Renal ultrastructural damage induced by chronic exposure to copper oxide nanomaterials: Electron microscopy study.

Copper oxide nanomaterials are used in many biomedical, agricultural, environmental, and industrial sectors with potential risk to human health and the environment. The present study was conducted to determine the renal ultrastructural damage caused by 25 nm CuO nanoparticles in renal tissues. Adult healthy male Wister Albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were administered 35 intraperitoneal injections of CuO nanoparticles (2 mg/kg). Ultrastructural changes were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy techniques. The renal tissues of rats with subchronic exposure to CuO nanoparticles demonstrated glomerular alterations that included hypertrophic endothelial cells, dilated capillaries and occlusions, podocyte hypertrophy, pedicle disorganization, mesangial cell hyperplasia, and crystalloid precipitation. Moreover, the treated renal cells exhibited mitochondrial swelling and crystolysis, cytoplasmic vacoulization, lysosomal hypertrophy, apoptotic activity, endoplasmic reticulum dilatation, nuclear deformity, chromatin dissolution, and basement membrane thickening. In addition, disruption and disorganization of the renal cells microvilli together with cystolic inclusions were also detected. It was concluded from the present findings that CuO nanoparticles could interact with the components of the renal tissues in ways that could cause ultrastructural injury, suggesting renal tissue pathophysiology. Additional studies are suggested for a better understanding the nanotoxicity of CuO nanomaterials.

The coa, mec, and spa genes diversity among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains from health-care workers and patients.

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial pathogen that is frequently isolated in both hospital and community environments. MRSA is considered a major nosocomial pathogen that causes severe morbidity and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-five nasal swabs were collected (100 from health-care workers and 125 from patients). S. aureus was identified by colony morphology in both blood and mannitol salt agars, catalase and coagulase productions, and also by standard biochemical tests. Susceptibility test to several antimicrobial agents was performed by disc diffusion agar according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The polymerase chain reaction amplification of the coa, mecA, and spa gene was carried out in the clinical isolates showed resistant to oxacillin. RESULTS: Among 225 isolates of bacteria, 76 were confirmed to be S. aureus by phenotypic characteristics. Thirty isolates were considered MRSA by susceptibility antimicrobial test. Twenty-four were confirmed to be S. aureus by the presence of coa gene bands. Twenty-one S. aureus isolates were confirmed to be MRSA by the presence of mecA gene. The spa gene in health-care workers was present in 88.88% and for patients was 41.66%. CONCLUSIONS: This study is suggestive that the PCR for the detection of coa, mecA, and spa gene is a fast, accurate, and valuable diagnostic tool.

Viral and bacterial infections associated with camel (Camelus dromedarius) calf diarrhea in North Province, Saudi Arabia.

Diarrhea and deaths in new-born camel calves were noticed by veterinary investigators and pastoralist in Saudi Arabia to be very high. Hence, it is thought to be necessary to investigate this problem from the virological and bacteriological point of view. The role of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in six different towns of North Province (Al-Assafia, Arar, Domat Aljandal, Hail, Skaka and Khoa) in Saudi Arabia was studied. Survey was conducted in diarrheic camel calves aged 12 months or younger. In our study calf diarrhea was reported in 184 out of 2308 camels examined clinically during one year, the prevalence of diarrhea was found to be 8.0% in calves ranging from one month to one year. In the present study group A rotavirus and Brucella abortus were detected in 14.7% and 8.98%, respectively, using ELISA technique. Escherichia coli was isolated from diarrheic calf camel (58.2%) 99/170 samples during dry and wet season. Salmonella spp. and Enterococcus spp. were detected in 12% and 8.8% of the specimens, respectively. In this study enterotoxogenic E. coli (ET E. coli) was isolated from 7% of diarrheic camel, which indicates the strong correlation between the camel calf diarrhea and the detection of enterotoxogenic E. coli. This study represented the first report for the detection of group A rotavirus and B. abortus antigen and antibodies in calf camels in Saudi Arabia. It is recommended that the disease should be controlled by vaccination in calf camels.