High Levels Of Susceptibility Research Articles

Yersinia pestis can infect the Pawlowsky glands of human body lice and be transmitted by louse bite.

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a highly lethal vector-borne pathogen responsible for killing large portions of Europe's population during the Black Death of the Middle Ages. In the wild, Y. pestis cycles between fleas and rodents; occasionally spilling over into humans bitten by infectious fleas. For this reason, fleas and the rats harboring them have been considered the main epidemiological drivers of previous plague pandemics. Human ectoparasites, such as the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus), have largely been discounted due to their reputation as inefficient vectors of plague bacilli. Using a membrane-feeder adapted strain of body lice, we show that the digestive tract of some body lice become chronically infected with Y. pestis at bacteremia as low as 1 × 105 CFU/ml, and these lice routinely defecate Y. pestis. At higher bacteremia (≥1 × 107 CFU/ml), a subset of the lice develop an infection within the Pawlowsky glands (PGs), a pair of putative accessory salivary glands in the louse head. Lice that developed PG infection transmitted Y. pestis more consistently than those with bacteria only in the digestive tract. These glands are thought to secrete lubricant onto the mouthparts, and we hypothesize that when infected, their secretions contaminate the mouthparts prior to feeding, resulting in bite-based transmission of Y. pestis. The body louse's high level of susceptibility to infection by gram-negative bacteria and their potential to transmit plague bacilli by multiple mechanisms supports the hypothesis that they may have played a role in previous human plague pandemics and local outbreaks.

Trends of Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates between 2012 and 2023: results from an open Italian cohort.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) is a public health priority due to the rapid evolution of antimicrobial resistance, the emergence of antibiotic resistance and the absence of a vaccine against Ng. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and resistance (R) or reduced susceptibility (DS) of Ng cases to ceftriaxone (CRO), azithromycin (AZM), tetracycline (TET), benzylpenicillin (PenG), ciprofloxacin (CIP) over a 10-year period. Retrospective analysis on an open cohort of Ng cases diagnosed on rectal, urethral and pharyngeal samples at San Raffaele Scientific Institute, between September 2012-February 2023. MICs of antibiotics were determined by gradient-test strips. Bivariate linear regression models, applied on logarithmic MICs values; Cochran-Armitage test was used to determine a linear trend in the proportions of resistant strains. 436 Ng isolates from 352 individuals were analyzed. MICs of CRO and PenG reduced over time (p < 0.001, p = 0.030), AZM increased (p = 0.001), CIP and TET did not change (p = 0.473, p = 0.272). The percentages of resistant strains were: PenG 89.9%, TET 90.8%, CIP 48.2%, AZM 4.4%; CRO-DS strains were 8.7%, only one CRO-R. The proportion of resistant strains increased over time for AZM (p = 0.007), TET (p = 0.001), CIP (p < 0.001), whereas decreased for PenG (p < 0.001) and CRO-DS/R strains (p < 0.001). Ng strains showed high susceptibility to CRO, although we identified cases of DS/R and observed high levels of susceptibility to AZM. Overall, the recommended primary regimen for Ng treatment confirmed to be effective.

Phylogenesis of virulent races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici based on phenotyping and genotyping using newly developed SNP markers for genetic groups in clades

Ug99 (TTKSK) and Digalu (TKTTF) race groups of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), are thought to be the most virulent, rendering many wheat stem rust resistance genes (Sr) ineffective. A total of 600 single pustule Pgt isolates were collected from eight Egyptian provinces during 2016–2022, undergoing both phenotyping and genotyping assays. Among these, 129 viable samples (v-samples) underwent phenotyping using the North American differentials delineated to Pgt races in the TTKS (Ug99) and TKTTF race groups, identifying 24 distinct physiologic races of Pgt. Notably, seven virulent races, TKTTF (Digalu), TKKTF, TKPTF, TKKTP, TTRTF, TTTTF, and TKFTF, were discovered in Egypt. The host reaction of wheat germplasm to these seven races indicated a high level of susceptibility. A set of 437 dead samples (d-samples) of Pgt isolates from Egypt were genotyped using newly created 17 core SNP markers. Genotypic analysis revealed that these seven races could be classified into two major clades: III and IV. Within these clades, six subclades were identified, namely III-B, IV-A.2, IV-B, IV-E.1, IV-E.2, and IV-F. These SNP genotypes exhibited a broad geographic distribution, highlighting the global movement of Pgt populations across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Notably, none of these genetic groups were present in Egypt before 2016. The most prevalent genotypes were subclades IV-A.2 (TKTTF; Digalu), IV-E.2 (TKKTF, TKPTF, TKFTF), and III-B (TTRTF). The prevalence of these unique genotypes/races suggests clonal reproduction and evolution within them. Race TKKTP (subclade IV-E.1) is particularly concerning because of its ability to overcome the resistance conferred by gene Sr24 against race TTKSK (Ug99). Phylogenetic analysis of Pgt genetic groups revealed that the majority of identified races belong to TKTTF (Digalu) race group (subclade IV-A.2). Notably, no races were found to belong to the TTKS (Ug99) race group (clade I). This information should help breeders select a broader range of resistance genes that are both diverse and effective to enhance the durability of stem rust resistance.

الكشف عن بعض عوامل الضراوة بين المبيضات المعزولة من المرضى وانتشار جين candidalysin ECE1

المبيضات البيضاء هي مسبب شائع لعدوى الجهاز التنفسي وداء المبيضات الفموي لدى الناس ، ومسببات أمراض الخميرة الانتهازية والأسباب الرئيسية للمرض والوفيات لدى الأشخاص الذين يعانون من نقص المناعة وتسبب التهابات سطحية على الأسطح المخاطية التي تصيب ملايين الأشخاص في جميع أنحاء العالم. كان الهدف الرئيسي من هذه الدراسة هو التحقق من انتشار بعض عوامل الضراوة التي لها القدرة على تكوين الأغشية الحيوية (Biofilm)، والبروتينيز (Proteinase)، وإنتاج الهيمولايسين( Hymolysine) بين عزلات C. albicans التي تشمل انتشار جين Candidalysin (ECE1). تم جمع العينات خلال الفترة من ايار 2022 الى اب 2022 من 280 عينة (مسحة) لمرضى عراقيين من مختلف الاعمار والاجناس غير مكررين كانوا يعانون من داء المبيضات الفموي وامراض الجهاز التنفسي في مستشفيات بغداد (مستشفى مدينه الطب و مستشفى اليرموك التعليمي ومستشفى مدينه الامامين الطبية التعليمية). تم زراعة العينات التي تم جمعها على وسط اكار السابرويد دكستروز (SDA) مضاف اليه كلورامفينيكول كمضاد للبكتيريا بتركيز 10 ميكجم / مل ، وتم حضن الاطباق الملقحة على وسط SDA عند 37 درجة مئوية لمدة تتراوح بين 24-48 ساعة.أظهرت نتائج الاستنبات أن 102 عينة كانت موجبه، منها58 (56.86%) من تجويف الفم و 44 (43.14%) من الجهاز التنفسي، بينما 178 منها كانت سالبة , تم الكشف عن عزلات المبيضات باستخدام الطرق التقليدية والتي تشمل (النمو على وسط HiCrome Candida ، إنتاج الأنبوب الجرثومي Germ tube ، تكوين الابواغ الكلاميديه Clamydospore وتم تأكيد نتئج التعريف باستخدام نضام VITEK-2 بينت النتائج ان من بين 102 عزلة C. albicans هي الاكثر شيوعا بين الانواع بنسبة 68.63 % ثم تلتها C. tropicalis بنسبة %10.78 ثم C. kruzei %5.88 وC. kefyr %5.88 C. parapsilosis % 4.9 بينما كانت C. glabrata % 3.9 وتمثل النسبة الاقل بين الانواع . تم فحص حساسية عزلات المبيضات للأدوية المضادة للفطريات بطريقة انتشار القرص ، والتي أجريت على النحو الموصى به بواسطة(CLSI) M44-A -وثيقة . أظهرت العزلات درجة عالية من الحساسية للأمفوتريسين-ب 93.14% وكلوتريمازول 90.20% ونسياتين 85.92% ،تم التحقق من انتشار جينCandidalysin (ECE1) بين 70 عزلة من C. albicans باستخدام تقنية تفاعل البلمرة المتسلسل PCR ، وأظهرت النتائج أن 41 58.57% تحتوي على جين Ece1 في تجويف الفم والجهاز التنفسي. و 34 عزلة 48.57% من C. albicans كانت منتجة قوية للغشاء الحيوي, بينما 30 عزلة 42.86% عزلة انتجت بروتيناز و 20 عزلة 28.57% عزلة لديها القدرة على تحلل الدم.

Epidemiology, Clinical, and Microbiological Characteristics of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteremia in Qatar.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global healthcare threat with significant clinical and economic consequences peaking at secondary and tertiary care hospitals where multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR GNB) lead to poor outcomes. A prospective study was conducted between January and December 2019 for all invasive bloodstream infections (BSIs) secondary to MDR GNB in Qatar identified during routine microbiological service to examine their clinical, microbiological, and genomic characteristics. Out of 3238 episodes of GNB BSIs, the prevalence of MDR GNB was 13% (429/3238). The predominant MDR pathogens were Escherichia coli (62.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.4%), Salmonella species (6.6%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.3%), while out of 245 clinically evaluated patients, the majority were adult males, with the elderly constituting almost one-third of the cohort and with highest observed risk for prolonged hospital stays. The risk factors identified included multiple comorbidities, recent healthcare contact, previous antimicrobial therapy, and admission to critical care. The in-hospital mortality rate was recorded at 25.7%, associated with multiple comorbidities, admission to critical care, and the acquisition of MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Resistant pathogens demonstrated high levels of antimicrobial resistance but noticeable susceptibility to amikacin and carbapenems. Genomic analysis revealed that Escherichia coli ST131 and Salmonella enterica ST1 were the predominant clones not observed with other pathogens.

Landslide susceptibility prediction modelling based on semi‐supervised XGBoost model

In the process of landslide susceptibility prediction (LSP) modelling, there are some problems in the model dataset relating to landslide and non‐landslide samples, such as landslide sample errors, subjective randomness and low accuracy of non‐landslide sample selection. In order to solve the above problems, a semi‐supervised machine learning model for LSP is innovatively proposed. Firstly, Yanchang County of Shanxi Province, China, is taken as the study area. Secondly, the frequency ratio values of 12 environmental factors (elevation, slope, aspect, etc.) and the randomly selected twice non‐landslides are used to form the initial model datasets. Thirdly, an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model is adopted for training and testing the initial datasets, so as to produce initial landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) which are divided into very low, low, moderate, high and very high susceptibility levels. Next, the landslide samples in initial LSMs with very low and low susceptibility levels are excluded to improve the accuracy of landslide samples, and the unlabelled twice non‐landslide samples in initial LSMs with low and very low susceptibility levels are randomly selected to ensure the accuracy of non‐landslide samples. These new obtained landslide and non‐landslide samples are reimported into XGBoost model to construct the semi‐supervised XGBoost (SSXGBoost) model. Finally, accuracy, kappa coefficient and statistical indexes of susceptibility indexes are adopted to assess the LSP performance of XGBoost and SSXGBoost models. Results show that SSXGBoost model has remarkably better LSP performance than that of XGBoost model. Conclusively, the proposed SSXGBoost model effectively overcomes the problems that the accuracy of landslide samples needs to be further improved and that non‐landslide samples are difficult to select accurately.

Patterns of Equine Small Strongyle Species Infection after Ivermectin Intervention in Thailand: Egg Reappearance Period and Nemabiome Metabarcoding Approach.

The indiscriminate use of anthelmintics to control parasitic nematodes in horses has led to the emergence of anthelmintic resistance worldwide. However, there are no data available on using ivermectin for treating strongyle infections within domesticated horses in Thailand. Therefore, this study aimed to use the fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test to determine the strongylid egg reappearance period (ERP). Additionally, the nemabiome metabarcoding approach is incorporated to study patterns of strongyle species infection following ivermectin treatment. The study results indicate that, although ivermectin effectively eliminated adult strongyle parasites within two weeks post-treatment, the ERP was shortened to 6 weeks post-treatment with a mean FECR of 70.4% (95% CI 46.1-84.0). This potentially indicates a recent change in drug performance. In addition, nemabiome metabarcoding revealed that strongyle species have different levels of susceptibility in response to anthelmintic drugs. The reduction in ERP was associated with the early reappearance of specific species, dominated by Cylicostephanus longibursatus and Cylicocyclus nassatus, indicating the lower susceptibility of these species. In contrast, Poteriostomum imparidentatum, Triodontophorus nipponicus, and Triodontophorus serratus were not found post-treatment, indicating the high level of susceptibility of these species. This information is vital for comprehending the factors contributing to the emergence of resistance and for devising strategies to manage and control strongyle infections in horses.

Microbial Profile and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Frozen Food in India

This investigation was carried out to examine the safety and microbiological quality of products made from meat, dairy and vegetables. Samples of frozen food were examined for the presence of Gram-negative bacteria. A total of 49 frozen food samples were collected, including chicken nuggets, chicken fillets, chicken sticks, breaded breast chicken, fish, beef burger and minced beef roll, white cheese, camembert cheese, and vegetables (okra and green peas). Standard methods were used to determine the diversity of bacterial isolates in various food samples. About 182 isolates of Escherichia coli, 63 isolates of Salmonella typhi, 51 isolates of Pseudomonas, and 63 isolates of Klebsiella were recovered from the various frozen food samples. Meat samples showed a high prevalence of E. coli and Pseudomonas. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolated bacterial strains were also examined. Out of 12 antibiotics, only ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin showed a high level of susceptibility. According to the study’s findings, the majority of the frozen meat product samples contained a significant number of bacteria and were therefore unsafe for human consumption. These microorganisms can cause infection and are therefore associated with a high risk to the consumers. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to health and education issues in relation to food safety.

Insight into Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Infections in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Western India and Review of Literature: A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a ubiquitous and opportunistic pathogen of growing importance. This gram-negative, non fermenter is widely distributed in moist hospital environments. It is intrinsically resistant to a number of antibiotics, making it a challenge both for the clinician and the microbiologist. Very sparse data is available from Western India regarding this emerging pathogen. Aim: To determine the prevalence and spectrum of infections caused by S. maltophilia and to provide an overview of associated co-morbidities, antibiotic susceptibility pattern of these isolates, and clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care private hospital (Mahatma Gandhi Hospital) in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India over a period of one year (July 2021-June 2022). A total of 11,170 samples were received in the microbiology laboratory for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing during the study period and processed as per standard protocols. Only one isolate per patient was included for the purpose of the study. Culture identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the VITEK-2 automated system. Data regarding patients’ demographic profile, epidemiological profile, baseline characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory findings, and clinical outcome were tabulated in an Excel worksheet and analysed. All statistical analysis was done using the Software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: Fourteen patients were found to have S. maltophilia infection during the study period. The majority of patients had respiratory tract infection and bacteraemia. All isolates were from inpatients, more than two-thirds being from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A high level of susceptibility was seen to routinely recommended drugs, with 100%, 93% and 79% being susceptible to minocycline, levofloxacin and co-trimoxazole, respectively. All patients (except one) were successfully managed and discharged. Conclusion: S. maltophilia is an emerging opportunistic pathogen and is associated with a plethora of clinical conditions. Early and accurate diagnosis by embracing automation in microbiology laboratories is essential to identify this pathogen. S. maltophilia infections have a favourable outcome when diagnosed and treated timely

Bacteriological analysis and antibiotic resistance in patients with diabetic foot ulcers in Dhaka.

The primary objective of this study was to isolate bacteria from diabetic foot ulcers and subsequently assess their antibiotic resistance capabilities. Seventy-five patients diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers were investigated. A number of these patients (97.33%) had type 2 diabetes, with a significant proportion of them having been diagnosed for 1-5 years (29.33%). Notably, a substantial number of these individuals were on insulin usage (78.66%). Among the patients under examination, 49.33% reported having no use of tobacco products, alcohol, or betel leaf. The ulcers analyzed in this study were classified into grades 1-5 according to the Wagner scale. Wagner grade 2 diabetic foot ulcers had the highest number of culture-positive patients, at 33.33%. Pus samples collected from patients were cultured on selective media, and bacterial identity was confirmed by biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction. A total of 141 isolates were isolated. Among the isolates, 82.97% gram-negative bacteria and 17.02% gram-positive bacteria were detected. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common isolate. Proteus spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were also detected. Approximately 61.33% of the ulcers exhibited were polybacterial. In this study, it was observed that all bacterial isolates, except for Proteus spp., were primarily detected in patients classified under Wagner's grade 2. Moreover, antibiotic susceptibility was also tested on these 141 isolates. Among them, Escherichia coli showed the highest multidrug resistance, 81.81%. Most of the gram-negative bacteria were resistant to ampicillin. All of the gram-negative isolates exhibited high levels of susceptibility to piperacillin-tazobactam, and these levels were Klebsiella pneumoniae (97.56%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (95.24%), Escherichia coli (81.82%), and Proteus spp. (80%). On the other hand, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus mostly showed sensitivity towards vancomycin and norfloxacin (79.17%).

Evaluating Local Susceptibility Profile of Bacterial Isolates to Various Antibiotics Using Syndromic Antibiogram: A Cross-sectional Study

ABSTRACT Background: A traditional antibiogram is a summary of the overall susceptibility profile of a bacterial isolate to a variety of antibiotics however it lacks the inclusion of the site of infection and hospital location. Hence, this study focuses on the importance of incorporating a syndromic antibiogram (SA) which provides an increased likelihood of appropriate empiric antibiotic therapy for a specific infectious syndrome and stratifying the susceptibilities based on patient location in providing effective antibiotic therapy. Objectives: The objective is to assess the local susceptibility profile of bacterial isolates to different antibiotics using SA in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital over 6 months. A total of 400 samples were collected, out of which 350 samples were included based on inclusion criteria. The SA for urinary tract infection (UTI), respiratory tract infection (RTI), and bloodstream infection (BSI) was prepared. The collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and SPSS version 24. The Chi-square test was used to find out the association between the isolates, patient location, and the syndromes. Continuous data were presented as mean ± standard deviation. Categorical data were presented as frequency and percentage. Results: Three hundred and fifty positive culture reports were included in our analysis, and the majority of isolates were Gram-negative bacilli rather than Gram-positive Cocci. Escherichia coli, streptococci, and Salmonella typhi were the most predominant organisms found in UTI, RTI, and BSI. E. coli showed a high level of susceptibility to fosfomycin (99%) and amikacin (99%). Streptococci showed a high susceptibility to linezolid (97%) and penicillin (94%) and S. typhi showed resistance to ciprofloxacin (0%). Conclusion: This study clearly depicted the variations in isolated microorganism’s susceptibility rate and their resistance pattern in specific units of the hospital. Incorporation of SA provides better guidance for the clinician in selecting the most appropriate empiric therapy for individual patients.

Variations In The Genotypic And Phenotypic Characteristics Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) From Students Attending Poultry Farms In Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

Staphylococcus aureus causes significant epidemiologic and therapeutic challenges with various skin and soft tissue infections, the main forms of disease manifestation. The public health importance of this organism has been heightened by the emergence and spread of species that are resistant to treatment usually referred to as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). This study was carried out to detect mecA and mecC genes in phenotypically determined MRSA isolates. Nasal swab samples of the subjects were cultured on mannitol salt agar and the isolates were identified as S. aureus using a combined morphological and biochemical characteristic. Antibiotic susceptibility profile was performed using the disk diffusion susceptibility method whilst phenotypic detection of MRSA isolates was by Cefoxitin disk diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolates using commercial kits. The extracted DNA was subjected to multiplex PCR to amplify the 163-bp and 188-bp fragment of the mecA and mecC genes respectively in a Pielter thermal cycler. The susceptibility pattern of MRSA isolates showed that the organisms were highly resistant to Augmentin 29 (93.5%), ceftazidime 18 (58.1%), Streptomycin 19 (76%) whilst high levels of susceptibility were seen for Ofloxacin 27 (87.1%), Levofloxacin 28 (90.3%), and Gentamicin 24 (77.4%). The antibiotic resistance profiles in MRSA isolates were recorded as follows: ciprofloxacin 6 (16.2%), Augmentin 32 (86.4%), erythromycin 13 (35.1%), Ceftazidime 22 (59.4%). Of the 10 MRSA isolates that were subjected to PCR, one isolate was found to harbor the 188-bp of mecC gene whilst mecA was absent from the screened isolates. The detection of mecC MRSA in the present study highlights the diagnostic importance of screening for mecC in mecA negative MRSA. We suggest that surveillance for MRSA should include screening for mecC gene where mecA is not detected in resistant isolates. Stamford Journal of Microbiology, 2023. Vol. 13, Issue 1, p. 6-10

Change in Landslide susceptibility over time in the central Himalayan region: A case study of Siddhababa Area

The susceptibility analysis is common for the study of landslides in the Himalayas, considering different invariant causative factors. This study’s objective is to examine changes in landslide susceptibility within the Siddhababa area by conducting analyses across various time intervals. This area in western Nepal is prone to landslides due to hilly terrain, steep slopes, complex geology, diverse vegetation cover, and extreme weather conditions. This study examines 281 landslides in an area of approximately 257.38 km2, considering 12 causative factors, including three variable factors such as land use, distance to the road, and precipitation, for three different study periods: 2005–2010, 2010–2015, and 2015–2020. For the three study periods, susceptibility analysis, validation, and mapping were performed to prepare susceptibility maps of the study area. The maps were divided into five levels, ranging from very low to very high. The findings show that the high and very high susceptibility levels have increased from 13% to 41% over time, respectively. The changes in the likelihood of landslides are due to both invariant and variable factors such as human activities and climate playing a significant role in altering the susceptibility of the area over time. It is, therefore, essential to comprehend these factors to develop appropriate strategies for mitigating and adapting to the risks posed by landslides and other natural hazards.

CO-SEISMIC LANDSLIDE BASED VALIDATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY MAPPING AFTER KAHRAMANMARAS EARTHQUAKES (FEB 6, 2023) IN AMANOS MOUNTAINS

Abstract. The quality of landslide susceptibility maps is often assessed using a part of learning data that represents geographical and land use characteristics over a quasi-fixed time. However, when validated with multi-temporal landslide inventories, more realistic insights on the susceptibility maps can be obtained. In addition, extreme events may trigger landslides in regions which are not considered as landslide-prone. The February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaras Earthquakes (Mw 7.7 and Mw 7.6), also known as the disaster of the century, triggered numerous landslides. Amanos Mountains located in southern Türkiye were also within the earthquake-affected area and had a very small amount of inventory recorded in official databases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the random forest method for producing landslide susceptibility maps. The official inventory of General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) was used for map production. The resulting susceptibility map was assessed using the co-seismic landslide inventory produced in the study. The model’s performance evaluated using a part of the learning data yielded high accuracy expressed with area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), precision, and recall values and F1 score using (AUC = 97%, recall = 97%, precision = 96%, F1 = 98%). However, multi-temporal evaluation with co-seismic landslides showed that 80% of the landslide pixels with moderate, high, and very high susceptibility levels could be predicted with the model. The results suggest that special attention should be given to features underrepresented in the inventory, such as low altitudes and types of lithology.

Antimicrobial resistance of clinical bacterial isolates according to the WHO’s AWaRe and the ECDC-MDR classifications: the pattern in Ghana’s Bono East Region

IntroductionAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a significant health challenge globally and nations have the responsibility to maintain a constant surveillance of AMR, particularly for the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates to existing antibiotics. Against this backdrop, we applied the WHO’s AWaRe (ACCESS, WATCH, and RESERVE) antibiotics classification and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)’s multidrug resistance definition for AMR isolates from clinical specimens.MethodThis study reviewed bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity test outcomes. These results were then grouped according to the AWaRe and ECDC-MDR classifications.ResultsIn all, the culture and sensitivity results of the 3,178 clinical specimens were investigated, of which 59.5% were from female patients. The pathogens were isolated from 1,187 specimens (37.4%). The WHO’s ACCESS antibiotics, tetracycline, showed a relatively high level of insusceptibility, particularly among Gram-positive (GP) isolates (ranging from 66.7% to 76.7%), along with augmentin (ranging from 44.7% to 81.3%) and cloxacillin (ranging from 50.0% to 78.1%). However, the Gram-negative (GN) isolates showed a relatively high level of susceptibility to amikacin, augmentin, and nitrofurantoin. The WHO’s WATCH antibiotics, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin showed a relatively high level of non-responsiveness among the GN isolates, particularly Proteus (ranging from 31.4% to 78.4%), Pseudomonas (ranging from 21.4% to 96.4%), and Enterobacter (ranging from 62.5% to 100%) spp. Among the WHO’s RESERVE antibiotics, resistance to ceftazidime was commonly associated with the GN coliform isolates: Eschericha coli, Klebsiella, and Citrobacter spp. Insusceptibility to meropenem was frequently observed in Staphylococcus spp., E. coli, coliforms, and Proteus spp. Out of the 1,187 isolates, 15.5% (184) were GAT (gentamycin, ampicillin, and tetracycline) MDR, of which 61% (112/184) were from specimens of female patients. The most predominant GAT-MDR isolates were Staphylococcus spp., E. coli, coliforms, and Klebsiella spp.ConclusionIn conclusion, the study revealed a relatively high level and diverse range of AMR. However, MDR in accordance with the ECDC definition was relatively low. There is, therefore, a need to have further research on AMR to inform national criteria for MDR in Ghana.

Process-driven susceptibility assessment of glacial lake outburst debris flow in the Himalayas under climate change

Global warming is causing glaciers to retreat and glacial lakes to expand in the Himalayas, which amplifies the risk of glacial lake outburst debris flows (GLODFs) and poses a significant threat to downstream lives and infrastructures. However, the complex interplay between GLODF occurrences and associated indicators, coupled with the lack of a comprehensive susceptibility indicator system that considers the entire GLODF process, presents a substantial challenge in assessing GLODF susceptibility in the Himalayas. This study proposes a process-driven GLODF susceptibility assessment indicator system responding to climate change that considers the complete process of GLODF formation, incorporating relevant parameters about upstream, themselves, and downstream of glacial lakes. Furthermore, to mitigate subjective factors associated with traditional evaluation methods, we developed three novel hybrid machine-learning models by integrating classic machine-learning algorithms with the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) to delineate the distribution of GLODF susceptibility in the Himalayas. All the hybrid models effectively predicted the GLODFs occurrence, with the WOA-SVC model demonstrating the highest prediction accuracy. Approximately 34% of the catchments exhibit high and very high susceptibility levels, primarily concentrated along the north and south sides of the Himalayan ridge, particularly in the eastern and central Himalayas. Indicators capturing the physical formation process of hazards, such as topographic potential (highest relative importance value of 40%), can precisely identify GLODF. A total of 128 catchments pose potential transboundary threats, with 24 classified as having a very high susceptibility level and 25 as having a high susceptibility level. Notably, the border region between China and Nepal is a prominent hotspot for transboundary threats of GLODF. These findings can provide valuable clues for disaster prevention, mitigation, and cross-border coordination in the Himalayas.

Isolation and Identification of Possible Pathogenic Bacteria on Carrots Sold at Community Market, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Carrots (Daucus carota) are root vegetables that can be purple, red, yellow or white colour based on their pigmentation and variety. Due to the awareness of its high nutritional content such as vitamins, minerals and carotene, they are mainly consumed raw, possibly exposing one to the risk of being infected. Studies on the pathogenic Bacteria associated with fresh carrots sold in the community market at Ahmadu Bello University, main campus Samaru Zaria, were carried out using cultural techniques. Salmonella Shigella agar, MacConkey agar and Eosin methylene blue agar were the growth media for the isolation of the pathogenic Bacteria. Twelve fresh carrots were randomly bought from different food vendors in the community market, and then 10g of the outer layer (epidermal) scrapings were collected from each sample and homogenized in 90 ml of buffered peptone water. It was then serially diluted and 0.1ml of each 104 and 105 dilutions were plated on EMB, SSA, and MacConkey agar. Isolates were identified by gram staining and biochemical tests. The bacteria were identified to be Proteus species, Citrobacter species, Klebsiella species, and Salmonella species. Proteus spp was predominantly isolated among the bacterial isolates (41%) followed by Citrobacter spp (25%), Klebsiella spp (17%) and Salmonella spp (17%). These organisms may have been introduced to the carrots during growth, harvesting, handling, storage and distribution. The presence of the organisms is a public health risk because of the diseases known to be caused by them. It is therefore imperative that adequate hygienic practices be put in place during the cultivating and handling of carrots. A high level of susceptibility was observed in Ciprofloxacin at (100%) and Augmentin at (50%), while the high level of resistance was observed to be high in Gentamicin at (100%).

Evaluation of Cocoa Full-Sib Progenies in Challenging Conditions in Cameroon

The improved vegetal material cultivated by cocoa farmers in Cameroon consists in full-sib progenies issued from pods harvested in bi-clonal seed gardens set up during the 1970s. Interviews of cocoa farmers revealed their general satisfaction with the yield level obtained from these progenies but also their disappointment with the high level of susceptibility to black pod disease, a disease caused by Phytophthora megakarya, which is a serious challenge for cocoa production in this country. In order to select new future varieties that would combine high yield and resistance to black pod disease, new progeny trial plots were set up from 2005, in research stations and on farm.&#x0D; 23 cocoa full-sib progenies were assessed and compared to 3 control progenies. in a trial plot set up in 2005 in a research station located in the south western region of Cameroon. The cocoa trees were assessed during eight consecutive years of cocoa production. A large level of variation was observed among the progenies for mortality rate (ranging between 6 and 52%), annual potential yield (ranging between 151 and 1,808 kg/ha), annual actual yield (ranging between 114 and 1,159 kg/ha) and black pod disease incidence (ranging between 19 and 39,8%) caused by Phytophthora megakarya. Nine of the assessed full-sib progenies were identified as promising and the authors suggest how to confirm their performances before their release to farmers.

Analysis of Cumulative Antibiogram Reports in Search for Optimal Empirical Urinary Tract Infection Treatment at the Central Teaching Hospital of the Medical University of Lodz, Poland: Results of a 3-Year Surveillance.

Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections, accounting for about two-fifths of all healthcare-associated infections. Appropriate antimicrobial therapy is crucial, e.g., to avoid prolonged hospitalization and limit antimicrobial resistance spread. This study was performed to analyze the microbiological profiles of urinary tract infections in the Central Teaching Hospital in Lodz, Poland, and develop local empirical therapy guidelines. This study was a 3-year retrospective surveillance of the cumulative antibiograms from urine cultures. The procedures were based on the current EUCAST and CLSI guidelines. In 2020-2022, a total of 4656 urine cultures were performed, of which 1134 were positive. The most common bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli, followed by Klebsiella spp. and Enterococcus spp. High levels of susceptibility (>90%) have been observed for carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam, amikacin, and nitrofurantoin. Development of the appropriate empirical antimicrobial is a challenging task with persistently high levels of resistance to commonly used antimicrobials. Eventually, we separated the uncomplicated and complicated urinary tract infections in local guidelines and recommended nitrofurantoin and amikacin, respectively, in empiric therapy. The clinicians should make a decision based on the presented symptoms and then-with the urine culture result-correct or continue the therapy.

Predominance Biofilm Proteus mirabilis Isolates in the Skin Wound Infections, and Assessment Action of Antimicrobial Agents

Proteus mirabilis (P mirabilis) is the major pathogenic bacteria, an etiological agent of wound infections, particularly skin wound infections. Infection of wounds is the cause of morbidity and mortality on a universal scale. Different pathogens infecting wounds can colonize and multiply in the wounds, damaging the host tissue. This work aimed to determine biofilm formation, detect some virulence factors, and estimate the action of different antimicrobial agents i.e., antibiotics and probiotics Lactobacillus spp. P mirabilis was collected from different specimens of humans. Virulence factors of P mirabilis, especially atfA,rsbA, and mrpA, were observed in the isolates of P mirabilis through PCR technique. Isolates P mirabilis virulence factors were detected in more than 90%. The rate of susceptibility was 35 (94.6%) for cefoxitin, 29 (78.4%) for tobramycin, 22 (59.5%) for imipenem, followed by amikacin [16 (43.2%)], cefotaxime [11(29.7%)], ciprofloxacin [9 (24.3%)], ampicillin [1 (2.7%)]. As well as, different virulence biofilm genes related to the susceptibility for different antimicrobial agents, whether antibiotics or probiotics, such as rsbA [21 (100%)], atfA [20 (95.2%)] and mprA [19 (90.5%)]. Furthermore, probiotic lactobacilli spp. Such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei shirota demonstrated high sensitivity against pathogens compared with antibiotics in different methods, such as agar spot (22-26 mm) and well diffusion (8-13 mm). In conclusion, P mirabilis demonstrated a high level of susceptibility to antibiotics against cefoxitin, tobramycin and imipenem and high resistance to ampicillin and others. Also, Lactobacillus spp. Demonstrated high sensitivity against pathogens compared with antibiotics. Keywords: Proteus mirabilis, biofilm, virulence factor genes, antibiotics, and probiotics