Efficacy comparison between anti-malarial drugs in Africans presenting with mild malaria in the Central Republic of Africa: a preliminary study.

Drug resistance to Plasmodium falciparum contributes to major health problems in central Africa and, as a consequence, poverty. We have analyzed the efficacy of three currently available antimalarial drugs to treat symptomatic, uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in semi-immune adults living in Bangui, Central Republic of Africa. 210 consecutive individuals were enrolled in the survey, of which 45 were excluded. Those having received dihydroartemisin proved significantly less parasitemic than those having received quinine per os or sulfadoxin-pyrimethamin (chi2 = 16.93; p < 0.05), and 75% recovered in two days compared to 57 and 44%, respectively. The 25% who did not recover benefited from a second cure with dihydroartemisin, which proved 100% efficient. The most accurate protocol remains to be established by analyzing clinical and parasitological data and taking into account the economics of the country.

[Difficulties in the management of supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children living in Central African Republic]. / Difficultes dans la prise en charge des fractures supracondyliennes de l'humerus de l'enfant en Centrafrique.

Like many developing countries, the Central African Republic lacks the technology and skills to perform certain medical procedures. One example of this situation can be found in the Pediatric Surgery Department of Bangui with regard to first intention management of supracondylar fractures of the humerus (SCF). Due to a lack of proper technological facilities (e.g. absence of brightness enhancement) and to insufficient staff training, management of SCF must be limited to orthopedic reduction followed cast application and brachio-anti-brachio-palmar traction such problems. This retrospective study describes management of 119 cases of SCF involving children between the ages of 0 and 15 years. Special emphasis was placed on factors impairing outcome, namely, inadequate staff training, availability of brightness enhancement, and poor awareness on the part of the parents concerning the seriousness of SCF. The quality of reduction was compared according to whether reduction was done with or without brightness enhancement (reduction without brightness enhancement was imperfect in most cases: 78/119) and according to fracture grade (high number of imperfect reductions in grade 3 and 4:69%). Assessment of outcome at one month showed a high incidence of poor results due to severe fracture or imperfect reduction. A prospective study including 35 cases with a follow-up of three years showed poor results for the same reasons. Comparison of these results with those reported by previous authors showed a large gap which must be filled by upgrading technical facilities and training staff.