Factors associated with suboptimal intake of some important nutrients among HIV-positive pregnant adolescents from two Ghanaian districts

This study determined the daily intakes of some important nutrients and factors associated with the suboptimal intakes of these nutrients among young HIV-positive (HIV+) pregnant women from two Ghanaian districts. Eighty-five of such women after informed consent were recruited from three hospitals and were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Dietary intake was quantified using the 24-hour recall technique. Total intake, calculated based on dietary recall, and adequacy of intake, calculated based on intake levels compared to the RDA, were assessed. Factors potentially associated with intake were tested using the Mann Whitney U test. The median daily intakes of the nutrients of interest were as follows: Protein (63.1 g), Vitamin C (106 mg), Zinc (11.7 mg), Iron (22.2 mg), and Selenium (1.4 &mu;g). The prevalence of inadequacy of these nutrients were: Vitamin C (35.3%), Protein (39.7%), Iron (72.9%), Selenium (97.6%), and Zinc (100%). HIV + women with nausea, vomiting, and oral lesions had significantly lower intakes of Protein, Iron and Zinc (p < 0.05). Inadequacy of dietary intake is very prevalent among this group of pregnant women particularly among those with nausea, vomiting, and oral lesions. These conditions could be significant contributors to the burden of nutrient deficiencies among women infected with HIV in this setting. Since deficiencies of these nutrients during pregnancy could lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, emphasis on the dietary sources of these nutrients such as fish, peas, nuts, kontomire, whole grain cereals, seafood, onions, milk, garlic, alfalfa, mushrooms, and banana should be made during antenatal counseling

Malaria transmission-blocking antigen, Pfs230, mediates human red blood cell binding to exflagellating male parasites and oocyst production.

Contains fulltext : 49454.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Malaria transmission requires that the parasites differentiate into gametocytes prior to ingestion by a mosquito during a blood meal. Once in the mosquito midgut the gametocytes emerge from red blood cells (RBCs), fertilize, develop into ookinetes and finally infectious sporozoites. Gamete surface antigen, Pfs230, is an important malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidate, but its function has remained unclear. Two clones with distinct Pfs230 gene disruptions (Delta1.356 and Delta2.560) and a clone with a disruption of Pfs48/45 were used to evaluate the role of Pfs230 in the mosquito midgut. Pfs230 disruptants successfully emerge from RBCs and male gametes exflagellate producing microgametes. However, exflagellating Pfs230-minus males, in the presence or absence of Pfs48/45, are unable to interact with RBCs and form exflagellation centres. Oocyst production and mosquito infectivity is also significantly reduced, 96-92% and 76-71% respectively. In contrast, in the Pfs230 disruptants the expression and localization of other known sexual stage-specific antigens, including Pfs48/45, Pfs47, the Pfs230 paralogue (PfsMR5), Pfs16 or Pfs25, were not altered and the Pfs230-minus gametes retained resistance to the alternative pathway of human complement. These results suggest that Pfs230 is the surface molecule on males that mediates RBC binding and plays an important role in oocyst development, a critical step in malaria transmission