Plasmodium falciparum neonatal malaria with atypical presentation: a case series from southwestern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal malaria is defined as the detection of asexual stages of Plasmodium species in the cord blood within the first 28 days of life. It can be congenital or acquired through mosquito bites or blood transfusions. Neonates are generally considered to be relatively protected due to the multiple innate and acquired physiological protective effects present in neonates. However, in areas where malaria is endemic, the prevalence of malaria in neonates is high. The predominant clinical feature of malaria in neonates is fever. Other clinical manifestations of neonatal malaria include respiratory distress, pallor and anaemia, hepatomegaly, refusal to feed, jaundice and diarrhoea. Atypical presentations without fever can lead to inaccurate diagnosis and contribute to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Neonates from endemic areas with any of the above symptoms should be screened for malaria. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a series of three cases of neonatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria that presented atypically without febrile episodes and were diagnosed and managed at Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital between July and September 2023. The first patient presented with vomiting, refusal to feed, pallor, severe anaemia, and splenomegaly. The second patient presented with an inconsolable cry, failure to pass feces, abdominal distention, and anaemia. The third patient presented with vomiting and anaemia. All patients received a 7-day course of intravenous artesunate; the first patient also received a blood transfusion. All patients recovered and were discharged. CONCLUSIONS: Partial immunity resulting from repeated malaria infections in endemic regions may result in the transfer of high levels of maternal Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies through the placenta and can produce different atypical clinical presentations. In malaria-endemic areas, neonates presenting with any of the presenting signs and symptoms of malaria, including afebrile presentation, require malaria screening to avoid delays in diagnosis.

Primary pyloroduodenal tuberculosis presenting as gastric outlet obstruction. A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Gastric Outlet Obstruction (GOO) is a clinical syndrome due to mechanical obstruction of the gastric outlet near the antrum. The incidence of GOO is not known adequately; however, it is estimated that its incidence has declined in recent years as the incidence of peptic ulcer disease, which is the common cause of GOO, has been declining recently due to the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The objective of this case report to highlight the importance of consideration of TB as a cause of GOO by affecting the duodenal wall and nearby lymph node enlargement. CASE PRESENTATION: The case was a 31-year-old man who presented to the surgical referral clinic with a complaint of non-projectile vomiting of ingested matter. The patient also had a significant amount of weight loss. Laparotomy was done and displayed multiple enlarged pyloric and duodenal lymph nodes with a thickened duodenal wall. The patient was discharged from the ward after one week of hospital stay. For diagnosing the disease and relieving obstruction, laparotomy is usually required. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Generally, gastric outlet obstruction is a common and early complication associated with duodenal ulcers. However, cases of gastric outlet obstruction caused by other factors are rare. CONCLUSION: In a patient presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of GOO with symptom complex of TB (tuberculosis). Early identification and appropriate management can lead to improved outcomes for patients with this rare form of tuberculosis.

Ascariasis causing small bowel obstruction in an adult female: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Ascariasis is a helminthic infection of humans caused by Ascaris lumbricoides. Intestinal obstruction from ascariasis can result in a rare but severe and often fatal surgical emergency of intestinal perforation and peritonitis in endemic areas. There have been reports of ascariasis causing Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO) in children in endemic areas but this phenomenon has not been studied in adults. The objective of this study was to describe the case of ascariasis causing SBO in a 25-year-old female. CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year-old female from southwest Ethiopia presented with a complaint of intermittent crampy abdominal pain of 02 days duration associated with vomiting of ingested matter of 02 to 03 episodes, progressive abdominal distension and failure to pass feces and flatus. On examination, she was acutely sick looking. She has mild abdominal distention and a hyperactive bowel sound. Subsequently, she was resuscitated, broad spectrum antibiotic started, consent taken & operated. Patient discharged on the 7th postoperative day. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: There have been reports of Ascariasis causing SBO in endemic areas of the tropics and sub-tropics. SBO secondary to the ascaris ball in an adult is very rare and is relevant to present as it adds key clinical lessons in the consideration as a differential diagnosis, investigation clues and patient management. CONCLUSION: In a patient presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of bowel obstruction, Ascariasis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for those from endemic areas. The treating physician should have a high index of suspicion.

The Validity of Clinical Scoring in the Diagnosis of Stroke Subtype: Validation Study.

Background: The gold standard for distinguishing stroke subtype is non-contrast CT. However, it's still prohibitively expensive and out of reach for the majority of recourse-constrained settings. Clinically, not all patients will have a definite diagnosis of hemorrhagic/ischemic stroke. To overcome these challenges and improve clinical bedside diagnosis, clinical stroke scores for stroke subtypes have been developed and recommended to be used in the absence of appropriate imaging modality. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study among stroke patients to compare the accuracy of level of clinical stroke score methods in differentiating stroke type with CT. it was conducted on 140 people at MTU teaching hospital in Bench-Sheko Zone, South-west Ethiopia. Data were collected using check list. Analysis of the data was done using SPSS version 24. Results: Our result revealed an incidence of hemorrhagic stroke were 50%, ischemic stroke were 48.6% by CT evaluation. Specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and the overall accuracy of Siriraj stroke score for differentiation of hemorrhage from ischemic stroke were 68.6%, 83.9%, 74.6%, 79.5%, and 82% respectively, the Guys score were 89.7%, 47.8%, 73.3%, 74.5% and 74.5% respectively and while the Bensson score were 88.6%, 35.3%, 75%, 58.5%, and 62.3% respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that Siriraj stroke score showed good sensitivity and fair overall accuracy for hemorrhagic stroke even if it had poor specificity.