Microbial Contamination of Locally Produced Cheese and Determination of their Antimicrobial Potential in Nigeria

The high consumptionrate of soft cheese and manner of cheese production in Nigeria prompted the need to determine the microbial quality and  antimicrobial properties of locally produced cheese in Nigeria. A total of 20 cheese samples were obtained from different points in 4 cities in southern Nigeria, 5 cheeses per city. They were investigated for some physico-chemical properties, isolation and microbial counts and determination of antimicrobial potential. There was no significant variation in the  composition of physic-chemical properties of cheese samples from various cities except for the acidity of cheese sample obtained from Ilorin. All the 20 samples (100%) yielded low level of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with counts ~ 103. Escherichia coli or Klebsiella species were constantly isolated in all the cheese samples. Similarly, yeast and Aspergillus species were isolated either alone or in a mixed culture. The result showed increase in total bacteria count from the point of production to the hawkers.  Antimicrobial potential was not found in cheese against the  microorganisms used in the study. The study identified local cheese (‘wara’) as a high risk food in Nigeria due to the high rate of contamination since they are ready-to-eat food item and no antimicrobial property detected in the soft cheese.Key Words: Cheese; Bacteria; Fungi; Nigeria, Susceptibility Le taux de fromage à pâte molle et les modalités de production de  fromage au Nigeria à forte consommation a incité la nécessité de déterminer la qualité microbienne et propriétés antimicrobiennes de  fromage produit localement au Nigeria. Un total de 20 échantillons de fromage ont été obtenues à partir de différents points dans 4 villes au sud du Nigeria, 5 fromages par ville. Ils ont été étudiés pour certaines  propriétés physico-chimiques, l'isolement et les numérations microbiennes et détermination du potentiel antimicrobien. Il n'y avait aucune variation significative dans la composition des propriétés physico- chimiques des échantillons de fromage à partir de différentes villes à l'exception de l'acidité de l'échantillon obtenu à partir de fromage de la ville d’Ilorin. Tous les 20 échantillons (100%) ont donné un faible niveau de bactéries lactiques (LAB) avec environs 103 espèces. Escherichia coli ou Klebsiellaont été constamment isolés dans tous les échantillons de fromage. De même, des espèces de levures et d'Aspergillus ont été isolés soit seuls, soit dans une culture mixte. Le résultat a montré l’augmentation des bactéries totales compté du point de production aux colporteurs. Potentiel antimicrobien n'a pas été trouvé dans le fromage contre les micro-organismes utilisés dans l'étude. L'étude a identifié fromage local (' wara ‘) comme un aliment à haut risque au Nigeria en raison du taux élevé de contamination, car ils sont prêts à consommer l'aliment et aucune  propriété antimicrobienne détecté dans le fromage à pâte molle.Mots clés: Fromage; bactéries; champignons; Nigeria, sensibilit

Evaluation of Usefulness of Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Malaria in Nigeria

Microscopy has been the most common technique for the diagnosis of malaria in south western Nigeria. This study was undertaken to determine the efficiency of PCR for malaria diagnosis in south western Nigeria. A total of 450 samples submitted for malaria diagnosis at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife between the months of January and December, 2009 were used. Methods used included Giemsa staining procedure for estimation of parasite densities and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of malaria parasite in the whole blood. Using microscopy as reference gold standard, patients comprising 120 males and 330 females with age ranging between less than 1 and 60 samples were used. In all, about 255 (56.7 %) of the samples were positive for microscopy, while 75 (16.7 %) with high parasitaemia on microscopy were positive for PCR analysis. The study concluded that PCR for diagnosis of malaria has sensitivity of 29.4% and specificity of 100% using crude method of DNA extraction while the use of DNA extraction kit has sensitivity of 90.2% and specificity of 100%, hence effort should be geared towards increasing the sensitivity and reduce the cost of doing the test in low resource country like Nigeria

In-Vitro efficacy of antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of bacterial eye infections in Ibadan, Nigeria

Failure to cure eye infections, and reduced potency in topical antimicrobials had been observed in South Western Nigeria, this study sought to evaluate in vitro, the efficacy of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of ocular infections. A total of 46 ocular bacterial isolates were recovered from the diagnostic laboratory of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from conjunctival swabs of patients having underlying eye diseases (Cataracts, glaucoma and esotrapia), and from patients presenting with other symptoms of eye infections. The pathogens incriminated were Staphylococcus aureus (73.5%), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (13.3%), Klebsiella species (10.3%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.0%). Disc diffusion tests (Bauer-Kirby method) were carried out using ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, augmentin, cefuroxime and levofloxacin. Broth dilution techniques were thereafter performed using gentamicin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. The microlide- erythromycin was 63.0% efficacious, augmentin and cefuroxime showed 71.1% and 76% efficacy. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of commonly used topical antibiotics however showed different levels of resistance. Resistance to the aminoglycosides was marked, yielding 53.4% with MIC50= 8, MIC90 > 256, Resistance to chloramphenicol was even more marked 69.6% with MIC50= 16, MIC90= 64, the fluoroquinolones showed high efficacy- levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed 93.4% and 82.6% susceptibility respectively with MIC50 < 0.5, though slightly demonstrable resistance was observed (MIC90= 8). The study thus recommends the discontinuation of empirical therapy by physicians in order to stem the tide of resistance; it justifies the inclusion of the fluoroquinolones in susceptibility testing of ocular bacterial isolates, and its first line of choice if cure is warranted.doi: 10.4314/ajcem.v12i3.

Pattern of Microbial Colonization of the Vagina of Diabetics in Ibadan, Nigeria

The pattern of microbial flora of the vagina of diabetics was studied, to advise on empirical regimen for the treatment of sepsis in diabetics with the lower genital tract as source. In 2003, microscopy, culture and sensitivity of high vaginal swabs from 60 consecutive non-insulin-dependent diabetics and 20 non-diabetics attending Oluyoro Catholic Hospital, Ibadan were done. The fasting plasma glucose was estimated. The prevalence of micro-organisms decreased with duration of diabetes. The isolates were Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida species, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella species, Enterococcus faecalis, and viridans Streptococcus. Klebsiella species and Escherichia coli were incriminated in Gram negative bacilli (GNB) bacteraemia in diabetics in this environment. In addition to metronidazole, ceftazidime or ceftriazone should be used as first line drugs, while the quinolones should be reserved for the treatment of sepsis in diabetics where lower genital tract is the likely source of infection

Co-agulase Negative Staphylococcus Distribution in Clinical Sample in a Tertiary Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria

Numerous researchers have described the isolation of coagulase-negative staphylococci especially S. epidermidis, and the association of the bacteria with clinical disease. In this study we determined the distribution of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from clinical samples in tertiary hospital. One hundred and fifteen repeat CoNS isolates were obtained from 607 various clinical specimens using standard precedures; 97 (84.3%) were strains of S. epidermidis while 18 (15.7%) were S. Saprophyticus. The highest number of isolates of CoNS were from Blood culture, 75 out of 115 strains (65.2%) and 68.0% were strains of S. epidermidis. Septicaemia had the highest prevalence of CoNS, 31.4%; followed by endocraditis, 25.0%. The least was found in otits and pyrexia of unkonwn origin, 7.4% and 8.3% respectively. All the CoNS strains were resistant to one or more of the eleven antimicrobial agents used. The frequancy of susceptibility to fluoroquinolones was the highest; ofloxacin(81.7%), ciprofloxacin (77.4%). The least susceptibility was found in tetracycline; 20.0%. No isolate was sensitive to cotrimoxazole. However, S. epidermidis had a greater percentage of strains susceptibleto the quinolones; ofloxacin; 84.0% and ciprofloxacin; 80.0% than the S. saprohyticus, ofloxacin; 67.0% and ciprofloxacin; 44.0%. The distribution of CoNS in clinical specimens obtained from hospital enivronment in this study has shown that CoNS have become an important pathogen, therefore antimicrobial susceptibility tests should be carried out as a guide for therapy and to control development of resistant strains

In vitro Evaluation of antibacterial agents against ocular Bacterial isolates from a Tertiary Hospital, South-West of Nigeria

ABSTRACT Failure to cure eye infections and reduced potency in ocular antibacterial agents had been observed in South Western Nigeria, this study sought to evaluate in vitro, the efficacy of antibacterial agents used in the treatment of eye infections. A total of 135 bacterial isolates were recovered from the diagnostic laboratory of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from conjunctival swabs of patients having underlying eye diseases (Cataracts and glaucoma), and from patients presenting with other symptoms of eye infections (conjunctivitis, keratitis and dacryocystitis). The pathogens incriminated were Staphylococcus aureus (75.5%), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (11.1%), Klebsiella species (11.1%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.2). Disc diffusion tests (Kirby-Bauer method) were carried out using ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, amoxicillinclavulanate, cefuroxime and levofloxacin. Broth dilution technique was thereafter demonstrated using gentamicin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. The macrolideerythromycin was 54.4% efficacious, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime showed 69.9% and 72.8% efficacy. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of commonly used antibiotics however showed different levels of resistance. Resistance to the aminoglycosides was marked, yielding 51.6%, with MIC 50 = 8, MIC 90 &gt; 256, resistance to chloramphenicol was also marked, yielding 76.9%, with MIC 50 = 8, MIC 90 = 64. The fluoroquinolones showed high efficacy; levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed 91.1% and 75.5% susceptibility respectively, with MIC 50 &lt; 0.5, though slightly demonstrable resistance was observed (MIC 90 = 8). This study recommends discontinuation of empirical therapy by physicians in order to stem the tide of resistance; it justifies the inclusion of the fluoroquinolones in susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates and its first line of choice if cure is warranted

High levels of multidrug resistance in clinical isolates of Gram-negative pathogens from Nigeria.

International audienceIn Nigeria, quinolones and β-lactam antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial infections. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of resistance to these drugs and to determine the mechanisms of resistance to these agents. In total, 134 non-duplicate, Gram-negative enteric isolates of 13 species from different hospitals were investigated for susceptibility to a panel of antibiotics, carriage of plasmid-mediated quinolone and β-lactam resistance genes, production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), and mutations within topoisomerase genes. The level of resistance to all antibiotics tested was extremely high, with minimum inhibitory concentrations for 90% of the organisms (MIC values) of ≥256μg/mL for all drugs. Of the 134 isolates, 92 had mutations within the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of or within and . In addition, the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes , , and were identified. The allele, which has previously only been found in isolates from China, was identified in two isolates and one isolate. Of the 134 isolates, 23 (17.2%) carried , 11 (8.2%) carried a variant and 5 (3.7%) were positive for . Twenty-eight isolates (20.9%) produced ESBL variants, with a CTX-M variant being carried by 25 isolates (18.7%). In addition, six isolates (4.5%) carried variants [ACT-1 (1 isolate), DHA-1 (4 isolates) and CMY-2 (1 isolate)]. This study demonstrates a very high level of multidrug resistance amongst Gram-negative enteric bacilli isolated from different sites from patients in Nigerian hospitals as well as the presence of a variety of plasmid-associated resistance genes, including some identified from Africa for the first time

Prevalence of hepatitis- B virus infection among HIV patients in Ikole Ekiti, South – Western, Nigeria

Infections from HIV, Hepatitis B virus constitute a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, and there are evidences to suggest that there is faster progression of HIV in those co-infected with either HBV. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infections among HIV-infected patients, and describe the sociodemographic features and correlates of HIV and HBV co-infected patients at Specialists Hospital, Ekiti, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty eight (158) HIV individuals who consented to the study were tested for HBV using Diaspot HBsAg kit (Screening test) and Biorex Diagnostic ELISA kit (Confirmatory test) between November 2012 and April, 2013. CD4 counts were also analysed with Aldrich Sigma kit and flow cytometery respectively. P value &lt; 0.05 was considered to be significant. Prevalence rates of Hepatitis B infections among HIV obtained were 5.7%. Individuals who were 51 years or younger were the most affected HBV co-infection was more common among females than males (3.8%: 1.8%, res, P = 0.0004). Out of 9 patients, 8 patients (88.9%) fell within the age range 30- 49 years which implies the high prevalence of HIV among labour force while 1 patient (11.1%) fell within the range of 50-60 years .Mean serum ALT and AST among participants with HIV alone were (42.0, 38.3) International Units (IU), but were significantly higher (57.6, 43.7) International Units (IU) for those with HIV/HBV co-infection, P = (0.048, 0.032).Mean CD 4 count for HIV/HBV co-infected participants (389 cell/mm 3 ) was significantly higher than that for participants with HIV alone (230 cell/mm 3 ), P = 0.024 Conclusion: Co-infection with hepatitis B virus is common among HIV-infected patients in our setting and this further reaffirms the need for routine baseline screening for this marker, as it is a major consideration in the initiation and choice of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Furthermore, those found to be negative should be immunized with HBV vaccine to improve the prognosis of their HIV status