Effects of lime juice on malaria parasite clearance.

One hundred and twenty children with acute uncomplicated malaria who were managed at the children's outpatient department of the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa (a unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria) were recruited into the study to determine the effects of lime juice on malaria parasite clearance. These children were randomized into treatment with World Health Organization recommended antimalarials (artemisinin combination therapy, ACT) either alone or with lime juice. Nine of them were lost to follow-up, four were in the group that were managed with ACT and lime, and five in the group that were managed on ACT alone. The average (SD) time to achieve >75% reduction in parasite load was significantly lower in patients on ACT and lime; 30.5 ± 2.4 h against 38.6 ± 3.3 h for those on ACT alone (p < 0.001). Also, while a significantly higher proportion of children on antimalarial drugs and lime juice achieved complete parasite clearance by 72 h of therapy (p = 0.007), ten (18.2%) patients without lime had early treatment failure (p = 0.003). There were no side effects with the use of lime juice. It may therefore be inferred, from this preliminary work, that lime juice when used with the appropriate antimalarial may enhance malaria parasite clearance especially in those with uncomplicated malaria.

Preliminary study of effectiveness of aloe vera in scabies treatment.

In an open, non-comparative study carried out between August and December 2002 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, 5 patients with scabies were successfully treated with crude gel of Aloe vera; thereafter the efficacy of the extract was compared with that of benzoate lotion among 30 patients. Sixteen patients were treated with Aloe vera and 14 patients had benzyl benzoate lotion. Itching was still present in 3 patients in the benzyl benzoate group and in 2 patients in the Aloe vera group after 2 courses of treatment. The scabietic lesions virtually disappeared in all of them. None of these patients had any noticeable side effects. It is concluded that Aloe vera gel is as effective as benzyl benzoate in the treatment of scabies.

Invasive Bacteria Isolates from Children with Severe Infections in a Nigerian Hospital

Background: Little information is available about the aetiology and epidemiology of serious bacterial infections in Nigeria. This study determined bacterial isolates from blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children presenting in the emergency room of a teaching hospital in Nigeria. Method: From October 2005 to December 2006; children aged two to 60 months presenting with signs of acute systemic infections were recruited. Blood culture and CSF specimens were collected and processed using standard microbiological protocols. Data were analysed using SPSS version 11 software. Results: Two hundred and two blood and 69 CSF samples were cultured. Fifty-five (27) of the blood cultures yielded Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci in almost equal proportions. The most common isolates from the blood cultures were Staphylococcus aureus; 26 (12.9) and atypical coliforms; 13 (6.5). Others are Klebsiella spp; 3 (1.5); Klebsiella pneumonia; 2 (1.0); Escherichia coli; 3 (1.5); Enterobacter agglomerans; 2 (1.1); Proteus mirabilis; 2(1); Pseudomonas spp; 2 (1.0); Haemophilus influenza; 1 (1.0); and Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus; 1 (1.0). Fourteen out of 67 (20.9) of the CSF samples yielded bacterial isolates: Streptococcus pneumonia; 3 (4.5); Haemophilus influenza; 8 (11.9); Hemophilus spp; 1 (1.5); E. Coli; 1 (1.5); and atypical coliform; 1 (1.5). Gram-negative coliform isolates were predominantly resistant to penicillin based antibiotics and co-trimoxazole but sensitive to third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones. A high percentage of S. aureus isolates were multi-drug resistant. Conclusions: Bacterial infections contribute to the significant morbidity among children in our environment. S. aureus was more frequently isolated in sepsis while H. influenzae appears to play a major role in meningitis. Appropriate use of antibiotics is needed to manage affected children effectively. We also recommend improved vaccine coverage of children under the age of five years) of the blood cultures yielded Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci in almost equal proportions. The most common isolates from the blood cultures were Staphylococcus aureus; 26 (12.9) and atypical coliforms; 13 (6.5). Others are Klebsiella spp; 3 (1.5); Klebsiella pneumonia; 2 (1.0); Escherichia coli; 3 (1.5); Enterobacter agglomerans; 2 (1.1); Proteus mirabilis; 2(1); Pseudomonas spp; 2 (1.0); Haemophilus influenza; 1 (1.0); and Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus; 1 (1.0). Fourteen out of 67 (20.9) of the CSF samples yielded bacterial isolates: Streptococcus pneumonia; 3 (4.5); Haemophilus influenza; 8 (11.9); Hemophilus spp; 1 (1.5); E. Coli; 1 (1.5); and atypical coliform; 1 (1.5). Gram-negative coliform isolates were predominantly resistant to penicillin based antibiotics and co-trimoxazole but sensitive to third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones. A high percentage of S. aureus isolates were multi-drug resistant.Conclusions: Bacterial infections contribute to the significant morbidity among children in our environment. S. aureus was more frequently isolated in sepsis while H. influenzae appears to play a major role in meningitis. Appropriate use of antibiotics is needed to manage affected children effectively. We also recommend improved vaccine coverage of children under the age of five years

The effectiveness of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) seeds in treating urinary tract infections.

Three middle-aged males and one female were diagnosed as having urinary tract infections (UTIs) between 2001 and 2003 in the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, a unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Of the 4 patients, only the female was asymptomatic. The 3 males had Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella species, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively, in their urine samples, while the female had Escherichia coli. All 4 patients were treated with grapefruit seeds (Citrus paradisi) orally for 2 weeks and they all responded satisfactorily to the treatment except the man with P. aeruginosa isolate. However, the initial profuse growth of Pseudomonas isolate in the patient that was resistant to gentamicin, tarivid, and augmentin later subsided to mild growth with reversal of the antibiotic resistance pattern after 2 weeks' treatment with grapefruit seeds. These preliminary data thus suggest an antibacterial characteristic of dried or fresh grapefruit seeds (C. paradisi) when taken at a dosage of 5 to 6 seeds every 8 hours, that is comparable to that of proven antibacterial drugs.