African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Immunoglobulin profile of Nigerian children with Plasmodium falciparum infection

Nmorsi, O. P. G.¹* Ukwandu, N. C. D.², Isaac, C.¹, Ekoma, N. E, Asibor, V.¹

¹Tropical Diseases Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

²Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

Accepted 15 February, 2019

Abstract

The immunoglobulin profiles of 126 Nigerian children infected with Plasmodium falciparum in their peripheral blood were investigated. The mean malarial parasitaemia was 4699.17 ± 3695.2 µl. The mean immunoglobulin profile of these infected children were 2.68 ± 0.019 mg/dl for IgA, 0.031 ± 0.01 mg/dl for IgD, 1358.29 ± 123.57 ng/dl for IgE, 19.09 ± 1.27 mg/dl for IgG and 2.80 ± 0.57 mg/dl for IgM. The relationship between the IgD and IgE were positively correlated with the ages of the volunteers at (r = 0.89 and r = 0.97, respectively). The levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were negatively correlated with the ages of the infected children (r = -0.96, r = -0.99 and r = -0.85, respectively). The relationship between the level of parasitaemia and IgA, IgD and IgM were negatively correlated (r = -0.82, r = -0.84 and r = -0.82, respectively). IgG correlated positively with the level of malarial parasitaemia (r = 0.99). We deduce that high IgE and low levels of IgA and IgM are associated with the high risk of P. falciparum malaria attack in our community.

Key words: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, IgM, Plasmodium falciparum, children, Nigeria.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Protein modeling of apical membrane antigen-1(AMA-1) of Plasmodium cynomolgi

D.M. Mamatha¹*, K. Nagalakshmamma¹, V.A. Dev Rajesh² and V.S. Sheerin³

¹Department Sericulture and Biosciences Sri Padmavathi women’s University, Tirupati, A.P, India. 517502.

²Department of Bioinformatics, Dravidan University, Kuppam, A.P., India.

³Department of Biosciences Sri Padmavathi women’s University, Tirupati, A.P, India. 517502.

Accepted 16 March, 2019

Abstract

Apical membrane Antigen-1(AMA-1), an asexual blood stage antigen of Plasmodium cynomolgi, is an important candidate for testing as a component of malarial vaccine. The degree of conservation of AMA-1 sequences implies a conserved function for this molecule across different species of Plasmodium. Since the AMA-1 of plasmodium cyanomolgi is yet to be structured, the authors have generated a homology model of AMA-1 by using the Swiss-PDB server. The protein’s conservity has been verified by performing multiple alignments using Bioedit and conserved domain database. The model was further checked for its correctness by predicting 2D and 3D structures, which validates the structure.

Key words: Protein model, AMA-1, apical membrane antigen-1, Plasmodium cynomolgi.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Plasmodium and host glutathione reductase: molecular function and biological process

Viroj Wiwanitkit

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Thailand 10330.

Accepted 15 March, 2019

Abstract

Glutathione (GSH) is a cysteine-containing tripeptide with reducing and nucleophilic properties which play an important role in cellular protection from oxidative damage of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Glutathione reductase (GR) is an NADPH-dependent enzyme that reduces oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to GSH. Naturally, GR is present in human and in Plasmodium spp. However, the function of the GR in malarial infection is not well characterized. Here, the author used a new gene ontology technology to predict the molecular function and biological process. Using GoFigure server, the molecular function and biological process in human and P. falciparum GR is predicted. Comparing to the human GR, the P. falciparum GR has similar molecular functions as gluthathione disulfide reductase activity, oxidoreductase activity, disulfide oxidoreductase activity and metal ion binding.

Key words: Human, Plamodium falciparum, glutathione reductase, function.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-008, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Multiplicity of infections and level of recrudescence in Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Mlimba, Tanzania

Erasto V. Mbugi¹*, Benezeth M. Mutayoba¹, Sakurani T. Balthazary¹, Allen L. Malisa², Thomas B. Nyambo³ and Hassan Mshinda⁴

¹Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3017, Morogoro, TANZANIA.

²Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture P.O. Box 3038, Morogoro, Tanzania

³Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS), P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA.

⁴Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre (IHRDC), Off Mlabani Road, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Kilombero District, Morogoro, TANZANIA

Accepted 09 February, 2019

Abstract

Polymorphism and antigenic variation are important biological survival strategies of malaria parasites determining the episode, outcome and implications of treatment interventions. In P. falciparum, polymorphic antigens are associated with the asexual blood-stage; merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2). The MSP2 genes have been invaluable in post-treatment discrimination of parasite resurgence from new infection, especially in high transmission areas. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from blood samples of 141 malaria-infected infants, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products. The findings showed multiplicity of infections of single to six infections with an average of 2.58 infections per patient. Single infections of either 3D7 or FC27 allelic families of the MSP2 gene occurred in 51 patients (50.5%) out of all PCR- RFLP successful samples (n = 101). Out of 15 (10.6%) follow up samples with resurgent parasitaemia, 3 (20%) samples had recrudescent infections while 12 (80%) had variable results. Our findings provide an insight on the prevalence of the genetic determinants of suphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) resistance in Mlimba during the study period, and in the face of rapidly spreading resistance, calls for the periodic surveillance in order to timely detect early warning signal of the deteriorating SP cure rate.

Key words: Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, MSP2 genes, Multiplicity of infections, Mlimba, Tanzania.

Key words: Survey, ethnobotanical, antimalarial, herb.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 7 (4), pp. 001-003, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The prevalence of malaria infection in pregnant women living in a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria

Raimi, O. G.^1,2* and Kanu, C. P.²

¹Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland, DD1 5EH, United Kingdom.

²Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Lagos State University, PMB 1087, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.

Accepted 12 February, 2019

Abstract

Malaria during pregnancy continues to be a major health problem in endemic countries with clinical consequences including death of both mother and child. In Nigeria, statistics shows that as many as 300,000 lives especially those of children and pregnant women are lost annually to malaria. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women living in Ojo Local Council, a suburb of Lagos Nigeria, which is characterized by unstable transmission of malaria. 50 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the popular saint Anthony Hospital and Maternity Home in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos were recruited for this study. This study was carried out from April 2009 to September 2009 (period of high malaria transmission). The result showed that malaria infection was prevalent during pregnancy. A total of 26 (52%) of the pregnant women were positive to and showed symptoms of malaria while 24 (48%) were negative and showed no symptoms of malaria. Primigravidae were more susceptible to the parasite especially Plasmodium falciparum with mean parasite density of 2112.50 ± 420.90 (parasite/ml) than the multigravidas with parasite density 446.70 ± 296.90 (parasite/ml). The results showed the prevalence of malaria infection especially P. falciparum infection in pregnant women living in the area and that the younger women were more at risk. Malaria should therefore be recognized as a global priority in health care more so in pregnancy.

Key words: Malaria, pregnancy, prevalence, Lagos.