Cholera in pregnant women: the 2012 epidemic at the reference center at the Donka National Hospital in Conakry.

Cholera is an epidemic diarrheal disease transmitted through the digestive tract; it can cause obstetric complications in pregnant women. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of cholera in pregnant women, as well as its course, during the 2012 epidemic in Conakry. This retrospective, descriptive studied examined the records of this epidemic over a 7-month period (from May 15 to December 15, 2012). Of 2,808 cholera patients at our hospital, 80 were pregnant, that is, 2.85%. Their mean age was 30 years [range: 15-45 years], 94% were from Conakry (94%), and 69% were in the third trimester of pregnancy. Choleriform diarrhea and vomiting were the main signs, found respectively in 100% and 95% of the women; dehydration was mild for 16%, moderate for 45%, and severe for 39%. Support consisted of rehydration, by plans A (16%), B (45%) or C (39%) and antibiotic treatment based on erythromycin (85%), doxycycline (14%), or azithromycin (1%). Other drugs that were used included phloroglucinol-trimethylphloroglucinol (Spasfon(®)) for 45%, acetaminophen for 65%, and iron/folic acid for 1% of cases. The major obstetric complications were 4 intrauterine deaths (5%), 2 cases of threatened abortion (2%), 1 preterm delivery (1%), and 1 maternal death. The cholera outbreak in 2012 affected a large number of pregnant women in Conakry, most during their third trimester. The classic clinical manifestations were associated with obstetric complications and maternal-fetal risks.

[Scorpion envenomation treated in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the Donka National Hospital, Guinea]. / Les envenimations scorpioniques traitées dans le service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales de l'hôpital national Donka, Guinée.

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from 1(st) October 2010 to 30 November 2012 on the records of patients admitted for scorpion envenomation in the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the Donka National Hospital. The objective of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical characteristics of scorpion envenomation in Maritime Guinea, from scorpion stings recently covered in this service. We collected 75 cases of scorpion envenomation. The median age was 21.5 with interquartile 8 and 20 and sex ratio was 1.29. The upper limbs were involved in 55% of cases, followed by the lower limbs (35%), trunk (6%), head and neck (4%). We observed 63% of patients with local signs, 30% mild and general clinical signs of 7% severe systemic symptoms. All patients received an analgesic and a heterologous antitoxin, associated with an antibiotic (87% of patients), a corticosteroid (72%), diazepam (13%) and furosemide (34.6%). The incidence of scorpion envenomation is not negligible despite underreporting of cases, most often treated in traditional medicine.

[Report of a case of poisoning by double snake bite with neurotrope venom at the National Donka Hospital, Conakry (Guinea)]. / À propos d'un cas d'envenimation par double morsure d'un serpent à venin neurotrope à l'hôpital national Donka, Conakry (Guinée).

Poisoning by snake bites remains an important cause of death in developing countries and in Africa in particular. Positive diagnosis is mostly easy because of the interrogation of the family and the local reactions that occur in the bite area. However, it is easy to know the type of the snake because the description by the victim is often unclear. We report a case of poisoning due to double bite by an unidentified snake that led to a clinical picture dominated by neurological and respiratory signs, suggestive of a neurotoxin poisoning in a young man living in rural area. Despite the delay in the management due to the ritual traditional treatment, the symptoms improved after the administration of polyvalent anti-venom. This observation raises the delicate problem of identification of snakes from the clinical symptomatology observed, considering their variety