Frequency of intestinal parasites among food-handlers in Khartoum, Sudan

Food-handlers [n = 1500] attending the public health laboratory in Khartoum, Sudan, for annual check-ups were screened for intestinal parasites by 3 different techniques [direct faecal examination, formol-ether concentration and floatation] to evaluate the adequacy of annual screening. Results showed that 29.4% of food-handlers were harbouring intestinal protozoa in stool samples: Entamoeba coli in 15.3%, Giardia lamblia in 9.7%, and Enta. histolytica in 4.3%. Moreover, 2.7% of food-handlers harboured intestinal helminths: Hymenolepis nana [1.6%], Schistosoma mansoni [0.7%], Taenia saginata [0.3%] and Strongyloides stercoralis [0.1%]. We recommend more frequent screening of food-handlers and that the direct faecal smear technique is efficient for the detection of such parasites

Clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children with fever in a low transmission area of Sudan

A cross-sectional study explored the clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children presenting with fever to 2 paediatric hospitals in Khartoum state during the low transmission season. Out of 655 febrile patients, 35.9% were recorded as having malaria based on hospital laboratory results. However, re-examination of slides at the National Malaria Control Programme referral laboratory confirmed malaria in only 32.8% of those diagnosed with malaria at hospital level. Analysis of symptoms and signs revealed great variability in clinical presentation. Although some findings were associated with malaria, developing a sensitive clinical algorithm was difficult. Further investment is needed to improve microscopic diagnosis facilities in local hospitals to overcome the problem of over-diagnosis of malaria

retrospective hospital study of human cystic echinococcosis in Egypt

We performed a retrospective study to determine annual clinical incidence of human cystic echinococcosis [CE] in 14 Egyptian hospitals between January 1997 and December 1999. From 492 353 records examined, 133 [0.027%] new human CE cases were recorded. Of these, 50 [37.6%] were from Alexandria and Matrouh hospitals, 33 [24.8%] from Giza Chest Hospital and 50 from other regions. Matrouh governorate had the highest annual clinical incidence [1.34-2.60 per 100 000] followed by Giza governorate [0.80-1.16 per 100 000]. About a third of those affected were aged

Chromosomal studies on the taxonomy of some species of the genus aloe

The aim of this study was to analyse the karyotype by using root tips of three species of the Aloe genus namely Aloe sabaea, A. shadensis, and A. castellorum and to differentiate between them from the view point of chromosomes taxonomy. In addition, the study aimed at determining the DNA concentration for the three species. Chromosome number of these three species was 2n = 14. It consisted of four pairs of large subtelocentric chromosomes and three pairs of relatively small submetacentric chromosomes. The presence of a secondary constriction was clearly visible positioned in the distal end of the long arm of the second chromosome pair in A. shadensis, and on the long arm of the first chromosome pair in A. castellorum, but not observed in A. sabaea. Chromosomes length, arm ratio, the relative length, and the total chromatine length were calculated. The length of the chromosome complement already indicated that the species of Aloes possess a large genome. The DNA concentrations were determined through spectrophotometer measurements, they were 3.46, 5.58, and 4.41 micro g/ml in A. sabaea, A. shadensis, and A. castellorum. respectively. These significant variations in the DNA concentrations along with the observed differences in the Karyotypes would strongly support the species status of each one of them and support their current recognized taxonomic status

Stratification of Khartoum urban area by the risk of malaria transmission

A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out in Khartoum urban area aimed at stratifying the area by risk of malaria transmission. Two thousand households [8092 individuals] were surveyed during the cold, dry and rainy seasons of 2002. Households with screened windows, using bednets or both were 5.0% [95% CI: 4.1-6.0], 10.9% [95% CI: 9.5-12.3] and 1.8% [95% CI: 1.2-2.5] respectively. Access to health services was high. Only 3.8% [95% CI: 2.9-4.7] of households kept antimalarial drugs at home. The parasite rate, spleen rate and fever rate were very low [0.21%, 0.17% and 0.97% respectively]. Overall, people in Greater Bahry suffer a greater burden of malaria than those in Greater Khartoum or Greater Omdurman, with a seasonal pattern of transmission

Determinants of acquiring malaria among displaced people in Khartoum state, Sudan

A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among displaced people in Khartoum state to determine risk factors associated with malaria. Data were collected from 856 households about sociodemographic characteristics, history of malaria, and knowledge, attitudes and treatment-seeking behaviour. Overall, 68.2% reported a malaria attack among household members in the previous year. Risk of malaria attack was significantly associated with tribe, language, education, water supply and food expenditure. The highest rates of attack were among local language speakers [85.5%] and illiterate residents [70.4%]. Half the respondents [50.2%] delayed seeking treatment for malaria. Knowledge, attitudes and practices had no association with malaria attacks, except for a 4.7-fold increased risk of malaria when obtaining water from carts rather than wells

Determinants of malaria mortality among displaced people in Khartoum state, Sudan

To find the determinants of malaria mortality among displaced people, across-sectional descriptive study using verbal autopsy was carried out in 2 camps in Khartoum state, Sudan. The heads of 856 households were interviewed about household characteristics, and malaria knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. They reported 81 malaria deaths during the previous year, 3.5% of all household members; 70 [86.4%] were children. Fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and headache were the most prevalent symptoms before death. Having a malaria death in the household was significantly associated with poor knowledge about malaria and, surprisingly, with better education. Poor treatment-seeking behaviour and poor attitudes towards malaria were not associated with higher mortality. However, mortality was significantly higher among households obtaining water by cart than from a well

Mutagenicity studies of cadmium chloride in mice

Cadmium chloride [CdCl2] was tested for its mutagenicity in Swiss albino mice by the dominant lethal mutation test and the micronuclei test singly or in combination with either nitrosoguanidine [NTG] or ascorbic acid. The results obtained showed that cadmium chloride is a weak mutagen when compared with NTG as a positive control. However, cadmium chloride [CdCl2] and NTG in combination showed a significant increase in the dominant lethal mutations when compared with the effect of either CdCl2 or NTG individually. A statistically significant increase of the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes was also noticed when CdCl2 was combined with either NTG or ascorbic acid compared with CdCl2 individually

Field evaluation of a rapid-format kit for the diagnosis of bancroftian filariasis in Egypt

The AMRAD-ICT Filariasis Test [ICT-Fil] is a new, rapid-format card test for the detection of bancroftian antigenaemia in human blood. We evaluated the performance of the test under field conditions in Egypt by comparing 1813 endemic and 102 nonendemic participants. Endemic participants were tested for microfilaraemia [thick smear and membrane filtration] and serum antigenaemia [ELISA]. The infection rates detected were 2.8% by thick smear, 3.5% by membrane filtration, 8.8% by ELISA and 9.0% by ICT-Fil. The card test detected antigenaemia in 98.0% and 95.3% of microfilaraemia carriers testing positive by thick smear and blood filtration respectively. Nonendemic participants were ICT-Fil negative. Identical results were obtained for 173 out of 184 [94%] endemic participants tested by the serum and whole blood ICT-Fil versions