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TO DETERMINE the epidemiological significance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with respect to the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary tuberculosis in IleIfe, Nigeria, the medical records of all patients with positive Mantoux tests, stained sputum smears positive for acid fast bacilli and who had chest radiographs showing yidence of tuberculosis, between 1976 and 1980, were determined. Pulmonary tuberculosis was found to occur in both sexes and in all age groups. The highest incidence was recorded among people aged 45 years and above. Overall, there were more males, 465 (51.8%) compared to 433 (48.2%) females. The results also showed that more cases of tuberculosis were reported and treated during the rainy season than at the dry season.

Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a major contributor to type-2 inflammation in asthma. Asthma control is the extent to which manifestation of disease have been reduced or eradicated by treatment, and it is the main therapeutic goal. However, the link between IL-13 and asthma control has not been extensively studied. We therefore determined if serum IL-13 was associated with asthma control in patients presenting to a tertiary center in Nigeria.Eighty-two adults with physician confirmed asthma, participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants had assessment of asthma control by asthma control test (ACT), and serum IL-13 assay by a commercial ELISA kit; spirometry and skin prick test were also assessed. Correlation between ACT scores and serum IL-13 assay was assessed by spearman’s correlation coefficient.There were 59 females (72%), mean age was 43.4 years (SD16.3) and mean duration of asthma symptoms was 19years (SD=13.4), median (IQR) ACT score was 18.0(13.0-22.0) and median (IQR) serum IL-13 was 4.0(3.3 4.4) pg/ml. Out of the 82 participants, 49(59.8%) had uncontrolled asthma (ACT≤20). Serum IL-13 correlated inversely with ACT, rho= -0.218, p=0.025. The serum IL -13 median (IQR) concentration did not differ significantly between non-atopic 4.1(3.7-4.4) pg/ml and atopic 3.8(3.2-4.4) pg/ml; p=0.159 asthmatics. Serum IL-13 may be a useful biomarker to assess asthma control in asthmatics.

Background and Objectives Sickle cell anemia (SCA) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency are both hereditary diseases of the red blood cells that cause hemolysis. The impact of the interaction of both conditions on the clinical and laboratory presentations of the affected persons is sparse. This study, therefore, correlated G6PD activity with disease severity in persons with SCA by comparing disease severity in G6PD-deficient SCA persons with those with normal G6PD activity. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. G6PD activity, SCA disease severity, and hematological parameters including reticulocyte counts and Heinz body estimation, bilirubin, and aspartate transaminase were estimated in 67 SCA persons. The results were compared between SCA persons with G6PD deficiency and those with normal enzyme activity. Results The prevalence of G6PD deficiency was found to be 23.9%. The G6PD-deficient SCA patients included 4 (25.0%) males and 12 (75.0%) females. G6PD deficiency was significantly higher in females ( P = .047). There was no significant difference in disease severity scores between G6PD-deficient and G6PD-nondeficient SCA patients. However, G6PD-deficient persons reported significantly higher episodes of severe vasoocclusive crisis (VOC) per annum ( P = .048). The hematological and biochemical parameters were similar between G6PD-deficient and G6PD normal SCA persons except that the G6PD-deficient SCA persons have significantly higher reticulocyte response ( P = .001). There was no correlation between disease severity resulting from reduced G6PD activity and Heinz body formation in SCA persons in the steady state. Conclusion G6PD deficiency significantly contributes to recurrent painful vasoocclusive crisis in SCA persons in the steady state.