Background: Cronobacter sakazakii is associated with illness in infants from contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF) and it is frequently recovered from PIF factory environment. Limited information is available on contamination of other food such as dairy and meat products in Libya. Methods and Findings: A total of 261 samples of milk, dairy products and coarse ground meat products were collected from different localities in Libya. Samples were examined for Cronobacter spp. with an adapted ISO /DTS 22964 cultural protocol using HiChrome™ Enterobacter sakazakii modified agar coupled with 16S rDNA partial sequencing to identify the organism. The identified isolates were biochemically characterized and tested for their ability to produce yellow pigment. Out of the 261 analyzed samples, only two beef burgers, one fermented milk “Laban”, one she-camel’s milk, two raw cow’s milk, two cereal baby food, one Maassora cheese and one ready to feed baby milk were contaminated with Cronobacter spp. at a total rate of 3.8%. Accuracy of HiChrome Ent. sakazakii modified agar reach 100% as all of blue-green presumptive colonies were confirmed Cronobacter spp. while other colorless, greenish or with blue center colonies which competed growth with Cronobacter spp. were predominantly Escherichia coli followed by Klebsiella spp. and to less extent Pseudomonas luteola, Citrobacter freundii and Acinetobacter baumanii. Moreover, the isolated strains of Cronobacter were resistant to Amoxicillin, Erythromycin, Vancomycin and Streptomycin, and sensitive to Doxycycline, Enrofloxacin and Gentamycin. Conclusion: This study documents for the first time the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in beef burger, raw cow’s m​i​ …
Salah M. Azwai(1-2018)

Background: During the last three decades there are many viral infections emerging and re-emerge with high socio-economic and public health impacts worldwide. The Coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in China in late December 2019. Later, on 30th Jan 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has constituted the COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). arabic 15 English 86
Abdusalam Sharef Mahmoud, Abdulgader Dhawi Alfitouri Dhawi, Aziza Sulieman Mayouf , Ahlam Masaud Ellafi(3-2021)

The genus Vibrio includes several food-borne pathogens that cause a spectrum of clinical conditions including septicemia, cholera and milder forms of gastroenteritis. Several Vibrio spp. are commonly associated with food-borne transmission including Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. Microbiological analysis for enumeration and isolation of Vibrio spp. were carried out for a total of 93 samples of seafood, meat and meat products from different geographic localities in Libya (Tripoli, Regdalin, Janzour and Toubruk). Vibrio spp. were detected by conventional cultural and molecular method using PCR and sequencing of 16S rDNA. Out of the 93 cultured samples only 48 (51.6%) yielded colonies on Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salt agar (TCBS) with culture characteristics of Vibrio spp. More than half (n=27) of processed seafood samples (n=46) yielded colonies on TCBS, while only 44.6 % of samples of meat and meat products showed colonies on TCBS. Among cultured seafood samples, the highest bacterial count was recorded in clam with a count of 3.8 х104 CFU\g. Chicken burger samples showed the highest bacterial count with 6.5 х104 CFU\g. Molecular analysis of the isolates obtained in this study, showed that 11 samples out of 48 (22.9%) were Vibrio spp. Vibrio parahemolyticus was isolated from camel meat for the first time. This study is an initial step to provide a baseline for future molecular research targeting Vibrio spp. foodborne illnesses. This data will be used to provide information on the magnitude of such pathogens in Libyan seafood, meat and meat products.
Salah M. Azwai(1-2016)