Phenotypic Characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Patients in Healthcare Institutions in Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is a cosmopolitan and pathogenic microorganism associated with various diseases spectra and antimicrobial resistance of public health importance. AIM: This study determined the phenotypic characteristics of S. aureus isolated from patients in healthcare institutions in Zaria metropolis. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was carried out in 5 healthcare institutions. Four hundred and twenty clinical samples were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Majority of the patients (54.3%) were within the age range 21-40 years and mean age of 26.04 ± 12 years. Approximately, 70% of the respondents had history of antibiotic use prior to consultation in the hospitals and were self-prescribed, and 91.2% were outpatients. The most commonly abused antibiotics were ampicillin-cloxacillin (19.5%) and cotrimoxazole (10.0%), and the mean duration of their use was 3.5 ± 1.3 days. The detection rate for S. aureus was 10% and 5.2% for MRSA. The S. aureus isolates showed the highest frequency of resistance against ampicillin 42 (100%), followed by penicillin G 39 (92.9%) and least was to gentamicin 5 (11.9%). The frequency of resistance for the MRSA were ampicillin 22 (100%), penicillin G 21(95.5%) and least was to gentamicin 2 (9.1%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations of oxacillin were greater than 128 µg /ml. CONCLUSION: The detection rate of S. aureus and MRSA strains are of great public health concern which requires continuous health education on rational use of antibiotics among others.

CONTEXTE: Staphylococcus aureus est un micro-organisme cosmopolite et pathogène associé à divers spectres de maladies et à une résistance aux antimicrobiens d'importance pour la santé publique. OBJECTIF: Cette étude a permis de déterminer les caractéristiques phénotypiques de S. aureus isolé chez des patients dans des établissements de santé de la métropole de Zaria. PLAN DE L'ÉTUDE: Une étude transversale en milieu hospitalier a été menée dans 5 établissements de santé. Quatre cent vingt échantillons cliniques ont été recueillis et analysés. RÉSULTATS: La majorité des patients (54,3 %) étaient âgés de 21 à 40 ans et l'âge moyen était de 26,04 ± 12 ans. Environ 70 % des répondants avaient des antécédents d'utilisation d'antibiotiques avant la consultation dans les hôpitaux et étaient auto-prescrits, et 91,2 % étaient des patients externes. Les antibiotiques les plus fréquemment utilisés étaient l'ampicillinecloxacilline (19,5 %) et le cotrimoxazole (10,0 %), et la durée moyenne de leur utilisation était de 3,5 ± 1,3 jours. Le taux de détection de S. aureus était de 10 % et de 5,2 % pour le SARM. Les isolats de S. aureus ont montré la plus grande fréquence de résistance à l'ampicilline 42 (100%), suivie de la pénicilline G 39 (92,9%) et la plus faible à la gentamicine 5 (11,9%). La fréquence de résistance pour le SARM était de 22 (100%) pour l'ampicilline, 21 (95,5%) pour la pénicilline G et 2 (9,1%) pour la gentamicine. Les concentrations minimales inhibitrices de l'oxacilline étaient supérieures à 128 µg /ml. CONCLUSION: Le taux de détection des souches de S. aureus et de SARM est un grand problème de santé publique qui nécessite une éducation sanitaire continue sur l'utilisation rationnelle des antibiotiques entre autres. Mots clés: S. aureus, MRSA, phénotype, résistance aux antimicrobiens, patients d'hôpitaux, Nigeria.

Phenotypic Characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Patients in Healthcare Institutions in Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is a cosmopolitan and pathogenic microorganism associated with various diseases spectra and antimicrobial resistance of public health importance.Aim: This study determined the phenotypic characteristics of S. aureus isolated from patients in healthcare institutions in Zaria metropolis.STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was carried out in 5 healthcare institutions. Four hundred and twenty clinical samples were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Majority of the patients (54.3%) were within the age range 21­40 years and mean age of 26.04 ± 12 years. Approximately, 70% of the respondents had history of antibiotic use prior to consultation in the hospitals and wereselfprescribed, and 91.2% were outpatients. The most commonly abused antibiotics were ampicillin-cloxacillin (19.5%) and cotrimoxazole (10.0%), and the mean duration of their use was 3.5 ± 1.3 days. The detection rate for S. aureus was 10% and 5.2% for MRSA. The S. aureus isolates showed the highest frequency of resistance against ampicillin 42 (100%), followed by penicillin G 39 (92.9%) and least was to gentamicin 5 (11.9%). The frequency of resistance for the MRSA were ampicillin 22 (100%), penicillin G 21(95.5%) and least was to gentamicin 2 (9.1%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations of oxacillin were greater than 128 µg /ml. CONCLUSION: The detection rate of S. aureus and MRSA strains are of great public health concern which requires continuous health education on rational use of antibiotics among others

Factors influencing health seeking behaviour among residents of Basawa community, Sabon Gari l.G.A. Kaduna State, Nigeria

Background: The health of the citizenry is crucial to the growth and development of any nation. Nigeria is riddled with poor health indices ranging from maternal mortality to infant mortality rates. It has been established that health-seeking behaviour has a strong influence on health status, morbidity and mortality indices of a society. It also drives utilisation of health services and is affected by predisposing, enabling and need factors. This study assessed the factors influencing health-seeking behaviour among residents of Basawa community, Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in September 2017 among 125 residents of Basawa community selected by systematic sampling technique. Data was collected using asemi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 21. The results were presented as tables and charts among others. Level of statistical significance was set at p <0.05. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 42±10 years. Majority of the respondents were male (60.8%) and married (90.4%). About two-thirds of the respondents delayed for more than 24 hours before seeking healthcare. Long waiting time (55.2%), the attitude of health workers (22.4%) and the high cost of drugs (22.4%) were given as barriers to health care utilisation. High cost of services, type and severity of illness and attitude of health care workers are the main determinants of health-seeking behaviour. There was a statistically significant relationship between education, monthly income and delay in seeking health care. Conclusion: The study showed several factors that influence health care seeking behaviour. In view of the multifactorial determinants of health-care seeking behaviour, there is need for health workers to be trained and retrained to improve on their attitude, and the provision of community-based social health insurance scheme by the government among others

HUMAN RIGHTS AND NIGERIAN PRISONERS--ARE PRISONERS NOT HUMANS?

In Nigeria, just like in many other parts of the world, one of the most extensively discussed issues on the public agenda today is the increase in prison population. The aims of imprisonment are protection, retribution, deterrence, reformation and vindication. Investigations revealed that the prison services have been,neglected more than any other criminal justice agency in Nigeria. For example, most of the prisons were built during the colonial era for the purpose of accommodating a small number of inmates. Human Rights are the basic guarantees for human beings to be able to achieve happiness and self-respect; consequently, in most jurisdictions, the Human Rights Act confirms that these Rights do not stop at the prison gates. However, most States fail to meet the Human Rights obligations of their prisoners. As regards to health, for example, every prison should have proper health facilities and medical staff to provide dental and psychiatric care among others. This article discusses the Nigerian Prison System and challenges, trends and the related Human Rights and Ethical issues in Nigerian prisons. Some of the unmet needs of Nigerian prisoners which include, inter alia, living in unwholesome cells, delayed trial of inmates, lack of voting rights, access to information, lack of conjugal facilities for married prisoners, poor and inadequate nutrition, poor medical care, torture, inhumane treatment and the need to protect prisoners in a changing world. The present report has policy implications for reforming prison services in Nigeria, and countries that sing from the same song sheet with Nigeria on prison services, to conform to the Fundamental Human Rights of prisoners in the 21St century.

An assessment of knowledge of HIV/AIDS and associated risky behavior among inmates of Kaduna convict prison: the implications for Prevention Programmes in Nigerian Prisons.

BACKGROUND: Prisoners worldwide have a significantly higher prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Despite this, little is known of inmates' knowledge, behaviour and access to services, especially in developing countries. This study assessed the characteristics, HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitude and associated risky behavior among inmates of a prison in northern Nigeria. METHODS: A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered on a cross-section of 374 inmates of Kaduna convict prison in northern Nigeria. Information was elicited on their sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitude and indulgence in risky behaviour. RESULTS: About 96.1% of the inmates had heard about AIDS. Majority of them (70%) were ignorant of the causative agent; however, knowledge of route of disease transmission was high, with 91%, 67% and 46.7% of inmates mentioning sexual activity, unscreened blood transfusion and sharing unsterilized blades, respectively. They listed abstinence, faithfulness, use of condoms, new needles, syringes and blades as protective measures. Overall, 39.5%, 48.7% and 11.8% of the respondents had good, fair and poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS, respectively. Only 64 (14.9%) inmates reported having sexual intercourse in prison. These sexual encounters were homosexual in 56.2% of cases and heterosexual in 43.8% of cases. Only 28 (43.8%) of the sexually active inmates claimed to have used condoms regularly. Respectively, 72.3% and 70.8% of inmates shared barbing clippers and razor blades. There was a strong association between educational attainment and knowledge of HIV/AIDS (2 = 28.3 df = 6 P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Although more than two thirds of the inmates had adequate knowledge of HIV/AIDS, there were gaps, misconceptions and high-risk behaviour. Well-designed information, education an communication (IEC) programmes on AIDS should be developed for inmates of prisons nationwide.