National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
A study on common respiratory fungal pathogens in municipal solid waste workers was done in Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of 53 symptomatic and asymptomatic workers of age bracket 20 -50 years and above, were recruited with 32 non-solid waste workers used as control. Demographical data was obtained using questionnaire. Fungal isolation from sputum was done using standard cultural methods. Haematological indices were done using standard staining and microscopic methods respectively. Identification of isolates was carried out using Slide-culture technique and germ-tube tests. Results obtained showed that a total of 30 workers had different fungal isolates (56.6%) in their sputum culture, while 23 (43.4%) had no isolates. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between those with isolates and those without a positive isolates. Different isolates obtained include, Aspergillus flavus 5(6.3%), A. niger 16 (20.0%), Candida albicans 8 (10.0%), C. herbarum 8 (10.0%), Trichoderma viride 5 (6.3%), Penicillium marneffei 6 (7.5%), A. fumigatus 9 (11.3%) and no growth 23 (28.8%). There was no correlation between the prevalence of respiratory fungal infection on the age and sex of the solid-waste workers (p > 0.05). In the study, 6 (11.3%) of the workers had only one fungal isolate, 18 (24%) had 2, while 6 (11.3%) had 3 fungal isolates in each sputum sampled. Increased length of work exposure had a profound effect on the number of fungal isolates obtained. Cough was the highest chronic symptom associated with the work. Hematological indices shows a statistical difference between mean values of total white cell count (p. value 0.000), Neutrophil count (P- value 0.040) and eosinophil count (p. value 0.000) in the case subjects and control groups (p <0.05). No significant difference exists in the mean values of PCV, lymphocyte count and monocyte count of the case subjects and control. Conclusively, the research shows that the incidence of fungal infection is related to the number of years in the job, work habits and also had a significant effect on the hematological parameters such as Total WBC, eosinophils and neutrophil.
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