Biomedical subjects

N A Mbembati

Publications and source records attributed to N A Mbembati.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Isolation of Mycobacterium bovis from human cases of cervical adenitis in Tanzania: a cause for concern?

SETTING: Pastoralist communities in the Northern and Southern zones of Tanzania. DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the involvement of Mycobacterium bovis in tuberculosis cases presenting at tuberculosis (TB) clinics in rural areas in these zones. METHODS: A total of 149 tuberculosis cases identified on the bases of clinical manifestation were sampled. Appropriate specimens were cultured on two Löweinstein Jensen slants with respectively glycerol and pyruvate added. Forty-one isolates were cultured and subjected to biochemical typing. RESULTS: Overall, 31 (70.5%) of the mycobacterial isolates recovered from all forms of tuberculosis were identified as M. tuberculosis, seven (16.0%) were identified as M. bovis, and six (13.6%) were other mycobacterial species. There was a significantly higher isolation rate (P < 0.05) of M. bovis among strains recovered from extra-pulmonary (26.8%) than pulmonary tuberculosis samples (4.3%). CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it is imperative that M. bovis be considered as a pathogen of concern to people living in rural areas of Tanzania. Further work is required to establish a zoonotic link between cattle and the people in these communities who rear them.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Characterisation of benign lesions and carcinomas of the female breast in a sub-Saharan African population.

Carcinoma of the breast is the second most frequent tumour in African females. Breast carcinomas in African females appear about a decade earlier and follow a more aggressive clinical course than those in developed countries. To elucidate this difference we investigated 63 biopsied benign lesions of the female breast for their potential to malignant progression. We also performed histologic typing and grading of 184 female breast carcinomas received at the Muhimbili University Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Fibrocystic disease and fibroadenomas were the most frequent lesions. The majority of patients with fibrocystic disease had no proliferative lesion and thus were not at a significantly increased risk of developing breast carcinomas. For fibroadenomas, no indication for precancerous lesions was found. The vast majority of breast carcinomas investigated were invasive. As a striking feature, the majority of those studied (66%) were of the non-special type (NST), displaying a more aggressive behaviour than the remaining tumours of the special type (ST). In the group of ST tumours, cribriform types constituted 41% of the cases which may be a special feature of the carcinomas in African females. Among the NST, the tumours were either of grade II or grade III, whereas in ST, 25% of the cases were of grade I. Since histology observed in this study is comparable to that seen in patients from the Western society, late hospital presentation with advanced tumour stages may be a major reason for differences in clinical behaviour between African and Western females. A genetic factor, however, may be an important contributing factor.

Africa South of the Sahara↗

PubMed1996

Appendicitis in Dar es Salaam, histological pattern.

Histology of 378 appendicectomy specimens submitted to the Histopathology Department of Muhimbili Medical Centre from its surgical wards over a 10 year period (1985 to 1994) were reviewed. There were 185 cases (48.9 pc) of acute appendicitis, 101 cases (26.7 pc) of chronic appendicitis, 74 (19.6 pc) normal appendices and 13 cases (3.5 pc) schistosomal appendicitis. There were two cases of tuberculous appendicitis and two cases of mucocele of the appendix. Apart from the high frequency of chronic appendicitis the histological findings in this study compare well with findings reported from other studies.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1994

Operative management of achalasia of the oesophagus.

Twenty patients with achalasia of the oesophagus were managed in one thoracic surgical unit over a period of seven years. Eighteen of these were aged 16 to 40 years. There was a female:male ratio of 2:1. Dysphagia to both solids and liquids with diffuse bilateral parotid gland enlargement were the most common clinical features. All the patients had an oesophagomyotomy without an additional anti-reflux procedure. There was no mortality. The trans-thoracic approach for oesophagomyotomy was associated with better results without complications of gastro-oesophageal reflux. This approach is recommended and an additional routine anti-reflux procedure at the same sitting may be unnecessary.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Complete rectal prolapse in adults: a Tanzanian experience.

This is a retrospective report of nine patients with complete rectal prolapse managed by the authors at the Muhimbili Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam between 1990 and 1993. The average age of patients was 36 years and eight of the patients were males. Six of the patients presented as emergency admissions of whom three had irreducibility and required perineal proctosigmoidectomy. This was the procedure of choice for irreducible complete rectal prolapse.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Urinary stone disease in Dar es Salaam.

Forty four adult patients, 34 males and 10 females, with urinary stones were seen over a six-month-period at Muhimbili Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam. Most patients were peasants and semiskilled workers. 8 of the patients were Arabs, which suggests a high predisposition for this race. 12 of the patients had a history of having suffered from bilharzia. There was a high proportion of bladder (and urethral) stones (30%) but upper urinary tract stones were still predominant (70%). Of 20 patients whose stones were available for analysis, 8 were composed of calcium oxalate, 7 of calcium phosphate and 5 of mixed composition. The ratio of stone patients to all hospital admissions of 243 per 100,000 suggests the prevalence of urinary stone disease is comparable to that found in Western countries.

Adult↗