Antifungal susceptibility and detection of mutant ERG11 gene in vaginal Candida isolates in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria

Background: Candida vulvovaginitis is an important cause of morbidity among women. Fluconazole and other azoles are among the commonest antifungal agents used for the treatment of this condition. Azole resistance among Candida species is an increasing problem, and mutations in the ERG11 gene is the commonest cause of fluconazole resistance in Candida. The objectives of this study are to determine antifungal susceptibility of vaginal Candida isolates and detect carriage of mutant ERG11 gene by them. Methods: High vaginal swabs obtained from 260 participants were cultured on Saboraud’s Dextrose agar (SDA) for isolation of Candida, and identified by growth on CHROMagar Candida, germ tube and carbohydrate fermentation tests. Antifungal susceptibility to fluconazole, voriconazole, nystatin and flucytosine was determined by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method on supplemented Mueller Hinton agar. ERG11 gene was detected by conventional singleplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Results: Candida was isolated from 126 of 260 (48.5%) participants, and the identified species were Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilopsis and Candida famata. There were 112 (88.9%) isolates susceptible to fluconazole, 122 (96.8%) to voriconazole, 111 (88.1%) to nystatin, and 16 (6.6%) to flucytosine. The mutant ERG11 gene was detected in all four fluconazole-resistant isolates but not from any of five randomly selected fluconazole susceptible dose dependent (SDD) isolates. Conclusion: Azole resistance among Candida in this environment is associated with mutant ERG11 gene expression. Keywords: antifungi, fluconazole, Candida, ERG11, PC

Prevalence of enteropathogens and their association with diarrhea among children of food vendors in Uyo, Nigeria

A survey of enteropathogens (bacteria-parasite co-infections) was carried out among 370 children of food vendors in Uyo, Nigeria. Faecal samples (311 formed and 59 diarrhoeic stools) were screened for intestinal helminths using standard parasitological procedures. The prevalence of the parasites encountered was: Hookworm (49.5%); Ascaris lumbricoides (42.8%) Trichuris trichiura (24.9%); Strongyloides stercoralis (2.7%); Entamoeba histolytica (10.0%) and Giardia lamblia (7.8%). Bacteriological analyses of the diarrhoeic stolls revealed the following bacterial isolates: Campylobacter species, Shigella species, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium species, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio species. A strong association between the bacterial isolates and protozoan parasites (Entamoeba histolytica and Giardian lamblia) in diarrhoeic stools was evident. There was no significant (X2 = 0.44; P > 0.05) difference between infection and sex. All infections declined gradually with age but it was not statistically significant (X2 = 6.17; P > 0.001). A significant relationship existed between infection and type of school attended by the children (X2 = 19.65; P < 0.05), source of water supply (X2 = 13.59; P < 0.05) and type of toilet facility used (X2 = 68.83; P < 0.01). Since children are veritable sources of food contamination, the enforcement of hygienic practices therefore becomes imperative. Keywords: parasites, bacteria, children, food vendors, diarrhea, Nigeria Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(1), 2005: 11-2

Factors affecting the transmission of human onchocerciasis by Simulium damnosum s l. in a fringe savanna village in Cross River State, Nigeria

Factors affecting the transmission of human onchocerciasis by Simulium damnosum sensu lato were the focus of a study carried out in River Lewa, Etikpe, a fringe savanna village in Ikom LGA in Cross River State, Nigeria. The duration of the study was six months (August 1999 to January 2000). The thrust of the study was on ecological parameters that affected the transmission of this human scourge. Some entomological indices/parameters that are useful criteria in planning and evaluating the progress of onchocerciasis control programme were also considered. Trained flycatches working alternate hours (0700hr.-1800hr.) caught black flies used for the study. The black flies caught were either dissected fresh in the field to determine parity (physiological age) or processed in the laboratory to determine the infection/infective rates due to Onchocerca volvulus. Out of 844 black flies collected in the 30 days catching, 425 (50.4%) flies were parous. The monthly ecological parameters (that is, water pH and temperatures, dissolved oxygen, iron content, atmospheric temperatures, rainfall, relative humidity and conductivity) measured and recorded in the study area/site had no significant differences in their values (P>0.05). These observed parameters however, had fluctuations, changes and variations in values. The findings in this study, if corroborated with those of related studies based on parasitologic, ophthalmologic and socioeconomic monitoring will be useful for planning of effective treatments with ivermectin. Keywords: transmission, human onchocerciasis, savannah, Cross River State Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(2) 2005: 59-6