Plastic pollution as a novel reservoir for the environmental survival of the drug resistant fungal pathogen Candida auris

The WHO recently classified Candida auris as a fungal pathogen of "critical concern". Evidence suggests that C. auris emerged from the natural environment, yet the ability of this pathogenic yeast to survive in the natural environment is still poorly understood. The aim of this study, therefore, was to quantify the persistence of C. auris in simulated environmental matrices and explore the role of plastic pollution for facilitating survival and potential transfer of C. auris. Multi-drug resistant strains of C. auris persisted for over 30 days in river water or seawater, either planktonically, or in biofilms colonising high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or glass. C. auris could be transferred from plastic beads onto simulated beach sand, particularly when the sand was wet. Importantly, all C. auris cells recovered from plastics retained their pathogenicity; therefore, plastic pollution could play a significant role in the widescale environmental dissemination of this recently emerged pathogen.</p

The Visual Typicality of Non-Alcoholic Beverage (NAB) Package Forms in Akure, Nigeria

This study identified the popularity of Non-Alcoholic Beverages (NAB) package forms in Akure for the purpose of exploring the possibility of creating visual code for easy product categorization and nomenclature in the non-alcoholic beverage product category. The research methodology involved collection, observation, and recording of the selected NAB through purposive sampling. A total of 218 product names of NABs were collected from the Akure Shopping Mall. By using Microsoft excel and SPSS 17 for analysis, the findings show that there is increase in multiple uses of NAB package forms. Keywords: NAB, Visual code, typicality, product identification, nomenclature, form, Package Desig

Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens – a neglected environmental and public health issue?

Plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment and can become colonised by distinct microbial biofilm communities, known collectively as the ‘plastisphere.’ The plastisphere can facilitate the increased survival and dissemination of human pathogenic prokaryotes (e.g., bacteria); however, our understanding of the potential for plastics to harbour and disseminate eukaryotic pathogens is lacking. Eukaryotic microorganisms are abundant in natural environments and represent some of the most important disease-causing agents, collectively responsible for tens of millions of infections, and millions of deaths worldwide. While prokaryotic plastisphere communities in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments are relatively well characterised, such biofilms will also contain eukaryotic species. Here, we critically review the potential for fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens to associate with the plastisphere, and consider the regulation and mechanisms of this interaction. As the volume of plastics in the environment continues to rise there is an urgent need to understand the role of the plastisphere for the survival, virulence, dissemination, and transfer of eukaryotic pathogens, and the effect this can have on environmental and human health

Individual and contextual factors associated with maternal and child health essential health services indicators : a multilevel analysis of universal health coverage in 58 low & middle-income countries

Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) is part of the global health agenda to tackle the lack of access to essential health services (EHS). This study developed and tested models to examine the individual, neighbourhood and country-level determinants associated with access to coverage of EHS under the UHC agenda in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: We used datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 58 LMICs. Suboptimal and optimal access to EHS were computed using nine indicators. Descriptive and multilevel multinomial regression analyses were performed using R &amp; STATA. Result: The prevalence of suboptimal and optimal access to EHS varies across the countries, the former ranging from 5.55% to 100%, and the latter ranging from 0% to 90.36% both in Honduras and Colombia, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, children of mothers with lower educational attainment (RRR 2.11, 95% credible interval [CrI] 1.92 to 2.32) and those from poor households (RRR 1.79, 95%CrI 1.61 to 2.00) were more likely to have suboptimal access to EHS. Also, those with health insurance (RRR 0.72, 95% CrI 0.59 to 0.85) and access to media (RRR 0.59, 95% CrI 0.51 to 0.67) were at lesser risk of having suboptimal EHS. Similar trends, although in the opposite direction, were observed in the analysis involving optimal access. The intra-neighbourhood and intra-country correlation coefficients were estimated using the intercept component variance; 57.50%% and 27.70% of variances in suboptimal access to EHS are attributable to the neighbourhood and country-level factors. Conclusion: Neighbourhood-level poverty, illiteracy, and rurality modify access to EHS coverage in LMICs. Interventions aimed at achieving the 2030 UHC goals should consider integrating socioeconomic and living conditions of people

Environmental reservoirs of the drug-resistant pathogenic yeast Candida auris

Candia auris is an emerging human pathogenic yeast; yet, despite phenotypic attributes and genomic evidence suggesting that it probably emerged from a natural reservoir, we know nothing about the environmental phase of its life cycle and the transmission pathways associated with it. The thermotolerant characteristics of C. auris have been hypothesised to be an environmental adaptation to increasing temperatures due to global warming (which may have facilitated its ability to tolerate the mammalian thermal barrier that is considered a protective strategy for humans against colonisation by environmental fungi with pathogenic potential). Thus, C. auris may be the first human pathogenic fungus to have emerged as a result of climate change. In addition, the release of antifungal chemicals, such as azoles, into the environment (from both pharmaceutical and agricultural sources) is likely to be responsible for the environmental enrichment of resistant strains of C. auris; however, the survival and dissemination of C. auris in the natural environment is poorly understood. In this paper, we critically review the possible pathways through which C. auris can be introduced into the environment and evaluate the environmental characteristics that can influence its persistence and transmission in natural environments. Identifying potential environmental niches and reservoirs of C. auris and understanding its emergence against a backdrop of climate change and environmental pollution will be crucial for the development of effective epidemiological and environmental management responses

Corrigendum to : variation in financial protection and its association with health expenditure indicators : an analysis of low- and middle-income countries

In the originally published version of this manuscript, there was an error in the title. The title should read: "Variation in financial protection and its association with health expenditure indicators: an analysis of low- and middle-income countries'', instead of: "Variation in financial protection and it association with health expenditure indicators: an analysis of low- and middle-income countries''. This error has been corrected online and in print

Impact of magnetic activity on occurrence of ionospheric amplitude scintillation over Lagos, Nigeria

With the increasing researches in the understanding of the ionospheric irregularities' behaviour near the magnetic equator, an attempt has been made to study the impact of magnetic activity on occurrence of Amplitude Scintillation (S4) over Lagos, Nigeria. The occurrence rate of international quiet (Q) and international disturbed (D) days were examined compared for five days. The occurrences of S4 were recorded during quiet days than the disturbed days in the study area, except in September where there were more S4 during disturbed days than quiet days. Generally, occurrence of S4 was enhanced during pre-midnight hours but was suppressed during post-midnight hour both at quiet and disturbed days in Lago

Paralympic athletes’ perspective of doping self-regulatory efficacy in Nigeria

Background Problems: With the high demands of sports and the crave for success despite diminishing strength with ageing in the presence of disability, athletes are tempted to contravene the ADRV. Research Objectives: The study aimed to study paralympic athletes’ perspective of doping self-regulatory efficacy in Nigeria. Methods: Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A 13-item validated questionnaire (α= .74) was employed to collect data for the study. One-hundred and twenty-four male (81) and female (43) elite para-athletes (mean= 23.15 years, ±3.65) voluntarily participated in the study. ANOVA, PPMC, and Cramer’s V Chi-Square Coefficient Contingency were used to determine the relationship and difference across age, gender and sport type and the extent of the para-athletes’ likelihood to dope and confidence to avoid banned substances, respectively. Findings and Results: It indicated a significant effect of age on likelihood to dope at the p 0.05), sport (0.280, p > 0.05), and age (0.263, p > 0.05) on the likelihood to dope. Although, significant among older (0.022), female (0.024) para-athletes. Cramer’s V indicated a strong association when drugs would give immediate fitness (ɸ = 0.217), (ɸ = 0.243), and (ɸ = 0.263) across age, gender, and sport type respectively. Conclusion:  It is concluded among others that the para-athletes showed high self-efficacy and low likelihood to dope even in the presence of stressors. However, the ever-pressing need for the athlete’s body longing need for nutrition, oxygen, rest and staying in shape and top form for competing increased the possibility to use a banned drugs for your injury recovery among some older athletes. Psychological interventions are suggested combat the likelihood to dope given the experience levels or psychological dispositions of athletes