Sex-dependent vulnerability for Wistar rats model following intranasal instillation with Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 43816 causing lobar pneumonia.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae has become one of the major threats to public health as it causes nosocomial and community-acquired infections like lobar pneumonia. This infection causes acute inflammation in the lung, characterized by the recruitment of polymorphonuclear cells, generating free radicals, and decreasing the endogenous antioxidant balance system. Many experimental studies have focused on the induction, progression and resolution of infection up to its peak, but these documented processes remain highly random and their sex dependence un-elicited.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of and extracts in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the leading worldwide public health problems. It is characterized by hyperglycemia which induces oxidative stress and inflammation, both involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes. We previously showed that (BD) and (HS) extracts reduced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

In-Field Implementation of Near-Infrared Quantitative Methods for Analysis of Medicines in Tropical Environments.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is actually a well-established technique that demonstrates its performance in the frame of detection of poor-quality medicines. The use of low-cost handheld NIR spectrophotometers in low-resource contexts can allow an inexpensive and more rapid detection compared to laboratory methods. Considering these points, it was decided to develop, validate, and transfer methods for the quantification of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole tablet samples using a NIR handheld spectrophotometer in transmission mode (NIR-M-T1) coupled to chemometrics such as partial least squares regression (PLSR) algorithm.

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System in Sentinel Sites in Cameroon.

Background The purpose of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is to guide clinical decision-making, characterize trends in resistance infections, and provide epidemiological data to study the impact of AMR on health and the effectiveness of control measures in health facilities and the community. To do this, regular and relevant assessments of standardized AMR surveillance systems are essential to prioritize threats and improve their performance and cost-effectiveness. The scarcity of data and the absence of a local and national strategy on the surveillance of antibiotic resistance in Sub-Saharan Africa and even more so in Cameroon do not allow an effective response to be carried out against the scourge.

Antibiotic consumption history of patients in a referred laboratory in Yaounde.

Background: Regulation of antibiotic prescription and consumption remains a major public health burden in low- and middle- income countries.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the antibiotic consumption of patients who had a positive antibiotic culture in a reference laboratory.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted among 113 participants with positive antibiograms with a documented history of antibiotics intake at the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital in Cameroon between January 2016 and June 2021.

Poor-Quality Medicines in Cameroon: A Critical Review.

Poor-quality medicines are the cause of many public health and socioeconomic problems. We conducted a review to acquire an overview of the situation concerning such medicines in Cameroon. Different searches were performed on databases from several websites of the WHO, the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, the Anti-Counterfeit Medicine Research Institute, the Global Pharma Health Fund, and the Infectious Disease Data Observatory.

Knowledge, practices and attitudes on antibiotics use in Cameroon: Self-medication and prescription survey among children, adolescents and adults in private pharmacies.

Benefits of antibiotics are threatened by the self-medication, people's lack of knowledge and inappropriate use of antibiotics, especially in developing countries. This study was designed to determine knowledge; attitudes and practices toward antibiotics use in an urban community, and evaluate the factors that are associated with antibiotic use. Between January and March 2015, a cross sectional and prospective study was conducted in all pharmacies within the Douala IV health district, Cameroon.

New Approach for the Development of Improved Traditional Medicine: Case of a Preparation of an Oral Hypoglycemic Medicine from (Schumach. & Thonn.) Chew. (Urticaceae).

A majority of Africans rely on traditional medicine as the primary form of health care. Yet most traditional medicine products have a short shelf life, especially for water-based formulations such as macerations, infusions and decoctions. Indeed, many of these water extracts become unfit for human consumption after five to seven days of conservation either because of the degradation or toxicity of active components, and/or the growth of pathogenic organisms.

Evaluation of the antioxidant activity and the healing action of the ethanol extract of Calotropis procera bark against surgical wounds.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and the wound healing effect of the ethanolic extract of the bark of Calotropis procera. The antioxidant study was evaluated in vitro, using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and deoxyribose degradation assays. Wound healing was studied using excision and incision wound on normal and dexamethasone-suppressed wound healing rodent models.

Two new aromadendrane sesquiterpenes from the stem bark of Alafia multiflora.

Two new aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids (1β,4β,5β,6α,7α,11S)-aromadendr-9-en-13,14-dioic acid (1) and (1β,4β,5β,6α,7α,11S)-13-oxoaromadendr-9-en-14-oic acid (2) have been isolated from the stem bark of Alafia multiflora along with β-sitosterol and β-sitosterol glucoside. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments (1H-1H COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC). Compound 1 showed a weak growth inhibitory activity against the murine melanoma line B16F10 MTT.

Water treatment in domiciliary hemodialysis equipment: ultraviolet irradiation and Sartobind membrane.

Water is a fundamental element in any hemodialysis device. It must be safe, free not only of micro-organisms but also of any organic or inorganic chemical contaminant. Up to now ion exchanger, reverse osmosis, activate carbon and chlorine are generally used for this purpose.

[Microbial air monitoring in operating theatre: active and passive samplings].

Microbial air contamination was evaluated in 11 operating theatres using active and passive samplings. SAS (Surface Air System) air sampling was used to evaluate cfu/m3 and settle plates were used to measure the index of microbial air contamination (IMA). Samplings were performed at the same time on three different days, at three different times (before, during and after the surgical activity).

Clonal spread of Acinetobacter baumannii in a general intensive care unit.

The epidemiological characterization of multiply resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from a six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is described. Investigations for A. baumannii were performed in three subsequent surveillance studies.