Comparison of a modified peptone water transport medium with two commercially available transport media for the recovery of aerobes from swab specimens

A laboratory modified peptone water medium was evaluated alongside Stuart and Amies media for their relative suitability as transport media for aerobic bacteria isolated from wound specimens obtained from Central Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. The survival rates of isolates from the three media were assessed quantitatively for a period of seven successive days, using the pour-plate method for making viable counts. The percentage of isolation was in the following decreasing order, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (36.4%), Klebsiella aerogenes (27.3%), Escherichia coli (22.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%) and Proteus sp (13.6%). The survival rate of aerobic bacterial isolates was enhanced in the modified peptone water transported medium (77.3%) compared with that obtained in Stuart medium (22.7%) and Amies medium 54.5%). Statistical analysis using the students t-test at 90% confidence limit showed significant difference (p < 0.10) when modified peptone water was compared with both Stuart and Amies transport media

Co-Occurrence of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus in the Nostrils Of Apparently Healthy University Students: A Case Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Candida and Staphylococcus spp. in the nasal cavity of apparently healthy university students. Eighty-six (86) nasal samples from apparently healthy undergraduate students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma were screened with Mannitol agar and Sabrourand’s dextrose agar for S. aureus and Candida albicans respectively. After the incubation period, the microorganisms were isolated and identified through biochemical tests. The data obtained were statistically analysed using SPSS (version 17). Results showed that 74.42% of the apparently healthy students were positive for nostril microbiota. Specifically, 46.51% and 9.30% were positive for S. aureus and C. albicans respectively. Worrisome is the co-occurrence of S. aureus and C. albicans in 18.61% of the sampled apparently healthy students. The result of this study highlights the fact that S. aureus and C. albicans are usually part of the normal flora and may pose no threat in healthy persons. However, co-occurrence of these organisms may otherwise compromise the immune function of individuals.Keywords: Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Student

The Incidence and Pattern of Puerperal Pyrexia Amongst Post-Natal Women in Benin City, Nigeria

Based on the fact that statistically, Nigeria contributes significantly to all recorded cases of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality, this study was designed to evaluate the incidence pattern of puerperal illness amongpostnatal women. It was carried out at the post-natal ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, over a period of 6 months (March to August, 2011). A total of 135 patients with illness secondary todelivery, and who gave an informed consent, were recruited for the study. Their demographic details as well as clinical histories were documented. They were also examined for malaria parasite and urogenital infections using standard laboratory procedures. The results showed that the  incidence of puerperal pyrexia was 64.44% and common among patients between the ages of 18–25 years (33 out of 41), low educational status (12 out of 12) and low socioeconomic status (5 out of 6). Although puerperal pyrexia is preventable, the incidence level remains a public health concern if the global Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of reducing maternal mortality by 75% is to be achieved by 2015.Keywords: Puerperal pyrexia, Postnatal, Maternal morbidity and mortality, Millennium Development Goal

Serodiagnosis of bacterial infections - pitfalls and prospects in clinical diagnosis

No Abstract. Discovery and Innovation Vol. 18(1) 2006: 37-4

Seroprevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Among Blood Donors in Central Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria

The prevalence of Human Immoundeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen among 104 male blood donors in Benin City between the months of August and December 2002 was studied. Serological screening for Anti-HIV antibodies was done using the Immunocomb ll HIV 1 & 2 Bispot test (Orgenics, Israel), while detection of HBsAg was based on the latex agglutination reaction using the Hepatitis B reagent kit manufactured by Quimica Clinica Aplicada, Spain. Four (3.9%) and 11 (10.6%) of the donors screened were positive for HIV and HBsAg respectively. The need for establishing and funding centrally-controlled and monitored blood banking facilities by government is advocated, while efforts should be made to exclude as donors, touts or commercial blood donors known to have high prevalence rates of blood infections. Key words: seroprevalence, HIV, HBsAg, blood donors Journal of Medical Laboratory Science Vol.12(2) 2003: 52 - 5

Detection of chlamydia antigen in cervical specimens from antenatal clinic attendees in Benin City, Nigeria

Four hundred consenting antenatal clinic attendees were serologically screened for evidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Infection with this organism is underreported in many countries including Nigeria. In the antenatal clinic setting in most developing countries, antigen detection has found widespread application in diagnosis due to lesser demands of cost, expertise, and time required to obtain results. In this study, chlamydia antigens were serologically detected using an immunochromatographic method (Hexagon Chlamydia Rapid Test Kit manufactured and described by Human Gesellschaft fur Biochemica und Diagnostcal MbH-Germany). Overall, 40 (13.3%) of the 300 women screened had chlamydia antigens in their endocervical specimens while 100 women (control subjects) were negative for chlamydial antigens. There seems to be an association between chlamydial infection and vaginal discharge, abortion and infertility. We highly recommend the necessity to include chlamydia screening tests in antenatal health care in Nigeria to prevent unpleasant sequelae. Keywords: chlamydial antigens, endocervical specimen, antenatal women, Benin City, Nigeria African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 6 (3) 2005: 208-21