Life-threatening complication: the development of necrotising fasciitis in a preterm neonate with omphalitis.

Omphalitis is a mild medical condition that can turn severe in exceptional situations leading to necrotising fasciitis. The most common cause of omphalitis is umbilical vein catheterisation (UVC) where the cleanliness measures can be compromised. The treatment options for omphalitis include antibiotics, debridement and supportive care. Sadly, the fatality rate in such cases is high. This report is about a premature female baby who was admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit after her birth at 34 weeks of gestation. UVC was performed on her which led to abnormal changes in the skin around her umbilicus. Further tests revealed that she had omphalitis and was treated with antibiotics and supportive care. Unfortunately, her condition quickly worsened and she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis which ultimately resulted in her death. This report provides details about the patient's symptoms, course of illness and treatment for necrotising fasciitis.

Knowledge and perceptions about the health effects of environmental hazards among students from Hamdard University, Karachi: A cross sectional study.

Environmental hazards increase the health morbidity and mortality burden. This study compared the knowledge and perceptions about the health effects of environmental hazards among medical and engineering students of Hamdard University Karachi. A total of 263 (44.1%) engineering students, and 333 (55.9%) medical students participated in the study. Cumulatively, the three most commonly identified environmental hazards included tobacco smoking 561 (94.1%), global climate change 518 (86.9%), and solar ultraviolet radiation 511 (85.7%). The study results suggest the need for better quantifying the magnitude of understanding environmental hazards, and for health education and promotion programmes at the graduate level for medical and engineering students in Karachi.