There is growing evidence that kefir can be a promising tool in decreasing the risk of many diseases, including metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of kefir supplementation in the diet of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) in which MetS was induced with monosodium glutamate (MSG), and to determine its effect on metabolic parameters, inflammatory and oxidation marker expression and glycemic index control. Thirty animals were used in this experiment. For the induction of MetS, twenty two-day-old male SHR received five consecutive intradermal injections of MSG. For the Negative Control, ten newborn male SHR received intradermal injections of saline solution (0.9% saline solution). After weaning, animals received standard diet and water ad libitum until reaching 3 months old, for the development of MetS. They were then divided into three groups (n = 10): negative control (NC, 1 mL saline solution per day), positive control (PC, 1 mL saline solution per day) and the Kefir group (1 mL kefir per day). Feeding was carried out by gavage for 10 weeks and the animals received standard food and water ad libitum. Obesity, insulin resistance, pro- and anti-inflammatory markers, and the histology of pancreatic and adipose tissues were among the main variables evaluated. Compared to the PC group, kefir supplementation reduced plasma triglycerides, liver lipids, liver triglycerides, insulin resistance, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, thoracic circumference, abdominal circumference, products of lipid oxidation, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-1β) and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-10). The present findings indicate that kefir has the potential to benefit the management of MetS.

Kefir is a traditional fermented milk associated with several health benefits, such as immune system modulation, as well as antimicrobial, antitumor and antioxidant activity. The aim of the current study was to investigate the microbial dynamics of kefir production based on high-throughput DNA sequencing. Results of sequence analysis have grouped the reads into 303 and 112 amplicon sequence variants (ASV) for bacteria and fungi, respectively. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were the prevalent bacterial phyla, whereas Lactococcus was the prevalent bacterial genus. Ascomycota was the main fungal phylum. Data have shown heterogeneity in diversity and abundance distributions between milk kefir samples.

Introduction: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by the depletion of Lactobacillus spp. population and increase of other species, especially Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. This study aimed to investigate the vaginal microbiota structure of Brazilian women with and without BV according to Nugent Score and to assess the correlation among Nugent score and the quantification of BV-associated bacteria. Methodology: Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) assay was employed to characterize the vaginal microbiota structure. Quantification of Lactobacillus spp., G. vaginalis, A. vaginae, Mobiluncus sp. and M. hominis were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Clustering by PCR-DGGE revealed differences in microbial structure of the different patient groups. Gardnerella vaginalis, A. vaginae, M. hominis and Mobiluncus sp. were detected at high loads in BV-associated microbiota. Quantification of Lactobacillus spp. showed an inverse correlation with Nugent score while the loads of G. vaginalis, A. vaginae, M. hominis and Mobiluncus sp. indicated a direct correlation with this method. Conclusions: Despite Nugent score is considered the gold standard for BV diagnosis, qPCR stands out as a useful tool for bacteria quantification and an alternative for BV diagnosis. Vaginal microbiota is a complex microbial community although there is a common core among BV and non-BV women. Investigation of vaginal microbiota structure may contribute to the development of tools for diagnosis improvement and therapeutic regimen optimization.

Street foods play important socioeconomic and cultural roles and are popular worldwide. In addition to providing convenient and low-cost meals for urban populations, street food offers an essential source of income for vendors, especially women, and it can reflect traditional local culture, which is an important attraction for tourists. Despite these benefits, the microbiological safety of street food has become a worldwide concern because it is often prepared and sold under inadequate safety conditions, without legal control and sanitary surveillance. Consequently, high counts of fecal indicator bacteria and several foodborne pathogens have been detected in street foods. This review provides insight into the microbiology of street food, focus on the associated microbiological safety aspects and main pathogens, and the global status of this important economic activity. Furthermore, the need to apply molecular detection rather than traditional culture-based methods is discussed to better understand the actual risks of microbial infection associated with street foods. Recognition is always the first step toward addressing a problem.

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa é um importante agente de infecção relacionada à assistência à saúde (IRAS), sendo frequentemente relacionada a infecções crônicas e a elevadas taxas de mortalidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar aspectos microbiológicos, clínicos e epidemiológicos de IRAS causadas por P. aeruginosa em um hospital universitário na cidade de Uberaba/MG. Foi realizada a análise de prontuários físicos e eletrônicos de pacientes diagnosticados com IRAS por P. aeruginosa, no período de janeiro de 2015 a outubro de 2019. Este estudo encontra-se em conformidade com a legislação vigente e foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (3.176.163). Foram analisados 100 prontuários, não havendo diferenças significativas entre sexo ou idades. No setor de Clínica Médica foi identificado o maior número de casos de IRAS por P. aeruginosa (18%), seguido por UTI Adulta (16%) e Pronto Socorro Adulto (12%). A frequência de óbitos foi de 47%, havendo variação entre os diferentes setores hospitalares (p<0,0001). As principais infecções foram sepse (46%) e infecção do trato urinário (40%). Diferentes terapias antimicrobianas foram prescritas no período avaliado, sendo as intervenções com imipenem e vancomicina as mais frequentes (n = 46). A coleta de dados epidemiológicos regionais sobre IRAS, que possam fomentar políticas de saúde pública, deve ser incentivada nos diferentes serviços de saúde visando a adequação da implementação de ações de controle de infecções e promoção da saúde.

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