Antibiotic resistance profile and RAPD analysis of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from vegetables farms and retail markets

Objective: To investigate antibiotic resistance profile and characterize Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) isolates using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Methods: Ninety eight C. jejuni isolates from farms and retail outlets were screened against 10 antibiotics commonly used clinically and agriculturally by using disk diffusion method. RAPD analysis was done to characterize 98 C. jejuni isolates. Results: Fifty-one percent of the isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance index 0.2 and below. This indicated that the isolates in the vegetables were not from the high risk environment or extensive farming practices. C. jejuni isolates found resistant towards penicillin G (93%), vancomycin (86%), ampicillin (35%), erythromycin (28%), gentamycin (4%), amikacin (3%), enrofloxacin (1%), norfloxacin (1%) and no resistance towards ciprofloxacin. RAPD clustering analysis showed that the contamination of C. jejuni in vegetables was likely due to cross contamination at retail markets. Conclusions: C. jejuni contamination in vegetables at retail markets was due to cross contamination. Current finding proved that C. jejuni in small scale vegetables production was less expose towards antibiotic abuse.

Rapid detection and E-test antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from seafood and environmental sources in Malaysia

To find out the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods and environmental sources. The study was carried out at the Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research, University Putra Malaysia; University Kebangsaan Malaysia; Medical Molecular Biology Institute; and University Kebansaan Malaysia Hospital, Malaysia between January 2006 and August 2008. One hundred and forty-four isolates from 400 samples of seafood [122 isolates] and seawater sources [22 isolates] were investigated for the presence of thermostable direct hemolysin [tdh[+]] and TDH-related hemolysin [trh[+]] genes using the standard methods. The E-test method was used to test the antimicrobial susceptibility. The study indicates low occurrence of tdh[+] [0.69%] and trh[+] isolates [8.3%]. None of the isolates tested possess both virulence genes. High sensitivity was observed against tetracycline [98%]. The mean minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] of the isolates toward ampicillin increased from 4 ug/ml in 2004 to 24 ug/ml in 2007. The current study demonstrates a low occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the marine environment and seafood. Nonetheless, the potential risk of vibrio infection due to consumption of Vibria parahaemolyticus contaminated seafood in Malaysia should not be neglected

Molecular characterization [Pcr-Based Methods] of Staphylococcus aureus isolated on dogs and cats

A total of 36 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from hospitalised and out patient dogs and cats were typed by RAPD-PCR, and 36 isolates were selected for further typing by ERIC-PCR and Coagulase gene-PCR and Coagulase gene RFLP, indicating a low degree of polymorphism in the coagulase genes. In this study, it is noticeable that RAPD-PCR displayed desirable typing quality by its ability to group the apparently related isolates from outpatient and hospitalised cats and dogs, whereas ERIC-PCR has the tendency to group the isolates into a single major cluster

SDS page of whole cell protein, immunoblotting and protein A assay for typing of staphylococcus aureus isolated on dogs and cats

A total of 36 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from hospitalised and out patient dogs and cats were typed using SDS PAGE of whole cell protein, immunoblotting and protein A assayment by ELISA test. 15/24 and 14/24 profiles were recognised using SDS PAGE and immunoblotting respectively. It is concluded that SDS PAGE of whole cell protein and immunoblotting could be used as a typing methods for the characterisation of S. aureus strains. Protein A assayment could be used for the detection of S. aureus strains in samples but could not be used to differentiate between different strains