Phytochemical constituents and inhibitory activity of Sclerocarya birrea

Sclerocarya birrea [A. Rich] Hoechst, Anacardiaceae, is a medicinal plant mostly found and used medicinally in Southern and Western Africa particularly in Nigeria. The stem-bark powder of the plant was extracted separately using water, methanol and hexane as extraction solvents via percolation method. The extracts were tested for antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp. using disc diffusion and broth dilution techniques followed by tests to detect the presence of secondary metabolites using standard procedures. Bioassay test results showed that Salmonella spp. was more sensitive to the plant extracts than the other test isolates with higher sensitivity to methanol [9 mm] and hexane [8 mm] extracts using disc diffusion test while hexane extract was more active than the other extracts particularly against Salmonella spp. with MIC and MBC values of 250 and 1000 mg/ml respectively. The results of phytochemical screening indicated the presence of secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, reducing sugars, tannins and saponins in some or all the extracts. The plant extracts were found to show inhibitory activity against the test isolates and the activity of the extracts may be related to the presence of secondary metabolites, some of which are reported to be responsible for antimicrobial properties of medicinal plants. The results suggest that Sclerocarya birrea used in this study has the potential for the production of drugs against bacterial infections

Bacterial contamination of some hospital equipments in Kano, Nigeria

One hundred swabs of some hospital equipments that come in contact with patients were collected and analysed at five [5] different hospitals in Kano State, Nigeria. These were cultured on selective and enrichment media for the purpose of isolation and identification of bacterial pathogens. Plates with growth were Gram-stained and subjected to biochemical analysis. The results showed that 76% of the swabs were positive for bacterial growth. The isolated bacteria were Corynebacterium spp. [10%], Lactobacillus spp. [8%], Staphylococcus spp. [52%] and Streptococcus spp. [6%]. Isolation of potential pathogens on surface of hospital equipments indicated that these equipment predispose the patients to nosocomial infections, sometimes with lethal repercussion to both patients and healthcare providers

Evaluation of extended spectrum beta lactamases [ESBLs] production among Enterobacteriaceae isolates obtained from aminu Kano teaching hospital [AKTH], kano, Nigeria

Gram negative bacterial isolates in 404 gram quantity obtained from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital [AKTH], Kano, Nigeria, were subjected to biochemical characterization using standard procedures. All confirmed Enterobacteriaceae isolates were further subjected to screening for Extended Spectrum p-Lactamases [ESBLs] production using Double Disc Synergy Test [DDST] and National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards [NCCLS] test. Standard discs of Augmentin [AMC 30 ng [Oxoid, England]] and Cephotaxime [Ce 30 jig], Ceftazidime [Ca 30 ug] and Ceftazidime/Clavulanic acid [Cac 30 ng] [Hi-Media, India] were used in the screening. The results of DDST showed that 45 [11.39%] were ESBLs producers viz: Escherichia coli [16], Klebsiella species [14] and Proteus species [15] while that of confirmed ESBLs producers using NCCLS test was 24[6.08%]. These include; Escherichia coli [10], Klebsiella species [9] and Proteus species [5]. There exist significant differences in ESBLs production among the isolates when the results were subjected to chi-square statistical analysis. Detection of ESBLs among the clinical isolates is an indication of possible treatment failure using p-lactam antibiotics which is threatening to the current use ofp-lactam antibiotics in treatment of microbial infections