Trans-placental transmission of parvovirus B19 during pregnancy has been reported as one of the leading causes of non-immune fetal hydrops, spontaneous abortion or intra-uterine fetal death. We therefore set out to determine the presence of parvovirus B19 (Ig G and IgM) antibodies and their risk factors among pregnant wo men attending antenatal clin ic, at Federal Medical Center, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.A total of 273 pregnant women (Age range 15-40 years) participated after informed consent and clearance fro m the research ethics committee. Each filled a self-ad ministered questionnaire and donated blood samples between January and August 2012. A reco mbinant parvovirus B19 IgM and Ig G ELISA kit fro m DeMediTec (USA) was used for the assays.Of the 273 participants, 36 (13.2 %) had IgM antibodies, while 75 (27.5%) had Ig G antibodies with those aged 15-20 and 36-40 years having the highest incidence and prevalence rates. Being a house wife, having more ch ild ren and histories of blood transfusion, miscarriage and still b irth were associated with infection (P < 0.05).The study reveals high incidence and prevalence of parvovirus B19 infect ion among the pregnant women. The presence of parvovirus B19 IgM antibody particularly in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy poses the danger of likely trans placental transmission leading to spontaneous abortion and intra-uterine fetal death.

Microhaematuria and proteinuria as measured by urine reagent strips are widely used to screen population at high risk o f urinary schistosomiasis. This investigation was conducted to assess, if microhaematuria and proteinuria as measured by reagent strips could estimate intensity of Schistosomahaematobium infection in endemic areas and evaluate their screening performance among children in Benue State, Nigeria. A total of 1,124 urine samp les were collected, screened for microhae maturia and proteinuria using reagent strips (Co mbi 9) and co mpared to filtration technique the gold standard method. A significant correlation was observed between microhaematuria (rho= 0.66, p<0.01), proteinuria (rho = 0.71, p<0.01) and intensity of Schistosomahaematobium eggs. Proteinuria had sensitivity of 95.7% and specificity of 67.7%, while microhaematuria had sensitivity of 64.8% and specificity of 89.6%. The proportion of false positive diagnoses was higher in proteinuria (19.6%) than microhaematuria (6.0%). The find ings suggest that use of urine reagent strips could potentially estimate intensity of Schistosomahaematobium infection and their performance to screen urinary schistosomiasis agreed with previous observations.