African Journal of Virology Research

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence and severity of bacterial blight and anthracnose diseases of cassava in different agro-ecological zones of Nigeria

T. J. Onyeka¹*, O. F. Owolade¹,³, A. A. Ogunjobi ², A. G. O. Dixon¹, R. Okechukwu¹, R. Bandyopadhyay¹, and B. Bamkefa¹

¹International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Oyo Road, PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

³Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, Nigeria.

⁴ National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), PMB 7006 Umuahia, Nigeria.

Accepted 13 March, 2011

Abstract

Geo-referenced surveys were conducted in 2001 and 2003 to assess the prevalence and severity of cassava bacterial blight (CBB) and cassava anthracnose disease (CAD) in different agro-ecological zones of Nigeria. A total of 132 fields were visited in 2001 as follow: humid forest (HF) 42, derived savannah (DS) 38, southern guinea savannah (SGS) 16, northern guinea savannah (NGS) 16 and Sudan savannah (SS) 20. In 2003, 277 fields were visited: HF (83), DS (143), SGS (22), NGS (11), and SS (18). CBB prevalence was greater than 70% in all ecozones in 2001; 33.7% in HF, 65.7% in DS and greater than 90% in others in 2003. CAD prevalence was greater than 90% in HF for the two surveys, 44.7% and 61.5% for 2001 and 2003 respectively in DS, while it was not observed in the other zones. In both surveys, more than 80% of CBB infected fields in all ecozones were moderately severe, except in SS where 47% of fields in 2003 were highly severe. In both HF and DS, more than 30% of fields in 2001, and less than 20% in 2003, had highly severe CAD symptoms. Prevalence of CBB was negatively correlated with annual precipitation and positively correlated with maximum temperature of the ecozones, while prevalence of CAD had strong positive relationship with the annual precipitation and negative association with maximum temperature. The distribution patterns of the diseases found in this study provide a baseline for disease management programme in the rapidly expanding cassava industry in Nigeria, and implications of the results for cassava industry were discussed.

Key words: anthracnose, bacterial blight, cassava, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides prevalence, severity, Xanthomonas axonopodis.

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phytochemical characterization and the antimicrobial property of Aframomum danielli extract

Fasoyiro, S.B^1* and Adegoke, G.O²

¹Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, P.M.B. 5029, Moor – Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Department of Food technology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 17 October, 2011

Abstract

Characterization of preliminary phytochemical components of Aframomum danielli seeds was determined. Fractions of the seeds obtained by vacuum liquid chromatographic process were tested for antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, cardenolides, carotenoids and polyphenols. All fractions obtained from the petroleum ether extract exhibited antimicrobial activity on food-borne pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentrations in the range of 100 – 800 microgram per millilitres.

Key words: Phytochemicals, A. danielli fractions, antimicrobial properties.

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 6 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Sources of microbial contamination in tissue culture laboratories in southwestern Nigeria

Odutayo, O. I.¹, Amusa, N. A.², Okutade, O. O. ¹ and Ogunsanwo Y.R.¹

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago- Iwoye, Nigeria.

Accepted 16 October, 2011

Abstract

Microbial contamination is a constant problem, which often compromise development of all in vitro techniques. This study aimed at investigating the source of microbial contamination in tissue culture laboratories in southwestern Nigeria. Nineteen microbial contaminants (consisting of eleven bacteria and eight fungi) were found associated with the tissue culture plants and the laboratory environments. The bacterial contaminants include Pseudomonas flourescens, Escherichia coli, Proteus sp, Micro-coccus spp, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium sp and Erwinia sp. While Fungi isolates were Alterneria tenius, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cladosporium sp, Saccharomyces sp, Fusarium oxysporum, Rizopus nigricans and Fusarium culmorum. The rate of occurrence of S. aureus, B. cereus, B. subtilis and E. coli were found to be higher (ranging from 36-46%) in human skin than in all other sampled materials. The laboratory walls and tables also harbored most of the contaminating microbes. The laboratory indoor air was found associated with all the contaminating microbes.

Key words: Micro-propagation, plant tissue culture, bacterial and fungal isolates contamination.

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Aeromonas hydrophila infections in chickens affected by fowl cholera in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Dashe, Y. G.¹*, Raji, M. A.², Abdu, P. A.³ and Oladele, B. S.⁴

¹National Veterinary Research Institute, Akure Zonal Office, State Veterinary Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

²Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

³Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Veterinary Pathology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Accepted 14 November, 2011

Abstract

Many bacterial agents have been incriminated in cases of fowl cholera outbreaks in chickens. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Aeromonas hydrophila infection in chickens affected by fowl cholera between November, 2010 and October, 2011 in Jos, Nigeria. A total of 2000 samples consisting of bone marrow, heart, liver, lung and spleen (400 each) were aseptically collected from 400 clinically sick chickens suspected to be suffering from fowl cholera and cultured for Pasteurella multocida and Aeromonas hydrophila organisms. Four hundred oropharyngeal swabs were also collected from 400 apparently healthy chickens for bacteriological analysis. Swab from each sample was cultured on 7% defibrinated sheep blood, MacConkey and casein sucrose yeast agar. Presumptive colonies of P. multocida and A. hydrophila were subjected to biochemical characterization and Microbact test. P. multocida 20 (1.0%) was isolated from all the tissue samples of clinically sick chickens, while A. hydrophila 11 (0.5%) was recovered from bone marrow, heart and liver of the sick chickens. P. multocida 5 (1.25%) was isolated from oropharynx of apparently healthy chickens, while A. hydrophila was not isolated at all from the apparently healthy chickens. It was concluded that A. hydrophila agent could have contributed to the aggravated clinical signs and mortality observed in clinically sick chickens within the study period.

Key words: Aeromonas hydrophila, Pasteurella multocida, chicken, fowl cholera, Jos.

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in meat pie and eggroll sold in Umuahia Metropolis, Nigeria

Nwachukwu, Ejikeme* and Nwaigwe, Ugochukwu Victor

Department of Microbiology, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.

Accepted 16 September, 2011

Abstract

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in meat pie and eggroll sold in Umuahia metropolis was investigated. The samples were analyzed according to standard bacteriological methods. Total viable count of meat pie ranged from 1.2 × 10³ to 3.4 × 10⁴ cfu/g. Total coliform count ranged from 1.8 × 10³ to 4.2 × 10³ cfu/g and Staphylococcus count ranged from 1.0 × 10³ to 4.1 × 10³ cfu/g. Analysis of variance showed that total viable count and Staphlococcus count were significant at 0.05 level. The total viable count for eggroll ranged from 3.4 × 10³ to 3.8 × 10⁴ cfu/g. Total coliform count ranged from 1.7 × 10³ to 2.3 × 10³ cfu/g. Staphylococcus count ranged from 1.5 × 10³ to 4.8 × 10³ cfu/g. The antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus indicated various patterns. Some were resistant while some were sensitive to the antibiotics tested. The organism was highly sensitive to gentamycin. In order to prevent outbreak of food poisoning, public health establishments should enforce proper handling of foods such as meat pie and eggroll. Proper hygiene should be practiced by handlers of ready to eat foods.

Key words: Meat pie, eggroll, bacterial quality, antibiotic susceptibility.

African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 3421-7347 Vol. 5 (12), pp. 001-006, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of Gmelina arborea fruit extracts

Alagwa D. Kenneth^1,2*, Imemesiri Friday³ and David West²

¹Department of Science laboratory Technology, Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

²Clinical Virology Laboratory, Innovative Biotech Laboratory, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

³Microbiology Unit, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. 

Accepted 07 January, 2011

Abstract

Extracts of Gmelina arborea fruits have been locally used in Benue State, Nigeria by traditional practitioners for the treatment of wounds, sores, burns, vaginal discharges, etc. The antibacterial activity of Gmelina arborea fruit extracts (neat methanol and hexane) was investigated using the disk diffusion method. The test organisms were hospital/diagnostic laboratory isolates: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus morganis, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from wound swab, ear swab, stool and urine. Neat methanol extracts had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.001 μg each implying greatest activity while hexane extract had the highest MIC (100.0 μg). The neat extract inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli and Proteus morganis. The methanol extract inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus morganis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hexane extract inhibited only Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The width of inhibition zone is highly concentration dependent. Preliminary pytochemical analysis of aqueous and methanol extracts revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, reducing sugar, steroids, flavonoids and glycosides respectively. The findings of this study support the tradi-medical use of the plant fruit on wounds and other bacterial infections in Nigeria.

Key words: Gmelina arborea, growth, inhibition, extract photochemical screening.