Physiologist as a Professional: The Mindset, Misconception, and Realities

The problems associated with training undergraduate human physiology students is not inherent in the discipline physiology, but in the curriculum design, implementation, and actual training. It is definitely unheard of to see a trainer who does not define for sure, the direction and functional application of the so-called training for trainees. Indeed, it is disheartening to note that despite all the advancements in the field of physiology, the training of physiology students in Nigeria does not include defined skill acquisition towards the operation, utilization, and maintenance of physiologically relevant equipments, accessories and consumables. These issues however, revolve around the intent of the training as enshrined in the curriculum. In view of the experiences encountered by physiology students in Nigerian Universities, this presentation examines the issues in contention and the probable solutions that may go a long way in correcting the entrenched mindset/misconception about the fate of physiology graduates in Nigeria.Key words: Mindset/Misconception, Medicine, Nigeria, Physiolog

Clinical features of malaria parasiteamia among children in parts of the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria

This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of malaria parasitamiae and its clinical features in children aged 0-5 years in parts of Delta State of Nigeria. Blood samples were randomly collectedfrom the thumb of each child using the finger prick method. A total of 600 blood samples (360 males and 240 females) were examined using the thick and thin smear method. The children were also examined clinically for related signs and symptoms. The result showed that a total of 485 (81.0%) children were positive and only Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae were found among the positive cases. Plasmodium falciparum was significantly higher than Plasmodium malariae (P<0.05).Although males were more infected (82%) than females (79%) the difference was not statistical significant (P>0.05). The least prevalence of 55.6% was observed in 0-6 months age group. Common signs and symptoms observed among children include fever, cough, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Fever was the highest sign. The public health implications of these findings and the need to promote environmental sanitation are highlighted

Malaria knowledge and agricultural practices that promote mosquito breeding in two rural farming communities in Oyo State, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Agricultural practices such as the use of irrigation during rice cultivation, the use of ponds for fish farming and the storage of water in tanks for livestock provide suitable breeding grounds for anthropophylic mosquitoes. The most common anthropophylic mosquito in Nigeria which causes much of the morbidity and mortality associated with malaria is the anopheles mosquito. Farmers are therefore at high risk of malaria - a disease which seriously impacts on agricultural productivity. Unfortunately information relating to agricultural practices and farmers' behavioural antecedent factors that could assist malaria programmers plan and implement interventions to reduce risk of infections among farmers is scanty. Farmers' knowledge about malaria and agricultural practices which favour the breeding of mosquitoes in Fashola and Soku, two rural farming communities in Oyo State were therefore assessed in two rural farming communities in Oyo State.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This descriptive cross-sectional study involved the collection of data through the use of eight Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and the interview of 403 randomly selected farmers using semi-structured questionnaires. These sets of information were supplemented with observations of agricultural practices made in 40 randomly selected farms. The FGD data were recorded on audio-tapes, transcribed and subjected to content analysis while the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most respondents in the two communities had low level of knowledge of malaria causation as only 12.4% stated that mosquito bite could transmit the disease. Less than half (46.7%) correctly mentioned the signs and symptoms of malaria as high body temperature, body pains, headache, body weakness and cold/fever. The reported main methods for preventing mosquito bites in the farming communities included removal of heaps of cassava tuber peelings (62.3%), bush burning/clearing (54.6%) and clearing of ditches (33.7%). The dumping of cassava tuber peelings which allows the collection of pools of water in the farms storage of peeled cassava tubers soaked in water in uncovered plastic containers, digging of trenches, irrigation of farms and the presence of fish ponds were the observed major agricultural practices that favoured mosquito breeding on the farms. A significant association was observed between respondents' knowledge about malaria and agricultural practices which promote mosquito breeding. Respondents' wealth quintile level was also seen to be associated with respondents' knowledge about malaria and agricultural practices which promote mosquito breeding.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Farmers' knowledge of malaria causation and signs and symptoms was low, while agricultural practices which favour mosquito breeding in the farming communities were common. There is an urgent need to engage farmers in meaningful dialogue on malaria reduction initiatives including the modification of agricultural practices which favour mosquito breeding. Multiple intervention strategies are needed to tackle the factors related to malaria prevalence and mosquito abundance in the communities.</p

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

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

Human Schistosomiasis, And Nigerian Environment And Climate Change

Human schistosomiasis, commonly called “bilharziasis” after a German pathologist, Theodor Bilharz (who first discovered the parasitic agent in Egypt in 1851) is caused by parasitic trematode of the genus, Schistosoma. There are at least 19 varieties of schistosomes, of which five are pathogenic parasites of man: S. haematobium, S. mansoni, S. japonicum, S. intercalatum and S. marteei (WHO, 1985). There are two types of human schistosomiasis in Nigeria: urinary schistosomiasis caused by infection of S. haematobium and intestinal schistosomiasis caused by the infection of S. mansoni. Different species of freshwater snail which breed in rivers, streams, lakes (both natural and man-made), ditches, paddy field, irrigation, canals etc are the intermediate hosts. The snail intermediate host of S. haematobium is Bulinus while the intermediate hosts of S. mansoni belong to the genus Biomphalaria. Human infection occurs when cercariae (that emerged from the nail intermediate hosts) penetrate the skin of man exposed to contaminated water. In man, the clinico-pathological damage caused by schistosomiasis is serious and is related to the reaction of the host tissues to the migrating young worms, the eggs laid by the adult worms, and the number of schistosomes eggs trapped in the tissues. Details of these have been presented by Odeku et al (1968). Makenna et al (1997), Elem (1998), Udonsi (1999), Anosike et al (2002). Bio-Research Vol.2(1) 2004: 103-11

A Review on the Adaptation Strategies to the Impact of Climate Change on Health: A Key to Achieving Millennium Development Goals

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 32 [1] March 2011, pp.143-15

Socio-demographic correlates of sexual behaviours: A cross sectional survey of adolescents in Imo state secondary schools

The study was designed to determine the socio- demographic correlates of sexual behaviours of the adolescents in Imo State secondary schools. Three objectives and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A cross sectional survey design was used and sample size was 3360 (2.2%) adolescents. A structured, validated and reliable questionnaire (r = 0.79) and focus group discussion were used as the instruments for data collection. Data analysis was done using mean and ANOVA statistics. The result generally, showed that the average sexual behaviours of the adolescents were below the decision mean of 2.50 and as such the  adolescents were said to be sexually inactive. In Imo State secondary schools, various family sizes did not significantly influence the sexual behaviours of the adolescents (F- cal. 2.39, F-tab. 3.00 &amp; P&gt;0.05), family structure significantly influenced their sexual behaviours (F- cal. 17.78, F-tab. 3.00 &amp; P&lt;0.05) and different financial strengths influenced the adolescents sexual behaviours significantly (F- cal. 22.88, F-tab. 2.37 &amp; P&lt;0.05. Of great worry is that unrestricted/uncontrolled adolescents sexualbehaviours may expose them to sexually transmitted infections/HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, illegal abortion and dropping out of school. Thus comprehensive sex education was recommended.Keywords: Socio-Demographic, Correlates, Sexual, Behaviours,  Adolescent

Perceptions sur l’emploi des moustiquaires imprégnés d’insecticide dans la région du bassin du fleuve Imo, Nigeria: Implications pour la prévention de la malaria pendant la grossesse

This study aimed at assessing perceptions on use of ITNs in parts of the Imo River Basin, Nigeria and its implications in preventing malaria in pregnancy. Data was collected using focus group discussions, key informant interviews and structured questionnaires. Results showed high awareness on the benefits of ITNs. Factors affecting use of ITNs included its high cost, perceptions of chemicals used to treat them as having dangerous effects on pregnancy, low utilization of antenatal care, husband’s lack of interest in malaria prevention and perceptions that adolescent girls are at low risk of getting malaria. The implications of these findings include demystifying the negative perceptions on the chemicals used for net treatment and subsidizing the cost of ITNs to increase access. These findings provide important lessons for malaria programmes that aim at increasing access to ITNs by pregnant women in developing countries (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:117-128).Cette étude avait pour but d’évaluer les perceptions sur l’emploi des MIIs dans des régions du bassin du fleuve Imo, Nigeria et ses implications dans la prévention de la malaria dans la grossesse. Les données ont été collectées à l’aide des discussions à groupe cible, des interviews auprès des informateurs et des questionnaires structurés. Les résultats ont montré une conscience élevée des avantages des MIIs. Parmi les facteurs qui affectent l’emploi des MIIs sont le coût élevé, la perception des produits chimiques utilisés pour les traiter comme ayant des effets dangereux sur la grossesse, la faible utilisation des soins prénatals, le manque d’intérêt chez le mari dans la prévention de la malaria et des perceptions selon lesquelles les filles adolescentes courent un faible risque d’attraper la malaria. Les implications des ces résultats comprennent la démystification des perceptions négatives sur les produits chimiques qu’on a utilisés pour le traitement du moustiquaire et la subvention du coût des MIIs pour augmenter l’accès. Ces résultats donnent des leçons importantes pour des programmes de la malaria qui visent l’augmentation d’accès aux MIIs par les femmes enceintes dans les pays en voie de développement (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:117-128)

Perceptions on the use of insecticide treated nets in parts of the Imo River Basin, Nigeria: Implications for preventing malaria in pregnancy

This study aimed at assessing perceptions on use of ITNs in parts of the Imo River Basin, Nigeria and its implications in preventing malaria in pregnancy. Data was collected using focus group discussions, key informant interviews and structured questionnaires. Results showed high awareness on the benefits of ITNs. Factors affecting use of ITNs included its high cost, perceptions of chemicals used to treat them as having dangerous effects on pregnancy, low utilization of antenatal care, husband’s lack of interest in malaria prevention and perceptions that adolescent girls are at low risk of getting malaria. The implications of these findings include demystifying the negative perceptions on the chemicals used for net treatment and subsidizing the cost of ITNs to increase access.These findings provide important lessons for malaria programmes that aim at increasing access to ITNs by pregnant women in developing countries(Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:117-128)