Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels Among Diabetic Men: Exploring Patients Attending Outpatient Clinic in Yemen

Introduction: It has been reported that patients with diabetes have a decreased risk for developing prostate cancer. The study aimed to measure Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels among diabetic men who had not previously been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in public hospitals among diabetic men in Aden, Yemen. A predesigned structured questionnaire, including the personal data as well as physical and clinical characteristics of the study population, such as height, weight, smoking status, the duration of diabetes, and the type of treatment, was included. Blood samples were collected from the respondents, and the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and PSA were measured. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 145 diabetic male patients were included in this study. The mean PSA level of the respondents was 2.56 ng/ml. There were significant differences in PSA levels according to patient age (p=0.000). The elderly patients exhibited significantly higher PSA levels than the younger groups. The PSA levels of smokers (2.60±0.48 ng/ml) were significantly higher (p=0.035) than those of nonsmokers (2.45±0.65 ng/ml). However, no significant difference was found in PSA levels according to body mass index (BMI) category, the type of treatment, or the duration of diabetes. Additionally, our results showed that PSA levels were not significantly correlated with FBG levels. Conclusion: PSA levels were associated with age and smoking status, but not with BMI, the type of diabetic treatment, the duration of diabetes, or with FBG levels

Gelam Honey Has a Protective Effect against Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Organ Failure

Gelam honey exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and is thought to have potent effects in reducing infections and healing wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intravenously-injected Gelam honey in protecting organs from lethal doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six groups of rabbits (N = 6) were used in this study. Two groups acted as controls and received only saline and no LPS injections. For the test groups, 1 mL honey (500 mg/kg in saline) was intravenously injected into two groups (treated), while saline (1 mL) was injected into the other two groups (untreated); after 1 h, all four test groups were intravenously-injected with LPS (0.5 mg/kg). Eight hours after the LPS injection, blood and organs were collected from three groups (one from each treatment stream) and blood parameters were measured and biochemical tests, histopathology, and myeloperoxidase assessment were performed. For survival rate tests, rabbits from the remaining three groups were monitored over a 2-week period. Treatment with honey showed protective effects on organs through the improvement of organ blood parameters, reduced infiltration of neutrophils, and decreased myeloperoxidase activity. Honey-treated rabbits also showed reduced mortality after LPS injection compared with untreated rabbits. Honey may have a therapeutic effect in protecting organs during inflammatory diseases

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self Medication: A Cross-sectional Study among Yemeni Health Profession Students

Self-medications practice is increasing widely. It is expected to be higher in health students due to their awareness and knowledge of diseases and medicines. The Aim of the study to assess the self-medications among the first year students of health science facilities in Aden University, Yemen. Cross sectional study was conducted using Questionnaire from previous study served as the data collection instrument among first year students who were available during study period. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the frequency of variable A total of 231 out of 250 questionnaires were completed and returned, which gives the response rate of 92.4%. 119 (51.5 %) of respondents were male and 112(48.5%) of them were female. Approximately 69 (29.9 %) of respondents had no Knowledge on definition of Self-medication at all, only 25 (10.8 %) had very much knowledge about it , majority of respondents 82 (68.9 %)  stated that they did so because the illness were minor  were among the most reasons for self-medication, followed by prior experiences with  the previous episode and treatment 72 (60.5 %),  emergency use 54(45.4 %), quick relief 46 (38.7%) , cost effectiveness 42 (35.3 %)  and 39 (32.8 %) of respondents reported that lack of time to go for consultation . The most common sources of information used by the respondent were text books and pharmacists. The attitude was positive towards self-medication and favored self-medication saying that it was acceptable. Self-medication habits were common among first year students of faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Aden University in Yemen. An urgent and rapid intervention should be made to promote health awareness of the self-medication among students because the percentages of using antibiotics and other classes of medicines are alarming. Students must be educated about the potential hazard of using medicines without physician advices and their serious adverse reactions. The Ministry of Health and Population must enact laws regulating the dispensing of medicines from pharmacie

Prevalence of filarial parasites in domestic and stray cats in Selangor State, Malaysia

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of the filarial parasites,ie.,Brugia malayi, Brugia, Brugia pahangi(B. pahangi), Dirofilaria immitisandDirofilaria repens (D. repens) in domestic and stray cats.MethodsA total of 170 blood sample were collected from domestic and stray cats and examined for filarial worm parasites in two localities, Pulau Carey and Bukit Gasing, Selangor State, Malaysia.ResultsThe overall prevalence of infection was 23.5% (40/170; 95% CI = 17.4–30.6). Of this, 35% (14/40; 95% CI = 22.1–50.5) and 50% (20/40; 95% CI = 35.2–64.8) were positive for single B. pahangi nd D. repens, respectively. The remaining of 15% (6/40; 95% CI = 7.1–29.1) were positive for mixed B. pahangi and D. repens. In addition, 75% of the infected cats were domestic, and 25% were strays. No Brugia malayi and Dirofilaria immitis was detected. Eighty-four cats were captured at Pulau Carey, of which 35.7% (30/84) were infected. Among the cats determined to be infected, 93% (28/30; 95% CI = 78.7–98.2) were domestic, and only 6.7% (2/30; 95% CI = 19.0–21.3) were strays. Conversely, the number of infected cats was three times lower in Bukit Gasing than in Pulau Carey, and most of the cats were stray.ConclusionsB. pahangi and D. repens could be the major parasites underlying filariasis in the study area. Adequate prophylactic plans should be administrated in the cat population in study area

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward antibiotic use among the general public in a resource-poor setting: A case of Aden-Yemen

Introduction: Antibiotic overuse and misuse can cause serious health issues. These problems have contributed to a rise in bacterial resistance. Hence, our study aims to highlight the existing knowledge and attitudes toward antibiotic usage among the general public in Aden-Yemen. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study of knowledge, attitude, and practice of the general public was conducted in different areas of Aden city–Yemen. The study conveniently selected a sample of 400 general public working in different areas in Aden. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 400 participants were involved in the study. Nearly 88.8% administered antibiotics in all cases of fever, 58.3% thought that antibiotics could cure infections caused by the virus, and 65.5% disagree that antibiotics should be stopped as soon as the complaint disappears. More than 77.5% thought that antibiotics in cases of the common cold are not necessary. However, 46.5% incorrectly thought that "early use of antibiotics in patients with cough, running nose, and sore throat would be cured quickly". Concerning knowledge of antibiotic resistance, 81.5% correctly answered that "overuse of antibiotics increases the risk of resistance. Most respondents reported that physicians were their primary source of information regarding antibiotic use. The most noted among respondents was that 62.7% had antibiotics for treatment without prescription in the last six months. Conclusions: Respondents have adequate knowledge and moderate attitude toward antibiotic use. However, self-medication was common practice among the general public of Aden. Therefore, they had a misunderstanding, misconception, and irrational use of antibiotics

Prevalence of filarial parasites in domestic and stray cats in Selangor State, Malaysia

Objective: To determine the prevalence of the filarial parasites,ie.,Brugia malayi, Brugia, Brugia pahangi(B. pahangi), Dirofilaria immitisandDirofilaria repens (D. repens) in domestic and stray cats. Methods: A total of 170 blood sample were collected from domestic and stray cats and examined for filarial worm parasites in two localities, Pulau Carey and Bukit Gasing, Selangor State, Malaysia. Results: The overall prevalence of infection was 23.5% (40/170; 95% CI = 17.4–30.6). Of this, 35% (14/40; 95% CI = 22.1–50.5) and 50% (20/40; 95% CI = 35.2–64.8) were positive for single B. pahangi nd D. repens, respectively. The remaining of 15% (6/40; 95% CI = 7.1–29.1) were positive for mixed B. pahangi and D. repens. In addition, 75% of the infected cats were domestic, and 25% were strays. No Brugia malayi and Dirofilaria immitis was detected. Eighty-four cats were captured at Pulau Carey, of which 35.7% (30/84) were infected. Among the cats determined to be infected, 93% (28/30; 95% CI = 78.7–98.2) were domestic, and only 6.7% (2/30; 95% CI = 19.0–21.3) were strays. Conversely, the number of infected cats was three times lower in Bukit Gasing than in Pulau Carey, and most of the cats were stray. Conclusions: B. pahangi and D. repens could be the major parasites underlying filariasis in the study area. Adequate prophylactic plans should be administrated in the cat population in study area

In vitro and in vivo studies on the potential effects of Melaleuca cajuputi and Ardisia elliptica on lymphatic filariasis : A strategy targeting the Wolbachia / Nazeh Mohammed Al-Abd Ali

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is caused by parasitic filarial nematodes. Currently available therapeutics are largely effective against the microfilaria stage, and they have a limited influence on the adult worms that are actually causing the disease. The present study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practice with regards to LF among the population of an endemic area in Terengganu, Malaysia, and to explore the antifilarial activity of local medicinal plant extracts. In vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifilarial activity tests were performed to assess the potential activities of these extracts. In order to develop and study the infection in vitro, Mongolian gerbils were infected intraperitoneally with B. pahangi larvae (L3) and they were used to host adult worms. The potential anti-filarial activities of the plant extracts of Melaleuca cajuputi and Ardisia elliptica were evaluated in vitro using methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assays, electron microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The extracts were fractionated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The effect of each fraction was tested against Wolbachia in vitro using Aedes albopictus cells line (Aa23) cells. The active fractions were further subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to identify the active ingredients. The toxicities of the active extracts and isolated compounds were investigated. The identified compounds were then tested in vitro and in vivo, against adult worms and Wolbachia. RT-PCR was used to measure the expression levels of the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) and Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z (Fstz) and the B. pahangi genes. Baseline results have demonstrated that more than 80% of the respondents have become cognizant of LF, and additionally 70% of these individuals have grasped the fact that the LF is not devoid of problems. Estimatedly, 77% indicated that filariasis was transmitted by mosquitoes. Only 35% of the participants in this research were well aware of the local Mass Drug Administration (MDA) program held in the area. All plant extracts showed good antioxidant activity, free radicals scavenging and antibacterial activity. A methanolic extract of M. cajuputi flowers significantly reduced adult worms’ viability and release of microfilariae. Caffeic acid phenyl ether (CAPE) was identified as the active constituent in M. cajuputi. It showed significant micro and macrofilaricidal activities in vitro and in vivo. In summary, it has been discovered in this study that most respondents did acknowledge LF, in spite of the fact that their knowledge of MDA was rather limited. There is a need to enhance the delivery of health education and information programs, as well as mass mobilization campaigns, in order to improve understanding of the LF in the affected population for the control program to be successful. In the present study, the methanol extract of M. cajuputi flowers, and CAPE possesed anti-filaricidal activites. The mechanism of action of the CAPE is suggested to be due to its anti-Wolbachia activity; this compound has been shown to significantly downregulated the expression of the wsp, fstz, and Shp-1 genes. Therefore, CAPE could be a promising candidate drug for the treatment of LF

Genetic diversity of plasmodium falciparum isolated from Yemen based on the genes of merozoite surface proteins (msp-1 and msp-2) / Nazeh Mohammed Al-Abd Ali

Malaria is a major health problem causing substantial morbidity and mortality with Plasmodium falciparum being the causative agent of the most severe and deadly form of malaria in humans. In Yemen Malaria is one of the most serious health problems. About 60% of the populations live in areas with malaria transmission. P. falciparum is the predominant species and accounts for more than 90% of malaria cases. Information on the nature and extent of genetic diversity within P. falciparum is essential for understanding the mechanism underlying the pathology of malaria, the acquisition of immunity, the spread of drug resistance and the condition of the transmission. This study was conducted in the high transmission area in Yemen (Taizz, Dhamar, and AL-Hudiydah) and was guided by the objective that were to establish molecular characterizations of field isolate P. falciparum in Yemen measured with polymorphic genetic markers of merozoite surface protein msp-1 and msp-2. Blood samples were screened for malaria parasites using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. A total of 74 blood samples had P. falciparum, for which their MSP-1 and MSP-2 genes were studied using nested PCR. All the three families (K1, MAD20 and RO33) of MSP-1 and the two families (FC27 and 3D7) of MSP-2 were detected in this study. 3D7 allelic family was the most frequent (68%), followed by K1 (45%), RO33 (42%), FC27 (42%) and MAD20 (22%). The four allelic families, (MAD20, RO33, FC27 and 3D7), were significantly more prevalent in the hinterland areas as compared to coastland and highland areas (p < 0.05) of Yemen. The K1 allele type was most frequent in the highland (p 0.05) nor the different levels of parasitaemia (p > 0.05). MSP-2 had higher number of alleles than MSP-1 (42 vs 18). The highest number of alleles of MSP-1 and MSP-2 was observed in the coastland and the rural areas. In conclusion, significant differences in complexity and the distribution of the family alleles of MSP-1 and MSP-2 genes between hinterland, coastland and highland areas were observed, reflecting the intensity of malaria transmission between areas. This observation should be taken into consideration in implementing malaria control strategies in Yemen

Prevalence and risk factors of Pediculus capitis among primary schools children in Al-Mukalla city, Hadhramout governorate, Yemen: A school-based cross-sectional study

Head lice infestations (Pediculus humanus capitis) are the most common parasitic condition among children in the world, especially in poor communities. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of head lice infestation among children in Al-Mukalla city schools, Hadhramout governorate, Yemen. Data were collected from 467 students from six different primary schools in Al-Mukalla city. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, social-economic factors, practice hygiene and treatment history. The overall prevalence of pediculosis capitis was (58.5%). a significantly higher prevalence was showed among: female gender; long and medium hair; age group of 11-14 years; students in the 4th and 5th Class levels, students in classes with more than 40 students capacity; students in government schools; students who sharing items; those coming from previously infested family members (P\u3c0.001). This study shows a high prevalence of Head lice infestations among children in a primary school in Al-Mukalla city. There is a significant association between Head lice infestations with socio-economic; personal hygiene factors and history of Head lice infestations in one family member that indicated the difficulties of eradication of head lice, especially from girls. Health education and good personal hygiene programmed are needed to increase awareness in our community