Serological Survey Of Salmonella gallinarum Antibody In Chickens Around Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

A serological survey of the prevalence of antibodies to Salmonella gallinarum among chickens under two different management systems around Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria was carried out using the standard plate agglutination test. The objective of this study was to determine serologically the prevalence of antibodies against Salmonella gallinarum among apparently healthy chickens around Jos. A total of 700 serum samples made up of 450 exotic and 250 local breed of chickens were used for this study with 37.9% seropositvity. In the free range system (19.3%) of the flocks sampled were seropositive for Salmonella gallinarium antibodies while in the semi intensive, 18.6% of the flock tested positive. The serum agglutination test (SAT) was adapted to the microtitre format used to determine somatic and flagella titres. The antigen used for this study was specific for S. gallinarum, hence differentiation between species infection was assessed in this study. Perhaps the most feasible way to eradicate the disease is to encourage farmers (both small and large scale) to break the disease cycle at their levels by embarking on prompt and regular vaccination programmes. It is thus concluded that Salmonella gallinarum (fowl typhoid) is present in the area investigated. Fowl typhoid may continue to have a negative effect on the economy of poultry production in Nigeria if not controlled. A statistical analysis was precluded due to inadequate data sets

Prevalence and association of asymptomatic prostatitis with urinary tract infection among apparently healthy men in Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria

The link between prostatitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs) has been acknowledged but documented incidences of asymptomatic prostatitis remains a course for concern. This study therefore, assesses the prevalence and association of asymptomatic prostatitis with urinary tract infections among apparently healthy men in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. One hundred adult men (40 – 79 years old) were randomly recruited and subdivided into four age–range subgroups. Urine and blood samples were collected from the subjects and subjected to appropriate laboratory analysis. Results showed that 43 (43%) had significant bacteriuria, and 35 (35%) were positive for prostatitis. Staphylococcus aureus had the highest incidence rate (25; 58%) followed by S. saprophyticus (16; 37%) and E. coli (2; 5%). Our findings showed a high prevalence of asymptomatic prostatitis and a significant level of UTIs amongst men resident in Ekpoma who are 40 years and above. It also gives an insight into the prevalent etiologic bacterial agents associated with the UTIs. Routine screening for UTI and prostatitis for men who are 40 years and above is therefore recommended.KeyWords: Asymptomatic prostatitis, Bacteriuria, Infections, Urinary trac

Assessment of bacteriologic profile of reservoir water in Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria

Ekpoma is a town characterized by lack of portable water supply for several years, with majority of the inhabitants relying on vended water from water trucks or rain-water collected in underground water reservoirs. This studytherefore, assesses the bacteriologic profile of water samples in Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria, considering the vulnerability of the inhabitants to water-borne diseases often associated with unhygienic environment and lack of safe drinking water. The simple random sampling technique was adopted and water samples were collected from 20 water reservoir sites using sterile containers. The samples were then subjected to laboratory investigations using the total viable count and most probable number techniques, as well as some biochemical methods to determine the bacteria status of the samples collected. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and percentages). The results indicated that the water reservoirs have high inorganic matter and relatively high indicator organisms; hence the reservoirs contained unsafe water. It is recommended that relevant government agencies should ensure provision of safe water to communities as the cost of doing that is much cheaper than the human, economic and social costs of an epidemic. Individuals using such water reservoirs are also advised to adopt affordable water treatment measures.Key Words: Bacteriologic profile, Water reservoir, Water safety, Ekpom

Experimental Yersinia pseudotuberculosis enteritis in laboratory animals

The course of in vivo pathogenicity of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in groups of rabbits and gunnea pigs were examined. One group of the animals was infected orally with 108 cfu/ml of test organism andthe second group with standard reference strains. The third group was dosed with clean water as negative control. Both controls and Y. pseudotuberculosis infected animals were closely monitored forclinical signs for three weeks during which loss of body weight, rise in temperature, ruffling of fur were noticed. Pure isolates of the organisms were re-isolated from the faecal samples of the infected rabbitsand guinea pigs. Animals orally fed with clean water showed no symptoms of yersiniosis. Rabbits infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis showed signs of illness while guinea pigs did not show any clinicalsign. Visceral organs of infected rabbits showed enteritis with necrotic lesions but no pathological changes were observed in all guinea pigs including the controls. In the clinically ill animals, tissuesanalyzed demonstrated polarized profile and inflammatory cell influx throughout the course of the test. These findings should assist the Veterinary Pathologist recognize suspected cases of enteritis due to Y.psuedotuberculosis in the field among similar animal species

The antimicrobial properties of Ocimum gratissimumextracts on some selected bacterial gastrointestinal isolates

The antimicrobial efficacy of cold and hot water, hexane and methanolic extracts of fresh and dried leaf of Ocimum gratissimum against Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacilluscereus, and Aeromonas hydrophila were determined using the Agar gel diffusion method. The zones of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) andPhytochemistry of the extracts were also determined. Results obtained revealed that the cold water extracts of the fresh leaf was most potent, inhibiting all isolates with diameter zones of inhibition ranging from 5 mm to 18 mm, followed by hexane extract of the fresh leaf with zone range of 6mm to 14 mm, but E. coli showed no resistance to the hexane extract, methanol extract of the fresh leaf showed no inhibitory effect on all isolates. The extracts inhibited the growth of the bacterial isolates in a concentration dependent manner with MICs ranging between (12.5 - 150) mg/ml, while MBCs gave a range of (3.13 - 100) mg/ml. Phytochemical analysis of fresh and dried leaf extracts revealed thepresence of antimicrobial principles such as resins, tannins, glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids saponin, anthraquinone, cardiac glycoside, steroidal ring, steroidal terpens and carbohydrates at differentconcentrations. The findings from this study seem to provide the in vitro evidence that might justify O. gratissimum as a good candidate medicinal plant for further investigations, and that the activeprinciples of the plant may be more polar in nature

The prevalence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica among diarrhea patients in Jos, Nigeria

One hundred and fifty (150) stool samples from diarrhoeic children and adults seeking for medical attention (including hospitalized patients) in Vom Christain Hospital (VCH), Mandela Clinic (MC) Vom and Dagott Family Health Clinic (DFHC) Vom were screened for Yersinia enterocolitica infection between August 2005 and August 2006. The isolation methods adopted were direct plating on MacConkey Agar (MCA), Deoxycholate Citrate Agar (DCA) and cold enrichment method using phosphate buffered saline prior to subculture onto selective solid culture media (Cefsulodin Irgasan Novobiocin [CIN] agar). Out of the 150 samples screened, 6 (15%) were positive. The incidence of the infection was highest among those aged 1 - 10 years 3 (7.5%), followed by 21 - 31 years 2 (5%) and 11 - 20 years 1 (2.5%). Serotyped and biotyped, pathogenic Y. enterocolitica (2/O: 9. 4/O: 9) were susceptible to ciprofloxin, floxavid, streptomycin and tetracycline

The antibacterial potentials of Nauclea latifolia

Herbal medicine is readily available in diverse African vegetation with the potentials of introducing new templates into medicine worldwide. Evaluating plants from the traditional African system of medicineprovides us with clues on how these plants can be used in the treatment of diseases. In vitro effect of Nauclea latifolia extract in hot water, cold water, petroleum ether and chloroform at concentrations of200, 150, 100, 50% were tested on some pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using agar diffusion punch holemethod, both the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the leaves and roots showed appreciable inhibitory effect when compared to the positive control on S. aureus and P. aeruginosa while S. typhi and E. coliwere resistant to the extracts. Using serial doubling dilution, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. The minimum bacteria concentration was determined by plating variousdilutions of the extracts without turbidity. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of N. latifolia showed inhibitory and bactericidal activity on the test organisms. The alcoholic extracts showed larger zone ofinhibition on the test organisms. The alcohol leaf extracts showed a higher percentage of growth inhibition when compared to the positive control. The MIC ranges from 6.25 – 150 mg/ml on S. aureusand 12.5 – 150 mg/ml for P. aeruginosa. The MBC ranges from 100 – 150 mg/ml. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponin, resins, alkaloids, and carbohydrate

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) genetic diversity and prevalence of antiretroviral drug resistance mutations in treatment-naïve adults in Jos, North Central Nigeria

The presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type-1 diversity has an impact on vaccine efficacy and drug resistance. It is important to know the circulating genetic variants and associated drug-resistance mutations in the context of scale up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of HIV-1 and the prevalence of antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance mutations among antiretroviral treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected patients in Jos, North Central Nigeria. Plasma samples were collected from 105 ARV drug-naïve patients enrolled for HIV care at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) HIV Treatment Center between October 2010 and April 2011. One hundred (100) samples were successfully amplified. Viral subtyping was done using REGA subtyping tool and by phylogenetic analysis using PAUP software. The drug resistance mutations were determined using the Stanford University HIVdb sequence interpretation algorithm. HIV-1 subtypes identified were; CRF02_AG (48.0%), G (41.0%), CRF06_cpx (6.0%) and A1 (5.0%). 8% of the patients’ isolates had at least one major resistance mutation in the RT gene: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: M41L (1%), K65KR (1%), M184IM (1%), M184V (2%) and T215ADNT (1%), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: K103N (2%), K101E (1%), G190A (1%), P225HP (1%), Y181I (1%), Y188L (1%), and Y181C (1%). Among antiretroviral (ARV) naïve patients in Jos, North Central Nigeria, the common HIV-1 subtypes was CRF_02 and G. And the prevalence of drug resistance mutations was found to be high (8%). Further study and national surveillance will be critically important to understand the clinical impact of transmitted resistance mutations on ART naïve individuals in resource limited settings.Keywords: HIV-1 subtypes, antiretroviral (ARV), treatment-naïve, drug-resistance, mutation, accessory and polymorphisms, NigeriaAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(17), pp. 2279-228

Bacteriological Investigation of Poultry Feeds Sold Within Jos Metropolis

Animal feeds can potentially become contaminated with food borne bacteria either during harvesting, processing at the feed mill or during storage. Animal feeds are also potential reservoirs for cross contamination from environmental sources while being fed to animals. This study was therefore carried out to analyse the bacterial load of poultry feeds sold within Jos metropolis and to deduce the bacteriological quality of feeds sold at the various sales outlets. Four different commercial poultry feeds namely, broiler finisher, broiler starter, growers mash and layers mash obtained from their trade outlets in Jos, Bukuru and K-Vom, Nigeria were examined for their microbiological qualities using standard microbiological and analytical methods. The bacterial count was highest in broiler starter with 3.50 x 107 cfu/g, while the least count of 5.40 x 103 cfu/g was recorded in layers mash. A total of six bacteria were isolated which include; Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Listeria monocytogens and Klebsiella spp. The presence of some pathogenic microorganisms in poultry feeds lucidly reveals the level of contamination. Therefore, the commercial poultry feeds should be periodically examined for biosafety, so as to reduce or probably prevent the risk of cross contamination of poultry and poultry products.Keywords: Poultry feeds, bacteria, contaminatio