Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

OBJECTIVE: To study the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B viral (HBV), infection among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano metropolis. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This is a retrospective study in which patients tested for hepatitis B virus using hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as a marker were reviewed over 3 years. A total of 6,395 patients comprising of 4,040 males and 2,355 females including adults and children were tested for HBsAg from January 2004 to December 2006. Over this period, 1509 sera were tested in 2004, 2,322 in 2005 and 2,564 in 2006. RESULTS: Among the 6,395 patients, 703 (11.4%) comprising of 240 (10.2%) females and 490 (12.1%) males were positive for HBsAg. The highest prevalence was seen at the extremes of life in which 19.4% and 16.9% were seen among patients below 10 years and above 50 years respectively. The yearly trend of HBV surface antigenemia was 220 (14.6%) in 2004, 235 (10.1%) in 2005 and 275 (10.7%) in 2006. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the prevalence of HBsAg among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano is high and highest prevalence is seen at the extremes of life.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus infection has become a global public health problem. In Nigeria, several studies from different parts of the country have confirmed the endemicity of the infection. This study seeks examine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B viral infection among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano metropolis. METHOD: This is a retrospective study in which patients tested for hepatitis B virus using hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as a marker were reviewed over 3 years. A total of 6,395 patients comprising of 4,040 males and 2,355 females including adults and children were tested for HBsAg from January 2004 to December 2006. Over this period, 1,509 sera were tested in 2004, 2,322 in 2005 and 2,564 in 2006. RESULTS: Among the 6,395 patients, 703 (11.4%) comprising of 240 (10.2%) females and 490 (12.1%) males were positive for HBsAg. The highest prevalence was seen at the extremes of life in which 19.4% and 16.9% were seen among patients below 10 years and above 50 years respectively. The yearly trend of HBV surface antigenemia was 220 (14.6%) in 2004, 235 (10.1%) in 2005 and 275 (10.7%) in 2006. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the prevalence of HBsAg among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano is high and highest prevalence is seen at the extremes of life.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen among Patients Attending Aminu Kano

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection has become a global public health problem. In Nigeria; several studies from different parts of the country have confirmed the endemicity of the infection. This study seeks examine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B viral infection among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano metropolis. Method: This is a retrospective study in which patients tested for hepatitis B virus using hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as a marker were reviewed over 3 years. A total of 6;395 patients comprising of 4;040 males and 2;355 females including adults and children were tested for HBsAg from January 2004 to December 2006. Over this period; 1;509 sera were tested in 2004; 2;322 in 2005 and 2;564 in 2006. Results: Among the 6;395 patients; 703(11.4) comprising of 240 (10.2) females and 490 (12.1) males were positive for HBsAg. The highest prevalence was seen at the extremes of life in which 19.4and 16.9were seen among patients below 10years and above 50 years respectively. The yearly trend of HBV surface antigenemia was 220 (14.6) in 2004; 235 (10.1) in 2005 and 275 (10.7) in 2006. Conclusion: We conclude that the prevalence of HBsAg among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano is high and highest prevalence is seen at the extremes of life

Infants with severe neonatal jaundice in Lagos, Nigeria: incidence, correlates and hearing screening outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the incidence, correlates and hearing screening outcomes of infants with severe neonatal jaundice in Nigeria. METHODS: Community-based study in which all infants attending Bacille Calmette-Guérin immunisation clinics in inner-city Lagos were enrolled into a universal hearing screening programme during which correlates of severe neonatal jaundice (requiring phototherapy and/or exchange blood transfusion) were explored with multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 5262 infants enrolled, only 48.7% were born in hospitals although almost all mothers (97.9%) attended antenatal clinics. 6.7% had a history of neonatal jaundice of whom 5.5% (95% CI:4.9-6.2) received phototherapy and 1.9% (95% CI:1.5-2.3) had an exchange blood transfusion. Factors independently associated with severe neonatal jaundice were maternal religion, occupation, use of herbal preparations during pregnancy, infant's gender, weight at screening, multiple gestation and place of birth. All but two infants with severe neonatal jaundice were exclusively breast-fed. Of those who failed the hearing tests, 17.3% were treated with phototherapy and 11.3% had an exchange blood transfusion. At least 8.9% of infants requiring phototherapy and 17.3% of those requiring exchange blood transfusion were at risk of sensorineural hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: Severe neonatal jaundice is a significant condition associated with modifiable risk factors in this population. Policy initiatives for prevention, early detection followed by appropriate and timely intervention are urgently needed to reduce the disease burden.

Costs and performance of early hearing detection programmes in Lagos, Nigeria.

In line with global progress towards early detection of permanent congenital and early-onset hearing loss (PCEHL), the costs and performance of hospital-based and community-based infant hearing screening models were evaluated in Lagos, Nigeria. The protocol consisted of two-stage screening with transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions and automated auditory brainstem response followed by diagnostic evaluation for all infants referred after the second-stage screening. The main outcome measures were referral rates at screening, cost per baby screened, cost per case detected and yield for PCEHL. First-stage referrals were 32.2% for universal and 31.7% for targeted screening in the hospital, compared with 14.3% and 15.2%, respectively for the community-based programme. Second-stage referrals ranged from 3.3% under hospital-based universal screening to 4.9% under community-based targeted screening. The highest yields of 27.4 and 22.5 per 1000 were recorded under community-based targeted and universal screening, respectively. Screening cost per child was lowest (US$7.62) under community-based universal screening and highest (US$73.24) under hospital-based targeted screening. Similarly, cost per child detected with PCEHL was lowest (US$602.49) for community-based universal screening and highest (US$4631.33) for hospital-based targeted screening. Community-based universal screening of infants during routine immunisation clinics appears to be the most cost-effective model for early detection of PCEHL in low-income countries.

Zinc supplementation in children with acute diarrhoea.

BACKGROUND: In Nigeria, diarrhoeal disease is second only to malaria as a cause of death the under 5 age group. This study was aimed at assessing the benefit or otherwise of zinc supplement in acute diarrhoea. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a multi-centred randomized double blind controlled study. Children with acute diarrhoea aged between 6 and 24 months were randomized into zinc supplemented and placebo groups. Plasma zinc levels were analyzed at enrollment and at the end of the study. The children were reviewed for the next three months from the time of enrollment. RESULTS: The mean plasma zinc levels at baseline and at the end of the study were 0.06 +/- 0.04 and 0.067 +/- 0.03 ppm in the zinc supplemented group and 0.11 +/- 0.02 and 0.05 +/- 0.03 ppm in the control group. The differences were not statistically significant. The zinc supplemented group had an average weight gain of 1.1 kg as against 0.73 kg (p = 0.00) for the control group in the study period. No adverse effect was reported on account of zinc supplementation. CONCLUSION: Zinc supplementation is beneficial in acute diarrhoea as observed in this study.

Characterization of the non-saponifiable fraction of the liver lipids of the shark Carcharias taurus by mass-spectrometry.

1. The non-saponifiable fractions (NSF) of the liver lipids of the common Nigerian shark Carcharias taurus were identified by mass-spectrometry. 2. The lipids were extracted from the liver microsomes. 3. Hydrocarbons made up 21.29% of the NSF, sterols 26.45% and coenzymes 52.26%. 4. Thin layer chromatography followed by mass-spectral analysis showed that squalene was the major hydrocarbon present. 5. The sterol fraction consisted of cholesterol, 1-octanol and 1-hexadecyl glycerol ether. 6. The coenzymes consisted clearly of vitamin A, coenzyme Q and probably also vitamin E.