The impact of Worms and Ladders, an innovative health educational board game on Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis control in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria

In most endemic sub-Saharan African countries, repeated infections with soil-transmitted helminth (STH) occur as early as six weeks after the end of mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole. In this study, we designed a new health educational board game Worms and Ladders and evaluated its potential to complement MDA with albendazole and reduce reinfection rates through the promotion of good hygiene practices among school-aged children. The evaluation employed a randomized control trial (RCT) design. Baseline knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) relating to STH were obtained using a questionnaire from 372 pupils across six schools in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Schools were randomly assigned into intervention and control group, with the former and latter receiving Worms and Ladders and the common Snake and Ladder board game respectively. Fresh stool samples were also collected at baseline for STH diagnosis before administering 400mg single dose albendazole. Follow-up assessments of STH burden and KAP were conducted three and six months' post-intervention. Data generated from the study were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software, with confidence interval set at 95%. Prevalence of STH dropped from 25.0% to 10.4% in the intervention group and 49.4% to 33.3% in the control group at three months' post-intervention. The prevalence further dropped to 5.6% in the intervention group at six months’ post-intervention. However, it increased to 37.2% in the control group at six months' post-intervention. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in prevalence after intervention among the groups. KAP on transmission, control and prevention of STH significantly improved (p<0.05) from 5.2% to 97.9% in the intervention group compared to 6.2% to 7.1% in the control group. The Worms and Ladders board game shows the potential to teach and promote good hygiene behavior among SAC. These findings posit the newly developed game as a reliable tool to complement mass drug administration campaigns for STH control.

School-aged children are the most affected group of people in terms of burden due to soil-transmitted helminth infections. Unfortunately, the available treatment programme with albendazole cannot prevent reinfection. Health and hygiene education has been recommended to be effective at reducing the rate of STH infections through increased knowledge about transmission and improved hygiene attitude and practices. We, therefore, developed a health educational board game Worms and Ladders and evaluated its potential to complement treatment and reduce reinfection rates. Our findings show that the worm burden dropped significantly among children who played the newly developed game, compared to other children who played another game. The knowledge, attitude and practices of the children as regards STH also improved significantly. The Worms and Ladders board game, therefore, has the potential to promote good hygiene behavior, which in turn translated to a reduced rate of infections. These findings present the newly developed game as a reliable tool to complement mass drug administration campaigns for STH control.

Comparative Assessment on Mechanism Underlying Renal Toxicity of Commercial Formulation of Roundup Herbicide and Glyphosate Alone in Male Albino Rat

There have been major concerns that the nephrotoxicity of commercial formulations of Roundup herbicide is due to the active ingredient glyphosate. We therefore investigated and compared the mechanisms underlining the nephrotoxicity of Roundup herbicide and glyphosate alone in rat. Fifty-six adult male rats randomized into 7 groups of 8 rats per group were exposed to Roundup formulation and glyphosate alone daily by gavage at 3.6, 50.4, and 248.4 mg/kg body weight (bw) of glyphosate concentrations for 12 weeks with distilled water administered to the control group. Kidney biomarker (serum urea and creatinine, plasma cystatin-C, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin), oxidative stress indices in the kidney tissue, activities of kidney membrane-bound enzymes (Mg-adenosine triphosphatase [ATPase], Ca-ATPase, Na/K-ATPase, and total ATPase), and histopathological changes in the kidney were monitored. Glyphosate concentration in the kidney was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Significant ( P < 0.05) alterations in the levels of the kidney biomarker, oxidative stress markers, and membrane-bound enzymes were observed in the rats exposed to Roundup compared to the rats exposed to glyphosate alone. Rats exposed to Roundup accumulated more glyphosate residue in their kidney tissue. Severe histopathological lesions were only seen in the kidneys of rats exposed to Roundup. The nephrotoxicity observed cannot be due to the active ingredient in the Roundup formulation, as glyphosate alone has virtually no effect on the renal function of the exposed animals. Therefore, the general claim attributing nephrotoxicity of a glyphosate-based herbicide to its active ingredient should be discouraged.

Impact of heavy metal bioaccumulation on antioxidant activities and DNA profile in two earthworm species and freshwater prawn from Ogun River

The use of freshwater invertebrates as bioindicator of heavy metal pollution is an important tool for environmental biomonitoring. This study investigated antioxidant activities and DNA profile in two limicolous earthworms (Alma millsoni and Libyodrilus violaceus) and freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) at selected points of Ogun River, Abeokuta. Heavy metal concentrations and DNA profile in the earthworms and prawn tissues were measured using standard procedures. Zn concentration was higher than other heavy metals in A. millsoni (685.83±114.42mg/kg), L. violaceus (1913.3±1098.7mg/kg) and M. vollenhovenii (134.7±13.61mg/kg). Superoxide dismutase activity ranged from 62.44±7.16-79.82±11.18U/g tissues, 60.26±11.18-71.07±7.54U/g tissues and 74.07±16.69-87.79±8.50U/g tissues in A. millsoni, L. violaceus and M. vollenhovenii respectively. RAPD-PCR revealed varying DNA profile among the earthworms samples; the UPGMA dendrogram formed two distinct clusters at genetic similarity coefficient of 0.15-0.2 with one cluster consisting of Alma millsoni and Libyodrilus violaceus from Sokori, Enugada and Iberekodo sampling points and the second cluster forming two distinct sub-clusters comprising Arakanga and Ago-ika's L. violaceus in one and A. millsoni in the other. High genetic variability was recorded among the earthworm species while the freshwater prawn showed no variability. Antioxidant activities and genetic variability in earthworms could serve as biomarkers of heavy metal pollution in freshwater environment.

Effect of gasoline fumes on reproductive function in male albino rats

The increase in the frequency of exposure to gasoline fumes and the growing incidence of infertility among humans has been a major concern and subject of discussion over the years in Nigeria. We therefore present the reproductive effect of gasoline fumes on inhalation exposure in 40 male albino rats. The rats were randomized into five experimental treatments (T) with eight rats per treatment. T1 (control) was exposed to distilled water while T2, T3, T4, and T5 were exposed to gasoline fumes in exposure chambers for 1, 3, 5, and 9 h daily respectively for 12 weeks. Serum level of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, oxidative stress markers in the testicular tissue, epididymal sperm health assessment, and testicular histopathology of the rats were used as a diagnostic marker of reproductive dysfunction. Significant (p < 0.05) alterations in the levels of all the reproductive hormones and oxidative stress markers assayed were observed in rats exposed to gasoline fume. Significant reductions (p < 0.05) in sperm count and percentage motility in the exposed rats were observed. Significant (p < 0.05) increased in abnormal sperm cells characterized by damaged head, bent tail, damaged tail, and without head were also observed in the exposed rats. Histopathologically, severe degenerative testicular architectural lesions characterized by alterations in all the generations of sperm cells and reduction of interstitial cells were seen in the exposed rats. Gasoline fume is thus said to interfere with spermatogenesis and impair fertility in male gonad.

Reproductive toxicity of Roundup herbicide exposure in male albino rat

The incidence of infertility in human is on the increase and the use of Roundup herbicide and presence of its residues in foodstuff is a major concern. This study therefore aim to assess the effect of Roundup on the reproductive capacity of 32 adult male albino rats randomized into 4 groups of 8 rats per group orally exposed to Roundup at 3.6mg/kg body weight(bw), 50.4mg/kgbw and 248.4mg/kgbw of glyphosate concentrations for 12 weeks while the control group was given distilled water. Serum level of reproductive hormone (testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin), oxidative stress indices in the testicular tissue, epididymal sperm morphology assessment and testicular histopathology of the rats were used as a diagnostic marker of reproductive dysfunction. Significant (p<0.05) alterations in the level of all the reproductive hormones and oxidative stress markers assayed were observed in rats exposed to Roundup. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in sperm count, percentage motility and significant (p<0.05) increased in abnormal sperm cells were observed in the exposed rats. Histopathologically, severe degenerative testicular architectural lesions were seen in the Roundup exposed rats. Roundup may interfere with spermatogenesis and impair fertility in male gonad.