Children with sickle cell disease who are experiencing psychosocial problems concurrently with their mothers: a Nigerian study

Objective: The objective of the study was to identify children with Sickle cell disease (SCD) who are experiencing psychosocial problems concurrently with their mothers; and comparing the dyads to determine correlation, pattern of correlation and to identify correlating or modifying factors. Method: The psychosocial impact of Sickle cell disease in affected children and their mothers was assessed using semi-structured questionnaire and standardized instruments (The Child Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ) - Parents’ version or Scale A2) for the children and Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) for their mothers) Children with bronchial asthma and some with acute medical illnesses (AMI) and their mothers who were also assessed with the same instruments served as the control population. Results: There was significant correlation between children who were probable cases with psychological problems based on Child Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ score of ≥7) and corresponding mothers who were probable cases with psychosocial problems based on Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ score of ≥5).Although there were some group-specific factors that influenced this pattern (child and mother having psychosocial problems concurrently) in one or 2 groups of these diseases, none cut across the 3 groups. Conclusion: In psychosocial management of physical illnesses, assessment and care should include a focus on families rather than on the affected individual only. In addition, identifying emotional and social dysfunction in a family member should lead to a search in other members; in this way primary prevention or control can effectively be carried out. Finally, identifying more modifiable factors that positively influence this pattern in which child and mother experience psychosocial dysfunction concurrently should be the urgent task of future and larger studies in this environment.Keywords: Concurrent; Child; Mother; Psychosocial problems; Sickle cell diseas

Family Characteristics of Nigerian Women with Severe Mental Illness Attending a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

Objective: To assess the family characteristics of Nigerian women with severe mental illness in order to understand the clinical implication and application.Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting: Psychiatric clinics of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.Subjects: One hundred severely mentally ill women in their reproductive age.Results: Majority of the women were educated, employed and had schizophrenia. About two-third were married and co-habiting with their spouses, 71% were parents. Many reported well functioning extended family with 55% having regular contact while 38 and 7% had irregular or hardly made contact respectively. Seventy one percent of mothers had lost custody of their children at a point. Family history of mental illness was present in 19%, while 25% had fears that their children may inherit illness. Majority reported adequate spousal and relatives’ support. Mothers without custody of any child were significantly more likely to have schizophrenia p=0.001, be currently unmarried p=0.021, have a non-residential marital relationship p=0.030; and experienced previous abortions p=0.028.Conclusion: Women with severe mental illness particularly schizophrenics may have difficulties in the spheres of marriage and family living and may need help, an aggressive rehabilitation service that will assist patients in coping with family relationships and functioning is suggested

Children with bronchial asthma assessed for psychosocial problems in a teaching hospital in Nigeria

Background: Paediatric bronchial asthma causes respiratory related mortality and morbidity globally and elevates the risk of psychological and social problems (psychosocial problems); which may result in poorer asthma control. The rate of and associated factors for psychosocial problems among our asthmatic children was assessed in this study.Methods: Seventy five (75) children aged 7 to 14 years with bronchial asthma who were attending clinics at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria, were assessed with Child behaviour questionnaire and a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: Probable psychological morbidity was present in 25% of the children. The most frequently reported social impairments associated with the disease were: interference with play (60%), domestic work (49%), fear of dying anytime (29%) and feeling of being a burden on the family (25%). Psychological morbidity was significantly associated with lower maternal education (p=0.020) and occupation (p=0.038), polygamy (p=0.012), fathers having more than 5 children (p=0.027) and mothers having inadequate spousal support (p=0.012). Inadequate spousal support and lower maternal occupational level were the significant predictors of morbidity following logistic regression.Conclusion: Routine psychosocial assessment and care for children with asthma needs to be introduced into our clinics to help protect them and their families from avoidable suffering.Keywords: Bronchial asthma, psychosocial problems, teaching hospital, Nigeri

Cross-Reactivity of Some Cryptosporidium Species with Cryptosporidium parvum Coproantigen in a Commercial ELISA Kit

To obtain information about the prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in cattle in Oyo State, Nigeria, a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit made from Cryptosporidium-specificantibodies raised against antigens of Cryptosporidium parvum was used to screen 406 randomly collected fecal samples from cattle in four White Fulani herds. The overall prevalence was 32.3% (131/406) with 44 % (37/84), 36.5% (35/96) and 26.1% (59/226) prevalence in ages 12 months respectively. Further analysis of some of the ELISA-positive samples using nested polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR– RFLP) and DNA sequencing of the small subunit (18S) rRNA gene identified the isolates asCryptosporidium bovis and C. ryanae. The use of molecular tools showed that there is crossreactivity between C. bovis and C. ryanae with theCryptosporidium-specific antibodies raised against antigens of Cryptosporidium parvum, thereby eliminating the false alarm about the possible risk of zoonotic transmission in the study area. This work showed that unlike some other livestock diseases where commercially available ELISA kits are often relied on as diagnostic tools, ELISA kits obtainedfrom Cryptosporidium-specific antibodies are not reliable for assessing risk of zoonosis in epidemiological studies

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Rodents in Ibadan, Nigeria

No Abstract

Prevalencija invazije vrstama roda Cryptosporidium u goveda na području Jugozapadne Nigerije

This study investigates the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. infection in Oyo state, south western Nigeria. Fecal specimens from 406 cattle were randomly collected and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts using the formol ethyl ether concentration and the modified Kinyoun acid-fast staining method. The results showed that the overall prevalence of infection was 23.4% (95/406), with an infection rate of 27.4%, 28.1% and 19.9% in cattle less than 6 months, 7-12 months and over 12 months respectively. Although no significant difference (P>0.05) exists between the age groups, calves less than 6 months of age are more likely to be infected than adults (OR: 1.512; 95%CI: 0.849-2.709). A significant difference (P0,05) među skupinama različite dobi, smatra se da je telad mlađa od šest mjeseci primljivija na invaziju od odraslih. Značajna je razlika (P<0,0001) dokazana između prevalencije u goveda različitoga spola. U krava je dokazana dvostruko veća mogućnost invazije. Stopa invadiranosti iznosila je 84,2% (80/95) u goveda bez proljeva, a 15,8% (15/95) u goveda s proljevom. Nije ustanovljena povezanost između pojave proljeva i prisutnosti oocista kriptosporidija (P = 0,9468; OR: 0,979; 95%CI: 0,522-1,636). Rezultati pokazuju da je invazija protozoima Cryptosporidium sp. česta u Nigeriji, osobito u goveda koja ne pokazuju kliničke znakove bolesti, a mogu biti znatan izvor invazije za ljude

Molecular Identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Isolates from Nigerian Children

A study was conducted to detect and identify enteric microsporidian species in 43 children from Oyo state, Nigeria. Using nested polymerase chain reaction, 9.3% of the children were identified as positive for Enterocytozoon bieneusi. DNA sequencing of the PCR products showed the presence of three known genotypes (two isolates of genotype D and one of genotype K) and one new genotype. This study suggests that either human or animal (or both) could be the infection source for the children, since identified genotypes D and K have been previously detected in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients and domestic animals. The identification of high diversity also suggests intensive transmission of microsporidiosis in the studied area

Prevalence of potentially zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in canine faeces in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Humans can get infected through direct or indirect contact with infective stages of zoonotic parasites shed to the environment through dog faeces.Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the presence of gastrointestinal parasites present in dog faeces shed on the street of Ibadan metropolis, one of the largest cities in Africa.Methods: Twenty-three locations were randomly selected using grid-sampling method. A total of 203 faecal samples collected from the streets of selected areas were processed for detection of helminth eggs and protozoan oocysts using flotation technique. Eggs/oocysts per gram of faeces was counted using modified McMaster technique.Results: The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 43.3% (88/203). Single and multiple infections were 69 (78.4%) and 19 (21.6%) respectively. The parasites detected were Ancylostoma sp. 24.6% (50/88) Isospora sp. 14.2% (29/88), Toxocara sp. 9.8% (20/88), Uncinaria sp. 2.5% (5/88) and Strongyloides sp, 3.9% (8/88). Ancylostoma sp. (320 x 102 epg) and Uncinaria sp. (5 x 102 epg) had the highest and least intensity respectively. Streets within residential areas having markets had the highest number of positive samples. All the genera of parasites detected in this study have zoonotic potential.Conclusion: The high prevalence of zoonotic parasites detected in dog faeces from Ibadan metropolis showed that infected stray dogs roam the streets and constitute potential risk to human health. This study suggests the need for enforcement of laws restraining roaming or straying dogs and proper veterinary care of dogs.Funding: None declaredKeywords: Dog, Faeces, Gastrointestinal Parasites, Nigeria, Zoonose