The immune response to vaccination in undernourished and well-nourished Nigerian children.

The immune response of young Nigerian children to a full course of infant immunizations was studied in relation to their nutritional state at the time of vaccination. No significant correlations were found between anthropometric measurements made at the time of vaccination and the antibody response to triple, polio, measles, meningococcal and typhoid vaccines. Significant correlations were found between serum pre-albumin levels and the response to group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine and between serum albumin levels and the response to group C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

Malaria chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine in young Nigerian children. III. Its effect on nutrition.

The nutrition of a group of Nigerian children who received weekly chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine during their first one or two years of life was compared with the nutrition of a group of children exposed frequently to malaria. Fewer episodes of severe malnutrition and fewer deaths from malnutrition occurred among protected than among control children. Protected children tended to be taller and heavier than control children and to have a larger mid-upper arm circumference.

Malaria chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine in young Nigerian children. I. Its effect on mortality, morbidity and the prevalence of malaria.

One hundred and ninety-eight Nigerian children who received weekly chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine from shortly after birth until the age of one year or two years and 185 age-matched controls were studied. Chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine was partially, but not completely, effective in controlling malaria. Clinical malaria was documented significantly less frequently in protected children than in control children, and only 9% of random blood films obtained from protected children were positive for Plasmodium falciparum while 41% of random blood films from control children were positive for this parasite.

Malaria chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine in young Nigerian children. IV. Its effect on haematological measurements.

Haematological measurements were made in 198 Nigerian children aged three months to two years who received weekly malaria chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine from shortly after birth until the age of one or two years and in 185 age-matched control children. Children protected against malaria had a higher mean haemoglobin level and a higher packed cell volume than control children, and they showed fewer abnormalities of their red cells. Total and differential white blood cell counts, mean plasma folate and mean serum ferritin concentrations were similar in both groups of children.

Malaria chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine in young Nigerian children. II. Effect on the immune response to vaccination.

The immune response of 198 young Nigerian children protected against malaria by chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine to immunization with triple, poliomyelitis, measles, typhoid, meningococcal and BCG vaccines was compared with the immune response to vaccination of 185 control children. Good responses to triple, measles and BCG vaccines were shown by children in both groups; poorer responses were obtained to poliomyelitis, typhoid and meningococcal vaccines. The response to immunization of protected children was similar to that observed among control children for all the vaccines tested except for meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

Malaria and haemoglobin genotype in young northern Nigerian children.

Plasmodium falciparum and P. malariae were found less frequently in blood obtained from Nigerian children under the age of two years who had the haemoglobin genotype AS than in blood films obtained from those who had the genotype AA. However, differences between the two groups were statistically significant only for P.

A comparison of chloroquine and pyrimethamine as malaria chemoprophylactics in young Nigerian children.

The efficacy of chloroquine and pyrimethamine as malaria chemoprophylactics was investigated in young Nigerian children. Chloroquine resistance had not been documented in the study area; pyrimethamine resistance was probably present but uncommon. Children who received weekly chemoprophylaxis with pyrimethamine had a lower prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and malaria antibodies than children who received weekly chemoprophylaxis with chloroquine.

An epidemic of meningococcal infection at Zaria, Northern Nigeria. 1. General epidemiological features.

In 1977 Zaria, in Northern Nigeria, was affected by a severe epidemic of group A meningococcal infection, 1,257 patients being admitted to hospital with the disease during a three-month period. The epidemic started towards the end of the dry season when it was hot, dry and dusty and finished shortly after the onset of the rains. The over-all attack rate was 3.

Effects of measles on the immune response of Nigerian children.

The effects of measles on the immune system of Nigerian children were investigated. At the time of the rash, skin tests to tuberculin purified protein derivative, candida, and streptococcal antigens were negative. Skin sensitization with dinitrochlorobenzene and lymphocyte transformation by phytohaemagglutinin were normal.