RESUMO
This study was designed to document individuals’ adherence to annual ivermectin treatment and people’s willingness to continue taking ivermectin as an important predictor of sustained compliance with long-term ivermectin treatment. The study which was conducted between April and September, 2011 adopted a cross-sectional approach in collecting quantitative and qualitative data from the two Local Government Areas of Abia State that were assessed by REMO as hyper-endemic for onchocerciasis. The study population involved both high and low compliers groups. A Structured questionnaire was administered to 558 people to ascertain their compliance rate to annual and long-term ivermectin treatment and their willingness to sustain the treatment. Of these, 195 (34.9%) were males while 363 (65.1%) were females. Among these groups, 53.8% and 57.3% of males and females respectively were treated before. Of the 195 males and 363 females, only 25 (12.8%) males and 45 (12.4%) females were high compliers. On their willingness to continue with the drug, 483 (86.6%) claimed that most people take the drug, 495 (88.7%) affirmed that most people will continue with the drug while 555 (99.5%) indicated that they are personally willing to continue with the drug if made available. This is confirmed by the Chi-square (χ2) analysis at 0.05 level of significance that people are personally willing to continue with the drug if available (χ2 cal =163.585, P-value < 0.0001). Suggestions on ways to improve compliance to annual and long-term ivermectin treatment showed that health education/enlightenment ranked very high (78.3%). This is followed by “awareness through church/school” (77.5%). It is imperative that the existing health education materials be reviewed by taking into cognizance such factors that will improve individual’s willingness to comply with annual and long-term ivermectin treatment. Such materials should emphasize compliance among youths and children 5 years and above.
RESUMO
The area most severely affected by dracunculiasis is West Africa especially Benin; Ghana; Cote d'Ivoire; Mali; Niger; Nigeria; Togo; and Burkina Faso. It is estimated that about 10-48 million infections occur annually; especially among adults of working age. Adult male farmers in endemic areas are particularly at risk of infection; apparently because of the large volume of water they are likely to consume from contaminated surface sources while working in the fields (2). There are at present in Nigeria at least three million people infected with guinea worm. Even though fatal cases of the disease are rare; except when secondarily complicated by tetanus; the socio-economic toll is substantial
Assuntos
DracunculíaseRESUMO
Fungi invasion of our agricultural products and food lead to mouldiness and production of mycotoxin . These mycotoxin are toxic secondary metabolites elaborated by the fungi. They can cause diseases generally referred to as mycotoxicoses; the fungi per se are not involved in the disease process. One of such secondary metabolites of mouldiness is aflatoxin (which are exotoxin). The aflatoxin - producing species of fungi belong to the genus aspergillus Micheli 1729; which forms a large proportion of all the moulds encountered in our agricultural and industrial works. Their contamination of the foods and feeds (maize; sorghum; millet; rice; wheat soyabean etc) constitute an important toxicological hazard