Effects of the viability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on rotavirus infection in neonatal rats

AIM:To study the effects of live and dead Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG(GG) on rotavirus infection in a neonatal rat model.METHODS:At the age of 2 d,suckling Lewis rat pups were supplemented with either live or dead GG and the treatment was continued daily throughout the experi-ment.At the age of 5 and 6 d the pups received oral rotavirus(RV) SA-11 strain.The pups were sacrificed at the age of 7 or 8 d by decapitation.The gastrointestinal tract was removed and macroscopic observations were done.The consistency of feces in the colon was classified using a four-tier system.RV was detected from the plasma,small intestine,colon and feces by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR).RESULTS:In this neonatal rat model,RV induced a mild-to-moderate diarrhea in all except one pup of the RV-inoculated rats.RV moderately reduced body weight development from day 6 onwards.On day 7,after 2 d of RV infection,live and dead GG groups gained significantly more weight than the RV group without probiotics [36%(P = 0.001) and 28%(P = 0.031),respectively].In addition,when compared with the RV control group,both live and dead GG reduced the weight ratio of colon/animal body weight to the same level as in the healthy control group,with reductions of 22%(P = 0.002) and 28%(P < 0.001),respectively.Diarrhea increased moderately in both GG groups.However,the diarrhea incidence and severity in the GG groups were not statistically significantly different as compared with the RV control group.Moreover,observed diarrhea did not provoke weight loss or death.The RV control group had the largest amount of RV PCR-positive samples among the RV-infected groups,and the live GG group had the smallest amount.Rats receiving live GG had significantly less RV in the colon(P = 0.027) when compared with the RV control group.Live GG was also more effective over dead GG in reducing the quantity of RV from plasma(P = 0.047).CONCLUSION:Both live and dead GG have beneficial effects in RV infection.GG may increase RV clearance from the body and reduce colon swelling.

Community-level survey of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventive measures in Kwara State, Nigeria: good knowledge vs poor attitude

Background:The public knowledge and adherence to the established coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)precautionary measures are crucial to Nigeria’s war against the pandemic.Public health education on its preventive practices at the grassroots level was initially crucial to achieving a lower COVID-19 incidence in Kwara State,Nigeria.Methods:We assessed the knowledge of,and adherence to COVID-19 precautionary measures at the community level among 795 respondents from the three senatorial zones of Kwara State.Results:54.5%(433/795)of the respondents were aged between 21 and 40 years,and 45.9%(365/795)of the respondents had a bachelor’s degree or higher.Study participants had a good knowledge of COVID-19,its symptoms,and its mode of transmission.91.8%of the respondents(730/795)had a positive perception of the COVID19 preventive measures while 96.1%(763/795)of the respondents agreed that maintaining social distance was important in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.However,only 38%(302/795)of them used face masks and only 25.7%(204/795)of the respondents used hand sanitizers.In addition,only 31.9%(253/795)of the respondents isolated themselves when they were ill.Multi-variable logistic regression analysis revealed that education,occupation,gender,and ethnicity were significantly associated with positive COVID-19 preventive practices among residents of Kwara State.Civil servants were more likely(AOR:3.14;95%confidence interval[CI]:0.67 to 14.82;P=0.034)to have positive preventive attitudes than other respondents.Study participants with tertiary education and those that were Yoruba(ethnicity)were 14.81 times more likely(95%CI:4.29 to 51.05;P=0.001)and 5.19 times more likely(95%CI:1.82 to 14.84;P=0.007)to have positive attitudes towards the laid-down COVID-19 preventive measures respectively.Conclusion:The poor community adherence to the COVID-19 preventive practices could pre-dispose Kwara to more COVID-19 cases.More community engagement activities are needed to fully curb the spread of the COVID19.Public health education should focus on preventive measures,vaccine acceptance,and community monitoring of COVID-19.