SEROPREVALENCE OF Yersinia pestis INFECTION AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING LOCAL HERBAL CENTRES IN ABAKALIKI DISTRICT, EBONYI STATE
Keywords:
Coccobacillus bacterium; occurrence; traditional healing centres.Abstract
Yersinia pestis is a gram-negative coccobacillus bacterium that causes plague disease in humans and other mammals. Acquisition of infection in humans is by bites of a vector flea harbouring the bacteria or consuming infected rodents usually rats. The prevalence of this disease has not been fully reported hence this research was conducted to determine the prevalence of Yersinia. pestis infection with pathological symptoms locally called “Okezonwu” in Abakaliki district, Ebonyi state. A total of sixty-three (63) different clinical samples were collected from patients with different age groups receiving treatment in local herbal centres across the Abakaliki district. A rapid detection test was carried out using Artron f1-Y. Pestis is a step dipstick to determine the seroprevalence of the disease. Results showed that 20% of the specimens tested were positive for Yersinia pestis infection, with the highest prevalence of 42.9% for age groups between 11-20 years while those in the age categories 1-10 years and 51-60 years were all Y. pestis negative. Also, student farmers recorded a 66.67% prevalence, while those who were solely students, civil servants, and minors had no positive sample when considering patients' occupations. Males had the highest prevalence of 22.2% while female patients had a prevalence of 16.67%. This study revealed the presence of Yersinia. pestis in patients suffering from the plague locally known as "Okezonwu" in Abakaliki District.
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