Personalized and Precision Medicine Journal

Abstract Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is one of the most important causes of urinary tract infections. These strains possess various virulence factors, including adhesins, toxins, and iron acquisition systems. Virulence genes are situated on mobile genetic elements or in specific regions of the chromosome known as pathogenicity islands. In this study, 375 clinical samples from male and female patients suspected of having urinary tract infections were collected in the hospitals of Dhi Qar, Iraq, during the period from June 1, 2019, to November 1, 2019. Following the collection of 100 samples, bacterial isolation, DNA extraction, and antibiotic sensitivity tests were conducted using the disc diffusion method with the selected antibiotics. The presence of papC, aer, fimH, hly, cnf-1, and afa class genes was investigated using multiplex PCR. The results indicated that the highest frequency among the genes was associated with the fim gene (98%). The aer, papC, cnf-1, hly, and afa genes were also detected, with frequencies of 52%, 30%, 18%, 13%, and 11%, respectively. Additionally, the highest resistance and sensitivity among UPEC isolates were observed for amoxicillin (82.37%) and amikacin (92.35%) antibiotics, respectively.

Abstract Salmonella, a prominent foodborne pathogen, poses significant health risks, causing both intestinal and extra-intestinal infections. Recognizing the potential of lactobacilli as probiotics due to their ability to produce substances inhibiting multidrug-resistant bacteria, this study aimed to assess antibiotic resistance, pathogenic gene frequency, antibacterial effects of lactobacillus supernatant from kefir, and its impact on resistance and pathogenicity gene expression.
In Tehran hospitals, 150 isolates from 240 clinical samples were collected and identified as Salmonella Typhimurium using biochemical and serotype tests. Antibiotic sensitivity was assessed, and the frequencies of antibiotic resistance genes (tetA, tetB, and floR) and pathogenicity genes (sip, spvC, and invA) were investigated. Lactobacilli from kefir were isolated, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of lactobacillus supernatant was determined. The relationship between supernatant treatment and tetA and sip gene expression was examined using Real-time PCR.
Results revealed 38% of strains as Salmonella Typhimurium serotype, displaying high resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, and nitrofurantoin. Pathogenicity genes invA and sip exhibited high frequencies of 100% and 70.2%, respectively. Lactobacillus supernatant showed an MIC of 80 μg/ml, effectively reducing tetA and sip gene expression by 42.2% and 55.7%, respectively.
In conclusion, the study underscores the high antibiotic resistance in Salmonella Typhimurium and suggests Meropenem, Trimethoprim Sulfamethoxazole, and Ampicillin-Sulbactam as effective treatments. Moreover, lactobacillus supernatant demonstrated significant potential against Salmonella Typhimurium, highlighting lactobacilli as promising probiotics. This health-oriented strategy presents a viable solution for treating Salmonella infections and preventing their spread.

Abstract The discovery and production of (synthetic) antibiotics in the first half of the previous century has been one of medicine’s greatest achievements. The use of antimicrobial agents has reduced morbidity and mortality of humans and contributed substantially to human’s increased life span. The issue of antibiotic resistance has received considerable attention due to the problem of the emergence and rapid expansion of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotic resistance exhibited by bacteria can be intrinsic, acquired, or adaptive. Therefore, efforts to develop antibiotics and study mechanisms of resistance should be continuous, resilient and steady. In the following sections, we will focus on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of bacterial resistance, illustrating specific situations that are often encountered in clinical practice.