Isolation of Ascomycetous Fungi from a Tertiary Institution Campus Soil

Studies were carried out on the ascomycetous fungi present in six different but carefully selected sites on the University of Ilorin permanent site soil. Fungi isolation was done by the soil dilution methodincubated at 27oC for 72 hours. The predominant Ascomycetous fungi isolated include among others; Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium italicum, Fusarium acuminatum, Fusarium culmorum, Candida albicans, Botrytis cinerea, Geotrichum candidum, Trichoderma viride, Verticillium lateritum, Curvulariapalescens, Penicillium griseofulvum, Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus glaucus, Aspergillus clavatus, Cladosporium resinae, Alternaria alternate, Trichothecium roseum, Phialophora fastigiata, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus wentii,Humicola grisea, Trichophyton rubrum, Helminthosporium cynodontis, Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium purpurogenum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichoderma harzianum, Scopulariopsis candida.The physicochemical characteristics of soil samples was found to affect the distribution and population of fungi. The colony count in the study are ranged between 5.8 x 10 per gram of soil to 1.63 x 10 per gram of soil. The soil consists of high organic matter content

Risk factors and seroprevalence of hepatitis C antibody in mothers and their pre-school age children in Ilrorin

No Abstract. African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 7(3) 2006: 155-15

Some Biochemical and Haematological Studies on the Prevalence of Congenital Malaria in Ilorin, Nigeria

A seven month study (March-September 2006) on the prevalence of congenital malaria was carried out at the labour unit of three different hospitals within Ilorin metropolis: Eyitayo Hospital, Surulere MedicalHospital and Children Specialist Hospital Centre Gboro Ilorin. A total of 130 blood samples were collected from the mothers and their newborn babies and examined for malaria parasite using both thin and thick films. Maternal packed cell volume (PCV) and genotype was also determined using haematocrit method and cellulose acetate electrophoresis respectively. The prevalence rate of maternal, fetal, placental and cord parasitaemia were 37(28.46%), 29(22.31%), 33(25.38%) and 30(23.08%) respectively. Malaria infected maternal blood had a mild reduction in PCV level (

Prevalence and risk factors of cervical cancer among women in an urban community of Kwara State, North Central Nigeria

Background. Cervical cancer is the second most common malig- nancy in women worldwide with a high incidence in under-devel- oped countries and Nigeria is one of these countries. This study aimed at screening for cervical cancer using Papanicolaou smear and to identify risk factors for cervical cancer among women in Olufadi community, Kwara state, North-central Nigeria. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study involving the screening of women aged 25-64 years for cervical cancer using Papanicolaou smear. Respondents were selected through systematic random sam- pling of households. Interviewer- administered questionnaire and clinical report form were also used to collect data. In addition, Pap smear samples were taken. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15. Results. Only 10 (5.0%) respondents had positive cytology result, while the rest were normal. Of the 10 positive cytology results, 1(10.0%) was high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) while the remaining 9(90.0%) were low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL) which corresponds to 0.5% and 4.5% of the total respondents respectively. Risk fac- tors for cervical cancer identified included coitarche, tobacco smoking, number of sexual partners and family history of cervi- cal cancer. Conclusion. The findings from this study attest to the increasing burden of cervical cancer. The high number of positive results obtained from the study coupled with the presence of risk factors was an indication of how useful regular screening will be in the early detection of cervical cancer

Trends in prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment over 30 years: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background: To contribute to the WHO initiative, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, an assessment of global vision impairment in 2020 and temporal change is needed. We aimed to extensively update estimates of global vision loss burden, presenting estimates for 2020, temporal change over three decades between 1990–2020, and forecasts for 2050. Methods: We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based surveys of eye disease from January, 1980, to October, 2018. Only studies with samples representative of the population and with clearly defined visual acuity testing protocols were included. We fitted hierarchical models to estimate 2020 prevalence (with 95% uncertainty intervals [UIs]) of mild vision impairment (presenting visual acuity ≥6/18 and <6/12), moderate and severe vision impairment (<6/18 to 3/60), and blindness (<3/60 or less than 10° visual field around central fixation); and vision impairment from uncorrected presbyopia (presenting near vision <N6 or <N8 at 40 cm where best-corrected distance visual acuity is ≥6/12). We forecast estimates of vision loss up to 2050. Findings: In 2020, an estimated 43·3 million (95% UI 37·6–48·4) people were blind, of whom 23·9 million (55%; 20·8–26·8) were estimated to be female. We estimated 295 million (267–325) people to have moderate and severe vision impairment, of whom 163 million (55%; 147–179) were female; 258 million (233–285) to have mild vision impairment, of whom 142 million (55%; 128–157) were female; and 510 million (371–667) to have visual impairment from uncorrected presbyopia, of whom 280 million (55%; 205–365) were female. Globally, between 1990 and 2020, among adults aged 50 years or older, age-standardised prevalence of blindness decreased by 28·5% (–29·4 to −27·7) and prevalence of mild vision impairment decreased slightly (–0·3%, −0·8 to −0·2), whereas prevalence of moderate and severe vision impairment increased slightly (2·5%, 1·9 to 3·2; insufficient data were available to calculate this statistic for vision impairment from uncorrected presbyopia). In this period, the number of people who were blind increased by 50·6% (47·8 to 53·4) and the number with moderate and severe vision impairment increased by 91·7% (87·6 to 95·8). By 2050, we predict 61·0 million (52·9 to 69·3) people will be blind, 474 million (428 to 518) will have moderate and severe vision impairment, 360 million (322 to 400) will have mild vision impairment, and 866 million (629 to 1150) will have uncorrected presbyopia. Interpretation: Age-adjusted prevalence of blindness has reduced over the past three decades, yet due to population growth, progress is not keeping pace with needs. We face enormous challenges in avoiding vision impairment as the global population grows and ages

Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020 and trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: the Right to Sight: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background: Many causes of vision impairment can be prevented or treated. With an ageing global population, the demands for eye health services are increasing. We estimated the prevalence and relative contribution of avoidable causes of blindness and vision impairment globally from 1990 to 2020. We aimed to compare the results with the World Health Assembly Global Action Plan (WHA GAP) target of a 25% global reduction from 2010 to 2019 in avoidable vision impairment, defined as cataract and undercorrected refractive error. Methods: We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based surveys of eye disease from January, 1980, to October, 2018. We fitted hierarchical models to estimate prevalence (with 95% uncertainty intervals [UIs]) of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity from <6/18 to 3/60) and blindness (<3/60 or less than 10° visual field around central fixation) by cause, age, region, and year. Because of data sparsity at younger ages, our analysis focused on adults aged 50 years and older. Findings: Global crude prevalence of avoidable vision impairment and blindness in adults aged 50 years and older did not change between 2010 and 2019 (percentage change −0·2% [95% UI −1·5 to 1·0]; 2019 prevalence 9·58 cases per 1000 people [95% IU 8·51 to 10·8], 2010 prevalence 96·0 cases per 1000 people [86·0 to 107·0]). Age-standardised prevalence of avoidable blindness decreased by −15·4% [–16·8 to −14·3], while avoidable MSVI showed no change (0·5% [–0·8 to 1·6]). However, the number of cases increased for both avoidable blindness (10·8% [8·9 to 12·4]) and MSVI (31·5% [30·0 to 33·1]). The leading global causes of blindness in those aged 50 years and older in 2020 were cataract (15·2 million cases [9% IU 12·7–18·0]), followed by glaucoma (3·6 million cases [2·8–4·4]), undercorrected refractive error (2·3 million cases [1·8–2·8]), age-related macular degeneration (1·8 million cases [1·3–2·4]), and diabetic retinopathy (0·86 million cases [0·59–1·23]). Leading causes of MSVI were undercorrected refractive error (86·1 million cases [74·2–101·0]) and cataract (78·8 million cases [67·2–91·4]). Interpretation: Results suggest eye care services contributed to the observed reduction of age-standardised rates of avoidable blindness but not of MSVI, and that the target in an ageing global population was not reached. Funding: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Fondation Théa, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation, Sightsavers International, and University of Heidelberg

Prevalence of Congenital Malaria in Ilorin, Nigeria

A Seven months (March-September 2006) study on the prevalence ofcongenital malaria was carried out at the labour unit of three differenthospitals within Ilorin metropolis: Eyitayo Hospital, Surulere MedicalHospital and Children Specialist Hospital Centre Gboro Ilorin. A total of130 blood samples were collected from the mothers and their newborn babiesand examined for malaria parasite using both thin and thick films. Maternalpacked cell volume (PCV), and genotype was also determined usinghaematocrit method and cellulose acetate electrophoresis respectively. Theprevalence rate of maternal, fetal, placental and cord parasitaemia were37(28.46%), 29(22.31%), 33(25.38%) and 30(23.08%) respectively. Malariainfected maternal blood had a mild reduction in PCV level (

Hydrocarbon-degrading Capability of Bacteria isolated from a Maize-Planted, Kerosene-contaminated Ilorin Alfisol

In an effort at discovering autochthonous and active bacterial strains that could be of relevance in biodegradation and/or bioremediation of  petroleum contaminated systems in Nigeria, twenty four bacterial specieswere isolated from kerosene treated Ilorin alfisol. The traditional method of identifying bacteria was complemented by using MicrobactTM ID 24E system for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae and common  miscellaneous Gramnegative bacilli (MGNB). The results show appreciable increase in optical densities and total viable counts contemporaneous with decrease in pH of the culture media. The most promising organisms in this study are Leclercia adecarboxylata, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Micrococcus luteus, Arthrobacter sp. and Streptococcus sp. The results obtained in this study showed that kerosene spillage posses a great threat to the survival and development of Zea mays. It also revealed that some bacteria survive and even thrive in kerosene contaminated soil and hence have the potential to be used in biodegradation and/or  bioremediation of oil contaminated soils and water.KEYWORDS: Bacteria, biodegradation, alfisol, hydrocarbon, Zea mays