Management of diarrhoea cases by community pharmacies in 3 cities of Pakistan

Community pharmacies are valued for their potential role in the management of common ailments. This cross-sectional study aimed to document the management of diarrhoea by community pharmacies in 3 cities in Pakistan. Visits were performed to 371 randomly selected pharmacies to request advice for a simulated paediatric case of diarrhoea. The pharmacy's management was scored on a checklist including history taking and provision of advice and information. Customers were served by a salesperson in 97.3% of visits and by a pharmacist in only 2.2%. Medication was dispensed in 77.1% of visits. Of the medications dispensed, 58.7% were antiamoebics, 14.0% antibiotics and 18.9% antidiarrhoeals; only 8.4% were oral rehydration salts. None of the regimens matched with a standard prescription. The dosage regimen was explained to the customer in only 52.6% of cases. Drug safety, unqualified personnel, lack of history taking, inappropriate treatment and lack of counselling are concerns to be addressed

Surgical correction of acquired flexural deformities of the metacarpophalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints in horses

Sixteen horses with acquired flexural deformity of the metacarpophalangeal [MCP] and distal inter-phalangeal [DIP] joints were evaluated and classified according to their severity into mild [N= 7], moderate [N = 4], and severe [N = 5]. Evaluations for the tendon affected and the severity lesions of the deformity were based on clinical and radiographical examinations. Cases with mild deformities were treated with corrective trimming and shoeing. Cases with moderate deformities were treated with surgical transection of the check ligaments of the deep and/or superficial digital flexor tendon and corrective trimming. Tenotomy of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons was performed in the severely affected cases, followed .by corrective trimming and cast application. In this long term study, all horses with mild, and two horses with moderate lesions regained to normal conformations and proved useful at work. Two eases with severe lesions showed little response whereas the rest of the horses were unable

Effect of aprotinin on schistosoma mansoni miracidial penetration into biomphalaria alexandrina

The effect of aprotinin on Schistosoma mansoni miracidial penetration process, by its direct topical application on Biomphalaria alexandrina snails, was studied. The snails were exposed to S. mansoni miracidial suspension which was mixed with aprotinin at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 20 Kallikrein inactivator units [KIU]/ml of applied solution. Results showed that aprotinin had marked inhibitory effect on miracidial penetration of the snails. The concentration that resulted in 50% inhibition of the miracidial penetration into B. alexandrina snails [LD50] was 2.4 KIU/ml, while [LD96] was 20 KIU/ml of the applied solution. Thus, aprotinin may be one of the important methods in the control of schistosomiasis

Recent advances in diagnostic and surgical methods for some joint affections in the horse

The purpose of this report was to explain how to perform the basic principles of diagnostic and operative arthroscopy in the horse and to present the necessary instrumentation