The study re-visited malaria burden and pre-hospital medication among malarious subjects in Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria. A total of 1,657 febrile subjects were screened for malaria by microscopy at two health institutions. Giemsa-stained blood smears were examined for parasitaemia and gametocytaemia; and parasite density (PD), gametocyte density (GD) and gametocyte sex ratio (GSR) were determined. The mean age of the 1,657 subjects was 27.5 ± 12.2 years and 7.8% (130/1,657) of the subjects aged <5 years. Sex distribution showed 47.0% (778/1,657) males and 53.0% (879/1657) females. Parasitaemia was recorded in 22.6% (375/1,657) with geometric mean PD of 8,925 (320–275,000) parasites/μl blood. The prevalence of parasitaemia was highest among subjects <5 years (χ 2 = 401.1; df = 5; p < 0.0001) and in August and September (χ 2 = 406.9; df = 11; p < 0.0001). Prevalence of gametocytaemia was 12.8% (48/375) with geometric mean GD of 109 (8–464) gametocytes/μl blood. The prevalence was higher in dry (16.5%, 29/176) than wet (9.5%, 19/199) months (χ 2 = 4.0; df = 1; p = 0.045). The weighted mean GSR was 0.4 ± 0.1 with highest value in March (0.7 ± 0.2). Pre-hospital medication was recorded in 74.1% (278/375) of the subjects with parasitaemia. Analgesics (51.7%; 194/375) accounted for the highest proportion of drug consumed while 9.3% (35/375) of the subjects took antimalarial drugs. Malaria persisted in Maiduguri especially among subjects <5 years during wet months and pre-hospital medication is a common practice. These findings could serve as guide for policy decision that could contribute to effective treatment and control of malaria in the region.

It is estimated that about 80% of the world's population use medicinal plants either in their crude unmodified form or partially in their modified semi-synthetic form for their medical care. The present study investigated the antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanol leaf extracts of Solanum incanum Linn. (Solanaceae) against multiple drug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The extraction was done by cold maceration. The antibacterial susceptibility of the bacteria was carried out using agar well diffusion method. The phytochemical screening revealed presence of cardiac glycosides, carbohydrates, reducing sugars and ketoses in both extracts. In addition, resin, flavonoid, terpenoids and steroids were found in the methanol extract while saponins and alkaloids were found in the aqueous extract. Evaluation of the antibacterial activities of S. incanum Linn. showed that the aqueous and methanol extracts have significant activities against S. pyogenes, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Highest antibacterial activity was shown for both aqueous (MIC=2.62 mg/ml, MBC= 60 mg/ml) and methanol (MIC=7.50 mg/ml, MBC>80 mg/ml) extracts against P. aeruginosa, respectively. The least antibacterial activity was shown for both aqueous (MIC=0.05 mg/ml, MBC=20 mg/ml) and methanol (MIC=5.00 mg/ml, MBC=80 mg/ml) extracts against K. pneumonia. Thus, S. incanum Linn. (Solanaceae) can be said to have antibacterial activities against MDR bacterial isolates.

Background. The success of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp), Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Infancy (IPTi), and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) depends on sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) efficacy. Objective. The study determined Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) in Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria. Materials and Methods. Giemsa-stained blood smears, capillary blood, and dried blood spot samples were collected from 63 subjects with uncomplicated malaria in Maiduguri between May and October 2018. Plasmodium species was determined and parasite density (PD) was estimated using the smears. Genomic DNA (gDNA) of P. falciparum was extracted from the dried blood spot samples using QIAamp DNA Mini Kit. The gDNA was subjected to nested PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to determine SNPs at Pfdhfr codons N51I, C59R, and S108N and Pfdhps codons S436A/F, A437G, and K540E. Results. The subjects’ mean age ± standard deviation was 23.6 ± 8.7 (2.0–67.0) years with a geometric mean PD of 8,948 (2,100–13,400) asexual parasites/µl blood. SNPs prevalence at any of the six Pfdhfr and Pfdhps codons was 85.7% (54/63); the prevalence was higher ( p < 0.05 ) in Pfdhfr (82.5%; 52/63) than Pfdhps (58.7%; 37/63). Pfdhfr allele 108N (82.5%; 52/63) was the highest ( p < 0.05 ) mutant when compared with alleles 51I (60.3%; 38/63) and 59R (66.7%; 42/63). Triple Pfdhfr mutation was observed in 60.3% (38/63) of the isolates and was higher ( p < 0.05 ) among female subjects and SP recipients. Prevalence of Pfdhps allele 436A (28.6%; 18/63) was similar ( p > 0.05 ) to allele 437G (34.9%; 22/63), with double mutation recorded in 4.8% (3/63). K540E mutation was not observed. Conclusion. Pfdhfr and Pfdhps mutations observed in Maiduguri are suggestive of SP resistance level, and this could constitute a setback to malaria prophylactic strategies in the region if unchecked. Thus, there is a need to investigate the clinical efficacy of SP.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus Linn) [Cucurbitaceae] is a famous vegetable crop used for food since ancient times but little is known of its antibacterial potential. This study investigated the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activities of the aqueous and ethanol fruit extracts of the plant against some clinical isolates (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium spp) using the disc diffusion method. The qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, cardenolites and flavonoids. Corynebacterium spp was the most susceptible (with maximum inhibition zone of 30.00±0.00 mm). The two extracts had varied antibacterial activity at the same level. At the concentration of 400mg/ml, aqueous extract inhibited S. aureus, Corynebacterium spp, E. coli and K. pneumoniae, while ethanol extract inhibited S. aureus, S. pyogenes, S. typhi and Corynebacterium spp. B. subtilis was inhibited only at the highest (significant) concentration of 600mg/ml (7.00±0.00 mm)[p<0.05]. The MIC value for both extracts against Corynebacterium spp was 25mg/ml. The MBC value against Corynebacterium spp was observed at 50mg/ml and 25mg/ml for the aqueous and ethanol extract respectively. The results suggest that the ethanol extract was bactericidal at low concentration while the aqueous extract was bacteriostatic at low concentration and bactericidal at high concentration against Corynebacterium spp. The difference between the MBC for the two extracts was significant (p<0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study showed that extract of C. sativus could be a potential source of natural antibacterial agent

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