Microbiological Profile of Oral Infections in Diabetic Patients and Non-Diabetic Controls in SouthWest, Cameroon

Background: Oral microbial flora is increasingly being incriminated in oral infections. There is paucity of information on the importance of aerobic oral flora in diabetes. The purpose of this study was to compare aerobic oral microbial flora in diabetics and non-diabetics and to relate these microbes with oral infections.Materials and Methods: This study involved 154 diabetics and 111 non-diabetics aged 18 years and above. Oral washes were inoculated unto blood agar, chocolate agar, Mac Conkey agar and Sabouraud’s agar and isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Oral exam was conducted by a Dentist to assess oral infections and oral health status of participants.Results: Thirteen different genera of aerobic microbes were identified. The most prevalent microbes were Streptococcus sp (99.6 %), Candida albicans (17.0 %), Serratia Spp (7.2 %), other Candida Spp (6.8 %), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) (6.4 %) and Klebsiella Spp (5.7 %). Candida sp was more prevalent in diabetic patients than non-diabetics. Gram negative aerobic bacteria were significantly isolated from cases of dental  caries.Conclusion: The oral microbiological profile of diabetic patients was different from those of non-diabetics and aerobic Gram negative bacteria may play an important role in dental diseases in diabetic patients.Keywords: Oral microbiological profile; oral infections; diabetes; Cameroon Contexte: La flore microbienne orale est de plus en plus incriminée dans les infections buccales. Il existe peu d'informations sur l'importance de la flore buccale aérobie chez les diabétiques. Le but de cette étude était de comparer la flore microbienne aérobie orale chez les diabétiques et les non diabétiques et de déterminer le lien que ces germes ont avec les infections buccales.Matériels et méthodes: Cette étude a porté sur 154 diabétiques et 111 non-diabétiques âgés de 18 ans et plus. Le liquide de lavage buccal a été inoculé sur des géloses au sang, au chocolat, de Mac Conkey et de Sabouraud respectivement, et les souches bactériennes ont été identifiées par des tests biochimiques standards. L’examen oral a été mené par un dentiste afin d’évaluer les infections buccales et l'état de santé bucco-dentaire des participants.Résultats: Treize genre différents de microorganismes aérobies ont été identifiés. Les microbes les plus répandus étaient Streptococcus sp (99,6%), Candida albicans (17,0%), Serratia spp (7,2%), les autres espèces de Candida (6,8%), les staphylocoques à coagulase négative (SCN) (6,4%) et Klebsiella spp (5,7%). Candida spp était plus fréquent chez les patients diabétiques que chez les non-diabétiques. Les bactéries Gram négatives aérobies ont été considérablement isolées des cas de caries dentaires.Conclusion: Le profil microbiologique oral des patients diabétiques était différent de ceux des non- diabétiques. Les bactéries Gram négatif aérobies peuvent jouer un rôle important dans les maladies dentaires chez les patients diabétiques.Mots-clés: Profil microbiologique orale; infections buccales; diabète; CamerounArticle in English

Comparison of immuno-fluorescence microscopy and optical microscopy after Giemsa staining in the diagnosis of malaria during pregnancy in Buea, Cameroon

Malaria in pregnancy remains a significant threat in sub-Saharan Africa as it is associated with suboptimal pregnancy outcomes. Due to the fact that the current standard diagnostic method is cumbersome, we assessed the diagnostic performance of an alternate method-fluorescent microscopy, compared to optical microscopy after Giemsa staining- the current standard.Venous blood samples were collected from 407 consenting pregnant women and tested by optical microscopy (OM) after Giemsa staining and by fluorescent microscopy (FM) using the Partec-Cyscope (Partec GmbH, Munster, Germany). All participants were asymptomatic at the time of enrollment. Of the 407 samples tested by OM, 255 (62.5%) were plasmodiumpositive. Of the 255 OM positive samples, 207 were also plasmodium-positive by FM, thus a sensitivity of 81.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 75.8, 85.8%). Of the 152 samples negative by OM, 75 were also negative by FM, thus a specificity of 49.3% (95%CI: 41.1, 57.6%). The positive and negative predictive values of FM were respectively 72.9% (95%CI: 67.3, 78.0%) and 61.0% (95%CI: 51.8, 69.6%). The percentage agreement between both methods was 69.3% (Kappa=0.32,  p-value<0.01). There was moderate agreement between FM and OM results. The low specificity and negative predictive value of FM suggest a high likelihood of false negative results if FM is used in place of OM. OM after Giemsa staining remains the gold standard. Keywords: Diagnostic performance, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, Cameroon

Estimating the Number of Paediatric Fevers Associated with Malaria Infection Presenting to Africa's Public Health Sector in 2007

Peter Gething and colleagues compute the number of fevers likely to present to public health facilities in Africa and the estimated number of these fevers likely to be infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites

Lubricating oil-degrading bacteria in soils from filling stations and auto- mechanic workshops in Buea, Cameroon: occurrence and characteristics of isolates

The discharge of used crankcase oil from vehicles is a major source of oil pollution in Buea. The objectives of this study were to isolate and characterize bacteria capable of effectively degrading andcleaning up waste engine oil in this locality and also to ascertain the influence of some environmental factors on the rates of degradation of these isolates. Seventy-two soil samples collected fromlubricating oil dump sites (3 auto-mechanic workshops and 3 petrol filling stations, comprising impacted soils) and uncontaminated plots (non-impacted soils) (controls) were analysed for oildegradingand heterotrophic bacteria following standard microbiological and biochemical methods. The ability of cultures to degrade lubricating oil was also tested individually and in mixed bacterial consortium at different temperatures and nutrient concentrations. Results were analysed using the chisquared test. P values of < 0.05 were considered significant. Heterotrophic bacterial counts were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in non-impacted than in impacted soils. Conversely, the population of oil degraders was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in non-impacted than in impacted soils. Oil degraders isolated included Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus mycoides and Serratia marcescens. Of the pure isolates, Serratia marcescens degraded the highest amount of oil (36.2%). However, a mixed culture of the isolates proved to be more effective, degrading 38.1% of oil within 20 days. All the isolatesexhibited highest degradation at 32°C; and degradation rates of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus mycoides increased with increase in nutrient concentration. This study, the first of its kind in Buea, revealed the presence of oil-degrading bacteria in soils as well as the physico-chemical requirements of these bacteria for optimum degradation. This finding could be exploited in case of oil-spill clean-upcampaigns