Abstract This study was designed to investigate the microorganisms associated with palm oil mill effluent (POME) in Johor Bahru state, Malaysia. Biodegradation of palm oil mill effluents (POME) was conducted to measure the discarded POME based on physicochemical quality. The bacteria that were isolated are Micrococcus species, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, and Staphylococcus aureus, while the fungi that were isolated are Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida species, Fusa...
ABSTRACT The effectiveness of cotton seed dextrose agar, groundnut seed dextrose agar and kernel dextrose agar in culturing fungi was studied by culturing fungi from yam rot (Dioscorea rotundata). The research demonstrated the choice of the isolated fungi to various media, and revealed that some of the isolated fungi showed the same occurrence in different media. Aspergillus flavus showed preference for kernel dextrose and groundnut seed dextrose agar than Sabouraud dextrose agar and cotton s...
Studies on incidence and effect of temperature and relative humidity on post-harvest rot of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) were conducted in Bolari, Pantami and Tudun Wada district headquarters in Gombe LGA of Gombe state, Nigeria. The aim was to determine the incidence and severity of post-harvest rot of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta), to isolate and identify the fungi responsible for the rot, to determine the virulence of the pathogen and the effect of temperature and relative humidity on...
In Menoua Division, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is amongst the legumes which are greatly cultivated with farmers growing different cultivar types. Upon harvest, these cultivars are stored to be used as food over the storage period or for sale. Unfortunately, appropriate facilities for storing the cultivars after harvest are not available hence predisposing the grains to fungi infection. The knowledge of cultivars resistant to damage by storage fungi would therefore have a consider...
In Kenya, maize is a staple food and is stored after harvest as a source of food and for sale. From the stored maize, the surplus from that meant for food is sold by some farmers to earn income. The quality of the maize in store depends on the storage facility. Poorly constructed and unmaintained structures may allow leakage of water and entry by rodents and insects which may mechanically damage the maize by nibbling and holing respectively, thus predisposing the grains to fungal infectio...
In most parts of Cameroon particularly the Menoua Division, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is usually consumed immediately after harvest or after a few months of storage. Contamination of common bean by fungi usually occurs in the field and during storage. It is possible that the incidence of food contamination by fungi varies between field and storage. The study aimed at determining the incidence of common bean infection by fungi during harvest and during storage. Six common bean cultiv...
Soil acidity is widespread globally, accounting for about 40% of total arable soils. In Kenya, acid soils cover about 13% of total land area and are distributed widely in the croplands of central and western Kenya regions, covering over one million hectares. The main limitation of crop productivity in Kavutiri, Embu, is soil acidity and more specifically aluminium toxicity. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of agricultural lime in combination with farmyard manure (FYM)...
Fungal dermatological conditions are caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes. They cause infections in almost all parts of the body. The most common cause of skin infections are dermatophytes and opportunistic fungi. Dermatophytoes are not life threatening but they affect the quality of life of the patients as they can cause depression, lack of self confidence and isolation incase of deep lesions. In Kenya the prevalence and distribution of the infections as well as the common dermato...
ABSTRACT In Kenya, aquaculture continues to expand as a source of food production and livelihood in all the counties. Mortality of Nile Tilapia and African Catfish fingerlings constitute the biggest loss in extensive and intensive fish farms. The main objective of this study was to determine contamination by bacteria and fungi in Nile Tilapia and African Catfish fingerlings. The study was carried out from March 2014 to July 2014 in fish farms with different water sources, hatchery systems an...
ABSTRACT Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal crop in Kenya with 90% of the total population relying on it as the main staple food. Post-harvest losses in maize is caused by insect pests such Sitophilus zeamais and Fungi such Aspergillus and Fusarium among others. Post harvest losses by insect pests can sometimes be up to 90 percent. Synthetic chemicals are used to manage weevil infestation and control mould development in maize. However, chemical residues have been detected on t...
ABSTRACT Infectious diseases account for approximately one-half of all deaths in tropical countries. In industrialized nations, despite the progress made in understanding of microbiology and their pathogenic control, incidences of epidemics due to drug resistant micro-organisms and the emergence of hitherto unknown disease causing microbes, pose enormous public health concerns. Thus, there is need to continue the search for appropriate drugs for anti-microbial treatment without much drawback...
ABSTRACT Maize is the staple crop in Eastern Province of Kenya especially in Makueni, Kangundo, Kibwezi, Machakos and Kitui South Districts. It has been noted that the abiotic and biotic stresses associated with these Districts promote growth of toxigenic fungi that produce mycotoxins in maize in storage. The aflatoxin producing species of Aspergillus are a common phenomenon in maize contamination that has led to frequent outbreaks of aflatoxicoses in these regions. To address this problem, t...
ABSTRACT Medicinal plants play a major role for sources of lead compounds in drug discovery. Studies done have shown that plants, fungi such as mushrooms and seaweeds are a good source of bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer and antimicrobial activities. Antioxidants play main role by hindering oxidation by protecting cells from damage by free radicals. This protects the body from cancer and other chronic ailments like heart diseases. Anti-inflammatory effect i...
ABSTRACT Despite advances in understanding of the causes, treatment and prevention of diarrhoeal diseases an estimated 4.6 million people die from diarhoreal diseases every year. Diarrhoea can either be acute or chronic, with acute diarhoea being the most common form. The main agents of diarrhoreal diseases include viruses like rotavirus, bacteria such as Enterobacteria e.t.c and parasitic agents like Cryptosporidium. The disease has been found to attack mostly the children who are below the ...
ABSTRACT Medicinal plants have been used since time immemorial to treat and prevent human ailments. WHO indicates that up to 80% of the world’s population uses traditional medicine. Infections caused by bacteria and fungi have become a major health problem globally accounting for over 50,000 deaths every day. It is estimated that more than 70% of the pathogenic bacteria are resistant to at least one of the antibiotics commonly used to treat them. Conventional drugs are expensive and have s...