No abstract

Background: Escherichia coli strains are common pathogens that can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). They are classified into phylogroups based on three genetic markers: chuA, yjaA, and TspE4.C2. The E. coli strains that cause UTIs possess several genes that encode urovirulent factors and antimicrobial-resistance phenotypes. We determined the phylogenetic groups of E. coli isolates from UTI cases in Sabzevar, Iran, the prevalence of certain virulence genes, and the antibiotic-resistance phenotypes in these strains. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of detected E. coli phylogroups in female UTI patients with the antibioticresistance pattern and the distribution of certain virulence factors among the phylogroups. Materials and Methods: Ninety-three E. coli isolates from 150 women with UTI were studied. Three genetic markers were detected for phylogenetic grouping of strains, and four virulence determinants were analyzed with multiplex-PCR, including the genes for hemolysin (hly), aerobactin (iucD), P fimbriae (pap), and S/F1C fimbriae (sfa/focDE). The antibiotic-resistance phenotypes were also determined. Results: The isolates from UTI cases were distributed within phylogroups A (31%), B 1 (10%), B 2 (28%), and D (31%). The prevalence of iucD, hly, pap, and sfa/focDE virulence genes was significantly associated with groups B 2 and D. The most-resisted antibiotics were cefazolin (93%) and co-trimoxazole (68%), while the isolates were most sensitive to nitrofurantoin (1%) and imipenem (2%). Conclusions: The phylogroups of E. coli isolates from UTI cases showed that groups D, B 2 , and A are prevalent in women in Sabzevar, as the dominant pathogenic phylogroups. The comparison showed that there was no significant difference in the occurrence of virulence factors or in the distribution of antibiotic resistance between urinary E. coli isolates, but the virulence genes were distributed more into groups B 2 and D, respectively. Our study showed that the highest sensitivity was to nitrofurantoin and imipenem, but the decision on a treatment strategy remains based on the physician's diagnosis and the antimicrobial-resistance tests.

From the Camelidae family members, several serotypes of Escherichia coli (E. coli) have recently been isolated from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic faecal samples. To date Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains have never been typed in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius). In the present study, two E. coli O157:H7 strains isolated from sick dromedaries were investigated. Virulence gene profiles were determined using a custom E. coli virulence DNA microarray, composed of 70-mer oligonucleotide probes targeting 264 virulence or related genes of known E. coli pathotypes. Both strains displayed positive hybridization signals for the Locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) gene probes (ler, eae, espA, espB, tir genes), two Shiga toxin probes (stx1 and stx2), the O157 O-antigen specific probe, various virulence plasmid (pO157) probes like katP in addition to other accessory virulence genes characterized in STEC.

No abstract

Seventy‐two 1‐day‐old broilers were allocated into four groups (basal diet as control, basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg Zataria multiflora essential oil) and fed for 6 weeks. In the term, chicks were slaughtered and their breast fillets were stored at 4C for 12 days. Lipid peroxidation was assessed on the basis of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formed, whereas microbial growth was assessed on the basis of total viable counts, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and psychrotrophic bacteria. Results indicated that incorporation of Z. multiflora essential oil in broiler diets caused the delay of lipid peroxidation in raw breast meat (from 296.08 to 472.65 µg/kg malondialdehyde [MDA] equivalents) in comparison with 854.71 µg/kg MDA equivalents of the control sample at the last day of the experiment (P < 0.05). Moreover, breast samples containing higher concentration of Z. multiflora essential oil showed lower bacterial count than the control and 100 ppm essential oil supplemented samples (P < 0.05) during the experiment. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This paper evaluates the effect of dietary Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil supplementation on the microbial growth and lipid peroxidation of broiler breast fillets during refrigerated storage. It seems that Z. multiflora essential oil can delay the peroxidation and microbial spoilage of chicken breast fillets. Therefore, Z. multiflora essential oil might be used in novel applications as a nutritional supplement or a functional food component.

No abstract

No abstract

Dietary intervention is a well-recognised approach to modifying milk yield and physicochemical characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing ewes' diet with tannin and/or linseed oil on the physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile of milk, as well as the antioxidant status of dairy ewes. The study involved 36 3-year-old lactating Moghani sheep randomly assigned to six treatment groups. Results demonstrated that tannin extract and linseed oil changed the fatty acid content of milk. In particular, unsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid were increased by the treatments (P < 0.05). Generally, groups receiving tannin extracts and/ or oil showed higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in their milk, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids including C18:3n3, C20:2, C20:3n3, C20:4n6, CLA cis-9 trans-11, CLA trans-10 cis-12, C22:2 and total unsaturated fatty acids.