Search

Increasing drug resistance is a great threat to malaria control. Therefore, a continuous investigation into alternative therapy to mitigate malaria-associated damages is important. In this study, we investigated the anti-hypoglycaemic and anti-hyperlipidaemic effects of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Twenty-five mice were randomly grouped into five: Uninfected, infected-untreated, chloroquine (20 mg/kg, per oral), and extract-treated (400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively, per oral) groups. Fasting blood glucose was measured before parasite inoculation and after the last treatment. Blood was collected for lipid profile assay at the end of the 4-day treatment. Our results revealed that both chloroquine and the extract lowered parasite growth (p

Background: The connection between malaria-associated morbidities and farming activities has not been succinctly reported. This study aimed to address the connectivity between farming activities and malaria transmission. Methods: The study took place in the agricultural setting of Nigeria Edu local government (9° N, 4.9° E) between March 2016 and December 2018. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information on their occupation and malaria infection. Infection status was confirmed with blood film and microscopic diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum was based on the presence of ring form or any other blood stages. Individuals who are either critically ill or lived in the community less than 3 months were excluded from the study. Results: Of the 341 volunteers, 58.1% (52.9% in Shigo and 61.4% in Sista) were infected (parasitaemia density of 1243.7 parasites/μL blood). The prevalence and intensity of infection were higher among farmers (71.3%, 1922.9 parasites/μL blood, P = 0.005), particularly among rice farmers (2991.6 parasites/μL blood) compared to non-farmer participants. The occurrence and parasite density follow the same pattern for sex and age (P < 0.05). Children in the age of 6 to 10 years (AOR: 2.168, CI: 1.63-2.19) and ≥ 11 years (AOR: 3.750, CI: 2.85-3.80) groups were twoand four-fold more likely to be infected with malaria. The analysis revealed that the proximity of bush and stagnant water to the farmer (73.9%, AOR: 3.242, CI: 2.57-3.61) and non-farmer (38.1%, AOR: 1.362, CI: 1.25-1.41) habitations influence malaria transmission. Conclusion: This study highlights farming activities as a risk factor for malaria infection in agro-communities. Integrated malaria control measures in agricultural communities should therefore include water and environmental management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Archived malaria rapid diagnostic test strips (mRDTs) serves as an important source of plasmodium Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA) in epidemiological studies. The presence of Plasmodium falciparum DNA (PfDNA) in mRDTs (yr. 2016-2017) and newly used ones (yr. 2018) were enumerated with a view to establish the parasite's optimum genomic DNA volume. Methods: A retrospective study to determine the yield and purity of used mRDTs was carried out on randomly selected mRDTs (2016 - 2018). Both positive and negative mRDTs samples were analyzed with nested Polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). Dried blood spots (DBS) were obtained from study enrolments and analyzed molecularly. nPCR and Agarose gel electrophoresis were used to determine P. falciparum DNA. Results: Agarose gel electrophoresis results showed that only 26 out of the 50 samples eligible for screening were PCR positive for P. falciparum. The following was observed; yrs.: 2016 - 17(34%) with 2.06 X 103 yield, 1.7235 purity; 2017 - 16(32%) with 1.03 X 103 yield, 1.7619 purity and 2018 - 17(34%) with 1.42 X 103 yield, 1.6194 purity. Molecular analysis (P.f. 18Ss rRNA) was determined to ascertain positive result that appeared negative using mRDTs or microscopy. The DNA yield of the DBS for 2018 was 1.66 X 103 and a purity (Optical Density 260/280) of 1.69. The purity was higher than that of the mRDTs with a DNA yield of 1.42 X 103 and 1.62 purity. Conclusion: PfDNA extraction is an important process for malaria PCR screening and the reliability is dependent on pureness and concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The connection between malaria-associated morbidities and farming activities has not been succinctly reported. This study aimed to address the connectivity between farming activities and malaria transmission., Methods: The study took place in the agricultural setting of Nigeria Edu local government (9° N, 4.9° E) between March 2016 and December 2018. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information on their occupation and malaria infection. Infection status was confirmed with blood film and microscopic diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum was based on the presence of ring form or any other blood stages. Individuals who are either critically ill or lived in the community less than 3 months were excluded from the study., Results: Of the 341 volunteers, 58.1% (52.9% in Shigo and 61.4% in Sista) were infected (parasitaemia density of 1243.7 parasites/μL blood). The prevalence and intensity of infection were higher among farmers (71.3%, 1922.9 parasites/μL blood, P = 0.005), particularly among rice farmers (2991.6 parasites/μL blood) compared to non-farmer participants. The occurrence and parasite density follow the same pattern for sex and age ( P < 0.05). Children in the age of 6 to 10 years (AOR: 2.168, CI: 1.63-2.19) and ≥ 11 years (AOR: 3.750, CI: 2.85-3.80) groups were two-and four-fold more likely to be infected with malaria. The analysis revealed that the proximity of bush and stagnant water to the farmer (73.9%, AOR: 3.242, CI: 2.57-3.61) and non-farmer (38.1%, AOR: 1.362, CI: 1.25-1.41) habitations influence malaria transmission., Conclusion: This study highlights farming activities as a risk factor for malaria infection in agro-communities. Integrated malaria control measures in agricultural communities should therefore include water and environmental management practices., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None., (© Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2020.)