Epidemiological Assessment of Vesical Schistosomiasis in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria

A survey was carried out between January and July 2002 to determine the prevalence of vesical schistosomiasis in Bende Local government area of Abia State. A total of 2406 persons in eleven communities aged between6 and 60 years were examined. Prevalence rates in the eleven communities ranged between 25.5% and 52.3% with an overall prevalence of 41.5%. More males (42.6%) than females (39.4%) were infected in all the age groups, and high rate of haematuria (78.2%) was observed among the infected subjects. Infection prevalence was significantly higher (65.3%) among those in the age group of 11 – 20 years (P < 0.05) than those above 60 years. More than 70% of those infected excreted above 50 eggs/10ml urine. Malacological studies conducted along water bodies in the study area indicated that infection waslocalised. Bulinus globosus is implicated as the potential disease intermediate host. @JASE

Effect of Selected Agrochemicals on Protozoans and Algae Isolated from Mosquito Larval Habitats in Bamenda

The present study establishes the in-vitro effect of some selected agrochemicals(Glycot, Lamida and Pencozeb) on protozoans and some algae isolated from mosquito larval habitats in Bamenda urban zone, Cameroon. A convenience sampling technique was used in which water samples were randomly collected from 125 mosquito larval habitats from Bamenda urban zone. Out of the 123 samples tested, 41(33.33%) samples were found to be positive. Dinoflagellates predorminated with a frequency of 20(16.26%). One genera of protozoa(chillodenella) pathogenic to mosquito larvae was seen. Hook worm, Faciola, Paramecium and Trichomonas were found to be of medical importance while Euglena, Diatoms and Dinoflagellates were found to be of agricultural importance. All the protozoans and algae tested were susceptible to Lamida and Penncozeb, but resistant to glycot at all concentrations tested. Conclusively, the susceptibility of Chillodenella spp to Lamida and Penncozeb suggest their interference with natural biological control for mosquito population and also distortion of the ecosystem. Keywords: Agrochemicals, protozoans and algae , mosquito larval habitat

Baseline Study on the Occurrence of Cryptosporidium Spp from Streams Water, after Torrential Rains in Bamenda, Cameroon

Oocycts of Cryptosporidia are zoonotic infective stages of Cryptosporidia spp that can easily contaminate the environment if not properly disposed of. Torrential rains would usually wash them into the nearby streams and likely be consumed by humans when the water is used. Cryotosporidiosis in people with suppressed immune systems have no cure as the robust oocycst are not destroyed by chlorination. The aim of this study is to determine the presence of Cryptosporia oocycts in stream water after torrential rains 60 samples of stream water were collected immediately after rain storm in June and July 2014, from 5 streams flowing through Bamenda town. 2 samples of 1.5L were collected from each stream, on 6 different days. Cryptosporidia ssp were present in all the streams but there was no significant difference between their occurrence and the stream’s location, Chi square = 2.605, &gt;0.05The streams flowing through Bamenda town are polluted Keywords: storm-water, zoonotic, Cryptosporidiosis, chlorination, oocyst

Concomitant bacteria in the blood of malaria patients in Owerri, southeastern Nigeria

No Abstract

The use of herbs in malaria treatment in parts of Imo State, Nigeria

No Abstract

The Impact Of Climate Change On The Emergence And Re-Emergence Of Parasitic Diseases In The New Millennium

Climate change has an obvious impact on the emergence and re-emergence of parasitic diseases. This has a synergistic relationship with ozone depletion which can be traced to industrial revolution where human activities lead to the green house effect. This article reveals the effect of the climate change scenario on the pattern of spread and distribution of infectious diseases as well as altering the life cycle dynamics of vectors and parasites.Hence, influencing the transmission potential of the vectors, leading to the introduction of diseases into new areas and/or cause an increase of the disease incidence in already endemic areas

Urbanization and livestock handling and farming: The public health and parasitological implications

No Abstract. The Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 22(1&2) 2001: 121-12

The impact of human activities on the persistence of malaria

No Abstract.ABSUMSAJ Vol. 4 (1) 2007: pp.32-3

Addressing the social determinants of neglected tropical diseases to achieve their control and elimination

Neglected populations living in poverty and in areas highly marginalized by the health sector throughout the world (e.g., slum and shanty-town dwellers, numerous indigenous groups and small ethnic groups as well as the rural-poor including migratory workers in agriculture, miners, and fishers) are often heavily burdened by somewhat neglected diseases. Fortunately, some drugs developed and donated by pharmaceutical companies are now available for effective control of morbidity as well as reduction in the transmission of many of these neglected diseases. This work brings to focus the determinants, which have been found to be particularly important for the perpetuation of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in endemic communities: water and sanitation, housing and clustering, environment, migration, disasters and conflicts, socio-cultural factors and gender, and finally poverty. Notwithstanding the successes achieved by the international community in the use of drugs to control the neglected diseases, this paper is of the strong opinion that for sustainability of this programme, national and international communities should re-channel expenditures and activities also on preventive and promotive measures in addressing the issue of these determinants. These include (a) addressing safe and clean water supply, improved sanitation and household-related factors including personal hygiene (b) reducing environmental risk factors (c) improving the health of migrating populations (d) reducing inequity due to socio cultural factors and gender (e) reducing poverty in NTD-endemic populations. Addressing the social determinants related to NTDs is a direct way of gaining headway within public health and at the same time is a prerequisite for confronting inequities in NTD control.Keywords: NTDs, poverty, housing and clusterig disasters and conflict