Issmat I Kassem Assistant Professor Center for Food Safety
Portrait of Issmat I Kassem
Contact Information Issmat.Kassem@uga.edu 770-228-7283

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Portrait of Issmat I Kassem

Publications

(2019 - present)

 

 

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.