Integron-Associated Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella typhi.

Salmonella enteric serovar Typhi (S. typhi) and paratyphi (S. paratyphi) bacteria exclusively found in humans, cause typhoid fever, an acute, and possibly deadly systemic infection. Typhoid fever is caused by a species of rod-shaped, Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae called S. typhi. The present study aimed to examine the intI gene and investigate the possible relation between this gene and multi-drug resistance in S. typhi. A total of 30 blood samples were obtained from patients who were suspicious of typhoid fever using the direct strategy of inoculation. Each specimen was injected into a culture of a selective medium, such as XLD and SS agar, and then incubated at 37°C for 24 h. The genomic DNA was extracted through a boiling process. Tris-EDTA was used to suspend bacterial colonies cultured on MacConkey agar plates. The suspension of bacterial colonies was centrifuged for 5 min at 8000×g and for 20 min at -20°C which lyses the organisms and extracts the DNA from the buffer. The supernatant is then transferred to a fresh Eppendorf tube. Gel electrophoresis was carried out utilizing a UV transilluminator. The intI gene for S. typhi was found using a PCR test. The antibiotic sensitivity testing showed that the S. typhi isolates were classed as multi-resistant. These results were confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique using intI gene where twenty specimens isolated from typhoid patients were positive for S. typhi.

Characteristics and determinants of adult patients with acute poisoning attending the accident and emergency department of a teaching hospital in Qatar.

Data about etiologic and demographic characteristics of acute poisoning in adults in Qatar are lacking. This prospective observational study was undertaken to analyze characteristics and possible determinants of acute poisoning in adults in Qatar. During 2010, 18,073 patients attended the emergency department of Hamad General Hospital, a teaching hospital in Qatar. Out of them, 599 (3.3%) patients were diagnosed as "poisoning case" with either chemical or pharmaceutical substances. The prevalence rate of poisoning incidence was 35.3/100,000 population. Seven patients died, corresponding with a case-fatality rate of 0.39/1000. The majority were male (65%) and the mean age was 34 years. The poisons involved were mainly chemicals (61.6%) and pharmaceuticals (38.4%). Female, mainly single, suffered more intentional poisoning compared to male. Of the patients aged 60 years and above (7.2%), the majority (95.3%) suffered unintentional poisoning with pharmaceuticals; 56% with warfarin, 12% with digoxin and 7% with insulin. Multivariate analysis shows that female gender, single status, younger than 35 years of age, being poisoned by pharmaceutical products, and the need for hospitalization are significant determinants for acute intentional poisoning after adjusting all other possible covariates. The findings of this study can be used to establish awareness and prophylactic campaigns in Qatar.