Prevalence and pattern of bacteraemia among HIV-infected under-five children in a tertiary hospital in Kano, Nigeria

Background: Bacteraemia is an invasive bacterial disease of childhood that is associated with serious complications and high mortality especially in immunocomprised HIV infected children.Aim: To determine the prevalence and pattern of bacteraemia among HIV-infected Under-five children.Design: It was a prospective cross -sectional study.Subjects and Methods: One hundred and thirty four febrile HIVinfected children were recruited from the outpatient departments and emergency room of a tertiary hospital to determine the presence of bacteraemia, the etiologic agent and antibiotics susceptibility. An automated (BACTEC) incubator was used to detect bacteraemia, subcultures were done and identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests were done using standard laboratory procedures. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained using a proforma and data analysis was done using SPSS version 17.0 for windows. Results: The prevalence of bacteraemia in HIV-infected children was 14.2% (19/134). Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus were the predominant isolates, each accounting for 21% of all cases of bacteraemia. Most (81.3%) of the subjects were on HAART and its use had no effect on rate of bacteraemia. Fourteen (73.7%) and 12(63.2%) of the isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone respectively. Sensitivities to ampicillin, cloxacillin and co-trimoxazole were 0.0%, 5.3% and 5.3% respectively.Conclusion: Bacteraemia is a significant health problem among HIV-infected under-five children despite the high rate of HAART use. Treatment adherence should be strengthened among this population. There is need for improvement in personal and food hygiene, environmental sanitation and possibly introducing typhoid vaccine among under-five HIV-infected children

Pattern of childhood malignant tumors at a teaching hospital in Kano, Northern Nigeria: A prospective study.

Background: Childhood cancers represent an important global public health problem. Survival is still dismal in most low income countries. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of childhood cancers diagnosed at AKTH, Kano was undertaken from January 2003 to December 2009 to determine the pattern, socio-economic and geographical features. Results: Malignant lymphomas constituted 46.5% of all cases, of which 30.1% were Burkitt's lymphoma, 9.8% were Non-Hodgkin (non Burkitt's) lymphoma and 6.6% were Hodgkin lymphoma. Retinoblastoma was the second most common malignancy constituting 15.2% of all cases, followed by Nephroblastoma 12.5% and acute leukemia's accounted for 14.1% of all cases. Others were Neuroblastoma 5.5%, Rhabdomyosarcoma 1.9% and CNS and Hepatissc tumors 4.3%. About 80% of parents of these children are very poor and could not afford the cost of treatment. Fifty one percent of the patients were alive at 12 months and the mortality was 24%. Conclusion: Childhood cancer is common in Kano. Free treatment is what is required since majority of the parents could not afford the cost of treatment.

Clinical Indicators of HIV Infection in under-five Children with Diarrhoea in a Resource-Limited Setting

Background: Children are most vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus infection but in sub-Saharan African countries they are diagnosed late because paediatric human immunodeficiency virus diagnostic facilities are limited. Methods: Prospective study of 400 under-five children with diarrhoea in a hospital sitting. Results: Twenty six children (6.5) were human immunodeficiency virus positive. Compared to the children who were human immunodeficiency virus negative; those who were positive had higher proportions of patients with acute diarrhoea (77; p