Urinary Schistosomiasis and Its Potential for Cancer and Hepato-Renal Function Alterations among the Residents of Asejire Dam, South-Western Nigeria

Urinary schistosomiasis is of public health significance in sub-Saharan Africa with its prevalence being linked to carcinogenesis. However, there is a paucity of data to support this relationship. This study explored the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infections and its associations with cancer and hepatorenal function alterations in villages along the Asejire dam in the State of Osun, Nigeria. Urine samples from 152 consented participants (aged 18–75 years) from four communities were collected and examined for Schistosoma haematobium using the microscopy method. The blood serum of randomly selected infected and non-infected individuals (10 per group) was screened for tumor, inflammatory and hepato-renal function biomarkers. From the results, only one out of the four communities recorded cases of schistosomiasis with a prevalence of 26.5% (22/83) and overall infection prevalence was 14.47% (22/152). There was no statistical difference (p ˃ 0.05) in kidney, liver antioxidants, and lipid peroxidation markers in the infected and non–infected participants. The concentrations of antioxidants, inflammatory, and tumor markers were higher in Schistosoma infected individuals as compared with non-infected individuals. This justifies the need to monitor schistosomiasis-infected individuals for tumor, inflammatory and hepato-renal function biomarkers before they develop into cancer, liver, and kidney failure. Keywords:    Urinary Schistosomiasis; tumor; and inflammatory markers; antioxidants; hepato-renal function; Asejire dam Nigeri

Biting behaviour of Simulium damnosum complex and Onchocerca volvulus infection along the Osun River, Southwest Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies on biting behaviours and infectivity status of insect vectors are pre-requisites in understanding the epidemiology of the vector- borne diseases and planning effective control measures. A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate the transmission index of <it>Simulium damnosum </it>complex species along Osun River, South Western Nigeria. Adult flies were collected on human attractants from 07:00 to 18:00 hours for two consecutive days from February 2008 to June 2009 at three communities: Osun Eleja, Osun Ogbere and Osun Budepo. The infectivity rate was determined by dissection and Polymerase Chain Reaction amplification (PCR) of 0-150 genes of <it>Onchocerca </it>parasite using the pool screening technique.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results indicated that the majority of the flies collected at the three sampling points were nulliparous as they accounted for 53.90%, 57.86% and 59.58% of the flies dissected at Osun Budepo, Osun Ogbere and Osun Eleja, respectively. The parous rate was higher during the dry season than the wet season but the difference was not statistically significant (<it>p </it>< 0.05). The biting activity of the parous flies showed two peaks at Osun Budepo and three peaks at Osun Eleja and Osun Ogbere. Of the 1,472 flies dissected and 1,235 flies screened by molecular method, none was infected with <it>Onchocerca </it>parasite at the three sampling points however the annual biting rates at the three communities were higher than 1,000 considered as tolerable value for a person living in an onchocerciasis zone by Word Health Organization.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study has provided the baseline data for further study on onchocerciasis transmission dynamics and the need to intercept man- simuliid vector contact at the study area.</p

Aedes albopictus in northeast Mexico: An update on adult distribution and first report of parasitism by Ascogregarina taiwanensis

ABSTRACT Background &amp; objectives: Aedes albopictus has been known as efficient vector of dengue in Asian countries and its wide displacement of Ae. aegypti has been documented in many parts of the world. The present survey was carried out to update the distribution of Ae. albopictus in northeast Mexico and to report the first record of parasitism of mosquitoes by Ascogregarina taiwanensis in Mexico

Biting behaviour and infectivity of Simulium damnosum complex with Onchocerca parasite in Alabameta, Osun State, Southwestern, Nigeria.

A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate species composition, seasonal abundance, parity and transmission potential of Simulium damnosum complex in Alabameta community in Osun State, Southwestern, Nigeria. Adult Simulium damnosum complex were collected along Owena River, Alabameta, by two dark complexioned vector collectors from 07:00hr to 18:00hr weekly using collecting tubes from November 2014 to April 2015. The flies were morphologically identified and dissected for the purpose of detecting Onchocerca parasite using dissecting microscope. The Monthly Biting Rate (MBR) of flies was determined using World Health Organization standard formula. A total of four hundred and forty flies were collected during the study period with all of them identified as forest species of Simulium damnosum complex. There was significant variation in monthly collection of the flies with the month of November having the highest number of flies (194) (44%) while the month of April recorded the lowest number of flies (31) (7%) (p<0.05). The morning biting peak (09hr - 11hr) (137) was higher than the evening biting peak (15hr -17hr) (64) (p<0.05) while nulliparous flies (294) (67%) were more abundant than the parous flies (146) (33%) (p<0.05). There was absence of infection (zero infectivity) of the flies (p<0.05). The zero infectivity in the flies may plausibly indicate the possibility of zero transmission of Onchocerca parasite in the community which if sustained over a period of time may signify the possibility of onchocerciasis elimination. Also, the presence of forest species of the flies reduces the risk of resident's intense exposure to blinding savannah strain of onchocerciasis

Investigating insecticide susceptibility status of adult mosquitoes against some class of insecticides in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria.

The study evaluates the resistance and susceptibility of adult female Anopheles gambiae s. l., Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes sourced within Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria to four groups of insecticides [Permethrin, Deltamethrin, Pirimiphos-methyl and DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)] and the distribution of their larval habitat within the metropolis. Mosquito larvae of the three genera were collected during the wet season and reared to adult stage in the laboratory. Emerged adult female mosquitoes were exposed to insecticide impregnated papers of the four insecticide groups for 60mins using WHO kits to determine the knock down rate (kdr). Thereafter, they were transferred into holding tubes and left for 24hrs to assess their resistance and susceptibility according to the WHO protocol. Four types of larval habitats were identified (tires, ground pools, gutters and plastic containers). Anopheles gambiae s. l. showed the highest resistance to Permethrin (49%) (p = 0.04, p<0.05) while the highest susceptibility was recorded with Pirimiphos-methyl (69%) with the lowest against Permethrin (16%) (P = 0.002; p<0.05). The highest resistance of A. aegypti was against OC-Control (45%) (p = 0.031; p<0.05). Permethrin had the highest susceptibility (60%) against A. aegypti while OC-control had the lowest (11%) (p = 0.005; p< 0.05). Culex quinquefasciatus had a lower resistance to OC-control (38%) as compared with Aedes aegypti (45%). However, it was least susceptible to Pirimiphos-methyl (52%) and DDT (17%) respectively (p = 0.013; p<0.05). The susceptibility of A. gambiae s. l. and C. quinquefasciatus to Pirimiphos-methyl and A. aegypti to Permethrin is an indication of the possibility of success if employed for vector control of A. gambiae s. l., C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti respectively. This could be through their inclusion as active ingredients in insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spray (IRS) with a view to abating malaria and other life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases constituting global public health scourge

Host-seeking Aedes aegypti linked to dengue seropositive households at northeasternMexico

Background & objectives: Dengue is endemic in the cities along the USA-Mexico border where accurate interventions against Aedesaegypti are required to curb transmission. Here, we examined the link of 11 entomological variables with households (HHs) seropositive(Y=1) or seronegative (Y=0) depending on the proportion of seropositive participants/total participants per HH, and identified the DENVserotypes in mosquito vectors. Methods: Three entomologic (spring, summer and fall) and two serologic surveys (spring and fall) wereconducted in 77 HHs in Reynosa, Mexico in 2014. Water-filled containers, larvae and pupae were recorded per HH, with adult Ae. aegypti captured with a backpack aspirator and in human landing collections (HLC). In spring and fall we determined the incidence of IgG and IgMdengue antibodies per HH, and the DENV serotypes in mosquitoes collected indoors. Results: The surveyed HHs were infested with 1573female and 1142 male Ae. aegypti. About 56% and 46% of 322 residents were participants in spring and fall, respectively resulting 117 and95 positive cases for IgG/IgM, in 68% and 62% of seropositive HHs. Recent transmission occurred at 8% HHs with three IgM-positive participants and three IgG seroconversions, and all seropositive samples were for DENV-2. A multivariate analysis showed that the host-seeking females (HSFs) (339) were the only explanatory variable linked to 48 seropositive HHs in the fall, with the 85% (289) clumped in 24HHs. Further, the HSFs were correlated linearly with the number of IgG/IgM cases/HH where an increase in 50 mosquitoes matched to oneIgG/IgM case. Finally, DENV-2 was found highly amplified (107 RNA copies/ml) in one pool of 10 male Ae. aegypti, and at 3.40 Log 10 4 in one male Ae. albopictus. Interpretation & conclusion: Dengue transmission is stable in the examined HHs. Abundance of HSF Ae.aegypti was associated to seropositive HHs, and summing our results to the literature, the four DENV serotypes circulate in humans and vectors at the bordering corridor of Reynosa - Matamoros, Mexico, where indoor interventions against HSFs in August-September are needed to halt viral amplification and transmission

Original and modified Esperanza trap designs.

<p>Panel A: Original acrylic sandwich design. Panel B: Modified tarpaulin design.</p

Mean (± Standard Error) of the number of flies caught by the five individual traps in coffee plantation (bars in white) and village (bars in grey).

<p>Collections among the traps at each site were compared in a pairwise fashion and the statistical significance of differences between the paired trap collections assessed using a t-test. Means with the same letter were not significantly different (p>0.05).</p

Performance of the original and tarpaulin based trap designs.

<p>Symbols present the mean and error bars of the standard error of collections taken over a three-day period. Open circles = collections by the original acrylic sandwich design. Solid circles = collections by the modified tarpaulin based design. Open triangles = human landing collections.</p

Mean ± standard error (SE) of the daily number of <i>Simulium ochraceum s.l.</i> captured over 60 days.

1<p>Flies/trap/day.</p>2<p>Flies/team/day.</p><p>Mean ± standard error (SE) of the daily number of <i>Simulium ochraceum s.l.</i> captured over 60 days.</p