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The antimicrobial agents used in food-producing animals in Egypt, and even globally, are frequently the same, or belong to the same classes as those used in human medicine.1 Antimicrobial resistanc...

To investigate whether leaves of plane trees (Platanus orientalis) are damaged by traffic pollution, trees from a megacity (Mashhad, Iran) and a rural area were investigated. Soil and air from the urban centre showed enrichment of several toxic elements, but only lead was enriched in leaves. Leaf size and stomata density were lower at the urban site. At the urban site leaf surfaces were heavily loaded by dust particles but the stomata were not occluded; the cuticle was thinner; other anatomical properties were unaffected suggesting that plane trees can cope with traffic exhaust in megacities. peerReviewed

Importing day-old ducklings (DOD) unknowingly infected with non-typhoid Salmonella (NTS) may be associated with disease risk. Domestic and international trade may enhance this risk. Salmonella enterica serovars, their virulence genes combinations and antibiotic resistance, garner attention for their potentiality to contribute to the adverse health effects on populations throughout the world. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of imported versus domestic DOD as potential carriers of NTS. The results confirm the prevalence of salmonellosis in imported ducklings was 18.5% (25/135), whereas only 12% (9/75) of cases were determined in the domestic ducklings. Fourteen serovars (Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella kisii, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella gaillac, Salmonella uno, Salmonella eingedi, Salmonella shubra, Salmonella bardo, Salmonella inganda, Salmonella kentucky, Salmonella stanley, Salmonella virchow, Salmonella haifa, and Salmonella anatum) were isolated from the imported ducklings, whereas only S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium, S. virchow, and S. shubra were isolated from the domestic ducklings. The isolated Salmonella serovars were 100% susceptible to only colistin sulphate and 100% resistant to lincomycin. The 14 Salmonella serovars were screened for 11 virulence genes (invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, gipA, sodC1, sopE1, spvC, and bcfC) by PCR. The invA, sopB, and bcfC genes were detected in 100% of the Salmonella serovars; alternatively, the gipA gene was absent in all of the isolated Salmonella serovars. The 11 virulent genes were not detected in either of S. stanley or S. haifa serovars. The results confirm an association between antibiotic resistance and virulence of Salmonella in the DOD. This study confirms the need for a country adherence to strict public health and food safety regimes.

Four serotypes recovered from clinically diarrheic human faecal samples (Salmonella Muenster, Salmonella Florian, Salmonella Omuna and Salmonella Noya) were investigated for the presence of 11 virulence genes (invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, gipA, sodC1, sopE1, spvC, and bcfC) and their association with antibiotic resistance. The 4 Salmonella serotypes lacked virulence genes gipA and spvC. Resistance to 7 of the 14 antimicrobials was detected. The frequency of resistance, to lincomycin and streptomycin (100% of the Salmonella Muenster [2/5], Salmonella Florian [1/5], Salmonella Omuna [1/5], and Salmonella Noya [1/5] isolates), chloramphenicol (100% of the Salmonella Muenster [2/5] and Salmonella Florian [1/5] isolates) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100% of the Salmonella Florian [1/5] and Salmonella Omuna [1/5] isolates) was an outstanding feature. With the rest of the antibiotics, the four Salmonella serotypes exhibited a great diversity in their resistance patterns. Overall, the four Salmonella serotypes were resistant to more than one antimicrobial. The antimicrobials to which the Salmonella Muenster, Salmonella Florian, and Salmonella Omuna isolates were resistant, contributed to five different antimicrobial resistance profiles. The virulence associated genes invA, ssaQ, siiD, sopB, and bcfC genes were 100% associated with certain antimicrobial resistance phenotypes (streptomycin and lincosamide) not recorded previously, and secondly, the presence of invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, and bcfC was associated with resistance to chloramphenicol. The results of this study will help in understanding the spread of virulence genotypes and antibiotic resistance in Salmonella in the region of study.

Understanding the association between human salmonellosis cases and animal sources is an important epidemiological factor needed to successfully control the spread of the infection within communities. To determine the extent to which pigeons might harbor this pathogen and pose a risk to the human population in Egypt, we screened pigeons in Cairo for the presence of Salmonella relevant to public health and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The isolated serotypes recovered from pigeon fecal samples were the following: Salmonella serotype Typhimurium, Braenderup, and Lomita. All strains were multiresistant. Our success in the isolation of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium, Braenderup, and Lomita has important implications because they are a significant cause of food poisoning and enteric fever in humans.

Bacterial heat-shock response is a global regulatory system required for effective adaptation to changes (stress) in the environment. An in vitro study was conducted to investigate the impact of a sublethal temperature (42°C) on heat shock protein (HSP) expression in 6 Salmonella strains (Salmonella Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Virchow, S. Shubra, S. Haifa and S. Eingedi). The 6 Salmonella strains were isolated from the tissues of ducklings that had died from avian salmonellosis. To determine the induction of HSP in the 6 Salmonella strains, they were exposed to the selected temperature level for 24 h and further kept for 48 h at culturing condition of 42°C. Growth under a sublethal temperature of 42°C increased the expression of several proteins of Salmonella, including a 63 kDa protein in addition to the generation and/or overexpression of 143 proteins which were specific to heat shock, concurrent to this acquired thermotolerance. The 6 Salmonella strains responded to 24 h of thermal stress at an elevated temperature 42°C by synthesizing different heat shock proteins (HSP) with molecular weights ranging between 13.62 and 96.61 kDa. At 48 h, the 6 Salmonella strains synthesized different HSPs with molecular weights ranging between 14.53 and 103.43 kDa. It follows that salmonellae would produce HSPs during the course of the infectious process. Salmonellosis produced several proteins after 24 and 48 h of infection. Seven of these proteins (100, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20 and 10 kDa) were recognized in the serum obtained from the ducklings infected with S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Virchow, S. Shubra, S. Haifa and S. Eingedi after 24 h of infection. After 48 h, the 1–7 kDa HSP became more evident and indicated their de novo generation.

Zur Charakterisierung der Waldboden im Forstamt Hamburg wurden im Rahmen der Standortskartierung von 172 Standorten etwa 800 Boden-und ca. 400 Wurzelproben auf boden- und okochemisch aussagekraftige Parameter untersucht. Die Untersuchung ergab, das (mit Ausnahme der Geschiebemergel) die im Untersuchungsgebiet vorkommenden Standorts-typenuntergruppen durchweg eine starke und tiefreichende Bodenversauerung aufweisen, an der die saure Deposition ausweislich der Sulfatkonzentrationen in der Bodenlosung masgeblich beteiligt ist. Die Ansprache von Substrattypen und -untertypen erlaubt keinen Ruckschlus auf den aktuellen bodenchemischen Zustand. Die Zuordnung der Bodenhorizonte zu Pufferbereichen aufgrund der pH-Messung in 0.01 M CaCl2 fuhrte zu einer Stratifizierung nach dem chemischen Bodenzustand, wobei allerdings die Trennung von Austauscher- und Aluminium-Pufferbereich unbefriedigend blieb. Chemical properties of forest soils in the pleistocene of Northwest Germany and their classification based on soil buffering systems In order to characterize the chemical characteristics of forest soils of Hamburg, 800 soil samples and 400 root samples from 172 sites were used to obtain suitable soil chemical and ecochemical parameters. A strong and deep reaching soil acidification was observed on all sites with exception of those on till. The sulfate concentration in the equilibrium soil solution allows the conclusion that deposition of acid plays a significant role in this acidification. Classification of sites based on edaphic factors did not provide useful information on the chemical status of soils. However, grouping of soil horizons using pH measured in 0.01 M CaCl2 lead to a stratification according to the soil buffering systems. Distinction between the exchanger and the aluminium buffer ranges was, however, not quite satisfactory.