The proximate, mineral, and toxicant compositions of four possible food security crops from southeastern Nigeria.

The proximate, nutritional, and antinutritional compositions of the raw, cooked, and roasted samples of four Nigerian indigenous seeds-Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Mucuna flagellipes, and Citrullus colocynthis-were evaluated. Also estimated were zinc and divalent cation bioavailability of the seeds using millimolar ratios/kg dry weight of [calcium]/[phytate], [phytate]/[zinc], [calcium][phytate]/[Zn], and [phytate]/[total phosphorus]. The results obtained revealed that the seeds of P. macrophylla and C. colocynthis had high protein and lipid levels. All the seeds were also found to have high energy value and low moisture content. Mineral analysis showed the presence of Na, K, Ca, and Mg in appreciable quantities and Zn, I, Fe, and Se in minute quantities. Antinutritional analyses indicated the presence of traces of tannin, oxalate, phytate, saponin, and cyanide in the samples. The various processing techniques had significant (P ≤ .05) effects on the measured parameters. The calculated [Ca][phytate]/[Zn] molar ratios revealed that these seeds had values above the critical level of 0.5 mL/kg, thus indicating reduced bioavailability of zinc. In view of the high nutrient contents, low antinutritional contents after processing, and their superabundance, these seeds could be cheap nutrient sources. The implications of these findings with regards to food security are enormous.

Clinical and parasitological aspects of onchocercal skin diseases in Nigeria.

An assessment of onchocercal skin disease (OSD) conducted in 38 rural communities in the Imo River Basin, Nigeria, between March 1999 and September 2000, showed that depigmentation (DPM) was the most prevalent lesion in persons with skin microfilariae (mf) (26.3%), followed by chronic papular onchodermatitis (CPOD) (18.1%) and acute papular onchodermatitis (APOD) (15.5%). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in sex-related prevalence of OSD. While CPOD, lichenified onchodermatitis (LOD) and DPM were more prevalent in subjects over 30 years old, APOD was associated more with those aged less than 30 years. OSD occurred with concomitant itching in nearly 50% of subjects. The geometric mean intensity of infection was 13 mf/mg per skin snip.

Prevalence of Mansonella perstans infections among the nomadic Fulanis of northern Nigeria.

The study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence and clinical manifestations of Mansonella perstans infection in the nomadic Fulanis of northern Nigeria. Physical examination of 755 consenting nomads for clinical manifestations of M. perstans infection was carried out between June 1996-September 2000. This was followed by parasitological examination of blood samples collected by finger prick method to identify microfilariae (mf). Data collected was stratified by locality, age and sex, and analyzed using the Chi-square test. Overall, 66 (8.7 %) of 755 nomads were infected. Infection was higher in men (9.7 %) than in women (6.5 %) (p<0.05) and occurred in all age groups with highest prevalence in persons in the 4th (14.1 %) and 5th (17.1 %) decades of life. Fifty-six (81.8 %) of the 66 nomads with mf had clinical manifestations with periodic dizziness (18.2 %), body itching (15.2 %) was the most prevalent while back pain (7.6 %) was the least. The findings show that mansonelliasis is an important health problem in nomads. This underscores the need to establish a well-articulated Filariasis Control Programme for this group whose major health problems are rooted in their occupation and amplified by several contingencies of the environment.

Use of lemon or lime juice douches in women in Jos, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of lemon/lime juice for douching by female sex workers (FSWs) and family planning clients (FPCs) in Jos, Nigeria. METHOD: A total of 300 sexually active women comprising 200 FSWs and 100 FPCs were interviewed in June 2004 to determine the mode and rationale for the use of lemon/lime juice for sex. RESULT: Majority of the women 167/300 (55.7%, 95% CI = 50-61%) i.e. 163/200 (81.5%, 95% CI = 75-87%) FSWs, 4/100 (4%, 95% CI = 1-10%) FPCs used vaginal lemon/lime douches. Lime juice was used by 105/167 (62.8%, 95% CI = 55-70%), lemon juice by 30/167 (18%, 95% CI = 12-25%) or a mixture by 18/167 (10.8%, 95% CI = 7-25%). The juice was used either neat 44/167 (26%, 95% CI = 20-34%) or diluted in water 75/167 (45%, 95% CI = 37-53%) either before or after sex. Nineteen per cent (32/167) found the juice painful. Over half of the women believed that it protected them from pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections; they did not know their HIV status. Eighty-six per cent would recommend it to others, and 71% would be willing to take part in a study to evaluate its safety and efficacy. CONCLUSION: Lemon and lime juice are widely used for douches among women at high risk of HIV transmission. There is an urgent need to determine whether or not this practice promotes or prevents HIV infection.