Deep venous thrombosis in Assir region of Saudi Arabia. Case-control study.

In a five-year case-control study (1988 to 1993) at Assir Central Hospital (ACH), Abha (8,000 feet above sea level), Saudi Arabia, 92 of 129 patients suspected of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were studied with ascending contrast venography (CV) (74 patients, 80.4%) or Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) (18 patients, 19.6%). Female-to-male ratio was 2.3 to 1. Age range of patients was twelve to ninety years; mean age was 44.45 yrs +/- 17.38 years. DVT hospital incidence was 18 per 10,000 admissions. The most common associated factors included immobilization due to chronic diseases (21.7%), trauma and surgery (19.6%), and pregnancy and oral contraceptives usage (16.3%). The most common symptom and sign were limb pain and tenderness (95.6%). Limb swelling was noted in 93.5% of patients. The left lower limb was more commonly affected than the right. There was a definite increase of DVT during the winter months. Altitude was not a contributory factor. Pulmonary embolism was the greatest complication.

The pattern of skin diseases in Asir region, Saudi Arabia: A 12-month prospective study in a referral hospital.

The literature on the pattern of skin diseases in Saudi Arabia is scanty. We have attempted to analyze the pattern of skin diseases seen in the dermatology unit of Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Southern Saudi Arabia, during a 12-month period from March 1992 to March 1993. All new patients who were seen for dematological complaints in the skin clinics, emergency room or in the wards were studied prospectively. A total of 1285 dermatoses were diagnosed in 1223 patients during the 12-month study period. Out of the top 12 groups diseases, eczema/dermatitis (25.68%) came first, followed by viral infections. Among the eczema group, atopic eczema accounted for 53.64% and was most frequently observed in children (110/177 or 62.14%) compared to adults. The main causes of superficial mycoses were dermatophytosis and candidiasis. Psoriasis was the most common papulosquamous disorder. Scabies was seen in expatriate Egyptians and Asiatics only. Primary pyogenic infections of the skin were uncommon. The pattern of skin diseases in Saudi Arabia shows a predominance of eczema. Viral infections and dermatophytosis are the most common infective dermatoses, while pyogenic infections are relatively uncommon.

Skin sensitivity to capsulatum and duboisii histoplasmins in Nigeria.

A total of 1313 persons comprising 1087 healthy subjects and 226 hospital patients with bronchopulmonary disorders were tested for reactivity to histoplasmins prepared from Histoplasma capsulatum and H. capsulatum var. duboisii. The overall sensitivity rates to the two antigens were 3.5 and 3.0% respectively. The incidence of sensitivity in the hospital patients was significantly higher (8.85% for 'capsulatum' antigen and 6.64% for 'duboisii' antigen) than that in different categories of the healthy population (1.66-5.03% and 0.5-4.47%, respectively). The majority of persons who had a positive reaction to duboisii antigen also reacted positively to capsulatum antigen and vice versa.

African histoplasmosis in Eastern Nigeria: report of two culturally proven cases treated with septrin and amphotericin B.

Two cases of African histoplasmosis culturally proven to be caused by Histoplasma duboisii are reported from Eastern Nigeria. One case had cutaneous papules and subcutaneous nodules all over his body while the other patient had cutaneous papules, an abscess over the right scapula, enlarged cervical, axillary and inguinal lymph nodes, and possible lung involvement. None of the 35 soil samples collected from the environment of the two patients were found positive for H. duboisii. In the first case, most of the lesions cleared with Septrin given orally. The 2nd case responded very well to treatment with intravenous Amphotericin B except for persistance of swellings in the inguinal lymph nodes. The effect of intralesional injection of Amphotericin B on this residual lymph node infection is now being assessed.

Chromomycosis caused by Philaphora pedrosoi in eastern Nigeria.

Three cases of chromomycosis from Eastern Nigeria are described. The aetiological agent was identified as Phialophora pedrosoi. Amphotericin B cleared most of the lesions in one case while 5-fluorocytosine gave a complete cure in another case.

Kala-azar in Zambia: first report of two cases.

Two autochthonous cases of kala-azar, the first such report of the disease from Central and Southern Africa, are described. Both patients presented with generalized macules, papules and nodules without ulceration and both also had tuberculosis. Amastigotes were cultured from blood and identified in skin, bone marrow, liver and spleen.