BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF DRILLING WATER INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN FOUR PREFECTURES IN THE SAVANNAH REGION OF TOGO

According to the latest SDG recommendations, guidelines on access to safe drinking water have enabled the construction of boreholes in remote areas of developing countries. In Togo, particularly in the savannah region where access to drinking water remains a major problem for the population, many boreholes have been built for this purpose. The objective of this study is to evaluate the bacteriological quality of the waters of some boreholes built in four (04) prefectures of the savannah region in Togo. A total of 68 samples of drilling water intended for human consumption were collected between January and February 2019 for bacteriological analysis. These analyses were carried out according to the standardized routine methods of the French Association for Standardization (AFNOR). The parameters sought or counted in these samples are those retained by the 2007 European Union criteria for water intended for human consumption. The analysis reveal that the samples of borehole water are at 50% and 90% of unsatisfactory hygienic quality respectively compared to the Total Coliforms (CT) and the Total Aerobic Mesophilic Flora (FAMT) which are indicative germs of hygiene failure. The correlation of the germs sought made it possible to distinguish two groups of indicators of contamination: those responsible for hygiene failures and old fecal contamination (ASR) Conclusion: Since the majority of the borehole water analyzed is contaminated by germs indicating hygiene deficiencies, adequate treatment of these waters and monitoring of their quality are necessary in order to protect the population of the savannah region against probable diseases linked to faecal contamination germs.

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DIESEL DEGRADING BACTERIA FROM PETROLEUM OIL CONTAMINATED SOIL

Petroleum products are used for energy production and an essential part of our day-to-day lives especially in vehicles, ships, and industries. Accidental leakages occur easily and wastage petroleum is also discarded in the environment without any further processing causing environmental pollution. Diesel contributea big part topetroleum pollution. The current study was aimed to identify diesel degrading bacteria and determine some conditions to evaluate their best degradation capability. We identified Aeromonas spp., Bacillus spp., and Enterobacter spp. from diesel contaminated soil and found that Aeromonas spp. and Bacillus spp. grow best with 10% to 15% diesel whereas Enterobacter spp. can grow quite well with 20% diesel concentration at a higher temperature (40oC) than the previous two bacteria. Aeromonas spp. worked well at low pH (pH 4 to pH 6) whereas Bacillus spp. and Enterobacter spp. worked best at higher pH (pH 10).

MICROBIAL ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT ON UTEKON RIVER IN OVIA NORTH-EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

The microbial analysis of industrial effluent on Utekon River in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State was investigated in this study. The study assesses the extent of pollution of the water due to discharged effluent from the industries in the area. The bacteriological analysis of water samples collected from five different stations (A-E) revealed the presence of bacteria genera such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp and Streptococcus sp. The most widely distributed bacteria was Escherichia coli indicating faecal pollution of the river. The total bacteria count was observed to range from 12× 103 – 83 × 103 cfu/ml. The highest bacteria count 83 × 103 cfu/ml was recorded in sample B1 obtained from station 2, which was the point of discharge of effluent. The total coliform count was observed to range from 12 – 79. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that the most resistant and susceptible bacteria isolates were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The most susceptible bacteria isolate was Streptococcus sp. Due to negative impact of the effluent discharge in Utekon River it will be necessary if policies are provided to ensure proper treatment of waste effluent before discharge into the river in other to preserve the safety of the river and conservation of the aquatic life. Thus helping the sustainability of the aquatic life of the river and preventing hazardous threat this polluted river may pose to human health who consume this aquatic life.

ANTIBIOTIC-RE¬¬SISTANT MOTILE AEROMONADS ASSOCIATED WITH CULTURED INDIAN MAJOR CARPS, POND WATER AND POND SEDIMENT

The uproar in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among the aquacultured environment has led to the isolation of multiple antibiotic-resistant (MAR) Aeromonas strains. The current study aimed at the enumeration of antibiotic-resistant Aeromonas in carps of aquacultured environment and market samples. Isolation of Aeromonas was also done in Rimler-Shotts agar supplemented with novobiocin followed by antibiotic-sensitivity assay against 12 broad-spectrum antibiotics. Five oxytetracycline-resistant strains were examined for the presence of three tetracycline-resistant genes (tetA, tetC and tetE). The presumptive Aeromonas counts on starch-ampicillin agar were determined as log 3.00-log 6.45/g in carps, log 3.00l-log 5.06/ml in pond water and log 3.30–log 5.14/g in pond sediment. Higher proportions of motile aeromonads from market carps were resistant to chloramphenicol, cefalexin, gentamycin, oxytetracycline and trimethoprim than the farmed carps. Aeromonas strains depicted 57 resistant profiles. About 88.43% of the Aeromonas strains were of the MAR group among which 12.15% and 4.67% were resistant to ≥6 and ≥7 antibiotic groups, respectively. Selected oxytetracycline-resistant strains were negative for targeted genes. The current study implied the high prevalence of AMR bacteria in cultured carps in West Bengal, India. Furthermore, the study indicated that motile aeromonads comprise an effective marker for monitoring AMR in freshwater aquatic environments.

GREENER METHODS OF CONTROL FOR MICROBIAL DISEASES OF POMEGRANATE USING COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND BETEL LEAF EXTRACT

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an important exportable fruit crop of India that faces major losses when infected by fungal wilt and bacterial blight. The present investigation is aimed to isolate and identify the causative organism of the plant disease infecting the stem of pomegranate. The identification based on microscopic, morphological characterization and 18SrRNA sequencing confirms as Mariannaea elegans. The crude extracts of various leaves of plants viz Psidium guajava, Picrorhiza kurroa and Piper betel were used to evaluate antifungal activity using agar well diffusion method. Results confirm that ethanolic extract of Piper betel extract (0.5mg/ml) show zone of inhibition against Mariannea elegans. The research demonstrates that commonly used fungicides viz., Manocozeb/ Matalxy and Carbendazim showed very little inhibition as compared to the Piper betel ethanolic extracts and hence the latter proves to be a better and eco-friendlier control alternative. The present study was also aimed at finding remedies for bacterial blight. The blight pathogen was isolated from the fruit pericarp and identified using morphological and biochemical characters to be Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae (Xap). Nanoparticles synthesized using green method, Copper oxide nanoparticles (1mg/ml) synthesized using Azadirachta indica leaf extract showed excellent inhibitory effect against the blight pathogen as compared to Bordeaux mixture, commonly used as an antimicrobial spray by farmers.

PHOTO EFFECT AND BIO-AUTOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF INTRACELLULAR ORANGE FLUORESCENT PIGMENT PRODUCED BY Bacillus endophyticus

Present study has focused on the effect of chemical (solvents) and physical (photo) conditions on pigment production and its bioactivity of intracellular orange fluorescent pigment (IOFP) extracted from soil bacterium Bacillus endophyticus. Standardization of pigment and its colour stability was confirmed by using different solvents (70% & 100% ethanol, hexane, heptane, ethyl acetate, acetone, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and distilled water), photo conditions (Dark, U.V light and White light) on pigment production and its bio-activeness by antibacterial activity using agar cup plate method against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenes and Listeria monocytogenes) and gram-negative (Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholera, Shigella Flexneri and E.coli) human pathogens and purification of pigment by TLC coupled with bio-autographic studies. Acetone is proved to be the best solvent for extraction and the pigment was stable in all solvents without changing its colour except heptane. When compared to control (dark incubation) antibacterial activity of IOFP produced in U.V and W. Light was effective against all tested pathogens with slight differences in their antibacterial activity. TLC bio-autographic studies reveal that the separated pure band shows clear zone of inhibition under red back ground of live cells stating that, the compound is active against human bacterial pathogens. Hence this study concludes that, the production and biological activity of the IOFP was independent of light incubation, and TLC guided bio-autographic approach offers a rapid detection technique that avoids the testing of purified fraction once again.

IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION OF DOMINANT BACTERIA IN TRADITIONAL ISFAHAN CHEESE AND DETERMINATION IF EFFECTIVE COMPOUNDS IN FLAVOR

Cheese production by native starter cultures instead of commercial ones is beneficial in respect of higher quality, nutrient content, immunogenicity and having beneficial microorganism. The objective of the presented study was molecular identifying of microorganism and exploring its active ingredients in native cheese. MRS and M17 media were used to culture bacteria in 15, 37 and 45°c for 24, 48 and 72 hours and then morphologic and biochemical tests were used to identifying the species. Predominant species were detected using 16S rRNA and gene sequencing. Active ingredients and fatty acid profile was studied by GC lactobacili, lactococci and enterococci were identified as the predominant bacteria. Acid palmitic had the highest concentration among the saturated fatty acid, with 42.47%, and acid meristic and acid lauric acid were next with the 13.22% and 3.9% concentration respectively, among the unsaturated fatty acids.

CONTAMINATION OF CHICKEN EGGSHELLS AND EGG CONTENTS WITH SALMONELLA SPECIES FROM SELECTED FARMS IN KOSGAMA, COLOMBO DISTRICT

Salmonellosis is a common, widely distributed foodborne disease. Consumption of raw or undercooked chicken eggs infected with Salmonella has been reported in association with salmonellosis cases; however, minimum attention has been paid to regulate the quality of eggs released for consumption. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Salmonella in eggs collected from selected farms from Kosgama area and to compare the egg quality of backyard and commercial farms. Randomly purchased eggs from selected chicken farms were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella. Egg content was mixed thoroughly, and 25.0mL was inoculated into 225.0mL of 1% Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) and incubated at 350C (24h). From the pre-enriched specimen, 0.1ml was added to 10.0ml of Rappaport Vassiliadis broth and incubated at 420C (24h). The same procedure was followed for shells. Isolated cultures were streaked on Brilliant Green Agar (BGA) and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate Agar (XLD) and incubated at 350C for 24h. Colonies were investigated with Gram staining, biochemical tests and serotyping was carried out to identify the species. Of 78 eggs, 35 were from backyard and 43 from commercial farms. Six specimens (4 from shell and 2 from content) yielded Salmonella (7.69 %). Four of the positive specimens were from backyard farms (4/35, 8.91%) and remaining two (2/43, 3.62%) were from commercial farms. Isolates were identified as S. Typhimurium and S. Enteriditis. The prevalence of Salmonella was 7.69 % (n=6). The proportion of Salmonella showed no significant difference (p=0.782) between backyard and commercial farms.

MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF MICROBIAL GROWTH IN VACUUM-PACKAGED AND REFRIGERATED FRESH COW MEAT

Fresh meat is a highly perishable product due to its biological composition. This study examined the effect of different storage time (24, 48, 72 hours), gaseous permeability of packaging film (Aluminum foil and Polyethylene) on the growth of microorganisms (Bacteria and fungi) isolated from the refrigerated cow meat at constant temperature of 0°C. Microbial growth was modeled using Gompertz and Linear Regression Models. The bacteria count was observed to decrease as the storage time increases. While fungi count was observed to increase with increasing storage time. Aluminum foil packaged cow meat samples recorded lower microbial growth when compared to polyethylene packaged samples. In Gompertz model, the specific growth rate (μ) of the test organisms was observed to increase significantly upon a shift of storage time. The transition from 24 hours to 48 hours resulted in large changes in the growth profile with increased maximum population density (MPD) of the test organisms. However, lag phase of approximately two hours for bacteria and five hours for fungi was observed. An increase of storage time from 48 hours to 72 hours, an accelerated μ, higher MPD with reduced lag phase duration (LPD) was observed. In the linear regression model, the coefficient of determination (R2) values for aluminum foil packaged samples was 0.3 and polyethylene packaged samples was 0.1. Therefore, it can be concluded that varying storage time at constant temperature; μ and MPD of the test organisms significantly increased with decreasing LPD of both studied vacuum packaging films of the refrigerated fresh cow meat.

MICROBIAL ASSESSMENT OF FROZEN FOODS SOLD IN AYOBO, LAGOS

This study seeks to investigate the microbial profile of frozen fish and meat. Forty samples consisting of Scomber scombrus (Titus), Clupea harengus (Shawa) and frozen meat (Chicken, Turkey) were purchased from different retail outlets in Ayobo-Ipaja markets for microbiological analysis. The samples were analysed for the total viable count using standard microbiological procedures. The mean bacterial and fungal counts for Scomber scombrus, Chicken, Clupea harengus and Turkey are 254.70±83.81 CFU/G and 5.50±4.45 CFU/G; 210.10±55.03 CFU/G and 6.80±3.39 CFU/G; 298.20±67.35 CFU/G and 6.10±3.87 CFU/G; 221.30±80.33 CFU/G and 4.30±2.00 CFU/G respectively. Clupea harengus has the highest bacterial count while Scomber scombrus has the lowest bacterial count. Chicken has the highest fungal count while Turkey had the lowest fungal count. The microbial isolates from the frozen food samples include species of S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella, Micrococcus, Aspergillus, and Penicillium. Escherichia coli were susceptible to all the antibiotics while Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus were resistance to Augmentin, Gentamycin, Tarivid, and susceptible to Sparfloxacin and Chloramphenicol. Although freezing retard pathogens multiplication, post-harvest contaminants can multiply during thawing to a level that can have a major impact on the quality of the final consumer product. It is advised that frozen foods must be properly cooked before consumption and effective hazard analysis and critical control point implemented.