The microbiology of disease in children in Nassau, Bahamas - abstract

This study shows the micro-organisms commonly associated with disease in children in Nassau during the 2-year period October, 1969 to September, 1971. 13,203 specimens from children up to 12 years of age were investigated and isolates were made in 6,420 (48.4 percent). Infection and parasitic infestation of the intestine accounted for the majority of the pathogens isolated. 7,427 stool specimens were examined and helminths were found in 59.2 percent. Trichiuris was present in 71.5 percent of these while Ascaris accounted for most of the rest. There was only one case of hookworm. 18.9 percent of the stool specimens contained protozoa with Giardia lamblia being the commonest. Pathogenic E. coli and salmonella were isolated frequently from children with diarrhoea. 2,416 urine specimens were examined and there were positive cultures in 41.7 percent. 55.8 percent of the cultures were from urines with pus cells and 44.2 percent were from urines without. The commonest organisms were E. coli and Klebsiella. 928 throat swabs were examined and there were isolates in 51.8 percent. The commonest organism was beta-haemolytic streptococcus. There was only one case of diphtheria. 849 specimens of CSF were investigated and isolates were made in 8.7 percent. H. influenza was the commonest organism. Coagulase positive staphylocci were the commonest organisms from boils, abscesses, wounds, vaginal and urethral infections. There were 17 isolates were made from 368 blood cultures with Salmonella heidelberg being the commonest organism. There were only 8 cases of typhoid fever. 284 conjunctival swabs were examined and the organism most frequently isolated were N. gonorrhoea and coagulase positive staphylococci. No viral studies were done during this period (AU)

The microbiology of diseases in Jamaican children

The pattern of microbial diseases in Jamaican children is reviewed on the basis of specimens received at the Microbiology Department of the University of the West Indies. Data of infant morbidity and mortality in Jamaica in previous years leads one to speculate that suitable immunizations may have prevented much of this illness. Enteric organisms of the Salmonella, Shigella and Pathogenic Bacterium coli groups were frequently isolated from children with diarrhoea who were under two years of age. Typhoid fever was comparatively rare. Hemophilus infleunza type b still remains the commonest cause of bacterial meningitis. Corynebacterium diphtheria gravis has replaced the intermedius type as the species prevalent in nosapharyngeal diphtheria. Eleven viruses were isolated from one hundred and three specimens received from children. These were identical as poliomyelitis virus in seven cases, herpes simplex virus in two, coxsackie virus in one and chicken pox virus in another. In a study of gastroenteritis, twenty-two of forty-five pools of six rectal swabs each, showed cytopathological changes in human thyroid while thirteen control pools proved to be negative. The predominant parasites found in children were Ascaris, Trichuris, Hookworm and Giardia lambia. The incidence was significantly higher in rural areas (AU)

Vesiculo-bullous eruptions due to virus infection as seen in Jamaica

The object of this project was to present cases of vesiculo-bullous eruptions due to virus infection as seen in Jamaica, and to outline laboratory procedures in diagnosis especially in relation to isolation in human thyroid tissue culture and differential diagnosis based on egg and animal inoculations and serological techniques. Previously, diagnoses were mainly based on clinical and epidemiological observations due to a lack of virus diagnostic facilities. This paper presented the nature of the aetiological agents as proven by isolation and identification: unusual manifestations of such viral agents, and the utilisation of a common system for isolation and relatively simple procedures for identification. Cases studied included Eczema vaccinatum due to vaccinia and to herpes simplex, vesiculo bullous eruptions on the lips, buccal mucosa, tongue and anterior fauces due to herpes simplex, herpes genitalis in adult males, uveitis and conjunctivitis as sequelae of severe herpes stomatitis, epidemic and sporadic cases of varicella, fatal case of varicella in an adult male, herpes zoster involving the opthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve, T4 and T5 on chest and dorsum and sacral plexus, auto-inoculation of arm and vulva with vaccinia in infant (AU)

The microbiology of infections in Jamaican children

The principal causes of illness and death of microbial origin in Jamaican children were presented. The main aetiological agents responsible for the disease were analysed. It was noted that gastro-intestinal infections were mainly caused by shigella, salmonella, Bact. Coli organisms and that H. Influenza type b, accounted for the majority of cases of bacterial meningitis. Syphilis was found and infections due to kremastos and icterohaemorrhagiae had been found and since 1960 the Gravis type of diphtheria had superseded the intermedius. A detailed discussion of viral and parasitic infections was presented (AU)

Leptospira kremastos infection in Jamaica, West Indies

The first clinical case of L. Kremastos infection to be diagnosed in Jamaica and the first Leptospira isolated since our first proven case was found at autopsy in 1953 is reported. Since that time many clinical cases of leptospirosis have been diagnosed at the University College Hospital of the West Indies. The only other Leptospira serotype isolated has been L. icterohaemorrhagie. This case shows a serological titre by agglutination-lysis test after 3 years. Complement fixation tests were at first negative then positive in isolated in Jamaica and because the sero-type of Leptospira (Kremastos) is low titres and soon after again negative. This case and other L. Kremastos infections seen here have been severe, some of them fatal. Further work on the epidemiology of leptospirosis in Jamaica is being carried out (AU)