Background: For the first time in the history of medicine and public health, we observed some clinical situations where a parasitic infection on a plant infects humans and other animals and vice versa and is unfamiliar in medicine and plant pathology nor in veterinary medicine. We noted that this is similar to the kind of situation where diseases from animals are transmissible to humans and versa, but in this situation, transmission is between plants and humans and vice versa. The medical description we termed as Phytotic Infections and we copyrighted (LW14008) and trademarked 29680 in Africa, as a novel medical term. This is similar but in sharp contrast to a well-known medical concept of Zoonosis in which an infection from an animal infects humans and vice versa but in phytotic infections, certain conditions such as immune suppression occur to enhance or trigger trans kingdom transmission while in zoonotic infections, immune suppression is not a clinical obligation. Purpose: We detailed clinical cases from patients suffering phytotic infections exhibiting trans-kingdom transmission of infection from plants to humans and vice versa -a phenomenon that exist and has not been considered in medical studies. In this case, unlike in zoonosis, this infection from plants to humans and vice versa, only occurs with conditions where the human is in an immunosuppressed situation or change in habitat due to climate change. Methods: A mixed study methods was employed based on clinical observations, clinical lived experience with patients, bacteriological and mycological laboratory as well as molecular diagnostic tools were employed. Four clinical cases of patients in different immunocompromised situation were carefully studied; A leukaemia patient, diabetes situation and two clinical cases of HIV/AIDs were under studied, clinically. Result and Conclusion: A first line generic observation is that without immunosuppression and altered environmental conditions, phytotic infections in the way defined here, may rarely occur. Previously, Phytosis-phytoses in dictionaries has been defined as an infection of a plant with or a disease caused by parasitic fungus which is aptly referred to as phytopathology, as well as dermatophytosis where a fungus from animals infects humans but hasn’t defined whether, from humans the same fungus can infects plants and other animals. In our study, Phytosic and in plural Phytotics- is defined for the first time a new phenomenon in medicine orchestrated by change in environmental conditions and immune suppression in humans and other primates.

Health literacy remains an underutilized tool in Africa to curb prevalent, emerging, and re-emerging diseases, especially considering the comparatively poor socio-economic factors and poor health infrastructure. Individual and community health literacies in Africa are complex constructs influenced by levels of formal education, socio-economic determinants, community support (including distributive health literacy), and access to services (including the extent to which organizations are health literacy responsive). This chapter presents a discrete descriptive summary of health literacy in Africa indicative across the 54 member states with a focus on health literacy in children and adolescents, as these constitute about 60% of Africa’s population. The development of a model called Evolutionary Learning Health Literacy Systems Laboratory (ELHLS Lab) for the control of diseases in childhood and adolescence in Africa is discussed as a strategy for accelerating health literacy in Africa.

Cellulose is one of the most copious natural glucose biopolymers (linked by β-1,4-glycosidic linkages) that are derived from living organisms on the earth. Plants are the largest contributors of cellulose in the cellulose pool of the biosphere as plant cell walls contain cellulose in the lignocellulosic form. Cellulose is water-insoluble and therefore requires enzymatic actions for its degradation. However, the hydrolysis of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars, sugar acids, and phenolics is the reason why it is successfully exploited as substrates in industries. Microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes contribute largely to these lignocellulolytic activities by producing cellulases and other lignocellulolytic enzymes and therefore have been used extensively in cellulose-based industries ranging from food to biofuel production. Fungi have been a preferred source over the other microbes to produce lignocellulolytic enzymes owing to their ability to secrete extracellular cellulases in high quantities and are easily accessible. The chapter highlights the importance of fungal cellulases and related enzymes, their various industrial applications and emphasizes the importance of these hydrolytic enzymes to secure an eco-friendly environment, boost economics, and improve the livelihood of humans.

This study investigated the influence of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) management on the bacteriological quality of students’ palms in some schools within the Bamenda municipality, to serve as baseline data for strengthening of hygiene management and health policies in schools. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach with data generated through questionnaires, swabbing of the palms of selected students and doorknobs, as well as culturing of the swabs for microbial identification. SPSS version 16.0 was used for data analysis and Chi-square test to determine significant differences in the level of bacteria on the palms of participants by gender. None of the schools met WHO standards, and the gap between toilet usage and hand washing after defecation was very significant (p < 0.0001). Bacteria isolated included: Staphylococcus spp (63%), Escherichia coli (31%), Enterobacter sp (10%), Bacillus sp (10%), and Coliforms (5%). Two Fungi species: Yeast (10%) and Moulds (3%) were also isolated. The content of the curriculum, teaching and assessment mechanism for the WaSH programme management in schools was found to be in need of greater attention, schools and local governments focus on it being below expectation.