Parasitic infections and maternal anaemia among expectant mothers in the Dangme East District of Ghana.

Background: Parasitic infections are of public health concern globally, particular among at risk groups such as pregnant women in developing countries. The presence of these parasites during pregnancy potentiate adverse effects to both the mother and the unborn baby. This study sought to establish the prevalence of some parasitic agents among antenatal attendees in the Dangme East District of Ghana.

Source tracking Mycobacterium ulcerans infections in the Ashanti region, Ghana.

Although several studies have associated Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) infection, Buruli ulcer (BU), with slow moving water bodies, there is still no definite mode of transmission. Ecological and transmission studies suggest Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) typing as a useful tool to differentiate MU strains from other Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria (MPM). Deciphering the genetic relatedness of clinical and environmental isolates is seminal to determining reservoirs, vectors and transmission routes.

Prevalence of hookworm infection: a retrospective study in Kumasi.

Objective: To establish the prevalence of hookworm infection among patients who reported at the parasitology laboratory of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for intestinal parasitic investigation.

Method: This retrospective study covered available data from January 2001 to December 2011. Records of patients referred to the parasitology laboratory of the hospital were manually reviewed for hookworm infection.

Gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections among HIV seropositive patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

Background: Gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections are aggravating the incidence and progression of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) more especially in the developing countries. This study was conducted to assess the common gastrointestinal and urinary infections among HIV/AIDS patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana between April and December 2008.

Findings: This work reports on gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections among 500 HIV seropositive and 300 HIV seronegative patients.

In vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic fractions of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta.

Background: Following claims that some plants have antimicrobial activities against infectious microbes, the in vitro antimicrobial activities of different solvent fractions of ethanolic extract of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta were evaluated against eight standard bacteria and clinical isolates.

Methods: The solvent partitioning protocol involving ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water, was used to extract various fractions of dried pulverized Cryptolepis sanguinolenta roots. Qualitative phyto-constituents screening was performed on the ethanol extract, chloroform fraction and the water fraction.

Salmonella in the Mesenteric Lymph Nodes and Cecal Contents of Slaughtered Sows.

From August 1983 to February 1984, sampling was conducted on 200 slaughtered sows for Salmonella . The sampling was to determine the presence of Salmonella in cull sows at a Minnesota slaughtering establishment. The weight range of the sows varied from 300 to 400 lb.