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Background: Pathogenic viruses and bacteria of bat origin causes a lot of diseases that often leads to epidemics and pandemics. Fruit bats were documented reservoir of many viral infections including COVID-19. This study was designed to detect the presence of some enteric viruses of gastroenteritis as well as bacterial species from Eidolon helvum bat species in Nigeria. Methodology: Twenty-five samples were collected between January and March 2018, from six different locations in Ondo State, Nigeria. The samples were tested for the presence of Rotavirus and Adenovirus antigens using the CerTest Biotech 4th generation Quadruple Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) kit according to the manufacturers’ specification. The bacterial species were isolated by pour plating and identified using standard microbiological methodsand API kits. Results: Throughout the period of this study, two samples (10%) were tested positive for both Norovirus and Adenovirus in bat fecal samples from Epinmin Akoko, Nigeria, while the isolated bacterial species from bats in Owo included Streptococcus Spp, Micrococcus Spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus Spp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhi, Echerichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Acinetobacter iwoffi, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter agglomerans and Proteus mirabillis. Conclusion: The isolation of these microbes are suggestive of infectious agents that can be of threat to public health and caution bush meat consumers from erratic consumption of unverified bush meat culinaries. The data obtained from this study is valuable for public health management as well as disease prevention and control

Background: Alcohol use is an important factor for high risk sexual behaviours thereby enhancing HIV transmission and acquisition.Objectives: This study sought to find out the pattern of alcohol use and risky sexual behaviours among HIV counseling and testing clients.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect information from consenting consecutive HIV counseling and testing (HCT) clients.Results: A total of 358 HCT clients comprising 301 (84.1%) males and 57 (15.9%) females were interviewed. HIV prevalence among the respondents was 19 %( n=68). Overall, most of the respondents 83.2% (n=298) used alcohol. Majority of the respondents 148(90.2%) who had multiple sex partners used alcohol p=0.00. Alcohol use was prevalent 157(76.6%) among the respondents who didn't use condom for sexual acts p=0.00.Conclusion: Alcohol use was prevalent and significantly associated with HIV risk sexual behaviours among studied HCT clients.Keywords: HIV infection, alcohol consumption, prevention, Nigeria

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and clinically-relevant antibiotic resistance genes within raw foods is an on-going food safety concern. It is particularly important to be aware of the microbial quality of fresh produce because foods such as leafy greens including lettuce and spinach are minimally processed and often consumed raw therefore they often lack a microbial inactivation step. This study characterizes the genetic and functional aspects of a mobile, multidrug resistance plasmid, pLGP4, isolated from fresh spinach bought from a farmers’ market. pLGP4 was isolated using a bacterial conjugation approach. The functional characteristics of the plasmid were determined using multidrug resistance profiling and plasmid stability assays. pLGP4 was resistant to six of the eight antibiotics tested and included ciprofloxacin and meropenem. The plasmid was stably maintained within host strains in the absence of an antibiotic selection. The plasmid DNA was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq high throughput sequencing approach and assembled into contigs using SPAdes. PCR mapping and Sanger DNA sequencing of PCR amplicons was used to complete the plasmid DNA sequence. Comparative sequence analysis determined that the plasmid was similar to plasmids that have been frequently associated with multidrug resistant clinical isolates of Klebsiella spp. DNA sequence analysis showed pLGP4 harboured qnrB1 and several other antibiotic resistance genes including three β-lactamases: blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-15 and blaOXA-1. The detection of a multidrug-resistant, clinically-relevant plasmid on fresh spinach emphasizes the importance for vegetable producers to implement evidence-based food safety approaches into their production practises to ensure the food safety of leafy greens.

This research work was aimed at studying the impact of chronic lead exposure on healing of experimentally induced Colitis in Wistar rats. The results willincrease our understanding of the roles played by heavy metals toxicity in colitis disease initiation, progression and remission. Cases of environmental lead exposure and its effects on the health of humans and animals are becoming more noticeable globally. However, there is paucity of information on how chronic lead exposure interferes with healing of chemically-induced colitis in rats. Sixty male rats (80-100 g) were randomly and equally divided into control (tap water), low dose and high dose (Lead acetate, 100 ppm and 5,000 ppm respectively, p.o.) groups. Twenty weeks post- treatment, colitis was induced in the colon of the animals by injection of 6% Acetic acid solution via a modified Teflon cannula into the colon of the animals. Colitis (stool) scoring was done betweenin all groups. Histological slides were prepared on selected days. The results showed that in control animals, coltis healing was complete on day 12 compared to day 22 in treated animals. Inconclusion, exposure of rats to Lead delayed colitis healing, buttressing the fact that people with inflammatory bowel diseaseshould avoid Lead exposure.

The growth pattern and microbial biomass formed during metabolic activities of the Bacillus species on starchy substrates was determined. The result showed that the strains B. subtilis (WBS), B. licheniformis (WBL) and B. coagulans (MBC) generally had high growth rate. B. circulans (SBC) and B. coagulans (WBC) has specific affinity for growth and some enzymatic activity on corn starch medium compared with other lower growth observed in B. polymyxa (WBP) but higher enzyme production. The amylolytic Bacillus species obtained utilized white corn starch substrate as a sole carbon source as well as soluble starch. The amylase production values range from 0.022 x 102 unit/cfu in B. circulans (WBC) to 0.912 x 102 unit/cfu in B. licheniformis (WBL) for corn starch, and 0.01 x 102 unit/cfu in both B. megaterium (SBG) and B. licheniformis (SBL) to 0.693 x 102 unit/cfu in B. subtilis (WBS) for soluble starch.Keywords: Activity, Bacillus, enzymatic, metabolic, starchy, substrate

Background: Generalized weakness is a common complaintwith numerous differential diagnosis. However, it is not common to find salbutamol causing an exaggerated generalized weakness mimicking Guillain-Bairré Syndrome (GBS).Aim: To present a case of generalized weakness associated with hypokalaemia in a patient receiving salbutamol.Setting: Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.Case Report: We present a 24-year-old woman who presented with generalized weakness after use of Salbutamol.Conclusion: Generalized weakness can occur as a result of salbutamol induced hypokalemia. There should be thus a high index of suspicion on the part ofthe physician for any patient on salbutamol presenting with generalized weakness.Keywords: Salbutamol, potassium, metabolic acidosis, generalized weakness

Background: The consistent use of male latex condom significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection among men and women.Objective: This study was designed to assess the prevalence and pattern of male and female condom use among antiretroviral therapy naïve people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Lagos, Nigeria.Methods: This was a cross -sectional descriptive study. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect demographic data of age, gender, marital status, rate, pattern of and reasons for not using condoms among PLHIV.Results: Four hundred and forty three respondents were interviewed with age range from 14 to 75 years and a mean of 35±9 years. There were 175 (39.5%) males and 268 (60.5%) females in the study. Overall, 71 (16.0%) of respondents used condom consistently. Only 55 (12.4%) of the respondents were aware of female condom while 9 (2%) used it.Conclusion: This study reveals that there is a low consistent use of male condoms and a very low awareness and use of female condoms among studied PLHIV.Key words: condom use, people, HIV, prevention,Nigeria

Background and aim of study: Upper GI endoscopy is usually requested for patient with upper gastrointestinal symptoms and rarely as part of routine medical examination. The aim of this study was to determine theprevalence, characteristics and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a Nigerian endoscopic facility.Patients and method: All patients who had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy as part of their medical examinations between January 2009 and December 2009 at a private health facility in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria wererecruited into the study. Demographic and medical information were collected. Upper Gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all the patients after obtaining informed consent.Result: A total number of 118 patients were enrolled into this study during the study period (mean age 52.18±14.95 years). 63 (53.4%) were males while 54 (45.6%) were females given a male: female ratio of 1.17: 1. Majority of these patients were 41-60 years. Erosion of the lower oesophagus (Erosive oesophagitis) was found in 32 patients (27.1%). Hiatus hernia was found in 33 patients (28%). Barrett’s oesophagus was found in 1.7% of this population.In the univariate analyses, erosive oesophagitis was significantly associated with hiatus hernia (p= 0.001) and alcohol (p= 0.004)Keywords: Dyspepsia, Erosive oesophagitis,upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori has been strongly associated with dyspepsia and eradication of H. pylori after a non-invasive testing is an integral part of most management guidelines. This study evaluated the benefit of serological testing and treatment of H. pylori in Nigerian patients presenting with uninvestigated dyspepsia.Methods: The study was a randomized double blinded controlled trial. 103 consecutive dyspeptic subjects aged between 18 and 50 years were recruited for H. pylori serology. Seropositive dyspeptic subjects were randomized to receive Lansoprazole with or without antibiotics (Clarithromycin 500mg and Metronidazole 400mg twice daily for 7 days). Seronegative dyspeptic subjects received Lansoprazole without antibiotics. Subjects were followed up at 2, 6, and 10 weeks from enrolment to assess dyspeptic symptoms using Global Overall Symptom Scale (GOSS).Results: Of 103 cases enrolled, 23 were seropositive and 80 were seronegative. 10 (9.7%) seropositive were randomly assigned to receive triple therapy while 13 (12.6%) seropositive were randomly assigned to placebo group. The eighty (77.7%) seronegative were assigned to the placebo group. After two weeks of intervention, the mean GOSS for seropositive cases assigned eradication regimen dropped from 4.90 ± 1.66 at presentation to 1.11 ± 0.33. There after to 1.38 ± 0.52 and 1.14 ± 0.38 at six and ten weeks respectively. The mean GOSS for seropositive cases assigned placebo group dropped from 5.00 ± 1.58 at presentation to 1.39 ± 0.65 by two weeks, this later became 1.60 ± 1.27 and 1.22 ± 0.67 at six weeks and ten weeks respectively. Seronegative cases were all assigned into placebo group, their mean GOSS dropped from 5.21 ± 1.48 at presentation to 1.48 ± 0.77 by two weeks after enrolment and subsequently, to mean scores of 1.53 ± 0.95 and 1.44 ± 0.56 at six weeks and ten weeks respectively. Hence, no significant benefit in treatment outcome when seropositive dyspeptics were treated with triple therapy compared with those treated with proton pump inhibitor only, up to 10 weeks after treatment (p = 0.83).Conclusion: Antibiotic treatment for H. pylori offered no benefit over empirical use of proton pump inhibitor in uninvestigated dyspepsia. Proton pump inhibitor should be considered first in the management of uninvestigated dyspepsia.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a multifactorial polygenic disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), often complicated by the development of intestinal strictures and/or formation of fistulas. Several diagnostic criteria have been proposed, usually relying on clinical, endoscopic, radiological or histological features.We report a case of Crohn's disease of the entire colon with rectal sparing presenting with recurrent perianal fistula that had earlier on been misdiagnosed and treated for other things. The patient was treated successfully with corticosteroids and aminosalicylates and had since remained stable.

Forty eight medicinal plants in Nigeria were screened for their antimicrobial activity. Twenty three (47.91%) of the plants caused over 70% mortality of the test organism which include anopheline and culicine larva. Bacillus spp. and Escherichia coli were shown to be susceptible to the antimicrobialactivity of some plants. The antimicrobial activities of plants examined in this study showed that plants are capable of producing toxic materials, which may exert some physiological effect on the target organisms.

Leitch and Collier sporulating Bacillus medium was used to isolate some strains of Bacillus species from soil, wastewater and food sources in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, by heat activation method. Heat treatment at 80oC allowed the growth of sporulating Bacillus species, in the culture sample source without other bacteria forms. The amylolytic Bacillus species isolated during the study were identified as Bacillus macerans, Bacillus coagulans Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus polymyxa and Bacillus subtilis. Heat treatment at 70oC denatured the -amylase component of the amylase source while -amylase retained its potency at this temperature. Calcium cations (Ca2+) enhance the enzyme production than Na+ which was less effective. Physiological studies show that an optimum temperature of 40oC was suitable for the enzyme activity while temperature above 60oC reduced its activity unless positive measures are taken to stabilize it with relevant cations like Ca2+.

Objectives: To evaluate the CD4+ cell counts in adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections presenting at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. Methods: This study was carried out at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria, in the period July-December 2006. FMC, Ido, was recently upgraded to serve as the only center for HIV/AIDS referral, diagnosis and treatment in Ekiti State. The center offers free antiretroviral therapy. All patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, either diagnosed at the center or referred from other hospitals, admitted to the medical department within the study period had their blood sample taken for CD4 cell counts estimation at the first visit to the center, as part of the routine workup to assess their disease status and need for antiretroviral therapy. Results: A total of 87 patients comprising of 54 (62.1%) females and 33 (37.9%) males had their CD4+ T-Lymphocytes cell counts evaluated within their first week of presentation. The total mean age of the population studied was 33.17 ± 7.01 years. The mean age of the females was 31 ± 5.6 years, while that of the males was 36.5 ± 8.2 years. The difference between the mean ages of females and males was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). The female: male ratio was 1.6:1. Out of the 87 patients, 30 were referrals from other hospitals within the state. The total mean CD4+ cell count was 230.7 ± 311.9 cells/µL. The mean CD4 cell count of females was 212.17 ± 264.96 cells/µL, while that of males was 261.0 ± 389.19 cells/µL. This difference was not significant (P = 0.4876). Majority of the patients (75, [86.2%]), had CD4 cell count < 350 cells/µL, comprising of 48 females and 27 males. Of the 75 patients, 57 (76%) had a CD4 cell count < 200 cells/µL (33 females vs. 24 males). Conclusion: At the time of HIV diagnosis, majority of our patients had a CD4+ cell count < 200 cells/µL. This was consistent with a relatively advanced disease. More women than men in the population were found positive for HIV. More sustained and vigorous awareness campaigns need be embarked upon in the HIV propaganda in the Ekiti State on one hand and Nigeria on the other hand to bring down this Hydra-headed monster called HIV/AIDS.

Background: Prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing worldwide, with the major increases expected to occur in developing countries. It has been observed that the pattern of hospital admissions can be used to determine the effectiveness of outpatient care of DM. Objective: This study was aimed to examine diabetes-related admissions to medical wards of a federal medical center in Ekiti, Nigeria. Such data would be useful to determine the burden on health care system and in the planning of appropriate management strategies. Methods: A 5-year retrospective analysis of diabetes-related admissions to the medical wards of Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State, between 2003 and 2007 was carried out using medical records of the patients. SPSS 13 software was used to analyze data. Results: Of the total 2,696 medical admissions, 118 (4.4%) were diabetes related. The mean age of these patients was 57 ± 16.2 years. Majority (37.29%) of the patients were admitted for diabetic foot ulcer. Other major reasons for admission were severe hypertension (13.56%), uncontrolled hyperglycemia (13.56%), hyperglycemic emergencies (11.86%) and stroke (10.17%). Duration of hospital stay ranged from 1 to 107 days, with a mean duration of 17.5 ± 9.2 days. Mean duration of hospital stay was the longest (25.3 ± 23.9 days) for those admitted for diabetic foot ulcer. Most (74.6%) of the patients were discharged and only 4 (3.4%) died. Majority of those who left against medical advice were admitted for diabetic foot ulcer. Conclusion: There is a need to emphasize foot care as one of the cardinal features of optimal diabetes care. Establishing clinics specializing in treating diabetes and having facilities for treatment of all aspects of diabetes, including diabetic complications, will help in providing better patient care and in minimizing hospital admissions.

Portal biliopathy (PB) is a term used to describe biliary ductal and gallbladder wall abnormalities seen in patients with portal hypertension. The pathogenesis of PB is not well known. It has been postulated that external pressure of portal cavernoma and/ or ischemia may play a role. We report a case of a patient with PB presenting with obstructive jaundice that involved endoscopic sphincterotomy and stenting.

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is an uncommon, potentially fatal disorder that usually occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy or in the early post partum. We present here a 30-year-old Nigerian primigravida with acute fatty liver of pregnancy. She was successfully managed and discharged. Keywords: Acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 11 (4) 2008: pp. 389-391

This study investigated the marketing related services provided to farmers by extension agents in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were collected from the extension agents in the services of Osun State Agricultural Development Projects, which is the government outfit to provide such services to farmers on one hand and their counterparts in the non-governmental organizations on the other hand. A validated questionnaire was administered to extension agents during the fortnightly training meeting. The data collected was summarized using frequency and percentages. The relationship between the dependent and independent variables were investigated using Spearman rank order correlation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and regression analyses. Results of the study showed that the respondents had basic preservice training in agricultural related field and are provided with motorcycle to ease their transportation problems. Extension Agents in turn provide selected marketing related services to farmers especially those perceived as legitimate. A significant correlation exists between performance of marketing related services and the perceived legitimacy of the services(r=0.54). The number of marketing related services provided by extension agents significantly correlate with number of superior officers(r=0.6510). The other variables that negatively correlates with number of marketing related services provided by the extension agents are, rank (r = -0.578), years of experience (r=-0.321) and annual income (r = -0.335). The study suggest that performance of the marketing related extension services be backed by adequate policy statements and be included in the extension agents training curriculum. South African Journal of Agricultural Extension Vol. 35 (1) 2006: pp. 51-70