Etiologies of autism in a case-series from Tanzania.

Most autism has a genetic cause although post-encephalitis cases are reported. In a case-series (N = 20) from Tanzania, 14 met research criteria for autism. Three (M:F = 1:2) had normal development to age 22, 35, and 42 months, with onset of autism upon recovery from severe malaria, attended by prolonged high fever, convulsions, and in one case prolonged loss of consciousness. In four other cases (M:F = 3:1), the temporal relationship between onset of autism and severe infection was close, but possibly spurious since malaria is common in Tanzania and there were indications of abnormal development in the child or a family member. In seven cases, (M:F = 6:1) autism onset was unrelated to malaria. The excess of non-verbal cases (N = 10) is related local diagnostic practice.

The nature of puerperal psychosis at Muhimbili National Hospital: its physical co-morbidity, associated main obstetric and social factors.

Eighty six in-patients suffering from puerperal psychosis within six weeks after childbirth were prospectively investigated in Muhimbili National Hospital during two years. Formal psychiatric history, mental status evaluation, research and diagnostic criteria including ICD 10 and clinical progression were employed for diagnosis. Using a structured questionnaire, the socio-demographic characteristics, concomitant physical disorders, major obstetric events, period of onset of puerperal psychosis following delivery and social support given were established. Mean age was found to be 23.6 years; the majority was primiparous women with parity of between one and three children. Main physical co-morbidities included anaemia in 51.4% of cases, infections in 44.2% and EPH-gestosis in 17.4%. Most mothers received social support from their extended families. Organic psychosis was found in four fifths of the mothers and schizophrenia in 8.1%. A high rate of early onset puerperal psychosis (3.2/1000 (births), predominantly in young primiparous women, was found.