Mohammed Hamid Alruhaili

Background: Equine strongylosis is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal parasitic diseases affecting horses and donkeys worldwide, leading to reduced health, productivity, and working performance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal strongyle infection and identify associated risk factors among equines in three Egyptian governorates. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 540 horses and donkeys. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined using the magnesium sulfate flotation technique for the detection of strongyle eggs. Associations between infection and potential risk factors were evaluated using chi-square analysis, followed by multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of infection. Results: The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal strongyle infection was 39% (214/550). Horses showed a slightly higher prevalence (40%) than donkeys (37%). Infection was significantly associated with sex, age, management system, body condition score, and deworming history ( P < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression identified male sex (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7–4.4), age <2 years (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.8–5.2), grazing management (OR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.8–6.6), poor body condition (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.3–5.9), and absence of regular deworming (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 2.4–7.1) as significant independent risk factors for strongyle infection. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal strongyle infection is common among Egyptian equines and is associated with several management- and host-related factors. Improving grazing management, implementing strategic deworming programs, and enhancing owner awareness are likely to reduce infection risk and improve equine health and productivity. Future studies incorporating quantitative fecal egg counts and molecular characterization are recommended to better assess infection intensity and parasite diversity.

Background: Ticks are major blood-feeding ectoparasitic arthropod vectors of zoonotic and veterinary pathogens, posing serious threats to livestock production, as well as animal and public health worldwide. In tropical and subtropical regions such as Saudi Arabia, one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) are important livestock hosts and are frequently infested with hard ticks, particularly species of the genus Hyalomma. These ticks are known vectors of several protozoan and bacterial pathogens of veterinary importance. However, despite their epidemiological relevance, comprehensive studies that integrate morphological identification, molecular characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of camel-infesting ticks, along with screening for associated protozoan pathogens, remain scarce. This study aimed to characterize Hyalomma dromedarii infesting camels in western and northwestern Saudi Arabia using morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic approaches, and to investigate the presence of selected tick-borne bacterial and protozoan pathogens.Materials, Methods & Results: In this study, Hyalomma specimens were collected from one-humped camels between 2021 and 2022 from 6 localities in Saudi Arabia (Alkhumrah, Brayman, Asfan, Dahaban, Duba, and Tabuk). The collected tick specimens were initially identified morphologically using standard keys and subsequently confirmed at the molecular level through genomic DNA extraction, followed by amplification and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The extracted genomic DNA was further screened for protozoan pathogens using PCR targeting the 18S rDNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method on the Cyberinfrastructure for Phylogenetic Research (CIPRES) server. A total of 218 tick specimens were collected from 48 infested camels, comprising 116 males and 102 females. All collected specimens were morphologically identified as Hyalomma dromedarii, which was supported by cox1 sequence analysis. In BLAST results, the obtained cox1 sequences showed maximum identity with H. dromedarii sequences reported from African, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Australian countries, and phylogenetically clustered with sequences of the same species. Notably, the extracted genomic DNA from H. dromedarii was screened for various pathogens, including Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp., Coxiella spp., Babesia spp., Theileria spp., and Hepatozoon spp. Among these, only protozoan species, specifically Theileria annulata and Hepatozoon canis DNA, were detected in the examined tick specimens. Co-detection of protozoan pathogens was observed in some samples, suggesting the circulation of multiple pathogens within camel-associated tick populations. In BLAST results, the obtained 18S rDNA sequences showed 100% identity with the corresponding species (T. annulata and H. canis) reported from various countries and phylogenetically clustered with the same species sequences.Discussion: This study provides integrated morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic data for Hyalomma dromedarii infesting one-humped camels in the western and northwestern regions of Saudi Arabia and confirms the dominance and genetic stability of this species across multiple study areas. The detection of T. annulata and H. canis highlights the potential epidemiological role of camel ticks in maintaining protozoan pathogens. These findings underscore the importance of continuous molecular surveillance to better understand the ecology, evolution, and pathogen transmission dynamics ofcamel-associated ticks in Saudi Arabia.Keywords: camel, cox1, Hyalomma dromedarii, protozoan, Saudi Arabia.

In the current study, a magnesium oxide–manganese oxide–gold ternary nanocomposite (MgO–MnO–Au TNC) was biosynthesized using Mangifera indica peel extract through an eco-friendly, one-pot approach. UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed the presence of MgO, MnO, and Au within the ternary nanocomposite, showing two absorption bands corresponding to the combined optical effects of the components, while DLS and TEM analysis showed an average particle size of approximately 120 nm with a spherical morphology. XRD analysis demonstrated distinct crystalline peaks corresponding to MgO, MnO, and Au, affirming the polycrystalline nature of the TNC. Biological evaluations demonstrated that MgO–MnO–Au TNC exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, with MIC values of 62.5 μg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 250 μg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus . Antioxidant activity was also remarkable, with IC ₅₀ values of 149.6 μg/mL (DPPH) and 242.1 μg/mL (APTS). Cytotoxicity assessment revealed an IC ₅₀ of 193 μg/mL against normal Wi-38 cells, whereas MCF-7 and Hep-G2 cancer cell lines exhibited IC ₅₀ values of 26.43 μg/mL and 84.13 μg/mL, respectively, indicating selective cytotoxicity with selectivity indices of 7.32 (MCF-7) and 2.30 (Hep-G2). In conclusion, these findings suggest that MgO–MnO–Au TNC is a promising candidate for antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer applications, warranting further investigation into its underlying mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

The current study examines the anti-dengue and antibacterial potential and in silico drug development of the andrographolide against the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus (1JIJ) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6MVN) and the dengue viral protein NS5. The phytochemical analysis identified the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenols, glycosides, and steroids in the Andrographis paniculata methanolic leaf extract. Based on the GC–MS analysis, andrographolide was identified as the primary chemical constituent of the medicinal plant A. paniculata and the compound with the largest peak area among other compounds. The agar well diffusion method was employed to observe the antibacterial potential of the methanolic leaf extract against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The maximal inhibition zones were 15.6 ± 0.34 mm and 11.7 ± 0.42 mm, respectively. Additionally, andrographolide was docked with the NS5 viral protein and bacterial proteins, including S. aureus TyrRS (PDB: 1JIJ) and P. aeruginosa LasR PDB (ID: 6MVN), resulting in a docking score of − 20.7384 kJ/mol, − 15.0969 kJ/mol, and − 11.1171 kJ/mol, respectively. In summary, our molecular docking experiments with the identified andrographolide compound demonstrated its potential as a drug with anti-dengue viral and antibacterial properties.

Background/Objectives: Monkeypox is a re-emerging viral disease with features of infectiously transmitted zoonoses. It is now considered a public health priority because of its rising incidence and transmission from person to person. Monkeypox virus (MPXV) VP39 protein is identified as an essential protein for replication of the virus, and therefore, it is a potential target for antiviral drugs. Methods: This work analyzes the binding affinities and the differential conformational stability of three target compounds and one control compound with the VP39 protein through multiple computational methods. Results: The re-docking analysis revealed that the compounds had high binding affinities towards the target protein; among these compounds, compounds 1 and 2 showed the highest binding energies in the virtual screening, and thus, these were considered as the most active inhibitor candidates. Intermolecular interaction analysis revealed distinct binding mechanisms. While compound 1 had very strong hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, compound 2 had numerous water-mediated interactions, and compound 3 had only ionic and hydrophobic contacts. In molecular dynamic simulations, compounds 1 and 2 showed that the protein–ligand complexes had a stable conformation, with protein RMSD values around 2 Å for both compounds. In contrast, compound 3 was slightly flexible, and the control compound was more flexible. MM/GBSA analysis again supported these results, which gave the binding free energies that were also supportive for these compounds. Conclusions: Notably, all the selected compounds, especially compounds 1 and 2, demonstrate high binding affinity. Therefore, these compounds can be further tested as antiviral agents against monkeypox treatment.