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Microbes & Immunity Viral, bacterial, and protozoal diseases

4 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty Health Sciences, Kaduna State University, Kaduna State, Nigeria
5 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Tansian University Umunya, Anambra, Anambra State, Nigeria
6 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Federal University Oye, Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria
7 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria
8 Department of Biotechnology Science and Engineering, Faculty Engineering, University of Alabama, Huntsville, United States of America
9 Department of Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology,
Wrocław, Poland
10 Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria
11 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty Health Sciences, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Enugu State,
Nigeria

1. Introduction Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a single-
stranded diploid RNA virus, belongs to the Retroviridae
Globally, viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and fungi are family. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa generally
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a common group of microbes implicated in infectious have the highest burden of HIV and AIDS compared to
diseases affecting both humans and animals. In humans, other regions of the world. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), an
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the transmission of infectious diseases can occur enveloped virus, has a partially double-stranded circular
through person-to-person contact, insects or animals DNA genome. It is a unique DNA virus that occurs in
to humans, direct contact with the infectious agent in people of all ages with the same incident throughout the
the environment, or ingestion of contaminated food or year. According to a World Health Report in 2023, over
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water. The carriers of infectious agents may be houseflies, two billion people globally are living with HBV, of which
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mosquitoes, animals, or men. Once inside the human host, approximately 350 million are chronic carriers. Each
these pathogens multiply in numbers and manipulate the year, about 600,000 patients die from HBV-related liver
normal functioning of body tissues, causing diseases with complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular
varying signs and symptoms depending on the specific carcinoma. In West Africa, the prevalence of HBV in
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organism involved. 2 the general population is estimated at 8%, while in the
Infectious disease constituted the most serious health other regions (Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa),
issue in the world until the beginning of the 20 century, the estimated prevalence is between 5% and 7%. In sub-
th
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devastating a significant proportion of the population in Saharan Africa with a significant burden, more than 45,000
many European cities and developed countries. Malaria HBV infections were transmitted annually between 2000
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is caused by a protozoal parasite belonging to the genus and 2011 through contaminated or unsafe transfusion. 13
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Plasmodium. In 2020, Nigeria accounted for approximately Helicobacter pylori is a predominant etiology of upper
27% of malaria cases globally, ranking first among six gastrointestinal disease, which includes heartburn,
countries that together represent more than half of all dyspepsia ulcer diseases, and gastroesophageal reflux
malaria cases. These countries – Democratic Republic of disease. Worldwide, H. pylori infection is the most
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the Congo, Uganda, Mozambique, Cote d’Ivoire, Angola, common infectious pathogen, affecting more than 50%
and Niger – had malaria prevalence rates of 12%, 5%, 4%, of the human population. In addition, it is responsible for
4%, 3%, and 3%, respectively, and are considered endemic 90% of duodenal ulcers and 70% of benign gastric ulcers.
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for malaria. 5
High vaginal swab (HVS) infection of the genitor-urinary
Typhoid fever is an acute illness characterized by fever tracts and reproductive tracts is a frequent problem that
and caused by infection with the enteric Salmonella typhi affects women’s sexual health. Women of reproductive
and occasionally Salmonella paratyphi. The contamination age are present in most of the cases, and conditions such
of food or water by feces from a human carrier increases as vaginal discharge are common. Sexually transmitted
the chances of infection as well as the environmental infection (STI) and bacterial vaginitis are conditions often
dissemination through water and food-related routes. warranting HVS samples. Urinary tract infection (UTI)
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6,7
Typhoid fever remains a public health problem across the refers to any infection involving any part of the urinary
globe, with an estimated 14 million new cases annually tract, such as the urethra, kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
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and 136,000 mortality in 2017. The disease burden is The urinary tract divides into two compartments: the
particularly high in developing countries with poor or no upper (ureters and kidney) and the lower (urethra and
sanitation facilities. 7 bladder). 16

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2024) 58 doi: 10.36922/mi.3283