Culture conditions for the production of a tannase of Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B)

Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B) a tannic acid degrading fungus was isolated from soil inundated by effluent of a tannery at Oji River local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. It was identified byCABI Bioscience, United Kingdom as A. tamarii with accession number of IMI 388810 (B). This fungus produced tannase in a fermentation medium M containing tannic acid as the only carbon source. Time course of enzyme synthesis by the fungus showed that the enzyme production followed logarithmic growth phase with maximum enzyme yield being obtained after 6 days corresponding to the culture pH of 3.8

Microbial contamination of currency counting machines and counting room environment in selected commercial bank

A study was carried out to isolate and identify microorganisms associated with currency counting machines and counting room environment in four commercial banks operating in Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria. Samples were collected from currency counting machines and counting room environment in four commercial banks operating in Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria. The samples were processed by using standard methods and the results revealed that sixteen (48.5%), of the thirty-three samples analyzed were contaminated by bacteria and fungi. About 70% of all the currency counting machines from the four banks were contaminated with bacteria and 25% with fungi and most of the organisms were isolated from the currency counting machines while currency counting rooms had a fewer isolates or none in some cases. Six different bacterial species were isolated: Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp., Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus sp., Proteus sp. and four genera of fungi were isolated: Aspergillus sp., Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp. and Penicillium sp. The identified microorganisms have pathogenic potential and hence their presence on such surfaces could serve as a source of cross-transmission of bacterial and fungal infections in the banks and the general community

Evaluation of bacterial and fungal contamination in hairdressing and beauty salons

A study was conducted to evaluate bacterial and fungal contamination in hairdressing and beauty salons in Anyigba - a university community in Nigeria. Samples were collected from six different salons located around Kogi State University, Anyigba. The samples were collected from combs, brushes, hair stretchers, rollers and hairpins and processed according to standard procedures. The isolates obtained were examined and identified using microscopic examination, colonial morphology and biochemical characteristics. Five bacterial and six fungal species were isolated and identified. The bacterial isolates include Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus sp, Enterococus species and Enterobacteria. The six fungal isolates were as follows Aspergillus species, Penicillium sp., Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp., Trichophyton sp. and Cephalosporium sp. The presence of these potential pathogens is an indication that hairdressing and beauty salons could be contributing to the spread of infection within Anyigba and also to the university communit

Evaluation of microbiological hazards in 11 barbershops in a university setting.

There is a growing concern that barbershops could serve as a potential source of bacterial, fungal or even viral infections and little is known about microbiological hazards of barbershops in the university environment in Nigeria. This study evaluated microbiological hazards of barbershops in a university setting in Nigeria. To determine the types of microorganisms prevalent in barbershops, combs, brush, clippers and apron used in barbershops were sampled with a moistened sterile cotton swabs. All the samples collected were transported to the laboratory without delay for culture and treated according to standard method. A variety of selective and differential microbial media were used for presumptive identification of contaminating microorganisms which were authenticated by Gram staining, microscopic examination and biochemical tests. Five bacterial and five fungal species were isolated from swab samples. The bacterial isolates included Streptococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterobacterium sp. The five fungal isolates were identified as Aspergillus sp., Trichophyton sp., Penicillum sp., Rhizopus sp., and Mucor sp. The results of our study clearly indicate that much effort has to be put in educating clients of barbershops and service providers about hazards inherent in barbering practice and the importance of putting preventive measures in pla

Environmental and fungal contamination of palm oil sold in Anyigba Market, Nigeria

In this present study, the environmental and fungal contamination of palm oil collected from Anyigba market, Nigeria was investigated. Results revealed the presence of 0.3% moisture, 0.2% impurity and 6.0% free fatty acid. These values were higher than the acceptable values for palm oil as recommended by the Nigerian Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) Research. Microbial content of the palm oil samples showed the following isolates Phialophora jeanselmei, Trichophyton schoeuleinii and Microsporum canis. The presence of these potentially harmful microorganisms in the palm oil samples portrays a relative health hazards to the consumers of the product. The quality of palm oil may thus be affected by environmental and fungal content. Consequently, an improved method of handling, processing and storage is advocated