Karen Pendergrass, Standards Team

Candida albicans enables systemic Staphylococcus aureus infection via Als3p-mediated hyphal invasion. This “microbial hitchhiking” allows S. aureus to bypass epithelial barriers, with major implications for immunocompromised patients.

C. albicans protects P. gingivalis from immune detection by enhancing gingipain activity, suppressing cytokine signaling, and promoting chronic bacterial persistence. Mixed biofilms weaken macrophage and fibroblast responses and alter infection severity in vivo, demonstrating a cross-kingdom partnership that reshapes periodontal disease pathogenesis.

Transition metals like iron, zinc, copper, and manganese are crucial for the enzymatic machinery of organisms, but their imbalance can foster pathogenic environments within the gastrointestinal tract.

Bacteria regulate transition metal levels through complex mechanisms to ensure survival and adaptability, influencing both their physiology and the development of antimicrobial strategies.

This case report describes markedly elevated lead, nickel, and bismuth in the peritoneal fluid of a young woman with endometriosis, highlighting dietary and environmental exposure considerations and potential biomarker relevance.

This study examined blood nickel and endometriosis, revealing significantly higher nickel levels in affected Sri Lankan women, supporting a potential metalloestrogenic role.

This study links nickel allergy to overweight status in women and shows that a low-nickel diet reduces BMI and waist size while suggesting immunologic and microbiome-related mechanisms.

Urease enables S. aureus to survive acid stress and persist in murine kidneys. Its expression is regulated by CcpA and Agr, and its activity is essential for long-term infection, highlighting a critical microbial adaptation for persistence in acidic microenvironments.

Nickel-dependent enzymes like urease and hydrogenase are essential for pathogen virulence. This review outlines the mechanisms by which pathogens acquire and utilize nickel and explores implications for therapy and microbiome balance.

This study evaluates nickel chelation therapy using DMG against multidrug-resistant Salmonella and Klebsiella. DMG impaired virulence by inhibiting Ni-dependent enzymes, reduced bacterial load in organs, and improved survival in animal models, offering a promising metallomic intervention.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age, characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance. It is often associated with metabolic dysfunctions and inflammation, leading to fertility issues and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a rare, non-pathogenic strain of E. coli discovered during World War I from a soldier who did not get dysentery while others did. Unlike harmful E. coli, EcN acts as a probiotic: it settles in the gut, competes with bad bacteria for food and space, produces natural antimicrobials, and even helps strengthen the gut barrier.

A longitudinal study showing that specific bacterial vaginosis subtypes and microbial networks strongly predict Chlamydia trachomatis acquisition, reinfection, and sequelae in adolescents and young women.

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a highly regarded probiotic strain with significant clinical value due to its ability to outcompete a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Through the formation of robust biofilms on intestinal epithelial surfaces, EcN effectively blocks the adhesion and colonization of pathogens such as Salmonella, Shigella, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

β-glucuronidase in the gut microbiome breaks down metabolites, drugs, and hormone conjugates like estrogen, aiding microbial energy use and nutrient cycling. Its activity influences drug efficacy and hormone levels, maintaining estrogen balance and impacting health. Disruption in this process can lead to estrogen-related diseases, such as gynecological cancers and menopausal syndrome, and increase colorectal cancer risks by reactivating carcinogens, highlighting its pivotal role in linking microbial actions to host physiological processes.

This review summarizes evidence linking physical activity to reduced breast cancer risk, with significant benefits for postmenopausal women. Mechanisms include hormonal modulation, reduced inflammation, enhanced immunity, and potential microbiome interactions, supporting exercise as a key preventive strategy.

Fusobacterium infection significantly contributes to endometriosis pathogenesis, activating fibroblast inflammation and lesion formation. Antibiotics like metronidazole show promise.

Metagenomic analysis revealed that Parkinson’s disease is linked to fragmented gut microbial networks, loss of SCFA producers, and increased proteolytic metabolism. Specific microbial signatures were associated with disease progression, particularly in “gut-first” PD subtypes, emphasizing the clinical and therapeutic relevance of the gut microbiome in PD.

Microsporum canis (M. canis) is a zoophilic dermatophyte common in cats and dogs, responsible for 90% of feline dermatophytoses worldwide.[1][2] It has significant zoonotic potential, transmitting to humans through fomites or direct animal contact, causing severe superficial mycosis. M. canis is considered anthropo-zoophilic and can infect pediatric or immunocompromised patients, causing severe inflammatory responses such […]

Lactoferrin and its peptides exhibit broad antifungal activity through membrane disruption, immunomodulation, and iron sequestration, with documented synergy with azoles. Lactoferricin B is potent against dermatophytes, including Microsporum canis, and exemplifies how antimicrobial peptides can pair metallomic deprivation with rapid candidacidal effects.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles inhibited Microsporum canis growth in a concentration-dependent manner and significantly reduced SUB1 virulence-gene expression. MIC values of 250–500 ppm and fungicidal activity at 500–1000 ppm indicate strong antifungal potential with implications for nanoparticle-based veterinary antifungal strategies.

Genome sequencing of feline and canine Microsporum canis reveals close genetic identity to an invasive human strain and dissects secreted CAZymes that drive keratin degradation and potential zoonosis.

This study characterized the siderophores produced by Microsporum and Trichophyton species, revealing that M. canis secretes ferrichrome and ferricrocin under iron-limited conditions, indicating siderophore pathways as exploitable therapeutic targets.

Short-chain fatty acids are microbially derived metabolites that regulate epithelial integrity, immune signaling, and microbial ecology. Their production patterns and mechanistic roles provide essential functional markers within microbiome signatures and support the interpretation of MBTIs, MMAs, and systems-level microbial shifts across clinical conditions.