Background: A biofilm is group of bacteria embedded in a self-produced matrix made of polysaccharide and protein. Bacterial biofilms cause chronic infections because they show increased tolerance to antibiotics and disinfectant chemicals as well as resisting phagocytosis. Biofilm bacteria show much greater resistance to antibiotics than their free-living counterparts. Essential oils are a cheap and effective alternative to antibiotics that could be used to combat antibiotics resistant microorganisms. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of essential oil of wild Thymus vulgaris grown in Jordan on biofilm-forming clinical bacterial isolates. Results: All of the isolates included in this study were able to produce a stable biofilm that adhered to polystyrene microwells. Thymus vulgaris essential oil produced inhibitory effects against all isolates with considerable variation in susceptibility. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and biofilm inhibitory concentration (BIC) values varied between 0.0625 to 2% v/v. Isolate 6 (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was the most resistant for both planktonic and biofilm growth while isolate 4 Escherichia coli was the most sensitive. Isolate 6 was the only isolate to exhibit a specific biofilm-related response to Thymus vulgaris essential oil i.e. the minimum Thymus vulgaris essential oil concentration needed to inhibit biofilm adherence was much lower than that required to inhibit planktonic growth. For the remaining isolates, BIC for the biofilm did not differ from the MIC for planktonic. Thymus vulgaris essential oil was able to inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa adherence to polystyrene. Conclusions The MIC and BIC values of Thymus vulgaris essential oil show that the essential oil has strong antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. Thymus vulgaris was able to inhibit biofilm formation in the most tolerant isolate at sub-inhibitory concentrations.

BackgroundAsthma is a highly prevalent condition that remains difficult to control, as its associated factors remain poorly understood. Thus, the primary aim of the present investigation was to determine the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma in hospital units in south Jordan and to evaluate the risk factors that may contribute to uncontrolled asthma.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving 93 patients aged 40.5 ± 13.6 years that met the criteria of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Relevant patient data were collected via a questionnaire and through a review of medical records. The questionnaire comprised of sections pertaining to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as pharmacological asthma treatment, asthma severity and asthma control. Asthma severity was determined in line with the GINA guidelines, whereby the patients were classified into four groups (intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent or severe persistent). Moreover, based on the findings yielded by the asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), patients were divided into three levels, whereby those diagnosed with partly controlled and uncontrolled asthma were combined into one group, denoted as “poorly controlled asthma”, with “uncontrolled asthma” and “controlled asthma” as the remaining two groups. Atopy was defined as one or more positive reactions (A/H ratio > 1) on a skin prick test.ResultsAsthma control was achieved in 45.2% of the sample. Moreover, older age, severe asthma according to the GINA guidelines, longer duration of asthma, atopy, being on treatment for asthma and history of allergic rhinitis were identified as the main risk factors contributing to poorly controlled asthma. Multivariate analyses, however, revealed that only atopy to two or more allergens and having severe asthmatic attacks were statistically significantly associated with poorly controlled asthma, for which the odds ratio Mantel-Haenszel (ORMH) of 17.2 and 2.2 was obtained, respectively.ConclusionOur findings indicate that severe asthma and atopy to two or more allergens are the main risk factors for uncontrolled asthma. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results.

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Objectives To assess serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH vitamin D) levels in Jordanian children with bronchial asthma, and to examine correlations between 25-OH vitamin D levels and asthma severity and control. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Paediatric Chest Clinic, Al-Karak Governmental Hospital, Southern Jordan, between May 2015 and February 2016. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was determined in children aged 1–14 years diagnosed with bronchial asthma (6–14 years) or recurrent wheezing episodes (<6 years). Asthma severity was determined based on the Global Initiative for Asthma assessment, the Asthma Control Test, and the Childhood Asthma Control Test. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between patients with low and normal 25-OH vitamin D levels, and correlations between asthma severity and 25-OH vitamin D level were assessed. Results Out of 98 included children, 25-OH vitamin D levels were deficient and insufficient in 41 (41.8%) and 34 (34.7%) children, respectively. Only 23 (23.5%) had sufficient 25-OH vitamin D levels. A significant correlation was found between severity of asthma symptoms and 25-OH vitamin D deficiency. Conclusion 25-OH vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Jordanian children with bronchial asthma and correlates significantly with asthma severity.

BackgroundHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been associated with gastritis, gastric ulcer, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastric cancer. The prevalence of H. pylori virulence genes have been studied in different populations and from different sources of samples but their prevalence has not been studied in dental plaque in Jordanian people; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the genotypes of H. pylori isolated from dental plaque samples.MethodsDental plaque samples were collected from 60 Jordanian volunteers. The genotypes of H. pylori virulence genes including the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and the vacuolating toxin (vacA) were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsThe cagA gene was detected in 14 (23.3%) samples, while vacA was detected in all volunteers enrolled in this study (100%). The most prevalent vacA alleles were m2 and s1 in 54 (90%) and 55 (91.7%) of volunteers, respectively. Compared to the other combinations including the most virulent vacA genotype s1/m1 which was detected in 11 (18.2%) of volunteers, the most prevalent vacA allelic combinations were s1/m2 and s2/m2 in 56 (93.3%) and 27 (45%) of volunteers, respectively.ConclusionsThese results indicate a significant carriage of virulent H. pylori strains among Jordanian people in their dental plaques, which increases the possible transmission of these strains among them. In addition, the studying of the genotypic pattern of H. pylori virulence genes in the dental plaque could represent an essential tool for infection prevention and predicting the severity and prognosis of H. pylori gastric infection.