Rumi and Pasteurized Kareish Cheeses Are a Source of ß-Lactam-Resistant Salmonella in the Nile Delta Region of Egypt: Insights into Their Incidence, AMR Pattern, Genotypic Determinants of Virulence and ß-Lactam Resistance.

The spread of superbugs in dairy products can jeopardize global public health. To date, information on the incidence rates of virulent and ß-lactams-resistant (BLR) Salmonella in cheeses from rural areas of Egypt has been lacking. Biochemical, serological, antibiotic susceptibility, and multiplex PCR (M-PCR) tests were performed to identify and characterize Salmonella isolates. In this study, 44 (15.71%) Salmonella isolates of eight different serotypes were recovered from 280 samples of Rumi and pasteurized Kariesh cheeses across the Nile Delta region of Egypt. The most predominant serotypes were S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Infantis. The virulence genes (invA, stn, and hilA) were identified in all isolates. However, spvC was only detected in S. Typhimurium. The highest resistance was developed against Erythromycin and Clindamycin (90.91%), followed by Ceftazidime and Cephalothin (84.09%). Meropenem and colistin were the most effective antibiotics. A high proportion (79.55%) of multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates carried narrow spectrum (NS), extended-spectrum (ES), and AmpC-BLR genes. The blaOXA-1, blaOXA-2, blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M, blaCMY-1, and blaCMY-2 BLR genes were positive in 37.04%, 29.63%, 25.93%, 14.81%, 37.04%, and 3.70% of isolates, respectively. In conclusion, a high prevalence of virulence and BLR genes harboring Salmonella strains in Egyptian cheeses is considered a great threat to public health.

Magnesium Supplementation Alleviates the Toxic Effects of Silica Nanoparticles on the Kidneys, Liver, and Adrenal Glands in Rats.

Concerns regarding the possible hazards to human health have been raised by the growing usage of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in a variety of applications, including industrial, agricultural, and medical applications. This in vivo subchronic study was conducted to assess the following: (1) the toxicity of orally administered SiNPs on the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands; (2) the relationship between SiNPs exposure and oxidative stress; and (3) the role of magnesium in mitigating these toxic effects. A total of 24 Sprague Dawley male adult rats were divided equally into four groups, as follows: control group, magnesium (Mg) group (50 mg/kg/d), SiNPs group (100 mg/kg/d), and SiNPs+ Mg group. Rats were treated with SiNPs by oral gavage for 90 days. The liver transaminases, serum creatinine, and cortisol levels were evaluated. The tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were measured. Additionally, the weight of the organs and the histopathological changes were examined. Our results demonstrated that SiNPs exposure caused increased weight in the kidneys and adrenal glands. Exposure to SiNPs was also associated with significant alterations in liver transaminases, serum creatinine, cortisol, MDA, and GSH. Additionally, histopathological changes were significantly reported in the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands of SiNPs-treated rats. Notably, when we compared the control group with the treated groups with SiNPs and Mg, the results revealed that magnesium could mitigate SiNPs-induced biochemical and histopathologic changes, confirming its effective role as an antioxidant that reduced the accumulation of SiNPs in tissues, and that it returns the levels of liver transaminases, serum creatinine, cortisol, MDA, and GSH to almost normal values.

Hepatocyte-derived canine familiaris-microRNAs as serum biomarkers of hepatic steatosis or fibrosis as implicated in the pathogenesis of canine cholecystolithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic cholesterol accumulation in small breed dogs is a leading risk factor for hepatic fatty changes, gallbladder hypomotility, and cholelith development, which, if not discovered early, could lead to life-threatening choledocholithiasis and acute pancreatitis. OBJECTIVE: This study proposed to assess the use of hepatocyte-derived canine familiaris (cfa)-microRNAs (miRNA-122, -34a, and -21) as new diagnostic serum biomarkers of liver steatosis or fibrosis, for which both processes have been implicated in canine cholecystolithiasis. METHODS: Forty client-owned dogs diagnosed with cholecystolithiasis and hepatic steatosis (C+HS) or fibrosis (C+HF) based on ultrasonographic, biochemical, and histopathologic findings, and 20 healthy dogs used as controls were included in the study. Serum cfa-miRNA expression was determined using a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS: Serum cfa-miRNA-122 and -34a expression was significantly upregulated in the C+HS (P < .001) and C+HF (P < .01) groups compared with the control group and showed a positive correlation with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TG) levels in the C+HS group. Cfa-miRNA-122 and -34a expression discriminated the diseased groups from the control group better than traditional serum-derived liver biomarkers, as evidenced by areas under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) curve of 0.99 and 0.97 for cfa-miRNA-122 expression in the C+HS and C+HF groups, and 1.0 and 0.96 for cfa-miRNA-34a in the C+HS and C+HF groups, respectively. Cfa-miRNA-21 expression was upregulated only in the C+HF group compared with the C+HS (P < .01) and control (P < .001) groups and showed a positive correlation with serum ALT, AST, TBIL, ALP, and GGT and negative correlation with serum TC and TG levels. Cfa-miRNA-21 expression could also differentiate the C+HF group from the control and C+HS groups with a diagnostic performance superior to that of the conventional serum biochemical variables as evidenced by AUCs of 1.0 and 0.98, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum cfa-miRNA-122, -34a, and -21 expression was significantly upregulated in dogs with cholecystolithiasis with hepatic steatosis or fibrosis compared with control dogs. These miRNAs could serve as novel biomarkers for hepatic steatosis or fibrosis, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cholecystolithiasis.

Clinical Characteristics, Serum Biochemical Changes, and Expression Profile of Serum Cfa-miRNAs in Dogs Confirmed to Have Congenital Portosystemic Shunts Accompanied by Liver Pathologies.

Computed tomography angiography (CTA) and biochemical parameters cannot specify liver pathologies in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) that are easily determined by invasive histopathology. This study aims to assess the possibility of using circulating serum canine familiaris (cfa) microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel non-invasive serum-based fingerprints for liver injuries associated with various morphologies of extrahepatic and intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS and IHPSS). Data were obtained from 12 healthy dogs and 84 dogs confirmed to have EHPSS (splenocaval, splenophrenic, splenoazygos, right gastrocaval (RGC), right gastrocaval with caudal loop (RGC-CL)) and IHPSS (right divisional and left divisional) using CTA. Hepatic pathologies were determined by histopathology. Serum expression of miRNAs was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Based on the nature of liver injuries in each shunt type, cfa-miR-122 was significantly upregulated in all CPSS groups. Meanwhile, serums cfa-miR-34a and 21 were not significantly expressed in splenophrenic or splenoazygos groups, but they were extensively upregulated in splenocaval, RGC, RGC-CL groups and less frequently in right or left divisional groups. Also, serum cfa-miR126 was significantly upregulated in both IHPSS groups but less significantly expressed in RGC, RGC-CL, and splenocaval groups. Overall, estimated cfa-miRNAs could serve as novel biomarkers to mirror the histopathological and molecular events within the liver in each shunt type.

Protective effects of garlic extract against hematological alterations, immunosuppression, hepatic oxidative stress, and renal damage induced by cyclophosphamide in rats.

Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent widely used as anticancer drug, reported to exert cytotoxic effects attributed to oxidative stress. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the protective effect of ethanolic extract of garlic (EEG) against cyclophosphamide (Cyp)-induced hematological disturbance and immunosuppressive and hepatotoxic effects. Forty male Wistar albino rats were randomized into four equal groups: the normal control one, the Cyp-treated group (50 mg/kg BW/IM, once weekly), the EEG-treated group (300 mg/kg BW, orally, daily), and the Cyp & EEG group. All rats received their relevant treatments for four consecutive weeks. This study revealed that Cyp significantly decreased erythrocyte count, hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), and total leukocyte and lymphocyte counts. However, the counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, and toxic neutrophils were elevated. Additionally, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and levels of liver and renal biomarkers were significantly elevated in the Cyp-treated group. Otherwise, hepatic catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were significantly lower than the control rats. Furthermore, Cyp significantly reduced whole blood respiratory burst activity (NBT), serum lysozyme and bactericidal activities, interlukin-12 (IL-12), and interferon-γ. In contrast, the levels of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interlukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were elevated. Additionally, Cyp induced hepatic and renal histopathological alterations. Data in the present study demonstrated that EEG has immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects and has the ability to diminish the alterations induced by Cyp.