SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “SOUTH AFRICA”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

PubMed2006

CD4 decline and incidence of opportunistic infections in Cape Town, South Africa: implications for prophylaxis and treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of CD4 decline and the incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs) among antiretroviral therapy-naive South African HIV-infected patients and inform timing of OI prophylaxis. METHODS: We used mixed-effect models to estimate CD4 cell decline by CD4 cell count strata in HIV-infected patients in the Cape Town AIDS Cohort between 1984 and 2000. Stratum-specific OI incidence per 100 person-years of observation was determined using incidence density analysis. RESULTS: Nine hundred seventy-four patients with 2 or more CD4 cell counts were included. CD4 counts declined by 47.1 cells/microL per year in the stratum with more than 500 cells/microL stratum, 30.6 cells/microL per year in the stratum with 351 to 500 cells/microL, and 20.5 cells/microL per year in the stratum with 201 to 350 cells/microL. Tuberculosis and oral candidiasis were the only OIs that occurred frequently in the stratum with more than 200 CD4 cells/microL. Rates of chronic diarrhea, wasting syndrome, tuberculosis, and oral and esophageal candidiasis increased in the stratum with less than 200 cells/microL, and rates of all OIs were highest in the stratum with 50 cells/microL or less. CONCLUSIONS: : CD4 cell count declines were dependent on CD4 strata and can inform timing of clinic visits and treatment initiation in South Africa. Incidence rates of OIs suggest that targeted OI prophylaxis could prevent substantial HIV-related morbidity in South Africa.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed1995

Law and psychology in South Africa: development and recommendations (3).

In this last article in a series, the historical development and present status of forensic psychology in South Africa are discussed. First, a critical comparison is made between the legal status of forensic psychologists and that of psychiatrists, and reasons for the present situation are given. Secondly, the reasons why psychologists may soon be expected to play a more important role in the forensic field, are discussed. Lastly, prerequisites for the development of forensic psychology in South Africa are listed: the need for a sound theoretical and clinical knowledge of the chosen field or fields of psychology, knowledge of the relevant legal principles in the specific legal field, the promotion of research and the address of ethical aspects of forensic psychology.

Forecasting↗

PubMed1996

Speech-language evaluation of closed head injured subjects in South Africa: cultural applicability and ecological validity of a test battery.

This paper addresses the communicative outcome of a group of closed head injured (CHI) subjects in South Africa. Communicative outcome is evaluated on one test battery currently used for medico-legal assessments in South Africa. It was found that a number of the tests were sensitive to breakdown in this sample, but that the demographic factors of first language and pre-injury education significantly affected performance on some tests. Many test performances were significantly related to return to work, thus confirming the importance of communicative skills in the workplace, and the speech-language pathologist's role in vocational assessment and rehabilitation.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

The power of women as nurses in South Africa.

An epistemological analysis of the power of women as nurses in one of the larger and more deprived regions of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, was carried out. The premises of the standpoint theory were used as a justificatory strategy for participant selection. A fourth premise of rurality was added to the existing three premises of race, class and gender. A phenomenological research approach incorporating two to three in-depth interviews with each participant following a flexible guideline was utilized. Key concepts and realities such as powerlessness, powerfulness and empowerment were explored and a total of 44 audio-taped interviews was transcribed. Data analysis was aided by a software programme for qualitative data analysis (NUD. IST) and focused on the exploration and development of themes, categories, relationships and condensed forms of outcomes. Detailed attention was given to ethical considerations such as anonymity, freedom of expression and rapport. The credibility of the study was enhanced through prolonged engagement, thick descriptions and the input of three experienced researchers. In reflecting on powerlessness, women as nurses belonging to the enrolled category were alienated as they were severed from the nursing profession and from the ruling gender of men. They were lost in routine activities, were misused, maternalized and domesticated at home and at work. These phenomena were voiced more strongly by the rural group of women. Registered nurses created their own freedom, often away from their men as in divorce, and sought solutions concerning powerlessness in more distant terms. They communicated a sense of empowerment in terms of education and personal qualities. Culture rather than race was emphasized as an essence of women's oppression. Recommendations of the study focused on ways to limit categorial division, of aligning scope of practices with current health care practices in South Africa and further research regarding the value of the fourth premise of the standpoint theory is suggested.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1991

Human immunodeficiency virus and migrant labor in South Africa.

The authors investigate the impact of the migrant labor system on heterosexual relationships on South African mines and assess the implications for the future transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The migrant labor system has created a market for prostitution in mining towns and geographic networks of relationships within and between urban and rural communities. A section of the migrant workforce and a group of women dependent on prostitution for economic support appear especially vulnerable to contracting HIV infection since they are involved in multiple sexual encounters with different, changing partners, usually without condom protection. Furthermore, sexually transmitted disease morbidity is extensive in the general and mineworker populations. Historically, migration facilitated the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and may act similarly for HIV. Problems of combating the HIV epidemic in South Africa are discussed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2003

Scope of potential bacterial agents of diarrhoea and microbial assessment of quality of river water sources in rural Venda communities in South Africa.

The microbial quality of several, usually untreated, surface domestic water sources, used by rural communities in the Venda Region of South Africa, was assessed to gauge their fitness for human consumption and to highlight the possible impact of waterborne diseases. The water sources studied were six points on the Levubu River and the rivers Mutale, Ngwedi, Tshinane, Makonde, Mutshindudi and Mudaswali. Total and faecal coliform, heterotrophic bacteria, enterococci and coliphage counts were used as indicators/surrogates to estimate the degree of bacterial and viral contamination respectively by standard methods. The presence of potential bacterial agents of diarrhoea such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Plesiomonas, Aeromonas and Vibrio was also determined. Results showed that the ranges of counts with regard to all the water sources investigated were 2.9 x 10(2) - 6.3 x 10(4) CFU/100 mL for faecal coliforms, 6.0 x 10(2) - 3.7 x 10(4) CFU/100 mL for total coliforms, 1.8 x 10(2) - 1.3 x 10(6) CFU/mL for heterotrophic plate count, 1.0 x 10(1) - 3.7 x 10(4) CFU/100 mL for enterococci and 0-13 PFU/100 mL for coliphages. These values are far higher than the acceptable maximum limits prescribed for South Africa by the Dept of Water & Forestry and the Water Research Commission - 0 CFU/100 mL, 5 CFU/100 mL, 1.0 x 10(2) CFU/mL, 0 CFU/100 mL and 1 PFU/100 mL for faecal coliforms, total coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria, enterococci and coliphages respectively. Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter, Aeromonas and Plesiomonas were isolated from several of the water sources investigated. The use of these water sources for drinking and domestic purposes poses a serious threat to the health and well being of the users and calls for urgent government intervention.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2006

Treatment of HIV/AIDS at South Africa's largest employers: myth and reality.

OBJECTIVES: To determine what proportion of employees at the largest private-sector companies in South Africa have access to HIV/AIDS care and treatment, including antiretroviral therapy (ART); how many employees are enrolled in disease management programmes; how many are receiving ART; and which approach to the financing and delivery of care is proving most successful at reaching eligible employees. DESIGN: All 64 private-sector and parastatal companies with more than 6000 employees in South Africa were identified and contacted. Those that agreed to participate were interviewed by telephone using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-two companies agreed to participate. Among these companies, 63% of employees had access to employer-sponsored care and treatment for HIV/AIDS. However, access varied widely by sector. Approximately 27% of suspected HIV-positive employees were enrolled in disease management programmes, or 4.4% of the workforce overall. Fewer than 4000 employees in the entire sample were receiving ART. In-house (employer) disease management programmes and independent disease management programmes achieved higher uptake of services than did medical aid schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Publicity by large employers about their treatment programmes should be interpreted cautiously. While there is a high level of access to treatment, uptake of services is low and only a small fraction of employees medically eligible for ART are receiving it.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2004

Descriptions of Tachygonetria africana n. sp. and T. pretoriensis n. sp. and redescriptions of two other species of Tachygonetria Wedl, 1862 (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae), all parasitic in Geochelone pardalis (Testudinidae) from South Africa.

Two new species of Tachygonetria, T. africana n. sp. and T. pretoriensis n. sp. are described. Both are parasites of Geochelone pardalis (Bell) from South Africa. In addition, two subspecies, T. longicollis fitzsimmonsi Petter, 1966 and T. macrolaimus macrolaimus (Linstow, 1899), also parasites of Geochelone pardalis (from Pretoria Zoo, South Africa), are redescribed and new information on their morphology is presented. On the basis of their morphology, these subspecies are raised to full specific level.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Preventing HIV transmission to children: quality of counselling of mothers in South Africa.

AIM: To assess the quality of counselling provided to mothers through the programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in South Africa. METHODS: Structured observations of consultations and exit interviews with 60 mothers attending clinics at three purposively selected PMTCT sites across South Africa were conducted. RESULTS: Twenty-two counsellors were observed. The general quality of communication skills was very good, and 73% of HIV-negative mothers were informed of the advantages of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). However, only one of 34 HIV-positive mothers was informed about the possible side effects of nevirapine, and none was told what to do when it occurred. Only two HIV-positive mothers were asked about essential conditions for safe formula feeding before a decision about an infant feeding option was made. None of the 12 mothers choosing to breastfeed was shown how to position the baby correctly on the breast or asked whether they thought EBF was feasible. Fewer than a quarter of mothers expressed confidence in performing the actions required, and 85% could not define the term EBF. CONCLUSION: The poor quality of counselling in the PMTCT programme will reduce the effectiveness of these programmes. As they are being scaled up, there needs to be far more attention paid towards the counselling of mothers, especially with regards to optimal infant feeding.

Counseling↗

PubMed1993

Small and medium sized mammals as predators of ticks (Ixodoidea) in South Africa.

A total of 1,640 stomach contents from 56 South African species of small and medium sized mammals were examined for ticks. Only six ticks were found in three specimens of the caracal Felis caracal. Although identification of the tick species was not possible owing to fragmentation and partial digestion, the genus Haemaphysalis was represented in four of these cases. We conclude that predation by small and medium sized mammals on ticks is uncommon in South Africa.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Waardenburg syndrome in South Africa. Part II. Is there founder effect for type I?

Three South African families of Afrikaner descent with the Waardenburg syndrome (WS) type I have been traced back for 12 generations. The families may be related through a French Huguenot couple who came to the Cape in 1683. Although the number of families in this study is small and the information incomplete and, although the earliest known family member with WS was born in 1842, the findings suggest that founder effect for the gene for WS type I may possibly exist in the Afrikaner population of South Africa.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2005

Prevalence and determinants of stunting and overweight in 3-year-old black South African children residing in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight and their determinants in 3-year-old children in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Rural villages in the Central Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. SUBJECTS: One hundred and sixty-two children who were followed from birth were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were recorded. RESULTS: Height-for-age Z-scores were low, with a high prevalence of stunting (48%). The children also exhibited a high prevalence of overweight (22%) and obesity (24%). Thirty-one (19%) children were both stunted and overweight. Gaining more weight within the first year of life increased the risk of being overweight at 3 years by 2.39 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-4.18) while having a greater length at 1 year was protective against stunting (odds ratio (OR) 0.41; 95% CI 0.17-0.97). Having a mother as a student increased the risk for stunting at 3 years by 18.21 times (95% CI 9.46-34.74) while having a working mother increased the risk for overweight by 17.87 times (95% CI 8.24-38.78). All these factors also appeared as risks or as being protective in children who were both overweight and stunted, as did living in a household having nine or more persons (OR 5.72; 95% CI 2.7-12.10). CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the importance of evaluating anthropometric status in terms of both stunting and overweight. Furthermore, it is important to realise the importance of normal length and weight being attained at 1 year of age, since these in turn predict nutritional status at 3 years of age.

Body Height↗

PubMed1979

Actinobacillus seminis infection in sheep in the Republic of South Africa. II. Incidence and geographical distribution.

To obtain information on the incidence and distribution of Actinobacillus seminis infection in the Republic of South Africa, a clinical and serological survey was carried out on 409 farms situated in 29 districts. All rams submitted for certification to the Regional Laboratory from 1/1/69 to 31/1/74 were included in a separate investigation. These particular rams represented different breeds and originated from farms in over 48 districts. Examinations were also carried out on all rams on 11 stud farms in the Middelburg and adjacent districts with a high incidence of epididymitis, despite regular immunization with Elberg Rev. 1 vaccine. These investigations confirmed that genital infection of rams still presents a major problem in the main sheep breeds and the main sheep farming areas of South Africa. A high incidence of infection with A. seminis, an organism which appear to be the most important one associated with genital infection in this country, was also established. Genital infection due to A. seminis is geographically also very widespread.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2006

Orthopaedic trauma workload in the former homeland of the Transkei, South Africa.

The Bedford Orthopaedic Centre is situated in Umtata at the heart of the former homeland of the Transkei in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It acts as an orthopaedic and trauma referral hospital for a mainly rural population approaching 4 million. This article focuses on the workload of the hospital over a 4-month period and like many hospitals in South Africa we highlight the difficulties it faces with the trauma epidemic.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed1996

Hypertension in the black community of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.

Hypertension prevalence, treatment status and factors relating to high blood pressure were determined in an urban black community of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. A study population of 986 subjects aged 15-64 years was randomly selected. Blood pressure, height, weight and serum cholesterol levels were measured, while demographic information, personal and family history relating to hypertension and attendance of health services were determined by questionnaire. Overall 9.2% of males and 12.9% of females were hypertensive according to WHO criteria. Blood pressures between 160/95 and 140/90 mmHg were found in 10% of males and 10.5% of females. The treatment status of hypertensives showed that 24.3% had a blood pressure below 160/95 mmHg, and 16% below 140/90 mmHg. Hypertensives used more alcohol and were more overweight than normotensives. Multiple logistic regression revealed that hypertension was independently related to age, being overweight and more urbanised. The degree of urbanisation also predicted to what extent hypertension prevalence increases with age. This black population had low hypertension rates compared with other similar groups in South Africa. These data suggest that as rural blacks increasingly undergo urbanisation, hypertension prevalence increases. Necessary diagnostic and treatment regimens and hypertension services are not yet in place in the South African health services, and need to be established.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Foot and mouth disease: the experience of South Africa.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park (KNP) and surrounding game parks in South Africa. The last outbreak of the disease in domestic stock outside the FMD control zone occurred in 1957. Due to the success in containing the disease, the country was accorded zone freedom from FMD without vaccination by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE: World organisation for animal health) in 1995. This status was lost in September 2000 when the first-ever recorded case of serotype O in South Africa was diagnosed in a piggery in KwaZulu-Natal after the illegal feeding of untreated swill. In November 2000, an outbreak of FMD caused by serotype South African Territories (SAT) 1 was diagnosed in a feedlot within the free zone of Mpumalanga Province. The SAT 1 outbreak was traced to cattle in the FMD control zone south of the KNP after the game-proof fence surrounding the KNP was severely damaged by floods. This enabled buffalo to come into direct contact with cattle outside the KNP. A further outbreak caused by SAT 2 was diagnosed within the FMD control zone in February 2001, also as a result of buffalo having escaped from the KNP. All these outbreaks were successfully contained, with the re-instatement of zone freedom from FMD without vaccination by the OIE in May 2002. These outbreaks made it necessary to re-examine the methods of control and containment of FMD that have been practised for many years and which are in line with accepted international practices. The authors describe the rationale for the different control strategies that were followed, the need for a multidisciplinary approach to disease control, the interface between control and technological and diagnostic support and the lessons learned. Some suggestions for future control strategies are also offered.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Drinking water in South Africa: implications for fluoride supplementation.

During the extremely heavy rainfall period in the first half of 2000 in certain summer rainfall regions of South Africa a similar investigation as in 1983-1984/1985 was done but on a smaller scale, and compared to the previous results. A greater reduction (P < 0.05) of the fluoride levels in the drinking water than previously recorded has recently been demonstrated, thus strongly accentuating the effect of heavy rains. Presently, for fluoride prescription we recommend that the prescriber should decide whether it is a dry or wet period for his area and then read the fluoride content for that area, from the higher or lower end of the water fluoride content range from the tables published in 1988, 1991 or 1994. When in doubt the higher fluoride level should be used as a measure of safety against overprescribing. If only one value exists it should be used until further notification. An extended study is in process to set a single table for South Africa.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

The recognition of access to health care as a human right in South Africa: is it enough?

A right of access to health care services is among the economic and social rights guaranteed by the Constitution of South Africa. Given the jurisprudential novelty of such a right and its dependence on economic resources, however, its realization is likely to be difficult to secure. The article discusses the scope and limitations of the right of access to health care in South Africa. Though the country's courts have yet to develop clear principles for interpreting a right of access to health care services, the more significant obstacles to the full enjoyment of this right are the country's pervasive poverty, gross income disparities, and extremely high burden of disease.

Anti-HIV Agents↗