Publications by authors named "Chunge C"

A small group of travellers became infected with Echinostoma sp. after ingesting raw fish which they caught in Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, in January 2017. The infection was diagnosed by finding the characteristic eggs in stool samples collected over a 2-week period following their return to Kenya.

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Clinical and laboratory findings are described from 77 persons from Nairobi, Kenya, of whom 66 were diagnosed with acute Schistosoma mansoni infection following a trip to Mwanza, Tanzania. Unusual ocular symptoms were observed as a rare manifestation of acute schistosomiasis. The outbreak highlights the risk of swimming in Lake Victoria.

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In the last decade, Plasmodium falciparum resistance to a number of commonly used anti-malarials especially chloroquine, has increased considerably. Newer anti-malarial drugs are therefore being aggressively evaluated as alternatives. A randomized double-blind controlled trial was therefore undertaken, to compare the efficacy of halofantrine to that of metakelfin, in the treatment of moderately severe infections of Plasmodium falciparum in an endemic malaria area in Kenya.

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Successful treatment of infections with Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is difficult because of many confounding factors such as poor abstinence from sex during chemotherapy, lack of standardised chemotherapy, difficulties in understanding transmission patterns and low detection rates among infected individuals. The purpose of this study was to establish the present efficacy of the available drugs at their recommended single or double dosages for Kenya. Adult symptomatic females (age 17-39 years) with positive High Vaginal Swabs but without pregnancy were recruited into the study; and asked to swallow one of the following medicine: nimorazole 2G (Naxogin Farmitalia Carlo Erba, Italy), nimorazole 4G in two equally divided doses 24 hours apart (2GBD), nimorazole 3G, tinidazole 2G (Fasigyn, Pfizer Ltd) and ornidazole 1.

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The changes in the immune responses of patients before and at 3 weeks after treatment with anti-schistosomal drugs were investigated. Lymphocyte responses to Concanavalin A and to worm antigens were inhibited after treatment, whereas responses to cercarial and egg antigens remained unchanged. Eosinophil levels were significantly elevated after treatment and were positively correlated with the increase in anti-worm antibodies (r = 0.

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Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) occurs occasionally after successful cure of visceral leishmaniasis. Twelve patients with diagnosis consistent with PKDL were seen at Clinical Research Centre from 1981 to 1985. Clinical presentation ranged from macular hypopigmented lesion to generalized nodular lesions.

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The changes in eosinophil levels and in eosinophil-mediated antibody-dependent schistosomular cytotoxicity, following treatment for Schistosoma mansoni infections, have been investigated in 2 similar groups of patients aged 15-50 years. Patients in group 1 were treated with either hycanthone or oxamniquine, and those in group 2 with hycanthone or praziquantel. Eosinophil levels were significantly increased in both groups.

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Antibody responses to a conventional rabies preexposure regimen of a new purified Vero cell rabies vaccine (PVRV) and a human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV) were compared in 80 healthy Kenyan veterinary students. Forty-three of the students received the PVRV and 37 received the HDCV on days 0, 7, and 28. Antibody responses were monitored by using the rapid fluorescent-focus inhibition test (RFFIT) and an inhibition enzyme immunoassay (INH EIA) on days 0, 7, 28, and 49.

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The treatment of leishmaniasis, as currently conducted in Kenya with sodium stibogluconate, is unsatisfactory as it is expensive, resistance and relapses may occur, and major adverse effects have been reported. Recently, aminosidine (paromomycin) sulphate has shown good antileishmanial activity on its own as well as synergism with pentavalent antimony, administered concurrently. The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of parenteral aminosidine, alone or combined with sodium stibogluconate, in visceral leishmaniasis, compared to treatment by stibogluconate alone.

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417 patients suffering from intestinal amoebiasis were randomly allocated to 6 different treatment groups in a controlled study in 3 District Hospitals in Kenya. The patients received either aminosidine (A), etophamide (E), nimorazole (N), or the combinations NA, NE, EA. Treatment in all cases was given twice daily for 5 days.

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Four antiamoebic drugs currently used in many Kenyan hospitals and health centres were compared for their efficacy on symptomatic luminal amoebiasis in Kiambu, Kilifi, and Machakos hospitals during this study. The drugs were; the brand metronidazole (Flagyl, May & Baker, Kenya Ltd.), the generic metronidazole (Metrozol, Cosmos Ltd.

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A quick and suitable method for staining Leishmania donovani and other blood protozoa is described. The method, which could have wide applications, is a modification of Field's staining technique as used for malaria parasites. It uses the same stains in a different order.

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One hundred children comprising of 57 males and 43 females aged between 8 and 24 months entered the study. 46 children had single and 54 children had multiple helminth infections. All children received albendazole 200 mg (10 ml) suspension as a single dose.

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The susceptibility of four East African primate species to experimental infection with Leishmania donovani was investigated. Vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops), Sykes monkeys (C. mitis) and baboons (Papio cynocephalus) all supported low grade infections for periods ranging between four and eight months and subsequently showed evidence of self-cure.

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Studies were made of the ultrastructure of amastigotes of Leishmania donovani before and during treatment of patients with sodium stibogluconate. The most consistent effects of treatment on the amastigotes were a reduction in average size, greater irregularity of the cell outline, and a moderate increase in the electron density of the cytoplasm associated with a greater concentration of ribosomes. It is suggested that the drug affects active transport functions or permeability of the plasma membrane.

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