The Status of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in Cameroon-A mini Review

No Abstract

Characterization of palm wine yeasts using osmotic, ethanol tolerance and the isozyme polymorphism of alcohol dehydrogenase

Physiologic characteristics of ten palm-wine yeast isolates obtained from nine localities in four provinces in southern Cameroon were assessed using sensitivity to chloramphenicol, tolerance to acetic acid, ethanol tolerance, osmotolerance as well as protein and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) polymorphism. None of these isolates was sensitive to 30 ìg/ml chloramphenicol and all were nontolerant to 1% acetic acid. Some of the isolates (Vip 2 and Vip 10) showed tolerance to both high sucrose and ethanol concentrations, criteria which are useful in fermentation. Results indicated that 80% of the strains were able to grow at 15% alcohol solution and only 20% grew on 40% sucrose solution. The denatured protein pattern (SDS-PAGE) as well as the native protein pattern was similar for all strains. The ADH pattern showed a high diversity based on which isolates were differentiated into three patterns. The electrophoretic patterns showed that the ADH pattern was the best criterion for diversity characterisation because of its specificity and variability

Silent circulation of arboviruses in Cameroon

Objectives: To investigate the silent circulation and transmission of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) in the Fako Division of Cameroon.Design: This survey was conducted based on clinical observations and laboratory diagnosis; field collections of mosquitoes.Setting: This study was conducted in the Fako Division of South West Cameroon.Subjects: One hundred and two sera were obtained from febrile patients (with negative laboratory findings for malaria and typhoid fever) at clinics in the Fako Division, and diurnal anthropophilic mosquitoes (4,764) collected.Interventions: Virus isolation was attempted from these, and sera were screened for antibodies against 18 African arboviruses by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and complement fixation (CF) tests.Results: No virus was isolated. Fifty three of 79 (67.1%) sera reacted with one or more viral antigens. Twenty nine sera (36.7%) reacted with members of the genus Alphavirus, with Chikungunya (CHIKV) and O’nyong-nyong (ONNV) viruses as the most frequent (34.2%). Forty six sera (58.2%) reacted with members of the genus Flavivirus: 24 (30.4%)were cross-reactive, but 11.4% reacted monotypically with Zika, 5.1% with yellow fever virus (YFV), 5.1% with dengue virus-2 (DENV-2), 2.5% with DENV-1 and 1.3% with Wesselsbron virus, respectively. The plaque reduction neutralisation test used to specify the agent that elicited the response could not resolve 33.3% of the cross reactions between CHIKV and ONNV. Neutralising antibody titres against ONNV and CHIKV were very high indicating probable re-infection.Conclusion: Our results indicate previously undetected circulation of arboviruses in Cameroon, and suggest that they are important, overlooked public health problems

Antibiogram and Plasmid Profiles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates from Cameroon: Useful Tools for Epidemiological Survey

A prospective laboratory-based investigative study was carried out on clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoea to determine their antibiotic susceptibility patterns and plasmid profile using standard microbiological and molecular techniques. All the 32 isolates studied showed total resistance to penicillin, spectinomycin and amoxycilin. On the other hand, susceptibilities of 100%, 98.6% and 98.6% were noted for ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin respectively. Thirty (93.8%) of the 32 isolates were found to harbour plasmids of molecular weights ranging from 9.2 to 25.2Mdal. Three distinct groups of N. gonorrhoea isolates were identified based on the molecular weights of the plasmids, namely, group one (9.2Mdal), group two (12.6Mdal) and group three (25.2Mdal). These results suggest that different strains of N. gonorrhoea may be circulating in Fako Division of Cameroon, a finding that is of clinical and epidemiological significance. (Afr J Reprod Health 2003; 7[2]: 100–105)RésuméProfils plasmidiques et antibiotiques des isolats de Neisseria gonorrhoeae du Cameroon: outils nécessaires pour l'enquête épidemiologique. Une étude prospective basée dans le laboratoire a été menée sur des isolats cliniques de N. gonorrhoeae pour déterminer leur modèles de susceptibilité antibiotique et leurs profil plasmidique à l'aide des techniques moléculaires et microbiologiques standards. Tous les 32 isolats que nous avons étudiés ont révélé une résistance totale à la pénicilline, à la spectinomycine et à l'amoxicilline. Par contre, on a noté des susceptibilitiés de 100%, 98,6% et 98,6% pour la ciprofloxacine, l'ofloxacine et la norfloxacine respectivement. On a découvert que 30, soit 93,8% des 32 isolalats, contenaient des plasmides de poids moléculaires allant de 9,2 à 25,2 Mdal. Nous avons identifié trois groupes distincts d'isolat de N. gonorrhoeae à partir des poids moléculaires des plasmides, c'est-à-dire le groupe un (9,2 Mdal), le groupe deux (12,6 Mdal) et le groupe trois (25,2 Mdal). Ces résultats affirment que des souches de la N. gonorrhoeae sont peut-être en circulation dans la région de Fako au Cameroun, une trouvaille qui a une signification à la fois épidémiologique et clinique. (Rev Afr Santé Reprod 2003; 7[2]: 100–105)Key Words: Antibiogram, plasmid profiles, Neisseria gonorrhoea, Cameroo

Characterisation of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan homologue OvPG-1 from Onochocerca volvulus

No Abstract. East African Medical Journal Vol 82(12) 2005: 614-62

An epidemiological approach to malaria vaccine discovery: Hypothesis and preliminary results

No Abstract.Journal of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences Vol. 5 (Supplement) 2005: pp. 49-5