Antimicrobial resistance markers distribution in Staphylococcus aureus from Nsukka, Nigeria.

Background: Multidrug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus continues to influence treatment complications in clinical settings globally. Multidrug-resistant-S. aureus (MDR-SA) is often genetically driven by resistance markers transferable in pathogenic strains.

Molecular characterization of multidrug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates of from Nsukka, South Eastern Nigeria.

Background: is an important nosocomial pathogen with increasing resistance to antibiotics. Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the genetic relatedness of MDR clinical isolates of .

Method: A total of 1000 samples were analysed in the study.

Mobile Tigecycline Resistance: An Emerging Health Catastrophe Requiring Urgent One Health Global Intervention.

Mobile tigecycline resistance (MTR) threatens the clinical efficacy of the salvage antibiotic, tigecycline (TIG) used in treating deadly infections in humans caused by superbugs (multidrug-, extensively drug-, and pandrug-resistant bacteria), including carbapenem- and colistin-resistant bacteria. Currently, non-mobile (X) and mobile plasmid-mediated transmissible (X) and resistance-nodulation-division (RND) efflux pump genes, conferring high-level TIG (HLT) resistance have been detected in humans, animals, and environmental ecosystems. Given the increasing rate of development and spread of plasmid-mediated resistance against the two last-resort antibiotics, colistin (COL) and TIG, there is a need to alert the global community on the emergence and spread of plasmid-mediated HLT resistance and the need for nations, especially developing countries, to increase their antimicrobial stewardship.

New sulphonamide-peptide hybrid molecules as potential PBP 2a ligands and methicillin resistant actives.

Penicillin binding protein 2a (PbP 2a) expression accounts for the insusceptibility of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) to -lactam antibiotics. Here we employed computational strategies to challenge PbP 2a with series of fifty-five 'ala-ala' and 'ala-pro' sulphonamide-dipeptides. Binding stability of two compounds (labeled: and ) with theoretical in nM and µM ranges, for PbP 2a active and allosteric sites respectively, were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations.

A New Variant of Mutational and Polymorphic Signatures in the Gene of Fluconazole-Resistant .

Background: Resistance to antifungal drugs for treating infections remains a major concern globally despite the range of medications available. Most of these drugs target key proteins essential to the life cycle of the organism. An enzyme essential for fungal cell membrane integrity, lanosterol 14-α demethylase (CYP51), is encoded by the gene in species.

PREVALENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS, DRUG-RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV/TB CO-INFECTION IN ENUGU, NIGERIA.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health problem, with developing countries bearing the highest burden. Nigeria is first in Africa and sixth in the world among the countries with the highest TB burden, but is among the 10 countries accounting for over 70% of the global gap in TB case detection and notification. Enugu State, Nigeria reportedly has a notification gap of almost 14,000 TB cases; a situation which must be addressed.

Rifampicin resistance patterns and dynamics of tuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a public health problem globally. The burden is further exacerbated in developing countries like Nigeria, by poor diagnosis, management and treatment, as well as rapid emergence of drug-resistant TB. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of drug-resistant TB, determine the rpoB gene mutation patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and model the dynamics of multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in Enugu, Nigeria.

Intestinal candidiasis and antibiotic usage in children: case study of Nsukka, South Eastern Nigeria.

Background: Overgrowth of candida results from factors that disrupt the intestinal microbial balance, such as the use of antibiotics. Unregulated antibiotic use and rampant practice of self-medication in Nigeria, is a cause for concern.

Methods: A total of 314 stool specimens were collected from children <1 to 12 years of age in Nsukka, South Eastern Nigeria and screened for candida species using standard methods.

Cryptosporidium species and subtypes in diarrheal children and HIV-infected persons in Ebonyi and Nsukka, Nigeria.

Introduction: Cryptosporidiosis is a common disease of children and immune-compromised persons. This study evaluated the diversity and distribution of Cryptosporidium species in diarrheal children and HIV-infected persons on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and those not on HAART.

Methodology: A total of 394 fecal specimens were collected from patients attending clinics in Nsukka and Ebonyi, Nigeria.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor: a survival and differentiation inducer in human retinal progenitors.

Retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, and Parkinson's disease remain major problems in the field of medicine. Some of the strategies being explored for treatment include replacement of damaged tissue by transplantation of healthy tissues or progenitor cells and delivery of neurotrophins to rescue degenerating tissue. One of the neurotrophins with promise is the ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF).

Human retinal and brain cell lines: A model of HCMV retinitis and encephalitis.

Although HIV is accepted as the etiologic agent in AIDS, other factors have been implicated in accelerating the disease. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in particular has been implicated as a cofactor in the progression from AIDS-related complex (ARC) to AIDS. HCMV infection of the central nervous system (CNS) (brain, retina) has been reported in at least 50% of AIDS patients, and has been implicated in producing encephalitis and sight-threatening retinitis.

Density-dependent differentiation in nontransformed human retinal progenitor cells in response to basic fibroblast growth factor- and transforming growth factor-alpha.

Multipotential retinal precursors give rise to all cell types seen in multilayered retina. The generation of differentiation and diversity of neuronal cell types is determined by both extrinsic regulatory signals and endogenous genetic programs. We have previously reported that cell commitment in human retinal precursor cells (SV-40T) can be modified in response to exogenous growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor alpha (bFGF and TGFalpha).