South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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The prevalence of sexually transmitted pathogens in two groups of women was studied: 50 women with clinical diagnoses of acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and 50 asymptomatic women attending a family planning clinic (FPC). Genital specimens, collected by non-invasive procedures, were examined. Endocervical Neisseria gonorrhoeae was present in 62% of the PID group and 10% of the FPC group (P less than 0.0001). ⋯ Antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus was not detected in any of the 100 women. The high prevalence of recognised sexually transmitted pathogens underlines the need for appropriate antimicrobial agent(s) active against N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis and M. hominis in patients with PID. In view of the high prevalence of penicillinase-producing strains of N. gonorrhoeae, routine use of an antibiotic active against such strains is desirable.
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In a study of 200 patients with chest wounds in whom the need for referral to a centre with radiographic facilities was not obvious, careful clinical examination (pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, haemoglobin value and chest auscultation) was found to be a reliable triage tool. The sensitivity of one or more positive signs was 99.2% with a false-positive rate of 16% and a false-negative rate of 2%. The positive predictive value of two or more positive signs was found to be 99.1%.