by Touroumgaye Goalbaye, Serferbe Signaboubo, Alhadj Markhous Nazal, Esaie Waya and Grâce Yassi Solo
Original Research
In Chad, maize and groundnut crops are faced with the proliferation of mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins. The aim of the study is to determine aflatoxins in maize and groundnut and to design a simplified approach to practices to reduce aflatoxin contamination. A survey of cultivation practices likely to contribute to contamination was carried out using a form sent to growers. Followed by analysis of aflatoxins in maize and peanut samples, using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique. The survey showed that 45% of growers harvest maize in October. Groundnuts are harvested in October by 39% of growers. The survey revealed that 33% of growers dry maize for two weeks, while 11% of growers dry maize intermittently for more than three weeks. The result showed that 56% of producers dry peanuts for two weeks. The results showed that 56% of maize dryers use tarpaulins, while 26% dry on the ground. The survey showed that 82% of groundnut drying was done on tarpaulins and 6% on the ground. Samples from maize batch M6 recorded a high total aflatoxin content of 380.83 µg/kg, followed by samples from batches M1 and M9. Low aflatoxin levels were observed in samples from lots M8 (1.05µg/kg), M7 (2.10µg/kg). Peanut lot A9 samples recorded high aflatoxin levels (≥ 5.73µg/kg), followed by lot A2 samples with an aflatoxin level of 2.48µg/kg. Low levels were observed in samples from lots A10 (0.51 µg/kg), A5 and A6 (0.52 µg/kg). Seed treatment with fungicides and harvesting at the end of winter, 14-day drying on tarpaulins and storage in warehouses is proposed to reduce aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnuts.
Journal of Applied & Environmental Microbiology. 2023, 11(1), 19-25. DOI: 10.12691/jaem-11-1-3
Pub. Date: October 17, 2023
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by Effoh Kouassi Jean Luc, Beourou Sylvain, Tuo Karim, N’guessan Tiacoh Landry, Ako Ako Aristide Berenger, Yao Serge Stephane, Koffi Attoumbré Clément, N’docho Tanguy Assi Fiacre and Koffi-Didia Adjoba Marthe
Original Research
A parasitological survey was carried out in the region of l’Agneby-Tiassa (South-East of Ivory Coast) from February to May 2022, in order to make a checking and establish a spatial spreading of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminthiases in rural areas in the region of Agnéby-Tiassa among pupils. The stools and urine of 312 pupils aged 8 to 18 years old were analyzed. Each stool’s sample was subjected to direct microscopic examination in physiological water, of an enrichment according to the simplified method of Ritchie and a qualitative technique of concentration of Kato. Urine examination was performed on the centrifugation pellet obtained after centrifugation at 2000 revolutions per minute (rpm) for ten minutes. This research revealed the persistence of schistosomes and soil transmitted helminthiasis in this region. We can note that 35% of the stools were positive for Schistosoma mansoni eggs, or soil transmitted helminthiasis and protozoa. 25% of urine was positive for Schistosoma haematobium eggs. The prevalence was higher in Taabo (31.48%) conceming the schistosomes. As for soil –transmitted helminthiasis, it was higher than in Agboville with a rate of 36.49% and Schistosoma hematobium was globally predominant in the region. Boys were significantly more infected than girls and older children were more infected than younger children. This distribution seemed to be linked to the behaviours and the activities of the subject groups.
Journal of Applied & Environmental Microbiology. 2023, 11(1), 11-18. DOI: 10.12691/jaem-11-1-2
Pub. Date: June 06, 2023
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by Spencer Debenport, Laura Mason and Richard P Dick
A criticism of amplicon sequencing is the potential for bias during PCR amplification. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is an independent validation that can estimate taxon abundance and confirm patterns observed in amplicon sequencing patterns. Therefore, the objective was to design primers based on NGS sequencing and test qPCR primers to validate abundance patterns of bacterial and fungal OTUs on soils from the Optimized Shrub-intercropping System (OSS) or Sole Cropping in the Sahel. The results showed that quantitative PCR (qPCR) independently validated patterns observed in high throughput sequencing (HTS) analyses. Specific sub-genus level OTU clusters were found to be significantly enriched in intercropped millet plants in an experiment using the Ilumina MiSeq platform. These OTU sequences were used to design primers to independently validate the trends observed in that study. A total of seven OTU clusters were targeted in the Aspergillus, Chitinophaga, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, and Penicillium genera. The majority of those primers showed poor specificity for their intended targets, while the Chitinophaga specific primer set showed clear amplification with a single band at the expected size. This primer was used for qPCR analysis of the same DNA templates used for the Illumina MiSeq study. Quantitative PCR shows significant (P < 0.05) enrichment of Chitinophaga marker DNA that match the previously observed patterns. MiSeq analysis showed two times higher fold change differences in markers than observed in the qPCR study. These results demonstrate that selective primers can be designed from OTU sequence data and that qPCR analysis can be utilized to independently validate trends observed in HTS studies.
Journal of Applied & Environmental Microbiology. 2023, 11(1), 1-10. DOI: 10.12691/jaem-11-1-1
Pub. Date: April 26, 2023
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