Aquagenic Pruritus: A Review of the Pathophysiology – Beyound Histamine
Ekpe EL,
Utomi Mercy Nkemjika
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
40-43
Received:
5 June 2017
Accepted:
5 July 2017
Published:
16 August 2017
Abstract: Aquagenic pruritus is a common dermatological problem with prevalence as high as 26.5% in some locations of the world. Pruritus is the major symptom manifesting as prick-like, burning or biting sensation after contact with water. Histamine from mast cells has been the main culprit responsible for the itching associated with this problem and some patients are relieved by anti-histamines when given. However, anti-histamines do not relieve symptoms of aquagenic pruritus when given to some other groups of patients; implying that other risk factors or chemical mediators outside histamine may be responsible for this problem. Recently, other associated risk factors have been enumerated from various scientific researches to be responsible for this health problem. This article reviews these other risk factors that are linked up to the pathophysiology of aquagenic pruritus and the possible pharmacological intervention adopted by various authors and researchers globally.
Abstract: Aquagenic pruritus is a common dermatological problem with prevalence as high as 26.5% in some locations of the world. Pruritus is the major symptom manifesting as prick-like, burning or biting sensation after contact with water. Histamine from mast cells has been the main culprit responsible for the itching associated with this problem and some pa...
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Antimycotic and Antibacterial Activity of Aframomum melegueta Seed Extracts Against Bacteria and Fungi Species from Food Sources
Alloysius Chibuike Ogodo,
Chioma Blessing Nwaneri,
Dawn Ify Agwaranze,
Jonathan Ewanfo Inetianbor,
Christopher Uchechukwu Okoronkwo
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
44-50
Received:
15 June 2017
Accepted:
21 July 2017
Published:
16 August 2017
Abstract: The antibacterial and antimycotic activity of Aframomum melegueta seeds were investigated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas earuginosa, Salmonella species, Klebsiella species, Bacillus species, Fusarium species, Rhizopus species, Aspergillus species, Penicillium species and Mucor species isolated from spoiled bread and tomatoes using agar well diffusion method. The result showed that the ethanol extract exhibited higher antibacterial activity more than the aqueous extract with Bacillus sp. having the highest zone of inhibition (28mm, 23mm), followed by Salmonella sp. (26mm, 22mm), S. aureus (24mm, 19mm), Klesiella sp. (22mm, 17mm) and E. coli (20mm, 16mm) while P. earuginosa was the least (18mm, 15mm). The antifungal activity showed that Rhizopus sp. was the most inhibited by both ethanol and aqueous extracts respectively (20mm and 16mm), followed Penicillium sp. (17mm and 12mm), Aspergillus sp. (14mm and 11mm) and Fusarium sp. (14mm and 10mm) while Mucor sp. was the least (15mm and 9mm). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the aqueous seed extracts showed that MIC of E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella sp. and Bacillus sp. was 20mg/mL. MIC for P. earuginosa, Klesiella sp. and Rhizopus sp. was 30mg/mL while Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. and Mucor sp. have MICs of 50mg/mL. The MICs of the ethanolic extract showed that E. coli and S. aureus have MICs of 10mg/mL, P. earuginosa, Klesiella sp., Penicillium sp. and Rhizopus sp. have 20mg/mL, Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp. and Mucor sp. have 30mg/mL while Bacillus sp. was the most susceptible with MIC of 5mg/mL. The low MICs are indication of strong antibacterial and antimycotic effects of the extracts. Hence, the extracts could be used in treating infections associated with the test organisms and as well as serve as potential food preservative.
Abstract: The antibacterial and antimycotic activity of Aframomum melegueta seeds were investigated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas earuginosa, Salmonella species, Klebsiella species, Bacillus species, Fusarium species, Rhizopus species, Aspergillus species, Penicillium species and Mucor species isolated from spoiled bread and to...
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An Audit of Routine Chest X-ray Done During Pre-employment Medical Screening in South-Western Nigeria
Anselm Ejike Chukwuani,
Abimbola Osanaiye,
Obinna Franklin Eneje,
David Oselumenosen Omiyi
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
51-54
Received:
10 June 2017
Accepted:
30 June 2017
Published:
24 August 2017
Abstract: Routine pre-employment chest radiography is one of the examinations performed to assess the medical fitness of prospective employees in many establishments around the world. It is also used to ensure that prospective employees can perform their jobs safely without placing co-workers and others at potential health risk by ruling out the existence of chronic infectious pulmonary diseases like tuberculosis. Despite these focused goals, there are concerns over poor positive result yield, associated unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation and wastage of economic resources linked to pre-employment chest x-ray. This study aimed to audit the reports of pre-employment chest radiographs, documented associated radiological findings and subsequently examined the clinical relevance or otherwise of this practice in the locality under study. The records of 725 patients, who had underwent pre-employment chest x-rays between January 2014 and December 2016 in three foremost teaching hospitals in South-western Nigeria, were retrospectively reviewed. All findings were documented including abnormalities ‘flagged’ as clinically-significant by the radiologists’ reports irrespective of the severity or the effect of the abnormality on the employment outcome of the individual. The results show that majority of the patients referred for pre-employment chest x-ray presented with normal radiological findings (n = 687, 94.8%). The significant abnormal findings (n = 38, 5.2%) were chronic cardiovascular disorder (n = 15, 2.0%), followed by chronic lung disease (n = 18, 2.5%) and finally skeletal abnormality (n = 5, 0.7%). Individuals 25 years and below presented with no abnormal findings while abnormal findings are found in subjects in the age range of 26-30 years and above. This audit has shown that chest radiography has little or no clinical relevance in routine pre-employment medical screening of physically healthy and asymptomatic prospective employees. Therefore, chest radiography should be restricted to individuals with clinical findings suggestive of cardio-thoracic disorders during pre-employment medical screening.
Abstract: Routine pre-employment chest radiography is one of the examinations performed to assess the medical fitness of prospective employees in many establishments around the world. It is also used to ensure that prospective employees can perform their jobs safely without placing co-workers and others at potential health risk by ruling out the existence of...
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