A combined course of primary health care practice and family medicine at the University of Gezira

The community-based course presented is a longitudinal course running through four semesters in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan. Students combine their regular work in primary health care centres with attachments to a number of families in Wad Medani town. They continue to visit these families regularly throughout their entire medical course with the aim of studying them and helping them with some of their medical and psychosocial problems.     

Prognostic significance of cytochemical analysis of leukemic M2 blasts

Cytochemical analysis of leukemic blasts from 46 patients with acute myeloblastic M2 leukemia (according to the FAB classification) was performed before and after cytostatic therapy, and compared with findings obtained in 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Cytochemical findings for myeloperoxidase (MPO), Sudan black B, acid phosphatase and alpha-naphthyl-acetate esterase (ANAE) were related to the achievement of the first complete remission (CR),i.e. data were compared after the patients had been divided into CR and non-CR groups. The analysis clearly showed that a high proportion of myeloperoxidase- and, to a lesser extent, Sudan black B-positive blasts before treatment may have constituted a significantly unfavourable prognostic factor.     

扎伊尔型、苏丹型埃博拉病毒TaqMan探针实时定量PCR核酸检测方法的建立

目的建立针对扎伊尔型(ZEBOV)及苏丹型埃博拉病毒(SEBOV)特异、灵敏和快速的Taq Man探针实时定量PCR核酸检测方法。方法选用世界卫生组织(WHO)参比实验室所使用的引物和探针序列,建立针对扎伊尔型及苏丹型埃博拉病毒的NP基因序列保守区的Taq Man探针实时定量PCR核酸检测方法,验证检测方法的灵敏性、特异性和稳定性,并与常规PCR检测方法进行比较。结果所建立的实时定量PCR方法可用于ZEBOV及SEBOV的特异性检测,较传统PCR方法反应快捷、灵敏,分别可达:ZEBOV 34拷贝/反应、SEBOV 24拷贝/反应;具有良好的特异性、稳定性和可重复性。结论建立了ZEBOV及SEBOV Taq Man探针实时定量PCR核酸检测方法,该方法可有望用于埃博拉病毒(EBOV)的实验室、临床及现场核酸检测。     

Molecular genetic analysis of Plasmodium vivax isolates from Eastern and Central Sudan using pvcsp and pvmsp-3α genes as molecular markers

In Sudan, Plasmodium vivax accounts for approximately 5–10% of malaria cases. This study was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of P. vivax population from Sudan by analyzing the polymorphism of P. vivax csp (pvcsp) and pvmsp-3α genes. Blood samples (n = 76) were taken from suspected malaria cases from 2012–2013 in three health centers of Eastern and Central Sudan. Parasite detection was performed by microscopy and molecular techniques, and genotyping of both genes was performed by PCR-RFLP followed by DNA sequence for only pvcsp gene (n = 30). Based on microscopy analysis, 76 (%100) patients were infected with P. vivax, whereas nested-PCR results showed that 86.8% (n = 66), 3.9% (n = 3), and 3.9% (n = 3) of tested samples had P. vivax as well as Plasmodium falciparum mono- and mixed infections, respectively. Four out of 76 samples had no results in molecular diagnosis. All sequenced samples were found to be of VK210 (100%) genotype with six distinct amino acid haplotypes, and 210A (66.7%) was the most prevalent haplotype. The Sudanese isolates displayed variations in the peptide repeat motifs (PRMs) ranging from 17 to 19 with GDRADGQPA (PRM1), GDRAAGQPA (PRM2) and DDRAAGQPA (PRM3). Also, 54 polymorphic sites with 56 mutations were found in repeat and post-repeat regions of the pvcsp and the overall nucleotide diversity (π) was 0.02149 ± 0.00539. A negative value of dN − dS (−0.0344) was found that suggested a significant purifying selection of Sudanese pvcsp, (Z test, P < 0.05). Regarding pvmsp-3α, three types were detected: types A (94.6%, 52/55), type C (3.6%, 2/55), and type B (1.8%, 1/55). No multiclonal infections were detected, and RFLP analysis identified 13 (Hha I, A1-A11, B1, and C1) and 16 (Alu I, A1-A14, B1, and C1) distinct allelic forms. In conclusion, genetic investigation among Sudanese P. vivax isolates indicated that this antigen showed limited antigenic diversity.     

青蒿琥酯和复方双氢青蒿素序贯治疗对南苏丹恶性疟疾的疗效

目的：观察注射用青蒿琥酯和复方双氢青蒿素片序贯治疗对南苏丹恶性疟疾病人的疗效。方法：回顾性分析2011年7月-2013年11月在南苏丹瓦乌中国二级医院住院的55例恶性疟疾病历。结果：肌注或静脉注射青蒿琥酯注射液（首剂120mg,后60mg/d）1~5d[（3.2±0.9）d],最后一次静脉注射或肌注后24、30、48、72h口服复方双氢青蒿素片2片,共8片。55例疟疾病人的总治愈率为100%,其中3d治愈52例（94.5%）,3~7d治愈3例（5.5%）。4例（7.3%）病人发生恶心、呕吐、腹泻或头晕等轻度不良反应。结论：注射用青蒿琥酯和复方双氢青蒿素片序贯治疗,对南苏丹恶性疟疾病人具有非常好的临床疗效,适合多种人群,耐受性好。     

Comparison of serum lipid profile in type 2 diabetes with and without adequate diabetes control in Sudanese population in north of Sudan

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem in Sudan and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Dyslipidemia is a major complication of diabetes and an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and its co-relation with the glycemic control in individuals with diabetes in River Nile State, Sudan.

Comparison of an rK39 dipstick rapid test with direct agglutination test and splenic aspiration for the diagnosis of kala-azar in Sudan

We compared an rK39 dipstick rapid test (Amrad ICT, Australia) with a direct agglutination test (DAT) and splenic aspirate for the diagnosis of kala-azar in 77 patients. The study was carried out under field conditions in an endemic area of north-east Sudan. The sensitivity of the rK39 test compared with splenic aspiration was 92% (46/50), the specificity 59% (16/27), and the positive predictive value 81% (46/57). Compared with the diagnostic protocol used by Médecins sans Frontières, the sensitivity of the rK39 test was 93% (50/54), the specificity 70% (16/23), and the positive predictive value 88% (50/57). Compared with splenic aspirates, the sensitivity of a DAT with a titre > or =1:400 was 100% (50/50), but its specificity only 55% (15/27) and the positive predictive value was 80% (50/62). Using a DAT titre > or =1:6400, the sensitivity was 84% (42/50), the specificity 85% (23/27) and the positive predictive value 91% (42/46). All four patients with DAT titre > or =1:6400 but negative splenic aspirate were also rK39 positive; we consider these are probably 'true' cases of kala-azar, i.e. false negative aspirates, rather than false DAT and rK39 seropositives. There were no false negative DATs (DAT titre < or =1:400 and aspirate positive), but there were four false negative rK39 tests (rK39 negative and aspirate positive). The rK39 dipstick is a good screening test for kala-azar; but further development is required before it can replace the DAT as a diagnostic test in endemic areas of the Sudan.     

Biomarker Correlates of Survival in Pediatric Patients with Ebola Virus Disease

Outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) occur sporadically in Africa and are associated with high case-fatality rates. Historically, children have been less affected than adults. The 2000–2001 Sudan virus–associated EVD outbreak in the Gulu district of Uganda resulted in 55 pediatric and 161 adult laboratory-confirmed cases. We used a series of multiplex assays to measure the concentrations of 55 serum analytes in specimens from patients from that outbreak to identify biomarkers specific to pediatric disease. Pediatric patients who survived had higher levels of the chemokine regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted marker and lower levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule than did pediatric patients who died. Adult patients had similar levels of these analytes regardless of outcome. Our findings suggest that children with EVD may benefit from different treatment regimens than those for adults.