Molecular Characterization of Extensively Drug Resistant Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Clinical Isolates from Lahore, Pakistan

Kokab Jabeen,1 Sidrah Saleem,1 Shah Jahan,1 Summiya Nizamudin,2 Faiqa Arshad,1 Zill-e Huma,1 Syed Mohsin Raza,3 Maria Mehmood,1 Muhammad Roman,1 Faiz Ul Haq1 1Department of Microbiology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan; 2Department of Microbiology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan; 3Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, PakistanCorrespondence: Kokab Jabeen, Tel +92 3128878893, Email [email protected]: The emergence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid in Pakistan has endangered the treatment options available to manage this infection. Third generation cephalosporin were the empiric choice to treat typhoid fever in Pakistan, but acquisition of ESBLs have knocked them out of the arsenal. The current empiric choice is azithromycin which is vulnerable to resistance too. This study aimed to assess the burden of XDR typhoid and the frequency of resistance determinants in blood culture samples collected from different hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan.Methods: A total of 835 blood cultures were collected from different tertiary care hospitals in Lahore during January 2019 to December 2021. Among 835 blood cultures, 389 Salmonella Typhi were identified, and 150 were XDR S. Typhi (resistant to all recommended antibiotics). Antibiotics resistance genes of the first-line drugs (blaTEM-1, catA1, sul 1, and dhfR7) and second line drugs (gyrB, gyrA, qnrS, ParC and ParE) were investigated among XDR S. Typhi. There were different CTX-M genes isolated using the specific primers, blaCTX-M-U, blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-8 and blaCTX-M-9.Results: Antibiotic resistant genes of the first-line drugs were isolated with different frequency, blaTEM-1 (72.6%), catA1 (86.6%), sul 1 (70%), and dhfR7 (56%). Antibiotics resistance genes of second-line drugs were isolated as: gyrB (60%), gyrA (49.3%), qnrS (32.6%), parC (44%) and parE (28%). Among CTX-M genes, blaCTX-M-U (63.3%) was the most frequent followed by blaCTX-M-15 (39.3%) and blaCTX-M-1 (26%).Conclusion: Our study concluded that XDR isolates circulating in Pakistan have acquired first-line and second-line antibiotic resistant genes quite successfully along with CTX-M genes (ESBLs) rendering them resistant to the third generation cephalosporins as well. Emergence of azithromycin resistance in XDR S. Typhi which is currently used as an empiric treatment option is worrisome and needs to be monitored carefully in endemic countries like Pakistan.Keywords: Salmonella, antimicrobial resistance, plasmids, XDR typhoi

Cyberloafing in IT classrooms: exploring the role of the psycho-social environment in the classroom, attitude to computers and computing courses, motivation and learning strategies

The purpose of this study is to find out the level of cyberloafing behaviors of the students in information technologies (IT) classrooms; and to examine the relationship between cyberloafing behaviors and the psycho-social perceptions, attitudes and motivation for the courses and learning strategies. Correlational method was utilized; and structural equation modelling is applied to analyze the data. The study was carried out with the students who take Computing I course in the IT classroom. Data were collected from 607 university students by utilizing five self-report instruments: demographic information form', cyberloafing activities scale', what is happening in this class? questionnaire', attitude to computers and computing courses questionnaire' and motivated strategies for learning questionnaire'. The results demonstrate that students' cyberloafing behaviors are influenced by their psycho-social perceptions, attitudes and learning strategies. However, the results demonstrate that students' cyberloafing behaviors aren't influenced by their motivation for the courses. Further research studies and implications are presented and discussed