Anti-proliferative effect of Scoparia dulcis L. against bacterial and fungal strains

Scoparia dulcis L. was sequentially extracted with hexane, chloroform and methanol and soaked with aqueous-acetone (80%) to check for its antimicrobial activities against five bacterial and four fungal strains.250μg of each extract loaded on a whatman paper disc exhibited significant antimicrobial activities on all the fungus and against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, P. mirabilis is less sensitive to all the extracts while B. cereus, a â-lactamase producer bacterium, was resistant to the activity of the polar methanol and aqueous-acetone extracts. By the microdilution method, the most active extracts were chloroform extract on B. cereus with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.56 mg/ml and Aqueous-acetone extract on S. typhimurium (MIC = 1.56 mg/ml); the antifungal activity was strongest for hexane extract (MIC = 6.25 mg/ml) on both A. niger and P. roquefortii.Keywords: Scoparia dulcis, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Polyphenols

Women's perceptions of homebirths in two rural medical districts in Burkina Faso: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In developing countries, most childbirth occurs at home and is not assisted by skilled attendants. The situation increases the risk of death for both mother and child and has severe maternal complications. The purpose of this study was to describe women's perceptions of homebirths in the medical districts of Ouargaye and Diapaga.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A qualitative approach was used to gather information. This information was collected by using focus group discussions and individual interviews with 30 women. All the interviews were tape recorded and managed by using QSR NVIVO 2.0, qualitative data management software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The findings show that homebirths are frequent because of prohibitive distance to health facilities, fast labour and easy labour, financial constraints, lack of decision making power to reach health facilities.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study echoes the need for policy makers to make health facilities easily available to rural inhabitants to forestall maternal and child deaths in the two districts.</p

INSIGHTS INTO THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN KIR GENE FREQUENCIES AND CHRONIC HBV INFECTION IN BURKINA FASO

Background/Objective: The receptors of natural killer cells "Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor" (KIR) regulate the activity of Natural killer cells in the innate response against viral infections. To date there is no accurate method to identify high risk groups for cirrhosis and HCC in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken to assess the association between KIR genes frequencies and chronic infection HBV infection in Burkina Faso’s population. Methods: Chronic HBV carriers and healthy patients were selected for this study. The viral load for HBV were performed to confirm the serological status for HBV of the studied cohort. In addition, SSP-PCR was used to characterize the frequencies of KIR genes. Results: The study suggested that inhibitory genes KIR2DL2, KIR2DL3 and activator gene KIR2DS2 (p˂0.001 for all and OR = 2.82; 2.48 and 3.84 respectively) might be associated with chronic stages of HBV infection.  While inhibitory genes KIR3DL1 (p = 0.0018 OR = 0.49), KIR3DL2 (p = 0.005 OR = 0.40), the activator gene KIR2DS1 (p = 0.014 OR = 0.47) and the pseudo gene KIR2DP1 (p = 0.011 OR = 0.49) could be associated with immunity against HBV infection. Patients who carried the KIR3DL2 gene had a high HBV viral load compared to the rest of the study population. Conclusion: Our data showed an evidence of correlation between the propensity of developing chronic HBV infection and certain KIR gene frequencies and that KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2, KIR2DS1 and KIR2DP1 might confer a protective status against chronic HBV infection in Burkina Faso’s patients

Tumeur d’Abrikossoff ou tumeur à cellules granuleuses à localisation buccale : à propos d’un cas au CHU Sourô SANOU de Bobo-Dioulasso

Les tumeurs à cellules granuleuses (TCG) sont des tumeurs rares de siège ubiquitaire avec une prédilection pour la région cervico-faciale. Dans la cavité buccale, elles siègent le plus souvent au niveau de la langue. Elles surviennent à tous les âges et sont le plus souvent bénignes. Elles sont caractérisées par la prolifération de grandes cellules à cytoplasme abondant, granuleux et éosinophile. L’immunohistochimie aide souvent au diagnostic. Les auteurs rapportent l’observation d’un enfant de 3 ans amené en consultation pour un nodule jugal droit évoluant depuis environ 2 ans. L’exérèse chirurgicale a été réalisée et l’examen histologique a montré des amas anastomosés de cellules de grandes tailles, arrondies ou ovalaire, à cytoplasme granuleux ou xanthélamisé, séparés par des cloisons de fibres collagènes et la présence de cellules géantes multinuclées. Le diagnostic de tumeur à cellules granuleuses a été retenu. Les suites opératoires étaient simples. Le contrôle à un an n’a pas objectivé de récidive. Mots clés : tumeur d’Abrikossoff, cavité orale, Bobo-Dioulasso.Granular cell tumors (GCT) are rare ubiquitous site tumors with a predilection for the head and neck localization. In the oral cavity tongue is the preferential localization. They occur at all ages and are most often benign. They are characterized by the proliferation of large cells with abundant, granular and eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry often helps in diagnosis. The authors report the observation of a 3-year-old child consulting for a right jugal node evolving for about 2 years. Surgical excision was carried out and the histological examination showed anastomosed clusters of large cells, rounded or oval, with granular or xanthelamized cytoplasm, separated by fibro-collagenous partitions and the presence of giant multinucleated cells. The diagnosis of granular cell tumors was retained. The operating suites were simple. The one-year check did not show any recurrence. Key words: Abrikossoff’s tumor ; oral cavity ; Bobo-Dioulasso

The vulnerability of men to virologic failure during antiretroviral therapy in a public routine clinic in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Gender differences in antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes are critical in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the association between gender and virologic failure among adult patients treated in a public routine clinic (one of the largest in West Africa) in Burkina Faso. Methods: We performed a case-control study between July and October 2012 among patients who had received ART at the Bobo Dioulasso Day Care Unit. Patients were eligible if they were 15 years or older, positive for HIV-1 or HIV-1 + 2, and on first-line ART for at least six months. Cases were all patients with two consecutive HIV loads >1000 copies/mL (Biocentric Generic or Abbott Real Time assays), or one HIV load >1000 copies/mL associated with immunologic or clinical failure criteria. Controls were all patients who only had HIV loads B300 copies/mL. The association between gender and virologic failure was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression, adjusted on age, level of education, baseline CD4+ T cell count, first and current antiretroviral regimens and time on ART. Results: Of 2303 patients (74.2% women; median age: 40 years; median time on ART: 34 months), 172 had virologic failure and 2131 had virologic success. Among the former, 130 (75.6%) had confirmed virologic failure, 38 (22.1%) had viroimmunologic failure, and four (2.3%) had viro-clinical failure. The proportion of men was significantly higher among the cases than among the controls (37.2% vs. 24.9%; p<0.001). Compared to controls, cases were also younger, more immunodeficient at ART initiation, less likely to receive a protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral regimen and had spent a longer period of time on ART. After adjustment, male gender remained strongly associated with virologic failure (odds ratio 2.52, 95% CI: 1.77 - 3.60; p<0.001). Conclusions: Men on ART appeared more vulnerable to virologic failure than women. Additional studies are needed to confirm the poorer prognosis of men in this setting and to determine the causes for their vulnerability in order to optimize HIV care. From now on, efforts should be made to support the adherence of men to ART in the African setting

Chronic exposure to mycotoxins is not associated with vitamin A status in children of 36 – 59 months old living in a malaria-endemic rural area in Burkina Faso

Background: Exposures to environmental contaminants in the food supply, especially mycotoxins may be linked to micronutrient deficiencies through their potential role in inducing inflammation and altering absorption. Children in Burkina Faso are chronically exposed to mycotoxins in the food chain. We aim at investigating the relationship between serum concentrations in Aflatoxins AFB1 and AFB2 and vitamin A (VA) status in Burkinabe children aged 36-59 mo. Methods: Two cohort surveys were conducted in western Burkina Faso on a total sample of 115 children aged 36-59 mo during the dry and the rainy seasons. Blood samples were collected to assess VA status (serum retinol concentrations using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography; total liver reserve [TLR] and total body stores [TBS] using the 13C-retinol isotope dilution method), inflammation indicators (alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, AGP and C-reactive protein, CRP) and AFB1 and AFB2 by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association of VA status with potential predictors such as aflatoxins, and demographic, anthropometric, dietary variables in STATA. Results: Mean serum retinol was 0.83±0.25 µmol/l. Median TLR and TBS was 0.75 mol/g liver (IQ25-IQ75: 0.52 - 1.08) and 430 mol (289.9 - 620.6), respectively. 28% had TLR >1.0 mol/g liver and none had VA deficiency. TLR was significantly associated with baseline weight-for-height z-score and serum β-carotene (p<0.05), while TBS was significantly associated with AGP. Neither AFB1 nor AFB2 was associated with VA status. Conclusion: No association was found between exposure to mycotoxins and VA status in children with no VA deficiency

Association between biomarkers of inflammation and total liver vitamin A reserves estimated by 13C-retinol isotope dilution among preschool children in 5 African countries

Background: Vitamin A (VA) assessment is important for targeting public health programs. Retinol isotope dilution (RID) is a sensitive method to estimate total body VA stores (TBSs) and total liver reserves (TLRs), but the impact of subclinical inflammation on RID is unclear. Objective: We determined the association between TBSs and TLRs, estimated by RID, and inflammation among preschool children without clinical infection in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Tanzania. Methods: Five studies (n = 532; 47.9 +/- 8.3 mo; 49.0% male) included 13C-RID and measurement of inflammation markers, CRP, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP). Spearman correlations were used to evaluate TBSs and TLRs with inflammation biomarkers. Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare TBSs and TLRs by inflammation categories [normal vs. elevated CRP (>5 mg/L) or AGP (>1 g/L)] and inflammation stage [reference, incubation (elevated CRP), early convalescence (elevated CRP and AGP), and late convalescence (elevated AGP)]. Results: Complete data were available for 439 children. Median (Q1, Q3) TLRs ranged from 0.12 (0.07, 0.18) mu mol/g in Ethiopia to 1.10 (0.88, 1.38) mu mol/g in South Africa. Elevated CRP ranged from 4% in Burkina Faso to 42% in Cameroon, and elevated AGP from 20% in Tanzania to 58% in Cameroon. Pooled analysis (excluding Cameroon) showed a negative correlation between TBSs and AGP (rho = -0.131, P = 0.01). Children with elevated AGP had higher probability of having lower TBSs (probability = 0.61, P = 0.002). TBSs differed among infection stages (P = 0.020). Correlations between TLRs and CRP or AGP were not significant. Conclusions: No indication of systematic bias in RID-estimated TLRs was found due to subclinical inflammation among preschool children. The inverse relationship between TBSs and AGP may reflect decreased stores after infection or an effect of inflammation on isotope par-titioning. Further research should investigate potential confounding variables to improve TBS-estimate validity

Role of Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) genes in stages of HIV-1 infection among patients from Burkina Faso

A cluster of specialized KIR genes of specialized KIR genes has been shown to be associated with susceptibility or resistance to viral infections in humans. Therefore, this pilot study, this pilot investigation sought to determine the frequencies of KIR genes human immunodeficiency virus type 1( HIV-1) patients and establish their potential clinical involvement in disease progression and staging