Prospects for COVID-19 in 2022

Significance Predicting the pandemic's course has become more complicated because parts of countries’ populations are now vaccinated, some with a single dose, others with a double or triple dose, while immunity to the virus appears to be waning over time and natural immunity levels vary. However, there is good reason for optimism over new drug developments and clinical skills developed during the pandemic.

Trends in Empirical Treatment of Hospitalized Children with Acute Gastroenteritis in Nigeria

Background: Acute gastroenteritis is a common infectious disease with a high rate of morbidity and mortality in children below five years of age. Appropriate empirical treatment is therefore vital for reducing the incidence of the disease. Objective: This study aimed at determining the trends in the empirical treatment of hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis. Method: The study involved the data analysis of 88 medical folders of children who were diagnosed with gastroenteritis from January to February 2020 (a period of gastroenteritis yearly outbreak) in Mile 4 Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Socio-demographic data and administered antibiotics data were collected. Result: Out of the 88 children, a total of 54 (61%) children were males, while 34 (39%) were females. The ages of the children ranged between 1-51 months, while the mean age was seen at 14 months. About 58 (66%) were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis alone, with children aged 7-12 months recording higher numbers [25 (28%)]. Severe dehydration was seen as the most common morbidity of children with acute gastroenteritis. The guardians/parents of these children stayed at home for an average of 3 days (1-6 days) before visiting the hospital. The children were treated for an average of 5 days (2-9 days) in the hospital. The most singly used antibiotics was ciprofloxacin [31 (35%)] followed by a combination of ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone [21 (24%)]. About 12 (14%) of the children were treated using a single dose of the antimalarial drug while 10 (11%) were treated in double combination therapy. The lowest duration in hospitalization (4 days) was seen in the use of a single dose regimen, while the highest hospitalization time (6 days) was seen in the use of a triple dose regimen. Conclusion: The best empirical treatment of acute gastroenteritis may involve the use of ciprofloxacin alone and its combination with ceftriaxone. The severity of gastroenteritis may also be exacerbated with malaria.

HIV in pregnancy

HIV is a disease caused by retrovirus (HIV-1 or HIV-2) the that attacks the immune system of the body, leaving it susceptible to various dangerous infections. HIV can have profound effects on pregnancy and pregnancy may in turn cause an aggravation of signs and symptoms HIV.A pregnant woman living with HIV can pass on the virus to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth and through breastfeeding. This is called Vertical transmission of HIV. Without any intervention, the rate of vertical transmission of HIV is as much as 15-45%. National PPTCT program of India run by NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) aims at preventing HIV transmission from mother to child. Women who are known HIV positives or those who are diagnosed as HIV positive for the first-time during pregnancy, are given Triple Dose Anti Retro-viral therapy comprising of Tenofovir, Lamivudine and Efavirenz. Special precautions are taken during their delivery. Whether LSCS is to be performed depends on the indications and on which guidelines are followed. Infant- feeding is advised to be carried out as per the guidelines stated in the PPTCT act so as to minimize the chances of HIV transmission to the infant.

Yield of apple winter varieties depending on fertilizer doses in conditions of leashed сhernozem of Stavropol upland

In an experiment, within the framework of the developed research methodology, it has been studied the effect of single (N60P60K60), double (N120P120K120) and triple (N180P180K180) doses of mineral fertilizers on the productivity parameters of the autumn varieties of Florin and Liberty apple trees cultivated in the conditions of the educational and experimental farm of the Stavropol State University. According to the results obtained for these varieties, the highest average fruit weight in the experiment, which exceeded the results of other nutritional backgrounds by 8.7-23.9 g, was noted when a triple dose of fertilizer was applied. As a result of the surveys, it was found that the highest yield on average for the considered varieties was observed when a double dose of fertilizer was applied, exceeding the rest of the nutrition by 0.4-3.9 t/ha. It was noted that the difference in the average weight of fruits and yield in the variants with double and triple doses of fertilizer was within the experimental error. According to the results of the analysis of the biochemical composition of the fruits, one can note the advantage of options with double saturation of fertilizers for all considered parameters. The content of nitrate nitrogen in fruits is directly proportional to the saturation of the studied doses of fertilizer, but in all cases the parameter was lower than the maximum permissible concentrations of nitrates in fresh fruits, which positively characterizes the use of these doses of mineral fertilizers in modern intensive orchards.

The Effects of Prolonged Chloramphnicol Administration on Heamatological Parameters and Histophatology of Liver, Kidney and Spleen in Broiler Chicken

Chloramphenicol a broad spectrum antibiotic was tested on broiler birds to evaluate the effect of its prolonged administration on heamatological parameters, identification of histopathological changes on organs (Liver, Spleen and Kidneys) and to determine if prolonged effect has effects on weight gain and mortality rate. One hundred and twenty day old chicks from Kamadex Ibadan were used for the experiment. The birds were assign to two (2) treatments and control group each replicated in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD), birds in treatment one (T1) were administered normal dose of Chloramphenicol (250 mg/Kg), while treatment two (T2) were served with triple dose in medicated water served ad-lib for seven weeks, while the control (T3) were served with un-medicated water ad-lib. Samples (blood, liver, kidney and spleen) were collected and analyzed after 8 weeks of the experiment. Birds showed significant variations in heamatological values across treatments. Lymphocysts count: treatment two (T2) was higher than the treatment one (T1) whereas that of (T3) was found to be less, compared to those of T1 and T2. Heterophils: T3 was higher than the T1 while that of T2 was less as compared to T3 and T1. Basophil: T1 was higher than T3 while that of T2 was less. A lower value was observed in weight gain with birds on T2 as compared to T1 and T3. The liver of birds on T1 and T2 were significantly larger than those on T3. High mortality was recorded in birds on T2 compared to those in T3 and T2. The histopathological pictures of the liver, kidney and the Spleen depict a varying degree of necrosis and hemorrhagic foci on all the organs, the changes were much severe on T2 as compared to those of T1 and T3.