Antifungal susceptibility profiles and risk factors of vaginal candidiasis amongst female university students in southwest region, Cameroon

Vaginal candidiasis (VC) is second to bacterial vaginitis, as the most common opportunistic mucosal infection that affects large numbers of otherwise healthy women of childbearing age. The incidence of VC is significantly modified by dressing patterns and aberrant health-care practices. Contemporary young women often shift their preference from skirt to trousers and leggingswhich also coincides with a rise in auto-medication and over-the-counter drugs phenomena in our communities. These could result in increased occurrence of vaginal candidiasis infection and antifungal drug resistance. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between March 2011 and August 2011 among150 female students(aged 17-29 years) of the University of Buea. Socio-demographics information, risk factors and clinical symptoms were gotten through a standard questionnaire. Vaginal swabs were collected from each participant and cultured on Sabouraud'sdextrose agar supplemented with chloramphenicol (SDA-CAF). Identification and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed following standard microbiological procedures. Of the 150 participants who submitted vaginal swabs, yeasts was isolated in 98 (65.3%). Of the 98 yeasts isolates, 73.5% were Candida species, mainly C. albicans (65.3%). Overhalf (64.7%) ofstudyparticipantshadapreferencefortrousers,however, this attitude was not significantly associated (p = 0.559) with candidiasis.Previous episodes of vaginal infection and treatment for candidiasis were significantly associated with VC (p = 0.004). Antifungal susceptibility results showed a high resistance to fluconazole (82.0%), nystatin (80.0%) and ketoconazole (72.0%), while clotrimazole (50.0%) was the most activeantifungal drug. There was a high prevalence of VC in this study population with previous vaginal infectionbeing important risk factor for reoccurrence. Clotrimazole was the drug of choice in the treatment of VC in this population.Key words: vaginal candidiasis, risk factors, antifungal susceptibility profilesFrench AbstractLa candidose vaginale (CV) est la deuxième infection opportuniste de la muqueuse la plus fréquente (après la vaginite bactérienne) qui affecte un grand nombre de femmes en âge de procréer. L'incidence de la CV est affectée de façon significative par certaines habitudes vestimentaires et pratiques de soins de santé « aberrante »s. Chez les jeunes femmes contemporaines, les pantalons et leggings sont de plus en plus préférés aux jupes, ce qui coïncide aussi avec une augmentation du phénomène d'automédication dans nos communautés. Ces deux facteurs pourraient entraîner une augmentation de la prévalence de l'infection à Candida vaginale et la résistance aux antifongiques. La présente étude transversale a été menée entre Mars et Août 2011 portait sur 150 étudiantes âgées de 17 à 29 ans, à l'Université de Buea (Cameroun). Elle avait pour objectifs majeurs d’évaluer les profils de sensibilité aux antifongiques ainsi que les facteurs de risque de candidose vaginale chez les étudiantes universitaires. Les données sociodémographiques, informations sur les facteurs de risque et les symptômes cliniques ont été explores à l’aide d’un questionnaire semi-structuré. Des spécimens vaginaux ont été prélevés dans chaque participante et soumis à une culture sur le dextrose gélose de Sabouraud supplémenté par le chloramphénicol (SDA-CAF). Les tests d'identification et de sensibilité antifongique ont été réalisés suivant des procédures microbiologiques standard. Parmi les 150 participants qui ont soumis des prélèvements vaginaux, des levures ont été isolées de 98 personnes (65,3%). Sur les 98 levures isolées, 73,5% étaient des espèces de Candida, principalement C. albicans(65,3%). Plus de la moitié des participants (64.7%) ont exprimé des préférences pour les pantalons et autres styles vestimentaires émergents. Cependant, de telles attitudes n’ont pas paru statistiquement associées à l’occurrence des candidoses au sein de la population ciblée (p = 0.559). Des précédents épisodes d'infection vaginale et le traitement de la candidose reportés par les participantes étaient significativement associés à CV (p = 0,004). Les résultats de sensibilité antifongiques ont montré une grande résistance au Fluconazole (82,0%), Nystatine (80,0%) et Kétoconazole (72,0%), tandis que le Clotrimazole (50,0%) était le médicament antifongique le plus actif. Il y avait une forte prévalence de CV dans cette population d'étude avec infection vaginale précédente étant facteur de risque important pour la répétition. Le Clotrimazole s’est avéré comme étant le médicament de choix dans le traitement des CV dans cette population, malgré la forte résistance.Mots clés: Candidose Vaginale, facteurs de risque, les profils de sensibilité aux antifongique

In Vitro Antiplasmodial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers of Western Cameroon

Medicinal plants play a key role in malaria control in Africa, especially in remote areas where health facilities are limited. In order to assess their acclaimed potentials, eleven extracts were prepared from seven selected plants commonly used in Western Cameroon, and tested both for their antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity. The antiplasmodial activity was assessed using Lactate Dehydrogenase Assay (pLDH) and the cytotoxicity estimated on LLC-MK2 monkey kidney epithelial cells. Seven extracts from five different plants were significantly active, with very weak or no cytotoxicity. The Dacryodes edulis leaves showed the highest activity (IC50 of 6.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and 8.2 μg/mL on DD2) followed by the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (IC50 of 8.72 and 11.27 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2 resp.) and roots of V. amygdalina (IC50 of 8.72 μg/mL on 3D7), Coula edulis leaves (IC50 of 13.80 μg/mL and 5.79 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2 resp.), Eucalyptus globulus leaves (IC50 of 16.80 μg/mL and 26.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2) and Cuviera longiflora stem bark (IC50 of 20.24 μg/mL and 13.91 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2). These findings justify the use of five of the seven plants in malaria treatment by traditional healers of Western Cameroon

THE ANTIMALARIAL POTENTIAL OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF MALARIA IN CAMEROONIAN FOLK MEDICINE

Malaria remains one of the leading public health problems in Cameroon as in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past decades, this situation has been aggravated by the increasing spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. New antimalarial drug leads are therefore urgently needed. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infections. This article reviews the current status of botanical screening efforts in Cameroon as well as experimental studies done on antimalarial plants. Data collected from 54 references from various research groups in the literature up to June 2007 shows that 217 different species have been cited for their use as antimalarials in folk medicine in Cameroon. About a hundred phytochemicals have been isolated from 26 species some among which are potential leads for development of new antiamalarials. Crude extracts and or essential oils prepared from 54 other species showed a wide range of activity on Plasmodium spp. Moreover, some 137 plants from 48 families that are employed by traditional healers remain uninvestigated for their presumed antimalarial properties. The present study shows that Cameroonian flora represents a high potential for new antimalarial compounds. Further ethnobotanical surveys and laboratory investigations are needed to fully exploit the potential of the identified species in the control of malaria

In vitro antiplasmodial, cytotoxic and antioxidant effects, and phytochemical constituents of eleven plants used in the traditional treatment of malaria in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Purpose: To evaluate the antiplasmodial effects of eleven plants (Bombax buonopozense, Carica papaya, Anthocleista djalonensis, Milicia excelsa, Heterotis rotundifolia, Homalim letestui, Starchystarpheta cayennnensis, Ocimum gratissimum, Cleistopholis patens, Chromolaena odorata and Hippocratea africana) reportedly used in the treatment of malaria in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Methods: Phytochemical analysis was done by standard methods, while in vitro antiplasmodial evaluation was carried out using Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquineresistant strains using lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) assay.  Cytotoxicity test was undertaken by MTT assay on LLC-MK2 cells and the concentration killing 50 % of the cells (CC50) was calculated.Antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Results: Milicia excelsa, Heterotis rotundifolia and Chromolaena odorata had moderate antiplasmodial activity. Ocimum gratissimum and Hippocratea africana were weakly active. Milicia excelsa showed a considerable level of cytotoxicity, while Bombax buonopozense exhibited moderate cytotoxicity. Bombax buonopozense (95.3 %) and Ocimum gratissimum (92.0 %) exhibited high DPPH scavengingeffect comparable to Vitamin C (98.7 %). There was a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between DPPH inhibition and the total phenolic contents of the eleven plants studied (r2 = 0.6616), between DPPH inhibition and flavonoids (r2 = 0.3553), between antiplasmodial activity and saponin content (r2= 0.3992), and between the two antiplasmodial evaluation assay methods (r2 = 0.614).Conclusion: The results of this work provide some justification for the use of Milicia excelsa, Heterotis rotundifolia, Chromolaena odorata, Ocimum gratissimum and Hippocratea africana in the treatment of malaria. Keywords: Antiplasmodial, Antioxidant, Cytotoxicity, Phytochemicals, Antimalari

Ten Simple Rules for Organizing a Virtual Conference—Anywhere

1 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya, 2 Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 3 Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, 4 Institute of Bioinformatics, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria, 5 Moroccan Society for Bioinformatics Institute, Morocco, 6 South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, 7 University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, 8 University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America, 9 Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon, 10 International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, 11 Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 12 International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya, 13 Bioinformatics Organization, Hudson, Massachusetts, United States of America, 14 Bioinformatics Team, Center for Development of Advanced Computing, Pune University Campus, Pune, India, 15 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of Americ

Ten Simple Rules for Organizing a Virtual Conference—Anywhere

Etienne P. de Villiers and Sheila C. Ommeh are ILRI author

VUELTA CICLISTA A ESPAÑA [Material gráfico]

Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, 201