Comparative clinical effectiveness of preoperative skin antiseptic preparations of chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone iodine for preventing surgical site infections in dogs.

Contamination of surgical sites often resulting from inadequate surgical site preparation and poor asepsis is a common cause of surgical site infection (SSI) and postoperative complications. Standard practice ensuring preoperative skin disinfection helps to prevent the incidence of SSI. The choice of antiseptic therefore poses a serious counterbalance for the surgeon. This study was carried out to determine whether skin asepsis immediately prior to surgical site incision will reduce skin microbial burden that may potentiate the incidence of SSI and to compare the clinical effectiveness of chlorhexidine gluconate B.P 0.3%W/V, Cetrimide B.P 3.05 W/V (CG + Cetrimide) against povidone iodine 10% (PI) in pre-surgical skin preparation and asepsis in dogs. A total of 15 dogs were used for the study. Both side of each dog was used for the study, right side for CG + Certrimide and left side for PI; (n = 30). Aseptic agents' chlorhexidine gluconate 0.3% and Cetrimide 3.0% and povidine iodine 10% were used as pre surgical scrub solutions prior to surgery. Swab samples were evaluated before scrubbing, 0, 30, 60 and 90 min after scrubbing. Percent reductions of bacterial colony forming units were determined for all site scrub techniques. Mixed-design ANOVA results revealed significant difference (P < 0.05) within groups and no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the disinfectant effects between groups treated with CG + Cetrimide and povidone iodine respectively across the various time periods. Changes in the mean bacteria count were observed to be equivalent using CG + Cetrimide and povidone iodine. It was concluded that there was no significant difference between CG + Cetrimide and PI in preoperative surgical skin preparations.

Comparative non-metric and morphometric analyses of rats at residential halls of the University of Benin campus, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: In mammals and across rat species, the variation in conformation is markedly observed in the head and the variation in the shape of the head is mostly determined by the shape of the skull. Hence comparative topographic analysis and morphometry is a veritable tool in precise categorization of peri-domestic rats and species identification. METHODS: Killed rodents around residential dwellings of students on campus were collected and measurements taken of external morphology. Thirty-one external head and corporal parameters; and 40 cranial measurements respectively were obtained. Topographic features and specific anatomical landmarks measured were matched using congruent anatomical landmarks and compared to referenced standard measurements. RESULTS: External morphometry suggests that all retrieved samples were more closely related to the species Rattus rattus. However, craniodental analysis of captured rats reveals variations from the mean of typical R. rattus. In comparison with Mastomys natalensis, the mean averages of the rat species were perceptibly different for only two of the parameters viz palatine fissure length (PL) (p=0.039) and distance between interparietal bone (DP) (p=0.06). In contrast, the mean of whole length of skull (WL), length of diastema (PI), length of nasal bone (NL), length of frontal bone (LF) and occipital width (OH) were significantly different from that of R. rattus with p values of 0.047, 0.036, 0.048, 0.032 and 0.034 respectively. CONCLUSION: This study focuses on peridomestic rat's identification within the University campus based on morphometry, providing unique landmarks for differentiation between Mastomys, Mus, Rattus and other rat species with emphasis on the need for more comprehensive investigation, categorization and morphometric profiling of rat population in Nigeria. Metric data generated for rat profiling in Nigeria is pivotal for a more comprehensive strategy for prevention of Lassa fever.