Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing Research Articles

Overuse of antibiotics for urinary tract infections in pregnant refugees, Lebanon.

To determine whether adding urine culture to urinary tract infection diagnosis in pregnant women from refugee camps in Lebanon reduced unnecessary antibiotic use. We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study between April and June 2022 involving pregnant women attending a Médecins Sans Frontières sexual reproductive health clinic in south Beirut. Women with two positive urine dipstick tests (i.e. a suspected urinary tract infection) provided urine samples for culture. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial sensitivity testing were conducted following European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing guidelines. We compared the characteristics of women with positive and negative urine culture findings and we calculated the proportion of antibiotics overprescribed or inappropriately used. We also estimated the cost of adding urine culture to the diagnostic algorithm. The study included 449 pregnant women with suspected urinary tract infections: 18.0% (81/449) had positive urine culture findings. If antibiotics were administered following urine dipstick results alone, 368 women would have received antibiotics unnecessarily: an overprescription rate of 82% (368/449). If administration was based on urine culture findings plus urinary tract infection symptoms, 144 of 368 women with negative urine culture findings would have received antibiotics unnecessarily: an overprescription rate of 39.1% (144/368). The additional cost of urine culture was 0.48euros per woman. A high proportion of pregnant women with suspected urinary tract infections from refugee camps unnecessarily received antibiotics. Including urine culture in diagnosis, which is affordable in Lebanon, would greatly reduce antibiotic overprescription. Similar approaches could be adopted in other regions where microbiology laboratories are accessible.

Ability of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum gratissimum to inhibit the growth of some hospital isolates

The study on the ability of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum gratissimum to inhibit the growth of some hospital isolates was carried out following several reports on the antimicrobial potentials of these plant leaves among locals. Some fresh leaves of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum gratissimum were processed into an aqueous extract as well as an ethanolic extract and preserved at 4oC. samples of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans which served as test microorganisms were obtained from the Federal Medial Centre Umuahia Abia State Nigeria. Antimicrobial sensitivity test of test isolates was determined using the Kirby-bauer disc diffusion method Disc diffusion method of the extracts . A 0.5 Mc farland solution of the 4 organisms were prepared and inoculated into an already prepared Mueller hinton agar plates containing the paper disc of 400mg/ml aqueous and ethanolic extracts. A control experiment was set up with 2mg/ml gentamycin disc. After 48 hours incubation, Ethanolic extract of Azadirachta indica showed the highest zones of inhibition of 7.5mm on Staphylococcus aureus, followed by ethanolic extract of Ocimum gratissimum 7.0mm on Escherichia coli. While the aqueous extracts of both Azadirachta indica and Ocimum gratissimum showed least zones of inhibition on Candida albicans. The overall were more antibacterial effective than antifungal. Therefore, the Ethanolic extract of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum gratissimum possess more antibacterial effect and less antifungal effect.

Accumulation of resistance genes in Salmonella Typhimurium transmitted between poultry and dairy farms increases the risk to public health.

Salmonella Typhimurium is a zoonotic pathogen that poses a major threat to public health. This generalist serotype can be found in many hosts and the environment where varying selection pressures may result in the accumulation of antimicrobial resistance determinants. However, the transmission of this serotype between food-producing hosts, specifically between poultry layer flocks and nearby dairy herds, was never demonstrated. We investigated an outbreak at a dairy in Israel to determine the role of nearby poultry houses to be sources of infection. The 2-month outbreak resulted in a 47% mortality rate among 15 calves born in that period. Routine treatment of fluid therapy, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, and cefquinome was ineffective, and control was achieved by the introduction of vaccination of dry cows against Salmonella (Bovivac S, MSD Animal Health) and a strict colostrum regime. Whole genome sequencing and antimicrobial sensitivity tests were performed on S. Typhimurium strains isolated from the dairy (n = 4) and strains recovered from poultry layer farms (n = 10). We identified acquired antimicrobial-resistant genes, including the blaCTX-M-55 gene, conferring resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, which was exclusive to dairy isolates. Genetic similarity with less than five single nucleotide polymorphism differences between dairy and poultry strains suggested a transmission link. This investigation highlights the severe impact of S. Typhimurium on dairy farms and the transmission risk from nearby poultry farms. The accumulation of potentially transferable genes conferring resistance to critically important antimicrobials underscores the increased public health risk associated with S. Typhimurium circulation between animal hosts.IMPORTANCESalmonella Typhimurium is one of the major causes of food-borne illness globally. Infections may result in severe invasive disease, in which antimicrobial treatment is warranted. Therefore, the emergence of multi-drug-resistant strains poses a significant challenge to successful treatment and is considered one of the major threats to global health. S. Typhimurium can be found in a variety of animal hosts and environments; however, its transmission between food-producing animals, specifically poultry layers flocks and dairy herds, was never studied. Here, we demonstrate the transmission of the pathogen from poultry to a nearby dairy farm. Alarmingly, the multi-drug-resistant strains collected during the outbreak in the dairy had acquired resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, antibiotics critically important in treating Salmonellosis in humans. The findings of the study emphasize the increased risk to public health posed by zoonotic pathogens' circulation between animal hosts.

Enrofloxacin, Effective Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis Infection in Oreochromis niloticus.

Enrofloxacin is a broad-spectrum synthetic antimicrobial drug widely used in veterinary medicine. The present study aimed to determine the effective enrofloxacin dose for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis infection in Oreochromis niloticus. P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis isolates were verified using selective differential media and biochemically using the Vitek 2 test. Bacterial isolates were virulent for O. niloticus with LD50 equal to 2.03 × 106 and 2.22 × 107 CFU fish-1 for P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis, respectively. Infected fish suffered from decreased feed intake followed by off-food, tail erosion, darkening of the external body surface, exophthalmia, ascites, and loss of escape reflex. Internally, congested hemorrhagic hepatopancreas with engorged distended gall bladder were dominant. The posterior kidney was congested with enlarged spleen, and empty elementary tract. Pathologically, severe degenerative changes were dominant in the hepatopancreas, posterior kidney, spleen, stomach, and gills of infected fish. Antimicrobial sensitivity test indicated the high susceptibility of P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis to enrofloxacin with MIC estimated at 1 and 0.0625 µg/mL, respectively. Enrofloxacin effectively protected O. niloticus against E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa infection when used with medicated feed at doses of 10 and 20 mg kg-1 body weight.

OCCURRENCE OF VIRULENCE GENES OF Staphylococcus aureus AND Escherichia coli IN VENDED FOODS IN SELECTED MOTOR-PARKS IN OBIO/AKPOR, RIVERS STATE

The study aimed at evaluating the microbiological safety of vended foods in selected motor parks in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Forty-eight samples obtained from four motor parks (Choba, Rumuokoro, Eliozu and Oil-mill Park) were analyzed using standard microbiological methods for total heterotrophic bacteria count, virulent and antibiotic resistant profiles of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Total heterotrophic bacteria count ranged from 4.60 to 8.39 log10CFU/g. A total of 10 (20.83%) samples were positive for S. aureus while 14 (29.17%) were positive for E. coli. Total staphylococcal and Escherichia coli counts ranged from 4.89 to 7.01 and 2.70 to 5.31 log10cfu/g, respectively. Both bacteria were 100% resistant to augmentin. The confirmed E. coli showed varying resistant to cefixime (50%), ceftazidime (42.86%), cefuroxim (14.29%) and ofloxacin (7.14%); while S. aureus also showed varying resistant to erythromycin (10.00%), ceftriaxone (90.00%), cloxacillin (100.00%) and gentamycin (0.00%) The confirmed E. coli produced the expected bands for the E. coli attaching and effusing (eaeA), aggregative adherence fimbriae (aggR) and antimicrobial sensitivity testing (astA) virulence genes while S. aureus did not produce the expected bands with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (sea) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (seb) genes. The detection of virulence gene bearing E. coli and multiple antibiotic resistant E. coli and S. aureus portends danger for commuters who patronizes these foods, hence the need for urgent public health interventions.

Correlation of CD4+ count and viral load with urinary tract infection and antimicrobial resistance pattern of bacterial uropathogens among HIV patients in Wolaita Sodo, South Ethiopia.

The permanence of HIV patients in healthcare provision centers exposes their weak immunity to various nosocomial microorganisms that migrate into and out of the hospital environment. The incidence of bacterial infections, including urinary tract infection, was inversely correlated with CD4+ T cells. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the clinical problems among HIV patients. There was scarcity of published data on the relationship between viral load, CD4+ level, and UTI. This study aimed to assess the relationship between viral load and CD4 with bacterial UTI among HIV patients. The cross-sectional study was conducted in the Wolaita Sodo Town Health Center ART clinic. The socio-demographic data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. Patients' charts were reviewed to collect the current CD4 and viral load. Urine specimens were inoculated on blood agar, cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient (CLED) agar, and MacConkey agar, and bacterial species were finally identified using various biochemical methods. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was conducted using standard microbiological tests. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to describe the association between pairs of variables and to examine the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables. In this study, the overall prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) was 13.7%. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were bacterial uropathogens detected in this study. E.coli (45.7%) was the predominant isolate followed by S. aureus (14.3%). Positive correlation between CD4+ count and urinary tract infection was detected and found statistically significant (r = 0.288 p > 0.01), whereas the viral load and urinary tract infection negatively correlated and showed statistically significant association (p < 0.01). The resistance rate of E.coli was 94%, 75%, and 69% to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and cefepime, respectively. This study revealed that E.coli exhibited 94% and 75% resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and tetracycline, respectively. K. pneumoniae demonstrated complete resistance (100%) to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while showing 100% susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. In the present study, the magnitude of the multi-drug resistance (MDR) was found to be 80%. CD4+ count, combination of antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs, and a history of hospitalization were risk factors for urinary tract infection. In the current study, urinary tract infection emerged as a significant health concern among people living with HIV following their ART. The occurrence of urinary tract infection among HIV patients could be influenced by multifactorial factors that require further study. The CD4+ count was positively correlated with the prevalence of UTI, whereas the viral load was negatively correlated. The CD4+ count, combination of ART, and history of hospitalization were independent risk factors for UTI. The prevalence of MDR bacterial pathogens were notably high. Therefore, the treatment of UTI in HIV patients should be prescribed based on antibacterial susceptibility testing results.

Antibiotic use and resistance patterns at Rumphi District Hospital in Malawi: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOveruse of antibiotics is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) world-wide. Malawi continues to report rising cases of AMR among both in-patients and out-patients. We investigated antibiotic use and resistance patterns among patients with suspected first line antibiotic treatment failure at Rumphi District Hospital, Malawi.MethodsWe used a cross-sectional study design in which records of patients data on culture and antimicrobial sensitivity tests were extracted, alongside treatment history from 2019 to March, 2023, retrospectively. We also included findings for point prevalence survey (PPS) conducted within four hospital wards in June, 2022 by a well-trained multi-disciplinary team from within the hospital. The data was analyzed for antibiotic use, characterization of pathogens and their susceptibility patterns using Microsoft excel and STATA-14 software.ResultsA total of 85 patients’ data records were reviewed on antibiotics resistance pattern in which 54 (63.5%) were females. Patient antibiotic history captured indicated Metronidazole (23%), Gentamycin (20%) and Doxycycline (23%) as the most frequently used antibiotics among clients referred for microbiological investigations. Among locally available antibiotics with over 50% sensitivity were Chloramphenicol (61%), ciprofloxacin (55%), and ceftriaxone (54%). Penicillins were among antibiotics with highest resistance: ampicillin (100%), amoxyclav (90%), Piperacilin-tazobactam (63%). The majority of patients came from STI clinic and presented with genital discharges 44% (n = 39). Over 80% of the isolated N. gonorrhoeae exhibited a reduced susceptibility to gentamycin. Prevalence of Methicillin resistant staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) was 46% and were mostly isolated from wound pus. Among 80 data records of the patients reviewed during PPS, Ceftriaxone (54.3%) and Metronidazole (23.3%) emerged as the most frequently used antibiotics in the wards which were prescribed empirically without a microbiological indication.ConclusionIn this study setting, we observed high use of watch antibiotics along with problem of multi-drug resistant infections in patients experiencing clinical failure in a variety of clinical syndromes. The findings underline the need to revamp diagnostic microbiology to increase the uptake of antimicrobial susceptibility testing to guide specific prescriptions of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the watch list.

A Day Saved is a Life Saved: Direct Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing from Positively Flagged Blood Culture Bottles and their Concordance with the Routine Method.

Sepsis is a major health problem worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality with every hour delay in initiation of therapy. A conventional method of blood culture and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) takes around 48-72 hours. Empirical antibiotics need to be administered until the sensitivity report is made available. It has been estimated that 20-50% of the empirical antibiotics are inappropriate, resulting in prolonged hospital stays, adverse effects, and emergence of drug resistance. Additionally, this also puts an extra financial burden on both the patients and healthcare settings. Performing direct Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing (dAST) is an important tool to reduce turn-around time (TAT) by at least 18-24 hours, thus reducing morbidity and mortality among critically ill patients. Direct AST (dAST) was performed from the positively flagged blood culture bottles received between December, 2021 to May, 2022 from Intensive Care Units (ICUs) on MuellerHinton Agar (MHA) using four drops of withdrawn blood. dAST was performed for six drugs: Ceftriaxone-30 µg (CTR), Piperacillin/Tazobactam-100/10 µg (PIT), Meropenem-10 µg (MRP), Ciprofloxacin-5 µg (CIP), Aztreonam-30 µg (AT), and Colistin (CL). The zone of inhibition was interpreted as per CLSI M100 ed32, 2022 guidelines. A parallel conventional method was also performed to examine for categorical agreement and disagreement. Identification was carried out using MALDI-TOF MS from the colonies that appeared on the dAST plate on the subsequent day. A total of 162 positively flagged blood culture bottles were included in the study. The majority of the Gram-negative organisms were from Enterobacterales (n=109), followed by Acinetobacter spp. (n=28) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=25). Out of the 972 isolate-antimicrobial combinations, overall Categorical Agreement (CA) was seen in 936 (96.3%), whereas disagreement was observed in 36 with minor error (mE) in 21 (2.2%), major error (ME) in 7 (0.7%), and very major error (VME) in 8 (0.8%) when compared to the routine method. Categorical agreement (CA) of > 99% was seen in ceftriaxone (CTR) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). In comparison, the lowest CA was observed with meropenem (MRP) at 92%. Colistin dAST was performed using the E-strip method, and the result obtained was highly convincing, with an overall disagreement of only 1.2%. Rapid dAST from positively flagged blood culture bottles proved to significantly reduce the TAT from the time of sample collection to the first availability of antimicrobial susceptibility report with excellent categorical agreement of > 95% using the conventional disc diffusion method. Results obtained were within the acceptance criteria set by U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines of > 90% categorical agreement for a new method. We were able to obtain excellent concordance for colistin using the E-strip method. Performing dAST not only saves a "day", but its proper implementation would save a "life".

Antimicrobial Sensitivity Profile in Psittacine Birds at an Avian Teaching Hospital: A Retrospective Study, 2015-2022.

Veterinary hospitals house patient populations with diverse infectious statuses, microbiota, and histories of prior antibiotic therapy. Choanal swabs are commonly used for assessing the upper respiratory tract of birds for bacterial disease, with the samples submitted for cytologic testing and/or culture and antimicrobial sensitivity testing. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify and quantify bacteria isolated from choanal swabs collected from psittacine patients at a veterinary teaching hospital in Mexico City, Mexico. Data regarding bacterial isolates from choanal swabs were obtained from the medical records of companion psittacines suspected of upper respiratory bacterial disease that presented between November 2015 and December 2022. A total of 47.8% (175 of 366) of the bacterial isolates were from specimens obtained from red-lored Amazons (Amazona autumnalis). Gram-negative bacteria predominated, with 27 different genera identified. Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, and Escherichia were the most frequently isolated genera. A total of 90.4% (331 of 366) of the isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic tested in the sensitivity panel, and a single Klebsiella isolate was resistant to 13 different antibiotics. Gentamicin had a high percentage of efficacy (79.5%; 182 of 229) against the bacterial isolates, whereas isolates tested against sulfonamide-trimethoprim (46.7%, 98 of 210), streptomycin (43.8%; 88 of 201), and clindamycin (12.9%; 15 of 116) had susceptibilities <50%. This is the first study to report common bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from choanal swab samples collected from companion psittacines suspected of upper respiratory disease in Mexico. Clinicians can use the information presented in this study as a guide for therapeutic decision-making when managing upper respiratory bacterial infections in companion psittacine patients.

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Streptococcus pneumoniae amongst residents of Obong Ntak in Etim Ekpo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Streptococcus pneumonia is among the major causative agents of respiratory tract infections and colonizes the nasopharyngeal cells of asymptomatically healthy individuals. Prevalence and antibiotics sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumonia amongst residents in a rural setting was evaluated. A total of 250 nasal swab samples (125 males and 125 females) were collected using sterile swab sticks. Administration of open-ended questionnaires, culture of the samples, identification of isolates, antimicrobial sensitivity test and determination of prevalence rate were all done using standard protocols. Out of the 250 samples collected, 35 were positive for S. pneumonia giving an overall prevalence of 14%. Based on sex, the prevalence rates were 15% and 20% for males and females, respectively. Prevalence rates of 12.5%, 13.7%, 12.7% and 25% were recorded for age groups of 10-20, 21-40, 41-60 and &gt;60 years, respectively. The presence of S. pneumoniae based on the health status of the participants showed that the prevalence rates were 20% and 11.70% for clinically ill and clinically healthy individuals, respectively. The resistance profile to the test antibiotics were 22.9%, 22.9%, 11.4%, 100%, 100%, 34.3%, 34.3%, 100%, 54.3% and 77.1% respectively to perfloxacin, septrin, ciprofloxacin, amoxacilin, zinacef, gentamicin, erythromycin, ampliclox, streptomycin and rocephin. Ciprofloxacin was the most effective antibiotic followed by perfloxacin and septrin. Our isolates showed 100% multi-drug resistance and is a cause for concern.

Óleo de semente de uva no tratamento de ferida grave em cão - relato de caso

The aim of this study is to describe, for the first time, the use of grape seed oil in the treatment of a severe wound in a dog. A 10-year-old Dalmatian female dog presented with an abscess in the cervical region that progressed to cutaneous necrosis, resulting in a large wound. Samples were collected for culture and antimicrobial sensitivity testing (TSA). Staphylococcus pseudointermedius and multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from the wound. The lesion was surgically debrided, and topical treatment with grape seed oil was initiated. The patient was followed until complete healing, which occurred in 28 days. The wound area was measured at seven-day intervals until complete healing (D0, D7, D14, D21, and D28), with the respective measurements being 11204.8 mm2, 4348.0 mm2, 2414.9 mm2, 120.2 mm2, and 0.00 mm2. The wound contraction potential was calculated for the intervals of 0 to 7, 7 to 14, 14 to 21, and 21 to 28 days, and it was -61.19%, -44.45%, -95.02%, and -100.00%, respectively. The complete healing of the wound at 28 days post-debridement indicates that grape seed oil is an alternative for wound treatment in dogs.

Investigating Drug Interactions And Antibacterial Activity Of Vitamin C On Pathogenic Factors Of Escherichia Coli Clinical Isolates

Today, the phenomenon of multi-drug resistance has become a major cause of concern, and insufficient achievements have been made in the development of new antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections. Therefore, there is an unmet need for new auxiliary search. Vitamin C is one such promising supplement. The current study was conducted with the aim of explaining the antibacterial interaction effect of vitamin C in different concentrations (5-20 mg/ml) and drugs effective on Escherichia coli bacteria. In order to collect clinical samples during the months of September to November 2022, clinical samples were collected from 100 patients suspected of urinary tract infection who referred to medical centers. For identification, biochemical tests and gram staining and culture in IMViC and EMB environments were used to see metallic green polish. Then antimicrobial sensitivity test And the effect of antibiotic on biofilm formation, the effect of antibiotic and ascorbic acid on biofilm formation, biofilm inhibition rate was done for the single and combined effects of both antimicrobial substances. Finally, in order to investigate and identify the virulence gene of the isolated strains, DNA extraction was performed by PCR method. 45 samples of urinary infection culture were identified from the total of 100 samples collected, in 45 (45%) of them colonies with metallic polish were observed. 45% were men and 55% were women, and of these, a total of 45 positive E. coli cases were found in women and 17 positive cases were seen in men. Less than one year, teenagers, young and old were divided. 2 cases (2%) were in the age group of less than one year, 3 cases (3%) were teenagers, 63 cases (63%) were young and 32 cases (32%) were in the age group of middle-aged people. In a situation where the ability to form biofilm under vitamin C (ascorbic acid) treatment was not very effective and did not differ much from normal conditions, antibiotic treatment (under MBC gentamicin treatment) was somewhat successful in inhibiting biofilm formation, finally with the combination of antibiotic and Ascorbic acid was completely isolated in many resistant strains, the inability to form biofilm was evident, and this indicated the synergistic effects in the investigated composition. As the results showed, the ability to produce biofilm in the samples that had the target genes in this study was not much different from the other samples. Considering the increasing resistance to some antibiotics and wide changes in the effective spectrum of drugs and preventing the increase of drug-resistant cases, the necessity of conducting drug sensitivity tests seems very necessary. The high prevalence of E. coli antibiotic resistance and the high percentage of resistance genes in patients suffering from infections caused by this bacterium can indicate the excessive use of antibiotics. Finally, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a useful marker for investigating resistance genes and can be useful in ecological investigations. Also, with clear inhibitory effects, the selected antibiotic in this study along with ascorbic acid, this vitamin can be used as a supplement in some infections caused by E. coli bacteria.

Evaluation of the Types and Drug Sensitivity Patterns of Bacterial Isolates from Patients with Eye Discharge at Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria

This study aimed to evaluate the types and drug sensitivity patterns of bacterial isolates from patients with eye discharge at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, Nigeria. A total of 100 samples were collected, with the most prevalent bacterial isolates being Staphylococcus aureus (26%) and Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (21%), while no bacterial growth was reported in 42% of samples. In terms of patient demographics, a significant proportion of the patients were females (64%) aged between 61-70 years. In relation to contact lens use, a high percentage (97%) of the bacterial isolates were detected in patients who did not use contact lenses. An occupational distribution analysis revealed that bacterial isolates were more frequent in farmers and traders compared to students and retirees. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing of the bacterial isolates showed varying degrees of resistance, with significant resistance observed against Erythromycin, Ciprofloxacin, and Perfloxacin. In contrast, higher sensitivity was noted towards Chloramphenicol and Gentamycin. The findings underscore the importance of regular microbiological evaluation and sensitivity testing in patients presenting with eye discharges to guide effective antimicrobial therapy. These findings could guide the selection of empiric antibiotics for treating ocular infections in this region and suggest the need for routine microbiological surveillance to monitor and guide antibiotic prescription to mitigate against antibiotic resistance.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection and biofilms: Dreaded duo in health settings

Abstract Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) alone account for 30% of hospital infections, 80% of these are catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTI). Microbial film in indwelling medical devices worsens the existing medical condition and leads to multidrug resistance (MDR) and prolonged hospital stay. This cross-sectional study was done to find out the organisms causing CAUTI, their sensitivity pattern, the proportion of biofilm formation, and the sensitivity, specificity of different procedures in the demonstration of biofilm. Materials and Methods: Urine sample was collected from 307 patients with indwelling catheters. Direct Gram stain was performed from well-mixed uncentrifuged urine. Specimens were processed, organisms were isolated by standard microbiological procedures, and antimicrobial sensitivity testing was performed. Various methods such as Congo red agar, tube adherence, and microtiter plate methods were used to identify biofilm formation for all the isolates. Results: Out of 307 catheterized urine samples, a direct Gram stain was positive in 137 (44.62%) samples and culture positive in 148 (48.2%) samples. Out of 134 bacterial isolates, biofilm was observed by Congo red agar in 36 (27%), tube adherence in 59 (44%), and microtiter plate in 80 (60%) isolates. Escherichia coli (50.74%) was the predominant isolate followed by Klebsiella spp (26.11%). MDR was observed in 53 (66%) biofilm-forming isolates. Conclusions: Catheterized patients are prone to develop a microbial biofilm that is multidrug resistant and burdensome. Of the 80 biofilm-producing isolates, MDR was observed in 53 (66%). The effective ways to prevent CAUTI are strict adherence to indications for catheterization and, a bundle care approach with a preinsertion checklist.

Bacteriological Profile and Antibiogram of Urinary Tract Infections at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kerala, India: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are caused by microbial invasion of the urinary tract, extending from the renal cortex of the kidney to the urethral meatus. Over the past years, resistance levels to the traditional drugs used for the treatment of UTIs have been gradually increasing. Therefore, a therapy based on the individual culture report and antibiotic sensitivity test is highly encouraged. Aim: To determine the age-wise and sex-wise prevalence of UTI, as well as to determine the bacteriological profile and antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of isolated uropathogens. Materials and Methods: This retrospective record-based study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at Travancore Medical College in Kollam, Kerala, India. Samples were collected from patients with clinically suspected UTI attending the Outpatient Department (OPD) and Inpatient Department (IPD) of Travancore Medical College, Kollam, Kerela, India over a period of six months from July 2022 to December 2022. Both male and female patients with clinically suspected UTI were included in the study. The clinical diagnostic criteria included dysuria, frequency, urgency, and fever. Data were retrieved from the culture register maintained in the Microbiology laboratory, LIS (ELLIDER), and the WHONET software system. Urine culture was performed using a semiquantative technique. A growth of &gt;105 Colony Forming Units (CFU)/mL was considered indicative of an active UTI with significant bacteriuria. Organisms were identified using Gram stain, motility testing, and biochemical reactions following standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was conducted using the Kirby-Bauer Disc diffusion method. The data were entered into a Microsoft Excel worksheet, and the results were analysed using simple descriptive statistics involving percentages and proportions using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16.0. Results: Of the total 2,794 samples, 319 (11.4%) samples yielded significant bacteriuria. Among the positive samples, 204 (64%) were from females and 115 (36%) were from males. UTIs were most commonly seen in the age group of 61-80 years. Escherichia coli (E.coli), with 148 isolates (46.4%), was the predominant organism, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae with 72 isolates (22.6%). E. coli showed the highest susceptibility to meropenem, with 137 isolates (92.6%), and imipenem, with 136 isolates (91.9%), followed by cefoperazone/sulbactam with 129 isolates (87.2%), and piperacillin/tazobactam with 128 isolates (86.5%). Klebsiella pneumoniae was most susceptible to imipenem, with 42 isolates (60%), followed by meropenem, with 29 isolates (41.4%). Most non fermenters were highly susceptible to carbapenems, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and piperacillin/tazobactam. Among the gram-positive organisms, Enterococcus spp. was the most frequently isolated, showing 100% sensitivity to vancomycin and linezolid. Conclusion: In this study, UTI was found to be more prevalent among elderly females. Gram-negative organisms were the most commonly isolated pathogens in UTI, with E. coli being the most frequent agent. Urinary pathogens exhibited resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin, cephalosporins, quinolones, and cotrimoxazole. Based on this study, it can be concluded that the resistance to commonly used antibiotics is very high. Due to the changing trends in the sensitivity patterns of various antibiotics, it is important to understand the antibiogram of common isolates in a specific area or hospital to ensure better empirical treatment.

Isolation and identification of multidrug resistance bacterial agents implicated in duck enteritis with first record of Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae in Egypt.

Bacterial infections causing digestive problems are among the most serious threats to Egypt's duck industry, owing to their effects on feed utilization and body weight gain. As a result, the goal of this study was to identify bacterial pathogens causing enteritis in ducks as well as testing their antimicrobials resistance capabilities. Forty-two duck flocks from different localities at four Egyptian Governorates (El-Sharkia, El-Gharbia, El-Dakahlia, and El-Qaliobia) have been subjected to clinical and postmortem examination as well as bacterial isolation and identification. The liver samples have been collected aseptically from freshly euthanized ducks for bacterial isolation followed by identification using conventional biochemical tests, VITEK 2 system, and confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the uid A gene (beta-glucuronidase enzyme) of Escherichia coli. In addition, antimicrobial sensitivity testing for the isolates against different antimicrobials by the VITEK 2 system was used. Forty-six positive bacterial isolates were identified using conventional methods and the VITEK 2 system including Staphylococcus spp. (52.17%), E. coli (41.30%), and 2.17% for each of Enterococcus casseli lavus, Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae, and Enterobacter cloacae. PCR was positive for E. coli uid A gene at 556 bp. The antibiogram patterns of isolated pathogens from naturally infected ducks in our work demonstrated 87% multidrug resistance with varying results against different antimicrobial drugs tested. Such findings supported the fact of the upgrading multidrug resistance of Staphylococci and Enterobacteriacae. The most prevalent bacterial pathogens associated with duck enteritis were Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli with the first report of S. enterica subspecies arizonae causing duck enteritis in Egypt.

Occurrence, Serodiagnosis and Antimicrobial Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Different Types of Meat Products and Milk

Listeriosis is one of the most common bacterial zoonotic illnesses with significant death rate worldwide. The goal of this investigation was to ascertain the incidence and antibiotic resistance patterns of L. monocytogenes in various food items. In addition, an experiment was carried out to look at the anti-listerial properties of boiling and thyme oil. The isolation percentages of L. monocytogenes which confirmed by PCR using 16S rRNA gene were 10%, 3.3%, 6.6%, 13.3% and 3.3%, from the examined raw milk, beef burger, beef sausage, minced meat and chicken fillet meat samples respectively. The pathogenicity test by CAMP (Christie, Atkinson, Munch, Peterson) test indicated that all examined L. monocytogenes isolates were virulent. Serogrouping of isolated L. monocytogenes revealed that isolates belonged to (1/2a, 4b, 3c and 7) serotypes. The in-vitro antimicrobial sensitivity test showed that a high resistant rate for amoxicillin 9/11(81.8%), erythromycin 9/11 (81.8%), vancomycin 8/11 (72.7%), followed by doxycycline 7/11(63.6%), oxacillin 6/11(54.50%) and chloramphenicol 5/11(45.4%).The least resistance was found to be against gentamicin 4/11 (36.3%),sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim 3/11(27.2%) and ciprofloxacin 3/11(27.2%). Molecular characterization of L. monoctogenes virulence genes showed that 63.6% harbored hlyA gene and 81.8% amplified InlA gene. It's interesting to note that L. monocytogenes was completely removed from experimentally contaminated milk after boiling it for three minutes. Additionally, adding 1% thyme oil to samples of contaminated chicken fillets reduces the amount of L. monocytogenes by log 2.13. They might be employed as substitute antibacterial aids in the food business because of their inhibitory activity.

Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia Coli Strains Isolated from The Water of The Amazon River, State of Amapá

Objective: We investigated the identification of E. coli strains in water samples from the Amazon River in the state of Amapá to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile and verify the presence of virulence factors and resistance genes. Reference theoretical: Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern, and the presence of resistant bacteria in water samples represents an additional risk for the spread of these microorganisms, with great impact on society in general, especially after the discovery of pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. Method: The bacterial isolates were submitted to the technique of isolation of colonies in selective medium and identification by biochemical tests. Isolates identified as Escherichia coli were submitted to the antimicrobial sensitivity test and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to search for virulence genes and drug resistance. Results and conclusion: The results showed that the strains of E. coli isolated from the water samples of the Amazon River showed high rates of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, virulence gene markers were detected: eagg, eaeA, stx1, stx2, as well as resistance markers: qnrB and qnrS. Index of resistance to multiple antimicrobials MARI ranged from 0.1 to 0.6. All collection sites of water isolates has the presence of strains with multiresistance. Research implications: This study revealed the importance of monitoring water quality and implementing control measures to prevent the spread of resistant and potentially pathogenic bacteria. Originality/value: The research highlights the importance of implementing policies aimed at conserving Brazil's natural resources.

Comparative analysis of Streptococcus agalactiae S03 and S07 isolated from Schizothorax spp. with different antibiotic resistance and virulence

Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) is an important Gram-positive pathogen of fish aquaculture worldwide. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of GBS S03 (serotype III) and S07 (serotype Ia) isolated from Schizothorax spp.. We explored the association between phenotypic antibiotic resistance, virulence, and genomic characteristics. Antimicrobial sensitivity tests on 12 common antibiotics using the disc diffusion method revealed that the GBS S03 resisted seven antibiotics, while GBS S07 showed sensitivity to eleven antibiotics. Pathogenicity analysis demonstrated greater virulence of GBS S07 than S03. Then, the occurrence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes were identified using the whole-genome sequence (WGS) of GBS S03 and GBS S07. Besides just GBS S03 had gyrA and parC gene mutations, there were mefE, tetO, lnuB, lsaE, APH3’, and sat-4 resistance genes present only in GBS S03 genome. In addition to 51 virulence genes in both GBS S03 and S07 genomes, GBS S07 carried virulence genes associated with invasion, such as SAN_1519, rfbA and cylE genes. There was complete concordance between genotypic evidence and phenotypic characteristics. Virulence factors and phylogenetic analysis showed that GBS S03 and human sources shared an extremely close evolutionary relationship. Our findings also provide important proof for using WGS as an effective tool for phenotypic predictions of GBS.

A STUDY OF OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE REPORTED AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN HAPUR

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the occurrence of antibiotic resistance reported against Staphylococcus aureus in the department of microbiology in a tertiary care hospital in Hapur. Methods: Urine, pus, blood, throat swab, and sputum samples of 15–60-year-old patients were collected and cultured. 100 samples were selected where S. aureus had grown. Bacteria were identified and the antimicrobial sensitivity testing was carried out. Results: The strain of resistant bacteria originates from an environment where several antibiotics are used. The bacteria were seen to be resistant frequently to 2–5 antibiotics. This indicates earlier exposure of the isolated bacteria to these drugs. Conclusion: The high multiple antibiotic resistance is identified in this study and it is necessary to make changes to national antibiotic policy.