Zoology
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Item Guinea worm disease and its persistence in some rural communities in Nigeria(2007) Morenikeji, O. A.; Alade, A. O.; Odaibo, A. B.Studies were carried out in six villages of Ogun State, Nigeria from January to December 2004 to identify the reasons for the persistence of guinea worm disease in spite of eradication measures. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were administered to 250 head of households in the endemic villages to assess their knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) in the management of guinea worm disease. The overall prevalence of infection for the study-period was 1.0%. 96.0% of the respondents depended solely on ponds for drinking water during the dry season. 80.0% of the respondents had been infected before 68.0% think that the disease is caused by spiritual attack, while 4.0% associated the disease to drinking bad water. 77.5% did not know if it is possible to prevent the disease. It was observed that immigrant farm labourers and apathy on the part of eradication officials may play vital roles in the transmission of the disease in the area. This study shows that there is need to ascertain and specifically address reasons for the persistence of the disease in areas still endemic.Item Spatial variation in physical and chemical parameters and benthic macro-invertebrate fauna of River Ogunpa, Ibadan(2005) Atobatele, O. E.; Morenikeji, O. A.; Ugwumba, O. A.A fluviatile ecosystem, River Ogunpa, was studied between the months of May and July 2000, to assess spatial variations in physical and chemical parameters and benthic macro-invertebrate faunal composition. Water and qualitative benthic samples were collected four times from five stations located along the river for laboratory analysis. High mean value of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 20.15 ± 4.18 mgO2/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 121.95 ± 19.04 mg02/l ammonia of 1.53 ± 0.44mg/l, total suspended solids (TSS) of 152.2+12.85mg/l, lead of 0.126 ± 0.06mg/l, copper of 0.3+0.07mg/l and zinc of 0.49 ± 0.07mg/l were recorded. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences (P<0.05) in mean values of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), COD, turbidity, iron and copper from the five stations. Six benthic macroinvertebrate fauna; Melanoides tuberculata, Physa waterloti, Bulinus globosus, Tubifex spp; Chironomus spp and Brachydeutera spp. were recorded. The result showed that the river is under pollutional stress from oxygen demanding organic wastes. Heavy metals analyzed show that lead, copper and zinc levels may be increasing to dangerous levels in the river. Spatial variations along the river showed some stations to be more polluted than others. All the benthic macro-invertebrate fauna recorded were pollution tolerant species.Item Evaluation of the effectiveness of abate™ used for the treatment of community drinking ponds in the Nigeria guineaworm eradication program(Tapas Institute of Scientific Research and Development, 2005) Morenikeji, O. A.; Ajulo, B. O.; Odaibo, A. B.A study was carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of the Abate™ (0-0-0(1)-0(1)-tetramethyl - 0-0(1)-thiodi-P-phenylene phosphorothiote) an organophosphorous compound used for the treatment of community drinking ponds in the Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme in South-West Zone of Nigeria. The Abate™ was used in treating 3 large rectangular concrete tanks lined with pond mud, and filled with pond water harbouring cyclops, the crustacean vector of guinea worm disease. A fourth tank containing untreated water served as control. The initial and final cyclops populations of each tank was determined daily for seven days and then weekly up to the 28th day after Abate™ treatment. The standard concentration used in guinea worm eradication program (0.1ml of Abate™ to 50 litres of water) was added. At this concentration, cyclops is known to become paralysed within 72 hours. It was deduced that the population of cyclops, Thermocydops decipiens, was not effectively controlled since it took more than 5, 6 and 14 days to eliminate them from tanks A, B and C respectively. The population of cyclops however, increased in the control tank over the study period. In the control of guinea worm disease vectors, it is necessary to take into cognisance the potency of the chemical used in order to achieve the desired result.Item Cyclopoid copepods in domestic water sources in three villages in Akinyele local government area of Oyo State, Nigeria(2002) Falode, O. A.; Odaibo, A. B.The distribution and infective rates of cyclopoid copepods ( the vectors of guineaworm, Dracunculus medinensis ) in ponds was studied in 3 infected villages in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo state, Nigeria during the period of September 1994 to January 1996 (the peak period of guineaworm eradication activities in the country). The density of cyclopoid copepods was highest in the dry season, reaching 149.8 copepods/litre in February 1995. The abate (Temephos) application and amount of rainfall affected the cyclops in ponds. Thermocyclops, Mesocyclops and Halicyclops species of cyclops were recovered from the ponds while none was found to be infected with D.medinensis larvae.Item Management and attitudes of villagers towards boreholes in guineawarm eradication in Akinyele local government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria(2002) Falode, O. A.; Odaibo, A. B.Studies on the management and attitudes of villagers to boreholes as a source of water in guineaworm eradication was carried out in 4 villages, Alagba, Deinlokun, Iware and Idi-omo in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.The findings showed that the borehole reduced or eradicated the guineawonn disease in villages studied but its reliability and efficiency was threatened by insufficient borehole water (especially in villages with a population exceeding 500) and lack of a maintenance schedule by the local government area. It was concluded that it is necessary to carefully consider the reliability of the borehole and the size and the distribution of the population they will serve before they are constructed, in order that the full benefit of water supply intervention can be achievedItem Soil faecal pollution and the risk of hookworm infection in areas of Ibadan, Nigeria(2002) Hassan, A. A.; Shittu, M. O.Soil samples were randomly collected from 25 different observed and suspected human communal defecation locations within Ibadan. All the soil types encountered namely, sand, sandy loam, Sandy, clay loamy, and loamy sand enhanced hookworm larval propagation. The organic matter content showed a decrease with depth. The surface layer soil samples supported hookworm larval growth while the sub soil layer with the same amount of organic matter content as the surface soil layers showed a net zero larval growth. The overall average of 11 x 103 hookworm larvae per gram of soil sample showed a high level of hookworm infestation of the soil. The assessment of food vendor trainee revealed a 36% hookworm infection out of which 80% had low level of awareness of hookworm disease. Furthermore, 75% had no knowledge of transmission of the disease and no evidence of toilet facility was found in their homes. The lack of standard public toilets where they are available at all and lack of knowledge of hookworm disease have contributed to the complexity of the problem of possible spread of hookworm infection in the study areaItem Antibody specificities of children living in a malaria endemic area to inhibitory and blocking epitopes on MSP-119 of Plasmodium falciparum(Elsevier, 2009) Omosun, Y. O.; Adoro, S.; Anumudu, C. I.; Odaibo, A. B.; Uthiapibull, C.; Holder, A. A.; Nwagwu, M.; Nwuba, R. I.Merozoite surface protein-119 (MSP-119) specific antibodies which include processing inhibitory, blocking and neutral antibodies have been identified in individuals exposed to Plasmodium falciparum. Here we intend to look at the effect of single and multiple amino acid substitutions of MSP-119 on the recognition by polyclonal antibodies from children living in Igbo-Ora, Nigeria. This would provide us with information on the possibility of eliciting mainly processing inhibitory antibodies with a recombinant MSP-119 vaccine. Blood was collected from children in the rainy season and binding of anti-MSP-119 antibodies to modified mutants of MSP-119 was analysed by ELISA. The MSP-119 mutant proteins with single substitutions at positions 22 (Leu→Arg), 43 (Glu→Leu) and 53 (Asn→Arg) and the MSP-119 mutant protein with multiple substitutions at positions 27 + 31 + 34 + 43 (Glu→Tyr, Leu→Arg, Tyr→Ser, Glu→Leu); which had inhibitory epitopes; had the highest recognition. Children recognised both sets of mutants with different age groups having different recognition levels. The percentage of malaria positive individuals (32–80%) with antibodies that bound to the mutants MSP-119 containing epitopes that recognise only processing inhibitory and not blocking antibodies, were significantly different from those with antibodies that did not bind to these mutants (21–28%). The amino acid substitutions that abolished the binding of blocking antibodies without affecting the binding of inhibitory antibodies are of particular interest in the design of MSP-119 based malaria vaccines. Although these MSP-119 mutants have not been found in natural population, their recognition by polyclonal antibodies from humans naturally infected with malaria is very promising for the future use of MSP-119 mutants in the design of a malaria vaccine.Item Genetic variants of Plasmodium falciparum infective Anopheles gambiae s.l. at a rural community in southwest Nigeria(Faulty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria., 2009) Noutcha, M. A. E.; Ngoundou-Landji, J.; Anumudu, C. I.During studies on the epidemiology of malaria at a rural community, Igbo-Ora, Southwest Nigeria, genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum extracted from infective Anopheles gambiae s.l. was undertaken. Circumsporozoite (CSP) ELISA was used on crushes from head-thorax for DNA extraction and PCR amplification for the determination of P. falciparum genotypes on merozoite surface protein-I and 2 (MSP-I & 2). Of the 65 infective anophelines, P. falciparum genotypes were positively identified in 41. Mono-infections constituted 73.4% of all infections; the dominant mono-infections on MSP-1 and MSP-2 were MAD20 (18) and ICI (09) respectively; the rare RO33 (01) was recorded. Double infections were 20.20% (09) with both markers, while only one triple infection was observed on MSP-1. An anopheles was found with two double infections, one on each of the two blocks. Eight of the 12 multiple infections were on MSP-1, five on both MSP-1 and MSP-2. In addition to the multiplicity of proteins in these vectors, size polymorphism was observed in alleles, indicating vector/parasite interactions and environmental variations. These results were compared to those from human sera.Item Angiotensin II type 1 receptor A1166C gene polymorphism and essential hypertension in the Efiks of Calabar(Academic Journals, 2009) Kooffreh, M. E.; Anumudu, C. I.; Akpan, E. E.Hypertension is a multifactoral disorder because of the interaction of risk genes and environmental factors. The angiotensin II is a well known vasoconstrictor that exerts most of its influence through the angiotensin Il type 1 receptor The A 1166C polymorphism is a single base substitution of adenine for cytosine at position 1166 in the 3' untranslated region of the gene. There are conflicting reports on the association of the Al166C polymorphism with cardiovascular diseases such as prevalent hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and pregnancy induced hypertension. These variations were attributed to ethnic differences in different populations. We investigated the association of the All66C polymorphism with hypertension in 100 individuals from the Efik tribe who were matched for gender and sample size. PCR-RFLP analysis was carried out to determine the allele frequency of the gene. The genotype frequencies were 48, 2 and 47, 3 for the AA, AC genotypes respectively in the patient and control groups. No individual with the CC genotype was observed in the study population. The frequency or the C allele was 0.03 and 0.02 in the control and the patient population. The genotype and allele frequency did not conform to the Hardy-Weinberg theory. Using regression analysis, age and diastolic were positive predictors for SBP, r=0.0.50; systolic was the only predictor for DBP in the patient group. Diastolic was the only predictor for SBP, r= 0.656 while age and systolic were positive predictors for DBP r= 0.718 in the control group. Gender, BMI, Al166C polymorphism and other independent varilables were not predictors for SBP and DBP in the population. P= 0.05, odds ratio 0.65, 95% CI (0.13 to 3.44). The Al166C polymorphism is not an independent risk factor for essential hypertension in the study population.Item Cellular responses to modified Plasmodium falciparum MSP 119 antigens in individuals previously exposed to natural malaria infection(Springer, 2009) Okafor, C. M. F.; Anumudu, C. I.; Omosun, Y. O.; Uthaipibull, C.; Ayede, I.; Awobode, H. O.; Odaibo, A. B.; Langhorne, J.; Holder, A. A.; Nwuba, R. I.; Troye-Blomberg, M.Background: MSP1 processing-inhibitory antibodies bind to epitopes on the 19 kDa C-terminal region of the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119), inhibiting erythrocyte invasion. Blocking antibodies also bind to this antigen but prevent inhibitory antibodies binding, allowing invasion to proceed. Recombinant MSP119 had been modified previously to allow inhibitory but not blocking antibodies to continue to bind. Immunization with these modified proteins, therefore, has the potential to induce more effective protective antibodies. However, it was unclear whether the modification of MSP119 would affect critical T-cell responses to epitopes in this antigen. Methods: The cellular responses to wild-type MSP119 and a panel of modified MSP119 antigens were measured using an in-vitro assay for two groups of individuals: the first were malaria-naïve and the second had been naturally exposed to Plasmodium falciparum infection. The cellular responses to the modified proteins were examined using cells from malaria-exposed infants and adults. Results: Interestingly, stimulation indices (SI) for responses induced by some of the modified proteins were at least two-fold higher than those elicited by the wild-type MSP119. A protein with four amino acid substitutions (Glu27→Tyr, Leu31→Arg, Tyr34→Ser and Glu43→Leu) had the highest stimulation index (SI up to 360) and induced large responses in 64% of the samples that had significant cellular responses to the modified proteins.