Slower Rise and Smaller Peak Level of Blood Glucose in Healthy Young Male Adults Pre-Fed Moringa Oleifera Seed Powder

Ingestion of food with high glycaemic index is known to stress the insulin release mechanism that can produce Insulin resistance and eventually Diabetes Mellitus. How fast the end product of digestion of carbohydrate glucose surges into the bloodstream and the peak level attained are equally important for the glucose control mechanism of the body and ultimately the health of the individual involved. This study aims at exploring the effect of Moringa oleifera seed on the post-prandial rate of absorption of glucose and the peak glucose level attainable. Five healthy young male adult (18-35) volunteers had their Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) conducted the first day as a control group followed the next day by a second OGTT with a pre-treatment with Moringa oleifera seed powder in a fix dose of 0.0175 gram per Kilogram body weight as the test/case group. The results indicate that it takes 60 minutes for the blood glucose to reach the peak concentration of 118.6 mg/dl in treatment group as against 30 minutes in the control group reaching 135mg/dl optimal concentration. The difference in this concentration and rate of surge are significant (p<0.05) A slower rise and a smaller optimal concentration of glucose are demonstrated as response to Moringa oleifera powder ingestion, a potentially clear beneficial effect. Keywords: Moringa Oleifera, Seed, Slower, Smaller, Glucose, Insulin-resistanc

The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigenaemia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Gombe, Nigeria

Background: Both Hepatitis Virus B (HBV) and HIV infection are highly endemic in Nigeria and are important causes of morbidity and mortality. Co-infection is known to occur since the two viruses share common modes of transmission. HBV is known to produce a protein X that can stimulate the replication of HIV in vitro, and it has been observed that HIV positive men with HBV infection are at increased risk of liver related mortality. Methods: Two hundred consecutively recruited HIV-infected individuals comprising 97 males and 103 females were screened for HBsAg using ELISA. HIV-negative blood donors in the same area were used as controls. Results: Fifty-three of the patients tested positive for HBsAg giving an overall prevalence rate of 26.5% which was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the 10.4% recorded among non-HIV-infected individuals. Co-infection rate in males (24.7%) did not differ significantly from that of females (28.2%). Co-infection was highest in the 40-49 years age group (41.6%), while no case of co-infection was recorded in the &#8804; 19 years. Among the different occupational groups businessmen had the highest co-infection rate (44%) followed by long distance drivers (39.5%). In relation to marital status, divorcees/widows had the highest proportion of those with co-infection (53%) followed by those who were unmarried (32.5%) and those married (21.6%). Conclusion: This study confirms the high prevalence rate of HBV co-infection in HIV-infected patients compared to the non-HIV- infected population. Therefore, there is a need to screen all HIV-infected patients for HBV infection. Key Words: Hepatitis B surface antigen, HIV infection Annals of African Medicine Vol.3(1 ) 2004: 10-1

Retrospective analysis of positive Mantoux test in cases of suspected Mycobacterium Tuberculosis infections seen at a tertiary hospital in Northeastern, Nigeria

Abstract Mantoux test continued to be used for detection of latent and active tuberculosis infections, despite its low sensitivity and specificity rate. This retrospective study analysed positive mantoux test results over 5 years period and compared the finding with demographic variables of the patients. Mantoux test was carried out on patients presented at the hospital with clinical condition suspected of tuberculosis infections. Of 3215 patients screened,1532(47.8%) demonstrated positive result, with patient mean age of 25.5+ 17.38 years and 48.2% cases occurred within the age range of 21-40 years. Gender pattern of 64.0% male and 36.0% female with M:F of 1.8:1 was observed, and 24.8% were inpatients and while 75.2% outpatients. Of the 16 clinical diagnosis documented, positive results were recorded in 12 cases and statistically significance difference was observed in patients with Pott&apos;s diseases, low back pain, and routine medical examination(p&lt;0.001). The mean induration diameter was 14.75+5.6mm, and 50.8% observed within 10-15mm.In conclusion, the 47.2% positivity rate recorded in this study, affirmed the endemicity of tuberculosis in sub-saharan African countries and diversity in the clinical presentation. Public health education and improvement in health seeking behavior for early detection and treatment remain one of the infection control approach