Malaria Infection Among Blood Donors in Onitsha Urban, Southeast Nigeria

Blood safety is a major issue of global concern in transfusion medicine especially in developing countries, where national blood transfusion policies and services as well as financial resources are lacking or inadequate. Transfusion-transmitted malaria is a potential health hazard but is often neglected in many malarious areas. Malaria infection among blood donors in Onitsha urban, Southeast Nigeria was studied between August and October 2008. Venous blood of donors was screened for malaria parasites using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. The ABO and Rhesus phenotypes were classified using a haemaglutination standard test and demographic data of donors documented. Of the 410 blood donors analysed, 304 (74.1%) were infected. Plasmodium falciparium was identified in all positive cases and mixed infection with P. malariae was seen in 5(1.6%) cases. Infection significantly varied with age and not with sex and occupation (

Miracidial infectivity of snail host (Bulinus truncatus) in the laboratory

Miracidial infectivity rate of snail Bulinus truncatus collected from Agulu Lake was studied in the laboratory. The snails were maintained in the laboratory and eggs deposited were allowed to hatch and dates noted until snails of different ages were produced. These snails were consequently exposed to miracidia hatched from eggs collected from urine of patients known to have active S. haematobium infections. Infection of snails in the laboratory showed that the miracidia can penetrate snail of any age. For the snails of ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, 15 (60%), 13 (52%), 12 (48%) and 14 (56%) miracidia respectively penetrated. The study showed that 54 out of 100 (54%) of miracidia penetrated the snail Bulinus truncatus while 46 out of 100 (46%) miracidia did not penetrate the snail species. Penetration was found to be independent of the age of snail (÷² = 7.8, df=3). The implication of the findings to the effort of the disease control is discussed. Keywords: Bulinus truncatus, miracidia, age of snail, S. haematobium, laboratory. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 77-7

Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in Iyede-Ame Community and environ in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria

A cross sectional study on urinary schistosomiasis (S. haematobuim) was carried out in Ndokwa East Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State. Urine samples were collected from the households and schools. Urine sedimentation technique was used to diagnose S. haematobuim infection. Of the 560 people (0-40+years) sampled in the households, 144 ( 25.7%) were infected with S. haematobium. Among the 200 school pupils (5-20 years) whose urine samples were screened, 70 (35.0%) were infectedwith urinary schistosomiasis. Thus, a total of 214 (28.2%) subjects out of 760 people were infected. Iyede-Ame Community recorded the highest prevalence rate at 48.5%, followed by Lagos Iyede with prevalence rate of 37.1%. The least prevalence rate of 5.8% was recorded in Awhokarafor Community. Among the schools, Orewo Primary School had 58.0%, followed by Iyede-Ame Grammer School (42.0%). Otutughe Primary School recorded the least prevalence rate of 10.0%. The prevalence peaked in 5-9 years age group at 45.9%, followed by 10-14 years age-group with group with 41.6%. There was a significant difference in prevalence between the schools (÷2 cal = 27.0, ÷2 tab = 7.81, df = 3, p 0.05) were shown statistically. School children and farmers showed the greatest risk of infection. This study confirms the endemicity of urinary schistosomiasis in these communities in Ndokwa East LGA. It is advocated that early  intervention measures such as health education campaigns and provision of essential amenities like water boreholes be instituted