Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of Disease Surveillance and Notification among Health Workers in Private Hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria

Background: Disease surveillance and notification (DSN) has been recognized as an effective strategy for prevention and control of diseases, particularly epidemic-prone diseases. Aim: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of DSN activities in private health facilities(PHFs) in Enugu metropolis. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, utilizing mixed methods. Multistage sampling method was used to select the PHFs and the respondents. Respondents were health-care workers (HCWs) in charge of DSN in PHFs within Enugu metropolis and the state epidemiologist. Chi-square test and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression were used for analysis. Results: Being a medical doctor (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 6.567; confidence interval [CI]: 1.250–34.502) was found to be a predictor of good knowledge. Facilities having more than ten patients daily (AOR: 0.012; CI: 0.085–0.739) and poor knowledge of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system (AOR: 0.135; CI: 0.028–0.660) were predictors of poor IDSR practice. Four major themes emerged from the key informant interview: the level of involvement of state with DSN in PHFs, support available to PHFs, challenges in assessing DSN data in PHFs, and measures to improve DSN activities in PHFs. Conclusion: The HCWs in charge of DSN had good knowledge of IDSR system, but the practice was poor. There is a need for regular training with supportive supervision of the HCWs to ensure they translate knowledge into practice

HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Risk-Taking Behaviours among Youths at a University in Enugu, Nigeria

 A national sentinel survey of 2006 shows that Enugu State in south-eastern Nigeria is the worst hit by HIV infections. Despite numerous control strategies having been implemented, the state was still reported by another national HIV sentinel survey in 2010 as the worst hit by HIV/AIDS within the zone, and that youths are the most affected. The researchers conducted a cross-sectional descriptive survey to assess the HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk-taking behaviours of youths at a federal university in Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria. They adopted a multistage sampling method to recruit 460 unmarried, consenting students between 15 and 30 years of age, from three faculties of the university. Almost 90 per cent of the university youths had a sound knowledge of key concepts related to HIV/AIDS; despite this, a subset (7.39%) still engaged in risk-taking behaviours. The major risky behaviours identified include having premarital sex, having multiple sexual partners, the sharing of shaving or razor blades, the use of public clippers and tribal marking. Although an analysis of variance demonstrated no significant relationship (t = −0.036) between university youths’ knowledge of HIV/AIDS and their related risk-taking behaviour, risky behaviours were found to be more (13%) among respondents who had insufficient or incorrect knowledge of the disease. An analysis of covariance, however, showed that gender and socio-economic backgrounds were not determinants of the HIV/AIDS risk-taking behaviours of these youths. Therefore, factors such as attitude or culture are areas that should be focused on, and should then, along with educational awareness campaigns, help to reduce the spread and prevalence of the disease

Genetic Control and Heterosis of Quantitative Traits in Several Local Eggplant Genotypes

The present study was performed to assess the nature of gene action governing inheritance of agronomic traits in eggplant genotypes and extent of mid parent heterosis (MPH) and better parent heterosis (BPH) in six eggplant hybrids generated from four superior and optimally divergent genotypes of eggplant namely ‘Yalo’, ‘Uyo’, ‘K3’ and ‘Iyoyo’ selected from the germplasm and were crossed in 4×4 half diallel mating design. The six hybrids were found to show a significant (p< 0.05) positive MPH in yield traits and the highest was obtained in the hybrid ‘Yalo’ × ‘K3’ for number of fruits per plant (158.90%) and ‘K3’ × ‘Iyoyo’ for fruit yield per plant (63.14%) and fruit yield per hectare (62.20 %). The hybrid combinations ‘Yalo’ × ‘K3’ and ‘K3’ × ‘Iyoyo’ had significant positive BPH for the number of fruits per plant, 104.08% and 42.43%, respectively. For fruit yield per plant, the hybrid combination ‘Yalo’ × ‘K3’ (7.93%), ‘Uyo’ × ‘K3’ (8.48%) and ‘K3’ × ‘Iyoyo’ (12.26%) had significant positive BPH. However, the hybrid ‘K3’ × ‘Iyoyo’ (11.51%) showed significant positive BPH in fruit yield per hectare. Dominance and dominance × dominance gene effect were found to be positively higher in magnitude in all crosses for number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare. The prevalence of dominance and dominance × dominance gene effect in the yield traits indicate heterosis breeding as the best breeding method to improve the productivity of eggplant

Swelling Potential of Clayey Soil Modified with Rice Husk Ash Activated by Calcination for Pavement Underlay by Plasticity Index Method (PIM)

Volume change in expansive soils is a problem encountered in earth work around the world. This is prominent with hydraulically bound structures or foundations subjected to prolonged moisture exposure. This behavior of clayey used as subgrade, foundation, landfill, or backfill materials causes undesirable structural functionality and failures. To prevent this happening, clayey soils are studied for possible volume change potential and degree of expansion. Consequently, the problematic soils are stabilized. In this work, the stabilization of clayey highly expansive soil classified as A-7-6 soil and highly plastic with high clay content was conducted under laboratory conditions. The treatment exercise was experimented using quicklime-activated rice husk ash (QARHA), hydrated lime-activated rice husk ash (HARHA), and calcite-activated rice husk ash (CARHA) at the rates of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, and 10%. Upon treatment with the three calcium compounds to produce three sets of treated experimental specimens, the plasticity index was observed and recorded and swelling potentials were evaluated using the plasticity index method (PIM). The results showed a consistent improvement on the properties of the treated soil with the addition of the different activated admixtures. While the utilization of CARHA and HARHA improved the clayey soil to medium expansive soil, the treated clayey soil substantially improved from highly expansive soil with a potential of 23.35% to less expansive with a final potential of 0.59% upon the addition of 10% QARHA. Finally, QARHA was adjudged as the best binding composite due to the highest rate of reduction recorded with its utilization