Identifying the panorama of potential pandemic pathogens and their key characteristics: a systematic scoping review.

The globe has recently seen several terrifying pandemics and outbreaks, underlining the ongoing danger presented by infectious microorganisms. This literature review aims to explore the wide range of infections that have the potential to lead to pandemics in the present and the future and pave the way to the conception of epidemic early warning systems. A systematic review was carried out to identify and compile data on infectious agents known to cause pandemics and those that pose future concerns. One hundred and fifteen articles were included in the review. They provided insights on 25 pathogens that could start or contribute to creating pandemic situations. Diagnostic procedures, clinical symptoms, and infection transmission routes were analyzed for each of these pathogens. Each infectious agent's potential is discussed, shedding light on the crucial aspects that render them potential threats to the future. This literature review provides insights for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers in their quest to identify potential pandemic pathogens, and in their efforts to enhance pandemic preparedness through building early warning systems for continuous epidemiological monitoring.

Evaluation of synergistic/antagonistic antibacterial activities of fatty oils from apricot, date, grape, and black seeds.

The increasing antimicrobial resistance requires continuous investigation of new antimicrobial agents preferably derived from natural sources. New powerful antibacterial agents can be produced by simply combining oils that are known for their antibacterial activities. In this study, apricot seed oil (ASO), date seed oil (DSO), grape seed oil (GSO), and black seed oil (BSO) alone and in binary mixtures were assessed. Fatty acid profiles of individual oils and oil mixtures showed linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid contents. Linoleic acid was the most abundant fatty acid in all samples except for ASO, where oleic acid was the dominant one. GSO showed the highest total phenolic content while ASO showed the lowest one. Antibacterial screening was performed against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Results showed antibacterial activity in all oils against tested strains except for ASO against S. aureus. Highest antibacterial activity recorded was for ASO against P. mirabilis. ASO-GSO mixture (AG) was the best mixture where it showed synergistic interactions against all strains except P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, seed oil mixtures are likely to show promising antibacterial activities against specific strains.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Lebanon: association with inflammatory and infectious clinical markers.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a growing health concern in the Middle East, particularly in countries with high rates of obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Lebanon and its association with clinical markers of inflammation and infection. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined retrospectively the medical laboratory record of 4093 patients from all Lebanese regions. Prevalence of T2D and its association with age, gender, calcium, vitamin D (VitD), neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined. The prevalence of infection in a subpopulation of 712 patients tested from blood, body fluid, sputum, swab, tissue, and urine samples and its etiology was also assessed. RESULTS: Overall, 17% (n = 690) of our participants had T2D, and the mean HbA1c was 5.9% ± 1.2. Age, gender, triglycerides, NLR, and calcemia were significantly associated with T2D. The prevalence of infections in a subgroup of 712 patients was 11.1% (n = 79). Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) were the most common cause of infection, with the highest prevalence in the pre-diabetic group. Serum CRP level was significantly higher in the diabetic group than the pre-diabetic and control groups. Diabetic patients also presented a significantly higher percentage of NLR > 3 compared to the pre-diabetic and control groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of T2D is increasing in the Lebanese population compared to prior reports. These results should be considered to guide effective public health preventive strategies.

Evaluation of the Phenolic Composition and Biological Activities of Six Aqueous Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seed Extracts Originating from Different Countries: A Comparative Analysis.

Date seeds, which are the main by-products of date fruit consumption, were shown to possess promising biological activities and health benefits with minimal human use. The present investigation analyzed and compared the phenolic content of six date seed varieties from four different origins (Khudari, Sakai, and Safawi from Saudi Arabia, Majdool from Jordan, Zahdi from Iraq, and Kabkab from Iran). The aqueous extracts were examined for possible antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-tumor potential. Date seed oil was extracted, and fatty acid profiles were compared. The results revealed that date seeds are a rich source of polyphenols, which have been linked to biological activities. Furthermore, the phenolic content seemed highly dependent on the variety, where Kabkab had the highest TPC value (271.2 mg GAE/g DM) while Majdool had the lowest value (63.2 mg GAE/g DM). Antioxidant activities of all varieties were highly correlated with the total phenolic content. The antibacterial investigation demonstrated that the Sakai variety possessed the dominant activity, whereas Majdool showed no activity. The results further indicated the sensitivity of both Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, with a stronger effect against B. cereus, while no effect was observed against Gram-negative strains (Salmonella Typhi and Escherichia coli). All varieties were able to decrease colon and lung cancer cell viability, especially Khudari and Sakai, with stronger effects against colon cancer cells. Analysis of date seed oil showed high oleic acid content, especially in Sakai. The findings suggest that date seeds are promising candidates for future pharmaceutical applications as nutraceuticals to help combat certain illnesses, as well as functional foods and natural additives that boost the nutritional value of food products, increase their shelf lives, and improve the overall health of consumers.

Molecular epidemiology and clonality of Acinetobacter spp in a Lebanese hospital over a period of one year.

INTRODUCTION: The worldwide emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter spp and their clonal dissemination call for the investigation into Acinetobacter spp epidemiology. METHODOLOGY: 100 nonrepetitive Acinetobacter spp isolates were recovered from patients admitted at Saint- George-Hospital-University-Medical-Center-Beirut, in a one-year period. Identification of the isolates was determined by the API20NE and confirmed by PCR amplification of blaOXA-51-like. Susceptibility to carbapenems and colistin were determined by the microdilution method and interpreted according to the CLSI, 2015.The ß lactamase inhibitors: PBA, EDTA, and Cloxacillin were used for the detection of KPC, MBL and AmpC, respectively. ESBL producers were detected whenever a keyhole effect was observed between 3rd generation cephalosporin and Augmentin®. Simplex PCR was conducted for the genotypic detection of ß lactamases. ERIC and 3LST-PCR were performed to determine the clonality of the isolates. RESULTS: Our findings showed that 84% were carbapenem resistant. Only one isolate was resistant to colistin. Phenotypically, 23 were ESBL, 15 KPC, 5 AmpC, and 4 MBL producers. PCR analysis showed that 99%, 93%, 77% and 3 % of the isolates harbored blaOXA-51-like, blaADC, blaOXA-23-like, and blaOXA-40-like, respectively. ERIC-PCR analysis showed that A.baumannii isolates were clustered in 19 possibly related and 30 closely related subtypes. The 3-LST-PCR showed that 86.2% of the A.baumannii isolates pertained to the ICII (international clone II). CONCLUSION: Our study showed a predominance of OXA-23-like producers and dissemination of ICII. Inhibitor based method was shown not to be accurate for the prediction of carbapenemases in Acinetobacter spp. Infection control measures are needed for management of Acinetobacter spp infections.

Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Lebanese Hospital Wastewater: Implication in the One Health Concept.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing organisms pose severe problems for hospitalized patients. In the absence of efficient sanitation and sewage disposal, the risks for transmission of hospital organisms into the community are high. Our objectives were to study the occurrence and mechanisms of resistance of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli in two Lebanese hospital sewage treatment plants. Wastewater samples were collected, filtered, and cultivated on MacConckey+cefotaxime agars. ESBL, AmpC, metallo-ß-lactamases (MBL), and Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemases (KPC) production were phenotypically detected using plain Mueller Hinton agar plates, and plates impregnated with 5 mM EDTA, 10 mg/mL phenyl boronic acid, and 250 µg/mL cloxacillin (embedded). Temocillin discs were used for the presumptive detection of OXAs. ESBL, carbapenemase, outer membrane protein F (OMPF), and outer membrane protein C (OMPC) genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to study the clonality of Enterobacter cloacae isolates. In total, 32 and 38 Enterobacteriaceae were detected from Hospital 1 and Hospital 2, respectively. All Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates were ESBL producers. AmpC reached 25% and 28.9% of all isolates. Only one Enterobacter cloacae isolate from one hospital showed full resistance to carbapenems. Molecular tests, however, detected NDM-1 in two strains of Enterobacter cloacae. PFGE results showed 80% similarity between these two strains. The isolation of NDM-1-producing Enterobacter cloacae from hospital wastewater occurred almost a year before the first case of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter spp. was detected from a patient sample in the laboratory hospital. Understanding the local epidemiology of resistance in hospitals should include areas of potential resistance, such as wastewater and hospital environment.

Mutant prevention concentrations of ciprofloxacin against urinary isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this work was to study the ability of ciprofloxacin to restrict the development of resistant mutants of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae through determination of the Mutant Prevention Concentration (MPC). METHODOLOGY: We studied 140 strains of E. coli and 86 strains of K. pneumoniae with different profiles of sensitivity to fluoroquinolones and extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) production. The MPCs were determined using an inoculum of 1010 CFU/ml in Mueller-Hinton agar plates with serial concentrations of ciprofloxacin. RESULTS: Ciprofloxacin-susceptible ESBL-producing strains showed a higher MPC for ciprofloxacin (P <0.001) than ciprofloxacin-susceptible non ESBL-producing strains, while ciprofloxacin-resistant ESBL-producing and non ESBL-producing strains did not significantly differ. The presence of qnr variants was associated with elevated MPCs. This was observed for both tested organisms. CONCLUSIONS: Our study helps to explain the frequent finding of resistance to fluoroquinolones in ESBL-producing strains. Consequently, the use of concentrations of ciprofloxacin higher than the MIC in order to prevent the recovery and growth of resistant mutants is recommended.