The Journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
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The clinical features of a modified form of tetanus, termed 'subacute tetanus', occurring in non-immune patients are presented as manifested in five patients. Subacute tetanus has a good prognosis and favourable outcome. ⋯ Nocturnal, brief generalized muscle spasms, palpably contracted sternomastoid muscles and spastic limbs are common features of the disease. The pathophysiology of the nocturnal muscle spasms requires elucidation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Field trials with Oltipraz against Schistosoma mansoni in the Gezira Irrigated Area, Sudan.
Oltipraz, a new antischistosomal drug, has been field tested in Sudan for acceptability, tolerance and efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni. One hundred and fifty-one school children aged 7 to 12 years were selected for treatment with 20 mg/kg Oltipraz, 78 with a single dose and 73 with a split dose, on the same day. ⋯ The overall egg output reduction was over 95% from a pretreatment geometric mean egg count of 840 eggs/g. These results indicate that a 20-mg/kg dose of Oltipraz can effectively reduce egg counts but that a larger dose will be required to produce higher cure rates.
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Between June 1979 and July 1980, faecal specimens were collected from 100 children in Efate, Vanuatu, and examined for the presence of virus-like particles by direct negative staining electron microscopy. Of the children, 40 were hospital patients 22 of whom had gastroenteritis and 18 had other illnesses. ⋯ Coronavirus-like particles were the most common agents encountered and were detected in approximately 20% of all three groups of children. Particles with the morphological features of calicivirus, astrovirus, adenovirus and parvovirus were also detected.
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A seroepidemiological survey to determine the prevalence of Congo/Crimean haemorrhagic fever virus activity in Iraq was carried out during 1979 and 1980. Sera were collected from 1680 people including contacts of known patients, abattoir workers and animal husbandry workers in various parts of the country. ⋯ Inapparent infections were common in hospital staff caring for patients known to have had the disease. No antibodies were detected in the sera of 151 people who were not believed to have had contact with a known case of the disease.