A study was carried out to determine and compare the rate of occurrence of lymphatic filariasis in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo State, South Eastern Nigeria. One sample community was selected from each of the LGAs comprising of Umuezereokam in Owerri West, Ebikoro in Owerri North, and Nguru in Ngor Okpala. In all, six hundred blood samples, made up of two hundred each from each of the LGAs were collected at random between 10pm and 12am each screening day, from equal number of male and female volunteers, aged between 11 and 80, and screened for a possible presence of the microfilaria of lymphatic filariasis, using the Giemsa thick stained blood film. Results obtained show that the microfilaria of Wuchereria bancrofti was the only filarial worm isolated in the three LGAs. The results further revealed that Ngor Okpala recorded the highest rate 56 (28%) of infection, followed by Owerri North with 47 (23.5%), while the least was observed in Owerri West with 43 (21.5%). Also, more male, 85 (42.5%) than females, 61 (30.5%) were positive for the disease. There was however, no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the rate of occurrence of the infection in the LGAs between the male and female cases at 95% confidence interval. Lymphatic filariasis will indeed become a veritable public health problem in the LGAs unless its progression is adequately monitored by the relevant government authorities and independent health care providers.
A study was conducted between March and September 2007 to determine the relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty in two urban cities in Abia State, Nigeria. A total of 382 respondents, made up of 235 (61.5%) HIV/AIDS positive patients, 119 (31.2%) HIV-negatives, while 28 (7.3%) were of unknown status. Using educational level, employment status and salary structure, it was found that the disease in the state was not caused by poverty. It was therefore concluded that drastic measures besides poverty alleviation, should be adopted if emergence of new infections in the state must be checked.
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