Dental caries and extractions of permanent teeth in Jos, Nigeria

Objective: To determine the effect of tooth morphology and positioning on the occurrence of dental caries in permanent teeth. Design: Retrospective study. Method: Data was extracted from the case notes of patients that underwent extraction at the Plateau State Dental Centre, Jos, Nigeria from January 2000 to December 2001, as a result of dental caries and its sequalae. Result: 12696 patients attended the clinic, with a total of 11546-teeth extracted. 6145 (53.2%) permanent teeth were extracted due to caries and it's sequalae within the period under review. The upper anteriors accounted for 3.2%, pre-molars 7.7% and molars 29.8% while lower anteriors accounted for 0.4%, pre-molars 3.3% and molars 55.6%. The upper anteriors were eight times more vulnerable to caries attack compared to their corresponding lower anteriors. The upper right (43.3%) and left (36.9%) first premolars were four times prone to losses due to caries compared to their corresponding lower right (11.5%) and left (8.3%) first premolars. Similar pattern was observed for the upper and lower second premolar (P = 0.001). The lower right (31.3%) and left (31.3%) first molar were about two times more susceptible to caries than their corresponding upper right (18.2%) and left (19.2%) first molar. The same trend holds for the second and third molars (P = 0.000). Conclusion: The result of this study revealed that the upper premolars were more susceptible to dental caries than the corresponding lower teeth. The study also revealed that the molars were most susceptible to dental caries and would benefit from the use of prophylactic pits and fissure sealants. Key Words: Tooth morphology; extraction; fissure sealant; caries African Journal of Oral Health Vol.1(1) 2004: 31-3

In vitro Anticancer Screening of 24 Locally Used Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Background: Plants that are used as traditional medicine represent a relevant pool for selecting plant candidates that may have anticancer properties. In this study, the ethnomedicinal approach was used to select several medicinal plants native to Nigeria, on the basis of their local or traditional uses. The collected plants were then evaluated for cytoxicity. Methods: The antitumor activity of methanolic extracts obtained from 24 of the selected plants, were evaluated in vitro on five human cancer cell lines. Results: Results obtained from the plants screened indicate that 18 plant extracts of folk medicine exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines. Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan was found to demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity in this study exhibiting IC50 = 0.2-1.3 $\mu$g/ml. Conclusions: Based on the significantly potent activity of some plants extracts reported here, further studies aimed at mechanism elucidation and bio-guided isolation of active anticancer compounds is currently underway.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

Biochemical response of ouda sheep to water contaminated with NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer

The study of was conducted to assess the biochemical response of sheep to water contaminated with NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer. Twenty (20) growing ouda rams between 10 and 13 months old with an average live weight of 20.01 ± 0.35 kg were used in the trial that lasted for 21 days. The animals were divided into five(5) groups of four ram each, balanced for weight and served drinking water contaminated with NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer at the level of 0ppm,100ppm,200ppm,300ppm and400ppm.The groups were designated fo (control), f1, f2, f3 and f4 respectively. Also, biochemical examinations of fasting blood glucose(FBGL), total serum protein(TSP), serum albumin(S.ALB), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), serumcreatinine(S.CREAT.), serum phosphate(S.PO4), aspartate amino transferase(AST), alanine amino trasferase(ALT) and alanine amino phosphatase(ALP) Were carried out at 0, 24, 48,72,120,168 and 336hours of the experiment following standard procedures. The result showed that all the parameters measured were significantly affected by water treatment. However the evidently higher (p>0.05) concentrations offasting blood glucose, total serum protein, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum phosphate and the listed enzymes after forty eight hours of NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer administration could lead to pancreatic dysfunction, hepato-cellular damage, renal dysfunction, impairment and insufficiency especially in animals on F3(300ppm) and F4(400ppm). In conclusion the contamination of water with NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer beyond 200ppm could be detrimental to sheep health and ultimate performance

Tephrosia bracteolate (Gull et Perr) – Panicum maximum (jacq) combinations utilization by West African Dwarf Goats

Sixteen (16) west African Dwarf Goats (8 bucks and 8 does) were balanced for age, sex and weight (average of 5.79±0.60kg), to test for performance characteristics, cell wall digestibility and Nitrogen Retention, were fed Tephrosia bracteolata based diets were allotted randomly to the following dietary treatments (T. bracteolate, P. maximum, Concentrate) viz: I (20%, 60%, 20%) as control, II (40%, 40%, 20%), III (60%, 20%, 20%) and IV (80%, 0%, 20%) for one hundred and twelve days; 14 day pre-growthadaptation, 84 day-growth and 14 day digestibility (7 day adaptation and 7 day monitoring). Highest (P<0.05) DM was observed in IV  (338.88±31.72g/d) and lowest (P<0.05) in I (255.68±35.48g/d).  Treatment IV (54.29±3.66g/d) also had highest (P<0.05) and daily weight gain and lowest (P<0.05) occurred in I (40.59±4.93g/d). Concerning NDF, ADF and NDL digestibility (%), highest (P<0.05) occurred in IV (81.53±25.37, 75.49±9.23 and 15.84±2.36) and lowest (P<0.05) recorded in I (62.15±25.48, 55.88±8.20 and 8.67±1.50). Similarly trend of highest (P<0.05) in IV (2.67±0.62g/d) and lowest (P<0.05) in I (0.97±0.60g/day) repeated itself with respect to nitrogen balance. This study confirms that with Concentrate waste Tephrosia bracteolata can be sole fed to goats with A.I.B. (Agro industrial byproducts) for optimal performance with or without grass supplement despite its inherent anti nutrient factors.Keywords: Cell wall digestibility, Performance Characteristics, Nitrogen Retention, Tephrosia bracteolata, West African dwarf goat

An assessment of cross infection control practice in Nigerian oral health care workers

Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the cross infection control practices among dental health care practitioners in Nigeria.Method: Questionnaires were administered to 137 Dentists, 56 Dental Therapists and 62 Dental Surgery Assistants (DSAs) practicing in both government and private practices across the six geopolitical areas of the country. Each questionnaire comprised of questions on basic infection control procedures.Result: Results indicate that all the participants use gloves during treatment, 93.8% wear face mask, 48.5% wear eye protection, 95.5% clinical gown/coat. Furthermore 27.3% have had a puncture or laceration from a dental needle or instrument while only 41.4% have had Hepatitis B vaccination.Conclusion: Infection control practice by dental personnel in Nigeria has improved compared to previous studies, particularly in the use of gloves. However in the areas of sterilization, vaccination, there are needs for improvement.Key words: Infection Control, Dental Health Care Workers, Sterilization, Immunizatio

Haemo and Ecto-Parasites of Cattle in the Trans-Boundary Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria

No Abstract

Assessment of the knowledge and effects of foot and mouth disease amongst cattle farmers in Ogun state, Nigeria

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a disease of economic importance that is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa  and contributes significantly to cattle morbidity and mortality. A major factor useful in the control of this disease is  the ability of cattle farmers tosuspect FMD cases. This paper assessed the knowledge and effects of FMD amongst  cattle farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria.Perception of the respondents about the effects of FMD is fair as 64.4% of the  respondents are aware of its direct and indirect losses. The respondents indicated that the outbreak of FMD is   always during the latewet and early dry seasons. This implies that vaccination may be scheduled in order to   achieve  adequate immunization of vaccinated animals since FMD vaccine provide only short lived immunity.Majority of the farmers can identify animals with the infection through the physical signs exhibited by sick animals. This will help in early reporting and confirmatory diagnosis for appropriate action to be taken.Although 61.5% of the    farmers  agreed that vaccination is useful for FMD prevention, the animals of those that do not accept this fact may serve as a means of maintaining the virus in the area, since there is no restriction of movement of animals within Nigeria.In conclusion, the farmers indicated that there is need for government assistance in the provision of  adequate and  timely vaccines and vaccination against FMD which is the ultimate remedy for FMD in Nigeria.Keywords: Assessment, Knowledge, Foot and Mouth Disease, Nigeri

Immunization and Nutritional Status Survey of Children in selected Rural Communities of Sokoto State

Objectives: Immunization coverage and anthropometry of a community constitute a good index for measuring child-health status for that community. We therefore, studied the anthropometry, and the coverage of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) vaccines in randomly selected rural communities of Sokoto State. Design: Cross-sectional randomized study. Method: One hundred and fifteen mothers of children present at the randomly chosen sites on the days of the study were interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires. Information on the immunization status was based on parental recall, and this was mostly confirmed by a review of individual immunization cards, while nutritional assessment was based on weight-for-age data. Results: The 115 children (56 males, 59 females) were aged less than six years [mean age, 4.71 ± 1.24 years]. Fully, partially, and not immunized proportions of the 115 were seven percent, 73.9 percent and 19.1 percent, respectively. Male immunization rate was significantly higher than the female (