Giardia intestinalis is a protozoan of worldwide distribution capable of infecting a large number of species, including humans and domestic animals. Dogs represent a risk to public health due to cross-infections by the zoonotic assemblages. However, there is little information concerning the prevalence and frequency of this parasite and its assemblages in dogs of the central region of Mexico, thus this study aimed to contribute to this matter. A total of 402 feces samples from dogs of different settings (shelter, breeding establishments, domestic and stray) were obtained and direct coproparasitoscopic examination by flotation revealed a prevalence of 25%. PCR was performed for amplification of the β-Giardin gene, to which 24 samples were positive. Assemblages were obtained through RFLP analysis, using enzymes Hae III to obtain the main genotypes (A–G), and Hha I to subtype assemblage A. All 24 samples were genotyped as assemblage A, with 83% as AI and 17% as AII. Thus, these findings confirm that dogs in the central region of Mexico are a risk for zoonotic transmission of this parasite, emphasizing the importance of a much needed control of the disease in this species.

Giardia is a protozoan that affects humans as well as a wide range of domestic species. It is distributed worldwide, and the highest frequency is seen in developing countries. Due to the potential for domestic cats to be carriers of this parasite and subsequently transmit the infection to humans, it is important to know the risk of transmission. For this reason, the objective of this study was to determine the frequency of this parasite in the cat population of the city of Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico, and identify the assemblages present to determine the role this host plays in public health, this being the first study of its type to be performed in the country. This was a cross-sectional study during which 200 fecal samples were collected from cats of both sexes and varying ages and strata of origin. The samples were analyzed by microscopy following the flotation technique, having obtained a general frequency of 25%. Giardia cysts were found at higher frequency in pasty stools. The assemblages found were zoonotic, specifically assemblage A, which suggests that the cat poses an important risk for the dissemination of the parasite to humans, making it an important public health problem.

Escherichia coli is a highly diverse bacterial species that is canonically commensal; however, its genomic characteristics have enabled its evolution into pathogens capable of causing extraintestinal infections (ExPEC), which pose significant clinical challenges because of the variety of sites that can infect (mainly the urinary tract) and the multidrug resistance associated with these strains. The present study is aimed at characterizing ExPEC isolates recovered from the wards of a hospital in Sinaloa, Mexico, to establish their virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles, as well as the phylogenetic group. Then, 200 Escherichia coli isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility were confirmed by the VITEK‐2 automated system. Virulence factor genes and phylogenetic grouping were performed through endpoint and multiplex PCRs. Then, 59% of the strains produced extended‐spectrum β ‐lactamases (ESBLs), and 71.5% were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR), exhibiting high resistance rates to antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and various cephalosporins. In this sense, 68.5% and 33% of the isolates were positive for the blaCTX-M1-8 and blaCTX-M9 genes, respectively, both associated with resistance to cefotaxime. Furthermore, 37% of the isolates harbored the blaOXA48 gene, which is linked to resistance to oxacillin‐type β ‐lactams. Moreover, 143 (71.5%) of them were classified as MDR. Regarding virulence, the distribution of toxin genes such as hlyA and vat was 16.5% and 24.5%, respectively. Adhesins papC and fimA were found in 62% and 34%, respectively. Additionally, the iron acquisition systems and outer membrane proteins such as iutA (74%), fyuA (63%), iroN (10%), agn43 (82%), and kpsmTII (34.5%) were present in the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed a predominance of group B2 (46%), followed by groups A (13.5%) and E (10.5%). These findings highlight the complexity and challenges posed by ExPEC strains in terms of antimicrobial resistance and virulence relevant to public health in hospital settings.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the main etiological agent involved in urinary tract infections (UTI), one of the most common bacterial infections in humans. UT's are more prevalent in women, in whom the risk of developing an infection increases during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of UTI caused by UPEC in pregnant patients, as well as virulence factors and antibiotic resistance of the isolated strains. Escherichia coli strains were identified by conventional biochemical tests and subsequently, PCR for identification of UPEC virulence factors was performed. The Kirby-Bauer method was used to evaluate antibiotic susceptibility of the isolated strains. UTI prevalence in pregnant women was 32 %, with UPEC as the most frequent (36 %) microorganism isolated from patients. UPEC strains showed resistance mostly to ampicillin (100 %), carbenicillin and cefalotin (89 %). The agn43 gene was the most prevalent (78 %) in the strains, followed by papC (67 %). Interestingly, one of the isolated strains had six different virulence genes. Finally, our study shows that UPEC is the main microorganism associated with UTI during pregnancy, and possesses virulence factors and antibiotic multiresistance that difficult the treatment and increase the risk of developing complications during pregnancy.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the most common bacterial agent associated with urinary tract infections, threatening public health systems with elevated medical costs and high morbidity rates. The successful establishment of the infection is associated with virulence factors encoded in its genome, in addition to antibacterial resistance genes, which could limit the treatment and resolution of the infection. In this sense, plant extracts from the genus Echeveria have traditionally been used to treat diverse infectious diseases. However, little is known about the effects of these extracts on bacteria and their potential mechanisms of action. This study aims to sequence a multidrug-resistant UPEC isolate (UTI-U7) and assess the multilocus sequence typing (MLST), virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance profile, genes, serotype, and plasmid content. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiling was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion. The antibacterial and anti-adherent effects of the methanol extracts (ME) of Echeveria (E. craigiana, E. kimnachii, and E. subrigida) against UTI-U7 were determined. The isolate was characterized as an O25:H4-B2-ST2279-CH40 subclone and had resistant determinants to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, fluoroquinolones/quinolones, amphenicols, and tetracyclines, which matched with the antimicrobial resistance profile. The virulence genes identified encode adherence factors, iron uptake, protectins/serum resistance, and toxins. Identified plasmids belonged to the IncF group (IncFIA, IncFIB, and IncFII), alongside several prophage-like elements. After an extensive genome analysis that confirmed the pathogenic status of UTI-U7 isolate, Echeveria extracts were tested to determine their antibacterial effects; as an extract, E. subrigida (MIC, 5 mg/mL) displayed the best inhibitory effect. However, the adherence between UTI-U7 and HeLa cells was unaffected by the ME of the E. subrigida extract.

Background: Chemoresistance represents a major obstacle in cancer therapy, often associated with enhanced drug efflux. This study aimed to generate and characterize cisplatin-resistance in C-33A cells (C-33A RCDDP), and included, for comparison, a previously established paclitaxel-resistant subline (C-33A RPTX) overexpressing transporters, such as ABCB1, ABCG4, and ABCC8. In addition, we assessed whether the morpholine KECH-18D could restore drug sensitivity by enhancing intracellular drug accumulation. Materials and Methods: C-33A RCDDP cells were developed by stepwise cisplatin (CDDP) exposure. Cytotoxicity assays of nine morpholines were carried out to identify structural determinants of anticancer activity in the C-33A cell line. Combinatorial assays with morpholine KECH-18D and CDDP or paclitaxel (PTX) were performed to determine whether KECH-18D chemosensitizes and retains the drug in C-33A RCDDP and C-33A RPTX cells. Results: C-33A RCDDP cells exhibited a 4.7-fold increase in CDDP resistance. C-33A RCDDP and C-33A RPTX cells both displayed cross-resistance patterns, but C-33A RTPX cells retained lower levels of the drug than C-33A RCDDP cells. Furthermore, KECH-18D maintained strong cytotoxicity against chemoresistant cell lines and enhanced the cytotoxicity of CDDP and PTX against them. Notably, KECH-18D increased drug accumulation in C-33A RCDDP cells in a time-dependent manner, but not in C-33A RPTX cells. Conclusion: In summary, C-33A RCDDP and C-33A RPTX cells developed different levels, and possibly mechanisms, of resistance. Because the morpholine KECH-18D resulted highly cytotoxic in both parental and chemoresistant cells, enhanced drug retention in C-33A RCDDP cells and increased the toxicity of CDDP or PTX in chemoresistant cells, KECH-18D is a promising scaffold for overcoming multidrug resistance by selectively modulating drug efflux-related and -unrelated phenotypes, though further studies are necessary to deep its mechanisms of action.