Aims: This study was conducted to determine the parallel and concurrent infection of dengue virus and Plasmodium falciparum among patients with febrile illnesses attending Bingham University Health Centre, Karu, Nigeria. Study Design: The study was a cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Department of Microbiology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi and 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba-Lagos, between February and July 2017. Methodology: Blood samples were collected from 400 patients with febrile illnesses at the University Health Centre. The resulting sera was screened for dengue virus seromarkers (IgM, IgG and NS1) using Aria Dou dengue virus RDT kits (CTK Biotech, Inc, San Diego, USA) while malaria parasitemia was detected by Giemsa stained thick and thin film microscopy. Data collected were analysed using Smith’s Statistical Package (version 2.8, California, USA) and P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 400 patients screened, 12(3.0%) were positive for dengue virus, 20(5.0%) for malaria parasite while 10(2.5%) for dengue/malaria co-infection. Infection with dengue virus and malaria parasite was found to be higher among female subjects aged ≤30 years. However, age and gender were not significantly associated with both infections in this study (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the presence of dengue virus infection in the study area which probably may have been misdiagnosed and mistreated. Hence, differential diagnosis of febrile illnesses should not only be limited to malaria and typhoid as is always the case in our health care centres.
The study investigates the factors influencing the recognition and practice of Home-management of malaria among mothers of under-five children in Obafemi Owode Community, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study employed a multi-staged sampling technique to select 299 nursing mothers of under-five children at the primary health care centre of Obafemi Owode Community. The main instrument for the study was a questionnaire. The selected socio-demographic variables were analyzed using the descriptive analysis while the hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and linear regression analysis. The result indicated that 38.5% of the nursing mothers had a high level of knowledge of home-based management of malaria. 55.9% of the respondents had an average attitude towards home-based management of Malaria. 46.8% had a good level of practice of home-based management of malaria. There was a significant relationship between the demographic factors of nursing mothers and knowledge of home-based management of malaria among nursing mothers of Obafemi Owode Community, Abeokuta, Ogun State (p< .05). However, the age of mother is not significantly associated with knowledge of home-based management (p> 0.05). The calculated R Squared and p-value for demographic variables on practice of home-management of malaria among nursing mothers is: 0.788 which signifies 78.8% contribution to practice of home-management among nursing mothers. Hence, all demographic characteristics of nursing mothers are significant predictors of practice of home-based management of Malaria among Nursing mothers of Obafemi Owode Community, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The study recommended that Primary Health centres should put in place mechanisms for example incorporating components of home visit in the performance appraisal of community Health Officers to ensure the recommended number of visits are adhered to. Also, caregivers’ seemingly inability to correctly dissociate between the two essentials of knowledge related to malaria can be addressed by Community Health Officers through the home visit programme.
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