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Out of the one hundred and fifty stool human samples screened for the prevalence of Plesiomonas shigelloides, only 3 (2%) were positive for the organisms. The positive isolates were used to produce P. shigelloides antibody in experimental animals (rabbits). Autopsy revealed marked inflammation of the liver, spleen and the kidney in the experimental animals not protected with the antibodies. This study showed that the trial rabbits were suitable for the production of antibodies against P. shigelloides, and further demonstrated the diagnostic and protective potentials of the antibodies.Keywords: Plesiomonas shigelloides, experimental animals, colloidal carbon particles, antibody and antisera

The ability of microorganisms to utilize used oil in contaminated soil from some selected major mechanic workshops in Benin City metropolis as sole source of carbon and energy was studied. Soil samples collected from the three major mechanic workshops at Igun, Evbareke and Uwelu Quarters in Benin City were analyzed for the microbiological and physicochemical qualities using the basic microbiological methods. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts from the three mechanic workshops ranges from 1.98 X 107 to 2.95 X 107cfu/g while the total heterotrophic fungal counts ranges from 6.7 X 106 to 9.2 X 106 cfu/g. The hydrocarbon utilizing microbial isolates were isolated using the Bushnell Haas enrichment techniques. The hydrocarbon utilizing microbial populations were recorded to range from 3.1 X 106 to 9.7 X 106cfu/g and 3.4 X 106 to 6.0 X 106 cfu/g for the bacterial and fungal counts respectively. The bacterial isolates include the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Microococcus, Flavobacterium, Klebsiella, while the fungal isolates include the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma and Yeast. The biodegradation potentials of the hydrocarbon degrading microbial isolates monitored by gas chromatography (GC) showed Pseudomonas sp. and Aspergillus versicolor to have recorded the highest biodegradation potentials among the microbial isolates. The frequency of occurrence of the microbial isolates revealed the microbial isolates Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., Microococcus sp., Aspergillus versicolor, Trichoderma sp and Penicillium sp. as the most frequently occurring isolates. The physicochemical properties of the soil samples analysed shows the pH ranges from 5.63 to 6.01, percentage of carbon 2.345 to 4.800, total organic matter 1.59 to 7.81%, total petroleum hydrocarbon 86.10 to 286.50 mg/kg and sulphate 1.49 to 6.10ppm. The correlation analysis showed that there was significant difference in the mean values for both total heterotrophic bacterial and fungal population among the locations. It was also showed that there exist significant difference in the optical density and pH among the microbial isolates. @JASEMKeywords: Oil contaminated soil, microbial isolates, mechanical workshops and physicochemical parametersJ. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. Dec, 2011, Vol. 15 (4) 597 - 600

Mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis) a semi-parasitic evergreen plant, that has been used traditionally in Nigeria and other parts of Africa as antihypertensive and antidiabetic agents. The aim of this research was toinvestigate the phytochemical properties of methanolic extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis (mistletoe) and its physiological effects on sugar levels in laboratory animals. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins and steroidal glycosides. Treatment with aqueous Tapinanthus bangwensis (mistletoe) extract at the dose of 500mg/kg body weight showed that the cocnentration of blood glucose levels in the diabetic test (treated rats) were significnatly reduced as compared to the diabetic control (untreated rats). In streptozotocin induced diabetic experimental animals (rats), maximum reduction in blood glucose levels was observed after fourteen (14) days of treatment with methanolic crude extraxt of Tapinanthus bangwensis (mistletoe). The result showed the concentrations of blood glucose in the diabetic test (treated) group was significantly reduced to 163.75 ± 46.327 (P

A study was undertaken to determine typical concentrations of airborne bacteria and fungi (microflora) in Teaching Hospital environment in Benin City in the tropical rainforest environment of Nigeria. Aerial sampling wasconducted at various hospital wards each day. The air samples were collected thrice daily, that is, in the morning, between 8am and 10am, in the afternoon, between 12noon and 2pm and in the evening between 4pm and 6pm. Concentrations of airborne microflora exceeded available local guidelines for indoor quality in the accident and emergency ward, female ward, male ward, pediatric ward and the maternity ward, but not in the restricted wards like the theatre, intensive care unit and bacteriological laboratory. Results showed that the occupant density was the keyfactor influencing the levels of airborne microflora, while humidity was also observed as a factor, depending on the particular location with the hospital. The concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi in the nine different hospital units varied from wards to wards. The bacterial population ranges from 3.0cf/m3 to 76.0cf/m3, with the highest bacterial population recorded in the accident and emergency ward. The fungal population ranges from 6.0cf/m3 to 44.7cf/m3, while the highest fungal population was recorded in the accident and emergency ward. The microflora characterized and identified, were representative ofthe normal microflora of the human body (skin, gastrointestinal tracts, respiratory tract) and the opportunistic pathogens. The microbial isolates included six bacterial genera, among which are, Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermis, Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp. and Proteus mirabilis, the fugal isolates included, Aspergillus sp, Penicillium sp., Mucor sp., Candida sp and Verticillium sp. The variations in hospital units in concentrations of total airborne microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) in the air of hospital environments were statistically significant (p

Air contains large number of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi and their estimation is important as an index of cleanliness for any particular environment. It becomes imperative to undertake a study of the microbiological air quality of the airborne micro-flora in the environments of two major government hospitals, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Central Hospital, in Benin City metropolis. Both indoor and outdoor air samples were assessed monthly for the three (3) months in the wet season (June – August, 2010) and dry season (November 2010 - January 2011) using the settled plate methods. The study sites were divided into nine (9) units which include accident and emergency ward, laboratory, male ward, female ward, children ward, labour room, treatment room, theatre and outside the hospital gate. The mean airborne bacterial load in the two hospitals ranges from 8.5cfu/min to 172.5cfu/min and 5.5cfu/min to 64.5cfu/min for UBTH and Central hospital in the wet season. While the mean airborne fungal load in UBTH and Central Hospital in dry season ranges from 2.5cfu/min to 9.5cfu/min and 1.5cfu/min to 19.0cfu/min respectively. The female ward, children ward, accident and emergency ward and outside the hospital gate recorded the highest airborne micro-flora. The result revealed the isolation of ten (10) fungal isolates and six (6) bacterial isolates. These include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Botryodiplodia acerina, Rhizopus stolonifer, Nigospora zimm, Mucor sp., Monilla infuscans, Penicillium sp., Candida sp. and Trichoderma viridis while the six (6) bacterial isolates include Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus sp., Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus sp. The result shows the highest fungal population of 26.5cfu/min (outdoor) in UBTH followed by 24.0cfu/min (outdoor) in Central Hospital. The highest bacterial load of 172.5cfu/min (outdoor) was recorded in UBTH. The fungal isolates Aspergillus niger (53.0%) and Monilla infuscans (43.9%) were showed to be the most frequently isolated airborne fungal organisms while Staphylococcus aureus (91.3%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (85.8%) were the most frequently isolated bacterial isolates. The statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the microbial population obtained during the wet and dry seasons in both hospitals studied. Data generated underline the usefulness of monitoring hospital environments.

The bacteriological and physicochemical qualities of the Ikpoba River, Benin city was investigated to assessed the extent of pollution of the water due to effluent discharge from the two brewery industries in Benin City. The bacteriological parameters analyzed were total microbial population counts, which had values ranging from 1.0 x 103 to 4.8 x 103 cfu/ml and 1.3 x 107 to 5.7 x 107 cfu/ml for the fungal and bacterial isolates respectively. Total coliform counts ranged from 4.3 x 10 MPN/100 ml to 38.0 x 10 MPN/100 ml. Microorganisms isolated include Sacchromyces cereviceae, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp., Geotrichum sp. Candida sp., Proteus sp. Staphylococcus sp, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus faecalis and Bacillus sp. Physicochemical parameter studies revealed that Ikpoba river though show some parameters whose values are higher than the WHO tolerant levels. Others fall within the WHO acceptable limits. There is, therefore, contamination of the surface water due to the brewery effluent discharged, which could probably be hazardous to human health.

Methanolic extract of the leaves of Ocimum gratissium (scent leaves) was screened for its phytochemical and antibacterial properties on some clinical bacterial isolates, visa vie as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The agar diffusion technique was used to assay the growth inhibition against the four bacterial isolates. The antibacterial effect of the methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissium was compared to that of some selected commercially available antibiotics. The inhibitory effect of the methanolic extract was comparable at all concentrations tested to the commercially available antibiotics indicating the high potency of the methanolic extract O. gratissium. Results obtained showed, the extract inhibits the growth of the test isolates with diameter of zones of inhibition of 5mm to 10mm for P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis, E. coli and S. aureus respectively. The Broth microdilution assay gave minimal inhibitory concentration values ranging from 13.5μg/ml to 15.0μg/ml. The result of the phytochemical analysis of the dried leaves extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrate and saponins. Keywords: Herbalism, Phytochemicals, Scent, Benin

Tapinanthus bangwensis (Mistletoe) is a parasitic plant grown on citrus plant and a variety of other plants, used by most communities in Nigeria for the treatment and management of ailments such as diabetics, blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, cancer of the ovary and breast and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The study was aimed at investigating the antibacterial properties and the phytochemical constituents of the leaves extract. Crude extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis leaves were screened for its antibacterial and phytochemical properties on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumonia. The results showed that the extract at varying concentrations has antibacterial activity on the test organisms. The extract inhibited the growth of the bacterial isolates in a concentration dependent manner with MICs (minimum inhibitory concentration) ranging from 10 – 50mg/ml. Partial purification (Thin Layer Chromatography) of the crude extract revealed five (5) components. Characteristics of these components were viewed by Infrared and UV/VIS spectrophotometer showing the presence of alkaloid, saponin, tannin, steroid and flavonoid. The observed antibacterial activity was believed to be due to the presence of the phytochemical constituents. Keywords: Herbalism, Loranthanceae, Phytochemicals, Test organisms