African Journal of Parasitology Research

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-004, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Retrospective Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Salmonella typhi from 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.
Adamawa State, Nigeria.
²Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University or Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, PMB 6173 – Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Accepted 24 July, 2024

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.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-004, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Multiplex PCR Analysis of Clostridium perfringens Isolates Associated with Necrotic Enteritis Outbreaks in Broiler Farms in Cairo

Effat, M. M¹*; Abdallah, Y. A.², Soheir, M. F.¹, and Rady, M. M.³

¹Microbiology and Immunology dept, National research centre, Giza, Egypt.
²Serum and Vaccine Research Institute, Abbassia, Egypt.
³Poultry Diseases dept, National Research centre, Giza, Egypt.

Accepted 25 July 2024

Abstract

During the winter of 2006, outbreaks of severe entritis affected many broiler farms in the AL-Fayoum governorate, south of Cairo, Egypt. To identify the causative agent(s), bacterial isolates (14) from the diseased chickens were characterized phenotypically and biochemically. All isolates exhibited characteristics of Clostridium perfringens. Subsequently, molecular typing of the bacterial isolates was performed by multiplex PCR using four sets of primers specific for the genes encoding the C. perfringens, and toxins, respectively. A single amplicon, corresponding in size to the alpha ( ) toxin-encoding gene (approximately 402 bp), was amplified from all the bacterial isolates. It was therefore concluded that only C. perfringens type A was responsible for the disease outbreaks.

Key words: Clostridium perfringens- necrotic entritis – broiler chicken – multiplex PCR.
 

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of Salmonella enterica Contamination in Camel Milk Across Kenya

Matofari, J. W.,    Shitandi, A.*, Shalo, P. L., Nanua, N. J., Younan, M.

Guildford Dairy Institute, Egerton University Njoro, P.O. Box 536 Egerton 20107 Kenya.

Accepted 13 April, 2024

Abstract

This study was undertaken to conduct a baseline risk analysis of raw camel milk with special emphasis on Salmonella enterica serovars. Cross-sectional studies were designed to investigate the prevalence of S. enterica serovars in a major camel milk production zone of Kenya. A total of 196 samples were assessed for possible presence of S. enterica. The samples included composite milk from the individual camel udders, bulk milk from collection and market centres, faeces, soil and water samples. Of the 196 samples tested, 43% (84/196) were found to contain Salmonella species. Out of the 84, only 31% (26/84) was positively identified as S. enterica. S. enterica was found in all the sample categories that repre-sented the camel milk production environment. The results suggest that raw camel milk contamination by S. enterica was influenced by post-harvest handling of the product rather than camel infection by the pathogen. It was concluded that a need exists to formulate better regulation strategies for the safe handling of camel milk on rural Kenyan farms.

Key words: Camel milk; Salmonella enterica, Milk safety, Kenya.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (7), pp. 001-004, July, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of Contaminated Irrigation Water on the Survival of Salmonella typhimurium in Rosemary and Barley Cultivated in Agricultural Fields

Dhiaf Amel¹ and Bakhrouf Amina²

¹Cabinet Dr Allaya. Ouled Salah 5116. Ksour Essef. Tunisia.
²Laboratoire de Recherche en Microbiologie et Santé. Hôpital de circonscription de Ksour Essef. 5180. Tunisia.

Accepted 27 April, 2024

Abstract

Animal wastes in the form of manure frequently contain enteric pathogenic microorganisms and land spreading can lead to pathogen entry into the food chain. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the persistence of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium in soil, and on barley and rosemary plants. We observed that Salmonella typhimurium persisted for an extended period of time (203 to 231 days), and could be detected on infected vegetative parts of the rosemary and barley plants even after desiccation. After approximately two months, the colony morphology displayed a mucoid and rugose phenotype. Smooth colony morphology was acquired following incubation in nutrient broth and upon isolation from the digestive tracts of mice that had been challenged orally with stressed S. typhimurium. S. typhimurium was neither isolated from vegetative parts formed after plant contamination, nor from barley seeds and rosemary flowers.

Keywords: Salmonella, soil, rosemary, barley, contamination.
 

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (7), pp. 001-004, July, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of Antioxidant Levels in Nigerian Children Affected by Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

Nmorsi O.P.G.¹*, Ukwandu N.C.D.² and Egwunyenga A.O.³

¹Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
²Department of Medical Microbiology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
³Department of Zoology, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

Accepted 17 May, 2024

Abstract

We evaluated the antioxidant status of 148 Nigerian children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The mean malarial parasitaemia was 4701.05 ± 2160.53/µL. The mean antioxidant concentrations of the infected children were determined for vitamin A (12.16 ± 1 - 16 µg/dL), vitamin C (0.43 ± 0.03 mg/dL), 5 carotenes (40.96 ± 5.38 µg/dL), and vitamin E (0.45 ± 0.03 mg/dL) . The control subjects had higher mean concentrations of vitamin A (72.12 ± 3.12 µg/dL), and of the 5 carotenes (132.63 ± 22.45 µg/dL), and these differences were statistically significant (X2 = 42.86, P > 0.05 and X2 = 50.64, P > 0.05, respectively). The mean concentrations of vitamin C (1.22 ± 0.31 mg/dL) and vitamin E (1.03 ± 0.48 mg/dL) in the control children were not statistically significant when compared with their infected children (X2 = 0.34, P < 0.05) and (X2 = 0.66, P < 0.05), respectively. The relationship between malarial parasitaemia and the concentrations of vitamin E and the 5 carotenes were positively correlated (r = 0.83 and r = 0.99, respectively) . The levels of plasma vitamin A and vitamin C were negatively correlated with the malarial parasitaemia (r = -0.98, and r = -0.96, respectively). Children within their first 5 years of age had higher malarial parasitaemia (7628.42 ± 3151.42/µL) than those > 6 years (1176.58 ± 956/µL). The children between 1 - 5 years old had lower concentrations of vitamin A (8.89 ± 3.74 µg/dL) and vitamin C (0.28 ± 0.21 µg/dL), while the concentration of the 5 carotenes (44.54 µg/dL) and of vitamin E (0.50 ± 0.16 µg/dL) was higher in these children. In conclusion, the depressed levels of plasma antioxidants in the P. falciparum-infected children suggested lowered immunity of the children, which may contribute to the morbidity and mortality of malaria in our locality.

Key words: Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, antioxidants, Children, Plasmodium falciparum, Nigeria.
 

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2756-3391 Vol. 12 (6), pp. 001-006, June, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Review

Reassessing Human Bocavirus: An Established Pathogen of the Respiratory Tract

Zhenqiang Bi*, Pierre B. H. Formenty and Cathy E. Roth.

Biorisk Reduction for Dangerous Pathogens, Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

Accepted 26 April, 2024

Abstract

A new virus was discovered by molecular techniques in respiratory samples collected from young children with respiratory diseases in Sweden in 2005. The virus, named human bocavirus, is genetically related to the bovine parvovirus and the canine minute virus, both of which belong to the bocavirus genus of the parvoviridae family. Recent studies conducted in different countries have shown that HBoV is found in 1.5 - 19% of children with respiratory diseases. HBoV has been observed to be associated with a broad spectrum of both upper and lower respiratory tract diseases, more frequently related to lower respiratory diseases, one third of which is pneumonia. HBoV infection is of worldwide distribution, and a seasonal distribution with a peak in winter and spring is suspected. There is increasing evidence that HBoV is pathogenic for the human respiratory tract, especially in infants and young children, and HBoV has been detected from patients with gastroenteritis. However, given the frequent co-infection with bacterial or viral pathogens, the exact role played by this virus in human diseases still remains disputable. Further investigations, including population- based studies with controlled subjects, are needed to prove its pathogenic potential and epidemiologic patterns.

Key words: Respiratory virus, human bocavirus, parvovirus; HBoV; respiratory infection, children.