Maha Mahmoud - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Maha Mahmoud

Veterinary Sciences

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are emerging and re-emerging infections that have a worldwide impact o... more Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are emerging and re-emerging infections that have a worldwide impact on human and animal health. Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a severe zoonotic disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks. Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete that causes relapsing fever (RF) and is genetically related to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. However, there have been no reports of B. miyamotoi in Egypt, and the data on LB in camels is scarce. Thus, the present study was conducted to screen and genetically identify Borrelia spp. and B. miyamotoi in Egyptian camels and associated ticks using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods: A total of 133 blood samples and 1596 adult hard ticks were collected from Camelus dromedaries at Cairo and Giza slaughterhouses in Egypt. Tick species were identified by examining their morphology and sequencing the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Borrelia spp. was d...

Veterinary World, 2021

Background and Aim: The peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of small ... more Background and Aim: The peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of small ruminants which negatively affects animal production and the socioeconomic status of farmers. Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) encodes eight proteins, with the viral fusion protein (F) playing a role in virus virulence and stimulating an effective protective immune response. This study aimed to isolate and complete the identification of PPRV circulating in goats in different Egyptian governorates and perform molecular characterization of the PPRV F gene. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from unvaccinated animals with clinical signs suggestive of PPR. A total of 256 sera were tested for the detection of PPRV antibodies using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) kit, while 214 samples of blood buffy coat preparation, animal swabs (nasal, ocular, and saliva), and fecal and tissue samples were tested for the detection of the PPRV antigen using an anti...

Tropical Animal Health and Production

Babesiamicroti (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) causes a medically important tick-borne zoonotic proto... more Babesiamicroti (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) causes a medically important tick-borne zoonotic protozoan disease. Egyptian camels are susceptible to Babesia infection; however, just a few cases have been documented. This study aimed to identify Babesia species, specifically Babesia microti, and their genetic diversity in dromedary camels in Egypt and associated hard ticks. Blood and hard tick samples were taken from 133 infested dromedary camels slaughtered in Cairo and Giza abattoirs. The study was conducted from February to November 2021. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify Babesia species. Nested PCR targeting the β-tubulin gene was used to identify B. microti. The PCR results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ß-tubulin gene was used to detect and genotype B. microti. Three tick genera were identified in infested camels (Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, and Amblyomma). Babesia species were detected in 3 out of 133...

Virus research, Sep 8, 2018

Engagement of toll-like receptor (TLR)4 ligand, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with TLR4 in mammals act... more Engagement of toll-like receptor (TLR)4 ligand, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with TLR4 in mammals activates two downstream intracellular signaling routes; the myeloid differentiation primary response gene (MyD)88 dependent and independent pathways. However, existence of the later pathway leading to production of type I interferons (IFNs) in avian species has been debated due to conflicting observations. The objective of our study was to investigate whether LPS induces type I IFN production in chicken macrophages leading to antiviral response attributable to type I IFN production. We found that LPS elicits type I IFN response dominated by IFN-β production. We also found that reduction in infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) replication by LPS-mediated antiviral response is attributable to type I IFNs in addition to nitric oxide (NO). Our findings imply that LPS elicits both MyD88 dependent and independent pathways in chicken macrophages consequently eliciting anti-ILTV response attr...

Research Journal of Parasitology, 2009

Journal of Biological Sciences, 2007

Veterinary World

Background and Aim: Chickens are considered as the main source of Salmonella, with infection pote... more Background and Aim: Chickens are considered as the main source of Salmonella, with infection potentially spreading to the public through outlets. The study aimed to investigate poultry shops for Salmonella enterica resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins-resistant (ESCR) and carbapenems-resistant (CR). Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from chicken giblets, water tanks, and workers at retail shops. Salmonella was isolated and serotyped; the presence of invA, stn, ompA, and ompF was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The isolates were tested for ESCR and CR by a disk-diffusion test; a confirmatory extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) test was performed by combinational disk-diffusion test with clavulanic acid. The resistant isolates were screened for ESBL (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and blaOXA-1), AmpC blaCMY-2, and carbapenemase (blaKPC, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48) genes using PCR. Results: S. enterica was isolated from chicken giblets (13/129) and the 13 ...

Veterinary world, 2017

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represent a severe public health issue worldwide, c... more Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represent a severe public health issue worldwide, causing life-threatening diseases in the human gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of virulent and antibiotic-resistant STEC in retail meat and milk products and human stool samples and to characterize the genes encoding for virulence and antibiotic resistance among the identified STEC isolates. A total of 260 food samples were randomly collected from retail markets in different localities of El Giza Governorate, Egypt. 50 stool specimens were obtained from children that had diarrhea at Embaba Fever Hospital. All collected samples were initially subjected to bacteriological examination and serotyping, and then subsequently, the isolates were exposed to polymerase chain reaction application and sequencing for the identification of the virulence-related genes. Finally, the virulent STEC isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Serotyping of the 76...

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 2019

BMC Veterinary Research, 2022

Background Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic mycozoonosis of global significance in a wide varie... more Background Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic mycozoonosis of global significance in a wide variety of host species. In equines, cryptococcosis is uncommon, and sporadic cases have been reported with rhinitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, and meningitis. Cryptococcus spp. represents a potential risk for immunosuppressed and healthy persons. In Egypt, epidemiological data on cryptococcal infection in horses are limited. The current study was carried out to investigate the occurrence of Cryptococcus spp. in horses and its possible role in the epidemiology of such disease in Egypt. A total of 223 samples was collected from different localities in Egypt included 183 nasal swabs from horses, 28 nasal swabs from humans, and 12 soil samples. Bacteriological examination and the identification of Cryptococcus spp. were performed. Molecular serotyping of Cryptococcus spp. was determined by multiplex PCR using CNa-70S/A-CNb-49S/A. The virulence genes ( LAC1 , CAP59 , and PLB1 ) of the identified isol...

Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 2021

International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine, 2021

Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 2020

OBJECTIVES This study investigated the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-prod... more OBJECTIVES This study investigated the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella and the associated virulence genes among farmed chickens. METHODS Cloacal swab samples were collected from apparently healthy and diseased chickens and were cultured for Salmonella using conventional methods. The isolates were serotyped using slide agglutination tests and were examined by PCR for the virulence genes invA, stn, svpC, and pefA, as well as the outer membrane protein-encoding genes ompA and ompF. Screening for ESBL resistance was performed using disk-diffusion test, combinational-disk test with clavulanic acid, and multiplex PCR for blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and blaOXA. The presence of the AmpC blaCMy-2 was tested among the ESBL-negative isolates by uniplex PCR. The resistant isolates were partially sequenced based on stn gene. RESULTS The Salmonella isolation rate was 3.4% (6 / 175) from healthy and 11.1% (14 / 126) from diseased chickens. The 20 isolates belong to serotypes with public health significance like Typhimurium, Kentucky, and Infantis. All the isolates possess invA, stn, svpC, and ompF genes; 16 isolates harbored ompA, and one carried pefA. Of the 20 isolates, 19 were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Of these 19 isolates, 16 were ESBL-producing with majority carry blaTEM and blaSHV genes. The 4 ESBL-negative isolates carried blaCMy-2. Partial-stn-sequencing of the isolates revealed a high genetic relatedness to Salmonella strains from patients in Egypt and Asia. CONCLUSIONS Virulent ESBL-producing Salmonella was isolated from healthy and diseased chickens, the strains have close relation to human strains, posing a public health threat.

Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 2019

Viral immunology, Jan 29, 2018

Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 signaling pathway is known to induce type 1 interferons (IFNs) and proi... more Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 signaling pathway is known to induce type 1 interferons (IFNs) and proinflammatory mediators leading to antiviral response against many viral infections. Double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) has been shown to act as a ligand for TLR3 and, as such, has been a focus as a potential antiviral agent in many host-viral infection models. Yet, its effectiveness and involved mechanisms as a mediator against low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) have not been investigated adequately. In this study, we used avian fibroblasts to verify whether dsRNA induces antiviral response against HN LPAIV and clarify whether type 1 IFNs and proinflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1β are contributing to the dsRNA-mediated antiviral response against HN LPAIV. We found that dsRNA induces antiviral response in avian fibroblasts against HN LPAIV infection. The treatment of avian fibroblasts with dsRNA increases the expressions of TLR3, IFN-α, IFN-β, and IL-1β. We a...

Virology journal, Mar 12, 2018

Toll like receptor (TLR) 3 is a critically important innate pattern recognizing receptor that sen... more Toll like receptor (TLR) 3 is a critically important innate pattern recognizing receptor that senses many viral infections. Although, it has been shown that double stranded (ds) RNA can be used for the stimulation of TLR3 signaling pathway in a number of host-viral infection models, it's effectiveness as an antiviral agent against low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) needs further investigation. In this study, first, we delivered TLR3 ligand, dsRNA, in ovo at embryo day (ED)18 since in ovo route is routinely used for vaccination against poultry viral and parasitic infections and infected with H4N6 LPAIV 24-h post-treatment. A subset of in ovo dsRNA treated and control groups were observed for the expressions of TLR3 and type I interferon (IFN)s, mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and macrophage recruitment coinciding with the time of H4N6 LPAIV infection (24 h post-treatment). Additionally, Day 1 chickens were given dsRNA intra-tracheally along with a control group a...

Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 2017

Experimental Parasitology, 2017

This study aimed to modify Dot-Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) for the diagnosis of... more This study aimed to modify Dot-Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) for the diagnosis of human trichinellosis and to compare its performance with indirect ELISA and Western-blot assay (EITB). A total of 175 human serum samples were enrolled in the study. Indirect ELISA was used for the primary diagnosis. EITB versus fractionated 1st larval stage excretory-secretory antigens (TL-1 ESA) revealed three specific protein fractions at MW of 45, 50, and 55 kDa (kDa). Dot-ELISA was performed in two ways. In the first one, sera were dotted on the separated three specific protein fractions, while in the second one the three fractions were eluted, concentrated at one pooled antigen that used in classic dot-ELISA. Both types of dot-ELISA proved absolute (100%) sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the gold standard EITB reaction. While sensitivity of ELISA was 100% and its specificity was 79.5%. The fraction at 45 kDa was the most sensitive one. The use of the pooled antigen improved the test results. The described dot-ELISA is an easy applicable diagnostic tool gathering the benefits of both ELISA and EITB.

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2016