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The objective of the current study was to evaluate the interaction between Tunisian Thymus capitatus essential oil (EO) and cefotaxime against Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae hospital strains. GC-MS revealed that the major component of EO was found to be carvacrol (69.28%). The EO exerts an advanced bactericidal effect against all strains. Synergy between EO and cefotaxime was obtained by combined disk diffusion and checkerboard techniques. Combined use of EO and cefotaxime reduced the MIC of imipenem by 8- to 128-fold for all strains (fractional inhibitory concentration index ˂ 0.5, synergy). The time kill curve assay confirmed the advanced activity of combinatory effects of EO and cefotaxime, with total reduce of bacterial number (CFU/mL) after 6 h of culture. Synergistic activity of the combination between EO and cefotaxime constitute an important strategy as therapeutical option to combat infections caused by ESBLs producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several years, environmental exogenous agents, called endocrine disruptors, are suspected to interfere with the essential functions of reproduction and development in many living organisms. In this study, endocrine disruptors including five phthalates and two bisphenols contents in finished products were assayed and their estrogenic activity were measured by using the Yeast Estrogen Screen system with respect to human and trout estrogen receptors hERα and rtERS. Independently of the estrogen receptor, only short-chain phthalates (DBP and BBP) and the two bisphenols exhibited an estrogenic activity. Besides, the risk of three end-products (agro-food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical) was evaluated before and after forced aging. Only two cosmetics the face cream and the perfume presented a hazard which increases with aging. These results are consistent with the compounds identified by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These findings confirmed that the YES system can be routinely used to evaluate the estrogenic hazards within finished products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitals' effluents contain a considerable amount of chemicals. Considering the significant volume of wastewater discharged by hospitals, the presence of these chemicals represents a real threat to the environment and human health. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo and in vitro genotoxicities of three wastewater effluents collected from Tunisian hospitals. The liver of Swiss albino male mice, previously treated with different doses of the hospital wastewaters, was used as a model to detect DNA fragmentation. Our results showed all the hospital effluents caused significant qualitative and quantitative hazards in hepatic DNA. The wastewater collected from Sfax hospital exhibited the highest genotoxic effect, which may be explained by the presence in this effluent of some toxic micropolluants. There was a significant increase in genotoxicity, proportionally to the concentration of effluent. However, the vitotox assay did not show any significant genotoxicity on Salmonella typhimurium TA104 in the presence or absence of microsomal fraction S9. The ratio gentox/cytox was lower than the threshold 1.5. This study assessed the toxicological risk issued from Tunisian hospital wastewaters, which is potentially very harmful, and it has been pointed out that wastewater treatment requires special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) causes accelerated liver diseases in patients with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection. There is lack of data about its prevalence, related risk factors and interaction with HBV carriers in our country. Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis delta and associated risk factors among Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and “isolated anti-HBc” profile carriers in central Tunisia. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 540 patients with positive HBsAg and 109 “isolated anti-HBc” profile receiving care in a teaching hospital were tested for the presence of HDV serum-markers using commercially available enzyme immunoassay kit. HBV-DNA was detected by nested PCR in “isolated anti-HBc” profile group. Results: Prevalence of HDV was 8.1% in HBsAg carriers group, but it was significantly higher in active than inactive hepatitis (30.2% and 4.5%, respectively, OR = 9, 95% CI: [4.48-18.58]). There was no significant association between studied risk factors and HDV infection. In the “isolated anti-HBc” profile group, prevalence of HDV was 4.6% and HBV-DNA had negative result in all patients with positive results for HDV. Conclusions: Although HDV had low prevalence in our area, it is vital to plan preventive strategies for HDV spread as well as HBV prevention. It is particularly important to suspect HDV infection in active HBV carriers to manage a particularly severe dual infection. HDV infection should be suspected even in negative HBsAg patients having “isolated anti-HBc” profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]