Introduction: Lassa fever (LF) is a communicable viral haemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person spread occurs by inhalation or direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected patient. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is essential in healthcare facilities for the wellbeing and safety of patients, staff and visitors. Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki is the designated treatment center for LF in Ebonyi State. We assessed IPC practices in this facility during the 2018 outbreak of LF involving healthcare workers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 135 healthcare workers selected by systematic sampling. Information on their knowledge and practice of IPC was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. We classified knowledge into "good", "fair" and "poor" based on the total correct response. Those that scored ≥75% of the maximum score were classified as good, 50-74% as fair and <50% as poor. We calculated prevalence odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals of the odds ratio to determine the factors associated with good knowledge scores. We purposively sampled key units involved in the management of suspected Lassa fever cases and assessed the availability of basic IPC requirements. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 37.6 ± 7.6 years and 75 (55.6%) were females. Fifty-seven (42.5%), 29 (21.6%) and 13 (9.9%) respondents claimed always to have gloves, running water and hand washing soaps, respectively, in their units. The proportion of respondents with good knowledge of IPC measures was 71.8%, while 58.5% and 37.8% had good knowledge of LF epidemiology and LF clinical features, respectively. Being a core health worker (OR: 3.39 95%CI: 1.38-8.32) was significantly associated with good knowledge of LF epidemiology. Being male (OR: 1.55 95%CI: 0.72-3.34) and having spent >15years in the facility (OR: 1.16 95%CI: 0.39-3.44) were associated with good knowledge of IPC precautionary measures. However, these associations were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The majority of the staff had good knowledge of IPC. However, knowledge of LF epidemiology was greater among those whose roles were related to management of LF cases. We recommended more awareness on LF, IPC practices and improved supply of IPC commodities.

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal infection that presents diversely with no specific pathognomonic features. Cryptococcal disease is one of the most important opportunistic infections and a significant contributor to early mortality in HIV infected subjects. Cryptococcal antigenemia occurs in Nigeria, but the magnitude of this disease remains unclear. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of CrAg among HIV infected and HIV seronegative subjects and to assess the relationship between CD4 count and CrAg in HIV-positive subjects attending Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan.In a hospital-based case-control study using simple random sampling, 114 HIV-seropositive individuals (cases) and 228 HIV-seronegative individuals (controls) were recruited. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from subjects and retrospective review of CD4 count records in HIV infected subjects. Five millilitres of venous blood were collected from each participant. Serum Cryptococcal antigen testing was done using CrAg Lateral Flow Assay. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis at 5% level of significance.Mean age of cases was 41.2 ± 10.0 years and 85 (74.6%) were females while mean age of controls was 38.9 ± 13.7 years and 156 (68.4%) were females. The prevalence of CrAg among cases was 11.4% and 7.0% among controls. Cases were about two times more likely to test positive for CrAg. However, the association was not statistically significant (OR: 1.71, 95%CI: 0.79 -3.68). Individuals with CD4 counts of ≤100 cells/µl were 20 times more likely to have positive serum cryptococcal antigen than individuals with CD4 counts >100 cells/µl (OR: 20.3,).This study has demonstrated significant prevalence of Cryptococcal antigenemia among the study population; however, prevalence was significantly higher among cases. Screening for CrAg should therefore be part of routine tests amongst all confirmed HIV seropositive cases, since asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia predicts impending cryptococcal infection with probable mortality.

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Background: Dengue fever, (df) is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus. Infection with dengue virus is a major cause of morbidity in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. In about 60% of cases, it gives rise to undifferentiated fever which is clinically indistinguishable from other viral infections. Dengue fever is known to occur in Nigeria, but the magnitude of this disease remains unclear. This study was done to determine the prevalence and determinants of df immunoglobulins (Ig) among patients attending a military hospital in Lagos.Methods: Systematic random sampling was used to recruit participants. Study participants were patients presenting with febrile illness at Naval Medical Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. A semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and 3 millilitres venous blood was drawn from each participant. Anti-dengue IgM and IgG was determined from whole blood using lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay in line with manufacturer's instructions. Thick blood film was used for malaria microscopy. Epi-info version 7.2 was employed for data analysis using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis at 5% level of significance.Results: Mean age of study participants was 30.1 ± 13.6 years and 182 (59.9%) were males. The prevalence of df IgM and IgG was 8.5% and 18.0% respectively. Malaria-dengue fever co-infection was 10.8%. Individuals with malaria were twice less likely to have df (OR: 0.46, 95%CI: 0.27 -0.78). Military personnel and their relations were about 3 times less likely to have df (OR: 0.35, 95%CI: 0.18 -0.66). Joint pain was significantly associated with df (OR: 1.78, 95%CI: 1.05 -2.99).Conclusions: A significant proportion of study population had both df IgM and IgG. Screening for df should be part of routine tests amongst patients that presents with febrile illness particularly those with joint pain.

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