Tag Archives: MOSQUITOES

Study raises red alert on spread of untreatable malaria with choice drug

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There is a red alert that malaria is becoming untreatable with the drug of choice, Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT), and the vector, mosquitoes, is becoming resistant to the recommended insecticide, pyrethroids, in more parts of the world.

According to a study published yesterday in the journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a lineage of multidrug resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites (superbugs), has widely spread and is now established in parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, causing high treatment failure rates for the main falciparum malaria medicines, ACTs.

Also, United Kingdom (UK) doctors reported last week Thursday that a key malaria treatment has failed for the first time in patients being treated in the region.

A team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was too early to panic. But it warned things could suddenly get worse and demanded an urgent appraisal of drug-resistance levels in Africa.

However, according to the report, most of the patients were treated with the combination drug: artemether-lumefantrine.In Nigeria, although there are reported cases of treatment failures with ACTs, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) insisted that the country has not confirmed any case of malaria resistant to the drug-of-choice, ACTs.

According to The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the emergence and spread of artemisinin drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum lineage represents a serious threat to global malaria control and eradication efforts.

The authors warned that malaria parasites resistant to both artemisinin and its widely used partner drug, Piperaquine, are now spreading quickly throughout Cambodia, with fitter multidrug resistant parasites spreading throughout western Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand.

Worried that the further spread of these multidrug resistant parasites through India to sub-Saharan Africa would be a global public health disaster, the study authors called for accelerated efforts in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and closer collaboration to monitor any further spread in neighbouring regions.

Also, a genetic analysis of mosquito populations in Africa showed that recent successes in controlling malaria through treated bednets has led to widespread insecticide resistance in mosquitoes.

Zika virus widely in circulation in Nigeria – NCDC

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A review of current epidemiology, risk assessment to public health and interim recommendations for public health response to Zika virus in Nigeria, released yesterday, by the Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja concluded: “Previous evidence of detection of Zika virus in man, and antibodies to Zika virus in Nigerian populations, together with the presence of the vectors indicate that the virus is widely circulated in Nigeria. Thus, in the absence of continued surveillance or periodic national surveys, the epidemiology of the Zika virus in Nigeria remains poorly understood.”

The centre’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who authorised the review, said majority of those infected with the virus remain asymptomatic and for those who develop symptoms, fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headaches, muscle and joint pains typically start three to six days after infection.

He added that the virus might stay in the body for weeks following infection.

Ihekweazu said the current epidemiology of Zika in Nigeria has not been well documented or understood due to paucity of recent data.

He noted that the virus shares a similar vector, the Aedes (Steogmyia) mosquitoes, also responsible for other flavivirus infections recorded in the country such as such as yellow fever and dengue.

Ihekweazu revealed that the environmental and human behavioural risk factors in areas with reported Zika outbreaks were similar to those found in Nigeria and would thus favour the circulation of Zika.

He said possible cross-reaction with other endemic flaviviruses like yellow fever and dengue; genetic host factors protecting against infection or disease; low vector competence and transmission efficiency; lack of diagnostic testing; and the absence of systematic surveillance are potential limitations to detect on-going transmission of Zika in the country.

Ihekweazu said in principle, all countries with presence of Aedes (Steogmyia) albopictus and Aedes (Steogmyia) aegypti mosquitoes are at risk of sustained transmission and human activity aids the spread of the virus to locations far beyond the normal range for the vector.

He stressed that in the light of the review, NCDC plans to initiate surveillance to understand and monitor the epidemiology of virus in the country for appropriate interventions.

Self Acclaimed Living God In Kenya Killed By Mosquitoes

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Self-proclaimed living god Jehovah Wanyonyi is dead, a local leader has confirmed, amid his followers’ prayers for his ‘resurrection’.

Wanyonyi, 98, died from malaria on July 18 on his way to Cherangany Nursing Home in Kitale town, Kipsomba chief Daniel Busienei told the Standard.

Busienei said the spiritual leader’s children sought a burial permit on July 19, adding that the hospital required it before releasing the body.

“I told my assistant chief to issue them with a permit to allow the deceased family to lay him to rest,” he said.

Assistant chief Paul Bett confirmed that he gave the family the burial permit a day after Wanyonyi’s death.
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On Sunday, Wanyonyi’s followers, the Lost Israelites of Kenya, prayed for his return at his home in Nangili, Kakamega county.

Some of them said they have been fasting since they learnt that he had gone missing.

“We believe in him and we want him back on the throne as soon as possible,” follower Joyce Nakhanu said.

Wanyonyi has not been seen in public for more than six weeks and his family is also anxiously waiting for him.

Family spokesman Eliab Masinde said he has been hospitalised in Nairobi, where his sons are taking care of him.
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Wanyonyi, who also has a following in Uganda, developed back problems four years ago.

He had been confined to a wheelchair at the home, where his followers say he has 70 wives, 500 children and more than 1,000 grandchildren.

Isnt life strange? How gullible can people get?

God or Allah have never fallen sick. They are supreme beings. They are mighty. They are powerful. Jehovah Wanyonyi? A mere Kenyan who used his jams to blindfold a few Kenyans to kneel and worship him.

A man who cannot perform a miracle. A man who was never satisfied with the number of women in his life. A man wants to enrich himself by siphoning everything from his myopic followers.

He even says that he brought HIV/AIDS to earth as a punishment to humanity for defying his commandments.

In his words:

“If the Kenyan Government does not give me 3 billion shillings ($3.8m) I will bring a curse on Kenyans,” he warned few months before he gave in to malaria.

Man Who Calls Himself Self Acclaimed Living God In Kenya “Jehovah Wanyonyi” Killed By Mosquitoes

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Self-proclaimed living god Jehovah Wanyonyi is dead, a local leader has confirmed, amid his followers’ prayers for his ‘resurrection’.

Wanyonyi, 98, died from malaria on July 18 on his way to Cherangany Nursing Home in Kitale town, Kipsomba chief Daniel Busienei told the Standard.

Busienei said the spiritual leader’s children sought a burial permit on July 19, adding that the hospital required it before releasing the body.

“I told my assistant chief to issue them with a permit to allow the deceased family to lay him to rest,” he said.

Assistant chief Paul Bett confirmed that he gave the family the burial permit a day after Wanyonyi’s death.
..


On Sunday, Wanyonyi’s followers, the Lost Israelites of Kenya, prayed for his return at his home in Nangili, Kakamega county.

Some of them said they have been fasting since they learnt that he had gone missing.

“We believe in him and we want him back on the throne as soon as possible,” follower Joyce Nakhanu said.

Wanyonyi has not been seen in public for more than six weeks and his family is also anxiously waiting for him.

Family spokesman Eliab Masinde said he has been hospitalised in Nairobi, where his sons are taking care of him.
..

..
Wanyonyi, who also has a following in Uganda, developed back problems four years ago.

He had been confined to a wheelchair at the home, where his followers say he has 70 wives, 500 children and more than 1,000 grandchildren.

Isnt life strange? How gullible can people get?

God or Allah have never fallen sick. They are supreme beings. They are mighty. They are powerful. Jehovah Wanyonyi? A mere Kenyan who used his jams to blindfold a few Kenyans to kneel and worship him.

A man who cannot perform a miracle. A man who was never satisfied with the number of women in his life. A man wants to enrich himself by siphoning everything from his myopic followers.

He even says that he brought HIV/AIDS to earth as a punishment to humanity for defying his commandments.

In his words:

“If the Kenyan Government does not give me 3 billion shillings ($3.8m) I will bring a curse on Kenyans,” he warned few months before he gave in to malaria.

Mosquitoes Bite Turkish Airlines Flight Attendant Selda Durmaz To Death

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Turkish Airlines (THY) flight attendant Selda Durmaz has lost her life on Friday night in an Istanbul hospital as a result of a mosquito bite in Nigeria, while she was on duty.

Durmaz flew with air passengers to Nigeria’s capital city of Lagos state hale and hearty . When she returned back to Istanbul, she went to the hospital because of a persistent high fever. Twice she was diagnosed with the flu, according to allegations, but the third hospital diagnosed her with malaria.

Durmaz was later given medical treatment in Istanbul at a private hospital, but she lost her life on
Friday night at around 2 a.m