Pro–inflammatory cytokines profiles in Nigerian pregnant women infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the pro-inflammatory cytokines profiles in in Nigerian pregnant women infected with Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria.MethodsPeripheral, and placental blood samples were collected from 96 consenting volunteers comprising 76 P. falciparium infected pregnant women and 20 healthy uninfected pregnant women in Ekpoma, Nigeria, and subjected to ELISA for cytokines evaluation.ResultsIncreased serum concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) was observed in infected pregnant women than their uninfected counterparts [(31.2±20.9) pg/mL vs (1.8±0.9) pg/mL] and these differences were statistically significant (χ2 = 26.18, P <0.05). The depressed levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) seen in peripheral blood of the infected pregnant women than the uninfected women [(13.9±3.6) pg/mL vs (28.4±5.28) pg/mL] respectively was not statistically significant (χ2 = 4.96, P >0.05). The interleukin -6 (IL-6) was significantly elevated in infected pregnant women (81.0±26.1 pg/mL) than in the uninfected pregnant women [(25.0±5.0) pg/mL] (χ2 = 29.58, P <0.05). In all, mean cytokines concentration of IL-6, IL-12 and IFN-γ in the placental blood from infected pregnant women were (53.5±23.4) pg/mL, (8.7±6.9) pg/mL and (16.4±4.0) pg/mL, respectively. The multigravidae had a higher haemoglobin level of 10.2 g/dL and birth weight of 3 000 g than the primigrivadae with lower haemoglobin level of 7.5 g/dL and birth weight of 2 430 g.ConclusionsThe elevated IFN-γamong the malarous pregnant women implicates it as the major cytokine mediator in the host responses to systematic P. falciparum malaria in our locality

Urinary tract pathology in some Schistosoma haematobium infected Nigerians

The parasitological investigation assessing the ova of Schistosoma haematobium in urine of 138 volunteers in Ihieve-Ogben, Edo State, Nigeria revealed a prevalence of 43 (31.2%). Children had ahigher prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis 30 (41.1%) than their adult counterparts 13 (20.0%). More volunteers had light intensity of infection 27 (19.6%) than heavy infection 16 (11.6%). Theultrasonographical investigation carried out on these 43 S. haematobium-infected volunteers revealed ten pathological conditions as abnormal wall thickness 24 (55.8%), abnormal shape 30 (69.8%), irregular bladder wall 12 (27.9%), masses 10 (23.3%), pseudopolyp 2 (4.7%), echogenic particles 30 (69.8%), residual volume 12 (27.9%), calcification 24 (55.8%), hydroureter 10 (23.3%) and hydronephrosis 8 (18.6%). These pathological conditions were higher in the volunteers with heavy intensity of infection than those with light infection. Also more pathological conditions were reported among the childrenthan their adult counterparts. Hydronephrosis and hydroureter were absent in the volunteers with light intensity of infection

Immunoglobulin profile of Nigerian children with Plasmodium falciparum infection

The immunoglobulin profiles of 126 Nigerian children infected with Plasmodium falciparum in their peripheral blood were investigated. The mean malarial parasitaemia was 4699.17 ± 3695.2 ìl. The meanimmunoglobulin profile of these infected children were 2.68 ± 0.019 mg/dl for IgA, 0.031 ± 0.01 mg/dl for IgD, 1358.29 ± 123.57 ng/dl for IgE, 19.09 ± 1.27 mg/dl for IgG and 2.80 ± 0.57 mg/dl for IgM. Therelationship between the IgD and IgE were positively correlated with the ages of the volunteers at (r = 0.89 and r = 0.97, respectively). The levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were negatively correlated with the agesof the infected children (r = -0.96, r = -0.99 and r = -0.85, respectively). The relationship between the level of parasitaemia and IgA, IgD and IgM were negatively correlated (r = -0.82, r = -0.84 and r = -0.82, respectively). IgG correlated positively with the level of malarial parasitaemia (r = 0.99). We deduce that high IgE and low levels of IgA and IgM are associated with the high risk of P. falciparum malaria attack in our community

Vitamin A status and ocular lesions in some rural Nigerians with onchocerciasis

The vitamin A and ocular lesions in 98 rural Nigerians who excreted microfilariae in their skin tissues and had at least one clinical manifestation of onchocerciasis were investigated. The highest prevalence rate of 18 (69.2%) occurred among adult males with leopard skin. The overall mean vitamin status of (20.3 ± 2.6 ìg/dl) was comparatively lower ( 2 = 41.0; p>0.05) than the control inhabitants (76.2.3 ± 3.8 ìg/dl). The mean vitamin status was higher among the infected children (22.7 ± 0.5 ìg/dl) than their adult counterparts (17.9 ± 6.1 ìg/dl). Also the mean vitamin A status of their infected children (22.7 ± 5.0 ìg/dl) was lower ( 2 = 31.1; p> 0.05) than their control subjects (73.5 ± 2.1 ìg/dl). The vitamin A status of the infected adults (17.9 ± 6.1 ìg/dl) was lower ( 2 = 47.2; p>0.05) than their control counterparts (78.9 ± 4.1ìg/dl). The mean microfilarial load of the different age groups of the infected volunteers showed negative correlation with the mean vitamin A status (r = -0.93). In all, five different ocular lesions namely cataract, optic atrophy, chroroidoretinitis, iriodocyclitis and sclerosing keratitis were reported. Visual impairment was absent and the ocular lesions were low among the children as they had only optic atrophy and sclerosing keratitis among the five different lesions encountered

Prevalence of Ascariasis among the Students of Jooro Grammar School, Ibule-Soro, Ondo State, Nigeria

Ascariasis is a human disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides.Perhaps as many as one quarter of the world’s people are infected, with rates of 45% in Latin America and 95% in parts of Africa .Ascariasis is particularly prevalent in tropical regions and in areas of poor hygiene. Study to know the prevalence of ascariasis among the students and teachers of Jooro Grammar School, Ibule-Soro, Ondo State, was undertaken. A total of 243 subjects examined. Stool sample was collected from each subject and examined for the presence of the parasite, using wet preparation and concentration methods with the aid of light microscope. From the total population of 243 subjects recruited for the study, 102 were males while 141 were females of different age groups. The research showed that 42(41.2%)  of the males were positive to ascariasis while 54 (38.3%) of the females were also positive to the infection, amounting to 96 (40%) of the total population. The study showed that there was high prevalence of ascariasis infection among the students of Jooro Grammar School, Ibule-Soro, OndoState,thus there is need for government  intervention programme for sustainable elimination of this  disease

Relationship between intensity of urinary schistosomaisi and some haematological indices

No Abstract.Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 11(1-4) 2001: 16-1

Evaluation of CD4+/CD8+ status and urinary tract infections associated with urinary schistosomiasis among some rural Nigerians

BACKGROUND: Data on urinary schistosomiasis in Nigeria are mainly epidemological. The knowledge of co-infections of urinary schistosomiasis and other pathogens are important epidemiological tools for the control and health benefits of the rural dwellers. The granulomatous reactions in urinary schistosomiasis is CD4+ dependent. The CD8+ is cytotoxic to parasites and it is activated by CD4+. These parameters therefore participate in the immune responses to urinary schistosomiasis OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the polyparasitism involving urinary schistosomiasis and urinary tract co-infections among some rural Nigerians. The CD4+:CD8+ ratio and status with age groups in years were also investigated. METHODS: Parasitological investigation using ova on urine was carried out on 216 volunteers. The urine samples were examined for bacteriuria and subsequently subjected to standard microbiological urine culture. CD4+/CD8+ were determined using the CD T(4) Dynabead techniques. Data were analysed using MicroSoft Excel. RESULTS: The inhabitants with light infections of urinary schistosomiasis as indicated by <50 ova /10ml of urine had a mean CD4+:CD8+ ratio of 1.57 while those with heavy infections as shown by >50 ova/10ml of urine had a relatively lower CD4+:CD8+ ratio of 1.03. In all, the overall CD4+:CD8+ ratio of 1.23 was recorded with the mean CD4+ count of 257.96 cells/µL and the mean CD8+ count of 210.45cells/µL. Comparatively, the control uninfected subjects had a CD4+:CD8+ ratio of 5.97. The CD4+ and the CD8+ counts were correlated with the ova of S. haematobium in their urine samples at r = 0.0108 and r = 0.516 respectively. The bacteriuria, urinary schistosomiasis and urinary tract co-infections namely; Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staph. Saprophyticus were reported in the urine cultures of 48(22.0%) volunteers. CONCLUSION: The mean overall CD4+:CD8+ ratio of urinary schistosomiasis infected persons is 1.23 which is above the normal CD4+: CD8+ ratio of 1. The CD4+:CD8+ ratio and counts of the urinary schistosomiasis infected inhabitants were lower than the uninfected inhabitants. The positive correlation between the CD4+: CD8+ and the S. haematobium ova shows a relationship which indicate an increase of the CD4+: CD8+ as the intensity of infection increases. We report polyparasitism of S. haematobium and urinary tracts co-infections among some rural inhabitants in Ikpeshi, Nigeria. It is therefore imperative to incorporate the management of urinary tract infections in urinary schistosomiasis control programme

Anthropometrics of normal newborn infants in Uromi, Edo State

No Abstract. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy Vol. 4(2) 2005: 10-1

Molluscicidal Effect Of Piper Guineense

The study was undertaken to assess the dosage-mortality ratio and toxic effects of Piper guineense fruit extracts on the adults of Biomphalaria pfeifferi , the snail intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni , which causes intestinal schistosomiasis. The result showed significant toxic effects with crude ethanol and hot water fruits extracts. The estimated lethal dose concentration by arithmetic method (LC50 and LC90) using both crude ethanol and hot water fruit media extracts were found to be (0.10 ± 0.04, 0.9 ± 0.2) mgl-1 respectively for ethanolic extract and (5.0 ± 1.4, 8.5 ± 0.7) mgl-1 respectively for hot water extract. Ethanolic extract was more potent than hot water extract. An all or none phenomenon appeared characteristic of the biological activity of these extracts. There was significant decrease in oviposition rate (p < 0.02). The extract from the fruits of this tropical plant holds promise in the control of Biomphalaria pfeifferi