Linda Aurelia Ofori

Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science and Technology | KNUST

Mining generates large volumes of waste, which if not regulated can release toxic metals, causing widespread environmental contamination. This study focused on heavy metal contamination in topsoil within a mining area at Nangodi in the Northern Region of Ghana. A total of 24 soil samples were collected from the study area and control samples were a...

The most cost-effective malaria prevention and control strategy is the use of a bed net. However, several factors affect the ownership and usage of bed nets among the adult population. Hence, this study aimed to examine socio-demographic factors affecting bed net ownership, usage and malaria transmission among adult patients seeking healthcare in t...

Worldwide, farm animals, in particular poultry, are an important reservoir for Campylobacter spp. However, information on Campylobacter colonization in farm animals in Africa is scarce. Hence, this cross-sectional study determined antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter from both commercial and smallholder farm animals in the Asante Akim North Municipal...

Water pollution has been a major issue across the globe because of industrial activities to meet the needs of people. Many chemicals are released into the environment through these processes, which affect human health and the environment. Hence, the study aimed to assess the concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Hg, and Fe) and the physico...

The greatest risks posed by heavy metals to human health are linked to exposure to hazardous metals, which may be present in staple foods usch as cereals and legumes. In this study, the levels of harmful metals and vital minerals like cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and copper (As) in certain cereals and legumes sold...

Empirical antimicrobial therapy is linked to a surge in antimicrobial resistant infections. However, an insight on the bacteria etiology of ocular infections is essential in the appropriation of choice of antimicrobial among clinicians, yet there remains a dearth of data from Ghana. We investigated the bacteria etiology of external ocular and perio...

Campylobacter species are one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in humans. This review reports on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance data of Campylobacter spp. isolated from humans and food-producing animals in West Africa. A systematic search was carried out in five databases for original articles published between January 2000 and Ju...

Background: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) producing bacteria in poultry meat has been suggested as one of the sources of resistant genes, that can lead to difficult-to treat infections in humans. This study aims at determining the frequency of ESBL-producing E. coli, the genetic characterization and antibiotic profile among domestic free...

Empirical antimicrobial therapy is linked to a surge in antimicrobial resistant infections. However, an insight on the bacteria etiology of ocular infections is essential in the appropriation of choice of antimicrobial among clinicians, yet there remains a dearth of data from Ghana. We investigated the bacteria etiology of external ocular and perio...

Beneficial collaborations are necessary for research outcomes targeting global impacts. In the sciences (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) subjects), exchanges, linkages and networks have resulted in notable discoveries, inventions and innovations that have improved life on earth. To achieve the UN SDGs, science mus...

The demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods is handy to busy urban dwellers. Handling, processing, and selling are known to contaminate these foods and cause foodborne outbreaks. This study assessed a load of S. aureus and E. coli in khebabs (beef, chevon, and gizzard) sold on the KNUST campus and its environs and how resistant they are to clinically r...

Background: Poultry is one of most consumed meat products in Ghana. Outbreaks of Salmonella spp infections due to consumption of contaminated undercooked poultry products are of high risk to human health. This study determined the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella spp in the poultry environment in the Kwabre East munici...

Asymptomatic bacteriuria can lead to urinary tract infections in as many as 20% of pregnant women. Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy can also lead to preterm births and low birth weights. The objective of this study was to profile uro-pathogens and describe the population-based prevalence, the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern, and ascertain th...

Prevalence and incidence of foodborne illness in developing countries has risen in recent times as a result of increased demand for Ready-To- Eat (RTE) foods. The current study assessed the microbiological quality of khebab sold at selected areas within the Kumasi metropolis. A total of 36 khebab samples were purchased and analyzed for Total Viable...

Objective : We conducted a cross sectional study in the five administrative regions of Northern Ghana to determine the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) sub/lineages and their susceptibility to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF). Methods : Sputum specimens were collected and cultured from 566 pulmonary tuberculosis patients...

Poultry farming is a common practice in Ghana. Antibiotics are used, particularly in commercial poultry farming, as growth promoters and to prevent and cure infections. However, there is little information on antimicrobial usage in domestic poultry farming in Ghana. This study aimed to describe antimicrobial usage in commercial and domestic poultry...

Globally, resistance to antimicrobial drugs in food animals is on the rise. Escherichia coli of livestock, though commensal in nature, serves as reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes with the potential of disseminating them. This study sought to examine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Escherichia coli in broilers, pigs, and cattle i...

Fermented milk products are a major source of health-promoting microorganisms known as probiotics. To characterize the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Ghanaian traditionally fermented milk, thirty (30) isolates comprising Enterococcus faecium (1), Lactobacillus fermentum (14), Lb. plantarum (2) and Pediococcus acidilactic...

Malaria is known to have significant effects on the body. This study, investigated the relation between platelet and haemoglobin levels of malaria positive and negative children (age range = 1-14 years). Out of the 1049 children (4.1± 3.3 years), comprising 493 females and 556 males who were tested for malaria parasites, the prevalence of malaria w...

The yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromycesmarxianus are associated with fermentation of WestAfrican indigenous foods. The aim of this study was to characterize potential probiotic properties of S. cerevisiae and K. marxianus isolates from the West African milk products lait caillé and nunu, and a cereal‐based productmawè. The stra...

Respiratory viral infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Information on circulating respiratory viruses among prisoners is lacking, although this is of public health importance and knowledge would assist in putting in place preventive measures to forestall disease outbreaks. The aim of this study therefore was to get...

In the current study, we identified plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance genes in draft whole genome sequences of 16 selected Salmonella enterica isolates representing six different serovars from humans in Ghana. The plasmids and the location of resistance genes in the genomes were predicted using a combination of PlasmidFinder, ResFinder, pl...

Wastewater effluents directly discharged into nearby stream are eventually used to irrigate plants like sugarcane in Ghana. In this study, 24 triplicates sugarcane stems (sugarcane juice was extracted), 24 triplicates soil samples and 8 triplicates water samples were collected from sugarcane farms in four communities in Ashanti region of Ghana. Two...

A total of 390 chicken sera were collected from respiratory disease free broilers, breeders and layers in the Ga-East district of Ghana and tested for Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit from IDEXX Inc. USA. The overall sero-prevalence of MS was obtained to be 46.2%. The sero-prevalence...

Background Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a public health problem worldwide and particularly in Africa with high disease burden. This study characterized Salmonella isolates from humans in Ghana to determine serovar distribution, phage types, and antimicrobial resistance. Further, the clonal relatedness among isolates was determined. Methods On...

Poultry are possible sources of non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars which may cause foodborne human disease. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of Salmonella serovars in egg-laying hens and broilers at the farm level and their susceptibility to antimicrobials commonly used in the poultry industry in Ghana. Sampling of fa...

Samples of olewonyo from two different localities together with a laboratory produced sample were analyzed for microbial changes, pH, titrable acidity and salt tolerance. High total viable counts (TVC) of 9.99 log cfu/ml, 9.23 log cfu/ml and 5.00 log cfu/ml were observed in the Aboabo, Anloga and Lab-simulated samples respectively at room temperatu...

The potential of corn cobs as solid substrates for the production of citric acid was investigated using Aspergillus niger KA88, a local isolate as the fermenting organism. One-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) model was used to optimize the fermentation media to achieve the maximum yield of citric acid. The fermentation parameters studied and their resultant...

Abstract: The study assessed the effect of varying storage temperatures on the microbiological quality of street sold factory-bagged sachet drinking water in the Kumasi Metropolis. Ten different brands of factory-bagged sachet water samples (30 pieces each), purchased from distributors and vendors were stored at 4, 32 and 26°C temperatures over a s...

There is increasing evidence that urban grown vegetables in developing countries can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. This is particularly true when wastewater is used in irrigation. The microbiological quality of wastewater grown lettuce on farms, markets and at street food vendor sites were evaluated for thermotolerant coliforms, e...

There is increasing evidence that urban grown vegetables in developing countries can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. This is particularly true when wastewater is used in irrigation. The microbiological quality of wastewater grown lettuce on farms, markets and at street food vendor sites were evaluated for thermotolerant coliforms, e...