Acute gastroenteritis and the usage pattern of antibiotics and traditional herbal medications for its management in a Nigerian community

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is the highest cause of mortality worldwide in children under the age of 5 years, with the highest mortalities occurring in low-to-middle income countries. Treatment can involve use of unregulated herbal medication and antibiotics. A cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the use of antibiotics and traditional herbal medications in the management of AGE among Yòrùbá-speaking communities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Our findings suggest habitual use of antibiotics (54.6%) and herbal medication (42.5%) in the management of AGE with high levels of self-prescription of antibiotics (21.7%) and herbal medications (36.2%) within the community. Ethanolic extracts of selected herbal plants reported (i.e. Aristolochia ringens, Azadirachta indica, Chromolaena odorata, Etanda Africana, Ficus capensis, Ficus vogelii, Mangifera indica, Momordica charantia, Ocimum gratisimum, Senna alata, Sorghum bicolor and Vernonia amygdalina) were investigated for antibacterial properties, using bacteria known to be causative agents of AGE. Our findings showed that, with exception of Ficus vogelii, which enhanced bacterial growth, the plant extracts reported all showed some antibacterial activity. We further discuss our findings within a regulatory context, with the aim to guide the use of traditional and herbal medication in low-to medium income countries (LMICs) and reduce the potential risks associated with the development of antimicrobial resistance

Female genital mutilation: are we winning?

Background: For more than 25 years, efforts have been geared towards curtailing the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in countries like Nigeria. This study was designed to see if all these efforts have made any impact in reducing the prevalence of FGM appreciably in the south-West of Nigeria.Objective: To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation and profiling the trends of FGM affected patients.Design: A prospective study based on direct observation of the external genitalia by health-care workers.Subjects: Five hundred and sixty five females less than 15 years of age.Setting: The children emergency and gynaecological wards of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria from 1st of January to December 31st 2007.Results: Forty one point nine percent of the patients examined had female genital mutilation, 93.2% of these had the procedure before attaining the age of one year. Type 2 FGM predominated (58.22%). The procedure was performed predominantly (64.6%) by traditional birth attendants. The decision to have the procedure done was influenced in 78% of cases by mothers and grandmothers. In 35.4% of cases, there were immediate and short term complications. Demands of tradition  predominated (59.1%) as the most important reason for the practice of female genital mutilation.Conclusion: The practice of FGM appears to be still highly prevalent and resistant to change probably due to deep rooted socio-cultural factors. Strategies such as public education campaigns highlighting its negative impact on health and disregard for human rights should be evolved

Influence of processing methods on mycoflora changes during storage of raw and processed Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

Study assessed the influence of processing on mycoflora of kote fillet, skin, head and bones (SHB) during storage for 28 days at ambient temperature of (32 ± 2°C). Fish samples were prepared by smoking (wood and coal) and poaching using standard methods. Fungi associated with raw and processed fillets and SHBs included the species of Absidia glaucus. Absidia, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aureobasidium sp., Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Fusarium spp., Rhizopus sp., and Penicillium expansum. The various fungi was isolated using the direct plating and dilution plate methods indicated that wood smoke processing method had the highest (p<0.001) amount of mycoflora, which was followed by the coal smoke and poaching method. Also the SHB samples (fillet and SHB) had markedly low (p<0.05) fungal count than in the fillet. Thus, the SHB showed great promise in having lower (p<0.01) mycoflora which could be gathered and utilized at little costs for human food and animal feed, invariably reducing costs of feeds due to highly priced amount of casein, soybean meal and groundnut cake.Keywords: Trachurus trachurus, temperature, smoked fish and mycofloraAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(19), 1992-199

Primary and Revision Amputation Surgery in a Tertiary Institution in South West Nigeria

Background: Amputation is a common elective or emergency surgical procedure. We set out to study the cases undergoing amputation surgery with special interest of determining the prevalence rate of revisionamputation surgery; its indication and trend among patients who had amputation surgery at a tertiary health facility.Method: Study was cross sectional in design and retrospective in nature, conducted in a tertiary health facility selected purposively in a state, South West, Nigeria. Data collection was by reviewing the records of amputation surgery done at a tertiary health facility over a 15-year period (1996- 2010). Data collected were analyzed using the SPSS version 17, and statistical inferences made at p-value .0.05.Results: A total of 124 amputations were done with 9 cases of revision amputation giving a prevalence rate of 7.25%. The commonest indication found for amputation surgery was trauma while it was ascending gangrene for revision amputation. Among those who had revision amputation done, 75% were diabetic while 22% had earlier refused consent for amputation at an appropriate site. An increasing trend in the prevalence of revision amputation was found. There was a statistically significant associationbetween diabetic amputees and their having a revision amputation done with p =0.002.Conclusion: Diabetic amputees are at a higher risk of a revision amputation. Counseling and appropriate diagnostic procedures is essential for prevention

Gynaegological consultations at Bowen University Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Background: Bowen University Teaching Hospital is a mission hospital that has just transformed from a secondary health facility to a tertiary facility. Hence , more challenges have evolved in all disciplines for the hospital. Aim: To determine the pattern of gynaecological consultations at Bowen University Teaching Hospital, and to know the outcome of such consultations. Material & Methods: A well designed form was used to collect the data of each patient as they attend the clinic between October 2010 and 2011. The data form sought among others the following from the patients: name, age, hospital number, address/place of abode, parity, religion, marital status, educational level, complaints at presentation. Result: A total of 230 patients attended the clinic but only 195 (84.8%) of the patients had complete data for analysis. Infertility (75, 38.5%) was the commonest reason for consultation; this was followed by uterine fibroid (46, 23.6%). Conclusion: Infertility was the commonest reason for gynaecological consultations in this newly established teaching hospital, hence, establishment of assisted reproductive technology unit will be highly valuable to these patients who come to the hospital from different parts of southwestern Nigeria, where all assisted reproductive technology units are concentrated in Lagos Keywords: Gynaecological Consultations, Pattern, Mode of Treatmen