Staphylococcal food poisoning is an intoxication that results from the consumption of improperly prepared or stored foods containing sufficient amounts of one or more preformed S. aureus enterotoxins. Nowadays, many researchers worldwide noted an emergence of resistant strains such as Staphylococci particularly for the antibiotic methicillin. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the existence of Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins, mecA genes, in selected food samples. A total of 400 selected food samples were collected from different areas in Khartoum State. The selected foods included cheese, meat products, fish, and raw milk. One hundred samples from each type of food were cultivated, and the resultant growth yielded 137 (34.25%) S. aureus, 126 (31.5%) bacteria other than S. aureus, and 137 (34.25%) yielded no growth. Eighty-four of the 137 S. aureus isolates were randomly selected and tested for the presence of mecA and enterotoxin genes. The oxacillin sensitivity test showed that 15 (11%) of 137 S. aureus isolates were oxacillin resistant. The PCR assay showed that the mecA gene was detected in 15 of 84 (17%) S. aureus isolates. Simultaneously, only 2 (2.385%) out of 84 S. aureus isolates showed an enterotoxin B gene product. There was a relatively moderate prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with very low frequency of enterotoxin B gene in different kinds of selected food samples collected from Khartoum State. These findings elucidate the increased risk on public in Khartoum being affected by Staphylococcal food poisoning upon consumption of dairy or meat products prepared in unhygienic conditions that could lead to intoxication by Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium, causing nosocomial infections with  intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms to a large group of antibiotics, including β-lactams. This study aimed to determine the susceptibility pattern to selected antibiotics and to index the first reported β-lactamases genes frequency in Ps. aeruginosa in Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods: 121 Ps. aeruginosa clinical isolates from various clinical specimens were used in this cross sectional study conducted in Khartoum State. Eighty isolates were confirmed as Ps. aeruginosa through conventional identification methods and species specific primers. The susceptibility pattern of the confirmed isolates to selected antibiotics was done following the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Multiplex PCR was used for detection of seven β-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTXM-1, blaVEB, blaOXA-1, blaAmpC and blaDHA). Results: Of the 80 confirmed Ps. aeruginosa isolates, 8 (10%) were resistant to Imipenem while all isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin and Amoxyclav (100%). A total of 43 (54%) Ps. aeruginosa isolates were positive for blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTXM-1, blaVEB and blaOXA-1 genes, while 27 (34%) were positive for class C β- Lactamases, and 20 (25%) were positive for both classes. Frequency of beta-lactamases genes was as follows: blaTEM, 19 (44.2%); blaSHV, 16 (37.2%); bla CTX-M1, 10 (23.3%); blaVEB, 14 (32.6%); blaOXA-1, 7 (16.3%). blaAmpC 22 (81.5%) and bla DHA 8 (29.6%).  In total, 3 (11.1%) isolates were positive for both bla AmpC and blaDHA genes. Conclusion: Ps. aeruginosa isolates showed a high rate of β- lactamases production, with co-resistance to other antibiotic classes. The lowest resistance rate of Ps. aeruginosa was to Imipenem followed by Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin. No statistically significant relationship between production of β-lactamases in Ps. aeruginosa and resistance to third generation cephalosporins was found.

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Background Staphylococcal Food Poisoning is an intoxication that results from the consumption of improperly prepared or stored foods containing sufficient amounts of one or more preformed S. aureus enterotoxins. Now days many researchers worldwide noted an emerging of resistant strains Staphylococci especially for the antibiotic Methicillin. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the existence of Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins, mecA genes in food samples. Results A total of 400 samples were collected from different areas in Khartoum state. The type of foods included Cheese, Meat products, Fish and Raw milk, 100 samples for each. out of 400 samples cultivated 137 (34.25%) isolates were identified as S. aureus, 126 (31.5%) were identified as bacteria other than S. aureus and 137 (34.25%) were yield no growth. Of 137 S.aureus isolates, 84 were randomly selected and examined for the presence mecA and enterotoxin genes products. Oxacillin sensitivity test showed that 15(11%) of 137 S.aureus isolates were Oxacillin resistant. The PCR assay showed that mecA gene was detected in 15 of 84 (17%) S. aureus isolates. While only 2 (2.385%) out of 84 S. aureus isolates were show an enterotoxin B gene product. Conclusion There was a relatively moderate prevalence of Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus with very low frequency of enterotoxin B gene in different kinds of food samples which collected from Khartoum state. These findings highlight the high potential risk for consumers of meat and dairy products especially in the absence of strict hygienic and preventive measures to avoid Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins production in foods.

Background: The continuous rise in the number of patients suffering from Helicobacter pylori is probably due to the changes in modern life. Nowadays, patients suffering from gastrointestinal problems are diagnosed through invasive and non-invasive techniques. The choice of a diagnostic test is influenced by factors such as the tests' sensitivity and specificity, the clinical conditions, and the cost-effectiveness of the testing strategy. This study aimed to compare molecular detection methods of H. pylori by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA, ureA and glmM genes with an invasive histopathological technique. Methods: 290 gastric biopsies were collected using gastrointestinal endoscopy from patients with gastritis symptoms in different hospitals in Khartoum state. Two gastric biopsies were collected from each patient for PCR and histopathology. Results: A total of 103 (35.5%) samples were positive by histopathological examination, 88 (30.3%) by 16S rRNA, 39 (13.4%) by glmM gene, and 56 (19.3%) by ureA gene. The highest sensitivity was observed in 16S rRNA (46.6%), followed by glmM (24.3%) and ureA (23.3%). While the best specificity was observed in glmM gene (92.5%), followed by ureA (82.3%) and 16S rRNA (78.6%). Conclusion: PCR test targeting the 16S rRNA gene exhibited the best results for molecular detection of H. pylori compared to other genes.