In epidemiological surveys for urinary schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium in communities around Agulu Lake, Anambra State, Nigeria, between 1990 and 1992, the infection was found to be endemic in the area, especially in three towns: Nri, Agulu, and Adazi Nnukwu. The prevalence rates varied between these communities and with the year. Inter-town prevalence rates ranged from 5.96% to 54.00%. Intravillage prevalence rates ranged between 5.50% to 96.43%. Prevalence rates were highest in villages very close to Agulu lake. There was no significant difference in prevalence between the schools. Host age, but not sex, was found to play a significant role in prevalence and intensity of infection. There was also a strong correlation between visible haematuria and egg count per 10 ml urine, but eggs could be isolated in urine samples of different shades of coloration. Analysis of incidence of infection in these communities shows that Schistosoma haematobium incidence is high in Nri (55.17%) and low at Adazi Nnukwu (5.26%). Both Bulinus globosus and B. truncatus were found in the lake and both shed mammalian bifid schistosome cercariae.

Background: The pathology of Schistosoma haematobium infection in 60 infected primary school children in Agulu community, Anambra State, southeast Nigeria, with over 50 ova/10 ml urine was assessed.

Background: Mapping the distribution of parasitic diseases in time and space has a pivotal role to play in their control. Objectives: This study mapped urinary schistosomiasis in Anambra State. Methods: Sampling covered the three senatorial districts, Anambra North, Anambra Central and Anambra South. However, only nine of the 21 local government areas (LGAs) and one town in each LGA were covered. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to map the distribution of schistosomiasis in the state. With the aid of GIS, the distance of the towns to water bodies was calculated. A total of 450 urine samples collected from the nine LGAs were examined for haematuria and Schistosoma haematobium eggs. A questionnaire was used to assess exposure and risks status to infection. The urine samples were examined for haematuria using dipstick and microscopy. Findings: Overall prevalence of infection in the study was 2.9% and 5.5% for microscopy and haematuria, respectively. Prevalence of schistosomiasis was different between the districts, and this was statistically significant (χ 2 = 7.763, p = 0.021). Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in the towns had a significant negative linear relationship with distance to water body (r = –0.767, p = 0.016). Based on infection status from microscopy, the adjusted odds of infection in fishers was over 103 times higher than in students; the difference was significant statistically (AOR = 103.0443, 95% CI = 4.6278–7093.972, p = 0.0114). People who washed things in stream had 12 times significantly greater odds of infection than those that did not (AOR = 12.4585, 95% CI = 1.9590–258.8108, p = 0.02542). The distance of respondents to stream was a major determinant of infection with urinary schistosomiasis in the state. Those who lived close to water were approximately 1131% more likely to be infected than those who lived far from water bodies (AOR = 11.3157, 95% CI 2.2473–90.6889, p = 0.00713). Conclusions: Anambra State is endemic for urinary schistosomiasis. There is therefore a need for focal studies; and there may probably be a need to design a health program aimed at controlling the infection in focal areas in the state. The study also provides relevant information for designing a plan of action for the selective integrated and targeted control of urinary schistosomiasis in the LGAs.

The female Anopheles gambiae s.l is the principal intermediate host/vector of Plasmodium-the causative organism of malaria fever in many tropical countries. After a preliminary acute toxicity screening of leaf extracts of Hyptis suaveolens using descending series of concentrations (1000 500, 100, 50 and 5 µg/m), two extracts (aqueous and ethanolic) were assayed against freshly laid eggs and larval instars of An. gambiae following the standard World Health Organisation ovicide and insecticide susceptibility bioassay methodology. The results indicate that both ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the test plant significantly (F = 30 23, df = 5, p < 0.01; F = 45.28, d = 5, ρ < 0 01 respectively) reduced the viability of the An. gambiae ova exposed to different doses of the extracts. In the ovicidal assay the lethal inhibition doses of egg hatching (IH50) was 31.52 and 48.01/µg/ml respect vely for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts. Also at a dose of 82 5 µg/ml the ethanolic extract completely inhibited An. gambiae hatching whereas the aqueous extract could inhibit only 70.42% egg hatching at the same dose. The results further indicate that both ethanolic and aqueous extracts also exhibited larval median lethal toxic (LC , l. f. i. t 50) values of 62.41 (range 61.22-67.04) and 80.02 (range 77.55-86.41) respectively thus making both extracts candidates for further fractionation and compound isolation s udies to characterize the active phytochemical constituents.

Background: Parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract is one of the highest causes of morbidity and mortality among HIV infected individuals. This is due to the colonization of the intestinal tract by parasites influenced by induced enteropathy caused by HIV infection. CD + 4 t-lymphocytes count is a marker of the immune status of HIV infected individuals. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infections among HIV coinfected individuals in relation to their immunological status. Methods: CD + 4 t-lymphocytes count was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) count system. Parasitological examination of faecal samples was conducted using direct wet mount, modified Z-N and Giemsa stain techniques. All prepared slides were examined under x10 and x40 objectives. Findings: Out of the 891 HIV seropositive participants on antiretroviral therapy that were studied, 641 (71.9%) had CD + 4 counts equals to or greater than 500 cells/mm 3 . All other seropositive participants had CD + 4 counts below 500 cells/mm 3 . Gastrointestinal parasitic infections were recorded in 187 (20.9%) seropositive participants, with females (n = 108, 12.1%) having more infections than males. Multiple gastrointestinal parasitic infections were recorded in 28 (3.1%) seropositive participants. Out of the 150 seronegative participants, 79 (52.7%) of them had at least one gastrointestinal parasitic infection. Female seronegative participants also accounted for higher infection rate (n = 42, 28.0%) than males (n = 37, 24.7%). Multiple infections were also recorded in 18 (12.0%) seronegative individuals. The overall prevalence rate of infection between both positive and negative individuals was 25.5%. There was statistical significant difference in the infections of Cryptosporidium parvum (p < 0.003), Cyclospora cayetanensis (p < 0.011) and Cystoisospora belli (p < 0.011) between HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative individuals. Also, there was statistical significant difference in the infections of hook worm (p < 0.002) and Trichuris trichiura (p < 0.020) between seronegative and seropositive individuals. Gastrointestinal parasitic infection rate was significantly higher among seropositive participants with CD + 4 counts between 200 and 350 cells/mm 3 (n = 109, 58.3%). Conclusion: The study shows that HIV infected individuals continue to experience gastrointestinal infections even with antiretroviral treatment, especially those with CD + 4 counts below 350 cells/mm 3 . Health care...

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In ever competitive environment of nature, evolution of most attributes of an organism -anatomy, physiology, and behaviour are determined by the environment through selection. The same is the microhabitats of Sarotherodon melanotheron where three Clinostomatids; Clinostomum tilapiae, Clinostomum complanatum, and Euclinostomum heterostomum, were recovered from Opi Lake (GPS N06.75275 . f i . l t t r * , E007 49104 * ), were studied from (using multiple fishing gear techniques; cast nets, hook and line, and seine nets (150 mm -200 mm), showed signi icant d fference (p < 0 05) in all other anatomical parts but the distance between ora and ventral suckers. The prevalence was low; (20.8 %) was recorded in C. complanatum, (6.4 %) in E. heterostomum and (21.1 %) in C. tilapiae. But mean intensity was high which was suggestive of heavy parasite burden; C. complanatum (2.7), C. tilapiae (5.8) and E. heterostomum ( 5.1). In the rank-abundance curve for parasite communities C. tilapiae was more abundant than the other two species. Differential parasitic implications was due o selection for relatively better adaptiveness to host's microhabitats, more population size, better host location, and larger body size. Consequently, this resulted in a trade-off between larger morphometric parts and population size among the parasites.

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