African Journal of Parasitology Research

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of honey-supplemented diet on the parasitemia and some enzymes of Trypanosoma brucei-infected rats

J. T. Ekanem¹*, O. R. Majolagbe¹, F. A. Sulaiman¹ and N. O. Muhammad²

¹Trypanosomosis Research and ²Nutritional Biochemistry Units,

Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Accepted 13 November, 2018

Abstract

Trypanosoma brucei-infected rats were treated with natural honey and honey-supplemented diet at three days before infection (prophylaxis), early and late stages of infection. Proximate percentage composition of the honey was 71.19±0.90% carbohydrate, 3.28±0.05% protein and 10.68±0.27% lipid among others. Prophylactic treatment with natural honey extended the lifespan of infected rats by 13 extra days from a control of 12 days post infection while early and late stage treatments extended the lifespan by 10 and 5 days, respectively. Prophylactic feeding with honey-supplemented diet extended the lifespan by 6 extra days while early and late stage feeding extended it for 5 and 3 days, respectively. A specific pattern could not be established for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) enzyme activities in the liver and serum. We conclude that honey even as part of a regular diet could be a useful, cheap and readily presentable agent in the management of African sleeping sickness for residents of disease endemic areas.

Key words: Honey, diet, sleeping sickness, management.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A prevalence of parasites in black bengal goats in Chittagong, Bangladesh

M. M. Hassan¹*, M. A. Hoque¹, S. K. M. A. Islam¹, S. A. Khan¹, K. Roy² and Q. Banu³

¹Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

²Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

³Department of Zoology, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Accepted 13 October, 2018

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to measure the prevalence of ecto- and endopatasites in semi-scavenging black bengal goat (Capra hircus) at Pahartali Thana under Chittagong district, Bangladesh during the period of February to May/2006. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in goat were 63.41% (N=317). In these positive samples, Strongyloides spp. (51.74%) was more prevalent and Moniezia sp. and Capillaria sp. were least prevalent (n=201). The gastrointestinal parasitic load of goats varied from egg per gram (epg) 0 to 1600. Faecal sample evaluation shows, 36.95% and 13.56% goats were loaded epg 0 and 300, respectively. Age was evident as risk factor where older goats (> 24 month) were more infected by endoparasites than younger ones (< 24 month) in this study (p < 0.05). Irrespective of factors, the prevalence of ecto- and endoparasites has been quite high. So, the preventive measurement should be adopted for this goat population. As goats are infected with ecto-and endoparasites, broad spectrum anthelmintics might be judicious choice. As older goats are more susceptible than younger ones for endoparasites, the grazing habit should be restricted.

Key words: Black bengal goat, prevalence survey, ecto-and endoparasites.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 5 (12), pp. 371-379, December, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum pfcrt-K76T mutation in asymptomatic vs symptomatic school children in three epidemiological areas of Côte D’Ivoire

Gnagne  AP¹, Konate  A¹,  Bedia-Tanoh  AV^1,2, Amiah-Droh M¹,  Menan EI¹, N’guetta ASP³, Yavo W^{1, 2}

¹Centre de Recherche et de Lutte contre le Paludisme, INSP, Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire.

²Département  de  Parasitologie-Mycologie,  UFR  Sciences  Pharmaceutiques  et  Biologique,  Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire.

³Laboratoire de Génétique, Université de Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 20 October, 2018

Abstract

Plasmodium asymptomatic carriers are considered as parasite reservoir in humans. Therefore, they can be at the origin of the expansion of chemoresistant plasmodial strains. In order to be effective, new strategies for malaria elimination must take into account these individuals. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum pfcrt76T allele in asymptomatic versus symptomatic children in different epidemiological areas of Côte d'Ivoire. It was conducted from May 2015 to April 2016 in the rural and urban areas of Grand-Bassam, Abengourou and San Pedro during the rainy and the dry seasons. A total of 2361 blood samples were collected from schoolchildren. The plasmodial prevalence was 40%. P. falciparum was the majority species with 95.7%. Fifteen percent or 360 blood samples were drawn for setting  Nested PCR. The overall prevalence of pfcrt76T allele was 15.8%. This prevalence of pfcrt76T was 17% and 15% in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients respectively (p = 0.7098). The prevalence of pfcrt76T allele was not associated with the geographical area and the clinical status of the carrier. However, it was linked to the intensity of P. falciparum transmission.

Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum, Côte d'Ivoire, pfcrt, asymptomatic, malaria.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 5 (11), pp. 360-365, November, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phenol-Chloroform-based isolation of Schistosoma haematobium DNA in urine samples at Institut Pasteur of Côte d’Ivoire

Angora KE^1,3, Ako AB¹, Bosson-Vanga AH^1,3, Ira-Bonouman AV¹, Touré OA¹, Menan HE³, Djaman AJ²

¹Department of Parasitology Mycology, Institut Pasteur of Côte d’Ivoire, BPV 490 Abidjan

²Département of Biochemistry, Institut Pasteur of Côte d’Ivoire, BPV 490 Abidjan

³Department of Parasitology Mycology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Felix HouphouëtBoigny University, BPV 34 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Corresponding Author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 27 September, 2018

Abstract

Schistosoma haemtobium infection remains an important place in neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. DNA detection of this parasite is never done in Côte d'Ivoire; so it is important to carry out this study which aims to perform phenol-chloroform method S. haematobium DNA extraction from urine in Parasitology Unit of Institut Pasteur. Thus, 107 urine samples positive for S. haematobium stored at -20°C collected from schoolchildren in Guebo 2 were used. Optical densities (OD) were measured by spectrophotometer at 260 nm and 280 nm wavelength and DNA concentrations were measured. The average of optical density was 0.780 ± 0.61 at 260 nm and 0.687 ± 0.53 at 280 nm. Most extracts DNA had OD260nm / OD280nm ratio lower than 1.8. DNA concentrations were high with an average of 234.0 ± 184.3μg / mL with extremes at 33.7μg / mL and 827.5μg / mL. Phenol-chloroform method gave relatively high concentrations of DNA. The PCR amplification of DNA will allow improving this method.

Key words: Schistosoma haematobium, DNA, Extraction, Phenol-chloroform method.