The Pan African medical journal
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WHO classifies Kenya as having a high maternal mortality. Regional data on maternal mortality trends is only available in selected areas. This study reviewed health facility maternal mortality trends, causes and distribution in Central Region of Kenya, 2008-2012. ⋯ The region recorded an unsteady declining trend. Direct causes contributed to the majority deaths including hemorrhage, infection and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. We recommend health education on individualized birth plan and mentorship on emergency obstetric care. Further studies are necessary to clarify and expand the findings of this study.
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Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare disease. It especially affects young adults. The onset is usually sudden, involving chest pain, subcutaneous emphysema and dyspnea. ⋯ The patient presented with acute respiratory failure associated with retrosternal chest pain. Chest X-ray confirmed the diagnosis of pneumomediastinum. The patient evolved favorably within 4 days after exsufflation, oxygen therapy and conventional medical treatment.
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Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease that is usually complicated by visceral vascular malformations. Patients harboring such malformations are at increased risk of brain abscess formation, which despite advances in diagnostic and surgical methods remains a life threatening medical emergency with high mortality and morbidity rates. In the present report we describe a case of cerebral abscess due to silent pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in a young patient previously undiagnosed for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia syndrome (HHT).
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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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Case Reports
Household exposure and animal-bite surveillance following human rabies detection in Southern Ghana.
Rabies remains a neglected tropical zoonotic disease with 100% case fatality rate and estimated 6,000 global mortality annually, and yet vaccine preventable. In Ghana, rabies outbreaks receive poor response. We investigated rabies in a 5-year old boy to find the source of infection, identify exposed persons for post-exposure prophylaxis and describe animal-bite surveillance in Manya-Krobo District of Ghana. ⋯ Rabies remains a public health burden inGhana with domestic dog as reservoir of the virus and females more vulnerable to secondary exposures. Health education on rabies should be intensified, and robust animal-bite surveillance system put in place.