Molecular Identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Isolates from Nigerian Children

A study was conducted to detect and identify enteric microsporidian species in 43 children from Oyo state, Nigeria. Using nested polymerase chain reaction, 9.3% of the children were identified as positive for Enterocytozoon bieneusi. DNA sequencing of the PCR products showed the presence of three known genotypes (two isolates of genotype D and one of genotype K) and one new genotype. This study suggests that either human or animal (or both) could be the infection source for the children, since identified genotypes D and K have been previously detected in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients and domestic animals. The identification of high diversity also suggests intensive transmission of microsporidiosis in the studied area

Biosafety knowledge, waste disposal practices and identification of parasites in biomedical wastes from healthcare establishments in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria

In Nigeria, the level of biosafety awareness is low among workers in Health Care Establishments (HCEs) and neither have pathogenic organisms in wastes from HCEs been identified. Studies were therefore carried out to examine the level of biosafety awareness and the biomedical waste disposal practices in selected HCEs in Abuja and Lagos respectively as well as identify parasites from HCE wastes from Lagos prior to final disposal. A total of 200 questionnaires were administered to HCE workers in Abuja and Lagos respectively for information on their knowledge of biosafety and how biomedical wastes are disposed. Also, samples of urine (40) and stools (50) from 90 HCEs in Lagos were examined for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods comprising of direct wet mount and formol ether concentration techniques. Both urine and stool were examined with 5 % lugol iodine and kinyoun carbol fuschin stain. Result showed that HCE workers had knowledge of the basics of biosafety but those in Lagos understood more than the ones in Abuja. Trichomonas vaginalis was identified in one of the urine samples. Female stool (22 %) had the highest prevalence of intestinal parasites relative to males (4 %). Entamoeba histolytica (6 %), Ascaris lumbricoides (6 %) and Cryptosporidium spp. (6 %) were prevalent in the stool samples. These results underscore the need for more enlightenment and education for HCE workers in respect of biosafety. It further showed that the HCEs in Lagos disposed biomedical wastes improperly, which can lead to further transmission of pathogenic organisms.Keywords: Biosafety knowledge, Health Care Establishments, Biomedical waste disposal, Parasites, Parasitological method

Identification and Characterization of Microsporidia from Fecal Samples of HIV-Positive Patients from Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites that infect a broad range of vertebrates and invertebrates. They have been increasingly recognized as human pathogens in AIDS patients, mainly associated with a life-threatening chronic diarrhea and systemic disease. However, to date the global epidemiology of human microsporidiosis is poorly understood, and recent data suggest that the incidence of these pathogens is much higher than previously reported and may represent a neglected etiological agent of more common diseases indeed in immunocompetent individuals. To contribute to the knowledge of microsporidia molecular epidemiology in HIV-positive patients in Nigeria, the authors tested stool samples proceeding from patients with and without diarrhea. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Stool samples from 193 HIV-positive patients with and without diarrhea (67 and 126 respectively) from Lagos (Nigeria) were investigated for the presence of microsporidia and Cryptosporidium using Weber's Chromotrope-based stain, Kinyoun stain, IFAT and PCR. The Weber stain showed 45 fecal samples (23.3%) with characteristic microsporidia spores, and a significant association of microsporidia with diarrhea was observed (O.R. = 18.2; CI: 95%). A similar result was obtained using Kinyoun stain, showing 44 (31,8%) positive samples with structures morphologically compatible with Cryptosporidium sp, 14 (31.8%) of them with infection mixed with microsporidia. The characterization of microsporidia species by IFAT and PCR allowed identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis and E. cuniculi in 5, 2 and 1 samples respectively. The partial sequencing of the ITS region of the rRNA genes showed that the three isolates of E.bieneusi studied are included in Group I, one of which bears the genotype B. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To our knowledge, this is the first report of microsporidia characterization in fecal samples from HIV-positive patients from Lagos, Nigeria. These results focus attention on the need to include microsporidial diagnosis in the management of HIV/AIDS infection in Nigeria, at the very least when other more common pathogens have not been detected

Reliance on microscopy in Trichomonas vaginalis diagnosis and its prevalence in females presenting with vaginal discharge in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Definitive diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis depends on culture and microscopy of samples. Culture, though considered more sensitive than microscopy, could take up to 3 days and is cumbersome and more expensive. Data on the reliability of microscopy in the accurate detection of T. vaginalis is scarce. There is also the need to update existing reports on the prevalence of trichomoniasis in females with vaginal discharge.Methodology: 285 patients attending the Gynecology Clinic in Lagos were enrolled in this study. A high vaginal swab was obtained from each patient after administering a short questionnaire. Wet mount microscopy, Giemsa staining, and culturing was performed on each sample.Results: A total of 285 females of various age groups ranging from 5-57 years (Mean age ± 18.9) who presented with vaginal discharge were included in this study. The overall prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Gardnerella vaginalis was 29.8%, 11.2%, and 34.9% respectively. The culturing of the parasite yielded more positive results 85 (29.8%) when compared to wet mount microscopy 79 (27.7%) and Giemsa staining 62(21.7%). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the wet mount microscopy, staining and culturing (X2 = 4.81df = 2, P = 0.090).Conclusions: This study confirms the reliability of wet microscopy in the diagnosis of T. vaginalis when compared with culture. The implication of our finding is that microscopic examination of vaginal discharge will complement the syndromic diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted disease involving Trichomonas vaginalis and thus permit quicker intervention

Fecal samples for Microsporidia and <i>Cryptosporidium sp</i> by staining methods.

<p>Fecal samples for Microsporidia and <i>Cryptosporidium sp</i> by staining methods.</p

Median-joining network for the different haplotypes.

<p>Circles are proportional to the frequency of each haplotype. The colour of each sector refers to the host species: Nigerian samples (squared sectors), other African haplotypes (black), Europe and Asia (grey lines), North and South America (white). The lengths of the segments are proportional to the number of mutations involved between two haplotypes.</p