Abstract

Prof. Kwashie Ajibade Ako-Nai* and Omo-Omorodion B. I.

ABSTRACT

Background: Bacterial colonization of human breast milk samples is of public health concern. In sub-Saharan countries where hygiene is poor among most patients, infants often come in contact with the flora of their mothers’ breast which often colonize their nostrils. Because of the new-born immature immunological state, contamination of the breast milk may result in opportunistic infection and as such have serious impact on the new-born that can lead to death. Methods: The study was carried out among 70 HIV infected pregnant women and their neonates in Akure south and Ifedore local government area (LGA) of Ondo State between November 2015-December 2016. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of each woman was determined using the determine test kit and confirmed by the Abbott enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Seventy (70) breast milk samples were collected immediately after birth (1- 14 days of delivery) from HIV seropositive lactating mothers. One millilitre (1 ml) of each breast milk sample and nasal swab of each neonate was inoculated into freshly prepared sterile thioglycollate medium and processed following standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic sensitivity testing of selected pathogens were tested using the Kirby-Bauer method. Screening for Extended spectrum β- lactamase (ESBL) was carried out by using double disk approximation method / synergy test (DDST). Results: Altogether, 518 bacterial isolates were recovered from the anterior nares of neonates of HIV seropositive women and their breast milk samples. S. aureus was selectively studied as the single predominant pathogen recovered from both sample sites. The antibiotypes of S. aureus isolates tested showed varying degree of resistance to the antibiotics tested. Furthermore, 61.1% of the isolates were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 38.8% methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSS). Of the breast milk isolates tested, none of the MRSA produced ESBL while one isolate produced ESBL in the MSSA group. Similarly, 6 MRSA of the nares of neonates produced 2 ESBL strains and 1 ESBL from the MSSA. Conclusion: Regular bacterial colonization examination in HIV infected lactating women will help reduce vertical transmission of pathogens from mother- to- child. Additionally, the development and spread of ESBL producing organism is worrisome because of rapid spread of resistance to same species and even to other genera. The pressure of unregulated misuse of antibiotics with poor quality of drugs may have resulted in the widesspread of resistant strains generally.