African Journal of Internal Medicine

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Epidemiology of Brucellosis in Albania: Focus on the Southern and Southeastern Regions

Maria Agolli1* and Ani Bajrami2

1Gjirokaster Albania
2Tirane Albania

Accepted 23 October, 2024

Brucellosis is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Brucella melitensis. The infection from Brucella melitensis is a known fact and one of the most important challenges to human health, having big economic and financial consequences, especially in countries where the disease is endemic, such as Albania. In the last 20 years the frequency of the spread of zoonozes in Albania is increasing in a considerable way, especially in the southern and south-eastern region where it is more vulnerable. The knowledge regarding the frequency of brucellosis, the time, space and age dynamics and the ways of its transmission are the purpose of this study. The exploring of the structure of the brucellosis infection enables the presentation of a more complete picture on its epidemiological prophylaxis and on the identification of the mechanisms and links that can interact to prevent and eliminate the brucellosis infection in human beings.

Keywords: brucellosis, zoonozes, serologic method, epidemiology.
 

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring the Therapeutic Benefits of Curcuma longa in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

Azza A. El-Masry

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 November, 2024

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that complications related to diabetes are associated with increased oxidative stress. Curcuma longa has several biological properties, including antioxidant activity. The protective effect of Curcuma longa on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced oxidative stress in various tissues of rats was studied. Adult male albino Wister rats (8 weeks), weighing 195 to 225 g was made diabetic by injecting STZ (65 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally. During the whole experimental period, animals were fed with a balanced commercial chow and water ad libitum. Diabetic rats given either water or ethanolic extracts of the active material "curcumin" gained by crushing Curcuma longa rhizomes (80 mg/kg body weight) in aqueous suspension daily using an intragastric tube for a period of seven weeks. After this period the levels of oxidative stress parameters and activity of antioxidant enzymes were determined in various tissues. STZ-induced hyperglycemia resulted in increased glucose level, glycosylated haemoglobin in red blood cells and other tissues and altered antioxidant enzyme activities such as AST and ALT. These elevated blood parameters and enzymatic activities induced by hyperglycemia were significantly restored to near normal by oral administration of curcumin once daily for 7 weeks, as compared to untreated rats. There was a significant elevation in the level of liver and kidney malondialdhyde (MDA), while the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase (SOD and CAT) were significantly decreased in STZ rats which also restored to normal after curcumin treatment. The results obtained indicated that ethanolic extract has more potent protective action than water extract against all hyperglycemic parameters. These biochemical observations showing that feeding curcumin to the diabetic rats controlled oxidative stress by inhibiting the increase in TBARS and protein carbonyls and reversing altered antioxidant enzyme activities without altering the hyperglycemic state in most of the tissues. Curcumin appear to be beneficial in preventing diabetes-induced oxidative stress in rats despite unaltered hyperglycemic status.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Streptozotocin; Curcuma longa; Therapeutic effects; Rats.
 

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessing the Relationship Between Water Contact Activities and Urinary Schistosomiasis Around Erinle and Eko-Ende Dams

Hassan A.O^1, Amoo A. O. J² Akinwale, O.P^.3, Deji-Agboola, A.M.^2, Adeleke, M.A^.4, Gyang, P.V.³ and Oluwadun, A.²

¹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Lautech Teaching Hospital. Osogbo; Medical Mecrobiology and Parasitology Department, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University Sagamu Ogun State.
²Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Science, Olabisi Onabanjo
University Sagamu Ogun State.
³Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Public Health Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos
⁴Public Health Entomology and Parasitology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Osun State University, Oshogbo.

Accepted 03 October, 2024

Abstract

There is much evidence that people’s behavior affects agents, hosts, and the environment, and that behaviour can also either increase or decrease the risk of a disease. Studying behaviour may advance medical knowledge and increase the effectiveness of health protection and medical care. The objective of this work was to gain greater insight into the pattern of water contact in relation to schistosomiasis among residents of five communities around Erinle and Eko-Ende dams by identifying the water contact activities that are more likely to produce infection and examine the socioeconomic factors associating water contact activities. Semi quantitative observations on human water contact patterns were made at each of water contact site in February (dry season), May (early rainy season), August (rainy season) and November (early dry season) for three years. Each observation lasted for a period of six hours. Records taken for every individual observation included sex, age, type of contact, length of exposure and degree of body exposure. Each cohort subject was asked to fill in a water contact activity diary every day during the transmission period. The frequency, duration and relative index of exposure of the observed contact activities in the five study communities varied according to individual community. Eko-Ajala had the least characteristics with 130, 826 and 385.1 contacts, duration and relative index of exposure respectively. However, there was no statistical difference (P<0.05) in the variables between the five communities. The main purpose of contact to the dams is for economic reasons with total contact of 565 closely followed by recreational with a value of 532 and personal reason had the least contact of 48. We concluded that an increase in economic water contact was associated with poor socioeconomic conditions. Our results suggest that in the subjects we studied, there was a socioeconomic determination for water contact. Our data emphasize the importance of a broad and integrated approach in studying water contact activities and in implementing behavioral interventions for schistosomiasis treatment, prevention and control in the study area and similar settings in Nigeria.

Keywords: Economic factors, urinary schistosomiasis, Erinle, Eko-Ende dam.
 

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 12 (2), pp. 001-002, February, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Keywords: Tetanus, Rare.

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 12 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of Rothmannia hispida Leaves Extract and Protamine-Zinc Insulin in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats: A Comparative Study

A. B. Antai¹*, O. E. Ofem¹, O. J. Nwosu², S. O. Ukafia³, K. C. Iyadi⁴ and R. Nia¹

¹Department of Physiology, University of Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria.

²Department of Anatomy, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

³Department of Pharmacology, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Pharmacology, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Accepted 26 June, 2023

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder resulting from a defect in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Insulin and Rothmannia hispida are among the anti-diabetic agents. This study therefore sought to establish the relative potency of insulin and R. hispida leaves extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Four groups of 5 albino Wistar rats each were made diabetic with alloxan (150 mg/kg), then treated with either extract (100 mg/kg) or insulin (1 unit) for 7 days or left untreated. The terminal blood glucose level of diabetic extract treated (DET) (4.40 ± 0.52 mmol/L) and diabetic insulin treated (DIT) (4.10 ± 0.48 mmol/L) were significantly (P < 0.001) lower compared with diabetic untreated (DUT) (22.00 ± 0.00 mmol/L). Terminal urine glucose was only present in DUT (42.60 ± 6.14 mmol/L) . Terminal urine output was also significantly (P < 0.001) lower in DET (8.60 ± 1.17 ml) and DIT (8.80 ± 0.80 ml) compared with DUT (44.00 ± 1.48 ml). The DUT and DIT were also observed to have negative growth rates (-4.86 and -0.29 g/day respectively), whereas the controls and DET had positive growth rates (5.70 and 0.14 g/day respectively). Terminal blood glucose levels and urine output were not significantly different between DET and DIT. Therefore, 100 mg/kg body weight of the Rothmannia hispida leaves extract is equally as potent as 1 unit of protamine-zinc insulin as an anti-diabetic agent.

Key words: Insulin, Rothmannia hispida, diabetes mellitus, rats.

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN: 2326-7283 Vol. 11 (4), pp. 001-007, April, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Revisiting the relative contributions of sympathetic and thyroidal actions to adaptive thermogenesis in man and animals

Orien L Tulp, PhD, MD, FACN, CNS

College of Medicine and Graduate Studies, University of Science Arts and Technology, Montserrat, British West Indies.  MSR1110. and the Einstein Medical Institute, Florida USA.

Accepted 06 April, 2023

Abstract

The processes of adaptive thermogenesis in response to changes in diet and environment have been reported in rodent species as contributors to mechanisms of energy balance and expenditure for the past four decades, but their relevance in humans remains speculative, despite the common observation of active brown adipose tissue in both man and animals. To determine the relative contributions of the two primary hormonally mediated systems in adaptive thermogenesis during over nutrition via the Cafeteria feeding regimen (Café), the relative contributions to the sympathetic and thyroidal mechanisms were estimated by measures of serum T3, Urinary Vanilmandelic acid (VMA) and resting thermogenesis (VO2) and before and after sympathetic ablation with α-methylparatyrosine (αMPT) in congenic lean male LA/Ntul//-cp rats. The Café diet resulted in significant elevations in T3, VMA, and VO2.  The αMPT resulted in virtual elimination of sympathetic activity as indicated by urinary VMA excretion, but only a partial decrease in VO2, consistent with residual non-sympathetically-mediated contributions. Thus, the results of this study are consistent with both sympathetically mediated short term influences in addition to longer term thyroidally mediated actions on the expression of adaptive thermogenesis during overfeeding in this congenic lean strain of rats.

Key Words:  Nonshivering thermogenesis, obesity, cafeteria feeding, congenic LA/Ntul//-cp rats.