ABSTRACT Falciparum malaria and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affect millions of people globally but the effect of the dual conditions on the cardiovascular health of the affected has not been investigated. To better understand this, a study was designed to evaluate the effect of Plasmodium falciparum malaria on levels of selected biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in diabetics compared with non-diabetic controls by measuring anthropometric indices, blood pressure (Bp), fasting levels of...
ABSTRACT Significant variations in vector biology within and between countries have been reported in malaria epidemiological studies1. It is now generally agreed that a clear understanding of the detailed epidemiology of the disease is a pre-requisite to effective malaria control in the African sub-region2. Anopheles gambiae complex (Diptera: Culicidae) is one of the most efficient vectors of Plasmodium falciparum in the African sub-region; it is a complex of sibling taxa3. Two of these sibli...
ABSTRACT Five feeds, designated A, B, C, D and E, were used in the culture of Oreochromis niloticus (L) to evaluate and compare their effects on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR), fish production, survival rate and profitability in commercial tilapia farming in Ghana. Feed A contained only wheat bran and was used as the control; Feeds B, C and E were formulated from wheat bran, fishmeal, maize, palm oil and premix vitamins in varied proportions. Feed D was a commercial fish feed...
ABSTRACT Hypertension is a public health challenge due to its high prevalence, and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension is a complex disease resulting from an interaction of genes and environmental factors. Inconsistent association between polymorphisms of the renin angiotensin aldosterone, the atrial natriuretic peptide systems and hypertension has been reported among various ethnic groups, but not for the Efiks and Ibibios in south-south Nigeria. This study was ...
Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology of Macrotermes bellicosus present on some parts of the University of Ibadan and to determine the effect of the saliva of termites on the strength of termitarium. Termites were collected from 8 termitaria on Parry Road, University of Ibadan and characteristics morphometrics were measured using stage graticules (10mm) on Microscope. Amylase analysis was conducted to determine the activity of the saliva content in the termitarium ...
ABSTRACT Acid phosphatase (ACP) activity was demonstrated in blood stream form of Trypanosome brucei brucei harvested from infected Wister rats by Ion Exchange DEAE Cellulose 52 chromatography. Whole parasite extract (WPE) and Excretory Secretory Extract (ESE) were prepared and analyzed for acid phosphatase activity. A higher ACP activity (85.5 µmol/min) was recorded in WPE compared to ESE (36.8 µmol/min). ACP activity in ESE is suggestive of the presence of a cell rich enzyme. Phase separ...
Malaria merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) is cleaved in an essential step during erythrocyte invasion. The responses of children to natural malaria infection included antibodies that inhibit this cleavage and others that block the binding of these inhibitory antibodies. There was no correlation between the titer of the antibody to the 19-kDa fragment of MSP1 and its inhibitory activity. These findings have implications for the design of MSP1-based vaccines.
Abstract Malaria remains a major parasitic disease in Africa, with 300–500 million new infections each year. There is therefore an urgent need for the development of new effective measures, including vaccines. Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-119 (MSP-119) is a prime candidate for a blood-stage malaria vaccine. Blood samples were collected from children aged 10 days to 15 years in the months of January–March (N = 351) and October–November (N = 369) corresponding to the d...
ABSTRACT GLURP and MSP3 are targets for antibodies involved in antibody-dependent cellular inhibition that may lead to protective immunity against malaria. Comparative assessment of IgG and subclass responses to GLURP and MSP3 in relation to immunity against malaria will provide relevant information that will be useful in future malaria vaccine development. Several studies have led to the recent recognition of the importance of T- cell in the generation of long-term antibody responses in...
ABSTRACT A revision of the Afrotropical members of the subgenus Uresipedilum Sasa et Kikuchi, 1995 showed that most of the earlier species were misidentified. Ten new Afrotropical species are identified and described: P. (U.) spinibojum sp. n., P. (U.) plautum sp. n., P. (U.) lehmanni sp. n., P. (U.) praegnans sp. n., P. (U.) hanisoni sp. n., P. (U.) freemani sp. n.,P. (£/.) dossenudum sp. n., P. (U.) acutulum sp. n., P. (U.) kakumense sp. n., and P. (t/.) gladysae sp. n. Two species, P....
ABSTRACT Ticks continue to facilitate the spread of pathogens globally, thereby influencing the health of both humans and animals. Ticks have been documented to infest animals including pets and livestock, transmitting bacterial pathogens including Rickettsia species. It is common to find many Ghanaian households rearing animals, thus increasing the risk of infection. It is therefore important to identify the present tick species and determine their potential to transmit diseases. This...
Malaria and HIV co-infected mothers have an increased risk of poor birth outcome, spontaneous abortion, malaria infection and early progression of HIV to AIDS. This study examines the impact of HIV and malaria on the levels of cytokines in peripheral blood from mothers and their new borns. 149 pregnant mothers and 30 babies born to 63 HIV infected mothers were engaged in longitudinal study for 18 months in the endemic area of Saki and Ibadan. Blood samples collected from mothers and ba...
This project work studied and compared the common protozoan parasites of Africa cat fish (Clarias gariepinus) from wild and cultured environment within Bauchi metropolis, a total of 48 samples of C. gariepinus comprising 24 each from both wild and cultured environment were examined for protozoan parasites and only 18 and 13 fishes were infected by protozoa parasites respectively. Ichthyophthirus multifiilis was the most common protozoan parasites found in C. gariepinus from the wild and Trich...
Abstract Culex quinquefasciatus is a dorminant mosquito species in Nigeria and a major cause of several diseases. The study seeks to determine the effects of S-Hydroprene and leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica on life expectancy of third instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus. Concentrations (ranging from 10 mg/L to 60 mg/L) were tested on the larvae for mortality, survival and life expectancy of the medically important Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquito species under laboratory conditions of te...
Abstract: The physico-chemical parameters of Ikwu River were studied between January and June 2016 in 3 stations to assess its drinking water quality using water quality index. Weighted arithmetic water quality index (WAWQI) method was used. Thirteen parameters were evaluated which included temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate, alkalinity, phosphate, sulphate, chloride and calcium. The physico-c...