Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Salmonella spp. from Chicken purchased at Wad Madani City, Gezira State, Sudan

Background: Salmonella is a potential human pathogen that causes salmonellosis, a food-borne disease. Addressing these major food safety and public health issues with effective monitoring of food-borne pathogens and dietary measures.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the local markets of Alsug Alkabeer (AB), Alsug Ashabi (AK), and Alsug Alsageer (AS) sites in Wad Madani state, Sudan to detect and assess Salmonella infection in raw and cooked chicken samples.Results: The results showed that the maximum number of different Salmonella species was recovered from raw and cooked specimens of chicken obtained from AB, AK and AS which were 6.5, 4.4, and 4cfu/g, respectively. In addition, Salmonella spp. in the locally reared chicken is significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of farm poultry. On the other hand, the highest Salmonella count was recorded in AS, AK and AB egg samples which were 5.9, 3.5, and 2.3cfu/g, respectively. Interestingly, eggs from local sources of chicken had significantly (p < 0.05) higher numbers of Salmonella spp. compared to those from farm sources. Six species of Salmonella were described, namely: Salmonella typhi, S. cheers, S. arizonae, S. enteritidis, S. pullorum, and S. gallinarum.Conclusion: High occurrence of Salmonella spp. in this study might be attributed to the low hygienic measures in the poultry retail markets during slaughtering and/or handling processes. Further studies are required and should be conducted within Gezira state to assess food safety.Keywords: Food-borne disease; Pathogens; Biochemical test; Contamination; Food safety; Microbial growth; Food poisonin

ABO blood group system and placental malaria in an area of unstable malaria transmission in eastern Sudan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding the pathogenesis of malaria in pregnancy and its consequences for both the mother and the baby is fundamental for improving malaria control in pregnant women.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>The study aimed to investigate the role of ABO blood groups on pregnancy outcomes in an area of unstable malaria transmission in eastern Sudan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 293 women delivering in New Half teaching hospital, eastern Sudan during the period October 2006–March 2007 have been analyzed. ABO blood groups were determined and placental histopathology examinations for malaria were performed. Birth and placental weight were recorded and maternal haemoglobin was measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>114 (39.7%), 61 (22.1%) and 118 (38.2%) women were primiparae, secundiparae and multiparae, respectively. The ABO blood group distribution was 82(A), 59 (B), 24 (AB) and 128 (O). Placental histopathology showed acute placental malaria infections in 6 (2%), chronic infections in 6 (2%), 82 (28.0%) of the placentae showed past infection and 199 (68.0%) showed no infection. There was no association between the age (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.45–2.2; <it>P </it>= 0.9), parity (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3–1.2; <it>P </it>= 0.1) and placental malaria infections. In all parity blood group O was associated with a higher risk of past (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.2; <it>P </it>= 0.01) placental malaria infection. This was also true when primiparae were considered separately (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.05–6.5, <it>P </it>= 0.03).</p> <p>Among women with all placental infections/past placental infection, the mean haemoglobin was higher in women with the blood group O, but the mean birth weight, foeto-placental weight ratio was not different between these groups and the non-O group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results indicate that women of eastern Sudan are at risk for placental malaria infection irrespective to their age or parity. Those women with blood group O were at higher risk of past placental malaria infection.</p

Community Awareness and Perception Regarding Vaccination against COVID-19, Concerns about Side Effects in Gezira State, Sudan

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is undermining individual and community protection from vaccine-preventable diseases. This study aimed to investigate the level of awareness and perception of the COVID-19 vaccine and its determinants among people in Wad Madani City, Gezira State, as well as its known side effects. Methods and Results: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlative study included 400 participants (56.8% females and 43.2% males) who visited Wad Madani neighborhood COVID-19 centers during the data collection period (June 2022). The data was collected using a structured questionnaire based on prior published studies. Approximately 93.0% of the participants knew the importance of the COVID-19 vaccines, 84.8% knew about their effectiveness, and 83.8% knew that the vaccines help to reduce the risk of virus infection. However, only 58.0% were vaccinated against COVID-19. The results showed that 56.8% of the participants did not develop side effects. Among those who did, the most common side effects were headache and fever (10.2%), injection site pain (7.9%), myalgia (7.1%), and chills and swelling (5.6%). The results showed that 52.5% had negative perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines. Urban residents were 2.17 times more likely to have a positive perception of the COVID-19 vaccine than rural residents (P=0.05). Furthermore, study participants with nuclear family type have shown a positive attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccines and were 2.32 times more likely to have had a positive attitude than participants with extended family (P=0.036). Moreover, participants not vaccinated were found to be less likely to have had a positive attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine, when compared with vaccinated participants (P= 0.005). Conclusion: Although society is aware of the need for COVID-19 immunization, the community has a low positive perception toward COVID-19 vaccination. Similarly, people in rural areas are less aware of the significance of immunization. Local health officials must collaborate to address public fears about vaccinations through the media

An evaluation of the hypolipidemic effect of an extract of Hibiscus Sabdariffa leaves in hyperlipidemic Indians: a double blind, placebo controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hibiscus sabdariffa is used regularly in folk medicine to treat various conditions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a double blind, placebo controlled, randomized trial. Sixty subjects with serum LDL values in the range of 130-190 mg/dl and with no history of coronary heart disease were randomized into experimental and placebo groups. The experimental group received 1 gm of the extract for 90 days while the placebo received a similar amount of maltodextrin in addition to dietary and physical activity advice for the control of their blood lipids. Anthropometry, blood biochemistry, dietary and physical activity were assessed at baseline, day 45 and day 90.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>While body weight, serum LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased in both groups, there were no significant differences between the experimental and placebo group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It is likely that the observed effects were as a result of the patients following the standard dietary and physical activity advice. At a dose of 1 gm/day, hibiscus sabdariffa leaf extract did not appear to have a blood lipid lowering effect.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>REFCTRI2009000472</p

Polar extracts from (Tunisian) Acacia salicina Lindl. Study of the antimicrobial and antigenotoxic activities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Methanolic, aqueous and Total Oligomer Flavonoids (TOF)-enriched extracts obtained from the leaves of <it>Acacia salicina </it>'Lindl.' were investigated for antibacterial, antimutagenic and antioxidant activities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The antimicrobial activity was tested on the Gram positive and Gram negative reference bacterial strains. The Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities against direct acting mutagens, methylmethane sulfonate (MMS) and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NOPD), and indirect acting mutagens, 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA) and benzo[a]pyrene (B(a)P) were performed with <it>S. typhimurium </it>TA102 and TA98 assay systems. In addition, the enzymatic and nonenzymatic methods were employed to evaluate the anti-oxidative effects of the tested extracts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A significant effect against the Gram positive and Gram negative reference bacterial strains was observed with all the extracts. The mutagenic and antimutagenic studies revealed that all the extracts decreased the mutagenicity induced by B(a)P (7.5 μg/plate), 2-AA (5 μg/plate), MMS (1.3 mg/plate) and NOPD (10 μg/plate). Likewise, all the extracts showed an important free radical scavenging activity towards the superoxide anion generated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay system, as well as high Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC), against the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS)⁺• radical. TOF-enriched extract exhibited the highest protective effect against free radicals, direct acting-mutagen and metabolically activated S9-dependent mutagens.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study indicates that the extracts from <it>A. salicina </it>leaves are a significant source of compounds with the antimutagenic and antioxidant activities, and this may be useful for developing potential chemopreventive substances.</p