Mosquito control at a tertiary teaching hospital in Nigeria.

Background: Mosquitoes are vectors of numerous diseases, including malaria and yellow fever. Mosquito control is therefore a priority in many countries, especially in healthcare settings. Here we investigated the opinions of patients and staff regarding mosquito control at a hospital in Nigeria, and also gathered data on mosquito-control measures in this setting.

Infections in Africa-How Important Is Zoonotic Transmission? A Review of the Evidence.

, a protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa, is the etiological agent of cryptosporidiosis, an intestinal infection characterized by profuse watery diarrhea. Over 30 species of are recognized, some host specific whereas others infect a broader host range. and are the species most commonly associated with human infection; is largely associated only with human infections, but is also associated with infection in animals, especially young ruminants.

Imaging of the Buccal Mucosa Shows Loss of the Endothelial Glycocalyx and Perivascular Hemorrhages in Pediatric Plasmodium falciparum Malaria.

Severe malaria is mostly caused by resulting in considerable, systemic inflammation and pronounced endothelial activation. The endothelium forms an interface between blood and tissue, and vasculopathy has previously been linked with malaria severity. We studied the extent to which the endothelial glycocalyx that normally maintains endothelial function is involved in falciparum malaria pathogenesis by using incident dark-field imaging in the buccal mucosa.

Apparent overuse of antibiotics in the management of watery diarrhoea in children in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Background: Diarrhoea remains an important cause of childhood mortality in Nigeria, with Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium reported to have the highest contribution. However, high use of antibiotics for treatment of paediatric diarrhoea has been observed, although World Health Organization guidelines discourage the use of antibiotics for treating acute diarrhoea. Here we investigated more closely management and treatment practices for acute paediatric diarrhoea, both in home and healthcare settings.

Apparent absence of infections among children under 5-years of age with acute watery diarrhoea in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Although the impact of diarrhoeal disease on paediatric health in Nigeria has decreased in recent years, it remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. Rotavirus is recognised as an important aetiological agent, but information on the contribution of intestinal protozoa to watery diarrhoea in this age group in Nigeria is scarce. In this cross-sectional study, faecal samples from children admitted to healthcare centres in Abakaliki, Nigeria with acute watery diarrhoea (N = 199) and faecal samples from age-matched controls (N = 37) were examined for Cryptosporidium and Giardia using immunofluorescent antibody testing and molecular methods.