ABSTRACT
Background: HIV and its complication AIDS was a source of serious public health concern that greeted the end of the 20th century. Being a multi-systemic disease, it was also associated with different forms of ocular morbidities of interest. Purpose: To determine the prevalence, patterns and determinants of HIV related eye diseases in patients attending anti-retroviral clinics in Katsina state, Nigeria.Methods: Two hundred and twenty subjects met the inclusion criteria over a six month period. A questionnaire was administered for socio-demographic data, patients’ history, record review and a detailed ophthalmic examination. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. Parametric and non-parametric assessments were used to assess the relationship of various factors with manifestation of HIV associated eye diseases.Results: Out of 220 respondents, 164 were females. The Male: Female was 1:2.9. The mean age was 28.5 years ± 14.83 SD. About 65.5% of respondents had eye diseases while 46.4% had HIV associated eye diseases. Prevalence of HIV associated eye diseases was found to be 46.4%. The most common types of eye diseases found were Kerato-conjunctivitis Sicca (KCS) 25.5%, conjunctivitis 5.5%, herpes zoster ophthalmicus 3.2%, anterior uveitis 2.7% and molluscum contagiosum 2.3%. Factors found to affect the manifestation of these eye diseases were CD4 cell count, WHO Clinical Stage of the disease and the Presence of eye symptoms.Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of HIV associated eye disease. The Patient’s clinical/WHO stage, CD4 cell count and presence of ocular symptoms were shown to have significant association with the ocular manifestation.
ABSTRACT
Pathogenic microorganisms resistant to commonly used antibiotics are of worldwide concern. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been reported worldwide and causes both hospital and community-associated infections in humans. Sixty-five (65) Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical samples were screened for methicillin resistance in order to evaluate the prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital; Abakaliki and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of MRSA strains. Susceptibility testing of the isolates to oxacillin and to some other conventional antimicrobial sensitivity discs commonly used in the study area was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Of the 65 Staphylococcus aureus isolates screened; 15 (23) were susceptible to methicillin while 50 (77) were resistant to methicillin. The Methicillin-resistant isolates showed 100resistance to ciprofloxacin; ceftriaxone; nitrofurantoin and erythromycin. The percentage resistance recorded for other antibiotics were ofloxacin (88); ampicillin (76); gentamicin (72); while the lowest resistance; (40) was recorded for vancomycin. It was noted that vancomycin is still the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of MRSA infections. It was concluded that the prevalence of MRSA is high in the study area; and this should necessitate caution in the prescription of antibiotics without proper indication