CAES Profile

Issmat I Kassem Assistant Professor Center for Food Safety

Contact Information Issmat.Kassem@uga.edu 770-228-7283

Mailing Address 1109 Experiment Street, Melton Building 187, Griffin, GA 30223

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IKassem Lab website

Publications

(2019 - present)

Ballout R, Toufeili I, Kharroubi SA, Kassem II. Raw Meat Consumption and Food Safety Challenges: A Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Consumers in Lebanon. Foods. 2023 Dec 29;13(1):118. doi: 10.3390/foods13010118. PMID: 38201146; PMCID: PMC10779077.

Daaboul D, Kassem II, El Omari K, Hamze M, Daboussi F, Oueslati S, Naas T, Osman M. 2023. Emergence of blaNDM-5-harboring Escherichia coli ST617 in refugee and host communities and their environment. J Travel Med. 11:taad141. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad141.

Daaboul D, Kassem II, El Omari K, Dabboussi F, Oueslati S, Naas T, Osman M. The occurrence of the carbapenemase gene, blaNDM-5, on a transmissible IncX3 plasmid in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from a farm dog. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 36:59-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.12.006.

Daaboul D, Oueslati S, Rima M, Kassem II, Mallat H, Birer A, Girlich D, Hamze M, Dabboussi F, Osman M, Naas T. 2023. The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in hospitals: a major challenge for a debilitated healthcare system in Lebanon. Front Public Health. 11:1290912. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1290912.

El Safadi D, Osman M, Hanna A, Hajar I, Kassem II, Khalife S, Dabboussi F, Hamze M. 2023. Parasitic contamination of fresh leafy green vegetables sold in Northern Lebanon. Pathogens. 12(8):1014. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12081014.

Helmy YA, Taha-Abdelaziz K, Hawwas HAE, Ghosh S, AlKafaas SS, Moawad MMM, Saied EM, Kassem II, Mawad AMM. 2023. Antimicrobial resistance and recent alternatives to antibiotics for the control of bacterial pathogens with an emphasis on foodborne pathogens. Antibiotics (Basel). 2023 Jan 30;12(2):274. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12020274.

Hassoun N, Kassem II, Hamze M, El Tom J, Papon N, Osman M. 2023. Antifungal use and resistance in a lower-middle-income country: the case of Lebanon. Antibiotics (Basel). 2(9):1413. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12091413.

Hussein ND, Hassan JW, Osman M, El-Omari K, Kharroubi SA, Toufeili I, Kassem II. 2023. Assessment of the microbiological acceptability of white cheese (Akkawi) in Lebanon and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of associated Escherichia coli. Antibiotics (Basel). 12(3):610. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12030610.

Kasir D, Osman N, Awik A, El Ratel I, Rafei R, Al Kassaa I, El Safadi D, Salma R, El Omari K, Cummings KJ, Kassem II, Osman M. 2023. Zoonotic tuberculosis: a neglected disease in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Diseases. 11(1):39. doi: 10.3390/diseases11010039.

Kassem II, Osman M, Hassan J, Sulaiman AA, Mann D, Esseili MA, Naas T, Deng X. 2023. First report of the mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-1.26, in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from retail chicken meat. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 34:176-178. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.07.005.

Khoder M, Osman M, Kassem II, Rafei R, Shahin A, Diene SM, Rolain JM, Hamze M. 2023. Genomic analysis of Neisseria meningitidis ST23 serogroup Y isolated from the semen. New Microbes New Infect. 2023 Apr 25;53:101129. doi: 10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101129.

Osman M, Al Kassaa I, El Omari K, Kassem II. Editorial: Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial alternatives. Front Med (Lausanne). 10:1171283. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1171283.

Osman M, Daaboul D, Tajani AG, Omari KE, Bisha B, Hassan J, Cazer CL, Fiorella KJ, Karah N, Abbara A, Hamze M, Cummings KJ, Naas T, Kassem II. 2023. Multidrug-resistant pathogens contaminate river water used in irrigation in disenfranchised communities: multidrug-resistant pathogens in irrigation waters. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. S2213-7165(23)00230-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.12.016.

Osman M, Kassem II, Dabboussi F, Cummings KJ, Hamze M. 2023. The indelible toll of enteric pathogens: Prevalence, clinical characterization, and seasonal trends in patients with acute community-acquired diarrhea in disenfranchised communities. PLoS One.18(3):e0282844. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282844.

Osman M, Yassine I, Hamze M, Al Mir H, Ghorbani Tajani A, Bisha B, Cummings KJ, Madec JY, Haenni M, Kassem II. Emergence of Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin- and Colistin-Resistant Enterobacterales in Otherwise Healthy University Students. Microb Drug Resist. 2023 Nov 27. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2023.0213. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38011748.

Abou Fayad A, El Azzi M, Sleiman A, Kassem II, Bawazeer RA, Okdah L, Doumith M, Alghoribi MF, Matar GM. 2022. Acquired resistome and plasmid sequencing of mcr-1 carrying MDR Enterobacteriaceae from poultry and their relationship to STs associated with humans. JAC Antimicrob Resist. 4(1):dlab198. doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlab198

Al Mana H, Johar AA, Kassem II, Eltai NO. 2022. Transmissibility and persistence of the plasmid-borne mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-1, harbored in poultry-associated E. coli. Antibiotics (Basel). 11(6):774. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics11060774. PMID: 35740180; PMCID: PMC9220209.

Dabbousi AA, Dabboussi F, Hamze M, Osman M, Kassem II. 2022. The emergence and dissemination of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Lebanon: current status and challenges during the economic crisis. Antibiotics (Basel). 11(5):687. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics11050687. PMID: 35625331; PMCID: PMC9137902.

Esseili, MA, Mann A, Narwankar R, Kassem II, Diez-Gonzalez F, Hogan J. 2022. SARS-CoV-2 remains infectious for at least a month on artificially-contaminated frozen berries. Food Microbiol. 107:104084. doi: 10.1016/j.fm.2022.104084.

Halimeh FB, Rafei R, Diene SM, Osman M, Kassem II, Jamal Akoum R, Moudani W, Hamze M, Rolain JM. 2022. Genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant Campylobacter coli strain isolated from a newborn with severe diarrhea in Lebanon. Folia Microbiol (Praha). doi: 10.1007/s12223-021-00921-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34997523.

Hassan J, Esseili MA, Mann D, Osman M, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. 2022. Draft genome sequences of antibiotic-resistant Serratia sp. strains isolated from raw sewage and sediment sludge in Georgia, USA. Microbiol Resour Announc.11(12):e0096522. doi: 10.1128/mra.00965-22. Epub 2022 Nov 16. PMID: 36383023; PMCID: PMC9753650.

Hassan J, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. 2022. First report of the mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-9.1, in Morganella morganii isolated from sewage in Georgia, USA. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 9:S2213-7165(21)00267-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.11.013.

Kassem II, Assi A, Osman M, Mann D, Li S, Deng X. 2022. First Report of the Detection of the Plasmid-Borne Colistin Resistance Gene, mcr-1.26, in Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from a Domesticated Pigeon. Microb Drug Resist. 28:821-823. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2021.0359.

Kassem II, Hassan J, Esseili MA, Mann D, Osman M, Li S, Deng X. 2022. Draft genome sequences of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from river water. Microbiol Resour Announc. e0082722. doi: 10.1128/mra.00827-22. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36222705.

Kassem II, Osman M. 2022. A brewing storm: the impact of economic collapse on the access to antimicrobials in Lebanon. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 313-315. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2022.04.023. Epub 2022 May 2. PMID: 35513228.

Kassem II, Osman M, Jaafar H, El Omari K. 2022. Refugee settlements, sewage pollution, COVID-19 and the unfolding cholera outbreak in Lebanon. J Travel Med. 29(8):taac142. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taac142. PMID: 36434781.

Khoder M, Rafei R, Osman M, Kassem II, Shahin A, Hamze M, Rolain JM. 2022. Emergence of a Neisseria flavescens clinical strain with a high level of third-generation cephalosporins resistance in Lebanon. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 103(1):115660. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2022.115660. Epub 2022 Feb 23. PMID: 35306445.

Osman M, Cummings KJ, El Omari K, Kassem II. Catch-22: War, Refugees, COVID-19, and the scourge of antimicrobial resistance. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jun 24;9:921921. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.921921. PMID: 35814789; PMCID: PMC9263824.

Osman M, Kasir D, Rafei R, Kassem II, Ismail MB, El Omari K, Dabboussi F, Cazer C, Papon N, Bouchara JP, Hamze M. 2022. Trends in the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in the Middle East and North Africa region. Int J Dermatol. 61(8):935-968. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15967. Epub 2021 Nov 12. PMID: 34766622.

Al Kassaa I, El Omari S, Abbas N, Papon N, Drider D, Kassem II, Osman M. High association of COVID-19 severity with poor gut health score in Lebanese patients. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 21;16(10):e0258913. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258913. PMID: 34673813; PMCID: PMC8530309

Dagher LA, Hassan J, Kharroubi S, Jaafar H, Kassem II. 2021.Nationwide assessment of water quality in rivers across Lebanon by quantifying fecal indicators densities and profiling antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli. Antibiotics. 10:883. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10070883

Halimeh, F.B., Rafei, R., Osman, M, Kassem II, Diene S M, Dabboussi F, Rolain J-M. Hamze M. 2021. Historical, current, and emerging tools for identification and serotyping of Shigella. Braz J Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00573-5.

Hassan J, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. First report of the mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-9.1, in Morganella morganii isolated from sewage in Georgia, USA. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 9:S2213-7165(21)00267-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.11.013.

Hassan J, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. 2021. Emergence of the mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-1, in multidrug-resistant E. coli isolated from the fecal matter of toddlers in a community. Antimmicrob Agents Chem AAC.00243-21; DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00243-21.

Helmy YA, Kassem II, Rajashekara G. 2021. Immuno-modulatory effect of probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 in polarized human colonic cells against Campylobacter jejuni infection. Gut Microbes. 13:1-16. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2020.1857514.

Kassem II, Mann D, Li S, Deng X. 2021. Draft genome sequences and resistome analysis of multidrug-resistant mcr-1-harbouring Escherichia coli isolated from pre-harvest poultry in Lebanon. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 25:114-116. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.03.001.

Nasser NA, Alhaj Sulaiman A, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. 2021. Draft genome sequences of multidrug-resistant and mcr-1.1- harboring Escherichia coli isolated from drinking and well waters used in Syrian refugee camps. Microbiol Resour Announc 10:e01252-20. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01252-20.

Nasser NA, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Kassem II. 2021 Draft genome sequences of colistin-resistant and mcr-1.1-carrying Escherichia coli strains isolated from irrigation water. Microbiol Resour Announc. 10:e00120-21.

Osman M, Kasir D, Kassem II, Hamze M. 2021. Shortage in appropriate diagnostics of antimicrobial resistance in Lebanese clinical settings: a crisis amplified by COVID-19 and economic collapse. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. S2213-7165(21)00200-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.08.008.

Osman M, Kasir D, Rafei R, Kassem II, Ismail MB, El Omari K, Dabboussi F, Cazer C, Papon N, Bouchara JP, Hamze M. Trends in the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in the Middle East and North Africa region. Int J Dermatol. 2021 Nov 12. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15967.

ZeinEddine R, Nasser N, Kassem II, Saoud IP. Effect of the human probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle (1917) on performance and immune response of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. J Appl Aquacult. 15:1-5. https://doi.org/10.1080/10454438.2020.1871151

Alhaj Sulaiman AA, Kassem II. 2020. First report of the plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) in Proteus mirabilis isolated from domestic and sewer waters in Syrian refugee camps. Travel Med Infect Dis. 33:101482. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.101482.

Hassan J, Kassem II. 2020. Audacious Hitchhikers: The role of travel and the international food trade in the global dissemination of mobile colistin-resistance (mcr) genes. Antibiotics 9, 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9070370

Sourenian T, Mann D, Li S, Deng X, Jaafar H, Kassem II. 2020.Dissemination of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli harboring the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1.1 on transmissible plasmids in the Mediterranean Sea. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 22:84-86. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2020.05.007

Hassan J, El Gemayel L, Bashour I, and Kassem II. On the edge of a precipice: the global emergence and dissemination of plasmid-borne mcr genes that confer resistance to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic. 2019. In Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in the Environment Volume 1, Hashmi M (Ed.). Advances in Environmental Pollution Research series, Elsevier. ISBN: 9780128188828.

Hmede, Z., Kassem, I. 2019. First report of the plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) in Proteus mirabilis isolated from a toddler in non-clinical settings. IDCases. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idcr.2019.e00651

Alhaj Sulaiman AA, Kassem II. 2019. First report of the plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) in Proteus mirabilis isolated from domestic and sewer waters in Syrian refugee camps. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2019 Sep 12:101482. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.101482. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893919301668?via%3Dihub

Sulaiman AAA, Kassem II. 2019. First report on the detection of the plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in multi-drug resistant E. coli isolated from domestic and sewer waters in Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon. Travel Med Infect Dis. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.06.014.