Antimicrobial activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Aspilia africana against clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi

Background: Plants hold prospects for novel drugs discovery against Salmonella typhi and its swift antibiotics resistance. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Aspilia africana extracts against clinical isolates of S. typhi. Methods: Active ingredients of plants were extracted using ethanol and constituted into Extracts I, II and III. Extract I is A. africana, Extract II is H. sabdariffa and Extract III is a combination of extracts of A. africana and H. sabdariffa. Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial sensitivity test (Agar Well Diffusion), Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) tests were conducted during this study. Results: Results on phytochemicals of H. sabdariffa and A. africana extracts showed phenols, saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, triterpenoids, coumarins, alkaloids and steroids. Antimicrobial sensitivity test showed that S. typhi was sensitive to all extracts indicating zones of inhibition of 29.0, 19.0 and 18.5 mm for Extract I, II and III respectively while resistant to lower concentrations of Extract I at 100, 50 and 25 mg/ml. Resistant S. typhi was sensitive to Extract I, II, and III (21.0, 19.0 and 19.0 mm) respectively at 200 mg/ml while resistant to both Extract I and II at (100, 50 and 25 mg/ml) and (50 and 25 mg/ml) respectively. MIC experiments showed 3.125, 6.25 and 3.125 mg/ml against sensitive S. typhi and 25, 12.5 and 12.5 mg/ml against resistant S. typhi for Extract I, II and III respectively. MBC values were 25, 12.5 and 12.5 mg/ml against sensitive S. typhi and 50, 25 and 25 mg/ml against resistant S. typhi for Extract I, II and III respectively. Plant extracts, when combined with ciprofloxacin (concentration), indicated MBCs of 0.19, 0.19, and 0.39 mg/ml against sensitive S. typhi compared with 0.19, 0.097 and 0.19 mg/ml against resistant S. typhi for Extract I, II and III respectively. Conclusion: These plant extracts showed great antimicrobial activities and therefore could be exploited and harnessed for future antibiotic drug discovery

Microbial Contamination, an Increasing Threat to the Consumption of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Today’s World

Microbes are found all over the globe with some few exceptions, including sterilized surfaces. They include normal flora that is nonpathogenic, which contribute to the larger percentage, and pathogenic species which are few. Hence, the activities of humans cannot be completely separated from microbes. Thus, many pathogenic microbes have found their way into fresh fruits and vegetables which are a great source of a healthy diet for humans. The growing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables has necessitated larger production. The larger production of vegetables within the shortest possible time to meet the growing demand has placed them at a higher risk of contamination with the pathogenic microbes, making the safety of consumers uncertain. Study of sources of contamination and type of pathogenic etiological agents isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables includes Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium botulinum, E. coli O157: H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella, Staphylococcus, and Vibrio cholera. Several measures have proven to be effective in controlling contamination of microbes and they include the establishment of surveillance systems to monitor the production chain and thoroughly washing vegetables with vinegar water. Saltwater and other washing techniques are effective but caution should be taken to make sure one does not use one cycle of water for washing all vegetables. The consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is still encouraged by this review but significant measures must be taken to check the safety of these products before consumption

Food milling machines are hosts to pathogenic bacteria: A cross-sectional study in the Asante Mampong Municipal, Ghana

Foodborne illnesses are a growing concern globally, with the food processing chain being implicated as the main culprit. However, the contribution of milling machines to these outbreaks in the Asante Mampong municipality is not well understood. This study evaluated the bacteriological quality of 55 food milling machines and assessed management practices and perceptions of operators towards microbial contamination. The study recorded a total mean count of 1.95523 × 105 (CFU/ml) and identified 82 bacteria in five genera, with Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. being the most prevalent. The Fufu pounding machine recorded the highest total isolates, while the pepper/tomato machine had the highest Salmonella isolates. Compared to similar studies, this research offers novel findings on the extent of contamination and specific genera of bacteria found in food milling machines in the Asante Mampong municipality. The study highlights the need for regular and rigorous checks on milling machines to minimize contamination and foodborne outbreaks in the food milling industry. The study's findings offer solutions to reducing foodborne illnesses locally and nationally, including increased awareness and licensing of milling machine operators to ensure good hygiene practices and minimize contamination. This research contributes to new knowledge on management practices and perceptions of operators towards microbial contamination in milling machines. Additionally, the study's relevance to the global discourse on food safety can aid in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and the Africa Union's Agenda 2063 in promoting food safety and nutrition security on the continent

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Local and Exotic Breeds of Chickens in Pankrono–Kumasi, Ghana

The world’s poultry population is on the ascendency as a result of the high demand for poultry product by consumers. In Africa, poultry meat is estimated to represent almost 25% of all meat, whereas in some areas it covers 100% of the animal protein available. The high demand for poultry products has led to an increase in poultry production in almost all African countries including Ghana, with the domestic chicken being the most kept. The sector has been reported to have recorded a drop in production, partly due to infection of birds by diseases, causing organisms including parasites. The study conducted was to investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in local and exotic breeds of chickens in Pankrono–Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Two hundred (200) cloacae of slaughtered birds were collected from slaughtering units in the study area and the faecal samples were examined for the eggs/cysts of gastrointestinal parasites using the simple flotation technique and microscopy. Nematodes and cestodes were recovered in 131 (65.5%) of the samples examined with Ascaridia galli recorded as the most prevalent. Some of the nematodes include Ascaridia galli 65 (32.5%), Heterakis gallinarum 38 (19.0%), and Capillaria spp. 29 (14.5%). Some cestodes were Raillietina spp. 19(9.5%) and Choanotaenia infundibulum 5 (2.5%) with Prosthogonimus spp. 3 (1.5%) being the only trematode recovered. The local breeds recorded a percentage prevalence of 76.0%, making them the most susceptible breed to gastrointestinal parasites. The results obtained attest to the reason behind the reduction in poultry production. It is therefore recommended that farmers are educated on farm managerial practices that will reduce the risk of infection and help increase production to meet the demand of consumers