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Background The globally synchronized switch from trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (tOPV) to bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) took place in Nigeria on April 18th 2016. The country is divided into six geopolitical zones. This study reports the experiences and lessons learned from the switch process in the six states that make up Nigeria’s south-south geopolitical zone. Methods This was a descriptive retrospective review of Nigeria’s switch plan and structures used for implementing the tOPV-bOPV switch in the south-south zone. Nigeria’s National Polio Emergency Operation Centre (NPEOC) protocols, global guidelines and reports from switch supervisors during the switch were used to provide background information for this study. Quantitative data were derived from reviewing switch monitoring and validation documents as submitted to the NPEOC Results The switch process took place in all 3078 Health Facilities (HFs) and 123 Local Government Areas (LGAs) that make up the six states in the zone. A total of $139,430 was used for this process. The ‘healthcare personnel’ component received the highest budgetary allocation (59%) followed by the ‘logistics’ component (18%). Akwa Ibom state was allocated the highest number of healthcare personnel and hence received the most budgetary allocation compared to the six states (total healthcare personnel = 458, total budgetary allocation = $17,428). Validation of the switch process revealed that eight HFs in Bayelsa, Cross-River, Edo and Rivers states still possessed tOPV in cold-chain while six HFs in Cross-River and Rivers states had tOPV out of cold-chain but without the ‘do not use’ sticker. Akwa-Ibom was the only state in the zone to have bOPV and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) available in all its HFs monitored. Conclusion The Nigerian tOPV-bOPV switch was successful. For future Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) withdrawals, implementation of the switch plan would be more feasible with an earlier dissemination of funds from global donor organizations, which would greatly aid timely planning and preparations. Increased budgetary allocation to the ‘logistics’ component to accommodate unexpected hikes in transportation prices and the general inefficiencies with power supply in the country is also advised.

Introduction: The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Nigeria began when an infected diplomat from Liberia arrived in Lagos, the most populous city in Africa, with subsequent transmission to another large city. Methods: First-, second-, and third-generation contacts were traced, monitored, and classified. Symptomatic contacts were managed at Ebola treatment centers as suspected, probable, and confirmed EVD cases using standard operating procedures adapted from the World Health Organization EVD guidelines. Reverse transcription PCR tests confirmed EVD. Socio-demographic, clinical, hospitalization, and outcome data of the July–September 2014 Nigeria EVD cohort were analyzed. Results: The median age of the 20 EVD cases was 33 years (interquartile range 26–62 years). More females (55%), health workers (65%), and persons

Homozygous, sickle-cell disease (SCD) is responsible for acute complication, especially anaemic crisis and special situation such as acute chest syndrome, stroke and acute priapism. Pregnancy sickle-cell disease presents high risk for the mother and the fetus. In these indications, blood transfusion is the main therapy aiming to reduce anaemia in order to restore hemoglobin's rate or to increase normal Hb proportion. This study aims to assess the short-term efficiency of the red cell transfusion in SCD homozygous form. One hundred and twelve homozygous sickle-cell patients were enrolled in this prospective study: 59 females and 53 males, median age is 21,8 years (extremes: 2 and 45 years). These patients are mostly with very low income. Two groups of patients are included in this study. In the first group, patients present acute anemia crisis caused by infections disease (malaria, bacterial infections). In the second group (20 cases), SCD patients have particularly situations: pregnancy (10 cases); stroke (six cases); cardiac failure (two cases) and priapism (two cases). Transfusion treatment in first group is simple regimen. Transfusion of EC increased median Hb level at 2,9 g/dl (extremes: 1,1 and 4,7). In the second group of patients, 16 cases were transfused by manual partial exchange (1-3) and four patients received simple regimen of transfusion. Median Hb level was 3,1g/dl (extremes: 2,4-4,9 g/dl). HbS percentage reduction was after PTE between -30 and -66,8% (median: -52,6%). According to our diagnostic possibilities (blood serologic test), we have not found any contamination by HIV, HBV and HCV (virus).

Constitutive hemorrhagic diseases that affect primary haemostasis are reportedly rare in sub-Saharan Africa.This study arrived to report within a Congolese family five cases of Glanzmann's thromboasthenia.5 cases of the congenital form of Glanzmann's thromboasthenia were depicted in a Congolese family. The disease was first discovered with a young student who was transferred in France, who had shown a tendency to develop hemorrhages since childhood. This tendency was enhanced following abdominal surgery to treat peritonitis. Like the other 3 cases, she had a prolonged bleeding time, albeit with normal von Willebrand factor plasma values. A 7 year old girl died following appendectomy from post-surgery hemorrhages. In this young patient, platelet aggregation could be induced only by ristocetine, all other conventional agonists failed. Flow cytometric analysis showed the total absence of GPIIbIIIa. The hemorrhages in the girls could be managed by cyclic administration of oestrogens and iron supplementation. Serologic analysis showed this patient to be positive for hepatitis C virus antibodies.This first description of Glanzmann's thrombo-asthenia in Blacks in sub-Saharan Africa shows the necessity of establish inter-hospital cooperation for the improvement of the management of constitutive hemorrhagic diseases in the Hematology wards.

Homozygous, sickle-cell disease (SCD) is responsible for acute complication, especially anaemic crisis and special situation such as acute chest syndrome, stroke and acute priapism. Pregnancy sickle-cell disease presents high risk for the mother and the fetus. In these indications, blood transfusion is the main therapy aiming to reduce anaemia in order to restore hemoglobin's rate or to increase normal Hb proportion. This study aims to assess the short-term efficiency of the red cell transfusion in SCD homozygous form. One hundred and twelve homozygous sickle-cell patients were enrolled in this prospective study: 59 females and 53 males, median age is 21,8 years (extremes: 2 and 45 years). These patients are mostly with very low income. Two groups of patients are included in this study. In the first group, patients present acute anemia crisis caused by infections disease (malaria, bacterial infections). In the second group (20 cases), SCD patients have particularly situations: pregnancy (10 cases); stroke (six cases); cardiac failure (two cases) and priapism (two cases). Transfusion treatment in first group is simple regimen. Transfusion of EC increased median Hb level at 2,9 g/dl (extremes: 1,1 and 4,7). In the second group of patients, 16 cases were transfused by manual partial exchange (1-3) and four patients received simple regimen of transfusion. Median Hb level was 3,1g/dl (extremes: 2,4-4,9 g/dl). HbS percentage reduction was after PTE between -30 and -66,8% (median: -52,6%). According to our diagnostic possibilities (blood serologic test), we have not found any contamination by HIV, HBV and HCV (virus).

The authors report a peculiar form of Hodgkin's disease that is associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. A 16-year-old patient was admitted for an autoimmune haemolytic anaemia associated with IgG auto-immune antibodies, linked to general clinical complications, cervical adenopathies and splenomegalia. The patient underwent hemicavectomy that was not histologically investigated. The ganglionar exeresis helped to establish the histological diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease, classic form with nodular sclerosis. Tumour cells were CD30 CD15 positive and neighbouring lymphoid cells were CD3 and CD20 positive. In situ hybridation allowed the detection of Epstein-Barr virus in tumour cells. Under ABVD chemotherapy supplemented with acyclovir and initial corticotherapy, mid-treatment evolution appears to be favourable. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that tumour cells are of B cell origin during Hodgkin's disease, together with the involvement of Epstein-Barr virus in lymphomagenesis.