Ascertaining Causes of Death: A Comparative Study of the Ika of Delta State and the Obolo of Rivers State

The cut and thrust of this paper is the re-examination of an age long belief and practice among the Ika people of Delta State and the Obolo of Rivers State which is aimed at discouraging the practice of witchcraft and sorcery. The study critically evaluates the phenomenon which includes necromancy, divination and poison ordeal and concludes that caution is needed as the act which involves human life is not without imperfection. The discourse is comparative as it examines the methods of ascertaining death among the Ika and Obolo. It employs moral, social and philosophical springboards for the analysis. Some of the findings includes: belief in witchcraft is very strong among the people and age long practices to eradicate same will endure, if nothing is done to discourage it. A major constraint is that matters relating to witchcraft and sorcery are metaphysical and so difficult to verify.Keywords: Death, Ascertain, Cosmology, Necromancy, Divination and Ordeal by poiso

Lupus anticoagulant (LA) in pregnant women with history of recurrent fetal loss

The frequency of LA in 50 women with intact pregnancy, age range 26 to 39 years, but with past history of at least 2 lost pregnancies, was determined using coagulation-based assays. Most (68%) of the pregnant women were in the first trimester. Venous blood (4.5 mL) carefully collected from each of the subjects and also the controls (normal relative donors) was put in 0.5 mL of 3.8% citrate (ratio 9:1). The blood was quickly centrifuged at 1500 g; platelet-poor plasma was separated and frozen at −30°C until analyzed. The control plasma was pooled and dispensed in 2 mL aliquots. Partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTk) (against the control samples for comparison) and kaolin clotting time (KCT) were determined on each of the test samples using standard laboratory procedures. Prolonged PTTk was obtained in 36 patients (72%). KCT was obtained through mixtures of patients’ plasma with pooled control plasma (P:C) at 100:0; 0.8:0.2; 0.6:0.4; 0.5:0.5; 0.4:0.6; 0.2:0.8; 0:100; and lin-lin graph paper was used to plot out each of these dilutions against their respective clotting time in seconds. The interpreted graph showed that 12 (24%) had LA, while 3 (6%) had LA with cofactor. This high frequency necessitates regular screening for LA in pregnant women with a history of recurrent fetal loss at any gestational age

Aquatic Pollution and Women's Health: Waves from the Niger Delta, Nigeria

La pollution du delta du Niger est due au déversement des huiles pétrolières et des pluies acides qui a mené à la destruction massive de toute vie aquatique, les poissons, les crustacées, les animaux marins. Les femmes en sont aussi sérieusement affectées de par leurs occupations

Factors associated with timing of initiation of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-1 infected adults in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Introduction: Based on growing evidence mainly from countries outside Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommends initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected individuals in developing countries when CD4 cell count (CD4+) is ≤ 500cells/ul. Nigeria accounts for about 14% of the estimated HIV/AIDS burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the factors associated with timing of initiation of ART among treatment-ineligible HIV-infected adults from Nigeria. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of ART ineligible HIV-infected adults who enrolled into HIV care between January 2008 and December 2012 at two major tertiary hospitals in Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. Demographic, clinical and laboratories data were obtained at presentation, at each subsequent visit at 6 monthly intervals and at time of initiation of ART. Cox proportional regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to evaluate independent predictors of time to initiation of ART. Results: Amongst the 280 study participants, 70.6% were females, 62.6% had CD4+ ≥500cells/ul, 48.4% had WHO HIV Stage 1 disease and 34.3% were lost to follow up. In a cohort of 180 participants followed up for ≥3months, participants with CD4+ of 351-500cells/ul and stage 2 disease were more likely to start ART earlier than those with CD4+ > 500cells/ul (Hazard ratio [HR]-1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.0-2.9) and stage 1 disease (HR-2.3 (95% CI-1.3-4.2) respectively. HIV-infected adults with faster CD4+ decay required earlier ART initiation, especially in the first year of follow up. Conclusion: ART-ineligible HIV-infected adults on follow up in South-South Nigeria are more likely to require earlier initiation of ART if they have stage 2 HIV disease or CD4+ ≤500cells/ul at presentation. Our findings suggest faster progression of HIV-disease in these groups of individuals and corroborate the growing evidence in support for earlier initiation of ART

Lupus anticoagulant (LA) in pregnant women with history of recurrent fetal loss

Olaniyi JA, Olomu SA, Finomo SADepartment of Haematology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, NigeriaAbstract: The frequency of LA in 50 women with intact pregnancy, age range 26 to 39 years, but with past history of at least 2 lost pregnancies, was determined using coagulation-based assays. Most (68%) of the pregnant women were in the first trimester. Venous blood (4.5 mL) carefully collected from each of the subjects and also the controls (normal relative donors) was put in 0.5 mL of 3.8% citrate (ratio 9:1). The blood was quickly centrifuged at 1500 g; platelet-poor plasma was separated and frozen at -30°C until analyzed. The control plasma was pooled and dispensed in 2 mL aliquots. Partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTk) (against the control samples for comparison) and kaolin clotting time (KCT) were determined on each of the test samples using standard laboratory procedures. Prolonged PTTk was obtained in 36 patients (72%). KCT was obtained through mixtures of patients' plasma with pooled control plasma (P:C) at 100:0; 0.8:0.2; 0.6:0.4; 0.5:0.5; 0.4:0.6; 0.2:0.8; 0:100; and lin-lin graph paper was used to plot out each of these dilutions against their respective clotting time in seconds. The interpreted graph showed that 12 (24%) had LA, while 3 (6%) had LA with cofactor. This high frequency necessitates regular screening for LA in pregnant women with a history of recurrent fetal loss at any gestational age.Keywords: prevalence, pregnancy, recurrent fetal loss, lupus anticoagulant, coagulation-based assay

Haemolytic toxicity due to domestic naphthalene ball exposure in a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency patient

Naphthalene is a natural component of fossil fuels such as petroleum, diesel, and coal. is used widely as moth repellent,  insecticides and as a deodorant in lavatories worldwide. It is it is a toxic ,volatile, forming an inflammable vapour and sublimes at room temperature, producing its characteristic odour. This report presents a 29year-old male, Commercial tricycle driver, Ibo by tribe, Christian and single and was admitted with fatigue , severe abdominal pain , vomiting , yellowish coloration of the eyes and passage of dark urine (cocacola colored) following the use of  naphthalene ball for the purpose of repelling mosquitoes and other insects and as an air freshener for 5days .There was no history of similar illness in the past .There were features of severe   intravascular hemolysis ; elevated Lactate dehygrogenase enzymes (2320 IU/L) , elevated Bilirubin level (12.8mg/dl) , elevated Aspartate transaminase ;AST (71IU/L) and Alanine transaminase ;ALT (257IU/L) levels with decreased Hemoglobin (8mg/dl) and Haptoglobin (30mg/dl). Granulocytosis was also 143 detected. His Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity  (1.5 IU/gm Hb) was found to be below normal and was diagnosed as G6PD  deficiency disorder. The patient was treated with bed rest, with adequate rehydration with intravenous fluid 3L/day, Antibiotics (Cefuroxime), Folic acid and fesolate and vitamin C and the mothballs in his room were removed before he was discharged home . The aim of this case report is to highlight the toxicity of this common  household naphthalene mothball especially in G6PD deficient patient.Keywords: Intravascular hemolysis, Naphthalene moth ball, G6PD deficiency, Red blood cell.

Predictors of time to ART initiation as determined by Cox proportional regression analysis.

<p>Predictors of time to ART initiation as determined by Cox proportional regression analysis.</p

Distribution of study participants according to outcome and duration of follow up.

<p>Distribution of study participants according to outcome and duration of follow up.</p

Kaplan-Meier curves of time to initiation of ART in relation to CD4 cell count group.

<p>The median time to ART initiation was significantly shorter in participants with CD4 cell count of 351-500cells/ul than those (16months) with CD4 count >500cells/ul (23months).</p

Baseline Demographic and clinical variables of study participants in relation to ART status.

<p>Baseline Demographic and clinical variables of study participants in relation to ART status.</p