This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of ozonated water (0.5 ppm) in the elimination or reduction of MRSA contaminating fresh and frozen chicken meat sold in local markets in the Wasit Province

Background and Aim: Food poisoning caused by Salmonella enterica serovars is the most common type of foodborne illness. Tainted chicken meat is a major vector for spreading these serovars throughout the food supply chain. Salmonella isolates that developed resistance to commonly used antimicrobials pose a noteworthy risk to public health, yet there has been a lack of data on this issue in Iraq. Therefore, it is crucial to address these serious public health challenges with an adequate database on the occurrence and antibiotic resistance of these serovars. This study aimed to determine the frequency of occurrence of Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium (S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and prevalence of multidrug resistance among S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium isolated from poultry meat collected in Wasit Province in Iraq. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 raw and frozen poultry meat samples were gathered from retail markets in various locales across the Wasit Governorate in Iraq. Salmonella spp. were successfully cultured and identified using the technique recommended by ISO 6579:2002, with minor modifications. The multiplex polymerase chain reaction approach was used to confirm Salmonella spp. (S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium). A disk diffusion test was performed to determine the susceptibility to particular antimicrobial agents, and 12 different antimicrobial agents were evaluated. Results: Only 19 of the 150 (12.7%) samples tested positive for Salmonella (16% and 11% were isolated from raw and frozen chicken meat, respectively). S. Enteritidis accounted for 63.2%, whereas S. Typhimurium accounted for 36.8%. Nalidixic acid resistance was the most common (73.7%), followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (63.2%) and tetracycline (63.2%), but gentamicin and ciprofloxacin (up to 15.8%) only had modest resistance. Antibiogram of S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium yield 13 antibiotypes. Among the 19 Salmonella isolates, 12 of 19 (63.2%) established resistance to no less than three categories of antimicrobials. Conclusion: This study highlighted the necessity of limiting the utilization of antibiotics in animal production by providing vital information regarding the frequency and AMR of Salmonella at markets in Wasit Province. Therefore, risk assessment models could use these data to lessen the amount of Salmonella passed on to humans in Iraq from chicken meat. Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, chicken, food poisoning, serovars.

Background and Aim: Food safety and hygiene are global health concerns, particularly in underprivileged nations, due to the increased incidence of foodborne diseases (FBDs) and associated mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the food handlers’ knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices toward food safety in Al-Suwaira City, Wasit governorate, Iraq. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, researchers interviewed 130 food handlers to assess their knowledge, attitude, and hygiene regarding food safety in Al-Suwaira, Wasit governorate, Middle Eastern Iraq, from October 2022 to March 2023. The data regarding their age, sex, place of residence, education, employment history, marital status, and monthly income were collected through a questionnaire, as were details on their knowledge, attitudes, and hygiene habits about food safety. Results: Overall, most participants demonstrated poor knowledge of food hygiene and preservation but showed good knowledge of personal hygiene. Knowledge gaps were identified about the healthy ways to clean and use cooking utensils (35.38%), storage of food in the refrigerator (33.85%), and the possible exposure to foodborne pathogens when utensils are reused to cook vegetables and meat (12.31%). Nearly all participants in this study had positive attitudes toward food safety. Most participants (n = 100, 76.7%) agreed that separating raw and cooked food is the best way to avoid spreading germs. Moreover, 109 respondents (83.85%) agreed that washing hands before preparing food efficiently reduces the spread of FBDs. Furthermore, 117 participants (90%) disagreed that disposing of expired perishable foods is necessary, while 91.54% disagreed that monitoring meals for cleanliness and health is important. Our findings showed that 57.15% of the participants had low-to-intermediate competence in food safety procedures, such as avoiding cross-contamination, checking food temperatures, and washing hands thoroughly before and after handling food. Conclusion: The participants in this study exhibited poor compliance and awareness of food safety procedures and practices, respectively. Therefore, educational opportunities and training are necessary to enhance their knowledge, attitudes, and cleanliness levels. Keywords: food handlers, food safety, Iraq, knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices, Wasit province.

Background and Aim: Campylobacter jejuni is a major contributor to bacterial enteritis, a common health problem. The resistance of this microaerophilic bacterium to oxidative stress allows it to thrive under aerobic conditions. This study aimed to investigate whether the capacity of C. jejuni to form biofilms in the presence of oxidative stress contributes to the pathogen’s ability to thrive in agricultural settings as well as in chicken slaughter lines. Materials and Methods: Twenty identified strains originating from chicken samples (eight from caeca contents and 12 from frozen chicken carcasses) were previously isolated and identified according to standard bacteriological protocols, followed by confirmation at the species level using multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay. Crystal violet staining was used to evaluate biofilm formation by these bacteria. Two exposure periods to gaseous ozone (1 and 2 min) were used to assess resistance to oxidative damage. Results: Most of the strong biofilm-forming Campylobacter strains came from imported frozen chicken meat (25%), whereas only 10% came from caeca content. After exposure to gaseous ozone at 600 mg/h for 2 min, strong biofilm-producing strains exhibited a higher survival rate with a limited reduction of up to 3 logs, whereas negative biofilm-producing strains exhibited a limited survival rate with a reduction of 6 logs. Conclusion: Based on our findings, we hypothesized that the presence of C. jejuni strains capable of forming biofilms in poultry farms and/or chicken production facilities triggers a public health alarm as this bacterium seems to be able to adapt more easily to live and thrive in hostile environmental conditions. Keywords: biofilm, Campylobacter jejuni, hostile environment, oxidative stress, poultry meat.

Objective: The virulence traits of pandrug-resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains have not been fully disclosed. Our aim was the assessment of PDR- A. baumannii (PDR-AB) virulence traits and risk factors in the intensive care unit (ICU), Baghdad, Iraq. Methods: Among 689 samples, 200 of them were identified as A. baumannii . In the disk diffusion test, 150 of them were PDR-AB. The virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes were screened using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed for genetic typing of strains. Results: The age range >55 years (141/150, P < 0.0001), previous hospitalization (133/150, P < 0.001) and consumption of antibiotics (149/150, P < 0.0001), diabetes (122/150, P < 0.001) and prior contact to domestic animals (111/150, P = 0.00109) were significant risk factors associated with isolation of PDR-AB. PDR-AB from wound infections harbored the fimH , afa/draBC , csgA,cnf2 , ibeA , cvaC , iutA , papC , traT , PAI , kpsMII , PapGII and papGIII . PFGE results outlined no clonal spread. Major drug resistance genes included bla _OXA-23-like (100%), bla _OXA-24-like (98%), tetA (98%), tetB (96%), dfrA (91%), sul1 (75%), bla _OXA-58-like (76%), bla _OXA-51-like (76%) and aadA1 (76%). The fyuA gene was significantly ( P = 0.039) higher in non-PDR-AB. Conclusion: A. baumannii with a high rate of virulence factors were detected among wound infections in ICU. In addition, the strains exhibited no genetic relation in the PFGE method. Risk factors of the high incidence of PDR-AB in Baghdad prior hospitalization and consumption of antibiotics, diabetes and contact with domestic animals. Therefore, there is a demand for control of PDR and virulent strains spread in healthcare settings.

Campylobacter is a public cause of globally identified human gastrointestinal disease. Nonetheless, in Iraq many sides of the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis and its impact on public health remain poorly understood. Hence, this study was taken to offer reference information on the prevalence rate, sensitivity to antibiotics and biotyping of Campylobacter in poultry products sold in the Wasit markets. A total of 85 samples were collected including chicken (n = 45) and turkey (n =40) meat were surveyed for isolation and identification. Thermotolerant Campylobacter was detected in 54 samples by which Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) was recognized as a main species accounting for 37(68.5%),while Campylobacter coli (C. coli) had 17 (31.5%) of the positive samples. Highest resistance was perceived to oxacillin and tetracycline as (94.4% and 85.2%), respectively. While lowest rate of resistance, 29.6% was detected against gentamicin. Campylobacter coli isolates showed higher resistance rate than C. jejuni isolates towards the selected antibiotics. In addition, multiple drug resistance (MDR) to at least three antibiotics was detected in the vast majority (90.7%) of the experienced isolates. Forty- three (79.6%) of the isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance index (MAR-index) 0.4 and above. Results of biotyping showed that biotype I was the predominant biotype in the two species as 70.2 and 76.5 proportions in C. jejuni and C. coli, respectively. Our results proposed that the presence of Campylobacter in poultry with greater resistance to erythromycin and/ or ciprofloxacin triggers the public health alarm and accentuates the education of consumers on the quality and safety of such foods.