Measles in Chimanimani Zimbabwe

A mini outbreak of measles in Chimanimani District in Zimbabwe where the measles immunization coverage is about 79 is reported. Although many of the cases occured in susceptible non-immunised children of the va Postori (Apostolic) religious sects; a large number was in teenagers and adults. The importance of health education in increasing community participation in immunization is emphasised. There is need to chart out a strategy to deal with a projected pool of persons susceptible to measles as our coverage rates continue to increase

Drawers of water II : 30 years of change in domestic water us et environmental health in East Africa. Uganda country study

This interdisciplinary and multi-institutional project has emerged out of a growing recognition of the general lack of quality information and knowledge of the long-term trends and impacts of domestic water and environmental water and interventions on local people's well being. This is particularly the case in Africa; where knowledge of household water supply and productivity is limited to a handful of original studies; which continue to be cited and recycled in the literature. Formost among these is Drawers of Water: Domestic Water Use in East Africa; by Gilbert F. White; David J Bradley and Anne U White; published in 1972 by The University of Chicago Press. That study reported the results of a data collection effort spanning 34 communities in Kenya; Tanzania and Uganda in the late 1960s. Given the quality and breadth of its analysis; Drawers of Water (DOW I) remains one of the most comprehensive and compelling accounts available on water use in Africa. In 1997; nearly three decades after White; Bradley and White published their landmark study; a team of African; European and North American scientists returned to the original Drawers of Water research sites in Kenya; Tanzania and Uganda to assess key trends and chnages in domestic water use and environmental health. This work; referred to below as 'Drawers of Water II' or 'DOW II'; invilved more than 1;000 sample households and two phases of intensive survey and participatory research. In addition; the original Drawers of Water datset was carefully checked and recomputerised to allow for a full multivariate statistical comparison pf the water/health situation in the late 1960s versus the late 1990s. This paper reports the initial results of the study in the II Drawers of Water research sites in Uganda and provides a comparison of the two datasets spanning 30 years of change. It also introduces findings from a second phase of participatory research; which provides insights into the water use histories of selected sites. The analysis shows that while significant progress has been made in improving the water and environmental health situation in some places and for some people in Uganda over the past three decades; elsewhere conditions have gone from bad to worse

Mumps. In: International Child Health Care: A practical manual for hospitals worldwide. Child advocacy International

Mumps is caused by a virus of the paramyxovirus family (also measles and prainfluenza). the virus is spread by airborne droplets through the respiratory tract; mouth; and possibly conjunctivae and urine; and is present in saliva; CSF; blood and urine. Clinical presentation:- . Incubation period is 14-24 days. Onset is with painful swelling of paroid glands; fever; general malaise; and occuasionally headache. Parotid swelling may be unilateral at first; followed a couple of days later by swelling of the opposite paratoid gland; with pain on opening the dry mouth. Mild meningoencephalitis is common; there may be nausea and vomiting; and abdominal pain. Orchitis presents with fever and tender oedematous swelling of the testis. In 10-20of cases the second testicle may be affected. However; infertility is rare. Differential diagnosis of parotitis includes cervical adenitis; pyogenic parotitis; recurrent parotitis; tumours of the parotid and tooth infections. Mumps orchitis can mimic hernias; tumours; haematomas; epididymo-orchitis and testicular torsion. Complications:- Complications include oophoritis; mastitits; pancreatitis; nephritis; myocarditis; thyroiditis; labyrinthine disturbance; painful swelling of the lacrimal glands; optic neuritis; uveeokeratitis; rapid loss of vision; arthritis; jaundice; pneumonia and thrombocytopenia. Transient or permanent unilateral nerve deafness has been reported. Infection during pregnancy very rarely causes disease of the fetus; for example aqueductal stenosis and hydrocephalus. Management: symptomatic treatment includes analgesics; fluids and scrotal support for orchitis. Value of corticosteroids for orchitis is not established. Prevention:- Measles; mumps; rubella (MMR) immunisation is routine in rich countries and has reduced mumps by over 90