Early detection and risk factors of congenital hip dislocation in Morocco

Background and Objective: Congenital dislocation of the hip is a malformation of the lower limbs that could be complicated by a disabling physical handicap with long-term psychological and social repercussions if detected late. This study aims to describe the screening for congenital hip dislocation and to investigate the association between the occurrence of this anomaly and possible risk factors in Morocco. Methods: The study was based on the exploitation of the records of children treated at the trauma and orthopedics department of the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech, Morocco. It concerned 160 cases with a 5-year follow-up from January 2016 to March 2021. Results: The results of the study showed that 56.7% of the affected children had a bilateral dislocation and 25.8% of the cases had a left-sided dislocation. The malformation occurred more frequently in females 69.2%. A familial disposition to the malformation was found in about 22% of the cases. The diagnosis was late (at walking age) in 61% of children following the onset of lameness with or without pain in 91% of children. In 41.87% of the hips, the reduction was surgical, with 28% failure dominated by acetabular dysplasia in 11%. Conclusion: The risk factors for congenital hip dislocation identified in our setting were dominated by sex, primiparity, consanguineous marriage, and the presence of a family history of dislocation. Communication of risk factors specific to our setting to healthcare personnel will allow them to guide the diagnosis and increase vigilance in the at-risk population for management that prevents the development of complications.

Observational study to assess pregnant women's knowledge and behaviour related to toxoplasmosis in Essaouira province, Morocco

Objective: To assess knowledge and behaviour related to toxoplasmosis which remains a neglected disease in Morocco. Methods: Observational investigations were conducted among 600 pregnant women from Essaouira Province. The interview items covered respondents' knowledge of the disease, its preventive practices and risk behaviours. Results: A total of 22/600 women had already carried out the anti-toxoplasmosis test, while, 96% have never done any screening of anti- Toxoplasma antibodies. Only 16/600 women have good information about the disease, its mode of transmission and its complications in both the fetus and his mother. Although most women adopt a healthy diet, the consumption of raw or undercooked meat is far to be considered as a risk factor, along with other potential factors that may foster the acquisition of the disease, such as possessing a domestic cat, educational status and knowledge of the disease. However, in this study, contact with soil was revealed the most important risk factor (P = 0.045), followed by the hygiene conditions after handling raw meat (P = 0.048). Conclusion: The underestimation of the Toxoplasma gondii sero-prevalence in Essaouira Province can be explained by the absence of toxoplasmosis serology in health institutions, as well as the gap of knowledge about the disease by local population.