Detection of putative Salmonella enterica in retail chicken egg from a selected public market in the City of Manila

Background@#Salmonellosis is one of the most reported bacterial foodborne illnesses worldwide. Salmonella outbreaks are also prevalent in the Philippines, with egg-containing food and feces of chicken as implicated sources. The presence of Salmonella in eggshells and in egg content poses a significant threat to public health. Hence, this study aimed to determine the presence of S. enterica from different parts of chicken eggs sold in a public market in the City of Manila. @*Methodology@#A descriptive study design was employed to detect the presence of Salmonella spp. in different parts of retail chicken eggs. A total of 72 egg samples from 24 stalls were included. The methodology for isolation and identification of Salmonella followed the guidelines set by the US Food and Drug Administration as seen in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual with some additions and modifications. @*Results@#Contaminated eggs were found in 21 (87%) of the 24 stalls. A total of 29 (40%) out of 72 eggs were identified as the source of putative Salmonella isolates. Nineteen (66%) eggs had putative Salmonella isolates from the eggshell, while 7 (24%) had putative Salmonella isolates from the egg content. There were three (10%) eggs with both eggshell and egg content possibly contaminated with Salmonella. @*Conclusion@#The presence of putative Salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae highlight the need to strengthen food safety at the production and distribution levels of retail chicken eggs. There is also a need to establish a national surveillance system along with strengthened diagnostic capacity for S. enterica in the Philippines.

Comparing the bactericidal effect of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation between two time exposures against Bacillus Subtilis on personal protective equipment

Background@#In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as an infection control measure is recommended for healthcare settings to prevent the spread of the virus. However, given the increased demand for PPEs worldwide and the limited resources available in the country, supply shortages are experienced by many healthcare facilities and workers. Furthermore, most PPEs should be discarded after use and may only be reused under emergency situations. Thus, the study sought to determine how to maximize PPE usage. @*Objective@#The study aimed to compare the effect of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) against Bacillus subtilis between 30 and 40-minute periods. Specifically, the study targetted to establish if there is a difference in the mean percent reduction in CFUs of B. subtilis between that of the 40-minute and 30-minute treatment group of N95 FFRs and coverall suits. @*Methodology@#The study is a secondary research which builds upon the experimental results of the commissioned study conducted by the Department of Medical Microbiology (DMM), College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila researchers to conduct data analysis. Furthermore, the PPE evaluated were coverall suits and N95 filtering facepiece respirators. They inoculated a total of 30 samples with B. subtilis for each type of PPE and subjected them to UVGI treatment in 30 and 40-minute periods. This study then employed inferential statistics, particularly a two-sample independent t-test, to further analyze the data from DMM and assess the difference between the two UVGI exposure durations on PPE decontamination. @*Results@#After calculating and analyzing the data using OpenEpi, the mean percent reduction was statistically greater (p-value = <0.0000001, α = 0.05) in the 40-minute exposure than the 30-minute exposure. The mean percent reductions of the N95 respirators were 98.68% and 99.41% for the 30 and 40-minute exposures, respectively. On the other hand, the mean percent reductions of the coverall suits were 80.40% and 99.71% for the 30 and 40-minute exposures. @*Conclusion@#Based on the significant difference in bacterial reduction between the two time exposures, the longer UVGI time exposure was more effective as a disinfectant. The results of the study contributed to knowledge on infection control using UVGI and its possibility as a method of decontaminating PPEs.

Student learning needs during the pandemic

@#COVID-19 has disrupted daily living globally due to increased deaths and lockdowns that heavily affected 156 million learners as of July 2021. Over 28 million Filipino students had their classes cancelled for more than 41 weeks; hence, educational institutions have endeavored to continue teaching via alternative learning modes with remote learning as the most feasible. However, literature has mixed views of online education, citing positive and negative factors affecting learning. Thus, the objective of the article is to synthesize existing literature on the potential factors influencing student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Curricular design should take note of both physical and human factors. Physical factors include internet access and EdTech, while human factors include instructor's characteristics, curricular design, and student characteristics, attitudes, and psychosocial needs. Various steps such as ensuring internet access, training teachers, and characterizing students, alongside continuous feedback and timely preparation, are recommended to properly execute remote learning in emergencies.

The Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Primary Pediatric Caregivers towards COVID-19 in a Tertiary Hospital

Background@#Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that causes remarkable morbidities and mortalities worldwide. Public health measures have been implemented to control the spread of the disease. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the community have to be optimum for the successful implementation of the prevention and control measures. @*Objective@#Cognizant that children may possibly contribute to community transmission and that primary caregivers are the main educators of their children and implementers of preventive measures at the household level, the study aimed to determine the KAP of primary caregivers towards COVID-19 in a private tertiary hospital in Metro Manila, Philippines. @*Methodology@#The study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design employing a web-based self-administered survey to determine the KAP of primary caregivers towards COVID-19 in a tertiary hospital. @*Results@#There were a total of 149 respondents. Participants had a generally high knowledge of COVID-19, its symptomatology, and its prevention. Most of the respondents agreed that vaccination, quarantine, and community quarantine are necessary to prevent transmission. Primary caregivers responded that they protected their children by avoiding exposure and observing good hygiene measures. Despite the ongoing pandemic, most respondents would still bring their children to the doctor for routine vaccinations and consultations at the hospital when sick. @*Conclusion@#The findings of the study revealed a generally good KAP among the primary caregivers of pediatric patients which can help ensure the prevention and control of COVID-19. A strong health education campaign is needed to provide accurate information that will help sustain and/or increase compliance with COVID-19 prevention and control measures.