Evaluation of Intestinal Parasite Infection in Low and High Coverage of Graduated Households, Northwest Ethiopia: A Comparative-Based Crosssectional Study

Intestinal parasite infections are widely distributed and affect various segments of the population in Ethiopia as in many developing countries. The government launched an innovative program called Health Extension Program to increase the coverage of primary health care services, mainly by producing model households using model-family training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intestinal parasite infection in low and high coverage of graduated households. Method. A community-based crosssectional study was conducted from February to June, 2019. A total of 478 participants were enrolled in this study by using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected by using pretested and semistructured questionnaire. Five grams of stool specimen was collected, and samples were processed using a direct wet mount and Kato Katz technique. Data were coded, entered, and cleaned using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. A Chi-square test was employed to compare the two groups. P value < 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. Result. The prevalence rate of IPIs was 39% and 20.5% in LCGHH and HCGHH, respectively. A. lumbricoides was the predominant parasite, detected in 14.6% and 8.8% followed by S. mansoni 6.3% and 2.1% in LCGHH and HCGHH districts, respectively. LCGHH had significantly higher prevalence of A. lumbricoides, S. mansoni, and hookworm infections than the HCGHH district ( P < 0.05 ). Thirteen (18.8%) study participants in LCGHH and four (11.7%) in HCGHH showed heavy infection with the four common soil-transmitted helminths (A. lumbricoides, S. mansoni, hookworm, and T. trichiura). Among study participants who were positive for S. mansoni, 53.3% in LCGHH and 20% in HCGHH had heavy infection for the Kato thick smear used. Conclusion. The prevalence of IPIs is significantly higher in LCGHH than in the HCGHH district. Producing more model households by giving model family training to nonmodel households and strengthening the information, education, and communication package are crucial in the implementation of the HEP to decrease the prevalence of IPIs especially in LCGHH districts.

Mass Drug Distribution Strategy Efficacy for Schistosomiasis Control in Mali (West Africa)

Background - Schistosomiasis is a water-based parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Mass Drug Distribution (MDD) with Praziquantel is periodically recommended in schistosomiasis-endemic countries to prevent morbidity. In Mali, schistosomiasis still remains endemic, especially in Senegal and Niger rivers basin, although the strategy has been adopted since 2005. Our study aimed to assess the impact of annual school-based MDD. Materials and methods – The study was conducted at twelve sentinel sites across Kayes and Koulikoro regions. A cross-sectional study design was performed in April 2018 after four-or five-years post treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) depending on the statute of sites. At baseline (2014-2015) and for the control year (2018), 734 (386 boys and 347 girls) and 1708 (844 boys and 864 girls) school children of 7-14 years of age, were successfully examined respectively. Infections with Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni were diagnosed with the urine filtration and the Kato-Katz method respectively. Results – From eight schools treated in 2014, the four annual rounds of MDD with PZQ were associated with a significant decrease in S. haematobium prevalence in five sites (p<0,001) and a significant increase in one site (p<0,001). Of them, the prevalence of high-intensity (≥50 eggs/10mL of urine) significantly decreased in four previous sites but not in Diakalele where it increased ((p<0.001). In all the four sites treated in 2015, S. haematobium prevalence increased significantly in Kokoun and Samaya (P<0.05). The heavy infection increased slightly in Dougourakoro and Samaya (P>0.05). The prevalence of S. mansoni significantly decreased in three sites (p<0.001), increased in three and remains zero in the six others sites. Conclusion – Our findings show that five of the twelve sentinel sites have achieved the criterion of elimination of schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium as a major public health problem (Prevalence of heavy infection <1%); three have achieved the criterion of morbidity control (Prevalence of heavy infection <5%), whereas two sites remain confined below the control criterion. These results call for a strong improvement in the therapeutic coverage associating, education and provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene to interrupt the transmission cycle of the schistosome.

Diversity, intensity and prevalence of parasites of cichlids in polluted and unpolluted sections of Eleyele Dam, Ibadan, Nigeria.

This study aimed to investigate the diversity, intensity and prevalence of parasites in Cichlids. A total of 354 specimens of cichlids was sampled in polluted and unpolluted ends of Eleyele River, Ibadan, Nigeria and examined for parasites. The total prevalence was 57.34%. Recovered parasites were Clinostomum tilapiae, Euclinostomum heterostomum, Neascus, Allocreadium ghanensis, Phagicola longa, Alloglossidium corti and the acanthocephalan; Acanthogyrus tilapiae and Acanthella. Clinostomum tilapiae had higher prevalence and abundance (42.90%) with Allocreadium corti recording least abundance (0.49%). Tilapia zilli was the most abundant (41.53%) among the fish hosts but Oreochromis niloticus harboured the highest percentage of parasites (80.00%). The fish hosts in the polluted end of the river harboured the highest percentage of parasites (71.18%) against (43.50%) parasites recovered from the unpolluted end. There was a significant difference in the parasites harboured. Heavy infection with a broad number of parasites in fish hosts could reduce performance and productivity of the species, especially in fish farming.

Perangkat serologi untuk deteksi dini infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada kelapa sawit Serological device kit for early detection of Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm

Basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma sp. is the most destructive disease in oil palm that difficult to control because its early symptom could not be detected easily. Serological technique that could detect early Ganoderma sp. infection in quick, simple, and cheap manner should be developed as one component for integrated disease management. A diagnostic device based on dot immunobinding assay (DIBA) for early detection of Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm had been observed at laboratory, greenhouse and field experiment. Study result revealed that serological technique could detect antigen protein extract of Ganoderma mycelium as much as 138 µg/mL. Basal stem of young seedling that artificially be inoculated by the pathogen could also be clearly detected. At field experiment, Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm plantation was marked with colour marking based on its infection stadium level to the palm oil. The colours are green, yellow, red, black, and white stating that the plant are healthy, mild infection, heavy infection, very heavy infection, and dead, respectively. Field experiment result showed that serological device kit gave strong reaction to antigen extracted from root and stem at red marking plant. The antigen extracted from healthy plant (green marking plant) was the weak one indicating that the plant is starting to be infected although the symptoms are not yet visually observed. AbstrakBusuk pangkal batang (BPB) yang disebabkan oleh Ganoderma sp. merupakan penyakit paling penting yang sulit ditanggulangi pada tanaman kelapa sawit karena gejala dini serangan sulit diketahui. Teknik serologi yang mampu mendeteksi dini infeksi Ganoderma sp. secara cepat, sederhana dan murah perlu dikembangkan sebagai salah satu komponen dalam pengelolaan penyakit secara terpadu. Teknik serologi dalam bentuk perangkat diagnostik berbasis dot immunobinding assay (DIBA) telah dirakit untuk mendeteksi infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada skala laboratorium, rumah kaca, dan lapang. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa perangkat diagnostik tersebut dapat mendeteksi ekstrak protein dari miselium Ganoderma sp sebesar 138 µg/mL. Keberadaan patogen pada bibit kelapa sawit yang diinfeksi buatan dapat dideteksi secara jelas dengan perangkat serologi tersebut. Deteksi tingkat infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada kebun kelapa sawit TM (skala lapang) dilakukan dengan mengambil sampel berdasarkan stadium infeksi (sehat, ringan, berat, sangat berat, mati) yang diberi kriteria warna hijau, kuning, merah, hitam, dan putih. Hasil uji di kebun kelapa sawit menunjukkan bahwa teknik serologi ini memberikan reaksi paling kuat terhadap antigen yang diekstraksi dari akar dan batang tanaman kriteria merah. Sedangkan reaksi paling lemah ditunjukkan oleh antigen yang diekstraksi dari tanaman kelapa sawit kode hijau yang mengindikasikan bahwa tanaman tanaman kelapa sawit di lapangan tersebut mulai terserang walaupun gejala penyakit belum terlihat secara visual.

Perangkat serologi untuk deteksi dini infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada kelapa sawit Serological device kit for early detection of Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm

Basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma sp. is the most destructive disease in oil palm that difficult to control because its early symptom could not be detected easily. Serological technique that could detect early Ganoderma sp. infection in quick, simple, and cheap manner should be developed as one component for integrated disease management. A diagnostic device based on dot immunobinding assay (DIBA) for early detection of Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm had been observed at laboratory, greenhouse and field experiment. Study result revealed that serological technique could detect antigen protein extract of Ganoderma mycelium as much as 138 µg/mL. Basal stem of young seedling that artificially be inoculated by the pathogen could also be clearly detected. At field experiment, Ganoderma sp. infection in oil palm plantation was marked with colour marking based on its infection stadium level to the palm oil. The colours are green, yellow, red, black, and white stating that the plant are healthy, mild infection, heavy infection, very heavy infection, and dead, respectively. Field experiment result showed that serological device kit gave strong reaction to antigen extracted from root and stem at red marking plant. The antigen extracted from healthy plant (green marking plant) was the weak one indicating that the plant is starting to be infected although the symptoms are not yet visually observed. AbstrakBusuk pangkal batang (BPB) yang disebabkan oleh Ganoderma sp. merupakan penyakit paling penting yang sulit ditanggulangi pada tanaman kelapa sawit karena gejala dini serangan sulit diketahui. Teknik serologi yang mampu mendeteksi dini infeksi Ganoderma sp. secara cepat, sederhana dan murah perlu dikembangkan sebagai salah satu komponen dalam pengelolaan penyakit secara terpadu. Teknik serologi dalam bentuk perangkat diagnostik berbasis dot immunobinding assay (DIBA) telah dirakit untuk mendeteksi infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada skala laboratorium, rumah kaca, dan lapang. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa perangkat diagnostik tersebut dapat mendeteksi ekstrak protein dari miselium Ganoderma sp sebesar 138 µg/mL. Keberadaan patogen pada bibit kelapa sawit yang diinfeksi buatan dapat dideteksi secara jelas dengan perangkat serologi tersebut. Deteksi tingkat infeksi Ganoderma sp. pada kebun kelapa sawit TM (skala lapang) dilakukan dengan mengambil sampel berdasarkan stadium infeksi (sehat, ringan, berat, sangat berat, mati) yang diberi kriteria warna hijau, kuning, merah, hitam, dan putih. Hasil uji di kebun kelapa sawit menunjukkan bahwa teknik serologi ini memberikan reaksi paling kuat terhadap antigen yang diekstraksi dari akar dan batang tanaman kriteria merah. Sedangkan reaksi paling lemah ditunjukkan oleh antigen yang diekstraksi dari tanaman kelapa sawit kode hijau yang mengindikasikan bahwa tanaman tanaman kelapa sawit di lapangan tersebut mulai terserang walaupun gejala penyakit belum terlihat secara visual.

Survey and Identification of Root-Knot Nematodes Associated with Brinjal Crops in Fatehabad, Agra

A survey was conducted over a period of one and half year to estimate the occurrence of root-knot nematode disease on brinjal crops in five selected localities in and around Fatehabad, Agra. Our survey indicates that brinjal crops grown in the selected localities were heavily infested with root-knot nematodes. Highest frequency of disease occurrence in which almost all the roots have knot-like appearance (>85%) was reported from Firozabad Road area. Other localities were also having the significant infestations and these were reported as 80%, 78%, 65%,62% respectively. To access the damage caused by root-knot nematodes in brinjal crop, Meloidogyne gall index and its egg-mass index were calculated and these were found in the range of 2-5. An increased gall index and egg-mass index point to heavy infection on selected crops. Sampled crop showed the significant presence of Meloidogyne javanica. However, there were other species of root-knot nematode as mixed population was also reported. Other species of the root-knot nematodes which were reported in this survey was M. incognita. This survey indicates that the M. javanica is a frequently occurring population in brinjal field infested with root-knot disease.

Differences in cellular immune responses of mice BALB/c to low and high infective doses of Trichinella spiralis

The study was focused on a role of lymphocytes and macrophages in the immune response of mice to Trichinella spiralis infection with low (10) and high (400) infective doses of larvae. The light infection stimulated the proliferation of splenic T lymphocytes only during the intestinal phase of the infection, till day 15 post infection (p.i.), but the heavy infection activated T cells during the migration of newborn larvae (from day 20 to 30 p.i.). B cell proliferation was markedly stimulated after the heavy infection. The light infection increased the presence of helper CD4 cells till day 10 p.i. in contrast to the heavy infection, but subpopulation of CD8 T cells was not influenced by a different size of infective dose. Cytokine production of IL-5 and IFN-γ was not markedly affected by the light infection in contrast to the heavy infection that stimulated IL-5 synthesis during the whole experiment and IFN-Γ during the migration of newborn larvae. The light infection stimulated a metabolic activity of peritoneal macrophages already in the intestinal phase, but the heavy infection affected their activity only in the muscle phase of the infection.