Prevalence of Vibrio species in Sea Foods and Water Sources in Cross River State

In the coastal areas of the world, most Vibrio species have been incriminated as notorious agents causing foodborne, wound and other infections. These pathogens are known to be associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked seafoods or the exposure of wounds to warm seawater. Aim: Therefore, this research work was designed with the aim of assessing the microbiological quality of the water bodies as well as the seafoods consumed in Cross River State (CRS). Study Design: The Study was designed using the completely randomized block design and the data was analyzed using of two-way analysis of variance, Generalized Linear Model Univariate analysis. Significant means were separated using the Least significant difference (LSD). Place and Duration of Study: This study was done in the Department of Microbiology, University of CRS, Calabar, CRS, Nigeria, between 2016-2019. Methodology: we evaluated a variety of seafoods viz; crayfish, blue crabs, Periwinkles, apple nails, red lobsters etc. collected from major Beaches, markets and other sale points and water sources (rivers streams sea and gutters) in Calabar, CRS of Nigeria, using standard bacteriological techniques, for the prevalence of Vibrio species. Results: The mean percentage mean viable cell counts obtained ranged from 1.79�45 (seawater)-9.15�79CFU/mL (gutter water) and 7.68�58 (Blue Crab)- 11.37�82 CFU/g (fish) in the Rainy season. The counts for the Dry season Ranged from 1.79 �42 (Seawater)-8.94� 4.51(gutter water), and 5.83 7.21 CFU/g (apple snail) -12.64 5.95 CFU/g (Fish). The total percentage mean counts obtained were 8.09�91 CFU/mL in the Rainy Season to 7.61�58 CFU/mL in the dry Season. From both seasons, the overall total mean count was 11.09�94 CFU/ml. From the nine locations evaluated in this study, it was observed that the Mean percentage counts for the Northern Senatorial District (NSD) ranged from 2.81� 3.49 (Ogoja)- 3.14 �07CFU/mL (Obudu). For the Central (CSD) the range was from 3.34 �20 (Boki)- 9.89 �15 (Ikom), while for the Southern (SSD) it was from12.01� 6.52 (Akamkpa)- 14.47 �44 (Calabar). The overall Total percentage mean counts from all the three Senatorial Districts was 14.03�86 CFU/mL. From the Northern Senatorial District, the total Percentage mean was 3.01�77 CFU/mL, 7.05�79 CFU/mL from the Central and 13.49� 5.72 CFU/mL from the Southern Senatorial District. The Vibrio pathotypes isolated include Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) (both O1 and non-O1 serotypes) 1155 (31.61%), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus), 752 (20.58%), Vibrio fluvialis (V. fluvialis) 480 (13.14%), V. vulnificus 473 (12.94%) Vibrio mimicus (V. mimicus) 400 (10.95%) and Other Vibrios 394 (10.78%). Out of the 3654 Vibrio isolates, the greatest number 663�31 (18.14%) were from Seawater, while the least 133�.84 (3.64%) were from the Gutter Water. Also, the highest number 1245�61 (34.07%) came from Calabar, and the least 102�.65 (2.79%) from Obanlikwu. The NSD had the least number 327 (8.95%), followed by the CSD with 570 (15.59%) and then the SSD with 2757 (75.45%) as the highest number of isolates. Conclusion: The presence of these pathogenic bacterial species in common seafoods in this area is of great public health concern. It is therefore important that serious emphasis be laid on proper cooking of these seafoods as well as the establishment of regular hygiene surveillance strategies in the state.

An Evaluation of the antimicrobial potency of Lasianthera africana (BEAUV) and Heinsia crinata (G. Taylor) on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans

Information on the potency of many African medical plants against microorganisms is scanty, and in the current wave of antimicrobial resistance against chemotherapeutic drugs, there is need to search for plants that could be resistance-free and affordable. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of the extracts of Lasianthera africana (E1) and Heinsia crinata (E2) in combination with chloramphenicol, on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphlococcus aureus and Candida albicans. For this purpose, the dilution sensitivity and disc diffusion techniques were respectively applied in determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the plant extracts, and the sensitivities of the organisms to the plant extracts and their combinations with chloramphenicol. L. africana and H. crinata showed very high antimicrobial activity against all the test organisms. In combination, the effect of E1 on E. coli and S. typhi was completely antagonized by that of E2, whereas additive effect on S. aureus and C. albicans was observed, indicating that the combination of E1 and E2 might be effective against gram positive pathogenic organisms. The combination of either plant extract with chloramphenicol produced synergistic effect on only C. albicans. The smaller MIC of E2 indicated greater effectivity than E1. It is concluded that the additive effect produced by the combination of the two plant extracts, and the synergic effect from the combination of any of the extracts with chloramphenicol, offer alternative therapy to gram positive bacterial infections and candidiasis respectively.

Incidence of enteric bacterial pathogens in water found at the bottom of commercial freezers in calabar, southeastern Nigeria.

Bacteriological analysis of water that accumulates at the bottom of freezers in restaurants when the power was cut in Calabar, southeastern Nigeria, was carried out using standard procedures. Mean heterotrophic bacterial counts and Escherichia coli counts ranged from 3.1 +/- 0.02 to 7.1 +/- 0.30 x 10(4) cfu/ml and 0.2 +/- 0.10 to 0.6 +/- 0.50 x 10(4) cfu/ml, respectively, indicating heavy bacterial contamination whose source was mostly fecal. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05, 0.01) in bacterial counts between freezers. Some biochemically identified enteric bacterial pathogens were Salmonella typhi, Shigella sp, enteropathogenic E. coli, Yersinia sp, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio cholerae O1 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This reveals that the hygienic quality of the food items stored in the freezers and the hygienic status of the restaurants are in doubt. Infection could be going on unnoticed and thus endemicity maintained in the area. The pathogens showed alarming antibiotic resistance. The water in the freezers was a "soup" in which different species of the enteric pathogens were close to each other and could transfer drug resistance among themselves. Public health education of restaurant operators in southeastern Nigeria is recommended.

Microbiological and biochemical assessment of the surface area of breast nipples and breast milk of lactating women in Calabar, southeastern Nigeria.

Microbiological and biochemical analyses of 59 breast nipple swab samples and 15 manually expressed breast milk samples of lactating mothers aged 15 to 40 years, was carried out using standard procedures. The incidence of bacterial species in swab samples was Staphylococus aureus (63.8%), Streptococcus sp (25.5%), Escherichia coli (6.4%) and Klebsiella sp (4.26%), indicating the poor sanitary status of the lactating mothers. S. aureus was recovered from only 1 (6.7%) of the milk samples, indicating that breast milk is relatively sterile. The nutritional values for the breast milk were 22.5 mg/ml (protein), 0.3 mg/ml (calcium), 3.5 mg/ml (sugar) and 300 microg/ml (vitamin A) in age group 15-20 years, and 16.4 mg/ml (protein), 0.16 mg/ml (calcium), 1.8 mg/ml (sugar) and 100 microg/ml (vitamin A) in the age group 36-40 years. In conclusion, the nutritive and antimicrobial properties of breast milk decrease with increasing age of lactating mothers. The need for public health enlightenment of lactating mothers regarding hygiene, and the provision of oral vitamin A supplement to infants, is discussed.