ISSN 2756-3391
Research Article
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (7), pp. 113-118, July, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
An investigation on the risk factors predisposing children to ascariasis transmission in a peri-urban community of Osun state, Nigeria
*Olaka N. Sekibo, Innocent Barikor and O. E. Dakolo
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 9 March, 2015
Abstract
The risk factors predisposing children to ascariasis transmission in a peri-urban community of Osun state, Nigeria were investigated from November, 2012 to June, 2013. Preschool children aged 24 to 60 months were tested by faecal examination for Ascaris lumbricoides infection using Kato thick smears after information on personal biodata, access to water supply, sanitation, socio-economic status of their parents, hygiene and deworming history was collected using a questionnaire. Out of 416 children examined, 117(28.1%) were infected with an overall mean intensity of 1846.33±235.23 eggs per gram (epg). Infection patterns were gender comparable and age dependent with peak prevalence (33.1%) and mean intensity (2264.14±493.58 epg) occurring in children aged 48 to 59 months. Parental educational background, sanitation, washing hands with soap and water and deworming history were identified as the significant risk factors which correlated with Ascaris infection. These findings suggest that socio-economic risk factors which play a role in disease transmission need to be taken into account when formulating sustainable control strategies for ascariasis and other soil-transmitted helminths in Nigeria.
Key words: Prevalence, ascariasis, risk factors, preschool aged children, Nigeria.
*Olaka N. Sekibo, Innocent Barikor and O. E. Dakolo
Page: 113 - 118
Research Article
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (2), pp. 059-065, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of the prophylaxis of different single and combined crude antigens used as candidate vaccines in an experimental model of Schistosoma mansoni infection
*Idogbe E. Lisimba1, Jabari F. Abd El-Aal1, Mohamed Abdel-Rahman1 and Hussein El-Shafey2
1Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
2Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 21 January, 2014
Abstract
This study aims to assess the prophylaxis of different single and combined crude antigens used as candidate vaccines in an experimental model of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Cercarial antigen preparation (CAP), soluble worm antigen preparation (SWAP), soluble egg antigen (SEA) and combined antigens (CAP + SWAP + SEA) against schistosomiasis combined with either Freund’s adjuvant or with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) were tested for vaccine efficacy in Albino mice by detecting their effects on worm burden and tissue egg count (liver and intestine). The data obtained showed that, the combined antigens was the most protective with significant reduction in the worm burden (90.28%), and tissue egg load (liver and intestine: 93.67 and 93.98%), respectively. Thus, combining these different antigens (CAP, SWAP and SEA) provides augmentation of the protective immunity compared to each component administered individually. The combination therefore stands out as a potential candidate worth considering in the development of a feasible vaccine against schistosomiasis.
Key words: Schistosoma mansoni, vaccine, worm burden, egg count.
*Idogbe E. Lisimba, Jabari F. Abd El-Aal, Mohamed Abdel-Rahman and Hussein El-Shafey
Page: 59 - 65
Research Article
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (4), pp. 086-093, April, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of phototropism of sand flies species (Diptera: Psychodidae) gathered in a pastoral area in Central Morocco
*Abdellatif Boulif, Maazouz H. E and Mohammed Idrissi
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fes, Morocco.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 23 January, 2014
Abstract
An inventory of a year was achieved using two traps techniques (light and sticky trap) in Oulad Aid (center of Morocco), a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), to understand better the phototropism of circulating species of the sandflies dominance according to their physiological states (total number of sandflies collected are to be given). The most abundant species were respectively Phlebotomus papatasi (50.52%), Phlebotomus sergenti (24.7%), Phlebotomus pernicuosis (9.69%), Phlebotomus longicuspis (5.54%), Sergentomyia falax (5.22%), Sergentomyia minuta (3.64%), Sergentomyia antenatal (0.4%) and Sergentomyia dreyfussi (0.2 %). With sticky traps, P. papatasi constituted 59% of collected samples against 23% for P. sergenti, 12% for P. pernicuosis and 6% for P. longicuspis. However with light traps, phototropism of P. sergenti was high and represented 56% of collected samples against 36% for P. papatasi and only 4% for P. pernicuosis and P. longicuspis. The trap technique influenced the dominance of females collected according to their physiological state. Non engorged females were dominant (77.73%) when sticky traps were used but gorged and gravid females were, respectively dominant (32.62 and 21.98%) when light traps were used. Statistical analysis showed that significantly more number of sand flies were obtained using sticky traps, compared with that of light traps. Sticky traps were found to be effective, as the sand flies entering the dwellings either for blood meal or mating got trapped, while light traps yielded relatively lesser number of sand flies species. Perhaps the sand flies which are influenced by the light were attracted towards the light traps. This information may be necessary for designing intervention measure and evaluation of the impact on sand fly prevalence in a CL focus area.
Key words: Sand flies, Psychodidae, phototropism, leishmania, Morocco.
Maazouz H. E and Mohammed Idrissi, *Abdellatif Boulif
Page: 86 - 93
Short Communication
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (2), pp. 055-058, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Short Communication
A comparative study of larvicidal activity of insecticidal plants against malaria vector mosquito Anopheles stephensi
*Bachchan O. Malik, Mhasalkar P. Malik and Bachchan Nagarkar
Department of Pharmacognosy, Manipal University,Madhav Nagar, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 17 November, 2014
Abstract
The aim of this work was to compare larvicidal activity of insecticidal plants against malaria vector mosquito Anopheles stephensi. The larvicidal activity of Lantana camara Linn. and Bauhinia racemosa Lam., extracted in petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate were tested against mosquito larvae of A. stephensi. Late third or early fourth instar larvae were used for the screening. These extracts were used for determining the larvicidal activity using World Health Organization (WHO) method for evaluation of new larvicidal agents. The petroleum ether extract of L. camara showed highest larvicidal activity in comparison to petroleum ether extract of B. racemosa, and ethyl acetate extract of B. racemosa showed highest larvicidal activity in comparison to chloroform extract of L. camara against the mosquito vector A. stephensi. No mortality was observed in control. The result suggests the use of the plants in insect control as an alternative method for minimizing the noxious effect of some pesticide compounds on the environment. Thus, the extracts of whole plant of L. camara Linn. and leaf extracts of B. racemosa Lam. may deliver promising, more selective and biodegradable agents.
Key words: Lantana camara, Bauhinia racemosa, Anopheles stephensi.
*Bachchan O. Malik, Mhasalkar P. Malik and Bachchan Nagarkar
Page: 55 - 58
Research Article
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (4), pp. 082-085, April, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
An evaluation of the prevalence of Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp and Eimeria spp. in dairy cattle on sixteen farms in three regions at north-eastern Algeria
*Ahlam Maurice Abbas, Ferhat Bouali and Djiilali Audin
Département des Sciences Vétérinaires, University of Batna, Batna, Algeria, Algeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 13 January, 2015
Abstract
The prevalence of Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp and Eimeria spp. in dairy cattle was studied on sixteen farms in three regions at north-eastern Algeria. 690 fecal samples were collected (330 cows and 360 calves aged 1 day to 12 months), were processed by a concentration technique (to examine them for Giardia spp. cysts and Eimeria spp. oocysts), followed by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining to examine them for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Eimeria spp. were reported in 50.75 and 62.5% of all farms, respectively. The prevalence of Giardia spp. in calves and adults was 14.72 and 11.81%, respectively with a high level in calves aged 4 to 12 months compared to other age groups (p < 0.05). Cryptosporidium spp. was observed principally in calves 4 to 30 days old compared to other classes age of calves (p < 0.01) and the overall prevalence was 26.11% in calves and 18.78% in adults. Eimeria spp. oocysts were excreted by 12.77% of the calves and 4.54% of adults. Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. were detected more frequently in diarrheic calves than in non-diarrheic calves (p < 0.01). The results demonstrated the presence of these parasites in various age groups of dairy cattle in Algeria which could have important economic and welfare implications.
Key words: Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., diarrhea, calves, cows, Algeria.
Ferhat Bouali and Djiilali Audin, *Ahlam Maurice Abbas
Page: 82 - 85
Research Article
African Journal of Parasitology Research Vol. 2 (3), pp. 066-071, March, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of the prevalence of hemoparasites of ruminants in and around Debre-Zeit, Central Ethiopia
Taddese Sebele1, Freaulai Zewedu2 and Afewerek Girma Getachew3*
1College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Dynamic International University College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
2School of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa university, Awassa, Ethiopia.
3School of Veterinary Medicine, Admas University College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 15 January, 2015
Abstract
Prevalence of hemoparasites of ruminants (cattle, sheep and goat) in and around Debre-Zeit was determined using diagnostic records from November, 2010 to April, 2011. A total of 384 blood samples collected from ruminants present in Debre-Zeit town and surrounding peasant associated areas were examined by Giemsa stained, thin blood smears and Diff-quick method for hemoparasite. Packed cell volume (PCV) for each sample was estimated and hematocrit centrifugation (HCT) technique was used to determine the presence of hemoflagellates. An overall prevalence of hemoparasites was 6.3% which consisted of Anaplasma species (Anaplasma ovis 2.1%, Anaplasma marginale 1.6%, Anaplasma centerale 0.3%), Babesia species (Babesia bigeemina, Babesia bovis and Babesia ovis total of 0.9%) and Trypanosome species (only Trypanosome vivax 1.6%). The hemoparasite detected alone or in concurrent infection had a significant (P<0.05) effect on PCV of infected animals. The result of this study shows these hemoparasites are not endemic in ruminants in the study area, which may results in serious disease conditions when such animals are subjected to stress full condition.
Key words: Debre-Zeit, hemoparasites, prevalence, ruminants.
Taddese Sebele, Freaulai Zewedu and Afewerek Girma Getachew*
Page: 66 - 71