An investigation into the antibacterial activities of medicinial plants traditionally used in the Eastern Cape to treat secondary skin infections associated with burn wounds
- Authors: Weideman, Liezel
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Burns and scalds -- Alternative treatment , Skin -- Infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10116 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/172 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Burns and scalds -- Alternative treatment , Skin -- Infections
- Description: Traditional medicine has a long history of being used for treating various ailments ranging in severity. Although traditional medicine has typically been the health care for the poorest levels of society, there is a worldwide growth in popularity. The growing popularity of traditional medicine, termed the green boom, may be ascribed to people taking a more holistic approach to maintain their health. Traditional medicine is widely used on a regular basis by 70% of South Africans. Various indigenous medicinal plants are used for the preparation of traditional herbal medicine. These plants are mostly indigenous to the regions were it is used. In this study four medicinal plants (Bulbine frutescens, Leonotis leounurus, Melianthus major & Zantedecshia aethiopica) that are traditionally used in the Eastern Cape region for treating burn wound infections, were collected for investigation. The in vitro antibacterial activity of these plants was tested against different bacterial strains of eight different bacteria. The bacteria used in this investigation included bacterial strains of four Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. feacalis, S. pyogenes and four Gramnegative bacteria, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis. Traditional preparations as well as three different extracts (methanol, aqueous & acetone) of the plants were used for in vitro antibacterial activity testing. The microtitre plate assay and agar dilution assay were used for determining the antibacterial activity of the traditional preparations and plant extracts against the different bacterial strains. In the microtitre plate assay the antibacterial activity was tested using the bacterial growth indicator, INT and a microtitre plate spectrophotometer to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations of the plant extracts and traditional preparations. The microtitre plate assay was used for testing the antibacterial activity of the plants against the bacterial strains of five bacteria, S. aureus, MRSA, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii and K. pneumoniae. The bacterial strains of the three bacteria, S. pyogenes, E. feacalis and P. mirabilis were not compatible with the microtitre plate assay using INT and spectrophotometric readings to determine bacterial inhibition. Therefore the agar dilution assay were used as an alternative method for determining the MIC’s of the plant extracts against the bacterial strains of these bacteria. The initial plant extract concentration in the microtitre plate assay differed with the different plant extracts in the microtitre plate assay. Acetone followed by methanol extracted the highest plant extract concentrations with the different medicinal plants. M. major followed by L. leonurus produced the highest plant extract concentrations following extraction with the different extraction solvents. Consequently the acetone extract of M. major had the highest plant extract concentration before serial dilution in the microtitre plate assay. Uniform plant extract concentrations were tested in the agar dilution assay. The methanol extract followed by the acetone extract of the plants gave the highest antibacterial activity against the different bacterial strains. The extracts of M. major followed by L. leonurus inhibited the highest number of bacterial strains in the microtitre plate assay and the extracts of B. frutescens inhibited the lowest number of bacterial strains. The acetone and methanol extracts of M. major were the only extracts that displayed antibacterial activity in the agar dilution assay. The bacterial strains of P. mirabilis were the only bacteria that were inhibited using this method. The bacterial strains of S. pyogenes and E. feacalis were not inhibited at any of the plant extract concentrations in the agar dilution assay.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Weideman, Liezel
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Burns and scalds -- Alternative treatment , Skin -- Infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10116 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/172 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Burns and scalds -- Alternative treatment , Skin -- Infections
- Description: Traditional medicine has a long history of being used for treating various ailments ranging in severity. Although traditional medicine has typically been the health care for the poorest levels of society, there is a worldwide growth in popularity. The growing popularity of traditional medicine, termed the green boom, may be ascribed to people taking a more holistic approach to maintain their health. Traditional medicine is widely used on a regular basis by 70% of South Africans. Various indigenous medicinal plants are used for the preparation of traditional herbal medicine. These plants are mostly indigenous to the regions were it is used. In this study four medicinal plants (Bulbine frutescens, Leonotis leounurus, Melianthus major & Zantedecshia aethiopica) that are traditionally used in the Eastern Cape region for treating burn wound infections, were collected for investigation. The in vitro antibacterial activity of these plants was tested against different bacterial strains of eight different bacteria. The bacteria used in this investigation included bacterial strains of four Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. feacalis, S. pyogenes and four Gramnegative bacteria, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis. Traditional preparations as well as three different extracts (methanol, aqueous & acetone) of the plants were used for in vitro antibacterial activity testing. The microtitre plate assay and agar dilution assay were used for determining the antibacterial activity of the traditional preparations and plant extracts against the different bacterial strains. In the microtitre plate assay the antibacterial activity was tested using the bacterial growth indicator, INT and a microtitre plate spectrophotometer to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations of the plant extracts and traditional preparations. The microtitre plate assay was used for testing the antibacterial activity of the plants against the bacterial strains of five bacteria, S. aureus, MRSA, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii and K. pneumoniae. The bacterial strains of the three bacteria, S. pyogenes, E. feacalis and P. mirabilis were not compatible with the microtitre plate assay using INT and spectrophotometric readings to determine bacterial inhibition. Therefore the agar dilution assay were used as an alternative method for determining the MIC’s of the plant extracts against the bacterial strains of these bacteria. The initial plant extract concentration in the microtitre plate assay differed with the different plant extracts in the microtitre plate assay. Acetone followed by methanol extracted the highest plant extract concentrations with the different medicinal plants. M. major followed by L. leonurus produced the highest plant extract concentrations following extraction with the different extraction solvents. Consequently the acetone extract of M. major had the highest plant extract concentration before serial dilution in the microtitre plate assay. Uniform plant extract concentrations were tested in the agar dilution assay. The methanol extract followed by the acetone extract of the plants gave the highest antibacterial activity against the different bacterial strains. The extracts of M. major followed by L. leonurus inhibited the highest number of bacterial strains in the microtitre plate assay and the extracts of B. frutescens inhibited the lowest number of bacterial strains. The acetone and methanol extracts of M. major were the only extracts that displayed antibacterial activity in the agar dilution assay. The bacterial strains of P. mirabilis were the only bacteria that were inhibited using this method. The bacterial strains of S. pyogenes and E. feacalis were not inhibited at any of the plant extract concentrations in the agar dilution assay.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
An investigation into the antimicrobial and anticancer activities of Geranium incanum, Artemisia afra and Artemisia absinthium
- Authors: Freidberg, Ryno
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Cancer -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1045 , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Cancer -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents
- Description: It has been estimated that between 3000 and 4000 plant species are used for their medicinal properties throughout South Africa, with approximately 27 million South Africans making use of traditional medicines. Of this 27 million, 3 million South Africans rely on traditional medicine as their primary source of health care. Of the 250 000 to 500 000 known plant species, very few have been investigated for their pharmacological qualities, and compounds of significant medicinal value may still remain undiscovered in many plant species. The aims of this study included investigating the antimicrobial properties of Geranium incanum and Artemisia afra, both plants traditionally used for their medicinal properties, and comparing the antimicrobial activity of the latter to that of Artemisia absinthium, as well as investigating the anticancer properties of G. incanum and A. afra, and comparing the anticancer activity of the latter to that of A. absinthium. Infusions, aqueous-, methanol- and acetone extracts of the three plants were prepared and used for anticancer and antimicrobial screening. Plant specimens used to prepare extracts for antimicrobial activity were collected and extracted over three seasons, while extracts used for anticancer screening were prepared from plants collected during the summer only. Considerable variation existed in the percentage crude extract yields obtained when different extractants were used, while the season in which the plants were harvested and extracted also appeared to play a significant role in the amount of extract obtained. The plant extracts were screened for antimicrobial activity against various strains of Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, using an agar dilution method. G. incanum and A. afra possessed activity for C. albicans, while all three plants showed activity for S. aureus and B. cereus. Activity was largely dependent on the extraction method used. iii The 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to screen for anticancer activity of the respective extracts, at varying concentrations, against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cells, HT-29 (human colonic adenocarcinoma) cells and HeLa (human cervical cancer) cells. All of the extracts showed cytotoxic activity in all three cell lines to varying extents, depending on the extract used and cell line screened. The acetone extract of A. afra proved to be the most effective inhibitor with the lowest IC50 (2.65 ± 1.05 μg/ml) having been shown in MCF-7 cells. A. afra and A. absinthium showed similar inhibitory patterns, with the methanol- and acetone extracts having been the most potent inhibitors of each of the respective cell lines in general. Fluorescence microscopy employing 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) and propidium iodide (PI) staining indicated that the acetone extract of A. afra induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells as apposed to necrosis, and the results were comparable to those obtained for cells exposed to cisplatin. Screening of the A. afra acetone extract for toxicity in normal human cells using the CellTiter-Blue® assay indicated the extract to be toxic to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s) at concentrations comparable to that for MCF-7 cells, while cell cycle analysis of MCF-7 cells exposed to the A. afra acetone extract indicated the extract’s ability to induce apoptosis comparable to that of cisplatin, with the extract exerting its activity at a point during or just prior to the S phase of the cell cycle.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Freidberg, Ryno
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Cancer -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1045 , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Cancer -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents
- Description: It has been estimated that between 3000 and 4000 plant species are used for their medicinal properties throughout South Africa, with approximately 27 million South Africans making use of traditional medicines. Of this 27 million, 3 million South Africans rely on traditional medicine as their primary source of health care. Of the 250 000 to 500 000 known plant species, very few have been investigated for their pharmacological qualities, and compounds of significant medicinal value may still remain undiscovered in many plant species. The aims of this study included investigating the antimicrobial properties of Geranium incanum and Artemisia afra, both plants traditionally used for their medicinal properties, and comparing the antimicrobial activity of the latter to that of Artemisia absinthium, as well as investigating the anticancer properties of G. incanum and A. afra, and comparing the anticancer activity of the latter to that of A. absinthium. Infusions, aqueous-, methanol- and acetone extracts of the three plants were prepared and used for anticancer and antimicrobial screening. Plant specimens used to prepare extracts for antimicrobial activity were collected and extracted over three seasons, while extracts used for anticancer screening were prepared from plants collected during the summer only. Considerable variation existed in the percentage crude extract yields obtained when different extractants were used, while the season in which the plants were harvested and extracted also appeared to play a significant role in the amount of extract obtained. The plant extracts were screened for antimicrobial activity against various strains of Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, using an agar dilution method. G. incanum and A. afra possessed activity for C. albicans, while all three plants showed activity for S. aureus and B. cereus. Activity was largely dependent on the extraction method used. iii The 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to screen for anticancer activity of the respective extracts, at varying concentrations, against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cells, HT-29 (human colonic adenocarcinoma) cells and HeLa (human cervical cancer) cells. All of the extracts showed cytotoxic activity in all three cell lines to varying extents, depending on the extract used and cell line screened. The acetone extract of A. afra proved to be the most effective inhibitor with the lowest IC50 (2.65 ± 1.05 μg/ml) having been shown in MCF-7 cells. A. afra and A. absinthium showed similar inhibitory patterns, with the methanol- and acetone extracts having been the most potent inhibitors of each of the respective cell lines in general. Fluorescence microscopy employing 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) and propidium iodide (PI) staining indicated that the acetone extract of A. afra induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells as apposed to necrosis, and the results were comparable to those obtained for cells exposed to cisplatin. Screening of the A. afra acetone extract for toxicity in normal human cells using the CellTiter-Blue® assay indicated the extract to be toxic to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s) at concentrations comparable to that for MCF-7 cells, while cell cycle analysis of MCF-7 cells exposed to the A. afra acetone extract indicated the extract’s ability to induce apoptosis comparable to that of cisplatin, with the extract exerting its activity at a point during or just prior to the S phase of the cell cycle.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An investigation of indoor air quality assessment in office buildings
- Janse van Rensburg, Francois
- Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Francois
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Indoor air pollution , Air quality management , Air quality -- Measurement
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10824 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32 , Indoor air pollution , Air quality management , Air quality -- Measurement
- Description: Over the last several years studies have shown that the quality of indoor air may be worse than outdoor air. People spend as much as 90% of their time indoors, therefor, the associated health risk due to indoor air pollution may be greater than the risk due to outdoor air pollution. Building designs have altered dramatically over the last two decades resulted in "tighter" buildings that rely on sophisticated mechanical systems to provide for the quantity of air required throughout the building. These changes over the years could result in an increased number of complaints received regarding Sick Building Syndrome symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 30% of office buildings world-wide may have significant problems regarding poor indoor air quality (IAQ). This study involves a literature study of the major indoor air pollutants regarding the source of the pollutant, the associated health effects, the measuring techniques available and the results of previous studies conducted on the specific pollutant. Measurements will be taken in two sealed buildings, one an old and the other a new building to identify the major pollutants. A questionnaire was compiled specifically for building occupants and completed by the occupants of both buildings. From the results obtained a step-by-step method for solving indoor air quality (IAQ) problems was proposed. The method was applied and evaluated in a case study of a problem building where indoor air quality related problems were experienced. The results of the study revealed that the major indoor air pollutants are present in old as well as new buildings. The study also revealed that some office workers might be more susceptible than others to the medical reactions cause to human beings by these pollutants. Some concentrations are higher in new buildings than in old buildings. The responses from the questionnaire was evaluated against the results obtained from the measurement study. The step-by-step method in the case study provided a more systematic approach at solving IAQ problems at buildings. Solving indoor air quality problems is a very practical issue and does not necessarily require an investment of expensive high technology equipment, but might merely require a practical approach. Environmental Health Officers can play a major role in providing expert advice when scrutinizing building plans. Environmental Health Officers should empower themselves with the knowledge to do inspections or investigations in office buildings by using the step-by-step method for investigating indoor air quality problems. By addressing indoor air quality problems in buildings, the workers in healthy buildings can increase their productivity with lasting effects on a company’s bottom line.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Francois
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Indoor air pollution , Air quality management , Air quality -- Measurement
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10824 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32 , Indoor air pollution , Air quality management , Air quality -- Measurement
- Description: Over the last several years studies have shown that the quality of indoor air may be worse than outdoor air. People spend as much as 90% of their time indoors, therefor, the associated health risk due to indoor air pollution may be greater than the risk due to outdoor air pollution. Building designs have altered dramatically over the last two decades resulted in "tighter" buildings that rely on sophisticated mechanical systems to provide for the quantity of air required throughout the building. These changes over the years could result in an increased number of complaints received regarding Sick Building Syndrome symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 30% of office buildings world-wide may have significant problems regarding poor indoor air quality (IAQ). This study involves a literature study of the major indoor air pollutants regarding the source of the pollutant, the associated health effects, the measuring techniques available and the results of previous studies conducted on the specific pollutant. Measurements will be taken in two sealed buildings, one an old and the other a new building to identify the major pollutants. A questionnaire was compiled specifically for building occupants and completed by the occupants of both buildings. From the results obtained a step-by-step method for solving indoor air quality (IAQ) problems was proposed. The method was applied and evaluated in a case study of a problem building where indoor air quality related problems were experienced. The results of the study revealed that the major indoor air pollutants are present in old as well as new buildings. The study also revealed that some office workers might be more susceptible than others to the medical reactions cause to human beings by these pollutants. Some concentrations are higher in new buildings than in old buildings. The responses from the questionnaire was evaluated against the results obtained from the measurement study. The step-by-step method in the case study provided a more systematic approach at solving IAQ problems at buildings. Solving indoor air quality problems is a very practical issue and does not necessarily require an investment of expensive high technology equipment, but might merely require a practical approach. Environmental Health Officers can play a major role in providing expert advice when scrutinizing building plans. Environmental Health Officers should empower themselves with the knowledge to do inspections or investigations in office buildings by using the step-by-step method for investigating indoor air quality problems. By addressing indoor air quality problems in buildings, the workers in healthy buildings can increase their productivity with lasting effects on a company’s bottom line.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
An investigation of specific contributing factors affecting quality assurance in the diagnosis of conventional cervical smears
- Authors: Jordaan, Suzette Mirietta
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Cytodiagnosis -- Quality control , Vaginal smears -- Quality control , Pap test -- Quality control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10117 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/173 , Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Cytodiagnosis -- Quality control , Vaginal smears -- Quality control , Pap test -- Quality control
- Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate specific contributing factors affecting quality assurance in the diagnosis of conventional cervical smears. More than half of South- African women fail to have one cervical smear in their lifetime and +/- 50 percent of those who do have cervical smears taken, are lost to follow-up. Since cervical cancer is the most common malignancy amongst women in developing countries, the medical profession will have to endeavor to screen a higher rate of women and ensure a 100 percent quality assurance with every patient treated in order to reduce the unacceptable high incidence of cervical carcinoma. At this stage it seems like an impossible task to screen all women in South Africa, due to far-off rural areas, shortage of medical professionals and the lack of knowledge of some women of the necessity of cervical smears. Many newly qualified South-African doctors leave the country to go and work elsewhere. South Africa then in turn has to recruit doctors from other countries to staff the State hospitals and clinics. Some areas have one doctor to thousands of patients, insufficient nursing personnel and inadequate equipment. Doctors in some areas cannot cope with the volume of work and the long hours. One has to accept that the quality of the management of some patients is affected negatively. There are a number of medico-legal issues (world wide) in relation to aspects of cervical cancer prevention practices which are controversial and are of particular concern to all of those involved in cervical cancer prevention. Various countries have therefore formed different national organizations to address the medico-legal issues in screening for the prevention of cancer. These organizations monitors procedures, internal quality control as well as external quality control. In South Africa, medico-legal cases are not so prevalent, but may become so shortly. The South-African medical professionals therefore have to ensure that their quality of work conforms to accepted good practice in all circumstances. State hospitals serve thousands of patients per month and it is an every day occurrence to see long queues of patients sitting waiting for doctors and who often have to come back the following day. The situation appears to be much improved in private practice and since patients have medical cover and accessible medical facilities. Since cervical cancer is the most common malignancy amongst women in developing countries, the medical profession will have to endeavor to screen a higher rate of women and ensure a 100 percent quality assurance with every patient treated in order to reduce the unacceptable high incidence of cervical carcinoma. At this stage it seems like an impossible task to screen 100 percent of women in South Africa, due to far-off rural areas, the shortage of medical professionals and ignorance of patients. Quality assurance is therefore of paramount importance to every medical professional for every patient treated. Laboratories all worldwide have been, or are in the process of being accredited by their specific accreditation authorities. The main reason for this is improvement of quality control and therefore quality assurance. The South African National Accreditation Society (SANAS) now accredits various laboratories in South Africa with the view of accreditting all laboratories within a certain time limit. The Ampath laboratory Port Elizabeth was successfully accredited during 2001. Accredited laboratories have to uphold a very high degree of quality to remain accredited. A team of professionals inspects the laboratory every 2 years and other quality assurance staff inspects the laboratories every few months. All aspects of the laboratory are checked, e.g. the qualification of staff, their registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), their curriculum vitaes, equipment, safety of the laboratory etc. Since the laboratory chosen for this study, is accredited, the author evaluated every cervical smear that was received in the laboratory since the year 2000, with the following objectives in mind: · Whether the presence or absence of an endocervical component has an effect on the adequacy of cervical smears · To determine the effect of using smaller coverslips on quality assurance in the cytology laboratory · Evaluate the effect that manual re-screening of smears has on quality assurance in the cytology laboratory. As there is a shortage of cytotechnologists and pathologists worldwide, several countries make use of automated screening devices as primary screening or secondary screening for quality assurance. These devices were tested in some laboratories in South Africa but were found to be very expensive and sensitivity and specificity were not up to standard. Sensitivity is a measure of the ability of a test to detect the abnormal - Sensitivity is the ratio of true positives to true positives + false negatives. Specificity is a measure of the ability of a test to correctly identify the negative - Specificity is the ratio of true negative to true negatives + false positives. The automated screening machines failed to identify abnormal cells amongst inflammatory cells, as well as in very blood stained smears. Several other problems also occurred and an increasing number of smears had to be manually rescreened, thus making this exercise costly and not helpful as a quality assurance instrument. The slides used for this thesis, have been retrieved from the archives of the Ampath laboratory in Port Elizabeth. Fourteen specific contributing factors affecting quality assurance in the diagnosis of cervical smears are also discussed and conclusions and recommendations given.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Jordaan, Suzette Mirietta
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Cytodiagnosis -- Quality control , Vaginal smears -- Quality control , Pap test -- Quality control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10117 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/173 , Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Cytodiagnosis -- Quality control , Vaginal smears -- Quality control , Pap test -- Quality control
- Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate specific contributing factors affecting quality assurance in the diagnosis of conventional cervical smears. More than half of South- African women fail to have one cervical smear in their lifetime and +/- 50 percent of those who do have cervical smears taken, are lost to follow-up. Since cervical cancer is the most common malignancy amongst women in developing countries, the medical profession will have to endeavor to screen a higher rate of women and ensure a 100 percent quality assurance with every patient treated in order to reduce the unacceptable high incidence of cervical carcinoma. At this stage it seems like an impossible task to screen all women in South Africa, due to far-off rural areas, shortage of medical professionals and the lack of knowledge of some women of the necessity of cervical smears. Many newly qualified South-African doctors leave the country to go and work elsewhere. South Africa then in turn has to recruit doctors from other countries to staff the State hospitals and clinics. Some areas have one doctor to thousands of patients, insufficient nursing personnel and inadequate equipment. Doctors in some areas cannot cope with the volume of work and the long hours. One has to accept that the quality of the management of some patients is affected negatively. There are a number of medico-legal issues (world wide) in relation to aspects of cervical cancer prevention practices which are controversial and are of particular concern to all of those involved in cervical cancer prevention. Various countries have therefore formed different national organizations to address the medico-legal issues in screening for the prevention of cancer. These organizations monitors procedures, internal quality control as well as external quality control. In South Africa, medico-legal cases are not so prevalent, but may become so shortly. The South-African medical professionals therefore have to ensure that their quality of work conforms to accepted good practice in all circumstances. State hospitals serve thousands of patients per month and it is an every day occurrence to see long queues of patients sitting waiting for doctors and who often have to come back the following day. The situation appears to be much improved in private practice and since patients have medical cover and accessible medical facilities. Since cervical cancer is the most common malignancy amongst women in developing countries, the medical profession will have to endeavor to screen a higher rate of women and ensure a 100 percent quality assurance with every patient treated in order to reduce the unacceptable high incidence of cervical carcinoma. At this stage it seems like an impossible task to screen 100 percent of women in South Africa, due to far-off rural areas, the shortage of medical professionals and ignorance of patients. Quality assurance is therefore of paramount importance to every medical professional for every patient treated. Laboratories all worldwide have been, or are in the process of being accredited by their specific accreditation authorities. The main reason for this is improvement of quality control and therefore quality assurance. The South African National Accreditation Society (SANAS) now accredits various laboratories in South Africa with the view of accreditting all laboratories within a certain time limit. The Ampath laboratory Port Elizabeth was successfully accredited during 2001. Accredited laboratories have to uphold a very high degree of quality to remain accredited. A team of professionals inspects the laboratory every 2 years and other quality assurance staff inspects the laboratories every few months. All aspects of the laboratory are checked, e.g. the qualification of staff, their registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), their curriculum vitaes, equipment, safety of the laboratory etc. Since the laboratory chosen for this study, is accredited, the author evaluated every cervical smear that was received in the laboratory since the year 2000, with the following objectives in mind: · Whether the presence or absence of an endocervical component has an effect on the adequacy of cervical smears · To determine the effect of using smaller coverslips on quality assurance in the cytology laboratory · Evaluate the effect that manual re-screening of smears has on quality assurance in the cytology laboratory. As there is a shortage of cytotechnologists and pathologists worldwide, several countries make use of automated screening devices as primary screening or secondary screening for quality assurance. These devices were tested in some laboratories in South Africa but were found to be very expensive and sensitivity and specificity were not up to standard. Sensitivity is a measure of the ability of a test to detect the abnormal - Sensitivity is the ratio of true positives to true positives + false negatives. Specificity is a measure of the ability of a test to correctly identify the negative - Specificity is the ratio of true negative to true negatives + false positives. The automated screening machines failed to identify abnormal cells amongst inflammatory cells, as well as in very blood stained smears. Several other problems also occurred and an increasing number of smears had to be manually rescreened, thus making this exercise costly and not helpful as a quality assurance instrument. The slides used for this thesis, have been retrieved from the archives of the Ampath laboratory in Port Elizabeth. Fourteen specific contributing factors affecting quality assurance in the diagnosis of cervical smears are also discussed and conclusions and recommendations given.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Antimicrobial activities of three medicinal plants against selected diarrheagenic pathogens
- Authors: Nkosi, Themba Johan
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Anti-infective agents , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Materia medica, Vegetable
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10126 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020759
- Description: Diarrhea is a global concern that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), have confirmed to be the second major cause of death in children under the age of five. Major bacterial pathogens that cause diarrhea include Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Shigella species and Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotic therapy is recommended depending on the severity and presentation of the disease; however, the appearance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an emerging global threat to the ability to treat these bacterial infections. This situation could be overcome by the discovery of new natural antibiotics. Plants have been a source of medicine for centuries and have been used to treat diseases including diarrhea. This makes plants a natural potential target to study for their antibiotic properties. The objective of this study was to determine the antibiotic properties of medicinal plants against known pathogens that cause bacterial diarrhea. Three medicinal plants, Cassia abbreviata, Kigelia africana, and Geranium incanum were investigated for their antimicrobial properties against these strains of microorganisms: American Type Culture Collection (ATTC) and Clinical Strains (CS). The plant materials were ground into powder, which was then dissolved in methanol, acetone and distilled water to extract the active compounds. The plant extracts were then used to (i) determine their antibiotic activity, (ii) determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs), (iii) analyze the thin layer chromatography (TLC) fingerprints, and (iv) analyze the autobiography assay. The results obtained in this study met the aim and objectives of this study. The antimicrobial activities of the selected plants were obtained as discussed in Chapter 2 and 3. These results indicated that the traditional plants could be used as antimicrobials. In the screening assays, the test microorganisms were inhibited by the plant extracts, when they were subjected to plant extracts. This was performed on Mueller Hinton agar as sensitivity testing, which revealed clear zones of inhibition. The MIC values for each plant extract were established which ranged from 0.101 to 13.3 mg/dl. The TLC analysis revealed the spots which contained the active compounds which inhibited the bacterial growth. A bioautography assay was performed on the TLC plates, which exposed the exact spots containing the active compound inhibiting the bacteria. These results are clearly consistent with what former scientists have observed. Detailed explanations on the results are in Chapter 3 and 4 of this paper. It is important to note that all the procedures performed in this study were in vitro assays. Some effective in vitro assay activity may not always result in the same effective in vivo activity, because some active compounds may be metabolized and degraded into inactive metabolites. For this reason, the in vitro results obtained in this study, may not reflect the true effectiveness of the compounds in in vivo trials. It is therefore advised that future scientists should take a step further in analyzing the plant extracts through in vivo assays. Further testing and study on these plants at an advanced molecular level will be beneficial in the medical fields in the search for new antibiotics to treat infectious diseases. Purification and further analysis of their products can be helpful in the production of pure natural medicines. This will discover the active ingredients and compounds responsible for inhibition of the microorganisms. This will make the compounds potential candidates for a scientific validation and analysis for future scientists to bring a new dawn in the fight against infectious diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Nkosi, Themba Johan
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Anti-infective agents , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Materia medica, Vegetable
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10126 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020759
- Description: Diarrhea is a global concern that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), have confirmed to be the second major cause of death in children under the age of five. Major bacterial pathogens that cause diarrhea include Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Shigella species and Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotic therapy is recommended depending on the severity and presentation of the disease; however, the appearance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an emerging global threat to the ability to treat these bacterial infections. This situation could be overcome by the discovery of new natural antibiotics. Plants have been a source of medicine for centuries and have been used to treat diseases including diarrhea. This makes plants a natural potential target to study for their antibiotic properties. The objective of this study was to determine the antibiotic properties of medicinal plants against known pathogens that cause bacterial diarrhea. Three medicinal plants, Cassia abbreviata, Kigelia africana, and Geranium incanum were investigated for their antimicrobial properties against these strains of microorganisms: American Type Culture Collection (ATTC) and Clinical Strains (CS). The plant materials were ground into powder, which was then dissolved in methanol, acetone and distilled water to extract the active compounds. The plant extracts were then used to (i) determine their antibiotic activity, (ii) determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs), (iii) analyze the thin layer chromatography (TLC) fingerprints, and (iv) analyze the autobiography assay. The results obtained in this study met the aim and objectives of this study. The antimicrobial activities of the selected plants were obtained as discussed in Chapter 2 and 3. These results indicated that the traditional plants could be used as antimicrobials. In the screening assays, the test microorganisms were inhibited by the plant extracts, when they were subjected to plant extracts. This was performed on Mueller Hinton agar as sensitivity testing, which revealed clear zones of inhibition. The MIC values for each plant extract were established which ranged from 0.101 to 13.3 mg/dl. The TLC analysis revealed the spots which contained the active compounds which inhibited the bacterial growth. A bioautography assay was performed on the TLC plates, which exposed the exact spots containing the active compound inhibiting the bacteria. These results are clearly consistent with what former scientists have observed. Detailed explanations on the results are in Chapter 3 and 4 of this paper. It is important to note that all the procedures performed in this study were in vitro assays. Some effective in vitro assay activity may not always result in the same effective in vivo activity, because some active compounds may be metabolized and degraded into inactive metabolites. For this reason, the in vitro results obtained in this study, may not reflect the true effectiveness of the compounds in in vivo trials. It is therefore advised that future scientists should take a step further in analyzing the plant extracts through in vivo assays. Further testing and study on these plants at an advanced molecular level will be beneficial in the medical fields in the search for new antibiotics to treat infectious diseases. Purification and further analysis of their products can be helpful in the production of pure natural medicines. This will discover the active ingredients and compounds responsible for inhibition of the microorganisms. This will make the compounds potential candidates for a scientific validation and analysis for future scientists to bring a new dawn in the fight against infectious diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Antimicrobial activity of selected Eastern Cape medical plants
- Authors: Mohlakoana, Keneuoe
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , Drug resistance in microorganisms -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa , Antibiotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10120 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1199 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , Drug resistance in microorganisms -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa , Antibiotics
- Description: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been a great problem for many years. The degree of resistance and the speed with which resistance develops varies with different organisms and different drugs. Enzymes called β-lactamases are produced by bacteria and are one mechanism in which bacteria develop antimicrobial resistance. Gram-negative bacteria producing enzymes called ESBLs because of their wide substrate range are of a particular concern in nosocomial infections. In many countries people still use traditional medicine derived from plants as an alternative to the Western medicine due to increased cost of Western medicine and microbial resistance of antibiotic treatments. Biologically active compounds isolated from plants species are used in herbal medicine. Because of the high prevalence of the ESBLs and their increasing resistance to the antibiotics, this research study was done to test the antimicrobial activities of selected medicinal plants of the Eastern Cape; G. incanum, D. angustifolia and E. autumnalis which were traditionally used to treat various infections. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of three different extracts (acetone, methanol & distilled water) and the traditional preparations of the three plants were tested against the selected strains of ESBL-producing bacteria, non β-lactamase producers and the different fungal species. The extracts were screened against 26 Gram-positive bacterial strains, 53 Gram-negative bacterial strains and 15 fungal strains. The Gram-positive bacteria included strains from S. aureus, B. cereus and E. faecalis. The Gram-negative bacteria included strains from E. ii coli, E. cloacae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. The fungal strains included 9 strains of Candida albicans and a single strain of each of the following opportunistic fungi, Mucor sp, Geotrichium sp, Penicillium sp, Fusarium sp and Rhizopus sp. The agar dilution assay was used for the antimicrobial screening of the plants extracts and for the determination of the MICs. The Ames test was performed for the determination of probable carcinogenicity of the extracts of G. incanum and D. angustifolia. The distilled water extracts followed by acetone extracts of the plants revealed the highest antimicrobial activity against the different microbial strains. The extracts of G. incanum followed by the extracts of D. angustifolia inhibited the highest number of microbial strains. The extracts of E. autumnalis did not show any antimicrobial activity against all the pathogens in this study. More of the Gram-positive bacteria were inhibited by the plant extracts. The lowest MIC was obtained with Gram-positive bacteria. The bacterial strains of E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa were not inhibited by any of the plants extracts in the agar dilution assay yet Acinetobacter species which are MDR were inhibited by the distilled water and methanol extracts of G. incanum. A single strain of Mucor sp was the only spore forming fungi that was inhibited by the distilled water extracts of G. incanum. None of the plants extracts showed any mutagenic effects on the TA100 S. typhimurium strains incorporated on the Ames test. Apart from revealing of new antimicrobial agents that may be used against resistant organisms, the proper use of antimicrobial agents should be recommended. The study has highlighted a need for further investigations on the properties of the medicinal plants used in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Mohlakoana, Keneuoe
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , Drug resistance in microorganisms -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa , Antibiotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10120 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1199 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , Drug resistance in microorganisms -- South Africa , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa , Antibiotics
- Description: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been a great problem for many years. The degree of resistance and the speed with which resistance develops varies with different organisms and different drugs. Enzymes called β-lactamases are produced by bacteria and are one mechanism in which bacteria develop antimicrobial resistance. Gram-negative bacteria producing enzymes called ESBLs because of their wide substrate range are of a particular concern in nosocomial infections. In many countries people still use traditional medicine derived from plants as an alternative to the Western medicine due to increased cost of Western medicine and microbial resistance of antibiotic treatments. Biologically active compounds isolated from plants species are used in herbal medicine. Because of the high prevalence of the ESBLs and their increasing resistance to the antibiotics, this research study was done to test the antimicrobial activities of selected medicinal plants of the Eastern Cape; G. incanum, D. angustifolia and E. autumnalis which were traditionally used to treat various infections. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of three different extracts (acetone, methanol & distilled water) and the traditional preparations of the three plants were tested against the selected strains of ESBL-producing bacteria, non β-lactamase producers and the different fungal species. The extracts were screened against 26 Gram-positive bacterial strains, 53 Gram-negative bacterial strains and 15 fungal strains. The Gram-positive bacteria included strains from S. aureus, B. cereus and E. faecalis. The Gram-negative bacteria included strains from E. ii coli, E. cloacae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. The fungal strains included 9 strains of Candida albicans and a single strain of each of the following opportunistic fungi, Mucor sp, Geotrichium sp, Penicillium sp, Fusarium sp and Rhizopus sp. The agar dilution assay was used for the antimicrobial screening of the plants extracts and for the determination of the MICs. The Ames test was performed for the determination of probable carcinogenicity of the extracts of G. incanum and D. angustifolia. The distilled water extracts followed by acetone extracts of the plants revealed the highest antimicrobial activity against the different microbial strains. The extracts of G. incanum followed by the extracts of D. angustifolia inhibited the highest number of microbial strains. The extracts of E. autumnalis did not show any antimicrobial activity against all the pathogens in this study. More of the Gram-positive bacteria were inhibited by the plant extracts. The lowest MIC was obtained with Gram-positive bacteria. The bacterial strains of E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa were not inhibited by any of the plants extracts in the agar dilution assay yet Acinetobacter species which are MDR were inhibited by the distilled water and methanol extracts of G. incanum. A single strain of Mucor sp was the only spore forming fungi that was inhibited by the distilled water extracts of G. incanum. None of the plants extracts showed any mutagenic effects on the TA100 S. typhimurium strains incorporated on the Ames test. Apart from revealing of new antimicrobial agents that may be used against resistant organisms, the proper use of antimicrobial agents should be recommended. The study has highlighted a need for further investigations on the properties of the medicinal plants used in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Antimicrobial activity of selected plants and their combined preparations against pathogens causing respiratory infections
- Authors: Onyebuchi, Ukwuoma Collins
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Anti-infective agents , Respiratory infections -- Alternative treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21197 , vital:29455
- Description: Bacterial infection of the respiratory system is one of the leading causes of death in the world’s population, killing over four million people annually. Treatment of respiratory infections is usually by antibiotics administration. The emergence of multi-drug-resistant pathogens has led to the search for more effective therapeutic agents especially from medicinal plants, as compounds from plants have been shown to possess some therapeutic potential. The aim of this study is to determine the antimicrobial activity of three plants, Tetradenia riparia, Leonotis leonurus and Salvia africana-lutea and the activity of their various combined preparations against 27 pathogens usually associated with respiratory ailments. Various solvents were used for extraction of the dried powdered plant materials. The agar disc diffusion antimicrobial assay and the micro-dilution assay methods were used to determine the inhibitory activity and the minimum inhibitory concentration of the plant extracts. The nature of phytochemicals present in the extracts was determined by thin layer chromatography. The results obtained in this study, showed that ethanol produced the highest average extract yield in both the individual and combined plant preparations. A two-way analysis of variance for the disc diffusion assay showed no significant difference in the inhibition zones (Appendix 1 and 2). MIC of 0.8 mg/ml was obtained with S. africana-lutea against S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 and B. cereus ATCC 10976 strains, indicating a strong antibacterial activity. Synergistic interaction (FIC index ranging from 0.20 – 0.50) and a strong antimicrobial activity (MIC values ranging from 0.4 – 0.8 mg/ml), was obtained with the acetone extract of the 1:1 combination of L. leonurus with S. africana-lutea. The XEA and CEF solvent systems eluted the most number of compound spots and produced the best separations. The results obtained in this study validate the traditional use of these plants and their combinations for the treatment of respiratory ailments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Onyebuchi, Ukwuoma Collins
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Anti-infective agents , Respiratory infections -- Alternative treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21197 , vital:29455
- Description: Bacterial infection of the respiratory system is one of the leading causes of death in the world’s population, killing over four million people annually. Treatment of respiratory infections is usually by antibiotics administration. The emergence of multi-drug-resistant pathogens has led to the search for more effective therapeutic agents especially from medicinal plants, as compounds from plants have been shown to possess some therapeutic potential. The aim of this study is to determine the antimicrobial activity of three plants, Tetradenia riparia, Leonotis leonurus and Salvia africana-lutea and the activity of their various combined preparations against 27 pathogens usually associated with respiratory ailments. Various solvents were used for extraction of the dried powdered plant materials. The agar disc diffusion antimicrobial assay and the micro-dilution assay methods were used to determine the inhibitory activity and the minimum inhibitory concentration of the plant extracts. The nature of phytochemicals present in the extracts was determined by thin layer chromatography. The results obtained in this study, showed that ethanol produced the highest average extract yield in both the individual and combined plant preparations. A two-way analysis of variance for the disc diffusion assay showed no significant difference in the inhibition zones (Appendix 1 and 2). MIC of 0.8 mg/ml was obtained with S. africana-lutea against S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 and B. cereus ATCC 10976 strains, indicating a strong antibacterial activity. Synergistic interaction (FIC index ranging from 0.20 – 0.50) and a strong antimicrobial activity (MIC values ranging from 0.4 – 0.8 mg/ml), was obtained with the acetone extract of the 1:1 combination of L. leonurus with S. africana-lutea. The XEA and CEF solvent systems eluted the most number of compound spots and produced the best separations. The results obtained in this study validate the traditional use of these plants and their combinations for the treatment of respiratory ailments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Biological activities of medical plants traditionally used in the Eastern Cape to treat pneumonia
- Kamanga, Melvin Chalochapasi
- Authors: Kamanga, Melvin Chalochapasi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Communicable diseases -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10124 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020051
- Description: Infectious diseases such as pneumonia still pose a major global health concern. Currently, the world is facing widespread emergence of acquired bacterial resistance to antibiotics which constitute one of the chief causes of infectious diseases. The accumulation of different antibiotic resistance mechanisms within the same strains has induced the appearance of the so called “superbugs”, or “multiple-drug resistant bacteria”. Due to antibiotic resistance, attention is currently being drawn towards biologically active components isolated from plant species commonly used as herbal medicine, as they may offer a new source of antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities. This is the basis of this study. In this study four medicinal plants namely, Cassia abbreviata, Geranium incanum, Pelargonium hortorum and Tecoma capensis were investigated for their antimicrobial potential. In vitro antimicrobial activity using agar disc diffusion method, agar dilution method and broth microdilution plate determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), were carried out against ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) strains and clinical isolates known to cause pneumonia. Aqueous, methanol and acetone extracts from the selected plants were thus tested against strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The plants exhibited pronounced antimicrobial activity and were more active against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria. During agar disc diffusion method, the highest inhibition zone was demonstrated by the acetone extract of P. hortorum (IZ=22mm and AI=0.73) against the reference strain of S. pneumoniae (ATCC 49619). The range of zones of inhibition in diameter across strains of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae was 7mm to 22mm with activity index range of 0.23 to 0.74. The lowest MIC produced by medicinal plants in the study during agar disc diffusion method against S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae strains, was 2.5mg/ml. In broth microdilution plate assay, the lowest MIC demonstrated by C. abbreviata, T. capensis and P. hortorum extracts on tested bacteria was 0.031mg/ml and that of G. incanum was 0.063mg/ml. Candida albicans strains were only inhibited at 20mg/ml by the study plants. The highest activity among the individual extracts was shown by P. hortorum methanol extract which inhibited 71% of the studied bacteria. T. capensis methanol extract was the least and inhibited only 17% of the tested bacteria. The strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the highest resistance to medicinal plants employed in this study. Traditional preparation of selected medicinal plants did not show any significant antimicrobial activity. Bioactive analysis of compounds on study plants was carried out using standard methods which revealed the presence of anthraquinones, flavonoids, phytosterol, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids. Comparison of the inhibitory effect of the plant extracts against some broad spectrum antibiotics revealed that the tested medicinal plants showed greater antimicrobial activity than standard antibiotics. However, there was no correlation between the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the bacteria and the effects of the plants, signifying that plants probably function through different mechanisms. Bioautographic findings on thin-layer chromatography plate, exhibited clear zones of inhibition of bacterial growth with the Rf value range of 0.09 to 0.94. Anti-mutagenic activity was assayed by the Ames mutagenicity test in the plate-incorporation method using histidine mutants of S. typhimurium strains TA 100. The selected plant extracts at 2.5mg/ml and 5mg/ml did not induce mutagenesis in the absence of liver-metabolizing enzymes. The study results indicated that the selected plants are capable of inhibiting the growth of the studied pathogenic microorganisms to a varied degree. The leaves of G. incanum, P. hortorum, T. capensis as well as the stem bark of C. abbreviata could be novel sources of antimicrobial agents that might have broad spectrum activity. The anti-mutagenic properties of the studied medicinal plants may also provide additional health supplemental value to the other claimed therapeutic properties of the plants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Kamanga, Melvin Chalochapasi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Communicable diseases -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10124 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020051
- Description: Infectious diseases such as pneumonia still pose a major global health concern. Currently, the world is facing widespread emergence of acquired bacterial resistance to antibiotics which constitute one of the chief causes of infectious diseases. The accumulation of different antibiotic resistance mechanisms within the same strains has induced the appearance of the so called “superbugs”, or “multiple-drug resistant bacteria”. Due to antibiotic resistance, attention is currently being drawn towards biologically active components isolated from plant species commonly used as herbal medicine, as they may offer a new source of antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities. This is the basis of this study. In this study four medicinal plants namely, Cassia abbreviata, Geranium incanum, Pelargonium hortorum and Tecoma capensis were investigated for their antimicrobial potential. In vitro antimicrobial activity using agar disc diffusion method, agar dilution method and broth microdilution plate determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), were carried out against ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) strains and clinical isolates known to cause pneumonia. Aqueous, methanol and acetone extracts from the selected plants were thus tested against strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The plants exhibited pronounced antimicrobial activity and were more active against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria. During agar disc diffusion method, the highest inhibition zone was demonstrated by the acetone extract of P. hortorum (IZ=22mm and AI=0.73) against the reference strain of S. pneumoniae (ATCC 49619). The range of zones of inhibition in diameter across strains of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae was 7mm to 22mm with activity index range of 0.23 to 0.74. The lowest MIC produced by medicinal plants in the study during agar disc diffusion method against S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae strains, was 2.5mg/ml. In broth microdilution plate assay, the lowest MIC demonstrated by C. abbreviata, T. capensis and P. hortorum extracts on tested bacteria was 0.031mg/ml and that of G. incanum was 0.063mg/ml. Candida albicans strains were only inhibited at 20mg/ml by the study plants. The highest activity among the individual extracts was shown by P. hortorum methanol extract which inhibited 71% of the studied bacteria. T. capensis methanol extract was the least and inhibited only 17% of the tested bacteria. The strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the highest resistance to medicinal plants employed in this study. Traditional preparation of selected medicinal plants did not show any significant antimicrobial activity. Bioactive analysis of compounds on study plants was carried out using standard methods which revealed the presence of anthraquinones, flavonoids, phytosterol, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids. Comparison of the inhibitory effect of the plant extracts against some broad spectrum antibiotics revealed that the tested medicinal plants showed greater antimicrobial activity than standard antibiotics. However, there was no correlation between the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the bacteria and the effects of the plants, signifying that plants probably function through different mechanisms. Bioautographic findings on thin-layer chromatography plate, exhibited clear zones of inhibition of bacterial growth with the Rf value range of 0.09 to 0.94. Anti-mutagenic activity was assayed by the Ames mutagenicity test in the plate-incorporation method using histidine mutants of S. typhimurium strains TA 100. The selected plant extracts at 2.5mg/ml and 5mg/ml did not induce mutagenesis in the absence of liver-metabolizing enzymes. The study results indicated that the selected plants are capable of inhibiting the growth of the studied pathogenic microorganisms to a varied degree. The leaves of G. incanum, P. hortorum, T. capensis as well as the stem bark of C. abbreviata could be novel sources of antimicrobial agents that might have broad spectrum activity. The anti-mutagenic properties of the studied medicinal plants may also provide additional health supplemental value to the other claimed therapeutic properties of the plants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Biological activities of medicinal plants traditionally used to treat Septicaemia in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Chinyama, Robert Fred
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Herbs -- Therapeutic use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10119 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1274 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Herbs -- Therapeutic use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Over the past 25 years, there has been a resurgence of worldwide scientific research in the fields of ethnopharmacology. The Western world has acknowledged the continued use of traditional medicines by the majority of third world countries, and the need for novel drug development. Hence, much of the pharmaceutical research in recent years has focused on the ethnobotanical approach to drug discovery (Light et al., 2005). In South Africa, as in most developing parts of the world, traditional herbal medicine still forms the backbone of rural healthcare. The government health services in South Africa provide only western medical care although the majority of the population consult traditional healers for some or all of their healthcare needs (McGaw et al., 2005). Medicinal plants like Harpephyllum caffrum are used as blood purifiers or emetics (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962), and also for treating acne and eczema. The antimicrobial activity of this plant can be used to treat septicaemia, which is ranked the sixth leading cause of death among neonates and the eighth leading cause of death for infants through the first year of life (Heron, 2007). In this study, the plants investigated for antimicrobial activity were Harpephyllum caffrum, Hermannia cuneifolia, Chironia baccifera, Rhigozum obovatum, Felicia muricata and Pentzia incana. These plants were tested against ATTC (American Type Culture Collection) strains and microorganisms isolated from clinical isolates of patients suffering from septicaemia. The assay methods used included the agar diffusion method using the Mast multipoint inoculator, the microtitre dilution method were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration, thin layer chromatography fingerprints accompanied by bioautographic assay were used to detect the inhibition of bacterial growth by active compounds separated from plant extracts and the Ames test was required to assess the possibility of bacterial mutagenesis upon the exposure to plant extracts which can lead to carcinogenicity. In agar diffusion method, extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum inhibited nine strains of Candida albicans, three species of Acinetobacter and four strains of E.faecalis. Extracts of Hermannia cuneifolia inhibited four strains of B.cereus and three strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Extracts of Chironia baccifera inhibited one strain of Acinetobacter and five strains of E.faecalis. Extracts of plants Rhigozum obovatum, Felicia muricata, and Pentzia incana showed no antimicrobial activity. In the microtitre dilution method used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the results were different from the agar diffusion method. More activity was observed. Extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum inhibited three strains of E.coli, six strains of S.aureus, three species of Acinetobacter and one strain of Klebsiella pneumonia. Extracts of Hermannia cuneifolia inhibited four strains of B.cereus, three strains of S.aureus, two strains of K.oxytoca and one species of Acinetobacter. Extracts of Chironia baccifera inhibited three strains of S.aureus, one strain of MRSA, one species of Acinetobacter and one strain of S.haemolyticus. The MIC values ranged from 0.049 to 6.25mg/ml. Using the thin layer chromatography fingerprints, bioautography showed the presence of various inhibitory chemical compounds. Methanol and acetone extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum, separated very well and showed various inhibition zones on exposure to Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. The different inhibition zones were recorded as Rf In the Ames test (Maron and Ames, 1983) the methanol and acetone extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum and Hermannia cuneifolia were negative which means they were devoid of any mutagenic properties. Methanol extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum showed similar results in the Ames assay as reported by Verschaeve and Van Staden (2008). values ranging from 0.25 to 0.95. The zones indicate the different inhibiting chemical compounds present in the plant. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform and formic acid were the solvents used in the assay in the ratio 8:7:5:1, respectively. Establishing the antimicrobial activity of these plants contribute to the systematic scientific investigation of indigenous South African medicinal plants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Chinyama, Robert Fred
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Herbs -- Therapeutic use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10119 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1274 , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Herbs -- Therapeutic use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Over the past 25 years, there has been a resurgence of worldwide scientific research in the fields of ethnopharmacology. The Western world has acknowledged the continued use of traditional medicines by the majority of third world countries, and the need for novel drug development. Hence, much of the pharmaceutical research in recent years has focused on the ethnobotanical approach to drug discovery (Light et al., 2005). In South Africa, as in most developing parts of the world, traditional herbal medicine still forms the backbone of rural healthcare. The government health services in South Africa provide only western medical care although the majority of the population consult traditional healers for some or all of their healthcare needs (McGaw et al., 2005). Medicinal plants like Harpephyllum caffrum are used as blood purifiers or emetics (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962), and also for treating acne and eczema. The antimicrobial activity of this plant can be used to treat septicaemia, which is ranked the sixth leading cause of death among neonates and the eighth leading cause of death for infants through the first year of life (Heron, 2007). In this study, the plants investigated for antimicrobial activity were Harpephyllum caffrum, Hermannia cuneifolia, Chironia baccifera, Rhigozum obovatum, Felicia muricata and Pentzia incana. These plants were tested against ATTC (American Type Culture Collection) strains and microorganisms isolated from clinical isolates of patients suffering from septicaemia. The assay methods used included the agar diffusion method using the Mast multipoint inoculator, the microtitre dilution method were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration, thin layer chromatography fingerprints accompanied by bioautographic assay were used to detect the inhibition of bacterial growth by active compounds separated from plant extracts and the Ames test was required to assess the possibility of bacterial mutagenesis upon the exposure to plant extracts which can lead to carcinogenicity. In agar diffusion method, extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum inhibited nine strains of Candida albicans, three species of Acinetobacter and four strains of E.faecalis. Extracts of Hermannia cuneifolia inhibited four strains of B.cereus and three strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Extracts of Chironia baccifera inhibited one strain of Acinetobacter and five strains of E.faecalis. Extracts of plants Rhigozum obovatum, Felicia muricata, and Pentzia incana showed no antimicrobial activity. In the microtitre dilution method used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the results were different from the agar diffusion method. More activity was observed. Extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum inhibited three strains of E.coli, six strains of S.aureus, three species of Acinetobacter and one strain of Klebsiella pneumonia. Extracts of Hermannia cuneifolia inhibited four strains of B.cereus, three strains of S.aureus, two strains of K.oxytoca and one species of Acinetobacter. Extracts of Chironia baccifera inhibited three strains of S.aureus, one strain of MRSA, one species of Acinetobacter and one strain of S.haemolyticus. The MIC values ranged from 0.049 to 6.25mg/ml. Using the thin layer chromatography fingerprints, bioautography showed the presence of various inhibitory chemical compounds. Methanol and acetone extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum, separated very well and showed various inhibition zones on exposure to Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. The different inhibition zones were recorded as Rf In the Ames test (Maron and Ames, 1983) the methanol and acetone extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum and Hermannia cuneifolia were negative which means they were devoid of any mutagenic properties. Methanol extracts of Harpephyllum caffrum showed similar results in the Ames assay as reported by Verschaeve and Van Staden (2008). values ranging from 0.25 to 0.95. The zones indicate the different inhibiting chemical compounds present in the plant. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform and formic acid were the solvents used in the assay in the ratio 8:7:5:1, respectively. Establishing the antimicrobial activity of these plants contribute to the systematic scientific investigation of indigenous South African medicinal plants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Biological activities of selected South African medicinal plants traditionally used to treat urinary tract infections
- Mathobela, Kegomoditswe Prudence
- Authors: Mathobela, Kegomoditswe Prudence
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Urinary tract infections -- Treatment , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8059 , vital:24715
- Description: Plants have been an important part of medicine and since the existence of human beings; they have been used to cure a variety of ailments such as diarrhoea, wounds and sexually transmitted diseases. Far from being out-dated, the use of traditional medicinal plants plays a significant role in drug discovery and remains a source of medicine still used by many South Africans. Diseases of the urinary tract can be treated using traditional medicinal plants. Although most cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs) are acute and uncomplicated, a few cases do become chronic and complicated. Resistance of pathogens causing UTIs to antibiotics normally used for treatment is one of the reasons for infections developing into the chronic and complicated state. In this study, medicinal plants indigenous to South Africa and traditionally used to treat UTIs were investigated in vitro for antimicrobial activities against UTI-causing pathogens. The plants investigated were Bulbine latifolia, Eucomis autumnalis, Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Trichilia dregeana. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) microbial strains together with clinical strains were tested against distilled water, methanol and acetone extracts of the plants. The microbial strains included Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The agar well diffusion method was used to screen for antimicrobial activity; the microtiter dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration; and thin layer chromatography fingerprints to separate the mixtures of the extracts and determine the number of active compounds. The study also investigated the scientific rationale for the traditional use of plant combinations to treat diseases. Three plant combinations (1:1) were investigated for potential interactive properties, which were identified through the sum of the fractional inhibitory concentration index (ΣFIC) calculations. The plant combinations studied were Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Bulbine latifolia; Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Eucomis autumnalis; and Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Trichilia dregeana. In the study, more activity was observed in the microtiter dilution method as compared to the agar well diffusion method. This was true in both the studies of the plants independently and the combination studies. The independent plants displayed noteworthy MIC values (≤ 2 mg/ml) against E. coli, Kleb. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. The plant combinations studied did not show any synergistic interactions (ΣFIC ≤ 0.5). Only non-interactive (ΣFIC >1.0 - ≤4.0) and additive (ΣFIC >0.5-1.0) interactions were observed. The study contributes to the on-going investigation of antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants and highlights the need for further investigations on the synergistic interactions of the medicinal plants used in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Mathobela, Kegomoditswe Prudence
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Urinary tract infections -- Treatment , Anti-infective agents -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8059 , vital:24715
- Description: Plants have been an important part of medicine and since the existence of human beings; they have been used to cure a variety of ailments such as diarrhoea, wounds and sexually transmitted diseases. Far from being out-dated, the use of traditional medicinal plants plays a significant role in drug discovery and remains a source of medicine still used by many South Africans. Diseases of the urinary tract can be treated using traditional medicinal plants. Although most cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs) are acute and uncomplicated, a few cases do become chronic and complicated. Resistance of pathogens causing UTIs to antibiotics normally used for treatment is one of the reasons for infections developing into the chronic and complicated state. In this study, medicinal plants indigenous to South Africa and traditionally used to treat UTIs were investigated in vitro for antimicrobial activities against UTI-causing pathogens. The plants investigated were Bulbine latifolia, Eucomis autumnalis, Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Trichilia dregeana. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) microbial strains together with clinical strains were tested against distilled water, methanol and acetone extracts of the plants. The microbial strains included Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The agar well diffusion method was used to screen for antimicrobial activity; the microtiter dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration; and thin layer chromatography fingerprints to separate the mixtures of the extracts and determine the number of active compounds. The study also investigated the scientific rationale for the traditional use of plant combinations to treat diseases. Three plant combinations (1:1) were investigated for potential interactive properties, which were identified through the sum of the fractional inhibitory concentration index (ΣFIC) calculations. The plant combinations studied were Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Bulbine latifolia; Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Eucomis autumnalis; and Hypoxis hemerocallidea and Trichilia dregeana. In the study, more activity was observed in the microtiter dilution method as compared to the agar well diffusion method. This was true in both the studies of the plants independently and the combination studies. The independent plants displayed noteworthy MIC values (≤ 2 mg/ml) against E. coli, Kleb. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. The plant combinations studied did not show any synergistic interactions (ΣFIC ≤ 0.5). Only non-interactive (ΣFIC >1.0 - ≤4.0) and additive (ΣFIC >0.5-1.0) interactions were observed. The study contributes to the on-going investigation of antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants and highlights the need for further investigations on the synergistic interactions of the medicinal plants used in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Carbon monoxide exposure and respiratory diseases in Wells Estate and Walmer township in Port Elizabeth, South africa
- Authors: Ejesieme, Amarachi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Air -- Pollution -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Carbon monoxide , Respiratory organs -- Diseases , Respiratory infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39874 , vital:35496
- Description: To ascertain household exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and its associations with respiratory diseases in Port Elizabeth, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in Walmer Township and Wells Estate in Port Elizabeth. Ambient and indoor CO levels were measured in each township and compared with national and international air quality guideline. ChromAir® diffusion carbon monoxide badges were used for carbon monoxide measurement. Badges are relatively inexpensive and easy to use and results can be obtained after a 48-hour passive exposure. Exposure to CO was determined by measuring levels in the ambient environment and living rooms of study dwellings. The prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms were assessed using the iBhayi study questionnaire. The mean of ambient and indoor CO levels for the total sample was 8.02 (SD 2.43) and 0.68 (SD 1.23) ppm respectively. In this study, 40% of ambient CO measurements exceeded the World Health Organisation (WHO) 8-hour guideline of 8.7 ppm. The Student’s t-test showed that ambient (p = 0.59) and indoor (p = 0.16) CO levels in Walmer Township and Wells Estate were similar. This shows that CO exposure in both townships do not vary significantly. Fever and chills (32%), headache (19%) and runny/blocked nose (19%) were the most prevalent acute respiratory symptoms. The predominant respiratory diseases/conditions were tuberculosis (8.5%) and asthma (5.7%). CO at levels below the WHO 8-hour guidelines was significantly associated with the prevalence of acute respiratory symptoms (AOR = 2.286; 95% CI: 1.220 - 4.283). Ageing emerged as an independent risk factor for high tuberculosis prevalence in the study sites (AOR = 5.837; 95% CI: 1.654 – 20. 596). The study indicated low levels of carbon monoxide exposure in the study areas. From the findings, CO may be associated with an increase in respiratory symptoms in the study population. Increasing community awareness on sources and adverse health effects of CO exposure with improved service delivery will be helpful in reducing the burden of respiratory outcomes in the study sites.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ejesieme, Amarachi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Air -- Pollution -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Carbon monoxide , Respiratory organs -- Diseases , Respiratory infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39874 , vital:35496
- Description: To ascertain household exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and its associations with respiratory diseases in Port Elizabeth, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in Walmer Township and Wells Estate in Port Elizabeth. Ambient and indoor CO levels were measured in each township and compared with national and international air quality guideline. ChromAir® diffusion carbon monoxide badges were used for carbon monoxide measurement. Badges are relatively inexpensive and easy to use and results can be obtained after a 48-hour passive exposure. Exposure to CO was determined by measuring levels in the ambient environment and living rooms of study dwellings. The prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms were assessed using the iBhayi study questionnaire. The mean of ambient and indoor CO levels for the total sample was 8.02 (SD 2.43) and 0.68 (SD 1.23) ppm respectively. In this study, 40% of ambient CO measurements exceeded the World Health Organisation (WHO) 8-hour guideline of 8.7 ppm. The Student’s t-test showed that ambient (p = 0.59) and indoor (p = 0.16) CO levels in Walmer Township and Wells Estate were similar. This shows that CO exposure in both townships do not vary significantly. Fever and chills (32%), headache (19%) and runny/blocked nose (19%) were the most prevalent acute respiratory symptoms. The predominant respiratory diseases/conditions were tuberculosis (8.5%) and asthma (5.7%). CO at levels below the WHO 8-hour guidelines was significantly associated with the prevalence of acute respiratory symptoms (AOR = 2.286; 95% CI: 1.220 - 4.283). Ageing emerged as an independent risk factor for high tuberculosis prevalence in the study sites (AOR = 5.837; 95% CI: 1.654 – 20. 596). The study indicated low levels of carbon monoxide exposure in the study areas. From the findings, CO may be associated with an increase in respiratory symptoms in the study population. Increasing community awareness on sources and adverse health effects of CO exposure with improved service delivery will be helpful in reducing the burden of respiratory outcomes in the study sites.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Detection and identification of plasmodium species causing malaria in Malawi using rapid diagnostic tests
- Authors: Tegha, Gerald Loiswayo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Malaria -- Diagnosis -- Malawi , Plasmodium
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10127 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021240
- Description: Malaria represents one of the oldest documented diseases among humans and even today organisms in the genus Plasmodium kill more people than any other infectious disease, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. The four most common species which infect humans are Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malaria. Of these four species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for 95 percent of infections globally. Microscopy has been used since early days for the diagnosis of malaria because this method is simple, does not require highly equipped facilities, and in most cases enables differentiation among the species causing malaria in humans when performed by skilled microscopy readers. However, this method has been misleading in identifying parasite species, especially in the case of low level parasitemia, a mixed parasite infection, or modification by drug treatment as well as in placental malaria. Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have played a major role in malaria management; particularly in providing blood based diagnosis in remote locations where microscopy based diagnosis is unavailable. These diagnostic tests are fast and easy to perform and do not require electricity or specific equipment. As part of strengthening malaria diagnostics in Malawi, the Ministry of Health and Population strongly recommends the use of malaria RDT’s at all levels of the health care delivery system. However, malaria microscopy remains a gold standard test for malaria. All patients (regardless of age) with suspected uncomplicated malaria should have a confirmed diagnosis with malaria RDT before anti-malaria treatment is administered. Based on field performance evaluations that assessed performance, quality control and production capacities of the manufacturing companies of malaria RDT’s, the Ministry of Health and Population recommended two brands of Histidine Rich Protein 2 (HRP-2), RDT’s for use in Malawi. These are SD Bioline malaria Ag Pf and the New Paracheck malaria Ag Pf. All these RDT’s are able to detect only P. falciparum. However, other species have been reported to exist in the country and there is a need to find proper RDT’s which will be able to detect all other species including P. falciparum. The main aim of this study was to evaluate Paramax-3 Pf/Pv/Pan RDT (Zephyr Biomedicals, India), if used in Malawi, could be able to detect and identify the different species of Plasmodium causing malaria in Malawi. The study recruited a total of 250 adult and infants at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Study results showed that the overall sensitivity and specificity of the Paramax-3 RDT used in the study were 100 percent and 83 percent respectively. However, it was observed that the RDT test was not able to identify the P. ovale, and in some cases, the RDT test was positive for P. falciparum when the PCR identified the species as P. ovale. No P. vivax was detected both by RDT and PCR. This study was able to detect and identify the presence of P. malaria and P. ovale in Malawi apart from the P. falciparum. There were no significant differences between microscopy results compared to both the RDT and the PCR, with 94 percent and 98 percent sensitivities of R1 and R2 compared to RDT, as well as 94 percent and 96 percent sensitivities for R1 and R2 compared to PCR respectively. Both R1 and R2 had low specificities for example, R1 had 72 percent and R2 had 80 percent compared to RDT. Comparing R1 and R2 to PCR, the sensitivities were 64.9 percent and 67.2 percent respectively. However, the readers had difficulties differentiating the different species microscopically. The history of anti-malaria treatment had no significant effect on the outcome of the results in both the RDT and PCR.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Tegha, Gerald Loiswayo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Malaria -- Diagnosis -- Malawi , Plasmodium
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10127 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021240
- Description: Malaria represents one of the oldest documented diseases among humans and even today organisms in the genus Plasmodium kill more people than any other infectious disease, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. The four most common species which infect humans are Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malaria. Of these four species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for 95 percent of infections globally. Microscopy has been used since early days for the diagnosis of malaria because this method is simple, does not require highly equipped facilities, and in most cases enables differentiation among the species causing malaria in humans when performed by skilled microscopy readers. However, this method has been misleading in identifying parasite species, especially in the case of low level parasitemia, a mixed parasite infection, or modification by drug treatment as well as in placental malaria. Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have played a major role in malaria management; particularly in providing blood based diagnosis in remote locations where microscopy based diagnosis is unavailable. These diagnostic tests are fast and easy to perform and do not require electricity or specific equipment. As part of strengthening malaria diagnostics in Malawi, the Ministry of Health and Population strongly recommends the use of malaria RDT’s at all levels of the health care delivery system. However, malaria microscopy remains a gold standard test for malaria. All patients (regardless of age) with suspected uncomplicated malaria should have a confirmed diagnosis with malaria RDT before anti-malaria treatment is administered. Based on field performance evaluations that assessed performance, quality control and production capacities of the manufacturing companies of malaria RDT’s, the Ministry of Health and Population recommended two brands of Histidine Rich Protein 2 (HRP-2), RDT’s for use in Malawi. These are SD Bioline malaria Ag Pf and the New Paracheck malaria Ag Pf. All these RDT’s are able to detect only P. falciparum. However, other species have been reported to exist in the country and there is a need to find proper RDT’s which will be able to detect all other species including P. falciparum. The main aim of this study was to evaluate Paramax-3 Pf/Pv/Pan RDT (Zephyr Biomedicals, India), if used in Malawi, could be able to detect and identify the different species of Plasmodium causing malaria in Malawi. The study recruited a total of 250 adult and infants at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Study results showed that the overall sensitivity and specificity of the Paramax-3 RDT used in the study were 100 percent and 83 percent respectively. However, it was observed that the RDT test was not able to identify the P. ovale, and in some cases, the RDT test was positive for P. falciparum when the PCR identified the species as P. ovale. No P. vivax was detected both by RDT and PCR. This study was able to detect and identify the presence of P. malaria and P. ovale in Malawi apart from the P. falciparum. There were no significant differences between microscopy results compared to both the RDT and the PCR, with 94 percent and 98 percent sensitivities of R1 and R2 compared to RDT, as well as 94 percent and 96 percent sensitivities for R1 and R2 compared to PCR respectively. Both R1 and R2 had low specificities for example, R1 had 72 percent and R2 had 80 percent compared to RDT. Comparing R1 and R2 to PCR, the sensitivities were 64.9 percent and 67.2 percent respectively. However, the readers had difficulties differentiating the different species microscopically. The history of anti-malaria treatment had no significant effect on the outcome of the results in both the RDT and PCR.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Effect of a South African medicinal plant on antiretroviral drug induced abnormalities in rats
- Authors: Van Gend, Tania Anli
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Antiretroviral agents -- South Africa , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Rats as laboratory animals , Rats -- Metabolism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10121 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1080 , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Antiretroviral agents -- South Africa , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Rats as laboratory animals , Rats -- Metabolism
- Description: The worldwide AIDS epidemic is known to have had a profoundly negative social, economic and personal impact and has taken a heavy toll on existing health care systems, particularly in developing countries. South Africa is experiencing an HIV epidemic with enormous social and economic consequences. Lopinavir/ritonavir antiretroviral treatment has been accredited with having a significantly positive effect and is a key advance in controlling HIV morbidity and mortality. An indigenous South African medicinal plant, Sutherlandia frutescens, known for its anti-diabetic properties and immune-boosting effects, is used for treating HIV positive patients suffering from opportunistic infections. Despite the use of the medicinal plant extract as homeotherapeutic medication, there is little evidence of toxicity testing that identifies its potential for interaction with antiretroviral drugs. However, scientific data relating to the mechanism through which Sutherlandia frutescens acts on the immune system has not been comprehensively documented. The aim of this study was to investigate lopinavir/ritonavir induced metabolic abnormalities in rats and whether the introduction of a plant extract of Sutherlandia frutescens would counteract the side effects of ARV medication. The results indicated that the rodents did not become insulin resistant, however, biochemical analysis indicated that extended ARV drug treatment would have caused insulin resistance. Significant morphological changes were found in the livers, kidneys and pancreases of rats exposed to the lopinavir/ritonavir. Rats exposed to the Sutherlandia frutescens plant extract showed improved histopathology with minimal abnormalities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Van Gend, Tania Anli
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Antiretroviral agents -- South Africa , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Rats as laboratory animals , Rats -- Metabolism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10121 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1080 , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Antiretroviral agents -- South Africa , Materia medica, Vegetable -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa , Rats as laboratory animals , Rats -- Metabolism
- Description: The worldwide AIDS epidemic is known to have had a profoundly negative social, economic and personal impact and has taken a heavy toll on existing health care systems, particularly in developing countries. South Africa is experiencing an HIV epidemic with enormous social and economic consequences. Lopinavir/ritonavir antiretroviral treatment has been accredited with having a significantly positive effect and is a key advance in controlling HIV morbidity and mortality. An indigenous South African medicinal plant, Sutherlandia frutescens, known for its anti-diabetic properties and immune-boosting effects, is used for treating HIV positive patients suffering from opportunistic infections. Despite the use of the medicinal plant extract as homeotherapeutic medication, there is little evidence of toxicity testing that identifies its potential for interaction with antiretroviral drugs. However, scientific data relating to the mechanism through which Sutherlandia frutescens acts on the immune system has not been comprehensively documented. The aim of this study was to investigate lopinavir/ritonavir induced metabolic abnormalities in rats and whether the introduction of a plant extract of Sutherlandia frutescens would counteract the side effects of ARV medication. The results indicated that the rodents did not become insulin resistant, however, biochemical analysis indicated that extended ARV drug treatment would have caused insulin resistance. Significant morphological changes were found in the livers, kidneys and pancreases of rats exposed to the lopinavir/ritonavir. Rats exposed to the Sutherlandia frutescens plant extract showed improved histopathology with minimal abnormalities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Effect of exposure charts on reject rate of extremity radiographs
- Authors: Kalondo, Luzanne
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Radiography, Medical -- Exposure , Radiography, Medical -- Image quality , Radiography, Medical -- South Africa , Diagnostic imaging -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1168 , Radiography, Medical -- Exposure , Radiography, Medical -- Image quality , Radiography, Medical -- South Africa , Diagnostic imaging -- South Africa
- Description: This study discusses reject film analyses (RFAs) before and after the implementation of a quality improvement intervention. RFAs were undertaken to investigate the effect of the introduction and use of exposure charts (ECs) on department and student reject rates of extremity radiographs. Methods: A quantitative comparative pre and post-treatment research design was used. Data was collected from the x-ray departments of two training hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia over a five month period. A retrospective RFA was conducted to determine the department and student reject rates for both departments before intervention. Emphasis was placed on exposure related reject films. ECs were compiled and introduced at Katutura State Hospital (venue B) by the researcher. The students were instructed to use these charts. At Windhoek Central Hospital (venue A) no ECs were used. A prospective RFA was conducted to establish department and student reject rates at both hospitals after the intervention at venue B. Results: During the retrospective phase the department reject rate for venue A was 21 percent while the student reject rate was 23 percent. At venue B 24 percent and 26 percent were scored respectively. Students at venue A produced rejected radiographs due to overexposure (49 percent) and underexposure (23 percent), whilst 37 percent was recorded for both causes at venue B. At venue A, 35 percent of films were rejected due to incorrect mAs selection, at venue B the figure was 42 percent. Undiagnostic radiographs due to inaccurate kV selection comprised 62 percent for venue A and 59 percent for venue B. During the prospective phase the department reject rate for venue A was 20 percent and that of the students was 19 percent. For venue B 12 percent and 11 percent were scored respectively. At venue A radiographs rejected due to over and underexposure were 43 percent and 33 percent respectively while those at venue B were 33 percent and 34 percent. Incorrect mAs selection caused 33 percent of discarded films at venue A and 38 percent at venue B. The figures for inaccurate kV selection were 68 percent and 62 percent for venues A and B. Conclusions: The introduction and use of ECs lowered the student reject rate at venue B in the prospective phase.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Kalondo, Luzanne
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Radiography, Medical -- Exposure , Radiography, Medical -- Image quality , Radiography, Medical -- South Africa , Diagnostic imaging -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1168 , Radiography, Medical -- Exposure , Radiography, Medical -- Image quality , Radiography, Medical -- South Africa , Diagnostic imaging -- South Africa
- Description: This study discusses reject film analyses (RFAs) before and after the implementation of a quality improvement intervention. RFAs were undertaken to investigate the effect of the introduction and use of exposure charts (ECs) on department and student reject rates of extremity radiographs. Methods: A quantitative comparative pre and post-treatment research design was used. Data was collected from the x-ray departments of two training hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia over a five month period. A retrospective RFA was conducted to determine the department and student reject rates for both departments before intervention. Emphasis was placed on exposure related reject films. ECs were compiled and introduced at Katutura State Hospital (venue B) by the researcher. The students were instructed to use these charts. At Windhoek Central Hospital (venue A) no ECs were used. A prospective RFA was conducted to establish department and student reject rates at both hospitals after the intervention at venue B. Results: During the retrospective phase the department reject rate for venue A was 21 percent while the student reject rate was 23 percent. At venue B 24 percent and 26 percent were scored respectively. Students at venue A produced rejected radiographs due to overexposure (49 percent) and underexposure (23 percent), whilst 37 percent was recorded for both causes at venue B. At venue A, 35 percent of films were rejected due to incorrect mAs selection, at venue B the figure was 42 percent. Undiagnostic radiographs due to inaccurate kV selection comprised 62 percent for venue A and 59 percent for venue B. During the prospective phase the department reject rate for venue A was 20 percent and that of the students was 19 percent. For venue B 12 percent and 11 percent were scored respectively. At venue A radiographs rejected due to over and underexposure were 43 percent and 33 percent respectively while those at venue B were 33 percent and 34 percent. Incorrect mAs selection caused 33 percent of discarded films at venue A and 38 percent at venue B. The figures for inaccurate kV selection were 68 percent and 62 percent for venues A and B. Conclusions: The introduction and use of ECs lowered the student reject rate at venue B in the prospective phase.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Environmental health community service in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mbola, Patience
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Environmental health -- Administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Environmental health -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community health services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32028 , vital:31920
- Description: In terms of the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974), Environmental Health graduates are required to conduct a year of Community Service before they are allowed to register as independent Environmental Health Practitioners at the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The main purpose of Community Service by these graduates is to assist Environmental Health Practitioners in the execution of their daily tasks, thereby contributing to more effective service delivery, especially to the disadvantaged communities, within the sphere of government where they are deployed. Several studies have been conducted in an effort to identify problem areas in other health care professions during the Community Service year, but no such study could be found on Environmental Health. The aim of this study was to do the same for the Environmental Health profession in South Africa, by focusing on problems and challenges during Community Service placement, specifically the 2013 to 2016 intakes of Community Service practitioners in the Eastern Cape Province and the administrators responsible for the program at national, provincial and municipal spheres of government. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research designs (mixed method) and was by nature explorative, descriptive and contextual. Two populations were involved; namely, twenty four Environmental Health graduates who completed their Community Service during 2013 to 2016 within the Eastern Cape Province, and ten Environmental Health Practitioners who were responsible for the administration of the Community Service program at the provincial and municipal spheres of government during the same period. A purposive sample was drawn from each population. Qualitative data was collected by means of interviews and quantitative data through questionnaires. Qualitative data was analysed using Tech’s method of data analysis and quantitative data was statistically analysed. The results of the study revealed that the Eastern Cape Department of Health needs to review the Community Service program for Environmental Health graduates and further initiate resolutions in terms of the identified problems, such as maladministration of Community Service which related to the lack of consistency of communication during the organisation of the Community Service program; declined/decreasing number of Environmental Health Community Service posts in the Eastern Cape Province which led to a shortage of human resources; Inadequate provision of material resources for Community Service; lack of induction training and inconsistent supervision of Environmental Health Community Service practitioners; and lack of evaluation of the success of the Environmental Health Community Service program. The study findings suggest important inequalities and non-compliances which should deserve urgent attention. Based on the challenges that have been identified regarding the organisation and implementation of the Community Service program, this study concludes by presenting recommendations for the improvement of the Community Service program in the Environmental Health profession.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mbola, Patience
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Environmental health -- Administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Environmental health -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community health services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32028 , vital:31920
- Description: In terms of the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974), Environmental Health graduates are required to conduct a year of Community Service before they are allowed to register as independent Environmental Health Practitioners at the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The main purpose of Community Service by these graduates is to assist Environmental Health Practitioners in the execution of their daily tasks, thereby contributing to more effective service delivery, especially to the disadvantaged communities, within the sphere of government where they are deployed. Several studies have been conducted in an effort to identify problem areas in other health care professions during the Community Service year, but no such study could be found on Environmental Health. The aim of this study was to do the same for the Environmental Health profession in South Africa, by focusing on problems and challenges during Community Service placement, specifically the 2013 to 2016 intakes of Community Service practitioners in the Eastern Cape Province and the administrators responsible for the program at national, provincial and municipal spheres of government. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research designs (mixed method) and was by nature explorative, descriptive and contextual. Two populations were involved; namely, twenty four Environmental Health graduates who completed their Community Service during 2013 to 2016 within the Eastern Cape Province, and ten Environmental Health Practitioners who were responsible for the administration of the Community Service program at the provincial and municipal spheres of government during the same period. A purposive sample was drawn from each population. Qualitative data was collected by means of interviews and quantitative data through questionnaires. Qualitative data was analysed using Tech’s method of data analysis and quantitative data was statistically analysed. The results of the study revealed that the Eastern Cape Department of Health needs to review the Community Service program for Environmental Health graduates and further initiate resolutions in terms of the identified problems, such as maladministration of Community Service which related to the lack of consistency of communication during the organisation of the Community Service program; declined/decreasing number of Environmental Health Community Service posts in the Eastern Cape Province which led to a shortage of human resources; Inadequate provision of material resources for Community Service; lack of induction training and inconsistent supervision of Environmental Health Community Service practitioners; and lack of evaluation of the success of the Environmental Health Community Service program. The study findings suggest important inequalities and non-compliances which should deserve urgent attention. Based on the challenges that have been identified regarding the organisation and implementation of the Community Service program, this study concludes by presenting recommendations for the improvement of the Community Service program in the Environmental Health profession.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Environmental health work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of avian influenza in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Elie, Sammy Abraham
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9834 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009648 , Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by the Type A strain of the influenza virus. The disease, which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide (World Health Organization, 2006a). The current outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1), which began in Southeast Asia in mid-2003, is the largest and most severe on record. Never before in the recorded history of this disease have so many countries been simultaneously affected. Since the last pandemic in 1968-1969, the risk of an influenza pandemic has not been considered greater than at the present time. The importance of intervention strategies had become increasingly evident throughout the world. The World Health Organization provides a generic outline for preparedness plans to assist countries in their preparations to respond to a possible avian influenza pandemic. These guidelines may be modified as the epidemiology of avian influenza evolves. The South African National Department of Health has developed national guidelines in the form of an avian influenza preparedness plan. These draft guidelines do not provide detailed Environmental Health work methods and - procedures for the effective surveillance and control of the disease. The general purpose of this study is to develop a standardised set of Environmental Health work methods and - procedures, which will contribute to the effective surveillance and control of avian influenza in the Eastern Cape province – South Africa. Within the context of the purpose of this study, a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, inductive and deductive research design will be used. The methods of data collection will be documentary research, telephonic as well as in-depth personal interviews. In this study, documentary research will be the primary method of data collection. With a qualitative approach, the researcher will be the human instrument for data analysis. The process of qualitative data analysis will be based on data reduction and interpretation; and will be conducted as an activity simultaneously with data collection, data interpretation and narrative reporting writing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Elie, Sammy Abraham
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9834 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009648 , Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by the Type A strain of the influenza virus. The disease, which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide (World Health Organization, 2006a). The current outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1), which began in Southeast Asia in mid-2003, is the largest and most severe on record. Never before in the recorded history of this disease have so many countries been simultaneously affected. Since the last pandemic in 1968-1969, the risk of an influenza pandemic has not been considered greater than at the present time. The importance of intervention strategies had become increasingly evident throughout the world. The World Health Organization provides a generic outline for preparedness plans to assist countries in their preparations to respond to a possible avian influenza pandemic. These guidelines may be modified as the epidemiology of avian influenza evolves. The South African National Department of Health has developed national guidelines in the form of an avian influenza preparedness plan. These draft guidelines do not provide detailed Environmental Health work methods and - procedures for the effective surveillance and control of the disease. The general purpose of this study is to develop a standardised set of Environmental Health work methods and - procedures, which will contribute to the effective surveillance and control of avian influenza in the Eastern Cape province – South Africa. Within the context of the purpose of this study, a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, inductive and deductive research design will be used. The methods of data collection will be documentary research, telephonic as well as in-depth personal interviews. In this study, documentary research will be the primary method of data collection. With a qualitative approach, the researcher will be the human instrument for data analysis. The process of qualitative data analysis will be based on data reduction and interpretation; and will be conducted as an activity simultaneously with data collection, data interpretation and narrative reporting writing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Environmental health work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
- Authors: Bigara, Ana Doherty
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9836 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016073
- Description: The aim of this study was to develop a standardised set of Environmental-Health work methods and procedures, with the purpose of contributing to the effective surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. The researcher followed a qualitative research design, which was explorative, descriptive, inductive and deductive by nature. The methods of data collection were documentary research and focus-group interviews. A documentary research approach was employed as the primary method of data collection for the study. The researcher has used semi-structured questions to obtain relevant information from the participants in the focus groups. The purpose of using semi-structured questions in the focus groups was to draw on their knowledge and experience of communicable disease surveillance and control in relation to Cholera, as well as to ascertain their views on the role of the Environmental-Health Practitioners in the Communicable - Disease Outbreak- Response Teams at the three different spheres of government. The process of qualitative data analysis was followed. This was based on data reduction and interpretation; and it was conducted as an activity simultaneously with data collection, data interpretation (coding) and narrative writing. The information obtained from the analysed data assisted in the development of the environmentalhealth work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. In this study, firstly, the epidemiology of Cholera was described and analysed against the background of its manifestation in South Africa. Secondly, the national health care system, with specific reference to the place and role of environmental health practitioners at national, provincial and municipal spheres – in relation to Cholera surveillance and control – was analysed. Thirdly, the relevant research that has been done globally has been analysed against the background of the findings of the above, together with work methods and procedures to be used by environmental-health practitioners during the surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. These include, inter alia: Work methods and procedures for Cholera case investigation; Work methods and procedures for sanitary investigations; and Work methods and procedures for identifying the sources of contamination in environmental waters. Finally, the conclusion and limitations was presented, and appropriate recommendations were made. These include: he need to educate all role - players, on the recent developments in the identification of Vibrio cholerae from environmental surface waters; Communication systems should be developed that allow the Director: Environmental Health to communicate urgent environmental health information directly to the Minister of Health; he training of environmental-health practitioners on detailed work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of Cholera; and the existing national Cholera control guidelines need to be updated to include relevant environmental health situations when emergencies arise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Bigara, Ana Doherty
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Avian influenza -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Prevention , Environmental health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9836 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016073
- Description: The aim of this study was to develop a standardised set of Environmental-Health work methods and procedures, with the purpose of contributing to the effective surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. The researcher followed a qualitative research design, which was explorative, descriptive, inductive and deductive by nature. The methods of data collection were documentary research and focus-group interviews. A documentary research approach was employed as the primary method of data collection for the study. The researcher has used semi-structured questions to obtain relevant information from the participants in the focus groups. The purpose of using semi-structured questions in the focus groups was to draw on their knowledge and experience of communicable disease surveillance and control in relation to Cholera, as well as to ascertain their views on the role of the Environmental-Health Practitioners in the Communicable - Disease Outbreak- Response Teams at the three different spheres of government. The process of qualitative data analysis was followed. This was based on data reduction and interpretation; and it was conducted as an activity simultaneously with data collection, data interpretation (coding) and narrative writing. The information obtained from the analysed data assisted in the development of the environmentalhealth work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. In this study, firstly, the epidemiology of Cholera was described and analysed against the background of its manifestation in South Africa. Secondly, the national health care system, with specific reference to the place and role of environmental health practitioners at national, provincial and municipal spheres – in relation to Cholera surveillance and control – was analysed. Thirdly, the relevant research that has been done globally has been analysed against the background of the findings of the above, together with work methods and procedures to be used by environmental-health practitioners during the surveillance and control of Cholera in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. These include, inter alia: Work methods and procedures for Cholera case investigation; Work methods and procedures for sanitary investigations; and Work methods and procedures for identifying the sources of contamination in environmental waters. Finally, the conclusion and limitations was presented, and appropriate recommendations were made. These include: he need to educate all role - players, on the recent developments in the identification of Vibrio cholerae from environmental surface waters; Communication systems should be developed that allow the Director: Environmental Health to communicate urgent environmental health information directly to the Minister of Health; he training of environmental-health practitioners on detailed work methods and procedures for the surveillance and control of Cholera; and the existing national Cholera control guidelines need to be updated to include relevant environmental health situations when emergencies arise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Experiences of analogue-trained radiographers utilising digital imaging in projection radiography
- Authors: Campbell, Sydney
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Radiography, Medical -- Digital techniques Angiography , Image processing -- Digital techniques Radiography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14796 , vital:27851
- Description: The professional work of a radiographer encompasses both patient care and the use of technology. The technology employed could either be analogue or digital technology. Since 1973, the analogue imaging system has slowly been replaced by digital radiography imaging systems. Despite the many advantages of digital imaging it does present the radiographer with added responsibilities. Furthermore, analogue-trained radiographers have found adjusting to digital imaging especially challenging. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of analogue-trained radiographers utilising digital imaging in projection radiography with the intention of developing guidelines to equip radiography managers to assist analogue-trained radiographers to better utilise digital imaging. The researcher used Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as a lens to look at the experiences of analogue-trained radiographers using digital imaging to produce radiographs. The research study used a qualitative design which was explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. The target population included all diagnostic radiographers (public and private) in the local municipality who were registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Purposive sampling was employed to select the radiographers that represented all radiographers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District. The sample included all radiographers who fulfilled the identified selection criteria. The selected participants were recruited to take part in in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews. The data was analysed using a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software package, ATLAS.ti. The trustworthiness of this study was ensured by applying Guba’s model of trustworthiness that includes credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. The ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence and justice, as espoused by the Belmont Report, were adhered to in order to ensure that the study was conducted in an ethical manner. Two themes emanated from the data, namely the evolution of the radiographer when faced with the advances in technology as well the role that the work environment played in the manner that the participants experienced the change. The experiences of the participants were described using direct quotations from the interviews and a literature control was used to verify the participants’ experiences. Evidence was found of radiographer indifference towards exposure selection, dose optimisation and placement of anatomical side markers when utilising digital imaging. Finally, guidelines were developed to equip radiography managers to assist analogue-trained radiographers to better utilise digital imaging. In addition, the guidelines will assist all other radiographers to better utilise digital imaging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Campbell, Sydney
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Radiography, Medical -- Digital techniques Angiography , Image processing -- Digital techniques Radiography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14796 , vital:27851
- Description: The professional work of a radiographer encompasses both patient care and the use of technology. The technology employed could either be analogue or digital technology. Since 1973, the analogue imaging system has slowly been replaced by digital radiography imaging systems. Despite the many advantages of digital imaging it does present the radiographer with added responsibilities. Furthermore, analogue-trained radiographers have found adjusting to digital imaging especially challenging. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of analogue-trained radiographers utilising digital imaging in projection radiography with the intention of developing guidelines to equip radiography managers to assist analogue-trained radiographers to better utilise digital imaging. The researcher used Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as a lens to look at the experiences of analogue-trained radiographers using digital imaging to produce radiographs. The research study used a qualitative design which was explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. The target population included all diagnostic radiographers (public and private) in the local municipality who were registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Purposive sampling was employed to select the radiographers that represented all radiographers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District. The sample included all radiographers who fulfilled the identified selection criteria. The selected participants were recruited to take part in in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews. The data was analysed using a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software package, ATLAS.ti. The trustworthiness of this study was ensured by applying Guba’s model of trustworthiness that includes credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. The ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence and justice, as espoused by the Belmont Report, were adhered to in order to ensure that the study was conducted in an ethical manner. Two themes emanated from the data, namely the evolution of the radiographer when faced with the advances in technology as well the role that the work environment played in the manner that the participants experienced the change. The experiences of the participants were described using direct quotations from the interviews and a literature control was used to verify the participants’ experiences. Evidence was found of radiographer indifference towards exposure selection, dose optimisation and placement of anatomical side markers when utilising digital imaging. Finally, guidelines were developed to equip radiography managers to assist analogue-trained radiographers to better utilise digital imaging. In addition, the guidelines will assist all other radiographers to better utilise digital imaging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Experiences of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students regarding assessor feedback during summative clinical assessments
- Authors: Hodgson, Hayley Dianne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Medical education , Teacher-student relationships Communication in education Mentoring in education Radiography, Medical -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42296 , vital:36643
- Description: Assessment and feedback are closely interlinked terms. High quality feedback within education and assessment can have a profound influence on learning. Summative clinical assessments and feedback, conducted in clinical training sites, are vital steps in successfully preparing an undergraduate diagnostic radiography student for the desired outcome of a competent, skilled diagnostic radiographer. Feedback has the potential to close the gap between a student’s actual clinical performance and desired clinical performance. Despite the importance of feedback, students across the globe, particularly in the health professions, are dissatisfied with the current feedback systems. Failure to provide effective feedback within the clinical context can be detrimental to patient safety because students have a false impression of their clinical skills and competencies. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students regarding assessor feedback during summative clinical assessments. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used to gain in-depth knowledge of the experiences of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students regarding assessor feedback during summative clinical assessments. Data were gathered from students by means of semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim and coded using Tesch’s eight steps. Two principle themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme 1 unpacked whether an assessor is an ally or foe. Theme 2 focussed on key elements that influence the nature of the feedback process. There were various positive experiences regarding assessor feedback during the summative clinical assessments reported by the participants. However, they were dissatisfied with numerous aspects of assessor feedback during their summative clinical assessments and this subsequently impeded their learning experience. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical research practices governed this research study. Based on the findings, the recommendations include that the higher education institution, clinical supervisors, and radiography students, should utilise feedback as a learning tool for skills development during summative clinical assesssments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Hodgson, Hayley Dianne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Medical education , Teacher-student relationships Communication in education Mentoring in education Radiography, Medical -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42296 , vital:36643
- Description: Assessment and feedback are closely interlinked terms. High quality feedback within education and assessment can have a profound influence on learning. Summative clinical assessments and feedback, conducted in clinical training sites, are vital steps in successfully preparing an undergraduate diagnostic radiography student for the desired outcome of a competent, skilled diagnostic radiographer. Feedback has the potential to close the gap between a student’s actual clinical performance and desired clinical performance. Despite the importance of feedback, students across the globe, particularly in the health professions, are dissatisfied with the current feedback systems. Failure to provide effective feedback within the clinical context can be detrimental to patient safety because students have a false impression of their clinical skills and competencies. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students regarding assessor feedback during summative clinical assessments. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used to gain in-depth knowledge of the experiences of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students regarding assessor feedback during summative clinical assessments. Data were gathered from students by means of semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim and coded using Tesch’s eight steps. Two principle themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme 1 unpacked whether an assessor is an ally or foe. Theme 2 focussed on key elements that influence the nature of the feedback process. There were various positive experiences regarding assessor feedback during the summative clinical assessments reported by the participants. However, they were dissatisfied with numerous aspects of assessor feedback during their summative clinical assessments and this subsequently impeded their learning experience. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical research practices governed this research study. Based on the findings, the recommendations include that the higher education institution, clinical supervisors, and radiography students, should utilise feedback as a learning tool for skills development during summative clinical assesssments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Genetic diversity and population structure of plasmodium falciparum from four epidemiological locations in Malawi
- Authors: Selemani, George Paul
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Plasmodium falciparum , Parasites -- Molecular genetics , Infection -- Genetic aspects , Disease susceptibility -- Genetic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10359 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021026
- Description: In malaria-endemic regions, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection is characterized by extensive genetic/antigenic diversity. Describing this diversity provides important information about the local molecular epidemiology of infecting P. falciparum parasites. Intriguingly, one of the major obstacles to the development of an effective malaria vaccine has been the genetic polymorphisms exhibited by P. falciparum genes encoding targets of human immune system. This situation has necessitated the development of polyvalent vaccines with wide antigenic coverage that would increase the likelihood of vaccine efficacy that covers wide geographical areas of malaria endemic countries. Limited reports are available on the population genetic diversity and structure of P. falciparum in Malawi, and this is of particular concern as the country has put in place several interventions to combat the disease. The primary aim of the research project was to determine the genetic diversity and population structure of P. falciparum isolates and comparing complexity from four different epidemiological settings in Malawi using msp-2 gene polymorphisms. Samples were collected from four epidemiological locations in the north, centre and southern regions of Malawi. The diversity and genetic differentiation of P. falciparum populations were analyzed based on the highly polymorphic block 3 msp-2 gene. One hundred and twenty patient samples who presented with signs and symptoms of malaria and who had microscopically confirmed P. falciparum infection were enrolled in the study after they had satisfied the inclusion criteria. Parasite DNA was extracted from the blood spot on to filter paper and analyzed by genotyping the msp-2 gene using allele-specific nested PCR. A total of 28 msp-2 block 3 fragments, defined by the size and the allelic types were detected in the 102 patients. The length variants of the PCR product ranged from 240basepairs (bp) to 450bp for the K1/FC and 410bp to 780bp for the 3D7/IC allelic families. Isolates of the 3D7 alleles were predominant in the population (59 percent), compared to isolates of the K1/ FC27 alleles (41 percent) and for 3D7 and K1 most of the isolates were monoclonal infections. In comparisons between the sites, we observed the highest prevalence of mixed infection in Mwanza (46.7 percent) followed by Dwangwa (23.3 percent) compared to Bolero (16.7 percent) and Mitundu (16.7 percent). The difference in prevalence of mixed infections between Mwanza and the other sites was statistically significant (p=0.041). There was also a non-significant trend towards a higher mean genotype number per isolate in the children aged >5 years compared to those below 5 years of age. These data suggest differences in prevalence rates of mixed infections in different geographical/epidemiological settings in Malawi. Further studies are needed to confirm, with larger sample sizes, the observation of a non-significant trend towards higher multiclonality of infection in older children in malaria endemic areas of Malawi.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Selemani, George Paul
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Plasmodium falciparum , Parasites -- Molecular genetics , Infection -- Genetic aspects , Disease susceptibility -- Genetic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10359 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021026
- Description: In malaria-endemic regions, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection is characterized by extensive genetic/antigenic diversity. Describing this diversity provides important information about the local molecular epidemiology of infecting P. falciparum parasites. Intriguingly, one of the major obstacles to the development of an effective malaria vaccine has been the genetic polymorphisms exhibited by P. falciparum genes encoding targets of human immune system. This situation has necessitated the development of polyvalent vaccines with wide antigenic coverage that would increase the likelihood of vaccine efficacy that covers wide geographical areas of malaria endemic countries. Limited reports are available on the population genetic diversity and structure of P. falciparum in Malawi, and this is of particular concern as the country has put in place several interventions to combat the disease. The primary aim of the research project was to determine the genetic diversity and population structure of P. falciparum isolates and comparing complexity from four different epidemiological settings in Malawi using msp-2 gene polymorphisms. Samples were collected from four epidemiological locations in the north, centre and southern regions of Malawi. The diversity and genetic differentiation of P. falciparum populations were analyzed based on the highly polymorphic block 3 msp-2 gene. One hundred and twenty patient samples who presented with signs and symptoms of malaria and who had microscopically confirmed P. falciparum infection were enrolled in the study after they had satisfied the inclusion criteria. Parasite DNA was extracted from the blood spot on to filter paper and analyzed by genotyping the msp-2 gene using allele-specific nested PCR. A total of 28 msp-2 block 3 fragments, defined by the size and the allelic types were detected in the 102 patients. The length variants of the PCR product ranged from 240basepairs (bp) to 450bp for the K1/FC and 410bp to 780bp for the 3D7/IC allelic families. Isolates of the 3D7 alleles were predominant in the population (59 percent), compared to isolates of the K1/ FC27 alleles (41 percent) and for 3D7 and K1 most of the isolates were monoclonal infections. In comparisons between the sites, we observed the highest prevalence of mixed infection in Mwanza (46.7 percent) followed by Dwangwa (23.3 percent) compared to Bolero (16.7 percent) and Mitundu (16.7 percent). The difference in prevalence of mixed infections between Mwanza and the other sites was statistically significant (p=0.041). There was also a non-significant trend towards a higher mean genotype number per isolate in the children aged >5 years compared to those below 5 years of age. These data suggest differences in prevalence rates of mixed infections in different geographical/epidemiological settings in Malawi. Further studies are needed to confirm, with larger sample sizes, the observation of a non-significant trend towards higher multiclonality of infection in older children in malaria endemic areas of Malawi.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014