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Biology subjects

Fulte, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Fulte, S..

2 recordsLinked to original sources
bioRxiv2026

Amoxicillin Worsens Mortality from Viral Respiratory Tract Infection

Influenza infections are common and result in substantial mortality, with secondary bacterial pneumonias contributing to worse outcomes. To prevent mortality associated with bacterial co-infections, antibiotics are often prescribed in the absence of microbiological data. Currently, there are conflicting society recommendations on antibiotic utilization in viral respiratory tract infections as we lack prospective studies to guide treatment. We developed an animal model to study the effects of antibiotic exposure during influenza infection. Our results suggest that amoxicillin started during influenza A infection increases mortality from influenza A and increases severity of secondary bacterial pneumonia, and this is more pronounced in males.

microbiology↗
bioRxiv2026

Myeloid cell reprogramming drives enhanced defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae lung infection following exposure to commensal Prevotella

Clinical data link the prevalent respiratory tract anaerobe Prevotella with reduced pneumonia mortality, but the mechanisms directing Prevotella regulation of lung immune homeostasis are unclear. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing was employed to define the transcriptional immune signatures underlying improved clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae following lung exposure to Prevotella melaninogenica. Overall, we observed a substantial shift in myeloid cell transcriptional programming from interferon-dominant to a more antibacterial profile in S. pneumoniae-infected mice after pre-exposure to P. melaninogenica, correlating with increased macrophage and neutrophil phagocytosis of S. pneumoniae and improved pathogen clearance. In neutrophils, TNF signaling through TNFR2 was essential for increased antimicrobial function. Moreover, improved defense required CCR2-dependent monocyte-derived macrophages, with selective enrichment of more a mature Cxcl3+ population which was distinct from the hallmark S. pneumoniae-associated C1qa+ population enriched in the absence of effective clearance. Together, these findings inform the myeloid cell transcriptional changes associated with natural infection resistance mediated by pulmonary microbial exposures.

microbiology↗