Department Of Zoology
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- ItemOCCURRENCE OF PROTOZOAN PARASITES IN WASTEWATER USED FOR IRRIGATION IN ILORIN(AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL & APPLIED SCIENCES, 2025-06) Salau-deen Badir-deen Mohammed, Sunday Ojo Joseph, Mustapha Lateefat Bisola, Muhibbu-din Iysa Olorunshina and Obaniyi Kehinde AdebobolaParasitic infections pose a significant global health threat, particularly in developing countries where access to clean water and proper sanitation is often limited. Municipal wastewater, which is frequently reused for irrigation, often contains infective stages of parasites, posing a substantial risk to human health. Despite this, there is a lack of data on the protozoan parasites in wastewater in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. This study addresses this knowledge gap on the protozoan parasites in wastewater used for irrigation. Water samples were collected from various irrigation sites and examined microscopically for protozoan parasites. The results revealed that 20.28% of the infective stages of protozoan parasites, mainly Giardia, Cyptosporidium and Entamoeba, were recorded per litre of water. However, using clean water from borehole will reduce the level of prevalence as lower prevalence was significantly observed at Zango which served as the control site for the study. Aknowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) assessment further revealed that all respondents used contaminated water and were exposed to open defecation. While most farmers were aware of waterborne parasites and treated water before use, fewer buyers had such awareness, though many claimed to wash the products before resale. These findings indicate a substantial public health risk, particularly for communities relying on these water sources for agricultural irrigation. The study underscores the urgent need for enhanced wastewater treatment processes, sensitisation and better management practices to mitigate the health risks associated with wastewater reuse in agriculture. Continuous monitoring, awareness programme and the development of more effective treatment technologies are recommended to ensure the safety of agricultural practices in regions reliant on wastewater irrigation.
- ItemCROSS-RESISTANCE BETWEEN SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE AND OTHER ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS: A STUDY OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN ILORIN KWARA STATE NIGERIA(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH, 2025-03) Obaniyi Kehinde Adebobola, Sunday Ojo Joseph, Said Rukayat O. , Luka Jonathan and *Salau-Deen Badir-deen Mohammed*Antimalarial resistance remains a serious problem in malaria-endemic regions, particularly in pregnant women, who are likely to suffer from complications. The research evaluates the resistance to commonly employed antimalarial medications—Chloroquine, Artesunate, and Arthether—among pregnant women in Ilorin, Nigeria, at different trimesters and during delivery. Cross-sectional study was conducted among 253 pregnant women presenting at antenatal clinics within Ilorin, Kwara State. Venous blood from study participants in different pregnancy stages (first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, and upon delivery) were drawn. Schizont maturation inhibition method was used in the drug susceptibility test to establish resistance to Chloroquine, Artesunate, and Arthether. Chloroquine resistance prevalence was moderately low at varying levels of between 7.9% upon delivery and 12.2% in the second trimester. Resistance against Artesunate, however, rose progressively as pregnancy advanced up to 60.0% in the third trimester, suggesting loss of drug effectiveness toward the end of pregnancy. Arthether resistance was variable, with the highest prevalence in the first (43.0%) and second (33.8%) trimesters, dropping to 0% during the third trimester, and then rising again to 38.1% at delivery. Cross-resistance evaluation showed a high positive correlation between SP resistance and Artesunate resistance during the first (OR = 2.53, p = 0.007) and second trimesters (OR = 2.19, p = 0.043), which suggests shared resistance mechanisms. In contrast, SP resistance was reversely associated with Chloroquine resistance at the second trimester (OR = 0.43, p = 0.021) and at delivery (OR = 0.27, p = 0.042), demonstrating that individuals resistant to SP were less resistant to Chloroquine. The findings prove evidence of enhanced resistance to Artesunate, particularly as gestation age increases, making its usage among pregnant women challenging. Cross-resistance between SP and Artesunate increases the need for continued caution and possible alteration of treatment of malaria in pregnant women. Other treatment regimens to manage malaria in pregnancy effectively should be the focus of future research.
- ItemEvaluation Of The In Vivo Trypanocidal And Haematological Effects Of Methanolic Fruit Extract Of Tetrapleura Tetraptera In Rats Infected With Trypanosoma Brucei Brucei(IJCRT, 2025-10) Sunday Ojo Joseph, *Salau-deen Badir-deen Mohammed* and Abdulsalam Olalekan FunshoTrypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma species, is a re-emerging neglected tropical disease in sub Saharan Africa, characterized by significant morbidity in humans and livestock. Existing chemotherapies are limited by toxicity, high cost, difficult administration, and emerging resistance, thus necessitating the search for safer and more affordable alternatives. Natural product research offers promising prospects, and Tetrapleura tetraptera (fruit), traditionally used in West African medicine, contains flavonoids, tannins, and other bioactive phytochemicals with potential antiparasitic properties. This study evaluated the in vivo trypanocidal efficacy, safety, and hematological effects of the methanolic fruit extract of T. tetraptera in rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei. The fruit was authenticated, dried, powdered, and extracted with methanol to yield 10.9% w/w of the dried fruit. White albino rats (n = 6 per group) were infected intraperitoneally with 1 × 10⁵ trypanosomes in 0.2 mL and treated orally with 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg body weight of extract once daily for seven days post-infection. Diminazene aceturate (28 mg/kg, single intraperitoneal dose) served as positive control, while a negative control group received vehicle only. Parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV), body weight, and survival time were monitored over 30 days, and acute oral toxicity was evaluated according to OECD 423 guidelines. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, triterpenes, and phytosterols. In the infected untreated control, parasitaemia peaked at approximately 1.2 × 10⁸ trypanosomes/mL on day 7 (± SEM), whereas treatment with T. tetraptera extract at 400 mg/kg produced about 90% suppression of parasitaemia (P < 0.001) by day 7, while 200 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg resulted in approximately 65% and 40% suppression, respectively. Mean Survival Time (MST) increased progressively across treatment groups: control = 9 ± 1.2 days, 100 mg/kg = 12.5 ± 1.5 days, 200 mg/kg = 18.3 ± 2.0 days, 400 mg/kg =26.7 ± 1.8 days, with the positive control surviving beyond 30 days. PCV and body weights were better preserved in extract-treated rats compared to controls. No mortality or overt signs of toxicity were observed up to 2,000 mg/kg in acute toxicity tests, with an estimated LD50 greater than 2,000 mg/kg. The findings indicate that the methanolic fruit extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera exhibits promising dose dependent trypanocidal activity in vivo with a good safety margin, justifying further studies to isolate active compounds, elucidate mechanisms of action, and assess pharmacokinetics toward developing affordable phytomedicines for trypanosomiasis.
- ItemCROSS-RESISTANCE BETWEEN SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE AND OTHER ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS: A STUDY OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN ILORIN KWARA STATE NIGERIA(International Journal of Advanced Research1, 2025-03) Obaniyi Kehinde Adebobola , Sunday Ojo Joseph, Said Rukayat O. , Luka Jonathan and Salau-Deen Badir-deen MohammedAntimalarial resistance remains a serious problem in malaria-endemic regions, particularly in pregnant women, who are likely to suffer from complications. The research valuates the resistance to commonly employed antimalarial medications—Chloroquine, Artesunate, and Arthether—among pregnant women in Ilorin, Nigeria, at different trimesters and during delivery. Cross-sectional study was conducted among 253 pregnant women presenting at antenatal clinics within Ilorin, Kwara State. Venous blood from tudy participants in different pregnancy stages (first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, and upon delivery) were drawn. Schizont maturation inhibition method was used in the drug susceptibility test to establish resistance to Chloroquine, Artesunate, and Arthether. Chloroquine resistance prevalence was moderately low at varying levels of between 7.9% upon delivery and 12.2% in the second trimester. Resistance against Artesunate, however, rose progressively as pregnancy advanced up to 60.0% in the third trimester, suggesting loss of drug effectiveness toward the end of pregnancy. Arthether resistance was variable, with the highest prevalence in the first (43.0%) and second (33.8%) trimesters, dropping to 0% during the third trimester, and then rising again to 38.1% at delivery. Cross-resistance evaluation showed a high positive correlation between SP resistance and Artesunate resistance during the first (OR = 2.53, p = 0.007) and second trimesters (OR = 2.19, p = 0.043), which suggests shared resistance mechanisms. In contrast, SP resistance was reversely associated with Chloroquine resistance at the second trimester (OR = 0.43, p = 0.021) and at delivery (OR = 0.27, p = 0.042), demonstrating that individuals resistant to SP were less resistant to Chloroquine. The findings prove evidence of enhanced resistance to Artesunate, particularly as gestation age increases, making its usage among pregnant women challenging. Cross-resistance between SP and Artesunate increases the need for continued caution and possible alteration of treatment of malaria in pregnant women. Other treatment regimens to manage malaria in pregnancy effectively should be the focus of future research.
- ItemComposition of Defatted and Non-Defatted Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal: Alternative for Fish Feeds(Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, 2025-04) Kafayat Aina Iyapo; Bamidele Oluwarotimi Omitoyin; Emmanuel Kolawole Ajani; Oladimeji Kazeem Kareem; Adeyemo Muniru AdewoleBlack soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal has been considered as a great source of animal protein for animals. Nutrient composition of the larvae varies according to the substrate used in rearing the larvae and the processing techniques. This study was conducted to investigate the nutrient composition of full-fatted and processed (defatted and non-defatted) black soldier fly larvae meal. The larvae reared on wheat bran substrate were collected from Food and Agriculture Organization, University of Ibadan (FAO/UI) black soldier fly larvae culturing unit, sacrificed with hot water, rinsed and divided into full-fatted and processed (defatted and non defatted) groups. The defatted group was mechanically pressed by squeezer to remove the fat content and the non-defatted group was not contacted. Both defatted and non-defatted groups were independently subjected to oven and sundried procedures. Chemical compositions of the full-fatted larvae meal, defatted oven-dried larvae, defatted sun-dried larvae, non-defatted oven-dried larvae and non-defatted sun-dried larvae were determined and statistically analysed. The research revealed black soldier fly larvae meal as a viable alternative to use as an animal protein source in fish feed formulation. Additionally, the nutritional composition revealed sun-dried processing method as the best method to remove the black soldier fly larvae lipid.