Cholera: An Overview with Reference to the Syrian Outbreak.

Cholera is an acute type of diarrheal disease caused by intestinal infection with the toxin-producing bacteria Vibrio cholerae. The disease is still endemic in almost 69 countries, accounting for around 2.86 million cases and 95,000 deaths annually. Cholera is associated with poor infrastructure, and lack of access to sanitation and clean drinking water. The current cholera outbreak in Syria is associated with more than 10 years of conflict, which has devastated infrastructures and health services. There were 132,782 suspected cases reported between August 25, 2022 and May 20, 2023 in all 14 governorates, including 104 associated deaths. The recent earthquake in the region has complicated the situation, with an increase in cholera cases, and hindrance to a response to the disease. Climate change has driven a number of large cholera outbreaks around the world this year. The World Health Organization prequalifies three oral cholera vaccines. Cholera treatment mainly depends on rehydration, with the use of antibiotics in more severe infections. This review gives an overview of cholera bacteriology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and prevention in light of global climate change and the ongoing outbreak in Syria, which poses a significant public health threat that requires urgent attention.

Breast cancer awareness among women in the Syrian Coast: a cross-sectional study.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and represents a leading cause of cancer-related mortalities. Females' awareness toward breast cancer is essential for the early diagnosis and detection especially in low and middle-income countries. This study aims to assess the awareness of breast cancer risk factors among females in the Syrian Coast. Methodology: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Syrian females during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire used in the study was derived from the Cancer Research UK questionnaire and modified to fit the perspective of the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. The independent samples t-test and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to determine whether there is statistical evidence or any statistically significant differences between the variables. Results: A total of 1305 females participated in the study. The majority aged between 18 and 25, (28.8%) of the participants obtained their information related to breast cancer from internet, (36.7%) of were smokers and (82.8%) had a family member with breast cancer. These results suggested a significant correlation between smoking, family history of cancer, marital status, and breast cancer awareness. Conclusion: This study showed which factors are significantly related to women's awareness of breast cancer risk factors. These results can contribute in the implementation of awareness programs and campaigns, thus raising the level of awareness among women.

The outbreak of monkeypox 2022: An overview.

On May 6, 2022 an outbreak of monkeypox (MPX) was confirmed in the United Kingdom, originating from a British resident who had travelled to Nigeria. As of May 21, 2022, 92 cases have been confirmed worldwide, from 13 countries where monkeypox virus (MPXV) is not endemic. Reported cases thus far have mainly but not exclusively been identified among gay and bisexual men aged 20-50. MPXV is a viral zoonosis transmitted to humans via contacting or eating an infected animal, and direct connect with natural host's blood and body fluids. In addition to contacting with a patient's respiratory droplets, lesions, body fluids and polluted personal objects. Symptoms including shivers, headaches, fainting, backaches, and myodynia do not have any specific characteristics making it difficult to establish a proper diagnosis. Nevertheless, lymphatic hyperplasia, one of the most common symptoms of monkeypox, can be useful for diagnosing the disease. Clinical symptoms help establish the suspicion of monkeypox. However, in the absence of confirmed diagnostic tests it is very difficult to verify the disease and determine its cause based on clinical symptoms alone. There are numerous methods for detecting MPX, involving genetic, phenotypic, immunological methods, and electron microscopy. These tests require modern equipment and expert hands, which may not be available in developing countries where this disease is prevalent. Currently, there is no definite treatment for MPX. CDC recommends administering the smallpox vaccine within 4 days of exposure which may prevent the disease from happening, and within 2 weeks to reduce symptoms severity. To promptly identify patients and prevent further spreading, physicians should be aware of the travel or contact history of the patient with compatible symptoms.

Symptomatic H- type gallbladder in a male patient: A rare case report from Syria.

Introduction and importance: Double gallbladders are a rare anomaly occur in biliary system during the fetal life. In most cases they are asymptomatic, but in few patients, they can progress as a sever disease. Preoperative diagnose is essential in order to prevent surgery complexities and prevent the undesired complications. Case presentation: We described a typical case of symptomatic duplicate gallbladder in a 42-year-old man who suffered from chronic abdominal symptoms without determining the cause. The accessory gallbladder was discovered by imagining screening tools which included ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and was treated successfully with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, where both gallbladders were removed without any complications. Clinical discussion: Double gallbladder are rare abnormality occur in fetal life during the fifth and sixth weeks of pregnancy. In most cases they show zero symptoms and can be easily wandered off during typical preoperative screening. Therefor many diagnostic tools were developed to investigate this anomaly in order to prevent its unwanted outcomes and to help the surgeon in deciding the best surgical approach for each presenting case. Conclusion: In order to prevent complications during surgery, it is vital that we investigate the presence of a double gallbladder in a surgical patient before the procedure.

Recurrent giant fibroadenomas with transformation to cystosarcoma phyllodes in a 17-year-old girl: a rare case report from Syria.

BACKGROUND: Fibroadenoma is the most prevalent benign breast lesion that generally affects middle-aged women; it is rare in adolescents and younger children. The transformation into malignancy is not common. However, multiple recurrences of rapidly enlarging fibroadenomas suggest a high possibility of transforming into phyllodes tumors, which are uncommon fibroepithelial lesions that account for 0.3-0.5% of female breast tumors and typically present in premenopausal women. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 17-year-old Syrian girl who previously had three episodes of recurrence of multiple rapidly enlarging fibroadenomas in her left breast and underwent three operations for complete resection of the lesions. However, a few months later, she was readmitted with multiple large masses in the same breast, and pathological findings confirmed a surprising combination of multiple fibroadenomas for the fourth time with a malignant phyllodes tumor (cystosarcoma phyllodes). The patient underwent lumpectomies followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Long-term follow-up was recommended. CONCLUSION: Our patient had an extraordinary number of episodes of recurrence at a young age and a rare combination of malignant and benign lesions in the same breast with multiple recurrences. We present her unique, very challenging case with the aim of highlighting the importance of clinical correlation, detailed diagnosis, and careful follow-up.