Land Tenure System in the Pre-Colonial Era. Ghana as the Insight.

By land tenure system, we simply mean how right to land is obtained and distributed in a particular society. During the pre-colonial era, the population of Ghana was small and land was in abundance. Hunters were the major link in founding new settlements. This was the results of the hamlets they pitched during their hunting expeditions, which later developed big, bigger and into biggest settlements now. Schnapps and cola nuts which were the commonest items used in just acquiring land yesteryears have vehemently derailed to join the path of remittance. Today, the acquisition of land is very difficult and those in possession are making millions of cedis from it by selling to those who could afford buying. Keywords: Land Tenure System, Pre-colonial, Acquisition, Ghana

Microbiological Contamination of some Fresh Leafy Vegetables Sold in Cape Coast, Ghana

This study evaluated the microbiological contamination of cabbage, lettuce, and scallions sold  in Abura and Kotokuraba markets in Cape Coast, Ghana. These vegetables were analyzed for the presence and levels of microorganisms using standard microbiological procedures. Re­sults revealed bacterial and fungal contaminations of the vegetables from Abura and Kotoku­raba markets. Mean bacterial counts recorded in Nutrient Agar, for example, from Kotokuraba market were 1.93x108, 1.23x108, and 1.17x108 cfu/ml for cabbage, lettuce and scallion, respec­tively, higher than mean bacterial counts recorded from Abura market at 9.9x107, 2.8x107, and 6.60x107 cfu/ml for cabbage, lettuce and scallion, respectively. Conversely, the mean fungal counts for cabbage, lettuce and scallion were higher at Abura market than Kotokuraba market. Bacteria isolated from the vegetables include Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Salmonella spp., Serratia marcescens, and Staphylococcus, whereas fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Candida, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Rhodotorula were isolated. These results indicate that the vegetables are significantly contaminated, and have poor microbiological quality that could potentially result in outbreak of foodborne illnesses. Contaminations of the vegetables were due to poor pre- and post-harvest handling practices. The implications of findings of this study on tourism and hospitality industries in Cape Coast are discussed. Keywords: cabbage, food microbiology, foodborne microorganisms, Ghana, lettuce, scallio

Public Finance and the Responsible Factors Coupled With Public Expenditure: Ghana as the Focus

The phrase public expenditure deals with the subject of government activities and their financing. For instance, capital and recurrent expenditures.  "The expenditure incurred by public authorities like central, state and local governments to satisfy the collective social wants of the people is what the phrase public expenditure connotes." Public spending is planned to benefit categories of individuals and enterprises irrespective of location, or where locations are prioritized using national criteria. Throughout the 19th Century, most governments followed laissez faire economic policies and their functions were only restricted to defending aggression and maintaining law and order. The size of public expenditure was very scanty. But now the expenditure of governments all over has significantly increased. In developing countries like Ghana, public expenditure policy not only accelerates economic growth and promotes employment opportunities but also plays a useful role in reducing poverty and inequalities in income distribution. Besides, in the developing parts of the world, there are poor budgeting systems and lack of transparency and accountability always climb the platform of the frowning moments hence underdevelopment. Keywords: Public Finance, Responsible Factors, Public Expenditure, Ghana, Focus

Basic plastic surgery skills for district and community doctors to manage buruli ulcer in Ghana

Background: The increase in incidence of Buruli ulcer in Ghana has also been complicated by problems in the care of the patients including lack of knowledge and training by staff, unwillingness of the staff to handle the cases for fear of contracting the disease. Method:An evaluation of training workshop on basic plastic surgery skills. Results: Three basic plastic surgery skills training workshops were held in 3 hospitals in 3 different districts in the region with participation from 15 hospitals/health centers drawn from 7 districts of the Ashanti Region. In all 128 health personnel comprising of Doctors - 18, Medical Assistants - 24, Clinical Nurses - 60 and Others - 26 were trained. These trainees went on to form the core of the so-called Buruli Ulcer Management Teams (BUMTs), which are now active in 6 of the institutions that participated in the programme. Conclusion: As a result of these workshops active Buruli Ulcer Management Teams (BUMTs) have been formed in 6 health institutions in the region

Bacteriocin Occurrence and Activity in Escherichia coli Isolated from Bovines and Wastewater

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) E. coli and related Enterobacteriaceae is a serious problem necessitating new mitigation strategies and antimicrobial agents. Bacteriocins, functionally diverse toxins produced by most microbes, have long been studied for their antimicrobial potential. Bacteriocins have once again received attention for their role as probiotic traits that could mitigate pathogen burden and AMR bacteria in livestock. Here, bacteriocins were identified by activity screening and whole-genome sequencing of bacteriocin-producers capable of inhibiting bovine and wastewater E. coli isolates enriched for resistance to cephalosporins. Producers were tested for activity against shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), AMR E. coli, and related enteric pathogens. Multiple bacteriocins were found in 14 out of 90 E. coli isolates tested. Based on alignment within BACTIBASE, colicins M, B, R, Ia, Ib, S4, E1, E2, and microcins V, J25, and H47, encoded by identical, variant, or truncated genes were identified. Although some bacteriocin-producers exhibited activity against AMR and STEC E. coli in agar-based assays, most did not. Despite this idiosyncrasy, liquid co-cultures of all bacteriocinogenic isolates with luciferase-expressing generic (K12) or STEC E. coli (EDL933) resulted in inhibited growth or reduced viability. These abundant toxins may have real potential as next-generation control strategies in livestock production systems but separating the bacteriocin from its immunity gene may be necessary for such a strategy to be effective

Functional screening for triclosan resistance in a wastewater metagenome and isolates of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. from a large Canadian healthcare region.

The biocide triclosan is in many consumer products and is a frequent contaminant of wastewater (WW) such that there is concern that triclosan promotes resistance to important antibiotics. This study identified functional mechanisms of triclosan resistance (TCSR) in WW metagenomes, and assessed the frequency of TCSR in WW-derived and clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. Metagenomic DNA extracted from WW was used to profile the microbiome and construct large-insert cosmid libraries, which were screened for TCSR. Resistant cosmids were sequenced and the TCSR determinant identified by transposon mutagenesis. Wastewater Enterococcus spp. (N = 94) and E. coli (N = 99) and clinical Enterococcus spp. (N = 146) and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE; N = 149) were collected and tested for resistance to triclosan and a comprehensive drug panel. Functional metagenomic screening revealed diverse FabV homologs as major WW TCSR determinants. Resistant clones harboured sequences likely originating from Aeromonas spp., a common WW microbe. The triclosan MIC90s for E. coli, E. faecalis, and E. faecium isolates were 0.125, 32, and 32 mg/L, respectively. For E. coli, there was no correlation between the triclosan MIC and any drug tested. Negative correlations were detected between the triclosan MIC and levofloxacin resistance for E. faecalis, and between triclosan and vancomycin, teicoplanin, and ampicillin resistance for E. faecium. Thus, FabV homologs were the major contributor to the WW triclosan resistome and high-level TCSR was not observed in WW or clinical isolates. Elevated triclosan MICs were not positively correlated with antimicrobial resistance to any drug tested

Whole Genome Sequencing Differentiates Presumptive Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Escherichia coli along Segments of the One Health Continuum

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has important implications for the continued use of antibiotics to control infectious diseases in both beef cattle and humans. AMR along the One Health continuum of the beef production system is largely unknown. Here, whole genomes of presumptive extended-spectrum β-lactamase E. coli (ESBL-EC) from cattle feces (n = 40), feedlot catch basins (n = 42), surrounding streams (n = 21), a beef processing plant (n = 4), municipal sewage (n = 30), and clinical patients (n = 25) are described. ESBL-EC were isolated from ceftriaxone selective plates and subcultured on ampicillin selective plates. Agreement of genotype-phenotype prediction of AMR ranged from 93.2% for ampicillin to 100% for neomycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and enrofloxacin resistance. Overall, β-lactam (100%; blaEC, blaTEM-1, blaSHV, blaOXA, blaCTX-M-), tetracycline (90.1%; tet(A), tet(B)) and folate synthesis (sul2) antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) were most prevalent. The ARGs tet(C), tet(M), tet(32), blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-14, blaOXA-1, dfrA18, dfrA19, catB3, and catB4 were exclusive to human sources, while blaTEM-150, blaSHV-11–12, dfrA12, cmlA1, and cmlA5 were exclusive to beef cattle sources. Frequently encountered virulence factors across all sources included adhesion and type II and III secretion systems, while IncFIB(AP001918) and IncFII plasmids were also common. Specificity and prevalence of ARGs between cattle-sourced and human-sourced presumptive ESBL-EC likely reflect differences in antimicrobial use in cattle and humans. Comparative genomics revealed phylogenetically distinct clusters for isolates from human vs. cattle sources, implying that human infections caused by ESBL-EC in this region might not originate from beef production sources