ABSTRACT
Aims: This study determines the antibody levels of Malaria and Hepatitis B and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending anti-natal Clinic at General Hospital Minna. Study Design: The subjects were pregnant women who attended ante-natal clinic. Sample sizes were determined from the number of pregnant women that attended antenatal Clinic. Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from the ante-natal Clinic of General Hospital Minna between July to November 2011. Methodology: Samples were assayed for malaria and hepatitis B (HBsAg) by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Time and age of pregnancy were noted. Results: Out of the 269 pregnant women screened 216(80.30%) were positive for malaria, 22(8.18%) for hepatitis B and 21(7.81%) were co-infection of malaria and hepatitis B and 10 were negative, while non-pregnant women had 51(51.00%), 8(8.00%) and 6(6.00%) for malaria, hepatitis B and co-infection of both out of 100 screened. There was a significant difference between pregnant and non-pregnant women both in malaria and hepatitis B at p<0.05. History of blood transfusion, Alcohol consumption and Use of contraceptives were significantly associated with hepatitis B and co-infection of both hepatitis B and malaria at p<0.05. Only history of blood transfusion was associated with malaria infection though not significant. Conclusion: High prevalence of antibodies to malaria and hepatitis B is a matter of great concern considering the effect of these diseases on the foetus. Adequate measures need to be taken to treat and provide prophylactic measures.
ABSTRACT
The study was designed to determine the true prevalence of congenital; cord; and placental malaria in General Hospital Minna; North Central Nigeria. Peripheral blood smears of near-term pregnant women; as well as the placental; cord; and peripheral blood smears of their newborn babies; were examined for malaria parasites; using the Giemsa staining technique. Out of 152 pregnant women screened; 21 (13.82) of them were infected with malaria parasites. Of the 152 new born babies; 4 (2.63) showed positive peripheral parasitaemia. Placental parasitaemia was 7/152 (4.61); while cord blood parasitaemia was 9/152 (5.92). There were strong associations between peripheral and cord malaria parasitaemia and congenital malaria (P 0.05). Plasmodium falciparum occurred in all; and none had mixed infection. The average birth weights of the babies delivered of nonmalarious pregnant women were higher than those delivered by malarious pregnant women; though not significant (P 0.05). Malaria parasitaemia occurred more frequently in primigravidae than multigravidae