Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) indices of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species isolates in Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Background/Objectives: Pseudomonas and Klebsiella infections are important nosocomial infections because of the attendant significant morbidity, mortality and socio-economic impact. These infections are difficult to treat due to the innate and acquired resistance mediated by the organisms’ genome and other transferable genetic elements. We determined the multiple antibiotic resistance indices of Pseudomonas spp and Klebsiella spp isolated from clinical specimens in Lagos University Teaching Hospital.Methods: 110 clinical isolates were evaluated using MicrobactTM 24E (Oxoid, UK) and Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species isolates were 34 and 21 respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the  Pseudomonas and Klebsiella isolates were determined by Kirby-Bauer’s disc diffusion method and results interpreted by CLSI interpretative values. Multiple Antibiotic Resistance index (MAR) were calculated.Results: MAR index of the Pseudomonas and Klebsiella samples was 0.4, as 31 (91.2%) and 14 (66.7%) of Pseudomonas spp and Klebsiella spp respectively were multi drug resistant. Isolates of Pseudomonas spp demonstrated the highest level of resistance to Ceftazidime (79.4%), Cefixime (76.5%), Cedipime (50%) and Piperacillin (44.1%); while that of Klebsiella spp were carbenicillin (76.4%), pipericillin (71.4%), cefixime (52.4%) and cefradoxil (42.9%) respectively. There was a low levelof resistance to quinolones and aminoglycosides.Conclusion: The MAR index shows increase in the rates of resistance among these organisms thus making antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance and testing more crucial in selecting empiric regimen or definitive treatment.KEY WORDS: Lagos, multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR), antimicrobial susceptibility, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella spp

In-vitro antifungal effect of Garcinia kola and garlic (Alliums sativum) on vaginal isolates of candida

Background/Objectives:Within the last decade there has been an emergence of antifungal drug resistance. Alliums sativum and Garcinia kola seeds were tested for their anticandidal properties in comparison with fluconazole and miconazole.Methods: High Vaginal swab samples from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis were processed and identified to the species level by germ tube method, morphology on corn meal agar and sugar fermentation reactions. Methanol and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola and Alliums sativum, as well as fluconazole and miconazole were tested in-vitro using the agar dilution method.Results: One hundred and twenty six women with symptoms of  vulvovaginal candidiasis were sampled and Candida species were isolated from 25 of them. Candida spp. identified were C. albicans (44%), C. tropicalis (28%), C. glabrata (16%) and C. parapsilosis (12%). All species except C. glabrata were inhibited by fluconazole and miconazole, all isolates of the same species having same minimum inhibitory  concentrations (MICs). The highest MICs (25 mg/ml) with the alcoholic extracts were shown by C. albicans and C. glabrata and the lowest MICs (12.5 mg/ml) were shown by C parapsilosis and C tropicalis. All the isolates tested with Garcinia kola aqueous extract had a uniform MIC of 50 mg/ml, those tested with garlic aqueous extract had an MIC of 200 mg/ml. C. albicans and C. glabrata had MIC of 200 mg/ml of the alcoholic extract but C. tropicalis was inhibited at 25 mg/ml.Conclusion: We found that Garcinia kola and Alliums ativum have activity against the vaginal Candida species isolated thus showing promise as alternative therapy for vaginal candidiasis.Keywords: Alliums ativum, Candida spp, Garcinia kola, Minimum inhibitory concentration

Seroprevalence of avian influenza in free-range domestic ducks in some selected households in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria

Since the report of the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Nigeria, surveillance of the disease has mostly been in chickens, with minimal focus on ducks. This work aimed to conduct a longitudinal study to determine the prevalence and temporal patterns of antibodies against Avian Influenza viruses (AIV) in healthy, unvaccinated scavenging ducks in some Local Governments Areas (LGAs) in Oyo State. We used a competitive ELISA to identify AI virus antibodies in a total of 200 duck sera collected from different households in Akinyele, Iseyin and Ibarapa Central Local government areas (LGAs) during dry and wet seasons as part of ongoing research on AI in the southwest, Nigeria. The overall seroprevalence obtained by ELISA was 42.5% (85/200). A significantly higher seroprevalence of 60% (60/100) of AI was found in the dry season than in the wet season with 25% (25/100). This study provides evidence of ongoing circulation of Avian influenza in the indigenous duck population in some selected local government areas in Oyo State, which may be a risk factor for future outbreaks of AI in chickens and possibly humans. Proper biosecurity and continuous surveillance are hereby advocated for effective prevention and control. Additionally, keeping ducks and chickens together should be discouraged both on farms and in households, particularly during the dry season

Novel functional insights into ischemic stroke biology provided by the first genome-wide association study of stroke in indigenous Africans

\ua9 The Author(s) 2024. Background: African ancestry populations have the highest burden of stroke worldwide, yet the genetic basis of stroke in these populations is obscure. The Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is a multicenter study involving 16 sites in West Africa. We conducted the first-ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) of stroke in indigenous Africans. Methods: Cases were consecutively recruited consenting adults (aged > 18 years) with neuroimaging-confirmed ischemic stroke. Stroke-free controls were ascertained using a locally validated Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke-Free Status. DNA genotyping with the H3Africa array was performed, and following initial quality control, GWAS datasets were imputed into the NIH Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) release2 from BioData Catalyst. Furthermore, we performed fine-mapping, trans-ethnic meta-analysis, and in silico functional characterization to identify likely causal variants with a functional interpretation. Results: We observed genome-wide significant (P-value < 5.0E−8) SNPs associations near AADACL2 and miRNA (MIR5186) genes in chromosome 3 after adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cardiac status in the base model as covariates. SNPs near the miRNA (MIR4458) gene in chromosome 5 were also associated with stroke (P-value < 1.0E−6). The putative genes near AADACL2, MIR5186, and MIR4458 genes were protective and novel. SNPs associations with stroke in chromosome 2 were more than 77 kb from the closest gene LINC01854 and SNPs in chromosome 7 were more than 116 kb to the closest gene LINC01446 (P-value < 1.0E−6). In addition, we observed SNPs in genes STXBP5-AS1 (chromosome 6), GALTN9 (chromosome 12), FANCA (chromosome 16), and DLGAP1 (chromosome 18) (P-value < 1.0E−6). Both genomic regions near genes AADACL2 and MIR4458 remained significant following fine mapping. Conclusions: Our findings identify potential roles of regulatory miRNA, intergenic non-coding DNA, and intronic non-coding RNA in the biology of ischemic stroke. These findings reveal new molecular targets that promise to help close the current gaps in accurate African ancestry-based genetic stroke’s risk prediction and development of new targeted interventions to prevent or treat stroke

Viscous dissipation effects on the flow of a radiating gas between concentric elliptic cylinders

The solution of a boundary layer flow problem often neglects the effects of viscous dissipation. However, the present treatment incorporates these effects with a view to assessing their global contributions to velocity and temperature distributions in the flow field. Hence, fluid motion induced between two differentially heated concentric elliptic cylinders is investigated under transient condition and significant viscous dissipation. When the temperatures of the cylinder are large enough for radiative heat transfer to be significant. The solution approach is via an explicit finite difference algorithm on a PC 1512 micro-computer. The numerical results obtained for the two cases show that the velocity and the temperature of the fluid are increased as a result of increase in thermal internal energy of the fluid caused by viscous dissipation. Journal of the Nigerian Association of Mathematical Physics Vol. 10 2006: pp. 299-30

The Nairobi Declaration 2023: A commitment to address deadly yet neglected fungal diseases in Africa.

On May 30th and 31st, 2023, delegates representing various African subregions, together with global representatives from the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM), the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM), the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Global Action for Fungal Infections (GAFFI), convened in Nairobi, Kenya under the aegis of the Pan African Mycology Working Group, a working group of ISHAM. The meeting objectives were, amongst others, to deliberate on a continental response to the World Health Organisation Fungal Priority Pathogen List and facilitate interaction between global and regional leaders. Country delegates and international speakers addressed Africa's fungal disease burden; capacity for diagnosis and management; ongoing surveillance; knowledge gaps and trends in invasive fungal diseases such as Candida auris, mucormycosis, aspergillosis, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related mycoses; and current laboratory practice. During the technical sessions, expert panels deliberated on establishing and financing of national/regional surveillance networks for mycoses; establishing and sustaining African-led collaborations; expanding on existing laboratory and point-of-care diagnostic capacity as well as planning a mycology reference laboratory service and network in Africa. The meeting also highlighted successful African-led collaborations, capacity building, and clinical trial initiatives. The meeting conclusions informed the resolutions of the Nairobi Declaration calling for improved awareness; strong collaborations between clinical and laboratory teams across Africa; improved fungal disease surveillance within the continent; access to antifungals and diagnostics; and leveraging qualified human resources for mycology present within and outside Africa to facilitate trainings, collaborations, and exchanges

Essential in vitro diagnostics for advanced HIV and serious fungal diseases: international experts' consensus recommendations

International audienc