Pattern of intestinal parasites among hosptial patients at Ile-Ife.

Intestinal and extraintestinal parasitic diseases continue to constitute important public health problems in many developing African countries. While malaria continues to ravage the continent, the silent onslaught of intestinal helminthiases and protozoal infection seem not to relent. The objectives of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthic and protozoan infections and to determine the trends in intestinal parasitic infections. Results of laboratory investigations for parasitic infections during a three-year period in two succeeding decades (1988-90 and 1996-98) were analysed. During the two periods 4233 (65.1%) of 6504 and 2297 (63.1%) of 3641 clinical specimens were respectively, positive for intestinal parasites. These results are very significant as determinants of the level of environmental and domiciliary hygiene. It is concluded that the findings should be of great concern to the local Authority Health Departments which should spur the government to concerted effort aimed at ameliorating the deplorable situation brought about by indiscriminate faecal disposal.

Serological and clinical correlates of gonorrhoea and syphilis in fertile and infertile Nigerian women.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that infertile Nigerian women have higher serum levels of antibodies against Neisseria gonorrhoea and Treponema pallidum compared with fertile controls. DESIGN: The prevalence of serum antibodies against N gonorrhoea and T pallidum was compared in fertile and infertile Nigerian women. SETTING: Population based case-control study in Ile-Ife, southwestern Nigeria. SUBJECTS: 60 women with infertility identified from a community based questionnaire survey of 1075 women were compared with 53 age matched fertile controls. METHODS: Sera of fertile and infertile women were tested for the presence of gonococcal antibodies with indirect agglutination test and syphilis antibodies using rapid reagin method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of anti-gonococcal and anti-treponemal antibodies in cases and controls. Frequency of self reports of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in cases and controls. RESULTS: In comparison with fertile women, infertile women were more likely to report having had repeated lower abdominal pains (p < 0.01), yellow vaginal discharge (p < 0.004), and whitish vaginal discharge (p < 0.02). There was no significant difference between cases and controls in the proportions reporting previous STI diagnoses. However, two infertile women reported previous gonococcal infection compared with none in the fertile group. Sixteen of the infertile women (26.7%) demonstrated anti-gonococcal antibodies in their sera compared with only four of the 53 fertile controls (7.5%) (p < 0.02; OR 4.5). There was no significant difference between fertile and infertile women in the proportion showing serological reactivity to T pallidum. CONCLUSION: Infertile women have a higher prevalence of anti-gonococcal antibodies compared with fertile controls. Infertile women are also more likely to report previous lower abdominal pains and vaginal discharge. These results provide credible evidence implicating STIs and N gonorrhoea in particular as important factors contributing to female infertility in this population. Public health measures are warranted to address the high rate of STIs and N gonorrhoea in Nigeria.

Bacteriological studies of dental caries in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

To determine the relationship between bacterial colonization of tooth surfaces and dental caries, selective agar media-MM10 Sucrose, Rogosa SL and Blood agar were used to isolate bacteria from the scrappings of 60 tooth surfaces of 30 children and young adults. Mean age +/- SD was 13.3 +/- 4.1 (range seven to 19 years). Streptococcus mutans was isolated from 36 surfaces representing 60pc Lactobacillus species from 38 surfaces (68pc), and Actinomyces species from 12 surfaces (20pc). The individual prevalences of these organisms decreased with age. The distribution of bacteria according to surfaces examined showed that the pits and fissures were the main habitat of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli were sensitive to erythromycin. Actinomyces species were 100pc sensitive to Penicillin. All the bacteria species isolated were also found to be 100pc sensitive to Olfoxacin (Tarivid). It is suggested that the use of antibiotics may stop the growth of cariogenic bacteria in individuals and thereby contribute to a decline in the incidence and prevalence of dental caries in the community.

The effects of prednisolone and niacin on chloroquine-induced pruritus in malaria.

Chloroquine chemotherapy of malaria fever induces severe generalised pruritus in a large proportion of black Africans. In a double blind, placebo controlled, randomised, parallel group study in 28 historically chloroquine pruritus-reactor (R+) patients, with malaria, we evaluated the prophylactic and the palliative antipruritic actions of prednisolone (5 mg) or niacin (50 mg). There was a significant prophylactic effect of both drugs on the pruritogenecity of chloroquine as well as significant reduction in the area under the pruritus intensity-time curve, AUC(0-72 h) by niacin. The salutary effect both of niacin and prednisolone on chloroquine pruritogenecity resulted neither, in the mitigation of malaria parasite clearance, nor in the clinical amelioration following antimalaria therapy.