Causes of non-malarial fever in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives The awareness of non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFIs) has been on the rise over the last decades. Therefore, we undertook a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of causative agents of non-malarial fevers on the African continent. Materials and methods We searched for literature in African Journals Online, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify aetiologic agents that had been reported and to determine summary estimates of the proportional morbidity rates (PMr) associated with these pathogens among fever patients. Results A total of 133 studies comprising 391,835 patients from 25 of the 54 African countries were eligible. A wide array of aetiologic agents were described with considerable regional differences among the leading agents. Overall, bacterial pathogens tested from blood samples accounted for the largest proportion. The summary estimates from the meta-analysis were low for most of the agents. This may have resulted from a true low prevalence of the agents, the failure to test for many agents or the low sensitivity of the diagnostic methods applied. Our meta-regression analysis of study and population variables showed that diagnostic methods determined the PMr estimates of typhoidal Salmonella and Dengue virus. An increase in the PMr of Klebsiella spp. infections was observed over time. Furthermore, the status of patients as either inpatient or outpatient predicted the PMr of Klebsiella spp. infections. Conclusion The small number of epidemiological studies and the variety of NMFI agents on the African continent emphasizes the need for harmonized studies with larger sample sizes. In particular, diagnostic procedures for NMFIs should be standardized to facilitate comparability of study results and to improve future meta-analyses. Reliable NMFI burden estimates will inform regional public health strategies

Óleo de soja e óleo de soja residual em dietas para ovinos confinados: Parâmetros sanguíneos

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 dietary lipid sources (soybean oil and residual soybean oil) on blood parameters of feedlot sheep. It were used 24 male lambs Santa Inês × Dorper, uncastrated, distributed in a randomized block design and assigned to three experimental diets: C= control diet, composed by forage concentrate ratio of 40:60, S= C with 6 % of soybean oil, and R= C with 6 % of frying oil. Corn silage was the roughage and concentrate was composed by whole corn grain, soybean hulls, sunflower meal, urea, mineral salt, limestone, and antioxidant. The animals were kept in individual pen for 105 days, and at day 59 blood samples were collected by jugular vein puncture for quantification of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, and liver enzymes AST (aspartate aminotransferase), GGT (gamma glutamyl transferase) and FAL (alkaline phosphatase). Inclusion of 6 % of soybean oil or frying oil in diet increased the concentration of cholesterol and AST (p<0.01); FAL tended (p= 0.06) to increase when residual oil was used. However, such changes are not sufficient to cause damage to animal health.Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar o efeito da inclusão de 2 fontes lipídicas (óleo de soja e óleo de soja residual) na dieta de ovinos confinados sobre os parâmetros sanguíneos. Foram utiliza- dos 24 borregos Santa Inês × Dorper, machos, não castrados, distribuídos em delineamento em blocos casualizados e submetidos a três dietas experimentais: C= dieta controle, volumoso:con- centrado na proporção de 40:60; S= C com inclusão de 6 % de óleo de soja; e R= C com inclusão de 6 % de óleo de soja residual de fritura. Silagem de milho foi utilizada como volumoso e o concentrado era composto por milho grão inteiro, casca de soja, farelo de girassol, ureia, sal mineral, calcário e antioxidante. Os animais foram confinados por 105 dias, sendo que no dia 59 foram realizadas colheitas de sangue através de punção da veia jugular para quantificação de glicose, triglicérides, colesterol e proteínas totais, além das enzimas hepáticas aspartato aminotransferase (AST), gama glutamiltransferase (GGT) e fosfatase alcalina (FAL). A inclusão de 6 % de óleo de soja ou de óleo residual na dieta aumentou as concentrações sanguíneas de colesterol e da AST (p<0,01), e a FAL tendeu a aumentar (p= 0,06) quando óleo residual foi utilizado. Porém, tais alterações não foram suficientes para causarem prejuízos na saúde animal

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the aetiological agents of non-malarial febrile illnesses in Africa

Background: The awareness of non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFIs) has been on the rise over the last decades. Therefore, we undertook a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of causative agents of non-malarial fevers on the African continent. Methodology: We searched for literature in African Journals Online, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify aetiologic agents that had been reported and to determine summary estimates of the proportional morbidity rates (PMr) associated with these pathogens among fever patients. Findings: A total of 133 studies comprising 391,835 patients from 25 of the 54 African countries were eligible. A wide array of aetiologic agents were described with considerable regional differences among the leading agents. Overall, bacterial pathogens tested from blood samples accounted for the largest proportion. The summary estimates from the meta-analysis were low for most of the agents. This may have resulted from a true low prevalence of the agents, the failure to test for many agents or the low sensitivity of the diagnostic methods applied. Our meta-regression analysis of study and population variables showed that diagnostic methods determined the PMr estimates of typhoidal Salmonella and Dengue virus. An increase in the PMr of Klebsiella spp. infections was observed over time. Furthermore, the status of patients as either inpatient or outpatient predicted the PMr of Haemophilus spp. infections. Conclusion: The small number of epidemiological studies and the variety of NMFI agents on the African continent emphasizes the need for harmonized studies with larger sample sizes. In particular, diagnostic procedures for NMFIs should be standardized to facilitate comparability of study results and to improve future meta-analyses. Reliable NMFI burden estimates will inform regional public health strategies

Ontogenia do fruto em desenvolvimento de Alternanthera tenella Colla e Amaranthus blitum Linnaeus (Amaranthaceae)

Alternanthera tenella Colla e Amaranthus blitum Linnaeus são espécies invasoras que ocorrem em culturas e terrenos baldios na região de Maringá, Paraná. O trabalho teve por objetivo a análise morfoanatômica dos frutos em desenvolvimento e estruturas não pericárpicas dessas duas espécies, com a finalidade de contribuir com informações estruturais para identificação das espécies, classificação dos frutos e investigações ecológicas. Flores e frutos foram coletados no campus da Universidade Estadual de Maringá, fixados em Glutaraldeído, secionados em micrótomo de rotação e corados com a azul de Toluidina. As bractéolas e perigônio são persistentes nos frutos e têm estrutura diferente nas duas espécies. O aquênio de Alternanthera tenella mantém o mesmo número de estratos celulares que o ovário, que sofrem colapso na fase madura, exceto o mesocarpo interno que se mantém com espessamento parietal em U e cristais. O utrículo de Amaranthus blitum é semelhante ao ovário em número de camadas celulares e apresenta aerênquima quando maduro. As sementes maduras são exotestais, com mesotesta e endotesta colapsadas, e embrião curvo. Nesse estudo, foram registrados alguns caracteres estruturais dos perigônios e dos frutos que são potencialmente significativos para caracterização e separação das espécies, ao contrário das sementes que são muito semelhantes