Comprehensive public health response and preparedness: key lessons from Rwanda’s effective containment of the 2024 Marburg virus outbreak

A B S T R A C T
Background: Antimicrobial drug resistance has become a global health problem. There
is a need for a newer, more efficient, and potent source of antibiotics against these drug
resistant pathogens, especially the Beta-lactamase drug-resistant organisms. This study
examines the antibacterial activity of Streptomyces isolates on Beta-lactamase bacteria.
Method: Soil Samples were collected from various sites within Mogadishu and screened
for the isolation of Streptomyces following the conventional microbiological method. The
soil samples were analyzed for their proximate content and were pretreated and inoculated
onto a Czepadox agar modified with 50mg/mL cycloheximide and incubated for 5 – 7 days
at 37oc. Streptomyces-like isolates were purified and tested for various biochemical and
sugar fermentation tests. The Antimicrobial activity of the Streptomyces isolates against
Beta-lactamase organisms (Penicillin +Oxacillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptomycin resistant Shigella dysenterae, Oxacillin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Carbapenem-resistant Salmonella typhi, Penicillin resistant Escherichia coli) was
examined. The radical scavenging activity of Streptomyces isolates was examined.
Results: Seventy-two (72) Streptomyces isolates were recovered, but only 10 isolates
expressed high antibacterial activity against beta-lactamase-resistant bacteria.
Streptomyces isolate GS 4 demonstrated the highest activity among the examined isolates.
All the isolates had considerably high antioxidant activity. Conclusion: There was a high
antibacterial activity of Streptomyces isolates recovered from the soil of Mogadishu
against beta-lactamase-resistant bacteria. This study offers essential knowledge on soil
properties and the potential of Streptomyces isolates for use in biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries and provides source material for bioactive antibiotics.