Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease

680-684

Authors: Alexey Anatolievich Rudko, Elena Yurievna Bragina, Valery Pavlovich Puzyrev, Maxim Borisovich Freidin

Tuberculosis is a global pressing healthcare issue in the modern world. Host genetics is an important modifier of the disease risk. Genetic and genomic studies aim to reveal key inherited variants of the human genome associated with the susceptibility to tuberculosis. Much attention is given to the study of differential genetic susceptibility to various stages of tuberculous infection, particularly latent tuberculosis, the detection of which is most challenging. Susceptibility genes have been identified and most of which exhibit a relatively small effect on the disease risk. On the other hand, a proportion of children suffer from Mendelian susceptibility to tuberculosis associated with rare mutations with deterministic effect in genes for the components of cellular immunity against intra-cellular infections. This review focuses on the current achievements in genomic studies devoted to the identification of genes important for the implementation of the immune response and protection against the development of the infection in different populations in the world.

691-694

Authors: Seble Worku Kebede, Dosegnaw Argaw Beyene, Abebe Getnet Meshesha, Mulusew Alemneh Sinishaw

Objective: To assess the prevalence of hookworm infections and anemia and also measure their association among children. Methods: A cross-sectional parasitological and hematological study was conducted on 130 children at Jimma Health Center, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. Stool samples were collected and processed for direct microscopic examination. Blood samples were examined by using hematocrit to determine the hemoglobin level. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire from every study participant. Results: The overall prevalence of hookworm infection and anemia was found to be 18 (13.48%) and 43 (33.07%), respectively. Anemia prevalences were 66.67% (12/18) among hookworm infected children and 33.07% (43/130) among all study participants. Hookworm had a statistically significant association with anemia and predisposing factors such as shoes wearing habits and methods of excreta disposal (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Prevalences of hookworm infection and anemia were low among children. But the prevalence of anemia as compared to hookworm was too high. Attention should be given to contributing factors accordingly to reduce hookworm infection and anemia.

699-708

Authors: Biplab Mandal, Indranil Bhattacharjee, Debasish Mondal, Jayanta Kumar Kundu, Goutam Chandra

Objective: To assess the prevalence of disease and microfilaremia in four slums of Bankura, West Bengal, India. Methods: Data on age and sex-specific of all the respondents were collected and compared with microfilaria rate and density (20 mm3 blood was collected by finger prick) to examine the relationship between the dynamics of Wuchereria bancrofti. Screening of the population for the main signs and symptoms of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in both sexes and hydrocele in men, was performed in a health facility setting (health center/health post) by physicians/trained nurses. Disease rate and endemicity rate were also calculated. Aspects related to vectors were also studied by regular collection and dissection of mosquitoes. Results: Microfilaria rate, mean microfilarial density, disease rate and endemicity rate were 5.04%, 7.03%, 13.83% and 18.37%, respectively. Causative parasite was identified as Wuchereria bancrofti and Culex quinquefasciatus was recorded as vector. Per man hour density, infection and infectivity rates of the vector Culex quinquefasciatus were found to be 14.12%, 5.98% and 0.87%, respectively. Conclusions: Using these baseline data would be useful in planning for the elimination of LF in slums of Bankura, West Bengal, India as per World Health Organization goal to eliminate LF by 2020.

714-717

Authors: Parvane Jalali, Afagh Moattari, Ali Mohammadi, Nima Ghazanfari, Gholamhosein Pourghanbari

Objective: To evaluate the antiviral activity of Melissa officinalis (MO) extract against the influenza virus H1N1 in vitro. Methods: The cytotoxicity of MO extract was identified on Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell culture by MTT assay. The virus was inoculated to the cells (multiplicity of infection = 0.1) in two protocols. In protocol 1, the MO extracts at concentrations of 0.005, 0.050, 0.010, 0.100 and 0.500 mg/mL were incubated with the virus for one hour preinoculation. In protocol 2, the mentioned concentrations of MO extracts were added to the cells one-hour post infection. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of oseltamivir with different concentrations was tested as the positive controls. The 50% tissue culture infective dose, neutralizing index and hemagglutination titer were determined. Results: The medicine oseltamivir and MO extracts were not toxic for MDCK at concentrations less than 1 mg/mL. All utilized concentrations of MO extracts were vigorously efficient to decrease the viral yield in both experiments. The 50% tissue culture infective dose of the groups containing up to 0.100 mg/mL of MO extracts in the first experiment in compare with 0.050 mg/mL in the second experiment reduced to 0. Although hemagglutination tests showed little titers, the viral quantity significantly decreased in both experiments. By the way, the medicine oseltamivir could completely suppress viral replication in MDCK. Conclusions: The present study suggests that MO extracts have a potent anti-influenza effect in cell culture.

722-725

Authors: Luanna Munhoz Zabaglia, Marina Saes Rays, Roger Willian de Labio, Agostinho Caleman Neto, Spencer Luiz Marques Payão, Lucas Trevizani Rasmussen

Objective: To investigate an association between the interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-511 T>C (rs16944), -31 C>T (rs1143627), and/or interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) polymorphisms and gastritis and then to correlate any associations with the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), cagA and vacA genes. Methods: Gastric biopsies were obtained from 377 children with gastric symptoms including 152 males and 225 females aging from 1–15 years with the mean age of (9.41 ± 4.29) years. To characterize the -511 T>C, -31 C>T, and IL-1RA polymorphisms, the PCR-RFLP and PCRVNTR methods were used. PCR was also used for the diagnosis of H. pylori and to determine whether cagA and vacA genes were present. Results: The histopathological analysis revealed 206 patients (54.6%) with gastritis and 171 patients (45.4%) with normal gastric tissue. Subjects carrying the -511 T/T genotype were associated with a risk of gastritis (odds ratio (OR) = 2.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45– 5.18, P = 0.0035). Similar results were found in subjects carrying -31 C/C (OR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.13–4.54, P = 0.0440). However, the IL-1RA polymorphism did not seem to be associated with gastric disease (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.58–3.26, P = 0.2400). Conclusions: This data suggests that IL-1β gene cluster polymorphisms and, more specifically, interactions between these polymorphisms and H. pylori may be predictors of gastritis risks, which possibly play a relevant role in the susceptibility to or the development of gastric disease early in life.

732-735

Authors: Masteria Yunovilsa Putra, Tri Aryono Hadi, Tutik Murniasih

Objective: To evaluate antimicrobial activities in methanolic extracts of twelve sponges collected from the Anambas Islands, Indonesia. Methods: The antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts was tested against two Grampositive bacteria, viz. Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), and two Gram-negative bacteria, viz. Eschericia coli (ATCC 25922) and Vibrio anguillarum (ATCC 19264) using the disk diffusion assay. The antifungal activity was similarly tested against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) and Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404). The minimum inhibitory concentrations of promising sponges extracts were determined by the microdilution technique. Results: All the sponge species in this study showed antimicrobial activities against at least one of the test strains. Antibacterial activities were observed in 66.7% of the sponges extracts, while 30.0% of the extracts exhibited antifungal activities. Among them, the extracts of the sponges Stylissa massa and Axinyssa sp. were the most active against four tested bacteria and the yeast Candida albicans. The sponge Theonella swinhoei and two species of Xestospongia also displayed significant activities against two fungal pathogens Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Conclusions: Antimicrobial activities were demonstrated in extracts from various marine sponges collected from the Anambas Islands, Indonesia. The most promising sponges among them were Stylissa massa and Axinyssa sp. This is the first report of antimicrobial activity in extracts of marine sponges from the Indonesian Anambas Islands.

741-745

Authors: Ravichandran Ramanibai, Ezhumalai Parthiban, Madakannu Boothapandi

Objective: To evaluate the toxicity of Annona squamosa (A. squamosa) aqueous (physiological saline) seed soluble extract and its control of mosquito population. Methods: Ovicidal, larvicidal and pupicidal activity of A. squamosa crude soluble seed kernel extract was determined according to World Health Organization. The mortality of each mosquito stage was recorded after 24 h exposured to plant material. Toxicity assay was used to assess the non-target organisms with different concentrations according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Results: The aqueous solubilized extracts of A. squamosa elicit the toxicity against all stages of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus, and the LC50 values against stages of egg, 1st-4th larvae were (1.45 and 1.26–2.5 mg/mL), (1.12 and 1.19–2.81 mg/ mL) and (1.80 and 2.12–3.41 mg/mL) respectively. The pupicidal activity also brought forth amended activity against all three mosquitoes species, and the LC50 values were consider to be 3.19, 2.42 and 4.47 mg/mL. Ultimately there was no mortality observed from non-target organism of Chironomus costatus. Conclusions: Based on the findings of the study, it suggests that the use of A. squamosa plant extract can act as an alternate insecticidal agents for controlling target mosquitoes without affecting the non-target aquatic insect. Further investigation to identify the active compounds and their mechanisms of action is recommended.

749-756

Authors: Najeeb Ullah, Kinza Hafeez, Samia Farooq, Amna Batool, Noreen Aslam, Marzia Hussain, Sohail Ahmad

Diabetes and obesity are chief health crisis and mainly age-related metabolic disorders. Diabetes is the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Obesity is linked with the progression of diabetes mellitus. High levels of glycerol, fatty acids, enzymes, proinflammatory markers and other obese entities build up insulin resistance in obese persons. The pathology of diabetes involves the dysfunction of β-islet cells of pancreas leading to deficient management of blood glucose level. This study demonstrates the anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effect of plant derived chemicals, some agonists, nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical drugs, some proteins and other compounds from 1998 to 2015. Plant derived from chemicals and other compounds were concluded to control diabetes and obesity by increasing number of glucose transporters, β-islet cells of pancreas, and lipid metabolism enzymes. In this way, the impairment of β-islet cells of pancreas is restored and the serum cholesterol and glucose levels of individuals are lowered. Further approaches are also needed to handle and cure diabetes and obesity.