African Journal of Parasitology Research

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (5), pp. 219-226, May, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Comparative study between  the Baermann conventional and a simplified Baermann devices for the diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis

^1,2Kiki-Barro PCM*, ⁴Aka Hepkangjin J, ^2,4Kassi FK, ^1,2Henriette Vanga-Bosson H, ²Konaté A, ²Angora EK, ²Akoua Valérie Bedia-Tanoh AV, ²Djohan V, ¹Kamagaté T, ²Sébastien Miezan, ⁴N’guessan NA, ^1,2William Yavo W and ^2,3Menan EIH

¹Parasitology and Mycology Department, National Institute of Public Health, BPV 47, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, ²Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, ³Parasitology and Mycology Laboratory of Diagnosis and Research Centre on AIDS and Other Infectious Diseases, ⁴Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: +22507584947

Accepted 18 May, 2017

Abstract

The-conventional Baermann device components are a constraint during its use for field investigations. A simplified version is proposed in order to assess the agreement of the measurements and the cost between both devices. 101 stool samples from HIV positive subjects were examined using both devices. The positivity rate was 0.9-% (1/101). The stool tested positive was subjected to 7 successive dilutions by means of a  Strongyloides stercoralis larvae free stool. Each dilution, considered as a sample, was used to compare the accuracy agreement of both devices. The Student t test did not show any significant variation in the number of the extracted larvae per gram of stool (p=0.227). The correlation coefficient (0.9991) close to 1 indicates a high reliability between both devices. The measurement of the larvae (per gram of stool)  using both devices agree as shown by the Bland Altman analysis, with a positive bias. Bias = 0.5 ± 1.069; 95% CI (- 0.39 to 2.59). The cost of the analysis was estimated at $ US 30.31 for the conventional device versus $US 2.23 for the simplified one. The latter is an alternative for the strongyloidiasis diagnosis during large-scale investigations in countries with limited resources.

Keywords: Strongyloidiasis, diagnosis, Baermann, devices, Comparison, agreement, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 206-218, April, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Resistance marker loss of multi-drug resistant (MDR) staphylococcus aureus strains after treatment with dilutions of acridine orange

Otajevwo FD

Department of Microbiology & Biotechnology, Western Delta University, Oghara, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 06 July, 2013

Abstract

This investigation was aimed at studying resistance marker loss of multidrug resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus strains after treatment with sub-clinical dilutions of acridine orange. Seven (7) pure axenic strains of Staph aureus coded SA₁-SA₇ isolated from seven infected human sources which included seminal fluid, ear swab, midstream urine, wound swab, urethral swab, high vaginal swab and endocervical swab respectively, were obtained from the Medical Microbiology laboratory of the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Nigeria and stocked on sterile Nutrient agar slants. Colonies from resulting stocked cultures were re-confirmed by subculturing them on sterile Mannitol Salt agar plates and incubated at 37^oC for 24hours. Gram staining, catalase and coagulase tests were carried out on resulting colonies. Antibiotic sensitivity test by  agar disc diffusion method was done on confirmed strains on sterile Mueller Hinton agar plates before and after treatment with acridine orange (AO). Staph aureus strains that showed ≤50.0% reduction in resistance marker after treatment with 0.35, 0.55, 0.75 and 0.95ug/ml dilutions of AO were noted. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was done using gentamicin on SA₁ strain with all four dilutions of AO. All seven strains showed resistance against augmentin, amoxicillin and cloxacillin. The highest (19.9± 2.3mm) and lowest (6.6 ± 7.3mm) zones of inhibition recorded by all the strains were reactions to chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole respectively. Strains SA₄, SA₂ and SA₇ recorded 17.0±4.9mm, 14.4±3.3mm, 14.0±5.9mm and 7.3±4.6mm mean zones of inhibition to gentamicin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline respectively. Strains SA₂, SA₄ and SA₇ were each resistant to three of the total antibiotics used. Strains SA₆, SA₁, SA₃ and SA₅ were resistant to four, five, five and six of the antibiotics used respectively. Mean loss of 50.0% or more of resistance marker (RM) was recorded after treatment with 0.35ug/ml (60.0%), 0.95ug/ml (52.7%) and 0.75ug/ml (52.2%) to erythromycin. There was zero loss of RM to gentamicin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline after treatment with 0.55ug/ml, 0.35ug/ml and 0.75ug/ml AO respectively. Acridine orange dilutions of 0.95 and 0.35ug/ml produced an eight-fold (1.25ug) and four-fold (2.5ug) reduction respectively in the minimum inhibitory concentration of gentamicin. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords: Loss, resistance marker, multidrug resistant Staph. aureus strains, treatment, acridine orange, dilutions.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (3), pp. 202-205, March, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The cross-association between antimicrobial consumption and resistance in acinetobacter baumannii

Wencheng Xue, Lianqing Zhou, Meiling Chu, Jin Yang, Lu Wang, Dongya Meng*

Department of Clinical laboratory, Liao Ning North Hospital, 83 Wenhua Rd, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, 110015, China.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +86-24-28851310

Accepted 19 July, 2014

Abstract

This study was implemented to analyses the association between the regional rates of antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) isolates and antimicrobial consumption in the hospital districts. The data on the consumption of antimicrobial for systemic use in Liao-Ning North Hospital were obtained from 2005 through 2009. Consumption data were compared with antimicrobial resistance in all isolates of A. baumannii. Statistical significance was defined as p value < 0.05 for the corresponding correlation coefficient. With the increase of drug resistance, A. baumannii isolation rate increased significantly, the proportion of A. baumannii infections in the composition of bacteria was also significantly increased (from 2.3% in 2005 year to 17.6% in 2009 year). Yearly rates of resistance to meropenem, cefepime, ceftazidime, piperacillin and amikacin were significantly associated with meropenem or levofloxacin (P < 0.05) consumptions in the same year, while consumption of cefepime, ceftazidime and amikacin had no apparent association with resistance. The consumption of Meropenem and levofloxacin significantly correlated with resistance of Meropenem, levofloxacin, cephalosporins, amikacin and piperacillin in A. baumannii. The formation of bacterial clones and being prevalent in the local context may be the ideal model for studying antibiotic usage and resistance development.

Keyword: Antimicrobial resistance, acinetobacter baumannii, consumption.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 191-196, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Isolation of enterococci from dried beef crackers (kilishi) and its antibiogram

Daminabo V, Isun R and Agarry OO*

Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Abuja, P.M.B. 117, Abuja,   Nigeria.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 11 January, 2013

Abstract

The level of safety associated with the consumption of ready-to-eat snack kilishi (dried beef cracker) was studied by surveying the total aerobic bioload as well as the density and antibiogram of the enterococcal content. A total of 60 random samples taken from 5 sales outlets in Abuja metropolis were tested for their total aerobic plate count by the spread plate technique on Plate Count Agar (PCA) while the total enterococcal plate count were determined using the pour plate technique on Enterococcus Selective Agar (ECSA). From the results, the TAPC ranged from 1.2 x 10³- 3.9 x 10⁴cfu/g while the enterococcal plate count ranged from 4.6 x 10¹ to 6.7 x 10¹cfu/g respectively. Various sales points within the metropolis recorded different enterococci plate counts. Statistically, no significant difference (p>0.05) occurred in the mean enterococci counts of two of the sales points. Of the eight species of Enterococcus isolated in this study (E. faecium, E. solitaries, E. faecalis, E. asini, E. hirae, E. cecorum, E. casseliflavusand E. raffinosus), E. faecalis accounted for 25%.Also, the mean pH (6.2-6.4) and proximate content (moisture content, 12.8-13.7%; crude protein, 60.6-60.9%; fat, 8.3-9.0%; ash, 7.4-7.6%) were not significantly different (p>0.05) in all the samples. The antibiotic pattern of isolates showed a significant resistance pattern (p<0.05) to 33% of commonly used antibiotics (cloxacillin, 93%; streptomycin,70%, penicillin, 98%; colistin, 98% and nalidixic acid, 95%) while 20% of these antibiotics: ofloxacin (98%), nitrofurantoin (95%) and tetracycline (85%) were active against the isolates. The resistance of the enterococci isolates to more than one antibiotic as observed in this study should be of great concern to both food scientists and health practitioners.

Keywords: Kilishi, Enterococcus, beef, antibiotics. 

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 187-190, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Plasmid profile analysis in non-O157 diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in Malaysia

Nazmul M HM*, Fazlul MKK and Rashid MA

Faculty of Medicine, University Technology MARA, Sg Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +6-0129771486

Accepted 17 April, 2014

Abstract

Non-O157 VTEC is typical Escherichia coli (E. coli). A total of 50 non-O157 diarrheagenic E. coli isolates were examined. The organisms were isolated from GHKL, Malaysia, from patients with diarrhea. Plasmids were detected in 34 isolates with the plasmid occurrence rate (POR) of 68%. These 34 isolates appear to harbor 1 or more plasmids with the maximum of 4 plasmids. The sizes of the plasmid DNA range from the lowest 1.8 kb to the highest 96 kb. Supercoil DNA marker was used to provide reference plasmids of known molecular weight. This helped in calculating the molecular weight of the plasmids in this study.

Keywords: Plasmid profile, non-O157, E. coli.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 4 (2), pp. 197-201, February, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Vitamin D levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and natural immunized persons

¹Canan Demir* and ²Mehmet Demir

¹Bursa Şevket Yılmaz Education and Research Hospital, Infectious Disease Department , Bursa/TURKEY. 

²Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Education and Research Hospital, Cardiology Department , Bursa/TURKEY.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +90 2242573328 

Accepted 04 March, 2013

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with several adverse health outcomes and vitamin D appears to have systemic antimicrobial effects that may be crucial in a variety of both acute and chronic illness. In our study we compared 25- hydroxy vitamin D levels, between chronic hepatitis B Virus  infection, natural immunized persons and control groups. Thirty five chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients (Group I) and thirty natural immunized persons (Group II) and thirty healthy adult were included in this study. Hepatitis markers were determined by commercial kit based on chemilumminesans assay.  Routine biochemical parameters, hepatitis B virus serology, hepatitis B virus-DNA, 25-hydroxy vitamin D and parathormone levels were performed.  Baseline characteristics of the study groups were comparable. Group I patients had a lower vitamin D level than group II and the control group (7.65±4.19; 12.1±7.13 and 14.17±9.18ng/ml, p<0.001, respectively). Additionaly group I patients had a higher parathormone level than group II and the control group (88.21±34.2; 75.14±23.4 and 74.16±20.15ng/ml, p=0.001, respectively). Also vitamin D levels were correlated hepatitis B virüs-DNA levels. In the hepatitis B virus infected patients, diminished vitamin D levels may be an indicator of the presence of replication and poor prognosis.

Keywords: Vitamin D, hepatitis B, immune system.