Expanding polio surveillance reach beyond vaccination reach in Borno State, Nigeria: The contribution of community informants from insecure areas engaged to conduct polio surveillance in security compromised areas, 2018-2019.

INTRODUCTION: Borno state in north-eastern Nigeria is the epicentre of the >10 years' insurgency activities that have affected the region since 2009, resulting in the destruction of health facilities, killing of health workers, massive population displacement and lack of access to populations to provide health services. This article demonstrates how the involvement of community informants from insecure areas (CIIA) to conduct polio surveillance in security-challenged settlements of Borno state contributed to the expansion of polio surveillance reach beyond polio vaccination reach. METHOD: In each of the 19 security compromised Local Government areas (LGAs) with community informants from insecure areas, Android phones enabled with Vaccination Tracking System (VTS) technology and Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile application were provided to capture geo-coordinates as evidence (geo evidence) for polio surveillance activity conducted. These geo evidence captured were uploaded and mapped to show insecure settlements reached with polio surveillance and those yet to be reached. RESULTS: A total of 3183 security compromised settlements were reached for polio surveillance between March 2018 and October 2019 with valid geo evidence, 542 of these security-compromised settlements had not been previously reached by any other intervention for polio surveillance or polio vaccination. CONCLUSION: The capturing of geo-coordinates as a proxy indicator of polio surveillance activity conducted by informants provided significant evidence of settlements reached for sustained polio surveillance even when a case of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) had not been reported from these settlements. Using the geo evidence captured by CIIA in insecure settlements, we have demonstrated the expansion of polio surveillance reach beyond polio vaccination reach in Borno state.

Historical reconstruction of inaccessibility status in Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Borno and Yobe States, Nigeria, 2010-2020.

Introduction: ultimately detected in 2016, wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission continued undetected after 2011 in Northeast Nigeria Borno and Yobe States in security-compromised areas, inaccessible due to armed insurgency. Varying inaccessibility prevented children aged <5 years in these areas from polio vaccination interventions and surveillance, while massive population displacements occurred. We examined progress in access over time to provide data supporting a very low probability of undetected WPV circulation within remaining trapped populations after 2016. Methods: to assess the extent of inaccessibility in security-compromised areas, we obtained empirical historical data in 2020 on a quarterly and annual basis from relevant polio eradication staff for the period 2010-2020. The extent of access to areas for immunization by recall was compared to geospatial data from vaccinator tracking. Population estimates over time in security-compromised areas were extracted from satellite imagery. We compared the historical access data from staff with tracking and population esimates. Results: access varied during 2010-2020, with inaccessibility peaking during 2014-2016. We observed concurrent patterns between historical recalled data on inaccessibility and contemporaneous satellite imagery on population displacements, which increased confidence in the quality of recalled data. Conclusion: staff-recalled access was consistent with vaccinator tracking and satellite imagery of population displacments. Despite variability in inaccessibility over time, innovative immunization initiatives were implemented as access allowed and surveillance initiatives were initiated to search for poliovirus transmission. Along with escape and liberation of residents by the military in some geographic areas, these initiatives resulted in a massive reduction in the size of the unvaccinated population remaining resident.

Effect of Escherichia coli endotoxin on Archachatina marginata hemolymph coagulation system.

CONTEXT: Archachatina marginata Swainson (Achatinidae) is found in Nigeria, West Africa. Its hemolymph is applied as a disinfectant to blades and fresh cuts of circumcision in Yorubaland. The hemolymph is also used in traditional medicine practice. Investigation into its anti-endotoxin response is being studied for the first time. OBJECTIVE: This study determined whether endotoxin causes measurable and concentration-dependent protein coagulation in the separate hemolymph fractions and in hemocyte lysate (HL)/plasma mixtures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endotoxin was prepared by inoculating 5% w/v dextrose with locally isolated Escherichia coli cells and incubated for 48 h before sterilization. Pyrogenicity was determined by rabbit test method and use the of LAL kit. Hemolymph fractions were exposed to endotoxin while controls were exposed to endotoxin-free water (0.025 EU/ml). HL/plasma (1:1 v/v) was exposed to varied endotoxin concentrations. RESULTS: Data indicated significantly higher protein coagulates induced by endotoxin in all the hemolymph fractions (P < 0.05). Maximum protein coagulation in mixture of HL/plasma 1:1 was recorded. Exposure of HL/plasma at optimal ratio to varied endotoxin caused linear protein coagulation up to 1.0 EU/ml, beyond which it dropped significantly and unresponsive to further increase in endotoxin doses. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: There was endotoxin-induced protein coagulation, which is endotoxin concentration-dependent. The optimal coagulation observed for 1:1 HL/plasma mixture suggests stronger interaction between the hemocytes and the plasma in response to endotoxin. There are LPS-binding proteins in the plasma and hemocytes of A. marginata. This finding may be employed in detection and quantification of endotoxin in future.

Phoenix dactylifera Linn fruit based-diets palliate hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Objectives This study was designed to examine the in vitro inhibitory activities of vital enzymes related to diabetes mellitus and different biochemical parameters of Phoenix dactylifera fruit based-diet in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods The aqueous extract of P. dactylifera fruit based-diet was prepared and used for determination of in vitro antioxidants as well as α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities using standard procedures. Also, 30 albino rats were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan and grouped into A-D as normal rats placed on Dioscorea rotundata based-diet, diabetic control rats placed on D. rotundata based-diet, diabetic rats placed on D. rotundata based-diet and administered metformin orally per day, and diabetic rats placed on P. dactylifera fruit based-diet respectively. The animals were sacrificed on the fourth week of the experiment, and different biochemical parameters were evaluated. Results The P. dactylifera fruit based-diet extract demonstrated antioxidative potentials and inhibition against α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, diabetic rats placed on the P. dactylifera fruit based-diet revealed significant (p<0.05) increase in body weight, insulin and glycogen levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, GLUT 2 and high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations when compared with the diabetic control group. Also, diabetic rats placed on P. dactylifera fruit based-diet indicate significant (p<0.05) reduction in fasting blood glucose, lipid peroxidation, cytokines levels, some gluconeogenesis enzyme activities, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins concentrations compared to the diabetic control animals. Conclusion This diet could be an alternative nutraceutical means of managing diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Nutritional performance and antioxidant activities of roasted and unroasted sprouted sorghum-based weaning diets in Wistar rats.

The nutritional performance and antioxidant profile of sprouted sorghum-based weaning diets were evaluated in weaning wistar rats. Rats were fed basal diet, unroasted germinated sorghum-based diet, roasted germinated sorghum-based diet, or a commercial weaning feed (nutrend) for 28 days. Energy, carbohydrate, crude protein, lipids, crude fiber, and ash contents of the sorghum-based diets compared significantly with FAO/WHO recommendations. Contrastingly, moisture content of the germinated sorghum-based diet was higher than the recommendation. Weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio, net protein utilization, biological value, and digestibility of unroasted germinated sorghum-based diet-fed rats compared significantly with Nutrend. Roasted germinated sorghum-based diet produced differential effects on these indices. The unroasted germinated sorghum-based diet significantly raised the antioxidant enzymes in the rat liver and kidney. Overall, evidence from the study indicates that unroasted germinated sorghum-based diet improves the nutritional performance and the antioxidants of weaning rats compared to the roasted germinated sorghum-based diet. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The provision of nutritionally adequate food from local sources during the weaning period of infants continues to be a major source of concern in developing countries. The formulated unroasted sprouted sorghum-based diet can be adapted and used as weaning food. Furthermore, the diet can be processed and developed into a weaning food.

Antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activity of Musa paradisiaca-based diet in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

This study was aimed at investigating the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activity of Musa paradisiaca-based diets in alloxan-induced diabetic mellitus rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg b.w) in 48 randomly selected rats. The rats were randomly grouped into four as follows: normal rats fed Dioscorea rotundata-based diet, diabetic control rats fed D. rotundata-based diet, diabetic rats fed D. rotundata-based diet and administered metformin (14.2 mg/kg body weight) orally per day, and diabetic rats fed M. paradisiaca-based diet. Body weight and fasting blood glucose level were monitored, on 28th days the rats were sacrificed, liver was excised. Thereafter, the hyperglycemic and dyslipidemic statii of the induced diabetic animals were determined. The M. paradisiaca-based diet significantly (p < .05) reversed the levels of fasting blood glucose, with significant (p < .05) increase in insulin and glycogen concentrations. The diet also increased the activity of hexokinase with significant reduction (p < .05) in glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1-6-diphosphatase activities. M. paradisiaca-based diet demonstrated significant reduction (p < .05) in cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TG), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and significant increase (p < .05) in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) compared with those of diabetic control group. Also, M. paradisiaca-based diet significantly (p < .05) reversed the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase when compared with diabetic control animals. The consumption of this diet may be useful in ameliorating hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in diabetes mellitus patients.

Hemolymph coagulation and phenoloxidase activity in Uca tangeri induced by Escherichia coli endotoxin.

Uca tangeri is a marine fiddler crab found commonly in the West African coast and is often exposed to Gram-negative pathogens upon injury. The aim of this study was to document the patterns of endotoxin-induced protein coagulation and phenoloxidase (PO) activity in hemolymph fractions of Uca tangeri. Hemolymph from live crabs was obtained by carapace puncture, pooled. and then separated into plasma, hemocyte Lysate (HL), hemocyte lysate supernatant (HLS) and hemocyte lysate debris (HLD). The effect of Escherichia coli (O1111:B4) endotoxin and calcium ion (Ca(2+)) on protein coagulation in the presence/absence of endotoxin and the endotoxin dose-dependence of coagulation and PO activity were each studied in the plasma, HL, HLS and HLD. The results showed Ca(2+) was required to induce coagulation, and was endotoxin concentration-dependent in the plasma. PO activity was highest in the HLS but PO specific activity was highest in HLD. PO activity remained relatively constant with increased LPS concentration in the range studied 0-10 EU/ml. From the data we conclude that endotoxin-induced protein coagulation occurs in the plasma alone and might be mediated by trans-glutaminases, while PO activity is localized inside hemocytes and cell membranes in Uca tangeri.

Anti-ulcerogenic activity of aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed on indomethacin-induced peptic ulcer in male albino rats.

OBJECTIVE: Carica papaya is an important fruit with its seeds used in the treatment of ulcer in Nigeria. This study investigated the anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed against indomethacin-induced peptic ulcer in male rats. METHODS: Thirty male rats were separated into 6 groups (A-F) of five rats each. For 14 d before ulcer induction with indomethacin, groups received once daily oral doses of vehicle (distilled water), cimetidine 200 mg/kg body weight (BW), or aqueous extract of C. papaya seed at doses of 100, 150 or 200 mg/kg BW (groups A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively). Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, groups B, C, D, E and F were treated with 100 mg/kg BW of indomethacin to induce ulcer formation. RESULTS: Carica papaya seed extract significantly (P< 0.05) increased gastric pH and percentage of ulcer inhibition relative to indomethacin-induced ulcer rats. The extract significantly (P< 0.05) decreased gastric acidity, gastric acid output, gastric pepsin secretion, ulcer index and gastric secretion volume relative to group B. These results were similar to that achieved by pretreatment with cimetidine. Specific activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the extract-treated groups (D, E and F) were increased significantly over the group B (P< 0.05). Pretreatment with the seed extract protected rats from the indomethacin-mediated decrease in enzyme function experienced by the group B. Similarly, indomethacin-mediated decrease in reduced glutathione level and indomethacin-mediated increase in malondialdehyde were reversed by Carica papaya extract. CONCLUSION: In this study, pretreatment with aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed exhibited anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant effects, which may be due to the enhanced antioxidant enzymes.

Endotoxin-induced coagulation reactions and phenoloxidase activity modulation in Sudanonautes africanus hemolymph fractions.

Sudanonautes africanus is a freshwater crab local to Nigeria and West Africa that has no documentation of its innate immunity reactions. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) on coagulation and on phenoloxidase (PO) activity in the hemolymph fractions of S. africanus. The hemolymph from each of 10 live crabs was obtained by carapace puncture and then fractionated into plasma and hemocytes. The hemocytes were then processed and then fractionated into hemocyte lysate (HL), hemocyte lysate supernatant (HLS), and hemocyte lysate debris (HLD). In one study, each fraction was then incubated with a fixed level of LPS in the presence or absence of exogenous calcium (Ca(2+)) ion. In another study, the LPS concentration was varied in order to study its effect on protein coagulation when an optimal ratio mixture of plasma:HLS was present as well as on PO activity in the plasma and HLS fractions. The results of the first set of studies demonstrated that a presence of Ca(2+) in the LPS-induced clotting reactions was essential. The next set of studies showed that a 7:1 plasma:HLS mixture yielded a higher level of coagulation than any other ratio tested in the presence of 1 EU LPS/ml. When this same plasma:HLS mixture ratio was used to ascertain the effect of varying LPS level on coagulation, the response trended higher up to a dose of 3.0 EU/ml., and decreased thereafter until 7 EU/ml. As expected based on the effect of LPS on PO activation, an increasing presence of LPS led to a general trend increase in activity of the enzyme in the plasma fraction; however, the effect was moreover inhibitory in the HLS fraction. From the results here, we conclude that protein coagulation is an important response, along with increased PO activity, that could manifest in Sudanonautes africanus after exposure to 'free' LPS or select LPS-bearing organisms in their environment.