Extended-spectrum -lactamases (ESBLs) are the enzymes that hydrolyze a wide variety of -lactam antibiotics including oxyimino-cephalosporins and monobactams. Infections caused by ESBL-producing strains are increasing in the community and in hospitals. These organisms are typically multi-drug resistant and the risk of inadequate empiric therapy. In Iraq, infections caused by ESBL-producing bacteria have increased dramatically and have become a serious problem nationwide. Therefore, there is an increased demand to determine the distribution of these organisms in community and hospital infections. This book provides a detailed data on the dissemination of ESBL producing strains in Iraqi hospitals as well as detection some genetic factors controlling production of these -lactamases."

Listeria monocytogenes is recognized worldwide as one of the most important food-borne pathogens of concern for the food industries. It is a ubiquitous microorganism and it is frequently isolated from foods of animal origin, mainly meat and milk products. Because of the importance of L. monocytogenes epidemiology to human health, a number of discriminatory typing methods have been described for this organism. According to available documents, in Iraq there is no information regarding the molecular serotyping studies of L. monocytogenes isolated from animals. Therefore, there is an increase request to investigate the occurrence of L. monocytogenes serotypes. This book provides the dissemination and serotyping of this species in the cattle and sheep.

Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli(VTEC) belonging to several different O serotypes, has been associated with watery or bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. One serotype (O157: H7) is now recognized as an important human pathogen of public health concern. Till now, little information was available on the global prevalence of VTEC of O157 and other serotypes in patients with diarrhea and HUS in Iraq.This book provides a unique data on the prevalence and characterization of VTEC obtained from patients with diarrhea

Therapeutic options for infections caused by Klebsiellapneumoniae strains expressing plasmid-mediated AmpC -lactamases are limited because these organisms are usually resistant to all the -lactam antibiotics, except for cefepime, cefpirome, and the carbapenems. These organisms are a major concern in nosocomial infections.Information on such pathogens is not available from Iraq. Therefore there is an increasing demand to investigate the role of these strains in hospital infections. This book provides the occurrence and diversity of plasmid-mediated AmpC -lactamases in K. pneumoniae isolates recovered from both hospital and community settings in Iraq."

Quinolones are among the most commonly prescribed antimicrobials because of their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which inhibit DNA synthesis by targeting two related but functionally distinct and essential type II topoisomerase, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. The quinolone resistance is traditionally mediated by the mutation of chromosomal genes encoding DNA gyrase and/or topoisomerase IV. Plasmid-mediated resistance mechanisms also play a significant role in quinolone resistance. In recent years, a bacterial resistance against the quinolones has increased significantly, and no previous Iraqi survey has evaluated clinical isolates of Escherichia coli with reduce susceptibility to quinolones. This book provides a new data on the occurrence and diversity of quinolones resistance genes in E. coli strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infection in Iraqi hospitals.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains are diarrheagenic E. coli belonging to specific serotypes, historically associated with outbreaks of infantile diarrhea, which are one of the main causes of severe diarrhea throughout the world. Several chromosomal and plasmid-borne virulence factors have been linked with the ability of certain strains to cause diarrhea. Over the last few years, numerous outbreaks of infections with strains producing extended spectrum -lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC -lactamases, has been observed worldwide. In Iraq, few reports are available on the prevalence and molecular identification of EPEC. In addition, little attention has been paid to the molecular studies of ESBLs and AmpC -lactamases. Therefore, there is an increase demand to investigate the role of EPEC in children with diarrhea and identify the prevalence of -lactam resistance among these strains. This book provides a new data on the prevalence of EPEC in children younger than two years of age in Iraqi hospitals as well as characterizes their virulence genes and detection the genetic factors controlling production of ESBLs and AmpC -lactamases.

Enterococcus faecalis strains are becoming increasingly important agents of human disease, largely because of their resistance to antimicrobial agents. Because of their resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins of several activity ranges, the acquisition of high-level resistance to aminoglycosides, and now the emergence of vancomycin resistance, these bacteria are often involved in serious infections among patients receiving broad-spectrum antimicrobial chemotherapy.In Iraq, little information regarding vancomycin resistance and virulence factors presented in E. faecalis strains. Therefore, there is an increasing request to investigate the role of these strains in hospital infections.This bookprovides a new dataon the prevalence of E. faecalis in patients with significant bacteriuria, the antimicrobial resistance patterns and the presence of virulence genes in the isolated species.

The persistent exposure of bacterial strains to a multitude of beta-lactams has led to overproduction and mutation of Beta-lactamases. These -lactamases are capable of hydrolyzing penicillins, broad-spectrum cephalosporins, monobactams, cephamycins, carbapenems, in addition to other classes of antimicrobial agents. Thus, these new -lactamases are called as extended-spectrum- -lactamases (ESBLs), AmpC -lactamases and carbapenemases. In Iraq, little attention has been paid to the genetic factors controlling production of AmpC and carbapenemases by Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, there is an increase demand to investigate the role of these bacterial isolates in hospital infections. This book provides a new data on the dissemination of AmpC and carbapenemase-producing E. coli and Klebsiella species in Iraqi hospitals as well as detection the genetic factors controlling production of these -lactamases.