Ilham Zerdani

Background: Globally disseminated high‐risk Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) clones are major drivers of multidrug resistance (MDR) and severe clinical infections. Their presence in aquatic ecosystems represents a growing One Health concern, particularly in regions where wastewater management remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the environmental circulation and genomic characteristics of high‐risk E. coli in Moroccan aquatic environments. Methods: Water samples were collected between February and June 2024 from seven major rivers and three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across eight Moroccan cities. A total of 22 E. coli isolates were recovered and analyzed by whole‐genome sequencing to determine their sequence types (STs), antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence factors, and plasmid replicon profiles. Results: Sixteen isolates originated from rivers (72.7%) and six from WWTPs (27.3%). Thirteen distinct STs were identified, dominated by the globally disseminated high‐risk clones ST44 ( n = 4; 18.2%), ST410 ( n = 4; 18.2%), and ST131 ( n = 3; 13.6%). The most frequent extended‐spectrum β ‐lactamase (ESBL) gene was bla _CTX-M-15 ( n = 13; 59.1%). Carbapenemase genes were found in five isolates (22.7%), including bla _NDM-5 ( n = 2; 9.1%), bla _OXA-48 ( n = 1; 4.5%), bla _OXA-181 ( n = 1; 4.5%), bla _OXA-484 ( n = 2; 9.1%), and bla _OXA-244 ( n = 1; 4.5%), whereas mcr-1.1 was detected in one isolate (4.5%). Plasmid profiling showed a predominance of IncF‐type replicons (IncFIB 81.8%, IncFII 77.3%, and IncFIA 68.2%), along with IncI (36.4%), IncX (13.6%), and IncHI (9.1%). Conclusion: This study provides the first genomic evidence of clinically relevant high‐risk E. coli clones and mobile resistance determinants circulating in Moroccan aquatic environments. These findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen integrated One Health surveillance to prevent environmental dissemination and reduce the public health impact of antimicrobial resistance.

The Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHiA) is a peer-reviewed, academic journal that focuses on health issues in the African continent. The journal editors seek high quality original articles on public health related issues, reviews, comments and more. The aim of the journal is to move public health discourse from the background to the forefront. The success of Africa’s struggle against disease depends on public health approaches.

A microbial fuel cell produce electric energy and clean up effluents thanks to bio-electrochemical reactions in which electro-active bacteria are used as catalysts, it is considered as a sustainable technique. This paper focuses on the effect of different times of open circuit potential on the current density produced by compost leachate. The obtained results demonstrate that an electro-active biofilm was developed using compost leachate, with a potential (-0.2V/ESC. Maximum current density (458.3 µA/cm²) was reached after only 3h of polarization after an open circuit duration of 28 days. Scanning electron microscopy has been used to characterize the biofilm formed on carbon graphite electrodes at different phases.