Circulating Plasmodium falciparum and HIV 1/2 as Co-infections among Blood Donors in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT: Blood serves as a vehicle for transmission of blood-borne pathogens including hemoparasities. In Nigeria, screening of blood for blood-borne pathogens does not fulfill the standard protocols and screening for malaria parasites is not practiced. Determination of the prevalence of circulating Plasmodium falciparum and HIV as co-infections in a population in general, and blood-donors in particular will certainly help in reviewing the screening procedures and making health policy decisions. In view of the problem of transfusional malaria, the prevalence of malaria Plasmodium in consenting blood donors was assessed. Whole blood was used for the diagnosis of P. falciparum malaria using Malaria P. falciparum Rapid Test Device. The screening for HIV antibodies was carried out using Chembio HIV-1/2 Stat-Pak ® and Abbott Determine HIV-1/2 ® test. All tests were done according to the manufacturers' specifications. Overall prevalence rate of asymptomatic P. falciparum malaria was 17.5% (n=35) and HIV as co-infection was 22.9% (n=8), while the remaining 27(77.1%) had no HIV. The study showed no significant difference between malaria infection either for age groups (17.8% vs 16.6%, P>0.05) or sexes (16.6% vs 22.6%, P >0.05). However, it showed a significantly higher prevalence of HIV as co-infection among blood donors within ages less than 40 years than their counterparts in age groups 40 years and above (29.6% vs. 0.0%; P = 0.001). It also showed a significantly higher prevalence of HIV as co-infection among female donors than males (42.9% vs. 17.9%; P = 0.001). This study however confirmed the presence of P. falciparum malaria infection and HIV as co-infection among blood donors in Ibadan, Nigeria. This could be attributed to lack of adequate accommodation and poor sanitary conditions in the area under study. General surveillance and public health education to stop the spread of the infection among blood donors in Ibadan and indeed the whole society is advocated

Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Bacteria isolated from Septicaemia Cases in a Tertiary Health Care in Abeokuta

ABSTRACT: The term septicaemia is often used in describing severe bacteraemic infections or a condition in which the blood serves as a site of bacteria multiplication. A total of 120 blood culture samples were collected during year 2011 to 2012. Bacteria isolated were characterized and the antibiotic sensitivity patterns were determined. The antibiotic sensitivity was carried out using Kirby-Bauer diffusion method. Bacteria isolated include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The highest number of bacteria was found among patient age 10 years. Escherichia coli accounted for 12(46.2%) of the bacteria isolated while Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp and Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 6(23.1%), 6(23.1%) and 2(7.6%) respectively. The least prevalent isolate Streptococcus pneumoniae was found only in age group 10. Ceftazidime and Levoxin showed high sensitivity rate to most of the bacterial isolates. From this study, the uncontrolled use of antibiotics may have implication for emerging resistance of bacteria to commonly -used antibiotics. [Akingbade OA, Ojo DA, Okerentugba PO, Adejuwon AO, Okonko IO

Presentation and Management of Uterine Fibroids at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos.

To review the clinical presentation and management of uterine fibroids at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. women with uterine fibroids that presented at the Gynaecological outpatient clinic were followed up till surgery and data on sociodemographic profile, parity, presenting signs and symptoms, uterine size at presentation, associated infertility and modality of surgical management was obtained using a structured form. The mean age was 36.6±7.8years (range 20-55years). There were 219(81.4%) in the reproductive age group between 15-45years and of these, 141(52.6%) were nulliparous. 151(57.8%) presented with menorrhagia, 154(57.5%) had dysmenorrhea, 157(58.7%) presented with abdominal swelling and 101(37.6%) had associated abdominal pains at presentation. One hundred and twenty one (45%) of the women had infertility, with 94(77.7%) being secondary infertility and 27(22.3%) primary infertility. Majority of the women 191(71.3%) had myomectomy for fertility preservation while others had hysterectomy and vaginal polypectomy. Leiomyomata represent the most common gynaecologic tumour in this environment and nulliparity is an important risk factor as seen in this study. Treatment must be individualized based on such considerations as the presence and severity of symptoms, the patient's desire for definitive treatment, the desire to preserve childbearing capacity and the importance of uterine preservation.Keywords: fibroids, infertility, myomectom