Frequencies of maternal red blood cell alloantibodies in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: Alloantibodies of clinical importance can cause transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). The frequencies of these antibodies have not been reported in our locality.

Aims: To determine the frequency of occurrence of alloantibodies among pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Alloantibodies to glycoprotein La/LLa (anti-HPA-5a and -5b) and IIb/IIIa (anti-HPA1a, -3a and -4a) in Nigerian parous women.

Human platelet antibodies are often implicated in conditions such as neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and platelet refractoriness; however, the frequency of such alloantibodies has not been reported in Nigeria and West Africa. A cross section of apparently healthy adult female staff at a tertiary health facility in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, was screened for alloantibodies to human platelet antigens (HPA) using the GTI PakPlus qualitative solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Among the 100 women screened, no anti-glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (anti-HPA-Ia,-3a and -4a) antibodies were detected; however, prevalence of anti-glycoprotein Ia/IIa (anti-HPA-5b) was 30% and pf anti-glycoprotein Ia/IIa (anti-HPA-5a) was 18%.

Surveying Infections among Pregnant Women in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.

Background: There is paucity of epidemiological data on infectious diseases among antenatal mothers in Bayelsa State of the Niger Delta, Nigeria.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of the serological markers Human immunodeficiency virus-antibody (HIV-Ab), Hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), Hepatitis C virus antibody(HCV-A)and antibodies to T. pallidum among pregnant women in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria.

Sero-epidemiology of transfusion-transmissible infectious diseases among blood donors in Osogbo, south-west Nigeria.

Background: Transfusion-transmissible infectious agents such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis are among the greatest threats to blood safety for transfusion recipients and pose a serious public health problem. This cross-sectional study was undertaken with the aim of determining the seroprevalence of HIV, HCV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and syphilis and correlates the findings with sex and age to ascertain the associations, if any, in the occurrence of the pathogens.

Materials And Methods: HBsAg, antibodies to Treponema pallidum and HCV were determined using Clinotech test strips.

Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in apparently healthy Port Harcourt blood donors and association with blood groups and other risk indicators.

Background: Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not yet mandatory in blood transfusion laboratories in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, so the current prevalence rate of this infection in our locality is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among apparently healthy blood donors in our area and also to assess some of the risk factors associated with the infection.

Materials And Methods: The presence of anti-HCV antibodies was determined in the serum of 300 blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Plasma levels of some blood coagulation parameters in Nigerian homozygous sickle cell patients (HbSS) in steady state.

The plasma levels of some blood coagulation parameters; prothrombin time, (PT), partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK), thrombin clotting time, (TCT), fibrinogen and factor X assay were determined in 50 Nigerian homozygous (HbSS) patients and 50 HbAA healthy individuals for the purpose of assessing their baseline values and susceptibility of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) to hyper coagulability. Standard procedures were used for all variables. The mean age of the study participants was 21.

Iron deficiency anaemia and evaluation of the utility of iron deficiency indicators among healthy Nigerian children.

The hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS) and serum ferritin (SF) values of 240 apparently healthy children were determined in a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Standard colorimetric and enzyme immunoassay procedures were used for the estimation all variables. The mean values of all parameters in this study population were; Hb (11.

Plasma fibrinogen levels in Nigerian homozygous (Hb SS) sickle cell patients.

The plasma fibrinogen levels in 50 Nigerian sickle cell disease (Hb SS) patients in steady state and 50 healthy age and sex-matched (Hb AA) control subjects were determined for the purpose of assessing their baseline values. The fibrinogen levels were assessed using two methods, the clot weight and Clauss, on all the samples for the purpose of comparison. It was observed in this study that the Hb SS patients had significantly higher fibrinogen levels than the healthy Hb AA control subjects, both by the clot weight method (p < 0.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus among blood donors in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Anti-HCV pre-transfusion testing among blood donors has not been introduced as a mandatory test in Rivers State, hence the risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV cannot be fully ascertained. One thousand (1000) apparently healthy blood donors were screened using a rapid second - generation test, the HEP C SPOT HCV assay. An overall prevalence of 2.

Some haematological parameters in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected Africans: the Nigerian perspective.

Background: Haematologic abnormalities are among the most common manifestations of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A specific diagnosis of cause, severity and mechanism of cytopenia should be sought because of specific treatments or intervention may be indicated for its correction. This study was to determine some haematological parameters in HIV/AIDS infected Nigerians.

Rh antigen and phenotype frequencies and probable genotypes for the four main ethnic groups in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Rh is the most complex and polymorphic of the RBC group systems and is of major importance in transfusion medicine. Data are not available on the frequency of Rh antigens D, C, E, c, and e in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Two mL of venous blood was collected into an EDTA tube from each of 400 persons of mixed ethnic groups recruited for the study.

Reducing iron deficiency anaemia due to heavy menstrual blood loss in Nigerian rural adolescents.

Objective: Menstrual disorders are common in young women, and heavy menstrual blood losses (MBL) are an important cause of anaemia. Menstrual morbidity normally goes untreated in developing countries where cultural barriers also serve to mask the problems. We investigated the prevalence of menstrual morbidity, and measured MBL and its relationship to iron deficiency in a rural adolescent population.