STUDIES ON MALARIA PREVALENCE, DRUG TREATMENT REGIMES AND INTENSITY OF CHLOROQUINE-RESISTANT PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM IN ZARIA, NIGERIA

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Date
2010-09
Authors
BECHEMAGBOR, ASHUTAKA
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Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the malaria prevalence and chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum among malaria patients in Zaria. Six hundred and seventy-eight (678) patients demographic and socio-economic information was obtained using a structured questionnaire. 5% Giemsa stained thick blood films from the patients were examined using light microscopy and the samples were also confirmed for positivity using Rapid Diagnostic Test cassettes. Sucrose-sorbitol density gradient centrifugation was carried out to obtain asexual stages of the parasite. The eluent were inoculated into a complete malaria culture medium to increase the parasite density/ml. Isolation of genomic DNA extraction of Plasmodium falciparum was carried out from the culture media using the standard phenol/chloroform extraction method. Mutations associated with CQresistance at codon 76 of pfcrt were analyzed using nested PCR/RFLP. The isolates were genotyped for pfcrt-76 since the presence of a mutation at this codon indicates that the parasite carries a resistant gene. Of the 678 samples examined, 159 were Plasmodium slide positive indicating an overall prevalence of 23.45%. Of the 425 females examined, 120 were malaria positive while 81 out of the 253 males were positive indicating prevalence rates of 28.35% and 32.01% respectively. Mean percentage prevalence among pregnant and non-pregnant women was 50% and 26.22% respectively. RDT showed 36 positive results out 159 microscopic samples (22.64%). DNA extraction from the 36 positive samples yielded no results. To this end, CQ still elicits its therapeutic effect despite previous reports on the parasite resistance to the drug. Standard Microscopy, RDT and PCR/RFLP should be employed in diagnosis, treatment and drug resistance surveillance respectively to curtail the advent dilemma.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, NIGERIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ZOOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, FACULTY OF SCIENCE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, NIGERIA.
Keywords
STUDIES,, MALARIA,, PREVALENCE,, DRUG,, TREATMENT,, REGIMES,, INTENSITY,, CHLOROQUINE-RESISTANT,, PLASMODIUM,, FALCIPARUM,, ZARIA,, NIGERIA
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