Cervical Cancer Screening in Uyo, South-South Nigeria

Context: Cervical Cancer is the commonest female genital tract  malignancy in the developing world. Though preventable by early detection and treatment of pre-invasive disease, majority of patients in Nigeria still present with advanced disease.Objective: To review the cervical cancer screening exercise of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria and determine the incidence of pre-malignant lesions of the cervix during the study period (1996-2001).Study Design: A descriptive study of women who participated in the exercise and the results of the pap smear.Results: During the exercise 332 women were screened, but only 276 smears (83.1%) were adequately taken and consequently reported. Majority of the smear (75.7%) were normal smears, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) was found in 33 smears (12%) and invasive cancer in 1 smear (0.36%). Majority of women with CIN were multiparous and in their 4th and 5th decades of life.Conclusion: The prevalence of CIN is high, thus there is need for routine cervical cancer screening of all sexually active women. Where this is not feasible due to cost and logistics, selective screening of high risk women and use of visual inspection with acetic acid is recommended

Prevalence and Predictors of Tuberculosis Coinfection among HIV-Seropositive Patients Attending the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Northern Nigeria

Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been accompanied by a severe epidemic of tuberculosis (TB), although the prevalence of coinfection is largely unknown, especially in developing countries, including Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of TB coinfection among HIV-seropositive Nigerians. Methods: The case files of HIV/AIDS patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria from January to December 2006 were reviewed. Results: A total of 1320 HIV/AIDS patients had complete records and were reviewed, among which 138 (10.5%) were coinfected with TB (95% CI, 8.9% to 12.2%). Pulmonary TB was diagnosed in 103 (74.6%) patients, among whom only 18 (17.5%) were sputum-positive. Fifty (36.2%) coinfected patients had some type of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB); 15 had both pulmonary TB and EPTB. Among the 35 patients with EPTB only, 20 (57.1%) had abdominal TB, 5 (14.3%) had TB adenitis, 5 (14.3%) had spinal TB, 3 (8.6%) were being monitored for tuberculous meningitis, and 1 (2.9%) each had renal TB and tuberculous adrenalitis. The highest prevalence of TB, 13.7% (n = 28), was seen among patients aged 41–50 years. TB coinfection was significantly associated with marital status, WHO clinical stage, and CD4 count. Marital status (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.28–3.59; P = 0.04), WHO clinical stage at presentation (4.81; 1.42–8.34; P = 0.001), and baseline CD4 count (2.71; 1.51–6.21; P = 0.02) remained significant predictors after adjustment for confounding. Conclusions: The moderately high prevalence of TB among HIV-seropositive patients underscores the urgent need for strategies that lead to rapid identification and treatment of coinfection with active or latent TB

Histologically Diagnosed Cancers: University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital Cancer Registry Experience (1994 – 1998)

The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), hospital-based cancer registry was established in 1999. Located in the Department of Histolathology, it is aimed at providing baseline data for medical research, patient management, health planning and cancer prevention. In this report, we have analyzed 880 histologically confirmed cancers seen over a five-year period (January 1994 – December 1998). A slight predominance of cancers in females is observed over the males with a male to female ratio of 1:1.2. Cancers of uterine cervix, followed by skin and breast top the list in females. Skin and bladder cancers are the two commonest malignancies in males. Suggested prevention strategies include health education, cancer screening of high-risk groups and proper control of cancer-associated environmental factors. Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol.3(2) 2003:36-4

The clinical presentation of gestational trophoblastic disease in Calabar, Nigeria

No Abstract. Global Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 45-4

A study of anemia in women with asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia at their first antenatal care visit at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of anemia and asymptomatia malaria parasitemia and the effect of prior antimalarials therapy on the parasite density in pregnant women at their first antenatal visit at the secondary level health care facility in Nigeria.MethodsThis cross sectional observational study was carried out in the antenatal clinic of General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria for 3 months period (1st June to 31st August, 2009). Five hundred and fourteen women attending their first antenatal registration visits in the hospital were recruited in the study. Socio-demographic information was obtained using pre-tested questionnaires. The malaria parasite was obtained by examining thick and thin blood films prepared on 2 glass slides while the hematocrit was obtained through 2 capillary tubes read by a Hawksleys microhematocrit reader.ResultsA total of 514 pregnant women participated in the study with a mean maternal age of 21.4 years and a mean gestational age at booking of 18.3 weeks. The primigravid women booked at significantly lower gestational age than multigravidae (16.2 weeks vs 21.6 weeks). Most of the women (59.3%) were anemic, out of which 60.4% were primigravida. More than half of the women had moderate to high parasite density and only 6.8% had no malaria parasitemia. All patients with severe anemia were parasitemic. Out of the 479 (93.2%) women with parasitemia, a third had taken antimalarial drugs. A majority (60.3%) of those without prior antimalarial drugs had moderate to high density parasitemia.ConclusionsThis study shows high prevalence of anemia in women with asymptomatic malarial parasitemia, particularly the primigravida. The severity of anemia is directly related to the density of malaria parasitemia. Those with effective antimalarial therapy appear to have low density parasitemia and therefore mild anemia. Routine screening for anemia and malaria parasites at booking, prompt parasite clearance and correction of anemia would reduce the associated maternal and perinatal complications