Salmonella Biofilms Tolerate Hydrogen Peroxide by a Combination of Extracellular Polymeric Substance Barrier Function and Catalase Enzymes

The ability of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) to cause chronic gallbladder infections is dependent on biofilm growth on cholesterol gallstones. Non-typhoidal Salmonella (e.g. S. Typhimurium) also utilize the biofilm state to persist in the host and the environment. How the pathogen maintains recalcitrance to the host response, and oxidative stress in particular, during chronic infection is poorly understood. Previous experiments demonstrated that S. Typhi and S. Typhimurium biofilms are tolerant to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), but that mutations in the biofilm extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) O antigen capsule, colanic acid, or Vi antigen reduce tolerance. Here, biofilm-mediated tolerance to oxidative stress was investigated using a combination of EPS and catalase mutants, as catalases are important detoxifiers of H2O2. Using co-cultured biofilms of wild-type (WT) bacteria with EPS mutants, it was demonstrated that colanic acid in S. Typhimurium and Vi antigen in S. Typhi have a community function and protect all biofilm-resident bacteria rather than to only protect the individual cells producing the EPSs. However, the H2O2 tolerance deficiency of a O antigen capsule mutant was unable to be compensated for by co-culture with WT bacteria. For curli fimbriae, both WT and mutant strains are tolerant to H2O2 though unexpectedly, co-cultured WT/mutant biofilms challenged with H2O2 resulted in sensitization of both strains, suggesting a more nuanced oxidative resistance alteration in these co-cultures. Three catalase mutant (katE, katG and a putative catalase) biofilms were also examined, demonstrating significant reductions in biofilm H2O2 tolerance for the katE and katG mutants. Biofilm co-culture experiments demonstrated that catalases exhibit a community function. We further hypothesized that biofilms are tolerant to H2O2 because the physical barrier formed by EPSs slows penetration of H2O2 into the biofilm to a rate that can be mitigated by intra-biofilm catalases. Compared to WT, EPS-deficient biofilms have a heighted response even to low-dose (2.5 mM) H2O2 challenge, confirming that resident bacteria of EPS-deficient biofilms are under greater stress and have limited protection from H2O2. Thus, these data provide an explanation for how Salmonella achieves tolerance to H2O2 by a combination of an EPS-mediated barrier and enzymatic detoxification.

Virulence Factors of Salmonella Typhi

S. Typhi is an enteric bacillus which belongs,to the genus Salmonella in the family Enterobacteriacaea and it is a multi–organs pathogen which inhibits the lymphatic tissues of the small intestine, liver, spleen, and blood stream of infected humans.S.Typhi has a mixture of features that make it an efficient pathogen. This species contains an endotoxin that is characteristic of Gram-negative organisms, as well as the virulence-enhancing Vi antigen. Many of the S. Typhi virulence factors are clustered in some areas of the chromosome known as Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPI), such as adhesion, invasion, and toxin genes. A protein known as invasin that permits non-phagocytic cells is also produced and excreted by the bacterium., Where it is capable of intracellular living. The oxidative burst of leukocytes may also be inhibited, making innate immune reaction ineffective.

Screening studies in the diagnosis of chronic carrier of the causative agent of the typhoid fever among residents of different countries

The results of screening studies of chronic carriage of the causative agent of typhoid fever (S. Typhi) among residents of various countries are presented. We studied 810 blood serums, including: 462 from citizens of the Republic of Guinea, 244 from labor migrants who arrived in the Russian Federation from Central Asia, and 104 from residents of St. Petersburg. Antibodies to S. Typhi Vi antigen were determined in the passive hemagglutination reaction as a marker of possible chronic carriage of bacteria. When screening studies of sera of citizens of the Republic of Guinea in 21 (4,5%) cases, a positive result was obtained. The level of antibodies to Vi- antigen above diagnostic was found in 6 (1,3%) sera. In 5 samples, the level of antibodies was 1:80, in one - 1: 160. Positive results in a screening study of the sera of labor migrants were obtained in 24 people. A confirmatory test revealed antibodies to the Vi antigen in the diagnostic titer in 9 sera. Positive results were obtained from 2 (3,64%) citizens of Tajikistan and 7 (4,09%) citizens of Uzbekistan. Antibodies to the S. Typhi Vi antigen were not found in residents of St. Petersburg (citizens of the Russian Federation). A comparable level of possible chronic carriage of typhoid fever was revealed for residents of epidemiologically unfavorable territories (Africa) and labor migrants coming to our country from Central Asia. The chances of the emergence of sources of infection in our country are increasing due to the increase in international contacts, which requires additional preventive measures.

Some aspects of development of typhoid fever and persistent brucellosis infection

Bacterial vacuolated intracellular parasites, such as Salmonella spp. and Brucella spp., possess the ability to cause persistent, long-life chronic infection during which the microbe continues to replicate inside the host organism in spite of the development of an immune response. Such bacteria develop a strategy to evade the immune response, which plays a key role in the development of chronic infection. The implementation of this strategy is aimed at inhibiting the action of factors of innate immunity. In brucella, this process is mediated by the noncanonical structure of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as a result of which the pathogen is not recognized by the cells of innate immunity, as well as by the functioning of T4CC, the effector proteins of which block the development of the inflammatory response. The strategy of S. Typhi is realized via the expression of genes of pathogenicity island 7 encoding Vi-antigen and genotoxin. Vi-antigen inhibits recognition of the microbe by cells of the innate immune system. Typhoid genotoxin causes the death of immune cells. Brucella realizes this strategy via the noncanonical structure of LPS and T4SS, effector proteins of which block the development of inflammation. Alternative activated macrophages appear during chronic infection caused by both pathogens. These microbes are able to regulate the metabolism of macrophages according to their needs while persisting in them. A review of the sources of information on this problem allows us to conclude that both the causative agent of typhoid fever S. Typhi and the causative agents of brucellosis use the same strategies for the development of a chronic infectious process, but the implementation of these strategies is carried out specifically.

Salmonella Extracellular Polymeric Substances Modulate Innate Phagocyte Activity and Enhance Tolerance of Biofilm-Associated Bacteria to Oxidative Stress

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi causes 14.3 million acute cases of typhoid fever that are responsible for 136,000 deaths each year. Chronic infections occur in 3%–5% of those infected and S. Typhi persists primarily in the gallbladder by forming biofilms on cholesterol gallstones, but how these bacterial communities evade host immunity is not known. Salmonella biofilms produce several extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) during chronic infection, which are hypothesized to prevent pathogen clearance either by protecting biofilm-associated bacteria from direct humoral attack or by modulating innate phagocyte interaction with biofilms. Using wild-type and EPS-deficient planktonic and biofilm Salmonella, the direct attack hypothesis was tested by challenging biofilms with human serum and antimicrobial peptides. Biofilms were found to be tolerant to these molecules, but these phenotypes were independent of the tested EPSs. By examining macrophage and neutrophil responses, new roles for biofilm-associated capsular polysaccharides and slime polysaccharides were identified. The S. Typhi Vi antigen was found to modulate innate immunity by reducing macrophage nitric oxide production and neutrophil reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The slime polysaccharides colanic acid and cellulose were found to be immune-stimulating and represent a key difference between non-typhoidal serovars and typhoidal serovars, which do not express colanic acid. Furthermore, biofilm tolerance to the exogenously-supplied ROS intermediates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hypochlorite (ClO−) indicated an additional role of the capsular polysaccharides for both serovars in recalcitrance to H2O2 but not ClO−, providing new understanding of the stalemate that arises during chronic infections and offering new directions for mechanistic and clinical studies.

Characterization of Salmonella Dublin isolated from bovine and human hosts

Background Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Dublin (S. Dublin), a cattle adapted serovar causes enteritis, and systemic disease in bovines. The invasive index of this serovar far exceeds that of the other serovars and human infections often present as fatal or highly resistant infections. In this, observational study, phenotypic properties of human and bovine-derived isolates of S. Dublin along with antibiogram of common antimicrobials were evaluated. The multiplex PCR confirmed isolates were genotyped using 7-gene legacy MLST. MIC assay was done by broth microdilution method. Previously published protocols were used to assess the motility, biofilm formation and morphotype. Vi antigen was agglutinated using commercial antiserum. Caenorhabditis elegans infection model was used to evaluate the virulence potiential. Phenotyping experiments were done in duplicates while virulence assay was done in triplicates. Whole-genome sequencing was used to predict the genes responsible for acquired resistance and a genotype-phenotype comparison was made. Results We evaluated 96 bovine and 10 human isolates in this study. All the isolates belonged to ST10 in eBG53 and were negative for Vi-antigen. The swarming motility, biofilm formation and morphotype were variable in the isolates of both groups. Resistance to sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline was > 90% in animal isolates whereas resistance to sulfamethoxazole was > 70% in human isolates. MDR was also higher in animal isolates. Human isolates were significantly (P < 0.0001) more virulent than animal isolates on C. elegans infection model. The genomic comparison based on the core SNPs showed a high degree of homogeneity between the isolates. The carriage of IncA/C2 plasmid was seen as a typical feature of isolates from the bovine hosts. Conclusion Human isolates showed more diversity in the phenotypic assays. Animal isolates showed a higher degree of antimicrobial resistance with greater MDR but human isolates formed more biofilm and had greater swarming motility as well as increased virulence to the nematode C. elegans. The carriage of IncA/C2 plasmid could contribute to the distinguishing feature of the bovine isolates. The tandem use of genotypic-phenotypic assays improves the understanding of diversity and differential behaviour of the same serovar from unrelated host sources.

Adsorption of Vi Capsular Antigen of Salmonella Typhi in Chitosan–Poly (Methacrylic Acid) Nanoparticles

The development of a nanoparticulate system for the carrier antigen is now an important tool in the vaccination process, since a smaller number of doses is necessary for effective immunization. Thus, in this work a nanoparticulate system using polymers of chitosan and poly (methacrylic acid) (CS–PMAA) to adsorb the Vi antigen of Salmonella Typhi was developed. CS–PMAA nanoparticles with different proportions of chitosan and poly (methacrylic acid) were obtained and reached sizes from 123.9 ± 2.48 to 234.9 ± 2.66 nm, and spherical shapes were seen in transmission microscopy. At pH 7.2, the nanoparticles had a cationic surface charge that contributed to the adsorption of the Vi antigen. Qualitative analyses of the isolated Vi antigen were performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which indicated the presence of all the characteristic bands of the capsular polysaccharide, and nuclear magnetic resonance, which showed signals for the five hydrogens and the N-acetyl and O-acetyl groups which are characteristic of the Vi antigen structure. In the adsorption kinetics study, the Vi capsular antigen, contained in a phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.2, experienced 55% adsorption on the 1–1% (CS–PMAA) nanoparticles. The adsorption kinetics results showed the ability of the nanoparticulate system to adsorb the Vi antigen.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Two Salmonella enterica Serovar Dublin Strains That Harbor the viaA, viaB, and ompB Loci of the Vi Antigen

Here, we report the genome sequences of two Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin strains, 03EB8736SAL and 03EB8994SAL, isolated from raw-milk cheese and milk filtrate, respectively. Analysis of the draft genomes of the two isolates reveals the presence of the viaA, viaB, and ompB loci of the Vi capsular polysaccharide antigen (Vi antigen).