Zika virus (ZIKV) is a vector-borne flavivirus. It was initially identified in Uganda in 1947, and the first human infection was reported in Nigeria in 1953. Since 2015, ZIKV has been spreading rapidly in Brazil and the Americas. Given its general symptoms, ZIKV is considered to be a mild, febrile illness, although it is associated with severe neurologic complications. On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). We conducted a review of the literature on the epidemiology and transmission, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of ZIKV. Additionally, we introduce original literature on the current ZIKV outbreak in this review.
Americas ; Brazil ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Epidemiology ; Flavivirus ; Humans ; Nigeria ; Public Health ; Uganda ; World Health Organization ; Zika Virus*

A low prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been reported in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. The genetic causes and clinical features of PD in this region have been poorly described. Very few reports have examined the availability and access to evidence-based quality care for people living with PD in this region. We reviewed all publications focusing on idiopathic PD from SSA published up to May 2016 and observed a prevalence of PD ranging from 7/100,000 in Ethiopia to 67/100,000 in Nigeria. The most recent community-based study reported a mean age at onset of 69.4 years. The infrequent occurrence of mutations in established PD genes was also observed in the region. Treatments were non-existent or at best irregular. Additionally, there is a lack of well-trained medical personnel and multidisciplinary teams in most countries in this region. Drugs for treating PD are either not available or unaffordable. Large-scale genetic and epidemiological studies are therefore needed in SSA to provide further insights into the roles of genetics and other etiological factors in the pathogenesis of PD. The quality of care also requires urgent improvement to meet the basic level of care required by PD patients.
Africa South of the Sahara ; Age of Onset ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Ethiopia ; Genetics ; Humans ; Nigeria ; Parkinson Disease ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: Much attention has been focused in recent decades on the effects of erectile dysfunction (ED) secondary to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), potentially underestimating its effects in men without LUTS. This study aimed to compare the prevalence and predictors of ED in men with and without LUTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire was administered to 303 patients between January 2014 and June 2016. Within this sample, 147 patients with LUTS (cases) were compared to 156 men without LUTS who were matched for age, level of education, and occupation (controls). RESULTS: The mean age was 66.03±9.64 years and 65.78±8.61 years for the cases and controls, respectively. The prevalence of ED was 64.6% and 73.7% (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94∼2.51) in the case cohort and controls, respectively (p=0.086). There was no difference in the prevalence of impaired erectile function (p=0.067), impaired orgasmic function (p=0.108), impaired sexual desire (p=0.291), impaired intercourse satisfaction (p=0.869), or impaired overall satisfaction (p=0.191). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being currently employed was a significant predictor of ED both in men with LUTS (OR, 8.08; 95% CI, 1.51∼9.27; p=0.004) and in men without LUTS (OR, 7.00; 95% CI, 1.49∼14.51; p=0.008). Being married only predicted for impaired EF in men without LUTS (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 1.40∼15.20; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ED was not found to be more prevalent in men with LUTS. Being employed was a predictor of ED in both groups of men, while being married was also a predictor of ED in men without LUTS.
Cohort Studies ; Education ; Epidemiology ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Nigeria* ; Occupations ; Orgasm ; Prevalence

Prevalence rates reported for malaria in pregnancy in Nigeria vary considerably. The accuracy of results of malaria diagnosis is dependent on training, experience, and motivation of the microscopist as well as the laboratory facility available. Results of training programmes on malaria microscopy have shown low levels of sensitivity and specificity of those involved in malaria diagnosis routinely and for research. This study was done to ascertain the true prevalence of malaria in pregnancy in Lagos, South-West Nigeria. A total of 1,084 pregnant women were recruited into this study. Blood smears stained with Giemsa were used for malaria diagnosis by light microscopy. Malaria infection during pregnancy presents mostly as asymptomatic infection. The prevalence of malaria in this population was 7.7% (95% confidence interval; 6.2-9.4%). Factors identified to increase the risk of malaria infection include young maternal age (< 20 years), and gravidity (primigravida). In conclusion, this study exposes the over-diagnosis of malaria in pregnancy and the need for training and retraining of laboratory staffs as well as establishing the malaria diagnosis quality assurance programme to ensure the accuracy of malaria microscopy results at all levels.
Adult ; Blood/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Malaria/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Microscopy ; Nigeria/epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*epidemiology ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine the prevalence of HIV seropositivity among patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.

METHODSAll patients with clinical and histopathological confirmation of squamous cell carcinoma seen during a ten year period (July 1999 to June 2009) were tested for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The number of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva who are HIV positive were counted.

RESULTSA total of thirty-three (33) eyes in thirty-two (32) patients were confirmed histopathologically to have conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma. Their ages ranged from 22 years to 66 years with a mean age of (38.6 ± 11.8) years (SD). The male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Twenty four (75%) of these patients were HIV positive.

CONCLUSIONSSquamous cell carcinoma is associated with the human immunodeficiency virus and is thus a marker for the disease in Benin City, Nigeria.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Conjunctival Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; HIV Seropositivity ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nigeria ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Young Adult

Intestinal helminths and schistosomiasis among school children were investigated in an urban and some rural communities of Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. Fecal samples of 1,059 subjects (524 males, 535 females) aged 3-18 years were examined using direct smear and brine concentration methods between June 2005 and November 2006. The pooled prevalence of infection was 66.2%. Ascaris lumbricoides showed the highest prevalence (53.4%) (P < 0.001) followed by hookworms (17.8%), Trichuris trichiura (10.4%), Taenia sp. (9.6%), Schistosoma mansoni (2.3%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.7%), Schistosoma haematobium (0.6%), and Enterobius vermicularis (0.3%). The prevalences of A. lumbricoides, hookworms, Taenia sp., S. mansoni, and S. stercoralis in the urban centre were similar (P > 0.05) to those in the rural communities. The fertile and infertile egg ratios of A. lumbricoides in the urban centre and the rural communities were 13: 1 and 3.7: 1, respectively. Each helminth had similar prevalences among both genders (P > 0.05). The prevalence of A. lumbricoides increased significantly with age (P < 0.001). The commonest double infections were Ascaris and hookworms, while the commonest triple infections were Ascaris, hookworms, and Trichuris. The study demonstrates the need for urgent intervention programmes against intestinal helminthiases and schistosomiasis in the study area.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Helminthiasis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Male ; Nigeria/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Rural Population ; Schistosomiasis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Sex Factors ; Urban Population

Zaire Ebola virus (EBOV) is a fatal human pathogen, with a high case fatality rate (CFR) averaging up to 78%. In March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) was made aware of a ZEBOV outbreak in rural Guinea, West Africa. Epidemiologic investigation linked the clinical and laboratory confirmed cases with the presumed first fatality of the outbreak in December 2013. EBOV from Guinea is a separate clade from other ZEBOV strains reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon. Since the outbreak in March, ZEBOV was also reported in Conakry, Guinea's capital and spread to other neighboring countries. In its largest outbreak, ZEBOV disease expanded through Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria and to Spain, the USA, and the UK. The WHO declared the 2013-2015 West African Ebola epidemic a public health emergency of international concern considering its presumable capacity for further international spread. Early manifestations of EVD (Ebola virus disease) include a high fever, body aches, malaise, and fatigue. Severe diarrhea and other gastrointestinal manifestations such as vomiting were common, while bleeding was a more sporadic finding. The fatality rate was 43% and highest in patients aged > or = 45 years and the overall fitted mean incubation period was 10.3 days (95% CI 9.9~10.7). We present a review of the literature on the emergence of Ebola, and the epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory records of patients in whom EVD was diagnosed in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, the USA, and Spain, its zoonotic origin, and the transmission of ZEBOV, as well as presenting original literature on the current Ebola outbreak.
Africa, Western* ; Congo ; Diarrhea ; Ebolavirus ; Emergencies ; Epidemiology ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Gabon ; Guinea ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liberia ; Mali ; Mortality ; Nigeria ; Public Health ; Sierra Leone ; Spain ; Vomiting ; World Health Organization

Anthropophilic Culicoides were investigated in a rural community endemic for Mansonella perstans in Ijebu North area of western Nigeria between December 2003 and October 2004. Three hundred and fifty-nine adults of Culicoides fulvithorax collected by human bait in the morning were dissected for Mansonella perstans larvae, and 1.95% of infection rate was found. Seasonal abundance of C. fulvithorax was investigated by monthly biting rates, and showed that higher prevalence was observed in rainy season, with peak in September. Culicoides prevalence was positively correlated with rainfall and relative humidity, but not temperature. Human perceptions on the behavior of these biting midges were determined by interviewing 854 self-selected villagers, of which 86.5% of the interviewees confessed having experienced Culicoides bites. Between 76.5 and 99.1% of the various age groups complained body reactions to Culicoides bites. Itching was the most frequent body reaction. No interviewees associated Culicoides with transmission of any parasitic infections. The results showed need to adequately control Culicoides in the community.
Seasons ; Rural Health ; Rain ; Questionnaires ; Perception ; Nigeria/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Mansonelliasis/*transmission ; *Mansonella/isolation & purification ; Insect Vectors/parasitology/*physiology ; Insect Bites and Stings/*epidemiology ; Humidity ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Child ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Ceratopogonidae/parasitology/*physiology ; Animals ; Adult ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVETo compare the genetic distributions of salt-sensitivity of four ethnic populations in Hapmap database.

METHODSThe frequencies data (395 subjects) of salt-sensitivity polymorphisms (AGT/M235T, ACE/ID, CYP11B2/C-344T, ADDI/Gly460Trp, GNB3/C825 and CYP3A5/A6986G)of Utah residents with ancestry from northern and western Europe (CEU), Han Chinese in Beijing (CHB), Japanese in Tokyo (JPT) and Yoruba mother-father-child trios in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI) were obtained from International HapMap Project. The good-fit χ(2) test was performed to test whether the frequencies of each genotype reached Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The differences of the genotype and allele distribution and trend analysis were detected via χ(2) test. Furthermore, multiple comparisons between two populations were analyzed by Lancaster's partition of chi-squares.

RESULTSThere were significant differences of each genotype distribution among four ethnic populations (P < 0.05). The distribution of genotype frequencies and susceptible allele frequencies of salt sensitive candidate genes were similar between CHB and JPT. Excepted for GNB3/825T allele (38.8% vs.34.4%, P = 0.521), susceptible allele frequencies in AGT/235T (79.2% vs. 41.2%, P < 0.001), ACE/I (56.5% vs. 43.5%, P < 0.001), CYP11B2/-344T (74.1% vs. 56.7%, P = 0.001), ADDI/460Trp (51.8% vs. 20.4%, P < 0.001) and CYP3A5/A6986 (30.1% vs. 3.6%, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in CHB than in CEU. There distribution of ADDI/460Trp allele was significant lower in YRI (4%) than in CHB (51.8%, P < 0.001). However frequencies of AGT/235T, CYP11B2/-334T, GNB3/825T and CYP3A5/6986A in CHB were significantly lower than those in YRI (P < 0.05). Trend analyses showed significantly increased trend in AGT/235T (41.2% < 79.2% < 92.0%, P < 0.001), CYP11B2/-334T (56.7% < 74.1% < 84.8%, P < 0.001) and CYP3A5/6986A (3.6% < 30.1% < 84.5%, P < 0.001) in CEU, CHB and YRI.

CONCLUSIONSThere are significant discrepancy of salt-sensitivity variant distributions among four ethnic populations in Hapmap database. The frequencies of the susceptible polymorphisms related to salt-sensitivity in Beijing Han population was similar with JPT, higher than in CEU but lower than in YRI, suggesting high salt-sensitive and risk for hypertension in Beijing Han population. Prevention and individual therapy for high-risk population will help to reduce the prevalence of salt-sensitive hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Europe ; ethnology ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; ethnology ; etiology ; genetics ; Nigeria ; ethnology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; pharmacology ; Tokyo ; ethnology ; Utah ; epidemiology

AIMTo evaluate the association between selected potential socio-demographic and behavioral risk factors and infertility in Nigerian men.

METHODSThere were two groups in this study. One group consisted of 150 men with proven male infertility, and the other consisted of 150 fertile men with normal semen parameters. Both were matched for age, place of residence and key socio-demographic variables. They were compared for sexual history, past medical and surgical history, past exposures to sexually transmitted infections and treatment, past and current use of drugs as well as smoking and alcohol intake history.

RESULTSInfertile men were significantly more likely than fertile men to report having experienced penile discharge, painful micturition and genital ulcers, less likely to seek treatment for these symptoms and more likely to seek treatment with informal sector providers. Multivariate analysis showed that male infertility was significantly associated with bacteria in semen cultures, self-reporting of previous use of traditional medications and moderate to heavy alcohol intake, but not with smoking and occupational types.

CONCLUSIONINFERTILITY is associated with various proxies of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and poor healthcare-seeking behavior for STIs in Nigerian men.

Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; ethnology ; Case-Control Studies ; Culture ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; ethnology ; microbiology ; psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nigeria ; epidemiology ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care ; ethnology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Risk-Taking ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; complications ; ethnology ; psychology ; Smoking ; ethnology