Introduction. The adverse health effects of cigarette smoking are well established, including the direct effects of nicotine on human endothelial cells and fibroblasts. However, the direct effects of nicotine in the nasal cavity remain uninvestigated. The study aim was to ascertain the direct effect of chemical components in cigarette smoke on the microbial flora or microbiota of the nasal cavity. Methods. We enrolled 40 participants from the Benson Idahosa University’s Health clinics to conduct this study. Information on demographic characteristics including age, sex, and smoking duration was obtained at baseline. We collected nasal swabs of 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers. The wool content of the swap stick was immediately stored in mac Cathy bottles containing 9 ml of normal saline and transported to the laboratory in less than 45 minutes after collection for microbiological analysis under aseptic condition. The enumeration of the microorganisms was carried out using the streak and pours plate method on Nutrient agar, Blood agar, Chocolate agar, Mac coney agar and Potato Dextrose agar (PDA). A two-sample t-test was used to determine differences in enumeration of microorganisms and isolates between smokers and non-smokers. Results. Total bacterial counts for the smokers ranged from 177 - 307 x 102 cfu/ml and 223 - 551 x 102 cfu/ml for non-smokers with (p = 0.046 Nutrient agar, and p = 0.011 PDA). The bacteria isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris and Streptococcus pneumonia, and the fungi isolates were identified as Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Tricoderma viridae, respectively. The mean of nutrient agar in smokers is significantly lower (12.10) than that in nonsmokers (19.35), and the mean of PDA in smokers is significantly higher in smokers (5.75) than in nonsmokers (2.35). Higher percentages of gram-negative rods including Klebsiella pneumoniae (20%), Escherichia coli (20%) and Proteus vulgaris (20%) were identified in the smokers, which is in contrast to higher percentage of gram-positive cocci including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumonia identified in non-smokers. The most commonly isolated fungus in smokers was Aspergillus niger (45%) and nonsmokers was Rhizopus stolonifer (60%). Conclusions. Study findings demonstrated increased bacterial count and isolates in nasal cavity of smokers than non-smokers. Future studies should be warranted to understand the mechanistic role of nicotine in influencing microbiota of the nasal cavity.

The human vaginal ecosystem is dominated by Lactobacillus species. An altered vaginal flora can result in symptomatic conditions such as bacterial vaginosis and vulvo-vaginal candidiasis, and urogenital colonisation by uropathogenic bacteria can cause urinary tract infection. The protective role of lactobacilli is gradually being accepted and clinical studies have been carried out in order to evaluate the use of promising probiotic bacteria, which are defined as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”. This thesis includes an investigation into the ecological role of lactobacilli in the genital tract in healthy women, with respect to the relationship to other species and vaginal pH. Furthermore, in order to find different probiotic strains with promising probiotic qualities, Lactobacillus strains were screened in two diverse screening processes. The selected strains were further evaluated in clinical trials. The prevalence of group B streptococci (GBS) and yeast was significantly dependent on the number of vaginal lactobacilli among healthy women. GBS were less frequently found in women with high numbers of vaginal lactobacilli than in women with low numbers and the prevalence of yeast was significantly higher in women with 3-6.99 log10 lactobacilli sample-1 than in women with less than 3 or ≥7 log10 lactobacilli sample-1. Furthermore, the first screening made on 511 strains isolated from the female genital tract resulted in the final selection of a Lactobacillus plantarum, designated LB931. The screening showed that LB931 had a strong technical growth, survived through freeze-thawing, produced substances bactericidal to uropathogenic bacteria and was a rapid and strong producer of hydrogen peroxide. Further characterisation showed that LB931 possessed the properties required for probiotics with the capability to prevent urogenital infections. LB931 could be supplied to the genital tract through the usage of panty liners impregnated with the strain. In the second screening, Lactobacillus fermentum, designated Ess-1, was the only one out of 126 Lactobacillus strains with strong capacity to inhibit Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Additional characterisation showed that L. fermentum Ess-1 had the properties that are needed to prevent over-growth of Candida in the vulvo-vaginal tract. The result of the case study showed that a high and frequent dosage of Ess-1 is needed and that improved vulvo-vaginal candidiasis specific diagnostic criteria are required. In conclusion, L. plantarum LB931 and L. fermentum Ess-1 are promising probiotic strains to be used in the prevention of recurrent urogenital infections in women and to enhance the normal flora in healthy women.

<p>Risk factors such as intrauterine and vaginal infection put pregnant women at risk for delivering preterm. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial clinical syndrome commonly diagnosed in women of reproductive age, with women of African descent with low socioeconomic status and previous preterm delivery at high risk. Although frequently isolated from healthy women,&nbsp / Gardnerella vaginalis has been most frequently associated with BV. There is limited data available on the prevalence of BV in Southern Africa / therefore, we embarked on a study to determine the&nbsp / prevalence of BV and G. vaginalis in predominantly black communities in the Western Cape, in order to establish the role of G. vaginalis in BV. Women attending various Maternity and Obstetrics&nbsp / units (MOU) in the Cape Peninsula with and without a history of pre-term delivery (PTD) were invited to participate in the study. Several factors were statistically associated with pregnancy history,&nbsp / including location of study population, parity, smoking and presence of clinical symptoms. The presence of G. vaginalis was determined by culture in 51.7% of the preterm delivery group (PTDG)&nbsp / and 44% of the full-term delivery group (FTDG) women. BV was detected in 31.13% of PTDG and 23.67% of FTDG by Gram stained analysis according to Nugent scoring criteria, with age and HIV&nbsp / status posing as risk factors. When comparing PTDG and FTDG for an association between the presence of G. vaginalis and BV, a stronger association was observed in the PTDG but it was not statistically significant. In both PTDG and FTDG, G. vaginalis was isolated significantly more often in women diagnosed with BV at 24.5% (p &lt / 0.05). Antibiogram studies revealed both Metronidazole and Clindamycin resistant strains of G. vaginalis. G. vaginalis Biotype 7 is specifically associated with BV, while Biotype 2 appears to be associated with BV in women with a history&nbsp / of PTD. Accuracy of diagnostic tools were tested and it was determined that Nugent scoring is more sensitive in diagnosing BV (76.04%), but culture for G. vaginalis is more specific (83.21%). Although this study was limited in that we were unable to follow-up pregnancy outcomes, we were able to confirm the perceived role of G. vaginalis in BV.&nbsp / </p>

This dissertation examines how the relationship between microbes and the human body has been reconfigured over the course of the twentieth century and into the first decades of the twenty-first century. It presents a counter-narrative to the ways in which we have tended to view microbe-human relations to make sense of the emergence of twenty-first century microbial selves by focusing on the normal microbiota. / History of Science

<p>Risk factors such as intrauterine and vaginal infection put pregnant women at risk for delivering preterm. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial clinical syndrome commonly diagnosed in women of reproductive age, with women of African descent with low socioeconomic status and previous preterm delivery at high risk. Although frequently isolated from healthy women,&nbsp / Gardnerella vaginalis has been most frequently associated with BV. There is limited data available on the prevalence of BV in Southern Africa / therefore, we embarked on a study to determine the&nbsp / prevalence of BV and G. vaginalis in predominantly black communities in the Western Cape, in order to establish the role of G. vaginalis in BV. Women attending various Maternity and Obstetrics&nbsp / units (MOU) in the Cape Peninsula with and without a history of pre-term delivery (PTD) were invited to participate in the study. Several factors were statistically associated with pregnancy history,&nbsp / including location of study population, parity, smoking and presence of clinical symptoms. The presence of G. vaginalis was determined by culture in 51.7% of the preterm delivery group (PTDG)&nbsp / and 44% of the full-term delivery group (FTDG) women. BV was detected in 31.13% of PTDG and 23.67% of FTDG by Gram stained analysis according to Nugent scoring criteria, with age and HIV&nbsp / status posing as risk factors. When comparing PTDG and FTDG for an association between the presence of G. vaginalis and BV, a stronger association was observed in the PTDG but it was not statistically significant. In both PTDG and FTDG, G. vaginalis was isolated significantly more often in women diagnosed with BV at 24.5% (p &lt / 0.05). Antibiogram studies revealed both Metronidazole and Clindamycin resistant strains of G. vaginalis. G. vaginalis Biotype 7 is specifically associated with BV, while Biotype 2 appears to be associated with BV in women with a history&nbsp / of PTD. Accuracy of diagnostic tools were tested and it was determined that Nugent scoring is more sensitive in diagnosing BV (76.04%), but culture for G. vaginalis is more specific (83.21%). Although this study was limited in that we were unable to follow-up pregnancy outcomes, we were able to confirm the perceived role of G. vaginalis in BV.&nbsp / </p>

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Risk factors such as intrauterine and vaginal infection put pregnant women at risk for delivering preterm. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial clinical syndrome commonly diagnosed in women of reproductive age, with women of African descent with low socioeconomic status and previous preterm delivery at high risk. Although frequently isolated from healthy women, Gardnerella vaginalis has been most frequently associated with BV. There is limited data available on the prevalence of BV in Southern Africa; therefore, we embarked on a study to determine the prevalence of BV and G. vaginalis in predominantly black communities in the Western Cape, in order to establish the role of G. vaginalis in BV. Women attending various Maternity and Obstetrics units (MOU) in the Cape Peninsula with and without a history of pre-term delivery (PTD) were invited to participate in the study. Several factors were statistically associated with pregnancy history, including location of study population, parity, smoking and presence of clinical symptoms. The presence of G. vaginalis was determined by culture in 51.7% of the preterm delivery group (PTDG) and 44% of the full-term delivery group (FTDG) women. BV was detected in 31.13% of PTDG and 23.67% of FTDG by Gram stained analysis according to Nugent scoring criteria, with age and HIV status posing as risk factors. When comparing PTDG and FTDG for an association between the presence of G. vaginalis and BV, a stronger association was observed in the PTDG but it was not statistically significant. In both PTDG and FTDG, G. vaginalis was isolated significantly more often in women diagnosed with BV at 24.5% (p < 0.05). Antibiogram studies revealed both Metronidazole and Clindamycin resistant strains of G. vaginalis. G. vaginalis Biotype 7 is specifically associated with BV, while Biotype 2 appears to be associated with BV in women with a history of PTD. Accuracy of diagnostic tools were tested and it was determined that Nugent scoring is more sensitive in diagnosing BV (76.04%), but culture for G. vaginalis is more specific (83.21%). Although this study was limited in that we were unable to follow-up pregnancy outcomes, we were able to confirm the perceived role of G. vaginalis in BV. / South Africa

Microbial interactions represent an understudied facet of human health and disease. In this study, the interactions that occur between Chlamydia trachomatis and the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans were investigated. Candida albicans is a common component of the oral and vaginal microbiota responsible for thrush and vaginal yeast infections. Normally, Candida exist in the body as yeast. However, disruptions to the microbiota create conditions that allow expanded growth of Candida, conversion to the hyphal form, and tissue invasion. Previous studies have shown that a myriad of outcomes can occur when Candida albicans interacts with pathogenic bacteria. To determine if C. trachomatis physically interacts with C. albicans, we incubated chlamydial elementary bodies (EB) in medium alone or with C. albicans yeast or hyphal forms for 1 h. Following incubation, the samples were formaldehyde-fixed and processed for immunofluorescence assays using anti-chlamydial MOMP or anti- chlamydial LPS antibodies. Replicate samples were replenished with culture medium and incubated at 35°C for 0-120 h prior to fixation for immunofluorescence analysis or collection for EB infectivity assays. Data from this study indicates that both C. trachomatis serovar E and C. muridarum EB bind to C. albicans yeast and hyphal forms. This interaction was not blocked by pre-incubation of EB with the Candida cell wall components, mannan or β-glucans, suggesting that EB interact with a Candida cell wall protein or other structure. Bound EB remained attached to C. albicans for a minimum of 5 days (120 h). Infectivity assays demonstrated that EB bound to C. albicans are infectious immediately following binding (0h). However, once bound to C. albicans, EB infectivity decreased at a faster rate than EB in medium alone. At 6h post binding, 40% of EB incubated in medium alone remained infectious compared to only 16% of EB bound to C. albicans. Likewise, pre-incubation of EB with laminarin, a soluble preparation of β-glucan, alone or in combination with other fungal cell wall components significantly decreases chlamydial infectivity in HeLa cells. These data indicate that interactions between EB and C. albicans inhibit chlamydial infectivity, possibly by physically blocking EB interactions with host cell receptors.