Laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) are a significant occupational health hazard to laboratory workers, who can become infected by various pathogens handled as part of their work, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Data on LAI in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions are limited. To systematically review the reported LAIs in the MENA region to identify gaps in biosafety practices and identify the most common infectious agents contributing to them. The PubMed, Scopus, LAI, and Belgian Biosafety Server databases were searched from conception to October 2024 for any reports and cases of LAIs in the MENA region, following PRISMA guidelines. Using a systematic strategy, inclusion criteria were relevant studies reporting cases involving MENA laboratory workers. Non-laboratory cases or studies with insufficient data were excluded. Reported cases were analysed by infection type, risk factors, and laboratory practices. Of 2062 studies, 12 articles (24 cases) from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and UAE were considered eligible for inclusion. Twenty-four LAI cases were reported in the MENA region between 1968 and 2016. Brucella melitensis was the most frequently reported pathogen, reported in 66.7% of cases, highlighting a specific occupational risk in microbiology laboratories in the region. The review also identified gaps in data reporting, variability in laboratory biosafety practices, and a tendency towards underreporting. This review highlights the occupational health risks posed by LAIs in the MENA region, with Brucella spp. identified as the predominant pathogens in reported cases, and it also identifies gaps in biosafety practices.

Cardio-rheumatology is an evolving and interdisciplinary field lying at the intersection of rheumatology and cardiovascular medicine that recognizes that individuals with autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic complications have a much higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes stimulated by the immune system after the detection of pathogens or cellular injury. Inflammasomes undergo a two-stage activation process initiated by nuclear factor (NF)-κB, subsequently playing a crucial role in innate immunity through activation of caspase 1 and the consequent release of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-18 and IL-1β. However, a loss of control of inflammasome activation can cause inflammatory diseases in humans. Recent studies have focused on the role of inflammasomes in inflammatory cascades implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Here, we review inflammasome activation, its mechanism of action, and its role in CVD. In particular, we describe the role of inflammasomes in rheumatic heart disease, Kawasaki disease, familial Mediterranean fever, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis as exemplars to illustrate pathobiological mechanisms and the potential for targeting inflammasomes for therapeutic benefit.

Soy milk is widely used as a substitute for dairy milk, mainly due to intolerances towards the lactose content in dairy milk. This type of intolerance is prevalent worldwide as over 65% of people are intolerant to lactose, which could cause effects such as bloating and diarrhea. However, a main disadvantage of soy milk is its beany flavor, which is caused by the enzyme lipoxygenase which breaks down polyunsaturated fatty acids. One of the popular methods of remove this flavor is by the fermentation of soy milk. During this study, the fermentation of soymilk is done by Weissella confusa, which belongs to the lactic acid bacteria group, isolated from soy milk and compared with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The overall fermentation ability is observed through the (1) colony forming units/mL of the bacteria, (2) pH, and (3) lactic acid content, which was done through the calculation of the titratable acidity of the fermented product, after 6 hours of fermentation at 37 °C. The results showed that the Weissella confusa isolate obtained an overall better fermentation ability than Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, with higher number of CFU/mL, reaching 5.5×10⁹ CFU/mL, a lower pH of 4, and a higher lactic acid content of 0.27%. However, further studies are required to verify the use of Weissella confusa as a probiotic bacteria for human consumption.

The separation phase of soy-product manufacturing, especially of soymilk production, involves using the liquid portion of soy while disposing primarily of the solid portion, known as soymilk by-product (SMB). The improper disposal of SMB can contribute to environmental concerns. As SMB contains many beneficial nutrients, this could serve as a valuable culture medium for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially considering the expense of the standard de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) medium. This study aimed to isolate and identify LAB from soymilk through 16S rRNA sequencing, assess the potential of SMB as a culture medium for LAB, and ferment soymilk with LAB cultured from SMB to demonstrate the probiotic capacity. The research identified a potential LAB as Weissella confusa. Effective cultivation of LAB was demonstrated at 2% SMB concentration, although LAB cultured with MRS medium yielded a higher colony count. Furthermore, fermentation of soymilk by the LAB isolates from SMB exhibited a positive probiotic ability, reaching 5.5 × 109 CFU/mL, with a lactic acid content of 0.27%.

Myocarditis can be caused by viral infections, systematic autoimmune diseases, and as a reaction to prescribed medications, and the nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is implicated in its pathophysiology. Here, we explore pharmaceutical and other therapies that modulate NLRP3 activation and may therefore be useful for treating myocarditis. Pharmaceutical agents such as colchicine, SGLT2 inhibitors (empagliflozin and canagliflozin), calpain inhibitors, and sacubitril/valsartan have shown promise in reducing inflammation and preserving cardiac function. Natural compounds, including morroniside and crocin, exhibit anti‐inflammatory and cardioprotective effects by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome. While these treatments have shown preclinical potential, successful clinical translation of inflammasome‐targeting drugs will require efforts to overcome recruitment challenges, flawed trial designs, high dropout rates, safety and toxicity concerns, and a lack of biomarkers. Natural products may offer a practical solution to these issues, providing safer therapeutic options and providing innovative approaches for managing myocarditis and preventing long‐term complications. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05855746