Helicobacter pylori Diagnosis and Treatment in Africa: The First Lagos Consensus Statement of the African Helicobacter and Microbiota Study Group.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most prevalent type of bacterial infection. Current guidelines from different regions of the world neglect specific African conditions and requirements.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

Background: Data regarding the features and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Africa are increasingly available.

Objectives: To describe socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 86 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between March and November 2020.

Usefulness of Serum Pepsinogen I as a Biomarker in Early Diagnosis of Aetiology of Dyspepsia.

Background: Dyspepsia, according to Rome III criteria, is defined as pain or discomfort centred in the upper abdomen in addition to symptoms like early satiety, postprandial fullness, bloating and nausea. Pepsinogens which are secreted by chief cells of the stomach play an important role in its physiology. They could determine the functional state of the mucosa in health and in diseased conditions.

Helicobacter pylori Infection in Africa: Update of the Current Situation and Challenges.

Background: The burden of Helicobacter pylori infection (HPI) in Africa remains high with varying levels of prevalence among children and adults reported in different regions of the continent. Persistent and uneradicated HPI could result in gastric cancer, although less severe pathological outcomes have been reported among Africans - the so-called "African enigma."

Summary: Analysis of endoscopic findings of the upper gastrointestinal tract demonstrates similarities with that of patients from the West.

Adherence to Medication among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection Attending a Tertiary Hospital in South Western Nigeria.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is an international public health problem. Treatment reduces its morbidity, mortality and infectivity. The aim of this study was to determine adherence among CHB infected patients on Tenofovir and the reasons for non-adherence.

Caring for older adults during the COVID pandemic and beyond: experience from a specialized tertiary facility for the care of older persons in a low resource setting.

The ongoing Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has markedly changed health care provisions and arrangements for patient care. Older adults are most susceptible to worse outcomes. The public health impact of the disease in terms of morbidity and mortality has necessitated the evolution of management protocols for effective care of older persons.

Helicobacter pylori strains from a Nigerian cohort show divergent antibiotic resistance rates and a uniform pathogenicity profile.

Antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori is a factor preventing its successful eradication. Particularly in developing countries, resistance against commonly used antibiotics is widespread. Here, we present an epidemiological study from Nigeria with 111 isolates.

Characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Africa: a multicountry observational study from the Africa Liver Cancer Consortium.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related death in Africa, but there is still no comprehensive description of the current status of its epidemiology in Africa. We therefore initiated an African hepatocellular carcinoma consortium aiming to describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Africa.

Methods: We did a multicentre, multicountry, retrospective observational cohort study, inviting investigators from the African Network for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases to participate in the consortium to develop hepatocellular carcinoma research databases and biospecimen repositories.

Accuracy of non-endoscopic predictors of oesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis using platelet count, splenic size and portal vein diameter.

Background: Endoscopy has been recommended for all patients with liver cirrhosis to detect varices, but it is expensive, invasive and uncomfortable. There is therefore, need to find non-endoscopic means to predict oesophageal varices.

Aim: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of platelet count, splenic size and portal vein diameter to predict oesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Colonoscopy at a tertiary healthcare facility in Southwest Nigeria: Spectrum of indications and colonic abnormalities.

Background And Aim: Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing structural colonic diseases. It is safe and effective both for diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. This study was carried out to evaluate the pattern of indications and spectrum of colonic disease at a tertiary healthcare facility in Southwest Nigeria.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NIGERIA.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a potentially life threatening condition with multiple causes. There is scarcity of health data depicting the clinical characteristics of the condition in African countries. This study was designed to describe the demographic, clinical characteristics and outcome of the patients who presented to our Emergency Department.

Complete colonoscopy: impact of patients' demographics and anthropometry on caecal intubation time.

Background And Aim: Factors that affect caecal intubation during colonoscopy include age and sex of the patient, quality of bowel preparation, prior abdominal or pelvic surgery and pelvic inflammatory disease, among others. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects of patients' demography such as age and sex, as well as anthropometry (height, weight and body mass index (BMI)) on caecal intubation time (CIT).

Patients And Methods: All consecutive patients referred for colonoscopy over a period of 6 months were recruited into the study.

Circulating CD56dim natural killer cells and CD56+ T cells that produce interferon-γ or interleukin-10 are expanded in asymptomatic, E antigen-negative patients with persistent hepatitis B virus infection.

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can result in spontaneous resolution or chronic infection, which can remain asymptomatic or can progress to cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. The host immune response is thought to be a major determinant of the outcome of HBV infection and virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can mediate immunity against the virus and cause liver pathology. Antigen-nonspecific innate lymphocytes may also contribute to HBV infection and liver disease, therefore, we examined the frequencies, phenotypes, cytolytic activities and cytokine profiles of circulating natural killer (NK) cells, CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and CD56(+) T cells in 102 asymptomatic HBV-infected patients and compared them with those in 66 uninfected control subjects.

Characterization of hepatitis delta virus in sub-Saharan Africa.

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a satellite of hepatitis B virus (HBV), and infection with this virus aggravates acute and chronic liver disease. While HBV seroprevalence is very high across sub-Saharan Africa, much less is known about HDV in the region. In this study, almost 2,300 blood serum samples from Burkina Faso (n=1,131), Nigeria (n=974), Chad (n=50), and the Central African Republic (n = 118) were screened for HBV and HDV.

Are patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma infectious of hepatitis B, C and D viruses?

Primary HepatoCellular Carcinoma (PHCC) has been strongly associated with HBV and HCV infections among other aetiological factors. However; do the patients still spread the viruses? This study involved forty one Nigerian adult patients with PHCC and 45 controls who were tested for HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBe, Anti-HBs, anti-HCV IgM and IgG, anti-HDV and HDV antigen using ELISA. Statistical analysis was carried out with the student - t - test and Mc Nemar test at p < 0.

HBV infectivity among Nigerians.

The study involved 60 (non-immunized), 14 (immunized against HBV), healthy Nigerian adults and 28 Nigerian patients with hepatitis. Their sera were tested for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV while only 15 subjects with chronic hepatitis had HBV DNA assay by PCR. The subjects aged 21 to 72 years and comprised 75 male and 27 female adults.

Livolin ameliorates elevations in alanine transaminase in HIV infected patients commencing highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: HAART associated hepatoxicity is an important cause of poor adherence to therapy in HIV infected persons. An initial manifestation is elevation in the level ofAlanine Transaminase (ALT) in blood. We sought to evaluate the protective effects of Livolin, a phosphatidylcholine containing preparation, against elevations in this enzyme in persons just commencing HAART.

Correlation of cag-A serological status with histological parameters of chronic gastritis among dyspeptic patients in south western Nigeria.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of Cag-A strains of Helicobacter pylori in both dyspeptic and non-dyspeptic individuals and also correlate the serological status of Gag-A strain of H. pylori with the various graded histological variables of chronic gastritis in the dyspeptic patients.

Methods: Using helicobacter p120 Cag-A enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, Cag-A serology test was carried out on 65 dyspeptic patients and 65 age and sex matched non-dyspeptic controls.

Characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease in three tertiary health centers in southern Nigeria.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to two chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract which is generally believed to be rare in most African countries. The objectives of the current study were to present the experience of three tertiary gastroenterology centers in southern part of Nigeria on IBD, highlighting the age distribution of the patients seen, management and the impact on the quality of their life in university-based community-type practices in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of charts of inflammatory bowel disease seen between January 2007 and June 2010 at three teaching hospitals in Southern Nigeria.

Comparative diagnostic efficacy of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy in Nigeria. Hepatitis B and C viruses, alcohol and Aflatoxin B are among the various aetiologies. More work needs to be done in the search for markers that will aid early detection of this condition as it is uniformly fatal once advanced.

Correlation of serum anti-helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin a (IgA) with histological parameters of chronic gastritis in ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibodies has been reported to vary among populations and in relation to strains of Helicobacter pylori bacterium. However, there has been conflicting reports on the association between IgA serological status and the histological variables of chronic gastritis.

A fifteen-year review of lymphomas in a Nigerian tertiary healthcare centre.

In Africa, epidemiological data on the effect of the HIV epidemic on the occurrence of lymphomas are scanty. The 1990s witnessed the alarming rates of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria increased from 1.

Accuracy of clinical diagnosis of liver diseases at Ibadan.

Background: Liver diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa and rest of the world. The contribution of specific liver disease to overall mortality has not been well documented in Nigeria.

Objective: To study aimed at determining the relative frequency of liver diseases seen at autopsy and the accuracy of ante-mortem clinical diagnosis of liver diseases relative to post-mortem findings at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Comparison of PCR with other diagnostic techniques for the detection of H. pylori infection in patients presenting with gastroduodenal symptons in Nigeria.

The study was aimed at comparing PCR methods of direct detection from biopsy using the boiling method and one other method with two known gold standards (histology and CLO test) for the diagnosis of H. pylori in Nigeria. A total of 168 biopsies (three from antrum and one from corpus each) were taken from 42 patients presenting with various gastroduodenal symptons after informed consent was obtained from them.

Autoimmune liver disease in a Nigerian woman.

Autoimmune liver diseases are chronic liver disease with similar clinical features to viral and non-autoimmune liver disorders but with distinct sero-autoimmunologic features. In developed countries, it accounts for about 20% of all liver transplantations in the USA. Most studies on liver disease in Nigeria centred on viral or alcohol aetiology with complete absence of data on autoimmune liver disease.