The World Health Organization's policy on laboratory test of all suspected malaria cases before treatment has not yielded significant effects in several rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa due to inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to evaluate the validity of clinical malaria diagnosis through comparison with microscopy and rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs) using 1000 consenting outpatients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Physicians conducted clinical diagnosis, and blood samples were collected through venous procedure and analyzed for malaria parasites using Giemsa microscopy and RDT kits. Microscopy was considered the diagnostic “gold standard” and all data obtained were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test with a P value <0.05 considered significant. Malaria prevalence values of 20.1%, 43.1%, and 29.7% were obtained for clinical diagnosis, microscopy, and RDTs, respectively (P < 0.05). Values of 47.2%, 95.9%, and 77.8% were obtained for sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, respectively, in clinical diagnosis, while RDTs had sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy values of 73.7%, 97.3%, and 88.3%, respectively, when compared to microscopy (P < 0.05). Clinical diagnosed malaria cases should be confirmed with a parasite-based laboratory diagnosis and more qualitative research is needed to explore why clinicians still use clinical diagnosis despite reported cases of its ineffectiveness.

A study of the prevalence of Malaria parasites in pregnant women attending pre-natal care in Government hospitals in two major towns (Aba and Okigwe) in Southeast N geria was carried out. Blood was collected by vein puncture rom 500 pregnant women in different trimesters (300 from Aba and 200 from Okigwe) and 200 non-pregnant women, 100 from each town. Presence of Malaria parasite was observed microscopically on thin and thick blood smears prepared from each sample. Personal data were collected both orally and from maternity records of the women. The results were analysed statistical y using the Chi-square tes. Only the ring trophozoite and gametocyte forms of Plasmodium falciparum were observed in the infected samples. A total of 270 (54 %) pregnant women out of the 500 examined were infec ed with P. falciparum whi e 66(33 %) of the non-pregnant women sampled were infected. This represents a significant difference. Aba had 158 (52.6 %) out of the 300 pregnant women examined infected while Ok gwe had 112(56 %) of the 200 pregnant women examined infected. There was no sign ficant d f erence between the results obtained in the two towns. (P > 0 05). Peak prevalence was observed in the first trimester 64.1 % (100 out of 156) wh e 3 rd tr mester showed the lowest 45 % (68 of 150). Prevalence was also highest in primgraviidae and women in second pregnancy (67.96 %). Multiparous women (3 rd pregnancy and above) had 39.31 %. Age was significant. Anaemia (Hb. < 11g/dl) was observed in 385 (77 %) of the 500 pregnant women examined. Of the 270 in ected women 254(94.07 %) were anaemic. Anaemia was significantly higher in women with higher parastemia (Z.cal. = 9.06). The implicat ons of this result on the epidemiology of malaria are discussed.

Coccidiosis is one of the most economically important diseases of poultry. This study determined the preponderance of chicken Eimeria in southern Nigeria and assessed the parasite’s resistance to three anticoccidial drugs: Amprolium hydrochloride; Amprolium hydrochloride + Sulfaquinoxaline-Sodium; and Toltrazuril. Multiplex PCR amplification of the SCAR region was used to confirm Eimeria preponderance. Resistance was assessed following the inoculation of 2.32 × 105 infective oocysts into broilers. Data on weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and fecal oocyst shed were recorded. At 7 days post inoculation 9 birds per treatment were sacrificed and assessed for macroscopic lesions in four intestinal regions. Percent optimum anticoccidial activity (POAA), Anticoccidial index (ACI) and Anticoccidial sensitivity test (AST) were used to access resistance. The preponderance of Eimeria spp. were E. tenella (77%), E. necatrix (55%), E. acervulina (44%) and E. mitis (11%), with multi-species infection occurring in 55% of samples assessed. Fecal oocyst shedding was low (P < 0.05) in the medicated groups. Lesions in the cecal region were present in all infected groups regardless of treatment and accounted for 27.8% of lesion scores by severity and 37.5% of lesion scores by frequency. Overall, lesion scores were less (P < 0.05) in birds of the medicated groups compared with the infected-unmedicated group. The high preponderance of E. tenella in the field, and the occurrence of cecal lesions – caused mainly by E. tenella- despite drug administration, indicate resistance in populations of this species in our isolate. Based-on the POAA, ACI and AST values, the Eimeria isolate showed reduced sensitivity to toltrazuril.

Controlling malaria in pregnancy has been an important component of the millennium development goal and intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) is considered an important tool in controlling malaria among pregnant women. In this study, we evaluated the level of compliance to IPT use as well as its effect on malaria infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in south eastern Nigeria. Peripheral blood smears and placental histology were used as diagnostic tools to determine infection rate. Our data show that compliance to IPT use was poor (33%) when compared with non-compliance (67%). Infection rate was significantly lower among IPT users (39%) than in non-users (71%) (X(2) = 39·95; P<0·05). Maternal anaemia was also lower in IPT users (4%) than in non-users (18%). Taken together, IPT use appears to be important in reducing infection rate and maternal anaemia. Therefore, its adoption is highly recommended and this could be improved through public enlightenment campaign and adequate funding.

Abstract. Venule blood samples were randomly collected from eighty pregnant women receiving ante natal care in the University of Port Harcourt Primary Health Care Centre after obtaining ethical clearance. These blood samples were put in EDTA properly designated bottles and taken to the Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Animal and Environmental Biology for examination. The standard thick and thin smears were used to examine the blood specimens. Overall prevalence showed that 72.5% of the pregnant women were infected with malaria. Specific Plasmodium prevalence amongst the infected showed that 63.5% were infected with P. falciparum; 18.9% for P. vivax; 15.5% for P.malariae and 1.7% for P.ovale. There was no statistically significant (P>0.05) increase in the prevalence of Plasmodium species between the primigravidea (58.6%) and the multigravidae (41.3%). The disparity in parasitemia was attributed to pregnancy induced delayed antibody expression in the primigravidae. The study emphasized the significance of health education in malaria control especially during pregnancy.

A survey of intestinal parasite infections in a heavy metal (Pb) mining area of Abia State (Ishiagu) was carried out using both direct wet preparation and formal/ether concentration methods. A total 512 individuals ranging from primary and secondary school children to adults were screened. Of the number sampled, 177 (34.67 %) had various intestinal parasites. The parasite prevalence were Ascaris lumbricoides (17.80 %), Hookworms (14.80%) Entamoeba histoly ca (3.70 %) and Trichuris trichiura (2.3 %). Prevalence for ma es (35.55 %) and females (33.47%) were not significantly different (P < 0 05). Age distribution of the infections showed a gradual increase from < 10 years (14.0%) to 11-20 years group (36.67%) and peaked at 21-30 years w h 57.00 % before decreasing to the least in the > 51 years (27.02 %). This gave a significant age related infection (P < 0.05). The findings were discussed in relation to the rural nature of the community and the activities at the head mining s tes.

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ABSTRACT:The study investigated the prevalence of malaria and socioeconomic status of subjects in part of Port Harcourt metropolis. Following ethical clearance which was obtained from the University of Port Harcourt and the parents of the subjects who gave their written consents, blood samples were collected and analysed following standard parasitological method from 200 subjects within the age bracket of 0-17years. The demographic characteristics of 200 subjects showed that more males, 105 (52.5%), were examined compared with females, 94 (47.5%). The socioeconomic status of subjects were grouped into higher class with 144 (72.0%), middle class with 22 (11.0%) and lower class with 34 (17.0%). Overall prevalence of 71 (35.5%) was recorded. Sex related prevalence showed that more males were infected with 42 (40.0%) and parasite density of 91120 µl than females with 29 (30.5%) and parasite density of 62480 µl. The differences in prevalence between males and females was not significant (P>0.05).The prevalence of malaria infections based on socioeconomic status showed that greater percentage of infection of 55 (38.2%) was recorded among the higher class with parasite density of 112880 µl followed by infection of 12 (35.3%) and parasite density of 29120 µl in the lower class with the least percentage of 4 (18.2%) and parasite density of 11600 µl recorded in the middle class. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in infection rate on the basis of socioeconomic status. In Conclusion, malaria infection does not respect individual's socioeconomic status. There is need to sustain the current intervention measures and awareness campaign among Port Harcourt residents for prevalence rate to be reduced to the desired zero level. ©JASEM https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v21i2.10