Browsing by Author "Kinuthia, Geoffrey K."
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Item Characterization and comparison of leishmania-like isolates from rodents, lizards and sand flies caught at Masinga location in Machakos district, Kenya(African Journal of Health Sciences, 2011-06) Kinuthia, Geoffrey K.; Lugalia, Reuben; Mwanyumba, Panuel J.; Ngeiywa, , Moses M.; Anjili, Christopher O.; Tonui, Willy K.A laboratory based study was designed to characterize 43 cryo-preserved Leishmania-like flagellates. These Leishmania-like flagellates were originally obtained from non-human hosts that included spiny mice (Acomys subspinosus), plated lizards (Gerrosaurus major) and sand flies of the Genus Sergentomyia caught at Masinga location, Machakos District in Kenya. Morphological features and isoenzyme banding patterns of the flagellates were studied. The isoenzyme markers which were used for isoenzyme electrophoresis included Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), Phosphoglucomutase (PGM), Glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), Malic enzyme (ME), 6 phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) and Mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI). The isoenzyme banding patterns of the flagellates’ lysates were compared with those of six WHO Leishmania reference strains and those of seven well characterized reference strains of Trypanosoma, Crithidia, Herpetomonas and Leptomonas species. The results showed that the morphological changes of the Leishmania-like flagellates in the growth medium were indistinguishable from those of Leishmania WHO reference strains used. The isoenzyme profiles of the flagellates were all distinguishable from the reference strains used except for isolate NLB-1236 from G. major which had an enzyme profile identical to that of L. tropica (NLB-305) in 6 enzymes (MDH, GPI, MPI, ME, PGM, and G6PD). The banding pattern of isolate NLB-1261 from A. subspinosus was indistinguishable from that of L. major (NLB-326) in 3 enzymes only (MDH, GPI and ME) while isolate NLB-1231 from A. subspinosus had an enzyme profile identical to those of L. tropica (NLB-305) and L. arabica (NLB-664) in six enzymes (MDH, GPI, ME, PGM, MPI, and 6PGD). More than 80% of the Leishmania-like flagellates had enzyme profiles indistinguishable from each other, in all the isoenzyme markers. The morphological traits of the flagellates suggested that they were Leishmania or strains closely related to Leishmania. Isoenzyme analysis suggested that Sergentomyia sand flies most likely feed on both lizards (reptiles) and rodents (mammals). There is need to carry further investigations on NLB-1236 (from plated lizards), NLB-1261 (from wild spiny mice) and NLB-1231 (from wild spiny mice).Item In vitro activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of Callistemon citrinus (Family Myrtaceae) against Leishmania major(Health Sciences, 2014-04) Kinuthia, Geoffrey K.; Kabiru, Ephantus W.; Gikonyo, NK; Ingonga, JM; Kigondu, EM; Anjili, COLeishmania major is a protozoan parasite that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis and the standard drugs are expensive and toxic. Cheaper and safer natural drugs are therefore needed. In this study, the in vitro efficacy of crude extracts of Callistemon citrinus were tested against L. major. Controls were anti leishmanial drugs pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of C. citrinus crude aqueous and methanolic extracts were 5mg/ml and 1mg/ml respectively compared to 12.5µg/ml and 6.25µg/ml for pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B respectively. The IC 50 for C. citrinus extracts against promastigotes ranged from 297.75 to 572.69µg/ml compared to 0.26 and 0.82µg/ml for pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B. The IC 50 for C. citrinus extracts against vero cells ranged from 467µg/ml to 1314.65µg/ml. The promastigotes' viability after treatment with aqueous and methanolic extracts was 69.58% and 75.74% respectively. At 125µg/ml, the aqueous and methanolic C. citrinus extracts had in vitro amastigotes' infection rates (IRs) of 77.0±2.50 % and 77.5±3.50% respectively. The multiplication indices (MIs) and IRs of amastigotes treated with C. citrinus crude aqueous extracts and those treated with crude methanolic extracts differed insignificantly (P > 0.05). C. citrinus methanolic extracts stimulated production of about 20µM nitric oxide in BALB/c mice peritoneal macrophages suggesting immuno-modulatory role of the extracts. The crude aqueous and methanolic extracts of C. citrinus were therefore concluded to be relatively less toxic and possessed in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against L. major promastigotes and amastigotes.Item Relationship between Infections and poverty levels in Njoro District in Kenya - Kosin Journal of Health Sciences(Daystar University, Kenyatta University, Kosin University, 2020-05-23) Kinuthia, Geoffrey K.; Kiarie-Makara, Martha W.; Gicheru, Michael M.; Kabiru, Ephantus W.; Lee, Dong-KyuA cross-sectional study was conducted in selected rural areas of Njoro in Kenya to determine the socio-economic variables, poverty levels and disease control practices among the residents in 336 homesteads. The objective was to establish the relationship between parasitic diseases control practices, lifestyles and poverty levels among the residents in the rural areas. In addition, a retrospective study that involved recording of the frequency of parasitic and bacterial diseases diagnosed and treated in four randomly selected health centres, in the study area, from 2004 to 2009 was carried out. The results showed that the rural residents in the study area tended to have large families (68%), low education level (67%), high responsibility burden (67%) and a large number were living below poverty line (81%). The low economic status of residents coupled with certain lifestyles and practices pre-disposed the residents to infectious diseases. It was observed that ‘not boiling drinking water’ had a higher probability of occurring among the lower economic cadre of residents than in medium economic cadre [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.36; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of 1.38 – 4.03]. Occurrences probability of ‘not using a mosquito net’ (OR = 1.44) and ‘not using a toilet paper always’ (OR = 2.60) were higher in residents of low economic cadre. Retrospective survey showed that malaria had a higher frequency (42.75%), followed by typhoid fever (24.14%), Entamoeba histolytica (20.83%), Giardia lamblia (20.32%), intestinal worms (4.57%), Escherechia coli (3.35%) and Trichomonas hominis (1.63%). It was concluded that a combination of large family size, low education levels, high responsibility burdens, and low economic status contributed significantly to occurrence of infectious health conditions among rural residents in the study area.