International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology

Abstract: The antimicrobial activities of three plants (Momordica charantia, Morinda lucida, and Hunteria umbellata) were investigated. These plants were extracted using methanol and ethanol as solvents. These extracts were used to evaluate the growth of five food borne bacteria namely; Bacillus sp, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus sp., Shigella sp., Lactobacillus sp., and the research revealed zones of inhibition ranging from 0 to 36 mm. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged from 20 to 100 mg/ml…

Abstract: This study examines whether the quality of community health in Taiwan has improved after the establishment of the National Health Insurance (NHI); to identify what the related factors are that affect the quality, and to find the possible ways to improve key drivers of healthcare quality. Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Annual Statistics Information Database and the Taipei Health Information Indices Database in the form of unbalanced panel of 153 hospital-years from 1989 to 2002 in 13 Taipei p…

Abstract: Intestinal protozoan is still an important public health problem. We aimed to gain insight into the dynamics of intestinal protozoan infection with a view to describing the prevalence of intestinal protozoan in asymptomatic individuals in Mexico City, Mexico. The study population was primarily both in and out patients from four different hospitals who were referred for routine stool examination. Faecal specimens (510) were collected over a 3-weeks period from asymptomatic individuals. Specimens were tested for a ra…

Abstract: The Indian capital city of Delhi reported its first ever case of Chikungunya in June 2007. However, the way this case was detected, and reported raises serious issues related to general epidemiology and disease surveillance. This incident being the first reported case of Chikungunya from the resident of Delhi also raises much larger concern of changing infectious disease dynamics. The objectives of this study are: 1) Occurrence of new disease in new area should be treated as of sign of ecological ill health. Increa…

Abstract: There is paucity of information on immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in children in Nigeria. We reported two cases of IRIS in a 7 and 14 years HIV infected Nigerian boys managed at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Nigeria. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was diagnosed and managed in 4 out of 1,027 (0.38%) HIV positive paediatric patients started on antiretroviral therapy at the health institution over a 6 years period.

Abstract: Infectious diseases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a changing pattern in terms of medical admissions worldwide with an alarming increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) especially in the tropics over the last decade. A regular review and audit of medical admissions is necessary for health policy formulation and resource allocation. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of medical admission in a Nigerian University Teaching…

Abstract: Suckling is a physiological act that provides nourishment and comfort. A baby’s sucking can be either nutritive or nonnutritive. Nonnutritive sucking can turn into a continuous behavior practiced unconsciously, leading to a deleterious oral habit (eg, thumb sucking).The extent of damage caused by this habit is dependent on the duration, frequency and intensity. Till the age 3, this habit is termed to be normal but later certain intervention has to be taken. This habit can have a negative impact on speech, psycholog…

Abstract: The study was to compare the results of obesity assessment as a component of metabolic syndrome diagnosis using two different diagnostic criteria amongst apparently healthy female adults. A hundred and twenty-six(126) adult females aged 40- 70 years were evaluated concurrently for obesity using waist circumference as defined by Adult Treatment Panel III(ATP III criteria), waist-hip ratio(WHR) and body mass index(BMI), the latter two as defined by the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria. These subjects were draw…

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop the predictive equations for estimation of stature, using knee height, arm span and sitting height in Indonesian Javanese elderly people. Eight-hundred and twelve healthy elderly people (295 men and 517 women) participated in this cross sectional study. Standing height, weight, knee height, arm span and sitting height were measured. The Chumlea and Eleanor equations were validated in this study. The first equation showed that the mean difference of predicted height compared…

Abstract: Toenail chromium and copper concentrations in toenails of some inhabitants resident in Kano for at least six months were assessed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Average toenail chromium and copper concentrations were 1.33 ± 0.68 and 27.62 ± 13.29 µg/g respectively. Both chromium and copper concentrations in nails decreased with age indicating that these metals may be playing some physiological functions during the formative years. Their concentrations were inversely related to age with approximate average of 10…