ISSN 2756-3340
Review
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-011, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Review
Actinorhizal nitrogen fixing nodules: infection process, molecular biology and genomics
Mariana OBERTELLO, Mame Oureye SY, Laurent LAPLAZE, Carole SANTI, Sergio SVISTOONOFF, Florence AUGUY, Didier BOGUSZ and Claudine FRANCHE*
Laboratoire Rhizogenèse symbiotique, UMR 1098, IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), 911 avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Accepted 22 April, 2020
Abstract
Actinorhizal hosts are non-leguminous perennial plants belonging to 8 angiosperm families. They are capable of forming root nodules as a result of infection by a nitrogen-fixing actinomycete called Frankia. Actinorhizal nodules consist of multiple lobes, each of which represents a modified lateral root with infected cells in the expanded cortex. This article summarizes the most recent knowledge about this original symbiotic process. The infection process is described both at cytological and molecular levels. The use of transgenic Casuarinaceae for studying in actinorhizal nodules the regulation of several symbiotic promoters from legumes is also discussed. With progress in plant genome sequencing, comparative genomics in legumes and actinorhizal plants should contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary history of nitrogen-fixing symbioses.
Key words: Nitrogen-fixation, actinorhizal nodules, Frankia, Casuarina, symbiotic gene.
Florence AUGUY, Laurent LAPLAZE, Carole SANTI, Mame Oureye SY, Mariana OBERTELLO, Sergio SVISTOONOFF, Didier BOGUSZ and Claudine FRANCHE*
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Research Article
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Comparison of ivermectin and thiabendazole in the treatment of uncomplicated human Strongyloides stercoralis infection
AA Adenusi1*, AO Oke1 and AO Adenusi2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, P.M.B. 2002, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
2Primary Health Care Unit, Yewa South Local Government, Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Accepted 14 July, 2020
Abstract
Ivermectin is the drug of choice in the treatment of onchocerciasis, and has been proven to be highly effective against Strongyloides stercoralis. This study compares ivermectin’s efficacy and safety with that of thiabendazole, an established drug of choice for strongyloidiasis, in 252 confirmed cases of uncomplicated human intestinal strongyloidiasis. Subjects were administered orally with ivermectin (200 µg/kg) in a single dose or thiabendazole, 25 mg/kg, twice daily (50mg/kg/day) for 3 consecutive days. Stools were parasitologically examined 7, 21 and 30 days after treatment. Only 18 of 113 and 22 of 103 ivermectin- and thiabendazole-treated subjects, respectively, had stools positive for larvae 30 days post-treatment. This indicates parasitological cure rates of 84.07% and 78.64% for ivermectin and thiabendazole, respectively. Ivermectin was not significantly more effective than thiabendazole (P< 0.05). There was considerable reduction in parasite output in parasitologically uncured subjects with mean of 81% in ivermectin-treated and 75% in thiabendazole-treated groups, respectively. Clinical adverse reactions were mild and transient in subjects treated with ivermectin, while they varied from mild to severe in those treated with thiabendazole. Single-dose ivermectin provides efficacy comparable with standard, multiple-dose thiabendazole, with a much reduced incidence of adverse effects and consequently better patient compliance.
Key words: Ivermectin, thiabendazole, Strongyloides stercoralis, strongyloidiasis.
AA Adenusi*, AO Oke and AO Adenusi
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Research Article
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Antimicrobial, heavy metal resistance and plasmid profile of coliforms isolated from nosocomial infections in a hospital in Isfahan, Iran
Vajiheh Karbasizaed1*, Naser Badami1, Giti Emtiazi2
1Dept. of Pathobiology, Faculty of Heath Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2Dept.of Biology, Isfahan University, Tehran, Iran.
Accepted 18 May, 2020
Abstract
The antimicrobial, heavy metal resistance patterns and plasmid profiles of Coliforms (Enterobacteriacea) isolated from nosocomial infections and healthy human faeces were compared. Fifteen of the 25 isolates from nosocomial infections were identified as Escherichia coli, and remaining as Kelebsiella pneumoniae. Seventy two percent of the strains isolated from nosocomial infections possess multiple resistance to antibiotics compared to 45% of strains from healthy human faeces. The difference between minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of strains from clinical cases and from faeces for four heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd) was not significant. However most strains isolated from hospital were more tolerant to heavy metal than those from healthy persons. There was no consistent relationship between plasmid profile group and antimicrobial resistance pattern, although a conjugative plasmid (>56.4 kb) encoding resistance to heavy metals and antibiotics was recovered from eight of the strains isolated from nosocomial infections. The results indicate multidrug-resistance coliforms as a potential cause of nosocomial infection in this region.
Key words: Nosocomial infection, plasmid profile, antimicrobial resistance, Escherichia coli, Kelebsiella pneumoniae.
Giti Emtiazi, Naser Badami, Vajiheh Karbasizaed*
Page: 1 - 5
Research Article
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (7), pp. 001-010, July, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Four gene introduction methods affect the shoot regeneration and localization of transgene expression in greenhouse stem explants
J. A. Teixeira da Silva and S. Fukai
Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa, 761-0795, Japan
Accepted 18 April 2020
Abstract
Gene introduction method (GIM) affected shoot regeneration capacity (SRC) in standard and spray-type chrysanthemums. SRC was both cultivar and GIM-dependent in both in vitro and greenhouse stem explants, the former significantly higher than the latter. Sonication had an SRC-stimulating effect on in vitro explants. Other GIMs (Agrobacterium, biolistics, Agrolistics) had an SRC-inhibiting effect on greenhouse explants. Genotype-dependence of SRC was observed in both in vitro and greenhouse material. SRC is influenced by the explant and regeneration media, which should be modified if altered by the GIM. Shoots derived from all GIM treatments showed normal growth under in vitro and greenhouse conditions, and flowered normally. In addition, this study further shows that explant origin (in vitro versus greenhouse) and cultivar significantly affect the regeneration process, even when an optimized medium is utilized. The integration of the GUS transgene is also GIM-dependent, but in all cases is shown to occur in the venation.
Keywords: Agroinfection, biolistics, explant survival, regeneration, sonication.
J. A. Teixeira da Silva, S. Fukai
Page: 1 - 10
Research Article
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (6), pp. 001-004, June, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research paper
Intestinal helminthiasis and urinary schistosomiasis in some villages of Ijebu North, Ogun State, Nigeria
O. M. Agbolade1*, D. O. Akinboye2 and A. Awolaja3
1Department of Biological Sciences,Olabisi Onabanjo University,P. M. B. 2002, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria.
2Department of Zoology,University of Ibadan,Ibadan, Nigeria.
3Department of Primary Health Care,Ijebu North Local Government,P. M. B. 1004, Ijebu-Igbo,Ogun State, Nigeria.
Accepted 21 May, 2020
Abstract
Intestinal helminthiasis and urinary schistosomiasis were studied between April and December, 2002, in six villages of Ijebu North Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. Faecal samples from 199 subjects were examined using direct smear and brine concentration methods. Urine samples were tested for haematuria and proteinuria using diagnostic reagent strips. Three helminthic parasites were identified in the faecal samples; Ascaris lumbricoides (62.8%), hookworm (16.6%) and Schistosoma haematobium (2.5%). None of the parasites was sex-dependent. A. lumbricoides had ≥50% prevalence in all the age groups. The more common mixed infection was A. lumbricoides and hookworm (22.5%) . The prevalences of haematuria and proteinuria were 7.5% and 15.7%, respectively. After single dose levamisole treatment, 16.8% of the subjects with intestinal helminths voided and submitted A. lumbridoides adult worms.
Key words: Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Schistosoma haematobium, haematuria, proteinuria, levamisole, Nigeria.
D. O. Akinboye and A. Awolaja, O. M. Agbolade*
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Research Article
African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 7 (6), pp. 001-006, June, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The use of a novel phage-based technology as a practical tool for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Africa
Tracy Seaman1, Andre Trollip1, Richard Mole2, Heidi Albert1*
1Biotec Laboratories Ltd., c/o National Health Laboratory Service, PO Box 9066, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
2Biotec Laboratories Ltd., Ipswich, United Kingdom.
Accepted 24 January, 2020
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a significant increase in tuberculosis cases in recent years, fuelled by high rates of TB- HIV co-infection in the region. The diagnosis of tuberculosis is based largely on clinical assessment, sputum smear microscopy and chest radiography. Although smear microscopy is useful for detecting the most infectious cases, a significant portion of cases are negative on sputum smears, making diagnosis more difficult. New tests are urgently needed. The FASTPlaqueTB test, a bacteriophage-based method, has been evaluated in several studies in Africa and elsewhere. Studies in South Africa and Pakistan reported that between half and two-thirds of smear-negative culture-positive TB cases were detected by the FASTPlaqueTB test within 2 days. This suggests a beneficial role for this test in the early diagnosis of clinically suspected smear-negative cases. The same technology has been applied to develop a rapid test to indicate multi-drug resistant TB, FASTPlaqueTB-MDRi. This test gave equivalent results to conventional drug susceptibility methods, but with more rapid results. The tests are simple to perform and require no specialised equipment, making the technology suitable for widespread implementation.
Key words: Tuberculosis, bacteriophage, diagnostic test, phage amplification technology, multi-drug resistance, drug susceptibility test.
Tracy Seaman, Richard Mole and Heidi Albert*, Andre Trollip
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