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Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) continue to be a bane in the treatment of clinical infections in both community and hospital settings. Prompt detection of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains using antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and MBL detection are vital for therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of MDR and MBL-producing GNB from clinical samples in health facilities in Akwa Ibom State. A total of 480 samples comprising wound, urine and blood were collected aseptically from eligible in- and out-patients for the study and GNB were recovered from the samples using standard bacteriological techniques. The identification of isolated GNB, AST and detection of MBL-producing GNB were done using VITEK®2 COMPACT (Biomerieux) automated system, Modified Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and IMP+EDTA CDT phenotypic method, respectively. Gram-negative bacterial growth was detected in 135 (77.1%.) cases with Escherichia coli (20.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.8%) and Burkholderia cepacia (14.1%) being the most preponderant isolates. Urine yielded more GNB, 45.2% than other samples. The isolates were sensitive to gentamicin (63%), imipenem (54.8%), and ofloxacin (46.7%) but showed high resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (78.5%), ceftriaxone (74.1%) and aztreonam (66.7%). The overall prevalence of MDR was 60% with the highest recorded in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), 64.8%. The overall prevalence of MBL producers was 39.3% with H. alvei, M. morgannii, P. mirabilis, R. radiobacter and P. aeruginosa being the majority, mostly from urine samples (47.5%) and UUTH health facility (43.7%). All MBL-producing GNB were MDR strains. Seven strains were pan-drug resistant. A combination of robust antibiotic and MBL screening of drug resistant GNB is essential for effective therapeutic decisions. Also, rational use of antibiotics, review of antibiotic usage policies and increased surveillance of MBL-producing GNB is strongly advocated.

Background: Poor indoor air quality constitutes a significant health problem in schools, mostly in the laboratory sections due to a high number of students per laboratory vis-a-vis space confinement, insufficient outside air supply, poor construction and maintenance of laboratory buildings. Aim: This study was carried out to assess the air quality and identify airborne bacteria and fungi in selected sections of Obong University Laboratory. Materials and Methods: Institutional based study employing passive air sampling, settle plate or gravitational sampling method to collect airborne bacteria and fungi was conducted in 3 selected laboratory sections of the University. Culture, isolation, colony count/air quality assessment and identification of airborne bacteria and fungi were done using standard methods. Results: The mean bacterial load was 111.75 CFU/m3 in the morning and 125.25 CFU/m3 in the afternoon. The highest and lowest bacterial loads were recorded at the Laboratory Animal Room (LAR) to be 165 CFU/m3 and 201 CFU/m3 in the morning and afternoon, respectively. The total fungal load was 100 CFU/m3 in the morning and 170 CFU/m3 in the afternoon with the mean estimate of 25 CFU/m3 in the morning and 42.5 CFU/m3 in the afternoon. The highest fungal load was equally estimated in the LAR at a percentage rate of 55% and 54.12% in the morning and afternoon, respectively. The results of the indoor air quality assessment of the different laboratory sections revealed a very low (<50 CFU/m3) to low (50-100 CFU/m3) degree of both fungal and bacterial air pollution within the sampling time. A total of 3 bacterial and 5 fungal species were isolated as follows: Staphylococcus aureus 16(61.5%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus species (CoNS) 7 (27%) and Bacillus species 3 (11.5%); Aspergillus flavus 7 (25%), Aspergillus niger 8 (28.5%), Penicillium chrysogenum 4 (14.3%), Rhizopus spp. 5 (17.9%) and Fusarium spp. 4 (14.3%). The levels of indoor airborne bacteria and fungi as revealed in this study were found to be within the acceptable and permissible limits of microbial load ≤500 CFU/m3. Conclusion: Attention should be given to control those human, animal and environmental factors which favour the proliferation of bacteria and fungi in the indoor environment of school laboratories to safeguard the health of students, lecturers and laboratory personnel in the University. Keywords: Microbial Quality, Indoor Air, Laboratory, Colony, Pollution

Background: The leaves and rhizome extracts of Cyperus rotundus Linn. popularly called “Nut grass” in many Nigerian communities have been extensively used in local food preparation and in treatment purposes. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical contents, proximate nutritional composition and antimicrobial activity of the leaves and rhizome extracts of C. rotundus. Methodology: The disease-free plant materials were collected from a farm in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Preparation of the plant material, methanolic and aqueous extracts; bacterial culture, isolation, microscopy and biochemical identification; phytochemical screening and proximate nutritional analysis were done according to standard methods, while screening for antimicrobial activity was done by agar well diffusion technique. Results: The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the plant extracts showed the presence of bioactive compounds at varying amounts such as glycosides, tannins, reducing sugars, alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, saponins and phlobatannins. The proximate nutritional and elemental analysis of C. rotundus extracts showed high presence of B-carotene (164.3 ± 0.02), Vitamin A (109.25 ± 0.01) and carbohydrate (59.0 ± 0.01) with moderate content of lipid (24.25 ± 0.02) and moisture (9.10 ± 0.01) as well as contents of some mineral elements such as Ca, K and P occurring in the range literature values in mg per 100 g dry weight of the plant sample. The methanol and aqueous extracts of C. rotundus showed varying diameter of zones of inhibition on the test organism. The observable inhibitory effect of the plant extracts on the test organism was more pronounced with methanol extracts as indicated by the diameter of zones of inhibition in mm in the order of 22.0>14.0>13.0 for P. mirabilis, E. coli and S. aureus, respectively compared to the aqueous extract. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown the antimicrobial, therapeutic and nutritional potential of the leaves and rhizome extracts of C. rotundus. It could possibly find application as a good alternative antibacterial agent, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.