Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

385-395

Authors: Supriya Jagga, Ashish Ranjan Sharma, Chiranjib Chakraborty, Sang-Soo Lee

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is associated with haemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates, with a high rate of fatality (up to 90%). Some outbreaks in human history have proven the lethality of EVD. The recent epidemic of 2014 and 2015 in West Africa was the deadliest of all time (11 284 deaths). To understand the transmission dynamics, we have reviewed the epidemiology of EVD to date. The absence of any licensed vaccines or approved drugs against Ebola virus (EBOV) further highlights the severity and crisis level of EVD. Some organizations (public and private) are making considerable efforts to develop novel therapeutic approaches or vaccines to contain the outbreak of EBOV shortly. Here, we summarized the various potential drugs and vaccines (undergoing multiple phases of clinical trials) that have arisen as an alternative against EBOV, and we highlighted the numerous issues and limitations hindering this process. Alternatively, an increasing focus on strengthening the medical and civic health structure could provide speedy benefits in containing the spread of EVD, as well as offer a resilient foundation for the deployment of novel drugs and vaccines to the affected countries, once such drugs and vaccines become available.

404-408

Authors: Cam Nhat Nguyen, Quynh Ngoc Nguyen, Than Huu Dao, Le Thi Quynh Mai

Objective: To determine the concentration and rate of decay of maternal IgG antibodies against measles prevalence in infants of vaccinated or naturally infected mothers and study initial measles immunization occurs in nine-month-old children. Methods: In total, 401 pregnant women and the same number of their subsequent newborns were recruited in the Bavi district of Hanoi in 2016-2017; they were divided into two groups: Older women (born before 1985, n=201) and younger women (born after 1990, n=200). Samples were collected at five time-points; week 36 of pregnancy, birth (cord), and 3, 6, and 9 months after birth. Measles-specific IgG antibody levels were recorded. Results: In total, 77.06% of the 401 pregnant women were seropositive for measles-specific IgG antibodies. A significantly greater proportion of mothers aged 30 and older (88.06%) and their newborn ( 93.53%) were seropositive compared to the mothers aged 25 and younger (66.00%), and their newborn (72.00%) (P<0.001). The infants of older mothers had significantly higher geometric mean titres (GMT) of measles IgG antibodies than the infants of younger mothers (P<0.001) at all time-points of the study period . The proportion of measles IgG antibodies together with GMT decreased from 82.97% (506.96) at the age of three months to 23.19% (45.22) at the age of nine months. Conclusions: This study provides a profile of maternal antibodies against measles in Vietnamese infants and investigates the early susceptibility to measles in both the infants of vaccinated mothers and mothers with naturally acquired immunity. These data suggest that determining the appropriate age for measles vaccination is paramount for the elimination of measles in Vietnam.

416-424

Authors: Sudipta Jena, Asit Ray, Diptirani Rath, Ambika Sahoo, Subhashree Singh, Noohi Nasim, Durga Madhab Kar, Sanghamitra Nayak

Objective: To determine the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of methanol extract of rhizome of Curcuma angustifolia (MECA) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage in vitro and in vivo. Methods: DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assays were performed to estimate the antioxidant effect of MECA. In vitro cytotoxicity of MECA against HepG2 cells was evaluated, whereas serum biochemical parameters and levels of antioxidative enzymes were measured in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, histopathological studies were estimated in order to investigate the hepatoprotective efficacy of MECA. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis of the extract was performed to identify the chemical components. Results: MECA exhibited strong antioxidant activity and attenuated CCl4-induced decrease in the viability of HepG2 cells. Additionally, MECA significantly restored the ALT, AST, ALP, TP and albumin level in comparison with the CCl4 group. After pre-treatment with MECA, effects of SOD, CAT and GSH were increased as well as lipid peroxidation amount decreased on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in in vitro and in vivo model. Furthermore, histopathological observation confirmed that MECA reduced liver injury induced by CCl4 in rats. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of bioactive constituents such as α-tocopherol (12.27%), phytol (7.61%), squalene (3.71%), β-sitosterol (2.19%), eugenol (2.59%), curcumenol (1.20%), β-elemene (1.00%) and eucalyptol (0.89%). Conclusions: MECA contains antioxidant and hepatoprotective constituents such as α-tocopherol, phytol, squalene and eugenol and exerts hepatoprotective effect both in vitro and in vivo.