Background: Stenotrophomonas infections are becoming more widespread around the world and can be counted as a "newly emerging pathogen of concern". The present study aimed to detect a variety of Stenotrophomonas species (S. maltophilia) using specific 23S rRNA gene primers and investigate their multi-drug resistance potential.Methods: This study includes 375 clinical samples from different clinical sources 175 from males and 200 from females collected from Mosul City Hospital. Identification of Stenotrophomonas was conducted through multiple steps including culturing methods, molecular methods in addition to some biochemical tests 11(3%) of isolates belonged to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The isolates understudy were tested for their ability to resist 10 different antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.Results: The resistance rate to amoxicillin, gentamicin, and amikacin (100%), cefixime (91%), imipenem (64%), meropenem(55%), Azithromycin (36%), nalidixic acid and trimethoprim (18%), ciprofloxacin(0%). The virulence factors of S. maltophilia siderophores were found in all (11) isolates belonging to S. maltophilia at a percentage (100%). The result of PCR assay using specific primers designed for detecting 23S rRNA genes of S. maltophilia gives amplification for 11 isolates from 14 suspected isolates. Nucleic acid sequencing for the 23S rRNA gene shows that all isolates belong to S. maltophilia with a similarity rate (91-99) in NCBI.Because the 23S rRNA gene sequence in Stenotrophomonas species shows more variety in this location this study used specific 23S rRNA gene primers to identify S. maltophilia.Conclusion: The study used phenotypic and molecular diagnostic techniques to isolate the bacteria, including the S rRNA23 gene. The results emphasize the need for increased vigilance in hospitals to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the development of new treatment strategies.

• MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Microbial genetics   MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial genetics   MeSH
• Cross Infection genetics   microbiology   MeSH
• Clinical Studies as Topic methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbiological Techniques methods   MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction methods   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 23S * analysis   genetics   MeSH
• Siderophores analysis   genetics   MeSH
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia * genetics   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH

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Background: Fosfomycin (FOS) is an older antimicrobial agent newly rediscovered as a possible treatment for infections with limited therapeutic options (e.g., Gram-negative bacteria with difficult-to-treat resistance, DTR), especially in intravenous form. However, for correct usage of FOS, it is necessary to have a reliable susceptibility testing method suitable for routine practice and robust interpretation criteria. Results: The results were interpreted according to 2023 interpretation criteria provided by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). DTR Gram-negatives were more likely to be resistant to FOS (45% in Enterobacterales and 20% in P. aeruginosa) than non-DTR (10% and 6.7%, resp.). All isolates of S. aureus were susceptible to FOS. In Gram-negatives, all agreement values were unacceptable. Etest® performed better in the DTR cohort (categorical agreement, CA, 80%) than in the non-DTR cohort (CA 45.7%). There were no very major errors (VREs) observed in P. aeruginosa. S. aureus had surprisingly low essential agreement (EA) rates (53% for MRSA and 47% for MSSA) for Etest®, but categorical agreement was 100%. Methods: A total of 130 bacterial isolates were tested and compared using the disc diffusion method (DD) and gradient strip method (Etest®) with the reference method (agar dilution, AD). The spectrum of isolates tested was as follows: 40 Enterobacterales (20 DTR vs. 20 non-DTR), 30 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15 DTR vs. 15 non-DTR), and 60 Staphylococcus aureus (30 methicillin-susceptible, MSSA, vs. 30 methicillin-resistant, MRSA). Conclusions: Neither one of the tested methods was identified as a suitable alternative to AD. It would be beneficial to define more interpretation criteria, at least in some instances.

• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Although Campylobacter jejuni is the pathogen responsible for the most common foodborne illness, tracing of the infection source remains challenging due to its highly variable genome. Therefore, one of the aim of the study was to compare three genotyping methods (MLST, PFGE, and mP-BIT) to determine the most effective genotyping tool. C. jejuni strains were divided into 4 clusters based on strain similarity in the cgMLST dendrogram. Subsequently, the dendrograms of the 3 tested methods were compared to determine the accuracy of each method compared to the reference cgMLST method. Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis has showed that MLST had the highest inverse discrimination index (97%) and required less workflow, time, fewer consumables, and low bacterial sample quantity. PFGE was shown to be obsolete both because of its low discriminatory power and the complexity of the procedure. Similarly, mP‐BIT showed low separation results, which was compensated by its high availability. Therefore, our data showed that MLST is the optimal tool for genotyping C. jejuni. Another aim was to compare the antimicrobial resistance to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and tetracycline in C. jejuni strains isolated from human, water, air, food, and animal samples by two gene sequence-based prediction methods and to compare them with the actual susceptibility of C. jejuni strains using the disc diffusion method. Both tools, ResFinder and RGI, synchronously predict the antimicrobial susceptibility of C. jejuni and either can be used.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial genetics   MeSH
• Campylobacter jejuni * genetics   MeSH
• Genotype MeSH
• Campylobacter Infections * microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Multilocus Sequence Typing MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

• Keywords
• Chirurgie, ortopedie, traumatologie,
• MeSH
• Neurosurgery MeSH

• NML Fields
• neurochirurgie

The diverse environmental distribution of Salmonella makes it a global source of human gastrointestinal infections. This study aimed to detect Salmonella spp. and explore their diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in clinical and environmental samples. Pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, and selective plating techniques were adopted for the Salmonella detection whereas the API 20E test and Vitek Compact 2 system were used to confirm the identity of isolates. Salmonella serovars were subjected to molecular confirmation by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Disc diffusion method and Vitek 2 Compact system determined the antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella serovars. Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) was calculated to explore whether Salmonella serovars originate from areas with heavy antibiotic usage. Results depicted low Salmonella prevalence in clinical and environmental samples (3.5%). The main detected serovars included Salmonella Typhimurium, S. enteritidis, S. Infantis, S. Newlands, S. Heidelberg, S. Indian, S. Reading, and S. paratyphi C. All the detected Salmonella serovars (27) exhibited multidrug resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes. The study concludes that the overall Salmonella serovars prevalence was found to be low in environmental and clinical samples of Western Saudi Arabia (Makkah and Jeddah). However, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of human and environmental Salmonella serovars revealed that all isolates exhibited multidrug-resistance (MDR) patterns to frequently used antibiotics, which might reflect antibiotic overuse in clinical and veterinary medicine. It would be suitable to apply and enforce rules and regulations from the One Health approach, which aim to prevent antibiotic resistance infections, enhance food safety, and improve human and animal health, given that all Salmonella spp. detected in this investigation were exhibiting MDR patterns.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents * pharmacology   MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial genetics   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests * MeSH
• Environmental Microbiology MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial * MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S * genetics   MeSH
• Salmonella enterica * drug effects   genetics   isolation & purification   classification   MeSH
• Salmonella Infections * microbiology   epidemiology   MeSH
• Serogroup * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Saudi Arabia MeSH

The aim of the current study was to screen and identify heavy metal (chromium, cadmium, and lead) associated bacteria from petroleum-contaminated soil of district Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan to develop ecofriendly technology for contaminated soil remediation. The petroleum-contaminated soil was collected from 99 different localities of district Muzaffarabad and the detection of heavy metals via an atomic absorption spectrometer. The isolation and identification of heavy metals-associated bacteria were done via traditional and molecular methods. Resistogram and antibiogram analysis were also performed using agar well diffusion and agar disc diffusion methods. The isolated bacteria were classified into species, i.e., B. paramycoides, B. albus, B. thuringiensis, B. velezensis, B. anthracis, B. pacificus Burkholderia arboris, Burkholderia reimsis, Burkholderia aenigmatica, and Streptococcus agalactiae. All heavy metals-associated bacteria showed resistance against both high and low concentrations of chromium while sensitive towards high and low concentrations of lead in the range of 3.0 ± 0.0 mm to 13.0 ± 0.0 mm and maximum inhibition was recorded when cadmium was used. Results revealed that some bacteria showed sensitivity towards Sulphonamides, Norfloxacin, Erythromycin, and Tobramycin. It was concluded that chromium-resistant bacteria could be used as a favorable source for chromium remediation from contaminated areas and could be used as a potential microbial filter.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents * pharmacology   MeSH
• Bacteria * drug effects   classification   isolation & purification   genetics   MeSH
• Chromium metabolism   MeSH
• Cadmium analysis   MeSH
• Soil Pollutants * analysis   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests * MeSH
• Lead MeSH
• Soil chemistry   MeSH
• Soil Microbiology * MeSH
• Petroleum microbiology   analysis   MeSH
• Metals, Heavy * pharmacology   analysis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Pakistan MeSH

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Treatment with anti-tumour necrosis factor α antibodies [anti-TNF] changes the dysbiotic faecal bacteriome in Crohn's disease [CD]. However, it is not known whether these changes are due to decreasing mucosal inflammatory activity or whether similar bacteriome reactions might be observed in gut-healthy subjects. Therefore, we explored changes in the faecal bacteriome and metabolome upon anti-TNF administration [and therapeutic response] in children with CD and contrasted those to anti-TNF-treated children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis [JIA]. METHODS: Faecal samples collected longitudinally before and during anti-TNF therapy were analysed with regard to the bacteriome by massively parallel sequencing of the 16S rDNA [V4 region] and the faecal metabolome by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The response to treatment by mucosal healing was assessed by the MINI index at 3 months after the treatment started. We also tested several representative gut bacterial strains for in vitro growth inhibition by infliximab. RESULTS: We analysed 530 stool samples from 121 children [CD 54, JIA 18, healthy 49]. Bacterial community composition changed on anti-TNF in CD: three members of the class Clostridia increased on anti-TNF, whereas the class Bacteroidia decreased. Among faecal metabolites, glucose and glycerol increased, whereas isoleucine and uracil decreased. Some of these changes differed by treatment response [mucosal healing] after anti-TNF. No significant changes in the bacteriome or metabolome were noted upon anti-TNF in JIA. Bacterial growth was not affected by infliximab in a disc diffusion test. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that gut mucosal healing is responsible for the bacteriome and metabolome changes observed in CD, rather than any general effect of anti-TNF.

• MeSH
• Bacteria MeSH
• Crohn Disease * pathology   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Infliximab pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Metabolome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The objective of the study was to assess cytotoxicity (based on the dimethylthiazol–diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell viability assay) and antimicrobial effects of poly(lactictide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles with entrapped mupirocin (PLGA/MUP NPs) on Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains using a disk-diffusion method, cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) and fluorescence microscopy. Based on the evaluation of the growth curve, PLGA/MUP NPs inhibited growth of the both tested strains already at a concentration of 0.29 μg/ml, and their inhibitory effect at concentrations from 0.29 to 1.17 μg/ml was comparable with free MUP using the disk-diffusion method. PLGA/MUP NPs also tended to increase the abundance of the dead cells of MRSA, but not of S. aureus, in comparison with free MUP when evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Further, cryo-SEM evaluation demonstrated an antibacterial-inhibitory effect of PLGA/MUP NPs on S. aureus in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, PLGA/MUP NPs cytotoxic activity tended to be substantially lower in comparison with both free MUP and empty PLGA NPs. It can be concluded that the excellent biocompatibility and satisfactory antibacterial effects of PLGA/MUP NPs constitute a suitable alternative as far as cutaneous wound healing is concerned.

Úvod: Akútna makulárna neuroretinopatia (AMN) je raritné ochorenie, neistej etiológie, ktoré najčastejšie postihuje mladé ženy. Cieľ: Cieľom práce je popísať kazuistiku pacientky s bilaterálnou AMN pri aktívnej akútnej infekcii COVID-19. Metodika: 32ročná pacientka s 2 dňovou anamnézou zhoršeného videnia bilaterálne prichádza na pohotovosť očnej kliniky Ústrednej vojenskej nemocnice SNP v Ružomberku, Slovensko. Symptomatika infekcie COVID-19 v trvaní 3 dni pred nástupom vizuálnych ťažkostí. Výsledky: Pri primárnom vyšetrení vstupná centrálna zraková ostrosť bilaterálne 20/40 nekoriguje, prítomné paracentrálne skotómy viac vpravo. Pri vyšetrení očného pozadia zneostrené okraje terča zrakového nervu viac vľavo, okolo fovey prítomné hnedočervené petaloidné lézie, periféria bez patologického nálezu. Realizované OCT a OCTA so záverom bilaterálnej AMN pri infekcii COVID-19 s nasadením nízkomolekulárneho heparínu (LMWH) v preventívnej dávke. Záver: V súčasnej dobe pribúda počet zdokumentovaných očných komplikácií infekcie COVID-19 vrátane mikrovaskulárnych príhod.

Aim: The aim of the present paper is to describe the case study of a female patient with bilateral AMN, suffering from active acute infection with COVID-19. Methods: A 32-year-old female patient with impaired vision bilaterally persisting for 2 days reported to the emergency Department of Ophthalmology at the Central Military Hospital in Ružomberok, Slovakia. The patient manifested symptoms of COVID-19 infection persisting for 3 days before the onset of visual complaints. Results: At the primary examination, initial best corrected central visual acuity was 20/40 bilaterally, paracentral scotomas were present more in the right eye. Upon examination of the ocular fundus, the edges of the optic nerve disc were out of focus more in the left eye; brownish red petaloid lesions were present around the fovea, the periphery was without pathological findings. OCT and OCTA were performed, with a conclusion of bilateral AMN upon a background of COVID-19 infection. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was administered in a preventive dose. Conclusion: The number of documented ocular complications of COVID-19 infection, including microvascular events, is currently increasing.

• MeSH
• COVID-19 * diagnosis   complications   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• White Dot Syndromes * diagnosis   etiology   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Vision Tests methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Case Reports MeSH