Molecular surveillance of shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli in selected beef abattoirs in Osun State Nigeria.

Shiga toxigenic strains of E. coli (STEC) known to be etiological agents for diarrhea were screened for their incidence/occurrence in selected abattoirs sources in Osogbo metropolis of Osun State, Nigeria using a randomized block design. Samples were plated directly on selective and differential media and E. coli isolates. Multiplex PCR analysis was used to screen for the presence of specific virulence factors. These were confirmed serologically as non-O157 STEC using latex agglutination serotyping kit. Sequence analysis of PCR products was performed on a representative isolate showing the highest combination of virulence genes using the 16S gene for identification purposes only. Results showed that the average cfu/cm2 was significantly lower in the samples collected at Sekona-2 slaughter slab compared with those collected at Al-maleek batch abattoir and Sekona-1 slaughter slab in ascending order at P = 0.03. Moreover, the average cfu/cm2 E. coli in samples collected from butchering knife was significantly lower when compared with that of the workers' hand (P = 0.047) and slaughtering floor (P = 0.047) but not with the slaughter table (P = 0.98) and effluent water from the abattoir house (P = 0.39). These data suggest that the abattoir type may not be as important in the prevalence and spread of STEC as the hygiene practices of the workers. Sequence analysis of a representative isolate showed 100% coverage and 96.46% percentage identity with Escherichia coli O113:H21 (GenBank Accession number: CP031892.1) strain from Canada. This sequence was subsequently submitted to GenBank with accession number MW463885. From evolutionary analyses, the strain from Nigeria, sequenced in this study, is evolutionarily distant when compared with the publicly available sequences from Nigeria. Although no case of E. coli O157 was found within the study area, percent occurrence of non-O157 STEC as high as 46.3% at some of the sampled sites is worrisome and requires regulatory interventions in ensuring hygienic practices at the abattoirs within the study area.

Prostate specific antigen and relative prostate weight data on effect of Tetracarpidium conophorum leaf extract on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological disorder of men, characterized by prostatic enlargement and urethral obstruction. In this study, BPH was induced in experimental groups by daily subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate (TP) for 3 weeks. Tetracarpidium conophorum was administered daily by oral gavage at a dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg BW of extract for three weeks, along with the TP injections and 5 mg/kg of finasteride for comparison. On day 21, the animals were sacrificed after anesthesia. Prostate were excised, weighed and used to determine relative prostate weight. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical screening was also done and it showed the presence of flavonoids (0.370 mg/ml), tannins (0.458 mg/ml), phenols (0.508 mg/ml) and steroids (0.257 mg/ml). The prostate specific antigen level was evaluated, the result showed the data for extract group 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, finasteride control group and BPH control group to be 0.186 ± 0.0023 ng/ml, 0.153 ± 0.005 ng/ml, 0.119 ± 0.0125 ng/ml and 0.332 ± 0.004 ng/ml respectively.

Persistence of acidosis in alloxan-induced diabetic rats treated with the juice of Asystasia gangetica leaves.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is gradually becoming a global health burden leading to an increase in the search for herbal hypoglycemic agents as alternatives to synthetic ones. Asystasia gangetica is one of the herbs used in folklore system of medicine for managing hypoglycaemia associated with diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influence of the juice of A. gangetica leaf on alloxan-induced diabetic rats was assessed by treating diabetic rats with 25%, 50% and 75% fresh juice and glibenclamide for 5 weeks. Afterwards, the plasma concentrations of glucose, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and bicarbonate were assayed spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: Treatment of the diabetic rats with the juice significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the elevated plasma levels of glucose to a level not significantly (P > 0.05) different from that of glibenclamide. The juice also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the plasma lipid peroxidation and improved the lipid profile, as indicated by a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the total cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio. However, there was a significant (P < 0.05) rise in the level of bicarbonate as result of the juice treatment from 28.15 ± 2.82 mmol/l in normal control to 60.83 ± 17.46 mmol/l in diabetic control and to 122.20 ± 34.68 mmol/l, 120.95 ± 35.09 mmol/l and 115.85 ± 11.79 mmol/l in 25%, 50% and 75% juice, respectively. CONCLUSION: Therefore, this inability of A. gangetica to prevent acidosis detracts from the potential of its usefulness in managing diabetes.