Hasil untuk "Microbiology"

Zhe Hu, Junfei Yu, Mengchen Li et al.

Abstract Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe infections in immunocompromised individuals, including burn patients and those with cystic fibrosis. β-Ketoacyl-ACP synthases play essential roles in bacterial fatty acid metabolism, influencing both cellular function and pathogenicity. Two types of long-chain β-ketoacyl-ACP synthases have been identified: FabB and FabF. This study aims to elucidate the roles of the fabF1 and fabF2 genes in fatty acid biosynthesis and virulence of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Results Complementation assays in Escherichia coli revealed that fabF2 could functionally replace E. coli FabB, whereas FabF1 exhibited FabF-like activity. In P. aeruginosa PAO1, deletion of fabF1 significantly reduced cis-vaccenic acid levels while increasing palmitoleic acid, whereas deletion of fabF2 had no measurable effect. The double mutant exhibited a pronounced reduction in cis-vaccenic acid levels. Virulence assays demonstrated that the ΔfabF1 strain exhibited a 63% decrease in rhamnolipid production, while the ΔfabF2 strain showed a 45% reduction. The double mutant retained only 28% of wild-type rhamnolipid levels. Furthermore, pyoverdine secretion was markedly reduced in the double mutant, and pyocyanin production was impaired. Motility assays indicated diminished swimming, twitching, and swarming abilities in the mutants. Additionally, proper expression levels of fabF2 were required to genetically complement fabF2 deletion in the mutant strain, as both overexpression and insufficient expression failed to restore the mutant phenotype effectively. Conclusions These findings highlight the critical roles of fabF1 and fabF2 in fatty acid biosynthesis, virulence factor production, and motility in P. aeruginosa. This study provides new insights into the functional divergence of FabF homologs and identifies potential targets for antimicrobial development.

Yoshiki Narimatsu, Cayetano Pleguezuelos-Manzano, Daniel Hornikx et al.

Degradation of mucins at the host–microbial mucus interphase involves glycosidases that release monosaccharides from O-glycans and mucinases that cleave the mucin protein backbone. Mucinases recognize and cleave peptide bonds at specific sequence motifs with varying O-glycan structures required and/or permissible. Mucinases that digest mucins with intact O-glycans can potentially destroy the protective mucus, while mucinases that only digest mucins with partially degraded O-glycans may serve at a later stage of nutrient sourcing from mucins. Here, we discovered nine CBM-bearing M60-like mucinases across gut commensals and opportunists, including a conserved Bacteroides fragilis mucinase denoted HC11. We also investigated the previously described Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron mucinase BT4244, which together delineates two functional classes with distinct preferences: BT4244 for bis-Tn (GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) and HC11 for bis-T (Galβ1-3GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) O-glycans. Both mucinases harbor carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM32) that bind their cognate O-glycan motifs and are required – together with the catalytic domains – for efficient cleavage of extended mucin domains, which is consistent with cooperative engagement, but are not required for the cleavage of short glycopeptides. We show B. fragilis strains secrete HC11 and degrade mucins only after the removal of sialic acids. Together, these findings expand the mucinase repertoire by nine enzymes spanning commensals and opportunists, demonstrate that CBM32 domains are essential for efficient cleavage of extended mucin substrates likely by promoting multivalent engagement and substrate positioning, and nominateidentify CBM–catalytic cooperation as a mechanism and intervention point for controlling mucus turnover and barrier integrity.

Paula Momo Cabrera, Nicholas A. Bokulich, Petra Zimmermann

ABSTRACT The gut microbiome is crucial for host health. Early childhood is a critical period for the development of a healthy gut microbiome, but it is particularly sensitive to external influences. Recent research has focused on using advanced techniques like shotgun metagenome sequencing to identify key microbial signatures and disruptions linked to disease. For accurate microbiome analysis, samples need to be collected and stored under specific conditions to preserve microbial integrity and composition, with −80°C storage considered the gold standard for stabilization. This study investigates the effect of domestic freezer storage on the microbial composition of stool samples obtained from 20 children under 4 years of age with the use of shotgun metagenome sequencing. Fresh stool samples were aliquoted into sterile tubes, with one aliquot stored at 4°C and analyzed within 24 hours, while others were frozen in domestic freezers (below −18°C) and analyzed after 1 week, 2 months, and 6 months. Assessments of contig assembly quality, microbial diversity, and antimicrobial resistance genes revealed no significant degradation or variation in microbial composition.IMPORTANCEMost prior studies on sample storage have relied on amplicon sequencing, which is less applicable to metagenome sequencing—given considerations of contig quality and functional gene detection—and less reliable in representing microbial composition. Moreover, the effects of domestic freezer storage for at-home stool collection on microbiome profiles, contig quality, and antimicrobial resistance gene profiles have not been previously investigated. Our findings suggest that stool samples stored in domestic freezers for up to 6 months maintain the integrity of metagenomic data. These findings indicate that domestic freezer storage does not compromise the integrity or reproducibility of metagenomic data, offering a reliable and accessible alternative for temporary sample storage. This approach enhances the feasibility of large-scale at-home stool collection and citizen science projects, even those focused on the more easily perturbed early life microbiome. This advancement enables more inclusive research into the gut microbiome, enhancing our understanding of its role in human health.

Vladimir Novitsky, Curt G. Beckwith, Kristin Carpenter-Azevedo et al.

Background: The extent of the SARS-CoV-2 short-term evolution under Remdesivir (RDV) exposure and whether it varies across different upper respiratory compartments are not fully understood. Methods: Patients hospitalized for COVID-19, with or without RDV therapy, were enrolled and completed up to three visits, in which they provided specimens from four respiratory compartments. Near full-length genome SARS-CoV-2 sequences were obtained from viral RNA, standard lineage and variant assignments were performed, and viral mutations in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) region—the RDV target gene—were detected and compared between participants with and without RDV, across the four compartments, within participants across visits, and versus a larger sequence dataset. The statistical analysis used a generalized linear mixed-effects model. Results: A total of 139 sequences were obtained from 37 out of the 44 (84%) enrolled participants. The genotyping success varied across respiratory compartments, which ranged from 42% with oropharyngeal specimens to 67% with nasopharyngeal specimens and showed improvement with higher viral loads. No RdRp mutations known to be associated with RDV resistance were identified, and for 34 detected mutations at 32 amino acid positions that are not known as RDV-associated, there was no evidence of any associations with the RDV exposure, respiratory compartment, or time. At least 1 of these 34 mutations were detected in all participants, and some differed from the larger sequence dataset. Conclusions: This study highlighted the SARS-CoV-2 short-term genomic stability within hosts and across upper respiratory compartments, which suggests a lack of evolution of RDV resistance over time. This contributes to our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 genomic dynamics.

Zhengzhong Luo, Zhenlong Du, Yixin Huang et al.

ABSTRACTMetabolic maladaptation in dairy cows after calving can lead to long-term elevation of ketones, such as β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), representing the condition known as hyperketonemia, which greatly influences the health and production performance of cows during the lactation period. Although the gut microbiota is known to alter in dairy cows with hyperketonemia, the association of microbial metabolites with development of hyperketonemia remains unknown. In this study, we performed a multi-omics analysis to investigate the associations between fecal microbial community, fecal/plasma metabolites, and serum markers in hyperketonemic dairy cows during the transition period. Dynamic changes in the abundance of the phyla Verrucomicrobiota and Proteobacteria were detected in the gut microbiota of dairy cows, representing an adaptation to enhanced lipolysis and abnormal glucose metabolism after calving. Random forest and univariate analyses indicated that Frisingicoccus is a key bacterial genus in the gut of cows during the development of hyperketonemia, and its abundance was positively correlated with circulating branched-chain amino acid levels and the ketogenesis pathway. Taurodeoxycholic acid, belonging to the microbial metabolite, was strongly correlated with an increase in blood BHB level, and the levels of other secondary bile acid in the feces and plasma were altered in dairy cows prior to the diagnosis of hyperketonemia, which link the gut microbiota and hyperketonemia. Our results suggest that alterations in the gut microbiota and its metabolites contribute to excessive lipolysis and insulin insensitivity during the development of hyperketonemia, providing fundamental knowledge about manipulation of gut microbiome to improve metabolic adaptability in transition dairy cows.IMPORTANCEAccumulating evidence is pointing to an important association between gut microbiota-derived metabolites and metabolic disorders in humans and animals; however, this association in dairy cows from late gestation to early lactation is poorly understood. To address this gap, we integrated longitudinal gut microbial (feces) and metabolic (feces and plasma) profiles to characterize the phenotypic differences between healthy and hyperketonemic dairy cows from late gestation to early lactation. Our results demonstrate that cows underwent excessive lipid mobilization and insulin insensitivity before hyperketonemia was evident. The bile acids are functional readouts that link gut microbiota and host phenotypes in the development of hyperketonemia. Thus, this work provides new insight into the mechanisms involved in metabolic adaptation during the transition period to adjust to the high energy and metabolic demands after calving and during lactation, which can offer new strategies for livestock management involving intervention of the gut microbiome to facilitate metabolic adaptation.

Shilpi Gupta1, Ekadashi Rajni1*, Afreen Ali1 et al.

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has a high prevalence in hospital settings in India and imposes a serious economic burden on healthcare resources. Understanding the local prevalence and evolving antimicrobial resistance patterns of MRSA is crucial for guiding effective treatment strategies. This study aims to determine the prevalence, clinico-demographic profile, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) isolates. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected between June 2021 and May 2023 from blood, pus, sterile body fluids, respiratory, and urine samples at the Microbiology laboratory of Mahatma Gandhi Hospital. Isolates were identified as S. aureus and tested for methicillin resistance using the Vitek 2 Compact system, which employs an advanced colorimetry method for identification and determines the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using a broth microdilution method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Of the 481 Staphylococcus aureus isolates analyzed, 264 (55%) were identified as MRSA. Among the MRSA isolates, the most common source was pus/wound infections (59%), followed by bloodstream infections (22%). MRSA isolates showed a susceptibility rate of 56% to gentamicin and 45% to clindamycin, but only 14% to ciprofloxacin. However, 55% of MSSA isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. All MRSA isolates were susceptible to daptomycin, teicoplanin, vancomycin, and linezolid. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the need for continuous MRSA surveillance and emphasize tailoring local antibiotic guidelines based on resistance patterns. Targeted antimicrobial stewardship programs and reinforced infection control protocols, especially for pus/wound infections, are crucial to curb the spread of resistant strains.

Olufunke Olufunmilola Olorundare, Nikita Zrelovs, Dennis Kabantiyok et al.

<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a bacteria responsible for many hospital-acquired infections. Phages are promising alternatives for treating <i>P. aeruginosa</i> infections, which are often intrinsically resistant. The combination of phage and antibiotics in clearing bacterial infection holds promise due to increasing reports of enhanced effectiveness when both are used together. The aim of the study is to isolate and characterize a novel <i>P. aeruginosa</i> phage and determine its effectiveness in in vitro combination with antibiotics in controlling <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. In this study, a novel jumbo myophage HPP-Temi infecting <i>P. aeruginosa</i> Pa9 (PP334386) was isolated from household sewage. Electron micrographs of the phage were obtained to determine the morphological features of HPP-Temi virions. Complete genome analysis and a combination of Pseudomonas phage HPP-Temi with antibiotics were examined. The phage HPP-Temi was able to productively infect <i>P. aeruginosa</i> ATCC 9027 but was unable to infect a closely related genus. The phage was stable at 4–37 °C, 0.5% NaCl, and pH 8 for at least one hour. The HPP-Temi genome is a 302,719-bp-long dsDNA molecule with a GC content of 46.46%. The genome was predicted to have 436 ORFs and 7 tRNA genes. No virulence factor-related genes, antimicrobial resistance, or temperate lifestyle-associated genes were found in the phage HPP-Temi genome. Phage HPP-Temi is most closely related to the known or tentative representatives of the <i>Pawinskivirus</i> genus and can be proposed as a representative for the creation of a novel phage species in that genus. The phage and antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin) combination at varying phage titers (10³, 10⁶, 10⁹) were used against <i>P. aeruginosa</i> Pa9 (PP334386) at 3.0 × 10⁸ CFU/mL, which was carried out in triplicate. The result showed that combining antibiotics with phage significantly reduced the bacteria count at 10³ and 10⁶ titers, while no growth was observed at 10⁹ PFU/mL. This suggests that the effect of phage HPP-Temi in combination with antibiotics is a potential and promising agent for the control of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> infections.

Sébastien Goudot, Sébastien Goudot, Laurence Mathieu et al.

In industrial water systems, the occurrence of biofilm-associated pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) such as Naegleria fowleri is a potential hygienic problem, and factors associated with its occurrence remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of four cooling circuit materials on the growth of N. fowleri in a freshwater biofilm formed at 42°C and under a hydrodynamic shear rate of 17 s−1 (laminar flow): polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, brass, and titanium. Colonization of the freshwater biofilms by N. fowleri was found to be effective on polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, and titanium. For these three materials, the ratio of (bacterial prey)/(amoeba) was found to control the growth of N. fowleri. All materials taken together, a maximum specific growth rate of 0.18 ± 0.07 h−1 was associated with a generation time of ~4 h. In contrast, no significant colonization of N. fowleri was found on brass. Therefore, the contribution of copper is strongly suspected.

Renata C. Ferreira, Gustavo V. Alves, Marcello Ramon et al.

DNA viruses that produce persistent infections have been proposed as potential causes for the extinction of Neanderthals, and, therefore, the identification of viral genome remnants in Neanderthal sequence reads is an initial step to address this hypothesis. Here, as proof of concept, we searched for viral remnants in sequence reads of Neanderthal genome data by mapping to adenovirus, herpesvirus and papillomavirus, which are double-stranded DNA viruses that may establish lifelong latency and can produce persistent infections. The reconstructed ancient viral genomes of adenovirus, herpesvirus and papillomavirus revealed conserved segments, with nucleotide identity to extant viral genomes and variable regions in coding regions with substantial divergence to extant close relatives. Sequence reads mapped to extant viral genomes showed deamination patterns of ancient DNA, and these ancient viral genomes showed divergence consistent with the age of these samples (≈50,000 years) and viral evolutionary rates (10⁻⁵ to 10⁻⁸ substitutions/site/year). Analysis of random effects showed that the Neanderthal mapping to genomes of extant persistent viruses is above what is expected by random similarities of short reads. Also, negative control with a nonpersistent DNA virus does not yield statistically significant assemblies. This work demonstrates the feasibility of identifying viral genome remnants in archaeological samples with signal-to-noise assessment.

Bassma Mahmoud Elkhairy, Nabil Mohamed Salama, Abdalrahman Mohammad Desouki et al.

Aswin Rafif Khairullah, Shendy Canadya Kurniawan, Abdullah Hasib et al.

An infectious disease known as rabies (family Rhabdoviridae, genus Lyssavirus) causes severe damage to mammals&apos; central nervous systems (CNS). This illness has been around for a very long time. The majority of human cases of rabies take place in underdeveloped regions of Africa and Asia. Following viral transmission, the Rhabdovirus enters the peripheral nervous system and proceeds to the CNS, where it targets the encephalon and produces encephalomyelitis. Postbite prophylaxis requires laboratory confirmation of rabies in both people and animals. All warm-blooded animals can transmit the Lyssavirus infection, while the virus can also develop in the cells of cold-blooded animals. In the 21st century, more than 3 billion people are in danger of contracting the rabies virus in more than 100 different nations, resulting in an annual death toll of 50,000–59,000. There are three important elements in handling rabies disease in post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), namely wound care, administration of anti-rabies serum, and anti-rabies vaccine. Social costs include death, lost productivity as a result of early death, illness as a result of vaccination side effects, and the psychological toll that exposure to these deadly diseases has on people. Humans are most frequently exposed to canine rabies, especially youngsters and the poor, and there are few resources available to treat or prevent exposure, making prevention of human rabies challenging. [Open Vet J 2023; 13(11.000): 1385-1399]

Shunta Takazawa, Tomohiro Kotaki, Satsuki Nakamura et al.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has necessitated the global development of countermeasures since its outbreak. However, current therapeutics and vaccines to stop the pandemic are insufficient and this is mainly because of the emergence of resistant variants, which requires the urgent development of new countermeasures, such as antiviral drugs. Replicons, self-replicating RNAs that do not produce virions, are a promising system for this purpose because they safely recreate viral replication, enabling antiviral screening in biosafety level (BSL)-2 facilities. We herein constructed three pCC2Fos-based RNA replicons lacking some open reading frames (ORF) of SARS-CoV-2: the Δorf2–8, Δorf2.4, and Δorf2 replicons, and validated their replication in Huh-7 cells. The functionalities of the Δorf2–8 and Δorf2.4 replicons for antiviral drug screening were also confirmed. We conducted puromycin selection following the construction of the Δorf2.4-puro replicon by inserting a puromycin-resistant gene into the Δorf2.4 replicon. We observed the more sustained replication of the Δorf2.4-puro replicon by puromycin pressure. The present results will contribute to the establishment of a safe and useful replicon system for analyzing SARS-CoV-2 replication mechanisms as well as the development of novel antiviral drugs in BSL-2 facilities.

M.A. Mary Deva Prasanna, S. Rajakumar, P.M. Ayyasamy

Magnesium (Mg) is an essential macronutrient that can be obtained through mineralization of mine spoils. The leftover mine spoils of magnesite mines still contain a reliable amount of Mg in it. The Mg present in raw magnesite spoils is in its carbonate form and hence it has to be mineralized to convert it into plant available soluble forms of Mg. The effect of B. cereus and B. stercoris in the mineralization of Mg has been studied in synthetic mineral salts medium (MSM). To obtain maximum mineralization results it is important to know the optimal conditions of the organisms under which they can grow and produce more Mg. The mineralizing capability of the individual organisms and their combined effect as a consortium under various concentrations of carbon source, pH, temperature and soil organic matter has been studied. It has been seen that the organisms grow and mineralize better when 1% of glucose has been supplemented as carbon source. The optimal pH and temperature were found to be pH 7 and 35°C, respectively. The addition of anthraquinone-2-sulphonic acid (ADQS) as soil organic matter enhances the mineralization Mg in synthetic medium. Rendering to SEM and EDX analysis, the mineralization of Mg in the synthetic medium was established.

Karl A. Ciuoderis, Michael G. Berg, Lester J. Perez et al.

Arbovirus infections are frequent causes of acute febrile illness (AFI) in tropical countries. We conducted health facility-based AFI surveillance at four sites in Colombia (Cucuta, Cali, Villavicencio, Leticia) during 2019-2022. Demographic, clinical and risk factor data were collected from persons with AFI that consented to participate in the study (n = 2,967). Serologic specimens were obtained and tested for multiple pathogens by RT–PCR and rapid test (Antigen/IgM), with 20.7% identified as dengue positive from combined testing. Oropouche virus (OROV) was initially detected in serum by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and virus target capture in a patient from Cúcuta. Three additional infections from Leticia were confirmed by conventional PCR, sequenced, and isolated in tissue culture. Phylogenetic analysis determined there have been at least two independent OROV introductions into Colombia. To assess OROV spread, a RT-qPCR dual-target assay was developed which identified 87/791 (10.9%) viremic cases in AFI specimens from Cali (3/53), Cucuta (3/19), Villavicencio (38/566), and Leticia (43/153). In parallel, an automated anti-nucleocapsid antibody assay detected IgM in 27/503 (5.4%) and IgG in 92/568 (16.2%) patients screened, for which 24/68 (35.3%) of PCR positives had antibodies. Dengue was found primarily in people aged <18 years and linked to several clinical manifestations (weakness, skin rash and petechiae), whereas Oropouche cases were associated with the location, climate phase, and odynophagia symptom. Our results confirm OROV as an emerging pathogen and recommend increased surveillance to determine its burden as a cause of AFI in Colombia.

Andrea Němcová, Dominika Gonová, Ota Samek et al.

Raman spectroscopy is a universal method designed for the analysis of a wide range of physical, chemical and biological systems or various surfaces. This technique is suitable to monitor various components of cells, tissues or microorganisms. The advantages include very fast non-contact and non-destructive analysis and no or minimal need for sample treatment. The yeasts <i>Metschnikowia</i> can be considered as industrially usable producers of pulcherrimin or single-cell lipids, depending on cultivation conditions and external stress. In the present study, Raman spectroscopy was used as an effective tool to identify both pulcherrimin and lipids in single yeast cells. The analysis of pulcherrimin is very demanding; so far, there is no optimal procedure to analyze or identify this pigment. Based on results, the strong dependence of pulcherrimin production on the ferric ion concentration was found with the highest yield in media containing 0.1 g/L iron. Further, production of lipids in <i>Metschnikowia</i> cells was studied at different temperatures and C:N ratios, using Raman spectroscopy to follow fatty acids composition, under different regimes, by monitoring the iodine number. The results of Raman spectroscopy were comparable with the fatty acid analysis obtained by gas chromatography. This study therefore supported use of Raman spectroscopy for biotechnological applications as a simple tool in the identification and analysis both the pulcherrimin and microbial lipids. This method provides a quick and relatively accurate estimation of targeted metabolites with minimal sample modification and allows to monitor metabolic changes over time of cultivation.

Mahesh Kumar Chaudhary, Indrani Jadhav

Background: Extended spectrum β-lactamases have addressed the serious challenges worldwide as a threat to favorable outcomes of treatment of common infections in community and hospital settings since it is found to be increasing trends of multidrug resistance. The present study was aimed to determine the antibiotic profile of multidrug resistant E.coli and status of ESBLs producing E.coli. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 2 years (September 2017 to April 2019) at microbiology laboratory of Nepal Mediciti Hospital. A total of 16542 samples were processed. Various clinical samples were collected from both inpatients and outpatients aseptically and without contaminating skin commensals. Standard microbiological techniques were used for isolation and identification of pathogens. Extended spectrum beta-lactamases were phenotypically confirmed by combined disc method. Results: Out of 1449 E.coli isolates, 323(22.29%) were found to be MDR E.coli. Isolation rate of ESBL producing E.coli (66.56%) were found to be high among MDR E.coli isolates. Conclusion: There is increasing prevalence of ESBL producing E.coli. It is essential to monitor antibiotic susceptibility pattern and formulate antibiotic policy to prevent the spread of MDR and ESBL producers.                                                                    Keywords: E.coli, Extended spectrum β-lactamase, Multidrug resistant                                                                   

Pier P. Piccaluga, Pier P. Piccaluga, Pier P. Piccaluga et al.

Tumor metabolism has been the object of several studies in the past, leading to the pivotal observation of a consistent shift toward aerobic glycolysis (so-called Warburg effect). More recently, several additional investigations proved that tumor metabolism is profoundly affected during tumorigenesis, including glucose, lipid and amino-acid metabolism. It is noticeable that metabolic reprogramming can represent a suitable therapeutic target in many cancer types. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) was the first virus linked with cancer in humans when Burkitt lymphoma (BL) was described. Besides other well-known effects, it was recently demonstrated that EBV can induce significant modification in cell metabolism, which may lead or contribute to neoplastic transformation of human cells. Similarly, virus-induced tumorigenesis is characterized by relevant metabolic abnormalities directly induced by the oncoviruses. In this article, the authors critically review the most recent literature concerning EBV-induced metabolism alterations in lymphomas.

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HL Codjo, CA Attisounon, CA Dovonou et al.

RESUME : L’objectif était de déterminer la prévalence des cardiopathies rhumatismales dans le Collège d’Enseignement Général (CEG) Okédama de Parakou. Une étude transversale et descriptive a été menée sur deux mois (07 Mai au 05 Juillet 2012). Etaient inclus, tous les élèves présents, ayant accepté de participer à l’étude et dont les parents ont signé le consentement écrit. Le diagnostic de maladie rhumatismale a été posé sur la base des critères de Jones. La cardite rhumatismale a été retenue sur la base des critères échocardiographiques. Au total, 483 élèves ont été inclus. L’âge moyen était de 14,2 ±3,2 ans et la sex-ratio M/F de 0,46. Au terme des investigations, aucun élève n’a présenté de critères majeurs de Jones mais l’accumulation de deux critères mineurs a été retrouvée dans 1,9% des cas. La preuve biologique d’une infection à streptocoque bêta hémolytique du groupe A n’a été faite chez aucun élève. Finalement, aucun cas de cardiopathie rhumatismale n’a été retrouvé dans cet établissement. Une étude à grande échelle est nécessaire pour vérifier ces données.

Behnam Honarvar, Hossein Movahedan, Mojtaba Mahmoodi et al.

Atypical fast-growing Mycobacterium species are usually identified after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, cosmetic surgeries, and catheter-related, pulmonary or soft tissue infections. We herein present the case of a 56-year-old man with purulent discharge, redness, and foreign body sensation in his left eye. He underwent two surgeries that partially controlled the infection but were not curative. Corneal transplantation was performed, and a biopsy of the excised cornea indicated Mycobacterium aurum infection, which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. This appears to be the first documented case of keratitis attributable to the non-tuberculous mycobateria M. aurum. The intractable extra-ocular progression of the disease in the absence of general signs or symptoms was notable. We suggest considering non-tuberculous mycobacteria among the probable causes of complicated keratitis or keratitis that does not respond to drug treatment, especially in regions where tuberculosis is endemic. Keywords: Mycobacteria, atypical, Keratitis, Corneal transplantation