ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:The Chikungunya (CHIK) virus was recently reported by the CDC to have spread to the United States. We report an early documented case of CHIK from the state of Pennsylvania after a patient recently returned from Haiti in June of 2014. METHODS:A 39-year-old man presented to the emergency department complaining of fever, fatigue, polyarthralgias and a diffuse rash for two days. Four days before, he returned from a mission trip to Haiti and reported that four of his accompanying friends had also become ill. A CHIK antibody titer was obtained and it was found to be positive. During his hospital stay, he responded well to supportive care, including anti-inflammatories, intravenous hydration and anti-emetics. RESULTS:His condition improved within two days and he was ultimately discharged home. CONCLUSIONS:Manifestations of CHIK can be similar to Dengue fever, which is transmitted by the same species of mosquito, and occasionally as a co-infection. Clinicians should include Chikungunya virus in their differential diagnosis of patients who present with fever, polyarthralgia and rash with a recent history of travel to endemic areas, including those within the United States.
ABSTRACT
Giardia intestinalis is an intestinal parasite widely prevalent in children attending daycare centres worldwide and has been associated with undernutrition. Stool samples from 48 Guatemalan children (aged 1.5-7 years) attending participating daycare centres were analyzed over five weeks for presence of Giardia intestinalis using light microscopy, ELISA, and rapid dipstick test. Giardia prevalence rates were 43.7% at Week 0 and 44.7% at Week 4, based on ELISA. Intensity, but not prevalence, of infection showed a trend toward decreased weight-for-age (1-tailed p=0.08). We believe that ELISA analysis of stool samples may be further adapted for measuring the intensity of infection in humans.
ABSTRACT
Oral infections are a source of bacteremic organisms that can infect damaged heart valves causing bacterial endocarditis and other forms of cardiovascular disease including stroke. This review discusses the relationship of oral infections, bacterial endocarditis and coronary artery disease, especially periodontal disease, while suggesting guidelines for best practice clinical management
Subject(s)
Humans , Periodontal Diseases/complications , Periodontal Diseases/pathology , Endocarditis, Bacterial/etiology , Risk Factors , Review Literature as TopicABSTRACT
All attendances at the Emergency Department of King Fahad Hospital, Riyadh, over a 28-day period were studied and categorized on the basis of the urgency of the presenting problems. More than 90% of attenders were classified as non-urgent. Characteristics of attenders, their problems, and the outcome of attendance are described. The findings are used to explore appropriate use of emergency and primary care services and to indicate the need for further studies in this field
Subject(s)
Health Services MisuseABSTRACT
This study of obesity with hyperlipidaemia was conducted in 124 patients on the out-patient [OP] clinic of the Administration of Food and Nutrition Department for a six month period in 1987. Fifty percent of all patients had excess body weight [Wt] between 20 - 49% above their standard body Wt and the rest had even more than that. In addition, all the patients had elevated serum cholesterol [CHL] of over 6.2 mmol/L. The occurrence of obesity was observed in both sexes from as early as 20 years of age, and a similar observation was made concerning the occurrence of CHL. The occurrence of high risk coronary heart diseases due to elevated lipids was also observed equally from the same age. The dietary habits were of high calorie intake and particularly of high cholesterol containing foods. The calorie intake was as high as 6900 calories with about 53% of fats and 4900 mg of cholesterol. Dietary intervention not only achieved the expected weight loss of one kg per week, but also corrected the abnormal biochemical values of CHL, low density lipoprotein-CHL, high density lipoprotein-CHL and Triglycerides without the intervention of drug therapy. Further research on attributed risk related to different lipid variables and establishment of a Lipid Clinic are recommended