Telfairia occidentalis-supplemented diet induces changes in sperm parameters and testosterone level in rats.

The growing patronage on herbal remedies and formulations from natural products in most developing countries has warranted research into certain health challenges including their antifertility effects. This study assessed the effects of boiled Telfairia occidentalis (TO) seed-supplemented diets on the level of testosterone and semen quality in Wistar rats. Boiled TO seed diets at 10%, 15% and 30% were given to rats for 60 days. Our study showed that sperm quality was impaired as evidenced by the decreased number of motile spermatozoa, epididymal sperm numbers, percentage live/dead ratio and increased numbers of abnormal spermatozoa comparable to control values (p < .05). Feeding of rats with 10% and 15% TO seed-supplemented diets increased testosterone levels nonsignificantly, while in the 30% TO seed diet animals, the level of serum testosterone was found to decrease significantly compared to control values. Furthermore, TO diet caused a nonsignificant increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase and the concentrations of reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde except for the significant increase in malondialdehyde level in the testes of the 10% TO diet group. A nonsignificant decrease in myeloperoxidase activity was also observed in the 10% and 15% but not 30% TO diet group. Histological damages characterised by severe loss of germ cells were more pronounced in the 10% TO diet group. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of boiled TO seeds revealed the presence of esters, alkenes, hydroxyl and alcohol functional groups. Thus, boiled TO seed-supplemented diet evoked antifertility effects in rats, and the effects on the toxicity end points investigated were not dose-dependent.

Rotavirus diarrhoea hospitalizations among children under 5 years of age in Nigeria, 2011-2016.

BACKGROUND: The high burden of rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is well documented among children under 5 years of age, with the majority of mortality occurring in developing countries. Nigeria ranked second worldwide in the number of rotavirus deaths in 2013. As Nigeria plans to introduce rotavirus vaccine soon, a pre-vaccine documentation of rotavirus disease burden is necessary to determine vaccine impact. METHODS: Routine rotavirus surveillance was conducted during 2011-2016 in 3 sentinel sites in Nigeria using the standard WHO protocol. Children under 5 years of age hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis were enrolled and demographic, clinical and outcome data were collected. A stool sample was subsequently obtained and tested for human rotavirus antigen using the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: 2694 children with acute gastroenteritis were enrolled during January 2011 to December 2016; of these, 1242 (46%) tested positive for rotavirus. Among the rotavirus positive cases, 66% and 94% were younger than 12 months and 24 months respectively. Marked peaks in rotavirus positivity were seen in January of each year. Vomiting, and use of oral and intravenous fluids occurred more often in rotavirus positive cases as compared to rotavirus negative cases. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of rotavirus disease highlights the need for urgent introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Nigeria. Additionally, this study provides pre-vaccine introduction disease-burden data that will serve as a baseline for rotavirus vaccine impact-assessment once vaccine has been introduced in the national immunization program.

Antioxidant enzymes activity, lipid peroxidation, oxidative damage in the testis and epididymis, and steroidogenesis in rats after co-exposure to atrazine and ethanol.

Concomitant alcohol use and exposure to xenobiotics can adversely affect gonadal functions. This study investigated the oxidative status of the testis and epididymis and steroidogenesis of rats co-exposed to ethanol (EtoH, 5 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) and atrazine (ATZ, 50, 100, 300 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) for 3 weeks. The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, as well as the concentrations of glutathione and malondialdehyde, as indicators of oxidative stress were measured in the homogenates of the testis and epididymis. Testosterone and cholesterol concentrations as well as 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD) activity were assayed in the plasma and testis respectively. After the administration of EtoH alone, or in combination with different doses of ATZ, oxidative damage as evident by malondialdehyde level was not observed in both the testis and epididymis. The combine exposure group showed dose-dependent decrease in plasma testosterone and testis cholesterol level and increase in testis 17ß-HSD activity compared to the EtoH group. Furthermore, the testes and epididymis of the EtoH-exposed rats treated with high dose of ATZ had severe histopathological damage. Therefore, ATZ-exposed alcohol-treated rats have histological damage of the testis and epididymis and lower testosterone level than EtoH-treated rats.