Background: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococci have become a major problem in recent times and have been reported increasingly around the world. Lytic phages infect bacteria leading to rapid host death with limited risk of phage transduction, underlining the increasing interest in potential phage therapy in the future. Objective (s): The aim of this study is to use phage therapy as alternative approach for treatment of Enterococcus faecalis infections that recorded as MDR in Iraq to tackle this problem. Materials and Methods: Thirty E. faecalis isolates were collected from patients with different infectious diseases such as urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetic foot, septicemia, and wound infections. The isolation of specific lytic phages was from different environmental sources such as (sewage, and wastewater). The biokinetic assays were carried out to measure the characteristics of the isolated phage. The study of the bacteriophage and the formed phage cocktail infectivity against isolates E.faecalis was tested by the top layer assay. The phage endolysin was extracted from the best bacteriophage that gave best results. Results: All the isolated E.faecalis was reported as MDR in this study. About 75 E.faecalis specific phages were isolated and purified. All the isolated bacteria were 100% sensitive to the lytic phages. The formed phage cocktail was capable to create inhibition zones on the most bacterial isolates' lawns. The molecular weight and the concentration of the extracted endolysin was evaluated in this study and found to be as (48 kDa) and (0.5mg/ml), respectively. The antibacterial activity of the extracted endolysin was evaluated by the turbidity reduction assay. A clear decline in the bacterial growth was manifested (5x107 CFU/ml) to (1x104 CFU/ml), in which the bacterial growth was reduced by (3.63 log). The endolysin found to be effective against 90% of E.faeclais isolates. Conclusion: The activity of the isolated specific phage together with the activity of the formed phage cocktail, were efficient as successful and inexpensive method of therapy against MDR E.faecalis. The potential of the extracted endolysin over the phage therapy was verified in this study. The coverage rate and the absence of resistant E.faecalis to the phage and its endolysin had emphasized on the importance of this alternative therapy to commonly used antibiotics. List of abbreviation: MDR = multiple drug-resistant, E. faecalis = Enterococcus faecalis, BT = burst time, BS = burst size, IP = infective percentage, Phage =bacteriophage, CFU = Colony forming unit, kDa = Kilodalton, OD = Optical Densities.
Seeking pharmacist advice about minor ailments is a common practice among Iraqi patients because such advice is free and quick. Unfortunately, the assessment and management of minor ailments by Iraqi pharmacists were inappropriate. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model for a mobile application that can assist community pharmacists in the diagnosis and management of minor ailments.
The scientific content of the application was based on the information in the symptoms in the pharmacy and British Nati
Background: Dental anomalies might occur due to abnormal events during teeth development caused by environmental or genetic factors during histo differentiation or morph differentiation stages of embryological development. Aims of the study: To evaluate the distribution of developmental dental anomalies according to age and gender in relation to nutritional status in children attending College of Dentistry /University of Baghdad. Materials and method: After examination 5760 children aged 5-12 years of both genders only 147child with dental anomalies were found, all developmental dental anomalies that were clinically observable were recorded. The developmental dental anomalies which diagnosed in this study were supernumerary, missing teeth,
... Show MoreThe effect of using different R -molar ratio under variable reaction conditions (acidic as well as basic environment and reaction temperature) have been studied. The overall experiments are driven with open and closed systems. The study shows that there is an optimum value for a minimum gelling time at R equal 2. The gelling time for all studied open system found to be shorter than in closed system. In acidic environment and when R value increased from 2 to 10, the gelling time of closed systems has increased four times than open systems at T=30 ?C and fourteen times when temperature reaction increased to 60 ?C. While in basic environment the influence of increasing R value was limited.
Introduction: Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. Objectives: The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relation
... Show MoreAIM: The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of myeloproliferative disorders in a sample of Iraqi patients and to measure the changes in patients’ blood parameters. BACKGROUND: Myeloproliferative disorders are a group of neoplasms affecting the bone marrow progenitor cells characterized by excess cells with a risk of transforming to acute leukemia. There is a gap in knowledge about the prevalence of Iraqi population. Thus, we investigated the prevalence and distribution of different types of myeloproliferative disorders in a sample of Iraqi patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study is done at the National Center of Hematology from November 2019 till March 2020 on 75 patients who were diagnosed
... Show MoreThe objective of this study is to evaluate the level of parathyroid hormone, Co enzyme Q and total antioxidant status in serum’s women with fibromyalgia syndrome firstly, then to demonstrate if these biochemical markers affected by age and obesity.
This study was performed at Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Consultation Unit in Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Venous blood sample were drawn from (59) female with FMS and (30) control (without FMS). The serum was obtained after on standing in order to coagulate then centrifuged. The mean age± SD of FMS group was (42.22±15.34) years and for control was (40.7±18.22) years. Those participants were subdivided into four different groups acc
... Show MoreThe use of destructive weapons in wars without restrictions and controls, which eat green and dry land, pollute the environment and cause genocide, has become the problem of the times.
International conventions for the protection of the environment during armed conflicts are characterized by generality, ambiguity, and open to interpretation by the participating states in the agreement, and each state interprets these texts to serve its interests, but the Islamic Sharia stipulates the prohibition of the use of these comprehensive destructive weapons in an unambiguous manner, As stated in the Holy Quran:
... Show MoreIt is well known that drilling fluid is a key parameter for optimizing drilling operations, cleaning the hole, and managing the rig hydraulics and margins of surge and swab pressures. Although the experimental works represent valid and reliable results, they are expensive and time consuming. In contrast, continuous and regular determination of the rheological fluid properties can perform its essential functions during good construction. The aim of this study is to develop empirical models to estimate the drilling mud rheological properties of water-based fluids with less need for lab measurements. This study provides two predictive techniques, multiple regression analysis and artificial neural networks, to determine the rheological
... Show MoreBackground: Sealers should demonstrate adhesive properties to dentin, decreasing the chance of endodontic treatment failure. Increased adhesive properties to dentin may lead to greater strength of the restored tooth, which may provide greater resistance to tooth fracture and clinical longevity of an endodontically treated tooth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of Bioceramic iRoot SP sealer, AH plus sealer and Apexit plus sealer in absence or presence of smear layer using push out bond strength test. Materials and Methods: Sixty straight single roots of the mandibular premolars were selected for this study. All canals were instrumented using ProTaper rotary instruments to achieve tapered canal walls, instrumenta
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