DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Antibiotics resistance is an emerging problem worldwide which can develop as a result of antibiotics misuse by humans or overuse in animal feeding and treatment. This study was aimed at investigating the prevalence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. and study the antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates. a total of 40 samples were collected from four different markets namely; Okha, Santana, Oba and Ekiosa markets in Benin City and were analysed using standard microbiological methods for the investigation. Results from the investigation showed that E. coli and Salmonella spp were present in almost all of the samples. The Total Aerobic Count showed that Santana market (5.97±0.53 cfu/g) had the highest average count whereas the lowest average count was observed in Ekiosa market
(4.29±0.49cfu/g). The total E. coli count on Eosin-Methylene Blue Agar showed that the highest E. coli count was observed in samples taken from Ekiosa market (1.93±0.38 cfu/g), whereas, the lowest was observed in samples collected from Oba market (1.69±0.40 cfu/g). The Total Salmonella count on Salmonella-Shigella Agar showed that Oba market (2.502±0.32 cfu/g) had the highest count while Ekiosa market (1.073±0.22 cfu/g) had the lowest count. Based on the number of samples collected from each market the prevalence rate shows that E. coli was isolated from 25% of the samples collected while Salmonella was isolated from 45% of the samples collected. The antibiotics resistance pattern showed that all E. coli isolates were resistant to cefixime, augumentin, nitrofurantion and cefuroxime, while all Salmonella isolates were resistant to cefixime, augumentin, ceftazidime and cefuroxime. Monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolates is valuable for epidemiological uses and for monitoring the increase of antimicrobial resistance among different microbial species.

Antibiotics resistance is an emerging problem worldwide which can develop as a result of antibiotics misuse by humans or overuse in animal feeding and treatment. This study was aimed at investigating the prevalence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. and study the antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates. a total of 40 samples were collected from four different markets namely; Okha, Santana, Oba and Ekiosa markets in Benin City and were analysed using standard microbiological methods for the investigation. Results from the investigation showed that E. coli and Salmonella spp were present in almost all of the samples. The Total Aerobic Count showed that Santana market (5.97±0.53 cfu/g) had the highest average count whereas the lowest average count was observed in Ekiosa market (4.29±0.49cfu/g). The total E. coli count on Eosin-Methylene Blue Agar showed that the highest E. coli count was observed in samples taken from Ekiosa market (1.93±0.38 cfu/g), whereas, the lowest was observed in samples collected from Oba market (1.69±0.40 cfu/g). The Total Salmonella count on Salmonella-Shigella Agar showed that Oba market (2.502±0.32 cfu/g) had the highest count while Ekiosa market (1.073±0.22 cfu/g) had the lowest count. Based on the number of samples collected from each market the prevalence rate shows that E. coli was isolated from 25% of the samples collected while Salmonella was isolated from 45% of the samples collected. The antibiotics resistance pattern showed that all E. coli isolates were resistant to cefixime, augumentin, nitrofurantion and cefuroxime, while all Salmonella isolates were resistant to cefixime, augumentin, ceftazidime and cefuroxime. Monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolates is valuable for epidemiological uses and for monitoring the increase of antimicrobial resistance among different microbial species.

Medicinal plants have been used to treat diseases all across the world for thousands of years. The methanolic extract of powdered leaves of Carica papaya, Laurus nobilis, and Gongronema latifolium were subjected to phytochemical screening and antioxidants activity assays. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and tannins in methanol extract was revealed by phytochemical screening. The leaf extract of Carica papaya showed the presence of the
flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, steroids, terpernoids, saponnis, but quinones were absent. Laurus nobilis was found to contain flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, steroids, alkaloids, phenols, quinones but terpernoids were absent. Gongronema latifolium was found to contain tannins, saponins, terpernoids, alkaloids, quinones, but steroids, phenols, cardiac glycosides, phenols, steroids, flavonoids were absent. The EC50 value of the DPPH radical scavenging activities shows that Bay leaf (0.586± 0.049µg/ml) has the highest radical scavenging activity followed by Pawpaw leaf (0.685± 0.012µg/ml), and Utazi leaf (0.896± 0.104µg/ml). The Phosphomolybdate assay shows that Utazi (0.619±0.012 μg/ml) >Pawpaw (0.752± 0.166μg/ml) and Bay (0.816± 0.094 μg/ml). Hydrogen peroxide: Pawpaw leaf>Utazi leaf >Bay leaf respectively. Reducing power for Pawpaw leaf >Bay leaf >Utazi leaf which had the lowest value. The total flavonoid content shows that Bay leaf (0.053± 0.010mg/gQE) has the highest total flavonoids content followed by Pawpaw leaf (0.233±0.012mg/gQE) and Utazi leaf (0.051± 0.008mg/gQE). The total phenolic content shows that Bay leaf0.145± 0.021mg/gGAE, have the highest total phenolic content followed by Pawpaw leaf 0.055±0.015mg/gGAE, and Utazi leaf 0.041±0.003mg/gGAE. These results show a non-statistical significant difference (p>0.05) in antioxidants activities of Pawpaw leaf, Bay leaf, Utazi leafs and standard antioxidant activity. It also shows that leaves of utazi, pawpaw and bay possess significant phytochemicals and antioxidant activity.