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Copyright of African Journal of Clinical & Experimental Microbiology is the property of African Journals Online (AJOL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Clinical & Experimental Microbiology is the property of African Journals Online (AJOL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The challenge of combating the ever emerging multi-drug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates in the face of a slow rate of discovery of new classes of antibiotics is a problem in antibiotic chemotherapy. This study was aimed at (i) linking phenotypic antibiotic drug-resistance characteristics detected in randomly-sampled clinical isolates with detectable genetic markers. (ii) screening a suspected efflux pump inhibitor (EPI) [1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-piperazine (TFMBP)], which could be helpful in combating this challenge. Fifty-one isolates; 28 Klebsiella pneumonia, 3 E. Coli, 1 Enterobacter cloacae, 1 E. aerogenes, 5 Proteus mirabilis, 4 Providencia rettgeri, 1 P. stuartii, 1 Serratia liquefaciens, 6 S. odorifera, and 1 Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from infections of urinary tract, upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, ear swab, eye swab, and blood cul ture were screened for (i) antibiotic-susceptibility over a range of 11 classes of antibiotics, (ii) β-lactamase production, (iii) ESBL production and (iv) Efflux pump activity (EPA) in the presence and absence of 1-[3-(trifluoromethyl) benzyl]-piperazine (TFMBP). Molecular analysis was done using DNA extraction by boiling and the randomly-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure with 2% agarose gel electrophoresis stained with ethidium bromide at 10 μg/ml and visualized by UV trans-illumination. AmpC β-lactamase (4%) and K1 β-lactamase (5.8%) were detected with no carbapenemase producers. AcrA and AcrB marker genes were detected in 12% of the isolates while blaCTX-M (8%) and blaTEM (4%) were also detected. Antibiotic resistance due to EPA can be combated with a suitable EPI as demonstrated by TFMBP when combined with specific antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slums are a wide range of low-income settlements with poor living conditions. The quality of the dwellings varies from simple shacks to permanent structures, while access to water, electricity, sanitation and other basic services and infrastructure tends to be limited. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) exist in slums as the inhabitants adopt an urbanised lifestyle which places them at high risk. Lack of knowledge about the complications of NCDs and how to control them contributes to a large percentage of undetected and untreated cases. Therefore, our recently concluded study aimed to reduce the prevalence of NCDs by promoting a healthy lifestyle in three Nigerian urban slums using a community-engaged research approach. We decided to adopt this approach since community-engaged research takes place in real-world conditions, thus increasing the applicability of findings to practical applications that improve human health. Literature has shown that meaningful community involvement can improve the research process itself, as well as the ultimate findings. Research questions about health issues that concern the community are developed, and people are more likely to give their support when they understand the purpose of the research, and how the results may positively affect them. Thus, this helps when recruiting participants. In addition, research questions help to identify the health risks that are revealed through people's participation, and helps with the development of appropriate ways to protect participants in this regard. Research questions also assist with improving study and instrument design by producing user-friendly, culturally sensitive, accurate and valid practices and measures. Furthermore, community involvement in analysis and interpretation can provide an important explanation of the results, and provide ideas that the researchers had not even considered. A community-engaged research approach provides an opportunity for greater trust and respect to be built between academic researchers and communities. This can lead to future research collaborations, as well as an improvement in community health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study aimed at carrying out in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility testing on Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from patients with peptic ulcers and gastritis in Nigeria. Problems with the documentation of eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori; Reasons for high metronidazole and amoxycillin resistance; Drug combination for Helicobacter pylori treatment.