May 2013
Host cells response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections - role of quorum sensing molecules
Cell-to-cell signaling is vital not only for communication among superior multicellular organisms, but also among bacteria and for host-pathogen interactions during infections.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen involved in a wide spectrum of acute and chronic infections, also causing severe nosocomial complications. Among its multiple virulence determinants, the quorum sensing (QS)...
May 2013
A South African perspective on Helicobacter pylori: Prevalence, epidemiology and antimicrobial chemotherapy
The spiral shaped Gram-negative bacterium, Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach of more than 50% of the world’s population and can persist for a lifetime if not completely eradicated. High prevalence of the bacterium is common in most population although a majority of the infected patients remain asymptomatic; with only a small subset of infected people experiencing H. pylori-associated...
May 2013
Comparison of mecA gene-based PCR with CLSI cefoxitin and oxacillin disc diffusion methods for detecting methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates
The emergence of heterogeneous populations of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes major problems in routine screening for MRSA. Cefoxitin is a potent inducer of the mecA regulatory system and can be use for detection of heterogeneous populations of MRSA. Detection of the mecA gene by PCR was considered to be the “gold standard”. In this study we determined...
May 2013
Prevalence, seasonality and antibiotic susceptibility of thermophilic Campylobacters in ceca and carcasses of poultry birds in the “live-bird marketâ€
Thermophilic Campylobacter spp. are the primary cause of human diarrhea. The common source of infection is contaminated poultry. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry obtained from ‘pluck shops’ and provide a baseline of resistance profiles of Campylobacter spp. isolates obtained. A biphasic approach, with qualitative detection as well as...
May 2013
Biological control of spoilage and pathogens moulds in culture medium and Beninese traditional cheese wagashi by Syzygium aromaticum essential oil
The investigation highlighted the antifungal effectiveness in culture medium and traditional cheese wagashi foodsystem of Syzygium aromaticum (Eugenia caryophyllata) essential oil (EO) against spoilage and toxinogenic moulds isolated from wagashi produced in Benin. The chemical composition of the EO obtained by hydrodistillation, characterized through GC-FID and GC-MS analysis, revealed eugenol (75.2%) and...
May 2013
Downregulation in cytokines profiles and immunopathological changes in chicks infected with chicken infectious anaemia virus
The present study was designed to study cytokine profile and lymphocytic proliferation activity in chicken infectious anaemia virus (CIAV) infected chicks at various intervals of clinically susceptible age. Briefly, ninety specific pathogen free (SPF) chicks were divided into five experimental groups (A to E). Groups A to D were inoculated with 0.5 ml of 104.5TCID50 of CIAV intramuscularly at 1, 14, 21 and...
May 2013
Arbitrarily primed-polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) typing of Clostridium difficile isolated from different sources of Imam Reza hospital, Tabriz, Iran
Detection of the source of Clostridium difficile for the control of nosocomial infections produced by these bacteria is very important. For this reason 84 C. difficile isolated from 250 stool samples of symptomatic patients, staff, asymptomatic patients at first day of admission, the same patients after seven days of hospitalization and 135 samples from their hospital environment were typed by...
May 2013
Expression of haptoglobin in Trichosporon asahii induced skin infection and its immunoregulatory role in mice
To investigate the immunoregulatory role of haptoglobin (Hp) in the Trichosporon asahiiinduced skin infection. A total of 80 BALB/c mice were assigned into immunosuppression (IS) group and non-immunosuppression (non-IS) group. Mice in both groups were subcutaneously inoculated with 3.2 × 107 cfu/ml T. asahii suspension. 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 d after inoculation, mice was sacrificed and skin lesion...
May 2013
Short-term effects of biomass burning on soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing archaea
Biomass burning, a form of disturbance in soil ecosystem, is frequently carried out in farmland after harvest in China, which has potential influence on soil biological properties. To study the short-term effects of biomass burning on soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), a field investigation utilizing poplar branch (PB) and corn stalk (CS) as feedstock for experimental biomass burning was conducted...
May 2013
Epidemic diffusion of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in neonatal and pediatric wards in Rabta hospital of Tunisia
Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) cause severe life threatening infections resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality especially in neonatology ward. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and resistance of 131 strains collected between 2007 and 2008 in neonatology and pediatric wards and to determine the mode of their epidemic spread....
May 2013
Prevalence of Helicobacer pylori in saliva and dental plaque related to periodontal disease and gastritis
Helicobacter pylori is a major etiologic factor in the development of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Controversially, the oral cavity has been proposed as a reservoir for this bacterium. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in saliva and dental plaque of adult patients affected by periodontal disease, with or without gastrointestinal symptoms, using polymerase...
May 2013
The epidemiology of cryptosporidium in cats and dogs in the Thohoyandou region, South Africa
Cryptosporidium spp have emerged over the last decade as important diarrheal causing agents particularly among HIV patients. Zoonotic transmission has been reported and their occurrence in domestic animals is of potential significance from both clinical and public health perspectives, yet the occurrence of these organisms among animals in South Africa, particularly the Vhembe district, has not been described. The...
May 2013
Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism for characterization of Candida species causing onychomycosis
Traditional methods that are used to identify clinical isolates of Candida species are time-consuming and not appropriate for rapid, accurate and reliable identification. The aim of this study was to characterize Candida species isolated from fingernail onychomycosis by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with three different restriction...
May 2013
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and rubella among pregnant women in central Turkey
Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), when acquired in pregnancy, can lead to fetal infection, which may ultimately result in the loss of the fetus or in lesions involving the brain and the eyes. Rubella, when acquired in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, is associated with a nearly 90% risk of congenital malformations. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of T. gondii and rubella among pregnant...
May 2013
Diversity of culturable aerobic bacteria colonizing four petroleum by-products storage reservoirs
The petroleum reservoirs are commonly exposed to bacterial contamination. The proliferation of several bacterial species, could modify the product quality, change viscosity, help other sulfate-reducing, iron reducing bacteria to grow, and accelerate reservoir biocorrosion. Thus, companies of storage and transport of petroleum frequently use biocides to prohibit bacterial proliferation. However, the use of the...
May 2013
Isolation of a feather-degrading Bacillus subtilis strain from the alimentary tract of grebes
Grebes eat feathers, but the function of feathers in the alimentary tract and the digestion of feathers are poorly understood. In this article, we isolated Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium with strong feather-degrading ability, from the alimentary tract of grebes; we further purified a secretory keratinase with a molecular weight of 42KDa from B. subtilis. The optimal pH of the...
May 2013
Antimicrobial activity of Palestinian medicinal plants against acne-inducing bacteria
The antimicrobial activities of 56 Palestinian medicinal plants against etiologic agents of acne vulgaris, mainly Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus was studied using disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. The results from the disc diffusion method demonstrated that these plants differ significantly in their activity against the studied microorganisms. The most active plants...
May 2013
Bioremediation of pendimethalin-contaminated soil
One strain of microorganisms was isolated from soil previously treated with pendimethalin using enrichment technique and identified using 16S rDNA as Pseudomonas putida (E15). The effect of pH and temperature on the growth ability of the tested strain was investigated. The results show that the optimum pH and temperature for the growth of pendimethalin dissipating strain were 7 and 30°C, respectively. P. putida was...
May 2013
Morphological, molecular and pathogenic characterization of Alternaria longipes, the fungal pathogen causing leaf spot on Atractylodes macrocephala
Leaf spots were observed on commercial plants of Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephalaKoidz.), a perennial herb that is used in traditional Chinese medicine in Panan County of Zhejiang Province, China. Approximately, 40% of the plants surveyed in the field showed severe symptoms of leaf spot during the summer of 2011. Fungal isolates obtained from infected leaf tissues were grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), and...
May 2013
Effects of toxic and non-toxic crude extracts on different Microcystis species (Cyanobacteria)
Our objective was to investigate crude extracts toxic (MC+) and non-toxic (MC-) effects on the growth of Microcystis panniformis, Microcystis aeruginosa and Microcystiswesenbergii. Cultures were submitted to extracts MC+ at 5 and 10 MC µg.L-1, and to MC- equivalent weight of these concentrations. Both crude extracts worked toward reducing the growth of M. wesenbergii and...
May 2013
Isolation and identification of bacteria of public health importance from mobile phones of fish and animal handlers of Kashmir, India
Mobile phone is an extensively used personal gadget essential in daily life, gradually assuming the status of pathogenic agent of disease transmission. During the present study, 150 swab samples were collected from mobile phones of veterinarians, students (veterinary sciences), laboratory attendants, shepherds, meat and fish handlers of Kashmir valley for isolation, identification of public health significant bacteria...
May 2013
Assessment of direct immunofluorescence assay in detection of antiviral effect of garlic extract on influenza virus
Influenza virus belongs to Orthomyxoviridae family which is considered amongst the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to the lack of effective drugs and efficient vaccines, exploring for alternative or complementary traditional medicine seems to be crucial in order to prevent the spread of this important threat. In traditional medicine, garlic is one of the most common herbs used...
May 2013
Cyclosporiasis and other intestinal parasitoses in association with diarrhoea in Ilorin, Nigeria
This study assessed the profile of intestinal parasites associated with diarrhoea among patients with the history of gastrointestinal illness and those without history of gastrointestinal illness prior to time of sample collection. Both wet mount preparation and formol-ether concentration methods were used to detect intestinal parasites in 1,040 stool samples. Smears were made from deposits of formol-ether...
May 2013
Isolation and characterization of bacterial producers of optically pure D(-) and L(+) lactic acid
The aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize bacterial producers of optically pure D(-) and L(+) lactic acid for use in the synthesis of polymers employed in the production of resistive and biodegradable materials. Four hundred microorganisms were isolated. Of these strains, 20 had high capacity for production of only one lactic acid isomer which was selected for characterization. D(-) lactic acid...
May 2013
Evaluation of the importance of bacteria in vertical flow microcosms using streptomycin sulfate as the bactericide
The importance of bacteria in microbial communities of vertical flow microcosms was investigated using streptomycin sulfate as the bactericide. The bacterial loss reduced significantly total carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents enriched in substrate microorganisms (P < 0.05), but did not change the Shannon index of the microbial community (P > 0.05). In addition, the bacterial...
May 2013
Prevalence and characterization of Shiga toxin O157 and non-O157 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli isolated from different sources in Ismailia, Egypt
Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is recognized as important food borne pathogen, responsible for sporadic cases of serious outbreaks worldwide. The morbidity and mortality associated with several recent outbreaks due to STEC have highlighted the threat this organism poses to public health. This study was conducted to identify and characterize the virulence traits and antibiotic resistance of...
May 2013
Outbreak of ambler class A and D b-lactamase in multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from non burn patients
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of infections including pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bacteremia, especially in patients with weakened immune systems. This pathogen is intrinsically resistant to many antibacterial agents, such as most beta lactams. The aim of this study was to survey antibiotic resistance pattern and frequency of bla VEB 1 and bla OXA10 genes in multidrug-resistance P....
May 2013
Systemic infestation of Serratia entomophila AB2 through plant tissue inferred protection against insect pest and fungal pathogens
Serratia entomophila, a Gram negative non spore forming bacteria, is commercially exploited as biocontrol agent of pasture pest, grass grub (Costelytra zealandica, Coleoptera) in New Zealand as soil inoculants. As an exception, the strain S. entomophilaAB2 used in this study is having insecticidal property against pod borer (Heliothisarmigera, Lepidoptera), a phyllospheric pest. Expermental results...
May 2013
Efficacy of the essential oil of Origanum glandulosum Desf against skin infections With PVL-producing Staphylococcus aureus strains in mice
Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) caused by staphylococcal toxins including Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) have increased these last years. Treatment of these complicated infections is often difficult. The search for new methods and new antimicrobial substances is necessary. Natural products such as essential oils appear among...
May 2013
Activity of ethanolic extracts of Asparagopsis taxiformis against the major molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii complex
Infections due to Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii complex have been reported to afflict, not only humans but also other mammals including seabirds and cetaceans, proving that the actual animal exposure to these fungi in nature could be underestimated. In this study, antifungal activity of ethanolic extracts obtained from red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis was evaluated against eight major...
May 2013
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains isolated from broiler chickens affected by colibacillosis in Setif
In Setif East Algeria, one hundred and eighty Escherichia coli strains were isolated frombroiler chickens with colibacillosis and were examined for susceptibility to antimicrobials of veterinary significance. In vitro antibiotic activities of 12 antibiotic substances against the isolates were determined by disc diffusion test. Antibiogram revealed a high level of resistance to...
May 2013
Design and standardization of four multiplex polymerase chain reactions to detect bacteria that cause gastrointestinal diseases
Gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhea are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in children in the developing world, including Mexico. In order to diagnose acute diarrhea and dysentery, four-multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) sets were designed and standardized in this study. Main virulence genes of relevant enteropathogens, that is,Escherichia coli pathotypes,...
May 2013
Purification, characterization and immobilization of glucose isomerase from Streptomyces albaduncus
Glucose isomerase produced from Streptomyces albaduncus was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation, followed by ion exchange DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and finally on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 54 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophresis (SDS-PAGE). The final preparation by the...
May 2013
Role of Coriolus versicolor MTCC 138 in ligno-silica complex removal of paddy straw and its implication on biogas production
Paddy straw pretreated with Coriolus versicolor MTCC 138, is a ligno-cellulolytic fungus,used to enhance its biodegradability. The potential of microbial pretreatment on paddy straw digestibility was investigated at regular intervals of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days by determining the change in proximate (TS% & VS%) chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and silica content)....
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