Featured Publications
Refugee settlements, sewage pollution, COVID-19 and the unfolding cholera outbreak in Lebanon
Kassem I, Osman M, Jaafar H, Omari K. Refugee settlements, sewage pollution, COVID-19 and the unfolding cholera outbreak in Lebanon. Journal Of Travel Medicine 2022, 29: taac142. PMID: 36434781, DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac142.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA brewing storm: the impact of economic collapse on the access to antimicrobials in Lebanon
Kassem I, Osman M. A brewing storm: the impact of economic collapse on the access to antimicrobials in Lebanon. Journal Of Global Antimicrobial Resistance 2022, 29: 313-315. PMID: 35513228, DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2022.04.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnti-Infective AgentsLebanonDrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Lebanon, 2016 – 2017 - Volume 25, Number 3—March 2019 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC
Achkar S, Demanche C, Osman M, Rafei R, Ismail M, Yaacoub H, Pinçon C, Duthoy S, De Matos F, Gaudin C, Trovato A, Cirillo D, Hamze M, Supply P. Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Lebanon, 2016 – 2017 - Volume 25, Number 3—March 2019 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2019, 25: 564-568. PMID: 30789124, PMCID: PMC6390733, DOI: 10.3201/eid2503.181375.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 anti-Spike antibody levels and breakthrough infection risk among vaccinated adults in North Lebanon
Nour D, Ismail M, Osman M, Rafei R, Kasir D, Dabboussi F, Colson P, Hamze M. Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 anti-Spike antibody levels and breakthrough infection risk among vaccinated adults in North Lebanon. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0302579. PMID: 38722969, PMCID: PMC11081361, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302579.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune responseAntibody titersAntibody levelsAnti-spike antibody levelsCharacteristics of immune responsesWaning immune responsesMultivariate logistic regression modelSARS-CoV-2 antibody titersLevel of antibody titerVaccinated patientsBNT162b2 vaccineUnivariate analysisLogistic regression modelsSputnik V vaccineBlood specimensPfizer-BioNTechVaccine doseImmune statusVaccinated adultsSARS-CoV-2InfectionNorth LebanonVaccineAstraZeneca vaccineTiters
2023
Genomic analysis of Shigella isolates from Lebanon reveals marked genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance
Yassine I, Rafei R, de la Gandara M, Osman M, Fabre L, Dabboussi F, Hamze M, Weill F. Genomic analysis of Shigella isolates from Lebanon reveals marked genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance. Microbial Genomics 2023, 9: 001157. PMID: 38100171, PMCID: PMC10763507, DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001157.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExtended-spectrum beta-lactamase genesThird-generation cephalosporinsMultidrug resistance phenotypeBeta-lactamase genesAntimicrobial resistance determinantsPrevalent serogroupsClinical isolatesQuinolone resistanceDNA gyrase genesAntimicrobial resistanceResistance determinantsCTXResistance phenotypeAmino acid substitutionsGyrase genesIsolatesNorth LebanonFirst studyAcid substitutionsPoint mutationsGenomic analysisCephalosporinsThe emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in hospitals: a major challenge for a debilitated healthcare system in Lebanon
Daaboul D, Oueslati S, Rima M, Kassem I, Mallat H, Birer A, Girlich D, Hamze M, Dabboussi F, Osman M, Naas T. The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in hospitals: a major challenge for a debilitated healthcare system in Lebanon. Frontiers In Public Health 2023, 11: 1290912. PMID: 38074718, PMCID: PMC10699444, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1290912.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKirby-Bauer disk diffusionDifferent Lebanese hospitalsSelf-medication practicesDisk diffusionPublic health systemCarbapenemase-producing EnterobacteralesConventional diagnostic methodsESBL producersHospital settingAntibiotic susceptibilityLebanese hospitalsClinical settingHospitalHealth systemSusceptibility profilesAntimicrobial resistanceHealthcare systemPlasmid typesHealthcare challengesDiagnostic methodsNDMCarbapenemsAMR awarenessIsolatesLebanese community
2022
The impact of vaccination on the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease from a nationwide surveillance program in Lebanon: an unexpected increase in mortality driven by non-vaccine serotypes
Reslan L, Youssef N, Boutros C, Assaf-Casals A, Fayad D, Khafaja S, Akl F, Finianos M, Rizk A, Shaker R, Zaghlout A, Lteif M, Hafi B, Moumneh M, Feghali R, Ghanem S, Jisr T, Karayakoupoglou G, Naboulsi M, Hamze M, Samad S, Khoury E, Sarraf R, Osman M, Raad E, Amin H, Abadi I, Abdo H, Chedid M, Chamseddine F, Barakat A, Houmani M, Haddad A, Nour G, Mokhbat J, Daoud Z, El-Zaatari M, Sokhn E, Ghosn N, Ammar W, Hamadeh R, Matar G, Araj G, Dbaibo G. The impact of vaccination on the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease from a nationwide surveillance program in Lebanon: an unexpected increase in mortality driven by non-vaccine serotypes. Expert Review Of Vaccines 2022, 21: 1905-1921. PMID: 36342411, DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2143349.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInvasive pneumococcal diseaseNon-vaccine typesPneumococcal conjugate vaccinePCV13 eraPneumococcal diseaseBurden of IPDSurveillance programHigher valency vaccinesPost-PCV7 eraRecommendation of vaccinationNon-vaccine serotypesImpact of vaccinationNationwide surveillance programAntimicrobial resistance profilesPCV7 eraPCV7 serotypesConjugate vaccineSerotype distributionUnvaccinated populationAntimicrobial stewardshipMortality rateAge groupsResistance profilesStudy periodSignificant decreaseThe Role of Lebanon in the COVID-19 Butterfly Effect: The B.1.398 Example
Nour D, Rafei R, Lamarca A, de Almeida L, Osman M, Ismail M, Mallat H, Berry A, Burfin G, Semanas Q, Josset L, Hassan H, Dabboussi F, Lina B, Colson P, Vasconcelos A, Hamze M. The Role of Lebanon in the COVID-19 Butterfly Effect: The B.1.398 Example. Viruses 2022, 14: 1640. PMID: 36016262, PMCID: PMC9412248, DOI: 10.3390/v14081640.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigh rates of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance in human campylobacteriosis in the Middle East and North Africa
Dabbousi A, Osman M, Dabboussi F, Hamze M. High rates of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance in human campylobacteriosis in the Middle East and North Africa. Future Microbiology 2022, 17: 957-967. PMID: 35796073, DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2021-0302.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman campylobacteriosisRoutine stool cultureBacterial gastrointestinal infectionsClinical laboratoriesIncidence of campylobacteriosisPaucity of dataMain causative agentStool culturesGastrointestinal infectionsDiarrheal patientsMicrobiological diagnosisClinical importanceFluoroquinolone resistanceInfection prevalenceAntimicrobial resistanceZoonotic diseaseCausative agentCampylobacteriosisHigh rateAlarming ratePatientsCritical needEpidemiologyInfectionPrevalenceEmergence of a Neisseria flavescens clinical strain with a high level of third-generation cephalosporins resistance in Lebanon
Khoder M, Rafei R, Osman M, Kassem I, Shahin A, Hamze M, Rolain J. Emergence of a Neisseria flavescens clinical strain with a high level of third-generation cephalosporins resistance in Lebanon. Diagnostic Microbiology And Infectious Disease 2022, 103: 115660. PMID: 35306445, DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2022.115660.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenome sequence of a multidrug-resistant Campylobacter coli strain isolated from a newborn with severe diarrhea in Lebanon
Halimeh F, Rafei R, Diene S, Osman M, Kassem I, Jamal Akoum R, Moudani W, Hamze M, Rolain J. Genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant Campylobacter coli strain isolated from a newborn with severe diarrhea in Lebanon. Folia Microbiologica 2022, 67: 319-328. PMID: 34997523, DOI: 10.1007/s12223-021-00921-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCampylobacter coli strainsSevere diarrheaST-828 complexC. coli isolatesBurden of CampylobacterBeta-lactam resistanceNew sequence typesSequencing analysisEpidemiological backgroundColi isolatesWhole-genome sequencing analysisAminoglycoside resistanceC. coliColi strainsAntimicrobial resistanceBlaOXA-61Virulence determinantsDisk diffusionMLST analysisWGS analysisDiarrheaNewbornsPTet plasmidAntimicrobial susceptibility phenotypesSusceptibility phenotype
2021
High association of COVID-19 severity with poor gut health score in Lebanese patients
Al Kassaa I, Omari S, Abbas N, Papon N, Drider D, Kassem I, Osman M. High association of COVID-19 severity with poor gut health score in Lebanese patients. PLOS ONE 2021, 16: e0258913. PMID: 34673813, PMCID: PMC8530309, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258913.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 symptomsCOVID-19 severityHealth scoresGut healthLogistic regression modelsSevere symptomsLebanese patientsSevere COVID-19 casesSARS-CoV-2 PCRMultiple logistic regression modelFlu-like illnessCross-sectional studyCoronavirus disease 2019Multiple ordinal logistic regression modelsUnhealthy food intakeOrdinal logistic regression modelsRegression modelsRespiratory virusesMean ageIllness episodesCOVID-19 casesDisease 2019Food intakePossible associationDisease pathophysiologySpread of ESC-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli clones and plasmids within and between food workers in Lebanon
Al-Mir H, Osman M, Drapeau A, Hamze M, Madec J, Haenni M. Spread of ESC-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli clones and plasmids within and between food workers in Lebanon. Journal Of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2021, 76: 3135-3143. PMID: 34534282, DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab327.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMDR E. coliCarriage rateColistin resistanceFood workersHigh carriage rateNon-duplicate isolatesMDR Escherichia coliMiddle-income countriesCarbapenem resistanceHealthy adultsE. coli lineagesDifferent STsPlasmid transmissionCarbapenemsClonal transmissionE. coliMonthly intervalsLebanese communityPlasmid spreadSpecies distribution and antifungal susceptibility of Aspergillus clinical isolates in Lebanon
Osman M, Bidon B, Abboud C, Zakaria A, Hamze B, Achcar M, Mallat H, Dannaoui E, Dabboussi F, Papon N, Bouchara J, Hamze M. Species distribution and antifungal susceptibility of Aspergillus clinical isolates in Lebanon. Future Microbiology 2021, 16: 13-26. PMID: 33438473, DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2020-0141.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntifungal susceptibilityAspergillus clinical isolatesAntifungal susceptibility patternsReverse transcription-quantitative PCRNational Reference CenterOverall drug resistanceTranscription-quantitative PCRInvasive mycosesSusceptibility patternsHealth strategiesEUCAST recommendationsReference centerClinical isolatesAmphotericin BDrug resistanceResistant isolatesMajor causeGene mutationsExpression levelsIsolatesEpidemiologySusceptibilityMycoses
2020
Molecular epidemiology of nonpharyngeal group A streptococci isolates in northern Lebanon
Rafei R, Hawli M, Osman M, Khelissa S, Salloum T, Dabboussi F, Tokajian S, Hamze M. Molecular epidemiology of nonpharyngeal group A streptococci isolates in northern Lebanon. Future Microbiology 2020, 15: 1555-1569. PMID: 33236928, DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2020-0072.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInvestigation of an XDR-Acinetobacter baumannii ST2 outbreak in an intensive care unit of a Lebanese tertiary care hospital
Osman M, Halimeh F, Rafei R, Mallat H, Tom J, Raad E, Diene S, Jamal S, Al Atrouni A, Dabboussi F, Moudani W, Madec J, Saras E, Lupo A, Haenni M, Rolain J, Hamze M. Investigation of an XDR-Acinetobacter baumannii ST2 outbreak in an intensive care unit of a Lebanese tertiary care hospital. Future Microbiology 2020, 15: 1535-1542. PMID: 33215520, DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2020-0079.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAcinetobacter baumanniiAcinetobacter InfectionsAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacterial ProteinsBeta-LactamasesCarbapenemsCross InfectionDisease OutbreaksDrug Resistance, Multiple, BacterialFemaleHumansIntensive Care UnitsLebanonMaleMicrobial Sensitivity TestsMiddle AgedPhylogenyTertiary Care CentersConceptsTertiary care hospitalCare hospitalPolymerase chain reactionInfection preventionPulsed-field gel electrophoresisAppropriate infection preventionIntensive care unitReal-time polymerase chain reactionMultilocus sequence typing analysisHospitalized patientsCare unitPolyclonal outbreakOXA-23Epidemiological relatednessSequence typing analysisControl measuresHospitalChain reactionFull eradicationTyping analysisPreventionOutbreakGel electrophoresisPatientsFirst data on latent tuberculosis infection in Syrian refugees with diabetes in Lebanon
Ismail M, Nour D, Raad G, Osman M, Rafei R, Mallat H, Dabboussi F, Hamze M. First data on latent tuberculosis infection in Syrian refugees with diabetes in Lebanon. Public Health 2020, 189: 97-100. PMID: 33197733, DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.09.021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLatent tuberculosis infectionTuberculosis infectionQuantiFERON-TB GoldTuberculosis control strategiesCross-sectional studyMean ageRisk factorsClinical dataStudy populationHigh riskBlood samplesDiabetesOlder agePatientsDouble troubleInfectionVulnerable populationsAgeStructured questionnaireRiskNorth LebanonSyrian refugeesPopulationConflict-displaced populationsMellitusSpecies distribution and antifungal susceptibility patterns of clinical Candida isolates in North Lebanon: A pilot cross-sectional multicentric study
Osman M, Al Bikai A, Rafei R, Mallat H, Dabboussi F, Hamze M. Species distribution and antifungal susceptibility patterns of clinical Candida isolates in North Lebanon: A pilot cross-sectional multicentric study. Journal De Mycologie Médicale 2020, 30: 100986. PMID: 32417178, DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2020.100986.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSeroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in pregnant women in northern Lebanon.
Ismail M, Khodor S, Osman M, Mallat H, Dabboussi F, Hamze M. Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in pregnant women in northern Lebanon. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2020, 26: 580-585. PMID: 32538452, DOI: 10.26719/emhj.19.103.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHepatitis E virus infectionE virus infectionHepatitis E virusPregnant womenE virusVirus infectionRisk factorsAnti-hepatitis E virus IgG antibodiesFurther epidemiological studiesAcute hepatitisBlood transfusionIgG antibodiesNational prevalenceEpidemiological studiesELISA techniqueSociodemographic characteristicsInfectionDeath ratePrevalenceSocioeconomic statusWomenVirusPopulation groupsSeroprevalenceEducational level
2019
Prevalence and genetic diversity of Campylobacter spp. in the production chain of broiler chickens in Lebanon and its association with the intestinal protozoan Blastocystis sp
Greige S, Rivoal K, Osman M, Safadi D, Dabboussi F, Hage R, Viscogliosi E, Hamze M, Chemaly M. Prevalence and genetic diversity of Campylobacter spp. in the production chain of broiler chickens in Lebanon and its association with the intestinal protozoan Blastocystis sp. Poultry Science 2019, 98: 5883-5891. PMID: 31134283, DOI: 10.3382/ps/pez286.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh prevalenceCampylobacter sppBlastocystis spBroiler chickensC. coliC. jejuniBurden of campylobacteriosisC. jejuni isolatesPublic health impactHuman clinical casesPrevalence of CampylobacterSignificant associationJejuni isolatesSlaughterhouse workersClinical casesPrevalenceHuman campylobacteriosisCecumHuman gastroenteritisCampylobacter jejuniCampylobacter speciesCommon foodborne pathogensHealth impactsRecent dataTyping methods