African health sciences
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African health sciences · Jun 2012
ReviewEpilepsy treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: closing the gap.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of epilepsy is highest in low- and lower middle-income countries, which include over eighty percent of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of people with epilepsy are not receiving appropriate care. In sub-Saharan Africa, shortages of trained health workers, limited diagnostic equipment, inadequate anti-epileptic drug supplies, cultural beliefs, and social stigma contribute to the large treatment gap for epilepsy. The number of people with epilepsy, particularly children, will continue to rise as a result of projected epidemiologic and demographic changes. This paper examines the state of epilepsy care and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa and discusses priorities and approaches to scale up access to medications and services for people with epilepsy.
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African health sciences · Jun 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of vitamin A adjunct therapy for cerebral malaria in children admitted to Mulago hospital: a randomized controlled trial.
Malaria is a leading cause of mortality in Uganda accounting for 25% of deaths among children. Hitherto no adjunct therapy has been identified to improve outcome of cerebral malaria. Retinol suppresses growth of P.falciparum, scavenges free radicals, and exhibits synergistic action with quinine in parasite clearance. ⋯ Vitamin A as adjunct therapy did not significantly reduce coma duration but there were fewer deaths in the vitamin A arm.
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African health sciences · Jun 2012
Causes of visual disability among Central Africans with diabetes mellitus.
Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) remains a common and one of the major causes of blindness in the developed and western societies. The same situation is shown in emerging economic areas (5,6). In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) however, the issues of visual disability due to diabetes mellitus (DM) are overshadowed by the presence of the prevalent and common nutritional deficiency diseases and eye infections ⋯ The risk of visual disability is 4 times higher in patients with diabetic retinopathy and 2 times higher in females with DM. Therefore, to prevent further increase of visual disability, the Congolese Ministry of Health should prioritize the eye care in patients with DM.
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African health sciences · Jun 2012
Prevalence and risk factors of erectile dysfunction in Niger delta region, Nigeria.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is one of the major social problems causing significant distress in men. Despite the increasing difficulty in management, knowledge, and understanding of factors responsible for its development are important for prevention and care. ⋯ ED is a common problem among men in Niger Delta region. Therefore, efforts must be made to reduce the incidence by dealing with the factors responsible for its development.
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African health sciences · Jun 2012
Case ReportsChallenges in diagnosis and management of Cryptococcal immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in resource limited settings.
In many resource-limited settings, cryptococcal meningitis (CM) contributes up to 20% of all deaths with further complications due to Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS). We present a case report on a patient who developed CM-IRIS and then subsequent CM-relapse with a fluconazole-resistant organism and then later CM-IRIS once again, manifesting as cystic cryptococcomas, hydrocephalus, and sterile CSF. ⋯ The management of IRIS with corticosteroids may increase the risk of culture positive CM-relapse which may further increase the risk of recurrent IRIS and resulting complications including death. We also highlight the role of imaging and fluconazole resistance testing in patients with recurrent meningitis and the importance of CSF cultures in guiding treatment decisions.