Little attention has been paid to the problem of the spread of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in India. Between August 2002 to March 2003, faecal and urine samples of patients from various wards of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, were screened for vancomycin resistance. 36 VRE were isolated (18 Enterococcus gallinarum, 9 E. casseliflavus, 7 E. faecium and 2 E. faecalis). These isolates were characterized as low-, moderate- and high-level resistant strains by phenotypic as well as genotypic methods such as minimum inhibitory concentration determination, polymerase chain reaction assays, sequencing of PCR products and multiple sequence alignment of van genes. Correlations established between these results and the vancomycin resistance markers were designated as vanA (783 bp), vanB (635 bp), vanC1 (822 bp) and vanC2 (484 bp) according to the findings of earlier workers as well as comparison with existing databases. Prolonged hospital stay and vancomycin were important risk factors for both VRE UTI and colonization. Renal dialysis, renal failure, prior aminoglycoside and third generation cephalosporin were the other significant factors for VRE UTI. The study also highlights the importance of screening for VRE in clinical samples and recommends the institution of control measures to prevent the further spread of VRE.

No abstract

The present study was designed to detect resistant site of nalidixic acid through transformation and plasmid curing of S. aureus strains isolated from buffalo milk with subclinical mastitis and workers' hands. A total of 37 S. aureus isolates including 17 isolates recovered from buffalo milk infected with subclinical mastitis, in addition to 20 isolates recovered from workers' hands. All 37 isolates were investigated by detection of the 23S rRNA gene and various other species specific genes including coa, nuc and clfA. The antibiotic resistance of S. aureus isolates was performed by the discs diffusion method using 19 antibiotics. Plasmid transformation method was carried out by transferring the plasmid isolated from S. aureus into competent Escherichia coli HB 101 in order to detection the resistant site of nalidixic acid. Plasmid curing was accomplished by preparing different concentrations of nalidixic acid (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 µg/ml) and cultured transformed E.coli on LB agar supported with each of the aforementioned concentrations. The molecular results showed that six isolates (five isolates from milk samples and one from workers' hands) were identified as S. aureus by coa, nuc, and clfA species specific primers. The six S. aureus isolates were found to be resistant to at least 5 antibiotics which included the nalidixic acid. The results of plasmid transformation revealed that E. coli was able to grow on LB agar supported with 100µg/ml, 150 µg/ml, 200 µg/ml and 250 µg/ml of nalidixic acid and failed to grow on 300 µg/ml concentration.

No abstract

Atotal of 100/270 (37%) fermented Mannitol salt agar (MSA) isolates were obtained: 40/180 (22.2%) were from buffaloes milk with subclinical mastitis and 60/90 (66.7%) were from hands of milk workers. All suspected Staphylococcus aureus isolates which tested microscopically and biochemically were 15/100 (15%) of suspected isolates, 5/40 (12.5) from milk and 10/60 (16.7) from hands swabs of milk workers were diagnosed as S. aureus.

The antibacterial activity of the aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Lawsonia inermis (henna) leaves were tested against 46 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw milk, also tested against standard bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853). The highest antibacterial potency was observed for the methanolic extract with zone of inhibition (14.3043 ± 1.8722 mm), followed by ethanolic (12.9565 ± 2.0106 mm) then aqueous (11.6304 ± 2.2446 mm). The effect of methanolic extract against methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates was the excellent in comparison to other extracts (14.1± 1.88 mm) zone of inhibition followed by ethanolic (12.91 ± 2.372 mm) then aqueous (12 ± 2.41 mm). The isolates were subjected Kirby Bauer method to test their antibiotic susceptibility pattern, substantial antibiotic resistance were shown by 46 (100%) of isolates for ampicillin. Moderate resistance was shown by 31(67.4%) for oxacillin and low resistance was observed by erythromycin. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed that the presence of high amount of phenolic compounds in methanolic extract (5.4) mg/ml, ethanolic (4.9) mg/ml and aqueoeus (3) mg/ml. MRSA provides a prospecting for new compounds which may be particularly effective against infections that are currently difficult to treat (1).Aims of the conducted study are: 1) an attempt to determine the antibacterial activity of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of henna (Lawsonia inermis Linn) leaves against S. aureus isolates, and Gram negative bacteria. 2) antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates. 3) explore the biochemical constituents of extracts.

The present study assessed the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in diarrhea patients ,beef, and raw milk. A total of 675 samples were inoculated in trypticase soy broth to enhance the growth of E. coli O157:H7. Out of total samples 73.5% isolated as E. coli then cultured on Sorbitol MacConkey agar ,31.8% non fermenting sorbitol (NSF) E. coli colonies were isolated and confirmed by specific biochemical tests. From NSFEC 13.7% were diagnosed as E.coli O157:H7 by serological test ,the result revealed no significant differences in the level of contamination with E. coli O157:H7 between beef ,stool and milk .The isolated bacteria were tested for antibiotic susceptibility test which showed resistance 100% to cephalothin ,cefoxitin , cefixime, trimethoprim , amoxicillin, azithromycin, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and sensitive 100% to ciprofloxacin ,imepenim ,nitrofurantion gentamycin and amikacin. No major differences in antibiotic susceptibility patterns among the isolates were observed.

Extensive studies have been conducted on the microbial properties of Streptococcus pneumoniae all over the world ,but there are few studies in Iraq on the most important factors of virulence possessed by S.pneumoniae isolates found in Iraq , 195 of sputum specimens were collected from patients with pneumonia acquired from the community who were clinically diagnosed by specialized doctors depending on symptoms and Radiography of Chest. Eighteen isolates of S.pneumoniae were diagnosed by special traditional methods that used in the phenotypic identification. All isolates 18 (100%) have been given positive results for the optochin test , bile solubility test ,latex agglutination. Genetically , the study of virulence factors was limited to only 11 (61.11%) isolates by using the Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) technique, four genes were investigated responsible for virulence factors deemed necessary for S.pneumoniae to colonize and invade the host. The results showed that the isolates of S.pneumoniae in Basra city were fierce ,where the results of PCR amplification showed that the genes CpsA, LytA and Ply were found in all isolates 11 (16.11%) while the Psa gene was present in only 9 (50%) isolates within the current study.