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Prevalence and management of Falciparium malaria among infants and children in Ota, Ogun state, Southwestern Nigeria

G.I Olasehinde, A.A Ajay, S.O Taiwo, B.T Adekeye, O.A Adeyeba

 

Abstract

Studies were carried out to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite infection among infants and children (0-12yrs) in Ota, Southwestern Nigeria between April and December 2008. The two hospitals used were Ota General Hospital and Covenant University Health Centre, Canaanland, Ota. Thick and thin films were made and stained using standard parasitological procedures. Structured Questionnaires were distributed to ascertain the age, sex, drugs or insecticides used and state of health of the subjects before recruiting them into the study. Overall, 215 (80.5%) of the 267 children investigated were found to have malaria infection. Age group (0-5 years) had the highest frequency rate of 84.7% with mean parasite density of 900 and the difference between the age groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). Children of illiterates from suburb villages had the highest mean parasite density of 850 with 78.1% prevalence rate. 20% of the children were given local herbs and 22% used orthodox medicine as prophylaxis. Only 18% used insecticide treated mosquito nets while 24% of the parents spray insecticides to prevent mosquito bites. There is therefore need for more awareness on effective use of drugs and Insecticide Treated bed nets in malaria hyperendemic regions.

Key words: % Prevalence, malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, infants, Children

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Prevalence and management of Falciparium malaria among infants and children in Ota Ogun state Southwestern Nigeria

 

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Plasmodium falciparium parasitemia in pregnancy in relation to maternal anaemia

R.A Akinboro, O Ojurongbe, A.A Akindele, O.A Adefioye, O.S Bolaji, O Olaniran, O.A Adeyeba

 

Abstract

This study was aimed at examining existing relationship between peripheral parasitaemia of Plasmodium falciparum and anemia among pregnant women in a secondary hospital and a tertiary hospital in Osogbo, South-Western, Nigeria. Two hundred and twenty five (225) patients were enrolled into this study, one hundred and fifty (150) from Asubiaro General Hospital, Osogbo and seventy five (75) from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. A total of 30 (13.3%) women carrying the first pregnancy (primigravida), and 195 (86.6%) multiparous women (2-5) were enrolled. Mean age of recruited women was 31.511± SD 1.03, mean gestational age was 2.4267 ± SD 0.72 and mean packed cell volume was also 26.889 ± SD 0.43. Overall prevalence of malaria parasitemia was 63.6% while mean malaria parasite density was 461.33 among women infected with malaria parasite. Prevalence of malaria in pregnancy was highest amongst women with first pregnancy and in the age bracket 26 – 30 years (26.7%) and least among women greater than 40 years. Parasitemia decreased as parity increased, as women acquire immunity to malaria progressively with multiple pregnancies. Mild to moderate anaemia was also found to be prevalent among primigravida (11.6%) and this was associated with malaria parasitemia among these women .No correlated relationship was established between malaria parasitemia and age, gravidity, trimester of pregnancy, and Packed cell volume. Malaria chemoprophylaxis and other methods of malaria control should be sustained and advocacy for inclusion of malaria treatment in safe motherhood should be continued because of its beneficial potentials.

Key words: Malaria, Pregnancy, anaemia.

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Plasmodium falciparium parasitemia in pregnancy in relation to maternal anaemia

 

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Seroprevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis C Virus in patients and blood donors in Kano, Nigeria

O Azeez-Akande, A Sarki, E.E Wokedi, A Olabode, P Alabi

 

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease resulting in cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. It is believed to be widespread in Africa but its epidemiology is incomplete and is yet to be determined in many areas of the sub-saharan Africa including Nigeria. Using third generation enzyme immuno-assay (EIA-3) and recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) technique as confirmatory test, we examined the prevalence of HCV antibodies in 226 blood donors and 226 patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano, Nigeria and evaluated the risk factors of HCV transmission in this environment. HCV antibodies were detected in 0.4% and 2.2% blood donors and patients respectively. The overall HCV seroprevalence was 1.3%. There was increased infection acquisition with increasing age; one (16.7%) HCV infection occurred in 25-34 years age group and 5 or 83.3% in subjects > 45 years in age which was significant (P< 0.05). The ratio of infection in male to female was 1:5. Evidence of previous exposure via transfusion was common in HCV seropositive subjects and could be a major risk factor of acquisition in this environment. Adequate screening of blood products in sub- Saharan Africa (Nigeria inclusive) may minimize the risk of HCV transmission and associated health complications.

Key words: Hepatitis C virus, seroprevalence, patients, blood donors, risk factors.

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Seroprevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis C Virus in patients and blood donors in Kano Nigeria

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The effects of antiretroviral treatment on liver function enzymes among HIV-infected out patients attending the Central Hospital of Yaounde, Cameroon

K Lucien, A Clement, N Fon, P Weledji, C Ndikvu

 

Abstract

The emergence of liver diseases as one of the major causes of death in people infected with HIV has paralleled the introduction of more effective antiretroviral therapies. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the effects of antiretroviral treatment on liver enzymes (SGOT and SGPT) in patients placed on antiretroviral therapy. A prospective cross-sectional 3 years study was carried out among patients confirmed to be HIV positive and who were to be placed on antiretroviral drugs at the HIV/AIDS out patient clinic of the Yaoundé Central Hospital, . Cameroon. Levels of transaminases of patients were measured in four phases using the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) protocol. Of the 150 patients who participated in the study, 54.0 %( 81/150) presented with transaminitis at the final phase of the study with respect to aspartate aminotransferase (AST), 77.78% (63/81) of whose AST levels only increased after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). 22.67% (34/150) presented with transaminitis with respect to alanine aminotransferase (ALT). At the final phase, 70.58% of whose ALT levels only increased after HAART initiation. Increase in blood transaminase levels was statistically independent on age group and the drug combinations. Increase in AST levels was associated with an increase in ALT levels upon treatment (r = 0.58). There was a significant positive linear relationship between duration of treatment and concentration of transaminases over the years (r= 0.9). We therefore concluded that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with low level hepatotoxicity at therapy initiation, regardless of drug class or combination.

Keywords: Antiretroviral treatment, Liver function enzymes, Hepatotoxicity, Highly active antiretroviral therapy

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The effects of antiretroviral treatment on liver function enzymes among HIV-infected out patients attending the Central Hospital of Yaounde, Cameroon

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Users’ perceptions and efficacy of indigenous adjunct teeth-cleansing agents on the bacterial flora of human dental caries

A Ogunshe, O Odumesi

 

Abstract

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to conduct in vitro and in vivo studies for the evaluation of antimicrobial potential of four Nigerian indigenous chewing sticks and to compare the oral effects of the popular Nigerian chewing sticks with toothpastes and other teeth-cleansing agents on a total of 21 and 17 oral bacterial strains isolated from children and adult dental caries respectively. Materials and Methods: Teeth cleansing agents were assayed in vitro against the isolated bacterial carries flora on de Man Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar using modified agar well-diffusion methods. The simulated in vivo studies were carried out using twenty four human subjects. Results: The results obtained indicated that the bacterial flora exhibited different degrees of in vitro inhibitions of between low and moderate susceptibility against the teeth-cleansing agents. Toothpastes recorded the highest rates of inhibition against the dental caries isolates, while H2O2 was the most inhibitory among the chemical teethcleansing agents against the dental caries isolates from children (47.6%) and adults (52.9%). No species differential susceptibility to the teeth-cleansing agents was observed among the dental caries isolates. Conclusions: This study showed that combined teeth cleansing hygiene with toothpastes, chewing sticks and chemical teeth cleansing agent (H2O2) gave the best mouth feel and were found to be the most preferred.

Keywords: Chewing sticks, dental caries, indigenous, oral health and hygiene, teeth-cleansing agents.

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Users’ perceptions and efficacy of indigenous adjunct teeth-cleansing agents on the bacterial flora of human dental caries

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Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibodies in a population of students of tertiary institution in Nigeria

V.O Mabayoje, P.O Akinwusi, O.O Opaleye, B.E Egbewale, A.H Fagbami, A.O Aboderin

 

Abstract

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C viruses (HCV) are major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. They are also among the commonest transfusiontransmissible infectious agents. Students of higher institutions are often used as voluntary unpaid donors by many hospitals in Nigeria. In this study, the prevalence of HIV and HCV and HBsAg is determined in a population of students attending Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in south west Nigeria, to provide background information on the burden of these infections in this population. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were obtained from students of the Pre-degree Science programme of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho and tested for antibodies to HIV, HCV and HBsAg using the ELISA procedure. Results: The prevalence rates of antibodies to HIV and HCV in the student population were 0% and 4.8%, respectively and that of HBsAg was 9.5%. Conclusion: The findings of this study which showed that the prevalence of antibodies to HIV and of HBsAg in this group of students is somewhat similar to those carried out in similar populations. This strongly suggests that the viral burden amongst this population of students is similar and that probably similar factors (demographic) are responsible for maintaining this level of viral load. Further studies would be needed to elucidate the reasons why this is the case. Also it would be necessary to reemphasize the methods of prevention of transmission of these viruses, and to ensure their implementation in order to reduce the viral levels and therefore avoid the long term sequalae.

Key words: Transfusion, Infection, Blood Donation

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Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibodies in a population of students of tertiary institution in Nigeria

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Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies amongst blood donors in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Kaduna

A.H Isa, A Hassan, A Mamman, A.A Bababdoko, H.M Muktar, A.J Ahmed

 

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most common transfusion transmissible infections hence the introduction of routine screening for its antibodies in blood donors in most blood banks. Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the blood donor screening register for all intending donors were reviewed and analyzed. Results: There were 4,731 potential donors with age range 20-41years. Eighty six (1.8%) were sero-positive to HCV antibodies with a decreasing incidence over the period under review. The highest incidence was recorded the age group 31-40 years. Aim: To determine the sero-prevalence of HCV among blood donors in ABUTH Kaduna. Conclusion: HCV infection is not uncommon in our environment hence the need to emphasize it’s routine screening among all potential donors.

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Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies amongst blood donors in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Kaduna

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Clinical studies on seroprevalence of rubella virus in pregnant women of Cameroon regions

C.N Fokunang, J Chia, P Ndumbe, P Mbu, J Atashili

 

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of the rubella virus amongst pregnant women and the relationship it has with the duration of pregnancy, premature delivery, and past history of abortion in pregnant women visiting the Yaoundé Gynecological, Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (HGOPY). 211 pregnant women attending the prenatal consultation of mean age 27±5.99 years were randomly selected and screened for rubella IgG antibodies. 39.3% of them were in their third trimester of pregnancy while 25.6% and 35.1% were in their first and second trimester of pregnancy respectively. 11.73% of the women had a history of premature delivery and 40.3% had a history of at least one abortion. Spearman’s correlation was calculated between antibody titre and age. 88.6% of pregnant women were seropositive while 9% (susceptible) were seronagative and 2.4% had equivocal results. The most susceptible women to rubella infection were in the age group 26-30 years while women in the age group 21-25 years band were the most seropositive. There was a strong correlation between the antibody titre and age (r=0.549 p<0.01). There was no statistical difference between the pregnancy in trimesters and antibody titres (p=0.0926) as well as between the number of previous abortions and the antibody titre (p<0.01, r=0.246). No correlations between antibody titre and pregnancy duration, or occurrence of premature births. There was a weak correlation between the antibody titre and number of previous abortions.

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Clinical studies on seroprevalence of rubella virus in pregnant women of Cameroon regions

 

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Detection of serum antibody levels against newcastle disease in local chickens in Bauchi metropolis, Bauchi state, Nigeria

O.O Nwankiti, A.J Ejekwolu, I Ibrahim, J.A Ndako, G.O.N Echeonwu

 

Abstract

Poultry diseases are one of the main factors constraining poultry practice in most developing countries. Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious and commonly fatal viral poultry disease caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Detection of antibodies to Newcastle disease virus in 300 blood samples from local chickens slaughtered at Muda Lawal Market Bauchi was carried out using the haemagglutination inhibition test (HI). This was to determine the immune status of local birds to NDV in Bauchi Metropolis. 169 (56.3%) birds tested positive with antibody titre ranging from 2 to 512. The geometric mean titre was 19.7. This low antibody titre reveals the epizootic nature of the virus in the study area and is suggestive of an inter-epidemic phase or early phase of infection pointing a finger to possible economic losses in the event of an outbreak, alongside the role of local chickens in the transmission cycle of NDV to other avian species. Vaccination of local chickens were possible is advocated for.

Key words: Poultry diseases, Newcastle disease, haemagglutination inhibition, antibody titre

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Detection of serum antibody levels against newcastle disease in local chickens in Bauchi metropolis, Bauchi state, Nigeria