Loa loa and Mansonella perstans: Neglected human infections that need control in Nigeria

Despite the continued endemicity of Loa loa and Mansonella perstans infections in many parts of Nigeria, there has been no meaningful large-scale control program against them. This paper presents the epidemiological status of the infections in Nigeria, evaluates and emphasizes the severity of therecorded clinical symptoms, justifies the need for a control program, and proffers possible control measures. It is shown that, based on available literature, the clinical symptoms of the infections could be seriously debilitating with grave negative socio-economic impacts, especially among the ruralpopulace who contribute immensely to agriculture in Nigeria. We opined that it is inhumane and  deceptive to neglect these infectious diseases and the sufferers if truly the country desires health for all

Derivation of a formula for adjusting the total serum calcium in Nigeria environment

The total calcium concentration, total protein, albumin and globulin were estimated for 302 patients that reported for serum calcium estimation at the clinical biochemistry laboratory of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria. Based on regression analysis, three formulae werederived for adjusting the total serum calcium concentration. It was observed that the total serum concentration correlated closely with albumin (a = 0.919 70) but poorly correlated with total protein (a =-0.25 960); where a = correlation coefficient. Adjusted calcium = total calcium – (0.91972 x albumin) +3.70429 was obtaine

Prevalence of HIV positive blood donors among screened volunteers who satisfied the criteria for blood donation in a semi-urban Nigeria population

Two thousand five hundred and thirty two (2,532) males, aged 25 – 50 years potential blood donors were randomly selected from the total number of volunteer blood donors who satisfied the initial screening criteria for donating blood, and were screened for HIV using Immunocomb II (HIV 1 and 2 Bispot) and Recombigen HIV-1/HIV-2RTD. Results from the study reveal that this procedure of screening volunteer donors by initial criteria alone does not fully eliminate all HIV positive donors. The prevalence of HIV positive donors among the screened volunteers who satisfied the criteria for blood donation was 0.87%.Keywords: Prevalence, blood donor, hiv positive and semi urban populatio

Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in Newly Admitted Undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was studied in newly admitted undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University. A total of 2,421 apparently healthy young adults (undergraduates) were randomly selected from the newly admitted undergraduates who registered in a session (period of 9 months) in Olabisi Onabanjo University Health Centre, Ago-Iwoye. These subjects were screened biochemically for diabetes mellitus, by carrying out urinalysis as well as capillary blood glucose estimation using the standard glucometer. The 1997 World Health Organization criteria for diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was used. The overall prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 3.47%. Generally the prevalence increases with age among the study population. There was no statistically significant difference between the sexes (Male/Female = 2.9% - 4.2%). Key words: Prevalence, Diabetes Mellitus, University Health Centre, Newly admitted undergraduates. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol.47(3) 2005: 26-2

Atherosclerosis – A Review

Atherosclerosis although a normal concomitant of aging, is the major pathogenic factor in coronary and cerebral thrombosis. While coronary thrombosis is implicated in the development of ischaemic heart disease, cerebral thrombosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke, a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Furthermore, the microangiopathic changes resulting in diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are due to atherosclerosis. The increasing incidence of each of these pathological conditions seems to cause fear to every knowledgeable person about fat consumption. It is misleading to link atherosclerosis to an abnormal lipid metabolism, although studies have shown that cholesterol ester is the major class of lipid that accumulates while triglycericles, phospholipids, sphingolipids and cholesterol are present in smaller amounts. Past studies have also indicated that essential fatty acid (EFA) and Vitamin E prevent atherogenesis. This review emphasizes the biochemical events of atherogenesis as well as the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerosis. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 48 (1), 2005: 22 - 2

Prevalence of hypercalcaemia in Shagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria

Nine hundred and two (902) patients were randomly selected from the patients that reported in the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Shagamu, Nigeria. The period of study was 2 years. The prevalence of hypercalcaemia was found to be 3.79%, (Calcium level = 12.75 ± 2.30 mg/100ml), this finding is important because it calls for a greater concern in screening patients for hypercalcaemia. 61.76% of hypercalcaemic patients were diagnosed for malignant diseases (Calcium level = 13.11 ± 2.06mg/100ml). The malignant diseases ranged from various degrees of lymphoma to malignant ulcer. 38.24% were diagnosed for non-malignant diseases (Calcium level = 12.11 ± 1.08mg/100ml. The non-malignant diseases ranged from sepsis to respiratory diseases. Lymphoma constituted 35.29% of hypercalcaemic patients (Calcium level = 13.68 ± 2.20mg/100ml). Keywords: biochemical screening, hypercalcaemic patients, prevalence Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 4(2) 2005: 149-15

Prevalence and risk factors for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy: results from the Nigeria national blindness and visual impairment survey.

BACKGROUND: In Nigeria, urbanisation and increasing life expectancy are likely to increase the incidence of non-communicable diseases. As the epidemic of diabetes matures, visual loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR) will increase unless mechanisms for early detection and treatment improve, and health systems respond to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. METHODS: A nationally-representative population-based sample of 13,591 participants aged ≥40 years selected by multistage-stratified-cluster-random-sampling with probability-proportional-to-size procedures were examined in 305 clusters in Nigeria between January 2005 to June 2007. All were asked about history of diabetes and underwent basic eye examination. Visual acuity (VA) was measured using logMAR E-chart. Participants with VA11.1mmol/l or had DR. Data in the subsample were used to estimate the prevalence and to analyse risk factors for diabetes and DR using multivariable logistic regression. Additional information on the types of DR was obtained from participants not in the subsample. RESULTS: In the subsample, 164 participants were excluded due to missing data; and 1,595 analysed. 52/1,595 had diabetes, a prevalence of 3.3% (95%CI 2.5-4.3%); and 25/52(48%) did not know. Media opacity in 8/52 precluded retinal examination. 9/44(20.5%) had DR. Higher prevalence of diabetes was associated with urban residence (Odds ratio [OR]1.87) and overweight/obesity (OR3.02/4.43 respectively). Although not statistically significant, DR was associated with hypertension (OR3.49) and RBG>15.0mmol/L (OR8.10). Persons with diabetes had 3 times greater odds of blindness. Of 11,832 other participants in the study sample, 175(1.5%) had history of diabetes; 28 had DR. Types of DR (total=37) included 10.8% proliferative, 51.4% macular oedema. CONCLUSION: The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes in Nigeria was 3.25% (95%CI 2.50-4.30) and over 10% of people with diabetes aged ≥40 years had sight-threatening-DR. These data will enable the development of better public health strategies for the control of diabetes and planning services for DR to prevent vision loss