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Biomedical subjects

O O Komolafe

Publications and source records attributed to O O Komolafe.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

The prevalence of HIV infection among burn patients in a burns unit in Malawi and its influence on outcome.

In a 1 year study, 342 patients admitted to the Burns Unit at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Blantyre, Malawi underwent a voluntary HIV test. Forty (11.7%) tested HIV positive: of those aged above 15 years, 31% (34 out of 112) were HIV positive, whilst 3% (6 of 231) aged under 15 were HIV positive of whom the majority were in those aged under 5 years (5 of 125, 4%). Patients who were HIV positive had an increased risk of death (P=0.04) which was mainly due to sepsis, but those HIV patients, who did not develop infection or recovered from an episode of sepsis, had similar hospital stay, need for skin grafting and graft take as nonHIV patients. There was no difference in pathogens cultured from wound swabs taken from HIV positive and negative patients. HIV positive patients had significantly lower CD4 counts as compared to HIV negative patients (mean 383mm3 (S.D. 320) and 937mm3 (S.D. 497), respectively). However, low CD4 counts were also found in the HIV negative patients (mean 901, range 131-1964) and 24% had CD4 <500/mm3. Both HIV status and the total body surface area (TBSA) burned were independent predictors of CD4 count. TBSA was an independent risk factor for death (odds ratio 1.3; 95% CI 1.1, 1.4). In patients with TBSA burns of over 30%, mortality approached 100% irrespective of HIV status, but in patients with burns of 11-20% TBSA and who were HIV positive have a mortality of 25% compared to 12% in HIV negative patients; for 21-30% TBSA burns mortality was 100% compared to 50% for HIV positive and HIV negative patients, respectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Bacteriology of burns at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.

A retrospective study to determine the bacterial profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of burn isolates at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Blantyre, Malawi was undertaken. While a total of 1825 burn patients were admitted to the hospital over a 6-year period (January 1994 to December 1999) only 317 (17.4%) specimens selected from as many patients were processed. One hundred and seventy (170/53.6%) specimens yielded single while the rest (147/46.4%) had multiple isolates giving a total of 535 bacterial isolates. Of this number, 236 (44.1%) were Gram-negatives and 299 (55.9%), Gram-positives. Among the Gram-negatives, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Coliforms/Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common accounting for 94.1% while in the Gram-positive group, staphylococcal and streptococcal spp. predominated (100%). However, the three most common isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (37.6%), P. aeruginosa (22.4%) and beta-haemolytic streptococci (13.6%). While S. aureus and beta-haemolytic streptococci were most susceptible to penicillin (33.3 and 64.4% susceptibility, respectively), gentamycin appeared most effective against P. aeruginosa (53.3%). A general broad-spectrum resistance to panels of antibiotics used in the study was however observed among the bacterial isolates. From these results, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, streptococcal spp., P. mirabilis, Coliforms and K. pneumoniae representing 96.4% of all isolates were the most common in the Burns Unit.

Burns↗
PubMed2003

Leprosy in Nkhotakota District Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To study the profile of leprosy cases at Nkhotakota District Hospital in Central Region of Malawi. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study of all registered cases of leprosy from records over a nine year period (January 1992 to April 2001) SETTING: Nkhotakota District Hospital-Central Region of Malawi. RESULTS: In total 526 cases of leprosy were identified from the records. The prevalence rates gradually increased from 0.998 per 10,000 cases in 1992 to 3.39 cases per 10,000 in 1995. There was however a gradual decline of prevalence rates from 1997/1998 that had 3.17 cases per 10,000 to 1.3 cases per 10,000 in 2001. 1996 registered 2.34 cases per 10,000. Fifty seven cases (10.8%) were found with children of the age of 14 or below and 469 (89.2%) cases were of adults. Paucibacillary leprosy presented with more cases than multibacillary leprosy (p < 0.0000001). There were 80 (15.2%) cases of multibacillary leprosy compared to 446 (84.8%) cases of paucibacillary leprosy. In addition more males were affected by multibacillary leprosy than females (p < 0.0001) and females were more affected by paucibacillary leprosy (p < 0.01) than males. CONCLUSION: The results show that paucibacillary leprosy though minor in Malawi can become endemic as paucibacillary leprosy is a reflection of leprosy contacts in the population. We therefore recommend continued epidemiological surveys of leprosy. Training in leprosy detection should be encouraged so that this disease can be totally eradicated in Malawi.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A possible maturation pathway of calicivirus particles.

The assembly process of feline calicivirus, a representative member of the Caliciviridae, from subunit components in infected cells was monitored by labelling the virus-specific proteins with 3H-leucine for different periods and harvesting cellular extracts at various phases of infection. A series of protein subunit components was detected and the virus assembly process appeared to have occurred in at least two stages. The first stage involved the very rapid aggregation of precursor polypeptides into 5S subunits which possible through several 'unstable' intermediates formed the stable 15S subunit component. The second stage was the association of 15S subunits with the synthesized viral genomes to form the mature infectious FCV particles which sedimented at 170S. Within 30 min of the initiation of protein synthesis, the process of assembly was complete and mature FCV particles appeared in infected cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Feline calicivirus subunit vaccine--a prototype.

A vaccine was prepared from a subunit component, antigenically similar to the whole feline calicivirus (FCV) particles. Despite the limited number of animals available for this study we were able to demonstrate that the vaccine protected cats when challenged with a virulent strain of the virus while the non-vaccinates kept as controls developed clinical and histopathological symptoms of the calicivirus disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of sennosides A and B purgative drugs.

Procedures are described for the analysis of the main anthraquinone glycosides of senna powder, senna fruit tablets, and sennoside tablets by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). In one HPLC analysis, TLC was used to separate the glycosides prior to elution on a strong anion-exchange column with 0.1 M ammonium nitrate solution (pH 9.0) as the mobile phase. In another HPLC analysis, separation was effected using a weak anion-exchange column with 0.1 M ammonium nitrate solution (pH 5.7A) as the mobile phase.

Anthraquinones↗
PubMed1980

Feline calicivirus induced polypeptides.

Analysis of feline calicivirus-infected cell extract for large and low molecular weight proteins revealed the presence, in submolar amounts, of a polypeptide of molecular weight 80,000 daltons which had no precursor-product relationship to the capsid proteins (mol. wt 68,000 and 14,000) synthesized in infected cells. Two other highly labelled non-structural polypeptides of molecular weights 80,000 and 40,000 daltons yet to be identified were also described.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Ion-pair partition chromatography analysis of anthraquinone glycosides of senna and pharmaceutical preparations of senna.

Ion-pair partition has been combined with HPLC for the rapid detection and separation of the major anthraquinone glycosides of senns, sennosides A and B. A Corasil C18 column (5 microns) with methyl alcohol (30 percent in water) containing 0.005 M tetrabutylammonium phosphate, pH 7.5, as mobile phase was used. In the application to the assay of drugs, sennosides A and/or B constituents of the crude senna drug, Senokot syrup, Senokot tablets, and Pursennid tablets have been estimated in the presence of other constituents of the crude drug and pharmaceutical preparations. The results obtained are compared with colorimetric assay results.

Anthraquinones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of promethazine on the metabolism of chloroquine.

Co-administration of promethazine hydrochloride and chloroquine phosphate resulted in increased blood levels of chloroquine and its metabolites. However, there is no statistical difference between the means obtained for the initial rate of excretion and the total drug excreted within three hours.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Specialisation patterns of medical graduates, University of Malawi College of Medicine, Blantyre.

OBJECTIVE: To describe specialization patterns of medical graduates of the University of Malawi College of Medicine. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SUBJECTS: Medical graduates of the University of Malawi College of Medicine. SETTING: University of Malawi College of Medicine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Speciality choices, sources of funding for training, employer at time of graduate studies and country where specialist training obtained. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 2000, 60 (35.5%) of the 169 graduates of the College of Medicine of the University of Malawi have obtained or are in specialist training, 38/60 (63.3%) with training institutions either in the United States or the United Kingdom, 10 (16.7%) had gone to South Africa, 8% Kenya, 5% to the Republic of China (Taiwan) and 3.3% to Uganda. Other countries are; Uganda, Australia and Finland. The preferred specialties were; Public Health 17 (28.8%), Internal Medicine 12 (20%) and Paediatrics 10 (16.7%). Most of the funding was provided by agencies/institutions in the USA and UK. At the time of their training fellowship, 33 (55%) of the candidates were employed by the College of Medicine, 24 (40%) by the public service and the rest, three (5%) by other institutions. CONCLUSIONS: Most Malawian medical graduates are obtaining their specialty training overseas funded mostly by institutions/agencies in the UK and USA. There is need to explore ways on how training could be provided regionally. Malawi and her neighbours must develop post graduate speciality training locally and regionally.

Career Choice↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology and mortality of burns at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Blantyre, Malawi.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the most common causes, population most at risk and the pattern of mortality of burn injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. DESIGN: Retrospective cross sectional study. SETTING: Burns Unit, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Blantyre, Malawi. SUBJECTS: One thousand eight hundred and twenty five case files of burn patients admitted to the QECH, Blantyre, between January 1994 and December 1999, involving 941 male and 884 female patients among whom 145 were epileptic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Aetiology of burns and the population most at risk at the QECH, Blantyre. RESULTS: More males (52%) than females (48%) suffered from burns during the six year study period. Children below age five (55%) were most at risk while 89% were below 30 years of age. Hot water (38%) was the most common cause of burns, but among epileptic patients, it was open fire (83%). While 71% of all inpatients had superficial burns (less than 10% TBSA) 22% had deep burns requiring grafting. Almost all the patients (98%) had multiple antibiotic therapy combined with topical application of silver sulfadiazine. Overall mortality was 12% but among the epileptic patients it was 16%. CONCLUSION: Children under five years of age were the major victims of burn injuries in this study. There is, therefore, need to mount effective awareness campaigns in order to target the root causes of burns in children.

Adolescent↗