Microbiology Department, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria.
School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
BMC Infect Dis. 2024 Oct 23;24(1):1196. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-10095-8.
Daycare centres play a critical role in early childhood development but are high-risk environments for infectious disease transmission due to close physical contact, shared toys, inadequate hygiene, and poor ventilation. These risks are especially concerning in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Nigeria, where resources for infection control may be limited. This study aimed to identify and characterise virulence genes in bacterial isolates from daycare centres in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, to assess infection risks.
Between November 2017 and July 2019, 233 samples were collected from 76 children, 33 daycare workers, and 124 fomites in 17 daycare centres. The bacterial isolates were analysed using conventional PCR and RAPD analysis to detect the presence of virulence genes. The frequency of crucial virulence genes and the prevalence of each bacterial species were recorded.
Key virulence genes were detected, including fimH in Klebsiella species (22.73% of Gram-negative isolates), algD in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (50%), and icaA and cna in Staphylococcus aureus (16.67%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent species (35%), followed by Klebsiella (28%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%).
This study highlights the presence of virulent bacterial pathogens in daycare environments, posing a severe infection risk to children. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to implement enhanced infection control measures, such as regular microbial screening, improved hand hygiene practices, and disinfection protocols for fomites. Training programs for daycare workers on hygiene practices and routine monitoring could also significantly reduce infection transmission. These interventions are vital for safeguarding the health of daycare children in Nigeria and similar settings globally.
日托中心在儿童早期发展中起着至关重要的作用，但由于密切的身体接触、共享玩具、卫生条件不足和通风不良，它们是传染病传播的高风险环境。这些风险在尼日利亚等中低收入国家（LMICs）尤为令人担忧，这些国家可能缺乏感染控制资源。本研究旨在确定并描述尼日利亚伊费的日托中心细菌分离株中的毒力基因，以评估感染风险。
在 2017 年 11 月至 2019 年 7 月期间，从 17 家日托中心的 76 名儿童、33 名日托工作者和 124 种接触物中采集了 233 个样本。使用常规 PCR 和 RAPD 分析检测毒力基因的存在来分析细菌分离株。记录关键毒力基因的频率和每种细菌的流行率。
检测到关键毒力基因，包括革兰氏阴性菌中的 fimH（22.73%）、铜绿假单胞菌中的 algD（50%）以及金黄色葡萄球菌中的 icaA 和 cna（16.67%）。金黄色葡萄球菌是最常见的物种（35%），其次是克雷伯氏菌（28%）和铜绿假单胞菌（20%）。
本研究强调了日托环境中存在的毒力细菌病原体，对儿童构成严重的感染风险。为了降低这些风险，必须实施强化感染控制措施，例如定期进行微生物筛查、改善手部卫生习惯以及对接触物进行消毒。对保育员进行卫生实践和常规监测的培训计划也可以显著减少感染传播。这些干预措施对于保护尼日利亚和全球类似环境中日托儿童的健康至关重要。
