Northwestern Nigeria Research Articles

<i>Sero-Prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis</i> among People Living with HIV/AIDS in North-western Nigeria

Background: Cryptosporidium species are obligate, intracellular, protozoan parasites belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa, which is a substantial threat to HIV/AIDS-infected individuals with an estimated risk of infection of around 52% in developing countries.
 Aim: The study was aimed at determining the Sero-Prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis among people living with HIV/AIDS in North-western Nigeria. 
 Methods: Structured questionnaires were administered to 90 participants who were selected by inclusion criteria sampling technique with a total of 90 blood samples collected from them. Serological analysis of the blood samples was carried out using the Human Cryptosporidium parvum (CP) ELISA detection test Kit. (Melsin Medical Co., Limited, China LOT NUMBER: 20191023), and CD4 cell count was performed.
 Results: Out of the 100 participants, 19(19%) were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium parvum and 81(81%) were negative with an overall prevalence of 19%. There was no statistical significance between Cryptosporidium infection and those who used pit latrine (p=0.347), eating outside (p=0.494), reared animals (p=0.838) and the type of water source (p=0.641). The association between Cryptosporidium parvum and the CD4+ count of the participants was determined using a statistically insignificant chi-square test (p= 0.409). The higher the CD4+ count, the lesser the risk for Cryptosporidium parvum infection.
 Conclusion: This study reveals an overall Sero-Prevalence of 19% of C. parvum among HIV/AIDS patients and there is no association between CD4+ count and infection of Cryptosporidium parvum.

Exploring Transversal Green Skills Required Of Technology Graduates For Environmental Sustainability

The main aim of this study is to explore transversal green skills required of technology graduates for environmental sustainability. Thematic analysis was used for this study. Cluster sampling technique was used to sample four states out of seven states mentioned in the area of the study and all the 18 technical colleges and 6 building construction firms in the four sampled states in north western Nigeria were used. Purposive sampling was used to select 27 experts based on their working experience and educational qualification in building construction to participate in the qualitative segment of this study. For the qualitative section, interview guide/protocol was developed based on the specific objectives of the research. It was made up of 3 open-ended questions designed to obtained sufficient information on the area of transversal green skills considered appropriate for the study. To ensure reliability of qualitative result of this research, two procedures were followed; member checking and peer debriefing. For the validity of the findings of this study, the researchers used member checking to determine the accuracy of the findings. The results of the data obtained from the interview was analyzed and interpreted using transcription, coding, thematic, content analysis and categorization. The findings for this study include Reflective Thinking Skills, Presentation Skills, Resourcefulness Skills and Application Skills. The study recommends that Federal and state Governments should via NBTE adopt and ensure proper implementation of this findings for technology graduates at technical colleges in Nigeria with the aim of achieving environmental sustainability.

Health-related quality of life associated with different cervical cancer therapies received by patients in two Nigerian tertiary hospitals.

There are important consequences from cervical cancer (CC) disease and its treatment among survivors, especially the impact on quality of life (QoL). To evaluate the health-related QoL associated with different CC therapies received by patients in two Nigerian tertiary hospitals. This study employed a prospective longitudinal design. It was conducted at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria, North-Western Nigeria. Data of all the 157 eligible CC patients were collected at baseline and after therapy. Data analysis was done with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS V. 20 for windows. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Chemotherapy (CT) was the major therapy option received by 78(49.7%) of the patients. Patients who received chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and adjuvant chemotherapy (CTS) had the highest increase in mean overall health-related QoL of 0.138 (t=8.456, p<0.001) and 0.138 (t=6.489, p<0.001) higher than their respective baseline scores. Patients who received CT had the least increase in mean overall health-related QoL of 0.095 (t=4.574, p<0.001) from baseline. Chemoradiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy were associated with highest increase in mean overall health-related QoL. Chemotherapy was associated with the least increase in mean overall health-related QoL.

LITHOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF ZANGO-ANGWAN-LAMIDO ENVIRONS, KATSINA STATE, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

The study of lithological types and structural analysis of rocks of Zango-Kankara-Angwan Lamido on a scale of 1:50,000, Katsina State, northwestern Nigeria at longitudes 70 15’ E and 70 30’E and latitudes 110 45’N and 120 00’N has been carried out. The area consist predominantly of migmatite, older granites and schist, associated with minor quartzite and gneisses. The methodology adopted for the study was mainly primary data in which extensive field visits were done and outlined structural analysis and field relationships were recorded between successive thermo-tectonic episodes The area underwent three phases of tectonic deformation denoted as D1, D2 and D3, whose ages were shown to be Pan-African. At least two intense phases of ductile deformation were identified in the rocks. The rocks have been strongly foliated (especially the gneisses) with crystals showing strong preferred orientations.

Assessment of Evan’s Index in North-Western Nigeria using Computerised Tomography

Aim: To determine the Evan’s Index of Nigerians using computerized tomography in Sokoto North-Western Nigeria.&#x0D; Study Design: Retrospective cross- sectional.&#x0D; Place and duration of study: Department of Anatomy Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and Department of Radiology Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, between January, 2020 and January, 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: Normal brain CT scans of one hundred and seventy-eight subjects from the Radiology Department of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, whose ages ranged from 1 to 70 year. The Evans index was determined by the ratio of the measured distance between the tips of the frontal horns of lateral ventricles and the inner skull tables at the midpoint of the cranium in axial plane.&#x0D; Results: The Evan’s indexes were larger in male than the females and these differences were not statically significant except in the age group 51-60years where statistically significant difference was observed between male and female (p=0.042). The minimum Evan’s index was 0.02cm in male and 0.01 females and the maximum bi-frontal index was 0.40cm in male and 0.38cm in females.&#x0D; Conclusion: The Evan’s indexes and it relation with sex and age in our environment was determined.

Checklist, Diversity and Abundance of the Flora in some Selected Local Government of Zamfara State, Northwestern Nigeria

Check list of the flora in some selected Local Governments of Zamfara State, North Western Nigeria, was studied. The objective of the study was to provide a comprehensive checklist document and evaluate the diversity and abundance of floral species in the study area. A field inventory of floral species was adopted for data collection. The result showed a total of 306 species belonging to 229 genera within 58 families represented in the study area. The result showed that twenty-six families consist of only 1 species each, eight families have 2 species each and five families have 3 species each, two families have 4 species each while the other families consist of 5 species, 6 species 7 species, 9 species, 14 species 24 species and 86 species respectively. Of these, the family Fabaceae has the highest number of species, 86 occurring in all the study areas, followed by Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae with 24 each. This result reveals a high rate of degradation of the remnant flora species as a result of human activities, habitat conversion into residential areas (urbanization), and expansion of Farmland. It's recommended that State Government management and the entire communities pay attention to conservation planning and management activities that will take ecological implications into consideration. More research should be conducted on the identified species in order to ascertain their morphological, anatomical, ethnobotanical and economic importance.

Atrazine Degradation by Bacillus safensis Strain BUK_BCH_BTE6 Isolated from Agricultural Land in Northwestern Nigeria

Atrazine herbicide is known to disrupt the endocrine system and is potentially carcinogenic. Consumption of which is devastating. This research aimed to isolate and characterize bacteria with atrazine degrading ability. An enrichment method was adopted to isolate the bacteria on mineral salt media following serial dilution. The isolate was identified molecularly and characterized based on effects of temperature, pH, substrate concentration, incubation time, inoculum size and heavy metals. GC-MS analysis was performed to identify the metabolites and degradation efficiency. The isolate was identified as Bacillus safensis strain BUKˍBCHˍBTE6 based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Growth and degradation of atrazine by this bacterium was optimal at 35 °C, pH of 7.5, 400 mgL-1, inoculum size 600 µL after 48 h. The growth of the isolate was inhibited by 2 ppm Hg, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ar and Ni. The degradation efficiency after 120 h was 88.85%. GC-MS analysis detected the formation of Desethyldeisopropylatrazine, Deisopropylatrazine, N-Ethylammelide and Cyanuric acid as metabolites. This isolate can be efficient atrazine degrader, hence may be beneficial for bioremediation of atrazine polluted sites.

Challenges and Prospect of Women Business Start Up in North Western Nigeria

This study aimed to explore the personality and environmental challenges and prospects faced by women in business start-ups in North Western Nigeria. A total of 273 female entrepreneurs were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study found that lack of access to funding sources, legal and regulatory barriers, societal and cultural biases, lack of access to relevant information and technology and limited access to professional networks and mentors were the major environmental challenges faced by women in business start-ups. The study further revealed that women possess the confidence to take risks and pursue opportunities, handle stress and uncertainty, possess the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, communicate and negotiate with stakeholders, and possess the persistence and resilience necessary to overcome challenges in their business start-ups. The study recommends that the government, private organizations, and other stakeholders should work together to address the environmental challenges faced by women in business start-ups in North Western Nigeria by providing access to funding sources, mentorship, networking opportunities, and creating an enabling business environment.

FROM COLONIAL PAST TO PRESENT: THE NEXUS OF SMALLPOX AND POLIO VACCINATION REJECTION IN NORTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

This paper presents some historical precedents that provide a critical framework for interpreting the rejection of polio vaccination in North-western Nigeria. In this paper, qualitative content analysis of written and oral data is used to explore the genealogy of the suspicion that cloud both smallpox and polio vaccinations in the area. The main objective of the paper is to provide a critical analysis of the politics of smallpox vaccination that reveals mistrust that persists to the present. The paper observed that the people’s perception of colonial medicine and mistrust of colonial officers geared their apathy to smallpox vaccination in the zone. Traditional institutions and legislation were used to ensure the acceptance of the vaccination and this increased the suspicion when people perceived the strategy as a control mechanism than a genuine attempt to improve their public health. These memories of smallpox vaccinations have a direct impact on the contemporary polio eradication campaign. People perceived polio vaccination as a continuation of the surreptitious Western agenda. The findings of the study present that perceived mistrust of the West stands to be the significant challenge for polio eradication campaigns as it did during smallpox vaccination in the colonial era.

Assessment of the Constraints to Women Education and Its Implications on Their Participation in Politics in North Western Nigeria

Women constitute a larger percentage of the illiterate group in n Nigeria. This could be attributed to the fact that in most families, parents prefer to send their sons to school, instead of their Daughters whom they feel would eventually get married and thus get incorporated into another family and by implication a larger percentage of the girls remain uneducated and unexposed. Girl-child access to basic education, especially in northern states, has remained low. The importance of women education in enhancing the education of their children is succinctly put in the old adage which states that ’’to educate a man is to educate a person, but to educate a woman is to educate a nation’’ The participation of women in politics may influence equalization of educational opportunities, quotas for female participation in governing bodies, legislative reform to increase focus on issues concerning women and children, financing gender-responsive budgets to equally take into account the needs of men and women,. Therefore there is need to analyses constraints affecting women participation in politics and their consequences in retarding development of women education. This paper therefore is to appraise some constraints to women education and implications to their political power play in North West Nigeria. In doing this, the paper discusses how women had fared in the traditional societies for educational struggle and how that had helped in the definition of their political status. The paper also attempts a historical overview of the participation of women in the political arrangement in North West Nigeria. It tries to probe into the political future of women in the country to determine whether there are opportunities for improvement or not. The paper finds a great deal of role stereotype against women by tradition and absence of practical steps taken by both political parties and government towards political achievements. It opines that more women should be given opportunities for education for participation in the politics of the country. This can be achieved through laws that are deliberately aimed at removing the barriers against women and genuine practical approaches.

State responses to herder–farmers conflict and peace-building in rural grazing areas of Nigeria

PurposeConflicts between herders and farmers in Nigeria in the last five years have been destructive to the corporate existence of Nigerian society and the Nigerian State, especially in Northcentral, Northwestern and Southern Nigeria. This paper aims to investigate the relationships between state responses and peace-building in rural grazing communities in Nigeria using a National Survey on Peace-building in Nigeria conducted by this team using a cross-sectional survey of 1,711 farmers and herders.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted the political economy of the herder–farmers conflict in Africa to contextualise the problem. Data generated from the study were analysed using chi-square test and binary logistic regression model.FindingsThe results showed that protection of victims of herder–farmers conflict (P = 0.024), blockage of sources of illicit weapons (P = 0.000), arrest of leaders (P = 0.043), provision of shelter (P = 0.030), provision of food (P = 0.037), protection of women from sexual exploitation and abuse (P = 0.019) and use of the media were positively related to peace-building in the rural grazing areas. The study further found that when the Federal Government (ß= 0.452, P = 0.018), State Government (ß= 0.522, P = 0.018), private individuals (ß = 0.855, P = 0.000) and cooperative societies (ß = 0.744, P = 0.021) established ranches, peace was likely to be guaranteed as opposed to where herders (ß= –0.355, P= 0.029) were allowed to establish ranches in the rural grazing communities in Nigeria implying that the Federal and State Government must be cautious in the implementation of the Livestock Transformation Plans not to create an impression that it is designed to favour the herders.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is original and the paper has not been submitted to any journal.

Application of GIS and feedforward back-propagated ANN models for predicting the ecological and health risk of potentially toxic elements in soils in Northwestern Nigeria.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) occur naturally in most geologic materials. However, recent anthropogenic disturbances such as ore mining have contributed significantly to their enrichment in soils. Their occurrence in soil may portend a myriad of related risks to the environment and biota. Most traditional soil quality evaluation methods involve comparing the background values of the elements to the established guideline values, which is often time-consuming and fraught with computational errors. As a result, to conduct a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of soil quality and its effects on the ecosystem and human health, this research combined geochemical, numerical, and GIS data for a composite health risk zonation of the entire study area. Furthermore, the multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-NN) was used to forecast the most important toxic components influencing soil quality. Geochemical, statistical, and quantitative soil pollution evaluation (pollution index and ecological risk index) showed that apart from mining, the spread and association of trace elements and oxides occur as a consequence of surface environmental conditions (e.g., leaching, weathering, and organo-metallic complexation). The hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) of all PTEs were greater than one. This indicates that residents (particularly children) are more susceptible to risks from toxic element ingestion than dermal exposure and inhalation. Ingestion of As and Cr resulted in higher cancer risks and lifetime cancer risk levels (> 1.0E 04), with risk levels increasing toward the northeastern, western, and southeastern directions of the study area. The low modeling errors observed from the sum of square errors, relative errors, and coefficient of determination confirmed the efficiency of the MLP-NN in pollution load prediction. Based on the sensitivity analysis, Hg, Sr, Zn, Ba, As, and Zr showed the greatest influence on soil quality. Focus on remediation should therefore be placed on the removal of these elements from the soil.

Childhood Tetanus Complicating Snakebite: A Case Report From a Semi-urban Area, Northwestern Nigeria

Childhood Tetanus Complicating Snakebite: A Case Report From a Semi-urban Area, Northwestern Nigeria

INVESTIGATING THE EVOLUTION OF OPTIMAL PRODUCT AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Objective: This study aimed to explore the evolution of the availability of public health commodities across all the supported health facilities in Katsina State, northwestern Nigeria. Methods: To achieve this, Quarterly Stock Status Reports (QSSR) were produced from the analysis of the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) reports of facilities, local government stores, and central stores of all the public health programs in the state from April 2017 to March 2018 (one year). Analyses entailed computing the Month of Stock (MoS) for all commodities by dividing their Stock on Hand (SoH) by the Average Monthly Consumption (AMC). The product availability for the following public health programs was assessed for four consecutive quarters (Apr.-Jun. 2017, Jul.-Sep. 2017, Oct.-Dec. 2017, and Jan.-Mar. 2018)-HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, reproductive health/family planning (FP), routine immunization, nutrition, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH), and the state’s Free Medicare Scheme (FMS). Results: The one-year trend provided a precise representation of the commodity security of each public health supply chain across various programs within the state. While only one program (routine immunization) recorded 100% all-time product availability, TB appeared to be the most stable (95% of products in optimal quantities) of all the assessed public health programs employing MoS as a performance measure. It is important to note that nutrition, neglected tropical diseases, and the Free Medicare scheme did not operate with MoS as a measure of stock status but recorded product availability of 78.5%, 80%, and 84.6%, respectively. Conclusion: There is a necessity for periodic stock assessment across all public health programs for other states to establish accurate stock positions and identify programs that require enhanced logistical and supply chain technical support.

Geochemical elements as provenance and paleoenvironmental indicators in siliciclastic sediments of Neogene Gwandu formation exposed in Birnin Kebbi Area, Northwestern Nigeria

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Knowledge and practice of Medication Adherence among patients with Schizophrenia attending Hospitals in North-western Nigeria

Background: Adherence to psychiatric medications is a complex, dynamic behaviour requiring patients to initiate treatment and continue to take their medications at the correct time, in the correct dose, for prolonged periods of time. But, improving adherence in schizophrenia may have a considerable positive impact on patients and society in terms of quality of life. This can be achieved by focusing on the identified multitude of factors driving non-adherence. Aim: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of medication adherence among patients with Schizophrenia attending hospitals in Northwestern part of Nigeria. Methodology: A quasi-experimental psycho-educational intervention study was conducted with before and after design among patients with Schizophrenia and their family caregivers selected from some hospitals in Northwest Nigeria. The study population comprised all the eligible patients with schizophrenia and their family caregivers within the study area, who were selected and agreed to participate in the study. A sample size of one hundred and thirty participants each for both the experimental and control groups were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using Questionnaire Data collected was coded, entered, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Result: There was an increase in the knowledge of schizophrenia and medication adherence, quality of life and level of medication adherence after the psycho-educational intervention.The predictors of medication adherence among the study participants in the experimental group include the following: type of treatment (ECT) (AOR=0.25, 95%CI= 0.18 – 0.75) was found to be negative predictor of medication adherence to treatment among study participants (AOR=0.25, 95%CI= 0.18 – 0.75). While, cost of treatment of more than one thousand five hundred naira per day (AOR=3.00, 95%CI=2.83 – 12.24).

Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis among Children Attending General Hospital Kankara, an Insecurity-Plagued Community in Northwestern Nigeria

Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis among Children Attending General Hospital Kankara, an Insecurity-Plagued Community in Northwestern Nigeria

Afrika yerli bitkilerinin insan ve hayvan beslenme güvenliğine katkısı: Kuzeybatı Nijerya’da baobab kullanımından içgörü

In this study, we looked into how the baobab, an indigenous plant of Africa, affected households of Hausa-Fulani in Northwestern Nigeria's nutrition security. The study employed a mixed data set from 239 households. Specifically, we looked at how baobab contributed to the nutritional security of children under the age of five and how baobab was used to manage livestock. We also described the features of Hausa-Fulani families in Northwestern Nigeria. The data were analyzed using multinomial regression models and descriptive statistics. The Focus Group Discussion showed that baobab enhances a child's nutritional status. The multinomial regression analysis supported this since baobab consumption was found to positively influence weight gain. Numerous ethnoveterinary functions of baobab were also reported. It was concluded that baobab contributes significantly to the nutritional security of households in the study area. We thus urge the use of baobab for food bio-fortification and the necessity for research to boost the indigenous food systems of Africa. The result of this study will help encourage the utilization of baobab plant parts in the fortification of diets and strengthen the value chain system of the plant.

Spectrum of Pediatric Endocrine Disorders at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Northwestern Nigeria: a five-year review

In many developing countries, including Nigeria, non-communicable diseases, such as endocrine disorders, are not given much attention because of the enormous burden posed by infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and other childhood killer diseases. In addition, endocrine disorders are thought to be uncommon due to a lack of specialized screening facilities and trained healthcare professionals to diagnose and manage these endocrine diseases. This study aims at defining the burden of pediatric endocrine disorders (PEDs )in Kano. A review of records of children who presented at the pediatric endocrine unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital with pediatric endocrine disorders from 2018 to 2022 was carried out. A total of 6,314 new pediatric cases were seen during the study period, and 178 of these were pediatric endocrine disorders accounting for 2.8% of the total. The mean age of all the cases at presentation was 6.35±4.95 years, and male to female ratio was 1:1.3. Disorders of endocrine pancreas/lipids metabolism (68/178, 38%) were the commonest, followed by thyroid disorders (23/178, 12.9%) and pubertal disorders (16/178, 9%) respectively. Other disorders seen were calcium, phosphate metabolism, and bone disorders (15/178, 8.4%), syndromes (genetic syndromes/ multiple congenital abnormalities) with endocrine system involvement (13/178, 7.3%), adrenal disorders (10/178, 5.1%) and disorders of energy balance (6/178, 3.4%). More females presented with disorders of the pancreas/lipids, thyroid, precocious puberty, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The highest number of cases was seen in the last year of review, while the lowest was in the third year of review. Type 1 diabetes mellitus and disorders involving the thyroid gland, pubertal development, adrenal gland, and bone were the five leading groups of childhood endocrine disorders encountered in our clinical practice at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.

Pulmonary mycoses among pulmonary tuberculosis in Kebbi State North Western Nigeria

BackgroundPathogenic fungi are the source of the fungal illness known as pulmonary mycosis. The prevalence of pulmonary mycoses among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is continuously rising, despite improvements in the disease’s diagnosis, treatment, and management. Three hundred clinically confirmed patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were recruited for this study. Sputum samples were collected and analyzed to detect M. tuberculosis using the GeneXpert machine. Fungal elements were determined using microscopy, culture, and fungal biochemical analysis. Fungal isolates were confirmed using nested PCR with the internal transcribed sequence region of the ribosomal cistron of the fungal species.ResultsOf the 300 sputum samples analyzed, 50 (16.7%) patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. Fungi pathogens were found in 142 patients (47.3%), with 99/142 (71.2%) primary infections, and 40/139 (29.5%) secondary infections. Among the secondary infections, 33 (11%) were fungi coinfections with rifampicin-sensitive MTB coinfections, while 7 (2.3%) were fungi co-infected with rifampicin-resistant MTB. Candida albican was the most common fungus isolate, accounting for 44 (31.7%), while non-Candidal albicans accounted for only 2 (1.4%). Of the 99 species responsible for primary infection, 33 (23.7%) were Blastomyces precursors, 30 (21.6%) were Candida species, and 21 (15.1%) were Aspergillus fumigatus. The fungal pathogen with the highest frequency of secondary infection was Candida species 14 (10.1%), followed by Aspergillus fumigatus 11 (7.9%), then Blastomyces precursors, and then 09 (6.5%).ConclusionIn conclusion, this study determined the prevalence rate of fungal pathogens among pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The most dominant species observed were Blastomyces species, which are seldom reported in Africa and Nigeria. The two others were Aspergillus and Candida species. The study showed that a high percentage of cases of this species, responsible for pulmonary mycosis, were misdiagnosed and treated as pulmonary tuberculosis. Thus, there is a need for improved surveillance and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary infections for proper treatment.