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Background: Malaria and hookworm infections independently have been known to cause anaemia. Coinfection of these two parasites can aggravated the morbidity of these infections with a resulting impact on anaemia especially in pregnancy. Aims and Objective: This work was aimed at assessing the prevalence of malaria and hookworm co-infection and their effects on anaemia among pregnant women in Calabar Metroplis. Materials and Methods: Giemsa stained film of venous blood was examined microscopically for malaria parasites while cyanmethaemoglobin method was used for haemoglobin level estimation. Stool samples were examined microscopically while Stoll’s technique was used in counting the ova of hookworm. Results: 19(6.3%) of the subjects were infected with hookworm, 45(15.0%) with malaria, while 9(3.0%) were infected with both parasites. Severe anaemia of 4(44.4%) was observed amongst the test (infected) subjects while the control (uninfected) subjects had a severe anaemia of 3(1.0%). The highest prevalence of co-infections of malaria and hookworm 4(38.6%) occurred among the age group of 26-30years (p=0.371). Subjects in their 3rd trimester had the highest prevalence of co-infection of 4(4.4%) (p=0.412). The highest prevalence of severe anaemia 1(100.0%) occurred among the age group of 16-20years (p=0.002). Conclusion: This work has shown a low prevalence of malaria and hookworm co-infection. The level of severe anaemia among infected pregnant women was more than that observed among subjects without any of the two infections.

Abstract Background Provision of constant and safe blood has been a public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa with high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). This study was aimed at determining the trend and seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV across the years within study among prospective blood donors at blood bank in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria. Methods A retrospective analysis of blood donor data from January 2005 to December 2016 was conducted in Blood Bank/Donor Clinic of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Sera samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and 2 and Treponema pallidum using commercially available immunochromatic based kits. Results Out of the 24,979 screened prospective donors in the 2005–2016 study period, 3739 (14.96%) were infected with at least one infective agent. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV were 4.1, 3.6, 3.1 and 4.2%, respectively. During the period of study, the percentage of all transfusion-transmissible infections declined significantly with remarkable decline in HIV. The study showed male dominated donor pool (98.7%) with higher prevalence (4.2%) of transfusion-transmissible infections than in female donors (0.0%). Commercial donors constituted majority (62.0%) of the donors and as well had the highest prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections. Majority (62.9%) of the donors were repeat donors. Conclusion HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV have remained a big threat to safe blood transfusion in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at large. Strict adherence to selection criteria and algorithm of donor screening are recommended.

Malaria and intestinal helminths coexist with negative consequences on health of children. This work was to investigate the prevalence and the impact of these infections on hemoglobin levels of children in Bebuatsuan clan, Obudu. Blood films and stool samples from 285 school-aged children were examined using standard parasitological methods for malaria infection and intestinal parasites while packed cell volume and hemoglobin estimation were determined using the standard methods of Dacie and Lewis, (2015). Of the 285 subjects examined, 117(41.1%) harbored malaria parasites only, 75(26.3%) harbored intestinal parasites and 36(12.6%) were co-infected with both malaria and intestinal parasites. The mean hemoglobin levels of the control group (12.97+2.1) was significantly higher than that of the test group (11.13+6.1) (p=0.000). Malaria, intestinal parasites infection(s) and coinfection were highest in children aged 8 to 11years 43.3%, 36.7% and 16.7%, respectively. Malaria and intestinal parasites infections were higher in males (47.16%, 28.3%) than in females (33.3%, 23.81%) while co-infection was higher in females (14.28%) than in males (11.32%). Subjects with body weight of 42-56kg had the highest malaria infection (100%), intestinal parasitosis (33.3%) and co-infection (33.3%). Ascaris lumbricoides had highest prevalence among intestinal parasites 42(28.88%). This work has demonstration a strong influence of malaria and intestinal parasitosis on the blood levels of school-aged children. [J Med Allied Sci 2017; 7(2.000): 92-98]