Browsing by Author "Hezekiah Yusuf Azi"

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    Clinical Features and Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in Diarrhoiec Patients in Kaduna State, Nigeria
    (2018-06-22) Ocheme Julius Okojokwu; Bashiru Shafa Abubakar; Hezekiah Yusuf Azi; Edoama Edet Akpakpan; Joseph Aje; Anejo-Okopi
    Abstract: Background: Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in developing countries vary widely implying that the infection can be more common than surveys of stool oocysts excretion demonstrate. Diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium species in childhood may be associated with subsequent impaired physical and cognitive development. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors with the presence of Cryptosporidium species oocysts in human stool. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey carried out in Kaduna State. The study was a prospective cross-sectional study, a total of 600 diarrhoeic stool samples were collected and screened for oocysts of Cryptosporidium species using Sheather’s sugar flotation method. Results: The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 4.5%. Children under 5 years were found to have significantly (χ2 = 4.761, p = 0.029) higher prevalence (6.6%) than older patients (2.9%). Symptoms including abdominal pain (Fisher’s exact test = 0.001), fever (Fisher’s exact test = 0.016) and stool characteristics (Fisher’s exact test = 0.002) were also demonstrated to be significantly associated with cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium infection in Kaduna State also had significant association (p ≤ 0.05) with place of residence (χ2 = 6.559, p = 0.010), where rural dwellers had 7.0% (18/257) prevalence and urban dweller had 2.6% (9/343); animal contact (χ2 = 12.848, p < 0.001), patients who admitted having contact with animals had 7.0% (25/357) prevalence as against 0.8% (2/248); and method of water treatment (χ2 = 16.486, p < 0.001), 7.1% (27/379) of subjects who did not treat their water before consumption had cryptosporidiosis. Conclusion: These findings show that cryptosporidiosis is prevalent in Kaduna State, Nigeria and pose a threat to public health. Important factors in dissemination of the parasite are age of patient, place of residence, animal contact and method of treatment of water. It was also found that clinical manifestation of the infection include abdominal pain, fever and stool characteristics. [Ocheme Julius Okojokwu, Bashiru Shafa Abubakar, Hezekiah Yusuf Azi, Edoama Edet Akpakpan, Joseph Aje Anejo-Okopi. Clinical Features and Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in Diarrhoiec Patients in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Life Sci J 2018;15(6):61-65]. ISSN: 1097-8135 (Print) / ISSN: 2372-613X (Online).
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    Correlative Assessment of the Bacteriological and Physicochemical Parameters of Water Sources in Magama and Bolgang Villages of Langtang South, Plateau State, Nigeria
    (http://www.sciencepub.net/researcher 1 Correlative, 2017) Ocheme Julius Okojokwu; Denfa Dennis Butko; Andefiki Ubandoma; Michael Macvren Dashen; Tarfena Yoila Amapu; Hezekiah Yusuf Azi; Otumala John Egbere; Patricia Fremu Chollom
    This study was carried out to determine the relationship between bacteriological and physicochemical parameters of water from wells, streams, ponds and boreholes which serve as drinking water sources to inhabitants of Magma and Bolgang villages of Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. The water sample were collected from fourteen (14) wells, two (2) streams, two (2) ponds and two (2) boreholes in three (3) batches making a total of 60 samples and subjected to physicochemical tests and bacteriological analysis by membrane filtration techniques. In Magama village, total heterotrophic counts showed bacteria growth in varying degrees with water samples from pond being the most contaminated (7.7 ×105 ± 0.0 ×105 cfu/ml), followed by wells (6.3 ×105 ± 0.7 ×105 cfu/ml) and the least contaminated was from boreholes (1.9 ×105 ± 0.0 ×105 cfu/ml). the total coliform was highest in well water (5.2 x 105 ± 0.3 x 105 cfu/ml) followed by ponds (5.1 x 105 ± 0.0 x 105 cfu/ml) while borehole water had the least count. The heterotrophic bacterial count in Bolgang was highest in ponds (7.6 x 105 ± 0.0 x 105 cfu/ml) and borehole had the least count (1.1 x 105 ± 0.0 x 105 cfu/ml). On the other hand, the total coliform count was highest in well water (5.2 x 105 ± 0.3 x 105 cfu/ml) and least in borehole. Only two of the water samples (Magama and Bolgang Centre boreholes) met the WHO standard for drinking water of 0 coliform as coliforms were isolated from other sources except two. The enteric bacteria isolated included Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella typhi and Proteus mirabilis. The water from the two villages were found to be unsuitable for consumption and recreational purposes without treatment. Generally, correlation studies revealed that pH, alkalinity and total hardness have a strong positive association with total heterotrophic and coliform counts. Therefore, as compared to standards, the waters studied could be regarded as physicochemically acceptable but bacteriologically unsafe for use as raw water for drinking, animal herding, recreational activities and the irrigation of food crops to be consumed raw. There is need to control the faecal bacteria, the indicator for the faecal pollution of the water bodies. Improvement in water quality and availability will aid hygienic practices and interrupt the transmission of enteric pathogens through contaminated water in the study area. Public health education aimed at improving personal, household and community hygiene is imperative. The waters studied was considered physicochemically acceptable but bacteriologically unsafe for use as raw water for drinking, animal herding, recreational activities and the irrigation of food crops to be consumed raw. [Okojokwu OJ, Butko DD, Ubandoma AMD, Dashen MM, Amapu TY, Azi HY, Egbere OJ, Chollom PF. Correlative Assessment of the Bacteriological and Physicochemical Parameters of Water Sources in Magma and Bolgang Villages of Langtang South, Plateau State, Nigeria. Researcher 2017;9(7):1-10]. ISSN 1553-9865 (print); ISSN 2163-8950 (online). http://www.sciencepub.net/researcher. 1. doi:10.7537/marsrsj090717.01.