Sokoto Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 2021
The use of unsafe water supplies and microbial contaminated water may pose serious health challen... more The use of unsafe water supplies and microbial contaminated water may pose serious health challenge to users. The aim of the study was to determine the level of bacterial contamination of the various water sources and the suitability for human use and consumption in University of Calabar Community, Nigeria. A total of 30 water samples were obtained from the University storage tanks and analysed for the presence of bacteria. The level of feacal coliform count, total coliform count and heterotrophic bacterial count was analysed using membrane filtration method and standard culture method on a differential and selective media. The samples were cultured on MacConkey and Nutrient agar. The isolates obtained from the above media were subcultured into slants of nutrient agar. Isolates were subjected to Gram staining and biochemical tests. The feacal coliform, Escherichia coli was isolated from all the water samples. Total coliform counts ranged from 1cfu/ml - 92cfu/ml while total heterotro...
The study was a randomized mother -infant dyad placebo controlled field trial that evaluated the ... more The study was a randomized mother -infant dyad placebo controlled field trial that evaluated the effect of maternal vitamin A supplementation on time to first episode of parasitaemia and on malaria parasite densities among infants in three rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty-two (152) pregnant women with pregnancies that had mature to at least six (6) months were equally randomized into supplemented and placebo groups. Ten thousand international unit (10,000 IU) of vitamin A supplement was administered three (3) times per week to women of the supplemented group while placebo was given to the control group at equal frequencies. The regimen was continued until the participants delivered their babies. On delivery of their babies, 200,000 1U of vitamin A supplement was administered to the supplemented group while the other group also received placebo. The regimen was maintained every three (3) month until the infants were 12 months old. Follow-up was carrie...
Malaria in pregnancy can result in maternal anaemia, abortion, premature delivery, still birth an... more Malaria in pregnancy can result in maternal anaemia, abortion, premature delivery, still birth and low birth weight. Malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women visiting antenatal clinics of Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki was carried out between May and October, 2014. One (1) ml of venous blood was collected from each woman and was processed and examined using standard parasitological techniques. Data collected were analysed using Chi squared test. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Sixty-one (15.25%) of the women were infected. Women within the age group of 20 to 24 years had the highest prevalence (17.86%) while those of ages 35 years and above had the lowest prevalence (10.53%). However, age was not statisticallyassociated with malaria infection (p>0.05). The primigravidae were the most infected (24.55%) gravidity group, with prevalence of infection decreasing with increasing gravidity. There was a significant difference in association between malaria i...
Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases, 2020
This study established the diagnosis and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) amo... more This study established the diagnosis and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among health-care workers in an endemic population using Tuberculin skin test (TST) and Quantiferon TB-gold. A total of 609 Healthcare workers from tuberculosis treatment facilities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were studied. The Interferon-gamma release assay was performed using 3ml of whole blood by ELISA according to the manufacturer’s instruction (Cellestis Ltd., Carnegie, Australia) after which 0.1 ml of 5 tuberculin units of Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) was administered intra-dermally to each subject. TST results were read after 72 hours by measuring the size of indurations in millimetres. Data were analysed using SPSS version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). At the threshold of 10 mm, the prevalence of LTBI by TST was 45.8% and 24.8% at the IGRA diagnostic value of ≥ 0.351 IU. Laboratory staff and ward orderlies as well as being in service for >10 years, were more significant...
Nigeria has the world's fourth largest tuberculosis burden, and multidrug resistant tuberculosis ... more Nigeria has the world's fourth largest tuberculosis burden, and multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) represents a serious public health problem. Objectives: To describe the demography of TB patients and determine the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to the major TB drugs. Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven newly diagnosed TB patients (26 (19%) being HIV positive) from all age groups were recruited into the study. Each specimen was cultured using BACTEC MGIT960, followed by inoculation and growth on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. Primary identification was carried out using an immunochromatographic technique (Capilia TB-Neo), and further confirmed by genotyping. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was carried out by the agar proportion method. Results: Of the 97 pure mycobacterial cultures on LJ medium, 81 (83.5%) isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis complex, while 16 (16.5%) were Capilia negative. DST was carried out on 58 isolates. The drug susceptibility pattern showed that resistance occurred in 16 (27.6%) for streptomycin, 11 (19%) for isoniazid, 9 (16%) for rifampicin, and 10 (17.2%) for ethambutol. Rifampicin monoresistance occurred in 2 (3.4%) cases. MDR (combined resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin), also involving resistance to streptomycin and ethambutol, occurred in 6/58 (10.3%) isolates; although laboratory cross-contamination could not be excluded in 4/6 MDR strains with identical MIRU patterns characterized by consecutive strain numbers. Considering that first out of these 4 isolates was not due to laboratory carryover, the results of this study still report a minimal MDR-TB rate of 3/58 (5.2%) among newly diagnosed TB patients in Cross River State, Nigeria. Conclusions: An increase in drug resistance was observed in this study as compared with previous studies in the country. Hence, introduction of culture in routine diagnostic mycobacteriology laboratories will prevent the emergence and dissemination of MDR-TB, while
Abstract: The epidemiology and perception of Paragonimus infection were investigated in Oban comm... more Abstract: The epidemiology and perception of Paragonimus infection were investigated in Oban community of Cross River State, Nigeria between January and June, 2006. Sputum samples collected on each of three consecutive days from 311 participants with productive cough were examined using standard parasitological procedures for the detection of ova of Paragonimus Spp. The samples were also processed and stained using the Ziehl-Neelsen technique to exclude Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Crabs collected from the village streams were dissected and examined for the presence of metacercariae of Paragonimus Spp. A questionnaire was also administered to test the perception of the disease. Paragonimus uterobilateralis was confirmed as the aetiologic agent of paragonimiasis with a prevalence of 4.2%. Peak prevalence of 7.7% was found among children aged between 1 to 10 years. More males (4.5%) were infected than females (3.9%) (P > 0.05). The mean egg count was high (222 egs/5ml of sputum). The intensity of infection was found to correlate moderately and strongly with haemoptysis (r = 0.6) and chest pain (r=0.8) respectively. Only 1.6% of the subjects had tuberculosis and presented with symptoms which mimic paragonimiasis. Sudanonautes africanus is the suspected vector of the disease in this locality. The disease, its vector and mode of transmission were poorly perceived by the respondents. The study has confirmed the endemicity of paragonimiasis in Oban community as well as provides comprehensive information on the disease and its transmission in this locality. There is urgent need to initiate the control of this disease in this community.
Aim: To assess the antibacterial activity of crude honey obtained from Ishielu Local Government o... more Aim: To assess the antibacterial activity of crude honey obtained from Ishielu Local Government of Ebonyi State on pathogenic bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus pyogenes) isolated from wounds. Study Design: An experimental study which involved a random selection of patients with wound Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, between February 2019 and November 2019. Methodology: A total of 50 samples of wound swabs collected from different sites of open wounds were cultured on blood agar, chocolate agar and MacConkey agar. The crude honey was diluted to concentrations ranging from 20% to 100% and the antibacterial activity was carried out by well diffusion method with augmentin used as a control. Result: Out of the 50 samples, 43 showed growth of bacterial species isolated, identified and confirmed using standard bacteriological techniques. Staphylococcus aureus (60.5...
Background. The changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from ... more Background. The changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from a hospital-associated pathogen to an organism commonly found in the community and in livestock reflects an organism well-equipped to survive in diverse environments and adjust to different environmental conditions including antimicrobial use. Methods. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus and MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Samples were collected from 1800 birds on 9 different farms within the state. Positive isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility and molecular typing. Results. Prevalence in birds was 13.7% (247/1800). MRSA prevalence in poultry was 0.8%. The prevalence of MRSA in broilers and layers was 1.2% and 0.4%, respectively. All tested isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Molecular analysis of the isolates revealed 3 spa types: t002, t084, and a novel spa type, t11469. The novel spa type t11469 belonged to sequence type ST5. Conclusion. The detection of t002 in chicken suggests the presence of livestock-associated MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State. The detection of the new spa type t11469 in poultry that has not been characterised to ascertain its pathogenic potential remains a cause for concern, especially as some were found to carry PVL genes, a putative virulence factor in staphylococcal infection.
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has been known to be one of the most frequent underlying causes of ... more Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has been known to be one of the most frequent underlying causes of wasting worldwide and this has however remained poorly studied and understood. Methods: Pattern of weight gain during tuberculosis treatment in Ekpene Obom, Nigeria was assessed between January 2012 and December 2014. The 389 patients, who attended the TB clinic within this period, made up of 171(44%) males and 218(56%) females were used in this study. Results: Patients had an average weight of 44.5kg at the time their infection was diagnosed. The percentage weight increment within this period was 12.1%. Yearly sex-specific percentage weight increment in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively for the males were 12.4%, 11.4% and 11.9% while it was 12.5%, 11.6% and 12.7% for the females within the same period. Similarly, within specific Original Research Article Umo and Umoh; AJMAH, 1(6): 1-5, 2016; Article no.AJMAH.29090 2 age groups, it also revealed an increment of 11.8%, 16.0%, 14.7%, 13.4%, 10.8% and 10.6% for 11-20 years, 21-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years and 61-70 years respectively. The females were seen to have higher body weights than the males. Conclusion: This study has shown that clinical recovery does not guarantee immediate restoration of body weight and also confirms weight gain to be an unreliable indicator of overall treatment response in anti-tuberculosis therapy.
Sokoto Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 2021
The use of unsafe water supplies and microbial contaminated water may pose serious health challen... more The use of unsafe water supplies and microbial contaminated water may pose serious health challenge to users. The aim of the study was to determine the level of bacterial contamination of the various water sources and the suitability for human use and consumption in University of Calabar Community, Nigeria. A total of 30 water samples were obtained from the University storage tanks and analysed for the presence of bacteria. The level of feacal coliform count, total coliform count and heterotrophic bacterial count was analysed using membrane filtration method and standard culture method on a differential and selective media. The samples were cultured on MacConkey and Nutrient agar. The isolates obtained from the above media were subcultured into slants of nutrient agar. Isolates were subjected to Gram staining and biochemical tests. The feacal coliform, Escherichia coli was isolated from all the water samples. Total coliform counts ranged from 1cfu/ml - 92cfu/ml while total heterotro...
The study was a randomized mother -infant dyad placebo controlled field trial that evaluated the ... more The study was a randomized mother -infant dyad placebo controlled field trial that evaluated the effect of maternal vitamin A supplementation on time to first episode of parasitaemia and on malaria parasite densities among infants in three rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty-two (152) pregnant women with pregnancies that had mature to at least six (6) months were equally randomized into supplemented and placebo groups. Ten thousand international unit (10,000 IU) of vitamin A supplement was administered three (3) times per week to women of the supplemented group while placebo was given to the control group at equal frequencies. The regimen was continued until the participants delivered their babies. On delivery of their babies, 200,000 1U of vitamin A supplement was administered to the supplemented group while the other group also received placebo. The regimen was maintained every three (3) month until the infants were 12 months old. Follow-up was carrie...
Malaria in pregnancy can result in maternal anaemia, abortion, premature delivery, still birth an... more Malaria in pregnancy can result in maternal anaemia, abortion, premature delivery, still birth and low birth weight. Malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women visiting antenatal clinics of Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki was carried out between May and October, 2014. One (1) ml of venous blood was collected from each woman and was processed and examined using standard parasitological techniques. Data collected were analysed using Chi squared test. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Sixty-one (15.25%) of the women were infected. Women within the age group of 20 to 24 years had the highest prevalence (17.86%) while those of ages 35 years and above had the lowest prevalence (10.53%). However, age was not statisticallyassociated with malaria infection (p>0.05). The primigravidae were the most infected (24.55%) gravidity group, with prevalence of infection decreasing with increasing gravidity. There was a significant difference in association between malaria i...
Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases, 2020
This study established the diagnosis and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) amo... more This study established the diagnosis and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among health-care workers in an endemic population using Tuberculin skin test (TST) and Quantiferon TB-gold. A total of 609 Healthcare workers from tuberculosis treatment facilities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were studied. The Interferon-gamma release assay was performed using 3ml of whole blood by ELISA according to the manufacturer’s instruction (Cellestis Ltd., Carnegie, Australia) after which 0.1 ml of 5 tuberculin units of Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) was administered intra-dermally to each subject. TST results were read after 72 hours by measuring the size of indurations in millimetres. Data were analysed using SPSS version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). At the threshold of 10 mm, the prevalence of LTBI by TST was 45.8% and 24.8% at the IGRA diagnostic value of ≥ 0.351 IU. Laboratory staff and ward orderlies as well as being in service for >10 years, were more significant...
Nigeria has the world's fourth largest tuberculosis burden, and multidrug resistant tuberculosis ... more Nigeria has the world's fourth largest tuberculosis burden, and multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) represents a serious public health problem. Objectives: To describe the demography of TB patients and determine the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to the major TB drugs. Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven newly diagnosed TB patients (26 (19%) being HIV positive) from all age groups were recruited into the study. Each specimen was cultured using BACTEC MGIT960, followed by inoculation and growth on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. Primary identification was carried out using an immunochromatographic technique (Capilia TB-Neo), and further confirmed by genotyping. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was carried out by the agar proportion method. Results: Of the 97 pure mycobacterial cultures on LJ medium, 81 (83.5%) isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis complex, while 16 (16.5%) were Capilia negative. DST was carried out on 58 isolates. The drug susceptibility pattern showed that resistance occurred in 16 (27.6%) for streptomycin, 11 (19%) for isoniazid, 9 (16%) for rifampicin, and 10 (17.2%) for ethambutol. Rifampicin monoresistance occurred in 2 (3.4%) cases. MDR (combined resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin), also involving resistance to streptomycin and ethambutol, occurred in 6/58 (10.3%) isolates; although laboratory cross-contamination could not be excluded in 4/6 MDR strains with identical MIRU patterns characterized by consecutive strain numbers. Considering that first out of these 4 isolates was not due to laboratory carryover, the results of this study still report a minimal MDR-TB rate of 3/58 (5.2%) among newly diagnosed TB patients in Cross River State, Nigeria. Conclusions: An increase in drug resistance was observed in this study as compared with previous studies in the country. Hence, introduction of culture in routine diagnostic mycobacteriology laboratories will prevent the emergence and dissemination of MDR-TB, while
Abstract: The epidemiology and perception of Paragonimus infection were investigated in Oban comm... more Abstract: The epidemiology and perception of Paragonimus infection were investigated in Oban community of Cross River State, Nigeria between January and June, 2006. Sputum samples collected on each of three consecutive days from 311 participants with productive cough were examined using standard parasitological procedures for the detection of ova of Paragonimus Spp. The samples were also processed and stained using the Ziehl-Neelsen technique to exclude Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Crabs collected from the village streams were dissected and examined for the presence of metacercariae of Paragonimus Spp. A questionnaire was also administered to test the perception of the disease. Paragonimus uterobilateralis was confirmed as the aetiologic agent of paragonimiasis with a prevalence of 4.2%. Peak prevalence of 7.7% was found among children aged between 1 to 10 years. More males (4.5%) were infected than females (3.9%) (P > 0.05). The mean egg count was high (222 egs/5ml of sputum). The intensity of infection was found to correlate moderately and strongly with haemoptysis (r = 0.6) and chest pain (r=0.8) respectively. Only 1.6% of the subjects had tuberculosis and presented with symptoms which mimic paragonimiasis. Sudanonautes africanus is the suspected vector of the disease in this locality. The disease, its vector and mode of transmission were poorly perceived by the respondents. The study has confirmed the endemicity of paragonimiasis in Oban community as well as provides comprehensive information on the disease and its transmission in this locality. There is urgent need to initiate the control of this disease in this community.
Aim: To assess the antibacterial activity of crude honey obtained from Ishielu Local Government o... more Aim: To assess the antibacterial activity of crude honey obtained from Ishielu Local Government of Ebonyi State on pathogenic bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus pyogenes) isolated from wounds. Study Design: An experimental study which involved a random selection of patients with wound Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, between February 2019 and November 2019. Methodology: A total of 50 samples of wound swabs collected from different sites of open wounds were cultured on blood agar, chocolate agar and MacConkey agar. The crude honey was diluted to concentrations ranging from 20% to 100% and the antibacterial activity was carried out by well diffusion method with augmentin used as a control. Result: Out of the 50 samples, 43 showed growth of bacterial species isolated, identified and confirmed using standard bacteriological techniques. Staphylococcus aureus (60.5...
Background. The changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from ... more Background. The changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from a hospital-associated pathogen to an organism commonly found in the community and in livestock reflects an organism well-equipped to survive in diverse environments and adjust to different environmental conditions including antimicrobial use. Methods. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus and MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Samples were collected from 1800 birds on 9 different farms within the state. Positive isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility and molecular typing. Results. Prevalence in birds was 13.7% (247/1800). MRSA prevalence in poultry was 0.8%. The prevalence of MRSA in broilers and layers was 1.2% and 0.4%, respectively. All tested isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Molecular analysis of the isolates revealed 3 spa types: t002, t084, and a novel spa type, t11469. The novel spa type t11469 belonged to sequence type ST5. Conclusion. The detection of t002 in chicken suggests the presence of livestock-associated MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State. The detection of the new spa type t11469 in poultry that has not been characterised to ascertain its pathogenic potential remains a cause for concern, especially as some were found to carry PVL genes, a putative virulence factor in staphylococcal infection.
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has been known to be one of the most frequent underlying causes of ... more Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has been known to be one of the most frequent underlying causes of wasting worldwide and this has however remained poorly studied and understood. Methods: Pattern of weight gain during tuberculosis treatment in Ekpene Obom, Nigeria was assessed between January 2012 and December 2014. The 389 patients, who attended the TB clinic within this period, made up of 171(44%) males and 218(56%) females were used in this study. Results: Patients had an average weight of 44.5kg at the time their infection was diagnosed. The percentage weight increment within this period was 12.1%. Yearly sex-specific percentage weight increment in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively for the males were 12.4%, 11.4% and 11.9% while it was 12.5%, 11.6% and 12.7% for the females within the same period. Similarly, within specific Original Research Article Umo and Umoh; AJMAH, 1(6): 1-5, 2016; Article no.AJMAH.29090 2 age groups, it also revealed an increment of 11.8%, 16.0%, 14.7%, 13.4%, 10.8% and 10.6% for 11-20 years, 21-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years and 61-70 years respectively. The females were seen to have higher body weights than the males. Conclusion: This study has shown that clinical recovery does not guarantee immediate restoration of body weight and also confirms weight gain to be an unreliable indicator of overall treatment response in anti-tuberculosis therapy.
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