Based on screening for potential beneficial lactic acid bacteria from Coalho cheese produced in the North-East region of Brazil, eight strains belonging to Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum were selected. All investigated strains presented low levels of hydrophobicity. Different levels of coaggregation were Dairy Sci. & Technol. (2015) 95:209-230 DOI 10.1007 observed for tested Lb. rhamnosus and Lb. plantarum with Listeria monocytogenes. All strains were able to grow in presence of 0.5% of the sodium salts of taurocholic acid (TC), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDC), and glycocholic acid (GC) and showed the ability to deconjugate only TC, TDC, and GC. Investigated Lb. rhamnosus and Lb. plantarum strains showed good survival when exposed to the conditions simulating the GIT conditions. Lb. rhamnosus and Lb. plantarum strains were tested for presence of virulence, antibiotic resistance, and biogenic amine production genes. In addition, minimum inhibititory concentration (MIC) of selected antibiotics was determined. Production of antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins) was investigated. However, only Lb. rhamnosus EM253 produced bacteriocin at level 800 arbitrary unit (AU) mL −1 against L. monocytogenes 211. The bacteriocin remained stable at pH from 2.0 to 10.0 and after exposure at 100°C for 120 min and in presence of surfactants and salts. Studied Lb. rhamnosus and Lb. plantarum strains showed good potential to be applied as a functional coculture/s with beneficial properties in the production of Coalho cheese.

Introduction:The prevalence of cephalosporins and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains is rising in Brazil, with potential serious consequences in terms of patients' outcomes and general care. Methods: This study characterized 24 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae from two hospitals in Recife, Brazil, through the antimicrobial susceptibility profile, analyses of β-lactamase genes (bla TEM, bla SHV, bla CTX-M , bla KPC , bla VIM , bla IMP, and bla SPM ), plasmidial profile and ERIC-PCR (Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction). Results: ERIC-PCR and plasmidial analysis grouped the isolates in 17 and 19 patterns, respectively. Six isolates from one hospital presented the same pattern by ERIC-PCR, indicating clonal dissemination. All isolates presented bla SHV , 62.5% presented bla CTX-M-2 , 29% bla TEM , and 41.7% bla KPC . Metallo-β-lactamase genes bla VIM , bla IMP, and bla SPM were not detected. Eleven isolates were identified carrying at least 3 β-lactamase studied genes, and 2 isolates carried bla SHV, bla TEM , bla CTX-M-2 , and bla KPC simultaneously. Conclusions: The accumulation of resistance genes in some strains, observed in this study, imposes limitations in the therapeutic options available for the treatment of infections caused by K. pneumoniae in Recife, Brazil. These results should alert the Brazilian medical authorities to establish rigorous methods for more efficiently control the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes in the hospital environment.

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Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae complex are the two species of this genus most involved in healthcare-associated infections that are ESBL and carbapenemase producers. This study characterized, phenotypically and genotypically, 51 isolates of E. aerogenes and E. cloacae complex originating from infection or colonization in patients admitted to a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, by antimicrobial susceptibility profile, analysis of β-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP and blaSPM), PCR and DNA sequencing, plasmid profile and ERIC-PCR. In both species, the genes blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaKPC were detected. The DNA sequencing confirmed the variants blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-15 and blaKPC-2 in isolates. More than one gene conferring resistance in the isolates, including the detection of the three previously cited genes in strains isolated from infection sites, was observed. The detection of blaCTX-M was more frequent in isolates from infection sites than from colonization. The gene blaKPC predominated in E. cloacae complex isolates obtained from infections; however, in E. aerogenes isolates, it predominated in samples obtained from colonization. A clonal relationship among all of E. aerogenes isolates was detected by ERIC-PCR. The majority of E. cloacae complex isolates presented the same ERIC-PCR pattern. Despite the clonal relation presented by the isolates using ERIC-PCR, different plasmid and resistance profiles and several resistance genes were observed. The clonal dissemination and the accumulation of β-lactam resistance determinants presented by the isolates demonstrated the ability of E. aerogenes and E. cloacae complex, obtained from colonization and infection, to acquire and maintain different resistance genes.

COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a collective scientific effort to study its viral causing agent SARS-CoV-2. Research is focusing in particular on its infection mechanisms and on the associated-disease symptoms. Interestingly, this environmental pathogen directly affects the human chemosensory systems leading to anosmia and ageusia. Evidence for the presence of the cellular entry sites of the virus, the ACE2/TMPRSS2 proteins, has been reported in non-chemosensory cells in the rodent’s nose and mouth, missing a direct correlation between the symptoms reported in patients and the observed direct viral infection in human sensory cells. Here, mapping the gene and protein expression of ACE2/TMPRSS2 in the mouse olfactory and gustatory cells, we precisely identify the virus target cells to be of basal and sensory origin and reveal the age-dependent appearance of viral entry-sites. Our results propose an alternative interpretation of the human viral-induced sensory symptoms and give investigative perspectives on animal models.

Thirty nosocomial isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, collected from three public hospitals in Recife, Brazil, between 1999 and 2000, were analysed in order to determine their epidemiological relatedness and genetic characteristics. The isolates were characterised by biotyping, antibiotyping, protein analysis, plasmid profile and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The majority of the clinical isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics, in particular to beta-lactams, and 30% were found to be ESBLs producers. RAPD proved to be the most effective technique in discriminating unrelated K. pneumoniae isolates. It was confirmed by the highly genetic similarity found among related isolates from an hospital outbreak. We conclude that K. pneumoniae infections in Recife has been caused by a variety of bacterial genotypes. This is the first report that revealed the subtypes of K. pneumoniae in Brazil by plasmid analysis and RAPD.

In the Staphylococcus spp. analyzed, the ermC gene was found more often than the ermA, although the iMLSB phenotype had been less frequent than the cMLSB. It was important to perform the D test for its detection to guide therapeutic approaches.