The successful treatment of bacterial disease is relied on selecting a suitable drug based on the type of bacteria and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The study’s objective was to identify bacterial isolates from urine samples of patients from the community, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolated bacteria. A total of seventy urine samples were received in the clinical microbiology laboratory; out of which 18 culture-positive cultures and by direct identification using MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry) were identified. Of 18 identified bacteria, 17 (94%) were pathogenic. The culture demonstrated that the major species detected in urine samples were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Aeromonas caviae. E. coli (72.2%) was the most common bacterium retrieved from urine samples followed by K. pneumoniae (16.6%). Interestingly, all the isolates, except Enterococcus faecalis, were resistant to erythromycin. The isolates 8 of 13 (61.5%) were resistant to both of the cotrimoxazole and tetracycline. We performed MLST (Multi-locus Sequence Typing) typing of 13 E. coli isolates to study their genetic relatedness and diversity. MLST typing of E. coli showed a total of nine different STs (Sequence Types), which showed the diversity among them. ST 129 was the most common ST found in three E. coli isolates. In our study, two isolates with ST 1126 and ST 1432 represented the global clonal complex 155. MALDI-TOF MS provided dependable results for identifying the bacteria up to species level from urine samples by indirect culture methods. Such local surveillances are highly recommended for empirical therapy awareness and determining isolates’ level of resistance.
Mobile phones (MPs) have become a tool for the transmission of microorganisms due to lack of personal hygiene and maybe the sharing of the mobile phone by more than one person that which leads it to be a suitable carrier for microbes. This study aimed to draw a bead on the practices of hygiene of MPs among people living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by performing a cross-sectional survey of 204 participants. The response rate of this study was above ~95%. Results showed that 19.6 % of responders clean their MPs once in a day, but the majority (33.8%) never cleaned their MPs. More than a quarter of the respondents (28.4%) use tissue paper to clean MPs. Among the users, ~60% use MPs while eating, 76% realized that their MPs might be resource of transmitting microorganisms. The study was also carried out using standard techniques to identify and count the bacterial contamination using the MPs. A combined number of 75 MPs of the participants in the shopping malls of Riyadh were screened for microorganism identification. From 75 public MPs, 109 bacteria were isolated. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the predominant organisms isolate (76.1%) and with 1.8% by Staphylococcus aureus. Micrococcus sps. was also found (12.8%). A small number of Kocuria sps. were also isolated (4.6%). These results showed that common peoples’ mobile phones were contaminated with various types of microorganisms. The results provide an evidence base for the development and enhancement of hygienic MPs using practices.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on people across the globe. Its impact on medical students’ education has also been profound. Here, we aimed to comprehensively determine the nature of this impact on their choice of specialty. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic from May to June 2021. Data collected from 1984 medical students were analyzed. Results Of the total sample, 810 (40.8%) respondents reported that the pandemic could affect their choice of specialty, with the majority being in the third year (n = 235). Across all class-years, the most common reason chosen was the inability to explore specialties of interest (n = 539, 66.5%). Another reason cited was the inability to support residency application (n = 175, 21.6%). A majority expressed concerns regarding enrollment in research activities. As high as 17.9% (n = 356) of the respondents admitted that they were trying to avoid specialty with frontline exposure to COVID-19, while 353 students (17.8%) were considering local training programs only. While examining certainty levels, of the 1174 (59.2%) students who reported not being affected by the pandemic, 924 (78.7%) had a weak certainty level. The majority were in the third (54.8%, n = 342) and fourth years (44.8%, n = 212). Conclusions This study is the first attempt to thoroughly examine the effect of COVID-19 on medical students’ choice of specialty. This effect unfurled in 4 out of 10 surveyed students. Many students reported concerns regarding the inability to explore medical specialties and the inadequacy of obtained clinical knowledge. However, a subsidiary effect was observed among students who were assertive about their choice of specialty. These findings shed new light on the exigency of establishing a career counseling framework designed to meet individual learner needs, thereby galvanizing their morale. Further research could explore the long-term implications of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties Matching System.
Uncertainty persists concerning the role of ready-to-eat (RTE) salad as a bacterial reservoir. The attention paid to food safety by international agencies and international regulations has not improved food safety despite technological advancements, RTE salad’s microbiological quality and safety still seems challenging. The present study’s objective was to detect any microorganism in the RTE salads sold in supermarkets of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to interpret the susceptibility pattern of isolated bacteria to a set of antimicrobials. Phenotypic methods and biochemical analysis were used to identify the isolated bacterium from each salad sample. Antibiograms of the isolated bacteria was determined by VITEK system 2. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was performed for 15 Escherichia coli isolates for investigating evolutionary relationship and genetic analysis. The culture-based technique showed that the major species identified in samples were Aeromonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., E. coli, Roultella ornithinolytica, Citrobacter koseri, Luciferciaadec arboxylata, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Aerococcus viridians. Remarkably, Acinetobacter spp. showed the highest antibiotic resistance to erythromycin, nitrofurantoin and co-trimoxazole. ST 1887 was the most common one traced in 3 E. coli isolates, when total of 12 STs (sequence types) were specified to 15 isolates. A total of three clonal complexes (CC); CC-12, CC-14 & CC-23 were reported in this study. Implementing an accurate, rapid, and easy microbiological analysis method could be valuable for providing higher quality products. Based on the obtained results, dedicated regular RTE salad quality monitoring is recommended, and hand hygiene should be maintained while handling and packaging of RTE.
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