Richard Omoregie

Introduction: Chlamydia trachomatis is a major cause of sexually transmitted infection. This study aimed to ascertain the association of Chlamydia trachomatis with semen health in males seeking fertility assistance and to compare two diagnostic tests for current infection. Methods: Blood and urine samples were collected from 197 male spouses in childless unions and screened for Chlamydia trachomatis IgG antibodies and antigens respectively. Semen was also collected from the participants to determine their semen health. Results: Chlamydial antigens were detected in urine samples from 7 (3.55%) participants. Chlamydial antibodies were detected in blood samples in 16 (8.12%) of patients. The presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antigens and antibodies were not affected by age of the participants as well as their duration of marriage (p>0.05). Current Chlamydia trachomatis infection was associated with volume of seminal fluid (OR=34.88, 95%CI=5.79, 210.00; p<0.0001), abnormal morphology (OR=235.00, 95%CI=27.31, 2022.00; p<0.0001), reduced motility (OR=5715.00, 95%CI=105.90, 308400.00; p<0.0001) and reduced sperm count (OR=1134.00, 95%CI=63.07, 20390.00; p<0.0001). Conclusion: The prevalence of past and current Chlamydia trachomatis infection in this study was 5.58%and 3.55% respectively. Current C. trachomatis infection resulted in abnormal seminal fluid analysis parameters, albeit, this should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of positive cases. Measures to reduce or eliminate chlamydial infections are advocated.

This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) among apparently healthy students of a tertiary institution in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 350 students were recruited for the study and nasal swabs were collected alongside demographic data. These swabs were processed microbiologically using standard techniques to recover staphylococci. Antimicrobial susceptibility and methicillin-resistance was determined using a phenotypic method (cefoxitin resistance). A total of 148 (42.3%) of 350 students were culture positive for S. aureus, while 72 (20.6%) were positive for CoNS. Students from Faculty of Dentistry showed the highest prevalence of nasal MRSA (40.0%) and MRCoNS (20.0%). Ofloxacin and gentamicin were the most active antibacterial agents against MRSA with 89.1% and 87.3% respectively been susceptible, while gentamicin was the most active antibiotic against MRCoNS (75.0%). Nasal colonization by MRSA and MRCoNS was unaffected by area of residence and gender (P > 0.05). The nasal carriage rate of MRSA and MRCoNS was 37.2% and 33.3% respectively. The study recommends periodic review of nasal colonization rates among apparently healthy subjects. Regulated use of antimicrobial agents is imperative in order to stem the tide of resistance. Keywords: Methicillin-resistance, Staphylococci, Students, Antibiotics

Artemisinin have being used for the control of malaria worldwide for over a decade and its listing by WHO as the first-line drug for treatment of both severe and uncomplicated malaria and the observed treatment failure have warranted the need to screening malaria patients for the presence of antibodies to malaria. In our locality where there is unregulated use of antimicrobials, the need to ascertain the prevalence of antibodies to artemisinin and evaluate the potential risk factors cannot be overemphasised, hence this study. Blood specimens were collected from 400 randomised patients undergoing treatment for malaria in Benin City, Nigeria. Data on socio-demography were collected with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Artemisinin antibodies were detected by drug absorption mechanism (DAM) and immune complex reaction (IMC) methods. ABO, rhesus blood group, and haemoglobin (Hb) phenotype were determined by using standard technique. A total of 112(28.00%) out of the 400 participants had artemisinin antibodies. Gender, marital status, level of education, residential area and living arrangement did not significantly affect the prevalence of artemisinin antibodies whereas age and ethnicity significantly affected the prevalence of artemisinin antibodies (p=0.0244 and 0.0001 respectively). Duration of the last artemisinin used and the mostly used brand of artemisinin as well as the ABO and rhesus blood groups and haemoglobin phenotypes did not significantly affect the production of artemisinin antibodies. Although of all the risk factors age and ethnicity were identified as the only risk factors for the development of artemisinin, we therefore advocate the prudent use of artemisinin-containing antimalarial and concerted efforts in combating self-medication with this drugs to avoid the development of resistance.

Background: Serine and zinc type carbapenemases are distributed in many genera of bacteria and are typically associated with specific regions or countries. Objectives: This study phenotypically determined the prevalence of serine and zinc-type carbapenemases among Gram-negative bacilli recovered from clinical specimens in Benin, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Totally, 158 consecutive non-duplicate bacterial isolates (gram-negative bacilli) recovered from clinical samples were screened for serine and zinc-type carbapenemases using the simplified carbapenemase inactivation (sCIM) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid -double-disc synergy test methods. Results: The isolates recovered from clinical specimens included 126 Enterobacteriaceae (79.7%), 7 Acinetobacter spp (3.7%), and 28oxidase positive gram negative bacilli (17.7%). Twenty-eight isolates (17.7%) out of the 158 tested samples were carbapenemase positive. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of serine- and zinc-type carbapenemases (P=0.0748). However, the prevalence of zinc-type carbapenemase was significantly higher in Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with other isolates (P=0.0028) while that of serinetype carbapenemase was not affected by the type of clinical isolates (P=0.7216). Finally, the prevalence of both serine- and zinc-type carbapenemases were not affected (P>0.05) by clinical specimens and the source of isolates (in-patient vs. out-patient) respectively. Conclusion: In general, the prevalence of zinc-type (12%) carbapenemases was insignificantly higher than that of serine-type (5.7%) carbapenemases. The measures to reduce infections caused by carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) are advocated accordingly.

Aim: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and associated risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in a tertiary teaching hospital in Nigeria. Patients and Methods: Venous blood was collected from a total of 1680 (comprising of 1177 HIV infected and 503 non-HIV infected) patients and tested for the presence of HbsAg using immunochromatographic technique. Results: The seroprevalence of HBV among HIV and non-HIV-infected patients was 3.8% and 3.6%, respectively. HIV was not identified as a risk factor for HBV seropositivity (P = 0.919). A statistically significant association was found to exist between CD4 count 3 and HBV seropositivity among highly active antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-infected patients (odds ratio [OR] = 10.085, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.314, 89.56, P = 0.008). HIV-infected males were observed to have a significantly higher prevalence of HBV infection (male vs. female: 6.1% vs. 3.1%; OR = 2.046, 95% CI = 1.103, 3.299, P = 0.029). Tribal mark was identified as a risk factor for HBV infection among HIV-infected male patients (P = 0.042). Conclusions: Male gender, presence of tribal marks, as well as CD4 count 3 are risk factors for HBV infection among HIV-infected patients. Interventions by appropriate agencies are advocated.

Objective: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is not uncommon among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Severity of HBV infection and treatment outcome are associated with specific HBV genotypes. No study has reported the types of HBV genotypes circulating among HIV-infected subjects in Nigeria. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of HBV. as well as its genotypic distribution among HIV-infected subjects in Benin City, Nigeria. Methods: Whole blood was collected from a total of 564 HIV-infected and 250 apparently healthy HIV-negative subjects. Serodiagnosis of HBV infection was done using an immunochromatographic kit. Detection of HBV-DNA and sequencing of amplicons were done using standard molecular techniques. Results: HIV status was not significantly associated with HBV seroinfection (HIV vs. non-HIV: 4.6% vs. 4.0%; odds ratio = 1.168, 95% confidence interval = 0.550. 2.444, and P = 0.854). HIV-infected subjects were observed to have an insignificantly (P = 0.645) higher prevalence of true HBV infection than their non-HIV-infected counterparts (HIV positive vs. HIV negative: 23.1% vs. 10.0%). All patients with true HBV infection were found to harbor HBV genotype E. which did not cluster around other HBV genotype E. Conclusion: This study reports novel strains of HBV genotype E circulating in Nigeria.

Introduction : Seasonal variation in immunity has been found in healthy individuals and in association with some diseases. Data on seasonal prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is sparse. This study aimed at determining the seasonal seroprevalence of HBV...

Background: Phlebotomy is a complex process requiring knowledge and skill to perform safely. This study aimed at identifying deviations from best phlebotomy practices among laboratory workers involved in venous blood draws in Edo State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 109 participants from public and private laboratories in Edo State, Nigeria were assessed as they performed venous draws on patients. Results: All participants identified patients by their full names only, and did not introduce themselves to patients before initiating venous draws. Only 9 (8.2%) participants obtained patients consent before venous draws. Glove use was significantly associated with participants [medical laboratory scientists: odd ratio (OR), 14.850; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.345, 65.916; PConclusions: Marked deviations from best phlebotomy practices were observed among study participants. Phlebotomy training of laboratory workers in Edo State, Nigeria is advocated.

Background: Multidrug resistant bacteria continue to be a bane in the treatment of clinical infections in Nigeria. Knowledge of trends in resistance mechanisms is vital in determining available therapeutic options. Objective: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence, distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC β-lactamase and metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing gram negative bacteria (GNB) recovered from clinical specimens in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of 309 consecutive non-repetitive clinical bacterial isolates were recovered from various clinical specimens. The presence of ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and MBL as well as the susceptibility profiles were determined using standard microbiological techniques. Results: ESBL was the most prevalent (P < 0.0001) of the 3 enzymes detected in this study. Bacterial isolates recovered from inpatients had a higher likelihood of producing ESBL than those recovered from out-patients (odds ratio [OR] = 2.225, 95% CI = 1.375, 3.599; P = 0.0015). The highest prevalence of ESBL, AmpC and MBL enzyme was observed for Providencia species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Citrobacter species respectively. β-Lactamase positive isolates showed poor activity against cephalosporin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, gentamicin and the fluoroquinolones. Isolates that produced any of the three β-lactamase enzymes showed more resistance to antibacterial drugs than β-lactamase negative bacterial isolates. Conclusion: A prevalence of 41.7%, 15.2% and 28.5% was observed for ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and MBL respectively in this study. Isolates that produced any of the enzymes were more resistant to antibacterial agents. Prudence in antibiotic use is strongly advocated.

Because of lack of data on the prevalence of sulfadoxine antibody, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of sulfadoxine antibodies and its possible risk factors. Blood specimens were collected from 500 patients undergoing treatment for malaria at Central Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information and sociodemographic data. Sulfadoxine antibodies were detected by drug absorption (DAT) and immune complex (IMC) methods. ABO, rhesus blood group, and hemoglobin (Hb) phenotype were determined by using standard technique. DAT method had a significantly higher rate of detecting sulfadoxine antibodies compared to IMC method (p = 0.019). Age, gender, and level of education did not affect the prevalence of sulfadoxine antibodies (p > 0.050). Patients that were an artisan (p < 0.001), married (p = 0.025), living in a two-room apartment (p = 0.003), had history of drug reaction, consumed antimalarial drug (maloxine), and consumed sulfadoxine-containing drug within the last month (p < 0.001 each), and significantly affected the prevalence of sulfadoxine antibodies. Individuals with Hb phenotype AA had significantly higher prevalence of sulfadoxine antibodies (p < 0.001), and presence of rhesus D antigen was associated with sulfadoxine antibodies. An overall prevalence of 22.0% among the tested individuals had sulfadoxine antibodies. Prudent use of sulfadoxine containing drugs is advocated.