Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is the highest cause of mortality worldwide in children under the age of 5 years, with the highest mortalities occurring in low-to-middle income countries. Treatment can involve use of unregulated herbal medication and antibiotics. A cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the use of antibiotics and traditional herbal medications in the management of AGE among Yòrùbá-speaking communities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Our findings suggest habitual use of antibiotics (54.6%) and herbal medication (42.5%) in the management of AGE with high levels of self-prescription of antibiotics (21.7%) and herbal medications (36.2%) within the community. Ethanolic extracts of selected herbal plants reported (i.e. Aristolochia ringens, Azadirachta indica, Chromolaena odorata, Etanda Africana, Ficus capensis, Ficus vogelii, Mangifera indica, Momordica charantia, Ocimum gratisimum, Senna alata, Sorghum bicolor and Vernonia amygdalina) were investigated for antibacterial properties, using bacteria known to be causative agents of AGE. Our findings showed that, with exception of Ficus vogelii, which enhanced bacterial growth, the plant extracts reported all showed some antibacterial activity. We further discuss our findings within a regulatory context, with the aim to guide the use of traditional and herbal medication in low-to medium income countries (LMICs) and reduce the potential risks associated with the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Water contamination is one of the leading causes of deaths and diseases worldwide, accounting for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily, majority being children under 5 years old, therefore periodic monitoring of municipal water supplies are necessary. Comparative bacteriological analyses of twenty five samples of stored borehole water from five hostels in a tertiary institution in Oyo, Oyo State, was carried out using standard microbiological methods between March and April, 2018 to determine their bacteriological content. The hostels were: University Female Hostel (UFH), Diocese of Lagos West Hostel (DLW), Joseph Adetiloye Hostel (JAH), Diocese of Lagos Hostel (LAG) and Peter Jasper Akinola Hostel (IBD). A total of thirteen (13) different bacteria genera were isolated and identified as: Aeromonas (17%); Escherichia (4%); Staphylococcus (9%); Pseudomonas (9%); Lactobacillus (13%); Corynebacterium (27%); Micrococcus (6%); Streptococcus (3%); Serratia (4%); Klebsiella (1%); Citrobacter (3%); Shigella (3%); and Salmonella (1%). The total viable count ranged from 5.0×10 3 cfu/mL (IBD) to 1.23×10 5 cfu/mL (DLW). Total coliform bacteria counts of the stored water ranged from 0 to 28 MPN/100 mL. The bacteria load and presence of coliforms and pathogenic organisms raised grave concerns as WHO permissible limits for total viable count and coliforms are 100 cfu/mL and 0 MPN/100 mL, respectively. The organisms isolated are of public health significance as ingestion of water contaminated by them could result in gastroenteritis, especially Escherichia that indicates possible fecal contamination.
This investigation was carried out to evaluate the collaborative antimicrobial effects of the Alliaceae family's culinary spices, Allium cepa and Allium sativum. Eight test isolates were screened out from over forty organisms, sourced from environmental samples, using standard microbiological methods. The test isolates were subjected to antibacterial analyses using commercially available antibiotics and ethanoic crude extracts from Allium sativum and Allium cepa leaves, to ascertain their individual and synergistic effects. Biochemical tests revealed the test isolates as Staphylococcusaureus (15.8%); Escherichia coli (5.3%); Shigella sonnei (15.8%); Aeromonas species (10.5%); Clostridium species (15.8%); Corynebacterium xerosis (21.1%); Bacillus species (10.5%); and Streptococcus species (5.3%). All tested extracts showed varying sensitivities against the test organisms. In tests with individual extracts, red garlic extract (16 mm) demonstrated the largest zone of inhibition against Aeromonas species, whereas white onion extract (4 mm) revealed the lowest zone of inhibition against Bacillus species. Similarly, the highest inhibition zone (30 mm) was produced by the pooled extracts of both red onion and red garlic against Streptococcus species. Of all test isolates, Bacillus species showed overall susceptibility to the various combinations of extracts used. The study concluded that the synergistic effects of Allium cepa and Allium sativum have a greater antimicrobial effect than individual extracts, and this effect is not general to all organisms but specific ones. The crude extracts also proved more potent than conventional antibiotics. Further research work was recommended on the antimicrobial effects of other members of the Allium family.
Introduction: Escherichia coli, an indicator of feacal contamination has been proven to be the cause of several disease outbreaks in countries and continents around the world. Aim: To determine the genotypic variants of Escherichia coli present in Oyun River and provide information regarding the high-risk variants of E. coli in Oyun River. Study Design: The study cuts across the two seasons of Nigeria’s tropical climate weather, being the peak of the Harmattan season and the onset of the Rainy season. Three sampling sites (Jimba Oja; Unilorin Dam and Oyun in Ilorin, Kwara State) along the River course were examined for three months (February – April). Methodology: Heterotrophic counts, coli form counts and molecular characterization via PCR using 16 sRNA primers, of water samples were done using standard microbiological and molecular methods. Results: Bacteriological results showed monthly mean values of microbial counts, ranged from 23.5 x 106 – 45.17 x 106 cfu/mL and total coli form count ranged from 53 cfu/100 mL to 256 cfu/100 mLs, both of which exceed the WHO standards of 100 cfu/mL for total microbial count and <1 cfu/100 mLs for total coliforms. A total of forty-eight coliforms were isolated, thirty two of which were Escherichia coli. Sequencing and BLAST analysis of eleven of the isolates using NCBI’s online database revealed five different strains. They include: Escherichia coli FAP1 genome (9.1%); Escherichia coli strain ST2747 (54.5%); Escherichia coli strain EADK4 (9.1%); Escherichia coli strain ST540 (18.2%) and Escherichia coli strain NCM3722 (9.1%). Correlation of results with previous studies showed that most of the strains identified were pathogenic. The E. coli strains isolated, coupled with the bacterial load, coliform count and some physicochemical parameters of Oyun River makes it unsafe for public consumption if not treated. Efforts therefore should be made to treat the water before use, while making frantic efforts to prevent further contamination of Oyun River.
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