Antibacterial activity and phytochemical analysis of Amaranthus pinosus and Ipomea sarifolia

No Abstrac

Microbial contaminants on some fish contact surfaces in Sokoto, Nigeria

Sokoto central market and two privately owned fish cold room and distribution outlets were visited between August and September, 2005 to collect surface swabs. The sampled surfaces included a concrete table and two basins from the market, weighing pans, floor and walls of cold rooms from the two distribution outlets. Five swabs each were taken from the contact surfaces. Out of 45 samples obtained from concrete table surface, basins, weighing pans, walls and floors of cold rooms, the table surface and the two basins from the market had the highest bacteria and fungi isolates of 43.9% and 48.6% respectively. The predominant bacterial and fungal isolates were Staphylococcus species (25.0%) and Rhizopus stolonifer (47.5%). In view of the importance of some of the microbial isolates obtained in this study as primary causes of food-borne illnesses, there is the need to improve on personal and environmental hygiene to reduce contamination of food contact surfaces that may serve as direct agents of transmission of diseases to susceptible population. Keywords: Fish; contact surfaces; bacteria; fungi; Nigeria Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 168-17

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk from cattle herds within Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

One hundred and ninety two raw milk samples were collected from lactating cows identified in Fulani herds and small scale dairy farms within Sokoto metropolis in order to investigate the presence and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes in the milk. Selective culture and identification method was employed for the bacterial isolation and Kirby-Bauer technique was used for the antibiotic susceptibility test. Seventy six samples (39.58%) were positive for Listeria species, which upon biochemical characterization 39(51.3%) were Listeria innocua, 14(18.4%) Listeria ivanovii, 17(22.4%) Listeria monocytogenes, 4(5.3%) Listeria welshimeri and 2(2.6%) Listeria seeligeri. Antibiotic susceptibility test of the isolates revealed high resistance to am picillin (100%), and streptomycin (80%), followed by ampiclox (70%), tetracycline (30%), then gentamycin (20%) while, there was no resistance to ciprofloxacin and chloranphenicol. The findings of this study necessitate the need for extension personnel to educate the Fulani herdsmen, milk handlers and other livestock producers on the significance of hygiene especially during milking and the effect of indiscriminate use of drugs particularly antibiotics. There is also need for the agencies concerned such as the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to regulate the sales and use of both human and veterinary drugs by drug hawkers and other non-professional veterinary practitioners

Oral microflora of stray domestic cats (Felis catus) found in the premises of two human hospitals in Sokoto, Nigeria

A study was carried out to identify the various bacterial species in the oral cavity of cats in two human hospitals in Sokoto, Nigeria. The buccal cavities of 26 cats (14 from Hospital A and 12 from Hospital B were liberally swabbed for bacterial evaluation. The samples were enriched in peptone water, inoculated on McConkey and Blood agar, and incubated aerobically at 37°C for 24hrs. The isolates were Gram stained and subjected to biochemical characterization for identification. A total of 51 bacterial isolates were made. There were Staphylococcus aureus 18 (35.3%), Micrococcus spp. 9 (17.7%), Pasteurella spp. 5 (9.8%), Streptococcus spp. 5 (9.8%), Yersinia spp. 4 (7.8%), Bacillus spp. 4 (7.8%), Listeria spp. 3 (5.4%) and Corynebacterium spp. 3 (5.9%). Staphylococcus aureus has the highest frequency of isolation 18 (35.3%)

Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish in Sokoto, Nigeria

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish in Sokoto, Nigeria. A total of 115 different species of smoked fish from the various retail outlets and market places within the metropolis were analysed for the presence of L. monocytogenes using ISO culture method. Out of the 115 samples analysed, 29 (25%) were positive for L. monocytogenes. Other Listeria species isolated in this study are L. grayi 13 (11%), L. innocua 10 (9%) and L. ivanovi 15 (13%).The remaining 48 (42%) of the sample were negative for Listeria species. The study shows that L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species are common contaminant of smoked fish, and this may pose serious public health implications