Iron nutrition and COVID-19 among Nigerian healthcare workers.

Background And Objectives: The optimal iron hypothesis (OIH) posits that risk for infection is lowest at a mild level of iron deficiency. The extent to which this protection results from arms race dynamics in the evolution of iron acquisition and sequestration mechanisms is unclear. We evaluated the OIH with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an emerging infectious agent.

A systematic analysis of neurologic manifestations of Long COVID in Nigeria.

Long COVID, also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects millions of people in the world. The neurologic manifestations of PASC (Neuro-PASC) are among the most debilitating but they are largely unreported in Africa. We sought to compare the demographics, symptoms and cognitive profile of post-hospitalization Neuro-PASC (PNP) and non-hospitalized Neuro-PASC (NNP) patients in Nigeria.

Barriers and enablers of post-COVID-19 acute care follow-up in Nigeria from service providers' perspective: a nominal group technique.

Background: Despite modest efforts to study and document the complications that arise after acute treatment of patients with coronavirus disease, its ramifications and regional variations are yet to be clearly understood. Progress in sub-Saharan Africa, notably Nigeria, has been impeded by patient disengagement from care and insufficient or non-existent follow-up arrangements. The aim of this study was to describe the barriers and enablers for follow-up services after discharge from COVID-19 care pathway in Nigeria.

Prevalence of haemoglobin A1c based dysglycaemia among adult community dwellers in selected states in Nigeria: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease of public health importance globally with an increasing burden of undiagnosed pre-diabetes and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, Nigeria in particular. Pre-diabetes and diabetes are established risk factors for cardiovascular complications. However, data are scanty on the current prevalence of these conditions in Nigeria, based on haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) diagnosis as recommended by the WHO in 2009.

High SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Lagos, Nigeria with robust antibody and cellular immune responses.

Background: Early evidence suggested that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was less severe in Africa compared to other parts of the world. However, more recent studies indicate higher SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 mortality rates on the continent than previously documented. Research is needed to better understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in Africa.

Haematological indices and coagulation profile as predictors of disease severity and associations with clinical outcome among COVID-19 patients in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the use of haematological indices and coagulation profiles as possible low-cost predictors of disease severity and their associations with clinical outcomes in COVID-19-hospitalized patients in Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: We carried out a hospital-based descriptive 3-month observational longitudinal study of 58 COVID-19-positive adult patients admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. We used a structured questionnaire to obtain the participants' relevant sociodemographic and clinical data, including disease severity.

Utility and impact of early diagnostic assessment of sepsis on mortality in an emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

Context: Currently, little is known about the timely application of clinical screening tools and blood sampling for decision-making in the management of patients with suspected sepsis in the accident and emergency units of hospitals in Nigeria.

Aim: The aim of the study was to ascertain the association between the time taken for the conduct of serum lactate and blood culture investigations following a clinical suspicion of sepsis, and the mortality of patients admitted to a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

Methods: Over a 6-month period (November 2021 to April 2022), 119 patients hospitalised for sepsis or septic shock at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were followed until discharge or death.

Use of exchange blood transfusion in the management of severe COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: experience from Lagos, Nigeria.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with symptoms that may be mild or severe. The individual with the severe form of the disease usually presents with a constellation of respiratory symptoms typical of acute respiratory distress syndrome. In this report, we present our experience of the successful management of an oxygen-dependent pregnant woman with severe COVID-19 infection who had 2 sessions of partial exchange blood transfusion.

Prevalence of Histoplasmosis among Persons with Advanced HIV Disease, Nigeria.

We sought to determine the prevalence of probable disseminated histoplasmosis among advanced HIV disease (AHD) patients in Nigeria. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 10 sites across 5 of 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. We identified patients with urinary samples containing CD4 cell counts <200 cells/mm or World Health Organization stage 3 or 4 disease who also had >2 clinical features of disseminated histoplasmosis, and we tested them for Histoplasma antigen using a Histoplasma enzyme immune assay.

Saliva sample for detection of SARS-CoV-2: A possible alternative for mass testing.

Molecular diagnostic testing has played a critical role in the global response to the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, since its first outbreak in late 2019. At the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, nasopharyngeal swab sample analysis for COVID-19 diagnosis using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was the most widely used. However, due to the high cost and difficulty of sample collection, the number of available sample types for COVID-19 diagnosis is rapidly increasing, as is the COVID-19 diagnostic literature.

Assessment of the utility of a screening tool for COVID-19 diagnosis in an accident and emergency department in Lagos, Nigeria: A pilot study.

Unlabelled: The use of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard laboratory test for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it has the disadvantage of a long turnaround time and cost. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) formulated a case definition for COVID-19.

Determinants of antiretroviral treatment adherence among patients attending secondary health care facilities in north-east and south-west Nigeria: a comparative study.

Background: Four decades after its discovery, HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, even with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Strict adherence to ART remains a challenge, with attendant implications for treatment success. This study aimed at comparing ART adherence between north-east and south-west Nigeria.

Morbidity and mortality outcomes of COVID-19 patients with and without hypertension in Lagos, Nigeria: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The current pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown epidemiological and clinical characteristics that appear worsened in hypertensive patients. The morbidity and mortality of the disease among hypertensive patients in Africa have yet to be well described.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study all confirmed COVID-19 adult patients (≥18 years of age) in Lagos between February 27 to July 62,020 were included.

Psychosocial health effects of Covid-19 infection on persons in treatment centers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Introduction: Prior research has highlighted the psychosocial impact of infectious diseases on individuals and the community at large. However, little is known about the psychosocial implications of COVID-19. This study set out to determine the rate as well as correlates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among persons managed as in-patients for COVID-19 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Predictors of antibiotic prescriptions: a knowledge, attitude and practice survey among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.

Background: As part of the Global Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), countries are required to generate local evidence to inform context-specific implementation of national action plans against AMR (NAPAR). We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding antibiotic prescriptions (APR) and AMR among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, and to determine predictors of KAP of APR and AMR.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled physicians practicing in tertiary hospitals from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Presenting Symptoms and Predictors of Poor Outcomes Among 2,184 Patients with COVID-19 in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Lagos state remains the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria. We describe the symptoms and signs of the first 2,184 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted at COVID-19 treatment centers in Lagos State. We also assessed the relationship between patients' presenting symptoms, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and COVID-19 deaths.

Caesarean delivery of first prediagnosed COVID-19 pregnancy in Nigeria.

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently causing widespread infection and deaths around the world. Since the identification of the first case in Nigeria in February 2020, the number of confirmed cases has risen to over 9,800. Although pregnant women are not necessarily more susceptible to infection by the virus, changes to their immune system in pregnancy may be associated with more severe symptoms.

Tackling cryptococcal meningitis in Nigeria, one-step at a time; the impact of training.

Background: Nigeria is estimated to have 25,000 cases of cryptococcal antigenemia (CrAg) annually. CrAg screening with pre-emptive fluconazole treatment is recommended but not yet implemented in Nigeria. Trainings were conducted to improve health-care provider (HCP) awareness and clinical skills in the management and prevention of cryptococcal meningitis (CM).

Bridging the knowledge gap on mycoses in Africa: Setting up a Pan-African Mycology Working Group.

Most African countries have poorly funded and overburdened health systems. Additionally, a high prevalence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to a high burden of opportunistic fungal infections. Data generated by GAFFI from 15 of 57 African countries revealed that an estimated 47 million Africans suffer from fungal diseases, of whom an estimated 1.

The prevalence and clinical profile of adrenocortical deficiency among HIV infected persons in Northern Nigeria.

Background: Infection with the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) is still a prevalent problem in Africa.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypocortisolism among patients with HIV and their clinical profile at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, Nigeria.

Method: Three hundred and fifty adult patients with HIV infection were recruited from the HIV clinic of AKTH, Kano.

Cryptococcal meningitis after ART: Need for proper baseline evaluation in the era of 'Test & Treat'.

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) contributes significantly to high early mortality in the setting of advanced HIV. In resource poor settings, the current HIV disease management approach is focused on commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the same day of HIV diagnosis ('Test and Treat'). The HIV program in Nigeria does not currently provide CrAg screening for patients with newly diagnosed and advanced HIV disease.

Occurrence of hypocortisolism in HIV patients: Is the picture changing?

Background: The occurrence of endocrine diseases in people who are infected with HIV is traditionally thought to occur in the setting of AIDS with opportunistic infections and malignancies. However, recent studies find the correlation between hypocortisolism and stage of HIV (CD4 count and WHO clinical stage) inconsistent.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included three hundred and fifty (350) consecutive patients with HIV infection.

Immune Dysfunction in HIV: A Possible Role for Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines in HIV Staging.

HIV infection is a chronic infection that almost inevitably progresses to AIDS. The infection is characterized by the deterioration in the immune function leading to opportunistic infections and malignancies. Additionally, there is an associated immune dysfunction characterized by a persistent inflammatory state and unhealthy elaboration of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.