Annals of Biomedical Sciences

Malaria in Nigeria; what is new? A narrative approach

2025-02-21T13:01:09+00:00

The 2022 World Malaria Report revealed that Nigeria bears the largest share of the global malaria burden, with a staggering 27% of worldwide estimated malaria cases. The distribution of malaria largely occurs in regions with sufficient precipitation. The ranges of temperatures between 20oC and 30oC and a relative humidity of above 60% are ideal for the malaria parasite. Mosquitoes are found globally, but they thrive predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. Anopheles spp of Mosquitoes have been implicated in Malaria fever. Although several species of malaria parasites exist; Plasmodium. falciparum is Nigeria's predominant species, causing most illnesses among patients. The use of deep learning models and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diagnostic accuracy is one notable recent development. Research in recent laboratory diagnostic methods for malaria indicates a move toward technology-driven approaches in pathology, with models such as ResNet50 demonstrating improved accuracy in recognizing blood samples associated to malaria. Again, in response to the noted drop in conventional teaching techniques, educational tools like DMU e-Parasitology® have surfaced to provide health professionals with the essential skills required for parasitology. Furthermore, recent advancements in Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) have revolutionized malaria treatment and control, by greatly improving the capacity to identify the disease in its early stages. Despite recent trends in laboratory diagnosis of malaria in Nigeria, Microscopy remains the gold standard for malaria diagnosis. Strategies like Digital health interventions, Artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs), Indoor residual spraying (IRS), Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), Community-based interventions, and Malaria vaccination, have been implemented to reduce the prevalence of malaria in Nigeria. In Conclusion, in Nigeria, malaria is still a major public health issue that has a huge financial impact on both the healthcare system and the country's economy. Issues like low financing, resistance to ACT and insecticides, poor quality tests and medications and corruption have made it difficult to effectively control the disease.

Prescription pattern of antibiotics and analgesics amongst Nigerian dentists during root canal treatment

2025-02-21T13:10:05+00:00

Background: Several persons suffer from different dental conditions such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, and root canal infections. Some of these conditions may require conventional management such as fillings, scaling and polishing, root canal treatment, or even extraction. Root canal treatment is a known and acceptable treatment option for infected root canals. This study was aimed at assessing the prescription pattern of antibiotics and analgesics among dental practitioners in Nigeria during root canal treatment.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among dentists practicing at the dental centre of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. Data collected were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 25.0.

Results: The majority (78.8%) of the participants said they routinely prescribed drugs after root canal treatment, while about two-thirds of respondents (78.8%) prescribed both analgesics and antibiotics after the first visit to root canal treatment. Most participants (78.8%) prescribed antibiotics without culture and sensitivity testing. Nearly all (91.3%) of the respondents prescribed penicillin whenever they did so.

Conclusion: The study shows a lack of analgesic and antibiotic prescriptions following standard prescription guidelines. The pattern displayed by the respondents in our study indicates the need for the respondents to acquire more knowledge on proper prescriptions of both drugs.

Proximal junctional kyphosis following short segment spine fusion - A case report and review of the literature

2025-02-21T13:13:31+00:00

Proximal junctional kyphosis is a complication that can occur following instrumented spine surgeries for adult spine deformities. When it presents as proximal spine failure, revision surgery may be warranted to improve the patient symptoms and improve out come. We present a case of proximal junctional kyphosis and proximal spine failure in an elderly female patient following a short segment spine fusion which was done for degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Operating room deaths—An analysis of mortality in central hospital Benin City over ten years.

2025-02-21T13:17:38+00:00

Background: Death on the operating table is a traumatic, depressing, and dreaded experience for the Surgeon and the Anaesthetist, resulting in self-guilt and re-evaluation of perioperative events.

Methods: The operating room records, anaesthetic charts, and patient case notes for all Urological and General surgery patients who died intraoperatively were identified. The records were scrutinised for the type of surgery, operating findings, and possible cause of death. The duration of illness before presentation and the time taken to prepare the patient for the surgical procedure were also noted. The risk grading of the physical status of the patients as assigned by the attending anaesthetist was recorded.

Results: Twenty-four intraoperative deaths occurred accounting for 0.89% with a male preponderance (1.7:1). Gastrointestinal diseases and abdominal trauma injury are the major cause of intraoperative room deaths. Patients with chronic illnesses are most likely to die due to delay in presentation. The majority of cases were done as emergency cases and mainly ASA V moribund patients who are not expected to survive without the surgical operation. General anaesthesia was mostly utilised during perioperative death and more than half of the secondary cause of death was due to haemorrhage.

Conclusion: This study shows operating room deaths are rare but occur more commonly in secondary facilities than tertiary centres. Patients with poor physical status and receiving abdominal procedures are more likely to suffer perioperative deaths. Early presentation and adequate preoperative optimization of the patients may result in good outcomes.

Histological changes in the bronchioles and alveoli of the adult Wistar rat following exposure to cement dust

2025-02-21T13:23:24+00:00

Background: Cement dust is a harmful air pollutant. Previous research has linked cement dust to respiratory tract disease, but its effects on bronchioles and alveoli are not well understood. The present study assessed lung damage in Wistar rats exposed to cement dust

Objectives: To investigate the effects of cement dust exposure on the weight and in the bronchioles and alveoli of Wistar rats.

Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats weighing between 250g and 280g were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Group A rats were placed in a cement dust free chamber while Group B - D animals were exposed to cement dust dispersed from 5g, 10g and 20g of cement, respectively via dust distributor glass-chamber of dimensions 32.5 cm3 × 32.5 cm3 × 16.5 cm3 for 1 hour daily for 30 days. The weights of the rats were taken weekly and the difference noted. After 28 days, the Wistar rats were euthanized and lungs collected for histology.

Results: The histological sections of the lungs of rats in Group A revealed normal alveoli and bronchioles. There were observable histological variations in the lung architecture of the exposed rats (Groups B, C and D) which include activated lymphoid follicles, bronchioar ulceration, patchy alveolar collapse and vascular ulceration. Histological findings are consistent with usual histological features in pneumonitis.

Conclusion: Cement dust had histomorphological effects on the bronchiolar and alveolar walls, which are capable of compromising the health of the research animals.