Standard Disk Diffusion Method Research Articles

Detection of Typhoid Fever by Immuno Chromatographic Test (ICT) and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella Typhi in Chittagong Metropoliton City

Typhoid fever caused by the Salmonella typhi is a disease of global distribution and one of the major health problems in many developing countries. In this study, clinically suspected thirty five patients were enrolled from different diagnostic centers of Chittagong city. We evaluated the reliability of Immuno Chromatographic Test (ICT) compared to different diagnostic methods like blood/serum culture and serological/Widal test for early detection of the disease. A total of 18 (51.43%) and 20 (57.14%) samples were found positive in culture method and Widal test, respectively, whereas 31 (88.57%) were found positive in ICT. Moreover, 13 culture negative and 11 Widal test negative samples were found positive in ICT. As the ICT showed satisfactory results compared to the other methods used in this survey, it can be considered as a reliable method for the early detection of typhoid infection. The study revealed several antibiotic resistant patterns by standard disc diffusion method, 12 (66.66%) out of 18 culture positives were found multi-drug resistant. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci.,Vol. 10(1 &2):53-70, 2020

Detection of Typhoid Fever by Immuno Chromatographic Test (ICT) and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella Typhi in Chittagong Metropoliton City

Typhoid fever caused by the Salmonella typhi is a disease of global distribution and one of the major health problems in many developing countries. In this study, clinically suspected thirty five patients were enrolled from different diagnostic centers of Chittagong city. We evaluated the reliability of Immuno Chromatographic Test (ICT) compared to different diagnostic methods like blood/serum culture and serological/Widal test for early detection of the disease. A total of 18 (51.43%) and 20 (57.14%) samples were found positive in culture method and Widal test, respectively, whereas 31 (88.57%) were found positive in ICT. Moreover, 13 culture negative and 11 Widal test negative samples were found positive in ICT. As the ICT showed satisfactory results compared to the other methods used in this survey, it can be considered as a reliable method for the early detection of typhoid infection. The study revealed several antibiotic resistant patterns by standard disc diffusion method, 12 (66.66%) out of 18 culture positives were found multi-drug resistant. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci.,Vol. 10(1 &2):53-70, 2020

Synthesis of Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – MO (MO = NiO, Fe2O3, CuO, and CoO) nanocomposites: structural, vibrational, optical and antibacterial studies

One of the most effective strategies for achieving high-performance antibacterial activity is the synthesis of nanocomposites by combining different nanoparticles. Hence, Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – MO (NiO, Fe2O3, CuO and CoO) nanocomposites (NCs) with a 7:3 molar ratio were synthesized via the solution combustion method. The produced NCs structural, vibrational, and optical characteristics were investigated using XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis, and PL spectroscopies. The standard disc diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the NCs. The lattice constant, crystallite size, bond length, dislocation density, and other relevant parameters of the NCs were also evaluated. XRD analysis revealed a well-defined mixed-phase structure for all 0.7Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – 0.3NiO (ZFA-Ni), 0.7Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – 0.3Fe2O3 (ZFA-Fe), 0.7Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – 0.3CuO (ZFA-Cu) and 0.7Zn0.87(Fe, Al)0.065O – 0.3CoO (ZFA-Co) NCs, indicating successful mixing of each metal oxide with the ZnO matrix. The average crystallite size within the NCs ranged from 14.21 to 18.10 nm, suggesting a degree of nanocrystallinity nature of all NCs. FTIR confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups within the NCs. Moreover, all the synthesized NCs exhibited significant optical activation in the ultraviolet radiation range but visible light absorption was also observed when the composite formed with CuO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The band gap energy values exhibited variation between 2.72 eV for ZFA-Co NC and 2.90 eV for ZFA-Ni NC. Photoluminescence (PL) emission in the composite formation of ZnO NPs with other metal oxide were significantly influenced by the absorption range of the composite with pn-junction formation in a notable enhancement of antibacterial efficacy against bacterial strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Particularly, ZFA-Co NC exhibited an excellent antibacterial performance against both bacterial strains.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium isolated from hen eggs and quail eggs in Karaj, Iran.

Different Salmonella serotypes are considered one of the most important food pathogens in the world. Poultry meat and eggs are the primary carriers of Salmonella in human populations. This study aimed to estimate the Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium contamination rates of retail hen and quail eggs in Karaj, Iran. Moreover, the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the strains were evaluated, and the efficiency of the standard culture method and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) were compared. In this descriptive cross-sectional study over 1 year (Jan-Dec 2022), 150 commercial and 150 backyard hen eggs and 300 commercial quail eggs, without cracks and fractures, were collected randomly from best selling groceries in Karaj city. All samples were examined for Salmonella contamination independently by standard culture and m-PCR approaches. A standard disc diffusion method was employed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains against 18 antimicrobial agents. Out of 300 examined eggs, 2 S. enteritidis strains were isolated from the shell of backyard hen eggs. The same serotype was also detected in the contents of one of these two eggs. One S. typhimurium was isolated from the shell of a commercial hen egg. Overall, the Salmonella contamination of the shell and contents was 1% and 0.3%, respectively. Salmonella was not isolated from the eggshells or the contents of the quail eggs. There was complete agreement between the results of m-PCR and the standard culture methods. Among the 18 tested antibiotics, the highest resistance was recorded for colistin (100%), followed by nalidixic acid (75%). As most Salmonella spp. are associated with human food poisoning, continuous surveillance is required to effectively reduce the risk posed by contaminated poultry eggs. Furthermore, mandatory monitoring of antimicrobial use on Iranian poultry farms is recommended.

Comparison of Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Test Method Directly from Blood Culture Bottle with Standard Disc Diffusion Method

Aim: Early determination of antimicrobial susceptibility of sepsis pathogens is important. In this study, we aimed to compare the standard disc diffusion method with the rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) method performed directly from blood culture bottles. Material and Methods: Bacteria isolated from samples that gave a positive signal on the blood culture device between April 2019 and September 2019 were included in the study, and antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by the standard disc diffusion method and the RAST method. Categorical agreement, small error, large error, very large error, and area of technical uncertainty ratios were recorded. Results: A total of 103 bacteria including 19 S. aureus, 10 Enterococcus spp. and 24 E. coli, 24 K. pneumoniae, 13 P. aeruginosa, and 13 A. baumannii were included in the study. When the RAST method was compared with the standard disc diffusion method, 100% agreement was found between the methods against imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in E. coli isolates at all hours evaluated, and against meropenem in K. pneumoniae isolates at the 6th and 8th hour. For S. aureus and P. aeruginosa isolates, very major errors were found in the RAST results. For A. baumannii isolates, 100% agreement between methods was observed for many antibiotics. Conclusion: It was concluded that the RAST method is a simple and inexpensive test for life-threatening infections such as sepsis. It was also felt that similar studies should be carried out with a large number of isolates, as compliance rates vary depending on the bacteria tested.

Application of Novel Ruthenium (II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Robust DNA Probes, Optical Material and Antimicrobials-An Experimental and DFT Approach.

The nature of the interaction of DNA with heteroleptic Ruthenium (II) Polypyridyl complexes of the type [Ru (A)2TPIP]2+, where TPIP = 2-(1-p-tolyl-1H pyrazol-4 -yl)-1H-imidazo [4, 5-f[1. 10] phenanthroline and A = 1,10 phenanthroline (1),4,4'-dimethyl-1,10-ortho Phenanthroline (2),2,2' - bipyridine(3) and 4, 4' dimethyl 2, 2'- bipyridine (4), has been investigated by experimentaland molecular docking approaches. The order of the DNA binding affinities of the synthesised complexes is 1 > 2 > 3 > 4. The findings imply that the unsubstitutedcomplex has a better affinity to bind with DNA than the substituted (dmp and dmb) emphasizing the significance of the auxiliary ligand. Additionally, as the medium's ionic strength drops, the DNA/Ru ratio rises, or when water is displaced by glycerol, the intercalation of complexes into DNA increases. DFT calculations at the B3LYP/LANL2MBlevel was used for molecular geometry (Ground State) and electronic characteristic calculations. The HOMO-LUMO gap of the Ru [II]complex is less than the intercalator and hence kinetically labile. Among the complexes, the bpy complex has shown utmost non-linear optical properties (α = -153.9099 10-24esuand β = 3.8498 10-30esu). The docking study shows the significance of the Metal-intercalator's shorter length may increase DNA binding affinity. This study divulges that the Ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes bind to DNA preponderantly by intercalation supporting Viscosity studies. All the complexes have a considerable attraction for guanine. The standarddiskdiffusion method reveals that complexes (1,2,3 and 4) have good antibacterial activity.

Prevalence, molecular identification and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, molecular identification, and antibiotic susceptibility of MRSA in raw meats of retail sale in Balikesir, Turkey. Materials and Methods: A total of 250raw meat samples (beef n=100, chicken n=100, and turkey n=50) were collected from various supermarkets. Mueller-Hinton Broth medium containing 6.5% NaCl was used for pre-enrichment and Baird Parker Agar (BPA) was used as a selective medium. Polymerase Chain Reaction technique was used to confirm the suspected colonies with the nuc gene for S. aureus and the mecA gene for MRSA. Kirby-Bauer standard disc diffusion method was applied for antibiotic susceptibility of MRSA. Results: Of the 250 investigated raw meat samples, 21.2% were positive for S. aureus, which comprised 31% beef, 14% chicken, and 16 %turkey samples. Of the 250 investigated raw meat samples, 4% were positive for MRSA, which comprised 6% beef, 3% chicken, and 2% turkey samples. All MRSA isolates were found to be resistant to penicillin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, cefoxitin, and oxacillin, but they were susceptible to vancomycin. Conclusion: In recent years, MRSA has been called a zoonotic pathogen that poses a serious risk for food safety and public health. Therefore, we believe that this study will shed light on new studies on the prevalence of MRSA in various animal-originated foods.

Susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli and streptococcal isolates from bovine mastitis cases to antibiotics and selected South African plant extracts with known antibacterial activities

Bovine mastitis, an inflammatory condition affecting the mammary glands of dairy cattle, poses a significant economic burden on the dairy industry. Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus species and Escherichia coli are common pathogens. Managing mastitis typically involves antibiotics, but antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern, promoting further research exploring alternative treatments including plant extracts. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance of E. coli and streptococcal isolates from mastitis cases, and to investigate four indigenous South African plants for their selective antibacterial activities against these pathogens. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial strains was determined using a standard disc diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of acetone and ethanol extracts of Searsia lancea, Indigofera frutescens, Erythrina caffra and Antidesma venosum were determined against the bacterial isolates using a serial microdilution assay, and cytotoxicity was also investigated. The results showed that 82.14% of the clinical isolates tested were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent used, and 52.17% of the antibiotic resistant isolates were multidrug resistant. All plant extracts had antibacterial activity against all the bacterial isolates, but S. lancea demonstrated higher efficacy compared to other plants. The MIC values ranged from 0.01 to 2.50 mg/mL, with the lowest range obtained with the acetone extract of S. lancea (0.01 to 0.57 mg/mL). Furthermore, the extracts were relatively non-cytotoxic to bovine dermis and Vero cells, with the highest mean selectivity index value of 25.70 recorded with S. lancea. This study highlights the growing concern of AMR in livestock management, and demonstrates the promising therapeutic potential of the selected plant species, particularly S. lancea, in treating bovine mastitis. Further exploration of S. lancea is recommended to develop novel alternative or complementary formulations for mastitis management.

Anti-bacterial activity of essential oils against multidrug-resistant foodborne pathogens isolated from raw milk.

The presence of pathogenic bacteria in food is considered as a primary cause of food-borne illness and food quality deterioration worldwide. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of five essential oils (EOs) against multidrug-resistant foodborne pathogens. In the current study Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Proteus, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella) and the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus were isolated from raw milk and biochemically characterized. The anti-bacterial effect of different antibiotics and EOs (thyme, oregano, lemongrass, mint, and rosemary) was determined using the standard disc diffusion method. The antibiogram study revealed that Gram-negative bacteria were highly resistant to penicillin while Staphylococcus was resistant to streptomycin, amoxicillin, and lincomycin. Moderate resistance was observed to doxycycline, amikacin, enrofloxacin, kanamycin and cefixime. Isolates were found less resistant to gentamycin, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin. EOs showed a broad range of antimicrobial activity against all bacteria except P. aeruginosa. Of these, thyme was more effective against most of the multi-drug resistant bacterial strains and formed the largest zone of inhibition (26 mm) against Escherichia followed by oregano oil (18 mm) against Staphylococcus (p<0.05). Klebsiella spp and Citrobacter spp showed resistance to mint and lemongrass oil respectively. The EOs such as lemongrass, mint and rosemary were less active against all the bacteria. The findings of the recent study suggest the use of EOs as natural antibacterial agents for food preservation.

Evaluation of the LifeScale system for rapid phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing from positive blood cultures

Abstract Objective The spread of antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to public health, thus there is a critical need for prompt and reliable antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Rapid AST may improve patient outcomes by allowing for quicker start of optimal therapy and reducing hospital length of stay, therefore decreasing overall healthcare costs. However, rapid results may not improve patient care if they are not considered equivalent to standard AST. Several platforms are under development that can provide rapid AST results; the objective of this work is to assess the performance of the new LifeScale rapid AST platform (Affinity Biosensors) that uses resonant mass measurements for calculation of antimicrobial susceptibility results. Methods Positive BACTEC blood-cultures collected from patients were included if the gram stain revealed only Gram-negative rods. Standard of care (SOC) AST results, as determined by a combination of BD Phoenix automated, Sensititre broth microdilution, and/or standard disk diffusion methods, were compared to results from direct positive blood culture testing on the LifeScale system. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and categorical interpretations based on CLSI and/or FDA AST breakpoints were compared by microorganism and drug to calculate essential and categorical agreement for five species with pending claims on the LifeScale system: Escherichia coli (N=33), Klebsiella pneumoniae (N=10), K. oxytoca (N=5), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (N=11) and Acinetobacter sp. (N=1); tested against 13 relevant antibiotics: Amikacin, ampicillin, aztreonam, cefazolin, cefepime, ceftazidime, ceftazidime/avibactam ertapenem, gentamicin, levofloxacin, meropenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Results LifeScale had 95.3% essential agreement with the SOC results, and a 93.1% categorical agreement based on CLSI M52 criteria. Of the 665 organism-drug combinations evaluated, agreement was high, with only 1 very major discrepancy, 8 major discrepancies and 37 minor discrepancies, of which 22 (47.8%) were within ±1 doubling dilution. Among these discrepancies, LifeScale MICs averaged 1 dilution higher than SOC MICs, which may reduce the risk of false-susceptible interpretations. Conclusion s: The accuracy and reliability of results from rapid AST is of utmost importance. The LifeScale technology is unique among AST platforms as it measures bacterial cell mass and counts to determine MICs for up to 14 antibiotics in ~4 h. These results suggest this platform is able to deliver rapid, actionable results to guide antimicrobial therapy for patients with bacteremia.

Detection of virulence genes and multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from a public hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a main cause of nosocomial infections and is classified as a priority critical pathogen of global concern. Multidrug resistance and virulence genes attributed to the pathogenicity of the organism has resulted in failed therapies, linked to increased morbidity and mortality in infected patients. The aim of this study was to determine the virulence genes and multidrug resistant P.aeruginosa in clinical specimens from a secondary health care center laboratory in Lagos, Nigeria. MethodologyA total of three hundred and sixty-seven clinical samples were examined with conventional methods and Microbact GNB12A. Forty- seven (47) P. aeruginosa strains were identified. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by the standard disk diffusion method following CLSI guidelines. Identification of P. aeruginosa was done by amplification of oprL and oprI genes. Monoplex and multiplex PCR assays were used for detecting virulence genes (lasB, toxA, exoU and nan1). Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the distribution of P. aeruginosa by sample sources, MDR patterns by number of isolates and virulence gene carriage by MDR (≥3classes of antibiotics). ResultsA total of forty-seven (47) isolates were confirmed as P. aeruginosa. The isolates showed pan-resistance to cefuroxime and ceftazidime. An elevated level of resistance was also seen in amoxycillin-clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefixime and meropenem. Susceptibility to Amikacin was 95.7 %. Multidrug resistance was seen in forty (85.1 %) of the isolates. P. aeruginosa (100 %) were confirmed with oprL and 74.5 % oprI genes. All isolates (100 %) had lasB, toxA and exoS virulence genes while nan1 was detected in 19.1 % isolates. ConclusionsDiverse and multiple virulence genes were distributed among the multidrug resistant isolates. Understanding the factors contributing to pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance will aid in the treatment of infection. It will also promote judicious use of antimicrobials.

Circulation of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Wild and Domestic Waterfowl in Ukraine.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasingly urgent problem for human and animal health due to the widespread use of antibiotics in medicine, veterinary medicine, and agriculture. At the same time, the natural reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant pathogens remain unclear. Wild birds may play a role in this due to their biology. Escherichia coli is a representative indicator pathogen for antibiotic resistance studies. Materials and Methods: In 2020-2021, sampling of feces and cloacal swabs from six species of wild waterfowl (Eurasian wigeon Anas penelope, Eurasian teal Anas crecca, white-fronted goose Anser albifrons, red-breasted goose Rufibrenta ruficollis, graylag goose Anser anser, shelduck Tadorna tadorna) and from two species of domestic waterfowl (ducks and geese) was conducted in the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy regions of Ukraine. Biological material was collected, stored, and transported in cryotubes with transport medium (brain heart infusion broth [BHIB] with the addition of 15% glycerol) in liquid nitrogen. Bacteriological studies were carried out according to standard methods for the isolation and identification of microorganisms. Drug resistance of E. coli was carried out by a standard disk diffusion method. Results: Bacteria representing six families (Enterobacteriaceae, Yersiniaceae, Morganellaceae, Bacillaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae) were isolated from clinically healthy wild birds (wigeon, Eurasian teal, white-fronted goose, red-breasted goose, mallard, graylag goose, shelduck) in the southern regions of Ukraine with isolation rates ranging from 26.7% to 100%. A total of 19 E. coli isolates were cultured from 111 samples from wild birds, and 30 isolates of E. coli were cultured from 32 poultry samples. E. coli was isolated from birds of all species. The prevalence of E. coli ranged from 5.0% to 33.3% in wild waterfowl and from 90.9% to 100% in domestic waterfowl. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli ranged from 10.0% to 31.8% in wild and domestic waterfowl: 3 of 15 (20%) specimens from wild mallard were MDR in the Kherson region, as well as 7 of 22 domestic ducks (31.8%) and 1 of 10 geese (10%) in the Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions. Isolates from wild birds were the most resistant to ampicillin (AMP), amoxiclav (AMC), amoxicillin (AMX), doxycycline (DO), and chloramphenicol (C). Isolates from poultry were resistant to ampicillin, amoxiclav, doxycycline, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and enrofloxacin (EX). Most of the other E. coli isolates from wild waterfowl were classified as non-multidrug-resistant (non-MDR) forms. Analysis of antibiotic sensitivity phenotypes showed that only four antibiotic-resistant phenotypes were detected among non-MDR bacteria, whereas among the MDR bacteria, two antibiotic-resistant phenotypes were detected in mallards and six in domestic waterfowl. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that wild waterfowl in Ukraine, which live in natural conditions and do not receive any antimicrobial drugs, are carriers of E. coli that are resistant to a number of antibiotics that are actively used in industrial poultry.

Assessment of cefiderocol disk diffusion versus broth microdilution results when tested against Acinetobacter baumannii complex clinical isolates.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between inhibitory zones and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) when testing cefiderocol against Acinetobacter baumannii complex using disk diffusion and the broth microdilution (BMD) method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) criteria. Four-hundred and sixty-eight non-duplicated A. baumannii complex clinical isolates were collected from 56 hospitals of the China Antimicrobial Surveillance Network from 2019 to 2021. BMD using iron-depleted cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth (ID-CAMHB) and standard disk diffusion methods were performed according to CLSI guidelines. Results were interpreted according to the CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints. Categorical agreement (CA), minor error (mE), major error (ME), and very major error (VME) were calculated for disk diffusion methods. The susceptibilities of all A. baumannii complex isolates by BMD were 98.7% (CLSI) and 97.6% (EUCAST). For all A. baumannii complex isolates, CA was 98.1% (CLSI) and 97.0% (EUCAST), with 0.9% (CLSI) and 1.9% (EUCAST) of VME, respectively. For the carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii complex, the CA was 100%, with no mE or VME using both CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints. For carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii complex, CA was 97.5% (CLSI) and 96.2% (EUCAST), with 1.1% (CLSI) and 2.5% (EUCAST) of VME, respectively. Regarding the difficult-to-treat resistance A. baumannii complex isolates, CA was 97.6% (CLSI) and 95.7% (EUCAST), with 1.2% (CLSI) and 3.1% (EUCAST) of VME, respectively. Cefiderocol disk diffusion was difficult to assess in this study. Very few isolates were resistant to cefiderocol by BMD using CLSI breakpoint, and these were categorized as susceptible with the disk diffusion test. This study did, however, show that the main proportion of A. baumannii isolates were susceptible to cefiderocol by BMD, including carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a major global health concern due to its high prevalence and limited treatment options. Cefiderocol is the only novel Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved β-lactam agent for the salvage treatment of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii infection. Currently, a commercial automated susceptibility testing panel of cefiderocol is unavailable. Both the preparation of iron-depleted cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth and the performance of broth microdilution are cumbersome in routine microbiology laboratories. A disk diffusion method is convenient for cefiderocol antimicrobial susceptibility testing, but limited data are available specifically for A. baumannii clinical isolates. Moreover, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute published revisions to the A. baumannii cefiderocol disk diffusion breakpoints in 2022. Hence, we evaluated the performance of cefiderocol disk diffusion compared with the reference BMD against A. baumannii clinical isolates, especially those with cefiderocol zone diameters ≤ 14 mm.

Characterization and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Listeria monocytogenes from Raw Cow Milk in the Southern Part of Ethiopia

Food safety remains the main health concern in the developing countries. Thus, the major purpose of the present study was to characterize and determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Listeria monocytogenes from raw milk samples collected from southern Ethiopia. Two hundred and forty raw cow milk samples were collected from dairy farms and smallholder dairy producers using a simple random sampling technique and analyzed by cultural and multiplex PCR methods. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of L. monocytogenes was evaluated using the standard disk diffusion method. Over 28% of the samples were found positive for Listeria spp., of which 17 (7.08%) isolates were identified as L. monocytogenes after morphological and biochemical confirmation. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 6.02% in Hawassa city, 5.56% in Dale district, and 9.41% in Arsi Negele district. L. monocytogenes was higher in the wet season (9.32%) than in the dry season (4.92%). The gene for Listeria specific 16S rRNA was detected in all the 17 examined isolates, while hlyA and iapA were only found in 11 of them. Furthermore, no isolate was identified to have the prfA, actA, or plcA genes. Antimicrobial resistance profiling revealed that all the L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid (100%), followed by erythromycin (88.24%). However, all the L. monocytogenes isolates were sensitive to vancomycin, gentamicin, and sulfamethoxazole. Raw cow milk is a potential source of L. monocytogenes and it poses a threat to human and animal health. Therefore, it is crucial that dairy producers and vendors of raw milk in the study areas should take considerable precautions to prevent Listeria species from contaminating raw fresh milk.

Anthropic Impact on the Critically Endangered Melanophryniscus admirabilis (Admirable Redbelly Toad): Evidence from the Presence of Multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a microendemic and critically endangered toad, known from a single population. This microendemic species inhabits a small fragment of the Atlantic Forest in South Brazil, an area significantly impacted by hydroelectric power plant projects, livestock farming, agricultural activities, biopiracy, and tourism. Given the exclusive and limited population of M. admirabilis, preserving and conserving this species is of utmost importance in Brazil. Research on this species primarily concentrates on its biology, ecology, and ecotoxicology. Currently, there is no knowledge about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria present in wild M. admirabilis, despite the potential for studying them to provide valuable insights into environmental pollution. To this end, Enterobacteriaceae species (n = 82) obtained from 15 wild M. admirabilis toads were subjected to the standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method to test their AMR. The results showed that Enterobacteriaceae species had the highest antibiotic resistance to IPM (45.1%), CIP (39%), NIT (32.5%), AMP (31.3%), TET (18.3%), and FOX (17%). Of the tested species, 18 (21.9%) species tested were susceptible, 40 (48.8%) were resistant to 1 or 2 different antibiotic classes, and 24 (29.3%) were classified as multidrug-resistant. Overall, our findings suggest that the incidence of AMR in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from wild M. admirabilis is high, indicating environmental stress caused by anthropic pollution in their habit.

Spectrophotometrically, Spectroscopically, Microscopically and Thermogravimetrically Optimized TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles and their Bactericidal, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential: A Novel Comparative Approach.

Current study was aimed to determine the antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs). Nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, particle size analyzer (PSA), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by standard agar dilution method. Antibacterial potential of nanoparticles was analyzed by standard disc diffusion method against bacterial strains including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonia. Different concentrations of NPs (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4mg/mL) were incorporated to evaluate the antimicrobial activity. Antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of these NPs was analyzed by DPPH method and brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay, respectively. The MIC of TiO2NPs against E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae was 0.04, 0.08 and 0.07mg/mL respectively while the MIC of ZnONPs against the above strains was 0.01, 0.015 and 0.01mg/mL. The maximum zone of inhibition was observed for K. pneumoniae i.e., 20mm and 25mm against TiO2 and ZnO NPs respectively, at 1.4mg/mL concentration of NPs. The susceptibility of NPs against bacterial strains was evaluated in the following order: K. pneumoniae > P. aeruginosa > E. coli. The antioxidant activity of nanoparticles increased by increasing the concentration of NPs while cytotoxic analysis exhibited non-toxic effect of ZnO NPs while TiO2 had toxic effects on 1.2 and 1.4mg/mL concentrations. Results revealed that ZnO NPs have moreantibacterialand negligiblecytotoxic potential in contrast to TiO2 NPs.

Antibacterial Activity of Transition Metal Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) Complexes Containing Bioactive Ligands

The Present research work describes biological activity of amide group containing ligands and their Mn(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes against E.coli and S.aureus. The standard disc diffusion method has been employed for investigations. The data obtained during study has been correlated for structure activity relationship and a trend has been pointed for a series of complexes.

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak with monoclonal spread: Evaluation of resistance genes and ceftazidime-avibactam susceptibility

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) susceptibility, carbapenemase genes, and clonal relationship in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CrKp) isolates. MethodsA total of 28 non-repetitive CrKp isolates with positive carbapenemase production determined by the modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM), were included in the study. Identification of the isolates was performed with MALDI-TOF MS (VITEK-MS, bioMerieux, France). The automated system (VITEK-2, bioMerieux) and gradient diffusion test (Etest, bioMerieux) were used to determine antibiotic susceptibility. The mCIM was performed according to CLSI (2021) recommendations. CAZ-AVI susceptibility was carried out using the standard disc diffusion method. Results were evaluated according to EUCAST 2022 criteria. The blaOXA-48, blaNDM, blaKPC, blaIMP and blaVIM genes were investigated by multiplex PCR. The clonal relationship between isolates was determined by both AP-PCR and PFGE methods. ResultsOf the total 28 isolates, 89.3% were susceptible to CAZ-AVI. blaOXA-48 gene was found in 85.7% of the isolates, blaOXA-48+blaNDM gene in 10.7%, and blaNDM gene in 3.6%. blaKPC, blaIMP and blaVIM genes were not detected. Three clusters with three different genotypes were determined by the PFGE method. The largest cluster was Genotype A (n:24), followed by Genotype B (n:3), and Genotype C (n:1). AP-PCR was highly compatible with PFGE. The isolates of Genotype A, mostly from the intensive care unit (ICU), were evaluated as outbreak strains with monoclonal dissemination. ConclusionsOXA-48 remains the most frequently detected enzyme in CrKp strains in our country. The ceftazidime-avibactam susceptibility rate of 89.3% indicates that this antibiotic is still effective against CrKp isolates. The unnoticed outbreak detected in our study revealed the severity of intra-hospital cross-contamination affecting different wards, including the ICU. Therefore, in order to limit the spread of CrKp isolates, it is of great importance to implement strict infection control measures, and molecular surveillance programs, especially in the ICU.

Light tolerance of extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli strains after repetitive exposure to far-UVC and blue LED light.

The aim of this study was to investigate dual far-UVC (Ultraviolet-C) (222nm) and blue LED (Light Emitting Diode) (405nm) light on the inactivation of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and to determine if repetitive exposure to long pulses of light resulted in changes to light tolerance, and antibiotic susceptibility. Antimicrobial efficiency of dual and individual light wavelengths and development of light tolerance in E. coli was evaluated through a spread plate method after exposure to light at 25cm. Dual light exposure for 30min resulted in a 5-6 log10 CFU mL-1 reduction in two ESBL-Ec and two antibiotic-sensitive control E. coli strains. The overall inhibition achieved by dual light treatment was always greater than the combined reductions (log10 CFU) observed from exposure to individual light wavelengths (combined 222-405nm), indicating a synergistic relationship between blue LED and far-UVC light when used together. Repetitive long pulses of dual and individual far-UVC light exposure resulted in light tolerance in two ESBL-Ec strains but not the antibiotic-sensitive E. coli strains. Subsequent passages of repetitive light-treated ESBL-Ec strains continued to exhibit light tolerance. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined through a standard disk diffusion method. No changes were observed in the antibiotic susceptibility profiles for any of the four strains after exposure to either dual or individual wavelengths. Dual light exposure was effective in the disinfection of ESBL-Ec in solution; however, antibiotic-resistant E. coli were able to develop light tolerance after repetitive exposure to light.

Assessment of ear infection in children attending Dalhatu Araf specialist Hospital, Lafia

Bacterial infection of the ear, especially amongst children from low-income countries, is a major cause of hospitalization, presenting in different forms and severity. The prevalence and antibiotic profile of bacteria associated with ear infection amongst children between the ages 0–10years presenting with symptoms was determined using standard microbiological procedures and Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion methods. The results showed an 89.6% prevalence rate of bacterial ear infections, with males and children aged 0–1 years accounting for 53.7% and 28.9% of cases respectively. Pseudomonas spp. was the most prevalent (32.6%) bacteria isolated, while Klebsiella spp. was the least prevalent (8.9%). Male children had higher distribution and presence of bacterial growths than their female counterparts. Antimicrobial assay revealed high susceptibility rates as well as multidrug resistance of the bacterial isolates to the antibiotics tested. Cefuroxime and Augmentin were most effective against all isolates. This study showed a high prevalence of bacterial-associated ear infections dominated by Pseudomonas spp. and more prevalent in males and children between 0 and 3 years old. This calls for improved postnatal care education and child hygiene by nursing mothers, midwives and nannies to forestall and prevent any public health challenge that might arise from the uncontrolled spread and increase in pathogenicity of infections caused by the isolates.