Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology
Volume:11 Issue: 8, Aug 2018

Helicobacter pylori has been recognized as the most common pathogen of human gastroduodenal tract and it has been suggested that adhesins, including HopQ and SabA, are associated with the organism’s virulence.
The current study aimed at determining the frequency of hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes among H. pylori isolates from patients with gastroduodenal disorders in Shahrekord, Iran.
Gastric corpus samples were obtained from 150 symptomatic patients admitted to the endoscopy unit at gastroenterology clinic. After DNA extraction from all corpus samples, H. pylori molecular confirmation and genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using specific primers for glmM, 16SrRNA and hopQ, sabA genes, respectively.
The hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes were found in 74 (49.3%), 59 (39.3%), and 43 (28.7%) cases, respectively. The hopQI gene was detected in 75% of patients with gastric cancer (GC), 42.4% with chronic gastritis (CG), and 57.4% with peptic ulcer disease (PUD). The hopQII among patients with GC, CG, and PUD was also detected in 50%, 38.8%, and 39.3%, respectively. Moreover, sabA was diagnosed in 50% of patients with GC, 29.4% with CG, and 26.2% with PUD.
No significant association was observed between hopQI, hopQII, and sabA genes with clinical outcomes.

Biomaterial products like Leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) membranes can be used in a variety of medical fields to increase the anti-infective defense system and promote tissue regeneration and wound healing due to platelet growth factors. It is one of the oldest approaches of regenerative tissue. In addition, antifungal and bacterial activities against some microorganisms are reported in the literature for silver nanoparticles.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-biofilm formation of L-PRF and its modification with silver nanoparticles (AgNPL-PRF) against microorganisms-associated human health conditions.
Blood samples were obtained and L-PRF and AgNPL-PRF membranes were produced using blood centrifugation. The biofilm formation was evaluated by incubating the standard Candida and Streptococcus species with the membranes. The incubated membranes were rinsed to remove unattached cells and incubated in an RPMI 1640 medium. The populations of growing microorganisms in the medium were evaluated by ELISA reader.
The difference in the presence of microorganisms in RPMI medium demonstrated a statistically significant inhibition of biofilm formation of Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis while it was insignificant in C. glabrata and Streptococcus mitis in both types of membranes.
Silver nanoparticles-treated L-PRF as a biological material presented the more inhibition of biofilm formation of contaminating microorganisms and it can be used as anti-infectious material in the surgical sites.

Design and construction of a universal vaccine based on conserved influenza antigens is the best way to protect populations from unforeseen influenza outbreaks. The ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (M2e) and hemagglutinin stalk domain (HA2) are considered as conserved influenza antigens. Genetic linkage of adjuvant HSP70 to these antigens can improve the efficacy of the vaccine.
The aim of this study was to produce a chimer protein to confer cross-protection against different subtypes of influenza A virus.
The chimer form was subjected to in silico modeling and Immunoinformatics prediction analysis. The heat shock protein 70 (HSP70c) gene was cloned into the pET28a vector downstream of 3M2e-HA2 and expressed in Escherichia coli host. The desired chimer protein was purified with the Ni-TED column.
Validation analysis of the tertiary structure model showed that the model is in the range of native conformations. High score epitopes by Immunoinformatics tools were predicted. The expression of purified 3M2e-HA2-HSP70c was confirmed by the western-blotting assay.
The genetic fusion of adjuvant HSP70 to the target antigen may improve the stimulation of immune responses. In silico analysis revealed the appropriate epitopes characterization of conserved antigens. Hence, the constructed chimer protein could be considered as a potential universal vaccine candidate to protect against influenza infection.

Intraventricular catheters (IVCs) are an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool. They are used in patients after traumatic brain injury, intracranial haemorrhage, ventricular, or hydrocephalus. However, the use of IVCs may lead to the development of bacterial brain and cerebrovascular infections associated with the presence of microorganisms in cerebrospinal fluid (ventriculitis). What is especially dangerous for the patients health is the formation of biofilms by microorganisms on the catheters.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the intensity of single- and double-species biofilms formation on IVCs by Staphylococcus aureus (SAU), Escherichia coli (ECO) with K1 antigen, and Listeria monocytogenes (LMO).
The research material was 15 strains of S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and E. coli with K1 antigen, each. Evaluation of biofilm formation was performed on sterile fragments of IVCs with 1 cm length. The intensity of biofilm formation by the tested strains was determined with the quantitative method using sonication for removal of bacteria from IVCs surface. Biofilm formation ability was verified individually for each of the tested bacteria strain and for SAU LMO, SAU ECO, LMO ECO combinations. Randomly selected fragments of biofilm-coated catheters were subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
The number of bacteria isolated from single-species biofilms on the IVCs surface ranged from 3.79 × 107 do 8.95 × 107 CFU × cm-2, depending on the species of microorganism. The strongest biofilm formed ECO with K1 antigen strains and the weakest - LMO strains. The scomposition of multi-species biofilms significantly influences the intensity of biofilm formation by strains from the examined species. In the SAU LMO combination, strains from both species formed biofilm more intensively than in single-species variant. In turn, ECO has shown a significant inhibitory effect on biofilm formation by other tested species.
It was stated that bacteria form biofilm on IVCs and it is a significant medical problem. The species composition of multi-species biofilms significantly influences the number of individual bacteria recovered from this biofilm.

Understanding of the biological factors responsible for prevalence and persistence of Acinetobacter baumannii in hospital settings is critical to prevent and control the corresponding nosocomial infections.
This study was conducted to investigate whether the biofilm-forming ability is associated with the emergence of different antibiotic resistance phenotypes [multidrug resistance (MDR)/extensively drug resistance (XDR) and non-MDR] of A. baumannii.
The capacities of biofilm formation in 80 clinical A. baumannii strains isolated from hospitalized burn patients in Bushehr, Iran, were assessed using the crystal violet staining.
The statistical analysis of the relationship between biofilm-forming ability and antibiotic resistance phenotypes among all clinical A. baumannii strains using one-way ANOVA test indicated that biofilm formation capacity of non-MDR A. baumannii isolates was significantly higher than that of MDR and XDR ones (P Given that non-MDR A. baumannii isolates in major IC types were observed to form a strong biofilm compared to MDR/XDR ones, it seems that biofilm may play a key role in the persistence and survival of A. baumannii isolates with an inadequate level of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, the results showed that the relationship between biofilm and antibiotic resistance phenotypes might be affected by the IC types (major IC types or IC variants).

Candida species are opportunistic pathogenic fungi that colonize in the human body. They may cause diseases ranging from non-life-threatening mucosal Candida infections to life-threatening invasive candidiasis among people with the aggressive use of immunosuppressive agents, cytotoxic therapies, treatment with broad-spectrum antifungal agents, prolonged central venous catheterization, total parenteral nutrition, AIDS, diabetes, and drug abuse.
The aim of this study was to describe the distribution and antifungal susceptibility of clinical Candida isolates obtained from sterile fluids of patients who suffered from candidiasis from 2008 to 2010.
Vitek2 YST, CHROMagar Candida medium, and multiple PCR were used to identify the Candida species. The susceptibility testing to seven common antifungal agents, including amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, and nystatin, was performed using the methodology recommended in the M27-A3 document of the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI).
A total of 149 clinical Candida isolates were obtained from sterile fluids at a hospital in China. Within these isolates, Candida albicans was the most predominant species (47.7%), followed by C. glabrata (26.8%) and C. tropicalis (13.4%). The sources of fungal isolates were urine (75.8%), blood (16.8%), drainage liquid (4%), hydrothorax and ascites (2%), cerebrospinal fluid (0.7%), and succus prostaticus (0.7%). All of the Candida isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. In addition, 27.5% of the isolates were resistant to ketoconazole, 22.1% to itraconazole, and 17.4% to fluconazole. Furthermore, 16.8% (25/149) of the isolates exhibited a cross-resistance to azoles. Interestingly, we found one flucytosine-resistant C. albicans isolated from urine.
Our findings indicate that a better preventive management and limited use of azole drugs are needed for Candida infections and further research is indispensable to identify cross-resistance mechanisms of azoles.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a frequent infection in females at the reproductive age. Furthermore, the most common causative agent is Candida albicans yet in the recent years, the incidence of non-albicans species has increased.
The main aim of this study was the isolation and identification of various Candida species from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in Yasuj, Iran.
Three hundred and ten suspected women females vaginitis were sampled and examined. Genomic DNA was extracted from fresh colonies by phenol-chloroform glass bead methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed based on the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS), and specific electrophoretic patterns of PCR products after digestion with MspI enzyme used for species identification.
The cultures were positive for 160 (51.6%) vaginal samples. Candida albicans (86.8%) was the most common species among the isolates, followed by C. glabrata (3.77%) and C. krusei (3%). Multispecies with two Candida were identified in nine patients.
Vulvovaginal candidiasis is more prevalent among females in Yasuj and the predominant agent is C. albicans. In addition, correct identification of Candida species could play an important role in management and treatment of VVC.