I NEVER PROMISED BETTER POWER SUPPLY — FASHOLA

The minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, has denied making promises of improved power supply.

The former governor of Lagos state this while speaking in an interview with Channels television.

Fashola said that his plans did not consider vandalization of pipelines because he was always focused on power generation.

“Let us be careful when you claim that I made promises because I am ever so conscious of the things that I say and I believe that if I recollect correctly, it was when I was unveiling my ministries, probably sometime late December last year, and it is unlike me to make promises on things I don’t control,” he said.

“If you check the words I used, I shared with you our plans if it worked and where we will be. Those promises don’t factor in vandalisation. You know when they teach you how to generate power in school, they don’t teach you how to deal with vandalisation.

“When they teach you how to do banking, they don’t teach you about round-tripping so those are the assumptions that things would remain normal. There is no nation in the world that wants electricity that vandalizes the assets that produce electricity; it doesn’t make any sense.

“I can control what my team does, I can promise you what my team efforts will produce but I can’t control behaviour that is counterproductive. Those pipelines are national assets; they were built with our common wealth, the people whose territories it passes are custodians of it.

“Let us assume that the people who are also custodians of Jebba, Kainji and Shiroro dams go to break them down because they are angry, then who gets power?”

Read more at http://www.herald.ng/never-promised-better-power-supply-fashola/#7fATIbiQmyOl88Qz.99

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APPLY FOR UNIPORT PART-TIME DEGREE ADMISSION FORM – 2016/17

University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT part-time degree admission form for the 2016/2017 academic session is now on sale.

Authorities of the College of Continuing Education, University of Port Harcourt  (UNIPORT) is inviting suitably qualified candidates to apply for their 2016/2017 academic session part-time degree programmes admission.

N/B: All registration must be done with correct email addresses and phone numbers. Please ensure that your data are correctly processed for correspondences and timely feedback.

UNIPORT PART-TIME ADMISSION – AVAILABLE PROGRAMMES.

The following programmes will be on offer during the session:

Part-Time Degree in the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences & Information Technology, and Management Sciences.

UNIPORT DEGREE PROGRAMMES.

1. FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

B.A. Degree Programmes in History and Diplomatic Studies, English Studies, Philosophy, Religious & Cultural Studies and Linguistics & Communication Studies.

2. FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

B.Sc. Degree Programmes in Economics, Public Administration and Sociology (Community Development & Social Welfare) .

3.FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

B.Sc. Degree Programmes in Accounting, Finance & Banking, Management and Marketing.

4. FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

B.Sc. Degree Programme in Computer Science.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION INTO UNIPORT PART-TIME DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Holders of WAEC/SSCE, GCE ‘O’ Level or their equivalent with credit passes in 5 relevant subjects,(including English & Mathematics) who have worked for not less than 4 years in relevant fields of application are eligible to apply.

The following subjects: Book Keeping, Business Studies, Typewriting, Secretarial Studies, Shorthand, Social Studies and Health Science are not acceptable.

1a) For a Degree in History and Diplomatic Studies, a candidate must have five credit passes which must include English Language, History or Government and any other Three subjects from: Literature in English, CRK/IRK, Economics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry Physics, Agric. Sc, a Nigerian Language: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, Fine Art, Geography and Commerce.

1b) For a Degree Programme in English Studies, candidates must have five credit passes, which must include English Language, Literature in English and any other three subjects from: History or Government, CRK/IRK, Economics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agric. Science, a Nigerian Language: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, Fine Art, Geography and Commerce.

1c) For a Degree in Linguistics and Communication Studies, a candidate must have five credit passes, which must include English Language and any other four subjects from Literature in English, History or Government, CRK/IRK, Economics, Mathematics Biology, Chemistry, Agric. Science, Physics, a Nigerian Language: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, Fine Art, Geography and Commerce.

1d) For a Degree in Philosophy, a candidate must have five credit passes, which must include English Language and any other four subjects from Literature in English, CRK/IRK, Economics. Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agric. Sc, a Nigerian Language: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, Fine Art, History or Government, Commerce and Geography. At least a Pass in either Maths, a Science subject or Literature in English is required.

1e) For a Degree in Religious and Cultural Studies, a candidate must have five credit passes, which must include English Language and any other four subjects from Literature in English, History or Government, CRK/IRK, Economics. a Nigerian Language: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba, Fine Art, and Commerce, Geography, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Agric. Science.

2. For a Degree Programme in the Faculty of Social Sciences, candidates must have five credit passes, including English Language, two of which must be Social Science subjects, (Economics, Geography, Government or History) and credit in any other two Arts subjects.

2a) However, candidates for the B.Sc. in Public Administration, are expected mandatorily to have credit passes in English Language, Government or History, Economics and any other two subjects from: Geography, Commerce, Literature in English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Agric. Science and Mathematics or at least a pass in Mathematics, if Mathematics is not inclusive of the five credit passes.

2b) For a Degree Programme in Economics, candidates are expected to have 5 credit passes, including English Language, Mathematics, Economics, Government/History/Geography and any other subject from Commerce, CRK/IRK, Literature in English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Agric. Science.

2c) For a Degree Programme in Sociology (Community Development and Social Welfare), candidates must have 5 credit passes, which must include English Language and any other four subjects from: Economics, Commerce, Government/History Geography, CRK/IRK, Mathematics or at least a pass in Mathematics, if Mathematics is not inclusive of the five credit passes.

3. For a Degree Programme in the Faculty of Management Sciences, candidate must have five credit passes, in WAEC/SSCE, GCE ‘O’ Level which must include English Language, Mathematics, Economics, and any other two subjects from: Government or History, Geography, Commerce, Accounting, Literature in English, CRK/IRK Science subjects- Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Agric. Sc.

3a For a Degree Programme in Management, candidates must have five credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Economics and any other two from Government/ History ,Geography, Commerce, Accounting. Literature in English, Christian Religious Knowledge/IRK, Science subject -Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Agricultural Science.

3b For a Degree Programme in Marketing candidates must have five credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Economics and any other two from Government/Hostory Geography, Commerce, Accounting, Literature in English, Christian Religious Knowledge/IRK, Science subject – Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Agricultural Science.

3c For a Degree Programme in Accounting candidates must have five credits passes in English Language, Mathematics, Economics and any other two from Government/History Geography, Commerce, Accounting, Literature in English, Christian Religious Knowledge/IRK, Science subject- Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Agricultural Science.

3d For a Degree Programme in Finance and Banking candidates must have five O’Level Credits in English Language, Mathematics, Economics and any two from Government/History Geography, Commerce, Literature in English, Christian Religious Knowledge/IRK, Science subject – Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Agricultural Science.

4. For a Degree Programme in Computer Science, candidates must have five credit passes, which must include English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

NOTE: ONLY ‘O’ LEVEL IN WAEC (SSCE/GCE), NABTEB AND NECO Certificates are acceptable for registration.

i. TC II is not acceptable
ii. The sets of names stated by candidates in their Application Forms must be consistent with the names on their credentials. Inconsistency in names may lead to disqualification.
iii. Candidates with O/Level Examination Results from 2010 backwards must present their Original Certificates and not Statement of Results or Result Slips.

UNIPORT PART-TIME DEGREE ADMISSION – SCREENING OF APPLICANTS.

All candidates who have applied for admission into the various Degree Programmes of the College will be required to undergo a Computer – Based Test (CBT), at a date to be announced later.

UNIPORT PART-TIME DEGREE ADMISSION – METHOD OF APPLICATION.

i. Application for the various Programmes is on-line. Log on towww.uniport.edu.ng and click on Application Procedure in CCE, then follow the instructions.
ii. Application Forms can be obtained on-line on payment of Fifteen Thousand Naira (N15,000.00) only excluding Bank charges at designated Banks nationwide.
iii. The names on candidates O’Level certificate(s) must be the same as what is filled on-line.
iv. Change of name is not allowed once a candidate is admitted.
v. Candidates must ensure that they have the requisite qualifications for the intended course.
vi. Candidates should report to the Examinations and Records Unit, CCE, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, with photocopies of their credentials for collection of Brochure.

DESIGNATED BANKS are:

i. Uniport – Choba Micro-Finance Bank
ii. United Bank for Africa (UBA)
iii. First Bank PLC
iv. Fidelity Bank PLC

Materials required for the Screening Exercise:

Candidates must come along with the Photo Card printed on-line and payment receipt to the Venue of the CBT.

For further information contact:

Phone: 08146701346 or 08133985579 (between 9.00 a.m. and 3 p.m. on week days only).

For Technical support contact:ccesupport@uniport.edu.ng.

CLOSING DATE: The sale of Forms will close on Wednesday , 31sthAugust, 2016.

MGT Team.

HEAVY EXPLOSION ROCKS SPDC TRUNK LINE IN DELTA STATE.

ger Report reaching our news desk have it that Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) also known as freedom fighters, have again attacked a major crude pipeline exports trunk line close to Odimodi community in Delta State. It was reported that the trunk line, Trans-Ramos, belongs to Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.

 Confirming the incident, a resident of the community , Endoro New-world, said: “The incident occurred at 1a.m., with the intensity of the blast shaking apartments in the community amidst a huge ball of fire.

 “ SPDC’s surveillance team who visited the  site of the blast confirmed the attack.

MIKEL OBI OFFICIALLY CHANGES HIS NAME

In attempting to clarify his actual name, the Chelsea veteran has just made everyone very, very confused even the more. 

Jon Obi Mikel has been called many things by Chelsea fans during his decade at Stamford Bridge… many of which are far too rude, reports UK Mirror. Mikel However, while he may have gotten used to the abusive slurs hurled his way by a section of the Stamford Bridge support, it seems the Nigerian midfielder has finally had enough of people getting his actual name wrong. That is why the Chelsea stalwart who was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna (the son of Michael Obi) in 1987,  but due to a mistake in 2003 changed things for the midfielder. He has just officially changed his name… to Mikel John Obi. For starters, it turns out that he was never actually called ‘Mikel’. The Guus Hiddink favourite was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna – ‘Mikel’ only became a thing when the Nigerian FA mistakenly used Mikel instead of Michael on his submission form during the registration process for the 2003 Fifa Under-17 World Championships. So much so, that despite the fact it’s not actually his name, he’s been happy to be called John Obi Mikel ever since he joined Chelsea in 2006. It seems, he has now officially changed his name to… Mikel John Obi.

[REVIEW]: IS DONEFORPAY.COM REAL OR A SCAM?

BEWARE OF INTERNET SCAM

IS DONEFORPAY.COM REAL OR SCAM?

BRIEF: Is Doneforpay.com Real?

ANSWER: No. It is fake. Trust me.

Compelling potential money does not mean it is legit, and more often it is a SCAM. So be aware. In the next paragraph, I will tell you why it is a fake and not legit company.

Accordingly, DoneForpay is seen a marketing and referral company in the USA. Sounds like networking right? But here's the thing, it was founded in 2010 — which means they are allegedly UP in 6 years already. One of the few things we need to consider is its website's details. I will be giving you some information from https://www.whois.net/

 Domain Name: DONEFORPAY.COMRegistrar: ENOM, INC.Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 48Whois Server: whois.enom.comReferral URL: http://www.enom.comName Server: NS1.THESERVERFORLIFE.NETName Server: NS2.THESERVERFORLIFE.NETStatus: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibitedUpdated Date: 22-mar-2016Creation Date: 25-jan-2016Expiration Date: 25-jan-2017

So it was created last January 25, 2016. Remember, it was founded in 2010. Crystal clear!

ARE YOU CONVINCED? 

If not, then in 2014, there is one website with the same interface and details.

Visit: JobRize or DoneForJob

REASONS WHY DONEFORPAY IS FAKE AND SCAM

Apart from its foundation and its epicness of description, I will provide you (recycled factors) some reasons why I am telling you that it is fake.

1. REGISTRATION

Number #1, from the beginning, there is already wrong to it. Like hello?

You will notice that there were no SECURITY features like captcha, anti-bot, confirmation link, dual handshake, secure https(browsing) and other feats. With that in mind, it is a WARNING SIGN that you should go further — yes, I mean it.

It lacks fields which are necessary for verification purposes.

2. FAKE EARNING STATS

 Top Payouts Countries:

India - 30,560$ +

USA - 25,000$ +

Pakistan - 22,400$ +

Indonesia - 20,740$ +

Malaysia - 15,500$ +

China - 15,200$ +

If you visit: http://www.mabzicle.com/2015/06/jobrize-real-or-fake-website.html,  you will see that it has the same figures. How could it happen?

3.  DISCUSSION

There is no link or sort of you can find a forum.  A forum is a great tool for a webmaster. It adds legitimacy to any website. Without this, a user can no interact with another member. With this alone, you will see that if a site does not have this, then it is time to stop working.

4. MINIMUM PAYOUT

 When will I get paid?The minimum balance required for payout is 300$ and you can get paid through PayPal, Cheque, Western Union, Money Gram, bank transfer at end of every month.

Google Adsense, a legit way to earn money, has a minimum payout of $100. This 300$ is ridiculous, but it is quite easy to make that money. The technique here is to refresh your REFERRAL link. Boom, grats.

5. Ridiculous number of members

  Total members: 1,457,440 |   Active members: 1,012,910

6. CONTACT

In fairness, they have an auto reply installed in their system.

 

DONEFORPAY.....COM REVIEW – A SCAM OR LEGIT OPPORTUNITY?

This review is going to be about a website called DoneForPay.com. What is DoneForPay? Is it a scam? Or a legitimate opportunity for you to make money online? Is there any hidden catch? These are some of the questions that we will be focusing on in this short review.

Alright without further ado, let’s get things rolling…

 

Name: DoneForPay

Website: http://doneforpay.com

Owner: ???

Price: “Free to join”

Rating: 1/5

What is DoneForPay.com all about?

DoneForPay claims to be marketing and referral company in the United States of America. They also mentioned on their website that it was founded in 2010 and ever since it has been paying members for completing small tasks and activities.

The very first flaw with this website is the date. This website wasn’t around since 2010. This is a BIG fat lie. I did some research and found out that their website was only registered on 25th January 2016.

What really caught my attention is the earning claims they made:

“If you are student, un-employed, use internet daily?

You use Facebook, Google+ or Twitter? Yes

Then you can earn every month from DoneForPay up to $500 daily. Earn $5 for every link visit/ opening by your friend”

They seemed totally ridiculous and too good to be true to me. I have been involved in making money online opportunities since last year and I have come across similar scams like this over this period, so I am not buying this one just right away.

Also, did any of you notice the English? The poor grammar and sentence structure clearly tells what kind of “company” is this and the person behind this website.

Anyway, I decided to create an account and document my experience with all of you here!

 

My Personal Experience!

I registered with them but deliberately left out my address because I am not comfortable giving it. Strangely, I was able to complete my registration without even completing the form.

Frankly speaking, this is one of the shadiest sites I have ever come across. The overall appearance of the website has been a let off. It just gives me negatives vibes going through the site. Anyway, within the members area itself, there isn’t anything much too.

All they had was an account area where I was provided with my very own referral link.

Basically, there aren’t many tasks for you to complete. The only task is for you to use your referral link and promote this website. They even went on to say that you will earn $5 for every unique visitor that clicks your link.

I followed exactly what they said and shared my link in some of those places. I managed to get lots of people to click my link and I did see my total earning increase from 20USD(signup bonus) to about 300 USD which is the minimum cash out limit.

I know, some of you would be thinking right now… so did I get paid?

Well, as suspected… I didn’t get paid a dime. There was a catch before I could eventually cash out that “money” I made. Basically, they gave me some surveys to do. What’s worst is, these surveys aren’t even free. I have to spend money to complete those offers.

Obviously, I’m not going to do that because…

(1) I don’t want to waste my money on the useless offers

(2) I doubt that even after I spent money completing the surveys, I will be getting any money out of it

From what it seems, this whole website exists for one purpose. Basically, they want you to promote this site to as many people as you can so that more people will come forward and complete the surveys thus these guys can make money.

At the end of the day, they are making money off us. It obviously a no-brainer that you can’t make money simply by allowing people to click the link. If making money was that easy, nobody probably needs to ever work again.

 

So is DoneForPay.com a Scam?

Yes, DoneForPay.com is definitely a scam and I have no doubt about that.

It’s best to stay away from this website at all cost. Although it doesn’t require you to spend a lot of money, it still is a scam because it gives you empty promises and wastes your time and effort recruiting people.

You should understand that earning money online is no different from the corporate world. You will have to work hard to get paid. Those that promise you easy or instant money are obviously lying.

Yes, there are some opportunities that are free to join and allows you to make money without spending a dime such as Pay-To-Click sites or taking online surveys. But frankly speaking, those are not going to help you make a good amount of money as they only pay pennies. I’ve been there and done that!

If you are serious about making good revenue online, you might want to check out my #1 Recommendation below…

Final Verdict: Scam, Not Recommended

Video: See how Woman delivers instantly as TB Joshua prayed

https://youtu.be/SX43lBn3dEA

UPDATE: THE LASSA FEVER SAGA

                   LASSA FEVER

DESCRIPTION.  

Lassa fever is an extremely virulent, often fatal, Old-World, viral hemorrhagic illness.  Lassa fever, an arenavirus, is an enveloped, single-stranded, bisegmented RNA virus. As with other arenaviruses, Lassa virus does not have a conventional negative-strand coding arrangement.  

Lassa fever occurs more often in the dry season, rather than in the rainy season.  It is the most commonly "exported" hemorrhagic fever;  its victims carry the disease from Africa to the United States, to the United Kingdom, tp the Netherlands, Israel, and Japan.

Lassa fever is named after the town (in the Yedseram River valley) in which the first cases were isolated in 1969, during a nosocomial outbreak at a local hospital.  (A clinical description of Lassa fever was published in Sierra Leone over a decade earlier, but received little or no attention.)

LOCATION.  

Parts of West Africa, including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Liberia.  However, sporadic Lassa infections may have also occurred in Senegal and Mali.  One host genus has been identified as spreading at least one Lassalike virus in central Africa.

VECTOR.:  

The rat species Mastomys, in particular, M. natalensis is a consistent host reservoir for the Lassa virus due to the congenital neonatal infection, which results in rats with long-lasting and/or lifelong infection.  
Because of the mechanism of infection, there is no break in the natural chain from virus to host species.  The rats themselves might show no symptoms of the disease, but they shed the virus freely in urine and droppings, and secrete the virus in their saliva.  

Because certain varieties of Mastomys often live in human homes, the virus is easily transmitted to humans.  Transmission occurs via direct contact with rat urine, feces, and saliva; via contact with excretion- or secretion-infected materials; or via ingestion of excretion-contaminated food.  Victims can also become infected via skin breaks, and via mucous membranes from aerosol transmission from dust-borne particles.  In some areas, the rodents are used as a food source, thus providing additional exposure to the infected rat blood, as well as allowing ingestion of potentially contaminated meat.  Laboratory workers become infected usually from contact with rodent saliva.

Unlike other arenaviruses, Lassa virus can be fairly easily transmitted from human to human.  Humans can contract the disease from other humans via aerosol transmission (coughing), or from direct contact with infected human blood, urine, or semen.  Lassa virus has been isolated from semen 6 weeks after acute illness;  the virus can be transmitted to sexual partners by convalescent men.

MECHANISM.:  

The virus enters the human body through the bloodstream, lymph vessels, respiratory tract, and/or digestive tract.  It then multiplies in cells of the reticuloendothelial system.  Virus replication in the reticuloendothelial cells causes capillary lesions.  These capillary lesions lead to erythrocyte and platelet loss, with mild to moderate thrombocytopenia and a tendency toward bleeding.  Capillary lesions also cause increased vascular permeability and hemorrhage in various organs, such as the stomach, small intestine, kidneys, lungs, and brain.

INCUBATION PERIOD:  

Usually about 10 days.  Can range from 1-24 days.  Most patients display symptoms for 4 to 5 days before seeking hospital treatment.

SYMPTOMS. 

 Gradual onset of fever and malaise.  Increased fever (which can last 2-3 weeks) and myalgia, with severe prostration, accompanied by involvement of specific organs and serosa.  Patients frequently present with pain behind the sternum and with coughing.  

Additional common symptoms include:  abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation; also:  conjunctivitis, pharyngitis (inflammation of mucous membranes and the underlying parts of the pharynx), increased vascular permeability (such as pleural effusions), and proteinuria (protein in the urine).  About 10-30% of patients present with facial and neck swelling.  Approximately 2/3 of patients present with sore throat, usually accompanied by objective inflammatory or exudative (oozing) pharyngitis.  Some patients experience adult respiratory distress syndrome.   Skin rashes and jaundice are rare.

Some patients experience bleeding from the gums.  In addition, capillary lesions cause hemorrhaging in the stomach, small intestine, kidneys, lungs, and brain.  Less than 1/3 of patients present with bleeding; however, bleeding is a predictor of a significantly higher risk of death.  In severe cases of Lassa fever, shock and vascular collapse occur, followed by death.  Research suggests that the shock results from platelet and endothelial dysfunction, which cause hemorrhage and allow fluid to leak into the intravascular system.

Patients who will survive begin to defervesce 2-3 weeks after onset of the disease.  In contrast, patients who are at the greatest risk of dying usually develop shock, clouded mental status, agitation, rales, pleural effusion, and sometimesgrand mal seizures.  The four symptoms associated with a 2.5-fold or higher risk of mortality are:  vomiting, sore throat, tachypnea (rapid breathing), or bleeding.

During convalescence, although the virus may no longer be found in the blood, pericarditis can occur, especially in males.  The following conditions may also occur during convalescence:  aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, global encephalopathy with seizures, cerebellar ataxia (uncommon), and deafness (common).  Temporary or permanent deafness in one or both ears occurs in 29% of Lassa fever patients.

Experiments on guinea pigs have shown that Lassa virus can manifest differently, with significantly varying symptoms.  It is suspected that subtle genetic changes in tissue-specific variants of the disease create the differences in disease manifestation.

DIAGNOSIS.:

Lassa virus can be diagnosed in three ways:  
     1.  Isolating the virus from blood, urine, or throat washings.
     2.  Demonstrating the presence of immunoglobuline M (IgM) antibody to Lassa virus.
     3.  Showing a fourfold rise in titer of IgG antibody between acute- and convalescent-phase serum.

The virus can be isolated from the blood or serum during the febrile phase of the disease, up to 2 weeks postonset.  Antibody can be detected by CF, IFA, or ELISA.  In severe cases, patients can die before the appearance of antibodies.  

Other laboratory results: 
     •  Leukocyte count can be low, normal, or moderately elevated.
     •  Platelet counts are usually normal, but might be slightly low.  
     •  AST  (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) are usually elevated (10x normal).
     •  Chest x-rays are usually normal, but may show pleural effusions or basilar pneumonitis.
     •  Albuminaturia (excessive amounts of albumin proteins in the urine) is common.
     •  ECGs are usually abnormal.

Initial possible diagnoses of the Lassa-infected patient may include malaria, shigellosis, and typhoid.

MORTALITY (DEATH) RATES:

 Prognosis for Lassa patients has a direct correlation to levels of viremia.  However, prognosis does not correlate with the patient's development of IgM or IgG antibodies.  The antibodies do not seem to neutralize the Lassa virus.

The mortality rates for Lassa virus are typically estimated at 15% to 20%.  Some studies estimate mortality as high as 45%.  One survey of Lassa infection vs. mortality rates indicates that less than 1% of all Lassa-virus infections in West Africa will eventually result in fatal disease.  The mortality rates for Lassa appear to be much higher in people of non-African stock.

Lassa virus also causes high fetal mortality and high mortality in pregnant women.  The mortality rate is 92% for fetuses in early pregnancy, 75% for fetuses in the third trimester, and 100% in the neonatal period for full-term babies.  High concentrations of the virus have been found in both fetal tissue and in the placenta.  It is suspected that maternal T cells cannot attack the concentrations of virus in the placenta because placental cells cannot express class I or class II  MHC antigens.

The mortality rate for gravid women is 7% in the first two trimesters, 30% in the last trimester, and 50% for pregnant women who delivered within 1 month.  In contrast, the general mortality rate for nonpregnant women only is 13%.

TREATMENT/ PREVENTION : 

 For adults, ribavirin:  2-gm loading dose, followed by 1 gm every 6 hours for 4 days;  followed by 0.5 gm every 8 hours for 6 days.  There is no treatment for the deafness (which resembles idiopathic nerve disease) associated with Lassa fever.  Antibiotics may also be administered to patients to ward off or treat secondary and/or opportunistic bacterial infections.

Severely ill patients may receive treatment before the diganosis is confirmed.

Currently, there is no effective prophylactic (preventive) treatment for Lassa fever.  However, some sources recommend prophylactic doses of Ribavirin for people coming in high-risk contact with viremic patients.

OUTBREAKS AND HISTORY OF INFECTION. 

Lassa fever was first recognized in 1969 in Lassa, Nigeria.  Subsequent outbreaks occurred in Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.  In some parts of Sierra Leone and Liberia, 10% to 16% of all patients admitted to hospitals have Lassa fever.  Some Lassa fever cases have been "imported" into the U.S. and U.K. through viremic travelers who acquired the disease elsewhere.  

A few notes on outbreaks:
   - 1969, northern Nigeria - first recognized outbreak of the disease.
   - 1970 to present, Liberia.  Most cases were hospital workers who acquired the disease in the hospital from the index patient.
   - 1970 to present, Sierra Leone.  It is estimated that 6% of all residents in the initial endemic area have antibodies to Lassa Fever, even though only 0.2% were recognized as clinically ill.
   - Estimated 100,000-300,000 infections per year in West Africa.

 About 2/3 of all reported cases are women, but this might be a result of exposure, rather than a tendency toward greater susceptibility in women to the disease

VACCINE:
 No vaccine is currently available.  However, the most promising approach to developing a vaccine appears to be via vaccinia-vectored Lassa genes.  These have been protective in both guinea pigs and nonhuman primates.

HOWEVER, Studies with rodents have shown that infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or Tacaribe can confer protection against normally lethal attacks of Lassa virus.

NOTE:  This file/post is for information only.  It is not intended for diagnosis.

NEW ISLAMIC LAW: FATHER’S LUST FOR HIS DAUGHTER IS NOT A SIN IF THE DAUGHTER IS OVER 9 YEARS-OLD

Turkey has an official directorate in charge of interpreting Islamic law, popularly known as the Diyanet. It has a website where people ask questions about various aspects of Islamic law.

The website recently stirred up controversy by issuing a fatwa, or religious ruling, which asserted that fathers having lustful feelings toward their own daughters are not necessarily violating religious law, provided the girl is over nine years of age.

The Diyanet now says this ruling was a “misinterpretation,” and the officials responsible have been fired.

Al-Monitor translates the question that stirred up this controversy as, “Would my marriage be void if I lust for my own daughter?”

An unidentified ulama, or Islamic scholar, replied that it was not an open-and-shut case. “There is a difference of opinion on the matter among Islam’s different schools of thought,” he asserted. “For some, a father kissing his daughter with lust or caressing her with desire has no effect on the man’s marriage.”

Al-Monitor writes that after “elaborating in graphic and disturbing detail about girls’ attire,” the ulama suggested, “The girl should be over nine years of age.” For good measure, he wrapped things up with an “explanation about differences in sexual arousal between males and females.”

Al-Monitor hastens to point out that incest is prohibited in the Koran, and under Turkish law.

Evidently someone at the Diyanet quickly realized this hideous incest fatwa was going to cause trouble, because it was yanked off their website, but not before Turkish news organizations and social-media users got screen captures of it.