International Journal of Pathogen Research

Artificial Intelligence in Drug Susceptibility Testing for Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis: Genomic Prediction, Automated Phenotyping and Clinical Translation

2026-09-08T11:11:12+00:00

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis requires drug susceptibility information that is both rapid and sufficiently comprehensive to support effective regimen construction. Culture-based phenotypic drug susceptibility testing remains indispensable because it measures biological response directly, but its turnaround time, technical complexity and variable reproducibility for some drugs constrain timely treatment. Molecular testing is faster, yet fixed mutation catalogues and targeted assays can leave rare, complex or incompletely characterised resistance unresolved. Artificial intelligence, particularly machine learning and deep learning, is being developed as an interpretive layer for two complementary data streams: genomic sequence data and digital measurements of bacterial growth. This critical narrative review evaluates how these approaches may improve susceptibility prediction for multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, where their evidence is strongest, and which methodological and implementation barriers limit clinical adoption. Genomic machine-learning models show the most mature evidence for rifampicin and isoniazid and increasingly for fluoroquinolones, while performance is less stable for drugs with sparse resistant training examples, uncertain genotype-phenotype relationships or difficult phenotypic reference standards. Quantitative models that predict minimum inhibitory concentrations may capture resistance gradations lost by binary classification, but their clinical interpretation remains immature. Computer-vision and single-cell growth approaches offer a different advantage: they retain a phenotypic readout while automating or accelerating culture interpretation. Their current evidence base, however, is smaller and includes important proof-of-concept studies that have not yet been validated in routine multidrug-resistant tuberculosis services. Across both domains, external validation, lineage and geographic representativeness, reference-standard quality, uncertainty reporting, reproducibility and workflow integration are more important determinants of clinical credibility than algorithmic complexity alone. Artificial intelligence should therefore be treated as an adjunct to validated laboratory methods, with explicit indeterminate outputs and reflex testing when predictions are uncertain. Prospective multicentre studies linking algorithm-assisted susceptibility testing to treatment decisions, turnaround time, patient outcomes, cost and equity are now the principal translational priority.

Biocontrol Potential of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria against Fusarium oxysporum in Pepper Plants

2026-08-11T13:10:39+00:00

Aim: This study aimed to examine the biocontrol potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria previously isolated from the tomato rhizosphere against Fusarium oxysporum in pepper plants.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Microbiology Laboratory of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, between July 2025 and May 2026.

Methods: Isolates were obtained from stock cultures and screened for key plant growth-promoting traits, including ammonia, siderophore, nitrogen fixation, and amylase production. Phytopathogenic fungi were isolated from apparently diseased tomato plants. The antifungal activity of the rhizobacterial isolates was evaluated using a dual-culture method. The greenhouse experiment was conducted using a completely randomised block design.

Results: Each of the five bacterial isolates exhibited important plant growth-promoting characteristics. Throughout the investigation, isolate IS4A produced the greatest increase in plant height, reaching more than 35 cm by Week 8. By Week 8, isolate IS9 had reached approximately 30 cm, representing the second-highest growth promotion. The highest percentage inhibition of Fusarium was recorded for isolate IS14B (56%), followed by IS13 (47%), IS4A (45%), IS9 (27%), and IS10 (24%). Among all groups, pathogen-inoculated plants (Control 1: Fusarium only) had the lowest fresh weight (5.21 g) and dry weight (0.42 g). IS9 recorded the greatest biomass accumulation, with a fresh weight of 32.12 g and a dry weight of 8.16 g, more than three times the healthy baseline (Control 2: 9.39 g fresh weight and 2.38 g dry weight).

Conclusion: The present findings indicate that Pseudomonas lactis and Bacillus tropicus have potential as biological control agents against Fusarium oxysporum while simultaneously promoting pepper growth.

Effects of Gravidity and Gestational Age on Parasite Density and Biochemical Parameters among Malaria-infected Pregnant Women in Ondo State, Nigeria

2026-08-20T11:21:22+00:00

Background: Malaria during pregnancy remains a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing substantially to maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. Gravidity and gestational age are recognised determinants of malaria susceptibility, yet their influence on parasite density and biochemical alterations among pregnant women remains inadequately characterised in many endemic communities. This study investigated the effects of gravidity and gestational age on parasite density and selected biochemical parameters among malaria-infected pregnant women in Iwaro-Oka, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 63 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics. Participants were classified according to gravidity (primigravidae, secundigravidae, and multigravidae) and gestational age (first, second, and third trimesters). Venous blood samples were collected for malaria parasite detection and biochemical analyses using standard laboratory methods.

Results: Forty-five (71.4%) participants were positive for malaria infection. Mean parasite density was significantly higher among primigravidae than secundigravidae and multigravidae (P < 0.05). Likewise, women in the first trimester exhibited significantly higher parasite densities than those in the second and third trimesters (P < 0.05). Serum creatinine and urea concentrations were significantly elevated among primigravidae and first-trimester women (P < 0.05), whereas serum sodium, calcium, bicarbonate, and chloride concentrations were significantly higher among secundigravidae and multigravidae (P < 0.05). Although HDL cholesterol levels were lower among primigravidae and first-trimester women, these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Gravidity and gestational age significantly influence malaria parasite density and selected biochemical parameters during pregnancy. Primigravidae and women in the first trimester demonstrated the greatest parasite burden and the most pronounced biochemical alterations, suggesting increased vulnerability to malaria-related complications. Strengthening malaria prevention, early diagnosis, and routine biochemical monitoring during antenatal care, particularly among first-time mothers and women in early pregnancy, may improve maternal and foetal outcomes in malaria-endemic settings.

Bacterial Uropathogens and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles among Symptomatic UTI Patients Attending Major Healthcare Facilities in Calabar, Southern Nigeria

2026-08-28T13:17:03+00:00

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major global health concern, affecting millions of individuals annually. Their management is increasingly challenged by the growing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and multidrug resistance (MDR) profile of bacterial uropathogens isolated from symptomatic UTI patients attending Major healthcare facilities in Calabar, Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 65 bacterial uropathogens were isolated from symptomatic UTI patients attending Major healthcare facilities in Calabar. The isolates were identified using standard microbiological techniques, while Gram-negative isolates were further confirmed using commercial biochemical identification kits, including Analytical Profile Index (API) 20E and API 20NE (bioMérieux). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the modified Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.

Results: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated pathogen (23.1%), followed by Staphylococcus sp. (16.9%) and Escherichia coli (12.3%). Other organisms identified included Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cronobacter sp., Enterococcus sp., Citrobacter koseri, and Pseudomonas luteola. High levels of resistance were observed among the isolates to augmentin, amoxicillin, septrin, ampiclox, erythromycin, and rifampicin. Conversely, relatively higher susceptibility to levofloxacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and sparfloxacin was observed.

Conclusion: The findings provide current evidence on the distribution of bacterial uropathogens and the burden of MDR among UTI patients attending Major healthcare facilities in Calabar, Nigeria. The observed resistance patterns highlight the importance of local antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance to guide appropriate empirical treatment of UTIs. Prudent and evidence-based use of antimicrobial agents is recommended to limit the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial uropathogens.

Malaria Parasitemia among Patients Seeking Healthcare in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

2026-09-03T09:31:05+00:00

Malaria remains a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, particularly among economically disadvantaged communities. A cross-sectional study of malaria parasitaemia among patients attending Eco Medical Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria was conducted between February and June 2026. The objective was to investigate malaria prevalence and density by age, gender, education, and occupation among the study participants. A total of 400 individuals participated in the study. Malaria parasites were diagnosed using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films, which were examined under the microscope. Of the 400 (100%) study participants, 288 (72.0%) were positive for Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites, while 112 (28.0%) were negative. Among the age groups, the 35-39-year age group recorded the highest prevalence, with 72 (25.00%) positive cases. Males recorded the highest number of malaria parasite-positive cases, 159 (55.20%), while females recorded the lowest number, 129 (44.80%). The secondary education group recorded the highest number of malaria parasite-positive cases, 113 (39.24%), and there was a significant association between malaria prevalence and educational group (P<0.05, P=0.002). Among the occupational groups, traders recorded the highest malaria prevalence, 94 (32.64%), while the unemployed group had the lowest, 61 (21.18%). There was also a significant association between malaria prevalence and occupational group (P<0.05, P=0.041). Of the 288 (72.0%) study participants who were positive for malaria parasites, 62 (21.53%) had mild infection, 118 (40.97%) had moderate infection, while 108 (37.50%) had severe infection. To drastically reduce malaria prevalence in Nnewi communities, government intervention through mass chemotherapy and integrated vector control is recommended for the study area.

Aspergillus flavus and Soil Fungi Aflatoxin Production Potential Using Coconut Medium in Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia

2026-09-12T11:35:37+00:00

Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic mycotoxins produced primarily by Aspergillus flavus and represent a severe threat to food safety, with contamination potentially originating in agricultural soil. This study aimed to isolate, characterise, and evaluate the aflatoxigenic potential of Aspergillus spp. in agricultural soils from the Al-Ahsa oasis, Saudi Arabia. One hundred soil samples were collected, and fungi were isolated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar at 27 °C and 37 °C. Identification was based on macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics. Aflatoxin production was screened using Coconut Agar Medium (CAM) under ultraviolet light (365 nm). Among 122 primary isolates, Rhizopus spp. was the most prevalent (46 isolates), followed by Aspergillus fumigatus (30) and A. flavus (10). Further subculturing yielded 17 pure A. flavus isolates for aflatoxin testing. The CAM formulation containing coconut powder was effective, whereas the coconut oil formulation failed. Fourteen A. flavus isolates (82.4%) were aflatoxigenic, with production classified as high (3), medium (7), or low (4). Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and binary logistic regression analyses found no significant association between aflatoxin production and geographical origin (p > 0.05), suggesting that toxigenicity may be strain-specific rather than environmentally determined. The high prevalence of toxigenic A. flavus indicates a substantial pre-harvest contamination risk for key crops in Al-Ahsa, particularly date palms. The study supports CAM as a cost-effective screening tool and highlights the need for integrated soil-management strategies in the region.