South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is caused by hantavirus infection. Hantaviruses are not endemic to South Africa, and we report the first detection of an imported case of HFRS in the country. ⋯ The patient reported visiting rurally located horse stables in Croatia before falling ill, and that a worker in the stables with similar illness was diagnosed with HFRS. Given the exposure history and clinical findings of the case, a clinical diagnosis of HFRS was made and confirmed by laboratory testing.
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The case involving Dr Tim De Maayer in Gauteng Province, South Africa (SA), raises the question whether there is a legal and ethical duty on public sector doctors whose complaints to hospital administrators have been ignored, to inform the public about harm to child patients due to intentional maladministration, negligence or indifference by the local and provincial authorities. An analysis of the SA Constitution, the National Health Act No. 61 of 2003, the Children's Act No. 38 of 2005, the Health Professions Act No. 56 of 1974 and the Rules and Guidelines of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) established in terms of the Health Professions Act indicates that Dr De Maayer acted both legally and ethically to protect the child patients at Rahima Moosa Hospital. ⋯ The irony is that the officials who sought to discipline him were themselves guilty of violating the Constitution, the National Health Act and the Children's Act, and should be disciplined. Furthermore, if they are registered with the HPCSA, they should be reported and disciplined for violating the HPCSA's Ethical Rules of Conduct and its Ethical Guidelines on good practice.
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The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) has become a serious and significant public health threat worldwide, owing to the limited antimicrobial therapy options, and the elevated mortality rates associated with these infections. ⋯ The epidemiology of CRE bloodstream infections remained similar compared with the previous surveillance report. Most infections were HA and caused by OXA-48-like carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae with no plasmid-mediated colistin resistance. Standard infection control measures should be strengthened.
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Cases of baby swapping in South Africa (SA) are very rare. In 1996 the first of these cases, Clinton-Parker v Administrator, Transvaal; Dawkins v Administrator, Transvaal, appeared before our courts. The parties in that instance decided to keep the babies who had been erroneously given to them, but the plaintiffs were awarded compensation for the emotional shock and injury they endured as the result of the defendant's negligence. ⋯ A number of questions are pertinent here, and will guide the discussion in this article. Is it as simple as both of the 'psychological' parents returning the babies to their natural parents? Do the parents have a claim against the hospital staff? Unfortunately there is not a wealth of legal precedent to assist the SA courts in this regard. The article explores the jurisprudence that speaks to baby swapping, in an attempt to provide clarity and assistance in resolving these difficult cases.