Genotype And Abo Blood Group Association With Prevalence Of Malaria Among Patients In University Of Nigeria Medical Center: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malaria and its relationship with the ABO blood group and genotype at the University of Nigeria Medical Centre. Methods: The study had a prospective cross-sectional design in which malaria status and blood groups and genotype were determined. All collected data were analysed using Statistical product and services Solution (V.21). Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the data while Chi-square and Pearson correlation were used to determine associations between malaria prevalence and patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics. Statistical significance was considered for p<0.05. Results: Three hundred and twenty-three (323) patients were tested for malaria, 245(75.9%) of whom tested positive. The prevalence was highest for patient’s aged 19-25 y (28.5%). The difference was statistically significant for age: χ2 (5) = 33.60, p = 0.0005. There were more blood group O (57.6%) among the patients, while AA genotype was the majority (72.4%). Those with blood group O had the highest prevalence of malaria (33.7%) and it was statistically significant (χ2 (3) = 72.10, p = 0.0005)). Correlation showed that the association between blood group and malaria prevalence was moderate (R = 0.457). The AA genotype had more incidence of malaria (54.5%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria was high among the patients surveyed. Its association with the patients’ ABO blood group was established to be statistically significant, with blood group O having the highest incidence. Although AA genotype was observed to have the highest cases of malaria, the relationship was found not to be significant.

Quality Assessment of Some Brands of Tetanus Toxoids Marketed in Open Markets in South-Eastern Nigeria.

Aims: This study was designed to verify the immunogenicity (potency) and the safety of tetanus toxoid vaccines marketed in three large open drug markets in South-Eastern Nigeria. Methodology: Tests for Sterility, formaldehyde concentrations, specific toxicity, endotoxin, and immunogenicity (potency) were conducted on three different brands of tetanus toxoids (Brand α - from Ariaria Drug Market, Aba-Abia State; Brand β - from Ogbete Drug Market, Enugu State; and Brand γ - from Bridge-Head Drug Market, Onitsha-Anambra State). Results: All vaccine brands studied passed the sterility testing, but did not comply with the 2011 BP specifications on free formaldehyde concentration, which stipulates that the free formaldehyde concentration should not exceed 0.02%. The three vaccine brands did not show specific, abnormal, or general toxicity, but contained different amounts of endotoxins. The result of the potency testing showed that the three brands were immunogenic and elicited specific antibodies against tetanus toxin; but brand γ was the most immunogenic since it elicited the highest titers of total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a followed by brand α, and then brand β. Conclusion: Generally, the quality control tests carried out on these three commercial brands of tetanus toxoids marketed in Nigeria showed that they do not comply with all the pharmacopeial standards on quality and safety required for vaccines of this nature. Therefore, we conclude that some of the tetanus toxoids marketed in open drug markets in Nigeria are substandard and may be responsible for the failures of these vaccines used for immunization in the country.

Antibacterial profile of extracts of Combretum micranthum G. Don against resistant and sensitive nosocomial isolates.

Combretum micranthun G. Don (Combretaceae) is reputed in folk medicine for its anti-infective properties. In this study, we screened aqueous and methanol extracts of Combretum micranthun for antibacterial activities against nosocomial bacterial isolates. The methanolic and aqueous extracts of the leaves, root-bark and stem-bark were screened against the 25 different nosocomial isolates each of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from patients presenting with various ailment at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu using the agar well diffusion technique. The extracts of Combretum micranthun exhibited antimicrobial activities against both Gram-negative and the Gram-positive isolates including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureaus. Generally, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococus pyogenes showed the highest level of susceptibility to the extracts of Combretum micranthun. The hot aqueous, the methanol and the cold aqueous extracts were more effective than other extracts in inhibiting all the isolates tested. The extracts of the plant C. micranthum G. Don showed high antimicrobial effectiveness against the different 200 clinical isolates of both Gram positive and Gram negative isolates screened and could therefore be harnessed as a potent antibacterial agents or could possibly provide leads for the synthesis of novel anti-infective agents.

In vitro bioequivalence study of nine brands of artesunate tablets marketed in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The availability of numerous brands of artesunate in our drug market today places clinicians and pharmacists in a difficult situation of choice of a suitable brand or the possibility of alternative use. The aim of the present study was to predict the bioequivalence of nine brands of artesunate tablets marketed in Nigeria using in vitro tests. METHODS: The in vitro dissolution study was carried out on the nine brands of artesunate tablets using the basket method according to US Pharmacopoeia (USP) guidelines. Other general quality assessment tests like hardness and disintegration time were also determined. RESULTS: All the brands tested passed the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) standard for disintegration time. Only AT2, AT4, AT6 and AT9 passed the standard for hardness. There were significant differences in the dissolution profiles of the nine brands. All the brands except AT1, however, released >70% of artesunate within 30 min. Four of the brands AT5, AT6, AT7 and AT8 exhibited >90% dissolution in <10 min. The other brands AT1, AT2, AT3, AT4 and AT9 (innovator brand) have calculated similarity factors of 23.8, 59.8, 50, 54.8 and 100. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Based on the in vitro tests, AT5, AT6, AT7 and AT8 are considered bioequivalent and interchangeable, while AT2, AT3 and AT4 are considered bioequivalent and interchangeable with the innovator brand (AT9). AT1 has very low dissolution rate, which will likely result in poor bioavailability. The results show the need for constant monitoring of new brands of artesunate introduced into the drug market to ascertain bioequivalence and conformity with pharmacopoeia standards.

In vitro interaction between caffeine and some penicillin antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the in vitro interaction of some penicillins (amoxicillin; ampicillin and benzylpenicillin) and caffeine against Staphylococcus aureus. Method: The interaction between the penicillins and caffeine was studied using the Overlay Inoculum Susceptibility Disc (OLISD) method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the drugs were determined separately and in combination with caffeine (5 and 10 mg/ml). Result: At 5 and 10 mg/ml; caffeine decreased the MIC of amoxicillin by 22 and 25 times respectively; while that of ampicillin was decreased by 6 and 8 times. The MIC of benzylpenicillin against Staphylococcus aureus was; however; increased by 59 and 40 times at caffeine concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/ml respectively. The inhibition zone diameter increment above 19(index of synergism in OLISD method) was recorded only for amoxicillin at amoxicillin concentrations of 7.81; 15.3; 31.25 and 62.5 mg/ml. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the concomitant use of caffeine and the studied antibiotics may potentiate the antibacterial effect of amoxicillin against Staphylococcus aureus; decrease that of benzylpenicillin and has virtually no effect on that of ampicillin. This implies that the intake of caffeine in form of analgesic combination or as tea; coffee; beverages or from other food sources may affect the effectiveness of a co-administered amoxicillin and bezylpenicillin