Human sapoviruses (HuSaVs), which cause acute diarrhea worldwide, are genetically diverse and divided into four genogroups (GI, GII, GIV, and GV). These were further subdivided into 18 genotypes (GI.1-7, GII.1-8, GIV.1, GV.1, and -2). Among them, only one strain has been reported worldwide for GII.7 to date. This strain was detected during a fecal pathogen screening of outpatients with gastroenteritis in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan in 2008. We established a virus stock panel of diverse HuSaV strains as bioresources for further virological characterization studies and successfully propagated multiple HuSaV strains using a human duodenum cell line, HuTu80, supplemented with conjugated bile acids. However, several HuSaV genotypes including GII.7 strain did not propagate under the tested conditions. This study reports the successful propagation of the HuSaV GII.7 strain in HuTu80 subcloned cells. The propagated virus is an additional bioresource. We further used scaled-up serially passaged progeny viruses as antigens for antiserum production and demonstrated differences in immunogenicity among the cell culture-propagated HuSaV GII strains.

IntroductionCottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, are responsible for <10% of the ∼5000 snakebites reported to America's Poison Centers annually. Envenomations are characterized primarily by local findings. Gastrointestinal signs and hematologic abnormalities have been reported. There are currently 2 antivenoms that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of cottonmouth envenomations. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features and antivenom use in the treatment of Northern Cottonmouth envenomations in Texas that were reported to the North American Snakebite Registry.MethodsWe reviewed cottonmouth bites reported between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2024. Data regarding the circumstances, patient demographics, clinical features, treatment, and outcomes were reviewed.ResultsSixty patients, with a mean patient age of 26 y, were included. Females accounted for 20 cases (33.3%). Lower extremity bites accounted for 35 cases (58.3%). Swelling was observed in 56 cases (93.3%). Emesis was reported in 10 cases (16.7%). Two patients (3.3%) experienced diarrhea. Hematologic laboratory abnormalities were present in 10 patients (16.7%). Antivenom was administered in 47 cases (78.3%), including 22 pediatric patients (84.6%). Three patients (6.4%) who received antivenom experienced minor acute hypersensitivity reactions.ConclusionsCottonmouth envenomations are characterized primarily by local tissue injury. Gastrointestinal signs and hematologic toxicity are observed less commonly. Antivenom is often administered for cottonmouth bites and is associated with a low incidence of acute hypersensitivity reactions. There is a trend toward treating pediatric patients more aggressively.

Weaning is a critical phase in piglet development, marked by abrupt nutritional, immunological, and social challenges. Lowering CP levels is a common strategy to mitigate postweaning diarrhoea, but growth performance may suffer and the risk of injurious behaviours such as biting may arise if dietary amino acids are not balanced. This review addresses how dietary protein, energy, and amino acid balance affect piglet health, behaviour, and nutrient efficiency. First, we detail the health implications of CP reduction. During immune stress, piglets consume less feed, and anorexia has been identified as the primary factor affecting piglet growth. Balanced diets are crucial for piglets during immune activation, as muscle catabolism supplies energy and amino acids for acute-phase responses. A beneficial effect of higher dietary methionine+cysteine, threonine, and tryptophan levels has been reported in the case of low sanitary conditions, but the potential advantages of supplementing other amino acids are unclear and the overall quantitative amino acid demand for immune function appears modest in comparison to the requirements for muscle deposition. Second, we review piglet behaviour and welfare. Low CP diets, even those with balanced amino acids, can increase the incidence of injurious behaviours (e.g. tail and ear biting). Functional amino acids such as tryptophan, tyrosine, and histidine influence neurotransmitter synthesis and have been showed to modulate stress and aggression in grower-finisher pigs, although evidence in weaned piglets remains limited. Third, we explore the effect of energy, amino acids and protein on performance. In piglet feeding, the standardised ileal digestible (SID) lysine: CP ratio is a more informative metric than the SID lysine: energy ratio for optimising growth and nutrient use efficiency. Energy requirements increase during immune activation, but CP often remains the first limiting factor for growth. Excesses or imbalances in amino acids, particularly among branched-chain amino acids, can reduce feed intake and performance. While low CP strategies can improve gut health, they must be carefully managed to avoid compromising growth and welfare. Further research is needed to refine energy and amino acid requirements across states of health, as well as to gain more insight into the behavioural effects of dietary interventions in the postweaning period.

Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) causes severe economic losses to the swine industry. This study aimed to identify host targets differentially expressed between virulent and attenuated SADS-CoV infections via multi-omics analysis for antiviral drug development. IPI-FX cells were infected with SADS-CoV virulent P17 or attenuated P117 strain, followed by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs) and proteins (DEPs). Integrated multi-omics analysis identified candidate genes with significant differences between the P17-infected group and both the control and P117-infected groups, but no differences between the P117-infected and control groups. A total of 374 DEMs and 225 DEPs (P117 vs. control), and 927 DEMs and 404 DEPs (P17 vs. control) were detected, with 58 mRNA-protein correlation pairs enriched in pathways related to protein processing, signal transduction, and immune responses. Knockdown of RNGTT significantly inhibited P17 but not P117 replication, indicating RNGTT as a key host target for virulent SADS-CoV. This study provides new insights into SADS-CoV-host interactions and a potential target for combining attenuated vaccines with antiviral agents.

Vibrio cholerae is a gastrointestinal pathogen that causes waterborne epidemics. More than 200 serogroups of V.cholerae have been identified to date. In general, 01 or 0139 strains of V.cholerae that produce cholera toxin cause acute, rapidly progressive watery diarrhea while non-O1/non-O139 strains that do not produce cholera toxin (non-toxigenic) can cause sporadic gastroenteritis, wound infection and septicemia. Although V.cholerae non-O1/O139 (NOVC) strains are not considered to have sufficient clinical significance due to their lack of toxin production and failure to cause epidemics, an increasing number of cases have been reported in the literature in recent years. In this report, a case of non-toxigenic V.cholerae bacteremia who presented to the emergency department of our hospital with chest pain was presented. A 59-year-old male patient with a medical history of gastrectomy secondary to gastric cancer (2006) and biliary tract surgery secondary to cholelithiasis (2016) presented to the emergency department with stabbing chest pain for three days. The patient was admitted to the coronary intensive care unit for follow-up with a prediagnosis of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). During the followup of the patient, blood culture was taken due to a fever of 39.2 °C accompanied by chills and shivering and empirical ceftriaxone and metronidazole treatment was started due to the presence of intrahepatic air density in abdominal tomography. His treatment was extended to meropenem after gram-negative bacilli were reported in blood culture in double vial. The microorganism reported in the follow-up was identified as V.cholerae by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight mass spectrometry and VITEK 2 (bioMérieux, France) and the isolate was confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory for Enteric Pathogens of the Department of National Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products, General Directorate of Public Health of Türkiye. The treatment of the patient was revised as ceftriaxone 1 × 2 g and ciprofloxacin 2 × 400 mg intravenous, considering the antimicrobial susceptibility of the current isolate. The patient was admitted to the infectious diseases ward for further investigation and treatment after the preliminary diagnosis of HOCM was ruled out. The patient, in whom no growth was detected in the control blood culture taken during hospitalization and who did not have a recurrence of fever, was discharged with a treatment plan of ceftriaxone intramuscularly and ciprofloxacin orally for a total of 14 days. In conclusion, infections with NOVC species leading to sepsis are being reported in increasing numbers every day. Currently, there are no definitive guidelines for the treatment of NOVC bacteremia. Therefore, clinicians should increase their knowledge of NOVC bacteremia to rapidly diagnose and treat patients.

Background: Antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae represent an increasing challenge in community-acquired pediatric diarrheal infections. Understanding the genomic basis and dissemination of resistance in outpatient settings is essential for guiding antimicrobial use. Methods: Eighteen Gram-negative isolates obtained from pediatric outpatients with acute diarrhea were analyzed using selective culture methods, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and whole-genome sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing, serotyping, virulence profiling, antimicrobial resistance gene detection, plasmid replicon typing, mobile genetic element analysis, and core genome-based phylogenetic analysis were performed. Phenotypic resistance profiles were correlated with genomic resistance determinants. Results:Klebsiella pneumoniae (55.56%) and Escherichia coli (44.44%) were identified, with all isolates exhibiting putative multidrug resistance-associated genomic profiles. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes, particularly blaCTX-M variants, were strongly associated with resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. In contrast, fluoroquinolone resistance correlated with gyrA and parC mutations and plasmid-mediated qnr genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diverse lineages harboring resistance determinants. In silico plasmid analysis revealed that key resistance genes co-occurred with IncF-type plasmids and mobile genetic elements, including ISEcp1, IS26, and class 1 integrons, suggesting putative plasmid association rather than confirmed localization. Conclusions: These findings highlight the small scale of plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance among E. coli and K. pneumoniae causing pediatric community-acquired diarrhea. The integration of phenotypic and genomic analyses underscores the need for continuous resistance surveillance to support rational antibiotic use in outpatient settings.

Bacillus licheniformis (BL) is used for clinical treatment of acute and chronic enteritis and diarrhea. The present study explored the physiological characteristics and proteomes of BL response to 6-month spaceflight aboard the China Space Station. 6-month spaceflight delayed BL lag phase, reduced cell wall thickness, and impaired BL biofilm formation and adhesion capacity to Caco-2 cells. After 6-month spaceflight, activity of β-amylase, alkaline protease and lipase in BL was increased by 21.6%,67.3% and 42.5%. The alkaline resistance of BL at pH 11.0 was increased by 29.6%. Proteomics identified 6051 proteins in the BL. Of these, 62 of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) groups were screened based on fold change (FC) > 1.5 and < 0.667 (P < 0.05). Thirty-six DAP groups exhibited an up-regulation trend with the maximum FC reaching 9.53. Twenty-six DAP groups were down-regulated. The molecular functions of DAPs were mainly classified into the transport of nutrients and ions, cell wall biosynthesis, mRNA metabolism and protein translation. These results revealed that 6-month spaceflight led to notably changes of physiological characteristics and proteins in BL. The novel findings may supply new insights into BL response to long-term complex space environment. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY: Complex space environment could lead to gastrointestinal system disorders of astronauts and enhance the risk of intestinal infections. BL, a Gram-positive probiotic bacterium, has potential to protect intestinal health of astronauts. To date, space microbiology studies on probiotic Gram-positive bacteria is rather limited. Physiological properties of BL onboard spaceflight missions are still lacking. The effect of long-term spaceflight on proteomes of BL has not been reported. The functional changes of DAPs in BL exposed to complex space environment remains unelucidated. Thus, it is urgent to carry out comprehensive study on spaceflight-BL. The purpose of present study was to explore the physiological characteristics and proteomic changes in BL abord the Shenzhou-15 spaceship into the China Space Station for 6 months. The novel findings are helpful to understand the response patterns of BL to spaceflight and provide a scientific support for the intestinal health protection of astronauts and the in-orbit application of this probiotic.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a highly contagious acute coronavirus, causes severe mortality in piglets and threatens the global swine industry. Widespread PEDV mutations limit vaccine efficacy, highlighting the need for universal antibody detection assays to monitor infections and evaluate vaccine-induced immunity. The conserved PEDV nucleocapsid (N) protein elicits early high-titer antibody responses, making it an ideal diagnostic target. Here, we generated 2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the PEDV N protein. Through molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and truncation assays, we confirmed stable antibody-N protein binding and identified two novel, highly conserved linear epitopes: [139]TPPASRANSRSR[151] and [432]IINEIFDTGN[441]. Using mAb-4H7, we developed a blocking ELISA (bELISA) with a 27.62% percent inhibition (PI) cutoff, achieving 98.00% specificity and 98.59% sensitivity for clear serological differentiation. The assay demonstrated 1:32 analytical sensitivity, no cross-reactivity with 5 other swine pathogens, and excellent repeatability. Clinical validation with 144 serum samples showed 97.92% concordance with the results of the PEDV-ELISA (IgG) kit. This study provides conserved epitope targets and a robust diagnostic tool for PEDV surveillance, vaccine evaluation, and basic N protein research, supporting comprehensive PEDV control strategies.

Acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) has not been well-treated with 20 mg elemental zinc, primarily because of adverse symptoms like vomiting. In contrast to 20 mg of zinc, this study sought to determine whether a lower dose of zinc, with or without probiotics, is as beneficial as 20 mg of zinc, yet tolerated better. The aim of this study was to compare the acceptability and efficacy of low-dose zinc (10 mg) with or without probiotics to the acceptability and efficacy of standard-dose zinc (20 mg) in children diagnosed with AWD. A prospective comparative study was conducted among children aged 6 months to 5 years with AWD at a tertiary healthcare centre. Eligible children were randomized into three groups: Group Z20 and Z10 were administered zinc acetate 20 mg/day and 10 mg/day, respectively, and Group Z10P with 10 mg/day with probiotics. Caregivers were followed daily via telephonic interviews for 14 days to record symptoms, adverse reactions, and treatment completion. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test, one-way ANOVA, and the chi-square test. A total of 147 children were enrolled (49 in each group). The mean duration of AWD at enrollment was 3 ± 1.5 days, and the mean frequency was 5 ± 2 episodes/day. There was no significant difference in the mean duration of diarrhoea among the groups. The most common adverse reactions reported was vomiting (85%). Diarrhoea resolved within 3 days in 22.4% of Group Z10P, 10.2% of Group Z20, and 2% of Group Z10 (P = .03). Low-dose zinc (10 mg/day) was less effective than 20 mg zinc in controlling AWD. However, the combination of 10 mg zinc with probiotics significantly improved efficacy.

A 5-year-old dwarf rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with a body weight of 2.46 kg was presented due to acute inappetence, apathy, and diarrhea. The animal was housed outdoors with a companion rabbit in an enclosure with natural soil and an underground tunnel system. The general clinical examination revealed severe apathy, hypothermia (36.3°C), and increased abdominal respiration. Laboratory diagnostics showed a non-regenerative anemia as well as heterophilic and monocytic leukocytosis. Radiographic examination demonstrated hepatomegaly and loss of peritoneal detail. In addition to an enlargement of the liver and spleen, abdominal ultrasonography revealed multiple hypoechoic, round hepatic lesions, markedly enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, and free fluid. Furthermore, several masses within the uterus and a focal renal infarction in the craniodorsal region of the right renal cortex were noted. Computed tomography confirmed the ultrasonographic findings and additionally showed generalized thickening of the large intestinal walls. Due to the poor general condition and the diagnostic findings, the animal was euthanized at the owner's request and submitted for pathological examination. The main findings included lymphadenomegaly of multiple intestinal lymph nodes and multifocal necrotizing inflammation of the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was isolated from the spleen, leading to a diagnosis of pseudotuberculosis. This potential zoonosis has so far been documented in only one other case report in pet rabbits in the academic literature and should be considered a differential diagnosis in rabbits kept outdoors presenting with severe systemic disease.