Peripheral neuropathy following administration of nerve tissue antirabies vaccine

In 1997, two patients were admitted to Tikur Anbessa Hospital with complaints of ascending paralysis in all extremities following administration of sheep brain tissue anti-rabies vaccine following a rabies exposure. The paralysis had started after 14 daily subcutaneous injections of the Fermi type nerve tissue vaccine. After an eight week stay in the hospital with supportive care and physiotherapy, the patients showed remarkable improvement. They received a booster dose of vaccine while in the hospital, with no deterioration in their neurological status and were discharged.     

Primary extradural calvarial meningioma: case report

Intracranial meningiomas usually develop intradurally with in the confines of the skull. Meningiomas originating in an extradural location are rare. A woman of 69 years had a hard mass located in the left parietal region. The neurological examination and laboratory data were with in normal limits. Plain skull X-rays revealed hyperostotic changes. The meningioma was removed in bloc. And histologically, it was found to be transitional type of menigioma.     

Perception of dental fluorosis among adolescents living in urban areas of Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to assess the perception of dental fluorosis among adolescents residing in two urban areas in Ethiopia: Addis Ababa (low-fluoride drinking water) and Nazreth (high-fluoride drinking water). Students aged 12-15 years, enrolled in two junior secondary schools in Addis Ababa (n = 161) and two similar schools in Nazreth (n = 177) responded to evaluative statements concerning the appearance of anterior maxillary teeth. Color photographs depicting dental fluorosis (TF score 2, 3, 5 and 7) in maxillary front teeth were used as reference during structured interviews. A majority of the students from Addis Ababa and Nazreth were dissatisfied with the appearance of teeth having TF scores 2 and above. More than 66% of the students from both areas confirmed a need for dental consultation concerning fluorotic teeth with TF > or = [corrected] 2. As compared to their counterparts in Nazreth, children in Addis Ababa felt more embarrassed with TF score 2 and 3 (p < 0.01). TF scores 5 and 7 were found unacceptable both in Addis Ababa and in Nazreth. Students in Addis Ababa, more frequently than their counterparts in Nazreth, believed (erroneously) that dental fluorosis were related to neglect on the part of the child. The present findings confirm that fluorotic teeth constitute a social problem among junior secondary school children residing in low-fluoride as well as in high-fluoride urban areas in Ethiopia and, thereby, corroborate the public concern for safe drinking water.     

Tamoxifen induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis via stimulating mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase

Tamoxifen is an anticancer drug that induces oxidative stress and apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent and nitric oxide (NO)-dependent pathways. The present report shows that tamoxifen increases intramitochondrial ionized Ca(2+) concentration and stimulates mitochondrial NO synthase (mtNOS) activity in the mitochondria from rat liver and human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. By stimulating mtNOS, tamoxifen hampers mitochondrial respiration, releases cytochrome c, elevates mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, increases protein tyrosine nitration of certain mitochondrial proteins, decreases the catalytic activity of succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid CoA-transferase, and induces aggregation of mitochondria. The present report suggests a critical role for mtNOS in apoptosis induced by tamoxifen.     

Ramsay Hunt syndrome

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome was described in a 58 years old woman from Addis Ababa. The woman presented with vesicular eruptions in the right ear which was followed by weakness of the same side of face & otalgia. The objective of this case report is to address herpes zoster & its complications with the treatment modalities & an uncommon clinical entity, Ramsay hunt syndrome.     

Pattern of admissions to the medical intensive care unit of Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital

A case-series study of all admissions using patient registers was carried out to analyse patterns of medical admissions into the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of the Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital, and evaluate for any changes in that pattern over a study period. All patients admitted to the MICU of a 500-bed Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa between 1985-2000 were the study subjects. Demographic variables, specific categories of diagnoses and their outcomes were recorded A total of 3548 patients (male to female ratio of 1.4:1, mean age 37.10 +/- 17.29) were admitted from September 1985 to August 2000. Acute infectious and cardiovascular diseases accounted for half of the entire critical care admissions with infectious diseases accounting for 30%. Among specific diagnoses, diabetic ketoacidosis was the leading cause of admission followed by acute myocardial infarction and severe and complicated malaria, each accounting for 10.7, 9.8 and 9.3% of all admissions respectively. Trends of admissions over the sixteen-year period showed steady increase in relative frequency of acute complications of non-communicable diseases consisting of diabetes, acute myocardial infarction and stroke while infectious diseases showed interspersed peaks of admissions coinciding with epidemics. The overall mortality of the MICU was 32%, with proportionally more female deaths, 34.8 versus 29% (P = 0.0002). Severe and complicated malaria was the leading cause of death (10.3%) followed by tetanus (6.4%) and acute myocardial infarction (6.3%). The increase in relative and absolute frequency of acute complications of non-communicable diseases most probably heralds an emerging epidemic of non-communicable diseases related to life style changes in the urban well to do in addition to existing problems of infectious diseases of poverty.     

Central nervous system toxoplasmosis in adult Ethiopians

OBJECTIVES: Toxoplasmosis is identified as one of the major central nervous system (CNS) opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. Sero-epidemiological surveys done among Ethiopian patients indicated a very high prevalence rate. This study was conducted to describe the clinical course of the disease in Ethiopians with AIDS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and twenty three patients with AIDS and CNS Toxoplasmosis that were consecutively admitted and treated with Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) at the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Referral Hospital were reviewed. The diagnosis CNS Toxoplasmosis was made based on clinical features or neuroradiologic findings and response to treatment. In over 80% of the cases the dose of Pyrimethamine used was 100 mgs for two days and then 25 mgs daily PO. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was one to one. The median age was 34 years (range 18 - 75). The most common presenting symptoms were headache 293 (91%), fever 269 (83%), and abnormal level of consciousness in 201 (62%) of the cases. Focal neuralgic deficits were seen in 203 (63%) of the cases. The diagnosis of CNS toxoplasmosis was based on clinical features and response to treatment in 186 (58%) of the cases and on CT scan findings and clinical response in 54 (17%) of the cases. Among the 248 (78%) of the cases that had responded favorably to SP, 53% had improvement on the 7th day, while the rest had improvement on the 14th day of treatment. Major treatment related adverse reactions, which required changing treatment, were seen in 68 (20%) of the cases. Among patients who survived the first episode of toxoplasmosis, the median follow up was for 29 days (range 15-1800). CONCLUSION: Toxoplasmosis had been the most AIDS defining event in the study group and clinical response to empiric treatment was essentially diagnostic. In our study group the outcome seen with SP as compared to the standard recommended treatment yielded comparable results. Tolerance to treatment was better and the adverse effects warranting change in treatment were fewer despite that only few patients received folinic acid supplements. We recommend a well-designed prospective study to establish the efficacy and optimal dose of SP in the treatment of CNS toxoplasmosis.     

Ocular disease and ophthalmic services in Malawi

About 1% of the population of Malawi is blind. The major contributors are cataract (40%), trachoma and other infections (15%) and measles/Vitamin A deficiency (15%). There are 3 ophthalmologists in government service. However, one serves as the director of medical services, and is therefore frequently burdened with administrative duties. In addition, one missionary ophthalmologist and 25 ophthalmic auxiliaries are available. Two of the ophthalmic auxiliaries are being trained to perform cataract surgery to aid the ophthalmologists in attacking the current backlog of approx. 24,000 blind cataract patients in the country. Trachoma and onchocerciasis are present regionally, although the latter by itself does not appear to be a major cause of vision loss. In children under age five, the major causes of blindness are measles and protein-energy-malnutrition (PEM) and its associated hypovitaminosis A. Previous surveys in Malawi have been either clinic/hospital-based or have been local population-based studies. In order to establish a realistic plan of preventive and therapeutic action, a comprehensive series of country-wide population-based ocular disease prevalence surveys is planned over the next five years. The information will enable the Ministry of Health to more equitably disperse trained ophthalmic personnel and to obtain appropriate supplies and drugs in a rational manner.     

How accurate is Siriraj stroke score among Ethiopians? A brief communication

In hospitals where emergency neuroimaging is not available, the use of stroke scores has been proposed to distinguish ischemic from hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of this case study is to evaluate the accuracy of SSS among Ethiopian patients and was conducted in the Addis Ababa University teaching Hospital. Between September 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001. A total of 128 patients were admitted with a clinical diagnosis of stroke. 49(38.3%) had a CT scan result that was done within 24 to 72 hours of admission. CT revealed cerebral infarction in 20 (40.8%) patients and hemorrhagic stroke including subarachnoid hemorrhage in 29 (59.2%) patients. SSS was calculated and its sensitivity to diagnose hemorrhage and infarction was 77% and 61.5% respectively with an overall accuracy of 69.2% (Table 1) Its positive predictive values were 67% and 72.7% for hemorrhage and infarction respectively. The study has shown that bedside clinical examination does not always help in distinguishing between cerebral infarction and intracranial hemorrhage.