Gastrointestinal parasites in dogs in Lubumbashi

A parasitological study was conducted in 2015 in dogs of different sexes, ages and breeds, living freely in the city of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A coprological examination of the fecal samples was carried out with the flotation technique. Of the 120 dogs examined, 78 (65 %) were infested, of which 74 (61.7 %) had gastrointestinal helminths and 4 (3.3 %) had coccidia. Results revealed the presence of five parasite species: Ankylostoma spp. (41 dogs), Toxocara canis (22), Toxascaris leonina (8), Isospora canis (4) and Dipylidium caninum (3). I. canis was only found in puppies. The frequent detection of hookworms and T. canis suggests that there is a risk of human contamination by these zoonotic parasites in Lubumbashi

Michellamines A6 and A7, and further mono- and dimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids from a Congolese Ancistrocladus liana and their antiausterity activities against pancreatic cancer cells

Michellamines A6 (1) and A7 (2) are the first dimers of 5,8′-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids with cis-configured stereocenters in both tetrahydroisoquinoline subunits. They were isolated from the leaves of a recently discovered, yet unidentified Congolese Ancistrocladus liana that shares some morphological characteristics with Ancistrocladus likoko. Two further new dimeric analogs, michellamines B4 (3) and B5 (4), were obtained, along with two previously likewise unknown monomers, ancistrobonsolines A1 (5) and A2 (6), which, besides one single known other example, are the only naphthyldihydroisoquinolines with an M-configured biaryl axis and R-configuration at C-3. Moreover, five compounds earlier reported from other Ancistrocladus species were identified, ancistroealaine C (7), korupensamines A (8a) and B (8b), and michellamines A2 (9) and E (10). Their complete structural elucidation succeeded due to the fruitful interplay of spectroscopic, chemical, and chiroptical methods. Chemotaxonomically, the stereostructures of the metabolites clearly delineate this Congolese Ancistrocladus liana from all known related species, showing that it might be a new taxon. Ancistrobonsolines A1 (5) and A2 (6) exhibited strong preferential cytotoxicities against human PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells under nutrient-deprived conditions, without displaying toxicity in normal, nutrient-rich medium. Against cervical HeLa cancer cells, the dimeric alkaloids michellamines A6 (1) and E (10) displayed the highest cytotoxic activities, comparable to that of the standard agent, 5-fluorouracil. Furthermore, ancistrobonsolines A1 (5) and A2 (6) showed weak-to-moderate antiprotozoal activities

Expanding global access to essential medicines: investment priorities for sustainably strengthening medical product regulatory systems.

Access to quality-assured medical products improves health and save lives. However, one third of the world's population lacks timely access to quality-assured medicines while estimates indicate that at least 10% of medicine in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are substandard or falsified (SF), costing approximately US$ 31 billion annually. National regulatory authorities are the key government institutions that promote access to quality-assured medicines and combat SF medical products but despite progress, regulatory capacity in LMICs is still insufficient. Continued and increased investment in regulatory system strengthening (RSS) is needed. We have therefore reviewed existing global normative documents and resources and engaged with our networks of global partners and stakeholders to identify three critical challenges being faced by NRAs in LMICs that are limiting access to medical products and impeding detection of and response to SF medicines. The challenges are; implementing value-added regulatory practices that best utilize available resources, a lack of timely access to new, quality medical products, and limited evidence-based data to support post-marketing regulatory actions. To address these challenges, we have identified seven focused strategies; advancing and leveraging convergence and reliance initiatives, institutionalizing sustainability, utilizing risk-based approaches for resource allocation, strengthening registration efficiency and timeliness, strengthening inspection capacity and effectiveness, developing and implementing risk-based post-marketing quality surveillance systems, and strengthening regulatory management of manufacturing variations. These proposed solutions are underpinned by 13 focused recommendations, which we believe, if financed, technically supported and implemented, will lead to stronger health system and as a consequence, positive health outcomes

Spirombandakamine A3 and cyclombandakamines A8 and A9, polycyclic naphthylisoquinoline dimers, with antiprotozoal activity, from a Congolese Ancistrocladus plant

Spirombandakamine A3 (7) is only the third known naphthylisoquinoline dimer with a spiro-fused novel molecular framework and the first such representative to possess a relative trans-configuration at the two chiral centers in both tetrahydroisoquinoline subunits. It was found in the leaves of a botanically as yet unidentified Congolese Ancistrocladus plant, which is morphologically closely related to the Central African taxon Ancistrocladus ealaensis. Likewise isolated were the new cyclombandakamines A8 (8) and A9 (9), which belong to another most recently discovered type of unusual oxygen-bridged naphthylisoquinoline dimers and two previously described "open-chain" analogues, mbandakamines C (10) and D (11). The full absolute stereostructures of these compounds were assigned by combining spectroscopic, chemical, and chiroptical methods. Preliminary biomimetic investigations indicated that both spirombandakamine- and cyclombandakamine-type dimers result from the oxidation of their open-chain mbandakamine-type congeners. The new dimeric alkaloids 7-9 displayed potent growth-inhibitory activity against Plasmodium falciparum, the protozoal pathogen causing malaria, and moderate effects on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness

Discovery, biosynthetic origin, and heterologous production of massinidine, an antiplasmodial alkaloid

Bacteria of the genus Massilia represent an underexplored source of bioactive natural products. Here, we report the discovery of massinidine (1), a guanidine alkaloid with antiplasmodial activity, from these microbes. The unusual scaffold of massinidine is shown to originate from l-phenylalanine, acetate, and l-arginine. Massinidine biosynthesis genes were identified in the native producer and validated through heterologous expression in Myxococcus xanthus. Bioinformatic analyses indicate that the potential for massinidine biosynthesis is distributed in various proteobacteria

Asset ownership among households caring for orphans and vulnerable children in rural Zimbabwe: The influence of ownership on children's health and social vulnerabilities

The high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in a dramatic increase in orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) over the past decade. These children typically rely on extended family networks for support, but the magnitude of the crisis has resulted in traditional familial networks becoming overwhelmed and more economically and socially vulnerable. Previous research consistently demonstrates the positive influence of household asset ownership on children's well-being. Using data from impoverished households caring for OVC in rural Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, this study explores the influence of household asset ownership on OVC health vulnerability (HV) and social vulnerability (SV). Findings indicate that asset ownership is associated with significantly lower SV, in terms of school attendance and birth registration. Yet, assets do not emerge as a direct influence of OVC HV as measured by disease and chronic illness, although having a chronically ill adult in the household increases HV. These findings suggest that asset ownership, specifically a combination of fixed and movable assets, may offset the influence of other risk factors for children's SV

Evaluation of the efficacy of flumethrin for tsetse control in Lutendele, Democratic Republic of Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo animal and human Afri­can trypanosomoses are rife over very large areas. Pigs are the major feeding hosts of Glossina fuscipes quanzensis, the sole tsetse fly species present in suburban Kinshasa. In the context of integrated disease control, pig breeding could be used to advantage in tsetse control by applying insecticides on these animals. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis by comparing the efficacy of flumethrin 1% as a pour-on formu­lation on pigs with the use of flumethrin-treated screens to control G. f. quanzensis and animal trypanosomosis in Luten­dele, suburban Kinshasa. After two years of applications, ento­mological surveys showed that the pour-on treatment of pigs reduced more the apparent density of tsetse flies than the flu­methrin-treated screens although the difference was not signif­icant. Throughout the study no parasite could be detected in the pigs by the parasitological method nor by molecular biol­ogy, but overall 28% of the pigs had positive serology (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21-33). Compared to treated screens, the treatment of pigs with flumethrin was identified as a signif­icant protective factor against seropositivity with an odds ratio equal to 0.28 (95% CI: 0.12-0.57). This study reveals that both control methods significantly reduced tsetse apparent densi­ties, but that the pour-on treatment of pigs seems to be more efficacious than the use of treated screens to protect them against trypanosomosis

Getting to zero HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: Understanding perceptions of locals using the social determinants of health framework

This study explored a community perception of the facilitators and inhibitors of Getting to Zero (GTZ) in rural Zambia, sub-Saharan Africa. Data were collected in 2017. We use the Social Determinants of Health framework to guide organisation of key themes emerging from semistructured, focus group interviews with community members (N = 52). Data were analysed through an iterative descriptive/thematic approach which allowed for the highlighting of key themes. Emerging themes point to the significance of (a) individual, (b) sociocultural, (c) environmental and (d) economic factors, for example, treatment adherence, gender norms, food security and access to health care as important in GTZ. Implications for policy, practise and scholarship are suggested