Risk Factors and Bacterial Profile of Suspected Neonatal Septicaemia at a Teaching Hospital in Kano; Northwestern; Nigeria

Neonatal septicaemia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries and a major health concern. The aim of this study is to evaluate the bacterial profile; antibiotics susceptibility pattern and associated risk factors of suspected septicaemia in neonates in this locality. Five hundred and forty seven consecutive blood samples from neonates admitted in the special baby care unit (SCBU); Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH); Kano between January 2007 and December 2008 were cultured aerobically and anaerobically in the Microbiology Department; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital by standard bacteriological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern was done by disc diffusion methods. One hundred and fifty two (27.8) positive blood cultures were obtained from the present study. The most frequently isolated organism was Staphylococcus aureus (25.0) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.1) and Escherichia coli (15.0). Gentamicin; ofloxacin; ceftriaxone and amoxycillin/clavulanate showed higher percentage antibiotic sensitivity pattern while chloramphenicol; cotrimoxazole and ampicillin showed very low percentage antibiotic sensitivity pattern against the various bacterial isolates. The present study showed that Staphylococcus aureus is the leading isolate in neonatal septicaemia in Kano. Gentamicin and Ceftriaxone are recommended as first line drugs in the management of neonatal septicaemia in our locality

Childhood diabetes mellitus in Kano, North West, Nigeria

There is paucity of literature on childhood diabetes mellitus from developing countries and especially North west Nigeria and this has made it pertinent for documentation of the features of the disease in a major regional referral centre. The study was designed to describe the clinical presentation and outcome of childhood diabetes mellitus. Retrospective review of hospital records of paediatric patients managed for diabetes at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano. Nigeria between January 1999 and December 2006. The age; sex; presenting features; complications; laboratory features and outcome of the patients were retrieved from the hospital records. During the years under review eleven out of 3;585 admissions were managed for Type 1 diabetes mellitus giving a prevalence rate of 3.1/1000. Male to female ratio was 1:0.6. The mean age at presentation was 10 4.5years most of the patients (72.7) belonged to the lower socio-economic classes IV and V. The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 58days with a mean of 24 22.8days. The patients presentedwith urinary tract infections (36.4); malaria (27.3) and recurrent boils (18.2). Three (27.3) of the patients had polyuria and polydypsia while only one (91) patient had polyphagia and weight loss. The mean random blood glucose on admission was 28.5 7.9mmo/L (16.9 39.2mmo/L) Four patient presented with diabetic Keloacidosis. Two patients (18.2) were discharged against medical advice while 1(9.1) patient died. Childhood Diabetes Mellitus; remains relatively uncommon in Nigeria