Stray dog trade fuelled by dog meat consumption as a risk factor for rabies infection in Calabar, southern Nigeria

Background: Rabies is a preventable zoonosis with the highest case fatality of any disease in the world. In the developing world, it is transmitted mainly by dog bites. In parts of southern Nigeria, dog meat is a delicacy.Objective: To highlight trade in stray dogs as a major risk factor for rabies in animals and humans in south-south Nigeria.Method: Patients admitted into the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) with a diagnosis of rabies between July and October 2012 were analysed for risk factors, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), health seeking behaviour and outcome. Focused group interview were also conducted among traders/ handlers of stray dogs.Results: Ten cases of rabies in subjects aged 3 to 52 years were recorded in these five months period. Eight of the cases were male and apparently got infected directly or indirectly through the trade in stray dogs for human consumption. None had proper PEP and all patients died.Conclusion: Stray dog trade, fuelled by eating of dog meat, is a risk factor for human and animal rabies in Calabar, southern Nigeria. Culling of stray dogs, control of stray dogs’ trade and public enlightenment on PEP is recommended.African Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 1170 - 117

Enema abuse by mothers of children presenting to the emergency room at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital

Enema is largely used and widely abused in our community for various ailments including fever, constipation; abdominal pains vomiting and even diarrhoea.Objectives: To describe the abuse of enema at home in the Calabar area, and the associated findings among children who received enema.Method: Children admitted to the Children Emergency Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital with history of enema use at home were recruited into the study. The presenting symptoms, type of enema used and associated findings were documented. Relevant investigations were carried out where necessary. Tables and simple proportions were used to analyze the data.Results: Twenty two children were seen with enema abuse over a six months period. Diarrhoea diseases and fever were the predominant reasons why enema was given. Types of enema given were herbal concoctions in 13(59.1%) plain water enema in 8(36.4%) and salt water enema in one (4.5%) child. Electrolytes derangements were the commonest associated findings. Others were convulsions/coma, intestinal perforation, acute renal failure and severe dehydration from diarrhoea.Conclusion: Enema abuse is a continuing cultural phenomenon in the Calabar area. It is associated with severe consequences including intestinal perforation. Enema abuse should form part of history taking in this environment and child care practitioners should actively search for possible complications. Most importantly, health education to stem this widespread practice

Prevalence and predisposing factors to birth fractures and brachial plexus injuries seen in a tertiary hospital in Calabar, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: Birth injuries may occur even with the best standard of care, and even more in the presence of certain fetal, maternal and delivery related factors. In this study we sought to determine the prevalence of birth injuries and investigate the predisposing factors of birth fractures and nerve palsies.METHOD: This was a hospital-based Epidemiological study conducted between January 2014 – December 2016 and all patients with birth injuries were recruited into the study. Structured questionnaires were administered to parents or guardians after giving informed consent. Relevant data regarding maternal morbidity, birth weight, parity and mode of delivery was collected and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. Significant statistical inference was set at 0.05. Ethical approval was given by the institutional ethics and research committee.RESULTS: Forty-six patients were recruited into the study. Seventy six percent were referred within a week after birth. Male to female ratio was 1:1.1. Thirty-two (60.9%) had fractures while 14 (39.1%) had brachial plexus injuries. Twenty-seven (58.7%) were delivered by a midwife and one was delivered by a traditional birth attendant. Fourteen of the mothers (30.4%) were primipara while 13 were grandmultipara. Seventeen of the patients (37%) had a birth weight >4kg. Most mothers delivered in a secondary health facility (43.5%) while 5 (10.9%) delivered at home. Only 8 (17.4%) had cesarean section. Birth through cesarean section was significantly associated with lower risk of fractures and peripheral nerve palsy (p=0.04).CONCLUSION: Fractures were the commonest injury seen. Cesarean section had the lowest rate of birth fractures andnerve palsies.KEYWORDS: Birth injury, Trauma, Orthopedic related, Birth fractures, Birth palsy

Neonatal seizures in Calabar: A revisit

Newborns admitted with convulsion in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar during the period 1st May 2004 to 30 April 2006 were studied prospectively. The aim was to determine the place of birth in relation to the cause of seizures, the current situation in terms of the aetiology, clinical spectrum and outcome. There were 55 neonates with convulsion representing 5% of admissions into the newborn unit during the period. Birth asphyxia, sepsis, and hypoglycaemia were important identifiable aetiological factors which operated either singly (45.5%) of cases) or in concert (54.5% of cases) in causing seizures. Hypocalcaemia and hyponatraemia contributed less. These results are similar to that of a previous study carried out in this centre ten years earlier . There was no statistical significant difference between home and hospital deliveries in relation to causes of seizures. Septicaemia was caused mainly by staphylococcus aureus, enterobactericae and unclassified coliforms. No neonatal meningitis was diagnosed. Surprisingly, there was a high prevalence of generalized seizures (76.4%). The mortality of 34.0% was related to onset of the seizures within 4 days of life but not the place of birth.The causes of neonatal seizures in our environment are mostly preventable. There is need to provide modern facilities for investigating newborn seizures, training and retraining of Traditional Birth Attendants, health education of expectant mothers

Effect of particle size distribution on gully erosion growth in a watershed in Enugu state

No Abstract.Global Joournal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 13 (3) 2007: pp.325-32

Phytochemical Composition And Effect Of Aqueous Extract Of Struchium sparganophora (L) On Cockroach Crude Extract – Induced Airway Inflammatory Responses In Wistar Rats

Asthma, a chronic immune inflammatory disorder of the airways has been responsible for high mortality in both infants and adults in Africa and appropriate therapy has long been sought. Phytochemical composition and effect of aqueous extract of Struchium sparganophora on pulmonary inflammation induced in Wistar rat asthma model were studied. Pulmonary inflammation was induced in Wistar rats against appropriate controls with cockroach (Periplaneta americana) crude extract. Twenty-four hours after asthma induction treatment, S. spargonophora extract was administered by oral gavage to induced rats. The inflammatory responses and effect of the extract were assessed by analysis of leukocytes infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 12 hourly intervals. The aqueous extract of S. sparganophora contained alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, polyphenols, saponins, tannins etc. The aqueous extract significantly (

Case Report: HIV transmission to an infant from cross nursing

Summary: Mother to child transmission of HIV infection (MTCT) is the commonest mode of infection in children especially in resource limited settings. Routine HIV screening during antenatal period is recommended to prioritize treatment of seropositive mothers according to standard protocol. Various infant feeding options have been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce MTCT of HIV infection. The use of a cross-nurse who is documented HIV-negative is one of such options though not widely practiced. We present a case of HIV infection in an infant acquired through wetnursed

Effect of alchol-kolanut interaction on brain nonoamine oxidase activity in wistar albino rats

No Abstract.Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 13 (3) 2007: pp.391-39

Mapping the geographical distribution of podoconiosis in Cameroon using parasitological, serological, and clinical evidence to exclude other causes of lymphedema

Podoconiosis is a non-filarial elephantiasis, which causes massive swelling of the lower legs. It was identified as a neglected tropical disease by WHO in 2011. Understanding of the geographical distribution of the disease is incomplete. As part of a global mapping of podoconiosis, this study was conducted in Cameroon to map the distribution of the disease. This mapping work will help to generate data on the geographical distribution of podoconiosis in Cameroon and contribute to the global atlas of podoconiosis.We used a multi-stage sampling design with stratification of the country by environmental risk of podoconiosis. We sampled 76 villages from 40 health districts from the ten Regions of Cameroon. All individuals of 15-years old or older in the village were surveyed house-to-house and screened for lymphedema. A clinical algorithm was used to reliably diagnose podoconiosis, excluding filarial-associated lymphedema. Individuals with lymphoedema were tested for circulating Wuchereria bancrofti antigen and specific IgG4 using the Alere Filariasis Test Strips (FTS) test and the Standard Diagnostics (SD) BIOLINE lymphatic filariasis IgG4 test (Wb123) respectively, in addition to thick blood films. Presence of DNA specific to W. bancrofti was checked on night blood using a qPCR technique.Overall, 10,178 individuals from 4,603 households participated in the study. In total, 83 individuals with lymphedema were identified. Of the 83 individuals with lymphedema, two were found to be FTS positive and all were negative using the Wb123 test. No microfilaria of W. bancrofti were found in the night blood of any individual with clinical lymphedema. None were found to be positive for W. bancrofti using qPCR. Of the two FTS positive cases, one was positive for Mansonella perstans DNA, while the other harbored Loa loa microfilaria. Overall, 52 people with podoconiosis were identified after applying the clinical algorithm. The overall prevalence of podoconiosis was found to be 0.5% (95% [confidence interval] CI; 0.4-0.7). At least one case of podoconiosis was found in every region of Cameroon except the two surveyed villages in Adamawa. Of the 40 health districts surveyed, 17 districts had no cases of podoconiosis; in 15 districts, mean prevalence was between 0.2% and 1.0%; and in the remaining eight, mean prevalence was between 1.2% and 2.7%.Our investigation has demonstrated low prevalence but almost nationwide distribution of podoconiosis in Cameroon. Designing a podoconiosis control program is a vital next step. A health system response to the burden of podoconiosis is important, through case surveillance and morbidity management services