Epidemiology of skin diseases in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State.

Background: Several studies have been carried out to determine the patterns of skin diseases across Nigeria and results have shown changing patterns with the trend reflecting a higher tendency for allergic dermatoses in a majority of these studies. This study was carried out to evaluate the current clinical picture of patients presenting to our clinic. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of new patients seen in the skin clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku- Ozalla, between November 2013 and August 2014 was carried out. A total of 387 patients' data was analysed. Data collected on patients' sociodemographic status and diagnosis were entered into SPSS Version 17 and analyzed. Diagnosis was based on clinical findings, laboratory diagnosis including biopsy and histopathology were requested when necessary to make a diagnosis. Results: There were more females 245 (63%) than males 142 (37%). Most of the patients (81.9%) were aged above 16years and the commonest skin disease was infections (29.5%) followed by allergic skin diseases (13.6%). There was a significant difference in levels of income of study participants across gender and females who were engaged in unskilled labour were more likely to earn lower than males. Conclusion: Comparing the study findings with an earlier one from the same center, there is a change in pattern with infections being the most common skin disease. These are largely preventable; public enlightenment campaigns and policies to discourage over the counter purchase of prescription strength corticosteroid creams are highly desirable.

Clinical and Laboratory Predictors of Articular Disorders Among HIV-infected Patients Seen at Teaching Hospital Southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: HIV infection may be associated with different arthropathies that are often underdiagnosed. There is also paucity of reported studies of relationship between clinical and laboratory features of HIV-infected patients and articular disorders. AIMS: To determine the predictors of articular disorders among HIV-infected patients seen at tertiary hospital Nigeria. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study. Subjects were recruited from outpatient clinics of the study centers. Persons aged 16 years and above were recruited via stratified sampling method. Subjects with trauma, degenerative arthritis, malignancy, hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus positivity or previously known to have pulmonary tuberculosis or rheumatological disorders were excluded. Pretest-improved semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the recruited 480 subjects comprising 240 HIV positive subjects (HPS) and 240 HIV-negative subjects (HNS). Blood for relevant laboratory tests and radiographs were done where necessary. Diagnosis of articular disorder was based on American College of Rheumatology and European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group classification guidelines. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 15 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data entry, validation, and analysis. RESULTS: Of the 480 participants, both HPS and HNS were made up of 95 males and 145 females. There was statistically significant difference between the frequency of occurrence of articular disorders among the HPS of 37.1% (89/240) and the HIV-negative controls of 16.2% (39/240) (χ(2) = 26.63 P = <0.01). Arthralgia frequency of 29.6% (71/240), HIV-associated arthritis 4.6%, (11/240) (Reiter's disease 1.3% (3/240), undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy 1.3%, (3/240) and gout 0.4% (1/240) (were seen among the HPS. Only arthralgia was found among HNS. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and age were the best predictors of arthralgia presence. CD4+ T-cell count was predictive of HIV-associated arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Articular disorders are commoner among HIV patients than HNS. ESR and age were the best predictors of Arthralgia presence among HIV-infected patients. CD4+ T-cell count was predictive of HIV-associated arthritis.

Factors influencing herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among females in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Herpes Simplex Virus infection is a chronic infection of the sensory ganglia with variable levels of epithelial expression. An important feature of HSV infection is the recurrence of disease as a result of periodic or sporadic activation of viral replication. In addition, asymptomatic shedding of herpes viruses may play a significant role in transmission from person to person. This infection being lifelong manifests only in a small proportion of those infected. It has presented public health concern because of its progressively increasing prevalence which some reports say is of epidemic proportion in developing countries and also for its synergistic effect with HIV infection. OBJECTIVES: Determination of antibody prevalence to HSV-2/co-infection with HIV among females attending skin and ANC clinics in UNTH and ESUTH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty suitably qualified subjects were appropriately recruited over a period of six months into this study. Essential information was collected using a questionnaire. Venous blood was also obtained for HSV 2 serology, HIV screening, and confirmation, if positive. RESULTS: The antibody prevalence of HSV 2 was found to be 77.8% (n = 137) and 14.6% (n = 20) had clinical diagnosis. The HIV and HSV-2 co-infection rate was 5.11% (n = 9). The risk factors for groups 1 [HSV2 Infection] and 2 [HSV2 & HIV co-infection] were similar with few differences, thus buttressing the fact that their modes of transmission are similar. CONCLUSION: Factors influencing Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among females in Enugu included among other things older age and increasing number of lifetime sexual partners.

Concurrence of dermatological and ophthalmological morbidity in onchocerciasis.

Prevalence of skin and eye disorders in African onchocerciasis (river blindness) is well documented. However, less is known about their joint occurrence. Information on concurrence may improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and is required to estimate the disease burden of onchocerciasis. We analysed data from 765 individuals from forest villages in the Kumba and Ngambe Health districts, Cameroon. These data were collected in 1998, as baseline data for the evaluation of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control. Concurrence of symptoms was assessed using logistic regression. Onchocerciasis was highly endemic in the study population (63% nodule prevalence among males aged ≥20). Considerable overall prevalences of onchocercal visual impairment (low vision or blindness: 4%), troublesome itch (15%), reactive skin disease (19%), and skin depigmentation (25%) were observed. The association between onchocercal visual impairment and skin depigmentation (OR 9.0, 95% CI 3.9-20.8) was partly explained by age and exposure to infection (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2-7.7). The association between troublesome itch and reactive skin disease was hardly affected by adjustment (adjusted OR 6.9, 95% CI 4.2-11.1). Concluding, there is significant concurrence of morbidities within onchocerciasis. Our results suggest a possible role of host characteristics in the pathogenesis of depigmentation and visual impairment. Further, we propose a method to deal with concurrence when estimating the burden of disease.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among females in Enugu, Enugu State.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus type 2 infecion is life long with manifestation in a small proportion of those infected. It has presented public health concern because of its progressively increasing prevalence which some authorities say is of epidemic proportion in developing countries. Herpes simplex virus type 2 has recently been found to have synergistic effect with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and co-infection of the two presents more severe burden to the immunity of the victim. This leads to much morbidity and mortality with negative economic impact. In this study, we set out to determine antibody prevalence of HSV-2 in women attending skin and ante natal care [ANC] clinics in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital [UNTH] and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital [ESUTH]. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 180 female patients/clients attending skin and ANC clinics in UNTH and ESUTH were enrolled in this descriptive study. Sociodemographic data and medical history were collected using a questionnaire. They were also examined for signs of HSV 2 manifestation, other STIs and WHO staging if HIV positive. Samples were also taken for serology, Gram staining and CD4 T-lymphocyte count. RESULTS: The prevalence of HSV 2 was found to be 77.8% (n=137) and 14.6% (n=20) had clinical diagnosis of HSV-2.The HIV and HSV-2 co-infection rate was 5.11% (n=9) and out of 11 that were HIV positive, 9 (81.82%) were HSV-2 antibody positive. The HIV prevalence in this study was 6.3%. CONCLUSION: Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection is common among females in Enugu, Enugu State and is commoner among those with HIV infection.

Hansen's disease: the need for increased healthcare provider awareness and re-training.

CONTEXT: Leprosy continues to be a challenge worldwide. In 2009, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 244,796 new cases worldwide. Of this, South East Asia, South Americas and Africa have the highest number of new cases. OBJECTIVE: To highlight misdiagnosis of Hansen's disease as a drawback to eradication of leprosy. MATERIALS: A retrospective study of cases of Hansen's disease misdiagnosed by clinicians who were seen in the skin clinics of two tertiary institutions in South-East Nigeria over a one year period. RESULTS: Of the nine misdiagnosed cases, three were females while six were males. Apart from one child of six years old, the rest of the patients were adults. Referring diagnoses included chronic osteomyelitis, acromegaly, dermatitis and depression. One of the patients presented with a reversal reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum) following treatment in a peripheral health facility. Confirmation of the diagnosis was based on slit skin smears for Acid Fast Bacilli carried out in the side laboratory of skin clinic UNTH, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu state (four patients) and mile four hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State( three patients). All the smears were positive. Patients were commenced on multi drug therapy and all showed marked clinical improvement following drug therapy. CONCLUSION: Eradication of leprosy may not be feasible if health care providers are ignorant of the different presentations of the disease. A high index of suspicion for leprosy is needed among health care workers in endemic areas. Development of tools for early diagnosis and detection of infection, improvement in existing tools for data collection, provision of guidelines and training materials on vital information for leprosy control will all contribute to the continued success of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in Nigeria.

The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control: impact on onchocercal skin disease.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term impact of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control on itching and onchocercal skin disease (OSD). METHODS: Seven study sites in Cameroon, Sudan, Nigeria and Uganda participated. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted of communities meso- and hyper-endemic for onchocerciasis before and after 5 or 6 years of community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI). Individuals were asked about any general health symptoms including itching and underwent full cutaneous examinations. Onchocercal skin lesions were documented according to a standard classification. RESULTS: Five thousand one hundred and ninety three people were examined in phase I and 5,180 people in phase II. The presence of onchocercal nodules was a strongly significant (P < 0·001) risk factor for all forms of onchocercal skin disease: APOD (OR 1·66); CPOD (OR 2·84); LOD (OR 2·68); reactive skin lesions (OR 2·38) and depigmentation (OR 3·36). The effect of community-directed treatment with ivermectin was profound. At phase II, there were significant (P < 0·001) reductions in the odds of itching (OR 0·32), APOD (OR 0·28); CPOD (OR 0·34); reactive skin lesions (OR 0·33); depigmentation (OR 0·31) and nodules (OR 0·37). Reduction in the odds of LOD was also significant (OR 0.54, P < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This first multi-country report of the long-term impact of CDTI reveals a substantial reduction in itching and OSD. APOC operations are having a major effect in improving skin health in poor rural populations in Africa.

[Onchocerciasis in the area of Lastourville, Gabon. Clinical and entomological aspects]. / L'onchocercose dans la région de Lastourville, Gabon. Aspects cliniques et entomologiques.

The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) has implemented a series of surveys aimed at evaluating the long-term impact of its activities. The region of Lastourville (Gabon) is one of the selected sites for this study. A total of 886 persons was examined for skin lesions, and 459 out of them participated in detailed ocular examinations. Blackflies were collected during one year and dissected. Although the focus was found to be hypoendemic (prevalence of nodules: 7.7%), the frequency of onchodermatitis was relatively high. The lesions of the anterior segment of the eye were rare, but the prevalence of optic nerve disease, and of choroido-retinal lesions reached 5.2 and 2.7%, respectively. The annual transmission potential (2,171 infective larvae per man) was high, when compared with the results recorded in the human population. This may be due to the presence of Onchocerca spp. of animal origin in the blackflies. These results indicate that in the area of Lastourville, though regarded as the main focus of onchocerciasis in Gabon, the disease is relatively mild.

Onchocerciasis: the clinical and epidemiological burden of skin disease in Africa.

An attempt was made to assess the true public-health importance of onchocercal skin disease throughout the African region and hence provide an objective basis for the rational planning of onchocerciasis control in the area. The seven collaborative centres that participated in the study (three in Nigeria and one each in Ghana, Cameroon, Tanzania and Uganda) were all in areas of rainforest or savannah-forest mosaic where onchocercal blindness is not common. A cross-sectional dermatological survey was undertaken at each site following a standard protocol. At each site, the aim was to examine at least 750 individuals aged 5 years and living in highly endemic communities and 220-250 individuals aged 5 years and living in a hypo-endemic (control) community. Overall, there were 5459 and 1451 subjects from hyper-and hypo-endemic communities, respectively. In the highly endemic communities, the prevalence of itching increased with age until 20 years and then plateaued, affecting 42% of the population aged 20 years. There was a strong correlation between the prevalence of itching and the level of endemicity (as measured by the prevalence of nodules; r=0.75; P<0.001). The results of a multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, at the individual level, the presence of onchocercal reactive skin lesions (acute papular onchodermatitis, chronic papular onchodermatitis and/or lichenified onchodermatitis) was the most important risk factor for pruritus, with an odds ratio (OR) of 18.3 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 15.19-22.04, followed by the presence of palpable onchocercal nodules (OR=4.63; CI=4.05-5.29). In contrast, non-onchocercal skin disease contributed very little to pruritus in the study communities (OR=1.29; CI=1.1-1.51). Onchocercal skin lesions affected 28% of the population in the endemic villages. The commonest type was chronic papular onchodermatitis (13%), followed by depigmentation (10%) and acute papular onchodermatitis (7%). The highest correlation with endemicity was seen for the prevalence of any onchocercal skin lesion and/or pruritus combined (r=0.8; P<0.001). Cutaneous onchocerciasis was found to be a common problem in many endemic areas in Africa which do not have high levels of onchocercal blindness. These findings, together with recent observations that onchocercal skin disease can have major, adverse, psycho-social and socio-economic effects, justify the inclusion of regions with onchocercal skin disease in control programmes based on ivermectin distribution. On the basis of these findings, the World Health Organization launched a control programme for onchocerciasis, the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), that covers 17 endemic countries in Africa.