Isolation and Characterization of Cytotoxic, Aggregative Citrobacter freundii

Citrobacter freundii is an infrequent but established cause of diarrhea in humans. However, little is known of its genetic diversity and potential for virulence. We analyzed 26 isolates, including 12 from human diarrheal patients, 2 from human fecal samples of unknown diarrheal status, and 12 from animals, insects, and other sources. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis using XbaI allowed us to divide the 26 isolates into 20 pulse types, while multi-locus sequence typing using 7 housekeeping genes allowed us to divide the 26 isolates into 6 sequence types (STs) with the majority belonging to 4 STs. We analyzed adhesion and cytotoxicity to HEp-2 cells in these 26 strains. All were found to adhere to HEp-2 cells. One strain, CF74, which had been isolated from a goat, showed the strongest aggregative adhesion pattern. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released from HEp-2 cells was evaluated as a measure of cytotoxicity, averaging 7.46%. Strain CF74 induced the highest level of LDH, 24.3%, and caused >50% cell rounding, detachment, and death. We named strain CF74 “cytotoxic and aggregative C. freundii.” Genome sequencing of CF74 revealed that it had acquired 7 genomic islands, including 2 fimbriae islands and a type VI secretion system island, all of which are potential virulence factors. Our results show that aggregative adherence and cytotoxicity play an important role in the pathogenesis of C. freundii

Is the cassava (Manihot esculenta) product, garri, an aetiopathogenic factor in limb malformation?

We investigated the aetiopathological significance of garri a cassava (Manihot esculenta) based food incorporated in the regular diet of 16 mothers whose babies presented in University of Benin Teaching Hospital with varying severe congenital limb malformations. The pattern of these malformations had earlier been documented. The mothers who were from the coastal villages of the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria were predominantly garri makers and virtually subsisted on garri forms for their daily diets, even during pregnancy. Could the Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content in the garri consumed by these mothers at pregnancy be responsible for the observed limb malformation on their babies? The difference in the garri eating habits (both in quantity and frequency) between the 16 garri making mothers of the patients and age-matched 16 mothers of healthy babies from the same geographical area selected as control, was in the length of time the garri stayed after processing and frying before consumption. Whereas the garri frying mothers prepared their meals often from the garri they processed themselves 1-2 days after frying, the control group prepared their garri meals from garri purchased from the markets. The processed garri gets to market in these areas for sale in the customary 5-day market cycle, making the market garri, at least, 5 days old from time of frying. Cyanide level of 1-2 day old garri was determined and compared with levels obtained in subsequent day 5, 10 and 14 of storage. The 24 to 48 hours old garri showed high toxic cyanide level of 81.15mg/kg (estimated toxic level>50mg/kg) compared to day 5 and above which showed drastic reduction of cyanide level down t

Chemical Composition and In Situ Dry Matter Digestibility of Selected Multi Purpose Trees and Schrubs

None Availabl

Haematological studies on the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris Pallas): II. Effect of age, sex, and time of bleeding on protein and electrolyte levels in blood serum of guinea fowls

No Abstract

Haematological studies on the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris Pallas): I. Effect of age, sex, and time of bleeding of the haematological values of Guinea Fowls

No Abstract

Reassessment of Onchocerciasis prevalence in Etteh, Nigeria, after a decade of mass mectizan chemotherapeutic intervention: Preliminary report

Areassessment of the prevalence of onchocerciasiswas carried out in Etteh community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu state, Nigeria. The community has been known to be highly endemic for onchocerciasis. The assessment of endemicity was based on Rapid Assessment Method (RAM), which involved the use of two onchocercal indices namely the presence of palpable nodules and depigmentation (Leopard skin). Out o the 716 individuals examined consisting of 327 males and 389 females, the overal prevalence of palpable onchocercal nodules was 51.4%. The females had insignificanty (P>0.05) higher rate of onchocercomata (51.9%) than males (44.0%). The anatomical distribution of nodules in descending order of occurrence was pelvic regon (26.3%), head and neck regon (20.6%), thorax and lumbar (15.7%), upper limbs (14.5%), lower limbs (12.4%) and others (abdomen and shoulders, 5.9%). It is obvious that in spite of the decade-longannual free distribution of Mectizan in the area, onchocerciasis prevalence is still high.Keywords: Onchocerciasis, Mectizan, Reassessment, Nodules, Chemotherap