Case Report: Bacillus pumilus?Caused Bacteremia in a Patient with Food Poisoning

Bacillus pumilus has rarely been reported as a cause of human infections.We report a case of a B. pumilus causing food poisoning in an adult male.A 51-year-old Japanese man complained of severe abdominal cramps, fever with chills, diarrhea, dizziness, and loss of appetite after eating reheated rice with stewed minced meat purchased from a Kenyan restaurant. Bacillus pumilus was isolated from blood culture and was identified using a biochemical test and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The patient was treated with probiotics and ciprofloxacin and recovered after 3 days. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the potential role of B.pumilus as a foodborne pathogen in Kenya and highlights the importance of good hygiene and food preparation practices

The NUITM-KEMRI P3 Laboratory in Kenya: Establishment, Features, Operation and Maintenance

A biocontainment facility is a core component in any research setting due to the services it renders towards comprehensive biosafety observance. The NUITM-KEMRI P3 facility was set up in 2007 and has been actively in use since 2010 by researchers from this and other institutions. A number of hazardous agents have been handled in the laboratory among them MDR-TB and yellow fever viruses. The laboratory has the general physical and operational features of a P3 laboratory in addition to a number of unique features, among them the water-air filtration system, the eco-mode operation feature and automation of the pressure system that make the facility more efficient. It is equipped with biosafety and emergency response equipments alongside common laboratory equipments, maintained regularly using daily, monthly and yearly routines. Security and safety is strictly observed within the facility, enhanced by restricted entry, strict documentation and use of safety symbols. Training is also engrained within the operation of the laboratory and is undertaken and evaluated annually. Though the laboratory is in the process of obtaining accreditation, it is fully certified courtesy of the manufactures\u27 and constructed within specified standards

Biosafety and biosecurity capacity building: insights from implementation of the NUITM-KEMRI biosafety training model

The NUITM-KEMRI biosafety training program was developed for capacity building of new biosafety level three (BSL-3) laboratory users. The training program comprehensively covers biosafety and biosecurity theory and practice. Its training curriculum is based on the WHO biosafety guidelines, local biosafety standards, and ongoing biosafety level three research activities in the facility, also taking into consideration the emerging public health issues. The program\u27s training approach enhances the participant\u27s biosafety and biosecurity knowledge and builds their skills through the hands-on practice sessions and mentorship training. Subsequently, the trainees are able to integrate acquired knowledge and good practices into their routine laboratory procedures. This article describes implementation of the NUITM-KEMRI biosafety training program

Prevalence, seasonal variation, and antibiotic resistance pattern of enteric bacterial pathogens among hospitalized diarrheic children in suburban regions of central Kenya

Background: The epidemiology of enteric pathogens has not been well studied in Kenya because of wide disparities in health status across the country. Therefore, the present study describes the prevalence of enteropathogenic bacteria, their seasonal variation, and antibiotic resistance profiles among hospitalized diarrheic children in a suburban region of central Kenya. Methods: Fecal samples were collected between July 2009 and December 2013 from a total of 1410 children younger than 5years, hospitalized with acute diarrhea in Kiambu County Hospital, Kenya. Conventional culture, biochemical, and molecular methods were conducted to identify causative bacterial pathogens and their virulence factors. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using E-test strips and VITEK-2 advanced expert system (AES) to evaluate the drug-resistance pattern of the isolates. Results: Of the 1410 isolates, bacterial infections were identified in 474 cases. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) was the most frequently isolated pathogen (86.5%). Other pathogens such as Aeromonas (5.5%), Shigella (4%), Salmonella (3.4%), Providencia (3.2%), Vibrio spp. (1.1%), Yersinia enterocolitica (1.1%), and Plesiomonas shigelloides (0.2%) were also identified. Mixed bacterial infection was observed among 11.1% of the cases. The highest infection rate was found during the dry season (59.3%, p=0.04). Most of the DEC was found to be multidrug resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 97.6%, amoxicillin 97.6%, erythromycin 96.9%, ampicillin 96.6%, and streptomycin 89%. Conclusions: This study suggests that DEC is the leading diarrhea-causing bacterial pathogen circulating in central Kenya, and seasonality has a significant effect on its transmission. Proper antibiotic prescription and susceptibility testing is important to guide appropriate antimicrobial therapy