Papers by Yongabi Kenneth
Journal of environmental science and engineering, Aug 8, 2011
K.A. Yongabi, D.M. Lewis and P.L. Harrishttp://www.cqvip.com/QK/89600X/201108/38925113.htm
The persistently high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates in Cameroon are known to ... more The persistently high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates in Cameroon are known to be in direct relationship with family planning and child spacing, especially among the young females of reproductive age (Strategies for Growth and Employment, 2000; and Health Sectorial Strategy, 2009). In the Santa Health District, the number of women who had access to family planning compared to the target from June 2006 to June 2008 was still very low -13% (Health Sectorial Strategy, 2009). That is why there is a high prevalence of adolescent pregnancies and illegal abortions (MICS, 2006). The aim of this study was to explore the socio-behavioral determinants that are responsible for the low utilization of family planning services in the Santa Health District. It was a descriptive cross sectional and comparative design in which “BEHAVE” was used to analyze the determinants between users and non-users of family planning services in the health district in order to come up with concrete...
Journal of Molecular Pharmaceutics & Organic Process Research, 2014
Lakes & Reservoirs: Science, Policy and Management for Sustainable Use, 2013
Intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis were surveyed in this study to determine their abunda... more Intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis were surveyed in this study to determine their abundance and distribution in the lake and land aquatic habitats of Lake Victoria basin of Kenya. Several sites were sampled at eight locations, both in the lake and on the land. The habitat and/or vegetation type (i.e. open water, hippo grass, hyacinth, ambatch trees, other vegetation, stream, swamp, pond, dam) of the sampled aquatic sites within the locations were also differentiated, water physicochemical parameters were determined, and the abundance of different species or taxa of phytoplankton and zooplankton were enumerated and correlated with the abundance of schistosomiasis snails in the sites. The results indicated significantly more Biomphalaria sudanica snails than Bulinus africanus snails in different physical habitats on land (Student's t-test, P < 0.05), as well as in different locations on land (Student's t-test, P = 0.026). Regression analyses revealed that several physicochemical parameters, including dissolved oxygen (R 2 = À0.659; n = 8; P = 0.014), pH (R 2 = 0.728; n = 8; P = 0.007) and turbulence (R 2 = À0.616; n = 8; P = 0.02), were predictive of Biomphalaria spp. abundance, while pH (R 2 = 0.610; n = 8; P = 0.02) and turbulence (R 2 = À0.578; n = 8; P = 0.028) were predictive of Bulinus spp. abundance in different locations in the lake. Cyanobacteria (R 2 = 0.638; n = 8; P = 0.02) and chlorophyceae (R 2 = À0.50; n = 8; P = 0.05) were shown to be predictive of both Biomphalaria spp. and Bulinus spp. abundance in different locations in the lake. Zooplankton abundance varied significantly between different locations in the lake (One-way ANOVA, P < 0.001). Bosmina spp. were found to be predictive of both Biomphalaria spp. (R 2 = À0.627; n = 8; P = 0.01) and Bulinus spp. (R 2 = À0.50; n = 8; P = 0.05) in different locations in the lake. The results from this study will help inform policy regarding control measures for schistosomias and intermediate snail hosts in Lake Victoria waters, as well as in adjacent terrestrial aquatic habitats and even beyond.
Archives in Cancer Research, 2017
Background: Due to the dearth of information about the burden of prostate cancer disease in Camer... more Background: Due to the dearth of information about the burden of prostate cancer disease in Cameroon, and in respond to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG#3) to prevent non-communicable diseases, a discrete choice clinical study of prostate cancer with the aim to determine the incidence, the associated risk factors and comparative diagnostic tools among males in the NorthWest region of Cameroon was undertaken. Methodology: A cross-sectional simple random sampling was conducted on 231 male volunteers from five health communities in Bamenda, aged ≥ 40 years. A structured questionnaire was issued to participants prior to screening through which demographic and lifestyle information was gotten. Serum free Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) was analyzed and digital rectal examination (DRE) performed by a license medical doctor during routine consultation at the Phyto-biotechnology Research Foundation (PRF) integrated centre via an exit poll. The diagnostic criteria stated as PSA value greater than 4 ng/ml or if digital rectal examination was suspicious for cancer. Biopsy was not done. Results: Out of the 231 men who consented via an exit poll, 45 (19.5%) had a PSA value greater than 4 ng/ml and 68 (28.1%) had a suspicious digital rectal examination. There was a statistical significance between PSA and DRE with a p=0.001. Furthermore, 22 (9.5%) of the males had a PSA of greater than 4 ng/ml and a suspicious DRE. A statistical significance was also established between PSA and DRE with age groups with a p=0.007 and a p=0.001 respectively. No statistical significance was seen with family history of cancer, type of underwear, bicycle riding and physical exercise. Conclusion: The study indicated less than 50% prevalence rate for the men screened, but the 28.1% prevalence level going by DRE may suggest the growing incidence of prostatitis and or benign prostate hyperplasia. Although biopsies are considered the ideal routine observation, this study suggests that PSA marker and DRE determination can be used in combination with clinical features to make appropriate diagnostic decision on prostate cancer in resource limited communities. Recommendation: A health promotion framework involving individuals and communities in Cameroon on the awareness and risk factors associated with prostate cancer for men above forty in Cameroon are future preventive measures to embark upon.
Africa constitutes at least 25% of the total mushroom biodiversity in the world, but barely contr... more Africa constitutes at least 25% of the total mushroom biodiversity in the world, but barely contributes up to 0.4% of total mushroom sales and new mushroom products on the global market. The economic importance of mushrooms in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is increasingly gaining attention on the continent, but there is a paucity of information on the commercial production of edible mushrooms and current research into the cultivation of local mushroom species in SSA. Between 1990 and 2013, commercial production of edible mushrooms improved slightly and amounted to approximately 5000 tons per annum but with an economic value of less than 5 million dollars. Less than 500 people were engaged in mushroom production units per year per country in SSA. Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Namibia, South Africa, Malawi, Benin Republic and Ghana are the leading mushroom producing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Southern, Eastern, Western and Central African countries, per capita consumption of both wild and ...
African Journal of Biotechnology, 2011
An Evaluation of plant-based coagulants and disinfectant-sand filter medium for surface water tre... more An Evaluation of plant-based coagulants and disinfectant-sand filter medium for surface water treatment in Bamenda, Cameroon using bacterial analyses and turbidity were carried out. 100L of very turbid surface water (Turbidity approx. 500NTU) was pretreated with 100 seeds of Moringa oleifera, and further filtered through a sand filter drum (120 L carrying capacity) made of fine, coarse sand, charcoal and gravel. The mean total heterotrophic bacterial counts, Escherichia coli, coliform, pseudomonas and yeast counts, as well as turbidity of untreated surface water significantly reduced by 85 to 95%. The results suggested that the mean values of the same parameters for sand filtered pond water alone was significantly lower than the corresponding mean values obtained for plant coagulant treated surface water. The findings from this study demonstrates strongly that a biocoagulant sand filter media (plant based coagulant-sand filter drum) could be applied to treat contaminated surface water, rendering it free from solids and pathogens.
Biomass and Bioenergy, 2014
ABSTRACT Current burdens of faecally derived pathogens entering the environment through untreated... more ABSTRACT Current burdens of faecally derived pathogens entering the environment through untreated human and animal faeces can lead to disease, through direct handling and through contamination of water supplies used for drinking and washing. Anaerobic digestion for biogas generation in rural households in Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to reduce pathogen loadings to the environment through treatment of livestock manures and effluent from pit latrines. However, there are limited data available for its efficacy in Sub-Saharan Africa. We review evidence from around the world and consider its application to the Sub-Saharan African situation.
Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2015
Oocycts of Cryptosporidia are zoonotic infective stages of Cryptosporidia spp that can easily con... more Oocycts of Cryptosporidia are zoonotic infective stages of Cryptosporidia spp that can easily contaminate the environment if not properly disposed of. Torrential rains would usually wash them into the nearby streams and likely be consumed by humans when the water is used. Cryotosporidiosis in people with suppressed immune systems have no cure as the robust oocycst are not destroyed by chlorination. The aim of this study is to determine the presence of Cryptosporia oocycts in stream water after torrential rains 60 samples of stream water were collected immediately after rain storm in June and July 2014, from 5 streams flowing through Bamenda town. 2 samples of 1.5L were collected from each stream, on 6 different days. Cryptosporidia ssp were present in all the streams but there was no significant difference between their occurrence and the stream’s location, Chi square = 2.605, >0.05The streams flowing through Bamenda town are polluted Keywords: storm-water, zoonotic, Cryptosporid...
Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2017
The present study establishes the in-vitro effect of some selected agrochemicals(Glycot, Lamida a... more The present study establishes the in-vitro effect of some selected agrochemicals(Glycot, Lamida and Pencozeb) on protozoans and some algae isolated from mosquito larval habitats in Bamenda urban zone, Cameroon. A convenience sampling technique was used in which water samples were randomly collected from 125 mosquito larval habitats from Bamenda urban zone. Out of the 123 samples tested, 41(33.33%) samples were found to be positive. Dinoflagellates predorminated with a frequency of 20(16.26%). One genera of protozoa(chillodenella) pathogenic to mosquito larvae was seen. Hook worm, Faciola, Paramecium and Trichomonas were found to be of medical importance while Euglena, Diatoms and Dinoflagellates were found to be of agricultural importance. All the protozoans and algae tested were susceptible to Lamida and Penncozeb, but resistant to glycot at all concentrations tested. Conclusively, the susceptibility of Chillodenella spp to Lamida and Penncozeb suggest their interference with natur...
The dynamic of Cryptosporidia parvum and its zoonotic potentials have not been established in the... more The dynamic of Cryptosporidia parvum and its zoonotic potentials have not been established in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, which is an important watershed in Cameroon with a lot of cattle grazing at free range. The aim of this study was to identify Cryptosporidia oocysts and other intestinal parasites in cattle from the 6 out of the 7 divisions that make up the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Single stool samples were randomly collected from 60 cattle (30 diarrhoeic and 30 non-diarrhoeic) immediately the cattle passed dung. Dungs were examined for intestinal parasites using standard techniques (Formalin-ether sedimentation method and Modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain). Out of the 60 dung samples examined, 34 were found to be positive with one or more parasites, giving an overall prevalence of 56.67%. Fasciola species recorded the highest prevalence 10(16.67%), followed by Cryptosporidium parvum 07(11.7 Fasciola spp has the highest prevalence 7(23.33%), followed by Cryptosporidium parvum 5(16.67%), in diarrhoeic dung. For non-diarrhoeic dung Fasciola spp 2(6.67% and Cryptosporidium parvum is 2(6.67) that were the same.Cryptosporidium parvum is common in the North West Region of Cameroon and can easily contaminate the environment leading to human infections.
Diagnosis and treatment of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) in HIV/AIDS patients in Cameroon hospi... more Diagnosis and treatment of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) in HIV/AIDS patients in Cameroon hospitals is poor. In this study, HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy but still presenting with pyrexia of unknown origin after undergoing treatment for malaria and typhoid were an analyzed for babesiosis. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [Elisa] kit was employed to detect antibodies to Babesia microti and Babessia bovis. Out of 155 patients who consulted at Phytobiotechnology Research Foundation Clinics (PRF) in Bamenda and BachuaMamfe between June 2012 and December 2013, 60 patients presented with pyrexia of unknown origin. Clinical examination indicated that they had not defaulted on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), while serological test and stool culture proved negative for Salmonella typhi The patients were noted to have previously been on antibiotic medication and with an average CD4 count in the range of 200 to 600 cells per mm. The patients were noted to have...
African Journal of Biotechnology, 2009
Poultry faeces collected from the research farm of the school of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Bal... more Poultry faeces collected from the research farm of the school of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria, was anaerobically digested for five weeks retention time using a plastic type digester constructed at the FMEnv/ZERI Research Centre and a follow up system set up in Cameroon at the compound of the National Polytechnic Bambui, Bamenda in the North West part of the country with 200 L poultry faeces collected from a private farmer in Bambui village who reported that composted poultry faeces used to fertilized his plantain field generated stem and root rot disease. Following anaerobic digestion of poultry faeces for 37 days in Nigeria, the raw slurries with a very high mean bacterial counts too numerous to count (estimated as above 10,000 cfu per ml) reduced drastically to only 180 cful ml while mean coliform and Escherichia coli counts too numerous to count reduced drastically to 130 and 87 cful ml, respectively. The difference in mean microbial counts from...
Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 2020
The effect of ethanol leaf extract of Gnetum africanum was studied in albino rats induced with be... more The effect of ethanol leaf extract of Gnetum africanum was studied in albino rats induced with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The animals (36) were randomly grouped into six with six rats in each group. Testosterone and oestradiol every other day for 28 days was used to induce hyperplasia. The test groups (2-4) were treated with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight of extract for another 28 days. Group 5 was given the standard drug while group 6 served as negative control. At the end of the treatment period, the rats were sacrificed under anesthesia and blood samples collected for biochemical analysis. The results showed that in the animals exposed to the inducing agents increased significantly (p <0.05) in activity of MDA, ACP and PSA levels whereas there was a significant (p >0.05) decrease in the activities of GR, CAT and SOD as compared with the normal control. However, treatment with ethanol leaf extract of G. africanum showed significant (p >0.05) increase in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes and significant (p >0.05) decrease in the level of MDA, ACP and PSA in a dose dependent manner as comparable to the normal control. These findings are indication that the extract of G. africanum has potential remedial effects on benign prostatic hyperplasia.
American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2015
In this essay, we attempted to catalogue and describe African indigenous knowledge, in contributi... more In this essay, we attempted to catalogue and describe African indigenous knowledge, in contributing to sustainable health development in Sub Saharan Africa. In the face of poverty and threats of diseases such as ebola.We also describe how biotechnology can enhance cultural mechanism for improved health care. A snap shot of certain cultural habits that promote disease dissemination that would have to be modified is described. This report is basically a descriptive essay and partly based on a survey and collection of indigenous practices in Cameroon, and some cultures across countries in SSA. Some of the traditional knowledge relevant to disease transmission and control may form basis for experimentation, validation, development and application of appropriate medical biotechnologies for cheap, low tech disease control strategies and healthy living through a number of ethnobotanicals medicines, such as Occimum basilicum popularly called holy basil and in Kom language known as afuaih toh by many ethnicities of the Tikar in Ghana, Uganda, Gabon, parts of Kenya and Tanzania, Equitorial Guinea, Ethiopia, and Madagascar, who believe that the aromatic smell it emits dispels not only evil spirits but certain diseases such as HIV, Ebola and disease vectors. Such indigenous knowledge and science, with simple skills and familiarity, applied as an innovative approach to hygiene, medical challenges and disease control. Understand the practices, and see how to introduce interventions (incremental interventions), with existing indigenous knowledge enhanced with present science and technology, which you see can be applied to resolving present and possible outbreaks like Ebola. Generally called Macepo, tribes in Bukuru in northern Nigeria often used it to preserve dead bodies in remote villages where neither hospital nor morgue exist for days pending burial. Could scientific attention validate the use of African indigenous knowledge in Ebola prevention or future emerging diseases so that Africans can carry out safe burials within the context of their culture without risk of disease spread? We noted the believe amongst most ethnic groups regarding the use of Occimum basilicum, and leaf powder of some indigenous plants as a preservative for corpse or crops and insect repellent.This could serve as excellent platforms for mitigation and control of outbreaks such as Ebola.
American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2015
Despite increasing global efforts to contain infectious diseases such as Ebola, HIV, and new stra... more Despite increasing global efforts to contain infectious diseases such as Ebola, HIV, and new strains of Hepatitis Virus, the spread and burden still constitute more than 25% of the global disease picture. In this report, insights on an innovative cost saving evolutionary learning laboratory model (ELS Lab) consisting of a systems approach to the control of infectious diseases are discussed. There have been many science-based analyses from demographic, epidemiologic, disease intervention, and economic control measures in Sub-Saharan Africa to curb infectious diseases, yet the continued spread of new and old infectious diseases poses a serious challenge to public health in SSA. There is persistent typhoid endermicity with emergence of new antibiotic resistant strains of salmonella typhi as well as non typhoidal salmonellosis. There is increasing resistant strains of Entameoba histolytica to metronidazle, poor response of patients to artemisinin based antimalarials and sporadic cholera is spreading. Although disease elimination programs such as against trypanosomiasis (chagas disease), onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, trachoma, and measles are succeeding such as drancontiasis elimination process is very successful in northern Nigeria and Cameroon, ebola virus disease, dengue, leishmaniasis, african trypanosomiasis, malaria, diarrheal diseases, helminthes infections, and tuberculosis are re-emerging due to inadequate interventions and control strategies couple with breakdown of health delivery systems. In most countries in SSA, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is not less than 4% of the total population. The challenges caused by both new and old opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS couple with increasing resistance to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) calls for serious new intervention strategy. Endemic poverty and increasing changes in climatic pattern in the current control efforts especially with ebola virus are potentially playing a role in the persistence of these infections. We note that application of technologies must be culture driven, costeffective with intensified research is essential if these and other scourges are to be controlled or eliminated in the 21st century. The process of ELS Lab involves all relevant stakeholders from rural and peri-urban setting, from end users of new medical technology innovations and indigenous management strategies to the developers of the technologies and policy awareness on the integration of safe and productive farm practices with less vulnerability to infections. We propose further capacity building and research into this model.
Journal of Leukemia, 2015
Clinical management of leukemia patients with hydroxyurea-based chemotherapy drugs and radiothera... more Clinical management of leukemia patients with hydroxyurea-based chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy often does not yield very quick therapeutic benefits in patients, especially in tropical resource limited countries. Evidence based supportive and palliative care plan is critical in the clinical management of leukemia patients, which clinicians and oncologists in Africa often do not adequately implement during in-patient management in hospitals for a number of reasons including cost and knowledge. The spectrum of opportunistic infections in leukemia conditions is not well known and considered during management plans. In this study, we report the spectrum of systemic yeast infections amongst leukemia patients attending Phytobiotechnology Research Foundation clinic in Cameroon from June 2012 to June 2015 for the presence of various opportunistic systemic mycoses. All the patients in this study were already receiving hydroxyurea therapy for more than one year at the hospitals in Cameroon. The screening and testing were done through visual observation, KOH microscopy, in addition to culture tests on potato and malt extract agars. Twenty patients screened, were found with systemic yeast infections. Culture of urine, mouth swabs, vaginal fluids and blood yielded a 80% isolates of Candida albicans, and 20% Non Albicans Candida (NAC) including Cryptococcus species isolated from oral swab only. The results generally show that systemic yeasts are prevalent in leukemia patients and its co morbidity may possibly complicate effective chemotherapy treatment. The anti-yeast activity of Persea americana, magnifera indica, Moringa oleifera, and Allium sativum was significant with zones of inhibitions exhibited by Moringa oleifera and Allium sativum showing a better ant yeast activities than with ketoconazole and griseofulvin. The results also suggested the need to exploit alternative botanicals in the comanagement of leukemia as well as its attending opportunistic infections is a critical step toward generating a better treatment for leukemia.
Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2014
Disposal of untreated medical and pharmaceutical wastewaters containing antibiotic resistant bugs... more Disposal of untreated medical and pharmaceutical wastewaters containing antibiotic resistant bugs is frequently discharged onto the environment. Antibiotic resistance is fast becoming one of the most important health problems in both the developing as well as the developed world. The need to embark on this study has been motivated by a number of empirical observations: a retrospective study from January 2012 to April 2014 indicated a growing resistance by Staphylococcus aureus from abscesses, urinary tract and vaginal tract to ciprofloxacin in some hospital and clinics in Cameroon using 500 patients folders which were randomly selected and observed that ciprofloxacin antibiotic resistance was up to 65% with multidrug resistance also observed. Nosocomial Staphylococcal infections are also highly prevalent amongst patients with prolonged hospital stay in Cameroon. Hospital wastewater sampled from 10 health care units in the North West Region of Cameroon was cultured at the Phyto-Biotechnology research laboratory, on Manitol Salt agar and Nutrient agar. Staphylococcus aureus was recovered as the most prevalent bacteria. An antibiotic sensitivity test was carried out using the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in Cameroon for the treatment of staphylococcal infections. We hypothesize that such untreated water used in small-scale agricultural practices in SSA potentially carry antibiotic resistant fluoroquinolones and B-lactams are also being used in human chemotherapeutics. This potentially disseminates resistant microbial strains into humans and thus limits the range of effective antibiotics or human use. Ciprofloxacin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates (10,000CFU/ml) from hospital wastewater was re-suspended in peptone water and fed onto a 5 litre plastic digester using poultry and cow manure slurries as starter cultures. After 6 weeks Hydraulic retention time, samples drawn from the digester and cultured yielded no growth for staphylococcus aureus as against control in a round bottom flasks containing CRSA left on bench. Methane gas was collected at the 5 th week in a plastic tube for cooking. It was concluded that plastic digesters can potentially disinfects antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus from hospital wastewater while producing biogas for cooking and sterile slurry for gardening.
American Journal of Public Health Research, 2020
Vaccination acceptance is important for health security. In other to improve on the acceptance of... more Vaccination acceptance is important for health security. In other to improve on the acceptance of any successful COVID19 vaccine, factors that might influence vaccine hesitancy have to be addressed. Vaccine hesitancy could describe someone who does not have a fully formed opinion about vaccination. They may refuse some vaccines and take others. They may delay the schedule, but eventually fully vaccinate their children. Vaccine hesitant individuals are the most likely to be swayed by anti-vaccine sentiments. These sentiments have the potential to significantly increase the severity of an outbreak. If enough hesitant individuals opt out of a new Covid-19 vaccine, this could undermine efforts to control the outbreak globally, and keep the disease in wide circulation. This article is intended to emphasize on the role of African diaspora as Influencers. The African diaspora, through remittance, influence economic and healthcare decision of the recipient families in their countries of ori...
Insights in Reproductive Medicine, 2018
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Papers by Yongabi Kenneth