ABSTRACT

One hundred and twenty (120) roof-collected rainwater samples in six domestic cistern
sites in the suburbs of Benin City, southern Nigeria, were investigated in a cross-sectional
survey to determine the parasitological quality. Seventeen (14.2%) rainwater samples
analysed were contaminated with parasites and exceeded the acceptable limit of the WHO
for safe drinking water. Site environment had a significant effect on the parasitological
quality of rainwater samples. The degree of cleanliness of roof catchment surfaces,
gutters and cisterns or storage tanks differed from one cistern site to another and the
prevalence of positive samples for parasites’ contamination varied from 5% to 25%.
Rainwater samples from semi-urban cistern sites recorded 70.6% positivity of parasites’
contamination while those from rural sites had 29.4%. The use of various unhygienic
fetching containers to draw water from cisterns had a significant detrimental effect on
the parasitological quality of stored rainwater. Higher parasites’ contamination was
observed from water samples obtained using fetching containers (64.7%) than that
obtained directly from cisterns (35.3%). Eighteen species of parasites were isolated and
identified during the study. These were: Entamoeba histolytica, E. coli, Iodamoeba
buetschlii, Endolimax nana, Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, Giardia intestinalis,
Pentatrichomonas hominis, Chilomastix mesnili, Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp.,
Cyclospora spp. (Protozoa); Fasciola hepatica, Hymenolepis nana, H. diminuta
(Helminths); Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus
(Arthropoda). Overall, the results from this study suggest that roof-collected rainwater
stored in cisterns in the suburbs of Benin City, provided potable supplies of relatively
poor parasitological quality. It is proffered that adequate post-cistern treatment devices
such as filteration, disinfection, chlorination and boiling are necessary to eliminate or
prevent parasites’ contamination. Further research is advised to determine the health
risks associated with the consumption of untreated stored rainwater in the study area.

KEYWORDS:Parasitological quality, Roof-collected rainwater, Cistern, contamination, Treatment
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ABSTRACT

Malaria has remained a major killer disease in the tropics and its treatment has been
greatly hindered by increased drug resistance. This study evaluated hematological and
biochemical effect of doses of Halofantrine hydrochloride (HALFAN) a phenanthrene
methanol drug used for the therapeutic treatment of malaria on female albino rats.
Twenty (20) female albino rats divided into four (4) groups (A-D) of five (5) rats each
were used. Group A (control) received 0.1 mg/kg body weight of normal saline, while
groups B, C and D received 0.1mg/kg body weight of Halofantrine hydrochloride
administered orally three times at six hourly interval for two, four and six weeks duration
respectively. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC),
triacylglycerol (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
increased significantly (P < 0.05). The full blood count increased in a dose dependent manner. There was significant increase (P < 0.05) in the body weight of the rats. The results have shown that the drug could induce toxicological effect as the activities of ALT, AST and ALP increased significantly (p<0.05). The white blood cell count also increased in a dose dependent manner. These findings suggest that the drug might have some hepatotoxic effects.

KEYWORDS:Biochemical parameters, albino rats, Halofantrine Hydrochloride, Malaria, Toxicology
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ABSTRACT

Tomatoes plant and seeds have been affected by bacterial contamination and early infection,
during its developmtal stage resulting plant disease cases in affected farm-lands of Delta State.
Our study investigates isolation and molecular characterisation of Xanthomonas campestris from
tomatoes plant in Oghara. Four locations in the study area were surveyed while freshly harvested
tomato and suspected bacterial leaf spot infected tomato plant samples were collected and
analyzed. Standard microbiological techniques for the isolation of bacteria were employed.
Morphological and biochemical characteristics, viz., Gram’s reaction, colonial characteristics,
pigment production, KOH test, catalase test, starch hydrolysis, acid production, and gelatin
liquefication tests, were carried out. Further confirmation tests employing molecular
characterization using the bacterial universal primer fdl rp2 which targets the 16S rRNA region
of Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria as a specific primer pair, and Xanthomonas race
specific primers were used. Our results revealed 75 presumptive strains that showed positive
results to the various phenotypic tests performed. It was observed that 13 bacterial strains were
confirmed from all four locations as X. campestries, with occurrences as follows: leaves 2 (20%),
bacterial leaf spot infected tomato seed or bulb 4 (25%), freshly harvested tomato seed 1 (25%),
root and surrounding soil 4 (13.3%), and stem 2 (13.3%). A high level of bacterial contamination
was observed on the bacterial leaf spot affected tomato samples compared to the freshly and
aseptically collected and analyzed sample. The exposure of harvested tomato bulbs to the
environment while negating appropriate interpersonal hygiene may have spawned
contamination, infection of tomato bulbs, and the distribution of the potential pathogen in the
study area. The need for appropriate implementation of inter-personal hygienic practice among
farmers while handling the tomato bulb harvest cannot be overemphasized.

KEYWORDS:Xanthomonas campestris, Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria, Tomatoes, Primer fdl rp2, 16SrRNA gene sequencing
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ABSTRACT

Lubricating oil usually contains chemical additives including amines, phenols, benzenes,
calcium, zinc, barium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and lead. This study was done to
assess the changes in physicochemical and heavy metal properties of soil treated with spent
engine oil and poultry manure after 12 weeks of growing Phyllanthus urinaria. It was done
in the screen house of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Michael Okpara
university of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU). Soil samples at the depth of 0 – 15 cm, spent
engine oil and the manure were sourced from the vicinity of MOUAU. Completely
randomized designed (CRD) having only one factor (Spent engine oil) at five different levels
(Negative control, Positive control, 1%, 3% and 5%). Samples were tested for heavy metal
before and after treatment, physical and chemical properties. Data collected was subjected
to descriptive statistics to obtain the means and standard deviations. T-test analysis was used
to compare the difference in the heavy metal properties of soil and spent engine oil. Means
of laboratory analysis were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistically
significant means at 5% probability were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test
(DMRT) all the test was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26.
From the result, Significant variation (P<0.005) was observed between heavy metal soil and spent engine oil samples. The samples were largely acidic at a range of 4.55±0.07 to 6.91±0.01. The percentage sand level ranged from 55.20±0.00% to 75.81±0.01%, the silt was at a range of 11.41±0.01% of 3% to 22.00±0.00%, while clay was observed to be at a range of 6.81±0.01% to 23.00±1.41%. The highest phosphorus and Nitrogen level were observed to be 128.55±6.68 mg/kg and 0.29±0.01 % respectively. Effect of treatment was significant (P≤0.05) to soil nitrogen levels. Organic Matter (OM) ranges from 2.82±0.01 % of positive control sample to 6.10±0.01 % of 1 % sample. Treatment effect was significant (P<0.05) on physical and chemical properties of soil. The physical, chemical and heavy metal were significant (P≤0.05) to changes in their concentrations. Higher heavy metal was observed to be in spent engine oil than those of the farm soil. Confirming spent engine oil as soil contaminant. Higher OC, OM was seen in the soil of samples treated with spent engine oil. No traces of Pb and Zn was seen in the plant and soil used after 12 weeks of observation.

KEYWORDS:Heavy Metal, Manure Physicochemical, Soil, Waste Engine Oil
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ABSTRACT

Background: Combination of three antiviral drugs are used to treat adult and adolescent HIV
infection. These antiretroviral drugs stop an enzyme (reverse transcriptase) that HIV uses to
replicate itself. By doing this, they stop the infection from spreading. Objectives: the study is
aimed at evaluating therapeutic drug monitoring on co-formulated 600-mg efavirenz, 300-mg
tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and 300-mg lamivudine among HIV-positive patients. Methods: A
Retrospective longitudinal study was carried out from October, 2014 to November, 2015 at
Madonna Catholic Referral Hospital, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. All volunteer antiretroviral
therapy (ART)-naïve HIV-infected individual’s age above 18 years who were initiating ART were
enrolled consecutively and followed for six months. Socio-demographic data such as gender,
age, and occupational status, were recorded using a structured and pre tested questionnaire.
The samples were run using BD FACSCount analyzer (Becton Dickinson, USA). Results were
expressed as number of cells/μl. Reference range for CD4+ were taken as 600-1200cells/μl. CD4
T cells and CD8 T cell counts were enumerated using FACS (Fluorescent Antibody Cell Sorter,
Becton Dickinson). At baseline, 74 (49.0%) HIV-naïve cohorts had CD4 Count of <200 cells/μl, 67 (44.4%) had CD4 count of > 200 cells/μl and 10 (6.6%) had CD4 Count of >500 cells/μl. After
six months of their highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), 78 (51.7%) of HIV/AIDS
patients on HAART had CD4 count of >500 cells/μl followed by 73 (48.3%) of HIV/AIDS patients
on HAART had CD4 count of > 200 cells/μl (t = -22.794; p = 0.000). Findings showed that the
cohorts on HAART responded positively with increased in their CD4 count after 6 months of their
antiretroviral drugs. The study also supports the evidence by World Health Organization
guideline that recommend a Fixed–Dose Combination ART containing (non)-nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (TDF), Lamivudine (3TC), and efavirenz (EFV) as first-line HIV treatment.

KEYWORDS:CD4 Count, Naïve patients, HAART patients, First-line HIV treatment,
FACSCount analyzer
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ABSTRACT

Bandwidth (smoothing parameter) is considered the most crucial parameter in the
application of nonparametric regression model. For the purpose of selecting adaptive
bandwidths for the Local Quadratic Regression (LQR) in the response surface settings,
we present a modified Prediction Error Sum of Square (PRESS) criterion using a penalty
term derived from the sum of the range of kernel weights at each of the data points. LQR
is applied to a multiple response problem from the literature using the current PRESS
criterion and the proposed version for optimal bandwidth selection. The proposed
criterion gives comparatively better regression and optimization results than the current
PRESS criterion. The Sum of Squared Error (SSE) and the Coefficient of Determination
(R2) (both of which indicate the degree of closeness of the fitted values of the response to
the raw data) were used as the basis for comparing model performance and goodness-of-
fit. In order to compare the version that meets the process specifications for each of the
three responses simultaneously, the desirability measure (function) was applied. The
results presented show that the proposed version of the PRESS criterion gives the smallest
SSE (0.2127, 10.0027 and 65720 for y1,y2 and y3, respectively) and the largest R2 (99.2598, 97.2309 and 92.3804 for y1,
y2 and y3, respectively) across the three responses in the study. The proposed version gives a desirability measure
of 69.0639% trumping that of the existing version which gives a desirability measure of 40.7450%. A desirability
measure of 69.0639% indicates that the proposed version meets approximately 70% of
the process specification.

KEYWORDS:Desirability function, hat matrix, local quadratic regression, PRESS criterion, response surface study, process specification
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ABSTRACT

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major pathogen implicated in
healthcare and community associated infections. This study was aimed at determining
the antimicrobial resistance pattern and genotypic characteristics of some clinical MRSA
isolates from federal medical centre Umuahia and Abia State teaching hospital Aba both
in Abia State, Nigeria with respect to resistance and virulence genes. A total of 40 MRSA
isolates identified using cefoxitin discs were obtained from different clinical samples.
Antibiotic resistance to 15 different antibiotics was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc
diffusion method, DNA extraction was by boiling method and gene characterization by
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with appropriate primers. Results obtained showed
that all isolates were sensitive to vancomycin while all were resistant to cefoxitin and
ceftazidine. Resistance of the organisms to oxacillin, ceftriaxone and augmentin was also
high. PCR analysis revealed that 12 (30%) of the total isolates screened possessed mecA
gene, 7 (17.5%) harbored the beta-lactamase blaZ gene, 8 (20%) possessed the ermB
gene while 4 (10%) carried the pvl gene. The highest incidence of mecA gene was
obtained from wound samples while none was obtained from ear swabs. The study
establishes a high level of multiple drug resistance among the MRSA isolates and
presence of virulence genes in the isolates under study. Therefore, we recommend the
infection control department of the various hospitals in the area to screen for MRSA and
carry out risk factor analysis to determine accurate measures for controlling the spread
of MRSA

KEYWORDS:Antibiotic resistance, MRSA, resistance genes, virulence genes, PCR
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ABSTRACT

Response Surface Methodology (RSM) comes handy when a researcher wants to
determine the value of each of the explanatory variables that simultaneously optimize the
response variables. In the modelling phase of RSM, a suitable regression model is fitted
using the data generated from the experimental design phase. The fitted model is
subsequently subjected to an appropriate optimization routine in order to obtain the
optimal solution of the study. Currently, the semiparametric model robust regression 2
(MRR2) model is considered the best regression model for handling data emanating from
response surface studies. MRR2 is a hybrid model, combining estimates of the response
(output) from both the local linear regression (LLR) and the ordinary least squares (OLS)
via mixing parameters. When MRR2 is applied in response surface studies, the current
philosophy entails the exclusion of interaction terms in the model matrix of LLR
component of MRR2 irrespective of the statistical significance of the interaction terms in
the OLS model matrix. In this paper, we present results for a problem from the literature
in which the significant interaction terms in the OLS model matrix were duly included in
LLR model matrix. A multiple response problem from the literature was used to justify
the inclusion of the interaction terms in the LLR model matrix. It is found that the MRR2
applied with the interaction terms included outperforms its counterpart both in terms of
the goodness-of-fit statistics and the desirability-based optimal solutions. Specifically,
the MRR2 with the proposed model matrix gives better prediction errors in the three
responses as well as a desirability value of approximately 77.3% as against the 47.4%
for the MRR2 which disregards the significant interaction terms in its model matrix.

KEYWORDS:Local bandwidths, Local linear regression, Model matrix, Model robust regression 2, Response surface methodology, Semi-parametric regression
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ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS are major public health issues globally and the burden
of these diseases is particularly significant in Nigeria. This study therefore determined
the prevalence and distribution of co-infection of HIV and atypical mycobacteria among
individuals in Mercy Specialist Hospital Ahiaeke-Ndume, Abia State, Nigeria. A total of
the 115 individuals were enrolled into the study, 43.5% (50) males and 56.5% (65)
females. The serum was screened for anti-HIV antibodies using Trinity Biotech Uni-
GoldTM rapid test kit while the CD4+ cell count was determined using the flow cytometric
method. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were detected using sputum smear microscopy. The study
revealed that among the different age range between male and female individuals
investigated for HIV positive, the >50 years age group had the highest HIV prevalence
rate of 87.9%. The highest incidence of TB/HIV co-infection was seen in the 21-30 and
41-50 years age group, (83.3%) and 81.8% incidence rate each. The highest distribution
of study participants diagnosed with HIV/TB Co-infection (83.3%) was seen in the female
between 11-20 years age group. Among the 45 patients who tested positive for HIV/TB
co-infection, 44.4% had a CD4+ cell count of fewer than 200 cells/l, 37.8% had a CD4
value of 200–399 cells/l, 6.67% had a CD4 count of 400–599 cells/l, and 11.1% had a
CD4 count of less than 600 cells/l. The result indicated that HIV positive individuals have
higher risk of getting primary infection with M. tuberculosis. Therefore, better public
health education is required for the control of the HIV virus and the illness progression.

KEYWORDS:Tuberculosis, Atypical Mycobacteria, Acid Fast Bacilli, Co-infection, HIV
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ABSTRACT

This study examines healthcare professionals’ understanding of COVID-19 at Central
Hospital, Warri, Delta State, with a focus on its causes, preventive measures, and
environmental impacts. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM), a survey research design
involving 200 healthcare workers reveals high COVID-19 knowledge (96.4%) and
positive perceptions (85.5%) and attitudes (86.5%) towards its environmental impacts.
Many respondents (78.1%) report noticeable environmental changes due to the
pandemic. This research establishes a commendable level of COVID-19 understanding
among healthcare professionals, emphasizing robust awareness and knowledge. It also
underscores positive perceptions and attitudes towards the environmental effects of
COVID-19. Implementing recommendations can promote a holistic and sustainable
approach to addressing the pandemic’s complex challenges from an environmental
standpoint, prioritizing healthcare professionals’ safety and community well-being.

KEYWORDS:Pandemic Preparedness, Health Belief Model, Sustainable Practices, Community Awareness, Environmental Changes and Sustainability
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