An understanding of knowledge, attitudes and practices among different populations such as security guards temporarily outside the home due to occupational reasons are key determinants for policy makers in designing malaria prevention and control interventions. A survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on malaria prevention and control was conducted among two hundred and sixty-one (261) private security guards in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State-Nigeria using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 while associations between variables were tested using a Chi-Square test with the level of statistical significance set at 5%. There were 253 (96.94%) respondents with a high knowledge score about malaria, 201 (78%) of respondents with a positive attitude and there were 192 (74%) of respondents with good malaria practices score. The majority (97.7%) of the respondents have heard about malaria before while 96.9% of respondents correctly associated mosquito as malaria vector. The radio serves the majority (93.1%) as their source of information about malaria. Wearing long-sleeved shirts, trimming of bushes and use of ITNs are the leading malaria prevention methods practised by the respondents. Statistically significant association between malaria practice scores and respondent's age (p-value = 0.022), gender (p-value = 0.002) and level of education (p-value = 0.006) was reported. Respondent's knowledge about malaria (p = 0.008) and attitude towards malaria (p = 0.020) were found to significantly influence their practices towards malaria. For sustainable implementation of malaria intervention programmes, good malaria practices in conjunction with high level of awareness by the respondents are quite significant. One of the methods for malaria control that leads to morbidity and mortality reduction is educational based teachings on understanding individual knowledge, attitudes and practices on malaria.

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Toxoplasmosis due to infection by Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to affect one third of the global population. In pregnancy, T. gondii infection represents the risk to induce miscarriage and congenital transmission. This study was therefore conducted to determine the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Kaduna south, Nigeria. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used and structured questionnaire to obtain information on risk factors associated with infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Gwamna Awam General Hospital Kakuri and Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada in Kaduna State. A total of One hundred and ninety two (192) blood samples (96 from each of the selected hospital) were collected from the pregnant women and screened using specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgM antibodies kit (IBL-International GMBH a Tecan Group Company). Result obtained from the 192 women serum analysed showed an overall seroprevalence of 31.3%

Background and study aim: Despite the global priority given to malaria control and prevention, antimalarial resistance is a major factor that encourages persistence of malaria in developing countries. This prospective study sought to determine the antimalarial resistance pattern of P. falciparum isolated from infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Kaduna state, Northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Between 16th February and 28th April, 2015, EDTA anticoagulated blood samples were collected from seventy nine pregnant women with plasmodiasis. Antimalarial susceptibility of chloroquine, artesunate, artemether and sulfadoxin-pyrimethamine (SP) against P falciparum was done using schizont maturation assay. Multidrug resistant plasmodiasis was defined by resistance to ≥ 3 antimalarial drugs. Results: Malaria parasites from the pregnant women exhibited the highest resistance against chloroquine, 85 (24.1%) followed by Artemether, 30 (8.5%) then sulfadoxin-pyrimethamine, 29 (8.2%) and least resistant to artesunate, 28 (7.9%). The occurrence rate of multidrug resistance was 40.5%. There was no significant association between occurrence of multidrug resistance and malaria parasitaemia (p=0.092). Seventy five, 94.8% of the P. falciparum infected subjects exhibit resistant to at least one antimalarial. Antimalarial resistance was highest in women with severe malaria 20 (80.0%), followed by those with moderate malaria, 15 (62.5%) and least in those with mild malaria, 4 (13.3%). There was significant association between occurrence of antimalarial resistance and densities of malaria parasitaemia (p=0.0125). Conclusion: Considering the high degree of antimalarial resistance reported from this study, there will be challenges in eradicating malaria in this environment. These findings necessitate the need for regular surveillance for resistant P. falciparum and evaluation of more effective alternative drug (s).

The effects of effluent discharged from Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Corporations (KRPC) on the Phytoplankton species distribution and abundance was studied along river Rido for a period of twelve months from February 2013 to January 2014. A total of Ninety-three (93) species of phytoplankton distributed in five divisions were recorded from four different study stations (A, B, C and D) along the river. Random sequential sampling was employed for selecting a sampling station. Physicochemical parameters were determined in accordance with the standard procedure for wastewater assessment guidelines of American Public Health Association (APHA). Phytoplankton identification was done using appropriate reference materials. The phytoplankton community was dominated by Bacillariophyta9 constituting 78.98% with 41 species, followed by Chlorophyta (6.67%) having 25 species, and then Cyanophyta (6.46%) having 12 species, while 10 species of Dinophyta and 5 species of Euglenophyta constituting 5.42% and 2.49% respectively were observed. The results from the study revealed low density of phytoplankton in station B, while high density of phytoplankton was observed in stations A and D. The physicochemical parameters showed both seasonal and spatial variations. Values of some parameters studied were observed to be above Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) limits at station B. Thus, effluent from KRPC is a source of contamination of water quality and adversely affects phytoplankton community along river Rido. Therefore, effluent retention facility should be established for long term treatment of effluent before discharge into the river

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The treatments of systemic candidiasis in humans with the current antifungal drugs of choice such as azole derivatives and amphotericin B have raised issues of toxicity and resistance among others. The immunogenic property of killed C. albicans was explored to evoke immunological response in the possible prevention of candidemia. Rats were immunized after acclimatization on two occasions with 10 6 cells/ml of Ultraviolet radiation killed C. albicans and subsequently challenged with 10 6 viable C. albicans. Two other groups; positive and negative controls received same dose of viable C. albicans and normal saline respectively. Five rats each from the groups mentioned were bled for the determination of antibody titers and white blood cell differentials. Also, other rats from the three groups were observed for 28 days for survival after challenge to determine the protective effect of the ultraviolet killed C. albicans. The results revealed that Ultraviolet killed C. albicans stimulated a significant amount of antibodies and white blood cell differentials that were immunoprotective. We also found that all immunized rats survived challenge with 10 6 viable cells while the kidneys of the dead unimmunized rats showed a positive growth of C. albicans. Thus, Ultraviolet killed C. albicans could provide significant protection.