Identification of South African Plant-Based Bioactive Compounds as Potential Inhibitors against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor.

The expected progress in SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, as anticipated in 2020 and 2021, has fallen short, exacerbating global disparities due to a lack of universally recognized "safe and effective" vaccines. This study focuses on extracts of South African medicinal plants, and , to identify metabolomic bioactive compounds inhibiting the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE2 receptors. The extracts were monitored for cytotoxicity using a resazurin cell viability assay and xCELLigence real-time cell analyzer.

Assessment of Biofilm Forming Capability and Antibiotic Resistance in Colonizing Indwelling Catheter.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Urinary tract infections from the use of an indwelling urinary catheter are one of the most common infections caused by <i>Proteus mirabilis</i>. Due to their biofilm-producing capacity and the increasing antimicrobial resistance in this microorganism, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, biofilm-producing capacity, antimicrobial resistance patterns, multidrug resistance and plasmid mediated resistance of the recovered isolates. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> A total of 50 urinary samples were collected from May to August, 2018 from patients on indwelling urinary catheters.

The Emergence of Colistin- and Imipenem-Associated Multidrug Resistance in Isolates from Retail Meat.

To determine the prevalence of and their drug resistance profiles in fresh pork sold at two retail outlets (open-air market and closed retail stores) in Alice, South Africa. Retail meat samples (n = 176) collected from four shops (two from open-air markets and two from closed stores) were analyzed by conventional biochemical and PCR-based molecular confirmatory tests. The confirmed isolates were profiled for antimicrobial susceptibility to a panel of 12 commercial antibiotics: tetracycline, ampicillin, sulphamethoxazole trimethoprim, erythromycin, gentamycin, colistin sulphate, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, and imipenem.

Emergence of species in ticks from free-ranging domestic animals in Raymond Mhlaba local municipality, South Africa.

Ticks infestation and diseases associated with it, are becoming a major life threatening concern to wildlife, domesticated animals and human health in general. Besides causing skin damage, ticks infestations have become a growing burden in food security and transmission of multiple pathogens. There is paucity of data on the occurrence of etiologic agents of tick-borne diseases in the Eastern Cape Province South Africa.

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Diarrheagenic (DEC) and Species Recovered from Diarrheal Patients in Selected Rural Communities of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Purpose: The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria remains as one of the major impediments towards the prevention and treatment of microbial infections and continues to be a serious threat to medicine. Henceforth, this study aimed at elucidating the antimicrobial resistance profiles of diarrheagenic (DEC) and species recovered from diarrheal patients in selected rural communities of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM), Eastern Cape Province, South Africa (SA).

Methods: The antimicrobial resistance profiles of diarrheagenic and isolates were evaluated using antimicrobial susceptibility tests and the relevant antimicrobial resistance factors were elucidated by the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique.

Beta-Lactamase-Producing Isolates Recovered from Pig Handlers in Retail Shops and Abattoirs in Selected Localities in Southern Nigeria: Implications for Public Health.

Antibiotic resistance evolution among pathogenic microorganisms has become a huge burden globally as it has increased the burden of diseases amongst humans and animals. The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL-Ec) and metallo beta-lactamase-producing (MBL-Ec) isolated from pig abattoir and handlers in retail shops was studied. In addition, the relationship between the isolates' prevalence and the background characteristics of the butchers/retailers was also investigated.

Genomic Profiling for Piroplasms in Feeding Ixodid Ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Importation of tick-infected animals and the uncontrollable migration of birds and wild animals across borders can lead to geographical expansion and redistribution of ticks and pathogen vectors, thus leading to the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals. Comparatively, little is known about the occurrence of piroplasms in ixodid ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, thus necessitating this study, which is aimed at detecting piroplasms ( and ) from feeding tick samples collected from cattle, sheep, and goats in selected sites in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A total of 1200 feeding ixodid ticks collected from farm animals at selected homesteads were first subjected to molecular identification using mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene by PCR and were further tested for the presence of piroplasms through amplification of the 18S rRNA gene via nested-PCR followed by sequencing of the PCR products.

an Agent of African Tick Bite Fever in Ticks Collected from Domestic Animals in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Ticks transmit a plethora of pathogens of zoonotic implications. Their distribution, diversity and the pathogens they transmit differ from one ecological location to another. is the agent of African tick bite fever found in South Africa, a zoonotic infection that is frequently reported among travelers who have visited many sub-Saharan African countries where the pathogen is prevalent.

Chemokine Coreceptor Usage Among HIV-1 Drug-Naive Patients Residing in the Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Sub-Saharan region in Africa still holds the highest burden of HIV/AIDS globally. HIV-1 requires coreceptor to gain entry into permissive cells to initiate infection. Molecular analysis of the chemokine coreceptor usage is important clinically and in the effective management of AIDS virus.

Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium pathogens as etiological proxies of gastroenteritis in some pastoral communities of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Objective: Cryptosporidium and Rotavirus agents have been associated with severe diarrheal illnesses and remain as one of the worst human health burdens in most developing regions. In the present study, we evaluated the incidences of Cryptosporidium and Rotavirus in diarrheal stool specimens of patients in some rural settlements of the Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Stool specimens from diarrheal children and elderly individuals were collected from clinics and hospitals within the rural communities of the region over a period of 21 months (February 2017-November 2018).

Phylogenetic profiling for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. from ixodid ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Ticks are obligate hematophagous parasite of vertebrate that transmit a range of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause diseases in livestock and humans. The range of tick-borne disease causative agents infecting domestic animals and humans has recently increased. Several significant zoonotic tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis among others are on the increase worldwide.

Molecular Genetics and the Incidence of Transmitted Drug Resistance Among Pre-Treatment HIV-1 Infected Patients in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Transmitted drug resistance (TDR) remains a significant threat to Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients that are not exposed to antiretroviral treatment. Although, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has reduced deaths among infected individuals, emergence of drug resistance is gradually on rise.

Objective: To determine the drug resistance mutations and subtypes of HIV-1 among pre-treatment patients in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Increasing diversity of swine parvoviruses and their epidemiology in African pigs.

Detection of infectious viral agents has been on the increase globally with the advent and usage of more sensitive and selective novel molecular techniques in the epidemiological study of viral diseases of economic importance to the swine industry. The observation is not different for the pig-infecting member of the subfamily Parvovirinae in the family Parvoviridae as the application of novel molecular methods like metagenomics has brought about the detection of many other novel members of the group. Surprisingly, the list keeps increasing day by day with some of them possessing zoonotic potentials.

Prevalence and capsular type distribution of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women in Namibia and South Africa.

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality resulting in septicaemia, bacteraemia and meningitis. Long term problems in children range from loss of hearing to mental retardation. While Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis (IAP) has reduced the incidence of S.

The activity of commercial antimicrobials, and essential oils and ethanolic extracts of Olea europaea on Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women.

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of disease in pregnant women and new born babies where it causes early and late onset disease characterised by sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Ten to 37 % of pregnant women in the world are colonised with GBS while intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has led to significant reduction in early onset disease. The increase in drug resistant microorganisms has become a major threat.

Prevalence of porcine parvoviruses in some South African swine herds with background of porcine circovirus type 2 infection.

The classical porcine parvovirus is an important pathogen of reproductive disorders in pigs with a confirmed history of global distribution. The detection of many novel porcine parvoviruses has however been on the increase for the past few years, but there is a dearth of information on the occurrence and prevalence of these viruses in South Africa. Molecular detection of some known parvoviruses, namely porcine parvoviruses (PPVs) - 1, 2, 3 and 4, porcine bocavirus-like virus (PBo-likeV) and porcine bocaviruses (PBoV1/2), was carried out from 110 randomly selected archived swine samples collected in the year 2015 and 2016.

Genetic characterization and diversity of porcine circovirus type 2 in non-vaccinated South African swine herds.

The porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a swine infectious viral pathogen of great significance in global swine herds. It was recently detected at another Province of South Africa sequel to the first detection of North American-like strain (PCV2a) at Gauteng about two decades ago, but there is a dearth of information about the genomic features and diversity of the viral strains in circulation within the country and the entire sub-Saharan Africa region. To date, only one complete genome of the virus from South Africa is available on global data base.

Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Recovered from Wastewater Treatment Plants in Eastern Cape South Africa.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are designed to eliminate organic matter and pathogens but most WWTPs discharges antimicrobial resistance pathogens into aquatic milieu. The study aimed to examine the antibiotics resistant patterns and the presence of some resistance genes among isolates from WWTPs effluents. Water were collected from WWTPs final effluents, filtered through nitrocellulose membrane and the filter papers were placed on chromogenic agar plates, incubated for 24 h at 37 °C.

Bioactive Constituents, Radical Scavenging, and Antibacterial Properties of the Leaves and Stem Essential Oils from (L.) Kunth.

Background: is an annual herbaceous ethnomedicinal plant used in the treatment of a variety of communicable and noncommunicable diseases in the Amazon region.

Objective: The study aimed at profiling the bioactive constituents of the leaves and stem essential oils (LEO and SEO) of , their antibacterial and radical scavenging properties as probable lead constituents in the management of oxidative stress and infectious diseases. Materials and.

Molecular detection of Porcine circovirus type 2 in swine herds of Eastern Cape Province South Africa.

Background: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) remains the main causative viral pathogen of porcine circovirus-associated diseases (PCVAD) of great economic importance in pig industry globally. This present study aims at determining the occurrence of the viral pathogen in swine herds of the Province.

Results: The data obtained revealed that 15.

Chemical constituents, antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the essential oil flower of Tagetes minuta grown in Cala community Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Tagetes minuta has a long record of human use for the treatment of stomach and intestinal diseases. Most drugs used for diseases treatment are less efficacious with side effects and this brought the search for new treatment regimens mainly from medicinal plants.

Method: The essential oil (EO) was extracted by Clevenger's-type apparatus and its chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial properties were determined by GC-MS, spectrophotometric and broth dilution methods respectively.

Global Status of Type 2 and Its Associated Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, type 2 (PCV2) is a recognized viral pathogen of great economic value in pig farming. It is the major cause of ravaging postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and many other disease syndromes generally regarded as associated diseases (PCVAD) in Europe. PCV2 infections, specifically PMWS, had impacted huge economic loss on swine production at different regions of the world.

Genetic profiling for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in ticks collected in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Background: Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are emerging tick-borne pathogens that cause anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in humans and other animals worldwide. Infections caused by these pathogens are deadly if left untreated. There has been relatively no systematic survey of these pathogens among ticks in South Africa, thus necessitating this study.