Jibrin Bara Yusuf

INTRODUCTION: As the epidemiological trend COVID-19 infections continue to evolve and prevalence and incidence increases globally, management of cases in low-resource health care settings require basic detailed clinical and laboratory characteristics. This study retrospectively described the clinical and laboratory characteristics of confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted into the isolation centre of ATBUTH, Bauchi. METHODS: clinical and laboratory data of 84 confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted into the isolation centre of ATBUTH, Bauchi according to NCDC guidelines were used. Diagnosis was based on nasal and nasopharyngeal swab positive result of RT-PCR result. Data extracted includes demographic, clinical presentations and laboratory characteristics. RESULTS: the 84 COVID-19 patients comprised of 72%( 59) males and 28%(25) females with mean age of 41.0±10.5years, majority of the patient within age-group 21-40years. Forty-one percent presented with mild to moderate symptoms, 3.6%(3) presented with severe symptoms while58.3%(49) were asymptomatic with mean body temperature of 36.60C ± Sd..the common clinical manifestations werefever 23.4%(19) and cough 20.7% (17). About 29.3% of the patients had comorbidities, 17.1% (14) were hypertensive while 12.2% of the diabetic. Thirty percent of the patients with DM required ICU admission with 10% mortality. Three of the 10 DM patients required ICU admission with1 mortality. Biochemical parameters were within normal range for all the patients, However, haematological parameters showed increased neutrophil (10, 43.5%) and lymphocyte count (19(59.4%). CONCLUSION: the study findings revealed high number of asymptomatic cases, similarity in clinical manifestation and relatively normal laboratory characteristics. Initial experience and increase in number of patients may provide additional information. Interrupting community transmission will requires early detection and contact trace of asymptomatic cases.

Bacterial contamination of intensive care units is of clinical concern because it is one of the major risk factors of ICU -acquired infections and centre point of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens. Periodic surveillance is an early warning signal to non-adherence of basic standard infection control procedures and emergence of MDR pathogens. This study evaluated the bacterial contamination, bacterial pathogens isolated and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in the ICU units. The units sampled were adult and neonatal intensive care units, accordingly to previously described methods and analyzed by standard microbiological methods. A total of 113 samples were collected, overall, 71(62.8%) yielded positive bacterial growth, 15(21.1%) detected by open-plate and 14(19.7%) by swabbing in adult intensive care unit and 20(28.2%) and 22(31.0%) in neonatal care unit. Bacillus spp,Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci spp predominated in both units 24(33.8%), 19(26.8%), 14(19.7%), Other pathogens 19%, clinically relevant pathogens isolated were Eschericia coli (1%), Klebsiella pneumonia(4%) and Streptococcus pneumonia (3%) respectively. High indoor contamination was recorded in both units, 51.7% (n=15) in AICU and 47.6% (n=20) in NICU and inanimate items/equipments. Clinically relevant pathogens were recovered from routinely used equipment and critical sites. High resistance to commonly prescribed and administered agents, cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin and ampicillin was observed. Though the findings has provided a baseline information for furthered surveillance, but the high indoor contamination within both units signify increased traffic, ventilation system problem and inadequate cleaning procedures.