Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health. Fungal endophytes are important sources of active natural products with antimicrobial potential. The purpose of this study was to characterize the endophytes coexisting with Helichrysum oocephalum, evaluate their antimicrobial activities, and annotate the endophytes metabolites. Six fungal species, including Fusarium avenaceum and Fusarium tricinctum, were identified. Endophytes were cultured, and their metabolites were extracted. The antimicrobial effects of the extracts were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. In addition, anti-biofilm effects of the extracts were examined against P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis. The metabolites in the most active extract were annotated on the basis of the LC-ESI-QToF-MS/MS data. In anti-biofilm studies, F. avenaceum extract was effective in destroying and inhibiting the biofilm formation of S. epidermidis. LC-MS analysis showed that most of the identified compounds in the active extracts were enniatins (cyclic hexadepsipeptides). However, apicidin derivatives were also annotated. Our results revealed that these endophytes, especially Fusarium species, have antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, B. cereus, and C. albicans and anti-biofilm activity against S. epidermidis. According to the literature, the observed antimicrobial activity can be attributed to the enniatins. However, further phytochemical and pharmacological studies are necessary in this regard.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents * pharmacology   isolation & purification   chemistry   MeSH
• Antifungal Agents * pharmacology   isolation & purification   chemistry   MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents * pharmacology   isolation & purification   chemistry   MeSH
• Bacillus cereus drug effects   MeSH
• Biofilms drug effects   MeSH
• Candida albicans drug effects   MeSH
• Endophytes * chemistry   metabolism   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Escherichia coli drug effects   MeSH
• Fusarium * chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa drug effects   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus drug effects   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis drug effects   MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial lock therapy is recommended for preventing and treating catheter-related bloodstream infections, but different solutions have uncertain efficacy. METHODS: Two locks, 1.35% taurolidine and 4% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), were tested on Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella oxytoca (carbapenemase producing), K. pneumoniae (extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing), Candida albicans, and Candida glabrata. Broviac catheter segments were incubated with these organisms and then exposed to various lock solutions. Colony-forming units (CFUs) were counted after 2, 4, and 24 h of incubation. RESULTS: Taurolidine showed a significant decrease in CFUs after 2 h in S. aureus, S. epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, P. aeruginosa (both sensitive and multidrug-resistant strains), K. oxytoca, C. albicans, and C. glabrata. After 4 h, significant reductions were noted in S. aureus, S. epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, and C. albicans. Taurolidine was also effective after 24 h, especially against methicillin-resistant S. aureus and multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa. Four percent EDTA acid showed a significant reduction in CFUs after 2 h in S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, P. aeruginosa, K. oxytoca, C. albicans, and C. glabrata. After 4 h, reductions occurred in P. aeruginosa, multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, K. oxytoca, and C. albicans and after 24 h in methicillin-resistant S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and K. oxytoca. CONCLUSION: Taurolidine is more effective than 4% EDTA acid in eradicating Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms and fungi.

• MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents * pharmacology   MeSH
• Candida albicans drug effects   MeSH
• Edetic Acid * pharmacology   MeSH
• Catheter-Related Infections * prevention & control   microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus drug effects   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Colony Count, Microbial MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa drug effects   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus drug effects   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis drug effects   MeSH
• Taurine * analogs & derivatives   pharmacology   MeSH
• Thiadiazines * pharmacology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH

• MeSH
• Case Reports as Topic MeSH
• Critical Illness nursing   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Metabolism MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Neonatal Sepsis * diagnosis   etiology   complications   MeSH
• Parenteral Nutrition * methods   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis pathogenicity   MeSH
• Nutrients administration & dosage   classification   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Review MeSH

Východiská: Prevádzky pedikúr patria medzi zariadenia starostlivosti o ľudské telo, ktoré sa z hľadiska prenosu infekčných ochorení zaraďujú k rizikovým ľudským činnostiam. Dôvodom je manipulácia s rôznorodými pomôckami, ktorých nedostatočná dezinfekcia môže viesť k vzniku infekcií u klientov pedikúr. Ciele: Testovať účinnosť vykonávanej dezinfekcie pracovných prístrojov, nástrojov a povrchov v zariadeniach pedikúr sterovou metódou. Súbor a metodika: Bolo zrealizovaných 100 odberov v 10 prevádzkach pedikúr v Banskej Bystrici. Analýza bola zameraná len na bakteriálne, nie na mykotické či parazitárne infekcie. Výsledky: Zo základného súboru bolo identifikovaných 43 vzoriek (43%) ako pozitívnych na prítomnosť mikroorganizmov a 57 vzoriek (57%) ako negatívnych. Zo všetkých vzoriek bolo 31 vzoriek (31%) pozitívnych na Staphylococcus epidermidis, 5 vzoriek (5%) pozitívnych na aeróbne sporuláty, 4 vzorky (4%) pozitívne na Escherichia coli, 2 vzorky (2%) pozitívne na Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 vzorka (1%) pozitívna na Pseudomonas spp., 1 vzorka (1%) pozitívna na viridujúce streptokoky. Záver: Zisťovanie mikrobiologickej kontaminácie pomocou sterovej metódy a použité postupy mikrobiologickej identifikácie majú svoje opodstatnenie. Objektívne preukazujú dostatočnosť alebo nedostatočnosť vykonávanej dekontaminácie, čo je podkladom pre prijímanie a realizáciu nápravných opatrení v prevádzkach pedikúr.

Background: Pedicures belong to facilities providing care for human body. Considering occurring transmission of infectious diseases these are classified as risky human activities. The reason is manipulation with various aids, which if not properly sanitized, may lead to the onset of infections in pedicure clients. Aims: To test efficiency of performed disinfection of working instruments, devices and surfaces in pedicures applying swab method.File and Methodology: 100 samples from 10 facilities in Banská Bystrica were taken. The analysis focused only on bacterial contamination, excluding mycotic or parasitic infections. Results: In the file were 43 samples (43%) identified positive for the presence of microorganisms, 57 samples (57%) were negative. Out of all taken samples, in 31 samples (31%) were identified Staphylococcus epidermidis, 5 samples (5%) contained aerobic sporulates, 4 samples (4%) contained Escherichia coli, 2 samples (2%) contained Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 sample (1%) was positive for Pseudomonas spp., and 1 sample (1%) contained viridating streptococci. Conclusion: The work has proven the high usefulness of swab method and other applied practices, as these can objectively prove either sufficient or insufficient decontamination performed in the pedicures. This is the basis for performance of suitable corrective or preventive actions.

• Keywords
• pedikúra,
• MeSH
• Decontamination methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Disinfection methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Escherichia coli pathogenicity   MeSH
• Communicable Diseases classification   microbiology   transmission   MeSH
• Equipment Contamination * prevention & control   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbiological Techniques classification   methods   MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis pathogenicity   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia MeSH

Východiská: Prevádzky pedikúr patria medzi zariadenia starostlivosti o ľudské telo, ktoré sa z hľadiska prenosu infekčných ochorení zaraďujú k rizikovým ľudským činnostiam. Dôvodom je manipulácia s rôznorodými pomôckami, ktorých nedostatočná dezinfekcia môže viesť k vzniku infekcií u klientov pedikúr. Ciele: Testovať účinnosť vykonávanej dezinfekcie pracovných prístrojov, nástrojov a povrchov v zariadeniach pedikúr sterovou metódou. Súbor a metodika: Bolo zrealizovaných 100 odberov v 10 prevádzkach pedikúr v Banskej Bystrici. Analýza bola zameraná len na bakteriálne, nie na mykotické či parazitárne infekcie. Výsledky: Zo základného súboru bolo identifikovaných 43 vzoriek (43%) ako pozitívnych na prítomnosť mikroorganizmov a 57 vzoriek (57%) ako negatívnych. Zo všetkých vzoriek bolo 31 vzoriek (31%) pozitívnych na Staphylococcus epidermidis, 5 vzoriek (5%) pozitívnych na aeróbne sporuláty, 4 vzorky (4%) pozitívne na Escherichia coli, 2 vzorky (2%) pozitívne na Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 vzorka (1%) pozitívna na Pseudomonas spp., 1 vzorka (1%) pozitívna na viridujúce streptokoky. Záver: Zisťovanie mikrobiologickej kontaminácie pomocou sterovej metódy a použité postupy mikrobiologickej identifikácie majú svoje opodstatnenie. Objektívne preukazujú dostatočnosť alebo nedostatočnosť vykonávanej dekontaminácie, čo je podkladom pre prijímanie a realizáciu nápravných opatrení v prevádzkach pedikúr.

Background: Pedicures belong to facilities providing care for human body. Considering occurring transmission of infectious diseases these are classified as risky human activities. The reason is manipulation with various aids, which if not properly sanitized, may lead to the onset of infections in pedicure clients. Aims: To test efficiency of performed disinfection of working instruments, devices and surfaces in pedicures applying swab method.File and Methodology: 100 samples from 10 facilities in Banská Bystrica were taken. The analysis focused only on bacterial contamination, excluding mycotic or parasitic infections. Results: In the file were 43 samples (43%) identified positive for the presence of microorganisms, 57 samples (57%) were negative. Out of all taken samples, in 31 samples (31%) were identified Staphylococcus epidermidis, 5 samples (5%) contained aerobic sporulates, 4 samples (4%) contained Escherichia coli, 2 samples (2%) contained Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 sample (1%) was positive for Pseudomonas spp., and 1 sample (1%) contained viridating streptococci. Conclusion: The work has proven the high usefulness of swab method and other applied practices, as these can objectively prove either sufficient or insufficient decontamination performed in the pedicures. This is the basis for performance of suitable corrective or preventive actions.

• Keywords
• pedikúra,
• MeSH
• Decontamination methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Disinfection methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Escherichia coli pathogenicity   MeSH
• Communicable Diseases classification   microbiology   transmission   MeSH
• Equipment Contamination * prevention & control   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Microbiological Techniques classification   methods   MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis pathogenicity   MeSH
• Publication type
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia MeSH

• MeSH
• Acne Vulgaris * microbiology   therapy   MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Interactions MeSH
• Microbiota * MeSH
• Propionibacterium acnes pathogenicity   MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis pathogenicity   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Newspaper Article MeSH
• Interview MeSH

The virulence factors, antibiotic resistance patterns, and the associated genetic elements have been investigated in Staphylococcus species. A total of 100 strains has been isolated from clinical samples in the Microbiology Laboratory of Hesperia Hospital, Modena, Italy, and identified as Staphylococcus aureus (65), Staphylococcus epidermidis (24), Staphylococcus hominis (3), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (3), and Staphylococcus warneri (5). All the strains were analyzed to determine phenotypic and genotypic characters, notably the virulence factors, the antibiotics susceptibility, and the genetic determinants. The highest percentage of resistance in Staphylococcus spp. was found for erythromycin and benzylpenicillin (87% and 85%, respectively). All S. aureus, two S. epidermidis (8.3%), and one S. saprophyticus (33.3%) strains were resistant to oxacillin. The methicillin resistance gene (mecA) was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification in 65 S. aureus strains and in 3 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (8.6%). With regard to the virulence characteristics, all the S. aureus were positive to all virulence tests, except for slime test. Among the CoNS isolates, 19 (79.1%) S. epidermidis and one (33.3%) S. saprophyticus strains resulted positive for the slime test only. The results obtained are useful for a more in-depth understanding of the function and contribution of S. aureus and CoNS antibiotic resistance and virulence factors to staphylococcal infections. In particular, the production of slime is very important for CoNS, a virulence factor frequently found in infections caused by these strains. Further investigations on the genetic relatedness among strains of different sources will be useful for epidemiological and monitoring purposes and will enable us to develop new strategies to counteract the diffusion of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and CoNS strains not only in clinical field, but also in other related environments.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents * pharmacology   MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial * MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Virulence Factors * genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests * MeSH
• Staphylococcal Infections * microbiology   MeSH
• Staphylococcus * genetics   drug effects   isolation & purification   pathogenicity   classification   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Italy MeSH

Vysokoškolská učebnice, která se zaměřuje na různé druhy mikroorganismů a jejich ekologii a patogenitu.

• MeSH
• Ecology MeSH
• Communicable Diseases MeSH
• Microbiological Phenomena MeSH
• Environmental Microbiology MeSH
• Molecular Biology MeSH
• Publication type
• Monograph MeSH

• Conspectus
• Mikrobiologie
• Učební osnovy. Vyučovací předměty. Učebnice
• NML Fields
• mikrobiologie, lékařská mikrobiologie
• NML Publication type
• učebnice vysokých škol

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of various taurolidine solutions in the prevention and treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) caused by the entire spectrum of microbes in patients receiving parenteral nutrition in a shorter period of time. METHODS: The in vitro method was used to test for eradication of biofilm. Different locks were used: TauroSept (2%), TauroLock (1.35%), TauroLock half concentration, and 3.5% taurolidine and tested on Staphylococcus (S.) epidermidis, S. aureus, S. hominis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa (PSAE), multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MR PSAE), vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Klebsiella pneumoniae producing carbapenemase (KPC), Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (KLPN ESBL), Candida (C.) albicans, and C. glabrata. Broviac catheters were incubated for growth of each organism and then incubated in lock solutions. Colony forming units (CFUs) were then counted after 30 min, 60 min, and 120 min of incubation. RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease in CFUs was observed after 30 min of taurolidine exposure for S. hominis, PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KLPN KPC, C. albicans, and C. glabrata; after 60 min of exposure for S. epidermidis, PSAE, MR PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KPC, C. albicans, and C. glabrata; and after 120 min of exposure for S. epidermidis, S. hominis, S. aureus, PSAE, MR PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KPC, C. albicans, C. glabrata. CONCLUSIONS: The application of taurolidine is effective in the treatment of CRBSIs. Taurolidine proved to be more effective against Gram-negative microorganisms during a 30-min exposure. Using 0.675% taurolidine is still effective. To achieve the required antimicrobial effect, the catheter must be sanitized for at least 2 h.

• MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents * pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Catheter-Related Infections * drug therapy   prevention & control   MeSH
• Catheters adverse effects   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus * MeSH
• Parenteral Nutrition adverse effects   MeSH
• Sepsis * complications   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Microbial resistance is one of the main problems of modern medicine. Recently, antimicrobial peptides have been recognized as a novel approach to overcome the microbial resistance issue, nevertheless, their low stability, toxicity, and potential immunogenic response in biological systems have limited their clinical application. Herein, we present the design, synthesis, and preliminary biological evaluation of polymer-antibacterial peptide constructs. The antimicrobial GKWMKLLKKILK-NH2 oligopeptide (PEP) derived from halictine, honey bee venom, was bound to a polymer carrier via various biodegradable spacers employing the pH-sensitive or enzymatically-driven release and reactivation of the PEP's antimicrobial activity. The antibacterial properties of the polymer-PEP constructs were assessed by a determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations, followed by fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. The PEP exerted antibacterial activity against both, gram-positive and negative bacteria, via disruption of the bacterial cell wall mechanism. Importantly, PEP partly retained its antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumanii even though it was bound to the polymer carrier. Indeed, to observe antibacterial activity similar to the free PEP, the peptide has to be released from the polymer carrier in response to a pH decrease. Enzymatically-driven release and reactivation of the PEP antimicrobial activity were recognized as less effective when compared to the pH-sensitive release of PEP.

• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH