Twin pregnancies in Arabian horses is a major cause of abortion. In all cases when the abortion o... more Twin pregnancies in Arabian horses is a major cause of abortion. In all cases when the abortion occurs, it occurs for both fetuses. Unusually in the case described here, which we believe has not previously been documented in Arabian horses, one fetus aborted in undersized and representing an age of 4 months. The other fetus completed the gestation and reached full term followed by birth. The authors postulated that one fetus underwent a stage of diapause like marsupials in a blastocyst stage then re-grew again, followed by abortion. The parentage analysis confirmed that both feti are derived from the same dam and sire stallion.
An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype SAT2 occurred in Egypt in 2018, which... more An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype SAT2 occurred in Egypt in 2018, which affected cattle and water buffalo. Previous phylogenetic studies on FMDV circulating in Egypt have mainly focused on genomic regions encoding structural proteins that determine the FMDV serotype. Still, none of them have analyzed the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of the Egyptian SAT2/Lib-12 lineage. The present study aimed to analyze and identify the ORF genome sequence of Lib-12 lineage that belongs to FMDV SAT2 topotype VII in Egypt. The protocol workflow was optimized and tested using a representative field isolate of FMDV/SAT2/Lib-12 from a bovine tongue sample collected in 2018 from Ismailia governorate (SAT2/EGY/Ismailia/2018). The protocol was based on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with multiple overlapping primers, amplicons sequencing, and assembly to complete the ORF consensus sequence. Alignments of the sequence fragments formed consensus genome sequence of 7219 nucleotides in length. The complete nucleotide sequence of the Egyptian isolate was related to Ethiopian, Nigerian, and Ghanaian strains, with identity not exceeding 95%. The divergence in the genetic identity of the Egyptian SAT2/Lib-12 lineage from other Egyptian strains and the neighboring Libyan isolates reached 7%, and this may be attributed to the absence of the Lib-12 lineage ORF sequence from Egypt and Libya in the database. The present study significantly advances the knowledge of the molecular analysis of FMDV SAT2 and the design of vaccine selection for FMDV SAT2 in Egypt. The study protocol could be applied to other FMDV serotypes.
Colonization of food chain animals such as chickens with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) po... more Colonization of food chain animals such as chickens with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) poses a major health threat to human. The current study aimed to determine the phenotypic and genotypic relationship between ESBL-producing E. coli from diseased human and chickens in Egypt. A total of 56 out of 120 chicken farms (46.7%) and 9 human samples (100%) were phenotypically and genotypically identified with at least one ESBL-phenotype/gene. Chicken isolates showed a high proportion of beta lactamase from CTX-M group 9 > TEM > PER families, followed by CTX-M group 1 > SHV > GES > OXA group10 > VEB > OXA group2 families, while human isolates only contained the CTX-M family. A high incidence of ESBL genes from the CTX-M family was recognized in both human and chicken isolates. Furthermore, nucleotide identity showed high similarity between chicken and human isolates. In conclusion, the current study traced phenotypes and genotypes of ESBL-producing E. coli from ...
Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are a large group of viruses of different serotypes. They are responsib... more Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are a large group of viruses of different serotypes. They are responsible for inclusion body hepatitis, adenoviral gizzard erosion, and hepatitis hydropericardium syndrome. The present study presents a comprehensive overview of FAdVs in Egypt, with a focus on the epidemiological features of virus serotypes across the country. We conducted molecular investigation of multiple FAdV species based on the genetic signature of hypervariable regions 1–4 in the loop1 (L1) region of the hexon gene. Epidemiologically, the Nile Delta governorates showed high positivity of FAdVs, which were more commonly found in broilers than in layers. Genetically, species D and serotype 8a/E dominated, and the findings also revealed the emergence of new FAdV serotypes 1, 3, and 8b. The comparative analysis of hypervariable regions in the L1 region of the hexon gene revealed variables specific to each virus serotype. In silico predictions of L1 region revealed variations in the molecular structure and predicted the antigenic epitopes which may affect the cross-antigenicity between the different FAdV species and serotypes.
A distinct cluster of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtype A(H5N1) has been found... more A distinct cluster of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtype A(H5N1) has been found to emerge within clade 2.2.1.2 in poultry in Egypt since summer 2014 and appears to have quickly become predominant. Viruses of this cluster may be associated with increased incidence of human influenza A(H5N1) infections in Egypt over the last months.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype are enzootic in poultry popu... more Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype are enzootic in poultry populations in different parts of the world, and have caused numerous human infections in recent years, particularly in Egypt. However, no sustained human-to-human transmission of these viruses has yet been reported. We tested nine naturally occurring Egyptian H5N1 viruses (isolated in 2014–2015) in ferrets and found that three of them transmitted via respiratory droplets, causing a fatal infection in one of the exposed animals. All isolates were sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitors. However, these viruses were not transmitted via respiratory droplets in three additional transmission experiments in ferrets. Currently, we do not know if the efficiency of transmission is very low or if subtle differences in experimental parameters contributed to these inconsistent results. Nonetheless, our findings heighten concern regarding the pandemic potential of recent Egyptian H5N1 influenza viruses.
Foot and Mouth Disease Virus causes continuously annoying outbreaks and massive animal illnesses.... more Foot and Mouth Disease Virus causes continuously annoying outbreaks and massive animal illnesses. Usually, the potential influence of the disease was due to the emergence of conquered emergent new strains or re-emergence of local strains with major antigenic variations due to the mutation in the genetic strip. Therefore, the proposed work is based on the genetic characterization of the virus by VP1 codon sequencing in the tested samples. Besides, the viral physiological testing using BHK-21 cell lines and the ELISA test for FMDV antigen serotyping. Positive serotype A samples were furtherly analyzed for nucleotide sequencing. The resulting sequences showed that they belonged to the FMD serotype A African topotypes originating from the ancestor prototype SUD/77 with a similarity of 98.48 ± 1.2% with each other. The divergence was 9.3% from the other local isolates from 2020. Additionally, they are closely related to the Egyptian-Damietta type-2016 and the Sudanese-2018 by 96.84 ± 1.0...
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized... more Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration. All recent therapeutic strategies tend to inhibit the generation of the Aβ peptide. These approaches tend to mediate both α- and γ-secretases to undergo the nonamyloidogenic pathway. ADAM10 is the main α-secretase that cleaves APP, and it is regulated by the metabolic product of vitamin A (retinoic acid), which is being widely used recently in AD research as a target for treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are also used recently as a promising regenerative therapy for AD. Objectives: The present study aimed to: (1) study the effect of MSCs with/without acitretin on the regulation of Adam10 gene expression in AlCl3-induced AD rat model, and (2) validate the hypothesis that AD is a time-dependent progressive disease that spreads spontaneously even after the stopping of exposure to AlCl3. Methods: The experimental work has been designed to inclu...
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 2013
ABSTRACT Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is at the forefront in the search for inno... more ABSTRACT Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is at the forefront in the search for innovative diagnostics for rapid and specific amplification of target DNA under isothermal conditions. We have applied LAMP assay using SYBR Green for clear-cut naked eye detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani in 200 clinical samples of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The assay was positive in 53/55 VL blood samples (sensitivity, 96.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87.7-99%), 15/15 VL bone marrow aspirate samples (sensitivity, 100%; 95% CI, 79.6-100%), 60/62 PKDL tissue biopsy samples (sensitivity, 96.8%; 95% CI, 88.9-99.1%), and 1/68 control samples (specificity, 98.5%; 95% CI, 92.1-99.7%). The assay was specific for L. (L.) donovani, the causative species for VL and negative for L. (L.) infantum, L. (L.) tropica, and L. (L.) major. This is the first comprehensive clinical study demonstrating the applicability of the LAMP assay for a rapid and reliable molecular diagnosis of VL and PKDL.
Twin pregnancies in Arabian horses is a major cause of abortion. In all cases when the abortion o... more Twin pregnancies in Arabian horses is a major cause of abortion. In all cases when the abortion occurs, it occurs for both fetuses. Unusually in the case described here, which we believe has not previously been documented in Arabian horses, one fetus aborted in undersized and representing an age of 4 months. The other fetus completed the gestation and reached full term followed by birth. The authors postulated that one fetus underwent a stage of diapause like marsupials in a blastocyst stage then re-grew again, followed by abortion. The parentage analysis confirmed that both feti are derived from the same dam and sire stallion.
An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype SAT2 occurred in Egypt in 2018, which... more An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype SAT2 occurred in Egypt in 2018, which affected cattle and water buffalo. Previous phylogenetic studies on FMDV circulating in Egypt have mainly focused on genomic regions encoding structural proteins that determine the FMDV serotype. Still, none of them have analyzed the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of the Egyptian SAT2/Lib-12 lineage. The present study aimed to analyze and identify the ORF genome sequence of Lib-12 lineage that belongs to FMDV SAT2 topotype VII in Egypt. The protocol workflow was optimized and tested using a representative field isolate of FMDV/SAT2/Lib-12 from a bovine tongue sample collected in 2018 from Ismailia governorate (SAT2/EGY/Ismailia/2018). The protocol was based on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with multiple overlapping primers, amplicons sequencing, and assembly to complete the ORF consensus sequence. Alignments of the sequence fragments formed consensus genome sequence of 7219 nucleotides in length. The complete nucleotide sequence of the Egyptian isolate was related to Ethiopian, Nigerian, and Ghanaian strains, with identity not exceeding 95%. The divergence in the genetic identity of the Egyptian SAT2/Lib-12 lineage from other Egyptian strains and the neighboring Libyan isolates reached 7%, and this may be attributed to the absence of the Lib-12 lineage ORF sequence from Egypt and Libya in the database. The present study significantly advances the knowledge of the molecular analysis of FMDV SAT2 and the design of vaccine selection for FMDV SAT2 in Egypt. The study protocol could be applied to other FMDV serotypes.
Colonization of food chain animals such as chickens with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) po... more Colonization of food chain animals such as chickens with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) poses a major health threat to human. The current study aimed to determine the phenotypic and genotypic relationship between ESBL-producing E. coli from diseased human and chickens in Egypt. A total of 56 out of 120 chicken farms (46.7%) and 9 human samples (100%) were phenotypically and genotypically identified with at least one ESBL-phenotype/gene. Chicken isolates showed a high proportion of beta lactamase from CTX-M group 9 > TEM > PER families, followed by CTX-M group 1 > SHV > GES > OXA group10 > VEB > OXA group2 families, while human isolates only contained the CTX-M family. A high incidence of ESBL genes from the CTX-M family was recognized in both human and chicken isolates. Furthermore, nucleotide identity showed high similarity between chicken and human isolates. In conclusion, the current study traced phenotypes and genotypes of ESBL-producing E. coli from ...
Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are a large group of viruses of different serotypes. They are responsib... more Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are a large group of viruses of different serotypes. They are responsible for inclusion body hepatitis, adenoviral gizzard erosion, and hepatitis hydropericardium syndrome. The present study presents a comprehensive overview of FAdVs in Egypt, with a focus on the epidemiological features of virus serotypes across the country. We conducted molecular investigation of multiple FAdV species based on the genetic signature of hypervariable regions 1–4 in the loop1 (L1) region of the hexon gene. Epidemiologically, the Nile Delta governorates showed high positivity of FAdVs, which were more commonly found in broilers than in layers. Genetically, species D and serotype 8a/E dominated, and the findings also revealed the emergence of new FAdV serotypes 1, 3, and 8b. The comparative analysis of hypervariable regions in the L1 region of the hexon gene revealed variables specific to each virus serotype. In silico predictions of L1 region revealed variations in the molecular structure and predicted the antigenic epitopes which may affect the cross-antigenicity between the different FAdV species and serotypes.
A distinct cluster of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtype A(H5N1) has been found... more A distinct cluster of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtype A(H5N1) has been found to emerge within clade 2.2.1.2 in poultry in Egypt since summer 2014 and appears to have quickly become predominant. Viruses of this cluster may be associated with increased incidence of human influenza A(H5N1) infections in Egypt over the last months.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype are enzootic in poultry popu... more Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype are enzootic in poultry populations in different parts of the world, and have caused numerous human infections in recent years, particularly in Egypt. However, no sustained human-to-human transmission of these viruses has yet been reported. We tested nine naturally occurring Egyptian H5N1 viruses (isolated in 2014–2015) in ferrets and found that three of them transmitted via respiratory droplets, causing a fatal infection in one of the exposed animals. All isolates were sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitors. However, these viruses were not transmitted via respiratory droplets in three additional transmission experiments in ferrets. Currently, we do not know if the efficiency of transmission is very low or if subtle differences in experimental parameters contributed to these inconsistent results. Nonetheless, our findings heighten concern regarding the pandemic potential of recent Egyptian H5N1 influenza viruses.
Foot and Mouth Disease Virus causes continuously annoying outbreaks and massive animal illnesses.... more Foot and Mouth Disease Virus causes continuously annoying outbreaks and massive animal illnesses. Usually, the potential influence of the disease was due to the emergence of conquered emergent new strains or re-emergence of local strains with major antigenic variations due to the mutation in the genetic strip. Therefore, the proposed work is based on the genetic characterization of the virus by VP1 codon sequencing in the tested samples. Besides, the viral physiological testing using BHK-21 cell lines and the ELISA test for FMDV antigen serotyping. Positive serotype A samples were furtherly analyzed for nucleotide sequencing. The resulting sequences showed that they belonged to the FMD serotype A African topotypes originating from the ancestor prototype SUD/77 with a similarity of 98.48 ± 1.2% with each other. The divergence was 9.3% from the other local isolates from 2020. Additionally, they are closely related to the Egyptian-Damietta type-2016 and the Sudanese-2018 by 96.84 ± 1.0...
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized... more Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration. All recent therapeutic strategies tend to inhibit the generation of the Aβ peptide. These approaches tend to mediate both α- and γ-secretases to undergo the nonamyloidogenic pathway. ADAM10 is the main α-secretase that cleaves APP, and it is regulated by the metabolic product of vitamin A (retinoic acid), which is being widely used recently in AD research as a target for treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are also used recently as a promising regenerative therapy for AD. Objectives: The present study aimed to: (1) study the effect of MSCs with/without acitretin on the regulation of Adam10 gene expression in AlCl3-induced AD rat model, and (2) validate the hypothesis that AD is a time-dependent progressive disease that spreads spontaneously even after the stopping of exposure to AlCl3. Methods: The experimental work has been designed to inclu...
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 2013
ABSTRACT Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is at the forefront in the search for inno... more ABSTRACT Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is at the forefront in the search for innovative diagnostics for rapid and specific amplification of target DNA under isothermal conditions. We have applied LAMP assay using SYBR Green for clear-cut naked eye detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani in 200 clinical samples of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The assay was positive in 53/55 VL blood samples (sensitivity, 96.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87.7-99%), 15/15 VL bone marrow aspirate samples (sensitivity, 100%; 95% CI, 79.6-100%), 60/62 PKDL tissue biopsy samples (sensitivity, 96.8%; 95% CI, 88.9-99.1%), and 1/68 control samples (specificity, 98.5%; 95% CI, 92.1-99.7%). The assay was specific for L. (L.) donovani, the causative species for VL and negative for L. (L.) infantum, L. (L.) tropica, and L. (L.) major. This is the first comprehensive clinical study demonstrating the applicability of the LAMP assay for a rapid and reliable molecular diagnosis of VL and PKDL.
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