ABSTRACT:The objective of this study was to examine the deterioration effect, if any, of prolonged exposure to gas flaring on hematological parameters. Subjects for the study were drawn from the represented groups in the oil and gas production environments and compared to the non gas flaring environment. Venous blood samples were collected from the subjects and analysed for PCV, Hb, RBC and WBC counts, and red cell morphology. The result showed that the PVC, Hb and RBC count respectively reduced, WBC count and abnormal red cell morphology increased, compared to control (p<0.05). In all measured parameters, the change was more marked in females than in male compared to control. It is concluded that prolonged exposure to flaring of associated gas and by extension to oil production environment can cause marked deterioration in hematological parameters. @ JASEM

Cellulose acetate electrophoresis technique has been used to estimate haemoglobin genotype and the predicted values from the estimate in accordance with the population genetics studies (Fleming and Lehman 1982) were evaluated in 850 subjects (386 males and 464 females) selected randomly from Bonny, in Rivers State, Nigeria of ages between 3 and 77 years. There was significant differences (P < 0.001) between the measured and the predicted haemoglobin genotype values suggesting that the predicted cannot be substituted for the measured. Two further haemoglobinopatheis, HbSC and HbCC were predicted to be the expected haemoglobin genotype of newborn into the population in the next decade suggesting that the incidence of abnormal haemoglobin in the population may arise from the complex interaction between the genetic constitution of the individual and some unidentified environmental factors. @ JASEM

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The ABO and Rhesus blood group series is the commonest and most important blood group series. In order to determine its distribution among the indigenes of Ijaw ethnic group in Niger Delta Region, Nigeria, a retrospective study of records of blood groupings from 1046 subjects comprising blood donors, blood recipients, patients attending routine antenatal care as well as individuals who presented for routine medical examinations, over a five year period (2005-2009), was done. Overall, blood group O (65.30%) was the highest, followed by blood group B (19.03%), and blood group A (13.57%) while blood group AB (2.10%), was the least. For the Rh (D) distribution, 95.70% were Rhpositive while 4.30% were Rh-negative. The distributions, according to gender, as well as according to site of study, follow the same trend as that of the general studied population. The results from this study will be useful to health planners and service providers.