Antibiotic-resistant Isolates Research Articles

Bacteria Associated With the Leafy Salad Vegetables Of Old Dhaka City and Their Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (Mar) Index

The present work aimed to evaluate the bacteria associated with the most popular leafy salad vegetables like Coriander, Mint, and Lettuce and their antibiotic resistance pattern. Samples were collected from Rayshaheb Bazar, Nazira Bazar, and Shyam Bazar during June-August 2019. The maximum bacterial load was found in Coriander and the minimum bacterial load was in Mint. A total of 149 colonies were isolated and 35 isolates were selected for Culture and Sensitivity test against 15 common antibiotics like Amoxicillin (Ax), Cefixime (CFM), Levofloxacin (Lev), Clarithromycin (CLR), Ceftriaxone (CRO), Neomycin (N), Kanamycin (K), Ciprofloxacin (Cip), Erythromycin (E), Doxycycline (Do), Vancomycin (VA), Cefuroxime (CXM), Chloramphenicol (C), Rifampicin (RA), and Gentamycin (CN). Sixteen antibiotic resistant bacterial isolates were selected for their identification and drug resistance pattern. Among these 15 antibiotic resistant bacterial isolates, only 2 were Gram positive and were identified as Enterococcus faecalis and the Gram negative bacteria belonged to the genus Enterobacter (9), Serratia (3), Klebsiella (2).The drug resistance pattern showed that most of the isolated bacteria were resistant against Amoxicillin and susceptible to Chloramphenicol. The (multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) inedx of the isolated bacteria ranged between 33.33% and 86.67% which is very alarming. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 31(2): 361-369, 2022 (July)

Transmission of Staphylococcus aureus in the anaesthesia work area has greater risk of association with development of surgical site infection when resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic administered for surgery

The extent to which the transmission of prophylactic-antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the anaesthesia work area increases the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) is unknown. It was hypothesized that the risk of SSI would increase progressively from no transmission to transmission of prophylactic-antibiotic-resistant isolates. This was a retrospective analysis of archival samples collected in two previously published studies with similar inclusion criteria and sample collection methodology (observational study 2009-2010 and randomized trial 2018-2019). Archival isolates were linked by barcode to all patient demographic and procedural information, including the prophylactic antibiotic administered, transmission and development of SSI. For this study, all archival isolates underwent prophylactic antibiotic susceptibility testing, and the ordered association of transmission of Staphylococcus aureus (no transmission, transmission of prophylactic-antibiotic-susceptible isolates and transmission of prophylactic-antibiotic-resistant isolates) with SSI was assessed. The risk of development of SSI was 2% (8/406) without S.aureus transmission, 11% (9/84) with transmission of S.aureus isolates that were susceptible to the prophylactic antibiotic used, and 18% (4/22) with transmission of prophylactic-antibiotic-resistant S.aureus isolates. The Cochrane-Armitage two-sided test for ordered association was P<0.0001. Treating these three groups as 0, 1 and 2, by exact logistic regression, the odds of SSI increased by 3.59 with each unit increase (95% confidence interval 1.92-6.64; P<0.0001). Transmission of S.aureus in the anaesthesia work area reliably increases the risk of SSI, especially when the isolates are resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic administered.

The Prevalence of bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M, and class I and II integrons Genes in Aeromonas hydrophila Isolated from Clinical Specimens of Qom, Iran.

Aeromonas hydrophila is an opportunistic gram-negative bacillus that causes diseases such as gastroenteritis, muscle infections, soft tissue, sepsis, and skin diseases in humans. Today, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has led to treatment failure and prolonged treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the level of antibiotic resistance in isolates carrying bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M and class I and II integrons in Aeromonas hydrophila. In this cross-sectional study, Aeromonas hydrophila were collected from different clinical specimens in Hazrat Masoumeh Hospital, Qom Province, Iran, from 2018 to 2020. The collected isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Then, using specific primers bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M genes, and class I and II integrons were evaluated by PCR method. Then, data were analyzed using SPSS software and chi-squared tests, and the significance level was determined as p ≤ 0.05. During the sample collection period, 100 Aeromonas hydrophila were collected. Based on the results of the antibiotic resistance pattern, the highest and lowest rate of antibiotic resistance to ampicillin (92%) and azithromycin (4%) were determined for both. Among the 100 isolates, 60 isolates produced broad-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and 50 isolates produced carbapenemase. Among the studied beta-lactamase genes, the highest and lowest frequencies were related to bla CTX-M (58%) and bla TEM (1%), respectively. The frequency of class I and II integron genes was 27% and 15%, respectively. The results of the study of antibiotic resistance, beta-lactamase, and carbapenemase genes showed high resistance in Aeromonas hydrophila, which raises concerns with regard to controlling infection in medical centers. Also, the study of antibiotic resistance in the presence of beta-lactamase genes showed that there was only a significant relationship between the presence of bla CTX-M gene and resistance to imipenem (p = 0.037).

Bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance differ between catheter and non-catheter-associated urinary tract infections: Data from a national surveillance network.

To investigate clinically relevant microbiological characteristics of uropathogens and to compare patients with catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) to those with non-CAUTIs. All urine cultures from the calendar year 2019 of the Swiss Centre for Antibiotic Resistance database were analyzed. Group differences in the proportions of bacterial species and antibiotic-resistant isolates from CAUTI and non-CAUTI samples were investigated. Data from 27,158 urine cultures met the inclusion criteria. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis together represented 70% and 85% of pathogens identified in CAUTI and non-CAUTI samples, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was significantly more often detected in CAUTI samples. The overall resistance rate for the empirically often-prescribed antibiotics ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) was between 13% and 31%. Except for nitrofurantoin, E. coli from CAUTI samples were more often resistant (P ≤ .048) to all classes of antibiotics analyzed, including third-generation cephalosporines used as surrogate for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Significanty higher resistance proportions in CAUTI samples versus non-CAUTI samples were observed for CIP (P = .001) and NOR (P = .033) in K. pneumoniae, for NOR (P = .011) in P. mirabilis, and for cefepime (P = .015), and piperacillin-tazobactam (P = .043) in P. aeruginosa. CAUTI pathogens were more often resistant to recommended empirical antibiotics than non-CAUTI pathogens. This finding emphasizes the need for urine sampling for culturing before initiating therapy for CAUTI and the importance of considering therapeutic alternatives.

Meta-Analysis of the Global Prevalence of Enterococcus spp. in Foods: Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and diversity of Enterococcus spp. and antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates in different foods worldwide. This study used meta-analytical methods. Besides, Web of Science (n= 705), Medline (n= 6), and Scopus (n= 1338) were searched for studies in the years 1995–2021 using related keywords. Results showed that the pooled prevalence for Enterococcus spp. and antibiotic-resistance of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates were 0.41 (95% C.I. 0.34–0.47), 0.25 (95% C.I. 0.13–0.38), respectively. According to the results of the subgroup analysis, the lowest and highest prevalence of Enterococcus spp. in food types were calculated for red meat (0.56), and fermented foods (0.29). Also, as a result of subgroup analyses by country the highest prevalence of Enterococcus spp. was calculated in studies conducted in Slovakia (0.74). In contrast, the lowest prevalence was calculated in studies conducted in Georgia (0.07). The meta-analyses improved our understanding of the prevalence of Enterococcus spp. and the antibiotic resistance of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates in different foods and provided results that can be useful as input for quantitative microbiological risk evaluation modeling.

Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance Pattern and Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Obtained from Clinical Samples by Phenotypic and Genotypic Methods in Zabol, Iran

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human opportunistic pathogen that is known to be responsible for various diseases. However, its antibiotic-resistant isolates often cause serious infections. Methods: This study for the first time investigated a total of 80 P. aeruginosa isolates collected from patients admitted to Amir Al-Momenin hospital. The isolates were identified by biochemical assays. The combination disc test method was used to measure antibiotic susceptibility and confirm the presence of extended spectrum-beta lactamases-producing enzymes. Also, the presence of enzyme-producing genes bla CTXM-1, bla CTXM-2, bla CTXM-3, bla SHV, and bla OXA of the target enzymes was examined using polymerase chain reaction. Results: Out of 80 P. aeruginosa isolates, 32 isolates (40%) were beta-lactamase generators. Resistance to the studied antibiotics was found to be 97.5%, 90%, 81.3%, 75%, 75%, 72.5%, 60%, 52.5%, 50%, 32.5%, 28.8%, and 0% for amoxicillin, amoxiclav cephalexin, nitrofurantoin, cotrimoxazole, azithromycin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, gentamicin, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem, respectively. Therefore, the highest antibiotic resistance was against amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, and cephalexin, respectively, while the lowest was detected for imipenem. Besides, 17.5% of the studied isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Among extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing genes, bla CTXM-3 displayed the highest frequency of 84.4%. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated the wide resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates against various antibiotic classes. According to the results, it is suggested to identify different patterns of antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates prior to the onset of treatment for any P. aeruginosa-related infections.

Molecular Characterization and Plasmid Curing of Multidrug Resistant Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Isolated from Some Fecal and Water Samples in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Public health is at risk due to the fact that enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) is becoming resistant to most antibiotics that demonstrates widespread misuse of antibiotics. The study was aimed at molecularly identify and perform plasmid curing with extracts of Morinda citrifolia (MC) and Xylopia aethiopica (XA) on multidrug resistant EHEC isolates that are obtained from some fecal and water samples in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. After isolation of E. coli, eleven (11) E. coli isolates were identified as EHEC. The Molecular Identification of seven (7) most resistant isolates using PCR confirmed 100% EHEC isolates. Of the 7 resistant EHEC isolates, the AmpC Gene and blaTEM Gene were detected in 71.4% and 42.9% respectively. Results of plasmid curing test revealed that the extracts of Xylopia aethiopica, Morinda citrifolia and Acridine Orange used as the control reduced the total percentage of multiple antibiotic resistant EHEC isolates from 35.61% to 10.61%, 18.18% and 16.67%, respectively. The extracts had the ability to cure plasmids, with X. aethiopica extract being the most successful against resistant EHEC isolates. In conclusion, this investigation revealed the genetic makeup of EHEC strains, detected their resistance genes and demonstrated the curing of the plasmids of resistant EHEC isolates found in fecal and water samples from the study area, both of which constitute a serious risk to public health.

Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Potentially Pathogenic Vibrio spp. in Seafood Collected in Sicily.

Seafood can vehiculate foodborne illnesses from water to humans. Climate changes, increasing water contamination and coastlines anthropization, favor the global spread of Vibrio spp. and the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant isolates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spread of potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. in fishery products collected in Sicily and to assess their antibiotic resistance. Bacteriological and molecular methods were applied to 603 seafood samples to detect V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae, V. vulnificus, and Vibrio alginolyticus in order to assess their pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance. About 30% of bivalves and 20% of other fishery products were contaminated by Vibrio spp.; V. parahaemolyticus accounted for 43/165 isolates, 3 of which were carrying either tdh or trh; V. cholerae accounted for 12/165 isolates, all of them non-O1 non-O139 and none carrying virulence genes; and V. vulnificus accounted for 5/165 isolates. The highest rates of resistance were observed for ampicillin, but we also detected strains resistant to antibiotics currently included among the most efficient against Vibrio spp. In spite of their current low incidence, their rise might pose further issues in treating infections; hence, these results stress the need for a continuous monitoring of antimicrobial resistance among fishery products and an effective risk assessment.

Prevalence, antibiotic and heavy metal resistance of Vibrio spp. isolated from the clam Meretrix meretrix at different ages in Geligang, Liaohe estuary in China

Vibrio as one of the main pathogens of shellfish diseases can cause serious human seafoodborne gastroenteritis and even death. In this study, we analyzed the bacterial communities from the clam, and compared the resistance phenotypes and genotypes of Vibrio spp. from Meretrix meretrix at different growth stages. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed the predominance of Proteobacteria (50%) in the bacterial community and Vibrio was one of the dominant genera in the clam hepatopancreas in the summer. Vibrio abundance in Meretrix meretrix positively correlated with the water temperature (p&amp;lt;0.05). A total of 73 Vibrio isolates from Meretrix meretrix were classified into 19 species and the dominant strains included V. mediterranei (19%) and V. harveyi (11%), V. algolyticus (10%), and V. parahaemolyticus (8%). The species and abundance of Vibrio spp. were the highest in the 3-year-old of Meretrix meretrix compared with clams of other ages in the summer. Among the 73 isolates, 68 Vibrio strains were resistant to other 15 antibiotics except for sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim with 57 resistant phenotypes. The most prevalent resistance was toward clindamycin (76%), followed by amikacin (63%), ampicillin (62%), rifampicin (62%), vancomycin (57%), and amoxicillin (50%). The ARI values of Vibrio spp. in different ages ranged from 0.13 to 0.18, and ARI values of 3-year-old (ARI=0.18) clams are higher than that of other ages clam. Approximately 72% of the resistant isolates showed multidrug-resistant phenotypes with maximum resistance to 15 antibiotics. Tolerance to heavy metals including Cd, Zn, and Cu was detected in the majority of antibiotic resistant isolates. In addition to the co-resistance to the same class of antibiotics, resistance to cephalosporin (CFP, CEP, CZ) were significantly correlated with penicillins (AMP, AMC) (p&amp;lt; 0.01), tetracycline (p &amp;lt; 0.001), sulfanilamide (SXT) (p&amp;lt; 0.01) and quinolone (CIP) (p&amp;lt; 0.01). The heavy metal resistance genes copB and nccA were significantly correlated with the clindamycin resistance phenotype (p&amp;lt;0.01). This study revealed that the habitat of Meretrix meretrix is in low exposure to antibiotics, and a link between heavy metal resistance genes and antibiotic resistance.

Drug-Resistant Proteus Virulence Factors Characterization and Their Inhibition Using Probiotic Bacteria

Background: The genus Proteus is a Gram-negative bacterium with a unique characteristic of swarming. Mainly three species are involved in initiating urinary tract infections in the community and in immunocompromised patients, particularly in patients going through long-term catheterization. Due to their strong virulence factors like biofilm formations, protease, and hemolysin, they can lead to lengthening infections in affected individuals. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to human health and can be used as an alternative for the control of nosocomial diseases. Lactobacilli are one of the common probiotics mostly found in yogurt and other fermented foods that have been used as a substitute for infection control. Objectives: The current study was designed to screen potential probiotic bacteria to encounter antibiotic-resistant and virulent Proteus species. Methods: In the current study, using probiotics, already known antibiotic-resistant isolates (n = 25) of Proteus were processed to characterize their virulence factors and their inhibition. Biofilm formation, protease, and hemolysin activities were studied using different phenotypic detection methods. Further, their virulence genes zapA, flg, hmpA, mrp, and rsbA were explored using their genomic DNA. These isolates were found resistant to different classes of antibiotics, and a strategy was designed to inhibit their growth by using probiotic bacteria isolated from the soil. Results: Virulence factors first, all isolates were subjected to biofilm detection, and they were 32% (n = 8) strong, 40% (n = 10) moderate, 16% (n = 4) weak, and 12% (n = 3) non-biofilm producers. All isolates were positive for swarming activity by showing a differentiated ring form of growth. Protease activity showed 56% (n = 14) isolates. Only 24% (n = 6) of isolates were positive for hemolysin. Virulence factors and molecular mechanisms were studied, and gene rsbA responsible for swarming was amplified in 17 (68%) Proteus isolates, and mrp responsible for fimbria was detected in 19 (76%) bacterial isolates. Further, these isolates were subjected to flagella, protease, and hemolysin, and it was revealed that flg 11 (44%), 13 (52%) protease coding zapA, and hmA gene coding hemolysin were amplified in 2 (8%) Proteus isolates. Probiotic bacteria isolated from soil samples were probed for antagonistic activity against Proteus species. The probiotic bacteria were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and B. licheniformis. Due to their strong growth inhibitory effects against Proteus, it is crucial to characterize further the metabolites that have shown suppressive results against Proteus. Conclusions: Findings from the current study will provide new avenues for drug development and also help clinicians manage resistant pathogens in healthcare settings. Probiotic applications for infection control can be useful in treating resistant pathogens. Further purification and characterization of metabolites will provide alternative options for managing resistance issues in microbes.

Disparate Regions of the Human Chemokine CXCL10 Exhibit Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity against Biodefense and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens.

CXCL10 is a pro-inflammatory chemokine produced by the host in response to microbial infection. In addition to canonical, receptor-dependent actions affecting immune-cell migration and activation, CXCL10 has also been found to directly kill a broad range of pathogenic bacteria. Prior investigations suggest that the bactericidal effects of CXCL10 occur through two distinct pathways that compromise the cell envelope. These observations raise the intriguing notion that CXCL10 features a separable pair of antimicrobial domains. Herein, we affirm this possibility through peptide-based mapping and structure/function analyses, which demonstrate that discrete peptides derived from the N- and C-terminal regions of CXCL10 mediate bacterial killing. The N-terminal derivative, peptide P1, exhibited marked antimicrobial activity against Bacillus anthracis vegetative bacilli and spores, as well as antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus aureus, among others. At bactericidal concentrations, peptide P1 had a minimal degree of chemotactic activity, but did not cause red blood cell hemolysis or cytotoxic effects against primary human cells. The C-terminal derivative, peptide P9, exhibited antimicrobial effects, but only against Gram-negative bacteria in low-salt medium─conditions under which the peptide can adopt an α-helical conformation. The introduction of a hydrocarbon staple induced and stabilized α-helicity; accordingly, stapled peptide P9 displayed significantly improved bactericidal effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in media containing physiologic levels of salt. Together, our findings identify and characterize the antimicrobial regions of CXCL10 and functionalize these novel determinants as discrete peptides with potential therapeutic utility against difficult-to-treat pathogens.

Antimicrobial resistance patterns and virulence gene profiles of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium recovered from patients with gastroenteritis in three cities of Iran.

This study evaluated distribution of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium in three cities of Iran. Altogether 48 S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium isolates were collected from patients at certain Iranian hospitals between May 2018 and September 2021. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The presence of antibiotic-resistance genes (blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCTX-M,blaNDM,strA, strB, aadA1, tetA, tetB, floR, sul1, sul2, dfrA), integrons (classe 1 and 2), and virulence-associated genes (invA, stn, sopB, spvC, rck, phoPQ) was investigated by PCR and sequencing. Antimicrobial agents like trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and imipenem represent highly efficient agents with 97% susceptibility. S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium exhibited high resistance to ciprofloxacin (n = 20, 71.43%) and ceftazidime (n = 9, 45%), respectively. Overall, 3 (6.25%), 13 (27.08%), and 6 (12.5%) isolates were divided into strong, moderate, and weak biofilm producers, respectively. Moreover, blaCTX-M,blaTEM, blaSHV, sul1, sul2, tetA, tetB, floR, strA, and strB resistant genes were detected in 10 (20.8%), 5 (10.4%), 1(2.08%), 7 (14.58%), 1 (2.08%), 3 (6.25%), 2 (4.1%), 1 (2.08%), 2 (4.1%), 2 (4.1%), respectively. Furthermore, 7 (14.58%) strains had classe 1 integron. All tested S. enteritidis strains had invA and sopB, and all S. typhimurium strains had invA and phoPQ. However, spvC remained undetected in all isolates. Extensive surveillance and efficient control measures against infection help to stop the upsurge of various antibiotic-resistant isolates.

Antibacterial potency of Vernonia amygdalina on antibiotic-resistant non-typhoidal salmonella isolates from human and animal sources in southern Taraba, North-East, Nigeria

Antibiotic discovery was considered a wonder of the world. Shortly after, many microorganisms began to exhibit resistance to prior antimicrobial actions of antibiotics. Notwithstanding, Quinones, Flavonoids, Flavones, Flavonols, Tannins, and Coumarins are major phytochemicals synthesized by plant parts and have shown decisive antimicrobial activities against a panel of microorganisms. In this research hot and cold extracts of fresh and dried Vernonia, amygdalina showed remarkable in vivo antimicrobial activity on antibiotic-resistant Salmonella isolates from various poultry farms and food vendors in Ibi, Donga, Takum, and Wukari. 5 g-10 ml, 10 g-10 ml, 15g-10ml, 20g-10ml, and 25g-10ml are arrays of Vernonia Amygdalina concentrations tested on the inocula. Significant light growth was observed for both menstruum extracts of dried and fresh leaves of Vernonia Amygdalina at higher concentrations levels of 20g-10ml, 25g-10ml, while and moderate growth was seen at lower concentrations levels of 5g-10ml, 10g-10ml. Also, heavy growth of Salmonella was detected in the control plates inoculated with the test microorganism but without the addition of any extracts. Weak political will in implementing regulation policies, funding of research, and perceived antimicrobial resistance to plant extracts as well as acceptability and cultural factors have threatened the extensive use of plant extract in the management of health. Improved universal health coverage and enhanced economic potentials are core benefits of the use of plant extracts for health management. Conclusively, plant extracts possess appreciable antimicrobial activities against Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) microorganisms compared to currently prescribe synthetic drugs. Hence, further studies on clinical efficacy trials and the safety of more plants need to be intensified.

Respiratory microorganisms in acute pharyngitis patients: Identification, antibiotic prescription patterns and appropriateness, and antibiotic resistance in private primary care, central Malaysia.

Acute pharyngitis (AP) is a common reason for private primary care consultations, thus providing an avenue for widespread antibiotic intake among the community. However, there is limited data on the antibiotic prescription appropriateness and resistance information in the Malaysian private primary care setting, therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of isolated viruses and bacteria, antibiotic resistance patterns, antibiotic prescription patterns and appropriateness by general practitioners (GPs) and factors affecting antibiotic resistance and antibiotic prescription patterns. To investigate, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 205 patients presenting with AP symptoms at private primary care clinics in central Malaysia from 3rd January 2016 to 30th November 2016. Throat swabs were collected from 205 AP patients for two purposes: (i) the detection of four common respiratory viruses associated with AP via reverse-transcription real-time PCR (qRT-PCR); and (ii) bacterial identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Bacterial isolates were then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility screening and McIsaac scoring was calculated post-prescription based on GP selection of criteria. Generalized estimating equations analysis with multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with presence of virus and antibiotic prescription. The results showed that 95.1% (195/205) of patients had at least one of the four viruses, with rhinovirus (88.5%) being the most prevalent, followed by adenovirus (74.9%), influenza A virus (4.6%) and enterovirus (2.1%). A total of 862 non-repetitive colonies were isolated from the culture of throat swabs from 205 patients who were positive for bacteria. From a total of 22 genera, Streptococcus constitutes the most prevalent bacteria genus (40.9%), followed by Neisseria (20%), Rothia (13.0%), Staphylococcus (11%) and Klebsiella (4.9%). Only 5 patients carried group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS). We also report the presence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus or VRSA (n = 9, 10.1%) among which one isolate is a multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MDR-MRSA), while 54.1% (n = 111) were found to carry at least one antibiotic-resistant bacteria species. Application of the McIsaac scoring system indicated that 87.8% (n = 180) of patients should not be prescribed antibiotics as the majority of AP patients in this study had viral pharyngitis. The antibiotic prescription appropriateness by applying post-prescription McIsaac scoring was able to rule out GABHS pharyngitis in this sample with a GABHS culture-positive sensitivity of 40% (n = 2/5) and specificity of 90% (180/200). In conclusion, antibiotic-resistant throat isolates and over-prescription of antibiotics were observed and McIsaac scoring system is effective in guiding GPs to determine occurrences of viral pharyngitis to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescription.

Occurrence of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Flours and Different Plant Powders Used in Cuisine.

In recent years, several alimentary diseases have been connected with the consumption or tasting of raw flour and dough. Microbiological quality concern is also raising due to increased consumer demand for plant powders, while some of them can be consumed without prior thermal processing. In this study, we have focused on the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci in flour, plant powder and dough from Slovak retail. Our results indicated the presence of both total and antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci in the flour and powder samples. Lower numbers of the total, as well as resistant bacteria, were detected in flours compared to plant powders. Coliform bacteria isolates were predominantly identified as Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp. Ampicillin resistance appeared in 97% of isolates followed by chloramphenicol resistance (22%) and tetracycline resistance (17%). The presence of the blaSHV gene was confirmed in 13% of isolates. The tetA and tetE genes were present in 25% of isolates of coliform bacteria. The presence of enterococci was detected only in plant powders. Antibiotic-resistant strains were identified as the following: Enterococcus casseliflavus, E. gallinarium and E. faecium. Despite the isolates showing resistance to vancomycin, the presence of the vanA gene was not detected. The majority of antibiotic-resistant isolates belonged to the group of medium biofilm producers. None of these isolates showed efflux pump overproduction. Antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci were not detected in the processed doughs.

Microbiological and physicochemical properties of farm bulk tank milk and antimicrobial resistance of its dominant bacteria

AbstractThis study determined the antibiotic resistance of the dominant bacteria in the 85 farm BTMs according to the guidelines recommended by the epidemiological cutoff values in the EUCAST. In addition, some physicochemical and microbiological properties of farm BTMs were investigated. The milk samples were divided into two groups according to their SCC values. The milk samples with higher SCC than 400,000 cells mL−1 were further examined bacteriologically, and the antibiotic resistance of isolates was determined. The average TAMB value was 6.34 log CFU/mL in farm BTM. It was found that high‐SCC values did not affect other physicochemical properties of BTM samples, such as fat, protein and total solids, except for lactose content. Seventy‐two strains were isolated from 45 bulk milk samples. The most prevalent bacteria were Enterococcus spp. (23.61%). The other isolates were Citrobacter spp. (12.5%), Staphylococcus spp. (12.51%), Serratia spp. (11.12%), Klebsiella spp. (9.72%), Bacillus spp. (9.72%), and Enterobacter spp. (8.33%). In antibiotic resistance analysis, 52.6% of Enterobacterales isolates showed cefoxitin resistance, and nine Enterobacterales isolates were determined as the presumptive ESBL producers. None of them was confirmed as ESBL producers. Moreover, MDR was detected in 83.3% of Enterobacter spp. isolates and all Bacillus spp. isolates. The over and inappropriate use of antibiotics in mastitis treatment may cause antibiotic‐resistant microorganisms in milk. It was found that 52.7% of the isolated bacteria were MDR, which could pose a risk to public health and food safety, with the consumer's increasing interest in consuming raw milk.

Biofilm formation is not an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia.

In the past decades, due to the high prevalence of the antibiotic-resistant isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, it has emerged as one of the most troublesome pathogens threatening the global healthcare system. Furthermore, this pathogen has the ability to form biofilms, which is another effective mechanism by which it survives in the presence of antibiotics. However, the clinical impact of biofilm-forming A. baumannii isolates on patients with bacteremia is largely unknown. This retrospective study was conducted at five medical centers in Taiwan over a 9-year period. A total of 252 and 459 patients with bacteremia caused by biofilm- and non-biofilm-forming isolates of A. baumannii, respectively, were enrolled. The clinical demographics, antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm-forming ability, and patient clinical outcomes were analyzed. The biofilm-forming ability of the isolates was assessed using a microtiter plate assay. Multivariate analysis revealed the higher APACHE II score, shock status, lack of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and carbapenem resistance of the infected strain were independent risk factors of 28-day mortality in the patients with A. baumannii bacteremia. However, there was no significant difference between the 28-day survival and non-survival groups, in terms of the biofilm forming ability. Compared to the patients infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates, those infected with biofilm-forming isolates had a lower in-hospital mortality rate. Patients with either congestive heart failure, underlying hematological malignancy, or chemotherapy recipients were more likely to become infected with the biofilm-forming isolates. Multivariate analysis showed congestive heart failure was an independent risk factor of infection with biofilm-forming isolates, while those with arterial lines tended to be infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates. There were no significant differences in the sources of infection between the biofilm-forming and non-biofilm-forming isolate groups. Carbapenem susceptibility was also similar between these groups. In conclusion, the patients infected with the biofilm-forming isolates of the A. baumannii exhibited different clinical features than those infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates. The biofilm-forming ability of A. baumannii may also influence the antibiotic susceptibility of its isolates. However, it was not an independent risk factor for a 28-day mortality in the patients with bacteremia.

The effect of nisin on the biofilm production, antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ObjectivesStaphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common bacteria in nosocomial infections. Different bacteriocins are currently being studied as antibiotics or in conjunction with antibiotics as potential strategies to treat resistant infectious agents. The study aimed to determine nisin's effect on the biofilm production, antimicrobial susceptibility, and biofilm formation of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.Materials and methodsThe experimental research tested two antibiotic-resistant isolates of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa strains. The experimental study tested two antibiotic-resistant isolates of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa strains. The MIC of bacteriocin nisin was determined using the micro broth dilution method, and crystal violet was used to assess the effect of bacteriocin on the biofilm. In addition, L929 cell culture was used to determine the effectiveness of bacteriocin on the isolate under similar cell conditions. Moreover, the MTT assay was used to and evaluate bacteriocin toxicity. In this study, the software Prism version 9 and Graph pad software were utilized.ResultsThe results of this study reveal that the nisin has different activities at different doses and is considered dose-dependent. At various times and doses, nisin inhibits biofilm formation in S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa isolates. Nisin also showed a decreasing survival of the isolates. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be made more vulnerable by nisin. Furthermore, nisin treatment affected the production of virulence factors such as hemolysins in S. aureus and had little or a negative effect on P. aeruginosa virulence factors. This medication stops S. aureus and P. aeruginosa from growing and causes bacterial cell damage.ConclusionsAntibacterial properties of nicin against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were successfully studied. This bacteriocin stops S. aureus and P. aeruginosa from growing and causes bacterial cell damage or death. Damage to the membrane among the fundamental causes is reduced membrane potential and enzyme inactivation.

Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Gram-negative Bacteria from Different Fresh Retail Vegetables in Nigeria

Aim: The proportion of food borne disease outbreaks as a result of contaminated products has increased over the years. In this study, the genetic characteristics of antibiotic resistant Gram-negative bacteria from different fresh retail vegetables in Okada, Edo state Nigeria was investigated.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: In April-May 2021, the study was carried out in the Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Igbinedion University Okada Edo state Nigeria.&#x0D; Methodology: One hundred and eight isolates were isolated from sixteen different retail leafy and salad vegetable samples. Recovered isolates from samples were identified using standard microbiological techniques. Species identification for ten randomly selected isolates was performed by Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and ribosomal multilocus sequence typing (rMLST). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer method for 15 antibiotics. Isolates were characterized by whole genome sequencing (WGS).&#x0D; Results: Species identification using MALDI-TOF-MS and ribosomal MLST assigned the 10 randomly selected isolates to four different species. Identified isolates include Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter baumanii and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae. Out of the 10 randomly selected isolates, 60% (6/10) were antibiotic resistant in the antibiotic susceptibility test. WGS data confirmed the identities of the isolates except Proteus vulgaris identified as P. terrae. More than one resistant determinant was detected on the draft genome sequence of 80% (8/10) of the randomly selected isolates especially the regulatory system modulating antibiotic efflux CRP and the plasmid mediated quinolone resistant determinant qnrD1. Significantly, one Proteus mirabilis isolate was sensitive to the antibiotics in the phenotypic testing but had resistance determinants present.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study provides genomic characterization of antibiotic resistant isolates from retail leafy and salad vegetables from Nigeria. Further study is important to understand the public health importance of such resistance and the amount of risk posed to human health by these resistant organisms.

Antibacterial activity effect of nano-chitosan against Streptococcus Mutans isolated from dental caries

The study investigated the antibacterial activity Effect Of Nano-Chitosan Against Streptococcus Mutans, It was collected from patients with periodontal disease and dental caries, and identification of bacteria and Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed by using the VITEK2 compact system. This retrospective study was conducted at the Ba'aqubah teaching hospital.in duration February/ 2022 - April 2022 -, Data have been collected from coming patients at Specialized Dental Centers in Diyala, A total of 50 specimens, 35 ( 70%) were males, and 15 (30%)were females, the growth samples appeared in 17 ( 34%) isolates from dental caries and strep. mutans appeared in 10( 20 %) isolates. The highest rate of antibiotic resistance was observed in 3(6%) of Strep. mutans. Then the effect of Nano-chitosan on antibiotic-resistant isolates was studied by determining the value of M I C.