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Novel drugs for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) hospital- and community-acquired infections are needed because of the emergence of resistance against antibiotics. In this study, methanolic and aqueous extracts of Berberis hispanica, Crataegus oxyacantha, Cistus salviifolius, Ephedra altissima, and Lavandula dentata selected from an ethnopharmacological study to treat skin infections in Sefrou city (Center of Morocco) were tested for their antistaphylococcal activity against strains often involved in cutaneous disorders: two methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and one strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis using the well-diffusion assay, while the agar macrodilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations. The total phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents of all tested extracts were also evaluated. Three of the five methanolic extracts showed an important antibacterial activity. Berberis hispanica extract was the most active with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 04.00 mg/ml against all tested strains, followed by Cistus salviifolius and Crataegus oxyacantha extracts containing the highest amounts of total phenols (133.83 ± 9.03 and 140.67 ± 3.17 μg equivalent of gallic acid/mg of extract). However, the aqueous extracts have not shown any activity against the tested strains. The current data suggested that the most active extracts can be a good source of natural antistaphylococcal compounds and warrants further investigations to isolate bioactive molecules.

BackgroundCutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is widely distributed in Morocco where its geographical range and incidence are related to environmental factors. This study aimed to examine the impact of several factors on the distribution of CL in Boulemane Province, which is characterized by several microclimates, and to identify the Leishmania species circulating in these areas.MethodsOrdinary least squares regression (OLSR) analysis was performed to study the impact of poverty, vulnerability, population density, urbanization and bioclimatic factors on the distribution of CL in this province. Molecular characterization of parasites was performed using a previously described PCR-RFLP method targeting the ITS1 of ribosomal DNA of Leishmania.ResultsA total of 1009 cases were declared in Boulemane Province between the years 2000 and 2015 with incidences fluctuating over the years (P = 0.007). Analyzing geographical maps of the study region identified four unique microclimate areas; sub-humid, semi-arid, arid and Saharan. The geographical distribution and molecular identification of species shows that the Saharan microclimate, characterized by the presence of Leishmania major was the most affected (47.78%) followed by semi-arid area where Leishmania tropica was identified in three districts. Among several environmental factors included in the study, poverty had the greatest influence on the spatial extension of the disease in this province.ConclusionsThe incidence of CL in Boulemane Province varies between microclimate areas, and environmental factors partly explain this variation. However, the existence of CL in the most affected districts is mainly related to poverty, population movement and human behavior. To our knowledge, this the first study utilizing molecular techniques to confirm L. tropica and L. major as the causative agents of CL in Boulemane Province. Our findings indicate that the spatial and temporal distribution of CL in Boulemane Province is strongly related to poverty and population movement.

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Objective: The present study aims the investigation of the antimicrobial potential of medicinal plants selected in the central north of Morocco against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strain often involved in dermatitis. Methods: Structured interviews were carried out among 91 herbalists and traditional healers through a specific information questionnaire, the in vitro susceptibility of Staphylococcus strains award ethanol extracts was evaluated using the well-diffusion assay, while the agar-microdilution method was used to determinate the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC). The total phenolic and flavonoids contents of all tested extracts were also determined. Results: Based on the ethnobotanical survey, a total of 55 plant species belonging to 30 families were mentioned. The Lamiaceae family was the most represented (18.80%) followed by the Apiaceae family (10.90%). Leaves (45.00%) were the favored used part. Decoction method (48.53%) was the most frequently used to prepare remedies that are taken externally (75.00%). Nine of the 17 most selected species have shown an effective antistaphylococcal activity; the most active extracts were Punica granatum and Rhamnus alaternus with MIC values ranging between 0.25 mg/ml and 2.00 mg/ml. Conclusion: The current data confirm the good antistaphylococcal activity of P. granatum and R. alaternus and suggest that these species could constitute a promoter source for antistaphylococcal drugs with deeply studies.

A short-term (2 h) assay was used to investigate the in vitro fate of Eimeria falciformis sporozoites in murine peritoneal macrophages. In minimal medium, uptake of sporozoites was low by both normal (naive) and immune macrophages. However, when heat-inactivated serum from immune mice was added to the incubation medium, sporozoite uptake was much more efficient. Sporozoite lysis was observed only in immune macrophages and required both antibodies and complement. Pretreatment of immune macrophages with chloroquine inhibited sporozoite lysis and resulted in an accumulation of sporozoites within the cells. Immunoabsorption assays revealed that IgG2a was the major isotype mediating entry of sporozoites into macrophages, both in early (6 days post-primary) and late (second) infections.