Eff ect of the sub-chronic administration of some commonly used herbal products on the liver enzymes, body weight, and feed intake of albino Wistar rats: Any implication for public health?

The present study was focused to assess the effects of the administration of commonly used herbal products viz.:Yoyo cleansing bitters, T. angelica herbal tonic, and Bio-Strath elixir on the liver enzymes, body weight, and feedintake in adult albino Wistar rats. A total number of seventy Wistar rats were divided into three major groups.Each group received a particular herbal product and each of these groups was further subdivided into subgroupsthat received various dosages of each of the herbal products. The rats were acclimatized for 14 days after whichthey received different doses of each of the herbal products for 6 weeks. The body weight, feed intake, andmodulation in liver enzymes were evaluated. The feed intake and body weights were reduced in animals thatreceived T. angelica herbal tonic and Yoyo cleansing bitters at twice the normal dose once and twice daily, butthe reverse was the case for the rats that received Bio-Strath elixir even at higher doses. The liver enzymes wereincreased at all doses in rats which were given Bio-Strath elixir but it was not significant (P > 0.05), while thoseof Yoyo bitters and T. angelica herbal tonic were significantly increased (P < 0.05), especially at higher doses.From our study results it was suggested that a higher dose than the manufacturer’s recommended dose takenfor a longer duration can elevate liver enzyme, thus causing abnormal liver function

Pattern of Cancer in Bauchi: Report from a Departmental Cancer Registry

Context: Cancer ranks second among the major causes of death globally. A projection by 2020 indicated that developing countries wouldaccount for about 70% of total cancer‑related death worldwide. Despite the great threat posed by cancer to this region of the world,  reliable statistics on the trends and patterns of cancer are rare. Aims: The aim of the study is to review the cases of cancer recorded in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2019 Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive study. Nine years records of all pathologically diagnosed cancer cases in the ATBUTH, Bauchi were retrieved, reviewed, and grouped in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology. The results were presented as simple frequency tables and charts. Results: A total of 1284 cancer cases were diagnosed during the period, an average of 142.7 cases per annum. There was a female predominance of cancer cases (male: female ratio ‑ 1:1.53. The age range was from seven months to 95 years, with mean and medianages of 49.6 and 50 years, respectively. More than half of the cases were reported in the fifth to seventh decades of life. Prostate (14.6%)and non melanoma skin cancer (11.2%) were the most common cancers seen in males. In females, cancers of the cervix (37.9%) and thebreast (22.9%) were the most common. Conclusions: Breast cancer and cancer of the uterine cervix were the most common cancers in women in this review while prostate cancer was the most common cancer in men. The need to establish a hospital‑based and/or population‑based cancer registry that will generate reliable cancer data in our environment cannot be overemphasized. Keywords: Bauchi, breast, cancer, cervix, prostate, registr

Effectiveness of Treatment Outcomes of Public Private Mix Tuberculosis Control Program in Eastern Nigeria

Effective tuberculosis treatment has been shown to have significant effect on the control of tuberculosis. Completion of treatment of active cases is therefore the most important priority of tuberculosis control programmes. Descriptive statistics with a retrospective cohort study design used to analyze secondary data set (2007-2010) of patients accessing TB-DOTS treatment in two facilities (Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH and Department of Health Services Tuberculosis and Leprosy  Control Unit Nnewi North Local Government Area (L.G.A.) Secretariat, DHSTLCU ) as public health facilities and other two facilities ( Immaculate Heart of Catholic Church Hospital, IHCCH  and Diocesan Anglican Communion Hospital, DACH) as private health facilities in Nnewi North L.G.A., Anambra State. Gender of patients were male: female 54%(1016 patients) : 46% (883 patients) and 53%(63 patients) : 47%(56 patients) in public and private health facilities respectively . Using WHO (1996) standards the health facilities adjudged as efficient were: in 2007, private facilities using the indicator  of treatment failure rate; private facilities using the indicator of death rate;  public facilities and private facilities using  the indicator of transfer-out rate ; public facilities using the indicator of  treatment completion rate. In 2008, effective health facilities were: private health facilities using the indicator of failure rate; public and private health facilities using the indicator of transfer-out rate; private facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In 2009, effective health facilities were public and private health facilities using indicator of treatment failure rate; public and private health facilities using the indicator of death rate; public and private facilities using the indicator of transfer out; public and private facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In 2010, effective health facilities were: private health facilities using the indicator of  cure rate; private facilities using the indicator of death rate ; public and private facilities using the indicator of transfer-out; public facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In conclusion, private health facilities were more effective than public health facilities  by the several indicators over the four year period.  Future research is needful to use primary and secondary data sets in assessment of TB control program effectiveness; technical efficiency assessment using non-parametric statistics will assess the validity of assessing effectiveness using only the WHO standards; identify centre-specific factors associated with poor treatment outcome; institutionalizing a reward system for effective TB-DOTS facilities will engender healthy competition in the Public Private Mix for sustained effectiveness; the Monitoring and Evaluation tools especially the treatment card for data capture should be improved upon for comprehensiveness of patients socio-economic history. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Effectiveness, Treatments Outcomes, Public Private Mi

The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal protozoa infections among HIV patients in Imo State, Nigeria

The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal protozoa infections amongst HIV patients seen at Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, was studied between March 2006 and April 2007. Stool samples were collected in sterile screw cap bottles from 1,202 male and female respondents aged 1 to 50 years. The samples were brought to the Parasitology Laboratory, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, and examined by direct wet mount and concentration technique. The findings showed that 1,021 (84.94%) were infected with Cryptosporidium species and other intestinal protozoa. Of this number, 890 (74.04%) had mixed infection while 131 (10.90%) had single infection of cryptosporidiosis or other intestinal protozoa. The highest prevalence of infection (92.75% males and 89.11% females) was observed amongst male patients aged 1-10 years, while the least (78.31%) was observed amongst patients aged 21-30 years. This study showed that impaired immunity exacerbated by HIV infection could lead to increased incidence of cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal parasites. Keywords: Cryptosporidiosis, intestinal protozoa, HIV patients.Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (1) 2008 pp. 50-5

Perception, Prevalence and Predictors of Rape among Female Students in a Tertiary Institution South East Nigeria

International audienc

Epidemiological pattern and outcome of head injuries during festive and non-festive periods in a tertiary hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria

Background: Head injury is trauma to the brain and/or its coverings as a result of an externally applied mechanical force. Study of epidemiological pattern of head injuries is essential in developing necessary preventive strategies and control. To compare the prevalence and pattern of head injuries during the non-festive (February – September) and the festive (October – January) periods in our environment.Methods: Patients’ case files at the Accidents and Emergency unit of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, were reviewed.Results: Two hundred and sixty-six out of 4,846 met the inclusion criteria for traumatic head injury and were recruited for the study, giving a prevalence of 5.5%. About 77.4% of these presentations were males while 22.6% were females. Both males and females were affected more in the festive period (52.4% and 48.3%) than in the non-festive period (51.7% and 47.6%). The >20 – 30 year group recorded the highest presentation at 30.5%. Traders and Commercial Motorcyclists were the most affected occupations with 25.9% and 24.1% respectively, with the most common causes of head injury during both the festive and non – periods being motorcycle and motor vehicle accidents (68% and 18% respectively). About 63% presented with mild head injury, 14% with moderate and 23% with severe head injuries. About 11.4% were discharged, 83.9% were transferred to the ward for further evaluation and monitoring while 4.7% died at the Accident and Emergency department.Conclusions: Traumatic head injury is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in our environment especially in the festive periods. Aggressive and sustained traffic safety education is recommended for all stakeholders in the broad field of accidentology.