ALTERATION OF SIALIC ACID LEVELS DURING PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION IN HUMANS
ALTERATION OF SIALIC ACID LEVELS DURING PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION IN HUMANS
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Date
2018-08
Authors
IKA, Mbateudi Danjuma
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Abstract
Malaria is still a major disease that causes millions of deaths, mostly among children under five years old and pregnant women, in tropical countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa. The present study was aimed at investigating the alteration in sialic acid level during Plasmodium falciparum infection in human and the presence of sialidase gene in the parasites genome. Individuals were grouped as > 5years male (A5-M), > 5years female (A5-F), 6 months to 60 months of age male (U5-M) and 6 months to 60 months of age female (U5-F) for both infected P. falciparum individuals and control respectively. Packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, white blood cell and red blood cell count were measured using an automated hematological analyzer. Free serum sialic acid (FSSA), total bound sialic acid (TBSA) and total sialic acid (TSA) concentrations were also analyzed using thiobarbituric acid method, while Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) was used to investigate the presence of sialidase gene in the genome of P. falciparum. The results show a significant decrease (P<0.05) in packed cell volume and haemoglobin level and red blood cell in P. falciparum infected subjects when compared to their respective control groups. Changes observed in the concentrations of FSSA, BSA and TSA were not significant (P>0.05). The result further showed no significant (P>0.05) relationship between FSSA-TBSA, PCV -FSSA, FSSA-parasitemia during P. falciparum infection. BLAST analysis indicated non-existence of sialidase gene in P. falciparum owing to high expected value (E-value) and low Max scores confirming the low homology/similarity observed. In conclusion, no alteration was observed in sialic acid profile during P. falciparum infection and no sialidase gene was detected from the BLAST search
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A THESES SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A
MASTER DEGREE IN BIOCHEMISTRY.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY,
FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZRIA
NIGERIA
Keywords
ALTERATION,, SIALIC ACID LEVELS,, PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION,, HUMANS