Wastewater treatment plants are efficient in reducing bacterial loads but are also considered potential drivers of environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In this study, we determined the effect of increased influent wastewater volume (from 40% to 66%) in the Legon sewage treatment plant (STP) on the removal of E. coli from sewage, along with changes in AMR profiles. This before and after study compared E. coli loads and AMR patterns in influent and effluent samples from a published baseline study (January–June 2018) with a follow-up study (March–May 2023). Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) E. coli were measured pre- and post-sewage treatment during the follow-up study. The follow-up study showed 7.4% and 24% ESBL E. coli proportions in influent and effluent, respectively. In both studies, the STP was 99% efficient in reducing E. coli loads in effluents, with no significant difference (p = 0.42) between the two periods. More E. coli resistance to antimicrobials was seen in effluents in the follow-up study versus the baseline study. The increased influent capacity did not reduce the efficiency of the STP in removing E. coli from influent wastewater but was associated with increased AMR patterns in effluent water. Further studies are required to determine whether these changes have significant effects on human health.

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a disease of global public health importance. Recent studies show that children with AGE have an altered gut microbiota relative to non-AGE controls. Yet, how the gut microbiota differs in Ghanaian children with and without AGE remains unclear. Here, we explore the 16S rRNA gene-based faecal microbiota profiles of Ghanaian children five years of age and younger, comprising 57 AGE cases and 50 healthy controls. We found that AGE cases were associated with lower microbial diversity and altered microbial sequence profiles relative to the controls. The faecal microbiota of AGE cases was enriched for disease-associated bacterial genera, including Enterococcus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus. In contrast, the faecal microbiota of controls was enriched for potentially beneficial genera, including Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, Ruminococcus, and Bacteroides. Lastly, distinct microbial correlation network characteristics were observed between AGE cases and controls, thereby supporting broad differences in faecal microbiota structure. Altogether, we show that the faecal microbiota of Ghanaian children with AGE differ from controls and are enriched for bacterial genera increasingly associated with diseases.

This study was conducted to assess the concentration and relationship of lead, cadmium, and arsenic in the fresh muscle, kidney, and liver of cattle. Thirty samples of each of the meat parts were obtained from the Ashaiman Main, Madina, and Makola Markets within the Accra Metropolis. A GTA Graphite Tube Atomizer was used to analyze the heavy metal concentrations. Arsenic was significantly different in the liver (2.40 mg/100g), kidney (0.93 mg/100g), and muscle (0.35 mg/100g). Lead was significantly higher in the liver (1.14 mg/100g) but insignificant between the kidney (0.67 mg/100g) and muscle (0.66 mg/100g). Arsenic was significantly higher in beef from the Ashaiman Main Market (2.48 mg/100g) than in samples from Madina (0.85 mg/100g) and Makola (0.35 mg/100g) Markets. The concentration of cadmium varied across the meat parts and the three markets. The correlation between the metals in all the meat tissues was positively low to high, but the arsenic-cadmium association was negatively low (r = -0.08). Heavy metals were present in all the meat samples from the three markets, but their concentration depended on the meat parts. Generally, higher concentrations of the metals were recorded in beef from the Ashaiman compared to Madina and Makola Markets. The liver had a comparatively lower heavy metal concentration and was therefore recommended for consumption.

The recording of antimicrobial use data is critical for the development of interventions for the containment of antimicrobial resistance. This cross-sectional study assessed whether dissemination activities and recommendations made after an operational research (OR) study in 2021 resulted in better data recording and improved the use of antimicrobials in a rural veterinary clinic. Routinely collected data from treatment record books were compared between 2013 and 2019 (pre-OR) and from July 2021 to April 2023 (post-OR). The most common animals presenting for care in the the pre – and post OR periods were dogs (369 and 206, respectively). Overall, antimicrobial use in animals increased from 53% to 77% between the two periods. Tetracycline was the most commonly used antimicrobial (99%) during the pre-OR period, while Penicillin-Streptomycin was the most commonly used antimicrobial (65%) during the post-OR period. All animals that received care at the clinic were documented in the register during both periods. Whereas the diagnosis was documented in 269 (90%) animals in the post-OR period compared to 242 (47%) in the pre-OR period, the routes and dosages were not adequately recorded during the both periods. Therefore, the quality of data recording was still deficient despite the dissemination and the recommendations made to some key stakeholders. Recommendations are made for a standardized antimicrobial reporting tool, refresher training, and continuous supervisory visits to the clinic.