Conducting public health surveillance in areas of armed conflict and restricted population access: a qualitative case study of polio surveillance in conflict-affected areas of Borno State, Nigeria.

This study examined the impact of armed conflict on public health surveillance systems, the limitations of traditional surveillance in this context, and innovative strategies to overcome these limitations. A qualitative case study was conducted to examine the factors affecting the functioning of poliovirus surveillance in conflict-affected areas of Borno state, Nigeria using semi-structured interviews of a purposeful sample of participants. The main inhibitors of surveillance were inaccessibility, the destroyed health infrastructure, and the destroyed communication network.

Bat and Lyssavirus Exposure among Humans in Area that Celebrates Bat Festival, Nigeria, 2010 and 2013.

Using questionnaires and serologic testing, we evaluated bat and lyssavirus exposure among persons in an area of Nigeria that celebrates a bat festival. Bats from festival caves underwent serologic testing for phylogroup II lyssaviruses (Lagos bat virus, Shimoni bat virus, Mokola virus). The enrolled households consisted of 2,112 persons, among whom 213 (10%) were reported to have ever had bat contact (having touched a bat, having been bitten by a bat, or having been scratched by a bat) and 52 (2%) to have ever been bitten by a bat.

Characterizing Environmental Surveillance Sites in Nigeria and Their Sensitivity to Detect Poliovirus and Other Enteroviruses.

Background: Environmental surveillance (ES) for poliovirus is increasingly important for polio eradication, often detecting circulating virus before paralytic cases are reported. The sensitivity of ES depends on appropriate selection of sampling sites, which is difficult in low-income countries with informal sewage networks.

Methods: We measured ES site and sample characteristics in Nigeria during June 2018-May 2019, including sewage physicochemical properties, using a water-quality probe, flow volume, catchment population, and local facilities such as hospitals, schools, and transit hubs.

Micro-planning for immunization in Kaduna State, Nigeria: Lessons learnt, 2017.

Background: The OPV 3 coverage for Kaduna State, 12-23 months old children was 34.4%. The low OPV 3 coverage, due mainly to weak demand for routine antigens and the need to rapidly boost population immunity against the disabling Wild Polio Virus (WPV), led the Global Polio Eradication Initiatives (GPEI) to increase supplemental OPV campaigns in Kaduna State, despite the huge cost and great burden on personnel.

Descriptive characterization of the 2010 cholera outbreak in Nigeria.

Background: In 2010, 18 States of Nigeria reported cholera outbreaks with a total of 41,787 cases including 1,716 deaths (case-fatality rate [CFR]: 4.1%). This exceeded the mean overall CFR of 2.

Bacteriuria and urinary schistosomiasis in primary school children in rural communities in Enugu State, Nigeria, 2012.

Introduction: According to a study conducted in1989, Enugu State has an estimated urinary schistosomiasis prevalence of 79%. Recently, studies have implicated bacteriuria co-infection in bladder cancer. These bacteria accelerate the multi-stage process of bladder carcinogenesis.

Characteristics of persons refusing oral polio vaccine during the immunization plus days - Sokoto, Nigeria 2011.

Introduction: Nigeria, the only African country endemic for wild poliovirus, adopted Immunization Plus Days (IPD) to eradicate polio. Refusal of oral polio vaccine (OPV) by heads of households is a significant challenge. In Sokoto state, we determined characteristics of heads of households refusing OPV during IPD in 2011.

HIV disclosure status and factors among adult HIV positive patients in a secondary health facility in North-Eastern Nigeria, 2011.

Introduction: Disclosure of HIV status especially to sexual partners is an important prevention goal. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HIV status disclosure and the factors associated with disclosure by HIV positive patients attending the adult Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) clinic in State Specialist Hospital Gombe (SSHG) a secondary health facility in north-eastern Nigeria.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study among adult HIV positive patients enrolled into the HIV/AIDS programme of SSHG.

Factors associated with interruption of treatment among Pulmonary Tuberculosis patients in Plateau State, Nigeria. 2011.

Introduction: Nigeria has one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdens in the world with estimated incidence of 133 per 100,000 populations. Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) is an emerging threat of the TB control in Nigeria caused mainly by incomplete treatment. This study explored factors that affect adherence to treatment among patients undergoing direct observation of TB treatment in Plateau state, Nigeria.

Childhood lead poisoning associated with gold ore processing: a village-level investigation-Zamfara State, Nigeria, October-November 2010.

Background: During May-June 2010, a childhood lead poisoning outbreak related to gold ore processing was confirmed in two villages in Zamfara State, Nigeria. During June-September of that year, villages with suspected or confirmed childhood lead poisoning continued to be identified in Zamfara State.

Objectives: We investigated the extent of childhood lead poisoning [≥ 1 child with a blood lead level (BLL) ≥ 10 µg/dL] and lead contamination (≥ 1 soil/dust sample with a lead level > 400 parts per million) among villages in Zamfara State and identified villages that should be prioritized for urgent interventions.