Integron-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Isolated from Intensive Care Unit Patients, Babol, North of Iran

Background. We investigated the integron types and their relation with antibiotic resistance among A. baumannii isolates collected from intensive care unit patients, Babol, north of Iran. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 73 bronchoalveolar lavage samples were obtained from patients in ICU. Susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method. Types of integrons were identified by an integrase gene PCR. Results. In total, 47.9% A. baumannii isolates were recovered from the BAL samples. All isolates were resistant to ceftazidime. 91.4% and 58.3% of isolates were MDR and XDR, respectively. The rate of colistin resistance with the E-test was 5.7%. Molecular analysis of class I, II, and III integrons showed that 25.7%, 88.6%, and 28.6% of the isolates carried the intI, intII, and intIII genes, respectively. Discussion. Our results show that different classes of integrons are commonly spread among A. baumannii strains and these genomic segments can play an important role in the acquisition of MDR and XDR phenotypes. So monitoring drug resistance in A. baumannii isolates with the use of int gene PCR is very important to plan specific infection control measures to prevent the spread of MDR-AB and XDR-AB in Iran’s hospitals

Prevalence, and virulence determination of listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from clinical and non-clinical samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, and virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from various samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR). Methods: A total of 617 isolates were obtained and MPCR was employed for detection of the inlA, inlC, and inlJ genes. Results: L. monocytogenes was detected in 46 (7.45) of the 617 specimens. inlA, inlC, and inlJ were detected in 100, 76.26, and 71 isolates, respectively. Conclusions: This study validated MPCR in the analysis and rapid detection of L. monocytogenes. The role of the genes in pathogenesis of the strains can also be affirmed. © 2016, Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical. All rights reserved

Comparison of heat shock response in Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis

Heat shock protein (hsp) is highly conserved, that serves a wide range of function in protein folding and transport. It protect from various type of stress including heat shocks. However, it is well known that the virulence of B. melitensis is more than B. abortus, but there is not any strong evidence to verify it. For this purpose, in refer to potent antigenicity of hsps in various infectious as well as some hsp molecules act as potent activator of macrophage (danger signal), we hypothesized that difference in virulence between B. abortus and B. melitensis may be originated from difference in pattern of response to heat shock induced by high degree of fever that usually present in brucellosis. To this end, five B. abortus and five B. melitensis strains isolated from cows and human, were subjected to 39, 40 and 42°C heat shocks. The bacterial whole cell proteins were extracted and resolved by SDS-PAGE. Western blotting was used to detect antibody production against the extracted bacterial proteins especially hsp60 in both control and patient sera. SDS-PAGE gels revealed protein bands mainly in the range of 10-100 kDa. The amounts of a 60 kDa protein band (hsp60) was significantly enhanced following heat shock at 42°C in relation to the unheated cells in both bacterial species. The heat shock responses in B. abortus and B. melitensis point to the higher production of a 60 kDa protein (hsp60) in both bacterial species, especially in B. abortus. It seems that, lower hsp60 production by B. melitensis would induce a relatively much lower immune response against the bacterium leading to its greater virulence potentials; the sera from Brucellosis patients reacted with several of these cell derived protein bands in western blots, none of which were reactive with sera from healthy individuals. The western blot protein bands showed striking differences. This observation points to the immunogenic properties of hsps, specially the overwhelming response to hsp-60. Therefore, hsp-60 can be a good antigenic candidate for engineering subumt vaccine against Brucella, as well as for ELISA test development. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Comparision of Aqueous and Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Foeniculum Vulgare and Carum Copticum with Gentamicin on Escherichia Coli Strains: in Vitro Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Due to bacterial resistance to antibiotics, new antibacterial agents is essential. In Persian medicine Fennel (Fuenoculum vulgare Mill.) and Ajwain (Carum copticum (L.) Benth. & Hook.f.) are recommended for the treatment of some infections. In this research, bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of fennel and Ajwain on E. coli were investigated. METHODS: In an in-vitro study 30 clinical isolates of urine culture of children with urinary tract infection from Amirkola Pediatric Hospital in Babol and a standard sample were used. Antibacterial effects of 4 grouos including aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of fennel and Ajwain by measuring the diameter of the inhibition zone using disc diffusion (concentrations 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 and 512 mg/disc) and determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) with Microdilution method was compared with Gentamicin (30mg/disc) as a positive control FINDINGS: There was no significant difference in inhibition zone with Gentamicin at concentrations of 64, 128, 256, and 512 mg/disc in standard and clinical samples. At concentrations of 16 and 32, Gentamicin was significantly better. The extract of 512 mg/disc (12.93±2.66) of hydroalcoholic extract of Carum copticum was significantly better than 256 mg/disc (9.53±1) (p=0.002). The MIC and MBC for standard samples were 4 and 8, respectively, and for clinical samples 3.83±2.36 and 5.8 mg / ml, respectively. Other extracts were not able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the Hydroalcoholic extract of Carum copticum has bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on standard and clinical isolates of Escherichia coli

ERCPMP: An Endoscopic Image and Video Dataset for Colorectal Polyps Morphology and Pathology

In the recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and its leading subtypes, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) and their applications are spreading very fast in various aspects such as medicine. Today the most important challenge of developing accurate algorithms for medical prediction, detection, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis is data. ERCPMP is an Endoscopic Image and Video Dataset for Recognition of Colorectal Polyps Morphology and Pathology. This dataset contains demographic, morphological and pathological data, endoscopic images and videos of 191 patients with colorectal polyps. Morphological data is included based on the latest international gastroenterology classification references such as Paris, Pit and JNET classification. Pathological data includes the diagnosis of the polyps including Tubular, Villous, Tubulovillous, Hyperplastic, Serrated, Inflammatory and Adenocarcinoma with Dysplasia Grade & Differentiation. The current version of this dataset is published and available on Elsevier Mendeley Dataverse and since it is under development, the latest version is accessible via: https://databiox.com

Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification and conventional PCR tests for diagnosis of common Brucella species

Objective: Rapid, reliable, and affordable detection of Brucella species via the molecular methods remains a challenge. In recent years, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a functional nucleic acid amplification technique offering a substitute to polymerase chain reaction (PCR). So, we compared the LAMP assay with the conventional PCR for the identification of common Brucella species in Iran. In this study, LAMP assay was comprehensively evaluated against the common PCR method. A group of specific LAMP primers were used to amplify a highly specific fragment from the sequence of the Brucella abortus, bcsp31 gene. Sensitivity and specificity values of tests were done with a set of 78 (50 Brucella and 28 non-Brucella) strains. Results: A dilution series of B. abortus DNA indicated that the LAMP reaction could reliably detect 10 (fg/µl) DNA target copies per reaction within 36 min, which is 10 times greater than the PCR assay. In summary, we conclude that LAMP assay provide accurate and fast test results to identify of common Brucella species in low-complexity labs, mainly in low and lower middle income countries. © 2020, The Author(s)

Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant acinetobacter baumannii isolated from pediatric burns patients in an Iranian hospital

Purpose: To survey the molecular characteristics of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from pediatric burns patients in a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Over a 10-month period, 73 non-duplicate A. baumannii strains were collected from pediatric burns patients admitted to Motahari Burn and Reconstruction Center, Tehran, Iran. The resistance profile of several antimicrobials was determined. Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing isolates were identified using double-disk synergy and an MBL E-test. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to detect the following β-lactamase-encoding elements: blaVIM, blaIMP, blaSIM, blaSPM, blaGIM, blaNDM, blaAIM, blaDIM, blaKPC, blaOXA-23/24/51, and blaOXA-58. The types of integrons were also identified using PCR. Results: Out of the 73 collected strains, 92.4 and 38.3 of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR), respectively. Colistin was the most effective antibiotic. It was found that 94.5 of the strains were resistant to imipenem, as determined both by disk agar diffusion and MIC E-test methods. Based on double disk synergy and E-test, 78.1 and 83.5 of the isolates, respectively, were MBL producers. The prevalence of blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-24 were 75.4 and 39.1 , respectively. The results also indicate that 62.3, 30.4, and 4.3 of the isolates were positive for blaVIM, blaIMP and blaNDM genes, respectively. Furthermore, 16.4, 76.1, and 7.5 of the isolates carried intI, intII, and intIII genes, respectively. Conclusion: The increased frequency of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii in burns cases underlines the importance of choosing an appropriate antibacterial regimen based on antibiotic susceptibility profile. Rapid identification of carbapenemase-producing strains would be helpful for selecting suitable antimicrobial therapy and preventing further spread of their encoding genes. © Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria

Study of Environment Temperature Effect on the Antibacterial Activity of Water Extract of Different Organs of Viola Odorata in the Different Stages of Growth

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Viola odorata is an important medicinal plant that used for the treatment of bronchitis, common cold and digestive diseases. Nowadays, due to the spread of bacterial resistance to antibiotics more attention is given to the activity of antimicrobial medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of environment temperature on the antibacterial activity of aqueous extracts of different organs at different stages of viola odorata growth.METHODS: In this experimental-laboratory study, plant after growth in three temperatures (10, 20 and 30 degree) was collected. Extraction was performed by percolation method, and antibacterial activity of extracts was investigated on three bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa with disk-diffusion and macrodilution methods. FINDINGS: Aqueous extract has antibacterial activity on all three bacteria so that has maximum effect on Staphylococcus aureus (concentration of 1µgr/ml) and minimum effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (concentration of 8µgr/ml). Evaluation of antibacterial activity of organs showed that cold treatment has more effect than warm and control treatment. With plant growth, antibacterial activity decreases in leaf and root, but in flowering stage it increases in flower organ.CONCLUSION: Results of study showed that water extract of the plant organs in two different temperatures on three bacteria has effective antibacterial activity. So, more effective components can be collected by creating optimal conditions for growth and using specious organs

A Study on the Effectiveness of Boericke Alcohol and Miconazole Ointment for the Prevention of Outer Ear Infections after Suction Clearance

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cerumen (or earwax) impaction is usually asymptomatic, although in some cases, it leads to symptoms such as hearing loss and discomfort in the ear. Various approaches with different side-effects have been applied for the removal of earwax buildup. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of external otitis after suction clearance. We also investigated the prevention of possible infections. METHODS: This clinical trial (IRCT:201104176208N1) was conducted on 184 patients, diagnosed with cerumen impaction, referring to the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of Ayatollah Ruhani Hospital in Babol city, Iran. Patients were examined at the time of admission and earwax was removed, using microscope-guided suction clearance. The patients were randomly divided in two groups. The first group (87 patients) received no special treatments and the second group (97 patients) underwent a prophylactic treatment, which consisted of acidifying the ear with 2% Boericke alcohol and application of miconazole ointment by a swab. Two weeks after the treatment, the patients were re-examined in terms of infections. Also, part of the earwax was cultured in an appropriate medium, and the type or species of microorganisms was determined via conventional techniques. FINDINGS: External otitis was reported in none of the patients in the two groups. The most common bacteria in the cerumen samples were Bacillus (19.58%) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (15.22%), respectively. Also, the most common cultivated fungi in cerumen samples were Aspergillus niger (21.2%) and Penicillium (13.04%), respectively. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the use of Boericke alcohol and miconazole ointment does not lead to any side-effects for the patients. Therefore, this preventive method is recommended to general practitioners with less experience in differentiating pure cerumen from cerumen with fungal infections

The Evaluation of the Causes of Otitis Externa in Children referring to the ENT Clinic of Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol, 2013-14

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Otitis externa in children is defined as the inflammation of the external ear canal and it is a common clinical issue in general medicine. This study aimed to determine the main causes of otitis externa in children in Babol, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 56 children diagnosed with otitis externa referring to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic of Rohani Hospital of Babol, Iran. Demographic data of the subjects including age, gender and duration of symptoms were recorded, and earwax was removed using a speculum. Afterwards, the obtained samples were evaluated microscopically, and were partly inoculated on media such as chocolate agar, blood agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar with Chloramphenicol. Eventually, the effective organisms were detected using different laboratory methods. FINDINGS: : In this study, the most frequent symptoms of ear infection among children were inflation (76.8%) and secretion (75%), while the most common clinical manifestations were inflation of channel (82.1%) and secretion (69.6 %), respectively. Moreover, direct observation of the studied patients indicated bacteria as the most frequent organisms (42.9%). The most commonly isolated bacteria included Bacillus, coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Streptococci, while the most frequent fungi were Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, otitis externa in children could be caused by fungi, bacteria or the combination of both these organism