Transfusion transmissible viral infections among potential blood donors in Ibadan, Nigeria

It is evident that proper screening procedures prior blood transfusion is a cost-effective approach for prevention and control of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Also, it has been documented that sub-standard test kits are mostly used in resource limited settings for transfusion related diagnosis. However, the role of such practice in epidemiology of transfusion transmissible viral infections in a tertiary health care facility would give an insight to the rates of blood transfusion associated viral transmission in the community at large. Therefore, the study was designed to determine the prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses among blood donors in a tertiary hospital where quality diagnostic procedures are considered prior recruitment of donors. Post ethical approval, counselled and consenting 507(M= 426; F=81) aged 19 to 68 years (Median age:39) potential blood donors were recruited and tested for HIV, HBsAg and anti-HCV using commercial ELISA testkit in strict compliance with the manufacturer’sprocedures. Overall results show rates of 2.0%, 5.9% and 1.4% for HIV, HBsAg and HCV respectively. Also, highest prevalence rates were recorded among age group 26 to 35 years as 2.6%, 7.2% and 2.1% for HIV, HBV and HCV respectively. Furthermore, higher prevalences rates were noted among unmarried individuals as 2.6%, 6.8% and 2.1% for HIV, HBV and HCV respectively.Key words: Transfusion Transmissible Infections, HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Blood Donors, University College Hospital (UCH), ELISA

Genetic Characterization of Zika Virus Strains: Geographic Expansion of the Asian Lineage

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus found in both Africa and Asia. Human infection with the virus may result in a febrile illness similar to dengue fever and many other tropical infections found in these regions. Previously, little was known about the genetic relationships between ZIKV strains collected in Africa and those collected in Asia. In addition, the geographic origins of the strains responsible for the recent outbreak of human disease on Yap Island, Federated States of Micronesia, and a human case of ZIKV infection in Cambodia were unknown. Our results indicate that there are two geographically distinct lineages of ZIKV (African and Asian). The virus has circulated in Southeast Asia for at least the past 50 years, whereupon it was introduced to Yap Island resulting in an epidemic of human disease in 2007, and in 2010 was the cause of a pediatric case of ZIKV infection in Cambodia. This study also highlights the danger of ZIKV introduction into new areas and the potential for future epidemics of human disease

Epidemiology of bacterial zoonoses in Nigeria

This paper dicusses the epidemiology and epizootiology of bacterial zoonotic diseases in Nigeria. Six diseases are discussed including anthrax, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, campylobacteriosis leptospirosis, salmonellosis and tetanus. All axcept anthrax are enzootic and endemic in the country, and have been associated with high morbidity in human and the animal populations. The exact impact of the diseases on the general population in unknown because they are grossly underreported and underrecognized. Keywords: epidemiology, bacteria, zoonoses, endemic, enzootic Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 98-10

Clarifying Bunyamwera virus riddles of the past

Pyrosequencing data and phylogenetic analysis for the full genome of Ilesha virus, Ngari virus and Calovo virus are described clarifying their much discussed relationship within the species Bunyamwera virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus of the Bunyaviridae