African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (11), pp. 001-006, November, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Antimicrobial resistance pattern and prevalence of metallo-β-lactamases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Saudi Arabia

Mohamed H. Al-Agamy^1*,, Atef M. Shibl^1, Samar A. Zaki² and Abdulkader F. Tawfik¹

¹Department of Pharmaceutics and Microbiology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

²Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Accepted 24 March, 2018

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to investigate whether MBL genes have spread in MBL-producing isolates. A total of 350 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were screened for production of MBL. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was determined by E-test strips. Six MBL genes and class 1 integron were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive MBL genes were subjected to sequencing. Matting out assay was carried out. The resistance rates of 350 P. aeruginosa isolates to piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefepime, aztreonam, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin were 54, 50.3, 48.3, 45.14, 40.3, 30.57, 38.6 and 36.85%, respectively. The results of MBL screening revealed that 20.57% (72/350) of P. aeruginosa produced MBL. Sixty three (46.46%) of 135 imipenem-resistant isolates were not found to produce MBL. MBL-producing isolates were 100% resistant to b-lactams except aztreonam, which showed resistance rate of 63.88%. Only 20.3 and 5.42% of the MBL-producing isolates were resistant to amikacin and polymyxin B, respectively. PCR and deoxyribonuleic acid (DNA) sequencing investigated revealed that all MBL isolates harbour bla_{VIM -2} gene_. High prevalence of imipenem resistant and MBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates was reported. Imipenem resistance is in increasing and MBL is responsible for 20.57% of the resistance. The bla_VIM-2 is the dominant MBL gene in MBL-producing isolates in Saudi Arabia.

Key words: Carbpenem resistance, Metallo-beta-lactamases, VIM-2, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saudi Arabia.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (10), pp. 001-005, October, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Study of trichodinids (Protozoa, Ciliophora) parasitic on gills of freshwater fishes from Chongqing, China, and identification of a new species Trichodina cyprinocola sp. nov.

Fahui Tang and Yuanjun Zhao*

The Key Laboratory of Animal Biology of Chongqing, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, P. R. China.

Accepted 11 July, 2018

Abstract

This study surveyed freshwater fishes Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus from Chongqing, China, for infection with ectoparasitic trichodinids. Fish specimens were obtained from culture pools, smears of gills were prepared and used for silver nitrate impregnation. Microbiologic studies identified two species of trichodinids belonging to Trichodina Ehrenberg, 1838 including one new species from C. carpio that was named Trichodina cyprinocola sp. nov. Comparisons with closely related species revealed that this new species T. cyprinocola has unique sturdy denticles including the sickle blade with bluntly round tangent point, well developed central part, robust, straight but short ray. The other known species Trichodina borokensis Arthur and Lom (1984) from C. auratus was described here as the first record in China. Our survey also yielded morphometric data and prevalence of infestation for these two species.

Key words: Trichodina, new species, freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius auratus.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (9), pp. 001-005, September, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Determination of some metabolites of Cordyceps sobolifera

H. G. Liu¹, T. Li², Y. L. Zhao³, J. Zhang³ and Y. Z. Wang³*

¹Yunnan Agricultural University, 650201 Kunming, Yunnan, China.

²Yuxi Normal University, 653100 Yuxi, Yunnan, China.

³Institute of Medicinal Plants, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 650223 Kunming, Yunnan, China.

Accepted 16 March, 2018

Abstract

Cordyceps sobolifera is an edible Chinese native medicinal material. Profiles of mannitol, polysaccharides, total saponins and total flavonoids in 12 populations of C. sobolifera were analyzed to evaluate the characteristics of this species. The amount of mannitol was uniformly distributed among the populations, which ranged from 5.78 to 10.91 g/100 g. The highest point reached by polysaccharide was 2.27 g/100 g and the lowest point was 0.35 g/100 g. It was the first report on content of total saponins in C. sobolifera and it was found not to be so rich in C. sobolifera. The highest amount of total flavonoids was 1.28 g/100 g. Mannitol was higher in stroma (11.37 g/100 g) than the one in sclerotium (6.42 g/100 g). It suggested that C. sobolifera might be a good source of mannitol. However, polysaccharide, total saponins and total flavonoids contents in the stroma were not different from those in the sclerotium.

Key words: Cordyceps sobolifera, mannitol, polysaccharide, total saponins, total flavonoids.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (8), pp. 001-006, August, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of drug resistant and exotoxin A producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cutaneous infections in a tribal area in South India

Neha Ghosh¹, A. K. Goel¹*, Harivadan Lukka², P. Bhattacharya¹ and D. V. Kamboj¹

¹Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior-474 002, India.

²Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Accepted 17 April, 2018

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important clinically significant and opportunistic pathogens, often causing nosocomial infections. Pseudomonas has been implicated to cause folliculitis and other papular or vesicular lesions in the skin of otherwise healthy individuals besides pyoderma gangrenosum in neutropenic patients. In this study, Pseudomonas species were isolated from patients with skin infections from a tribal area in South India. The isolates were confirmed as P. aeruginosa by biochemical tests and by a duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting two loci from 16S rRNA. The isolates were examined for antibiotic susceptibility, production of exotoxin A, and fingerprinting pattern by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR. The isolates were found non-clonal in origin and all the isolates produced exotoxin A, a virulence trait of P. aeruginosa. All the isolates exhibited resistance towards several antibiotics including broad spectrum antibiotics, β-lactams, cephalosporin, macrolides, rifampicin and sulfonamides. However, the isolates were susceptible towards some commonly used antibiotics belonging to quinolones and aminoglycosides. A continuous monitoring of the Pseudomonas isolates for the drug resistance is important as it can help our clinicians in management of skin infections caused by Pseudomonas.

Key words: Antibiotic resistance, skin lesions, exotoxin A, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (7), pp. 001-005, July, 2018. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Sulphonylureic herbicidal risk in the detection of soil fungi communities

Marioara Nicoleta Filimon¹*, Aurica Breica Borozan², Despina Maria Bordean³, Roxana Popescu⁴, Smaranda Rodica Gotia⁵, Doina Verdes⁴ and Sinitean Adrian¹

¹Department of Biology Faculty of Chemistry-Biology-Geography, West University of Timisoara, Pestalozzi, 16, 300115, Romania.

²Departament of Horticulture, Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Timisoara, Aradului Street, 119, 300645, Romania.

³Departament of Tehnology Agroalimentary Products, Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Timisoara Aradului Street, 119, 300645, Romania.

⁴Departament of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes” TimisoaraE. Murgu, 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania.

⁵Departament of Phisiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes” Timisoara, E. Murgu, 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania.

Accepted 31 October, 2011

Abstract

Cambic chernozem soil samples were collected from experimental field of plant breeding discipline, the U.S.A.M.V.B. department in Timişoara. The soil has been sifted through a sieve of 2 mm and placed in polyethylene bags. Thereafter, the soil was treated with two herbicides (tribenuron-methyl and nicosulfuron) in different doses. Samples were incubated for 7 days in a thermostat at 28°C and subsequently, quantitative and qualitative analysis of fungal colonies in soil samples was performed. The following fungi species were identified in the batch samples: Fusarium sp., Chaetomium sp., Mucor sp., Humicola sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizopus sp. and Actinomucor sp. Certain species were found in soil samples treated with tribenuron-methyl and nicosulfuron, using increased doses. Other species had reduced-growth due to their sensitivity to xenobiotics. Still, other species appear in treated variants: Stachybotrys sp., Cladosporium sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. and Fusarium sp. in every experimental variant presented an increasing resistance to the action of xenobiotic substances.

Key words: Sulphonylureic herbicide, fungi communities, xenobiotic.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 4729-6836 Vol. 5 (6), pp. 001-009, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Molecular detection of methicillin resistance gene (mec A gene) and pathogenic genes among Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical and drinking water samples of HIV and AIDS patients in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Samie A. and Shivambu N.

University of Venda, Department of Microbiology, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo, South Africa.

Accepted 13 January, 2018

Abstract

In the present study, Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from de-identified clinical samples including urine, sputum, and stools obtained from Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients as well as their drinking water samples were analysed. Antibiotic resistance was tested by the disc diffusion while biofilm was tested using the microplate method. Methicillin resistance was tested from all the S. aureus isolates by the oxacillin agar plate and the mec A gene was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. A subset of 50 isolates randomly selected were analysed for the presence of 5 different S. aureus enterotoxins (SEA-SEE) using a multiplex PCR procedure, of the 140 S. aureus isolates from 478 samples, 18 (14%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 3 out of the 18 showed resistance to vancomycin (17%) compared to methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) among which vancomycin resistance was 11%. Methicillin resistance was more common among the sputum isolates 4 (27%) compared to 7 (15.5%) and 7 (12%) from urine and stool isolates. None of the 17 water isolates was positive for MRSA. Pathogenic genes were detected in 13 (26%) isolates. Staphylococcus enterotoxin A (SEA) was the most commonly detected gene 12 (24%) and was more prevalent among organisms isolated from urine 8 (35%) (c² = 8.196; p = 0.042). The present study indicated that Staphylococcus enterotoxin A is the most common pathogenic gene. Based on the results obtained, it can be hypothesised that pathogenic S. aureus (producing biofilm and staphylococcal enterotoxin A) are responsible for urinary tract infections among HIV patients in the Limpopo Province. Furthermore, water could be a transmission vector of staphylococcal UTIs among HIV and AIDS patients in this region. However, further studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses.

Key words: HIV and AIDS, Staphylococcus aureus, biofilm, antibiotic susceptibility, epidemiology, Venda, South Africa, toxins, mec A.