Genetic characterization and diversity of porcine circovirus type 2 in non‐vaccinated South African swine herds

The porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a swine infectious viral pathogen of great significance in global swine herds. It was recently detected at another Province of South Africa sequel to the first detection of North American‐like strain (PCV2a) at Gauteng about two decades ago, but there is a dearth of information about the genomic features and diversity of the viral strains in circulation within the country and the entire sub‐Saharan Africa region. To date, only one complete genome of the virus from South Africa is available on global data base. This current effort is therefore geared towards the full‐genome characterization of the circulating PCV2 strains in the pigs of Eastern Cape Province. With the use of conventional polymerase chain reaction method, fifteen complete PCV2 genomes were successfully amplified, sequenced and assembled from field samples obtained from non‐vaccinated pigs in the region. Neighbor Joining and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses of the ORF2 gene and full genomes unanimously showed that most of the assembled genomes (11) belong to genotype PCV2b. Furthermore, three of the characterized sequences formed clade with other reference mutant PCV2b and PCV2b subtype 1C (i.e. PCV2d) strains from the USA, China and South Korea. The last sequence, however, clustered with other reference strains belonging to PCV2 intermediate clade 2 (PCV2‐IM2), recently identified in a global PCV2 strains phylogenetic analysis. This study reports the first complete genome sequences of PCV2b, PCV2d and PCV2‐IM2 in pigs from South Africa, and it gives a possible insight into the genetic characteristics and variability of the viral strains presently in circulation within the country. It further emphasizes the need for more stringent measures in curtailing the introduction and spread of transboundary swine pathogens in the country and entire Southern African region.     

Representativeness of suspected measles cases reported in a southern district of Nigeria

ObjectiveTo compare the characteristics of suspected measles cases at the health facilities and to determine the representativeness of the data.MethodsWe visited 25 hospitals in the Aniocha Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, Nigeria, from which information on reportable diseases was collected. In particular, the suspected measles cases in their registries between January 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, were reviewed. We compared the characteristics, including age, sex, location, and month of reporting, of the suspected cases with the LGA surveillance records.ResultsIn the LGA records, 10% cases involved individuals older than 14 years, compared with 20% in the same age group in the health facility records. Based on geographic location, 53% of the measles cases among the hospital records came from a single location, in contrast to only 30% of the cases among the LGA records. An analysis considering time revealed that 30% of the cases in the LGA records occurred in August 2007, whereas 20% of hospital cases were reported in February and May 2008 combined.ConclusionsThe two record types differed considerably in all of the characteristics used in this comparison.     

Efficacy of Kelamidium® in the prevention and treatment of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in albino rats

The efficacy of Kelamidium® in the prevention and treatment of experimental Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection of albino rats was studied. Adult albino rats (55) weighing between 147 and 240 g were used for the study. The rats were kept in metal cages in a fly-proof house and were adequately fed and given water ad libitum. Two experiments were carried out. In experiment I (chemotherapy), 30 adult albino rats were divided into six groups of five rats each, whereas in experiment II (chemoprophylaxis), 25 adult albino rats were divided into five groups of five rats each. In both experiments, groups I and II were uninfected control and infected untreated control, respectively. In experiment I, rats in groups III and V were each infected with 5.0?×?10⁵ trypanosomes and were later treated with 0.5 mg/kg of Kelamidium® (low-dose treatment), and rats in groups IV and VI were infected with 5.0?×?10⁵ trypanosomes and treated with 1.0 mg/kg of Kelamidium® (high-dose treatment). Treatment was given to rats in groups III and IV at day 7 postinfection (PI; early treatment), whereas groups V and VI were treated at day 10 PI (late treatment). In experiment II, rats in groups III, IV, and V were each treated with 2.0 mg/kg of Kelamidium® at day 0 and were later infected at days 14, 28, and 42 PI, respectively, with 5.0?×?10⁵ trypanosomes. Parasites were detectable in the blood of the infected rats in all the infected groups in experiment I and in group II in experiment II, 4–7 days PI. Parasitemia, however, was not recorded in the remaining groups in experiment II. The drug cleared the parasites from the blood of the infected rats in experiment I, 2–7 days posttreatment (PT). Relapse of infection, however, occurred in all the infected treated groups. It was thus concluded that Kelamidium® may be more useful as a prophylactic agent than as a chemotherapeutic agent in the management of animal trypanosomosis.     

Sedation practices for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Nigeria

AIM:To determine the sedation practices and preferences of Nigerian endoscopists for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.METHODS:A structured questionnaire containing questions related to sedation practices and safety procedures was administered to Nigerian gastrointestinal endoscopists at the 2011 annual conference of the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria which was held at Ibadan,June 23-35,2011.RESULTS:Of 35 endoscopists who responded,17(48.6%) used sedation for less than 25% of procedures,while 14(40.0%) used sedation for more than 75% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies.The majority of respondents(22/35 or 62.9%) had less than 5 years experience in gastrointestinal endoscopy.The sedative of choice was benzodiazepine alone in the majority of respondents(85.7%).Opioid use(alone or in combination with benzodiazepines) was reported by only 5 respondents(14.3%).None of the respondents had had any experience with propofol.Non-anaesthesiologist-directed sedation was practiced by 91.4% of endoscopists.Monitoring of oxygen saturation during sedation was practiced by only 57.1% of respondents.Over half of the respondents(18/35 or 51.4%) never used supplemental oxygen for diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.CONCLUSION:Sedation for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Nigeria is characterized by lack of guidelines,and differs markedly from that in developed countries.     

Chemotherapy in the control of urinary schistosomiasis in Nigeria

Praziquantel (Biltricide, Bayer AG), which has been found to be very effective in the treatment of schistosomiasis, was evaluated to formulate the minimal cost-effective dose in selective chemotherapy of 135 school children aged 6-15 years. Side effects were minimal. The drug had no effect on the heavy load of intestinal helminths found in 78.1% of the subjects. However, it cleared the urinary schistosomiasis in all but 0.9% of the subjects at the dosages used and after 18 months only 0.59% of the entire school population had new infections. The targetted chemotherapy reduced the prevalence rate from 16.0% to 0.59%. The lowest dose of 1 X 20 mg/kg body weight was able to clear the light infections of 52 subjects. This has a great economic advantage because the drug is expensive and most of the infections in Nigeria are light to moderate.     

Indomethacin prophylaxis, patent ductus arteriosus, and the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia: further analyses from the Trial of Indomethacin Prophylaxis in Preterms (TIPP)

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in subgroups of infants with and without patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) who were randomized to indomethacin prophylaxis or placebo, and to examine whether adverse drug effects on edema formation and oxygenation may explain why indomethacin prophylaxis does not reduce BPD. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 999 extremely low birth weight infants who participated in the Trial of Indomethacin Prophylaxis in Preterms (TIPP) and who survived to a postmenstrual age of 36 weeks. RESULTS: The incidence of BPD in the 2 subgroups of infants with PDA was 52% (55/105) after indomethacin prophylaxis and 56% (137/246) after placebo. In contrast, rates of BPD in the 2 subgroups without a PDA were 43% (170/391) after indomethacin prophylaxis and 30% (78/257) after placebo (P [interaction] = .015). Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for prognostic baseline factors showed that adverse and independent effects of indomethacin prophylaxis on the need for supplemental oxygen and on weight loss by the end of the first week of life may increase the risk of BPD in infants without PDA. CONCLUSIONS: Harmful side effects on oxygenation and edema formation may explain why indomethacin prophylaxis does not prevent BPD even though it reduces PDA.     

The role of NAD and NAD precursors on longevity and lifespan modulation in the budding yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Biogerontology - Molecular causes of aging and longevity interventions have witnessed an upsurge in the last decade. The resurgent interests in the application of small molecules as potential...