Antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae isolated from street foods in selected towns of Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Street foods are any foods or drinks prepared or sold by street vendors in an open space. The purpose of this study was to determine the Bacteriological safety and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae isolated from street foods. METHOD: A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was used from December 2022 to February 2023 on street foods of Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, and Jimma towns of Ethiopia. 525 street foods and 175 water samples were taken from 175 street food vending stalls. Proportional allocation to the total town population and stratified sampling techniques were used to select vending stalls. Samples were analyzed for the presence of bacteria following the standard microbiological methods used for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of bacteria. Pour plate technique was used to transfer the suspension to MacConkey agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, and Salmonella Shigella Agar. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. RESULT: Out of 525 food samples, 279 (53%) were contaminated by bacteria. From 175 water samples, 95 (54.3%) were contaminated with Escherichia coli. From both samples in total, eleven bacterial species were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated species. Shigella, Klebsiella, and Salmonella group A have statistically significant with the type of food. Erythromycin (54%), Streptomycin (17%), and Amoxicillin (14%) were the most resistant antibiotics. Least resistance was observed to Ciprofloxacin (5%). CONCLUSION: Street foods of the selected towns were highly contaminated with various antibiotic-resistant organisms. Hence, the relevant authorities ought to ensure the proper handling of street food by enforcing safety measures. Additionally, they should initiate a widespread awareness campaign promoting the prudent use of antibiotics among both street food vendors and the broader population.

District health information system (DHIS2) as integrated antimicrobial resistance surveillance platform: An exploratory qualitative investigation of the one health stakeholders' viewpoints in Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: There is an unmet need for One Health (OH) surveillance and reporting systems for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in resource poor settings. District health information system, version 2 (DHIS2), is a globally recognized digital surveillance platform which has not been widely utilized for AMR data yet. Our study aimed to understand the local stakeholders' viewpoints on DHIS2 as OH-AMR surveillance platform in Jimma, Ethiopia which will aid its further context specific establishment. METHODS: We performed an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured key informant interviews (KIIs) in Jimma Zone at Southwest Ethiopia. We interviewed 42 OH professionals between November 2020 and February 2021. Following verbatim transcription of the audio recordings of KIIs, we conducted thematic analysis. RESULTS: We identified five major themes which are important for understanding the trajectory of OH-AMR surveillance in DHIS2 platform. The themes were: (1) Stakeholders' current knowledge on digital surveillance platforms including DHIS2. (2) Stakeholders' perception on digital surveillance platform including DHIS2. (3) Features suggested by stakeholders to be included in the surveillance platform. (4) Comments from stakeholders on system implementation challenges. (5) Stakeholders' perceived role in the process of implementation. Despite several barriers and challenges, most of the participants perceived and suggested DHIS2 as a suitable OH-AMR surveillance platform and were willing to contribute at their current professional roles. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the potential of the DHIS2 as a user friendly and acceptable interoperable platform for OH-AMR surveillance if the technology designers accommodate the stakeholders' concerns. Piloting at local level and using performance appraisal tool in all OH disciplines should be the next step before proceeding to workable format.

Towards monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in the environment: For what reasons, how to implement it, and what are the data needs?

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human and animal health and well-being. To understand AMR dynamics, it is important to monitor resistant bacteria and resistance genes in all relevant settings. However, while monitoring of AMR has been implemented in clinical and veterinary settings, comprehensive monitoring of AMR in the environment is almost completely lacking. Yet, the environmental dimension of AMR is critical for understanding the dissemination routes and selection of resistant microorganisms, as well as the human health risks related to environmental AMR. Here, we outline important knowledge gaps that impede implementation of environmental AMR monitoring. These include lack of knowledge of the 'normal' background levels of environmental AMR, definition of high-risk environments for transmission, and a poor understanding of the concentrations of antibiotics and other chemical agents that promote resistance selection. Furthermore, there is a lack of methods to detect resistance genes that are not already circulating among pathogens. We conclude that these knowledge gaps need to be addressed before routine monitoring for AMR in the environment can be implemented on a large scale. Yet, AMR monitoring data bridging different sectors is needed in order to fill these knowledge gaps, which means that some level of national, regional and global AMR surveillance in the environment must happen even without all scientific questions answered. With the possibilities opened up by rapidly advancing technologies, it is time to fill these knowledge gaps. Doing so will allow for specific actions against environmental AMR development and spread to pathogens and thereby safeguard the health and wellbeing of humans and animals.

Systemic biomarkers of inflammation and haemostasis in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate mediators of inflammation and haemostasis in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA), a locally, destructive process of the lung due to invasion by Aspergillus species. METHODS: Measurements of selected biomarkers in 10 patients with CNPA and 19 healthy, matched controls were performed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and multiplex methodology. The gene expressions of relevant biomarkers were analyzed with real-time quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Increased concentrations of circulating mediators of inflammation interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, RANTES, TNF-α, ICAM-1 and mediators involved in endothelial activation and thrombosis (vWF, TF and PAI-1) were observed in patients with CNPA. The concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased both in plasma and in PBMC in the patient population. The gene expression of CD40L was decreased in PBMC from the patient group, accompanied by decreased concentrations of soluble (s) CD40L in the circulation. CONCLUSIONS: The proinflammatory response against Aspergillus may be counteracted by reduced CD40L and sCD40L, as well as increased IL-10, which may compromise the immune response against Aspergillus in patients with CNPA.

Understanding transmission pathways and integrated digital surveillance potential of antimicrobial resistance in Ethiopia in a One Health approach: a mixed-method study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has a critical global impact, mostly affecting low- and middle-income countries. A major knowledge gap exists in understanding the transmission pathway of the gut colonisation with AMR bacteria between healthy humans and their animals in addition to the presence of those AMR bacteria in the surrounding environment. A One Health (OH) approach is necessary to address this multisectoral problem. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This cross-sectional, mixed-method OH study design will use both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Quantitative methods will be carried out to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria and vancomycin-resistant enterococci in humans, animals (cattle) and the environment. The focus will be on cattle rearing as an exposure risk for AMR among humans. The assessment of AMR in the population of Jimma, Ethiopia with or without exposure to cattle will reinforce the importance of OH research to identify the impending exchange of resistance profile between humans and animals as well as its ultimate dissemination in the surrounding environment.The targeted semistructured key stakeholder interviews will aid to strengthen the OH-AMR surveillance in Ethiopia by understanding the acceptability of an integrated AMR surveillance platform based on the District Health Information Software-2 and the feasibility of its context-specific establishment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Regional Ethics Committee, Norway, and the Institutional Review Board of Jimma University, Ethiopia. The study's data will be stored on a secure server known as Services for Sensitive Data hosted by the University of Oslo. In addition, the new European Union Global Data Protection Guidelines for data sharing, storage and protection will be followed. We will publish the results in peer-reviewed journals and present the findings at national and international conferences.

Toll like receptor 5 (TLR5) may be involved in the immunological response to Aspergillus fumigatus in vitro.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the host defense against Aspergillus fumigatus infections, and some TLRs may even be exploited by the mould to escape immune mechanisms. We have previously shown that conidia from A. fumigatus increase expression of TLR5 in human monocytes. When further investigating a possible role of TLR5 in A. fumigatus infections, we observed a decrease in conidial viability after culturing with TLR5-knockdown THP-1 monocytes. Secondly, our experiments showed an increase in conidial viability when THP-1 monocytes, together with flagellin, are cultured with conidia. Thirdly, we found that treatment of THP-1 monocytes with a monoclonal antibody against TLR5 resulted in increased conidial viability after culturing. Experiments with a HEK-293 cell line only expressing TLR5 did not indicate that conidia directly interact with TLR5. Further studies of the intracellular molecular mechanisms activated concomitant with activation of TLR5 that have an enhancing effect on the viability of conidia may shed new light on the defense against conidia in monocytic cells, and possibly also on the function of the TLR5 system.

Activation of platelets by Aspergillus fumigatus and potential role of platelets in the immunopathogenesis of Aspergillosis.

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most frequent cause of invasive mold infections worldwide. Platelets contribute to inflammation and promote thrombosis, characteristically seen in aspergillosis, and might be involved both in antifungal defense and in the histopathological process. In the experiments reported here, in vitro activation of platelets by conidia, swollen conidia, and hyphae from A. fumigatus was assessed by flow cytometry and enzyme immunoassays. THP-1 monocytes and human monocytes with and without platelets were cultured with hyphae from A. fumigatus, and the release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) was measured by enzyme immunoassays. A. fumigatus potently induced the expression of CD62-p and CD63 and the release of CD40 ligand, RANTES, and Dickkopf homolog 1 in platelets, with particularly enhancing effects of hyphae compared with conidia. The hypha-mediated activation of platelets further enhanced the release of IL-8 both in THP-1 monocytes and in human adherent monocytes. In conclusion, we have found that A. fumigatus is a potent inducer of platelet-mediated inflammation, potentially promoting protective as well as harmful responses during aspergillosis.