Antimicrobial Activity of Lannea welwitschii Stem Bark Against Wound Pathogens

Infection of wound with resistant bacteria often causes discomfort, delay in wound healing, wound dehiscence, gas gangrene in prolonged hospitalization, and increased cost of treatment. Lannea welwitschii (Hiern) Engl. is used in traditional medicine in South West Nigeria for treating wounds and other infections without scientific proof of efficacy. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of both aqueous and ethanol extracts of the stem bark of the plant were investigated against bacterial agents isolated from wound infections using agar diffusion method. The plant extracts exhibited definite antimicrobial activity, which was more in the ethanol extract than the aqueous extract. The antimicrobial activity is broad spectrum. The plant extracts inhibited Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and some Escherichia coli that are resistant to more than four antibiotics including pefloxacin. The inhibitory activity was more against S. aureus compared with other bacteria. The extract is bacteriostatic at 1.57 mg/ml and bactericidal at 3.13 mg/ml. There was 2log unit reduction in the number of viable cells of S. aureus in 2 h, and total killing at 4 h of incubation. The antimicrobial properties of the plant can be attributed to the presence of saponins, flavonoides, anthraquinones and tannins in the extracts. The antimicrobial activities exhibited by this medicinal plant justify its use in the treatment of wounds.Keywords: Lannea welwitschii, traditional medicine, wounds, antimicrobial activity, plants extrac

Predisposing Factors to Pityriasis Versicolor in Primary School Pupils in Remo Land, Ogun State, Nigeria

Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a superficial infection characterized by pale or dark patches of the skin. The etiologic agents are the yeasts belonging to the genus Malassezia, which are normal flora of human skin. Lack of adequate scientific information about the predisposing factors of PV makes the eradication of the disease difficult. The aim of this study is, therefore, to identify the various predisposing factors to PV among primary school pupils in Remo Land in Ogun State of Nigeria. Skin scrapings were taken from 232 pupils with lesions suggestive of PV for culture on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar enriched with olive oil for the isolation of Malassezia species. Culture positive patients were treated with To-To natural skin health cream. Past episodes of PV in the family, use of exfoliative creams and age, were some of the significant factors found to predispose pupils to the disease (P 0.05). It is concluded that lack of association of PV with overcrowding indicates that the disease is not contagious but could be genetically linked while the use of exfoliative creams is a predisposing factor to the disease.KEY WORDS: Pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia species, Predisposing factors

In-vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy of Carex Powerful Antiseptic Liquid

The Paterson Zochonis Industries in Lagos, Nigeria recently produced Carex Powerful Antiseptic Liquid, which was investigated for antimicrobial activities against common human skin pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and a dermatophyte including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Malassezia furfur, Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The microbes were challenged in-vitro with 0.7% and undiluted Carex antiseptic liquids for a period between 30 seconds and 120 seconds and the microbial cell reduction rates were determined at every 30 seconds contact by time kill test. Both diluted and undiluted Carex antiseptic liquids produced 100% reduction in all the microbial cells tested except Pseudomonas aeruginosa in which 62% and 100% cell reductions were observed for diluted and undiluted Carex antiseptic liquids respectively within 30 seconds of contact time. It is concluded that Carex Powerful Antiseptic liquid made by the PZ Industries has antimicrobial activities but its non-toxicity to human skin should be proven by subjecting the preparation to clinical trial. Keywords: Carex Antiseptic Liquid, Time Kill Test. Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 44-5

In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Clerodendron Polycephalum Against Clinical Bacterial Isolates

Clerodendron polycephalum Baker (known as Ewe Agbosa in Yoruba land) is used by the traditional people in South West Nigeria for arresting bleeding from cuts and treating bacteria infections especially wound infection without scientific proof of its efficacy. This study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial activity of C. polycephalum and to analyse the phytochemical components present. The antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanol extracts of the plant were investigated against clinical bacterial isolates using agar diffusion method, the MIC and MBC was determined against S. aureus using two fold dilution of the plant extract and the phytochemical components were determined using standard methods. The plant extracts exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, which was more in ethanol extract than aqueous extract. The plant extracts inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and some Escherichia coli that were resistant to more than four antibiotics including Pefloxacin. The best inhibition activity was against S. aureus (26mm) at a concentration of 50 mg/ml. The extract is bacteriostatic at 1.57mg/ml and bactericidal at 3.13mg/ml. The leaves extract of C. polycephalum reduced number of viable cells of S. aureus by 2log unit in 1 hour of incubation, and total killing in 4hours. The antimicrobial properties of the plant can be attributed to the presence of saponins, flavonoides, anthraquinones and tannins in the extracts. The antimicrobial activities exhibited by this medicinal plant justify its use in the treatment of infected wounds

Pattern of malignancies in OOUTH Sagamu

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Toxoplasmosis - Awareness and knowledge among medical doctors in Nigeria

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite causing high disease burden worldwide. A One Health approach is needed to understand, prevent, and control toxoplasmosis, while knowledge gaps in the One Health aspects have been identified among medical professionals in earlier studies. As a One Health collaboration between veterinary and medical fields, we surveyed the knowledge on toxoplasmosis among medical doctors in Nigeria. The knowledge questions, which the participants answered without consulting literature and colleagues, covered epidemiological One Health aspects as well as clinical interspecialty aspects of T. gondii infections. Altogether 522 medical doctors from four tertiary hospitals completed the questionnaire. The mean number of correct answers in the knowledge questions was 7.5, and 8.4% of the participants selected at least 12 of the 17 correct answers. The proportion of medical doctors scoring such a high score was significantly higher among those who reported having seen a case of clinical toxoplasmosis than in those who did not. While 62% of the medical doctors participating in our study knew that cats can shed T. gondii in their feces, 36% incorrectly suggested that humans could do that too. That T. gondii infection can be meatborne was known by 69%, but that it can be also waterborne only by 28% of the medical doctors participating in our study. Most of the medical doctors, 78%, knew that clinical toxoplasmosis may involve the central nervous system, while only 37% answered that it can involve the eyes. Our results suggested knowledge gaps, which need to be addressed in Continuous Medical Education. The identified gaps included both intersectoral One Health aspects and interspecialty aspects: For prevention and management of toxoplasmosis, knowing the main transmission routes and that the parasite can affect several organs is relevant.Peer reviewe