Imported infections in east Birmingham children.

This 15-month prospective study of admissions to a children''s ward found imported infections in 58 children (1.3% of admissions), aged between two months and 15 years. Most had visited the Indian subcontinent 14 (1-341) days earlier. Few had taken preventative measures. The commonest infection was malaria (n = 23).     

Hepatitis C prevalence among Australian injecting drug users in the 1970s and profiles of virus genotypes in the 1970s and 1990s

OBJECTIVES: To examine the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Australian injecting drug-using community in the 1970s, and to compare the profile of HCV genotypes with that seen in the 1990s. DESIGN: Investigation of stored sera that were collected from injecting drug users in the 1970s and comparison with sera collected in the 1990s. SETTING: Inner Sydney, 1974-1975 and 1994-1996. PATIENTS: The 1970s group comprised 141 consecutive injecting drug users who attended the Brisbane Street Methadone Clinic. The 1990s group comprised 88 consecutive, injecting drug users of European origin who were HCV antibody-positive and attended a primary healthcare facility (the Kirketon Road Centre). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HCV antibody prevalence (1970s); profile of HCV serotypes (1970s and 1990s); and serological evidence of hepatitis A and B. RESULTS: 84% of the 1970s group were HCV antibody-positive, of whom 92% were infected with HCV serotype 1 and 1% with serotype 3. In contrast, in the 1990s group, 69% were infected with HCV serotype 1 and 25% with serotype 3. The HCV-positive subjects from the early group were more likely than those from the recent group to have serological evidence of previous HBV infection. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of HCV among injecting drug users in the 1970s in Australia confirms an epidemic that has been present for at least 25 years. Over this period, the proportion of HCV genotype 1 infections has decreased and genotype 3 infections have emerged.     

20世纪70年代台湾的针灸研究

1972年开始,台湾科研及卫生主管单位（行政院国科会暨卫生署）积极促进并推动针灸科学化的工作。共同或分别支持台湾各医学院校、教学医院和研究机构,以传统针灸为基础,佐以现代医学生物科技及学理,探讨针刺止痛及针灸对治疗疾病的临床疗效,进而找出其作用原理。此等研究成果后来发展成为一系列国内及国际水平的针灸研讨会。本文叙述并讨论20世纪70年代初期以迄20世纪80年代台湾针灸研究发展情况。     

Malaria rapid diagnostic test in children: The Zamfara,Nigeria experience

Background:

Malaria remains a major cause of under-five morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, and prompt diagnosis occupies a strategic position in its management. Malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT), a nontechnical, easy to perform test promises to meet this need. It is important to locally document the usefulness of the use of RDT in making prompt malaria diagnosis in children.

Objective:

To determine the prevalence of malaria and evaluate the diagnostic performance of malaria RDT kit in febrile under-five children presenting to a Tertiary Health Facility in Gusau, North-Western Nigeria.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study of children aged 6-59 months, evaluated for malaria in a tertiary health facility from August 2012 to January 2013. Information was obtained from care providers of all subjects with fever and a presumptive diagnosis of malaria. All subjects were investigated using Giemsa stain microscopy and Carestart™ malaria RDT.

Results:

The prevalence of malaria in 250 febrile under-five children was 54%. Three-quarter (79%) of the children received inappropriate nonrecommended antimalaria prior to their presentation, including 20% who received chloroquine. The overall sensitivity of RDT was 40.3%. The specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 89.6%, 81.8%, and 56.5%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Use of RDT should be encouraged for screening and diagnosis using a protocol such that febrile children with positive RDT results are confirmed as having malaria while those with negative results are further evaluated using microscopy.