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    Geographic divergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST5-SCCmecI in the aftermath of a major earthquake and tsunami: impact of a plasmid harboring heavy metal resistance genes
    (American Society for Microbiology, 2025-04-09)
    Jose R. W. Martínez
    ;
    Manuel Alcalde-Rico
    ;
    Estefanía Jara-Videla
    ;
    Jinnethe Reyes
    ;
    Lina P. Carvajal
    (MRSA) is a major public health menace. The global spread of MRSA is characterized by successive waves of epidemic clones dominating specific geographical regions. The acquisition of genes encoding resistance to heavy metals (HMRGs) is thought to be a key feature in the geographic divergence of MRSA. However, the cause-effect relationship between the presence of HMRGs and the divergence of MRSA clones remains to be clarified. In this study, we assessed the role that HMRGs may have played in the evolutionary divergence of the MRSA ST5-SCC <jats:italic>mec</jats:italic> I lineage in Latin America. We conducted a genomic characterization of 113 MRSA clinical isolates from six Latin American healthcare centers, including 53 isolates collected from two cities in Chile (Santiago and Concepción). We found a plasmid (pSCL4752) harboring arsenic, cadmium, and mercury resistance genes in 65% ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 71) of the ST5-SCC <jats:italic>mec</jats:italic> I isolates. We also observed a geographic divergence associated with the presence of pSCL4752 in Chilean isolates, with a higher frequency in isolates from Concepción (88%) compared to Santiago (29%). Interestingly, a molecular clock analysis revealed that this divergence occurred in the aftermath of an 8.8 Mw earthquake and tsunami that struck the Concepción area in 2010. Moreover, our results demonstrate that the carriage of pSCL4752 can be beneficial or detrimental for ST5-SCC <jats:italic>mec</jats:italic> I isolates, depending on the environmental availability of these heavy metals. Our results suggest that the divergence of the ST5-SCC <jats:italic>mec</jats:italic> I MRSA lineage in Latin America could have been fostered by environmental disasters and influenced by the presence/absence of HMRGs harbored in a plasmid. </jats:p> <jats:sec> <jats:title>IMPORTANCE</jats:title> <jats:p> Methicillin-resistant <jats:italic>Staphylococcus aureus</jats:italic> (MRSA) is a major cause of life-threatening infections worldwide and a growing public health concern. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as MRSA, is often linked to genetic adaptations that enhance their survival. Our research sheds light on how environmental changes, such as those triggered by a natural disaster, can influence the evolution and geographic spread of a highly resistant MRSA lineage in Latin America. We identified a plasmid carrying genes for resistance to arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, which was associated with the geographic divergence of the ST5-SCC <jats:italic>mec</jats:italic> I MRSA lineage, with striking differences in its prevalence between regions affected by a major earthquake and tsunami. By linking environmental events to pathogen evolution, our study highlights the role of ecological pressures in the spread of MRSA. These findings emphasize the need to integrate environmental monitoring into public health strategies to better understand the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
      4
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    Guía de práctica clínica para el tratamiento de infecciones por bacilos Gram negativos del Comité Ampliado de Antimicrobianos de la Sociedad Chilena de Infectología
    (SciELO Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (ANID), 2024-10)
    Daniela Pavez
    ;
    Catalina Gutiérrez
    ;
    Loreto Rojas
    ;
    Mirta Acuña
    ;
    Dona Benadof
      3
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    Copper-Modified Cellulose Paper: A Comparative Study of How Antimicrobial Activity Is Affected by Particle Size and Testing Standards
    (MDPI AG, 2025-01-08)
    Sara Ramírez
    ;
    Fabian Zúñiga
    ;
    Alejandra Amenábar
    ;
    ;
    Viviana Benavides
    This study aims to provide evidence that when testing cellulose paper modified with copper particles (CuPs), the particle size and the analysis method influence the antimicrobial activity observed by this material. Commercial CuPs of nanometric size (2.7 nm, CuNPs) and micrometric size (2.5 µm, CuMPs) were used to modify cellulose paper sheets. CuPs were incorporated during the pulp disintegration phase (stage 1) of the sheet formation process, according to the ISO 5269-1:2005 standard. Modified paper sheets retained 16% and 14% of CuNPs and CuMPs, respectively. Additionally, CuPs were distributed randomly on the fiber surfaces, often forming aggregates. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of the modified paper sheets was evaluated using ISO 20645:2004 and ISO 20743:2013. The results showed that the antimicrobial activity assessed using each standard method is conditioned by the mechanism of action of the CuPs and, therefore, by their size. It was concluded that ISO 20645:2004 is suitable for evaluating the antibacterial effect of paper/CuNPs, as nanoparticles diffuse from the paper and are released into the culture medium. In contrast, ISO 20743:2013 can be used for both CuNP- and CuMP-based paper, as it evaluates the antibacterial effect based on the direct interaction between the copper particle and the bacteria.
    Scopus© Citations 2  14
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    Editorial: Immune response to gram-negative bacteria in the lungs
    (2024)
    Agnes Jara-Collao
    ;
    ;
    William Bain
    ;
    Hernán F. Peñaloza
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    Item type:Publication,
    Excess burden of antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections: evidence from a multicentre retrospective cohort study in Chile, 2018–2022
    (2024)
    Kasim Allel
    ;
    Anne Peters
    ;
    Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli
    ;
    Maria Spencer-Sandino
    ;
    Jose Conejeros
    Scopus© Citations 2  4
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    Item type:Publication,
      7Scopus© Citations 16
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    Priorities and Progress in Gram-positive Bacterial Infection Research by the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group: A Narrative Review
    (2023)
    Sarah B Doernberg
    ;
    Cesar A Arias
    ;
    Deena R Altman
    ;
    Ahmed Babiker
    ;
    Helen W Boucher
    <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) has prioritized infections caused by gram-positive bacteria as one of its core areas of emphasis. The ARLG Gram-positive Committee has focused on studies responding to 3 main identified research priorities: (1) investigation of strategies or therapies for infections predominantly caused by gram-positive bacteria, (2) evaluation of the efficacy of novel agents for infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and (3) optimization of dosing and duration of antimicrobial agents for gram-positive infections. Herein, we summarize ARLG accomplishments in gram-positive bacterial infection research, including studies aiming to (1) inform optimal vancomycin dosing, (2) determine the role of dalbavancin in MRSA bloodstream infection, (3) characterize enterococcal bloodstream infections, (4) demonstrate the benefits of short-course therapy for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia, (5) develop quality of life measures for use in clinical trials, and (6) advance understanding of the microbiome. Future studies will incorporate innovative methodologies with a focus on interventional clinical trials that have the potential to change clinical practice for difficult-to-treat infections, such as MRSA bloodstream infections.</jats:p>
      8Scopus© Citations 7
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    Whole-genome sequencing reveals changes in genomic diversity and distinctive repertoires of T3SS and T6SS effector candidates in Chilean clinical Campylobacter strains
    (2023)
    Assaf Katz
    ;
    ; ;
    Carmen Varela
    ;
    Cristina Muñoz-Rehbein
    <jats:p><jats:italic>Campylobacter</jats:italic> is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide and an emerging and neglected pathogen in South America. This zoonotic pathogen colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of a wide range of mammals and birds, with poultry as the most important reservoir for human infections. Apart from its high morbidity rates, the emergence of resistant strains is of global concern. The aims of this work were to determine genetic diversity, presence of antimicrobial resistance determinants and virulence potential of <jats:italic>Campylobacter</jats:italic> spp. isolated from patients with acute gastrointestinal disease at ‘Clinica Alemana’, Santiago de Chile. The study considered the isolation of <jats:italic>Campylobacter</jats:italic> spp., from stool samples during a 20-month period (January 2020 to September 2021). We sequenced (NextSeq, Illumina) and performed an in-depth analysis of the genome sequences of 88 <jats:italic>Campylobacter jejuni</jats:italic> and 2 <jats:italic>Campylobacter</jats:italic> coli strains isolated from clinical samples in Chile. We identified a high genetic diversity among C. je<jats:italic>juni</jats:italic> strains and the emergence of prevalent clonal complexes, which were not identified in our previous reports. While ~40% of strains harbored a mutation in the gyrA gene associated with fluoroquinolone resistance, no macrolide-resistance determinants were detected. Interestingly, gene clusters encoding virulence factors such as the T6SS or genes associated with long-term sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome showed lineage-relatedness. In addition, our analysis revealed a high degree of variability regarding the presence of fT3SS and T6SS effector proteins in comparison to type strains 81-176, F38011, and NCTC 11168 and 488. Our study provides important insights into the molecular epidemiology of this emerging foodborne pathogen. In addition, the differences observed regarding the repertoire of fT3SS and T6SS effector proteins could have an impact on the pathogenic potential and transmissibility of these Latin American isolates, posing another challenge in characterizing the infection dynamics of this emergent and neglected bacterial pathogen.</jats:p>
      29Scopus© Citations 8
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    Multiple clonal transmissions of clinically relevant extended-spectrum beta-lactamase–producing Escherichia coli among livestock, dogs, and wildlife in Chile
    (2023)
    Juliette Hayer
    ;
    Marília Salgado-Caxito
    ;
    Andrés Opazo-Capurro
    ;
    Paulina González Muñoz
    ;
    Javier Millán
    Scopus© Citations 16  1