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Biomedical subjects

J T Macfarlane

Publications and source records attributed to J T Macfarlane.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

An epidemic of meningococcal infection at Zaria, Northern Nigeria. 1. General epidemiological features.

In 1977 Zaria, in Northern Nigeria, was affected by a severe epidemic of group A meningococcal infection, 1,257 patients being admitted to hospital with the disease during a three-month period. The epidemic started towards the end of the dry season when it was hot, dry and dusty and finished shortly after the onset of the rains. The over-all attack rate was 3.6 per 1,000 but this varied considerably from area to area within the town. Few cases occurred amongst those belonging to the upper social classes. The disease was seen most frequently amongst those from five to 14 years old and there was a strong male preponderance. The over-all mortality was 8.3% but mortality was much higher (40.6%) amongst 67 patients with acute meningococcaemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

An epidemic of meningococcal infection at Zaria, Northern Nigeria. 2. The changing clinical pattern.

1,003 patients with meningococcal disease admitted to a single hospital during the course of a three-month epidemic were studied. A progressive decline in mortality, especially among patients with acute meningococcaemia, and a falling incidence of systemic and severe neurological complications among patients with meningitis were observed. It is suggested that the virulence of the causative group A meningococcus declined as the epidemic progressed.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

The importance of finger clubbing in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Finger clubbing was observed in 21% of 70 adult Nigerian patients presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis. These patients had a significantly higher incidence of haemoptysis and they also showed a significantly lower body weight and serum albumin than those without clubbing. Their chest x-rays revealed larger cavities and at 2 months the mortality of the patients with finger clubbing (40%) was very much higher than of those without (5.5%). It is suggested that finger clubbing is of value in assessing patients with pulmonary tuberculosis because it helps to identify those with severe destructive disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Asthma, IgE and environment in northern Nigeria.

Sixty-four asthmatics and seventy-five control subjects from rural villages and various urban settings have been investigated. Rural asthmatics had a significantly higher IgE level than both urban asthmatics and village controls. Urban asthmatics had similar IgE levels to urban controls. There was no relationship between IgE levels and the results of skin tests for asthma allergens. Stool parasites were found as frequently in asthmatics as in controls. Our findings do not support the theory that parasitic infestation, high IgE levels or rural living protect from asthma.

Asthma↗
PubMed1979

Fibrin degradation products in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with pneumococcal meningitis.

Raised levels of fibrin degradation products were found in the cerebrospinal fluid of nearly all of 35 patients with pneumococcal meningitis. The mean level was higher in patients who died subsequently than in those who survived. Cerebrospinal fluid from patients with pneumococcal meningitis showed increased fibrinolytic activity as assessed by clot lysis, suggesting local production of fibrin degradation products within the subarachnoid space.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and the aetiology of lobar pneumonia in northern Nigeria.

Over a six-month period we studied 74 adult Nigerians who presented consecutively to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, with lobar or segmental pneumonia. Pneumococcal infection was diagnosed in 50% by the detection of pneumococcal polysaccharide antigen in serum or purulent sputum: 24% had pneumococcal antigenaemia. Twelve patients had evidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and half of these also had pneumococcal infection. The suggestion that M pneumoniae respiratory infection may predispose to serious bacterial pneumonia is discussed. The initial clinical and radiological features were similar in the pneumococcal and M pneumoniae groups. Raised cold agglutinin titres were not a reliable indication of M pneumoniae infection, perhaps due to altered autoantibody production in Nigerians. Pneumonia was commoner in the dry season, probably related to depressed nasopharyngeal defences caused by drying. Less common causes of lobar pneumonia that were found are also discussed and no cases of legionnaires' disease were identified.

Adult↗