In order to evaluate the susceptibility and resistance pattern of bacteria and fungal isolates obtained from herbal medicine products (HMPs) marketed in Nigeria to conventional antibiotics, a total of seventy-five (75) bacteria and fifty-two (52) fungi isolated from the HMPs were screened for susceptibility to conventional antibiotics using the disc diffusion method. Most of the bacteria isolates were sensitive to the fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, 85.3%, norfloxacin 93.3%) and the aminoglycosides (streptomycin 90%, gentamycin 89.3%).However, the isolates demonstrated significant resistance to common antibiotics like penicillins (augmentin [amoxycillin-cavulanic acid combination] 80%, cloxacillin 88.3%, ampicillin 56%), cephalosporins (rocephine [ceftriaxone] 65%, ceporex [cephalexin] 80%, cefuroxime 100%), chloramphenicol (66.7%), nitrofurantoin (100%) and cotrimoxazole (93.3%). Most of the fungal isolates were resistant to griseofulvin (67.3%) but susceptible to nystatin (73.1%), ketoconazole (98.1%), tioconazole (100%), clotrimazole (78.9%) and miconazole (88.5%). A significant proportion of bacteria and fungi isolated from these HMPs demonstrated resistance to conventional antibiotics. The present study therefore reveals that HMPs may represent novel routes of spread of antibiotic-resistant genes especially in developing countries. Efforts should therefore be geared at standardizing the quality of HMPs via strict adherence to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

The objective of this research work was to isolate, characterize and determine the prevalence of ExtendedSpectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli and Klebsiella spp. from orthopedic wounds of patients admitted at National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu (NOHE), South East Nigeria. In this study, 171 bacterial isolates were obtained from 257 orthopedic wound swabs over a period of one year. Sixty nine (69) of the bacterial isolates were identified as E. coli while 102 were Klebsiella spp based on standard microbiological techniques. The phenotypic screening of the 171 bacterial isolates (E. coli and Klebsiella spp) for ESBL production was done by disc diffusion method using second and third generation cephalosporins. The ESBL producers were confirmed using double disc synergy test. Susceptibility of the ESBL-producing bacterial isolates to antibiotics was done on Mueller-Hinton agar by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion methods. Exactly 59.65% and 40.35% of the identified Klebsiella spp and E. coli isolates respectively were confirmed to be ESBL producers. The bacterial isolates were highly resistant (89%-100%) to ceftazidime, amoxicillin, aztreonam, cefpirome, cefoxitin, cefotetan, and cefotaxime. However, imipenem was the most active antibiotic against the bacterial isolates as they were highly susceptible to this antibiotic (64%-71%). This study has revealed that E. coli and Klebsiella spp colonize orthopedic wounds. They were also multidrug-resistant with Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) values within the range of 0.20 to 0.85. The increasing prevalence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has made susceptibility testing a crucial aspect in the treatment of serious bacterial infections. Therefore, there is need for increased surveillance of ESBL-producing organisms as they pose serious threat to successful treatment of infections and exacerbates the problem of antimicrobial resistance in the hospitals, especially in resource poor settings.

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Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of acute childhood diarrhea. The evaluation of ETEC in children is important for therapeutic and economic purposes. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the frequency of ETEC among diarrheic children, their multidrug and fluoroquinolone resistant pattern. A total of twenty diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) isolates were gotten from hundred diarrheal samples using biochemical and molecular methods. Multiplex PCR was used to detect the presence of four different pathological types of DEC. Disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of the organisms. Biofilm formation was detected by thiazoylblue tetrazolium bromide dye in a 96-well plate. Results showed that ETEC represented 30% of the DEC, of which 80% were multidrug and fluoroquinolone resistant. The biofilm production abilities of all the ETEC were found to exist within weak, moderate and strong biofilm producers. We observed a high ETEC frequency and rapid emergence of multidrug/fluoroquinolone resistance, suggesting that it is one of the most important causes of frequent drug resistant diarrhea in children in this region.

A seroprevalence study of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in new patients attending the eye clinic of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria showed that twenty-nine patients 2.7%) were positive to HIV1. No patient was positive to HIV 2. There were 21 males (72.4%) and 8 females (27.6%). The clinical diagnosis in the HIV positive patients was as shown in Table 1. Cataract was found in nine cases (31.03%), herpes zoster 4 (13.79%), glaucoma, optic atrophy (nonglaucomatous) and corneal abscess were responsible for 3 (10.35%) of cases each; presbyopia, bacterial conjunctivtis 2 (6.89%) while maculopathy, orbital cellulitis and adherent leucoma were found in 1 (3.45%) patient each. These findings suggest that, patients with ocular disorders and who are otherwise healthy looking may infact be HIV seropositive and as such it may be necessary to observe all rules relating to HIV transmission so as to prevent occupational exposure and cross infection in our clinics and operating theatres. Necessary measures to reduce occupational HIV infection and post exposure treatment if exposure occurs are discussed.