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Biomedical subjects

H Afif

Publications and source records attributed to H Afif.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Latex allergy in a hospital setting. Results of a study in Casablanca].

On account of the increased use of rubber gloves, latex allergy is a current problem. The problem can present as anaphylaxis revealing its serious nature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sensitivity to latex in health personnel. We carried out an enquiry on the hospital staff in Casablanca (Hospital of the 20th of August, Childrens Hospital, the Dental Centre, the Bouafi Hospital and Sidi Otmane Hospital). This study involved 600 subjects; 408 women and 192 men. The population was composed of 273 nurses of either sex, 169 doctors and 104 care workers and 54 administrators. The study was carried out using an anonymous questionnaire and cutaneous prick tests looking for latex allergy and atopy. Thirty two subjects (5.3%) showed a positive prick test to latex. There were 19 nurses, nine doctors, two health workers and two administrators. A study of specific immunoglobulins to latex carried out in 15 cases was positive in four. In the population with a positive prick test an alimentary allergy was identified in nine cases. The prevalence of atopy in the subjects allergic to latex (81%) was greater than in the latex negative population (16%). After seeing the frequency of latex allergy in hospital personnel we believe that a replacement of other types of gloves (e.g. vinyl) would probably be preferable for all tasks where latex is not indispensable.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Meningococcal meningitis group A: a successful control of an outbreak by mass vaccination.

Jeddah is the main point of entry to the holy places in Saudi Arabia. An outbreak of meningococcal disease (MCD) occurred during the fasting lunar month for Muslims, Ramadan (March-April) of 1992. To assess the threat of local spread of MCD within Jeddah, the effects of previous and a mass vaccination programme against MCD during the outbreak, we reviewed the medical records of confirmed cases (CC) of MCD (defined as a bacteriologically confirmed case or a case diagnosed by latex test) and their vaccination status in the last five years before the outbreak. There were 41 CC of meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis (group A). The ratio of males to females was 4.1:1. Thirty two percent of the cases were religious visitors. About one fourth (22%) of the cases were Pakistani. More than half (57%) of the cases, who were residents of Jeddah, lived in the north-eastern part of the city, as did half of the Pakistani cases. The case-fatality rate among CC was 19.5%. Persons who visited the Makkah (Mecca) during Ramadan were more likely to get the disease than those who did not (odds ratio [OR] = 6.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-40.7). Unvaccinated persons were more likely to get the disease than those who were vaccinated against MCD (OR = 13.9; 95% CI 1.8-296). Meningococcal vaccine (MCV) against MCD was effective in preventing the disease. However, MCV was of no protective value if it had been administered more than five years before the outbreak. The reason mentioned most frequently for not being vaccinated by both cases (84%) and controls (57%) was lack of knowledge about the disease. Health education programmes should be strengthened and promoted. A good collaborative surveillance system between Jeddah and other holy cities, especially Makkah, is needed to abort outbreaks among religious visitors and to prevent the spread of MCD outbreaks.

Adolescent↗