Social factors affecting seasonal variation in bovine trypanosomiasis on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and presents a major constraint to rural economic development. The Jos Plateau was considered free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and this trypanosomiasis free status attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to the area. The Jos Plateau now plays a major role in the national cattle industry in Nigeria, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd, supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. During the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. Here we investigate the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis as a re-emerging disease on the Plateau, examining the social factors that influence prevalence and seasonal variation of bovine trypanosomiasis. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey was undertaken on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution of bovine trypanosomiasis. Participatory rural appraisal was also conducted to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning animal husbandry and disease control. RESULTS: Significant seasonal variation between the dry season and late wet season was recorded across the Jos Plateau, consistent with expected variation in tsetse populations. However, marked seasonal variations were also observed at village level to create 3 distinct groups: Group 1 in which 50% of villages followed the general pattern of low prevalence in the dry season and high prevalence in the wet season; Group 2 in which 16.7% of villages showed no seasonal variation and Group 3 in which 33.3% of villages showed greater disease prevalence in the dry season than in the wet season. CONCLUSIONS: There was high seasonal variation at the village level determined by management as well as climatic factors. The growing influence of management factors on the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis highlights the impact of recent changes in land use and natural resource competition on animal husbandry decisions in the extensive pastoral production system

Evaluation of Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease on Hypertensive Post-Menopausal Women and Aged-matched Hypertensive Males.

Background: This study compared plasma lipids and glucose levels in hypertensive post -menopausal women with age-matched hypertensive men. Methods: This is a cross sectional study that involves 100 subjects attending out-patient department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching hospital hypertensive clinics and control subjects. 25 hypertensive post-menopausal women and 25 hypertensive male subjects both within the same age range of 50-60 years. Also 25 hypertensive pre-menopausal women and 25 nonhypertensive controls both within the age range of 30-40 years. The lipid profile parameters (Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL-C), and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL-C)) and fasting plasma glucose were determined using standard methods. The study also assessed the anthropometric indices such as BMI, SBP and DBP in each group. Results: The mean levels of TC and TG were significantly lower in post-menopausal hypertensive females when compared with the hypertensive males (p<0.05). However, the mean plasma HDL-C and LDL-C did not show any significant difference between the two groups. The comparison of the mean levels of all the parameters in hypertensive males with the non-hypertensive controls showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). The mean levels of TC and LDL-C were significantly higher in hypertensive post-menopausal women when compared with hypertensive pre-menopausal females (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that menopause had altered the plasma lipids of the hypertensive post -menopausal women, but not to the extent of putting them at the same atherosclerosis scale as their male counterpart

Maternal and neonatal factors associated with mode of delivery under a universal newborn hearing screening programme in Lagos, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Emerging evidence from a recent pilot universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) programme suggests that the burden of obstetric complications associated with mode of delivery is not limited to maternal and perinatal mortality but may also include outcomes that undermine optimal early childhood development of the surviving newborns. However, the potential pathways for this association have not been reported particularly in the context of a resource-poor setting. This study therefore set out to establish the pattern of delivery and the associated neonatal outcomes under a UNHS programme.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study in which all consenting mothers who delivered in an inner-city tertiary maternity hospital in Lagos, Nigeria from May 2005 to December 2007 were enrolled during the UNHS programme. Socio-demographic, obstetric and neonatal factors independently associated with vaginal, elective and emergency caesarean deliveries were determined using multinomial logistic regression analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 4615 mothers enrolled, 2584 (56.0%) deliveries were vaginal, 1590 (34.4%) emergency caesarean and 441 (9.6%) elective caesarean section. Maternal age, parity, social class and all obstetric factors including lack of antenatal care, maternal HIV and multiple gestations were associated with increased risk of emergency caesarean delivery compared with vaginal delivery. Only parity, lack of antenatal care and prolonged/obstructed labour were associated with increased risk of emergency compared with elective caesarean delivery. Infants delivered by vaginal method or by emergency caesarean section were more likely to be associated with the risk of sensorineural hearing loss but less likely to be associated with hyperbilirubinaemia compared with infants delivered by elective caesarean section. Emergency caesarean delivery was also associated with male gender, low five-minute Apgar scores and admission into special care baby unit compared with vaginal or elective caesarean delivery.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The vast majority of caesarean delivery in this population occur as emergencies and are associated with socio-demographic factors as well as several obstetric complications. Mode of delivery is also associated with the risk of sensorineural hearing loss and other adverse birth outcomes that lie on the causal pathways for potential developmental deficits.</p

Intestinal strongyloidiasis and hyperinfection syndrome

In spite of recent advances with experiments on animal models, strongyloidiasis, an infection caused by the nematode parasite Strongyloides stercoralis, has still been an elusive disease. Though endemic in some developing countries, strongyloidiasis still poses a threat to the developed world. Due to the peculiar but characteristic features of autoinfection, hyperinfection syndrome involving only pulmonary and gastrointestinal systems, and disseminated infection with involvement of other organs, strongyloidiasis needs special attention by the physician, especially one serving patients in areas endemic for strongyloidiasis. Strongyloidiasis can occur without any symptoms, or as a potentially fatal hyperinfection or disseminated infection. Th(2 )cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity and mucosal immunity have been shown to have protective effects against this parasitic infection especially in animal models. Any factors that suppress these mechanisms (such as intercurrent immune suppression or glucocorticoid therapy) could potentially trigger hyperinfection or disseminated infection which could be fatal. Even with the recent advances in laboratory tests, strongyloidiasis is still difficult to diagnose. But once diagnosed, the disease can be treated effectively with antihelminthic drugs like Ivermectin. This review article summarizes a case of strongyloidiasis and various aspects of strongyloidiasis, with emphasis on epidemiology, life cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis, clinical manifestations of the disease, corticosteroids and strongyloidiasis, diagnostic aspects of the disease, various host defense pathways against strongyloidiasis, and available treatment options

Maternal death and obstetric care audits in Nigeria: A systematic review of barriers and enabling factors in the provision of emergency care.

Acknowledgements We would like to thank Yutaka Osakabe for co-ordinating the retrieval of full text articles. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supported this study, grant number 12-100074-000-INPPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Proteinuria And Occurrence Of Onchocerca Volvulus Microfilariae In Skin, Urine And Blood Of Onchocerciasis Patients After Ivermectin Treatment In Adikpo, Benue State, Nigeria

Fifty adult patients in Adikpo, Benue State, Nigeria having an average of 50 microfilaria/skin snip (mflss) and 2 microfilaria/milliliter (mflml) in skin and urine respectively were given a single treatment of Ivermectin at a dose rate between 150 – 200mg/kg. Five of the patients also had microfilariae in their blood. Seven days after this treatment, there was a decrease of the microfilaria from pretreatment level to 17.8% and 10% in the skin and urine respectively (i.e.82% and 90% clearance). There was 100% clearance in the blood. Trace proteinuria shown in 30 (60%) patients before treatment was increased to 45 (90%) patients after treatment. This study has revealed that Ivermectin has a great efficacy in clearing microfilaria of Onchocerca volvulus in the skin, urine and blood of individuals. The increase in the number of patients with mild proteinuria after treatment and its implication require further investigation. It may not mean that the increase in protein content after treatment is due to Ivermectin. African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 9 (3) 2008: pp. 119-12

Intestinal parasitiasis: Positive cases and low haematocrit among pregnant women at the Antenatal Clinic, Vom, Nigeria

Stool and blood samples examined by microscopy and haematocrit respectively for 205 volunteers who were pregnant women attending the antenatal care unit at the Primary Health Care Clinic in Vom. Jos-North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria; 94 (45.9%) of the samples were positive for intestinal parasites, 48 (51.1%) having multiple infection and 46 (48.9%) having single infection. Age and gestational status of women did not significantly affect infection rate (P>0.05) but multigravidae had significantly higher (

Serum immunoglobulins and circulating immune complexes in Nigerians on the Jos Plateau

No Abstract. Ghana Medical Journal Vol. 38(1) 2004: 28-3