title: High isolation rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria from water and carpets of mosques.
abstract: There is little information regarding the isolation of antimicrobial-resistant potentially pathogenic bacteria from water and carpets of mosques worldwide. The objective of the present investigation is to determine the bacteriological quality of water and carpets of mosques in Elkhomes city in Libya.
  
  
  
  Potentially pathogenic bacteria were isolated from water samples (n=44) and dust samples from carpets (n=50) of 50 mosques in Elkhomes city, Libya, using standard bacteriological procedures. Susceptibility of isolated bacteria to antimicrobial agents was determined by the disc-diffusion method.
  
  
  
  Of the water samples examined, 12 (27.3%) were positive for Escherichia coli, 10 (22.7%) for Klebsiella spp., and 15 (34.1%) for other enteric bacteria. Of the dust samples of carpets examined, 6 (12%) were positive for E. coli, 33 (66%) for Klebsiella spp., and 30 (60%) for Staphylococcus spp. Multidrug resistance (MDR, resistance to three or more antimicrobial groups) was found among 48.7% (19/37) and 46.9% (30/64) of the examined enterobacteria from water and carpets, respectively, and among 66.7% (20/30) of Staphylococcus spp. from carpets. In addition, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated from a carpet of one mosque.
  
  
  
  Presence of multidrug-resistant potentially pathogenic bacteria in examined water and carpets indicate that mosques as communal environments may play a role in the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the community and pose a serious health risk to worshipers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, El-Margeb University, Elkhomes, Libya.
authors.forename: Mostafa Mohamed
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mohamed Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, El-Margeb University, Elkhomes, Libya.
authors.forename: Fuoad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alemary
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratories, Microbiology Unit, Central Hospital, Zliten, Libya.
authors.forename: Amna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alrtail
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratories, Microbiology Unit, Central Hospital, Zliten, Libya.
authors.forename: Moftah M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rzeg
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratories, Microbiology Unit, Central Hospital, Zliten, Libya.
authors.forename: Abdulla M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Albakush
authors.affiliation: El-Nakheel Compound, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, Egypt; ghenghesh_micro@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Khalifa Sifaw
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ghenghesh
mesh_terms: D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D007514:Islam; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008002:Libya; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health / Q000592:standards; D012067:Religion; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D004391:Dust
keywords: Libya; carpets; mosques; multidrug resistance; potentially pathogenic bacteria; water