SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infection and the evaluation of safety precaution practice before and after vaccination among healthcare workers in South West, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, it has been reported that fully vaccinated people still die of COVID-19-associated symptoms, generating public uncertainty about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. Hence, this research is aimed at assessing the incidence of COVID-19 breakthrough infection among vaccinated Health Workers and the possible effect of changes in the practice of post-vaccination safety precautions. METHOD: This was a Health facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed at the participant's work unit across the selected health facilities. The nasopharyngeal specimen was also obtained from the participants and analysed using STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test rapid chromatographic immunoassay for the detection of antigens to SARS-CoV-2. All data were input and analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant relationship between the vaccination status of respondents and the post-vaccination test result (χ2 = 6.816, df = 1, p = 0.009). The incidence of COVID-19 infection among the vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs was 2% and 8% respectively. 5 of the 15 respondents who tested positive for COVID-19 had been fully vaccinated. However, all 5 of them did not practice safety measures after vaccination. None of the respondents who practised safety measures after vaccination tested positive for COVID-19. The remaining 10 respondents that tested positive for COVID-19 had not been vaccinated though they practised safety precautions. CONCLUSION: Vaccination and the practice of safety precautions will go a long way to preventing future COVID-19 breakthrough infections.

Blood donation practices, processing and utilisation of blood components in government tertiary hospitals in Nigeria: a multicentre cooperative study.

BACKGROUND: Timely access to safe blood and blood components is still a challenge in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine blood donation practices, processing and utilization of blood components across government tertiary hospitals (THs) in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done in Nigeria in June-July 2020. Data were analysed with SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: Data were collected from 50 THs. The majority (68%) of the THs lack facilities for blood component preparation and only 18% and 32% provide cryoprecipitate and platelet concentrate, respectively. Whole blood was most commonly requested (57.04%). All facilities tested blood for HIV, HBV and HCV, but the majority (23 [46%]) employed rapid screening tests alone and nucleic acid testing was not available in any hospitals. The manual method was the most common method of compatibility testing in 90% (45/50) and none of the THs routinely perform extended red cell typing. The average time to process routine, emergency and uncross-matched requests were a mean of 109.58±79.76 min (range 45.00-360.00), 41.62±25.23 (10.00-240.00) and 11.09±4.92 (2.00-20.00), respectively. CONCLUSION: Facilities for blood component preparation were not widely available. Concerned government authorities should provide facilities for blood component preparation.

A multidisciplinary approach to the management of temporomandibular joint ankylosis in a sickle-cell anemia patient in a resource-limited setting.

This report describes the multidisciplinary management of a 35-year-old female sickle-cell anemia patient who had unilateral bony ankylosis of the left temporomandibular joint secondary to septic arthritis. She was managed by a team comprising of maxillofacial surgeons, anesthetists, otorhinolaryngologist, and hematologist. Unilateral left interpositional arthroplasty and ipsilateral coronoidectomy through a postrami approach were done and followed by aggressive jaw physiotherapy in the postsurgical period. No perioperative morbidity was encountered. Mouth opening of 3.5 cm was achieved and maintained 7 months after surgery. Challenges and rationale for the use of a multidisciplinary team approach in treatment of such cases were discussed.

Blood pressure indices and disease severity in patients with sickle cell anaemia.

Background: Individuals with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) have lower systemic blood pressures compared to individuals with haemoglobin Hb AA phenotype. Objective: Seventy-nine (79) individuals with SCA (subjects) in steady state and 50 age-matched individuals with Hb AA (controls) were prospectively studied. Height, blood pressure (BP), weight, creatinine clearance (by 24-hour urine collection), full blood count (FBC) and reticulocyte count were obtained from all subjects and controls. Body mass index (BMI), corrected reticulocyte count, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were calculated using standard protocols.The frequency of vaso-occlusive crises in the last one year and number of blood transfusions in the last two years were obtained from subjects. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and p ≤0.05 was used to define the level of statistical significance. Methodology: Seventy-nine (79) individuals with SCA (subjects) in steady state and 50 age-matched individuals with Hb AA (controls) were prospectively studied. Height, blood pressure (BP), weight, creatinine clearance (by 24-hour urine collection), full blood count (FBC) and reticulocyte count were obtained from all subjects and controls. Body mass index (BMI), corrected reticulocyte count, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were calculated using standard protocols.The frequency of vaso-occlusive crises in the last one year and number of blood transfusions in the last two years were obtained from subjects. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and p ≤0.05 was used to define the level of statistical significance. Results: The systolic (105.52±11.75mmHg and 113.20±7.94mmHg respectively; P = 0.01), diastolic (62.59±9.33mmHg and 75.40±5.70mmHg respectively; P=0.03) and mean arterial pressures (76.90±8.81mmHg and 88.00±5.51mmHg respectively; P =0.04) were significantly lower in subjects when compared with controls. ; pulse pressure (PP) was however significantly higher in subjects than controls (42.92±10.91mmHg and 37.80±7.43mmHg respectively (P = 0.03). In female subjects, the white cell count was negatively correlated with systolic BP (r = -0.39;P = 0.01) and PP (r = -0.33; P = 0.03). Conclusion: Lower systolic and pulse pressures may predict worsening disease severity in individuals with sickle cell anaemia.

The dynamics of bacteria population on the skin, throat, and gastrointestinal tract of HIV-seropositive patients

Background: The study determined bacteria population on the skin; throat; and gastrointestinal tract of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients and HIV seronegative controls at the baseline; 3 months; and 6 months; respectively; at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC); Ile-Ife; Osun State; Nigeria and State Specialist Hospital; Akure; Ondo State; Nigeria between May and November; 2012. Materials and Methods: Seventy HIV-seropositive subjects and 51 HIV seronegative controls who attended the HIV clinics were recruited. Skin; throat; and rectal swabs were obtained from the participants using sterile cotton-tipped applicators introduced into thioglycollate broth and incubated at 37oC overnight. When growth was noticed; the broth culture was streaked on different bacteriologic media and the isolates were characterized by the standard methods and disc diffusion for antibiotic sensitivity. Results: The number of isolates cultured from the HIV-seropositive subjects was 934; with the distribution being 397; 326; and 211 at the baseline; 3 months; and 6 months; respectively. The distribution of 1;138 isolates cultured from 51 HIV-seronegative controls was 433; 354; and 351 at the baseline; 3 months; and 6 months; respectively. At the baseline among HIV-seropositive patients; the predominant isolates were Arcanobacterium haemolyticum; Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa); and Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). However; Corynebacterium haemolyticum; Enterococcus faecalis; and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were predominant at 3 months while at 6 months; Corynebacterium haemolyticum and Corynebacterium diphtheriae had the highest frequency followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens). In the controls; Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Listeria monocytogenes; and Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) predominated at the baseline and at 3 months while at 6 months; B. cereus; S. xylosus; and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were prevalent. Multiple resistances were widespread among the isolates. Conclusion: A preponderance of opportunists was observed in the HIV-seronegatives but higher multiresistant strains in the HIV-seropositives; suggesting both groups live in an antibiotic pressurized environment

Preponderance of bacterial isolates in urine of HIV-positive malaria-infected pregnant women with urinary tract infection.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined HIV and malaria co-infection as a risk factor for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnancy. The study group included 74 pregnant women, 20 to 42 years of age, who attended the antenatal clinic at the Specialist Hospital at Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: Forty-four of the pregnant women were either HIV seropositive with malaria infection (HIV+Mal+) or HIV seropositive without malaria (HIV+Mal-). The remaining thirty pregnant women served as controls and included women HIV seronegative but with malaria (HIV-Mal+) and women HIV seronegative without malaria. UTI was indicated by a bacterial colony count of greater than 105/mL of urine, using cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient medium (CLED) as the primary isolation medium. Bacterial isolates were characterized using convectional bacteriological methods, and antibiotics sensitivity tests were carried out using the disk diffusion method. RESULTS: A total of 246 bacterial isolates were recovered from the cultures, with a mean of 3.53 isolates per subject. Women who were HIV+Mal+ had the most diverse group of bacterial isolates and the highest frequency of UTIs. The bacterial isolates from the HIV+Mal+ women also showed the highest degree of antibiotic resistance. CONCLUSIONS: While pregnancy and HIV infection may each represent a risk factor for UTI, HIV and malaria co-infection may increase its frequency in pregnancy. The higher frequency of multiple antibiotic resistance observed among the isolates, particularly isolates from HIV+Mal+ subjects, poses a serious public health concern as these strains may aggravate the prognosis of both UTI and HIV infection.

Degrees of kidney disease in nigerian adults with sickle-cell disease.

OBJECTIVE: To study degrees of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using creatinine clearance in adult Nigerian patients with sickle-cell disease (SCD). METHODS: One hundred SCD patients, made up of 79 HbSS (homozygous haemoglobin S) patients and 21 HbSC (heterozygous haemoglobins S and C) patients, were investigated prospectively, along with 50 normal controls. Their sociodemographic data, weight and drug history were documented. Each participant underwent dipstick urinalysis, and creatinine clearance was calculated following a 24-hour urine collection and serum creatinine measurement. They were categorized into stages of CKD based on the creatinine clearance. RESULTS: Of the 79 HbSS patients, 14 (18%), 28 (35%), 33 (42%) and 4 (5%) had stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 CKD, respectively. In the HbSC group, 3 (14%), 9 (43%) and 9 (43%) patients had stage 1, 2 and 3 CKD, respectively. Proteinuria was noted in 16 (20%) HbSS patients but not in any of the HbSC patients. Of the subjects aged ≤24 years (n = 49), 9 (18%), 18 (37%), 21 (43%) and 1 (2%) had stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 CKD, respectively. Of those aged >24 years (n = 51), 8 (16%), 19 (37%), 21 (41%) and 3 (6%) had stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 CKD, respectively. None of the subjects had stage 5 CKD. CONCLUSION: In this study, the adult subjects with SCD had various degrees of CKD. Adequate follow-up and active intervention are advocated to delay the onset of end-stage nephropathy.