A pragmatic approach to the diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism in developing countries.

Unlabelled: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are a group of genetically derived diseases that are individually rare but collectively common and can be very severe. While high-income countries usually employ modern scientific technologies like tandem mass spectrometry for IEM investigation, these disorders are, in contrast, only rarely screened for in developing countries due to misconceptions that the required facilities are beyond the reach of these countries. This paper attempts to educate scientists and clinicians in developing countries on low-technology IEM screening methods that only require moderate facilities.

Efficacy and safety of pyronaridine-artesunate versus artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria in children in South-West Nigeria: an open-labelled randomized controlled trial.

Background: In Nigeria, declining responsiveness to artemether-lumefantrine (AL), the artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) of choice since 2005, has been reported. Pyronaridine-artesunate (PA) is a newer fixed-dose ACT recently prequalified by the WHO for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. However, PA data from the Nigerian pediatric population is scarce.

Malaria parasite density and plasma apolipoprotein A1 in symptomatic and asymptomatic infections in Nigerian children.

Background & Objectives: Alterations in plasma apolipoproteins in individuals with malaria infection and their potential roles in the pathogenesis are known but the link between the malaria parasite density and apolipoprotein A1 (apo-A1) level is insufficiently understood. This study was conducted to determine whether the plasma apo-A1 level is influenced by the degree of parasitaemia in malaria infections.

Methods: In a case-control study, a convenient sample of children aged 2-10 years with uncomplicated malaria cases (UMC), asymptomatic parasitaemia cases (APC) and healthy children without parasitaemia (HCP) was recruited.

Short-term Persistence of Protective Maternally Acquired Immunity in Neonates Delivered by Primiparous Women in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Unresolved questions remain concerning the protective effect and duration of immunity acquired from mothers. This study investigated persistence of immunity against tetanus in the first two weeks of life among neonates in Nigeria.

Methods: In a longitudinal study, 244 primiparous mothers and their newborns were consecutively recruited at 16 selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Plasma homocysteine and B vitamins levels in Nigerian children with nephrotic syndrome.

Introduction: Available data on plasma homocysteine level in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) are controversial with increased, decreased and unchanged values reported. Therefore, plasma homocysteine and serum B vitamins in Nigerian children with NS were assessed in this study.

Methods: Fasting blood samples were analysed for plasma homocysteine, serum folate and B vitamins in 42 children with NS and 42 age and sex-matched healthy controls in this case control study.

Immunity Against Tetanus Infection, Risk Factors for Non-Protection, and Validation of a Rapid Immunotest Kit among Hospitalized Children in Nigeria.

Seroepidemiological studies of tetanus in Africans have focused mainly on adults especially pregnant women and data on children are scarcely reported. We investigated the seroprevalence of protective immunity level, determined risk factors for non-protection against tetanus, and evaluated the performance of Tetanos Quick Stick(®) (TQS) among hospitalized children aged 1-9 years in Nigeria. Blood IgG antibody levels to tetanus was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the laboratory and TQS (an immunochromatographic test) at the bedside for 304 children admitted into emergency unit of a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.