African health sciences
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African health sciences · Aug 2001
Childhood bacterial meningitis in Mbarara Hospital, Uganda: antimicrobial susceptibility and outcome of treatment.
The recommended antibiotic treatment of bacterial meningitis has come under scrutiny following frequent reports of in-vitro resistance by the common causative organisms to penicillin and chloramphenicol. ⋯ The high case-fatality rates and the high frequency of resistance to penicillin and chloramphenicol make a case for a review of the currently recommended antibiotic treatment of bacterial meningitis in this region. Fluoroquinolones need further evaluation as potential alternatives to chloramphenicol in the treatment of bacterial meningitis.
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The retained placenta is a significant cause of maternal mortality and morbidity throughout the developing world. It complicates 2% of all deliveries and has a case mortality rate of nearly 10% in rural areas. Ultrasound studies have provided fresh insights into the mechanism of the third stage of labour and the aetiology of the retained placenta. ⋯ Despite several placebo controlled trials of this technique, no firm conclusion have been reached regarding its efficacy. This may be due to inadequate delivery of the oxytocin to the placenta. Further trials are in progress to assess the optimal dose of oxytocin as well as the efficacy of a new technique designed to improve delivery of the oxytocin to the placental bed.
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African health sciences · Aug 2001
Knowledge, attitude and practice about sexually transmitted diseases among university students in Kampala.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the child-bearing age. In order to institute appropriate preventive measures there is need to establish the profile of knowledge of the predisposing factors and causation of STDs, attitude to sexual practice and sexual patterns among the susceptible young people, such as university students. ⋯ The level of knowledge about STDs and their prevention is not matched by sexual behavioural patterns, and male students undertake more risky sexual behaviour. Sexual education should be introduced at the university as a means of increasing students' awareness about the problem and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.
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African health sciences · Aug 2001
Bioassay-guided studies on the cytotoxic and in vitro trypanocidal activities of a sesquiterpene (Muzigadial) derived from a Ugandan medicinal plant (Warburgia ugandensis).
Trypanosomosis is arguably the most important disease of man and his domesticated animals in the tropics. There are few compounds available for its treatment. This has exacerbated the development of drug resistance. ⋯ It was highly toxic in the brine shrimp assay and also had in vitro trypanocidal activity against IL 3338 as well as IL1180; reference drug-resistant and drug-sensitive trypanosome strains respectively, comparable to diminazene aceturate and Geneticin (G418). Muzigadial also had antifungal activity against Candida albicans. It was concluded that the brine shrimp assay might be a useful predictor of trypanocidal activity of plant extracts and that muzigadial may be potentially valuable in the treatment of drug-resistant trypanosomosis.