Molecular detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from different foodstuffs in Egypt.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a major public health problem. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of MRSA in various food products. A total number of 204 food samples including raw milk (n = 30), cheese (n = 60), chicken (n = 25), beef (n = 24) and fish (n = 65) were collected from August to November of 2021 within different localities in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, the northern region of Egypt. All samples were assessed through a series of bacteriological and biochemical techniques to identify MRSA. Out of 204 samples, 52(25.49%) isolates were presumptively identified as MRSA on oxacillin resistance screening agar base media. Of these 52 isolates, 17(32.69%) were characterized as coagulase-positive. For the molecular confirmation of MRSA, all isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction assays to detect mecA and mecC. In addition, mecA was identified in all the isolates (100%), whereas, none was positive for mecC. Therefore, based on the detection of mecA, the overall occurrence rate of MRSA among the samples was 8.33%. The isolates were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Cefoxitin, cefuroxime, oxacillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were completely resistant (100%) to the isolates, however, susceptible to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. Raw milk had the highest prevalence of MRSA (13.30%), followed by chicken (12.00%), fish (9.20%), cheese (5.00%) and beef (4.20%). Due to the possibility of transmission of these strains to humans, the high prevalence of MRSA in various foodstuffs in Egypt poses a potential public health risk.

Ruminant brucellosis in the Kafr El Sheikh Governorate of the Nile Delta, Egypt: prevalence of a neglected zoonosis.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a neglected tropical zoonosis allegedly reemerging in Middle Eastern countries. Infected ruminants are the primary source of human infection; consequently, estimates of the frequency of ruminant brucellosis are useful elements for building effective control strategies. Unfortunately, these estimates are lacking in most Middle East countries including Egypt. Our objectives are to estimate the frequency of ruminant brucellosis and to describe its spatial distribution in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Nile Delta, Egypt. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 791 sheep, 383 goats, 188 cattle milk tanks and 173 buffalo milk tanks were randomly selected in 40 villages and tested for the presence of antibodies against Brucella spp. The seroprevalence among different species was estimated and visualized using choropleth maps. A spatial scanning method was used to identify areas with significantly higher proportions of seropositive flocks and milk tanks. We estimated that 12.2% of sheep and 11.3% of goats in the study area were seropositive against Brucella spp. and that 12.2% and 12% of cattle and buffalo milk tanks had antibodies against Brucella spp. The southern part of the governorate had the highest seroprevalence with significant spatial clustering of seropositive flocks in the proximity of its capital and around the main animal markets. CONCLUSIONS/ SIGNIFICANCE: Our study revealed that brucellosis is endemic at high levels in all ruminant species in the study area and questions the efficacy of the control measures in place. The high intensity of infection transmission among ruminants combined with high livestock and human density and widespread marketing of unpasteurized milk and dairy products may explain why Egypt has one of the highest rates of human brucellosis worldwide. An effective integrated human-animal brucellosis control strategy is urgently needed. If resources are not sufficient for nationwide implementation, high-risk areas could be prioritized.

Molecular analysis of antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative bacteria isolated from fish farms in Egypt.

As little is known about antimicrobial resistance genes in fish farms, this study was conducted to monitor the incidence and prevalence of a wide range of antimicrobial resistance genes in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from water samples taken from fish farms in the northern part of Egypt. Ninety-one out of two hundred seventy-four (33.2%) non-repetitive isolates of Gram-negative bacteria showed multidrug resistance phenotypes and harbored at least one antimicrobial resistance gene. PCR and DNA sequencing results showed that 72 (26.3%) isolates contain tetracycline resistance genes and 19 (6.9%) isolates were positive for class 1 integrons with 12 different gene cassettes. The beta-lactamase-encoding genes were identified in 14 (5.1%) isolates. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes, qnr and aac(6')-Ib-cr, were identified in 16 (5.8%) and 3 (1.1%) isolates, respectively. Finally, the florphenicol resistance gene, floR, was identified in four (1.5%) isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from fish farms in Africa.