Complete Blood Count Reference Ranges from a Rural Haitian Ambulatory Care Clinic.

BACKGROUND: At rural healthcare centers in developing countries, it is difficult to recruit healthy individuals for reference range studies. So, in this study, I evaluated complete blood count (CBC) data to determine reference ranges for a rural Haitian population. METHODS: A convenience sample of laboratory records was reviewed to obtain CBC results for 157 adult patients with normal screening examination results. Central 95% reference ranges were determined for male and female subjects. RESULTS: Relative to reference ranges obtained with United States (US)-based subjects, the hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ranges were lower in subjects who resided in rural Haiti. The upper reference limit of the red blood cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) was higher than the reference range for the US-based group. CONCLUSION: Locally derived CBC reference ranges were established using data from subjects who resided in rural Haiti. Ranges for Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, RDW-CV, and ANC differed from those established using data from US-based subjects.

Epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in rural Haitian men.

The study attempts to determine the prevalence of organisms associated with urethritis in men in rural southwestern Haiti and to determine the association with demographic, clinical and laboratory variables. A standardised verbal interview was conducted; genital examinations were done; urethral swabs were collected for nucleic acid amplification testing, and first void urine was obtained for urinalysis. The mean participant age was 54; 88.8% lived in a rural area. Swabs were positive for Trichomonas vaginalis in 13.7% (28/205), Mycoplasma genitalium in 6.3% (13/205), Chlamydia trachomatis in 4.4% (9/205) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 0% (0/205). Subjects who never reported using condoms were nearly 3.5 times more likely to have any positive swab result (OR: 3.46, 95% CI 1.31-9.14). Subjects who reported their partners had other sexual partners or were unsure were more than three times likely to have any positive swab result (OR: 3.44, 95% CI 1.33-8.92). Infections with Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma genitalium were the most common.

Epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in rural southwestern Haiti: the Grand'Anse Women's Health Study.

The study attempts to define socioeconomic, clinical, and laboratory correlates in vaginitis and other sexually transmitted infections in rural southwestern Haiti. A convenience sample of subjects recruited from a rural women's health clinic and attending an established clinic at the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF) clinic was studied. A standardized history and physical examination, including speculum examination, and collection of blood, urine, and vaginal swabs were obtained from the women at the rural clinic. Additional vaginal swab samples only for Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) testing were obtained from women at the HHF clinic in Jérémie. Laboratory results from Leon subjects were positive for Gardnerella vaginalis in 41% (41 of 100), Trichomonas vaginalis in 13.5% (14 of 104), Candida sp. in 9% (9 of 100), Mycoplasma genitalium in 6.7% (7 of 104), Chlamydia trachomatis in 1.9% (2 of 104), and Neisseria gonorrhea in 1% (1 of 104) of patients. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody tests were negative in 100% (103 of 103) of patients, and syphilis antibody testing was positive for treponemal antibodies in 7.7% (8 of 104) patients. For subjects from the HHF, 19.9% were positive for T. vaginalis, 11.9% were positive for C. trachomatis, 10.1% were positive for M. genitalium, and 4.1% were positive for N. gonorrhea. Infections with G. vaginalis, T. vaginalis, and Candida were the most common. N. gonorrhea, C. trachomatis, Candida sp., T. vaginalis, and M. genitalium infections were associated with younger age (less than 31 years old).