The Pan African medical journal
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Streptococcus constellatus is a microorganism that lives commensally in the oropharyngeal region, urogenital region, and intestinal tract. However, it can cause infection in patients with certain predisposing factors. Rarely, this microorganism can cause a brain abscess. ⋯ Brain abscess caused by streptococcus constellatus are very rarely been reported in the literature. We present a rare case of a left-sided thalamic abscess caused by streptococcus constellatus in a 25-year-old male patient who was injured by shrapnel pieces in the head and who was malnourished. The patient was successfully treated by stereotactic aspiration and antibiotherapy.
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Severe chronic hepatic schistosomiasis is a common cause of episodes upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there is paucity of data on clinical epidemiology of episodes of UGIB from rural Africa despite on going public health interventions to control and eliminate schistosomiasis. ⋯ Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common health problem in this part of rural SSA where schistosomiasis is endemic. The clinical profile described is unique and is important for improved case management, and for future research.
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Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in children is a severe form of tuberculosis, which remains a major health problem especially in developing countries. We report the case of two children treated, during our training, for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and put on second-line regimen.
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Despite some improvement in provision of safe drinking water, proper sanitation and hygiene promotion, cholera still remains a major public health problem in Malawi with outbreaks occurring almost every year since 1998. In response to 2014/2015 cholera outbreak, ministry of health and partners made a decision to assess the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a mass oral cholera vaccine (OCV) as an additional public health measure. This paper highlights the burden of the 2014/15 cholera outbreak, successes and challenges of OCV campaign conducted in March and April 2015. ⋯ This documentation has demonstrated that it was feasible, acceptable by the community to conduct a large-scale mass OCV campaign in Malawi within five weeks. Of 320,000 OCV doses received, Malawi managed to administer at least 294,221 (91.9%) of the doses. OCV could therefore be considered to be introduced as additional measure in cholera hot spot areas in Malawi.
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Hepatitis A virus can manifest with severe and unusual neurological attack. We report the case of a 59-year old man with balance disorder associated with lower limb paresthesias and sphincter disorders. ⋯ Despite high-dose corticosteroid therapy, only partial recovery was seen. A systematic etiologic search for infection caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV) should be performed in every patient with acute myelitis even in the absence of clinical or biological signs suggestive of hepatitis, especially in endemic countries where vaccine prophylaxis is lacking.