Viscum continuum E. Mey. Ex Sprague is a woody evergreen semi-parasitic shrub that grows on the branches of other trees. It is used by African traditional healers for post-stroke management. This study reports on the qualitative phytochemical screening and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Viscum continuum’s acetone, methanol, hexane and dichloromethane extracts. Standard protocols for the phytochemical screening of extracts were employed. TLC bio-autography was used for qualitative antioxidants analysis. Assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, H₂O₂ free-radical scavenging and ferric chloride reducing power were carried out for quantitative antioxidant analysis. The antimicrobial potential of extracts was screened using disc diffusion, bio-autography and broth micro-dilution. The results indicate the presence of alkaloids, phenolics and tannins in all extracts. Acetone and methanol revealed significant amount of saponins, phenolics, tannins and terpenoids. The extracts exhibited significant antioxidant potential on TLC with positive compound bands at an Rf range of 0.05–0.89. DPPH, H₂O₂ and the reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ assays indicated that methanol extract has a strong antioxidant potential, followed by acetone, DCM and lastly hexane. The extracts of Viscum continuum show the potential to be antibacterial agents. It can be concluded that Viscum continuum extracts contain phytochemicals which are capable of mitigating against chronic health conditions such as cancer, stroke and stress-related and infectious diseases.

Several African countries have recently introduced or are currently introducing the HPV vaccine, either nationwide or through demonstration projects, while some countries are planning for introduction. A collaborative project was developed to strengthen country adolescent immunisation programmes and health systems in the African Region, addressing unique public health considerations of HPV vaccination: adolescents as the primary target group, delivery platforms (e.g. school-based and facility based), socio-behavioural issues, and the opportunity to deliver other health interventions alongside HPV vaccination. Following a successful "taking-stock" meeting, a training programme was drafted to assist countries to strengthen the integration of adolescent health interventions using HPV vaccination as an entry point. Two workshops were conducted in the Eastern and Southern African Regions. All countries reported on progress made during a final joint symposium. Of the 20 countries invited to participate in either of the workshops and/or final symposium, 17 countries participated: Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Countries that are currently implementing HPV vaccination programmes, either nationally or through demonstration projects, reported varying degrees of integration with other adolescent health interventions. The most commonly reported adolescent health interventions alongside HPV vaccination include health education (including sexually transmitted infections), deworming and delivering of other vaccines like tetanus toxoid (TT) or tetanus diphtheria (Td). The project has successfully (a) established an African-based network that will advocate for incorporating the HPV vaccine into national immunisation programmes; (b) created a platform for experience exchange and thereby contributed to novel ideas of revitalising and strengthening school-based health programmes as delivery platform of adolescent immunisation services and other adolescent health interventions, as well as identifying ways of reaching out-of-school girls through facility and community based programmes; and (c) laid a foundation for incorporating future adolescent vaccination programmes.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii’s (A. baumannii) growing resistance to all available antibiotics is of concern. The study describes a colistin-resistant A. baumannii isolated at a clinical facility from a tracheal aspirate sample. Furthermore, it determines the isolates’ niche establishment ability within the tertiary health facility. Methods: An antimicrobial susceptibility test, conventional PCR, quantitative real-time PCR, phenotypic evaluation of the efflux pump, and whole-genome sequencing and analysis were performed on the isolate. Results: The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern revealed a resistance to piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, cefotaxime/ceftriaxone, imipenem, meropenem, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, tigecycline, and colistin. A broth microdilution test confirmed the colistin resistance. Conventional PCR and quantitative real-time PCR investigations revealed the presence of adeB, adeR, and adeS, while mcr-1 was not detected. A MIC of 0.38 µg/mL and 0.25 µg/mL was recorded before and after exposure to an AdeABC efflux pump inhibitor. The whole-genome sequence analysis of antimicrobial resistance-associated genes detected beta-lactam: bla_OXA-66; _blaOXA-23; bla_ADC-25; bla_ADC-73; bla_A1; bla_A2, and bla_MBL; aminoglycoside: aph(6)-Id; aph(3″)-Ib; ant(3″)-IIa and armA) and a colistin resistance-associated gene lpsB. The whole-genome sequence virulence analysis revealed a biofilm formation system and cell–cell adhesion-associated genes: bap, bfmR, bfmS, csuA, csuA/B, csuB, csuC, csuD, csuE, pgaA, pgaB, pgaC, and pgaD; and quorum sensing-associated genes: abaI and abaR and iron acquisition system associated genes: barA, barB, basA, basB, basC, basD, basF, basG, basH, basI, basJ, bauA, bauB, bauC, bauD, bauE, bauF, and entE. A sequence type classification based on the Pasteur scheme revealed that the isolate belongs to sequence type ST2. Conclusions: The mosaic of the virulence factors coupled with the resistance-associated genes and the phenotypic resistance profile highlights the risk that this strain is at this South African tertiary health facility.

Genetic diversity is a characteristic trait of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and has been associated with different clinical outcomes. In South Africa, HBV infection is a major public health concern. Most HBV infections are caused by genotype A strains. However rare cases of infection with HBV genotype D have been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular characteristics of a rare HBV subgenotype D4 isolate. The full-length genome of isolate ZADGM6964 was amplified in a one-step polymerase chain reaction. The amplified product was purified and cloned into a pGEM®-T Easy Vector System to investigate the genetic diversity of the viral quasi-populations. The primary isolate and clones were then directly sequenced and analysed using an array of bioinformatics software. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the primary isolate and cloned sequences formed a monophyletic cluster away from subgenotype D4 reference strains. Further recombination analysis revealed that isolate ZADGM6964 was in fact a D4/E recombinant strain with breakpoints identified within the X and overlapping pre-Core/Core open reading frames with a >70% bootstrap confidence level. The recombinant genotype D4/E was found to be unique from other D/E strains archived in the genetic database, GenBank. This study represents the first ever report on the isolation and molecular characterization of an HBV D4/E recombinant strain in South Africa. The findings provide evidence of further HBV genetic diversity in South Africa than has been previously reported.

Carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is resistant to most of the available antibiotics and poses serious therapeutic challenges. The study investigated Monsonia angustifolia (M. angustifolia) and Momordica balsamina Linn (M. balsamina Linn) extracts for antibacterial activity against a clinical isolate of carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion and TLC coupled with bioautography. MIC determination experiments were conducted on a molecularly characterized A. baumannii isolate identified using VITEK2. Positive PCR detection of bla_OXA-51 and bla_OXA-23 confirmed isolate identity and the presence of a carbapenemase-encoding gene. Antibacterial activity was observed with the methanolic extract of M. balsamina Linn with a MIC of 0.5 mg/mL. Compounds with Rf values of 0.05; 0.17; 0.39 obtained from M. angustifolia hexane extract; compounds with Rf values of 0.58; 0.78; 0.36; 0.48; 0.5; 0.56; 0.67; 0.9 obtained from M. angustifolia dichloromethane extract; compounds with Rf values of 0.11; 0.56; 0.24; 0.37 obtained from M. angustifolia acetone extract and compounds with Rf values of 0.11; 0.27 obtained from M. angustifolia methanol extract demonstrated a level of antibacterial activity. M. angustifolia and M. balsamina Linn plant extracts have a clinically significant antibacterial activity against a carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii strain.

The surge in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has put the scientific community on overdrive to come up with a cure and/or possible vaccine to curtail the menace this virus has caused. Considering the morbidity rate from the Coronavirus and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for healthy living, this review examined and documented the possible options of plant-based immune boosters for attaining wellness and protect against infections caused by viruses. This review documented 106 plants consumed largely in Africa as food or medicine after assessing over 172 articles from notable search engines. These plants were reported for antiviral activities and immune boosters for attaining wellness and immunomodulation, a key protective feature against infections caused by viruses. The documented plants contain several immune-modulating compounds like vitamins, flavonoids, phenols, macro, and micronutrients, which might be the possible reason for the current leverage on the mortality rate associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the African continent. The study, therefore, concluded that medicinal/food plants are able to enhance healthy living and medicinal plants are a significant source of phytomedicinal content for the management of viral-induced diseases such as COVID-19.