Child sexual abuse and disclosure in South Western Nigeria: a community based study

Introduction: The true burden of child sexual abuse in Nigeria is not known as most reports are institutional based. This study was designed to determine population level data on the burden and pattern of child sexual abuse among adolescents in South Western Nigeria.Methods: A community based study among adolescents in SouthWestern Nigeria. Semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through a multistage sampling technique. Analysis was with SPSS version 20.Results: 398 adolescents (314 females and 84 males) aged 10-19 years with a mean age of 15.6 ± 2.0 years participated in the study. Most were single (90.7%), in school (84.2%), and lived with their parents/guardians (89.4%). The prevalence of CSA was 25.7%. Penetrative abuse occurred in 7.5%, and forced abuse in 46.2% of cases. Perpetrators were mostly boyfriends (31.2%) and neighbours (16.1%). Intra-familial abuse occurred in 7.5% of cases. Only 34.4% of cases ever disclosed the abuse.Conclusion: CSA is common in the community, with perpetrators majorly persons known to the adolescents. A large number of cases are not reported. Efforts should be made to educate children and their parents on various ways to reduce child sexual abuse and its consequences.Keywords: Adolescent, child, sexual abuse

Electrolytic Co-deposition of Zn-ZnO and Zn-ZnO-CaCO3 Composite Substrates on Low-Carbon Steel

Conventionally employed zinc-rich paints and coatings for marine corrosion protection of steel still comprise environmentally unfriendly compounds such as zinc phosphate. This paper is focused on developing eco-friendly zinc ternary composite coatings of Zn-ZnO-CaCO3 utilizing CaCO3 additives derived from tympanotonus fuscatus (periwinkle) shell and calcareous eggshell respectively on low-carbon steel using electrodeposition technique. This is aimed at improving not only the surface corrosion resistance of steel structures in marine environment but also the sustainability of raw materials and minimal environmental pollution. Corrosion studies of uncoated and coated steel samples in simulated marine environment were done using linear polarization technique. Results obtained suggested that CaCO3 (i.e., calcareous eggshell) additive in the composite coating significantly improved the corrosion performance of the substrate. Steel coated with calcareous eggshell additive displayed superior corrosion performance having highest polarization resistance, Rp (156090 Ω), lowest corrosion rate, CR (0.01 mm/year) and highest coating efficiency, Ceff (97%) as against those of uncoated, zinc oxide, and tympanotonus fuscatus shell additives after 30 minutes deposition time. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) results of selected developed coatings indicated presence of a homogeneous surface morphology and a significant amount of calcium in the calcareous eggshell coating

Child sexual abuse and disclosure in South Western Nigeria: a community based study

Introduction: The true burden of child sexual abuse in Nigeria is not known as most reports are institutional based. This study was designed to determine population level data on the burden and pattern of child sexual abuse among adolescents in South Western Nigeria. Methods: A community based study among adolescents in SouthWestern Nigeria. Semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through a multistage sampling technique. Analysis was with SPSS version 20. Results: 398 adolescents (314 females and 84 males) aged 10-19 years with a mean age of 15.6 \ub1 2.0 years participated in the study. Most were single (90.7%), in school (84.2%), and lived with their parents/guardians (89.4%). The prevalence of CSA was 25.7%. Penetrative abuse occurred in 7.5%, and forced abuse in 46.2% of cases. Perpetrators were mostly boyfriends (31.2%) and neighbours (16.1%). Intra-familial abuse occurred in 7.5% of cases. Only 34.4% of cases ever disclosed the abuse. Conclusion: CSA is common in the community, with perpetrators majorly persons known to the adolescents. A large number of cases are not reported. Efforts should be made to educate children and their parents on various ways to reduce child sexual abuse and its consequences

Late onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in patients with ANCA associated vasculitis

Peer reviewedPostprin

Sero-prevalence and factors associated with Hepatitis B and C co-infection in pregnant Nigerian women living with HIV Infection

Introduction: Perinatal and horizontal transmission of Hepatitis B occur in areas of high endemicity as most infections are acquired in the first 5 years of life. Unless Hepatitis B and C infected pregnant women identified, and appropriate treatment provided, children born to these women are at high risk of chronic Hepatitis B (and C) virus infection. The objecive of this study was to determined the prevalence and the factors associated with Hepatitis B and C Virus infection in pregnant HIV positive Nigerians. Methods: A cross sectional study among HIV Positive pregnant women seen at a large PMTCT clinic in  Lagos Nigeria. The women were screened for Hepatitis B and C Virus infection at enrollment. HIV viral  load, CD4 count, liver transaminases and hemoglobin levels were also determined. Data were managed  with SPSS for windows version. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institution?s Ethical Review  Board. Results: Of the 2391 studied subjects, 101(4.2%) and 37(1.5%) respectively were seropositive for  Hepatitis B and C Virus infection. Twowomen (0. 08%) had triple infections. blood transfusion, (cOR: 2.3; 95% CI:1.1 - 4.6), history of induced abortion (cOR:2. 2;95% CI:1.3 - 3.6), and elevated baseline ALT (cOR:2. 2; 95%CI:2. 2;4.2) were significantly associated with HBV. History of induced abortion was the only factor found to be associated with HIV/ HCV (cOR: 1.9;95%CI:1. 3-3.9). Conclusion: Hepatitis B Virus infection (4.2%) is relatively common in our environment and associated  with induced abortion, blood transfusion and elevated baseline transaminase. Hepatitis C Virus infection (1.5%) is less common and associated with only history of induced abortion. Key words: Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, HIV, pregnanc

Towards minimally-invasive, quantitative assessment of chronic kidney disease using optical spectroscopy

The universal pathologic features implicated in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA). Current methods of estimating IFTA are slow, labor-intensive and fraught with variability and sampling error, and are not quantitative. As such, there is pressing clinical need for a less-invasive and faster method that can quantitatively assess the degree of IFTA. We propose a minimally-invasive optical method to assess the macro-architecture of kidney tissue, as an objective, quantitative assessment of IFTA, as an indicator of the degree of kidney disease. The method of elastic-scattering spectroscopy (ESS) measures backscattered light over the spectral range 320-900 nm and is highly sensitive to micromorphological changes in tissues. Using two discrete mouse models of CKD, we observed spectral trends of increased scattering intensity in the near-UV to short-visible region (350-450 nm), relative to longer wavelengths, for fibrotic kidneys compared to normal kidney, with a quasi-linear correlation between the ESS changes and the histopathology-determined degree of IFTA. These results suggest the potential of ESS as an objective, quantitative and faster assessment of IFTA for the management of CKD patients and in the allocation of organs for kidney transplantation.T32 HL007224 - NHLBI NIH HHS; R01 CA175382 - NCI NIH HHS; T32 GM086308 - NIGMS NIH HHS; R01 HL132325 - NHLBI NIH HHS; UL1 TR001430 - NCATS NIH HHSAccepted manuscriptPublished versio

Descriptive epidemiology and mortality risk factors of COVID-19 outbreak in Delta State, Nigeria, March - August 2020

Introduction: The highly contagious Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first confirmed in Nigeria on February 27, 2020. In Delta State, the first COVID-19 case was recorded on April 7, 2020, which spread across the state. We characterized the COVD-19 pandemic in Delta State in terms of person, place, and time, and determined the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 pandemic in Delta State between March 23 to August 17, 2020. We obtained line-lists of 5,917 COVID-19 patients, cleaned and analyzed sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and outcome variables using IBM SPSS Statistics 25. We calculated frequencies, proportions, mean and standard deviation (SD). Bivariate and multivariate logistics regression analysis were conducted to determine the risk factors of COVID-19 mortality, adjusted-odds-ratios were reported at 95% confidence interval and p-value set at 5% significance level. Results: From March-August 2020, 1,605 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 47 deaths (case-fatality-rate 2.9%) were recorded. Majority were aged 20-39 years 675 (42.1%) while 1,064 (66.3%) were males (mean age 39±15years). Persons aged ≥60years were more likely to die from COVID-19 than younger cases (aOR: 11.0; 95% CI: 4.9-24.4) while Symptomatic positive cases at time of test were more likely to die than those who were not (aOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.3-7.5). Conclusion: Males in the youthful age-group were mostly affected. Independent predictors of mortality were being elderly or symptomatic at time of testing. Strengthening case management to target symptomatic patients and intensifying sensitization activities targeting youthful males and elderly persons, are important to reduce mortality

Prevalence and impact of sickle cell trait on the clinical and laboratory parameters of HIV infected children in Lagos, Nigeria

Introduction: sickle cell disease and HIV infection are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. While Haemoglobin S (HbS) contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in the homozygous or double heterozygous states, in the carrier state it confers a survival advantage in disease conditions such as malaria. However the interaction between sickle haemoglobin and HIV infection, especially in children remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and impact of sickle cell trait on the clinical and laboratory parameters of HIV infected children in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: a cross-sectional study among HIV infected children in an HIV treatment centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained and blood sample collected for haemoglobin electrophoresis, HIV RNA viral load and haematologic profile. Data was analysed with SPSS version 20. Results: the prevalence of sickle cell trait was 18.8% among the 208 study participants, with none having sickle cell disease (SCD). Participants with SCT were significantly younger (OR = 4.0 95% CI (1.74-9.24)), more likely to be from the Yoruba ethnic group (OR = 3.3 95% CI [1.45-7.52)), had more opportunistic infections (OR = 2.4 95% CI (1.18-5.03), and lower mean HIV RNA viral load (p = 0.05) at baseline. However response to HIV care and treatment was similar in both groups of participants. Conclusion: the finding of absence of SCD, low prevalence of SCT, and lower HIV viraemia in HIV infected children with SCT may have implications for childhood survival which requires further clarification in future studies

Trends and patterns of sexual assaults in Lagos south-western Nigeria

Introduction: sexual assault is a severely traumatic experience that disproportionally affects women and girls. However there is limited information on the subject in our environment. This study was conducted to determine the trend and pattern of sexual assault among Nigerians. Methods: a retrospective study of sexual assault victims managed at a large clinic in South West Nigeria. Victims were identified from the programme data base and case files retrieved from medical records department. Relevant information was extracted and managed with SPSS for windows version 19. Results: a steady increase in the proportion of reported cases of sexual violence over the years (P<0.0001) was observed. Sexual assaults were recorded among the males (6.1%), although female victims were in the majority (93.9%). Sexual assault was found to be higher in person’s <20 years and the unmarried. Most sexual assault occurred during the day time. Assailants were mostly persons known to the victim (52.0%) and the assault occurred mostly in the assailants’ house or office (48.5%). Sexual assault through vaginal route only (87.2%) was the most common route of sexual assault. Threat of violence (31.1%) and physical force (29.6%) was the common methods for overcoming the victims. Follow up was completed by 75.0% of the victims. Conclusion: sexual assault is comenon in our environment, with increasing prevalence and change in pattern. Young persons aged less than than 20 years constitutes the majority of victims and assailants were mostly persons known to them. The current public education on the evils of sexual violence should be intensified.The Pan African Medical Journal 2016;2