Partial characterization of lignin peroxidase expressed by bacterial and fungal isolates from termite gut

Lignin peroxidase producing microorganisms were isolated from the gut of Macrotermes nigeriense (Soldier and worker termite). The microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Epidermophyton flocussum, Microsporum distortum, Trichophyton megininii, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Aspergillus niger. When the isolates were incubated for 24 hours in the presence of 0.5 w/v pyrogallol to test for the expression of peroxidase activities, B. subtilis produced the highest activity among the bacterial isolates, with optimum temperature of 35 °C, and optimum pH of 6.5. Similar screen among the fungal isolates found M. distortum to express the most activities, with optimum temperature of 40 °C, and optimum pH of 5.0, after 72 hours incubation. The results from this study suggest that B. subtilis and M. distortum can be a cheap source of lignin peroxidase for large scale commercial production, biotechnological and industrial applications.Keywords: Macrotermes nigeriense, lignin peroxidase, microorganisms, enzyme Activit

Influence of age and previous diet of Anopheles gambiae on the infectivity of natural Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from human volunteers

The effect of age and dietary factors of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) on the infectivity of natural Plasmodium falciparum parasites was studied. Mosquitoes of various ages (1–3, 4–7 and 8–11 day old) and those fed blood (either single or double meals) and sugar meals were experimentally co-infected with P. falciparum gametocytes obtained from different naturally infected human volunteers. On day 7, midguts were examined for oocyst infection to determine whether mosquito age or diets have significant effects on parasite infectivity. The age of the mosquitoes did not significantly influence the oocyst infection rates (χ(2) = 48.32, df = 40, P = 0.172) or oocyst load (# of oocysts/midgut) (P = 0.14) observed. Oocyst load between groups was not significantly different. Similarly, the type of diet (either blood or sugar) did not influence oocyst infection rates (χ(2) = 16.52, df = 19, P = 0.622). However, an increase in oocyst infection rates resulted after previous feeding on double blood meals (35%) compared to single blood meals (25%), with comparable oocyst load. These observations are in agreement with those reported in previous studies suggesting that increased mosquito nutritional reserves resulting from increased dietary resources is favorable for malaria infectivity. This field-based study indicates that vector competence of An. gambiae to natural P. falciparum parasites does not vary with age and that nutritional resources acquired prior to an infectious blood meal plays a crucial role in mosquito-parasite relationships. Abbreviation: / oocyst load: number of oocysts per midgut oocyst infection rates: percent of midguts with oocyst

Building capacity for public and population health research in Africa : the consortium for advanced research training in Africa (CARTA) model

Background: Globally, sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of disease. Strengthened research capacity to understand the social determinants of health among different African populations is key to addressing the drivers of poor health and developing interventions to improve health outcomes and health systems in the region. Yet, the continent clearly lacks centers of research excellence that can generate a strong evidence base to address the region’s socio-economic and health problems. Objective and program overview: We describe the recently launched Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), which brings together a network of nine academic and four research institutions from West, East, Central, and Southern Africa, and select northern universities and training institutes. CARTA’s program of activities comprises two primary, interrelated, and mutually reinforcing objectives: to strengthen research infrastructure and capacity at African universities; and to support doctoral training through the creation of a collaborative doctoral training program in population and public health. The ultimate goal of CARTA is to build local research capacity to understand the determinants of population health and effectively intervene to improve health outcomes and health systems. Conclusions: CARTA’s focus on the local production of networked and high-skilled researchers committed to working in sub-Saharan Africa, and on the concomitant increase in local research and training capacity of African universities and research institutes addresses the inability of existing programs to create a critical mass of well-trained and networked researchers across the continent. The initiative’s goal of strengthening human resources and university-wide systems critical to the success and sustainability of research productivity in public and population health will rejuvenate institutional teaching, research, and administrative systems

Can subsidized early child care promote women’s employment? : evidence from Kenya

Women’s disproportionate child care responsibilities significantly impede their labor force participation. Subsidizing child care for women in poor urban settings can be a powerful mechanism to improve women's employment outcomes and reduce gender inequalities in Africa. To test whether child care obligations limit African women from engaging in paid work, researchers from McGill University and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) conducted a randomized study that provided subsidized early child care (ECC) to selected mothers living in a slum area of Nairobi, Kenya

Partial characterization of lignin peroxidase expressed by bacterial and fungal isolates from termite gut

Lignin peroxidase producing microorganisms were isolated from the gut of Macrotermes nigeriense (Soldier and worker termite). The microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermis , Bacillus subtilis , Micrococcus luteus , Epidermophyton flocussum , Microsporum distortum , Trichophyton megininii , Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Aspergillus niger . When the isolates were incubated for 24 hours in the presence of 0.5 w/v pyrogallol to test for the expression of peroxidase activities, B. subtilis produced the highest activity among the bacterial isolates, with optimum temperature of 35 \ub0C, and optimum pH of 6.5. Similar screen among the fungal isolates found M. distortum to express the most activities, with optimum temperature of 40 \ub0C, and optimum pH of 5.0, after 72 hours incubation. The results from this study suggest that B. subtilis and M. distortum can be a cheap source of lignin peroxidase for large scale commercial production, biotechnological and industrial applications

Capacity development for health research in Africa: experiences managing the African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship Program

Africa's progress depends on her capacity to generate, adapt, and use scientific knowledge to meet regional health and development needs. Yet, Africa's higher education institutions that are mandated to foster this capacity lack adequate resources to generate and apply knowledge, raising the need for innovative approaches to enhance research capacity. In this paper, we describe a newly-developed program to support PhD research in health and population sciences at African universities, the African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship (ADDRF) Program. We also share our experiences implementing the program. As health research capacity-strengthening in Africa continues to attract attention and as the need for such programs to be African-led is emphasized, our experiences in developing and implementing the ADDRF offer invaluable lessons to other institutions undertaking similar initiatives

Concomitant infections of Plasmodium falciparum and Wuchereria bancrofti on the Kenyan coast

BACKGROUND: Anopheles gambiae s.l. and An. funestus are important vectors of malaria and bancroftian filariasis, which occur as co-endemic infections along the Kenyan Coast. However, little is known about the occurrence and prevalence of concomitant infections of the two diseases in mosquito and human populations in these areas. This study reports the prevalence of concomitant infections of Plasmodium falciparum and Wuchereria bancrofti in mosquito and human populations in Jilore and Shakahola villages in Malindi, Kenya. METHODS: Mosquitoes were sampled inside houses by pyrethrum spray sheet collection (PSC) while blood samples were collected by finger prick technique at the end of entomological survey. RESULTS: A total of 1,979 female Anopheles mosquitoes comprising of 1,919 Anopheles gambiae s.l and 60 An. funestus were collected. Concomitant infections of P. falciparum sporozoites and filarial worms occurred in 1.1% and 1.6% of An. gambiae s.l collected in Jilore and Shakahola villages respectively. Wuchereria-infected mosquitoes had higher sporozoite rates compared to non-infected mosquitoes, but multiple infections appeared to reduce mosquito survivorship making transmission of such infections rare. None of the persons examined in Shakahola (n = 107) had coinfections of the two parasites, whereas in Jilore (n = 94), out of the 4.3% of individuals harbouring both parasites, 1.2% had P. falciparum gametocytes and microfilariae and could potentially infect the mosquito with both parasites simultaneously. CONCLUSION: Concerted efforts should be made to integrate the control of malaria and bancroftian filariasis in areas where they co-exist