REVIEW: Lupus nephritis: An approach to diagnosis and treatment in South Africa

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus  erythematosus. Delayed recognition and diagnosis of LN may be a common cause of chronic kidney disease among South Africans. Renal biopsy is the gold standard of diagnosing LN; however, this service is not  available in many centres and the use of urinalysis, urine microscopic examination and other serological tests can be useful in identifying patients with proliferative LN. Proliferative types of LN (class III, class IV and  mixed class V) comprise the larger proportion of patients with this condition. Patients receiving  immunosuppressive therapy need to be monitored closely for side-effects and drug-related toxicities. LN patients with end-stage renal disease (class VI) need to be prepared for renal replacement therapy (dialysis  and renal transplantation). In all patients, treatment should include adjunctive therapies such as renin  angiotensin aldosterone system blockade, bone protection (with calcium supplements and vitamin D), blood  pressure control and chloroquine – all of which help to retard the progression of kidney disease

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 (

Continued high endemicity of urinary schistosomiasis in Ogun State, Nigeria

Four hundred and fifty respondents were examined for urinary schistosomiasis in Ibaro-Oyan and Abule Titun communities that depend on the Oyan Dam for their livelihood. Using laboratory examination of urine samples and structured questionnaire, prevalence was 86.0% Ibaro-Oyan and 88.0% Abule-Titun. Males were more infected (89% Ibaro-Oyan and 96% Abule Titun) than females (82% and 74% respectively). Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in infection rates between sexes (p>0.005). Sixty-seven per cent males and 53% females in Ibaro-Oyan and 64% males and 53% females in Abule Titun had observable haematuria in their urine. Most respondents (97.4% and 99.6%) from Ibaro-Oyan and Abule Titun rely heavily on the Oyan Dam for source of water and also aware that infection is due to their water contact activities with the dam. The continued high endemicity could be reduced if the Ogun State government incorporates the political will to eliminate the scourge

Larvicidal efficacy of stock Bacillus sphaericus on local species of Anopheles mosquito in Sokoto, Nigeria

Graded concentrations (15, 30, 60, 90, 100, 120 mg/l) of stock, water dispersed powder of Bacillus sphaericus (SPH88: lot number BSP247) and potency of 17001TU/mg obtained from Pasteur Institute in Paris, France was tested against fourth instar larvae of local breed of Anopheles gambiae for larvicidal efficacy. LC50 value obtained was 60 mg/l or 0.016 ìg/l on the probate graph. Larval mortality increased with increased concentration of larvicide but F-statistics at 5% confidence limit, showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between efficacies of the different concentrations of larvicide at causing mortality of the malaria vector. Time of exposure to larvicide also had insignificant influence (p>0.05) on rate of larval mortality. It was concluded that employed larvicide had limited activity against local breed of mosquito with risk of early resistance against this biological agent. Keywords: larvicide, Bacillus, mosquito. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 103-10

Awareness and the use of Insecticide Treated Net (ITN) among pregnant women attending ante-natal at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto

Malaria remains a major public health problem, causing significant maternal and child morbidity and mortality annually in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of insecticide treated bed nets (ITN) is one of WHO recommended multipronged approach to combating malaria, but public awareness of the importance of this method vary from community to community. This study was therefore undertaken with the aim of assessing the current knowledge and use of ITN among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Methodology used was a descriptive crosssectional study of randomly selected 111 pregnant women attending the ANC. A set of structured interviewer administered questionnaire was also used to extract information from the respondents. The result indicates that 101 (91%) of the respondentshad formal education and had heard of ITN, mainly through hospital sources (56.4%, x=57, n=101). However, only 59 (53.2%) of them own a net, supplied by government (21 or 35.6%) or purchased (32 or 54.2%) by the individual. 25 (42.4%) of the respondents used the net everyday but 31(52.5%, n=59) of them claimed to have used it the previous night. It was concluded from this study that although the knowledge of ITN was high (91%) amongANC attending women in study area, this did not(p>0.05) translate to ownership (53.2%) which in-turn did not (p>0.05) mean usage of net. There was a need to create more awareness of the anti-malarial significance of the ITN, through intensive health education in this and other such areas with endemic drug resistant malaria and insufficient health infrastructure, for the achievement of the objectives of theWHOGlobal Malaria Programme (GMP) and the United Nation Millenium Development Goal

Trypanocidal effects of Securidaca longepedunculata root extract on Trypanosoma brucei and T. evansi

No Abstract.Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 4 (2) 2008: pp. 111-11

In vitro antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts of Argemone Mexicana on some pathogenic organisms

No Abstract. IJOTAFS Vol. 2 (2) 2008: pp. 156-15

A survey of intestinal helminthes and blood parasites of the African giant rat- Crycetomys emini in South eastern Nigeria

Fifty-eight Cricetomys emini (giant rat) caught in the tropical rainforest of southeastern Nigeria between June 2001 and February 2002 were examined for intestinal helminths and blood parasites. Intestinal parasites recovered included nematodes such as Nippostrongylus sp; Trichuris sp; Nematodirus sp and Ancyclostoma sp, two cestodes; Taenia teaniformis and Hymenolepis sp. An acanthocephalan-Moniliformis moniliformis was also recovered. The only blood parasite recovered was Trypanosoma lewisi. Of the 58 giant rats examined (19 males and 25 females), 44 (62.1%) were infected. Percentage infection of giant rats varied significantly among villages (

Antiobiotics susceptibility of Salmonella isolates from Wdal Test Positive Patients at the Federal Medical Center, Gusau

No Abstract Supplie