The New Zealand medical journal
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This project investigated New Zealanders' views about palliative care and local hospice services. ⋯ There was a reasonably good understanding of the concept of palliative care. However, participants could not always identify local hospices, with younger people and males more unaware of accessible hospice services. Low levels of understanding point to the need for continued public education so that the holistic nature of palliative care is understood and accessible hospice services are sought when required.
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Letter Case Reports
Asplenic fulminant sepsis secondary to a dog bite complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
We report a case of asplenic fulminant sepsis in Australia following a dog bite which was complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome (TENS/SJS). Capnocytophaga canimorsus, the infective organism, is a rare cause of septicaemia: a high degree of suspicion of this unusual organism and its early aggressive management is paramount. The diagnostic and management difficulties of TENS/SJS in the context of a patient with fulminant sepsis, DIC and on inotropes are also highlighted.