Infection In Nigeria Research Articles

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria in 2018.

Congenital transmission of Toxoplasma gondii can occur when a woman becomes infected for the first time during or just before pregnancy. Toxoplasma gondii in the fetus can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, ocular or neurological abnormalities at birth, or progressive visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive deficiencies. The national seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in Nigeria was previously unknown. The 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey collected demographic, socioeconomic, and HIV-related data and stored blood specimens with consent for future analysis for other pathogens of public health importance. We evaluated toxoplasmosis seropositivity and risk factors in a sample of 44,269 women of reproductive age (WRA) between 15 and 44 years. The national T. gondii seroprevalence among WRA was 26.8% (95% CI: 25.8-27.7%). We found that WRA from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had T. gondii exposure. Seroprevalence was higher in 25- to 44-year-olds than in 15- to 24-year-olds. A similar proportion of pregnant and nonpregnant women were seropositive. Increased odds of seropositivity were associated with unimproved toilet facilities and drinking water sources, being in a higher wealth quintile, and primary and secondary education compared with no education. Decreased odds of seropositivity were associated with living in an urban area and owning livestock. This study provides the first-ever national seroprevalence estimate for WRA in Nigeria. Although information on known risk factors for toxoplasmosis (e.g., consumption of undercooked meat, cat ownership) was not collected, future studies could further investigate potential risk factors to inform the development of effective toxoplasmosis prevention measures.

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection in Nigeria: what are the barriers?

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection in Nigeria: what are the barriers?

The Lagos State COVID-19 Think-tank, a Potential Framework for Decision-making in a Pandemic Era.

Lagos state remains the epicenter of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria. To facilitate the emergency preparedness and response to COVID-19, the State Governor and Incident Commander constituted a Think Tank comprising 13 experts from various disciplines committed to the health of the public. The Think Tank assisted the government with decision-making strategies and supported the emergency operation centre (EOC) for the COVID-19 response. Their main achievements were developing frameworks for decision-making and strategies for phased easing of the State-wide lockdown. The challenges encountered were that it was often viewed as a parallel structure to the EOC and separated from the traditional civil service structure; causing some reluctance to implement ideas generated by the Think Tank. Nevertheless, the Think Tank played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic; the lessons learned might help other states and resource-limited countries wishing to adopt this approach to emergency response.

Modified deterministic modeling of Covid-19 in Nigeria: a case of a closed system

Summary In this research a closed system of testing and vaccination is considered using modified deterministic modeling of Covid-19 cases in Nigeria. A disease infection flow transmission diagram was constructed for a model with nine population compartments, represented as SNSVETeQIAISILR, and the assumptions governing the model were presented for the study. A set of nonlinear deterministic differential equations was obtained and tested for positive invariance, positivity of the system solution, boundedness of solution of the equation system, equilibrium point of system stability, endemic equilibrium point, and existence of endemic global stability. The simulated results showed that the equilibrium stability point of the system exists at a basic reproduction number Ro of 0.0000295, and the model estimates show a positive contribution of population recruitment rate (Λ), transmission rate from infected (asymptomatic – β1, symptomatic – β2, undetected but exposed - ф) population, testing rate (βV), (σ), population exposure, exposed tested becoming infected (ρ), quarantine, and isolation to promoting the Covid-19 epidemic infection in Nigeria. Following the findings, the following are recommended: early closure of the country’s borders to check increasing recruitment rate, introduction of social distancing, wearing of nose & mouth masks, early commencement of free testing for the disease (Covid-19), introduction of movement restrictions (close-down/lock-down), compulsory Covid-19 vaccination for every vulnerable person in the population, effective government quarantine and isolation (treatment) centers, and immediate engagement of both medical and non-medical researchers to find lasting solutions.

Urinary Schistosomiasis Among School-age Children in Selected Local Government Areas in Ogun State, Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is the most common parasitic disease in the world caused by digenetic blood trematode worms of the family Schistosomatidae. It is one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases and the second most important human parasitic disease in the world, after malaria. Over 700 million people worldwide are at risk of infection, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. While, children are especially vulnerable to the disease, Ogun State was rated as the most endemic state for schistosomiasis infection in Nigeria. Therefore, the epidemiology of Urinary Schistosomiasis among School-age children in Ogun State was conducted in this study. Midday urine samples were collected from 1,812 school-age children from ten selected Local Government Areas in Ogun State and were examined for the presence of haematuria (blood in urine) and Schistosoma haematobium ova. Out of the 1812 school-children examined, 92 (5.1%) tested positive for haematuria and 455 (25.1%) also tested positive for the presence of Schistosome ova. The highest infection prevalence rate (12.9%) was among female students infected with the parasite. The age group 10-12years had the highest rate of infection (12.2%), while the group 4-6 years had the lowest (1.3%) in the study areas. Therefore, urinary schistosomiasis is a major disease of major public health concern in Ogun State that requires prompt attention from relevant government and non-governmental agencies.

Mathematical modeling for the transmission dynamics of cholera with an optimal control strategy

Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholera, its prevalence occurs in almost all the continents of the world, annually there are about 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths worldwide. In this paper, we propose a deterministic model for the transmission dynamics of cholera to assess the impact of vaccines in decreasing the spread of cholera infection in Nigeria. Moreover, we develop an optimal control strategy, in which we consider personal hygiene a control strategy on infection class, with u(t) as the control function. The best values of the fitting parameters have been obtained using least square minimization to validate the model with the help of experimental data obtained from Nigeria. We perform sensitivity analysis to determine the key parameters that have impacts on the control of the spread of cholera infections in the population. In addition, the numerical simulation of the model reveals that the use of vaccines and personal hygiene will effectively control the spread of cholera infection.

Non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.

This study aimed to assess hepatic fibrosis, using noninvasive tests, among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria. The study was a retrospective cross-sectional, hospital-based, multicentered study. The data of adult Nigerians who were aged 18 years and above who had been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B infection and were not on treatment were extracted from three tertiary health institutions across Nigeria. Sociodemographic and relevant clinical data were obtained from the case notes of the patients. Fibrosis-4 and aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index scores were calculated to determine the presence and severity of liver fibrosis in the patients. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 25.0). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The data of a total of 234 patients were extracted for this study from across 3 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. There were 132 (56.4%) males and 102 (43.6%) females in a ratio of 1.29:1 with a mean age of 37.92 ± 12.34 years. The fibrosis-4 score of the patients showed that 62.8% had "Normal/Mild Fibrosis," 25.6% had "Moderate Fibrosis," and 11.5% had "Severe Fibrosis/Cirrhosis." The aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index score of the patients showed that 64.1% had "No Fibrosis," 20.9% had "Mild Fibrosis," 6.4% had "Moderate Fibrosis," and 8.5% had "Severe Fibrosis/Cirrhosis." The median fibrosis-4 score of the patients was 1.18 (0.77-1.74), while the median aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index score was 0.40 (0.26-0.69). Liver ultrasonography detected cirrhosis in 8.5% of the patients. All the patients were not yet on treatment for hepatitis B infection. The prevalence of hepatic fibrosis is high among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria and a large number of these patients were not yet on therapy. Noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis should be considered as a critical part of the work-up of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Epidemiology and Molecular Study of Schistosoma haematobium Infection Among People in Riverine Communities of Sokoto State, Nigeria

Microscopic examination of urine samples from individuals has long been regarded as the gold standard for diagnosing Schistosoma haematobium infection in Nigeria. However, the reliability of this method has been questioned. In light of this, the present study was designed to conduct an Epidemiology and Molecular Study of S. haematobium Infection Among People in Riverine Communities of Sokoto State. A total of 900 urine samples were collected. These samples underwent microscopic examination after filtration. Positive samples underwent DNA extraction, followed by PCR analysis to detect the presence of Schistosoma haematobium at 121 base pairs. Microscopically, 315 out of 900 samples (35.0%) tested positive for Schistosoma haematobium, with a mean egg intensity of 45.3 eggs per 10 mL of urine. The prevalence was notably high among fishermen (57.1%), individuals using any available water source (100.0%), visitors to freshwater bodies (37.7%), those residing very close to freshwater bodies (41.5%), and individuals who urinated indiscriminately (70.0%). The intensity of infection was significantly elevated among housewives (56.5%), visitors to freshwater bodies (58.7%), and individuals who urinated directly into freshwater bodies (57.2%). PCR analysis further confirmed the presence of Schistosoma haematobium in 87.6% of the samples previously analyzed microscopically. Infection rates were particularly significant among fishermen (98.2%), individuals using rivers as their water source (99.1%), visitors to freshwater bodies (89.8%), swimmers (97.8%), those residing very close to freshwater bodies (98.6%), and individuals who urinated directly into freshwater bodies (98.9%). The study revealed that microscopic examination alone may not be entirely effective in the study area. Therefore, the adoption of binary diagnosis methods is strongly recommended for more efficient detection of Schistosoma haematobium in the State.

Cognitive functions in patients with Human Immunodeficiency virus. Infection in Nigeria: assessment using computer assisted neuropsychological test batteryhi7

AbstractBackgroundThere is paucity of information on the cognitive functions in patients with HiV infection in NigeriaMethodFifty patients with HIV infection were studied along age,sex and level of education matched 50 HIV negative controls subjects.The patients underwent general physical and neurologically examinations. Laboratory investigations such as blood glucose test, CD4 cell counts, Full blood counts,CXrays, HIV clinical staging were done for all patients Fepsy neuropsychological Test battery was used for cognitive asssessment in all the study participants.ResultThe patients with HIV infections performed worse on measures of psychomotor speed (auditory reaction times, visual reaction times, attention concentration(Binary choice reaction times and computerized visual searching tasks) than the controls The prevalence of sevvere cognitive infection in HIV patients was 20%.Presence of anaemia and advanced HIV disease stage were predictive of cognitive impairment in the patients with HIV infection.ConclusionHIV Associated Cognitive Disorder is common in patients with HIV in this study

Use of a media campaign to improve access to contraception in Nigeria amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

IntroductionThe total lockdown used to curtail COVID-19 infection in Nigeria disrupted access to contraception. Society for Family Health facilitated access to sexual reproductive healthcare information through an Omni-media campaign during...

The recent outbreak of diphtheria in Nigeria is a public health concern for all

The recent outbreak of diphtheria in Nigeria, despite mass vaccination coverage with the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in the country, has posed a public health concern for all Nigerians and the world at large. Recently, sporadic cases of diphtheria in Nigeria have been reported in more than 6 states in the country. Suspected and confirmed individuals with diphtheria in these states have developed severe complications, including the loss of lives as a result of the disease. This has caused panic for the majority of Nigerians and the international communities, as they feared that another epidemic of diphtheria could be on its way. Different factors, such as reduced awareness and campaigns on diphtheria, low socioeconomic status, inadequate income, inaccessibility to vaccination, war and displacement, and ineffective monitoring of the immunization schedule, as well as the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, could explain the recent sporadic outbreaks of diphtheria in Nigeria. This is a wide gap in knowledge about diphtheria in Nigeria that needs to be filled appropriately. As such, we recommend swift public health actions to be taken by the Nigerian government for quick health interventions for diphtheria to mitigate the current outbreak and future spread of the infection in Nigeria.

Cryptococcal antigenemia in a Nigerian child with advanced HIV disease: a case report

Cryptococcal infection in Nigeria’s advanced HIV disease (AHD) population is not uncommon but is sparsely reported in children. The dearth of data on cryptococcal disease in our paediatric population suggests it is an uncommon clinical entity and may cause delayed diagnosis and preventable deaths. It is pertinent that cognizance be done of this clinical entity in our paediatric population. We report a 16-month-old HIV-positive child with complaints of weight loss of 3 months, cough of 1 month, fever, passage of watery stool, fast and difficulty in breathing for 1 week. She was initially managed as a case of paediatric AIDS with septicaemia and was receiving ceftriaxone and cotrimoxazole. The diagnosis was subsequently reviewed to paediatric AIDS with cryptococcal disease as the cryptococcal antigen screening test was positive and oral fluconazole commenced. However, the patient deteriorated and eventually died. This case report suggests a significant knowledge gap in the occurrence of cryptococcosis in our paediatric population and as a matter of urgency the need to conduct studies targeted at ascertaining the burden of cryptococcosis in children living with AHD in Nigeria.

Depression and its association with psychological factors among adolescents living with HIV in Southwestern Nigeria.

The aim was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorder and associated psychological factors among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. One hundred and five adolescents with HIV were assessed for self-esteem, internalized HIV stigma and diagnosed of depressive disorder. Chi square and t tests were used to test associations and hierarchical logistic regression used to identify independent risk factors for depression. The mean age of participants was 16.5 (± 1.97) years and 55.2% were males. Mean stigma scores were significantly higher in those with depressive disorder (16.53 ± 3.85) when compared with those without (13.42 ± 3.464) and this difference was statistically significant (t = 3.17, p = 0.01). The mean self-esteem scores were significantly lower in participants with depressive disorder (17.53 ± 4.69) compared to those without depressive disorder (19.71 ± 3.86), though not significant (t = 1.96, p = 0.053). Depressive disorder was further significantly associated with female sex, being in romantic relationship, decline in work output due to HIV and HIV stigma. Independent risk factors were sex and HIV stigma. Depressive disorder is common among adolescents living with HIV infection in Nigeria. The association between HIV stigma and depression, thus suggests the need for prevention strategies targeting the impacts of HIV infection among adolescents.

SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF COVID-19 PROTOCOLS AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIENT SOCIETIES IN POST-COVID ERA IN AFRICA: A CASE OF NIGERIA

Africa recorded her first confirmed COVID-19 case in Egypt on 14 February, 2020. Thus far, the number of new confirmed cases and deaths increased despite the World Health Organization (WHO) protocols. The study aims at determining if the conceived and adopted protocols against COVID-19 and the post-COVID era in the infrastructural deficient societies of Africa and indeed Nigeria are sustainable. Empirical research design was adopted based on the data randomly drawn from a population who are residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Anambra, Lagos, Kano, Rivers States, States termed most vulnerable to infection in Nigeria. The sampling unit was based on a pilot study, using four hundred randomly selected adult residents who are literate in the sampled States using online structured questionnaire, supplemented by phone call - oral interviews, and other literature sourced from secondary sources. The primary data used for the study were obtained through the administration of questionnaires via online, and were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results were presented in tables, graphs and charts. The Mean Weighted Value statistical analysis was carried out with the Gross Mean Weight Value (cut-off point) at 2.60. The study found that Unplanned, Uncoordinated and Unregulated Transport System, Epileptic Power Supply, Dominant Primary Economic Production, Unplanned Settlement, Corruption, Congested Settlement, Congested Market Places, Small Traders and Artisans sustenance on daily basis, Nigeria’s Mono-economy, Import Dependency and Shortage of Food militated against the COVID-19 control protocols and still subsists in post-COVID era. It therefore recommends massive infrastructural development in African countries for sustainability, diversify economic activities in order to create additional values to the socio-economic activities that will lead millions of Africans out of poverty, put in place and enforce sustainable hygiene protocols that will promote and guarantee good health and healthy environment of the societies in Africa.

Patterns of hepatitis b virus immune escape and pol/rt mutations across clinical cohorts of patients with genotypes a, e and occult hepatitis b infection in Nigeria: A multi-centre study

ABSTRACT Hepatitis B virus (HBV) immune escape and Pol/RT mutations account for HBV immunoprophylactic, therapeutic, and diagnostic failure globally. Little is known about circulating HBV immune escape and Pol/RT mutants in Nigeria. This study focused on narrowing the knowledge gap of the pattern and prevalence of the HBV mutants across clinical cohorts of infected patients in southwestern Nigeria. Ninety-five enrollees were purposively recruited across clinical cohorts of HBV-infected patients with HBsAg or anti-HBc positive serological outcome and occult HBV infection. Total DNA was extracted from patients’ sera. HBV S and Pol gene-specific nested PCR amplification was carried out. The amplicons were further sequenced for serotypic, genotypic, phylogenetic, and mutational analysis. HBV S and Pol genes were amplified in 60 (63.2%) and 19 (20%) of HBV isolates, respectively. All the sixty HBV S gene and 14 of 19 Pol gene sequences were exploitable. The ayw4 serotype was predominant (95%) while ayw1 serotype was identified in 5% of isolates. Genotype E predominates in 95% of sequences, while genotype A, sub-genotype A3 was observed in 5%. Prevalence of HBV IEMs in the “a” determinant region was 29%. Commonest HBV IEM was S113T followed by G145A and D144E. The Pol/RT mutations rtV214A and rtI163V among others were identified in this study. This study provided data on the occurrence of existing and new HBV IEMs and Pol gene mutations in Nigeria.

Dengue fever in Nigeria: a mini review

Dengue is a disease caused by dengue virus. It is a major mosquito-borne viral disease of humans that is endemic in areas of tropical and subtropical regions, which are environmentally suitable for vector propagation. The disease poses a major threat to the overwhelmed and weak public healthcare delivery system in the developing world, especially in Africa where febrile illnesses are common. The disease undermines the fight against febrile illnesses as infection with dengue often remains undetected or misdiagnosed as malaria or other febrile diseases. This review article highlights dengue epidemiology in Nigeria, dengue transmission dynamics, pathogenesis, diagnosis and current interventions strategies, challenges in addressing dengue infection and future prospects towards dengue elimination. The literature search for publications on dengue virus infection in Nigeria was performed using Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, African Journals Online and other scholarly online databases. Dengue remains a threat to Nigeria and other African countries. In Nigeria, the occurrence of this infection remains a low priority in the public health sector even though it has been reported in about 17 states across the country. The reports of dengue infection in all the geo-political zones suggests active transmission of dengue, hence the need to consider other etiologies of febrile illnesses and engage the public to sustain local involvement as local risk to dengue outbreaks is linked to the population’s knowledge, attitude and behavioral practices that encourage vector breeding

The Epidemiology of Coxiella infections in Domestic Animals and Humans in ‎Nigeria: A Review

Q fever is a bacterial zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetiiwith global epidemiology. Transmission of the disease in humans is mainly via inhalation of aerosolized bacteria and consumption of contaminated unpasteurized milk, while in animals it is through ingestion of contaminated pasture during grazing by susceptible animals. The disease is usually asymptomatic in animals, but has been implicated in abortion, stillbirths, endometritis, mastitis and infertility. In humans, it manifests as acute and chronic forms with the acute form having signs as self-limiting flu-like syndrome, pneumonia and hepatitis. Diagnosis is mainly through serology using ELISA, CFT, dot immunoblotting, and molecular assay. This study aimed at reviewing the literature to provide relevant information on the epidemiology and risk factors of Coxiella infection in Nigeria. The disease had been reported in all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria and it is said to have no breed, sex and age predisposition. Some of the risk factors identified to play vital roles in the epidemiology of the disease in Nigeria include husbandry and management practices, transboundary transfer of animals, poor hygiene at abattoirs as well as poor knowledge, attitude, and practices by livestock owners and abattoir personnel. It is recommended that there should be public enlightenment along with continuous education of stakeholders in the livestock industry on the significance of the disease.

Assessment of sperm quality in Plasmodium berghei NK65 infected mice treated with brimstone (Morinda lucida Benth) tree plant

Malaria fever is a common infection in Nigeria while the uncontrolled usage of synthesized anti-malarial drugs might have contributed to the ineffectiveness of the male reproductive hormones and the sperm quality in humans. Brimstone plant called “Oruwo” by Yoruba tribe in Nigeria has been used locally for the treatment of symptomatic malaria with no information of its effect on sperm quality. This study sought to evaluate the anti-plasmodial activity, reproductive hormones and sperm quality of the aqueous extracts on mice infected with Plasmodium berghei NK65. Adult male mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei NK65 while infection was confirmed after 72 h.The mice were divided into 5 groups [group A control, group B infected and treated with 2.5mgkg/bwt chloroquine (standard drug), group C infected without treatment while groups D and E were given 200 and 400mg/kg btw of the extracts respectively]. The treatment was orally administered daily for 7 days and the parasitemia level was checked after which the mice were sacrificed and the semen collected for sperm characteristics [sperm count, sperm viability, sperm morphology and sperm motility] while the right testis was used for the in-vivo antioxidant assays The blood serum was used to assess reproductive hormones such as [serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)] using standardized methods. The results reveal that treatment of Morinda lucida caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in serum testosterone and a decrease in LH, FSH levels in a dose-dependent manner as well as an increase in sperm count, motility and viability with a significant restoration of sperm morphology as seen in the histopathology plate. This observation might be due to the properties of the plant polyphenolic compounds identified. In conclusion, this study was able to prove that Morinda lucida used in folk-lore medicine to treat symptomatic malaria also improves sperm functions better than synthetic drugs and could be further explored as a natural product in the pharma industry.

An update on current understanding of the epidemiology and management of the re-emerging endemic Lassa fever outbreaks

An update on current understanding of the epidemiology and management of the re-emerging endemic Lassa fever outbreaks

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among pregnant women in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo estimate prevalence of HIV infection in Nigeria and to examine variations by geopolitical zones and study characteristics to inform policy, practice and research.MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive search of bibliographic...