Aspergilli and their aflatoxins contamination of poultry and animal feedstuff samples in western region of Saudi Arabia

Aspergillus and their aflatoxins contaminations were studied in sixty poultry and animal feedstuff samples collected from the western region (Jeddah, Makkah and Taif cities) from Saudi Arabia. Fourteen species of Aspergillus were isolated and identified in the present investigation using Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) at 27ºC. The identification of isolated Aspergillus was confirmed by using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing for representative species (194 species) of the collected Aspergillus sp. were sequenced and the obtained sequence results were deposited in Gene Bank under accession numbers. The sequence results indicated to the full correspondence between the molecular identification of the isolated fungi and the morphological identification. Moisture content was considered indicator for the number of Aspergillus isolated, therefore, Aspergillus and their aflatoxins were isolated in high counts from Jeddah and Taif according to the moisture content. Therefore, A. flavus was the most common species (59.78%), followed by A. niger (21.59%). The co-occurrence of Aspergillus species ranged from one species to 6 species per sample. The frequencies of occurrence for most afltoxigenic species isolated from studied samples ranged from 2 to 56%. Aspergillus flavus contaminated the majority of investigated feedstuff samples and the co-occurrence of more than one aflatoxigenic species was reported in many samples

Genetic heterogeneity of CTX-M type extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producing Escherichia coli strains from diverse sources in Saudi Arabia

Background: The rise of CTX-M extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBLs)-producing E. coli in non-human sources is a growing concern of public health. Understanding the extent of public health risk attributed to CTX-M type ESBLs-producing strains from different sources is critical for effective control.Objective: This study focuses on detection and molecular typing of CTX-M type ESBL-producing E. coli isolated from various sources in Taif, Western Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: A total of 24 E. coli ESBLs-producing isolates from multiple sources were assessed for the presence of CTX-M groups gene by PCR, and subsequently their clonal relatedness by random amplifid of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Isolates were selected according to a resistance phenotype consistent with production of ESBL-type beta-lactamase using double disk diffusion method.Results: A CTX-M gene was detected in all 24 isolates. RAPD typing of E. coli isolates bearing CTX-M gene showed 24 patterns verifid into two major clusters (A, B) and three sub-clusters (A1 – A3). Phylogenetic analysis indicating a degree of similarity among clustering isolates from human, sheep and raw milk origins. Identical profie was observed between three isolates obtained from pet bird and chicken

Molecular characterization of aflatoxigenic aspergilli-contaminated poultry and animal feedstuff samples from the western region of Saudi Arabia

The aflatoxigenic abilities of 64 and 17 isolates of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus isolated from poultry and animal feedstuff samples collected from the western region of Saudi Arabia werestudied. Thirty-three (51.6%) and 13 (76.5%) isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, respectively, were aflatoxigenic. The ranges of aflatoxins in A. flavus and A. parasiticus isolates were 4.4-110 and 143.6-271.3 ppm (μg/g), respectively. A. parasiticus isolates generally produced a greater amount of aflatoxins than A. flavus. A. flavus isolates from poultry, cattle, and camel and cattle feeds produced aflatoxin amounts in the range 5.7-110, 4.4-19.0, and 7.0-28.5 ppm, respectively.From poultry feedstuff samples, A. parasiticus produced aflatoxins in the range 212.5-232.4 ppm.Some aflatoxin biosynthesis genes (aflR, omt-1, ver-1, and nor-1) were detected with variable frequencies in all A. flavus and A. parasiticus isolates. The genetic diversity among 64 isolates of A.flavus using internal transcribed spacer sequence results and the amplification of some aflatoxin biosynthesis genes revealed that the investigated isolates showed high heterogeneity

Molecular characterization of ochratoxigenic fungi associated with poultry feedstuffs in Saudi Arabia

Fungal and mycotoxins contamination of food and poultry feeds can occur at each step along the chain from grain production, storage, and processing. A total of 200 samples comprising of mixed poultry feedstuffs (n = 100) and their ingredients (n = 100) were collected from Riyadh, Alhassa, Qassium, and Jeddah cities in Saudi Arabia. These samples were screened for contamination by fungi. Penicillium chrysogenum was the predominant species taking into its account and frequency, respectively, in both mixed poultry feedstuff and barley samples (4,561.9 and 687 fungal colony-forming units (CFU)/g) and (66% and 17%). Moisture content was an important indicator for the count of fungi and ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin analysis of plate cultures was performed by a HPLC technique. Sample of mixed poultry feedstuff which was collected from Jeddah displayed the highest level of ochratoxin (14.8 µg/kg) and moisture content (11.5%). Corn grains samples were highly contaminated by ochratoxin A (450 and 423 µg/kg) and recorded the highest moisture contents (14.1 and 14.5%). Ochratoxin A production in fungal species isolated from mixed poultry feedstuff samples were high with P. verrucosum (5.5 μg/kg) and A. niger (1.1 μg/kg). In sorghum and corn grains, the highest ochratoxins producing species were P. viridicatum (5.9 μg/kg) and A. niger (1.3 μg/kg), respectively. Sixty-three isolates of A. niger were ochratoxigenic, and all of them showed the presence of pks genes using PKS15C-MeT and PKS15KS primer pairs. The detection technique of A. niger in poultry feedstuff samples described in the present study was successfully used as a rapid and specific protocol for early detection of A. niger without cultivation on specific media

Molecular detection of mycobiota and aflatoxin contamination of chili

Capsicum annuum grows in warm areas. Pepper production conditions require the drying of fruits by sunlight. During the drying processes, the crop is exposed to contamination by microorganisms, especially fungi. In this article, the isolation of mycobiota from retail markets and food restaurants of Taif city was studied. Crushed chili showed a high fungal load compared to chili sauce and chili powder, while chili powder showed a high occurrence of total aflatoxins (AFs). Aspergillus, Eurotium and Penicillium were the most common genera isolated from chili samples. Thirty-four samples (out of 60) were naturally contaminated with AFs ranging from 20 to 200 ppb. The total aflatoxin potential of 35 isolates of A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. tamarri were studied. Seventy percent of A. flavus isolates were aflatoxigenic. The frequencies of aflatoxin biosynthesis genes aflR, nor-1, ver-1 and omtA were studied in aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic isolates of Aspergillus species collected in this study. All aflatoxigenic isolates (21) and 1 non-aflatoxigenic isolate of A. flavus showed DNA fragments that correspond to the complete set of the targeted genes. In conclusion, the high co-occurrence of Aspergillus species capable of producing aflatoxins, particularly in chili samples, suggests the need for more efficient control during processing and storage to reduce fungal contamination

The Anti-Fasciolasis Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Produced by Trichoderma harzianum and Their Improvement of the Anti-Fasciolasis Drug Triclabendazole

Recently, new strains of Fasciola demonstrated drug resistance, which increased the need for new drugs or improvement of the present drugs. Nanotechnology is expected to open some new opportunities to fight and prevent diseases using an atomic scale tailoring of materials. The ability to uncover the structure and function of biosystems at the nanoscale, stimulates research leading to improvement in biology, biotechnology, medicine and healthcare. The size of nanomaterials is similar to that of most biological molecules and structures; therefore, nanomaterials can be useful for both in vivo and in vitro biomedical research and applications. Therefore, this work aimed to isolate fungal strains from Taif soil samples, which have the ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The fungus Trichoderma harzianum, when challenged with silver nitrate solution, accumulated silver nanoparticles (AgNBs) on the surface of its cell wall in 72 h. These nanoparticles, dislodged by ultrasonication, showed an absorption peak at 420 nm in a UV-visible spectrum, corresponding to the plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. The transmission electron micrographs of dislodged nanoparticles in aqueous solution showed the production of reasonably monodisperse silver nanoparticles (average particle size: 4.66 nm) by the fungus. The percentage of non hatching eggs treated with the Triclabendazole drug was 69.67%, while this percentage increased to 89.67% in combination with drug and AgNPs