Assessment of Body Mass (Weight Loss/Gain) in a 14 Day Clinical and Parasitological Responses to Supervised Antimalarial Drug Combination Therapies in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

Malaria has considerable potential for adversely influencing host nutrition. It can restrict food intake through anorexia while causing vomiting or diarrhea, it may interfere with the absorption of ingested food. This survey was however conducted to ascertain the impact of the Plasmodium falciparum malaria attack on the weight potentials of the sufferers treated with Diaminopyrimidines (Pyrimethamine) and Sulphonamides (Sulfadoxine) Out of 243 patients studied in Abakaliki, the age groups 10-19 (48.6%), 20-29 (30.0%), 30-39 (12.8%), 40-49 (5.8%), and 50-59 (2.9%) showed average weight loss/gain of ± 1.4, ±0.3, ± 0.6, and± 0.2 respectively for both males, and females. The corresponding weight loss/gain between D0-D7 showed 10 ≤ 20: D0-D2 (-0.1), D2-D7 (+0.7), 21≤ 30: D0-D2 (- 0.3), D2-D7 (+ 0.2); 31 ≤ 40: D0-D2 (0.0), D2-D7 (+0.2);41 ≤ 50: D0-D2 (- 0.1), D2-D7 (- 0.1),51≤ 60: D0-D2 (0.0), D2-D7 (+ 0.2).The result of increased catabolism of proteins and associated weight loss in severe malaria attack should be regained by nutritional sufficiency.

Averting Expenditure on Malaria: Effects on Maize Labour Productivity in Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District of Ghana

Background Malaria has been one of the commonest diseases during farming season which affects farmers’ health resulting in a reduction in the number of days spent on the farm. Due to this, farmers are regularly trying to avert a malaria attack through preventive measures. Motivated by this argument, this study sought to determine the effects of malaria averting expenditure on labour productivity of maize farmers in Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District in the Northern Region of Ghana. Methods A cross-sectional primary data was collected from 194 maize farmers. Both descriptive and quantitative data analysis approaches were employed. Conditional Mixed Process was used to estimate the effects of malaria preventive expenditure on maize labour productivity. Results The study revealed that maize farmers incurred an average expenditure of GHc284.6 to prevent malaria. The result shows that factors that affect maize farmers’ malaria preventive expenditure include off-farm income, household size, presence of bushes around houses, presence of pregnant women and number of household members in school. Meanwhile, quantity of fertilizer, seed, weedicides, farming experience, age, ownership of motor bike and averting expenditure are significant determinants of maize labour productivity. The study revealed that farmers who spend more amount of money to avert malaria attack are more labour productive. Conclusions Therefore, this study recommends that Ministry of Health and Ministry of Food and Agriculture should collaborate and integrate health extension service on malaria in agricultural extension to educate farmers on the need to avert malaria. Farmers should be educated on malaria preventive strategies such as clearing of bushes around houses, draining of stagnant water, sleeping in treated mosquito nets among others.

Averting Expenditure on Malaria: Effects on Maize Labour Productivity in Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District of Ghana

Background Malaria has been one of the commonest diseases during farming season which affects farmers’ health resulting in number of days spend on the farm. Due to this, farmers always try to prevent malaria attack by averting. Motivated by this argument, this study sought to determine the effects of malaria averting expenditure on labour productivity of maize farmers in Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District in the Northern Region of Ghana.Methods A cross sectional primary data was collected from 194 maize farmers. Both descriptive and quantitative data analysis approaches were employed. Conditional Mixed Process was used to estimate the effects of malarial averting expenditure on maize labour productivity.Results The study revealed that maize farmers incurred an average averting expenditure amount of GH¢ 284.60 on malaria. The result shows that factors that significantly affect maize farmers averting expenditure include; households’ off-farm income, household size, presence of bushes around houses, presence of pregnant women and number of household members in school. Meanwhile, quantity of fertilizer, seed, weedicides, farming experience, age, ownership of motor bike and averting expenditure are significant determinants of maize labour productivity. The study revealed that as farmers spend more to avert malaria attack, the become more productive.Conclusions Therefore, this study recommends that Ministry of Health should increase a public advocacy to ensure a holistic approach on use of malaria averting strategies such as clearing of bushes around houses, draining of stagnant water, sleeping in treated mosquito nets among others.

A Case Of Intermediate Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (Lyell Syndrome) Induced By Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate: A Report

Malaria is a parasite disease that is endemic in tropical country as Niger (West Africa). Hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ) is a synthetic antimalarial drug that is very often used to treat connective tissue diseases such as, scleroderma, systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis. This drug may induce numerous cutaneous adverse reactions as well as the other anti-malarial drugs. We report on a case of intermediate Lyell syndrome that occurred in the first week of treatment of malaria attack with a young woman, aged 19, following the administration of hydroxychloroquine sulfate.

Randomized Noninferiority Trial of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine Compared with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine plus Amodiaquine for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACTThe WHO recommends that children living in areas of highly seasonal malaria transmission in the Sahel subregion should receive seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine (SPAQ). We evaluated the use of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHAPQ) as an alternative drug that could be used if SPAQ starts to lose efficacy. A total of 1,499 children 3 to 59 months old were randomized to receive SMC with SPAQ or DHAPQ over 3 months. The primary outcome measure was the risk of clinical malaria (fever or a history of fever with a parasite density of at least 3,000/μl). A cohort of 250 children outside the trial was followed up as a control group. Molecular markers of drug resistance were assessed. The risk of a malaria attack was 0.19 in the DHAPQ group and 0.15 in the SPAQ group, an odds ratio of 1.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.72). Efficacy of SMC compared to the control group was 77% (67% to 84%) for DHAPQ and 83% (74% to 89%) for SPAQ.pfdhfrandpfdhpsmutations associated with antifolate resistance were more prevalent in parasites from children who received SPAQ than in children who received DHAPQ. Both regimens were highly efficacious and well tolerated. DHAPQ is a potential alternative drug for SMC. (This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00941785.)