Prevalence and distribution of ringworm infections in Primary School Children in parts of Eastern, Nigeria

A study on the prevalence and distribution of ringworm infection amongst primary school children in northern EbonyiState of eastern Nigeria was carried out between November 2002 and June 2003. Of the 279 pupils sampled randomly from four schools, 59 (21.1%) had ringworm infection. While only two genera of fungi Microsporum and Trichophyton were isolated, six species viz: M. canis (11.9%), M. andoninii (20.3%), T. sondamense (20.3%), T. mentagrophytes (22.0%), T. schoenleinii (15.3%) and T. quinckeannan (10.2%) were also encountered. The distribution of ringworm among schools was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Both male and female pupils with in the age bracket of 5-7 years were significantly infected than other age categories (P<0.05). Infection decreased with increase in age. Sex-related prevalence was not statistically significant (P>0.05). M. andoninii was more predominant over others in males while T. mentagrophytes was more prevalent in female pupils. Poor infrastructures (houses and classroom), children playing with animals, the Nigerian environmental vis-a-vis personal uncleaniness by pupils are contributing factors to the high frequency and severity of ringworm in the area. @JASE

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES: DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

The use of antibodies in immunohistochemistry and therapeutics is an important tool in science. Monoclonal antibodies are used due to their characteristic high epitope specificity and sensitivity, target identification at the protein level, and localization at the cellular and subcellular scale

COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS STUDY OF COMBINED ANTIHYPERTENSIVES FOR NIGERIAN PATIENTS

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the clinical and economic effectiveness of four combination antihypertensives recommended for Nigerians. Methods: An open, randomized, controlled, and longitudinal double-blind trial of four groups of antihypertensives combinations: Telmisartan/ chlorthalidone/amlodipine (TCA), TC, CA, and TA was conducted among hypertensive patients. The participants were recruited from three hospitals in Enugu, and randomly assigned to the study groups. The primary outcome for this study was blood pressure (BP) control, based on Joint National Committee-8 and cost per BP control. The secondary outcomes were cost per quality adjusted life years (QALY) and patients’ self-reported health status. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 110 patients enrolled in the study, more than half were women (55.5%). The mean age of patients was 54.93±12.38. The enrollees had hypertension for over 9 years (9.17±8.40). About 77% of the patients completed the study in all the groups except for TA (66.7%). There was no difference in BP in all the groups at baseline and at end-of-study (p>0.050). However, the probability of BP control was highest in TCA group (0.37±0.01), followed by TC group (0.23±0.02). The TA group showed the most favorable cost per QALY, then CA, TC, and TCA in that order. The group with the most favorable cost per BP control was TCA (70.92±0.04), then TA (94.16±0.05). Conclusion: The triple combination therapy of TCA had the best cost per BP control in the management of hypertensive patients. It demonstrated the highest probability of BP control

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 between 6 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 was localised. Bulinus globosus is implicated as the potential disease intermediate host. @JASE

Social factors affecting seasonal variation in bovine trypanosomiasis on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and presents a major constraint to rural economic development. The Jos Plateau was considered free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and this trypanosomiasis free status attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to the area. The Jos Plateau now plays a major role in the national cattle industry in Nigeria, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd, supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. During the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. Here we investigate the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis as a re-emerging disease on the Plateau, examining the social factors that influence prevalence and seasonal variation of bovine trypanosomiasis. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey was undertaken on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution of bovine trypanosomiasis. Participatory rural appraisal was also conducted to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning animal husbandry and disease control. RESULTS: Significant seasonal variation between the dry season and late wet season was recorded across the Jos Plateau, consistent with expected variation in tsetse populations. However, marked seasonal variations were also observed at village level to create 3 distinct groups: Group 1 in which 50% of villages followed the general pattern of low prevalence in the dry season and high prevalence in the wet season; Group 2 in which 16.7% of villages showed no seasonal variation and Group 3 in which 33.3% of villages showed greater disease prevalence in the dry season than in the wet season. CONCLUSIONS: There was high seasonal variation at the village level determined by management as well as climatic factors. The growing influence of management factors on the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis highlights the impact of recent changes in land use and natural resource competition on animal husbandry decisions in the extensive pastoral production system

A longitudinal survey of African animal trypanosomiasis in domestic cattle on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria:prevalence, distribution and risk factors

BACKGROUND: Trypanosomiasis is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and a major constraint to the rural economy. The Jos Plateau, Nigeria was free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and the absence of animal trypanosomiasis attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to inhabit the plateau. The Jos Plateau now plays a significant role in the national cattle industry, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd and supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. However, during the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution bovine trypanosomiasis. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for disease. RESULTS: The prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma congolense savannah, Trypanosoma vivax) across the Jos Plateau was found to be high at 46.8% (39.0 – 54.5%) and significant, seasonal variation was observed between the dry season and the end of the wet season. T. b. brucei was observed at a prevalence of 3.2% (1% – 5.5%); T. congolense at 27.7% (21.8% - 33.6%) and T. vivax at 26.7% (18.2% - 35.3%). High individual variation was observed in trypanosomiasis prevalence between individual villages on the Plateau, ranging from 8.8% to 95.6%. Altitude was found to be a significant risk factor for trypanosomiasis whilst migration also influenced risk for animal trypanosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: Trypanosomiasis is now endemic on the Jos Plateau showing high prevalence in cattle and is influenced by seasonality, altitude and migration practices. Attempts to successfully control animal trypanosomiasis on the Plateau will need to take into account the large variability in trypanosomiasis infection rates between villages, the influence of land use, and husbandry and management practices of the pastoralists, all of which affect the epidemiology of the disease

Spatial Analysis of Land Cover Determinants of Malaria Incidence in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Malaria belongs to the infectious diseases with the highest morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a vector-borne disease malaria distribution is strongly influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between malaria risk and different land cover classes by using high-resolution multispectral Ikonos images and Poisson regression analyses. The association of malaria incidence with land cover around 12 villages in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, was assessed in 1,988 children <15 years of age. The median malaria incidence was 85.7 per 1,000 inhabitants and year (range 28.4–272.7). Swampy areas and banana/plantain production in the proximity of villages were strong predictors of a high malaria incidence. An increase of 10% of swampy area coverage in the 2 km radius around a village led to a 43% higher incidence (relative risk [RR] = 1.43, p<0.001). Each 10% increase of area with banana/plantain production around a village tripled the risk for malaria (RR = 3.25, p<0.001). An increase in forested area of 10% was associated with a 47% decrease of malaria incidence (RR = 0.53, p = 0.029)

Chitinase 3-Like 1 Protein Levels Are Elevated in Schistosoma haematobium Infected Children

Currently there are few studies characterising the nature and aetiology of human schistosome-related inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1), also known as YKL-40, a molecule associated with inflammatory processes, and schistosome infection, morbidity and systemic cytokine levels. Methods Serological levels of CHI3L1 and a panel of cytokines (IFN-y, IL-4/5/6/9/10/13 and 17) were measured in two Zimbabwean populations resident in a high and low schistosome infection area. CHI3L1 levels were related to schistosome infection, haematuria status and cytokine levels after allowing for confounding variables. The effect of antihelminthic treatment with praziquantel on CHI3L1 levels was determined in 246 participants 6 weeks post-treatment. Results CHI3L1 levels increased with age in both areas but were significantly higher in the high infection areas compared to the low infection area. CHI3L1 levels were also higher in infected compared to uninfected individuals with this difference being significant in the youngest age group. Curative antihelminthic treatment resulted in a significant decrease in CHI3L1 levels. Of the cytokines, only IL-10 and IL-17 had a significant association with CHI3L1 levels, and this association was negative. Conclusions Serum CHI3L1 levels differ between infected and uninfected people before and after antihelminthic treatment. The greatest difference occurs in the youngest age group, in keeping with the period when schistosome-related pathological processes are initiated. Following from previous studies in non-infectious diseases showing that CHI3L1 is a biomarker for the inflammatory process, this study suggests that the potential for CHI3L1 as a biomarker for schistosome-related pathology should be explored further.World Health Organisation (www.who.org); the Wellcome Trust (http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/) [grant number WT082028MA]; the Thrasher Foundation (http://www.thrasherresearch.org/) to [FM]; and by the Medical Research Council (http://www.mrc.ac.uk) [grant number G0600818 to JEA, PhD studentship LJA-544 to LJA]