Background: Vaginitis, an infection of the lower genital tract in women, is known to be triggered by the overgrowth of the vagina’s naturally occurring microorganisms. Objective: This study looked at the prevalence of Candida spp. and age-related disparities amongst women presenting with vag- initis at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) clinic in a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: One hundred high vaginal swabs were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women and examined microscop- ically and microbiologically. Results: Age-group 20–29 years had the highest incidence of candidal vaginitis. There was a higher occurrence of yeast cells in pregnant than in non-pregnant participants while the non-pregnant women had a greater level of bacterial cells. Forty (40) of the samples contained yeasts of Candida species representing a 40% prevalence. Three species of Candida were identified with C. albicans dominating. Of the 40 samples positive for Candida spp., 30 (75.0%) were confirmed to be C. albicans. The remaining isolates were C. tropicalis (15.0%) and C. parapsilosis (10.0%). Conclusion: The findings in this study would play a role in the future management of Candida-induced vaginitis. Keywords: Candida; epidemiology; prevalence; vaginitis; vulvovaginal candidiasis.

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HIV/AIDS is one of the major barriers to community development. It is a global pandemic with high prevalence rates worldwide. This research was carried out to determine the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at the University College Hospital, Ibadan using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Gen Screen TM ULTRA HIV Ag-Ab Kit. HIV prevalence was found to be 26.4%. A total of 91 samples were tested, 24 (26.4%) were found to be positive and 67 (73.6%) negative. Women between the ages 25 -31 had the highest prevalence rate of 16.5% while those between the ages of 39 -45 years had the least prevalence rate of 1.1%. The results revealed a relatively high prevalence rate for HIV among pregnant women which suggests the need for active surveillance and implementation of preventive measures to avoid further spread of the virus. Pregnant women need to be continually tested for HIV and those infected monitored closely to prevent mother to child transmission.

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The biodegradability of anionic surfactants in oilfield detergents was investigated using water samples from the New Calabar River and Tap water. The detergents analyzed were D.D-Y, D.G-X, SUR-500, SW-1000 and Bio-Boost. The anionic surfactant, Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) was employed as a reference. The total heterotrophic counts in the water samples were determined using the spread plate technique while the detergent-utilizers were investigated using Mineral salt agar. Biodegradation was evaluated by monitoring Methylene Blue Active Substance (MBAS) using the "River die-away" method. The percentage MBAS remaining, after the 28 day study period, in increasing order was SDS < SUR-500 < SW-1000 < Bio-boost < D.D-Y < D.G-X; SDS was the most biodegraded. SUR-500, SW-1000 and Bio-boost supported the highest growth of utilizers. The detergent-utilizing bacteria isolated belonged to the genera Proteus, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium and Micrococcus. A steady increase in total viable count, pH and optical density was observed during biodegradation. The detergents tested could be considered biodegradable as they had an average of 91%-97% primary biodegradation at the end of the 28 day test period which is within the biodegradability standards set by the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).