African Journal of Parasitology Research

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 3 (2), pp. 173-175, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Biology of major insects mainly tribolium casteneum (herbst) in cocoa beans

¹V Shrikant*, ¹S Mohan, ¹K Ramaraju and²Ganesh H

¹Department of Agricultural Entomology,Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore- 641 003, ²Department of Agricultural Entomology,University of Agricultural Sciences,Dharwad-580005.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 July, 2014

Abstract

Investigations were carried out to study the stored product insects associated with stored cocoa beans at private godowns located at Sennakallpalyam, Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu, India during 2010-2011. The tools used were normal sieve sample, UV light trap, pheromone trap and stack probe trap. The trap catches compared in all methods major insect got is T. castaneum hence the biological studies were carried out on the major insect attacking stored cocoa beans namely red flour beetle, T. castaneum. Insects cultured on cocoa bean host had high fecundity 60 percent, hatchability 93 percent, mean developmental period is about 240 DAS and growth index 4.18 DAS.

Keywords: Tribolium casteneum (HERBST), fecundity, growth Index.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 3 (3), pp. 176-186, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Ecophysiological factor effect on growth and ochratoxin A production by Aspergillus ochraceus

Shindia  A.A.¹, Ammar  H.¹,  Ismail  A.E.A.² and Abdel-Khalik, A.²

¹ Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig Egypt.

² Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

Corresponding  author’s  Email:  [email protected] 

Accepted 14 January 2013

Abstract

Ochratoxin A represents an important problem in fungal food poisoning in some countries. It has toxic effect on human and animals. So far the potentiality of thirty four fungal species belonging to 12 genera isolated from Egyptian legume seeds to release ochratoxin A in their culture filtrates and some ecophysiological factors affecting its production were tested. It was found that nearly 56% of the tested fungi showed positive results as the production of ochratoxin A. Aspergilli particularly Aspergillus ochraceus was distinguished by its capacity to produce ochratoxin A when grown on a selected medium. The maximum ochratoxin A yield was achieved were showed after 9 days incubation at 25°C. An initial pH value of 6.0 was found to be optimum for ochratoxin production and growth of A. ochraceus. The influence of water activity (a_w) upon biosynthesis of ochratoxin A and biomass yields were also discussed briefly. The present study gives an account of observations made on the production of ochratoxin A and biomass in relation to the carbon substrate and mitogen compounds supplied in the bioprocess. Sucrose followed by glucose and maltose were more initiative for the growth and ochratoxin A production than cellulosic substrate. Peanut seeds represent the most favorable natural substrate than other substrates investigated. Yeast extract followed by ammonium nitrate were the best nitrogen compounds for biomass and ochratoxin A production by test fungus. In addition the impact of the level of selected carbon and nitrogen ratio on both experimental parameters were also elucidated.

Key words  Ochratoxin A, Aspergillus ochraceus, Ecophysiological factors, carbon substrate, mitogen compounds.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 2343-6549 Vol. 3 (1), pp. 166-172, January, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

FT-IR study of green tea leaves and their diseases of Arunachal Pradesh, North East, India

S. Sivakumar¹*, Chandra Prasad Khatiwada², J.Sivasubramanian², Poken Jini³, N.Prabu³, A.Venkateson², P. Soundararajan²

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

²Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002, Chidambaram, Tamil. Nadu, India.

³M.Sc. Second year, Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

*Corresponding Author. E-mail: [email protected];  [email protected]

Accepted 12 June 2013

Abstract                                                                                                                   

The fundamental aspect of green tea, its classification of disease and economic values has been briefly discussed. There are several diseases of green tea leaves, which is an experience by farmer of Arunachal Pradesh due to their climatic and topographic factors. With the help of FTIR study, the effects of diseases on the qualities of Tea were studied. The FTIR analysis explores the vibration of functional groups present in macromolecules and shows the molecular structural changes through shifts in wave number. The decreased in wave number of protein at amide A observed in group II demonstrates the disorder of hydrogen bonding and pectin and lignin in infected groups. This change may reflect the overall changes in structure and synthesis of protein, pectin and lignin in tea during diseases. Control group may have prevented the changes of protein in tea by increasing the frequency through reducing the structural modification. The decreased protein content in tea was identified by the decreased in band area values of amide I and amide II bands. Amide I consists of functional vibrations of many secondary structures and it indicates that the amide I band, pectin and lignin frequency shifted to lower values in diseases infected tea groups.  

Key words: Tea, green tea, diseases in tea leaves, FTIR, Arunachal Pradesh.

African Journal of Parasitology research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 2 (11), pp. 161-165, November, 2015.  © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Field evaluation of SD Bioline Malaria Antigen P.f® for Plasmodium falciparum malaria diagnosis in Nanoro, Burkina Faso

*Halidou Tinto^1,2, Olivier Sombié¹, Innocent Valea^1,2, Ferdinand Lankoandé¹,Sandrine Yara¹, Palpouguini Lompo¹, Marc C Tahita¹, Adama Kazienga¹, Sayouba Ouédraogo¹, Hermann Sorgho¹, Maaike De Kroop³, Raffaella Ravinetto^3,4

¹Institut de Recherche en sciences de la Santé - Unité de Recherche Clinique de Nanoro (IRSS-URCN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso.

²Departement de Recherche Clinique, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

³Clinical Trial Unit, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.

⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +226 70346354.

Accepted 12 November, 2015

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the performance of the SD Bioline Malaria Antigen P.f® compared to the ‘’gold standard’’ microscopy as for the diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Nanoro, Burkina Faso. Microscopy and RDT diagnosis were performed on 254 blood samples. 78.09% (189/242) were positive by microscopy compared to 93.8% (227/242) diagnosed by RDT. The RDT test reported 39 false-positive results and one false-negative result. The RDT showed high sensitivity of 99.47% [IC95%: 98.56-100], with sensitivity increasing with increasing parasite density. RDT specificity was  26.42% [IC95%: 20.86-31.97]. Low specificity limits accuracy for malaria diagnosis. However, in areas of hyperendemic malaria, high sensitivity is preferable to over diagnosis.

Keywords:  Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, Rapid Diagnosis Tests, SD-Bioline Malaria Antigen P.f test, Accuracy. 

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 2 (10), pp. 152-160, October, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the incidence of intestinal helminthic diseases and their risk factors among school Children in Lumame town, Northwest, Ethiopia 

*Worku Meles¹, Isaias Merid² and Michael Asfaw²

¹Department of Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

²Department of Microbiology, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 12 July, 2015

Abstract

This study was conducted on prevalence of intestinal helminthes infection and their associated risk factors among school children from a rural and a semi urban setting in Lumame town, Northwest, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional parasitological study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of intestinal helminthes infection. A total of 402 students’ stool samples were taken and processed with direct wet mount and formalin ether concentration techniques from December to January 2011/2012. A structured questionnaire was prepared to assess the association of intestinal helminthes infection with socio-demographic and socioeconomic variables. The data collected was analyzed using ² test and logistic regression (p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant). The overall prevalence rate for at least one intestinal helminthes infection was 54.5%. Of which Ascaris lumbricoides (32.6%) was the dominant followed by hookworm (12.2%); the others were minor cases. High rate infection (A. lumbricoides) was recorded among students who had dirty finger nails, large family, habit of eating undercooked vegetable, walking barefoot, and had no latrine than their respective counterpart. Such relatively high prevalence rate of helminthes infection in the study area could be used as a baseline for the concerned bodies to launch de-worming intervention.

Key words: Intestinal helminthes, prevalence, school children, Lumame town.

African Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN 2343-6549 Vol. 2 (9), pp. 148-151, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full length Research Paper

Prevalence of hydatid cysts in goats and sheep slaughtered in Soroti Municipal Abattoir, Eastern Uganda

D. Nyero¹, G. Zirintunda^1,2,  L. Omadang^1,2 and J. Ekou^1*

¹Department of Animal production and Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Busitema University P. O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda.

²Department of Animal Health and Entomology; Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. P.O. Box 102 Entebbe, Uganda.

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Accepted 13 July, 2015 

Abstract

Hydatidosis is a significant public health problem especially in developing countries such as Uganda where sanitation is poor and people live in close proximity with each other and with animals. An abattoir based study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hydatid cyst in sheep and goats slaughtered at Soroti Municipal Abattoir from March to April 2014.  A total of 454 animals comprising 294 goats and 160 sheep of both sexes were examined at postmortem for the evidence of hydatid cyst through visual inspection, incision and palpation of organs and viscera. The overall infection rate of 33.33% in goats and 42.50% in sheep were observed. The result of the study revealed that goats and sheep more than three years old had the highest prevalence. In conclusion, the observed prevalence was high; an indicator that the human population is at risk. The prevalence levels warrant further epidemiological studies, stricter abattoir hygiene, and restricted domestic slaughter of livestock. Dog population control by killing of stray dogs and sterilization of owned dogs is urgently required. De-worming of ruminants and owned dogs in conjunction with mass community sensitization about the dangers of having the dog faeces inadvertently in the human food chain is required. 

Key words: Prevalence, Hydatid cysts, goats, sheep.