10 research outputs found
Liver injury caused by a herbal and dietary supplement: a case report
We present a case of a previously healthy male admitted with acute hepatitis while using a body building supplement. An exhaustive laboratory workup for causes of hepatitis was unrevealing. He responded well to withdrawal of the supplement and a course of corticosteroids
INFORMED CONSENT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS: A REVIEW
Objective: To identify and highlight challenges related to informed consent processfor clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa.Data sources: Published original research findings and reviews in the English literature,together with anecdotal information from our current professional experiences withclinical trials.Design: Review of peer-reviewed articles.Data extraction: Online searches were done and requests for reprints from correspondingauthors and institutional subscription.Data synthesis: Information categorised accordingly.Results: Informed consent for clinical trials conducted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) isnot always “truly informed” or “truly voluntary”. Guidelines for obtaining informedconsent are often difficult to implement because of low literacy levels, socio-economicand cultural factors. The local ethics committees, whose role is critical in informedconsent, are weak, ill-equipped or non-existent in some countries. Many participantsmay have incomplete understanding of the various aspects of the clinical trials due tolanguage barriers, the way information is disclosed or terms used for informed consentdocuments. In some settings, clinical trials are the only access to health care servicesfor the local population. Further, participants may enroll with perceived notion ofcure of their conditions, for monetary or material benefits.Conclusions: There is need for national guidelines on clinical research including ethicsreview, compensation of subjects, requirements for research investigators, facilitiesand ethics committees as well as budgetary allocation. These guidelines must not onlyaddress specific and unique local circumstances but also meet minimum internationalclinical research standards. Local bioethics and research capacity should be developedand strengthened with research sponsors contributing towards this. Local research isneeded on the validity and reliability of informed consent for clinical trials and factorsinfluencing that in different socio-cultural settings in SSA
Pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli from irrigation water show potential in transmission of extended spectrum and AmpC β-lactamases determinants to isolates from lettuce
There are few studies on the presence of extendedspectrum
β-lactamases and AmpC β-lactamases
(ESBL/AmpC) in bacteria that contaminate vegetables.
The role of the production environment in ESBL/
AmpC gene transmission is poorly understood. The
occurrence of ESBL/AmpC in Escherichia coli (n = 46)
from lettuce and irrigation water and the role of irrigation
water in the transmission of resistant E. coli
were studied. The presence of ESBL/AmpC, genetic
similarity and phylogeny were typed using genotypic
and phenotypic techniques. The frequency of
β-lactamase gene transfer was studied in vitro.
ESBLs/AmpC were detected in 35 isolates (76%).
Fourteen isolates (30%) produced both ESBLs/AmpC.
Prevalence was highest in E. coli from lettuce (90%).
Twenty-two isolates (48%) were multi-resistant with
between two and five ESBL/AmpC genes. The major
ESBL determinant was the CTX-M type (34 isolates).
DHA (33% of isolates) were the dominant AmpC β
lactamases. There was a high conjugation efficiency
among the isolates, ranging from 3.5 × 10−2 to
1 × 10−2 ± 1.4 × 10−1 transconjugants per recipient.
Water isolates showed a significantly higher conjugation
frequency than those from lettuce. A high degree
of genetic relatedness between E. coli from irrigation
water and lettuce indicated possible common ancestry
and pathway of transmission.We acknowledge the TWAS Fellowship for
Research and Advanced Training, National Research Foundation and
Vice-Chancellor Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme at the University
of Pretoria for financing P. M. K. Njage during the research work.
The sequence analysis facility was funded by the National Research
Foundation of South Africa.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1751-7915am201
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase, shigatoxin and haemolysis capacity of O157 and non-O157 E. coli serotypes from producer-distributor bulk milk
We investigated for virulence genes (stx1, stx2 and hlyA), serotypes and extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing capacity in O157 and non-O157 Escherichia coli isolated from
producer-distributor bulk milk (PDBM). Fifteen different E. coli O-serogroups were observed
from the isolates (n=121). The prevalence of stx1 and stx2 genes among the E. coli isolates was
8.3% and 11.6% (n=121), respectively, while 5.8% harboured both stx1 and stx2. Four E. coli
isolates (3.3%) had ESBLs producing capacity, resisted multiple cephalosporins and aztreonam,
and carried stx genes. Cluster analysis using GTG5 finger printing revealed a diversity of E. coli
seropathotypes in PDBM which are known to be associated with human diarrhoeal diseases.
These results highlight a potential risk posed on human health by the consumption of PDBM
contaminated with pathogenic E. coli. A further quantitative risk assessment of the impact of
pathogenic E. coli contamination in PDBM on human health is therefore recommended.Milk South Africahttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/idairyj2018-03-31hb2017Food Scienc
Systematic-review and meta-analysis on effect of decontamination interventions on prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter spp. during primary processing of broiler chickens
Please read abstract in the article.Partly supported by the Australia Awards Africa Post-Doctoral Fellowship.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/fmhj2023Consumer ScienceFood Scienc
Characterization of Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae in producer-distributor bulk milk
The current study was undertaken to characterize
Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae in raw and
pasteurized producer-distributor bulk milk (PDBM).
A total of 258 samples were collected from purchase
points in 8 provinces in South Africa. The samples
were tested for antibiotic residues, phosphatase, total
aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and E. coli counts. Matrixassisted
laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass
spectrometry was used for identification of isolates.
Escherichia coli isolates were characterized for virulence
factors, antimicrobial resistance, serotypes, and
presumptive E. coli O157:H7. Antibiotic residues and
alkaline phosphatase were detected in 2% of both raw
and pasteurized PDBM (n = 258) and 21% pasteurized
PDBM (n = 104) samples, respectively. A total
of 729 isolates belonging to 21 genera and 59 species
were identified. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae,
Klebsiella oxytoca, and Raoultella ornithinolytica were
the most abundant species. Spoilage Enterobacteriaceae
species exceeded 50% of the total isolates. Escherichia
coli was detected and isolated from 36% of the milk
samples. Thirty-one E. coli isolates harbored virulence
genes stx1/stx2 and 38% (n = 121) were presumptive
O157:H7. The prevalence of samples with presumptive
shigatoxin producing E. coli was 10%. Antimicrobialresistant
E. coli isolates were detected in 70% of the
milk samples with 36% of stx1/stx2 positive E. coli
showing multi-drug resistance. Information obtained
from the study will be used for modeling the public
health risk posed by milkborne pathogens in PDBM,
which in many cases is consumed by poor and vulnerable
members of the population.Milk South Africa (Pretoria, Republic
of South Africa)http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-dairy-sciencehb2017Food Scienc