African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2014
The utility of the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test in managing dyspepsia: an experience from a low resource setting.
Dyspepsia is defined as a chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen. Endoscopy is the best strategy for confirming the cause of dyspepsia. Non- invasive strategies would be more appropriate in low resource countries where endoscopy is not readily available. However, there is concern that these strategies may miss serious disease like gastric cancer. One test that needs to be assessed in this regard is the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test (HPSAT). ⋯ The HPSAT may be used in the test and treat strategy for young patients with dyspepsia without alarm signs and symptoms in low resource settings. However, because of its low validity in predicting H.pylori associated disease, it is important to follow up patients so that if symptoms persist or recur endoscopy is performed.
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African health sciences · Dec 2014
Mortality associated with tuberculosis/HIV co-infection among patients on TB treatment in the Limpopo province, South Africa.
South Africa has a high tuberculosis burden, and Limpopo Province experienced higher than national average TB mortality rates between 1997 and 2008. ⋯ Higher mortality was associated with age 22-55 years; smear negativity, EPTB, HIV infection, and re-treatment. The findings call for greater integration of TB control efforts and HIV services, especially among the 22-55 year age group.
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African health sciences · Dec 2014
The association between dyslipidemia and anthropometric indicators in black and white adolescents residing in Tlokwe Municipality, North-West Province, South Africa: the PAHL study.
The dyslipidemia associated with excess weight is a risk for cardiovascular disease. Worldwide and in South Africa adolescent obesity has been reported. ⋯ Whites exhibited more associations between dyslipidemia and anthropometric indicators as compared to Blacks, suggesting that there might be differences in the lipid metabolism or even susceptibility to risk factors in adolescents.
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African health sciences · Dec 2014
Brucella sero-prevalence and modifiable risk factors among predisposed cattle keepers and consumers of un-pasteurized milk in Mbarara and Kampala districts, Uganda.
Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease in developing countries yet it is often not recognized, goes unreported and does not attract public health action by these governments including Uganda. ⋯ Human brucellosis is prevalent among livestock rearing communities and consumers of unpasteurised milk. The continued consumption of unboiled milk is a major health risk.
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African health sciences · Dec 2014
Association between mean platelet volume levels and inflammation in SLE patients presented with arthritis.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be characterized by periods of remissions and chronic or acute relapses. The complexity of clinical presentation of the SLE patients leads to incorrect evaluation of disease activity. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been studied as a simple inflammatory marker in several diseases. There is no study in the literature about MPV levels in adult SLE patients with arthritis. ⋯ We suggest that MPV levels decrease in patients with arthritis of SLE activation when compared to the same patients in remission and healthy controls.