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BackgroundEssential tremor (ET) is one of the commonest movement disorders though the prevalence varies globally. There is paucity of data on ET prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of ET in a Nigerian community.MethodsThis door-to-door survey was conducted in two stages. In Stage 1, 3000 randomly selected residents of an urban centre in Lagos, Nigeria, were screened using a questionnaire to detect symptoms of movement disorder. 234 participants who responded positively regarding presence of tremors were rescreened using an ET-specific questionnaire, a face-to-face interview and neurological examination. Diagnosis of ET was based on the Movement Disorders Society (MDS) consensus diagnostic criteria for ET.ResultsOf the 3000 participants, forty responded positively to the ET screening questionnaire, of which 36 (19 females and 17 males) had a final diagnosis of ET, giving a crude prevalence of 12 per 1000 (95% CI = 8.1- 15.9). Gender specific prevalence was 10.3 /1000 in males and 14.3/1000 in females. Age specific prevalence increased with advancing age in both sexes. Age adjusted prevalence (WHO New world population) was 23.8 per 1000.ConclusionsWe documented a high prevalence of ET in this study, with typical increasing prevalence with advancing age as previously reported in other populations.

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Background:Stroke causes death and disability worldwide. Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor. In Nigeria, studies on outcome and risk factors of stroke are from urban-based hospitals. This study aims to look at stroke outcome and the major modifiable risk factors of hospitalized stroke patients in semi-urban Nigeria.Methods:The medical records of stroke patients admitted between March 2008 and February 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The relevant demographic, clinical and laboratory data of each patient were retrieved.Results:A total of 99 cases of stroke made up of 51 males and 48 females were reviewed. Mean age of the subjects was 66.22 ± 12.67 years. Mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure at presentation were 171.41 ± 39.10 mmHg and 100.44 ± 21 mmHg, respectively. About 61.6% were known hypertensives, while 31.3%, not previously known to be hypertensive, had SBP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg. Overall, 85.9% of the subjects had SBP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. In all, 46.5% had SBP ≥ 180 mmHg, and 63% of this number had SBP ≥ 200 mmHg; 42.4% had DBP ≥ 110 mmHg. Other major risk factors were hypercholesterolaemia (34.4%), diabetes mellitus (16.6%), previous cerebrovascular accident (15.2%) and smoking (9.4%). In all, 31.3% had two or more modifiable stroke risk factors. 36.4% of the subjects were comatose. Overall case fatality rate was 45.8%, 75% of the subjects with coma died, compared to 27.6% without coma (p < 0.01).Conclusion:Mortality in our stroke patients is high. Hypertension is the commonest modifiable risk factor, and the presence of coma at presentation is associated with poor prognosis.

The Lassa virus is known to cause disease in different organ systems of the human body, with varying clinical manifestations. The features of severe clinical disease may include bleeding and/or central nervous system manifestations. Whereas Lassa fever encephalopathy and encephalitis are well described in the literature, there is paucity of data on Lassa virus meningitis. We present the clinical description, laboratory diagnosis, and management of 4 consecutive cases of aseptic meningitis associated with Lassa virus infection without bleeding seen in a region of Nigeria known to be endemic for both the reservoir rodent and Lassa fever. The 4 patients recovered fully following intravenous ribavirin treatment and suffered no neurologic complications.