Haematological evaluation of Wistar rats exposed to chronic doses of cadmium, mercury and combined cadmium and mercury

Cadmium and mercury present in the environment, cause blood disorders. This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of cadmium, mercury and their combination on hematological parameters of Wistar rats. For this purpose, two different doses of each metal and their combination were administered orally for 28 days to six groups of five rats each. Two groups (A and B) were respectively exposed to CdCl2 (0.25 and 2.5 mg/kg), two other groups (C and D) respectively received HgCl2 (0.12 and 1.2 mg/kg) and the last two groups (E and F) were respectively treated with the combination of these two metals: (0.25 mg/kg Cd + 0.12 mg/kg Hg) and (2.5 mg/kg Cd + 1.2 mg/kg Hg). The control group (G) received the same volume of distilled water. At the end of exposure, bodies of rats were weighed and the whole blood was collected by retro-orbital sinus method for analysis of hematological parameters. The results of this study show a significant decrease (p<0.05) in white blood cells (WBC) in the lot treated with the combination (0.25 mg/kg Cd + 012 mg/kg Hg) and also indicate a significant decrease (p<0.05) in WBC, red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) with high levels of mercury (2.5 mg/kg) and the combination (2.5 mg/kg Cd + 1.2 mg/kg Hg). An increase in the number of platelet count (PLT) in all intoxicated lots was observed.Keywords: Cadmium, mercury, hematology, blood parameters, ratsAfrican Journal of BiotechnologyVol. 12(23), pp. 3731-373

Preliminary assessment of the contamination of the marine water and fish by trace metals in Cotonou (Benin)

Facing the problem of the pollution of the watery ecosystems world-wide, a preliminary assessment of the contamination of marine environment was performed on samples of water and fish coming from the Atlantic Ocean on the coasts of Cotonou. Aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) were quantified by electrochemicalatomic absorption spectrophotometer (Varian A300), in the Laboratory of Toxicology and Applied Hygiene /UFR of the Pharmaceutical Sciences (Bordeaux-France). Results show that acceptable limits are exceeded for cadmium and chromium in the fish. Aluminium, lead and copper should nevertheless be supervised. These findings evidence of the pollutionof the marine environment by toxic metals along the Benin. This survey also permits us to conclude some fish, so important in the food of the populations of Benin, are unfortunately unfit to the consumption and therefore, would be to the origin of human health problems.Keywords : Benin, marine pollution, toxic metals, fish quality

Direct detection and identification of Mycobacterium ulcerans in clinical specimens by PCR and oligonucleotide-specific capture plate hybridization.

We compared various diagnostic tests for their abilities to detect Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in specimens from patients with clinically active disease. Specimens from 10 patients from the area of Zangnanado (Department of Zou, Benin) with advanced, ulcerated active M. ulcerans infections were studied by direct smear, histopathology, culture, PCR, and oligonucleotide-specific capture plate hybridization (OSCPH). A total of 27 specimens, including 12 swabs of exudate collected before debridement and 15 fragments of tissue obtained during debridement, were submitted to bacteriologic and histopathologic analysis. The histopathologic evaluation of tissues from all six patients so tested revealed changes typical of those caused by M. ulcerans infection. Five specimens were contaminated, and M. ulcerans was cultivated on Löwenstein-Jensen medium from 12 of the remaining 22 (54.5%) specimens. Detection of mycobacteria was performed by PCR, and M. ulcerans was detected by OSCPH with a new probe (5'-CACGGGATTCATGTCCTGT-3') reacting with M. ulcerans and Mycobacterium marinum. In 10 of 22 (45.5%) specimens, M. ulcerans was identified by PCR-OSCPH. There was no statistically significant difference between the detection of M. ulcerans by culture and by PCR-OSCPH (P > 0.05). This is the first demonstration of an amplification system (PCR-OSCPH) with a sensitivity similar to that of culture for the direct and rapid recognition of M. ulcerans in clinical specimens. This system is capable of identifying M. ulcerans, even in paucibacillary lesions. Our findings suggest that PCR-OSCPH should be used in the quest for the elusive environmental reservoir(s) of M. ulcerans