Host cytokine genetic polymorphisms in a selected population of persons living with hepatitis B virus infection in the central region of Ghana.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health concern in resource limited settings like Ghana. Over the past decades, it is noted that the natural course of HBV in persons infected are taking a worse turn leading to liver cirrhosis and cancer. The outcome of HBV infection is influenced by viral and host factors including genetics.

(Pers.) C.D. Adams and Crantz Exhibit Antibacterial Activity against Resistant Strains.

Typhoid fever, caused by , has plagued underdeveloped countries for many years. Recently, there has been a surge in strains identified to be multidrug-resistant in endemic areas. and have been reported to exhibit activity against ; however, this study aimed to investigate the effect of and against resistance strains of The leaves of the plants were extracted using distilled water (hot (A) and cold (A)), methanol (M), ethyl acetate, and petroleum ether.

Preliminary Screening for the Anthelmintic Activity of Harms and Its Modifying Effect on Albendazole.

Helminthic infections affect a greater proportion of the world's population. This study determined the anthelmintic activity of and its modifying effect on albendazole. Powdered leaves of were successively extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and ethanol.

The role of social support and self-management on glycemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus with complications in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) can result in detrimental complications which are connected with long-term impairments and disabilities. Chronic complications are well-known consequences of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) progression, which reduce patient quality of life, place a burden on the healthcare system, and increase mortality. Measures to promote health outcomes for people with DM are scanty; the study therefore aimed at determining the effects of self-management and social support on glycemic control of T2DM with complications in Ghana.

Cercaricidal Activity, Acute Toxicity, and GC/MS Analysis of Some Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants.

Schistosomiasis is a human parasitic disease caused by the species and is recognised in public health as second to malaria in terms of its socioeconomic impact on humans. Four local plants native to many tribes in Ghana and known for their medicinal properties against some diseases were assessed for their cercaricidal activity against cercariae. The plants, namely, stem bark (NLSB), stem bark (SCSB), leaves (MCL), and leaves (OVL), were extracted for their active metabolites using methanol.

Microplastics toxicity, detection, and removal from water/wastewater.

The world has witnessed massive and preeminent microplastics (MPs) pollution in water bodies due to the inevitable continuous production of plastics for various advantageous chemical and mechanical features. Plastic pollution, particularly contamination by MPs (plastic particles having a diameter lesser than 5 mm), has been a rising environmental concern in recent years due to the inappropriate disposal of plastic trash. This study presents the recent advancements in different technologies for MPs removal in order to gain proper insight into their strengths and weaknesses, thereby orchestrating the preparation for innovation in the field.

Prevalence and spatiotemporal distribution of rotavirus diarrhea among children younger than five years old in Lagos, Nigeria.

Data on spatiotemporal distribution of rotavirus diarrhea are limited in many endemic settings. This study determined the prevalence and seasonal distribution of rotavirus among Nigerian children with diarrhea. Here, a total of 406 fecal samples were collected from patients attending six health facilities in Lagos between January - December 2019.

Treating Hepatitis B Virus in Times of COVID-19: The Case for Clinical Pharmacogenomics Research in Tenofovir-Induced Kidney Toxicity.

The current pandemic has markedly shifted the focus of the global research and development ecosystem toward infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19. A case in point is the chronic liver disease associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection that continues to be a leading cause of severe liver disease and death globally. The burden of HBV infection is highest in the World Health Organization designated western Pacific and Africa regions.

Evaluation of Dermal Toxicity and Wound Healing Activity of Vahl ex DC.

is a tropical plant, which is traditionally used in the treatment and management of various conditions including skin infections and wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the dermal toxicity and wound healing potential of . Ten millimeter full-thickness mucosal wounds were created on the dorsal midportion of the Sprague Dawley rats.

Nigeria's energy review: Focusing on solar energy potential and penetration.

In Nigeria, the rapid population increase and the overreliance on fossil fuel have created significant environmental, health, political, and economic consequences leading to severe socio-economic drawbacks. These factors have developed a wide gap between energy demand and supply due to insufficient local production, necessitating a clean energy supply for all. The photovoltaic device's economic and environmental merits have made it the most suitable clean energy alternative to help developing countries such as Nigeria achieve the SDG-7.

Antimicrobial properties of Vahl ex DC.

Scientific research into developing new antimicrobials from plants continues to be an interesting area for many scientists. This is because the resistance of microorganisms to anti-infective agents has affected a wide range of conditions, some of which are life-threatening. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial properties of (CF).

Anti-trypanosomal and anthelminthic properties of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub.

Trypanosomosis and helminthosis, considered as part of neglected tropical diseases, are parasitic infections of public health importance, especially in Africa. Medicinal plants have been used in most parts of Africa, to treat these parasitic infections. The study aims to determine the anti-trypanosomal and anthelminthic properties of Tetrapleura tetraptera (fruit and stembark).

Screening and Identification of Lipopeptide Biosurfactants Produced by Two Aerobic Endospore-Forming Bacteria Isolated from Mfabeni Peatland, South Africa.

Two aerobic endospore-forming bacteria (AEFB), isolates SAB19 and SAD18, capable of biosurfactant production were isolated from a sediment core sampled from Mfabeni peatland, St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The isolates were screened for biosurfactant activity using drop collapse assay, hemolysis assay, oil spreading assay, emulsification, and surface tension measurement. The effect of environmental parameters--temperature [35 - 100 °C], pH [3.

Ethnomedicinal survey and mutagenic studies of plants used in Accra metropolis, Ghana.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Majority of people living in Ghana and many other developing countries rely on traditional medicinal plants for their primary healthcare. These plants are used either alone or in combination to manage a wide range of ailments. However, most of these plants have not been investigated for their mutagenic effects.

Dynamics of Evolution of Poliovirus Neutralizing Antigenic Sites and Other Capsid Functional Domains during a Large and Prolonged Outbreak.

We followed the dynamics of capsid amino acid replacement among 403 Nigerian outbreak isolates of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) from 2005 through 2011. Four different functional domains were analyzed: (i) neutralizing antigenic (NAg) sites, (ii) residues binding the poliovirus receptor (PVR), (iii) VP1 residues 1 to 32, and (iv) the capsid structural core. Amino acid replacements mapped to 37 of 43 positions across all 4 NAg sites; the most variable and polymorphic residues were in NAg sites 2 and 3b.

Bush mint (Hyptis suaveolens) and spreading hogweed (Boerhavia diffusa) medicinal plant extracts differentially affect activities of CYP1A2, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 enzymes.

Ethno-pharmacological Relevance: Hyptis suaveolens (L) Poit and Boerhavia diffusa Linn are medicinal herbal plants commonly found in the tropics and sub-tropics. They are used to treat various conditions among them boils, dyslipidaemia, eczema, malaria, jaundice and gonorrhoea. Thus, the herbal medicinal extracts are now found as part of some commercial herbal formulations.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of coagulase-negative isolated from poultry farms in three regions of Ghana.

The use of antibiotics in animal production has been associated with the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms including commensals. Coagulase-negative (CoNS) species, which were until recently considered non-pathogenic, have been associated with opportunistic infections and high resistance to several antibiotics. This study sought to determine the prevalence, identity, and phenotypic resistance of coagulase-negative spp.

Phyto suppression of Plasmodium berghei Multiplication by Nauclea latifolia improves the Indices of Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Anaemia in Experimental Mice.

Background: Malaria remains one of the major causes of childhood mortality in many parts of the world, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Increasing chemotherapeutic failure and side effects of available antimalarial drugs have promoted the use of natural herbs for the treatment of malaria in Nigerian communities.

Objective: To study the phytosuppression of P berghei by Nauclea latifolia and its effects on the indices of anaemia and pancreatic beta cell function in experimental mice.

Inhibition of CYP2B6 by Medicinal Plant Extracts: Implication for Use of Efavirenz and Nevirapine-Based Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) in Resource-Limited Settings.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has greatly improved health parameters of HIV infected individuals. However, there are several challenges associated with the chronic nature of HAART administration. For populations in health transition, dual use of medicinal plant extracts and conventional medicine poses a significant challenge.

The antiviral activity of leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehn) and Eucalyptus torelliana (R. Muell).

Human enteroviruses are the major cause of aseptic meningitis and are resistant to all known antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents. Methanolic extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus torelliana were tested on human enteroviruses: Poliovirus type I, Coxsackievirus B and Echovirus 6. The virucidal tests showed that the crude extracts were active on the test viruses: poliovirus type 1, coxsackievirus B and echovirus 6 giving a neutralization index of one log and above.

Enteroviruses as a possible cause of hypertension, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and hypertensive heart failure (HHF) in South western Nigeria.

Background: Human enteroviruses have long been associated with various diseases of man resulting into a wide range of acute symptoms involving the cardiac and skeletal muscles, central nervous system, pancreas, skin and mucous membranes.

Objective: To assess the role of enteroviruses in the etiology of hypertension, DCM and HHF.

Methods: We obtained stool specimens from 70 subjects comprising 65 patients and 5 controls and isolation was carried out on RD, L20B, HEp-2C and Vero cell lines and identified by neutralization with standard antisera (RIVM).

Molecular characterization of diverse species enterovirus-B types from children with acute flaccid paralysis and asymptomatic children in Nigeria.

Non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) have often been identified in association with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in most polio surveillance studies worldwide. In a polio endemic country like Nigeria, there is need for distinction of AFP due to poliovirus and those potentially due to NPEVs. This study was undertaken to characterize the enterovirus (EV) types circulating in both children with and without AFP in Nigeria.

Measles vaccine potency and sero-conversion rates among infants receiving measles immunization in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

This study was designed to assess the seroconversion rate of measles vaccine among infants receiving measles immunization in Ilorin, Nigeria. The pre- and post-measles vaccination sera of the children were tested using the Haemagglutination Inhibition test. The measles vaccines administered at the immunization centre were also tested for their potency using in-vitro titration method.

Determination of measles hemagglutination inhibiting antibody levels among school children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Immune status of school children aged from 10-23 years against measles virus was determined by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test with a view of assessing herd immunity. Blood samples from 500 schoolchildren were collected by finger-pricking in Ropacco filter papers. Sera were extracted in 1 mL of cold phosphate buffered saline and treated with 25% (w/v) kaolin and 50.