Presence of Cryptococcus species in domestic chicken (Gallus Gallus) droppings and the possible risk it posed to humans in Kabigeriet Village, Nakuru Country, Kenya

Objective: To isolate and identify Cryptococcus from domestic Chicken dropping.Design: cross sectional study.Setting: Kabigeriet village, Olenguorone Division, Nakuru county, approximately 282 km from Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: Sixty four domestic chicken droppings were sampled in thirty two homesteads after obtaining the farmers consent.Results: Two species of Cryptococcus were isolated.Conclusion: Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) harbor Pathogenic Cryptococcus in their dropping and their close proximity to human habitation poses a risk of AIDS to immunocompromised persons

ISOLATION OF CANDIDA SPECIES IN DOMESTIC CHICKEN (Gallus gallus) DROPPINGS IN KABIGERIET VILLAGE, NAKURU COUNTY KENYA

Over the last three decades, reports on yeast infections in humans have increased especially with respect to immunocompromised individuals. This is associated with increased morbidity and mortality especially in HIV/AIDS immunocompromised individuals. The purpose of this study was to isolate and characterize yeasts from domestic Chicken droppings. The droppings were collected from Kabigeriet Villages, Olenguruone Division, Nakuru County. Eighty four samples were collected by scooping and swabbing Chicken droppings and transported to the Mycology laboratory, Kenya medical research institute using a cool box for processing. Samples were inoculated onto Typan blue agar and further sub cultured on CHROM agar and Corn meal agar for presumptive identification of various Candida species. Analytical profile index test was used for confirmation. 35 (41.67%) Candida species (9 Candida lusitanie, 7 Candida glabrata, 5 Candida albicans, 5 Candida tropicalis, 3 Candida parapsilosis, 2 Candida lipolytica and 2 Candida krusei) were isolated. The results of this work demonstrated that domestic chicken harbor potentially pathogenic yeasts in their dropping

Antitubercular and Phytochemical Investigation of Methanol Extracts of Medicinal Plants Used by the Samburu Community in Kenya

Purpose: To determine the potential benefits of nine medicinal plants used by the Samburu community for the treatment of tuberculosis.Methods: The extract was tested against four strains of Mycobacteria namely; Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), M. Kansasii (Mk), M. fortuitum (Mf), and M. smegmatis (Ms) using BACTEC MGIT960 system. The crude extracts were also analyzed for the presence of phytochemical constituents. Results: Both the extracts of Scadoxus multiflorus and Acacia nilotica showed strong antimycobacterialactivity against the four tuberculosis-causing strains. Eurphobia scarlatina was the most active against both the slow (Mtb and Mk) and the fast (Mf and Ms) growers with Zero GUs at 0.5mg/ml. Phytochemical screening indicated presence or absence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids in the extracts. Conclusion: The data suggest that some of the methanol extracts could be a rich source of antituberculosis agents. The results further show that there is some merit in the use of some of the plants studied in alternative medical practice. Pharmacological and toxicological studies of the active plants are still under investigation.Keywords:  Medicinal plants, Methanol extract, Antituberculosis, Samburu

Microbial quality and antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens isolated from groundwater used by residents of Ongata Rongai, Kajiado North County, Kenya

Groundwater represents an important source of drinking water and its quality is currently threatened by a combination of over-abstraction and microbiological and chemical contamination. Nairobi, Kenya and its environs is plagued with un-planned dwelling residential settlements, with limited potable water sources which are often contaminated by bacterial pathogens. This coupled with increased incidences of antibiotic resistance among the pathogens is alarming. This study used the MPN technique to determine indicator organisms, and the agar diffusion method to determine resistance in isolated pathogenic bacteria. The total coliforms values recorded were as high as 1.12x102 (±8.8x101) MPN/100 ml, fecal coliform loads were 8.63(±7.01) MPN/100 ml for the shopping centre. Total bacterial counts values recorded were as high as 5.64x104 (±1.77x104) CFU/ml at the shopping centre. Numerous organisms that are potential enteric pathogens such as Vibrio sp, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., P. aeruginosa and E. coli were isolated from the water samples. There was high resistance to many antibiotics particularly sulphamoxazole (98.5%), kanamycin (95.3%) and ampicillin (87.5%). The most active antibiotics were chloramphenicol with resistance level of 45.4% and streptomycin (59.4%). The study indicates that water from the studied boreholes was not suitable for human consumption and therefore calls for urgent intervention. There is a high likelihood that congestion and lack of proper waste and waste water management is responsible for contamination of aquifers in this region.Keywords: groundwater, contamination, coliforms, potable water, antibiotic resistanc

Antibacterial activity of Tabernaemontana stapfiana Britten (apocynaceae) extracts

Antibacterial and phytochemical screening of methanolic, sequential extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) and alkaloid rich fractions of Tabernaemontana stapfiana Britten was carried out. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins and saponins that have been associated with antimicrobial activity. The stem and root bark methanolic extracts showed good activity against the bacterial strains used including the multiple drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 15.6 to 500 mg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentrations ranging from 31.25 to 500 mg/ml. The sequential extracts of the root and stem bark had high antimicrobial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging between 3.9 and 250 mg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) ranging between 7.8 and 500 mg/ml against the tested microorganisms. The dichloromethane extract of the alkaloid rich fractions however exhibited reduced antibacterial activities as compared to methanol and sequential extracts but the dichloromethane:methanol (4:1) mixture showed high activity with MICs ranging between 15.6 and 250 mg/ml. These antibacterial efficacy studies suggest that Tabernaemontana stapfiana Britten could be a source of antibacterial agents.Key words: Tabernaemontana stapfiana; Antibacterial; MICs; MBCs

Microbiological Quality And Safety Of Rastrineobola Argentea Retailed In Kisumu Town Markets, Kenya

Objective: To investigate faecal contamination and safety of Rastrineobola argentea sold in retail markets in Kisumu town. Design: This was a repeated cross sectional study and based on random sampling. Setting: Kisumu city, targeting six markets; Oile, Jubilee, Kibuye, Kondele, Nyalenda and Manyatta. Results: A total of 60 fish samples were analysed. All the fish were found to be contaminated with E. coli, and in addition 6.67% of the fish products tested positive for Salmonella. Shigella was absent in all samples analysed. 26.53% of E. coli isolates tested were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents tested, with the highest level of resistance detected against cotrimoxazole at 38.76%. The E. coli multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index was 0.084 indicating that the contamination was not originating from a high – risk source. A plasmid of approximately 5.6 kb was commonly isolated from E. coli isolates that showed resistance to ampicillin. Plasmids isolated were not transferable by conjugation. Conclusion: The presence of Salmonella spp and occurrence of MDR E. coli were identified as some of the possible health risks that may be associated with R. argentea displayed for sale in Kisumu city markets. This possess a real health risk through consumption or directly through contact with the fish products. East African Medical Journal Vol. 85 (10) 2008: pp. 509-51

Microbiological quality and safety of Rastrineobola argentea retailed in Kisumu townmarkets,

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate faecal contamination and safety of Rastrineobola argentea sold in retail markets in Kisumu town. Design: This was a repeated cross sectional study and based on random sampling. Setting: Kisumu city, targeting six markets; Oile, Jubilee, Kibuye, Kondele, Nyalenda and Manyatta. Results: A total of 60 fish samples were analysed. All the fish were found to be contaminated with E. coli, and in addition 6.67% of the fish products tested positive for Salmonella. Shigella was absent in all samples analysed. 26.53% of E. coli isolates tested were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents tested, with the highest level of resistance detected against cotrimoxazole at 38.76%. The E. coli multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index was 0.084 indicating that the contamination was not originating from a high -risk source. A plasmid of approximately 5.6 kb was commonly isolated from E. coli isolates that showed resistance to ampicillin. Plasmids isolated were not transferable by conjugation. Conclusion: The presence of Salmonella spp and occurrence of MDR E. coli were identified as some of the possible health risks that may be associated with R. argentea displayed for sale in Kisumu city markets. This possess a real health risk through consumption or directly through contact with the fish products

Salmonella and Vibrio cholerae in Nile perch (Lates niloticus) Processing Establishments in Kenya.

The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) industry in East Africa has suffered severe economic losses in the last few years due to failure to comply with the microbiological standards of European Union (E.U). Fresh and frozen products have been suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella and Vibrio cholerae. This has led to a substantial rejection of consignments and severe economic losses. A survey of incidence of these organisms was conducted in two fish processing establishments in Kenya for a period of 6 months. Samples of fish, fish-contact surface swabs and swabs from hands of personnel handling fish were collected from selected steps along the processing line and analysed for Salmonella and V. cholerae. Samples of water and ice used during the processing operations were also taken and tested for these organisms. Results showed that Salmonella was present in 1 % of fish, 1.6 % of fish-contact surface swabs and 1 % of swabs from hands of personnel handling fish. V. cholerae was isolated in 1.4 % of fish and 0.15 % of fish-contact surface swabs. No isolations of Salmonella and V. cholerae were made from water and ice samples. Key Words: Salmonella; Vibrio cholerae; Seafood; Incidence. J. Trop. Microbiol Vol.1 2002: 79-8

Efficacy of onion (Allium cepa l.) and garlic (Allium sativum l.) juice against common pathogens associated with meat

Meat contains high nutrients that make it get spoilt readily and currently used preservatives like soluble nitrites are carcinogenic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Onion (Allium cepa L.) and Garlic (Allium sativum L.) juice as alternative preservatives. Efficacy of the single preservatives an d their combinations was determined by the disk diffusion method against the following four meat pathogens; Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 2202), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 20591) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) at 0.2 g of meat. Accelerated shelf life of meat was established by determining the number of microorganisms at an interval of 1 - 2 h. The results indicated that garlic was significantly, more effective (P ≤ 0.05) in inhibition of meat pathogens than all the other test treatments. Garlic juice reduced Gram positive pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis to 0 by the 12th h. These results are an important reference that confirms the use of Garlic to control common pathogens associated with meat.Keywords: Garlic (Allium sativum L); Onion (Allium cepa L); Inhibition zones, Efficacy; Meat