Isolation of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from Rattus rattus from Adhamiyah district in Baghdad governorate

This study focused on the isolation of methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from black rats (Rattus rattus) from Adhamiyah district. A Total of 30 black rats (Rattus rattus) used in this study. Specimens from the upper respiratory tract, feces, and urine were collected in aseptic conditions for bacteriological culture. Standard diagnostic methods were used to isolate Gram- positive (+ve) bacteria. All samples were cultured on mannitol agar, a differential media for staphylococci (Staph), and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Gram stain was achieved to identify Staph bacteria. Also, the biochemical tests and the API Staph system were applied for identification of Staphylococcus aureus. The results of this study showed that twenty-eight rats out of thirty were harbored Staphylococci. In this study, four samples of upper pharyngeal swab were negative for Staphylococcus aureus, while the other 26 samples were positive. In urine samples, 11 samples were negative, and the rest (19 samples) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. All examined rats showed no Staph growth in fecal samples. The isolated staphylococci distributed as coagulase-negative (S. xylosus, 2 (3.57); S. epidermidis, 6 (10.71); and S. sciuri, 3 (5.35), and coagulase positive (S. aureus, 45). Out of these forty-five isolates, 26 (45.42%) were from the deep pharyngeal swap and the rest 19 (33.92 %) were isolated from urine. The occurrence of MRSA was investigated by disc diffusion method. The results indicated that out of the 45 isolates, 42 (93.9%) and 3 (6.1%) were sensitive and resistance, respectively, to the Methicillin. All MRSA was obtained from urine. However, no Staphylococci were isolated from feces. In conclusion, this study approved that MRSA isolated from black rat (Rattus rattus) from Adhamiyah district could play a crucial role in spreading diseases to human and animal via dried urine, which is un-visible by the naked eyes. Consequently, the authors recommend another future studies to investigate in details the actual role of black rats in the transmission of infections to man and another animal

Detection of Toxoplasmosis in Rat (Rattus rattus) in Baghdad governorate/Iraq

The Toxoplasma gondii infects human beings and wild rats (Rattus rattus) worldwide. Wild rats are infected with T. gondii due to ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts and may play a significant role in the transmission of T. gondii infection to the humans. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii among wild rats. Acute and chronic cases of toxoplasmosis in rats caught from old buildings and garbage in Baghdad city/Iraq were determined serologically. The percentage of positive rats for anti-T. gondii antibodies was 45%. Moreover, the higher infection rate observed in male rats. The percentages of acute and chronic infected rats were 10% and 35% respectively. The association between the presence of infection with the rat sex and age and their collection sites was insignificant (p>0.05). In conclusion, this study approved the presence of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in wild rats in Baghdad city. However, the insignificant correlation between rat’s sex and age and its collection sites also observed. The authors recommend another future study including large numbers of rats in extended geographical area in Baghdad governorate to determine the incidence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild rats that might have an impact on the public health

Diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans from the milk of goat using Multiplex PCR as diagnostic tool

Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is distributing globally. It is an opportunistic saprophytic fungal pathogen that appears as a dimorphic yeast-like fungus. It causes a wide variety of cryptococcal reports have been recorded the isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from the milk of the mastitic goat in Iraq. Consequently, this study intends to isolate C. neoformans from the milk of goats that suffered from clinical and subclinical mastitis in Iraq. Three hundred milk specimens were collected from 163 mastitic and apparently healthy goats. All milk samples were subjected to conventional isolation and characterization tests, moreover, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) was used to confirm the diagnosis. The total positive ratio of mycotic mastitis was 41.33% for all tested samples. The total number of yeast isolates was 69 (55.64 %), meanwhile, C. neoformans rate was 7.24% (5 out of 69). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction confirmed 5 C. neoformans isolates. The results of this study revealed an agreement between the mPCR technique and conventional methods in the diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans. In conclusion, the results of this study approved the isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from the milk of clinical and subclinical mastitis of goats in Iraq. The authors recommend doing a further future study that includes a large number of goats and from different locations, to investigate the actual situation of Cryptococcus neoformans infection in caprine in Iraq using mPCR technique

Evaluation of Echinococcus granulosus DNA extracts from protoscoles and germinal layer in sheep

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by the metacestode of the dog tapeworm Echinococcus spp., is a global zoonotic infection. It is economically important and constitutes a major threat to public health in many countries. Strains characterization is essential for the establishment of a preventive and control strategy in every endemic area. This study was aimed to compare between DNA extracts from Protoscoleces and germinal layer of E. granulosus strain in infected sheep. Thirty, fresh fertile hydatid cysts from sheep’s infected organs were collected from different abattoirs of Baghdad, Iraq. All cysts were examined by light microscope to investigate the protoscoleces viability. Protoscoleces and germinal layer were seperated and DNA was extracted. Efficiency of the DNA extract was determined by degree of its success in PCR amplification. Genomic DNA mini kit and primers forward JB3 / reverse JB4 were used to extract DNA. The results showed that DNA extract from Protoscoleces were more visible and more concentrated than the germinal layers DNA and appeared at 448bp on electrophoresis. In conclusion, the result of this study revealed that Protoscoles DNA was differed and better than germinal layer DNA