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Biomedical subjects

J N Minjas

Publications and source records attributed to J N Minjas.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Genes for Plasmodium falciparum surface antigens cloned by expression in COS cells.

Two genes encoding membrane antigens of Plasmodium falciparum were isolated by transient expression in mammalian cells and selection with human immune sera from African adults exposed to P. falciparum malaria. COS-7 cells were transfected with a plasmid expression library constructed from P. falciparum genomic DNA, and cells expressing reactive malaria antigens on their surface were enriched by adherence to antibody-coated dishes. One of the genes isolated is distinctive in that it does not contain repeat sequences typical of many malarial genes cloned by immunoscreening of bacterial expression libraries. The second gene apparently encodes a polymorphic version of the P. falciparum merozoite surface antigen Ag513, since the two sequences are identical in the 5' and 3' coding regions but diverge completely in the center. The COS-7 expression system provides an alternate means for cloning genes encoding malarial membrane antigens by using those antibodies in complex immune sera that bind membrane-associated, nondenatured molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Haematuria and proteinuria in urinary schistosomiasis: response to therapy with praziquantel in Tanzanian children.

In order to assess the efficacy of praziquantel against Schistosoma haematobium and its effect on the morbidity indices, haematuria and proteinuria, a study was carried out using school receiving praziquantel at 40 mg/kg body weight. Twenty-four weeks after treatment, the percentage of cure was high and reached 100% among the 'light' and 'moderate' infection groups. In the 'heavy' infection group, a cure rate of 50% and a 69.3% egg reduction was observed. An overall cure rate of 94% was achieved at 24 weeks. Microhaematuria and proteinuria were reduced by 96.6% and 92.5%, respectively.

Child↗
PubMed1986

Further observations on the use of gross haematuria as an indirect screening technique for the detection of Schistosoma haematobium infection in school children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The reliability of using visible haematuria as an indirect screening technique to detect Schistosoma haematobium was investigated in 418 school children from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The sensitivity of the test varied significantly with the time of urine collection and the portion of the micturition stream examined. Whereas sensitivity was 50% and accuracy 73% in the morning, in the afternoon sensitivity and accuracy had increased to 75% and 97% respectively if terminal urine samples were examined. It is concluded that visible haematuria is a sensitive, highly accurate and reliable indirect screening test for urinary schistosomiasis provided that the method of collection and examination of the urine samples is standardized.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of indirect screening techniques for the detection of Schistosoma haematobium infection in an urban area, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

393 primary school children were screened for Schistosoma haematobium using four indirect techniques (a) history of haematuria, (b) visual appearance of urine and use of chemical reagent strips to detect presence of (c) blood and (d) protein in urine. Results showed that the use of chemical reagent strips for the detection of blood was the most specific and sensitive method, even in areas of lower prevalence and intensity. History of haematuria, protein in urine and visual appearance were respectively next in order in terms of specificity and sensitivity. The implications of these findings for further studies have been made.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The rapid manual ParaSight-F test. A new diagnostic tool for Plasmodium falciparum infection.

A rapid manual test for Plasmodium falciparum, the ParaSight-F test, has been used on a series of patients in a holoendemic malaria area of coastal Tanzania. The test, which is an antigen capture test detecting trophozoite-derived histidine rich protein-II, is simple to perform and provides a definitive answer in about 10 min. It requires no special equipment and is read using a single drop of blood. When compared with 272 thick blood films examined microscopically by 2 observers and confirmed by the QBC malaria test, the ParaSight-F test had 88.9% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity. Detectable antigenaemia in a group of 40 people declined following treatment with Fansidar and by 10 d after treatment all but 4 individuals were antigen free. The remaining 4, although clear of peripheral parasitaemia, remained antigenaemic for 14 d. The test shows great promise for rapid effective diagnosis of P. falciparum in clinics and village health centres where there is no facility for microscopy. Because of its accuracy and rapid action it may even obviate the need for microscopical examination of blood films to diagnose P. falciparum malaria.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The role of four anopheline species (Diptera: Culicidae) in malaria transmission in coastal Tanzania.

Malaria is holoendemic in coastal Tanzania with Anopheles funestus and members of the A. gambiae complex being mainly responsible for transmission. Over a 4 months' sampling period 2222 anopheline mosquitoes were collected using light-traps and indoor resting catches, of which 58.6% were A. gambiae, 7.6% A. arabiensis, 6.9% A. merus and 26.9% A. funestus. Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite antigen (CSA) rates were: A. funestus 6.05% (n = 479), A. gambiae 8.4% (n = 1042), A. arabiensis 7.3% (n = 136) and A. merus 9.8% (n = 122). The P. malariae CSA rate for all anophelines was 0.07% (n = 1862). Estimated sporozoite densities were less than 2000 for at least 50% of all the positive mosquitoes. Along the coast the abundance of A. merus (41.3%) and A. gambiae (46.1%) was similar, and their CSA rates were comparable (11.6% and 12.5%, respectively) and higher than those for A. arabiensis (7.7%) and A. funestus (4.6%). These results indicate that A. merus plays an unexpectedly important role in malaria transmission in coastal Tanzania.

Animals↗