Susceptibility Screening Research Articles

Site response and liquefaction hazard analysis of Hawassa town, Main Ethiopian Rift

The study area is located in one of the most earthquake prone regions in southern Ethiopia, which is characterized by small-to-intermediate earthquake occurrences causing damage to buildings. Predicting liquefaction hazard potential and local site effects are imperative to manage earthquake hazard and reduce the damage to buildings and loss of lives. The objectives of this work were to perform the equivalent linear response analysis (ELA) and shear wave velocity (Vs.)-based liquefaction hazard analysis and classify the site into different seismic site classes based on the European and American codes. The SPT-N and Vs.30 values showed the site falls in the C and D classes based on the NEHRP (2015) code but falls in the B and C classes based on the EC8 (2003) code. The susceptibility of liquefaction was evaluated using grain size analysis curves. Moreover, peak ground acceleration (PGA), spectral acceleration (SA), and maximum strain (%), which are very critical to understanding the local site effects, were estimated by the DeepsoilV.7 program. The cyclic stress ratio and cyclic resistance ratio were used to calculate the factor of safety (FS). A liquefaction potential index (LPI), probability of liquefaction (PL), and probability of liquefaction induced ground failure (PG) were used to assess the probability of liquefaction. The peak ground acceleration (g) values ranged from 0.166 to 0.281 g, whereas spectral acceleration (g) was found to be high at 0.1–1s. The liquefaction susceptibility screening criteria revealed that the study area is highly susceptible to liquefaction. FS is < 1 for a liquefied site, but FS is > 1 for non-liquefied sites. In comparison to non-liquefied sites, the liquefaction forecast site has a liquefaction potential index value of 0–54.16, very likely high PL, and high PG. The findings will be helpful in the design of structures and in solving practical challenges in earthquake engineering.

Identification, antimicrobial susceptibility screening and ESBL-status of Gram-negative bacteria from healthy humans and livestock waste by VITEK-2 Automated System

Bacteria in healthy body sites of humans and livestock waste may harbour antibiotic resistance and cause community-based opportunistic and resistant infections. The study profiled the antibiotic susceptibilities of resident bacteria in healthy humans and livestock waste. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from 23 specimens including skin swabs (6), nasal swabs (4), urine (6), stool (3), chicken droppings (2) and cattle droppings (2). VITEK® 2 Automated System was used for identification, antimicrobial susceptibility and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production test of the isolates. Nineteen (19) Gram-negative bacteria belonging to five genera and six species were identified, including Escherichia coli (n=9) 47.4%, Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp pneumoniae (n=1) 11.1%, Enterobacter cloacae ssp dissolvens (n=1) 11.1%, Acinetobacter baumannii (n=3) 15.8%, Acinetobacter haemolyticus (n=1) 11.1%, and Providentia stuartii (n=4) 21.1%. The isolates showed highest resistances to Ampicillin (78.6%) and Piperacillin (63.2%) and high susceptibilities to Ertapenem, Amikacin, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin (100%); Ceftazidime, Cefepime, Meropenem (94.7%); Cefoxitin (93.3%); Gentamicin and Tobramycin (73.7%). Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index values above the critical limit of 0.2 were shown by 100% (4/4) of Providentia stuartii isolates, 75% (3/4) of Acinetobacter isolates and 33.3% (3/9) of E. coli isolates. All the isolates tested negative for ESBL production. The public health implication is that resident bacteria from healthy individuals harbouring antibiotic resistance may transmit these to other bacteria or cause resistant opportunistic infections difficult to treat. Resistant bacteria from livestock can be transmitted to humans through the food chain. Proper disposal or decontamination of human body secretions and livestock waste is necessary.

Antibiogram, prevalence of methicillin-resistant and multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus spp. in different clinical samples

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. (MRSS) are causing numerous forms of illness in humans ranging from mild to fatal infections. We need to investigate the resistant pattern for different clinical isolates to control the resistance phenomena. This study was designed to provide the resistance pattern of isolated Staphylococcus spp. from various clinical samples in Khartoum State and to elucidate the frequencies of Multidrug-resistant (MDR), Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and pan-drug resistant (PDR). Two hundred and ten bacterial isolates were from different sources (catheter tip, sputum, vaginal swab, urine, tracheal aspirate, blood, pus, nasal swab, stool, throat swab, pleural fluid, and ear swab). Isolates were identified based on their morphological characters and biochemical reaction. Antibiotics susceptibility screening was performed using twenty-three antibiotics from eighteen classes against all isolated Staphylococcus spp. following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. The result revealed that out of 63 Gram-positive isolated bacteria, 52 (82.5%) were Staphylococcus spp. with a high incidence of S. aureus 37(71.2%). Out of all Staphylococcus spp., 38 (73.1%) were Methicillin-resistant (MR). The prevalence of MDR was higher in S. aureus (89.2%) than in S. epidermidis (75%). All Staphylococcus spp. displayed resistance to ampicillin and penicillin, while all S. aureus were sensitive to daptomycin and fosfomycin. One isolate was XDR possible PDR, while no PDR was reported in all isolated bacteria. This study provided evidence for the antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) burden in Sudan and highlighted the need for a practical and functional stewardship program to reduce the unreasonable costs of antibiotics.

In silico prediction of the animal susceptibility and virtual screening of natural compounds against SARS-CoV-2: Molecular dynamics simulation based analysis.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It has six open reading frames (orf1ab, orf3a, orf6, orf7a, orf8, and orf10), a spike protein, a membrane protein, an envelope small membrane protein, and a nucleocapsid protein, out of which, orf1ab is the largest ORF coding different important non-structural proteins. In this study, an effort was made to evaluate the susceptibility of different animals against SARS-CoV-2 by analyzing the interactions of Spike and ACE2 proteins of the animals and propose a list of potential natural compounds binding to orf1ab of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we analyzed structural interactions between spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor of 16 different hosts. A simulation for 50 ns was performed on these complexes. Based on post-simulation analysis, Chelonia mydas was found to have a more stable complex, while Bubalus bubalis, Aquila chrysaetos chrysaetos, Crocodylus porosus, and Loxodonta africana were found to have the least stable complexes with more fluctuations than all other organisms. Apart from that, we performed domain assignment of orf1ab of SARS-CoV-2 and identified 14 distinct domains. Out of these, Domain 3 (DNA/RNA polymerases) was selected as a target, as it showed no similarities with host proteomes and was validated in silico. Then, the top 10 molecules were selected from the virtual screening of ∼1.8 lakh molecules from the ZINC database, based on binding energy, and validated for ADME and toxicological properties. Three molecules were selected and analyzed further. The structural analysis showed that these molecules were residing within the pocket of the receptor. Finally, a simulation for 200 ns was performed on complexes with three selected molecules. Based on post-simulation analysis (RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, and energies), the molecule ZINC000103666966 was found as the most suitable inhibitory compound against Domain 3. As this is an in silico prediction, further experimental studies could unravel the potential of the proposed molecule against SARS-CoV-2.

Detection of multidrug resistance and associated genes among <em>Salmonella</em> species from enteric fever cases

Background: Salmonella spp. has rapidly gained resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, and tetracycline (ACCoT) which necessitated the use of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins. However, there are reports on emergence of fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella isolates in various parts of Asia and low resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. The incidence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) in India increased in the 1990s. After a decade, studies showed reduced MDR percentage. Hence this study was performed to detect antibiotic resistance patterns and associated genes among clinical isolates of Salmonella. Methods: A total of 171 clinical isolates of Salmonella isolates collected between 2011 to 2016 from a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India were included. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and screening for extended-spectrum β-lactamase production was performed. Genes encoding resistance to β-lactam antibiotics (blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M), chloramphenicol (cat, cmlA, and floR), co-trimoxazole (sul1, sul2, sul3, and dfr), and tetracycline (tet(A), tet(B), tet(C), tet(D), tet(E), and tet(G)) were detected using PCR and nucleotide sequencing analysis. Results: The majority of the isolates were susceptible to ACCoT antibiotics, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. Most of the isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid and 1.7% were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. All the isolates (n=171) were negative for ESBL. Multidrug resistance was seen in 4.1% isolates and all the MDR Salmonella isolates were found to contain blaTEM-1(TEM-1-type β-lactamase), cat, dfrA17, sul1, and tet(B) genes. Conclusion: We have observed a low MDR prevalence and reduced susceptibility to the fluoroquinolone, ciprofloxacin. This changing susceptibility pattern of Salmonella species over time warrants continuous monitoring and judicious use of antibiotics to prevent the emergence of resistant strains.

Escherichia coli Isolates Harboring blaNDM Variants and 16S Methylases Belonging to Clonal Complex 131 in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) especially harboring the New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (blaNDM) variants are increasingly being reported from many countries, however, the data from Pakistan is limited. In the present study, 109 CREC isolates were obtained from 4,091 E. coli isolates in five tertiary care hospitals in southern Punjab, Pakistan. The antimicrobial susceptibility profiling and screening for the resistance determinants were performed followed by blaNDM typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to characterize the CREC strains. Among the carbapenemases, 57 CREC isolates were found to harbor blaNDM. The blaNDM-1, blaNDM-5, blaNDM-7, and blaNDM-4 variants were identified in 30 (52.6%), 18 (31.6%), (12.3%), 2 (3.5%) isolates, respectively. The ESBL genes, such as blaCTX-M and blaTEM, were also found in different combinations, whereas the 16S methylases that is, rmtB and armA were found in 69 (63.3%) and 55 (50.5%) CREC isolates, respectively. The MLST of blaNDM carrying E. coli revealed eight different sequence types (STs) with ST131 belonging to 21 isolates being the most prevalent. The clonal complex 131 was the predominant complex corresponding to 47 (82.5%) of blaNDM-positive strains. Large-scale surveillance studies coupled with active infection control policies are suggested on an urgent basis to avoid an epidemic in the future.

A high-risk carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clone detected in red deer (Cervus elaphus) from Portugal

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous bacterium, successfully exploiting a variety of environmental niches due to its remarkable metabolic versatility. The World Health Organization classifies P. aeruginosa as a “priority pathogen” due to its a great ability to overcome the action of antimicrobials, including carbapenems. Hitherto, most studies have focused on clinical settings from humans, but much less on animal and environmental settings, particularly on wildlife. In this work, we report the isolation of a carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain recovered from the faeces of a red deer adult female sampled in a humanized area. This isolate was obtained during a nationwide survey on antimicrobial resistance in wildlife aimed to determine the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria among 181 widely distributed wild ungulates. This P. aeruginosa isolate was found to be a high-risk clone, belonging to the sequence type (ST) 274. The genomic analysis of P. aeruginosa isolate UP4, classified this isolate as belonging to serogroup O3, which was also found to harbour the genes blaPAO, blaPDC-24, blaOXA-486 (encoding resistance to beta-lactams), aph(3′)-IIb (aminoglycosides resistance), fosA (fosfomycin resistance) and catB7 (chloramphenicol resistance). Antimicrobial susceptibility screening, according to EUCAST, showed resistance to imipenem and intermediate resistance to meropenem and doripenem. To our knowledge, this is the first description of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa in deer in Europe. Our results highlight the importance of wild ungulates either as victims of human activity or amplifiers of AMR, either way with potential impacts on animal, human and ecosystem health, since excretion of AMR bacteria might directly or indirectly contaminate other animals and the surrounding environment, perpetuating the spill-over and chain dissemination of AMR determinants.

Dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant isolates of Salmonella spp. in wild boars and its relationship with management practices.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern and controlling its spread is critical for the effectiveness of antibiotics. Members of the genus Salmonella are broadly distributed, and wild boar may play an important role in its circulation between peri-urban areas and the environment, due to its frequent interactions both with livestock or human garbage. As the population of these animals is rising due to management on certain hunting estates or the absence of natural predators, the aim of the present work is to identify the mechanisms of AMR present and/or expressed in Salmonella spp. from wild boar populations and to determine the possible role of management-related factors applied to different game estates located in central Spain. The detection of Salmonella spp. was carried out in 121 dead wild boar from 24 game estates, and antimicrobial resistance traits were determined by antibiotic susceptibility testing and screening for their genetic determinants. The effects of feeding supplementation, the proximity of livestock, the existence of a surrounding fence and the density of wild boar on the AMR of the isolates were evaluated. The predominant subspecies and serovar found were S. enterica subsp. enterica (n=69) and S. choleraesuis (n=33), respectively. The other subspecies found were S. enterica subsp. diarizonae, S. enterica subsp. salamae and S. enterica subsp. houtenae. AMR was common among isolates (75.2%) and 15.7% showed multi drug resistance (MDR). Resistance to sulphonamides was the most frequent (85.7%), as well as sul1 which was the AMR determinant most commonly found. Plasmids appeared in 38.8% of the isolates, with IncHI1 being the replicon detected with the highest prevalence. The AMR of the isolates increased when the animals were raised with feeding supplementation and enclosed by fences around the estates.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis mixed infections and drug resistance in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

Sub-Saharan Africa, is a region that records high rates of TB infection. Mycobacterium tuberculosis mixed strain infection, especially when the strains involved are of different susceptibilities, is an area of great interest because it is linked with an increased risk of treatment failure and transmission of resistant strains within the population. This paper reviewed original studies that reported MTB mixed infection and heteroresistance in the region between 2010 and 2020 to understand the extent of mixed strain infection and heteroresistance in the region. This information is very critical in the control of TB and ending the TB epidemic by 2035 as per the World Health Organization's vision. pubmed, Scopus, JSTOR, AJOL, and Google Scholar databases were searched through both key terms and subject headings. The literature was screened, assessed for the quality and evidence synthesized. Eighteen original articles were included in this review after having met the inclusion criteria. The frequency of mixed strain infection reported in these studies varied between 2.8% and 21.1% while drug resistance range between 0.06% to 19% depending on the study design and the drug susceptibility screening technique utilized. The majority of the studies (50%) utilized Spoligotyping in conjunction with MIRU-VNTR typing in the detection of mixed infections. Despite the scarcity of data on mixed infections and heteroresistance in sub-Saharan Africa, various studies have revealed that these conditions are frequent in the region than previously thought. Given the evidence of the effect of mixed infections on drug resistance and treatment outcome, we conclude that mixed infection is an unavoidable topic for future studies.

A triterpene ketone from an anti-mycobacterial tuberculosis chromatography eluate from the n-hexane fraction of the fruits of Harungana madagascariensis Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae)

Clinical cases of drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) are a global threat because of the cost and extended duration of treatment regimen. This underscores the continuous drive to discover new therapeutic agents that are faster, simpler and affordable often by recourse to natural products. This report highlights the potentials of the Nigerian medicinal plant Harungana madagascariensis Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae) as a source of lead agents for the discovery and development of anti-tuberculosis drugs. The fruit of H. madagascariensis was extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol by cold maceration. The crude 70 % aqueous ethanol extract was partitioned with n-hexane to give n-hexane (NHF) soluble portions. The NHF was fractionated further on a column packed with normal phase silica gel (200-400 Mesh size) to afford the chromatography fractions used in this study. The structure of isolated compound was elucidated using spectroscopic (NMR, IR, and MS) techniques. Anti-Mycobacteria tuberculosis susceptibility screening of the chromatography fractions was done using Lowenstein Jensen method with rifampicin, ethambutol, isoniazid and dihydrostreptomycin as reference anti-TB drugs for comparison. Four fractions NHF1-4 were obtained from the NHF. The chromatography fractions: NHF2 and NHF3 inhibited the growth of the Mycobacteria tuberculosis. From the NHF2 was isolated the known bioactive triterpene ketone friedelan-3-one. This preliminary screening underscores the potentials of this ethno medicinal plant as a source of lead compounds for the development of anti-TB drugs.

Novel Microfluidics Device for Rapid Antibiotics Susceptibility Screening

In recent years, excessive utilization of antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic microbial resistance on a planetary scale. This recent phenomenon represents a serious threat to public health, as well as an enormous burden for healthcare systems’ budgets worldwide. Novel, rapid and cheap methods for antibiotic susceptibility screening are urgently needed for this obstacle to be overcome. In this paper, we present a microfluidic device for on-chip antibiotic resistance testing, which allows for antibiotic microbial resistance detection within 6 hours. The design, fabrication and experimental utilization of the device are thoroughly described and analyzed, as well as possibilities for future automation of the whole process. The accessibility of such a device for all people, regardless of economic status, was of utmost importance for us during the development of the project.

Frequency and Molecular Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus from Placenta of Mothers with Term and Preterm Deliveries.

Globally, prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal mortality (babies in the first four weeks of life) and now the second leading cause of mortality after pneumonia in children under age five. The neonatal gut microbial colonization is crucial in the human life cycle. Placental microbiota transmits from the gut microbiota plays a significant role in association with kinship. Simultaneously, this transition is being made from mother to infant. This comparative study explored the diversity of microbiota associated with term and preterm neonates by evaluating the placental samples. The study found that 16/68 (23.5%) full-term placental samples were positive for S. aureus; on the other hand, 4/16 (25%) preterm placental samples confirmed culture growth for S. aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns showed that Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolates from both types of samples were resistant to Ofloxacin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Oxacillin, and Cefoxitin. However, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) detection was 43.75% in full-term and 75% in preterm placental samples. Moreover, two isolates were positive for both mecA and PVL virulent genes, and the rest were positive only for the mecA gene. Interestingly few isolates lacked both characteristic MRSA genes, mecA and PVL. Notably, resistances were more inclined towards preterm samples for antimicrobial susceptibility and MRSA screening. It may be concluded that there is a significant presence of S. aureus in the placenta of mothers with term and preterm deliveries which might be responsible for preterm deliveries. Therefore, judicious use of antibiotics during pregnancies may help prevent preterm births.

Microbial Occupational Exposure Assessments in Sawmills—A Review

The composition of airborne microflora in sawmills may vary to a great degree depending on the kind of timber being processed and the technology of production being used. Cases of allergy alveolitis and asthma have been reported in woodworkers who were exposed to wood dust largely infected with microorganisms. The aim of this review article is to identify studies where the microbial occupational exposure assessment was performed in sawmills and the characteristics of the contamination found, as well as to identify which sampling methods and assays were applied. This study reports the search of available data published regarding microbial occupational exposure assessment in environmental samples from sawmills, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) methodology. The most used sampling method was air sampling, impaction being the most common method. Regarding analytical procedures for microbial characterization, morphological identification of fungi and bacteria was the most frequent approach. Screening for fungal susceptibility to azoles was performed in two studies and four studies applied molecular tools. Regarding microbial contamination, high fungal levels were frequent, as well as high bacteria levels. Fungal identification evidenced Penicillium as the most frequent genera followed by Aspergillus sp. Mycotoxins were not assessed in any of the analyzed studies. Microbial occupational exposure assessment in sawmills is crucial to allow this risk characterization and management.

Prevalence of extended spectrum β-Lactamases Klebsiella pneumoniae in various clinical samples and characterization of the bla genes in a tertiary care hospital of Western Maharashtra

Introduction: This study was carried out to determine the presence of blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae at a tertiary care hospital of western Maharashtra. Materials and Methods: A total of 2312 clinically significant, non-repetitive isolates of K. pneumoniae isolated from outpatient and inpatients attending the hospital were included in the study. An antibiotic susceptibility test, screening, and phenotypic confirmation for ESBLs producers were performed to check for the presence of ESBL enzymes. A polymerase chain reaction was carried out for the detection of ESBL-producing genes CTX-M-15, TEM, and SHV. Results: Non-repetitive clinical specimens processed for culture and identification in our hospital revealed 931 (40.26%) were ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae. A total of 45 bacterial isolates were subjected to molecular genotyping for the production of extended broad spectrum β-lactamases. Of the 45 samples, 40 (88.9%) were positive for blaCTX-M gene, and 44 (97.8%) were positive for blaTEM and blaSHV genes. ESBL production in these samples is largely found to be contributed by CTX-M, TEM, and SHV genes as the prevalence for these genes was higher. Conclusion: This is among the premier report describing the simultaneous occurrence of blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes and their dissemination. This raises concern and emphasizes a need for more molecular studies to search for the presence of these gene pools in this locality.

Atividade antimicrobiana de extrato fenólico de Lafoensia pacari contra ftopatógenos de feijoeiro

ABSTRACT Lafoensia pacari represents an alternative to control phytopathogens and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) diseases. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of L. pacari phenolics-containing extract obtained from leaves and assess its in vitro and in vivo inhibitory activity against Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. fuscans, Xanthomonas sp., Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, Fusarium oxysporum and Macrophomina phaseolina. The microbial susceptibility screening and the extract’s potential to reduce the anthracnose severity and the common bacterial blight were examined. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified, eight of which were described for the first time in L. pacari leaves: gentisic, caffeic, p-coumaric, protocatechuic and vanillic acids, luteolin, naringenin and quercetin. The L. pacari extract completely inhibited bacterial growth at the concentration of 0.62-1.25 %, as well as the mycelial growth of the C. lindemuthianum (BRM 007626) isolate at the concentration of 5 % (v/v). Under greenhouse conditions, the extract led to the control of the common bacterial blight caused by X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli (BRM 25302) in the Pérola bean cultivar and to a low efficiency in the control of anthracnose caused by C. lindemuthianum (BRM 007447) in the IPA 7419 cultivar.

Preliminary screening of cloxacillin susceptibility in staphylococcal species isolated from healthy dogs presented to Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Veterinary Journal (SLVJ) is a biannual peer reviewed official publication of the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association (SLVA), which has been in publication since 1953. It covers original research papers, review articles and communications on a wide range of veterinary topics with special emphasis on the Sri Lankan veterinary profession.

Flowering Time and Productivity of Interspecific Grafts Between Pepper Species in Contrasting High Tunnel-sheltered and Open-field Production Environments in Costa Rica

The production of sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) is often constrained in tropical environments by susceptibility to persistent soil-borne diseases, including bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum). However, the production of sweet peppers in high tunnels using sterile soilless media irrigated with nutrient solution offers the potential to reduce the incidence of bacterial wilt. An additional strategy for disease management is the use of sweet pepper scions grafted onto rootstocks that are resistant to soil-borne pathogens. Two sweet pepper cultivars grown extensively in the tropics, Nathalie and 4212, were used as scions and grafted onto the habanero pepper cultivar Habanero TEC (Capsicum chinense) and the aji pepper cultivar Baccatum TEC (Capsicum baccatum). Two cultivars related to the two rootstocks were prescreened for susceptibility to two virulent strains of bacterial wilt. Graft combinations were grown in two environments, a high tunnel with automatic nutrient solution irrigation of containers filled with sterile coconut fiber and an open field with known high levels of bacterial wilt inoculum. Self-grafted and nongrafted plants of scions were included as checks. The disease susceptibility screening showed that the area under the disease progress curve was consistently low for ‘Habanero TEC’ and ‘Baccatum TEC’ when inoculated with two virulent strains of bacterial wilt, suggesting that habanero pepper cultivars and, to a lesser degree, aji pepper cultivars may be useful as rootstocks in soils with bacterial wilt inoculum. Significant increases in yield, fruit number, and reduced time to flowering were observed in the high tunnel compared with the open-field environment. Individual fruit weight was reduced in the high tunnel compared with the field. Yield, fruit number, fruit weight, and time to flowering were consistent between scions regardless of rootstock. No differences were observed for yield, fruit number, fruit weight, or time to flowering of self-grafted and nongrafted scion checks. In the high tunnel, yield was higher in scions grafted onto ‘Habanero TEC’ compared with self-grafted and nongrafted checks. In the open field, yield and fruit number were highest on scions grafted onto ‘Habanero TEC’. Regardless of graft treatment, high-tunnel production in tropical environments can result in significant increases in yield and fruit number compared with open-field production. No advantage of grafted plants was observed in the high-tunnel production environment. In contrast, in the open-field environment, grafting sweet pepper scions onto pungent habanero rootstocks resulted in a significant increase in yield, fruit number, and fruit size compared with self-grafted and nongrafted checks. The increase was likely attributable to the resistance of habanero pepper cultivars to soil-borne diseases, including bacterial wilt.

Evaluation of the Accuracy of Various Disks and Strips for Rapid Culture-Based Gonococcal Antimicrobial Susceptibility Screening Tests in China

PurposeNeisseria gonorrhoeae, resistant to the first-line treatment option ceftriaxone, is widespread in China from 2016. Nowadays, diverse reagents of disks and strips for rapid gonococcal antimicrobial susceptibility tests used in clinics are culture-based disks diffusion and gradient strips methods. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy, quality, and availability of almost all disks and strips acquired in the Chinese market and serve as a reference for clinical selection.MethodsWe tested the performance of 15 commercial disks and 9 commercial gradient strips acquired in China, compared with traditional agar dilution method. The overall performance was evaluated by the categorical agreement. The reagent accuracy of gradient strips was assessed by the essential agreement.ResultsA total of 167 gonococcal isolates were used to evaluate antimicrobial disks from three brands. The overall categorical agreements were 71.7% to 81.8% for ceftriaxone, less than 58% for cefixime, 100% for spectinomycin, over 98% for ciprofloxacin, below 70.5% for penicillin, and 73.3% to 81.8% for tetracycline. A total of 81 isolates were tested for different gradient strips. Categorical agreements were over 96% for ceftriaxone, 86.2% for azithromycin, 62.3% to 67.1% for penicillin, 41.9% to 67.5% for tetracycline, and 95% for ciprofloxacin. Essential agreements were 57.7% to 87.3% for ceftriaxone, 70% for azithromycin, 64.9% to 68.4% for penicillin, 51.8% to 71.2% for tetracycline, and 91.3% for ciprofloxacin.ConclusionRapid test reagents of disks and strips based on gonococcal culture have suboptimal performance. Disk diffusion for spectinomycin or ciprofloxacin can be recommended for clinical individualized prescription. The gradient strips are of great value to identify ceftriaxone-resistant gonococcal strains. Furthermore, abundant improvements are required for many reagents to further optimize their accuracy till the fulfillment of molecular detection.

Creation and Implementation of a Preoperative Malignant Hyperthermia Screening Tool.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially lethal pharmacogenetic disorder triggered by certain anesthetic agents. There is currently no standardized preoperative screening tool utilized to identify MH-susceptible individuals. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to enhance preoperative screening for MH susceptibility (MHS) by implementing an evidence-based screening tool for surgical patients at 2 sites. This prospective descriptive QI project evaluated the success of implementing an MHS screening tool preoperatively and its impact on the anesthesia plan. Anesthesia professionals included the screening tool in their preoperative interview for surgical patients so that positively screened patients could receive MH prevention measures. A total of 95 patients at site A and 234 patients at site B were screened using the MH tool, a cumulative total of 21 patients were positively screened, and 1 anesthetic plan was altered. This MHS screening tool has the potential to prevent MH episodes when used consistently by staff.

Vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Clinical Isolates in Benin City, Nigeria

Multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus has increasingly been implicated as an agent of clinical infections worldwide. This study investigated the prevalence of Vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA) among S. aureus causing infections in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 400 non-repetitive S. aureus isolates were obtained from clinical specimens in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. These isolates were identified by standard microbiological tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests and screening for vancomycin resistance (using phenotypic method) was carried out for all isolates. Eighteen isolates (4.5%) were resistant to vancomycin with 10 (2.5%) VRSA isolates recovered from females while 8(2.0%) were isolated from males (p = 0.9981). Isolates from catheter tip had the highest prevalence of VRSA (33.3%) and showed statistical significance in comparison with other clinical specimens (p = 0.0036). Vancomycin resistant S. aureus isolates showed poor susceptibility to commonly used antibacterial agents (< 50%). In order to mitigate the effect of selective pressure on the survival and proliferation of resistant strains, prudent use of vancomycin and other antimicrobial agents is advocated. The need for continuous surveillance, susceptibility testing and screening cannot be overemphasized.