| 1 |
Author(s):
Deveena Maharaj, Niren Ray Maharaj.
Page No : 1-8
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Pharmacological and Therapeutic Challenges
Abstract
Syphilis is a chronic, multistage sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Infection during pregnancy can lead to transplacental spread (congenital syphilis) and may be associated with adverse foetal outcomes, such as early foetal loss (miscarriages), stillbirths, neonatal deaths, low-birth-weight infants, and other sequalae of infection if left untreated or incompletely treated. Rising rates of congenital syphilis emulate general increases in the rate of primary and secondary syphilis among females and remains a global health concern, particularly in lower middle-income countries (LMIC). Treatment with benzathine penicillin G remains the treatment of choice in the absence of alternative suitable antimicrobials. However, in the past few years, treatment with penicillin has been affected by poor availability due to manufacturing challenges, supply chain issues and stock-outs in some settings. In this article, we highlight the pharmacological and therapeutic challenges during pregnancy, and reflect on challenges associated with alternative antimicrobial therapy.
| 2 |
Author(s):
James Tobih, Adeoye Oyewole, Deborah Tobih, Abimbola Olajide, Theophilus Esan.
Page No : 9-23
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The Practice of Patient Education by Attending Physicians in Southwest Nigeria
Abstract
Background: The value of patient education involves an improved understanding of their medical conditions, diagnosis, disease, or disability. However, the challenge of educating patients is multi-faceted, considering the complexity of many diseases, limited health literacy and a limited number of available doctors to tend to the long awaiting patient queue. Objective: This study aimed to assess the practice of patients’ education of their illnesses by the treating physician in different practice settings, specialties, contact, duration of admission, the eventuality of death and post-mortem. Method: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive design conducted among 449 medical doctors. A self-administered semi-structured pretested questionnaire was administered to all cadres of physicians in four health centres selected randomly in the southwest, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using SPSS version 25 and results were presented in descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with the level of significance set at p = < 0.05. Result: The majority (57.0%) of the respondents were within the age range of 25-40. The highest respondent cadres were registrars and medical officers 224 (49.9%). Of the total participants, 140 reported seeing over 40 patients per week. It was observed that 95.9% did explain to the patients the impressions of their symptoms at first contact. However, the percentage of respondents reduced markedly when giving the next appointment, 58.8%. Also, 86.6% always explain the need for hospital admission, 76.4% explained options of surgery while only 28.3% discussed mistakes/complications from the procedures. Conclusion: There were a lot of gaps in the patient’s understanding of their illnesses as imparted by the attending physicians. The gap increases after the first contact both in knowledge and understanding on the part of the patient which may be one of the major factors responsible for poor compliance and cooperation on the part of the patient which ultimately hinders the optimum delivery of effective and efficient health care. This in effect affects the overall health status of the community and society.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Tovi Wahon Marie-Odile, Abo Yao, Minga Kla Albert, Kouakou Koffi.
Page No : 24-34
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Effect of Seven Antiretroviral Combinations on Biochemical Parameters in HIV Positive Patients at the National Blood Transfusion Center of Abidjan
Abstract
In order to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of antiretroviral drugs, a descriptive study was conducted on HIV patients who started antiretroviral therapy (ART). The 321 patients who were the subject of this study were selected from the cohort of HIV-infected patients followed at the Centre Médical de Suivi des Donateurs de Sang (CMSDS) in Abidjan (RCI), in the period from 2005 to 2012. These patients received regularly, according to their condition, seven (7) ARV therapeutic combinations which are AZT-3TC-EFV, AZT-3TC-NVP, AZT-3TC-NFV, AZT-3TC-LOP/RIT, DT4-3TC-EFV, DT4-3TC-NVP, and FTC-TDF-EFV. Biological check-ups performed every six (6) months allowed to follow these patients during 36 months of treatment and biological parameters were measured. The results on transaminases (GOT, GPT) and creatinine do not show toxicity of these different treatments on the hepatic and renal functions.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Adeyemi Maria M., Osilesi Odutola.
Page No : 35-41
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Comparative in Vitro Antioxidant Activities of Methanol Extracts OF Phragmanthera incana Leaves from Guava, Cashew, Mango and Kolanut Trees
Abstract
The therapeutic effects of several plants used in traditional medicine are usually attributed to their antioxidant potential. Phragmanthera incana belonging to the family Loranthaceae is a species of mistletoe commonly found in South-Western part of Nigeria and used ethno-medicinally in the management of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and oxidative stress. This study evaluates and compare the antioxidant potential of methanol extracts of P. incana leaves hemi-parasitic on Guava, Cashew, Mango and Kolanut trees using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC). P. incana leaves from kolanut exhibited a higher DPPH scavenging activity and reduces ferric ion to ferrous ion in a concentration dependent manner when compared with other test extracts while P. incana leaves from guava demonstrated the highest TAC when compared with other test extracts. The antioxidant profile shown by DPPH scavenging activity, FRAP, and TAC of the methanol extracts of P. incana leaves from the selected host trees in a dose dependent manner indicate that the extracts are rich source of antioxidants and can possibly potentiate the antioxidant potential in vivo and could serve as sources of antioxidants for nutritional and therapeutic purposes.
| 5 |
Author(s):
Djoudi Mustapha, Belagoun Khaled , Yahimi Abdelkrim.
Page No : 42-52
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Study of Estrus Induction in the Female Dog by PMSG and HCG
Abstract
Our study, spread over four (4) months (February to June), aims at heat induction and monitoring within a population of 10 female dogs of different breeds (German shepherd, Rottweiler and Pit-bull). Aged from 2.5 to 4.5. Two of them were used as controls. To do this, we carried out the following investigations: Monitoring the sexual cycle of the female dogs, prior to heat induction, by gynecological and cytological examination (vaginal smears) to confirm the sexual rest phase (anestrus); hormonal induction of heat by PMCG and hCG; monitoring the induced heat by the vaginal smear method (Giemsa stain); and a breeding of female dogs in estrus confirmation of the pregnancy of the mated female dogs (palpation and ultrasound) by comparing the vaginal smears of the treated female dogs with those of the control female dogs. At the end of our study, the results obtained were encouraging, since we succeeded in obtaining the appearance of heat in 60% of the treated female dogs.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Emmanuel Isa Bigwan, Saleh A. Ado, Helen I. Inabo.
Page No : 53-62
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Seroprevalence and Sociodemographic Characteristics for Hepatitis C Infection in North Central Nigeria
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus infection is a concern for global health because it increases the risk of hepatocellular cancer, liver fibrosis, and mortality from liver disease. No safeguarding vaccination is yet accessible. The study's objectives were to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and the seroprevalence of the hepatitis C virus in the study area. A cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting blood samples from 1511 participants which were analysed for anti-HCV using a third-generation ELISA Kit. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. An overall 5.2% of the 1511 samples analysed were seropositive. Males had a seroprevalence of 7.1%, whereas females had a seroprevalence of 3.9% (p=0.01). The lowest seroprevalence was among the divorced and widowed, who had no detectable anti-HCV (p=0.007). Singles had the highest seroprevalence at 7.1%. Seroprevalence was highest (5.9%) among those with tertiary education and lowest (2.7%; p=0.461) among those with primary education. The highest seroprevalence was 6.9% among unemployed people, whereas the lowest was 3.4% among farmers (p=0.414). The highest seroprevalence was seen in monogamists (6.1%), with polygamists having none (p = 0.05). The seroprevalence was highest in non-alcoholics at 5.5% and lowest in alcoholics at 4.1% (p=0.407). Smokers had the lowest seroprevalence, at 3.2%, whereas non-smokers had the highest, at 5.3% (p=0.462). It is imperative to act quickly to prevent liver disease morbidity and mortality given the seroprevalence of 5.2% of HCV, which is of considerable public health concern.
| 7 |
Author(s):
Yasir Abdulhadi Muhammad, Muhammad Yusha’u, Aliyu Sani Ado, Haruna Haladu Babaji, Adamu Ibrahim, Sadiq Usman Yakubu.
Page No : 63-75
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Evaluation of Plasmid Mediated Drugs Resistance among Wound Bacterial Infection Obtained from Patients Attending some Hospitals in Kano State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the plasmid mediated drugs resistance among wound bacteria isolates obtained from (352 swabs specimens) patients attending some hospitals in Kano State (National Orthopaedic Hospital Dala, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Infectious Diseases Hospital, Bichi General Hospital and Wudil General Hospital). Swab specimens were obtained aseptically using the randomized sampling method and cultured on Blood and MacConkey agar media and incubated aerobically and anaerobically for 24 hours. Result showed that two hundred and twelve (212, 60.23%) out of 352 harbors some bacteria, which consist of six different species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptocoocus pyogenes) as isolated from wound swabs specimens. S. aureus (39%) and S. pyogenes (7%) showed the highest and the lowest prevalences respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique on Mueller-Hinton agar, where 140 (66%) isolates were susceptible while 72 (34%) isolates were resistant. Bacteria isolates exhibited the highest resistance to Cefixime, Azithromycin and Erythromycin and least resistance to Ciprofloxacin (most effective/active) among the antibiotics used. The resistant isolates were subjected to curing experiment. Plasmid detection and isolation showed that out of 72 resistant isolates, 49 contain plasmids which accounts for 68%. After plasmid curing and second sensitivity test, 38 (78%) isolates that were initially resistant becomesusceptible to the same antibiotics used. Hence, post plasmid-curing sensitivity test revealed increased susceptibility pattern of isolates to the previously used antibiotics. This indicates that plasmid-borne multidrug resistant gene had been denatured by the sodium dodecyl sulfate used as the curing agent. Therefore, this study justifies the need to encourage infection control, and proper treatment to prevent the spread and re-emergence of plasmid-mediated drugs resistant bacteria.
| 8 |
Author(s):
A. Anou, H. Bendib, N. Smail.
Page No : 76-84
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Immediate Results of Small Bowel Crohn’s Disease Surgery
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the progress made in the medical management of Crohn's disease (CD), a vast number of patients are operated on at least once in their lifetime. Although this is a mild disease that occurs mainly in young patients with little comorbidity, CD surgery is accompanied by significant postoperative morbidity (PO). This study aims to analyse the PO complications of the small intestine's CD and look for the risk factors for its occurrence. Patients and methods: this is a single-centre prospective study that collected 83 files of patients operated on for CD of the small intestine for 28 months (May 2017 - September 2019). All patients had histologic confirmation of CD. Isolated anoperineal and colorectal forms were excluded from this work. PO morbidity is defined by all complications occurring during the first 30 days of PO. A statistical analysis of PO morbidity was performed as a function of 12 parameters: age; sex; comorbidity; history of abdominal surgery; history of surgery for CD; haemoglobin level (Hb at 10 mg/dl); albumin level ( at 34g / l); BMI ( at 19); ASA score; mode of surgery (cold vs emergency); intra-abdominal abscess; operative procedure (resection-anastomosis vs resection-stoma). Statistical analysis was performed first univariate and then multivariate (SPSS 16 software). Results: These were 56 women and 27 men, with a sex ratio of 2. The mean age of the patients was 35 years (13-65). The overall PO morbidity rate was 26%; this morbidity was surgical in 86%, septic in 89.5% and intra-abdominal septic in 50% of cases. Complications were major (CMPO) in 39.5% of cases. The mode of emergency surgery was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of complications (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Small intestine CD surgery is associated with very high PO morbidity. The mode of emergency surgery is an independent risk factor for the onset of PO complications. Patients who require surgery should be operated on as elective or scheduled surgery. The indications for emergency surgery for CD are sporadic.
