Prevalence of intestinal helminths among primary school children in Ihumudumu Community, Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria

A survey of intestinal helminth parasites among school pupils was conducted in two primary schools within Ihumudumu community of Ekpoma, in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, between  December 2012 and February 2013. A total of 380 faecal samples were randomly collected from pupils of both sexes whose ages ranged between 5-14 years. Using the direct wet smear and formol-ether sedimentation techniques  to process the faeces, 71(18.7%) of the samples were found positive for various intestinal helminths; with  Hookworm accounting for 8.4% of total number examined. Ascaris lumbricoides was 3.4%, Trichuris trichiura 2.6%, Enterobius vermicularis 1.1%, Schistosoma mansoni 0.8%, Strongyloides stercoralis 0.8%, and Fasciola spp.  0.5%. Mixed infections were observed in 4(1.1%) of the pupils. Sex did not significantly affect the pattern of  infection (P>0.05) but age affected it significantly (P<0.05). Infections were detected in both schools with the  difference being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Our findings indicated that intestinal helminthiasis was relatively  not prevalent in the area, and as such, control and preventive measures such as chemotherapy, provision of adequate  sanitary facilities and potable drinking water, improved personal hygiene and Health education should be the focus  of government and non-governmental Health providers.Keywords: Prevalence, Intestinal helminthes, Parasites, School childre

An unsuspected yellow fever and lassa fever in a tertiary healthcare facility in Jos, North Central, Nigeria: a case report

Background: Yellow Fever and Lassa Fever are both zoonotic diseases (Mosquito borne flavirus and Rodent borne arenavirus, respectively) and classified as viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF) because of their common clinical presentations – especially fevers and bleeding during the terminal stages of the diseases. After an incubation period of 3 – 6 days in Yellow fever, and 2 – 21 days in Lassa fever: they present with fevers, rigors, headache, myalgia, nausea, and vomiting. Jaundice is noticed in Yellow fever, while Lassa in addition to other symptoms also present with sore throat (with patchy tonsillar exudate), dysphagia, dry cough, chest pain, and cramping abdominal pain, diarrhoea or epigastric pains. Gradual deterioration is associated with oedema of the face and neck, respiratory distress, pleural and pericardial effusions, encephalopathy, and haemorrhage from various sites (including hypotension and shock, nonrelated to blood loss). The laboratory confirmation from a specialized virology laboratory was conducted for both disease conditions using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, with containment facilities (biosafety level 4).The management of each of these conditions is mainly supportive, although Ribavirin has significantly reduced mortality associated with Lassa fever; with best results obtained when drug is started early in the course of the illness. Reports of Yellow fever and Lassa fever co-infection are particularly scarce. The objective of this study was to report a successfully managed Case report in an Adolescent Child.Case Report: A 10 – year old boy with a positive history of contact with and adult (grandmother) who died from a febrile illness, bleeding from body orifices and jaundice; presented with high grade fever, sore throat abdominal pain and passage of loose watery stool. All these symptoms were persistent for more than twelve days despite antibiotics and antimalarial medications. He was ill looking, febrile, anicteric and had right upper quadrant tenderness/hepatomegaly. A diagnosis of viral haemorrhagic fever was made, he was admitted and nursed in the isolation ward, infection prevention and control measures were observed, he had baseline investigations, supportive care and Ribavirin. PCR results was positive for Yellow fever and Lassa fever. He responded to treatment, was discharged home, and recuperated well during his follow up visits.Conclusion: This case clearly illustrates the importance of having high index of suspicion following the significant history of contact with a probable case of viral haemorrhagic fever (absence of laboratory confirmation at the time of her death) by the index case, especially when there was non-response to routine treatment for common causes of fever in the community.Keywords: Yellow Fever, Lassa Fever, Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Polymerase Chain Reactio

First record and otolith morphometric description of an adult lightfish, Ichthyococcus ovatus (Actinopterygii: Stomiiformes: Phosichthyidae), caught in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea)

On July 2018, one specimen ofIchthyococcus ovatus (Cocco, 1838) was caught in the Strait of Sicily during the International Bottom Trawl Survey in the Mediterranean (MEDITS). The adult I. ovatus measured 49 mm in total length and weighed 1.44 g. In this context, the presently reported study constitutes the first and deepest record of an adult of I. ovatus as well as the morphometric description of its sagittal otoliths. In addition, we provide an age estimation as well as an update of the geographical distribution of this bathypelagic species around the Mediterranean Sea. Based on the growth increments of sagittal otoliths, the estimated age was five years. Specifically, the otolith from the presently reported specimen of I. ovatus tended to be elliptic in shape related to aspect ratio and high rectangularity while circularity showed high complexity of otolith contour complexity. The absence of economic val-ue of rarely reported species may underestimate their abundance. Therefore, more studies and research surveys would be necessary to fill the information gap on the biology of these deep-water species

The Effects of Racism and Resilience on Black Stroke- Survivor Quality of Life: Study Protocol and Rationale for a Mixed-Methods Approach

Introduction Stroke, a life-threatening stressor, often negatively impacts stroke-survivor (SS) quality of life (QoL). Annual age-adjusted incidence and death rates for stroke are significantly higher among Black Americans than among White Americans. Racism, a significant stressor, occurs at structural, cultural, and interpersonal levels and contributes to health disparities for Black SS. Resilience, a dynamic process of positive adaptation to significant stress, is impacted by factors or resources both internal and external to the individual. This study aims to examine the effects of experiences of racism and resilience on Black SS QoL during early stroke recovery. This article presents the study protocol. Methods and analyses This will be a prospective observational mixed-methods study. Black community-dwelling adults who are within 4 weeks of a stroke will be eligible for inclusion. Baseline measures will include the exposure variables of experiences of racism and resilience. Covariates measured at baseline include sociodemographic variables (age, sex, marital status, education, income, health insurance, employment status, number of people in household, residential address), clinical variables (date and type of stroke, inferred Modified Rankin Scale, anxiety and depression screening), and psychosocial variables (COVID-19 stress, perceived stress, mindfulness). The outcome variable (QoL) will be assessed 6-months post-stroke. Multiple-level linear regression models will be used to test the direct effects of experiences of racism, and the direct and indirect effects of resilience, on QoL. Qualitative data will be collected via focus groups and analyzed for themes of racism, resilience, and QoL. Discussion Racism can compound the stress exerted by stroke on Black SS. This study will occur during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of calls for social justice for Black Americans. Experiences of racism will be measured with instruments for both “everyday” discrimination and vigilance. Sociodemographic variables will be operationalized to assess specific social determinants of health that intersect with structural racism. Because of the long-standing history of racism in the United States of America (USA), cultural influences and access to resources are central to the consideration of individual-level resilience in Black SS. Study results may inform the development of interventions to support Black SS QoL through enhanced resilience

Dog anti-rabies vaccination coverage in Jos South LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria CI Odita1, IS Tekki2*, DG Moses3, JI Barde3, KO Egwu3,

Domestic dog (Canis familiaris), a well-known companion of man, is the main reservoir host of rabies virus and source of infection to humans in 95% cases in Africa. Vaccination of dogs against rabies is the most effective way of controlling the disease. WHO recommends that annual vaccination coverage of dog populations should be 70% and above for effective control of rabies. However, vaccination coverage of dogs is very low in most African countries, including Nigeria, where the global burden of the disease is highest next to Asia. The aim of this study was to determine and compare rabies vaccination coverage of dog population in Jos South Local Government area (LGA), Plateau State, Nigeria, using two survey approaches. Data on vaccination profile of rabid suspected dogs in Jos South LGA, were retrieved from records of cases presented to the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Nigeria, for confirmatory diagnosis from 2011 to 2016. Field data on demography and vaccination profile of owned domestic dogs were also obtained by face to face interview with dog owners in the LGA using structured questionnaire. Vaccination coverage of 4.9% and 19.7% were obtained for record and field surveys respectively, for sample estimates. Although average vaccination coverage was estimated as 12.4%, the true population vaccination coverage could be between 12% and 18%, (95% CI). The P-value (0.000) for association between survey approach and true vaccination coverage of dog populations in Jos South LGA was significant. Consequently, evaluation of regular vaccination by active survey is key to achieving WHO recommended vaccination coverage. Nigeria can only align with the world rabies elimination target of 2030 set by the WHO, OIE and FAO by active disease surveillance and enforcement of responsible dog ownership.Keywords: Domestic dog, Jos South LGA, Rabies, Surveillance, Vaccinatio

Acidosis Activation of the Proton-Sensing GPR4 Receptor Stimulates Vascular Endothelial Cell Inflammatory Responses Revealed by Transcriptome Analysis

Acidic tissue microenvironment commonly exists in inflammatory diseases, tumors, ischemic organs, sickle cell disease, and many other pathological conditions due to hypoxia, glycolytic cell metabolism and deficient blood perfusion. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to the acidic microenvironment are not well understood. GPR4 is a proton-sensing receptor expressed in endothelial cells and other cell types. The receptor is fully activated by acidic extracellular pH but exhibits lesser activity at the physiological pH 7.4 and minimal activity at more alkaline pH. To delineate the function and signaling pathways of GPR4 activation by acidosis in endothelial cells, we compared the global gene expression of the acidosis response in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with varying level of GPR4. The results demonstrated that acidosis activation of GPR4 in HUVEC substantially increased the expression of a number of inflammatory genes such as chemokines, cytokines, adhesion molecules, NF-κB pathway genes, and prostaglandin-endoperoxidase synthase 2 (PTGS2 or COX-2) and stress response genes such as ATF3 and DDIT3 (CHOP). Similar GPR4-mediated acidosis induction of the inflammatory genes was also noted in other types of endothelial cells including human lung microvascular endothelial cells and pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Further analyses indicated that the NF-κB pathway was important for the acidosis/GPR4-induced inflammatory gene expression. Moreover, acidosis activation of GPR4 increased the adhesion of HUVEC to U937 monocytic cells under a flow condition. Importantly, treatment with a recently identified GPR4 antagonist significantly reduced the acidosis/GPR4-mediated endothelial cell inflammatory response. Taken together, these results show that activation of GPR4 by acidosis stimulates the expression of a wide range of inflammatory genes in endothelial cells. Such inflammatory response can be suppressed by GPR4 small molecule inhibitors and hold potential therapeutic value

E‐transparency and government budgetary corruption: A social marketing and transformation case from Nigeria

This article shows how Information and Communication Technology (ICT), incorporating social media, can lead to accountability and transparency in a government's budget. Specifically, it examined how a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) used ICT to foster citizenship engagement in the Nigerian government budgetary process. The article, using abductive reasoning, presents four citizen empowerment stages and four social marketing transition stages through which government budget transparency can be improved and corruption reduced. A model was also inferred that can help lessen the exclusivity around the government budget to encourage dialog and openness around the government budget in similar contexts. Furthermore, this article shows that the social transformative role for NGOs using ICT to increase government budget transparency and reduce corruption is a process that happens over time

Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17 : analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Across low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), one in ten deaths in children younger than 5 years is attributable to diarrhoea. The substantial between-country variation in both diarrhoea incidence and mortality is attributable to interventions that protect children, prevent infection, and treat disease. Identifying subnational regions with the highest burden and mapping associated risk factors can aid in reducing preventable childhood diarrhoea. Methods We used Bayesian model-based geostatistics and a geolocated dataset comprising 15 072 746 children younger than 5 years from 466 surveys in 94 LMICs, in combination with findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017, to estimate posterior distributions of diarrhoea prevalence, incidence, and mortality from 2000 to 2017. From these data, we estimated the burden of diarrhoea at varying subnational levels (termed units) by spatially aggregating draws, and we investigated the drivers of subnational patterns by creating aggregated risk factor estimates. Findings The greatest declines in diarrhoeal mortality were seen in south and southeast Asia and South America, where 54·0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 38·1–65·8), 17·4% (7·7–28·4), and 59·5% (34·2–86·9) of units, respectively, recorded decreases in deaths from diarrhoea greater than 10%. Although children in much of Africa remain at high risk of death due to diarrhoea, regions with the most deaths were outside Africa, with the highest mortality units located in Pakistan. Indonesia showed the greatest within-country geographical inequality; some regions had mortality rates nearly four times the average country rate. Reductions in mortality were correlated to improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) or reductions in child growth failure (CGF). Similarly, most high-risk areas had poor WASH, high CGF, or low oral rehydration therapy coverage. Interpretation By co-analysing geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden and its key risk factors, we could assess candidate drivers of subnational death reduction. Further, by doing a counterfactual analysis of the remaining disease burden using key risk factors, we identified potential intervention strategies for vulnerable populations. In view of the demands for limited resources in LMICs, accurately quantifying the burden of diarrhoea and its drivers is important for precision public health