Purpose: To determine the diversity and distribution of bacteria contaminants on washroom fomites in a public university and their resistance to common antibiotics.Methodology: A sanitation audit was conducted on 21 selected washrooms on seven different blocks in a university. Swabs were collected from 68 washroom fomites for bacterial isolation and biochemical identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for 22 Gram positive and 41 Gram negative bacteria species.Findings: Of 21 washrooms none had toiletries, 71% did not have flowing water and 90% were in the category of generally unclean. Of 169 bacteria isolated Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the predominant species. Of 68 fomites all had bacterial contaminants with 83.8% having 2 to 3 co-occurring species. Gram positive bacteria isolated were resistant to augmentin (100%), meropenem (94%), penicillin (91%), cefuroxime (86%), vancomycin (86%), erythromycin (67%), cloxacillin (64%), tetracyclin (64%), ciprofloxacin (59%), cotrimoxazole (59%), ampicillin (50%) and gentamicin (36%). Gram negative bacteria isolated were resistant to meropenem (97%), ceftriaxone (95%), ampicillin (93%), cefuroxime (91%), cefotaxime (84%), vancomycin (82%), tetracyclin (80%), cotrimoxazole (78%), chloramphenicol (50%), ciprofloxacin (71%), amikacin (40%) and gentamicin (24%). Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Previous studies on bacteria on fomites in Ghana have focused on healthcare settings. This study focused on a university campus which is a non-healthcare setting with a high human presence and pressure on existing washroom facilities leading to contamination. The diversity of bacteria on the fomites are representative of clinically significant antibiotic resistant human enteric and skin flora carried by a seemingly healthy population and provide an indication of the potential antibiotic resistance burden in the user community.

Chronic hepatitis negatively affects persons living with HIV. While varying in their transmission efficiency, HIV, HBV, and HCV have shared routes of transmission. Available data suggest widely variable rates of HBV and HCV infections in HIV-infected populations across sub-Saharan Africa. With prolonged survival rates due to increased accessibility to antiretroviral drugs, HBV and HCV have the potential to complicate the prognosis of HIV co-infected patients by contributing significantly to continued morbidity and mortality. The study sought to determine the seroprevalence of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV co-infections among HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy and to evaluate the effect of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV co-infections on the immunologic and virologic responses of patients. A cross-sectional study in which samples were taken from 500 people living with HIV and attending ART clinic at the Fevers unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and tested for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV). CD4 cell counts and HIV-1 RNA levels were estimated as well. Data generated were analysed using IBM SPSS version 22. The seroprevalence of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV co-infections among people living with HIV was 8.4% and 0.2% respectively. HIV/HBV coinfection included 15/42 (35.7%) males and 27/42 (64.3%) females out of which the majority (97.6%) were in the 21–60 years old bracket. HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV co-infections have varied effects on the immunological and virological response of HIV patients on ART. The mean CD cell count was 361.0 ± 284.0 in HIV/HBV co-infected patients and 473.8 ± 326.7 in HIV mono-infected patients. The mean HIV-1 RNA level was not significantly different (X2 [df] = .057 [1]; P = .811) among HIV/HBV co-infected patients (Log102.9±2.0 copies/mL), compared to that of HIV mono-infected patients (Log102.8±2.1 copies/mL) although HIV mono-infected patients had lower viral load levels. One-third (14/42) of HIV/HBV co-infected patients had virologic failure and the only HIV/HCV co-infected patient showed viral suppression. 336/500 (67.2%) patients had HIV-1 viral suppression (females [66.1%]; males [33.9%]) while 164/500 (32.8%) had virologic failure (females [67.7%]; males [32.3%]). The mean CD4 count of patients with viral suppression and patients with virologic failure was 541.2 cells/μL (95% CI 508.5–573.8) and 309.9 cell/μL (95% CI 261.9–357.9) respectively.The study concludes that, HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfections do not significantly affect the immunologic and virologic responses of patients who have initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy, and treatment outcomes were better in females than in males. There was no HBV/HCV co-infection among patients.

Systemic bacterial infections affect almost all part of the human body systems leading to infections such as urinary tract infections, septicemia, meningitis, pneumonia, peritonitis and gastritis. Carbapenems have been used as drug of choice in the treatment of systemic infections. Studies have indicated that Enterobacteriaceae are producing enzymes such as carbapenemases, which inactivate carbapenems. There is limited treatment option for systemic infections caused by carbapenemresistant Enterobacteriaceae. Systemic infections keep increasing; hence, the determination of the effective treatment options of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae is important for quality healthcare delivery. In this laboratory studies, agar well diffusion and well microplate dilution of the ethanolic extract of the guava leaves was used to determine the effectiveness of Psidium guajava on carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. The antimicrobial compounds responsible for the antibacterial activity were screened using standard methods. The active zones of inhibition were observed in P. guajava leaves extract concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/ml. The minimum inhibition concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of ethanolic extract of guava leaves was 6.25 mg/ml indicating significant antibacterial activity against the carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. The antibacterial activity of the leaves extract may be attributed to the presence of flavonoids and other antimicrobial phytochemicals in the guava leaves extract. The outcome of this baseline laboratory studies indicates the possibility of producing efficacious antibiotic to treat carbapenems-resistant systemic infections. The determination of the toxicological effect of the isolated active antimicrobial compounds of guava leaves extract is worth following in subsequent studies.

Klebsiella pneumoniae are one of the most common cause of multi-drug resistant urinary tract infections such as cystitis and pyelonephritis. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases are plasmid-mediated enzymes commonly found in the Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Gram negative bacteria. They are capable of hydrolysing beta-lactams except carbapenems and cephamycins. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases also confer resistance to several nonbeta-lactam antibiotics, limiting treatment options for urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum betalactamases -producing K. pneumoniae. This study determined the in vitro efficacy of Alchornea cordifolia on extended-spectrum beta-lactamases -producing K. pneumoniae. Serial dilutions of the ethanolic extract of the leaves were prepared and tested against the extended-spectrum-beta-lactamases-producing K. pneumoniae. The phytochemical screening was performed to determine the antibacterial compounds. The Christmas bush leaves extracts concentrations ranging from 50 mg/ml -200 mg/ml showed significant active diameter zone of inhibition. The ethanolic extract of A. cordifolia leaves had minimum inhibition concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 3.13 mg/ml indicating significant antibiotic activity against the ESBL isolates. The phytochemical screening of the Christmas bush leaves showed the presence of antimicrobial phytochemicals such as flavonoids. Ethanolic extracts of Christmas bush leaves is proving to be efficacious against multi-drug resistant urinary tract infections. This offers hope for the development of effective antibiotics due to the presence of flavonoids in the A. cordifolia leaf extracts. Therefore, there is the need to determine the toxicological effect and clinical trials of the active antimicrobial compounds isolated in the leaf extracts of A. cordifolia shrub.