Completeness of malaria notification in Tunisia assessed by capture recapture method

Assessing the Factors of Dengue Transmission in Urban Environments of Pakistan

The rationale of this study is to highlight the significance of relationships of dengue transmission with climate and societal factors for four major cities in Pakistan (i.e., Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi). These cities have been observed to report higher numbers of dengue cases in the last few years, with the highest number of cases reported during 2011. With careful consideration, the relationships of dengue transmission with climate factors, human population density, and traveling in the study areas have been taken into account. Regression model and generalized linear mixed model (GLM) with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm are computed to determine the relationships and random effects of different social (human population density, traveling) and climate (minimum-maximum temperatures, and rainfall) factors on dengue transmission. Neural network (NN) with multilayer perceptron algorithm is used to analyze the normalized importance of different covariates relative to dengue transmission. The results show that minimum temperature and rainfall, together with societal factors, significantly affecting the transmission of dengue in the study areas. The magnitude of these relationships is also shown by the results of the neural network. GLM also shows the significant random effects of minimum temperature, rainfall, human population density, and traveling on dengue transmission during the studied years (2009–2018).

A comparative laboratory diagnosis of malaria: microscopy versus rapid diagnostic test kits

OBJECTIVE

To compare the two methods of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria.

METHODS

RDTs and microscopy were carried out to diagnose malaria. Percentage malaria parasitaemia was calculated on thin films and all non-acute cases of plasmodiasis with less than 0.001% malaria parasitaemia were regarded as negative. Results were simply presented as percentage positive of the total number of patients under study. The results of RDTs were compared to those of microscopy while those of RDTs based on antigen were compared to those of RDTs based on antibody. Patients' follow-up was made for all cases.

RESULTS

All the 200 patients under present study tested positive to RDTs based on malaria antibodies (serum) method (100%). 128 out of 200 tested positive to RDTs based on malaria antigen (whole blood) method (64%), while 118 out of 200 patients under present study tested positive to visual microscopy of Lieshman and diluted Giemsa (59%). All patients that tested positive to microscopy also tested positive to RDTs based on antigen. All patients on the second day of follow-up were non-febrile and had antimalaria drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude based on the present study that the RDTs based on malaria antigen (whole blood) method is as specific as the traditional microscopy and even appears more sensitive than microscopy. The RDTs based on antibody (serum) method is unspecific thus it should not be encouraged. It is most likely that Africa being an endemic region, formation of certain levels of malaria antibody may not be uncommon. The present study also supports the opinion that a good number of febrile cases is not due to malaria. We support WHO's report on cost effectiveness of RDTs but, recommend that only the antigen based method should possibly, be adopted in Africa and other malaria endemic regions of the world.

Comparison of protein patterns between Plasmodium falciparum mutant clone T9/94-M1-1(b3) induced by pyrimethamine and the original parent clone T9/94

OBJECTIVE

To compare the protein patterns from the extracts of the mutant clone T9/94-M1-1(b3) induced by pyrimethamine, and the original parent clone T9/94 following separation of parasite extracts by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE).

METHODS

Proteins were solubilized and separated according to their charges and sizes. The separated protein spots were then detected by silver staining and analyzed for protein density by the powerful image analysis software.

RESULTS

Differentially expressed protein patterns (up- or down-regulation) were separated from the extracts from the two clones. A total of 223 and 134 protein spots were detected from the extracts of T9/94 and T9/94-M1-1(b3) clones, respectively. Marked reduction in density of protein expression was observed with the extract from the mutant (resistant) clone compared with the parent (sensitive) clone. A total of 25 protein spots showed at least two-fold difference in density, some of which exhibited as high as ten-fold difference.

CONCLUSIONS

These proteins may be the molecular targets of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to pyrimethamine. Further study to identify the chemical structures of these proteins by mass spectrometry is required.

Resolution pattern of jaundice among children presenting with severe malaria in rural South-West Nigeria

OBJECTIVE

To compare the pattern of jaundice resolution among children with severe malaria treated with quinine and artemether.

METHODS

Thirty two children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study from two hospitals with intensive care facilities. They were divided into two groups; 'Q' and 'A', receiving quinine and artemether, respectively. Jaundice was assessed by clinical examination.

RESULTS

Sixteen out of 32 children recruited (representing 50%) presented with jaundice on the day of recruitment. The mean age was (7.00°C2.56) years. On day 3, four patients in 'A' and six patients in 'Q' had jaundice. By day 7, no child had jaundice.

CONCLUSION

The study has shown that both drugs resolve jaundice although artemether relatively resolves it faster by the third day.

Irritability of malaria vector, Anopheles sacharovi to different insecticides in a malaria-prone area

OBJECTIVE

To determine the susceptibility and irritability level of malaria vector Anopheles sacharovi (An. sachrovi) to different insecticides in a malaria-prone area.

METHODS

Susceptibility and irritability levels of field collected strain of An. sacharovi to WHO standard papers of DDT 4%, dieldrin 0.4%, malathion 5%, fenitrothion 1%, permethrin 0.75%, and deltamethrin 0.05% were determined in East Azerbaijan of Iran during reemerging of malaria as described by WHO.

RESULTS

Results showed that at the diagnostic dose of insecticides this species exhibited resistance to DDT, tolerant to dieldrin and but somehow susceptible to fenitrothion, malathion, permethrin and deltamethrin. The results of irritability of this species to DDT, lambdacyhalothrin, permethrin cyfluthrin and deltamethrin revealed that DDT had had the most and deltamethrin the least irritancy effect. The average number of take offs/fly/minutes for DDT was 0.8±0.2. The order of irritability for permethrin, lambdacyhalothrin, cyfluthrin and deltamethrin were 0.7±0.2, 0.5±0.2, 0.5±0.3, and 0.2±0.1, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of this study reveals the responsiveness of the main malaria vector to different insecticides. This phenomenon is depending on several factors such as type and background of insecticide used previously, insecticide properties, and physiology of the species. Careful monitoring of insecticide resistance and irritability level of species could provide a clue for appropriate selection of insecticide for malaria control.

Geographical mapping and Bayesian spatial modeling of malaria incidence in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran

OBJECTIVE

To present the geographical map of malaria and identify some of the important environmental factors of this disease in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran.

METHODS

We used the registered malaria data to compute the standard incidence rates (SIRs) of malaria in different areas of Sistan and Baluchistan province for a nine-year period (from 2001 to 2009). Statistical analyses consisted of two different parts: geographical mapping of malaria incidence rates, and modeling the environmental factors. The empirical Bayesian estimates of malaria SIRs were utilized for geographical mapping of malaria and a Poisson random effects model was used for assessing the effect of environmental factors on malaria SIRs.

RESULTS

In general, 64,926 new cases of malaria were registered in Sistan and Baluchistan Province from 2001 to 2009. Among them, 42,695 patients (65.8%) were male and 22,231 patients (34.2%) were female. Modeling the environmental factors showed that malaria incidence rates had positive relationship with humidity, elevation, average minimum temperature and average maximum temperature, while rainfall had negative effect on malaria SIRs in this province.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study reveals that malaria is still a serious health problem in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran. Geographical map and related environmental factors of malaria can help the health policy makers to intervene in high risk areas more efficiently and allocate the resources in a proper manner.

Malaria parasite status and cholesterol level of malaria patients in parts of the IMO River Basin of Nigeria

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between malaria parasite status and cholesterol level of 110 consenting subjects (55 patients and 55 controls) in parts of the Imo River Basin of Nigeria.

METHODS

Giemsa staining was used for malaria parasite examination while Randox cholesterol kit was used for cholesterol level estimation.

RESULTS

About 49 persons (90%) with malaria had low cholesterol (<180 mg/dL). Highest mean cholesterol levels were 274 mg/dL for study patients and 220 mg/dL for controls respectively; Lowest mean cholesterol levels were 168 mg/dL (patients) and 138 mg/dL (controls) respectively. Low cholesterol levels (<180 mg/dL) were found in patients (84%) and controls (6%) respectively. However, 16.4% of controls and 6% of patients had borderline cholesterol level (200-239 mg/dL). This study establishes a significant correlation (12.9%, P<0.01) between malaria parasite status and cholesterol level.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings imply that cholesterol level estimation may be a potential concurrent and valuable diagnosis for malaria status.

Identification, structure and function of a novel tetraspaninhomologue from Spirometra erinaceieuropaei

OBJECTIVE

To identify a full length c DNA sequence of a novel tetraspanin (TSP) homologue from Spirometra erinaceieuropaei and to predict the structure and function of its encoding protein using bioinformatics methods.

METHODS

Using the NCBI, EMBI, Expasy and other online sites, the open reading frame (ORF), conserved domain, physical and chemical parameters, signal peptide, transmembrane domain, epitope, topological structures of the protein sequences were predicted. And Vector NTI software was used for multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree construction.

RESULTS

The target sequence was 1132 bp length with a 681 bpbiggest ORF encoding 226 amino acids protein with typical TSP conserved domain. It was confirmed as full length c DNA of TSP16 from Spirometra erinaceieuropaei and named as SeTSP16 (GenBank accession number: JF728872). The predicted molecular weight and isoelectric point of the deduced protein were 24 750.5 Da and 7.88 Da, respectively. Compared with TSP16s from Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma mansoni, it showed similarity of 59% and 59%, respectively. SeTSP16 contained four transmembrane domains (TM1-4), intracellular N and C-termini, one short small extracellular loop and one large extracellular loop. Four major epitopes that were significant different from the corresponding epitope regions of TSP16 from Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum were predicted.

CONCLUSIONS

The full length c DNA sequences of SeTSP16 are identified. It encodes a transmembrane protein which might be an ideal diagnosis antigen and target molecule for antiparasitic drugs.