Eight adult patients were diagnosed as having abdominal tuberculosis in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital , Nigeria , over a six year period (January 1997 to December 2002 ). There were 7 females and 1 male aged between 20 and 55years ( mean 30years ); mean duration of s ym ptoms before presentation was 14weeks . The main presenting symptoms were: abdominal pain (6 ), fever ( 4 ), weight loss ( 7 ), and ascites (6 ). Diagnosis was basically clinical in 2 patients , while surgery played a role in the management of others: cervical lymph node biopsy (2) ; peritoneal biopsy obtained through open a ppendicectomy (2) and exploratory laparotomy for intestinal obstruction (2 ) . Onl y 1 and 2 patients te sted positive for human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Mantoux respectively. Abdominal tuberculosis is a great mimic and the foremost diagnostic tool Is •the most ideal investigation and patients usually respond to a closely supervised anti-tuberculous therapy . There Is a place for therapeutic trial in the patient s .

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The paper reports on an investigation of factors militating against adherence to highly active anti­ retroviral therapy in a rural area in Cameroon: A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to 108 HIV positive patients on treatment with antiretrovirals. Adherence was evaluated on the following drug combinations Nevirapine/Lamivudine/Stavudine(Triomune); Efavirenz/Lamivudine/Zidovudine and lndinavir/Lamivudine/Stavudine. The correlation of factors like income, educational level, age, gender, medication type and adherence was evaluated. The effect of ascertained factors such as drug type, finance, medication side effects, forgetting to take medication, difficulty in fitting drug schedule with daily activities, shame to get refills and level of conviction on efficacy of drug on adherence are discussed herein.

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Background: Malaria is associated with production of free oxygen radicals and tumour necrosis factor that are scavenged by anti-oxidants including alpha-tocopherol. Such anti-oxidants could be reduced following malaria infection. The levels of serum alpha-tocopherol in malaria patients were therefore, examined. Objectives: To determine the serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol in children with malaria. : Children's Emergency Room (CHERO) of University of Benin Teaching Hospital , Benin City , N igeria. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study involving 100 subjects and 40 controls . Methods: Study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin and Child Health University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City between May and June 2000 . It involved determination of serum alpha-tocopherol levels in cases and controls, using the Quaife's micro-method . Results: Mean (SEM)serum alpha-tocopherol in cases of 2.06(1.23)mg/ml varied significantly from the 8 .68(2.06)mg/ml obtained in controls (p=0 .02) . There was a significant correlation of serum slpha ­ tocopherol levels with age amongst controls (r=0.43; p=0.006) as against what was obtained in cases (r=-0 .08; p > 0.05). Mean serum alpha-tocopherol levels was also independent of degree of malaria parasitaemia in cases. Conclusion: Serum alpha-tocopherol levels in children with malaria is significantly reduced. Further studies, possibly including clinical trials, are recommended to further evaluate these observations of ours.

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The relationship between the bacterial flora of the endocervlx and the pelvic peritoneum In fifty infertile patients undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy and dye test was in vestigated at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The study design was prospective and cross-sectional . The setting was the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital , Benin City , Nigeria. The study population was made up of fifty infertile subjects und ergoing laparoscopic inv estigations . The results showed that there was no relationship between the bacterial colonies of the t wo studied anatomic sites In the subjects . However , a significant finding worthy of note to all clinicians were the two cases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which were isolated from both the endocervix and peritoneal cavities in the same patients . The other organisms isolated were of less clinical significance and were either only isolated from endocervix (82%), or the pelvic perit oneum [pouch of Douglas , ( 16 % )] . It is concluded that there is no convincing scientific basis for the routine use of bacteriological investigation of the endocervlx in the management of pelvic inflammatory d isease (PID ), and that pelvic uberculosis may be more common than many clinicians presently believe .

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This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined physicians' prescribing behaviour in two tertiary care facilities in North-Western Nigeria . Five hundred and eighteen prescriptions issued to patients attending out-patient s' clinics in the study facilities were examined using the WH O / I NRUD drug use indicators. The study findings showed an average of 3 .5 drugs per prescription , 55.7% generic prescribing, 51.2% antibiotic prescriptions , 40.6% injection prescrip tions and 16.4% of patient-doctor verbal communication on use of prescribed drugs . Estimation and deduction of the cost of irrationally prescribed antibiotics and injections from the average cost of prescribed drugs (232.83) resulted in a 26.7% reduction in the cost of drugs per prescription. Appropriate recommendations are made in the light of observed findings .

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