Evaluation of antibiotic resistance patterns and heavy metals tolerance of some bacteria isolated from contaminated soils and sediments from Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

This work investigated the antibiotic resistance patterns and heavy metals such as Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd) and iron (Fe) tolerance of selected bacteria isolated from contaminated soils and sediments around Warri area of Delta State. The heterotrophic bacterial counts for the sampled soils and sediments ranged from 1.7×105 cfu/g to 5.7×105cfu/g for Ubeji river sediments, 1.0×105 cfu/g to 9.0×105cfu/g for spare parts dumpsite and 1.2×104cfu/g to 9.0×104 cfu/g for Ifie depot sites respectively. The characterized bacterial isolates included; Klebsiella sp, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella mobilis and Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp. and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. Bacterial isolates showed multiple drug resistance and the most resistant isolates were S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeroginosa while K. mobilis exhibited the least resistance. The tolerance of the bacterial isolates exposed to varying concentrations of Pb2+, Cd2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+was ascertained using agar diffusion method. All the bacterial isolates exhibited varying degree of susceptibility at different concentrations of Pb and Cd while the organisms displayed abundant and moderate growth in the presence of Fe and Zn even at higher concentrations. The ability of these bacteria to resist antibiotics and heavy metal tolerance could present serious danger to the environment as the resistance genes may be transferred to surrounding wild type microbial cells.Keywords: Heavy metals, Antibiotics resistance, tolerance, Ubeji river sediments, Warr

Ameliorative Effect of Different Concentration of Mushroom (Pleurotus Tuberregium) on Pathomorphological Changes Induced By Lead Toxicity in Liver and Kidney of Wistar Albino Rats

This study evaluates ameliorative effect of different concentrations of mushroom (Pleurotus tuberregium) on the effects of lead (Pb). Ninety albino rats were divided into six groups with three replicates (5 rats per group) for 21 days pre-experimental stage for acclimatization. The experimental groups were exposed to 0.1 g/l of lead daily for 21 days. At the end of exposure period, lead salt was discontinued for 21 and 42days to verify possible ameliorative effect of mushroom in the post-experimental stage. Samples of liver and kidney tissues were then collected and subsequently analyzed for structural changes every 21 days. The tissues of the pre-experimental stages showed normal tissues as those of the control except in the liver which showed mild periportal chronic inflammatory cell. However, the experimental groups, showed liver with focal periportal vascular congestion and hypertrophy, moderate chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial oedema. The kidney showed focal proximal tubular necrosis, transmural oedema, interstitial haemorrhage, and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration. The tissues of liver and kidney in the post experimental stages were improved with increased mushroom content in the feed. Results of this study demonstrated that P. tuberregium may ameliorate lead toxicity in liver and kidney tissues. Keywords: Abatement, Albino rat, Kidney and Liver, Lead toxicity, Pathomorphological Pleurotus tuberregium

In vitro

The in vitro antimicrobial and in vivo heavy metal abatement properties of aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola Heckel (bitter cola) were investigated using opportunistic pathogens and Wistar rats as experimental models. A marked inhibitory activity against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans was recorded at 100 mg/ml of the crude relative to ketoconozole and fluconazole drugs. Similarly, different concentrations (25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml) of the crude extracts of bitter cola inhibited species of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa almost as effectively as the control drug of streptomycine used. Chronic lead acetate poisoned wistar rats in groups B, C, D, E exposed to G. kola supplemented feed and water ad libitum showed variable decrease in the serum alkaline phosphatase level while aspartate and alanine aminotransferases level reduces in C and D groups compared to the negative control group. The kidney biomarkers; serum creatinine and urea concentrations were not significantly different at P â¤Â 0.05 for rat groups C, D, E when compared with the positive and negative control groups respectively. Mild infiltration and cell distortion were observed in the liver and kidney sections of the rats exposed to uncoated bitter cola supplemented feed while suggesting an overriding effect from the nut coats. The study reaffirms the medicinal potential of coated and uncoated bitter cola to act as abatement of lead toxicity and alternative antimicrobial. Furthermore, G. kola could be a double-edged drug for the spontaneous amelioration of lead toxicity and secondary infections due to lead poisoning. Keywords: Garcinia kola, Antimicrobial, Lead abatement, Histopathology, Opportunistic pathogen