Comparison of the quality of life of comorbid and non-comorbid people living with HIV/AIDS in a Nigerian secondary healthcare facility.

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) is a vital healthcare indicator among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHA). Assessing the effects of comorbidities on QoL among PLWHA is of clinical and public health importance. This study compared the QoL of comorbid and non-comorbid PLWHA at St.

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus infection in neonates- a major concern and a call for action.

Background: Methicillin-Resistant (MRSA) is both a human commensal and a pathogen that causes neonatal infection which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Its genetic flexibility and versatility have equipped it with the ability to develop resistance to numerous antibiotics. Outbreaks of infections in neonatal intensive care units as well as community infections have been reported mostly in developed countries.

Translocon Subunits of the COP9 Signalosome Complex Are a Central Hub for Regulating Multiple Photoresponsive Processes and Autophagic Flux in .

Photodependent processes, including circadian rhythm, autophagy, ubiquitination, neddylation/deneddylation, and metabolite biosynthesis, profoundly influence microbial pathogenesis. Although a photomorphogenesis signalosome (COP9/CSN) has been identified, the mechanism by which this large complex contributes to the pathophysiological processes in filamentous fungi remains unclear. Here, we identified eight CSN complex subunits in the rice blast fungus and functionally characterized the translocon subunits containing a nuclear export or localization signal (NES/NLS).

Uncovering the hidden health burden: a systematic review and meta-analysis of iron deficiency anemia among adolescents, and pregnant women in Pakistan.

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent diet-related disorder and mainly affects women and children. To determine the trend of anemia incidence in Pakistan, a current review was carried out. This review aimed to estimate the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women and adult/adolescent nonpregnant women in Pakistan and to provide a 15-year trend analysis.

Performance of SARS COV-2 IgG Anti-N as an Independent Marker of Exposure to SARS COV-2 in an Unvaccinated West African Population.

Determination of previous SARS-COV-2 infection is hampered by the absence of a standardized test. The marker used to assess previous exposure is IgG antibody to the nucleocapsid (IgG anti-N), although it is known to wane quickly from peripheral blood. The accuracies of seven antibody tests (virus neutralization test, IgG anti-N, IgG anti-spike [anti-S], IgG anti-receptor binding domain [anti-RBD], IgG anti-N + anti-RBD, IgG anti-N + anti-S, and IgG anti-S + anti-RBD), either singly or in combination, were evaluated on 502 cryopreserved serum samples collected before the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Kumasi, Ghana.

Performance of HIV rapid testing algorithm in Nigeria: Findings from a household-based Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS).

Background: The Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), a cross-sectional household survey, was conducted in 2018 with primary objectives to estimate HIV prevalence, HIV-1 incidence, and status of UNAIDS 90-90-90 cascade. We conducted retrospective analysis of the performance of HIV rapid tests and the national HIV testing algorithm used in Nigeria.

Methods: The national algorithm included Determine HIV-1/2 as test 1 (T1), Unigold HIV-1/2 as test 2 (T2), and StatPak HIV-1/2 as the tie-breaker test (T3).

Seropositivity and Associated Risk Factors Among Women Attending A Northern Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.

Background: Genital (Ct) is the commonest bacterial sexually transmitted infection globally. Acquisition of Ct infection is affected by biological and behavioural factors.

Aim: Determine the prevalence of Ct infection and identify risk factors associated with Ct infection in sexually active fertile women in Northern Nigeria.

Costs of HIV prevention services provided by community-based organizations to female sex workers in Nigeria.

Background: Nigeria has been consistently targeted in sub-Saharan Africa as an HIV-priority country. Its main mode of transmission is heterosexual, and consequently, a key population of interest is female sex workers (FSWs). While HIV prevention services are increasingly implemented by community-based organizations (CBOs) in Nigeria, there is a paucity of evidence on the implementation costs of these organizations.

HIV Patients' Satisfaction with Pharmaceutical Care at a Nigerian Tertiary Healthcare Facility During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Patients' satisfaction is an important indicator of determining the quality of pharmaceutical care (PC). This study investigated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients' satisfaction with PC at Federal Medical Centre, Keffi-Nigeria and determined the statistical correlation between the respondents' socio-demographic variables and their satisfaction with PC. This cross-sectional survey study involved 351 randomly selected HIV-positive patients receiving PC in the facility.

Effect of Nigeria Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Pandemic, Nigeria.

Nigeria had a confirmed case of COVID-19 on February 28, 2020. On March 17, 2020, the Nigerian Government inaugurated the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to coordinate the country's multisectoral intergovernmental response. The PTF developed the National COVID-19 Multisectoral Pandemic Response Plan as the blueprint for implementing the response plans.

SARS-COV-2 antibody responses to AZD1222 vaccination in West Africa.

Real-world data on vaccine-elicited neutralising antibody responses for two-dose AZD1222 in African populations are limited. We assessed baseline SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and levels of protective neutralizing antibodies prior to vaccination rollout using binding antibodies analysis coupled with pseudotyped virus neutralisation assays in two cohorts from West Africa: Nigerian healthcare workers (n = 140) and a Ghanaian community cohort (n = 527) pre and post vaccination. We found 44 and 28% of pre-vaccination participants showed IgG anti-N positivity, increasing to 59 and 39% respectively with anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG-specific antibodies.

Enterobacter agglomerans, an uncommon cause of community-acquired bacterial infection in neonates.

Enterobacter agglomerans formerly termed Erwina herbicola but now called Pantonea agglomerans is a ubiquitous gram-negative bacterium that rarely causes mild and opportunistic infection in humans. Sources of infection are myriad causing both local and systemic disease across all systems of the body. Infection is often fulminant and fatal in neonates.

Evaluation of accuracy and performance of self-reported HIV and antiretroviral therapy status in the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (2018).

Background: Data on awareness of HIV status among people living with HIV (PLHIV) are critical to estimating progress toward epidemic control. To ascertain the accuracy of self-reported HIV status and antiretroviral drug (ARV) use in the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), we compared self-reported HIV status with HIV rapid diagnostic test (RDT) results and self-reported ARV use with detectable blood ARV levels.

Methods: On the basis of responses and test results, participants were categorized by HIV status and ARV use.

Introducing biomarkers for invasive fungal disease in haemato-oncology patients: a single-centre experience.

The impacts of increased biomarker testing on antifungal prescribing have not yet been fully examined in a real-life setting. Biomarkers for invasive fungal disease (IFD) have been shown to reduce antifungal prescriptions in neutropaenic haemato-oncology patients. Our study aimed to assess the real-life impacts of introducing a novel biomarker-based pathway, incorporating serum galactomannan and PCR, for pyrexial haemato-oncology admissions.

Mapping HIV prevalence in Nigeria using small area estimates to develop a targeted HIV intervention strategy.

Objective: Although geographically specific data can help target HIV prevention and treatment strategies, Nigeria relies on national- and state-level estimates for policymaking and intervention planning. We calculated sub-state estimates along the HIV continuum of care in Nigeria.

Design: Using data from the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) (July-December 2018), we conducted a geospatial analysis estimating three key programmatic indicators: prevalence of HIV infection among adults (aged 15-64 years); antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among adults living with HIV; and viral load suppression (VLS) rate among adults living with HIV.

Effectiveness of three delivery models for promoting access to pre-exposure prophylaxis in HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Nigeria.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of three models for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) service delivery to HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Nigeria.

Methods: 297 heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples were recruited into three PrEP delivery models and followed up for 18 months. The models were i) Outpatient clinic model providing PreP in routine outpatient care; ii) Antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic model providing PrEP in ART clinics; and iii) Decentralized care model providing PrEP through primary and secondary care centres linked to a tertiary care centre.

Delayed Access to COVID-19 Vaccines: A Perspective on Low-income Countries in Africa.

The development of COVID-19 vaccines was a landmark in the current efforts to contain the global pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2. Consequently, vaccine rollout and inoculation campaigns continue to progress steadily across the globe. However, "skewed" rollout, or the inequitable or delayed access to the vaccines encountered particularly by low-income countries in Africa, remains a source of great concern.

Development of a Quality Assurance Score for the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) Database: Validation Study.

Background: In 2018, Nigeria implemented the world's largest HIV survey, the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), with the overarching goal of obtaining more reliable metrics regarding the national scope of HIV epidemic control in Nigeria.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) describe the processes involved in the development of a new database evaluation tool (Database Quality Assurance Score [dQAS]) and (2) assess the application of the dQAS in the evaluation and validation of the NAIIS database.

Methods: The dQAS tool was created using an online, electronic Delphi (e-Delphi) methodology with the assistance of expert review panelists.

Wide circulation of peste des petits ruminants virus in sheep and goats across Nigeria.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects goats and sheep in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and threatens Europe [R.E.1].

Optimizing community linkage to care and antiretroviral therapy Initiation: Lessons from the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) and their adaptation in Nigeria ART Surge.

Background: Ineffective linkage to care (LTC) is a known challenge for community HIV testing. To overcome this challenge, a robust linkage to care strategy was adopted by the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS). The NAIIS linkage to care strategy was further adapted to improve Nigeria's programmatic efforts to achieve the 1st 90 as part of the Nigeria Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Surge initiative, which also included targeted community testing.

Nigerian neonatologists perception and experience with retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is an avoidable condition that affects premature infants exposed to oxygen stresses at or soon after birth. In low- and middle-income countries, like Nigeria, neonatal mortality rates are high and very few infants live to develop ROP. With recent better care, ROP is now being diagnosed.