Takayasu Arteritis In Jos Nigeria. A Case Report.

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic vasculitis of unknown aetiology involving the aorta and its major branches. It could also involve the coronary and pulmonary arteries. It was first noted in 1908 by a Japanase ophthalmologist, Mikijo Takayasu, who described the case of a 21 year old woman whose optic fundi 1 exhibited peculiar anastomosis. The disease has a worldwide distribution, but it is more common in South East Asia. It affects mainly young women, who account for about 90% of all cases in a 2 series from Japan. An international survey by Nunearo et al showed that the female to male ratio decreases as one 3 moves from east to west. On the African 4, 5 scene, few cases have been reported. The cases that have been reported from 6 South-West Nigeria were all females. We hereby report a case of TA in an adult Nigerian from the North. This to the best of our knowledge is the first case reported in a Nigerian male in literature.