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Introduction: Septicaemia is a clinical syndrome characterized by systemic inflammatory response. It is has been reported to be one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries of the world. Objectives: the aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of septicaemia in children brought to the Institute of Child Health Banzazzau, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, (ABUTH) Zaria and to isolate the aetiologic agents responsible for septicaemia in these children. Methods: Blood samples of children (aged one month – 12 years) with clinical symptoms of suspected septicaemia was taken under strict aseptic condition and inoculated into thioglycolate broth then incubated for 24hrs Subcultures were made after the first 24 hrs onto blood, chocolate and MacConkey agar plates and also when there were signs of bacterial growth shown by turbidity of the samples. Identification of isolates was based on their morphology on agar plates, Gram stain reaction and biochemical properties. Results: The mean age was three years with a peak in the first year of life. The male: female ratio was 1:1.3. Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella species were the commonest isolates accounting for 24 (43.64%) and 13 (23.64%) respectively. Other bacterial isolates included Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) (7.27%), Citrobacter specie (10.94%), Pseudomonas specie (7.24%), Proteus species (3.64%) and Klebsiella species (3.64%). Conclusion: Results show both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria to be implicated with septicaemia with Staph aureus and Salmonella being the most frequent aetiologic agents, children less than or equal to five years were mostly affected, there is a need for routine monitoring of bacterial isolates and the age group at risk.

Malaria still remains a life-threatening parasitic disease with universal targets set for control and elimination. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimalarial susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum isolates and Plasmodium berghei to selected antimalarial agents and column chromatographic subfractions of Glyphaea brevis leaves extract and FTIR and GCMS of SF8. Trager and Jensen as well as World Health Organisation (WHO) standardised in vitro micro-test system methods were used to determine susceptibility on the patients' blood samples; Column chromatographic procedure was carried out to obtain 11 pooled fractions; FTIR and GCMS were used to determine functional groups and phytochemicals respectively. In vitro anti-plasmodial activity against P. falciparum clinical isolates had IC 50 range of 1.03 μg/mL-7.63 μg/mL while their IC 50 against P. berghei ranges from 4.32 μg/mL-7.89 μg/mL. Subfraction 8 (SF8) had the least IC 50 of 4.32 μg/mL. The FTIR spectrum showed the presence of isoprenoid, alcohol, phenol, alkane, alkenes, ester, carboxylic acids, aromatics and nitro compounds while GCMS identified dodecanoic acid, methyl ester; carotol; hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester (oleic acid); methyl stearate; heptadecanoic acid, 16-methyl-, methyl ester; all with their antimalarial reported activities. In conclusion, G. brevis has a great potential for drug development against malaria parasite since it inhibited schizont growth and possesses phytocompounds with antimalarial report., (© Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2023.)

Carbapenemase-producing Alcaligenes species has been described in only few studies, with none so far from the African continent. Here, we report the whole genome sequence of Peanalcaligenes suwonensis bearing bla VIM-5 metallo-β-lactamase and first detection of carbapenemase producing Alcaligenes faecalis isolated from patients attending tertiary healthcare facilities in Nigeria. The isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility assay, modified Carba NP test and genomic investigation revealed that two isolates of Alcaligenes faecalis and an isolate of Paenalcaligenes suwonensis harboured bla VIM-5 gene. The genome sequence analysis of the P. suwonensis 191B isolate, responsible for acute gastroenteritis, reveal the presence of 18 antibiotic resistance genes coding for resistance to five different classes of antibiotics. Three of the genes (bla OXA-368 , bla CARB-4 and bla VIM-5 ) codes for resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. To our best knowledge, we describe here the first genome sequence of P. suwonensis species and the first detection of class B carbapenemase bla VIM-5 in a clinical isolate of P. suwonensis species and Alcaligenes faecalis in Nigeria. The finding of this study is of concern, as lateral dissemination of the genes into clinically important Gram-negative pathogens is highly likely., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Emergence and spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are two of the major problems currently threatening global public health. In Nigeria, interest in CPE is recent. In Sokoto, northwest Nigeria, there are no data on the prevalence and mechanism underlying carbapenem resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of clinical carbapenems-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates in two leading hospitals in Sokoto, northwest Nigeria. A total of 292 non-duplicate Enterobacteriaceae isolated from clinical specimens processed in the diagnostic laboratories of two hospitals between January and June 2019 were collected. Of these, 129 (44.2 %) and 19 (6.5%) were resistant to third-generation cephalosporin and carbapenems, respectively. RT-PCR revealed that 10 (7.8%), 19 (14.7%) and 46 (35.7%) of the third-generation cephalosporin-resistant isolates harboured bla SHV , bla TEM and bla CTX-M genes, respectively. The modified Carba NP test result showed that only 7 (36.8 %) of the 19 carbapenem-resistant isolates were carbapenemase producing; among them, bla NDM-5 and bla OXA-181 genes were identified in five and two isolates, respectively. However, none of the carbapenemase genes investigated, including bla VIM , bla KPC and bla IMP , was detected in the remaining carbapenem-resistant isolates, suggesting a non-enzymatic mechanism. This study reports for the first time, the emergence of CPE in Sokoto state and the detection of NDM-producing Citrobacter freundii in Nigeria. The observed CPE in this study is a concern in a country where alternative antibiotics are rarely available., (© 2020 The Authors.)

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major patient safety concern in hospitals. Unlike most developed countries, Nigeria does not yet have an established national system to monitor the occurrence of this infection. This meta-analysis was thus designed to determine the pooled cumulative incidence of SSIs and various determinants of its occurrence in Nigeria., Methods: The electronic databases were systematically searched for articles reporting the occurrence and risk factors associated with SSIs in Nigeria from January 2000 to December 2018. The eligible articles were evaluated using a set of pre-defined criteria. The extracted data were analysed using the comprehensive meta-analysis software. The Begg and Egger's regression tests were used to assess the risk of bias of the included publications., Results: Thirty-two articles emanating from the six geopolitical regions of Nigeria were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled cumulative incidence of SSIs was 14.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.113-0.184) with the highest incidence reported in the north-eastern region (27.3%, 95% CI: 0.132-0.481) of the country. It was also found to occur more predominantly following colorectal and abdominal surgeries, among elderly patients and in patients with co-morbid conditions. The most frequently reported was the superficial incisional SSIs occurring in 62.5% (95% CI: 0.333-0.848). Higher preponderance was also observed among patients with dirty wounds (52.7%, 95% CI: 0.367-0.682)., Conclusion: This meta-analysis documents for the first time the national burden of SSIs in Nigeria. Control measures geared towards its reduction should be strengthened and a national policy on SSI surveillance, prevention and control developed., Competing Interests: None

Background: The changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from a hospital-associated pathogen to an organism commonly found in the community and in livestock reflects an organism well-equipped to survive in diverse environments and adjust to different environmental conditions including antimicrobial use., Methods: We investigated the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus and MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Samples were collected from 1800 birds on 9 different farms within the state. Positive isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility and molecular typing., Results: Prevalence in birds was 13.7% (247/1800). MRSA prevalence in poultry was 0.8%. The prevalence of MRSA in broilers and layers was 1.2% and 0.4%, respectively. All tested isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Molecular analysis of the isolates revealed 3 spa types: t002, t084, and a novel spa type, t11469. The novel spa type t11469 belonged to sequence type ST5., Conclusion: The detection of t002 in chicken suggests the presence of livestock-associated MRSA in poultry in Ebonyi State. The detection of the new spa type t11469 in poultry that has not been characterised to ascertain its pathogenic potential remains a cause for concern, especially as some were found to carry PVL genes, a putative virulence factor in staphylococcal infection.

Heeria insignis O. Ktze (Anacardiaceae) is an indigenous African shrub used in treatment of diarrhea, venereal diseases, tapeworm, hookworm, schistosomiasis, kidney trouble and for increasing lactation in women after childbirth. The methanol and dichloromethane extracts of the leaves were evaluated for antibacterial activity (using agar-diffusion method) and antidairrheal activity (using isolated rabbit jejunum and castor-oil induced diarrhea in mice). The methanol extract gave higher antibacterial activity than dichloromethane. The order of susceptibility of test microorganisms to methanol extract were Salmonella typhi>Pseudomous aeruginosa> Staphylococcus aureus>Bacillus subtilis>Escherichia coli which were comparable to standard. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the methanol extract for these microorganisms was also determined. The minimum inhibitory concentration (mg/ml) of methanol extract against microorganisms is; B. subtilis (3.9), S. aureus (1.95), E. coli (62.5), Ps. aeruginosa (3.9) and S. typhi (1.95). On the isolated rabbit jejunum evaluation, both extracts produced concentration-dependent relation of isolated rabbit jejunum that was not blocked by phentolamine, suggesting that extracts act via mechanisms other than alpha-adrenergic receptor. In the castor oil-induced diarrheoeal test, each extract gave 80% protection at 200 mg/kg, which is comparable to loperamide 2 mg/kg with 80% protection. This finding may explain the use of the plant in diarrhea and bacterial diseases.

A hundred and ten Salmonella organisms (comprising 38 Salm. typhi, 13 Salm. paratyphi and 59 non-typhi Salmonella spp.) isolated from blood of patients diagnosed of typhoid fever in Zaria, Northern, Nigeria were evaluated for their in-vitro susceptibility to eighteen antibiotics. A high percentage of the Salmonella spp. exhibited resistance to the various test antibiotics. While ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and the aminoglycosides exhibited the greatest in-vitro activity against the isolates (82.7-96.4% of the isolates were susceptible), chloramphenicol and the aminopenicilins were considerably less effective (only 54.5% of isolates were sensitive). Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indexing showed that 90.9% of the isolates had multiple drug resistance (MAR) index >0.2. Eighteen of these isolates were resistant to at least 12 of the 18 antibiotics; susceptible only to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and the aminoglycosides. The percentage degree of resistance and MAR indices of the isolates to the antibiotic agents were irrespective of age and gender of the patients. The high prevalence of multiple drug resistant bacteria in this region is of epidemiological concern, as this will restrict the choices of antibiotics in the treatment of typhoid fever to a few compounds.

The n-butanol soluble part and four chromatographic fractions of the aqueous ethanolic extract of the leaves of Daniellia oliveri were investigated for antimicrobial properties. All fractions showed activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A chromatographic fraction showed significant activity against the fungus Tricophyton rubrum.

Six diorganotin(IV) carboxylates prepared by reacting diorganotin(IV) dichlorides with the respective silver carboxylate have been tested for antifungal activity against Aspergillus. niger, Aspergilluus flavus and Pencillium. citrinum in Sabourand dextrose broth. The compounds generally exhibit greater fungitoxicity than the diorganotin(IV) dichlorides and the carboxylic acids from which they were synthesized. In keeping with the generally accepted notion that the organotin moiety plays an important role in deciding the antifungal activity of an organotin compound, the diphenyltin(IV) compounds were more active than their di-n-butyltin(IV) analogues. However, the order of increasing fungitoxicity of the compounds parallels that of the uncomplexed carboxylic acids. The implications of the results are discussed.

The antifungal activity of n-tributyltin acetate (TBTA) was examined in relation to combating yam rot disease. TBTA exhibited a significant effect in vitro and in vivo on four yam rot fungal isolates tested. However, the in vitro toxicity of TBTA was drastically reduced when 2.5% Tween 80 was the solvent instead of 25% acetone, as indicated by the MICs of 156.0 and 5.0 micrograms/ml, respectively.