Digital Repository for Department of Microbiology & Parasitology

Pelger-Huet (P-H) anomaly is a benign congenital anomaly of leukocytes, characterized by nuclear hyposegmentation of granulocytes. Patients with heterozygous form of P-H anomaly are not immunodeficient and not predisposed to infection. In this study, P-H anomaly has been detected during a routine blood examination conducted on a clinically normal five years old male Basenji dog. Nuclear hyposegmentation of neutrophils with mature coarse chromatin pattern was noticed. As the animal was in a good health and all other blood parameters were within normal reference range, P-H anomaly was suspected. Acquired, pseudo P-H anomaly was excluded by detecting the same unique nuclear pattern in three successive blood samples collected at month intervals. Nuclear morphology was variable as dumbbell shaped, peanut shaped, band, round or bilobed forms were mostly detected in the neutrophils. It is the first report for this anomaly in Libya.
Ibrahim Eldaghayes(9-2010)

Grouper fish mortality at the East Cost Libyan area of the Mediterranean Sea is one of the major problems encountered at autumn season starting from October. Sudden environmental changes associated with water pollution were recorded. Adult fish especially the grouper types were affected. This phenomenon was previously recorded in Libya at 1985. The present study was carried out to demonstrate the most prevalent isolates that may lead to this phenomenon. It was found that the gram negative oxidase positive bacterial group (Pasteurella, Vibrio and Aeromonas spp.) were the most isolated bacteria with high incidence refers especially to Pasteurella piscicida with an incidence of 64%. Black or metallic colour cysts (Microspordiosis, Glugea spp. and Plistophora spp.) representing spores or larvae of this parasite were observed on the visceral organs and abdominal cavity. Other parasites included larval stages of Contracaecum spp. and Gonapodasmius epinepheli (Didymozoid digenes). The clinical and postmortem lesions were mostly characterized by unilateral or bilateral corneal opacity and haemorrhagic spots on the skin with ulcer formation in some cases. Abdominal distension and anal prolaps were also recorded. All the internal organs were congested. The swim bladder was greatly swollen and filled with gas.
Ibrahim Eldaghayes(9-2011)

An outbreak of gout was investigated in a growing layers farm of 45000 birds located in Tripoli, Libya. Mortality was commenced at 39 days-old reaching to a total of 489 birds within 10 days. Post mortem was conducted and kidney tissue samples were fixed in 10% neutral formalin prior to processing. Feed samples were sent to the Animal Nutrition Department for analysis which revealed 23.47% crude protein and 3.5% calcium. Gross lesions comprised of deposition of chalky white material covering the pericardium and enlarged kidneys with necrotic foci, hemorrhage and nephrosis. Most of birds showed swollen ureter of one or both sides. Histopathologically, severe damage of tubules characterized by moderate to severe tubular dilation and necrosis and central bluish gouty deposition surrounded by radiations of needle like urate crystals followed by granulomatous reaction of lymphocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts. The collecting renal tubules, urinephric ducts and ureters were also filled by gouty deposits with epithelial hyperplastic changes and chronic inflammatory cellular reaction in their walls. The interstitial tissue showed edema, congestion, hemorrhage and lymphomononuclear cell infiltration. This gout outbreak in growing layers is attributed to high concentration of crude protein and calcium in diet.
Ibrahim Eldaghayes(1-2010)

The main objective of this study was to characterize bacteria isolated from seafood, meat and meat products that may cause foodborne illnesses. We plan to use this data to help create a baseline for future research into foodborne illness in Libya. Several food-borne organisms in the genus Vibrio produce a variety of clinical disorders, including septicemia, cholera, and milder types of gastroenteritis. Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus are among the Vibrio spp. that are usually related with food-borne transmission. A total of 93 samples (Table 1) of seafood, meat and meat products that includes 21 of shrimps; 5 of clam; 20 of fish; 34 samples of raw meat (10 beef, 9 camel meat, 6 mutton and 9 chickens) and 13 samples of meat products (2 beef sausages, 5 beef burgers, 5 chicken burgers and 1 kebab) were randomly collected from different geographic localities in Libya [Tripoli, Regdalin (120 km west of Tripoli), Janzour (30 km west of Tripoli) and Tobruk (1400 km east of Tripoli)]. Each sample was 250 g in weight. 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 х10 4 CFU\g. Chicken burger samples showed the highest bacterial count with 6.5 х10 4 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
Salah M. Azwai(1-2022)

Marine macroalgae are considered as an excellent source of bioactive compounds which has a broad range of biological activities including antibacterial and antioxidant. Crude methanolic and water extracts of 19 marine algal species (6 Chlorophyta, 8 Phaeophyta and 5 Rhodophyta) collected from the western coast of Libya were evaluated for antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria (4 Gram-positive, 4 Gram-nega- tive). The extracts showed a significant antibacterial activity against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus spp., and Staphylococcus epidermidis) as well as Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella spp., and Pseudomonas aerugi- nosa). The algal aqueous and methanolic extracts displayed different degrees of antimicrobial activities against different bacteria, in some cases methanolic extracts showed higher antibacterial activity than aqueous extracts. Among tested algae, Brown algae namely Cystoseira crinite exhibited the highest antibacterial activity among tested algal species.
Salah M. Azwai(1-2013)

The aim of this study was to carry out a serological survey of antibodies against Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) in 1500 one day old broiler chickens sera were examined by serum plate agglutination test. Antibodies against MG and MS were detected 3.4% and 6.4%, respectively. The seroprevalence of MG was 5.2% in chickens from imported fertile eggs and 0% in chickens from local fertile eggs, whereas for MS was 9.3% in chickens from imported fertile eggs and 0.8% in chicks from local fertile eggs.
Salah M. Azwai(1-2013)

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)

Aim: The aim of this work was to isolate and molecularly identify enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 in milk and dairy products in Libya, in addition; to clear the accuracy of cultural and biochemical identification as compared with molecular identification by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA for the existing isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 108 samples of raw milk (cow, she-camel, and goat) and locally made dairy products (fermented cow’s milk, Maasora, Ricotta and ice cream) were collected from some regions (Janzour, Tripoli, Kremiya, Tajoura and Tobruk) in Libya. Samples were subjected to microbiological analysis for isolation of E. coli that was detected by conventional cultural and molecular method using polymerase chain reaction and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA. Results: Out of 108 samples, only 27 isolates were found to be EHEC O157 based on their cultural characteristics (Tellurite-Cefixime-Sorbitol MacConkey) that include 3 isolates from cow’s milk (11%), 3 isolates from she-camel’s milk (11%), two isolates from goat’s milk (7.4%) and 7 isolates from fermented raw milk samples (26%), isolates from fresh locally made soft cheeses (Maasora and Ricotta) were 9 (33%) and 3 (11%), respectively, while none of the ice cream samples revealed any growth. However, out of these 27 isolates, only 11 were confirmed to be E. coli by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA and E. coli O157 Latex agglutination test. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that majority of local E. coli isolates were related to E. coli O157:H7 FRIK944 strain. Conclusion: These results can be used for further studies on EHEC O157 as an emerging foodborne pathogen and its role in human infection in Libya.
Salah M. Azwai(1-2016)