Epidemiological study of antibiotic resistance of clinical isolates in Lebanon

Les infections dues aux bactéries gram-négatif multi résistantes en particulier la résistance aux carbapénèmes, représentent un problème majeur de santé publique. La hausse des taux de résistance à ces antibiotiques a conduit à la réutilisation de la colistine, comme alternative thérapeutique de dernier recours. Notre travail de thèse s'est concentré sur l'étude épidémiologique de la résistance aux antibiotiques d’isolats cliniques au Liban. Nos travaux se sont scindés en 4 chapitres, avec trois objectifs principaux; (i) l'étude des bactéries résistantes aux carbapénèmes, (ii) l'élucidation des mécanismes moléculaires de la résistance à la colistine (iii) l'émergence de bactéries à Gram-positif résistantes à la vancomycine. Initialement, une revue de la littérature sur l'épidémiologie et les facteurs de risque associés à l'infection bactérienne au cours de conflits armés et catastrophes naturelles en Asie et au Moyen Orient a été rédigée. Dans le deuxième chapitre nous avons cherché à voir l'effet du changement de traitement de la combinaison colistine-carbapénème à la colistine en monothérapie sur la résistance d’A. baumannii, en plus de la détection du blaVIM-2 codé par plasmide. Dans le troisième chapitre, nous avons détecté la propagation de bactéries gram-négatif résistantes à la colistine en raison de la mutation des (pmrA /pmrB, phoP/phoQ), ou mgrB. Enfin, nous détectons l'émergence du gène vanA d'E. faecium. Il serait nécessaire de mettre en place des enquêtes de surveillance de l’usage des antibiotiques pour éviter la propagation de souches résistantes à ces antibiotiques au Liban.Infections due to multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria especially the resistance to carbapenems, have become a major public health problem. This increase in resistance to antibiotics has led to the resuscitation of colistin, as a last-resort treatment option. Our PhD work focused on the epidemiological study of the antibiotic resistance of clinical isolates in Lebanon. This thesis is divided into 5 chapters with three main objectives; (1) the investigation of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in Lebanese hospitals. (2) the Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of colistin-resistant bacteria in Lebanese patients, and (3) the emergence of vancomycin-resistant gram-positive bacteria in Lebanon. At the start of this thesis, we have prepared a literature review on the epidemiology and the risk factors associated with bacterial infection in conflict wounded and natural disaster in Asia and the Middle East. The second chapter aimed to see the effect of the shift of treatment from colistin-carbapenem combination to colistin monotherapy on the prevalence and resistance of A. baumannii, in addition to the detection of the plasmid-encoded blaVIM-2 gene. In the third chapter, we have detected the spread of colistin-resistant gram-negative bacteria due to mutation of the two-component systems (pmrA /pmrB, phoP/phoQ), or mgrB. We detect the emergence of vanA of Enterococcus faecium resistant to vancomycin. This observation confirms that colistin resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is indeed increasing. In conclusion, it appears necessary and urgent to set up surveys to monitor the use of antibiotics to prevent the spread of resistant strains in Lebanon

Polyaminosteroid Analogues as Potent Antibacterial Agents Against Mupirocin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains

International audienceBackground: Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) constitutes an important risk factor for subsequent infections in some types of patient populations. Decolonization of carriers using intranasal mupirocin is widely used as a preventive measure. However, resistance to this agent has been rising and causing failure in the decolonization, highlighting the need for new alternatives. Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of polyaminosteroid analogues (squalamine and BSQ-1) against S. aureus strains with different levels of mupirocin-resistance. Methods: Using the broth microdilution method, we evaluated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of these molecules against S. aureus clinical strains including mupirocin-resistant strains. The emergence of resistance was evaluated by long-term and repeated exposure of a susceptible S. aureus strain to subinhibitory concentrations of squalamine, BSQ-1 or mupirocin. Results: We found that squalamine and BSQ-1 are active against mupirocin-susceptible and -resistant clinical isolates with MIC values of 3.125 μg/mL. Additionally, repeated exposure of a S. aureus strain to squalamine and BSQ-1 did not lead to the emergence of resistant bacteria, contrarily to mupirocin. Conclusion: Our study suggests that these molecules constitute promising new alternatives to mupirocin for nasal decolonization and prevention of endogenous infections

First Detection of Colistin-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Association with NDM-5 Carbapenemase Isolated from Clinical Lebanese Patients

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Bacterial infection during wars, conflicts and post-natural disasters in Asia and the Middle East: a narrative review

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Clonal Dissemination of Plasmid-Mediated Carbapenem and Colistin Resistance in Refugees Living in Overcrowded Camps in North Lebanon

International audienceCarbapenem and colistin-resistant bacteria represent a global public health problem. Refugees carrying these bacteria and living in inadequate shelters can spread these microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the intestinal carriage of these bacteria in Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Between June and July 2019, 250 rectal swabs were collected from two refugee camps in North Lebanon. Swabs were cultured on different selective media. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. Carbapenemase-encoding genes and mcr genes were investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Epidemiological relatedness was studied using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). From 250 rectal swabs, 16 carbapenem-resistant, 5 colistin-resistant, and 4 colistin and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were isolated. The isolates exhibited multidrug-resistant phenotypes. Seven Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates harboured the blaOXA-48 gene, and in addition four K. pneumoniae had mutations in the two component systems pmrA/pmrB, phoP/phoQ and co-harboured the blaNDM-1 gene. Moreover, the blaNDM-1 gene was detected in six Escherichia coli and three Enterobacter cloacae isolates. The remaining five E. coli isolates harboured the mcr-1 gene. MLST results showed several sequence types, with a remarkable clonal dissemination. An urgent strategy needs to be adopted in order to avoid the spread of such resistance in highly crowded underserved communities

Carbapenem and colistin-resistant bacteria in North Lebanon: Coexistence of mcr-1 and NDM-4 genes in Escherichia coli

International audienceIntroduction: The increasing incidence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria is considered a global health problem. This study aimed to investigate this resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from patients hospitalized in North-Lebanon. Methodology: All isolates were identified using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was achieved using disk diffusion, E-test and Broth microdilution methods. Phenotypic detection of carbapenemase was carried out using the CarbaNP test. RT-PCR, standard-PCR and sequencing were performed to detect resistance genes and oprD gene. Conjugal transfer was carried out between our isolates and Escherichia coli J53 to detect the genetic localization of resistance genes. MLST was conducted to determine the genotype of each isolate. Results: Twenty-three carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales of which eight colistin-resistant Escherichia coli, and Twenty carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. All isolates showed an imipenem MIC greater than 32 mg/mL with MICs for colistin greater than 2 mg/L for E. coli isolates. All the Enterobacterales isolates had at least one carbapenemase-encoding gene, with E. coli isolates coharboring blaNDM-4 and mcr-1 genes. Moreover, 16/20 Pseudomonas aeruginosa harbored the blaVIM-2 gene and 18/20 had mutations in the oprD gene. MLST revealed that the isolates belonged to several clones. Conclusions: We report here the first description in the world of clinical E. coli isolates coharboring blaNDM-4 and mcr-1 genes, and K. pneumoniae isolates producing NDM-6 and OXA-48 carbapenemases. Also, we describe the emergence of NDM-1-producing E. cloacae in Lebanon. Screening for these isolates is necessary to limit the spread of resistant microorganisms in hospitals

Control and Elimination of Extensively Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumanii in an Intensive Care Unit

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Investigation of multidrug-resistant ST2 Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from Saint George hospital in Lebanon

Abstract Background Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen causing various nosocomial infections. The spread of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii is a major public health problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology and the genetic support of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii isolates collected from Saint-Georges Hospital in Lebanon. Methods Between January and August 2016, 31 A. baumannii isolates were collected from sputum samples of patients infected with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and treated with colistin-carbapenem combination therapy. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. Carbapenemases, extended spectrum β-lactamases encoding genes and mcr-1/2 genes were investigated by RT-PCR and standard PCR. The epidemiological relatedness of the strains was studied using MLST analysis. Results Most of the isolates exhibited multidrug-resistant phenotypes. All the isolates were carbapenem-resistant and among them, 30 carried the class D carbapenemase bla oxa-23 gene while one isolate carried bla oxa-72 gene. MLST results revealed three sequence types, namely ST2, ST699, and ST627. Isolates having ST2 were the most prevalent clone (29/31, 93.5%). Conclusions This study shows a nosocomial spread of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii ST2 having bla OXA-23 gene in Saint-George in Lebanon. Monitoring and control measures need to be adopted to avoid the spread of A. baumannii to patients

Intestinal Carriage of Colistin Resistant Enterobacteriaceae at Saint Georges Hospital in Lebanon

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