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El Hage R, El Rayess Y, Bonifait L, El Hafi B, Baugé L, Viscogliosi E, Hamze M, Mathieu F, Matar GM, Chemaly M. A national study through a 'Farm-to-fork' Approach to determine Salmonella dissemination along with the Lebanese poultry production chain. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:499-513. [PMID: 35301827 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Salmonella at different stages of the broiler production chain and layer flocks in addition to their antibiotic resistance profile and molecular patterns. Over a period of 3 years, different sample matrices were collected from Lebanese farms, slaughterhouses and retail markets. Out of 672 Salmonella serotyped, 514 were analysed for antimicrobial resistance and 214 for clonality using Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The results highlighted an important prevalence of Salmonella, 30% in farms, 35.8% in slaughterhouses and 22.4% at retail level. A large diversity of serotypes was identified with predominance among Salmonella Infantis (32.9%), Salmonella Enteritidis (28.4%) and Salmonella Kentucky (21.4%). High resistance to nalidixic acid was revealed in all the isolates. The most prominent resistance was exhibited in S. Kentucky and S. Infantis. The latter was resistant to tetracycline (99%), streptomycin (88.2%) and remarkable multi-drug resistance (MDR) (89.7%). All S. Kentucky isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, MDR (62.4%) and 6% were resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESCs). One persistent clone of S. Enteritidis was found common between poultry and humans. Similar genomic profiles were detected between farms, slaughterhouses and retail suggesting the dissemination of identical clones throughout the food chain possibly due to weak barriers preventing such transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima El Hage
- Fanar Station, Food Microbiology Laboratory, Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI), Jdeideh El-Metn, Lebanon.,Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, UMR 5503 CNRS/INPT/UPS, INP-ENSAT, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Youssef El Rayess
- Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, School of Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Laetitia Bonifait
- French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Unit of Hygiene and Quality of Poultry & Pork Products, Laboratory of Ploufragan-Plouzané, Ploufragan, France
| | - Bassam El Hafi
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Louise Baugé
- French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Unit of Hygiene and Quality of Poultry & Pork Products, Laboratory of Ploufragan-Plouzané, Ploufragan, France
| | - Eric Viscogliosi
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - CIIL - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Mounzer Hamze
- Faculté de Santé Publique, Laboratoire Microbiologie Santé Environnement (LMSE), Ecole Doctorale des Sciences et de Technologie, Université Libanaise, Tripoli, Lebanon
| | - Florence Mathieu
- Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, UMR 5503 CNRS/INPT/UPS, INP-ENSAT, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Ghassan M Matar
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Marianne Chemaly
- French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Unit of Hygiene and Quality of Poultry & Pork Products, Laboratory of Ploufragan-Plouzané, Ploufragan, France
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Alsayeqh AF, Baz AHA, Darwish WS. Antimicrobial-resistant foodborne pathogens in the Middle East: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:68111-68133. [PMID: 34668139 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17070-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Foodborne pathogens are known as significant public health hazards worldwide, particularly in the Middle East region. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among foodborne pathogens becomes one of the top challenges for the environment, public health, and food safety sectors. However, less is known about antimicrobial-resistant foodborne pathogens in the Middle East region. Possibly because of the lack of surveillance, documentation, and reporting. This review focuses on the current status of antimicrobial resistance profiling among foodborne pathogens in the Middle East. Therefore, PubMed and other relevant databases were searched following PRISMA guidelines. Subject heading and texts were searched for "antimicrobial resistances," "foodborne," and "Middle East" to identify observational studies on AMR foodborne pathogens published during the last 10 years (2011 to 2020). Article retrieval and screening were done using a structured search string and strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. Median and interquartile ranges of percent resistance were calculated for each antibiotic-bacterium combination. A total of 249 articles were included in the final analysis from ten countries, where only five countries had more than 85% of the included articles. The most commonly reported pathogens were Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria spp. An apparent rise in drug resistance among foodborne pathogens was recorded particularly against amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, and tetracycline that are commonly prescribed in most countries in the Middle East. Besides, there is a lack of standardization and quality control for microbiological identification and susceptibility testing methods in many of the Middle East countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah F Alsayeqh
- Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, 662251452, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Wageh Sobhy Darwish
- Food Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
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3
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Truppa C, Abo-Shehada MN. Antimicrobial resistance among GLASS pathogens in conflict and non-conflict affected settings in the Middle East: a systematic review. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:936. [PMID: 33297983 PMCID: PMC7724697 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05503-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In spite of the evident general negative effects of armed conflict on countries' health systems and populations' health outcomes, little is known about similar impacts of conflicts on the spread of antimicrobial resistances (AMR). This review was to address this evidence gap and describe: 1. Patterns of AMR in the Middle East (ME) and resistance profiles of pathogens included in the Global AMR Surveillance System (GLASS) supported by the World Health Organization; 2. Differences in proportions of AMR isolates between conflict and non-conflict countries. METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and searching five electronic databases. Subject heading and free text were searched for "antimicrobial resistances" and "Middle East", to identify observational studies on AMR published from January 2011 to June 2018. Data were extracted from included articles on a predefined set of variables. Percentages of AMR were analysed as median and interquartile ranges. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS A total of 132 articles met the inclusion criteria. Included studies showed heterogeneity in study design, laboratory methods and standards for interpretation of results, and an overall high risk of bias. Main findings were the following: 1. High proportions of carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter spp. (median 74.2%), and both carbapenem resistance (median 8.1 and 15.4% for E. coli and K. pneumoniae respectively) and ESBL-production (median 32.3 and 27.9% for E. coli and K. pneumoniae respectively) amongst Enterobacteriaceae. S. aureus isolates showed a median methicillin resistance percentage of 45.1%, while vancomycin resistance was almost absent. A median of 50% of the strains of S. pneumoniae showed non-susceptibility to penicillin. 2. Similar trends were observed in conflict and non-conflict affected countries. CONCLUSIONS There is a lack of standardization in the methodological approach to AMR research in the Middle East. The proportion of antibiotic resistances among specific GLASS pathogens is high, particularly among Acinetobacter spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Truppa
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahmoud N. Abo-Shehada
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
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Kharroubi S, Nasser NA, El-Harakeh MD, Sulaiman AA, Kassem II. First Nation-Wide Analysis of Food Safety and Acceptability Data in Lebanon. Foods 2020; 9:foods9111717. [PMID: 33266478 PMCID: PMC7700422 DOI: 10.3390/foods9111717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The challenges to food safety in Lebanon are numerous and have coalesced to pose a serious public health concern. This is evident in well-documented food poisoning outbreaks and adulteration cases. In response, the Lebanese government initiated an unprecedented food safety campaign (2015–2017) that aimed to test food samples that were randomly collected from foodservices and industries across the country. The data were made available publicly, but they were never analyzed to prioritize and determine high risk foods and most prevalent contaminants nationally or across governorates. To answer these questions, we performed an in-depth statistical analysis of the data, which included 11,625 individual food samples. Our analysis showed that water (55% of tested water samples), spices (49.3%), red meat (34.4%), poultry (30.9%) and dairy (28.3%) were the main foods associated with the highest rejection rates. The most common biological contaminants detected in rejected foods were sulfate-reducing bacteria (34.7%), Escherichia coli (32.1%), coliforms (19.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (12.8%), and Salmonella (11.6%). We conclude that Lebanon needs rigorous and sustainable programs to monitor the quality and safety of foods. Given the lack of resources, we recommend putting emphasis on extensive outreach programs that aim at enhancing food safety knowledge from farm to fork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samer Kharroubi
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (S.K.); (M.D.E.-H.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Nivin A. Nasser
- Center for Food Safety, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA;
| | - Marwa Diab El-Harakeh
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (S.K.); (M.D.E.-H.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Abdallah Alhaj Sulaiman
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (S.K.); (M.D.E.-H.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Issmat I. Kassem
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (S.K.); (M.D.E.-H.); (A.A.S.)
- Center for Food Safety, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA;
- Correspondence: or
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5
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Prevalence of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica in food products in the Middle East and North Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Control 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.106908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Faour-Klingbeil D, C. D. Todd E. Prevention and Control of Foodborne Diseases in Middle-East North African Countries: Review of National Control Systems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 17:E70. [PMID: 31861843 PMCID: PMC6982137 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Foodborne diseases continue to be a global public health problem with an estimated 600 million people falling ill annually. In return, international standards are becoming stricter which poses challenges to food trade. In light of the increasing burden of foodborne diseases, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have upgraded their food laws and undertaken changes to the organizational structure of their regulatory institutions to maintain or expand international export activities, tighten control on local and imported products, and protect consumers' health. However, until this date, the published information on the regional health burdens of foodborne diseases is very limited and it is not clear whether the recent changes will serve towards science-based and effective preventive functions and the adoption of the risk management approach. In this review, we summarize the recent food safety issues and the national food control systems of selected countries in the region although we were challenged with the scarcity of information. To this end, we examined the national food safety systems in the context of the five essential elements of the FAO/WHO Guidelines for Strengthening National Food Control Systems. These five elements-food law and regulations; food control management; inspection services; laboratory services; food monitoring; and epidemiological data, information, education, communication, and training-constitute the building blocks of a national food control system, but could also serve as tools to assess the effectiveness of the systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dima Faour-Klingbeil
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
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Gut Bacteria of Water Monitor Lizard ( Varanus salvator) Are a Potential Source of Antibacterial Compound(s). Antibiotics (Basel) 2019; 8:antibiotics8040164. [PMID: 31554316 PMCID: PMC6963368 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
For the past few decades, there has been limited progress in the development of novel antibacterials. Previously, we postulated that the gut microbiota of animals residing in polluted environments are a forthcoming supply of antibacterials. Among various species, the water monitor lizard is an interesting species that feeds on organic waste and the carcass of wild animals. Gut microbiota of the water monitor lizard were sequestered, identified and cultivated in RPMI-1640 to produce conditioned medium (CM). Next, the antimicrobial properties of CM were evaluated versus a selection of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli K1, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pyogenes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus). CM were partially characterized by heat inactivation at 95°C for 10 min and tested against P. aeruginosa and S. pyogenes. CM were also tested against immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells lines. The results demonstrated that gut microbiota isolated from water monitor lizard produced molecules with remarkable bactericidal activities. To determine the identity of the active molecules, CM were subjected to Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Several molecules were identified belonging to the classes of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, polyhydroxy alkaloids, polyacetylenes, bisphenols, amides, oxylipin and pyrazine derivatives with known broad-spectrum antimicrobial, anti-tumour, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic attributes. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of these molecules could lead us to develop effective therapeutic antibacterials.
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Fadlallah SM, Shehab M, Cheaito K, Haidar-Ahmad N, El Hafi B, Saleh M, Nasser Z, El Hajj R, Ghosn N, Ammar W, Matar GM. PulseNet Lebanon: An Overview of Its Activities, Outbreak Investigations, and Challenges. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2019; 16:498-503. [PMID: 30950635 PMCID: PMC6653785 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2018.2581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Foodborne diseases are still a major health issue in Lebanon, although some steps have been taken forward in food safety. To this purpose, PulseNet Lebanon, a foodborne diseases tracking network, was established in 2009, through the collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the American University of Beirut (AUB). Materials and Methods: Three papers published regarding the PulseNet project were summarized. Initially, clinical and food samples, collected within the surveillance network scope, were identified by using the respective API for Salmonella and Listeria spp. Salmonella spp. were further serotyped by using the Kauffman and White method. Campylobacter spp. were determined by the 16 S rRNA sequencing method. Antimicrobial susceptibility to a number of antibiotics was determined by using the disk diffusion method for Samonella and Campylobacter spp. Genomic diversity was determined by using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Results: Results indicated that 290 clinical and 49 food isolates were identified as Salmonella. Serotyping revealed the prevalence of ten and seven serotypes in the clinical and food samples, respectively. Fifty-one isolates from chicken ceca and carcass were identified to be Campylobacter spp. Fifty-nine samples were identified to be Listeria monocytogenes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed a wide range of resistance among the different samples. PFGE showed a variation in pulsotypes among the Salmonella serotypes. PFGE also linked certain outbreaks to their food sources. This method also demonstrated 13 subtypes with 100% similarity among the L. monocytogenes isolates. Finally, the Camplyobcater spp. were grouped into nine clusters with a minimum similarity of 43.5% using RAPD. Conclusion: This summary of results shows the importance of implementing a “farm-to-fork” approach in the surveillance of foodborne disease outbreaks in Lebanon, allowing the detection of pathogens causing foodborne disease outbreaks in a timely fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukayna M Fadlallah
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Marwa Shehab
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Katia Cheaito
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nathaline Haidar-Ahmad
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Bassam El Hafi
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Majd Saleh
- 2 Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Rima El Hajj
- 3 Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute, Fanar, Lebanon
| | - Nada Ghosn
- 2 Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Walid Ammar
- 2 Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ghassan M Matar
- 1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology and Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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9
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Moghnieh RA, Kanafani ZA, Tabaja HZ, Sharara SL, Awad LS, Kanj SS. Epidemiology of common resistant bacterial pathogens in the countries of the Arab League. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2018; 18:e379-e394. [PMID: 30292478 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(18)30414-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
No uniformly organised collection of data regarding antimicrobial resistance has occurred in the countries of the Arab League. 19 countries of the Arab League have published data for antimicrobial susceptibility for the WHO priority organisms, and seven of 14 of these organisms are included in this Review (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Although E coli and Klebsiella spp resistance to third-generation cephalosporins is common in all countries, with prevalence reaching more than 50% in Egypt and Syria, carbapenem resistance is emerging, albeit with a prevalence of less than 10%. Conversely, a large amount of carbapenem resistance has been reported for P aeruginosa and A baumannii across the Arab League, reaching 50% and 88% of isolates in some countries. As for Salmonella spp, the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance has exceeded 30% in several areas. With regards to the Gram-positive pathogens, the prevalence of meticillin resistance in S aureus is reported to be between 20% and 30% in most countries, but exceeds 60% in Egypt and Iraq. The prevalence of penicillin non-susceptibility among pneumococci has reached more than 20% in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. These findings highlight the need for structured national plans in the region to target infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima A Moghnieh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zeina A Kanafani
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hussam Z Tabaja
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sima L Sharara
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Lyn S Awad
- Pharmacy Department, Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Souha S Kanj
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
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Akbar N, Siddiqui R, Iqbal M, Sagathevan K, Khan NA. Gut bacteria of cockroaches are a potential source of antibacterial compound(s). Lett Appl Microbiol 2018; 66:416-426. [PMID: 29457249 DOI: 10.1111/lam.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Here, we hypothesized that the microbial gut flora of animals/pests living in polluted environments, produce substances to thwart bacterial infections. The overall aim of this study was to source microbes inhabiting unusual environmental niches for potential antimicrobial activity. Two cockroach species, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Madagascar) and Blaptica dubia (Dubia) were selected. The gut bacteria from these species were isolated and grown in RPMI 1640 and conditioned media were prepared. Conditioned media were tested against a panel of Gram-positive (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli K1, Salmonella enterica, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria, as well as the protist pathogen, Acanthamoeba castellanii. The results revealed that the gut bacteria of cockroaches produce active molecule(s) with potent antibacterial properties, as well as exhibit antiamoebic effects. However, heat-inactivation at 95°C for 10 min had no effect on conditioned media-mediated antibacterial and antiamoebic properties. These results suggest that bacteria from novel sources i.e. from the cockroach's gut produce molecules with bactericidal as well as amoebicidal properties that can ultimately lead to the development of therapeutic drugs. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The bacteria isolated from unusual dwellings such as the cockroaches' gut are a useful source of antibacterial and antiamoebal molecules. These are remarkable findings that will open several avenues in our search for novel antimicrobials from unique sources. Furthermore studies will lead to the identification of molecules to develop future antibacterials from insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Akbar
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - R Siddiqui
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - M Iqbal
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - K Sagathevan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - N A Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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