SPUTUM SMEAR PATTERN AMONG PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN MAKURDI, NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is endemic in Nigeria due mainly to the high burden of HIV/AIDS and especially in Benue state which has the highest prevalence of HIV in Nigeria. Sputum smear examination is of importance in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB and can be smear-positive or negative. In this study, we analyzed the sputum smear results of all patients diagnosed to have PTB during the time under review. METHODS: The study was a retrospective study done with records of patients diagnosed with PTB between July 2009 and July 2011. The sample size was 305. AIM: To determine the smear patterns in pulmonary tuberculosis and its relationship with HIV status. RESULTS: There was slight male preponderance among the study group. 37% were found to be smear positive, out of which 63.7% and 36.3% were males and females respectively. The highest frequency was between 21-40 years and in this age group there were more males than females.72.1% wereTB/HIV co-infected and 29.1% of the TB/HIV co-infected patients had smear-positiveTuberculosis. CONCLUSION: There is a high burden of TB/HIV co-infection affecting predominantly the youths. Sputum smear results in TB/HIV co-infection are largely negative. There is the need for provision of other diagnostic tests to improve the diagnosis of TB in our environment and targeted intervention among the youth to reduce the burden of TB/HIV.

The Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates from Clinical Specimens in a Tertiary Hospital; South East Nigeria

Pathogenic microorganisms resistant to commonly used antibiotics are of worldwide concern. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been reported worldwide and causes both hospital and community-associated infections in humans. Sixty-five (65) Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical samples were screened for methicillin resistance in order to evaluate the prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital; Abakaliki and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of MRSA strains. Susceptibility testing of the isolates to oxacillin and to some other conventional antimicrobial sensitivity discs commonly used in the study area was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Of the 65 Staphylococcus aureus isolates screened; 15 (23) were susceptible to methicillin while 50 (77) were resistant to methicillin. The Methicillin-resistant isolates showed 100resistance to ciprofloxacin; ceftriaxone; nitrofurantoin and erythromycin. The percentage resistance recorded for other antibiotics were ofloxacin (88); ampicillin (76); gentamicin (72); while the lowest resistance; (40) was recorded for vancomycin. It was noted that vancomycin is still the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of MRSA infections. It was concluded that the prevalence of MRSA is high in the study area; and this should necessitate caution in the prescription of antibiotics without proper indication