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PubMed2001

Curcuma longa (turmeric). Monograph.

Curcuma longa, a perennial herb, is a member of the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family. The plant grows to a height of three to five feet, and is cultivated extensively in Asia, India, China, and other countries with a tropical climate. It has oblong, pointed leaves and bears funnel-shaped yellow flowers. The rhizome is the portion of the plant used medicinally; it is usually boiled, cleaned, and dried, yielding a yellow powder. Dried Curcuma longa is the source of the spice turmeric, the ingredient that gives curry powder its characteristic yellow color. Turmeric is used extensively in foods for both its flavor and color. Turmeric has a long tradition of use in the Chinese and Ayurvedic systems of medicine, particularly as an anti-inflammatory agent, and for the treatment of flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, hematuria, hemorrhage, and colic. Turmeric can also be applied topically in poultices to relieve pain and inflammation. Current research has focused on turmeric's antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial properties, in addition to its use in cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disorders.

Antioxidants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cerebrovascular disease in the tropics].

OBJECTIVES: To review the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy of diseases causing cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in the tropics. DEVELOPMENT: Most prevalent conditions causing CVD in the tropics include: sickle cell disease, Takayasu s arteritis, cysticercosis, infective endocarditis, Chagas disease, viral hemorrhagic fevers, gnathostomiasis, leptospirosis, snake bites, cerebral malaria, puerperal venous thrombosis, and tuberculosis. These conditions may cause cerebral infarcts or hemorrhages, and in most instances are related to either vascular damage secondary to angiitis or hemorrhagic diathesis with bleeding in other organs. In some patients, the severity of the neurological picture makes impossible to identify an specific stroke syndrome and cerebrovascular complications are only recognized on neuroimaging studies or autopsy. CONCLUSIONS: There is a group of tropical infectious and non infectious diseases that may cause cerebral infarcts or hemorrhages. Prompt diagnosis and therapy are needed to reduce the severity or brain damage and to avoid recurrent strokes.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗
PubMed2001

[The reliability of class A alginate impressions].

The class A alginates present very good properties of dimensional precision and reproduction of details, comparable to those of the reversible hydrocolloïdes and certain elastomeres used for the realization of secondary prints of precision in fixed prosthesis and in removable prosthesis. Besides, their application is easier and they are costless. The valorization of these print materials could certainly contribute to reduce the cost of comes back of prostheses in countries under developed where the weak power economic populations constitute a brake to the access to cares of health. To exploit qualities of these print biomaterials well, it agrees to manage correctly the parameters of their application. To this effect, the present survey puts in evidence that the maximum delay of stream that guarantees the good dimensional stability of these class A alginates is of 45 minutes in the hot and humid climatic tropical country conditions.

Alginates↗
PubMed1965

Pitted keratolysis.

Pitted keratolysis is a superficial infection of the skin confined to the stratum corneum. The causative organism has not been identified. The clinical syndrome is distinct and is characterized by pits and superficial erosions in the pressure areas of the soles and in the lateral surfaces of the toes. The histopathology of the lesions is presented and world literature is reviewed. It is concluded that this disease is not limited to the tropical climates, although cases tend to be more severe in these areas.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Cutaneous myiasis in Arkansas.

Myiasis is a rare infestation of any part of the body by larvae of Diptera. Cutaneous myiasis, the most common form seen in tropical climates of Central America, South America and Africa, are extremely rare in the United States. An extraordinary case of cutaneous myiasis was seen in Hot Springs in a 71-year-old healthy white male upon his return from the rain forest of Costa Rica. Manual extraction of one of the larvae by the patient and surgical excision of three other separate subcutaneous larvae were diagnostic and therapeutic in this case.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

[Does tropical environment influence morbidity and mortality?].

Despite enormous progress in medical science, health care coverage in poor countries remains incomplete, uncertain and minimal. The probability of death is higher in Africa. Life expectancy is only from 50 to 55 on the African continent in comparison with over 70 years in North America and Europe. The African population is predominantly young but malnutrition, deficiencies, anemia, parasitism and genetic defects (drepanocytemia) are widespread. In general treatment of acute trauma and illness is straightforward and vital or functional prognosis is good provided that proper elementary care is administered rapidly. However due to difficult field conditions and limited medical facilities, care is often delayed. Most patients are admitted with advanced, complicated disease to facilities that are often poorly equipped, undersupplied and lacking in qualified personnel, basic medication and blood products. This combination of factors accounts in part for the fact that prognosis of the same disease is poorer in tropical areas than in other areas of the world. Rational use of human resources and better organization of international cooperation would allow short-term improvement in health care in tropical areas. It is only at this price that people in the Northern and Southern hemisphere in this time of globalization can have the same chance of survival for the same disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Microbial quality assessment of some street food widely consumed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso].

The major part of the population of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, have their breakfast, dinner and lunch in street food shops. The characteristics of street food vendors are indicated. It appeared clearly that women play a major part (75%) in street food sale. Vendors have only a slight knowledge of food processing and of hygienic practices. There is a high proportion (about 50%) of people among them. This dietary habit has some negative aspects on the consumers' health. Ours studies clearly showed that hygienic practices during sales operations are not respected by all categories of vendors of food products. Also, it was observed that street food vendors sometimes sit close to the waste water drainage system and solid wastes. Sometimes, the food is not covered and it is manipulated by consumers in areas infested by flies and others insects. The water used to wash the materials is of poor quality. The second aspects of our studies showed that, in most cases, when the safety and hygienic practices were not respected, the food became a true microorganism culture medium under tropical climatic conditions. A table reports microbial analysis and contamination rates of some important street foods consumed in Ouagadougou. In general these results showed the failure of microbial quality of some food which is not preheated (milk product, fruit juice, vegetable, fruit) and in the case of food which is not reheated after a long time of exposition (dry meat and meat on sticks). The presence of Salmonella and Shigella species in some food represents a serious danger for consumers. These aspects were observed with most street food vendors. It probably makes street food the source of most diseases caused by bacteria and other microorganisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Latex allergy.

Natural rubber latex (NRL) has been exploited commercially for more than 100 years. It is derived from the milky sap of the Hevea brasiliensis tree, found in tropical climates such as Southeast Asia. Latex is harvested from the tree by a process called tapping, which has been described as a controlled wounding of the tree. The world's total consumption of natural rubber latex is about 5,5 million tons per year. The liquid which is collected from the tree is called field latex and is made up of water, 30%to 40% rubber, and about 3% nonrubber material.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Isolated scalp involvement with pityriasis versicolor alba (pityrias versicolor albus capitis) in a patient from a dry, temperate region.

Pityriasis versicolor (tinea versicolor) is a common superficial fungal infection of the skin involving the hyphal (filamentous) form of Pityrosporum orbiculare. Clinical cutaneous infection is common in humid, tropical climates, but declines to less than 5 percent in temperate climates. Isolated face or scalp involvement is rare. We present a boy living in a temperate region who had sudden onset of scalp and hairline involvement with tinea versicolor.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Response of anestrus rural buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) to intravaginal progesterone implant and PGF2alpha injection in summer.

An investigation was conducted to study the genital condition and response of intravaginal progesterone implant with and without administration of PGF2alpha in anestrus rural buffaloes during summer (April-June, 2001) in tropical climate. The ovarian status of 40 lactating (1st to 4th lactation) noncycling buffaloes and 15 noncycling buffalo heifers (3.5 to 5.0 years of age) maintained under village management condition were examined per rectum. Inactive genitalia with [12] and without [28] palpable corpus luteum (CL) were detected on per rectum examination in buffalo cows. The PGF2alpha-injection caused luteolysis and induction of estrus in 83% buffaloes having distinct corpus luteum. Implantation of progesterone in form of CIDR (Controlled Internal Drug Release device) intravaginally for 10 to 14 days induced resumption of estrus among 83% of anestrus buffaloes within 12 to 120 h after implant removal. Of those detected estrus about 80% of buffaloes conceived following natural service. Implantation of CIDR in combination with intramuscular injection of PGF2alpha was more effective than CIDR alone in terms of exhibition of estrus and conception rate. Long term of 10 to 14 days CIDR implant was superior to short term of 8 days in terms of resumption of estrous cyclicity. The observation suggests that during summer about 30% of rural buffaloes were cycling but due to lack of estrus detection they were declared anestrus, though they were having distinct corpus luteum on ovary. The summer sterility can be overcome by raising progesterone level for 10 to 14 days in buffaloes under rural managemental condition.

Anestrus↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neonatal hypothermia levels and risk factors for mortality in a tropical country.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hypothermia, factors associated with hypothermia and risk factors for mortality in hypothermic newborn infants. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional descriptive study. STUDY SITE: Harare Central Hospital Neonatal Unit (NNU). SUBJECT: Three hundred and thirteen consecutive newborn infants admitted to the NNU for care. STUDY FACTORS: Temperature on admission to the NNU, mode of delivery, time of delivery, age on admission to the NNU, birth weight, sex, birth before arrival, need for resuscitation. RESULTS: Prevalence of hypothermia on admission was 85% with a mean axillary temperature of 34.3 degrees C (SD= 1.6). Median age on admission was 120 minutes and there was a case fatality rate of 18.3%. The need for resuscitation, age at admission to NNU, time of delivery, birth weight, sex and being born before arrival were not significantly associated with being hypothermic. The only factors that were associated with mortality were babies being born before arrival and birth weight below 1 500 gms. Age at admission to NNU, sex, time of delivery and need for resuscitation were not significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Neonatal hypothermia on admission remains a major problem in our population. There is need to increase awareness among nursing staff and mothers about the serious consequences of hypothermia particularly in very low birth weight newborns. Training in this area is called for.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Ageratum houstonianum toxicosis in zebu cattle.

Ageratum houstonianum (Ageratum, flossflower, blue billygoat weed) is an annual plant that tends to become a pest in gardens and pastures. Clinical signs for A. houstonianum toxicosis in cattle are characterized by either an acute hemorrhagic course or sub-acute photodynamic dermatitis. The toxicosis has often been associated with Holstein-Friesian or crossbreed Holstein cattle less resistant to tropical climate conditions. During a recent especially dry spring about 40 adult Zebu cattle were found dead, while another 40/800 animals were sacrificed. The animals had been relocated to the problem area about 4 mo before, where due to the prolonged drought, A. houstonianum was almost exclusively the only pasture available. The intoxicated cattle did not show the characteristic toxic dermatitis reported for A. houstonianum acute toxicosis; but post-mortem examination revealed bloody serous fluid in coccyx-femoral joints and hemorrhages in the large muscle tissues, while liver, kidney and heart also had hemorrhages. To confirm the toxic plant as cause of the toxicosis, phytochemical Qualitative screening and a novel thin-layer chromatographic characterization of plant extracts were done. The chromatographic profiles of coumarin compounds, alkaloids and triterpens in ruminal and intestinal contents were similar to those obtained from A. houstonianum plants from the same area, confirming ingestion of A. houstonianum as cause of the toxicosis. The coincidence of adverse nutritional conditions together with the cattle's ignorance of the grazing area predisposed the plant toxicosis.

Ageratum↗
PubMed2005

[Medical aspects of diving in the tropics].

Scuba diving vacations in tropical surroundings belong to the repertoire of most divers. In addition to carefully making travel plans and taking care of the necessary vaccinations and appropriate malaria prophylaxis, the following points also must be observed. The flight itself affects diving safety. In particular, a too short time interval between diving and the return flight can lead to decompression problems. Because most of the diving areas are reached by ship, many divers need a prophylaxis against motion sickness. Moreover, external otitis occurs more frequently while diving in the tropics. Finally, there is potential danger from the sea inhabitants, primarily from scorpion fishes, Portuguese Man-of-Wars, box jellyfishes as well as cone snails.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Acute abdomen secondary to ascaris lumbricoides infestation of the small bowel.

Ascariasis is a helminthic infection commonly found in tropical climates. It often propagates in communities of low socioeconomic status secondary to contamination of the soil and water supply with human feces. We present a case report of a 42-year-old Asian-Indian female presenting with a long-standing history of severe recurrent postprandial epigastric pain, requiring multiple hospital admissions. Ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and nuclear biliary scan were negative. She underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy that suggested ischemia. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and mesenteric angiography were inconclusive. As conservative treatment had been unsuccessful, a small bowel series was performed. The radiographs demonstrated characteristic findings of Ascaris lumbricoides infestation. Although the prevalence, diagnosis, and subsequent treatment of an acute abdomen secondary to Ascaris lumbricoides infestation is commonly seen in developing countries, clinicians in developed countries may not consider this entity when faced with a patient with similar symptoms. We frequently care for immigrants from developing countries and our own citizens who visit the countries where ascariasis is endemic. Therefore, heightened awareness of Ascaris lumbricoides infection (ALI) presenting as an acute abdomen is necessary. The diagnosis requires an experienced radiologist and knowledge by the clinician of treatment options and of when a surgeon should be involved.

Abdomen, Acute↗