Tropical and geographical medicine
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Comparative Study
The effect of henna paste on oxygen saturation reading obtained by pulse oximetry.
A controlled study was designed to examine the effect of red and black henna on the measurement of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry. Fifty adult normal female volunteers had their left thumb coloured with red henna (40) or black henna (10). The uncoloured right thumb was used as a control. ⋯ In contrast, the thumb coloured with black henna gave no reading when compared to the uncoloured right thumb. On the basis of this study, pulse oximetry is not limited by red henna while black henna has a potential of causing major error in the measurement of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry. In these cases we recommend to use ear oximetry for accurate measurement of oxygen saturation.
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The report concerns an outbreak of neonatal Klebsiella septicaemia at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between October and November 1991. Mortality, 35.7%, was higher in the preterm babies than in the term babies (p < 0.05). ⋯ The Klebsiella species isolated from the babies and the hospital environment during the outbreak were of the multiple drug resistant type. Preventive measures and the need for a continual bacteriological surveillance are highlighted.
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The birthweight and mortality in hospital was recorded of 567 low birth weight (LBW, < or = 2000 g) infants born/admitted during a 7 years period in Agogo Hospital situated in the rainforest area of Ghana. One hundred and fifty-two (26.8%) of these children died in hospital; 87 (57%) of them in the first 48 hours. The average length of stay in hospital of the surviving children was 11.6 days. ⋯ In our setting, no sophisticated equipment and expensive intensive care provisions were available. This descriptive study was carried out to establish the survival rate in the neonatal period during the primary stay in hospital with low-cost conservative care. Dedicated staff members, who underwent only a simple training programme, and mothers participating in the care for their children contributed to the relatively favourable outcome.
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During a three-months period a cross-sectional study of the measurements of head circumference, mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) and weight was performed in 515 under five-year-old children in Kyeni, Kenya. Growth of Kyeni children seems to develop according to international standards for weight-for-age, MUAC-for-age and head circumference and for all parameters the average remains above minus 2 SD of the standard. Despite the presence of anthropometric malnutrition and downward trend in weight-for-age, MUAC-for-age and to a lesser degree the head circumference-for-age, the average growth of the Kyeni children in Kenya is within normal limits of international references.
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Two Saudi patients who underwent cardiac surgery, developed fever after being discharged from hospital. Both received blood transfusion during operation. The cause of fever was found to be due to malaria acquired from the transfused blood. As no single measure could prevent transfusion malaria, clinical awareness of the condition should lead to early diagnosis and management of such cases.