FELIPE PIEDADE GONÇALVES NEVES

@uff.br

Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Instituto Biomédico
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL FLUMINESE



                 

https://researchid.co/fpgneves

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Bacteriology, Gram-positive cocci, antimicrobial resistance, molecular epidemiology

51

Scopus Publications

878

Scholar Citations

20

Scholar h-index

29

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • WHO defeating meningitis symposium, 3rd international symposium on Streptococcus agalactiae disease (ISSAD) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: State-of-the-art overview of S. agalactiae meningitis
    Laura M.A. Oliveira, Namrata Prasad, Ruth Lynfield, Margaret Ip, Soufiane Sanou, Felipe P.G. Neves, Annelies Wilder-Smith, Heidi M. Soeters, Kirsty Le Doare, and Marie-Pierre Preziosi

    Elsevier BV

  • CRISPR Elements and Their Association with Macrolide and Aminoglycoside Resistance Genes in Enterococci
    Rafael L. do Rêgo, Felipe P.G. Neves, Filipe M. Miranda, Amanda B. da Silva, Amanda S. Cabral, Bárbara A. dos Santos, Jailton L.C. Lima, and Aline R.V. de Souza

    Mary Ann Liebert Inc
    CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated) systems are common among enterococci and may prevent the acquisition of mobile genetic elements carrying antimicrobial resistance genes. In this study, we correlate the presence of CRISPR with genes associated with macrolide resistance and high-level resistance to aminoglycosides (HLR-A) among 216 Enterococcus faecalis and 82 Enterococcus faecium isolates. We used PCR to detect genes associated with macrolide resistance, HLR-A, and type II-A CRISPR elements. We used two-tailed Fisher's exact test to evaluate correlation between CRISPR and resistance genes. One hundred and seven (35.9%) isolates had at least one HLR-A gene; the prevalent genes were aac(6')-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia and ant(6)-Ia found in 61 (57%) and 46 (43%) isolates, respectively. The macrolide resistance genes erm(A) and erm(B) were found in 116 (38.9%) isolates. Overall, 174 (58.4%) isolates had at least one CRISPR element; the predominant one was CRISPR3-Cas (n = 117; 39.2%). The presence of three genes, two related to HLR-A [aph(2″)-Ic and ant(6)-Ia] and one macrolide resistance gene [erm(B)], was associated with the absence of CRISPR (p < 0.05), mainly in E. faecalis lacking CRISPR3-Cas. We observed the association between the absence of CRISPR and the presence of major aminoglycoside and macrolide resistance determinants, contributing to the understanding of the evolution of resistance in enterococci.

  • CRISPR Elements and Their Association with Macrolide and Aminoglycoside Resistance Genes in Enterococci
    Rafael L. do Rêgo, Felipe P.G. Neves, Filipe M. Miranda, Amanda B. da Silva, Amanda S. Cabral, Bárbara A. dos Santos, Jailton L.C. Lima, and Aline R.V. de Souza

    Mary Ann Liebert Inc
    CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated) systems are common among enterococci and may prevent the acquisition of mobile genetic elements carrying antimicrobial resistance genes. In this study, we correlate the presence of CRISPR with genes associated with macrolide resistance and high-level resistance to aminoglycosides (HLR-A) among 216 Enterococcus faecalis and 82 Enterococcus faecium isolates. We used PCR to detect genes associated with macrolide resistance, HLR-A, and type II-A CRISPR elements. We used two-tailed Fisher's exact test to evaluate correlation between CRISPR and resistance genes. One hundred and seven (35.9%) isolates had at least one HLR-A gene; the prevalent genes were aac(6')-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia and ant(6)-Ia found in 61 (57%) and 46 (43%) isolates, respectively. The macrolide resistance genes erm(A) and erm(B) were found in 116 (38.9%) isolates. Overall, 174 (58.4%) isolates had at least one CRISPR element; the predominant one was CRISPR3-Cas (n = 117; 39.2%). The presence of three genes, two related to HLR-A [aph(2″)-Ic and ant(6)-Ia] and one macrolide resistance gene [erm(B)], was associated with the absence of CRISPR (p < 0.05), mainly in E. faecalis lacking CRISPR3-Cas. We observed the association between the absence of CRISPR and the presence of major aminoglycoside and macrolide resistance determinants, contributing to the understanding of the evolution of resistance in enterococci.

  • Changes in population genetic structure of serotype 19A Streptococcus pneumoniae after universal childhood use of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Brazil
    Jailton L.C. Lima, Amanda B. da Silva, Amanda S. Cabral, Filipe M. de Miranda, Lívia D. da Silva, André R.A. da Silva, Lúcia M. Teixeira, and Felipe P.G. Neves

    Elsevier BV

  • Long-term predominance in childhood colonization of the multidrug-resistant lineage 6C/ST386 of Streptococcus pneumoniae after universal immunization with the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Brazil
    Filipe M. Miranda, Lívia D. da Silva, Letícia B.D.P. Fortuna, Amanda B. Silva, Amanda S. Cabral, Jailton L.C. Lima, Carmen B. Vieira, Lúcia M. Teixeira, Aline R.V. de Souza, and Felipe P.G. Neves

    Elsevier BV

  • CRISPR-Cas systems in enterococci
    Amanda Seabra Cabral, Fernanda de Freitas Lacerda, Vitor Luis Macena Leite, Filipe Martire de Miranda, Amanda Beiral da Silva, Bárbara Araújo dos Santos, Jailton Lobo da Costa Lima, Lúcia Martins Teixeira, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC

  • Detection of Mycoplasma spp. in free-living seabirds
    Samara Gomes de Brito, Thomas Salles Dias, Leandro dos Santos Machado, Jenif Braga de Souza, Nathalie Costa da Cunha, Virginia Léo de Almeida Pereira, Maria Lúcia Barreto, Aloysio de Mello Figueiredo Cerqueira, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC

  • Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonizing Pigs and Farm Workers in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: Potential Interspecies Transmission of Livestock-Associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) ST398
    Joana Talim, Ianick Martins, Cassio Messias, Hellen Sabino, Laura Oliveira, Tatiana Pinto, Julia Albuquerque, Aloysio Cerqueira, Ítalo Dolores, Beatriz Moreira,et al.

    MDPI AG
    Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus has been increasingly isolated from pigs and people in close contact with them, especially livestock-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA). In this cross-sectional study, we investigated S. aureus colonization in pigs and farm workers, their resistance profile, and genetic background to estimate interspecies transmission potential within farms from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, between 2014 and 2019. We collected nasal swabs from 230 pigs and 27 workers from 16 and 10 farms, respectively. Five MDR strains were subjected to whole genome sequencing. Fourteen (6.1%) pigs and seven (25.9%) humans were colonized with S. aureus, mostly (64–71%) MDR strains. Resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, penicillin, and tetracycline was the most common among the pig and human strains investigated. MDR strains shared several resistance genes [blaZ, dfrG, fexA, lsa(E), and tet(M)]. Pig and human strains recovered from the same farm shared the same genetic background and antimicrobial resistance profile. LA-MRSA ST398-SCCmecV-t011 was isolated from pigs in two farms and from a farm worker in one of them, suggesting interspecies transmission. The association between pig management practices and MDR S. aureus colonization might be investigated in additional studies.

  • Antimicrobial Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae before and after the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Brazil: A Systematic Review
    Patricia Alice Knupp-Pereira, Amanda Seabra Cabral, Ítalo Moraes Dolores, Amanda Beiral da Silva, Helvécio Cardoso Correa Póvoa, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    MDPI AG
    Streptococcus pneumoniae causes serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis, mainly in immunocompromised individuals and those of extreme ages. Currently, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are the best allies against pneumococcal diseases. In Brazil, the 10-valent and 13-valent PCVs have been available since 2010, but the threat of antimicrobial resistance persists and has been changing over time. We conducted a systematic review of the literature with works published since 2000, generating a parallel between susceptibility data on isolates recovered from colonization and invasive diseases before and after the implementation of PCVs for routine childhood use in Brazil. This systematic review was based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Despite the inclusion of PCVs at a large scale in the national territory, high frequencies of non-susceptibility to important drugs used in pneumococcal diseases are still observed, especially penicillin, as well as increasing resistance to macrolides. However, there are still drugs for which pneumococci have a comprehensive sensitivity profile.

  • First Report of a Wastewater Treatment-Adapted Enterococcus faecalis ST21 Harboring vanA Gene in Brazil
    Beatriz O. Farias, Kaylanne S. Montenegro, Ana Paula A. Nascimento, Mariana Magaldi, Andressa S. Gonçalves-Brito, Claudia Flores, Thais C. Moreira, Felipe P. G. Neves, Kayo Bianco, and Maysa M. Clementino

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC

  • Prevalence, capsular types, antimicrobial resistance and risk factors associated with pneumococcal carriage among children after long-term 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine use in Brazil
    Letícia B.D.P. Fortuna, Filipe M. Miranda, Isa M.F. Antunes, Amanda B. Silva, Amanda S. Cabral, Ítalo M. Dolores, Nayara T. Cardoso-Marques, Lúcia M. Teixeira, and Felipe P.G. Neves

    Elsevier BV

  • Carriage prevalence, serotype distribution, antimicrobial resistance, pspA typing and pilus islets of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from adults living in a Brazilian urban slum
    Amanda Beiral da Silva, Nayara Torres Cardoso-Marques, Ítalo de Moraes Dolores, Lúcia Martins Teixeira, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    Elsevier BV

  • Editorial: Drug resistance in maternal and paediatric bacterial and fungal infections: Is COVID-19 changing the landscape
    Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves, Tomislav Mestrovic, and Tatiana Castro Abreu Pinto

    Frontiers Media SA
    COPYRIGHT © 2023 Neves, Mestrovic and Pinto. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: Drug resistance in maternal and paediatric bacterial and fungal infections: Is COVID-19 changing the landscape

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
    Felipe P. G. Neves and Tatiana C. A. Pinto

    Springer International Publishing

  • Virulence of Lactobacillus spp. misidentified as Enterococcus faecalis from children’s carious dentine
    Gabriela Ceccon Chianca, Lívia Azeredo Alves Antunes, Pâmela Oliveira Ornellas, Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves, Helvécio Cardoso Corrêa Póvoa, and Natalia Lopes Pontes Póvoa Iorio

    Informa UK Limited
    Objective: This study aimed to search for Enterococcus faecalis in children's deep carious dentine and characterize their virulence traits.Material and Methods: Eight isolates from 15 carious molars identified by 16S rDNA species-specific PCR as E. faecalis were included. These eight isolates were subject to identification by MALDI-TOF and characterized regarding: (i) bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation on polystyrene and glass, with/without saliva, as single or dual-species (associated to Streptococcus mutans); (ii) environmental pH measurement before and after 24 h incubation; (iii) acidogenicity; (iv) gelatinase production; (v) macrophage adherence; and (vi) toxicity towards Caenorhabditis elegans. Statistical analyses were performed using two-way ANOVA/Tukey or Fisher's exact tests.Results: All isolates initially identified as E. faecalis by PCR were correctly identified as Lactobacillus by MALDI-TOF, being designated as Lactobacillus misidentified as Enterococcus (LME). These isolates produced biofilm in the presence of saliva and in the dual-species assays. Bacterial aggregation was only observed in the dual-species model. After 24 h, environmental pH dropped from 7.5 to 4.5 for seven of eight isolates, and to 4.0 in all dual-species models. LME isolates were acidogenic, none of them produced gelatinase or adhered to macrophages, but all presented toxicity towards C. elegans.Conclusions: No E. faecalis were identified in the children's caries lesions. All LME isolates presented important virulence traits, including biofilm formation and high acidogenicity, which cause enamel demineralization, that might increase the risk of dental caries in children carrying LME. Thus, the correct identification and in-depth virulence characterization of microorganisms isolated from dental caries are important to understand the dynamics of this disease.

  • Description of optochin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae due to an uncommon mutation in the atpA gene and comparison with previously identified atpC mutants from Brazil
    Aline R. V. Souza, Sandrine E. C. M. de Pina, Natália S. Costa, Felipe P. G. Neves, Vânia L. C. Merquior, José Mauro Peralta, Tatiana C. A. Pinto, and Lúcia M. Teixeira

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    AbstractOptochin susceptibility testing is a major assay used for presumptive identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Still, atypical optochin-resistant (Optr) pneumococci have been reported and this phenotype has been attributed to nucleotide substitutions in the genes coding for the F0F1ATPase. While substitutions in the atpC gene (c-subunit of ATPase) are more common and better characterized, data on mutations in the atpA (a-subunit) are still limited. We have characterized five Optr isolates presenting alterations in the atpA (Trp206Cys in four isolates and Trp206Ser in one isolate), constituting the first report of such mutations in Brazil. Most of the Optr isolates consisted of heterogeneous populations. Except for Opt MICs and the nucleotide changes in the atpA gene, Optr and Opts subpopulations originating from the same culture had identical characteristics. In addition, we compared phenotypic and genetic characteristics of these atpA mutants with those of atpC mutants previously identified in Brazil. No structural alterations were detected among predicted proteins, regardless of mutations in the coding gene, suggesting that, despite the occurrence of mutations, protein structures tend to be highly conserved, ensuring their functionalities. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that atypical Optr strains are true pneumococci and Opt resistance does not represent any apparent selective advantage for clinical isolates.

  • Carriage prevalence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility among pneumococcal isolates recovered from adults with systemic lupus erythematosus
    Rodrigo Poubel Vieira de Rezende, Nayara Torres Cardoso-Marques, Larissa Alexandra Silva Rodrigues, João Paulo Chevrand Latini de Almeida, Gecilmara Salviato Pillegi, Lúcia Martins Teixeira, Evandro Mendes Klumb, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    SAGE Publications
    Sir, Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have higher morbidity and mortality due to pneumococcal diseases than the general population. Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization in the upper respiratory tract is a prerequisite for severe pneumococcal diseases such as pneumonia, bacteraemia, and meningitis. Thus, data on the characteristics of the main circulating strains in the community setting (e.g., antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and distribution of serotypes) will be helpful in the management of pneumococcal infections and assessing the potential coverage of commercially available pneumococcal vaccines. Despite limited information on pneumococcal colonization in adults, carriage prevalence among them varies from 1% to 21% (culture-based methods), with no available data on SLE adults. Therefore, we carried out a cross-sectional study to investigate pneumococcal carriage in this population. From June 19, 2018, to January 29, 2019, we recruited 229 SLE patients aged �18 years. The participants were regularly followed up at two university hospitals in Brazil (affiliated to Universidade Federal Fluminense [n1⁄4 49] and Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro [n1⁄4 180]). Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimens were collected in all participants. Specimens were kept at �70�C until culture could be performed. Suspected colonies were identified based on alpha-haemolysis, optochin sensitivity, and bile solubility. Capsular types were determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction, and antimicrobial susceptibility to nine drugs was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of penicillin and erythromycin were determined using M.I.C.Evaluator strips (Oxoid, Basingstoke, Hants, UK). A more in-depth description of these methodologies has been previously published. The patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics are shown in Supplementary table 1. Ten (4.4%) out of 229 participants were pneumococcal carriers, yielding 11 isolates (Table 1). One participant (#155) harboured two distinct strains, and three (#46, #106, #112) had the same strain in both the nasopharynx and oropharynx. Pneumococci were isolated from the oropharynx in 9 out of 10 (90%) carriers and from the nasopharynx in 4 out of 10 (40%) carriers (p1⁄4 0.01; chi-square). Except for one patient, all carriers were judged by their attending rheumatologist to be in clinical remission. None of the studied variables was associated with pneumococcal colonization in the univariate analysis (Supplementary table 1; p> 0.05). As a limitation, accurate data on the patients pneumococcal immunisation records were lacking. Seven different serotypes/serogroups were identified, while four pneumococcal strains were non-typeable (Table 1). Among the 11 isolates, 6 (54.5%) are potentially covered by the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23), and 2 (18.2%) by the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). All strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol, levofloxacin, rifampicin, and vancomycin. The highest resistance frequencies were observed for penicillin and tetracycline (4/11 strains; 36.4% each). We detected 3 (27.3%) multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, i.e., resistant to at least three antimicrobial classes. In summary, we showed that 1) the pneumococcal carriage prevalence (4.4%) in our sample of SLE adults was in line with reported colonization frequencies among non-SLE adults; 2) the addition of an oropharynx swab significantly improved the diagnostic yield of S. pneumoniae; 3) MDR pneumococcal strains were not uncommon in the community, and 4) approximately half of the isolates were potentially covered by currently marketed pneumococcal vaccines, especially the PPV23. These findings have implications on clinical practice, reinforcing the need for active epidemiological surveillance and adherence to the recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination of SLE patients. Lupus

  • Biofilm Formation on Breast Implant Surfaces by Major Gram-Positive Bacterial Pathogens
    Gabriel Rezende-Pereira, Julia P Albuquerque, Monica C Souza, Barbara A Nogueira, Marlei G Silva, Raphael Hirata, Ana L Mattos-Guaraldi, Rafael S Duarte, and Felipe P G Neves

    Oxford University Press (OUP)
    Abstract Background Bacterial biofilm on surfaces of mammary implants is a predisposing factor for several outcomes. Because Gram-positive bacteria are potential agents of biomaterial-associated infections (BAIs), their abilities to form biofilm on breast implants should be elucidated. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate biofilm formation on different mammary prosthesis surfaces by major Gram-positive bacterial pathogens involved in BAIs. Methods We initially evaluated biofilm formation on polystyrene plates with and without fibrinogen or collagen for 1 reference strain and 1 clinical isolate of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes. We also tested the ability of clinical isolates to form biofilm on 4 different implant surfaces: polyurethane foam and smooth, microtextured, and standard textured silicone. Biofilm structure and cell viability were observed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results All strains showed strong biofilm formation on polystyrene. After fibrinogen or collagen treatment, biofilm formation varied. With fibrinogen, reference strains of S. aureus and S. pyogenes increased biofilm formation (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Reference strains of all species and the clinical isolate of S. pyogenes increased biofilm formation after collagen treatment (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In general, S. aureus showed higher capacity to produce biofilm. Scanning electron microscopy showed that biofilm attached to all surfaces tested, with the presence of extracellular polymeric substances and voids. Viable cells were more frequent for E. faecalis and S. pyogenes. Conclusions All species produced biofilm on all prosthesis surfaces and under different conditions. Micrographies indicated thicker bacterial biofilm formation on microtextured and/or standard textured silicone by all species, except E. faecalis.

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae prevalence in nasopharynx, oropharynx and gingival sulcus in Brazilian adults:A preliminary study
    P.G. Lomardo, N.T. Cardoso-Marques, L.A. Motta, T.R.S. Aguiar, F.P.G. Neves, F. Aguiar-Alves, M.D. Calasans-Maia, V. Quinelato, and P.L. Casado

    Elsevier BV
    AIM This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of S. pneumoniae colonization in three different sites in healthy adults: nasopharynx, oropharynx and gingival sulcus. METHODS Two-hundred and sixty five adults, aged 20-60 years, who attended dental clinics in one public university (n = 106) and one military institution (n = 159) were enrolled in this study. Pneumococcal detection was performed by direct culture (DC) and PCR for lytA gene after a broth enrichment step. Capsular types were determined by sequential multiplex PCR. RESULTS We identified 18 (6.8%) pneumococcal carriers among 265 adults by PCR, but only one (0.4%) pneumococcal strain was isolated by DC method. Oropharynx (17; 6.4%) was the main source of S. pneumoniae. Colonization of gingival sulcus and nasopharynx was found in 4 (1.5%) and 2 (0.8%) adults, respectively. Nine distinct capsular types were detected from 9 adults and co-colonization with 2 serotypes was confirmed in 4 (1.5%) subjects. Factors associated with carriage were being females, low level of schooling, non-military and regular medication. We observed a low (6.8%) pneumococcal carriage prevalence, but oropharyngeal samples yielded more sensitive results, especially by the PCR-based detection methodology. CONCLUSION Gingival sulcus was found to be a possible reservoir for S. pneumoniae independently of the oropharynx or nasopharynx colonization.

  • Going online in pandemic time: A DivulgaMicro Workshop Experience
    Laura Maria Andrade de Oliveira, Eric Cordeiro-Spinetti, Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves, Patricia Sanae Sujii, Rachel Leite Ribeiro, Sidcley Silva de Lyra, Tatiana Castro Abreu Pinto, and Maria Letícia Bonatelli

    Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education American Society for Microbiology
    DivulgaMicro is a Brazilian Science Communication and Outreach project run by three young female scientists. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we promoted the first virtual edition of the DivulgaMicro Workshop.

  • CRISPR elements and their association with antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes among vancomycin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci recovered from human and food sources
    Barbara Araújo dos Santos, Jessica da Silva de Oliveira, Bruna Marcela Parmanhani-da-Silva, Rachel Leite Ribeiro, Lúcia Martins Teixeira, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    Elsevier BV
    We aimed to investigate the occurrence of CRISPR elements in the genomes of vancomycin-resistant (VRE) and vancomycin-susceptible (VSE) enterococci and their association with the presence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes. We analyzed 180 isolates, including 91 VRE and 89 VSE. Isolates were identified by PCR or MALDI-TOF. Antimicrobial susceptibility and MICs for vancomycin were determined by the disk-diffusion method and E-test®, respectively. The presence of resistance and virulence genes, as well as CRISPR elements, was investigated by PCR. We identified 95 (53%) E. faecalis, 78 (43%) E. faecium, five (2.8%) E. gallinarum, and one (0.6% each) E. casseliflavus and E. durans. The highest and the lowest non-susceptibility frequencies were observed for erythromycin (n = 152; 84.4%) and fosfomycin (n = 5; 2.8%), respectively. Most erythromycin-resistant isolates had the erm(B) gene (106/152; 69.7%). Of 118 (65.6%) isolates with high-level resistance to aminoglycoside, 69 (58.5%) had at least one aminoglycoside resistance gene, mostly ant(6)-Ia and aac(6')-Ie + aph(2″)-Ia. We found at least one virulence gene among 135 (75%) isolates, mostly gelE (79/180; 43.9%). Ninety-two (51.1%) isolates had at least one CRISPR element, especially CRISPR3 (62/92; 67.4%). CRISPR elements were more common among E. faecalis, in which we observed a relationship between the absence of CRISPR and the presence of the vanA resistance gene, and the hyl and esp virulence genes. Among VRE. faecium, a relationship was found between the absence of CRISPR and the hyl gene. In conclusion, we found evident associations between the lack of CRISPR elements with species, multidrug resistance, and major resistance- and virulence-associated genes.

  • Prevalence of PspA families and pilus islets among Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizing children before and after universal use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Brazil
    Patricia Alice Knupp-Pereira, Nayara Torres Cardoso Marques, Lúcia Martins Teixeira, Helvécio Cardoso Corrêa Póvoa, and Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    In 2010, the 10-valent (PCV10) and 13-valent (PCV13) pneumococcal conjugate vaccines were introduced in Brazil to immunize children, resulting in serotype replacement. We analyzed 253 carriage isolates recovered from children aged <6 years in Brazil, including 124 and 129 isolates from the pre-PCV10/13 (December 2009-July 2010) and post-PCV10/13 (September-December 2014) periods, respectively, to investigate the prevalence of PspA families and pilus islets, potential vaccine candidates. Serotypes and resistance profiles were previously characterized. We used PCR to type PspA families (Fam1-3) and pilus islets (PI-1 and PI-2). We identified the PspA family of 130 (51.4%) isolates. PspA families 1, 2, and 3 were identified in 12.2%, 38.7%, and 0.4% of the isolates, respectively. Eighteen (58.1%) Fam1 isolates were serogroup 6. Nine (81.8%) of 11 serotype 14 isolates were Fam2. Fam1 isolates resistant to penicillin (50%), erythromycin (43.7%), clindamycin (31.2%), and chloramphenicol (6.2%) were only found after PCV10/13 introduction. Resistance among Fam2 isolates was higher in the post-PCV10/13 period to erythromycin (1.8% vs. 18.6%), clindamycin (0 vs. 13.9%), and tetracycline (10.9% vs. 16.3%). PI-I was detected in 42 (16.6%) isolates. Fourteen (56%) of 25 serotype 15B/C and nine (81.8%) of 11 serotype 14 isolates had PI-1 (p < 0.01). Eight (3.2%) isolates had PI-2, and six (75%) were serogroup 19. Five (2%) serogroup 19 isolates had both PI-1 and PI-2. We found associations between serogroups/serotypes, PspA families, and pilus islets, but distribution of PspA families and pilus islets was similar in both periods. After universal vaccination, we observed higher antimicrobial resistance frequencies, regardless PspA or pilus types.

  • Direct effect of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine use on pneumococcal colonization among children in Brazil
    Felipe P.G. Neves, Nayara T. Cardoso, Claudete A.A. Cardoso, Lúcia M. Teixeira, and Lee W. Riley

    Elsevier BV
    BACKGROUND The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has been commercially available in Brazil since 2010. We investigated the carriage prevalence, capsular types, and antimicrobial resistance among pneumococci isolated from children immunized with PCV13 in Brazil. METHODS We analyzed 500 children < 6 years old attending public (n = 270) and private (n = 230) clinics in Niterói/RJ, Brazil, in 2014. We determined the antimicrobial susceptibility and capsular types for all isolates. RESULTS Thirty-eight (7.6%) of 500 children had received at least one PCV13 dose. Since only two (0.7%) of 270 children at the public clinic were vaccinated with PCV13, major analyses focused on 36 (15.7%) of 230 children attending private clinics. Nine (25%) of 36 children were pneumococcal carriers. Characteristics associated with carriage were age ≥ 2 years, cough/expectoration, and childcare center attendance (p ≤ 0.01). The capsular types found were 15B/C (n = 2), 6C, 11A/D, 16F, 23A, and 23F. Two isolates were non-typeable (NT). Three (33.3%) isolates were multidrug resistant. We found four (44.4%) penicillin non-susceptible pneumococci, with penicillin and ceftriaxone MICs ranging from 0.12 to 4.0 µg/ml and 0.023-0.5 µg/ml, respectively. We also detected two (22.2%) erythromycin-resistant isolates (MICs of 3.0 and 256 µg/ml). CONCLUSIONS Colonization with PCV13 serotype was rare among the vaccinated children. Increasing PCV13 coverage might help reduce the frequency of major serotypes currently associated with invasive pneumococcal diseases in Brazil, such as 3 and 19A. The isolation of multidrug-resistant serotype 6C and NT isolates in carriage, however, requires close monitoring.

  • Differences in gram-positive bacterial colonization and antimicrobial resistance among children in a high income inequality setting
    Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves, Mariel Asbury Marlow, Gabriel Rezende-Pereira, Marcos Gabriel Pinheiro, Allyne Fandino Martinez dos Santos, Maria de Fátima Nogueira de Freitas, Rosana Rocha Barros, Fábio Aguiar-Alves, Claudete Aparecida Araújo Cardoso, and Lee Woodland Riley

    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus and beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHS) diseases disproportionately affect populations in middle/low-income countries. To assess if this disparity is reflected in colonization by these organisms, we compared their colonization frequency among children from different socioeconomic status (SES) communities in a city with high income inequality.MethodsBetween May–August 2014, we collected nasal and throat swabs to investigate S. aureus and BHS colonization among children who attended private and public pediatric clinics. Patients were classified as high SES, middle/low SES, and slum residents. We investigated the antimicrobial resistance profile, the SCCmec types and the presence of PVL genes among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). We also examined the antimicrobial resistance profile and serogroups of BHS.ResultsOf 598 children, 221 (37%) were colonized with S. aureus, of which 49 (22%) were MRSA. MRSA colonization was higher in middle/low SES (n = 18; 14%) compared with high SES (n = 17; 6%) and slum (n = 14; 8%) residents (p = 0.01). All MRSA strains were susceptible to clindamycin, nitrofurantoin, and rifampin. The highest non-susceptibility frequency (42.9%) was observed to erythromycin. SCCmec type V was only found in isolates from high SES children; types I and II were found only in middle/low SES children. Ten (20%) MRSA isolates carried PVL genes. Twenty-four (4%) children were BHS carriers. All BHS (n = 8) found in high SES children and six (67%) isolates from slum patients belonged to group A. All group B streptococci were from middle/low SES children, corresponding to five (71%) of the seven BHS isolated in this group. BHS isolates were susceptible to all drugs tested.ConclusionsChildren from different SES communities had distinct bacterial colonization profiles, including MRSA carriage. Public health officials/researchers should consider SES when assessing disease transmission and control measures.

  • Evolution of penicillin non-susceptibility among streptococcus pneumoniae isolates recovered from asymptomatic carriage and invasive disease over 25 years in Brazil, 1990–2014
    Tatiana Castro Abreu Pinto, Felipe Piedade Gonçalves Neves, Aline Rosa Vianna Souza, Laura Maria Andrade Oliveira, Natália Silva Costa, Luciana Fundão Souza Castro, Cláudia Rezende de Vieira Mendonça-Souza, José Mauro Peralta, and Lúcia Martins Teixeira

    Frontiers Media SA
    Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia and meningitis, and it is also found as a commensal, colonizing the human upper respiratory tract of a portion of the human population. Its polysaccharide capsule allows the recognition of more than 90 capsular types and represents the target of the currently available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), such as the 10-valent (PCV10) and the 13-valent (PCV13). Penicillin non-susceptible pneumococci (PNSP) have been listed as one of the current major antimicrobial-resistant pathogen threats. In Brazil, the emergence of PNSP was initially detected in the mid 1990s and PCV10 has been part of the National Immunization Program since 2010. Here, we investigated the distribution of capsular types and penicillin susceptibility profiles of 783 pneumococcal strains isolated in Brazil between 1990 and 2014 to assess the evolution of penicillin non-susceptibility among pneumococci associated with asymptomatic carriage and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). The most common serotypes among carriage isolates were 19F, 6B, 6C, 23F, and 14. Among IPD isolates, the most frequent types were 14, 3, 6B, 5, 19F, and 4. We detected 21 types exclusively associated with IPD isolates, whereas non-typeable (NT) isolates were only detected in carriage. Nearly half of the isolates belonged to PCV10 serotypes, which remarkably decreased in occurrence (by nearly 50%) after PCV10 introduction (2011–2014), while non-PCV10 serotypes increased. PNSP frequency and levels were much higher among carriage isolates, but PNSP belonging to PCV10 serotypes were more common in IPD. While the occurrence of PNSP has decreased significantly among IPD isolates since 2011, it kept increasing among carriage strains. Such a difference can be attributed to the serotypes that emerged in each clinical source after PCV10 usage. PNSP with multidrug resistance profiles that emerged within carriage isolates comprised mostly serotypes 6C and 35B, as well as NT isolates. In turn, penicillin-susceptible capsular types 3, 20, and 8 have risen among IPD. Overall, our results reinforce the relevance of PNSP surveillance over a long period of time to better understand the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in response to PCV introduction and may also contribute to improve control measures toward drug-resistant pneumococci.

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • WHO defeating meningitis symposium, 3rd international symposium on Streptococcus agalactiae disease (ISSAD) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: State-of-the-art overview of S
    LMA Oliveira, N Prasad, R Lynfield, M Ip, S Sanou, FPG Neves, ...
    Vaccine 52, 126895 2025

  • CRISPR Elements and Their Association with Macrolide and Aminoglycoside Resistance Genes in Enterococci
    RL do Rgo, FPG Neves, FM Miranda, AB da Silva, AS Cabral, ...
    Microbial Drug Resistance 2025

  • Changes in population genetic structure of serotype 19A Streptococcus pneumoniae after universal childhood use of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Brazil
    JLC Lima, AB da Silva, AS Cabral, FM de Miranda, LD da Silva, ...
    Vaccine 45, 126588 2025

  • Long-term predominance in childhood colonization of the multidrug-resistant lineage 6C/ST386 of Streptococcus pneumoniae after universal immunization with the 10-valent
    FM Miranda, LD da Silva, LBDP Fortuna, AB Silva, AS Cabral, JLC Lima, ...
    Vaccine 42 (26), 126414 2024

  • CRISPR-Cas systems in enterococci
    AS Cabral, FF Lacerda, VLM Leite, FM de Miranda, AB da Silva, ...
    Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 1-13 2024

  • Detection of Mycoplasma spp. in free-living seabirds
    SG de Brito, TS Dias, L dos Santos Machado, JB de Souza, NC da Cunha, ...
    Brazilian Journal of Microbiology 55 (3), 2937-2942 2024

  • Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonizing Pigs and Farm Workers in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: Potential Interspecies Transmission of Livestock
    J Talim, I Martins, C Messias, H Sabino, L Oliveira, T Pinto, J Albuquerque, ...
    Antibiotics 13 (8), 767 2024

  • Antimicrobial Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae before and after the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Brazil: A Systematic Review
    PA Knupp-Pereira, AS Cabral, M Dolores, AB da Silva, HCC Pvoa, ...
    Antibiotics 13 (1), 66 2024

  • First Report of a Wastewater Treatment-Adapted Enterococcus faecalis ST21 Harboring vanA Gene in Brazil
    BO Farias, KS Montenegro, APA Nascimento, M Magaldi, ...
    Current Microbiology 80 (9), 313 2023

  • Prevalence, capsular types, antimicrobial resistance and risk factors associated with pneumococcal carriage among children after long-term 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate
    LBDP Fortuna, FM Miranda, IMF Antunes, AB Silva, AS Cabral, ...
    Vaccine 41 (19), 3111-3118 2023

  • Drug resistance in maternal and paediatric bacterial and fungal infections: Is COVID-19 changing the landscape
    FPG Neves, T Mestrovic, TCA Pinto
    Frontiers in microbiology 14, 1177669 2023

  • Carriage prevalence, serotype distribution, antimicrobial resistance, pspA typing and pilus islets of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from adults living in a Brazilian urban slum
    AB da Silva, NT Cardoso-Marques, de Moraes Dolores, LM Teixeira, ...
    Vaccine 41 (8), 1431-1437 2023

  • Biofilm formation, interaction and survival within A549 pneumocytes of Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical strains: identification of pulsotypes, multidrug-resistance and genes
    BA Nogueira, JGB Olivella, BR Sued-Karam, PMAP Ribeiro, FPG Neves, ...
    Brazilian Journal of Development, 55259-55287 2022

  • Mitochondrial DNA and Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection
    FPG Neves, D Alessandra, TCA Pinto
    Mitochondrial DNA and the Immuno-inflammatory Response: New Frontiers to 2022

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
    FPG Neves, TCA Pinto
    Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections, Volume I, 139-152 2022

  • Virulence of Lactobacillus spp. misidentified as Enterococcus faecalis from children’s carious dentine
    GC Chianca, LAA Antunes, PO Ornellas, FPG Neves, HCC Pvoa, ...
    Acta Odontologica Scandinavica 80 (1), 21-28 2022

  • Carriage prevalence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility among pneumococcal isolates recovered from adults with systemic lupus erythematosus
    RPV Rezende, NT Cardoso-Marques, LAS Rodrigues, JPCL Almeida, ...
    Lupus 30 (11), 1863-1865 2021

  • Biofilm formation on breast implant surfaces by major gram-positive bacterial pathogens
    G Rezende-Pereira, JP Albuquerque, MC Souza, BA Nogueira, MG Silva, ...
    Aesthetic Surgery Journal 41 (10), 1144-1151 2021

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae prevalence in nasopharynx, oropharynx and gingival sulcus in Brazilian adults: A preliminary study
    PG Lomardo, NT Cardoso-Marques, LA Motta, TRS Aguiar, FPG Neves, ...
    Microbial Pathogenesis 156, 104924 2021

  • Going online in pandemic time: a DivulgaMicro workshop experience
    LM Andrade de Oliveira, E Cordeiro-Spinetti, FPG Neves, PS Sujii, ...
    Journal of microbiology & biology education 22 (1), 10.1128/jmbe. v22i1. 2493 2021

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Nasopharyngeal carriage, serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae among children from Brazil before the introduction of the
    FPG Neves, TCA Pinto, MA Corra, R dos Anjos Barreto, ...
    BMC infectious diseases 13, 1-7 2013
    Citations: 64

  • Multidrug-resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from cystic fibrosis patients
    PHC Cndido, LS Nunes, EA Marques, TW Folescu, FS Coelho, ...
    Journal of clinical microbiology 52 (8), 2990-2997 2014
    Citations: 54

  • Antimicrobial resistance profiles and genetic characterisation of macrolide resistant isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae
    PAM Nakamura, RBB Schuab, FPG Neves, CFA Pereira, GR de Paula, ...
    Memrias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 106, 119-122 2011
    Citations: 51

  • Pneumococcal carriage among children after four years of routine 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine use in Brazil: The emergence of multidrug resistant serotype 6C
    FPG Neves, NT Cardoso, RE Snyder, MA Marlow, CAA Cardoso, ...
    Vaccine 35 (21), 2794-2800 2017
    Citations: 49

  • Molecular characterization of quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Brazil
    AA Uehara, ELT Amorin, MF Ferreira, CF Andrade, MBM Clementino, ...
    Journal of clinical microbiology 49 (12), 4208-4212 2011
    Citations: 43

  • Zika: A scourge in urban slums
    RE Snyder, CE Boone, CAA Cardoso, F Aguiar-Alves, FPG Neves, ...
    PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 11 (3), e0005287 2017
    Citations: 42

  • Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, emm type distribution and genetic diversity of Streptococcus pyogenes recovered in Brazil
    GP Aras, RBB Schuab, FPG Neves, RR Barros
    Memrias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 109, 935-939 2014
    Citations: 37

  • Characteristics related to antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation of widespread methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis ST2 and ST23 lineages in Rio de Janeiro
    NLP Iorio, RF Caboclo, MB Azevedo, AG Barcellos, FPG Neves, ...
    Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 72 (1), 32-40 2012
    Citations: 37

  • Phenotypic and molecular characterization of optochin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from Brazil, with description of five novel mutations in the atpC gene
    TCA Pinto, ARV Souza, SECM de Pina, NS Costa, AA Borges Neto, ...
    Journal of clinical microbiology 51 (10), 3242-3249 2013
    Citations: 36

  • Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene carriage among Staphylococcus aureus strains with SCCmec types I, III, IV, and V recovered from cystic fibrosis pediatric patients in Brazil
    DF Lima, NBV Brazo, TW Folescu, FP Neves, AG Ferreira, EA Santos, ...
    Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 78 (1), 59-62 2014
    Citations: 33

  • Potential of MALDI-TOF MS as an alternative approach for capsular typing Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates
    TC Pinto, NS Costa, LF Castro, R Rachel L., AC Botelho, FP Neves, ...
    Scientific Reports 7, 45572 2017
    Citations: 31

  • Population structure of Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizing children before and after universal use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Brazil: emergence
    FPG Neves, NT Cardoso, ARV Souza, RE Snyder, MM Marlow, TCA Pinto, ...
    Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 73 (5), 1206-1212 2018
    Citations: 30

  • Evolution of Penicillin Non-susceptibility Among Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates Recovered From Asymptomatic Carriage and Invasive Disease Over 25 years
    TCA Pinto, FPG Neves, ARV Souza, LMA Oliveira, NS Costa, LFS Castro, ...
    Frontiers in microbiology 10, 486 2019
    Citations: 28

  • Description of optochin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae due to an uncommon mutation in the atpA gene and comparison with previously identified atpC mutants from Brazil
    ARV Souza, SECM de Pina, NS Costa, FPG Neves, VLC Merquior, ...
    Scientific Reports 11 (1), 7936 2021
    Citations: 27

  • Antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic diversity of Streptococcus agalactiae recovered from newborns and pregnant women in Brazil
    VC Souza, FCO Kegele, SR Souza, FPG Neves, GR de Paula, RR Barros
    Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 45 (10), 780-785 2013
    Citations: 27

  • Emergence of the vanA genotype among Enterococcus gallinarum isolates colonising the intestinal tract of patients in a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    FPG Neves, RL Ribeiro, RS Duarte, LM Teixeira, VLC Merquior
    International journal of antimicrobial agents 33 (3), 211-215 2009
    Citations: 25

  • Genetic diversity of Ehrlichia canisstrains from naturally infected dogs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    RF Ferreira, AMF Cerqueira, TX Castro, EO Ferreira, FPG Neves, ...
    Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinria 23, 301-308 2014
    Citations: 24

  • Bacteraemia associated with a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus gallinarum strain harbouring both the vanA and vanC1 genes
    VLC Merquior, FP Goncalves Neves, RL Ribeiro, RS Duarte, ...
    Journal of medical microbiology 57 (2), 244-245 2008
    Citations: 23

  • CRISPR elements and their association with antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes among vancomycin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci recovered from human
    BA Dos Santos, JS de Oliveira, BM Parmanhani-da-Silva, RL Ribeiro, ...
    Infection, Genetics and Evolution 80, 104183 2020
    Citations: 21

  • Differences in gram-positive bacterial colonization and antimicrobial resistance among children in a high income inequality setting
    FPG Neves, MA Marlow, G Rezende-Pereira, MG Pinheiro, ...
    BMC infectious diseases 19, 1-9 2019
    Citations: 21