Dengue haemorrhagic fever: An emerging disease in Nigeria, West Africa.

Introduction: In Nigeria, dengue fever caused by dengue virus, types 1 and 2 has been diagnosed for many years. Although, seroepidemiological surveys have shown that dengue virus activity is, widespread in the country, there is scanty information on dengue, hemorrhagic fever with little attention paid to dengue fever largely, because it presents as classical dengue fever characterized by fever, myalgia, headache, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, gastro intestinal, symptoms and skin rash. We are updating the current information of dengue, in Nigeria, as well as DHF which is an emerging disease in the west, African country.

Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Nigerian Blood Donors and Hepatitis B Virus Transmission Risks.

Background: Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) characterized by the absence of detectable HBsAg remains a potential threat in blood safety. We investigated the actual prevalence, viral factors and genotype of OBI infections in Nigerian blood donors.

Methods: Serum collected from two blood banks were reconfirmed as HBsAg seronegative by ELISA.

Immunity to poliovirus serotypes in children population of selected communities in South-west, Nigeria.

Background: Poliovirus outbreaks are still reported in Nigeria despite renewed efforts to improve vaccine coverage, thus suggesting the existence of susceptible hosts. Also, there is anecdotal evidence of variation in vaccine coverage by region and specifically between urban and rural communities. Consequently, this study assessed neutralizing antibodies to poliovirus serotypes among children in selected urban and rural communities in south western Nigeria.

Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 IgG and IgM antibodies among pregnant women in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Human parvovirus B19 causes a wide range of complications in pregnant women including abortion, severe fetal anemia, non-immune hydrops fetalis, and even intrauterine fetal death. However, there is a dearth of information on the prevalence of the virus among pregnant women in southwestern Nigeria.

Methodology: Blood samples were collected from 231 pregnant women and screened for antibodies to human parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG using an enzyme immunosorbent assay kits.

Prevalence and association of human parvovirus B19V with hepatitis B and C viruses in Nigeria.

Co-infection of parvovirus B19 with hepatitis B virus has been found in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis. The clinical significance of parvovirus B19 in hepatitis B co-infected patients is still controversial. In this study parvovirus B19 antibodies and DNA were investigated in serum samples from 76 patients with HBV infection, 17 with HBV/HCV co-infection and 44 healthy controls.