Project description:Urinary tract infections (UTIs) constitute a highly relevant model of microbial adaptation, in which the contrasting effects of pathogens and commensals on host tissues are clearly displayed. While virulent Escherichia coli cause severe, potentially life-threatening disease by breaking the inertia of the mucosal barrier and infecting the kidneys, the most common outcome of bacteriuria is an asymptomatic carrier state resembling commensalism at other mucosal sites. It remains unclear if the lack of destructive inflammation merely reflects low virulence or if carrier strains actively inhibit disease associated responses in the host. To address this question, we examined the effects of asymptomatic bacterial carriage on host gene expression. Therapeutic urinary tract inoculation with the prototype ABU strain E. coli 83972 is a safe alternative approach in patients with therapy-resistant recurrent UTI. The strain establishes persistent bacteriuria, protecting patients against super-infection with more virulent strains. Using this protocol, we examined if the establishment of asymptomatic bacterial carriage alters host gene expression. After antibiotic treatment to remove prior infection, patients were inoculated with E. coli 83972 through a catheter. Blood samples were obtained before and 24 h after inoculation.
Project description:Enterococci are opportunistic pathogens notorious for causing a variety of infections. While both Enterococcus faecalis and Lactobacillus crispatus are commensal residents of the vaginal tract, the molecular mechanisms that enable E. faecalis to outcompete L. crispatus, and consequently cause vaginal infections remains unknown. To begin to address this, we need to gain a better understanding of the competitive interactions between E. faecalis and L. crispatus. Here, we employed a RNAseq approach to identify adaptive genes and transcriptional networks that enable E. faecalis to compete with L. crispatus.
Project description:This study aims to determine the epidemiology of Enterobacteriaceae resistant to antibiotics of last resort in pregnant women in labour at a tertiary hospital, Pretoria, South Africa. Rectal swabs shall be used to screen for colonisation with CRE and colistin-resistant Enterobacteriales in pregnant women during labour. Carbapenem and colistin-resistant Enterobacterales can cause the following infections: bacteraemia; nosocomial pneumonia; urinary tract infections, and intra-abdominal infections. Due to limited treatment options, infections caused by these multidrug-resistant organisms are associated with a mortality rate of 40-50%. Screening for colonisation of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae will help implement infection and prevention measures to limit the spread of these multidrug-resistant organisms.
Project description:E. coli which cause urinary tract infections must respond to high osmolarity in the urinary tract as well as the presence of urea. We used microarrays to measure the differntial gene expression of uropathogenic strain CFT073 in conditions of high osmolarity of urea v. minimal media RNA was extracted from CFT073 in each growth condition and hybridized to an Affymetrix microarray. The differentially expressed genes were analyzed by expression pattern and function.
