Prevalence and characteristics of rotavirus acute gastroenteritis among under-five children in ahmadu bello university teaching hospital, Zaria, Nigeria.

Background: Rotavirus infection is a significant cause of gastroenteritis in developing countries and, in severe cases even leads to death. The impact of rotavirus vaccine introduction in reducing the rotavirus disease burden in children was well known. The study was aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of rotavirus gastroenteritis before the introduction of rotavirus vaccine into Nigeria's routine immunization program. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based study involving 735 children aged 0-59 months with acute gastroenteritis hospitalized at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria from September 2017 to August 2020. Relevant sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained and entered into the World Health Organization standardized case investigation forms. Stool specimens were tested for rotavirus Group A antigen using the ProSpecT™ Rotavirus Microplate Assay by Thermoscientific Oxoid Microbiology UK. Results: One hundred and fifty-three stool samples tested positive for rotavirus giving a prevalence of 20.8%. One hundred and two (66.7%) children with rotavirus gastroenteritis were infants. There were 87 males and 66 females with M: F ratio of 1.3:1. Only 30 (19.6%) children with rotavirus-associated diarrhea presented with severe dehydration. The presence of vomiting was significantly associated with rotavirus diarrhea (P = 0.001). More cases of rotavirus diarrhea occurred in September through February. None of the studied children were vaccinated against rotavirus. Conclusion: The prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea remains high in this study. Infants were recognized as a high-risk group, and none of them were vaccinated against rotavirus and this underscores the urgent need for implementing the rotavirus vaccine in the national vaccination program to reduce the disease burden in the country.

Résumé L'infection à rotavirus est une cause importante de gastro-entérite dans les pays en développement et, dans les cas graves, entraîne même la mort. L'impact de l'introduction du vaccin antirotavirus pour réduire le fardeau de la maladie à rotavirus chez les enfants était bien connue. L'étude visait à déterminer la prévalence et les caractéristiques cliniques de la gastro-entérite à rotavirus avant l'introduction du vaccin antirotavirus dans le programme de vaccination systématique du Nigéria. Matériels et méthodesNous avons mené une étude hospitalière transversale portant sur 735 enfants âgés de 0 à 59 mois atteints de gastro-entérite aiguë. hospitalisé à l'hôpital universitaire Ahmadu Bello Zaria de septembre 2017 à août 2020. Données sociodémographiques et cliniques pertinentes les données ont été obtenues et saisies dans les formulaires normalisés d'investigation de cas de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé. Des échantillons de selles ont été testés pour le rotavirus Antigène du groupe A utilisant le test sur microplaque ProSpecT™ Rotavirus par Thermoscientific Oxoid Microbiology UK. Résultatscent cinquante trois les échantillons de selles ont été testés positifs pour le rotavirus donnant une prévalence de 20,8 %. Cent deux (66,7 %) enfants atteints de gastro-entérite à rotavirus ont été nourrissons. Il y avait 87 hommes et 66 femmes avec un rapport M:F de 1,3:1. Seuls 30 (19,6 %) enfants atteints de diarrhée à rotavirus ont présenté déshydratation sévère. La présence de vomissements était significativement associée à la diarrhée à rotavirus (P = 0,001). Plus de cas de diarrhée à rotavirus se sont produits de septembre à février. Aucun des enfants étudiés n'a été vacciné contre le rotavirus. ConclusionLa prévalence de la diarrhée à rotavirus reste élevé dans cette étude. Les nourrissons ont été reconnus comme un groupe à haut risque et aucun d'entre eux n'a été vacciné contre le rotavirus, ce qui souligne la nécessité urgente de mettre en œuvre le vaccin antirotavirus dans le programme national de vaccination afin de réduire la charge de morbidité dans le pays. Mots-clésGastro-entérite aiguë, diarrhée à rotavirus, vaccin à rotavirus, Zaria.

Changing Pattern of Childhood Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis in North-Western Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Nigeria lies within the meningitis belt which extends from the Gambia, Senegal through Nigeria to Eritrea; however, outbreaks have been shown to extend further south involving countries such as Angola and Namibia. Epidemic outbreaks are often recorded every 8-12 years averaging in a 10 yearly circle however endemic cases still occurs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was retrospective; all results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of children with cases of meningitis from January 2010 to December 2010 were collected from the register of the microbiology laboratory of General Hospital Gusau. Relevant information such as their age, sex, CSF macroscopy/microscopy reports, latex particle agglutination test report, and CSF culture report were retrieved and entered into a pro forma. RESULTS: There were 89 (73%) males and 33 (27%) females with male to female ratio of 2.7:1. The age ranged from 2 months to 14 years; the mean was 6.27 ± 4.00 years. Meningitis was mostly recorded from January to April. W135 was the most common serotype identified. Majority of the samples (54) which were nonreactive for any of the tested antigens had clear CSF (36), while among those that reacted; the W135 group had a high proportion of cases that had turbid CSF (44); (Fisher's exact test = 30.650, P = 0.000). Majority of the samples (99) had no cell count; although those of the W135 group had higher cell counts followed by those in the nonreactive group (Fisher's exact test = 11.226, P = 0.181). CONCLUSION: Meningitis was highest between January and April, and W135 was the most common serotype.

Malaria rapid diagnostic test in children: The Zamfara, Nigeria experience.

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains a major cause of under-five morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, and prompt diagnosis occupies a strategic position in its management. Malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT), a nontechnical, easy to perform test promises to meet this need. It is important to locally document the usefulness of the use of RDT in making prompt malaria diagnosis in children. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of malaria and evaluate the diagnostic performance of malaria RDT kit in febrile under-five children presenting to a Tertiary Health Facility in Gusau, North-Western Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of children aged 6-59 months, evaluated for malaria in a tertiary health facility from August 2012 to January 2013. Information was obtained from care providers of all subjects with fever and a presumptive diagnosis of malaria. All subjects were investigated using Giemsa stain microscopy and Carestart™ malaria RDT. RESULTS: The prevalence of malaria in 250 febrile under-five children was 54%. Three-quarter (79%) of the children received inappropriate nonrecommended antimalaria prior to their presentation, including 20% who received chloroquine. The overall sensitivity of RDT was 40.3%. The specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 89.6%, 81.8%, and 56.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Use of RDT should be encouraged for screening and diagnosis using a protocol such that febrile children with positive RDT results are confirmed as having malaria while those with negative results are further evaluated using microscopy.