Assessment of Heavy Metals Level in Soil and Vegetables Grown in Peri-Urban Farms around Osun State and the Associated Human Health Risk

Farming around urban centres (peri-urban farming) is a major source of fresh crop produce, notably vegetables. However, the limitation of land resources and the associated high level of soil contamination from domestic and industrial pollutants are major concerns for the safety of food materials from peri-urban farms. Thus, this study investigated heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) concentration in soil and vegetable samples (Amaranthus hybridus and Corchorus olitorius) collected from selected peri-urban farms with a view to providing information on the human health risks associated with consumption of peri-urban vegetables.This study showed that the concentration of investigated heavy metals in the soils of peri-urban farms were within the background range for farming set by FAO/WHO (2002) and EU (2006) while appreciable level of these metals were observed in vegetable samples. Arsenic concentration was below detection limit in all samples. Amaranthus showed higher retention capacity for the assayed heavy metals except Cu. Transfer Factor values showed metal uptake by vegetables in the order Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu. The estimated daily intake showed that the highest consumption of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were from Amaranthus. The Health risk index showed high values for Cd and Pb but low values for Cu and Zn for both Amaranthus and Corchorus. The results obtained in this study regarding the hazard index indicate that vegetables grown in selected peri-urban farms are not safe for consumption

Geophysical Investigation of Impact of Geologic Structures on Preferred Percolating Paths of an Oil-based Leachate within a Migmatite-Gneiss Environment: A Case study of Federal University of Technology, Akure Campus (Nigeria)

The study was aimed at determining the lateral and vertical flow of an oil-based leachate within the Migmatite-Gneiss environment with time and to delineate the presence of possible bedrock structures that can enhance the leachate movement. The method of study adopted combines the use of VLF-EM profiling, Electrical Resistivity Tomography survey (Dipole-dipole) and Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES). The surveys were carried out at four times with regular interval of four-week. A particular point along a feeder road within the Federal University of Technology, Akure campus was polluted with used black engine oil. The location was left to settle for two weeks before the first round of survey involving the above mentioned methods was carried out. The results show that the oil-based leachate percolated towards the south which is an uphill direction. Each successive results showed a gradual progression of the leachate in different directions; laterally and vertically. At the fourteenth week, which is the fourth round of survey the leachate was observed to have percolated down to the depth of about 10-15 m, which is rather too fast for a leachate moving according to normal gravity flow. This indicated that probably geologic structures; perhaps faults, fracture and void could be present at the subsurface beneath the polluted point. The VES result presented as geoelectric section confirms this speculation as the bedrock layer beneath VES 1, 2 and 3 have resistivity values that range between 230 and 347 ohm-m. The integrated geophysical method adopted for this study successfully helps in delineating the oil-based leachate flow direction, extent and preferred paths. Keywords: Electrical resistivity tomography, vertical electrical sounding, oil-based leachate, bedrock structures and bedrock fracture

Antibiotics resistance of a strain of Escherichia coli isolated from bore hole in Ile Ife, Osun state, Nigeria

Abstract:Escherichia coli were isolated from water from two boreholes in Ile Ife, Osun state, Nigeria. This was an indication of faecal contamination. These strains of Escherichia coli were Gram negative short rods, Catalase positive, Methyl red positive, Voges Proskaeur negative. The strains could ferment glucose galactose, sucrose, lactose, mannitol and maltose with the production of acid and gas but could not hydrolyze starch. A particular strain was resistant to sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, cephaloridine, streptomycin, carbenicillin, sulfafurazole and tetracycline but sensitive to gentamicin, colistin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin and colistin sulphat

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E among restaurant food handlers in Ibadan, Nigeria

 Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the causative agent of acute viral hepatitis in humans. HEV is an important public health disease in many parts of the world because it is transmitted faeco-orally.  Majority of the documented studies on hepatitis E virus in Nigeria have focused on pregnant women and animal handlers with limited data among food handlers. Thus the current study aimed at investigating the prevalence of HEV infection among food handlers operating within the premises of a tertiary care facility.Methods: One hundred and seventy seven (177) food handlers were screened using commercial Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) to detect IgM antibodies to Hepatitis E. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess risk factors for HEV infection.Results: HEV IgM antibodies were detected in 16 (9.0%) of the participants. Age-specific HEV IgM seroprevalence appeared to decrease with age, however there were no significant differences in HEV IgM seropositivity regarding age (P=0.251), gender (P = 0.231), marital status (P=0.735) and religion (P = 0.906). Significant risk factors for HEV IgM seropositivity included source of water for drinking (P=0.03) and the use of soap for hand washing (P=0.02).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HEV remains a public health problem, as the virus circulates at low but considerable levels especially among food handlers; thus posing a threat to potential contacts. Proper hand washing practices as well as provision of portable water are important factors for the control of Hepatitis E

Organizational challenges in the adoption of wind energy in Africa

Although fossil fuels uncomplicated are easy to use energy sources, the issues associated with their use are numerous; it affects political, economic, health and environment. The current energy problems result from the way fossil fuels are consumed at an exponential rate, and the world demand of these fuels is expected to go up each year for several decades to come. Renewable energy deployment is steadily growing in Africa, a continent with abundance of resources- wind, water, sun, and biomass. Investing in the long term solutions that these renewable energy sources have to offer would be advantageous and beneficial to all African countries by helping to avoid economic and sustainability problems. These truths show us that the wind can provide a lot of our present and future world energy requirements

Prophylactic and Curative Assessment of Essentiale Forte® On Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Damage in Wistar Rats

AIM: This study was to assess the prophylactic and curative effects of Essentiale forte (ESF) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage in Wistar rats.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of six rats each. Group I (control group) received 0.3 ml/kg/day of propylene glycol for one month; group II (toxic control) was given 0.7 ml/kg/day of CCl4 dissolved in olive oil (1:1,v/v) orally for 7 days; group III (prophylactic group) received 4.3 mg/kg/day of ESF for one month followed by CCl4 for one week; group IV (curative group) was treated with CCl4 for one week and subsequently received ESF (4.3 mg/kg/day) for one month. Half of the rats were sacrificed at active period, the other half after a 2-week recovery period.RESULTS: The activities of serum AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin level were significantly higher, total protein and GSH levels were significantly reduced in the toxic control group compared to the control group. Group III had significantly higher AST and ALT activities compared to the control rats at active period, whereas after the recovery period no significant differences were observed in almost all the parameters. Moreover, no significant differences in the parameters mentioned above were observed in group IV compared to the control rats at active and recovery period.CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that Essential forte was better as a curative agent rather than a prophylactic agent in rats

Prevalence and Predictors of Tuberculosis Coinfection among HIV-Seropositive Patients Attending the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Northern Nigeria

Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been accompanied by a severe epidemic of tuberculosis (TB), although the prevalence of coinfection is largely unknown, especially in developing countries, including Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of TB coinfection among HIV-seropositive Nigerians. Methods: The case files of HIV/AIDS patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria from January to December 2006 were reviewed. Results: A total of 1320 HIV/AIDS patients had complete records and were reviewed, among which 138 (10.5%) were coinfected with TB (95% CI, 8.9% to 12.2%). Pulmonary TB was diagnosed in 103 (74.6%) patients, among whom only 18 (17.5%) were sputum-positive. Fifty (36.2%) coinfected patients had some type of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB); 15 had both pulmonary TB and EPTB. Among the 35 patients with EPTB only, 20 (57.1%) had abdominal TB, 5 (14.3%) had TB adenitis, 5 (14.3%) had spinal TB, 3 (8.6%) were being monitored for tuberculous meningitis, and 1 (2.9%) each had renal TB and tuberculous adrenalitis. The highest prevalence of TB, 13.7% (n = 28), was seen among patients aged 41–50 years. TB coinfection was significantly associated with marital status, WHO clinical stage, and CD4 count. Marital status (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.28–3.59; P = 0.04), WHO clinical stage at presentation (4.81; 1.42–8.34; P = 0.001), and baseline CD4 count (2.71; 1.51–6.21; P = 0.02) remained significant predictors after adjustment for confounding. Conclusions: The moderately high prevalence of TB among HIV-seropositive patients underscores the urgent need for strategies that lead to rapid identification and treatment of coinfection with active or latent TB

Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeria.

Identifying the dissemination patterns and impacts of a virus of economic or health importance during a pandemic is crucial, as it informs the public on policies for containment in order to reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we integrated genomic and travel data to investigate the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.318 and B.1.525 (Eta) variants of interest in Nigeria and the wider Africa region. By integrating travel data and phylogeographic reconstructions, we find that these two variants that arose during the second wave in Nigeria emerged from within Africa, with the B.1.525 from Nigeria, and then spread to other parts of the world. Data from this study show how regional connectivity of Nigeria drove the spread of these variants of interest to surrounding countries and those connected by air-traffic. Our findings demonstrate the power of genomic analysis when combined with mobility and epidemiological data to identify the drivers of transmission, as bidirectional transmission within and between African nations are grossly underestimated as seen in our import risk index estimates

Rural farmers' perception of climate variabilities in Benue State of Nigeria

Climate change and severe weather events such as temperature shocks and declining rainfall often strongly impede sustainable farming development, especially where agriculture is rain fed and when other external shocks such as poverty, poor access to inputs and credit are common. This is the context in which rural farmers carry out their farming and other livelihoods activities. This study compares rural farmers’ perception of temperature and rainfall with the result of 30 years (1980-2009) meteorological records of temperature and rainfall, examines the farmers adaptation practices in response to climate change and the constraints to their adaptation. The study found an increasing trend in minimum and maximum temperature as well as rainfall amount. This validates the farmers’ perception of temperature and rainfall. Bush burning and Tree cutting were the perceived leading causes of climate change. Farmers mostly engaged in changing planting dates and change in house construction in response to climate change. Efforts that address poverty and provide access to agricultural support services like access to credit; farm inputs and weather forecasting service will help enhance farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate change. Farmers’ adaptive capacity could be enhanced through agricultural support services such as access to credit, farm inputs and weather forecastin

HAEMATOLOGICAL AND PARASITOLOGICAL CHANGES IN EXPERIMENTAL ARTEMETHER-TREATED Trypanosoma brucei INFECTION IN RABBITS

Therapeutic effects and haematological changes by treatment with artemether were investigated and compared with those of diminazene aceturate in Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection of rabbits. Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection of rabbits was characterized by high parasitaemia, acute anaemia and gradual development of leucopenia. T. b. brucei infected rabbits were treated with various doses of artemether, an anti-protozoan drug of malaria and compared with standard dose of diminazene aceturate in other set of  rabbits.Though artemether-treated T. b. brucei-infected rabbits were able to survive for 49 to 57 days as against maximum of 39 days in untreated infected group, there was no cure even with high dosage. Diminazene aceturate-treated rabbits were completely cured and had their haematological disorders reversed. Artemether, an anti-protozoan drug against malaria neither could cure the protozoan disease by T. b. brucei in rabbits nor able to reverse the haematological disorder brought about by the parasite but at best slightly prolonged the period of survival of the  animals.Â