Imo State University-led Team Discovers Transmission of Disease Between Plants and Humans (Phytosis-Phytoses)

Imo State University-led Team Discovers Transmission of Disease Between Plants and Humans (Phytosis-Phytoses)

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

A team of African researchers led by Professor Kenneth Anchang Yongabi of Imo State University, in collaboration with international partners, has introduced the novel concept of “Phytosis-Phytoses,” a medical term that describes the transmission of parasitic infections between plants and humans.

The researchers disclosed that the breakthrough has significant implications for climate change and public health.

According to Prof. Yongabi, a fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences and fellow of the African Institute for Public Health Practitioners (AIPH),

“There is an already existing and well-known concept called Zoonosis in which an infection from an animal is transmissible and infects humans and vice versa, he noted that some of the pandemics in the world has suffered stems from Zoonosis such as H5N1 strains and SARS Cov-2.”

He also asserted that trans-kingdom migration and transmission of microorganisms from plants to humans and vice versa is opaque and not well studied or reported,. noting that this has not been previously observed with plants.

However, Yongabi narrated that he tested  a mixed composite and hybrid methods using plant, animal, human and microbial models both in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo plant and observed longitudinally over a decade that an infection in plants can infects humans and vice versa, noting that this is referred to as Phytosis, in plural Phytoses and is being triggered by climate change stressors.

The research team, comprising experts from Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, and Belgium, conducted a decade-long study using mixed, composite, and hybrid methods to investigate the transmission of microorganisms between plants and humans.

Their findings indicate that Phytosis-Phytoses occurs when an individual is immunosuppressed, such as in cases of cancer, diabetes, asthma, or autoimmune diseases, and is exposed to adverse climate conditions like drought, heat, or extreme weather events.

“Phytosis-Phytoses can occur in your own home,” warned Prof. Yongabi. “Even contaminated animal feed from your poultry and from other animal husbandry can contaminate or infect humans and from humans can contaminate and infect feed and form a complex cycle of disease,” he said.

Speaking further, he noted that; “In this case, unlike in zoonosis, the infection from plants to humans and vice versa, only occurs with conditions where the human is in an immunosuppressed situation and in the case observed in the study, the immunocompromised situations are; Cancer patients (leukemia, lung cancer); diabetes situation, asthma, elderly persons with autoimmune diseases, and in adverse climate situation such as in drought, heat, and adverse weather due to climate change.

“Without immunosuppression and adverse weather conditions, phytosis-phytoses in the way observed empirically may rarely happen. Previously, Phytosis in dictionaries has been defined as an infection of a plant with or a disease caused by parasitic fungus, as well as dermatophytosis where a fungus from animals infects humans.”

The discovery of Phytosis-Phytoses has far-reaching implications for public health, particularly in Africa, where climate change is exacerbating the spread of diseases.

Prof Yongabi forsees a complex scenario where phytosis interacts with zoonosis as he senses that a disease from plants can also infect other animals that immune compromised and  that can comfortably cause Phytosis, where all phyla are involved.

“This is a wake-up call for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the general public to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent the spread of diseases,” he said.

The research team’s findings have been trademarked reference 29680 in Nigeria and copyrighted reference -LW14008, 2024, and their work is set to revolutionize our understanding of disease transmission and the impact of climate change on public health. As Prof. Yongabi aptly put it, “Phytosis-Phytoses is a new frontier in medical science, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this groundbreaking research.”

The team comprises of, Imo State University Research scientists led by Professor Kenneth Anchang Yongabi, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria and chair of the International Society for Phytobiotechnology and Public Health Research (IS-PHR) in collaboration with Phytobiotechnology Research Foundation, Cameroon; The College of Biological Sciences, Cameroon Academy of Sciences, led by the dean Prof Wilfred Mbacham of Yaounde University, Cameroon; Claretian University of Nigeria, Professor Chinyere Ukaga of Wigwe University, Nigeria; Professor Charles Twesigye of Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda, Prof. DR NIDHI NAGABHATLA, Senior Research Fellow and Cluster Coordinator, Climate Change and Natural Resource United Nations University CRIS BRUGGE Belgium.

“These concepts and discoveries have been published in International peer reviewed journals.” Prof Yongabi disclosed.