Aims: Continuous increase in the sale and indiscriminate consumption of packaged drinking waters in Nigeria is of public health significance. In order to safe guard public health, it is essential that the available packaged water is of the highest quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the bacteriological quality of packaged water on sale in Owerri metropolis, Imo State of Nigeria. Methodology and Results: From 30 registered sachet water factories, 8 samples each was purchased randomly fifteen of the brands of sachet water all over Owerri metropolis in Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria. These were analyzed for presence of bacterial indicators of water quality. Four weeks later, a second batch of the samples was collected from other brands. A mean plate counts was taken and the organisms from each water sample identified using standard procedures. The results showed that 11 (73.3%) sachet water brands had growths of pathogenic organisms in the first batch while 10 (66.6%) had growth in the second batch. The isolates were identified to be Klebsilla spp., Serratia spp., Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Chromobacterium spp. The study showed that Klebsiella pneumoniae [7(29.2%)] was the most predominant. This was closely followed by Serratia spp. [6(25.0%)] and Proteus mirabilis [6(25.0%)]. Pseudomonas aeruginosa [3(12.5%)] and Chromobacterium spp. [2(8.3%)] was least predominant. Mean total heterotrophic bacteria plate counts (HPC) per millilitre ranged from 0.0 to 6.0 x 10 2 CFU/mL at 22 °C and 0.0 to 7.0 x 10 2 CFU/mL at 37 °C (first batch) and 0.0 to 5.0 x 10 2 CFU/mL at 22 °C and 0.0 to 10.0 x 10 2 CFU/mL at 37 °C for the second batch. Thus they fell below the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard of 100 HPC per millilitre of water. Bacteriological examination of different brands of sachet water samples collected from different locations showed that only Vince water and Akudo table water was found to be safe for drinking while the other brands of sachet water from mobile vendors in Owerri metropolis was not potable. Conclusion, Significance and Impact of study: Hence, the bacteriological quality of some of the brands of sachet water on sale in Owerri was of poor quality index. The study suggests that sachet water could be a route of transmission of enteric pathogens among the populace. In order to safe guard public health, highest quality brands of sachet water is therefore advocated.
Garri as popularly known in Nigeria is a general food consumed by most people in Nigeria. It could be eaten by reconstituting it with hot water, stirred to form a thick paste and eaten with soup or stew. It could also be taken dried or mixed with cold water and sugar/milk, as a snack. As a part of check mating the public health risk associated with this general dependence of the population on garri, the bacteriological quality of garri sold in Owerri open market was examined with the aim of investigating the bacterial contamination of garri due to exposure in the market as well as establish the hygienic statue of garri taken as snacks by many Nigeria. To achieve this, a total of one hundred and ten (110) garri samples were collected from Eke-ukwu market, relief market, Eke-Mmegbu market, Orji market, IMSU gate market and some local garri processing factories within Oweri metropolis to serve as control. The samples were analyzed bacteriologically for viable heterotrophic bacteria and coliform bacteria counts on Nutrient and MacConkey agar respectively, using pour plate method. The mean value results from all the markets revealed high bacterial contamination, except from the factory. The resultant data were analyzed statistically using Chi-square to determine if there is a significant difference between the five markets. When calculated, the value of the five markets was 35.75 while the tabulated was 11.07. This implies that there was a significant difference between the five markets. Identified bacteria included: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidenmidis, Bacilus cerus, Escherichia coli and Klebsielia aerogenes. Isolation of these bacteria is a sign of danger, hence, Imo State government is advised to take measures such as making environmental sanitation a priority project in the state to save the lives of the citizens.
The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistant plasmids of P. aeruginosa is posing a major public threat and huge concern in hospital facilities. This study was done across Anambra and Imo States with a total number of 100 P. aeruginosa isolates, 50 from each State to determine the plasmid profile of multidrug resistant isolates. Methods of re-identifying P. aeruginosa were based upon cultural methods coupled with biochemical tests. To study the susceptibility of these isolates using disk diffusion method, seven (7) antibiotics were used namely: Piperacillin–tazobactam (100/10 µg), Ceftazidime (30 µg), Amikacin (30 µg), Ciprofloxacin (5 µg), Cefuroxime (30 µg), Ceftriazone (30 µg) and Gentamicin (10 µg). Plasmid extraction was done using alkaline lysis method after growing isolates resistant to more than four antibiotics on a nutrient broth. Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA was carried out on 2% agarose gel slab in 1X TAE buffer. The results show that, the nutrient agar at 37˚C aerobically, P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered, which produced greenish-yellow pigment colonies, oxidase was positive and negative for gram stain. In Anambra, the result showed 100% resistance to Cefuroxime, Ceftazidime and Ciprofloxacin, 90% and 86% for Ceftriaxone and Piperacillin-tazobactem, 48% and 40% to Gentamicin and Amikacin respectively. Whereas in Imo state, the result showed 100% resistance to Ceftazidime and Ciprofloxacin, 80% to Ceftriaxone, Cefuroxime and Piperacillin-tazobactem while the least resistance was seen in Amikacin, and Gentamicin. Plasmid size ranging from 100bp to >1000bp was detected from most of the multidrug resistant isolates. Not all the isolates with multidrug resistance were found to possess plasmids. It can be seen from this study that multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa is not strictly plasmid-dependent (mediated).
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