Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under five years of age in developing countries with viruses contributing significantly to this problem. The recently identified parvovirus, Human Bocavirus (HBoV), has also been associated with ARI. Objective: To determine the frequency of HBoV in patients with ARI. Materials and Methods: Samples from 125 consenting patients with influenza like illness signs and symptoms were collected. DNA was extracted from these samples using the QIAamp DNA blood mini kit (Qiagen, Germany). Conventional PCR was carried out and the amplicons were examined in 2% agarose gels stained with ethidium bromide. This was followed by sequencing of the HBoV positive samples. Results: Twenty one (16.8%) patients were found to have HBoV infection. Males (n = 61.9%) were mainly infected with HBoV. Local HBoV strains had 98.9%-100% similarities and were found to cluster together with other strains obtained elsewhere. Conclusion: These findings suggest that HBoV plays a role in respiratory tract infections in children in Kenya just like it has been found elsewhere. It also sheds light on multiple infections associated with HBoV infections in Kenya.

Objective To study the microbial etiology of tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). Methods We recruited 11 women in Nairobi, Kenya who failed antibiotic therapy alone and required surgical drainage of a presumptive TOA. Pus from the nine abscesses and two pyosalpinges were collected and cultured for aerobic, facultative and anaerobic microorganisms. Results Eleven women suspected of having a TOA were hospitalized and treated for a median of 6 days (range 3-14 days) prior to surgical drainage of the abscess. Nine (82%) specimens were culture positive. Aerobes were present in all nine specimens. Seven of the nine positive cultures (78%) were polymicrobial and five of the polymicrobial cultures contained both anaerobes and aerobes. Anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli (Prevotella sp., Porphyromonas sp. and Bacteroides sp., Escherichia coli) and Streptococcus sp. (S. viridans and S. agalactiae) were the most common microorganisms isolated. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis were not isolated by culture or detected by polymerase chain reaction. Conclusions In Kenya, persistent TOAs are associated with endogenous flora similar to that normally found in the gastrointestinal tract.

IntroductionSafe water for human consumption is important, but there is a limited supply. Mombasa County has water shortages making residences rely on other sources of water including boreholes and wells. Microbiological evaluation of drinking water is important to reduce exposure to water borne enteric diseases. This cross sectional study aimed at determining the frequency and characterization of Escherichia coli (E. coli) pathotypes from water samples collected from wells and boreholes in Mombasa County.MethodsOne hundred and fifty seven (157) water samples were collected from four divisions of the county and a questionnaire administered. The samples were inoculated to double strength MacConkey broth and incubated at 370C for up to 48 hours. Positive results were compared to the 3 tube McCrady MPN table. The E. coli were confirmed by Eijkman's test and antibiotic susceptibility carried out. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the E. coli were characterized to establish pathotypes.ResultsOne hundred and thirty one (n = 131; 83.4%) samples had coliform bacteria with only 79 (60.3%) samples having E. coli. Significant values (<0.05) were noted when coliforms were compared to variables with E. Coli showing no significance when compared to similar variables. E. coli (n = 77; 100%) tested were sensitive to Gentamicin, while all (n = 77; 100%) isolates were resistant to Ampicillin. PCR typed isolates as enteroinvasive E. Coli (EIEC).ConclusionFindings suggest that coliforms and E. coli are major contaminants of wells and boreholes in Mombasa County. The isolates have a variety of resistant and sensitivity patterns to commonly used antibiotics.

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under five years in developing countries. Viruses have been long established to be causes of ARIs, but there is little information in developing countries especially Africa. This cross-sectional study was carried out in April-July 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya aiming at establishing which virus isolates and what age cluster in children with ARIs are affected. Throat swabs were collected from patients with clinical ARI and inoculated to various cell lines to isolate and identify viruses. A total of 388 children (age range = 1-132 months) were recruited. Of these 210 (54.1%) were males and 178 (45.9%) were females. Twenty-six percent (101) had upper (URTI) while 74% (287) had lower (LRTI) respiratory tract infections. There were 177 (45.6%) viruses isolated; adenovirus (27; 7%), parainfluenza (25; 6.4%), influenza (20; 5.2%), respiratory syncytial virus (19; 4.9%) and unidentified viruses (86; 22.2%). Majority of the viruses were isolated from patients with LRTI (110; 28.4%) while URTI had 67 (17.3%) isolates. The age cluster 1-12months (105; 27.1%) followed by 13-24months (36; 9.3%) had majority of the viral isolates. Thus this study indicates that viruses are associated with ARIs in children 1-2years of age and therefore a longitudinal study with sensitive virus detection methods is required to provide more information on the precise disease burden and magnitude of the problem. ________________________________________________________________________________

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