Contributions of malaria, helminths, HIV and iron deficiency to anaemia in pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in SouthWest Nigeria

Background: Iron deficiency is a dominant source of anaemia in many settings. To evaluate the key cause of anaemia in the study area, the prevalence of anaemia due to major public health diseases was compared with anaemia due to iron deficiency. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited from ante-natal (n=490) and HIV clinics (n=217) with their personal data documented using a questionnaire. Microscopy of Giemsa-stained thick smears was used for detection of malaria parasites while helminths in stools were detected using direct smear method. Haematocrit values were determined by capillary method. Serum ferritin levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. Results: The mean age of the recruited women was 28.6\ub15.4 years old. There were 68.1% cases of anaemia of which 35.5% was due to infections only predominantly HIV and malaria, 14.9% from unknown sources while anaemia due to iron deficiency only was 7.1%. Conclusion: It can safely be inferred that malaria and HIV predispose to anaemia than iron deficiency in the study area. Although pregnant women are dewormed and given IPTp for helminths and malaria treatment respectively, there should be complementary routine malaria screening at ANC visits for those with HCT values <33% and those infected with HIV

Maternal urogenital schistosomiasis; monitoring disease morbidity by simple reagent strips.

Urine analysis is one of the recommended antenatal guidelines for early diagnosis of pregnancy-associated complications. While in practice, urine analysis by dipstick had been used to provide useful information on other urinary tract infections, its applications for early detection of urogenital schistosomiasis in pregnant women is often times not given due attention in most endemic areas. Our study therefore assessed the performance of some common urinalysis parameters in the diagnosis of maternal urogenital schistosomiasis in endemic rural communities of Nigeria.The cross-sectional epidemiologic survey of urogenital schistosomiasis was conducted among pregnant women in Yewa North Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. The women were microscopically examined for infection with Schistosoma haematobium, visually observed for macrohematuria, and screened for microhematuria and proteinuria using standard urine chemical reagent strips. Of 261 volunteered participants, 19.9% tested positive for S. haematobium infection. The proportion of microhematuria (23.8%) was significantly higher than that of macrohematuria (3.8%) and proteinuria (16.8%) (P<0.05). Microhematuria with sensitivity (82.7%) and specificity (89.0%) was the best diagnostic indicator of urogenital schistosomiasis. Macrohematuria with the least sensitivity (11.8%) was however the most specific (98.1%) for diagnosing urogenital schistosomiasis in pregnant women. Maximum microhematuria sensitivity (100.0%) was observed in women between 15-19 years but sensitivity was consistently low in older age groups. Maximum sensitivity, specificity and predictive values (100.0%) were recorded for microhematuria in first trimester women. Diagnostic efficiency of proteinuria and macrohematuria was also better in the first trimester women except the 25.0% specificity recorded for proteinuria. The overall diagnostic performance of microhematuria and proteinuria was better in secundigravidae.Microhematuria can be used for early detection of urogenital schistosomiasis in endemic areas especially in younger women. However because microhematuria is a condition that occurs during pregnancy and in several other diseases, it is necessary to compliment the diagnosis with other diagnostic tools such as microscopy and serology. Treatment with praziquantel is recommended for the women in their late trimesters after follow up test in order to avert associated adverse pregnancy outcomes

Effects Of Varying Concentrations Of The Crude Aqueous And Ethanolic Extracts Of Dalbergia Sissoo Plant Parts On Biomphalaria Pfeifferi Egg Masses.

This study evaluated, using replicated laboratory bioassays, the toxicities of the crude aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Dalbergia Sissoo Roxb. 1832 (family Leguminosae) fruits, leaves, roots and stem bark against egg masses of Biomphalaria Pfeifferi (Krauss, 1848), the snail intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni (Sambon, 1907) in Nigeria. Viable 0-24 hr-old embryonated egg masses were separately exposed to five different concentrations (7.81-2000 mg/l) of extracts for 24 hrs, washed in dechlorinated tap water and incubated at room temperature for a maximum of 4 weeks. The LC50 and LC90 values of test extracts for egg masses were calculated by probit analysis. The activities of the tested extracts were concentration-dependent. However, only the ethanolic extract of the fruits demonstrated significant activity (24 hr-LC90 value < 100 mg/l: 89.29 mg/l). Mortalities of eggs were manifested at the gastrula/exogastrula and or the prehatch snail stage of development. The percentage of dead embryos at the prehatch snail stage decreased while the deaths of embryos at the gastrula/exogastrula stage increased, with increasing concentration of extract. Lethality of the ethanolic extract of D. sissoo fruits to embryonated egg masses of B. pfeifferi is an added advantage to its potential development for use as a plant molluscicide, as the overall efficacy of a molluscicide is greatly enhanced if it also shows significant toxicity towards snail eggs

Population characteristics and infection statuses by microscopy and urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.

<p>Population characteristics and infection statuses by microscopy and urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.</p

Association between urogenital schistosomiasis and indicators of infection stratified by age, trimester and gravidity.

<p>Association between urogenital schistosomiasis and indicators of infection stratified by age, trimester and gravidity.</p

Performance of urinary morbidity indicators in diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis in pregnant women.

<p>Performance of urinary morbidity indicators in diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis in pregnant women.</p

Effect of parity on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.

<p>Effect of parity on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.</p

Effect of gestational age on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.

<p>Effect of gestational age on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.</p

Association between urogenital schistosomiasis and indicators of infection in pregnant women.

<p>Association between urogenital schistosomiasis and indicators of infection in pregnant women.</p

Effect of pregnant women age on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.

<p>Effect of pregnant women age on diagnostic potential of urinary indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis.</p