Influence of Solar Energy on the Physicochemical Parameters of Effluent Sludge and the Receiving Stream of an Oxidation Pond

Aim: This study was aimed at determining the physicochemical characteristics (such as pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride, iron, lead, magnesium etc.) of the effluent sludge from a sewage oxidation pond and the receiving stream before and after exposure to solar energy. This is to gain a better understanding on how ultraviolet radiations from sunlight alters the physicochemical parameters inherent in the sludge and the stream. Methods and Results: Effluent sludge samples and water samples from the receiving stream were collected and exposed to solar energy over a twenty-day period. Physicochemical parameters were measured using standard methods. Results revealed that mean values of dissolved oxygen and pH increased whereas those of biological oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, chloride, phosphorus, iron, lead zinc and magnesium reduced over the period study. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that the addition of solar energy to the chains of processes in sewage treatment will produce effluents with minimal content of nutrients from organic matter and heavy metals and these will ultimately protect the receiving stream from contamination, thus contributing to human health protection.

Assessment of Mitigation Measures in Preventing Bacterial Infections in Selected Public Health Centres in Akure, Ondo State

Introduction:Hospital acquired infection (or nosocomial) is an infection whose development is favored by hospital environment. They are usually acquired by either a patient during a hospital visit (or when hospitalized), hospital staff or patients’ relatives that visit when the patient is on admission in the hospital. Nosocomial infections can cause severe pneumonia and infection of the urinary tract, wounds, blood stream and other parts of the body. Nosocomial infections are commonly encountered in Africaand in Nigeria in particular. Factors such as hospital hygiene / cleanliness, personal hygiene of patients, overcrowding hospital wards and illiteracy increases the risk of nosocomial infection. Methods:The assessment of mitigation measures put in place to reduce bacteria present in surfaces of facilities (pillow, bed sheets, door handles, toilet seats and the floor) in wards of selected basic health centres (Arakale, Aule, Ayedun, Isolo, Oba-Ile and Orita-Obele) in Akure was evaluated using both questionnaire and on-sight assessment techniques.Results:The results showed that there was a direct relationship between the hand washing or sanitizer used and the bacterial load present in the various surfaces examined. Conclusion:Therefore, adequate ward hygiene in these health centres is necessary to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections for both patients and visitors.

Prophylactic and Curative Potency of Alchornea laxiflora Extract on Plasmodium berghei Infected Swiss Albino Mice

Background:Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases in Nigeria and in Africa at large as everyone is at risk of the infection. Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of Alchornea laxiflora leaf extracts against Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Materials and Methods:In vivoantimalarial assay on chloroquine-sensitive P. berghei-infected mice was carried out by oral administration of graded doses (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg) of methanolic and chloroform extracts using chloroquine and distilled water as positive and negative control respectively. Prophylactic potential in residual infection and curative assay against established infectionwere tested in P. berghei-infected mice. The assay was performed using 4-day suppressive standard test. Results:The prophylactic efficacy of methanolic and chloroform leaf extacts showed percentage chemosuppression of 72.37% and 66.32% respectively at oral dose of 600mg/kg. The methanol leaf extract of A. laxifloradisplayed the highest curative activity of percentage chemosuppression of 98.36% at oral dose of 600mg/kg. The extracts displayed dose-dependent significant (p ≤ 0.05 antiplasmodial activity as compared to the control. Haematological analysis revealed an increase in packed cell volume, red blood cell, haemoglobin and white blood cell counts on dose-dependent manner in the treated mice compared to the negative control mice. Conclusion:The high suppressive values obtained in this study show that the tested leaf extracts of Alchornea laxiflora might be a good alternative drug for the treatment of malaria infection in Nigeria.

Antiplasmodial, Antipyretic, Haematological and Histological Effects of the Leaf Extracts of Moringa oleifera in Plasmodium berghei berghei Infected Mice

Theaqueous and ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleiferaleaf were evaluated for safety, antimalarial and antipyretic activities because it is commonly used for various types of ailments especially malaria and fever. The various concentration of these extracts (0-800mg/kg) were tested against Plasmodium berghei bergheiinfectedalbino mice of either sex, in a Peters’four day antiplasmodialtest while antipyretic activities were evaluated in malaria-induced mice. Their possible effects on haematological parameters of PCV, WBC, neutrophil, lymphocytes count and liver enzymes were also determined as well as on the liver and kidney architecture. All the tested doses of the aqueous extract were comparable in antiplasmodial activity (p>0.05) to each of the tested doses of the ethanolic extract which were significantly different (p<0.05) from the negative control. Only the highest doses of both extracts gave significantly higher (p<0.05) antiplasmodial activity than the standard drug. For the ethanolic extract,a significant antipyretic activity was not observed until at 800mg/kg in time T3while the aqueous extract exerted no significant antipyretic activity at all doses and at all times. The ethanolic extract gave significantly higher PCV values than that of the aqueous. The administration of the aqueous extract gave significantly lower WBC than the ethanolic extract while comparable increase in lymphocyte count was noticeable at each of the doses of both extracts when compared to the negative control. Only 100mg/kg and 800mg/kg of the aqueous extract maintained a relatively high neutrophils count in this study. Also, the aqueous extract elicited higher concentration of ALT (greater than fourfold of normal) but the ethanolic extract produced the highest level of AST at the highest dose of 800mg/kg when compared to the ethanolic extract. Histological examination of the kidney showed progressive degeneration while that of the liver showed recovery when compared to negative control as a result of progressive increase in dosage of the extracts in malarial treatment.In conclusion, though both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of M. oleiferaleaves exert chemosuppressive antiplasmodial activities in Plasmodium berghei bergheiinfected mice and exhibited antipyretic activity with some improved haematological parameters, caution should be taken in its indiscriminate use because of probable toxic effects on thekidney and the liver.