Awareness of hypertension and its risk factors in Maiduguri, north eastern Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the level of awareness of hypertension and its risk factors in Gwange community of Maiduguri North-eastern Nigeria. Method: A community based cross sectional study in Gwange community of Maiduguri, a major city in North-eastern Nigeria. Participants were selected through a stratified randomize sample method. Demographic data including age, gender, marital status, highest educational qualification and occupation were recorded. Information on awareness of hypertension and level of awareness of risk factors for hypertension were also obtained. Blood pressure was taken once on the left arm using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Results: In all, 485(175 females) were included. The study showed a statistically significant higher level of awareness among young individuals with declining trend with aged (p=0.01). The study also recorded a statistically significant difference in the level of awareness of hypertension among individuals with different educational levels attained, with secondary and tertiary levels of education having higher awareness (p=0.00) and also a statistically significant difference in the awareness of hypertension among different occupational groups, with higher awareness among artisans and professionals. (p=0.00). The study found 13 (6.5%) hypertensives among 199 individuals who are not aware of the risk factors for hypertension, 38 (21.6%) hypertensives among 176 individuals who are aware of one risk factor for hypertension, 12 (23.5%) hypertensives among 51 individuals who are aware of two risk factors for hypertension, and 11 (26.8%) hypertensives among 41 individuals who are aware of three or more risk factors for hypertension. Conclusion: Awareness of hypertension among hypertensives is higher than in normotensives with statistically significant higher awareness of its risk factors. Awareness is also found to be higher among people of young age group, secondary and tertiary levels of education and also among artisans and professional. Special attention should be given to those leaving in remote villages and those least aware or treated in view of the consequences of hypertension on multiple organs and regular blood pressure check should be recommended to all individuals at risk

Risk factors for hepatitis C virus sero-positivity among haemodialysis patients receiving care at Kidney Centre in a tertiary health facility in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important health care problem in haemodialysis. Hepatitis C virus is both a cause and complication of kidney diseases. Yet there are limited information on antibody against HCV in patients on haemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-HCV and the risk factors associated with HCV infection in a cohort of 100 participants on haemodialysis. They were consecutively recruited into the study, anti-HCV testing was made by the 3rd-generation ELISA System (C-100, C-33c, C-22). The prevalence of HCV antibody was 15%, risk factors associated with HCV antibody were history of blood transfusion and duration of session of haemodialysis; the risk increased with increased with the number of blood transfusion and seasons of haemodialysis. The observed high prevalence of HCV antibody among patients on haemodialysis reflect the quality of healthcare services and the standards of infection control practices in our haemodialysis units. Routine screening for HCV should be done before blood transfusion using third generation ELISA assays with high sensitivity and specificity. Safety measures should be taken in our haemodialysis units to prevent cross infection among patients and staffs. These safety measures include; discarding syringes, needles, gloves, bloodlines and dialysers after single use, and the use of sterile dressings on each patient visit

Community‐based recruitment in Nigeria and cell biobanking to understand the impact of the apolipoprotein E variants on Alzheimer’s disease

BackgroundDespite the human genetic diversity found in the African continent, there is a lack of understanding of dementia mechanisms in indigenous Africans, in part, due to a lack of access to African samples and models. Thus, we sought to develop a biobank of somatic and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from indigenous Africans to begin to bridge this gap.MethodCommunity outreach was conducted in Nigeria with the help of the media, health workers and clinicians to recruit healthy biopsy donors from diverse ethnic groups. Interested donors were screened for inclusion/exclusion criteria, including health status, family history, ethnicity, and age.ResultsForearm skin biopsies were performed for 11 donors, and fibroblasts were isolated and banked. Fibroblasts were then reprogrammed to generate iPSCs. Fibroblasts and iPSCs have been banked and will be made available to the global scientific community. The iPSCs are currently being screened for APOE genotypes, and selected lines will undergo CRISPR gene editing to generate isogenic APOE33 and APOE44 iPSCs for cellular and molecular studies of dementia mechanisms in comparison to iPSCs from European ancestral backgrounds.ConclusionOur work will facilitate the incorporation of genetically diverse iPSC brain models in neurodegenerative disease research towards an understanding of the contribution of ancestry to disease mechanisms.</p

[Editorial] Setting up a state-of-the-art laboratory in resource limited settings: a case study of the biomedical science research and training centre in Northeast Nigeria

African science has substantial potential, yet it grapples with significant challenges. Here we describe the establishment of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria, as a case study of a hub fostering on-continent research and describe strategies to overcome current barriers. We detail the steps taken to establish BioRTC, emphasising the critical importance of stakeholder engagement, community involvement, resource optimisation and collaborations. With its state-of-the-art facilities and commitment to training African scientists, BioRTC is poised to significantly advance neuroscience research and training in the region. Although we are in the early stages of our journey, our model, emphasizing open access and inclusivity, offers a replicable blueprint for neuroscience research development in similar resource-limited settings, promising to enrich the global neuroscience community. We invite the support and collaboration of those who share our vision and believe in our potential.</p