PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E O Ekunwe

Publications and source records attributed to E O Ekunwe.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Immunization by inhalation of aerosolized measles vaccine.

The importance of effectively protecting infants against measles is substantial because of the number of lives that can be saved and the morbidity that can be prevented. (i) Infants contract measles before the recommended age of immunization. (ii) Circulating maternal antibodies render measles vaccination ineffective in many infants. These problems have led to clinical trials of immunizing infants using routes other than the usual subcutaneous one. One promising approach is the inhalation of aerosolized vaccine. This study was undertaken to try to immunize very young infants using easily accessible vaccine and ordinary equipment. Infants aged 4-6 months were selected for measles immunization by inhalation. They were clinically well, with no history of tuberculosis or asthma. From each child, 0.2 ml of blood was obtained by finger-prick. The blood was kept on ice, then centrifuged and the serum stored in a freezer at -20 degrees C. Each child was weighed and clinically assessed and his rectal temperature recorded. Using a plastic nebulizer to hold reconstituted vaccine by SCLAVO of Italy and an ordinary foot pump, the vaccine was aerosolized. One thousand TCID50 of the vaccine was administered to each child with a vinyl face mask for a period of at least 30 s, to allow him to retain 250 TCID50. The child was then clinically followed up three times a week for 4 weeks with particular reference to (i) fever, (ii) conjunctivitis, (iii) cough, and (iv) skin rash. None of the infants developed any of the above signs during the interval.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

A village health worker programme in Nigeria.

A study was made of the training and performance of village health workers near Lagos, and of the management of the scheme to which they belonged. Among the deficiencies observed were inadequate drug control and poor record-keeping. Nevertheless, the scheme led to a significant extension of primary health care coverage.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Separating the factors in measles vaccine failure.

Three possible reasons for failure of measles vaccine were identified as follows: (a) circulating maternal antibodies, (b) administration of non-viable vaccine, and (c) misdiagnosis. A study designed to test the role played by each of these in the high measles vaccine failure rate was carried out at the Oguntolu Street Clinic, Lagos, from October 1982 to February 1983. Failure to seroconvert was the cause of 67.7% of measles vaccine failure, particularly at ages 6-7 months, though this was not associated with high prevaccination titres. In 32.3% incorrect diagnosis was responsible. Non-viable vaccine was found not to be a reason because all vials of measles vaccine were potent at the time of administration.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiologic survey of menstrual patterns amongst adolescents in Nigeria.

Nine hundred and fifty secondary school girls aged between 10 and 18 years were randomly selected and surveyed. Information on their age at menarche, regularity of menstruation at onset and the time of survey and length of period of irregularity were sought using a well structured questionnaire. Estimation of blood loss per period premenstrual symptoms and signs, prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhoea were also inquired about. This study demonstrated a secular trend in the age at menarche when compared with other similar studies conducted in the previous decade in Nigeria. A higher prevalence of 71.8% of any grade of dysmenorrhoea was found in this study when compared with figures from developed countries, this and the short mean duration of irregular menstruation (3.7 months after menarche) were taken to be evidence of early establishment of regular ovular menstruation.

Adolescent↗