Background Malaria infection has been a global issue most especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Disease progression to severe malaria as a result of alteration in micronutrients could worsen the illness. The study aimed to determine whether there are variations in the levels of selected micronutrients (Iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc), malaria parasite density and packed cell volume (PCV) during malaria infection. Material and methods A total of one hundred young adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty two years were investigated. Blood samples were collected from fifty malaria subjects and fifty apparently non-infected subjects. Malaria detection was by microscopy while the parasite density was estimated using WHO standard procedure. Analysis of selected micronutrients (copper, iron, magnesium and zinc) was carried out using direct measurement on atomic absorption spectrophotometer and PCV was estimated using Micro-haematocrit method. Results The results showed that the levels of the micronutrients were significantly higher (p<0.05) in malaria subjects compared with controls. Significant positive relationships between copper, magnesium and zinc were found at p<0.01 and p<0.05. Conclusion The study concluded that there are significant variations in the levels of the micronutrients during malaria infection.

Background: Human Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a DNA virus, transmitted through respiratory secretions, hand-to-mouth-contact, blood transfusion and trans-placental transfer. It causes high mortality and morbidity in pregnant women, thus contributing to poor maternal and child health. B19V has been neglected due to dearth of epidemiological data. The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of Human Parvovirus B19 antibodies among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled pregnant women attending Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti from January to May 2019 to obtain sero-epidemiological data. One hundred and twenty-two (122) consenting pregnant women were enrolled following institutional ethical approval. They were administered structured questionnaire and venous blood was collected in plain tubes for serum extraction. Sera samples were analyzed for IgG and IgM antibodies using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. Percentages, median, chi-square and multivariate analysis were carried out using SPSS version 17. Results: The prevalence of IgG was 44.3% (54/122), IgM 41.8% (51/122), and IgG/IgM 28.7% (35/122) leaving 55.7% (68/122) of the population uninfected. The median age of participants was 22 (Interquartile range 18-25) years among which 36-45years had the highest prevalence which was not statistically significant (p=0.09 4.75). There was association between miscarriage, still birth, history of blood transfusion and prevalence of Human Parvovirus B19 (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a high Prevalence of B19V among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in this study. This underscores the need for testing and immunization of pregnant women against B19V.

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Background. Malaria could affect people of all ages, most especially young children. The study evaluated the levels of serum angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) which are critical regulators of endothelial activation and integrity with some hematological parameters (total white blood cell counts (WBC), total red blood cell counts (RBC), platelet counts, and malaria parasite density) in malaria-infected children. Method. A total of 92 blood samples from children between the ages of 6 months to 15 years were analyzed. The samples consisted of 30 cases of severe malaria, 40 cases of uncomplicated malaria, and 22 apparently healthy subjects served as control. Serum Ang-1 and -2 levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The hematological parameters were determined using the WHO standard. Results. There was significant decrease (p<0.05) in serum Ang-1 of uncomplicated malaria and severe malaria compared with the control, while significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in Ang-2 and Ang-2/Ang-1 ratio in uncomplicated malaria and severe malaria compared with the control. RBC and platelet showed significant decrease, while WBC showed significant increase in severe malaria compared with uncomplicated malaria and control. Conclusion. This study showed that subjects with malaria infection had a significant increase of Ang-2 and Ang-2 : Ang-1 ratio but presented with a significant decrease of Ang-1. Ang-1 and Ang-2 may be used to determine the severity of malaria infection since their levels differ significantly in malaria subjects compared with the control.

Hypertension has been the most frequent non-communicable disease and the most routinely diagnosed cardiovascular disorder in Nigeria. It has been linked to various diseases and complications. Therefore, the study assessed interleukin (IL) 1, 6 and anthropometric parameters in hypertensive subjects. A total of ninety subjects were investigated; thirty hypertensive subjects on antihypertensive therapy, thirty hypertensive subjects not on therapy and thirty control subjects without hypertension. Blood pressure was measured using sphygmomanometer (Omros, Japan) while body mass index (BMI) was determined by using the formula: weight/height (kg/m 2 ). Interleukin 1 and 6 were determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, IL-1 was significantly higher (P<0.05) in hypertensive subjects on antihypertensive agents and those not on antihypertensive agents compared with the control. There was no significant correlation between IL-1, IL-6 and anthropometric parameters (P>0.05) but IL-1 was significantly increased in females compared with male subjects. The study concluded that IL-1 and IL-6 are increased during hypertension. Thus, the parameters may be used in the assessment and monitoring of cases of hypertension so as to prevent development of inflammatory conditions in hypertensive subjects.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. The most impacted countries are those in Sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for nearly 90% of the world’s estimated 236.6 million cases. The study was aimed at investigating the occurrence of significant bacteriuria among schistosomiasis positive individuals in Ekiti State, Nigeria.Two hundred and forty-fourindividuals living in riparian areas of Ekiti statewere enlisted for the study. Urine samples were collected from the participants and examined microscopically for presence of Schistosoma eggs, followed by urinalysis and bacteriological investigations. Schistosoma eggs were detected in 35 (14.34%) of the 244 urine samples, while significant bacteriuria was recorded in 16 (6.56%) of the samples. Out of the 16 significant-bacteriuria positive samples only 3 (18.75%) were observed to have Schistosoma eggs; while significant-bacteriuria was recorded in 3 (8.57%) of the 35 schistosomiasis positive individuals. The bacteriuria was found to be significantly associated with proteinuria (χ2=25.055; p<0.001) and leukocyturia (χ2=16.011; p<0.001). The bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium xerosis, Bacillus cereus, Kurthia gibsoni, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, among others. The Gram-negative bacterial isolates were highly susceptible to Gentamycin (100%), Tetracycline (85.7%) and Chloramphenicol (78.6%); while the Gram-positive bacterial isolates gave high susceptibility to Gentamycin (84.8%) and Ciprofloxacin (76.1%). Most of the bacteria isolated in this study have been reported to be associated urinary tract infection, except Kurthia gibsoni which has been found to spread from animal to a human by zoophilic sexual intercourse. A case of Schistosomiasis with positive proteinuria and leukocyturia should be taken as UTI and treated accordingly.

Objetive: Manufacturers of toothpastes claim that their products are active against oral microbiome capable of causing tooth decay. The objective of this study was to investigate the manufacturers’ claim using some of the toothpaste products sold in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Material and methods: The antibacterial potentials of five commercialized toothpaste products (designated sodium fluoride-zinc sulphate, benzyl alcohol-sodium fluorophosphate, sodium fluoride-eugenol, sodium fluoridesodium laurylsulfate and sodium fluoridepotassium nitrate) were tested against six oral isolates of dental caries and periodontal origin – Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial potentials were evaluated using modified agar well diffusion method. Various dilutions of the toothpaste products from 1:1 to 1:16 were tested against each test microorganism. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the toothpastes were determined. Results: sodium fluoride-zinc sulphate, benzyl alcoholsodium fluorophosphate and sodium fluorideeugenol toothpastes showed inhibitory effects on S. aureus, S. mitis and S. salivarius. Sodium fluoride-sodium laurylsulfate and sodium fluoride-potassium nitrate toothpastes showed no inhibitory effect on the organisms except S. pyogenes. Only sodium fluoride-potassium nitrate toothpaste inhibited E. coli while none of the toothpastes inhibited P. aeruginosa. The MIC and MBC of sodium fluoride-zinc sulphate, benzyl alcohol-sodium fluorophosphate, and sodium fluoride-eugenol toothpastes showed bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on the organisms. Sodium fluoride-zinc sulphate, benzyl alcohol-sodium fluorophosphate, and sodium fluoride-eugenol toothpastes showed comparable effects on S. aureus, S. mitis and S. salivarius. Sodium fluoride-eugenol toothpaste was strongest against S. mitis, benzyl alcoholsodium fluorophosphates toothpaste was strongest against S. pyogenes, sodium fluoridezinc sulphate toothpaste was strongest against S. salivarius and only sodium fluoride-potassium nitrate toothpaste inhibited E. coli. Conclusion: The manufacturer’s claim is upheld by this study for sodium fluoride-zinc sulphate, benzyl alcohol-sodium fluorophosphate and sodium fluoride-eugenol toothpastes. However, sodium fluoride-sodium laurylsulfate and sodium fluoride-potassium nitrate toothpastes showed limited inhibitory potentials.     Keywords Antibacterial; Caries; Oral isolates; Periodontitis; Toothpastes.

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