EFFICACY OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA A. JUSS LEAF AQUEOUS EXTRACT AGAINST BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM THE GUTS OF IXODID TICKS IN MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA.
1Biu A. A., 2Gulani I. A., 1Nkechi O. P., 3Jajere S. M., 2Yakaka W., 1Zango M. K. and 3Mustapha F. B.
1Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
2Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
3Department of Veterinary Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
E-mail: biuvet@yahoo.com
Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Azadirachta indica leaf aqueous extract against the bacterial isolates from the gut of ixodid ticks of small ruminants viz Hyalomma spp., Rhipicephalus spp. and Amblyomma spp. in Maiduguri Metropolis, Nigeria. Four bacteria were isolated from these ticks comprising three Gram positive: Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Corynebacterium spp. and one Gram negative: Proteus spp. The efficacy of the leaf extract at various concentrations of 1000mg/ml, 800mg/ml, 600mg/ml, 400mg/ml and 200mg/ml, was compared with standard antibiotics using disk diffusion methods on Mueller – Hinton Agar (Oxoid®). In both tests, the diameter of the inhibition zones were measured in millimeters and recorded. No zone of inhibition was observed for all concentrations of the tested extract among the bacteria isolates. However, the antimicrobial sensitivity testing revealed highest inhibitory zones of 30mm each on ciprofloxacin by Corynebacterium spp., and Proteus spp. and by Streptococcus spp. on augmentin Complete resistance was observed with Cotrimoxazole, Cloxacillin and Clindamycin and pockets of partial resistance with Erythromycin and Cefraxone for the Gram positive isolates. In conclusion, this study revealed that the aqueous extract of A. indica leaf was not effective against bacteria isolated from hard ticks of small ruminants in Maiduguri.