RESUMO
A mycological survey of Nigerian currency (naira) notes in circulation in Benin City was undertaken to determine the fungal species present, so as to bring to light the health implications of their presence. A total of 84 naira notes comprising 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 naira denominations were obtained randomly from a bank, commuter bus, food canteen, and open market. Four-day old Potato Dextrose Agar cultures of diluted water diffusate of the currency notes were examined under the microscope and fungi were isolated and identified. The isolated fungi and their frequencies of isolation were A. flavus (90.5), A. fumigatus (42.9), A. terreus (57.1), A. flavipes (26.2) A. niger (59.5), Candida albicans (92.3), Rhizopus sp (2.7), Penicillium sp (4.0), Fusarium sp (12.8), and Saccharomyces cerevisae (16.1%). The frequencies of fungi isolated from the various denominations varied significantly at 0.05 probability. While the 50 naira denomination had the highest colony count (mean of means = 41 colonies/ml) the 500 naira had the lowest colony count (mean of means =8.3 colonies/ml). The high occurrence of fungi in the currency notes is of public health concern.
RESUMO
Genital samples from pregnant women were examined to determine the Candida species present and how some predisposing factors would affect the frequency of isolation of species. A total of 147 women (87 volunteer asymptomatic pregnant women and 60 asymptomatic nonpregnant women) were examined. High Vaginal Swabs (HVS) were collected in pairs while demographic data (age of individual; age of pregnancy; occupation and use of contraceptive pill) on each subject were obtained alongside. Samples were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar plates and incubated for 72 hours at 37oC. Results revealed five Candida species (C.albicans; C.glabrata; C.tropicalis; C.stellatoidea; C.parapsilosis) with 61.5; 17.9; 7.7; 5.1; 2.6frequency of isolation respectively; as against 73.7; 7.7; 1.4; 11.3; and 0.0for control. Women in the second trimester of pregnancy had the highest occurrence (68.8) while the age groups 24- 30 and 31-37 years had the highest occurrence in the control (46.2) and in the pregnant ones (51.7) respectively. Traders had 68.8; and full-time housewives; 26.7occurrence. More women who used contraceptives had Candida (58.3) as against non contraceptive users (35.3). The results support literature reports that there are high rates of colonization of the vagina of pregnant women by Candida. They also give credence to earlier reports that the factors determined here affect the frequency of isolation of Candida species from the vagina
