Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Anemia/blood , Blood Group Antigens , Female , Genotype , Hemoglobin A/genetics , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Malaria, Falciparum/blood , Middle Aged , Nigeria/epidemiology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic/blood , Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/blood , Pregnancy Outcome , Risk Factors , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
HIV infection and anaemia are major public-health problems in Africa and are important factors associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of HIV infection and anaemia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in southeastern Nigeria. To achieve this, a cross-sectional survey was conducted during July 2005-June 2006 using standard techniques. Of 815 pregnant women studied, 31 (3.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5-5.1) were HIV-positive. Maternal age and gestational age were not associated with HIV infection (p > 0.05). The prevalence of anaemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dL) was 76.9%, and 15 (1.8%, 95% CI 0.9-2.7) had severe anaemia (Hb <7.0 g/dL). A significantly higher prevalence of anaemia was observed among individuals in their second pregnancy trimester (p < 0.05) and those infected with HIV (p < 0.05). Since HIV and anaemia are preventable, antenatal care services could serve as a pivotal entry point for simultaneous delivery of interventions for the prevention and control of HIV infection and anaemia in pregnant women.
Subject(s)
Adult , Anemia/epidemiology , Comorbidity , Female , Gestational Age , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Nigeria , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , Pregnancy Outcome , Prenatal Care/standards , Prevalence , Public Health , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Microsporidial infections have been recognized as an increasingly important infection in immunocompromized patients, particularly those infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was designed to study immune responses associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunecompetent rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four rats in 3 groups, A (Control), B (Intraperitoneal) and C (Oral) were given injections of 0.5 ml of 2 x 10(6) of purified spores of Encephalitotozoon intestinalis spores and were observed for serum specific IgG for 21 days using both Direct and Indirect ELISA. RESULTS: In indirect ELISA, specific lgG were detected on days 7, 14 and 21 for the group B rats and on day 21 for group C and in direct ELISA method, specific lgG were detected in-group B rats on days 7 and 21, for group C rats on day 21 only, while in the control rats, specific lgG were not detected. There was no significant difference between the direct and indirect methods (df=1, X(2), P>0.05). E. intestinalis was observed in stool samples of rats in 1/12 (08.33%) on days 14 and 21 in group B and in 4/10 (33.33%), 3/10 (25.00%) and 2/10 (16.67%) on days 7, 14 and 21 respectively in group C. In-group, A which is the control rats, no microsporidia were observed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. CONCLUSIONS: There were no changes in the T-lymphocyte counts of rats prior to and after inoculation with spores. Extensive lesions were observed along the intestinal walls especially on the middle and lower sections of group C rats only.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antibodies, Fungal/blood , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Encephalitozoon/immunology , Encephalitozoonosis/blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Feces/microbiology , Female , Immunocompetence/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Intestinal Mucosa/immunology , Male , Rats , T-Lymphocytes/immunologyABSTRACT
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) was used to examine sera of 104 children and adults in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria for anti-toxocaral antibodies, out of which 31 (29.8) were reactive. The seropositive rates were 30.4 for adults, 29.6 for children, 34 for females and 25.9 for males. However, the differences were not significant by age and sex. A highly significant association (p < 0.001) was observed between seropositivity and geography but none between seropositivity and dog ownership (p > 0.05).
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Dogs , Antibodies, Helminth , Toxocara canis , Toxocariasis/epidemiology , Chi-Square Distribution , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Nigeria , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Toxocariasis/bloodABSTRACT
Clinico-parasitological screening of 3866 individuals in the Mokolo region of northern Cameroon gave 0.94 percent of those with active lesions. The diagnosis of scars was mainly clinical. For lesions; the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the demonstration of parasites on Giemsa stained smears. Both sexes were equally infected. The highest number of people with active lesions (51.43 percent) was recorded in the 2-15 years age group; most being students. It was during the rainy season that many people acquired the infection. The localization of lesions and/or scars on the body was considered in the study and gave the following repartition : 43.16 percent on the upper limbs; 28.42 percent on the lower limbs; 21.05 percent on the head and 7.37 percent on the trunk. A therapeutic regime of amphotericin B (topical application) and metronidazole (per os) was administered to some patients who responded satisfactorily