Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals

Review

Antigenic variation in pathogenic micro-organisms: similarities and differences

Dietmar Steverding

BioMedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 13 April, 2012

Abstract

Antigenic variation is a process by which pathogenic micro-organisms escape the immune response of their mammalian hosts. By convergent evolution, protozoal, fungal and bacterial pathogens have developed similar genetic mechanisms for true antigenic variation. In this review article, the biology, the surface antigens and their encoding genes, and the molecular mechanisms of antigenic variation of the protozoa Trypanosoma brucei, Plasmodium falciparum, Babesia bovis, Giardia lamblia, the fungus Pneumocystis carinii, and the bacteria Borrelia hermsii, Anaplasma marginale, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma bovis and Campylobacter fetus are compared.

Key words: Antigenic variation, pathogens, micro-organisms, molecular mechanisms, immune evasion.

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Quantitative survey and anti-microbial effect of Piliostigma thonnigii and Khaya ivorensis leaves on traditional dry-yam

Babajide, J. M * and Atanda, O.O

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 52, Alabata-UNAAB, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Accepted 20 March, 2012

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the quantity of local preservatives (‘Abafe’ Piliostigma thonnigii and ‘Agehu’ Khaya ivorensis leaves) used for parboiling yam and the anti-microbial effect of the leaves on dry- yam ‘Gbodo’. Although, the study revealed that 23 g of abafe, 13 g of agehu and a combination of 12.8 g of abafe and 12.3 g of agehu will be required for 1 kg of yam, there were wide ranges between the quantities of yam as well as the quantities of local preservatives used by the processors. Futhermore, there were reduction in the microbial loads of samples parboiled with the leaves (singly or combined) respectively, immediately after processing and after 3 months of storage compared with the control. Thus, P. thonnigii leaves had bactericidal while K. ivorensis leaves had fungicidal effect on the microorganisms encountered during processing and storage of Gbodo.

Key words: Quantitative survey, anti-microbial, Piliostigma thonningii, Khaya ivorensis, dry-yam.

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Immunoglobulin profile of some Nigerians with Schistosoma haematobium infection

O.  P. G. Nmorsi¹*, N. C. D. Ukwandu², C. Isaac¹, A. O. Egwunyenga³ and N. H. Olague¹

¹Tropical Diseases Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

²Department of Medical Microbiology, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

³Department of Zoology, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

Accepted 13 May, 2012

Abstract

The preliminary investigation revealed the prevalence of 138(46.9%) out of 294 volunteers screened for the ova of Schistosoma haematobium in their urine samples. Of these, 84(28.6%) had light infection (50 ova/10 ml urine), while 54(18.4%) had heavy infection (> 50 ova/10 ml urine). This difference was statistically significant at ( ² = 6.52, p > 0.05). The mean immunoglobulin status were as follow: IgE (2141.6 ± 143.7 ng/dL), IgG (13.6 ± 3.53 mg/dL), IgA (3.72 ± 0.149 mg/dL), IgM (2.82 ± 0.48 mg/dL) and IgD (0.12 ± 0.04 mg/dL) . The relationship between the IgM, IgE and the intensities of infection were positively correlated (r = 0.27 and r = 0.65, respectively) . IgG, IgA and IgD showed negative correlation with the intensities of infection (r = -0.65, r = -0.39 and r = - 0.18, respectively). IgG and IgA can be used as markers of light infection, while IgM and IgE can be used as markers for heavy infection. We deduced that the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM, which were depleted in the infected volunteers, compared to the control subjects, which lacked significant protective effects in these infected volunteers. These low levels of IgA, IgG and IgM and high level of IgE may be involved in maintenance of S. haematobium infection in our study area.

Key words: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, IgM, Schistosoma haematobium, Nigerians

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Retrospective study on the antibiotic resistant pattern of Salmonella typhi from some clinical samples

Doughari, J. H.¹*, Elmahmood, A. M¹. and Nggada, H. P.²

¹Department of Microbiology, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology; PMB 2076 Yola.

 ²Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University or Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, PMB 6173 – Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Accepted 24 July, 2012

Abstract

Due to reported cases of antimicrobial resistance by many pathogenic bacteria against many antibiotics worldwide, and the sparse nature of antimicrobial resistance data, a retrospective study was carried out on 744 isolates of Salmonella typhi obtained from 974 samples from four different hospitals in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria between 2001-2004 to determine the resistance pattern of S. typhi to the most commonly used antibiotics cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and ampicillin. High rates of resistance was found in most of the isolates studied. Resistance rates were 92.3, 88.8, 79.6, 53.5 and 20% to amoxicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin, respectively. The high percentage resistance to the antibiotics studied could be attributed to their prevailing usage and abuse in the area under study. The implication of the high percentage resistance recorded for the antibiotics is that only ciprofloxacin will effectively treat S. typhi infections. These results call for nationwide surveillance programme to monitor microbial trends and antimicrobial resistance patterns in Nigeria.

Key words: Antibiotics, resistance, surveillance, Nigeria, Salmonella typhi.

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Potential commercialization of a microbial medium formulated from industrial food waste

Zvidzai C.* ¹, Muzhinji N.¹, Chidzvondo F.¹, Mundembe R.², and Sithole-Niang I.¹

¹Biochemistry Department, University of Zimbabwe, Box MP167, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.

²Bindura University of Science and Education, P. Bag 1020, Bindura, Zimbabwe.

Accepted 31 April, 2012

Abstract

A microbial medium, designated DYSP medium, was produced from food wastes that included defatted soya, clear beer spent yeast, potato solid waste and opaque beer spent grains. Various combinations of the food wastes were used for the media formulations and evaluated for extent of supporting microbial growth of pure cultures. A 3.0 M sodium hydroxide hydrolysis followed by a neutralization process using concentrated hydrochloric acid has been established and standardized for the preparation of the medium. A dry pulverized medium was produced that could be reconstituted in distilled water (dH₂O) without settleable solids.The formulated DYSP medium supported the growth of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The composition of the medium was 35.45% protein, 5.7% nitrogen, 56.6% ash, 8.6% moisture and 0.012 mg/ml of total reducing sugar. The pH of the DYSP broth was 6.6 when reconstituted in distilled water. Traditional classical microbiological studies demonstrated that the test cultures could grow and retain normal phenotypic and morphological properties when cultured on the formulated medium.The DYSP medium containing ampicillin, isopropyl ß-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-ß-D-galactoside proved to be an equally alternative medium in molecular biology for selection and screening E. coli TG1 cells transformed with pUC18 plasmid. Other preliminary biotechnological results showed that the formulated medium could form a base for studying and optimizing the production of penicillin by P. chrysogenum.

Key words: Food wastes, chemical hydrolysis culturing medium, fermentation and molecular biology.

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2012 International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Antimicrobial resistant pattern of Escherichia coli from human clinical samples in Osogbo, south western Nigeria

Olowe O. A¹, Okanlawon B. M², Olowe R. A³ and Olayemi A. B⁴

¹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, P.M.B.4400, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, College

of Health Sciences, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

²Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,

College of Health Sciences, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

³Department of Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure Ondo State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Accepted 17 January, 2012

Abstract

We screened 211 clinical samples of which total of 135 Escherichia coli isolates from different human clinical specimens comprising urine, stool, wound swabs, high vaginal swabs, ear swabs and blood obtained from patients at Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. The isolated E. coli were screened for their antibiograms and plasmid profiles. Seven antimicrobial drugs were used during the study. The prevalence of strains resistance to antimicrobials were; Tetracycline (91.6%), Ampicillin (86.7%), Sulphnamide (77.8%) and Gentamicin and Nalidixic acid which were (39.3%) and (4.1%) respectively. A total of seven antibiotic resistance profiles were obtained with over 64% of the isolates showing multi-drug resistance. Plasmids of three size ranges were detected in all of the isolates. Isolates with high multi-drug resistance profiles were found to possess multiple plasmids with large sizes in the range < 6 – 25 kb. Very large resistance levels > 85% were detected against Tetracycline, Sulphnamide, and Cotrimoxazole while Nalidixic acid showed least resistance of 4.1% among the isolates. Majority of the isolates were positive for betalactamase production when subjected to starch paper method.

Key word: Escherichia coli, betalactamse, antibacteria resistance.