Novel griseofulvin zinc nanohybrid emulsion for intensifying the antimicrobial control of dermatophytes and some opportunistic pathogens.

Dermatophytosis is a critical sort of skin infection caused by dermatophytes. The long-term treatment of such skin infections may be improved through the application of nanotechnology. This study aimed to prepare griseofulvin zinc Nanohybrid emulsion (GF-Zn-NHE) to improve griseofulvin activity against dermatophytes and some opportunistic pathogenic yeasts and bacteria. The GF-Zn-NHE is prepared by ultra-homogenization ultra-sonication strategies and validated by UV-visible spectroscopy analysis that confirms presences of griseofulvin and Zn-NPs peaks at 265 and 360 nm, respectively. The GF-Zn-NHE has mean distribution size 50 nm and zeta potential in the range from -40 to -36 mV with no significant changes in size distribution and particle size within 120 day ageing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum confirmed the presence of griseofulvin and Zn-NPs stretching vibration peaks. Gamma ray has a negative influence on GF-Zn-NE production and stability. GF-Zn-NHE drug release 95% up to 24 h and 98% up to 72 h of GF was observed and Zinc 90% up to 24 h and 95% up to 72 h, respectively. High antimicrobial activity was observed with GF-Zn-NHE against dermatophytic pathogens in compare with GF, GF-NE, zinc nitrate and ketoconazole with inhibition zone ranged from 14 to 36 mm. The results have shown that the MIC value for Cryptococcus neoformans, Prophyromonas gingivalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is 0.125 mg ml -1 and for Trichophyton rubrum, L. bulgaricus and Escherichia coli value is 0.25 mg ml -1 and for Candida albicans, Malassezia furfur and Enterococcus faecalis is 0.5 mg ml -1 and finally 1 mg ml -1 for Streptococcus mutans. TEM of treated Cryptococcus neoformans cells with GF-Zn-NHE displayed essentially modified morphology, degradation, damage of organelles, vacuoles and other structures.

Prevalence and Predictors of Self-Medication with Antifungal Drugs and Herbal Products Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Egypt.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Irrational use of drugs for self-medication (SM) is a worldwide public health problem which results in treatment failure, economic loss, and increased burden of morbidity and mortality. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore SM with antifungal drugs and herbal products among university students in Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional sectional study was conducted over 7 months among 403 university students in Egypt. The students were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire through an online Google form. Questionnaire items included socio-demographic characteristics of the students, practice of and attitude towards SM with antifungal drugs, and SM with herbal products. RESULTS: Prevalence of SM with antifungal drugs among students stood at 38.2%. The main reasons for SM with antifungal drugs were perceiving their health problem as being minimal, followed by having fears of a doctor's visit. About 73% of the students thought that SM was not a safe practice. Older age (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI= 1.3-1.8), affiliation to a private university (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI= 2.2-6.4), and being a medical student (AOR =2.4, 95% CI= 1.3-4.5) were the significant predictors of SM with antifungal drugs. A high prevalence of SM with herbal products (70.7%) was reported, with most students having used some form of herbal weight loss preparation (64%). Being a Cairo resident (AOR= 2.4, 95% CI =1.5-3.8, P<0.05) and being a medical student (AOR= 2.1, 95% CI =1.3-3.4, P<0.05) were the significant predictors of SM with herbal products. CONCLUSION: In the current study, SM was common among Egyptian university students. Providing counseling and public health education to university students with regards to SM is crucial. Implementing strict regulations and the full enforcement of excitant laws pertaining to the use of medication supplies is also needed. Herbal products should face the scrutiny of evidence-based medicine. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of SM among university students.

AmpC ß-Lactamase Variable Expression in Common Multidrug-Resistant Nosocomial Bacterial Pathogens from a Tertiary Hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

The emergence of AmpC (pAmpC) ß-lactamases conferring resistance to the third-generation cephalosporins has become a major clinical concern worldwide. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of AmpC ß-lactamase encoding gene among the pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative resistant bacteria screened from clinical samples of Egyptian patients enrolled into El-Qasr El-Ainy Tertiary Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 153 bacterial isolates of the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecium were isolated from patients diagnosed with urinary tract infection (UTI), respiratory tract infection (RTI), and wound infections. The total number of E. faecium isolates was 53, comprising 29 urine isolates, 5 sputum isolates, and 19 wound swab isolates, whereas the total number of P. aeruginosa isolates was 49, comprising 27 urine isolates, 7 sputum isolates, and 15 wound swab isolates, and that of the K. pneumoniae isolates was 51, comprising 20 urine isolates, 25 sputum isolates, and 6 wound swab isolates. Our results indicated that there is no significant difference in the expression of AmpC ß-lactamase gene among the tested bacterial species with respect to the type of infection and/or clinical specimen. However, the expression patterns of AmpC ß-lactamase gene markedly differed according to the antibacterial resistance characteristics of the tested isolates.

The find of COVID-19 vaccine: Challenges and opportunities.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), a novel corona virus, causing COVID-19 with Flu-like symptoms is the first alarming pandemic of the third millennium. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to beta coronavirus as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Pandemic COVID-19 owes devastating mortality and destructively exceptional consequences on Socio-Economics life around the world. Therefore, the current review is redirected to the scientific community to owe comprehensive visualization about SARS-CoV-2 to tackle the current pandemic. As systematically shown through the current review, it indexes unmet medical problem of COVID-19 in view of public health and vaccination discovery for the infectious SARS-CoV-2; it is currently under-investigational therapeutic protocols, and next possible vaccines. Furthermore, the review extensively reports the precautionary measures to achieve" COVID-19/Flatten the curve". It is concluded that vaccines formulation within exceptional no time in this pandemic is highly recommended, via following the same protocols of previous pandemics; MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and excluding some initial steps of vaccination development process.

Fabrication and characterization of cobalt hyaluronic acid nanostructure via gamma irradiation for improving biomedical applications.

Aqueous dispersed cobalt hyaluronic acid nanostructure (CoHANs) was synthesized using cobalt ion (Co+2) as precursor and natural polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) as stabilizing agent and gamma irradiation as reducing agent. The synthesized CoHANs are characterized by UV-Vis. spectroscopy, Dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The morphology and surface appearance of CoHANs has been observed by SEM images. The particles size and shape of CoHANs were estimated by TEM images and was found to be 12.0 nm. XRD analysis of the CoHANs confirmed the formation of crystalline nanoparticles. The nucleation and growth mechanism of CoHANs was also discussed. The size of nanoparticles was found to be influenced by certain parameters such as the choice of stabilizer and cobalt ion concentration and the absorbed dose. The results indicated the CoHANs possesses high activity than cobalt ion and HA. The present study explored the positive role of CoHANs as an antitumor agent on different cell carcinoma in vitro. Excellent bactericidal spatially against pathogenic bacteria and fungicidal activity was shown by the CoHANs.

Therapeutic and diagnostic potential of nanomaterials for enhanced biomedical applications.

Biomedical applications of nanomaterials have received considerable attention and interest from many researchers over the past decade due to the key role they can play in enhancing public health. Different types of nanomaterials possess both diagnostic and therapeutic potential owing to their outstanding properties compared to their bulk counterparts. Herein, we present, analyze and provide significant insights and recent advances about the promising biomedical applications of nanoparticles including bioimaging of biological environments and its role as a significant tool for early detection of many diseases with respect to traditional means, explaining their types and limitations. In addition, different types of nanoparticles acting as effective bio-sensors and detectors of our body have been analyzed. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of different types of nanoparticles and their attractive antimicrobial effects allowing them to act as powerful and new drug substitutes against multi-drug resistant bacteria and pathogenic fungi. Finally, we introduce some nanoparticles as powerful antioxidants and promising candidates in cancer therapeutics. We conclude that this review can give up-to-date information about various biomedical applications of nanoparticles and will be of great value and interest to researchers and scientists of materials science, biology, chemistry, and medicine.

Influence of subinhibitory antifungal concentrations on extracellular hydrolases and biofilm production by Candida albicans recovered from Egyptian patients.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular hydrolases (phospholipase, aspartyl protease and haemolysin) and biofilm production are considered as major virulence factors of the opportunistic pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. However, the impact of antifungal therapy on such virulence attributes is not well investigated. The common antifungal agents may disturb the production of secreted hydrolases as well as biofilm formation. Accordingly, this study addressed the effect of subinhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of selected antifungal agents on some virulence factors of C. albicans clinical isolates. METHODS: C. albicans isolates (n = 32) were recovered from different clinical samples and their identification was confirmed to the species level. Antifungal susceptibility profiles of isolates were determined against (nystatin, fluconazole and micafungin) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Virulence determinants comprising secreted hydrolases (phospholipase, aspartyl protease and haemolysin) and biofilm formation were investigated in the presence of the sub-MICs of the tested antifungal agents. RESULTS: Treatment of clinical C. albicans isolates with subinhibitory nystatin, fluconazole and micafungin concentrations significantly decreased production of extracellular hydrolases. Nystatin had the greatest inhibitory effect on phospholipase and aspartyl protease production. However, micafungin showed the highest reducing effect on the hemolytic activity of the treated clinical isolates. Moreover, nystatin and micafungin, but not fluconazole, had a noticeable significant impact on inhibiting biofilm formation of C. albicans clinical isolates. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlighted the significant influences of commonly prescribed antifungal agents on some virulence factors of C. albicans. Accordingly, antifungal therapy may modulate key virulence attributes of C. albicans.

Correlation between antifungal resistance and virulence factors in Candida albicans recovered from vaginal specimens.

Candida albicans is considered as the leading species causing vulvovaginal candidiasis. Numerous virulence determinants and escalating resistance to antifungal therapy have contributed to its pathogenicity. However, correlation between resistance profiles and virulence patterns of C. albicans is not very well-investigated, which was the main focus of the current study. C. albicans isolates (n = 65) were recovered from vaginal swab specimens and identified to the species level. Antifungal susceptibilities of isolates were performed against (amphotericin B, nystatin, clotrimazole, fluconazole, voriconazole, and micafungin), and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Virulence patterns including secreted hydrolases (phospholipase, aspartyl protease, and haemolysin), cell surface hydrophobicity, and biofilm production were evaluated. Associations between resistance profiles and virulence patterns of tested C. albicans isolates were analyzed. Isolates showed variable levels of resistance and virulence patterns. Furthermore, there are significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations between amphotericin B MICs and biofilm production. However, significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations are found between fluconazole and voriconazole MICs and cell surface hydrophobicity as well as biofilm production. Moreover, significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations are detected between voriconazole MICs and aspartyl protease production. This study revealed significant correlations between resistance profiles and virulence patterns of C. albicans isolates recovered from vulvovaginal specimens.