This study aims to examine the risk of bacterial and fungal transmission through frequent or repeated usage of the same water pipe by different smokers in public café shops. A total of 110 samples were extracted from different parts of used shisha apparatuses. These samples were collected from different cafes in seven cities in the UAE in the time period between Nov. 2016 and Feb. 2017. In all 110 samples, the bacterial and fungal strains were examined at Canadian university Dubai laboratories using standard protocols for culturing, isolating and identifying microorganisms. Later on, the samples were sent to Iranian hospital Dubai to examine the resistance of isolated bacteria to common antibiotics. Statistical analysis was conducted using quantitative data analysis and figures were expressed in percentage for clearer conclusion. Five bacterial strains were detected which are; Pseudomonas putida; Staphylococcus saprophyticus; Micrococcus luteus; Bacillus cereus and Providencia alcalifaciens (See table 2). One of the most important findings of the current study is the isolated bacteria Staphylococcus saprophyticus which showed methicillin resistance. Shisha smoking is a public health issue and could be a carrier of pathogens for smokers. There is a need for further assessments to address the impact of the sharp increase of Shisha smoking among specific populations especially in the Gulf countries (GCC) and among the female segment of society.
Shisha apparatus ; Pathogens ; Antibiotic sensitivity ; Carrier of Pathogen ; Public Health

Nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are pattern-recognition receptors similar to toll-like receptors (TLRs). While TLRs are transmembrane receptors, NLRs are cytoplasmic receptors that play a crucial role in the innate immune response by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Based on their N-terminal domain, NLRs are divided into four subfamilies: NLRA, NLRB, NLRC, and NLRP. NLRs can also be divided into four broad functional categories: inflammasome assembly, signaling transduction, transcription activation, and autophagy. In addition to recognizing PAMPs and DAMPs, NLRs act as a key regulator of apoptosis and early development. Therefore, there are significant associations between NLRs and various diseases related to infection and immunity. NLR studies have recently begun to unveil the roles of NLRs in diseases such as gout, cryopyrin-associated periodic fever syndromes, and Crohn's disease. As these new associations between NRLs and diseases may improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of such diseases, NLRs are becoming increasingly relevant to clinicians. In this review, we provide a concise overview of NLRs and their role in infection, immunity, and disease, particularly from clinical perspectives.
Autophagy/immunology ; Carrier Proteins ; Humans ; *Immunity, Innate ; Inflammasomes ; Nod Signaling Adaptor Proteins/immunology/*metabolism ; Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/immunology/*metabolism ; Receptors, Pattern Recognition/*immunology ; *Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptors/metabolism

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a neurotropic pathogen that can induce hand, foot and mouth disease in children. There is an appreciable mortality rate after EV71 infections. The mechanism of action of EV71 replication is not known. Recent work has identified some of cell factors of the host that participate in the synthesis of the RNA and proteins of EV71 (e.g., hnRNP K, reticulon 3 (RTN 3)). In that work, researchers used a competitive assay to show that hnRNP K can interact with EV71 5' UTR, which is required for efficient synthesis of viral RNA. Using a yeast two-hybrid system, other researchers demonstrated that RTN 3 interacts with the N-terminal domain of EV71 2C, which is crucial for replication of viral RNA. Here, we discuss recent work focusing on the molecular mechanisms of hnRNP K and RTN 3 in the synthesis of the RNA and proteins of EV71.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enterovirus A, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Enterovirus Infections ; genetics ; metabolism ; virology ; Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ribonucleoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Replication