Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in pregnant women from Osun State, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HBV/HIV) co-infection is a global health concern due to its significant impact on morbidity and mortality. Reports of HBV/HIV co-infections are increasing in Nigeria, but information on the disease burden in pregnant women and its implications on the fetus is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV/HIV co-infection in pregnant women. In addition, the study identified the risk factors for the disease in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Osun State, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: We collected plasma samples from 303 consenting pregnant women and used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to test for HBV (HBsAg) and HIV I/II antigens. We obtained demographic and risk factor data on HBV and HIV transmission using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a prevalence of 3.96% for HBV/HIV co-infection in pregnant women. Bivariate analysis indicated a history of blood transfusion, oral or anal sex, and multiple sexual partners may be associated with an increased likelihood of HBV/HIV co-infection in pregnant women. After adjusting for other variables in multivariate analysis, none of these risk factors were significant at the 5% level. In contrast, formal education was a potential preventive factor in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides valuable information on the disease burden of HBV/HIV co-infection in pregnant women in Osun State, Nigeria, highlighting the importance of routine screening for HBV and HIV during antenatal care and emphasizing the importance of implementing preventive measures to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with HBV/HIV co-infection.

The Prevalence of Undiagnosed Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi in Healthy School-Aged Children in Osun State, Nigeria.

Typhoid fever remains a significant public health concern due to cases of mis-/overdiagnosis. Asymptomatic carriers play a role in the transmission and persistence of typhoid fever, especially among children, where limited data exist in Nigeria and other endemic countries. We aim to elucidate the burden of typhoid fever among healthy school-aged children using the best surveillance tool(s). In a semi-urban/urban state (Osun), 120 healthy school-aged children under 15 years were enrolled. Whole blood and fecal samples were obtained from consenting children. ELISA targeting the antigen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and anti-LPS antibodies of Salmonella Typhi, culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were used to analyze the samples. At least one of the immunological markers was detected in 65.8% of children, with 40.8%, 37.5%, and 39% of children testing positive for IgM, IgG, and antigen, respectively. Culture, PCR, and NGS assays did not detect the presence of Salmonella Typhi in the isolates. This study demonstrates a high seroprevalence of Salmonella Typhi in these healthy children but no carriage, indicating the inability to sustain transmission. We also demonstrate that using a single technique is insufficient for typhoid fever surveillance in healthy children living in endemic areas.

Welcome to the next generation of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests: Comparative Analysis of NxTek Eliminate Malaria P.f, Biocredit Malaria Ag Pf, and SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf for Plasmodium falciparum Diagnosis in Ghana.

Background: Accurate diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial in combating malaria. Methods: We evaluated the diagnostic performance of three Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) in diagnosing febrile patients, namely: Abbott NxTek Eliminate Malaria Ag Pf (detecting HRP2), Rapigen Biocredit Malaria Ag Pf (detecting HRP2 and LDH on separate bands), and SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf (detecting HRP2). Results were compared to qPCR. Results: Among 449 clinical patients, 45.7% (205/449) tested positive by qPCR for P. falciparum with a mean parasite density of 12.5parasites/µL. The sensitivity of the Biocredit RDT was 52.2% (107/205), NxTek RDT was 49.3% (101/205), and Bioline RDT was 40.5% (83/205). When samples with parasite densities lower than 20 parasites/uL were excluded (n=116), a sensitivity of 88.8% (79/89, NxTek), 89.9% (80/89, Biocredit), and 78.7% (70/89, Bioline) was obtained. All three RDTs demonstrated specificity above 95%. The limits of detection was 84 parasites/µL (NxTek), 56 parasites/µL (Biocredit, considering either HRP2 or LDH), and 331 parasites/µL (Bioline). None of the three qPCR-confirmed P. falciparum positive samples, identified solely through the LDH target, carried hrp2/3 deletions. Conclusion: The Biocredit and NxTek RDTs demonstrated comparable diagnostic efficacies and both RDTs performed better than Bioline RDT.

Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeria.

Identifying the dissemination patterns and impacts of a virus of economic or health importance during a pandemic is crucial, as it informs the public on policies for containment in order to reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we integrated genomic and travel data to investigate the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.318 and B.1.525 (Eta) variants of interest in Nigeria and the wider Africa region. By integrating travel data and phylogeographic reconstructions, we find that these two variants that arose during the second wave in Nigeria emerged from within Africa, with the B.1.525 from Nigeria, and then spread to other parts of the world. Data from this study show how regional connectivity of Nigeria drove the spread of these variants of interest to surrounding countries and those connected by air-traffic. Our findings demonstrate the power of genomic analysis when combined with mobility and epidemiological data to identify the drivers of transmission, as bidirectional transmission within and between African nations are grossly underestimated as seen in our import risk index estimates.

The Predominant Lactic Acid Microorganisms and Proximate Composition of Spontaneously Fermented Gari and Fufu, Cassava Food Products

Aim: The present study is focused on determining if there are differences in the types of organisms responsible for spontaneous fermentation in two types of cassava food products, namely, fufu and gari, while also ensuring that the expected organoleptic properties associated with the fermentation process from this study location is reproducible. Study Design: A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications was adopted and used to test for significant differences between the two cassava products. Place and Duration of Study: The roots of two cassava varieties namely, TMS 97/0211 (white pulp) and TMS 97/2205 (yellow pulp) were obtained from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, and were processed at Ede, Nigeria between March and May 2016. Methodology: Using standardized spontaneous fermentation methods, the two varieties of cassava, were sampled eight hourly over a period of 5 days, for lactic acid bacteria and fungi. Samples were incubated anaerobically, representative microbial populations were enumerated and identified using standard microbiological protocols. Proximate analysis and sensory evaluations were conducted. Results: The results showed that the predominant lactic acid bacterial organisms were Lactobacillus brevisand L plantarum. On the other hand, the representative lactic acid fungal isolates were identified as Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus fumigatus and Saccharomyces spp. Investigation of succession organisms revealed differences between the dry cassava finished product, gari and the wet finished product, fufu. The fungal organisms were the predominant starter organisms found in gari, while, the predominant starter organisms found in fufu were the bacterial types. Conclusion: The present results show that in spite of the spontaneity of the fermentation process, the yellow cassava variety supports the growth and reproduction of similar fermentation organisms as the white variety. Furthermore, the prevailing microenvironment in the fermentation set up, that is, wet or dry is the most important factor in determining the predominating organisms in the fermentation process and the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the final product. Results from this study show that it is possible to reproduce the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics peculiar to this test location using the isolated lactic acid microorganisms.