Background: In addition to smoking and alcohol consumption, human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading etiology for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). However, this causal association is still understudied in Middle Eastern populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV-associated infection in the Jordanian HNSCC patients and the associated HPV genotypes. Methods: Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) squamous cell carcinoma samples of the head and neck were collected from two referral centers in Amman, Jordan to determine the existence of HPV DNA. After DNA extraction HPV infection and genotyping were identified using real-time PCR. Results: HPV DNA was detected in 19 out of 61 (31.1%) HNSCC samples. Despite screening for 28 different genotypes, HPV 16 was the only genotype identified in all examined samples. Most HPV-positive samples were obtained from the oropharynx (41.7%), oral cavity (37%), and larynx (18.2%). No significant association between HPV 16 genotype and age, sex, tobacco use, anatomical location, or tumor grade was noticed. Conclusion: This study reported a high association between HPV 16 genotype and HNSCC in Jordanian patients. These data should facilitate the implementation of appropriate HPV awareness campaigns, and activate selective prophylactic measures against HPV infection.

Introduction: Nasal carriers of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are common and play an important role in nosocomial infections. The prevalence rate and characterization of nasal carriers of MRSA among medical students in Jordan has not been investigated before. Methodology: The resistance of S. aureus to several antibiotics was tested using disc diffusion method, automatic Vitek 2, and penicillin binding protein (PBP) 2 slide test. Bacterial species and resistance genes were confirmed using molecular analysis of three relevant genes by real-time PCR. Two hundred ninety nasal swabs were collected from medical students at Hashemite University from June 2015 to August 2016. All participants signed a voluntary consent form and filled a predesigned questionnaire. Results: The mean age of participants was 19.7 ± 2 years and 61.7% of them were males. 63 out of the 290 (21.7%) samples were identified to have S. aureus, 56 (19.3%) were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and 7 (2.4%) were MRSA. S. aureus nasal colonization significantly associates with male gender (OR = 1.7, CI = 0.94-3.18, P = 0.049) and chronic illnesses (OR = 4.0, CI = 1.52-10.65, P = 0.006). Consistency between disc diffusion, Vitek 2, and PBP 2 methods for MRSA screening were satisfactory compared to molecular analysis. All MRSA samples were positive for SCCmec:orfx junction gene (MRSA-specific), nuc gene (S. aureus- specific), mecA gene (PBP-mediated resistant), and PBP2 production. All MRSA isolates were multi-drug resistant and were sensitive to Linezolid, Vancomycin, and Tigecycline. Conclusions: This study confirms that nasal colonization by MRSA among medical students necessitates further attention to prevent nosocomial infections.

Introduction: Nasal colonization by coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) play an important role in nosocomial infections. This study aims to determine antibiotics susceptibility pattern and molecular screening of methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant nasal CoNS among hospitalized patients. Methodology: Nasal swabs were collected from 202 inpatients at Prince Hamzah Hospital, Jordan. Swabs were processed according to standard microbiological procedures to isolate Staphylococci. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion, E-test, microdilution, and Vitek 2. Molecular analysis was performed using PCR for the detection of mecA, vanA, and vanB genes. Results: Nasal Staphylococci was isolated in 64/202 (31.7%) samples. Thirty isolates (14.8%) were CoNS, including S. haemolyticus (n = 17, 8.4%), S. sciuri (n = 6, 3%), S. epidermidis (n = 2, 1%), S. warneri (n = 2, 1%), S. hominis (n = 2, 1%), and S. lentus (n = 1, 0.5%). Twenty-two (10.9%) isolates were MR-CoNS harboring mecA gene. CoNS and MR-CoNS isolates were highly resistant to benzylpenicillin, erythromycin, fosfomycin, and imipenem. All isolates were sensitive to vancomycin by E-test and microdilution test and were negative for vanA and vanB genes. Nasal CoNS colonization was associated with an increased number of family members living with the participant (P = 0.04) and with admission to the orthopedic department (P = 0.03), while MR-CoNS colonization was associated with smoking (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Nasal colonization by unusual CoNS species and mecA-positive MR-CoNS are common among hospitalized patients. Absence of vanA and vanB genes suggests little contribution of nasal CoNS to vancomycin resistance transmission.

Introduction: Biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus is a major virulence factor. Both MSSA and MRSA are common causes of community-and hospital-acquired infections and are associated with biofilm formation. The status of biofilm-forming genes has not been explored in Jordanian nasal carriers of S. aureus. This study investigates antibiotic resistance patterns and the prevalence of biofilm-forming genes between MSSA and MRSA in two distinct populations in Jordan. Methods: A total of 35 MSSA and 22 MRSA isolates were recovered from hospitalized patients and medical students at Prince Hamzah Hospital, Jordan. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using disk diffusion method and Vitek 2 system. The phenotypic biofilm formation was tested using CRA and microtiter plate assays. The prevalence of the biofilm-forming genes was determined using multiplex PCR. Results: Among 57 S. aureus isolates, 22 (38.6%) isolates were MRSA and were highly resistant against benzylpenicillin, oxacillin, and imipenem. The frequencies of the icaADBC were 77.1%, 97.1%, 94.3%, and 97.1% respectively in MSSA compared to 86.4%, 100%, 100%, and 100% in MRSA isolates. On the other hand, the frequency of the fnbA, fnbB, clfA, fib, clfB, ebps, eno, and cna genes was 81.8%, 90.9%, 95.5%, 90.9%, 86.4%, 100%, 100%, and 40.9%, respectively in the MRSA isolates. Conclusion: In both groups, MRSA isolates, in comparison to MSSA, were significantly more resistant to cefoxitin, oxacillin, imipenem, tetracycline, clindamycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Unexpectedly, biofilm formation and gene prevalence between MRSA and MSSA isolates showed no significant difference, suggesting other potential virulence mechanisms.

Hydatid disease (HD) is a zoonotic disease of humans and animals which is caused by infection with the larval stages of the taeniid cestodes of the genus Echinococcus . HD is endemic in many countries of the Middle East, including Jordan. The seroprevalence rate of HD in areas of elevated risk in Jordan has not previously been investigated using indirect haemagglutination (IHA) testing. In the present study, 512 blood samples were collected from recruited outpatients from an internal medicine clinic in Al-Mafraq Governmental Hospital in Jordan. Each participant signed a consent form and completed a questionnaire. The presence of antibodies specific for E. granulosus antigens was detected using an IHA test. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software using the Chi-square test. In all, 4.1% of the study participants were seropositive for E. granulosus IgG antibodies. There was a significant correlation between unexplained weight loss among seropositive patients ( P = 0.018). Seropositivity was significantly higher in patients who slaughtered sheep inside their houses ( P = 0.023). HD seroprevalence did not correlate with gender ( P = 0.433), age ( P = 0.880), residency status ( P = 0.938), or educational level ( P = 0.808). The vast majority (75.2%) of participants reported no prior knowledge about HD, and 99.8% were not aware about the etiology of the disease.