Background: Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum are major causes of diarrhoeal diseases of humans worldwide and are included in the World Health Organization’s ‘Neglected Diseases Initiative’. Aim: This research was designed to assess the prevalence of G. lamblia and C. parvum co-infections among undergraduate Students of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. Methods: An aggregate of 120 faecal specimens were obtained from 120 partakers (60 females and 60 males) who met the inclusion criteria. The clinical and demographic data of the participants were compiled with the use of patterned survey. Diagnosis was carried out using standard laboratory methods for the detection of these parasites. Results: The outcome of this study shows that there was no record of G. lamblia and C. parvum co-infections among the study participants; however, G. lamblia and C. parvum mono-infection exist among the examined participants with a preponderance of 10% and 4.2%, respectively. There were no substantial differences (P>0.05) in the percentage occurrences of the two parasites established on the individual-level characteristics of the partakers. All participants who tested positive for mono-infection by each parasite had a history of diarrhoea (14.2%). Meanwhile, the 12(10%) participants who tested positive for G. lamblia mono-infection indicated abdominal pain (10), nausea and bloating (2.5%), presence of foul smelling watery stool (0.8%), presence of blood and mucus in stool (0.8%) and weight loss (0.8%). While all the 5 participants who tested positive for C. parvum indicated that they had only abdominal pain (4.2%). Significant risk factors associated with the occurrence of these parasitic infections include: lack of awareness, history of diarrhea, poor toilet hygiene, poor toilet-student ratio, as well as infrequent visits to the hospital for medical check-ups/laboratory tests. Conclusion: Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum co-infection does .......

Background: Studies have suggested that patients’ medical data could be correlated with the disease outcome in individuals with COVID-19. There is however, paucity of data on the impact of many of these factors especially in rural and semi-urban environment in Nigeria. Objective: This study seeks to establish the dynamics of patients tested for COVID-19 in a private tertiary facility located in a semi-urban area in Nigeria, with special focus on their symptoms, comorbidities, and demography. Methods: The study was a retrospective study carried out using data generated by the Babcock Molecular and Tissue Culture Laboratory of Babcock University Teaching Hospital Ilisan-Remo, Ogun state between October 17, 2020 and July 20, 2021. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21.0. Result: Two thousand five hundred anonymized data were captured in the study. Under the period of review, only 9.5% of the entire tested population were positive to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There was a significant relationship between age distribution, level of education and COVID-19 infection outcome (P < 0.05). Fever (42.6%) was the commonest symptom among the patient population while hypertension (34.6%) and diabetes (31.3%) were the leading comorbidities reported in this study. Conclusion: Targeted approaches in the areas of tests and enlightenment for certain demographic groups such as those that are elderly and with low level of education is highly recommended.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was first discovered in 1985 and has since then shown to be an important tool in the world of research and medical diagnostics. Previous techniques of DNA replication, which relied on microorganisms and may take weeks to complete, have been supplanted by PCR due to its timeliness, as well as its high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Since its invention, the PCR has played many roles in specimen analysis, mutation analysis, forensic science and in the human genome project, among others. While the developed nations of the world have seized the several opportunities that lie in the utilization of the polymerase chain reaction technique to advance the field of medicine and research, many Africa countries just seem to be scratching the surface in its use. The advent of COVID-19 in the last two years has brought about an increase in the awareness of the technique and brought to light the fact that many African countries are ill-equipped with the adequate tools to meet the challenges of the world of medical sciences and research. This review aims to give an insight into the opportunities that exist with the use of PCR and the limitations that may hinder these opportunities especially among developing countries in Africa.