The prevalence of Candida albicans-associated diarrhoea in Buea, South West Cameroon

A total of 362 stool specimens were collected from 184 and 178 patients presenting at the Buea district Hospital with and without diarrhoea, respectively. The samples were screened and cultured for Candida albicans using standard microbiological procedures. Of the 184 diarrhoeic stool cultures, 35.9% showed C. albicans overgrowth as indicated by count >or=10(4) CFL/mL. Of the 178 non diarrhoeic stool cultures, C. albicans was identified in 23.6% of samples and counts were all <10(4) CFU/mL. An association was observed for C. albicans overgrowth and diarrhoea (p<0.001). The majority of isolates (87.8%) from the 66 samples showing candida overgrowth were susceptible to Amphotericin B in anti-fungal drug sensitivity assays. Results of the study highly suggest that C. albicans is an important cause of diarrhoea in the study area. We recommend that this fungus should be routinely checked in individuals presenting with diarrhoea particularly children and patients on prolonged or frequent antibiotic therapy.     

Predictors of utilization of facility-based ante-natal care and delivery services in a Nigerian Rural Community

BackgroundWith maternal mortality ratio of 2,000/100,000 live births and perinatal mortality rate of 40/1,000 total births, Cross River State is one of the states with the highest maternal and perinatal deaths in Nigeria. One of the causes of these poor health indices is low utilization of facility-based maternal and child healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth. The objective of this study was to assess the predictors of utilization of antenatal care and delivery services in Akpabuyo, a rural community in Cross River State of Nigeria.MethodThis was an analytical cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from 370 pregnant women between June and July, 2013 and analyzed using SPSS version 25.ResultsBinary logistic regression showed that compared with women with tertiary education, women with non-formal education were less likely to attend antenatal clinic (AOR=0.510, 95% CI=0.219–1.188) although the difference was not statistically significant. Also, compared with farmers, full-time housewives were less likely to deliver in a health facility (AOR=0.650, 95% CI=0.305–1.389) while civil servants were nearly five times more likely to deliver in the health facility (AOR=4.750, 95%CI=1.616–13.962).ConclusionThe predictors of antenatal care and facility delivery services utilization identified by the study were educational status and occupation. This raises the need for policies and programmes to ensure girl child education and the economic empowerment of women.     

Antioxidant and anti-atherogenic activities of three Piper species on atherogenic diet fed hamsters

Atherogenic diet is known to induce high plasma lipid concentration, oxidative stress and early atherosclerosis. Antioxidants have potentials to counter the effect of atherogenic diet.The present research aims at evaluating the antioxidant and anti-atherosclerotic activities of three Piper species (Piper guineense, Piper nigrum and Piper umbellatum) on atherogenic diet fed hamsters.Hamsters divided into 8 groups: normal control, atherosclerotic control and six test groups. The normal animals fed normal rodent chow, the atherosclerotic control animals fed the same rodent chow supplemented with 0.2% cholesterol and 10% coconut oil (high cholesterol diet). The 6 test groups’ animals fed same diet as the atherosclerotic control group but with additional supplementation of 2 graded doses (1 and 0.25 mg/kg body weight, o.p.) of plant extracts for 12 weeks.The atherogenic diet induced a collapse of the erythrocyte antioxidant defense system (significant decrease in superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities). Atherogenic diet also induced an increase in plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), oxidation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and accumulation of foam cells in the aorta a hall mark for atherosclerosis. Administration of the Piper species prevented the collapse of the antioxidant system and the increase of plasma parameters maintaining them towards normality. The Piper species also prevented LDL oxidation by increasing the time (lag time) for its oxidation.The results suggest that these Piper species have significant antioxidant and anti-atherogenic effect against atherogenic diet intoxication.     

Helicobacter pylori antigens in the faeces of asymptomatic children in the Buea and Limbe health districts of Cameroon: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and identify intra-familial risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori infection in a paediatric population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in the Buea and Limbe health districts, South West Cameroon. Stool samples were collected from 176 randomly selected apparently healthy children from two communities with different socioeconomic status. They comprised 86 males and 90 females aged 0-10 years with a mean age of 4.29. Helicobacter pylori status was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test. The test uses polyclonal anti-H. pylori capture antibody to detect H. pylori antigens in human stool. Epidemiological data were analysed using the Fisher test and odds ratio (OR) at 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of H. pylori was 52.27% (92 of 176). Univariate analysis showed that H. pylori prevalence was significantly higher in children of the low socioeconomic class, 62.50% (55 of 88) than in those of the high socioeconomic class, 42.05% (37 of 88) (P < 0.05; OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.26-4.64). Helicobacter pylori prevalence increased with age from 37.50% (12 of 32) for children aged <3 years, 50.00% (53 of 106) aged 3-6 years and 71.05% (27 of 38) aged 7-10 years (P > 0.05; OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.34-1.91). The frequency of infection was significantly higher in males, 64.00% (55 of 86) than in females, 41.11% (37 of 90), (P < 0.05; OR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.39-5.17). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the continuing importance of age, sex and socioeconomic status in the acquisition of H. pylori infection.     

The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress

Aim  

Obesity is generally linked to complications in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a proprietary extract of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) to that of a proprietary formulation containing CQR-300 (CORE) on weight, blood lipids, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese people.     

Dermatophytosis in schoolchildren in Ekpoma, Nigeria

Summary. Of 1400 pupils from two public primary schools in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria, who were screened for dermatophyte infection, 188 (13.4%) were infected. The causative agents isolated included Microsporum audouinii in 88 (46.8%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 48 (25.5%), T. rubrum in 40 (21.3%), T. tonsurans in four (2.1%) and Epidermophyton floccosum in eight (4.3%). There were significant differences in the rate of infection between male and female schoolchildren as well as between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Zusammenfassung. Unter 1400 Schulkindern der zwei Grundschulen in Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria, die auf Dennatophyten-Infektionen untersucht wurden, erwiesen sich 188 (13,4%) infiziert. Die isolierten Erreger waren: Microsporum audouinii 88 (46,8%); Trichophyton mentagrophytes 48 (25,5%), T. rubrum 40 (21,3%), T. tonsurans 4 (2,1%) sowie Epidermophyton floccosum 8 (4,3%). Es waren deutliche Unterschiede in der Infektionsrate zwischen Jungen und Mädchen und auch zwischen Kindern unterschiedlicher sozio-ökonomischer Gruppen zu beobachten.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates recovered from clinical and environmental samples in Buea, Cameroon: current status on biotyping and antibiogram

OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed at determining the prevalent biotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the environment of Buea and the susceptibility of isolates to antibiotics. METHODS: One hundred and fifty clinical specimens (urine, wound and sputum) collected from patients attending various health institutions in Buea, and 50 environmental swabs from furniture, appliances and surroundings of these institutions were screened for P. aeruginosa using standard microbiological and biochemical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was determined by the disc diffusion assay. RESULTS: Fifty-one (25.5%) of the 200 specimens were positive for the organism with urine (30%) being the most common source of isolation. Biochemical characterization grouped the isolates into eight biotypes with biotypes B III (25.59%), B II (23.53%) and B I (21.57%) being the most prevalent. Antimicrobial susceptibility results of isolates revealed 13 antibiotype patterns based on resistance to the antimicrobial agents investigated. The resistance pattern, cefotaxime, gentamicin and tetracycline (CTX(R) GEN(R) TET(R)) was the most common (21.6%) amongst the isolates. Over 40% of the isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance to five or more antibiotics, especially environmental isolates. However, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the susceptibility of isolates to ciprofloxacin (98%), amikacin (90.2%) and netilmicin (80.4%) compared with other drugs used in the study. CONCLUSION: A combination of biotyping and antibiogram, which are relatively cheap and routinely available methods in our environment, could be useful for clinical and epidemiological studies particularly in laboratories in the developing world with limited resources.     

Basosquamous carcinoma: florid lesion in a Nigerian

Basosquamous carcinoma (BSC) is a rare malignancy with features of both basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with a potential for infiltration and destruction. This is a report of a florid scalp lesion of BSC with erosion of the skull. A preoperative diagnosis of BCC was made following a biopsy. However, further evaluation of the excised lesion revealed BSC. Timely diagnosis of this potentially aggressive neoplasm, which could be enhanced by multiple biopsies, is essential for proper treatment.     

Volatile compounds in the stem bark of Sclerocarya birrea (Anacardiaceae) possess antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify phytochemicals with anti-Helicobacter pylori activity from the stem bark of Sclerocarya birrea. The plant crude extract was fractionated by silica gel column and thin layer chromatography techniques, initially with ethyl acetate (EA) and subsequently with a combination of ethyl acetate/methanol/water (EMW). Further fractionation and identification of the phytoconstituents was achieved by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the fractions and compounds was evaluated against five metronidazole- and clarithromycin-resistant strains of H. pylori as well as a reference strain ATCC 43526 using the microbroth dilution technique. Amoxicillin was included in the experiments as a positive control antibiotic. Of the 18 fractions collected, 16 demonstrated anti-H. pylori activity with 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) values ranging from 310 μg/mL to 2500 μg/mL. Two of the fractions (EMW fraction 6 and EA fraction 1) revealed the presence of 5 and 24 compounds, respectively, representing 40.5% and 86.57% of the total composition. Most of the compounds were essential oils, with terpinen-4-ol being the most abundant agent (35.83%), followed by pyrrolidine (32.15%), aromadendrene (13.63%) and α-gurjunene (8.77%). MIC₅₀ ranges for amoxicillin, terpinen-4-ol and pyrrolidine were 0.0003-0.06 μg/mL, 0.004-0.06 μg/mL and 0.005-6.3 μg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory activities of terpinen-4-ol and pyrrolidine were similar to amoxicillin (P > 0.05). Most of these compounds are being reported in this plant for the first time and may represent new sources of therapeutically useful compounds against H. pylori.     

Molecular detection and drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from cattle at a dairy farm in the Nkonkobe region of South Africa: a pilot study

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) causes tuberculosis (TB) in humans and animals. We investigated the presence of MTBC in cattle milk and its drug resistance using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two hundred samples (100 mL each) were obtained from a dairy farm in the Nkonkobe region of South Africa. The samples were processed using the modified Petroff method. DNA was isolated using a Zymo Bacterial DNA kit and amplified using Seeplex(?) MTB Nested ACE assay. The Genotype(?) Mycobacterium tuberculosis-multidrug resistantplus (MTBDRplus) assay was used to perform drug susceptibility and detection of mutations conferring resistance to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF). Eleven samples tested positive for MTBC DNA using the Seeplex(?) MTB Nested ACE assay. The Genotype(?) MTBDRplus assay showed that 10/11 samples were resistant to both INH and RIF i.e., multi-drug resistant (MDR). The most and least frequent rpoB mutations detected in RIF resistant samples were H526Y (9/10) and D516V (2/10) respectively. None of the INH resistant samples harbored mutations in the katG gene. However, all of them harbored the T8A mutation in the inhA gene. These results have clinical and epidemiological significance and calls for further studies and necessary actions to delineate the situation.