Towards malaria control in Nigeria: implications of the malaria parasite rate and spleen rate among children living in a rural community in southwest Nigeria.

Background: The World Health Organization prioritizes malaria surveillance for accurate tracking of progress of intervention programmes. The malaria parasite rate (PR) and spleen rate (SR) are economical surveillance tools. There has been a global decline in the burden of malaria over the last decade, but most African countries, like Nigeria, have a slow rate of decline.

Breastfeeding: Knowledge, Perception, And Intention to Practice Among Female Students of Tertiary Institutions in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria.

Introduction: Breastfeeding is a public health practice that is critical for the survival of infants and young children. This study aimed at determining the knowledge, attitude, and future intention to breastfeed among female undergraduates in tertiary institutions in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 1312 female students of the tertiary institutions in Ekiti State.

Paediatric hypopituitarism: a case report and management challenges in a resource poor setting.

Hypopituitarism, a deficiency of one or more of the hormones produced by the pituitary gland, is a rare disorder. It can be congenital or acquired. Case report on childhood hypopituitarism is rare in Nigeria.

A Ten-Year Review of the Pattern and Outcome of Childhood Diabetes in Two State Teaching Hospitals in South-West Nigeria.

Background: Childhood diabetes mellitus is a poorly researched topic in Nigeria. Its contribution to morbidity and mortality is vague. This study intends to provide additional information to the background data in Nigeria and hopefully proffers strategies to improving the outcome of this disease.

Acute hypervitaminosis A misdiagnosed as malaria in a 7-year-old Nigerian boy.

Vitamin A supplementation program where single high-dose vitamin A supplements are provided to the qualified (infants and children) at regular intervals is operational in Nigeria as a public health initiative to control vitamin A deficiency which is prevalent in our country in accordance with the WHO recommendations. Reports of symptomatic acute hypervitaminosis A are scarce. We report a case of acute hypervitaminosis A resulting from accidental ingestion of vitamin A supplement capsules.

Pattern and outcome of dog bite injuries among children in Ado-Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria.

Introduction: Dog bites in humans are a major public health problem. Globally, millions of people are bitten by dogs but most of the fatal cases occur in children. There is paucity of data on dog bite related diseases among Nigerian children.

Evaluation of a Portable Haemoglobin Metre Performance in Children with Sickle Cell Disease and Implications for Healthcare in Resource-poor Settings.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest burden and worst outcome of sickle cell disease (SCD). This gloomy outlook has been attributed to the lack of use of simple and cost-effective measures for diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Although haematology analysers are the gold standard for accurate measurement of haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, they are often out of reach of most health facilities in resource-poor settings, thus creating a care gap.

The financial burden of sickle cell disease on households in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria.

Background: Studies on economic impact of sickle cell disease (SCD) are scanty despite its being common among children in developing countries who are mostly Africans.

Objective: To determine the financial burden of SCD on households in Ado Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria.

Methods: A longitudinal and descriptive study of household expenditures on care of 111 children with SCD managed at the pediatric hematology unit of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital was conducted between January and December 2014.

PCR Results and PMTCT Treatment Outcomes among HIV-Exposed Infants in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria, 2010-2014.

Background: Early infant diagnosis (EID) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in pediatrics with the use of DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a way of assessing the retroviral status of HIV-exposed infant with the view of early commencement of treatment for infected infants. It also serves as a way of assessing the effectiveness of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in health care facilities.

Methods: This was a 5-year prospective cross-sectional study at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, (EkSUTH) Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome in children following nasal steroid.

Unlabelled: Cushing syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of body tissue to cortisol. We report two cases of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome in two Nigerian children following intranasal administration of aristobed-N (Betamethasone + Neomycin) given at a private hospital where the children presented with feature of adenoidal hypertrophy. Two months into treatment children were noticed to have developed clinical and laboratory features of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome with critical adrenal suppression.

Neurological sequelae in survivors of cerebral malaria.

Introduction: Cerebral malaria is a common cause of neurological sequelae and death in childhood. Information on persistent neurological sequelae post hospital discharge and their predisposing factors are scarce.

Methods: This is a prospective study describing persisting neurological impairments post discharge among children treated for cerebral malaria.

Determinants of mortality in Nigerian children with severe anaemia.

Background: Severe anaemia (haemoglobin concentration less than 50 g/l) is a major cause of paediatric hospital admissions and deaths in the tropics.

Objectives: To examine the pattern and predictors of mortality among severely anaemic children.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among children with severe anaemia at the Children's Emergency Room of the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.