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Objectives: Drug resistance in tuberculosis (TB) is a very important public health threat that should not be ignored. Understanding the gender, age, and characteristics of individuals affected by TB (without HIV, diabetes, or hepatitis B complications), particularly in terms of drug resistance or susceptibility, is crucial for effective prevention and management strategies, as most studies focus on TB/HIV co-infection. Methods: A cross-sectional case study of age and gender was carried out in 140 individuals grouped into drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB), and apparently healthy controls (AHCs). Data collection was through medical records and a structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses compared age, gender, and selected risk factors across the groups. Results: The mean age of the DR-TB group was 32 years (SD ≈ 2). A total of 80.0% were ≤40 years of age and four times more likely to have DR-TB; 55% were male, with 1.22 times more likelihood of DR-TB in males. The mean age of the DS-TB group was 34 years (SD ≈ 12); 66.7% were ≤40 years old. The odds ratio of DS-TB in males was 2.16. Only 10% of DR-TB enrolees had BCG scars compared with 65% AHCs. A high percentage of the DR-TB group reported handling raw meat (75%) and drinking unpasteurised milk (70%) compared with the DS-TB group. Conclusions: The observed gender disparities and age-related factors, particularly among the DR-TB group, highlight the importance of considering age and gender factors in DR-TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Our findings also highlight the need to bridge gaps in awareness as well as for the prevention of zoonotic TB and issues around effective BCG vaccination and coverage.

Cryptosporidiosis is a neglected tropical zoonotic disease, commonly associated with a diarrhoea, caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Cryptosporidium. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in faeces, milk, and water sources, and its associated risk factors in sedentary Fulani herds. Seven hundred and fifty faecal samples (240, 180, 240 and 90 from cattle, sheep, goats and dogs, respectively), and 120 samples each, of milk and water were collected for this study. Faecal samples were concentrated by formol ether concentration technique, then stained using Modified Ziehl Neelsen staining method, to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts. Cryptosporidium oocysts in milk and water samples were also concentrated and stained with same stain. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in (cattle, dog, sheep and goat faeces were 18.3 %, 15.6 %, 13.9 % and 4.2 %, respectively.), Significantly higher prevalence was observed in calves ≤ 1 year (P = 0.002), female cattle (P = 0.007) and animals with poor body condition (P < 0.001) than in the other groups. Goats with poor body condition scores had significantly higher prevalence (P = 0.008) than other groups while dogs ≤ 6 months of age also had significantly higher prevalence (P = 0.03) than older dogs. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in bulk cow milk was 11.7 % while a prevalence of 13.3 % was observed in the water bodies sampled. Hence the findings of this study are of great public health significance, therefore, inhabitants of these LGAs should be informed and educated on the need for improvement of sanitary measures during the course of milking these animals, and the need for adequate pasteurization, of milk before consumption.

Hepatic pregnancy, an exceedingly rare subtype of abdominal ectopic pregnancy, remains clinically challenging due to its infrequency, diverse presentations, and diagnostic difficulties. We report the clinical course, diagnostic journey and treatment of a woman with a primary hepatic pregnancy.The patient presented with acute pain in the right hypochondrium and vomiting. Imaging revealed a peripheral hypodense gestational sac within the right hepatic lobe containing a fetus with heart pulsations, as well as peritoneal fluid and pelvic collection. Following administration of mifepristone, the patient underwent a laparotomy, and expelled a developed fetus. Hepatic resection utilizing the Pringle maneuver was performed, and methotrexate was administered postoperatively. The patient had a stable recovery and vital signs and was discharged two days after surgery.This case highlights the diagnostic and management challenges of hepatic pregnancy, and emphasizes the need for heightened clinical suspicion and thorough evaluation. By sharing the experience, we aim to contribute insights to guide the diagnosis and management of similar cases.

IntroductionCancers are a major cause of childhood mortality worldwide especially in LMICs where underdiagnoses and lack of quality cancer data hampers effective cancer control efforts. This study aimed to document and describe the patterns and characteristics of childhood cancers in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.MethodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study that collected cancer data from 4 out of the 6 states in the North East of Nigeria. The data included all malignancies diagnosed in children aged 0-19 years between 2019 and 2022. The age-specific incidence rates were also calculated for the individual 5-year age groups (0–4 years, 5–9 years, 10–14 years, and 15–19 years). The crude incidence rates (CIR) were calculated as the weighted averages of the respective ASRs in each age range within 0-14 years and 0-19 years respectively. The cancers were grouped according to the International Incidence of Childhood Cancers, volume 3 (IICC3).ResultsCancers in people

IntroductionSub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is plagued by myriads of diseases, mostly infectious; but cancer disease burden is rising among non-communicable diseases. Nigeria has a high burden of cancer, however its remote underserved culturally-conserved populations have been understudied, a gap this study sought to fill.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional multi-institutional descriptive study of histologically diagnosed cancers over a four-year period (January 2019-December 2022) archived in the Departments of Pathology and Cancer Registries of six tertiary hospitals in the northeast of Nigeria. Data obtained included age at diagnosis, gender, tumor site and available cancer care infrastructure. Population data of the study region and its demographics was obtained from the National Population Commission and used to calculate incident rates for the population studied.ResultsA total of 4,681 incident cancer cases from 2,770 females and 1,911 males were identified. The median age at diagnosis for females was 45 years (range 1–95yrs), and 56 years (range 1–99yrs) for males. Observed age-specific incidence rates (ASR) increased steadily for both genders reaching peaks in the age group 80 years and above with the highest ASR seen among males (321/100,000 persons) compared to females (215.5/100,000 persons). Breast, cervical, prostatic, colorectal and skin cancers were the five most common incident cancers. In females, breast, cervical, skin, ovarian and colorectal cancers were the top five malignancies; while prostate, haematolymphoid, skin, colorectal and urinary bladder cancers predominated in men.ConclusionRemote SSA communities are witnessing rising cancer disease burden. Proactive control programs inclusive of advocacy, vaccination, screening, and improved diagnostics are needed.

Abstract Background Ileoileal knotting is one of the rarest causes of intestinal obstruction. The pathology involves knotting of the ileum around itself, leading to mechanical intestinal obstruction that can rapidly evolve to gangrene. Case presentation Here we will discuss the case of an 18-year-old Oromo girl who presented with sudden onset of severe abdominal pain and signs of generalized peritonitis.Ultrasound examination showed massive peritoneal and cul-de-sac fluid. Explorative laparotomy was done, with a tentative diagnosis of ruptured ovarian cyst. Intraoperative finding was a gangrenous ileoileal knot. The gangrenous segment was resected and ileotransverse anastomosis done. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged improved on the sixth postoperative day. Conclusion We present this case to highlight the diagnostic difficulty that one can face in females of child-bearing age and to create awareness of this rare cause of intestinal obstruction, as morbidity and mortality are very high because of rapid progression to gangrene.

Abstract Introduction Solitary fibrous tumors are tumors of mesenchymal origin that occur in the extremities and occasionally in pleura, meninges, and so on, but are extremely rare in the adrenal gland. Their biological behavior is variable but mostly benign. Case presentation A 13-year-old Oromo girl presented with a progressively increasing right upper abdominal mass of 3 years’ duration. She had dull dragging pain and an occasional low-grade fever. On examination she had 20 × 20 cm mass with well-defined medial and inferior border. Both ultrasound and computed tomography scan showed a highly vascularized mass arising from her right adrenal gland but she had neither the constitutional symptoms of a functional adrenal tumor nor an abnormal biochemical test. Surgical resection showed a vascularized mass with attachments to the right lobe of the liver with a weight of 1900 g. It was found to be a giant solitary fibrous tumor of her right adrenal gland with infrequent mitosis. She stayed for 5 days after surgery and was discharged. She showed remarkable recovery at follow-up at 3 months. Conclusion Although very rare, solitary fibrous tumor of the adrenal gland should be considered in differential diagnosis of adrenal masses.

BackgroundDengue Fever (DF) is a viral disease primarily transmitted by Aedes (Ae.) aegypti mosquitoes. Outbreaks in Eastern Ethiopia were reported during 2014-2016. In May 2017, we investigated the first suspected DF outbreak from Kabridahar Town, Somali region (Eastern Ethiopia) to describe its magnitude, assess risk factors, and implement control measures.MethodsSuspected DF cases were defined as acute febrile illness plus ≥2 symptoms (headache, fever, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, or hemorrhage) in Kabridahar District residents. All reported cases were identified through medical record review and active searches. Severe dengue was defined as DF with severe organ impairment, severe hemorrhage, or severe plasma leakage. We conducted a neighborhood-matched case-control study using a subset of suspected cases and conveniently-selected asymptomatic community controls and interviewed participants to collect demographic and risk factor data. We tested sera by RT-PCR to detect dengue virus (DENV) and identify serotypes. Entomologists conducted mosquito surveys at community households to identify species and estimate larval density using the house index (HI), container index (CI) and Breteau index (BI), with BI≥20 indicating high density.ResultsWe identified 101 total cases from May 12-31, 2017, including five with severe dengue (one death). The attack rate (AR) was 17/10,000. Of 21 tested samples, 15 (72%) were DENV serotype 2 (DENV 2). In the case-control study with 50 cases and 100 controls, a lack of formal education (AOR [Adjusted Odds Ratio] = 4.2, 95% CI [Confidence Interval] 1.6-11.2) and open water containers near the home (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.2-7.5) were risk factors, while long-lasting insecticide treated-net (LLITN) usage (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.79) was protective. HI and BI were 66/136 (49%) and 147 per 100 homes (147%) respectively, with 151/167 (90%) adult mosquitoes identified as Ae. aegypti.ConclusionThe epidemiologic, entomologic, and laboratory investigation confirmed a DF outbreak. Mosquito indices were far above safe thresholds, indicating inadequate vector control. We recommended improved vector surveillance and control programs, including best practices in preserving water and disposal of open containers to reduce Aedes mosquito density.

Introduction. T-helper cells (Th)-1& -2 cytokines homeostasis control orpredict clinical outcome of infected persons, especially those with HIV /AIDS. This case-control study evaluated the leucocytes differentials, TNF-alpha, interleukin (IL)-2 and -10 levels among HIV infected persons with serological evidence of leishmaniasis attending University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Material and Methods. Blood samples from 28 HIV infected persons who had Leishmania donovani rK39 and IgG positive (group 1), 30 age- & -sex matched HIV infected persons without Leishmania antibodies (group 2) and 30 apparently healthy persons without HIV and Leishmania antibodies (group 3). Full blood counts, TNF alpha, IL-2 and -10 levels were analyzed using automated hematology analyzer and ELISA, respectively. Structured questionnaires were used to collate biodata and clinical presentations of participants. Results. Ten (35.7%) participants in group 1 were on ART, 15 (50%) in group 2 were on ART, while group 3 were ART naïve. There were significantly higher values in basophil (4.4 ± 2.5%) and eosinophil counts (12.9 ± 3.8%) in HIV/leishmania coinfected persons (p ˂ 0.005). However, other white cells subpopulation was significantly lower in HIV/leishmania co-infected participants (p ˂ 0.05). There was significantly reduced CD4+ T cell counts ([119 ± 26 versus 348 ± 63 versus 605 ± 116 cells/mm3]), TNF-alpha ([36.82 ± 8.21 versus 64.67 ± 12.54 versus 254.98 ± 65.59 pg/mL]) and IL-2 levels ([142.14 ± 20.91 versus 507.6 ± 84.42 versus 486.62 ± 167.87 pg/mL]) among HIV/Leishmania co-infected participants compared to group 2 and group 3 participants, respectively. However, higher IL-10 level (80.35 ± 14.57 pg/mL) was found in HIV/Leishmania co-infected participants as opposed to the HIV mono-infected (62.2 ± 10.43 pg/mL) and apparently healthy persons (23.97 ± 4.88 pg/mL) (p ˂ 0.001). Conclusion. Eosinophil, basophil counts and serum IL-10 level were high in HIV/Leishmania coinfected persons, demonstrating parasite-induced hypersensitivity and immunosuppression.

Human T-lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a causative agent of tropic spastic paraparesis and adult T-cell leukaemia, Evidence is accumulating that HTLV-1 may be responsible for some degree of subclinical immune suppression that may results in increased rate of HIV. Sixty (60) people living with HIV/AIDS consisting of 20 males and 40 females were recruited in this study. HIV diagnosis was confirmed using Nigerian National Serial Algorithm for HIV test. ELISA technique was used for the detection of HTLV-1 IgG and IgM antibodies, and Cyflow partec was used for CD4 count. The prevalence of HTLV-1 IgG and IgM antibodies among HIV subjects was 15% and 6.6% respectively. Male patients have a percentage prevalence of 4(6.6%) and female 5(8.3%) of IgG antibodies, IgM antibodies prevalence was 2(3.3%) for male and female each respectively. CD4 Counts of the HIV subjects was evaluated which reveals that patients with counts 0-200cells/µl tested negative to HTLV-1 IgG and IgM antibodies. Conclusion: The percentage prevalence recorded in this study shows that HTLV-1 infection is relatively high compared to the previous studies even though limited information was obtained in relation to HIV/HTLV-1 co-infection in these study area.

Blood for transfusion is not routinely tested for malaria in Nigeria despite the recommendation by World Health Organization (WHO) that all donated blood should be tested for malaria where appropriate and possible and that there should be quality assured testing for transfusion- transmissible infection. A hospital based cross sectional descriptive study was carried out to screen for malaria parasites using microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests among consented blood donors at General Hospital, Hadejia, Jigawa State, Nigeria. Four hundred, 400 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy blood donors (398 Males, 2 Females) who presented with no overt signs and symptoms of malaria and routinely screened free of Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Syphilis, HIV I and II Virus. The samples were screened for malaria parasites using CareStartTm Malaria HRP2 One Step Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and Microscopy, and blood group determined using ABO blood grouping system. Out of the 400 samples screened 107 (26.7%) were found to be positive using Microscopy with a density of +++ trophozoite in 1 (0.2%) blood donor, ++ in 2 (0.5%) blood donors, and + in 104 (26%) blood donors with an overall prevalence of 26.7%. Fourteen (3.5%) blood donors were positive by RDT with 3 false positive RDT. High positivity rate was found among blood donors with blood group O+ (48.1%), majority were farmers and from the age group 18 – 25 years with the highest prevalent rate of 46.2% and 39.3% respectively. The most preventive measures taken were the use of insecticide treated bed-nets. Most of the blood donors (49.8%) have primary level of education (western). Blood film was found to be highly sensitive than RDT with a positivity rate of 26.7% and 3.5% respectively. These were however statistically significantly different (P

Abstract Background Physical mapping of transgenic insertions by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) is a reliable and cost-effective technique. Chromosomal assignment is commonly achieved either by concurrent G-banding or by a multi-color FISH approach consisting of iteratively co-hybridizing the transgenic sequence of interest with one or more chromosome-specific probes at a time, until the location of the transgenic insertion is identified. Results Here we report a technical development for fast chromosomal assignment of transgenic insertions at the single cell level in mouse and rat models. This comprises a simplified 'single denaturation mixed hybridization' procedure that combines multi-color karyotyping by Multiplex FISH (M-FISH), for simultaneous and unambiguous identification of all chromosomes at once, and the use of a Quantum Dot (QD) conjugate for the transgene detection. Conclusions Although the exploitation of the unique optical properties of QD nanocrystals, such as photo-stability and brightness, to improve FISH performance generally has been previously investigated, to our knowledge this is the first report of a purpose-designed molecular cytogenetic protocol in which the combined use of QDs and standard organic fluorophores is specifically tailored to assist gene transfer technology.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to sonographically measure and compare the pronator quadratus muscle thickness (PQMT) in apparently healthy volunteers between two occupational groups and to assess the influence of hand dominance on the PQMT. METHODS: A total of 180 apparently healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. The volunteers were grouped into repetitive (90) and nonrepetitive (90) workgroups. They were scanned with a B-mode ultrasound machine and linear transducer. RESULTS: The mean PQMT was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the repetitive workgroup than in nonrepetitive workgroups. Similarly, a significant difference in mean PQMT was observed between dominant and nondominant hands in the repetitive workgroups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The mean PQMT among repetitive workgroup is significantly higher when compared with nonrepetitive workgroups in the study area.

Background: Sonographic measurement of the median nerve has been proposed as a useful alternative to the electrodiagnostic test in the diagnosis of the carpal tunnel syndrome because of its ability to reveal morphological changes. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of occupation, gender, and hand dominance on the median nerve cross-sectional area (MNCSA). Methodology: One hundred and eighty apparently healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. Hand dominance was ascertained in all volunteers. The device used was Voluson P8 ultrasound system with a 12-MHz transducer, using custom preset for musculoskeletal ultrasound. The Anteroposterior (D1) and transverse (D2) diameters of the median nerve were taken bilaterally at the level of the pisiform bone at the anterior surface of the wrist joint. Using these values, the MNCSA was calculated using the ellipse Formula. Results: The volunteers were divided into repetitive and nonrepetitive groups. The MNCSA was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the repetitive work group than in nonrepetitive work groups. Similarly, a significant difference in mean MNCSA was noted between male and female volunteers in both groups. Again, a significant difference in mean MNCSA was observed in dominant and nondominant hands in the repetitive work group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in mean MNCSA in the nonrepetitive work groups (P < 0.05). Interpretation and Conclusion: A statistically significant difference in MNCSA was detected between repetitive and nonrepetitive work groups, male and female gender as well as in dominant and nondominant hands. Occupation, hand dominance, and gender, therefore, affect the cross-sectional area of the median nerve.