The performance of an Histidine rich protein-2 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) against the standard microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria parasitaemia among febrile under-five children at Nnewi

Background: Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, thus there is need for quick, reliable inexpensive diagnostic tool to facilitate its prompt treatment especially in resource poor settings.Objectives: To compare the sensitivity of a locally available Histidinerich protein-2 based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) with the standard microscopy.Methods: This study was carried out to test the performance of an histidine rich protein -2 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) against the standard microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria among febrile under-five children attending Paediatric Clinic of NAUTH Nnewi. A total of 200 children under the age of five years were recruited for the study. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and symptoms were collected through an interviewer administered questionnaire. Blood sample was collected in EDTA bottle after observing universal precautions. All of them were tested with both Giemsa stained blood smear and Histidine rich protein-2 (HRP-2) rapid diagnostic test (RDT).Results: There were 118 males and 82 females, giving a male: female ratio of 1.44:1. Their ages ranged from 3-59 months and the average age was 27+17.49 months. Average number of days the subjects had fever before presentation were 3.78+1.95 days with a range of 1- 14 days. Body temperature ranged from 35.9-40.40C with average of 37.7+0.80C. Forty (20%) were positive by microscopy while 42 (21%) were positive by rapid diagnostic test. Twenty-percent of those positive by microscopy (n=8) were negative by RDT while 23.8% of those positive by RDT (n=10) were negative by microscopy. Using microscopy as a gold standard, the sensitivity of the RDT was 80%, the specificity was 93.8%. The positive and negative predictive values were 76.2% and 94.9% respectively.Conclusion: Based on these findings, the RDT demonstrated reasonable concordance with microscopy and was recommended for use at every level of healthcare in the diagnosis of malaria.Keywords: Malaria, RDT, Microscopy, under- five

Alterations in some coagulation biomarkers of pulmonary tuberculosis subjects in the settings of human immunodeficiency virus infection: as seen in Maiduguri North-eastern Nigeria

Synergistic association between Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) infection has resulted in variable haematological manifestations including coagulopathies; these accelerated the morbidity and mortality burden of HIV/PTB co-infection. Objectives: Based on this preposition, we prospectively evaluated some coagulation biomarkers in a case-controlled study of 102 HIV sero-positive subjects consistent with WHO clinical stages I and II, 56 HIV/PTB co-infected subjects; both groups were therapy naive. Also 104 HIV sero-negative healthy blood donors were recruited as control subjects. Method: All participants were tested for platelet count (PLT), Plasma fibrinogen concentration (PFC), Protein C (PC), prothrombin time (PT) and Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). Results: In HIV/PTB co- morbidity PT, APTT were prolonged (P<0.001); PLT and PFC were also elevated (P< 0.001), while PC % activity was down-regulated (P<0.01) all in comparison to the HIV groupand the controls. Conclusion: We asserted that alterations occur in some coagulation indices of PTB/HIV coinfected individuals found in our environment. Clinical findings are however, needed to shed more light on thesefindings to aid patient's management

Haemoglobin genotype in a sub-urban commercial community in Nigeria.

We examined 510 healthy people aged, 2 years to 60 years, to ascertain the predominance of sickle cell disease and trait among the sub-urban population of Nnewi and environs. The subjects were selected randomly from volunteers of two primary schools and secondary schools as well as from a market community in Nnewi. Their blood samples were collected by aseptic technique into labeled EDTA containers, and were stored in the refrigerator at 40 oC. they were analyzed within two days for the sickling test and Haemoglobin electrophoresis. The sampling was done between the months of February 1997 and July 1997. The hemoglobin electrophoretic pattern showed a distribution of 80, 4% Hb.AA; 19.2% Hb.AS; 0.4% Hb.AC; Hb.SS and Hb.SC 0%. This finding will serve as a guide in genetic counseling of would be couples in marriage. It will also help to eradicate the incidence of Hb.SS homozygotes with all its attendant social problem, as well as the double-heterozygotes Hb.SC. Journal of Biomedical Investigation 2004;2(1): 42-4

Hypertension prevalence and awareness amongst a group of women attending August meeting

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Evaluation of some cellular immune index in HIV infected participants

The study was designed to evaluate some cellular immune index of HIV infected participants. 80 HIV infected participants aged between 15 - 65 were recruited for the study. 45 of these participants were classifiedas Symptomatic HIV (Stage 11), while the remaining 35 were Asymptomatic HIV (Stage 1). Similarly, 40 HIV seronegative participants served as Control. Blood samples collected from the participants were used for HIV screening and confirmation, CD4+ T cell count, absolute lymphocyte count and percent lymphocyte transformation. The CD4+T cell count and percent Lymphocyte Transformation count were significantly lowered in HIV infected participants compared with the HIV seronegative participants (p<0.05 in each case).Symptomatic HIV seropositive participants also presented with lowered CD4 and percent lymphocyte transformation, compared with the asymptomatic HIV participants (p<0.05 in each case). The lowered CD4+T cell count suggests possible destruction of cellular immune cells (mainly Th1 cells). While the lowered percent blast formation in HIV infection indicates functional derangement of the cellular immune cells. Meanwhile no significant difference was observed in absolute lymphocyte count among the symptomatic, asymptomatic and control participants (p> 0.05)