ISSN 2375-1266
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2021. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Identification of bacterial agents and antimicrobial susceptibility of neonatal sepsis: A 54-month study in a tertiary hospital
Seyyed Mohammad Hassan Aletayeb1*, Azar Dokht Khosravi2,3, Masood Dehdashtian4, Farshid Kompani5, Seyyed Mazyar Mortazavi1 and Mohammad Reza Aramesh4
1Neonatology Ward, Abuzar Teaching Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
2Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz, Iran.
3Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
4Neonatology Ward Imam Khomeini Teaching Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Postal code: 73166 Ahvaz, Iran.
5Pediatrics Ward, Golestan Teaching Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Accepted 18 February, 2021
Abstract
The spectrum of bacteria which cause neonatal sepsis varies in different parts of the world. Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem of these bacteria. The aim of this study was to detect the most common bacterial causes of neonatal sepsis and determination of their sensitivity to antibiotics. In a descriptive cross-sectional study, records of the neonates suspicious to neonatal sepsis who were admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were assessed. Neonates with positive blood culture along with clinical signs of sepsis were entered in the study. Evaluated data included: age, sex, birth weight, type of infection, type of isolated pathogen, antibiotic sensitivity and disease outcome. Of 3700 screened blood cultures, 153 (4.1%) reported as positive, 76.5% of the evaluated neonates were preterm, 142 (92.8%) had gram negative sepsis and 11 (7.2%) had gram positive sepsis. The most common isolated gram negative bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae (46.4%), enterobacter spp. (17.6%) and Escherishia coli (14.4%) . Coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) were the most prevalent gram positive bacteria (5.9%) in this study. All of the klebsiella and enterobacter strains were resistant to ampicillin and gentamicin. The sensitivity of K. pneumoniae and enterobacter to imipenem was: 90 and 92.5%, respectively. Prevalence of early and late- onset sepsis was 64.7 and 35.3% respectively. Mortality rate of sepsis in this study was reported as 53.5%. In conclusion, the most common cause of bacterial sepsis in this study was K. pneumoniae which was completely resistant to ampicillin and gentamicin. So empirical treatment of sepsis with ampicillin and gentamicin in Imam Khomeini NICU must be reconsidered.
Key words: Neonatal sepsis, neonates, gram negative bacteria, antibiotic resistance, empirical treatment, mortality rate.
Seyyed Mazyar Mortazavi and Mohammad Reza Aramesh, Seyyed Mohammad Hassan Aletayeb*, Azar Dokht Khosravi, Masood Dehdashtian, Farshid Kompani
Page: 1 - 4
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2021. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Occurrence of aflatoxigenic fungi in cow feeds during the summer and winter season in Hamadan, Iran
S. A. Ghiasian and A. H. Maghsood
Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Accepted 17 October, 2020
Abstract
Aflatoxins are secondary toxic metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus that contaminate food and feed. Due to the high incidence of AFM1 in milk that have been reported at the Hamadan region in Iran, a study was conducted to identify the cow feed mycoflora with special respect to aflatoxigenic fungi. 186 cows feed samples from traditional- and industrial-dairy farms of Hamadan region were examined using dilution plating technique in summer and winter seasons. The predominant fungi isolated were Aspergillus species (37.4%) (Aspergillus clavatus, A. flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceous, A. parasiticus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus ustus) followed by, Penicillium (23.7%), Fusarium (17.5%), cladosporium (9.1%), Alternaria (4.3%), Rhizopus (3.9%) and Mucor species (3.4%) . The concentrate feed was the most contaminated feed, for which the mean colony counts for A. flavus and A. parasiticus were 7.25 × 102 and 7.50 × 102 cfu/g, respectively. The most contaminated feed with these two Aspergilli was concentrate feed (80%) in summer and wheat bran (45%) in winter. The mean colony count of aflatoxigenic fungi in industrial-diary farms was significantly higher than traditional-dairy farms. Moreover, the mean of aflatoxigenic fungi colony count in winter was significantly greater than those in summer seasons (p < 0.00001). The present study tested the hypothesis that differences exist between fresh forages used in summer and the ensiled form used in winter in terms of contamination with aflatoxigenic fungi.
Key words: Animal feed, Aspergillus, aflatoxigenic, food contamination, mycoflora, Iran.
S. A. Ghiasian, A. H. Maghsood
Page: 1 - 6
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 7 (4), pp. 001-009, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Increase in healthcare facilities and rapid environmental degradation: A technological paradox in Nigeria’s urban centres
Akinwale Coker1* and Mynepalli K. C. Sridhar2
1Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
2Division of Environmental Health, Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Accepted 30 January, 2020
Abstract
The scenario of waste management in many Nigerian cities has been complicated by the non segregation of healthcare wastes from domestic wastes in many healthcare facilities (HCFs). Incidentally, the healthcare facilities have soared in numbers over a 50 - year period in all the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The increase in the number of HCFs in Nigeria’s cities has led to environmental problems largely caused by poor management of generated wastes. At the same time, there has been a resurgence of several sanitation-related diseases in the country. It has thus become a technological paradox as HCFs have being linked with disease epidemics. This paper assessed the current waste handling practices of selected HCFs in a large city which will guide the planners in mitigating the improper practices. Thus, adequate healthcare waste management strategy coupled with training of all waste handlers should be integrated with HCF development at the inception so that the paradox of promoting the spread of diseases and degradation of the environment through increase in number of HCFs can be nipped in the bud.
Key words: Environment, healthcare, infrastructure, public health, urbanisation, waste.
Akinwale Coker*, Mynepalli K. C. Sridhar
Page: 1 - 9
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 7 (4), pp. 001-011, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The impact of industrial pollution on macrobenthic fauna communities
Taybeh Tabatabaie1* and Fazel Amiri2
1Department of Energy and Environment, Research and Science Branch Tehran, Islamic Azad University, Iran.
2Department of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University Bushehr Branch, Iran.
Accepted 20 April, 2020
Abstract
Mossa creek is a long, deep, tidal canal in Iran. The creek stretches almost 56 km along the northwestern edge of the Persian Gulf. The creek contains numerous sources of organic pollution including industrial sewage effluent. A survey of the creek was performed assessing organic pollution, water properties, and the macrobenthic community. The need to assess the environmental status of marine and coastal waters encouraged the design of specific biotic indices to evaluate the response of benthic communities to human-induced changes in water quality. In this study of the benthic community structure in two creeks surrounding an industrial sewage discharge, water and sediment samples were collected at eight sites in the warm season (September) and cold season (February). Environmental data on physical and chemical variables were also collected from each site and a multivariate analysis was carried out to determine the effect of environmental factors on the biodiversity distribution. The result indicated that: Shannon's-weaver index has significant correlate with dissolved oxygen (DO) and organic matter (OM). In addition, in station near of the swage pollution biodiversity index, water quality and DO decreased and organic matter increased. However, very heavy pollution was observed according to the biodiversity index value in both seasons. The results showed that in both seasons 1, 2, 3 and 5 stations (which are located near the sewage output) in pollutant confine, 4 station in moderate confine and 6, 7, 8 stations located in un pollutant class. Also the results of water quality determine base on Welch index indicated that 1, 2, 5 stations in both season, 362.95 ha (7%) and other stations in moderate pollution load, 4885.73 ha (93%) located in high and moderate pollution load, respectively. Also, the results indicated that stations around the sewage outlet had less macrobenthic species and higher organic matter. On the contrary, the station furthest from the petrochemical industries (station located in Ghanam creek) had higher species diversity and consequently a higher value for the Shannon-Weaver diversity index. The present study also showed that Polychaetes, a biotic index of pollution biotic, were more abundant. Although Polychaetes were also recorded at all the other stations, these stations had greater biodiversity with different numerically dominant species such as: Isopoda, Decapoda, Gastropoda, Copepoda, Bivalvia, Pennatulacea, and Crustaceastations. Consequently, it was established that macrobenthic biodiversity was related to dissolved oxygen and the percentage of organic matter in the sediment.
Key words: Biotic indices, pollution, macrobenthos.
Fazel Amiri, Taybeh Tabatabaie*
Page: 1 - 11
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 7 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Risk mitigation strategies and policy implications for carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in organically- amended soils in Nigeria
Oladipo Oluwatosin Gbemisola1*, Olayinka Akin2, Aladesanmi Omolara Titilayo1, Sanni Maruf1, Famurewa Akindele Joshua1 and Siyanbola, William Owolabi1
1National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile–Ife Osun State, Nigeria.
2Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife Osun State, Nigeria.
Accepted 19 October, 2019
Abstract
Global food security has been a challenge, especially in Africa. This has attracted the adoption of strategies to improve soil productivity and crop yield. One of such strategies is the use of solid wastes as soil organic matter amendments. An investigation of the effects of soil amendment using poultry manure, sawdust and their mixtures on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, maize (Zea mays L.) growth and dry matter yield were assessed under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Top soil obtained from unfertilized plots at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research farm, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was used for the experiments. The organic amendments were added at the rate of 10 g/kg, treatments were in triplicates and treatment means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 95% level of significance. Results obtained revealed that CO2 emission decreased while maize heights and dry matter yields significantly (P > 0.05) increased with increasing ratios of poultry manure in the poultry manure-sawdust mixtures. The CO2 emission from poultry manure amended soil was about 61% that from sawdust amended soil while the mean height and dry matter yield in sawdust-amended soils were 84% and 52% respectively those obtained in poultry manure amended soil. This paper concludes that it is essential to design and implement policies that will guide and encourage the use of organic amendments at ratios that can enhance crop yield and mitigate CO2 emission to the environment.
Key words: Food security, solid waste, carbon dioxide emission, organic amendments, environment and policy.
William Owolabi, Olayinka Akin, Aladesanmi Omolara Titilayo, Oladipo Oluwatosin Gbemisola*, Famurewa Akindele Joshua and Siyanbola, Sanni Maruf
Page: 1 - 6
Research Article
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 7 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Leaves of roadside plants as bioindicator of traffic related lead pollution during different seasons in Sargodha, Pakistan
Naima Huma Naveed1*, Aima Iram Batool1, Fayyaz Ur Rehman2 and Uzma Hameed1
1Department of Biological Science, University of Sargodha, Sargodha Pakistan.
2Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha Pakistan.
Accepted 19 October, 2019
Abstract
Plants are important bioindicators of heavy metal environmental pollution. For this purpose a study was conducted during winter and summer seasons in Sargodha, Pakistan. Three roadside plants that is Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., Prosopis juliflora L. and Eucalyptus spp. were collected from different locations. The study area was divided into five on the basis of traffic density and industrial pollution. These were Urban, Suburban, Industrial, Roadside and Rural. It was found that lead concentration was highest in the plants that were collected from industrial site in Dalbergia during winter and summer that is 421.43 ± 1 9.30 and 429.37 ± 14.49 ug g -1 respectively and lowest at the control site (rural site) 69.57 ± 36.80 ug g-1 in Eucalyptus during winter and 61.89 ± 35.97 ug g-1 in Prosopis during summer. All the three selected plants proved to be good indicators of lead pollution and due to their diverse distribution in different parts of the world their leaves can be used as bioindicators of lead pollution.
Key words: Bioindicator, lead, roadside plants, seasonal variation.
Fayyaz Ur Rehman and Uzma Hameed, Aima Iram Batool, Naima Huma Naveed*
Page: 1 - 5