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Context and Aim: Given the challenges of microscopy, we compared its performance with SD-Bioline malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluated the time it took for positive results to become negative after treatment of children with acute uncomplicated malaria. Subjects and Methods: We present the report of 485 participants with complete MRDT, microscopy, and PCR data out of 511 febrile children aged 3-59 months who participated in a cohort study over a 12-month period in rural and urban areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. MRDT-positive children received antimalaria and tested at every visit over 28 days. Speciation was also carried out by PCR. Results: With microscopy as the gold standard, SD-Bioline™ had 95.2% sensitivity, 66.4% specificity, 67.5% positive predictive value (PPV), and 94.9 negative predictive value (NPV), while with PCR the findings were 84.3% sensitivity, 66.5% specificity, 72.7% PPV, and 80.1% NPV. PCR speciation of malaria parasites revealed 91.6% Plasmodium falciparum, 18.9% Plasmodium malariae, and 4.4% Plasmodium ovale. Among the 47 children with P. malariae infections, 66.0% were coinfected with P. falciparum, while 54.6% cases of P. ovale occurred as coinfections with P. falciparum. The median time to a negative MRDT was 23.2 days, while the median time to a negative malaria microscopy was 3.8 days. The two survival curves were significantly different. Conclusions: The SD-BiolineTM MRDT performed well, with remarkable persistence of rapid test-positive for an average of 23 days post treatment. The prevalence of P. malaria is somewhat greater than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Unresolved questions remain concerning the protective effect and duration of immunity acquired from mothers. This study investigated persistence of immunity against tetanus in the first two weeks of life among neonates in Nigeria. METHODS: In a longitudinal study, 244 primiparous mothers and their newborns were consecutively recruited at 16 selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ibadan, Nigeria. All the newborns were tested for protection against tetanus using a validated rapid diagnostic, "Tetanos Quick Sticks" (TQS) on days 1, 7 and 14. Persistent immunity was defined as positive TQS result on day-14. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and logistic regression at p = 0.05. RESULTS: There were 137(56.1%) male neonates; 87.7% were delivered at =37weeks of gestation. The prevalence of protective immunity against tetanus (PIaT) among neonates on day-1 was 63.5%; 119 out of 153 neonates remained positive to TQS test by day-14, giving a persistence rate of 77.8%. Independent predictors of persistent PIaT were residence in urban area (OR = 9.66; 95% CI = 2.42-38.45), maternal age (OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.49-2.85) and gestational age (OR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.23-2.74). CONCLUSION: Protective immunity against tetanus waned in some neonates over the first two weeks of life, and this decline was inversely related to maternal and gestational ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Regular evaluations of communities' understanding of malaria‑related practices are essential for control of the disease in endemic areas. This study was aimed at investigating the perceptions, prevention and treatments practices for childhood malaria by mothers in rural communities. Materials and Methods: We conducted a community‑based cross‑sectional study at rural communities of Ise‑Orun local Government area, Nigeria. We randomly sampled 422 mothers of children less than 5 years and administered a validated questionnaire to assess their perceptions and practices relating to childhood malaria. We used a 10‑point scale to assess perception and classified it as good (≥5) or poor (<5). Predictive factors for poor perceptions were identified using logistic regression. Results: Approximately 51% of the mothers had poor perception and 14.2% ascribed malaria illness to mosquito bite only. Majority (85.8%) of the mothers practiced malaria preventive measures, including: Insecticide treated nets (70.0%), chemoprophylaxis (20.1%) and environmental sanitation (44.8%). Of the 200 mothers whose children had malaria fever within the 3 months prior to the study visits, home treatment was adopted by 87.5%. Local herbal remedies were combined with orthodox medicine in the treatments of malaria for 91.5% of the children. The main reasons for not seeking medical treatment at existing formal health facilities were "high cost", "challenges of access to facilities" and "mothers' preference for herbal remedies". Lack of formal education was the only independent predictor of poor malaria perceptions among mothers (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.18, 3.12). Conclusions: Considerable misconceptions about malaria exist among mothers in the rural communities. The implications for malaria control in holoendemic areas are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]