Article Info

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Article history:
Received in 25 August Revised from 28 August, 16 September, 26 September Accepted, 30 September 2015

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keywords:
Antibiogram, Bacterial Isolates, Antibiotic Susceptibility, Pus, Kathmandu Model Hospital

ABSTRACT

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Objective: To find out the bacteriological episodes in pus samples in relation to age and sex, Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST) and drug resistance pattern among the isolates.
Methods: A total of 157 pus samples included in the study were processed in the Microbiology laboratory of Kathmandu Model Hospital using standard microbiological techniques. Identification of organisms was done on the basis of microscopy, colony morphology, and biochemical tests. The antibiotic sensitivity testing of all isolates was performed by Kirby Bauer’s disc diffusion method on Muller Hinton agar and interpreted as per CLSI guidelines.
Results: Analysis of 157 pus samples showed (93, 59.24%) culture positive cases with (63, 67.74%) Multi Drug Resistance (MDR) isolates. Age group (21-30) was found to be the most vulnerable age group. Staphylococcus aureus (29, 28.71%) was the predominant organism isolated among gram positive bacteria and Escherichia coli (26, 25.74%) among gram negative bacteria.Gentamycin was the most sensitive antibiotic among gram positive bacteria whereas Amikacin being the most sensitive Antibiotic among gram negative bacteria.
Conclusions:Antibiogram of isolates can serve as a tool for physicians to start an empirical treatment and minimize the drug resistance problem.

Article Info

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Article history:
Received in 18 September Revised from 20 September Accepted, 29 September 2015

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keywords:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suspected case, follow-up case, MDR, sputum sample

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Objective: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Auramine O staining and culture of sputum samples for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Methods: Total 299 sputum samples (170 samples from 78 Group I suspected cases with no treatment; 42 samples from 22 Group II DOTS follow-up cases; and 87 samples from 87 Group III MDR follow-up cases) were subjected to direct smear preparation each for ZN and AO staining for 1000x light microscopy and 400x fluorescent microscopy examination respectively and the remaining sample were further processed with NALC-NaOH method for culture on modified Lowenstein-Jensen Media for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Positive smears were graded according to IUATLD/WHO guideline.
Results: Out of total 299 sputum samples of all types of cases, 19.06%, 29.1% and 24.41% were found pulmonary tuberculosis positive by ZN, AO and culture respectively. The case detection rates for suspected patients with no treatment were 20%, 25.88% & 28.24%; for DOTS follow-up patients were 30.95%, 57.14% & 19.05%; and for MDR follow-up patients were 11.49%, 21.84% & 19.54% for ZN, AO and culture respectively. The difference in their case detection rates was statistically significant (p < 0.01). No AO negative result with ZN positive samples was found. More number of paucibacillary cases was detected by AO method than ZN. There were 25 cultural contaminated samples. Removing contaminated cultural samples and taking culture as gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of direct microscopic examination were found to be 60.03% and 98.51% for ZN method; and 83.56% and 94.53% for fluorescent AO method respectively. The percentage of false negative by AO staining was only 16.44% which was in sharp contrast to that of ZN (39.73%).
Conclusions:This comparative study proves that AO staining (Fluorescent microscopy) is superior to ZN staining (Light microscopy) in several aspects as efficacy, sensitivity, false negativity. Thus the AO staining aided with culture can prove to be important tool for the effective and reliable diagnosis and screening of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Article Info

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Article history:
Received in 16 July Revised from 23 July, 30 July, 6 August, 13 August Accepted, in 30 August 2015

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keywords:
Farmers, Knowledge, Practice, Pesticides

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Objective: The objective of the study is to assess farmers’ knowledge and practice of pesticides use and self-reported health symptoms associated with pesticides use in Thimi, Bhaktapur.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, 210 farmers were enrolled in the study. Data collection involved a self prepared questionnaire and information was collected by face to face interviews. Socio demographics status, unsafe pesticide handling practices of pesticide storage, conditions of personal protective equipment (PPE) was assessed as per the questionnaires.
Results: Out of 210 farmers, 70% were male and 30% were female. Majority (87%) of farmers couldn’t read and write. It is found that 85% used mask, 8% used gloves as a measure of Knowledge regarding the personal protective equipment. Thus, no farmers were found using boots and goggles. Practice of washing hand among farmers was found to be 93%. Majority (92%) of the farmers neither smoked nor drank or ate anything during spray of pesticides.
Conclusions:Education level, information about pesticide residue, and adequate personal protection during pesticide use among farmers is most needed.

Article Info

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Article history:
Received on 2nd October Revised in 5th October Accepted 10 October 2015

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keywords:
Herbal medicines, Micromeriabiflora, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Agar well diffusion method.

ABSTRACT

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Objective: We aim to study extraction, fractionation, antibacterial and antifungal activity of Micromeriabiflora.
Methods: Sample was washed properly with de-ionized water. Solvents used (i.e. chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-hexane and methanol) were filtered and added some amounts of dehydrated reagents to purify the solvents before using. Shad dried plant powder was chopped and soaked in methanol for 10 days.Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) was used as solvent because it did not show any activity against bacteria and also it possess polar and non-polar groups therefore, in Dimethyl Sulfoxide most of the polar and non-polar compound are soluble. The antibacterial bioassay was done by Agar Well Diffusion Method, by measuring the zone of inhibition against the test microorganisms.Two fungal strains i.e. Alternaria, Fusarium oxysporium were used for antifungal activities.
Results: At 5mg/mlspectrum of antibacterial activity of various fraction i.e. n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol of Micromeriabiflora was determined. All fractions showed activity against fungal species. Highest activity was shown by Chloroform fraction against Fusarium oxysporium giving wider zone of 10.2 (mm). Ethyl acetate fraction against Alternaria was very less active giving lowest value of 5.9 (mm).
Conclusions:The results of antibacterial activity revealed that methanol show highest activity among all fractions against salmonella typhi. This revealed that the Micromeriabiflora demonstrated strong inhibitory effect on the test organisms. The results therefore established a good support for the use of Micromeriabiflora in traditional medicine.