Antimicrobial resistance patterns among critical priority pathogens in an intensive care unit at a tertiary hospital in Egypt: a descriptive analysis comparing pre- and COVID-19 eras.

The intensified global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a cause for major concern. Within healthcare settings, intensive care units are recognized as focal points for Gram-negative infections. The study pursued to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of critical priority pathogens (, , Enterobacteriaceae, comprising and ) during both pre- and COVID-19 periods.

In Vivo and in Vitro activity of colistin-conjugated bimetallic silver-copper oxide nanoparticles against Pandrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background: Addressing microbial resistance urgently calls for alternative treatment options. This study investigates the impact of a bimetallic formulation containing colistin, silver, and copper oxide on a pandrug-resistant, highly virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolate from a cancer patient at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt.

Changing patterns of bacterial profile and antimicrobial resistance in high-risk patients during the COVID-19 pandemic at a tertiary oncology hospital.

The widespread evolution of phenotypic resistance in clinical isolates over the years, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic onset, has exacerbated the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to explore changes in bacterial infection patterns and antimicrobial resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study involved the periods before and during COVID-19: the pre-pandemic and pandemic eras.

Biofilm-mediated infections by multidrug-resistant microbes: a comprehensive exploration and forward perspectives.

A biofilm is a collection of microorganisms organized in a matrix of extracellular polymeric material. Biofilms consist of microbial cells that attach to both surfaces and each other, whether they are living or non-living. These microbial biofilms can lead to hospital-acquired infections and are generally detrimental.

Retained colistin susceptibility in clinical isolates with multiple mutations in and operons.

The progressive increase in the resistance rates to first- and second-line antibiotics has forced the reuse of colistin as last-line treatment for infections, but the emergence of colistin-resistant strains is not uncommon. This has been long linked to acquired chromosomal mutations in the operons and . Hence, such mutations are routinely screened in colistin-resistant strains by most studies.

Increasing trends of colistin resistance in patients at high-risk of carbapenem-resistant .

Introduction: Occurrence of colistin-resistant in response to the unregulated use of this antibiotic has been documented. This study reports an investigation of colistin resistance rates among carbapenem-resistant enterobacterial clinical isolates.

Methods: A total of 196 multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates ( ( = 100), ( = 89) and ( = 7) were selected from Gram-negative isolates over one year.

Tn7382, a novel composite transposon harboring bla and aphA6 in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Objectives: Co-transfer of carbapenem and amikacin resistance might contribute to the evolution of extensively drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii. The current study used bioinformatic tools and an in silico approach to investigate the potential mobility of a novel composite transposon co-harboring bla and aphA6.

Methods: The transposon, named here Tn7382, was recently identified in the chromosomes of two XDR A.

Genetic Configuration of Genomic Resistance Islands in Clinical Isolates From Egypt.

In (), a wide repertoire of resistance genes is often carried within genomic resistance islands (RIs), particularly in high-risk global clones (GCs). As the first in Egypt, the current study aimed at exploring the diversity and genetic configuration of RIs in the clinical isolates of . For this purpose, draft genomes of 18 isolates were generated by Illumina sequencing.

Standardization and quantitative analysis of Araucaria Heterophylla extract via an UPLC-MS/MS method and its formulation as an antibacterial phytonanoemulsion gel.

Skin infections are among the bacterial infections that present significant therapeutic challenges due to antibiotic resistance. Recently, herbal products clutched a significant attention as safe replacements for other medications but their low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability are considered major challenges which could be circumvented via formulation. As a species of genera Araucaria, Araucaria Heterophylla possesses pharmacological activities such as antioxidant and antibacterial actions, and this study aimed to standardize the extract of the plant against 4'''methoxyamentoflavone (as a main component of the extract) through a validated UPLC-MS/MS method and evaluate its antibacterial activity, which was followed by loading the standardized extract into a nanoemulsion to form a phytonanoemulsion (PNE), where the design analysis and optimization were performed through a simplex lattice design.

In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity and Phytochemical Characterization (UPLC/T-TOF-MS/MS) of the Watermelon () Rind Extract.

Reusing food waste is becoming popular in pharmaceutical industries. Watermelon () rind is commonly discarded as a major solid waste. Here, the in vitro cytotoxic potential of watermelon rind extracts was screened against a panel of human cancer cell lines.

Genomic Characterization of Extensively Drug-Resistant NDM-Producing Clinical Isolates With the Emergence of Novel .

has become a major challenge to clinicians worldwide due to its high epidemic potential and acquisition of antimicrobial resistance. This work aimed at investigating antimicrobial resistance determinants and their context in four extensively drug-resistant (XDR) NDM-producing clinical isolates collected between July and October 2020 from Kasr Al-Ainy Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. A total of 20 were collected and screened for acquired carbapenemases ( , and ) using PCR.

Epidemiological features of nosocomial : virulence and resistance determinants.

 The authors aimed to examine antibiotic resistance genes and representative virulence determinants among 100 isolates with an emphasis on capsular serotypes and clonality of some of the isolates. PCR amplification of (, , , and plasmid) and (NDM, OXA-48, KPC, CTX-M-15, VIM, IMP, SPM) was conducted. Wzi sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed.

Antimicrobial Resistance Threats in the emerging COVID-19 pandemic: Where do we stand?

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to exert a substantial toll on the global health and world economy and is now expected to be hidden by COVID-19 for a while. The wrong consumption of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic will raise disastrous effects on AMR management and antibiotic stewardship programs. This is related to the concerns extrapolated due to an increase in mortality rates in patients with bacterial coinfections.

MALDI-TOF MS Overcomes Misidentification of the Uncommon Human Pathogen Candida famata by Routine Phenotypic Identification Methods.

Candida famata has been associated with the identifiable Candida infections that takes place in human and the identification error of this species possibly will result in misinterpretation of antifungal susceptibility and improper diagnosis; which will have a major effect on the prognosis and therapy of patients. Our objective is to correctly identify Candida spp. collected from patients at the intensive care units, New Cairo University teaching hospital in Cairo-Egypt using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

Severe COVID-19 and Sepsis: Immune Pathogenesis and Laboratory Markers.

The ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has taken a significant toll on people and countries all over the world. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 has not been completely elucidated yet. This includes the interplay between inflammation and coagulation which needs further investigation.

Emergence of colistin resistance in multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli strains isolated from cancer patients.

Background: Colistin resistance is mainly driven by alterations in the Gram-negative outer membrane lipopolysaccharides and is caused, in most cases, by mutations in mgrB gene. However, the recent emergence of plasmid-encoded colistin resistance among Enterobacteriaceae strains represents a serious threat to global public health. In this paper we have investigated the rates of colistin resistance and the underlying mechanisms in 450 Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates obtained from cancer patients in Egypt.

Genetic diversity of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae causing neonatal sepsis in intensive care unit, Cairo, Egypt.

Neonatal sepsis is a great challenge for clinicians and infection control practitioners, especially in facilities with limited resources. Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is rapidly increasing and carriages a major threat to neonates. We aimed to examine phenotypes causing neonatal late onset sepsis (NLOS) in comparison with neonatal early onset sepsis (NEOS) with further investigations of genotypes, and genetic relatedness of CRKP in neonatal late-onset sepsis.

Multiple sequence types responsible for healthcare-associated Acinetobacter baumannii dissemination in a single centre in Egypt.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly worrying organism in the healthcare setting, due to its multidrug resistance and persistence. Prolonged hospitalisation, immunocompromised patients and excessive antibiotic exposure all contribute to increasing the risk of A. baumannii infections, which makes cancer patients a significant risk group.

First reported nosocomial outbreak of harboring and in a neonatal intensive care unit in Cairo, Egypt.

Introduction: is a significant hospital-acquired pathogen, and many outbreaks of infection have been reported in neonates. We report a sudden breakout of harboring the and metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) genes that occurred from March to August 2015 in the neonatal intensive care unit of Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.

Methods: During the study period, 40 nonduplicate clinical isolates of were collected from blood culture samples.

Dissemination of ST101 blaOXA-48 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae at tertiary care setting.

Introduction: The worldwide dissemination of the acquired carbapenemases in Gram-negative bacteria is a strongly expressed demand for the emergence of post antibiotic era. The aim of this study was to test the production of carbapenemase by Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from hospitalized cancer patients and to investigate the genetic relationship of carbapenemase producing carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae using multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Probiotic Lactobacillus sp. inhibit growth, biofilm formation and gene expression of caries-inducing Streptococcus mutans.

Streptococcus mutans contributes significantly to dental caries, which arises from homoeostasic imbalance between host and microbiota. We hypothesized that Lactobacillus sp. inhibits growth, biofilm formation and gene expression of Streptococcus mutans.

Reduced susceptibility of Enterococcus spp. isolates from Cairo University Hospital to tigecycline: Highlight on the influence of proton pump inhibitors.

Objectives: The incidence of reduced susceptibility to tigecycline (TIG) is increasing. This study aimed to analyse the in vitro activity of TIG against Enterococcus spp. isolates recovered from hospitalised patients and to evaluate the effect of omeprazole on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of TIG against several enterococcal species.

The emergence of a novel sequence type of MDR Acinetobacter baumannii from the intensive care unit of an Egyptian tertiary care hospital.

Background And Aim Of Work: Acinetobacter baumannii is known for nosocomial outbreaks worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and the clonal relationship of A. baumannii isolates from the intensive care unit (ICU) of an Egyptian hospital.

Dissemination of VIM-2 producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST233 at tertiary care hospitals in Egypt.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important nosocomial pathogen, commonly causing infections in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to examine the genetic relatedness of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) producing carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates collected from 2 tertiary hospitals in Cairo, Egypt using Multi Locus sequence typing (MLST).

Methods: Phenotypic and genotypic detection of metallo-beta-lactamase for forty eight non-duplicate carbapenem resistant P.