Prevalence of Schistosomiasis among Secondary School Boarding Students in Potiskum Metropolis, Yobe State, North-Eastern Nigeria

Schistosomiasis remains one of the world’s most prevalent diseases of public health importance. Despite more than a century of control efforts and the introduction of highly effective antischistosomal drug the eradication of the disease is still far from actualization. Six hundred (300 stool and300 urine) samples were collected randomly from the students who consented after obtaining some vital demographic data from them. The stool samples were processed using formol ether concentration techniques while the urine samples were processed by ordinary centrifugal sedimentation technique. The result obtained was tested using Chi-square. Of 600 samples, 30 urine samples were positive for S.haematobium giving 10.0% urinary schistosomiasis, while 6 faecal samples were positive for S. mansoni giving 2.0% intestinal schistosomiasis and an overall 6.0% of schistosomiasis.The result indicates that there is an increase in prevalence with increase in age. The infection rate was significantly higher (p < 0.05) among males (8.5%) than among females (1.0%).Infection was higher (11.2%) among students whose normal source of drinking water is stream, followed by those whose source of drinking water is well (4.0%) and the least among those using tap water (2.2%). The prevalence of schistosomiasis in relation to schools indicates a significant relationship (p < 0.05).FGSS had the highest prevalence (11.5%), followed by GSSTSS with 5.5% and GGSS recorded the least with 1.0%. Lack of prompt diagnosis, inadequate knowledge on the causes of schistosomiasis, unsuitable water supply and exposure to water bodies may be the likely predisposing factors responsible for the prevalence rate recorded in the study area

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among travellers to Africa : destination-specific data pooled from three European prospective studies

Abstract Background One third of travellers to low- and middle-income regions of the tropics and subtropics become colonized by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). The risk varies by destination and, for each traveller, may be substantially further increased by travellers’ diarrhoea (TD) and antibiotic use. Despite the risk of TD in Africa, ESBL-PE acquisition rates in all studies are lower there than in Asia. Africa has become increasingly popular as a destination for international travellers, yet minimal data are available from the continent’s subregions and countries. Methods We analysed subregion- and country-specific data on carriage and risk factors for ESBL-PE colonization pooled from three prospective studies conducted between 2009 and 2013 among Finnish and Dutch travellers. The data were subjected to multivariable analysis of risk factors. In addition, we compared our data to two recent large investigations reporting data by subregion and country. Results Our joint analysis comprised data on 396 travellers. The ESBL-PE colonization rate was highest in Northern Africa, followed by Middle and Eastern Africa, and lowest in Southern and Western Africa. Of individual countries with more than 15 visitors, the highest rates were seen for Egypt (12/17; 70.6%), Ghana (6/23; 26.1%), and Tanzania (14/81; 17.3%); the rates among travellers to Egypt were comparable to those reported in South and Southeast Asia. In a pooled multivariable analysis, travel destination, age, overnight hospitalisation abroad, TD, and use of fluoroquinolones were independently associated with increased ESBL-PE colonization rates. Conlusions Even in areas with relatively low risk of colonization, antimicrobials clearly predispose to colonization with ESBL-PE. Travellers to Africa should be cautioned against unnecessary use of antibiotics

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among travellers to Africa : destination-specific data pooled from three European prospective studies

Background: One third of travellers to low- and middle-income regions of the tropics and subtropics become colonized by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). The risk varies by destination and, for each traveller, may be substantially further increased by travellers' diarrhoea (TD) and antibiotic use. Despite the risk of TD in Africa, ESBL-PE acquisition rates in all studies are lower there than in Asia. Africa has become increasingly popular as a destination for international travellers, yet minimal data are available from the continent's subregions and countries. Methods: We analysed subregion- and country-specific data on carriage and risk factors for ESBL-PE colonization pooled from three prospective studies conducted between 2009 and 2013 among Finnish and Dutch travellers. The data were subjected to multivariable analysis of risk factors. In addition, we compared our data to two recent large investigations reporting data by subregion and country. Results: Our joint analysis comprised data on 396 travellers. The ESBL-PE colonization rate was highest in Northern Africa, followed by Middle and Eastern Africa, and lowest in Southern and Western Africa. Of individual countries with more than 15 visitors, the highest rates were seen for Egypt (12/17; 70.6%), Ghana (6/23; 26.1%), and Tanzania (14/81; 17.3%); the rates among travellers to Egypt were comparable to those reported in South and Southeast Asia. In a pooled multivariable analysis, travel destination, age, overnight hospitalisation abroad, TD, and use of fluoroquinolones were independently associated with increased ESBL-PE colonization rates. Conlusions: Even in areas with relatively low risk of colonization, antimicrobials clearly predispose to colonization with ESBL-PE. Travellers to Africa should be cautioned against unnecessary use of antibiotics.Peer reviewe

Travelers' health problems and behavior : prospective study with post-travel follow-up

Background: The annual number of international tourist arrivals has recently exceeded one billion, yet surprisingly few studies have characterized travelers' behavior, illness, and risk factors in a prospective setting. Particularly scarce are surveys of data spanning travel, return, and follow-up of the same cohort. This study examines behavior and illness among travelers while abroad, after return home, and at follow-up. Patterns of behavior connected to type of travel and illness are characterized so as to identify risk factors and provide background data for pre-travel advice. Methods: Volunteers to this prospective cohort study were recruited at visits to a travel clinic prior to departure. Data on the subjects' health and behavior were collected by questionnaires before and after journeys and over a three-week follow-up. In addition, the subjects were asked to fill in health diaries while traveling. Results: The final study population consisted of 460 subjects, 79 % of whom reported illness during travel or on arrival: 69 % had travelers' diarrhea (TD), 17 % skin problems, 17 % fever, 12 % vomiting, 8 % respiratory tract infection, 4 % urinary tract infection, 2 % ear infection, 4 % gastrointestinal complaints other than TD or vomiting, and 4 % other symptoms. Of all subjects, 10 % consulted a doctor and 0.7 % were hospitalized; 18 % took antimicrobials, with TD as the most common indication (64 %). Ongoing symptoms were reported by 25 % of all travelers upon return home. During the three-week follow-up (return rate 51 %), 32 % of respondents developed new-onset symptoms, 20 % visited a doctor and 1.7 % were hospitalized. Factors predisposing to health problems were identified by multivariable analysis: certain regions (Southern Asia, South-Eastern Asia, and Eastern Africa), female gender, young age, and long travel duration. Conclusions: Despite proper preventive measures like vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, and travel advice, the majority of our subjects fell ill during or after travel. As the symptoms mostly remained mild, health care services were seldom needed. Typical traveler profiles were identified, thereby providing a tool for pre-travel advice. The finding that one third reported new-onset illness during follow-up attests to the importance of advising clients on potential post-travel health problems already during pre-travel visits.Peer reviewe

A Molecular Perspective on Water Vapour Accommodation into Ice and Its Dependence on Temperature

Accommodation of vapour phase water molecules into ice crystal surfaces is a fundamental process controlling atmospheric ice crystal growth. Experimental studies investigating the accommodation process with various different techniques report widely spread values of the water accommodation coefficient on ice, αice, and the results on its potential temperature- dependence are inconclusive. We run molecular dynamics simulations of molecules condensing onto the basal plane of ice Ih using the TIP4P/Ice empirical force field and characterize the accommodated state from this molecular perspective, utilizing the interaction energy, the tetrahedrality order parameter and the distance below the instantaneous interface as criteria. Changes of the order parameter turn out to be a suitable measure to distinguish between surface and bulk states of a molecule condensing onto the disordered interface. In light of the findings from the molecular dynamics, we discuss and re- analyse a recent experimental data set on αice obtained with an environmental molecular beam (EMB) setup [Kong et al, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2014] using kinetic molecular flux modelling, aiming at a more comprehensive picture of the accommodation process from a molecular perspective. These results indicate that the experimental observations indeed cannot be explained by evaporation alone. At the same time our results raise the issue of rapidly growing relaxation times upon decreasing temperature, challenging future experimental efforts to cover relevant time scales. Finally, we discuss the relevance of the water accommodation coefficient on ice in the context of atmospheric cloud particle growth processes. </div

Hydration of atmospherically relevant molecular clusters:Computational chemistry and classical thermodynamics

Formation of new particles through clustering of molecules from condensable vapors is a significant source for atmospheric aerosols the smallest clusters formed in the very first steps of the condensation process are, however, not directly observable by experimental means. We present here a comprehensive series of electronic structure calculations on the hydrates of clusters formed by up to four molecules of sulfuric acid, and up to two molecules of ammonia or dimethylamine. Though clusters containing ammonia, and certainly dimethylamine, generally exhibit lower average hydration than the pure acid clusters, populations of individual hydrates vary widely. Furthermore, we explore the predictions obtained using a thermodynamic model for the description of these hydrates the similar magnitude and trends of hydrate formation predicted by both methods illustrate the potential of combining them to obtain more comprehensive models the stabilization of some clusters relative to others due to their hydration is highly likely to have significant effects on the overall processes that lead to formation of new particles in the atmosphere