Lactobacillus is a heterogeneous class of lactic acid strains that synthesize bioactive compounds which contribute many health benefits to our mankind. Focusing this view, different Lactobacillus strains were collected from dairy products and were screened for their bioactive efficiencies against an infant diarrheal bacterial pathogen. 11 morphologically unique Lactobacillus strains were procured from curd, yoghurt and buttermilk purchased from the Thanjavur region, Tamil Nadu, India. While screening on a microtiter plate-based test, YMP3 revealed the best antimicrobial activity against a human pathogenic Vibrio cholerae with 67.8±2.1% inhibition. Further, the most appreciable strain was molecularly identified as Lactobacillus apis YMP3 based on 16S rRNA sequencing methodology. Based on the growth kinetics profile, this strain showed maximum production of antimicrobial compound between 72 to 108hrs of incubation. Furthermore, this strain evidenced the cultural conditions of pH 6.5 and 35°C temperature for the appreciable production of the antimicrobial compound. Based on these overall observations, the research stood as the promising baseline data for the enhanced antimicrobial investigation of this probiotic L. apis YMP3 against many human pathogenic strains and its possibilities for drug development.
The presence of Proteus species in the pleural space is an uncommonly reported entity and is rarely seen even in patients with compromised immune status. We report a case of pleural empyema due to Proteus species in an adult oral cancer patient receiving chemotherapy for academic interest and for generating awareness regarding an expanded pathogenic spectrum of the organism. A 44-year-old salesman, nonsmoker and non-alcoholic, presented with sudden-onset shortness of breath, left-sided chest pain, and lowgrade fever of one-day duration. He had been recently diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the tongue and had received two cycles of chemotherapy. After clinical and radiographic evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with left-sided empyema. Following thoracocentesis, the aspirated pus sent for bacterial culture yielded pure growth of Proteus mirabilis. Appropriately modified antibiotic therapy with parenteral piperacillin-tazobactam followed by cefixime, tube drainage, and other supportive therapy resulted in a favorable outcome. After three weeks of hospitalization, the patient was discharged for further planned management of his underlying condition. Though uncommon, the possibility of Proteus species should be kept in mind as a causative agent of thoracic empyema in adults, especially in immunocompromised patients with cancer, diabetes, and renal diseases. The so-called common microorganisms of empyema appear to have altered over time, influenced by anticancer therapy and underlying host immune status. Rapid diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy usually result in a favorable outcome.
Strains of Vibrio cholerae are one among the most causative and serious disease causing human pathogenic agents, its infections are caused mostly by ingesting contaminated water and/or food. According to the recent estimates, between 1.3 and 4.0 million individuals are infected all around the world every year. The lactic acid bacteria are an important class of probiotics microbes have their ability to produce diversified bioactive compounds, hence this study focused on the identification of a promising antimicrobial agent from a Lactobacillus apis YMP3. This strain was cultured on MRS broth and the cell free supernatant was ethyl acetate extracted for the antimicrobial agent. The crude extract was further purified with C18 silica gel column chromatography and structurally characterized by FT-IR, NMR, GC and MS/MS spectrum. The chemistry of the compound was confirmed as Lipoxazolidinone A which has the IUPAC name of (2E)-5-butyl-2-[(E)-4-methyl-2-oxoundec-3-enylidene]-1,3-oxazolidin-4-one. This is the first report of Lipoxazolidinone A produced by a bacterium, L. apis YMP3 which was originally isolated from yoghurt. This finding expands the scope of identifying more promising bioactive compounds from probiotic Lactobacillus sp., further, this systematic procedure for purification of this antimicrobial agent stood as the baseline data for more elaborate therapeutic studies in future.
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