Six hundred and fifty-seven children aged between 0 and 12 months were randomly chosen and studied for measles antibody titres by the haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test. The results showed significant variations in HAI antibody titres. Children between 0-3 months showed high measles HAI antibody titres which declined to a trough between 4 and 6 months. A rise in HAI antibody titre was observed from 10 to 12 months age. Multiparity and higher age in the mothers were noted as probable factors influencing the titres of measles HAI antibody in children. The results indicated that with increased maternal parity, measles HAI antibody titres in the children declined.

The thyroid functional parameters of 102 children with protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) classified as undernourished, marasmic, kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor were studied by measuring the serum T4, T3, T3 percentage uptake (T3%UT), free thyroxine index (FTI), and (in a few subjects) TSH. Total plasma proteins, albumin and globulin were also estimated. T4 was increased markedly in the undernourished children and significantly decreased in kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor groups. There was a consistent and significant fall in T3 levels of all PCM children. From normal values, the fall in T3 levels was progressive in the order of undernourished, marasmic, kwashiorkor and the marasmic-kwashiorkor states. The T3%UT was increased above normal in the marasmic, kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor conditions. The FTI decreased somewhat in marasmus and kwashiorkor groups and was very low in marasmic-kwashiorkor. Total protein and albumin levels were above normal in the undernourished but became markedly depressed in the marasmic-kwashiorkor children. The changes in the levels of both T4 and T3 in our observations are well correlated with the levels of plasma proteins in the undernourished, marasmic and kwashiorkor states but not in the marasmic-kwashiorkor group.

Background: To study the Body Mass Index of healthy Nigerian school children from different socio-economic backgrounds resident in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional prospective study of Body Mass Index was carried out on 3,802 healthy Nigerian school children aged 5 to 13 years resident in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. The subjects consist of 1,871 children from private schools (privileged) and 1,931 children from public schools (less privileged). The schools and pupils were selected by multi-staged cluster sampling method.Result: Over 75% of the 'privileged' and the 'less privileged' children are from upper and lower socioeconomic classes respectively. The mean Body Mass Index of the 'privileged' boys was 15.1 + 0.7 compared with 14.7 + 1.2 for the 'less privileged' boys. The corresponding mean Body Mass Index values for the 'privileged' and the 'less privileged' girls were 15.1 + 0.5 and 15.0 + 1.7 respectively. The difference in this index, between the boys as well as between the girls was statistically insignificant (p = 0.05 and 0.12 respectively). Conclusion: There was no statistical significant difference between the BMI of the 'privileged' and the 'less privileged' groups of children.

Endotoxaemia and endotoxin-induced changes were sought in Nigerian patients presenting with cholera/diarrhoea. The organism was Vibrio cholerae, bio-type El Tor, serotype Hikojima. The limulus amoebocyte lysate gelation test was used qualitatively by the clot method, whilst a spectrophotometric method was used quantitatively to measure endotoxin levels. 25 acutely ill patients tested had detectable endotoxaemia by the Escherichia coli endotoxin standard. The highest endotoxin level was found in a patient with sub-conjunctival haemorrhage. Changes in platelet counts, the detection of complement breakdown product C3d in plasma, the elevation of fibrin degradation products, the finding of elevated, normal or depressed C3 levels and the absence of circulating immune complexes, suggest a pathogenic role for endotoxin in Vibrio cholerae El Tor diarrhoea.