International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (4), pp. 001-004, April, 2020. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Genetic variation and relationship in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from human and food samples using random amplified polymorphic DNAs

Olorunfemi, O.B.*, Onasanya, A.A. and Adetuyi, F.C.

Microbiology Department, Federal University of Technology. P.M.B.704, Akure.

Accepted 13 January, 2020

Abstract

A genetic characterization of 18 different isolates of Staphylococcus aureus using random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) was carried out. Out of one hundred primers tested, ten showed polymorphism. The amplification reactions with the 10 primers generated 88 bands, 51 of which is polymorphic with band size ranging between 200 and 3,000 bp. Variation and relatedness between different isolates were determined by converting RAPD data into a Jaccard similarity matrix and analysed by UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method, arithmetic average) to produce completely twelve different groups at 100% Jaccard similarity and at 50% coefficient of similarity. The isolates were classified into two major groups, the first comprises of mildly and weakly virulence, while the other group are the highly virulence Staphylococci. The results demonstrated that the RAPD technique may be of great use in the classification of S. aureus.

Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, Genetic classification, RAPD technique.

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (4), pp. 001-004, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of community-associated multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among healthy women in Abuja, Nigeria

Onanuga, A.*, Oyi, A. R., Olayinka, B.O. and Onaolapo, J. A.

Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.

Accepted 08 November, 2019

Abstract 

Antimicrobial resistance has become a great public health problem worldwide and multi-drug resistance Staphylococcus aureus has been widely reported. This study determined the pattern of resistance to ten commonly used antibiotics. Urine samples collected from healthy women volunteers in the Abuja were cultured and screened for S. aureus using standard microbiological procedures. The antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was investigated using disc diffusion technique. A total of 60 (40%) S. aureus isolates were isolated from 150 urine samples collected. Of these, 19 (32%), 22 (36%) and 19 (32%) were from married but not pregnant, pregnant and single women, respectively. The isolates were highly resistant to ampicillin (91.7%), clindamycin (78.3%), cephalexin (75%), methicillin (71.7%) and vancomycin (68.3%) but had very low resistance to gentamicin (3.3%), ciprofloxacin (3.3%), ofloxacin (3.3%), sparfloxacin (3.3%) and pefloxacin (10.0%). A total of 43 (71.7%) of the isolates showed multi-drug resistance and only 3 (5%) were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested. Multi-drug resistant S. aureus is highly prevalent in the urine of healthy women investigated in Federal Capital Territory. This calls for effective measures against irrational use of antibiotics.

Key words: Prevalence, community-associated, antibiotics, multi-resistant, Staphylococcus aureus, healthy women.

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research paper

A seroepidemiological study of rift valley fever virus among slaughter houses' workers in Saudi Arabia

Esam I. Azhar^1*, Tariq A. Madani², Moujahed Kao¹ and Ghazi A. Jamjoom¹

¹Special Infectious Agent Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. Box 128442, Jeddah 21362, Saudi Arabia.

²Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Accepted 12 April, 2019

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the activity of the Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) in non-exposed regions in Saudi Arabia following the outbreak that had occurred in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia in 2000 - 2001. An Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to detect anti-RVFV IgG antibodies among subjects working in abattoirs or adjacent livestock holding yards as a high risk group and healthy blood donors as a control group in seven non-epidemic regions of Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Makkah, Al-Madina, Riyadh, Taif, Dammam, Yanbou). The serological tests were carried out at the Special Infectious Agents Unit, Biosafety Level 3, King Fahd Medical Research Centre, at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. A total of 1256 high-risk subjects (working in abattoirs or adjacent livestock holding yards) and 1216 blood donors were studied. Only 9 of 1256 (0.72%) high risk subjects and 2 of 1260 (0.16%) blood donors were RVFV IgG positive. All nine high risk RVFV-IgG positive subjects were of Bangladeshi nationality, whereas the two positive donors were of Saudi nationality from Dammam city. High risk practice that increases the risk of exposure to RVFV infection at work or at home was also studied. The reason for positive RVFV-IgG in the two supposedly-low risk blood donors was likely an old exposure to the virus in the epidemic regions (Jazan, Tihama of Asir, and Al-Qunfuda) back in 2000 - 2001. This could not be confirmed as it was not possible to contact these two donors to inquire about a past history of visiting any of the epidemic regions. The study confirms that the RVF epidemic in Saudi Arabia was confined to the epidemic regions (Jazan, Tihama of Asir, and Al-Qunfuda) with no serological evidence of spread of the infection among human subjects living outside the epicenters. The preventive measures undertaken at the time of the epidemic and thereafter by the concerned parties such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Municipality, clearly prevented the spread of RVFV to the rest of Saudi Arabia.

Key words: Rift valley fever virus, epidemic, Saudi Arabia.

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Incidence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) among pregnant women in Akwa metropolis, Southeastern Nigeria

C. H. Obiogbolu¹, I. O. Okonko²*, C. O. Anyamere ³, A. O. Adedeji⁴, A. O. Akanbi ⁵, A. A. Ogun⁶, J. Ejembi⁷ and T. O. C. Faleye²

¹Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ibadan College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria.

³Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.

⁶Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

⁷Department of Clinical Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Accepted 21 November, 2019

Abstract

This study reports the bacteriological aetiology and incidence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at hospitals in Akwa metropolis, Southeastern Nigeria. A total of 100 mid-stream urine samples were collected and cultured for the presence of bacterial pathogens, 54 showed significant bacterial growth while 46 showed no significant bacterial growth. Bacterial agents were isolated from 54 pregnant women and were identified as: Escherichia coli; Klebsiella spp., Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Escherichia coli [20(37%)] was the commonest offending bacterial pathogen isolated. Other bacterial pathogens incriminated in this study were Klebsiella spp. [11(20.4%)], Proteus mirabilis [9(16.7%)], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [7(13%)], Staphylococcus aureus [4(7.4%)] and Staphylococcus epidermidis [3(5.6%)]. The study indicated a high incidence of UTIs (54%) though most of the pregnant women showed no clinical manifestation.

Key words: Bacteria, pathogens, antibiotics sensitivity, resistance, urine, urinary tract infection.

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Is there a need for ototoxicity monitoring in patients with HIV/AIDS?

Khoza-Shangase Katijah

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 19 November, 2019

Abstract

This paper reviews published research on hearing loss in adults with HIV/AIDS with a special focus on the possibility of ototoxicity of the medications used in clinical management of this population. Findings from all published papers on the subject, which include but are not limited to case reports, cross-sectional, as well as longitudinal studies where ototoxicity monitoring of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) was conducted, are presented. The author offers an introduction to hearing loss in HIV/AIDS with reference to the primary effects of the disease itself as well as effects of opportunistic infections on the auditory function, before delving into iatrogenic hearing loss due to ART and other therapies that this population gets exposed to; and while doing so highlights the need for establishment and implementation of ototoxicity monitoring protocols as part of routine clinical management in Africa; as well as putting forward a recommendation of placing auditory function of adults with HIV/AIDS in developing countries on the healthcare and research agenda. Review of the literature in this field reveals that ototoxicity in adults with HIV/AIDS does exist; although minimal reporting of this morbidity is available in the academic literature. Literature also indicates that the reported causes as well as contributing factors to ototoxicity are varied. Documented information on ART ototoxicity is mainly of case reports, and where bigger samples are described; the studies are based on retrospective cross sectional data review with many of these studies lacking the use of sensitive audiological monitoring tools. Moreover, reports reviewed have mainly been international reports, with only one from Africa. Evidence on ototoxicity related to ART is sparse, however literature reviewed and studies presented highlight the need for intensified research into this area, particularly in developing countries where the volume of evidence is even less; despite these countries being the hardest hit by the pandemic with exposure to ART being an increasing phenomenon.

Key words: Antiretroviral drugs, aminoglycosides, Africa, ototoxic, hearing loss, audiology, monitoring.

International Journal of Medical Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-008, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Adherence of HIV/AIDS patients to antiretroviral therapy in a tertiary health facility in Benin City

Patrick O Erah* and John E Arute

Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]    or [email protected] Tel: +234-802-336-0318

Accepted 18, September 2019

Abstract

Adherence to ART is a major predictor of the success of HIV/AIDS treatment. We assessed adherence to ART in Benin City and identified the contributing factors. In a prospective study, we evaluated adherence to ART among 125 outpatients in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City using self-reporting and pill counting methods and determined the predictors using bivariate analysis. Structured interview was used to evaluate access to medicines and patients’ factors affecting treatment adherence. Adherence level of 58.1% ± 2.4% was observed which was significantly lower than those reported in many other sub- Saharan African countries. The adherence was dependent on adverse effects and educational level of patients. Poor financial status, medication adverse effects, lack of confidentiality, occupational factors and stigmatization were the major reasons given for non-adherence. All the prescribed medicines were always in stock during the study period but some patients had stock out of medicines at home. It is concluded that the level of adherence to ART in a poor resource health facility in Nigeria is comparable to levels reported from North America. Poverty, medication adverse effects, confidentiality, occupational factors, and stigma and discrimination were the major determinants of the level of adherence.

Key words: HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral therapy, adherence, access to medicines.