Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is an important factor contributing to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms among university women in Southwest Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to female undergraduate and graduate students (n = 706) at four universities in Southwest Nigeria in 2008. The universities were selected by convenience and the study samples within each university were randomly selected cluster samples. The survey was self-administered and included questions pertaining to menstrual symptoms, analgesic and antibiotic use patterns, and demographics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: The response rate was 95.4%. Eighty-six percent (95% CI: 83-88%) of participants experienced menstrual symptoms, and 39% (95% CI: 36-43%) reported using analgesics to treat them. Overall, 24% (95% CI: 21-27%) of participants reported self-medicated use of antibiotics to treat the following menstrual symptoms: cramps, bloating, heavy bleeding, headaches, pimples/acne, moodiness, tender breasts, backache, joint and muscle pain. Factors associated with this usage were: lower levels of education (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-7.1, p-value: 0.03); nonscience major (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.03-2.50, p-value: 0.04); usage of analgesics (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.07-4.86, p-value: <0.001); and mild to extreme heavy bleeding (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01-2.67, p-value: 0.05) and pimples/acne (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.98-2.54, p-value: 0.06). Ampicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were used to treat the most symptoms. Doctors or nurses (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%), friends (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%) and family members (7%, 95% CI: 5-8%) were most likely to recommend the use of antibiotics for menstrual symptoms, while these drugs were most often obtained from local chemists or pharmacists (10.2%, 95% CI: 8-12%). Conclusions: This is the first formal study to report that approximately 1 out of 4 university women surveyed in Southwest Nigeria self-medicate with antibiotics to treat menstrual symptoms. This practice could provide monthly, low-dose exposures to antibiotics among users. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impacts of selfmedication on student health

Characterization of Panton–Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus from skin and soft tissue infections and wounds in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen implicated in numerous nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) can be associated with severe necrotizing diseases such as pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI).  Methods: In total, 96 S. aureus isolates were obtained from patients presenting with wounds (n=48) and soft tissue infections (SSTIs, n=48). These were characterized based on their antimicrobial susceptibility profile, the possession of virulence genes (e.g. capsular type, PVL), accessory gene regulator (agr) type, and the staphylococcal protein A (spa) type. The production of the PVL protein was assessed by western blotting. Results: All isolates were susceptible to methicillin. The resistance was highest to penicillin (97.9%), followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (85.4%) and tetracycline (10.4%). The PVL gene was found in 83.3% of isolates from SSTIs and in 79.2% of isolates from wound. Of these, 53 (68%) produced PVL as assessed by western blotting. The most prevalent spa type was the t084 (78.1%, n=75) and, majority of the isolates carried agr2 (82.3%, n=79). Conclusions: Prevalence of antibiotic resistant PVL-positive methicillin susceptible S. aureus strains has severe implications on PVL mediated infections

Comparison of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> from infection and colonization in Nigeria, 2010–2011.

<p>Comparison of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> from infection and colonization in Nigeria, 2010–2011.</p

Dataset on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of university students towards antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health issue globally fuelled largely by its misuse. Controlling this problem would require an understanding of the levels of awareness of the population towards antibiotics. The data presented here was obtained from undergraduate students attending a Nigerian University in the first three months of the year 2016. The data is stratified by such demographic variables as age, sex and level of study. It contains information about the knowledge, and predispositions of participants to antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Preliminary descriptive statistics are presented in the tables and figures herewith. Data was analysed using SPSS-20 and is available for reuse in the native SPSS format. In concluding, this data can be used to model the determinants of antibiotic knowledge among students

Data set on Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and microscopy for diagnosing plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax

The World Heal Organization (WHO) has identified malaria diagnosis as being pivotal to eradicating the disease by 2030 as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The data presented here was obtained from outpatients of a hospital in the South Western Region of Nigeria from November 2016 to May 2017. The data contains malaria incidence amongst asymptomatic and symptomatic outpatients in the period under review. Malaria incidence was obtained using two diagnostic test kits, Bioline SD (HRP-2) and ACON (HRP-2/Aldolase) alongside Microscopy as gold standard. Specificity, Sensitivity and Kappa statistic of each test device is presented in the tables herewith. Data presented here could be used alongside other data sources to assess the state of malaria diagnostics

Data set on Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and microscopy for diagnosing plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax

The World Heal Organization (WHO) has identified malaria diagnosis as being pivotal to eradicating the disease by 2030 as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The data presented here was obtained from outpatients of a hospital in the South Western Region of Nigeria from November 2016 to May 2017. The data contains malaria incidence amongst asymptomatic and symptomatic outpatients in the period under review. Malaria incidence was obtained using two diagnostic test kits, Bioline SD (HRP-2) and ACON (HRP-2/Aldolase) alongside Microscopy as gold standard. Specificity, Sensitivity and Kappa statistic of each test device is presented in the tables herewith. Data presented here could be used alongside other data sources to assess the state of malaria diagnostics