Abstract: Tuberculosis, one of the oldest recorded human afflictions, is still one of the biggest killers among the infectious diseases, despite the worldwide use of a live attenuated vaccine and several antibiotics. This study was designed to assess the resistance rate distribution of MDR-TB among pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending Nnamdi Azikiewe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi and St Patrick’s Hospital Mile 4 Abakaliki in the Southeast Nigeria. Patients with persistent cough for over two weeks were screened by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) technique for the presence of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in their sputum and a total of 103 patients with AFB positive sputum samples were recruited. The positive sputum samples were subjected to Xpert MTB/RIF assay (GeneXpert®, Cepheid USA) and culture on Lowestein Jensen medium for 42 days at 37°C. Drug susceptibility testing was done on the isolates using the nitrate reduction assay (NRA). Xpert MTB/RIF assay detected MTB in 83 (80.6%) samples out of which 45 (67.2%) were rifampicin resistant. Sixty-seven (80.7%) of the isolates were resistant to at least one of the first-line drugs. Primary resistance was 91% while 19.4%, 35.8%, 22.4% and 22.4% of the isolates were resistant to one, two, three and four drugs respectively. Isoniazid had the highest rate of resistance (57.8%) while Ethambutol had the least (34.9%) and 30 (44.8%) of the resistant isolates were MDR. Smoking (P=.002), gender (P=.002) and history of TB treatment (P=.012) were significantly associated with drug resistance. Educational status was significantly associated with MDR-TB (P=.020). NAUTH and St Patrick’s hospital had MDR-TB rates of 38.9% and 46.9% respectively. The findings of this study indicate high prevalence of MDR-TB among patients with pulmonary TB in the study sites and this portrays a menace to adequate TB control. Prompt diagnosis of TB, adequate patient compliance to therapy and increased awareness and mass education is recommended.Abstract: Tuberculosis, one of the oldest recorded human afflictions, is still one of the biggest killers among the infectious diseases, despite the worldwide use of a live attenuated vaccine and several antibiotics. This study was designed to assess the resistance rate distribution of MDR-TB among pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending Nnamdi Azikiewe Un...Show More
Abstract: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) among pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi and St Patrick’s Hospital Mile 4 Abakaliki demographically. Patients with persistent cough for over two weeks were screened by Ziehl-Neelsen ZN technique for the presence of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in their sputum and a total of 103 patients with AFB positive sputum samples were recruited. The positive sputum samples were subjected to Xpert MTB/RIF assay (GeneXpert®, Cepheid USA) and culture on Lowestein Jensen medium for 42 days at 37°C. Drug susceptibility testing was done on the isolates using the nitrate reduction assay (NRA). Eighty-three 83 (80.6%) of the isolates were obtained from culture after suspected colonies were subjected to morphological, biochemical, and immunological tests and out of the 83 (80.6%) samples analysed by Xpert MTB/RIF assay 45 (67.2%) were rifampicin resistant. Age group 26-35 years showed the highest proportion of positive culture results (33.7%) followed by age group 18-25 (28.8%) years. Demographically, age group 26-35 years had a high prevalence rate of MDR-TB (50.0%) and female gender also showed high prevalence rate of MDR-RB (48.5%). Strikingly, educational status was significantly associated with MDR-TB (P=.020). St Patrick’s hospital had a high prevalence rate of MDR-TB (46.94%) when compared with NAUTH (38.9%) and these indicates that there is high prevalence of MDR-TB among patients with pulmonary TB in these sites. The demographic results of this study calls for urgent and serious intervention as MDR-TB prevalence is increasing even in the face of intense national TB control program.Abstract: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) among pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi and St Patrick’s Hospital Mile 4 Abakaliki demographically. Patients with persistent cough for over two weeks were screened by Ziehl-Neelsen ZN tec...Show More
Abstract: M. charantia is an important medicinal plant belongs to family cucurbitaceae. It originates from India, Malasiya and is widely spread all over tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world. This research work has been designed to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial and toxicological potential of M. charantia. The antifungal and antioxidant components of M. charantia leaves, seeds and peels were extracted by using four solvent systems (80% methanol, 80% ethanol, 100% methanol and 100% ethanol) andleaves presented maximum extract yield (22.7 g/100g DW) in 80% methanolic solvent system. Phytochemical analysis of M. Charantia leaves, seeds and peels extracts performed in terms of total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, showed that 80% methanolic leaves extract offered highest total phenolic contents (47.1 mg GAE/g DW), whereas80% ethanolic leaves gave maximum total flavonoid contents (67.3 mg CE/g DW). The phenolic contents were also analysed by HPLC. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity and measure of reducing power. Results revealed that 80% methanolic leaves extract showed highest radical scavenging activity and reducing potential. Antimicrobial activity of M. charantia leaves, seeds and peels was investigated by Disc Diffusion Method and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Results showed that 80% methanolic extract of leaves exhibited highest antibacterial and antifungal potential against P. multocida (30 mm DIZ) and A. paraciticus (28 mm DIZ), respectively. Cytotoxicity analysis was performed on BHK-21 cell by adopting the MTT assay. The cytotoxicity activity of the 80% methanolic extract of leaves was evaluated by noticing the cell survival percentage (53.4%). Overall results of the present study showed that 80% methanolic leaves extracts of M. charantia possesses very good antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties.Abstract: M. charantia is an important medicinal plant belongs to family cucurbitaceae. It originates from India, Malasiya and is widely spread all over tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world. This research work has been designed to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial and toxicological potential of M. charantia. The antifungal and ...Show More