South Asian Journal of Research in Microbiology

Detection of Norovirus in Children 0-5 Years Presenting with Acute Diarrhoea in Three Selected Tertiary Health Facilities in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Norovirus is a global health concern and is considered a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis across all age groups, resulting in sporadic infections and epidemic or endemic outbreaks worldwide. Human norovirus infection accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality annually, particularly among children younger than 5 years. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of norovirus and the risk factors associated with infection among children presenting with acute diarrhoea in three selected tertiary health facilities in Jos. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among paediatric inpatients and general outpatient attendees from January to November 2020. Consenting participants were recruited using simple random sampling, and a stool sample was collected from each child. Data were analysed using STATA statistical software, version 15. Norovirus antigen was detected in 61 of 184 samples using the MyBioSource Norovirus Antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, giving an overall prevalence of 33.2%. Plateau State Specialist Hospital accounted for the largest proportion of positive cases (68.9%), and the difference by facility was statistically significant. Among positive cases, 62.3% were male and 37.7% were female, although sex was not significantly associated with infection. The highest proportion of infections occurred among children aged 7–12 months (32.8%). Norovirus was detected throughout the study period, with the highest monthly proportion recorded in March (34.4%). Body temperature was significantly associated with norovirus infection, with 45.9% of positive cases occurring among children with temperatures of 38.0–38.9°C. The observed prevalence highlights the need to strengthen norovirus prevention, surveillance, and control interventions in Jos and to support evidence-informed consideration of future vaccination strategies. It is recommended that children and parents practice hand hygiene by washing frequently with soap and water, properly disinfect contaminated surfaces using bleach-based cleaners, and thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before consumption to reduce risk of norovirus infection.

Distribution of Hydrocarbon-Utilising Bacteria and Fungi, Faecal Contamination and Associated Human Health Risk in Soil, Sediment and Surface Water of Eagle Island, Port Harcourt, Niger Delta, Nigeria

L. C. Nnodim, M. N. Ugoji, N. Isotop, G. C. Disegha — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Peri-urban creek margins in the Niger Delta are exposed to both petroleum-derived contamination and domestic waste, but comparative information on microbial responses across soil, sediment and surface water remains limited. This study characterised microbial populations, hydrocarbon-utilising fractions, physicochemical conditions, faecal contamination and associated non-carcinogenic health risk at Eagle Island, Port Harcourt. Samples were collected from two soil stations, one intertidal sediment station and two surface-water stations and analysed using culture-based microbiological methods, physicochemical measurements, contamination and water-quality indices, and health-risk assessment. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts were 2.70×10⁵–7.00×10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ in soil, 4.00×10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ in sediment and 6.80×10³–1.20×10⁴ CFU mL⁻¹ in water. Hydrocarbon-utilising bacteria represented 0.010–0.033% of heterotrophs in the solid matrices and 0.250–0.588% in water, while hydrocarbon-utilising fungi represented 9.5–12.5% in the solid matrices and 30.4–100.0% in water. Faecal coliforms were detected at all stations. Total hydrocarbon content ranged from 131.7 to 345.0 ppm in solids and from 12.7 to 20.0 mg L⁻¹ in water. Dissolved oxygen was 2.50–3.27 mg L⁻¹, and Water Quality Index values of 118.9–131.6 classified both water stations as unsuitable for drinking. Hazard indices remained below unity for soil and sediment contact but exceeded unity under several water-exposure scenarios. The findings indicate strong matrix dependence in the culturable hydrocarbon-utilising fraction and identify concurrent hydrocarbon, faecal and oxygen-related water-quality concerns at Eagle Island.

Optimization of Critical Fermentation Parameters for Improved Yield, and Characterization of Curdlan Biopolymer Produced by Agrobacterium Species Utilizing Agro-Waste

M. A. Mbahi, J. H. Doughari, M. I. Jaʹafaru — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The utilisation of agro-waste as an inexpensive alternative carbon source for curdlan production is increasing. However, low curdlan yields have been reported for Agrobacterium species utilising agro-waste. This study therefore optimised critical fermentation parameters to improve curdlan yield. Agrobacterium species isolated from legume fields were inoculated onto rice husk and corncob as carbon sources; the curdlan production process was optimised, and the produced curdlan was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that 25 g/L rice husk produced the highest curdlan yield (0.73 g/L), with a reduction in yield at higher rice husk concentrations; a maximum curdlan yield of 0.7 g/L was achieved at 1 g/L urea, whereas the lowest yield (0.3 g/L) was recorded at 2 g/L urea; curdlan yield increased with pH, with the highest yield (0.76 g/L) recorded at pH 7; at 25^°C, the curdlan yield was 0.4 g/L and increased to 0.62 g/L at 30°C; combined optimisation of the fermentation parameters produced a maximum curdlan yield of 0.91 g/L; and the curdlan produced by the Agrobacterium spp. exhibited peak values of 1071.44, 1366.57, and 3292.73 cm⁻¹, with the FTIR spectrum confirming the presence of the β-1,3-glucan (curdlan) polysaccharide structure. Rice husk and corncob are inexpensive carbon sources for curdlan production, and curdlan yield generally increased following process optimisation.

Emerging Strategies in Antimicrobial Drug Discovery: A Review of Target-Based and Phenotypic Screening Approaches

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Antimicrobial resistance has intensified the need for new chemical matter and new mechanisms of action, yet antibacterial discovery remains unusually vulnerable to attrition between a convincing molecular hypothesis and clinically relevant whole-cell activity. This critical narrative review evaluates target-based and phenotypic screening as complementary discovery architectures rather than competing doctrines, with emphasis on small-molecule antibacterial discovery and transferable lessons for antimicrobial research. Literature published from 1 January 2000 to 28 June 2026 was identified through PubMed, PubMed Central, OpenAlex, DOAJ, Semantic Scholar and Google Scholar, supplemented by citation chaining and verification against primary bibliographic records. The evidence indicates that target-based screening is strongest when target vulnerability, chemical tractability and intracellular exposure are demonstrated early, but genomic essentiality alone is an unreliable proxy for pharmacological susceptibility. Phenotypic screening naturally selects for cellular access and functional consequence, yet its apparent physiological realism can be undermined by artificial culture conditions, rediscovery of known mechanisms, non-specific stress phenotypes and protracted target deconvolution. The most productive emerging approaches therefore collapse the traditional divide: genetically sensitised strains and CRISPR interference connect targets to cellular phenotypes; pathway-directed reporters retain whole-cell permeability filters while enriching for desired biology; bacterial cytological profiling, metabolomics and thermal proteome profiling accelerate mechanism resolution; and direct accumulation measurements make permeability and efflux explicit design variables. Machine-learning approaches expand searchable chemical space, but their value depends on experimentally grounded phenotypic labels and subsequent mechanistic validation. Across these strategies, the central determinant of progress is not whether a campaign begins with a target or a phenotype, but whether it rapidly establishes a coherent chain of evidence linking target vulnerability, compound exposure, target engagement, antibacterial effect, resistance liability and disease-relevant performance. Future discovery programmes should be designed around this convergence from the outset.