Prevalence of qnr, intI, and intII genes in extendedspectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli isolated from clinical samples in Iran

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of qnr, intI, and intII genes in extended spectrum betalactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli isolated from clinical samples in Kerman, Iran.Methods: A total of 127 E. coli were collected from clinical samples in Kerman hospitals. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using disc diffusion method, while the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli was determined by phenotypic confirmatory test. Furthermore, the presence of qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, intI, intII, and β-lactamase-encoding genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, the data were analyzed and associations between different genes and antibiotic resistance were evaluated.Results: The highest and lowest rates of resistance were observed against ampicillin (72.4 %) and imipenem (2.3 %), respectively. Also, 41.7 % of the isolates produced ESBL-enzymes. The qnrS and genes were detected in 6.3 and 0.78 %, respectively, of the isolates, while qnrA gene was not detected in the current study. The results revealed that 64.5 and 10.2 % of isolates carried intI and intII genes, respectively. Data analysis showed a significant association between ESBL production and class I integrin gene in E. coli isolates.Conclusions: Due to the variation in the resistance patterns of E. coli against antibiotics in different geographical regions, antimicrobial treatments should be based on local experience. Also, the coexistence of ESBL and intI gene in the majority of E. coli isolates suggests that care should be taken in choosing antibiotic therapy.Keywords: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase, E. coli, Integrin, Imipenem, Bacterial genes, Antibiotic resistanc

Biochemical Detection of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone from Biofilm-Forming Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Urinary Tract Infection Samples

Background: N-Acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) is found to be the main component of quorum sensing (QS) in Gram-negative bacteria and plays an important role in biofilm formation. Little information is available regarding the role of AHL in biofilm formation in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The purpose of this investigation was to biochemically detect and characterize AHL activity in biofilm-forming uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolated from urine samples of the patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Kerman, Iran. Methods: Thirty-five UPEC isolates were obtained from urine samples of the patients with UTIs referred to the Afzalipoor hospital. The isolates were identified by biochemical tests. Biofilm analyses of all the isolates were performed using the microtiter plate method at OD 490nm. N-Acyl homoserine lactone was separated from cell mass supernatants by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and analyzed by a colorimetric method. N-Acyl homoserine lactone functional groups were identified by Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results: The biofilm formation assay identified 10 (28.57%) isolates with strong, 16 (45.71%) with moderate, and 9 (25.71%) with weak biofilm activities. The UPEC isolates with strong and weak biofilm activities were subjected to AHL analyses. It was found that isolates with the highest AHL activities also exhibited strong adherence to microplate wells (P≤0.05). Two E. coli isolates with the highest AHL activities were selected for FT-IR spectroscopy. Peaks at 1764.33, 1377.99, and 1242.90 cm-1 correspond to the C=O bond of the lactone ring, and the N=H and C-O bonds of the acyl chain, respectively. Conclusion: We found that many UPEC isolates exhibited strong biofilm formation. The control of this property by AHL may contribute to the pathogenesis of the organism in UTI’s

Effect of cognitive therapy on mental health in patients with heart failure

Background: Patients with Heart Failure are at greater risk for developing mental disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety) which can lead to limitations in the professional, family and social tasks resulting in dependency on others. Cognitive therapy is commonly used to treat a wide range of mental disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive therapy on mental health in the HF patients. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 66 patients with HF were randomly divided into two groups using continuous sampling in Shahid-Beheshti hospital during 2012-2013. The intervention group received 8 sessions of cognitive therapy within 1 month and the control group only received conventional cardiac care. Data were collected using the Goldberg Health Questionnaire and then were analyzed. Results: Results showed no significant difference between the two groups in mental health, but a significant difference was found in mental health between the intervention (51.56±5.41) and control (62.23±9.32) groups (P<0.0001). Significant difference was found between mental health before (58.16±10.99) and after (51.56±5.41) the cognitive therapy in the intervention group (P= 0.003), while no significant difference was found in mental health in the control group (P=0.27). Conclusion: Cognitive therapy can improve mental health of the patients with HF. So, it is recommended as a complementary treatment, along with other medical care provided by nurses, for these patients