Children In Ibadan Research Articles

Prevalence and Causes of HIV/AIDs Infection Among Out-of-School Children in Ibadan

Children who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation are also vulnerable to HIV infection because they live on the margins of society and outside of the health system. As a result, they may be infected without knowing their HIV status and will not access the health system when they develop an opportunistic infection related to AIDS. The prevalence of HIV/AIDs in Nigeria especially in Ibadan among the out-of-school children has become a great public health concern. This study therefore mitigated prevalence and causes of HIV/AIDs infection among out-of-school children in Ibadan, Oyo State. Nigeria. This study is anchored on explanatory mixed method of QUAN+qual research design. A random sampling technique was employed in sampling 100 participants for the study. Three instruments: Out-of-school children HIV Risk and Infection Questionnaire (OHRIQ) and HIV/AIDs Rapid Test Kit (HARTK) were used to elicit quantitative information from participants and KII to collect qualitative data from the participants about their status. Data collected was analysed using Descriptive and Multiple Regression while ATLAS ti was used for qualitative data. Results revealed that Home and Street life has a moderate positive correlation and was significant with HIV infection among out-of-school children (r = .16; p=<0.01). Survival activities have very strong positive significant correlation with HIV infection. Sexual behaviour has low positive significant (r=.00, p<0.01) correlation and Marginalization has a low negative significant correlation (r=-.07, p<0.01). The study therefore recommends that parent should endeavor to send their children to school and take full responsibility on their wellbeing to avoid being infected with HIV.

High genetic and haplotype diversity in vaccine candidate Pfceltos but not Pfrh5 among malaria-infected children in Ibadan, Nigeria

Malaria remains a global public health challenge. The disease has a great impact in sub-Saharan Africa among children under five years of age and pregnant women. Malaria control programs targeting the parasite and mosquitoes vectors with combinational therapy and insecticide-treated bednets are becoming obsolete due to the phenomenon of resistance, which is a challenge for reducing morbidity and mortality. Malaria vaccines would be effective alternative to the problem of parasite and insecticide resistance, but focal reports of polymorphisms in malaria candidate antigens have made it difficult to design an effective malaria vaccine. Therefore, studies geared towards elucidating the polymorphic pattern and how genes targeted for vaccine design evolve are imperative. We have carried out molecular and genetic analysis of two genes encoding vaccine candidates—the Plasmodium falciparum cell traversal ookinetes and sporozoites (Pfceltos) and P. falciparum reticulocyte binding protein 5 (Pfrh5) in parasite isolates from malaria-infected children in Ibadan, Nigeria to evaluate their genetic diversity, relatedness and pattern of molecular evolution. Pfceltos and Pfrh5 genes were amplified from P. falciparum positive samples. Amplified fragments were purified and sequenced using the chain termination method. Post-sequence edit of fragments and application of various population genetic analyses was done. We observed a higher number of segregating sites and haplotypes in the Pfceltos than in Pfrh5 gene, the former also presenting higher haplotype (0.942) and nucleotide diversity (θ = 0.01219 and π = 0.01148). In contrast, a lower haplotype (0.426) and nucleotide diversity (θ = 0.00125; π = 0.00095) was observed in the Pfrh5 gene. Neutrality tests do not show deviation from neutral expectations for Pfceltos, with the circulation of multiple low frequency haplotypes (Tajima’s D = −0.21637; Fu and Li’s D = −0.08164; Fu and Li’s F = −0.14051). Strong linkage disequilibrium was observed between variable sites, in each of the genes studied. We postulate that the high diversity and circulation of multiple haplotypes has the potential of making a Pfceltos-subunit vaccine ineffective, while the low genetic diversity of Pfrh5 gene substantiates its evolutionary conservation and potential as a malaria vaccine candidate.

Food insecurity and associated factors among households with under-5 children in slum communities in Ibadan, Nigeria

IntroductionFood insecurity is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. This study assessed the prevalence of household food insecurity and its associated factors among under-5 children in Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional household survey of 1,027 under-5 children and their caregivers in urban and rural slums in Ibadan. We used an electronic interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey and Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to report sociodemo-economic characteristics, food insecurity, and anthropometric measurement. The household food insecurity scale consisted of nine questions graded from 0 (Never) to 3 (Often) computed to determine the presence of food insecurity. Nutrition indices were computed, and the results were classified according to World Health Organization 2006 cut-off points. Chi-square tests were used to assess associations between food insecurity and the independent variables. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of food insecurity (α = 0.05).ResultsThe mean ages of the caregivers and under-5 children were 31.7 ± 7.47 years and 34.49 ± 15.8 months respectively. Overall, 530 (51.7%) children were females, and 765 (74.5%) had normal weight for height. In all, 195 (19.0%) households had food insecurity, while 832 (81.0%) households had food security (Chi-square = 103.364, p = < 0.001). Under-5 children living in urban slums were seven times more likely to experience household food insecurity compared to those in rural slums (AOR = 6.859, 95%CI = 4.524–10.509, p = < 0.001).DiscussionHousehold food insecurity was more prevalent in urban slums. Strengthening of the school health program would help identify children with nutritional deficits, and improve the overall health status of children living in slum communities.

Resilient Dwellers of Urban “Slums”

Abstract This study was designed to examine the survival activities of the street children in Ibadan, Nigeria, the street sub-cultures among them, the push factors, and language use in terms of their inventions of communication strategies for survival as “slum” dwellers. A total of 34 in-depth interviews and seven key informant interviews were conducted among purposively selected street children and stakeholders, respectively, in Iwo-Road, Ibadan. The findings show that the street children predominantly engaged in begging and petty hawking among other activities. Three subcultures—children of the streets, children on the streets and street family children—existed among the children. Poverty, dysfunctional families, the death of parents, and the search for excitement pushed the children to the streets. Street children have developed different communication strategies such as non-verbal acts, verbal narratives, emotional appeal, dramatisation, music, prayers, and abusive expressions to fit into their peculiar groups and survive as street dwellers.

High Diversity of Giardia duodenalis Assemblages and Sub-Assemblages in Asymptomatic School Children in Ibadan, Nigeria

Giardia duodenalis is a significant contributor to the burden of diarrheal disease in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assesses the occurrence and molecular diversity of G. duodenalis and other intestinal parasites in apparently healthy children (n = 311) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Microscopy was used as a screening method and PCR and Sanger sequencing as confirmatory and genotyping methods, respectively. Haplotype analyses were performed to examine associations between genetic variants and epidemiological variables. At microscopy examination, G. duodenalis was the most prevalent parasite found (29.3%, 91/311; 95% CI: 24.3-34.7), followed by Entamoeba spp. (18.7%, 58/311; 14.5-23.4), Ascaris lumbricoides (1.3%, 4/311; 0.4-3.3), and Taenia sp. (0.3%, 1/311; 0.01-1.8). qPCR confirmed the presence of G. duodenalis in 76.9% (70/91) of the microscopy-positive samples. Of them, 65.9% (60/91) were successfully genotyped. Assemblage B (68.3%, 41/60) was more prevalent than assemblage A (28.3%, 17/60). Mixed A + B infections were identified in two samples (3.3%, 2/60). These facts, together with the absence of animal-adapted assemblages, suggest that human transmission of giardiasis was primarily anthroponotic. Efforts to control G. duodenalis (and other fecal-orally transmitted pathogens) should focus on providing safe drinking water and improving sanitation and personal hygiene practices.

Burden and clinical profile of genetic eye diseases in children in Nigeria: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

ophthalmic genetics is rapidly evolving globally but is still nascent in much of sub-Saharan Africa, with gaps in knowledge about the burden in the region. This study evaluated the burden and manifestations of genetic eye diseases in children in Ibadan, Nigeria. this was a hospital-based cross-sectional study in which new and follow-up paediatric eye clinic patients were recruited consecutively at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Children with genetic eye diseases had comprehensive ocular and systemic examinations, and their pedigrees were charted to determine the probable modes of inheritance. The main outcome variables were the proportion of study participants with genetic eye diseases, the probable modes of inheritance, and the clinical diagnoses. Summary statistics were performed using means and standard deviations for numerical variables and proportions for categorical variables. fifty-two (12%) of 444 children had genetic eye diseases, and their mean (SD) age was 88.8 ± 50.4 months. Thirteen different phenotypic diagnoses were made following the evaluation of the 52 children, including primary congenital glaucoma (13, 25%) and familial non-syndromic cataracts (8, 15%). The probable modes of inheritance were derived from the pedigree charts, and 30 (58%) conditions were presumed to be sporadic. this study demonstrated a significant burden and a wide range of paediatric genetic eye diseases in this tertiary referral centre in Nigeria. This information provides invaluable evidence for planning ophthalmic genetic services.

Indoor bacterial and fungal aerosols as predictors of lower respiratory tract infections among under-five children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to diverse indoor microbial aerosols and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) among children aged 1 to 59months in Ibadan, Nigeria. One hundred and seventy-eight (178) hospital-based LRTI cases among under-five children were matched for age (± 3months), sex and geographical location with 180 community-based controls (under-five children without LRTI). Following consent from caregivers of eligible participants, a child's health questionnaire, clinical proforma and standardized home-walkthrough checklist were used to collect data. Participant homes were visited and sampled for indoor microbial exposures using active sampling approach by Anderson sampler. Indoor microbial count (IMC), total bacterial count (TBC), and total fungal count (TFC) were estimated and dichotomized into high (> median) and low (≤ median) exposures. Alpha diversity measures including richness (R), Shannon (H) and Simpson (D) indices were also estimated. Conditional logistic regression models were used to test association between exposure to indoor microbial aerosols and LRTI risk among under-five children. Significantly higher bacterial and fungal diversities were found in homes of cases (R = 3.00; H = 1.04; D = 2.67 and R = 2.56; H = 0.82; D = 2.33) than homes of controls (R = 2.00; H = 0.64; D = 1.80 and R = 1.89; H = 0.55; D = 1.88) p < 0.001, respectively. In the multivariate models, higher categories of exposure to IMC (aOR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.44-4.97), TBC (aOR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.36-4.65), TFC (aOR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.54-4.89), bacterial diversity (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.08-3.24) and fungal diversity (aOR = 3.00, 95% CI 1.55-5.79) were independently associated with LRTI risk among under-five children. This study suggests an increased risk of LRTI when children under the age of five years are exposed to high levels of indoor microbial aerosols.

Empirical Realities of Teacher-Child Interaction and Cognitive Development of Pre-Primary School Children In Ibadan, Oyo State

The characteristics of teacher-child interaction play a paramount role in the cognitive development of children. Despite its significance, literature abounds on how these characteristics, such as teachers' actions, words, gestures, and responsibilities, may improve or deter children’s development (Grosse, 2022; Bartholo et al., 2022). Thus, this study was carried out to contribute to the body of knowledge, particularly taking into account preschools from a developing nation such as Nigeria. It sought to establish the extent and influence of teacher-child interaction on the cognitive development of pre-primary children in the Ibadan metropolis. The study employed a correlational survey design. A multi-stage approach was used for sampling and sampling. The total sample size for the study was 200, which comprised 50 pre-primary class teachers and 150 pre-primary school children. Two research questions were raised and answered. Teacher-Child Interaction Observation Schedule (TCIOS) = 0.72, Child Cognitive Development Rating Scale (CCDRaS) = 0.79, and Questionnaire on Teacher’s Perception of Teacher-Child Interaction on Cognitive Development (QTPTCICD) = 0.80 were the instruments used for the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The result of the findings revealed that the extent of teacher-child interaction and level of cognitive development was great with = 3.41and = 3.61, respectively, as well as the teachers' perceived influence on teacher-child interaction on cognitive development, was positive ( = 3.16). Although the finding showed no significant relationship between teacher-child interaction and cognitive development (r=0.01; p&gt;0.05), it is recommended that teachers, however, should maintain the positive, quality interaction that characterizes preschool teaching, which may resonate with other uniqueness and educational needs of the child.

Mismatch between classroom furniture dimensions and anthropometric measures of public primary school children in Ibadan, Nigeria

This study explored the compatibility of classroom furniture with the anthropometric parameters of public primary school children in Ibadan. The study involved 900 primary school children (aged 5 – 13 years) randomly selected from one school. The students’ anthropometric parameters and the school furniture dimensions were measured using Cescorf Sliding Broad-blade Caliper and metallic tape respectively. Frequency tables were used to summarise mismatches and compatibility. All participants in the 5 – 7-year-old group had mismatches between popliteal height/seat height, buttock to popliteal length/seat depth, and sitting elbow height/seat to desk height. Percentage mismatches among 8 – 10-year-old participants were popliteal height/seat height (91.6%), buttock to popliteal length/seat depth (70.67%), and sitting elbow height/seat to desk height (90%). Percentage mismatches among 11 – 13-year-old participants were popliteal height/seat height (73%), buttock to popliteal length/seat depth (51.33%), and sitting elbow height/seat to desk height (74.33%). There was a considerable mismatch between the students’ anthropometric dimensions and the dimensions of the school furniture. Such mismatches may promote improper sitting posture among children which may increase their probability of developing back pain and affect their learning capabilities.

Effects of Open Space Characteristics on the Spatial Distribution of Street Children: Experience from Ibadan, Nigeria

Against the background of seemingly uncontrollable social menace and environmental nuisance of street children, this study examined the effects of open space characteristics on the spatial distribution of street children in Ibadan, Nigeria. With open space types in the city as spatial units of data collection, enumeration of street children was carried out in each space type within 7 weekdays in the morning, afternoon and evening. Observation was also conducted to know the socio-economic and physical characteristics of the urban environment attracting the children. The study, which employed z-scores to compare the intensity of street children incidence across the spatial units, confirmed that the incidence was a function of the uses to which open space types were put as well as the disorderliness of urban physical environment (indiscriminate parking, formal and informal economic activities, and so on). The most important open space types that attracted street children were markets, mosque premises and junctions. Although, incidence of street children was a daily affair in Ibadan, it was highly pronounced in the evening on Saturday, Friday and Monday. The study recommended development of policy measures for regulating the use of open spaces, and giving adequate planning attention to roundabouts, religious centres (mosques in particular) and markets in urban centres. It also recommended public education and enlightenment programme on the negative effects of street children incidence by all stakeholders, and that the aspect of culture of the people that encourages child begging and alms giving should be discouraged in its entirety.

Surveillance of Pretreatment Drug Resistance Among HIV-Infected Children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

There are about 2.1 million children infected with HIV globally and about 120,000 deaths annually. Nigeria has one of the highest rates of pediatric HIV infection globally. Pretreatment HIV drug resistance data inform the choice of first- and second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens. This study investigated the prevalence of HIV drug-resistant strains among ART-naive children in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 20 children aged <15 years were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were documented. Total nucleic acid was extracted from blood samples after which amplification of HIV-1 pol gene was done using polymerase chain reaction. Amplified gene was sequenced using big dye sequencing method. The sequenced HIV-1 pol gene was typed and analyzed for identification of mutations indicative of drug resistance across the different classes of ART. HIV-1 RNA pol gene was successfully amplified in 12/20 (60%) children. All were identified as HIV-1 and the subtypes were G and CRF 02AG, recombinant of 02_AG/G and recombinant of 02_AG/A1. Drug-resistant mutations (DRMs) were identified in 4/12 (33%). Three out of the four mutations were identified as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors DRM (K103N), whereas the fourth had nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors DRM (M184V). Results from this preliminary study show that drug resistance among ART-naive children is a problem in Ibadan. Pretreatment drug resistance testing is desirable in children before initiation of ART to guide effective treatment.

Evaluation of pfmdr-1 Polymorphisms and Parasites’ Population Diversity in Children with Acute Uncomplicated Malaria 5 Years Post-Adoption of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies

Mutatons on pfmdr1 gene have been implicated in drug resistance to chloroquine and the partner drugs in artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), hence the need to evaluate the impact of ACTs five years after its adoption in Nigeria on pfmdr1 polymorphisms and parasite diversity. Parasite genomic DNA was isolated from children below 5 years in Ibadan in 2010. Nested PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) detected pfmdr1 Y86, F184 and Y1246 mutant alleles were present in 27%, 56% and 48% of the isolates respectively, while nested PCR evaluated polymorphic regions of MSP-1, MSP-2 and GLURP genes and monoclonal infections were observed in 81.6%, 51.6% and 5.6% with multiplicity of infection being 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4 respectively. This study showed a relative decline in the prevalence of Y86, F184 and Y1246 mutant alleles, but no significant change in the parasite population diversity of P.falciparum in children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Flatfoot and balance performance among junior secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria

Adequate body balance is important in preventing falls and injuries in children during physically active play and sports at school. Thestructure of the foot is essential to the ability to balance, but findings from studies comparing balance of children with and without flatfoot have been equivocal. We investigated the prevalence of flatfoot among school children in Ibadan, Nigeria, and compared selected balance indices in participants with and without flatfoot. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 300 junior secondary school students (aged 10–14 years). The navicular drop test, single limb stance test and tandem walk test were used to assess the presence of flatfoot, and static balance and dynamic balance, respectively. Data were summarised using percentages, mean and SD and, analysed with independent t-tests and chi-squared tests. The prevalence of flatfoot was 39.7%, and while higher in boys (44.7%) than girls (34.9%), this was not significantly different. Participants with flatfoot had significantly poorer mean static balance measures than those who did not (right: 25.70 [SD 6.55] vs 27.89 [SD 4.92]; left: 26.21 [SD 6.01] vs 28.52 [SD 4.27]), but there was no significant difference in dynamic balance between the groups. When treating children with flatfoot, physiotherapists may consider measuring static balance and, where appropriate, incorporate balance activities as part of the overall management plan.

Comparative evaluation of three histidine-rich Protein-2 based rapid diagnostic tests, microscopy and PCR for guiding malaria treatment in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are the preferred option for programmatic deployment. There are numerous mRDTs on the Nigerian market and there is a need to guide practitioners on the relative performance of the commonly used brands of mRDT in Nigeria. The performance of three commonly used Histidine-Rich-Protein-2-based mRDTs (SD-Bioline™, Carestart™ and Paracheck-Pf™) against microscopy of Giemsa stained blood and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated among 190 febrile under-5 children in Ibadan, Nigeria. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accuracy, and agreements. There were 53.2% males. The prevalence of malaria parasite by microscopy was 46.8% and 57.9% by PCR. Malaria parasite detection by SD-Bioline™ was 60.5%, Carestart™: 60.0% and Paracheck-Pf™ 60.0%. Using microscopy as the gold standard, the sensitivities of SD-Bioline™, Carestart™ and Paracheck-Pf™ mRDT were 97.8%, 96.7% and 97.8% respectively while the specificities were 73.0%, 72.0% and 74.0% respectively. Using PCR as the gold standard, the sensitivity for both SD-Bioline™ and Paracheck-Pf™ was 85.5% and for CareStart was 84.6% while the specificity of SD-Bioline™, Carestart™, and Paracheck-Pf™ was 73.8%, 72.4%, and 75.0% respectively. The test accuracy was 81.0% for both SD-Bioline™ and Paracheck-Pf™ and 80.0% for Caresatrt™. The kappa coefficient of agreement between PCR and each of SD-Bioline™, Carestart, ParaCheck™ and microscopy was 0.597, 0.578, 0.609 and 0.739 respectively. The performance of the three mRDTs is a proof that any of the three is suitable for use in the diagnosis of malaria in the southwest of Nigeria.

Soil transmitted helminthiasis and stunting among school-aged children in Ibadan: Prevalence and risk factors

Soil transmitted helminthiasis and stunting among school-aged children in Ibadan: Prevalence and risk factors

Assessment of Maximum Mouth Opening of Public Primary and Secondary School Children in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Excessive opening of the mouth has been reported to cause clinical problems such as luxations and traumatic injury to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The knowledge of the normal range of mouth opening will help to avoid excessive opening of the mouth which can cause injury to the TMJ of patients during procedures that involve mandibular manipulations. Maximum mouth opening (MMO) has age, race, gender and ethnic variations. Previous studies have looked at normal range of mouth opening among adults, but to the best of our knowledge, no study has looked at this among the paediatric/children population in Nigeria. Thus, this study aimed to determine the normal maximum mouth opening (MMO) among the paediatric population in Ibadan (South Western part of Nigeria) and the effect of gender, age, height and weight of these children on their MMO.&#x0D; Materials and methods: Six hundred and nine primary and secondary school pupils aged 6 – 15 years were included in this study. Patients with any condition affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function were not included. Measurements of height, weight and two readings of maximum interincisal distance were performed for each participant. Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson bivariate correlation were used to assess the sample.&#x0D; Results: The mean MMO was 44.0 ± 5.3 mm and 42.6 ± 5.6 mm for males and females respectively. There was no significant difference in the MMO of males and females (t= 0.335, p = 0.563). MMO increases gradually with age irrespective of the gender and this was statistically significant (F= 17.1, p =0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion: The maximum mouth opening established for the paediatric population in this study will help practitioners whose care involves the stomathognathic system to have information about the normal range of mouth opening in this group of patients. The result will also be useful asbaseline for future research.&#x0D;

Intestinal helminth infection and malnutrition among public primary school children in Ibadan, Nigeria

Intestinal helminthiasis associated with malnutrition in children remains endemic in developing countries despite considerable efforts at control. This study was carried out to determine the current prevalence status and the risk factors associated with intestinal helminth infections among primary school children in Ibadan. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 5-16 year old pupils, from 7 primary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State. Microscopic examination of stool for ova was carried out using a formol-ether concentration technique. Predisposing risk factors were determined from questionnaire data while anthropometric indices consisting of weight, height and age were the measured indicators of the nutritional status. Of the 485 pupils examined, 187(38.6%) had helminth infections and the parasites identified were Ascaris lumbricoides (35.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (12.4%), hookworm (8.5%), Enterobius vermicularis (4.9%), Schistosoma mansoni (3.5%) and Trichuris trichiura (0.4%). More male pupils (52.9%, p = 0.05) than females (47.1%) had infections. Pupils aged between 9-12 years (p = 0.02) had highest (49.2%) infection rates. Infections were recorded in 13(18.57%) of 70 pupils treated with levamisole by the local health centres 2 weeks prior to this study. Wearing of footwear, parent’s occupation, drinking water sources, family size and toilet type were risk factors significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with infection in this study. The overall prevalence of wasting, stunting and underweight were 24.4%, 28.8% and 7.8% respectively, there was however, no statistical relationship (p&gt;0.05) between the prevalence of infection and malnutrition. Intestinal helminthiasis is still prevalent in schoolchildren despite targeted chemotherapy. It is therefore suggested that chemotherapy should include all children in the communities along with continuous enlightenment to ensure the disruption of parasite transmission.&#x0D; Keywords: Intestinal helminths; school children; malnutrition; Ibadan; chemotherapy.

Home Assessment of Indoor Microbiome (HAIM) in Relation to Lower Respiratory Tract Infections among Under-Five Children in Ibadan, Nigeria: The Study Protocol.

The association between household air pollution and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) among children under five years of age has been well documented; however, the extent to which the microbiome within the indoor environment contributes to this association is uncertain. The home assessment of indoor microbiome (HAIM) study seeks to assess the abundance of indoor microbiota (IM) in the homes of under-five children (U-5Cs) with and without LRTI. HAIM is a hospital- and community-based study involving 200 cases and 200 controls recruited from three children’s hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria. Cases will be hospital-based patients with LRTI confirmed by a pediatrician, while controls will be community-based participants, matched to cases on the basis of sex, geographical location, and age (±3 months) without LRTI. The abundance of IM in houses of cases and controls will be investigated using active and passive air sampling techniques and analyzed by qualitative detection of bacterial 16SrRNA gene (V3–V4), fungal ITS1 region, and viral RNA sequencing. HAIM is expected to elucidate the relationship between exposure to IM and incidence of LRTI among U-5Cs and ultimately provide evidence base for strategic interventions to curtail the burgeoning burden of LRTI on the subcontinent.

Prevalence and predictors of dental caries and trauma among institutionalised and non-institutionalised street children in Ibadan

Objective: Urbanization is increasing the number of street children in most regions of the world especially in many African cities which may be due to poverty and unemployment status of many parents. This study was aimed at determining the predictors and prevalence of dental caries and trauma among institutionalized (those in juvenile correctional home) and non-institutionalized street children in Ibadan.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among institutionalized (juvenile correctional home) and non-institutionalized street children. Cluster sampling technique was used in the selection of children for this study. Children were selected from the juvenile correctional home and four major motor parks in Ibadan metropolis.Results: One hundred and thirty eight children participated in this study. Male constituted 65.9% while female was 34.1%. Thirty five (25.4%) are from the juvenile correctional home (institutionalized street children) while 103 (74.6%) are from the streets. The prevalence of dental caries among the children generally was 29.0%, while that of dental trauma was 18.8%.Conclusion: The significant predictors of dental caries were gender, tooth hypoplasia and the presence of visible plaque on the anterior teeth while those of dental trauma were lip competence, substance use, age and gender.Keywords: Street children, Juvenile home, Caries, Trauma

Evaluation of antibiotic prescriptions and use in under-five children in Ibadan, SouthWestern Nigeria.

Irrational antibiotic prescriptions for children is a global concern requiring periodic evaluation and monitoring. To assess appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for under-five children, as well as evaluating mothers' usage of antibiotics for their under-five and reason(s) for use. Cross-sectional review of out-patient case-notes of under-five using principles of antibiotic prescribing and a questionnaire-guided interaction with under-five mothers. Nearly all (445;98.9%) antibiotic prescriptions were based on signs and symptoms indicative of bacterial infection. Only 3(0.7%) had the initial antibiotic regimen modified. Nine (2.0%) had documented evidence of sensitivity test requested before antibiotic prescribing. Presence of infection or need for antibiotic therapy was established in 190(42.2%). Majority (324;72.0%) of mothers had administered antibiotics to their under-five. Of these, 157(48.5%) were prescribed by physicians and 79(24.4%) were self-recommended. Educational status of mothers significantly influenced antibiotic usage. Antibiotic prescriptions for under-fives was largely based on symptoms indicative of bacterial infections, thereby corroborating the widespread empirical antibiotic prescribing. Considerable number of mothers engaged in self-recommendation of antibiotics for their under-fives. Thus, there is a need for continuous enlightenment of prescribers and mothers on rational use of antibiotics, while microbiological confirmation of clinical diagnosis is encouraged for evidence-based antibiotic prescribing.