Bilkisu Ilah Garba

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) remain a significant public health concern, contributing to childhood morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ARI and identify associated risk factors, including home environmental exposures, among under-five children receiving care at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2022 in the Department of Paediatrics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. A total of 251 children aged 2–59 months with ARI, diagnosed using Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)/WHO criteria, were enrolled via systematic sampling. Inclusion required informed consent and caregiver reliability in reporting home conditions. Children were excluded if their caregivers could not provide environmental information or if ARI diagnosis was not confirmed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS v23. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression were applied to identify independent predictors ( p < 0.05). Results: The prevalence of ARI was 17.0% (95% CI: 12.8–21.9%). Significant associations were observed between ARI and several environmental factors, including type of cooking fuel, toilet facility, water supply, ventilation, kitchen location, and indoor kerosene lamp use (all p < 0.05). Socio-demographic factors such as socioeconomic status, parental education, maternal age, and household size, as well as child-related factors including age, low birth weight, breastfeeding practices, immunization status, daycare attendance, and comorbidities, were also significantly linked with ARI ( p < 0.05). Independent predictors of ARI included indoor smoking (aOR = 4.34, p = 0.023), inbuilt kitchen location (aOR = 4.51, p = 0.034), unimproved water supply (aOR = 4.59, p = 0.025), poor ventilation (aOR = 3.78, p = 0.026), unimproved toilet facilities (aOR = 15.32, p = 0.007), and indoor mosquito coil use (aOR = 8.44, p = 0.024). Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of ARI among U5, linked to modifiable household and environmental factors. Families should be encouraged to use clean cooking fuels, improve ventilation, and reduce indoor pollutants like mosquito coils and tobacco smoke. These findings support community education and further research to guide effective, child-focused public health interventions.

Lack of a timely receipt of vaccines can cause uncertain immune response and under-vaccination. Hence, timely vaccination is crucial to ensure an infant’s early protection. To identify the age of presentation for the birth dose vaccines, vaccine antigens received and factors associated with vaccination presentation by day one in Northern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 1 952 mother-infant pairs enrolled from 5 different states in Northern Nigeria. Data was collected using a questionnaire including the socio-demographic, antenatal care (ANC), delivery details, birth dates, vaccination presentation and birth vaccine antigens received. Data analysis was done with the SPSS-21 software. The median age of the infants at presentation for birth vaccines was six (interquartile range 2–16) days. A total of 413 (21.2%) infants were brought by the day of birth (day 0) or the next day (Day one), while one-fifth (20.6%) presented after Day 28. The most frequently received antigen was the Bacille-Calmette-Guerin by 1 781 infants (91.2%), oral polio vaccine 1 703 (87.2%), and hepatitis B vaccine birth dose the lowest at 75.1% (1 565). The commonest reasons for delayed presentations were an ill baby (24.7%) and an ill mother (21.9%). Factors associated with presentation within Day one post-birth were hospital delivery (OR–1.67, 95% CI; 1.28–2.19), firstborn (OR–1.40; 95%CI; 1.02–1.93), Christianity (OR–2.14 95% CI; 1.63–2.81), and mother with tertiary education (OR–1.62, 95% CI; 1.05–2.48). Timely administration of the birth dose vaccines is low in Northern Nigeria. Furthermore, some babies do not get the required vaccines despite presenting for vaccination due to stockout. Strategies for early neonatal vaccination such as vaccination in hospital suites post-delivery and utilizing relatives/fathers to take the baby for vaccination when a mother is indisposed are imperative.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious disease killer worldwide, despite significant progress against the disease in recent years. Most cases of TB in children occur in the TB endemic countries but the actual burden of paediatric TB is unknown. With early diagnosis and treatment using the first-line anti-tuberculous drugs, most people who develop the disease can be cured and onward transmission of infection curtailed. Objective: To determine the pattern and outcome of paediatric tuberculosis managed at a tertiary facility in Sokoto, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Records of children managed for TB at the Directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS) clinic over a three-and-a-half-year period were reviewed retrospectively. All children (≤ 15 years) treated for TB over the study period was included. Relevant information was retrieved from the register and analysed accordingly. Results: 74 children were treated with 33(44.6%) being males, giving a M: F ratio of 1:1.2. Mean (±SD) age was 85.78 (±55.40) months and 34 (45.9%) belonged to the 0.0-5.0-year age group. Seventy-one (95.9%) were new cases and three (4.1%) were relapse. Pulmonary TB (PTB) was seen in 50 (67.6%), more females had PTB than males, which was not significant (χ2=0.4, p=0.52). Acid fast bacilli (AFB) were positive in only 8 (10.8%) while GeneXpert MTB/RIF sensitivity was detected in 7 (9.2%). Majority 36 (48.6%) were lost to follow up, 30 (40.5%) completed treatment, only 4(5.4%) were cured with no recorded mortality. Successful treatment outcome was low (45.9%). Conclusion: Treatment outcome using DOTS strategy was poor, far below the WHO benchmark. There is need to improve adherence to DOTs therapy to prevent development of multi drug resistant TB.

Background: Asthma is a common chronic disorder of the airways that is complex and characterized by variable and recurring symptoms. It is characterized by the occurrence of bronchial hyper responsiveness, airflow obstruction and an underlying inflammation. Several studies have proposed the association of vitamin D with increased incidence of asthma symptoms. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed at determining the serum vitamin D status and biochemical parameters among asthmatic children in Sokoto-Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 120 subjects including 80 asthmatic children and 40 age-and sex-matched apparently healthy controls from two tertiary Hospitals in Sokoto Metropolis. Serum vitamin D, calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), immunoglobulin E (IgE) and magnesium were measured using standard techniques. Results: Mean serum vitamin D and magnesium were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) lower, while serum PTH and IgE were significantly higher (p˂0.001) in asthmatic children than in controls. Vitamin D insufficiency was found to be prevalent among the asthmatic children. There was no significant relationship between the low level of vitamin D and asthma severity. Conclusion: This study observed that, hypovitaminosis D and hypomagnesaemia occurred among asthmatic children, and asthma was more prone in the younger children than in their older counterpart. It is recommended that in order to avoid or limit the rate of children having asthmatic episodes, vitamin D and magnesium supplements should be used in the management of asthmatic children.

The African Journal of Laboratory Medicine focuses on the role of the laboratory and its professionals in the clinical and public healthcare sectors, and is specifically based on an African frame of reference.

Otitis media has been reported as a common childhood disease and is associated with multiple microbial pathogens within the middle ear. Though the causative agents of this infection have largely remained the same over the years, current literature reviews show that the antibiotic susceptibility pattern has changed considerably. This study aimed to identify bacterial isolates and determine their antibiotic susceptibility and resistance patterns in children who had otitis media. This is a retrospective analysis of ear swab microscopy, culture and sensitivity (MCS) results of children between the age of 0 and 13 years who presented with clinical episodes of otitis media over a four year period. A total of 53 results were retrieved from the laboratory record book of which 43 were culture positive giving a yield of 84.9%. Males were 33 (62.3%) giving a M:F ratio of 1.7:1 and 71.7% were below the age of 5 years. Majority (68.9%) of the isolates were Gram positive organisms with Staphylococcus aureus being the commonest bacteria isolated (53.3%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.0%) and then Streptococcus pyogenes (13.3%). The isolates were highly susceptible to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and gentamicin, while all were found to be resistant to tetracycline, cefixime and levofloxacin. S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and S. pyogenes were the commonest bacterial isolates in the patients. Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and gentamicin were the antibiotics with the highest bacterial susceptibility rate. Children with ear discharge were recommended to be investigated and treatment should be based on antimicrobial test to prevent resistance and probably complications. Key words: Otitis media, bacterial isolates, antibiotic, susceptibility, resistance.

Presentation and pattern of childhood renal diseases in Gusau, North-Western Nigeria