Control of an amoebiasis outbreak in the Philippi area near Cape Town

No Abstract

Cryptosporidium infections in children in Durban Seasonal variation, age distribution and disease status

One hundred and eleven of 1229 children (9%) aged < 10 years admitted to King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, with gastro-enteritis over a period of 1 year were found to harbour Cryptosporidium. Of these, 96 (89,7%) were < 2 years of age. Cryptosporidium was the only potential pathogen identified in 80 of these patients (6,50/0). The prevalence in paediatric patients without gastro-enteritis was 2,4% (3/124). During the study period Cryptosporidium infections were significantly more prevalent during the high rainfall season (P = 0,03)

A comparative assessment of commonly employed staining procedures for the diagnosis of ' cryptosporidiosis

Following an increase in the number of reports of Cryptosporidium infections and the problems encountered in detecting these organisms in faecal smears, a comparative assessment of a modification of the Sheather's flotation technique and other commonly employed staining procedures proved the modified Sheather's technique to be most useful in identifying Cryptosporidium oocysts in diarrhoeal stools. This technique not only detected the parasite in the highest number of stools but also proved to be cost-effective and the least timeconsuming. Other staining techniques assessed were the modified Ziehl-Neelsen, safranin-methylene blue and auramine- phenol fluorescence. Both the modified Ziehl-Neelsen and the auramine-phenol fluorescence procedures produced nonspecific staining, while the safranin-methylene blue method was found to be the least sensitive technique

Book Reviews

Book Review 1Book Title: The Asian Elephant: Ecology and ManagementBook Author: R. SukumarCambridge University Press, 1989. Paperback edition 1991. 255 pp. ISBN: 0-521-360aO-3-XBook Review 2Book Title: Key to Parasitic NematodesBook Author: Edited by K.I. SkryabinPrinted by Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi, distributed by E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands (1991). 4 Volumes; 1097 pages.Book Review 3Book Title: Fauna Iberica, Vol. 1. Mollusca CephalopodaBook Author: Angel Guerra SierraMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid, 1992. 327 pages and 19 colour photographs.Book Review 4Book Title: Roberts' Birds of Southern AfricaBook Author: Gordon L. Maclean6th edition 1993. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Cape Town.Book Review 5Book Title: Biochemical ProtozoologyBook Authors: Edited by Graham Coombs & Michael NorthTaylor & Francis Ltd, London/Washington DC 1991. 55 Chapters; 635 pages. ISBN 0-7484-0001-X.Book Review 6Book Title: The Living Deserts of Southern AfricaBook Author: Barry G. LovegroveFernwood Press, Vlaeberg (Cape Town), 1993. ISBN 0-9583154-7-7

Book Reviews

Book Review 1Book Title: The Asian Elephant: Ecology and ManagementBook Author: R. SukumarCambridge University Press, 1989. Paperback edition 1991. 255 pp. ISBN: 0-521-360aO-3-XBook Review 2Book Title: Key to Parasitic NematodesBook Author: Edited by K.I. SkryabinPrinted by Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi, distributed by E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands (1991). 4 Volumes; 1097 pages.Book Review 3Book Title: Fauna Iberica, Vol. 1. Mollusca CephalopodaBook Author: Angel Guerra SierraMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid, 1992. 327 pages and 19 colour photographs.Book Review 4Book Title: Roberts' Birds of Southern AfricaBook Author: Gordon L. Maclean6th edition 1993. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Cape Town.Book Review 5Book Title: Biochemical ProtozoologyBook Authors: Edited by Graham Coombs & Michael NorthTaylor & Francis Ltd, London/Washington DC 1991. 55 Chapters; 635 pages. ISBN 0-7484-0001-X.Book Review 6Book Title: The Living Deserts of Southern AfricaBook Author: Barry G. LovegroveFernwood Press, Vlaeberg (Cape Town), 1993. ISBN 0-9583154-7-7

Book Reviews

Book Review 1Book Title: Inside the Brain. Revolutionary Discoveries of How the Mind WorksBook Author: Ronald KotulakPp. xiii + -194. R144.95. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel. 1996. (Distributed by Macdonald Purnell (Ply) Ltd, Denver Ext.). ISBN 0-8362-1043-3.Book Review 2Book Title: Pain in the Elderly. Task Force on Pain in the ElderlyBook Authors: Belly R. Ferrell & Bruce A. Ferrel (Eds.)Pp. xiii + 137. Seattle: IASP Press. 1996. ISBN 0-931092-15-9.Book Review 3Book Title: TB/HIV. A Clinical ManualBook Authors: Anthony D. Harries & Dermot MaherPp. 135. Geneva: WHO. 1996.Book Review 4Book Title: Tropical PathologyBook Authors: Wilhelm Doerr & Gerhard Seifert (Eds.)Pp. xliv + 1379. Illustrated. Heidelberg: Springer-Vertag. 1995. ISBN 3-540-57673-8.Book Review 5Book Title: Eyelid Myclonia with AbsencesBook Authors: John S. Duncan & C.P. Panayiotoutos (Eds.)Pp. vii + 122. Illustrated. London: John Ubbey. 1996. ISBN 086-196-5361Book Review 6Book Title: Organ TransplantationBook Author:  P Hervé et al. (Eds.)Pp. xx + 1436. Illustrated 1996. London: John Ubbey & Co Ltd. ISBN 0-86196-383-0