Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

97-98

Authors: Rina Tilak, Sajal Bhattacharya, Shakya Sinha

None.

113-121

Authors: Ryan V. Labana, Vimar A. Romero, Analette M. Guinto, Alvin N. Caril, Kimberly D. Untalan, Alejandro Jose C. Reboa, Khristine L. Sandoval, Kristel Joy S. Cada, Gary Antonio C. Lirio, Iris Rowena A. Bernardo, Lanieleen Jerah Mae Arocha, Julieta Z. Dungca

Objective: To identify the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) among school-age children in the Cagayan Valley, the Philippines, assess their level of awareness on the disease, and determine predisposing factors of the disease. Methods: A total of 478 Grades Ⅲ-Ⅴschool-age children in Pamplona and Sanchez-Mira School Districts in the Cagayan Valley answered the questionnaire assessing their knowledge, attitude, and practices on STH, subjected to anthropometric measurements, and provided faecal samples for parasitologic assessment (direct smear, Kato-Katz, and formol-ether concentration techniques). Results: The participants of the study, with 55.86% females, were 8 to 14 years old. Their nutritional status was assessed ‘normal’ (84.31%), ‘severely wasted’ (6.49%), ‘wasted’ (5.23%), ‘overweight’ (2.72%), and ‘obese’ (1.26%). The prevalence of infection with at least 1 STH species was 25.99% in Pamplona and 19.40% in Sanchez- Mira. Overall, the prevalence of heavy intensity was 7.11% for Ascaris lumbricoides and 1.67% for Trichuris trichiura. All hookworm infections had light intensities. The majority of the school-age children had a low score in the KAP test. In knowledge of STH, ‘stunted growth as a symptom of infection’ was associated with a lower risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection (OR 0.448; 95% CI 0.212, 0.945; P=0.035) while ‘playing with soil as a mode of transmission’ was associated with an increased risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection (OR 2.067; 95% CI 1.014, 4.212; P=0.046). In attitude towards STH, ‘I think I have intestinal worm now’ was associated with a higher risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection (OR 1.681; 95% CI 1.061, 2.662; P=0.027). Conclusions: The prevalence rate of Ascaris lumbricoides among the school-age children in the Cagayan Valley shows the need to further intensify intervention in the area to meet the threshold set by the World Health Organization. The identified predictors of infection, which concerns the school-age children’s knowledge and attitude toward STH, can be used in augmenting intervention programs in the future.

128-138

Authors: Azar Tahghighi, Akram Abouie Mehrizi, Sedigheh Zakeri

Objective: To evaluate new compounds synthesized by integrating quinoline, quinazoline, and acridine rings with the active moiety of (5-nitroheteroaryl) methylene hydrazine. Methods: A new series of compounds (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b) were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against COS-7 cells using the MTT assay. In vitro anti-plasmodial activity of the compounds was measured against CQ-sensitive (3D7) and CQresistant (K1) Plasmodium (P.) falciparum strains. β-hematin assay was performed to assess the inhibitory effects of β-hematin formation for new compounds. Results: The synthetic compounds had anti-plasmodial activity against blood-stage of 3D7 [IC50=(0.328-5.483) μM] and K1 [IC50=(0.622-7.746) μM] strains of P. falciparum, with no cytotoxicity against COS-7 cells in effective doses. Compounds 1a, 1b, and 2b were the most effective derivatives against P. falciparum 3D7 and K1 strains. Based on the β-hematin assay, the inhibition of β-hematin formation is the main mechanism of the inhibitory effect of these compounds. Conclusions: The synthetic compounds could inhibit the erythrocytic stages of CQ-sensitive and resistant P. falciparum strains without toxicity towards mammalian cells. Compounds 1b, 2a, and 2b had comparable anti-plasmodial activity against both CQ-sensitive (3D7) and resistant (K1) P. falciparum strains. These compounds may be promising lead structures for the development of new anti-malarial drugs.

143-144

Authors: Qiu-Ran Wang

None.