Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 338 in total

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  1. Kanesen D, Zakaria Z, Ch'ng ES, Nandrajog P, Kandasamy R
    ANZ J Surg, 2019 03;89(3):261-264.
    PMID: 28513108 DOI: 10.1111/ans.14040
  2. Fakiruddin KS, Ghazalli N, Lim MN, Zakaria Z, Abdullah S
    Int J Mol Sci, 2018 07 27;19(8).
    PMID: 30060445 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082188
    Tapping into the ability of engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to mobilise into the tumour has expanded the scope of cancer treatment. Engineered MSCs expressing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis inducing ligand (MSC-TRAIL) could serve as a platform for an efficient and targeted form of therapy. However, the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are resistant to TRAIL and apoptosis may represent a challenge for effective treatment. Nonetheless, with the discovery of small molecular inhibitors that could target CSCs and tumour signalling pathways, a higher efficacy of MSC-TRAIL mediated tumour inhibition can be achieved. This might pave the way for a more effective form of combined therapy, which leads to a better treatment outcome. In this review, we first discuss the tumour-homing capacity of MSCs, its effect in tumour tropism, the different approach behind genetically-engineered MSCs, and the efficacy and safety of each agent delivered by these MSCs. Then, we focus on how sensitisation of CSCs and tumours using small molecular inhibitors can increase the effect of these cells to either TRAIL or MSC-TRAIL mediated inhibition. In the conclusion, we address a few questions and safety concerns regarding the utilization of engineered MSCs for future treatment in patients.
  3. Kow RY, Mustapha Zakaria Z, Khan ESKM, Low C
    J Orthop Case Rep, 2019 3 28;8(6):65-67.
    PMID: 30915298 DOI: 10.13107/jocr.2250-0685.1262
    Introduction: Fracture of the ulnar coronoid process is uncommon. It is commonly associated with posterior dislocation of the elbow, but it may also present as an isolated fracture. In general, all ulnar coronoid process fractures with elbow joint instability and large fracture fragments are fixed surgically. We report two cases of the rare isolated Regan-Morrey type III ulnar coronoid process fractures and their outcomes.

    Case Report: Case Report 1: Mrs P, a 27-year-old right-hand dominant female, was involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) and sustained an isolated Regan-Morrey type III ulnar coronoid process fracture. In view of the large coronoid process fragment causing elbow joint instability, she underwent an open reduction and internal fixation when the elbow swelling had subsided. An anterior approach was used to identify the fracture fragment and it was fixed with two half-threaded cancellous lag screws with washers to achieve an anatomical reduction. Postoperatively, she recovered with excellent outcome based on the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS).Case Report 2: Mr M, a 23-year-old right-hand dominant gentleman, was involved in a MVA and sustained an isolated Regan-Morrey type III ulnar coronoid process fracture. During examination under general anesthesia, passive range of the movement of his right elbow was noted to be <90°due to the impaction of the fracture fragment. An open reduction through an anterior approach was performed and Kirschner wires were inserted to fix the coronoid process fracture. Kirschner wires were opted for the ease of post-operative removal as the patient was not keen to have a retained implant after recovery. He recovered with good outcome based on the MEPS.

    Conclusion: Isolated fracture of the ulnar coronoid process is rare. Open reduction and internal fixation is mandatory for patients with coronoid process fracture and unstable elbow joint to achieve good functional outcomes.

  4. Thent ZC, Lin TS, Das S, Zakaria Z
    PMID: 23983373
    Cardiovascular complications are one of the major causes of death in diabetes mellitus. Piper sarmentosum (P.s) is an herb that possesses antihyperglycaemic effects. The main aim of the study was to observe the histological changes in the heart and the proximal aorta of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats following P.s administration. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) were equally randomized into four groups: control group supplemented with normal saline (C); control group supplemented with P.s (CTx) ; diabetic group supplemented with normal saline (D) and, diabetic group supplemented with P.s (DTx). Diabetes was induced by STZ (50mg/kg body weight) intramuscularly. P.s extract (0.125g/kg) was administered orally for 28 days, following four weeks of STZ induction. The cardiac and aortic tissues were collected and processed under different stains: Haematoxylin and Eosin (H & E), Verhoeff-Van Gieson (VVG), Masson's Trichome (MT) and Periodic Acid- Schiff (PAS). There were abnormal cardiomyocytes nuclei, disarray of myofibres and increase in connective tissue deposits in cardiac tissues of the diabetic untreated group. The thickness of tunica media and ratio of tunica intima to media were found to be significantly increased in the aorta of diabetic untreated group (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. There were degenerative changes in the proximal aorta in diabetic untreated groups. All the histological damages of cardiac and aortic tissues were found to be lesser in the diabetic treated groups. Supplementation with P.s extract prevented the oxidative damage arising from diabetes mellitus, and reduced its complications.
  5. Aziz AA, Nordin FNM, Zakaria Z, Abu Bakar NK
    J Cosmet Dermatol, 2022 Jan;21(1):71-84.
    PMID: 34658114 DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14402
    BACKGROUND: The use of cosmetic products is considered a necessity for beautification in our daily lives. Cosmetic products composed of natural oils or fats as a main ingredient for various beneficial properties. Fats and oils are composed of various type of fatty acids with different compositions. Hence, fatty acids profile can be an effective chemical fingerprint for authentication analysis of cosmetic products.

    OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to enlighten the current detection tools developing for fatty acids profile authentication analyses of cosmetic ingredients based on the effectiveness, halal status, safety, advantages and disadvantages of the methods.

    METHODOLOGY: The data were extracted from the scientific literatures published between October 2015 and 2020 in the Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, and analyzed with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

    FINDINGS: Based on the systemic literature reviews, essential oil, argan oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and jojoba oil were among the mostly studied ingredients in cosmetics. Furthermore, a combination of more than one analytical instrument was utilized to profile fatty acids while the determination of the origin of the fatty acids is under scrutiny. The portable mass spectrometer combined with a direct inlet membrane (DIM) probe seems to be the best tool in terms of time consumption, cost, requires no sample preparation with high efficiency. The current review showed that the best cosmetic base is when the oil is composed of high concentration of fatty acids such as linoleic, oleic, stearic acid, and palmitic acids with concentration range from 19.7 - 46.30%, which offers various beneficial properties to cosmetic products.

  6. Sulistyani N, Nurkhasanah -, Angelita L, Ridwan Rais I, Amiruddin Zakaria Z
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2022 Nov;35(6(Special)):1805-1811.
    PMID: 36861247
    This study aimed to determine the ability of Persea americana (Mill.) or avocado peels ethanolic extract and its fractions to cause bacterial cell leakage in Staphylococcus aureus. The interaction of antibacterial compound with bacterial cells induces several changes leading to the damage of membrane permeability, followed by intracellular bacterial cell leakage. The experiment started with the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration by micro dilution method. Following the determination of MIC and MBC values, the samples, at the concentrations of 1xMIC and 2xMIC, were tested and analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 260 and 280 nm to determine the leakage of bacteria cells. The value of K+ ion leakage was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry while the value of electrical conductivity was measured by conducto meter to determine the leakage of the cell membrane. The recorded MIC and MBC values of samples were 10% w/v. At the concentrations of 10% and 20% w/v, the samples caused an increase in nucleic acid, protein and DNA levels as well as an increase in extra cellular electrical conductivity. Prolonged exposure of the extract increased the leakage of bacterial cell contents and the electrical conductivity, indicating the damage of bacterial cell membrane.
  7. Lim MN, Lau NS, Chang KM, Leong CF, Zakaria Z
    Singapore Med J, 2007 Oct;48(10):932-8.
    PMID: 17909680
    The multidrug resistance gene, MDR1, is one of the genes responsible for resistance to chemotherapy in the treatment of leukaemia and other cancers. The discovery of RNA interference in mammalian cells has provided a powerful tool to inhibit the expression of this gene. However, very little is known about the transfection of leukaemia cells with short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeted at MDR1. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two chemically-synthesised siRNA in modulating MDR1 gene and inhibiting P-glycoprotein expression in leukaemic cells. We also evaluated two siRNA delivery methods in this study.
  8. Ismail A, Ahid F, Thong MK, Zakaria Z
    J Med Case Rep, 2023 Jun 10;17(1):250.
    PMID: 37296475 DOI: 10.1186/s13256-023-03984-0
    BACKGROUND: The 18q- deletion syndrome is a rare congenital chromosomal disorder caused by a partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 18. The diagnosis of a patient with this syndrome relies on the family medical history, physical examination, developmental assessment, and cytogenetic findings. However, the phenotype of patients with 18q- deletion syndrome can be highly variable, ranging from almost normal to severe malformations and intellectual disability, and normal cytogenetic findings are common, thus complicating the diagnosis. Interestingly, only few characteristic features of typical 18q- deletion syndrome were found in the patient, despite sharing the same critical region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Malaysian individual with 18q- terminal microdeletion diagnosed with microarray-based technology.

    CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report a 16-year-old Malaysian Chinese boy, a product of a non-consanguineous marriage, who presented with intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism, high arched palate, congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot), congenital scoliosis, congenital heart defect, and behavioral problems. A routine chromosome analysis on 20 metaphase cells showed a normal 46, XY G-banded karyotype. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization was performed using a commercially available 244 K 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray slide according to the manufacturer's protocol. This platform allows genome-wide survey and molecular profiling of genomic aberrations with an average resolution of about 10 kB. In addition, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis was carried out using SALSA MLPA kit P320 Telomere-13 to confirm the array-based comparative genomic hybridization finding. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization analysis revealed a 7.3 MB terminal deletion involving chromosome band 18q22.3-qter. This finding was confirmed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, where a deletion of ten probes mapping to the 18q22.3-q23 region was detected, and further multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis on his parents showed the deletion to be de novo.

    CONCLUSION: The findings from this study expand the phenotypic spectrum of the 18q- deletion syndrome by presenting a variation of typical 18q- deletion syndrome features to the literature. In addition, this case report demonstrated the ability of the molecular karyotyping method, such as array-based comparative genomic hybridization, to assist in the diagnosis of cases with a highly variable phenotype and variable aberrations, such as 18q- deletion syndrome.

  9. Afshar MF, Zakaria Z, Cheng CH, Ahmad NI
    Vet World, 2023 Mar;16(3):536-545.
    PMID: 37041832 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.536-545
    BACKGROUND AND AIM: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius are widespread skin and mucous membrane colonizers and may cause opportunistic infections in humans and animals. This study aimed to identify and characterize methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolates from domestic and stray dogs and cats and pet owners in Malaysia using molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial profiling.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and fifty oral and nasal swabs were taken from pet and stray dogs and cats and pet owners; all samples were subjected to culture and biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction; the selected isolates were put through disk diffusion test and multilocus sequence typing.

    RESULTS: One S. aureus isolate and three S. pseudintermedius isolates were identified as MRSA and MRSP, respectively, of which the MRSA isolate and one of the MRSP isolates showed multidrug resistance and the remaining two MRSP isolates were resistant to one or two antimicrobials. Multilocus sequence typing showed that the MRSA isolate belongs to clonal complex (CC) 789, while for the MRSP isolates, two were in CC45 and one was a singleton.

    CONCLUSION: This study is the first study in Malaysia to perform molecular characterization of MRSP isolated from pet dogs and cats and pet owners. The outcomes of this study reveal that even healthy pet dogs and cats and their owners can be carriers of drug-resistant staphylococci, highlighting the role of pets and pet owners as carriers of MRSA and MRSP in Malaysia.

  10. Loh ZH, Mohamad S, Gan BC, Zakaria Z, Mohamad I
    Med J Malaysia, 2023 Mar;78(2):197-201.
    PMID: 36988530
    INTRODUCTION: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is among the most common malignancy in Malaysia. Radiationinduced hypothyroidism has been reported in other countries. However, in Malaysia, no studies were ever done to determine the effect of radiation on hypothyroidism. The objective of this study is to evaluate the practice of taking thyroid function test (TFT) and determine hypothyroidism post-radiation in patients with NPC.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on the symptoms and results of TFT according to the dosage of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) given to patients with NPC. Data were traced and analysed.

    RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were identified. All patients received IMRT with 33-35 fractions of radiotherapy (RT) with total dosage of 66-70 Gray given. Not all patients had their thyroid function status measured routinely. Twelve patients did have symptoms of hypothyroidism. TFT were obtained in this group but the results were normal. No correlation was found between RT and hypothyroidism.

    CONCLUSION: There was no correlation between IMRT and the development of hypothyroidism. A prospective study with better control of inclusion and exclusion criteria, and longer follow-up period with TFT, is needed to demonstrate the consistency of these findings.

  11. Zakaria KN, Amid A, Zakaria Z, Jamal P, Ismail A
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2019 Feb 26;20(2):563-567.
    PMID: 30803221
    Problem statement: Clinicanthus nutans has been used by Malaysian since long time ago. It is used to treat many diseases including cancer. Many studies carried out on its crude extract but no clear report on the specific secondary metabolites responsible for its nature in treating selected diseases. Objective: This study aims to confirm the practice carried out by many people on the usage of Clinicanthus nutans in treating cancer. Methods: C. nutans leaves were extracted by methanol. Thin layer chromatography was used to identify the suitable solvent for fractions separation. The fractions were then separated at larger volume using gravity column chromatography. Each fraction was tested on its anti-proliferative activity on Hep-G2 liver cancer cells by MTT assay. The phytochemical screening was carried out to identify the bioactive compound based on qualitative analysis. Results: The fraction 2 (F2) of C. nutans showed the lowest IC50 value of 1.73 μg/ml against Hep-G2 cancer cells, and it is identified as triterpenes. Conclusion: The fraction F2 identified as triterpenes isolated from C. nutans has potential as an anti-proliferative agent against liver cancer.
  12. Zakaria Z, Othman ZA, Nna VU, Mohamed M
    Arch Physiol Biochem, 2023 Dec;129(6):1262-1278.
    PMID: 34153200 DOI: 10.1080/13813455.2021.1939387
    Imbalance in hepatic lipid metabolism can lead to an abnormal triglycerides deposition in the hepatocytes which can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Four main mechanisms responsible for regulating hepatic lipid metabolism are fatty acid uptake, de novo lipogenesis, lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. Controlling the expression of transcription factors at molecular level plays a crucial role in NAFLD management. This paper reviews various medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds emphasising mechanisms involved in hepatic lipid metabolism, other important NAFLD pathological features, and their promising roles in managing NAFLD through regulating key transcription factors. Although there are many medicinal plants popularly investigated for NAFLD treatment, there is still little information and scientific evidence available and there has been no research on clinical trials scrutinised on this matter. This review also aims to provide molecular information of medicinal plants in NALFD treatment that might have potentials for future scientifically controlled studies.
  13. Aziz AA, Abdullah Sani MS, Zakaria Z, Abu Bakar NK
    Int J Cosmet Sci, 2023 Aug;45(4):444-457.
    PMID: 36987749 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12854
    BACKGROUND: The employment of Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics for determination and quantification of lard in a binary blend with palm oil in a cosmetic soap formulations.

    OBJECTIVE: To determine and quantify lard as an adulterant in a binary blend with palm oil in a cosmetic soap formulations by FT-IR and multivariate analysis.

    METHODS: Fatty acids in lard, palm oil and binary blends were extracted via liquid-liquid extraction and were subjected to FTIR spectrometry, combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) for the classification of lard in cosmetic soap formulations via two DA models: Model A (percentage of lard in cosmetic soap) and Model B (porcine and non-porcine cosmetic soap). Linear regression (MLR), partial least square regression (PLS-R) and principal components regression (PCR) were used to assess the degree of adulteration of lard in the cosmetic soap.

    FINDINGS: The FTIR spectrum of palm oil slightly differed from that of lard at the wavenumber range of 1453 cm -1 and 1415 cm -1 in palm oil and lard, respectively, indicating the bending vibrations of CH2 and CH3 aliphatic groups and OH carboxyl group respectively. Both of the DA models could accurately classify 100% of cosmetic soap formulations. Nevertheless, less than 100% of verification value was obtained when it was further used to predict the unknown cosmetic soap sample suspected of containing lard or a different percentage of lard. The PCA for Model A and Model B explained a similar cumulative variability (CV) of 92.86% for the whole dataset. MLR and PCR showed the highest determination coefficient (R2) of 0.996, and the lowest relative standard error (RSE) and mean square error (MSE), indicating that both regression models were effective in quantifying the lard adulterant in cosmetic soap.

    CONCLUSION: FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics with DA, PCA and MLR or PCR can be used to analyse the presence of lard and quantify its percentage in cosmetic soap formulations.

  14. Herawati O, Bejo SK, Zakaria Z, Ramanoon SZ
    Vet World, 2023 May;16(5):977-986.
    PMID: 37576756 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.977-986
    BACKGROUND AND AIM: Antibiotic resistance has become an issue of global importance due to increasing levels of bacterial infections worldwide. Farm management and usage of antibiotics in livestock are known risk factors associated with the increase in global levels of antibiotic resistance. Goats and sheep are examples of livestock with large populations. Although antibiotic resistance in bacteria from livestock negatively affects both human health and the economy, the global data regarding this issue in goats and sheep are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to provide information on the antibiotic-resistance profile of bacteria isolated from goats and sheep worldwide (Asia, Europe, and Africa).

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a systematic review of articles published on this topic without any restriction on the year of publication. We searched the Directory of Open Access Journals, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus using Boolean logic through various keywords. The search generated a total of 1325 articles, and after screening for duplicates and implementing inclusion and exclusion criteria, qualitative synthesis (i.e., qualitative systematic review) was performed on 37 articles.

    RESULTS: The synthesized information indicated that 18 Gram-positive and 13 Gram-negative bacterial species from goats and sheep were resistant to ten antibiotics, namely penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, tetracycline, cephalothin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin (CIP), and sulfamethoxazole. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance ranged from 0.4% to 100%. However, up to 100% of some bacteria, namely, Salmonella Dublin, Aeromonas caviae, and Aeromonas sobria, were susceptible to CIP. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were highly resistant to all antibiotics tested. Moreover, eight of the ten antibiotics tested were critically important antibiotics for humans.

    CONCLUSION: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in goats and sheep are a potential risk to animal and human health. Collaboration between all stakeholders and further research is needed to prevent the negative impacts of antibiotic resistance.

  15. Sattar A, Zakaria Z, Abu J, Aziz SA, Gabriel RP
    PLoS One, 2018;13(8):e0202034.
    PMID: 30096205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202034
    Culture is considered the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. However, consensus about the most suitable culture procedure for isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria is lacking. The study compared the recoveries of mycobacteria after decontamination of spiked and fresh avian feces with 4% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), 12% sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or 1% cetylperidinium chloride (CPC), with and without mixture of three antibiotics, namely vancomycin (VAN, 100 μg/ml), nalidixic acid (NAL, 100 μg/ml), and amphotericin B (AMB, 100 μg/ml). The antibiotic mixture was referred to as VNA. Decontamination procedures were evaluated using two (n = 2) avian fecal samples spiked with 106, 104, and 102 CFU/ml of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (ATCC 15769) and fresh avian feces (n = 42). M. avium subsp. avium was detected on the culture media from spiked samples (106 and 104 CFU/ml) decontaminated with NaOH, NaOH-VNA, H2SO4, and H2SO4 -VNA for 2-6 weeks. These bacteria were detected in 2-4 weeks when using CPC and CPC-VNA. M. avium subsp. avium cannot be isolated on culture media from spiked samples (102 CFU/ml) decontaminated with any decontaminating agent. Two mycobacterial isolates, namely, Mycobacterium terrae and M. engbaekii, were isolated from field samples decontaminated with NaOH and CPC-VNA. With regard to the contamination rate, the use of CPC-VNA showed lower contamination rates (5.5% and 19.0%) from spiked and field samples than those of the other methods (NaOH: 22.2% and 59.5%, NaOH-VNA: 16.7% and 21.4%, H2SO4: 11.1% and 40.5%, H2SO4-VNA: 5.5% and 21.4%, and CPC: 66.7% and 50%). In conclusion, the decontamination of fecal samples following a two-step procedure with 1% CPC and VNA can ensure high recovery rate of many mycobacteria with the lowest contamination in cultures.
  16. Nasher E, Heng LY, Zakaria Z, Surif S
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2013;2013:858309.
    PMID: 24163633 DOI: 10.1155/2013/858309
    Tourism-related activities such as the heavy use of boats for transportation are a significant source of petroleum hydrocarbons that may harm the ecosystem of Langkawi Island. The contamination and toxicity levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the sediments of Langkawi were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and toxic equivalent factors. Ten samples were collected from jetties and fish farms around the island in December 2010. A gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) was used to analyse the 18 PAHs. The concentration of total PAHs was found to range from 869 ± 00 to 1637 ± 20 ng g⁻¹ with a mean concentration of 1167.00 ± 24 ng g⁻¹, lower than the SQG effects range-low (3442 ng g⁻¹). The results indicated that PAHs may not cause acute biological damage. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis suggested that the PAHs were likely to originate from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. The toxic equivalent concentrations of the PAHs ranged from 76.3 to 177 ng TEQ/g d.w., which is lower compared to similar studies. The results of mean effects range-median quotient of the PAHs were lower than 0.1, which indicate an 11% probability of toxicity effect. Hence, the sampling sites were determined to be the low-priority sites.
  17. Ugusman A, Zakaria Z, Hui CK, Nordin NA
    Clinics (Sao Paulo), 2010 Jul;65(7):709-14.
    PMID: 20668629 DOI: 10.1590/S1807-59322010000700010
    Nitric oxide produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) possesses multiple anti-atherosclerotic properties. Hence, enhanced expression of eNOS and increased Nitric oxide levels may protect against the development of atherosclerosis. Piper sarmentosum is a tropical plant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Piper sarmentosum on the eNOS and Nitric oxide pathway in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
  18. Khoo E, Roslee R, Zakaria Z, Ahmad NI
    J Vet Sci, 2023 Nov;24(6):e82.
    PMID: 38031519 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.23053
    BACKGROUND: The current conventional serotyping based on antigen-antisera agglutination could not provide a better understanding of the potential pathogenicity of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Brancaster. Surveillance data from Malaysian poultry farms indicated an increase in its presence over the years.

    OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the virulence determinants and antimicrobial resistance in S. Brancaster isolated from chickens in Malaysia.

    METHODS: One hundred strains of archived S. Brancaster isolated from chicken cloacal swabs and raw chicken meat from 2017 to 2022 were studied. Two sets of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were conducted to identify eight virulence genes associated with pathogenicity in Salmonella (invasion protein gene [invA], Salmonella invasion protein gene [sipB], Salmonella-induced filament gene [sifA], cytolethal-distending toxin B gene [cdtB], Salmonella iron transporter gene [sitC], Salmonella pathogenicity islands gene [spiA], Salmonella plasmid virulence gene [spvB], and inositol phosphate phosphatase gene [sopB]). Antimicrobial susceptibility assessment was conducted by disc diffusion method on nine selected antibiotics for the S. Brancaster isolates. S. Brancaster, with the phenotypic ACSSuT-resistance pattern (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulphonamides, and tetracycline), was subjected to PCR to detect the corresponding resistance gene(s).

    RESULTS: Virulence genes detected in S. Brancaster in this study were invA, sitC, spiA, sipB, sopB, sifA, cdtB, and spvB. A total of 36 antibiogram patterns of S. Brancaster with a high level of multidrug resistance were observed, with ampicillin exhibiting the highest resistance. Over a third of the isolates displayed ACSSuT-resistance, and seven resistance genes (β-lactamase temoneira [blaTEM], florfenicol/chloramphenicol resistance gene [floR], streptomycin resistance gene [strA], aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferase gene [ant(3″)-Ia], sulfonamides resistance gene [sul-1, sul-2], and tetracycline resistance gene [tetA]) were detected.

    CONCLUSION: Multidrug-resistant S. Brancaster from chickens harbored an array of virulence-associated genes similar to other clinically significant and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars, placing it as another significant foodborne zoonosis.

  19. Getachew Y, Hassan L, Zakaria Z, Abdul Aziz S
    Appl Environ Microbiol, 2013 Aug;79(15):4528-33.
    PMID: 23666337 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00650-13
    Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been reported to be present in humans, chickens, and pigs in Malaysia. In the present study, representative samples of VRE isolated from these populations were examined for similarities and differences by using the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method. Housekeeping genes of Enterococcus faecium (n = 14) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 11) isolates were sequenced and analyzed using the MLST databases eBURST and goeBURST. We found five sequence types (STs) of E. faecium and six STs of E. faecalis existing in Malaysia. Enterococcus faecium isolates belonging to ST203, ST17, ST55, ST79, and ST29 were identified, and E. faecium ST203 was the most common among humans. The MLST profiles of E. faecium from humans in this study were similar to the globally reported nosocomial-related strain lineage belonging to clonal complex 17 (CC17). Isolates from chickens and pigs have few similarities to those from humans, except for one isolate from a chicken, which was identified as ST203. E. faecalis isolates were more diverse and were identified as ST4, ST6, ST87, ST108, ST274, and ST244, which were grouped as specific to the three hosts. E. faecalis, belonging to the high-risk CC2 and CC87, were detected among isolates from humans. In conclusion, even though one isolate from a chicken was found clonal to that of humans, the MLST analysis of E. faecium and E. faecalis supports the findings of others who suggest VRE to be predominantly host specific and that clinically important strains are found mainly among humans. The infrequent detection of a human VRE clone in a chicken may in fact suggest a reverse transmission of VRE from humans to animals.
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