Category: 2013

A prospective study of the bacteriology of 120 patients with chronic sinusitis and 55 control subjects seen between January 1995 and December 1998 in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Diseases Clinic of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria was made. Whereas all cultures from the control group yielded only Staphylococcus (63.6% Coagulase positive and 36.4% Coagulase negative), cultures of patients with chronic sinusitis yielded Staphylococcus aureus (48.1%), Escherichia coli (20.4%), Klebsiella spp. (20.4%), Streptococci (7.4%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (3.7%). The isolates were 100% sensitive to Ofloxacin, while penicillin was the least effective antimicrobial agent across board. It was concluded that because of the difficulty in differentiating pathogenic organisms from commensals, the result of nasal swabs should be interpreted with caution. However, non-otolaryngologists involved in the management of the vast majority of patients with chronic sinusitis should request a carefully obtained posterior nasal mucosal swab.

(Af J Clinical & Exp Microbiology: 2003 4(2): 91-97)

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BACTERIOLOGY OF CHRONIC SINUSITIS IN ILORIN NIGERIA

Hepatitis B infection remains a public health problem word-wide because of its high endemicity in most countries of the world and the presence of the virus in many body fluids/secretions, which is responsible for several alterative modes of transmissions. Also, the fact that most of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections occur in infancy or early childhood where over 70% of the infections is asymptomatic and nearly over half of the primary infection results in chronic infection/ carrier, is another reason. Most of the HBV related chronic liver diseases are associated with the chronic infection, which manifestations occur in adulthood. This article examined the various measures that can be used in the control of the disease taking into consideration the epidemiological factors responsible for the occurrence and distribution of the disease.

(Af J Clinical & Exp Microbiology: 2003 4(2): 98-106)

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CONTROL OF HEPATITIS B INFECTION

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis among the sexual partners of women with Trichomoniasis. While 103 female patients were found to have T. vaginalis using both direct wet mount microscopy and culture, only 44(42.7%) male contacts reported for screening. Trichomonas vaginalis was isolated from 20(45.5%) of the 44 male contact investigated, whilst there was no laboratory evidence of the agent in 13(29.6%) of the study group. Amongst the 60 control subjects, T. vaginalis was recovered from 7(11.7%) of them. The difference in the occurrence of T. vaginalis between the patients and the control group was highly statistically significant (p<0.001). This implies that in most cases, infestation with T. vaginalis in the male is silent and might represent a carrier state. Eight (40%) of the 20 men with Trichomonas vaginalis and 43.2% of the 44 men investigated were between 20 and 29 years and this parallels that of other sexually transmitted diseases. While only 6(30%) of the men with T.vaginalis were diagnosed by direct wet mount preparation, all the 20 (100%) positive cases were diagnosed by culture. This however, indicated the general superiority of culture over fresh smears but it is desirable to use both methods in the diagnosis of Trichomoniasis since they complement each other.

Key Words: Trichomonas vaginalis, Prevalence, Sexual Partners, Trichomoniasis, Ibadan.

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PREVALENCE OF TRICHOMONAS VAGINALIS AMONGST COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS (CSWs)

Specimens of High Vaginal Swabs (HVS) of 135 pregnant women were examined to determine the cause of vaginitis in pregnant women in lseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria between August and October 1999.  Study subjects were selected from patient attending selected antenatal clinics in public, private and mission hospitals/clinics in lseyin. Samples were collected from subject in lithotomy position using sterile cuscos bivalve speculum. Samples were analysed by using standard technique as described. A structured questionnaire was also administered in order to obtain vital epidemiological information necessary for the study as described. The data analysis was done using chi square test. Results shows that 45 (33.3%) were positive for Candida spp, 15 (11.1%) for Gardnerella vaginalis and 5 (3.7%) for Trichomonas vaginalis. Sexual activities of individual have no significant effect on prevalence of vaginitis while symptomatology was a major indicator of infection. The effect of educational attainment and religion on infection rate was discussed. Infection decreased with age of patients while infection distribution by age of pregnancy gave a confusing pattern and the factors responsible for this were discussed. Since vaginitis could be asymptomatic most time, the screening of all pregnant women with risk factors for preterm labour and premature rupture of membranes must be undertaken. Prompt treatment of cases is also recommended.

Key Words: Pregnant women, vaginitis, aetiologic agents, prevalence, Iseyin.

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BACTERIOLOGICAL AND PARASITOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF VAGINITIS IN PREGNANT WOMEN IN ISEYIN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2003 4(1): 1)

The testicular histology of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni (S.mansoni) cercaria and treated with Niridazole was examined. The results reveal that infection of mice with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae resulted in distortion of the testicular cyto-architecture including disruption of spermatogenesis as shown by the absence of spermatozoa in the lumen of the sominiferous tubule and distruction of the inter-tubular connective tissue of the infected mice. These changes were reversed to normalcy following two-course treatment of the infected mice with Niridazole after five weeks.

(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2003 4(1): 2-5)

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THE EFFECT OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI CERCARIA INFECTION AND TREATMENT WITH NIRIDAZOLE ON TESTICULAR HISTOLOGY OF THE MICE

We had previously studied the efficacy of three new techniques-Para Sight F, (PSF), Immunochromatographic Test (ICT) and Quantitative Buffy Coat (QBC) – as possible replacements for the time-consuming microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria. Two more rapid assessment techniques (the Optimal 1 and SD-BIOLINE) were recently introduced into Nigeria and claimed to exhibit high sensitivity and specificity. Optimal 1 was particularly claimed to distinguish between P falciparum, P. malariae, P ovale and P. vivax. We have in this work evaluated the efficacy of both the Optimal 1 and SD-Bioline in 240 patients from Ibafo and Magboro Communities in Obafemi-Owode LGA of Ogun State, Nigeria. Results showed that with regard to the detection of P. falciparum, Optimal 1 gave a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 63.95%, 92.20%, 82.1% and 82.1% respectively, while the SD-Bioline gave 54.84%, 42.9%, 68.0% and 68.0% respectively. In retrospect, the sensitivities shown by 3 other techniques (ICT, PSF and QBC) investigated by us were 88.63, 89.95 and 87.6% respectively. Their specificities on the other hand were 94.60, 91.17, 94.70% respectively. The main advantage of the rapid Optimal 1 technique is that it was able to detect P. malariae which microscopy also detected in three patients. The SD-BIOLINE gave the worst comparative result and could not be recommended for use in Nigeria. This work in conclusion has shown that Optimal 1 could be useful in the rapid diagnosis of the various species of Plasmodium in Nigeria provided the patients could afford the test.

(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2003 4(1): 6-13)

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Investigation of the efficacy of two rapid assessment techniques (Optimal 1 and SD-Bioline) for the diagnosis of malaria in rural areas of Nigeria

This study evaluated the ability of a newly developed rapid test for laboratory diagnosis of malaria. OptiMAL is a rapid test that utilizes a dipstick coated with monoclonal antibodies against the intracellular parasite dehydrogenase (PLDH). The differentiation of Plasmodium species is based on antigenic differences between the PLDH forms. Blood samples from 62 of clinically diagnosed patients were examined using the microscopy of Giemsa-stained blood films and the OptiMAL test. The blood films indicated that 27% of the patients were positive for P.falciparum (including one case of mixed infection with P. malariae), while the OptiMAL test recorded 34% for P. falciparum. The OptiMAL test failed to diagnose malaria at concentrations less than 100 per microliter of blood, while those missed by microscopy may be due to sequestration of the parasite coupled with low parasite density. The OptiMAL test was modified by using fingerprick instead of venepuncture and this simplifies the test both in terms of cost and trained personnel. There was no significant difference between the two methods (x2 = 1.513;P>0.05), but the OptiMAL test has the advantages of being faster, requires almost no specialized laboratory experience and extremely sensitive and specific even in field situations. We conclude that the OptiMAL test is an effective tool for the rapid diagnosis of malaria.

(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2003 4(1): 14-17)

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Evaluation of the OptiMAL Test for Rapid Diagnosis of Malaria

A study of malaria as a cause of morbidity among the staff of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria was carried out from August to October 2001. Patients attending a community based Health Centre was used as control. Malaria accounted for 43.0% of illnesses among the workers and 36.7% in the general public. Malaria was responsible for nearly two-thirds of sickness absence and for 48.6% of days lost due to illnesses. Also the disease was responsible for 50 percent or more of sickness absence among all categories of workers when analyzed by occupations. These findings show that malaria could disrupt the health care delivery of a country since it could affect even health workers. By extension too, it could result in the disruption of the economic activities of the country and result in low productivity if not effectively controlled. It I therefore recommended that all efforts at effective controlling malaria should be put in place in Nigeria.

(Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2003 4(1): 18-23)

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Malaria morbidity amongst hospital workers in Ilorin