Helicobacter pylori infection in the pharynx of patients with chronic pharyngitis detected with TDI-FP and modified Giemsa stain

AIM： To detect whether there is Helicobacter pylori （Hpylori） colonization in the pharynx mucous membrane of healthy people and whether chronic pharyngitis is related to Hpylori infection. METHODS： Fifty cases of chronic pharyngitis refractory over three months were prospectively studied from March 2004 to August 2004 in the otolaryngology outpatient department of the Second Hospital of Xi＇an Jiaotong University. Template-directed dye-terminator incorporated with fluorescence polarization detection （TDI-FP） and modified Giemsa stain were used to examine pharynx mucous membrane tissue for H pylori colonization in the patients with chronic pharyngitis and the healthy people as a control group. RESULTS： In the control group, no people were detected to have Hpylori in the pharynx. In contrast, in 50 cases with chronic pharyngitis, 19 （38.0%） cases were H pylori positive with a TDI-FP assay and 4 （8%） cases were TDI-FP positive with Giemsa staining in the pharynx. Sixteen of the 50 pharyngitis cases had stomach ailment history, 11 cases （68.8%） of these 16 patients were determined to be H pylori positive in the pharynx with the TDI-FP assay. 2,2 test showed that this infection rate was remarkably higher （P= 0.0007） than that in the cases without stomach ailment history. Giemsa staining showed that 3 cases （18.8%） of the patients with stomach ailment history were infected with H pylori in the pharynx, which was remarkably higher （P = 0.042） than that in the patients without stomach ailment history （1 case, which was 2.9%）. CONCLUSION： H pylori may not be detected in the pharynx of healthy people. Chronic pharyngitis may be related to H pylori infection. The infection rate with Hpylori in the pharynx is higher in patients with stomach ailment histories than in patients without stomach ailment histories, suggesting that chronic pharyngitis may be related to stomach ailment history.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with malaria infection among pregnant women in a semi-urban community of north-western Nigeria

Background:Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem,with substantial risks for the mother,her foetus and the newborn.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and possible risk factors for malaria infection among pregnant women in a semi-urban area in north-western Nigeria.Pregnant women are among the most susceptible to malaria infection.Knowledge of their malaria infection status is an important yardstick to measure the effectiveness of any malaria control programme.Methods:We conducted a cross sectional study in the semi-urban area of Argungu,Kebbi State Nigeria.Two hundred and fifty five pregnant women were included in the study after informed verbal consent was obtained.For each participant,the socio-demographic profile,stage of pregnancy and attitude to the use of insecticide-treated nets(ITNs)were investigated using a questionnaire.Peripheral blood samples were collected and thick blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa stains to check for malaria parasitaemia.The associations between age,education level and use of ITNs with occurrence of malaria infection during pregnancy were analysed using the chi-square test.Results:One hundred and six(41.6%)out of 255 pregnant women were infected with malaria parasites,with a mean parasite density of 800 parasitesμl−1.It was found that prevalence and parasite density decreased as age increased.The chi-square test indicated that a lack of education and non-usage of ITNs were significantly associated with malaria infection.Conclusion:Malaria is still a major public health issue among pregnant women mainly due to illiteracy and non-compliance to using ITNs.Increasing awareness about malaria preventive measures and early attendance of antenatal care services will help to reduce malaria and,consequently,its associated morbidities and mortalities.