Molecular identification of rotavirus strains associated with diarrhea among children in Kwara State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to determine the molecular characteristics of the rotavirus strains associated with diarrhea among children in Kwara state, Nigeria. A total of 150 stool samples were collected from diarrheic children. The stool samples were screened for rotavirus,using Enzyme linked  Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nine (9) stool samples were positive 6%. The prevalence of rotavirus infection according to sex was as follows: Male 3.30% and Female 2.70%. The distribution of infection according to age of the children was as follows; <1-2 years 4% and 3-5 years had 2%. The prevalence of infection in dry months was 4.7% while in wet months it was1.3%. Chi-square test revealed that there was no relationship between the rate of infection and factors such as age and sex of the children except seasonal variations. Molecular identification of the virus indicated P4, P6, G1 and G8 as the common genotypes of rotavirus in Kwara State. Morehospital and community base investigations should be conducted to  ascertain the diversity of the virus in Kwara State.Keywords: Genotypes, prevalence, rotavirus, gastro-enteritis, Enzyme linked immunosorbent, Kwara State

Antibacterial activity of Euphorbia hirta against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris

This investigation was conducted to determine the in-vitro effect of  aqueous, ethanol and methanol crude extracts of Euphorbia hirta at concentrations ranging from 10mg/ml – 100mg/ml against three pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris) using cup plate method. The extracts showed  appreciable inhibitory effect (6-11mm and 2-20mm) on Streptococcus  pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris when compared to the positive control (penicillin). Klebsiella pneumoniae was resistant to all the extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was between 60mg/ml – 80mg/ml on Streptococcus pneumoniae and 60mg/ml-100mg/ml on Proteus vulgaris. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was between 90-100mg/ml on Streptococcus pneumoniae and 100mg/ml on Proteus vulgaris. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins,  flavonoids, cardiac glycosides and volatile oils. The result from this  preliminary study suggests that the plant contains active compounds that could be used for the development of drug for the treatment of ailments associated with the test organisms. More work needs to be done on the separation and purification of active compounds in the plant extract in order to determine the role of each compound in the crude extracts. Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Euphorbia hirta, Crude extracts, Bacterial isolates

Stability Analysis of a Mathematical Model for Onchocerciaisis Disease Dynamics

In this work, we propose a Deterministic Mathematical Model that Combines Infectious but not Blind and Infectious Blind Compartments for Onchocerciasis Transmission and Control. Onchocerciasis is usually the term used to describe river blindness, it is a disease that causes blindness, and the second largest cause of blindness after trachoma. It mainly affects the eyes and the skin. The equilibrium states of the model are obtained. The disease free equilibrium state is analysed for stability; the condition for its stability is obtained as an inequality constraint on the parameters. Results shows that although, a 60% treatment coverage rate of infected and infectious blind individuals only is better than 80% treatment coverage rate of infected but not blind individuals only. Also, all the four control strategies reduce the effective reproduction number below unity. A 40% coverage rate of fumigation and treatment of infectious but not blind is better than a 40%coverage rate of fumigation only. It further reveals that a 30% coverage rate of fumigation and treatment of infectious blind is better than 80%coverage rate of fumigation only or fumigation and treatment of infected but not blind only. We are able to show that disease free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium exists and are both locally and globally stable, and we computed the Rc of the model and showed that it is a parameter to test for stability, we also use the Jacobi stability technique to show that disease free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium are both locally and globally stable. The sensitivity analysis results shows that the most sensitive parameter is ρ while the least sensitive is  μvKeywords: Onchocerciasis, Mathematical model, Equilibrium state, Deterministic, Effective reproductive number, Stability

Local Stability Analysis of an Infection-Age Mathematical Model for Tuberculosis Disease Dynamics

An infection age structured mathematical model for tuberculosis disease dynamics is investigated in this paper. The infectious population is structured according to time and age of infection. An explicit formula for the basic reproductive number, R0 of the model is obtained. We showed that the disease-free equilibrium (DFE) state is locally asymptotically stable if R0 < 1 and unstable if otherwise. This simply means that tuberculosis could be controlled in a population when the basic reproduction number is less than unity.Keywords: Basic reproduction number; Infection-age; Local Stability; Tuberculosi

Antifungal effect of Calotropis procera stem bark on Epidermophyton flocosum and Trichophyton gypseum

The antifugal activities of aqueous extract of Calotropics procera was determined against Epidermophyton flocosum and Tricophyton gypseum using agar diffusion techniques. The crude extract of C. procera showed activity on E. flocosum and T. gypseum at 4.0 mg/ml. The result ofminimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 0.5 and 0.9 mg/ml and that of minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was 2.0 and 4.0 mg/ml, respectively. The result of the Ames test indicated that the crude extract is not mutagenic. Phytochemical screening of the crude extract revealed the presence of saponin, tannins, sequiterpene and alkaloids. The results of the study suggest that C. procera stem could be a potential source of chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of tinea associated with E.flocosum and T. gypseum

Epidemiology and Molecular Identification of Rotavirus Strains Associated With Gastroenteritis in Children in Niger State

The study was conducted to determine the genetic diversity of the rotaviruses associated with gastroenteritis in children in Niger State. A total of 150 stool samples were collected from diarrheic children (0 – 5 yrs) in four hospitals (Minna, Bida, Suleja and Kontagora ) in Niger State. The stool samples were screened for rotavirus, using Enzyme linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Eight stool samples were positive (5.33%). The prevalence of the disease according to sex of the children was as follows; male (4%) and female (1.33%). The prevalence of gastroenteritis according to water source was distributed as follows; pipe borne (2%), bore hole (1.33%), and river/stream (2%). The prevalence of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children according to the breast feeding was as follows; exclusively breastfed children had (2%) and those breastfed only recorded (3.33%). Molecular identification of the virus revealed the presence of the following genotypes: P6 (22%), G1 (22%), G2 (33%), and G8 (22%) in the study area. Keywords: Molecular characteristics, rotavirus strains, gastroenteritis, children, prevalence, genotypesNigerian Journal of Technological Research, 8(2), 201

Changes In Serum Electrolyte Levels In Typhoid Fever Patients Attending Minna General Hospital

Typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica, subspecies enterica, serotype Typhi, which is mostly contracted through the ingestion of food or water contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. Serum sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate levels were determined in sixty patients with established typhoid fever attending General Hospital Minna, using Spectrophotometric method. The case studies included 15 adult-males, 15 adult-females, 15 male-children, and 15 female-children. The mean ± standard deviation of serum Na+, K+, Cl-, and HCO32- in the sixty patients were 116.11 ± 20.65mmol/L; 3.40 ± 0.90mmol/L ; 87.13 ± 16.34mmol/L; and 24.10 ± 5.54 mmol/L respectively. When compared with the controls and the laboratory reported normal values, 50% of the patients were found to be hyponatraemic, 51% were hypochloraemic, 36% were hypokalaemic, while 11% had metabolic acidosis. Results based on sex showed insignificant difference between males and females for all electrolytes determined (p< 0.05). An insignificant difference was also observed between children and adult patients for all parameters determined (p< 0.05). In addition, weak positive correlations were observed between cations and anions determined in this study. The results obtained in this study showed that electrolytes abnormalities existed in patients with established typhoid fever attending General Hospital Minna, Niger state, NigeriaKeywords: Typhoid fever, Salmonella enterica, serotype typhi, hyponatraemia, hypochloraemia, hypokalaemia, metabolic acidosi