Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Jun 2012
Epidemiology of the reported severity of copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) snakebite.
The goal of this study was to analyze trends in the annual rates of reported medical outcomes of US copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) snakebites published in the annual reports of the American Association of Poison Control Centers in the course of 26 years. ⋯ Annual rates of copperhead snakebites producing no effects and minor outcomes significantly decreased, those producing moderate outcomes significantly increased, and those producing major outcomes did not significantly change in a 26-year period.
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Southern medical journal · May 2012
Epidemiology of infant death among black and white non-Hispanic populations in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
To evaluate the presence of racial disparities in infant mortality rates and assess risk factors for infant death among black and white populations in Hampton Roads, Virginia. ⋯ Black infants are at higher odds of dying compared with white infants in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Continued efforts should target prenatal care, preterm delivery, and low-birth-weight infants and neonates to reduce infant mortality rates.
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Lemierre's syndrome is an uncommon complication of pharyngitis in the United States and caused most commonly by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum. The syndrome is characterized by a history of recent pharyngitis followed by ipsilateral internal jugular vein thrombosis and metastatic pulmonary abscesses and is a disease for which patients will seek medical care and advice. ⋯ Controversy involves the choice and duration of antimicrobial therapy used for treatment and anticoagulation therapy for internal jugular vein thrombosis. As the diagnosis and management of this syndrome has generated controversy, an updated review of the literature and treatment recommendations may be helpful for providing optimal care for patients with this often unrecognized and confusing infection.