Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Bronchiectasis ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Syndrome ; Nocardia Infections/drug therapy* ; Nocardia ; Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection

Biodegradation of pyridine pollutant by microorganisms is one of the economical and effective methods to solve the environmental pollution of pyridine under high salinity conditions. To this end, screening of microorganisms with pyridine degradation capability and high salinity tolerance is an important prerequisite. In this paper, a salt-resistant pyridine degradation bacterium was isolated from the activated sludge of Shanxi coking wastewater treatment plant, and identified as a bacterium belonging to Rhodococcus on the basis of colony morphology and 16S rDNA gene phylogenetic analysis. Salt tolerance experiment showed that strain LV4 could grow and degrade pyridine with the initial concentration of 500 mg/L completely in 0%-6% saline environment. However, when the salinity was higher than 4%, strain LV4 grew slowly and the degradation time of pyridine by strain LV4 was significantly prolonged. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the cell division of strain LV4 became slower, and more granular extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) was induced to secrete in high salinity environment. When the salinity was not higher than 4%, strain LV4 responded to the high salinity environment mainly through increasing the protein content in EPS. The optimum conditions for pyridine degradation by strain LV4 at 4% salinity were 30 ℃, pH 7.0 and 120 r/min (DO 10.30 mg/L). Under these optimal conditions, strain LV4 could completely degrade pyridine with an initial concentration of 500 mg/L at a maximum rate of (29.10±0.18) mg/(L·h) after 12 h adaptation period, and the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency reached 88.36%, indicating that stain LV4 has a good mineralization effect on pyridine. By analyzing the intermediate products in pyridine degradation process, it was speculated that strain LV4 achieved pyridine ring opening and degradation mainly through two metabolic pathways: pyridine-ring hydroxylation and pyridine-ring hydrogenation. The rapid degradation of pyridine by strain LV4 in high salinity environment indicates its application potential in the pollution control of high salinity pyridine environment.
Rhodococcus/genetics* ; Phylogeny ; Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix/metabolism* ; Sewage ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Pyridines/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) for the treatment of erosive oral lichen planus (EOLP). METHODS: Sixty patients with clinically and pathologically diagnosed EOLP were randomly divided into the experimental group and control group according to the random number. Patients in the experimental group were treated with lyophilized powder containing Nr-CWS combined with normal saline. Patients in the control group received topical placebo without Nr-CWS combined with normal saline. Changes in the EOLP lesion area and the patient's pain level were recorded at the timepoints of weeks 1, 2, and 4 after the two different treatments, respectively. The changes of the patient's REU scoring system (reticulation, erythema, ulceration), the visual analogue scale and the oral health impact score (OHIP-14) were compared between the experimental group and control group after treatment, and the safety indicators of the two groups at the initial diagnosis and after 4 weeks' treatment were also observed, respectively. RESULTS: Totally, 62 patients with clinically and pathologically diagnosed EOLP were enrolled, 2 of whom were lost to the follow-up, with 31 in the experimental group, and 29 in the control group. The mean age of the experimental group and control group were (52.9±12.4) years and (54.07±12.40) years, respectively. There was no significant difference in the oral periodontal index between the experimental group and control group. In the experimental group, the erosive area of oral lichen planus was significantly reduced 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the Nr-CWS's treatment (P < 0.05), the reduction rate was 81.75%, the patient's pain index was also decreased (P < 0.05), and in addition, the OHIP-14 was reduced (P < 0.05). The changes of the REU scoring system, the visual analogue scale and the OHIP-14 were significantly different between the experimental group and control group after treatment. There was no significant difference in the safety index between the two groups. CONCLUSION The priliminary data show that the Nr-CWS is effective and safe to treat EOLP.
Adult ; Aged ; Cell Wall Skeleton ; Humans ; Lichen Planus, Oral/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Pain Measurement ; Rhodococcus

Microorganisms are the dominant players driving the degradation and transformation of chloramphenicol (CAP) in the environment. However, little bacterial strains are able to efficiently degrade and mineralize CAP, and the CAP degrading pathways mediated by oxidative reactions remain unclear. In this study, a highly efficient CAP-degrading microbial consortium, which mainly consists of Rhodococcus (relative abundance >70%), was obtained through an enrichment process using CAP-contaminated activated sludge as the inoculum. A bacterial strain CAP-2 capable of efficiently degrading CAP was isolated from the consortium and identified as Rhodococcus sp. by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Strain CAP-2 can efficiently degrade CAP under different nutrient conditions. Based on the biotransformation characteristics of the detected metabolite p-nitrobenzoic acid and the reported metabolites p-nitrobenzaldehyde and protocatechuate by strain CAP-2, a new oxidative pathway for the degradation of CAP was proposed. The side chain of CAP was oxidized and broken to generate p-nitrobenzaldehyde, which was further oxidized to p-nitrobenzoic acid. Strain CAP-2 can be used to further study the molecular mechanism of CAP catabolism, and has the potential to be used in in situ bioremediation of CAP-contaminated environment.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; Chloramphenicol ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Rhodococcus/genetics* ; Sewage

No abstract available.
Catheter-Related Infections ; Mycobacterium ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Rhodococcus

Adult ; Alternaria ; immunology ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antibodies, Fungal ; immunology ; Antigens ; immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antigens, Fungal ; immunology ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; immunology ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Candida albicans ; immunology ; Cladosporium ; immunology ; Columbidae ; immunology ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Male ; Melopsittacus ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Mucor ; immunology ; Nocardia ; immunology ; Parrots ; immunology ; Penicillium chrysogenum ; immunology ; Stachybotrys ; immunology ; Thermoactinomyces ; immunology

From 1996 to 2014, 14 foals from nine farms in Jeju were diagnosed with a Rhodococcus equi infection. Clinically, most foals showed characteristic respiratory signs, including hyperthermia and dyspnea. The seasonal occurrence of R. equi infection in foals was higher in summer, such as June (eight foals; 57.1%) and July (four foals; 28.6%), than in the other seasons. The major cases of R. equi infections were observed among two-month-old (eight foals; 57.1%) and three-month-old (three foals; 21.4%) foals. Histopathologically, bronchopneumonia, abscess, and granulomatous pneumonia were the most prevalent lesions in the lungs of foals. Colonic ulcers and submucosal abscesses were found in a foal. Some foals showed granulomatous lymphadenitis and abscesses in the mesenteric and other lymph nodes. According to the polymerase chain reaction using 10 tissue samples of foals and nine R. equi isolates, the vapA gene was detected in 11/11 (100%) foals. Immunohistochemical staining using the anti-VapA monoclonal antibody was applied to detect the R. equi VapA antigen in the organs of foals. R. equi VapA antigens were demonstrated in most lungs and some mesenteric and hilar lymph nodes of 13 foals. Isolated virulent R. equi VapA bacteria showed high sensitivity to gentamicin, quinolones, rifampin, and vancomycin.
Abscess ; Agriculture ; Bacteria ; Bronchopneumonia ; Colon ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Gentamicins ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Quinolones ; Rhodococcus equi ; Rhodococcus ; Rifampin ; Seasons ; Ulcer ; Vancomycin

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Nocardia Infections ; Transplantation, Homologous

Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare opportunistic infection that commonly affects immunocompromised hosts, such as patients with organ transplants, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or prolonged immunosuppression. Recently, we encountered a case of pulmonary nocardiosis with empyema that progressed to severe sepsis. The patient was treated in the intensive care unit. Thereafter, medical thoracoscopy was performed to improve drainage of the pleural fluid. Nocardia was identified in the culture of the pleural fluid.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Drainage ; Empyema* ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunosuppression ; Intensive Care Units ; Nocardia Infections ; Nocardia* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Sepsis* ; Thoracoscopy ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Nocardia Infections* ; Nocardia*