Phytochemical composition of cedar tar of the atlas and it's in vitro antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis.

The objective of this study was to identify the major compounds present in Cedar tar obtained by distillation of Cedrus atlantica wood from the Taza forest (Morocco) and to evaluate its antidermatophytic activity in vitro against the three strains of dermatophytes most widespread in Morocco, considered the main prevailing causes of fungal infections of the skin, hair and nails. GC/MS analysis revealed that cedar tar is composed mainly of hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, with nine major compounds identified, including α-Cedrene, ß-Cadinene, γ-Cadinene, ß-Himachelene, α-Turmerone, ß-Turmerone, Ar-tumerone, α-Atlantone and Himachalol. The evaluation of antifungal activity was carried out by the micro dilution technique. The MIC values found were 100µg/mL, 2µg/mL and 0.1µg/mL on Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis strains respectively. The observed strong antifungal activity of cedar tar is attributed to the prevalence of oxygenated and hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes, known for their established antidermatophytic properties. This study highlights the potential of the Atlas Cedar tar as an effective antifungal agent for the treatment of superficial mycoses, particularly dermatophytoses.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant phenotypes of Gram-negative bacilli isolated in clinical specimens at Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Ibn Rochd, Morocco.

Introduction: antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative bacilli is one of the major concerns in public health. We aimed to evaluate gram-negative bacilli epidemiology, antimicrobial profiles, and the resistance´s mechanism for Enterobacteriaceae isolated from specimens of hospitalized patients in wards of University Hospital Center Ibn Rochd of Casablanca, Morocco. Methods: a prospective study of the patient's specimens, collected from December 2016 to 31st March 2017. Isolation and identification were performed using conventional biochemical tests. According to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing guidelines, antibiotic susceptibility was determined. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to detect ß-lactamase and carabapenemase genes: CTX-M, SHV, TEM, OXA-48, NDM, and VIM among the Enterobacteriaceae. Results: according to inclusion criteria, 38 Enterobacteriaceae, 25 Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), and 10 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were included during the study period; these bacteria were mainly responsible for bacteremia. Fifty-five percent of enterobacteria were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL), 42% EBSL and carbapenemase, and 3% carbapenemase, with high coresistances. Eighty-four percent of A. baumannii were XDR. All P. aeruginosa were MDR; amikacin showed the best activity (70% susceptibility). The genotypic approach revealed the presence of blaCTX-M, blaSHV, blaTEM in 68%, 22%, and 11% respectively. Of the 22 carbapenemase-producers, 41% were blaOXA-48 and 18% blaNDM; none had blaVIM. Furthermore, various genes coexistence were detected: blaCTX-M+blaOXA-48; blaCTX-M+blaNDM; blaCTX-M+blaSHV+blaOXA-48; and blaSHV+blaOXA-48. Conclusion: findings revealed highly resistance rate among isolates. This raises the need to control antibiotics and regular screening to identify dynamics promoting resistance. Thus, we recommend developing antimicrobial stewardship programs and improving hygiene systems to prevent the nosocomial spreading of these phenotypes in our center.

Identification and assessment of antimicrobial resistance bacteria in a hemodialysis water treatment system.

The water treatment process is a vital factor for hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study aimed to assess the degree of contamination of HD water by bacteria at the HD center of Mohammedia, Morocco, in addition to evaluating the antimicrobial resistance of isolated bacteria. Fifty-four water samples were taken, the appropriate cultures were used to isolate the pathogenic bacteria, which were identified biochemically and molecularly by 16S RNA sequencing. Their susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs was determined by the disk diffusion method. Approximately 5.5% of water samples were above the norm. The isolated bacteria that colonized the HD systems were mostly Gram-negative bacilli, such as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas spp., and Burkholderia cepacian. Results of the antibiotics test showed remarkable resistance levels. Among Pseudomonas spp. and S. maltophilia, 10 strains were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR), and 4 as extensively drug-resistant (XDR). The diversity of bacterial strains isolated in the water used for HD treatments, and their worrying resistance levels pose a significant risk to patients. For these reasons, an urgent need for periodic microbiological monitoring of water after each treatment step must be applied, and the treatment process should also be optimized.

Contamination of the Surfaces of a Health Care Environment by Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Bacteria.

Nosocomial infections (NIs) are known worldwide and remain a major problem despite scientific and technical advances in the field of health. The severity of the infection depends on the characteristics of the microorganisms involved and the high frequency of resistant pathogens in the hospital environment. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution of pathogenic bacteria (and their resistance to antibiotics) that spread on hospital surfaces, more specifically, on those of various departments in the Provincial Hospital Center (PHC) of Mohammedia, Morocco. A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2017 to April 2018. Samples were collected by swabbing the hospital surfaces, and the isolated bacteria were checked for their susceptibility to antibiotics by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method following the standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Among 200 swab samples, 176 (88%) showed bacterial growth. Gram-negative isolates were predominant at 51.5% (101/196), while the Gram-positives were at 48.5% (95/196). The main isolates are Enterobacteria weighted at 31.6% (62/196), Staphylococcus aureus reaching 24% (47/196), Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 9.2% (18/196), and Acinetobacter spp. with 3.3% (6/196). Moreover, the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates showed that about 31.7% (32/101) of the Gram-negative isolates were found to be MDR. This resistance is also high among isolates of S. aureus of which 44.7% (20/47) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Contamination of hospital surfaces by MDR bacteria is a real danger to public health. The concept of environmental bacterial reservoir is a reality that requires strict compliance with current guidelines and recommendations for hand hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection of surfaces in hospitals.