The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence, and correlates of HIV infection among long-distance truck drivers in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A total of one hundred (100) long-distance truck drivers aged between 21 and 60 years and mean age of 42.36 ± 5.23 years were screened for the presence of HIV antibodies. The results showed that, out of the total number screened 10 (10%) were positive for HIV while 90 (90%) were negative. The prevalence of HIV was significantly higher in the 31-40 years age group 6/26 (23%) compared to 1/13 (7.6%) in the 21-30 years age group and 2/37 (7.4%) in the 51-60 years age group (P = 0.04).The lowest prevalence of HIV occurred in the 41-50 years age group 1/24 (4.2%). HIV 1 was the predominant viral subtype among the subjects 9 (90%) while 1 (10%) had HIV-2. None of the HIV-positive subjects had dual HIV 1 and 2 infections. The mean CD4 lymphocyte count for subjects positive for HIV was 380 ± 68.0 (range 312-448 cells/μl) while CD4 count for HIV negative subjects was 780 ± 76 cells/μl (range 704-856 cells/μl. A significant negative correlation was observed between HIV positivity and CD4 count r = -0.010 (P = 0.01). It is recommended that intensive preventive measures be instituted coupled with the implementation of a vigorous enlightenment campaign targeting behavioral change from high risk culture among truckers. Efforts are urgently needed to provide access to sexual health education, treatment services and HIV testing facilities to reduce their vulnerability to HIV infection.

In most rural communities, water is consumed without testing its potability and the major sources of water apart from rainfall are surface and river water; in some cases, borehole water. Water samples from surface, river, well and borehole water in different Communities in Khana Local government area was randomly collected and bacteriological analysis was carried out on them. The results showed that the least microbial load was from that of borehole water which had an average microbial load of 1.78 × 10 3 while river water had the highest microbial load with a mean count of 5.48 × 10 4. Surface water, however, had the highest total coliform (42.6/100 mL) and faecal coliform count (14.8/100 mL) while borehole water had the least total coliform (4.6/100 mL) and faecal coliform (0) count. Isolation and identification of the isolates showed that Bacillus spp was the most isolated with an occurrence of 7 (23.3%). Other organisms isolated included Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp, Salmonella spp, Enterobacter spp, Streptococcus spp, Proteus spp and Escherichia coli. Most of these organisms are gram negative microorganisms and are usually associated with gastrointestinal illness. Proper treatment and surveillance of these water sources should therefore be carried out regularly to prevent public health issues that could be implicated from such unwholesome practice of drinking non-potable water

Background: An increasing global incidence of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB), and emergence of drug resistant strains of MTB, have critically promoted the urgent need to explore better effective methods that can rapidly detect MTB, and identify drug-resistant cases as recommended by World Health Organization report of 2008. Globally, multi-drug-resistant strains of MTB are increasingly becoming a huge public health issue, which has adversely affected the health care delivery of patients, especially in developing communities with limited functioning health care facility. Nonetheless, the aim and focus of the study is to evaluate the trend of rifampicin resistance strains of MTB among patients accessing care at the Federal Medical Centre Yenegoa, Bayalsa State.

The incidence of antibiotic resistance among bacteria to synthetic drugs is on the increase, as such there is the need for new and safer antimicrobials especially, from natural sources like plants. Leaves of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Aspilia africana are among the many that have been used by rural dwellers as medicines to treat infections. Methanol, hot water and ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Aspilia africana were obtained and their antimicrobial activity testing against three microorganisms isolated from wound which includes Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results indicated that the methanol extract of both plants had higher antimicrobial activity against the test isolates as compared with their ethanol extracts; while the hot water extracts had no antimicrobial activity against the isolates. Ethanol extracts of both plants showed little antimicrobial activity against the test isolates. S. aureus was more susceptible to methanolic extract of B. pinnatum with a zone of inhibition of 4 mm, E. coli was 3.0 mm while that of P. aeruginosa was 1.0 mm. Susceptibility pattern of the isolates to A. africana showed that P. aeruginosa was more susceptible with a zone of inhibition of 6.0 mm; that of S. aureus was 5.0 mm while that of E. coli was 3.0 mm. This shows that methanolic extracts of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Aspilia africana can be used against pathogenic organisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can cause slow healing of wounds.

The military community is considered a high-risk environment for HIV transmission. In this study, a total of One hundred and fifty military personnel aged between 20 and 55 years attending the Nigerian army Hospital, Air Force Clinic and Police Clinic in the Niger Delta of Nigeria were randomly recruited for the study. Samples were tested for HIV using an immunochromatographic assay. The CD4 cell count was estimated using the Partec Cyflow Counter (Partec, Germany). Results of the study showed an overall HIV prevalence rate of 14.67%. The prevalence of HIV was significantly higher among subjects in the ≥40 years age group (P = 0.03). The HIV prevalence was higher among female subjects compared to male military personnel (P = 0.05). Also, there was a significant negative correlation between the CD4 count and HIV positivity (r = -0.443, P<0.01). Out of the 22 subjects positive for HIV, 9.1% were severely immune compromised with CD4 count below<200 cells/μL while 72.7 and 18.2% had CD4 count of 200-350 and 350-500 cells/μL respectively. There is need for the development of a strategic plan that integrates HIV/AIDS and other STIs programs into existing systems and structures to foster behavior change through information dissemination. Policies should be instituted to make condoms regularly available and freely distributed, with the goal of achieving a 100%-condom-use rate. There is the need for an effective voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and sentinel surveillance survey in the Nigerian military. Also critical is the establishment of a fully integrated and comprehensive care and support system including universal access of antiretroviral treatment for infected people.