African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2002
High prevalence and morbidity of Schistosoma mansoni along the Albert Nile in Uganda.
An epidemiological cross sectional study of Schistosoma mansoni was conducted in two hyper endemic fishing villages of Rhino Camp and Obongi both in West Nile district in northern Uganda in 1991 and 1992. People with various water contacts were registered. A small group of civil servants and clergies with less water contact in the river Nile were studied for control of infection and morbidity. ⋯ The sonomorphological abnormalities of periportal thickening (PT) due to Schistosoma mansoni were performed using ultrasound. 664 patients were found to have various stages of (PT stages 0, I, II and III). A total of 703 (51.4%) patients did not have any periportal thickening (PT 0) in their livers despite the fact that 450 (32.9%) of them had Schistosoma. mansoni eggs in their faeces. The gravities of schistosomiasis in the two villages were similar showing greater morbidity in the younger adults.
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African health sciences · Aug 2002
Comparative StudyComparison of immunohistochemical and modified Giemsa stains for demonstration of Helicobacter pylori infection in an African population.
Modified Giemsa staining has been favoured by many researchers because it is easy to perform but, like many other stains, demonstration of the bacteria depends on its morphology. It has been arged in some research circles that some of the organisms in the gastric mucosa may not be true H.pylori. Immunohistochemical techniques have been developed and make use of anti H.pylori antibody, which reacts, with somatic antigens of the whole bacteria and have been found to correlate well with the presence of the bacteria. ⋯ With the above results the modified Giemsa stain, which is readily available in most African laboratories, is recommenced for diagnosis of H.pylori, a prevalent infection in Africa.
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African health sciences · Aug 2002
Gestational trophoblastic disease following complete hydatidiform mole in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
To determine epidemiological characteristics and clinical presentation of complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) and complications associated with prophylactic chemotherapy with oral methotrexate. ⋯ Patients with CHM should be monitored for the development of post-evacuation trophoblastic disease. Those on prophylactic chemotherapy require close monitoring for the toxic effects of the drugs.
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African health sciences · Apr 2002
Community participation in primary health care (PHC) programmes: lessons from tuberculosis treatment delivery in South Africa.
Currently, there is renewed interest in the role community participation can play in Primary Health Care (PHC) programmes such as the delivery of effective anti-TB treatment to patients in high-burden settings. ⋯ Health care planners should consider community participation as a viable way of ensuring accessibility and effectiveness in PHC programmes. There is need for more research into ways of achieving sustainability in resource-limited but high disease burden settings.
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African health sciences · Apr 2002
Isolations of Bwamba virus from south central Uganda and north eastern Tanzania.
Bwamba virus (Genus Bunyavirus, family Bunyaviridae) is widely distributed in Africa. It causes many unidentified fevers because of its benign nature. ⋯ Bwamba fever may be more common than it is usually thought to be. It is often mistaken for malaria and because it is a mild infection, many people do not go to hospital when infected. Further studies are needed to understand the epidemiology and natural history of Bwamba virus.