Deciphering the targets of retroviral protease inhibitors in Plasmodium berghei.

Retroviral protease inhibitors (RPIs) such as lopinavir (LP) and saquinavir (SQ) are active against Plasmodium parasites. However, the exact molecular target(s) for these RPIs in the Plasmodium parasites remains poorly understood. We hypothesised that LP and SQ suppress parasite growth through inhibition of aspartyl proteases.

Amodiaquine resistance in is associated with His95Pro mutation, loss of chloroquine, artemisinin and primaquine sensitivity, and high transcript levels of key transporters.

The human malaria parasite has evolved complex drug evasion mechanisms to all available antimalarials. To date, the combination of amodiaquine-artesunate is among the drug of choice for treatment of uncomplicated malaria. In this combination, a short acting, artesunate is partnered with long acting, amodiaquine for which resistance may emerge rapidly especially in high transmission settings.

Detection of Anaplasma ovis infection in goats by major surface protein 5 competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

A competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on a major surface protein 5 (MSP5) B-cell epitope conserved among Anaplasma species was used to detect goats infected with Anaplasma ovis. We examined strains of A. ovis isolated from goats in Kenya and demonstrated that MSP5 and the target B-cell epitope, bound by monoclonal antibody ANAF16C1, were conserved.

Preliminary field test of lyophilised contagious caprine pleuropneumonia vaccine.

Fifty goats were immunised in the field against contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) using a single dose (0.15 mg) of lyophilised, saponin killed Mycoplasma strain F38. Two months after vaccination, these goats together with 50 unimmunised control goats were challenged by contact with goats experimentally infected with CCPP.