Prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles of ESKAPE pathogens in the neonatal intensive care unit of the women and newborn hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

Background: Bacterial contamination of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) poses a significant risk for cross-transmission, potentially leading to infections in vulnerable neonates. Key pathogens involved in NICU-acquired infections such as Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. are collectively known as ESKAPE pathogens.

Occurrence of cefotaxime-resistant and beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in poultry from small-scale farms in the Copperbelt province of Zambia.

Background: The inappropriate use of antimicrobials in poultry farming is associated with the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify various cefotaxime-resistant and β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales and characterize their antimicrobial resistance profiles.

Methods: Pooled cloacal and meat samples collected from market-ready broiler chickens in Kitwe and Ndola districts of Zambia were screened for cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacterales.

Bacteriological quality of fresh and processed black soldier fly larvae reared on chicken manure in Kitwe, Zambia.

Unlabelled: Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have high nutrient content and are rapidly becoming an alternative protein source for animal feed. However, microbial contamination is a potential risk due to the environment in which they are reared. This study assessed the bacteriological quality of fresh and processed BSFL by comparing the processed BSFL using two traditional methods (oven-dried and sun-dried), on their effectiveness at reducing the bacterial load and further elucidated bacterial composition.

A high prevalence of dogs seropositive to Leishmania in Zambia.

Domestic dogs are the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum, a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in humans. Although the disease is widespread in the world, the burden of visceral or any other disease form of leishmaniasis is poorly documented in Zambia, largely due to lack of surveillance. Recently, three cases of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis (CanL) were reported in Zambia following decades of presumed disease absence.

Development of a PCR-dipstick DNA chromatography-based tool for the detection of CTX-M- and TEM-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from patients in Kafue and Katete districts of Zambia.

In Zambia, 40% of clinical Gram-negative bacteria are either Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, with a high third-generation cephalosporin (3GC) resistance prevalence. Therefore, 3GC resistance surveillance is a crucial indicator for guiding focused intervention policies. However, the lack of genotypic diagnostic tools limits the ability to elucidate trends, especially in peri-urban and rural areas of developing countries.

Antibiotic use and adherence to the WHO AWaRe guidelines across 16 hospitals in Zambia: a point prevalence survey.

Background: The inappropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals contributes to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study evaluated the prevalence of antibiotic use and adherence to the World Health Organization (WHO) Access, Watch and Reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics across 16 hospitals in Zambia.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study employing the WHO Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) methodology and WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics was conducted among inpatients across 16 hospitals in December 2023, Zambia.

Antimicrobial stewardship situation analysis in selected hospitals in Zambia: findings and implications from a national survey.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are critical in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Zambia, there is little information regarding the capacity of hospitals to establish and implement AMS programs. The objective of this study was to conduct a baseline assessment of WHO core elements for an AMS program implementation in eight hospitals in Zambia.

EsxA, a type VII secretion system-dependent effector, reveals a novel function in the sporulation of Bacillus cereus ATCC14579.

Background: Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that produces a spectrum of effectors integral to bacterial niche adaptation and the development of various infections. Among those is EsxA, whose secretion depends on the EssC component of the type VII secretion system (T7SS). EsxA's roles within the bacterial cell are poorly understood, although postulations indicate that it may be involved in sporulation.

Pan-genome analysis reveals novel chromosomal markers for multiplex PCR-based specific detection of Bacillus anthracis.

Background: Bacillus anthracis is a highly pathogenic bacterium that can cause lethal infection in animals and humans, making it a significant concern as a pathogen and biological agent. Consequently, accurate diagnosis of B. anthracis is critically important for public health.

Trends, patterns and relationship of antimicrobial use and resistance in bacterial isolates tested between 2015-2020 in a national referral hospital of Zambia.

Increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among bacteria underscores the need to strengthen AMR surveillance and promote data-based prescribing. To evaluate trends and associations between antimicrobial usage (AMU) and AMR, we explored a dataset of 34,672 bacterial isolates collected between 2015 and 2020 from clinical samples at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. The most frequently isolated species were Escherichia coli (4,986/34,672; 14.

Multidrug-Resistant from Raw Cow Milk in Namwala District, Zambia: Public Health Implications.

(), a major foodborne disease-causing pathogen found in raw cow milk, has even far more reaching public health ramifications as it encodes for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study aimed to identify multidrug-resistant (MDR) from raw cow's milk and evaluate their antimicrobial-resistant profiles. In total, 418 pooled raw cow milk samples were collected from milk collection centers and analysed using standard culture methods to isolate Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) was conducted using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method and PCR was used to identify cefotaxime (CTX) resistant genes.

Genomic Analysis of Strains Resistant to Second-Line Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs in Lusaka, Zambia.

The emergence of pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) is a threat to TB control programs in developing countries such as Zambia. Studies in Zambia have applied molecular techniques to understand drug-resistance-associated mutations, circulating lineages and transmission patterns of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) . However, none has reported genotypes and mutations associated with pre-XDR TB.

Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Rift Valley Fever in Livestock from Three Ecological Zones of Malawi.

The epidemiology of Rift Valley fever (RVF) is poorly understood in Malawi. Here, a cross-sectional study was conducted (March-June 2020) to investigate the seroprevalence and potential risk factors of RVF virus (RVFV) in cattle, goats, and sheep in three ecological zones of Malawi. A total of 1523 serum samples were tested for anti-RVFV IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA.

An unusually long Rift valley fever inter-epizootic period in Zambia: Evidence for enzootic virus circulation and risk for disease outbreak.

Rift valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne disease of animals and humans. Although RVF outbreaks are usually reported at 5-15-year intervals in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia has experienced an unusually long inter-epizootic/-epidemic period of more than three decades. However, serological evidence of RVF virus (RVFV) infection in domestic ruminants during this period underscores the need for comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms of virus perpetuation and disease emergence.

Complete Genome Sequences of 24 Strains of Bacillus cereus Isolated from Nosocomial Infection and Bacteremia Cases in Japan.

Bacillus cereus is mainly associated with foodborne illness but sometimes causes nosocomial infections. We previously reported that B. cereus strains of a specific sequence type, ST1420, were associated with nosocomial infection.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Reveals Recent Transmission of Multidrug-Resistant CAS1-Kili Strains in Lusaka, Zambia.

Globally, tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death due to antimicrobial resistance. CAS1-Kili strains that belong to lineage 3 (Central Asian Strain, CAS) were previously implicated in the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB in Lusaka, Zambia. Thus, we investigated recent transmission of those strains by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with Illumina MiSeq platform.

Clonal relationship between multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST69 from poultry and humans in Lusaka, Zambia.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli in food animals such as chickens is an emerging public health concern in Zambia. Additionally, the country's high demand for poultry products necessitates further investigation into the link between poultry and human MDR E. coli.

Risk factors and spatio-temporal patterns of livestock anthrax in Khuvsgul Province, Mongolia.

Anthrax is a worldwide zoonotic disease. Anthrax has long been a public health and socio-economic issue in Mongolia. Presently, there is no spatial information on carcass burial sites as a potential hazard of future anthrax outbreaks and possible risk factors associated with anthrax occurrences in Mongolia.

Development of ELISA based on Bacillus anthracis capsule biosynthesis protein CapA for naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax.

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Detecting naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax sublethal exposure in animals is essential for anthrax surveillance and effective control measures. Serological assays based on protective antigen (PA) of B.