Background: Parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract is one of the highest causes of morbidity and mortality among HIV infected individuals. This is due to the colonization of the intestinal tract by parasites influenced by induced enteropathy caused by HIV infection. CD + 4 t-lymphocytes count is a marker of the immune status of HIV infected individuals. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infections among HIV coinfected individuals in relation to their immunological status. Methods: CD + 4 t-lymphocytes count was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) count system. Parasitological examination of faecal samples was conducted using direct wet mount, modified Z-N and Giemsa stain techniques. All prepared slides were examined under x10 and x40 objectives. Findings: Out of the 891 HIV seropositive participants on antiretroviral therapy that were studied, 641 (71.9%) had CD + 4 counts equals to or greater than 500 cells/mm 3 . All other seropositive participants had CD + 4 counts below 500 cells/mm 3 . Gastrointestinal parasitic infections were recorded in 187 (20.9%) seropositive participants, with females (n = 108, 12.1%) having more infections than males. Multiple gastrointestinal parasitic infections were recorded in 28 (3.1%) seropositive participants. Out of the 150 seronegative participants, 79 (52.7%) of them had at least one gastrointestinal parasitic infection. Female seronegative participants also accounted for higher infection rate (n = 42, 28.0%) than males (n = 37, 24.7%). Multiple infections were also recorded in 18 (12.0%) seronegative individuals. The overall prevalence rate of infection between both positive and negative individuals was 25.5%. There was statistical significant difference in the infections of Cryptosporidium parvum (p < 0.003), Cyclospora cayetanensis (p < 0.011) and Cystoisospora belli (p < 0.011) between HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative individuals. Also, there was statistical significant difference in the infections of hook worm (p < 0.002) and Trichuris trichiura (p < 0.020) between seronegative and seropositive individuals. Gastrointestinal parasitic infection rate was significantly higher among seropositive participants with CD + 4 counts between 200 and 350 cells/mm 3 (n = 109, 58.3%). Conclusion: The study shows that HIV infected individuals continue to experience gastrointestinal infections even with antiretroviral treatment, especially those with CD + 4 counts below 350 cells/mm 3 . Health care...

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Many modern medicines are derived from the chemicals available in plants. The utilization of plants against diseases by traditional medical practitioners is common in many parts of the world and several researches have been carried out to determine the scientific basis for the use of such plants. Alstonia boonei is one of the many medicinal plants found in Nigeria. The plant parts have been traditionally used to treat various ailments including malaria. This study was carried out to evaluate the antimalarial activity, phytochemical composition and toxicity of ethanolic stem bark extract of Alstonia boonei. The extract showed substantial dose dependent antimalarial activity as indicated by the recorded suppressive (45.67%, 58.53% and 74.68% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg-1 body weights) prophylactic (33.57%, 45.64% and 61.23% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg-1 body weights) and curative effects (62.35%, 68.57% and 79.63% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg-1 body weights) on Plasmodium berghei infected white albino mice. The results of the antimalarial tests were significantly different compared to the negative control at P < 0.05. The phytochemical evaluation showed that the plant contained important chemical compounds including tannins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides and terpenoids. The acute toxicity test showed that the extract is safe as observed on the tested mice. It was concluded that the extract contains important active antimalarial compounds that are safe and should be further investigated for antimalarial drug development.

The increasing resistance of the malaria parasite to currently used antimalarial medicines has intensified the research for new novel antimalarial drug leads from natural sources. This study was carried out to evaluate the antiplasmodial potential, phytochemical composition and toxicity status of aqueous root extract of Alstoniaboonei (Apocynaceae), a medicinal plant used in treating malariain Nigeria and other African countries. The extract showed substantial dose dependent antiplasmodial activity as indicated by the, suppressive (40.18%, 55.72% and 61.55% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg -1 body weights), prophylactic (51.39%, 65.27% and 68.35% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg -1 body weights), and curative (48.63%, 59.59% and 60.88% for 100, 200 and 400 mgkg -1 body weights) effects on Plasmodium berghei infected albino mice. The antiplasmodial activity was significantly different compared to the negative control at P < 0.05.Chemical compounds obtained from the phytochemical evaluation of the extract include tannins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides and terpenoids. There were no observed signs of toxicity in all the oral doses tested on albino mice. It was concluded that the extract contains important active antimalarial compounds that are not toxic and should be further investigated for antimalarial drug development.

This study, which is part of a project on the antimalarial potential of different extracts of Alstonia boonei plant parts, was carried out to determine the antimalarial property, chemical constituents and toxicity level of Alstonia boonei aqueous stem bark extract in white albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. The extract exhibited substantial dose dependent antimalarial property as shown by the suppressive effect (41.