Prevalence and characterization of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales among inpatients and outpatients in Skikda, Algeria.

INTRODUCTION: The spread of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPEs) has become a significant concern in Algeria, with limited data available on their presence in community settings. This research investigated the resistance mechanisms of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CREs) collected from hospitals and the community in Skikda city, Algeria, between December 2020 and June 2022. METHODOLOGY: The study collected Enterobacterales strains resistant to ertapenem from inpatient and outpatient populations. An automated system was used for identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. ß-lactamase production was evaluated through phenotypic tests and confirmed by standard PCR. Lastly, the carbapenemase genes were sequenced using the Sanger method. RESULTS: 17 CRE were isolated, with 9 from inpatients and 8 from outpatients. These isolates belonged to four species: Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 8), Escherichia coli (n = 6), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 1), and Proteus mirabilis (n = 1). Of 15 CPEs, 11 were extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) positive, 5 were plasmid-mediated cephalosporinase (AmpC) positive, and 1 harbored all three ß-lactamases. All metallo-ß-lactamase-producing strains carried the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase gene (blaNDM), including 5 NDM-1 and 7 NDM-5 variants. The presence of blaOXA-48 and blaOXA-244 was observed in one outpatient strain each. NDM was associated with Cefotaximase Munich (CTX-M) ESBL in 8 isolates, while Cephamycinase (CMY) was detected in 3 NDM-5-producing E. coli. CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights the rising prevalence of carbapenemases NDM-1 and NDM-5 among inpatients and outpatients and supports the notion that OXA-48 is becoming increasingly widespread beyond Algerian hospitals.

LC/MS-MS Analysis of Phenolic Compounds in Hyoscyamus albus L. Extract: In Vitro Antidiabetic Activity, In Silico Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Investigation against STZ-Induced Diabetic Mice.

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antidiabetic properties of cultivated Hyoscyamus albus L. The ethanol extract was analyzed using LC-MS/MS, and 18 distinct phenolic compounds were identified. Among these, p-coumaric acid (6656.8 ± 3.4 µg/g), gallic acid (6516 ± 1.7 µg/g), luteolin (6251.9 ± 1.3 µg/g), apigenin (6209.9 ± 1.1 µg/g), and rutin (5213.9 ± 1.3 µg/g) were identified as the most abundant polyphenolic molecules. In the in vitro antidiabetic experiment, the ability of the plant extract to inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities was examined. The results indicated that the extract from H. albus L. exhibited a higher inhibitory effect on α-amylase compared to α-glucosidase, with an IC50 of 146.63 ± 1.1 µg/mL and 270.43 ± 1.1 µg/mL, respectively. Docking simulations revealed that luteolin, fisetin, and rutin exhibited the most promising inhibitory activity against both enzymes, as indicated by their high contrasting inhibition scores. To further investigate the in vivo antidiabetic effects of H. albus L., an experiment was conducted using STZ-induced diabetic mice. The results demonstrated that the plant extract effectively reduced the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. These findings suggest that H. albus L. may have therapeutic potential for managing hyperlipidemia, a common complication associated with diabetes. This highlights its potential as a natural remedy for diabetes and related conditions.

Identification of Algerian field-caught mosquito vectors by MALDI-TOF MS.

Vector-borne diseases represent a real threats worldwide, in reason of the lack of vaccine and cure for some diseases. Among arthropod vectors, mosquitoes are described to be the most dangerous animal on earth, resulting in an estimated 725,000 deaths per year due to their borne diseases. Geographical position of Algeria makes this country a high risk area for emerging and re-emerging diseases, such as dengue coming from north (Europe) and malaria from south (Africa). To prevent these threats, rapid and continuous surveillance of mosquito vectors is essential. For this purpose we aimed in this study to create a mosquito vectors locale database using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technology for rapid identification of these arthropods. This methodology was validated by testing 211 mosquitoes, including four species (Aedes albopictus, Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culiseta longiareolata), in two northern wilayahs of Algeria (Algiers and Bejaia). Species determination by MALDI TOF MS was highly concordant with reference phenotypic and genetic methods. Using this MALDI-TOF MS tool will allow better surveillance of mosquito species able to transmit mosquito borne diseases in Algeria.

Analysis of EGFR Mutation Status in Algerian Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status is used as a predictive biomarker for the tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The incidence of EGFR mutations appears to vary according to ethnic and geographical backgrounds. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the EGFR mutation status in Algerian NSCLC patients and its association with clinicopathological features. METHODS: We examined the presence of EGFR mutations (Exons 19-21) in 58 unselected  NSCLC samples using PCR followed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: The present study included 53 (91.4%) men and 5 (8.6%) women, with a median age of 59 (ranging from 44 to 94 years old). EGFR mutations were detected in 23 patients, with an overall rate of 39.6%. There were 21 (91.3%) cases with the exon-21 L585R single mutation and two (8.7%) with dual mutations of exon-19 deletions and L585R. EGFR mutations were more frequently found in patients with confirmed adenocarcinoma (14/27, 51.8%) than in non-adenomatous NCSCL subtypes (3/14, 21.4%; p=0.03). Furthermore, early stages of the disease were significantly associated with a higher rate of EGFR mutations (14/27, 51.8%) compared with those at  advanced stage (5/21, 23.8%; p=0.02). There were no significant differences in EGFR mutation frequency by age, gender, or smoking status. CONCLUSION: We found that Algerian NSCLC patients exhibited a high rate of EGFR mutations, which was quite similar to that in Asians population rather than Caucasian patients. Thus, TKI-based treatments may be more beneficial for Algerian patients with NSCLC. Further studies using a large number of patients are required to confirm our preliminary findings.

Investigation of Photoprotective, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant Capacities and LC-ESI-MS Phenolic Profile of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel.

Plant-derived compounds have recently been gaining popularity as skincare factors due to their ability to absorb ultraviolet radiations and their anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this light, this work aimed to evaluate in vitro the pharmacological activities of the butanolic extract prepared from the aerial parts of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel, an endemic species to southern Algeria. The sun protection factor was used to assess the photoprotective effect (SPF), the protein denaturation method to determine the anti-inflammatory activity, and brine shrimp nauplii and OxHLIA assay, respectively, to assess the cytotoxicity and antioxidant capacity of A. gombiformis. In addition, LC-ESI-MS analysis was employed for the characterization of the phenolic constituents of A. gombiformis. The results showed that A. gombiformis had high capacity for absorbing UV radiations with an SPF of 37.78 ± 0.85 and significant anti-inflammatory activity with a percentage inhibition of 75.38% which is close to that of diclofenac and ketoprofen. In addition, A. gombiformis was found to have effective cytotoxicity against Artemia nauplii with a DC50 value of about 44.7 µg/mL, but a weak hemolytic effect against human erythrocytes. LC-ESI-MS results detected the presence of 17 phenolic compounds with a predominance of cirsiliol, silymarin, quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), and kaempferol. Taken together, these results suggest that A. gombiformis extract could be used as a skincare agent in cosmetic formulations, providing excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection, allowing the treatment of skin conditions, as well as a pharmaceutical agent with multidimensional applications.