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At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Major inhalant allergens in Mauritius.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial asthma appears to be an important but neglected problem in tropical countries. There is little information about the role of atopy in tropical climates and how atopy is related to asthma there. OBJECTIVE: The present work was aimed at determining the pattern of total serum IgE-titers among a group of patients suffering from asthma in Mauritius. METHOD: Twenty-five asthmatic patients and ten controls who met the criteria for the study were registered. A comprehensive clinical evaluation was followed by allergy skin testing (prick test) to common aeroallergens. Serum total IgE levels were measured in all 35 participants. RESULTS: Of 22 patients studied, 22 had significant levels of IgE when tested to airborne allergens. Positive skin tests against Dermatophagoide pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoide farinae correlated well with the presence of serum total IgE. Sixteen patients also had had moderate to severe exacerbations throughout the year. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that house dust mite is an important allergen producing symptoms throughout the year in our patients.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1994

Characteristics of circadian rhythm in six variables of morning active and evening active healthy human subjects.

Ten apparently healthy human subjects, inhabitants of dry and hot tropical climate, volunteered for the study. They were instructed to self-measure, several variables, such as oral temperature, heart rate, subjective fatigue, subjective drowsiness, finger counting speed and random number adding speed, daily, preferably at an interval of 4h, for 10-15 days. However, they were instructed to have ad libitum sleep and not to truncate sleep for the sake of self-measurements. The subjects were categorized into two groups, viz, morning active and evening active and their circadian time structure in the above mentioned variables was studied. The results clearly show a higher order of internal synchronization among all the variables. Comparison of acrophase locations between morning active and evening active individuals reveals that the peaks in oral temperature, heart rate and random number adding speed occurs earlier in morning active individuals (P < 0.002, P < 0.005, P < 0.001, respectively). The circadian profiles obtained in this study may serve as guide lines in the study of human health and diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A case of intussusception and lymphoid hyperplasia in a patient with AIDS.

Idiopathic intussusception in adults is rare. In tropical climates, enteric infection is causally implicated. Three cases of intussusception in AIDS patients have been reported, two of which were associated with enteric infection. We report the fourth case of ileocolonic intussusception in an AIDS patient in whom lymphoid hyperplasia of the terminal ileum was found but no infection documented. The relationship between lymphoid hyperplasia and intussusception is discussed. The previous cases of AIDS and intussusception are reviewed. Idiopathic intussusception may become more prevalent as the number of AIDS cases increases, and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

[Effect of major epidemics on cultural awareness].

Mankind has been stricken with "major" epidemic diseases throughout its history. The most serious among them immediately threaten man's life e.g. plague, cholera, smallpox, typhus, and dysentery, besides, there are others which take a slower course e.g. lues, leprosy, leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, and malaria. Yet, the "lesser" epidemic diseases like diphtheria, scarlet fever, mumps, pneumococcosis, influenza, and most recently AIDS may also turn into "major" ones. Originally, man exclusively depended on his genetic makeup for protection, and being particularly prone to attacks of disease he was subject to natural selection. Thus, only one human species survived, the homo sapiens. Interbreeding achieved biologic adaptation and created a balanced genetic polymorphism. Advancing in his degree of civilization, man formed groups, developed clothing, fire, houses, and tools, and his increasing cultural awareness allowed him to migrate from the tropical climates to more temperate, and less disease-infested zones. Immigration and wars, and the accompanying infections jeopardized and diminished entire populations and eradicated highly developed cultures like that of the American Indians. The plague, coming from Asia, and lues, from America, as well as cholera, influenza, and smallpox spread around the whole globe. Fear and terror led to irrational conclusions and triggered persecutions. The attitude of accepting disease as a God-sent fate (Hiob), or a God-sent punishment suppressed reasonable measures against disease. The necessary official measures have increasingly restricted liberty, and this patronizing treatment needs to be opposed with a higher sense of responsibility. Medical art has developed from more healing towards prophylactic and predictive medicine, which prognosticates the individual susceptibility to particular infections, and other risk factors.

Cultural Evolution↗
PubMed1995

[The importance of tropical animal hygiene for indigenous animal production].

Tropical animal hygiene firstly supports the improvement of animal production in tropical countries. Examples show the different disease complexes and the possible ways of transmission. The possibility of an importation of ¿tropical flues¿ means an important danger for our indigenous animal production. Therefore it is necessary to improve both the hygienic situation in the tropics as well as the knowledge on these diseases here, to protect our own animals.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed1996

[Liver transplantation after exertion-induced heat stroke associated with fulminant liver failure].

OBJECTIVES: Describe the course of fulminant liver failure after exertional heat stroke. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old man acclimated to the tropical climate, collapsed and became comatose with hyperthermia during a commando march in Gabon. Thirty-six hours later, the biological examination revealed moderate rhabdomyolysis and fulminant liver failure. An orthotoptic liver transplantation was performed at the 48th hour. Acute renal failure with severe rhabdomyolysis developed on the 4th day post-surgery while the patient was perfectly alert. His condition thereafter deteriorated and he died of chronic rejection 11 months after liver transplantation. DISCUSSION: In its most serious forms exertional heat stroke is a multiple organ dysfunction syndrome of poorly understood pathogenesis. The reported case suggests that exertional heat stroke can cause fulminant liver failure, resulting either from the direct effect of heat on the hepatic parenchyma, or from acute hepatic ischemia due to blood redistribution made worse by the hypersecretion of antidiuretic hormone, a potent portal vasoconstrictor, which occurs in the heat acclimated subject.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Pyomyositis.

In the past, most cases of pyomyositis occurred among persons living in tropical climates, with the most common pathogen being Staphylococcus aureus. Increased numbers of cases have been reported more recently in North America, particularly in immunocompromised persons, such as those infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those with diabetes mellitus. These patients present with a wider variety of pathogens, including gram-negative bacteria, Streptococcus groups B, C and G, and Mycobacterium avium. Therefore, it seems prudent to consider pyomyositis in the differential diagnosis of persons with HIV infection, diabetes mellitus or other immunocompromising conditions, who present with persistent or worsening muscle aches and pains. Antibiotic treatment with a pencillinase-resistant penicillin is recommended for up to six weeks.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1996

Stability of yellow fever vaccine.

Yellow fever, an acute mosquito-borne viral haemorrhagic fever, is preventable by use of the live, attenuated 17D vaccine. The vaccine is used principally in tropical climates and is subject to potentially adverse conditions. Lyophilized vaccine without stabilizers deteriorates rapidly when exposed to temperatures above -20 degrees C. In 1987, the WHO recommended that each lot of vaccine meet the following stability test: maintenance of potency (> 1,000 mouse i.c.LD50/human dose) with mean loss of titre < 1.0 log10 after being held at 37 degrees C for 14 days. In 1987, only 5 out of 12 yellow fever vaccines produced worldwide met the stability standards. To improve stability of the vaccine, a number of additives have been systematically investigated. A successful formulation, now used by a number of manufacturers, employs sugars, amino acids, and divalent cations [lactose (4%), sorbitol (2%), histidine (0.01 M), alanine (0.01 M), in phosphate buffered saline with Ca2+ and Mg2+]. As opposed to vaccine produced without stabilizers, which loses 1.5-2.5 log10/dose, stabilized vaccines lose only 0.3-0.5 log10 after being held at 37 degrees C for 14 days. The vaccine is stable after storage for > or = two years at 4 degrees C and 22 degrees C, and has a stability profile as good or better than many other live and inactivated vaccines currently used in the EPI, including measles, pertussis, oral and inactivated poliomyelitis vaccines. WHO is taking steps to enssure that all 11 current YF vaccine manufacturers produce vaccines that meet accepted stability standards. The principal rationale for increasing 17D vaccine stability beyond that achieved with the present stabilizers would be the improvement in stability of other EPI vaccines, to the point where yellow fever vaccine was the most sensitive vaccine among those deployed. The acceptable characteristics of current stabilized 17D vaccines and the high cost of changing and validating new vaccine formulations precludes a major investment at this time. Despite its stability when freeze dried, yellow fever 17D vaccine is quite unstable after reconstitution and must be discarded after one hour. Improvement in vaccine stability after reconstitution would thus reduce cost, stretch supplies of vaccine, and ensure against vaccine failures due to use of degraded vaccine. This is an area for future research.

Animals↗