Contribution of Bacterial Infection to Male Infertility in Nigerians

There is disagreement as to the influence of certain microbial infection on male infertility and such agents are ignored. The incidence of these microbial agents in seminal fluid isolates is on the increase. This study therefore evaluates the prevalence of male factor infertility and contribution of microbial infection to male infertility in Kano, northern Nigeria. Seminal fluid analysis in five hundred males who were investigated for infertility was evaluated using the 5th generation SQ AII C-P sperm quality analyzer and the Neubaeur counting chamber. The result indicates that 58.2% had sperm density less than twenty million per millilitre. The oligospermic subjects (sperm density 2-19 millions/ml) were 27.6%, severe oligospermic (sperm density less than 2 million) 13.2% and azoospermia, 17.4%. Asthenospermia (motility less than 50%) decrease from 44.8% in oligospermia to 24.0% in severe oligospermia. Teratospermia (abnormal morphology greater than 50%) also deteriorated from 46.3% to 35.4% in oligospermic and severe oligospermic males respectively. Seminal fluid infection increases with decreasing sperm density, motility and morphology. The prevalence of abnormal sperm indices and bacterial infection is high and Staphylococcus aureus infection should be treated and no longer ignored in the management of male factor infertility

Impact Of Hepatitis C Co-Infection On CD4 Cell Count In HIV Infected Subjects

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection is reported to be common among HIV infected subjects due to share routes of transmission. The fact that HCV infection may act as cofactor for HIV disease progression has been suggested.\ud Objective: To determine if HCV and HIV co-infection affect the immunocompetence (CD4) of the infected subjects and response to Highly Active Anti Retroviral therapy.\ud Subjects and methods: Fifty HIV/HCV co-infected and fifty HIV monoinfected adults were retrospectively studied. Their baseline CD4 cell counts were done using Dynal beads technique before commencement of HAART and repeated after six months.\ud Results: The CD4 cell counts of co-infected subjects were lower than the mono-infected subjects. Sixty eight percent of the co-infected subjects had CD4 cell count less than 200cells/uL, and they responded poorly to HAART therapy than the mono-infected subjects (P<0.05). Those with CD4 cell count greater than 200cells/uL responded better to treatment than those with CD4 cell count less than 200cells/uL (P<0.001)\ud Conclusion: HCV/HIV co-infection affects the immunocompetence of the patients and HCV may acts as cofactor for HIV disease progression. It is needful to screen all HIV positive subjects for HCV antibody as this will improve their clinical management and outcome

Anatomical distribution and biochemical composition of urolithiasis in Kano, northern Nigeria

Urinary lithiasis disorder is one of the oldest disorders known to man yet the anatomic locations of urolithiasis and the chemical compositions vary from one geographic location to another. This study therefore analyzed the anatomic location of urolithiasis and their chemical composition in a sudano-sahelian tropical region. All Urolithiasis extracted from or passed by patients attending Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Abubakar Imam Urology centre and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital within the period of four years (2000-2003) were collected, their anatomic locations documented, and analyzed for chemical composition by chemical method. Urolithiasis occur in males six fold more than in females. On the whole the lower urinary stones consisted of 55.7%, while the upper urinary stone was 44.3% of the total urolithiasis extracted (p&gt;0.05). The most frequent anatomic site for all urolithiasis is the urinary bladder (38.6%) followed by ureteric lithiasis (21.4%). Renal stone is more frequent than stones excreted in the urine, 17.1% and 16% respectively. Both urethral and gall gladder lithiasis presented with equal frequency of 8%. Calcium was present in 86.2% of the stones analyzed. Urate and magnesium were not components of all the urethral lithiasis analyzed. Urolithiasis was rare over the age of 65years. Frequency of composite analytes in the stones is presented. The lower urinary calculi were commonest in this centre than the upper urinary calculi and the chemical composition of urological calculi is similar to those reported in other parts of Nigeria.Keywords: Urinary lithiasis, biochemical composition and distribution, calculi and stone formation

Serum Calcium Level is Associated with Lipids in Young Nigerian Women Using Low‑Dose Oral Contraceptive Pills

Background: The formulation of low‑dose oral contraceptive pill (OCP) has not been able to completely eliminate the cardiovascular risks associated with its use. Studies have associated serum calcium with metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure and lipids in the general population. Aim: To examine the association of serum total calcium with lipids levels and blood pressure in young Nigerian women who use OCP. Subjects and Methods: Fasting serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‑c), low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‑c), very low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL‑c), total lipids and total calcium were assayed in 160 young women (110 OCP users and 50 controls) using colorimetric methods. Body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were also measured. Results: Serum triglyceride (1.19(0.01) vs 0.94(0.02), total cholesterol (4.08(0.06) vs 3.52 (0.05), LDL‑c (1.79(0.04) vs 1.24 (0.02), VLDL‑c (0.25(0.02) vs 0.18(0.03), total lipids (7.55(0.2) vs 6.26(0.2), total calcium (2.25(0.01) vs 2.06(0.03), systolic (108.9(0.9) vs 103.1(0.9) and diastolic (67.7(0.7) vs 65.0(0.5) blood pressures were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.001) in OCP users than non‑users. Conversely, HDL‑c levels in OCP users were lower (1.77(0.08) vs 1.84(0.02); P = 0.30) compared with non‑users. Serum calcium positively correlated with blood pressure and lipid parameters except HDL‑c in women OCP users. Women on OCP who had lower serum total calcium levels had statistically significant lower lipid parameters while those women on OCP who had higher serum calcium levels had significantly higher lipid parameters. The BMI of both study population and control was not significantly different. Conclusion: Low‑dose OCPs induce increased levels of serum lipids, calcium and blood pressures. Serum total calcium level was positively associated with blood pressure, measured lipid parameters except HDL‑c in women on OCP. These data suggest that serum calcium may have some influences on lipids and blood pressure in subjects who use OCP irrespective of their BMI. Keywords: Blood pressure, oral contraceptive pill, serum total calcium, total lipids and lipoprotein

The trend of hepatitis B surface antigenimia among teaching hospital patients in Kano

No Abstract. African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 7(3) 2006: 143-14

The Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio in Anaemic Pregnant Women and Association with Traditional Marker of Inflammation.

Anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in pregnant women which is more prevalent in developing than developed countries of the world. Pregnancy is considered as a pro-inflammatory condition and anaemia may modulate leukocytosis and inflammation during gestation. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in anaemic pregnant women compare with nonanaemic pregnant women and to correlate such changes with a sensitive traditional marker of inflammation. Full blood count and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were determined in 522 anaemic pregnant women and 600 non-anaemic pregnant women on their first ante-natal visits to three hospitals in Ogun State, Nigeria. The full blood count was analyzed using Coulter counter cell dye auto-analyzer by Abott diagnostics (Wiesbaden, Germany) while hsCRP was assayed using reagents supplied by Abbot Diagnostics BV (Hoofddorp, Netherlands). The means total white blood count (p=0.044), neutrophil (p=0.031), lymphocyte (p=0.042), eosinophil (p=0.008),NLR (p&lt;0.001) and hsCRP(p&lt;0.001) were significantly higher in anaemic pregnant women than non-anaemic pregnant women. The mean levels of NLR and hsCRP significantly increased from mild anaemia, moderate anaemia to severe anaemia compared with levels in non-anaemic pregnant women. NLR correlated positively (r=0.128;p=0.005) with hsCRP in anaemic pregnant women. The NLR may be used in clinical setting in the assessment of inflammation in pregnant women.Key words: Anaemia, inflammation, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, pregnanc

Some Oxidative stress markers in infertile women attending assisted reproductive technology clinic in Lagos Metropolis

No Abstrac

A Study of Serum Testosterone and Luteinizing Hormone Levels in Patients with Low Libido at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.

Background: Low libido is considered to be the most prominent symptomatic reflection of low serum testosterone and it is unclear how frequent an individual who reported to the clinic with low libido indicates low serum testosterone levels. Objective: This study seeks to know how many of the self reported patients with low libido, have low serum testosterone or luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and whether there is an association between serum testosterone and self reported low libido in Nigerian males. Subjects and Methods: Testosterone and LH were measured in 50 middle aged male patients with low libido and 50 apparently healthy males using ELECSYS 1010 auto-analyzer. Results: Some 23.5% of the patients had abnormal hormone levels and significant decreases (p&lt;0.001; p&lt;0.05) were observed for testosterone and LH respectively. Low libido was associated with low testosterone levels (p&lt;0.05) in these patients. Conclusion: Abnormal sex hormone levels were observed in about 24% of the patients and serum testosterone was associated with low libido. Male hypogonadism is under diagnosed at present, because not many of the affected patients can afford to pay for hormonal evaluations. Longitudinal community base study may highlight the true burden of the abnormalities. Keywords: Low libido, Testosterone, luteinizing hormone

Correlation of antioxidant status with gestational period of uncomplicated pregnancy in Nigerian women.

Background/objective: Pregnancy is a state of oxidative stress because of the high level of metabolic activity of the placenta mitochondrion which generates reactive oxygen radicals. There is conflicting information on antioxidants status in women with uncomplicated pregnancy. This study seeks to evaluate some antioxidant levels in pregnant women and correlate the levels with gestational periods. Materials and Methods: Serum superoxide dismutase, catalase, uric acid and albumin were assayed using commercially available kits in 80 pregnant women with normal pregnancy and 50 apparently healthy age matched controls. Results: The results showed that serum uric acid, albumin and catalase were lower (p&lt;0.001) in pregnant women compared with controls while the difference in the superoxide dismutase activity was not statistically significant (p=0.19). The levels of the measured variables were lowest during the first trimester of pregnancy, but uric acid, albumin and superoxide dismutase increased progressively with gestational age. While catalase activity decreased in the 2nd trimester but increased in 3rd trimester. Uric acid (r=0550;p&lt;0.001), albumin(r=0.670;p&lt;0.001), catalase(r=0.271;p=0.015) and SOD(r=0.221;p=0.048) correlated positively with trimesters of pregnancy. Conclusion: The antioxidant parameters were lower in pregnant women than control subjects but the levels progressively increased with gestational period of pregnancy.Keywords: Albumin, catalase, superoxide dismutase, uric acid, uncomplicated pregnancy