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A Aseffa

Publications and source records attributed to A Aseffa.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Viral diseases in Ethiopia: a review.

Ethiopia is endemic for many viral diseases. Serosurveys have demonstrated the high prevalence rate of hepatitis B virus. There are also indications of high transmission for hepatitis C, hepatitis E and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The population is exposed to poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, measles, rubella and mumps early in life. Rotaviral diarrhoea is an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Vast areas of the country are endemic for yellow fever and rabies. The extent of many other viral diseases in the country is unknown. There is a need for a well organised national laboratory to assess the impact of vaccination efforts and to support control as well as surveillance measures within the country.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in pregnant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major at different gestational periods.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess if gestational factors affect the resistance of C57BL/6 mice to L major infection, this study determined the levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma in popliteal lymph node cells of pregnant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major at 16 hours, 5 days-, 10 days- and 15 days- post plug by PCR, ELISA and BIOASSAY. DESIGN/SETTING: Experimental. RESULTS: Infected pregnant C57BL/6 mice developed larger cutaneous footpad lesions compared with non-pregnant C57BL/6 mice (that showed signs of resolution 7-10 weeks after infection). But, the lesions in infected pregnant C57BL/6 mice and infected non-pregnant C57BL/6 mice were not as large as in susceptible BALB/c mice. The mean litter weight was also reduced in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice particularly in the groups infected at later stages of pregnancy (day 10- and day 15-post plug). The levels of both IL-4 and IFN-gamma increased with gestation in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice compared with pregnant non-infected group, while only IL-4 was raised in pregnant infected mice compared with infected non pregnant mice. CONCLUSIONS: It may be concluded that increased IL-4 in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice caused the transient susceptibility to L major infection while reduced litter weight was associated with increased IFN-gamma. These effects were pronounced in C57BI/6 mice infected with L major in late pregnancy.

Animals↗