Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards the flu (influenza) vaccine and Covid-19 vaccines amongst university staff and university students in Trinidad and Tobago

• Vaccines prevent and control public health outbreaks through creating antibodies . • As of July 3rd, 2021, 105,586 persons were vaccinated with two doses. • Available vaccines at the time, were AstraZeneca (viral vector) and Sinopharm (inactivated vaccines). • The Covid-19 vaccine must be utilized for herd immunity to occur to prevent strains in the health system in Trinidad and Tobago.

Efficacy of levofloxacin loaded non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model in Sprague Dawley rats

Objective: To determine the efficacy of levofloxacin loaded niosomes in treating Sprague Dawley rats infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). Design and Methodology: Three groups of six (6) animals were infected with a known dose of the pathogen i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa via the intraperitoneal (ip) route. At six (6) hours post infection the infected animals were treated with drug free niosomes (control), free levofloxacin (conventional) and levofloxacin trapped in niosomes (ip). Blood was collected via tail snips at days 0,1,3,5,7 and 10 for complete blood counts and viable bacterial counts by colony forming units (CFU/µl). At day 10 the animals were sacrificed and samples from the kidney, liver and spleen were examined for bacterial counts. Results: All animals in the control group succumbed to the infection; one animal from the conventional group died. All niosome treated animals survived. The mean lymphocyte count (X109) was lower for the niosome (7.258±1.773) versus conventional (17.684±10.008) (p<0.03) treated groups at day ten (10). Neutrophil counts (X109) were lower for the niosome (2.563±1.609) versus conventional (6.2±6.548) p<0.02) treated groups. The CFUs in the bloodstream were similar for both treatment groups; the niosome treated group showed greater reduction in liver, kidney and spleen CFUs versus the conventional group (1.33±2.074) vs (5.8± 3.74) (p< 0.043), (1.5±2.35) vs (9.6±8.65) (p< 0.038) and (3.8 4.71) vs (25.6 14.66) (p<0.007) respectively. Conclusions: Further work is recommended on niosomes as a drug delivery system to treat intracellular infections.

Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head associated with pregnancy; a case report.

A documented case of beginning aseptic necrosis of the femoral head associated with pregnancy together with a review of the literature about this rare complication of pregnancy is presented. The patient complained of increasing pain in the right hip and limitation of movement of the affected joint. After delivery, the diagnosis of beginning avascular necrosis of the right femoral head was confirmed on X-ray, technetium-99 bone scan and CT-scan of the hips. Three weeks after delivery the patient was treated with drilling of the femoral head. Recovery was complete.

Ectopic pregnancies due to contralateral fistulas after sterilization by electrocoagulation; case reports.

Three cases of post-sterilization tubal pregnancy are discussed. The sterilizations were performed by bipolar electrocoagulation. The location of the pregnancy was distal to the site of sterilization. There was no continuity between the segment containing the ectopic pregnancy and the uterus. Spermatozoa reached the site of fertilization via a tuboperitoneal fistula. The existence of the fistulas was confirmed by a methylene blue test. In two cases fistulas existed on the contralateral side to the ectopic pregnancy. In the third case, bilateral fistulas were found. So, on performing a salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy after sterilization failure, we have to be aware of contralateral fistulas. Also good understanding of the mechanism of extra-uterine pregnancy secondary to transperitoneal migration of spermatozoa is important when doing conservative tubal surgery.

PIP: 3 cases of poststerilization tubal pregnancy are discussed. THese were performed by bipolar electrocoagulation. The location of the pregnancy was distal to the sterilization site and there was no continuity between the segment containing the ectopic pregnancy and the uterus. Spermatozoa reached the fertilization site via a tuboperitoneal fistula. The existence of the fistulas was confirmed by a methylene blue test. In 2 cases, fistulas existed on the contralateral side to the ectopic pregnancy. In the 3rd case, bilateral fistulas were found. Clearly it is necessary to be aware of contralateral fistulas when performing a salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy after sterilization failure. It is also necessary to have a good understanding of the mechanism of extrauterine pregnancy secondary to transperitoneal migration of spermatozoa when performing conservative tubal surgery.