Comparative distribution of bacterial contaminants of packaged and unpackaged polyherbal products sold in Nnewi, Nigeria

Background: The use of herbal medicine continues to remain popular despite advances in orthodox medicine largely as a result of affordability and availability. However, contaminated and potentially toxic polyherbal preparations remain a public health challenge despite regulations instituted by concerned agencies in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine and compare the bacterial contaminants of different polyherbal products sold in Nnewi, NigeriaMethodology: This study evaluated the bacteriological profile of 22 packaged and 22 unpackaged polyherbal preparations sold in Nnewi, Nigeria. The samples were collected from different herbal medicine shops in Nnewi by simple random sampling and were assayed for comparative bacterial loads with chromogenic media and their total viable counts evaluated following standard method for microbial load analysis.Results: Bacterial contaminants were isolated from 9 of 22 (40.9%) packaged polyherbal samples while 13 of 22 (59.1%) samples were bacteriologically sterile. For the unpackaged polyherbal, bacterial contaminants were isolated from 18 of 22 (81.8%) samples while 4 of 22 (18.2%) were bacteriologically sterile (OR 0.1538, p=0.0122). The most frequently isolated bacterial contaminant in the packaged polyherbal samples was Enterococcus faecalis with 33.3% (6/18) while Salmonella sp was the least frequently isolated with 5.6% (1/18). For the unpackaged polyherbals, the most frequently isolated bacterial contaminant was Staphylococcus aureus with 25% (7/28) while Salmonella sp and E. faecalis were the least frequently isolated with 10.7% (3/28) each. The median total viable count of the packaged group of the polyherbal products was 1.48x106 CFU/ml, while the median total viable count for unpackaged group of polyherbals was 1.95x106 CFU/ml.Conclusion: This study shows that many polyherbal products sold in Nnewi are potentially contaminated with bacterial agents. It is therefore imperative that herbal medicine practitioners be enlightened on hygienic ways of preventing microbial contamination during polyherbal production. Keywords: Bacterial contaminants, herbal products, Nnewi, Nigeri

A comparative study of the oral microbiome compositions of healthy postmenopausal, premenopausal, and prepubertal Nigerian females, using 16S rRNA metagenomics methods

Introduction: There is a paucity of information on the oral microbiome compositions of Nigerians, mostly due to lack of appropriate molecular techniques. In this pilot study, we sought to determine and characterize the oral bacterial compositions of “healthy” females. Materials and Methods: Oral samples were collected from three randomly selected females aged 56, 28, and 8 years. DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA V4 region was amplified using custom‑barcoded primers before sequencing with Illumina MiSeq platform. Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology pipeline was used for 16S rRNA recognition. Distribution of taxonomic categories at different levels of resolution was done using the ribosomal RNA similarities to entries in the REFseq protein database. Diversity score was calculated based on the inverse Simpson’s index. Results: The inverse Simpson’s diversity index for the postmenopausal, premenopausal, and prepubertal was 7.74, 6.95, and 7.42 respectively. A total of 12 phyla, 70 genera, and 85 species were detected. Firmicutes followed by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Fusobacteria dominated the oral microbiome of the subjects. Streptococcus thermophilus (33.19%) was the most abundance species in subject 1, while subject 2 was highly predominated by Haemophilus parainfluenzae (80.65%), and subject 3 was predominated by Haemophilus influenzae (23.05%). Conclusion: The study has revealed that bacteria with varying diversities colonized the subjects and it highlighted the importance of metagenomics in deciphering the oral bacterial compositions from females of different age groups. More studies are needed using metagenomics approach, to appreciate these bacterial organisms that are associated with health and disease in our environment.Keywords: Metagenomics, Nigerian females, oral microbiom

Vaginal bacteriome of Nigerian women in health and disease: A study with 16S rRNA metagenomics

Introduction: The argument on what bacteria make up healthy vagina and bacterial vaginosis (BV) remain unresolved. Black women most often are placed in grade IV vaginal communities as lacking Lactobacillus-dominated microbes. We sought to determine the vaginal microbiota compositions of healthy and those with BV using 16S rRNA metagenomics methods. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight women provided vaginal swabs for Nugent scoring. Fifteen had BV (Nugent score 7–10), whereas 13 were normal (Nugent score 0–3). DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA V4 region amplified using custom bar-coded primers prior to sequencing with MiSeq platform. Sequence reads were imported into Illumina BaseSpace Metagenomics pipeline for 16S rRNA recognition. Distribution of taxonomic categories at different levels of resolution was done using Greengenes databases. Manhattan principal component analysis was used for similarity clustering. Results: Non-BV subjects were colonized by 12 taxonomic phyla that represent 182 genera and 357 species. Overall, 23 phyla representing 388 genera and 805 species were identified in BV subjects. Firmicutes represented 95% of the sequence reads in non-BV subjects with Lactobacillus-dominated genera and Lactobacillus crispatus–dominated species, followed by Proteobacteria (3.78%), Actinobacteria (0.74%), and Bacteriodetes (0.05%). In BV subjects, Firmicutes represented 59% of the classified sequence reads, followed by Bacteroidetes (19%), Actinobacteria (15.8%), Fusobacteria (4.08%), Proteobacteria (1.48%), and Tenericutes (1.25%). Conclusion: Non-BV healthy Black African, Nigerian women had Lactobacillus genera as the predominant microbiota, contrary to published reports. The study shows that BV subjects had varying proportions of diverse bacteria similar to studies from other parts of the world

Self-help treatment methods and aetiology of infertility among couples seeking in-vitro fertilization in a private fertility clinic, Awka, Nigeria

BACKGROUNDInfertility is considered a serious problem in low andmiddle-income countries due to the premium placedon childbearing. OBJECTIVESTo determine self-help treatment methods, aetiologyof infertility, sources of information for AssistedReproductive Technology and sources of verbal orphysical abuse of women seeking AssistedReproductive Technology. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total ofthirty-six couples were recruited for in-vitrofertilization using systematic sampling technique.Structured questionnaires were administered to allthe selected subjects in order to extract relevantbaseline information on self-help treatment methodsand socio-demographic data. Inclusion criteria weresubjects consenting to participate in this study, thosewithin age range between 25 and 60 years old, thosewhose infertility (primary or secondary) is persistinglonger than one year and those who have not beenreceiving antibiotics treatment before thecommencement of the study. Subjects were excludedon the basis of being under 25 years old, thosereceiving antibiotics treatment before the study andthose not visiting the clinics for assistedreproduction. Clinical and laboratory techniqueswere used to determine the causes of the subject’sinfertility. Sono saline hysterogram and laparoscopyand dye test were used to reveal the aetiology offemale infertility while semen analysis was used toassess the male subjects. RESULTSA total of thirty-six women were recruited for in-vitrofertilization and embryo transfer (IVF/ET) procedure.Majority of the subjects 15 (41.7%) had previouslyself-treated infections with herbal medications only.Fourteen women (38.9%) reported frequent abuse bytheir family relatives either verbally or physically fortheir infertility. Blocked fallopian tubes was thecommonest aetiology of infertility in females 15(41.7%) as revealed by laparoscopy and dye test. Itwas observed that the 21 couples (58.3%) who hadprevious history of sexually transmitted diseasesrecorded highest frequency in the distribution ofpotential risk factors associated with genitalbacterial infections. Twenty-three couples (63.9%)reported social media as the most frequent sourcesof information for Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART). CONCLUSIONSocial media has been reported as the major sourceof information concerning assisted reproductivetechnology among couples. Bilateral tubal blockageand poor semen quality are the commonestaetiology of infertility in this study. Majority of thesubjects had treated sexually transmitted infectionswith herbal medications. However, there is urgentneed for public education on the contribution ofcouples to infertility and current treatment methods

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women attending Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria using the complete Amsel’s diagnostic criteria

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant women remains a cause for clinical concern among clinicians and health care professionals. BV  has been linked to prenatal, antenatal and postnatal challenges in pregnant women. Information on prevalence of BV across trimesters of  pregnancy is expected to give better clinical insight into the pathophysiology of this polymicrobial disorder. This study was conducted to determine  the prevalence of BV in pregnant women attending the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study of 120 pregnant women (40 in each trimester of pregnancy) who had symptoms suggestive of BV,  selected by systematic random sampling from among the women attending the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O & G) clinic of NAUTH, Nnewi. Each  subject participant was examined by the attending clinician, and high vaginal swab (HVS) sample was collected for diagnostic analysis of BV using  with complete Amsel’s clinical criteria, which consists of three of the four criteria; (i) adherent and homogenous vaginal discharge, (ii) vaginal pH >  4.5, (iii) detection of clue cells on saline wet mount, and (iv) amine odor after the addition of potassium hydroxide (positive Whiff test). Results: The mean age of the 120 selected participants was 27.25±6.09 years. The age groups 25-29 (36.7%) and 20-24 years (33.3%) constituted the  largest proportion, while age groups <20 (5.0%) and 40-45 years (5.0%) constituted the least. Of the 120 participants, 26 (21.7%) were positive for BV  by the Amsel’s criteria. Pregnant women in age group <20 years had the highest prevalence of BV (100%, 6/6), followed by those in the age groups  20-24 (27.5%), 40-45 (16.7%), 25-29 (15.9%), 30-34 (9.1%) and 35-39 years (0%) (X2=28.063, p=0.0001). Prevalence of BV was significantly higher in  single (unmarried) pregnant women (45.5%, X2=4.038, p=0.045), women with primary school education level (66.7%, X2=14.530, p=0.001),  unemployed women (36.1%, X2=13.278, p=0.0013), and nulliparous women [36.4%, X2 (for trend) = 4.805, p=0.0274), while there was no significant  difference in the prevalence of BV with relation to trimester of pregnancy (X2=2.750, p=0.253). Conclusion: This study reveals a relatively high prevalence of BV and significant association with factors such as age group, education and  occupational status among pregnant women attending NAUTH Nnewi. Regular screening of women for BV prenatally may enable appropriate  interventions to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes