Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C and HIV antibodies in a low-risk blood donor group, Nigeria.

We investigated the seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among 258 clergymen-in-training (age range 18-39 years) who represented a donor population that fulfilled the criteria for safe blood transfusion. In all, 15.1% of the men were positive for HBsAg, 4.3% were positive for anti-HCV and 2.7% were HIV-positive; 22.1% were infected with at least one of these viruses. Co-infection with HIV and HBV was found in 0.4% of the subjects, HBV and HCV in 0.4%, and HIV and HCV in 0%. This underscores the importance of routine screening of blood before transfusion, regardless of the donor background.

Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C and HIV antibodies in a low-risk blood donor group, Nigeria

We investigated the seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection among 258 clergymen-in-training [age range 18-39 years] who represented a donor population that fulfilled the criteria for safe blood transfusion. In all, 15.1% of the men were positive for HBsAg, 4.3% were positive for anti-HCV and 2.7% were HIV- positive; 22.1% were infected with at least one of these viruses. Co-infection with HIV and HBV was found in 0.4% of the subjects, HBV and HCV in 0.4%, and HIV and HCV in 0%. This underscores the importance of routine screening of blood before transfusion, regardless of the donor background

Circulation of the novel G9 and G8 rotavirus strains in Nigeria in 1998/1999.

An epidemiological survey investigating the prevalence of rotavirus infection in infants and young children with acute diarrhoea was undertaken in Jos State, Nigeria, between January 1998 and April 1999. In total, 672 faecal specimens were collected from children aged between 1 and 60 months with acute infantile gastroenteritis. The 10-20% stool suspensions were examined by an ELISA for the presence of group A rotavirus antigen (Rotavirus IDEIA, Dako, UK). Only 116 specimens (17.3%) were positive for the group A rotavirus antigen detected by this ELISA. The rotavirus-positive specimens were analysed with monoclonal antibodies specific for rotavirus VP6 subgroup I and II, and for VP7 serotypes G1-G4, G8, and G9. Of the rotavirus strains that could be subgrouped, VP6 subgroup I and II strains circulated at similar levels. Amongst the strains that could be serotyped, VP7 G9 strains predominated occurring in 17 cases, with G3 (n = 10) and G1 (n = 9) strains occurring in lower numbers. Four G8 strains were detected and only one G2 and no G4 strains were identified. This report extends the description of the global distribution of G9 rotavirus strains.

Human Group C rotaviruses identified in Nigerian children.

A survey investigating the prevalence of rotavirus infection in infants and young children with acute diarrhoea was undertaken in Jos State, Nigeria during the first half of 1998. In total, 182 faecal specimens were collected from children aged between 1 and 60 months with acute infantile gastroenteritis. Examination with a commercial ELISA assay for the presence of group A rotavirus antigen revealed 16 specimens positive for this antigen. However, examination of the double stranded RNA of the viral genome by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the presence of three human group C rotaviruses. This is the first report of group C rotaviruses in Nigeria and West Africa.

Complement fixing antibodies to respiratory viruses in children in Jos, Nigeria.

One-hundred serum samples obtained from children in Jos were tested for the presence of complement fixing antibodies against several respiratory viruses. Sixty-two per cent of the samples were positive for adenoviruses, 53 per cent for para-influenza viruses, 47 and 41 per cent for influenza A and B, respectively, 31 per cent for respiratory syncytial virus, 29 per cent for coronaviruses, and 19 per cent for reoviruses.

Influence of climatic factors on rotavirus infection among children with acute gastroenteritis in Zaria, northern Nigeria.

Stool samples from 392 infants and young children attending various clinics in Zaria, Northern Nigeria from June 1986 to May 1987 were analysed by ELISA for the presence of rotaviruses. There was a prevalence of 27 per cent in these children with the virus being most prevalent in the first 6 months of life. This decreased with age until it was less than 10 per cent in children 3-5 years old. Although rotavirus was found to be present throughout the year; there was a much higher prevalence during the dry season (October to April) as compared to the wet season. Infection with the virus correlated inversely with relative humidity, vapour pressure and minimum temperature showing considerable influence of these climatic factors on rotavirus infection in children in Zaria.

A two-year review of intestinal parasites in the Jos University Teaching Hospital patients

An analysis of stools samples examined during a period of two years; from January; 1988 to December; 1989 in Jos University Teaching Hospital was carried out. Of the 15634 people examined during this period; 6698 were males; while 8936 were females. Monoparasitism occured in 4364 persons; while polyparasitism occured in 240 persons. Several parasites were identified in these cases

Antibiogram of staphylococcal strains isolated from milk and milk-products.

A study of the resistance patterns of 248 staphylococcal isolates from milk and milk products to eight antimicrobial agents using the disc method showed that 80 (32.3%) were resistant to sulphafurazole, 75 (30.2%) to penicillin G, 63 (25.4%) to ampicillin, 23 (9.3%) to cloxacillin, 19 (7.7%) to tetracycline, 17 (6.9%) to streptomycin, 14 (5.6%) to erythromycin and 12 (4.8%) to chloramphenicol. One hundred and sixteen (46.8%) of the 248 staphylococcal isolates were sensitive to all the agents tested. A significant percentage (P less than 0.05) of the isolates from raw milk were resistant to erythromycin, sulphafurazole, cloxacillin, penicillin G and streptomycin compared to isolates from fermented milk. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) as determined by the tube method for isolates resistant by the disc method, were greater than or equal to 16 micrograms for ampicillin in 5 (11.9%) isolates; greater than or equal to 40 micrograms for cloxacillin, 9 (36.0%) and greater than or equal to 12 international units for penicillin G amongst 12 (22.2%) isolates. MIC values of greater than or equal to 40 micrograms were recorded for 9 (90.0%), 9 (69.2%), 8 (73.7%) and 7 (70.0%) isolates to chloramphenicol, streptomycin, erythromycin and tetracycline respectively. The relatively high level of resistance to antimicrobial agents is a reflection of misuse or abuse of these agents in the environment.

Serological evidence of infection of dogs and man in Nigeria by lyssaviruses (family Rhabdoviridae).

A survey was conducted for serum neutralizing antibodies against 3 members of the Lyssavirus group (rabies, Lagos bat and Mokola viruses) in Nigerian dogs and humans. Of 463 unvaccinated dogs sampled, 142 (30.7%) had antibodies against rabies; 39.2% of the stray dogs were positive. Of 241 dogs tested, 17.4% had antibodies against Mokola virus and 5.8% against Lagos bat virus. 28.6% of human samples tested had antibodies against rabies and, of 158 human samples tested, 12 (7.5%) had antibodies against Mokola virus and 4 (2.5%) had antibodies against Lagos bat virus.

The occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in fermented milk products (fura and manshanu) in Nigeria.

Ninety-three samples of fermented milk cereal (Fura) and 79 of local butter (Manshanu) were collected from four different markets around Zaria. For Fura the mean content of Staphylococci for each of the four markets ranged from 4.5 x 10(3) to 4.3 x 10(4) cfu/ml and the mean aerobic mesophilic plate count from 5.6 x 10(5) to 2.7 x 10(6) cfu/ml. For Manshanu the mean staphylococcal count and aerobic mesophilic plate count ranged from 3.4 x 10(2) to 2.2 x 10(3) cfu/ml and 6.7 x 10(4) to 1.1 x 10(6) cfu/ml respectively. Significant differences were seen between the different markets.

Rotavirus gastroenteritis in pediatric diarrhoea in Jos, Nigeria.

Four hundred and forty-two samples from children, age 0-5 years old, with acute diarrhoea attending hospitals and clinics in Jos between May 1986 to April 1987 were examined for the presence of rotavirus by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. One hundred and forty-six of these samples were positive, giving a prevalence rate of 33 per cent. The virus was more prevalent in infants 0-6 months old and decreased with an increase in age. Rotavirus was found to occur throughout the year, but there was a much higher prevalence of the virus during the dry season (59 per cent) than in the rainy season (21 per cent) with relative humidity being the most influential climatic factor for this variation. Male children and breast-fed children were more predisposed to infection with rotavirus than their counterparts.

Susceptibility of laboratory animals to experimental infection with Ife virus.

The susceptibility of rabbits, domestic chickens and albino rats to experimental infection with Ife virus was investigated. Neither pyrexia nor clinical signs of disease were observed in infected rabbits or chickens. Low-grade viraemia (10(1.0) mouse lethal doses per 0.02 ml) occurred in intracerebrally (i.c.) inoculated chicks on the second day post-infection. Complement-fixing antibody was detected on the 14th day post-inoculation in rabbits and on the 7th day in chickens. Infant rats less than 3 and 5 days of age died after subcutaneous (s.c.) and i.c. inoculation, respectively; older rats survived infection. Ife virus titres were highest in the brain following both i.c. and s.c. inoculation.

Pathogenicity of Ife virus for Swiss albino mice.

Pathogenicity of Ife virus was studied in Swiss albino mice following four inoculation routes. Mice of all ages survived oral infection without seroconversion; subcutaneous (i.c.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) infections lead to low titre antibody production. Only suckling mice (1-5 days old) succumbed to intracerebral (i.c.) inoculation with infectivity titres which decreased by age and average survival time (AST) increasing with age. Following i.c. inoculation to suckling mice, the brain infectivity titres increased progressively by days post-infection (p.i.). Virus was not recovered from the lungs and kidney but in low titre it was obtained from the liver, spleen, heart and blood at different days p.i. All organs examined showed evidence of complement fixing and immunofluorescent Ife virus antigen. No gross lesions were observed. The histopathological lesions were limited to the brain.

Serological evidence of Ife virus infection in Nigerian indigenous domestic ruminants.

Serological evidence of Ife virus infection was observed in cattle, sheep, goats and camels in both ecological zones of Sokoto and Kaduna States of Nigeria. The antibody prevalence rates differed between species and between zones, being highest in the guinea savanna. This is the first report of possible Ife virus infection in domestic ruminants.

Prevalence of rubella antibodies on the African continent.

Until recently, data on the epidemiology of rubella in Africa have been very scarce. However, several seroepidemiologic surveys within the last 10 years show that the virus is prevalent throughout Africa. In most of Africa rubella is contracted early in life; in areas such as the Gambia, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Mali, and parts of Kenya greater than 80% of children are immune to the virus by 10 years of age, and this level increases through adulthood. Most studies show that greater than 80% of pregnant women are immune to rubella.

Enterotoxin Production by Staphylococcal Isolates from Nigerian Fermented Milk Products.

A total of 369 samples of nono, furanono and manshanu were purchased from four different markets around Zaria, Nigeria. Five hundred and sixty-eight staphylococcal isolates were obtained from the three products of which a total of 37 (6.5%) were enterotoxigenic comprising 21 (10.7%) from nono samples and 16 (17.2%) from fura samples. The staphylococcal count, pH and titratable acidity of all the samples that contained enterotoxigenic staphylococci ranged from 5.4 × 103 to 6.3 × 104 CFU/ml, 3.89 to 4.21 and 0.47 to 0.74, respectively. Of all the staphylococcal isolates, 6.5% produced enterotoxin. Of the enterotoxigenic strains encountered 73.0% produced enterotoxin A, 10.8% B, 10.8% C and 2.7% produced combinations of A and B and A and C each. Statistical analysis revealed no correlation between either coagulase, thermonuclease, hemolysin production and enterotoxin production.

Sero-epidemiology of rubella in Imo State of Nigeria.

931 serum samples collected at random from healthy subjects in the four health zones of Imo State were analysed for the presence of rubella haemagglutination inhibition antibodies. Rubella antibodies were present in 625 of the samples giving a prevalence of 66.6%. There was a gradual increase in the prevalence of these antibodies with increase in age except in the age group 10 to 19 years which had a high prevalence of 80 to 90%. The distribution of antibodies appeared to be influenced by type of settlement. Okigwe and Umuahia health zones, in which settlements are close together had significantly higher numbers of seropositive individuals than Owerri and Aba zones, in which communities are widely spread. Immunity to the virus was influenced by socio-economic factors. The prevalence of antibodies to the virus was greater in individuals of low socio-economic status than those of high socio-economic status. The sex of the individual was also a factor in the distribution of antibodies to rubella, more females than males having antibodies. There was no difference between urban and rural populations in the prevalence of antibody to rubella.

Etomidate: a valuable anaesthetic for mice.

Etomidate, a new nonbarbiturate short-acting hypnotic agent, was effective in anaesthetizing laboratory mice at a dose of 23.7 +/- 1.5 mg/kg bodyweight ip. Surgical anaesthesia developed which permitted the performance of operations upon the animals for at least 20 minutes after induction. In these mice (LACA-2 and C57-BL strains), doses up to 33 mg/kg were tolerated. Recovery from anaesthesia was uncomplicated.

A direct plaque assay for Mount Elgon bat virus.

Direct plaque formation by Mount Elgon bat virus was obtained using Vero cells under overlays of carboxymethyl cellulose or agar. The plaques were small but easily countable when the monolayer was stained with crystal violet. The direct assay was simple and convenient and gave infectivity titres slightly higher than those obtained by the indirect method.