Biomedical subjects

I Kleinschmidt

Publications and source records attributed to I Kleinschmidt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

An epidemiological perspective of substance use among high school pupils in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate prevalence and the factors influencing substance use among rural high school pupils in KwaZulu-Natal in order to develop and implement intervention programmes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Twenty-eight high schools in southern KwaZulu-Natal. SUBJECTS: One thousand three hundred and eighteen grade 10 pupils. OUTCOME MEASURES: An anonymous self-reporting questionnaire was used to investigate the use of alcohol, tobacco (cigarettes), cannabis and solvents. RESULTS: Of the male scholars, 52.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 45.4-60.3) reported ever using alcohol, 16.9% (CI: 11.5-24.0) reported using cannabis, and 13.1% (CI: 7.2-22.5) had smoked more than one cigarette daily. Among male pupils 45.5% (CI: 38.6-52.6) had inhaled benzine and 34.6% (CI: 28.0-41.8), thinners; 7.4% (CI: 3.4-15.2) had used cocaine and 4.1% (CI: 1.0-10.6), crack. Female pupils reported significantly less use of alcohol (25.5%, CI: 17.6-35.3), cannabis (2.3%, CI: 1.3-4.1), cigarettes (more than one daily) (2.0%, CI: 1.0-4.1), and inhalation of benzine (18.8%, CI: 13.8-25.2) and thinners (10.8%, CI: 7.2-16). Logistical regression indicated that the odds of smoking cigarettes increased significantly (p < 0.0005) with use of the other substances. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the prevalence of multi-substance use among pupils at the majority of rural high schools in this district and the need for targeted interventions to reduce/prevent this.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Prevalence, incidence, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in rural South Africa.

Simple, robust approaches are needed to monitor prevalence, incidence, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in rural Africa. We have designed a method that uses antibody and viral RNA testing of dried blood spots obtained from mother-infant pairs attending routine immunisation clinics. In our study, prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 was highest in young women in their late teens and early twenties. In children born to infected mothers, prevalence increased from 14% in infants younger than 6 weeks of age to 24% at 3-6 months. The blood-spot approach is an effective method for surveillance of HIV-1 in women and children, and for early identification of incidence of this infection in women of child-bearing age.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

The use of spatial analysis in mapping the distribution of bancroftian filariasis in four West African countries.

The geographical distribution of human infection with Wuchereria bancrofti was investigated in four West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo), using a commercial immunochromatographic test for filarial antigen. Efforts were made to cover each health-system implementation unit and to ensure no sampling point was >50 km from another, but otherwise the 401 study communities were selected at random. The aim was to enable spatial analysis of the data, to provide a prediction of the overall spatial relationships of the infection. The results, which were subjected to an independent random validation in Burkina Faso and Ghana, revealed that prevalence in the adult population of some communities exceeded 70% and that, over large areas of Burkina Faso, community prevalences were between 30% and 50%. Most of Togo, southern Benin and much of southern Ghana appeared completely free of the infection. Although there were foci on the Ghanaian coast with prevalences of 10%-30%, such high prevalences did not extend into coastal Togo or costal Benin. The prevalence map produced should be useful in prioritizing areas for filariasis control, identifying potential overlap with ivermectin-distribution activities undertaken by onchocerciasis-control programmes, and enabling inter-country and sub-regional planning to be initiated. The results indicate that bancroftian filariasis is more widely distributed in arid areas of Burkina Faso than hitherto recognized and that the prevalences of infection have remained fairly stable for at least 30 years. The campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public-health problem in Africa will require significantly more resources (human, financial, and logistic) than previously anticipated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Use of generalized linear mixed models in the spatial analysis of small-area malaria incidence rates in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.

Spatial statistical analysis of 1994-1995 small-area malaria incidence rates in the population of the northernmost districts of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, was undertaken to identify factors that might explain very strong heterogeneity in the rates. In this paper, the authors describe a method of adjusting the regression analysis results for strong spatial correlation in the rates by using generalized linear mixed models and variograms. The results of the spatially adjusted, multiple regression analysis showed that malaria incidence was significantly positively associated with higher winter rainfall and a higher average maximum temperature and was significantly negatively associated with increasing distance from water bodies. The statistical model was used to produce a map of predicted malaria incidence in the area, taking into account local variation from the model prediction if this variation was supported by the data. The predictor variables showed that even small differences in climate can have very marked effects on the intensity of malaria transmission, even in areas subject to malaria control for many years. The results of this study have important implications for malaria control programs in the area.

Climate↗

PubMed2001

Structural integrity of the female condom after multiple uses, washing, drying, and re-lubrication.

Establishing the safety of re-using the female condom could significantly increase women's access to barrier methods especially in poorer countries. In this study, the structural integrity of female condoms was tested (n = 295) after multiple acts of vaginal intercourse. Fifty women were recruited to the study. Each woman re-used one condom up to eight times and washed, dried, and re-lubricated between each use. Structural integrity was measured using standard quality control testing; water-leakage, air-burst, and seam tensile strength. All results were compared to the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) standards for an unused female condom. The results of the structural integrity tests for all cycles were above the FDA minimum standards for seam strength and burst tests. There was no deterioration detected in condoms used 8 times when compared to new female condoms in these tests. Five holes were detected by the water leakage test across all cycles, of which three were detected by the subjects themselves and reported to the investigators, therefore, giving a breakage rate of 1.7%. The holes were not associated with increased number of uses. This study provides further evidence that suggests the structural integrity of the female condom after multiple use is still within FDA minimum standards, although random holes resulting from handling occur infrequently with the re-use procedure.

Coitus↗

PubMed2001

An empirical malaria distribution map for West Africa.

The objective of this study was to produce a malaria distribution map that would constitute a useful tool for development and health planners in West Africa. The recently created continental database of malaria survey results (MARA/ARMA 1998) provides the opportunity for producing empirical models and maps of malaria distribution at a regional and eventually at a continental level. This paper reports on the mapping of malaria distribution for sub-Saharan West Africa based on these data. The strategy was to undertake a spatial statistical analysis of malaria parasite prevalence in relation to those potential bio-physical environmental factors involved in the distribution of malaria transmission intensity which are readily available at any map location. The resulting model was then used to predict parasite prevalence for the whole of West Africa. We also produced estimates of the proportion of population of each country in the region exposed to various categories of risk to show the impact that malaria is having on individual countries. The data represent a very large sample of children in West Africa. It constitutes a first attempt to produce a malaria risk map of the West African region, based entirely on malariometric data. We anticipate that it will provide useful additional guidance to control programme managers, and that it can be refined once sufficient additional data become available.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Patterns in age-specific malaria incidence in a population exposed to low levels of malaria transmission intensity.

The population of the northern part of the province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa has experienced low levels of malaria transmission intensity for many years. We investigated the widely held assumption that individuals in this population do not develop clinical tolerance to infection with Plasmodium falciparum. We calculated malaria incidence rates by 5-year age groups from a comprehensive small area malaria reporting system and from national census data for the period from mid-1990 to mid-1999. Incidence rates were plotted against age groups for each of the nine malaria seasons, and by quintile of crude incidence rate. These show that age-specific incidence varied considerably in areas of high incidence and in years of high incidence. In these areas malaria incidence rose with age until the late teens, and either remained constant or decreased in young adults. This finding appears to be consistent with results from settings of much higher transmission intensities which show that clinical tolerance to infection with P. falciparum in adults may be acquired as a result of a small number of infective bites in early childhood and implies that even in this relatively low transmission area, there is an asymptomatic reservoir of infection in older people. The results also show that in high incidence subregions the lowest incidences are reported for children under 5 years of age, which may be the result of greater protection offered to this age group by malaria vector control through indoor house spraying.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Cyclin E immunoexpression in breast ductal carcinoma: pathologic correlations and prognostic implications.

Abnormalities of the cell cycle are present in all neoplasms. Cyclin E, which regulates the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle, plays an important role in many different cancers. To further investigate the role of cyclin E in invasive breast ductal carcinomas in South African women, representative sections from 157 mastectomy and axillary clearance specimens were stained with the cyclin E antibody. The results were compared with known clinicopathologic prognostic factors, namely lymph node metastases, size, estrogen receptor status, and histologic grade. Positive (nuclear) cyclin E immunostaining strongly correlates with negative estrogen receptor status and high grade. These correlations may account for the observation that although cyclin E staining is associated with poor prognosis in univariate analysis, no prognostic significance remains after multivariate analysis.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

A randomised controlled trial of antibiotic prophylaxis in elective caesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prophylactic antibiotic administration using cefoxitin at the time of elective caesarean section significantly reduces infectious morbidity. SETTING: A tertiary teaching hospital in a large urban city in South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: Women undergoing elective caesarean section. DESIGN: A prospective, double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Four hundred and eighty women undergoing elective caesarean section had cefoxitin or placebo administration after umbilical cord clamping. Postpartum complications including febrile morbidity, wound infection, endometritis, urinary tract infection, pneumonia and transient postpartum fever were recorded, as were the duration of hospital stay and the need for therapeutic antibiotics. RESULTS: Wound infection was the most common complication occurring in 13.3% and 12.5% of women in the placebo and cefoxitin groups, respectively. Prophylactic antibiotics did not decrease febrile morbidity, wound infection, endometritis, urinary tract infection and pneumonia. Women who received cefoxitin stayed on average a day less in hospital than those who received placebo (6.9 vs 7.8 days, risk difference 0.94 CI 1.57 - 0.31 days). Eleven women (4.6%) in the placebo group and eight (3.4%) in the cefoxitin group had microbiological evidence of wound infection. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (43%) isolated. Similar proportions in both groups (6.3% placebo and 5.1% cefoxitin) required a course of therapeutic antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic prophylaxis with cefoxitin in elective caesarean section did not reduce post-operative infectious morbidity in this double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Prevalence of HIV and HIV-related diseases in the adult medical wards of a tertiary hospital in Durban, South Africa.

Our objective was to determine the prevalence of HIV and the distribution of HIV-related diseases among adult, medical inpatients. Consecutive admissions were recruited and a single ELISA assay was used to determine HIV infection. Demographic and clinical details were extracted from clinical records. Of 507 patients, 54% were infected with HIV of which 84% had AIDS. HIV-infected patients were significantly younger (34.9 years) than uninfected patients (47.1 years) and had significantly higher risks for oral/oesophageal candidiasis (risk ratio [RR] 18.6), generalized lymphadenopathy (RR 7.1), unexplained fever (RR 7.0), chronic diarrhoea (RR 6.2) and pulmonary tuberculosis (RR 3.1). Pulmonary tuberculosis was present in 56% of HIV cases. Mortality was 22% for HIV cases and 9% (P=0.016) for others. The mean length of hospital stay was the same for HIV-infected and uninfected patients. AIDS is the most common reason for admission to adult medical wards and will increasingly limit the number of beds available for non-AIDS patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed2001

Malaria control--two years' use of insecticide-treated bednets compared with insecticide house spraying in KwaZulu-Natal.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to produce data indicating whether insecticide-treated bednets should replace insecticide house spraying as a malaria control method in South Africa. We report 2 years of preliminary data on malaria incidence comparing areas receiving insecticide-treated bednets and those subjected to house spraying in northern KwaZulu-Natal. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: In order to measure significant reductions in malaria incidence between the two interventions, a geographical information system (GIS) was used to identify and create seven pairs of geographical blocks (areas) in the malaria high-risk areas of Ndumu and Makanis in Ingwavuma magisterial district, KwaZulu-Natal. Individual blocks were then randomly allocated to either insecticide-treated bednets or house spraying with deltamethrin. Malaria cases were either routinely recorded by surveillance agents at home or were reported to the nearest health facility. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that 2 years' use of insecticide-treated bednets by communities in Ndumu and Makanis, KwaZulu-Natal, significantly reduced the malaria incidence both in 1997 (rate ratio (RR) = 0.879, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.95, P = 0.04) and in 1998 (RR = 0.667, CI 0.61-0.72, P = 0.0001). Using a t-test, these significant reductions were further confirmed by an assessment of the rate of change between 1996 and 1998, showing a 16% reduction in malaria incidence in blocks using treated bednets and an increase of 45% in sprayed areas (t = 2.534, P = 0.026 (12 df)). In order to decide whether bednets should replace house spraying in South Africa, we need more data on the efficacy of treated bednets, their long-term acceptability and the cost of the two interventions.

Aerosols↗

PubMed2000

In vitro assessment of the structural integrity of the female condom after multiple wash, dry, and re-lubrication cycles.

Since the introduction of the female condom in the early 90s, there have been numerous reports of reuse of the device. In response to these reports, studies were undertaken to evaluate the safety of female condom reuse. If reuse were shown to be safe, then programmatic costs of introduction of the female condom would be reduced allowing it to be more widely available. This article outlines the results of in vitro structural integrity testing of the female condom after multiple wash, dry, and re-lubrication cycles. Devices were tested up to 10 washes using water leakage, burst, and tensile seam testing. All results were compared to the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) standards for an unused female condom. The results of the structural integrity tests for all 6 washing procedures examined in this study were above the FDA minimum standards for seam strength and burst tests. For the water leakage test, 3 of 6 washing procedures tested passed the required FDA minimum standards (no holes detected). From the results of the study, it seems that washing, drying, and re-lubricating the female condom up to 10 times leads to some deterioration in the structural integrity of the device for specified washing procedures. Further studies are currently being conducted to establish the safety of female condom reuse with respect to microbial retention, structural integrity after in vivo use, and viral permeability.

Single-Use Internal Condom↗

PubMed2000

A spatial statistical approach to malaria mapping.

BACKGROUND: Good maps of malaria risk have long been recognized as an important tool for malaria control. The production of such maps relies on modelling to predict the risk for most of the map, with actual observations of malaria prevalence usually only known at a limited number of specific locations. Estimation is complicated by the fact that there is often local variation of risk that cannot be accounted for by the known covariates and because data points of measured malaria prevalence are not evenly or randomly spread across the area to be mapped. METHOD: We describe, by way of an example, a simple two-stage procedure for producing maps of predicted risk: we use logistic regression modelling to determine approximate risk on a larger scale and we employ geo-statistical ('kriging') approaches to improve prediction at a local level. Malaria prevalence in children under 10 was modelled using climatic, population and topographic variables as potential predictors. After the regression analysis, spatial dependence of the model residuals was investigated. Kriging on the residuals was used to model local variation in malaria risk over and above that which is predicted by the regression model. RESULTS: The method is illustrated by a map showing the improvement of risk prediction brought about by the second stage. The advantages and shortcomings of this approach are discussed in the context of the need for further development of methodology and software.

Child↗

PubMed2000

Mitral stenosis in pregnancy: a four-year experience at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively mitral stenosis in pregnancy with emphasis on women with persistent symptoms. SETTING: King Edward VIII Hospital, a tertiary referral obstetric unit. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and twenty-eight consecutive women with mitral stenosis. DEMOGRAPHICS: The mean age was 27 years and 38 women (30%) were primigravidae. Seventy-eight (61%) women had their first cardiac evaluation in the third trimester. Fifty-four women (42%) of these women had mitral stenosis diagnosed for the first time in the index pregnancy. Twenty-nine (23%) had a previous mitral valvulotomy. Nineteen women (15%) developed hypertension during pregnancy, 10 of whom had pre-eclampsia. Sixty-three women (49%) had a mitral valve area of < or = 1.2 cm2 with 11 having critical mitral stenosis (mitral valve area < or = 0.8 cm2). Atrial fibrillation was present in 12 women. Most women (87%) required medical therapy to control the heart rate. OUTCOME IN PERSISTENT SYMPTOMATIC WOMEN: Intervention was considered in 37 women (29%) who remained symptomatic, 11 (9%) of whom had a calcified mitral valve. The remaining 26 women were scheduled for balloon mitral valvulotomy during pregnancy, 20 of whom had balloon mitral valvulotomy with good effect (16 antepartum; 4 postpartum). In seven women, scheduled balloon mitral valvulotomy was not performed because of advanced preterm labour (n = 5), fetal distress (n = 1) and preterm labour with fetal distress (n = 1). These seven, together with the 11 with calcific mitral stenosis, were managed conservatively with good outcome. MATERNAL COMPLICATIONS: Fifty-one percent had maternal complications, the majority occurring at their initial admission to hospital. Pulmonary oedema was the most frequent. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the severity of stenosis assessed by measurement of the mitral valve area by echo-Doppler was the most powerful predictor of maternal pulmonary oedema. The other factors were late antenatal presentation, presence of symptoms prior to the index pregnancy and diagnosis of cardiac disease for the first time in the index pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Despite serious disease, women with persistent symptoms treated either by balloon mitral valvulotomy where feasible, or conservatively with close noninvasive monitoring, had a satisfactory fetal and maternal outcome.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Drug-resistant tuberculosis in South African gold miners: incidence and associated factors.

SETTING: A gold mining company in the Free State Province of South Africa. OBJECTIVE: To document the incidence of and factors associated with drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in South African gold miners. DESIGN: Review of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility records for the period from 1 July 1993 to 30 June 1997. RESULTS: Over the study period, 2241 miners had culture-positive M. tuberculosis pulmonary disease where isolates were tested for drug susceptibility to the four primary anti-tuberculosis drugs. The proportions of primary and acquired drug resistance were respectively 7.3% and 14.3% for isoniazid and 1.0% and 2.8% for resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin (multidrug resistance). Resistance to streptomycin and ethambutol was uncommon, and rifampicin monoresistance was rare. No significant factors for primary drug resistance were identified. Patients with retreatment pulmonary TB who failed primary TB treatment (versus cure) were significantly more likely to have TB with resistance to any TB drug or MDR (odds ratios respectively 9.82, 95%CI 2.97-33.5, and 18.74, 95%CI 1.76-475). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was not significantly associated with primary or acquired drug resistance, and there was no trend of increasing resistance over time. CONCLUSION: Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance has remained stable despite the HIV epidemic and increasing TB rates. Directly observed therapy may have contributed to containing the level of drug resistance. Adherence to and completion of treatment are essential to prevent drug resistance and treatment failure, including in situations with high HIV prevalence.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The impact of HIV infection on recurrence of tuberculosis in South African gold miners.

UNLABELLED: DESIGN AND OBJECTIVES: Potential risk factors for recurrence of tuberculosis (TB) were investigated in a retrospective cohort study of 305 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive and 984 HIV-negative South African gold miners treated for TB with directly-observed, rifampicin-based regimens. Standard treatment changed from rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide (RHZ) to RHZ plus ethambutol (RHZE) during the study period. RESULTS: Recurrence occurred in 37 HIV-positive and 46 HIV-negative men. HIV infection was associated with a significantly higher recurrence rate (8.2 vs 2.2 per 100 person-years; multivariate-adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 4.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-8.1), as were post-tuberculous scarring (multivariate-adjusted IRR 1.6 for one or two scarred lung zones, 4.0 for three or more zones; test for trend P < 0.001) and drug resistance (multivariate-adjusted IRR 2.7, 95%CI 1.01-7.4). The recurrence rate was significantly higher following treatment with RHZ than RHZE (multivariate-adjusted IRR 2.1, 95%CI 1.1-4.0). The difference between regimens needs to be interpreted with caution, however, as allocation was not randomised. CONCLUSION: The high recurrence rate among HIV-positive men requires further investigation to distinguish relapse from re-infection as the predominant cause, leading to consideration of further intensification of the initial regimen or use of secondary prophylaxis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed2000

Factors associated with an increased case-fatality rate in HIV-infected and non-infected South African gold miners with pulmonary tuberculosis.

SETTING: A gold mining company in the Free State Province, South Africa. AIM AND DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study to investigate factors associated with an increased case-fatality rate (CFR) at 6 months in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive and negative tuberculosis (TB) patients. RESULTS: Between April 1993 and March 1997, there were 2236 men with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB in whom HIV status and treatment outcome were known. The overall CFR within the first 6 months of therapy was low (3.6%). After adjusting for confounding factors, HIV infection (OR 15.0, 95%CI 7.4-30.6), self-presentation compared to detection by the active radiological screening programme (OR 5.6, 95%CI 2.6-12.2) and presence of silicosis (OR 3.0, 95%CI 1.4-6.3) were significantly associated with an increased CFR. Opportunistic infections accounted for 56.2% (36/64) of deaths in HIV-positive men. Cryptococcal disease accounted for 75% (27/36) of deaths from opportunistic infections. CONCLUSION: HIV infection and silicosis are both powerful risk factors for TB and are associated with an increased risk of death. Strategies aimed at reducing these two risk factors within the workforce could reduce TB incidence and mortality. In settings with functional DOTS programmes and sufficient resources, expanding the DOTS programme to include active case detection should be explored as a means of reducing TB prevalence and mortality.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed2000

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, double-centre study of the effects of an oral multivitamin-mineral combination on stress.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a multivitamin-mineral combination (Berocca Calmag) treatment on stress in a large sample of South Africans. METHOD: This was a multiple-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled, double-centre study. Patients were drawn from two centres with high stress levels (Durban and Johannesburg), each study recruiting the same number of patients (150) from 1,000 adults with predetermined high stress levels. Dropouts from the study were replaced. Study medication safety was evaluated by recording adverse events. On day 1 (baseline) patients were subjected to an individual in-depth assessment that included a biographical questionnaire, four psychological scales, and collateral information from close relatives. On day 30 (end of the study period) or at the latest 7 days after the last planned medication intake, the assessment was repeated for purposes of pre- and post-response comparison. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients dropped out and were replaced, leaving 300 patients who completed the study--151 in group 1 (multivitamin-mineral combination), and 149 in group 2 (placebo). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding demographics and baseline stress scores at study entry. Both groups improved between baseline and the end of treatment as assessed. The degree of improvement was statistically significant and greatest in group 1 for all psychometric instruments, with this beneficial effect increasing over the course of the day. Subgroup analyses for age (18-44 and 45-65 years), gender and ethnicity showed no general effect on the overall study outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The multivitamin-mineral combination tested is well tolerated and can be used as part of a treatment programme for stress-related symptoms at the recommended dose.

Adult↗