Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) of sequence type 398 (ST398) has frequently been detected in pigs and pig handlers. However, in Malaysia, sampling 360 pigs and 90 pig handlers from 30 farms identified novel ST9-spa type t4358-staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type V MRSA strains that were found to transiently colonize more than 1% of pigs and 5.5% of pig handlers.

Objectives Antiretroviral agents (ARVs) have been the most promising line of therapy in the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Some of these ARVs are used in the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to suppress the transmission of HIV. Prophylaxis is primarily used in uninfected people, before exposure, to effectively prevent HIV infection. Several studies have shown that ART PrEP prevents HIV acquisition from sexual, blood and mother-to-child transmissions. However, there are also several challenges and limitations to PrEP. This review focuses on the current antiretroviral therapies used in PrEP. Key findings Among ARVs, the most common drugs employed from the class of entry inhibitors are maraviroc (MVC), which is a CCR5 receptor antagonist. Other entry inhibitors like emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir (TFV) are also used. Rilpivirine (RPV) and dapivirine (DPV) are the most common drugs employed from the Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTIs) class, whereas, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is primarily used in the Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NRTIs) class. Cabotegravir (CAB) is an analog of dolutegravir, and it is an integrase inhibitor. Some of these drugs are also used in combination with other drugs from the same class. Summary Some of the most common pre-exposure prophylactic strategies employed currently are the use of inhibitors, namely entry inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, integrase and protease inhibitors. In addition, we have also discussed on the adverse effects caused by ART in PrEP, pharmacoeconomics factors and the use of antiretroviral prophylaxis in serodiscordant couples.HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis Pui Khee Yap et al.

Staphylococcus aureus is well known for its biofilm formation with rapid emergence of new clones circulating worldwide. The main objectives of the study were (1) to identify possible differences in protein expression among various and closely related clonal types of S. aureus, (2) to establish the differences in protein expression in terms of size of protein spots and its intensities between bacteria which are grown statically (biofilm formation) with that of under aeration and agitation, and (3) to compare the differences in protein expression as a function of time (in hours). In this study, we selected six clinical isolates comprising two similar (MRSA-527 and MRSA-524) and four different (MRSA-139, MSSA-12E, MSSA-22d, and MSSA-10E) types identified by spa typing, MLST and SCCmec typing. We performed 2D gel migration comparison. Also, two MRSA isolates (527 and 139) were selected to determine quantitative changes in the level of extracellular proteins at different biofilm growth time points of 12, 24, and 48 h. The study was done using a strategy that combines 2-DGE and LC-MS/MS analysis for absolute quantification and identification of the extracellular proteins. The 2DGE revealed that the proteomic profiles for the isolates belonging to the similar spa, MLST, and SCCmec types were still quite different. Among the extracellular proteins secreted at different time points of biofilm formation, significant changes in protein expression were observed at 48 h incubation as compared to the exponential growth at 12 h incubation. The main conclusion of the work is that the authors do observe differences among isolates, and growth conditions do influence the protein content at different time points of biofilm formation.

Medical devices are indispensable in the healthcare setting, ranging from diagnostic tools to therapeutic instruments, and even supporting equipment. However, these medical devices may be associated with life-threatening complications when exposed to blood. To date, medical device-related infections have been a major drawback causing high mortality. Device-induced hemolysis, albeit often neglected, results in negative impacts, including thrombotic events. Various strategies have been approached to overcome these issues, but the outcomes are yet to be considered as successful. Recently, superhydrophobic materials or coatings have been brought to attention in various fields. Superhydrophobic surfaces are proposed to be ideal blood-compatible biomaterials attributed to their beneficial characteristics. Reports have substantiated the blood repellence of a superhydrophobic surface, which helps to prevent damage on blood cells upon cell–surface interaction, thereby alleviating subsequent complications. The anti-biofouling effect of superhydrophobic surfaces is also desired in medical devices as it resists the adhesion of organic substances, such as blood cells and microorganisms. In this review, we will focus on the discussion about the potential contribution of superhydrophobic surfaces on enhancing the hemocompatibility of blood-contacting medical devices.

Geraniol, an active constituent of rose and palmarosa essential oils, possesses several pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial and antiulcer activity. Geraniol was therefore investigated for its antiulcer and anti- Helicobacter pylori activity in rats. Ulcers were induced by injecting acetic acid into the sub-serosal layer of the stomach followed by orogastric inoculation of H. pylori for 7 days. Geraniol (15 and 30 mg/kg), vehicle and a standard drug combination (amoxicillin, 50 mg/kg; clarithromycin, 25 mg/kg and omeprazole, 20 mg/kg) were administered twice daily for 14 days. All the parameters were measured at the end of treatment. The ulcer index was significantly (P < 0.05) lowered in geraniol and standard drug-treated rats as compared to the H. pylori control group (4.13 ± 0.43). Treatment with geraniol (30 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.01) increased the gastric pH along with a reduction in total acidity and gastric juice volume. Geraniol significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated the myeloperoxidase activity and augmented the total glutathione level in gastric mucosa. The extent of damage in the stomach was measured using a histopathological score. The score in H. pylori control, geraniol (30 mg/kg) and standard drugs was 9, 3.5 and 2.0 respectively. In the rapid urease test, treatment with geraniol (30 mg/kg) and the standard drugs produced a 33% and 67% cure respectively from H. pylori infection. Further, the reduction in bacterial load in the gastric mucosa was confirmed using modified Giemsa staining. Geraniol was observed to exhibit significant antiulcer and anti- H. pylori activity in a rodent model.

The exoproteome of Staphylococcus aureus contains enzymes and virulence factors that are important for host adaptation. We investigated the exoprotein profiles and cytokine/chemokine responses obtained in three different S. aureus-host interaction scenarios by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DGE) and two-dimensional immunoblotting (2D-IB) combined with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and cytometric bead array techniques. The scenarios included S. aureus bacteremia, skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), and healthy carriage. By the 2-DGE approach, 12 exoproteins (the chaperone protein DnaK, a phosphoglycerate kinase [Pgk], the chaperone GroEL, a multisensor hybrid histidine kinase, a 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate hydroxymethyltransferase [PanB], cysteine synthase A, an N-acetyltransferase, four isoforms of elongation factor Tu [EF-Tu], and one signature protein spot that could not be reliably identified by MS/MS) were found to be consistently present in more than 50% of the bacteremia isolates, while none of the SSTI or healthy-carrier isolates showed any of these proteins. By the 2D-IB approach, we also identified five antigens (methionine aminopeptidase [ Staphylococcus aureus is capable of causing a wide range of infections, including skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), bacteremia, osteomyelitis, and more. However, certain sequence types (STs) of S. aureus may better colonize and infect patients. For instance, necrotizing pneumonia or sepsis is commonly associated with ST1 of clonal cluster 1 (CC1) (1). In addition, the burden of multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus renders infection control challenging in hospital settings. Furthermore, non-MDR strains may also cause severe staphylococcal infections (2-4).In S. aureus, exoproteins play a major role in virulence, particularly during invasion and host tissue damage. S. aureus produces exogenous phenol-soluble modulins that exhibit strong cytolytic activity against human neutrophils, erythrocytes, and monocytes (5). The exoprotein LukGH was recently reported to exhibit synergistic effects with Panton-Valentine leukocidin on human neutrophil lysis (6). Similarly, the exoprotein SasX facilitates intercellular aggregation and promotes biofilm formation (7). A continuous search for new S. aureus virulence factors is ongoing, and comparative exoproteomics of strains isolated from different infection types may help in the identification of additional virulence factors.Several studies have reported heterogeneous virulence gene expression in strains from different infection types and different clones (8,9). These studies also reported exoproteome heterogeneity likely due to genetic regulation, posttranslational modification, or targeted protein degradation or stabilization. Such heterogeneity complicates the identification of potential biomarkers or vaccine candidates for S. aureus.It is well known that some exoproteins are antigenic. This antigenicity has been shown in both S. aureus-infected patients and healthy carriers (10, 11). The exoproteins Hla, I...

A series of novel phenothiazine based [1,2,4]triazolo[4, 3‐a]pyridine scaffolds were designed and synthesized in good yields by the oxidative cyclisation of phenothiazine pyridylhydrazones. Biological responses of all compounds toward a panel of human breast cancer cells (MDA‐MB‐231, MDA‐MB‐468, MCF7, SKBR3 and T47D) and human non‐tumorigenic epithelial breast cells (MCF10 A) were evaluated. Structure‐activity relationship revealed that compound with pendant phenyl ring on phenothiazine exhibited significant cytotoxic activity and apoptotic induction effects against breast cancer cell line with IC50 value 10.2 to 17.6 μM. Notably, the cytotoxic effect was 3.5 fold higher on cancer than non‐cancer cells, indicating potential control of breast cancer with lower side effects. Molecular docking studies confirmed the presence of hydrophobic contacts between appended phenyl ring, triazolopyridine and phenothiazine moieties with adjacent residues within the binding pocket of tubulin. One of the nitrogen in the triazolo ring also showed hydrogen bonding with tubulin. These tubulin interactions were also found with the taxane ring of paclitaxel. Cell cycle analysis confirmed the G2/M arrest induced by this compound on human breast cancer cells. Therefore, the potential anti‐cancer, pro‐apoptotic, and cell cycle arrest warrant further development of this molecule as a new class of anticancer agent.

The antibacterial activity of geraniol and its effect in combination with ampicillin, amoxicillin and clarithromycin against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori was tested. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and combinatory effects of geraniol against the bacteria were assessed by using the modified broth microdilution and checkerboard assay, respectively. The combinatory effect is expressed as fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). The MIC of geraniol against S. aureus, E. coli and H. pylori was found to be 11200, 5600, and 7325 µg/mL, respectively. A significant synergistic effect was observed with geraniol and ampicillin against S. aureus with FICI in the range 0.19 to 0.32. Geraniol and ampicillin exhibited a partial synergistic effect against E. coli. A similar effect was observed with geraniol and clarithromycin against S. aureus. A partial synergistic effect was observed with clarithromycin and geraniol against H. pylori with the FICI value in the range 0.86 to 0.89. An additive effect was observed with geraniol and amoxicillin combination against H. pylori. However, the amoxicillin and clarithromycin dose was reduced by thirty-two fold when combined with geraniol against H. pylori. The anti-H. pylori effect of geraniol with clarithromycin and amoxicillin could be of potential interest in the treatment of H. pylori infection and associated ulcers in humans. Further, geraniol, in combination with other antibiotics, has substantial therapeutic potential against S. aureus and E.coli infection.