Earlier in our laboratory, the role of various individual sperm impairing microorganisms on sperm parameters and female infertility has been elucidated at higher doses. As, multiple bacterial species tend to exert more pathogenic effect in comparison to single organism hence, present study was carried out to evaluate that if consortia of these sperm impairing organisms can lead to infertility in female mice at sub fertility dose. For this, impact of individual bacterial strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and consortia of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae was examined on the motility, viability of mouse spermatozoa and fertility outcome. The results showed that the individual bacterial strains of E. coli, S. marcescens and K. pneumoniae could led to immobilization of spermatozoa by agglutination and P. aeruginosa led to immobilization of spermatozoa without agglutination. Also, all of them led to 100% sperm death in 45 min of incubation. In case of consortia of bacterial strains, the results showed sperm agglutination in all the cases and they were able to induce 100% sperm death at 30 min of incubation time. Further, in vivo studies were carried out to evaluate the impact of individual bacterial strains and consortia of bacterial strains on the fertility outcome in female Balb/c mice. For this, female mice were administered intravaginally with 101 cfu/20µl of individual bacterial strains or consortia of strains for 10 consecutive days or PBS. The results showed that both individual bacterial strains and consortia of bacterial strains were able to efficiently colonize the mouse vagina. Further, control group receiving phosphate buffer saline and groups receiving individual bacterial strains showed all the pregnancy related changes viz. abdominal distension, string of pearls on palpation as well as delivery of pups on completion of gestation period and delivery of pups. The histological examination of reproductive organs viz. uterus and ovary, of the female mice receiving PBS or individual bacterial strains showed the formation of corpus luteum in the ovary and the formation of decidua’s in the uterus, indicative of pregnancy. However, mice receiving consortia of bacterial strains did not show any pregnancy related changes throughout the experiment. Thus, these results indicate that the presence of consortia of sperm impairing microorganisms in vaginal milieu is efficient in provoking infertility even at subfertility doses.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a bacterial species that often causes infections in humans. Infections occur most frequently in hospitalised or immunocompromised patients and are treated with antimicrobials. In recent decades, K. pneumoniae has developed significant resistance to many antimicrobials. Objective: The main goal of this study was to determine the frequency of resistance of isolated K. pneumoniae strains from urine samples of hospital patients and outpatients, and to find evidence of ESBL strains and their resistance to certain antibiotics. Methods: During the study period, Klebsiella pneumonia was isolated from the urine samples of 430 patients. The procedure for processing of urine samples, identification, susceptibility toward antimicrobials and evidence of ESBL strains were carried out according to the recommended standards. Results: Of the total K. pneumoniae isolates, 153 (35.6%) were isolated from hospital patients and 277 (64.4%) from outpatients. Strains isolated from hospital patients were resistant to each tested antibiotic. ESBL strains were detected in 169 (39.30%) samples, 92 (60.13%) from hospital patients and 77 (27.8%) from outpatients. Conclusion: Strains of K. pneumoniae isolated from the urine of hospital patients and outpatients have developed significant resistance against all tested antibiotic substances. A higher occurrence of ESBL strains was observed in hospital patients than in outpatients. ESBL strains were resistant to all penicillins and almost all cephalosporins. Highly effective antimicrobials were amikacin, colistine, carbapenem and fosfomycin. The best therapeutic results were achieved when patients were treated with fosfomycin and imipenem.

Infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing bacteria in particular Klebsiella Pneumoniae (KPE+), are on a constant rise and are a noted cause of outbreaks in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). In the NICU of Policlinico di Foggia, an outbreak of infections in 2018 brought to the start of a serial check of presence and favorable conditions associated with KPE+ diffusion. The outbreak was controlled by improving basic hygiene measures such as hand washing, the use of disposable gloves and gowns, and removing a potential environmental contamination source such as the water bottle warmer.

The emergence of dramatic urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by the members of the Enterobacteriales is an important public health problem in the community as well as in Tunisian hospitals. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing uropathogenic isolates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). Based on decreased susceptibility to β-lactams antibiotics and analyzed for the presence of ESBL and carbapenemase genes by Real Time- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 56 uropathogenic isolates of E. coli (n = 36) and K. pneumoniae (n = 20) were confirmed positive for ESBLs. The CTX-M-type β-lactamases were mostly detected in E. coli isolates (21 strains, 58.33% [95% CI 38.09% - 72.06%]) followed by blaSHV-like (18 strains, 50% [95% CI 32.92% - 67.07%]), blaTEM-like and blaCMY-2-like simultaneously (15 strains, 41.67% [95% CI 25.51% - 59.24%]). Furthermore, the RT-PCR system on the K. pneumoniae strains demonstrated that blaSHV-12-like was the most predominant (16 strains, 80% [95% CI 56.33% - 94.26%]) followed by blaTEM-like (14 strains, 70% [95% CI 45.72% - 88.10%]), blaCTX-M belonging to groups 9 and 1 (11 strains, 55% [95% CI 31.52% - 76.94%]) and finally blaCMY-2-like (10 strains, 50% [95% CI 27.19% - 72.80%]). In addition, E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains harbored a carbapenemase gene blaOXA-48-like with 22.2% [95% CI 10.11% - 39.15%]; 20% [95% CI 12.83% - 43.66%], respectively.Our results confirm the need to monitor the resistance to extended-spectrum β-lactams and to carbapenems among enterobacteria in Tunisia.

The city of Santo Amaro (Bahia, Brazil) gained visibility among the scientific community due to the contamination of the Subaé River by lead and cadmium from the PLUMBUM Mineração e Metalurgia Ltda industry, on the banks of the river in 1956, which produced lead ingots The present work aimed to investigate the adsorption capacity of heavy metals (Pb and Cd) of EPS produced by bacterial species from the Subaé River, for possible future application of these biopolymers in bioremediation processes in areas impacted by the aforementioned heavy metals. Subaé river water was collected for physical-chemical analysis and bacterial isolation. It was verified that all isolated bacteria produced an expressive amount of Exopolysaccharide (EPS). Thus, the optimization of this production in different sugars (sucrose, glucose, and mannitol) and in three different pHs: 5.5; 6.5, and 7.5. All bacteria produced EPS in large quantities and the best sugar was sucrose at pH 7.5. In order to use the EPS for the bioremediation area, the adsorption test of lead and cadmium was carried out by the isolated EPS. 0.5 g of the EPS was dissolved in 50 ml of deionized water, then the solutions of metals, lead acetate, and cadmium sulfate (procedure performed separately) were incubated at 28 °C for 16 h after that period, and were centrifuged. Samples were filtered to separate the insoluble EPS and the filtrates obtained were used in the quantification of the metals by atomic absorption (FAAS- Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry). Bacillus spp., Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus spp., and Serratiamarcescens, all showed tolerance to the tested metals, due to the efficiency in the adsorption capacity of the EPS, and it was possible to distinguish seven genera, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lysinibacillus spp. to be used in the bioremediation of environments contaminated with heavy metals.