African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (3), pp. 001-006, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Rural-Urban Differences in pfcrt T76 Allele Acquisition Among Children with Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Nigeria

Olukosi, Y.A1*; 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 2 Department 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. Accepted 
Received January 30, 2025

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.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of Chloroquine in Treating Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Northwestern Nigeria

Bello SO1,2 *, Muhammad BY1, Bello AY3, Ukatu AI4, Ahmad BM5, Adeneye AA1,6, Cherima JY7

1Department of Pharmacology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria.
2Karaye Hospital, P.O.Box 1522, Sokoto, Nigeria.
3Sokoto Specialist hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.
4Mayo Clinic and Maternity, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria.
5Women and Child Welfare Clinic, Sokoto, Nigeria.
6General Hospital, Tanghaza, Nigeria.

7General Hospital Wurno, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Accepted 19 January, 2025

The pattern of infection and in vivo response of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria to Chloroquine as first line drug and Quinine, Halofantrine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as second line medications was evaluated at nested sentinel points, including Government and Private Practices, for three consecutive months. 559 cases were evaluated of which 22.5% failed on Chloroquine therapy. The age range of P. falciparum malaria cases was 4 months to 48 years, with a mean and median age of 9.2 and 3 years, respectively. There were significantly more female patients than male. Also, ages 5 years and below accounted for 63.2% of cases and as a group had an increased risk of treatment failure with Chloroquine compared to older patients. In general, male patients also had a higher relative risk of treatment failure on Chloroquine. Patients treated in Government practices were more likely to fail than those treated in Private practices. All cases of failure to Chloroquine treatment responded to Quinine, Halofantrine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine.

Key words: Plasmodium falciparum malaria, Chloroquine, resistance.
 

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (3), pp. 001-002, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Prevalence of Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Sokoto, Nigeria: A Public Health Concern

K. Abdullahi1, S. Muhammad1*, S. B. Manga1  and I. M. Tunau2

1.    Department of Biological Sciences
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto-Nigeria.
2.    Sokoto Specialist Hospital, Sokoto-Nigeria

Accepted 2 October, 2025

Three patients, 30, 2 and one and a half years, were diagnosed as having falciparum malaria and were placed on chloroquine therapy which failed. They were then placed on quinine therapy that then cleared the parasitaemia. This case report seeks to draw the attention of the presence of possible chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria.

Key words: Chloroquine-resistant malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, haemoglobin level, packed cell volume.
 

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (2), pp. 001-010, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Targeting High-Impact Risk Factors for Taenia saginata Control: Applying Pareto Principles in Botswana

Goodhead Okechukwu Uchendu1*, Njoku Ola Ama2, Andrew Olatunbosun Aganga3 and Marumo S. Davis4

1Department of Animal Science, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Bag: 0027 Sebele
Botswana.
2Tocchae Holdings Pty, 3 Tropic Bird Lane, Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, Johannesburg, South Africa.
3Department of Veterinary Science, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Bag: 0027
Sebele Botswana.
4Department of Agricultural Economics, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Bag: 0027
Sebele Botswana.

Received 2 November, 2024; Accepted 16 January, 2025

Most available data on Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis risk factors in Botswana neither associate risk factors with Batswana’s lifestyle nor rank risk factors’ contribution to observed prevalence. This disconnect undermines usability of data for bovine cysticercosis control. This study identified bovine cysticercosis risk factors and quantitatively ranked risk factors’ contributions to observed prevalence. Visual observation and interviews using Likert scale-formatted questionnaire was employed in collecting primary data from beef industry’s stakeholders (149). Fourteen (14) out of eighteen (18) risk factors jointly predicted bovine cysticercosis prevalence (p <0.05), but the only factor of ‘beef sold at non-licensed premises’ predicted prevalence individually. Top 20% important risk factors were absence or distant pit latrines in farms (p <0.05; MD=1.288; CI: 1.15-1.43), proximity to uncontrolled human defecate (p <0.05; MD=1.184; CI=1.03-1.34), access to contaminated pasture (p <0.05; mean=4.13; MD=1.131), and failure to deworm herd boys (p <0.05; mean=4.10; MD= 1.097). Current prevention strategies in Botswana emphasizes proper disposal of human defecate. However, this study showed that minimizing butchers buying and slaughtering animals without proper ante-mortem and post-mortem examination would yield more efficient result. By adopting Pareto principle, this study modeled that controlling these top 20% important risk factors instead of targeting a repertoire of risk factors would result in 80% prevalence drop. Respondents showed greater consensus on risk factors with high odds to cause bovine cysticercosis. This consensus provides platform for driving attitudinal change, since risk factors were lifestyle-related. Associating people’s lifestyle with risk factors of this zoonosis while targeting top 20% risk factors yields more efficient control outcomes.

Key words: Batswana‟s lifestyles, Taenia saginata/cysticercosis, ranking risk factors, prevalence, Pareto principle, efficient control and prevention.
 

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Predicting Tsetse Fly Density Using Linear Regression: A Case Study of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes in South Sudan

Yatta S. Lukou1*, Mubarak M. Abdelrahman2, Yassir O. Mohammed3, Loro G. L. Jumi1, Erneo B. Ochi1, Yousif R. Suliman4 and Intisar E. Elrayah2

1College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Juba, P. O. Box 82 Juba, South Sudan. 2Tropical Medicine Research Institute (TMRI), P. O. Box 1304, Khartoum, Sudan. 3Veterinary Research Institute (VRI), P. O. Box 8067, Khartoum, Sudan. 4Department of Breeding and Biotechnology, College of Animal Production, University of Bahri, P. O. Box 1660, Khartoum North, Sudan.

Received 9 October, 2024; Accepted 9 January, 2025

Glossina fuscipes fuscipes remain the main tsetse vectors of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense that causes Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) in South Sudan, where HAT Control Strategy does not involve vector control component. Information on the fly apparent density/trap/day helps identify priority areas for vector control. Insecurity and logistic problem makes it impossible for vector control to be carried out. Fly-human contacts might be reduced in areas where the fly infestation may contribute to the disease transmission. This study employs Linear Regression Analysis to predict adult G. f. fuscipes apparent density/trap/day in Kajo-keji County. Tsetse field surveys were carried out along 8 streams in the study area from January 2012 to December 2012. Twelve linear regression models were developed to predict the apparent density /trap/day as function of potential predictors for tsetse fly catches. The difference between the fly apparent densities generated by the models and the actual densities from the survey was analyzed using paired samples T-test in SPSS. Models’ predictive values showed the monthly trends of G. f. fuscipes abundance with the upper and lower limits of the model agreements of 5.97 and -11.65, respectively. The model appears fit for the data and prediction of the fly apparent density from the various predictors (F (4,11) =14.321, P <0.02). The densities predicted by the model did not statistically (df=11; P = 0.69) vary from the actual ones. This study could contribute to predict the peaks of the vector abundance that guide strategic plans for tsetse and HAT control programmes in South Sudan.

Key words: Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, apparent density, regression models, environmental factors.

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 2736-173X Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-010, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Risk Factors for Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease in Benin's Lalo District: A Case-Control Investigation

Anagonou Gimatal Esaï1,7*, Sopoh Ghislain Emmanuel2, Biaou Chabi Alphonse1,2, Barogui Yves Thierry3,7, Wadagni Anita Carolle1,2, Gnimavo Sètondji Ronald2,4, Ayelo Gilbert Adjimon5, Saka Kora Eric1, Houezo Jean Gabin1 and Johnson Roch Christian6,7

1National Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Program, Benin.
2Regional Institute of Public Health, Benin.
3Buruli Ulcer Screening and Treatment Center of Lalo, Benin.
4Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Screening and Treatment Center, Raoul et Madeleine Follereau of Pobè, Benin.
5Buruli Ulcer Screening and Treatment Center of Allada, Benin.
6Foundation Raoul Follereau, Benin.
7Inter-Faculty Environmental Research Center for Sustainable Development, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

Received 21 January, 2024; Accepted 3 November, 2024

The mode of transmission of Buruli ulcer (BU) is not yet well understood. This study aimed to identify risk factors for BU in the district of Lalo in Benin. This is a case-control study taking into account all cases of BU detected from 2013 to 2018 and treated at the Buruli’s ulcer Screening and Treatment Center (CDTUB) of Lalo. For each case, two controls were matched according to age and sex. Conditional logistic regression was used to compare risk factors in cases and controls. A total of 59 BU cases and 118 controls were enrolled. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, illiteracy (adjusted odd ratio [aOR] = 18.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.50-219.45), unawareness of BU risk factors (aOR = 48.21; 95% CI = 4.67-497.15), bathing in rivers or ponds (aOR = 23.66; 95% CI= 2.82-198.52), field activities in mud (aOR = 60.58; 95% CI = 7.44 – 493.09) and not wearing protective clothing during field activities (aOR = 42.78; 95% CI = 2.05 – 892.33) were associated with BU. It is necessary to mitigate risk factors by implementing actions in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and by insisting on the wearing of protective equipment during agricultural activities and/or contact with surface water.

Key words: Buruli ulcer, Mycobacterium ulcerans, risk factors, case-control study, Lalo.