Category: Volume 13.3

Microscopy has been the most common technique for the diagnosis of malaria in south western Nigeria. This study was undertaken to determine the efficiency of PCR for malaria diagnosis in south western Nigeria. A total of 450 samples submitted for malaria diagnosis at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife between the months of January and December, 2009 were used. Methods used included Giemsa staining procedure for estimation of parasite densities and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of malaria parasite in the whole blood. Using microscopy as reference gold standard, patients comprising 120 males and 330 females with age ranging between less than 1 and 60 samples were used. In all, about 255 (56.7 %) of the samples were positive for microscopy, while 75 (16.7 %) with high parasitaemia on microscopy were positive for PCR analysis. The study concluded that PCR for diagnosis of malaria has sensitivity of 29.4% and specificity of 100% using crude method of DNA extraction while the use of DNA extraction kit has sensitivity of 90.2% and specificity of 100%, hence effort should be geared towards increasing the sensitivity and reduce the cost of doing the test in low resource country like Nigeria.

Download full journal in PDF below

This study determined the prevalence of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in late pregnancy and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated GBS as well as the impact of GBS infections on pregnancy related clinical outcome with a view of providing an epidemiological baseline data for policy formulation in the teaching hospital. It is an observational and cross-sectional hospital based study. One hundred and fifty pregnant women from 35-40 weeks of gestation were purposively selected and included in the study from May to December 2010. Vaginal swab samples were aseptically collected from the subjects after informed consent. The samples were assayed for presence of GBS. The susceptibility pattern of the isolated GBS to different antibiotics were assessed using disc diffusion and agar dilution techniques based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards institute(CLSI) standards. The result showed prevalence of 11.3% GBS vaginal colonization which increased with age. There was no significant association between GBS colonization status and age (p >0.05)), gestational age (p >0.05)), gravidity (p >0.05) and obstetric risk factors (p >0.05)). There was no incidence of GBS infection observed. Although, all (17) the GBS isolates were 100% resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin and clindamycin. Resistance to cefotaxime (11.8%), erythromycin (64.7%) and vancomycin 70.6% were observed. Group B Streptococcus colonization in vagina in late pregnancy has been established in the antenatal clinic of the teaching hospital with the attendant risk to the fetus in the population of those affected. There were high and multiple resistance patterns of the GBS isolates to different antibiotics in this study. This calls for a review of the present hospital policy to include the routine screening of GBS during antenatal visits and surveillance.

Download full journal in PDF below

Group B Streptococcus Carriage during Late Pregnancy in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Enteric fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serotype typhi, Salmonella paratyphi A, B, C, and Salmonella typhimurium respectively. Of the 2818 blood cultures reviewed, only 90 (3.2%) had positive cultures for Salmonella species while the 10,007 faecal samples cultured, 159 (1.6%) were positive for Salmonella species. Identification of isolates was by usual bacteriological techniques including biochemical and serological methods. Percentage occurrence of Salmonella species in blood and faecal samples show Salmonella enterica serotype typhi (75.6% and 59.8%), Salmonella paratyphi A (4.4% and 9.4%), Salmonella paratyphi B (17.8% and 19.5%), Salmonella paratyphi C (2.2% and 6.3%) and Salmonella typhimurium (0.0% and 5.0%). The susceptibility pattern of all the isolates to the eleven drugs used as listed on table iii is highly revealing. For epidemiological status and proper management of patients, it is necessary that appropriate specimens (blood, bone marrow and faecal cultures) are examined and identification of isolates carried out as well as proper sensitivity testing performed prior to treatment for enteric fever.

Download full journal in PDF below

Background: Maternal measles antibodies (MMA) are actively transferred in mother-infant pairs during third trimester of pregnancy. Gestational age (GA) affects the levels of MMA such that longer GA may result in infants starting out with high levels of MMA.
Objective: To determine the influence of GA on the loss of MMA in newborn infants in North-Eastern Nigeria.
Method: A prospective study was conducted on newborn infants at Maiduguri; sera were collected at birth and at six months of age. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure MMA while GA was determined using the last menstrual period, ultrasound scan reports and the Dubowitz criteria.
Results: Seventy eight newborn infants were enrolled. Seventeen (89.5 %) preterm, 43 (95.6 %) term and 14 (100 %) postterm had protective levels of MMA at birth. Two (10.5 %) preterm, nine (20.0%) term and two (14.3 %) postterm had protective MMA at six months of age. Comparison of mean MMA at birth and at six months of age was significant (p = 0.005), however, it was independent of GA of the newborn infants.
Conclusion: Significant decline of mean MMA levels was seen in these infants at six months of age, which was independent of their GA. These infants may be prone to measles at an earlier age (less than six months). Therefore, the current recommendation of measles immunization to infants at nine months of age may require reconsideration.

Download full journal in PDF below

The Influence of Gestational Age on the Loss of Maternal Measles Antibodies in Newborn Infants in North-Eastern Nigeria A Call for a Review of Measles Immunization Schedule

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is RNA virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In Ghana the AIDS epidemic is spreading very fast in densely populated areas with higher numbers of cases occurring in the southern regions especially the densely populated capitals such as Kumasi, Koforidua and Accra as well as mining towns like Obuasi and Tarkwa, and in border towns. Data was collected from Accra and Kumasi on socio-economic backgrounds such as age, sex, education, marital status, household size, among others with a structured questionnaire and analysed using statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. About 72% females and 28% males were interviewed with close to 74% lying between 22 to 40 age brackets. Also 63% of these completed JHS/Middle school, Seventeen (36.1%) are married people, 15 (31.9%) widowed. Majority of them are Akans who are also Christians with different denominations. Among these people, 20 (42.6%) of them are unemployed, and 3 (6.4%) claimed to be self-employed in various disciplines. Most of them said they use condoms as contraceptives in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Income level of the respondents predominantly lies between GH¢50.00- GH¢450.00 per annum. Some of the interventions for preventing the disease include promoting abstinence and faithfulness, promoting reductions in the number of sexual partners, encouraging delays in the onset of sexual activity among others.

Download full journal in PDF below

Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Patients Diagnosed with HIV in Accra and Kumasi Metropolis

The pattern of microbial flora of the vagina of diabetics was studied, to advise on empirical regimen for the treatment of sepsis in diabetics with the lower genital tract as source. In 2003, microscopy, culture and sensitivity of high vaginal swabs from 60 consecutive non-insulin-dependent diabetics and 20 non-diabetics attending Oluyoro Catholic Hospital, Ibadan were done. The fasting plasma glucose was estimated. The prevalence of micro-organisms decreased with duration of diabetes. The isolates were Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida species, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella species, Enterococcus faecalis, and viridans Streptococcus. Klebsiella species and Escherichia coli were incriminated in Gram negative bacilli (GNB) bacteraemia in diabetics in this environment. In addition to metronidazole, ceftazidime or ceftriazone should be used as first line drugs, while the quinolones should be reserved for the treatment of sepsis in diabetics where lower genital tract is the likely source of infection.

Download full journal in PDF below

Pattern of Microbial Colonization of the Vagina of Diabetics in Ibadan, Nigeria