RESUMEN
@#The nuisance bites of blackflies and transmission of Onchocerca volvulus, which causes onchocerciasis, constitutes a threat to public health and an impediment to food production in rural and riverine communities in Nigeria. The entomological profile of onchocerciasis at Adani, Nigeria, was investigated from August 2010 to January 2011 to determine the transmission of O. volvulus after 15 years of ivermectin distribution in the area. A total of 548 adult female blackflies of the Simulium damnosum complex were caught using human baits and dissected. Of this number, 248 flies were caught in the wet season (August to October), while 300 flies were caught in the dry season (November to January). The relative abundance of flies at Adani varied from 21 in December to 243 in January. The monthly catches between September and October and between December and January were significantly different. The monthly population density of the flies ranged from 0.5Flies/Man/Hour (FMH) in December to 5.5FMH in January. The diurnal biting pattern of the S. damnosum complex at the site showed a bimodal peak of activity with the evening peak being higher than the morning peak except in October when the morning peak was higher than the evening peak. The morning peaks were observed between 7.00 am and 10.00 am, whereas the evening peaks occurred between 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm. The morning and evening biting peaks in all the months were not significantly different. Nulliparous flies accounted for 75.7% of the total catch, whereas 24.3% of the flies caught were parous. The infection, infective bites and transmission of O. volvulus during the study period were zero. This study suggests that transmission of O. volvulus has been halted and the flies are presently more nuisance biters than disease vectors since no stage of O. volvulus was found in the flies dissected.
RESUMEN
@#The study was a randomized mother –infant dyad placebo controlled field trial that evaluated the effect of maternal vitamin A supplementation on time to first episode of parasitaemia and on malaria parasite densities among infants in three rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty-two (152) pregnant women with pregnancies that had mature to at least six (6) months were equally randomized into supplemented and placebo groups. Ten thousand international unit (10,000 IU) of vitamin A supplement was administered three (3) times per week to women of the supplemented group while placebo was given to the control group at equal frequencies. The regimen was continued until the participants delivered their babies. On delivery of their babies, 200,000 1U of vitamin A supplement was administered to the supplemented group while the other group also received placebo. The regimen was maintained every three (3) month until the infants were 12 months old. Follow-up was carried out monthly and 3 ml of venous blood was collected quarterly from the infants and used for determination of parasitaemia. The procedure was carried out following standard parasitological techniques. Data collected were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Fisher’s least significant difference (FLSD), and Ttest. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Infants of mothers from the placebo group were infected by malaria parasites at earlier months of their lives while their counterparts had parasitaemia much later. Malaria parasite densities significantly differed (p<0.05) among infants of the two groups, with infants of vitamin A supplemented women having lower parasite densities in comparison with their counterparts. Pre-partum and post- partum supplementation of vitamin A within the recommended dosages are required for improvement of nutritional status and well-being of both mothers and infants.
RESUMEN
Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by the deposition of eggs by adult flukes in the blood vessels surrounding the bladder of the infected host. Schistosomiasis is ranked the second most important parasitic disease of man and undoubtedly the most important of helminth origin. This paper reports the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection among pregnant women in some endemic tropical semi – urban communities of Anambra State, Nigeria, screened using Medi-Test Combi 9 and urine centrifugation methods. Laboratory analysis of urine samples collected from 172 pregnant women indicated that 41 (23.8%) had urinary schistosomiasis with Anam community having the highest prevalence of 35.1% among other communities. The overall prevalence and intensity of infection among age groups showed that the youngest age group in the study, 16-20 years had the highest prevalence. Out of 24 women within this age group, 12 (50.0%) were infected among which 8 (33.3%) had light infection while 4 (16.6%) had moderate infection. The peak mean intensity of 7.6 eggs/10ml urine was observed in age group 16-20 years while the oldest age group, 41-45 years had the lowest mean intensity of 1.0 egg/10ml urine. Haematuria and proteinuria which are diagnostic for schistosomiasis were higher within age group 16-20 years in all the communities with Anam community having the highest prevalence of 50% for both biochemicals within age group 16-20 years. The findings from this study will be useful in developing specific programme for this special group of women.