Association of Falciparum Malaria and ABO Blood Group in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

A cross-sectional randomized study was carried out to evaluate the association of falciparum malaria and ABO Blood group in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria from the months of June to August 2018. Blood samples were collected from all study participants. Thick films were made from each blood sample, stained with 10% Giemsa using standard parasitological techniques. Agglutination technique using monoclonal Anti-sera A, B, and D were used to determine the ABO blood groups. Data generated were statistically analyzed using ANOVA test and the significance level was set at P<0.05. An overall malaria prevalence of 62% was observed among study participants. Blood groups O positive and A positive had higher malaria prevalence of 48.38% and 19.35% respectively of the total population size of patients infected, while blood groups B negative and AB negative had a lower prevalence of 0% respectively. There was no statistical significance (P> 0.05). The findings of this study showed that individuals with blood group O were susceptible to contracting uncomplicated malaria but had a higher resistance to developing severe malaria compared to non-O blood groups (A and B). To this end, therefore, malaria interventions and control strategies should be directed equally among individuals irrespective of their blood groups.

Hepatotoxic Effects of Ethanolic leaf Extract of Breynia nivosa (Snow bush) in Wistar rats

The hepatotoxic effects of ethanolic leaf extract of Breynia nivosa in male albino Wistar rats were studied. The Breynia nivosa leaves were extracted using 70% ethanol. The phytochemicals were evaluated and found to contain – tannin, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and cyanogenic glycosides. Twenty (20) adult male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four (4) groups – three tests of A, B, C and one control – and were administered with 400mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 100mg/kg of the ethanolic leaf extract of Breynia nivosa respectively for 21days after two weeks of acclimatization. The animals were sacrificed under anaesthesia after the experiment and blood samples collected for determination of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase), malondialdehyde, and liver enzyme: aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine transaminase (ALT). The results showed that there was a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase level (P<0.05). Changes in other markers (malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase) were however not statistically significant (P>0.05) when compared with the control. The extract significantly increased ALT, AST, ALP levels (p<0.05). Hence Breynia nivosa may be toxic and caution should be exercised in its consumption.

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.

Comparative Assessment of Adverse Effects of Synergistic Combination of Pyrimethamine and Sulfadoxine (Fansidar/Maloxine) in Patients Studied in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Adverse effects of antimalarial drugs, which were commonly attributed to chloroquine such as: headache, various skin eruptions, Pruritus, Gastro-intestinal disturbances such as nausea, and vomiting. Others, such as: mental changes involving psychotic episodes, anxiety, visual disturbances such as blurred vision, keratopathy or retinopathy. Some common side effects like loss of hair, ototoxicity, photosensitivity, tinnitus, neuro-myopathy, myopathy, erythema multiformes and Stevens-Johnson syndrome, hemolysis and blood dyscrasias, Neutropenia etc., are still reported in some patients treated with the Pyrimethamine and Sulphadoxine drug combination. The emergence of combination therapeutic approach to malaria treatment was believed to have reduced the frequency of these events, but most, still persist. This survey was conducted to therefore, assess the overall presentation of Diarrhoea, Pruritus and Vomit in Patients treated with Maloxine and Fansidar. At Day zero, (D0), 40(15.0%) Presented positive Diarrhoea cases; 05(1.9%) present positive cases of pruritus and 73(27.4%) presented positive cases of vomit. At Day 2, (D2), 03(1.1%) presented positive Diarrhoea cases as against 263(98.9%) of negative cases; 01(0.4%) presented positive cases of pruritus as against 265(99.6%) of negative cases. Day Seven, (D7) and Day Fourteen, (D14) recorded clearance of the adverse effects. There is therefore need for relevant drug treatment follow up to clear the adverse effects engendered by malaria drug therapy.