Urinary tract infections (UTIs) belong to the most common pathologies in Mexico and are mainly caused by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC possesses a wide diversity of virulence factors that allow it to carry out its pathogenesis mechanism in the urinary tract (UT). The development of morphotypes in UT represents an important feature of UPEC because it is associated with complications in diagnosis of UTI. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of bacterial morphotypes, virulence genes, virulence phenotypes, antibiotic resistant, and phylogenetic groups in clinical isolates of UPEC obtained from women in Sonora, Mexico. Forty UPEC isolates were obtained, and urine morphotypes were observed in 65% of the urine samples from where E. coli was isolated. Phylogenetic group B2 was the most prevalent. The most frequent virulence genes were fimH (100%), fliCD (90%), and sfaD/focC (72%). Biofilm formation (100%) and motility (98%) were the most prevalent phenotypes. Clinical isolates showed high resistance to aminoglycosides and β-lactams antibiotics. These data suggest that the search for morphotypes in urine sediment must be incorporated in the urinalysis procedure and also that clinical isolates of UPEC in this study can cause upper, lower, and recurrent UTI.

Introduction: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. are microorganisms referred as the ESKAPE group pathogens. These microorganisms have generated great concern in health institutions around the world since most of them have resistance to multiple antibiotics and cause most infections associated with healthcare, as well as community infections. The aim of this study was the analysis of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms of the ESKAPE group, recovered from clinical samples in 11 health institutions from Hermosillo and Ciudad Obregón in the State of Sonora, México, during the period from 2019 to 2020.Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, observational, and temporality epidemiological study was carried out. A comparative and statistical analysis of antibiotic resistance was carried out using the chi-square test, and small values were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test p ≤ 0.05.Results and discussion: All the ESKAPE group microorganisms showed significant differences in antibiotic resistance percentages between both cities. High resistance percentages for some antibiotics, like cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin were detected for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the main cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and carries virulence and resistance factors often found in mobilizable genetic elements, such as plasmids or pathogenicity islands (PAIs). UPEC is part of the extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), but hybrid strains possessing both diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) and ExPEC traits, termed “hypervirulent”, present a significant health threat. This study assessed the prevalence of UPEC PAIs, ExPEC sequence types (ST), DEC genes, carbapenemase and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes, resistance genotypes, and plasmids in 40 clinical isolates of UPEC. Results showed that 72.5% of isolates had PAIs, mainly PAI IV₅₃₆ (53%). ESBL phenotypes were found in 65% of β-lactam-resistant isolates, with 100% of carbapenem-resistant isolates producing carbapenemase. The predominant ESBL gene was bla_CTX-M-2 (60%), and the most common resistance gene in fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside-resistant isolates was aac(6′)Ib (93%). Plasmids were present in 57% of isolates, and 70% belonged to the ST131 clonal group. Molecular markers for DEC pathotypes were detected in 20 isolates, with 60% classified as hybrid pathotypes. These findings indicate significant pathogenic potential and the presence of hybrid pathotypes in E. coli UTI clinical isolates in the Mexican population.

Previous studies have reported that different blood groups are associated with the risk of chronic degenerative diseases that mainly involve inflammation and neoplastic processes. We investigate the relationship between blood groups and the erythroprotective effect of extracts from Navicula incerta against oxidative damage as a proposal to develop drugs designed for people with a specific blood type related to chronic pathology. The study was carried out through the elucidation of the erythroprotective potential, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activity of Navicula incerta. Research suggests that the presence or absence of certain blood groups increases or decreases the abilities of certain phytochemicals to inhibit oxidative stress, which is related to the systemic inflammatory response involved in the development of different types of cancer. The pigment-rich extracts from Navicula incerta inhibit ROO•- induced oxidative stress in human erythrocytes on the A RhD+ve antigen without compromising the structure of the cell membrane. This result is very important, since the A antigen is related to the susceptibility of contracting prostate cancer. Similarly, it was possible to inhibit the proliferation of cervical (HeLa) and prostate (PC-3) carcinoma. The combinatorial analysis of different biological activities can help design phytochemicals as new candidates for preventive drugs treating the chronic degenerative diseases associated with a specific blood group.

El género Enterococcus puede ser encontrado en agua, suelo y en general en todo ambiente, son parte de la microbiota intestinal de animales, incluyendo a humanos. La prevalencia en alimentos se debe principalmente a la resistencia que presentan a las condiciones adversas del ambiente. Setenta y tres aislados de vísceras de pollo fueron confirmados como pertenecientes al género a través de pruebas bioquímicas y fermentación de carbohidratos. La caracterización bioquímica indicó que la especie predominante fue E. casseliflavus. La resistencia de los aislados a antimicrobianos fue notoria para amikacina (42 %), kanamicina (38 %), estreptomicina (55 %), and eritromicina (33 %). El análisis obtenido por ERIC-PCR mostró una alta variabilidad genética entre los aislados. Así también, los aislados mostraron relación entre los perfiles obtenidos con la susceptibilidad a antimicrobianos y por ERIC-PCR. Estos resultados muestran la multi-resistencia de Enterococcus en vísceras de pollo expedidos comercialmente, con una alta variabilidad genética. Además, estos Enterococcus pueden ser potencialmente patógenos en individuos como una bacteria nosocomial y además transferir la resistencia en especies que son estrictamente patógenas y causan enfermedades al humano.

Este artículo de revisión aborda la evolución de los antibióticos y las estrategias actuales para enfrentar la resistencia bacteriana. Se sitúa el tema desde el uso histórico de sustancias antimicrobianas hasta la consolidación del concepto moderno de antibiótico. Se describe su clasificación por estructura y por mecanismo de acción, haciendo énfasis en blancos esenciales: pared celular, síntesis de ácidos nucleicos, vías metabólicas y síntesis de proteínas. Se revisan brevemente los mecanismos de resistencia intrínseca, adquirida y adaptativa, como modificaciones del blanco, reducción de permeabilidad, bombas de eflujo, inactivación enzimática y biofilms. Finalmente, se compendian investigaciones donde antibióticos convencionales se coordinan con centros metálicos (p. ej., Cu(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), entre otros), con el objetivo de mejorar solubilidad, estabilidad y, en algunos casos, potenciar la actividad frente a bacterias Gram positivas y negativas. En conjunto, estos enfoques buscan reposicionar fármacos conocidos mediante química de coordinación y formulación avanzada, con evaluación rigurosa de eficacia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54167/tch.v20i1.2312