LEUCOCYTE COUNTS OF HIV INFECTED CHILDREN IN ABA METROPOLIS

¹Godwin U. Ndukwe,²Clement .K. Okpora,³Smart E Amala ^1&2Department of Human Anatomy, Abia State University Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria

³Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Rivers State University Port Harcourt Nigeria

E-mail:-Okpobrows2006@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the leucocyte counts of children infected with HIV in Aba Metropolis.  The study population was 242 subjects recruited from Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba, Abia State.  They were made up of 121 children infected with HIV and 121 children not infected with HIV.  They were male and female children who visited the hospital for HIV screening test.  Those with HIV were the children that tested positive while those without HIV were the children that tested negative.  Their records were retrieved from the record section of the hospital.  Routine laboratory methods for the determination of white blood cell count, Differential count and CD4+ Cell Counts were used.  The result showed that the mean values for the parameters studied in both male and female children without HIV infection were higher than those of the children with HIV in all the age ranges, except the total white blood cell count that reverse were the case. For the CD4+ cell count, the mean values for the age range 5-9 years was the highest, followed by age range 1-4 years and lastly 10-14 years in both the male and female children. The study therefore concludes that the leucocytes counts in children without HIV infection were higher than those of the children with the infection and that this might be due to the fact that the virus attacks the cells thereby decreasing their number.

Keywords: Leucocytes, children, infection, human immunodeficiency, and Lymphocyte.

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF METHANOL SEED EXTRACTS OF PARKINSONIA ACULEATA L.

Malami Y.G.,¹ Jatau A² and Sani, I. H.³

^{1, 2, 3} Department of Science laboratory Technology,

Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Phytochemical and acute toxicity test were evaluated using methanol seed extracts of Parkinsonia aculeata. Phytochemical analysis was conducted using standard procedure, the chemical ingredients detected were Alkaloids, Glycosides, Saponins Glycosides, Volatile Oils, Cardiac glycosides, Flavonoids, Terpenes, Steroids and absent of Tannins and Anthraquinones which were detected qualitatively. Quantitative analysis has also revealed the percentage compositions of the active ingredients as Alkaloids (3.80%), Flavonoids (1.80%), Glycosides (0.80%) and Steroids (3.9%). Acute toxicity studies were done using up and down procedure of Organization for Economic and Cultural Development (OECD, 2001) guidelines for oral toxicity test. This has indicated that the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the seed extracts was greater than 5000mg/kg of the rats. The study has shown that, seed extract of P. aculeata was safe and non-toxic.

Keywords: Phytochemical, acute toxicity, methanolic, Parkinsonia aculeata.

Bioremediation of Aquaculture Wastewater Using Photosynthetic Bacteria

Ahmad Idi

Department of Biological Sciences,

Adamawa State University, Mubi                                                        

Email: ahmadidy@yahoo.com, ahmadidy2010@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Aquaculture plays a significant role in the provision of food to ever growing population. But high amount of toxic compounds like ammonium produced as a bye-product of fish metabolism are detrimental to both the cultured fish and surrounding environment.  In this view, photosynthetic bacteria were isolated and their ability to remediate aquaculture wastewater was assessed.  The aquaculture wastewater was characterized and all wastewater parameters were found to be above the standard discharge limit provided the environmental protection act. The photosynthesis activity of the isolates were determined by detecting the presence of bacteriochlorophya and carotenoid pigments at 800 and 865 nm respectively. The isolated bacteria were found to remove ammonium, nitrite and nitrate from the wastewater. One of the isolate was characterized by molecular technique using 16S rRNA analysis and Identified as Rhodobacterspheroides ADZ101. Hence this group of bacteria can provide cheap alternative means of removing toxic nitrogenous compounds from aquaculture wastewater.

Keywords: Bacteriochlorophyll, carotenoid, nitrogenous compounds, Rhodobacterspheroides ADZ101

A STUDY OF POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS BY A VECTOR, Aedes aegypti:A TRIAL ON RABBIT

Ginsau, M. Aˡ and Ahmed, U.A²

Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Jigawa State Polytechnic, Dutse, Nigeria

² Department of Biological Science, Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State, Nigeria

ginsau75@yahoo.com        

ABSTRACT

Aedes aegypti were artificially fed with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) positive blood samples of humans and were allowed to bite rabbits. The rabbits presented signs of infection: geophagy, loss of appetite, thinning, loss of fur and inflammation of liver. This study provides an evidence for transmission of HBV through mosquito. This study is limited to transmission to rabbits, a study of transmission to human is recommended.

Keywords: Aedes aegypti, Hepatitis B, Transmission, Virus, Vector

EVALUATION OF NEEM LEAF EXTRACT (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS

Danwe, A. B; Mufa, J.B. Finlake, E.A, Danlami A. and Forku .A.

Department of Animal Production,

College of Agriculture Jalingo Taraba State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

A four weeks feeding trail was conducted to evaluate the effect of varying levels of neem (Azardirachata indica) leaves extract on growth performance of broiler finisher chickens, 120 broiler finisher chicken were randomly weight and divided into four groups (treatment) designated as T1, T2, T3, and T4 of thirty (30) bird. Each replicated 3 times, in a completely randomized design and were administered clean drinking water with 0g, 3g, 4g and 5g neem extract respectively. All were given same basal diets of broiler finisher. The result shows that inclusion of varying neem extract did not affect feed consumption and water intake of the birds in all the treatment group. Also the result of the carcass and biochemical profile were not significant (p70.05) affected by the basal diets and neem leaf extract. This indicates that the use of neem leaf extract as supplement for antibiotic in broiler production is both safe and healthy.

Keywords: Medical value of neem leaf, Neem Leaf in animal production, plant origin, local extraction, natural and safe.