The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is an infectious disease responsible for the worldwide decline of amphibian species. To mitigate these declines, it is necessary to identify the various vectors by which the fungus can be transmitted between individuals and populations. The objective of this study was to determine whether adult female mosquitoes can carry and transfer Bd fungal cells. Mosquitoes were exposed to net soaked in a live Bd zoospore suspension to determine whether they are able to externally acquire the fungus. Another group was placed into containers with a sterile and Bd-inoculated agar plate to determine whether mosquitoes could transfer Bd between these surfaces. Bd DNA was found to be present on mosquito legs exposed to inoculated netting and agar plates suggesting that Bd can be transmitted by the mosquito over short distances This is the first study to demonstrate that an insect host may be a mechanical vector of Bd and suggests that we should begin to consider the role of mosquitoes in the dissemination and control of the fungus.

Most pathogens are capable of infecting multiple host species and such cross-species transmission (CST) can have dramatic consequences, as highlighted by recent disease emergence events affecting human, animal and plant health. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary factors that constrain or facilitate the ability of disease agents to infect and establish in a novel host is therefore a timely and important research area. Previous work across different pathogens, including rabies virus (RABV), found that increased evolutionary distance between hosts reduces the frequency of cross-species transmission and of permanent host shifts. However, whether this effect of host relatedness still holds for transmission among recently diverged hosts, and the importance of this effect relative to other predictors, is not well understood. We addressed this question by quantifying the CST frequency of RABV between North American bat species within the genus Myotis, using a multi-decade data set containing 128 nucleoprotein (N) sequences from ten host species. For comparison, we also conducted an equivalent analysis of a RABV dataset from North American bat species comprising nine genera. We found that at the within genus scale, host relatedness failed to explain the frequency of CST events. However, CST frequency increased with overlap in species’ host range. Moreover, we found evidence of CST occurring among a higher proportion of species, and CST more frequently resulting in sustained transmission in the novel host in the Myotis dataset compared to the multi-genus dataset. Our results suggest that among recently diverged species, the ability to infect a novel host is no longer restricted by physiological barriers but instead is limited by physical contact. Our results improve predictions of where future CST events for RABV might occur and clarify the relationship between host divergence and pathogen emergence.

Pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses are important components of soil and aquatic communities, where they can benefit from decaying and living organic matter, and may opportunistically infect human and animal hosts. One-third of human infectious diseases is constituted by sapronotic disease agents that are natural inhabitants of soil or aquatic ecosystems. They are capable of existing and reproducing in the environment outside of the host for extended periods of time. However, as ecological research on sapronosis is infrequent and epidemiological models are even rarer, very little information is currently available. Their importance is overlooked in medical and veterinary research, as well as the relationships between free environmental forms and those that are pathogenic. Here, using dynamical models in realistic aquatic metacommunity systems, we analyze sapronosis transmission, using the human pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans that is responsible for Buruli ulcer. Our work constitutes the first set of metacommunity models of sapronotic disease transmission, and is highly flexible for adaptation to other types of sapronosis. The importance of sapronotic agents on animal and human disease burden needs better understanding and new models of sapronosis disease ecology to guide the management and prevention of this important group of pathogens.

Megaselia scalaris and Senotainia tricuspis are two parasitoid flies of the honeybee Apis mellifera and are known to infest apiaries of different European and Mediterranean countries. However, their prevalence is still little known and no systematic control of their presence and countermeasures are currently adopted. To achieve a better knowledge about their distribution in apiaries, quantitative PCR (qPCR) based methods for their rapid detection directly in hive matrices were developed in this study. These were applied to samples of adult honeybees and hive debris collected in the summer season in Central Italy and Kosovo. In total 16 samples per type per region were analyzed. Both flies were detected in the two geographical contexts but more frequently in Central Italy. The positive apiaries in Central Italy were re-sampled one year later by capturing viable honeybees and isolating emerging flies after differentiation into adults. These were genotyped by sequencing regions of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene COI for M. scalaris and cytochrome B gene cytB for S. tricuspis amplified with specific primers designed in this study. Different genotypes of M. scalaris were detected and these were related to biotypes from distant nations. Some fly isolates were shown to harbor DNA or RNA of honeybee microbial pathogens. Results suggested to implement efficient control against these parasites in apiaries to limit their detrimental effects. The qPCR tests that have been developed can facilitate larger screening studies and early detection.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can transfer diverse RNA cargo for intercellular signalling. EV-associated RNAs have been found in diverse fungi and were proposed to be relevant for pathogenesis in animal hosts. In plant-pathogen interactions, small RNAs are exchanged in a cross-kingdom RNAi warfare and EVs were considered to be a delivery mechanism. To extend the search for EV-associated molecules involved in plants-pathogen communication, we have characterised the repertoire of EV-associated mRNAs secreted by the maize smut pathogen, Ustilago maydis. For this initial survey, EVs were isolated from axenic filamentous cultures that mimic infectious hyphae. The EV-associated RNAs were resistant to degradation by RNases and the presence of intact mRNAs was evident. The set of mRNAs enriched inside EVs relative to the fungal cells are functionally distinct from those that are depleted from EVs, particularly overrepresented in metabolic enzyme activities. Intriguingly, mRNAs of some known effectors and other proteins linked to virulence were found in EVs. Furthermore, several mRNAs enriched in EVs are also upregulated during infection, suggesting that EV-associated mRNAs may participate in plant-pathogen interaction.

Piscirickettsia salmonis is an intracellular bacterial fish pathogen that causes piscirickettsiosis, a disease with numerous negative impacts in the Chilean salmon farming industry. Although transcriptomic studies of P. salmonis and its host have been performed, dual host-pathogen proteomic approaches during infection are still missing. Considering that gene expression not always corresponds with observed phenotype, and bacteriological culture studies inadequately reflect infection conditions, to improve the existing knowledge for the pathogenicity of P. salmonis we present here a global proteomic profiling of Salmon salar macrophage-like cell cultures infected with P. salmonis LF-89. The proteomic analyses identified several P. salmonis proteins from two temporally different stages of macrophages infection; some of them related to key functions for bacterial survival in other intracellular pathogens. Metabolic differences were observed in early-stage infection bacteria, compared to late-stage infections. Virulence factors related to membrane, LPS and surface component modifications, cell motility, toxins and secretion systems also varied between the infection stages. Pilus proteins, beta-hemolysin and the T6SS were characteristic of the early-infection stage, while fimbria, upregulation of 10 toxins or effector proteins, and the Dot/Icm T4SS were representative of the late-infection stage bacteria. Previously described virulence-related genes in P. salmonis plasmids were identified by proteomic assays during infection in SHK-1 cells, accompanied by an increase of mobile-related elements. By comparing the infected and un-infected proteome of SHK-1 cells, we observed changes in cellular and ROS homeostasis, innate immune response, microtubules and actin cytoskeleton organization and dynamics, alteration in phagosome components, iron transport and metabolism, and amino acids, nucleoside and nucleotide metabolism, together with an overall energy and ATP production alteration. Our global proteomic profiling and the current knowledge of the P. salmonis infection process allowed us to propose a model of the macrophage-P. salmonis interaction.

Convalescent blood product therapy has been introduced since early 1900s to treat emerging infectious disease based on the evidence that polyclonal neutralizing antibodies can reduce duration of viremia. Recent large outbreaks of viral diseases for whom effective antivirals or vaccines are still lacking has revamped the interest in convalescent plasma as life-saving treatments. This review summarizes historical settings of application, and surveys current technologies for collection, manufacturing, pathogen inactivation, and banking, with a focus on COVID-19.

In the course of our ongoing research targeting the identification of potential biocontrol agents from entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), we explored a solid-state rice fungal extract of Blackwellomyces roseostromatus BCC56290 derived from infected lepidopteran larvae. Chemical and biological prospections afforded four unprecedently reported natural products differentiated into one dimeric naphthopyran bioxanthracene ES-242 derivative (1) and three cyclodepsipeptides (2-4) in addition to two known cyclodepsipeptides, cardinalisamides B (5) and C (6). Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated through comprehensive 1D/2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS data together with comparisons to the reported literature. The absolute configuration of the isolated cyclodepsipeptide was determined using Marfey’s method. All isolated compounds were assessed for their antimicrobial, cytotoxic and nematicidal activities with some compounds revealed significant activities.

Public health agencies are increasingly using pathogen whole genome sequencing (WGS) to support surveillance and epidemiologic investigations. As access to WGS has grown, greater amounts of molecular data have helped improve our ability to detect outbreaks, investigate transmission chains, and explore large-scale population dynamics, such as the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, the wide adoption of WGS also poses challenges due to the amount of data generated and the need to transform raw data prior to analysis. This complexity means that public health agencies may need more advanced computational infrastructure, a broader technical workforce, and new approaches to data management and stewardship. As both a guide for how this development could occur, and a place to initiate discussion, we describe ten proposals for developing and supporting an informatics infrastructure for public health.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenge for the whole world and it had major secondary effects on humans and environmental health. The viral infection induced, in many situations, secondary bacterial infections, especially enteric infections by destabilizing the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota. The large-scale use of antibiotics and biocides both for curative and preventive purposes has determined an increase in bacterial resistance and at the same time the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms’ multiplication and their dissemination to natural environments. Wastewater is the main vector of faecal microorganisms that favour their dissemination into natural aquatic ecosystems. The present paper aimed to analyze the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the microbiological quality of wastewater from sewage treatment plants in Romania and its impact on receiving rivers. In order to highlight different and important areas of Romania, 3 cities from the east, center and west were selected for a microbiological evaluation of their WWTPs influent and effluent between ante-Covid-19 and Covid-19 pandemic peak period, when the Covid-19 pandemic had a direct impact on WWTPs microbial composition. Our study showed a higher contamination with fecal bacteria linked to a higher Covid-19 incidence. The increased usage of pharmaceutical compounds, at their turn, increased the number of resistant bacteria reaching the environment via WWTP effluents.

Biological polymers such as tissue-engineered scaffolds and skin grafts with improved properties are very required in the pharmaceutical field. The wound-dressing gelatin/chitosan/moringa leaf extract (G-CH-M biopolymer) was synthesised and characterised. The blood compatibility, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of the biopolymer were investigated. Our results showed that S. aureus swarming motility was drastically affected. However, the biopolymer had no significant effect on the swarming motility of E. coli compared to the control. In addition, biopolymers showed high antibacterial capacities, especially against S. aureus. The biopolymer was also found to be effective in protecting plasmid DNA against oxidative stress. Furthermore, the biopolymer exhibits greatly suppressed hemolysis (lower than 2%), even at a high concentration of 50 mg/mL. These results indicated that this novel biopolymer formulation could be further developed for wound care and contamination prevention.

Emerging infectious disease threats are becoming more frequent due to various social, political and geographical pressures including increased human-animal contact, global trade, transportation and changing climate conditions. As a result, the threat that emerging agents can be spread by blood contact or transfusion of blood products also becomes increasingly problematic. Blood transfusion is essential in treating patients with anemia, blood loss, and other medical conditions. However, these lifesaving components can become a vector for spreading diseases, particularly to vulnerable populations. New methods have been implemented on a global basis for prevention of transfusion transmission via plasma, platelet, and whole blood products. Implementing proactive pathogen reduction methods can significantly reduce the likelihood of disease transmission via blood transfusion, even for newly emerging agents whose transmissibility and susceptibility are still being evaluated as they emerge. In this review, we consider the Mirasol PRT system for blood safety which is based on a photochemical method involving Riboflavin and UV light. We provide examples of how emerging threats such as Ebola, SARS-CoV-2, Hepatitis E, monkeypox and other agents have been evaluated in real time regarding effectiveness of this method for reducing the likelihood of disease transmission via transfusion. Keywords: transfusion; blood; pathogen reduction; emerging infectious diseases.

Campylobacter is one of the major foodborne pathogens of concern in its growing trend of antimicrobial resistance. C. jejuni and C. coli are the major causative agents, with C. jejuni contributing to most of the cases in approximately 90% in the world. Infection is transmitted to humans due to consumption of contaminated food and water. Campylobacteriosis caused by C. jejuni is commonly presented with severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting with some extreme cases resulting in Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and acute flaccid paralysis. Symptoms are severe in cases of children below 5 years, elderly and individuals who are immunocompromised. The infection is usually sporadic, and self-limiting and thus does not require antibiotics for treatment. Still, the antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter is a major concern because of the transmission of resistance from animal sources to humans. This review highlights the recent epidemiology, geographical impact, resistance mechanisms, spread of Campylobacter spp. and the strategies to control the transmission of Campylobacter from veterinary sources and its antimicrobial resistance.

Humans may be exposed to microbial pathogens at recreational beaches via environmental sources, such as water, sand, and aerosols. Although infectious disease risk from exposure to waterborne pathogens has been an active area of research for decades, sand is a relatively unexplored reservoir of pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Beach sand and water habitats provide unique advantages and challenges to pathogen introduction, growth, and persistence, as well as continuous exchange between habitats. Models of FIB and pathogen fate and transport in sandy beach habitats can help predict the risk of infectious disease from recreational water use, but filling knowledge gaps such as decay rates and potential for microbial growth in beach habitats is necessary for accurate modeling. Climatic variability, whether natural or anthropogenically-induced, adds complexity to predictive modeling, but may increase human exposure to waterborne pathogens via extreme weather events, warming of water bodies and sea level rise in many regions. The popularity of human recreational beach activities, combined with predicted climate change scenarios, could amplify the risk of human exposure to pathogens and related illnesses. Other global change trends such as increased population growth and urbanization are expected to exacerbate contamination events and the predicted impacts of increasing levels of waterborne pathogens on human health. Such changes will alter microbial population dynamics in beach habitats, and will consequently affect the assumptions and relationships used in population models and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Here, we discuss the literature on microbial population and transport dynamics in sand-water continuum habitats at beaches, how these dynamics can be modeled, and how climate change and other anthropogenic influences (e.g., land use, urbanization) should be considered when using and developing more holistic, beachshed-based models.

Only a handful of microbial mosquito larval pathogens have been described to date. Sampling of several natural enzootic infections of mosquito larvae in southwestern Florida indicated the presence of microbial pathogens capable of extensive larval mortality. Microscopic analysis of one sample site revealed extensive apparent growth of a Pythium-like microbe on mosquito lar-vae, with highest infection observed on the siphon and head regions. Structures consistent with sporangia were seen on infected insects after lactophenol blue staining, and higher resolution scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed sporangia and encysted zoospores targeting the head and siphon regions. The isolate was single colony purified and molecular identification targeting the ITS and COX1 loci coupled to phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that the isolate belonged to the Pythium genus, but was distinct from its closest characterized species, P. angusta-tum. Morphological features were characterized, with the isolate showing rapid growth on all mycological media tested and relatively high thermotolerance, capable of robust growth at 37oC, and hence was designated, P. thermoculicivorax. Sampling from a second series of natural infec-tions of mosquito larvae resulted in the molecular identification of three Trichoderma isolates, one with high similarity to T. strigosum, and the other two clustering with, but distinct from, T. asperellum. These data highlight the occurrence of natural enzootic infections of mosquito larvae, potentially as a resource for the identification of new mosquito pathogens.

Population growth and the need for increased agricultural productivity pose a global problem. Therefore, the development of green compounds to ensure agricultural sustainability becomes an urgent necessity. Surfactant compounds hold significant commercial importance due to their diverse industrial uses. However, the synthetic origin of these agents limits their commercial application due to their toxicity. As a result, extensive research has focused on the production of microbial-originated green surfactants, known as biosurfactants, over the past fifteen years. These biomolecules not only offer a green alternative for agriculture but also exhibit reduced toxicity and excellent stability under specific environmental conditions. Biosurfactants can lower surface tension more effectively than synthetic surfactants. With properties such as detergency and foam formation, biosurfactants are suitable for various agricultural applications, particularly in pesticide and agrochemical formulations. They can function as biopesticides to manage pests, pathogens, phytopathogenic fungi, and weeds due to their antimicrobial activity. Moreover, plants can benefit from biosurfactant molecules and the microorganisms as nutrients. They can also aid efficiently in the distribution of micronutrients and metals in the soil. They also stimulate plant immunity and are utilized for soil hydrophilization to ensure proper moisture levels and uniform fertilizer distribution. This review aims to provide valuable insights into the role and properties of biosurfactants as agricultural adjuvants, fostering the development of sustainable formulations to replace chemical surfactants used in pesticides.

Dr. Jurg Tschopp created the word "inflammasome" in 2002. Inflammasome activation and its function in disease processes have been the subject of significant investigation over the last 15 years. Four important inflammasomes have been identified: NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, and AIM2. When these inflammasomes are activated, they process and secrete inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1b and IL-18, as well as cause pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death. In this review, we will look at how these inflammasomes have been connected to Periodontitis pathogenesis.

Enteroviruses are members of Pichornaviridae family consisting of human enterovirus group A, B, C, and D as well as nonhuman enteroviruses. Human enterovirus type 71 (EV71) has emerged as a major cause of viral encephalitis Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in children worldwide especially in the Asia‐Pacific region. EV71 and coxsackievirus A16 are two viruses responsible for HFMD which are members of group A enterovirus. The identified EV71 receptors provide useful information for understanding viral replication and tissue tropism. Host factors interact with the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of EV71 to regulate viral translation. However, the specific molecular features of the EV71 genome that determine virulence remain unclear. Although an EV71 vaccine has been currently approved, there is no effective therapy for treating EV71 infected patients. Therefore, understanding the host-pathogen interaction could provide the knowledge in viral pathogenesis and further benefit in the anti-viral therapy development. The aim of this study was to investigate the latest findings about the interaction of viral ligands to the host receptor as well as the activation of immune related signalling pathways for the activation of innate immunity and involvement of different cytokines and chemokines in the host pathogen interaction of EV71 along with interaction of viral proteins, mainly 2A and 3C protease, and Interferons production/signaling pathway and their inhibitory effects.

(1) Background: We reviewed the logistics of the implementation of pathogen inactivation (PI) using the INTERCEPT Blood System™ for platelets and the experience with routine use and clinical outcomes in the patient population at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil. (2) Methods: Platelet concentrate (PC), including pathogen reduced (PR-PC) production, inventory management, discard rates, blood utilization, and clinical outcomes were analyzed over the 40 months before and after PI implementation. Age distribution and wastage rates were compared over the 10 months before and after approval for PR-PC to be stored for up to 7 days. (3) Results: A 100% PR-PC inventory was achieved by increasing double apheresis collections and production of double doses using pools of two single apheresis units. Discard rates decreased from 6% to 3% after PI implementation and further decreased to 1.2% after 7-day storage extension for PR-PCs. The blood utilization remained stable, with no increase in component utilization. A significant decrease in adverse transfusion events was observed after the PI implementation. (4) Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates the feasibility for Brazilian blood centers to achieve a 100% PR-PC inventory. All patients at our hospital received PR-PC and showed no increase in blood component utilization and decreased rates of adverse transfusion reactions.

Reported for the first time in 1955 in Malaysia, Tembusu virus (TMUV) remained for a long time in the shadow of flaviviruses with human health importance such as dengue virus or Japanese encephalitis virus. However, since 2010 and the first large epidemic in duck farms in China, the threat of its emergence on a large scale in Asia or even its spillover into the human population is becoming more and more significant. This review aims to report current knowledge on TMUV from viral particle organization to the development of specific vaccine and therapeutic with a particular focus on host-virus interaction.

In this article we have presented a new perception of herd immunity threshold (HIT) which considers that only a “band of population” are susceptible to any pathogenic infection. This is termed as the “effective herd immunity threshold” (EHIT) and the progression of the disease (caused by this pathogenic infection) is mainly determined by this EHIT value. We have argued here that this EHIT value (considering the immunity band picture in the population) will be substantially lower than the estimated canonical HIT values obtained from various existing models. We propose that the actual prediction of the disease progression should now be calculated using the EHIT values.

Exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane is induced by infection with several members of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. There is evidence that PS is used by the equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) during entry, but the exact role of PS and other phospholipids in the entry process remains unknown. Here, we investigated the interaction of differently charged phospholipids with virus particles and determined their influence on infection. Our data show that liposomes containing negatively charged PS or positively charged DOTAP [N-[1-(2,3-Dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)] inhibited EHV-1 infection, while neutral phosphatidylcholine (PC) had no effect. Inhibition of infection with PS was transient, decreased with time, and was dose dependent. Our findings indicate that both cationic and anionic phospholipids can interact with the virus and reduce infectivity, while acting through different mechanisms. Charged phospholipids were found to have antiviral effects and can may be used to inhibit EHV-1 infection.

By providing useful tools to study host-pathogen interactions, next-generation omics has recently enabled the study of gene expression changes in both pathogen and infected host simultaneously. However, since great discriminative power is required to study pathogen and host simultaneously throughout the infection process, the depth of quantitative gene expression profiling has proven to be unsatisfactory when focusing on bacterial pathogens, thus preferentially requiring specific strategies or the development of novel methodologies based on complementary omics approaches. In this review, we focus on the difficulties encountered when making use of omics approaches to study bacterial pathogenesis. Besides, we review different omics strategies (i.e. transcriptomics, proteomics and secretomics) and their applications for studying interactions of pathogens with their host.

Phage therapy, the use of bacteriophages (phages) to treat bacterial infections, is regaining momentum as a promising weapon against the rising threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. This comprehensive review explores the historical context, the modern resurgence of phage therapy, and phage-facilitated advancements in medical and technological fields. It details the mechanisms of action and applications of phages in treating MDR bacterial infections, particularly those associated with biofilms and intracellular pathogens. The review further highlights innovative uses of phages in vaccine development, cancer therapy, and as gene delivery vectors. Despite its targeted and efficient approach, phage therapy faces challenges related to phage stability, immune response, and regulatory approval. By examining these areas in detail, this review underscores the immense potential and remaining hurdles in integrating phage-based therapies into modern medical practices.

Ash trees have considerable economic, cultural and environmental value on the island of Ireland. However, European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is currently under threat from the invasive ascomycete pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. This pathogen is the causal agent of ash dieback disease, which was initially reported in Poland in 1992. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus has since spread across Europe and the first recorded case of the disease on the island of Ireland was in 2012 at a forestry plantation in Co. Leitrim. The pathogen is now present in all 26 counties in Ireland and 6 counties in Northern Ireland, and it is considered unfeasible to eradicate. The spread of ash dieback disease is reflected in recent policy changes, which focus on management rather than eradication strategies. Since the first formal description of H. fraxineus in 2006, considerable research efforts have been made by the international scientific community to understand the biology of the pathogen and to develop management strategies against it. This review provides an update of current knowledge of H. fraxineus biology and infection. We then explore examples of mitigation techniques that have been trialled in Europe, in order to identify strategies that are feasible for disease management at a local level on the island of Ireland. Finally, we outline five key avenues of research that have the potential to provide breakthroughs in methods to protect valuable F. excelsior resources.

Cereal crops are affected by one of the most devastating diseases worldwide, known as Fusarium head blight (FHB), with Fusarium graminearum being the most isolated causal pathogen. Another species associated to this disease is Fusarium poae. This species has been considered a relatively weak pathogen compared to F. graminearum, but its importance has increased for its occurrence in cereal grains worldwide. Considering the advantages of using B. distachyon as a plant model and the importance of F. poae in crops, our study aimed to evaluate the potential use of Brachypodium as a plant model to evaluate the compatible interaction with F. poae. For this, 12 Brachypodium spp. accessions from different countries were inoculated with a selected F. poae set of isolates. Disease severity, conidial quantification, fungal DNA biomass, and nivalenol quantification were assessed. The results showed a compatible interaction between Brachypodium accessions and Fusarium poae, which allowed the use of the model plant for future plant-pathogen interaction studies.

Lirianthe delavayi has valuable ornamental and medicinal value, is an important economic tree, and has a long history of cultivation. As important regulatory molecules, miRNAs are involved in important physiological processes, such as the plant stress response, organ morphogenesis, hormone secretion, and signaling. In this study, based on miRNA sequencing analysis of wild and cultivated Lirianthe delavayi, we explored the differences in posttranscriptional regulation during the cultivation of Lirianthe delavayi from the aspect of miRNA molecular regulation. The results revealed the following: 1. A total of 365 miRNAs were sequenced and identified, and their first bases had obvious uracil (U) base preferences. Among them, 242 miRNAs were classified into 32 miRNA families; 2. Analysis of miRNA expression differences revealed that 39 miRNAs had significant expression differences between wild and cultivated populations; 3. Bioinformatics target gene prediction and target gene enrichment analysis of significantly differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that the target genes were significantly enriched in plant‒pathogen interactions, sphingolipid metabolism, defense responses, and ADP binding. 4. The plant‒pathogen interaction pathway involves seven differentially expressed miRNAs and 30 miRNA‒target gene regulatory pairs, which are involved mainly in pathogen signature molecule recognition and binding, signal transduction, and the regulation of disease resistance molecules or gene expression; Ath-MIR169g-p3_2ss7AG19GA, ath-MIR169g-p5_2ss7AG19GA, and ath-miR408-3p_L-3 are expressed only in wild population, and it is hypothesized that the domestication process from wild to cultivation species may be accompanied by the loss of disease resistance-related miRNAs. This study provides a reference for exploring the posttranscriptional-level regulatory mechanisms of adaptive changes in Lirianthe delavayi from wild to cultivated.

In 2020, the WHO established a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021−2030 that aims to control and eradicate 20 diseases, including Leishmaniosis and Chagas disease. In addition, since 2015, the WHO has been developing a Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. In this context, the achievement of innovative strategies as an alternative to replace conventional therapies is a first-order socio-sanitary priority, especially regarding endemic zoonoses in poor regions such as those caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp infections. In this scenario, it is worth highlighting a group of natural peptide molecules (AMPs and CPPs) that are promising strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy against these neglected zoonoses, avoiding the development of toxicity and resistance of conventional treatments. This review presents the novelties of these peptide molecules and their ability to cross a whole system of cell membranes, as well as to stimulate the host immune defenses or even serve as a vector of molecules. The efforts of the biotechnological sector will make it possible to overcome the limitations of antimicrobial peptides through encapsulation and functionalization methods to obtain approval for these treatments to be used in clinical programs for the eradication of Leishmaniosis and Chagas disease.

Management of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) disease in Brassica napus is heavily reliant on prophylactic fungicide applications at flowering, which often provides inconsistent control depending on timing of ascospore release in the field and environmental conditions. Understanding host response to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection is essential for sustainable disease management in the future. This study determined the host response of nine B. napus varieties to four aggressive S. sclerotiorum isolates across two years by measuring four disease variables; area under the disease progress stairs (AUDPS), seed production, sclerotia number and average sclerotia weight. Brassica napus varieties varied greatly in their response to the four measured variables, with varieties producing the highest AUDPS not the same varieties that had the lowest seed production, the highest numbers of sclerotia or heaviest sclerotia. Repeating the experiment over two years using the same varieties and isolates identified the impact of environment as the most influential factor on measured disease variables, highlighting the complexity of disease responses to diverse isolates and host genotypes under different environments. It was recommended that both long-term (such as inoculum production) and short-term (such as seed production) disease outcomes be combined with lesion length measurement (i.e. AUDPS) for future host screening studies.

Viroids represent the simplest, but are also among the most interesting life-like forms. They represent a great problem in agriculture. Moreover, pathogens similar to viroids, such as the hepatitis Delta virus represent a risk for human health. Viroids encode no proteins, but are still able to hijack their host cells’ metabolism to perform multiplication. This paper attempts to reply three questions about viroids. First, how can viroids hijack their host cells’ metabolism, even though they encode no proteins to achieve this? Second, what advantages do viroids have from their simplicity? Third, what can viroids, as the simplest life-like forms, tell us about life as a natural phenomenon? These questions are discussed from the perspective of biothermodynamics. In order to do this, elemental composition, biosynthesis reactions and standard thermodynamic properties of viroids have been determined and analyzed.

Food security has become a major concern worldwide in recent years due to ever increasing population. Providing food for the growing billions without disturbing environmental balance is incessantly required in the current scenario. In view of this, sustainable modes of agricultural practices offer better promise and hence are gaining prominence recently. Moreover, these methods have taken precedence currently over chemical-based methods of pest restriction and pathogen control. Adoption of Biological Control is one such crucial technique that is currently in the forefront. Over a period of time, various biocontrol strategies have been experimented with and some have exhibited great success and promise. This review highlights the different methods of plant-pathogen control, types of plant pathogens, their modus operandi and various biocontrol approaches employing a range of microorganisms and their byproducts. The study lays emphasis on the use of upcoming methodologies like microbiome management and engineering, phage cocktails, genetically modified biocontrol agents and microbial volatilome as available strategies to sustainable agricultural practices. More importantly, a critical analysis of the various methods enumerated in the paper indicates the need to amalgamate these techniques in order to improve the degree of biocontrol offered by them.

Legionella pneumophila RpoS (LpRpoS) is an alternative sigma factor of RNA polymerase (RNAP) essential for virulence and stress resistance. To investigate the mechanism of RpoS in the intracellular pathogen L. pneumophila, we determined the high-resolution crystal structure of the LpRpoS (residues 95-194) containing a partial region 1.2 and region 2. The structure of LpRpoS (residues 95-194) reveals that the conserved residues are critical for promoter melting, DNA and core RNAP binding. The differences in regulatory factor binding site between Escherichia coli RpoS and LpRpoS suggest that LpRpoS may employ a distinct mechanism to recruit alternative regulatory factors controlling transcription initiation.

Transcriptomes from stem-inoculated Scots pine saplings were analyzed to identify unique and enriched H. annosum transcripts in the early stages of infection. Comparing different time points since inoculation identified 131 differentially expressed H. annosum gene with p values ≤ 0.01. Our research supports the results of previous studies on the Norway spruce – Heterobasidion annosum s.l. pathosystem, indicating the role of carbohydrate- and lignin degradation genes in pathogenesis at different timepoints post inoculation and the role of lipid metabolism genes (including but not limited to the delta-12 fatty acid desaturase gene previously reported to be an important factor). The results of this study indicate that malic enzyme could be a potential gene of interest in the context of H. annosum virulence.

Listeria monocytogenes is an emerging pathogen responsible for the serious foodborne disease, listeriosis. The commensal gut microbiota is the first line of defense against pathogen internalization. The gut microbiome can be modified by prebiotic substrates, which are frequently added to food products and dietary supplements. Prebiotics should selectively support the growth of beneficial microbes and thus improve host health. Nevertheless, little is known about their effect on the growth of L. monocytogenes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth ability of four L. monocytogenes strains, representing the most common serotypes, on prebiotic oligosaccharides (beta-(1,3)-D-glucan, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, lactulose, raffinose, stachyose, and 2´-fucosyllactose and a mixture of human milk oligosaccharides) as a sole carbon source. The results showed that only beta-(1,3)-D-glucan was metabolized by L. monocytogenes. Therefore, the safety of beta-(1,3)-D-glucan with respect to listeriosis development should be further studied.

Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases) are present in a wide variety of microorganisms, including protozoan parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Trichomonas vaginalis, Leishmania major, Leishmania donovani, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia intestinalis, all of which cause important neglected diseases. PPIases are classified as cyclophilins, FKBPs, or parvulins and play crucial roles in catalyzing the cis-trans isomerization of the peptide bond preceding a proline residue. This activity assists in correct protein folding. However, the biological structure‒function characterization of PPIases from these protozoan parasites is still incomplete. The recombinant production of these enzymes is highly relevant for this ongoing research. In this review, we explore the structural diversity, functions, recombinant production, and activity and inhibition of protozoan PPIases. We also highlight their potential as biotechnological tools for the in vitro refolding of other recombinant proteins from these parasites. These applications are invaluable for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, despite improvements in diagnostics and management. Persistent infections pose a major challenge to clinicians and have been consistently shown to increase the risk of mortality and other infectious complications. S. aureus, while typically not considered an intracellular pathogen, has been proven to utilize an intracellular niche, through several phenotypes including small colony variants, as a means for survival that has been linked to chronic, persistent, and recurrent infections. This intracellular persistence allows for protection from the host immune system and leads to reduced antibiotic efficacy through a variety of mechanisms. These include antimicrobial resistance, tolerance, and/or persistence in S. aureus that contribute to persistent bacteremia. This review will discuss the challenges associated with treating these complicated infections and the various methods that S. aureus uses to persist within the intracellular space.

Alternaria alternata is a saprophyte and is also known to cause many opportunistic infections in humans. Alternaria infections are important factors of morbidity and mortality in im-mune-compromised and solid organ transplant (SOT). Sensitivity to the airborne fungus Alter-naria alternata is also believed to be a common cause of allergic asthma. Therapies are limited by the lack of knowledge about the role of individual fungal gene products and symptoms in im-mune-compromised and transplant patients. This review summarizes the published case studies on Alternaria alternata infections in transplant patients.

Black Knot (BK) is a deadly disease of European (Prunus domestics) and Japanese (Prunus salicina) plums caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Apiosporina morbosa. After infection, the appearance of warty black knots indicates a phytohormonal imbalance in infected tissues. Based on this hypothesis, we quantified phytohormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, tryptophan, indoleamines (N-acetylserotonin, serotonin, and melatonin), and cytokinins (zeatin, 6-benzyladenine, and 2-isopentenyladenine) in temporally collected tissues of susceptible and resistant genotypes belonging to European and Japanese plums during of BK progression. The results suggested auxin-cytokinins interplay driven by A. morbosa appears to be vital in disease progression by hampering the plant defense system. Taken together, our results indicate the possibility of using the phytohormone profile as a biomarker for BK resistance in plums.

Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by a protozoan parasite Leishmania that is transmitted via infected female sandflies. At present, leishmaniasis treatment mainly counts on chemotherapy. The currently available drugs against leishmaniasis are costly, toxic, with multiple side effects, and limitations in the administration route. The rapid emergence of drug resistance has severely reduced the potency of anti-leishmanial drugs. As a result, there is a pressing need for the development of novel anti-leishmanial drugs with high potency, low cost, acceptable toxicity, and good pharmacokinetics features. Due to the availability of preclinical data, drug repurposing is a valuable approach for speeding up the development of effective antileishmanial through pointing to new drug targets in less time having low costs and risk. Metabolic pathways of this parasite play a crucial role in the growth and proliferation of Leishmania species during the various stages of their life cycle. Based on available genomics/proteomics information, known pathways-based (sterol biosynthetic pathway, purine salvage pathway, glycolysis, GPI biosynthesis, hypusine, polyamine biosynthesis) Leishmania-specific proteins could be targeted with known drugs that were used in other diseases, resulting in finding new promising anti-leishmanial therapeutics. The present review discusses various metabolic pathways of the Leishmania parasite and some drug candidates targeting these pathways effectively that could be potent drugs against leishmaniasis in the future.

Wheat blast caused by the hemibiotroph fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype, is a destructive disease of wheat in South America and Bangladesh. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the defense responses in plants during the infection process by a pathogen. However, empirical evidence on regulation of ROS in wheat and other host and non-host plants towards MoT is limited. This study aimed to determine the susceptibility of some major cereals and weeds of Bangladesh and compare the antioxidant enzyme activities in host and non-host plants in response to artificial inoculation by MoT. Seedlings of wheat, maize, barley and swamp rice grass were susceptible to MoT and produced considerable number of conidia on infected leaves (host). Rice seedlings showed a resistant response in our laboratory conditions (non-host). The activities of ROS-detoxifying enzymes; catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), Glutathione peroxidase (GPX), Glutathione S-transferase (GST), Peroxidase (POX) increased in all plants after inoculation by MoT with a few exceptions. Interestingly, an early and very high accumulation of CAT was observed within 24 hours of inoculation (hai) in wheat, barley, maize and swamp rice grass while H2O2 concentration was low during that time and immediately after that (24-48 hai). In contrast, an early and high accumulation of H2O2 was observed in rice at 48 hai with little CAT activity only at a late stage. The APX, GST and POD activity was also increased due to the inoculation of MoT at the early stage of infection in rice but were very high at the disease progression stage in wheat, barley, maize and swamp rice grass. GPX activity gradually decreased with the increase of time in rice. Taken together, our results suggest that a robust and late induction of most of the antioxidant enzyme activities occurs in susceptible/host plants whereas an early induction of antioxidant enzyme activities occurs in resistant/ non-host plant but with slow kinetics.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a valuable horticultural crop grown and consumed worldwide. Optimum production is hindered by several factors of which Verticillium dahliae, the cause of Verticillium wilt, is one of the major biological constraints in temperate production regions. V. dahliae is difficult to manage because it is a vascular pathogen, has a broad host range and worldwide distribution, and can persist in soil for years. Understanding the pathogen virulence and genetic diversity, host resistance, and plant-pathogen interactions can ultimately inform the development of integrated strategies to manage the disease. In recent years, considerable research has focused on providing new insight into these processes as well as the development and integration of environment-friendly management approaches. In this review, we discuss and summarize the recent findings on the race and population structure of V. dahliae; pathogenicity factors; host genes, proteins, and enzymes involved in defense; the emergent management strategies, and recent approaches to managing Verticillium wilt in tomatoes.

Deforestation and associated changing landscapes are major components of environmental changes, with important implications for ecosystem functioning and biodiversity conservation. Tropical forests are hot spots of biodiversity and provide multiple goods and ecosystem services which benefit people in many ways Forest also play an important role in health-related legends, myths, and fairy tales from all over the world, and are important sources of new potential emerging microbial threats to human. Although plausibly numerous abundant microbial forms with a forest origin may exist, our systematic literature review shows that forest-derived infection studies are relatively unexplored, and both taxonomically and geographically biased. Since biodiversity has been associated with emergence of novel infectious diseases at macro-scale, we describe the main biogeographical patterns in the emerging infection-biodiversity-forest loss nexus. Then, we illustrate four fine-scale case studies to decipher the underlying processes of increased infection risk in changing forest clearing landscapes. Finally, we identify scientific challenges and regional management measures required to mitigate these important new emerging threats.

This study presents extended Immunity Agent-Based Model (IABM) simulations to evaluate vaccination strategies in controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The application of IABM in the analysis of vaccination configurations is innovative, as a vaccinated individual can be infected depending on how their immune system acts against the invading pathogen, without a pre-established infection rate. Analysis at the microscopic level demonstrates the impact of vaccination on individual immune responses and infection outcomes, providing a more realistic representation of how the humoral response caused by vaccination affects the individual’s immune defense. At the macroscopic level, the effects of different population-wide vaccination strategies are explored, including random vaccination, targeted vaccination of specific demographic groups, and spatially focused vaccination. The results indicate that increased vaccination rates are correlated with decreased infection and mortality rates, highlighting the importance of achieving herd immunity. Furthermore, strategies focused on vulnerable populations or densely populated regions prove to be more effective in reducing disease transmission compared to randomly distributed vaccination. The results presented in this work show that vaccination strategies focused on highly crowded regions are more efficient in controlling epidemics and outbreaks. Results suggest that applying vaccination only in the densest region resulted in the suppression of infection in that region, with less intense viral spread in areas with lower population densities. Strategies focused on specific regions, in addition to being more efficient in reducing the number of infected and dead people, reduce costs related to transportation, storage, and distribution of doses compared to the random vaccination strategy. Considering that, despite scientific efforts to consolidate the use of mass vaccination, the accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of vaccines are problems that persist, investing in the study of strategies that mitigate such issues is crucial in the development and application of government policies that make immunization systems more efficient and robust.

Sunflower is one of the oil crops and its planting areas was listed behind Soybean, peanut and rapeseeds in China. It will encounter different kind of diseases during planting, thus limited the seeds yield. Fusarium species are the major threat to different crops nowadays, it is very important to identify the species caused diseases on different hosts, so that the potential control measures may be explored. In Inner mongolia, Sunflower Disk Rot (SDR) was found in different sunflower planting field, the average infection ratio around 8.50%, typically in some verieties, its infection ratio reach to 11.67%. The diseased receptacle were collected from different locations and Koch’s postulate was conducted. The results showed that Fusarium verticillioides was the main causal agent caused SDR. Fungicide toxicity tests shown that Fludioxonil and Flutolanil were screened out from six fungicides for controlling F. verticillioides, with EC50 values of 0.05 µg/mL (R = 0.9825) and 0.96 µg/mL (R = 0.9964) , respectively. This is the first report of SDR caused by F. verticillioides, and it will alert sunflower reseachers to include SDR in the disease list, so as to control sunflower diseases with integrated management strategy successfully.

In this opinion article, we have analyzed the relevancy of a hypothesis which is based on the idea that in Arabidopsis thaliana jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated defense system against necrotrophic fungi is weakened when NO3- supply is high. Such hypothesis is based on the fact that when NO3- supply is high, it induces an increase in the amount of bioactive ABA which induces the sequestration of the phosphatase ABI2 (PP2C) into the PYR/PYL/RCAR receptor. Consequently, the Ca sensors CBL1/9 - CIPK23 are not dephosphorylated by ABI2, thus remaining able to phosphorylate targets such as AtNPF6.3 and AtKAT1, a NO3- and K+ transporters respectively. Therefore, the impact of phosphorylation on the regulation of these two transporters, could 1) reduce NO3- influx as in its phosphorylated state AtNPF6.3 shifts to low capacity state and 2) increase K+ influx, as in its phosphorylated state KAT1 becomes more active. It is also well known that in the roots K+ loading in the xylem and its transport to the shoot is activated in the presence of NO3-. As such, the enrichment of plant tissues in K+ can impair jasmonic acid (JA) regulatory pathway and the induction of the corresponding biomarkers. The latter are known to be up-regulated under K+ deficiency and inhibited when K+ is resupplied. We therefore suggest that increased K+ uptake and tissue content induced by high NO3- supply modifies JA regulatory pathway, resulting in weakened JA-mediated plant’s defense system against necrotrophic fungi.

The vertebrate annexin superfamily (AnxA) consists of 12 members of a calcium (Ca²⁺) and phospholipid binding protein family which share a high structural homology. In keeping with this hallmark feature, annexins have been implicated in the Ca²⁺-controlled regulation of a broad range of membrane events. In this review, we identify and discuss several themes of annexin actions that hold a potential therapeutic value, namely the regulation of the immune response and the control of tissue homeostasis, and that repeatedly surface in the annexin activity profile. Our aim is to identify and discuss those annexin properties which might be exploited from a translational science and specifically clinical point of view.

Proteases are integral enzymes of the plant immune system. Multiple aspects of defence are regulated by proteases, including the hypersensitive response, pathogen recognition, priming and peptide hormone release. These processes are regulated by unrelated proteases residing at different subcellular locations. In this review we discuss ten prominent plant proteases contributing to the plant immune system, highlighting the diversity of roles they perform in plant defence.

Background: Waterborne diseases pose a significant global public health threat, compelling enhanced comprehensive surveillance. This study investigates the current infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems, including wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES), in three sub-Saharan African countries: Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The three countries have their specificities regarding wastewater networks and logistic systems. So, emphasizing the need to strengthen existing disease surveillance, the paper advocates for incorporating WES systems specifically designed for countries' context to monitor waterborne and re-emerging pathogens, as well as AMR.Methods: National workshops were conducted to assess the current clinical and environmental surveillance systems and identify priority pathogens for new environmental monitoring. Data were collected through surveys from experts in academia, research, policy, and healthcare. Results: Prioritized pathogens for WES include waterborne (poliovirus, Salmonella Typhi, Vibrio cholerae), respiratory (influenza A&B, SARS-CoV-2), other (Measles and Rubella, Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Recommended AMR pathogens include drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing E. coli. Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and the DRC employ DHSI2-based centralized electronic systems for clinical data collection, complemented by Excel and paper-based registries. The WES approach is commonly employed for monitoring poliovirus and rarely for AMR and other pathogens. Discussion and conclusions: WES is a valuable tool for early detection of locally circulating human-derived pathogens, aiding in outbreak detection, data-driven epidemic response, and prevention. The availability of WES results underscores the importance of effective sanitation for safeguarding human, animal, and environmental health. WES is a pivotal tool for integrated risk management, preventing waterborne outbreaks, protecting drinking water sources, and ultimately gaining various UN Sustainable Development Goals. The study highlights the importance of customized WES systems in line with each country's context, emphasizing localized approaches for effective monitoring of waterborne pathogens and AMR.

Amid the deepening imbalance in the supply and demand of allogeneic organs, xenotransplanta-tion can be a practical alternative because it makes an unlimited supply of organs possible. How-ever, to perform xenotransplantation on patients, the source animals to be used must be free from infectious agents. This requires breeding of animals using assisted reproductive techniques, such as somatic cell nuclear transfer, embryo transfer, and cesarean-section, without colostrum de-rived in designated pathogen-free (DPF) facilities. Most infectious agents can be removed from animals produced by these methods, but several viruses known to pass through the placenta are not easy to remove, even with these methods. Therefore, in this review, we look at the characteris-tics of several viruses known to cross the placenta and determine how they can be detected. This review is intended to help maintain DPF facilities by preventing animals infected with the virus from entering DPF facilities and to help select pigs suitable for xenotransplantation.

Cut chrysanthemum, renowned as a highly favored floral choice globally, experiences a significant decline in production due to the practice of continuous cropping. The adverse physiological effects on cut chrysanthemums have been observed as a result of the degradation of soil physical and chemical properties, coupled with the proliferation of pathogens. It is noteworthy that the 'Guangyu' cultivar in Xinxiang, Henan province, China, has been specifically impacted by these effects. This study effectively identified and validated the precise pathogen accountable for wilt disease initially. Subsequently, an analysis was conducted to examine the invasion pattern of the pathogen and the physiological response of the chrysanthemum. Finally, PacBio platform was employed to investigate the dynamic alterations in the microbial community within the soil rhizosphere, comparing the effects of seven years of monocropping with the first year. The findings indicated that Fusarium solani was the primary causative agent responsible for wilt disease, as it possessed the ability to invade and establish colonies in plant roots, leading to alterations in various physiological parameters of the plants. Furthermore, the practice of continuous cropping had been observed to significantly disturb the microbial community composition, potentially acting as an additional influential factor in the advancement of wilt.

Early onset neonatal sepsis is a significant contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although blood cultures remain the diagnostic gold standard, they detect pathogens in only a minority of suspected cases. This study compared the accuracy of blood cultures with a rapid multiplex PCR test. Newborns at risk for neonatal sepsis were prospectively screened as recommended per national guidelines. Evaluations included laboratory parameters (CrP, IL6, differential blood count), blood culture, and a molecular multiplex PCR test (ROCHE LightCycler SeptiFast) identifying 20 common microbial agents. Blood samples were taken simultaneously from umbilical cord or venous sources on the first day of life. Of 229 infants included, 69% were born preterm. Blood culture and multiplex PCR sensitivity were 7.4% and 11.1% respectively. Specificity, negative and positive predictive values between methods showed no significant variance, though multiplex PCR had more false positives due to contamination. The limited sensitivity of blood cultures for early onset neonatal sepsis is concerning. Despite quicker results, multiplex PCR does not enhance diagnostic accuracy or antibiotic therapy guidance, thus it can not be recommended for this indication.

Begomovirus infection in plant causes a great economic loss in many countries every year. Increasing rate of the infectivity of this single stranded DNA virus forces to study of its transmission in detail for the necessary researches regarding the control of this disease. This pathogenic virus is whitefly vector borne and transferred from one plant to another plant during the suckling of phloem sap by that vector. Viral transmissibility through this insect vector may depend on the genetic variations within the cryptic species groups. Two distinct categories of begomoviruses viz., bipartite and monopartite types consist of different genome organization. Virion particles modify the intracellular environment of the host according to their need of replication and survival. Viral replication takes place through RCR as well as RDR methods. Interplay among host, vector and pathogen is crucial for the establishment of infection. Several endosymbiotic organisms living within the insect vector also have vital role here. Being infected with this virus, host plant responds with defensive activities like TGS, PTGS, autophagy, hormonal regulation, metabolic alteration etc. However, virus also counteracts those through the manipulation of several pathways of cellular events. It is necessary to study in different directions and utilize advanced molecular biological techniques to develop begomovirus resistance within plants.

Background: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious fungal disease of crop plants due to substantial yield reduction and production of mycotoxins in the infected grains. The breeding progress in increasing resistance with maintaining a high yield is not possible without a thorough examination of the molecular basis of plant immunity responses; Methods: LC-MS based metabolomics approaches powered by three-way ANOVA and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) selection, correlation network and functional enrichment were conducted on grains of resistant and susceptible to FHB genotypes of barley and wheat as well as model grass Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) still poorly known at metabolomic level; Results: We selected common and genotype-specific DAMs in response to F. culmorum inoculation. Immunological reaction at metabolomic level was strongly diversified between resistant and susceptible genotypes. DAMs common for all tested species from porphyrins, flavonoids and phenylpropanoids metabolic pathways were highly correlated and reflects conservativeness in FHB response in Poaceae family. Resistant related DAMs belonged to different structural classes including tryptophan derived metabolites, pirimidines, amino acids proline and serine as well as phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. Physiological response to F. culmorum of Bd was close to barley and wheat genotypes however, metabolomic changes were strongly diversified. Conclusions: Combined targeted and untargeted metabolomics provides comprehensive knowledge about significant elements of plant immunity with potential of being molecular biomarkers of enhance resistance to FHB in grass family. Thorough examination of Bd21 metabolome in juxtaposition with barley and wheat diversified genotypes facilitate their setting as model grass for plant-microbe interaction.

Indirect effects of global change via changing species interactions have been largely ignored in studies predicting global change impacts on ecosystems. Antagonistic biotic interactions, however, can strongly affect ecosystems and are likely to be affected by global change drivers themselves. We synthesize current knowledge on the impact of invertebrate herbivores and pathogens on plant productivity, diversity and community composition, and outline theory and expectations on how important global change drivers – nitrogen enrichment, climate change and elevated CO², and plant and insect diversity loss, may affect enemy impact on plant communities. We illustrate that our ability to predict global change impact requires a holistic perspective, taking into account direct as well as indirect effects via the biotic component of ecosystems.

Papillomaviruses infect the skin and mucosal surfaces of diverse animal hosts with consequences ranging from asymptomatic colonization to highly malignant epithelial cancers. Increasing evidence suggests a role for papillomaviruses in the most common cutaneous malignancy of domestic cats, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Using total DNA sequencing we identified a novel feline papillomavirus in a nasal biopsy taken from a cat presenting with both nasal cavity lymphoma and recurrent squamous cell carcinoma affecting the nasal planum. We designate this novel virus as Felis catus papillomavirus 6 (FcaPV6). The complete FcaPV6 7453 bp genome was similar to those of other feline papillomaviruses and phylogenetic analysis revealed that it was most closely related to FcaPV3, although was distinct enough to represent a new viral species within the genus Taupapillomavirus. Archived excisional biopsy of the SCC, taken 20 months prior to presentation, was intensely positive on p16 immunostaining. FcaPV6, amplified using virus-specific, but not consensus, PCR was the only papillomavirus detected in DNA extracted from the SCC. Conversely, renal lymphoma, sampled at necropsy two months after presentation, tested negative on FcaPV6-specific PCR. In sum, using metagenomics we demonstrate the presence of a novel feline papillomavirus in association with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Microfluidics is facing critical challenges in the quest of miniaturizing, integrating, and automating in vitro diagnostics, including the increasing complexity of assays, the gap between the macroscale world and the microscale devices, and the diverse throughput demands in various clinical settings. Here a “3D extensible” microfluidic design paradigm that consists of a set of basic structures and unit operations was developed for constructing any application-specific assay. Four basic structures- check valve (in), check valve (out), double-check valve (in and out), and on-off valve, were designed to mimic basic acts in biochemical assays. By combining these structures linearly, a series of unit operations can be readily formed. We then proposed a “3D extensible” architecture to fulfill the needs of the function integration, the adaptive “world-to-chip” interface, and the adjustable throughput in the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. To verify this design paradigm, we developed a fully integrated loop-mediated isothermal amplification microsystem that can directly accept swab samples and detect Chlamydia trachomatis automatically with a sensitivity one order higher than that of the conventional kit. This demonstration validated the feasibility of using this paradigm to develop integrated and automated microsystems in a less risky and more consistent manner.

Viroids are smallest pathogen that consist of non-capsidated, single-stranded non-coding RNA replicons and exploits host factors for their replication and propagation. The severe stunting disease caused by Citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd) is a serious threat, which spread rapidly within hop gardens. In this study, we employed comprehensive transcriptome analyses to dissect host-viroid interactions and identify gene expression changes associated with disease development in hop. Our analysis revealed that CBCVd-infection resulted in the massive modulation of activity of over 2000 genes. Expression of genes associated with plant immune responses (protein kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase), hypersensitive responses, phytohormone signaling pathways, photosynthesis, pigment metabolism, protein metabolism, sugar metabolism and modification and others were altered, which could be attributed to systemic symptom development upon CBCVd-infection in hop. In addition, genes encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, pathogenesis-related protein, chitinase as well as those related to basal defense responses were up-regulated. The expression levels of several genes identified from RNA sequencing analysis were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Our systematic comprehensive CBCVd-responsive transcriptome analysis provides a better understanding and insights into complex viroid-hop plant interaction. This information will assist further in the development of future measures for the prevention of CBCVd spread in hop fields.

Molecular detection of pathogens in clinical samples often requires pretreatment techniques, including immunomagnetic separation and magnetic silica bead (MSB)-based DNA purification to obtain the purified DNA of pathogens. These two techniques usually rely on handling small tubes containing a few millilitres of the sample and manual operation, implying that an automated system encompassing both techniques is needed for larger quantities of the samples. Here, we report a 3D-printed microfluidic platform that enables bacterial preconcentration and genomic DNA (gDNA) purification for improving the molecular detection of target pathogens in blood samples. The device consists of two microchannels and one chamber, which can be used to preconcentrate pathogens bound to antibody-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles (Ab-MNPs) and subsequently extract gDNA using magnetic silica beads (MSBs) in a sequential manner. The device was able to preconcentrate very low concentrations of pathogens and extract their genomic DNA in 10 mL of 10% blood within 30 min, and thus allowed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative PCR to detect 1 colony forming unit of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in 10% blood. The results suggest that the 3D-printed microfluidic platform is highly useful for lowering the limitations on molecular detection in blood by preconcentrating the target pathogen and isolating its DNA in a large volume of the sample.

Plant‒fungal associations often drive plant invasion success by increasing host growth, disease resistance, and tolerance to environmental stress. In this study, to determine whether the numerically dominant foliar endophyte Colletotrichum can directly enhance the resistance of the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora to disease and environmental stressors, we planted sterile A. adenophora seedlings, inoculated them with three endophytic fungal strains of Colletotrichum with distinct genetic backgrounds and compared their role in the resistance of A. adenophora to the pathogenicity of three foliar pathogens from the Didymellaceae family, as well as to abiotic stress, including drought and nutrient stress. We observed that the foliar endophyte Colletotrichum reduced photosynthesis-related physiological indicators, increased resistance-related indicators, and decreased the biomass of A. adenophora in the absence of pathogen attack, drought and nutrient stress. However, some endophytic Colletotrichum strains exhibit positive effects on resistance to certain foliar pathogen attacks, and some endophytes increase the biomass of A. adenophora under drought or nutrient stress. Our results revealed that there are certain positive effects of foliar Colletotrichum endophytes on A. adenophora in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, which may be beneficial for its invasion.

Precision metagenomic approaches using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) sequencing has been shown to allow recovery of complete genomes of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from overnight enrichments of agricultural waters. This study tests the applicability of a similar approach for Cronobacter genome recovery from powdered infant formula (PIF) overnight enrichments, where Cronobacter typically dominates the overall microbiome (>90%). In this study, we aimed to test whether using ONT sequencing of overnight PIF enrichments could recover a completely closed Cronobacter genome for further genomic characterization. Ten PIF samples, each inoculated with different Cronobacter strains, covering Cronobacter sakazakii, C. muytjensii, C. dublinensis, C. turicensis, and C. universalis, were processed according to the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) protocol. qPCR was used for initial screening (detection and quantification) of the overnight enrichments and confirmed that the spiked PIF samples after the overnight enrichment have high levels of Cronobacter (107 to 109 CFU/mL). DNA from overnight PIF enrichments was extracted from the enrichment broth and sequenced using ONT. Results showed that ONT sequencing could accurately identify, characterize, and close the genomes of Cronobacter strains from overnight PIF enrichments in 3 days, much faster than the nearly two weeks required by the current BAM method. Complete genome recovery and species differentiation were achieved. This suggests that combining qPCR with ONT sequencing provides a rapid, cost-effective alternative for detecting and characterizing Cronobacter in PIF, enabling timely corrective actions during outbreaks.

Black Knot (BK) is a deadly disease of European (Prunus domestica) and Japanese (Prunus salicina) plums caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Apiosporina morbosa. Generally, phytopathogens hamper the balance of primary defense phytohormones such as salicylic acid (SA)-jasmonic acid (JA) balance for disease progression. Thus, we quantified the important phytohormones titers in tissues of susceptible and resistant genotypes belonging to European and Japanese plums at five different time points. The results suggested auxin-cytokinins interplay driven by A. morbosa appeared to be vital in disease progression by hampering the plant defense system via perturbance in SA, JA, and gibberellic acid. The results further point out that SA and JA in plant defense are not necessarily antagonistic always, especially in woody perennials. Results also suggest that the changes in SA and JA content following BK disease infection and progression in plums could be utilized as phytohormonal markers in the identification of BK-resistant cultivars.

Pathogens, especially invasive species, have caused significant global ecological, economic, and social losses in forests. Plant disease research has traditionally focused on direct interactions between plants and pathogens in an appropriate environment. However, recent research indicates that the microbiome can interact with the plant host and pathogens to modulate plant resistance or pathogen pathogenicity, thereby altering the outcome of plant–pathogen interactions. Thus, this presents new opportunities for studying the microbial management of forest diseases. Compared to parallel studies on human and crop microbiomes, research into the forest tree microbiome and its critical role in forest disease progression has lagged. The rapid development of microbiome sequencing and analysis technologies has resulted in the rapid accumulation of a large body of evidence regarding the association between forest microbiomes and diseases. These data will aid the development of innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable methods for the microbial management of forest diseases. Herein, we summarize the most recent findings on the dynamic structure and composition of forest tree microbiomes in belowground and aboveground plant tissues (i.e., rhizosphere, endosphere, and phyllosphere), as well as their pleiotropic impact on plant immunity and pathogen pathogenicity, highlighting representative examples of biological control agents used to modulate relevant tree microbiomes. Lastly, we discuss the potential application of forest tree microbiomes in disease control as well as their future prospects and challenges.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous, critical priority human fungal pathogen. Despite its clinical importance, there is limited knowledge regarding the variations of the genome within mitochondria, the powerhouse organelle within eukaryotic cells. In this study, we leveraged publicly available raw, whole genome sequence data from 1939 isolates to investigate the variations in the mitochondrial genomes of A. fumigatus. These isolates were isolated from 22 countries on six continents, as well as from outer space and from within the International Space Station. In total, our analysis revealed 39 mitochondrial single nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs) within this global sample and together, these 39 mtSNPs grouped the 1939 isolates into 79 mitochondrial multilocus genotypes (MLGs). Among the 79 MLGs, 39 were each distributed in at least two countries and 30 were each shared by at least two continents. The two most frequent MLGs were also broadly distributed: MLG11 represented 420 isolates from 11 countries and four continents and while MLG79 represented 418 isolates from 18 countries and five continents, consistent with long-distance dispersals of mitogenomes. Our population genetic analyses of the mtSNPs revealed limited differentiation among continental populations but highly variable genetic differences among national populations, largely due to localized clonal expansions of different MLGs. Phylogenetic analysis and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components of mtSNPs suggested the presence of at least three mitogenome clusters. Linkage disequilibrium, Index of Association, and phylogenetic incompatibility analyses collectively suggested evidence for mitogenome recombination in natural populations of A. fumigatus. In addition, sequence read depth analyses revealed an average ratio of ~20 mitogenomes per nuclear genome in this global population but the ratios varied among strains within and between certain geographic populations. Together, our results suggest evidence for organelle dynamics, genetic differentiation, recombination, and both widespread and localized clonal expansion of the mitogenomes in the global A. fumigatus population.

Cantharidin, a toxic monoterpene secreted by blister beetles, has long been used in traditional Chinese and modern medicine for its unique properties. However, despite its widespread use, its effects on fish have not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic applications of cantharidin in fish by examining its antioxidant, hemoagglutinating, hemolytic and cytotoxic activities at different concentrations (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 μg mL-1) in three different cell lines. In addition, the study explored the bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties of cantharidin against various fish pathogenic bacteria. The results revealed that there were no significant differences in antioxidant, hemagglutinating or hemolytic activities between the different concentrations of cantharidin tested. However, the study found that cantharidin exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity in sea bream (Sparus aurata) erythrocytes and in SAF-1, PLHC-1 and Hela cell lines, resulting in morphological changes indicative of apoptosis. Interestingly, the highest dose of cantharidin tested demonstrated potent bactericidal activity against four marine fish opportunistic bacteria, including Vibrio harveyi, V. anguillarum, Photobacterium damselae and Tenacibaculum maritimum, but no statistically significant changes in bacteriostatic activity were observed against any of the bacteria tested. Overall, these results provide valuable information on the potential therapeutic applications of cantharidin in fish aquaculture. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of action and to explore possible preventive uses of cantharidin in fish.

Phagosomal escape and intracellular survival, often accompanied by Small Colony Variants (SCVs) formation, are typical features of infections caused by S. aureus. The survival in macro-phages favours S. aureus dissemination and complicates treatment. RAW 264.7 murine macro-phages infected with S. aureus USA300 and treated with erythromycin and 20mM carnosine, alone and in combination, were used as experimental model. SCVs were isolated from all treat-ment conditions, but only those undergoing the pressure of combined erythromycin and carnosine for 48 hours were stable for at least six passages on blood agar. Nucleic acid extraction was car-ried out for S. aureus USA300 wild-type and stable SCVs. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was performed using Illumina DNA Prep and Illumina MiSeq, and quantitative reverse transcription PCR was performed. WGS analysis did not yield mutations pointing to differences between S. au-reus USA300 and stable SCVs, therefore the focus was shifted to evaluating gene expression vari-ations. Genes such as zur, mntR, uhpt, fur, sdrE were shown to be significantly up-regulated in SCVs compared to S. aureus USA300 wild-type, suggesting a global change that allows adapta-tion to intracellular persistence, including protection from inflammatory response and evasion of the immune system.

Viruses feature an evolutionary shaped minimal genome that is obligately dependent on the cellular transcription and translation machinery for propagation. To suppress host cell immune responses and ensure efficient replication, viruses employ numerous tactics to favor viral gene expression and protein synthesis. This necessitates a carefully balanced network of virus- and host-encoded components, of which the RNA-based regulatory mechanisms have emerged as particularly interesting albeit insufficiently studied, especially in unicellular organisms. Here, recent advances that further our understanding of RNA-based translation regulation, mainly through post-transcriptional chemical modification of ribonucleosides, codon usage, and (virus-encoded) transfer RNAs, will be discussed in the context of viral infection.

Temperature and pH can expedite the ability of pathogens to cause diseases in cold-water corals (CWCs). The present study employed a combination of histology and polymerase chain reaction diagnostic techniques to investigate potential pathogens present in the CWCs Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata in the Porcupine Bank Canyon (PBC), NE Atlantic. No pathogen was observed in the Madrepora samples. Neither histology nor standard PCR detected Vibrio spp. in the corals, although using Illumina technology, V. shilonii was observed in some L. pertusa samples in low abundances (0.22%). A Rickettsiales-like organisms (RLOs) occurred at a prevalence of 8.0% and at a low infection intensity of 1 - 4. Lophelia showed a few RLOs infection from the PBC canyon head (2.7%) and high infections in the south branch (5.3%). Similarly, unidentified cells observed in L. pertusa from the south branch (4.0%) were more common than those found in the canyon head (1.3%) with a prevalence of 5.3%. Although the route of pathogen infection is unclear, a likely mode of entry could be associated with particulate availability and the feeding strategies of the scleractinian corals. This suggest that L. pertusa invests energy into an enhanced immune function and reduced susceptibility to global pathogens despite a changing ocean environment.

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium causing a range of mild to life-threatening infections including bone infections such as osteomyelitis. S. aureus is able to invade and persist within non-professional phagocytic cells such as osteoblasts. In the present study four different S. aureus strains, 2SA-ST239-III, 5SA-ST5-II, 10SA-ST228-I, and 14SA-ST22-IVh were tested for their ability to modulate cell viability in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells following a successful invasion and persistence. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) ATCC-12598-ST30 was used as control. Despite the demonstrated similar abilities of internalization and persistence of ATCC-12598-ST30, 2SA-ST239-III, and 14SA-ST22-IVh strains in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells under our experimental conditions, we demonstrated that the decrease in cell viability was due to the different behavior of the considered strains, with the number of intracellular bacteria playing a limited role. We focused our attention on different cellular biochemical functions related to inflammation, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress during osteoblast infections. We were able to show that: 1) ATCC-12598-ST30 and 2SA-ST239-III were the only two clones able to persist and maintain their number into the cellular hostile environment during the entire period of infection; 2) 2SA-ST239-III was the only clone able to significantly increase the gene expression (3 and 24 h) and protein secretion (24 h) of both interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells; 3) the same clone determined a significant up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the metabolic marker glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNAs at 24 h post infection; 3) neither the MSSA nor the four MRSA strains induced oxidative stress phenomena in MG-63 cells, although a very different expression pattern towards nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) activation was observed among the different clones. Our results can open a new way of considering therapies, going in the direction of an individualized therapeutic strategy that should take into account the difference existing between MSSA and MRSA as well as the distinctive features of the different clones. Not only, therefore, a different antibiotic approach but also a starting point for considering different host factors, i.e. the modulation of specific cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1.

Grapevine is one of the most relevant crops in the world being used for economically important products such as wine. Yet, relevant grapevine cultivars are heavily affected by diseases such as the downy mildew disease caused by Plasmopara viticola. Improvements on grapevine resistance are made mainly by breeding techniques where resistance traits are introgressed into cultivars with desired grape characteristics. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on how resistant or tolerant cultivars tackle the P. viticola pathogen. In this study, using a shotgun proteomics LC-MS/MS approach, we unravel the protein modulation of a highly tolerant grapevine cultivar, V. vinifera ‘Regent’, in the first hours post inoculation (hpi) with P. viticola. At 6 hpi, proteins related to defence and to response to stimuli are negatively modulated while at 12 hpi there is an accumulation of proteins belonging to both categories. The co-occurrence of effector-triggered susceptibility (ETS) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) is detected at both time-points, showing that these defence processes present high plasticity. The results obtained in this study unravel the tolerant grapevine defence strategy towards P. viticola and may provide valuable insights on resistance associated candidates and mechanisms, which may play an important role in the definition of new strategies on breeding approaches.

Malassezia is a lipid-dependent genus of yeasts known for being an important part of the skin mycobiota. These yeasts have been associated in the development of skin disorders and cataloged as a causal agent of systemic infections under specific conditions, making them opportunistic pathogens. Little is known about the host-microbe interaction of Malassezia spp., and unraveling this implies the implementation of infection models. In this mini review we present different models that have been implemented in the fungal infections study with greater attention in Malassezia spp. infections. These models range from in vitro (cell cultures and ex vivo tissue), to in vivo (murine models, rabbits, guinea pigs, insects, nematodes, and amoebas). We additionally highlight the alternative models that reduce the use of mammals as model organisms, which have been gaining importance in the study of fungal host-microbe interactions. This is due to the fact that these systems have shown to have reliable results, which correlate with those obtained from mammalian models. Example of alternative models are Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Tenebrio molitor, and Galleria mellonella. These are invertebrates that have been implemented in the study of Malassezia spp. infections in order to identify differences in virulence between Malassezia species.

Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein that plays key roles in integration of cytoskeletal functions, and therefore in basic cellular processes such as cell division and migration. Consequently, vimentin has complex implications in pathophysiology. Vimentin is required for a proper immune response, but it can also act as an autoantigen in autoimmune diseases or as a damage signal. Although vimentin is a predominantly cytoplasmic protein, it can also appear at extracellular locations, either in a secreted form or at the surface of numerous cell types, often in relation to cell activation, inflammation, injury or senescence. Cell surface targeting of vimentin appears to associate with the occurrence of certain posttranslational modifications, such as phosphorylation and/or oxidative damage. At the cell surface, vimentin can act as a receptor for bacterial and viral pathogens. Indeed, vimentin has been shown to play important roles in virus attachment and entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), dengue and encephalitis viruses, among others. Moreover, the presence of vimentin in specific virus-targeted cells and its induction by proinflammatory cytokines and tissue damage contribute to its implication in viral infection. Here, we recapitulate some of the pathophysiological implications of vimentin, including the involvement of cell surface vimentin in interaction with pathogens, with a special focus on its role as a cellular receptor or co-receptor for viruses. In addition, we provide a perspective on approaches to target vimentin, including antibodies or chemical agents that could modulate these interactions to potentially interfere with viral pathogenesis, which could be useful when multi-target antiviral strategies are needed .

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is responsible for large waterborne epidemics of hepatitis in endemic countries and is an emerging zoonotic pathogen worldwide. In endemic regions, HEV-1 or HEV-2 genotypes are frequently associated with fulminant hepatitis in pregnant women, while with zoonotic HEV (HEV-3 and HEV-4), chronic cases of hepatitis and severe neurological disorders are reported. Hence, it is important to characterize the interactions between HEV and its host. Here, we investigated the ability of the non-structural polyprotein encoded by the first open reading frame (ORF1) of HEV to modulate the host early antiviral response and in particular the type I interferon (IFN-I) system. We found that the amino-terminal region of HEV-3 ORF1 (MetPCP), containing a putative methyltransferase (Met) and a papain-like cysteine protease (PCP) functional domain, inhibited IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) promoter activation and the expression of several IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in response to IFN-I. We showed that the MetPCP domain interfered with the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription protein (STAT) signalling pathway by inhibiting STAT1 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation after IFN-I treatment. By contrast, MetPCP had no effect on STAT2 phosphorylation and a limited impact on the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway after IFN-II stimulation. This inhibitory function seemed to be genotype-dependent as MetPCP from HEV-1 had no significant effect on the JAK/STAT pathway. Overall, this study provides evidence that the predicted MetPCP domain of HEV ORF1 antagonises STAT1 activation to modulate the IFN response.

Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) complexes are an evolutionary conserved protein family. In most eukaryotes, three SMC complexes have been characterized: cohesin, condensin, and SMC5-6 complexes. These complexes are involved in a plethora of functions and defects in SMC genes can lead to increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, infertility, and cancer. To investigate th evolution of SMC complex genes in mammals, we analyzed their selective patterns in an extended phylogeny. Signals of positive selection were identified for condensin NCAPG, for two SMC5/6 complex genes (SMC5 and NSMCE4A) and for all cohesin genes with almost exclusive meiotic expression (RAD21L1, REC8, SMC1B, and STAG3). For the latter, evolutionary rates correlate with expression during female meiosis and most positively selected sites fall in intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Our results support growing evidence that IDRs are fast evolving and that most likely contribute to adaptation through modulation of phase separation. We suggest that the natural selection signals identified in SMC complexes may be the result of different selective pressures: a host-pathogen arms race in the condensin and SMC5/6 complexes, and an intragenomic conflict similar to that described for centromeres and telomeres for meiotic cohesin genes.

Trichoderma has been widely studied for its potential as a biocontrol agent against plant pathogenic organisms. Trichoderma's biological control mechanisms include competition, modification of environmental conditions, antibiosis, induction of plant defensive mechanisms, and mycoparasitism. Trichoderma species are known to produce a variety of secondary metabolites that have antifungal activity. These metabolites include peptaibols, gliotoxin, and trichokonins. Trichoderma also produces chitinases and β-1,3-glucanases that can degrade the cell walls of fungal pathogens. In addition to direct antagonism against fungal pathogens, Trichoderma can also induce systemic or localised resistance in plants, which is achieved through the production of elicitors such as chitin oligosaccharides and β-glucans that activate plant defence responses. Trichoderma can also form mutualistic associations with plants. In these associations, Trichoderma colonises the roots of plants and promotes plant growth by increasing nutrient uptake and inducing systemic resistance. Using Trichoderma as a biocontrol agent has several advantages over conventional crop protection techniques based on applying synthetic pesticides.

The mortality rate of women during the gestation period or after delivery is very high worldwide. ToRCH pathogens [Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii), Rubella Virus (RV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)] are transmitted vertically and are associated with mortality and complications both in the mother and the fetus or children. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the ToRCH pathogen-induced histopathological changes in placental tissues and associated post-obstetric complications in Pakistani women. Women (N = 68) included in this study were divided into Group A (women with current abortion and bad obstetric history-BOH) and Group B (women with normal delivery and BOH). The venous blood collected was analyzed for ToRCH antibodies through ELISA. A small piece of placenta tissue taken after delivery or abortion was subjected to nucleic acid (NA) detection through PCR using ToRCH pathogen-specific primers. The placental tissue was analyzed for histopathological changes under a microscope. The data obtained were analyzed using percentages and the Chi square test. Overall ToRCH antibody positivity was 64.70% (44/68). Of these, IgM (Immunoglobulin M) was found in 17.65% (12/68), IgG (Immunoglobulin G) in 45.59% (31/68), and one case (1.47%) was seropositive for both IgM and IgG. The NA was detected in 66.18% (45/68) of the placental tissues of the study population. The higher prevalence of antibodies for T.gondii and RV (23.53% each) and NA for RV, CMV, and HSV (17.99% each) was observed in the study population. The ToRCH infection (antibodies and NA) with BOH complications was statistically found to be non-significant (p> 0.05). Overall discrepancies in ToRCH antibodies and NA positivity were found in 86.76% (59/68) of cases, especially for RV (26.47%). Chorionic villitis (CV) in placental tissues was observed in 20.59% (14/68), i.e., 13.23% of Group A and 7.35% of Group B. Of the total, four women with T.gondii, six with RV, and three each with CMV and HSV infection were found with CV. The most common BOH complications observed were recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSAs) (47.05%, 32/68), stillbirth (22.05%, 15/68), congenital abnormalities (14.70%, 10/68), etc. It was observed that RSAs were associated with CV (10.29%) in the study population. The BOH complication and CV were found to be statistically non-significant (p> 0.05). It is concluded that ToRCH pathogens are prevalent in the study population, and CV was the only histopathological change found and associated with BOH complications.

Colletotrichum lini is a flax fungal pathogen, comprising differently virulent strains. In this work, we sequenced the genomes of three C. lini strains of different virulence: high virulent #390-1, medium virulent #757, and low virulent #771. We obtained more than 100× genome coverage with Oxford Nanopore Technologies reads and more than 50× genome coverage with Illumina data. To construct high-quality genomes, several assembly strategies were tested. The final assemblies were obtained using the Canu – Racon ×2 – Medaka – Polca scheme and were 54.0-55.3 Mb in length, contained 26-32 contigs, had an N50 > 5 Mb and the BUSCO completeness > 96%. Comparative analysis of the constructed genomes showed high similarity between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. However, a rearrangement event and the loss of a 0.9 Mb contig were revealed. The candidate effectors were predicted in sets of proteins received after genome annotation. The obtained genome sequences of C. lini strains extend the knowledge on the genetic diversity of Colletotrichum species and are the basis for establishing molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity of the flax pathogen and effective control of flax anthracnose.

Similarly to a phoenix, SARS-CoV-2 has appeared periodically in waves. The new variants that appeared through mutations have during the 4 years of the pandemic suppressed earlier variants, causing new waves of the pandemic. The Omicron BA.2.86 Pirola variant is the latest in the sequence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, which appeared in 2023. The BA.2.86 variant has started to spread rapidly and we are witnesses of a new epidemic wave. In this short period, an increased infectivity was noticed, which results in rapid spreading and decreased pathogenicity, which results in a lower number of severe cases. However, in the public there is a fear of further development of the epidemic. This analysis was made with the goal to assess the risks in the period of late 2023. Mutations that were developed by the BA.2.86 variant have led to a change in empirical formula and thermodynamic properties. It seems that there is no ground for fear of an extensive spreading of severe forms, but there are reasons for caution and monitoring of the spreading of the epidemic and potential appearance of new mutations.

The implementation of One Health/EcoHealth/Planetary Health approaches has been identified as key (i) to address the strong interconnections between risk for pandemics, climate change and biodiversity loss, and (ii) to develop and implement solutions to these interlinked crises. As a response to the multiple calls of scientists in that direction, we have put forward seven long term research questions regarding COVID-19 and emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) that are based on an effective integration of environmental, ecological, evolutionary, and social sciences to better anticipate and mitigate EIDs. Research needs cover the social-ecology of infectious disease agents, their evolution, the determinants of susceptibility of humans and animals to infections, and the human and ecological factors accelerating infectious disease emergence. For comprehensive investigation, they include the development of nature-based solutions to interlinked global planetary crises, addressing ethical and philosophical questions regarding the relationship of humans to nature and regarding transformative changes to safeguard the environment and human health. In support of this research, we propose the implementation of innovative multidisciplinary facilities embedded in social-ecosystems locally: the “ecological health observatories” and the “living laboratories”. This work has been carried out in the frame of the EC project HERA (www.HERAresearchEU.eu) that aims to set the priorities for an environment, climate and health research agenda in the EU by adopting a systemic approach in the face of global environmental change.

Microbiome research has gained considerable interest due to the emerging evidence of its impact on human and animal health. Similar to higher organisms, the gut-associated microbiota of mosquitoes affect host fitness and other phenotypes. It is now well established that microbes can alter pathogen transmission in mosquitoes, either positively or negatively, and avenues are being explored to exploit microbes for vector control. However, less attention has been paid to how microbiota affect phenotypes that impact vectorial capacity. Several mosquito and pathogen components, such as vector density, biting rate, survival, vector competence and pathogen extrinsic incubation period all influence pathogen transmission. Interestingly, the mosquito gut-associated microbes can impact each of these components, and therefore ultimately modulate vectorial capacity. Promisingly, this expands the options available to exploit microbes for vector control by also targeting parameters that affect vectorial capacity. However, there are still many knowledge gaps in the biology of the mosquito – microbe symbiosis that need to be addressed in order to understand these interactions more thoroughly and exploit them efficiently. Here, we review current evidence of the impacts of the microbiome on aspects of vectorial capacity highlighting opportunities for novel vector control strategies and areas where further studies are required.

The biotic and abiotic stresses are the main causes of the loss of agricultural crops productivity, their normal growth and development in the environment. It has been calculated that two-thirds of the major crops are frequently lost due to adverse environmental conditions. The productivity of crops under unfavorable environmental stresses is apparently the main challenge to the breeders and farmers where polyamines (PAs) play diverse roles in environmental stimuli. PAs (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are low molecular weight positively charge compounds have the active potential power to negative charge molecules (DNA, RNA, and proteins) is widely distributed in all living organisms. Evidence showed that PAs contribute a lot of different physiological and biological functions, such as cell growth and development, controlling the cell cycle, involve in gene expression, cell signaling, replication, transcription, translation, and membrane stabilization. Naturally occurring polyamines activity acuminated to their involvement with different biotic and abiotic stresses and contribute to the survival of the plant in the environment. Here, we have described the potential mechanisms, synthesis, and various roles of PAs during stresses tolerant and disease resistance.

Actinobaculum massiliense, a Gram-positive anaerobic coccoid rod colonizing the human urinary tract, belongs to the taxonomic class of Actinobacteria. We identified A. massiliense as a cohabitant of urethral catheter biofilms (CB). The CBs also harbored common uropathogens such as Proteus mirabilis and Aerococcus urinae, supporting the notion that A. massiliense is adapted to a life style in polymicrobial biofilms. We isolated a strain from an agar colony derived from a clinical sample. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun proteomics, we identified and characterized A. massiliense, comparing the isolate grown in vitro and four clinical ‘in vivo’ samples. Based on abundances of proteins in the in vivo milieu, we assessed their functions related to nutrient import and responses to hostile host conditions characterized by neutrophil infiltration. Two putative subtilisin-like proteases and a heme/oligopeptide transporter were highly expressed in vivo and are perhaps important for survival in the host milieu. The uptake of xylose/glucuronate and oligopeptides apparently enables feeding metabolites into mixed acid fermentation and peptidolysis pathways, respectively, to generate energy. A putative polyketide synthase which may generate a secondary metabolite interacting with either the host or co-colonizing microbes was identified. The enzyme may contribute to A. massiliense persistence in CBs.

In this paper, we present a method for detecting and quantifying pathogens in water samples. The method proposes a portable dark field imaging and analysis system for quantifying E. coli concentrations in water after being labeled with magnetic particles. The system utilizes the tracking of moving micro/nano objects close to or below the optical resolution limit confined in small sample volumes (~ 10 µl). In particular, the system analyzes the effect of volumetric changes due to bacteria conjugation to magnetic microparticles (MP) on their Brownian motion while being suspended in liquid buffer solution. The method allows for a simple inexpensive implementation and the possibility to be used as point-of-need testing system. Indeed, a work-ing prototype is demonstrated with the capacity of quantifying E. coli colony forming units (CFU) at a range of 1x10³ - 6x10³ CFU/mL.

The holistic approach of One Health, which sees human, animal, plant, and environmental health as a unit, rather than discrete parts, requires not only interdisciplinary cooperation, but standardized methods for communicating and archiving data, enabling participants to easily share what they have learned and allow others to build upon their findings.Ongoing work by NCBI and the GenomeTrakr project illustrates how open data platforms can help meet the needs of federal and state regulators, public health laboratories, departments of agriculture, and universities. Here we describe how microbial pathogen surveillance can be transformed by having an open access database along with Best Practices for contributors to follow. First, we describe the open pathogen surveillance framework, hosted on the NCBI platform. We cover the current community standards for WGS quality, provide an SOP for assessing your own sequence quality and recommend QC thresholds for all submitters to follow. We then provide an overview of NCBI data submission along with step by step details. And finally, we provide curation guidance and an SOP for keeping your public data current within the database. These Best Practices can be models for other open data projects, thereby advancing the One Health goals of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR) data.

Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) is a bacterial pathogen native to warm and brackish water ecosystems that can cause fatal septicemia (Vv-vibriosis) in humans and various farmed fish species. From a One Health perspective, controlling Vv-vibriosis outbreaks on farms is essential not only for animal but also for human health, as it reduces the risk of Vv transmission to humans. Electrolyzed water (EW) is a sustainable control method, exhibiting transient disinfectant properties due to the formation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl). We hypothesized that EW could effectively reduce Vv populations in aquaculture facilities, preventing outbreak emergence. To test this hypothesis, survival assays in EW were conducted under varying conditions of salinity, pH, and free available chlorine (FAC). The results indicated that an intermediate concentration of FAC had a significant bactericidal effect on Vv populations regardless of the condition and tested strain. Consequently, the strategic use of EW could serve as an eco-friendly preventive and control measure against Vv-vibriosis by significantly decreasing the bacterial load in farm water.

Viruses are silent enemies that intrude and take control of the plant cell's machinery for their own multiplication. Infection by viruses and the resulting damage is still a major challenge in the agriculture sector. Plants have the ability to fight back, but the ability of viruses to counteract and mutate at a fast rate helps them to hide from the host response. Therefore, classical approaches for introgressing resistance genes by breeding have obtained limited success in counteracting the virus menace. Genetic modification (GM) based strategies have been successful in engineering artificial resistance in plants. Several different approaches based on pathogen derived resistance, antisense constructs, hairpin RNA, double stranded RNA etc. have been used to enhance plant resistance to the virus. Recently, genome editing (GE) strategies mainly involving the CRISPR/Cas mediated modifications are being used for virus control. In this review, we discuss the developments and advancements in the GM and GE based methods in tackling virus infection in plants.

We investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of Wolbachia pipientis strains in Aedes albopictus populations in Greece. Using a combination of PCR and Sanger sequencing techniques, we genotyped Wolbachia strains in 105 mosquitoes collected across eight different prefectures in 2021. We found a high prevalence of Wolbachia in both male (90%) and female (97%) mosquitoes. Among the infected samples, 84% had double infections with both wAlbA and wAlbB strains, while 16% had infections with only wAlbB. Our comparison of the Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) profile, employing gatB-coxA-hcpA-ftsZ-fbpA genotyping, revealed a single MLST profile for each wAlbA and wAlbB strain in Greek populations. The same MLST profiles were also reported in populations from China, Russia, and Argentina, suggesting low levels of global diversity in wAlbA and wAlbB strains. Furthermore, our results indicated a significant association between temperature and the prevalence of single infections (P = 6.498E-07), with higher temperatures correlating with an increased likelihood of single infections. Although male-bias showed a tendency towards single infections, the effect was marginally non-significant (P = 0.053). These results were confirmed using a bootstrap-with-replacement analysis approach. Overall, our findings offer novel insights into the distribution and species diversity of Wolbachia strains in Greek Ae. albopictus populations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the short-term plastic and adaptive responses of these organisms to environmental stressors and rapid climate change.

Listerias of the phylogenetic lineage II (PLII) are common in the European environment, and are hypovirulent. Despite this, they caused more than a third of sporadic cases of listeriosis, and multi-country foodborne outbreaks. L. monocytogenes ST37 is one of them. During the COVID-19 pandemic ST37 appeared in the clinical cases and ranked second in occurrence among food isolates in the Moscow region. The aim of this study was to describe the genomic features of ST37 isolates from different sources. All clinical cases of ST37 were in the cohort of male patients (age, 48-81 years) with meningitis-septicemia manifestation, and COVID-19 or Influenza in the anamnesis. The core genomes of the fish isolates were closely related. The clinical and meat isolates revealed a large diversity. Prophages (2-4/genome) were the source of the unique genes. Two clinical isolates displayed the pseudolysogeny, and excided prophages were A006-like. Absence of the plasmids, the assortment of virulence factors and resistance determinants in chromosome corresponded to the hypovirulent characteristics. However, all clinical isolates caused severe disease with deaths in four cases. Thus, these studies allow us to speculate that a previous viral infection increases a human susceptibility to listeriosis.

Studies of Phytophthora impacts in forests generally focus on individual species without recogni-tion that Phytophthora occur in multispecies communities. We investigated community structure of Phytophthora species in the rhizosphere of Agathis australis (kauri) in Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa / Waitākere Ranges, New Zealand, in the context of kauri dieback disease expression. Soil sampling and tree health monitoring was conducted on 767 randomly selected mature kauri trees. Phy-tophthora species were detected using both soil baiting and DNA metabarcoding of eDNA. Four species were detected with soil baiting (P. agathidicida, P. cinnamomi, P. multivora, and P. pseudo-cryptogea) and an additional three species with metabarcoding (P. kernoviae, P. cactorum/P. aleatoria and an unknown clade 7 species). Phytophthora cinnamomi was the most abundant species and was distributed throughout the forest. Both P. multivora and P. agathidicida were limited to forest edges, suggesting more recent arrivals. P. agathidicida presence was strongly correlated with declining canopy health, confirming its role as the main river of kauri dieback. The limited distribution of P. agathidicida and infrequent detections (11.0% samples) suggests that that this species is spreading as an introduced invasive pathogen and provide hope that with strategic management uninfected areas of the forest can be protected. The frequent detections of P.cinnamomi and P. multivora, from symptomatic trees in the absence of P. agathidicida suggest more research is needed to understand their roles in kauri forest health.

Since 2020 COVID-19 has caused serious mortality around the world. Given the ambiguity in es-tablishing COVID-19 as the direct cause of death we first investigate the effects of age and sex upon all-cause mortality during 2020 and 2021 in England and Wales. Since infectious agents have their own unique age profile for death, we explore several methods to adjust single year of age deaths in England and Wales during 2019 (the pre-COVID-19 base year) to a pathogen-neutral single year of age baseline. This adjusted base year is then used to confirm the widely reported higher deaths in males for most ages above 43 years in both 2020 and 2021. During 2020 (+ COVID-19 but no vac-cination) both male and female population-adjusted deaths were significantly increased above age 35. A significant reduction in all-cause mortality among both males and females aged 75+ could be demonstrated in 2021 during widespread COVID–19 vaccination, however, below age 75 deaths progressively increased. This finding arises from a mix of vaccination and year of age profiles of deaths for the different SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, specific effects for age around puberty were demonstrated where females had higher deaths rather than males. There is evidence that year-of-birth cohorts may also be involved, indicating that immune priming to specific pathogen outbreaks in the past may lead to lower deaths for some birth cohorts. To specifically identify the age profile for the COVID-19 variants in 2020 to 2023, we employ the proportion of total deaths at each age which are potentially due to or ‘with’ COVID-19. The original Wuhan strain, and the Alpha variant show somewhat limited divergence in the age profile with the Alpha variant shifted to a moderately higher proportion of deaths below age 84. The Delta variant specifically targeted persons below age 65. The Omicron variants showed significantly lower proportion of overall mortality, with markedly higher relative proportion of deaths above age 65 steeply increasing with age to a maximum around 100 years of age. A similar age profile for the variants can be seen in the age-banded deaths in US states – although slightly obscured by using age bands rather than single year of age. However, the US data shows that higher male deaths are greatly dependent on age and the COVID-variant. Deaths determined as ‘due to’ COVID-19 (as opposed to ‘involving’ COVID-19) in England and Wales were especially over-estimated in 2021 relative to the change in all-cause mortality. This arose as a by-product of an increase in COVID-19 testing capacity in late 2020. Potential structure-function mechanisms for the year of age specificity of SARS-CoV-2 var-iants are discussed. The question is posed as to whether vaccines based on different variants carry the specific age profile through into the vaccine.

All vaccines exhibit both specific and non-specific effects. The specific effects are measured by the efficacy against the target pathogen, while the non-specific effects can be detected by the change in all-cause mortality . All-cause mortality data (gender, age band, vaccination history, month of death) between January 2021 and May 2022 was compiled by the Office for National Statistics. COVID–19 vaccination gave good protection on many occasions but less so for younger ages. Each gender and age group shows its own unique vaccination benefit/disbenefit time profile. Individuals are free to make vaccination decisions. For example, women aged 18-39 show a cohort who do not progress beyond the first or second dose. The all-cause mortality outcomes for the Omicron variant showed a very poor response to vaccination with 70% of sex/age/vaccination stage/month combinations increasing all-cause mortality, probably due to unfavorable antigenic distance between the first-generation vaccines and this variant, and additional non-specific effects. The all-cause mortality outcomes of COVID–19 vaccination is far more nuanced than have been widely appreciated, and virus vector appear better than the mRNA vaccines in this specific respect. The latter are seemingly more likely to increase all-cause mortality especially in younger age groups. An extensive discussion/literature review is included to provide potential explanations for the observed unexpected vaccine effects.

The aim of this work was to test polyamines as potential natural substrates of the Acinetobacter baumannii chlorhexidine efflux protein AceI using near-UV synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) spectroscopy. The Gram-negative bacterium A. Baumannii is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections and an important foodborne pathogen. A. Baumannii strains are becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobial agents, including the synthetic antiseptic chlorhexidine. AceI was the founding member of the recently recognised PACE family of bacterial multidrug efflux proteins. Using the plasmid construct pTTQ18-aceI(His₆) containing the A. Baumannii aceI gene directly upstream from a His₆-tag coding sequence, expression of AceI(His₆) was amplified in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells. Near-UV (250-340 nm) SRCD measurements were performed on detergent-solubilised and purified AceI(His₆) at 20 °C. Sample and SRCD experimental conditions were identified that detected binding of the triamine spermidine to AceI(His₆). In a titration with spermidine (0-10 mM) this binding was saturable and fitting of the curve for the change in signal intensity produced an apparent binding affinity (K_D) of 3.97 +/- 0.45 mM. These SRCD results were the first experimental evidence obtained for polyamines as natural substrates of PACE proteins.

Cetacean Morbillivirus, the most relevant pathogen impacting the health and conservation of cetaceans worldwide, has shown in recent years an increased tendency to cross “interspecies barriers”, thereby giving rise to disease and mortality outbreaks in free-ranging dolphins and whales. The present article deals with the evolutionary “trajectories” of this viral pathogen, likely originating from Rinderpest Virus, along with its “journey” from land to sea (and viceversa), mimicking that of cetaceans' terrestrial ancestors.

In vineyards, Botryosphaeria dieback (BD) occurs in young and old plants. In the field, the prevalence and severity of the disease increase proportionally with the age of the vineyards. Among the pathogens that cause (BD), Diplodia seriata is the most prevalent species in Chile and other countries with a Mediterranean climate. To date, no information is available on the sus-ceptibility of adult wood to infection by this pathogen since most of the pathogenicity tests have been carried out on 1- or 2-year-old shoots or detached canes. Therefore, a pathogenicity test was carried out on plants under field conditions, with inoculations in plants, on one-year-old shoots, and 2- and 10-year-old wood in grapevine cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. A pathogenicity test was carried out with two isolates of D. seriata selected in an assay in detached canes that were 2-year-old. The results on plants showed that D. seriata was significantly more aggressive on 10-year-old than on one- or two-year-old tissue. These results were compared with the lesions ob-tained from two-year-old canes. The results of this work are consistent with the damage ob-served in the field, highlight the importance of identifying each pathogenic species that causes (BD) and contribute to the knowledge of the epidemiology of this disease in Mediterranean cli-mates.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the causative agent of human tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most successfully adapted-human pathogens. Human-to-human transmission occurs at high rates through aerosols containing bacteria, but the pathogen evolved prior to the establishment of crowded populations. Mtb has developed a particular strategy to ensure persistence in the host until an opportunity for transmission arise. It has refined its lifestyle to obviate the need for virulence factors such as capsules, flagella, pilli, or toxins to circumvent mucosal barriers. Instead, the pathogen uses host macrophages, where it establishes intracellular niches, for its migration into the lung parenchyma and other tissues and for the induction of long-lived latency in granulomas. Finally, at the end of the infection cycle Mtb induces necrotic cell death of macrophages to escape to extracellular milieu and instructs a strong inflammatory response required for progression from latency to disease and transmission. Common to all these events is ESAT-6, one of the major virulence factors secreted by the pathogen. This review highlights the recent advances in understanding the role of ESAT-6 in hijacking macrophage function to establish a successful infection and transmission and its use as a target for the development of diagnostic tools, and vaccines.

Anthracnose stands as the primary obstacle to lupin cultivation, impeding development despite the considerable agronomic, ecological, and economic potential of such legume crops. This review explores recent efforts to unravel the complexities of anthracnose in domesticated lupins, focusing on both the plant perspective and the causative pathogenic agent, Colletotrichum lupini. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies has yielded crucial insights into various facets of this devastating disease, encompassing plant and pathogen biology, genetic and molecular regulations of the interaction, fungal diversity and population dynamics, and screening of plant genetic resources for anthracnose resistance. The lack of effective disease control measures, relying primarily on the use of disease-free seeds, highlights the need to develop anthracnose-resistant varieties. However, challenges arise from the intricacy of lupin's response to the disease, influenced by polygenic inheritance, in spite of loci with major effects, and environmental factors. The slow pace of genetic improvement underscores the need for more efficient breeding processes, including biotechnological approaches. This review offers a comprehensive overview of current progress and knowledge gaps, stressing the urgent need to further enhance understanding of C. lupini pathogenic mechanisms and lupin‘s resistance. Integrating advanced technologies and accelerated research efforts is paramount for achieving efficient disease management and sustainable lupin cultivation in the face of anthracnose challenges.

Pathogen-host interaction (virus-host, bacteria-host and fungi-host) is analyzed from the perspective of biothermodynamics. A mechanistic model of pathogen-host interactions, which was earlier applied to virus-host interactions, was applied for the first time to bacteria-host and fungi-host interactions. Through a mechanistic model suggested in this research, it is possible to explain the phenomenon of tropism of microorganisms to develop infections in certain tissues. Gibbs energy of biosynthesis represents the driving force for growth of bacteria inside host organisms. A growing bacterial colony represents a thermodynamic system, while the host organism is its surroundings. The permissiveness coefficient determines the possibility of growth of bacteria in an appropriate environment (tissue).

Biosensors are measurement devices that can sense several biomolecules, and are widely used for the detection of relevant clinical pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, showing outstanding results. Because of the latent existing risk of facing another pandemic like the one we are living due to COVID-19, researchers are constantly looking forward to developing new technologies for diagnosis and treatment of infections caused by different bacteria and viruses. Regarding that, nanotechnology has improved biosensors design and performance through the development of materials and nanoparticles that enhance their affinity, selectivity, and efficacy in detecting these pathogens, such as employing nanoparticles, graphene quantum dots, and electrospun nanofibers. Therefore, this work aims to present a comprehensive review that exposes how biosensors work in terms of bacterial and viral detection, and the nanotechnological features that are contributing to achieving a faster yet still efficient COVID-19 diagnosis at the point-of-care.

All vaccines exhibit specific and nonspecific effects. Specific effects are shown by the efficacy against the target pathogen, while nonspecific effects can be detected by the change in all-cause mortality. The real-world non-COVID-19 all-cause mortality (NCACM) data for the population of England between January 2021 and May 2023 was assessed. All vaccines administered were based on the original Wuhan antigen. Each gender and age group, along with COVID-19 variant shows its own unique NCACM vaccination benefit/disbenefit time profile. The efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination against COVID-19 disease/death per se is undisputed, however, the nonspecific outcomes of COVID–19 vaccination is far more nuanced than have been widely appreciated. This confirms an earlier study on the unanticipated nonspecific effects of influenza vaccination against all-cause winter mortality. Interestingly, a high proportion of NCACM beneficial effects occurred during the first 21 days following COVID-19 vaccination, while the worst example of increased NCACM occurred during the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccination in 19–40-year-olds for the interval >21 days post vaccination which led to NCACM 3- to 10-times higher than in the unvaccinated. By the time of the Omicron variant, NCACM outcomes in those aged 90+ are mostly adverse. The beneficial nonspecific effects of COVID-19 vaccination increase with age and reach their maximum effect during the second week post vaccination for age groups below 50 years, rising to during the third week for those aged 70+. Finally, we discuss the mechanisms by which COVID-19 vaccination could induce wider nonspecific effects. Most of these mechanisms seem to depend on gene regulation by noncoding RNAs which also interact with mRNAs. We suggest that further international studies are required to discern the nonspecific NCACM effects of the different COVID-19 variants other than the three variants prevalent in the UK, and different types/manufacturer of COVID-19 vaccines which have been employed around the world. We can only speculate regarding the nonspecific effects of the COVID-19 vaccines administered to persons with an asymptomatic infection, and during vaccine waning. Vaccines not only need to be effective against the target pathogen, as primarily determined by antibody production, but need to minimize any unanticipated adverse nonspecific effects against all-cause mortality.

Hydroponic farming systems play an increasingly important role in the sustainable production of nutrient-rich foods. The contamination of surfaces in hydroponic fresh produce production poses risks to the food safety of crops, potentially endangering public health and causing economic losses in the industry. While sanitizers are widely used in commercial hydroponic farms, their effectiveness against human pathogens on surfaces, and their impact on plant health and quality are not known. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of chemical sanitizers in eliminating Salmonella Typhimurium from inanimate surfaces in commercial hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems. Further, we assessed the impact of sanitizers on the yield, quality, and nutritional value of lettuce and basil. Sanitizers (Virkon, LanXess; Sanitate 12.0, Bi-oSafe Systems; Kleen Grow, Pace Chemical Ltd.; Green Shield, United Labs Inc.; Zerotol, BioSafe Systems; Bleach, Pure Bright), were tested against Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated on NFT surfaces (nutrient reservoirs, growing channels, top covers, drain lines). The effective treatments were then tested for their impact on lettuce and basil in a split-plot experiment conducted in commercial NFT units. Crop yield, color, and nutrient content were measured throughout the crop life cycle. While all quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC), SaniDate 12.0 (200ppm), Zorotol (5%), and Virkon (1%) eliminated Salmonella Typhimurium from commercial NFT surfaces, chlorine-based sanitizer treatments were statistically similar to water treatments on most surfaces. All chemical sanitizers impacted the yield, color, and nutritional value of lettuce and basil. SaniDate 12.0 (200ppm) was the least detrimental to crops and was identified as a potential candidate for further validation in commercial hydroponic settings. The findings of this study will be translated into recommendations for the industry and will contribute to the development of future food safety guidelines and policies.

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is a highly contagious bacteria that can cause significant harm in commercial poultry populations while not prevented. Rapid detection of its presence in a flock is crucial from the perspective of animals' health and economic income. Authors propose spectral measurements strongly backed up by the AI data processing algorithms for classifying egg origin: from healthy hens or MS-infected ones. The newest obtained classification factors are F-scores for white eggshells 99% and for brown eggshells 99%—all data used for classification were taken by the portable multispectral fibre-optics reflectometer.