Prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection among suspected peptic ulcer patients in Port Harcourt, Southsouth, Nigeria

Background information Helicobacter pylori is a ubiquitous organism that causes infections that are asymptomatic, and with no specific clinical signs and symptoms. Various diagnostic tests for H. pylori have been developed. This study was intended to understand the prevalence of H. pylori among suspected peptic ulcer patients in a tertiary medical facility in Port Harcourt. Methodology The ninety-eight (98) patients who consented were properly instructed before being given a capsule containing urea. This was swallowed with 50mls of water and they waited for ten minutes, after which, they breathed into a breath card until the indicator changed colour from orange to yellow. The breath card was then inserted into a device which detects the production or otherwise of the carbon dioxide with isotopically labelled carbon by displaying positive if present or negative if absent.Result In this study, out of the forty-five male and fifty-three female subjects that participated in this study, a study prevalence of 39.8% was observed. Also, a male to female prevalence ratio of 15.3:24.5 was observed with no statistical significance (X2=0.1519, P=0.6911). Similarly, the age group distribution of H. pylori infection among the male population showed age group 41-50 years as the modal (11.6%) prevalence, followed by age group 51-60 years (9.3%) with P>0.05 (X2=3.478, P=0.7470). In the same vein, the female distribution of H. pylori infection revealed that there was no significance among the different study groups with P>0.05 (X2=3.115, P=0.7943) and age group 31-40 years (16.1%) had the modal prevalence. Conclusion The high incidence of H. pylori infection among suspected peptic ulcer patients in Port Harcourt has been established, though not as high as other studies elsewhere. Therefore, public enlightenment should be encouraged by all public health stakeholders to arrest this trend

Correlation of Nitrite, Leucocyte Esterase and Protein Detection to Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections.

Aim: To determine the relationship between detection of nitrite, Leucocyte esterase (LE) and protein in urine and significant bacteriuria. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, between March and September 2015. Methodology: 240 urine samples were analyzed. Dipstick analysis using Combi-UriScreen 10SL reagent strips (Axiom Medical limited, UK) and culture for significant bacteriuria were performed according to manufacturer’s instruction/ using standard protocols. Data was coded, entered into Microsoft Excel ® version 2010 and analysed using Epi-Info version 7.02. Categorical data were presented as frequencies and percentages using tables. Univariate analysis using logistic regression (Odds Ratio) was used to determine the association between the presence of nitrite, LE and protein and significant bacterial yield in urine. A P-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Likelihood ratios were calculated. Results: 23 (23.2%) out of 99 samples with significant bacteriuria were nitrite positive, while 42 (42.4%) and 45 (45.5%) were positive for leucocyte esterase and protein respectively. Nitrite (P = 0.001, OR = 5.03, 95% CI = 2.02-12.93) and leucocyte esterase positivity (P = 0.001, OR = 3.59, 95% CI = 1.91-6.80) were significantly associated with significant bacteriuria while proteinuria was not (P = 0.989, OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.60-1.79). Nitrite positivity alone had the best positive likelihood ratio (4.09, 95% CI: 1.91, 8.78) followed by the combination of nitrite and LE positivity (3.65, 95% CI: 1.90, 7.03). Conclusion: The use of dipstick analysis of urine as a screening tool for samples to be cultured may be a very effective way of reducing laboratory costs and wastage of man hours, which both ultimately improve the effectiveness of clinical laboratories especially in resource-poor settings.