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At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Treatment of superficial mycoses in the tropics: Whitfield's ointment versus clotrimazole.

BACKGROUND: In tropical primary health care, essential drugs should be safe, effective, and as inexpensive as possible. To treat the very common dermatophyte infections of the skin, one may use inexpensive Whitfield's preparations, more expensive topical imidazole derivatives, or extremely expensive oral antifungals. Because a cream base is felt to be more appropriate than an ointment in tropical conditions, we wanted to compare the effectiveness of Whitfield's cream and a topical imidazole derivative in field conditions in the tropics. METHODS: A double-blind trial was performed involving 153 patients with a dermatophyte infection of the skin in Karonga District, Northern Malawi, including 25 patients who were HIV-1-seropositive, comparing Whitfield's cream with clotrimazole cream. RESULTS: 75 patients were treated with Whitfield's cream and 78 with clotrimazole cream for a period of 6 weeks. Cure rates ranged from 80% to over 90% depending on the definition of cure. If positive cultures after treatment were used as criterion for treatment failure, six were found in each treatment group. One in each treatment failure group was an HIV-1-seropositive patient. CONCLUSIONS: The great majority of patients in the tropics with a dermatophyte infection of the skin can be cured with a topical antimycotic preparation and do not need expensive oral therapy. This also proved to be valid for HIV-1-seropositive patients. Whitfield's cream and clotrimazole cream are both very effective. The lower cost makes Whitfield's cream the treatment of choice in dermatophyte infections of the skin in tropical primary health care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Clinical presentation of metabolic alkalosis in an adult patient with cystic fibrosis.

In subtropical and tropical climates, dehydration is common in cystic fibrosis patients with respiratory exacerbations. This may lead to a clinical presentation of metabolic alkalosis with associated hyponatraemia and hypochloraemia. An adult cystic fibrosis patient who presented with a severe respiratory exacerbation accompanied by metabolic alkalosis is presented and the effects of volume correction are reported.

Acidosis↗
PubMed2004

Involvement of Fusarium spp. in fungal keratitis.

Members of the filamentous fungal genus Fusarium are among the agents most frequently causing keratomycosis in humans. Fusarium keratitis is most common among agricultural workers in geographical regions with hot, humid, tropical or semi-tropical climates, but can occur more rarely in countries with temperate climates, such as Hungary. Keratitis is usually treated with a topical antifungal agent, sometimes in combination with sub-conjunctival injections and/or antimycotic agents, but therapeutic keratoplasty may be needed for patients whose corneal infection does not resolve. Early and accurate diagnosis, coupled with appropriate antifungal therapy, is crucial for improving the chances of complete recovery.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMed2005

Parathyroid hormone and biochemical profile in chronic kidney disease patients in South India.

Renal osteodystrophy is an important complication of chronic kidney disease characterized by abnormal bone turnover with varied bone histologic changes. Etiology is multifactorial including abnormalities of serum calcium, phosphorus, and 1,25(OH)(2)-vitamin D deficiency; secondary hyperparathyroidism; age; cause of kidney disease; diet; renal replacement therapy; and drug therapy. In addition, there is evidence that there may be ethnic differences. Our study is a description of a case series of hormonal and biochemical abnormalities of bone disease in end-stage renal disease patients in South India. A total of 115 patients were studied; 86% were on hemodialysis and 14% were on peritoneal dialysis (age, 47.31 +/- 14.66 years). Sixty-eight percent were men. Diabetes was the cause of end-stage renal disease in 29.5%. Intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) level was 124.6 +/- 174.9 pg/mL and less than twice normal in 69.5% of patients. Hypocalcemia was present in 16.5% and hyperphosphatemia in 35.7% of patients. Empirical vitamin D was prescribed in 40% of patients. Age, sex, diabetic status, and vitamin D use were similar in patients with high PTH (130 pg/mL) and low PTH levels (< 130 pg/mL). Bone histologic studies were not performed owing to economic limitation. But the biochemical and hormonal results are suggestive of a mild form of osteodystrophy in Indian patients. Etiology remains uncertain but differences in dietary intake, tropical climate, vitamin D activation, vitamin D receptor polymorphism, parathyroid gland sensitivity, and PTH target organ sensitivity may account for the difference in pattern in bone disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology and impact of childhood molluscum contagiosum: a case series and critical review of the literature.

Parents of 30 children with clinically diagnosed molluscum contagiosum were surveyed to assess their perception of the condition, its treatment, its impact on their everyday lives, and on the children themselves. Among parents, 82% reported that molluscum contagiosum concerned them moderately or greatly. Concerns focused on physical issues associated with the infection, such as scarring, itching, chance of spread to peers, pain, and the effects of treatments. Quality of life was not affected. Molluscum contagiosum was most common among school-age children. Eighteen of 29 respondents swam in public pools, a common activity in children of this age. All epidemiologic studies of molluscum contagiosum in otherwise healthy individuals, published since 1966, have been critically reviewed herein. The review confirms an association between swimming pool use and molluscum contagiosum. Age, living in close proximity, skin-to-skin contact, sharing of fomites, and residence in tropical climates were also associated with higher rates of infection while sex, seasonality, and hygiene showed no such association.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1975

Photodermatitis--study of the condition in Kuantan, Malaysia.

The high incidence of photodermatitis among dermatological patients prompted the study of the condition. In the 18 months from October 1972 to March 1974, 199 patients presented with light sensitive dermatitis, forming 9% of all new cases seen in the Dermatology Clinic at Kuantan. A detailed history, including that of the use of drugs, proprietary and commercial products, was taken in each patient to determine the aetiology. Where there was suspicion of contact sensitisation, photo-patch tests were done with the suspected agents using natural sunlight as a source of ultra-violet light. The aetiology of photodermatitis in these patients is discussed. The systemic and topical use of medicaments accounts for the largest number of cases. It is inferred that the ready availability to the public of medicaments containing known photosensitisers and the unawareness of light sensitive dermatitis are factors responsible for the large number of patients developing this condition in this tropical climate where there is an abundance of ultra-violet light and where people wear light clothing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Ten years of research activities on tropical parasitology of dromedaries, cattle, and small ruminants in Mauritania.

In the past, the essential part of the activity of the parasitology laboratory of the Centre National d'Elevage et de Recherches Vétérinaires (CNERV) was represented by diagnostic work that enabled the construction of an inventory of local parasitic fauna and a good collection of specimens. However, the small and irregular number of samples each year, led us to switch our activities in 1990 toward work that could better justify the existence of CNERV. We started work on applied research topics, such as tick-borne diseases, helminthology (nemathelminths and plathelminths), and trypanosomosis. These results were valorized through scientific publication and communication at international meetings. The most valuable information was conveyed to herders.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Enamel defects in a fluoridated south-east Asian community.

The prevalence and distribution patterns of enamel defects in maxillary incisors was assessed in 194 Singaporean children aged 11-15 years and belonging to three different ethnic groups. All were born and continuously resident in Singapore, which has a tropical climate. The water supply was fluoridated in 1957 at a level of 0.7 ppm. The mouth prevalence of defects was 71.5 per cent and the tooth prevalence was 55.9 per cent; 82 per cent of all affected teeth demonstrated white lesions of various forms. Although there was no sex difference in the prevalence and distribution pattern of defects, some racial differences were observed. The results were compared with data from other studies where the same classification of defects was used.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1968

Factors influencing aflatoxin accumulation in peanut kernels and the associated mycoflora.

Accumulation of aflatoxin in Spanish peanut kernel samples from different geographical areas in Texas during 1966, as detected by the thin-layer chromatographic method, was relatively low. Analysis of samples obtained from growers using artificial drying equipment (forced air and supplemental heat), when windrow conditions were unfavorable for rapid drying, suggests that this practice reduces the possibility of aflatoxin accumulation. In general, peanuts harvested from land planted to peanuts the previous year were more highly infested with fungi and contained more aflatoxin than peanuts grown on land planted with rye, oats, melons, or potatoes the previous year. Aflatoxin incidence tended to decrease from south to north Texas. These findings verify previous research observations that moist tropical climates are conducive to fungal infestation and aflatoxin accumulation. Detection of aflatoxin in sound mature kernels (kernels screened for minimal size) indicates that the practice of screening for removal of small immature kernels and removal of obviously damaged kernels does not completely eliminate aflatoxin contamination.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1992

Polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in serum.

DNAs prepared from chagasic patients' sera were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using oligonucleotide primers which anneal specifically to a highly repetitive sequence of Trypanosoma cruzi nuclear DNA. Samples from both acutely and chronically infected patients yielded positive results by this method. No significant difference was observed when either whole blood or serum samples of the patients were used. These results indicate that serum instead of whole-blood samples could be used for polymerase chain reaction-based detection of T. cruzi in field studies without the need of applying any special chemical treatment to the specimens. This would represent a considerable advantage due to the easier handling and transportation of serum as compared with whole-blood samples, especially in tropical climates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Seasonal variation of sudden infant death syndrome in Hawaii.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rate displays the universal winter maximum and summer minimum in Hawaii where there is no appreciable seasonal variation of temperature. DESIGN: The null hypothesis is tested that there is no seasonal variation of necropsied SIDS in Hawaii. The numbers of live births and SIDS cases by month for the years 1979 to 2002 were collected and the monthly SIDS distribution is predicted based on the age at death distribution. SETTING: The state of Hawaii, located in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, has a semi-tropical climate with temperatures fluctuating diurnally as 25 +/- 5 degrees C throughout the year. Therefore homes are unheated and infants are not excessively swaddled. The Hawaii State Department of Health maintains vital statistics of all infant births and deaths. MAIN RESULTS: The results reject the null hypothesis of no seasonal variation of SIDS (p = 0.026). An explanation for the seasonal effect of the winter maximum and summer minimum for Hawaiian SIDS is that it arises from the cycle of the school session and summer vacation periods that represent variable intensity of a possible viral infection vector. SIDS rates in both Hawaii and the United States increase with parity, also indicating a possible role of school age siblings as carriers. CONCLUSIONS: The winter peak of the SIDS in Hawaii is support for the hypothesis that a low grade viral infection, insufficient by itself to be a visible cause of death at necropsy, may be implicated as contributing to SIDS in vulnerable infants.

Age Distribution↗