Prevalence and predictors of hepatitis C infection among antenatal attendees in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria.

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection as it specifically relates to pregnancy has been a neglected condition, thus its recognition and treatment in pregnancy is relevant because of the risks of the long-term complications of the infection in the mother, potential effects of the infection on the pregnancy and risk of vertical transmission to the newborn.

Objectives: To determine the proportion of pregnant women with serologic markers of hepatitis C infection, identify risk factors as well as factors that predict the occurrence of the infection in them.

Methodology: Over a 3-week period, blood samples from 456 pregnant women were assessed for antibodies to hepatitis C virus, while a pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic data and the presence of risk factors in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Resterilized Polypropylene Mesh for Inguinal Hernia Repair.

Purpose: The use of prosthetic biomaterials for reconstructing and reinforcing the posterior wall of the inguinal canal reduces the incidence of hernia recurrence. Cost, availability of mesh, and perhaps reluctance to adopt a new technique are factors which prevent widespread practice of hernioplasty in low-resource settings. Use of resterilized mesh significantly reduces the cost of hernioplasty and is safe.

Feasibility and cost analysis of programmatic implementation of Microscopic-Observation Drug Susceptibility (MODS) assay in Nigeria.

Objectives: Detection of Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Nigeria still remains a challenge. We evaluated the feasibility of programmatic implementation of the Microscopic-Observation Drug Susceptibility (MODS) assay, a rapid culture and drug susceptibility testing technique for drug susceptibility testing in a low resource setting.

Method: In a novel laboratory setting in Nigeria, we obtained data from the market on the cost of materials necessary for MODS assay.

Antimicrobials for treating symptomatic non-typhoidal Salmonella infection.

Background: Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) commonly causes diarrhoea, and is usually self-limiting, although sometimes people become ill with sepsis and dehydration. Routine antibiotic use for this infection could result in persistent colonization and the spread of resistant bacterial strains.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of giving antibiotics to people with NTS diarrhoea.

A giant ectopic hidradenoma papilliferum in a Niger delta region of Nigeria.

Hidradenoma papilliferum is a known example of adnexal skin tumours with apocrine differentiation. It is a rare benign tumour which tends to arise from areas with rich concentration of aporine glands such as anogenital region, vulval, perineal, axillae, and periumbilical areas. In this report, the tumour was found in the upper outer quadrant of left breast, being one of the ectopic sites for this tumour.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibody in HIV-infected patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with a ubiquitous intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. With the advent of the HIV pandemic in Nigeria, toxoplasmic encephalitis has become one of the more frequent opportunistic infections and the most commonly implicated cause of focal brain lesions complicating the course of AIDS.

Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the pattern of seroprevalence of T.

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and its risk factors in HIV/AIDS patients with abnormal vaginal discharge.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in the HIV/AIDS patients of primary health care clinics in Jos Plateau state, Nigeria.

Methods: Female genital swabs were collected from primary health care centers, Jos and analyzed by microscopy, culture, etc. in Jos University Teaching Hospital from December 2006 to December 2007.