RESUMEN
Background: Understanding the pathogenesis of animal trypanosomiasis can be improved by studying the genetics of bovine trypanosomes. Pathogenic animal trypanosomes are a major impediment to livestock production, with negative economic consequences spreading beyond Sub-Saharan Africa to subtropical regions of Northern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. An atypical K1 strain of Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) isolates from infected cattle in Nigeria was analyzed. The therapeutic effect of phenolic-rich compounds on the histopathology of wistar rats infected with the K1 strain was studied. Methods: The K1 strain T. evansi was analyzed molecularly using PCR and sequence analysis of the Spacer-1 ribosomal RNA gene. To assess the evolutionary relationship, this was phylogenetically compared to other species studied in different parts of the world. Thirty adult male wistar rats were divided into six groups of five each. Animals in group A served as the standard control (not infected). Group B animals were infected but not treated. Group C animals were infected and given 3.5 mg/kg body weight of the standard drug diminazene aceturate. Animals in groups D, E, and F were infected and treated with phenolic-rich compounds isolated from Brassica oleracea (B. oleracea) at concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The phytochemicals were extracted using standard analytical procedures, and GCMS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic-rich compounds. The animals were given 0.2 mg/ml trypanosome intraperitoneally, diluted with normal saline. The vital organs of the animals were harvested and histologically examined. Results: The nested PCR amplification of the trypanosome's ITS-1 region revealed a DNA amplicon of 627 base pairs. The rRNA nucleotide sequence was deposited in GenBank under the accession number MN462960. Basic Local Alignment search of the obtained ITS-1 rRNA sequences revealed that the K1 strain trypanosome and other strains from different regions have an evolutionary relationship. The phenolic-rich compounds had protective effects on the organs of infected animals, resulting in a decrease in parasitemia levels. They have anti-trypanosome activities at the minimum and maximum effective doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Conclusions: The K1 strain T. evansi was isolated from naturally infected cattle in this study. The results indicate that phenolic-rich compounds have anti trypanosoma activities capable of healing organ damage caused by trypanosomiasis.
RESUMEN
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease of great importance worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antigenic profile of Echinococcus cysts (CE cysts) in camels and cattle. The lungs, livers, hearts, and kidneys of 560 animals, comprising 304 camels and 256 cattle slaughtered in the Maiduguri abattoir, were examined for CE. Blood samples were collected for serology. Protein profiles of CE fluids were analyzed using indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay while Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to characterize the electrophoretic pattern of different CE cyst fluid samples. The overall prevalence of CE was 8.4%, 14.14% (95% CI = 10.65-18.54%) in camels and 1.60% (95% CI = 0.46-4.09%) in cattle. Adult camels 41 (16.21%) (95% CI = 12.15-21.27%) had a higher prevalence than the young camels 2 (3.92%) (95% CI = 0.33-13.97%) (p = 0.038). In cattle, only adults 4 (2.0%) had cysts. Higher prevalence of CE was recorded in male 22 (16.42%) (95% CI = 11.03-23.68%) than female 21 (12.35%) (95% CI = 8.16-18.21%) camels [p = 0.399] while only female cattle 3 (2.2%) had cysts. Higher prevalence of CE was recorded in the livers of 34 (11.18%) (95% CI = 8.08-15.25%) than in the lungs 25 (8.22%) (95% CI = 5.59-11.90%) of camels [p = 0.273]. Of the 47 cysts collected, 43 (91.49%) and 4 (8.51%) were from camels and cattle, respectively. A total of 18 (38.30%) fertile, 17 (36.17%) non-fertile, and 12 (25.53%) calcified cysts were recovered in animals. Overall seroprevalence of 52.63% (95% CI = 47.02-58.18%) and 35.55% (95% CI = 29.93-41.59%) were observed in camels and cattle in this study. The SDS-PAGE of camel CE cyst fluids revealed protein bands at 64kda, 91kda, 160kda, and 200kda molecular units while the purified cyst fluids revealed bands at 64kda, 91kda, 120kda, 160kda, and 200kda. Regular meat inspections and the exclusion of dogs from abattoir premises are strongly encouraged. Investigation into local prevailing factors encouraging transmission should be carried out.
RESUMEN
The negative impact of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Nigeria is enormous, and it poses serious public health issues and concerns. This study was undertaken to investigate the impact of health education intervention on reinfection of STHs in pupils of rural schools of Kogi East, North Central Nigeria. A total of 10 schools with the highest prevalence of STHs at baseline were selected from the 45 schools assessed during the baseline survey. These 10 schools were randomly paired into two groups of 5 schools per group. Five schools were dewormed and given health education (DHE) intervention while the other 5 schools were dewormed only (DO) without health education. Reassessment of schools for reinfection was carried out for a period of 12 months. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Student's t-test was used to make comparison between interventions in the incidence of infections. Analysis was carried out at p < 0.05. Reinfection with STHs was observed from the 28th week (7th month) of both interventions with incidence of 0.29 (2 pupils) and 1.00 (7 pupils) in DO and DHE schools, respectively. In the 36th week (9th month), incidence observed in schools given DHE was 0.56 (5 pupils) while incidence of 0.89 (8 pupils) was observed in DO schools, and there was no significant difference (t = -1.000, p = 0.347) between the interventions. At 48th week (12th month), there was no significant difference (t = -0.547, p = 0.599) in incidence between the DHE and DO schools with incidence of 1.00 (12 pupils) and 0.83 (10 pupils), respectively. Hookworms had an incidence of 0.78 (7 pupils) at DHE schools and 0.56 (5 pupils) at DO schools in the 36th week while an incidence of 0.92 (11 pupils) and 0.83 (10 pupils) at DHE and DO schools, respectively, in the 48th week. Ascaris lumbricoides was only observed in DHE schools in a pupil with an incidence of 0.11 (1 pupil) and 0.08 (1 pupil) at 36th and 48th weeks. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of the parasites between DO and DHE intervention groups (p > 0.05). School-based health education intervention had no significant impact on STH incidence in pupils of rural schools in Kogi East. Community-based deworming should be encouraged alongside improvement in the water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructures and practices at both school and home.
RESUMEN
The need for a reliable risk map in the control of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Kogi East, North Central Nigeria is very important. This study was carried out to determine the effect of environmental risk factors on geospatial distribution of STHs. Epidemiological data were obtained from a district-wide survey conducted in 2018 in Kogi East. Edaphic and climatic factors were downloaded as spatial layers from international recognised health data resources centres. A total of 24 environmental factors were used in determining the risk map of STHs using MaxEnt tool. The predicted high-risk areas of A. lumbricoides, hookworms and S. stercoralis were the central part of Kogi East covering parts of Dekina, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Olamaboro and Omala LGAs with probability of 0.8 to 1.00. Among the factors investigated; Temperature [mean diurnal temperature range (BIO2), temperature annual range (BIO7) and maximum temperature of the warmest month (BIO5)], precipitation [precipitation of the wettest quarter (BIO16)], and soil clay contents were the five factors that exerted most significant influence on the geospatial distribution of STHs in Kogi East, Nigeria. Public health control programmes on STHs should target high-risk areas by including them in mass drug administration, health education as well as provision of water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructures.
