Infectious Diseases

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of life from HIV counselling and social support among PLWHIV clinic attendees in specialist hospital Yola. A descriptive research was conducted. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, where a total of 370 randomly selected PLWHA adult from the age of 18 years and above attending clinic at Specialist Hospital Yola participated in this study. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21.0. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the demographic variables while tables and charts were used for the presentation of results. Pearson's correlation was used between relevant variables while linear regression was used to predict outcomes. Statistical significance of this study was set at P≤ 0.05. The results indicate that most of the respondents were well informed (78.2%) about basic issues in HIV. This was like their levels of counselling and social support received (71.7%), perceived self-efficacy (63.8%), self-reported treatment adherence (80%) and self-reported quality of life (64.3%). This revealed that correct information, knowledge and awareness about basic issues in HIV and social support are very crucial to improving the behavioural skills and increase the level of confidence among PLWHA to perform adherent behaviours thereby significantly improve the quality of life of PLWHA clinic attendees.

Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) were inoculated subcutaneously (n = 22) with Marburg virus (MARV). No deaths, overt signs of morbidity, or gross lesions was identified, but microscopic pathological changes were seen in the liver of infected bats. The virus was detected in 15 different tissues and plasma but only sporadically in mucosal swab samples, urine, and fecal samples. Neither seroconversion nor viremia could be demonstrated in any of the in-contact susceptible bats (n = 14) up to 42 days after exposure to infected bats. In bats rechallenged (n = 4) on day 48 after infection, there was no viremia, and the virus could not be isolated from any of the tissues tested. This study confirmed that infection profiles are consistent with MARV replication in a reservoir host but failed to demonstrate MARV transmission through direct physical contact or indirectly via air. Bats develop strong protective immunity after infection with MARV.