Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage rates among infants in Owerri, Nigeria

A microbiological survey was carried out on children attending the Paediatric Clinic of the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri; Edo State; Nigeria. The study was carried out to determine the carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae; the common cause of acute cold and death among children. Of a total of 71 specimens; S pneumoniae was isolated from 49; a prevalence of 69. Sex distribution showed that females had a higher carriage rate than males (55vs 45; p=0.05). Children between 12 months and 4 years of age had higher prevalence rates of S pneumoniae than children under 12 months and over 4 years

Pneumonia in Sagamu

A study of 154 cases of pneumonia in infancy and childhood at the Ogun State University Teaching Hospital is presented. The condition accounted for 3.9 percent of all paediatric admissions. A majority (81.2 percent) of the patients were aged three years and under; while the male to female ratio was 1.1:1. A seasonal variation in the prevalence of pneumonia was found with two peaks in February and November. Brochopneumonia was the commoner type of pneumonia; occurring in 83.1 percent of the cases. Patients with lobar pneumonia were significantly older and had a higher mean temperature on admission and a longer period of hospitalization than patients with bronchopneumonia. The commonest associated conditions that were identified included upper respiratory tract infection in 39 percent; measles in 24.7 percent and protein-energy malnutrition in 7.1 percent of the cases

Est-ce bien le tetanos qui fait mourir le nouveau-ne?

Il s'agit d'un theme qui est assez peu aborde par les anthropologues; celui d'un mal qui tue le nouveau-ne; que les medecins nomment tetanos et qui est designe de diverses manieres dans les cultures africaines. Il s'agit cependant d'un exemple de probleme de sante; a propos duquel les certitudes du medecin sont tres fortes (il sait comment faire pour eviter le tetanos); les constats de l'epidemiologue sont clairs ; mais ou par contre les representations et les pratiques sociales existantes sont mal connues; suscitant parfois de simples reactions d'ignorance ou de rejet

Survival in very low birthweight infants at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital; Nigeria

Between January 1984 and December 1987; 1509 singleton neonates were admitted into special care baby unit at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Among them there were extreme low birthweight; very low birthweight and low birthweight and normal birthweight infants. Survival rates in the four categories were 10.3 per cent; 46.5 per cent; 89.2 per cent and 94.7 percent. Furthermore the survivors were significantly more mature for their gestation and lower incidence of birth asphyxia. Therefore each low birthweight has special care