Search

Background: Evidence has shown neurocognitive problems often exist among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children. There are limited data for children in Nigeria., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 100 school-aged perinatally HIV-infected children seen in the paediatric HIV clinic and age/sex-matched controls from the general paediatric clinic. Neuro-cognitive functioning was assessed using the Raven's progressive matrices (RPM) that has been adapted for the Nigerian population., Results: The mean RPM score of subjects was 22.97 ± 11.35 compared with 32.93 ± 15.71 among controls (p < 0.001). Twenty-two percent of subjects in the HIV-infected group vs. 56% of controls were in the above-average intelligence group on the RPM. Thirty-four percent had average scores, while 22% were in the below-average scoring range. Neuro-cognitive functioning of the subjects was significantly affected by immunologic staging and socio-economic status., Conclusions: Neurocognitive functioning of the HIV-infected children was significantly lower than those of their un-infected counterparts. Neurodevelopmental evaluation should be part of standard care in HIV-infected children in Nigerian setting., (© The Author [2017]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Discharging middle ear continues to be one of the commonest problems seen in the developing world. There is an ever growing need to carry out studies periodically to determine the common bacterial agents responsible for discharging otitis media and their antibiotic sensitivity especially in set-ups characterized with minimal laboratory services. The study sought to determine the common bacterial agents causing discharging middle ear among children presenting at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu and their sensitivity to the commonly available antibiotics., Methods: Middle ear swabs were collected from 100 children aged 1 month to 17 years at the Children Out-Patient and Otorhinolaryngology Clinics of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. The specimens were cultured for aerobic bacterial organisms and their sensitivity determined., Results: Among those with acute discharge, Staphylococcal aureus was isolated in 31.3% and Proteus species in 25.0%. In chronically discharging ears, Proteus Species dominated (39.1%), followed by Staphylococcal aureus (28.3%)., Conclusion: Staphylococcal aureus and Proteus species were the commonest bacterial agents in acute and chronic otitis media respectively. Most isolates showed high sensitivity to the fluoroquinolone antibiotics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Background: Intestinal helminthiasis is associated with malnutrition in children., Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the intensity and effect of the common intestinal helminths on the nutritional status of children in Enugu, Nigeria., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 460 children conducted in Enugu metropolis, south-east Nigeria between August and September 2003. Their stools were analyzed at the research laboratory of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Arbovirus and Vector Research Center, Enugu. The intensity of the common intestinal helminths was determined using the standard Kato-Katz method of fresh stool samples. The classification intensity of helminthic infestation was according to the World Health Organization classification. Data were analyzed using Statistical Software for Social Sciences version 11.0 (Chicago IL, USA). P < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant., Results: 452 of 460 children (98.3%) had normal height for age, weight for age and weight for height Z-scores. Six of the 460 children (1.3% were wasted), 1/460 stunted (0.2%) and 1/460 wasted and stunted (0.2%). 150 out of 460 (32.6%) studied were infected with helminths. There was no significant relationship between the intensity of helminth infection and the nutritional status of the children., Conclusion: Although the prevalence of helminthiasis in children in Enugu was high, intensity of helminthiasis in these children was mainly mild. Hence, majority of them had normal weight and height measurements for age and sex.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are major public health challenges in the developing world especially sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis C virus infection among children infected with HIV., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Paediatric HIV Clinic, UNTH, Enugu between July and December 2009. Antibodies to HCV were analyzed by newer generation rapid chromatographic immunoassay method using the Chromatest one step HCV test kit. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15 statistical software. The chi squared test was used to test for significant association of categorical variables. A p-value of <0.05 was accepted as significant., Results: One hundred and eighteen children HIV-infected children, aged between eighteen months to fifteen years were included in the data analysis. Eight of the HIV infected subjects were positive for HCV, giving an HIV-HCV co-infection prevalence of 6.8%. Co-infection was more prevalent among males and in those in age group 11-15 years. Blood transfusion, irrespective of frequency (p<0.015), and injections for immunization (p<0.049) were the significant risk factors noted., Conclusion: There is need for strengthening of existing preventive strategies against HCV and HIV infections such as screening of donor blood and safe injection practices in our locality.

Background: Intestinal helminthiasis is common in our environment and antihelminthic drugs are specie specific. Thus, need to identify and characterize the species cannot be overemphasized., Objective: To determine the prevalence of Ascaris Lumbricoides in Enugu Metropolis., Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 361 subjects in Enugu metropolis was carried out in this study. A single stool sample was collected for examination from the subjects, using appropriately labelled clean specimen containers. The prevalence of Ascaris Lumbricodes was determined using the kato-katz method. Data was obtained using questionnaires which were administered by the researchers to mothers and extended family members living in the same household., Results: Out of the 361 single stool samples collected, from the subjects (made up of 154 samples from mothers, 156 samples from children, and 51 samples from extended family members), 69 subjects (made up of 30 mothers, 27 children and 12 extended family members) were infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, giving an overall prevalence of 19.1%. Prevalence among the mothers, children and extended family members were 19.5%, 17.3% and 23.5% respectively., Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of intestinal Ascaris lumbricoides among subjects living in Enugu metropolis. Attention should be given by the government to periodically carry out mass deworming exercise among households involving mothers, children and extended family members and indeed the whole members of each household.

Unlabelled: The objective of this study was to determine some common behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis in nursery and primary school children in Enugu., Design: A cross-sectional survey on 460 children attending nursery and primary schools in Enugu was carried out in 2003 with a view to determine some behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis., Setting: This study was carried out in the research laboratory of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Arbovirus and Vector Research Centre, Enugu., Method: Intestinal helminthiasis was diagnosed using the kato-katz method in analysing fresh stool samples collected from nursery and primary school children in Enugu. These fresh stool samples were collected into appropriately labeled clean containers. Questionnaires were administered by the researchers to obtain data from the children and their parents or guardians as regards some behavioural risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis., Results: The results from this study showed that the prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis was significantly affected by various behavioural risk factors. The rate of helminthic infection varied significantly with hand washing habits after defeacation (chi2 = 75.77; df= 2; p = 0.001) and with different habits of washing fruits before eating (chi2 = 52.79; df=2; p = 0.001) among the pupils. Also, the rate ofhelminthic infection varied significantly with the source of drinking water (chi2 = 55.12; df = 3; p = 0.01), water boiling habits (chi2 = 40.89; df = 2; p = 0.001), use of footwear after school hours (chi2 = 30.72; df = 2; p = 0.001). Sites utilized for defeacation by the pupils (chi2 = 80.25; df=3; p = 0.001) also significantly influenced the rate ofhelminthic infection., Conclusion: Various behavioural factors which significantly affect the rate of helminthic infection abound in children living in Enugu. The government should give attention to the control of these behavioural risk factors. A lot of health education will be needed to curb the poor personal hygienic habits which are obvious risk factors for intestinal helminthiasis.

Background: Hepatitis B virus) infection is contracted through contact with body fluid of infected persons. Patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), a common haematological disorder in Nigeria, have tendencies to visit traditional healers who administer scarifications and ritual marks that may expose them to HBV infection., Objective: To determine the demographic and socio-cultural characteristics of children with SCA infected with HBV at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu., Subjects and Method: Two hundred and twenty one children aged 6 months to 17 years with SCA were recruited consecutively from October 2004 to April 2005. They were screened for HBsAg using ELISA method., Results: There was no statistically difference in hepatitis B surface antigenaemia among different age group (P = 0.907). Social class did not significantly influence the prevalence of HBsAg among subjects (p = 0.887). Socio-cultural practices like circumcision and scarification did not influence the prevalence of HBsAg, (p = 0.636) (p = 0.771) respectively. Significantly higher number of people from lowest socioeconomic class practice scarification (p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: Demographic and sociocultural factors do not appear to influence the prevalence of HBsAg among children with SCA in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: The hepatitis C Virus (HCV) has become an important cause of chronic liver disease and liver cancer worldwide. Blood transfusion is one of the important modes of transmission. There is need to study the prevalence among those at risk such as sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients. Such information will broaden knowledge of the problem among SCA patients transfused with blood in this part of the country., Objective: To determine the prevalence of HCV antibodies among children with SCA transfused with blood in Enugu, compared with their non transfused counterparts as well as the roles of blood transfusion and traditional surgery in the prevalence ofHCV infection., Methodology: The study was conducted among 269 children with SCA attending the paediatrics sickle cell clinic at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, with 136 transfused SCA patients as subjects and 133 age and sex matched non-transfused SCA who served as controls., Results: The results showed an HCV antibody prevalence of 6.6% among the transfused and 5.3% among the non-transfused (controls) SCA patients (P = 0.610). There was positive association between number of transfusions and HCV seropositiviy, such that those who had received 4 or more units ofblood had a prevalence rate of more than 50% (P = 0.001). The influence of scarifications on the prevalence of antibodies to HCV (antiHCV) for the non transfused (controls) was statistically significant (P = 0.001)., Conclusion: HCV infection is not uncommon in children with SCA. The prevalence of HCV infection in transfused SCA patients is not significantly higher than their age/sex matched controls.