Gezira State Research Articles

Assessment of Unhealthy Diets and Unsafe Foods and its Risks to Human Consumers: Public Health Approaches to prevent Chronic Diseases and Food Poisoning among University of Gezira Students, Sudan (2010 -2013).

This study was conducted in the University of Gezira, Sudan; among 4800 students from the first year in the different colleges in ten campuses distributed in the Gezira State Sudan, to know, investigate, and assess the health risks resulting from the consumption of unhealthy and unsafe foods and public health approaches to prevent chronic diseases and food poisoning among students. Fifty duplicate swab samples of equipment preparation surfaces, cooking surfaces and hand swabs of the food handlers were collected. All samples were analyzed in the laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum to evaluate the levels of contamination by using the approved isolation and identification methods. Interpretations of the API Staph numerical profile of all samples were performed in Pasteur Institute, Casablanca, Morocco. Results showed that 87.5% of the total students have no physical activities and 28.96% of the total students have family history of diabetes. The present study showed there is a significant relation between Body Mass Index of students and their physical activity (P < 0.005). All samples of cooking equipments and hand swabs of the food handlers were contaminated with six bacterial species: Staphylococci species, Bacillus species, Kocuria varians/rose, Proteus species, Enterobacter species and Tatumella species. Staphylococci were the predominant bacteria species (79%) of the total isolated Gram – positive cocci, but Gram- negative rods constituted 6% of the total isolated species. This indicating the improper hygiene practices, improper hand washing, lack of surfaces and food preparation equipment, cleanliness and disinfection. About 43.3% of the total food handlers know the proper way to wash their hands during working hours and only 3.3% of them know the proper way of cleaning food preparation surfaces.

Illness perceptions and quality of life among tuberculosis patients in Gezira, Sudan.

This study aimed to answer the following research question: What is the level of illness perceptions and quality of life among TB patients in Gezira state?. A descriptive study design was used. Newly diagnosed smear positive TB patients registered in Gezira state in 2010 (n=425) formed the study population. The illness perceptions were measured by using Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (BIPQ). Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) was assessed by means of the 12-item short form Health Survey questionnaire (FS-12). TB patients saw TB as having minor consequences, TB not being very well controlled by treatment, and TB as lasting long as a disease; they also associated several symptoms with TB. Furthermore, the patients had relatively poor physical and mental quality of life. Identity, consequences, personal control and emotional representations were associated with poor physical quality of life while concern about illness was associated with poor mental quality of life. The illness perceptions of the TB patients might influence their adherence to treatment. The poor quality of life of the TB patients in the different areas of quality of life such as daily activities and work, calls for programmes to strengthen TB information, education and counselling.

Do frontline health care providers know enough about artemisinin-based combination therapy to rationally treat malaria? A cross-sectional survey in Gezira State, Sudan.

BackgroundIn 2004, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) was introduced in Sudan for the treatment of malaria. The role of health care providers working in first-level health care facilities is central for the effective implementation of this revised malaria treatment policy. However, information about their level of ACT knowledge is inadequate. This study sought to describe frontline health care providers’ knowledge about the formulations and dose regimens of nationally recommended ACT in Sudan.MethodsThis cross-sectional study took place in Gezira State, Sudan. Data were gathered from five localities comprising forty primary health care facilities. A total of 119 health care providers participated in the study (72 prescribers and 47 dispensers). The primary outcome was the proportion of health care providers who were ACT knowledgeable, a composite indicator of health care providers’ ability to (1) define what combination therapy is; (2) identify the recommended first- and second-line treatments; and (3) correctly state the dose regimens for each.ResultsAll prescribers and 95.7% (46/47) of dispensers were aware of the new national malaria treatment policy. However, 93.1% (67/72) of prescribers compared to 87.2% (41/47) of dispensers recognized artesunate-sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine as the recommended first-line treatment in Sudan. Only a small number of prescribers and dispensers (9.4% and 13.6%, respectively) were able to correctly define the meaning of a combination therapy. Overall, only 22% (26/119, 95% CI 14.6-29.4) of health care providers were found to be ACT knowledgeable with no statistically significant difference between prescribers and dispensers.ConclusionOverall, ACT knowledge among frontline health care providers is very poor. This finding suggests that efforts are needed to improve knowledge of prescribers and dispensers working in first-level health care facilities, perhaps through implementing focused, provider-oriented training programmes. Additionally, a system for regularly monitoring and evaluating the quality of in-service training may be beneficial to ensure its responsiveness to the needs of the target health care providers.

Anti-malarial prescribing practices in Sudan eight years after introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapies and implications for development of drug resistance.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. Sudan revised its malaria treatment policy accordingly in 2004. However, eight years after ACTs were introduced in Sudan the patterns of ACT prescribing practices among health care providers remain unclear. We systematically analyzed use of ACTs in a large number of primary health facilities and we discuss the public health implications of our findings.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was based on WHO’s guidance for investigating drug use in health facilities. Data were collected from 40 randomly selected primary health centers in five localities in Gezira State, Sudan. The primary outcome of the study was the proportion of patients who were adequately managed according to Sudan’s recommended malaria treatment guidelines. Twelve drug-use indicators were used to assess key ACT prescribing practices.ResultsOne thousand and two hundred patients diagnosed with uncomplicated malaria were recruited into the study. ACT was prescribed for 88.6%patients and artemether injections were (incorrectly) prescribed in 9.5% of cases. Only 40.9% of patients in the study were correctly diagnosed and 26.9% were adequately managed according to the nationally recommended treatment guidelines. Incorrect prescribing activities included failure to use generic medicine names (88.2%), incorrect dosage (27.7%), and unexplained antibiotic co-prescription (24.2%). Dispensing practices were also poor, with labeling practices inadequate (97.1%) and insufficient information given to patients about their prescribed treatment (50.5%).ConclusionIrrational malaria treatment practices are common in Sudan. This has important public health implications since failure to adhere to nationally recommended guidelines could play a role in the future development of drug resistance. As such, identifying ways to improve the anti-malarial prescribing practices of heath workers in Sudan may be a priority.

English

Bacteria-parasite association has been documented as a factor that is responsible for continued and prolonged bacterial infection, such as typhoid and paratyphoid fever in schistosomiasis patients. This work aimed to determine the presence of typhoid and paratyphoid Salmonella among schistosomiasis patients and to evaluate the efficacy of Widal test on such population. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted between November 2005 and May 2006 in Managil region, Gezira State, Sudan. A total of 203 males participated in the study. Urine, stool and blood samples were collected and processed for the investigation of schistosomiasis and Salmonella infection based on standard methods. Widal test was performed to estimate diagnostic cut-off value of enteric fever. Of the 203 studied subjects, 42 (20.7%) were diagnosed with Schistosoma haematobium, whereas eight (3.9%) had Schistosoma mansoni infection. Of these, Salmonella species were detected in 30 (60%) cases, of which Salmonella typhi represented 63.3%, followed by Salmonella paratyphi A and B (16.7%, each) and Salmonella paratyphi C (3.3%). Based on the culture results (n=30) as a diagnostic method used for enteric fever,&nbsp; Widal test&nbsp; was positive in 12 cases, with a sensitivity of 40% and specificity of 75%. Of the Widal positive cases, titers of 1:160, 1:320, 1:640 were detected in 58.3, 33.3 and 8.3% of samples, respectively. In schistosomiasis endemic regions, enteric fever was associated with schistosomiasis, which requires investigation of both infections concomitantly. Regardless of the low sensitivity of Widal test, titer of &ge;1/160 is a diagnostic value for enteric fever in this study group. Key words: Schistosomiasis, typhoid and paratyphoid Salmonella, detection, Widal test, Sudan.

The role of Rural Women Schools (RWSs) on increasing income, improving nutrition and food security of rural families, Gezira State, Sudan

The objective of this study was to determine the role of Rural Women Schools (RWSs) on increasing income and improving nutrition and food security of rural families, Gezira State. Field surveys were used to collect data from two rural women schools in the State in the year 2013 and 2014 growing season. 25 RWS participants were selected from each school. Equal number of non-RWS participants (50) were used for comparison, by using the simple random sampling technique. The collected data were statistically analyzed and interpreted using percentage, frequency distribution and chi-square test. The results showed significant association between number of seasons of participation in RWS and adoption of recommended package components for rural women by RWS participants. It can be concluded that the RWS non-formal education approach is very efficient in the transfer of recommended package components for rural women through their participation in various activities of RWS. Thus, RWS approach should become national policy, share authority of extension organizations in control and execution of RWS activities with farmer and women unions for more effective participations of rural women in all activities of the schools and the current curriculum of RWS should be developed.

Evaluation of Simple and Rapid Specific IgM/IgG Flow Assay and Some Methods Used in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Gezira and Blue Nile States, Sudan

Brucellosis is a multisystem disease which may present with broad spectrum clinical manifestations which often nonspecific. In Sudan it is one of the febrile illnesses affecting human welfare. In this study, blood samples were collected from 120 individuals who had clinical symptoms of Brucellosis from Gezira and Blue Nile states in Sudan, and 60 apparently healthy individuals as a control. For diagnosis we evaluated the blood culture and three serological tests, Rose Bengal Test (RBT), Serum Agglutination Test (SAT) and the spcific IgM and IgG immuno flow assay test. The results obtained revealed that, 12/120 (10%), 7/120 (6.8%) and 6/120(5.0%) were positive for Brucellosis by RBT, SAT and IgM and IgG flow assay test respectively and no correlation between the three tests, while the blood culture was done for 81/120(67.5%) of the cases, none yielded positive for brucella. This study concluded that the serological methods were superior to bacteriological method for diagnosing Brucellosis, especially IgM and IgG flow assay test and SAT.

First report of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus antigen from pneumonic cattle in Sudan

To explore the expected role of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) in pneumonia in cattle, cattle lungs (n=242) showing signs of pneumonia were collected from slaughter houses of three different localities located at Northern, Central and Western Sudan during 2010–2013. The collected samples were tested for the presence of BVDV antigen using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and Fluorescent Antibody Test (FAT). Twenty six (10.7%) out of 242 samples were found to be positive for BVDV. Positive results were seen in all the three studied areas, with the highest prevalence (16.7%; n=4/24) at Gezira State in Central Sudan. BVDV genome could be detected in all ELISA positive samples. The results indicated the existence of BVDV infection in cattle in different areas in Sudan, and its possible association with respiratory infections in cattle. Analysis using BLAST indicated that the sequence was identical to the previously reported BVDV-1 (GenBank accession AF220247.1.); nucleotide A was found in our study at position 9 of our sequence, whereas T was present instead in the reference virus. This is the first report of detecting BVDV antigen, genome, and its sequence analysis collected from cattle lungs in Sudan.

Production, Storage and Evaluation of Homemade and Processed Diet, Based on Wheat, Legumes, Sesame and Dates; for Under-Five Children

This study aimed to formulate a nutritive diet enriched with protein, iron and energy for under-five children. It was conducted in Elhosh rural area, Gezira State, Sudan, 2010. The diet was formulated and blended using locally available foods, produced at home level, by a twin-roller drum dryer and in biscuit form. The raw materials included pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) sesame (Sesamum indicum) and dates (Phoenix dactylifera). The three products were evaluated for their proximate composition, energy value, iron content and acceptability after storage at (4℃ - 6℃) and at room temperature for 5 months. The protein content of the products was (14.0 - 14.1 g/100g); the energy value ranged from 382 to 390 Kcal/100g, both in-line with many recommendations for children aged under five. The iron content was found in the range of 14.6 - 14.8 mg/100g, in agreement with the codex recommendation. Yeast, mold and salmonella were not detected while other microbes were found within acceptable values. Studied products were found nutritious and remained acceptable after storage for five months. Legumes, sesame seeds and dates can be effectively used in wheat-based baby foods as a source of protein and mineral supplement.

Oral diseases prevalence and co-morbid factors among children with down syndrome, Gezira State, Sudan

Down syndrome (DS) is congenital chromosomal disorder syndrome, (Trisomy 21) characterized by mental deficiency and growth retardation. The dent al caries and gingivitis are noticed to be more common among this group of patients, associated wi th reduced resistance to infections. This study aims to assess the prevalence of oral diseases, poor oral hygiene and associated factors, among children with trisomy 21. This cross sectional facilit y-based study was conducted in Medani School for children with special needs, in central Sudan. Th e total number recruited was 93 special-needs school pupils. Cases with trisomy 21 were 33 and all were recruited in this study. Simplified WHO basic oral health assessment tests conducted by a dentist, were used to assess; (i) DMFT (ii) calculus deposit and calculus index (Oral Hygiene Index) and (iii) Gingivi tis and periodontal index. Male: female ratio was 2:1.3. Parents were mainly unskillf ul workers and house-wives. Dental plaque was reported in 100% of cases, calculus in 26 (78.8%), gingivitis in 26 (78. 8%), periodontitis in 10 (30.3%) and dental caries (100%). Delayed tooth eruption was reported in 13 (39.4%) of cases. Dental plaque index was 0.84%, calculus index was 0.55 and oral hygiene index w as 1.39. This study showed a high prevalence of poor oral hygiene among children with DS. Many factors were incriminated. Raising awareness and involvement in care of oral hygiene by mothers and school staff is highly recommended

Estimating Environmental and Occupational Factors that Contribute to Cancer in Sudan

Background: Cancer is a rapidly increasing problem in developing countries as statistics illustrate. Cases have risen from two million in 1985 to five million in 2000, and are projected to number 10 million in 2015. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigated the risk factor and causative factors and geographical distribution over Sudan States and relationship of incidence with some patient's customs and dietary habits like in Sudan Method: This study was performed in the Radiation and Isotopes Center of Khartoum (RICK) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) University of Gazeria. It focused on patients who treated in period of 2011-2012. Results: The results showed that the most common cancers are prostate cancer 3.3% in males and 17.4% in breast cancer in females. The geographical incidence of cancer showed high incidence (46%) in Khartoum state according to RICK statistics and high incidence (64.1%) in Gezira state according to NCI statistics. Conclusion: This study summarizes recent scientific evidence of environmental and occupational links to nearly 30 types of cancer. The study presents the state of the evidence on causal associations between environmental and occupational exposures and specific cancer types.

Effect of Quinine Therapy on Renal Function Parameters in Pregnant Women Infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Gezira State

Effect of Quinine Therapy on Renal Function Parameters in Pregnant Women Infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Gezira State To examine the role of quinine treatment for P. falciparum malaria during pregnancy in alteration of renal function parameters and correlate the effect of treatment on renal parameters to severity of malaria. 150 pregnant women with P. falciparum malaria, together with fifty healthy pregnant women as controls. Serum levels of creatinine, sodium, and potassium as well as blood urea were tested in the two groups. Disease severity was evaluated, by dividing patients into two subgroups of severe and uncomplicated, as part of the correlation. The resulted data statistically analyzed.

A cross sectional study on reproductive health disorders in dairy cattle in Sudan

A cross sectional survey was carried out in dairy farms in four States of Sudan to determine prevalence of reproductive health disorders that affect dairy cattle industries in the country. A total of 575 adult female cows in dairy farms located in Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, and White Nile States were investigated using questionnaire survey and face-to-face interviews with the owners. The results indicated that 24.4% of the animals were affected with one or more reproductive health disorders. Abortion (57.1%) represented the major health problem affecting calf yield, followed by infertility (34.3%) and neonatal death (8.6%). Other health problems included stillbirth, vaginitis and retained placenta, anomalies, metritis and repeat breeder. Most of the abortion cases were detected during third trimester (76.25%) followed by first (12.5%) and second (11.25%) trimesters. Finally, countrywide investigations of reproductive disorders and increasing awareness to the owners are recommended for designing successful control strategies of reproductive disorders in Sudan. http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b57

First Report of Pepper vein yellows virus Infecting Hot Pepper in Sudan.

In two successive winters (2009 and 2010), 14 hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) samples showing unusual symptoms were surveyed in permanently irrigated seasonal vegetable gardens along the Blue Nile in central Sudan (specifically in Gezira State). Symptoms included leaf curling, leaf deformation, reduced leaf size, leaf puckering, interveinal yellowing, vein clearing, or yellow patches. Total RNA was extracted from symptomatic leaves and analyzed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with degenerate primer pairs that amplify different viral species within the family Luteoviridae (1). Amplification of a 340-bp fragment of the coat protein gene (CP) was obtained in all the collected samples analyzed. The amplified fragments were purified and sequenced (Accession Nos. KC685313 to 26), showing 99, 97, and 95 to 99% nucleotide identities to Pepper yellows virus (PYV, accession no. FN600344 from Turkey), Pepper vein yellows virus (PeVYV, AB594828 from Japan) and Pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV, HM439608 from Israel), respectively. These three viruses belong to the genus Polerovirus and are considered synonyms of the same virus species PeVYV described with those names in different countries (3). Two samples were also tested by RT-PCR with the general Polerovirus primer pair Pol-G-F and Pol-G-R, which amplified a 1.1-kb product spanning the 3' half of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) to the 5' half of CP and movement protein (2). The amplified fragments (KC692834 and KC692833) showed 97, 96, and 95% nt identity with PYV (FN600344), PeVYV (JX427533), and PYLCV (HM439608), respectively. The presence of the recently described Polerovirus PeVYV is the first report of detection in pepper in Sudan. PeVYV has recently been identified in seven other countries (India, Indonesia, Mali, the Philippines, Spain, Taiwan, and Thailand) and on one new host, Solanum nigrum, which suggests this new Polerovirus species poses a potentially wide geographical distribution and a global threat for pepper crops (3,4).

Occult Hepatitis B Virus in Gezira State Sudan

Background: Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is simply defined as serologically undetectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg-ve), despite the presence of circulating HBV DNA. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of occult HBV among Screened HBsAg subjects in Gezira State, Sudan. Materials and Methods: A total of 176 subjects including cancer patients, hospital based controls and health care workers were screened for HBsAg by ELISA, and their DNA was extracted by using polymerase chain reaction. Results: 49/176 (27.8%) were positive for occult HBV as follows: cancer patients had 31/81 (38.2%) cases, while 18.9% were reported among hospital based controls. 11.2%, 2.2% were positive for both HBsAg and DNA respectively. Ten out of the 50 (20%) healthcare workers, who were negative for HBsAg, were found to be positive for HBV DNA, while one out of the 19, who were positive for HBsAg, was found to be positive for HBV DNA. Occult HBV among this study groups showed an approximately equal distribution among males and females 18.2% and 20.5 %, respectively. Conclusion : This study concluded that the prevalence of OBI among healthcare workers, hospital based controls and cancer patients, is remarkably increasing compared with the prevalence of the disease. More molecular epidemiological studies are needed to delineate a link between OBI and cancer. Proper HBV screening should be carried out to avoid occult hepatitis B infection transmission. Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, Gezira State, cancer, healthcare workers, Sudan

Identification of specific proteins in colorectal cancer patients with Schistosoma mansoni infection as a possible biomarker for the treatment of this infection

ObjectiveTo identify the associated proteins or antigens in serum of colorectal cancer patients with and without the chronic Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infection in Sudan. MethodsThe study included 93 patients with colorectal cancer and/or S. mansoni infection. A clinical database of colorectal cancer patients was documented by pathologist and information of S. mansoni infection was collected through stool analysis. Blood samples were collected from the identified patients. Geographical distribution of patients and etiological factors of colorectal cancer and S. mansoni infection were also discussed in this study. The proteins extracted from serum samples of patients using Tri Reagent were electrophoretically separated on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specific protein band was then subjected to matrix laser desorption ionisation-time assistance-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. ResultsStool analysis documented that 40 patients were colorectal cancer patients infected with S. mansoni, 26 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer only, and 27 patients were infected with S. mansoni only. Approximately 27% of participating patients with colorectal cancer and S. mansoni infection in this study came from Gezira State. A specific protein band was identified from the serum samples of colorectal cancer patients with S. mansoni infection on the separated protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The specific protein band was then analyzed by matrix laser desorption ionisation-time assistance-of-flight mass spectrometry and identified as a clusterin protein. ConclusionsThe study showed that the colorectal cancer patients infected with S. mansoni expressed clusterin protein, indicating that clusterin protein may be a potential biomarker to aid in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients infected with S. mansoni in the future.

Genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium parasite IS NOT associated with severity of disease in an endemic area in Sudan.

BackgroundOver 650 million people globally are at risk of schistosomiasis infection, while more than 200 million people are infected of which the higher disease rates occur in children. Eighty three students between 6-20 years (mean 12.45 ± 3.2) from Quran School for boys in Radwan village, Gezira state were recruited to investigate for the relationship between the genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium strains and the severity of the disease.MethodSchistosoma haematobium infection was detected by filtration of urine. Ultrasonography was done on each study subject, while PCR technique was used for genotyping via random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with A01, A02, A12, Y20 and A13 primers. A01 primer gave three different genotypes (A01-1, A01-2 and A01-3).ResultsAbout 54.2% (45/83) were S. haematobium egg positive by urine filtration. On assessment of the upper and lower urinary tract by ultrasound technique, 61.4% (51/83) were positiveand73.3% (60/83) samples were PCR positive. No significant difference was found when comparing the three different genotypes with severity of the disease.ConclusionThis study concludes that no association was found between the different genotypes of S.haemtobium and the severity of the disease. Examination of more samples from different areas to identify any possible differences between the parasites genes and disease severity was recommended.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2334-14-469) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Patients’ Satisfaction With Tuberculosis Services of Directly Observed Therapy Programs in the Gezira State of Sudan

: Background: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major public health problem worldwide. In developing countries, the burden of the disease is explosive, as 95% of global TB patients reside and 98% of global TB deaths occur in these regions. Patients’ satisfaction may play a major role in adherence to medications and hence improve tuberculosis cure rate. Objectives: The current study aimed firstly to determine the level of patients’ satisfaction with TB services in Gezira state, and secondly to identify it’s major contributing factors. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study by design, which included newly diagnosed TB patients in the Gezira state, located in central Sudan. The data was collected by simple random sampling from 292 patients using a pre tested questionnaire after obtaining an informed consent. Results: The level of satisfaction with the provided TB services was 56.2%. Patients with no income were more satisfied (82.7%) with TB services than those with debts (67.1%) and savings (42.7%). Patients who attended private facilities were more satisfied with TB services (85.3%) than those who attended public health facilities. Patients were more satisfied with TB services provided by the medical assistants (70%) than that provided by general practitioners (54.4%), interns (44.7%) and chest physicians (38.3%). Tuberculosis patients who spent shorter time to receive their required service were more satisfied (63.3%) than those who spent a longer duration of time (45.4%). Conclusions: The level of satisfaction of TB patients with the provided services was moderate. Patients having high income were more satisfied with the provided TB services than those with low income. Patients who attended private hospitals and general/chest hospitals showed high satisfaction with the provided TB services than those who attended health centers and the Tuberculosis Basic Management Units (TBMUs). Tuberculosis patients treated by a junior staff showed more satisfaction than patients treated by a senior physician.

Evaluation of immunochromatographic assay for serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis in Gezira State, Sudan

Evaluation of immunochromatographic assay for serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis in Gezira State, Sudan

English

Groundwater dominates the domestic water supply (85%) in the Gezira State, Central Sudan. Groundwater resources in Gezira are basically represented by two water-bearing geological formations: the Nubian Sandstone formation overlain by the Gezira formation and shallow quaternary to recent deposits in minor streams. This study aims at identifying the pattern distribution of selected aquifer characteristics of the Gezira geological formation. It applies empirical Driscoll&rsquo;s equation to generate the aquifer&rsquo;s transmissivity. Geospatial techniques in the Geographic Information System (GIS) accompanied with Digital Elevation Model (DEM) datasets were used in interpolation and map transmissivity. The obtained transmissivity of 7.44 to 875 m2 a day were found to be conformable with those conventionally based values of 28 - 824 m2 a day. The spatial variation in the water table was extracted using the DEM data, resulting in a reliable potentiometric map (water table map) for the Gezira formation as compared with that traditionally produced. Potentiometric map was used effectively for mapping trends in the water levels and flow directions. The study showed a powerful example of using GIS and DEM techniques in studying groundwater aquifer characteristics, specifically the geospatially dependent variables. Key words: Groundwater, aquifer characteristics, spatial distribution, DEM.