Articles: emergency-medicine.
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The objective of this study was to determine common practices for testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), particularly in patients with other sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in emergency departments (ED) with residency training in Emergency Medicine. Via mail, 112 directors of academic emergency medicine programs in the United States were surveyed. ⋯ HIV testing was performed in the ED in 54% of responding institutions under special circumstances such as employee testing after occupational exposures (54%), cases of rape (46%), and suspicion of HIV infection by clinical manifestations other than suspected STD (36%). Based on the results it was determined that academic EDs do not routinely test for HIV in patients suspected of having a STD and have variable testing practices and policies regarding other possible HIV exposures.
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Eritrea became a member of the United Nations in 1993, after a devastating 30-year war of independence with Ethiopia. Although Eritrea suffers from many of the problems beset by the developing world, the people are determined to rebuild their country. Emergency medical care and emergency services are in their infancy, yet the signs of progress are already visible in the capital city of Asmara. This report describes the current state of the prehospital system and emergency medical care in Eritrea.