Occurrence of otitis media in children and assessment of treatment options

Otitis media is a more frequent occurrence in children and the disease may progress from acute to chronic state if appropriate intervention is not initiated. Two hundred and twelve children 6 months to 10 years were examined and treated for otitis media in a 13 month hospital based study. Exclusion criterion was history of antibiotic therapy 2 months to presentation at clinic. Acute otitis media (AOM) was diagnosed in 130 of the patients (25 in 6 months and 46 in 7 months to 12 months infants; 28 in children older than 1 year to 2 years; 19 in age group >2 years to 5 years; and 12 for children between 5 to 10 years) and 82 cases were of chronic otitis media (7 in 6 months and 30 in 7 months to 12 months infants; 15 in children older than 1 year to 2 years; 12 in age group >2 years to 5 years; and 18 for children between 5 to 10 years). Patients with AOM were given paracetamol only during the period of pain and effusion when present. Relapses occurred in 25 to 41.7% of cases with highest incidence in the age groups 7 months to 1 year and 2 to 5 years. Cases of recurrence were investigated bacteriologically and treated with amoxicillin or augmentin (amoxicillin + clavulanate). Chronic otitis media patients were assigned into three treatment groups; amoxicillin and augmentin prophylactic groups (27 patients each) and a treatment group based on culture and antibiotic susceptibility (CAS) test results (28 patients). Recovery occurred in 19, 24 and 27 patients in the amoxicillin, augmentin and CAS groups respectively with relapses seen only in the amoxicillin (5 cases) and augmentin (2 cases) groups. Infection persisted in 8, 3, and 1 patient in the amoxicillin, augmentin and CAS treated patients respectively. The high rate of recurrence in AOM and the success rate with antibiotic therapy for both AOM and COM suggest that antibiotics should be considered especially when culture and sensitivity patterns are established

Mechanical Device for Starch Extraction during Rice Flour Fermentation: Cost Effective and Product Quality Consistent Approach

A fork-like paddle stirrer device designed and fabricated served dual functions in the batch rice fermentation; starch extraction and for aeration. The yield and characteristics of the device-associated fermentation was contrast with features from fermentation simulating indigenous practices using a wooden spoon stirrer. Contrasting features include continuous aeration with the device-associated system that ensured frequent microbe-substrate contact, higher percentage yield of starch and a short time to result (7 days versus 15 days with the wooden spoon stirrer). The wooden spoon stirrer system only permitted occasional agitation, yielded less starch but produced more quantity of protein-rich fermented rice granules. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were dominant fermentative flora and flourished at pH 3.5 to 4.5. The mechanical device consists of a long beam which furcated into five prongs. The prongs are made of two arms which bifurcate and a third arm that runs vertically from the base. The paddles are spade-like in shape with circular blunt ends. The paddles contain circular perforations with area of πr2. This perforation serves as a sieve for extrusion of starch. The upper arm of the beam is attached to a thick rectangular beam at a fulcrum which allows it to rotate 360o and two flexible spring cords that make the device to move both upward and downward. These mechanisms of operation ensure efficient agitation and facilitated the processes of extraction and aeratio

Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns and Penicillinase Activity of Staphylococci spp from Wound Specimens in Lagos

Forty-five Staphylococci spp comprising 33 (73.3%) Staphylococcus aureus and 12 (26.7%) Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from both non-surgical and post-surgical septic wounds were evaluated for penicillinase activity. Thirty (90.9%) of the S. aureus isolates produced beta-lactamases. Beta-lactamase production accounted for the high level resistance (70-90%) to the penicillins. Five (16.7%) of the penicillinase-producing S. aureus (PPSA) were resistant to methicillin, while 25 (83.3%) PPSA were sensitive. Resistance to the cephalosporins by the PPSA was between 7 and 30% indicating that the beta-lactamase produced was mostly penicillinase. Ciprofloxacin, vancomycin and rifampicin were the most active of the antibiotics against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with activity of between 90 and 100%. They also gave low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (0.125-8 μg/ml for ciprofloxacin, 0.125-2 μg/ml for vancomycin and 2-32 μg/ml for rifampicin). Methicillin activity of 83.3% was comparable with those of erythromycin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin (range 73.3-86.7%). Azithromycin activity against the PPSA was 90%. S. aureus is the specie of Staphylococci most frequently isolated from septic wound and have shown high rate of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics which could be attributed to their production of beta–lactamase enzyme especially, penicillinas

Process and Mathematical in the Formulation of Microbiology Media from the Exoskeleton of Crustaceans

Culture media are very central in the study of microorganisms. Most microbiological media are formulated with beef or soya as protein source. The need for cheaper source of raw material is exploited with the use of exoskeleton of crabs (Callinectes amnicola; shell only) and shrimps (Penaeus notialis; head, shell and appendages). The mathematical model for the formulation derived and the formulated media assessed for nutritional value and ability to support microbial growth. Proximate analyses of infusions from the nutrient sources revealed high contents of minerals especially Na+, K+, Ca2+, Fe2+, Mg2+, SO4 2-, NO3 -, PO4 2- and traces of glucose. Fats and proteins were higher in crab shell (25.39%, 12.36%) and shrimp exoskeleton (3.39%, 18.48%) respectively. Infusions from these nutrient sources separately or in combination supported good growth of bacteria, moulds and yeasts either as broth or as agar media. The pH changes as a result of microbial growth were minimal thus occluding the need for buffering. The diversity of microorganisms that grew on the media satisfies their requirement as general purpose growth medi

Predisposing and bacteriological features of otitis media

Otitis media is an infectious condition that is more frequent in children. Its management is complex because the etiologies vary as the disease progresses. This study aimed to determine the predisposing factors and the bacterial etiology of otitis media. A total of 378 patients diagnosed with otitis media; comprised acute otitis media (29.4%), otitis media with effusion (32.3%) and chronic otitis media (38.4%). Bacteriological examination was done using aerobic and anaerobic culture methods. Children less than 5 years accounted for 46% of cases. Incidence was more in the rainy season (May-October). Unilateral infection which was more common (82%) was predominantly in the left ear (66.8%). Major predisposing factors to infection were age (19.8%), upper respiratory infection (14.8%), poor hygiene and unorthodox practices (14.8%), adenoid inflammation (8.5%) and trauma (6.1%). Streptococcus pneumoniae (38.1%), Moraxella catarrhalis (19.0%) and Staphylococcus aureus (16.7%) characterized AOM. A paradigm shift was observed in otitis media with effusion, with S. aureus (19.1%) and Bacteroides ureolyticus (14.9%) dominating the flora. Etiologies in chronic otitis media were largely mixed aerobic-anaerobic component of 68.3%; predominant flora being Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.1%) and P. magnus (13.4%). The paradigm shift is instructive in deciding the line of antibiotic therapy to be instituted

Occurrence of otitis media in children and assessment of treatment options

Background: Otitis media is a more frequent occurrence in children, and the disease may progress from an acute to chronic state if appropriate and timely intervention is not initiated. Methods: A total of 212 children aged 6 months to 10 years were examined and treated for otitis media, in a 13-month hospital-based study. Results: Acute otitis media was diagnosed in 130 (61.3 per cent) of the patients. There were 82 (38.7 per cent) chronic suppurative otitis media cases. The incidence of acute otitis media and chronic suppurative otitis media in the first year of life was 54.6 per cent and 45.1 per cent respectively. Chronic suppurative otitis media patients were assigned to one of three treatment groups. Recovery occurred in 70.4 per cent of amoxicillin-treated patients, in 88.9 per cent of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid treated patients and in 96.4 per cent of culture and antibiotic sensitivity test patients. Relapses were seen only in the amoxicillin (five cases) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (two cases) groups. Conclusion: The success rate in patients treated with antibiotics makes this option mandatory for an established diagnosis

PREDISPOSING FIELD FACTORS TO CARICA PAPAYA L FRUIT ROT

Abstract Carica papaya L is famous for its latex and succulent vitamin rich fruit. However, the plant has little commercial value compared with citrus and mango possibly as a result of its many associated diseases. In this experiential study we determined field factors associated with C. papaya fruit rots. A three and half year observational study in a model research and demonstration farm revealed the following as significant to papaya fruit rot; plants >2 years were more susceptible to diseases, infection particularly fungal was predominant in late dry season (February to March) which also coincided with the tailing period of harvest. Insects mostly beetles, mulluscs (snails and slugs) and millipedes were prevalent pests in wet months and served as vectors for spread of disease or inflicted mechanical damage on the plant parts especially on fruits. Vegetation management had significant impact on the spread of diseases as it determined the prevalence of pests and disease-associated weeds. Powdery mildew and apical necrosis were typical of dry months (November to March), anthracnose occurs more often with onset of rain accompanied with wind while other disease conditions were prevalent in the wet months (August to October). Infected stems and leaves constituted the reservoirs of spoilage organisms

In vitro Antimicrobial Screening on Anchomanes difformis (Blume) Engl. Leaves and Rhizomes Against Selected Pathogens of Public Health Importance

There is a need to establish scientific findings to many ethnobotanical uses of plants as phytotherapy which could find application in the pharmaceutical industry. Antimicrobial activity of Anchomanes difformis which is locally used in the treatment of diarrhea was investigated in this research. A. difformis leaf and rhizome were exhaustively extracted using ethanol, methanol and water as solvent in the ratio of 70:20:10. The antimicrobial activities were tested against pathogens of public health importance majorly the enterobacteriaceae and Candida albican. The zones of inhibitions ranged from 3-5 for rhizome extracts and 1-5 for leaf extracts at 100 l (0.1g/ml) MIC. The rhizome extracts contained phlebotannins, terpenoids and glycosides not found in leaf extracts while the leaf extracts contained steroids not found in rhizomes extracts among other phytochemicals present. Pseudomonas aeruginosa conferred resistance against the rhizome extract while Shigella flexneri conferred resistance against leaf extract. Differences in these observed susceptibility and resistance could be due to differences in their bioactive components. The rest of the organisms were found to be susceptible to both extracts showing that A. difformis had antimicrobial activity

Methods of Extraction and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Plant Extracts

Plant extracts are widely used in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industry; however the effect of conventional methods of extraction described in this paper as cold and soxhlet method has not been investigated. Antimicrobial activity of Anchomanes difformis (Blume) Engl. leaf extracts have been described comparing cold and soxhlet method of extraction. The ammmt of extractable plant extract/phytochemicals, the solubility of the extracts and the susceptibility of the test organism to the extract had a correlation with the extraction methods. Cold extract had wider zones of inhibition and activity than soxhlet extract. Though there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between cold and soxhlet extracts on the entire test organisms, differences exist when compared individually. This paper revealed cold method of extraction as a better alternative to soxhlet method in antimicrobial susceptibility assay. However, the decision on the methods of extraction to be used could also be dependent on the ammmt of certain phytochemicals required and the solubility of the extracts in solvents after extraction