Relationship between maternal serum zinc, cord blood zinc and birth weight of term newborn infants in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: Adequate in utero supply of zinc is essential for optimal fetal growth because of the role of zinc in cellular division, growth and differentiation. Low maternal serum zinc has been reported to be associated with low birth weight and the later is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in newborns. In Nigeria, where the prevalence rates of zinc deficiency among pregnant women, low birth weight and infant mortality are high; it will be useful to determine the relationship between maternal and cord serum zinc levels and birth weight.Methods: Across-sectional study of 190 mothers and their term babies. Blood samples were collected from the mothers and cord of the babies immediately after delivery for serum zinc analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Babies' weights were measured within thirty minutes post-delivery.Results: The mean age of the mothers and gestational age of the babies were 28.29 ± 5.64 years and 39.2 ± 1.2 weeks respectively. The mean birth weight of the babies was 3106.7 ± 411.2 g; while the mean maternal and cord serum zinc concentrations were 48.5 ± 17.6 μg/dl and 99.3 ± 21.5 μg/dl respectively. There was no association between the maternal serum zinc and cord serum zinc (p = 0.62); and likewise maternal serum zinc and birth weight (p =0.99). However, there was a significant positive association between cord serum zinc and birth weight (p < 0.001, r = 0.02, p= 0.04).Conclusion: The study outcome suggests that cord serum zinc but not maternal serum zinc predicts birth weight. In spite of low maternal serum zinc level, an adequate amount of zinc could be transferred to the babies thereby preventing zinc deficiency in the babies and aiding their growth. More studies are needed on the mechanism of placental zinc transfer.Keywords: Maternal zinc, cord zinc, birth weight, Jos, Nigeri

Sero-prevalenceof Plasmodium falciparum malaria in rural communities of Bassa, Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo account for an estimated 40% of world malaria burden. Malaria parasite prevalence is one of the primary tools for estimating disease burden in a population.Aim: To estimate rural sero-prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria.Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 564 children and adults; 312 (55.3%) and 252 (44.7%) from Kwall and Jengre communities respectively of Bassa Local Local Government Areas of Plateau Stateusing a multistage sampling technique between 1st and 4th May, 2017.Clinical evaluation, laboratory diagnosis and case management for malaria were carried out. Stata 14.1 software was used for data analysis. Results were presented in table and bar chart.Result: One hundred and five (34.6%), 289 (51.2%), and 80 (14.2%) were aged 0 – 5, 5 – 17 and 18 – 80 years respectively. Fever was the commonest presenting complaint in 34 (6%) while 472 (83.7%) had no symptoms. P. falciparum sero-prevalence rates were 24.2%, 41.4% and 34.3% among under-five children, 6 – 17 years and 18 – 80 years respectively.Conclusion. Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission continues to occur with high sero- prevalence in rural communities of Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State. A slight decline was however, noted. Research on innovative models such as malaria vaccines, mosquito bionomics and environmental sanitation to compliment malaria therapeutics may need be employed in our rural communities so as to achieve the global goal for malaria eradication.Keywords: Malaria, sero-prevalence, Rapid diagnostic test, disease burde

Availability and distribution of phototherapy services and health care providers for neonatal jaundice in three local government areas in Jos, North - Central Nigeria

Background: Severe neonatal jaundice remains common in Nigeria. Phototherapy is the most commonly used inhospital treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia.Objectives: To describe the availability and distribution of phototherapy services as an essential neonatal service in hospitals in Jos, North-Central Nigeria.Methods: This was a crosssectional study of all secondary and tertiary level health facilities in Jos-North, Jos-South and Jos-East Local government Areas (LGAs) between January and March 2015.Results: There were 30 (90.9%) secondary and three (9.1%) tertiary health facilities. Twenty – eight (84.8%) were privately owned. Fourteen (42.4%) of the 33 hospitals provided phototherapy services, of which 11 (78.6%) were private. Phototherapy services were available in all the tertiary facilities and in only 11 (36.7%) of the secondary level health facilities. Most (10; 71.4%) of the hospitals with phototherapy were located in Jos-North LGA. There were 38 phototherapy units in all the 14 hospitals that offered phototherapy, consisting of 8 (21.1%) light emitting diodes (LED) and 30(78.9%) conventional units of which 25(83.3%) were locally fabricated. In all the hospitals that provided phototherapy, jaundiced neonates were managed by physicians of whom only 12% were fulltime paediatricians. All hospitals that offered phototherapy had laboratory facilities to assay bilirubin.Conclusions: Phototherapy services in Jos, Nigeria are inadequate and are concentrated in the urban private sector. An increase in phototherapy services especially in secondary public facilities is needed.Keywords: Health Care Provider, Hyperbilirubinaemia, Jos, Neonatal Jaundice, Nigeria, Phototherap

Morbidity and mortality pattern of children with sickle cell anaemia in Jos, North Central Nigeria: a single institutional study.

Background: The burden of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Tropics is enormous. Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is the most prevalent NCD in Nigerian children. There is a paucity of data on morbidity and mortality pattern of SCA patients in North Central Nigeria. We determined the morbidity and mortality pattern of children with SCA in a teaching hospital.Methods: This was a descriptive study of consecutive admissions of children with SCA between January and December 2015, whose parents gave consent. The patients' biodata, age at diagnosis of SCA, admission diagnosis, course of management and outcome were among data collected in a proforma and analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: Sickle Cell Anaemia accounted for 199 out of 1224 Paediatric admissions (16.8%) during the study period. The mean age at diagnosis of SCA was 23± 8 months, and 70% of the SCA patients were 10 years old or younger. Infections (36.2%), severe anaemia (29.7%) and vaso-occlusive crisis (22.1%) were the commonest indications for admission, while cerebrovascular accidents (30%), severe anaemia (30%) and acute chest syndrome (20%) were the leading causes of mortality.Conclusion: Institution of Early Infant Diagnosis, Public enlightenment, coupled with staff training and improvement in National Blood Transfusion Services are advocated to reduce the high morbidity and mortality from SCA.Key words: Sickle Cell Anaemia, Morbidity, Mortality, Comprehensive care