A bronchogenic cyst masquerading as asthma: A case report.

Wheezing in infants and under-five children may present a diagnostic problem as there are various aetiologies for this symptom. Diagnosis of asthma is often made as it is one of the causes of wheezing in children. It is however important to have taken a complete history, including allergy and appropriate diagnostic investigations. If the child's symptoms do not improve despite appropriate therapy, a different diagnosis must be pursued. We report the case of a child who presented to us with wheezing and who did not respond to therapy.

South African food allergy consensus document 2014.

The prevalence of food allergy is increasing worldwide and is an important cause of anaphylaxis. There are no local South African food allergy guidelines. This document was devised by the Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA), the South African Gastroenterology Society (SAGES) and the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA). Subjects may have reactions to more than one food, and different types and severity of reactions to different foods may coexist in one individual. A detailed history directed at identifying the type and severity of possible reactions is essential for every food allergen under consideration. Skin-prick tests and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) (ImmunoCAP) tests prove IgE sensitisation rather than clinical reactivity. The magnitude of sensitisation combined with the history may be sufficient to ascribe causality, but where this is not possible an incremental oral food challenge may be required to assess tolerance or clinical allergy. For milder non-IgE-mediated conditions a diagnostic elimination diet may be followed with food re-introduction at home to assess causality. The primary therapy for food allergy is strict avoidance of the offending food/s, taking into account nutritional status and provision of alternative sources of nutrients. Acute management of severe reactions requires prompt intramuscular administration of adrenaline 0.01 mg/kg and basic resuscitation. Adjunctive therapy includes antihistamines, bronchodilators and corticosteroids. Subjects with food allergy require risk assessment and those at increased risk for future severe reactions require the implementation of risk-reduction strategies, including education of the patient, families and all caregivers (including teachers), the provision of a written emergency action plan, a MedicAlert necklace or bracelet and injectable adrenaline (preferably via auto-injector) where necessary.

Latex allergy and its clinical features among healthcare workers at Mankweng Hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Latex allergy, caused by sensitisation in atopic individuals, is a common occupational disease among healthcare workers who use latex gloves. It may be present in non-atopic individuals as well. The main objective of this study was to document the prevalence and disease spectrum of latex allergy at Mankweng Hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The secondary objective was to determine clinical presentation of the disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study, with an analytical component, was conducted among healthcare workers who worked in high-risk areas for latex sensitisation. ImmunoCAP testing was performed and followed by a skin-prick test (SPT) in those who tested negative to the blood test. RESULTS: Two hundred screening questionnaires were distributed to healthcare workers at the hospital. Of these 158 (79.0%) were returned, with 59 participants meeting the inclusion criteria (experiencing symptoms due to wearing latex gloves). The mean age of the participants was 39.6 years (standard deviation 9.8 years, range 20 - 60 years). There were more females (98.1%) than males (1.9%). Glove-related symptoms were present in 59 subjects (37.1%), in 7 (11.9%) of whom the ImmunoCAP was positive to latex (95% confidence interval 4.2 - 22.9%). Fourteen participants were lost to follow-up before the SPT was performed. Thirty-eight of the participants with negative ImmunoCAP tests underwent SPT. Positive SPTs were reported in 5 of these 38 workers (13.2%), indicating that the ImmunoCAP test missed 11.1% (5/45) of latex-allergic individuals. The prevalence of latex allergy in this study was 8.3% (12/144). A denominator of 144 was used, as there is a possibility that some of the 14 individuals lost to follow-up could have tested positive to latex sensitisation by SPT. The symptoms experienced by latex-sensitised workers were rhinitis (100.0%), asthma (50.0%), dermatitis (25.0%), severe anaphylaxis (8.3%), abdominal pain (8.3%) and angio-oedema (8.3%). CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal that latex allergy is a problem at our hospital. The prevalence of 8.3% is comparable to findings in other South African centres. We recommend a latex-free protocol for high-risk areas and healthcare workers.

Guideline for the management of acute asthma in children: 2013 update.

BACKGROUND: Acute asthma exacerbations remain a common cause of hospitalisation and healthcare utilisation in South African children. AIM: To update the South African paediatric acute asthma guidelines according to current evidence, and produce separate recommendations for children above and below 2 years of age. METHODS: A working group of the South African Childhood Asthma Group was established to review the published literature on acute asthma in children from 2000 to 2012, and to revise the South African guidelines accordingly. RECOMMENDATIONS: Short-acting inhaled bronchodilators remain the first-line treatment of acute asthma. A metered-dose inhaler with spacer is preferable to nebulisation for bronchodilator therapy to treat mild to moderate asthma. Two to four puffs of a short-acting bronchodilator given every 20 - 30 minutes, depending on clinical response, should be given for mild attacks; up to 10 puffs may be needed for more severe asthma. Children with severe asthma or oxygen saturation (SpO2) <92% should receive oxygen and frequent doses of nebulised beta-2-agonists, and be referred to hospital. Nebulised ipratropium bromide (via nebulisation or multidosing via pMDI-spacer combination) should be added if there is a poor response to three doses of ß2-agonist or if the symptoms are severe. Early use of corticosteroids reduces the need for hospital admission and prevents relapse; oral therapy is preferable. Assessment of acute asthma in children below the age of 2 years can be difficult, and other causes of wheezing must be excluded. Treatment of acute asthma in this age group is similar to that of older children. CONCLUSION: Effective therapy for treatment of acute asthma - primarily inhaled short-acting ß2-agonists, oral corticosteroids and oxygen with appropriate delivery systems - should be available in all healthcare facilities and rapidly instituted for treatment of acute asthma in children. ENDORSEMENT: The guideline document was endorsed by the Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA), the South African Thoracic Society (SATS), the National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP), the South African Paediatric Association (SAPA) and the South African Academy of Family Practice.

HIV-related bronchiectasis in children: an emerging spectre in high tuberculosis burden areas.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected children have an eleven-fold risk of acute lower respiratory tract infection. This places HIV-infected children at risk of airway destruction and bronchiectasis. OBJECTIVE: To study predisposing factors for the development of bronchiectasis in a developing world setting. METHODS: Children with HIV-related bronchiectasis aged 6-14 years were enrolled. Data were collected on demographics, induced sputum for tuberculosis, respiratory viruses (respiratory syncytial virus), influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1-3, adenovirus and cytomegalovirus), bacteriology and cytokines. Spirometry was performed. Blood samples were obtained for HIV staging, immunoglobulins, immunoCAP®-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) for common foods and aeroallergens and cytokines. RESULTS: In all, 35 patients were enrolled in the study. Of 161 sputum samples, the predominant organisms cultured were Haemophilus influenzae and parainfluenzae (49%). The median forced expiratory volume in 1 second of all patients was 53%. Interleukin-8 was the predominant cytokine in sputum and serum. The median IgE level was 770 kU/l; however, this did not seem to be related to atopy; 36% were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, with no correlation between exposure and CD4 count. CONCLUSION: Children with HIV-related bronchiectasis are diagnosed after the age of 6 years and suffer significant morbidity. Immune stimulation mechanisms in these children are intact despite the level of immunosuppression.