Household Air Pollution, Levels of Micronutrients and Heavy Metals in Cord and Maternal Blood, and Pregnancy Outcomes

Cooking with kerosene emits toxic pollutants that may impact pregnancy outcomes. Sixty-eight women in their first trimester of pregnancy, kerosene users (n = 42) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) users (n = 26), were followed until birth. Maternal and cord blood were collected immediately after birth. Levels of micronutrients and heavy metals were quantified. Pregnancy outcomes (gestation age (GA), birth weight (BW), and chest and head circumference) were also measured. Mean (± standard deviation (SD)) age of mothers in kerosene and LNG groups were similar (p = 0.734). Mean (±SD) BW of newborns of LNG users was significantly higher compared to newborns of kerosene users (3.43 ± 0.32 vs. 3.02 ± 0.43, p < 0.001). Mean GA (in weeks) was similar between the two groups (p = 0.532). Women in the kerosene group had significantly higher cord blood levels of zinc, lead, mercury, iodine and vitamin B6 and lower levels of folic acid compared to LNG users (p < 0.05). Newborns of kerosene users had reduced levels of zinc, lead, mercury, iodine, vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid, and homocysteine compared with LNG users (p < 0.05). Also, cooking with kerosene was significantly associated with reduced birth weight after adjusting for potential confounders (β ± standard error (SE) = −0.326 ± 0.155; p = 0.040). Smoke from kerosene stove was associated with reduced birth weight and micronutrients imbalance in mothers and newborns

Human Beta Defensin 1 (Hbd1) Levels in Sputum and Lysate of Mononuclear Blood Cells of Drug-Sensitive and Drug-Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients Attending A Tertiary Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) that causes pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) occupies the lungs, while human β-defensin-1 (hBD1) is expressed in all human epithelial tissues as one of the products of phagocytic leucocytes, especially at the site of microbial colonisation such as the lungs. The involvement of hBD1 in mycobacterial infection has not been extensively studied, thus there is the need to measure the levels of the hBD1 in mononuclear cell lysates and sputum of PTB patients at diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Ninety participants aged between 15 and 64 years were recruited as follows: 30 newly diagnosed multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients and 30 newly diagnosed drug-sensitive TB patients (DS-TB) from MDR-TB Treatment centre and the Medicine Outpatient Clinic at University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria. Thirty (30) non-TB apparently healthy individuals served as controls. The analytical method employed for the measurement of hBD1 in the sputum and lysate was the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data were expressed as mean and standard deviation, and the differences between the means were established using Student (t) test. P-value ≤ 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results: The mean levels of lysate and sputum hBD1 were not significantly different in newly diagnosed DS–TB patients (D0)compared with control(p > 0.05). Whereas, the mean levels of lysate and sputum hBD1 were significantly higher in newly diagnosed MDR–TB patients (M0) compared with newly diagnosed DS–TB patients (D0)or control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Due to the higher levels of hBD1 in the sputum and lysate of M0 than in D0, one might conclude that there is a relationship between chronicity of PTB and hBD1 level

Assessment Of Antioxidants And Nutritional Status Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients In Nigeria

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional and antioxidant status of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Nigeria Methods: Levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB.), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and total antioxidants (TAS) were determined in thirty-one Nigerian pulmonary tuberculosis patients and thirty-four controls using Spectrophotometric methods Results: The mean levels of TP (7.13±1.06g/dl), ALB (3.27±0.7g/dl), TC (100.7±23.6mg/dl), HDLC (28.6±7.2mg/dl), LDLC (65.5±15.1mg/dl) and TG (61.6±16.2mg/dl) were significantly lower while the level of globulin (3.9±0.84g/dl) was significantly higher in pulmonary tuberculosis patients when compared with controls (TP= 7.6±0.7g/dl; ALB= 4.2±0.48g/dl; TC = 163.2±40.1mg/dl; HDLC = 41.4±5.4mg/dl; LDLC = 107.8±27.5mg/dl; TG= 101.5±29mg/dl; globulin = 3.4±0.6g/dl respectively). Level of TAS (0.83±0.34mmol/l) was significantly lower when compared with controls (TAS= 1.65±0.26mmol/l). The significantly lower level of antioxidants observed in this study might be due to heavy load of free radicals released by the bacterial invaded macrophages. Conclusion: The nutritional derangement and lower antioxidant status could call for prompt nutritional intervention in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis patients

Non-specific cell-mediated immunity in Nigerian children with uncomplicated malaria

Non-specific cellular immunity was determined in 59 Nigerian children aged between 1-9 years with uncomplicated malaria and 93 age-matched uninfected controls using percentage migration index (%M.I) and Mantoux tuberculin skin test. The mean %M.I (using malaria Pf 155 antigen) was significantly lower in malaria subjects compared with the controls (

Non-specific cell-mediated immunity in Nigerian children with uncomplicated malaria

Non-specific cellular immunity was determined in 59 Nigerian children aged between 1-9 years with uncomplicated malaria and 93 age-matched uninfected controls using percentage migration index (%M.I) and Mantoux tuberculin skin test. The mean %M.I (using malaria Pf 155 antigen) was significantly lower in malaria subjects compared with the controls (p<0.05) while the mean diameter of tuberculin skin reaction (using Purified Protein Derivative of Mycobacterium butyricum ) was significantly lower in children with uncomplicated malaria compared with the controls (p<0.05). The mean total white blood cell count (TWBC) was also significantly reduced in the malaria subjects when compared with the controls (p<0.05). The results show that leucocytes of children with uncomplicated malaria exhibited effective adaptive immune response. This may help to combat initial contact with malaria parasites

Non-specific cell-mediated immunity in Nigerian children with uncomplicated malaria

Non-specific cellular immunity was determined in 59 Nigerian children aged between 1-9 years with uncomplicated malaria and 93 age-matched uninfected controls using percentage migration index (%M.I) and Mantoux tuberculin skin test. The mean %M.I (using malaria Pf 155 antigen) was significantly lower in malaria subjects compared with the controls (p<0.05) while the mean diameter of tuberculin skin reaction (using Purified Protein Derivative of Mycobacterium butyricum ) was significantly lower in children with uncomplicated malaria compared with the controls (p<0.05). The mean total white blood cell count (TWBC) was also significantly reduced in the malaria subjects when compared with the controls (p<0.05). The results show that leucocytes of children with uncomplicated malaria exhibited effective adaptive immune response. This may help to combat initial contact with malaria parasites