International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2017
ReviewUltrasound for patients in a high HIV/tuberculosis prevalence setting: a needs assessment and review of focused applications for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ultrasound is increasingly used in point-of-care applications and has great potential to support the diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially in resource-limited settings. A cross-sectional study was performed involving 100 Malawian patients with a clinical indication for ultrasound. Furthermore, the literature on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in Sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed to establish its applicability, most frequent indications, findings, and implications for treatment, and therefore relevance in POCUS curricula, with a main focus on infectious diseases. ⋯ POCUS led to a change in treatment in 72% of patients. The literature on the various POCUS applications used in Malawi was reviewed, including focused assessment with sonography for HIV-associated TB (FASH), heart, liver, kidney, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and gynaecology. Based on disease prevalence, impact of POCUS on treatment, and technical difficulty, it is proposed that FASH, heart, and DVT are the most relevant POCUS applications in comparable Sub-Saharan African settings and should be incorporated in POCUS curricula.
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Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from a sentinel rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. In Asia, the virus was isolated in Malaysia from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in 1966, and the first human infections were reported in 1977 in Central Java, Indonesia. In this review, all reported cases of ZIKV infection in Asia as of September 1, 2016 are summarized and some of the hypotheses that could currently explain the apparently low incidence of Zika cases in Asia are explored.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Aug 2016
Review Meta AnalysisPrevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with pneumonia in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To estimate the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in mainland China. ⋯ P. aeruginosa was highly prevalent among patients with VAP and HAP in mainland China. The initial empirical treatment of these patients remains challenging because of the strikingly high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Aug 2016
Review Meta AnalysisPrevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with pneumonia in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To estimate the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in mainland China. ⋯ P. aeruginosa was highly prevalent among patients with VAP and HAP in mainland China. The initial empirical treatment of these patients remains challenging because of the strikingly high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jun 2016
ReviewPrevention of meningococcal disease during the Hajj and Umrah mass gatherings: past and current measures and future prospects.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has a long history of instituting preventative measures against meningococcal disease (MD). KSA is at risk of outbreaks of MD due to its geographic location, demography, and especially because it hosts the annual Hajj and Umrah mass gatherings. Preventative measures for Hajj and Umrah include vaccination, targeted chemoprophylaxis, health awareness and educational campaigns, as well as an active disease surveillance and response system. ⋯ Additionally, the surveillance system will continue to be strengthened to ensure early detection and response to cases and outbreaks; ongoing disease awareness campaigns for pilgrims will continue, as will chemoprophylaxis for target groups. Local and worldwide surveillance of the disease and drug-resistant N. meningitidis are crucial in informing future recommendations for vaccination, chemoprophylaxis, and treatment. Preventative measures should be reviewed regularly and updated accordingly, and compliance with these measures should be monitored and enhanced to prevent MD during Hajj and Umrah, as well as local and international outbreaks.