RESUMO
Syncope is a commonly encountered symptom that accounts for up to 3% of all emergency department visits in the United States [1]. The differential diagnosis for patients presenting with syncope is often broad and can involve multiple distinct organ systems. This case details the hospital course of an 83-year-old male with a complicated past medical history who initially presented for syncope. Following an extensive work up it was eventually elicited that this patient had an unusual etiology of syncope, a 19 cm x 24 cm renal cyst that was compressing the inferior vena cava (IVC).
RESUMO
Improvements of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and appropriate health-seeking behavior are necessary for achieving sustained control, elimination, or eradication of many neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Indeed, the global strategies to fight NTDs include provision of WASH, but few programs have specific WASH targets and approaches. Collaboration between disease control programs and stakeholders in WASH is a critical next step. A group of stakeholders from the NTD control, child health, and WASH sectors convened in late 2012 to discuss opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration. The group agreed on a common vision, namely "Disease-free communities that have adequate and equitable access to water and sanitation, and that practice good hygiene." Four key areas of collaboration were identified, including (i) advocacy, policy, and communication; (ii) capacity building and training; (iii) mapping, data collection, and monitoring; and (iv) research. We discuss strategic opportunities and ways forward for enhanced collaboration between the WASH and the NTD sectors.