Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to rifampicin is mainly mediated through mutations in the rpoB gene. The effects of rpoB mutations are relieved by secondary mutations in rpoA or rpoC genes. This study aims to identify mutations in rpoB, rpoA, and rpoC genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates and clarify their contribution to rifampicin resistance. Seventy isolates were identified by acid-fast bacilli smear, Genexpert assay, and growth on Lowenstein Jensen medium. Drug susceptibility, testing was performed by the proportional method. DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing were accomplished for the entire rpoA, rpoB, and rpoC genes. Twenty-three isolates (32.85%) showed resistance to rifampicin by either proportion method or Genexpert assay. Sequence analysis of the rpoB gene revealed fourteen different mutation patterns. Inside the rifampicin resistance determining region (RRDR), codons: S531L, D516V were highly mutated with frequencies of (21.73%, 17.39%) respectively. Outside the RRDR, there were nine different types of mutations, and M479L was the most prevalent one. Out of 23 RIF resistant isolates, seven isolates (30.43%) carried mutations in the rpoA gene, and twelve isolates (52.17%) harbored a mutation in rpoC. Most of the mutations were identified for the first time in this study. The current study demonstrated that mutations in rpoB, rpoA, and rpoC contributed to RIF resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and this new finding may be relevant to realize how compensatory mutations in the rpoA and rpoC genes restore the fitness cost caused by rifampin resistance-conferring mutations in rpoB.
Opportunistic fungal infections due to the immune- compromised status of renal transplant patients are related to high rates of morbidity and mortality regardless of their minor incidence. Delayed in identification of invasive fungal infections (IFIs), will lead to delayed treatment and results in high mortality in those populations. The study aimed to assess the frequency of invasive fungal infection in kidney transplant recipients by conventional and molecular methods. This study included 100 kidney transplant recipients (KTR) (75 males, and 25 females), collected from the Centre of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation in the Medical City of Baghdad. Blood samples were collected during the period from June 2018 to April 2019. Twent
... Show MoreOne of the most important challenges facing the designers of the sewerage system is the corrosion of sewers due to the influence of sewerage contaminates which lead to failure of the main lines of sewers. In this study, a reference mix of 1: 1.5: 3 was used and the 4% Flocrete PC200 by weight of cement was added to the same mixing ratio in the second mixture. Twenty-four samples were tested for each mixture, 12 of which were used to compression strength test in ages (7, 14 and 28) day and six samples were submerged after 28 days of wet treatment at (5 and 10) % concentrations of sulfuric acid. The other six samples were painted after 28 days of wet treatment with coating Polyurethane and after 24 hours were flooded with a concentrat
... Show MoreObjective: The present work was undertaken to investigate the impact of sub inhibitory concentration of gentamicin on hla gene expression in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Methods: The bacterial isolates used in this study represent 33 MRSA strains, previously isolated form patients visiting several hospitals in Baghdad. Gentamicin, vancomycin, and oxacillin MIC were determined using broth dilution method. Microtiter plate method was adopted to investigate the biofilm forming capacity. Alpha hemolysin was detected by culturing MRSA isolates on rabbit blood agar. Furthermore, hla gene was detected in MRSA isolates using conventional PCR technique; while, qRT-PCR method was performed to assay the hla expression in plank
... Show MoreChoosing antimicrobials is a common dilemma when the expected rate of bacterial resistance is high. The observed resistance values in unequal groups of isolates tested for different antimicrobials can be misleading. This can affect the decision to recommend one antibiotic over the other. We analyzed recalled data with the statistical consideration of unequal sample groups. Data was collected concerning children suspected to have typhoid fever at Al Alwyia Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. The study period extended from September 2021 to September 2022. A novel algorithm was developed to compare the drug sensitivity among unequal numbers of Salmonella typhi (S. Typhi) isolates tested with different antibacterials.
... Show MorePhenotypic And genotypic characteristics of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi have been determined for 29 isolates, from Baghdad in 2007. Conventional typing methods were performed by biochemical tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility test. Molecular typing performed by analysis plasmid DNA beside using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR). For the latter, two universal primers that have selected for the high discriminatory power were used for RAPD analysis. All isolates were belong one biotype according to the differention by their ability to decarboxylat lysine, 29(100%) were lysine (+). All the isolates were susceptible to the Antibiotics used. However, all the strains free of plasmids. RAPD was capable of grouping the strai
... Show MoreAlthough G6PD deficiency is the most common genetically determined blood disorder among Iraqis, its molecular basis has only recently been studied among the Kurds in North Iraq, while studies focusing on Arabs in other parts of Iraq are still absent.
A total of 1810 apparently healthy adult male blood donors were randomly recruited from the national blood transfusion center in Baghdad. They were classified into G6PD deficient and non-deficient individuals based on the results of methemoglobin reduction test (MHRT), with confirmation of deficiency by subsequent enzyme assays. DNA from defi
Objective Using two complementary techniques of virus detection human papillomavirus (HPV)[capture of hybrids (CH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)], relate the cytological study and/or cervical biopsy with high-risk HPV (HPV-HR) genotypes presence, as well as relating their viral load (VL). Methods About 272 women, who presented most cell alterations compatible with lesions cervical HPV, which has been detected in all high risk by the CH method and HPV genotype detection by PCR. Results In 22% of the patients it was not detected HPV DNA. Genotype 16 and/or 18 was prevalent and was found in 33% of the 212 women studied, meanwhile, mixed infections were found by several genotypes in 25%. In as for the histological lesions found, in 61 pat
... Show MoreIn this paper a theoretical attempt is made to determine whether changes in the aorta diameter at different location along the aorta can be detected by brachial artery measurement. The aorta is divided into six main parts, each part with 4 lumps of 0.018m length. It is assumed that a desired section of the aorta has a radius change of 100,200, 500%. The results show that there is a significant change for part 2 (lumps 5-8) from the other parts. This indicates that the nearest position to the artery gives the significant change in the artery wave pressure while other parts of the aorta have a small effect.