Josiah Lennox

Screening of bacteria isolated from the environment for the capability to control mosquito larva

Malaria fever is a major disease that has killed millions of people in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Mosquitoes are vectors of this debilitating and fatal disease. Therefore, mosquito control becomes paramount using environmentally friendly biological agents instead of chemicals. Water samples obtained from the gutters and water logged areas and soil samples analyzed resulted in 18 different bacteria isolates identified as Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Shigella sp., Salmonella sp., Kiebsiella sp., Micrococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Proteus vulgaris, Proteus penneri, Bacillus sp., Serratia sp., Sporolactobacillus sp., Listeria sp., Clostridium sp., Lactobacillus sp., Enterococcus sp and Citrobacter sp. The activities of these bacteria against 8 day old mosquito larva at different concentrations and volumes were determined. At the end of the screening period of 7 days with bacteria concentration of 3.0 x 108 cfu/ml, Bacillus sp. showed 80% activity, Clostridium sp. 50% activity, Proteus vulgaris and Proteus penneri 20% activity each against the mosquito larva. At bacteria concentration of 3.0 x 109 cfu/10 ml, the activities of the bacteria against the mosquito larva were Bacillus sp. 100%, Clostridium sp. 85%, Sporolactobacillus sp. 60%, while Proteus vulgari and Proteus penneri 40% each. Lactobacillus sp had 35% activity. The rest of the bacteria isolates had no activity or insignificant activities. Other than Bacillus sp which is a known bioinsecticide, Clostridium sp. and Sporolactobacillus sp. can be genetically modified to be used as bioinsectides as man continues to search for alternative means of combating mosquito borne diseases. Key words: Larvicide, larva, gutters, mosquito, vectors, activity.

Antimicrobial Potential of Ten Common Medicinal Plants used by the Bokis, Cross River State, Nigeria

Evidence of the continuous use of medicinal plants for primary health care is noted amongst the Bokis living within and on the fringes of the Cross River National Park (Okwangwo division). In consonance with their traditional usage the methano-aqueous extracts of ten common medicinal plants used by traditional medicine men in nine communities of the area were assayed for antimicrobial activity. Four bacteria species and one fungus were used as in-vitro test organisms. Gentamicin was used as standard antimicrobial agent for comparative efficacy. Results of the tests using the diameter of zone of inhibition showed that three i.e. Senna alata and Dillenia indica and Grewia megalocarpa of the total plant assayed at a concentration of 2 mg/ml exhibited some level of activity against Staphylococcus aureus only. The antimicrobial property of these plants is indicative of their usefulness in traditional medicines. Hence, knowledge of medicinal plants practice in this region can be an important source for new drug discoveries. Invariably, such knowledge should act as an important feeder in the development of a robust health care policy and service for the region with recognition and active inputs from traditional medicine practitioners.