Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms have been an ever-growing concern over the past years. This has led researchers to direct their attention onto plants to be able to discover new possible antimicrobial compounds. The Middle East encompasses a wide spectrum of plant diversity with over 20,000 different species in habitats ranging from deserts to snow-capped mountains. Several plant secondary metabolites and their derivatives have been identified as possible antimicrobial agents. Among the secondary metabolites studied, alkaloids and polyphenols have shown strong antimicrobial activity. Polyphenols are one of the most numerous and diverse group of secondary metabolites; their antioxidant properties provide the basis for antimicrobial effects. Alkaloids provided the underlying structure for the development of several antibiotics with a diverse range of action. The ability of some plant secondary metabolites to act as resistance-modifying agents is a promising field in mitigating the spread of bacterial resistance.

It is becoming increasingly evident that certain phytochemicals possess cancer chemopreventive properties. In this study, the anti-proliferative activity of plant extracts from olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves was tested on human leukemic cell line (Jurkat). Cytotoxicity of various concentrations of plant extracts was examined and the IC(50) was determined. Olive leaf extracts showed concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effect as determined by the WST-1 proliferation kit and [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation method. To study whether cell death was due to apoptosis, cells were stained with Annexin V-FITC and PI and the expression of important regulatory proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, and p53) involved in apoptosis were examined by Western blot. The antioxidant activity of olive leaves (SC(50) = 0.1 mg dry weight) was studied using the DPPH scavenging method. Present findings suggest that olive leaves extracts exhibit anti-proliferative effect on leukemic cells by inducing apoptosis.

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Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing organisms pose severe problems for hospitalized patients. In the absence of efficient sanitation and sewage disposal, the risks for transmission of hospital organisms into the community are high. Our objectives were to study the occurrence and mechanisms of resistance of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli in two Lebanese hospital sewage treatment plants. Wastewater samples were collected, filtered, and cultivated on MacConckey+cefotaxime agars. ESBL, AmpC, metallo-β-lactamases (MBL), and Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemases (KPC) production were phenotypically detected using plain Mueller Hinton agar plates, and plates impregnated with 5 mM EDTA, 10 mg/mL phenyl boronic acid, and 250 μg/mL cloxacillin (embedded). Temocillin discs were used for the presumptive detection of OXAs. ESBL, carbapenemase, outer membrane protein F (OMPF), and outer membrane protein C (OMPC) genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to study the clonality of Enterobacter cloacae isolates. In total, 32 and 38 Enterobacteriaceae were detected from Hospital 1 and Hospital 2, respectively. All Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates were ESBL producers. AmpC reached 25% and 28.9% of all isolates. Only one Enterobacter cloacae isolate from one hospital showed full resistance to carbapenems. Molecular tests, however, detected NDM-1 in two strains of Enterobacter cloacae. PFGE results showed 80% similarity between these two strains. The isolation of NDM-1-producing Enterobacter cloacae from hospital wastewater occurred almost a year before the first case of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter spp. was detected from a patient sample in the laboratory hospital. Understanding the local epidemiology of resistance in hospitals should include areas of potential resistance, such as wastewater and hospital environment.

Objective Salmonella spp. are one of the leading foodborne pathogens worldwide naturally found in the intestines of many animals. People that are in direct contact with the infected animals or their cages may become ill. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, antibiogram and virulence genes associated with Salmonella serovars from fecal samples of animals intended for consumption in Southern Benin. Results Out of a total of 406 samples, 2.46% were positive. The isolates identified were multidrug-resistant Salmonella spp. to penicillins, first generation cephalosporins and some aminoglycosides. All Salmonella isolates produced inv A gene of 284 bp, fim A of 85 bp and stn of 260 bp. The spvC gene (571 bp) was present in 10% of the isolates whereas the spvR gene (310 bp) was found in 20% of the isolates. The control strain possessed all the tested genes. The invA gene implies that strains are able to invade epithelial cells. The fimA and stn genes present in all isolates show that they are capable of causing gastrointestinal illness in humans. The presence of spvC and spvR genes suggests the possibility of these strains to produce toxins. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-019-4341-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.