Detection and Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance and Putative Virulence Genes in Aeromonas veronii Biovar Sobria Isolated from Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata L.).

The purposes of this study were to investigate the antimicrobial resistance of Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria isolated from gilthead sea bream and to characterize the virulence-implicated genes. Fish samples (n=365) were collected from wholesale and retail markets in Aljouf, Saudi Arabia between 2013 and 2014. A total of 45 A. veronii biovar sobria isolates (12.3%) from those samples were tested for resistance to a range of antimicrobial agents. All strains exhibited 100% resistances to nalidixic acid, carbenicillin, cephalothin, erythromycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Additionally, the highest susceptibility encountered was to ciprofloxacin (100%). In the present study, we examined the presence of several genes, including aerolysin, elastase, lipase, flagellin, enterotoxin, and DNases, that code for putative virulence factors that may play important roles in bacterial infection. It was found that all of these genes were common in these strains. Several strains isolated from diseased gilthead sea bream were tested for virulence in gilthead sea bream by intraperitoneal injections. The median lethal dose values ranged from 5×10(3) to 5.2×10(9) colony-forming units per fish. These data suggest that commercial gilthead sea bream fish may act as the reservoir for multiresistant A. veronii biovar sobria and facilitate the dissemination of virulence genes.

Pathogenicity of some Fusarium species associated with superficial blemishes of potato tubers.

As an organ for reserve and propagation, the tuber grows underground and is in contact with soil-borne microorganisms, making it potentially exposed to blemishes. Therefore, the objective of this study was the possibility of using some modern methods of molecular diagnostics and detection of the presence of fungal contaminants in potato blemishes in Al-Qasim (Saudi Arabia). Polygonal lesions were the most observed blemish type in the collected samples. One hundred and sixty isolates were recovered from different types of blemishes obtained in this study. Fusarium, Penicillium, Ilyonectria, Alternaria and Rhizoctonia were the most common genera collected from different blemish types. Using ITS region sequencing, all collected fungi were identified at the species level. All Fusarium strains collected during this study were used to detect their pathogenicity against potato tubers. This is the first comprehensive report on the identification of major pathogenic fungi isolated from potato tuber blemishes in Saudi Arabia.

Molecular characterization of ochratoxigenic fungi associated with raisins.

Dried grapes (raisin) may carry a significant mycological load contaminated via cultivation, postharvest processing practices, and drying processing. The contamination of raisin with fungi can accelerate spoilage or illness, if pathogens are present. Since raisins are used as food additives in many dishes in Saudi kitchen, there are healthy concerns on the safety of raisins consumed. In this article, the mycological profile of raisins sold in different markets at Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was studied. The black raisin samples showed high fungal load compared with the white samples. Aspergillus, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Epicoccum Fusarium, and Rhizopus were the most prevalent genera isolated from raisin samples. Among six Aspergillus species isolated in this study, As. carbonarius and As. niger were the most frequently isolated species. Ochratoxin A (OTA) production in raisins was investigated using a combination of chromatographical (thin layer) and molecular (random amplified polymorphic DNA and Multiplex polymerase chain reaction) techniques. The OTA was detected in 70% of the raisin samples. Also, As. carbonarius (14 out of 19 isolates) and As. niger (2 isolates out of 9) were recognized as potential producers for OTA. Also, some molecular markers for detecting the contamination of raisin samples with OTA directly without isolating the producers were tested.

Molecular characterization of mycobiota and aflatoxin contamination of retail wheat flours from Jeddah markets.

The mycological profile of the retail wheat flour selling in different markets at Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) was studied. The most common genera were Aspergillus (isolated from 70% of the tested samples), Penicillium (30%), Eurotium (14%), and in a lesser extent Fusarium (20%) and Alternaria (18%). Twenty-nine strains of Aspergillus flavus were screened for their ability to produce aflatoxins (AFs). Four strains produced only aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), two strains produced AFB1 and aflatoxin B2, and one strain produced AFB1, aflatoxin G1, and aflatoxin G2. Random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction technique could not differentiate between toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of A. flavus. AF regulatory gene was detected in three flour samples and in seven A. flavus isolates.