Malaria and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infections are co-endemic throughout much of the tropical and sub-Saharan Africa and both present major threat to public health. A study on the prevalence of HBV and Malaria co-infection was carried out on 200 patients presenting with fever at the General Outpatient Department (GOPD) of the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital (MMSH), Kano using Gold Standard microscopy and rapid diagnostic test (RDT). The effect of mono and co-infection on hematological parameters was also investigated. Fifty one (25.5%) out of the 200 patients studied were Malaria positive. Females had higher prevalence rate(18%) of Malaria infection than males with 7.5%. Age group 15-24 had the highest Malaria prevalence (11%) followed by age group 25-34 with 6.5%. Higher mean parasite density (1,200/µl) was recorded among subjects with monoinfection of Malaria than mean parasite density (518/µl) obtained among the co-infected. Mean parasite density was higher in female than male subjects. Thirteen (6.5%) subjects were HBV positive. Males had higher rate of infection with 4.5% prevalence than females with 2.0%. Nine individuals representing 4.5% of the total population had co-infection with higher prevalence (3%) among the males. Age groups 25-34 were observed to have high co-infection rate of 1.5% and the least prevalence was observed among the age group 15-24 with 0.5% prevalence for both males and females. Hematological evaluation carried out on all the categories of subjects shows significant difference in mean values of PCV (P=0.041), Hb (P=0.018) between the co-infection group and those with malaria infection and control groups. However, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in the values of WBC, PLT and Red cell indices among the co-infected and other test group. It was concluded that co-infection with the two ailments had no profound effect on hematologic parameters.

Over the last few years, the increase in the number of multi-resistant (MR) enterobacteria has become a major clinical problem. This study detects the occurrence and prevalence of Metallo betalactamase production among some clinical bacterial isolates in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano and Al-Madina Specialist Hospital Kaduna, Nigeria. A total of 200 clinical isolates comprising of E. coli (83), Klebsiella pneumoniae (52), Pseusomonas aeruginosa (28) and Proteus mirabilis (37) were screened phenotypically for carbapenemase and specifically for Metallo betalactamase using Modified Hodges Test and EDTA Disc Synergy Test respectively. The result showed that 67(33.5%) of the isolates were found to produce carbapenemase. High production occurred in 24(35.8%) and low production occurred in 43(64.2%) of the isolates. Highest prevalence of carbapenemase was found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (38.55%) followed by E. coli (34.8%), Proteus mirabilis. (29.1%) and least prevalence in Klebsiella pneumoniae (25.0%). The prevalence of MBLs in the study was 24.5% with highest prevalence in E. coli (31.32%) followed by Proteus mirabilis. (21.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.2%) and least among Klebsiella pneumoniae. (14.3%). Most of carbapenemase producers produce MBL type. Urine samples were found to be with the highest prevalence of 38.3% when compared with ear swab (12.0%). Prevalence of 67.9% and 76.9% were recorded for Murtala Muhammad specialist hospital Kano and Al-madina hospital Kaduna respectively. This showed that carbapenemase-mediated resistance occurred in the selected hospitals and uncontrolled spread may lead to treatment failure and frustration.

Malaria infection still remains the most widespread protozoal infection affecting human race globally. Various attempts at reducing the rate of transmission have been widely used but still all the efforts were futile though with reducing trend in some parts of endemic areas (WHO 2013). It is of high prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa and accounts for substantial portion of visit to outpatient units of most hospital in Nigeria and other parts of the world where it is endemic (WHO, 2010). It was estimated that 3.3 billion people are affected in 106 countries and 350-500 million cases of malaria infection occurs in African countries with 2-3 million annual death (Ikekpeazu, 2010; Paulyn, 2010; WHO, 2010). Hepatitis B infection is caused by Hepatitis B virus, a partially double stranded DNA virus of Hepadenaviridae family. More than 2