Indoor Airborne Bacterial Concentration of a Private-Owned Hospital Laboratory in Samaru-Zaria

A study on indoor air bacterial concentration in a private-owned hospital (Jama’a) laboratory in Samaru-Zaria is presented. Investigations were carried out during the period of dry (8weeks) and wet (8weeks) seasons in 2007. Air samples and work surface samples were taken after the daily laboratory routine of analyses which were immediately conveyed to the department of microbiology postgraduate research laboratory in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for relevant microbiological analyses. In most of the samples, multiple growths of bacteria were observed with the highest bacterial airborne mean concentration: 8.0 × 10 3 CFU/m2 in wet season at the 7th week of sampling and the highest surface count: 3.0 ×102 CFU/m2 in the dry season at the 1st, 3rd and 6th weeks. The predominant bacteria isolated from investigated air and surface samples included Staphylococcus spp, Micrococcus spp, Proteus spp, Streptococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp and Bacillus spp. Among these microbes are pathogenic and allergenic species. Keywords: Airborne bacteria, concentration, hospital, indoor, laborator

Antibacterial Activity and Identification of Bioactive Compounds in Extracts of Garlic cloves and Lemon juice by GC-MS Analysis

The search for alternative regimens to treatment of infectious diseases as well as the increase in antibiotic resistance by pathogens has prompted continuous efforts towards discovery of new drugs. In this study, crude aqueous and acetone extracts of garlic cloves and lemon juice were obtained. The extracts were tested against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity was determined by agar well diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton Agar plates. All extracts showed inhibitory action against the bacterium with acetone extracts having higher activity than the aqueous extracts. The acetone extracts were further fractionated using solvent – solvent extraction and retested on the bacterium. The bioactive compounds that lead to the antibacterial activity of the fractions of the extracts were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis where 2,5-Furandione and dihydro-3-methylene were identified in garlic cloves fraction as main compounds with other 8 compounds in trace quantity while 11-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester, Oleic acid and n-Hexadecanoic acid were identified in lemon juice fraction as main compounds with 6 other compounds in trace quantity. These findings claim capacity and future use of these compounds for new drug development. The future work will be to determine toxicity, side effects and pharmaco-kinetic properties of the compounds. Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Garlic cloves, Lemon juice, GC-MS analysis, bioactive compounds

Assessing Aflatoxin M1 levels among lactating mothers’ in Damaturu Yobe state, Nigeria

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a biomarker of aflatoxin B1 exposure in breast milk, a possible risk factor for infant early exposure to Aflatoxin. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a carcinogenic metabolite from Aspergillus fungus ingested from diet. One hundred (100) lactating mothers were sampled in General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital Damaturu with infant’s in-patient wards. Samples of breast milk and urine were collected aseptically and transported to the laboratory for analysis. Structured questionnaire was used to identify the possible food consumed within 72hrs to suggest possible source of aflatoxin exposure. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of breast milk samples were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The occurrence of AFM1 showed 82% of the breast milk samples were positive to Aflatoxin M1. The occurrence of 93% of AFM1 excreted in their urine shows exposure to the toxin for a short time period. AFM1 excreted in urine of lactating mothers within 72hrs of acclaimed food consumption, showed 97.1% of mothers that took milk were exposed, meat: 100% , corn meal: 93.4% , also, date: 93%, ‘Brabisko/ Biski’: 30.6%, imported rice :77.7%, native rice: 93.4% occurrence taken( p< 0.05). Concentration of AFM1 among lactating mothers’ breast milk in relation to socio-demographic factors expressed the highest concentration among unemployed and age bracket 18-25 and 34-41 with 0.07µg/L which could be that the employed mothers were more careful with quality of food they consumed while the unemployed mothers may concentrate on the quantity of food they took. In the case of excretion in urine, 0.05µg/L AFM1 was detected among unemployed study participants with lower concentration among the age of 42 and above having 0.04 µg/L. The concentrations of AFM1 in all the breast milk samples were higher than the acceptable tolerance level of 0.05 µg/L as recommended by the Codex Alimentarius. This is a serious indication that lactating mothers ingest aflatoxin contaminated food which may be public health concern.Keywords: Aflatoxin, Limit, Contamination, Biski, Chromatography

Examining the profound effects of COVID19 on mental health: A comprehensive systematic review on anxiety and depression

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to humanity, economically and in health and wellbeing. The associated limited social isolation and lifestyle changes has increased the risk for mental health services, especially among vulnerable people. This highlights the need for mental health services, burden that already stretch the health systems. This review presents an exposition on COVID-19 and mental health, and ways to minimise, and possibly prevent, their effect on the psychological well-being of those people. We searched four databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES) using specific search terms and eligibility criteria. Of the 33 included studies, 31 were quantitative, and one qualitative and mixed method each. The studies were analysed using thematic narrative synthesis that resulted in three main themes: (a) the internal and external influences on COVID-19 behaviour, (b) the impact of COVID-19 on health and well-being and (c) the coping strategies used. Since COVID-19 will exist for the foreseeable future, understanding its impact on health and mental well-being and the coping techniques to be adopted are important now than ever. This study contributes to such an understanding along with suggestions regarding ways to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on mental health using context-appropriate strategies

Effect of HAART on growth parameters and absolute CD4 count among HIV-infected children in a rural community of central Nigeria

Background:Monitoring response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV infected children using both laboratory and physical growth parameter is important. But monitoring laboratory parameters could sometimes be challenging in resource-poor settings as the machines used for these measurements may not always be functional or the required technical expertise be available especially in rural areas. Hence, changes in weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for -age (HAZ) and body mass indexfor age (BAZ) Z scores during clinic follow-up visits with or without changes in absolute CD4 count, could be used instead of viral load measurements as indicators of response to HAART in children.Objectives: To determine the effect in children of treatment with HAART - on changes in physical growth using WAZ, HAZ and BAZ and on changes in CD4 count using absolute CD4 count.Methods: Data on demographic/ clinical variables, viral load, absolute CD4 count, and weight and height measurements done at enrolment and at follow-up visits for 72 eligible children < 15 years who were consecutively enrolled into HAART were analysedResults: After nine months of HAART, the median absolute CD4 count increased by 28.2% and median WAZ increased by 28.6%. The reduction in the proportion of children with moderate malnutrition (WAZ < -2) from time of HAART commencement to nine months after HAART, was by 61.5% in those without severe immune suppression (SIS) and by 50% in those with SISConclusion: This study showed that WAZ and absolute CD4 count changes could be useful for monitoring response to HAART in resource –limited settings.Key words: Growth, Absolute CD4 count, Z score, HAAR

Volatile metabolites profiling to discriminate diseases of tomato fruits inoculated with three toxigenic fungal pathogens

The volatile metabolites of tomato fruits inoculated with three toxigenic fungi isolated from spoilt tomatoes were profiled using gas  chromatography/mass spectrometry. Differences in the number and  amount of volatile metabolites were observed. The study yielded a total of 52 different volatile metabolites. Healthy ripe tomato fruits yielded  twenty-eight metabolites predominated among them were oleic acid amide (10.89%), 9-octadecenoic acid (9.83%), methyl cis-9-octadecenoate (7.73%), and the least was 2, 3-Heptanedione (0.32%). Tomato fruits inoculated with A. niger yielded 11; A. flavus yielded 15 different volatile metabolites while that inoculated with F. oxysporum yielded 8 volatile  metabolites. Among them only 5 volatile metabolite occurred relatively consistent in fruits inoculated with A. niger and A. flavus while adogen 73  and 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z) occurred relatively consistently in fruits  inoculated with the three fungi. Hexadecanoic acid and 6-Methyl-2,4-di - tert - butyl – phenol was common in fruits inoculated with F. oxysporum and A. niger with that of A. niger having the highest value (9.67%) for Hexadecanoic acid while fruits inoculated with F. oxysporum had highest (2.66%) for 6-Methyl-2,4-di - tert - butyl – phenol. Ten metabolites were  unique to A. flavus while A. niger and F. oxysporum had 4 metabolites unique to each of them. This study suggests that these unique metabolites can be used as biomarkers to detect tomato diseases/pathogen or toxigenic fungi at an early stage of disease progression and to manage tomato diseases in storage and outbreak of food borne disease, after further validation under commercial conditions

Rapid Assessment of Polio Virus Antibodies Prevalence Amongst Children in Kano State, North West Nigeria

The completion of poliomyelitis eradication is a global health emergency which must be pursued with vigour. Kano state has remained one of the epicenters for polio virus outbreaks in northern Nigeria. There is paucity of information as it relates to polio antibody prevalence amongst children in the state. Periodic serologic assessment is needed to determine the quality and effectiveness of routine vaccination campaigns carried in the state to rapidly build immunity against poliovirus. Children were randomly selected throughout the state for the assessment between Sept. 2013 and Jan. 2014. Blood samples were collected from eighty children and tested for the presence of antibodies to the three poliovirus serotypes. Indirect ELISA was used to rapidly screen for the antibodies. Epi Info 3.5.4 version was used for the data analysis. Out of the samples collected, 61 (76.3%) had antibodies to all the serotypes. While 73 (91.3%), 66 (82.5%) and 72 (90%) had antibodies to virus serotypes 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Age of the children, number of doses the children had taken and educational level of the children’s fathers were statistically significant risk factors on the prevalence of poliovirus antibodies. Access to immunization services must be improved in urban and rural areas so as to effectively reach a large number of children in those places. Effective and high quality campaigns are needed so that every eligible child is reached. Greater focus on good mobilization is also needed to reach children in households in rural areas as well as in households with children whose fathers’ educational level was low.Keywords: Kano, Prevalence, Children and Polio-antibod

Microorganisms Associated with Volatile Organic Compound Production in Spoilt Mango Fruits

Microorganisms associated with the production of volatile compound in spoilt mango fruits sold in Sokoto town were isolated and identified. The organisms include seven species of bacteria and a species of yeast. These include Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus firmus, Brevibacillus laterosporus, Morganella morganii, Paenibacillus alvei, Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, Listeria monocytogenes and Candida krusei respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of eleven and sixteen volatile organic compound in the healthy and spoilt ripe mango fruits. Octadecanoic acid, oleic acid, 1 – Butanol, 3 – methyl-, carbonate (2:1) and 3,7 – Dimethyl nonane were common to both healthy and spoilt fruits with the first three having higher concentration in healthy fruits than spoilt while the later had higher concentration in the spoilt. One methyl group of 3,3- Dimethyl hexane in healthy fruit was shifted to position two to yield 2,3-Dimethyl hexane in the spoilt fruits. 2,2-Dimethylbutane, Methyl(methyl-4-deoxy-2,3-di-O-methyl.beta.1-threo-hex-4-enopyranosid) urinate, 3-(4-amino-phenyl)-2-(toluene-4-sulfonylamino)-propionic acid, 2-Methyl-3-heptanone, 3,5-Nonadien-7-yn-2-ol, (E,E), Butanoic acid, 1,1-dimethylethyl ester, 1-methyl-3-beta.phenylethyl-2,4,5-trioxoimidazolidine, Pentanoic acid, 2,2-dimethyl, ethyl ester (Vinyl 2,2-dimethylpentanoate), 4-Methyurazole, 1-Tridecyn- 4 – 9 – ol, 1-Hexyl-1-nitrocyclohexane were unique to spoilt fruits. This study suggests that these unique volatile metabolites could be exploited as biomarkers to discriminate pathogens even when more than one disease is present thereby curbing post harvest loss during storage after further validation and the volatile organic compound could form the basis for constructing a metabolomics database for Nigeria

Radiographic Monitoring of Secondary Ossification Centers of Radius and Ulna Bones in Dogs

Monitoring the Secondary ossification centers and growth plates is necessary in order to decide whether there is abnormal development of these structures. It also to provides a base line in which the development of radius and ulna bones can be compared as there is paucity of information on the development of secondary ossification centers and growth plates of Nigerian local dogs as inferences are often drawn from foreign breeds of dogs. The present study was conducted for 16 weeks to monitor the appearance of secondary ossification centers and growth plates of radius and ulna bones of 16 dogs (8 males and 8 females). Each puppy was radiographed 11 times on the right forelimb at week 1-9, 12 and 16 weeks of age. A descriptive study was conducted and radiographic images were reviewed which revealed that no secondary ossification center and growth plate was present at week 1. Therefore Nigerian Local dogs had no secondary ossification centers and growth plate of the radius and ulna bones at birth, they all develop post natal.