Isolation and susceptibility patterns of bacteria associated with lung diseases

Lung diseases have been a worldwide health problem,with high endemicity in developing countries. Bronchopneumonia remains the main disease of the lung. Despite advances in modern medicine, there is no-effective drug available that stimulate lung function, offer protection to the lung from damage or help to regenerate pulmonary cells destroyed by disseminated bacteria. There is an urgent need for effective drugs to replace/supplement those in current use. This study was embarked upon to evaluate the effect of Asplenium bulbiferum leaf extracts on nosily infected mice with Streptococcus pneumoniae isolate of suspension containing 5x10⁶ cells/ul. Streptococcus pneumoniae was obtained from human specimen, identified through cultural, morphological and biochemical examination, in addition, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed using universal primers to support the identification process. The antibacterial activity was carried out using agar well diffusion technique. Tube dilution technique was used to determine the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using double fold serial dilution at concentrations of 400mg/ml to 25mg/ml. The effect of the leaf extract was evaluated by treating mus musculus mice (WBC count 4.5x10³) with sub-MIC of A. bulbiferum extracts after being nosily infected with S. pneumoniae and appearance of disease septum with 11.3x10³ WBC count after 5days from infection. The photochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids; phenolics, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids and glycosides. The ethanolic extract exhibited more activity than the aqueous extract against S.aureus most followed by S. pneumoniae, H. influenza and K. pneumoniae was the least. After treating the infected mice with the plant extract for 6 days from infection, the WBC count reduced to 5.1x10³ml which is normal range and the mice were healthy with good physiological behaviour. For the infected untreated mice, the WBC and other immunological parameters remain high even after 16 days from infection. The study showed that Asplenium bulbiferum possessed antibacterial properties and could serve as alternative therapy for ameliorating lung infections.