PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C L Obi

Publications and source records attributed to C L Obi.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

The antibacterial effect of honey on diarrhoea causing bacterial agents isolated in Lagos, Nigeria.

The antibacterial effect of local honey on local isolates of bacterial agents of diarrhoea was determined by an in vitro method involving the impregnation of filter paper discs in undiluted honey and different honey concentrations ranging from 10%-50%. The discs were later placed on plates that have been seeded with the different bacteria and zones of inhibition of growth were measured after a 48 hr. period of incubation. Results presented show that undiluted honey and honey at concentrations of 40% and above were inhibitory to all enteropathogens tested. Zones of inhibition of growth around the disc margin of the various enteropathogens tested ranged from 16-18mm in diameter for the local undiluted honey and 7-12mm in diameter for concentrations of honey at 40% and 50%. The possible mechanisms of this inhibitory effect of local honey are discussed.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1994

Prevalence of Candida species in Nigerian children with diarrhoea.

A total of 257 stool specimens comprising 203 from diarrhoeal children and 54 asymptomatic controls were collected from patients attending different hospitals/clinics in Lagos and Ekpoma, Nigeria and were screened for fungal agents using standard methods. Of the total number screened, 165 (64.2%) patients had fungal agents in their stools. Of these, 157 (77.3%) patients had diarrhoea and 8 (14.8%) patients were asymptomatic. Of these total number of positive isolates, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. glabrata and C. parasilosis accounted for 59.4%, 30.9%, 5.0%, 3.0% and 1.8% in that order. Results revealed a significant relationship (p < 0.05) between fungi and incidence of diarrhoea in children. There was no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between the age group studied and the incidence of fungal diarrhoea in children. The sex of the children also showed no significant relationship (p > 0.05) with the incidence of fungal diarrhoea. Results have revealed the emergence of Candida species in cases of childhood diarrhoea in our environment.

Candida↗
PubMed1993

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody among apparently healthy pregnant women in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in pregnancy in our community. METHOD: A prospective study on 250 pregnant women currently attending the antenatal clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital was carried out in 1991. RESULT: Results obtained showed that of the 250 pregnant women screened only two (0.8%) were seropositive for HIV. This indicates the risk of vertical or materno-fetal HIV transmission in our community and underscores the need for urgency for prospective monitoring of infants born to HIV seropositive women. CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence rate of HIV seropositivity amongst the otherwise healthy Nigerian pregnant women is only 0.8%, we advocate universal screening of HIV during pregnancy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

HIV seropositivity among female prostitutes and nonprostitutes: obstetric and perinatal implications.

Serum samples totaling 600 were obtained from female prostitutes (300) resident in different hotels in Lagos, Nigeria and nonprostitutes (300) attending different health centers for routine check-up in Lagos, Nigeria. Sera obtained were screened for the prevalence of HIV seropositivity among prostitutes in comparison with nonprostitutes by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the Abbott test kits as recommended by the manufacturers. Positive sera were subjected to confirmatory testing using the Western Blot test-New Lav Blot I and II. Our results revealed that of the 300 prostitutes and nonprostitutes screened, 50 (16.67%) and 6 (2%) were HIV seropositive, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). For antibody to HIV-1, 44 (88%) and 5 (83%) of the positive cases recorded among prostitutes and nonprostitutes were seropositive. Four (8%) and one (16.67%) of the positive cases were HIV-2 seropositive for prostitutes and nonprostitutes, respectively. Only 2 (4%) of the positive samples from prostitutes showed reactivities with HIV-1 and HIV-2 (simultaneous infection or dual reactivity). Incidence of the dual reactivity was not recorded among the nonprostitutes screened. This study is expected to provide baseline data on HIV seropositivities among prostitutes and nonprostitutes in Nigeria. The biomedical application of this study is that it will also serve as strong evidence to indicate the high prevalence of HIV seropositivity among prostitutes in order to attract government intervention to step-up control measures.

Female↗
PubMed1993

A comparison of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity and hepatitis B surface antigenemia (HBs Ag) among the same group of apparently healthy pregnant women in Lagos, Nigeria: a preliminary report.

Two hundred and fifty apparently healthy pregnant women attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria were screened for a comparison of the prevalence of HIV seropositivity and hepatitis B surface antigenemia (HBs Ag) amongst them. The Karpas AIDS cell test for HIV seropositivity and Bioman Hepatitis test kits were used as described by the manufacturers. HIV seropositive cases were confirmed using the Western blot test. Results revealed that out of the 250 pregnant women screened, 2 (0.8%) and 11 (4.4%) were HIV-1 and HBs Ag seropositive, respectively. However, the same 2 pregnant women now constituting 2 (18.2%) of the 11 HBs Ag positive pregnant women were simultaneously HIV-1 seropositive. Antibody to HIV-2 was not recorded in all HIV seropositive cases. This is the first report on the simultaneous prevalence of HBs Ag and HIV seropositivity among apparently healthy pregnant women in Lagos, Nigeria.

Comorbidity↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of the pathogenicity and virulence of Yersinia species isolated in Edo and Delta States of Nigeria.

Sixteen isolates of four species of Yersinia comprising five of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia fredricksenii, four of Yersinia intermedia and two of Yersinia kristensenii isolated from domestic and wild animals in villages in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria, were evaluated for their pathogenicity using laboratory animal models and virulence characteristics tests which included autoagglutinability, calcium dependency for growth, heat-stable enterotoxin production and conjunctivities in guinea pig eye. Results obtained revealed that Yersinia enterocolitica isolates were enteropathogenic as demonstrated by the production of diarrhoea and eventual recovery from faeces, spleen and liver of the infected animals. Three (60%) (2 serotypes 0:3 and 1 serotype 0:8) of the five Yersinia enterocolitica isolates were lethal to the animals. Other Yersinia isolates (Yersinia kristensenii, Yersinia fredricksenii and Yersinia intermedia) were uniformly non pathogenic to the animals. However, a strain of Yersinia intermedia isolate produced diarrhoea in the inoculated animals and caused lethality in guinea pigs and mice, but was negative for autoagglutination test, calcium dependency, conjunctivities, and positive for heat-stable enterotoxin production. We are of the view that this strain may be another Yersinia intermedia--like bacterium, previously isolated in Nigeria. Results therefore, suggest an emergence of a pathogenic Yersinia intermedia species in this environment.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1993

Cardiac myxomas: surgical treatment, long-term results and recurrence.

Long-term results of the surgical treatment of cardiac myxomas are not completely understood due to its recurrence. We review our experience in 27 operated cases with a follow-up to 22 years (mean 6.5 years), in order to throw light on results and review the problem of recurrence. One patient had a previous recurrent myxoma. At surgery we resect all the tumors and their attachment bases. We prefer a biatrial approach, ample resection and exploration of all cardiac chambers. Hospital mortality was 3.7% (1 case of associated aortic valve replacement) and late mortality 7%. Long-term results were satisfactory, without recurrences. The postoperative life expectancy of these patients seems similar to that of the normal population, except in cases of recurrence or associated valve replacement. Recurrence is very low (4.7% in 526 cases reported in the literature), except in the case of young patients and recurrent, familial, multiple or complex myxomas. The multigrowth potential of the tumor seems more important than an inadequate surgical resection.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

In vivo effect of cadmium chloride on intestinal colonization of rats by Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni (10(8) C.F.U) fed intragastrically unto 18 laboratory rats (white whiskers) resulted in colonization of the 18 rats intestines and their eventual excretion of the organism for four months post infection. When 10(8) CFU of C. jejuni was mixed with 10 mu/ml of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and fed immediately to another set of 18 rats, colonization of rats intestines was greatly reduced and C. jejuni was recovered from two (11%) out of 18 rats and the faeces were positive for C. jejuni for a maximum of 29 days. Six control rats given 1 ml of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and a second set of another six control animals given 1 ml of PBS containing 10 micrograms/ml of CdCl2 gave negative result for C. jejuni throughout the experiment. This work depicts an in vivo effect of CdCl2 on C. jejuni and may be of importance in the control of C. jejuni colonization in experimental animals.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Effect of iron-dextran on lethality of Nigerian isolates of Campylobacter jejuni in mice.

Mice were orally and intragastically challenged with standard suspensions containing 1 x 10(9-10) Colony Forming Units (C.F.Us) per ml of strains "2" and "5" of Campylobacter jejuni isolated in Lagos. Another group of mice received the same amount of C. jejuni and 1pc iron-dextran which was incorporated into the bacterial suspension ad Mueller-Hinton broth. Two sets of control mice were included in the study. One set received only 0.2 ml of phosphate buffered saline while the second set received a mixture of killed C. jejuni and 1pc iron-dextran. A standard control organism (C. jejuni) NCTC strain 11168 was included in the study. Results presented show that infection of mice with only C. jejuni did not result in clinical diarrhoea or death of the animals as was also observed in the two sets of control. However, when the mixture of 1pc iron-dextran and C. jejuni was given, 15 (75pc) and 13 (65pc) of twenty mice each given by infant mouse infection and intragastic challenge respectively died. All the surviving animals developed diarrhoea. The difference in this result when compared with controls and those that received only C. jejuni was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Incorporation of iron-dextran into C. jejuni suspension in the Mueller-Hinton broth enhanced virulence of the organism.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Waning significance of anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titres in diagnosing streptococcal infections in Lagos, Nigeria.

A total of 200 serum specimens comprising 100 specimens from patients with streptococcal disease conditions, 50 from patients with other diseases and another 50 specimens from apparently healthy individuals were collected from Lagos University Teaching Hospital and from various areas of Lagos metropolis and screened for the presence of anti-streptolysin O (ASO). For streptococcal disease conditions, other diseases and for apparently healthy persons, anti-streptolysin O titres above 250 iu/ml recorded for each category of clinical conditions in terms of the number examined were 34%, 36% and 28% respectively. It is therefore suggested that high anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titres occur in apparently healthy individuals with no history of streptococcal infection and individuals with disease conditions other than those of streptococcal origin. Consequently the diagnosis of streptococcal diseases based on high titres of ASO in Lagos, is not pathognomonic, should be interpreted with caution and must not be definitive since healthy individuals and others without streptococcal infections develop high ASO titres.

Antistreptolysin↗
PubMed1989

Endotoxic activity and enterotoxigenicity of human strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from patients in a Nigerian hospital.

Limulus gelation assay and dermal Schwartzman reaction provided a sensitive and reproducible means of testing the endotoxic activity of hospital strains of Campylobacter jejuni in Lagos, Nigeria. All the 22 isolates of Campylobacter jejuni tested for the limulus gelation assay were positive for the production of endotoxin. Furthermore, the Campylobacter suspensions caused a positive dermal Schwartzman reaction in rabbits. The area of skin reaction was less extensive than that produced by Escherichia coli 01114B and E7539/77 which served as positive controls. Five local strains of Campylobacter jejuni tested for enterotoxin production showed negative reaction in the infant mouse test whereas enterotoxin production was observed in Campylobacter jejuni strain 11168 and Escherichia coli E7539/77. Consequently, the infant mouse test may not be suitable for enterogenicity testing of our local isolates of Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter Infections↗
PubMed1989

Characterization and antibiotic sensitivity of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from children at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria.

One hundred and thirteen rectal swabs and 87 faecal samples obtained from the Paediatric casualty of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria were processed for Campylobacter jejuni/coli. Twenty-two (11%) of the specimens were positive for C. jejuni. Biotyping results showed that nine (41%) and eight (36%) belonged to C. jejuni biotypes I and II respectively, while three (14%) and two (9%) belonged to C. coli biotypes I and II. Serotyping results revealed that C. jejuni biotypes I and II and C. coli biotypes I and II belonged to different serotypes with serotypes A9 and A36 being the most prevalent. In-vitro antibiotic sensitivity testing using the disc method showed that 18 (82%) of the Campylobacter jejuni/coli isolates were sensitive to erythromycin and nalidixic acid, while 16 (73%) were sensitive to streptomycin. All were resistant to penicillin, while four (18%) and six (27%) were sensitive to tetracycline and cloxacillin respectively. We therefore recommend the use of erythromycin and streptomycin for cases of Campylobacter enteritis requiring antimicrobial therapy in Lagos, Nigeria.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

Campylobacter jejuni antibody in patients with diarrhoea and asymptomatic individuals in Lagos, Nigeria.

Seventy patients with acute diarrhoea and sixty asymptomatic children in Lagos, Nigeria were screened for complement fixing and agglutinating antibodies to Campylobacter jejuni in wells of microtitre plates using automatic microtitre pipettes. Out of the seventy patients with acute diarrhoea, 55 (78.6%) had complement fixing antibody, while 48 (68.5%) had agglutinating antibody in their sera. Twenty-nine (48.3%) and 21 (35%) out of the sixty asymptomatic children screened had complement fixing and agglutinating antibody respectively. Generally 84 (64.6%) of 130 children (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) had antibody to C. jejuni in their sera. The difference in the incidence rate between the symptomatics and asymptomatic is not statistically significant. The result suggest an antibody response to C. jejuni among children with diarrhoea, indicating that most of the diarrhoea cases in our environment may be due to Campylobacter but the successful demonstration of antibody response to C. jejuni among asymptomatic individuals may also suggest that even "normal" individuals have in their sera, antibody that can agglutinate C. jejuni in Nigeria. Use of antibody responses alone to C. jejuni in the diagnosis of C. jejuni infections in Nigeria should therefore be interpreted with caution.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

The role of macrophages in experimental Campylobacter-infections of mice in Lagos, Nigeria.

The role of macrophages in experimental campylobacteriosis was studied in mice whose macrophages had been blocked using colloidal carbon particles as the blockading agent. Two sets of mice received 0.4 ml intraperitoneally and 0.4 ml intravenously of colloidal carbon, respectively, and each set was then inoculated with a clinical isolate of Campylobacter jejuni intraperitoneally. The treatment resulted in a lethality of 66.6% in mice given colloidal carbon intraperitoneally and 58.0% in mice given colloidal carbon intravenously within the first three days post infection. The control groups (mice injected only with C. jejuni) had a lethality of 16.6% (p less than 0.05). Mice receiving only colloidal carbon showed no lethality. These results suggest that the activities of macrophages as scavenger cells are important factors in the defence mechanism of mice against experimental campylobacteriosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Natural bactericidal activity of human serum against strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolated in Lagos, Nigeria.

The sensitivity of Campylobacter jejuni strains LA4, LA12, LA36, LA53, LA1214, LA1308 and LA1309 constituting the most prevalent strains of C. jejuni isolated in Lagos, Nigeria to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum was determined using microtiter technique. Results obtained shows that only strains LA 36 and LA53 were serum resistant while others (strains LA4, LA12, LA1214, LA1308 and LA1309) were serum sensitive. This finding is important epidemiologically and is the first report on serum sensitivity of local isolates of C.jejuni in Nigeria.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗