Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in humans and animals, have become a significant concern globally. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiogram of S. aureus isolated from animal handlers in Peninsular Malaysia. Furthermore, the genotypic characteristics of S. aureus isolates were also investigated. Nasal and oral swab samples were collected from 423 animal handlers in Peninsular Malaysia. The antibiogram profiles of S. aureus against 18 antibiotics were established using a Kirby–Bauer test. The genotypic profile of S. aureus, including the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence genes and spa genotypes, was investigated using molecular techniques. The overall carriage rate of S. aureus, MRSA and MDRSA was 30.5%, 1.2% and 19.4%, respectively. S. aureus was highly resistant against penicillin (72.3%) and amoxicillin (52.3%). Meanwhile, gentamicin and linezolid were fully effective against all the isolated S. aureus from animal handlers. It was observed that animal handlers with close exposure to poultry were more likely to carry S. aureus that is resistant to tetracycline and erythromycin. S. aureus isolates harboured tetracycline resistance (tetK, tetL and tetM), erythromycin resistance (ermA, ermB, ermC and msrA) and immune evasion cluster (IEC) genes (scn, chp, sak, sea and sep). Seventeen different spa types were detected among the 30 isolates of MDRSA, with t189 (16.7%) and t4171 (16.7%) being the predominant spa type, suggesting wide genetic diversity of the MDRSA isolates. The present study demonstrated the prevalence of S. aureus strains, including MRSA and MDRSA with various antimicrobial resistance and genetic profiles from animal handlers in Peninsular Malaysia.

A growing number of studies have suggested the involvement of long non-coding RNAs as the key players in not just the initiation and progression of the tumor microenvironment, but also in chemotherapy tolerance. In the present study, generated 5-FU-resistant SW480/DR cells were analyzed via cDNA microarray for its aberrant lncRNAs and mRNAs expression in comparison with the 5-FU-susceptible SW480/DS cells. Among the 126 lncRNAs described, lncRNAs GNAS-AS1, MIR205HG, and LOC102723721 have been identified to be significantly upregulated, while lncRNs lnc-RP11-597K23.2.1-2, LOC100507639, and CCDC144NL-AS1 have been found to be significantly downregulated. In the meantime, bioinformatic analysis through gene ontology studies of aberrantly expressed mRNAs revealed “regulated exocytosis”, among others, as the biological process most impacted in SW480/DR cells. To investigate, exosome purification was then carried out and its characterization were validated via transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Interestingly, it was determined that the 5-FU-resistant SW480/DR cells secretes significantly higher concentration of extracellular vesicles, particularly, exosomes when compared to the 5-FU-susceptible SW480/DS cells. Based on the lncRNA-mRNA interaction network analysis generated, lncRNA GNAS-AS1 and MIR205HG have been identified to be potentially involved in the incidence of 5-FU resistance in SW480 colon cancer cells through promoting increased release of exosomes into the intercellular matrix. Our study hopes not only to provide insights on the list of involved candidate lncRNAs, but also to elucidate the role exosomes play in the initiation and development of 5-FU chemotherapy resistance in colon cancer cells.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the most significant global public health threats. The lack of effective legislation and strict regulations on drug usage in many developing countries as well as self-prescription of antimicrobials at the maximum to animals by their owner have contributed to the rapid emergence of AMR worldwide. Thus, educating stakeholders about the threats of AMR is an important step in controlling the emergence of antibiotic resistance. As there is a wide cross-national difference in the antibiotic usage as well as knowledge level regarding AMR, it is crucial to continuously assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the key stakeholders concerning AMR to tailor intervention strategies to address this local issue. The present study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of Peninsular Malaysian animal handlers towards antibiotic usage practice and antibiotic resistance.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2019 to February 2022 among animal handlers in Peninsular Malaysia. A questionnaire containing a list of questions covering the socio-demographic, knowledge, attitude and practice sections on antibiotic usage and antibiotic resistance was distributed to animal handlers in Peninsular Malaysia via the online platform and face-to-face interviews.Results: A total of 963 animal handlers from several states of Peninsular Malaysia participated in this study. The respondents showed a moderate knowledge score level when being asked about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. It appears that the majority of the respondents knew about antibiotics. However, the respondents were not well-aware of antibiotic resistance. In addition, the respondents showed low attitude and moderate practice levels when using antibiotics, which may lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the long term. Furthermore, it was revealed that the KAP awareness of the respondents from different age groups, ethnicity and educational backgrounds were significantly different. Male, older individuals (30 years and above), minority ethnics and non-university graduates were found to have lower KAP scores. Nonetheless, the knowledge level of the respondents was positively correlated with their attitude and practice scores. Conclusion: The animal handler respondents in Peninsular Malaysia showed moderate knowledge, attitude and practice levels towards antibiotic usage and antibiotic resistance.