In recent years, the potential of pathogenic bacteria to acquire resistance to a variety of antimicrobial drugs has developed significantly due to the indiscriminate exposure of a number of antibiotic compounds. The purpose of this study is to determine the antibacterial capabilities and activities of crude Pleurotus ostreatus extracts against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (ATCC 49926), and nine multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. All of these isolates exhibited sensitivity to azithromycin and ceftriaxone, while the majority of antibiotic resistance was seen against penicillin G, sulphonamide, and ciprofloxacin. Fifty percent of the isolates exhibited absolute resistance to both sulphonamide and ciprofloxacin, whereas 40 of the isolates displayed absolute resistance to penicillin G. The antibacterial activity of P. ostreatus extracts examined in this investigation varied within the same species of microorganisms. Extract B and D, extracted in the presence of 20 wheat bran bagasse and 20 maize flour bagasse, respectively, had exceptional antibacterial activity against all target isolates examined. We observed the lowest concentration of antibacterial agent required to inhibit the target bacteria to be between 1×10⁻³mg/ml and 1×10⁻⁶mg/ml with an estimated probability of 0.30769, a lower 95 confidence interval (CI) of 0.126807, an upper 95 CI of 0.576307, an estimated probability of 0.15385, a lower 95 CI of 0.043258, and an upper 95 CI, respectively. The MBC of 1×10⁻³mg/ml was seen to eliminate 31 of the target bacteria. This dose was the most inhibitive. The antibacterial activity of all the extracts examined in the current study exhibited some degree of efficacy against both clinical isolates and standard strains. However, the majority of clinically isolated bacteria exhibited greater resistance to the extracts.

The emergence of drug‐resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae poses a significant global health challenge, necessitating the development of novel antimicrobial agents. This study focuses on the potential of phenolic compounds to target the enzyme glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in N. gonorrhoeae , a key protein involved in glycolysis and implicated in various pathological mechanisms. Among the compounds evaluated, quercetin demonstrated significant binding affinity to N. gonorrhoeae ‐derived GAPDH. Structural integrity assessments using Procheck software and molecular docking simulations confirmed the binding capacity of quercetin. Molecular dynamics simulations further explored the stability and flexibility of the quercetin‐ N. gonorrhoeae GAPDH complex. The results revealed interactions between quercetin and specific amino acid residues, suggesting potential binding sites crucial for antimicrobial action. This information provides valuable insights into the development of quercetin‐based therapeutics targeting drug‐resistant N. gonorrhoeae , addressing the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has become a significant global public health problem due to growing infection rates and antibiotic resistance development. In 2012, N. gonorrhoeae positive samples isolated from Southeast Asia were reported to be the first strains showing resistance to all first-line antibiotics. To date, N. gonorrhoeae’s antimicrobial resistance has since been identified against a wide range of antimicrobial drugs globally. Hence, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed N. gonorrhoeae’s drug resistance as high-priority, necessitating novel therapy development. The persistence of N. gonorrhoeae infections globally underlines the need to better understand the molecular basis of N. gonorrhoeae infection, growing antibiotic resistance, and treatment difficulties in underdeveloped countries. Historically, Africa has had minimal or rudimentary N. gonorrhoeae monitoring systems, and while antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae is known to exist, the degree of resistance is unknown. This review looks at the gender-related symptomatic gonorrhoeae disease and provides an overview of the essential bacterial factors for the different stages of pathogenesis, including transmission, immune evasion, and antibiotic resistance. Finally, we deliberate on how molecular epidemiological studies have informed our current understanding of sexual networks in the Sub-Saharan region.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, with Klebsiella pneumoniae emerging as a high‐priority pathogen due to escalating resistance rates. This systematic review and meta‐analysis evaluated the AMR profiles of K. pneumoniae isolates from South Africa, a resource‐limited setting where AMR burdens remain understudied. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (January 2000 to June 2024) identified studies reporting resistance data. Nineteen studies comprising 9402 isolates were included, and data were analyzed using random‐effects models. Pooled resistance prevalence was highest for amoxicillin (69.3%; 95% CI: 64.1%–74.1%), followed by second‐generation cephalosporins (70.9%; 95% CI: 65.3%–75.8%), trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (57.8%; 95% CI: 52.4%–63.0%), and carbapenems, with imipenem resistance at 33.2% (95% CI: 28.5%–38.3%). Significant heterogeneity was observed ( I² > 90%, p < 0.001), likely due to differences in study populations such as clinical versus environmental isolates, and regional prescribing practices. Publication bias was detected (Egger's test: p = 1.45 × 10⁻¹⁴), indicating possible underreporting of small‐scale studies with null findings. These findings highlight alarming resistance rates to first‐line antibiotics in South Africa and underscore the urgent need for multisectoral interventions. Priority actions should include standardized AMR surveillance to harmonize data collection, expanded antimicrobial stewardship programs particularly in high‐resistance settings such as hospitals, and greater investment in novel therapies targeting carbapenem‐resistant strains. Addressing methodological heterogeneity and minimizing publication bias in future research will be critical to strengthening the evidence base for informed policymaking.

In South Africa, basic healthcare centres treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) using a syndromic approach. In line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, a complete study of all randomised controlled trials and surveillance data relevant to N. gonorrhoeae antibiotic resistance was conducted. To discover papers published between 2002 and 2022, searches were undertaken using PubMed, EMBASE and any other relevant databases. This systematic review extracted a total of 463 articles published between 2002 and 2022 from a variety of online research sources. Seven South African provinces were represented in the studies that were assessed. Mpumalanga and the North West Province did not have any studies that described the identification and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study presents data obtained from a comprehensive analysis of 2140 isolates, in which we examined the presence of one or more antibiotic resistance. Our findings revealed that out of these samples, 1891 isolates exhibited antimicrobial properties; tetracycline was the antimicrobial resistance that was found the most often (30%), followed by ciprofloxacin (19%) and penicillin (17%). The mean of the isolates was 143, the upper 95% mean was 243, and the standard deviation (SD) was 181.6. All microbiological identification and susceptibility testing processes must be standardised and improved so national organisations can monitor AMR. The nation’s health community must address all identified areas of concern to avoid AMR.