Species Composition and Plasmodium falciparum Infection Rates of Anopheles gambiae s.l. Mosquitoes in Six Localities of Kwara State, North Central, Nigeria

Entomological data gathering is essential for monitoring malaria vector disease risks and selection of appropriate interventions for the protection of exposed human populations. This study assessed the relative abundance, species composition, and sporozoite infection rates of indoor resting An. gambiae s.l. malaria vectors in six communities across 3 Local Government Areas in Kwara State, Nigeria. Total number of mosquitoes collected by Pyrethrum Spray Catch method over a period of eighth months were correlated with rainfall values in the area. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infection rates and sibling species identification of collected An. gambiae s.l. mosquito samples were determined by ELISA and PCR respectively. Results showed a positive correlation (r = 0.639, p = 0.08) between rainfall and numbers of Anopheles mosquitoes in the study areas. The overall composition of the An. gambiae s.l sibling species in the collected samples from all the six communities showed the predominance of An. gambiae s.s 298 (75.3%) compared to An. coluzzii 94(23.7%) and An. arabiensis 4(1.0%). However, the sporozoite infection rate of An. coluzzii (22.3%) was higher compared to An. gambiae s.s (12.8%) and An. arabiensis (0%). Mean numbers of An. gambiae s.l mosquitoes were significantly higher in Ilorin west LGA compared to Asa (F = 17.81, P < 0.001) and Ilorin East LGAs (F = 22.81, P < 0.001). Sporozoite rates of both An. gambiae s.s and An. coluzzii sibling species were higher in Ilorin West communities (Aiyede 21%, Ogundele 32%) compared to Asa (Idi Emi 11.1%, Lasoju 5.1%) and Ilorin East (Oke Oyi 2.4%, Ote-efan 0%) communities. Prevalence of sporozoite-infected An. gambiae s.s and An. coluzzii indoors highlight the need for effective insecticide treated bed-nets interventions to protect the residents from malaria risks. Higher numbers of An. coluzzii in the swampy rice marshed Ilorin West LGA communities require larval source management as an additional strategy for effective malaria vector control

Ethylene glycol and plantain peel fraction ripened with calcium carbide inhibit reproductive mediators in male rats

The application of artificial fruit ripeners has become a great burden to the public health clinicians. This study assessed the toxicity effect of ethylene glycol (EOGH) and plantain peel fraction ripened with calcium carbide (CaC2) on male reproductive functions. Forty male rats were divided into five groups (n = 8). Group 1 received distilled water only; group 2 received 200 mg/m3 ethylene glycol; group 3 received 1000 mg/kg of CaC2; group 4 received 200 mg/kg plantain peel extract (PPE) and group 5 received 200 mg/kg plantain-peel extract ripened with CaC2 (PPECC). The exposure via oral route lasted for 14 days. Sub-acute exposure of male rats to ethylene glycol, CaC2 and PPECC elicited spermatogenic lesions through significant (p < 0.05) depletion of testosterone level, daily sperm production, sperm motility, live sperm and sperm count with elevated sperm deformity and testicular 51-nucleotidase activity upon exposure to ethylene-glycol, CaC2 and PPECC in relation to PPE. Also, exposure to ethylene glycol, CaC2 and PPECC remarkably increased testicular MDA content and serum AST, ALT and ALP activities which predisposes to spermatogenic abnormalities. Altogether, application of PPECC is suggested as one of the risk factors of liver failure associated with reproductive disruption in rat model

Longitudinal associations of active renal disease with irreversible organ damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective: To examine longitudinal associations of active lupus nephritis with organ damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: This study was performed using data from a large multinational prospective cohort. Active lupus nephritis at any visit was defined by the presence of urinary casts, proteinuria, haematuria or pyuria, as indicated by the cut-offs in the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)-2K, collected at each visit. Organ damage accrual was defined as a change of SLICC-ACR Damage Index (SDI) score >0 units between baseline and final annual visits. Renal damage accrual was defined if there was new damage recorded in renal SDI domains (estimated glomerular filtration rate 3.5 g per 24 h/end-stage kidney disease). Time-dependent hazard regression analyses were used to examine the associations between active lupus nephritis and damage accrual. Results: Patients (N = 1735) were studied during 12,717 visits for a median (inter-quartile range) follow-up period of 795 (532, 1087) days. Forty per cent of patients had evidence of active lupus nephritis at least once during the study period, and active lupus nephritis was observed in 3030 (24%) visits. Forty-eight per cent of patients had organ damage at baseline and 14% accrued organ damage. Patients with active lupus nephritis were 52% more likely to accrue any organ damage compared with those without active lupus nephritis (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 1.97), p < 0.02). Active lupus nephritis was strongly associated with damage accrual in renal but not in non-renal organ domains (hazard ratios = 13.0 (95% CI: 6.58, 25.5) p < 0.001 and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.32) p = 0.8, respectively). There was no effect of ethnicity on renal damage accrual, but Asian ethnicity was significantly associated with reduced non-renal damage accrual. Conclusion: Active lupus nephritis measured using the SLEDAI-2K domain cut-offs is associated with renal, but not non-renal, damage accrual in SLE. © The Author(s) 2019