Introduction: Leptospirosis is one of the neglected reemerging zoonoses that is of public health concern globally. The need to discover novel therapeutic alternatives for leptospirosis through screening for and elucidating the mechanism/s of the anti-leptospiral activity of plant extracts is therefore necessary. This study analyzes the optimized tube dilution technique and the BiologTM sole carbon utilization phenotype microarray as screening tool for anti-leptospiral activity of plant extracts. Methods: The suitability of the optimized tube dilution technique was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and motility inhibition property of a plant extract and an antimicrobial control (pen G) against 4 dominantly circulating Leptospira serovars/serogroup in the Philippines. Likewise, the suitability of the BiologTM sole carbon utilization assay was evaluated using a plant extract and selected antimicrobials against L. interrogans serovar Manilae strain K64 and L. interrogans serovar Losbanos strain K37. Results: The MIC, MBC, and motility inhibition property of a plant extract and the antibiotic controls as well as its effect on the carbon utilization phenome of the Leptospira serovars gave consistent results, within and between several runs. With standard deviation = 0 for all serovars. The MIC and MBC of the antimicrobial control (pen G), the positive control, was 10 ug/ml. The growth control (leptospires without treatment), the negative control, showed presence of motile leptospires. The MIC and the MBC of the test plant extract was 250 ug/ml – 500 ug/ml. Results of the carbon utilization phenome or pattern of carbon utilization were consistent within the 3 replicates and between two runs. Conclusion The optimized tube dilution technique and the BiologTM sole carbon utilization assay is a potential in vitro screening tool for determining anti-leptospiral activity of plant extracts.
Leptospira ; Serogroup

China ; Humans ; Serogroup ; Shigella

China ; Humans ; Meningococcal Infections ; Serogroup

This research and development of MenB meningococcal vaccines includes two technical routes: outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines and recombinant protein vaccines. This article intends to review the development, production and application of MenB meningococcal OMV vaccines in order to provide a reference for the development of MenB meningococcal OMV vaccine in China.
Antigens, Bacterial ; Humans ; Meningococcal Infections/prevention & control* ; Meningococcal Vaccines ; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B ; Serogroup ; Vaccines, Synthetic

The efficacies of six commercial disinfectants were evaluated by using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium under simulated natural conditions such as sub-zero temperature, short disinfecting time, and surface type (uneven or smooth). We used a suspensionmodel test to determine the disinfecting efficacy under varying contact times (1, 5, 10, and 30 min) and temperatures (25℃, 4℃, 0℃, and −10℃). The bactericidal effect according to surface structure was measured by using a carriermodel test at 25℃ and −10℃. The effective concentrations of each disinfectant were fixed to give a disinfecting effect within a short time (< 1 min) at 25℃ and −10℃. The suspension model results revealed that bactericidal efficacy significantly dropped at low temperature for most of the disinfectants used; a sodium dichloroisocyanurate product showed the strongest efficacy. In the carrier test, bacterial load on a wooden surface was more difficult to remove than that on a stainless-steel surface. The results show that commercial disinfectant products vary in their disinfecting efficacy, which is affected by several field factors including temperature, contact time, and carrier material. Environmental conditions and surface type for disinfection should be considered prior to selecting an optimal disinfectant in the field.
Bacterial Load ; Disinfectants* ; Disinfection ; Salmonella enterica* ; Salmonella* ; Serogroup* ; Sodium

Legionella pneumophila are intracellular pathogens, associated with human disease, attributed to the presence and absence of certain virulent genes. In this study, virulent gene loci (lvh and rtxA regions) associated with human disease were determined. Thirty-three cooling tower water isolates, isolated between 2004 to 2006, were analyzed for the presence of these genes by PCR method. Results showed that 19 of 33 (57.5%) of the L. pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates have both the genes. Six (18.2%) of the isolates have only the lvh gene and 2 (6.1%) of the isolates have only the rtxA gene. However, both genes were absent in 6 (18.2%) of the L. pneumophila isolates. The result of our study provides some insight into the presence of the disease causing L. pneumophila serogroup 1 in the environment. Molecular epidemiological studies will provide better understanding of the prevalence of the disease in Malaysia.
L ; Malaysia ; Genes ; Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 ; occurrence

OBJECTIVE: To establish and modify quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based serotyping assays to distinguish 97 pneumococcal serotypes. METHODS: A database of capsular polysaccharide ( cps) loci sequences was generated, covering 97 pneumococcal serotypes. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the cps loci structure and target genes related to different pneumococcal serotypes with specific SNPs. A total of 27 novel qPCR serotyping assay primers and probes were established based on qPCR, while 27 recombinant plasmids containing serotype-specific DNA sequence fragments were constructed as reference target sequences to examine the specificity and sensitivity of the qPCR assay. A panel of pneumococcal reference strains was employed to evaluate the capability of pneumococcal serotyping. RESULTS: A total of 97 pneumococcal serotyping assays based on qPCR were established and modified, which included 64 serotypes previously reported as well as an additional 33 serotypes. Twenty-seven novel qPCR serotyping target sequences were implemented in the pneumococcal qPCR serotyping system. A total of 97 pneumococcal serotypes, which included 52 individual serotypes and 45 serotypes belonging to 20 serogroups, could not be identified as individual serotypes. The sensitivity of qPCR assays based on 27 target sequences was 1-100 copies/µL. The specificity of the qPCR assays was 100%, which were tested by a panel of 90 serotypes of the pneumococcal reference strains. CONCLUSION A total of 27 novel qPCR assays were established and modified to analyze 97 pneumococcal serotypes.
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serotyping ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/genetics* ; Serogroup

BACKGROUND: There have been several reports which assessed the activity of antifungals including azoles on Malassezia furfur by agar dilution method. However, they did not differentiate M. furfur into groups. In addition, the media for growth and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, incubation temperature and length of incubation differed from each other. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test the antifungal activities of miconazole, clotrimazole, ketoconazole and itraconazole by determining MICs for M. furfur serovars A, B and C for these drugs. METHODS: MICs were determined by the agar dilution method. Leeming & Notman's Malassezia furfur agar medium was used. RESULTS: In all strains of serovars A, B and C, the MICs for miconazole were similar to those for clotrimazole ; MICs for ketoconazole were also similar to those for itraconazole ; MICs for miconazole or clotrimazole were higher than those for ketoconazole or itraconazole. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that ketoconazole or itraconazole could be used more effectively than miconazole or clotrimazole for the treatment of the diseases caused by M. furfur.
Agar ; Azoles ; Clotrimazole ; Danazol* ; Itraconazole ; Ketoconazole ; Malassezia* ; Methods ; Miconazole ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests* ; Serogroup

DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Typing ; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B ; classification ; genetics

Adult ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification