60 research outputs found
Prevalence Of Sickle Haemoglobin And Glucose–6–Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency Genes In The Populations Of North West And South West Provinces, Cameroon
Hereditary disorders of erythrocytes are common in many areas of the world, including Cameroon Limited knowledge on the consequences of high incidences of sickle haemoglobin (HbS) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency genes in the Cameroons might have been responsible for the haemoglobin genotype mismatched marriages among the sickle heterozygotes and drug-induced anaemia among the G6PD deficient individuals ignorantly treated wth oxidant drugs having high redox potential. The situation therefore, informed the random screening of the populace of the North West and South West populatons of Cameroon for these genes wth a view not only to reveal their current incidences and level of interaction but also to educate the people onthe consequences of these genetic defects. Our results revealed the total incidences of 32.20 % sickle and 1161 % G6PD deficiency genes. The percentage frequency of the sickle cell gene was higher in the South western (1880 %) than in the North West (1451 %) populations. The percentage incidence o G6PD deficiency was 921 % and 120 % for males and females respectvely in the North West and 10.85 % and 1.46 % for males and females respectively in the South West. The interaction was not sgnificant (P > 0.01) between G6PD deficiency and HbS for the North West and South West populatons. These genetic defects must have reached polymorphiclevels due to natural selection through survival advantage against death from malaria and consanguineous marriages. Keywords: Sickle cell gene, G6PD Deficiency gene, Prevalence, CameroonAnimal Research International Vol. 3 (3) 2006 pp. 581-58
Influence Of Sickle Heterozygous Status And Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency On The Clinico-haematolgoical Profile Of Plasmodium Falciparum -infected Children
Sickle haemoglobin (HbS) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)
enzyme deficiency genes are known to offer reliable protection against
falciparum malaria in malaria endemic areas of the world. However, the
mechanism of protection is not yet completely understood. In this
study, we investigated the contribution of HbS and G6PD enzyme
deficiency status in ameliorating the severity of malaria attack by
comparing the clinical symptoms, parasitaemia and haematological
profiles of Plasmodium falciparum -infected volunteer children. The
selected group of children, G6PD deficient sickle heterozygotes (HbAS)
(n = 5), G6PD non-deficient HbAS (n = 30), G6PD deficient dominant
homozygotes (HbAA) (n = 10) and G6PD non-deficient HbAA (n = 30) were
monitored for a period of one year with a view to elucidating further
the involvement of HbS and G6PD enzyme deficiency in the protection of
children against plasmodial infection. Results revealed greater
severity (indicated by malarial anaemia), higher incidence of atypical
thrombocytopenia, high white blood cell (WBC) counts and significantly
higher (P < 0.05) parasite density and percentage parasitaemia in
G6PD non-deficient HbAA subjects compared to G6PD non-deficient HbAS,
G6PD deficient HbAS subject and G6PD deficient HbAA. Less severe
clinical malarial symptoms were also observed more in G6PD deficient
HbAS when compared to G6PD non-deficient HbAA subjects during malaria
attack. These results seem to indicate that inheriting both genetic
defects reduces the profligacy of malaria parasite and hence,
ameliorate the severity of acute falciparum malaria. Consequently,
selective advantage against fatal falciparum malaria seems to be
conferred since malarial anaemia, parasitaemia and severe malarial
symptoms were significantly reduced
Malnutrition in Sub – Saharan Africa: burden, causes and prospects
Malnutrition is estimated to contribute to more than one third of all child deaths, although it is rarely listed as the direct cause. Contributing to more than half of deaths in children worldwide; child malnutrition was associated with 54% of deaths in children in developing countries in 2001. Poverty remains the major contributor to this ill. The vicious cycle of poverty, disease and illness aggravates this situation. Grooming undernourished children causes children to start life at mentally sub optimal levels. This becomes a serious developmental threat. Lack of education especially amongst women disadvantages children, especially as far as healthy practices like breastfeeding and child healthy foods are concerned. Adverse climatic conditions have also played significant roles like droughts, poor soils and deforestation. Sociocultural barriers are major hindrances in some communities, with female children usually being the most affected. Corruption and lack of government interest and investment are key players that must be addressed to solve this problem. A multisectorial approach is vital in tackling this problem. Improvement in government policy, fight against corruption, adopting a horizontal approach in implementing programmes at community level must be recognized. Genetically modified foods to increase food production and to survive adverse climatic conditions could be gateways in solving these problems. Socio cultural peculiarities of each community are an essential base line consideration for the implementation of any nutrition health promotion programs.Key words: Malnutrition, Sub–Saharan Africa, corruption, multisectorial approac
Cure or control: complying with biomedical regime of diabetes in Cameroon
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of the study was to explore the cultural aspect of compliance, its underlying principles and how these cultural aspects can be used to improve patient centred care for diabetes in Cameroon.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used participant observation to collect data from a rural and an urban health district of Cameroon from June 2001 to June 2003. Patients were studied in their natural settings through daily interactions with them. The analysis was inductive and a continuous process from the early stages of fieldwork.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The ethnography revealed a lack of basic knowledge about diabetes and diabetes risk factors amongst people with diabetes. The issue of compliance was identified as one of the main themes in the process of treating diabetes. Compliance emerged as part of the discourse of healthcare providers in clinics and filtered into the daily discourses of people with diabetes. The clinical encounters offered treatment packages that were socially inappropriate therefore rejected or modified for most of the time by people with diabetes. Compliance to biomedical therapy suffered a setback for four main reasons: dealing with competing regimes of treatment; coming to terms with biomedical treatment of diabetes; the cost of biomedical therapy; and the impact of AIDS on accepting weight loss as a lifestyle measure in prescription packages. People with diabetes had fears about and negative opinions of accepting certain prescriptions that they thought could interfere with their accustomed social image especially that which had to do with bridging their relationship with ancestors and losing weight in the era of HIV/AIDS.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The cultural pressures on patients are responsible for patients' partial acceptance of and adherence to prescriptions. Understanding the self-image of patients and their background cultures are vital ingredients to improve diabetes care in low-income countries of Sub-Sahara Africa like Cameroon.</p
Sphingomyelinase inhibitory and free radical scavenging potential of selected Nigerian medicinal plant extracts
Ceramides from sphingolipid breakdown, and other sphingolipid
metabolites, mediate cellular signalling in infectious and other
diseases. Therefore, inhibitors of sphingomyelinases (SMases), hold
promise as prospective therapeutic agents. Considering the potential
therapeutic utility, this in vitro study explored the sphingomyelinase
inhibitory, and free radical scavenging potential of five Nigerian
medicinal plant leaf extracts, purported to have efficacy against
diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The extracts\u2019 sphingomyelinase
inhibitory potencies were assessed colorimetrically and theirfree
radical scavenging capabilities were assayed by the ability to quench
2,2\u2010diphenyl\u20101\u2010picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and
superoxide anion (O2.\u2010) radical. Considering their IC50
(\u3bcg/ml) values, the extracts inhibited the biochemical activity of
sphingomyelinase in a dose-dependent manner, relative to imipramine the
standard inhibitor (IC50 38.5 \ub1 2.4 \u3bcg/ml). With Aloe vera as
least inhibitory, inhibition increased as follows: Aloe vera
(Asphodelaceae) (1132 \ub1 10.8) < Senna siamea (Fabaceae)
(992.2 \ub1 11.2) < Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) (984 \ub1
7.4) < Landolphia owariensis (Apocynaceae) (146.3 \ub1 9.4) <
Stachytarpheta angustifolia (Verbenacae) (100.3 \ub1 8.7). DPPH
radical scavenging relative to ascorbic acid standard increased as: A.
indica < A. vera < S. siamea < S. angustifolia < L.
owariensis; and superoxide anion quenching, relative to standard rutin
increased as: A. vera < S. angustifolia < L. owariensis < S.
siamea < A. indica.These results showed thatthe most potent SMase
inhibitor was S. angustifolia; whereas, for DPPH radical scavenging and
superoxide inhibition, the most potent of the five extracts were L.
owariensis and A. indica respectively.These extracts deserve further
investigation into their biological effects
Abattoir-based estimates of mycobacterial infections in Cameroon
Mycobacteria cause major diseases including human tuberculosis, bovine tuberculosis and Johne’s disease. In livestock, the dominant species is M. bovis causing bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a disease of global zoonotic importance. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of Mycobacteria in slaughter cattle in Cameroon. A total of 2,346 cattle were examined in a cross-sectional study at four abattoirs in Cameroon. Up to three lesions per animal were collected for further study and a retropharyngeal lymph node was collected from a random sample of non-lesioned animals. Samples were cultured on Lowenstein Jensen media and the BACTEC MGIT 960 system, and identified using the Hain® Genotype kits. A total of 207/2,346 cattle were identified with bTB-like lesions, representing 4.0% (45/1,129), 11.3% (106/935), 23.8% (38/160) and 14.8% (18/122) of the cattle in the Bamenda, Ngaoundere, Garoua and Maroua abattoirs respectively. The minimum estimated prevalence of M. bovis was 2.8% (1.9–3.9), 7.7% (6.1–9.6), 21.3% (15.2–28.4) and 13.1% (7.7–20.4) in the four abattoirs respectively. One M. tuberculosis and three M. bovis strains were recovered from non-lesioned animals. The high prevalence of M. bovis is of public health concern and limits the potential control options in this setting without a viable vaccine as an alternative
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Differential susceptibility of Onchocerca volvulus microfilaria to ivermectin in two areas of contrasting history of mass drug administration in Cameroon: relevance of microscopy and molecular techniques for the monitoring of skin microfilarial repopulation within six months of direct observed treatment
Background
Ivermectin is an excellent microfilaricide against Onchocerca volvulus. However, in some regions, long term use of ivermectin has resulted in sub-optimal responses to the treatment. More data to properly document the phenomenon in various contexts of ivermectin mass drug administration (IVM-MDA) is needed. Also, there is a need to accurately monitor a possible repopulation of skin by microfilariae following treatment. Skin snip microscopy is known to have a low sensitivity in individuals with light infections, which can be the case following treatment. This study was designed with two complementary objectives: (i) to assess the susceptibility of O. volvulus microfilariae to ivermectin in two areas undergoing IVM-MDA for different lengths of time, and (ii) to document the repopulation of skin by the O. volvulus microfilariae following treatment, using 3 independent diagnostic techniques.
Method
Identified microfilaridermic individuals were treated with ivermectin and re-examined after 1, 3, and 6 months using microscopy, actin real-time PCR (actin-qPCR) and O-150 LAMP assays. Susceptibility to ivermectin and trends in detecting reappearance of skin microfilariae were determined using three techniques. Microscopy was used as an imperfect gold standard to determine the performance of actin-qPCR and LAMP.
Results
In Bafia with over 20 years of IVM-MDA, 11/51 (21.6%) direct observe treated microfilaridemic participants were still positive for skin microfilariae after 1 month. In Melong, with 10 years of IVM-MDA, 2/29 (6.9%) treated participants were still positive. The microfilarial density reduction per skin biopsy within one month following treatment was significantly lower in participants from Bafia.
In both study sites, the molecular techniques detected higher proportions of infected individuals than microscopy at all monitoring time points. LAMP demonstrated the highest levels of sensitivity and real-time PCR was found to have the highest specificity.
Conclusion
Patterns in skin mirofilariae clearance and repopulation were established. O. volvulus worms from Bafia with higher number of annual MDA displayed a lower clearance and higher repopulation rate after treatment with ivermectin. Molecular assays displayed higher sensitivity in monitoring O. volvulus microfilaridemia within six months following treatment
Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Brucellosis among Indigenous Cattle in the Adamawa and North Regions of Cameroon
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