Physico-chemical investigation of consumables and environmental samples to determine the causative agent of liver disease outbreak in Tahitay Koraro Woreda, Tigray.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of liver disease out break of unknown origin and of a significant morbidity and mortality with a major symptom of abdominal dropsy was reported among the inhabitants of Tsaeda--Emba village, Tahtay Koraro woreda, Tigray during mid December, 2005. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess if chemical intoxicants were the responsible agents for the outbreak in the affected locality. METHODS: The experimental approach towards the identification of the possible causative agent from the consumables and environmental samples collected from the affected village were determination of physico-chemical quality parameters and chemical analysis using instrumental and chromatographic techniques. RESULTS: The intoxicant was found to stem from the consumption of the water from the unprotected well in which pyrrolizidine containing plant, Ageratum sp, abundantly thrives. CONCLUSION: The water source was intimately linked to the outbreak of disease and, therefore, immediate intervention and preventive measures are called for.

Investigation of antibacterial activities of Albizia gummifera and Ferula communis on Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptoccus pyogenes.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory Tract infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality world wide. There is a failure to treat respiratory infections due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains among the most common respiratory pathogens. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activities of two traditionally used plants: Albizia gummifera (Ambabesa-Muka, Oromifa, Sessa-Amharic.) and Ferula communis (Doge-Oromifa, Dog-Amharic) against clinical isolates of S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae. METHODS: The study involving the antibacterial susceptibility test of traditionally used plant species against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens was conducted over a period of 5 months (January - August, 2004) at the Ethiopian Health, and Nutrition Research Institute. The in vitro antibacterial activities of 80% methanol crude extracts prepared from the seeds of Ablizia gummifera and, roots of Ferula communis as well as their respective hydro alcoholic solvent fractionates of both plant species were tested for inhibitory activity against the clinical isolates of six S. pneumonae and twenty two S. pyogenes using agar dilution method. RESULTS: Eighty percent ethanol solubilized fractions of both plants were found to have antibacterial effects to all assayed bacteria while aqueous solubilized fractions did not exhibit any effect. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the 80% ethanol solubilized fractions was determined and the MIC of the fractions ranged from 500 mg/ ml to 1000 mg/ml for both plants showing the extracts may contain bioactive compounds of therapeutic interest. CONCLUSION: All extracts showed antibacterial activities against clinical isolates of S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae. The extracts may contain compounds with potential therapeutic activity. Further purification and identification are needed to be tested using animal models.

Screening of some medicinal plants of Ethiopia for their anti-microbial properties and chemical profiles.

In the indigenous health care delivery system of Ethiopia, numerous plant species are used to treat diseases of infectious origin. Regardless of the number of species, if any of such claims could be verified scientifically, the potential significance for the improvement of the health care services would be substantial. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the presence of anti-microbial activity in the crude extracts of some of the commonly used medicinal plants as well as to identify the class of compounds in the plants that were subjected to such screening. Thus, the crude methanol, petroleum ether and aqueous extracts of 67 plant species were subjected to preliminary screening against 10 strains of bacterial species and 6 fungal strains using the agar dilution method. A sample concentration of 250-2000 microg/ml and 500-4000 microg/ml were used for the bacterial and fungal pathogens, respectively. The results indicated that 44 different plant species exhibited activity against one or more of the bacteria while one species, viz., Albizzia gummifera showed activity against all the 10 bacteria at different gradient of dilution. Twenty three species inhibited or retarded growth of one or more organisms at dilution as low as 250 microg/ml. Extracts of same plants species were also tested against six different fungal pathogenic agents of which eight species showed growth inhibition against one or more of the organisms. Trichila emetica and Dovyalis abyssinica, which inhibited growth of four and five fungal strains at 100 microg/ml concentration, respectively, were the most promising plants. Chemical screening conducted on the extracts of all the plants showed the presence of several secondary metabolites, mainly, polyphenols, alkaloids, tannins sterols/terpenes, saponins and glycosides. The plants containing more of these metabolites demonstrated stronger anti-microbial properties stressing the need for further investigations using fractionated extracts and purified chemical components.

The impact of syndromic treatment of sexually transmitted diseases on genital shedding of HIV-1.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) syndromic treatment on genital shedding of HIV and the impact among women in whom STD treatment was not successful. DESIGN: Seventy-one HIV-infected women were included; 60 had symptomatic STD [72% with genital discharge syndrome (GDS) and 28% with genital ulcer syndrome (GUS)] and 11 controls did not have symptomatic STD. Cervical HIV load in 94% women was measured at baseline and after STD treatment. RESULTS: Cervical HIV load at entry was significantly higher in women with symptomatic STD than in controls [median, 3.15; interquartile range (IQR), 1.90-3.34 versus median, 1.90; IQR, 1.90-2.19 log10 RNA copies/swab, respectively; P = 0.024]. Women with STD were also more likely to have detectable cervical HIV RNA (68% versus 27%; P = 0.016). Cervical HIV load was significantly higher in women with GUS than in those with GDS (median 3.46; IQR, 2.84-4.18 versus median, 2.83; IQR, 1.90-3.31 log10 copies/swab; P = 0.019). There was no significant reduction in genital HIV shedding after syndromic treatment of GDS or GUS. However, significant decreases were limited to only those with clinical improvement (median, 2.91; IQR, 1.90-3.45 versus median, 2.25; IQR, 1.90-3.08 log10 RNA copies/swab, respectively; P = 0.006). GUS was significantly associated with treatment failure, independent of plasma HIV RNA load and CD4 T-cell count (odds ratio, 4.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-17.46). CONCLUSIONS: The fact that STD syndromic treatment impacts very little in reducing genital HIV shedding underscores the need for appropriate validation of STD syndromic diagnosis and management to control heterosexual transmission of HIV.

Development of research capability in Ethiopia: the Ethio-Netherlands AIDS research project (ENARP): 1994-2002, achievements, scientific findings and project goals.

In 1992, HIV/AIDS researchers in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were invited to work in partnership with researchers in Ethiopia to build an HIV/AIDS research infrastructure in Addis Ababa. This project, which began in 1994, was envisioned to contribute meaningfully to fighting the HIV pandemic in the decades to come. Its immediate objective was to establish an HIV research laboratory to serve international partnerships pursuing HIV vaccine research in Ethiopia and to support national health authorities fighting the HIV epidemic in Ethiopia. The overall goal was to develop research capacity at the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) by improving facilities, training technical and academic personnel (at PhD, MSc, and MPH level), establishing cohort studies to study HIV infection progression, and helping the government to implement a national HIV surveillance program. In the period 1994-2002, the projected HIV/AIDS research laboratory was built and several existing sections of EHNRI were renovated and upgraded. An active HIV-research program was established. Staff grew to more than 60, including three Ethiopian and three expatriate research/managers. Two PhD. students have graduated in immunology and virology (University of Amsterdam, 2000), and five are currently in training. Several technical persons were trained and over 19 MSc/MPH-programs were supported at Addis Ababa University (AAU). The first Ethiopian PhD graduate became the national program manager for ENARP. Two ENARP cohort studies and several HIV-prevalence studies have helped to document the severity of the HIV epidemic in Ethiopia, assisting national authorities in formulation of national and regional policies to prevent HIV transmission. Initial funding for ENARP from the Netherlands government was projected for eight years, to end by 2003. It was expected that management responsibilities would then be transferred from expatriate to Ethiopian staff and all ENARP activities integrated into EHNRI.

Endemic existence of rabies in Ethiopia.

The study on the prevalence of rabies was conducted on a retrospective data gathered from EHNRI rabies diagnostic laboratory Addis Ababa, in the years 1979-1987. During this period a total of 8036 animals were brought to the rabies diagnostic laboratory. Ninety one percent (7329) of these animals were dogs. The remaining 8.8% (707) comprised of cats, domestic animals (donkeys, cows, sheep) and wild animals (monkeys, jackals and hyenas). Out of 7329 dogs examined 832 were positive for rabies. Dogs accounted for the majority of animal rabies (94.01% of the total positive animals). The remaining 5.99% (53) of the animals diagnosed with rabies-comprised of cats, domestic animals and some wild animals. A total of 15,940 people were given post exposure anti-rabies prophylaxis treatment that came from different parts of the country in the years 1979-1987. The prevalence rates of rabies were found to be higher soon after dogs' breeding seasons. Such an observation indicates that among dogs infection, transmission through biting is significant during the breeding season. However, despite the high incidence of rabies in Ethiopia, only 320 people were reported to have died of rabies in the years 1979-1984. This supports, the hypothesis that there is a lack of appropriate reporting system on prevalence of rabies and its impact on humans in Ethiopia.

An outbreak of acute toxicity caused by eating food contaminated with datura stramonium

The authors report methods used to characterize an outbreak of food-borne acute toxicity among the labour force of a cotton plantation in Middle Awash Agricultural Development Enterprise in July and August 1984. Among 1492 patients seen at the Enterprise and Ministry of Health clinics during this period; 688 (46.1 per cent) exhibited unusual signs and symptoms. Thirty three patients required hospitalization for intensive medical care while nine patients were reported to have died due to this condition.Contamination of corn flour with pesticides was initially suspected and laboratory animal tests were carried out which failed to show any signs of acute toxicity. Investigation of the source of the corn and its processing was simultaneously conducted and revealed the contamination of the corn with seeds of an indigenous plant identified as Datura stramonium; an antimuscarinic alkaloid. These alkaloids contain hyoscine and hyoscyamine which is known to have toxic effect on the exocrine glands; heart; and the autonomic nervous system in man. Signs and symptoms observed in the patients and preventive measures implemented are discussed