Nulliparity, Delayed Child Birth and Obesity: Potential Risk Factors for Development of Uterine Fibroid in South-South Nigeria

Background: Causes of fibroid are still unknown. Despite series ofcytogenetic investigations, the uncertainty remains as to the primary orsecondary genetic changes and their impact on the initiation orpromotion of fibroid development.Purpose: To determine the effect of obesity, nulliparity and delayedchild birth on the occurrence of uterine fibroid.Materials and Methods: A prospective sonographic survey wascarried out in a population of women in South-South region of Nigeria.Ultrasound scan was performed in 240 randomly selected women aged20 – 45 years, presenting for scans at the time of study. Subjects’ agesand reproductive history was obtained to ascertain their parity statusand ages at which parous women had their first children.Results: Results showed a weak positive association (r = 0.1; p<0.05)between uterine fibroid and delayed child birth and nulliparity at 31-35years. A strong positive association (r = 0.9; p<0.05) was observed at36 – 45 years. There was no statistically significant associationbetween low, normal and high body mass index with uterine fibroidhowever, a significant association (r = 0.85; p<0.05) was observedwith obesity.Conclusion: Delayed child birth and nulliparity after 36 years of ageappeared to be the most potent risk factor for uterine fibroid in thepopulation studied

Geographical information system and predictive risk maps of urinary schistosomiasis in Ogun State, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The control of urinary schistosomiasis in Ogun State, Nigeria remains inert due to lack of reliable data on the geographical distribution of the disease and the population at risk. To help in developing a control programme, delineating areas of risk, geographical information system and remotely sensed environmental images were used to developed predictive risk maps of the probability of occurrence of the disease and quantify the risk for infection in Ogun State, Nigeria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Infection data used were derived from carefully validated morbidity questionnaires among primary school children in 2001–2002, in which school children were asked among other questions if they have experienced "blood in urine" or urinary schistosomiasis. The infection data from 1,092 schools together with remotely sensed environmental data such as rainfall, vegetation, temperature, soil-types, altitude and land cover were analysis using binary logistic regression models to identify environmental features that influence the spatial distribution of the disease. The final regression equations were then used in Arc View 3.2a GIS software to generate predictive risk maps of the distribution of the disease and population at risk in the state.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Logistic regression analysis shows that the only significant environmental variable in predicting the presence and absence of urinary schistosomiasis in any area of the State was Land Surface Temperature (LST) (B = 0.308, p = 0.013). While LST (B = -0.478, p = 0.035), rainfall (B = -0.006, p = 0.0005), ferric luvisols (B = 0.539, p = 0.274), dystric nitosols (B = 0.133, p = 0.769) and pellic vertisols (B = 1.386, p = 0.008) soils types were the final variables in the model for predicting the probability of an area having an infection prevalence equivalent to or more than 50%. The two predictive risk maps suggest that urinary schistosomiasis is widely distributed and occurring in all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in State. The high-risk areas (≥ 50% prevalence) however, are confined to scatter foci in the north western part of the State. The model also estimated that 98.99% of schools aged children (5–14 years) are living in areas suitable for urinary schistosomiasis transmission and are at risk of infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The risk maps developed will hopefully be useful to the state health officials, by providing them with detailed distribution of urinary schistosomiasis, help to delineate areas for intervention, assesses population at risk thereby helping in optimizing scarce resources.</p

Neglected Tropical Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: Review of Their Prevalence, Distribution, and Disease Burden

The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are the most common conditions affecting the poorest 500 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and together produce a burden of disease that may be equivalent to up to one-half of SSA's malaria disease burden and more than double that caused by tuberculosis. Approximately 85% of the NTD disease burden results from helminth infections. Hookworm infection occurs in almost half of SSA's poorest people, including 40–50 million school-aged children and 7 million pregnant women in whom it is a leading cause of anemia. Schistosomiasis is the second most prevalent NTD after hookworm (192 million cases), accounting for 93% of the world's number of cases and possibly associated with increased horizontal transmission of HIV/AIDS. Lymphatic filariasis (46–51 million cases) and onchocerciasis (37 million cases) are also widespread in SSA, each disease representing a significant cause of disability and reduction in the region's agricultural productivity. There is a dearth of information on Africa's non-helminth NTDs. The protozoan infections, human African trypanosomiasis and visceral leishmaniasis, affect almost 100,000 people, primarily in areas of conflict in SSA where they cause high mortality, and where trachoma is the most prevalent bacterial NTD (30 million cases). However, there are little or no data on some very important protozoan infections, e.g., amebiasis and toxoplasmosis; bacterial infections, e.g., typhoid fever and non-typhoidal salmonellosis, the tick-borne bacterial zoonoses, and non-tuberculosis mycobaterial infections; and arboviral infections. Thus, the overall burden of Africa's NTDs may be severely underestimated. A full assessment is an important step for disease control priorities, particularly in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the greatest number of NTDs may occur

Rate of biodegradation of crude oil by microorganisms isolated from oil sludge environment

The rate of biodegradation of crude oil by micro-organisms isolated from crude oil sludge environment in Eket, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria was studied. Mineral salt medium supplemented with crude oil wasused and three most abundant species isolated from a crude oil sludged soil - Micrococcus varians, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were selected for the degradation test. The microbial counts used as index during the degradation process for each of the organisms ranged from 1.8 to 6.4 x105 cfu/g for P. aeruginosa, 1.5 to 5.2 x 105 cfu/g for M. varians and 1.3 to 4.7 x 105 cfu/g for B. subtilis. P. aeruginosa degraded 97.2% of the oil introduced into the medium followed by M. varians with 85.7%degradation. The least was B. substilis with 72.3% degradation of the oil. P. aeruginosa was found to have the highest rate of degradation

Sedentism and malnutrition among nomadic fulani children in south western Nigeria

Studies on the health, nutrition and growth of nomadic fulani children are rare. In recent times, the nomadic fulani of Northern Nigeria are gradually migrating and settling in the southern part of the county. The effect of these changes from nomadic to sedentary living is not known, particularly the effects on nutrition and development of their children. Therefore, a cross-sectional study on the nutrition and growth of Fulani children, aged six months to 15 years, living in Kwara, Ogun and Oyo States of South western Nigeria was conducted between March 2003 and December 2004. This population of Fulani are fully settled nomads whose economy and culture are now centred on cattle and farming. There is a dearth of information on the prevalence of malnutrition in this group. The heights and weights of 164 girls and 167 boys were measured, to determine their anthropometric indices, height-for-age (HA), weight-forheight (WH), and weight-for-age (WA) Z-scores. The prevalence of stunting (HAZ < -2), wasting (WHZ < -2) and underweight (WAZ < -2) was 38.7%, 13.6%, and 38.7%, respectively when compared to the reference National Centre for Health Statistics and World Health Organization (NCHS/WHO) standard used for defining stunting, wasting and underweight. Boys were more malnourished than the girls, but this was not statistically significant (stunting: &#967;2=0.36; df=1; P=0.54); (underweight: &#967;2=1.10; df=1; P=0.29); and (wasting: &#967;2=0.00; df=1; P=0.98). Using World Health Organization Malnutrition Classification systems, 38.7% of the children were found to be malnourished. It was concluded that malnutrition among the pastoral Fulani children could be linked to changes in food habits, which may be as a result of transition from a nomadic to sedentary lifestyle. It is suggested that food supplements, nutritional and health education programme should be introduce in pastoral Fulani settlements as a first step to improving the nutritional and growth of settled pastoral Fulani children. Keywords: Internal migration, malnutrition, Fulani, Nigeria. AJFAND Vol. 9 (1) 2009: pp. 537-54

Mycotoxigenic and proteolytic potential of moulds associated with smoked shark fish (Chlamydoselachus anguincus)

Among the 33 moulds isolated from 20 samples of wood-smoked Chlamydoselachus anguincus (shark-fish) 20 isolates were capable of producing metabolites toxic to fertile Hubbard Golden Comet (Niger chick) eggs. Aspergillus and Pencillium isolates were the predominant moulds. Other toxigenic moulds isolated were Eurotium, Fusarium and Cladosporium species. The protease producing potential of the isolates varied among the genera and between isolates of the same species. The existence and growth of these moulds on smoked fish is a pointer to the potential health risk associated with the consumption of mouldy dry fish. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 9(3) 2005: 53-5

Sendentarization and the prevalence of malaria and anaemia among settled Fulani pastoralists in south-western Nigeria

This paper reports the result of a cross-sectional study to investigate the extent of malaria infection among settled Fulani pastoralists in south-western Nigeria. A total of 527 blood samples were collected from settled Fulani pastoralists in Kwara, Oyo and Ogun States respectively. The overall prevalence of malaria infection in the zone was 33.6%. Kwara State had the highest prevalence of 39.0% while Oyo State had the least prevalence of 29.9%. There was a significant difference (X2 = 10.97; df = 2; p=0.004) in prevalence between the three states. Fulani female were significantly more infected (

A comparison of product yields and inorganic content in process streams following thermal hydrolysis and hydrothermal processing of microalgae, manure and digestate

Thermal hydrolysis and hydrothermal processing show promise for converting biomass into higher energy density fuels. Both approaches facilitate the extraction of inorganics into the aqueous product. This study compares the behaviour of microalgae, digestate, swine and chicken manure by thermal hydrolysis and hydrothermal processing at increasing process severity. Thermal hydrolysis was performed at 170°C, hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) was performed at 250°C, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) was performed at 350°C and supercritical water gasification (SCWG) was performed at 500°C. The level of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the product streams was measured for each feedstock. Nitrogen is present in the aqueous phase as organic-N and NH3-N. The proportion of organic-N is higher at lower temperatures. Extraction of phosphorus is linked to the presence of inorganics such as Ca, Mg and Fe in the feedstock. Microalgae and chicken manure release phosphorus more easily than other feedstocks