No abstract

There has been a steady rise in antibiotic resistance of bacteria and this urgently calls for the discovery of alternative therapeutic agents. Honey possesses therapeutic potentials which includes antimicrobial activity. Although the antimicrobial activity of honey has been effectively established against an extensive spectrum of microorganisms, it differs depending on the type of honey. To date, not much extensive studies of the antibacterial properties of South African honeys on enteric microorganisms have been conducted. The objective of this study was to compare the antibacterial activity of extracts of six different honeys with those of medical plants commonly used in South Africa. Using a broth dilution method, the antibacterial activity extracts of six South African honeys and medicinal plants against six enteric microorganisms viz-Enterobacter cloacae, Escheriachia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii isolated from geophagia samples and Aeromonas hydrophila and plesiomonas shigelloides isolated both from stool and water samples using agar well diffusion method was done. Different concentrations of honey and plant extracts were tested against each type of microorganism. Briefly, two-fold dilutions of honey solutions were tested to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) against each type of microorganism. Extracts from both South African honeys and medicinal plants showed zones of inhibition that ranged from 6.94 to 37.94 mm. The most susceptible bacteria were Escheriachia coli, Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides. MIC and MBC values of extracts were found in the range of 0.625 to 5.000 mg/ml. Extracts of honey showed good antibacterial activity against most organisms than the standard antibiotics such as Ampicillin and Gentamycin. Honey extracts showed antibacterial activity against most microorganisms which were showing some degree of resistance to commercial antibiotics. Extracts from South African honeys and medicinal plants exhibited variable activities against different microorganisms. This result suggests that the honeys could potentially be used as an alternative therapeutic agent against certain microorganisms.

The success rate of FSLO was 68.6%. None of the above-described independent variables have any effect on the outcome of two-staged FSLO. While VILO remains the treatment of choice for IAT located at or near the ring, but IAT higher than this, two-staged FSLO gives a better chance for achieving intra-scrotal orchidopexy.

Background. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide. Mechanisms of resistance vary, and some can confer resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Objective. To characterise the antibiotic resistance profiles of Escherichia coli isolates obtained from stool samples of young rural children exposed or unexposed to antibiotics. Methodology. The samples were collected from children aged 4 -12 months who were participants in the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) project at the South Africa research site. We isolated 87 E. coli samples (clones) from 65 individual participants, all of which were subjected to disc diffusion assay to determine resistance. We characterised the minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics in a subset of strains as well as the mechanism by which these strains were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. Results. Our results revealed high resistance rates to co-trimoxazole (54.0%), penicillin (47.1%) and tetracycline (44.8%) in our isolates, and indicated that the beta-lactamase TEM-1 is a prevalent source of beta-lactam resistance. We also identified two isolates with the extendedspectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M-14. Conclusions. This study identified antibiotic-resistant E. coli in children with and without prior exposure to antibiotics, with some isolates showing resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Clinicians should bear in mind that transmission of extended-spectrum betalactamase-resistant E. coli exists at the community level, and that children as young as 2 years may be harbouring these resistant phenotypes.

ABSTRACT. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is a chemokine produced by macrophages and other cell types, including epithelial cells, and its receptor is CXCR2. IL-8 plays an important role in the initiation and amplification of inflammatory diseases, including opportunistic infections. With the advent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, opportunistic infections have become major health concerns. However, the role of host genetics on the occurrence of these infections has not been clearly defined. In this study, genomic DNA was extracted from 185 HIVinfected individuals in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Allelespecific polymerase chain reaction was used to genotype the CXCR2 +1208 T/C gene. Genotypes CC, TT, and TC were associated with chest pains, frequent headaches, loss of weight, diarrhea, and loss of appetite among HIV patients. A significant association between the CC CXCR2 gene polymorphism among HIV patients genotype and chest pains was found (P = 0.035). The TC genotype was associated with loss of appetite (P = 0.044) and chest pains (P = 0.042). A weak association between diarrhea and the TT genotype was found (P = 0.082). No association was observed between tuberculosis and the genotypes. Immunological characteristics, such as viral load and CD4 count, were not significantly associated with the genotypes. The results of the present study suggest that carriers of the TC genotype are more susceptible to chest pain, but that this genotype confers a protective effect against loss of appetite. The CC genotype was found to confer protection against chest pain but appeared to increase susceptibility to headaches. Further studies using larger samples are necessary to confirm these results.