Journal of the Indian Medical Association
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Severe malaria remains a major cause of mortality in the world. Malaria can mimic many diseases and there is no absolute diagnostic clinical features. High index of suspicion is clue for clinical diagnosis. ⋯ Acute renal failure patients may need dialysis until uraemic syndrome subsides or patients can void urine. Most severe malaria patients have thrombocytopenia; however, platelet concentrate transfusion is indicated only in patients with systemic bleeding. Morbidity and mortality will be reduced in severe malaria patients with early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
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The doctors are vulnerable to substance abuse/addiction due to their ready accessibility to the substances of abuse. There is higher percentage use of alcohol, tranquillisers and psychedelics among medical students, and dependence rates are 5% for medical students and 3% for doctors. Majority of the substance-abusing doctors are graduates, belong to medicine speciality (21%) and majority of them prescribe drugs to themselves (37%). ⋯ Despite paucity of studies in Indian population, substance use is reported between 32.5% to as high as 81.2% among medical students, intems and house physicians. In spite of the treatment dilemmas, the physicians do respond favourably to treatment. These findings have implications in planning preventive and interventional strategies for this professional group.
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This study was conducted to assess the bacterial flora carried on stethoscopes used by medical personnel and to study the effect of disinfection of stethoscopes on the flora. In the 106 stethoscopes sampled, Gram-positive organisms were the most (60%) frequently isolated. ⋯ The rate of isolation of S aureus and methicillin resistant S aureus (MRSA) was higher in critical care units. Disinfection was found to significantly reduce the bacterial count.