African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 5 (6), pp. 341-348, June, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Review

A study of the promising features of new Malaria vaccines

Emmanuel C. Ibezim* and Uche Odo

Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author.  E-mail:  [email protected]; Tel: 08043180657.

Accepted 03 September, 2016

Abstract

Malaria is a tropical disease caused by the genus PLASMODIUM. The sexual stage of the plasmodium is carried by mosquito while the asexual stage is carried by man. Transmission from the mosquito to man is through mosquito bite. Commonly presented symptoms of malarial attack include fever, weakness, anorexia, and anaemia. Some complications such as convulsion (in children) and acute pulmonary edema are common. The conventional drugs used in malarial chemotherapy include, chloroquin, sulfadoxine/pyramethamine, quinine and primaquine. Newer drugs in use include artemisine and its derivatives (such as dihydroartemisinine, artesunate, artemether), halofantrine, atovaquine, malaria vaccines, and artemisinine combinations (such as artemether/lumenfantrine, artesunate/mefloquine). These newer drugs were developed based on some shortcomings of the conventional drugs such as drug resistance and unbearable side effects. Of all the drugs available for the first line treatment of malaria, the artemisinine combinations are the drugs of choice as they possess reduced recrudescence and relapse when given for 3 days. Some new combinations are still on trial and include fosmidomycin/clindamycin. Malaria vaccines which show some promising features are also still undergoing more trials.

Key words: malaria, chemotherapy, combination therapy, artemisinine, resistance.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 5 (7), pp. 349-353, July, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae as a biocontrol agent for the adult mosquito Anopheles stephensi

S. Kamala Kannan*, K. Murugan, A. Naresh Kumar, N. Ramasubramanian and P. Mathiyazhagan

Division of Entomology, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore – 641 046. Tamil Nadu, India.

*Corresponding  author. E-mail:  [email protected]. Fax: +91 422 2422 387, Tel.: 91 99561 48910.

Accepted 22 March, 2016

Abstract

The entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae is being considered as a biocontrol agent for the adult mosquito of Anopheles stephensi (Malarial vector). In the present experiment was carried out in the laboratory of 30-50 male and female adult mosquitoes were exposed to M. anisopliae (exposed to 1 x 10⁶ conidia/ml of oil or water suspension). In our results, there was 96% and 94% adult mortality was observed in oil and water formulated conidia of M. anisopliae. Similarly, adult emergency rate was also decreased with increasing concentration (1x10⁸ conidia/ml). Finally, we conclude that the fungal spores or cells developed within insect cuticle which is suppress the cellular defence system and also fungal grow on the legs and wings to arrest the mosquito movement.

Key words: Entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae, Anopheles stephensi.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 4 (9), pp. 314-318, September, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the effects of acute falciparum malaria on some biochemical parameters

Adeosun, O. G.¹*, Oduola, T.², Akanji, B. O.¹, Sunday, A. M.¹, Udoh, S. J.³ and Bello, I.S.⁴

¹Department of Chemical pathology, ²Department of Haematlogy, ³Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and ⁴Department of General Medical Practice, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile – Ife, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 22 November, 2015

Abstract

This study was undertaken to establish data on the effect of acute falciparum malaria on plasma levels some biochemical parameters in the pathology of malaria in Nigeria children. We estimated the levels of Na⁺ , K⁺, HCO₃, Ca⁺⁺ , inorganic PO₄^=, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine and glucose in the plasma of 250 parasitaemic and 150 non-parasitaemic Nigerian children. Inorganic PO₄⁼, urea, creatinine and bilirubin levels were significantly elevated in the acute falciparum malarious children than in the non-parasitaemic controls. Acute falciparum malaria resulted in significant reduction of HCO₃^-, total protein, albumin and glucose levels in the malarious children. There was no significant difference in the mean values of the biochemical parameters between malarious children with relative parasite count of 1-10 asexual form of parasite in 100 high power field (hpf) of thick blood film (+) and those with 11-100 asexual form of parasite in 100 hpf of thick blood film(++) .

Key words: Biochemical parameters, Nigerian children, acute falciparum malaria.

Full Length Research Paper

A study of malaria-infected children in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Andy Ogochukwu Egwunyenga, Gabriel Isamah and Onyebiguwa Patrick Nmorsi

Department of Zoology, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

*Correspondingauthor. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 02 April, 2015

Abstract

This study was undertaken to establish data on the roles of lipid peroxidation and ascorbic acid in the pathology of malaria in Nigeria children. We measured the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation and ascorbic acid in the plasma of 406 parasitaemic and 212 non-parasitaemic Nigerian children. Lipid peroxidant levels were significantly higher in children with moderate and high parasitaemia (16.88 and 13.64 MDA µM/ml, respectively), than in non-parasitaemic controls (8.71 MDA µM/ml). Malaria infection resulted in significant reduction in ascorbic acid levels of children with moderate and high parasitaemia. The MDA and ascorbic acid levels of children with low parasitaemia were not significantly higher than the levels in non-parasitaemic controls. High levels of lipid peroxidation corresponded with low levels of ascorbic acid and this may be responsible for tissue damage associated with pathology of malaria in Nigerian children.

Key words: Lipid peroxidation, ascorbic, acid Nigerian children, falciparum malaria.

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the public health burden of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum 

Olukosi, Y.A^1*; Iwalokun, B.A²; Magbagbeola, O.A¹; Akinwande, AI¹; Adewole, TA³; Agomo, PU³; Awolola, TS⁴

¹ Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos P.M.B. 12003 Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria

 ²Department of Biochemistry, Lagos State University P.M.B. 1087 Apapa – Lagos, Nigeria.

³ Department of Biochemistry, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) 6, Edmund Crescent Street P.M.B. 2016, Yaba Lagos – Nigeria.

⁴Public Health Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). 6, Edmund Crescent street. PMB. 2016. Yaba – Lagos, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 11 May, 2015

Abstract

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains a public health problem in Nigerian children with treatment complicated by expansion of chloroquine resistant strains known to harbour a common K76T point mutation in their pfcrt alleles. Here, we report the outcome of a 2 – year (March 2000 – February 2002) molecular surveillance for pfcrtT76 in children aged 6 months – 13 years with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in rural and urban Lagos, Nigeria. Rural-urban pfcrtT76 acquisition of 48.7 vs. 73.7% and 67.3 vs. 74.6% due to monoclonal and polyclonal P. falciparum parasitaemia, respectively, were found in the two study years, suggesting unstable but increasing prevalence of pfcrt T76 allele acquisition in the rural area. Further analyses showed that acquisition of pfcrtT76 allele was independent of sex but occurred more in 5 – year old children than older children in both populations. The impacts of K76T mutation in pfcrt gene and immunity on the clinical efficacy of chloroquine against acute uncomplicated malaria are discussed.

Key words: pfcrt T76 mutation, Plasmodium falciparum malaria, chloroquine resistance, Nigerian children.