Widespread plasmid resistance genes among Proteus species in diabetic wounds of patients in the Ahmadu Bello university teaching hospital (ABUTH) Zaria

Plasmids have been known to play a major role in the dissemination of antibiotics resistance genes in a microbial population. In this background, 148 Proteus species comprising of 97 Proteus mirabilis and 51 Proteus vulgaris were isolated from diabetic wounds. Seventy-six strains had varied multi-drug resistance (MDR) pattern encoded on transferable plasmid gene with a very high frequency (2 x10-4 to 4 x 10-2 per donor cell) by conjugation. 34% of the strains lost the antibiotic resistance plasmids marker after sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) mediated curing. The rest of the plasmid markers were non transferable. The results indicated that plasmids carry varied dissemination of antibiotics resistance markers to distant recipient cells, indicating clonal transfer among bacterial strains

Prevalence of microflora in trachea of NDV challenged broiler following supplementation with extracts of Aloe vera, Alma millsoni, Archachantina marginata and Ganoderma lucidum

An attempt was made to enumerate the micro-flora in trachea of broiler chickens challenged with Newcastle disease virus (NDV) following supplementation with different extracts of local sources. After 30 days of treatment with extracts of Aloe vera (AV), Alma millsoni (ALM), Archachatina marginata (AM) and G. lucidium (GL) ad libitum as supplement to various groups they were challenged with intramuscular administration of 0.2 ml of 106 ELD50 of NDV. Following clinical signs and symptoms in the birds, trachea swab samples were collected and cultured. Of the 95 swabs, 65 (68.4%) yielded mixed growth of bacteria spp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23.1%), Enterococcus feacalis (23.1%) and Staphylococcus spp. (23.1%), coliform bacteria (30.8%). Only 9 (13.9%) of the total population isolated resisted either cerofloxacin or genticin. There was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in the occurrences of bacteria in trachea of chickens supplemented with different concentration of extracts, both challenged with NDV and unchallenged groups. These organisms may not be pathogenic to the birds as there were no signs of bacterial infection on the trachea. Though, 86.1% of the isolates were sensitive to test drugs, evolution of strains resistant to common antibiotics by some of these bacteria could be of public health risk to handlers and the community. Thus, domestic birds keeping and poultry sited in close proximity to human dwellings should be outlawed. Key words: Bacteria, Bacteria isolation, Broilers, Resistance

A Pilot Study on effects of vaccination on immunity of broiler chickens

A pilot study was carried out with the aim of highlighting the effects of NDV vaccine on the immune responses of broiler chickens challenged with NDV. Twenty (20) broilers of day-old were used for the study. They were grouped into five of four per group. During the study they were fed with standard feeds and clean water ad libitum. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were challenged with 0.2 saline suspension of 106 ELD50 intradermal inoculation of NDV challenged strain. The vaccinated groups showed neither clinical signs nor symptoms of NDV infections while unvaccinated group showed 100% mortality after 48hr. This result indicate that vaccines is still very important in the prevention, management and control of poultry diseases as maternal immunity passed on to the young chicks at precocial stage could not be relied on to fight against infectious disease in broiler chickens. Therefore, the use of locally produced vaccines should be encouraged among farmers for the prevention, control and management of outbreaks of viral infections in our community. Key: Challenged, Poultry birds- broilers, Newcastle disease virus, Vaccinatio

Evaluation of the immune function in HIV/AIDS patients using migration inhibition factor (M/F) test

Several mechanisms have been described regarding HIV/AIDS immunopathogenesis. Some are related to the humoral response and others to the cellular immune response. Migration inhibition factor (MIF) test is one of the in-vitro methods used in monitoring the cell-mediated immunity of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). This study monitored MIF level in symptomatic HIV seropositive AIDS patients (n=50) and asymptomatic HIV seropositive patients (n-40); HIV seronegetive (n=40) were included as control subjects. The various MIF percentage values for the HIV seropositive (symptomatic: 110.86 ± 14.97%; asymptomatic: 91.22±14.62%) groups were significantly higher (p‹0.05) than the control group (64.68±13.20%). This suggests that the cellular immune function in HIV seropositive and AIDS patient is highly compromised. Global Journal of Mathematical Sciences Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 5-

The screening of multi-drug resistance (MDR) susceptibilities of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to methicillin and vancomycin in teaching hospitals in Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, the widespread use of antibiotics had led to high levels of resistance among bacterial isolates from patients with nosocomial infections. This had led to prolonged hospital stay and antibiotic therapy, especially &#946;-lactam antibiotics that predispose patients to acquisition of methicillin -resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) and coagulase negative resistant staphylococci. Objective: to evaluate the resistant pattern of multi-drug resistant strains of 80 clinical Staph. aureus, 22 environmental Staph. aureus, 30 clinical Staph. epidermidis and 12 environmental Staph. epidermidis to methicillin and vancomycin from teaching hospitals in Nigeria. Material and Methods: The Staphylococcus species were identified and confirmed by gram-positive cocci morphology, catalase-positive reaction, tested for mannitol salt fermentation and DNase production. The organisms were confirmed to be Staph. aureus and Staph. epidermidis by the tube coagulase test. The antibiotics susceptibility patterns were determined both by overnight broth-micro-dilution and agar disk diffusion methods. Results: The isolates were resistant to ampicillin, followed by penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin and gentamicin but to a lesser extent were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. All the multi-drug resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus species were 100% sensitive to vancomycin and methicillin with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) breakpoint < 4µg/ml to vancomycin and MIC < 5µg/ml to methicillin on Mueller Hinton agar supplemented with 2%NaCl. Conclusion: The results indicated that methicillin and vancomycin are still very potent antibiotics against staphylococcal infections in Nigeria. Keywords: MDR Staphylococcus, methicillin and vancomycinSudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2007: pp. 257-26

Seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Amongst Voluntary Blood Donors in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Edo State, Nigeria

Aim: To investigate the seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) among voluntary blood donors in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria with the purpose of determining whether routine CMV screening for donors is justified or not. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology and Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin city, Nigeria, between May and September, 2010. Methodology: Sera from randomly selected one hundred and ninety-two (192) voluntary blood donors, consisting of 176 males and 16 females that visited the hospital from May to September 2010 were evaluated for CMV-IgG and IgM antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based kit. Results: Seroprevalence for CMV-IgG and IgM were 95.8% and 3.1% respectively. All female donors (n=16) were positive for IgG. A total of 114 out of 192 (59.4%) donors were within the age bracket of 30-39 years. A prevalence of 100% for CMV IgG antibody was observed in age group ≥50 years, Conclusion: Routine screening of donors for CMV-IgG antibody would amount to waste of resources given the high prevalence of 95.8%. Periodic screening to identify the small percentage of seronegative blood donors (4.2%) who are needed for the ever increasing number of immunosuppressed recipients is recommended

Seroevidence of Chlamydia Trachomatis Antibody in Infertile Women in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (Ubth) Benin City, Nigeria

The role of Chlamydia trachomatis in the pathogenesis of Pelvic inflammatory disease and majority of cases of salpinigitis are well acknowledged in women. A total of 213 sera from infertile women were tested for antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis by using an indirect solid phases enzyme Immuno absorbent commercial ELISA test. Women with confirmed Hysterosalpinographic report suggesting tubal occlusion (tubal factor infertility) had 92 (43.2%) followed by 63 (29.6%) infertile women with infertile male partner and 58 (27.2%) were having unexplained infertility. Out of the tubal factor (TF) infertile women 40 (18.8%) were seropositive for Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, as against 19 (8.9%) in the group of women with normal patent tubes and 10 (4.6%) women with infertile male partner. In this study there was a statistical significant correlation between the infertile women with tubal factor infertility in relation to seroevidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection with p<0.05. There was no age bias in the serodetection of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies. The seropositivity of Chlamydia trachomatis is an indication that the organism may be an independent risk factor in the development of an inflammatory process leading to scaring of the uterine tubes in women and thereby causing infertility

A Pilot Study on effects of vaccination on immunity of broiler chickens

A pilot study was carried out with the aim of highlighting the effects of NDV vaccine on the immune responses of broiler chickens challenged with NDV. Twenty (20) broilers of day-old were used for the study. They were grouped into five of four per group. During the study they were fed with standard feeds and clean water ad libitum. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were challenged with 0.2 saline suspension of 106 ELD50 intradermal inoculation of NDV challenged strain. The vaccinated groups showed neither clinical signs nor symptoms of NDV infections while unvaccinated group showed 100% mortality after 48hr. This result indicate that vaccines is still very important in the prevention, management and control of poultry diseases as maternal immunity passed on to the young chicks at precocial stage could not be relied on to fight against infectious disease in broiler chickens. Therefore, the use of locally produced vaccines should be encouraged among farmers for the prevention, control and management of outbreaks of viral infections in our community. Key: Challenged, Poultry birds- broilers, Newcastle disease virus, Vaccinatio