Diseases caused by waterborne and foodborne pathogenic bacteria present a significant threat to global health and economic stability. Although traditional culture-based methods have long been used, they suffer from time-consuming procedures, underestimation of viable counts, and the inability to detect viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells. Therefore, this research provides a comprehensive applied study of advanced molecular techniques as precise and rapid diagnostic tools. The study highlights the effectiveness of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) variants and Gene Sequencing techniques in detecting and characterizing enteric and non-enteric pathogenic bacteria (such as E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Legionella) in wastewater environments and wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). The findings show that molecular methods offer high sensitivity and specificity, effectively overcoming matrix inhibitors and serving as a crucial foundation for early warning and outbreak control.

The human oral cavity harbours diverse commensal and opportunistic bacteria that can act as reservoirs of antibiotic resistance. This study characterized the occurrence and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria from 198 oral swab samples from consenting adults, using standard culture, Gram staining, biochemical identification, and Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion testing against ten antibiotics matched to each isolate's Gram reaction. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent isolate (42, 21.2%), followed by Escherichia coli (34, 17.2%), Streptococcus salivarius (23, 11.6%), Streptococcus mitis (15, 7.6%), Staphylococcus epidermidis and Neisseria oralis (13 each, 6.6%), and Neisseria mucosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae (11 each, 5.6%); 14.6% of samples showed no growth and 3.5% were undefined. Females yielded more isolates than males, but this was not statistically significant (χ² = 3.04, df = 9, p = 0.963). Resistance to amoxicillin and ampiclox (Gram-positive isolates) and to amoxicillin and sparfloxacin (Gram-negative isolates) was consistently high (13.0-81.8%), with K. pneumoniae showing the highest resistance (81.8% to amoxicillin). Chi-square testing showed organism identity significantly associated with resistance status in both the Gram-positive (χ² = 23.33, df = 3, p < 0.001) and Gram-negative groups (χ² = 42.67, df = 3, p < 0.001), driven mainly by the low resistance of both Neisseria species. Levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin (Gram-positive panel) and gentamycin and ofloxacin (Gram-negative panel) retained the greatest activity. These findings indicate that the oral cavity of healthy individuals harbours bacteria with considerable, organism-dependent resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics, especially β-lactams, underscoring the need for antimicrobial stewardship and continued community-level resistance surveillance.

Objective: The development of bacterial pathogens that are resistant to many drugs poses a major threat to global health care. Some of the bacteria are Pseudomonas aeruginosa that are considered very difficult opportunist because of their drug-resistance nature and ability to form biofilms. With this situation, the identification of new antimicrobial compounds from natural sources takes an important role. Therefore, in this study, the purpose was to find out the effect of Camellia sinensis extract on Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. Methods of Work: The study used ten isolates obtained from patients with different diseases. These included the tests for antibacterial activity using the agar well diffusion test, MIC test, and MBC test. Various concentrations of green tea extract were used, namely 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/mL. Ciprofloxacin acted as positive control while distilled water was the negative control. Results: The inhibition zone was between 8 to 17 mm. The highest inhibition zone was recorded for ciprofloxacin (22 mm). MIC ranged from 0.8–2 mg/mL, whereas MBC was within the range of 2–4 mg/mL. Statistical significance through one-way ANOVA analysis indicated extremely significant differences among the treatments (p < 0.001). Antibacterial activity can be explained by the presence of catechins and polyphenols found in green tea. This means that green tea extract could be a promising alternative for fighting bacteria that have developed resistance.

Objective: In the present study, the biological activity of the hexane extract of the honey bee Apis mellifera was evaluated against different pathogenic bacteria, as an alternative to synthetic antibiotics to prevent side effects and bacterial resistance. Methods of Work: Bacterial samples were collected from medical laboratories and outpatient clinics in the city of Tikrit; eight isolates of pathogenic bacteria previously identified using the VITEK system were collected, comprising K. pneumoniae, P.auroginosa, P.fluorescence, Staph. haemolyticus , E. aerogense , S. aureus , P. vulgaris , E. coli . Samples of the honeybee Apis mellifera were collected from the Tarmiyah area, north of Baghdad Governorate, using standard insect collection methods. Extracts were prepared at four concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/mL) using hexane as the solvent. The tests were conducted using the agar well diffusion method. Results: The results showed that the 200 mg/ml concentration exhibited the highest inhibitory efficacy, with a mean inhibition zone diameter of 17.1 mm, significantly outperforming the other concentrations, while the lowest concentration (25 mg/ml) showed the least efficacy, with a mean inhibition zone diameter of 9.7 mm. The Gram-positive bacterium S. haemolyticus demonstrated the highest sensitivity, with an inhibition zone diameter of 18.0 mm. In contrast, E. coli (Gram-negative) exhibited the weakest response, with an inhibition zone diameter of 8.25 mm. The inhibitory activity of the extract against the studied bacterial isolates, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, is attributed to the specific biochemical composition of the honeybee extract. The superior performance of the hexane extract is attributed to its high capacity for extracting non-polar, hydrophobic organic compounds such as free fatty acids, their esters, and lipophilic substances, which possess a strong ability to penetrate the lipid layers of microbial cell membranes; this highlights the importance of solvent selection in determining the extract's biological activity.

The increasing deposition of scrap metals in urban environments has contributed significantly to microbial corrosion and heavy metal contamination of soils, posing ecological and public health risks. The study aimed to determine the total mesophilic count, isolate and identify bacterial species present in the contaminated soils, quantify the concentration of selected heavy metals (Zinc, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Chromium), and assess the correlation between bacterial occurrence and heavy metal contamination levels. Soil samples were collected from three designated points (A, B, and C) across the dump site and the mesophilic bacterial count bacterial isolates were obtained using serial dilution and spread plate techniques on nutrient agar, followed by morphological and biochemical characterization. Heavy metal concentrations were determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion of soil samples. The highest Mesophilic bacterial count (5.5x106) was observed in samples from the most heavily polluted areas (B4) while the least (1.2x107) was obtained from A2. The results revealed significant microbial diversity, with fifteen bacterial species identified, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Micrococcus luteus. These isolates displayed varied biochemical characteristics. Heavy metal analysis showed that Sample C had the highest concentrations of all tested metals particularly Zinc (0.34±0.04 ml/kg), Cadmium (0.20±0.05 ml/kg), and Lead (0.34±0.03 ml/kg) while Sample A recorded the lowest levels. It is concluded that the microbial diversity and heavy metal concentration in soil from a scrap metal revealed both high contamination level and the present of metal tolerant bacteria.

Background: The global rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) uropathogens, particularly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, has narrowed therapeutic options for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and renewed interest in plant-derived antimicrobial adjuvants. Objective: To evaluate the in vitro synergistic activity of three phytochemical extracts pomegranate peel (Punica granatum), garlic (Allium sativum), and green tea (Camellia sinensis) combined with conventional antibiotics against MDR clinical isolates recovered from UTI patients attending Tikrit Teaching Hospital. Methods: Ninety MDR isolates (54 E. coli, 36 K. pneumoniae) were collected, identified, and screened for antimicrobial susceptibility by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method against a 13-agent panel, with MDR classified according to Magiorakos et al., criteria. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of ethanolic extracts were determined by broth microdilution, and interactions with ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole were assessed by the checkerboard method, expressed as the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). A time-kill assay verified the most active combination. Results: Isolates showed high resistance to ampicillin (94–98%), amoxicillin–clavulanate (79–86%), and third-generation cephalosporins (72–83%), with lower resistance to meropenem and amikacin. All three extracts showed synergistic or additive interactions with the tested antibiotics; green tea extract combined with ciprofloxacin produced the strongest synergy (mean FICI 0.18–0.24; 100% synergy rate) and an 8–11-fold reduction in antibiotic MIC, followed by pomegranate peel and garlic extracts. Time-kill assays confirmed complete eradication of the test inoculum within 24 hours with the green tea–ciprofloxacin combination, versus partial inhibition with either agent alone. Conclusion: Phytochemical–antibiotic combinations, particularly green tea extract with fluoroquinolones, may restore antibacterial efficacy against MDR uropathogens and merit further in vivo and clinical evaluation.

Intradermal nevi are common benign melanocytic lesions; however, their occurrence in anatomically distinct locations such as the breast may present diagnostic challenges due to site-specific histological variations. Pigmented lesions in the breast region, particularly in the nipple–areola complex, often raise clinical suspicion for malignancy, necessitating careful evaluation and histopathological assessment. Such lesions may occasionally be detected incidentally during evaluation or surgical management of unrelated breast conditions. We report a rare case of an intradermal nevus identified incidentally in the skin overlying a benign breast lump in a middle-aged female, representing a nevus of special site. Histopathological examination revealed classic features of an intradermal nevus, including dermal confinement of nevus cells, progressive maturation, and absence of cytologic atypia or mitotic activity. Immunohistochemistry showed diffuse positivity for S100 protein, confirming melanocytic origin. Awareness of nevi of special sites and their characteristic histological features is essential to avoid misdiagnosis as melanoma and prevent unnecessary aggressive management.