Hospital wastewater (HWW) is a major source of microbiological contamination, often released into the municipal sewage system without prior treatment. This HWW may contain pathogens with antimicrobial resistance, posing risks to public health. The aim of this work was to assess the risks associated with the seasonal release of ESKAPE bacteria resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and the release of carbapenems and cephalosporins through HWW of Hospital Juárez de México. The 12-month seasonal variation in β-lactam-resistant bacterial populations was assessed in the HWW of five discharge points. Resistant isolates were identified by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) coupled with PCR assays to search for antimicrobial resistance genes, while β-lactamic antibiotics were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Finally, a double-entry Vester matrix was constructed to classify the problems of HWW according to their degree of causality. Seasonal differences in bacterial loads were observed, with higher levels in warmer months. A wide variety of resistant pathogens were identified, including ESKAPE bacteria, as well as emerging bacteria carrying β-lactamase-encoding genes. The release of meropenem was detected most commonly, followed by cefepime and ceftazidime. The Vester matrix allowed the identification of critical clinical and environmental scenarios where two discharge points contribute significantly to the spread of microbiological contamination. This study highlights the importance of proper management of HWW and the need for stricter regulations to reduce the risks associated with the release of resistant pathogens with health impacts.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered a global health issue with a high social burden due to the level of disability it causes in those who suffer from it. In the absence of a therapeutic alternative for this disease, we will follow one of the biochemical pathways involved in the development of AD, which is related to molecular chaperones. The molecules are responsible for eliminating toxins and misfolded proteins at the cerebral level. These chaperones are a set of proteins from the heat shock proteins (HSPs) family, which, among their functions, help maintain homeostasis and protect cells against stress. Various authors have described the activity of HSPs in different neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the activity of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the presence of aberrant proteins characteristic of neurodegeneration, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau. The role of HSP70 in AD and other dementias lies in its mechanism, which, along with other proteins from the HSP family, has the capacity to eliminate Aβ aggregates by promoting catalytic pathways. In this review, we explore the biological role of the HSP70 protein in AD and other dementias and its potential therapeutic use

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is considered one of the emerging bacterial agents causing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in hospital environments. This microorganism has been identified as multidrug-resistant, capable of forming mature biofilms—an ability that promotes adherence to surfaces and invasive medical devices, favoring persistence in hospital environments and the potential to generate outbreaks. The aim of this study was to characterize S. maltophilia strains isolated from HAI cases at the Hospital Juárez de México and to determine the presence of hidden outbreaks. Antibiotic resistance profiles were determined, along with the typing of 20 genes associated with virulence factors and the assessment of the ability to form mature biofilms on inert surfaces. Finally, sequence type (ST) was obtained through multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed to determine the clonal diversity of the isolates. All strains showed uniform resistance to β-lactam antibiotics tested while remaining sensitive to fluoroquinolones, phenicols, tetracyclines, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Some isolates exhibited adherent activity, with the “strong biofilm-former” phenotype predominating. Sixteen virulence-related genes were heterogeneously detected, revealing broad genetic diversity. MLST analysis grouped the isolates into nine ST related to infection cases reported in others countries. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated the presence of three potential clones distributed across Internal Medicine and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. These results highlight the importance of investigating S. maltophilia as an HAI-associated pathogen that remains understudied.

In Mexico, hospital wastewater (HWW) is a source of chemical and microbiological contamination, and it is released into the municipal sewage system without prior treatment. This water may contain pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes, which represent a risk to Public Health and the environment. So far, there are no studies that analyse this problem comprehensively, relating bacterial population structures, chemical contaminants, and seasonality. The aim of this work was to seasonally characterise the bacterial communities of HWW, including clinically relevant bacteria and resistance genes in Hospital Juárez de México (HJM), and to evaluate the impact of physicochemical factors on their composition. A one-year observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at five HWW discharge points of HJM. Fourteen physicochemical parameters were determined by using standard methodologies, and statistical differences between discharges and seasons were evaluated. Bacterial communities were analysed by targeted amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. In addition, the presence of eight antimicrobial resistance genes of local epidemiological importance was assessed. Data were analysed using alpha and beta diversity indices, principal component analysis, and multivariate statistical tests. HWW showed high taxonomic diversity, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes standing out. Clinically relevant bacteria were identified in 73.3% of the analyses, with Enterobacter and Escherichia-Shigella predominating. Total and dissolved solids, temperature, nitrate, and pH significantly influenced the bacterial composition of HWW. Seven out of the eight genes evaluated were identified, with bla_KPC, bla_OXA-40, and mcr-1 being the most frequent, showing significant seasonal differences. This study underlines the microbiological and chemical complexity of HWW, highlighting the impact of clinically relevant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes on Public Health. The findings emphasise the need to implement hospital waste management programmes and ideally specific treatment plants to minimise the associated risks and protect the environment and human health.

Infections pose a risk for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants due to their immunosuppression, making them susceptible to opportunistic infections. Therefore, understanding the composition of the aerobiome in this area is vital. The aim of this study was to characterize the aerobiome in an HSC transplant area, evaluating the impact of infrastructure and health personnel operations on air contamination. The environmental parameters and aerobiome of the HSC transplant area at Hospital Juárez de México were quantified over one year. Finally, a double-entry Vester matrix was constructed to classify problems according to their degree of causality. The abundance and taxonomic diversity of the aerobiome were dependent on seasonality, environmental factors, and high-efficiency filtration. Gram-positive bacteria predominated, followed by fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. ANOVA revealed significant differences in the bacterial aerobiome but not in the fungal aerobiome among the transplant rooms. Clinically, fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., and Penicillium spp. were identified. ESKAPE bacteria typing revealed clonal dispersion. Finally, the Vester matrix highlighted critical problems associated with contamination due to the absence of HEPA filtration and non-adherence in patient management practices. HEPA filtration and positive pressure are essential to improve the air quality and reduce the microbiological load. However, the control areas will depend on patient management and routine activities, such as entry protocols in controlled areas.

Progressive immune damage associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) alters mucosal homeostasis, favouring oral microbial imbalance and the development of opportunistic infections. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition and structure of the oral microbiota in different clinical conditions of HIV infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 Mexican men divided into five groups: HIV-negative controls, newly diagnosed without antiretroviral treatment, virally suppressed, with oral candidiasis, and with HPV infection. Metagenomic DNA was obtained from salivary samples, and the V1–V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene was massively sequenced. Taxonomic profiles, alpha/beta diversity, differential abundance, microbial co-occurrence networks and degree of dysbiosis were analysed. The results showed distinctive profiles between the groups. Alpha and beta diversity was significantly higher in the groups with oral Candida and HPV lesions, reflecting a disturbance of microbial balance. Differential abundance analysis revealed an increase in Streptococcus, Veillonella, Lactobacillus and Actinomyces genera in HIV patients, while healthy subjects showed higher abundance of Neisseria, Treponema, and Rothia, associated with a eubiotico state. The group of patients with HPV lesions had the highest number of taxa with differential abundance, suggesting an ecological environment altered by the lesion. Analysis of co-occurrence networks revealed a progressive pattern of microbial complexity: controls presented simple networks with weak positive correlations, while HIV groups showed increased connection density and appearance of structured nuclei. The group of patients with HPV lesions presented the highest connectivity, with multiple strongly correlated cores and core nodes such as Prevotella melaninogenica and Shuttleworthia. The dysbiosis score increased progressively from healthy subjects to those with HPV lesions, indicating a gradient of oral microbial disruption. These findings suggest that HIV immunosuppression and the presence of oral lesions are associated with enhanced dysbiosis, although their individual contributions could not be independently assessed due to the absence of non-HIV lesion controls. The integration of microbial networks and dysbiosis scores could be useful for assessing mucosal and immune health in people with HIV and used as biomarkers of clinical progression.