Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a crucial multifactorial and complex global problem and Bangladesh poses a regional and global threat with a high degree of antibiotic resistance. Although the routine application of antimicrobials in the livestock industry has largely contributed to the health and productivity, it correspondingly plays a significant role in the evolution of different pathogenic bacterial strains having multidrug resistance (MDR) properties. Bangladesh is implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) for containing AMR in human, animal, and environment sectors through "One Health" approach where the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) is the mandated body to implement NAP strategies in the animal health sector of the country. This review presents a "snapshot" of the predisposing factors, and current situations of AMR along with the weakness and strength of DLS to contain the problem in animal farming practices in Bangladesh. In the present review, resistance monitoring data and risk assessment identified several direct and/or indirect predisposing factors to be potentially associated with AMR development in the animal health sector of Bangladesh. The predisposing factors are inadequate veterinary healthcare, monitoring and regulatory services, intervention of excessive informal animal health service providers, and farmers' knowledge gap on drugs, and AMR which have resulted in the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, ultimate in the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in all types of animal farming settings of Bangladesh. MDR bacteria with extreme resistance against antibiotics recommended to use in both animals and humans have been reported and been being a potential public health hazard in Bangladesh. Execution of extensive AMR surveillance in veterinary practices and awareness-building programs for stakeholders along with the strengthening of the capacity of DLS are recommended for effective containment of AMR emergence and dissemination in the animal health sector of Bangladesh.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of essential oil extracted from aerial parts of Artemisia sieberi in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Fifty rats were divided into five groups of 10 each. Group I normal rats received 1 mL day(-1) of dimethyl sulfoxide (control); group II normal rats received a single dose (80 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) of essential oil extract of Artemisia sieberi; group III diabetic rats received 1 mL day-of dimethyl sulfoxide; group IV diabetic rats received the oil extract (80 mg kg(-1) b.wt.); group V diabetic rats received metformin (14.2 mg kg(-1) b.wt.). All treatments were orally administered once a day for six weeks. Changes in blood glucose concentration, body weight and food and water intake were measured and the data obtained were compared with that of metformin. The essential oil extract significantly (p < 0.05) lowered blood glucose level as well as food and water intake in diabetic rats accompanied by an increase in body weight gain with no apparent side effect when compared with untreated diabetic rats. These effects were found to be closely similar to that of metformin, a common antidiabetic drug. On other hand, no apparent improvement on body weight gain in diabetic rats treated with metformin. In addition, for all parameters measured, the oil extract showed no effect in normal rats. In conclusion, the essential oil of Artemisia sieberi exhibited antidiabetic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Present findings support the possible use of the essential oil of Artemisia sieberi as a remedy for diabetes mellitus in humans.

The objective of the study was to assess level of stress of the parents with a child suffering from cancer. A total of 396 parents of which 146 fathers and 250 mothers were recruited from the National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheik Mujib Medical University, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Dhaka Shishu Hospital (DSH), Dhaka from January 2011 to November 2011. They were selected consecutively on the basis of the defined criteria. The research instruments were interviewer questionnaire and stress measuring standard scales. Results showed that all of the parents were found educated. In graduate and above, fathers were comparatively higher educated than that of mothers. In profession, 48.7%(n=193) were household workers, 33.7%(n=133) service holders and 17.6%(n=70) were businessmen. The monthly family income of the respondent were Tk. 10,000 to 20,000 in 77.0%(n=305). Results also showed that 86.8%(n=344) of them in both sexes had age in between 18 to 40 years of which 44.9%(n=178) had age 31-40 years and 41.9%(n=166) were 18-30 years respectively. Only 13.2%(n=52) of both sexes had age above 40 years. The mean age of them were 33 ± 8 years. The type of cancers among the children of the respondents was described in the Table 2. The results showed that 61.4%(n=243) of the children had been suffering form leukemia, 17.4%(n=69) lymphoma, 8.3%(n=33) reticuloblastoma, 2.5%(n=10) neuroblastoma, 1.1%(n=4) solid tumors and 9.3%(n=48) were from other cancers such as embryoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, testicular tumors etc. The age of the children who had been suffering from different type of cancers was summarized in the Table-3. About 44.4%(n=176) of the children had age 1-5 years, 35.6%(n=141) age 6-10 years and 20.0%(n=79) were of age 11-15 years respectively.Leukemia was found the highest incidence among all age groups of the boys and girls. Results also showed that 63.8%(n=253) of the parents had certainly affected due to the stress. About 6.7%(n=26) of the parents had severely affected and 28.7%(n=114) may be affected induced by the cancers of their children. The poorly educated, up to class-X, fathers and mothers constituted 49.8%(n=197) were found certainly affected with the stress. Middle age group (31-40 years) having middle class socioeconomic status had also similar characteristics of the stress among the respondents. In duration of the disease at the time of assessment, results showed that 21.8%(n=86) of the parents with one child suffering from cancer in between 7-12 months were found certainly and severely affected with the stress. Careful designed investigations of the long-term psychological and behavioral consequences of the parents are vital important for early interventions to assess and treat psychological distress of them. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmj.v41i1.18773 Bangladesh Medical Journal 2012 Vol. 41 No. 1; 8-13

Problem statement: Urtica pilulifera L. (Urticaceae), has long been used for the treatment of various aliments including diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia which has a deleterious effect on all systems including reproductive system of animals. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the effects of Urtica pilulifera on the reproductive system of diabetic rats. Approach: Forty male rats were evenly divided into four groups: Group I consisted of non-diabetic rats that received only the vehicle; group II-IV was injected intraperitonially with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) of 70 mg kg; groups III and IV were given methanol extract of Urtica pilulifera orally, 3 days after the STZ injection, at daily doses of 1.0 and 2.0 g kg −1 , respectively. After 4 weeks of treatments, all the rats were sacrificed. Results: Administration of 70 mg kg −1 of streptozotocin to male rats induced diabetes and significantly reduced the body and sex organ weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility and significantly increased the glucose levels and water and food intake. By contrast, rats given the Uritica pilulifera methanol extract had significantly improved body weight gain, whereas the glucose levels, water and food intake significantly improved in treated diabetic male rats. In addition, this extract improved the reproductive system of the diabetic male rats by significantly increasing the testis and epididymis weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility. Conclusion/Recommendations: We concluded that the adverse effects of STZ-diabetes on reproductive system of male rats can be reversed by treatment with Urtica pilulifera leaf extract; and this leaf extract exhibits antihyperglycemic and spermatogenic activities. Based on these findings, we suggested the possible utilization of Urtica pilulifera extracted as a therapy to prevent the development of diabetes in later life and improved the performance of male reproductive system in animals and humans.

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