Browsing by Author "Asante, J."
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Item Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum Rh2b deletion polymorphism across different transmission areas(Scientific Reports, 2020-01-30) Aniweh, Y.; Suurbaar, J.; Morang’a, C.M.; Nyarko, P.B.; Wright, K.E.; Kusi, K.A.; Ansah, F.; Kyei-Baafour, E.; Quansah, E.; Asante, J.; Thiam, L.G.; Higgins, M.K.; Awandare, G.A.Despite significant progress in controlling malaria, the disease remains a global health burden. The intricate interactions the parasite Plasmodium falciparum has with its host allows it to grow and multiply in human erythrocytes. The mechanism by which P. falciparum merozoites invade human erythrocytes is complex, involving merozoite proteins as well as erythrocyte surface proteins. Members of the P. falciparum reticulocyte binding-like protein homolog (PfRh) family of proteins play a pivotal role in merozoite invasion and hence are important targets of immune responses. Domains within the PfRh2b protein have been implicated in its ability to stimulate natural protective antibodies in patients. More specifically, a 0.58 kbp deletion, at the C-terminus has been reported in high frequencies in Senegalese and Southeast Asian parasite populations, suggesting a possible role in immune evasion. We analysed 1218 P. falciparum clinical isolates, and the results show that this deletion is present in Ghanaian parasite populations (48.5% of all isolates), with Kintampo (hyper-endemic, 53.2%), followed by Accra (Hypo-endemic, 50.3%), Cape Coast (meso-endemic, 47.9%) and Sogakope (meso-endemic, 43.15%). Further analysis of parasite genomes stored in the MalariaGEN database revealed that the deletion variant was common across transmission areas globally, with an overall frequency of about 27.1%. Interestingly, some parasite isolates possessed mixed PfRh2b deletion and full-length alleles. We further showed that levels of antibodies to the domain of PfRh2 protein were similar to antibody levels of PfRh5, indicating it is less recognized by the immune system.Item Assessment of Household Solid Waste Management Practices in the Sunyani West District(University of Ghana, 2016-07) Asante, J.; Afari, E.A.; University of Ghana, College of Health Sciences, School of Public HealthBackground: Sanitation is an important foundation for health, economic development and well-being hence waste management (Bartram &Cairncross2010; WSP 2010).The perception of household waste as unwanted material with no intrinsic value has dominated attitudes towards it management. Waste management is therefore defined as the collection, storage, transportation, processing, treatment, recycling and final disposal of waste. The study was conducted in the sunyani west district. The objective of the study is to assess household solid waste management practices in the sunyani west district. Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross sectional study design and used mixed methods such as quantitative and qualitative for data collection. The sample size for the study is 384. The sampling method used was simple random sampling method. Ethical approval was received from the ethics review committee of the Ghana health service for this study. Permission was also sought from district health directorate as well as district assembly. Data was analyzed using stata version 13. Results: the study reveals that more than half (52.30%) of the waste generated by households are food debris, (28.60%) are plastic waste and (19.10%) for that of bottles and cans. More than half (73.4%) of the participant dispose their waste indiscriminately and that of designated site contributed to (26.6%). Majority of the respondent engages in inappropriate practices (57.0%) of household solid waste management practices whiles that of appropriate practices contributed to 43.0% in the study. It was discovered that gender, level of education, monthly earnings, residential unit and household sizes were significantly associated with household solid waste management practices (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion Socio-economic, behavioral and institutional support factors were potential factors influencing household solid waste management practice. Intensive education of the public, provision of bins and piles of containers, enforcement of waste management laws could help contribute to good household waste management practices.Item Levels Of Selected Biomarkers In Peripheral Blood Of Hemoglobinopathy Patients Diagnosed With Preeclampsia, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra,2019.(University Of Ghana, 2020-06) Asante, J.Background: Preeclampsia is a multifactorial progressive disease that is characterized by a persistently high blood pressure above 140/90mmHg and proteinuria 2+ and above. It is known to cause 2-8% of pregnancy complications worldwide and its prevalence in Ghana is between 2-3%. Women with preexisting conditions such as abnormal haemoglobin genotypes are at a higher risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. The shared pathophysiology between hemoglobinopathies and preeclampsia could make early detection of the condition difficult. More so, due to the unknown aetiology of the disease, the only way to solve it is to deliver the placenta. This may lead to obstetric and perinatal complications and also death depending on the severity of the disease. Biomarkers can be used to understand the pathogenesis and better diagnose the disease. This study determined selected circulating biomarkers in women with hemoglobinopathies diagnosed with preeclampsia. Method: This was a cross-sectional study of women between the ages of 18-45 years that was delivered in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in KBTH, Accra. The study population was 108. It included hemoglobinopathy patients diagnosed with Preeclampsia and those without preeclampsia and normal haemoglobin patients diagnosed with preeclampsia and those without preeclampsia. Out of the several markers reviewed 4 potential markers were explored, N-Terminal Prohormone-Brain Natriuretic Protein (NTpro-BNP), Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein -A (PAPP-A), Neuropilin-1(NEU-1) and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Gel electrophoresis was run to confirm the haemoglobin genotypes of the participants. A sandwich ELISA was run to determine the levels of the biomarkers in the study participants. A histogram was used to show the frequency of the genotypes. Fisher’s exact test was done to determine an association. Spearman correlation test was done to assess correlation. A multivariate model was done to assess if the biomarkers can predict preeclampsia. Results: From gel electrophoresis, it was found that the majority 54.6% (49/108) of the patients had normal hemoglobinopathy genotypes. The confirmation tests reclassified 0.08% of the participants with initial HbAA genotypes to different haemoglobin genotypes and 2.8% of participants with initial HbSS genotypes were also reclassified to different genotypes. Preeclampsia complicated pregnancy patients had the highest mean age of study participants was 31±4.5years. Among the women with PE and HbP, the majority (78.9%) of them delivered by caesarean section as well as those with HbP only and PE only. Among the women with HbP, mean serum levels of NTpro-BNP were higher in the preeclamptic group (40.76±21.6pg/ml, p=0.9309) compared to the non-preeclamptic group. Serum levels of PAI- 1 were extremely high among the HbP and PE women (135.18±157.1pg/ml, p= 0.0105). The mean serum levels of PAPP-A, across the comparison groups, the women with HbP diagnosed with PE had a low mean serum level of PAPP-A (0.86±0.7ng/ml, p=0.4563). The highest median serum level of Neuropilin-1 was 1918pg/ml which ranges from 78.5pg/ml to 3134pg/ml in women with PE complicated pregnancy. There was a significant difference between the DBP of mothers at their first prenatal visit and preeclampsia diagnosis though the correlation was weak (r=0.1993, p=0.0456; r=0.4036, p=0.0080). In the multivariate model, it was found that none of the markers showed significance in predicting preeclampsia in pregnant women with hemoglobinopathy. Conclusion: In conclusion, misclassifications of patients' sickling status were detected. The confirmation tests reclassified some participants of HbAA genotype and others of HbSS. There were variations in the concentrations of the selected biomarkers measured in pregnant women with hemoglobinopathies diagnosed with PE. This variation was only significant in the serum levels of PAI-1. All biomarkers investigated did not show any promising ability in predicting preeclampsia in women with HbP and PE and women without HbP and PE.