http://blogs.najah.edu/author/adwan2372 An-Najah Blogs :: Ghaleb Mohammad Adwan en-us Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:41:25 IDT Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:41:25 IDT webmaster@najah.edu webmaster@najah.edu http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Molecular-characterization-and-phylogenetic-analysis-of-Middle-East-2009-H1N1-pdm-isolatesPublished ArticlesAbstract: Objective: To study hemagglutinin genetic evolution of some Middle East ME 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates and compared them with prototype vaccine strain ACalifornia072009 H1N1 which is used as a vaccine strain in the Northern Hemisphere 2010-2011 Methods: Nucleotide andor amino acid sequences of HA gene of fifty-four of ME 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates were retrieved from GenBank Database by using Basic BLAST engine Phylogenetic trees were established for both nucleotide and amino acid sequences using the Muscle algorithm of the computer program CLC free workbench 561 JRE software Amino acids alignment was also done to compare between sequences HA1 domains of HA genes of ME 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates n=39 with amino acid sequence of prototype vaccine strain ACalifornia072009 H1N1 Results: Phylogenetic analysis of amino acids and nucleotides of the HA gene of the ME 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates confirmed their evolutionary position in cluster with prototype vaccine strain ACalifornia072009 H1N1 which is used as vaccine strain in the Northern Hemisphere 2010-2011 Antigenically the ME 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates are homogeneous and closely related to prototype vaccine Only a few amino acid substitutions in the HA among the Middle East 2009 H1N1 pdm isolates analyzed Conclusions: The current influenza vaccine is expected to provide a good protection against ME 2009 H1N1 pdm because it contains strains with H1 HA ACalifornia072009 H1N1-like strain http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Antibacterial-activities-of-some-plant-extracts-alone-and-in-combination-with-different-antimicrobials-against-multidrug-resistant-Pseudomonas-aeruginosa-strainsPublished ArticlesObjective: To evaluate the possible in vitro interaction between ethanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria R coriaria seed Sacropoterium spinosum S spinosum seed Rosa damascena R damascene flower and certain known antimicrobial drugs including oxytetracycline HCl penicillin G cephalexin sulfadimethoxine as sodium and enrofloxacin This synergy study was carried out against 3 clinical strains of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa P aeruginosa Methods: Evaluation of synergy interaction between plant extracts and antimicrobial agents was carried out using microdilution method Results: The results of this study showed that there is a decrease in the MIC in case of combination of ethanolic plant extracts and test antimicrobial agents The most interesting result was that the combination between R coriaria and these antibiotics showed a high decrease in minimum inhibitory concentration MIC and a strong bactericidal activity against these strains Conclusions: These results may indicate that combinations between R coriaria extract and these antibiotics could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistance P aeruginosa which may due to that R coriaria extract contain natural inhibitors working by different mechanisms or inhibiting efflux pumps Now we have experiments underway leading to the identification of the active molecules present in R coriaria Further in vivo experiments are needed to confirm pseudomonal protectionhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/HIGHLY-PATHOGENIC-INFLUENZA-A-VIRUS-H5N1Published ArticlesSUMMARY: Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 previously known to infect only birds was also found to infect human causing disease and death Continuous outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A resulted in an urgent effort to improve treatments vaccines and diagnosis to lower the threat of an influenza pandemicControl measures and continuous surveillance aimed at reducing exposure of human to potential H5N1-infected poultry Pandemic human influenza viruses have been emerging for many centuries thrice only in last century These pandemics were caused by the most common subtypes of circulating viruses in the community at that time The influenza virus has segmented genome which undergoes continuous mutations and genetic reassortmentsPhylogenetic analyses of the H5N1 viruses isolated from humans showed that these viruses were identical to those circulating in poultry Any genetic change in H5N1 enabling human to human transmission may lead to a pandemic of human influenzahttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Emergence-of-Vancomycin-Intermediate-Resistant--Staphylococcus-aureus-in-North-of-Palestine-1Published ArticlesObjective: This study was conducted to update the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S aureus MRSA isolates among human clinical S aureus isolates recovered from Northern Palestine to evaluate the possible presence of vancomycin-Resistant S aureus VRSA and vancomycin- intermediate resistant S aureus strains VISA and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibilities of these clinical isolates Methods: The in-vitro activities of 11 antibiotics against 204 non-duplicate S aureus isolates from clinical samples in North of Palestine were determined by the disk-diffusion method These samples were isolated between June 2006 and December 2007 The minimum inhibitory concentration MIC of vancomycin for 115 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA strains was carried out using the agar dilution method Results: One hundred and fifteen 564 of these isolates were MRSA and according to their antibiotic profile these are multidrug resistant resistant to three or more non--lactam antibiotics Ninety nine 436 isolates were methicillin sensitive S aureus MSSA forty four of MSSA isolates 444 were multidrug resistant while forty five 456 were non multidrug resistant Our results showed that the most common resistance 956 was to penicillin Two strains of MRSA have shown to be vancomycin- intermediate resistant had MIC 4 and 8 gml and these vancomycin- intermediate resistant S aureus strains VISA are resistant to all antibiotics tested Conclusion: According to our information this is the first study report about VISA in Palestine http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Synergistic-effects-of-plant-extracts-and-antibiotics-on-Staphylococcus-aureus-strains-isolated-from-clinical-specimensPublished ArticlesAbstract Objective: This study has been done to evaluate the interaction between water extracts of Psidium guajava Rosmarinus officinalis Salvia fruticosa Majorana syriaca Ocimum basilucum Syzygium aromaticum Laurus nobilis and Rosa damascena alone and then synergy testing of these extracts with known antimicrobial agents including oxytetracycline HCl gentamicin sulfate penicillin G cephalexin and enrofloxacin This study was conducted against five S aureus isolates; one is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA and 4 Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus MSSA Methods: Evaluation of the interaction between plant extracts and different antimicrobial agents has been done using well-diffusion and microdilution methods Results: The results of the conducted experiments using well-diffusion method demonstrate that these plants showed in vitro interactions between antimicrobial agents and plant extracts were additive while using microdilution method showed synergistic effects with significant reduction in the MICs of the test antibiotics against these strains of S aureus This change in MIC was noticed in all plant extracts including these plants showed weak antibacterial activity by well diffusion method Synergism effect was occurred in both sensitive and resistant strains but the magnitude of minimum fold reduction of inhibitory concentration in resistant strains especially MRSA strain was higher than the sensitive strains Coclusion: This study probably suggests the possibility of concurrent use of these antimicrobial drugs and plant extracts in combination in treating infections caused by S aureus strains or at least the concomitant administration may not impair the antimicrobial activity of these antibiotics http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/The-subtypes-of-HIV-type-1-in-Greece-1Published ArticlesNo Abstracthttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Molecular-Epidemiology-of-Antibiotic-Resistant-Escherichia-coli-Isolated-from-Hospitalized-Patients-with-Urinary-Tract-Infections-in-Northern-Palestine-1Published ArticlesAbstractEighty isolates of Escherichia coli were collected in Northern Palestine throughout the 1996 to 2000 period from hospitalized patients with urinary tract infections UTIs Resistance rates were ampicillin 65; co-trimoxazole 55; cefuroxime 10; cefotaxime 75; ceftazidime 25; ciprofloxacin 125; gentamicin 625 and amikacin 125 No imipenem-resistant isolates were identified To determine whether this was due to intra-hospital transmission of resistant strains clonal structure of 10 multiple-resistant isolates was examined by genomic DNA fingerprinting by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic concensus-polymerase chain reaction ERICPCR and all were clonally distinct Thus these strains are likely resistant due to convergent acquisition of resistance determinants by genetically unrelated uropathogenic strains rather than epidemic spread of resistant isolateshttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Typing-of-Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-aureus-by-Ribosome-Spacer-and-Arbitrarily-Primed-Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-1Published ArticlesAbstract: Thirty-five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA clinical isolates were collected from 3 hospitals in the northern and southern parts of Palestine between February and May 1998 These isolates were typed by ribosome spacer PCR RSPCR and arbitrarily primed PCR AP-PCR RS-PCR generated 9 different genotypes The use of APPCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed us to define 11 different clusters Three major clusters however based on the combination of both typing methods spread throughout the neonatal and intensive care units of Rafidya Hospital during the entire periodhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Nosocomial-Infection-Caused-by-Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylcoccus-aureus-in-Palestine-1Published ArticlesABSTRACTThis report presents the prevalence of Palestinian isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA in nosocomial infections and their antibiotic resistant pattern A total of 321 clinical isolates of S aureus were identified from different patients The prevalence of methicillin resistance among S aureus isolates was 87 28 isolates Resistance rates of MRSA to other antibiotics were as follows: 821 resistant to erythromycin 679 to clindamycin 643 to gentamicin and 321 to ciprofloxacin No co-trimoxazole- and vancomycin-resistant isolates were identified in this study The proportion of methicillin resistance was highest among S aureus isolates associated with upper respiratory specimens 428; the proportion of methicillin resistance was 393 among skin ulcer isolates 107 among urinary tract infection isolates and lowest among isolates associated with blood and prostate discharge 36 eachhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/PREVALENCE-OF-HEPATITIS-B-VIRUS-MARKERS-AMONG-HIGH-RISK-GROUPS-IN-PALESTINE-1Published ArticlesSUMMARY: Four hundred and twenty one sera samples collected during 1995 to 1997 from subjects at high-risk for HBV infections were tested for the presence of HBV markers The subjects included kidney transplants n=109 hemodialyzed patients n=76 non-vaccinated healthcare workers n=52 and blood transfusion dependent patients n=80 Blood transfusion dependent patients include 60 thalassemic 6 hemophilic and 14 sickle cell anemia patients HBsAg prevalence rates of 294 17 225 and 96 were observed among kidney transplant hemodialysis blood transfusion dependent patients and non-vaccinated healthcare workers respectively HBeAg prevalence rates among HBsAg positive subjects of the previous groups were 438 769 389 and 00 respectively Our study indicates that 769 of HBsAg positive hemodialysis patients and 438 of HBsAg positive kidney transplant patients are highly contagious and constitute a high risk factor for the spreading of this infection The prevalence rates of anti-HBc previous infection rates of 569 500 379 and 173 were observed among kidney transplant hemodialysis blood dependent patients and non-vaccinated healthcare workers respectivelyThese results show that HBsAg in these high risk groups is high and vaccination against HBV of these groups is recommendedhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Hepatitis-B-surface-antibody-response-of-household-contacts-of-hepatitis-B-virus-carriers-in-Palestine-1Published ArticlesABSTRACT To evaluate the effectiveness of hepatitis B virus HBV vaccination of household contacts of HBV carriers in Tulkarm district Palestine quantitative hepatitis B surface anti-HBs antibody response in 161 household contacts was measured after vaccination A seroprotective anti-HBs response titre 10 IUL was elicited in all vaccinated subjects Of these 25 had titres of 1099 IUL 615 100999 IUL and 360 1000 IUL The number of vaccination doses had no effect on the achievement of seroprotection HBV infection was demonstrated in 13 cases and their anti-HBV titres were in the range 25350 IULhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/HIV-1-co-receptor-CCR5-and-CCR2-mutations-among-Greeks-1Published ArticlesAbstractThe frequency of CCR5 and CCR2 alleles in human immunodeficiency virus HIV-positive and HIV-negative populations of Northern Greece was investigated The frequency of the CCR5v32 allele among the HIV-negative subjects was 0052 while it was approximately twofold lower among the seropositives suggesting that the heterozygous genotype confers a partial resistance to the HIV infection No significant difference in CCR2 allele frequency between the two groups was observed Federation of European Microbiologicalhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/HIV-Type-1-Sequences-with-GGC-Substitution-in-Injecting-Drug-Users-in-Greece-1Published ArticlesNO Abstracthttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Genetic-heterogeneity-of-HIV-1-in-Greece-1Published ArticlesABSTRACT The aim of this study was to detect and determine the genetic variation of HIV-1 in Greece and to analyze the phylogenetic relationships and transmission dynamics of identified variants Eighty-six blood samples from HIV-1 seroconverted patients of different risk groups were collected from the AIDS clinic AHEPA Hospital Thessaloniki Greece Retroviral DNA was extracted from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells HIV-1 DNA sequences encoding a 500-bp fragment of the gp120 C2-C3 region were amplified from each study subject and they were genetically subtyped by heteroduplex mobility assay and DNA sequencing Genetic distances and phylogenetic relationships of DNA sequences were estimated using PHYLIP software Our results revealed that 82 out of 86 953 subjects carried subtype B sequences while four 47 carried subtype A sequences Subtype A in Greek individuals not having traveled abroad was documented An average of intrasubtype B genetic divergence of 15 was noted Our findings demonstrate the presence of at least two genetic subtypes of HIV-1 in northern Greece subtype B and subtype A The predominant subtype is subtype B which was transmitted into Greece by multiple sources Our observations lend support to the argument that the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes is determined by founder effects or other processes rather than any tropism for particular cell types or mode of transmissionhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/IN-VITRO-ACTIVITY-OF-CERTAIN-DRUGS-IN-COMBINATION-WITH-PLANT-EXTRACTS-AGAINST-STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS-INFECTIONS-1Published ArticlesABSTRACTObjectives: This study has been done to evaluate the interaction between ethanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria seed Psidium guajava Leaf Lawsonia inermis Leaf and Sacropoterium spinosum seed and antimicrobial drugs including oxytetracycline HCl enrofloxacin gentamicin sulphate and sulfadimethoxine against four clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSAMethodology: Evaluation of the interaction between ethanolic extracts and different antimicrobial agents has been done using well-diffusion method Results: It showed that ethanolic extracts increase the inhibition zones of oxytetracycline HClgentamicin sulphate and sulfadimethoxine while combinations between these plant extractsand enrofloxacin decrease inhibition zoneConclusion: This study probably suggests the possibility of concurrent use of these antimicrobial drugs and plant extracts in combination in treating infections caused by S aureus strains or at least the concomitant administration may not impair the antimicrobial activity of these antibioticshttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Efficacy-of-Aqueous-and-Ethanol-Extracts-of-Some-Palestinian-Medicinal-Plants-for-Potential-Antibacterial-Activity-1Published ArticlesAbstract: Nine medicinal plants growing in Palestine were screened in vitro for potential antibacterial activity against 6 bacterial strains by well diffusion and micro-dilution techniques Both aqueous and organic solvents were used The dried extracts of Sacropoterium spinosum Rosaceae seed Ruta chalepensis L Rutaceae leaf Cassia senna Ligumenosa leaf Lawsonia inermis Lythraceae leaf Psidium guajava Myrtaceae Leaf Carataegus azerullus Rosaceae Leaf Ranunclus asiaticusRanunculaceae Flowers Calendula officinalis Composita Flowersand Salvia syriaca Labiatae leaf were screened The bacterial strains tested were; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA; three strains 1 2 3 multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Proteus vulgaris and Klebsiella pneumonia The average diameter of inhibition zones ranged from 9 to 30 mm and 11 to 28 mm for aqueous and ethanol extract respectively Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA was the most inhibited microorganism Sacropoterium spinosum extract was the most active against Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA and multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa The MIC value of ethanol extract was 0781 mgml against MRSA while 0390 mgml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa The combination effect of ethanol extracts of Sacropoterium spinosum with Lawsonia Inermis on bacterial species tested exhibited a higher effect than that of any individual extractSuch results lead to an interesting promise for further investigation to design potentially active antibacterial augmentative agents of natural sourceshttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/ANTIBACTERIAL-ACTIVITY-OF-RHUS-CORIARIA-L-EXTRACTS-GROWING-IN-PALESTINEPublished ArticlesAbstract: Disk diffusion and micro-dilution techniques were used to determine the antibacterial activity of water ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria ripe berries against five clinical bacterial strains Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 EHEC Proteus vulgaris and Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633 was used as a reference strain The zone of inhibition varies depending on bacterial species and type of extract The average diameter of inhibition zones ranges from 0 to 19 mm 15 to 25 mm and 15 to 22 mmfor water ethanolic and methanolic extract respectively The MIC value of ethanolic extract was 125 mgml against MRSA EHEC P aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris while 0156 mgml against B subtilis In general these results showed that the antibacterial activity of R coriaria ripe berries extracts was more effective against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negativehttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Antibacterial-Effects-of-Nutraceutical-Plants-Growing-in-Palestine-on-Pseudomonas-aeruginosa-1Published ArticlesAbstract: The antibacterial effects of single and combined plant extracts of water ethanol and methanol for two nutraceuticals utilized in Palestine were studied against multiple drug resistances Pseudomonas aeruginosa using well diffusion method These plants are Rhus coriaria and Thymus vulgaris Combinations of these extracts showed an additive action against this pathogenhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Antibacterial-Activity-of-Four-Plant-Extracts-Used-in-Palestine-in-Folkloric-Medicine-against-Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-aureus-1Published ArticlesAbstract: Ethanolic and hot water extracts from 4 different plant species used in Palestine in popular medicine for the treatment of several ailments of microbial and non-microbial origin were evaluated for potential antimicrobial activity against methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA Both water and ethanol extracts of Mentha longifolia Melissa officinalis and Rosa damascena were effective on MRSA The minimum inhibitory concentration MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration MBC values of the ethanolic extract of M longifolia and M officinalis were in the range of 3125 to 1250 mgml and 1250 to 2500 mgml respectively The ethanolic extract with the greatest antimicrobial activity was that of R damascena MIC 0395 to 0780 mgml and MBC 1563 to 3125 mgml The combination of ethanolic extracts of the plants studied showed synergistic antibacterial activity against MRSA strainshttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Antibacterial-Activities-of-Some-Plant-Extracts-Utilized-in-Popular-Medicine-in-Palestine-1Published ArticlesAbstract: The antibacterial activities of hot water methanol and ethanol extracts of 5 plant extracts utilized in Palestine in popular medicine were studied The dried extracts of Syzyium aromaticum Myrtaceae seed Cinnamomum cassia Lauraceae cassia bark Chinese cinnamon bark Salvia officinalis Lamiaceaea leaf Thymus vulgaris Lamiaceaea leaf and Rosmarinus officinalis Labiatae leaf were tested in vitro against 4 bacterial species by disk diffusion and micro-dilution The patterns of inhibition varied with the plant extract the solvent used for extraction and the organism tested Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 were the most inhibited microorganisms S aromaticum extract was the most active against multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 EHEC The combinations of ethanolic extracts of S officinalis with R officinalis and of R officinalis with T vulgaris on bacterial species tested exhibited a higher effect than that of any individual extract Results of this kind herald the interesting promise of designing a potentially active antibacterial synergized agent of plant originhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Enterotoxigenic-Staphylococcus-aureus-in-Raw-Milk-in-the-North-of-Palestine-1Published ArticlesAbstract: Enterotoxin genes sea-see in Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from milk of clinically healthy sheep and cows in the north of Palestine were determined using a polymerase chain reaction PCR Thirty-seven 37 out of 100 S aureus isolates were toxin gene positive Four strains 108 were sea-positive 20 541 were seb-positive 4 108 were sec-positive 6 162 were sed-positive and 3 81 were see-positive None of these enterotoxigenic isolates carried more than one toxin gene This study indicates that the presence of enterotoxigenic S aureus in raw milk can contribute to the sources of staphylococcal food poisoning in Palestinehttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Toxigenicity-of-Staphylococcus-aureus-isolates-from-Northern-Palestine-1Published ArticlesAbstract - A total of 68 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from different human clinical samples in the North of Palestine were examined to detect staphylococcal enterotoxin SE genes A sea B seb C sec D sed and see Of the total isolates examined 412 2868 were enterotoxigenic S aureus Twelve strains 429 of enterotoxigenic S aureus harbored seagene ten strains 357 were carried see- gene six strains 214 were positive for sec-gene None of these enterotoxigenic S aureus isolates harbored more than one of toxin genes The presence of these toxin genes and other genes not be detected here might play a role in process of pathogenesis of S aureus disease other than food poisoning but this cannot be substantiated by the results of the present studyhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE-AGAINST-STAPHYLOCOCCAL-ISOLATES-RECOVERED-FROM-SUBCLINICAL-MASTITIS-IN-THE-NORTH-OF-PALESTINE-1Published ArticlesAbstract: The antimicrobial resistance to 10 antibiotics was determined in 132 staphylococcal isolates These representing Staphylococcus aureus n=66 and Staphylococcus epidermidis n=66 All isolates were from milk samples obtained from subclinical mastitis from Awassi ewes local goats and Fresian cows Results indicated that among all the antimicrobial agents tested the highest resistance of staphylococcal isolates was to ampicillin The frequency of resistance to ampicillin was 758 and 667 against S aureus and S epidermidis isolates respectively Resistance to amikacin cefepime vancomycin tobramycin or chloramphenicol was rare None of staphylococcal isolates was susceptible to all tested antibiotics Resistance to at least 3 drugs was found in 35 53 and 28 424 of S aureus and S epidermidis isolates respectivelyhttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/ENTEROTOXIGENECITY-OF-S-AUREUS-ISOLATES-RECOVERED-FROM-CHRONIC-UROGENITAL-TRACT-INFECTION-IN-NORTH-PALESTINEPublished ArticlesABSTRACTObjectives: Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen associated with diseases in a variety of hosts including humans It produces several toxins and virulence factors that contribute to its pathogenic potential such as staphylococcal enterotoxins SEs This study was conducted to determine enterotoxigenicity of S aureus associated with chronic urogenital tract infection by detecting enterotoxin genesSetting: This study was done in The Microbiology laboratory An-Najah N University PalestineMethodology: A total of 90 S aureus isolates recovered from clinical samples from patients suffering from chronic urogenital tract infection in the North of Palestine were used to detect the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes sea seb sec sed and see by polymerase chain reaction PCR assayResults: Out of 90 S aureus isolates tested it was found that 57 633 of these isolatesharboured one or more enterotoxin genes Up to 789 of the enterotoxigenic isolates possessed one SE gene The majority of these enterotoxigenic strains 614 isolated from both semen and urine samples harbored sec gene either alone or in combination with other genes Also the prevalence of genes in combination was significantly more common in S aureus isolates derived from urine 933 273 as compared to those derived from semen 324 125Conclusions: The role of enterotoxin genes in the pathogenesis of urogenital tract infection is still unknown However it is evident that urogenital infection can be caused by S aureus trains which lack these genes Other newly detected genes may play a role in pathogenesishttp://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/PREVALENCE-OF-MICROORGANISMS-ASSOCIATED-WITH-INTRAMAMMARY-INFECTION-IN-COWS-AND-SMALL-RUMINANTS-IN-THE-NORTH-OF-PALESTINE-1Published Articles Abstract: This study was undertaken to determine aetiology and prevalence of subclinical mastitis in manually and mechanically milked animals in the north of Palestine Milk samples from animals with bacterial infection of the mammary gland showed significantly higher somatic cell count SCC than did the corresponding milk from healthy animals which 1420100 X103 cellsml; vs 33035 X103 cellsml; 1650155 X103 cellsml vs 49040 X103 cellsml; 52050 X103 cellsml vs 14025 X103 cellsml for ewes goats and cows respectively The prevalence of bacterial isolation of the milk from goats n = 25 sheep n = 40 and cows n=220 from several major herds was determined Culturing for bacteria revealed that 52 725 and 591 of tested goats sheep and cows had subclinical mastitis respectively Most pathogens 906 isolated from milk samples were Gram positive bacteria Staphylococci 683 were the predominant cause of subclinical mastitis Coagulase-negative staphylococci and coagulase-positive staphylococci accounted for 356 and 327 of the total bacteria isolated respectively Other mastitis pathogens isolated include Micrococcus spp 183 Proteous mirabilis 94 and Bacillus spp 40 Early diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in dairy animals may be important in reducing production losses and enhancing prospects of recovery herds in order to avoid the development of clinical mastitis http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Isolation-of-shiga-toxigenic-Escherichia-coli-from-raw-beef-in-Palestine-1Published ArticlesAbstractShiga toxigenic Escherichia coli STEC isolated from raw beef samples in northern Palestine during a 1-year period were characterized for virulence genes by a polymerase chain reaction PCR assay and screened for their antibiotic resistance STEC was identified in 44 147 of 300 raw beef samples Twelve 273 of the STEC isolates were serotype O157 Nine of those were isolated during summer The majority of STEC isolates 705 harbored both stx1 and stx2 genes while the others harbored either stx1 or stx2 High levels of resistance against different antimicrobial agents were detected Resistance to at least three drugs was found in 55 of the isolates http://blogs.najah.edu/staff/adwan2372/article/Swine-Influenza-A-viruse-H1N1General PostsNo abstract