Vibrio pathogenicity island and phage CTX genes in Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from different aquatic environments.

In the present study, we investigated the presence of four Vibrio cholerae virulence genes (ctxA, VPI, Zot and ace) in 36 Vibrio alginolyticus isolates obtained from different seawater, sediments and aquatic organisms. We tested the virulence of 13 V. alginolyticus strains against juveniles of Sparus aurata and this virulence was correlated with the presence of V.

Clinical and genetic influencing factors on clozapine pharmacokinetics in Tunisian schizophrenic patients.

Clozapine (Clz) is an atypical antipsychotic, which its pharmacokinetics can be influenced by several factors. The CYP1A2 and CYP2C19, major enzymes implicated in Clz metabolism, present an interethnic variation on their activity caused by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The present study investigated the influence of genetic and nongenetic factors on Clz pharmacokinetics in a southern Mediterranean population.

High-Sensitive c-Reactive Protein Levels in Euthymic Bipolar Patients: Case-Control Study.

Bipolar disorder is a chronic, disabling disease that is characterized by the recurrence of thymic episodes. The role of the immune-inflammatory system in the etiopathogenesis of this affection arouses the interest of research. The aim of this work was to determine the plasma levels of the high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with bipolar disorder in remission phase by comparing them to a control group.

Cognitive Impairment Among Tunisian Bipolar Patients: a Case-Control Study.

Studies exploring the cognitive performance of bipolar patients have mainly been conducted in Western countries. To our knowledge, no surveys have been reported to date in Tunisia. The present work aimed to evaluate the cognitive functions, in the three domains of memory, attention and executive functions, among a sample of Tunisian individuals with bipolar disorder, during the remission period, compared to healthy control subjects.

Catatonia in patients with dementia: a case report.

Catatonia occurring as part of a clinical picture of dementia has been reported with almost all types of dementia. It remains under-diagnosed in older adults and those with dementia. We review a case of a young patient admitted in our psychiatric department for catatonia and after efficient treatment with Lorazepam, assessment revealed a dementia.

Psychiatric disorders in the acoustic neuroma: about a case.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by formation of central nervous system tumors. They are associated to significant morbidity due to multiple problems such as hearing loss that can lead to many psychiatric disorders.

Culture conditions improvement of Crassostrea gigas using a potential probiotic Bacillus sp strain.

It is well demonstrated that some probiotics improve rearing water quality and thereby have beneficial effects on reared organisms. We conducted this study to determine the effect of Bacillus consortium on Crassostrea gigas reared in contemned seawater with indigo dye priory treated with Bacillus or no treated. This effect was studied by assessing hemocytes death using flow cytometry analysis.

Acid stress suggests different determinants for polystyrene and HeLa cell adhesion in Lactobacillus casei.

Adhesion has been regarded as one of the basic features of probiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of acid stress on the functional properties, such as hydrophobicity, adhesion to HeLa cells, and composition of membrane fatty acids, of Lactobacillus probiotics strains. Two strains of Lactobacillus casei were used.

Occurrence of virulence genes among Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains from treated wastewaters.

Pathogenic Vibrio species are an important cause of foodborne illnesses. The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species in the final effluents of a wastewater treatment plant and the risk that they may pose to public health. During the 1-year monitoring, a total of 43 Vibrio strains were isolated: 23 Vibrio alginolyticus, 1 Vibrio cholerae, 4 Vibrio vulnificus, and 15 Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Virulence properties, biofilm formation and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae isolates from cultured sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae has been isolated from different outbreaks affecting cultured Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax. The aim of the present study was to characterize the phenotype and genotype of 12 P.

Presence of pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in waters and seafood from the Tunisian Sea.

The occurrence of the hemolysin genes, tdh and trh, in Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated from environmental samples collected from various exported seafood products comprising of fishes and shellfish (Mytilus edulis and Crassostrea gigas) or seawater, was studied. Eight strains were confirmed as V. parahaemolyticus by toxR -based polymerase chain reaction and only one strain out of these 8 strains was positive for tdh and trh genes.