Background:Urinary schistosomiasis is a serious public health challenge in some communities of Ebonyi State, south-east Nigeria, partly resulting from a lack of adequate epidemiological data for the institution of effective control strategies.Objective: This study evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of urinary schistosomiasis in rural communities of Ebonyi State, south-east Nigeria.Methods: A total of 300 students, comprising 185 boys and 115 girls, were randomly selected for the study between July and December 2016. A questionnaire was administered to all participants to determine the risk factors for the disease in the area. Urine specimens collected from the participants were processed by sedimentation and examined microscopically for the eggs of Schistosoma haematobium.Results: The overall prevalence rate for urinary schistosomiasis was 8.0%. Students aged 6–10 years had the highest prevalence of infection (10.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher amongst male students (10.3%; p = 0.038) compared with female students (4.4%). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between schistosomiasis infection and freshwater contact activities (p = 0.007; odds ratio = 1.89; 95% confidence interval: 4.33–16.17). Contact with stream, pond, river and well water were associated with infection rates of 25%, 14%, 5.3%, and 4.4%, respectively.Conclusion: A relatively low prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was found in the area. Participants’ socio-economic status and dependence on contaminated water sources were core modifiable risk factors. Health education and development of potable water infrastructure, amongst other interventions, would likely reduce the burden and transmission of urinary schistosomiasis in this locality.

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Introduction: Presence of enteric pathogens in humans has been described as one of the most common challenges of developing countries. Materials and Methods: Stool samples were collected from 540 randomly selected workers in the hospitality industry in Etim-Ekpo and were subjected to microscopic and bacteriological examination to detect asymptomatic carriers of enteric pathogens. A structured questionnaire was used to collect additional data from the subjects. Each of these subjects aged between 18 and 56 years, gave informed oral consent before samples were collected. Results: The results show presence of the following enteric bacterial pathogens: Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter sp and Campylobacter sp. Intestinal parasites detected were ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm, Taenia sp and Trichuris trichuria, cysts of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia. The distribution of the enteric pathogens was

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Background: The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacterial strains worldwide has necessitated the scientific search for novel, potent, and affordable antimicrobial agents including medicinal plants and non-antibiotic drugs for therapy of infectious diseases. The objective of this study is to assess in vitro antibacterial activities and time kill kinetics of some non-antibiotic drugs against pathogenic clinical bacterial isolates.Methodology: In vitro antibacterial activities including minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration  (MBC) and time kill kinetics of Amlodipine (AML), Thioridazine (THI) and Promethazine (PRO) against Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS), Streptococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates were determined using disc diffusion, broth microdilution and plate count techniques.Results: The mean growth inhibition zones by the disc diffusion assay of AML, THI and PRO against the isolates were ≤15.1±1.0 mm with MIC and MBC values ranging from 12.5 to 50μg/ml and 25 to 100μg/ml respectively. The time-kill assay revealed bactericidal effect of AML, THI and PRO on Gram positive bacteria evidenced by mean log reductions in viable bacterial cell counts ranging from 0.13 Log10 to 2.41 Log10 CFU/ml for S. aureus, 0.88 Log10 to 2.08 Log10 CFU/ml for Streptococcus spp, and 0.26 Log10 to 2.34 Log10 CFU/ml for CoNS after ≤30hrs post inoculation at 1xMIC. The range of log reduction in viable cell counts of Gram-negative bacteria exposed to AML, THI and PRO were E. coli (0.11 to 3.23 Log10 CFU/ml), P. aeruginosa (0.52 to 2.56 Log10 CFU/ml), K. pneumoniae (0.85 to 3.0 Log10 CFU/ml) and  Enterobacter spp (0.38 to 2.08 Log10 CFU/ml) after ≤30 hrs post inoculation at 1x MIC.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate in vitro antibacterial efficacies and time kill kinetics of AML, THI and PRO against pathogenic clinical bacterial isolates, which indicate that these non-antibiotic drugs may be useful therapeutic alternatives in the bid to reduce the burden of infectious diseases associated with antibiotic resistant pathogens. Keywords: Amlodipine, Thioridazine, Promethazine, Time-Kill, Kinetics, MIC, MBC, bacteria   French title: Activité antibactérienne et cinétique de destruction du temps de l'amlodipine, de la thioridazine et de la prométhazine contre les isolats bactériens cliniques pathogènes Contexte: L'émergence de souches bactériennes multirésistantes dans le monde a rendu nécessaire la recherche scientifique d'agents antimicrobiens nouveaux, puissants et abordables, notamment des plantes médicinales et des médicaments non antibiotiques pour le traitement des maladies infectieuses. L'objectif de cette étude est d'évaluer les activités antibactériennes in vitro et la cinétique de destruction temporelle de certains médicaments non antibiotiques contre les isolats bactériens cliniques pathogènes. Méthodologie: activités antibactériennes in vitro, y compris la concentration minimale inhibitrice (CMI), la concentration bactéricide minimale (MBC) et la cinétique de destruction du temps de l'amlodipine (AML), de la thioridazine (THI) et de la prométhazine (PRO) contre Staphylococcus aureus, les staphylocoques à coagulase négative (CoNS), Streptococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp, Klebsiella pneumoniae et Pseudomonas aeruginosa ont été déterminés en utilisant des techniques de diffusion sur disque, de microdilution en bouillon et de numération sur plaque. Résultats: Les zones moyennes d'inhibition de la croissance par le test de diffusion de disque d'AML, THI et PRO contre les isolats étaient ≤15,1±1,0mm avec des valeurs MIC et MBC allant de 12,5 à 50μg/ml et de 25 à 100μg/ml respectivement. Le dosage temporel a révélé un effet bactéricide de la LMA, du THI et du PRO sur les bactéries Gram positives, mis en évidence par des réductions logarithmiques moyennes du nombre de cellules bactériennes viables allant de 0,13 Log10 à 2,41 Log10 CFU/ml pour S. aureus, 0,88 Log10 à 2,08 Log10 CFU/ml pour Streptococcus spp et 0,26 Log10 à 2,34 Log10 CFU/ml pour CoNS après ≤ 30 heures après l'inoculation à 1 x MIC. La plage de réduction logarithmique du nombre de cellules viables de bactéries à Gram négatif exposées à la LMA, au THI et au PRO était E. coli (0,11 à 3,23 Log10 CFU/ml), P. aeruginosa (0,52 à 2,56 Log10 CFU/ml), K. pneumoniae (0,85 à 3,0 Log10 CFU/ml) et Enterobacter spp (0,38 à 2,08 Log10 CFU/ml) après ≤ 30 heures après l'inoculation à 1 x MIC. Conclusion: Ces résultats démontrent une efficacité antibactérienne in vitro et une cinétique de destruction du temps des LMA, THI et PRO contre les isolats bactériens cliniques pathogènes, ce qui indique que ces médicaments non antibiotiques peuvent être des alternatives thérapeutiques utiles dans le but de réduire le fardeau des maladies infectieuses associées aux antibiotiques pathogènes résistants. Mots-clés: Amlodipine, Thioridazine, Prométhazine, Time-Kill, Cinétique, MIC, MBC, bactéries