ABSTRACT: The Island of Mauritius was affected by a large scale epidemic outbreak of Chikungunya Fever (CHIKF) from February to April 2006. It was observed that this epidemic was associated with an excess mortality during the months of March to May 2006 in Mauritius. This study was aimed to analyze the gender and age group distribution of the excess mortality. Population and mortality data were obtained from the Mauritius Central Statistics Office for the years 2000 to 2006. The excess monthly mortality was computed for 2006 and the distribution of excess mortality according to gender and age groups was analyzed. For both genders combined, the excess mortality was 91.5 % in the age group ≥50 years. For the ≥ 50-year age group, the total male excess death rate (EDR) exceeded the total female EDR by 66%. Our results indicate that CHIKF is associated with an increased mortality particularly in the ≥ 50-year age group with males being more vulnerable than females to mortality. Although there have been reports of CHIKF related deaths in other studies, the profile of the excess mortality during a CHIKF outbreak has not been previously described.

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Resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from HIV and Non-HIV patients with lower respiratory tract infections

This is a digitized copy derived from an ACM copyrighted work. It is not guaranteed to be an accurate copy of the author's original work. This paper develops Brinch-Hansen's concept of a monitor as a method of structuring an operating system. It introduces a form of synchronization

ABSTRACT: Chikungunya fever, an emerging mosquito-borne viral disease, has affected Mauritius with two recent outbreaks in 2005 and 2006 respectively. A study was carried out in 2007 to describe the clinical complications post-Chikungunya infection. Ethical clearance was obtained for this study. Data collection was carried out in February and March 2007 on a sample of people who had suffered from Chikungunya fever by means of a comprehensive questionnaire. Participants comprised 77 people; there were 41 males and 36 females. Participants ranged from 6 to 69 years. 70 participants experienced persisting joint pains for at least 6 months following the acute phase. Of these, 35 had residual joint complaints after 6 months. 44 participants suffered from psychological sequelae. 10 participants had dermatological sequelae, 6 had iatrogenic complications due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastritis, and 3 participants with serologically confirmed Chikungunya fever had neurological manifestations and changes on CT/MRI which could correspond to demyelination. Statistical

Does the clinical profile of Gujarati patients with Takayasu’s aortoarteritis differ from other Indians?

Pérdida de la actividad antibacteriana de quinolonas por efecto de la radiación UVA UVA-induced loss of quinolone antibacterial activity

Clinical implications of ST segment time-course recovery patterns during the exercise stress test

ABSTRACT: Hypertension is now being widely reported in Africa and it is a major factor in the high mortality of adults in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately hypertension is often unnoticed and undiagnosed because it is usually asymptomatic. As such, many people with hypertension are unaware of their condition. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension and related risk factors and to assess the level of awareness of hypertensive status among the health workers. This study is a descriptive survey carried out among the health workers at the Baptist Medical Centre Ogbomoso, Nigeria. A total of 324 consenting health workers of the institution were enrolled for the study. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data. Measurements of blood pressure, weight and height were carried out and body mass indices were calculated.The prevalence of hypertension is 20.1 % in the studied population. A strong association was found between the prevalence of hypertension and increasing age, body mass index, alcohol consumption and duration of employment. Awareness of hypertensive status was good as 64.7 % of the hypertensive subjects in this study were aware of their status.There is a higher awareness of hypertensive status among the health workers in this

ABSTRACT: Although blood transfusion is a life-saving maneuver, it is associated with certain risks. In general, transfusion-related adverse events are categorized as infectious and noninfectious. Transfusion-transmissible infectious agents such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis are among the greatest threats to blood safety for the recipient. To assess the magnitude and dynamics of disease transmission and for its prevention and control, the study of its seroprevalence is important. Our institute, catering to the needs of a large population in the foothills of the Himalayas, represents an important center for serological surveys. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections among blood donors in a tertiary care center of this region. A retrospective analysis of medical records of blood donors who met the standard criteria for donor fitness were screened for HIV, HBS, HCV, Syphilis and Malaria, from January 2007 to December 2011 (5 years). Out of 7884 units collected, 83 (1.05%) units had seropositivity for HBsAg/anti-HCV Ab/anti-HIV Ab/anti-Treponemal Ab, 2 units each revealed dual infections with HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV. Seropositivity rates of HBsAg, anti-HCV Ab, anti-HIV Ab and anti-treponemal Ab were 0.63%, 0.20%, 0.19 % and 0.02%, respectively. Even with the implementation of effective preventive strategies, there is significant risk of transmission of infectious agents in India. Efforts to ensure an adequate and safe blood supply should include proper screening and striving for optimal use of blood and its products.