Helicobacter pylori infection in Nigerians with dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is the most common chronic bacterial infection, and a significant aetiological factor in acid peptic diseases and gastric cancer. Dyspepsia is a common gastrointestinal disorder, and the most common indication for gastroscopy. Detection of this organism during endoscopy has become standard clinical practice. We determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among dyspeptic patients using serology and histology. METHODS: Patients with dyspepsia underwent gastroscopy, and biopsies were taken from the antral portions of their stomach and processed. Their serum samples were tested for H. pylori infection using ELISA to detect anti-bodies. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-five patients, comprising 49 (39.2%) males and 76 (60.8%) females were studied. A prevalence rate of 93.6% for H. pylori was found by serology while a rate of 80.0% was found by histology. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with dyspepsia; and a high percentage of detection by serological and histological tests.

Helicobacter pylori indyspeptic Nigerians.

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is a common gastrointestinal disorder, and is the most common indication for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Helicobacter pylori is a significant aetiological factor in acid peptic diseases and gastric cancer. Detection of this organism during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy has become standard clinical practice. Data is scanty from North-Eastern Nigeria on the subject. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among dyspeptic patients, and alsoto find out the association of H. pylori and degree of activity in chronic gastritis. METHODS: This is a hospital-based cross sectional study which was carried out at the Endoscopy unit of Federal Medical Centre, Yola and Histopathology unit, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri from November, 2006 to May, 2010. Patients with dyspepsia who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy as part of their work-up, also had endoscopic biopsies taken from the antral portions of their stomach. The biopsy specimens were fixed in 10% formalin and transported from Yola to Maiduguri by courier for processing. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-nine patients comprising 152(43.6%) males and 197(56.4%) females with dyspepsia had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Their age ranged between 14 and 103 years with a median of 44.1 years. A prevalence rate of 56.7% for Helicobacter pylori was found.Helicobacter pylori associated with severe activity accounted for 80.3%; moderate activity- 57.5%; mild activity - 20% and normal gastric mucosa- 9.1%. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among patients with dyspepsia, and a strong association between H. pylori and chronic gastritis with severe activity.

Spectrum of endoscopic findings in Nigerians with dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is a common gastrointestinal disorder originating from the gastroduodenal region, and is the most common indication for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. There are differing information on the commonest endoscopic findings in patients with dyspepsia from Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the spectrum of endoscopic findings in patients with dyspepsia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a hospital-based prospective study carried out at the Endoscopy Unit of Federal Medical Centre, Yola from November, 2006 to May, 2010. Patients with clinical features of dyspepsia who underwent upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy as part of their workup were recruited. Their biodata, history and duration of dyspepsia were noted on a proforma. The spectrum of endoscopic findings was also noted. RESULTS: A total of 259 patients with dyspepsia had upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. Ninety-nine (38.2%) were males while 160 (61.8%) were females, giving a male to female ratio of 1:1.6. Clinically significant endoscopic findings were seen in 241 (93.1%) patients while gastroduodenitis was the commonest finding. One hundred and two (39.4%) patients had two endoscopic findings, and 7 (2.7%) had three findings. CONCLUSION: Majority of patients with dyspepsia had clinically significant endoscopic findings. Gastroduodenitis was the commonest endoscopic finding.

Hepatitis B virus infection amongst pregnant women in North-eastern Nigeria- a call for action.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that Hepatitis B virus infection is endemic in Nigeria. Even though studies have been carried out on Hepatitis B virus infection in different parts of Nigeria, and in different sub-groups of individuals, information regarding the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant women is scanty especially from the North-eastern region of Nigeria. We therefore determined the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) amongst pregnant women in North Eastern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out. The setting was the ante-natal clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Nigeria. The duration of the study was from July 2008 to December 2008. Two hundred and thirty-one consecutively recruited pregnant women were screened for Hepatitis B surface antigen. Positive samples were re-tested using ELISA to eliminate false positives. Their biodata were obtained using a questionnaire to establish the presence of possible risk factors such as blood transfusion, surgery, etc. Written informed consent was obtained from each woman. RESULTS: Out of the 231 pregnant women tested, nineteen of them were seropositive for Hepatitis B virus infection giving an infection rate of 8.2%. Women in the age group 25-29 years had the highest HBV infection rate. CONCLUSION: This study confirms a high seroprevalence of Hepatitis B virus infect ion amongst pregnant women. It is recommended that pregnant women should be routinely screened for Hepatitis B virus infection as part of antenatal care services.

Smokeless tobacco use in adult Nigerian population.

OBJECTIVES: The study aim was to establish the prevalence and determinants of smokeless tobacco use in Nigerian adults' population. METHODS: Across-sectional survey of 1776 adults in Yola, North-East Nigeria was carried out in June 2007.A modified World Health Organization (WHO) tobacco survey questionnaire was used for interview and data collection. RESULTS: Out of 1776 interviewed respondents, 133 (7.49%) were user of smokeless tobacco. Snuffing of tobacco powder was the most common method of using smokeless tobacco (6.8%). Fifteen (0.9%) chewed tobacco while only 2(0.1%) both chewed and snuffed tobacco. Social acceptance (21.8%) was the major reason for using smokeless tobacco. Males, 5 th and 6 th decades of life, poor education, lower socioeconomic class, Margi, Hausa and Fulani tribes were the determinants of smokeless tobacco use. About 89.5% of the smokeless tobacco users believed that smokeless tobacco was not harmful to their health. CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence of smokeless tobacco use was low among Nigerian adult population in this study. Ignorance of the potential health dangers of smokeless tobacco was rampant therefore; concerted efforts should be made to discourage the use of all forms of tobacco rather than concentrating on cigarette smoking.

Upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy indications in northern Nigeria.

Upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy is one of the commonly performed endoscopic procedures, and has only recently become available in Nigeria. The indications for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy in three health facilities in Northern Nigeria were reviewed. Two hundred and sixty-nine patients were found to have undergone upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. Their ages ranged from 12-90 years with a mean of 48.1+16.2 years. There were 46.8% males and 53.2% females. The commonest indication for the procedure was dyspepsia (61.0%), followed by upper gastrointestinal bleeding, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, gastric cancer, gastric outlet obstruction, acute exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease, dysphagia, epigastric mass, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, anaemia, chronic diarrhoea, haematochexia and persistent vomiting.

Prevalence and determinants of tobacco smoking among HIV patients in North Eastern Nigeria.

People living with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection who smoke tobacco are more likely to develop several opportunistic infections, and also suffer complications from antiretroviral medication than the non smokers of tobacco. The burden of tobacco smoking amongst people living with this infection is poorly understood in the African population. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and determinants of tobacco smoking among HIV patients in North Eastern Nigeria. We enrolled 312 adult HIV sero-positive patients attending the Federal Medical Centre Yola, Nigeria. A modified World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended questionnaire was used to obtain information from consented subjects. The prevalence of current cigarette smoking among HIV patients was 22.1%. The male to female ratio of smokers was 2:1. Peer pressure (25.8%) and pleasure (25.8%) were reported as the most common reasons for smoking tobacco. Multivariate analysis shows that male gender, age ranged 40-49 years, alcohol drinking and CD4 T lymphocyte count <200 cells/mm3 were positively associated with tobacco smoking. The prevalence of tobacco smoking among HIV patients in North Eastern Nigeria was high. Therefore, smoking should be discouraged in people living with HIV to reduce their morbidity and mortality.