Clinical and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 among adult patients admitted to the isolation centre at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi, Northeast Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: as the epidemiological trend of COVID-19 infection continue to evolve with increasing prevalence and incidence globally, management of cases in low-resource health care settings require basic detailed clinical and laboratory characteristics. This study retrospectively described the clinical and laboratory characteristics of confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted into the isolation centre of ATBUTH, Bauchi. METHODS: clinical and laboratory data of 84 confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted into the isolation centre of ATBUTH, Bauchi according to NCDC guidelines were used. Diagnosis was based on nasal and nasopharyngeal swab positive result of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result. Data extracted includes demographic, clinical presentations and laboratory characteristics. RESULTS: the 84 COVID-19 patients comprised of 72% (59) males and 28% (25) females with mean age of 41.0±10.5 years, majority of the patients were within age-group 21-40 years. Forty-one percent presented with mild to moderate symptoms, 3.6% (3) presented with severe symptoms while 58.3% (49) were asymptomatic with mean body temperature of 36.60C ± Sá. The common clinical manifestations were fever 23.4% (19) and cough 20.7% (17). About 29.3% of the patients had comorbidities, 17.1% (14) were hypertensive while 12.2% of the diabetic. Thirty percent (10) of the patients with DM required intensive care unit (ICU) admission with 10% mortality. Biochemical parameters were within normal range for all the patients. However, haematological parameters showed increased neutrophil (10, 43.5%) and lymphocyte count (19 (59.4%). CONCLUSION: the study findings revealed high number of asymptomatic cases, similarity in clinical manifestation and relatively normal laboratory characteristics. More experience with increase in number of patients may provide additional information. Interrupting community transmission will require early detection and contact trace of asymptomatic cases.

FEV1, FVC, FEV1 /FVVC as predictors of rhinitis among saw mill workers in north central Nigeria.

Background: Rhinitis is one of the commonest occupational related respiratory disorders that is only restricted to the upper airway but can involve the lower respiratory tract with considerable airflow limitation, this study was conducted assess the ventilator function of persons exposed to saw dust with rhinitis symptoms. Methods: This is a cross sectional study carried out among 200 randomly selected saw mill workers and 200 healthy staff of Jos University Teaching Hospital staff in Jos metropolis from September to November 2008. Data on sociodemographic variables, symptoms of rhinitis, etc was obtained using a modified semi structured British medical research council questionnaire while respiratory function data was measured using a spirometry. Result: A total of 400 responds comprising of 200 saw mill workers and 200 controls participated in this study. Based on diagnostic criteria. 43% of the subjects fit into diagnosis of rhinitis, 33% had asthma symptoms and 24 % did not fit into any category compared to none of < 5% of the control group. The ventilatory function based on FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio and PEFR showed a significant decline when matched with controls and predicted value, suggesting an airflow limitation among the rhinitis group. Conclusion: Rhinitis associated with wood dust exposure is not restricted to airway but involves the entire respiratory tract with airflow limitation as one of its consequences.

TOBACCO ABUSE AND ITS HEALTH EFFECT.

Tobacco smoking is still one of the most important risk factor for Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and an estimated 90% of causes of lung cancer are attributable toTobacco smocking and equally 90% of peripheral vascular disease in non-diabetic population is attributable to Tobacco smoking, despite the health effect there is disturbing figures of people who take up smoking habit daily and increase level of failed quit smoking attempts. Environment and genetics still plays major role, and various forms of tobacco is used worldwide and its health consequence has been highlighted. Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies through effective tax laws is paramount to reduction of the tobacco health effects in our environments.