Southwestern Region Of Nigeria Research Articles

The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in diabetic subjects in south-west Nigeria

BackgroundPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) is rarely sought for and generally under-diagnosed even in diabetics in developing countries like Nigeria. PAD is easily detected and diagnosed by the ankle-brachial index, a simple and reliable test.ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of PAD in diabetic subjects aged 50–89 years and the value of ankle-brachial index measurement in the detection of PAD.MethodA cross-sectional descriptive study of 219 diabetic subjects aged 50–89 years was carried out. The participants were administered a pre-tested questionnaire and measurement of ankle-brachial index (ABI) was done. The ankle-brachial index < 0.90 was considered equivalent to peripheral arterial disease.ResultsThe overall prevalence of PAD was 52.5%. The prevalence of symptomatic PAD was 28.7% whilst that of asymptomatic PAD was 71.3%. There were a number of associations with PAD which included, age (p < 0.05), sex (p < 0.05), and marital status (p < 0.05). The use of the ankle-brachial index in the detection of PAD was clearly more reliable than the clinical methods like history of intermittent claudication and absence or presence of pedal pulses.ConclusionThe prevalence of PAD is relatively high in diabetic subjects in the south-western region of Nigeria. Notable is the fact that a higher proportion was asymptomatic. Also the use of ABI is of great value in the detection of PAD as evidenced by a clearly more objective assessment of PAD compared to both intermittent claudication and absent pedal pulses.

Crop Water Productivity of Plantain (Musa Sp) in a Humid Tropical Environment

Crop water productivity defines the relationship between crop produced and the amount of water involved in producing the crop. It is a useful indicator for quantifying the impact of irrigation scheduling decisions with regard to water management. This paper presents CWP quantified from field experimental data. The field experiments were conducted for three years in a tropical region of south Western Nigeria to determine the crop water productivity (CWP) and consumptive use of plantain (musa sp) cv. Agbagba. There were four treatments and four replicates based on the level of water application. CWP were computed in terms of crop water use, water applied, and economic returns. Results showed that crop water consumed varied significantly (P<0.05) among treatments. Estimated water consumed ranged from 900 mm to 1700 mm from planting to harvest depending on the irrigation water regime. Crop Water Productivity (CWP) in terms of water consumed varied from 0.91 – 1.37 kgm -3 for 2006/2007 and 0.91 – 1.41 kgm -3 in the 2007/2008 seasons respectively while CWP in terms of water applied varied from 2.82 – 3.98 kgm -3 and 2.89 – 4.04 kgm -3 in the first and second seasons respectively. The amount of irrigation water applied at the different growth stages of the crop and the growth stage response to moisture stress influenced the status of CWP. The findings indicated that plantain crops were very sensitive to lack of soil water during the total growing season.

Rain Days and Their Predictability in South-western Region of Nigeria

This study was able to determine the rainy days of the first two months in the rainy season and the last two months to the end of rainy season including their annual totals in South-western Nigeria. To be able generate models for their prediction, the study used composite effect of the rainfall - engendering factor of the sea surface temperature of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, Land-sea thermal contrast between Southwestern Nigeria and the tropical Atlantic Ocean, surface location of Inter-tropical Discontinuity and the land surface temperature in Southwestern Nigeria. The specific locations over which rainfall data were collected to represent Southwestern Nigeria include Ikeja, Benin City, Ibadan and Ilorin. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to construct the model. The analysis shows that the hypothesized rain-engendering factors are adequate in predicting rainy days in Southwestern Nigeria. Out of the four rainfall engendering factors, two of them (sea surface temperature and land-sea thermal contrast) dominate the explanatory factors in the model, constituting 87% of total explanatory factors found significant in the models generated. The study also show that all of the areas of the tropical Atlantic, right from the Gulf of Guinea, through the St. Helena and Ascension Island, up to the Benguela current region have significant bearing to the inter-annual variability in the rainy days in Southwestern Nigeria. It was also noted that the direction of relationship between sea surface temperature, land-sea thermal contrast and rainy days in Southwestern Nigeria is not simple and straightforward, but the sea surface temperature anomalies experience changes in location, extent and time of the year.

Distribution of antibodies to Salmonella in the sera of blood donors in the south-western region of Nigeria.

There are currently no reports of a multicentre assessment of the presence of antibodies to Salmonella in donated blood in Nigeria. Blood specimens from blood donors presenting at six selected public blood collection centres in the south-western region of Nigeria were analysed for the presence of Salmonella antibodies. Out of the 200 specimen analysed, 106 (53%) were found to be Widal-positive with a minimum titre of 160. Among the positive cases, reactivity was most common to S. typhi (D) antigens (48.6%). The most frequently recorded titre of reactive specimens (i.e., the modal titre) was 160, with 71 donors (35.5%) of the total sample population from the different centres reacting at this level. Thirty-one donors had elevated titres of = 320 and nine donors had a titre of 640. The percentages of Widal-positive cases among donors with A positive and O positive blood groups were 58.7% and 64.2%, respectively; the percentage of Widal-positive cases was lowest among B positive blood donors (26.7%). The p-value for these differences (p<0.05) shows that blood group has a statistically significant impact on Widal reaction in donors. CONCLUSION.: This study confirms that salmonellosis is endemic in Nigeria and that many of our blood donors may be Salmonella carriers. This study also revealed a positive association between blood groups and typhoid fever.

Prevalence of Peg-Shaped Laterals in South Western Nigeria: A Comparison of Field and Clinic Findings

Background and Aim: Peg-shaped laterals are dental anomalies that are likely to be connected to defects in certain genes. Presence of peg-shaped laterals in the mouth often occurs concurrently with other forms of dental and occlusal anomalies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of peg-shaped laterals in the south western region of Nigeria. Materials and Methods: One thousand and seventy individuals (405 field-, and 665 clinic-based) were assessed by intra-oral examination and case files respectively for the presence of peg-shaped laterals and other dental anomalies.Results: Prevalence of peg-shaped laterals was found to be 1% and 2.3% in field and clinic samples respectively. Field sample showed a higher right-sided presentation than clinic sample which showed an equal distribution of right, left, and bilateral presentation. Associated dental anomalies in the clinic sample included missing contralateral tooth (40%), buccally displaced canines (30%), and rotated teeth (20%). While in the field sample missing contralateral tooth (50%) was the only recorded dental anomaly. Presence of pegshaped laterals were significantly higher in patients presenting with class 1 malocclusion (p 0.05).Conclusion: The prevalence of peg-shaped laterals is significant to be of concern to dental specialists and orthodontists, more importantly appropriate treatment of associated malocclusion should be done along with the management of the peg-shaped laterals.

Incidence of multiple antibiotic resistant Gram-negative bacteria isolated from surface and underground water sources in south western region of Nigeria

In most rural and urban settlements, particularly in Nigeria, wells, spring, streams or rivers and lakes serves as major sources of water supply for drinking and other domestic purposes. Unfortunately, many of the available water sources are not potable without some form of treatment which is seldom available in most settings. The use of untreated surface water sources for drinking and for domestic purposes remains a major threat to public health as these could serve as reservoirs the for transfer of antibiotic resistant pathogens. The incidence of resistant bacteria isolated from surface and underground water in six rural settlements in Ekiti State Nigeria was thus investigated. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from wells, streams and boreholes in six rural settlements in Ekiti State Nigeria between January and April, 2006 and the prevalence of organisms exhibiting multiple antibiotic resistance to tetracycline, amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole, nitofurantoin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid and ofloxacin was observed. Gram-negative bacterial isolates comprised Escherichia coli (22.7%), Enterobacter aerogenes (2.5%), Salmonella spp. (13.3%), Shigella spp. (19.3%), Proteus spp. (18.5%), Klebsiella spp. (19.3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.2%). Over 10% of the bacteria were resistant to four or more antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance was highest in members of the genera Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, and Proteus. Given the prevalence of appalling sanitary facilities and inappropriate public antibiotic use, the possibility of antibiotic resistance selection, faecal dissemination and subsequent contamination of local water sources available for rural residents of the developing world is highlighted. The implication for clinical practice of infections caused by antibiotic resistant strains especially among immunodeficient individuals is also discussed.

Attitudes to Malocclusion in a Nigerian School Population

The aim of this study was to determine attitudes to malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among school children in Lagos, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 120 randomly selected school children, 66 boys (55%) and 54 girls (45%) aged 10-12 years in Lagos State, Southwestern region of Nigeria. The study was conducted with a fixed choice questionnaire and the need for orthodontic treatment was assessed with the WHO-FDI basic method for recording occlusal traits, 1979. The results showed that most children (61.7%) were satisfied with their dental appearance with no significant sex differences while the10-year-old children expressed significantly higher level of dissatisfaction with their teeth arrangement (P

Dental students’ knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus

Objective This study evaluated final year dental students’ knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), lesions associated with HIV, potential transmission routes of HIV, and their perception of the teaching received on cross-infection precautions, virology, sterilization practice and procedure, barrier dentistry and recognition of blood-borne virus risk group. Methodology Structured questionnaires on knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus were filled by final year dental students of University of Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 35 out of 37 questionnaires were returned filled giving a response rate of 94.6%. Results Most of the students rated the teaching they received on cross-infection precautions, sterilization practice and procedure, as adequate. More than a quarter (28.5%) of the students rated the teaching they received on virology and recognition of blood-borne virus risk group to be less than adequate. Most of the students were able to recognize the association of oral Kaposi sarcoma, oral candidiasis, oral hairy leukoplakia, and salivary gland enlargement with HIV infection. There was a much lower level of knowledge of oral melanotic hyperpigmentation and idiopathic thrombocytopaenic pupura. Their knowledge of HIV and its potential transmission routes were adequate. Conclusion This study revealed that final year dental students of the University of Lagos in southwestern region of Nigeria had adequate knowledge of routes of transmission of HIV in clinical practice. However, there is need for improvement in teaching of the students on virology and recognition of blood-borne virus risk group.

Rehabilitative Management Offered Nigerian Localized and Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis Patients

This paper highlights the typical clinical features of aggressive periodontitis (formerly known as juvenile periodontitis in the South Western region of Nigeria), the attending psychological effect following tooth loss, and the rehabilitative management offered which included periodontal therapy, psychotherapy, and prosthetic replacement of the missing teeth. The psychotherapy is the main distinguishing treatment in this study from previously reported modes of management of this disease entity. Subjects were from a part of the South Western region of Nigeria, and ages ranged from 15 to 22 years. They all presented very late with subsequent gross periodontal breakdown and subsequent psychological depression. The mean values of the probing depth (mm), degree of mobility, and the amount of bone fill (mm) from the periapical radiographs were recorded pre and post-operatively. The missing teeth were replaced with acrylic dentures, and psychotherapy was offered at three levels (individual, group, and conjoint-family psychotherapy). There was significant improvement of these clinical parameters six months after treatment, and the partial denture replacement of the missing teeth improved their appearance as expected but did not totally improve the initial depressive state. The psychotherapy offered gave the patients positive psychological effects that further restored their ability to socialize in their environment, which added to their positive experience of life. In conclusion the typical clinical features of localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP) and generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP) patients in our environment are late presentation with gross periodontal tissue breakdown. Psychotherapy is an important aspect in the management of this group of patients in conjunction with the periodontal and prosthetic management, which gives total rehabilitation.

Elemental composition of rutile from south-western Nigeria using X-ray techniques

Combined techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) have been used respectively to identify and analyse rutile obtained from a recently discovered deposit in the Osun-state in the south-western region of Nigeria. While the XRD provides structural information about the natural ore, the ED-XRF gives detailed information about the major, minor and trace elements/impurities contained in the sample. Quantitative analyses of the ore using pellets made from properly homogenised samples showed that the concentration of titanium dioxide (TiO 2), which is the dominant phase in the mineral could be as high as 82.45 wt%, giving Ti concentration of 49.4 wt%. The level of TiO 2 in the ore compared favourably with those found in some countries with notable rutile qualities. Other major elements observed in the ore include Fe (3.1 wt%), V (1.01 wt%), Ca (0.19 wt%) and K (0.21 wt%). In addition, several other elements/impurities were detected in minor and trace quantities including; Cr, Mn, Co (with concentration between 300 and 1000 ppm) and Zr, Ni, Zn, Rb, W, Pb, Sr, Y, Mo, Nb, Br, As, Cu (with concentration between 10 and 300 ppm). It is suggested that when properly mapped and extracted, the rutile deposit could become a reliable source of good grade TiO 2 for various industrial applications.

Stem and foliar blight in roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. var. sabdariffa) in the tropical forest region of south-western Nigeria

SummaryThe aetiology and epidemiology of leaf and stem blights of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. var. sabdariffa) was investigated at Ibadan, in the tropical forest region of south-west Nigeria. Out of 250 diseased plants examined, 63% had symptoms of leaf blight, 46% stem blight and 42% had both. Leaf blight symptoms were associated with infection by Phyllosticta hibiscini and stem blight with Fusarium oxysporum. Infection in the field by these fungi occurs during the peak of the rainy season, beginning in patches which later spread, causing extensive blight, defoliation and complete wilting. Populations of 4.6 ± 0.5 X 106 g”1 and 4.3 ± 0.4 X 106 g”1 colony forming units/g were found in soil for P. hibiscini and F. oxysporum respectively, while plant debris also harboured both pathogens.

Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacterial and Fungal Communities in the Topsoil of Omo Biosphere Reserve in Southwestern Nigeria1

As a part of the surveillance effort to monitor the ecological status of Omo Biosphere Reserve in the southwestern region of Nigeria, the aerobic heterotrophic bacterial and fungal communities of the topsoil were investigated in March 1995 and April 1996, before the onset of the rainy season. Four distinct wood-tree plantations, a core strict nature reserve (SNR) area, and a buffer zone were sampled. The topsoil samples (7.5 cm depth), including the litter, were taken with an auger (8 cm diameter) and transported to the laboratory in polyethylene bags. One-gram dry weight equivalent of sample was suspended in 10 ml sterile water, and serial dilutions from it were used for the estimation of bacterial and fungal densities. The bacterial and fungal densities ranged in the order of 106 and 103 cfu/g, respectively. Out of the 18 bacterial and 16 fungal species that were obtained, 13 and 12, respectively, were isolated from the core SNR. About 46 to 69 percent of the bacteria and 50 to 83 percent of the fungi species found in the SNR were absent in different combinations in the plantations and the buffer zone; these variations were significant among the sites monitored. The bacterial and fungal species compositions were significantly different between the SNR and each of the other sites. Proportional distributions within the sites were significant only for the bacterial communities. It would appear that plantation and human activities have caused significant changes in the distribution and species richness of the heterotrophic bacterial and fungal communities relative to the undisturbed SNR area of the Omo Biosphere Reserve.

Anthropometric survey of the elderly in south-western Nigeria

One hundred and ninety-four subjects aged 65-78 years from rural and urban areas of the south-western region of Nigeria have been surveyed for height, weight, upper arm, hip and waist circumferences. The 24-hour dietary recall technique was also employed to assess their dietary energy intake. In both rural and urban cohorts, male subjects were significantly taller and weighed more (p < 0.05) than female subjects. There were no significant differences in the height of rural groups and their respective urban groups, although urban males and females weighed significantly (p < 0.05) more than their respective rural counterparts. Mean body mass index (BMI) ranged from 18.4 to 21.1kgm-2, and 73% of all subjects had a BMI below 20% and 10% were below 18.5. Waist, hip and upper arm circumferences of urban cohorts consistently exceeded those of rural subjects, although only for females were these differences statistically (p < 0.05) significant. Significant differences observed in the energy intake (per kg body weight) are offered as one explanation for the superior anthropometric indices of urban as compared with rural elderly in Nigeria.

The response of headwater stream channels to urbanization in the humid tropics

AbstractAnalysis of the bankfull cross‐sections of headwater streams in Ado‐Ekiti region of Southwestern Nigeria and their comparison with data from other tropical environments and temperate latitudes reveal that the channel capacities of streams in the humid tropics are relatively smaller than those of temperate regions, averaging 1.51 m2 with a coefficient of variation of 87 per cent. This is attributed to the small stream discharge, the predominantly low and highly seasonal flows of the streams, the low shear stress of stream load, and the stabilizing and protective influence of riparian vegetation and surface incrustations. The chanel capacities of the urban streams (mean = 1.13m2) are about 47 per cent smaller than those of the natural streams (mean = 2.12 m2) in the same ecological zone. In terms of hydraulic efficiency, the urban streams also have relatively inefficient cross‐sections and larger width/depth ratios than their rural or natural counterparts. Resurveys of seventeen monumented cross‐sections reveal that while channel shoulder width increased by only 6 per cent over a one‐year period, channel depth and capacity decreased by 16 per cent and 4 per cent respectively; the observed decrease in channel size occurs entirely in the channel depth dimension. Thus the response of stream channels to the urbanization of small headwater catchments in the humid tropics is probably more of vertical accretion of channel bed and reduction in channel capacity rather than the widely‐reported anomalous enlargement of urban streams through channel widening. The rapid rate of channel aggradation is attributed to excessive rates of sediment production and delivery to streams in urbanized catchments in the humid tropics, rapid deposition of sediments during small runoff events and on the falling stage of storm hydrographs, and the inability of the streams to evacuate the sediments delivered to them despite the increased discharge and peak flow associated with urbanization. The low competence of the urban streams is attributed to the predominance of low flows, very gentle bed slopes, and most importantly the widespread dumping of refuse into the channels thereby reducing flow velocity and promoting backwater flooding, ponding, and sedimentation. The correlations between drainage basin area, a surrogate for stream discharge, and channel capacity are very strong for the rural watersheds, and the regression analysis indicates a tendency towards a steady‐state isometric relationship. Urban channels are, to a large extent, in disequilibrium with the urban hydrological state. However, spatial variations in the degree of urbanization of the catchments, and, therefore in runoff volume and velocity, exercise strong control on channel width, depth, and size. A model of the sequence of stream channel adjustment to the urbanization of small headwater catchments in the humid tropics is presented.