unusual cause of gastrointestinal obstruction: bezoar

Bezoars are concretions of swallowed hair, fruit vegetable fibers, and similar substances found in the alimentary canal. The first description of a postmortem human bezoar was by Swain in 1854. Although the prevalence of bezoars in humans is low, an absence of treatment has been associated with mortality rates as high as 30%, primarily because of gastrointestinal bleeding, destruction, or perforation

spectrum of meningitis in neonates and children

The medical records of 203 patients admitted with meningitis during two years were reviewed. According to the criteria of the study, cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] culture confirmed the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in 74 patients [proved group]. Of the remaining 129 patients, where causative pathogens were not identified, 75 were partially treated bacterial, 52 were viral and 2 were tuberculous meningitis. The majority were Pakistanis and Indians representing 65% and most of them were younger than 5 years. Up to age of 2 months, Klebsiella spp. was the most common organism isolated in the neonatal period [12 cases]. Whereas, above the age of 2 months, Hemophilus influenza type B was the predominant pathogen identified particularly up to age of 2 years [14 cases]. Neisseria meningitidis was next in order [12 cases] especially during Haj. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the third organism in frequency being isolated in 8 cases. CSF culture and latex agglutination test were the most reliable in confirming diagnosis. 20% of Hemophilus influenza isolates were resistant to ampicillin and 7% were resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol. The addition of third generation cephalosporins to the antimicrobial therapy results in a better promising outcome with reduced incidence of mortality and neurologic deficits

Microbial flora of the urogenital tract in Saudi females

Urethral, Vaginal and cervical swabs from 91 urban healthy Saudi females were examined for micro-flora of the urogenital tract. Lactobacilli occurred mostly in the upper vagina and to a lesser extent in both the urethra and the cervix. Staph. epidermidis predominated in the urethra. Faecal bacteria [e.g. Streptococcus faecalis, E. coil, Entrococci and Bacteroids] were predominant in the urethra. 21% of females exhibited the presence of one type of bacteria whereas 34 and 20% exhibited the presence of two and three or more types of bacteria, respectively