Economics of maize cultivation at selected intensive areas of Bangladesh

The study was undertaken to assess the input used pattern and profitability of maize in selected intensive maize-growing areas of Bangladesh from February to July 2019. The present study was conducted in four districts viz. Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Meherpur and Kushtia were located at AEZ-11, an intensive maize-growing area. In this study, 160 farmers were selected, of which 40 from each district were randomly selected for data collection. The average farm size was 0.64 ha, whereas the maize cultivated area was 0.34 ha. It was observed that maize was cultivated from November to December in the study area. The average per hectare seed required was 20 kg ha-1 and the fertilizer requirement was 1532 kg ha-1. The average labor required was 275 man-days in a season due to less use of technology. Total production cost was Tk. 162047 ha-1, in which variable cost was Tk. 101066 ha-1 (62%) and the fixed cost was Tk. 60980 ha-1 (38%). The price of the main maize grain at Farmgate was Tk. 18 kg-1. The gross margin was Tk.1 91962 ha-1 and the net margin was Tk. 40515 ha-1 average. The benefit-cost ratio on a cash-cost basis was 1.90 and on a total-cost basis was 1.18, meaning maize cultivation was profitable. Land preparation, seed, organic manure, TSP, Urea, MoP, DAP, Gypsum, Zinc and Boron had a positive influence on maize production. The high price of fertilizer and seed was the main problem farmers faced and due to high demand, there were no marketing problems. Though it had some problems, maize cultivation overall was a profitable crop. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 13(2): 70-78, Dec 202

Evaluation of Loopamp™ Leishmania Detection Kit and Leishmania Antigen ELISA for Post-Elimination Detection and Management of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Bangladesh

With reduced prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian subcontinent (ISC), direct and field deployable diagnostic tests are needed to implement an effective diagnostic and surveillance algorithm for post-elimination VL control. In this regard, here we investigated the diagnostic efficacies of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (Loopamp™ Leishmania Detection Kit, Eiken Chemical CO., Ltd, Japan), a real-time quantitative PCR assay (qPCR) and the Leishmania antigen ELISA (CLIN-TECH, UK) with different sampling techniques and evaluated their prospect to incorporate into post-elimination VL control strategies. Eighty clinically and rK39 rapid diagnostic test confirmed VL cases and 80 endemic healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood and dried blood spots (DBS) were collected from all the participants at the time of diagnosis. DNA was extracted from whole blood (WB) and DBS via silica columns (QIAGEN) and boil & spin (B&S) methods and tested with qPCR and Loopamp. Urine was collected from all participants at the time of diagnosis and was directly subjected to the Leishmania antigen ELISA. 41 patients were followed up and urine samples were collected at day 30 and day 180 after treatment and ELISA was performed. The sensitivities of the Loopamp-WB(B&S) and Loopamp-WB(QIA) were 96.2% (95% CI 89·43-99·22) and 95% (95% CI 87·69-98·62) respectively. The sensitivity of Loopamp- DBS(QIA) was 85% (95% CI 75·26- 92·00). The sensitivities of the qPCR-WB(QIA) and qPCR-DBS(QIA) were 93.8% (95% CI 86·01-97·94) and 72.5% (95% CI 61·38-81·90) respectively. The specificity of all molecular assays was 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of the Leishmania antigen ELISA were 97.5% (95% CI 91·47-99·70) and 91.95% (95% CI 84·12-96·70) respectively. The Leishmania antigen ELISA depicted clinical cure at day 180 in all the followed-up cases. Efficacy and sustainability identify the Loopamp-WB(B&S) and the Leishmania antigen ELISA as promising and minimally invasive VL diagnostic tools to support VL diagnostic and surveillance activities respectively in the post-elimination era

Evaluation of Loopamp™ Leishmania Detection Kit and Leishmania Antigen ELISA for Post-Elimination Detection and Management of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Bangladesh

With reduced prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian subcontinent (ISC), direct and field deployable diagnostic tests are needed to implement an effective diagnostic and surveillance algorithm for post-elimination VL control. In this regard, here we investigated the diagnostic efficacies of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (Loopamp™ Leishmania Detection Kit, Eiken Chemical CO., Ltd, Japan), a real-time quantitative PCR assay (qPCR) and the Leishmania antigen ELISA (CLIN-TECH, UK) with different sampling techniques and evaluated their prospect to incorporate into post-elimination VL control strategies. Eighty clinically and rK39 rapid diagnostic test confirmed VL cases and 80 endemic healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood and dried blood spots (DBS) were collected from all the participants at the time of diagnosis. DNA was extracted from whole blood (WB) and DBS via silica columns (QIAGEN) and boil & spin (B&S) methods and tested with qPCR and Loopamp. Urine was collected from all participants at the time of diagnosis and was directly subjected to the Leishmania antigen ELISA. 41 patients were followed up and urine samples were collected at day 30 and day 180 after treatment and ELISA was performed. The sensitivities of the Loopamp-WB(B&S) and Loopamp-WB(QIA) were 96.2% (95% CI 89·43-99·22) and 95% (95% CI 87·69-98·62) respectively. The sensitivity of Loopamp-DBS(QIA) was 85% (95% CI 75·26- 92·00). The sensitivities of the qPCR-WB(QIA) and qPCR-DBS(QIA) were 93.8% (95% CI 86·01-97·94) and 72.5% (95% CI 61·38-81·90) respectively. The specificity of all molecular assays was 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of the Leishmania antigen ELISA were 97.5% (95% CI 91·47-99·70) and 91.95% (95% CI 84·12-96·70) respectively. The Leishmania antigen ELISA depicted clinical cure at day 180 in all the followed-up cases. Efficacy and sustainability identify the Loopamp-WB(B&S) and the Leishmania antigen ELISA as promising and minimally invasive VL diagnostic tools to support VL diagnostic and surveillance activities respectively in the post-elimination era

Gauging the skin resident Leishmania parasites through a loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay in post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis

Despite the availability of highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods, the dearth of remotely deployable diagnostic tools circumvents the early and accurate detection of individuals with post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Here, we evaluate a design-locked loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to diagnose PKDL. A total of 76 snip-skin samples collected from individuals with probable PKDL (clinical presentation and a positive rK39 rapid diagnostic test (RDT)) were assessed by microscopy, qPCR, and LAMP. An equal number of age and sex-matched healthy controls were included to determine the specificity of the LAMP assay. The LAMP assay with a Qiagen DNA extraction (Q-LAMP) showed a promising sensitivity of 72.37% (95% CI: 60.91–82.01%) for identifying the PKDL cases. LAMP assay sensitivity declined when the DNA was extracted using a boil-spin method. Q-qPCR showed 68.42% (56.75–78.61%) sensitivity, comparable to LAMP and with an excellent agreement, whereas the microscopy exhibited a weak sensitivity of 39.47% (28.44–51.35%). When microscopy and/or qPCR were considered the gold standard, Q-LAMP exhibited an elevated sensitivity of 89.7% (95% CI: 78.83–96.11%) for detection of PKDL cases and Bayesian latent class modeling substantiated the excellent sensitivity of the assay. All healthy controls were found to be negative. Notwithstanding the optimum efficiency of the LAMP assay towards the detection of PKDL cases, further optimization of the boil-spin method is warranted to permit remote use of the assay

Economics of maize cultivation at selected intensive areas of Bangladesh

The study was undertaken to assess the input used pattern and profitability of maize in selected intensive maize-growing areas of Bangladesh from February to July 2019. The present study was conducted in four districts viz. Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Meherpur and Kushtia were located at AEZ-11, an intensive maize-growing area. In this study, 160 farmers were selected, of which 40 from each district were randomly selected for data collection. The average farm size was 0.64 ha, whereas the maize cultivated area was 0.34 ha. It was observed that maize was cultivated from November to December in the study area. The average per hectare seed required was 20 kg ha-1 and the fertilizer requirement was 1532 kg ha-1. The average labor required was 275 man-days in a season due to less use of technology. Total production cost was Tk. 162047 ha-1, in which variable cost was Tk. 101066 ha-1 (62%) and the fixed cost was Tk. 60980 ha-1 (38%). The price of the main maize grain at Farmgate was Tk. 18 kg-1. The gross margin was Tk.1 91962 ha-1 and the net margin was Tk. 40515 ha-1 average. The benefit-cost ratio on a cash-cost basis was 1.90 and on a total-cost basis was 1.18, meaning maize cultivation was profitable. Land preparation, seed, organic manure, TSP, Urea, MoP, DAP, Gypsum, Zinc and Boron had a positive influence on maize production. The high price of fertilizer and seed was the main problem farmers faced and due to high demand, there were no marketing problems. Though it had some problems, maize cultivation overall was a profitable crop

Economics of maize cultivation at selected intensive areas of Bangladesh

The study was undertaken to assess the input used pattern and profitability of maize in selected intensive maize-growing areas of Bangladesh from February to July 2019. The present study was conducted in four districts viz. Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Meherpur and Kushtia were located at AEZ-11, an intensive maize-growing area. In this study, 160 farmers were selected, of which 40 from each district were randomly selected for data collection. The average farm size was 0.64 ha, whereas the maize cultivated area was 0.34 ha. It was observed that maize was cultivated from November to December in the study area. The average per hectare seed required was 20 kg ha-1 and the fertilizer requirement was 1532 kg ha-1. The average labor required was 275 man-days in a season due to less use of technology. Total production cost was Tk. 162047 ha-1, in which variable cost was Tk. 101066 ha-1 (62%) and the fixed cost was Tk. 60980 ha-1 (38%). The price of the main maize grain at Farmgate was Tk. 18 kg-1. The gross margin was Tk.1 91962 ha-1 and the net margin was Tk. 40515 ha-1 average. The benefit-cost ratio on a cash-cost basis was 1.90 and on a total-cost basis was 1.18, meaning maize cultivation was profitable. Land preparation, seed, organic manure, TSP, Urea, MoP, DAP, Gypsum, Zinc and Boron had a positive influence on maize production. The high price of fertilizer and seed was the main problem farmers faced and due to high demand, there were no marketing problems. Though it had some problems, maize cultivation overall was a profitable crop

Corneal complications following Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis treatment.

Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a sequel of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL). The patients act as a reservoir for the causative parasite (i.e. Leishmania donovani) and thus should be diagnosed and treated with the utmost urgency to prevent the transmission of the disease. In this study, we tried to report the first instances of corneal complications supposedly associated with Miltefosine (MF), in PKDL patients and the probable pathophysiology of such events. The recently rejuvenated National Kala-azar Elimination Program in Bangladesh has put great emphasis on monitoring all the leishmaniasis patients to investigate possible adverse drug reactions (ADR). A total of 194 patients have received Miltefosine for the treatment of Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis. So far five patients were found to have developed unilateral ophthalmic complications during the periods from May 2016 to October 2017, after being treated with MF for PKDL. Unfortunately, one of whom had to go through complete evisceration of the affected eyeball. Despite the fact that MF is the only oral formulation of choice to treat PKDL, occurrences of such unexpected ADRs after MF administration urges the exploration of the pathogenesis of such incidents and determine measures to avert such occurrences from happening in future