Dynamics of limnological features of two man-made lakes in relation to fish production

Limnological features of Oyan and Asejire lakes, South-Western Nigeria, were investigated between July 2000 and December 2001. Rainy season (April-October) mean monthly rainfall values of 120.3 ±52.4 mm and 15.9 ± 10.3 were recorded for Oyan and Asejire lakes respectively, while corresponding dry season (November-March) values were 18.2 ± 34.7 and 4.2 ± 3.81 mm, respectively.. The mean surface water temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen content and pH were 29.9 ± 2.34°C, 1.5 ±0.19 m, 7.1 ± 0.96 mg/L and 7.4 ± 0.43, respectively, in Oyan lake and for Asejire lake the values were 28.5 ± 1.91°C, 1.3 ± 0.35 m, 6.9 ± 1.33 mg/L and 7.4± 0.54, respectively. The physicochemical properties of the two lakes vary with seasonal changes in the rainfall of the drainage area. Oyan and Asejire lakesexhibited features that are typical of tropical environment. The high dissolved oxygen content values indicate that the water bodies can successfully support aquatic life including fis

Unusually High Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria among Male University Students on Redemption Camp, Ogun State, Nigeria

Differences are known to occur in prevalence rates in urinary tract infections (UTI) between men and women due to the difference between the urinary tracts of the sexes. Moreover, different organisms are known to infect and cause bacteriuria in men. When urine samples from 55 apparently healthy male students of Redeemer’s University were examined, nine bacteria species including Micrococcus luteus, Viellonella parvula, Micrococcus varians, Streptococcus downei, Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Staphylococcus saprophyticus,and Enterococcus aquimarinus were isolated from the samples. The two most prevalent organisms reported in this study were Micrococcus luteus (40%) and Micrococcus varians (27.3%). The implication of the high prevalence rates (54.5%) of asymptomatic bacteriuria obtained in this population is discussed.Key words: Asymptomatic UTI, bacteriuria, Micrococcus luteu

Autoamputation of the Breast in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: A Case Report

Autoamputation is the spontaneous detachment from the body and elimination of an appendage or abnormal growth. Autoamputation of an organ due to malignancy has been reported in various organs, although its aetiopathogenesis has not been fully explained. Autoamputation of the breast is associated with late presentation and slow desmoplastic reaction in breast cancer. The patient was a 43- year- old Nigerian woman who presented with a one-year history of left breast mass diagnosed as triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. She defaulted from hospital care but represented after autoamputation of the left breast. The case is reported to showcase the variations in the clinical course of breast cancers

Phytochemical and anti‐plasmodial screening of three selected tropical plants used for the treatment of malaria in Oshogbo, south-western Nigeria

The use of herbal remedy is featuring prominently as alternative to orthodox medicine but little is known on scientific validation of their efficacies in malaria treatment. Questionnaire survey was conducted in Osogbo metropolis to identify the frequently used antiplasmodial herbal remedies. The aqueous extracts of the three frequently used antimalaria herbs, Mangifera indica leaves, Lawsonia inermis leaves and Enanthia chlorantha stem bark were prepared as described by herbal vendors and subsequently analyzed for phytochemical constituents and antiplasmodial efficiencies using mice model. The qualititave phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed differences in the phytochemical constituents of the three plants. The comparison of the parasite load before and after treatment showed that the parasitamia level reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in the mice treated with E. chlorantha and M. indica but increased significantly (p = 0.012; p < 0.05) in the group treated with L. inermis while no parasite was detected in the group treated with chloroquine (antimalaria drug) after treatment. The treated groups had higher concentrations of creatinine, urea, bilirubin, Aspartate aminotransferase and Alkaline phosphate in comparison with the control, an indication of the plant extracts cyto‐toxicity. The results therefore showed that the extracts of E. chlorantha and M. indica only possess chemosupressive not curative antimalaria potential while L. inermis did not show any antiplasmodial effect. Further screening on antimalaria herbal remedies therefore becomes imperative so as to guide the policy on malaria treatment regime in Nigeria.Key words: Phytochemistry, antiplasmodial, plant extracts, biochemical marker

An audit of Cancer in the Surgical Wards of a Tertiary Healthcare facility in a resource-limited setting

Background: In Africa, cancer is an emerging public health concern. In Sub-Saharan Africa, data on cancer epidemiology and survival which are necessary for the planning of treatment and control of cancers are scarce. Methods: A retrospective study of all patients who were admitted to the surgical wards in a Nigerian tertiary facility between January 2012 and December 2016 was done. The retrieved data included demographic features, presenting symptoms, mode of presentation, duration of illness, diagnosis, stage of disease, treatment modalities, treatment intention, compliance with treatment, survival, and current status. Result: The 279 patients studied comprised 81 (29.0%) males and 198 (71.0%) females. Cancer of the female breast was the leading malignancy occurring in 59% (165/279) patients; this was followed by colon cancer in19% (54/279) and prostate cancer in 10% (29/279). The commonest cancer among the females was breast cancer while prostate cancer was the commonest among the males. The stage of the disease was classified as early in 14.7% (41/279), locally advanced in 61.6% (172/279) and metastatic in 23.7% (66/279). Treatment goal was palliative for 57% (159/279) of the patients, curative in 26%while 13.6% (38/279) of the patients received no anti-cancer treatment. Ninety-six patients (34.5%) refused treatment or defaulted from treatment after the commencement of therapy. Although 53 (19%) patients died within the first month of admission, the overall mean duration of survival was 12.71 ± 13.0 months (range of 1- 84 months). Conclusion: Late presentation of patients, high treatment default rate, inappropriate management plan and overall poor survival were identified as daunting issues in cancer management in a resource-limited setting

Climate change adaptation options in farming communities of selected Nigerian ecological zones

This chapter examines the impacts of climate change on three tropical crops and assesses the climate change adaptation options adopted by rural farmers in the region. The study was conducted among farming communities settled in three major ecological zones in Nigeria. Over 37 years of data on rainfall and temperature were analyzed to examine climate change impacts on three major crops: rice, maize, and cassava. Farmers' adaptive capacity was assessed with a survey. Climatic data, crop yields, and survey data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The relation between rainfall/temperature and crop yields was examined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results show a high variation in the annual rainfall and temperature during the study period. The major findings from this research is that crops in different ecological zones respond differently to climate variation. The result revealed that there is a very strong relationship between precipitation and the yield of rice and cassava at p <0.05 level of significance. The results further showed low level of adaption among the rural farmers. The study concludes that rainfall and temperature variability has a significant impact on crop yield in the study area, but that the adaptive capacity of most farmers to these impacts is low. There is a need for enhancing the adaptation options available to farmers in the region, which should be the focus of government policies

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Pattern of Presentation and Management of Typhoid Intestinal Perforation in Sagamu, South-West Nigeria: a 15 year Study

Background: Mortality from typhoid intestinal perforation remains high in the West African sub-region. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to assess the presentation pattern, mode of therapy and outcome of cases diagnosed and treated as typhoid intestinal perforation at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, between January 1990 and December 2004. Methods: Complete records of 105 adult patients were studied. Results: The male to female ratio was 2:1. The mean age was 27years. Prior to arrival in our hospital, all the patients were on various combinations of antibiotics. Twenty-seven (26%) patients had been hospitalized elsewhere during the current illness. Chloramphenicol was the drug of first choice in the first ten years (phase 1). It was replaced with ciprofloxacin in the subsequent five years (phase 2). Blood culture was positive for salmonella organisms in 5(4%) patients. Resistance to chloramphenicol was found in three (60%) out of these five positive cultures. All patients had laparotomy after resuscitation. There were 112 perforations, mostly in the ileum and jejunum. Perforations were single in one hundred and one patients and multiple in four patients. Single perforations were treated by two-layered closure, multiple perforations by primary resection and anastomosis. Fifty-five (52.4%) patients developed complications. Fourteen (13.3%) patients died. There was a slight drop in mortality (8.8 %) in phase 2. Deaths were due to septicaemia in 8(57%) patients. Conclusion: The pattern of presentation and outcome of management of typhoid intestinal perforation are similar to what is observed in other centres in our local environment. However the drop in mortality rate in the last 5 years of the study and the finding of strains of salmonella typhi resistant to chloramphenicol require further evaluation. Keywords: typhoid intestinal perforation, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, operative management.Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 17 (4) 2008: pp. 387-39