Marina Mingoia

Università Politecnica delle Marche | Università degli Studi di Ancona · Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health

Purpose To investigate the occurrence of vancomycin-variable enterococci (VVE) in a hospital in central Italy. Methods vanA positive but vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium isolates (VVE-S) were characterized by antibiotic susceptibility tests, molecular typing (PFGE and MLST), and WGS approach. The reversion of VVE-S to a resistant phenot...

Streptococcus dysgalactiae is a pyogenic species pathogenic both for humans and animals. This heterogeneous species includes S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) and S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae (SDSD), differing by genetic content and biochemical features.¹ Until recently, it has been considered an exclusive animal pathogen responsible...

Although coagulase negative staphylococci are rarely associated with complicated diseases, in some cases they cause life-threatening infections. Here we described a clinical case of a bacteremia due to a methicillin- and linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus capitis in a patient previously treated with linezolid. Whole genome sequencing revealed the c...

Background: The presence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) in animal hosts and along the food chain may result in the development of reservoirs for human infections. Several CPB strains isolated from animals have been reported, suggesting that transmission and dissemination of the corresponding genes between humans and animals may occur. A...

Objectives : Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is a novel cephalosporin and β-lactamase inhibitor combination with great activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To assess the Pseudomonas aeruginosa susceptibility to C/T, a surveillance study was conducted from October 2018 to March 2019 at the University Hospital “Ospedali Riuniti” of Ancona (Italy)....

Results have been implemented with additional data, which have been commented in the following paragraphs [...]

(1) Background: The main antimicrobial resistance (AMR) nosocomial strains (ESKAPE pathogens such as Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) are the most widespread bacteria in cutaneous infections. In this work, we report the synthesis, in silico sk...

Objectives To characterize a linezolid-resistant Enterococcus gallinarum isolate of porcine origin co-carrying cfr, optrA and poxtA genes. Methods The genome was sequenced using the Illumina and Nanopore platforms. The presence of circular intermediates was examined by inverse PCR. Transferability of oxazolidinone resistance genes was investigated...

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are among the most challenging bacterial enzymes to overcome. Aztreonam (ATM) is the only β-lactam not hydrolyzed by MBLs but is often inactivated by co-produced extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL). We assessed the activity of the combination of ATM with old and new β-lactamases inhibitors (BLIs) against MBL and ESBL c...

Six Italian non-accredited laboratories participated to an interlaboratory study aimed at measuring Differential Pressure (DP) and Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) of three face-mask models using methods in-line with EN 14683 standard. Methodological non-conformities were annotated. Repeatability and reproducibility on quintuplicate samples we...

Background: Ceftaroline represents a novel fifth-generation cephalosporin to treat infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: Ceftaroline susceptibility of 239 MRSA isolates was assessed by disk diffusion and a MIC test strip following both EUCAST and CLSI guidelines. Non-susceptible isolates were epidemiol...

Aim: This study reports the characterization of carbapenem-resistant colonizing strains of K. pneumoniae. Methods: 650 stool samples were screened for carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CR-Kp). All strains were characterized for antibiotic susceptibility, typing features, main carbapenemases and extended-spectrum ß-lactamases. The carbapenemase tr...

We report a novel IncHI2 plasmid coharboring blaVIM-1, two copies of blaKPC-3, and mcr-9.1 resistance genes in a human Escherichia coli isolate of the new serogroup O188. The blaVIM-1 gene was included in a class 1 integron, mcr-9.1 in a cassette bracketed by IS903 and ΔIS1R, and blaKPC-3 in two copies within a new composite Tn4401-like transposon....

Overview: The global spread of antibiotic resistance represents a serious threat for public health. Aim: We evaluated the efficacy of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 as antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli. Results: LL-37 showed good activity against mcr-1 carrying, extended spectrum β-lactamase- and carbapenemase-produc...

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a broader use of masks by both professionals and the general population. This resulted in a severe worldwide shortage of devices and the need to increase import and activate production of safe and effective surgical masks at the national level. In order to support the demand for testing surgical...

We conducted a ten‐years retrospective study in 347 symptomatic individuals to assess the regional distribution of leptospirosis. 173 were diagnosed positive (49.8%): 11.5% were MAT‐positive, while 38.3% were found positive to Leptospira by microscopy analysis. The maximum peak of leptospirosis was reached in 2017 (n=32). The most common serovars w...

The global emergence of antibiotic-resistance, together with the lack of/reduced development of new antibiotic molecules, currently represents a serious public health problem as it can mean the return to a pre-antibiotic era in which infections caused by multiple-resistant pathogens are intractable. Since the beginnings, the interest of the Institu...

The study of microbiomes has enormous potential for forensic science because microorganisms are ubiquitous and particular communities of microbes are often associated with specific processes or environments. With recent advances in microbiome science, new opportunities exist for microbiome technologies in forensic science (PMI estimation, location...

Carvacrol (CAR), a natural monoterpene particularly abundant in plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family, has recently attracted much attention for its many biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antitumour, antibacterial, and several others). However, CAR has poor chemical-physical properties (low water solubility...

Aim: This study reports on a surveillance in an Italian hospital focused on carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli (CP-Ec). Materials & methods: Eighteen isolates (nine from clinical specimens and nine from rectal swab) were characterized for antibiotic susceptibilities, typing features, main carbapenemase, extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs)...

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSI) due to Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) have become an important problem and they are associated with a high mortality rate. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of KPC-Kp from BSIs. Methods: In this retrospective c...

Ceftobiprole is a fifth-generation cephalosporin with activity against MRSA. One-year surveillance at the Regional Hospital of Ancona (Italy) disclosed a 12% ceftobiprole resistance rate (12/102 isolates, MIC ≥4 mg/L). Epidemiological characterization demonstrated that the resistant isolates all belonged to different clones. PBP analysis showed sub...

Enterococcus faecium E35048, a bloodstream isolate from Italy, was the first strain where the oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA was detected outside China. The strain was also positive for the oxazolidinone resistance gene cfr. WGS analysis revealed that the two genes were linked (23.1 kb apart), being co-carried by a 41,816-bp plasmid that was n...

One strain for each species was assessed for its biofilm-forming ability after 24 h. OD690 values above the red line indicate strong biofilm producer strains. The cut-off was deduced as suggested by Stepanovic et al. (2000).

A total number of 368 clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus, GBS) were collected in 2010-2016 from three hospitals in a region of central Italy. Fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant isolates were selected using levofloxacin. Levofloxacin-resistant (LR) strains (11/368, 2.99%) were characterized for several features, and the...

Objectives. To investigate the genetic basis of catQ-mediated chloramphenicol resistance in Streptococcus agalactiae. Methods. Two clinical strains of catQ-positive chloramphenicol-resistant S. agalactiae (Sag236 and Sag403) were recently isolated, typed (MLST, PFGE pulsotypes, capsular types) and their antibiotic resistances investigated by pheno...

This study investigated the stability or instability — i.e. the ability or inability to undergo excision in circular form — of the four cargo regions (cr1 to cr4) of the novel cfr-carrying, multiresistance plasmid pSP01, arboured by a clinical Staphylococcus epidermidis isolate. Only cr4 proved unstable. The stability of cr1 and cr2 was substantial...

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate macrolide-resistant Streptococcus agalactiae isolates harbouring erm(TR), an erm(A) gene subclass, with emphasis on their erm(TR)-carrying genetic elements. Four erm(TR)-carrying elements have been described to date: three closely related (ICE10750-RD.2, Tn1806 and ICESp1108) in Streptococcu...

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is the active component of Capsicum plants (chili peppers), which are grown as food and for medicinal purposes since ancient times, and is responsible for the pungency of their fruit. Besides its multiple pharmacological and physiological properties (pain relief, cancer prevention, and beneficial cardiov...

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic environment of the cfr gene from two linezolid-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis from Italy. Methods: The two strains (SP1 and SP2) were phenotypically and genotypically characterized. Transferability of cfr was assessed by electrotransformation and co...

Фm46.1 — a Streptococcus pyogenes bacteriophage carrying mef(A) and tet(O), respectively encoding resistance to macrolides (M phenotype) and tetracycline — is widespread in S. pyogenes but has not been reported outside this species. Фm46.1 is transferable in vitro among S. pyogenes isolates, but no information is available about its transferability...

In streptococci mef(I) and catQ, two relatively uncommon macrolide and chloramphenicol resistance genes, respectively, are typically linked in a genetic module designated IQ module. Though variable, the module consistently encompasses, and is sometimes reduced to,a conserved ∼5.8-kb mef(I)-catQ fragment. The prototype IQ module was described in Str...

The linkage between the macrolide efflux gene mef(I) and the chloramphenicol inactivation gene catQ was first described in Streptococcus pneumoniae (strain Spn529), where the two genes are located in a module designated IQ element. Subsequently, two different defective IQ elements were detected in Streptococcus pyogenes (strains Spy029 and Spy005)....

While most integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) encode Tyr/Ser recombinases, two ICE families have recently been described (1) that rely on DDE transposases (2) for circularization and integration into the chromosome.…

To investigate the distribution of erythromycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistance mechanisms and determinants and the relevant genetic environments and elements in viridans group streptococci (VGS). A total of 263 VGS collected from routine throat swabs in 2010-12 and identified to the species level were studied. Antibiotic resistance de...

Tn5801, originally detected in Staphylococcus aureus Mu50, is a Tn916 family element where a unique int gene (int5801) replaces int916 and xis916. Among 62 tet(M)-positive tetracycline-resistant Streptococcus agalactiae isolates, 43 harbored Tn916 whereas 19 harbored a Tn5801-like element (Tn5801.Sag, ∼20.6 kb). Tn5801.Sag was characterized (PCR ma...

The unprecedented wealth of databases that have become available in the era of next-generation sequencing has considerably increased our knowledge of bacterial genetic elements (GEs). At the same time, the advent of single-cell based approaches has brought realization that unsuspected heterogeneity may occur in the bacterial population from a singl...

The macrolide-aminoglycoside-streptothricin (MAS) element, an ∼4.2-kb insertion containing erm(B) and aphA3 resistance determinants, distinguishes Streptococcus pneumoniae transposon Tn1545/Tn6003 from Tn6002. Here, it is shown to be an unstable genetic element that, although it lacks recombinase genes, can exploit long, erm(B)-containing direct re...

Mosaic tetracycline resistance determinants are a recently discovered class of hybrids of ribosomal protection tet genes. They may show different patterns of mosaicism, but their final size has remained unaltered. Initially thought to be confined to a small group of anaerobic bacteria, mosaic tet genes were then found to be widespread. In the genus...

Several drug resistances in Streptococcus pneumoniae are associated with mobile genetic elements, which are loosely subdivided into a group of smaller (18- to 27-kb) and a group of larger (>50-kb) elements. While the elements of the former group, which typically carry the tetracycline resistance determinant tet(M) and whose prototype is Tn916 (18 k...

Methicillin and oxacillin-hydrolyzing enzymes of 6 borderline methicillin-resistant and 1 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from human clinical samples and 4 borderline methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains isolated from bovine mastitis were investigated. As previous studies suggested the involvement of an additional en...

The activity of levofloxacin and ulifloxacin on biofilm formation and persistence was evaluated on microorganisms isolated from urinary double-J-stents. We analyzed 51 bacterial strains and their susceptibility to different antimicrobial classes was determined. We evaluated the bacterial ability to form biofilm and the effects of different concentr...

This study investigated the genetic organization of erm(B)-carrying transposons of Streptococcus pneumoniae and their distribution in tetracycline-resistant clinical isolates. By comparatively analyzing reference pneumococci carrying erm(B)/tet(M) transposon Tn1545, Tn6003, Tn6002, or Tn3872, we demonstrated a substantial correspondence between Tn1...

To analyse the as yet unexplored genetic elements encoding erm(B)-mediated erythromycin resistance in tetracycline-susceptible pneumococci. Sixteen Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates sharing erm(B)-mediated erythromycin resistance and susceptibility to tetracycline were used. Gene detection was performed by PCR using both established and sp...

In recent years mef genes, encoding efflux pumps responsible for M-type macrolide resistance, have been investigated extensively for streptococci. mef(I) is a recently described mef variant detected in particular isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae instead of the more common mef(E) and mef(A). This study shows that mef(I) is located in a new compo...

Borderline methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains are a rather homogeneous group, characterized by MICs of penicillinase-resistant penicillins (PRPs) at or just below the susceptibility breakpoint. Other features unique to this group include the presence of a pBW15-like beta-lactamase plasmid, the association with phage complex 94/96...

The synergistic potential of ceftazidime plus amikacin or levofloxacin was assessed against 61 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates with variable susceptibility patterns to the 3 antibiotics. A checkerboard broth method and a disk diffusion method were used and compared. The latter, also easy to perform as a triple-disk assay, could be a helpful laborat...

The molecular genetics of macrolide resistance were analyzed in 49 clinical pneumococci (including an "atypical" bile-insoluble strain currently assigned to the new species Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae) with efflux-mediated erythromycin resistance (M phenotype). All test strains had the mef gene, identified as mef(A) in 30 isolates and mef(E) in...

Fifteen Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates with reduced fluoroquinolone susceptibility (defined as a ciprofloxacin MIC of > or = 4 microg/ml), all collected in Italy in 2000-2003, were typed and subjected to extensive molecular characterization to define the contribution of drug target alterations and efflux mechanisms to their resistance....

Sixty-five clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, all collected in Italy between 1999 and 2002 and resistant to both tetracycline (MIC, ≥8 μg/ml) and erythromycin (MIC, ≥1 μg/ml), were investigated. Of these strains, 11% were penicillin resistant and 23% were penicillin intermediate. With the use of the erythromycin-clindamycin-rokitamycin...

Of 120 erythromycin-resistant pneumococci isolated in Italian hospitals, 39 (32.5%) were M-type isolates, carrying the mef gene alone. The mef gene was also detected, together with erm(AM), in one constitutively resistant isolate and in five isolates of the partially inducible phenotype. Among the 45 mef-positive isolates, 25 (55.6%) carried mef(A)...

AF 3013, the active metabolite of prulifloxacin, was tested to determine its inhibitory and bactericidal activities against 396 nosocomial and 258 community Italian isolates. Compared with that of ciprofloxacin, its activity (assessed in MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration tests) was generally similar or greater against gram-positive bacteri...

Laboratory differentiation of erythromycin resistance phenotypes is poorly standardized for pneumococci. In this study, 85 clinical isolates of erythromycin-resistant (MIC > or = 1 microg/ml) Streptococcus pneumoniae were tested for the resistance phenotype by the erythromycin-clindamycin double-disk test (previously used to determine the macrolide...

The in vitro activity of levofloxacin was investigated against 256 clinical strains of four gram-positive genera (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Listeria). Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were used as comparators. Uniform susceptibility to levofloxacin was recorded among methicillin-susceptible staphylococci, streptococci other than S...

A total of 387 clinical strains of erythromycin-resistant (MIC, >/=1 microg/ml) Streptococcus pyogenes, all isolated in Italian laboratories from 1995 to 1998, were examined. By the erythromycin-clindamycin double-disk test, 203 (52.5%) strains were assigned to the recently described M phenotype, 120 (31.0%) were assigned to the inducible macrolide...

Several hundreds clinical strains of erythromycin-resistant (MIC, ≥1 μg/ml) Streptococcus pyogenes, all isolated in Italian laboratories in 1995- 1999, were assigned to the constitutive resistance (cMLS), inducible resistance (iMLS), or M phenotype. Homogeneous patterns of susceptibility to MLS antibiotics were observed in the cMLS isolates, which...

The in vitro inhibitory and bactericidal activities of the investigational fluoroquinolone trovafloxacin were studied and compared with those of five other fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, rufloxacin and sparfloxacin) against a wide range of clinical isolates from Italian hospitals. Against gram-positive bacteria, trovafloxac...

Ten epidemiologically unrelated Staphylococcus aureus isolates with borderline levels of susceptibility to antistaphylococcal penicillinase-resistant penicillins (PRPs) were investigated together with appropriate S. aureus control strains. By a nitrocefin microplate assay, all borderline PRP-susceptible test strains were found to produce comparable...

Staphylococcus aureus strains with borderline levels of susceptibility or resistance to antistaphylococcal penicillinase-resistant penicillins (PRPs) were initially reported as neither heteroresistant nor multiply resistant organisms, producing large amounts of beta-lactamase, and becoming fully susceptible to PRPs in the presence of beta-lactamase...

The blaZ gene contained in a single 17.2-kb beta-lactamase plasmid from a borderline methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strain (a53) has been cloned in Escherichia coli. A Bluescript II derivative in which the ampicillin resistance gene has been replaced with the chloramphenicol resistance gene was used as a multi-copy vector. One ampici...