Mycological Analysis and Potential Health Hazards of Dextrose Intravenous Infusions in Nigeria.

Abstract

One hundred and forty two samples (142) of two brands of commercial intravenous fluids manufactured and marketed in Nigeria were analyzed for fungal contaminants. The pH and osmolarity values were also determined. All samples were analyzed within their expiry dates. The infusions were categorized into the visibly defective samples and the visibly normal samples. Sixty percent (60%) of the samples were contaminated with at least one fungal species. The fungal counts ranged from 1600cfu.ml -1 in the visibly defective sample to 50cfu.ml -1 in the visibly normal sample. Fourteen viable fungal species belonging to ten genera were isolated. The fungal isolates in the visibly defective samples were Aspergillus repens, Aspergillus glaucus, Penicillium roqueforti, Chaetomium spp, Paecilomyces variotii , Humicola grisea, Geotrichum candidum and Geomyces cretacea, while the visibly normal samples contained Aspergillus japonicus, Candida valida, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, Geomyces cretacea, Paecilomyces variotii, Humicola grisea and Fusarium oxysporum. The pH and osmolarity values of contaminated samples were lower than specified for the products. (pH:4.5-5, osmolarity 280mosmol/l for 5% Dextrose infusion; pH 6 , osmolarity 555mosmol/l for 10% Dextrose infusion ) The presence of pathogenic fungi particularly in the visibly normal samples before their expiry dates , coupled with the reductions in pH and osmolarity values below the critical safe levels (pH 4, & 306 mosmol l - l ) render the two brands and two categories of products potentially hazardous to health.