Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: investigating the uptake and utilization of maternal and child health services in Tiko health district, Cameroon

Introduction: despite evidence that interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV are effective in ensuring a healthy child and keeping mothers alive, there are many challenges to achieving successful interventions in Cameroon. The study was conducted to investigate factors that affect access to and utilization of maternal and child health (MCH) and PMTCT services among women in Tiko health district in Cameroon. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study on women of reproductive age who had experienced a pregnancy using a self-administered, structured questionnaire, in health facilities offering PMTCT services and in communities within the district. Results: four hundred and thirteen women were interviewed. The majority, 98.4%, of them attended antenatal care (ANC) during their most recent pregnancy. Of these women, 87.4% of them made at least four ANC visits. HIV testing during the first visit among the ANC attendees was 85.5%.  Approximately, 92.1% of women who tested for HIV received their results on the same day. All participants reported to have given birth in a health facility during their most recent pregnancy. No education (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.11; 95% CI 0.01-0.83) and acquisition of primary education (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.06-0.88) was associated with better male partner involvement in PMTCT. Conclusion: the uptake of MCH/PMTCT services was high in this study. Further exploration of these levels is warranted so that this model of care and engagement can be replicated in other parts of the country where uptake is low

Clonal variations in seed characters and germination in Hevea brasiliensis

The principal form of dissemination for most plant species is seeds, an important source of biodiversity conservation. For rubber plantations, seeds are the initial material for seedling production. In Cameroon, there is limited information related to clonal seed characterisation and early growth performance. This study sorts to characterise Hevea brasiliensis seeds from GT 1, PR 107, PB 217, PB 235, and PB 260 clones and evaluate the germination rate and seedling early growth characteristics to enable planning for nursery management. Clone GT 1 had the highest seed length (3.98 cm), seed kernel weight (3.4 g) and total seed weight (4.75 g). Clone PB 235 had the heaviest shell (1.96 g). There was no significant correlation between seed size, germination percentage and early seedling growth for the different clones. Clone PR 107 had the lowest per cent seed germination, with just 55 per cent of its seed germinating after two weeks, whereas clone PB 217 had the highest seed germination (92.5%). Seedling height, seed germination percentage and shell weight were significantly correlated. The results of this study provide some useful information for rubber nursery managers

Investigations on the nutritional status of Hevea brasiliensis plantations in the humid forest zone of CameroonPart 2: Establishment of macro nutrient norms

Zur Bewertung optimaler Nährstoffkonzentrationen für bessere und nachhaltige Erträge werden Nährstoffstandards benötigt. Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Ableitung von optimalen Nährstoffkonzentrationen in Böden und Pflanzen für Hevea brasiliensis in der Feuchtwaldzone von Kamerun. Zwischen August 2010 und August 2011 wurde eine Bestandsaufnahme der Nährstoffgehalte in mehreren Gummibaum-Anbaugebieten Kameruns durchgeführt. Boden- und Pflanzenproben wurden zwecks Untersuchung der Makronährstoffgehalte gesammelt. Unter Verwendung der Makronährstoffkonzentrationen und Erträge wurden „boundary lines“ kalkuliert und mittels polynomischer Funktionen 2. Ordnung beschrieben. Durch Gleichsetzung der ersten Ableitung der errechneten Gleichungen mit null wurden folgende optimal Blatt-Nährstoffgehalte für Hevea brasiliensis ermittelt: 3,5% N, 0,31% P, 1,53% K, 0,28% Mg und 0,83% Ca. Für Böden ergaben sich optimale Gehalte von 3,1% organisches C, 0,18% N, 5,9 mg/kg P, 262 mg/kg K, 432 mg/kg Ca und 16 mg/kg Mg. Diese Gehalte wurden errechnet, inem die „boundary line“-Gleichung bei 95% des optimalen Er­trages gelöst wurde. Die ermittelten Optimalgehalte für Hevea brasiliensis unterschieden sich größtenteils deutlich von jenen, die Studien in anderen Regionen ergeben hatten. Dies zeigt, dass für eine effective Nährstoffdiagnose lokal ermittelte Richtlinien verwendet werden sollten. Die hier ermittelten Richtlinien werden zukünftig zur Bewertung des Nährstoffstatus von Hevea brasiliensis-Plantagen in Kamerun verwendet.    Standard nutrient values are needed for the assessment of optimum nutrient concentrations for improved and sustained yields. The aim of this study was to establish optimum soil and plant nutrient values for Hevea brasiliensis in the humid forest region of Cameroon. A nutrient survey was carried out during August 2010 and August 2011 in some rubber growing zones of Cameroon. Both soil and leaf samples were collected for the determination of their macronutrient contents. Using the macro­nutrient concentrations and yield data, boundary lines were calculated. These boundary lines were described by second degree polynomials. Equating the first derivative of the second degree polynomial equations to zero, the following optimum nutrient values 3.5%, 0.31%, 1.53%, 0.28% and 0.83% were obtained for N, P, K, Mg and Ca, respectively, for Hevea leaves. On the other hand, the optimum soil nutrient levels were 3.1% for organic carbon, 0.18% for N, 5.9 mg/kg for P, 262. mg/kg for K, 432 mg/kg for Ca and 16 mg/kg for soil Mg. The optimum soil and plant nutrient ranges were obtained by solving the boundary line equation at 95% of the optimum yield. The optimum nutrient values for Hevea brasiliensis obtained in this study were to a large extent different from those obtained in studies elsewhere. This is an indication that for effective nutrient diagnosis, locally derived norms should be used. Those local nutrient norms will be used for nutrient assessment in Hevea plantations in Cameroon.   &nbsp

Prevalence of six viruses in potato seed tubers produced in informal seed system in the North West Region of Cameroon.

Evidence has accumulated that there is a trade-off between benefits and costs associated with rapid growth. A trade-off between growth rates and critical. swimming speed (U-crit) had been also reported to be common in teleost fish. We hypothesize that growth acceleration in the F-3 generation of "all-fish" growth hormone gene (GH) transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) would reduce the swimming abilities. Growth and swimming performance between transgenic fish and non-transgenic controls were) compared. The results showed that transgenic fish had a mean body weight 1.4-1.9-fold heavier, and a mean specific growth rate (SGR) value 6%-10% higher than the controls. Transgenic fish, however, had a mean absolute U-crit (cm/s) value 22% or mean relative Ucrit (BL/s) value 24% lower than the controls. It suggested that fast-growing "all-fish" GH-transgenic carp were inferior swimmers. It is also supported that there was a trade-off between growth rates and swimming performance, i.e. faster-growing individuals had lower critical swimming speed

Investigations on the nutritional status of Hevea brasiliensis plantations in the humid forest zone of CameroonPart 1: Micronutrient status and distribution in soils

Mikronährstoffe sind essentiell für das Wachstum von Pflanzen. Um Aussagen über die optimale Mikronährstoffversorgung von Hevea brasiliensis treffen zu können, wurden Mikronährstoffkonzentrationen ausgewählter Böden in Kamerun unter Hevea brasiliensis-Plantagen untersucht. Insgesamt wurden 130 Bodenproben auf ihre AAAc-EDTA-extrahierbaren Mikronährstoffkonzen­trationen, sowie pH-Wert und organische C-Gehalte hin analysiert. 62% der beprobten Standorte wiesen Mängel an extrahierbarem Zn auf, 15% an extrahierbarem Fe und 10% an extrahierbarem Cu. Dies zeigt, dass ein Hauptaugenmerk auf eine ausreichende Zn-Versorgung gerichtet werden sollte. AAAc-EDTA-extrahierbare Konzentrationen an Mn, Fe, Cu und Zn in den Böden variierten zwischen 0,3-128, 14-235, 0,49-24 und 0,3-12 mg/kg. Bezogen auf die mittleren Gehalte war die Reihenfolge der Konzentrationen wie folgt: Fe > Mn > Cu > Zn. Die Korrelationsanalyse zeigte, dass die AAAc-EDTA-extrahierbaren Cu- und Fe-Gehalte signifikant positiv mit den Gehalten an organischem C korrelierten. Darüber hinaus war eine positive Korre­lation der AAAc-EDTA-extrahierbaren Cu-, Mn- und Zn-Gehalte mit dem Boden-pH sowie zwischen Zn, Cu und Fe zu beobachten.    Micronutrients are very essential for plant growth. To make statements about the optimum micronutrient supply for Hevea brasiliensis, the micronutrient concentrations of selected soils in Cameroon under Hevea brasiliensis cultivation were studied. A total of 130 soil samples from plantations were collected and analyzed for their AAAc-EDTA-extractable micronutrient concentrations, pH and soil organic carbon. 62% of the sampled sites were deficient in extractable Zn, 15% in extractable Fe and 10% in extractable Cu. This shows that one main focus should be on a sufficient Zn-nutrition. AAAC-EDTA-extractable concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn in the soils varied from 0.3 to 128, 14 to 235, 0.49 to 24 and from 0.3 to 12 mg/kg. Considering their mean values, the order of abundance of the micronutrients was Fe > Mn > Cu > Zn. Simple correlation analysis revealed that the AAAc-EDTA-extractable Cu- and Fe-amounts are significantly and positively correlated with soil organic carbon. There also was a positive correlation between AAAc-EDTA-extractable Cu, Mn and Zn with the pH-value of the soil and between Zn and Cu and Fe.   &nbsp

Morphological and molecular identification of pathogenic fungi of Monodora myristica Dunal kernels and their response to different phytoextracts

Identification of fungi from calabash nutmeg kernels was based on their morphological characteristics and analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of their genomic DNA. Antifungal activity of aqueous,methanolic and ethanolic extracts of four plants species (Azadirachta indica, Citrus sinensis, Moringa oleifera and Tithonia diversifolia) was tested in vitro at 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg/ml for aqueous extracts and 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/ml for methanolic and ethanolic extracts. Mancozeb (1 mg/ml) and distilled water were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The most frequently isolated fungi were Cercospora purpurea (34.28%), Fusarium oxysporum (23.81%) and Aspergillus flavus (17.14%). C. purpurea and F. oxysporum isolates were more aggressive after inoculation on healthy kernels. All the extracts tested, inhibited the growth of the fungi compared to the negative control, except the aqueous extract of T. diversifolia against C. purpurea and F. oxysporum and the methanolic extract of M. oleifera against F. oxysporum at 75 mg/ml. The efficiency of aqueous extracts of M. oleifera and C. sinensis was significantly lower (P<0.05) as compared to the reference fungicide on growth of A. niger at 125 mg/ml. Antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of A. indica, C. sinensis and T. diversifolia as well as ethanolic extracts of A. indica and M. oleifera was significantly equal to mancozeb at 100 mg/ml on A. flavus. Aqueous extracts of M. oleifera and methanolic extracts of A. indica and C. sinensis could be used for protection of Monodora myristica kernels against post-harvest fungi

Rapid and specific detection of Yam mosaic virus by reverse-transcription recombinase polymerase amplification

Yam mosaic virus (YMV; genus Potyvirus) is considered to cause the most economically important viral disease of yams (Dioscorea spp.) in West Africa which is the dominant region for yam production globally. Yams are a vegetatively propagated crop and the use of virus-free planting material forms an essential component of disease control. Current serological and PCR-based diagnostic methods for YMV are time consuming involving a succession of target detection steps. In this study, a novel assay for specific YMV detection is described that is based on isothermal reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-exoRPA). This test has been shown to be reproducible and able to detect as little as 14 pg/μl of purified RNA obtained from an YMV-infected plant, a sensitivity equivalent to that obtained with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in current general use. The RT-exoRPA assay has, however, several advantages over the RT-PCR; positive samples can be detected in less than 30 min, and amplification only requires a single incubation temperature (optimum 37 °C). These features make the RT-exoRPA assay a promising candidate for adapting into a field test format to be used by yam breeding programmes or certification laboratories

Rapid detection of potyviruses from crude plant extracts

Potyviruses (genus Potyvirus; family Potyviridae) are widely distributed and represent one of the most economically important genera of plant viruses. Therefore, their accurate detection is a key factor in developing efficient control strategies. However, this can sometimes be problematic particularly in plant species containing high amounts of polysaccharides and polyphenols such as yam (Dioscorea spp.). Here, we report the development of a reliable, rapid and cost-effective detection method for the two most important potyviruses infecting yam based on reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA). The developed method, named ‘Direct RT-RPA’, detects each target virus directly from plant leaf extracts prepared with a simple and inexpensive extraction method avoiding laborious extraction of high-quality RNA. Direct RT-RPA enables the detection of virus-positive samples in under 30 min at a single low operation temperature (37 °C) without the need for any expensive instrumentation. The Direct RT-RPA tests constitute robust, accurate, sensitive and quick methods for detection of potyviruses from recalcitrant plant species. The minimal sample preparation requirements and the possibility of storing RPA reagents without cold chain storage, allow Direct RT-RPA to be adopted in minimally equipped laboratories and with potential use in plant clinic laboratories and seed certification facilities worldwide