Frequency of genomic mutations mediating resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to rifampicin in Northern Morocco.

Drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is challenging particularly in developing countries. As such, a previous investigation gave the first insight into the mutational status of the Rifampicin Resistance Determining Region (RRDR) of rpoB gene among a restricted number of MTB patients' residents in the Northern Morocco. The purpose of this study was to investigate rpoB mutation types and frequencies associated with resistance to Rifampicin in a larger panel of MTB patients and to evaluate the usefulness of these mutations to improve the diagnosis of resistance to Rifampicin.

Virulence genes and antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients in the Northwestern of Morocco.

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an ubiquitous bacterium causes various community-acquired and nosocomial infections. In this investigation, we aimed to screen the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and the prevalence of virulence factor genes in a set of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from nosocomial and community-acquired infections in the Northwestern of Morocco.

Methodology: A total of 155 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were collected (January 2015 - December 2016) from nosocomial and community-acquired infections at hospital centers and clinical laboratories in the Northwestern of Morocco.

Characterization of Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from foods and patients in northern Morocco.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate Salmonella Enteritidis strains isolated from human and food sources in the north of Morocco by means of phenotypic and genotypic methods.

Methodology: Fifteen isolates from humans and food were submitted to phage typing, XbaI-macrorestriction (pulsed field gel electrophoresis [PFGE]), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC-PCR), antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PCR assay targeting the spvR and invA genes.

Results: Six fingerprinting profiles were obtained with the ERIC-PCR method, four with PFGE profiling, five with antimicrobial resistance, three with phage typing, and only one with plasmid profiling.

Isolation, drug resistance and molecular characterization of Salmonella isolates in northern Morocco.

Objectives: The objective of this investigation was to assess the methods for the characterization of Salmonella isolates and to identify relationships of Salmonella isolates from human and food sources in northern Morocco.

Methodology: Several Salmonella serotypes were isolated from human and food samples and were characterized using conventional culture methods, biochemical, serological, antimicrobial testing, and phage typing. Molecular analyses such as enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR, macrorestriction profiling by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and virulence gene analysis were also performed.

Characterization of Staphylococcus species isolated from raw milk and milk products (lben and jben) in North Morocco.

Background: To investigate the incidence and antibiotic resistance of staphylococcal strains isolated from milk and milk products and to trace the ecological origin of the Staphylococcus aureus isolated.

Methodology: Eighty-one samples of raw milk, lben (whey) and jben (cheese) were analyzed for the presence of staphylococcal strains. Isolates were identified by Gram stains, tests for coagulase, the API staph system and the WalkAway 40/96, which also determines the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles.