ABSTRACT
Background: Current Leishman staining technique for staining thin blood films for differential leukocyte count is too time consuming to meet emergency needs in hospitalized patients with infectious and other deadly diseases. This study aimed at discovering optimal phenol: Leishman powder ratio appropriate for modified Leishman stain and finding an optimized staining reaction and facilitating rapid cellular analysis of blood without alteration in quantity and quality. Methodology: Leishman stain was modified using phenol crystals and liquefied phenol. Various ratios of phenol and Leishman powder were experimented in absolute methanol. Fixing and staining times of staining process were manipulated to develop new staining procedures that gave optimal staining reaction on thin blood films prepared within two hours of receipt. Results were presented as photomicrographs of stained slides. Results: 30mg and 50mg of phenol crystals or 30μL and 50μL of liquefied phenol were required to give 1:5 and 1:3 phenol: Leishman powder ratios respectively. Two modified Leishman staining techniques were developed. The first fixed thin blood films for 25 seconds and stained for 50 seconds while the second technique fixed slides for 1 minute Original Research Article RRRreResearch…….. Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(27): 4591-4606, 2014 4592 and stained for 3 minutes. Photomicrographs of thin blood films showed excellent staining results that compared well with the conventional technique. Conclusion: Unlike the conventional method which requires a total of 10-12 minutes, to complete the staining process, modified Leishman staining techniques require only 75.0 seconds and 4.0 minutes! Batches of blood films can be stained within a short time thus facilitating rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients.
ABSTRACT
This survey was designed to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Salmonella Typhi among febrile HIV/AIDS patients in Ekpoma. Malaria and typhoid risk factors in Ekpoma included occupation, poor health facilities and poor sanitation. Malaria and typhoid are highly prevalent among Ekpoma HIV/AIDS patients.
Esta pesquisa investigou a prevalência de Plasmodium falciparum e Salmonella typhi entre pacientes febris com HIV/AIDS em Ekpoma. Os fatores de risco para malária e febre tifóide incluem atividade profissional, baixas condições de saúde e saneamento deficiente. A prevalência de malária e febre tifóide entre os pacientes com HIV/AIDS em Ekpoma é elevada.
Subject(s)
Humans , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , HIV , Malaria, Falciparum , Sanitation , Typhoid Fever , Methods , Patients , Prevalence , Risk Factors , MethodsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Trypanosomiasis has remained a major set-back in the development of livestock farming in tropical Africa. Thus the need for ascertaining the trypanotolerant levels of domestic animal breeds and possible improvement on them cannot be over-emphasised. METHODS: Level of trypanotolerance in animals was compared between sexes using albino mice infected with a Nigerian strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei at a 50% mouse lethal dose (MLD50). RESULTS: The male mice showed unrestrained parasite growth with a prepatent period (PP) of two days and a mean survival period (MSP) of six days corresponding to a gradual decrease in packed cell volume (PCV), body weight, diet response and white blood cells (WBC) count to the time of death. Their female counterparts showed a PP of three days and MSP often days with a similar PCV gradient but a refractory WBC count. There was no significant difference in the differential leucocytes count in both sexes. However, the eosinophils count was significantly higher in the infected animals. It was found that female albino mice exercised more parasite restraint than their male counterparts. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The result suggests that the female animals may be more trypanotolerant hence may be more useful in protein production in trypanosomiasis endemic areas. However, further research using large domestic breeds like goats and sheep may be required to confirm the hypothesis.