Objective: To check biofilm formation by Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) clinical isolates and show their susceptibility to different antibiotics and investigate a possible link between establishment of biofilm and multidrug resistance. Methods: This study was performed on clinical samples collected from patients with nosocomial infections in three hospitals of Tehran. Samples were initially screened by culture and biochemical tests for the presence of different species of Acinetobacter. Identifications were further confirmed by PCR assays. Their susceptibilities to 11 antibiotics of different classes were determined by disc diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The ability to produce biofilm was investigated using methods: culture on Congo red agar, microtiter plate, and test tube method. Results: From the overall clinical samples, 156 specimens were confirmed to contain A. baumannii. The bacteria were highly resistant to most antibiotics except polymyxin B. Of these isolates, 10.26% were able to produce biofilms as shown on Congo red agar. However, the percentage of bacteria with positive biofilm in test tube, standard microtiter plate, and modified microtiter plate assays were 48.72%, 66.66%, and 73.72%, respectively. At least 92% of the biofilm forming isolates were multidrug resistant. Conclusions: Since most of the multidrug resistant strains produce biofilm, it seems necessary to provide continuous monitoring and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of clinical A. baumannii. This would help to select the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment.

Objectives: Mycoplasma genitalium infections are suggested as causes of a number of pathological outcomes in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of M. genitalium infections among pregnant women and its association with spontaneous abortion. Methods: In this case–control study we included 109 women with spontaneous abortion with a gestational age of 10–20 weeks (patients), and 109 women with normal pregnancy with a gestational age of 20–37 weeks (controls) in Sanandaj, Iran. Using specific primers and extracted DNA from endocervical swabs, a polymerase chain reaction was conducted for the detection of M. genitalium infection in both groups. Results: The frequency of M. genitalium infection in patient and control groups was one (0.91%) and three (2.75%), respectively. In both control and patient groups using Fisher test, no association between mycoplasma infection and spontaneous abortion was seen. Conclusion M. genitalium may be positive in the genital tract of some pregnant women but was not associated with spontaneous abortion. Further powerful studies with larger sample sizes are needed for the determination of a possible role of M. genitalium in pregnancy outcomes and spontaneous abortion.

OBJECTIVETo investigate antibiotic resistance and carriage class 1 and 2 integrons in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) from Tehran, Iran.

METHODSAntimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The presence of integrons was investigated by PCR using specific primers.

RESULTSAmong isolated A. baumannii strains, 82% were multidrug resistant, 27 samples (54%) were resistant to three or more than three antibiotics and 16 samples (32%) showed resistance to two antibiotics. Integrons were detected from 44 of 50 isolates (88%), with classes 1 and 2 being observed in 42% (21/50) and 82% (41/50) of isolates, respectively. Integron-positive A. baumannii isolates showed higher antibiotic resistance than integron-negative isolates and all showed a multidrug-resistant phenotype.

CONCLUSIONSOur findings show that classes 1 and 2 integrons, and especially classes 2 integrons are widely disseminated among A. baumannii strains isolated from Tehran and these structures are playing a major role in the acquisition of multidrug resistance in these strains. So monitoring of drug resistance with investigating carriage class 1 and 2 integrons is very important to plan specific infection control measures due to multidrug resistance A. baumannii in Iran hospitals.

Acinetobacter baumannii ; drug effects ; genetics ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; genetics ; Integrons ; genetics ; Iran ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Objective:To determine lactic acid bacteria’s capability to enhance the process of binding and isolating aflatoxin B1 and to utilize such lactic acid bacteria as a food supplement or probiotic products for preventing absorption of aflatoxin B1 in human and animal bodies.
Methods: In the present research, the bacteria were isolated from five different sources. For surveying the capability of the bacteria in isolating aflatoxin B1, ELISA method was implemented, and for identifying the resultant strains through 16S rRNA sequencing method, universal primers were applied.
Results: Among the strains which were isolated, two strains of Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus beveris exhibited the capability of absorbing and isolating aflatoxin B1 by respectively absorbing and discharging 17.4%and 34.7%of the aforementioned toxin existing in the experiment solution.
Conclusions:Strains of Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus beveris were isolated from human feces and local milk samples, respectively. And both strains has the ability to isolate or bind with aflatoxin B1.

Objective: To investigate antibiotic resistance and carriage class 1 and 2 integrons in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) from Tehran, Iran. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The presence of integrons was investigated by PCR using specific primers. Results:Among isolated A. baumannii strains, 82%were multidrug resistant, 27 samples (54%) were resistant to three or more than three antibiotics and 16 samples (32%) showed resistance to two antibiotics. Integrons were detected from 44 of 50 isolates (88%), with classes 1 and 2 being observed in 42% (21/50) and 82%(41/50) of isolates, respectively. Integron-positive A. baumannii isolates showed higher antibiotic resistance than integron-negative isolates and all showed a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Conclusions:Our findings show that classes 1 and 2 integrons, and especially classes 2 integrons are widely disseminated among A. baumannii strains isolated from Tehran and these structures are playing a major role in the acquisition of multidrug resistance in these strains. So monitoring of drug resistance with investigating carriage class 1 and 2 integrons is very important to plan specific infection control measures due to multidrug resistance A. baumannii in Iran hospitals.