African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Vitamin A deficiency among under-five Nigerian children with diarrhoea.
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and diarrhoea are still important contributors to childhood deaths in Africa, and vitamin A deficient children are at increased risk as well as severity of diarrhoea. ⋯ Wasting and hospitalization are factors that may indicate the presence of VAD in a child with diarrhoea. Vitamin A supplements should therefore be given, as part of the treatment for diarrhoea, to children who have wasting, especially when they require hospitalization.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Opinion and use of contraceptives among medical students of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.
Non-use or poor usage of any form of contraception increases the chances of unwanted pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS occurring with attendant problems. The knowledge of, and the appropriate use of contraceptives will reduce the prevalence of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe induced abortion as well as limit incidence of STIs and associated complications. ⋯ Positive opinion towards contraceptives will go a long way to encourage proper and effective contraceptives use. This can be achieved by utilizing counseling by health workers.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Male gender and duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment are associated with hypocholesterolemia in adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Kampala, Uganda.
Patients with Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and hypocholesterolemia have an altered immune function, delayed sputum conversion at two months and increased mortality. However, the assessment for dyslipidemias is not often done in our setting. ⋯ Hypocholesterolemia is common among patients with PTB. The risk of hypocholesterolemia increases with being male and reduces with increased duration of treatment. There is a need for further research in lipid abnormalities in TB patients.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
The association between pregnancy-specific anxiety and preterm birth: a cohort study.
Antenatal anxiety may have long-term negative effects on pregnancy outcome. Antenatal anxiety can also be detrimental to maternal health during pregnancy. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between pregnancy-specific anxiety and preterm birth in pregnant women. ⋯ According to the results of this study, third trimester pregnancy-specific anxiety was associated with preterm birth. Therefore, the health care providers should pay special attention to pregnancy-specific anxiety.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in blood donors: the risks and challenges of blood transfusion in Zambia in the era of HIV/AIDS at the Kitwe Central Hospital, blood bank.
Human Parvovirus (B19V) is a small, single-stranded, non-enveloped DNA virus which is pathogenic to humans causing a wide array of clinical complications which include erythema infectiosum, aplastic crisis and hydrops foetalis. It is generally harmless in healthy individuals but may be life threatening in immunocompromised individuals such as patients with sickle cell disease, cancer, HIV and pregnant women. It has been shown to be transmissible by blood transfusion but donor screening for the virus is not yet mandatory in most sub-Saharan African countries including Zambia. ⋯ This study showed a 15.6% prevalence rate of acute Parvovirus B19 infections in blood donors at the Kitwe Central Hospital, blood bank. Studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these results.