Publications by authors named "Chedly Chouchani"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the increasing public health threat of antibacterial resistance, specifically focusing on carbapenemase genes in Gram-negative bacteria from Tunisian hospitals.
  • Researchers identified 22 clinical strains (e.g., K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii) as resistant to imipenem using various laboratory methods, revealing significant resistance linked to different carbapenemase genes.
  • Results indicate a diverse spread of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Tunisian healthcare settings, emphasizing the need for monitoring and addressing this escalating issue.
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Marine-derived fungi have attracted much attention due to their ability to present a new biosynthetic diversity. About 50 fungal isolates were obtained from Tunisian Mediterranean seawater and then screened for the presence of lignin-peroxidase (LiP), manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP), and laccase (Lac) activities. The results obtained from both qualitative and quantitative assays showed that four of marine fungi isolates had a high potential to produce lignin-degrading enzymes.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that Gram-negative bacteria had low susceptibility to carbapenems, and specific resistance genes, including metallo-β-lactamases and colistin resistance genes, were identified through molecular techniques.
  • * This research marks the first detection of certain resistant strains and genes in Libya, highlighting mutations contributing to colistin resistance among Enterobacteriaceae isolates.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study reveals the emergence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in SARS-CoV-2 patients at hospitals in eastern Libya, highlighting the risks of hospital-associated infections.
  • Researchers collected 109 samples from 43 patients, identifying several multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii, through advanced identification methods and genetic analysis.
  • The overuse of antibiotics during the pandemic has contributed to the rise of these resistant strains, necessitating better surveillance and more responsible antibiotic use to combat this growing issue.
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Multi-contamination by organic pollutants and toxic metals is common in anthropogenic and industrial environments. In this study, the five fungal strains (MH667651.1), (MH665977.

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is a rarely non-fermenting Gram-negative bacterium and belongs to the family. This nosocomial pathogen can cause several human infections, especially among immunocompromised patients. Here, we describe the whole genome sequence of a clinical strain isolated from a urine sample of a 35-year-old woman with a urinary tract infection in Tunisia.

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The current global dissemination of polymyxin E resistance constitutes a real public health threat because of the restricted therapeutic options. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the epidemiology of polymyxin E-resistant bacteria, with special reference to colistin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in Tunisia and neighboring countries, based on available published data to January 2020. We aimed to determine their prevalence by species and origin, shedding light on the different genes involved and illustrating their genetic support, genetic environment, and geographic distribution.

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Hospital environments constitute the main reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In this study we aimed to investigate the presence of Gram-negative bacteria in one Northwestern Tunisian hospital environment, and characterize the genes involved in bacterial resistance. A total of 152 environmental isolates were collected from various surfaces and isolated using MacConkey medium supplemented with cefotaxime or imipenem, with 81 fermenter bacteria (27 and 54 spp.

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Environmental bacteria belonging to various families were isolated from polluted water collected from ten different sites in Tunisia. Sites were chosen near industrial and urban areas known for their high degree of pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate cross-resistance between heavy metals (HM), i.

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and are among the most prevalent pathogens causing a wide range of serious infections in hospitalized patients and contaminating intensive care units and inanimate surfaces. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of carbapenem resistance in clinical and hospital environmental isolates of and recovered from a Libyan hospital. From a total of 82 Gram-negative bacteria, 8 isolates of and 3 isolates of exhibited resistance to imipenem with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 16 to >32 μg/mL.

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The wide spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria, particularly carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB), constitutes a major public health threat worldwide, owing to the limited therapeutic options. This review will describe and uncover the Tunisian experience in the challenge against carbapenem resistance. Indeed, we illuminate on the dissemination of CR-GNB in different hospitals, animals, and other natural environments in this country.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the presence and resistance mechanisms of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) in urinary tract infections caused by the uropathogenic O25b-ST131 clone in southeastern Tunisia.
  • A total of 42 cephalosporin-resistant clinical isolates were analyzed, revealing that most contained the CTX-M gene and belonged to the B2 phylogenetic group.
  • This research highlights significant epidemiological findings, being the first report of CTX-M-14 producing O25b-ST131 and DHA-4 and CMY-42 producers in Tunisia.
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Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae present a real problem worldwide. We aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics among Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates collected from a Hospital in the southeast of Tunisia. Eighteen cephalosporin-resistant K.

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Carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria constitutes a major clinical problem. We characterized molecular features among carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative clinical isolates collected from Southeastern Tunisian Island Hospital. Eighteen carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates (13 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1 Proteus mirabilis, 1 Enterobacter cloacae, 3 Acinetobacter baumannii) were recovered during April 2015-August 2016.

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Introduction: Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), including the AmpC type, are important mechanisms of resistance among and isolates.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of AmpC-type β-lactamase producers isolated from two hospitals in Tripoli, Libya.

Methods: All clinical isolates (76 and 75 ) collected over two years (2013-2014) were evaluated for susceptibility to a panel of antimicrobials and were analyzed phenotypically for the ESBL and AmpC phenotype using E-test and ESBL and AmpC screen disc test.

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Article Synopsis
  • Carbapenemase-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae pose significant challenges for healthcare systems due to increased antibiotic resistance.
  • This study analyzed K. pneumoniae isolates with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems collected over several months, identifying the presence of specific carbapenemase genes and their associated plasmids.
  • Findings revealed the presence of OXA-48 and a new variant OXA-204, highlighting the diversity of β-lactamases, plasmids, and clonal relationships among isolates, indicating a potential for rapid spread of antibiotic resistance that requires ongoing monitoring in clinical settings.
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Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic and multidrug-resistant pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections in health facilities. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in A. baumannii isolates isolated from Mohamed Kassab Orthopedic Institute in Tunis, Tunisia.

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Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase production among clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae recovered from Tunisian and Libyan hospitals.

Methodology: Bacterial isolates were recovered from patients in intensive care units and identified by biochemical tests and MALDI-TOF. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion and the E-test method.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The isolate, named KPM2, was resistant to multiple antibiotics and identified as ST147, carrying specific virulence genes (entB, ybtS, mrkD, ycfM) but not overexpressing certain resistance genes.
  • * Resistance was linked to specific β-lactamases (OXA-48 and VEB-8) found on large conjugative plasmids, which ultimately contributed to treatment failure and the patient's death.
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The emergence and the global spread of carbapenemases concern to health services worldwide. Their celestial rise among Gram-negative bacilli has challenged both the scientific and pharmaceutical sectors. Indeed, infections caused by these bacteria have limited treatment options and have been associated with high mortality and morbidity rates.

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Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen causing various nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to characterise the molecular support of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii clinical isolates recovered from two Libyan hospitals.

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The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates recovered from Libyan hospitals between April 2013 and April 2014. In total, 49 strains (24 P. aeruginosa and 25 A.

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