The aim was to evaluate the susceptibility of bla producing Enterobacteriaceae to Slovakian Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVEO) alone and in combination with cefotaxime (CTX). TVEO composition was determined by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Susceptibility to 21 antibiotics was determined by disc diffusion assay. Genes characterization for resistance to β-lactams was accomplished by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The antibacterial activity was investigated by standard methods. The synergistic interaction was determined by checkerboard test. Thymol (34.5%), p-cymene (22.27%) and linalool (5.35%) were the major components present in the TVEO. The identified strains were multi-drug resistant (MDR). TVEO showed high activity against all MDR strains, including bla producing isolates, with inhibition zones and MIC values in the range of 24-40 mm/10μL and 2.87-11.5 μg/mL, respectively. TVEO in combination with CTX showed a synergistic action against bla producing Escherichia coli (FICI 0.28) and an additive effect vs ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae (FICI 0.987).

No abstract

In February 2012, an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) was suspected in Ghardaïa district at the center of Algeria. Clinical, serological, and molecular investigations were performed to confirm the occurrence of PPRV. The overall morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates of the ten flocks investigated were 12.2, 2.5, and 20.3 %, respectively. At the flock level, positivity to PPR was 100, 90, and 100 % by competitive ELISA (c-ELISA), RT-PCR of blood samples, and oculo-nasal swabs, respectively. At the individual levels, the present study showed that out of 186 samples collected from the same animals 17/62 (27.41 %), 14/62 (22.85 %), and 36/62 (58.06 %) were positive by c-ELISA, RT-PCR of blood samples, and RT PCR of oculo-nasal swabs, respectively. The positivity of PPR was significantly higher using RT-PCR of oculo-nasal swabs than c-ELISA and RT-PCR of blood samples. The N gene partial sequence of five PPRV-positive amplicons revealed 100 % homology among them and phylogenetically belonged to lineage IV. The sequences also showed similarity range of 97-99 % with the strains implicated in the Moroccan and Tunisian outbreaks, however, suggesting that a similar strain is circulating across this area of the Maghreb and highlighting the need for a regional control approach.

One hundred and two Escherichia coli strains isolated from healthy broiler chickens collected from April 2012 to November 2014 in seven geographic areas of western Algeria were studied. Susceptibility pattern to 11 antimicrobial agents was determined by disk diffusion method as recommended by the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Antibiograms revealed high levels of resistance to quinolones and fluoroquinolones including nalidixic acid (100%), flumequin (86, 27%) and enrofloxacin (84, 31%), and to other antibiotics, notably: tetracycline (92, 15%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazol (80, 39%) and amoxicillin (68, 62%). However, a moderate percentage of strains were resistant to neomycin (31, 37%), chloramphenicol (27, 45%) and nitrofurantoin (21, 56%). Only 7, 84% of the isolates were resistant to gentamicin and all the isolates were susceptible to colistin. All isolated E. coli were resistant to at least three antibiotics. 96, 08% and 91, 12% of the isolates were resistant to at least four and five antimicrobials, respectively. Twenty eight antibiotic resistance patterns of E. coli strains were detected, of which 11 were present significantly. The results of this survey indicate very high levels of resistance to quinolones and to other antibiotics in E. coli from healthy broiler chickens in Algeria, and suggested that this reservoir of resistance may affect the therapeutic potential of fluoroquinolones in human and veterinary medicine.