Detection and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Objective: The objective of this study was to isolate and phenotypically characterize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Nigeria.Methods: A total of 709 clinical (303) and community samples (406) samples were obtained for this study. MRSA isolates were detected using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with the inclusion of 1 μg oxacillin and cefoxitin antibiotic disc. The isolates were screened for the β-lactamase production using nitrocefin sticks.Results: A total of 44 MRSA isolates were obtained from the samples with prevalence frequency of 22.6 % and 20.8 % from clinical and community samples respectively. The clinical isolates were completely resistant (100 %) to ceftazidime, tetracycline and penicillin. Gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most effective antibiotics against the clinical and community isolates respectively with a susceptibility frequency of 63.2 % and 80 %. Exactly 38.1 % and 24.2 % of the clinical and community S. aureus isolates were positive for beta-lactamase production respectively. The HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA isolates had MARI valueswithin the range of 0.3 to 1.0.Conclusion: This present findings of multi-drug resistance MRSA is very worrisome as it further highlights the pressing need to keep a strict watch on MRSA emerging from this study area.Keywords: MRSA, beta-lactamase, antibiotics, multidrug resistance, clinical samples, community samples

The Impact of Recycled Neonatal Incubators in Nigeria: A 6-Year Follow-Up Study

Nigeria has a record of high newborn mortality as an estimated 778 babies die daily, accounting for a ratio of 48 deaths per 1000 live births. The aim of this paper was to show how a deteriorating neonatal delivery system in Nigeria may have, in part, been improved by the application of a novel recycled incubator technique (RIT). Retrospective assessment of clinical, technical, and human factors in 15 Nigerian neonatal centres was carried out to investigate how the application of RIT impacted these factors. Pre-RIT and post-RIT neonatal mortalities were compared by studying case files. Effect on neonatal nursing was studied through questionnaires that were completed by 79 nurses from 9 centres across the country. Technical performance was assessed based on 10-indices scores from clinicians and nurses. The results showed an increase in neonatal survival, nursing enthusiasm, and practice confidence. Appropriately recycled incubators are good substitutes to the less affordable modern incubators in boosting neonatal practice outcome in low-income countries

ISOLATION, ANTIBIOGRAM AND CHARACTERIZATION OF VANCOMYCIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS FROM CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY ISOLATES IN ABAKALIKI, EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

This study was aimed at isolating and characterizing vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Seven hundred and nine (709) clinical and community samples were obtained for this study. Antibiotic susceptibility test was done using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) isolates were detected using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with vancomycin antibiotic disc (30 μg). Isolates were also screened for β-lactamase enzyme production. A total of 84 (27.7 %) and 120 (29.5 %) Staphylococcus aureus isolates were obtained from the clinical and community samples respectively using standard microbiological techniques. Results showed that 55 VRSA isolates were obtained from the samples with prevalence frequency of 36.9 % and 20 % for clinical and community isolates respectively. The clinical isolates were completely resistant (100 %) to nitrofurantoin, clindamycin, ceftazidime, tetracycline and penicillin. Gentamicin was the most effective antibiotic against the S. aureus isolates obtained from clinical samples as all the isolates were completely susceptible (100 %). Ciprofloxacin was the most effective antibiotic against the S. aureus isolates obtained from community samples with a susceptibility frequency of 100 %. This was closely followed by gentamicin (75 %) and erythromycin. Exactly 38.1 % and 24.2 % of the clinical and community S. aureus isolates were positive for beta-lactamase production respectively. The HA-VRSA and CA-VRSA isolates had MARI values within the range of 0.5 to 1.0. This present discovery of multi-drug resistant VRSA with high multiple antibiotic resistance indices is in Abakaliki is a serious public health issue. Therefore, there is an urgent need to keep a strict watch on VRSA emerging from Abakaliki. Keywords: CA-VRSA, HA-VRSA, MARI, beta-lactamase, antibiotic

GENITAL Chlamydia AND HIV CO-INFECTION: ADVERSE PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

Abstract In the remote and poor-resource areas of Nigeria, there is paucity of data on the prevalence of HIV, genital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections and their squeal among women of reproductive age. The cohort study of 303 female volunteers was done by investigation of thei

Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of β-Lactamases among Enterobacterial Uropathogens in Southeastern Nigeria

Little is known about the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance among uropathogens in Southeast Nigeria. The aim of the study was to characterize enterobacterial uropathogens with respect to drug resistance. One hundred (100) enterobacterial uropathogens were studied. Their antibiotic susceptibility patterns were evaluated using disk diffusion, screened, and confirmed phenotypically for the presence of β-lactamases: ESBL, AmpC, carbapenemase, and MBLs. Screen positives were further tested for various β-lactamase genes by PCR. Our isolates showed variable resistance to most drugs tested. Out of the 58 ESBL screen positive E. coli, 35 were confirmed positive with PCR. The predominant ESBL gene was blaTEM while blaSPM was the most prevalent among MBL genes. Forty-six percentage of the screen positive Salmonella isolates coharbored blaTEM + SHV genes. Nine of the 10 ESBL screen positive K. pneumoniae were phenotypically and PCR positive. Three isolates of K. pneumoniae were positive for MBL genes. All the 10 C. freundii were positive for ESBL genes. The study showed high prevalence of drug-resistant genes among the enterobacterial uropathogens. Majority of the uropathogens harbored >1 antibiotic-resistant gene, and the most predominant gene was ESBL (blaTEM) followed by the MBL (SPM) gene

Congenical malformations in Lagos: a survey of 22,288 consecutive newborns in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) over a 10-year period

No Abstract. NQJHM Vol. 8 (4) 1998: pp. 272-27