Transmitted/Founder HIV-1 Subtype C Viruses Show Distinctive Signature Patterns in Vif, Vpr, and Vpu That Are Under Subsequent Immune Pressure During Early Infection.

Viral variants that predominate during early infection may exhibit constrained diversity compared with those found during chronic infection and could contain amino acid signature patterns that may enhance transmission, establish productive infection, and influence early events that modulate the infection course. We compared amino acid distributions in 17 patients recently infected with HIV-1C with patients with chronic infection. We found significantly lower entropy in inferred transmitted/founder (t/f) compared with chronic viruses and identified signature patterns in Vif and Vpr from inferred t/f viruses.

tat Exon 1 exhibits functional diversity during HIV-1 subtype C primary infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat is a mediator of viral transcription and is involved in the control of virus replication. However, associations between HIV-1 Tat diversity and functional effects during primary HIV-1 infection are still unclear. We estimated selection pressures in tat exon 1 using the mixed-effects model of evolution with 672 viral sequences generated from 20 patients infected with HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) over 500 days postseroconversion.

Viral diversity and diversification of major non-structural genes vif, vpr, vpu, tat exon 1 and rev exon 1 during primary HIV-1 subtype C infection.

To assess the level of intra-patient diversity and evolution of HIV-1C non-structural genes in primary infection, viral quasispecies obtained by single genome amplification (SGA) at multiple sampling timepoints up to 500 days post-seroconversion (p/s) were analyzed. The mean intra-patient diversity was 0.11% (95% CI; 0.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolated from a variety of raw meat sausages in Gaborone (Botswana) retail stores.

The objective of the study was to provide baseline data on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella in different types of raw meat sausages directly accessible to the consumers in Gaborone, Botswana. A total of 300 raw sausages comprising 79 beef, 78 pork, 72 chicken, and 71 mutton samples were concurrently analyzed for the presence of Salmonella using a conventional culture method and a validated PCR method. The PCR assay results were in full concordance with those of the conventional culture method for the detection of Salmonella.

Detection and quantification of biogenic amines in fermented food products sold in Botswana.

The incidence and concentrations associated with four important biogenic amines in leading commercial fermented beverages consumed in Botswana were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. In 87 sorghum brew and 84 sour milk (madila, amasi) samples tested, putrescine was the most prevalent biogenic amine (63 and 61%, respectively), while histamine was the least prevalent (24 and 8%, respectively). Cadaverine was the most frequently detected biogenic amine in 79 of the commercial sour maize beverage (mageu/mahewu) samples tested (found in 70% of the samples), while tyramine was the least detected (occurring in 3% of the samples).

Microbiological characterisation of southern African medicinal and cosmetic clays.

The effects of traditionally used medicinal and cosmetic clays in southern Africa on selected microorganisms were studied using microbiological media. The clay pH, microchemical composition, kind of associated microorganisms and antimicrobial activity of clays against test microorganisms were determined. The clays contained varying numbers of microorganisms which ranged from 0 up to 105 CFU/g.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef products from retail outlets in Gaborone, Botswana.

Four hundred meat samples (134 meat cubes, 133 minced meat, 133 fresh sausages) were collected from 15 supermarkets and butcheries in Gaborone, Botswana, between the summer months of October 2002 and March 2003. Samples were assayed for Escherichia coli O157 by selective enrichment in modified E. coli broth containing novobiocin, followed by immunomagnetic separation and plating onto sorbitol MacConkey agar supplemented with potassium tellurite.

Presence of Bacillus cereus in street foods in Gaborone, Botswana.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiological safety and quality of street foods sold in Gaborone, Botswana. A total of 148 point-of-sale composite street food samples were bought and analyzed between June 2001 and May 2002. The analysis focused on the level of contamination of various street foods with Bacillus cereus.

Prevalence of Salmonella in two Botswana abattoir environments.

A 1-year study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella in two abattoir environments coded "A" and "B" in Gaborone, Botswana. The total number of environmental samples collected from abattoirs A and B was 250 and 300, respectively. The samples were taken from soils in the corrals, knife blades, saw blades, cattle-drinking water, cattle feces, and feed.

Erythrinaline alkaloids and antimicrobial flavonoids from Erythrina latissima.

The seed pods of Erythrina latissima yielded erysotrine, erysodine, syringaresinol, vanillic acid, a new erythrina alkaloid, (+)-10,11-dioxoerysotrine, which was lethal to brine shrimp and 2-(5'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy phenyl)-6-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzofuran, which showed strong antimicrobial activity against the yeast spores, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The root bark gave four known pterocarpans which showed moderate to strong antifungal activity against the yeast spores and three known flavonoids showed antimicrobial activity against all test microorganisms.

Antimicrobial flavonoids from Bolusanthus speciosus.

A new isoflavanone namely 3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxy-8,3'-di(gamma,gamma-dimethylallyl)isoflavanone (bolusanthin II) and four new pterocarpans identified as 3-hydroxy-6',6'-dimethylpyrano[2',3':1,2] [6a R,11a R]-8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan (bolucarpan A), 3-hydroxy-6',6'-dimethyl-4',5'-dihydropyrano[2',3':1,2][6a R,11a R]- 8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan (bolucarpan B), 3-hydroxy-9-methoxy-6',6'-dimethylpyrano-[2',3':1,2][6a R,11a R]-pterocarpan (bolucarpan C) and 3-hydroxy-9-methoxy-6',6'-dimethyl-4',5'-dihydropyrano[2',3':1,2][6a R,11a R]-pterocarpan (bolucarpan D) and three known isoflavonoids were isolated from the methanolic extracts of the root bark, while eight known isoflavonoids were isolated from the stem bark of Bolusanthus speciosus. These compounds showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida mycoderma using the agar overlay technique.

The Microbiology of Phane, an Edible Caterpillar of the Emperor Moth, Imbrasia belina.

The larvae of Imbrasia belina (Westwood) are cooked and sun dried to make a product known as phane, which is consumed as a delicacy. A study was conducted to determine the sanitary quality of phane and the kinds of microorganisms associated with it. It also looked into the potential for the existence of health risk associated with its consumption.

Prevalence of Coliforms in Traditionally Dried Leafy Vegetables Sold in Open Markets and Food Stores in Gaborone, Botswana.

The aerobic mesophilic count, coliform count, and prevalence of Escherichia coli on two vegetables commonly consumed by a majority of people in Botswana were determined. The aerobic count was found to be >10 CFU/g in both kinds of vegetables and as many as 27 to 30% of the samples had counts >10 CFU/g. Escherichia coli was present in 82% of the Amaranthus leaves sold as in food stores and 50% of the Phaseolus leaves purchased from open markets.