This survey has demonstrated that few TBAs in the communities studied in Cross River State are informed about HIV/AIDS, and this has revealed the urgency of starting a programme specifically designed for TBAs in rural communities towards a massive educational campaign on HIV/AIDS.

Salmonellosis remains a major problematic food born zoonosis worldwide. Poultry and poultry products have been frequently incriminated as the major sources for the aetiological agent, Salmonella species. The implementation of appropriate surveillance and monitoring programme for food safety ultimately requires the examination of food for the presence of food borne pathogens. This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of Modified Semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV) and Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate-novobiocin (MKTTn) selective enrichment media for the isolation of Salmonella, as well as assessment of the performance of xylose-lysine-deoxycholate (XLD) agar as the classical and preferential selective plating medium by comparing it with Brilliant Green (BG) agar for the detection of Salmonella in the primary production of poultry based on the ISO 6579:2002. Three hundred and seventy-four (374) samples from the primary poultry production system underwent the traditional culture method for the detection of Salmonella involving pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, selective plating and confirmation. The rate of recovery of Salmonella from the entire samples was 59.1%. The rate of recovery of Salmonella from XLD and BG selective plating media when MSRV selective enrichment media was used was 98.2% and 95.5% respectively whereas 90.0% and 64.3% respectively when MKTTn selective enrichment media was used. The highest sensitivity was observed in the combination of MSRV/XLD (0.98), followed by MSRV/BG (0.95). The combination of MSRV/BG had the highest specificity (0.88) followed by MKTTn/BG (0.65). Based on the results of this study, selective enrichment media play a substantial role on the sensitivity and specificity of the selective plating media. MSRV * Corresponding author. N. Y. Yhiler et al. 129 was revealed as the most important selective enrichment medium, necessary for the investigation of Salmonella and that its combination with BG selective plating media yielded the best result for the selective isolation of Salmonella in the primary production of poultry.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is globally recognized as an important pathogen associated with both hospital and community acquired infections. Studies on antibiotic resistance profile of S. aureus and carriage of mecA gene in methicillin resistant isolates from patients attending selected general hospitals in Abuja Municipal, Nigeria was carried out. Three hundred and sixty (360) clinical samples (200 urine, 50 high vaginal swabs, 60 ear swab and 40 wound swabs) were collected from Asokoro General Hospital (AGH), Garki Hospital Abuja (GHA) and Wuse General Hospital (WGH); and S. aureus was isolated and identified using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates was carried out using disc diffusion method. Molecular detection of mecA gene in methicillin resistant isolates was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction method. The total occurrence of S. aureuswas 15.3% (55/360); and the occurrence in relation to the selected hospitals was high in GHA (22.7%) and low in AGH (10.3%). The occurrence of S. aureus was highest in wound swabs in all the hospitals in the order: GHA (47.1%) > AGH (40%) > WGH (35.7%). The isolates from all the hospitals were highly (≥ 50.0%) resistant to all the antibiotics tested; but moderately (≤ 40.0%) to gentamicin and levofloxacin. The occurrence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates in the selected hospitals was high in GHA (27%) but low in AGH (12%). Of the 32 oxacillin resistant isolates, mecA gene was detected in 30 (93.8%). The S. aureus isolates were less resistant to gentamicin and levofloxacin and most of the oxacillin resistant isolates harbored mecA gene.

Aim: This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profile of Salmonella Typhimurium isolated from commercial poultry and handlers in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Study Design: Investigative. Place and Duration of Study: Microbiology Laboratory, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, from 1st November 2017 to 31th April 2018. Methodology: A total of 1500 samples (poultry droppings, poultry flesh, feeds, handlers’ faeces and hand swabs) were screened for the presence of Salmonella Typhimurium using pre-enrichment and selective enrichment culture media. Subculture of inoculated samples was done on Salmonella-Shigella agar and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar. Presumptive Salmonella colonies were confirmedas serovar Typhimurium using both the conventional biochemical screening tests and Microgen Bio product GN identification system and slide agglutination test using polyvalent antisera. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and interpretation were carried out as described by the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute guidelines. Results: Resistance was highest to Augmentin (98.1%) and lowest to Imipenem (1.0%). No resistance was observed in all the isolates from poultry handlers to Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime, Gentamicin and Streptomycin; but all were resistant to Ampicillin and Augmentin. The resistance of isolates from poultry and handlers to all the antibiotics is significant (χ 2 = 13.037; P = 0.01). Most (86.7%, 92/106) resistant isolates belong to the multiple drug resistance class.The distribution of classes of resistance of isolates from poultry and handlers is significant (χ2 = 318; P = 0.00). MARI is greater than 0.2. Conclusion: Salmonella Typhimurium with increasing multidrug resistance to antibiotics especially the β-lactam antibiotics has emerged in poultry.

Aims: This study investigated the antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli from the urine of patients with suspected urinary tract infections in Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nigeria. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Sample was obtained from the Federal Medical Center, Keffi and analyzed at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, between January and April 2018. Methodology: Three hundred and eighty urine samples were collected and E. coli was isolated and identified using standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for the isolates was carried out and interpreted as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: The occurrence of the bacterium was 12.9% (49/380). The occurrence in relation to the gender of the patients was higher in the female (15.5%) than the male (9.8%); in relation to age, it was highest at 11-20 years (23.5%) but lowest at > 50 years (2.3%). The isolates were more resistant to ampicillin (81.6%), streptomycin and sulphamethoxazole/ trimethoprime (75.0%) but less resistant to gentamycin (30.6%), and imipenem (22.4%). The occurrences of different classes of resistance were multidrug resistance (MDR) (93.9%) and pan drug resistance (4.2%). Most of the isolates were more resistant to the commonly prescribed antibiotic and were also MDR isolates. Conclusion: The need to review antibiotic use by the hospital is thus justified.