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Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus KT/Y21, a Sequence Type 772 (ST772) Strain Isolated from a Pediatric Blood Sample in Terengganu, Malaysia

Suhaili Z, Lean SS, Yahya A, Mohd Desa MN, Ali AM, Yeo CC

Genome Announc, 2014;2(2).
PMID: 24723714 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00271-14

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain, KT/Y21, isolated from a blood sample of a pediatric patient. This strain belongs to sequence type 772 (ST772), harbors the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element (SCCmec) type V, and is positive for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) pathogenic determinant.
Fulltext Phylogenetic and Transcripts Profiling of Glucose Sensing Related Genes in Candida glabrata

Ng TS, Mohd Desa MN, Sandai D, Chong PP, Than LT

Jundishapur J Microbiol, 2015 Nov;8(11):e25177.
PMID: 26855740 DOI: 10.5812/jjm.25177

BACKGROUND: The sensing mechanism of glucose in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is well studied. However, such information is scarcely found in other yeast species such as Candida glabrata.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the glucose sensing pathway related genes of C. glabrata and to analyze the regulation pattern of these genes in response to different surrounding glucose concentrations through the quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phylogenetic analysis was carried out on predicted amino acid sequences of C. glabrata and S. cerevisiae to compare their degree of similarity. In addition, the growth of C. glabrata in response to different amounts of glucose (0%, 0.01%, 0.1%, 1% and 2%) was evaluated via the spot dilution assay on prepared agar medium. Besides, the SNF3 and RGT2, which act as putative glucose sensors, and the RGT1 and MIG1, which act as putative transcriptional regulators and selected downstream hexose transporters (HXTs), were analysed through qRT-PCR analysis for the gene expression level under different glucose concentrations.
RESULTS: Comparative analysis of predicted amino acids in the phylogenetic tree showed high similarity between C. glabrata and S cerevisiae. Besides, C. glabrata demonstrated the capability to grow in glucose levels as low as 0.01% in the spot dilution assay. In qRT-PCR analysis, differential expressions were observed in selected genes when C. glabrata was subjected to different glucose concentrations.
CONCLUSIONS: The constructed phylogenetic tree suggests the close evolutionary relationship between C. glabrata and S. cerevisiae. The capability of C. glabrata to grow in extremely low glucose environments and the differential expression of selected glucose-sensing related genes suggested the possible role of these genes in modulating the growth of C. glabrata in response to different glucose concentrations. This study helps deepen our understanding of the glucose sensing mechanism in C. glabrata and serves to provide fundamental data that may assist in unveiling this mechanism as a potential drug target.
The Challenges of DNA Extraction in Different Assorted Food Matrices: A Review

Sajali N, Wong SC, Hanapi UK, Abu Bakar Jamaluddin S, Tasrip NA, Mohd Desa MN

J Food Sci, 2018 Oct;83(10):2409-2414.
PMID: 30184265 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.14338

High-quality DNA extracts are imperative for downstream applications in molecular identification. Most processed food products undergo heat treatments causing DNA degradation, which hampers application of DNA-based techniques for food authentication. Moreover, the presence of inhibitors in processed food products is also problematic, as inhibitors can impede the process of obtaining high qualities and quantities of DNA. Various approaches in DNA extraction and factors in structure and texture of various food matrices affecting DNA extraction are explained in this review.
Double Gene Targeting Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay Discriminates Beef, Buffalo, and Pork Substitution in Frankfurter Products

Hossain MA, Ali ME, Abd Hamid SB, Asing, Mustafa S, Mohd Desa MN, et al.

J Agric Food Chem, 2016 Aug 17;64(32):6343-54.
PMID: 27501408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02224

Beef, buffalo, and pork adulteration in the food chain is an emerging and sensitive issue. Current molecular techniques to authenticate these species depend on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays involving long and single targets which break down under natural decomposition and/or processing treatments. This novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay targeted two different gene sites for each of the bovine, buffalo, and porcine materials. This authentication ensured better security, first through a complementation approach because it is highly unlikely that both sites will be missing under compromised states, and second through molecular fingerprints. Mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND5 genes were targeted, and all targets (73, 90, 106, 120, 138, and 146 bp) were stable under extreme boiling and autoclaving treatments. Target specificity and authenticity were ensured through cross-amplification reaction and restriction digestion of PCR products with AluI, EciI, FatI, and CviKI-1 enzymes. A survey of Malaysian frankfurter products revealed rampant substitution of beef with buffalo but purity in porcine materials.
Fulltext The Molecular Approaches and Challenges of Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotyping for Epidemiological Surveillance in the Vaccine Era

Abdul Rahman NA, Mohd Desa MN, Masri SN, Taib NM, Sulaiman N, Hazman H, et al.

Pol J Microbiol, 2023 Jun 01;72(2):103-115.
PMID: 37314355 DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2023-023

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) belongs to the Gram-positive cocci. This bacterium typically colonizes the nasopharyngeal region of healthy individuals. It has a distinct polysaccharide capsule - a virulence factor allowing the bacteria to elude the immune defense mechanisms. Consequently, it might trigger aggressive conditions like septicemia and meningitis in immunocompromised or older individuals. Moreover, children below five years of age are at risk of morbidity and mortality. Studies have found 101 S. pneumoniae capsular serotypes, of which several correlate with clinical and carriage isolates with distinct disease aggressiveness. Introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) targets the most common disease-associated serotypes. Nevertheless, vaccine selection pressure leads to replacing the formerly dominant vaccine serotypes (VTs) by non-vaccine types (NVTs). Therefore, serotyping must be conducted for epidemiological surveillance and vaccine assessment. Serotyping can be performed using numerous techniques, either by the conventional antisera-based (Quellung and latex agglutination) or molecular-based approaches (sequetyping, multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, and PCR-RFLP). A cost-effective and practical approach must be used to enhance serotyping accuracy to monitor the prevalence of VTs and NVTs. Therefore, dependable pneumococcal serotyping techniques are essential to precisely monitor virulent lineages, NVT emergence, and genetic associations of isolates. This review discusses the principles, associated benefits, and drawbacks of the respective available conventional and molecular approaches, and potentially the whole genome sequencing (WGS) to be directed for future exploration.
A review of CRISPR-Cas and PCR-based methods for the detection of animal species in the food chain-current challenges and future prospects

Sultana S, Azlan A, Mohd Desa MN, Mahyudin NA, Anburaj A

Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess, 2024 Mar;41(3):213-227.
PMID: 38284970 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2024.2304577

Regular testing and systematic investigation play a vital role to ensure product safety. Until now, the existing food authentication techniques have been based on proteins, lipids, and nucleic acid-based assays. Among various deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based methods, the recently developed Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) based bio-sensing is an innovative and fast-expanding technology. The CRISPR/Cas-9 is known as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats due to the flexibility and simplicity of the CRISPR/Cas9 site-specific editing tool has been applied in many biological research areas such as Gene therapy, cell line development, discovering mechanisms of disease, and drug discovery. Nowadays, the CRISPR-Cas system has also been introduced into food authentication via detecting DNA barcodes of poultry and livestock both in processed and unprocessed food samples. This review documents various DNA based approaches, in an accessible format. Future CRISPR technologies are forecast while challenges are outlined.
Understanding the mechanisms of Streptococcus pneumoniae in penetrating the blood-brain barrier: insights into bacterial binding with central nervous system host receptors

Al-Obaidi MMJ, Al Siyabi MSK, Muthanna A, Mohd Desa MN

Tissue Barriers, 2024 Dec 04.
PMID: 39629682 DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2024.2434764

This review investigates the pathogenic processes through which Streptococcus pneumoniae crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to cause meningitis, with a focus on the interaction with host receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). S. pneumoniae a primary cause of bacterial meningitis, utilizes unique receptor-mediated pathways to infiltrate the BBB. The bacterial interaction with the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) and the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is looked at in this study. The goal is to understand how this interaction helps the bacterium move across the BBB and cause infection in the CNS. We examine the functions of cellular and molecular participants at the endothelium level, such as cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), which have a role in the development of the disease. This study consolidates data from multiple studies, providing a thorough summary of the interactions between S. pneumoniae and the BBB. It also explores potential treatment targets that could reduce the significant illness and death rates associated with pneumococcal meningitis.
Prevalence of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 and Enterobacteriaceae on Hands of Workers in Halal Cattle Abattoirs in Peninsular Malaysia

Shamsul BM, Adamu MT, Mohd Desa MN, Khairani-Bejo S

Malays J Med Sci, 2016 Sep;23(5):65-71.
PMID: 27904427

BACKGROUND: Several occupational diseases of multiple origins are encountered among abattoir workers. Presence of indicator microorganisms (coliforms) on hands of workers can be used a gauge for hygienic practices.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed to assess the prevalence of E.coli and enterobacteriaceae among Halal abattoir workers in some government halal abattoirs of Malaysia. A total of one hundred and sixty-five hand swab samples were collected from workers of Halal abattoirs in Malaysia. The samples were subjected to microbiological analysis for characterisation and serotyping.
RESULTS: The results have shown that no Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated on the hands of abattoir workers before and after work. However, a total prevalence of 9.7% was recorded for all samples during work. For non-O157:H7, total prevalence of 33.3% during work and 13% after work were obtained. High prevalence was recorded in sample taken during work from Tampin, Jasin and Kemaman (100% each) while low prevalence where observed in Shah Alam, Banting and Ipoh (20% each).
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings the hygienic practices of hand washing among the workers in few locations was found to be low especially after work.
Genotypic characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19F in Malaysia

Jeevajothi Nathan J, Mohd Desa MN, Thong KL, Clarke SC, Masri SN, Md Yasin R, et al.

Infect Genet Evol, 2014 Jan;21:391-4.
PMID: 24342879 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.11.026

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an epidemiologically important bacterial pathogen. Recently, we reported the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of a limited collection of pneumococcal isolates in Malaysia with a high prevalence of erythromycin resistant strains. In the present study, 55 of the pneumococcal isolates of serotype 19F were further analysed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The generated genotypic patterns were then correlated with the antibiograms previously reported. Forty-seven different PFGE profiles (PTs) were obtained, showing that the isolates were genetically diverse. MLST identified 16 sequence types (STs) with ST-236 being predominant (58.2%), followed by ST-81 (10.3%). Among the ST-236 isolates, 22 were erythromycin resistant S. pneumoniae (ERSP) and 15 were trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) resistant, while among ST-81, four isolates were ERSP and two were TMP/SMX resistant. The high prevalence of erythromycin resistant serotype 19F isolates of ST-236 in this study has also been reported in other North and South East Asian countries.
Fulltext Prevalence of macrolide resistance and in vitro activities of six antimicrobial agents against clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from a multi-center surveillance in Malaysia

Jeevajothi Nathan J, Mohd Taib N, Mohd Desa MN, Masri SN, Md Yasin R, Jamal F, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2013 Apr;68(2):119-24.
PMID: 23629556 MyJurnal

The in vitro activities of 6 antimicrobial agents against clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) were investigated and the erythromycin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were correlated with the two major macrolide resistance determinants, mef(A) and erm(B). MICs of commonly used antibiotics as well as the presence of macrolide resistance determinant genes in all isolates were tested. Seventy one pneumococcal isolates collected at Institute for Medical Research (IMR) were included in this study. Phenotypic characterization, MIC determination using E-test strips and polymerase chain reactions for antibiotic resistance determination were included. Among the isolates, 25 (35.2%) isolates were erythromycin susceptible, 3 (4.2%) were intermediate and 42 (60.6%) were resistant. Fifty three isolates (74.7%) were found with mef(A) alone, 15 (21.1%) isolates with erm(B) + mef(A) combination and 3 (4.2%) isolates with none of the two genes. The in vitro activity of penicillin, amoxicillin clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime is superior to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and erythromycin. In conclusion, pneumococcal isolates in this study were highly susceptible to penicillin with very low MICs. However, a very high prevalence rate of erythromycin resistance was observed. Erythromycin resistant S. pneumoniae isolates with both mef(A) and erm(B) showed very high MICs ≥256 μg/mL.
TaqMan probe real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the quantification of canine DNA in chicken nugget

Rahman MM, Hamid SB, Basirun WJ, Bhassu S, Rashid NR, Mustafa S, et al.

Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess, 2016;33(1):10-8.
PMID: 26458055 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2015.1104558

This paper describes a short-amplicon-based TaqMan probe quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay for the quantitative detection of canine meat in chicken nuggets, which are very popular across the world, including Malaysia. The assay targeted a 100-bp fragment of canine cytb gene using a canine-specific primer and TaqMan probe. Specificity against 10 different animals and plants species demonstrated threshold cycles (Ct) of 16.13 ± 0.12 to 16.25 ± 0.23 for canine DNA and negative results for the others in a 40-cycle reaction. The assay was tested for the quantification of up to 0.01% canine meat in deliberately spiked chicken nuggets with 99.7% PCR efficiency and 0.995 correlation coefficient. The analysis of the actual and qPCR predicted values showed a high recovery rate (from 87% ± 28% to 112% ± 19%) with a linear regression close to unity (R(2) = 0.999). Finally, samples of three halal-branded commercial chicken nuggets collected from different Malaysian outlets were screened for canine meat, but no contamination was demonstrated.
Characterization of resistance to selected antibiotics and Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positiveStaphylococcus aureusin a healthy student population at a Malaysian University

Suhaili Z, Rafee P', Mat Azis N, Yeo CC, Nordin SA, Abdul Rahim AR, et al.

Germs, 2018 Mar;8(1):21-30.
PMID: 29564245 DOI: 10.18683/germs.2018.1129

Introduction: This study aims to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles ofStaphylococcus aureusstrains isolated from university students and to determine the prevalence of constitutive and inducible clindamycin resistance, the latter being able to cause therapeutic failure due to false in vitro clindamycin susceptibility.
Methods: S. aureus
strains were isolated from the nasal swabs of 200 health sciences students of a Malaysian university. Twelve classes of antibiotics were used to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles with the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotype for inducible clindamycin resistance determined by the double-diffusion test (D-test). Carriage of resistance and virulence genes was performed by PCR onS. aureusisolates that were methicillin resistant, erythromycin resistant and/or positive for the leukocidin gene,pvl(n=15).
Results: Forty-nine isolates were viable and identified asS. aureuswith four of the isolates characterized as methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA; 2.0%). All isolates were susceptible to the antibiotics tested except for penicillin (resistance rate of 49%), erythromycin (16%), oxacillin (8%), cefoxitin (8%) and clindamycin (4%). Of the eight erythromycin-resistant isolates, iMLSBwas identified in five isolates (three of which were also MRSA). The majority of the erythromycin-resistant isolates harbored themsrAgene (four iMLSB) with the remaining iMLSBisolate harboring theermCgene.
Conclusion: The presence of MRSA isolates which are also iMLSBin healthy individuals suggests that nasal carriage may play a role as a potential reservoir for the transmission of these pathogens.
Rapid porcine detection in gelatin-based highly processed products using loop mediated isothermal amplification

Tasrip NA, Mohd Desa MN, Khairil Mokhtar NF, Sajali N, Mohd Hashim A, Ali ME, et al.

J Food Sci Technol, 2021 Dec;58(12):4504-4513.
PMID: 34629514 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-020-04932-2

Low DNA concentration recovered from highly processed products such as gelatin and gelatin-based products renders difficulty in detecting porcine contamination using conventional PCR techniques. We documented here a porcine-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to identify porcine traces in gelatin products. The porcine-specific primers were designed according to mitochondrial DNA of Cytochrome b gene sequence. Here we used two different reaction mixtures for LAMP assay (GENIE and MYRM) against the same DNA samples extracted from gelatin products and porcine-specific primers to detect the presence of porcine DNA. The porcine-specific primers were shown to be specific only to Sus scrofa against 14 DNA of other meat species. The analytical sensitivity of the LAMP assay for porcine DNA detection is 1 pg/µL using both GENIE (within 30 m) and MYRM (within 60 m) reaction mixtures. Analysis against 32 samples of gelatin products showed that five samples were found to contain porcine DNA; two samples out of six gelatin powder samples and three gelatin capsule samples out of nine. Out of these five positive samples, three were not labeled containing porcine gelatin. Overall, LAMP assay in this study showed an excellent specificity, sensitivity and rapidity in detection of porcine DNA in gelatin products.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at (10.1007/s13197-020-04932-2).
Role of cell surface proteins and toll-like receptors in the pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Zaipul Anuar NF, Mohd Desa MN, Hussaini J, Wong EH, Mariappan V, Vellasamy KM, et al.

Iran J Basic Med Sci, 2024;27(2):214-222.
PMID: 38234660 DOI: 10.22038/IJBMS.2023.72584.15791

OBJECTIVES: Pneumococcal cell wall (PCW) is an inflammatory component in Streptococcus pneumoniae. The cell surface proteins and the toll-like receptors (TLR) signaling response were investigated in the human lung epithelial (A549) cells inoculated with PCW of different serotypes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of genes encoding these proteins was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The structure of the cell walls was analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The A549 cell line was challenged with PCW extracts of different serotypes. RNA from the infected host cells was extracted and tested against a total of 84 genes associated with TLR signaling pathways (TLR 1-6 and 10) using RT2 Profiler PCR Array.
RESULTS: Cell surface proteins; ply, lytA, nanA, nanB, and cbpD genes were present in all serotypes. The distribution and structure of surface protein genes suggest behavioral changes in the molecules, contributing to the resilience of the strains to antibiotic treatment.
CONCLUSION: TLR2 showed the highest expression, while serotypes 1, 3, and 5 induced higher TNFα and IL-1α, suggesting to be more immunogenic than the other strains tested.
Effect of aqueous extract of Dicranopteris linearis leaves against paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride-induced liver toxicity in rats

Ismail NA, Shamsahal-Din NS, Mamat SS, Zabidi Z, Wan Zainulddin WN, Kamisan FH, et al.

Pak J Pharm Sci, 2014 Jul;27(4):831-5.
PMID: 25015448

The present study aimed to determine the hepatoprotective activity of Dicranopteris linearis L. (family Gleicheniaceae) leaf aqueous extract (DLAE) using two models of liver injury in rats. Rats were divided into ten groups (n=6) and received dH2O (negative control), 200 mg/kg silymarin (positive control) or DLAE (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg) orally once daily for 7 consecutive days and on the 8th day subjected to the hepatotoxic induction either using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or paracetamol (PCM). The bloods and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. From the data obtained, only the highest dose of DLAE significantly (P<0.05) reduced the ALP, ALT and AST levels in CCl4-and PCM-induced hepatotoxic rats while the other doses caused significant (P<0.05) reduction only in the levels of ALT and AST. The histological results obtained were in line with the biochemical analysis wherein reduction in the CCl4- and PCM-induced tissue formation of necrosis, steatosis and inflammation occurred in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the DLAE possesses hepatoprotective activity, which could be attributed to its free radicals scavenging and antioxidant activities, and high flavonoids content. Thus, in-depth studies regarding the hepatoprotective activity of DLAE are warranted.
Pilus islets and the clonal spread of piliated Streptococcus pneumoniae: A review

Dzaraly ND, Muthanna A, Mohd Desa MN, Taib NM, Masri SN, Rahman NIA, et al.

Int J Med Microbiol, 2020 Oct;310(7):151449.
PMID: 33092697 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2020.151449

Pneumococci are a common cause of severe infections, such as otitis media, pneumonia, meningitis and bacteremia. Pili are detected in a small proportion of pneumococcal population, but these structures have recently been associated with bacterial virulence in humans. Therefore, the epidemiological relationships between pneumococcal pili, serotype and antimicrobial resistance are of interest. This study aims to discuss the virulence contribution of the Streptococcus pneumoniae pili and the epidemiological relationships among the pilus genes, antimicrobial resistance trends, regional serotypes and genotypic variations. Previous reports have characterized the pneumococcal pilus islet as a clonal feature in the pneumococcal serotypes that are covered by the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), including serotypes 19A, 19F, 23F and 7F. Many of the pneumococcal molecular epidemiology network (PMEN) clones are piliated isolates that are also strongly associated with a high frequency of multidrug resistance. Most of these piliated pneumococcal isolates belong to a few clonal complexes (CC), such as CC320, CC199, CC271, CC191 and CC156. Additional molecular epidemiology and genomic studies, particularly whole genome sequence analysis (WGS), are needed to develop an in-depth understanding of the piliated pneumococcal isolates.
Fulltext Stability, Toxicity, and Antibacterial Potential of Gallic Acid-Loaded Graphene Oxide (GAGO) Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Strains

Shamsi S, Abdul Ghafor AAH, Norjoshukrudin NH, Ng IMJ, Abdullah SNS, Sarchio SNE, et al.

Int J Nanomedicine, 2022;17:5781-5807.
PMID: 36474524 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S369373

BACKGROUND: The impetuous usage of antibiotics has led to the perpetual rise of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which has garnered the interest of potential drug alternatives, including nanomaterials.
PURPOSE: The present study investigates the stability, toxicity, and antibacterial potential of gallic acid-loaded graphene oxide (GAGO) on several MRSA strains.
METHODS: The stability of a synthesized and characterized GAGO was monitored in different physiological media. The toxicity profile of GAGO was evaluated in 3T3 murine fibroblast cells and the embryonic zebrafish model. The antibacterial activity of GAGO against MRSA, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), and community-acquired MRSA; with or without Panton-valentine leucocidin gene (MRSA-pvl+ and MRSA-pvl-) was investigated through disk diffusion, CFU counting method, time-kill experiment, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation.
RESULTS: A stable GAGO nanocomposite has shown an improved toxicity profile in 3T3 murine fibroblast cells and zebrafish embryos, besides exhibiting normal ROS levels than graphene oxide (GO) and GA (gallic acid). The nanocomposite inhibited the growth of all bacterial strains employed. The effectiveness of the GAGO nanocomposite was comparable to cefoxitin (CFX), at ≥150 µg/mL in MRSA and MSSA. GAGO exhibited a significantly delayed response towards MRSA-pvl+ and MRSA-pvl-, with increased inhibition following 8 to 24 h of exposure, while comparable activity to native GA was only achieved at 24 h. Meanwhile, for MRSA and MSSA, GAGO had a comparable activity with native GA and GO as early as 2 h of exposure. HRTEM observation further reveals that GAGO-exposed cells were membrane compromised.
CONCLUSION: In summary, the present study indicates the antibacterial potential of GAGO against MRSA strains, but further study is warranted to understand the mechanism of action of GAGO and its resistance in MRSA strains.
Fish-associated Streptococcus agalactiae ST283: first human cases reported from Malaysia

Zohari Z, Barkham T, Mohamad Maswan N, Chen SL, Muthanna A, Lee KW, et al.

J Med Microbiol, 2023 Jun;72(6).
PMID: 37389575 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001729

In South East Asia, Streptococcus agalactiae ST283 causes sepsis in healthy adults. Raw freshwater fish consumption is the only known risk factor. These two case reports are the first from Malaysia. Although they cluster with Singapore ST283, the epidemiology is complicated by the flow of people and fish across borders.
Maternal and neonatal group B streptococcus colonisation: A systematic review and the meta-analysis of matched-pair studies

Lee KW, Yap SF, Murdan S, Zainudin Z, Abdul Hamid H, Emamjomeh M, et al.

Acta Paediatr, 2024 May;113(5):892-911.
PMID: 38351491 DOI: 10.1111/apa.17152

AIM: To determine the prevalence of group B Streptococcus (GBS) carriage among parturient women and neonates, and the relative risk of vertical transmission, the relative risk of early and late-onset GBS and the pooled incidence of early-late-onset GBS infection.
METHODS: A systematic search of relevant cohort studies from three electronic databases to identify all relevant studies published up to 7 November 2022. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses.
RESULTS: A total of 54 articles with 355 787 matched pairs of parturient women and neonates from 30 countries were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of GBS colonisation was 17.1% among the pregnant women and 1.0% among neonates. The pooled prevalence of vertical transmission of GBS was 4.5% and the pooled relative risk of GBS colonisation of neonates born to mothers with GBS was 9.9.
CONCLUSION: We support the implementation of targeted intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for all women who are positive for GBS as well as women with risks factors for early onset GBS in their infants regardless of their GBS colonisation status.
Hydroxyproline determination for initial detection of halal-critical food ingredients (gelatin and collagen)

Yuswan MH, A Jalil NH, Mohamad H, Keso S, Mohamad NA, Tengku Md Yusoff TS, et al.

Food Chem, 2021 Feb 01;337:127762.
PMID: 32777563 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127762

Gelatin and collagen are considered halal-critical ingredients as they are typically derived from either bovine or porcine animals. Current analytical methods for determining the sources of gelatin and collagen suffer from limitations in terms of robustness and false positives in peptide matching. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the utility of monitoring hydroxyproline, a signature amino acid for gelatin and collagen, for identifying potentially haram foodstuffs. To determine the hydroxyproline profiles among animal- and plant-based samples, one-way univariate analysis of variance followed by pair-wise comparison was used to establish statistical significance. Multivariate chemometric analysis through principal component analysis revealed a discrete distribution pattern among 59 samples due to hydroxyproline variability. Finally, inter- and intra-laboratory comparisons demonstrated the validity and robustness of hydroxyproline determination according to ISO 17025. Thus, this preliminary identification technique will aid the identification of potentially haram foodstuffs.

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