Intestinal carriage of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase producing E. coli in women with urinary tract infections, Cameroon

INTRODUCTION

During the last decade, the prevalence of the intestinal carriage of extended spectrum beta-lactamases - producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E. coli) has continued to increase worldwide in the community, especially in developing countries. Hence, we undertook a study to determine the ESBL-E. coli fecal carriage rate and the associated risk factors in Cameroonian women.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 86 women suspected of community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTI) were included in 10 health structures from May 2011 to April 2012. After filling a questionnaire, they provided a stool sample that was plated on selective media for ESBL producing bacteria. The identification of strains was obtained with mass spectrometry and the antibiotic susceptibility by disk diffusion in agar media. The ESBL type was determined by PCR. The relative abundance of ESBL-E. coli was measured for positive samples. Eventually, the presence of antibiotics in stool was assessed.

RESULTS

The carriage rate of ESBL-E. coli was 57/86 (66.3%). Phenotypic and molecular characterization showed that all ESBL-E. coli strains contained group 1 CTX-M enzymes. Multivariate analysis showed that ESBL-E. coli fecal carriage was associated with the presence of antibiotics in stools (p < 0.05). Although not significant, mean ESBL relative abundance tended to be higher in patients with antibiotic exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that the carriage of ESBL-E. coli fecal carriage in women with UTI suspicion from the Cameroonian community is extremely high and associated with recent antibiotic intake.

Investigations of antimicrobial activity of some Cameroonian medicinal plant extracts against bacteria and yeast with gastrointestinal relevance

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Resistance against antibiotics of many bacteria is accumulating. Therefore, searches for new substances with antimicrobial activity have become an urgent necessity. Medicinal plants are frequently used in popular medicine as remedies for many infectious diseases (intestinal infection, malaria, tuberculosis, etc.).

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity of hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from different parts (leaves, stem bark, entire plant) of five different plant species against bacteria and yeast of gastrointestinal relevance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-one extracts from all the following plants (Albizia gummifera (leaf), Ficus exasperata (leaf and stem bark), Nauclea latifolia (leaf and stem bark), Ricinodendron heudelotii (stem bark), Senna hirsuta (entire plant) have been screened for their antimicrobial activity against eight bacteria species including Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and one yeast species (Candida albicans) using agar disc-diffusion, and microbroth dilution assays.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated that F. exasperata and N. latifolia were active against the whole set of tested microorganisms. The methanol extract of N. latifolia (leaf and stem bark) was the most active against against C. albicans, E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2, 32, 64 and 64 μg/ml, respectively. The methanol extract of leaf of F. exasperata was also most active with significant inhibitory activity against E. coli, S. dysenteriae, S. Typhi and P. aeruginosa with MIC values of 128 μg/ml. Only the extract of N. latifolia (stem bark and leaf) showed anticandidal property.

CONCLUSION

The results show that these plant extracts exhibit antimicrobial activity and N. latifolia proved to be most effective as an antibacterial and antifungal.

Characterization of the antiproliferative activity of Xylopia aethiopica

BACKGROUND

Xylopia aethiopica, a plant found throughout West Africa, has both nutritional and medicinal uses. The present study aims to characterize the effects of extracts of this plant on cancer cells.

RESULTS

We report that X. aethiopica extract prepared with 70% ethanol has antiproliferative activity against a panel of cancer cell lines. The IC50 was estimated at 12 μg/ml against HCT116 colon cancer cells, 7.5 μg/ml and > 25 μg/ml against U937 and KG1a leukemia cells, respectively. Upon fractionation of the extract by HPLC, the active fraction induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and apoptotic cell death. By using NMR and mass spectrometry, we determined the structure of the active natural product in the HPLC fraction as ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid.

CONCLUSION

The main cytotoxic and DNA-damaging compound in ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica is ent-15-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid.