Comparative clinical observations following introduction of a new polyvalent antivenom for snakebite envenoming in northern Nigeria.

The effectiveness and safety of antivenoms used for snakebite-envenoming can be evaluated in in-vitro, in-vivo preclinical and clinical studies. In this study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of a newly introduced Alternative Equine-derived Polyvalent (AEP) antivenom. Compared to the existing antivenoms, patients treated with the AEP antivenom showed higher mortality, more frequent early-adverse-reactions, and failure to restore clotting timely among carpet viper envenomed patients with coagulopathy.

Modeling transmission dynamics and the impact of pentavalent vaccination targeting serogroups A, C, W-135, Y, and X in the African meningitis belt.

The African meningitis belt (AMB) faces recurring epidemics of (Nm) (a bacterium that causes meningococcal meningitis), posing significant public health challenges. This study develops a Susceptible-Carrier-Infected-Recovered (SCIR)-based dynamic model to investigate Nm transmission dynamics in the AMB region, focussing on the impact of pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines targeting serogroups A, C, W-135, Y, and X. By incoporating vaccination strategies into the model, we provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating vaccine effectiveness and informing outbreak prevention and control efforts.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Optimize Antivenom Therapy for Carpet Viper (Echis romani)-Envenomed Children in Nigeria.

In an open randomized controlled trial, we compared one vial (10 mL) to two vials (20 mL) of EchiTAb-plus-ICP (EPI) antivenom among children with systemic carpet viper (Echis romani) envenoming of moderate severity in northeastern Nigeria. Systemic envenoming, presenting with incoagulable blood, was diagnosed using the 20-minute whole blood clotting test (20WBCT). Eligible patients with positive 20WBCT whose guardians assented were recruited and randomly allocated to receive either one vial or two vials of EPI administered either as a bolus or as a slow continuous infusion.

Case fatality rate and burden of snakebite envenoming in children - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Snakebite is a major public health problem with an estimated global burden of 5 million people per annum. Data on snakebite envenoming in children are very limited and is unclear whether there is a significant difference in severity between adults and children. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of observational studies on snakebite in children to obtain a more precise estimate of case fatality rate (CFR) as well as to explore the differences in outcome between children and adults.

A prospective observational phase IV study on effectiveness of animal derived polyclonal antibody antivenoms against West African carpet viper (Echis romani) induced coagulopathy and mortality.

Conventional polyclonal antibody antivenoms are the mainstay of snakebite therapy. They have not been proven to be efficacious in randomized placebo controlled clinical trials among severely envenomed patients. There is also paucity of evidence on effectiveness especially in routine use.

Comparison of snakebite in children and adults in Nigeria.

Snakebite envenoming is a major global public health problem and disproportionately affects children. To study the differences in clinical presentation and outcomes between children and adults, 2922 snakebite patients of whom 30.3% were children were analysed.

A multicenter survey of asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia among patients with advanced HIV disease in Nigeria.

As of 2018, cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (AHD) was not routinely implemented in Nigeria despite being recommended in the national HIV treatment guidelines. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia in adult people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria to advocate for the implementation of routine CrAg screening. A descriptive cross-sectional study and CrAg screening of consecutive adult PLHIV with CD4 counts ≤200 cells/μL was conducted from April 2018 to April 2019 at HIV clinics in eleven tertiary hospitals spread across Nigeria's six geopolitical regions.

Challenges and prospects of managing non-acute medical conditions among pastoral populations in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Africa, pastoral populations face several underrecognized health issues. The livelihoods of pastoralists revolve around possession of livestock and they are constantly moving in search of water and pasturage. They are predisposed to chronic zoonotic infections but may also suffer from non-acute non-zoonotic cosmopolitan infectious and non-infectious chronic medical conditions.

Determinants of mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 during first and second waves of the pandemic: A retrospective cohort study from an isolation center in Kano, Nigeria.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical predictors of mortality among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia during first and second waves in a treatment center in northwestern Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 195 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 2020 to March 2021 at a designated COVID-19 isolation center in Kano State, Northwest Nigeria.

Performance of the 20 minutes Whole Blood Clotting Test in detection, monitoring and antivenom therapy of West African Carpet viper (Echis romani) envenoming in resource constrained settings in Nigeria.

The 20 minutes Whole Blood Clotting Test (20WBCT) was evaluated in 1541 snakebite patients at 3 hospitals in Nigeria. It was useful in detection, monitoring, guiding antivenom therapy and prognostication of coagulopathy, with initial sensitivity of 84.7% (95%CI:82.

Emerging threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis and trends in the era of COVID-19: A descriptive study from northwestern Nigeria.

Background: with resistance to first line and second line anti tuberculous drugs is a serious setback in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a serious threat that could unwind the recent gains made thus far in the control of tuberculosis. This study aims to explore the pattern of drug resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) in our institution.

Early safety and efficacy of linezolid-based combination therapy among patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in North-western Nigeria.

Background: The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) has continued to pose a threat to public health in sub-Saharan Africa and globally. Despite the high burden of tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria, there are paucity of data on the safety and efficacy of newer agents and repurposed drugs used in the treatment of DRTB.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a regional DRTB treatment center in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria.

Diabetes-related knowledge, attitude, and practice among outpatients of a tertiary hospital in North-western Nigeria.

Introduction: One of the challenges facing the management of diabetes is the misconception and inadequate knowledge about the disease. We assessed the level of diabetes-related knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among patients with diabetes in North-western Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

A national survey of hospital readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to overwhelm health systems across the globe. We aimed to assess the readiness of hospitals in Nigeria to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Method: Between April and October 2020, hospital representatives completed a modified World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID-19 hospital readiness checklist consisting of 13 components and 124 indicators.

Snakebite envenoming in different national contexts: Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria.

Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that predominantly affects impoverished rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The global efforts to reduce the impact of this disease must consider the local national contexts and, therefore, comparative studies on envenomings in different countries are necessary to identify strengths, weaknesses and needs. This work presents a comparative analysis of snakebite envenomings in Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria.

Predictors of antibiotic prescriptions: a knowledge, attitude and practice survey among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.

Background: As part of the Global Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), countries are required to generate local evidence to inform context-specific implementation of national action plans against AMR (NAPAR). We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding antibiotic prescriptions (APR) and AMR among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, and to determine predictors of KAP of APR and AMR.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled physicians practicing in tertiary hospitals from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Determinants of loss to follow-up among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Nigeria.

: Considerable success has been recorded in the global fight against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Retention in care is the key to the attainment of set goals in the fight against the disease. We aim to determine the factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a limited resource setting.

Knowledge, attitude and practice survey of COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Nigeria.

Background: A pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged and affected most of the world in early 2020. To inform effective public health measures we conducted a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey among a Hausa Muslim society in Nigeria in March 2020.

Methods: The study is an analytic cross-sectional survey with questionnaires administered to the general population including Health Care Workers (HCW) in Kano, Nigeria.

A descriptive study of smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis in a high HIV burden patient's population in North Central Nigeria.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease of public health concern, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. Most of these countries have challenges in diagnosis and treatment of TB in people with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPTB), which remains a significant public health challenge because of the global burden of the disease. We evaluated the epidemiology and clinical presentation of SNPTB in a cohort of patients with high HIV burden.

Evaluation of GeneXpert MTB/RIF as a diagnostic tool in patients with sputum smear-negative TB in a high HIV burden region in Nigeria.

Background: There are challenges in the diagnosis of TB in people with smear-negative pulmonary TB (SNPTB) in resource-limited settings. We evaluated the diagnostic usefulness of Xpert MTB/RIF compared with TB culture among SNPTB.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study among patients with SNPTB.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and psycho-social impairment following snakebite in Northeastern Nigeria.

Background: Snakebite is a major public health problem among impoverished rural populations causing considerable morbidity and mortality in West Africa. Despite the huge burden of snakebite in this region, psycho-social impairment following snakebite has not been evaluated. In this study, we assessed for features of posttraumatic stress disorder and psycho-social impairment among rural snakebite victims in Northeastern Nigeria.