Sulfoxaflor influences the biochemical and histological changes on honeybees (Apis mellifera L.).

Pesticide application can have an adverse effect on pollinator honey bees, Apis mellifera L., ranging from mortality to sublethal effects. Therefore, it is necessary to understand any potential effects of pesticides. The present study reports the acute toxicity and adverse effects of sulfoxaflor insecticide on the biochemical activity and histological changes on A. mellifera. The results showed that after 48 h post-treatment, the LD25 and LD50 values were 0.078 and 0.162 µg/bee, respectively, of sulfoxaflor on A. mellifera. The detoxification enzyme activity shows an increase of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzyme on A. mellifera in response to sulfoxaflor at LD50 value. Conversely, no significant differences were found in mixed-function oxidation (MFO) activity. In addition, after 4 h of sulfoxaflor exposure, the brains of treated bees showed nuclear pyknosis and degeneration in some cells, which evolved to mushroom shaped tissue losses, mainly neurons replaced by vacuoles after 48 h. There was a slight effect on secretory vesicles in the hypopharyngeal gland after 4 h of exposure. After 48 h, the vacuolar cytoplasm and basophilic pyknotic nuclei were lost in the atrophied acini. After exposure to sulfoxaflor, the midgut of A. mellifera workers showed histological changes in epithelial cells. These findings of the present study showed that sulfoxaflor could have an adverse effect on A. mellifera.

Development of Diagnostic Capabilities for Complications of Bacterial Infection in Diabetic Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the pattern of urine infections, the most common pathogen, and their susceptibility pattern to antibiotics among Saudi diabetic patients. METHODS: We performed a year-long cross-sectional study from January 2018 to January 2019 at KAAU Hospital in Riyadh, KSA. We cultured the urine specimens obtained from diabetic patients based on optimal aerobic and anaerobic microbiological methods. By adopting standard microbiological methods, we identified the bacterial isolates. We also followed the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) to do antibiotic susceptibility testing. RESULTS: A total of 100 isolates were evaluated, and a total of 22 organisms were isolated. The majority were multidrug-resistant organisms. Streptococcus haemolyticus was the most frequent organism and rated (15%). It was followed by Staphylococcus hominis (11%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9%), Enterococcus faecalis (9%), Enterococcus fiseum (7%), Escherichia coli (7%), Staphylococcus aureus (7%), Staphylococcus lantus (5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (5%). We also found multi-microbial infections. Most of the organisms were susceptible to tigecycline, gentamycin, and nitrofurantoin, rating (88%), (84%) and (78%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that a wide range of pathogens affects the diabetes patients. Staphylococcus haemolyticus is the most prevalent pathogen. We observed considerable antimicrobial resistance. Tigecycline had a wide sensitivity spectrum and was effective against most of the bacteria. Thus, it can be used as an empirical antibiotic.