The Role of HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaigns on HIV Related Behavioural Changes in Ibadan, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of sources of AIDS education on HIV-related behavioural changes, and its implications for HIV prevention and service delivery in Nigeria. We analysed cross-sectional data obtained from a structured face-to-face interview with 1,373 respondents aged 15-50, who have ever had sex in Ibadan, Nigeria. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, its route of transmission and prevention strategies was high.  About 20 % of the respondents were exposed to the AIDS prevention campaigns. A majority reported sexual behavioral changes, which included restriction of sex partners, use of condoms, sexual abstinence and avoidance of casual sex. Thirty-nine percent took some steps to reduce risk of infection by avoiding transfusion with unscreened blood and testing for HIV status.  Using multiple logistic regressions, the factors affecting the reported changes were identified. The application of health belief model shows that the model cannot wholly explain the changes in behavior. The role of female powerlessness in safer sex decision-making is noted. Despite the limitations of the study, the need for a sustained AIDS prevention campaign is stressed. The implications of the study for AIDS programs and research are highlighted

Postnatal probiotic supplementation can prevent and optimize treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background: Although several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published over the past 5 years show that prenatal or postnatal probiotics may prevent or optimize the treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders, findings from the systematic reviews and meta-analyses of these studies appear inconsistent. More recent RCTs have focused on postnatal probiotics, and linked specific probiotic strains to better disease outcomes. Objective: This systematic review aimed to determine if postnatal probiotics are as effective as prenatal probiotics in preventing or treating childhood asthma and atopic disorders. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and EMBASE databases for RCTs published within the past 5 years (from 2017 to 2022). We included only full-text RCTs on human subjects published in or translated into the English language. We retrieved relevant data items with a preconceived data-extraction form and assessed the methodological quality of the selected RCTs using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials. We qualitatively synthesized the retrieved data to determine any significant differences in study endpoints of the probiotic and placebo groups. Results: A total of 1,320 participants (688 and 632 in the probiotic and placebo groups) from six RCTs were investigated. One RCT showed that early Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) led to a reduction in the cumulative incidence rate of asthma. Another study demonstrated that mixed strains of Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus fermentum could support clinical improvement in children with asthma while one trial reported a significant reduction in the frequency of asthma exacerbations using a mixture of Ligilactobacillus salivarius and Bifidobacterium breve. Three trials showed that a combination of LGG and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus alone, and a probiotic mixture of Lactobacillus LOCK strains improved clinical outcomes in children with atopic dermatitis and cow-milk protein allergy. Conclusions: Postnatal strain-specific probiotics (in single or mixed forms) are beneficial in preventing and treating atopic dermatitis and other allergies. Similarly, specific strains are more effective in preventing asthma or improving asthma outcomes. We recommend more interventional studies to establish the most useful probiotic strain in these allergic diseases

Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for emergency obstetric referrals in rural Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Every pregnant woman faces risk of life-threatening obstetric complications. A birth-preparedness package promotes active preparation and assists in decision-making for healthcare seeking in case of such complications. The aim was to assess factors associated with birth preparedness and complication-readiness as well as the level of male participation in the birth plan among emergency obstetric referrals in rural Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Kabale regional hospital maternity ward among 140 women admitted as emergency obstetric referrals in antenatal, labor or the postpartum period. Data was collected on socio-demographics and birth preparedness and what roles spouses were involved in during developing the birth plan. Any woman who attended antenatal care at least 4 times, received health education on pregnancy and childbirth danger signs, saved money for emergencies, made a plan of where to deliver from and made preparations for a birth companion, was deemed as having made a birth plan. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze factors that were independently associated with having a birth plan.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean age was 26.8 ± 6.6 years, while mean age of the spouse was 32.8 ± 8.3 years. Over 100 (73.8%) women and 75 (55.2%) of their spouses had no formal education or only primary level of education respectively. On multivariable analysis, Primigravidae compared to multigravidae, OR 1.8 95%CI (1.0-3.0), education level of spouse of secondary or higher versus primary level or none, OR 3.8 95%CI (1.2-11.0), formal occupation versus informal occupation of spouse, OR 1.6 95%CI (1.1-2.5), presence of pregnancy complications OR 1.4 95%CI (1.1-2.0) and the anticipated mode of delivery of caesarean section versus vaginal delivery, OR 1.6 95%CI (1.0-2.4) were associated with having a birth plan.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Individual women, families and communities need to be empowered to contribute positively to making pregnancy safer by making a birth plan.</p

Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy Among South African Youth

Although unintended pregnancy is recognized as a major public health problem in South Africa, studies on it have been limited and at local level. Using the 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS) data set, this study examined the distribution of and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among South African youth. Analysis was based on a sub-sample of 1, 395 women aged 15-24 who were interviewed during the survey and who had pregnancy at the time of and/or three years preceding the survey. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate methods of analysis were employed. The results show a high level of unintended pregnancy with only 29% of the pregnancies wanted. The level of unintended pregnancy varies by region and some socio-economic variables. Five critical predictors of unintended pregnancy among South African youth were identified. These are: age group, region, marital status, education and relationship to the last sexual partner. The findings of this study have implications for reproductive health policies and programmes in designing appropriate national programmes for reducing the incidence of unintended pregnancy among South African youth. The need for further research into this area using triangulated methodology is recommended. Eastern African Social Sciences Review Vol. 23 (1) 2007: pp. 61-8

Antimicrobial Resistance status and prevalence rates of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producers isolated from a mixed human population.

Owing to the increasing epidemiological and therapeutic challenges associated with infections due to ESBL producers, ESBL prevalence rate among some bacteria isolates from healthy and non-healthy human population in a metropolitan Nigerian setting was evaluated. A total of one hundred and forty-five (145) bacteria strains were isolated from a total of four hundred and sixty (460) samples collected from urine, wound, throat and anal swabs of 220 healthy volunteers in the community and from 240 patients in 2 secondary and 2 tertiary hospitals (altogether, 4) in Enugu metropolis. The presumptive confirmatory test used for ESBL detection was the Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) method. Conjugation and plasmid curing studies were also done for resistance factor determination. Of the 145 isolates, 20 were ESBL producers with 35% of these ESBL producers being of community origin and 65% from hospitals. This translates to 4.8% and 9% incidences (comparably higher than established prevalence of 4.4% and 7.5 respectively) for community and hospital infections respectively. The ESBL isolates showed high resistance to tetracycline, gentamicin, pefloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin and Augmentin® (Amoxicilin and clavulanic acid combination). Conjugation studies for Resistance plasmid transfer showed non-transference of resistance determinants between the ESBL transconjugants and recipient strains. Correspondingly, the plasmid curing studies revealed that the acridine orange could not effect a cure on the isolates as they still retained high resistance to the antibiotics after the treatment. This study confirms the growing incidences/pool of ESBL strains in Nigeria and call for widespread and continuous monitoring towards an effective management of the potential therapeutic hurdle posed by this trend

Antibiotic combinatorial approach utilized against extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) bacteria isolates from Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria

Introduction: Antibiotic options in the treatment of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria are very limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze several commonly applied antibiotics in quite various novel combinations for use against ESBL-producing bacteria isolates.Methods: Total of 460 samples of urine, throat and anal swab were collected from volunteers and patients from nursery, primary and secondary schools and from other individuals in the community. Hospital and community isolates comprised of 65% and 35% respectively. The identification and characterization of the isolates were done by standard culturing and in vitro antibiotic sensitivity procedures.Results: The antibiotic combination studies showed that the combination of gentamicin with the other antibiotics had predominantly synergistic effects. The percentage synergistic effect for the combinations of gentamicin/pefloxacin was 69%, gentamicin/[Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid] 72%, gentamicin/ceftriaxone 68%, gentamicin/cefuroxime 81.9%, and gentamicin/ciprofloxacin 80.6%, against the community and hospital derived ESBL producing organisms of both Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species.Conclusion: Good antimicrobial monitoring exercise and corresponding antimicrobial screening activities should work towards a dynamic approach to generate effective treatment options using combination therapy

Antibiotic combinatorial approach utilized against extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) bacteria isolates from Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria

Introduction: Antibiotic options in the treatment of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria are very limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze several commonly applied antibiotics in quite various novel combinations for use against ESBL-producing bacteria isolates. Methods: Total of 460 samples of urine, throat and anal swab were collected from volunteers and patients from nursery, primary and secondary schools and from other individuals in the community. Hospital and community isolates comprised of 65% and 35% respectively. The identification and characterization of the isolates were done by standard culturing and in vitro antibiotic sensitivity procedures. Results: The antibiotic combination studies showed that the combination of gentamicin with the other antibiotics had predominantly synergistic effects. The percentage synergistic effect for the combinations of gentamicin/pefloxacin was 69%, gentamicin/[Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid] 72%, gentamicin/ceftriaxone 68%, gentamicin/cefuroxime 81.9%, and gentamicin/ciprofloxacin 80.6%, against the community and hospital derived ESBL producing organisms of both Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species. Conclusion: Good antimicrobial monitoring exercise and corresponding antimicrobial screening activities should work towards a dynamic approach to generate effective treatment options using combination therapy

Correlation of Body Mass Index and Waist Hip Ratio with lipid and hormone profile in women in menopausal transition

Introduction: Menopausal transition is a period characterised by psychic, somatic changes as well as changes in reproductive capabilities of a woman. It occurs as a consequence of ovarian’s function termination, and pertains to the periods of different meanings: perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Although there are numerous assessments of behaviour of the lipids and lipoproteins during menopausal transition, their relation to sexual hormones and body mass is still being assessed. The aim of this study is to determine the differences and connections between body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) and lipid and hormone profile among the assessees in premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause. Methods: The assessment was done on 150 assessees divided in three groups of 50, such as: premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause. The assessment included the following: interview, determination of BMI, WHR, and taking of blood sample and processing of hormone, lipid and lipoprotein concentration. Results: Based on the obtained results, it may not be concluded that BMI has a positive correlation with cholesterol and VLDL concentration in postmenopause, positive correlation with apo A in perimenopause and postmenopause, and positive correlation with Lp (a) and apo B in premenopause and perimenopause, while negative correlation with HDL and estradiol concentrations in premenopause. Conclusion: WHR has negative correlation with HDL concentration in premenopause and perimenopause, and a negative correlation with estradiol concentrations in premenopause

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DOUGH IMPROVERS ON THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION, MINERALS, VITAMINS AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF WHEAT BREAD

Abstract Comparative evaluation of bread made from wheat flour using five different dough improvers was evaluated. The improvers were ascorbic acid, EDC-2000, (etheylen