ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis is considered one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by blood flukes. The disease kills 200,000 people annually in Sub Saharan Africa and stunts cognitive and physical growth. In Kenya, the total population requiring preventive chemotherapy in the year 2015 was estimated at 2.5 million out of which 1.8 million were school aged children. Fresh water snails of genus Biomphalaria are the intermediate hosts of S. mansoni. Chemical molluscicides used to control snai...
ABSTRACT Amoebiasis is a common life-threatening parasitic disease affecting 12% of the world population. It is the third leading cause of mortality due to parasitic infections worldwide, after malaria and schistosomiasis. It is estimated that about 500 million people are at risk of infection with amoebiasis yearly. In developed countries infection occurs among travelers, recent immigrants from endemic regions, homosexual males, immune-compromised persons and institutionalized individuals. In...
ABSTRACT Phlebotomine sand flies are the vectors of Leishmania species, the causative agents of leishmaniases that are a global health problem and are usually endemic in developing countries affecting predominantly the poor in society. Complementally control measures through use of biodegradable, safe and species selective natural compounds are urgently needed. Plant based compounds are safe in most biosystems. Some synthetic chemical insecticides are toxic, expensive and discriminate use may...
ABSTRACT Zoonotic pathogens are among the most important causes of ill health in humans all over the world. In Kenya, the encroachment of wildlife habitats has led to increased interaction between humans and non-human primates especially baboons hence potential for zoonoses transmission. However, a risk analysis for these zoonoses had not been undertaken in Kenya. The current study aimed to investigate hemoparasites and gastrointestinal parasites of olive baboons (Papio anubis) at the human�...
ABSTRACT Geohelminthiases are infections caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura leading to oedema, iron-deficiency, protein-energy malnutrition, electrolyte derangement, endocrine upsets and cardio-vascular failure. Resulting sequelae lead to poor health, physical fitness and anaemia. Geohelminthiases is widespread in areas with poor sanitation but empirical data on prevalence and its effects ...
ABSTRACT Mrima hill in Kwale County, along the Kenyan coast, is known to have high natural background radiation caused mainly by 232 Thorium (Th). Currently, the area also has no proper sanitary disposal system and people use bushes as toilets. There are no fresh water bodies. Despite other parts of the coastal regions of Kenya having been studied for human disease vectors including mosquitoes and sandflies, no studies have been carried out in Mrima hill to establish the prevalence of these i...
ABSTRACT Malaria is the commonest parasitic disease that continues to cause considerable number of deaths despite the fact that it is treatable and preventable. In 2016, nearly 3.2 billion persons were at risk of malaria and a total of 216 million cases occurred occasioning deaths of approximately 445 thousand people worldwide with majority of the affected being children below five years of age. These numbers are high for a disease which is treatable and preventable. Plasmodium falciparum, th...
ABSTRACT Malaria is devastating diseases afflicting humans, in Kenya; the disease is endemic in areas around Lake Victoria and along the southern coast. Untreated malaria in school children, result in anaemia, reduced ability to concentrate and learn in school and if fallen sick may lead to school absenteeism. Insecticide treated nets (ITN) have been shown to provide significant protection against Plasmodium infection. Available data show that the overall prevalence of Plasmodium and anaemia...
ABSTRACT Malaria is an infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium and is transmitted mainly through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The main species causing the disease in humans include Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi. The disease results from multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever, headache,...
ABSTRACT Plasmodium is protozoa from the Apicomplexa phylum which causes malaria. In the tropics and sub-tropics, approximately 3.3 billion people are at risk. Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT), the current prime treatment, has been reported to have a possible emergence of resistance. This is a major obstacle that contributes to high mortality. Drug repurposing offers an appealing alternative to de novo drug development. Although astemizole and methylene blue have been reported to have an...
ABSTRACT Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a protozoal disease that is caused by the extracellular parasite and also transmitted by vector known as tsetse fly that belong to genus Glossina. HAT commonly known as Sleeping sickness is a tropical disease that is neglected, historically endemic among 36 countries of Africa in sub-Saharan. In the last decade, WHO reports shows a tremendous decline in cases due to collaboration from both national and international efforts. Early diagnosis espe...
ABSTRACT Solanum acueastrum Dunal. plant (Solanaceae family), growing in most parts of tropical Africa down to South Africa, has been shown to have some chemotherapeutic value. The fruit and leaf of S. aculeastrum is used for treating various diseases like jigger wounds, swelling joints in fingers, bronchitis, enlarged spleen, rheumatism, gangrene, gonorrhea, and other inflammatory-related ailments. Scientific studies conducted in S. Africa have also validated that S. aculeastrum fruit extrac...
ABSTRACT Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) for personal protection against mosquito bites have proven to be practical, highly effective, and cost effective intervention against malaria infection. Bungoma South District records malaria as the most frequently diagnosed condition in outpatients at health facilities and is the principal cause of death at the district hospital. Despite the report that ITNs have high impact on reduction of vectors of malaria, sporozoite rates, morbidity and mortality...
ABSTRACT Malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium species is currently the main cause of human sickness and death in the world, more so in the tropics. It mostly affects pregnant mothers and children below five years of age. The parasites develop resistance to antiplasmodial drugs and this has been a challenge in control and treatment of the disease through chemotherapy, something that necessitates the continuous search for alternative antiplasmodial agents. The use of plants to treat malaria ...
ABSTRACT Despite intensive worldwide attempt to control malaria, it remains one of the most fatal and widespread protozoan infection of mankind. About 2.4 billon people inhabit malaria prone regions which is about forty percentage of the world population. Prompt accurate, diagnosis and treatment is important to avert suffering of malaria patients. Malaria infection is a serious global challenge in the affected countries. The rapid diagnosis tests of malaria are recent diagnostic techniques wh...