases have been reported from various locations of Saudi Arabia and a few from Egypt and is further expanding in tropical and subtropical regions of Western Asia. The virus is transmitted to human by direct contact to animal, raw meat, and biproducts as well as either tick or mosquito bites. Based on the recent status, a great concern of public health was raised with the AHFV epidemics and infection. Currently, there is no effective vaccine and antiviral therapeutics against AHFV. So, there is an urgent need to design and develop an effective preventive measure using interdisciplinary approach. This review will provide the status of research work based on the latest published information about AHFV. The provided information will be highly useful to design the effective preventive measures to control the disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/am-2023-00082023-06-26T00:00:00.000+00:00en-us-1