Background: Drug resistance in malaria warrants the need for alternative therapy from plant food nutrients. The search for novel anti-malarial control spurred a great interest in cocoa which has been portrayed as immune booster against malaria. This study was geared towards estimation of CD4+ cells of P. berghei infected mice treated with cocoa powder extract (CPE) to provide substantive scientific evidence to authenticate the anecdotal report. Methods: Brine shrimp toxicity assay was done to determine LC 50 of crude cocoa powder extract. The mice were infected with 1 × 10 7 of ANKA and NK65 strains of Plasmodium berghei intraperitoneally, while graded doses of the extract were administered by an intra-gastric intubation based on the body weight of mice. Blood samples were analyzed for microscopy and flow cytometry for CD4+ cell counts. Results: The onset of infection was delayed in the group treated before inoculations on day 3 and the level of P. berghei parasitemia was positively associated with induction of CD4+ cells while the negative control group that received normal saline had progressive increase of parasitemia. The mean survival time could not go beyond day14 in ANKA, though both strains responded to CPE in a similar way with chloroquine as a positive control. The CD4+ cells counted increased in both strains treated before and during inoculations and the episodes of malaria was suppressed compared with the control. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the antiplasmodial activity of CPE was associated with the level of CD4+ T-cells proliferation which initiated the protective immune response. This therefore calls for efforts to ensure adequate intake of cocoa powder to boost immunity against malaria.
Introduction: Candida is a normal flora of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the vagina but has been reported to become opportunistic pathogen (switch) in certain disease conditions. An investigation into this switch in the GIT will give a clear insight into their progression from commensal to opportunistic pathogens. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate and evaluate the presence of Candida species and associated microbes causing GIT infections among patients accessing care at a tertiary healthcare facility in Lagos, southwest Nigeria Methodology: A total of 150 consenting participants (M=82; F=68) age ranged 1-60 years were recruited into this study between July and December 2019 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-araba using standard methods. Demographic details were taken and characte¬ristics of the stool specimens were noted. Samples were examined macroscopically and microscopically, then cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar with corn meal extract along with other bacteria culture media and incubated appropriately. CHROMagar TM for Candida was used for presumptive identification of isolates and was further confirmed with the API32C system for Candida.Results: An overall rate for Candidiasis in this study was 26.7% (40/150) with female having higher rate 18.7% (28/150) than 14.7% in male (22/150). Twenty-five (16.7%) of the participants' stool culture yielded pure fungi isolates of C. albicans. As for C. albicans, the female had higher rate (10%) than their male (6.7%) counterparts. However, by gender, this was not statistically significant (p=0.012). Pathogenic stool bacteria isolates were found in 16 (10.7%) and 84 (56%) of participants with normal flora of the GIT. The remaining 25 (16.7%) were reported as mixed culture of Candida spp. Also, C. albicans and C. dubliniensis were found as a pair in seven stool samples from participants with cases of peptic ulcer disease 1(14.3%), gastrointestinal bleeding 4(57.1%)), immune suppression 2(28.6%) while others occurred in combinations of threes and fours of different species. Obvious clinical manifestations when compared with the study findings revealed that C. albicans co-existed as the causative fungi causing gastroenteritis in 17% of the participants whose stool culture yielded pure growth. Conclusion:This study found comparable high burden of Candida isolates and associated GIT microbes. Although the rates were higher in female than their male counterparts, these findings were however not statistically significant, this therefore calls for better hygiene practice through educative advocacy. Effective management of opportunistic mycoses depends on identification of the specific organism causing the infection otherwise, a systemic infection of this type can be fatal.
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus - 2 ( SARS - CoV - 2) has infected over 100 million individuals worldwide with diverse impacts on nations. The rising cases of n ew strains and resultant infection waves create an urgent need to assess the readiness of countries especially in Africa to mitigate the impact on community transmission. This paper delivers a brief synopsis of the novel SARS - CoV - 2, emerging cases of new v ariants reported worldwide, and implications for genetic surveillance of disease transmission in low - and middle - income countries ( LMICs) especially Africa. Materials and Methods: Literature search used keywords like SARS - CoV - 2; COVID - 19 epidemiology; pan demic waves; corona outbreak, clinical syndromes, treatments, prevention and control. Cross - sectional and observational studies published on COVID - 19 from 2019 till date of study provided main information sources. Databases such as Web of Science, Embase, PubMed and Google Scholar were utilised. Main findings: Over 220 countries have documented COVID - 19 cases with varied severity till date. Before the spikes in resurgence, a highly virulent mutated (>90% fatality rate) novel strain of COVID - 19 had been doc umented. There is very little data to ascertain the impact of the COVID - 19 infection waves in LMICs. Discussion: LMICs especially African countries still grapple with significant challenges like inefficient surveillance mechanisms, inadequate vaccination c overage, inadequate enforcement of environmental health strategies, poor health systems etc. Hence, Africa’s fate remains dicey in the face of the dynamic evolution of the SARS - CoV - 2 and other identified challenges. Conclusion: The adoption of a multidis ciplinary approach to mitigate the impact of emergence of mutant SARS - CoV - 2 variants and resurgence of infection spike is recommended.
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