High frequency of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in patients with diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is becoming increasingly prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus in the Middle East. We examined the relationship of these bacteria and their resistance mechanisms to the diabetic disease status of patients in Saudi Arabia. Susceptibilities of 271 isolates to carbapenems, tigecycline and colistin were determined, followed by detection of carbapenemase genes. A blaVIM gene was detected in ~95 % of isolates; blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-40 genes were also prevalent. Diabetic patients were significantly more likely to carry carbapenem-resistant isolates. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is a serious problem in diabetic patients, and molecular detection of resistance mechanisms in these isolates is required.

Safety and quality of some chicken meat products in Al-Ahsa markets-Saudi Arabia.

One hundred samples of 10 poultry meat products were collected from AL-Ahsa markets (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). The samples were ranked from carcass cuts (chilled, frozen, fillet and thigh) to minced meat or further processed products as burger, nuggets, frankfurter and meat paste loaf. Samples were collected in triplicate for sensory, chemical and microbiological analysis to assure their quality and safety. The obtained results revealed variation in chemical composition; some products with high fat percentage had a high thiobarbituric acid value, which resulted in the appearance of an unacceptable flavor. Bacteriological analysis revealed that the mean total bacterial count was ranged from 2.7 × 10(4) cfu/g for nuggets(A) to 3.3 × 10(7) cfu/g for burger(B) and the other products in the range of 10(5)-10(6) cfu/g. While Staphylococcus aureus mean count ranged from less than 10(2) cfu/g for all samples, accept 10(4) and 10(6) cfu/g for mince(B) and frankfurter samples, respectively. Escherichia coli isolated from 70% of the samples and Salmonella arizona was isolated at once from thigh samples. Thirty percentages of samples not comply with Saudi Standards due to sensory unacceptability and 21% of samples nonconforming with bacteriological specifications.

Effect of endotoxin administration in pregnant camels.

Intravenous administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin at a dose of 0.05 µg/kg bodyweight to pregnant camels resulted in abortion. The injection of endotoxin caused significant increases in the plasma concentration of 13,14-dihydro-15-prostaglandin F2α, the metabolite of prostaglandin F2α (PG F2α) and cortisol and a significant decrease in the concentration of progesterone. It is suggested that endotoxin caused abortion in camels was a consequence of endotoxin induced PG F2α secretion resulting in luteal regression and decreased progesterone concentration.

Some endotoxin-induced clinical and biochemical changes in plasma of camels (Camelus dromedarius).

Intravenous administration of endotoxin, prepared from E. coli serotype O55:B5, at a dose of 0.1 microg/kg body weight to calves and adult camels induced fever and increased haematocrit, triiodothyronine and cortisol values. The endotoxin-treated animals showed significantly decreased (p < 0.05) total protein, urea, glucose and creatinine. A significant increase was seen in the activity of aspartate aminotransaminase and creatine kinase. These results demonstrate high sensitivity of camels to endotoxin.

First report of an outbreak of ovine septicaemic listeriosis in Saudi Arabia.

Although a case of human listeriosis has recently been reported in Saudi Arabia, the disease has not been reported in animals to date. The authors describe an outbreak of septicaemic listeriosis in sheep, which occurred during winter. Adult animals and pregnant ewes were principally affected, with a morbidity rate of 7.1% and a mortality rate of 2.4%; no abortions were recorded during the outbreak. Clinical signs included inappetence, weakness, fever, respiratory distress, keratoconjunctivitis and compulsive circling. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in pure culture from affected sheep. Pathological findings indicated septicaemic listeriosis with encephalitis. Hygienic measures and antibiotics were successful in treating the rest of the flock. Aspects of the outbreak and public health implications are discussed.

Epitope mapping human heat shock protein 90 with sera from infected patients.

Epitope mapping with sera from a range of infected patients showed that antibodies are commonly produced which cross-react with a number of epitopes on human heat shock protein 90 (HSP 90). Such autoreactive antibodies were particularly frequent in patients suffering from systemic candidiasis (9 patients), invasive aspergillosis (6 patients), ABPA (2 patients), a patient with aspergilloma and one with malaria. The patient with malaria recognized similar epitopes to those with invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis including the highly conserved epitope LKVIRKVIRK and an epitope NNLGTI which was otherwise only recognised by patients with candidiasis. Crossreacting antibodies to relatively few epitopes occurred in patients with Enterococcus faecalis and Corynebacterium jeikeium endocarditis. This was contrasted with the results from 6 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were positive on immunoblot against fungal HSP 90. These did not react with the above epitopes but reacted with other areas within human HSP 90.