Biomarkers.

Background: The burden of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is growing fast in Africa. The Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer's Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (READD-ADSP) has commenced recruitment of 5000 African participants (AD and cognitively unimpaired individuals) to generate genomic and biomarker data to better characterize AD genetic architecture in Africa. Participating countries, part of the African Dementia Consortium (AfDC) include Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Majority of people living worldwide live in low- and middle- income countries, including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Most cognitive assessment batteries for Alzheimer's Disease(AD), are developed in high income countries (HICs), where most international dementia collaborations and data originate. The African Dementia Consortium (AfDC) is a new scientific collaboration network currently participating in the Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer's Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (READD-ADSP).

Attitudes toward scale-up of an Intensive Combination Approach to Rollback the Epidemic in Nigerian adolescents (iCARE) intervention for youth in Nigeria: results of a mixed methods early-implementation study.

Background: Youth living with HIV (YLH) are disproportionately impacted by HIV with poor outcomes along the entire HIV care continuum. In a 2020-2022 pilot study, iCARE Nigeria, successfully tested a combination intervention incorporating mobile health technology and peer navigation to: 1) improve testing and linkage to HIV care for young men, especially young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and 2) improve medication adherence and treatment outcomes for YLH. The intervention was scaled up to 5 sites in 3 Nigerian cities.

The impact of ABO blood group on the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors in a tertiary-care hospital.

Objectives: Transfusion-transmitted infections are a serious complication of blood transfusion. Devising a means of detecting at-risk blood donors may be beneficial in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. We sought to determine the impact of ABO blood group on the prevalence of transfusion transmitted infections.

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.

Pattern of Rheumatic Diseases in a New Rheumatology Clinic in Southwestern Nigeria: A Descriptive Study.

Background/objective: Rheumatic diseases (RMDs) are among the leading health burdens and causes of disability globally. Interestingly, they are on the rise due to the increasingly ageing population. Inflammatory RMDs are not left behind in the rise, especially in Africa, where they were thought to be rare as there has been increasing reportage of these diseases in recent years.

Evaluating the Factors Influencing Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnant Women: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) has consistently been associated with adverse obstetric and gynaecological outcomes. It is a common vaginal condition. This study determined the prevalence and factors associated with BV among pregnant women.

Factors Associated with Clinical Pregnancy following Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Over the years, the numbers of centres performing assisted reproductive technology (ART) have increased in urban regions of Africa. We reviewed a 10-year record of ART in a public hospital in a bid to determine the pregnancy rate and identify factors associated with achieving clinical pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective, analytical, cross-sectional study of 604 women who had undergone fertilisation (IVF) or IVF/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection, over a 10-year period, at the [Institute of Fertility Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital].

Therapeutic potential of 2S-hesperidin against the hepatotoxic effects of dichlorvos in rats.

Dichlorvos (DDVP) is an organophosphate insecticide that enhances food production and repels disease vectors. However, it provokes cytotoxicity. 2S-hesperidin (2S-HES) is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-lipidemic flavanone.

Breastfeeding support as predictors of sustainable breastfeeding practices of nursing mothers with common mental disorders in tertiary hospital nurseries in Nigeria: a cross sectional study.

Background: The postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of maternal mental disorders. The combined effect of having the mother's infant admitted to a tertiary hospital in a low-resource setting and the need to exclusively breastfeed the infant may exaggerate this risk. This study aimed to determine the breastfeeding support provided to mothers whose infants were hospitalised in Nigerian tertiary hospital nurseries and the prevalence of common mental health disorders among this population.

Evaluation of three rapigen biocredit point-of-care tests for malaria case management in Lagos, Nigeria.

Introduction: Histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) antigen kits are widely used for malaria diagnosis in tropical regions due to their heat stability. The Plasmodium Lactate Dehydrogenase (pLDH) used in BIOCREDIT® malaria test kit is claimed to be heat-stable. This study aimed to evaluate the heat stability and field performance of three BIOCREDIT® kits.

Rates, Diagnoses, and Predictors of Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions of Critical Care Survivors Hospitalized for Lung Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Analysis of National Representative US Readmissions Data.

Introduction/objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that frequently involves the lungs, contributing to significant morbidity in hospitalized patients. Critical care survivors with lung involvement in SLE are at particularly high risk for unplanned hospital readmissions, which can reflect the complexity of their disease, which often affects multiple organs and requires immunosuppressive therapy that increases infection risk. Severe pulmonary complications, critical illness sequelae, and challenges in medication adherence or follow-up care further contribute to their vulnerability.

Assessment of patients' satisfaction with healthcare services provided under the Nigeria national health insurance authority.

Background: The Nigeria National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is the official Social Health Insurance Agency of the Federal Government established to provide quality healthcare services to Nigerians at affordable cost, sufficient to address catastrophic health expenditures. One key indicator of quality healthcare services is patient satisfaction. This National Survey aimed to assess enrollees' satisfaction with healthcare services under this organization.

HPV vaccine knowledge, attitude, and programme satisfaction among parents and caregivers of vaccine recipients in Ogun state Nigeria.

Introduction: Human Papillomavirus is responsible for about 5% of the global cancer burden. In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women. The Federal Government of Nigeria and partners recently introduced Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination into routine immunization beginning with 15 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

Immunohistochemistry Expression of Programmed Death-Ligand 1 in Colorectal Carcinoma among Nigerians.

Background: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal malignancy in Nigeria with a dismal 5-year survival rate. Interactions between the CD8+ T-lymphocytes and the immune checkpoints such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expressions are important. Novel antibodies have been developed against these immune checkpoints and have been found to improve clinical outcome in many solid organ malignancies.

Diagnostic Capacity for Fungal Infections in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana - An Onsite Baseline Audit of 9 Sites.

Objectives: To assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services of microbiology laboratories in eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana.

Methods: On-site audits were performed in the microbiology laboratories of nine tertiary hospitals using a structured observation checklist.

Results: A total of nine tertiary hospitals' laboratories in Nigeria and Ghana were assessed between June 2022 and December 2023.

Real-world use of the CarestartTM glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase rapid diagnostic test to determine G6PD deficiency in Nigerian neonates.

G6PD deficiency (G6PDd) is the most common X-linked genetic disease worldwide and the most common cause of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NH) in Nigeria. Screening for G6PDd has been recommended for over thirty years but is still not routinely done in Nigeria. We sought to investigate a low-cost rapid diagnostic test to determine G6PDd in Nigerian neonates.

Effect of Micronutrients on HIV-Related Clinical Outcomes Among Adults Living With HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Context: Micronutrient deficiencies are common and frequently co-occurring among people living with HIV (PLHIV) globally, with consequences for their health and clinical outcomes. Previous reviews of the influence of micronutrient supplementation on HIV outcomes were conducted in the pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy (pre-HAART) era or included both HAART-naive and HAART-experienced individuals; thus, the evidence in the context of HAART is inconclusive.

Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of micronutrient supplementation on important clinical outcomes among PLHIV on HAART.

Screening and treatment practices for iron deficiency in anaemic pregnant women: A cross-sectional survey of healthcare workers in Nigeria.

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy is a significant contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality globally. Despite international and national guidelines for its screening and treatment, knowledge and prescription practices of healthcare providers vary.

Aim: To determine maternal healthcare workers' screening and treatment practices for iron deficiency in anaemic pregnancy women in two states in Nigeria.