Browsing by Author "Pesewu, G.A."
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Antibacterial activity of plants used in traditional medicines of Ghana with particular reference to MRSA.(2008) Pesewu, G.A.; Cutler, R.R.; Humber, D.P.Ethnopharmacological relevance: : In an ethno botanical survey carried out in the Akwapim-North district of the Republic of Ghana, 25 plant species, used in traditional medicine to treat skin disease and/or to treat antimicrobial (viral, bacterial or protozoan) infections were identified. Aim of Study: : To investigate the antimicrobial activity of traditional Ghanaian medicines with special interest in anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity. Materials and methods: : Chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extracts (including use of a Stomacher) of these plants were prepared and agar-well diffusion tests, MIC's and MBC's were used to investigate antimicrobial activity. Results: Extracts of 13 plant species inhibited the growth of one or more of the following bacteria: MRSA, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris. Extracts from 11 of these 13 plant species also inhibited the growth of three or more of 14 additional clinical isolates of MRSA. Aqueous extracts of Alchornea cordifolia were active against all 21 bacterial strains tested and showed the highest levels of antibacterial activity overall with MIC's against MRSA in the range of 1.6-3.1 mg ml-1 and MBC's in the range of 6.3-12.5 mg ml-1. Conclusions: : The presence of antibacterial activity in extracts of Elaeophorbia drupifera, Rauwolfia vomitoria and the leaves of Solanum verbascifolium, plants traditionally used to treat skin infections, are reported for the first time. Extracts from Alchornea cordifolia, also used to treat wounds, had the widest spectrum of antibacterial activity.Item Bacterial contaminants of raw broiler meat sold at Korle-Gonno, Accra, Ghana(International Food Research Journal, 2018-01) Pesewu, G.A.; Quaynor, E.B.; Olu-Taiwo, M.A.; Anim-Baidoo, I.; Asmah, R.H.Bacteria and other microbial contamination of poultry meat remains a serious public health concern throughout the world, due to the nutritive value of the meat. A total of 200 raw broiler meat samples with skin on comprising 100 fresh and 100 frozen were purchased randomly from Korle-Gonno, Accra, Ghana. Aerobic plate and enterobacteria counts were determined by inoculating aliquots of homogenized samples after serial dilutions into plate count, MacConkey, violet red bile glucose agars and all incubated at 37°C for 24-48 h. Mean bacteria counts were expressed as colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) of the broiler meat and then converted to log10 CFU/g. Salmonella sp. was isolated by enrichment in buffered peptone water, incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Aliquots were transferred into selenite cystine and Rappaport-Vassiliadis broths, incubated at 37°C and 42°C respectively for 24 h before a loopful of each broth was streaked on xylose-lysine deoxycholate agar plates and incubated at 37°C for 48 h. Enterobacteria and Staphylococcus aureus were also isolated on violet red bile glucose and Baird-Parker agars both incubated at 37°C for 24-48 h. Mean aerobic plate and enterobacteria counts ranging from 2.6- 14.1 log10 CFU/g and 2.2-9.8 log10 CFU/g were found for the raw broiler meat samples from the cold stores and the local retail shops. Bacteria isolated were Proteus mirabilis (26.7%), Proteus vulgaris (25.1%), Klebsiella sp. (23.4%), Salmonella sp. (10.8%), coagulase negative Staph aureus (9.2%), and Escherichia coli (4.8%). From the study it is recommended that raw broiler meat and other meat products should be boiled thoroughly with safe water, kept, and served under good hygienic conditions to prevent microbial contamination because consumption of contaminated meat can lead to illness.Item Estimated Burden of Serious Fungal Infections in Ghana(Journal of Fungi, 2019-04-14) Pesewu, G.A.; Codjoe, F.S.; Osei-Djarbeng, S.; Feglo, P.K.; Denning, D.W.Fungal infections are increasingly becoming common and yet often neglected in developing countries. Information on the burden of these infections is important for improved patient outcomes. The burden of serious fungal infections in Ghana is unknown. We aimed to estimate this burden. Using local, regional, or global data and estimates of population and at-risk groups, deterministic modelling was employed to estimate national incidence or prevalence. Our study revealed that about 4% of Ghanaians su er from serious fungal infections yearly, with over 35,000 a ected by life-threatening invasive fungal infections. Incidence of cryptococcal meningitis, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and disseminated histoplasmosis cases in AIDS was estimated at 6275, 12,610 and 724, respectively. Oral and esophageal candidiasis collectively a ect 27,100 Ghanaians and 42,653 adult asthmatics are estimated to have fungal asthma. We estimate a prevalence of 12,620 cases of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA and an incidence of 1254 cases of invasive aspergillosis (IA). Estimated cases of candidemia and candida peritonitis cases were 1446 and 217, respectively. The estimated prevalence of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) and tinea capitis was 442,621 and 598,840, respectively. Mucormycosis and fungal keratitis each may a ect 58 and 810 Ghanaians. These data highlight the urgent need for intensified awareness to improve diagnosis and management.Item Prevalence and susceptibility profiles of methicillinresistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) in the University of Ghana Hospital, Legon, Accra, Ghana(International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences, 2014-01) Pesewu, G.A.; Dogbe ., R.; Asmah, R.H.; Olu-Taiwo, M.A.; Adjei, D.N.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the important causal agents of nosocomial infections worldwide. The prevalence and susceptibility profiles of MRSA in the University of Ghana Hospital, Legon, Accra were investigated from 65 swab samples. Samples were inoculated onto blood agar plates and incubated at 37° aerobically for 24 h. After overnight incubation, isolates were tested biochemically and a total of 11 (16.9%) isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were identified from the swab samples. The S. aureus isolates were later confirmed as MRSA by growth on Oxacillin-Resistant Screening Agar Base (ORSAB) and detection of the mecA gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Kirby-Baeur disc diffusion method was also used to determine the susceptibility of the isolates. There was only 1 (9.1%) MRSA isolate detected from the samples. The MRSA isolate was susceptible to cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, and gentamicin but resistant to ampicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, prulifloxacin, ofloxacin, cloxacillin, roxithromycin, lincomycin, and cefoxitin antibiotics used in this investigation. Despite the low prevalence rate in this study, there is still the need for strong continuous surveillance programs to monitor MRSA and its antibiotic profiles.Item Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization among Children with Sickle Cell Disease at the Children’s Hospital, Accra: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Antibiotic Resistance(pathogens, 2020-04-28) Appiah, V.A.; Pesewu, G.A.; Kotey, F.C.N.; Boakye, A.N.; Duodu, S.; Tette, E.M.A.; Nyarko, M.Y.; Donkor, E.S.The aim of this study was to investigate S. aureus carriage among children with sickle cell disease (SCD), including the prevalence, risk factors, and antibiotic resistance. The study was cross-sectional, and involved 120 children with SCD recruited at the Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital (PML) in Accra and 100 apparently healthy children from environs of the hospital. Nasal swab samples were collected from the study participants and cultured for bacteria. Confirmation of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were done using the tube coagulase test and mecA polymerase chain reaction, respectively. All the S. aureus isolates were tested against standard antimicrobial agents using the Kirby-Bauer method. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain the socio-demographic and clinical data of the study participants. Binary logistic regression was used to identify determinants of S. aureus and MRSA carriage among the study participants. The nasal carriage prevalence of S. aureus was 33.3% (n = 40) and 10% (n = 10) among the participants of the SCD and control groups, respectively. As regards MRSA nasal carriage prevalence, the respective values were 3.33% (n = 4) and 0.00% (n = 0). SCD was significantly associated with S. aureus colonization (p < 0.0001, OR = 4.045), but not MRSA colonization (p = 0.128). In the SCD group, the significant predictors of S. aureus carriage were increasing age (p = 0.003; OR = 1.275) and living in self-contained apartments (p = 0.033; OR = 3.632), whereas male gender (p = 0.018; OR = 0.344) and the practice of self-medication (p = 0.039; OR = 0.233) were protective of S. aureus carriage. In the control group, a history of hospitalization in the past year was a risk factor for the carriage of S. aureus (p = 0.048; OR = 14.333). Among the participants of the SCD and control groups, respectively, the resistance prevalence recorded by S. aureus against the various antibiotics investigated were penicillin (100% each), cotrimoxazole (27.5% vs. 20%), tetracycline (25% vs. 50%), rifampicin (82.5% vs. 50%), erythromycin (30% vs. 20%), clindamycin (32.5% vs. 50%), gentamicin (7.5% vs. 20%), cefoxitin (27.5% vs. 20%), linezolid (30% vs. 40%), and fusidic acid (95% vs. 80%). The proportion of S. aureus isolates that were multidrug resistant (MDR) was 92.5% (37/40) in the SCD group and 100% (10/10) in the control group