Animal Research International

1549 – 1554

Authors: AWI, Michael and DEMSHEMINO, Moses

Man is at the center of natural resource development and destruction. This study assessed the productivity level of the Gada stream and examined the factors militating against its sustenance. A total of 150 respondents, consisting of local fishers, fresh and dry fish traders, fish consumers, and those living along the stream were randomly sampled. Data collection was by personal observation, oral interviews, and semi-structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that there was decreased fish production in the stream. Factors militating against fish production in Gada stream were the continuous excavation of sand (81.33%), destruction of stream banks due to farming activities (60.0%), water pollution (48.67%), seldom flood (42.67%), over-exploitation of fish (28.0%) and the types of fishing gears and techniques involved (21.33%). Management techniques such as avoidance of sand excavation (85.33%), use of nets of 1 cm2 mesh size (78.0%), controlled fishing activity (70.67%), use of buffer zones (68.67%), and planting of horticultural crops along the stream banks may be adopted for the stream’s revitalization, management and sustenance.

1560 – 1566

Authors: AMALU, Christopher Tochukwu and OKAFOR, Fabian Chukwuemenam

A study of symptoms associated with the diagnosis and management of malaria in a semi-urban community of Enugu State, South-Eastern Nigeria was conducted. Structured qualitative and quantitative questionnaires were administered along with an in-depth interview to assess the knowledge, attitude, behaviour, and practice (KABP) among school children and pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic hospitals and to ascertain their health-seeking behaviour. Symptomatic diagnosis of the 352 pregnant women and children, showed that 260 (79%) did not manifest any of the malarial symptoms within the past three months as at the time of the study, 20 (5.7%) patients had fever alone, chill, and blisters (0.9%), headache, diarrhoea, and joint pain (0.3%), and weakness and anorexia (0.6%), respectively. Recent fever combined with chill was highest 2.8%, followed by anorexia and weakness 2.0%, fever with headache, and weakness 1.7%, fever with anorexia and or vomiting 1.4%, fever with chill and headache and/ or amber urine or joint pain or anorexia or frequent sleeping 1.1%, headache with weakness 1.1%. Forty-six (46) antenatal care patients out of the 352 population sampled for symptomatic diagnosis to predict malaria infection in symptomatic patients with a recent history of treatment showed low sensitivity (41.6%), but highly specific (80%), low positive value (45.7%), high negative predictive value (77.3%), low false positive rate (20%), moderately high false negative rate (58.4%) and a high J-index (78.7%). The axillary temperature was poorly predictive for negative samples with normal axillary temperatures. The mean axillary temperature among children with positive malaria test was 37.0°C and negative malaria test was 36.4°C. Antenatal patients with positive tests were 36.5°C and negative malaria test was 35.1°C. Self-diagnosis and presumptive treatment are evident based on the prevention and prompt treatment of malaria disease and this method is prevalent in rural communities and should be an adjunct to routine microscopy in clinical diagnosis.

1572 – 1578

Authors: EZENWAJI, Ngozi Evelyn, NELO, Waaka Choice and OLUAH, Ndubushi Stanley

The study investigated the effects of 28-day exposure of albino rats to graded sublethal concentrations of atrazine on the haematological profile. Thirty-six (36) male albino rats used for the study were divided into four groups of nine rats each. Group I served as the untreated control while groups II, III, and IV were treated with atrazine at 150, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight orally administered for 28 days. Packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb), total white blood cell (WBC) count, and differential WBC count were assessed on days 14, 21, and 28. The exposure to atrazine led to significant reductions in PCV, Hb, and RBC of the treated groups especially on days 21 and 28. The treated groups also had significantly higher (p<0.05) total WBC counts throughout the study, and group IV rats had significantly higher (p<0.05) lymphocytes and significantly lower (p<0.05) neutrophil on day 28 when compared with the control.

1585 – 1600

Authors: AMALU, Christopher Tochukwu, IVOKE, Njoku, EKEH, Felicia Nkechi, EZENWAJI, Ngozi Evelyn, ATAMA, Chinedu Ifeanyi, OKAFOR, Fabian Chukwuemenam and EYO, Joseph Effiong

There are currently two methods for the direct diagnosis of malaria: the thin blood smear and the thick smear. A third method called the Acon-Plasmodium falciparum (Acon-Pf) (a new cheap malaria rapid diagnostic test) has been developed. This was the first study comparing the three methods in rapid malaria diagnosis among school children and pregnant women in Enugu State, Nigeria, using qualitative and quantitative questionnaires that address their knowledge, attitude, behaviour, and practice. In this study, 352 whole blood samples of individuals with suspected falciparum malaria were investigated among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and school children in rural communities in Enugu State. The following parameters were determined: intrinsic validity, predictive values, species diagnostic power, and logistic factors. Acon-Pf had the following characteristics: 91.5 % sensitivity, 87.2 % specificity, 64.3 % positive predictive values, 97.6 % negative predictive values, high malaria infection rate determination of 58.7%, reduced mean packed cell volume (0.25 mmol/L) in malaria patients, correct species diagnosis including both the trophozoite and gametocyte stages of Plasmodium falciparum. The Acon-Pf positive test result ranged from light to thick coloured bands and the time required for the test was 1.3 – 15 ± 5 minutes. The cost per Acon-Pf test cassette at bulk purchase was N112.50 (US$0.90) without the service charge as compared with a thick smear (N 300.00, US$ 2.50) and N 350.00 (US$ 2.90) for a thin smear. The study found that Acon-Pf is suitable alongside microscopy in the accurate diagnosis of malaria in Enugu State. The use of Acon- Pf and thick smear tests in parallel, first collecting the Acon-Pf results, as it contributes to reading the thin smear result for confirmation of species, diagnosis, and assessment of parasitaemia. Thus, the Acon-Pf test device is a viable cost-effective adjunct to routine microscopy and a reliable option for malaria diagnosis in remote and emergency situations.