African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 3 (4), pp. 110-112, April, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An evaluation of entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae as a biocontrol agent for the adult mosquito of Anopheles stephensi (Malarial vector)

*Tendulkar S. Singh, Gandhi K. Prakash and Raj Mittal Mahatma

Division of Entomology, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India.

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

Accepted 14 March, 2015

Abstract

The entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae is being considered as a biocontrol agent for the adult mosquito of Anopheles stephensi (Malarial vector). 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. 3 (8), pp. 204-208, August, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research paper

A study of  the relationship between micronutrient status and malaria infection among children in Douala town, Cameroon

*Obekop Tchani Madiko¹, Andy Samuel Paul², Yang Manu Makoun³ and Atouba P. Felicité⁴

¹Department of Biochemistry, ²Department of Animal Biology, Université de Buea, Buea, Cameroon.

³Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, ⁴Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, Dang, Cameroon.

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

Accepted 9 July, 2015

Abstract

Malaria is an endemic parasitic disease that prevails particularly in warm tropical regions of the world. Micronutrient malnutrition such as vitamin A and iron deficiencies which is a public health problem in Cameroon is usually highly prevalent in malaria endemic areas. Characterizing the relationship between micronutrient status (vitamin A, zinc and calcium) and malaria infection among children in Douala town (Cameroon), serum levels of zinc, calcium and vitamin A, were assayed in a total of 116 Cameroonian children (62 controls and 54 malaria patients infected by Plasmodium falciparum) less than six years old by colorimetric and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques respectively showed a significantly lower vitamin A and calcium concentrations (P < 0.01) among malaria patients (0.8 ± 0.4 µmol/l and 81.3 ± 23.7 mg/l) as compared to the controls (1.1 ± 0.6 µmol/l and 96.3 ± 16.7 mg/ml). Vitamin A, calcium and zinc status were lower in 51.85%, 51.85% and 27.27% of malaria patients respectively. Significant correlations (P<0.01) were observed when the following parameters were coupled: Vitamin A/zinc among infected children (r = 0.01), and vitamin A and zinc among uninfected children (r = 0.415). This study suggests that P. falciparum use vitamin A and calcium of its host for its proper metabolism, leading to a decrease in serum levels of these nutrients.

Key words: Malaria, vitamin A, zinc, calcium, parasitaemia.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 229-231, August, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An investigation of antimalarial potential against Plasmodium berghei in infected mice

*Adejare Deala Adenike¹, Adamu Philip Usman and Micheal David Dike²

¹Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt.

²Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

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

Accepted 12 July, 2015

Abstract

Antimalarial activity of the crude aqueous leaf extract of Pyrenacantha staudtii was evaluated using chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei infection in mice with an objective to finding scientific evidence for the use of the plant as traditional antimalarial remedy in Ido/Osi LGA of Ekiti state, Nigeria. The crude aqueous extract of P. staudtii Engl. (Icacinaceae) (100, 200 and 500 mg/kg) was administered orally to mice infected with P. berghei in 4 days suppressive test. The antiplasmodial effect during the test of the plant in blood was determined and the extract at these doses induced 58.0 to 63.4% activity in comparison with untreated (negative) control group. Chloroquine produced 100% activity. The antimalarial activity showed by P. staudtii during the test justifies its use in traditional medicine for treating of malaria in the area.

Key words: Pyrenacantha staudtii, herb, malarial, anti-malarial, Ido/Osi, Ekiti, Plasmodium berghei, mice.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 3 (9), pp. 245-259, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Meeting the Millennium Development Goal for malaria by 2015: A time series analysis of malaria cases in Ogun State, Nigeria

Babajide Sadiq MPH, Dr PH and Perry Brown MSPH, DrPH

Institute of Public Health Florida A&M University

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 9 September, 2015

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the changes in the trend of malaria cases and to know if Ogun state in Nigeria will be able to meet the millennium development goal for malaria by 2015 (which is malaria morbidity and mortality are reduced by 75% in comparison with 2005. Using a 10 year malaria historical data from 2004 to 2013, a trend analysis was performed on the malaria cases and rates to know if there is a monthly or yearly increase or decrease in malaria incidence and a time-series analysis (ARIMA model) was conducted to forecast malaria cases for 2014 and 2015. The results indicated a monthly increase in malaria cases by 0.7 percent and a yearly increase of 9.0 percent and a monthly rate of 1.749 cases per 100,000 people to a yearly rate of 20.98 cases per 100,000 people. The ARIMA model forecasted about 164.9% increase in cases compare to the 2005 malaria cases. In conclusion, Ogun State will likely not meet the millennium development goal for malaria by 2015.

Keywords:  Malaria, Ogun State, Nigeria, forecasting, ARIMA, time series analysis.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 3 (2), pp. 100-103, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the hepato-protective effect of Aframomum sceptrum in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei

*¹George M. Uzi, ²Esio E. Dora and Anita O. Oboh³

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria.

²Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Benin, Benin, Nigeria.

³Department of Biochemistry, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

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

Accepted 4 January, 2015

Abstract

One of the effects of Plasmodium infection which causes malaria is the invasion of the hepatocyte which affects liver and blood transaminases activities. This study was design to examine the hepato-protective effect of Aframomum sceptrum in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Thirty-six abino male mice infected (test) and non infected (control) of 8 weeks old were used for this research. The mice were divided into six groups of six mice per group. Biochemical parameters measured in serum and liver samples include, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amniotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. Serum and liver ALT, AST and ALP activities were significantly higher in parasitized control mice as compared with all other groups. Parasitized mice receiving 250 and 350 mg/kg body weight of A. sceptrum have comparable (p>0.05) serum and liver ALT activities with the normal control mice. However, normal mice receiving both doses of A. sceptrum did not show any increase of serum ALT, AST and ALP activities with their respective controls. This result is supported by the histological examination of liver section of parasitized mice treated with 350 mg/kg b. wt of A. sceptrum showing moderately brought central vein, hepatic cell with preserved cytoplasm and prominent nucleus. It can therefore be inferred from the study that the administration of A. sceptrum to malaria infected mice at 250 and 350 mg/kg b. wt did not damage hepatocyte as expressed by the parasitized mice and also treatment with extract could protect hepatocyte integrity of Plasmodium infected mice.

Key words: Aframomum sceptrum, malaria, liver enzymes, Plasmodium berghei.