Schistosoma haematobium and Plasmodium falciparum single and concomitant infections; any association with hematologic abnormalities?
Aim: To assess the association between single infection and co-infection status of the twoparasites with hematologic profiles in school children.Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was carried out on a total of 202 schoolchildren between ages 6-18 years (mean age 11.5 ± 2.6 years). Urine and blood sampleswere collected by standard methods for concurrent microscopic diagnosis of Schistosomahaematobium and Plasmodium falciparum infections respectively. The following hematologicp...
Urinary Bladder Thickness, Tumor Antigen, and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a Low Schistosoma haematobium‑Endemic Rural Community of Nigeria
Objective: Bladder tumor antigen (BTA) is a common biomarker for urothelial carcinoma while bladder wall thickening (BWT) is a sign of urinary bladder irritation which suggests cystitis or early-stage bladder cancer pathology, most especially in the absence of bladder outlet obstruction. The aim of this study was to find the incidence of urinary bladder thickness and evaluate the relationship between BTA and BWTin a low schistosomiasis-endemic Nigerian village. Materials and Methods: The stud...
A pilot biomonitoring study of bladder tumor antigen (BTA) in aflatoxin exposed Nigerian villagers
AbstractObjective: To correlate the levels of bladder tumour antigen (BTA) with aflatoxin M1 (AFM) in a humanpopulation in Nigeria.Subjects and methods: A pilot, observational study was conducted with 22 human subjects randomlyrecruited from a Nigerian rural community. Serum and first morning urine of participants were analysedfor human BTA and AFM1, respectively, using quantitative ELISA assays.Results: All the subjects were positive to AFM1 (mean= 0.235± 0.072 ng/mL) while 19 were positi...
Bioactive Constituents and Antibacterial Screening of Two Nigerian Plant Extracts Against Selected Clinical Bacteria
Abstract Background: The growing desires to combat antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria necessitate the need to search for new antimicrobials agents from other sources such as plants. Objectives: The present study investigated the antibacterial activities and bioactive components of Nymphaea lotus and Spondias mombin against selected clinical bacteriaMaterial and Methods: Extracts of N. lotus and S. mombin were prepared by 72 hours maceration in 70%methanol. The antimicrobial susce...
Vernonia amygdalina: A folkloric herb with anthelminthic properties
Vernonia amygdalina, a widely grown shrub plant in Africa is consumed as vegetable and has high medicinalvalue. It has gained wide application in the treatment and management of various diseases. Theleaves are useful components for herbal medicine constitution. The plant’s activities is a result of diversebioactive compounds isolated from the different parts of the plant. These metabolites have specificallybeen efficacious against parasites especially worms. The mechanisms of activities i...
Plasmodial Infection and Haematological Parameters in Febrile Patients in a Hospital in Oyo Town, South-western Nigeria
A cross-sectional study on Plasmodium infection was conducted among 158 febrile patients (65 malesand 93 females) reporting to Oyo State Hospital, Oyo, South-western Nigeria. Parasitological andhaematological examinations of the blood samples were conducted. An overall infection rate of 29.7%was observed with parasite densities ranging from 96 - 64680 asexual parasites/µL blood. Thepercentages of infected male and female individuals were 27.7 and 31.2%, respectively. The least(12.5%) and the...
Lymphatic Filariasis in Southwestern Nigerian Rural Communities: A Cross-sectional Survey of the Knowledge, Awareness, and Predisposing Factors
AbstractBACKGROUND Nigeria is the second most endemic country in the world for lymphatic filariasis, withcontrol efforts often hampered by poor community awareness and involvement in intervention strategies.OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perception, and psychosocial aspects of some residents in Nigerian rural communities about lymphatic filariasis in order to develop disease control and intervention strategies with active community involvement.METHODS A standar...
Plasmodium Falciparum and Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Nigerian Urban Population
Dear Editor,Infection due to Plasmodium falciparum is a serious public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria endemic foci are often times affected by other infectious agents which may contribute to the clinical episodes of the disease. 1Hepatitis B virus is one of such infectious agents that coexistwith P. falciparum in most endemic areas. Although the accurate infection status due to hepatitis B virus infection is not yet known, an estimated 350 million persons worldwide are chronic c...
MOLECULAR CHARACTERISATION OF BULINUS SNAILS – INTERMEDIATE HOSTS OF SCHISTOSOMES IN OGUN STATE, SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA
Abstract: Freshwater snails of the genus Bulinus O. F. Müller, 1781 are intermediate hosts for schistosomes, trematode parasites which cause schistosomiasis. The genus includes closely related species complexes with restricted gene flow between populations of each taxon. Despite their importance as intermediate hosts, unambiguous identification of these snails remains challenging. We applied molecular approach to their identification to achieve a better understanding of the epidemiology of s...
Food-borne human parasitic pathogens associated with household cockroaches and houseflies in Nigeria
Cockroaches and houseflies pose significant public health threat owning to their ability to mechanically transmit human intestinal parasites and other disease-causing microorganisms. This study aims at assessing the vectoral capacity of cockroaches and houseflies in the transmission of human intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasite external surface contamination of 130 cockroaches and 150 houseflies caught within dwelling places in Ilishan-Remo town, Ogun StateNigeria was determined. Coc...
Efficacy of ethanolic leaf extracts of Carica papaya and Terminalia catappa as molluscicides against the snail intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis
The study evaluated the molluscicidal effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of two Nigerian indigenousmedicinal plants; Terminalia catappa and Carica papaya. Different concentrations 2500, 630, 160, 40 and10 ppm were prepared from the stock solution of the extracts. Adult Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Bulinusglobosus were exposed to these different graded concentrations. Mortalities were observed at intervalsof time. There were strong positive correlations between mortalities observed in snails and...
A Cross-sectional Study on Urogenital Schistosomiasis in Children; Haematuria and Proteinuria as Diagnostic Indicators in an Endemic Rural Area of Nigeria
AbstractBackground: Rapid and accurate diagnosis is necessary for the management of schistosomiasis in endemic areas.Objective: To assess the burden of urogenital schistosomiasis and the diagnostic efficiency of morbidity indicators of the disease in an endemic rural community of Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted. Urine samples of 487 pupils were screened microscopically for S. haematobium and tested for haematuria and proteinuria using chemical r...
West African soft cheese ‘wara’ processed with Calotropis procera and Carica papaya: A comparative assessment of nutritional values
The nutritional contents of Carica papaya and Calotropis procera processed cheeses were evaluated.The following nutrients and elements were assayed; fat, protein, moisture, sugar, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cuand their values were 22.3 and 31.45%, 31.60 and 33.84%, 62.5 and 61.70%, 2.05 and 8.10%, 1.19 and4.14%, 2.80 and 2.35%, 4.8 and 4.7%, 4.6 and 7.3% for C. papaya and C. procera processed cheeses,respectively. The values obtained for fat, protein, sugar, Zn, and Cu were higher in C. proceraprocessed...
A Craniometric Study of Adult Humans Skulls from Southwestern Nigeria
Abstract: The study aims at determining the cranial indices of some skulls recovered from cadavers sourced from Southwestern regions of Nigeria, mainly populated by Yoruba ethnic tribe. The cranial indices of 85 human skulls were determined by measuring the maximum cranial length (mcl) and maximum cranial breadth (mcb) using Goniometre fitted with sliding calliper. The cranial index was determined by finding the percentage of the ratio mcb to mcl x100. The skulls were deemed from adult indivi...
The Jugular Foramen and the Intracranial Volume; Are they Related?
Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the size of a human skull foramen and the intracranial volume (skull capacity). A total number of 91 human skulls were studied to determine the volume of the foramina and the intracranial volume. The volumes of the foramina were determined by using the formula pie r2h (the geometrical formula of a cone-shaped figure) where ‘r’ is the radius of the effluent aperture, ‘h’ the depth of the foramen and B is a constant. The ...
