Objectives. We examined the association of the coronary thrombus microbiota and relative metabolites with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in hyperglycemic patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Background. Hyperglycemia during STEMI may affect both development and progression of coronary thrombus via gut and thrombus microbiota modi cations.Methods. We undertook an observational cohort study of 146 rst STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and thrombus-aspiration (TA). Patients were clustered, based on admission blood glucose levels, in hyperglycemic (>140 mg/dl) and normoglycemic (<140 mg/dl). We analyzed gut and thrombus microbiota in all patients. Moreover, we assessed TMAO, CD40L and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in coronary thrombi. Cox regressions were used for the association between Prevotellaspp and TMAO terziles and MACE. MACE endpoint at 1 year included death, re-infarction, unstable angina.Results. In fecal and thrombus samples, we observed a signi cantly different prevalence of both Prevotellaspp and Alistipesspp. between patients with hyperglycemia (n=56) and those with normal glucose levels (n=90). The abundance of Prevotella increased in hyperglycemic vs normoglycemic patients whereas the contrary was observed for Alistipes. Interestingly, in coronary thrombus, the content of Prevotella was associated with admission blood glucose levels (p<0.01), thrombus dimensions (p<0.01), TMAO, CDL40 (p<0.01) and vWF (p<0.01) coronary thrombus contents. Multivariate Coxanalysis disclosed a reduced survival in patients with high levels of Prevotella and TMAO in coronary thrombus as compared to patients with low levels of Prevotella and TMAO, after 1-year follow up.Conclusions. Hyperglycemia during STEMI may increase coronary thrombus burden via gut and thrombus microbiota dysbiosis characterized by an increase of Prevotella and TMAO content in thrombi.

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Keratitis is an ocular inflammatory disease characterized by corneal derangement, due to alterations of structural components such as tight junctions and infiltration of leucocytes into the cornea. These result in stromal keratitis, corneal thinning, and ultimately corneal perforation and scarring. Early neutrophil infiltration into the cornea causes local inflammation that greatly contributes to the host tissue destruction through the release of proteolytic enzymes and inflammatory mediators, ultimately leading to inflammation. 1 This latter accompanied by damage of cellular components including cell membrane, cytoplasmic organelles and the nucleus, as for example the mitochondria and the DNA. Several evidences recently highlighted the importance of a pro-resolving novel strategy in the resolution of different experimental models of inflammation-based pathologies. 2-8 Among the

The ocular microbiome is of fundamental importance for immune eye homeostasis, and its alteration would lead to an impairment of ocular functionality. Little evidence is reported on the composition of the ocular microbiota of term infants and on the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis. Methods: A total of 20 conjunctival swabs were collected from newborns at birth and after antibiotic treatment. Samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing via system MiSeq Illumina. The data were processed with the MicrobAT software and statistical analysis were performed using two-way ANOVA. Results: Antibiotic prophylaxis with gentamicin altered the composition of the microbiota. In detail, a 1.5- and 2.01-fold reduction was recorded for Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) and Massilia timonae (M. timonae), respectively, whereas an increase in Staphylococcus spp. of 6.5 times occurred after antibiotic exposure. Conclusions: Antibiotic prophylaxis altered the ocular microbiota whose understanding could avoid adverse effects on eye health.

Ocular viral infections are common and widespread globally. These infectious diseases are a major cause of acute red eyes and vision loss. The eye and its nearby tissues can be infected by several viral agents, causing infections with a short course and limited ocular implications or a long clinical progression and serious consequences for the function and structure of the ocular region. Several surveillance studies underline the increased emergence of drug resistance among pathogenic viral strains, limiting treatment options for these infections. Currently, in the event of resistant infections, topical or systemic corticosteroids are useful in the management of associated immune reactions in the eye, which contribute to ocular dysfunction. Many cases of viral eye infections are misdiagnosed as being of bacterial origin. In these cases, therapy begins late and is not targeted at the actual cause of the infection, often leading to severe ocular compromises, such as corneal infiltrates, conjunctival scarring, and reduced visual acuity. The present study aims at a better understanding of the viral pathogens that cause eye infections, along with the treatment options available.