Microbiological quality and antimicrobial resistance of Bacteria species recovered from ready-to-eat food, water samples, and palm swabs of food vendors in Accra, Ghana

This study sought to investigate microbial quality and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria species from Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food, water, and vendor palm swab samples. Between 2019 and 2020, RTE food, water and vendor palm swab samples were collected from food vending sites in Accra, Ghana. Samples were cultured and confirmed using the Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was conducted using disk diffusion method. Beta-lactamase and Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) genes were determined using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Total plate count (TPC) and Total coliform count (TCC) were performed on food and water samples. In total, 179 RTE food, 72 water and 10 vendor palm swab samples were collected. Enterobacter spp. (16.8 %), Citrobacter spp. (10.1 %), Enterococcus faecalis (7.8 %), Pseudomonas spp. (6.7 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.0 %) occurred in food. Isolates from water and palm were Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.8 %), Aeromonas spp. (16.7 %) and Enterobacter cloacae (11.1 %). Resistance to Amoxicillin-clavulanate, Tetracycline, Azithromycin, Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and Nitrofurantoin were common among Enterobacterales. High mean TPC and TCC showed in some RTE food and different water types used in vending depicting their unsafe condition for consumption and usage. The bla(SHV) and bla(TEM) genes were present in some Enterobacterales from food and water. The lt gene was identified in two food samples. AMR organisms associated with nosocomial infections in the samples investigated, calls for continuous surveillance in the food industry in Ghana. Also, the unsafe outcome of RTE food and water depicts the need for the enforcement of Ghana's food safety laws

Influence of socio-economic status on habitual physical activity and sedentary behavior in 8- to 11-year old children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While socio-economic status has been shown to be an important determinant of health and physical activity in adults, results for children and adolescents are less consistent. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine whether physical activity and sedentary behavior differs in children by socio-economic status (SES) independent of body mass index.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were from two cohorts including 271 children (117 males; 154 females) in study 1 and 131 children in study 2 (63 males; 68 females). The average age was 9.6 and 8.8 years respectively. Height and body mass were assessed according to standard procedures and body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) was calculated. Parent-reported household income was used to determine SES. Habitual, free-living physical activity (PA) was assessed by a pedometer (steps/day) in study 1 and accelerometer (time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA) in study 2. Self-reported time spent watching TV and on the computer was used as measure of sedentary behavior. Differences in PA and sedentary behavior by SES were initially tested using ANOVA. Further analyses used ANCOVA controlling for BMI, as well as leg length in the pedometer cohort.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In study 1, mean daily steps differed significantly among SES groups with lower SES groups approximating 10,500 steps/day compared to about 12,000 steps/day in the higher SES groups. These differences remained significant (p < 0.05) when controlling for leg length. Lower SES children, however, had higher body mass and BMI compared to higher SES groups (p < 0.05) and PA no longer remained significant when further controlling for BMI. In study 2 results depended on the methodology used to determine time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Only one equation resulted in significant group differences (p = 0.015), and these differences remained after controlling for BMI. Significant differences between SES groups were shown for sedentary behavior in both cohorts (P < 0.05) with higher SES groups spending less time watching TV than low SES groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Children from a low SES show a trend of lower PA levels and spend more time in sedentary behavior than high SES children; however, differences in PA were influenced by BMI. The higher BMI in these children might be another factor contributing to increased health risks among low SES children compared to children from with a higher SES.</p

Associações entre atividade física, índice de massa corporal e comportamentos sedentários em adolescentes Associations between physical activity, body mass index, and sedentary behaviors in adolescents

OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a associação do índice de massa corporal (IMC) com os níveis de atividade física (AF) e comportamentos sedentários (assistir TV, usar computador ou jogar videogames) em adolescentes de escolas públicas do Estado de Santa Catarina (15-19 anos; n = 5.028). MÉTODOS: As informações foram coletadas por meio de questionário desenvolvido e validado para adolescentes. Foram considerados insuficientemente ativos, os jovens que não acumulavam pelo menos 300 minutos/semana de atividades físicas moderadas ou vigorosas. Considerou-se para o uso excessivo de TV e computador/games um tempo > 2 horas/dia; para excesso de peso corporal, utilizou-se a tabela internacional de IMC para adolescentes. RESULTADOS: O excesso de peso corporal foi mais prevalente entre os rapazes (12,7% vs 7,9%, p<0,001), e houve uma maior proporção de moças insuficientemente ativas (37,0% vs 21,0%, p<0,001). A chance de ter excesso de peso corporal foi 74% maior entre os rapazes pouco ativos em comparação com os ativos, e entre as moças de menor renda familiar (OR=1,85) e as que residiam na zona urbana (OR=2,22). A chance de serem menos ativos foi 43% maior entre os rapazes que assistiam mais TV e 73% maior para aqueles com excesso de peso corporal. Nas moças, a chance de pouca atividade física foi 54% maior entre as que trabalhavam. CONCLUSÕES: a prevalência de excesso de peso corporal foi maior entre os rapazes, mesmo sendo mais ativos do que as moças. Nos rapazes, o excesso de peso estava significativamente associado à menor prática de atividade física e, nas moças, à menor renda familiar e local de moradia.<br>OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the associations of body mass index (BMI) with physical activity, sedentary behaviors (TV, computer/videogames) in a representative sample (n=5,028) of adolescents (15-19 years) in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. METHODS: Data was collected using a validated health behavior questionnaire developed for adolescents. Excess body weight was determined according to the international BMI tables developed for adolescents. Students were classified as not being physically active if they reported having less than 300 minutes of moderate/vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week. Two or more hours a day was considered excess screen time (TV, computer, games). RESULTS: Excess body weight was more prevalent (p<0.001) among boys (12.7%) than girls (7.9%), but inadequate physical activity was more prevalent (p<0.001) among girls (37%) than boys (21%). Less active boys had a greater chance (74%) of having excess body weight when compared to active ones. Among girls, those belonging to families with lower income (OR=1.85) and living in urban areas (OR=2.22) were at greater risk of having excess body weight. An inadequate level of physical activity was seen among boys with excess screen time or excess body weight. Also, working girls were more likely (54%) of being less active. CONCLUSIONS: Excess body weight was more prevalent among boys, although they were more active than girls. For boys, excess body weight was inversely associated with physical activity, while, for girls, it was more prevalent among those with lower income and who lived in urban areas

Long-term Consistency in Rotavirus Vaccine Protection: RV5 and RV1 Vaccine Effectiveness in US Children, 2012–2013

BackgroundUsing a multicenter, active surveillance network from 2 rotavirus seasons (2012 and 2013), we assessed the vaccine effectiveness of RV5 (RotaTeq) and RV1 (Rotarix) rotavirus vaccines in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits for numerous demographic and secular strata.MethodsWe enrolled children hospitalized or visiting the ED with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) for the 2012 and 2013 seasons at 7 medical institutions. Stool specimens were tested for rotavirus by enzyme immunoassay and genotyped, and rotavirus vaccination histories were compared for rotavirus-positive cases and rotavirus-negative AGE controls. We calculated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) for preventing rotavirus associated hospitalizations and ED visits for each vaccine, stratified by vaccine dose, season, clinical setting, age, predominant genotype, and ethnicity.ResultsRV5-specific VE analyses included 2961 subjects, 402 rotavirus cases (14%) and 2559 rotavirus-negative AGE controls. RV1-specific VE analyses included 904 subjects, 100 rotavirus cases (11%), and 804 rotavirus-negative AGE controls. Over the 2 rotavirus seasons, the VE for a complete 3-dose vaccination with RV5 was 80% (confidence interval [CI], 74%-84%), and VE for a complete 2-dose vaccination with RV1 was 80% (CI, 68%-88%).Statistically significant VE was observed for each year of life for which sufficient data allowed analysis (7 years for RV5 and 3 years for RV1). Both vaccines provided statistically significant genotype-specific protection against predominant circulating rotavirus strains.ConclusionsIn this large, geographically and demographically diverse sample of US children, we observed that RV5 and RV1 rotavirus vaccines each provided a lasting and broadly heterologous protection against rotavirus gastroenteritis