Introduction: The emerging upsurge in the rate of resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics and the high cost of orthodox medical treatment underpinned the need for medicinal plant as potential alternative therapy. This study aimed at evaluating the antibacterial activity of sunflower seed extract in the treatment of diarrhea. Ethanol and aqueous seed crude extract were screened for antibacterial activity in-vitro against Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella sonnei. Prior to the screening, plant phytochemical screening was conducted using standard methods. The antibacterial activity was carried out using agar well diffusion method and compared to the standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The minimum bactericidal concentration was determined by plating out from microtiter plates with no visible growth. The results of phytochemical screening reveal the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycoside, anthraquinones and resins from prepared crude extract of sunflower. The ethanolic extract had antibacterial activity against the tests organisms with diameter zone of inhibition range from 31mm at 15.63mg/ml. This provides evidence for its usage as an alternative remedy for the treatment of diarrhea caused by Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella sonnei.

Background: LiveWell Initiative LWI is a self-funded nonprofit social enterprise that thrives on innovation.The organization has, for 5 years, supervised MPH and DrPH Practicums for the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston USA. It also supervises the PhD thesis at the University of Helsinki, Finland. At the inception of COVID-19, LWI designed and compiled three (3) sets of study protocols in response to the COVID-19 response in Africa with a goal to arrive at a practical and affordable solution to the pandemic using 4-aminoquinolines. Method: A concurrent cohort/descriptive study of observation in patients exposed to HCQ/CQ prophylaxis and treatment with HCQ/CQ and quinine with categorization as specified as not critically ill, critically ill but not on a ventilator and critically ill on a ventilator. One hundred and twenty-three (123) subjects were categorized into shelter-in-place, self-quarantine and self-isolation (not critically ill, critically ill but not on a ventilator and critically ill on a ventilator). The 4-aminoquinolines were administered macrolide and zinc sulfate as appropriate for a defined duration and dose. Results: The preliminary study of the 123 subjects covering all categories listed above resulted in 100% positive outcomes: Nil death, Nil relapse in symptomatic persons and total recovery with no relapse after 6 weeks lockdown, and asymptomatic persons post-prophylaxis after 6 weeks lockdown. The results have been gathered principally from Clinician Reported Outcomes with a few Patient Reported Outcomes. Conclusion: These repurposed drugs with unique strengths—chloroquine and its analogue Hydroxychloroquine as well quinine—hold sway in the treatment of COVID-19.

Malaria, a global health problem especially in the sub-Sahara region has been posing a recurrent problem due to the resistance of the parasites to the available antimalarial drugs despite the preventive measures provided by WHO. Aims: This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of resistance markers in four Niger Delta states of Nigeria, a decade after withdrawal of chloroquine. Methods: Eight hundred and forty six (846) subjects participated in the study and were distributed as follows, 192(22.7%) Bayelsa; 218(25.8%) Rivers; 196(23.2%) Edo and 240(28.4%) Delta respectively. Malaria parasite identification was carried out using standard parasitological techniques. Genotyping of the resistance markers Pfcrt K76T and Pfmdr 1 was carried out by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: Our findings revealed that the prevalence of malaria infection in the four Niger Delta states were 78.1%, 68.8%, 62.8% and 58.8% in Bayelsa, Rivers States, Edo and Delta respectively. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence of malaria within the four Niger Alade et al.; IJTDH, 39(3): 1-11, 2019; Article no.IJTDH.52075 2 Delta states. (P>0.05). Children below the age of 5 years recorded the highest infection rates when compared to subjects in other age groups (P< 0.01). Our findings also revealed that the distribution of mutant Pfcrt K76T and Pfmdr 1 genes across the four states were 12.0% and 28.6%, 4.0% and 22.0%, 14.6% and 29.3%, 10.6% and 25.0% in Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo and Delta state respectively. However, the prevalence of Pfcrt K76T in Rivers State was statistically lower when compared to other states (P < 0.01) while no statistical difference existed in the distribution of Pfmdr 1 mutant genes (P>0.01). Conclusion: Prevalence of Pfcrt and Pfmdr 1 remained elevated in the Niger Delta states despite the withdrawal of chloroquine over a decade ago. Hence, Nigeria is far from an eventual reintroduction of chloroquine as its resistance markers still persist in our communities. Furthermore, the root cause of the persistence of these resistance markers needs to be investigated. Original Research Article

In healthy individuals, the immune system processes pathogens with a natural immune response that is mild and non-lethal; however in those that are immune-compromisedelderly and those with pre-existing conditions- diabetes, high blood pressure, dysbiosis and chronic liver disease etc., their immune system may overreact; and in the case of COVID-19, attacking lung epithelial cells and tissues resulting in vitamin A deficiency which shrinks the epithelial cells. Continuous exposure to this chemical stressor by the virus will result in squamous keratinization of the skin, digestive tract, respiratory tract, genitourinary system etc. leading to symptoms of dry skin, diarrhoea, coughing, keratomalacia associated with coronavirus leading to hospitalization and mortality. The immune cells notably the macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells etc. become weakened and dysfunctional especially among the elderly with chronic diseases. Boosting the immune system holds sway for infectious diseases (COVID-19) and non-communicable diseases rather than the reductionist science of modern allopathic medicine.