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Objective: Community pharmacists have an important role in promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics. There is a paucity of data describing the contributions of community pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in Nigeria. This study evaluated the practices and perceptions of community pharmacists towards ASP. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among community pharmacists in two cities in Northern Nigeria: Minna and Kaduna, using a 30-item validated and pre-tested questionnaire. Data collected between April and May 2019 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: Of 130 community pharmacists, 98 completed and returned the questionnaire (response rate: 75.3%). More than 90% strongly agreed/agreed that ASP is important to reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, improve patient’s clinical outcomes. However, lack of training (56.1%), lack of cooperation from physicians (61.2%) and lack of access to patient records (66.8%) were identified as barriers to community pharmacists’ involvement in ASP. Overall, community pharmacists had good practices (median score: 3.5; IQR: 1–5) and positive perceptions (median score: 4.0; IQR: 3–5) towards ASP. Job status and dispensing antibiotics without prescription were significantly associated with practice, while age and job status were associated with perception towards ASP. Conclusion: Community pharmacists demonstrated good practices and positive perceptions towards ASP. However, lack of training and lack of cooperation from prescribers limit their involvement in the program. Training of community pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship and inter-professional collaboration are recommended.
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ABO, Rhesus D and subgroups of ABO are highly immunogenic and are the common cause of antibody production in mismatched blood transfusions, haemolytic transfusion reaction and maternal alloimmunization. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of ABO, Rh D and subgroups of ABO among blood donors attending Specialist Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria. ABO, Rhesus D and subgroups of ABO antigen status of 176 blood donors with mean age of 30.44 � 8.210 years attending Specialist Hospital Sokoto were determined using tile method for ABO and Rh D and conventional tube method for anti- A1, anti- H reagents for ABO subgroups respectively. Among the 176 subjects tested, blood group O+ was the most frequent group with 93 (52.8%), 39 (22.2%) were blood group B+, 37(21.0%) were blood group A+, 5 (2.8%) were blood group AB+, 2 (1.1%) were blood group O-. No data was obtained for A-, B- and AB- blood groups. Out of 37 A blood groups obtained, 31 (83.8%) had A1 antigens and 6 (16.2%) had A2 antigens. Out of the 5 AB blood groups, all had A1B antigens. The study also shows that there was statistically significant difference between blood group A and ethnic groups (Hausa, Fulani and Yoruba) (p<0.05). Blood group O was found to be the most frequent followed by B, A and AB except among Hausa which revealed a pattern of O> A> B> AB. ABO, subgroups shows majority had A1 followed by A2 and A1B respectively.
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Aims: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic infectious and contagious zoonotic disease of domestic, wild animals and humans. The disease occurs in a wide range of mammalian species and therefore, poses a public health threat. It also results in considerable economic losses in livestock production and carcass condemnation of infected cattle during meat inspection. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of zoonotic bovine tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle, based on Post-Mortem (PM) meat inspection, Ziehl-Neelsen staining (ZN) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques in abattoir and slaughter houses in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Place and Duration of Study: A cross-sectional abattoir based-study was conducted on 800 slaughtered cattle in the Northern, Central and Southern Zonal abattoirs of Bauchi State, Nigeria. This work was carried out between June-September, 2013. Study Design: Experimental. Methodology: One hundred and twenty (120) tissue samples from different organs were suspected to have bTB lesions at PM 15% (120/800). Out of the samples examined 35 (29.2%) were Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) positive; 10 (8.3%) of which were confirmed positive for M. bovis by the confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results: The present study found the prevalence rates of 3.33% (4/120) and 5.00% (6/120) for males and females, respectively. This gave an overall prevalence of 8.33% for bTB (M. bovis) based on PCR. Bovine TB sex-specific rates were 10.00% (4/40) and 7.50% (6/80) by PCR, in males and females respectively. Female cattle also had a higher prevalence than male cattle but there was no statistically significant association (p>0.05, x2 = 0.218) between the presence of bTB in the tissues sampled and the sex of the cattle. There was a statistically significant association (p<0.05, x2 =7.002, OR=3.363) between detection of bTB in suspected tissues and the age of cattle. Using ZN, cattle aged six (6) years and above had the highest number of positive bTB cases 67.9% (31), while cattle aged 3-5 years old had the lowest 14.81% (4/27). PCR technique, revealed age-specific prevalence rate in cattle aged 6-8 and 9-11 years were 17.07% and 5.77%, respectively. Bauchi zonal abattoir had the highest number of suspected bTB cases (62.5%), followed by Katagum (26.7%) and Misau (10.8%). Conclusion: High infection rate of bTB was found among cattle sampled in the study area, with a significant prevalence in Bauchi metropolitan abattoir than the other two (2) slaughter houses (Katagum and Misau). This showed that the prevalence of bTB was higher in Bauchi metropolitan abattoir which supplies larger population of the state with beef. These findings also demonstrated that, there is urgent need for public health authorities in the state to intervene.
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In developing countries like ours, patients with End Stage Renal Disease present late requiring urgent haemodialysis. The femoral vein is commonly used in this situation, as access is easier and faster with few complications. Few cases of catheter fracture and migration have been reported. We aim at reporting a case of 26-year-old woman who presented with bilateral venous femoral catheters fracture and migration. Both were successfully removed via bilateral groin exploration and venotomy. We recommend early removal in order to avert life-threatening complications.
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Introduction: Provision of adequate safe blood is challenging in developing countries due to paucity of voluntary blood donors; poor facilities for storage and blood component preparation as well as inappropriate blood ordering and utilization. Appraisal of pattern of blood transfusion requests and utilization helps highlight shortcomings that could be addressed toward judicious use of blood. Aims: To determine the pattern of blood transfusion requests and utilization at a Nigerian Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: Blood request forms and cross-match worksheets at the blood bank of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto were analyzed over a 3-month period. Number of blood units requested; cross-matched; or transfused and the cross-match to transfusion ratio (CTR) for clinical units were computed. Results: Of the 1703 units of blood requested for 986 patients; 94.42 (1608) were cross-matched but only 34.51 (555) were transfused giving a CTR of 2.90 for the hospital. The CTR for the various clinical units were: O and G - 3.40; Surgery - 3.11; Trauma center - 2.74; Emergency - 2.61; Medicine - 2.02; and Pediatrics - 1.97. Conclusions: The overall CTR of the hospital is high indicating suboptimal transfusion practice. Introducing transfusion guidelines and type and screen with abbreviated cross-match method can help toward apt requisition and utilization of blood thereby reducing wastages
Subject(s)
Blood Transfusion , Blood Transfusion/methods , Guideline , Hospitals , TeachingABSTRACT
Background: Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) are the tests used in the investigation and monitoring of hemostatic disorders. Plasma is used to perform these tests immediately or stored for later use. The time and storage temperature have been shown to affect the results of these tests. Thus; all coagulation laboratories need guidelines for plasma storage to ensure reliable results. Objective: To determine the effect of varying storage times and temperatures on plasma PT and APTT. Materials and Methods: PT and APTT were run on plasma from 40 healthy adults using a semi-automated coagulometer. PT and APTT were measured at 0; 4; 6; and 24 h on samples stored at room temperature; refrigerated samples; and frozen samples. The values at 0 h were compared with the values at 4; 6; and 24 h. Results: PT and APTT values were within the reference ranges at 0 h. For refrigerated plasma; PT values at 4 h were within normal; but at 6 and 24 h; they were significantly deranged (P 0.05). PT was significantly different at 4; 6; and 24 h for both room temperature and frozen plasma (P 0.05). The APTT showed significant differences between 0 h value and values at 4; 6; and 24 h for all the varying temperature conditions. Conclusion: For reliable PT and APTT results; samples should be processed and run immediately after collection. However; plasma for PT can be stored at 2o-4oC for only 4 h
Subject(s)
Hemostatics , Partial Thromboplastin Time , Plasma , Prothrombin TimeABSTRACT
A three-factor three level Response surface methodology central composite retortable design (CCRD) was adopted to study the effect of feed composition (X1), feed moisture content (X2) and screw speed (X3) on proximate compositin, amino acid and sensory evaluation during extrusion of pearl millet and cowpea flour mixtures for the purpose of fura production. The mean observed value of protein for the fura extrudates ranged from 11.2 – 16.8%. Analysis of variance indicates that linear and quadratic effects significantly (P<0.05) affected the protein content of fura extrudates as expected. The mean value of lysine for the extrudates ranged from 5.1 - 6.6g/100g protein and the methionine content ranged from 1.3 - 3.8g /100g protein. The regression models fitted to the experimental data showed high coefficients of determinants with R2 = 0.96, 0.94, 0.94, 0.85 and 0.80 for protein (CHON), carbohydrate (CHO), fat (FAT), ash (ASH) and water (HOH) respectively. The R2 = were 0.90, 0.85, 0.86, 0.92, 0.88, 0.85 and 0.93 for lysine, i/leucine, leucine, valine, methionine – cystine, threonine and tryptophan respectively. The coefficients shows good fit. The importance of process variables on system parameters and physical properties could be ranked in the following order: Feed Composition (X1)>Feed Moisture (X2)>Screw Speed (X3). The optimum values obtained for feed composition, feed moisture and screw speed are 36.5% cowpea level, 22.3% feed moisture content and 186.7 rpm respectively. The corresponding optimum values of lysine, protein content, expansion ratio and bulk density are 6.6g/100g protein, 16.6%, 2.8 and 0.52 Kgm-3 respectively. The data obtained from the study could be used for control of product characteristics and possible projection for the commercial production of fura or any enriched protein based food from the blends pearl millet and cowpea.
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The present study was performed to observe the morphological details of the skulls of the major goat breeds in Nigeria involving 28 Red Sokoto, 24 Sahel and 12 West African Dwarf goats. The study revealed the presence of a bilateral opening in the nasal bones of the skulls. This unique occurrence appeared in about 70 of the Red Sokoto, less than 10 of the West African Dwarf and did not occur in the Sahel goat skulls. It was suggested that the structure which displayed a high level of breed specificity may be contributing to the weakness of the nasal area of the face. This finding to the best of our knowledge is rarely described in the literature and will be important in breed identification of goats and can contribute to the migratory history of the species.