In vitro evaluation of different temperatures attained during steam inhalation with and without eucalyptus saligna fresh leaves crude extract on SARS-COV-2 infectivity.
| dc.contributor.author | Chipanta, Chisanga | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-01-03T10:03:27Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-01-03T10:03:27Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description | Thesis of Master of Science Degree In One Health Laboratory Diagnostic Sciences | |
| dc.description.abstract | Coronavirus disease of 2019 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. It is a highly transmissible emerging pathogen in humans. Primarily, infection happens when the spike glycoprotein on the surface of the virus binds to the host cell receptors resulting in a variate of asymptomatic and symptomatic infections. The disease’s global case fatality, though dependent on the viral variant, ranged between 1.7% to 39% at the peak of the pandemic and there was no known medication to counter such effects. As a result, there was an urgent need for remedies to counter the disease. Among alternative remedies to conventional ones was steam inhalation, a notably typical home-setting remedy locally called Ukufutikila in Zambia. Studies have indicated that certain temperatures of steam when inhaled could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 although this information remains scanty. This study endeavored to determine the effects of temperatures attained during steam inhalation, a home remedy, both in the presence and absence of Eucalyptus saligna fresh leaves crude extract on the in vitro infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. Eight participants were recruited to each undergo steam inhalation for 20 minutes in which temperature variations were determined and ranged from 94.7°C to 54.4°C. These temperatures, based on the activity of Alkaline phosphatase (a surrogate glycoprotein), were then used to determine the in vitro infectivity of SARS-CoV 2. The SARS-CoV-2 material was inoculated into Vero T2 cells both in the presence and absence of E. saligna fresh leaves crude extract (13% in culture). Prior to inoculation, the SARS-CoV-2 material was heat treated following the determined temperature profile from steam inhalation. When SARS-CoV-2 material was heat treated or when inoculated in the presence of E. saligna fresh leaves crude extract, no observable cytopathic effects (0% of assays) were seen on the Vero T2 cells over a period of 72 hours. Withal, there was no significant virus growth (p = 0.771) estimated after exposure to the two treatments. The results observed in this study shed light on the possibility of steam inhalation being an efficient regimen in the management of COVID-19. In order to have more knowledge on the effects of steam inhalation temperatures on SARS-CoV-2 in vitro infectivity, this study recommends clinical trials involving COVID-19 asymptomatic patients and exposed frontline workers prior to onset of symptoms or immediately following exposure. Also, that further analyses on E. saligna fresh leaves crude extract be carried out to understand which phytochemicals are responsible for inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 in vitro infectivity. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/9058 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia | |
| dc.title | In vitro evaluation of different temperatures attained during steam inhalation with and without eucalyptus saligna fresh leaves crude extract on SARS-COV-2 infectivity. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |