Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

1-6

Authors: Tienboon P, Wangpakapattanawong P, Thomas DE, Kimmins JP

Malnutrition results from insufficient intakes of food including micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc, and folic acid. This paper reported the results from a study of dietary intakes of Karen hill tribe children aged 16 years in the north of Thailand. All children aged 16 years (n=158; 83 boys, 75 girls) from the three Karen villages (Mae Hae Tai, Mae Yot, Mae Raek) of Mae Chaem district in the north of Thailand were studied. All children were examined by a qualified medical doctor and were assessed for their nutrient intakes using 24 hours dietary recall. All families had income lower than the Thailand poverty line (US $ 1000/year). For children aged 13 years, the nutrients generally consumed were much less than the Thai RDA. Compared with the Thai RDA, all children consumed much less energy (28%-40.5% RDA) than protein (55.8%-96.1% RDA). Interestingly, all boys and only girls from Mae Raek village consumed vitamin A more than the Thai RDA but girls from Mae Hae Tai village and Mae Yot village consumed vitamin A less than the Thai RDA. For children aged 46 years, boys from Mae Raek village consumed protein (128.4% RDA) and vitamin C (143.1% RDA) above the Thai RDA. Girls from Mae Yot village also consumed vitamin C (132.9% RDA) above the Thai RDA. Both boys and girls from Mae Raek village and also girls from Mae Yot village consumed vitamin A more than the Thai RDA. Other nutrients were consumed much less than the Thai RDA by all children. All children consumed protein more than 10% of the total energy consumption per day. Most of the energy consumed by children came from carbohydrate. Nearly all children consumed carbohydrate more than 50% of the total energy consumption per day except boys aged 13 years from Mae Raek village (consumed 45%). All children from Mae Hae Tai village and boys aged 46 years from Mae Yot village (consumed 27%) consumed fat less than 30% of the total energy consumption per day. It appeared that the priority recommendations for improving nutrition in Karen villages in Mae Chaem would be increase energy consumption such as fat and oil. More general work is needed on how children's diets might be improved in a culturally acceptable manner, so as to bring consumption patterns closer to recommended allowance levels.

14-18

Authors: Gupta AD, Dhundasi SA, Dhara PC , Das KK

We studied the effect of the simultaneous treatment with α-tocopherol (100 mg/kg; im) and nickel sulfate (20 mg/kg , ip) on nickel-induced changes in serum lipid profiles. Nickel-treated rats showed a significant increase in serum LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and a significant decrease in serum HDL cholesterol. Simultaneous administration of α-tocopherol with nickel sulfate improved LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol level when compared with rats receiving nickel sulfate alone. The results indicate that α-tocopherol is beneficial in preventing nickel-induced lipid profile alterations.

25-29

Authors: Nwodo NJ, Omeje EO, Brun R

Objective: Aqueous extracts of Zapoteca portoricensis are used traditionally as antidiarrhea agent and in the treatment of diverse gastrointestinal disorders here in Nigeria specifically, the southern part. Similarly, the aqueous extract of the plant is also used traditionally as anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and in the treatment of tonsillitis. Recently too, the antiinflammatory and antimicrobial activities of the methanol extracts of the root of Zapoteca portoricensis was reported. In this research, we are set to investigate the trypanocidal activity of Zapoteca portoricensis. Methods: The methanol extract of the root of Zapoteca portoricensis was investigated for both in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity following established models. In summary, phytochemical analysis was carried out on both the crude powdered root and on the methanol extract following standard procedures. The oral acute toxicity test (LD 50) of the crude methanol extract was determined according to the method described by Lorke (1983). Albino mice (17g-21g) of either sex were used. The methanol extract was suspended in 3 % v/v tween 85 and administered orally at doses of 10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg to three groups of mice (n=3). The animals were observed for 24 hours. Based on the result obtained in this initial test, doses of 4 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg, and 8 mg/kg were administered to three different mice. The LD 50 was calculated as the geometric mean of the lowest dose killing a mouse and the highest dose showing no death. The in vivo/ in vitro anti-trypanosomal evaluations were carried out in experimental animals and tissue cell culture respectively. Results: The result of the in vitro studies shows the inhibitive concentration 50(IC50) against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (T.b. rhodesiense) to be 0.372 mg/kg, while the control drug melarsoprol was 0.006 mg/kg. On Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T. cruzi), the IC50 is 6.42 mg/kg against 0.87 of the reference drug Benznidazole. The cyctotoxicity on L6 cells exhibited an IC50 of 0.039 6 mg/kg against the reference drug, podophyllotoxin of 0.01 mg/kg. However, the in vivo study shows that the extract, at the administered doses, could not exhibit appreciable reduction of parasitemia and hence resulted to the death of test animals. Conclusion: The present data suggests that Zapoteca portoricensis could yield useful leads for the development of potentially potent antitrypanocides.

29-30

Authors: Meunier Y.A.

Strongyloidiasis is endemic to the entire inter-tropical zone. Newly infected people are the most prone to experience the symptoms of this intestinal nematodosis. In this article, a 38-year old German citizen consulted for bowel movement disturbances and dyspepsia as well as diffuse and erratic pruritus, and was finally diagnosed with to have strongylodiasis is presented and discussed.

50-55

Authors: Li F, DeWolfe Miller F

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most common human pathogens, causing a wide range of afflictions from minor infections of the skin to serious wound infections, bacteraemia, pneumonia and endocarditis. Methicillin, the first semisynthetic derivative of penicillin, was a new hope to treat penicillin resistant S. aureus in the early 1960s. Nevertheless, only one year after its introduction, the first methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were detected. There is no golden rule in the control of MRSA. Nevertheless, using surveillance cultures of patients and healthcare personnel, strictly enforced contact precautions, and judicious use of broad-spectrum antibiotics have helped several countries, including Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands to keep MRSA at a very low level. Conversely, countries including China, Japan, US, Italy, Greece, UK, where stringent counter-measure were not able to be installed, MRSA have become hyper-endemic. Control of MRSA in those countries were obliged to concentrate available resources to prevent MRSA infections only at patients at high risk of serious morbidity and mortality.

60-62

Authors: Wiwanitkit V

All human beings have to ingest food to get the nutrition. The epidemiology of nutritional problem is quite different in different part of the world. Most of the problematic cases come from the underdeveloped tropical countries. Of several methods, nutritional surveillane adding to the standard nutritional promotion should be used. Not only the basic medical and nutritional science but also other sciences should be integrated into a complete nutritional surveillance. Applied new technology especailly for the medical informatics should be used. The multidisciplinary project between medical science workers and other non -medical science workers is also recommended.

69-82

Authors: Tyagi P, Biswas S

The research scenario for malaria has improved in the last three decades to understand the epidemiology and host immune responses to plasmodial infection. Due to the augmented episodes of resistance development against the commonly used antimalarials in plasmodium parasites, especially in Plasmodium falciparum, neutralization of infection through effective vaccine(s) remains the feasible alternative in malaria control. In this direction, lot of attention was paid towards the identification of stage specific malaria antigens targeted by host's immune system. Preparation of synthetic or recombinant peptides and evaluation of their immunogenecity in naturally occurring antibody response were also given much importance, as these studies could help in finding potential candidates for future malaria vaccine(s). Attention was also paid on the pathogenic consequences of antibody formation in malaria infection as polyclonal activation of B cells, which is a very prominent feature in malaria infection. Formation of circulating immune complexes in chronic malaria infection was also viewed as pathogenic parameter of severe malaria. The present survey focuses mainly on protective and pathogenic aspects of malaria antibodies (eliciting against various stage specific antigens), and future research plan in antibody-mediated immune response.