INCIDENCE OF RIFAMPICIN-RESISTANCE PRESUMPTIVE M. TUBERCULOSIS CASES AMONG OUTPATIENTS IN KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA

Background: The present study determined the incidence of rifampicin resistance M. tuberculosis among outpatients at the General Hospital Yauri, Kebbi State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional study conducted from February 2018 to October 2019. Sociodemographic data were collected from hospital registration books. Rifampicin resistance M. tuberculosis was detected using GeneXpert Model GX-IV following manufacturers' instruction. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were computed using SPSS version 20. The results were presented as odds ratios with associated 95% confidence intervals, and P-value at 0.05. Result: Of the 837 samples, 65.8% (551/837) were males, and 34.2% (286/837) females, 11.4% (95/837) HIV-seropositive. M. tuberculosis was detected in 15.5% (130/837), of which 116/130 (89.23%) were males and 14/130 (10.77%) females. M. tuberculosis­-HIV coinfection was detected in 9.47% (9/95) of HIV positive. Rifampicin resistance was observed in 1.3% (11/837), 7.7% (10/130) in M. tuberculosis patients and 1.05% (1/94) in HIV seropositive. In logistic regression, the odds ratio for having a rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis was 0.49 (0.15-1.54) for > 30 years; taking <30 years as the reference value, 1.02 (1.00-1.03) for male; taking female as the reference value, and 0.78 (0.09-6.15) for HIV positive, taking negative as the reference value. Conclusion: This study reported the current incidence rate of rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis at the General Hospital Yelwa Yauri, Kebbi State, Nigeria, among presumptive TB patients. Patients diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis were predominantly male adults. Thus, frequent screening is vital for surveillance and reduces the risk of transmission and spread of M. tuberculosis&nbsp

Impact of Biofilms on Water Distribution System of a Tertiary Institution in Northern Nigeria

The aim of this research was to determine the impact of biofilms on water distribution system of FederalUniversity Birnin Kebbi. Samples were collected from different water distribution pipelines in the University.Total heterotrophic count was carried out to determine the microbial load and Most Probable Method (MPN)was used to detect the presence of fecal coliforms in the water. Total heterotrophic bacterial count rangedbetween 1.6×103 to 3.9×103 cfu/ml. Escherichia Coli showed the highest frequency (25%) of occurrence, whilethe least frequency of occurrence (5%) was recorded for Klebsiella spp and Enterobacter spp respectively. Theisolates identified were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp,Enterobacteria Spp, Salmonella Spp and Bacillus Spp. Presence of these isolates is of significant concern andmay cause some water borne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery etc. It is therefore recommended that water boardtreatment plant should use disinfectant chemicals like chlorine and perform regular proactive preventivemaintenance, microbial monitoring and infrastructure replacement and repair so as to reduce the occurrence ofbiofilms in the Water Distribution system

Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Fura Da Nono Produced in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Fura da Nono is a nutritious and refreshing drink made from fermented milk and ground millet grains. In this study, the microbiology of traditional and small-scale industrial production of Fura da Nono in Birnin Kebbi and Jega was investigated. Samples of Fura da Nono were collected from Birnin Kebbi emir’s palace, Mini Factory JEGA and a local hawker in Jega. Food borne and spoilage pathogens were identified based on their colonial morphology, gram staining reaction and series of biochemical tests. Viable colony counts, coliform test, fungal analysis and pH test were also conducted. The results revealed the highest average count of 1.25×108 cfu/ml in the samples  collected from local hawker while Birnin Kebbi emir’s palace had the lowest average count of 8.3×105 cfu/ml. The bacteria identified in Fura da Nono were Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, Lactobacillus plantarum and Escherichia coli. The fungi isolated were  Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The highest pH (6.8) was recorded in the sample obtained from local hawker and the lowest (3.1) from the Birnin Kebbi emir’s palace. The study showed the presence of food borne and spoilage pathogens in Fura da Nono which indicates poor hygienic practices during production. Therefore, in order to produce commercial Furada Nono either at large or small-scale quantity, it is necessary to improve the acceptability, microbiological stability and hygiene of the product

Systematic review and meta-analysis of tuberculosis in animals in Nigeria

SUPPORTING INFORMATION FILE S1 : Catteprevalence Models.SUPPORTING INFORMATION FILE S2 : Characteristics of selected studies for animal tuberculosis in Nigeria, 1979 – 2021.DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data used to support the findings of this study are included within the supplementary information file(s).Animal tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious and chronic disease caused by mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in domestic and wild animals. MTBC strains infection has been confirmed in many animal species in Nigeria, including captive wildlife, cattle, dromedary camels, goats, and pigs. Despite widespread infection and the potential impact of the disease on public health, active surveillance and control strategies are absent in Nigeria. This study aimed to conduct the first comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the distribution of tuberculosis and analyze the potential moderators of infection in animals in Nigeria. Eligible studies (sixty-one (Cadmus et al., 2014) [61] prevalence and seven (Menzies and Neill, 2000) [7] case reports) were retrieved and included in the analysis. The analyses showed an overall pooled TB prevalence of 7.0% (95% CI: 6.0–8.0) comprising of infection distributed in cattle (8.0%, 95% CI: 7.0–8.0), goats (0.47%, 95% CI: 0–1.2), sheep (0.27%, 95% CI: 0.14–0.46), camels (13.0%, 95% CI: 0–47), and wildlife (13.0%, 95% CI: 9–16) respectively. The occurrence of infection was significantly moderated by the publication periods, geographical location, sample size, and detection methods. TB prevalence was heterogeneous across several predictors, with the year of publication exhibiting a higher rate (46%) of the detected heterogeneity. These findings should provide policy-relevant information to guide the design and establishment of prevention and control measures amenable to the local situations in Nigeria.https://www.cell.com/heliyon/homeVeterinary Tropical Disease

Antibiotics Susceptibility Profile of Gram-Positive Bacteria from Primary Health Centers in Jega, Kebbi State

Nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) is an infection acquired during receiving health care that was not present during admission. The research aimed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of gram-positive bacteria isolated from Primary Health Centers in Jega Town. A total of fifty (50) swab samples were collected from 10 different health centers and analyzed using the streak plate technique. Pure bacterial isolates were maintained and characterized using biochemical tests; their percentage of occurrence show; Staphylococcus aureus 18 (43.9%), Enterococcus feacalis 8 (19.5%), Streptococcus spp 8 (19.5%), Bacillus cereus 4 (9.8%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis 3 (7.3%). McFarland standard solution was prepared and used to control inoculants, after which the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates was determined using the disc diffusion method. Staphylococcus epidermidis was resistant to Gentamycin, and other isolates were multi-drug resistant. In light of this research, there is a need for thorough disinfection and conscientious contact control procedures to minimize the spread of these pathogens in health centers where interaction between patients, HCWs, and caregivers is widespread and frequent

Chemical Profiling and Industrial Viability of Neem Seed Oil: A Comprehensive Study for Sustainable Biodiesel Production

The study explores the chemical composition of neem seed oil, highlighting its potential for commercial biodiesel production and various industrial applications. The oil, with a liquid state, pale greenish-yellow color, and pleasant odor, yielded 32.1%, surpassing industrially extracted oils like soybean and cottonseed. Factors influencing its composition include seasonal variations, geographical origin, genetic disparities, growth stages, plant segments, and postharvest processing. Despite these, neem seeds meet the required oil content percentage for large-scale industrial biodiesel production. However, challenges like high free fatty acid content and elevated acid values necessitate acid esterification before alkaline transesterification, potentially increasing production costs. The study also highlights the importance of appropriate seed processing practices to optimize oil yield and quality

Performance Comparison of Semicircular Weirs with Varying Crest Roughness

Broad crested semicircular weirs are usually used for flow measurement in open channel hydraulics. Since the corresponding theoretical equations of broad crested weirs are not adequate for practical purposes, empirical models are employed as alternative. In this work, the flow parameters of broad crested semicircular weir models were investigated experimentally using a laboratory flume. The crests of these weir models were ‘inverted’ with semicircle geometry. Discharge and water heads over the weir models were determined for various crest radii of 5 cm, 7 cm and 10 cm with the corresponding weir heights of 20 cm, 18 cm and 15 cm respectively. These models were coated with surface roughness using soil particles of diameters 1.18 mm, 2.36 mm, 4.75 mm and a normal weir model as control. It was discovered that, increase in the particle size results in an increase in discharge coefficient of the weir models given an overall increment of 45% as hydraulic performance of the weirs. The model with radius 5 cm, coated with an aggregate of diameter 2.36 mm was found to be the most effective model with the highest discharge coefficient of 1.453

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in the treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Efforts are ongoing by researchers globally to develop new drugs or repurpose existing ones for treating COVID-19. Thus, this led to the use of oseltamivir, an antiviral drug used for treating influenza A and B viruses, as a trial drug for COVID-19. However, available evidence from clinical studies has shown conflicting results on the effectiveness of oseltamivir in COVID-19 treatment. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the clinical safety and efficacy of oseltamivir for treating COVID-19. The study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, and the priori protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021270821). Five databases were searched, the identified records were screened, and followed by the extraction of relevant data. Eight observational studies from four Asian countries were included. A random-effects model was used to pool odds ratios (ORs), mean differences (MD), and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the study analysis. Survival was not significantly different between all categories of oseltamivir and the comparison groups analysed. The duration of hospitalisation was significantly shorter in the oseltamivir group following sensitivity analysis (MD -5.95, 95% CI -9.91--1.99 p = 0.003, heterogeneity I2 0%, p = 0.37). The virological, laboratory and radiological response rates were all not in favour of oseltamivir. However, the electrocardiographic safety parameters were found to be better in the oseltamivir group. However, more studies are needed to establish robust evidence on the effectiveness or otherwise of oseltamivir usage for treating COVID-19

The Effect of Environmental Taxes on Environmental Accounting Disclosure of Nigerian Oil and Gas Companies

There is currently a lack of information about the contemporary and potential effects of environmental taxes on environmental accounting disclosure. This study, therefore, explores environmental taxes' impact on Nigerian oil and gas companies' disclosure of environmental accounting information. The study used auxiliary data by generating information on the outcome variable and the explanatory variable from the “Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development” (OECD) and annual reports and accounts of the oil and gas corporations in Nigeria. The analysis included thirteen (13) companies as of December 31, 2021. Fixed-effects regression using Estimation using Driscoll and Kraay standard errors (DKSE) has been used in this study. The study revealed that an increase in total green taxes or transportation taxes will stimulate the disclosure of environmental accounting information by the oil and gas corporations in Nigeria. It is also documented that oil and gas companies that have high C2 intensity are less likely to disclose environmental accounting information.  The study findings will be useful to the regulators and policymakers in Nigeria. This is because if the government enhances environmental taxes, it may inspire companies to enhance their environmental accounting procedures