Olayinka Osuolale 2019
Dr Olayinka Osuolale
Elizade University, Nigeria
Leishmaniasis in patients attending a medical health center in the rural community of Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria
Poster Abstract
Introduction: Leishmaniasis is serious diseases that the World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes as lacking effective control measures. Transmitted by insect vectors and can result in epidemic outbreaks. Leishmaniasis is a serious public health problem in terms of its morbidity, mortality and co-infection. Because of their misdiagnosis or underdiagnosed, it is endemic in the tropical countries. Prevalence and epidemiology of the disease is poorly understood and misdiagnosed in Nigeria, in most cases with malaria. Our study aims to investigate leishmaniasis co-infections with malaria in patients visiting a rural community medical center in Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State
Methods: Blood samples were collected and analyzed for two months, and metadata information was captured. Bio-rad IT Leish serological test kits and molecular PCR was used to screen the samples.
Results: This study examined 101 samples which were simultaneously tested for leishmaniasis infections. Only 1 sample was positive for Leishmaniasis using the serological kit, and 11 samples were positive for Leishmaniasis using PCR.
Conclusion: The disparities between the test methods raise concern on the use of serological kit for leishmaniasis diagnostic in susceptible patients in Nigeria. The limitation cannot be fully quantified as large sample size will need to be evaluated. The detection of the disease points to the likelihood of asymptomatic carrier in the populace, providing new insights on possible incidence and prevalence of the disease. And there could be tendency of co-infection which could be mistaken for just malaria. Therefore, the need for special attention on surveillance to ascertain the scale of the disease infection. In addition, this study recommends a concerted effort to enlighten the people about leishmaniasis, its prevention and management.
Biography
My PhD research was on enteric bacteria and enteric viruses of public health importance. I began my own research group at the Elizade University with the goal of understanding the linkage between our environment, health and infectious diseases. My long-term research goal is to use basic science research to provide a framework for understanding the adaptation to infectious diseases from environment given the many limitations to basic health system in rural communities. We have developed a set of projects employing molecular analytic tools that empower us to achieve this goal.
My research interest include neglected tropical diseases. I am currently leading a study on cross-pathogen infection of malaria with leishmaniasis, and dengue virus infection. My recent work on Leishmaniasis is pointing to the likelihood of the disease suppression in studied infected individual in Nigeria.
I want to broaden my skills to include vaccine development. In addition I continue to expand my interests to include combination therapy approaches such as antibodies and antibiotics to meet the increasing AMR challenge.
