Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Nigerian medical doctors

Background: Since its discovery in late 2019, COVID-19 has claimed approximately three million lives worldwide, causing a significant economic burden and strain on health care delivery and services. Therefore, the COVID-19 vaccine may offer the potential to promote global recovery. Objective: To determine the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among Nigerian doctors and the factors influencing the acceptance. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, an anonymous online survey was administered to medical doctors across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria between 13 January and 31 January 2021, using the health belief model (HBM). Results: Out of 830 respondents, 38.8% were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, 36.0% were unsure, while the remaining 26.5% refused to take the vaccine. Following adjustments, males were more likely to take the vaccine (OR = 3.357; 95% CI 2.009-5.610; p = 0.0001), whereas increasing age, higher perceived viral virulence and perceived viral infectivity were observed to be significantly associated with less likelihood of accepting the vaccine. Respondents who believed in the efficacy of ivermectin were much less likely to receive the vaccine (OR = 0.217; 95% CI 0.108-0.436; p=0.001). Concerns on vaccination safety were the main barriers to vaccine acceptability. Hypothetically addressing these concerns increased vaccine acceptance rates by approximately a third (34.6%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The proposed nationwide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine may be met with poor vaccine acceptability among Nigerian medical practitioners. Measures specifically addressing vaccine safety concerns should be provided to allay fears and enhance the acceptability of the vaccine.

Evaluation of in vitro antifungal effects of synthetic and herbal mouth rinses on oral Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

@#Mouth rinses which function as breath fresheners, medicaments, and antiseptics can also deliver oral therapeutic agents. This study evaluated and compared the antifungal effects of synthetic and herbal mouth rinses on oral C. albicans and C. glabrata via disk diffusion, minimal inhibition concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), time-kill assay, and growth profile tests. The four chemical mouth rinses, namely Brand O (A), Brand M (B), Brand H (C), and Brand B (D) used in the study showed positive antifungal activity in these two species. The average diameter of the inhibition zones obtained from the disk diffusion test was higher in mouth rinse B (C. albicans = 12.0 ± 0.9 mm, C. glabrata = 13.5 ± 0.8 mm) compared to those in C, A and D. Both Candida species exhibited similar MIC and MFC values, ranging from 1.63 ± 0.5 to 18.75 ± 0.0 µg/mL and 6.51 ± 2.01 to 50.00 ± 9.36 µg/mL, respectively. These synthetic mouth rinses had efficient killing activity eliminating 50% of the growing population of both Candida spp. following 15 seconds exposure time. Analyses of the growth profile curves showed that mouth rinses B and A resulted in rapid growth depletion of both Candida spp. Meanwhile, three herbal mouth rinses, namely Brand S (E), Brand C (F), and Brand P (G), were less effective against C. albicans and C. glabrata. Mouth rinses B and A contained cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine, respectively, and could be an effective alternative for controlling and preventing oral candidiasis.

Oral bacteria detection among children with cancer in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

@# This study sought to determine the prevalence of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavities of children with cancer. There were 68 paediatric patients with cancer who were included in this study. Oral swab samples from the dorsum of tongues and mouth floors of these patients were subjected to culture, staining, and molecular methods to detect the bacteria. The overall prevalence of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was 79.4% (54/68; 95% CI = 68.4 – 87.3) and 25% (17/68; 95% CI = 16.2 – 36.4), respectively. Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus parasanguinis were the predominant pathogenic grampositive bacteria, while Neisseria subflava and Neisseria perflava were the most common pathogenic gram-negative bacteria. The results revealed that the number of bacteria isolates recovered in patients receiving cancer treatment was higher (55.9%) than those who had not received treatment (16.2%). Therefore, more isolated pathogenic bacteria were observed post-therapy (54.4%). Pathogenic organisms can have significant implications on patient health. Awareness of the types of bacteria inhabiting the oral cavity is essential to predict and prevent dental problems, and their associated systemic complications. Findings on the diversity of oral microflora can also provide a better understanding of the aetiology of oral diseases in paediatric patients receiving cancer treatment.

Nutritional Evaluation Using Dfferent Anthropometric Variables in Nigerian School Children

The anthropometric characteristics of 600 apparently healthy children of ages between 5 and 10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja Nigeria; consisting of males (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.10 ? 1.98 and females (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.68 ? 1.86 were selected for the evaluation of their nutritional status using different anthropometric variables. The anthropometric characteristic of their height; age; weight; mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC); chest circumference and body mass index (BMI) was measured and analysed statistically for any significant difference; and correlation between the parameters studied. The results show some significant differences (P = 0.05) between the anthropometric parameters and a significant correlation (=0.001) between the height and BMI; and other parameters in males and females. The study derived a linear regression and a multiple linear regression equations for Gbagyi children from which height; age; weight; MUAC; chest circumference and BMI could be predicted if one factor is known. The results from the present study provided an insight into the nutritional status of Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja using the BMI and MUAC which showed if a child is malnourished; overweight or obese. The results from the present study show that there is a positive correlation between height and age; and other parameters indicating that height could be predicted using age; weight; BMI; chest circumference and MUAC; while BMI and mid upper arm circumference could be a useful tool in the estimation of nutritional status among Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja

Vaccination coverage survey in Dhaka District.

A survey was conducted in Dhaka District to measure the level of routine immunization coverage of children (12-23 months), to assess the tetanus toxoid (TT) immunization coverage among mothers of children (12-23 month), to evaluate EPI program continuity (dropout rates) and quality (percent of Invalid doses, vaccination card availability etc.) For this purpose, a thirty cluster cross-sectional survey was conducted in October 2002 to assess the immunization coverage in Dhaka. In this survey 30 clusters were randomly selected from a list of villages in 63 Unions of Dhaka following probability proportion to size (PPS) sampling procedure. A total of 210 children was studied using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was employed using software SPSS package for data analysis. The study showed that the routine immunization coverage in Dhaka among children by 12 months of age by card + history was 97% for BCG, 97% for Diphtheria, Pertussis Tetanus (DPT 1) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV 1), 75% for DPT3 and OPV3 and 67% for measles. Sixty six percent of all children surveyed had received valid doses of all vaccines by 12 months (fully immunized child). Programme access as measured by crude DPT1 coverage was better in Keranigonj (97%). Vaccination cards retention rate for children was 84%. Invalid DPT (1,2 or 3) doses were given to 25% of vaccinated children; 18% of measles doses were invalid. Surprisingly, major cause for invalid doses were not due to early immunizations or due to card lost but for giving tick in the card, instead of writing a valid date. DPT1 and DPT3 and DPT1- Measles drop out rates were 5% and 13% respectively. Major reason parents gave for never vaccinating their children (zero dose children) was (43%), major reasons for incomplete vaccination was lack of knowledge regarding subsequent doses (46%). TT surveys were also conducted for mothers of the children surveyed for vaccination coverage (mothers between 15-49 year old). Valid TT 1-5 coverage by card+ history was 97%, 55%, 44%, 24% and 11%, respectively. Card retention rate for TT was 67%. The findings of this study revealed that access to child and TT immunizations were good. But high dropouts and invalid doses reduced these percentages of fully immunized child to 66%. Programmatic strategy must be undertaken to reduce the existing high dropout rate in both child and TT immunizations.

The Malaysian experience in the typing of genetic variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin.

It is known that alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency is associated with emphysema in adults and liver cirrhosis in neonates. The phenotypes PiZZ and PiSZ are considered to be high risk groups. alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency is one of the most common lethal congenital disorders in Europe and the USA, occurring in approximately 1 in 2,000 caucasians of North European descent. Studies in Malaysia have found that the phenotypes PiZ and PiS are present in our population. Out of 950 samples analyzed, it was found that 10 samples were shown to be apparently Z homozygous phenotype. The phenotype is determined by high resolution isoelectrofocusing on an ultra-thin polyacrylamide gel embedded with narrow range Pi phamarlyte. The isoelectrofocused bands are confirmed by immunofixation and the plasma alpha1-antitrypsin levels determined by electroimmunoassay. The abnormal phenotypes are further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using allele specific oligonucleotides.